royalty restored-第41部分

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r　lowered　from　windows　with　a　reckless　speed　that　oftentimes　destroyed　what　it　sought　to　preserve。　　Carts；　drays；　and　horses　laden　with　merchandise　jostled　each　other　in　their　hurried　way　towards　the　fields　outside　the　city　walls。　　Men　young　and　vigorous　crushed　forward　with　beds　or　trunks　upon　their　backs；　children　laboured　under　the　weight　of　bundles；　or　rolled　barrels　of　oil；　wine；　or　spirits　before　them。　　And　the　air；　rendered　suffocating　by　smoke　and　flame；　was　moreover　confused　by　the　crackling　of　consuming　timber；　the　thunder　of　falling　walls；　the　crushing　of　glass；　the　shrieks　of　women；　and　the　imprecations　of　men。

And　those　who　lived　near　the　waterside；　or　in　houses　on　the　bridges；　hurried　their　goods　and　chattels　into　boats；　barges；　and　lighters；　in　which　they　likewise　took　refuge。　　For　the　destruction　of　wharfs　and　warehouses；　containing　stores　of　most　inflammable　nature；　was　brief　and　desperate。　　The　Thames；　now　blood…red　from　reflection　of　the　fierce　sky；　was　covered　with　craft　of　all　imaginable　shape　and　size。　　Showers　of　sparks　blown　by　the　high　wind　fell　into　the　water　with　hissing　sounds；　or　on　the　clothes　and　faces　of　the　people　with　disastrous　and　painful　effects；　and　the　smoke　and　heat　were　hard　to　bear。　　And　it　was　remarked　that　flocks　of　pigeons；　which　for　generations　had　found　shelter　in　the　eaves　and　roofs　of　wooden　houses　by　the　riverside；　were　loath　to　leave　their　habitations；　and　probably　fearing　to　venture　afar　by　reason　of　the　unwonted　aspect　of　the　angry　sky；　lingered　on　the　balconies　and　abutments　of　deserted　houses；　until　in　some　cases；　the　flames　enwrapping　them；　they　fell　dead　into　the　waters　below。

On　Sunday　evening　Gracechurch　Street　was　on　fire；　and　the　flames　spread　onwards　till　they　reached；　and　in　their　fury　consumed；　the　Three　Cranes　in　the　Vintry。　　Night　came；　but　darkness　had　fled　from　the　city；　and　for　forty　miles　round　all　was　luminous。　　And　there　were　many　who　in　the　crimson　hue　of　the　heavens；　beheld　an　evidence　of　God's　wrath　at　the　sins　of　the　nation；　which　it　was　now　acknowledged　were　many　and　great。

Throughout　Sunday　night　the　fire　grew　apace；　and　those　who；　in　the　morning　had　carried　their　belongings　to　parts　of　the　city　which　they　believed　would　by　distance　ensure　safety；　were　now　obliged　to　move　them　afresh；　the　devastation　extending　for　miles。　Therefore　many　were　compelled　to　renew　their　labours；　thereby　suffering　further　fatigue；　and　they　now　trusted　to　no　protection　for　their　property　save　that　which　the　open　fields　afforded。　Monday　morning　came　and　found　the　flames　yet　raging。　　Not　only　Gracechurch　Street；　but　Lombard　Street；　and　part　of　Fenchurch　street；　were　on　fire。　　Stately　mansions；　comfortable　homes；　warehouses　of　great　name；　banks　of　vast　wealth；　were　reduced　to　charred　and　blackened　walls　or　heaps　of　smoking　ruins。　　Buildings　had　been　pulled　down；　but　now　too　late　to　render　service；　for　the　insatiable　fire；　yet　fed　by　a　high　wind；　had　everywhere　marched　over　the　dried　woodwork　and　mortar　as　it　lay　upon　the　ground；　and　communicated　itself　to　the　next　block　of　buildings；　so　that　its　circumvention　was　regarded　as　almost　an　impossibility。

During　Monday　the　flames　attacked　Cornhill；　and　then　commenced　to　demolish　the　Royal　Exchange。　　Having　once　made　an　entrance　in　this　stately　building　it　revelled　in　triumph；　climbing　up　the　walls；　roaring　along　the　courts　and　galleries；　and　sending　through　the　broken　windows　volleys　of　smoke　and　showers　of　sparks；　which　threatened　to　suffocate　and　consume　those　who　approached。　　Then　the　roof　fell　with　a　mighty　crash；　which　seemed　for　a　time　to　subdue　the　powerful　conflagration；　the　walls　cracked；　parted；　and　fell；　statues　of　kings　and　queens　were　flung　from　their　niches；　and　in　a　couple　of　hours　this　building；　which　had　been　the　pride　and　glory　of　British　Merchants；　was　a　blackened　ruin。

The　citizens　were　now　in　a　state　of　despair。　　Upwards　of　ten　thousand　houses　were　in　a　blaze；　the　fire　extending；　according　to　Evelyn；　two　miles　in　length　and　one　in　breadth；　and　the　smoke　reaching　near　fifty　miles　in　length。　　Mansions；　churches；　hospitals；　halls；　and　schools　crumbled　into　dust　as　if　at　blighting　touch　of　some　most　potent　and　diabolical　magician。　Quite　hopeless　now　of　quenching　the　flames；　bewildered　by　loss；　and　overcome　by　terror；　the　citizens；　abandoning　themselves　to　despair；　made　no　further　effort　to　conquer　this　inappeasable　fire；　but　crying　aloud　in　their　distraction；　behaved　as　those　who　had　lost　their　wits。　　The　king　and　the　Duke　of　York；　who　on　Sunday　had　viewed　the　conflagration　from　the　Thames；　now　alarmed　at　prospect　of　the　whole　capital　being　laid　waste；　rode　into　the　city；　and　by　their　presence；　coolness　and　example　roused　the　people　to　fresh　exertions。　　Accordingly；　citizens　and　soldiers　worked　with　renewed　energy　and　courage；　whilst　his　majesty　and　his　brother；　the　courtiers　and　the　lord　mayor；　mixed　freely　with　the　crowd；　commanding　and　directing　them　in　their　labours。

But　now　a　new　terror　rose　up　amongst　the　citizens；　for　news　spread　that　the　Dutch　and　Frenchwith　whom　England　was　then　at　warand　moreover　the　papists；　whom　the　people　then　abhorred；　had　conspired　to　destroy　the　capital。　　And　the　suddenness　with　which　the　flames　had　appeared　in　various　places；　and　the　rapidity　with　which　they　spread；　leading　the　distracted　inhabitants　to　favour　this　report；　a　strong　desire　for　immediate　revenge　took　possession　of　their　hearts。

Accordingly　all　foreigners　were　laid　hold　of；　kicked；　beaten；　and　abused　by　infuriated　mobs；　from　which　they　were　rescued　only　to　be　flung　into　prison。　　And　this　conduct　was　speedily　extended　to　the　catholics；　even　when　such　were　known　to　be　faithful　and　well…　approved　good　citizens。　　For　though　at　first　it　spread　as　a　rumour；　it　was　now　received　as　a　certainty　that　they；　in　obedience　to　the　wily　and　most　wicked　Jesuits；　had　determined　to　lay　waste　an　heretical　city。　　Nor　were　there　wanting　many　ready　to　bear　witness　they　had　seen　these　dreaded　papists　fling　fire…　balls　into　houses　of　honest　citizens；　and　depart　triumphing　in　their　fiendish　deeds。　　So　that　when　they　ventured　abroad　they　were　beset　by　great　multitudes；　and　their　lives　were　imperilled。　And　news　of　this　distraction；　which　so　forcibly　swayed　the　people；　reaching　the　king；　he　speedily　despatched　the　members　of　his　privy　council　to　several　quarters　of　the　city；　that　in　person　they　might　guard　such　of　his　subjects　as　stood　in　danger。

Lord　Hollis　and　Lord　Ashley　were　assigned　Newgate　Market　and　the　streets　that　lie　around；　as　parts　where　they　were　to　station　themselves。　　And　it　happened　that　riding　near　the　former　place　they　saw　a　vast　number　of　people　gathered　together；　shouting　with　great　violence；　and　badly　using　one　who　stood　in　their　midst。　Whereon　they　hastened　towards　the　spot　and　found　the　ill…treated　man　to　be　of　foreign　aspect。　　Neither　had　he　hat；　cloak；　nor　sword；　his　face　was　covered　with　blood；　his　jerkin　was　torn　in　pieces；　and　his　person　was　bedaubed　by　mud。　　And　on　examination　it　was　found　he　was　unable　to　speak　the　English　tongue；　but　Lord　Hollis；　entering　into　conversation　with　him　in　the　French　language；　ascertained　that　he　was　a　servant　of　the　Portuguese　ambassador；　and　knew　not　of　what　he　was　accused；　or　why　he　had　been　maltreated。

Hereon　a　citizen　of　good　standing　pressed　forward　and　alleged　he　had　truly　seen　this　man　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　throw　a　fire…ball　into　a　shop；　upon　which　the　house　immediately　took　flame；　whereon；　being　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　he　called　aloud　that　the　people　might　stop　this　abominable　villain。　　Then　the　citizens　had　seized　upon　him；　taking　away　his　sword；　and　used　him　according　to　their　will。　　My　Lord　Hollis　explaining　this　to　the　foreigner；　he　was　overcome　by　amazement　at　the　charge；　and　when　asked　what　he　had　thrown　into　the　house；　made　answer　he　had　not　flung　anything。　　But　he　remembered　well；　whilst　walking　in　the　street；　he　saw　a　piece　of　bread　upon　the　ground；　which　he；　as　was　the　custom　in　his　country　took　up。　　Afterwards　he　laid　it　upon　a　shelf　in　a　neighbouring　house；　which　being　close　by；　my　Lords　Hollis　and　Ashley；　followed　by　a　dense　crowd；　conducted　him　thither；　and　found　the　bread　laid　upon　a　board　as　he　had　stated。　　It　was　noted　the　next　house　but　one　was　on　fire；　and　on　inquiry　it　was　ascertained　that　the　worthy　citizen；　seeing　a　foreigner　place　something　inside　a　shop　without　tarrying；　and　immediately　after　perceiving　a　dwelling　in　flames；　which　in　his　haste　he　took　to　be　the　same；　he　had　charged　the　man　with　commission　of　this　foul　deed。　　But　even　though　many　were　convinced　of　his　innocence；　my　Lord　Hollis　concluded　the　stranger's　life　would　be　in　safer　keeping　if　he　were　committed　to　prison；　which　was　accordingly　done。

Meanwhile　the　fire　continued；　and　on　Monday　night　and　Tuesday　raged　with　increasing　violence。　　The　very　heart　of　the　city　was　now　eaten　into　by　this　insatiable　monster：　　Soper　Lane；　Bread　Street；　Friday　Street；　Old　Change；　and　Cheapside　being　in　one　blaze。　　It　was　indeed　a　spectacle　to　fill　all　beholding　it　with　consternation；　but　that　which　followed　was　yet　more　terrible；　for　already　St。　Paul's　Cathedral　was　doomed　to　destruction。

Threatened　on　one　side　by　the　flames　devastating　Cheapside；　and　on　the　other　from　tho