Here meeting, with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and
Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watlingstreet, 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 and on backs. At last met my Lord Mayor in
Canningstreet, 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 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 tarr, 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 Dowgate,
receiving some of his brothers' 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, and there
find my guests, which was Mr. Wood and his wife Barbary Sheldon, and also
Mr. Moons: she mighty fine, and her husband; for aught I see, a likely
man. But Mr. Moone's design and mine, which was to look over my closett
and please him with the sight thereof, which he hath long desired, was
wholly disappointed; for we were in great trouble and disturbance at this
fire, not knowing what to think of it. However, we had an extraordinary
good dinner, and as merry, as at this time we could be. While at dinner