+Source.+--_Pepys's Diary_ (Wheatley's edition, 5s.). Vol. v.,
pp. 392-403.
_September 2, 1666._--Some of our mayds sitting up late last night to
get things ready against our feast to-day, Jane called us up about three
in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I
rose and slipped on my night-gowne, and went to her window, and thought
it to be on the backside of Marke-lane at the farthest; but, being
unused to such fires as followed, I thought it to be far enough off; and
so went to bed again and to sleep. About seven rose again to dress
myself, and there looked out at the window, and saw the fire not so much
as it was and further off. So to my closett to set things to rights
after yesterday's cleaning. By and by Jane comes and tells me that she
hears that above 300 houses have been burned down to-night by the fire
we saw, and that it is now burning down all Fish-street by London
Bridge. So I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower ...;
and there I did see the houses at that end of the bridge all on fire,
and an infinite great fire on this and the other side the end of the
bridge; which, among other people, did trouble me for poor little
Michell and our Sarah on the bridge. So down, with my heart full of
trouble, to the Lieutenant of the Tower, who tells me it begun this
morning in the King's baker's house in Pudding Lane, and that it hath
burned St. Magnus's Church and most part of Fish-street already. So I
down to the water-side, and there got a boat and through bridge, and
there saw a lamentable fire. Poor Michell's house, as far as the Old
Swan, already burned that way, and the fire running further, that in a
very little time it got as far as the Steele-yard, while I was there.
Everybody endeavouring to remove their goods, and flinging into the
river or bringing them into lighters that lay off; poor people staying
in their houses as long as till the very fire touched them, and then
running into boats, or clambering from one pair of stairs by the
water-side to another. And among other things, the poor pigeons, I
perceive, were loth to leave their houses, but hovered about the windows
and balconys till they burned their wings, and fell down.
Having staid, and in an hour's time seen the fire rage every way, and
nobody, to my sight, endeavouring to quench it, but to remove their
goods, and leave all to the fire, and having seen it get as far as the
Steele-yard, and the wind mighty high and driving it into the City; and
everything, after so long a drought, proving combustible, even the very
stones of the churches, and among other things, the poor steeple by
which pretty Mrs. ---- lives, and whereof my old schoolfellow Elborough
is parson, taken fire in the very top, and there burned till it fell
down: to White Hall ... and there up to the King's closett in the
Chappell, where people come about me, and I did give them an account
dismayed them all, and word was carried in to the King. So I was called
for, and did tell the King and the Duke of York what I saw, and that
unless his Majesty did command houses to be pulled down nothing could
stop the fire. They seemed much troubled, and the King commanded me to
go to my Lord Mayor from him, and command him to spare no houses, but to
pull down before the fire every way. The Duke of York bid me tell him
that if he would have any more soldiers he shall; and so did my Lord
Arlington afterwards, as a great secret. Here meeting with Captain
Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and Creed with me to Paul's,
and there walked along Watling-street as well as I could, every creature
coming away loaden with goods to save, and here and there sicke people
carried away in beds. Extraordinary good goods carried in carts or on
backs. At last met my Lord Mayor in Canning-street, like a man spent,
with a handkercher about his neck. To the King's message he cried, like
a fainting woman, "Lord, what can I do? I am spent: people will not obey
me. I have been pulling down houses; but the fire overtakes us faster
than we can do it." That he needed no more soldiers; and that, for
himself, he must go and refresh himself, having been up all the night.
So he left me, and I him, and walked home, seeing people all almost
distracted, and no manner of means used to quench the fire. The houses,
too, so very thick thereabouts, and full of matter for burning, as pitch
and tar, in Thames-street; and warehouses of oyle, and wines, and
brandy, and other things. Here I saw Mr. Isaake Houblon, the handsome
man, prettily dressed and dirty, at his door at Dow-gate, receiving some
of his brother's things, whose houses were on fire; and, as he says,
have been removed twice already; and he doubts (as it soon proved) that
they must be in a little time removed from his house also, which was a
sad consideration. And to see the churches all filling with goods by
people who themselves should have been quietly there at this time. By
this time it was about twelve o'clock; and so home....
While at dinner Mrs. Batelier come to enquire after Mr. Woolfe and
Stanes ... whose houses in Fish-street are all burned, and they in a sad
condition. She would not stay in the fright. Soon as dined, I and Moone
away, and walked through the City, the streets full of nothing but
people and horses and carts loaden with goods, ready to run over one
another, and removing goods from one burned house to another. They now
removing out of Canning-street (which received goods in the morning)
into Lumbard-street, and further; and among others I now saw my little
goldsmith, Stokes, receiving some friend's goods, whose house itself was
burned the day after.
We parted at Paul's; he home, and I to Paul's Wharf, where I had
appointed a boat to attend me, and took in Mr. Carcasse and his brother,
whom I met in the streete, and carried them below and above bridge to
... see the fire, which was now got further, both below and above, and
no likelihood of stopping it. Met with the King and Duke of York in
their barge, and with them to Queenhithe, and there called Sir Richard
Browne to them. Their order was only to pull down houses apace, and so
below bridge at the water-side; but little was or could be done, the
fire coming upon them so fast. Good hopes there were of stopping it at
the Three Cranes above, and at Buttolph's Wharf below bridge, if care be
used; but the wind carries it into the City, so as we know not by the
water-side what it do there. River full of lighters and boats taking in
goods, and good goods swimming in the water, and only I observed that
hardly one lighter or boat in three that had the goods of a house in,
but there was a pair of Virginalls[1] in it.
Having seen as much as I could now, I away to White Hall by appointment,
and there walked to St. James's Parke, and there met my wife and Creed
and Wood and his wife and walked to my boat; and there upon the water
again, and to the fire up and down, it still increasing, and the wind
great. So near the fire as we could for smoke; and all over the Thames,
with one's face in the wind, you were almost burned with a shower of
fire drops. This is very true; so as houses were burned by these drops
and flakes of fire, three or four, nay, five or six houses, one from
another. When we could endure no more upon the water, we to a little
ale-house on the Bankside, over against the Three Cranes, and there
staid till it was dark almost, and saw the fire grow; and, as it grew
darker, appeared more and more, and in corners and upon steeples, and
between churches and houses, as far as we could see up the hill of the
City, in a most horrid malicious bloody flame, not like the fine flame
of an ordinary fire.... We staid till, it being darkish, we saw the fire
as only one entire arch of fire from this to the other side the bridge,
and in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a mile long: it made me
weep to see it. The churches, houses, and all on fire and flaming at
once; and a horrid noise the flames made, and the cracking of houses at
their ruine. So home with a sad heart, and there find every body
discoursing and lamenting the fire; and poor Tom Hater come with some
few of his goods saved out of his house, which is burned upon
Fish-streete Hill. I invited him to lie at my house, and did receive his
goods, but was deceived in his lying there; so as we were forced to
begin to pack up our owne goods, and prepare for their removal; and did
by moonshine (it being brave dry, and moonshine, and warm weather) carry
much of my goods into the garden, and Mr. Hater and I did remove my
money and iron chests into my cellar, as thinking that the safest place.
And got ready my bags of gold into my office, ready to carry away, and
my chief papers of accounts also there, and my tallys into a box by
themselves. So great was our fear, as Sir W. Batten hath carts come out
of the country to fetch away his goods this night. We did put Mr. Hater,
poor man, to bed a little; but he got but very little rest, so much
noise being in my house, taking down of goods.
_September 3._--About four o'clock in the morning, my Lady Batten sent
me a cart to carry away all my money, and plate, and best things, to Sir
W. Rider's at Bednall Green. Which I did, riding myself in my
night-gowne in the cart; and, Lord! to see how the streets and highways
are crowded with people running and riding, and getting of carts at any
rate to fetch away things. I find Sir W. Rider tired with being called
up all night, and receiving things from several friends. His house full
of goods, and much of Sir W. Batten's and Sir W. Pen's. I am eased at my
heart to have my treasure so well secured. Then home, with much ado to
find a way, nor any sleep at all this night to me nor my poor wife. But
then and all this day she and I, and all my people labouring to get away
the rest of our things, and did get Mr. Tooker to get me a lighter to
take them in, and we did carry them (myself some) over Tower Hill, which
was by this time full of people's goods, bringing their goods thither;
and down to the lighter, which lay at the next quay, above the Tower
Docke. And here was my neighbour's wife, Mrs. ----, with her pretty
child, and some few of her things, which I did willingly give way to be
saved with mine; but there was no passing with anything through the
postern, the crowd was so great.
The Duke of York come this day by the office, and spoke to us, and did
ride with his guard up and down the City to keep all quiet (he being now
Generall, and having the care of all).
_September 4._-- ... Now begins the practice of blowing up of houses in
Tower-streete, those next the Tower, which at first did frighten people
more than anything; but it stopped the fire where it was done, it
bringing down the houses to the ground in the same places they stood,
and then it was easy to quench what little fire was in it, though it
kindled nothing almost. W. Hewer ... comes home late, telling us ...
that the fire is got so far that way (_i.e._ to Islington), and all the
Old Bayly, and was running down to Fleete-streete; and Paul's is burned,
and all Cheap-side. I wrote to my father this night, but the post-house
being burned, the letter could not go.
_September 6._--Up at five o'clock, and there met Mr. Gawden at the gate
of the office (I intending to go out, as I used, every now and then
to-day, to see how the fire is) to call our men to Bishop's-gate, where
no fire had yet been near, and there is now one broke out: which did
give great grounds to people, and to me, too, to think that there is
some kind of plot in this (on which many by this time have been taken,
and it hath been dangerous for any stranger to walk in the streets), but
I went with the men, and we did put it out in a little time; so that
that was well again.
_September 7._--Up by five o'clock; and, blessed be God! find all well;
and by water to Paul's wharfe. Walked thence, and saw all the towne
burned, and a miserable sight of Paul's Church, with all the roofs
fallen, and the body of the quire fallen into St. Fayth's; Paul's school
also, Ludgate, and Fleet-street, my father's house, and the church, and
a good part of the Temple the like.
[1] Virginall: a musical instrument.