A SHORT NARRATIVE Of the late DREADFVL FIRE IN LONDON TOGETHER VVith certain Considerations Remarkable therein and deducible therefrom Not unseasonable for the Perusal of this Age. Written by way of LETTER to a Person of Honour and Virtue LONDON Printed by W. G. for Rich. Thrale at the Crosse-Keysand Dolphin in Aldersgate-street over against the Half-Moon Tavern and Iames Thrale under St. Martin's Outwich Church in Bishops-gate-street 1667. To His Noble Friend And Kinsman Sr. EDWARD TURNOR KNIGHT Speaker of the Honorable House of COMMONS in this Present PARLIAMENT SIR BEcause I know you were at a distance when that furious never to be forgotten and never enough to be lamented Fire begun the 2. of Septemb. desolated our Native City the glory of England and of Europe London In which I your Compatriot formerly happy in it am now a great sufferer with it I think it a just service to the publique and no unacceptable present to you to endeavour such an account of the commencement progress and conclusion of it as both mine own view and the faithful report of others assists me to that as God may have the glory of his just judgement on a populous and rich City dispersed and impoverished so men may see the dreadful effects of providence untutelar to their acquisitions and call off their hearts and confidences from these sublunaries to God who only can bring them to us and preserve them with us and by whom only they can be transformed into comforts which as elementary and vicissitudinarious they can in no true sense be For the fashion of this world passeth away and the glory of it being but as a Flower of the Field to set the heart upon that which has wings and flyes away will we nill we is to be as accessary to our own deception as weakness and wilfulness can make us or misery and judgement can continue us to be And because Sir it is bruited abroad by some that this fatal accident had a more than ordinary express of fury that is that London was fired from Heaven as was Sodom and Gomorrah of old though say they God restrained the Fire from such dismal effects as then were permitted it And others referr it to the spight and furtherance of male-content Villanes and mischievous Forreigners greedy thus to revenge themselves of us for our stout demeanours towards them and our great successes against them which they judge no otherwise ballanceable than by this spoil and non-such disappointment equal if not paramount to any other diversion because Sir I say men are so variously acted in this Euroclydon of Providence which has been so stupifying to every mans senses that either was a compassionate spectator or a concerned sufferer in the spoil and loss of that once famous place which Tacitus so long ago terms Nobilissimum emporium commeatu negotiatorum maxime celebre I have adventured to write my thoughts of the rise nature and circumstances of the Fire and to beg your patience and pardon both to them and me And here Sir I must confess though I adore the greatness of God and deplore the grievousness of the sin of London for which God may justly bring upon it not only what he has but greater and more eradicating judgements such as he expresses when he begins he will make an end by and the fire of his wrath shall burn and none shall quench it Though whatsoever of this that might have been more is the deserved severity of God to its many and monstrous sins yet doe I not believe that this Fire was like that of Sodom and Gomorrah for that was fire from the Lord out of Heaven Gen. 19. 24. Fire not only of wasting things combustible but Fire of exinanition to to the earth and soyl incapacitating it to produce necessaries for the life of man and beast converting the substance of the place into Brimstone and Salt and Burning as the Lord paraphraseth on Sodoms judgement Deut. 29. 33. so that it became desert never to be dwelt in again Isaiah 13. 19. for such fire like the waters on the old world God may be only thought once to exemplifie his power by and to fix the fear and awe of him in the minds of men insolent against him whose greatness it can reach whose obduration it can penetrate whose fixation in the world it can dissettle God who has said his spirit shall not always strive with man forasmuch as he is but dust lest the spirit that he hath created should fail before him makes all judgement his strange work and therefore such stupendious ones as this he may be thought to account much more his strange work once indeed he has appeared in flaming Fire and devouring Brimstone to Sodom and the City of the rich and fertile plain who were sinners before the Lord that is who because they were rich were riotous and because they had abundance from the soyl which was rank and lusty gave themselves up to luxury and pride For the sins of Sodom were idleness and fulness of bread Once more he will send his Son in flaming Fire to dissolve the world and render vengeance to his enemies but his intercurrent judgements of Fire between this first that last president of unparallelledness are alloyed by mixtures of mercy in them And I perswade my self of this nature was the late judgement by Fire upon London a City not like Sodom without Priest and without Magistrate whose vices and insolencies bore down both ordinances of Church and State Londons fulness of bread and idleness were no publick and owned effronteries no such wickedness as Sodom had was setled by a law or practised against law in her no rioters against Angels were her inhabitants as the Sodomites were no murmurers were they against Gods soveraignty as the Sodomites were ver 13. Therefore God in the midst of judgement remembred mercy to London God overthrew not only Sodom and Gomorrah but all the Cities of the plain giving Zoar only for a Sanctuary to one Lot but God has not destroyed the Suburbs of London or the neighbouring City to it but reserved them for a shelter to her many thousand inhabitants God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in a moment Lament 4. 6. by a special and not to be disputed finger of God no mortal instrument co-operating no culinary fire being so speedy in its consumptions but God exercised his judgements on London gradually that the spectators might by the sight of their punishment bewail the ingratitude of their sin deserving it God overthrew all the Inhabitants of Sodom and that which grew upon the ground of it but God has preserved the Inhabitants of London and much of their riches to be a seed of succession and a door of hope to its future restauration God petrified Lot's wifes body as a standing monument of his wrath upon her but for looking back upon Sodom whence she was delivered with commiseration of it and wish of better fortune to it
spirit in the bond of Peace and the God of peace will be with us and make the work of it peace and assurance for ever rendring this fruit of Righteousness a tree of life Nothing tends to redintegration to improvement like union for by that are unnatural Breaches made up and firmness the only auxiliary to opposition of Enemies is advanced and carryed on to its amiable issue while Brethren live together and are full fed at their Fathers Table they often will be found jarring each with other and contending with animosity for straws and bubbles but when their provident Fathers disposes them into several quarters and they see and hear from one another but seldom then their childish vatiances fall off and they unite into an indissolvability of affection so that they will covet to hear from and see each other omitting no expression of obligement that they can make to one another Sembably in National differences it proves true that the common affection of Countrymen solders them into a common resolve of kindness each to other when they see they have bought their humours at too dear a rate to boast of their purchase or to continue in it any longer And this they that are most stupid and setled upon their Lees may easily discover And if God that divided Simeon and Levi in Jacob and scattered them in Israel because cruelty was in their dwellings shall unite Ephraim to Manasseth and Manasseth to Ephraim Iudah will have no cause to complain both of them against each other have been against her Nothing is a Curse of subversion to a Nation but Faction Dissention Jealousie which the aforesaid Campanella calls the most approved and successful way to humble the Heretiques of England and distract them that can be for while they are afraid of one another and keep at distance they all lie open to become the prey of their Adversary Nor can this Nation be solidly thankful to God for his Mercies on the right hand and his Correction on the left nor are they or any of them rightly understood or applyed by us till with one heart and one mind we turn to God by Prayer and Supplication till we seek him with undivided hearts and beseech him junctis viribus with intireness and unbroken devotion till we all become a Fulminans Legio a band of seekers and servers of him orderly as those that are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord Psalm 102. v. 22. O union how wilt thou befriend Engl. if thou now become the blessing of City and Country of Church and State High and Low old and young let this spirit hold riffe in Engl. and let us learn obedience to God by the things that we have suffered for being too much without it and our prosperity will be like a River and our Renown and dread like a mighty stream our enemies will be before us as the Chaff before the wind One of us will chase a 1000 five of us will chase a 100 and a 100 of us will put 10000 to flight For till union be Gods gift upon Nationall endeavours and prayers its best blessing is like to prove but a ballance to enemies not a Victory over them God may and 't is but a may make their bow abide sure to wound their enemies in the hinder-parts yet shall they still be but partial Victors while their enemies industry and unitedness wasts that by length which it cannot scatter or bear down by strength And if any man Sir think this a paradox and mis-judgeth it an error in History let him rectifie his mistake by the Oracle of truth Christ Jesus A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand and let him thereupon consider whether the plenary success of Nations in their enterprises both offensive and defensive depend not under God Almighty upon union which if the late judgment of Pestilence and Fire with the present war will not invite us to and confirm us in what will do I know not unless whom the Lord intends to destroy He hardneth against his fear and against knowing the day of their saving Visitation which I hope and pray Engl. may be delivered from and do promise my self Englishmen will ever make good that humour which I think is natural to them to lay aside all private grudges and bid their Valours to a reconciled entertainment in furious charge upon their Countries enemies and thereby discharge their Countries vexation For if pro aris pro focis Patre Patriae if in these cases to use K. Iames of blessed Memory his words no man ought to think his life happyer and more gloriously bestowed than in defence of any of the three how great an obligation is there on us to be true to our Nation when all are in danger and how ought we all to be united to defend them all who are so happy by them all Thus Sir having observed to your Judicious eye and to the Nation 's the mercies of God to Engl. in general and to London a considerable part of it I think it proportionable to mine honest intendment to become in that measure that God enableth me the Cities Orator Advocate to the Nation to whose aid splendour convenience Grandeur She when she stood upon her ancient bottom was so great a Contributor Do not O do not glory in her ruines trample not upon her dislustre reproach not her widowhood insult not over her humbling Do not O do not vomit out Invectives against her whom God hath given as it were the Cup of abasement and astonishment to drink do not lay load upon those Shoulders that God has in a sort Issachar'd to crowch between two Burthens of Poverty and dispersion lay not that upon them which they are not able to bear because God layes upon no man more then he gives strength to undergo Be not lifted up in this day of Londons dejection lest the Lord see it and be displeased and he hurl you Lucifers out of the Heaven of your sinful selicity and make you Noctifers and Mortifers of misery and contempt Remember God was sore displeased with the Heathen that were at ease Because I was saith he but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction For I hope God is returning to it in Mercy and his Houses shall be built and a Line shall be stretched forth upon it v. 16. I the rather Noble Sir mention this because the rancour of ill Nature lewd rage and un-English truculency discovers it self in the words and actions of some to such degrees that they count London as Nero's House was termed Spoliarium Vrbis Orbis Censuring it thus punished for her bloud and Rebellion for her Sectarism and Puritannicalness making the loss and just complaints of her Inhabitants the matter of their secret repast if not open exultation To this the answer of our Lord to his furious Disciples who would have had Fire called
for from heaven upon their enemies is apposite You know not of what spirit ye are therefore to such I shall make no reply that will incense them or engage me Only Sir I hope I may with modesty and truth say that whatever Londons guilt before God hath been and its receiving from the Lords hand by this fire is God is just and it hath reaped but the fruits of its own sinful doings as to God Londons destruction is of it self but as to the Nation it hath not I perswade my self had more than a proportion of sin with it Her Magistracy Her Ministery Her Sabbaths Her Congregations Her Citizens Her altogether has been as orderly pious as the proportions of them in other places privileged from her Calamity were and when ever the temper of her Inhabitants was most distemper'd they were then no more Criminal than the rest of the Nation whose Emissaries and Suffragans either called up those disorders in her or confirmed ex post facto what was vildely done by them And if London be it as bad as it will be must in policy be made as good as it can and be born with till its humors be sweetned and its eventriqueness be reduced for the Metropolis of Engl. I hope God has ratifyed in Heaven it shall ever be and abide then to no purpose is this waste of rage while Lond. being the common Hostelry of the Nation receives into it men of all additions and tempers nor can it be responsible before God or man for that which a more governable place then the continued building which in this account is reckoned Lond. but really is not would be Londons numbers made London orderly or the contrary as the predominant vertue or vice of them led her nor avails it much what a few wise and loyal men say or do if many more than they will appeal from them to the power they have gotten over them and the mastery they are resolved to keep upon them And though the least instance of Lond. misdemeanor be that which I wish from my soul she could not be charged with yet if those that are most censorious of her and most profess service to the K. and the Country would consider it aright they may I presume find cause to joyn with Renowned K. Iames who in his acknowledgment of Her great forwardness in that honorable action of proclaiming him King says Wherein you have given a singular proof of your ancient Fidelity a Reputation Hereditary to that our City of London being the Chamber of our Imperial Crown and ever free from all shades of tumultuous and undutyful courses so that King And so much by way of Attonement for London the challenge to which needs no other or better reply than that of the Archangel contesting with his Antagonist about the body of Moses whom he answered not with rayling accusations but said The Lord rebuke Thee even so O Lord rebuke the evil spirit of these Sanballats and raise up the spirit of the Nehemiahs and such other Heroicks of Kindness and Ability to consider London If not the place of their birth breeding supply or the foyle in which their Ancestors layd the foundations of their Honour and Fortune yet that wherein their younger Brothers Sisters or Cozen-Germans were disposed of and lived happily in And O that such of the Nobility and Gentry whose Greatness owes its Freedom and Fullness to their City Ancestors who throve so well in it as to leave them that whereby they and their thrifty Posterities may enjoy the plenty they neither laboured nor spun for O that I say these would think the ruines of London under which the Monuments of their worthy Fathers or Grandseirs and the ashes of them lye worthy their rescue and revival by re-edifying those Piles of Devotion in which they were erected and buryed That what is written but upon the Porch of one Church now in the Borders of London may be the Motto of every such restored Church and Chappel Heus viator anne bonis operibus effoetum est hoc soeculum And O that the aid of their great Estates would come in to help the publique Places of Londons Government Guild-hall and the Halls of the Worthy and Charitable Societies of the same a Work becoming the best and bravest Minds and only expectable from such who thereby would more contribute to their own earthly perennity than by the doubtful continuance of Sons and Daughters God knows my heart I hate the vapour of words divorced from real and solid Intentions but this if you Sir and other Worthy men will give me leave to write and belief in writing I had rather live in such publique Munificencies than in Sons or Daughters And had I an Estate as Augustus had whom Tacitus reports to have bestowed by Legacy in his Will incredible sums of Money to the Citizens and Souldiers thereby entitled to his Gift I should rather chuse after moderate Provision for my Children to make the Ruines of London In which Beloved Syon Colledge should have no small share Mine Executor then to restore or continue my own Family by it And I trust God who I believe has accepted as well pleasing in his sight the Piety Faithfullness and Diligence of the Corporations in London will give a Command to those Lazaritique spirits who have been of late engraved in cold resolves to hoard what would be better thus imployed to come forth and become charitably visible And if God be with London to this purpose He that at first brought Order out of Confusion can from this present Heap of Rubbish raise up a New and no less Renowned London And thereby provide a-new for the Reverend Learned and Painful Clergy many of which Constant Preachers Polite Writers Discreet and Holy Livers are now exposed with their Wives Children and Families to hardship un-housed dis-parished Fortuneless Some whereof have lost all or part of their Libraries Common Places and Sermon Notes the fruits of their Studies and the supplies of their Cures and other advantageous Emergencies and what is yet as lamentable as any other unwelcome Accident have lost the convenience of Syâ—n Colledge whose well furnished Library though little added to these late years in a good part saved yet by the ruines of its Case and the uselessness of it in any place but that which was peculiar to it adds to their unhappiness to recover which pristine convenience there was a Motion made to the President and such of the Governours as could be got together about three weeks after the Fire by a Gentleman who would have been the Colledge Orator had they given him and some other Gentlemen joyned with him Credentials to address in their name and to so worthy a purpose The then living though now dead Bishop of Rochester whom the Motioner to my knowledg told such of the Governours as there were present the most likely of any one liveing to accept the