ome playing at cards with my wife, we
to supper and to bed.

DECEMBER 1666

December 1st. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At
home to dinner, and then abroad walking to the Old Swan, and in my way
I did see a cellar in Tower Streete in a very fresh fire, the late great
winds having blown it up.

[The fire continued burning in some cellars of the ruins of the city
for four months, though it rained in the month of October ten days
without ceasing (Rugge's "Diurnal").--B.]

It seemed to be only of log-wood, that Hath kept the fire all this while
in it. Going further, I met my late Lord Mayor Bludworth, under whom the
City was burned, and went with him by water to White Hall. But, Lord!
the silly talk that this fellow had, only how ready he would be to
part with all his estate in these difficult times to advance the King's
service, and complaining that now, as every body did lately in the fire,
every body endeavours to save himself, and let the whole perish: but a
very weak man he seems to be. I left him at White Hall, he giving 6d.
towards the boat, and I to Westminster Hall, where I was again defeated
in my expectation of Burroughs. However, I was not much sorry for it,
but by coach home, in the evening, calling at Faythorne's, buying three
of my Lady Castlemayne's heads, printed this day, which indeed is, as
to the head, I think, a very fine picture, and like her. I did this
afternoon get Mrs. Michell to let me only have a sight of a pamphlet
lately printed, but suppressed and much called after, called "The
Catholique's Apology;" lamenting the severity of the Parliament against
them, and comparing it with the lenity of other princes to Protestants;
giving old and late instances of their loyalty to their princes,
whatever is objected against them; and excusing their disquiets in Queen
Elizabeth's time, for that it was impossible for them to think her a
lawfull Queen, if Queen Mary, who had been owned as such, were so; one
being the daughter of the true, and the other of a false wife: and that
of the Gunpowder Treason, by saying that it was only the practice of
some of us, if not the King, to trepan some of their religion into it,
it never being defended by the generality of their Church, nor indeed
known by them; and ends with a large Catalogue, in red letters, of the
Catholiques which have lost their lives in the quarrel of the late King
and this. The thing is very well writ i