52. Many, however, were ruined by the loss of their property, and all were left houseless, so that they had to set up tents in the fields, to shelter themselves till they could find some place to go to; and subscriptions were made for the relief of those who were most in need, for generally the respectable citizens had saved their plate, jewels, and money.
53. The fire put an end to the pestilence, and so far proved a benefit, in the end; for the city was rebuilt with wider streets; the houses were built of brick or stone, and altogether it was handsomer and more healthy; one proof of which is, that the plague has not been known in London since.
54. The visitation of the cholera, in 1829-30, although partaking somewhat of the character of a plague, was a different disease, and yielded to cleanliness and medical treatment.
55. It was about this time, that tea was first brought to England, from China, by the East India Company; but it was so very dear, that a pound of tea was thought a handsome present, and it was a very long while before people drank it as they do now.
56. Except in London, Liverpool, and some of the principal towns, nobody had ever heard of such a thing as tea; for there was but little intercourse between London and the country towns at that time, as the roads were still bad, and there were no stage coaches till a few years after the death of Charles the Second, and then only on three or four of the principal roads.
57. The rich country gentlefolks lived in a plain homely way, and their daughters were brought up to assist in domestic duties, such as washing, ironing, cooking, knitting, and many other useful things; but they seldom had any other accomplishments, and very few could read or write.
58. Charles the Second died in 1685, twenty-five years after his restoration, and was succeeded by his brother James, who was a Catholic, and tried to restore the Catholic religion, although he had promised not to do so.
59. The people soon began to feel that he did not mind breaking the laws to accomplish this object; so a great many Protestant noblemen and gentlemen agreed that it would be better to take the crown from him, and to place on the throne a prince of another family, for they said, the laws would never be rightly observed so long as the Stuarts, or a Catholic king, reigned; so they sent to William, prince of Orange, who was married to the king’s daughter, Mary, and asked him to become king of England, and he consented.
60. He came, with a large army, to Torbay, in Devonshire; but there was no fighting, for king James, with his wife and infant son, fled to France, where he was kindly received by the French king, Louis the Fourteenth, who promised to try and replace him on the throne; but the attempt was unsuccessful, as you will presently see.