1593. A PLAGUE ORDER 115 1598. LONDON SCHOOLS 121 1600. A GERMAN VIEW OF LONDON 123 1609. LONDON AND ULSTER 125 1626. THE DEMANDS OF CHARLES I. 129 1629. THE KEEPING OF THE SABBATH 131 1640. THE CITY'S PETITION TO CHARLES I. 132 1642. LONDON UNDER THE EARLY STUARTS 134 1643. A PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE CITY 136 1653. CROMWELL IN LONDON 138 1660. LONDON AND THE RESTORATION 140 1661. STATE OF LONDON BEFORE THE PLAGUE 144 1665. THE PLAGUE 146 1666. THE FIRE 148 1666. A PROCLAMATION OF CHARLES II. 156 1667. EVELYN'S PLANS FOR REBUILDING 159 1671. AN ACT CONCERNING THE STREETS 162 1679. A LORD MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION 164 1681. THE POPISH PANIC 169 1681. POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS 169 1688. LONDON AFTER JAMES II.'S ABDICATION 172 1689. A LORD MAYOR'S DAY 174 1716. GAY'S "TRIVIA" 177 1720. THE SOUTH SEA BUBBLE 179 1725. DEFOE'S DESCRIPTION OF LONDON 181 1733. A PETITION AGAINST THE EXCISE BILL 183 1741. THE LONDON STREETS 185 1743. THE LOYALTY OF THE LONDON MERCHANTS 187 1780. THE GORDON RIOTS 188 1791. LONDON'S TRADE 191 HISTORY OF LONDON LONDON BEFORE THE CONQUEST. References to London in the early chronicles are comparatively few; under Roman rule it took the place for which it was fitted by its geographical situation—a commercial port, and it flourished or decayed as trade prospered or declined. The Saxon invaders did not care for walled towns, and London was neglected; moreover, they did not care for commerce, and there was no need for a commercial centre or port. The unsettled condition of the country made it impossible for the city to prosper, and the invasions of the Danes further interfered with its growth. But in spite of all these drawbacks, London was definitely marked out from the first as the best and most convenient centre for trading and commercial activity; and Alfred fully realised the importance of the city not only for purposes of trade, but as a bulwark of national defence.