Diary, July 1667 | Page 7

on fire, that they
might gather the goods that were flung into the streets; and it is worth
considering how unsafe it is to have children play up and down this
lewd town. For these two boys, one is my Lady Montagu's (I know not
what Lady Montagu) son, and the other of good condition, were
playing in Moore-Fields, and one rogue, Gabriel Holmes, did come to
them and teach them to drink, and then to bring him plate and clothes
from their fathers' houses, and carry him into their houses, and leaving
open the doors for him, and at last were made of their conspiracy, and
were at the very burning of this house in Aldersgate Street, on Easter
Sunday at night last, and did gather up goods, as they had resolved
before and this Gabriel Holmes did advise to have had two houses set

on fire, one after another, that, while they were quenching of one, they
might be burning another. And it is pretty that G. Holmes did tell his
fellows, and these boys swore it, that he did set fire to a box of linen in
the Sheriffe, Sir Joseph Shelden's' house, while he was attending the
fire in Aldersgate Street, and the Sheriffe himself said that there was a
fire in his house, in a box of linen, at the same time, but cannot
conceive how this fellow should do it. The boys did swear against one
of them, that he had made it his part to pull the plug out of the engine
while it was a-playing; and it really was so. And goods they did carry
away, and the manner of the setting the house on fire was, that Holmes
did get to a cockpit; where, it seems, there was a publick cockpit, and
set fire to the straw in it, and hath a fire-ball at the end of the straw,
which did take fire, and so it prevailed, and burned the house; and,
among other things they carried away, he took six of the cocks that
were at the cockpit; and afterwards the boys told us how they had one
dressed, by the same token it was so hard they could not eat it. But that
which was most remarkable was the impudence of this Holmes, who
hath been arraigned often, and still got away; and on this business was
taken and broke loose just at Newgate Gate; and was last night luckily
taken about Bow, who got loose, and run into the river, and hid himself
in the rushes; and they pursued him with a dog, and the dog got him
and held him till he was taken. But the impudence of this fellow was
such, that he denied he ever saw the boys before, or ever knew the
Russia House, or that the people knew him; and by and by the mistress
of the Russia House was called in, being indicted, at the same time,
about another thing; and she denied that the fellow was of her
acquaintance, when it was pretty to see how the little boys did presently
fall upon her, and ask her how she durst say so, when she was always
with them when they met at her house, and particularly when she come
in in her smock before a dozen of them, at which the Court laughed,
and put the woman away. Well, this fellow Holmes was found guilty of
the act of burning the house, and other things, that he stood indicted for.
And then there were other good cases, as of a woman that come to
serve a gentlewoman, and in three days run away, betimes in the
morning, with a great deal of plate and rings, and other good things. It
was time very well spent to be here. Here I saw how favourable the
judge was to a young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not

making him room: told him he had endangered the loss of his hand, but
that he hoped he had not struck him, and would suppose that he had not
struck him. About that the Court rose, and I to dinner with my Lord
Mayor and Sheriffs; where a good dinner and good discourse; the judge
being there. There was also tried this morning Fielding, which I
thought had been Bazilll--but it proved the other, and Bazill was killed;
that killed his brother, who was found guilty of murder, and nobody
pitied him. The judge seems to be a worthy man, and able: and do
intend, for these rogues that burned this house to be hung in some
conspicuous place in the town, for an example. After dinner to the
Court again, where I heard some more causes, but with so much trouble
because of the