About the beginning of May 1665, one of the most terrible plagues that ever was inflicted on this, or perhaps any other kingdom, broke out in this city: and as this was happily the last visitation of this kind, it may be proper to give a short account of its rise and progress.
The week wherein this most dreadful distemper was first discovered, it carried off nine persons, whereby the citizens were so greatly alarmed, that an universal dread diffused itself amongst people of all ranks: but the week after, the number, according to the bill of mortality, being reduced to three, the fears of the citizens were greatly alleviated. The next week, however, the number increasing to fourteen, and progressively to forty-three, the people were struck with consternation, and many of them had thoughts of leaving the city: but in the month of June, the number having gradually increased to 470 a week, the nobility, gentry, and principal citizens fled for safety, all being instantly in an amazing hurry, and the city emptying itself into the country, the streets and roads were excessively crouded with carriages and passengers. In July the bill increasing to 2010, all houses were shut up, the streets deserted, and scarce any thing to be seen therein but grass growing, innumerable fires made to purify the air, coffins, pest-carts, red crosses upon doors, with the inscription of Lord, have mercy upon us! and poor women in tears, with dismal aspects, and woeful lamentations, carrying their infants to the grave! and scarce any other sounds to be heard than those incessantly repeated from the windows, Pray for us! and the dismal call of, Bring out your dead! with the groans of the dying, and the melancholy tolling of bells for bodies ready for the grave! But what greatly added to this distressful scene, was, the spectator’s own reflections, that he himself should perhaps soon make one among the dismal objects, whose groans resounded in his ears.
Under these deplorable circumstances, the citizens, when in the greatest want of spiritual guides, were forsaken by their parochial Ministers, when those who had been just before ejected from the pulpits, considering their indispensible duty in this dreadful visitation, were induced, though contrary to law, to supply their place; upon which the people, laying aside the distinction of churchmen and dissenters, joyfully resorted to church, where the concourse was so exceeding great, that these non-conformist Ministers were frequently obliged to clamber over the pews to get to the pulpit; and if ever preaching had a better effect than ordinary, it was at this time, when the people listened with the utmost eagerness, and attended as if their salvation depended upon every word they heard.
In the month of September Death rode triumphant, for the burials then amounted in one week to 6988; but the week after the bill falling to 6544, gave some glimmering hopes that this dreadful distemper was past its crisis: however, the great increase the week following to 7165, re-immerged the survivors into an abyss of horror and despair; for now they were struck with the dreadful apprehensions, that in a few days the living would not be sufficient to bury the dead. They were, however, happily mistaken; for after this, the contagion gradually decreased, till it pleased the Almighty to restore this desolate city to its pristine state of health; after the direful ravages of this distemper had swept off 68,596 persons, which, together with those who died of other diseases, made the bill of mortality for this year amount to 97,306. Echard’s Hist. Vincent’s God’s terrible voice.
As to the natural causes of this pestilence, Physicians differ greatly; however, Dr. Baynard observes, that during the havock made by it, there was a general calmness and serenity of weather, without the least wind or rain; that through the great scarcity of nitre in the air, the fires in the streets were with great difficulty made to burn; and by its extreme rarefaction, which was doubtless increased by these fires, the birds panted for breath, and those of the larger sort were observed to fly more heavily than usual.
The above calamity was scarcely ceased, and those who had fled returned to their houses, when on Sunday the 2d of September 1666, a dreadful fire broke out at one in the morning, in the house of Mr. Farryner, a baker, in Pudding lane; a time when the eyes and senses of all were locked in sleep. The house was a wooden building pitched on the outside, as were all the rest in the lane, which was exceeding narrow, and by the jutting over of the several stories, the buildings on each side almost met at the top; and in this manner were built most of the houses in this metropolis. The house in which the fire began, containing much brush and faggot wood, the fire soon got ahead, and furiously seized on the neighbouring houses on all sides, running four ways at once; it presently set New Fish street all in a flame; while another branch raging down Pudding lane, laid hold on Thames street, the repository of all combustibles, as hemp, flax, rosin, oil, butter, pitch, tar, brimstone, cordage, hops, sugar, brandy, wood, and coals; where dividing itself, it ran both eastward and westward with inexpressible fury, into the adjacent lanes, consuming all before it; and its two main branches meeting at London bridge, soon reduced all the buildings upon it to ashes, together with the water engines under it; by which means the people were deprived of the assistance of that element; for the New River water was not then laid into those parts.
The pulling down houses every way, at some distance, was first proposed; and this was the only method that could have been of any service in stopping the progress of the flames; for had there been water, the fire was too fierce to be mastered by engines, or to suffer any body to work near it; but this was objected to, and while the affair was debated, the flames spread still farther.
Unhappily they were increased by a violent easterly wind; and that day and the following night spread up Gracechurch street, and downwards from Cannon street to the water side, as far as the Three Cranes.
The people in all parts were distracted at seeing the progress of the fire, and by the care of carrying off their goods. However, many attempts were now made to prevent its spreading, by pulling down houses, and making great intervals; but not having time to remove the materials, the fire seized upon the timber, boards, laths, and rubbish, and extended itself over these spaces to the neighbouring houses; raging in a bright flame all Monday and Tuesday, without any endeavours to stop it proving effectual; though his Majesty, the Duke of York, and great numbers of the nobility and gentry came with the guards, who were employed in endeavouring to extinguish it.
The wind, however, slackened a little on Tuesday night, when the fire, meeting at the Temple with brick buildings, it by little and little lost its force on that side, so that on Wednesday morning a stop was put to it on the west, at the Temple church, and also at Holborn bridge and Pye corner. On the north, it stopped at Aldersgate, Cripplegate, near the north end of Basinghall street, and in Coleman street: on the east, at the south corner of Bishopsgate street and Leadenhall street, at the church in Fenchurch street, and at the Tower dock, after its having consumed all the buildings within these limits, quite down to the water side.