Diary, October 1666 | Page 7

being a
peere, he should bring in his accounts to the Commons, which they did
give way to, the Duke of Buckingham did move that, for the time to
come, what I have written above might be declared by some fuller law
than heretofore. Lord Ashly answered, that it was not the fault of the
present laws, but want of proof; and so said the Lord Chancellor. He
answered, that a better law, he thought, might be made so the House
laughing, did refer it to him to bring in a Bill to that purpose, and this
was all. So I away with joyful heart home, calling on Cocke and telling
him the same. So I away home to the office to clear my Journall for
five days, and so home to supper and to bed, my father who had staid
out late and troubled me thereat being come home well and gone to bed,
which pleases me also. This day, coming home, Mr. Kirton's kinsman,
my bookseller, come in my way; and so I am told by him that Mr.
Kirton is utterly undone, and made 2 or L3000 worse than nothing,
from being worth 7 or L8,000. That the goods laid in the Churchyarde
fired through the windows those in St. Fayth's church; and those
coming to the warehouses' doors fired them, and burned all the books
and the pillars of the church, so as the roof falling down, broke quite
down, which it did not do in the other places of the church, which is
alike pillared (which I knew not before); but being not burned, they
stand still. He do believe there is above; L50,000 of books burned; all
the great booksellers almost undone: not only these, but their
warehouses at their Hall, and under Christchurch, and elsewhere being
all burned. A great want thereof there will be of books, specially Latin
books and foreign books; and, among others, the Polyglottes and new
Bible, which he believes will be presently worth L40 a-piece.

6th. Up, and having seen my brother in his cassocke, which I am not
the most satisfied in, being doubtfull at this time what course to have
him profess too soon. To the office and there busy about a list of the
extraordinaries of the charge of the fleete this war; and was led to go to
the office of the ordnance to be satisfied in something, and find their

accounts and books kept in mighty good order, but that they can give
no light, nor will the nature of their affairs permit it to tell what the
charge of the ordnance comes to a man a month. So home again and to
dinner, there coming Creed to me; but what with business and my
hatred to the man, I did not spend any time with him, but after dinner
[my] wife and he and I took coach and to Westminster, but he 'light
about Paul's, and set her at her tailor's, and myself to St. James's, but
there missing [Sir] W. Coventry, returned and took up my wife, and
calling at the Exchange home, whither Sir H. Cholmly come to visit me,
but my business suffered me not to stay with him. So he gone I by
water to Westminster Hall and thence to St. James's, and there found
[Sir] W. Coventry waiting for me, and I did give him a good account to
his mind of the business he expected about extraordinaries and then fell
to other talke, among others, our sad condition contracted by want of a
Comptroller;
[As Sir John Minnes performed the duties inefficiently, it was
considered necessary to take the office from him: See January 21st.]
and it was his words, that he believes, besides all the shame and trouble
he hath brought on the office, the King had better have given L100,000
than ever have had him there. He did discourse about some of these
discontented Parliament-men, and says that Birch is a false rogue, but
that Garraway is a man that hath not been well used by the Court,
though very stout to death, and hath suffered all that is possible for the
King from the beginning. But discontented as he is, yet he never knew
a Session of Parliament but he hath done some good deed for the King
before it rose. I told him the passage Cocke told me of his having
begged a brace of bucks of the Lord Arlington for him, and when it
come to him, he sent it back again. Sir W. Coventry told me, it is much
to be pitied that the King should lose the service of a man so able and
faithfull; and that he ought to be brought over, but that it is always
observed,