Part 6
Between the piazzas, market places, and churches, might be placed the halls for the Companies; and these, if fronted with stone, and adorned with statues and other ornaments, would infinitely inrich the streets, and render this city as famous for architecture of the most refined gusto, as any city in Europe; among which should be distinguished Guildhall, by its being more pompous and magnificent than the rest: near this edifice he would have a magnificent house for the Lord Mayor, and others for the two Sheriffs.
The Royal Exchange he thought might front the Thames about the Steelyard, in an area surrounded on three sides with piazzas, with vaults for warehouses underneath; and for such merchandize as could not be well preserved under ground, might be erected buildings fronting the Thames on the other side of the river, with wharfs before and yards behind for the placing of cranes; the laying of timber, coals, &c. and other gross commodities, while the key over against it should be built for the owners, and the dwellings of the principal merchants: but if the warehouses must needs be on this side, they should be made to front Thames street rather than the river, because of the dull and heavy aspect of those buildings.
The little bay at Queenhithe should have the key continued around it, and cloistered about for the marketmen and fruiterers; and where the wharf then was, a stately avenue was to extend to St. Paul’s.
Four great streets were to extend along the city: the first from Fleet ditch, (which was to be formed into a noble canal) to the Tower: the second, from the Strand to the most eastern part of the city, where should be a noble triumphal arch in honour of Charles II. the third, from Newgate to Aldgate: and the fourth and shortest, from Aldersgate to Bishopsgate. He proposed that five principal cross streets should extend from Black Friars stairs into West Smithfield; from the Thames east of St. Paul’s to Aldersgate; from Queenhithe to Cripplegate; and from the Royal Exchange to Moorgate: that the street from the bridge should extend to Bishopsgate: that one from Billingsgate should extend near as far: and one from the Custom house to Aldgate.
Instead of houses on the bridge, he proposed to have it adorned with a substantial iron baluster, decorated, at convenient distances, with statues on their pedestals, with a footway on each side.
The hospitals, workhouses to employ the poor, and the prisons, being built and re-indowed at the public expence, were to be disposed of in convenient quarters of the city: the hospitals would become one of the principal streets; but the prisons, and court for the trial of criminals, might still be built near the entrances of the city.
The gates were to be in the form of triumphal arches, adorned with statues, relievos, and apposite inscriptions, not obstructed by sheds, or mean houses joined to them.
This gentleman also proposed, that along the wall betwixt Cripplegate and Aldgate, should be the church-yards of the several parishes, while the houses opposite to them formed a large street for the common inns, and served as a station for carriers, &c. These being on the north part of the city, and nearest the confines of the fields and roads, would least incumber the town; and there would be a far more commodious and free access to them, by reason of their immediate approaches through the traverse streets, than if they were scattered up and down without distinction.
But this scheme, which was designed as an improvement of Sir Christopher’s, also fell to nothing; and by the obstinacy of the citizens, the opportunity was lost of rendering this city the admiration of the world, and thereby of drawing the nobility of all Europe to visit it, and lay out great sums here.
However, it was ordered by act of Parliament, that many of the streets and lanes should be widened, and the city was impowered to make a new street from Cheapside to Guildhall, which obtained the name of King street, and another from Threadneedle street to Lothbury, called Prince’s street. And the markets, which till then were held in Newgate street and Cheapside, were ordered to be removed behind the houses into commodious market places to be prepared for that purpose. It was also enacted that all the houses should be built with stone or brick, with party walls, and the whole finished within three years: that the ground in several places should be raised, and that a column of brass or stone should be erected on or near the place where the above dreadful fire began; whence arose that noble column called the Monument: but had it been raised near the place where the fire ceased, and in the center of the fine circular area proposed by Sir Christopher Wren, in Fleet street, where eight streets would radiate upon it, and where it would be seen to terminate the view, even from Aldgate and Westminster, it would have enjoyed a situation vastly more worthy of its beauty, and have appeared to infinitely greater advantage, than in the corner where it is now placed. See the article MONUMENT.
The reader has just seen the city under two of the most dreadful calamities that could fall upon a people, pestilence, and a general destruction by fire; he will now see the citizens suffering calamities of a very different kind, and deprived of all their boasted privileges. This affair it is necessary to trace from its origin.
In the beginning of May 1679, a conspiracy of the papists was discovered, for destroying the city again by fire, occasioned by the burning of one Bird’s house in Fetter lane; for Elizabeth Oxley, the servant, being suspected, was committed to prison; where she not only confessed the fact, but declared, that she was prevailed upon to fire it by one Stubbs, a papist, upon the promise of 5l. Stubbs being secured, confessed that he had been excited to this by Father Gifford, his confessor, who told him, that instead of its being a sin, it would be a great service to the church to burn and destroy all the houses of heretics; and that he had several conferences with Gifford, and two Irishmen, upon that affair; that an insurrection was to be made in London, and a powerful army expected from France. Five Jesuits were executed for this plot, the papists banished from the city, and ten miles round, and afterwards the Lord Stafford was beheaded for the same crime.
In revenge, the Romish party trumped up what was called the Meal Tub plot, to bring an odium upon the presbyterians and the heads of the country party; but Dangerfield, the chief actor in this farce, being committed to prison, applied himself to the Lord Mayor, and in an ample confession laid open the whole scene of iniquity, discovering the persons who set him to work.
The citizens not only vigorously pressed the prosecution of all the persons they had reason to think concerned in the popish plot, in opposition to the court, who endeavoured to skreen them; but the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council presented a petition to his Majesty, desiring, that all the persons who had been impeached by the Commons, might be brought to their trials; the Duke of York, as being a papist, excluded from succeeding to the throne; and the Parliament continued, in order to make the necessary provisions for the preservation of his Majesty and his protestant subjects; but this petition not only hastened the dissolution of the Parliament, but was so highly resented by the King, that it principally occasioned the loss of all the rights and privileges belonging to the citizens.
The Parliament being soon after dissolved, and writs issued for a new election, the citizens chose their former members, and gave them directions in writing to continue their search into the popish plot; to promote the bill of exclusion, and to grant no supplies of money till they had effectually secured them against popery and arbitrary power; which example was followed by most of the electors of the kingdom.
The court now threw the city into confusion, by interfering in the election of Sheriffs; those the city had chosen, and one of the Aldermen, were committed to the Tower; while other Sheriffs were elected by the Lord Mayor, without the consent of the Commons; and soon after a _quo warranto_ was brought against the city, contrary to justice, the charters of the city, and the rights of the citizens: the plea and rejoinder brought by the citizens, were as full and as nervous, as the arguments brought to support the information were weak and trifling. However, the ministry having at all events determined to remove the sacred fence, and destroy the dear bought privileges of the citizens, removed the Judges who did not approve these proceedings, and chose others, who would be more obedient, in their room; and on the 12th of June 1683, the sentence was pronounced, that the city had given just ground for the forfeiture of their charter.
After this the King granted the office of Lord Mayor to be held during pleasure, appointed the Sheriffs, the Recorder, and sixteen of his favourite Aldermen; degraded eight of those that were in the country interest, and appointed eight others in their room.
The death of King Charles II. was far from putting a stop to the arbitrary measures of the court: for James II. immediately singled out as a sacrifice to popery, Mr. Cornish, an Alderman of this city, who, when Sheriff, had exerted himself in an uncommon manner in the detection and prosecution of those concerned in the popish plot. This gentleman was apprehended, and committed to Newgate, without the use of pen, ink, or paper, till Saturday noon, when he received notice, that he was to be tried for high treason on the Monday following. In the interim, his children humbly petitioned the King for time, that their father might prepare for his defence: but they petitioned in vain, though the most material evidence in his favour was then 140 miles from London. He was indicted the next Monday, for conspiring to raise a rebellion, to destroy the King, and subvert the constitution in the late reign. The only material evidences were two persons of an infamous and profligate character; one of them an outlaw, who was pardoned, and his testimony made legal, for his appearing against Cornish; and though what he deposed did not affect the prisoner, he was condemned, and on the 23d of the same month, hanged, drawn, and quartered before his own door, at the end of King street, Cheapside.
During this short but iniquitous reign, in which the boldest attempts were made for extirpating the protestant religion, and the religious and civil liberties of the people, the citizens and the whole nation cast their eyes on the Prince of Orange as their deliverer. That Prince’s resolution to grant them his assistance was no sooner known at Whitehall, than the deluded, weak, and pusillanimous King, prompted by fear, sent for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and with a meanness of spirit equal to that of enslaving his people, promised to restore their charter. Accordingly, on the sixth of October 1688, the infamous and cruel Lord Chancellor Jeffries brought back the charter to the city.
Upon this, a new Lord Mayor was chosen; the Aldermen restored to their respective wards; and the Liverymen of the several Companies at the time when judgment was given against the city upon the _quo warranto_, were also restored.
It may be proper to observe, before we conclude this reign, that about the beginning of December 1683, was a severe frost, which continued till the 5th of February; the Thames being froze, a great number of streets with shops were erected upon it.
In the year 1687, a dreadful persecution raging in France against the distressed protestants, 13,500 of them came over and settled in this city, and the parts contiguous, particularly in Spitalfields, by which they greatly enriched the city and kingdom, by introducing among us new arts and manufactures.
As the citizens had contributed very much to the revolution, King William and Queen Mary were conducted by a noble cavalcade to Guildhall, where their Majesties and a numerous train of the nobility were entertained at dinner; and soon after the Parliament reversed the proceedings of the former reigns on the _quo warranto_, declaring them to be illegal and arbitrary, and confirmed all the rights and privileges of the city.
After the peace of Ryswick, King William III. at the desire of the Lord Mayor and citizens, made his public entry into the city, with great magnificence, the Lord Mayor carrying the city sword before his Majesty.
In the reign of Queen Anne, her Majesty came several times in great state to St. Paul’s, to return thanks for the glorious victories of the great Duke of Marlborough; and after the victory of Blenheim, his Grace, with the Prince of Hesse and many of the nobility, dined with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at Goldsmith’s Hall.
On Friday the 26th of November 1703, happened the most dreadful storm of wind that perhaps was ever known in any age or nation. For, beginning about eleven at night, and increasing till about seven in the morning, it committed the most terrible and amazing devastations, by blowing down houses, trees, brick walls, and stacks of chimneys; by which many of the citizens were buried in ruins; a considerable number of whom were killed, others terribly wounded, while others again were amazingly preserved unhurt among the rubbish. As an instance of which, it may be proper to mention the following circumstance: two boys lying in a garret in the Poultry, a huge stack of chimneys fell in, which making its way through that and all the other stories to the cellar, it was followed by the bed with the boys asleep in it, who first awaked in that gloomy place of confusion, without having suffered the least hurt. Incredible as this story is, it is nevertheless well attested.
By the impetuosity of this storm, many spires and turrets were destroyed; upon the churches and other public buildings, the lead was rolled up like scrolls, and blown to a considerable distance. At the approach of day, the houses appeared like so many skeletons, and being mostly stripped, the damage done to the roofs was so great, that the price of tiles rose from 1l. 1s. to 6l. a thousand.
It is not easy to conceive the surprize that appeared in all countenances in the morning; for the streets were covered with bricks, broken tiles, signs, and pest-houses; almost all thoughts of trade were laid aside, and the principal concern was the immediate repair of their houses, in order to preserve themselves from the inclemency of the weather in that rigorous season.
The damage at sea, however, far exceeded that by land; for in that dreadful night twelve men of war were lost, with above 1800 men on board; besides the prodigious loss of merchant ships, computed at ten times the value. At that time the roads near our coast were filled with ships, especially the Downs, where most of them were swallowed up by the waves; and even in the Thames, only four from London bridge to Limehouse, rode it out; for the rest being driven to Limehouse, lay there, beating against each other, by the irresistible fury of the tempest, by which they suffered inconceivable damage. _Maitland._
The French having unmercifully destroyed the Palatinate, by burning the cities and towns, near 12,000 Palatines arrived at London, where they met with the most charitable assistance. Above 3000 of them were sent to Ireland, and the rest to our plantations, where they have made very great improvements.
In the latter end of this reign, great disturbances were occasioned by two sermons preached by Dr. Sacheverel; in which he represented the church to be in danger from the dissenters; for these inflaming discourses he was impeached by the Commons, and tried by the Lords, at which the mob were so exasperated, that they pulled down several meeting houses, and occasioned great disturbances.
Soon after the death of Queen Anne, King George I. made his public entry into London, the Lord Mayor carrying the city sword before him, from St. Margaret’s hill to St. James’s palace.
In 1715 happened a total eclipse; and the same year a severe frost began in November, and continued with short intermissions till the middle of February; by which the Thames was frozen over, and a great number of booths erected upon it.
The next year great disturbances were caused by the enemies of the government, who, on the King’s birth day, accession to the crown, and coronation, assembled in the streets in a tumultuous manner, and with the most amazing assurance, by expressions and representations, in the grossest manner dishonoured his Majesty. This induced the friends of the government, under some persons of the highest distinction, to form themselves into societies, at certain alehouses, which, from the vessels out of which they drank, were denominated _mughouses_, at each of which were deposited a great number of cudgels. At this the rabble were so exasperated, that many thousands of them assembled, and attacking one of those houses in Salisbury court, Fleet street, the landlord, in defending his property, killed one of the assailants; but this did not prevent their rifling the house, before they could be dispersed. However, several rioters being taken, they were soon after tried, when five of them were condemned and executed at the end of Salisbury court; which put an effectual stop to all tumultuous practices for many years.
It is observable, that in 1716, by a long dry season, the river Thames was reduced so low, that by a violent storm of wind at west south west, it was blown so dry, during the recess of the tide, that many thousands of people passed it on foot, both above and below bridge, and walked thro’ most of the arches.
The year 1720 will be ever famous in this city, for the destructive South Sea scheme, by which many thousands of the wealthy citizens and others were impoverished, while others acquired immense riches. See SOUTH SEA COMPANY.
The year 1733 was rendered memorable by the effectual opposition made by the citizens against a scheme for a general excise.
In 1734, two spacious arches, ten feet high and six wide, were erected as a common sewer over the Fleet ditch, from Holborn to the end of Fleet street; and a neat market house being since erected in the same place, by the name of Fleet market, was opened in the year 1737; and the next year the buildings and sheds of Stocks market, at the end of the Poultry, were cleared away, in order to lay the foundation of a mansion house for the Lord Mayor, which was afterwards erected. See MANSION HOUSE.
The present reign is indeed rendered remarkable by the multitude of magnificent buildings, fine streets, and spacious squares, that have been added, and still are adding to this metropolis. A taste for elegance in architecture, and a desire to improve and adorn the city, have produced one of the finest bridges in the world at Westminster; have caused London bridge to be stripped of its ruinous buildings that encumbered the passage, and will soon render it as commodious and beautiful as possible. Another elegant bridge is erecting at Black Friars, in so grand a taste as to do honour to the city. We are become sensible of the absurdity of building magnificent structures in holes and narrow passages, where they cannot be seen to advantage; and now resolve to make what is beautiful in itself, an ornament to the city.
But this is not all; charity and humanity now triumph over bigotry and superstition, and the rage of party is on all sides ready to expire; churchmen and dissenters mingle in the same company without animosity, and friendships are contracted between those of different sentiments, both with respect to religion and government; while party zeal is almost confined to the ignorant and the vulgar.
During this reign the wealthy have shewn their humanity and pity for the distresses of their fellow creatures, by erecting a great number of infirmaries and hospitals, for the relief of those afflicted with any of the diseases to which human nature is subject; while others are appropriated to the cure of particular distempers. The deserted infant is received into an hospital founded for its education and support; the young, innocent, friendless girl finds an asylum; even the repenting prostitute has an opportunity of returning to virtue. The poor married woman is relieved and supported in the time of her greatest difficulty, distress and danger; she who is under the same distress, with the additional pangs of guilt, has a receptacle in which she also may be delivered, and supported during her lying-in, without the least expence. Those under the small-pox, who were formerly sent to pest-houses, and treated as if they had the plague, are now happily accommodated in places prepared for their relief; and there is even an hospital for inoculating the young who never had this formidable disease, in order to prevent the fatal effects which commonly attend its being caught in a riper age. In short, the last charitable foundation I shall mention, as an honour to the present age and nation, is the Marine Society; a society formed for increasing our mariners, by clearing our streets of poor vagabond boys, and men destitute of the means of procuring an honest support; thus those are made to contribute to the glory and safety of the nation, who would otherwise be brought up to plunder and rapine, who would live in misery and vice, and probably end their days with ignominy. See an account of each of these societies under their several articles, ASYLUM, LYING-IN HOSPITAL, MARINE SOCIETY, &c.
The arms of the City of London are, _Argent_, a cross _Gules_, with a sword the same. Some say this was the sword of St. Paul; and others, that it is the sword of William Walworth Lord Mayor of London, who killed the rebel Wat Tyler, anno 1381, in the presence and defence of Richard II.
LONDON ASSURANCE, in Birchin lane, Cornhill, for assuring houses and other buildings, houshold furniture, goods, wares, and merchandize, from loss or damage by fire: except glass and china ware, not in trade, and all manner of writings, books of accompts, notes, bills, bonds, tallies, ready money, jewels, plate, pictures, gunpowder, hay, straw, and corn unthreshed; and for assurance of lives.
This society was incorporated by letters patent granted by King George I. for assuring ships and merchandize at sea; and for lending money upon bottomry; in consideration of which grant the Corporation were to advance his Majesty 300,000l. without interest, for the term of thirty years: towards the raising of which, and paying the just demands that might be made upon their respective policies, the Company were impowered to raise a sum, not exceeding 1,500,000l. to be called the stock of the Corporation: by a second charter, granted to this Corporation in the year 1721, they were impowered not only to insure ships, but houses, goods, and even lives.
This society is under the direction of a Governor, Sub-governor, and Deputy Governor, and twenty-four directors.
They assure houses and goods upon the following terms and conditions.
I. All manner of brick and stone buildings covered with slate, tile, or lead, wherein no hazardous trades are carried on, nor any hazardous goods deposited, are termed _Common assurances_, and are assured for the following premiums, viz. any sum not exceeding 200l. at 4s. _per annum_; any sum above 200l. and not exceeding 1000l. at 2s. _per cent. per annum_; and any sum above 1000l. and not exceeding 3000l. at 2s. 6d. _per cent. per annum_; and goods and merchandize not hazardous, in brick or stone buildings, after the same rates.