Chapter M: DCC LXI (3)

The people in all parts were distracted at seeing the progress of the fire, and by the care of carrying off their goods. However, many attempts were now made to prevent its spreading, by pulling down houses, and making great intervals; but not having time to remove the materials, the fire seized upon the timber, boards, laths, and rubbish, and extended itself over these spaces to the neighbouring houses; raging in a bright flame all Monday and Tuesday, without any endeavours to stop it proving effectual; though his Majesty, the Duke of York, and great numbers of the nobility and gentry came with the guards, who were employed in endeavouring to extinguish it.

The wind, however, slackened a little on Tuesday night, when the fire, meeting at the Temple with brick buildings, it by little and little lost its force on that side, so that on Wednesday morning a stop was put to it on the west, at the Temple church, and also at Holborn bridge and Pye corner. On the north, it stopped at Aldersgate, Cripplegate, near the north end of Basinghall street, and in Coleman street: on the east, at the south corner of Bishopsgate street and Leadenhall street, at the church in Fenchurch street, and at the Tower dock, after its having consumed all the buildings within these limits, quite down to the water side.

On Thursday the flames were extinguished; but that evening the fire burst out again at the Temple, by the falling of some sparks upon a pile of wooden buildings; but upon blowing up the houses around it with gunpowder, it was extinguished the next morning.

By this dreadful conflagration were consumed 400 streets and lanes, 13,200 houses, the cathedral church of St. Paul, 86 parish churches, 6 chapels, the Royal Exchange, Blackwell Hall, and the Custom House, several hospitals and libraries, 52 of the Companies halls, and a vast number of other stately edifices, together with three of the city gates, four stone bridges, and four prisons; the loss of which, with that of the merchandize and houshold furniture, amounted, according to the best calculation, to ten millions, seven hundred and thirty thousand, five hundred pounds: but it is amazing, that in this terrible devastation, only six persons lost their lives by the fire.

As by the dreadful ravages of the plague the preceding year, the city was depopulated, and the houses deprived of their inhabitants, so by this conflagration the surviving citizens were deprived of their habitations, and many thousands of them compelled to retire to the fields, with such of their effects as they were able to save, where they continued destitute of the conveniencies, and almost all the necessary accommodations of life; lying in the open air, till tents and slight wooden huts could be erected, to secure them from the inclemencies of the weather. Meanwhile the King had the goodness to order a considerable quantity of naval bread to be immediately distributed among the poor, and a proclamation was wisely published, ordering the neighbouring Justices to encourage the bringing in of all sorts of provisions.

It has been much disputed, whether this dismal catastrophe was occasioned by accident or design. An attempt was first made to fix it upon the dissenters, who suffered as much by this calamity, as any other body of men; but having not the least colour for such a pretence, it dropped of course; and the English being then at war with the French and the Dutch, the latter were charged with concerting this diabolical scheme; but this was found to be only an injurious aspersion: however, Robert Hubert, a Frenchman, of the Romish church, confessed, that he, at the sollicitation of one Stephen Piedloe, set fire to the baker’s house in Pudding lane, by means of a fire-ball which he fixed to the end of a long pole, and lighting it a match, put it in at a window; and that for this villainy he was to be rewarded on his return to France; but it is generally allowed, that this man was at that time disordered in his senses; and great pains have been taken to prove that he had no hand in that calamity: however, he was condemned and executed, though he surrendered himself, and though there was no other evidence of his guilt than that of his own confession.

It is observable, that the preceding spring and summer had been the dryest in the memory of man; whereby the houses, which were all built of wood, and without party walls, were prepared, as it were, by Heaven, to become fuel for this terrible conflagration, which, together with the east wind abovementioned, might possibly be alone sufficient to reduce the city to a heap of ashes.

But whatever the unhappy citizens of London might then suffer; it is evident, that this was one of the greatest blessings that could have happened for the good of posterity; for, instead of very narrow and incommodious streets; instead of dark, irregular, and ill contrived wooden houses, with their several stories projecting over, obstructing the circulation of the air, and harbouring those noxious particles that occasioned the frequent return of the plague, and often fires of the most dreadful kind; by the modern way of building, and the enlarging of many of the streets, offensive vapours are expelled; and this, added to the cleanliness produced by the great quantities of the water brought into London by the New River, has freed this city from all pestilential symptoms for above ninety years together.

The reduction of this great and opulent city to a heap of rubbish, greatly affected the whole nation; and the King desiring it should be now erected with greater magnificence, uniformity, and safety than before, prohibited for some time the rebuilding of the houses; and the Judges were ordered by Parliament to hear and determine all disputes between landlords, tenants, and lessees, concerning the rebuilding and repairing of houses, &c. without fee or reward.

London indeed might now have been rebuilt in such a manner, as to have exceeded in beauty all the cities upon earth; and this would have been the case, had either of the following plans been followed. The first was formed by Sir Christopher Wren, who, pursuant to the royal commands, traced over the great plain of ashes and ruins, and thence formed his plan of a new city, free from all the deformities and inconveniencies of the old one; by enlarging the streets and lanes, and rendering them as nearly parallel to each other as possible; by seating all the parish churches in a conspicuous manner; by forming the most public places into large piazzas, the centers of eight ways; by uniting the halls of the twelve Companies into one regular square annexed to Guildhall; by making a spacious and commodious key along the whole bank of the river, without any interruptions, from Black Friars to the Tower, with some large docks for barges deep laden.

The streets were to be of three magnitudes; the three principal leading straight through the city, and one or two cross streets to be at least ninety feet wide; others sixty feet, and the lanes about thirty feet, excluding all narrow dark alleys, thoroughfairs, and courts.

The Exchange to stand free in the middle of a piazza, and to be the center of the town, from whence the streets should proceed to all the principal parts of the city; the building to be after the form of a Roman forum, with double porticos.

Many streets were also to radiate upon the bridge. Those of the first and second magnitude to be carried on as straight as possible, and to center in four or five areas surrounded with piazzas.

The churches were to be designed according to the best forms for capacity and hearing; and those of the larger parishes adorned with porticos and lofty ornamental towers and steeples: but all church yards, gardens, and unnecessary vacuities, and all trades that use great fires, or yield noisome smells, were to be placed out of the town.

This plan, which that great architect laid before the King and the House of Commons, is thus explained: from that part of Fleet street which remained unburned, a straight street of 90 feet wide was to extend, and, passing by the south side of Ludgate, was to end gracefully in a piazza on Tower hill.

In the middle of Fleet street was to be a circular area surrounded with a piazza, the center of eight ways, where, at one station, were to meet the following streets.

The first, straight forward, quite thro’ the city: the second, obliquely towards the right hand, to the beginning of the key that was to be run from Bridewell dock to the Tower: the third, obliquely on the left, to Smithfield: the fourth, straight on the right, to the Thames: the fifth, straight on the left, to Hatton Garden and Clerkenwell: the sixth, straight backwards to Temple Bar: the seventh, obliquely on the right, to the walks of the Temple: and the eighth, obliquely on the left, to Cursitor’s alley.

Passing down Fleet street, at the bottom of which the ditch was to be rendered a beautiful canal, passable by as many bridges as there were streets to cross it, and leaving Ludgate prison on the left side of the street; where a triumphal arch was to be formed, instead of the gate, in honour of King Charles II. the founder of the new city: St. Paul’s was to be situated where it is at present, and surrounded by a triangular piazza.

On leaving that cathedral on the left, a straight street was to extend directly to the Tower, adorned all the way, at proper distances, with parish churches; and leaving that edifice to the right, the other great branch was to lead to the Royal Exchange, which was to be seated in the middle of a piazza, between two great streets; the one from Ludgate leading to the south front, and another from Holborn, thro’ Newgate, and thence straight to the north front of the Exchange.

This noble scheme was demonstrated to be practicable, without the infringement of any man’s property; for, by leaving out the church-yards, &c. which were to be removed out of town, there would have been sufficient room both for the augmentation of the streets, the disposition of the churches, halls, and all public buildings, and to have given every proprietor full satisfaction: for though few of them would have been seated upon exactly the very same ground they possessed before the fire, yet none would have been thrust at any considerable distance from it: but the obstinacy of great part of the citizens, in refusing to recede from the right, of rebuilding their houses on the old foundations, was an unsurmountable obstacle to the execution of this noble scheme. _Parentalia._

Soon after this, Sir John Evelyn produced another plan, in which he proposed that some of the deepest vallies should be filled up, or at least made with less sudden declivities. That a new and spacious key should run from the Tower to the Temple, and extend itself as far as the low water mark; by which means the channel of the river would be kept constantly full; the irregularity and deformity of the stairs, and the dirt and nastiness left at every ebb would also be prevented.

To create variety in the streets, he also proposed, that there should be breaks and enlargements, by spacious openings at proper distances, surrounded with piazzas, and uniformly built with beautiful fronts; and that some of these openings should be square, some circular, and others oval. He would have none of the principal streets less than an hundred feet in breadth, nor any of the narrowest less than thirty. He would have three or four large streets between the Thames and London Wall, reckoning that of Cheapside for the chief, which might extend from Temple Bar to the upper part of Tower hill, or to Crutched Friars, bearing the cathedral of St. Paul’s upon a noble eminence.

Among these he would have the parochial churches, which he thought might be reduced to half the number, as some of the parishes were then no less than two hundred times larger than others: and these he would have so interspersed as to adorn the profile of the city at all its avenues. Most of them he would have in the center of spacious areas, adorned with piazzas, &c. so as to be seen from several streets, and others at the abutments and extremities of them.

About the church piazzas, the stationers and booksellers were to have their shops, and the Ministers their houses; as about that of St. Paul’s was to be the episcopal palace, the Dean and Prebends houses, St. Paul’s school, a public library, the prerogative and first fruits office, all which were to be built at an ample distance from the cathedral, and with more stately fronts, in honour of that august pile. In some of these openings, surrounded with piazzas, he proposed to have the several markets. In others the coaches might wait; and in some might be public fountains constantly playing.

The College of Physicians he would have in one of the best parts of the town, incircled with a handsome piazza, for the dwellings of those learned persons, with the surgeons, apothecaries, and druggists in the streets about them; for he would have all of a mystery in the same quarters: those of the better sort of the shopkeepers in the sweetest and most eminent streets and piazzas; and the artificers in the more ordinary houses, in the intermediate and narrow passages; the taverns and victualling houses were to be placed amongst them, and be built accordingly; but so as to preserve the most perfect uniformity.

Between the piazzas, market places, and churches, might be placed the halls for the Companies; and these, if fronted with stone, and adorned with statues and other ornaments, would infinitely inrich the streets, and render this city as famous for architecture of the most refined gusto, as any city in Europe; among which should be distinguished Guildhall, by its being more pompous and magnificent than the rest: near this edifice he would have a magnificent house for the Lord Mayor, and others for the two Sheriffs.

The Royal Exchange he thought might front the Thames about the Steelyard, in an area surrounded on three sides with piazzas, with vaults for warehouses underneath; and for such merchandize as could not be well preserved under ground, might be erected buildings fronting the Thames on the other side of the river, with wharfs before and yards behind for the placing of cranes; the laying of timber, coals, &c. and other gross commodities, while the key over against it should be built for the owners, and the dwellings of the principal merchants: but if the warehouses must needs be on this side, they should be made to front Thames street rather than the river, because of the dull and heavy aspect of those buildings.

The little bay at Queenhithe should have the key continued around it, and cloistered about for the marketmen and fruiterers; and where the wharf then was, a stately avenue was to extend to St. Paul’s.

Four great streets were to extend along the city: the first from Fleet ditch, (which was to be formed into a noble canal) to the Tower: the second, from the Strand to the most eastern part of the city, where should be a noble triumphal arch in honour of Charles II. the third, from Newgate to Aldgate: and the fourth and shortest, from Aldersgate to Bishopsgate. He proposed that five principal cross streets should extend from Black Friars stairs into West Smithfield; from the Thames east of St. Paul’s to Aldersgate; from Queenhithe to Cripplegate; and from the Royal Exchange to Moorgate: that the street from the bridge should extend to Bishopsgate: that one from Billingsgate should extend near as far: and one from the Custom house to Aldgate.

Instead of houses on the bridge, he proposed to have it adorned with a substantial iron baluster, decorated, at convenient distances, with statues on their pedestals, with a footway on each side.

The hospitals, workhouses to employ the poor, and the prisons, being built and re-indowed at the public expence, were to be disposed of in convenient quarters of the city: the hospitals would become one of the principal streets; but the prisons, and court for the trial of criminals, might still be built near the entrances of the city.

The gates were to be in the form of triumphal arches, adorned with statues, relievos, and apposite inscriptions, not obstructed by sheds, or mean houses joined to them.

This gentleman also proposed, that along the wall betwixt Cripplegate and Aldgate, should be the church-yards of the several parishes, while the houses opposite to them formed a large street for the common inns, and served as a station for carriers, &c. These being on the north part of the city, and nearest the confines of the fields and roads, would least incumber the town; and there would be a far more commodious and free access to them, by reason of their immediate approaches through the traverse streets, than if they were scattered up and down without distinction.

But this scheme, which was designed as an improvement of Sir Christopher’s, also fell to nothing; and by the obstinacy of the citizens, the opportunity was lost of rendering this city the admiration of the world, and thereby of drawing the nobility of all Europe to visit it, and lay out great sums here.

However, it was ordered by act of Parliament, that many of the streets and lanes should be widened, and the city was impowered to make a new street from Cheapside to Guildhall, which obtained the name of King street, and another from Threadneedle street to Lothbury, called Prince’s street. And the markets, which till then were held in Newgate street and Cheapside, were ordered to be removed behind the houses into commodious market places to be prepared for that purpose. It was also enacted that all the houses should be built with stone or brick, with party walls, and the whole finished within three years: that the ground in several places should be raised, and that a column of brass or stone should be erected on or near the place where the above dreadful fire began; whence arose that noble column called the Monument: but had it been raised near the place where the fire ceased, and in the center of the fine circular area proposed by Sir Christopher Wren, in Fleet street, where eight streets would radiate upon it, and where it would be seen to terminate the view, even from Aldgate and Westminster, it would have enjoyed a situation vastly more worthy of its beauty, and have appeared to infinitely greater advantage, than in the corner where it is now placed. See the article MONUMENT.

The reader has just seen the city under two of the most dreadful calamities that could fall upon a people, pestilence, and a general destruction by fire; he will now see the citizens suffering calamities of a very different kind, and deprived of all their boasted privileges. This affair it is necessary to trace from its origin.

In the beginning of May 1679, a conspiracy of the papists was discovered, for destroying the city again by fire, occasioned by the burning of one Bird’s house in Fetter lane; for Elizabeth Oxley, the servant, being suspected, was committed to prison; where she not only confessed the fact, but declared, that she was prevailed upon to fire it by one Stubbs, a papist, upon the promise of 5l. Stubbs being secured, confessed that he had been excited to this by Father Gifford, his confessor, who told him, that instead of its being a sin, it would be a great service to the church to burn and destroy all the houses of heretics; and that he had several conferences with Gifford, and two Irishmen, upon that affair; that an insurrection was to be made in London, and a powerful army expected from France. Five Jesuits were executed for this plot, the papists banished from the city, and ten miles round, and afterwards the Lord Stafford was beheaded for the same crime.

In revenge, the Romish party trumped up what was called the Meal Tub plot, to bring an odium upon the presbyterians and the heads of the country party; but Dangerfield, the chief actor in this farce, being committed to prison, applied himself to the Lord Mayor, and in an ample confession laid open the whole scene of iniquity, discovering the persons who set him to work.

The citizens not only vigorously pressed the prosecution of all the persons they had reason to think concerned in the popish plot, in opposition to the court, who endeavoured to skreen them; but the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council presented a petition to his Majesty, desiring, that all the persons who had been impeached by the Commons, might be brought to their trials; the Duke of York, as being a papist, excluded from succeeding to the throne; and the Parliament continued, in order to make the necessary provisions for the preservation of his Majesty and his protestant subjects; but this petition not only hastened the dissolution of the Parliament, but was so highly resented by the King, that it principally occasioned the loss of all the rights and privileges belonging to the citizens.

The Parliament being soon after dissolved, and writs issued for a new election, the citizens chose their former members, and gave them directions in writing to continue their search into the popish plot; to promote the bill of exclusion, and to grant no supplies of money till they had effectually secured them against popery and arbitrary power; which example was followed by most of the electors of the kingdom.

The court now threw the city into confusion, by interfering in the election of Sheriffs; those the city had chosen, and one of the Aldermen, were committed to the Tower; while other Sheriffs were elected by the Lord Mayor, without the consent of the Commons; and soon after a _quo warranto_ was brought against the city, contrary to justice, the charters of the city, and the rights of the citizens: the plea and rejoinder brought by the citizens, were as full and as nervous, as the arguments brought to support the information were weak and trifling. However, the ministry having at all events determined to remove the sacred fence, and destroy the dear bought privileges of the citizens, removed the Judges who did not approve these proceedings, and chose others, who would be more obedient, in their room; and on the 12th of June 1683, the sentence was pronounced, that the city had given just ground for the forfeiture of their charter.

After this the King granted the office of Lord Mayor to be held during pleasure, appointed the Sheriffs, the Recorder, and sixteen of his favourite Aldermen; degraded eight of those that were in the country interest, and appointed eight others in their room.

The death of King Charles II. was far from putting a stop to the arbitrary measures of the court: for James II. immediately singled out as a sacrifice to popery, Mr. Cornish, an Alderman of this city, who, when Sheriff, had exerted himself in an uncommon manner in the detection and prosecution of those concerned in the popish plot. This gentleman was apprehended, and committed to Newgate, without the use of pen, ink, or paper, till Saturday noon, when he received notice, that he was to be tried for high treason on the Monday following. In the interim, his children humbly petitioned the King for time, that their father might prepare for his defence: but they petitioned in vain, though the most material evidence in his favour was then 140 miles from London. He was indicted the next Monday, for conspiring to raise a rebellion, to destroy the King, and subvert the constitution in the late reign. The only material evidences were two persons of an infamous and profligate character; one of them an outlaw, who was pardoned, and his testimony made legal, for his appearing against Cornish; and though what he deposed did not affect the prisoner, he was condemned, and on the 23d of the same month, hanged, drawn, and quartered before his own door, at the end of King street, Cheapside.

During this short but iniquitous reign, in which the boldest attempts were made for extirpating the protestant religion, and the religious and civil liberties of the people, the citizens and the whole nation cast their eyes on the Prince of Orange as their deliverer. That Prince’s resolution to grant them his assistance was no sooner known at Whitehall, than the deluded, weak, and pusillanimous King, prompted by fear, sent for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and with a meanness of spirit equal to that of enslaving his people, promised to restore their charter. Accordingly, on the sixth of October 1688, the infamous and cruel Lord Chancellor Jeffries brought back the charter to the city.

Upon this, a new Lord Mayor was chosen; the Aldermen restored to their respective wards; and the Liverymen of the several Companies at the time when judgment was given against the city upon the _quo warranto_, were also restored.

It may be proper to observe, before we conclude this reign, that about the beginning of December 1683, was a severe frost, which continued till the 5th of February; the Thames being froze, a great number of streets with shops were erected upon it.

In the year 1687, a dreadful persecution raging in France against the distressed protestants, 13,500 of them came over and settled in this city, and the parts contiguous, particularly in Spitalfields, by which they greatly enriched the city and kingdom, by introducing among us new arts and manufactures.

As the citizens had contributed very much to the revolution, King William and Queen Mary were conducted by a noble cavalcade to Guildhall, where their Majesties and a numerous train of the nobility were entertained at dinner; and soon after the Parliament reversed the proceedings of the former reigns on the _quo warranto_, declaring them to be illegal and arbitrary, and confirmed all the rights and privileges of the city.

After the peace of Ryswick, King William III. at the desire of the Lord Mayor and citizens, made his public entry into the city, with great magnificence, the Lord Mayor carrying the city sword before his Majesty.

In the reign of Queen Anne, her Majesty came several times in great state to St. Paul’s, to return thanks for the glorious victories of the great Duke of Marlborough; and after the victory of Blenheim, his Grace, with the Prince of Hesse and many of the nobility, dined with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at Goldsmith’s Hall.

On Friday the 26th of November 1703, happened the most dreadful storm of wind that perhaps was ever known in any age or nation. For, beginning about eleven at night, and increasing till about seven in the morning, it committed the most terrible and amazing devastations, by blowing down houses, trees, brick walls, and stacks of chimneys; by which many of the citizens were buried in ruins; a considerable number of whom were killed, others terribly wounded, while others again were amazingly preserved unhurt among the rubbish. As an instance of which, it may be proper to mention the following circumstance: two boys lying in a garret in the Poultry, a huge stack of chimneys fell in, which making its way through that and all the other stories to the cellar, it was followed by the bed with the boys asleep in it, who first awaked in that gloomy place of confusion, without having suffered the least hurt. Incredible as this story is, it is nevertheless well attested.

By the impetuosity of this storm, many spires and turrets were destroyed; upon the churches and other public buildings, the lead was rolled up like scrolls, and blown to a considerable distance. At the approach of day, the houses appeared like so many skeletons, and being mostly stripped, the damage done to the roofs was so great, that the price of tiles rose from 1l. 1s. to 6l. a thousand.

It is not easy to conceive the surprize that appeared in all countenances in the morning; for the streets were covered with bricks, broken tiles, signs, and pest-houses; almost all thoughts of trade were laid aside, and the principal concern was the immediate repair of their houses, in order to preserve themselves from the inclemency of the weather in that rigorous season.

The damage at sea, however, far exceeded that by land; for in that dreadful night twelve men of war were lost, with above 1800 men on board; besides the prodigious loss of merchant ships, computed at ten times the value. At that time the roads near our coast were filled with ships, especially the Downs, where most of them were swallowed up by the waves; and even in the Thames, only four from London bridge to Limehouse, rode it out; for the rest being driven to Limehouse, lay there, beating against each other, by the irresistible fury of the tempest, by which they suffered inconceivable damage. _Maitland._

The French having unmercifully destroyed the Palatinate, by burning the cities and towns, near 12,000 Palatines arrived at London, where they met with the most charitable assistance. Above 3000 of them were sent to Ireland, and the rest to our plantations, where they have made very great improvements.

In the latter end of this reign, great disturbances were occasioned by two sermons preached by Dr. Sacheverel; in which he represented the church to be in danger from the dissenters; for these inflaming discourses he was impeached by the Commons, and tried by the Lords, at which the mob were so exasperated, that they pulled down several meeting houses, and occasioned great disturbances.

Soon after the death of Queen Anne, King George I. made his public entry into London, the Lord Mayor carrying the city sword before him, from St. Margaret’s hill to St. James’s palace.

In 1715 happened a total eclipse; and the same year a severe frost began in November, and continued with short intermissions till the middle of February; by which the Thames was frozen over, and a great number of booths erected upon it.

The next year great disturbances were caused by the enemies of the government, who, on the King’s birth day, accession to the crown, and coronation, assembled in the streets in a tumultuous manner, and with the most amazing assurance, by expressions and representations, in the grossest manner dishonoured his Majesty. This induced the friends of the government, under some persons of the highest distinction, to form themselves into societies, at certain alehouses, which, from the vessels out of which they drank, were denominated _mughouses_, at each of which were deposited a great number of cudgels. At this the rabble were so exasperated, that many thousands of them assembled, and attacking one of those houses in Salisbury court, Fleet street, the landlord, in defending his property, killed one of the assailants; but this did not prevent their rifling the house, before they could be dispersed. However, several rioters being taken, they were soon after tried, when five of them were condemned and executed at the end of Salisbury court; which put an effectual stop to all tumultuous practices for many years.

It is observable, that in 1716, by a long dry season, the river Thames was reduced so low, that by a violent storm of wind at west south west, it was blown so dry, during the recess of the tide, that many thousands of people passed it on foot, both above and below bridge, and walked thro’ most of the arches.

The year 1720 will be ever famous in this city, for the destructive South Sea scheme, by which many thousands of the wealthy citizens and others were impoverished, while others acquired immense riches. See SOUTH SEA COMPANY.

The year 1733 was rendered memorable by the effectual opposition made by the citizens against a scheme for a general excise.

In 1734, two spacious arches, ten feet high and six wide, were erected as a common sewer over the Fleet ditch, from Holborn to the end of Fleet street; and a neat market house being since erected in the same place, by the name of Fleet market, was opened in the year 1737; and the next year the buildings and sheds of Stocks market, at the end of the Poultry, were cleared away, in order to lay the foundation of a mansion house for the Lord Mayor, which was afterwards erected. See MANSION HOUSE.

The present reign is indeed rendered remarkable by the multitude of magnificent buildings, fine streets, and spacious squares, that have been added, and still are adding to this metropolis. A taste for elegance in architecture, and a desire to improve and adorn the city, have produced one of the finest bridges in the world at Westminster; have caused London bridge to be stripped of its ruinous buildings that encumbered the passage, and will soon render it as commodious and beautiful as possible. Another elegant bridge is erecting at Black Friars, in so grand a taste as to do honour to the city. We are become sensible of the absurdity of building magnificent structures in holes and narrow passages, where they cannot be seen to advantage; and now resolve to make what is beautiful in itself, an ornament to the city.

But this is not all; charity and humanity now triumph over bigotry and superstition, and the rage of party is on all sides ready to expire; churchmen and dissenters mingle in the same company without animosity, and friendships are contracted between those of different sentiments, both with respect to religion and government; while party zeal is almost confined to the ignorant and the vulgar.

During this reign the wealthy have shewn their humanity and pity for the distresses of their fellow creatures, by erecting a great number of infirmaries and hospitals, for the relief of those afflicted with any of the diseases to which human nature is subject; while others are appropriated to the cure of particular distempers. The deserted infant is received into an hospital founded for its education and support; the young, innocent, friendless girl finds an asylum; even the repenting prostitute has an opportunity of returning to virtue. The poor married woman is relieved and supported in the time of her greatest difficulty, distress and danger; she who is under the same distress, with the additional pangs of guilt, has a receptacle in which she also may be delivered, and supported during her lying-in, without the least expence. Those under the small-pox, who were formerly sent to pest-houses, and treated as if they had the plague, are now happily accommodated in places prepared for their relief; and there is even an hospital for inoculating the young who never had this formidable disease, in order to prevent the fatal effects which commonly attend its being caught in a riper age. In short, the last charitable foundation I shall mention, as an honour to the present age and nation, is the Marine Society; a society formed for increasing our mariners, by clearing our streets of poor vagabond boys, and men destitute of the means of procuring an honest support; thus those are made to contribute to the glory and safety of the nation, who would otherwise be brought up to plunder and rapine, who would live in misery and vice, and probably end their days with ignominy. See an account of each of these societies under their several articles, ASYLUM, LYING-IN HOSPITAL, MARINE SOCIETY, &c.

The arms of the City of London are, _Argent_, a cross _Gules_, with a sword the same. Some say this was the sword of St. Paul; and others, that it is the sword of William Walworth Lord Mayor of London, who killed the rebel Wat Tyler, anno 1381, in the presence and defence of Richard II.

LONDON ASSURANCE, in Birchin lane, Cornhill, for assuring houses and other buildings, houshold furniture, goods, wares, and merchandize, from loss or damage by fire: except glass and china ware, not in trade, and all manner of writings, books of accompts, notes, bills, bonds, tallies, ready money, jewels, plate, pictures, gunpowder, hay, straw, and corn unthreshed; and for assurance of lives.

This society was incorporated by letters patent granted by King George I. for assuring ships and merchandize at sea; and for lending money upon bottomry; in consideration of which grant the Corporation were to advance his Majesty 300,000l. without interest, for the term of thirty years: towards the raising of which, and paying the just demands that might be made upon their respective policies, the Company were impowered to raise a sum, not exceeding 1,500,000l. to be called the stock of the Corporation: by a second charter, granted to this Corporation in the year 1721, they were impowered not only to insure ships, but houses, goods, and even lives.

This society is under the direction of a Governor, Sub-governor, and Deputy Governor, and twenty-four directors.

They assure houses and goods upon the following terms and conditions.

I. All manner of brick and stone buildings covered with slate, tile, or lead, wherein no hazardous trades are carried on, nor any hazardous goods deposited, are termed _Common assurances_, and are assured for the following premiums, viz. any sum not exceeding 200l. at 4s. _per annum_; any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 2s. _per cent. per annum_; and any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 3000l. at 2s. 6d. _per cent. per annum_; and goods and merchandize not hazardous, in brick or stone buildings, after the same rates.

II. For the accommodation of such persons as are desirous of being assured for a term of years, this Corporation will assure (on such buildings or goods as aforesaid) any sum not exceeding 1000l. at the rate of 12s. _per cent._ for seven years, and as far as 2000l. at the rate of 14s. _per cent._ for the like term of seven years, without subjecting the assured to any calls or contributions to make good losses.

III. Assurances on buildings and goods, are deemed distinct and separate adventures; so that the premium on goods is not advanced by reason of any assurance on the building wherein the goods are kept, nor the premium on the building by reason of any assurance on the goods.

IV. Timber or plaister buildings covered with slate, tile, or lead, wherein no hazardous trades are carried on, nor any hazardous goods deposited: and goods or merchandize not hazardous, in such buildings, are termed _Hazardous assurances_, and assured as follows; any sum not exceeding 200l. at 6s. _per annum_: any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 3s. _per cent. per annum_: any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 2000l. at 4s. _per cent. per annum_: and any sum above 2000l. and not exceeding 3000l. at 5s. _per cent. per annum_.

V. Hazardous trades, such as apothecaries, bread and bisket bakers, colourmen, ship and tallow-chandlers, innholders and stable-keepers, carried on in brick or stone buildings, covered with slate, tile, or lead; and hazardous goods, such as hemp, flax, pitch, tar, tallow, and turpentine, deposited in such buildings, may be assured at the annual premiums, set down under the head of hazardous assurances, in the above article.

VI. Any of the above hazardous trades carried on, or hazardous goods deposited in timber or plaister buildings; earthen, glass, and china ware, in trade; and thatched buildings, or goods therein, are termed _Double hazardous assurances_, and may be assured upon the following conditions: any sum not exceeding 200l. at 10s. _per annum_: any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 5s. _per cent. per annum_: and any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 2000l. at 7s. 6d. _per cent. per annum_.

VII. Deal yards, also chymists, distillers, sugar-bakers, maltsters, or any other assurances more than ordinarily hazardous, by reason of the trade, nature of the goods, narrowness of the place, or other dangerous circumstances, may be made by special agreement.

VIII. Two dwelling-houses, or any one dwelling-house, and the out-houses thereunto belonging, or any one dwelling-house and goods therein, may be included in the sum of 200l. But when several buildings, or buildings and goods, are assured in the same policy, the sum assured on each is to be particularly mentioned.

IX. To prevent frauds, if any buildings or goods assured with this Corporation, are, or shall be assured with any other corporation or society, the policy granted by this Corporation is to be null and void, unless such other assurance is allowed by endorsement on the policy.

X. No policy is to be of any force, till the premium for one year is paid. And for all subsequent annual premiums, the assured are to take receipts, stamped with the seal of the Corporation, no other being allowed of.

XI. No policy is to be extended, or construed to extend to the assurance of any hazardous buildings or goods, unless they are expressly mentioned in the policy, and the proper premium for such assurances be paid for the same.

XII. No loss or damage by fire happening by any invasion, foreign enemy, or any military or usurped power whatsoever, is to be made good.

XIII. All persons assured by this Corporation, are upon any loss or damage by fire, forthwith to give notice thereof, by letter, or otherwise, to the Directors or Secretary, at their house in London: and within fifteen days after such fire, deliver in as particular an account of their loss or damage, as the nature of the case will admit of, and make proof of the same, by the oath or affirmation of themselves, their domestics or servants, or by their books of accounts, or other proper vouchers, as shall be required; and also to procure a certificate under the hands of the Minister and Church-wardens, together with some other reputable inhabitants of the parish, not concerned in such loss; importing, that they are well acquainted with the character and circumstances of the sufferer or sufferers; and do know, or verily believe, that he, she, or they, have really, and by misfortune, sustained by such fire the loss and damage therein mentioned. And in case any difference shall arise between the Corporation and the assured, touching any loss or damage, such difference shall be submitted to the judgment and determination of arbitrators indifferently chosen, whose award in writing shall be conclusive and binding to all parties. And when any loss or damage is settled and adjusted, the sufferer or sufferers are to receive immediate satisfaction for the same.

XIV. In adjusting losses on houses, no wainscot, sculpture or carved-work, is to be valued at more than 3s. _per_ yard.

_N. B._ There is no average clause in the policies of this Corporation; but the assured, in case of loss, receive the full damage sustained, deducing only three _per cent._ according to the terms of the policy.

Persons assured by this Corporation do not depend upon an uncertain fund or contribution, nor are they subject to any covenants or calls to make good losses which may happen to themselves or others. The capital stock of this Corporation being an unquestionable security to the assured in case of loss or damage by fire, and in case of such loss or damage the assured have as easy methods of recovery as can be had against any person or society whatsoever.

For the timely assistance of such as are assured by this Corporation, they have provided several engines and watermen, with proper instruments to extinguish fires, and porters for removing goods, all cloathed in green; and having every one a badge, with the figure of Britannia, holding a harp, and supported by the London arms, to distinguish them from servants belonging to other offices, and the badges are all numbered; of which all persons are desired to take notice, who intrust them with goods, or have any complaint to make.

The same figure as on the badges is affixed on buildings, &c. assured by this Corporation. _The proposals printed for the Corporation, in 1758._

LONDON BRIDGE, appears to have been originally built between the years 993, and 1016, since in the first-mentioned year, Anlaf, the Dane, sailed up the Thames, with a fleet of ninety-three ships, as far as Stanes; and in the last, Canute, King of Denmark, caused a canal to be formed on the south side of the Thames, for conveying his ships above the bridge.

If the traditionary account of the origin of the ancient wooden bridge, delivered by Bartholomew Linstead, alias Fowle, the last Prior of St. Mary Overy’s convent, is worthy of credit, we are indebted to the public spirit of that religious house for this structure: “A ferrie being kept, says he, in a place where now the bridge is builded; at length the ferrieman and his wife deceasing, left the same ferrie to their only daughter, a maiden, named Marie, which, with the goods left by her parents, as also from the profits arising from the ferrie, builded a house of sisters in a place where now standeth the east part of St. Mary Overie’s church, unto which house she gave the oversight and profits of the ferrie: but afterwards the said house of sisters being converted into a college of priests, they builded the bridge of timber, as all other the great bridges of this land were, and from time to time kept the same in good reparations; till at length, considering the great charges of repairing the same, there was, by aid of the citizens of London and others, a bridge builded with arches of stone.”

However, the continuators of Stow imagine, that Linstead, in this account, exceeds the truth, in ascribing all the praise of so public a work to a small house of religious, who might probably only consent to its being built, upon the monks receiving a sufficient recompence for the loss of the ferry, by which they had always been supported; the probability of this appears from there being lands appropriated for the repairs of the bridge so early as in the reign of Henry I. Besides, it can scarcely be supposed, that a petty convent could be able to erect and support such an edifice, which, besides other accidents, was burnt down in 1136, and was again so ruinous in 1163, that it was obliged to be new built, under the inspection of Peter, Curate of St. Mary Colechurch, in London; a person who had obtained great reputation for his skill in architecture.

At length, the continual and large expence in maintaining a wooden bridge becoming burthensome to the people, who, when the lands appropriated to that use fell short of their produce, were taxed to make up the deficiencies, it was resolved in 1176, to build one of stone, a little to the west of the other, which in the time of William the Conqueror began at Botolph’s wharf; and this structure was completed in 1209.

The foundation is, by the vulgar, generally believed to be laid upon woolpacks, which opinion probably arose from a tax being laid upon every pack of wool, towards its construction. Mr. Stow is of opinion, that before the bridge was erected, they were obliged to turn the Thames into a large canal made for that purpose, which began at Battersea, and returned into the bed of the river at Rotherhithe; but this supposition has not the least foundation. Mr. Maitland justly observes, that the purchase of the ground through which this spacious water course was to run; the expence of digging and raising the banks of sufficient strength; and the prodigious expence of damming off the river above and below the intended bridge, would have amounted to treble the sum of erecting the bridge itself; and that the space of thirty-three years, which the bridge took up in building, is sufficient to destroy so wild a notion; since if the people concerned in erecting it had dry ground to build upon, it might have been finished in a tenth part of the time, and in a much more durable manner.

The same gentleman observes, that having carefully surveyed the bridge in the year 1730, in company with Mr. Sparruck, the water carpenter thereof, he observed in many places where the stones were washed from the sterlings, the vast frames of piles, whereon the stone piers were founded. The exterior part of these piles were extremely large, and driven as close as art could effect, and on the top were laid long beams of timber of the thickness of ten inches, strongly bolted; whereon was placed the base of the stone piers, nine feet above the bed of the river, and three below the sterlings; and that on the outside of this foundation were driven the piles called the sterlings.

Mr. Sparruck informed him, that he and the bridge-mason had frequently taken out of the lowermost layers of stones in the piers, several of the original stones, which had been laid in pitch instead of mortar; and that this occasioned their being of opinion, that all the outside stones of the piers, as high as the sterlings, were originally laid in the same matter, to prevent the waters damaging the work. This Mr. Maitland naturally supposes, was done at every tide of ebb, till the work was raised above the high water mark.

It is remarkable, that the master mason of this great work erected at his own expence a chapel on the east side of the ninth pier from the north end, and endowed it for two priests, four clerks, &c. This chapel, which was dedicated to St. Thomas, was a beautiful arched Gothic structure, sixty-five feet long, twenty feet and a half broad, and fourteen in height. Great part of this edifice lately remained very perfect; it was paved with black and white marble, and in the middle was a sepulchral monument in which was probably interred Peter, curate of Colechurch, the architect, or master mason, who began the work, but died before it was completed. Clusters of small pillars arise at equal distances on the sides, and bending over the roof, meet in the center of the arch, where they are bound together by large flowers cut in the same stone: between these pillars were the windows, which afforded a view of the Thames on each side, and were arched, and far from being unhandsome: but these have long been closed up with brick-work. It had an entrance from the river as well as the street, from which last there was a descent to it by a winding pair of stone steps twisting round a pillar. These stairs opened into a short passage, on the right hand of which was a cavity in the wall for holding the bason of holy water. On the 30th of September 1758, when we had the pleasure of seeing it, this edifice existed in the above form, only a part of the arch was obliged to make way for a shop floor, and some of the body was divided into an upper and lower story for the convenience of warehouse room, it then belonging to an eminent stationer.

But notwithstanding all this art and expence in building the bridge with stone, it was soon in great want of repairs: for about four years after it was finished, a fire broke out in Southwark, which taking hold of the church of our Lady of the Canons, or St. Mary Overy’s, a south wind communicated the flames to the houses on the north side of the bridge, which interrupted the passage, and stopped the return of a multitude of people who had run from London to help to extinguish the fire in Southwark: and while the amazed croud were endeavouring to force a passage back to the city through the flames on the north end of the bridge, the fire broke out at the south end also; so that being inclosed between two great fires, above three thousand people perished in the flames, or were drowned by overloading the vessels that ventured to come to their assistance.

By this dreadful accident, and other circumstances, this new stone bridge was in so ruinous a condition, that King Edward I. granted the bridgekeeper a brief to ask and receive the charity of his subjects throughout the kingdom, towards repairing it: besides which, he caused letters to be wrote to the clergy of all degrees, earnestly pressing them to contribute to so laudable a work; but these methods proving ineffectual, he granted a toll, by which every foot passenger carrying merchandize over the bridge, was to pay one farthing; every horseman with merchandize, 1d. and every saleable pack carried and palling over, a halfpenny.

But while these affairs were in agitation, the ruin of the bridge was completed, by five arches being borne down and destroyed by the ice and floods, after a great frost and deep snow in the year 1282.