An Historical Narrative of the Great and Terrible Fire of London, Sept. 2nd 1666Harvey, Gideon
History
An Historical Narrative of the Great and Terrible Fire of London, Sept. 2nd 1666
Harvey, Gideon
Great Fire, London, England, 1666 -- Early works to 1800
[Footnote 4: Of this clumsy piece of sculpture we have the following
account from Maitland's Survey, page 1,049:--"It is impossible to quit
this place without taking notice of the equestrian statue raised here
in honour of Charles II.; a thing in itself so exceedingly ridiculous
and absurd, that it is in no one's power to look upon it without
reflecting on the tastes of those who set it up. But when we enquire
into the history of it, the farce improves upon our hands, and what
was before contemptible, grows entertaining. This statue was
originally made for John Sobieski, King of Poland, but, by some
accident was left upon the workman's hands. About the same time the
city was loyal enough to pay their devoirs to King Charles immediately
upon his restoration; and finding this statue ready made to their
hands, resolved to do it in the cheapest way, and convert the Polander
into a Briton, and the Turk underneath into Oliver Cromwell, to make
their compliment complete: and the turban upon the last mentioned
figure is an undeniable proof of the truth of the story."]
The excise office was kept in Southampton-fields, near Southampton
(now Bedford House.)
The General Post Office was moved to the Two Black Pillars, in
Bridges-street, Covent Garden.
The affairs of the Custom House were transacted in Mark-lane, at a
house called Lord Bayning's, till the Custom House was rebuilt in a
much more magnificent, uniform, and commodious manner, by King Charles
the Second, which cost him £10,000.
The office for hearth money was kept near Billeter-lane, in
Leadenhall-street.
The king's great wardrobe, together with the fair dwelling houses of
the master and officers, near Puddle Wharf, being consumed, that
office has since been kept in York House-buildings.
The buildings of Doctor's Commons, in the Parish of St. Bennet, Paul's
Wharf, near St. Paul's, being entirely consumed by the dreadful fire,
their offices were held at Exeter House, in the Strand, until the year
1672, when they returned to their former place, rebuilt in a very
splendid and convenient manner, at the proper cost and charges of the
said doctors.
The college of physicians had purchased a house and ground at the end
of Amen-street, whereon the famous Dr. Harvey, at his proper charge,
did erect a magnificent structure, both for a library, and a public
hall; this goodly edifice could not escape the fury of the dreadful
fire; and the ground being but a lease-hold, the fellows purchased a
fair piece of ground in Warwick-lane, whereon they have erected a very
magnificent edifice, with a noble apartment for the containing an
excellent library, given them partly by the Marquis of Dorchester, but
chiefly by that eminent professor, Sir Theodore Mayerne, knight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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