which would, much hinder, the King's business. So Sir W. Pen he went down
this night, in order to the sending them up to-morrow morning; and I wrote
to Sir W. Coventry about the business, but received no answer. This night
Mrs. Turner (who, poor woman, was removing her goods all this day, good
goods into the garden, and knows not how to dispose of them), and her
husband supped with my wife and I at night, in the office; upon a shoulder
of mutton from the cook's, without any napkin or any thing, in a sad
manner, but were merry. Only now and then walking into the garden, and
saw how horridly the sky looks, all on a fire in the night, was enough to
put us out of our wits; and, indeed, it was extremely dreadful, for it
looks just as if it was at us; and the whole heaven on fire. I after
supper walked in the darke down to Tower-streete, and there saw it all on
fire, at the Trinity House on that side, and the Dolphin Taverne on this
side, which was very near us; and the fire with extraordinary vehemence.
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

[A copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the
author's own handwriting, is subjoined:

"SIR, The fire is now very neere us as well on Tower Streete as
Fanchurch Street side, and we little hope of our escape but by this
remedy, to ye want whereof we doe certainly owe ye loss of ye City
namely, ye pulling down of houses, in ye way of ye fire. This way
Sir W. Pen and myself have so far concluded upon ye practising, that
he is gone to Woolwich and Deptford to supply himself with men and
necessarys in order to the doeing thereof, in case at his returne
our condition be not bettered and that he meets with his R. Hs.
approbation, which I had thus undertaken to learn of you. Pray