fire,--‘with new shops, noise, and business, not to say vanity.’--‘A Bridge,’ exclaims Richard Bloome, in his continuations to Stow, volume i. page 499, ‘not inferior to any in Europe for its length, breadth, and buildings thereon, being sustained by nineteen great stone arches, secured by piles of timber drove to the bottom of the river, having a Draw-Bridge towards Southwark, as also strong gates; and, by its houses built thereon on both sides, it seemeth rather a street than a Bridge, being now garnished with good timber buildings, which are very well inhabited by sufficient tradesmen, who have very considerable dealings, as being so great a thoroughfare from Southwark into London.’ “Whilst I am mentioning this praise of London Bridge, I may express my wonder that Michael Drayton, in his ‘_Poly-Olbion_,’ London, 1613, folio, says so little concerning it, whilst John Selden, in his very learned notes to that poem, wholly omits it. As I purpose next to say a few words touching the rebuilding of St. Magnus’ Church, I will close this part of our Bridge history by repeating Drayton’s verses from Song xvii., page 259: where, speaking of the Thames, he says,-- ‘Then goes he on along by that more beauteous strand, Expressing both the wealth and brauery of the land; ----So many sumptuous bow’rs, within so little space, The all-beholding sun scarce sees in all his race:-- And on by London leads, which like a crescent lies, Whose windowes seem to mock the star-befreckled skies: Besides her rising spyres, so thick themselues that show, As doe the bristling reedes within his banks that growe: There sees his crowded wharfes, and people-pester’d shores, His bosome overspread with shoales of labouring oares; With that most costly Bridge, that doth him most renowne, By which he clearly puts all other Riuers downe.’