42. England was now quite a different place from what it had been. Every body might be as merry as they chose; the theatres were re-opened; holidays kept; the villagers danced round their may-poles as they used to do, and were not afraid to laugh and sing; while the towns-people had their pleasant social meetings, and the London citizens their grand feasts, and fine shows, as in the days of Elizabeth. 43. During the Commonwealth, there were no bishops, nor any music allowed in the churches; but now, the bishops were restored to their former dignity, and beautiful church music was again heard. 43. But, I am sorry to say, the king did not keep his promise to let all persons enjoy their own religion, which caused a great deal of unhappiness, for numbers of families, to escape being put in prison, or having their property taken from them, left their comfortable homes, and went to settle in the new American colonies, where they had to endure many hardships, for it is a long time before the people in new settlements can obtain the means of living in any degree of comfort. 44. About five years after the return of king Charles, the plague broke out in London, and continued to rage for many months with fearful violence. 45. The streets were, at that time, narrow and dirty; the houses mostly of wood, and not airy; nor was the city so well paved or cleansed, nor so well supplied with water, as at present, consequently it was not so healthy; and then, the doctors were not so clever as they are now, so that many died, who perhaps might have been saved. 46. It was a melancholy time. The houses were all shut up; no business was transacted, and scarcely anybody was to be seen in the streets, which were sad and silent, for death was in almost every house. 47. The king and queen, and most of the great people, went out of town, but some of the clergymen and other benevolent persons, stayed to do what good they could, and some of them caught the infection, and died. 48. At last, when the heat of the summer was over, the plague began to abate, and those who had survived it, returned to their usual occupations; but with sorrowful hearts, for most of them had to mourn the loss of their dearest friends. 49. The plague had often raged in London before, but had never been so bad; and perhaps the great fire that followed it, tended greatly to remove the cause of this dreadful distemper. 50. The memorable fire of London happened September, 1666. It began at a baker’s shop, near London-bridge, and spread rapidly from street to street, till almost all the town was in flames. 51. It continued to burn for three days, and destroyed nearly the whole city, with most of the churches and public buildings; but there were very few lives lost, as the people fled from their houses when they saw the fire approaching the street in which they lived.