The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-10-28

oyle, rosin, &C., did infinite mischefe, 80 as the
invective which little before had dedicated
to his Msty. and published, giving warning
what might oe the issue of suffering those shops
to be in the City, was looked on as a prophecy.
The poore inhabitants were dispersed about
st. Georges Fields and Moortields as far as
Highgate, and SEVERAL miles in circle, some un.
der tents. some under miserable hut.s and hov.
ellis, many without rag or necessary utensils
bed or board, who from delicatenesse, riches, and
every recommendations in stately and we'll fur
nlshed houses, were now reduced to ex treamest
misery and poverty.
In this calamitous condition returned with
q sad heart to my house, blessing and adoring
the mercy of God to Inc and mine, who in the
midst OF all this RUNE was like Lot, in my little
Zoar, all safe and sound.
9Th. went this morning on foote feom White
hall as far as London Bridge thro the late Fleete
Streete, Ludgute Hill, by St. Paules, Cheapside,
Exchange. Bishopgate, Aldersgate and out to
Mooreield, then thro' Cornhill, &C., with extra
ordinary difficulty, laundering over heaps OF yet
smoking rubbish, and frequently mistaking
where was. The ground under my feet was SO
hot that it even burned the soles of my shoes.
In the meantime. his Ma'ty got to the Tower by
water to Semolish ye houses about the graft,
which being built intirely about it, had they
taken fire and attacked the White Tower where
'Ae va eAA"o "a Po"oer Ady "outu uhoouOoeoiy
not only have beaten downs and destroy'd all 70
bridge but sunke and torne the vessels in ye
river, and rendered ye demolition beyond all ex-
preston for several miles about the countrey,
At my return was infinitely concerned to
find that goodly church, st. Paules, now Q sad
rune. and that beautiful portico (for structure
comparable to any in Europe, as not long before
repaired by the king, now rent in pieoes-fakes
Ut vast stones split asunder, and nothing remain
ing intire bat the inscription in the architrave,
showing by whom it was built. which had not
one letter of it aefaced. 1t was astonishing to
see what immense stones the heat had in man
ner caIcined 70 that all ye ornaments, columns.
freezes, and procedures of massive Portland
stone hew of, even to ye very roofe, where a
sheet of lead covering great space was totally
melted; the ruins Of the vaulted roof falling,
broke inso st. Faiths, which being filled with
the magazines of books belonging to We station.
ers, and carried thither for safety, we're all con.
sumed, burning for week following
1t is also observable that the lead ever We alter
at ye east end was untouched, and among the
divers monuments, the body Of one bishop re-
NAMED intire.
Thus lay in ashes that most venerable church,
one OF the most antient pieces of early piety in
ye christian world. besides neere 100 more. The
lead. yron worke, bells, plate, &C., mealted the
exquisitely wrought MERGERS Chapel, the stump.
tuous Exchange, ye august FABRIC of Christ
Church, all ye rest of the Companies Halls,
sumptuous buildings, arches, all in dust; the
fountains dried up and ruined, whilst the very
waters remained boiling; the vorsgo's of sub
terrsnean cellars, wells and dungeons, formerly
warehouses, still burning in stencil and dark
clouds of smoke, 80 that in or 6 miles, in
traversing about, did not see one load Of tim
Der unconsumed, nor many stoves but what were
calcined white as snow.
The people who now walked about ye ruins
appeared like men in dismal desart, or rather
in some create City laid waste by cruel enc.
my, to which was added the stencil that came
from some poore creatures bodies, beds, &c.
Sir Tho Gressham's statute, tho fallen from
its nitcn in the Royal Exchange, remained in.
tire when ell those of ye kings since ye conquest
were broken in pieces, also the standard in
Cernehi!l. @ Elizabeth's ef6yles, with some
armes on Ludgate, continual with but little de.
trimeHt, whilst the vast yron chaines of the
City streetes hinges, bars, and gates of prisons
were many of them mealted and reduced to Gin.
ders by ye vehement heate.
was not able to pass through any of the mar.
row streetes but kept the widest; the ground
and air, snouke and fiery vapors continued 50
intense that my haire was almost sing d, and nv
feete unsufferably sur.heated. The bic lanes |
ana narrow streetes were quite flld up with |
rubbish, nor could one have known where he |
was but 10y ye rains of some church or hall that
had some tower or pinnacle remaining.
then went towards Islington and Hiyhgate.
where one might have scene 100000 people of
all ranks and degrees, dispersal and lying along
by their heapes Of what they could save from
the fire, deploring the losse /; and tho ready to
perish for hunger and restitution, yet not asking
one penny for relief, which to me appeard a
stranger sight than had yet beheld
His Majesty and council indeede tooke all
care fer their relief, by proclams.
nation for the country to come in and refresh
them with provisions. In ye midst Of all this
calamity aud confusion, there was, know not
how, an alarm begun that the Frenc aud Dutch
with whom we were now in hostility were not
onely landed, but even entering the city
There was, in truth, some days before, create
suspicion OF those 2 nations joining; and now.
that had been the occasion of firing the Town.
This did 30 terrific that on Il suddaine there
was such an uproare and tumult, that they ran
from their goods and taking what weapons they
could come at, they could not DO stopped from
falling upon some Of those nations whom thew
casually met without sense or reason. The
Glamour and peril grew 80 excessv. th.t it
maze the whole Court amazed, and they did
with Infinite paines and grea's diftculty reduce
and appease the people, senuuy troops of sol.
iiers and guards to cause them to retire in n
Inc fields againe, where they were watched all
aight.
lett them pretty quiet, and came home suffi.
'iently weary and broken. Their spirits thus a
title claimed, "n lac alright ahA'ed. they now
began T." repaire into ye suburbs about he citty.
sere such ~ had friends or opportunity uot
'h'i'er tor the present, to which his Ma'y's
reclamation also invited them.
sNaje-n.