royalty restored-第38部分

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rcibly　marking　the　course　of　destruction。　Then　came　the　crackling；　hissing　sounds　of　timber　yielding　to　the　fire；　and　soon　a　great　sheet　of　lead　which　covered　the　roof；　and　was　said　to　measure　six　acres；　melting　by　degrees；　down　came　on　every　side　a　terrible　rain　of　liquid　fire　that　seamed　and　burned　the　ground；　and　carried　destruction　with　it　in　its　swift　course　towards　the　Thames。

And　now；　by　reason　of　the　fearful　heat；　great　projections　of　Portland　stone；　cornices；　and　capitals　of　columns；　flew　off　before　the　fire　had　time　to　reach　them。　　Windows　melted　in　their　frames；　pillars　fell　to　the　ground；　ironwork　bent　as　wax；　nay；　the　very　pavements　around　glowed　so　that　neither　man　nor　horse　dared　tread　upon　them。　　And　the　flames；　gradually　gaining　ground；　danced　fantastically　up　and　down　the　scaffolding；　and　covered　the　edifice　as　with　one　blaze；　whilst　inside　transom　beams　were　snapped　asunder；　rafters　fell　with　destruction；　and　the　fire　roaring　through　chapels　and　aisles　as　in　a　great　furnace；　could　be　heard　afar。　　And　that　which　had　been　a　Christian　shrine　was　now；　a　smoking　ruin。

Raging　onward　in　their　fierce　career；　the　flames　darted　towards　such　buildings　in　the　neighbourhood　as　had　been　previously　untouched；　so　that　Paternoster　Row；　Newgate　Street；　the　Old　Bailey　and　Ludgate　Hill　were　soon　in　course　of　destruction。　　And　from　the　latter　spot　the　conflagration；　urged　by　the　wind；　rapidly　rushed　onwards　towards　Fleet　Street。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　extended　from　Cheapside　to　Ironmongers'　Lane；　Old　Jewry；　Lawrence　Lane；　Milk　Street；　Wood　Street；　Gutter　Lane；　and　Foster　Lane；　and　again　spreading　from　Newgate　Street；　it　surrounded　and　destroyed　Christ　Church；　burned　through　St。　Martin's…le…Grand　towards　Aldgate；　and　threatened　to　continue　its　triumphant　march　to　the　suburbs。

For　several　miles　nothing　but　raging　fire　and　smoking　ruins　was　visible；　for　desolation　had　descended　on　the　city。　　It　was　now　feared　the　flames　would　reach　the　Palace　of　Whitehall；　and　extend　towards　Westminster　Abbey；　a　consideration　which　caused　much　alarm　to　his　majesty；　who　prized　the　sacred　fane　exceedingly。　And　now　the　king　was　determined　the　orders　he　had　already　issued　should　be　obeyed；　and　that　houses　standing　in　direct　path　of　the　fire　should　be　demolished　by　gunpowder；　so　that；　a　greater　gap　being　effected　than　any　previously　made　by　pulling　them　down；　the　conflagration　might　have　no　further　material　wherewith　to　strengthen　and　feed　its　further　progress。

This　plan；　Evelyn　states；　had　been　proposed　by　some　stout　seamen　early　enough　to　have　saved　nearly　the　whole　city；　〃but　this　some　tenacious　and　avaricious　men；　aldermen；　etc。；　would　not　permit；　because　their　houses　would　have　been　the　first。〃　　Now；　however；　this　remedy　was　tried；　and　with　greater　despatch；　because　the　fire　threatened　the　Tower　and　the　powder　magazine　it　contained。　And　if　the　flames　once　reached　this；　London　Bridge　would　assuredly　be　destroyed；　the　vessels　in　the　river　torn　and　sunk；　and　incalculable　damage　to　life　and　property　effected。

Accordingly　Tower　Street；　which　had　already　become　ignited；　was；　under　supervision　of　the　king；　blown　up　in　part；　and　the　fire　happily　brought　to　an　end　by　this　means　in　that　part　of　the　town。　Moreover；　on　Wednesday　morning　the　east　wind；　which　had　continued　high　from　Sunday　night；　now　subsided；　so　that　the　flames　lost　much　of　their　vehemence；　and　by　means　of　explosions　were　more　easily　mastered　at　Leadenhall　and　in　Holborn；　and　likewise　at　the　Temple；　to　which　places　they　had　spread　during　Wednesday　and　Thursday。

During　these　latter　days；　the　king　and　the　Duke　of　York　betrayed　great　vigilance；　and　laboured　with　vast　activity；　the　latter　especially；　riding　from　post　to　post；　by　his　example　inciting　those　whose　courage　had　deserted　them；　and　by　his　determination　overcoming　destruction。　　On　Thursday　the　dread　conflagration；　after　raging　for　five　consecutive　days　and　nights；　was　at　length　conquered。

On　Friday　morning　the　sun　rose　like　a　ball　of　crimson　fire　above　a　scene　of　blackness；　ruin；　and　desolation。　　Whole　streets　were　levelled　to　the　ground；　piles　of　charred　stones　marked　where　stately　churches　had　stood；　smoke　rose　in　clouds　from　smouldering　embers。　　With　sorrowful　hearts　many　citizens　traversed　the　scene　of　desolation　that　day；　amongst　others　Pepys　and　Evelyn。　　The　latter　recounts　that　〃the　ground　and　air；　smoke　and　fiery　vapour；　continu'd　so　intense；　that　my　haire　was　almost　sing'd；　and　my　feete　unsuffurably　surbated。　　The　people　who　now　walk'd　about　ye　ruines　appear'd　like　men　in　some　dismal　desert；　or　rather　in　some　greate　citty　laid　waste　by　a　cruel　enemy；　to　which　was　added　that　stench　that　came　from　some　poore　creatures'　bodies；　beds；　and　other　combustible　goods。〃

It　would　have　been　impossible　to　trace　the　original　course　of　the　streets；　but　that　some　gable；　pinnacle；　or　portion　of　walls；　of　churches；　halls；　or　mansions；　indicated　where　they　had　stood。　The　narrower　thoroughfares　were　completely　blocked　by　rubbish；　massive　iron　chains；　then　used　to　prevent　traffic　at　night　in　the　streets；　were　melted；　as　were　likewise　iron　gates　of　prisons；　and　the　hinges　of　strong　doors。　　Goods　stored　away　in　cellars　and　subterranean　passages　of　warehouses　yet　smouldered；　emitting　foul　odours；　wells　were　completely　choked；　fountains　were　dried　at　their　sources。　　The　statues　of　monarchs　which　had　adorned　the　Exchange；　were　smashed；　that　of　its　founder；　Sir　Thomas　Gresham；　alone　remaining　entire。　　The　ruins　of　St。　Paul's；　with　its　walls　standing　black　and　cheerless；　presented　in　itself　a　most　melancholy　spectacle。　　Its　pillars　were　embedded　in　ashes；　its　cornices　irretrievably　destroyed；　its　great　bell　reduced　to　a　shapeless　mass　of　metal；　whilst　its　general　air　of　desolation　was　heightened　by　the　fact　that　a　few　monuments；　which　had　escaped　destruction；　rose　abruptly　from　amidst　the　charred　DEBRIS。

But　if　the　ruins　of　the　capital　looked　sad　by　day；　their　appearance　was　more　appalling　when　seen　by　light　of　the　moon；　which　rose　nightly　during　the　week　following　this　great　calamity。　From　the　city　gates；　standing　gaunt；　black；　and　now　unguarded；　to　the　Temple；　the　level　waste　seemed　sombre　as　a　funeral　pall；　whilst　the　Thames；　stripped　of　wharves　and　warehouses；　quaintly　gabled　homes；　and　comfortable　innswont　to　cast　pleasant　lights　and　shadows　on　its　surfacenow　swept　past　the　blackened　ruins　a　melancholy　river　of　white　waters。

In　St。　George's　Fields；　Moorfields；　and　far　as　Highgate　for　several　miles；　citizens　of　all　degrees；　to　the　number　of　two　hundred　thousand；　had　gathered：　　sleeping　in　the　open　fields；　or　under　canvas　tents；　or　in　wooden　sheds　which　they　hurriedly　erected。　　Some　there　were　amongst　them　who　had　been　used　to　comfort　and　luxury；　but　who　were　now　without　bed　or　board；　or　aught　to　cover　them　save　the　clothes　in　which　they　had　hastily　dressed　when　fleeing　from　the　fire。　　And　to　many　it　seemed　as　if　they　had　only　been　saved　from　one　calamity　to　die　by　another：　for　they　had　nought　wherewith　to　satisfy　their　hunger；　yet　had　too　much　pride　to　seek　relief。

And　whilst　yet　wildly　distracted　by　their　miserable　situation；　weary　from　exhaustion；　and　nervous　from　lack　of　repose；　a　panic　arose　in　their　midst　which　added　much　to　their　distress。　　For　suddenly　news　was　spread　that　the　French；　Dutch　and　English　papists　were　marching　on　them；　prepared　to　cut　their　throats。　　At　which；　broken…spirited　as　they　were；　they　rose　up；　and　leaving　such　goods　that　they　had　saved；　rushed　towards　Westminster　to　seek　protection　from　their　imaginary　foes。　　On　this；　the　king　sought　to　prove　the　falsity　of　their　alarm；　and　with　infinite　difficulty　persuaded　them　to　return　to　the　fields：　　whence　he　despatched　troops　of　soldiers；　whose　presence　helped　to　calm　their　fears。

And　the　king　having；　moreover；　tender　compassion　for　their　wants；　speedily　sought　to　supply　them。　　He　therefore　summoned　a　council　that　it　might　devise　means　of　relief；　and　as　a　result；　it　published　a　proclamation　ordering　that　bread　and　all　other　provisions；　such　as　could　be　furnished；　should　be　daily　and　constantly　brought；　not　only　to　the　markets　formerly　in　use；　but　also　to　Clerkenwell；　Islington；　Finsbury　Fields；　Mile　End　Green；　and　Ratcliffe；　for　greater　convenience　of　the　citizens。　　For　those　who　were　unable　to　buy　provisions；　the　king　commanded　the　victualler　of　his　navy　to　send　bread　into　Moorfields；　and　distribute　it　amongst　them。　　And　as　divers　distressed　people　had　saved　some　of　their　goods；　of　which　they　knew　not　where　to　dispose；　he　ordered　that　churches；　chapels；　schools；　and　such　like　places　in　and　around　Westminster；　should　be　free　and　open　to　receive　and　protect　them。　　He　likewise　directed　that　all　cities　and　towns　should；　without　contradiction　or　opposition；　receive　the　citizens　and　permit　them　free　exercise　of　their　manual　labours：　　he　promising；　when　the　present　exigency　had　passed　away；　to　take　care　the　said　persons　should　be　no　burden　to　such　towns　as　received　them。

The　people　were　therefore　speedily　relieved。　　Many　of　them　found　refuge　with　their　friends　and　relatives　in　the　country；　and　others　sought　homes　in　the　districts　of　Westminster　and　Southwark：　　so　that　in　four　days　from　the　termination　of　the　fire；　there　was　scarce　a　person　remaining　in　the　fields；　where　such　numbers　had　taken　refuge。

The　first　hardships　consequent　to　the　calamity　having　passed　away；　people　were　anxious　to　trace　the　cause　of　their　sufferings；　which　they　were　unwilling　to　consider　accidental。　　A　rumour　therefore　sprang　up；　that　the　great　fire　resulted　from　a　wicked　plot；　hatched　by　Jesuits；　for　the　destruction　of　an　heretical　city。　　At　this　the　king　was　sorely　troubled；　for　though　there　was　no　evidence　which　led　him　to　place　faith　in　the　report；　yet　a　great　body　of　the　citizens　and　many　members　of　his　council　held　it　true。　　Therefore；　in　order　to　appease　such　doubts　as　arose　in　his　mind；　and　likewise　to　satisfy　the　people；　he　appointed　his　privy　council　to　sit　morning　and　evening　to　inquire　into　the　matter；　and　examine　evidences　set　forth　against　those　who　had　been　charged　with　the　outrage　and　cast　into　prison　during　the　conflagration。

And　in　order　that　the　investigation　might　be　conducted　with　greater　rigour　he　sent　into　the　country　for　the　lord　chief　justice；　who　was　dreaded　by