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1666

January
1 I beged the Protection of Almighty God, for the ensuing yeare &c:
2 I supped in None-such house (whither the Office of the Exchequer was transferrd, during the Plague) at my good friends Mr. Packer: & tooke an exact view of the Plaster Statues & Bass-relievos inserted twixt the timbers & poincons of the outside walles of the Court, which must needes have ben the work of some excellent Italian: admire I did how much it had lasted so well & intire as since the time of Hen: 8, exposd, as they are to the aire, & pitty it is they are not taken out, & <preserved> in some dry place, a gallerie would become them: there are some Mezzo relievi as big as the life, & the story is of the heathen Gods, Emblems, Compartiments, &c:
The Palace consists of two Courts, of which the first is of stone Castle like, by the Lord Lumlies (of whom 'twas purchas'd) the other of Timber a Gotique fabric, but these walls incomparably beautified: I also observed that the appearing timber punchions, entretices &c were all so covered with Scales of Slate, that it seemed carved in the Wood, & painted, the Slat fastned on the timber in pretty figures, that has preserved it from rotting like a coate of armour: There stand in the Garden two handsome stone Pyramids, & the avenue planted with rows of faire Elmes, but the rest of those goodly Trees both of this & of Worcester-Park adjoyning were fell'd by those destructive & avaritious Rebells in the late Warr, which defac'd one of the stateliest seates his Majestie had.1
After much, & indeede extraordinary mirth & cheere, all my Brothers, our Wives & Children being together, & after much sorrow & trouble during this Contagion, which separated our families, as well as others, I returned to my house, but [12] my Wife went back to Wotton, I not as yet willing to adventure her, the Contagion, though exceedingly abated, not as yet wholy extinguish'd amongst us:
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29 I went to waite on his Majestie (now return'd from Oxford to Hampton Court) where the Duke of Albemarle presenting me to him, he ran towards me, & in most gracious manner gave me his hand to kisse, with many thanks for my Care, & faithfullnesse in his service, in a time of that greate danger, when every body fled their Employments; he told me he was much oblig'd to me, & said he was severall times concern'd for me, & the peril I under-went, & did receive my service most acceptably: Though in truth I did but what was my duty, & ô that I had perform'd it as I ought: After this his Majestie was pleas'd to talke with me alone neere an houre, of severall particulars of my Employment, & ordred me to attend him againe the thursday at White-hall: Then the Duke came towards me & embrac'd me with much kindnesse, & told me, if he had but thought my danger would have ben so greate, he would not have sufferd his Majestie to employ me in that Station: then came to salute me, my L. of St. Albans, L. Arlington, Sir William Coventrie & severall greate persons, after which I got home, not being very well in health...

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February
6 My Wife & family return'd to me now out of the Country, where they had ben since August by reason of the Contagion, now almost universaly ceasing: Blessed be God for his infinite mercy in preserving us; I having gon through so much danger, & lost so many of my poore officers, escaping still my selfe, that I might live to recount & magnifie his goodnesse to me:
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8 To Lond. had another gracious reception of his Majestie who call'd me into his bed-chamber, to lay-before, & describe to him my project of an Infirmarie, which I read to him, with greate approbation, recommending it to his R: Highnesse, & so I returned home.
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20: To the Commissioners of the Navy, who having seene the project of the Infirmary, encouragd the worke, & were very earnest it should be set about speedily: but I saw no mony, though a very moderate expense, would have saved thousands to his Majestie and ben much more commodious for the cure & quartering our sick & wounded, than the dispersing of them into private houses, where many more Chir<ur>giones, & tenders were necessary, & the people tempted to debaucherie &c:
***

March
1 To Lond: presented his Majestie with my booke, intituled, The Pernicious Consequences of the new Heresy of the Jesuites, against King & States:
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April
10. To Lond: to visite Sir W: D'Oylie, surpriz'd with a fit of Apoplexie & in extreame danger:
11: ... As his Majestie came from Chapell, he call'd me in the lobby, & told Me he must now have me Sworn for Justice of Peace (having long since made me of the Commission) for preventing some dissorder in our parish at this time; I replied, that it was altogether inconsistent with the other service I was ingag'd in, during this hostility with Dutch & French and humbly desir'd to be excus'd, notwithstanding he persisted: After dinner waiting on him I gave him the first notice of the Spaniards referring the umpirage of the Peace 'twixt them, & the Portugal to the French King, which came to me in a letter from France before the Secretaries of State had any newes of it: After this againe his Majestie asked me, if I had found out any able person about our Parts, that might supplie my place of Justice of Peace (the thing in the world, I had most industriou<s>ly avoided to act in hitherto, in reguard of the perpetual trouble thereoff in this numerous Parish &c) on which I nominated one, whom his Majestie commanded me to give immediate notice of to my L: Chancellor, & I should be excus'd: for which I rendred his Majestie many thankes: After dinner, I went to the D: of Albemarle about some complaints I had against the Cleark of the Passage at Dover: Thence to my L: Chancelors to do his Majesties Command: Thence to the R: Society where I was chosen by 27 Voices to be one of their Council for the ensuing yeare, but upon my earnest suite, in respect of my other affairs, I got to be excused, & so got home:
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15 ... Our Parish now was more infected with the Plague, than ever, & so was all the Countrie about, though almost quite ceased at London:
18 ... that night my poore Wife Miscarried of a Sonn, being but young with Child:
***

May
7 I went to Rochester:
8 To Queenborow where finding the Richmond fregate I sailed to the Buy of the Noore to my L: Gen: & Prince Rupert where was the Rendezvous of the most glorious Fleete in the World, now preparing to meete the Hollander: having received orders & settled my buisinesse there, I return'd on the 9th to Chattham at night: next day I went to visit my Co: Hales at a sweetely watred place near Bochton at Chilston: The next morning to Leeds-Castle, once a famous hold &c. now hired by me of my Lord Culpeper for a Prison: here I flowed the drie moate and made a new draw bridge, brought also Spring Water into the Court of the Castle to an old fountaine, & tooke order for the repaires:
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June
1. Being in my Garden & hearing the Greate gunns go thick off: I immediately tooke horse, & rod that night to Rochester it being 6 at Evening when I set out:
[2] Thence next day towards the Downes & Sea-Coast: but meeting with the Lieutennant of the Hantshire fregat, who told me what pass'd, or rather not pass'd, I returned to Lond: (there being no noise, nor appearance at Deale or the Coast of any engagement) this recounting to his Majestie whom I found at St. James's [Park] impatiently expecting) & [I] knowing that Prince Rupert was loose, about 3 at St. Hellens point at N. of Wight, it greately rejoic'd him: but was astonish'd when I assur'd him they heard nothing of the Gunns in the Downes, nor the Lieutennant who landed there by five that morning.
3: Whitsonday: ... after sermon came newes, that the Duke of Albemarle was still in fight & all Saturday; & cap: Harmans ship (the Henrie) like to be burnt: Then a letter from Mr. Bertie that Pr: Rupert was come up with his Squadron (according to my former advice of his being loose & in the way) & put new courage into our fleete now in a manner yeilding ground; so as now we were chasing the chacers: That the D: of Alb: was slightly wounded, & the rest in greate danger 'til now; so having ben much wearied with my journey, I slip'd home, the Gunns still roaring very fiercely:
5 I went this morning to Lond: where came severall particulars of the fight:
6: came Sir Dan: Harvey from the Generall & related the dreadfull encounter, upon which his Majestie commanded me to dispatch away an extraordinary Physitian, & more Chirurgions: 'Twas on the solemn fast day, when the newes came, his Majestie being in the Chapell made a suddaine Stop, to heare the relation, which being with much advantage on our side, his Majestie commanded that Publique Thanks should immediately be given as for a Victory; The Deane of the Chapell going down to give notice of it to the other Deane officiating; & so notice was likewise sent to St. Paules and Westminster abbey: But this was no sooner over, but newes came that our losse was very great both in ships & men: That the Prince fregat was burnt & so a noble vessel of 90 brasse Guns lost: together with the taking of Sir Geo: Ayscue & exceeding shattring of both fleetes, so as both being obstinate, both parted rather for want of ammunition & tackle than Courage, our Generall retreating like a Lyon, which exceedingly abated of our former jolitie: There was however order given for bone-fires & bells, but God knows, it was rather a deliverance than a Triumph: so much it pleased God to humble our late over Confidence, that nothing could withstand the Duke of Albemarle: who in good truth made too forward a reckoning of his successe, now, because he had once beaten the Dutch in another quarrell: & being ambitious to out-do the Earle of Sandwich, whom he had prejudice <to> as defective of Courage: A Doctor preached on call on me in time of trouble: I suppd at the Groome-porters;
7 I sent more Chirurgions, linnen, medicaments &c: to the severall ports in my District: din'd at my Lord Cornburies, returned home with my Wife:
8. Dined with me Sir Alex: Frasier (prime Physitian to his Majestie) after dinner went on board his Majesties pleasure-boat where I saw the London fregate launched (a most statly ship built by the Cittie, to supply that which was burnt by accident some time since) The King: L. Major & Sherifes being there, with a greate Banquet: I presented my Sonn to his Majestie:
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15 I went to Chattham:
16 in the Jemmy Yach't (an incomparable sailer) to sea, arived by noone at the Fleete in the B of Nore, dined with Pr: Rupert & Generall:
17: Came his Majestie, Duke, & many Noblemen; after Council, we went to Prayers: having dispatch'd my buisinesse, I return'd to Chattham having layne but one night at sea, in the Royal Charles, we had a tempestuous sea; I went on shore at Sheere-Nesse, where they were building an Arsenal for the Fleete, & designing a royal Fort, with a receptacle for greate ships to ride at Anker; but here I beheld that sad spectacle, namely more than halfe of that gallant bulwark of the Kingdome miserably shatterd, hardly a Vessell intire, but appearing rather so many wracks & hulls, so cruely had the Dutch mangled us: when the losse of the Prince (that gallant Vessell) had ben a losse to be universaly deplor'd, none knowing for what reason we first ingagd in this ungratefull warr: we lost besids 9 or 10 more, & neere 600 men slaine, & 1100 wounded 2000 Prisoners, to balance which perhaps we might destroy 18 or 20 of the Enemies ships & 7 or 800 poore men:
18 weary of this sad sight I came home:
***

July
2. Came Sir Jo: Duncomb & Mr. Tho: Chichley both Privy Councellors &
Commissioners of his Majesties Ordinance to give me a visite, & to let me know his Majestie had in Council nominated me to be one of the Commissioners for regulating the farming & making of Salt-peter through the whole Kingdome, & that we were to sit in the Tower the next day &c: When they were gon, came to see me Sir Jo: Cotton (heire to the famous Antiquarie Sir Robert) a pretended greate Gretian, but had by no meanes the parts or genius of his Grandfather: with him were severall other knights & Gent:

3 I went to sit with the Commissioners at the Tower of Lond, where our Commiss: being read, we made some progresse in buisinesse: Sir G: Wharton being our Secretary, that famous Mathematitian, & who writ the yearely Almanac, during his Majesties troubles: Thence to Painter hall to our other Commiss: & dined at my L: Majors:
4: ... After Sermon I waited on my L: A: Bish: of Cant and B: of Winchester; where the Deane of Westminster spake to me about putting into my hands the disposal of 50 pounds which the Charitable people at Oxford had sent to be distributed among the sick & wounded seamen &c: since the battaile: Thence I went to my L: Chancellor to joy him of the Royal Highnesse second sonne now born at St. James's, and to desire the use of the Star-chamber for our Commissioners to meete in, painters hall not being so convenient.
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11 ... to the R: Society, where was an experiment of vibrating two [concave] Globes fill'd with sand, of severall dimensions, to represent the motion of the Earth & Moone about it, which the sand issuing out of the bottome described on the floore: Triall againe of the saddle Charriot, & fountaine to water Gardens & tops of tallest trees: &c:
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22 I went to Greenewich to Prayers: our Parish still exceedingly infected with the Contagion:
24 To Lond: 25 The Fleetes ingaged:...
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29 The Pestilence now a fresh increasing in our Parish, I forbore going to Church: In the <Afternoon> came tidings of our Victorie over the Hollanders, sinking some, and driving others on ground, & into their ports:
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August
6 To Lond:, din'd with Mr. Povy, & then went with him, to see a Country house he had bought neere Brainford, returning by Kensington, which house I saw standing to a very gracefull avenue of trees; but tis an ordinary building, especialy one part. I returnd to Lond:
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12 The pestilence still raging in our Parish, I durst not go to Church.
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17: Din'd with L: Chancellor whom I intreated to visite the Hospital of the Savoy, & reduce it (after the greate abuse had ben continued) to its original institution, for the benefit of the poore, which he promised to do.
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23. Sat at Star-Chamber, Din'd at Sir William D'Oylies now recovered as it were miraculously: In the afternoone Visited the Savoy Hospital, where I staied to see the miserably dismembred & wounded men dressed & gave some necessary orders: Then to my L: Chancelor, who had (with the Bish: of Lond & others in Commission) chosen me one of the three Surveyors of the repaires of Paules, & to consider a model for the new building, or (if it might be) repairing of the Steeple, which was most decayd: & so I returned home.
26 Contagion still continuing, we had the Church Office at home &c:
27 I went to St. Paules Church in Lond: where with Dr. Wren, Mr. Prat, Mr. May, Mr. Tho. Chichley, Mr. Slingsby, the Bish: of Lond., the Deane of S. Paule, & severall expert Workmen, we went about to survey the generall decays of that antient & venerable Church, & to set downe the particulars in writing, what was fit to be don, with the charge thereof: giving our opinion from article to article: We found the maine building to receede outward: 'It was Mr. Chichleys & Prats opinion that it had ben so built ab origine for an effect in Perspective, in reguard of the height; but I was with Dr. Wren quite of another judgement, as indeede ridiculous, & so we entered it: We plumbed the Uprights in severall places: When we came to the Steeple, it was deliberated whither it were not well enought to repaire it onely upon its old foundation, with reservation to the 4 Pillars: This Mr. Chichley & Prat were also for; but we totaly rejected it & persisted that it requird a new foundation, not onely in reguard of the necessitie, but for that the shape of what stood was very meane, & we had a mind to build it with a noble Cupola, a forme of church building, not as yet knowne in England, but of wonderfull grace: for this purpose we offerd to bring in a draught & estimate, which (after much contest) was at last assented to, & that we should nominate a Committè of able Workemen to examine the present foundation: This concluded we drew all up in Writing, and so going with with my L: Bishop to the Deanes, after a little refreshment, went home.
***

September
2: This fatal night about ten, began that deplorable fire, neere Fish-streete in Lond:
2: I had pub: prayers at home: after dinner the fire continuing, with my Wife & Sonn took Coach & went to the bank side in Southwark, where we beheld that dismal speectaccle, the whole Citty in dreadfull flames neere the Water side, & had now consumed all the houses from the bridge all Thames Streete & up-wards towards Cheape side, downe to the three Cranes, & so returned exceedingly astonishd, what would become of the rest:
3 The Fire having continud all this night (if I may call that night, which was as light as day for 10 miles round about after a dreadfull manner) when consp<ir>ing with a fierce Eastern Wind, in a very drie season, I went on foote to the same place, when I saw the whole South part of the Citty burning from Cheape side to the Thames, & all along Cornehill (for it likewise kindled back against the Wind, as well <as> forward) Tower-Streete, Fen-church-streete, Gracious Streete, & so along to Bainard Castle, and was now taking hold of St. Paules-Church, to which the Scaffalds contributed exceedingly:
The Conflagration was so universal, & the people so astonish'd, that from the beginning (I know not by what desponding or fate), they hardly stirr'd to quench it, so as there was nothing heard or seene but crying out & lamentation, & running about like distracted creatures, without at all attempting to save even their goods; such a strange consternation there was upon them, so as it burned both in breadth & length, The Churches, Publique Halls, Exchange, Hospitals, Monuments, & ornaments, leaping after a prodigious manner from house to house & streete to streete, at greate distance one from the other, for the heate (with a long set of faire & warme weather) had even ignited the aire, & prepared the materials to conceive the fire, which devoured after a<n> incredible manner, houses, furniture, & everything: Here we saw the Thames coverd with goods floating, all the barges & boates laden with what some had time & courage to save, as on the other, the Carts &c carrying out to the fields, which for many miles were strewed with moveables of all sorts, & Tents erecting to shelter both people & what goods they could get away: o the miserable & calamitous speectacle, such as happly the whole world had not seene the like since the foundation of it, nor to be out don, 'til the universal Conflagration of it, all the skie were of a fiery aspect, like the top of a burning Oven, & the light seene above 40 miles round about for many nights: God grant mine eyes may never behold the like, who now saw above ten thousand houses all in one flame, the noise & crakling & thunder of the impetuous flames, the shreeking of Women & children, the hurry of people, the fall of towers, houses & churches was like an hideous storme, & the aire all about so hot & inflam'd that at the last one was not able to approch it, so as they were force'd <to> stand still, and let the flames consume on which they did for neere two whole mile<s> in length and one in bredth: The Clowds also of Smoke were dismall, & reached upon computation neere 50 miles in length:
Thus I left it this afternoone burning, a resemblance of Sodome, or the last day: It call'd to mind that of 4 Heb: non enim hic habemus stabilem Civitatem:2 the ruines resembling the picture of Troy: London was, but is no more: Thus I return'd:
4. The burning still rages; I went now on horse back, & it was now gotten as far as the Inner Temple, all Fleetestreete, old baily, Ludgate Hill, Warwick Lane, Newgate, Paules Chaine, Wattling-streete now flaming & most of it reduc'd to ashes, the stones of Paules flew like granados, the Lead mealting down the streetes in a streame, & the very pavements of them glowing with a fiery rednesse, so as nor horse nor man was able to tread on them, & the demolitions had stopped all the passages, so as no help could be applied; the Easter<n> Wind still more impetuously driving the flames forewards: Nothing but the almighty power of God was able to stop them, for vaine was the help of man: on the fift it crossed towards White-hall, but o the Confusion was then at that Court:
It pleased his Majestie to command me among the rest to looke after the quenching of fetter-lane end, to preserve (if possible) that part of Holborn, whilst the rest of the Gent: tooke their several posts, some at one part, some at another, for now they began to bestirr themselves, & not 'til now, who 'til now had stood as men interdict, with their hands a crosse, & began to consider that nothing was like to put a stop, but the blowing up of so many houses, as might make a <wider> gap, than any had yet ben made by the ordinary method of pulling them downe with Engines: This some stout Seamen proposd early enought to have saved the whole Citty: but some tenacious & avaritious Men, Aldermen &c. would not permitt, because their houses must have ben <of> the first: It was therefore now commanded to be practised, & my conerne being particularly for the Hospital of st. Bartholomeus neere Smithfield, where I had many wounded & sick men, made me the more diligent to promote it; nor was my care for the Savoy lesse: So as it pleased Almighty God by abating of the Wind, & the industrie of people, now when all was lost, infusing a new Spirit into them (& such as had if exerted in time undoubtedly preserved the whole) that the furie of it began sensibly to abate, about noone, so as it came no farther than the Temple West-ward, nor than the enterance of Smithfield North; but continued all this day & night so impetuous toward Cripple-Gate, & The Tower, as made us even all despaire; It also brake out againe in the Temple: but the courage of the multitude persisting, & innumerable houses blown up with Gunpowder, such gaps & desolations were soone made, as also by the former three days consumption, as the back fire did not so vehemently urge upon the rest, as formerly:
There was yet no standing neere the burning & glowing ruines neere a furlongs Space; The Coale & Wood wharfes & magazines of Oyle, rozine, [chandler] &c: did infinite mischiefe; so as the invective I but a little before dedicated to his Majestie & publish'd1, giving warning what might probably be the issue of suffering those shops to be in the Citty, was lookd on as prophetic: but there I left this smoking & sultry heape, which mounted up in dismall clowds night & day, the poore Inhabitans dispersd all about St. Georges, Moore filds, as far as higate, & severall miles in Circle, Some under tents, others under miserab<l>e Hutts and Hovells, without a rag, or any necessary utinsils, bed or board, who from delicatnesse, riches & easy accommodations in stately & well furnishd houses, were now reduc'd to extreamest misery & poverty: In this Calamitous Condition I returnd with a sad heart to my house, blessing & adoring the distinguishing mercy of God, to me & mine, who in the midst of all this ruine, was like Lot, in my little Zoar, safe and sound:
6 Thursday, I represented to his Majestie the Case, of the French Prisoners at War in my Custodie, & besought him, there might be still the same care of Watching at all places contiguous to unseized houses: It is not indeede imaginable how extraordinary the vigilanc<e> & activity of the King & Duke was, even labouring in person, & being present, to command, order, reward, and enourage Workemen; by which he shewed his affection to his people, & gained theirs: Having then disposed of some under Cure, at the Savoy, I return'd to white hall, where I dined at Mr. Offleys, Groome-porter, who was my relation, together with the Knight Martial, where I also lay that night.
7 I went this morning on foote from White hall as far as London bridge, thro the Late fleete streete, Ludgate hill, by St. Paules, Cheape side, Exchange, Bishopsgate, Aldersgate, & out to Morefields, thence thro Cornehill, &c: with extraordinary difficulty, clambring over mountaines of yet smoking rubbish, & frequently mistaking where I was, the ground under my feete so hott, as made me not onely Sweate, but even burnt the soles of my shoes, & put me all over in Sweate: In the meane time his Majestie got to the Tower by Water, to demolish the houses about the Graft3, which being built intirely about it, had they taken fire, & attaq'd the white Towre, where the Magazines of Powder lay, would undo<u>btedly have not onely beaten downe & destroyed all the bridge, but sunke & torne all the vessells in the river, & rendred the demolition beyond all expression for severall miles even about the Country at many miles distance:
At my returne I was infinitly concern'd to find that goodly Chur<c>h St. Paules now a sad ruine, & that beautifull Portico (for structure comparable to any in Europ, as not long before repaird by the late King) now rent in pieces, flakes of vast Stone Split in sunder, & nothing remaining intire but the Inscription in the Architrave which shewing by whom it was built, had not one letter of it defac'd: which I could not but take notice of: It was astonishing to see what imense stones the heate had in a manner Calcin'd, so as all the ornaments, Columns, freezes, Capitels & proje<c>tures of massie Portland stone flew off, even to the very roofe, where a Sheete of Leade covering no lesse than 6 akers by measure, being totaly mealted, the ruines of the Vaulted roofe, falling brake into St. Faithes, which being filled with the magazines of bookes, belonging to the Stationer<s>, & carried thither for safty, they were all consumed burning for a weeke following: It is also observable, that the lead over the Altar at the East end was untouch'd; and among the divers monuments, the body of one Bishop, remained intire.
Thus lay in ashes that most venerab<l>e Church, one of the <antientest> Pieces of early Piety in the Christian world, beside neere 100 more; The lead, yronworke, bells, plate &c mealted; the exquisitely wrought Mercers Chapell, the Sumptuous Exchange, the august fabricque of Christ church, all the rest of the Companies Halls, sumptuous buildings, Arches, Enteries, all in dust. The fountaines dried up & ruind, whilst the very waters remained boiling; the Voragos of subterranean Cellars Wells & Dungeons, formerly Warehouses, still burning in stench & dark clowds of smoke like hell, so as in five or six miles traversing about, I did not see one load of timber unconsum'd, nor many stones but what were calcind white as snow, so as the people who now walked about the ruines, appeard like men in some dismal desart, or rather in some greate Citty, lay'd wast by an impetuous & cruel Enemy, to which was added the stench that came from some poore Creaturs bodys, beds & other combustible goods:
Sir Tho: Gresshams Statue, though falln to the ground from its nich in the R: Exchange remain'd intire, when all those of the Kings since the Conquest were broken to pieces: also the Standard in Cornehill, & Q: Elizabeths Effigies, with some armes on Ludgate continud with but little detriment, whilst the vast yron Chaines of the Cittie streetes, vast hinges, barrs & gates of Prisons were many of them mealted, & reduc'd to cinders by the vehement heats: nor was I yet able to pass through any of the narrower streetes, but kept <to> the widest, the ground & aire, smoake & fiery vapour, continud so intense, my hair being almost seinged, & my feete unsufferably surbated: The bielanes & narrower streetes were quite fill'd up with rubbish, nor could one have possibly knowne where he was, but by the ruines of some church, or hall, that had some remarkable towre or pinacle remaining:
I then went towards Islington, & high-gate, where one might have seene two hundred thousand people of all ranks & degrees, dispersed, & laying along by their heapes of what they could save from the Incendium, deploring their losse, & though ready to perish for hunger & destitution, yet not asking one penny for reliefe, which to me appeard a stranger sight, than any I had yet beheld: His Majestie & Council indeeade tooke all imaginable care for their reliefe, by Proclamation, for the Country to come in & refresh them with provisions: when in the middst of all this Calamity & confusion, there was (I know not how) an Alarme begun, that the French & Dutch (with whom we were now in hostility) were not onely landed, but even entring the Citty; there being in truth, greate suspicion some days before, of those two nations joyning, & even now, that they had ben the occasion of firing the Towne:
This report did so terrifie, that on a suddaine there was such an uprore & tumult, that they ran from their goods, & taking what weapons they could come at, they could not be stop'd from falling on some of those nations whom they casualy met, without sense or reason, the clamor & perill growing so excessive, as made the whole Court amaz'd at it, & they did with infinite paines, & greate difficulty reduce & apease the people, sending Guards & troopes of souldiers, to cause them to retire into the fields againe, where they were watched all this night when I left them pretty quiet, & came home to my house, sufficiently weary & broken: Their spirits thus a little sedated, & the affright abated, they now began to repaire into the suburbs about the Citty, where such as had friends or opportunit<i>e got shelter & harbour for the Present; to which his Majesties Proclamation also invited them. Still the Plage, continuing in our parish, I could not without danger adventure to our Church.
10: I went againe to the ruines, for it was now no longer a Citty:
11 Sat at Star Chamber, on the 13, I presented his Majestie with a Survey of the ruines, and a Plot for a new Citty, with a discourse on it, whereupon, after dinner, his Majestie sent for me into the Queenes Bed-chamber, her Majestie & the Duke onely present, where they examind each particular, & discoursed upon them for neere a full houre, seeming to be extreamly pleasd with what I had so early thought on: The Queene was now in her Cavaliers riding habite, hat & feather & horsemans Coate, going to take the aire; so I took leave of his Majestie & visiting the Duke of Albemarle, now newly return'd from Sea, I went home.
***
29 Michaelmas-day, I went to visite my Bro: Richard, who was now indisposd in his health:


October
2: I gave my Bro: of Wotton a Visite, being myself also not well, & returnd the 4th, so as I entred into a Course of Steele, against the Scorbut:
10 This day was indicted a Generall fast through the nation, to humble us, upon the late dreadfull Conflagration, added to the Plage & Warr, the most dismall judgements could be inflicted, & indeede but what we highly deserved for our prodigious ingratitude, burning Lusts, profane & abominable lives, under such dispensations of Gods continued favour, in restoring Church, Prince, & people from our late intestine calamities, of which we were altogether unmindfull even to astonishment: This made me resolve to go to our Parish Assemblie, where our Doctor preached on 19 Luke: 41 &c: piously applying it to the occasion, after which followd a Collection for the poore distressed loose<r>s in the late fire, & their present reliefe.
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18 To Lond: Star-Chamber: thence to Court, it being the first time of his Majesties putting himselfe solemnly into the Eastern fashion of Vest, changing doublet, stiff Collar, [bands] & Cloake &c: into a comely Vest, after the Persian mode with girdle or shash, & Shoe strings & Garters, into bouckles, of which some were set with precious stones, resolving never to alter it, & to leave the French mode, which had hitherto obtained to our greate expense & reproch: upon which divers Courtiers & Gent: gave his Ma<jesty> gold, by way of Wager, that he would not persist in this resolution: I had some time before indeede presented an Invectique against that unconstancy, & our so much affecting the french fashion, to his Majestie in which <I> tooke occasion to describe the Comelinesse & usefullnesse of the Persian clothing in the very same manner, his Majestie clad himselfe; This Pamphlet I intituled Tyrannus or the mode, & gave it his Majestie to reade; I do not impute the change which soon happn'd to this discourse, but it was an identitie, that I could not but take notice of:
This night was acted my Lord Brahals Tragedy cal'd Mustapha before their Majesties &c: at Court: at which I was present, very seldom at any time, going to the publique Theaters, for many reasons, now as they were abused, to an atheisticall liberty, fowle & undecent; Women now (& never 'til now) permitted to appeare & act, which inflaming severall young noble-men & gallants, became their whores, & to some their Wives, witnesse the Earle of Oxford, Sir R: Howard, Pr: Rupert, the E: of Dorset, & another greater person than any of these, who fell into their snares, to the reproch of their noble families, & ruine both of body & Soule: I was invited to see this Tragedie, exceedingly well writ, by my Lord Chamberlain, though in my mind, I did not approve of any such passe time, in a season of such Judgements & Calamitie:
19 I return'd home;
21 Our Viccar on his former subject: This season (after so long & extraordinary a drowth in September, & Aug: as if preparatory for the dreadfull fire) was so very wett & rainy, as many feared an ensuing famine:
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28 ... The Pestilence now through Gods mercy, began now to abate in our Towne considerably.
30 To Lond. to our Office, & now had I on the Vest, & Surcoate, or Tunic as 'twas cald, after his Majestie had brought the whole Court to it; It being a comely, & manly habite: to<o> good to hold, it being impossible for us to leave the Monsieurs Vanitys in good earnest long:
31 I heard pleaded the signal Cause of my L: Cleavelands pleaded by the Solicitor before the House of Lords, & was this day 46 yeares of age, wonderfully protected by the mercies of God, for which I render him immortal thanks: & return'd to my house:
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November
14 I went my Winter Circle through my district, Rochester & other places wher I had men quartered & in Custody:
15. To Leedes Castle.
16 I musterd them being about 600 Dutch & French, ordred their proportion of Bread to be augmented, & provided cloths & fuell: Monsieur Colbert Ambassador at the Court of England, having also this day sent mony from his Master the French King to every Prisoner of that nation under my Guards: I lay at Chilston at my Co: Hales's.
17: I return'd to Chattham, my Charriot overturning on the steepe of Boxley-Hill, wounded me in two places in the head, but slightly, my sonn Jack being with me, & then but newly out of long Coates, was like to have ben Worse cutt, by the Glasse, of the Charriot dores, but I thank God, we both escaped without much hurt, though not without exceeding danger.
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23. I heard an extraordinary Case before a Committeè of the whole house of Commons, in the Commons house of Parliament, betweene one Cap: Taylor, & my Lord Vicount Mordaunt; where after the Lawyers had pleaded, & the Witnesses examin'd, such foule & dishonorable things were produced against his Lordship of Tyrannie during his goverment of Windsore Castle, of which he was Constable, Incontinence & suborning, of which last one Sir Rich: Breames was most concerned, that I was exceedingly concernd for his Lordship, who was my special friend, and husband of the most virtuous Lady in the world: We sate 'till neere ten at night, & yet but halfe the Council had don, on behalfe of the plaintife: The question then was put, for the bringing in of lights to sit longer, which lasted so long a time before it was determind, & raisd such a confused noise among the Members, that a stranger would have ben astonished at it: & I admire, that there is not a Rationale to regulate such trifling accidents, which yet I find consume a world of time, & is a reproch to the gravity of so greate an Assembly of sober men:
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27: Sir Hugh Pollard, Comptroller of the household died at W: Hall, & his Majestie Conferred the White-Staffe on my bro: Commissioner for Sick & Wounded, on Sir Tho: Clifford, [since Lord high Tressurer of England] a bold young Gent: of a meane fortune in Devon: but advanc'd by my L: Arli<n>gton Sec: of State: to the greate astonishment of all the Court: This gent: was some what related to me, by the marriage of his mother, to my neerest Kindsman Greg: Coale, & was ever my noble friend; a valiant & daring person, but by no meanes fit for a soupple & flattering Courtier:...
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December
2 dind with me Monsieur Kiviet, a Dut<c>h Gent: Pensioner of Roterdam, who came over hither for protection, being of the Prince of Oranges party, now not well-come in Holland: The King knighted him for some merit in the princes behalfe: he should (if caught) have ben beheaded with Monsieur Buat, & was brother in Law to Van Tromp, the Sea Generall &c: with him came downe Mr. Gab: Sylvius, & Mr. Williamson, Secretarie to my L: Arlington: Sir Kiviet came downe to examine, whither the soile about the river of Thames would be proper to make Clinkar brick with & to treate with me about some accommodations in order to it:
9: To Lond: & returned the 14:4
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30: Dr. Dolben deane of Westminster, & now made Bishop of Rochester our Diocese, preached at our Parish-Church his first sermon on 1. Tim: 3.16, of the wonder of our B:S: Incarnation &c: after sermon Confirmed many young children, solemnly prepar'd the weeke before, among whom my sonn John was bro<u>ght, and then his Lordship dined at my house.
31. Blessed God for his Protection of me & mine this past yeare:


Continue to 1685


J:E Sallis
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