es my wife and to walk in the garden, Sir J. Minnes being still ill
and so keeping us from singing, and by and by Sir W. Pen come and walked
with us and gave us a bottle of Syder, and so we home to supper and to
bed. This day I am told that poor Tooker is dead, a very painfull poor
man as ever I knew.

3rd. Up, and within most of the morning, my tailor's boy coming to alter
something in my new suit I put on yesterday. Then to the office and did
business, and then (my wife being a little ill of those in bed) I to Sir
W. Batten's and dined, and there comes in Sir Richard Ford, tells us how
he hath been at the Sessions-house, and there it is plain that there is
a combination of rogues in the town, that do make it their business
to set houses on fire, and that one house they did set on fire in
Aldersgate Streete last Easter; and that this is proved by two young
men, whom one of them debauched by degrees to steal their fathers' plate
and clothes, and at last to be of their company; and they had their
places to take up what goods were flung into the streets out of the
windows, when the houses were on fire; and this is like to be proved to
a great number of rogues, whereof five are already found, and some found
guilty this day. One of these boys is the son of a Montagu, of my Lord
Manchester's family; but whose son he could not tell me. This is a
strange thing methinks, but I am glad that it is proved so true and
discovered. So home, and to enter my Journall of my late journey to this
hour, and then to the office, where to do a little business, and then by
water to White Hall (calling at Michell's in my way, but the rogue would
not invite me in, I having a mind para voir his wife), and there to the
Council-chamber, to deliver a letter to their Lordships about the state
of the six merchantmen which we have been so long fitting out. When
I come, the King and the whole table full of Lords were hearing of a
pitifull cause of a complaint of an old man, with a great grey beard,
against his son, for not allowing him something to live on; and at last
come to the ordering the son to allow his father L10 a year. This cause
lasted them near two hours; which, methinks, at this time to be the work
of the Council-board of England, is a scandalous thing, and methought
Sir W. Coventry to me did own as much. Here I find all the newes is the
enemy's landing 3,000 men near Harwich,

[Richard Browne, writing to Williamson from Aldeburgh, on