with W. Hewer, met her there, and was angry; and her mother saying that
she was not a 'prentice girl, to ask leave every time she goes abroad, my
wife with good reason was angry, and, when she came home, bid her be gone
again. And so she went away, which troubled me, but yet less than it
would, because of the condition we are in, fear of coming into in a little
time of being less able to keepe one in her quality. At night lay down a
little upon a quilt of W. Hewer's in the office, all my owne things being
packed up or gone; and after me my poor wife did the like, we having fed
upon the remains of yesterday's dinner, having no fire nor dishes, nor any
opportunity of dressing any thing.

4th. Up by break of day to get away the remainder of my things; which I
did by a lighter at the Iron gate and my hands so few, that it was the
afternoon before we could get them all away. Sir W. Pen and I to
Tower-streete, and there met the fire burning three or four doors beyond
Mr. Howell's, whose goods, poor man, his trayes, and dishes, shovells,
&c., were flung all along Tower-street in the kennels, and people working
therewith from one end to the other; the fire coming on in that narrow
streete, on both sides, with infinite fury. Sir W. Batten not knowing how
to remove his wine, did dig a pit in the garden, and laid it in there; and
I took the opportunity of laying all the papers of my office that I could
not otherwise dispose of. And in the evening Sir W. Pen and I did dig
another, and put our wine in it; and I my Parmazan cheese, as well as my
wine and some other things. The Duke of Yorke was at the office this day,
at Sir W. Pen's; but I happened not to be within. This afternoon, sitting
melancholy with Sir W. Pen in our garden, and thinking of the certain
burning of this office, without extraordinary means, I did propose for the
sending up of all our workmen from Woolwich and Deptford yards (none
whereof yet appeared), and to write to Sir W. Coventry to have the Duke of
Yorke's permission to pull down houses, rather than lose this office,