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sick　people　in　the　streets　full　of　sores；　and　so　many　sad　stories　overheard　as　I　walk；　everybody　talking　of　this　dead；　and　that　man　sick；　and　so　many　in　this　place；　and　so　many　in　that。　　And　they　tell　me　that　in　Westminster　there　is　never　a　physician　and　but　one　apothecary　left；　all　being　dead；　but　that　there　are　great　hopes　of　a　decrease　this　week。　God　send　it。〃

The　while；　trade　being　discontinued；　those　who　had　lived　by　commerce　or　labour　were　supported　by　charity。　　To　this　good　purpose　the　king　contributed　a　thousand　pounds　per　week；　and　Dr。　Sheldon；　Archbishop　of　Canterburywho　remained　at　Lambeth　during　the　whole　timeby　letters　to　his　bishops；　caused　great　sums　to　be　collected　throughout　the　country　and　remitted　to　him　for　this　laudable　purpose。　　Nor　did　those　of　position　or　wealth　fail　in　responding　to　calls　made　upon　them　at　this　time；　their　contributions　being　substantial　enough　to　permit　the　lord　mayor　to　distribute　upwards　of　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　a　week　amongst　the　poor　and　afflicted　for　several　months。

In　October　the　death　rate　fell　to　nine　thousand　four　hundred　and　forty…four；　in　November　to　three　thousand　four　hundred　and　forty…　nine；　and　in　December　to　less　than　one　thousand。　　Therefore；　after　a　period　of　unprecedented　suffering；　the　people　took　courage　once　more；　for　life　is　dear　to　all　men。　　And　those　who　had　fled　the　plague…stricken　city　returned　to　find　a　scene　of　desolation；　greater　in　its　misery　than　words　can　describe。　　But　the　tide　of　human　existence　having　once　turned；　the　capital　gradually　resumed　its　former　appearance。　　Shops　which　had　been　closed　were　opened　afresh；　houses　whose　inmates　had　been　carried　to　the　grave　became　again　centres　of　activity；　the　sound　of　traffic　was　heard　in　streets　long　silent；　church　bells　called　the　citizens　to　prayer；　marts　were　crowded；　and　people　wore　an　air　of　cheerfulness　becoming　the　survivors　of　a　calamity。　　And　so　all　things　went　on　as　before。

The　mortality　bills　computed　the　number　of　burials　which　took　place　in　London　during　this　year　at　ninety…seven　thousand　three　hundred　and　six；　of　which　sixty…eight　thousand　five　hundred　find　ninety…six　were　attributed　to　the　plague。　　This　estimate　has　been　considered　by　all　historians　as　erroneous。　　For　on　the　first　appearance　of　the　distemper；　the　number　of　deaths　set　down　was　far　below　that　which　truth　warranted；　in　order　that　the　citizens　might　not　be　affrighted；　and　when　it　was　at　its　height　no　exact　account　of　those　shifted　from　the　dead…carts　into　the　pits　was　taken。　　Moreover；　many　were　buried　by　their　friends　in　fields　and　gardens。　　Lord　Clarendon；　an　excellent　authority；　states　that　though　the　weekly　bills　reckoned　the　number　of　deaths　at　about　one　hundred　thousand；　yet　〃many　who　could　compute　very　well；　concluded　that　there　were　in　truth　double　that　number　who　died；　and　that　in　one　week；　when　the　bill　mentioned　only　six　thousand；　there　had　in　truth　fourteen　thousand　died。〃



CHAPTER　XII。

A　cry　of　fire　by　night。Fright　and　confusion。The　lord　mayor　is　unmanned。Spread　of　the　flames。Condition　of　the　streets。　Distressful　scenes。Destruction　of　the　Royal　Exchange。Efforts　of　the　king　and　Duke　of　York。Strange　rumours　and　alarms。St。　Paul's　is　doomed。The　flames　checked。A　ruined　city　as　seen　by　day　and　night。Wretched　state　of　the　people。Investigation　into　the　origin　of　the　fire。A　new　city　arises。

Scarcely　had　the　city　of　London　recovered　from　the　dire　effects　of　the　plague；　ere　a　vast　fire　laid　it　waste。　　It　happened　on　the　2nd　of　September；　1666；　that　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　day　being　Sunday；　smoke　and　flames　were　seen　issuing　from　the　shop　of　a　baker　named　Faryner；　residing　in　Pudding　Lane；　close　by　Fish　Street；　in　the　lower　part　of　the　city。　　The　house　being　built　of　wood；　and　coated　with　pitch；　as　were　likewise　those　surrounding　it；　and　moreover　containing　faggots；　dried　logs；　and　other　combustible　materials；　the　fire　spread　with　great　rapidity：　so　that　in　a　short　time　not　only　the　baker's　premises；　but　the　homesteads　which　stood　next　it　on　either　side　were　in　flames。

Accordingly；　the　watchman's　lusty　cry　of　〃Fire；　fire；　fire！〃　which　had　roused　the　baker　and　his　family　in　good　time　to　save　their　lives；　was　now　shouted　down　the　streets　with　consternation；　startling　sleepers　from　their　dreams；　and　awaking　them　to　a　sense　of　peril。　　Thereon　they　rose　promptly　from　their　beds；　and　hastily　throwing　on　some　clothes；　rushed　out　to　rescue　their　neighbours'　property　from　destruction；　and　subdue　the　threatening　conflagration。

And　speedily　was　heard　the　tramp　of　many　feet　hurrying　to　the　scene；　and　the　shouting　of　anxious　voices　crying　for　help；　and　presently　the　bells　of　St。　Margaret's　church　close　by；　ringing　with　wild　uneven　peals　through　the　darkness；　aroused　all　far　and　near　to　knowledge　of　the　disaster。　　For　already　the　flames；　fanned　by　a　high　easterly　wind；　and　fed　by　the　dry　timber　of　the　picturesque　old　dwellings　huddled　close　together；　had　spread　in　four　directions。

One　of　these　being　Thames　Street；　the　consequence　was　terrible；　for　the　shops　and　warehouses　of　this　thoroughfare　containing　inflammable　materials；　required　for　the　shipping　trade；　such　as　oil；　pitch；　tar；　and　rosin；　the　houses　at　one　side　the　street　were　immediately　wrapped；　from　basement　to　garret；　in　sheets　of　angry　flame。　　And　now　flaunting　its　yellow　light　skywards；　as　if　exulting　in　its　strength；　and　triumphing　in　its　mastery　over　men's　efforts；　the　fire　rushed　to　the　church　of　St。　Magnus；　a　dark　solid　edifice　standing　at　the　foot　of　London　Bridge。　　The　frightened　citizens　concluded　the　conflagration　must　surely　end　here；　or　at　least　that　whilst　it　endeavoured　to　consume　a　dense　structure　such　as　this；　they　might　succeed　in　subduing　its　force；　but　their　hopes　were　vain。　　At　first　the　flames　shot　upwards　to　the　tower　of　the　building；　but　not　gaining　hold；　retreated　as　if　to　obtain　fresh　strength　for　new　efforts；　and　presently　darting　forward　again；　they　seized　the　woodwork　of　the　belfry　windows。　　A　few　minutes　later　the　church　blazed　at　every　point；　and　was　in　itself　a　colossal　conflagration。

From　this　the　fire　darted　to　the　bridge；　burning　the　wooden　houses　built　upon　it；　and　the　water　machines　underneath；　and　likewise　creeping　up　Thames　Street；　on　that　side　which　was　yet　undemolished。　　By　this　time　the　bells　of　many　churches　rang　out　in　sudden　fright；　as　if　appealing　to　heaven　for　mercy　on　behalf　of　the　people；　and　the　whole　east　end　of　the　town　rose　up　in　alarm。　　The　entire　city　seemed　threatened　with　destruction；　for　the　weather　having　long　been　dry　and　warm；　prepared　the　homesteads　for　their　fate；　and　it　was　noted　some　of　them；　when　scorched　by　the　approaching　fire；　ignited　before　the　flames　had　time　to　reach　them。

Sir　Thomas　Bludworth；　the　lord　mayor；　now　arrived　in　great　haste；　but　so　amazed　was　he　at　the　sight　he　beheld；　and　so　bewildered　by　importunities　of　those　who　surrounded　him；　that　he　was　powerless　to　act。　　Indeed；　his　incapacity　to　direct；　and　inability　to　command；　as　well　as　his　lack　of　moral　courage；　have　been　heavily　and　frequently　blamed。　　Bring　a　weak　man；　fearful　of　outstepping　his　authority；　he　at　first　forebore　pulling　down　houses　standing　in　the　pathway　of　the　flames；　as　suggested　to　him；　a　means　that　would　assuredly　have　prevented　their　progress；　but　when　urged　to　this　measure　would　reply；　he　〃durst　not；　without　the　consent　of　the　owners。〃　　And　when　at　last；　after　great　destruction　had　taken　place；　word　was　brought　him　from　the　king　to　〃spare　no　house；　but　pull　them　down　everywhere　before　the　fire；〃　he　cried　out　〃like　a　fainting　woman；〃　as　Pepys　recounts；　〃Lord！　　what　can　I　do？　　I　am　spent；　people　will　not　obey　me。〃

Meanwhile；　great　bodies　of　the　citizens　of　all　classes　had　been　at　work；　some　upon　the　cumbrous　engines；　others　carrying　water；　others　levelling　houses；　but　all　their　endeavours　seemed　powerless　to　quell　the　raging　flames。　　And　it　was　notable　when　first　the　pipes　in　the　streets　were　opened；　no　water　could　be　found；　whereon　a　messenger　was　sent　to　the　works　at　Islington；　in　order　to　turn　on　the　cocks；　so　that　much　time　was　lost　in　this　manner。　　All　through　Sunday　morning　the　flames　extended　far　and　wide；　and　in　a　few　hours　three　hundred　houses　were　reduced　to　ashes。　　Not　at　midday；　nor　yet　at　night；　did　they　give　promise　of　abatement。　　The　strong　easterly　wind　continuing　to　blow；　the　conflagration　worked　its　way　to　Cannon　Street；　from　thence　gradually　encompassing　the　dwellings　which　lay　between　that　thoroughfare　and　the　Thames；　till　the　whole　seemed　one　vast　plain　of　raging　fire。

The　streets　now　presented　a　scene　of　the　uttermost　confusion　and　distress。　　The　affrighted　citizens；　whose　dwellings　were　momentarily　threatened　with　destruction；　hurried　to　and　fro；　striving　to　save　those　of　their　families　who　by　reason　of　infancy；　age　or　illness　were　unable　to　help　themselves。　　Women　on　the　eve　of　child…birth　were　carried　from　their　beds；　mothers　with　infants　clinging　to　their　naked　breasts　fled　from　homes　which　would　shelter　them　no　more；　the　decrepit　were　borne　away　on　the　shoulders　of　the　strong。　　The　narrow　thoroughfares　were　moreover　obstructed　by　furniture　dragged　from　houses；　or　lowered　from　windows　with　a　reckless　speed　that　oftentimes　destroyed　what　it　sought　to　preserve。