persons were then tried for their lives, and were found guilty of a
design of killing the King and destroying the Government; and as a means
to it, to burn the City; and that the day intended for the plot was the
3rd of last September.

[The "Gazette" of April 23rd-26th, 1666, which contains the
following remarkable passage: "At the Sessions in the Old Bailey,
John Rathbone, an old army colonel, William Saunders, Henry Tucker,
Thomas Flint, Thomas Evans, John Myles, Will. Westcot, and John
Cole, officers or soldiers in the late Rebellion, were indicted for
conspiring the death of his Majesty and the overthrow of the
Government. Having laid their plot and contrivance for the
surprisal of the Tower, the killing his Grace the Lord General, Sir
John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Sir Richard Brown; and
then to have declared for an equal division of lands, &c. The
better to effect this hellish design, the City was to have been
fired, and the portcullis let down to keep out all assistance; and
the Horse Guards to have been surprised in the inns where they were
quartered, several ostlers having been gained for that purpose. The
Tower was accordingly viewed, and its surprise ordered by boats over
the moat, and from thence to scale the wall. One Alexander, not yet
taken, had likewise distributed money to these conspirators; and,
for the carrying on the design more effectually, they were told of a
Council of the great ones that sat frequently in London, from whom
issued all orders; which Council received their directions from
another in Holland, who sat with the States; and that the third of
September was pitched on for the attempt, as being found by Lilly's
Almanack, and a scheme erected for that purpose, to be a lucky day,
a planet then ruling which prognosticated the downfall of Monarchy.
The evidence against these persons was very full and clear, and they
were accordingly found guilty of High Treason." See November 10th,
1666--B.]

And the fire did indeed break out on the 2nd of September, which is
very strange, methinks, and I shall remember it. At the office all the
afternoon late, and then home to even my accounts in my Tangier book,
which I did to great content in all respects, and joy to my heart,
and so to bed. This afternoon Sir W. Warren and Mr. Moore, one after
another,