apprehensions how things might be at home, and so was in mighty pain to
get home, and that that encreased all is that we are in expectation, from
common fame, this night, or to-morrow, to have a massacre, by the having
so many fires one after another, as that in the City, and at same time
begun in Westminster, by the Palace, but put out; and since in Southwarke,
to the burning down some houses; and now this do make all people conclude
there is something extraordinary in it; but nobody knows what. By and by
comes news that the fire has slackened; so then we were a little cheered
up again, and to supper, and pretty merry. But, above all, there comes in
the dumb boy that I knew in Oliver's time, who is mightily acquainted
here, and with Downing; and he made strange signs of the fire, and how the
King was abroad, and many things they understood, but I could not, which I
wondering at, and discoursing with Downing about it, "Why," says he, "it
is only a little use, and you will understand him, and make him understand
you with as much ease as may be." So I prayed him to tell him that I was
afeard that my coach would be gone, and that he should go down and steal
one of the seats out of the coach and keep it, and that would make the
coachman to stay. He did this, so that the dumb boy did go down, and,
like a cunning rogue, went into the coach, pretending to sleep; and, by
and by, fell to his work, but finds the seats nailed to the coach. So he
did all he could, but could not do it; however, stayed there, and stayed
the coach till the coachman's patience was quite spent, and beat the dumb
boy by force, and so went away. So the dumb boy come up and told him all
the story, which they below did see all that passed, and knew it to be
true. After supper, another dance or two, and then newes that the fire is
as great as ever, which put us all to our wit's-end; and I mightily
[anxious] to go home, but the coach being gone, and it being about ten at
night, and rainy dirty weather, I knew not what to do; but to walk out
with Mr. Batelier, myself resolving to go home on foot, and leave the
women there. And so did; but at the Savoy got a coach, and come back and