An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
History
An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
English literature
There were above 500 persons that laboured in carrying and filling
water, &c. Divers substantial citizens took pains as if they had been
labourers; so did also divers and sundry Gentlemen, whose names were
not known to the Writer hereof: but amongst others, the said Master
WINTER, and one Master STRANGUISH, did both take notable pains in
their own persons; and also much directed and encouraged others, and
that not without great danger to themselves.
* * * * *
In the evening, came the Lord CLINTON, [the] Lord Admiral, from the
Court at Greenwich; whom the Queen's Majesty (as soon as the rage
of the fire was espied by Her Majesty and others in the Court, of
the pitiful inclination and love that her gracious Highness did bear
both to the said Church and the city) sent to assist my Lord Mayor,
for the suppressing of the fire: who, with his wisdom authority and
diligent travail, did very much good therein.
About ten of the clock, the fierceness of the fire was past, the
timber being fallen and lying burning upon the vaults of stone; the
vaults yet (GOD be thanked!) standing unperished. So as only the
timber of the whole Church was consumed, and the lead molten: saving
the most part of the two low Iles of the Quire, and a piece of the
North Ile, and another small piece of the South Ile in the body of
the Church.
Notwithstanding all which, it pleased the merciful GOD, in his wrath,
to remember his mercy; and to enclose the harm of this most fierce
and terrible fire within the walls of this one Church: not extending
any part of his wrath in this fire upon the rest of the city, which
to all reason and sense of man was subject to utter destruction. For
in the whole city, without the Church, no stick was kindled surely.
Notwithstanding that, in divers parts and streets, and within the
houses both adjoining and of a good distance, as in Fleet Street
and Newgate Market, by the violence of the fire, burning coals of
great bigness fell down almost as thick as hailstones; and flaws of
lead were blown abroad into the gardens without the city, like flaws
of snow in breadth: without hurt (GOD be thanked!) to any house or
person.
* * * * *
Many fond talks go abroad of the original cause of this. Some say,
It was negligence of plumbers: whereas, by due examination, it is
proved that no plumbers or other workmen laboured in the Church for
six months before. Others suspect that it was done by some wicked
practice of wild fire or gunpowder: but no just suspicions thereof,
by any examination, can be found hitherto. Some suspect Conjurors and
Sorcerers, whereof there is also no great likelihood: and if it had
been wrought that way; yet could not the Devil have done it without
GOD's permission, and to some purpose of his unsearchable judgments,
as appeareth in the story of JOB.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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