~Bornin1633; ~In1660hebecamesecretarytothe AdmiraltyandaMemberofParliament; ~In1679hewasaccusedofsellingnaval secretstoFrench; ~Hewasarrestedagainin1690suspectedof Jacobitesympathies; ~HediedinLondonin1703.
SamuelPepys
2° September, 1666- Lord’s Day
Jane called us up, about 3 in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City.
About 7 rose again to dress myself, and there looked out at the window and saw the fire not so much as it was, and further off.
Pepys Library Archives
The original diary
We saw the fire as only one entire arch of the fire from this to the other side of the bridge, and in a bow up the hill for an arch of above a mile long: it made me weeo to see it. The churches, the houses and all on fire and flaming at once; and a horrid noise the flames made and the cracking of the houses at their ruins.
Pepys rescued a cheese from the Great Fire
• It is September 1666, and Pepys is in a panic. The disaster later known as the Great Fireis consuming London at an alarming rate. Terrified that he might have to abandon his most valuable possessions to the flames, he dashes outside and digs a hole. There he inters his precious hoard, which includes not only his gold and his papers, but also a large wheel of Parmesan cheese.
The great fire of London
