LXIV. 1666. fever: Many of the chief officers had fallen into CHA P. fickness: A contagious diftemper was fpread through the fleet: And the States thought it neceffary to recall them into their harbours, before the enemy could be refitted. The French king, anxious for his navy, which, with fo much care and induftry, he had lately built, difpatched orders to Beaufort, to make the best of his way to Breft. That admiral had again the good fortune to pass the English. One fhip alone, the Ruby, fell into the hands of the enemy. London. WHILE the war continued without any decifive 3d Sept. fuccefs on either fide, a calamity happened in Lon- Fire of don, which threw the people into great confternation. Fire, breaking out in a baker's houfe near the bridge, fpread itself on all fides with fuch rapidity, that no efforts could extinguish it, till it laid in ashes a confiderable part of the city. The inhabitants, without being able to provide effectually for their relief, were reduced to be fpectators of their own ruin; and were purfued from street to street by the flames, which unexpectedly gathered round them. Three days and nights did the fire advance; and it was only by the blowing up of houfes, that it was at laft extinguished. The king and duke ufed their utmoft endeavours to ftop the progrefs of the flames; but all their induftry was unfuccefsful. About four hundred streets, and thirteen thousand houfes, were reduced to afhes. THE caufes of this calamity were evident. The narrow streets of London, the houses built entirely of wood, the dry feason, and a violent eaft wind which blew; thefe were fo many concurring circumftances, which rendered it eafy to affign the reason of the deftruction that enfued. But the people were not fatisfied with this obvious account. Prompted by blind rage, fome afcribed the guilt to the republicans, others to the catholics; though it LXIV. As the CHAP. it is not eafy to conceive how the burning of London could ferve the purposes of either party. papifts were the chief objects of public deteftation, the rumour, which threw the guilt on them, was more favourably received by the people. No proof however, or even prefumption, after the strictest inquiry by a committee of parliament, ever appeared to authorife fuch a calumny; yet, in order to give countenance to the popular prejudice, the infcription, engraved by authority on the monument, afcribed this calamity to that hated fect. This claufe was erazed by order of king James, when he came to the throne; but after the revolution it was replaced. So credulous, as well as obftinate, are the people, in believing every thing which flatters their prevailing paffion! THE fire of London, though at that time a great calamity, has proved in the iffue beneficial both to the city and the kingdom. The city was rebuilt in a very little time; and care was taken to make the streets wider and more regular than before. A difcretionary power was affumed by the king to regulate the diftribution of the buildings, and to forbid the use of lath and timber, the materials of which the houses were formerly compofed. The neceffity was fo urgent, and the occafion fo extraordinary, that no exceptions were taken at an exercise of authority, which otherwife might have been deemed illegal. Had the king been enabled to carry his power ftill farther, and made the houfes be rebuilt with perfect regularity, and entirely upon one plan; he had much contributed to the convenience, as well as embellishment, of the city. Great advantages, however, have refulted from the alterations; though not carried to the full length. London became much more healthy after the fire. The plague, which used to break out with great fury twice or thrice every century, and indeed was always lurking LXIV. i lurking in fome corner or other of the city, has CHAP. fcarcely ever appeared fince that calamity. THE parliament met foon after, and gave the fanction of law to thofe regulations made by royal authority; as well as appointed commiffioners for deciding all fuch queftions of property, as might arife from the fire. They likewife voted a fupply of 1,800,000 pounds to be levied, partly by a pullbill, partly by alfeffments. Though their inquiry brought out no proofs, which could fix on the papifts the burning of London, the general averfion against that fect ftill prevailed; and complaints were made, probably without much foundation, of its dangerous increase. Charles, at the defire of the commons, iffued a proclamation for the banishment of all priefts and jefuits; but the bad execution of this, as well as of former edicts, deftroyed all confidence in his fincerity, whenever he pretended an averfion towards the catholic religion. Whether fufpicions of this nature had diminished the king's popularity, is uncertain; but it appears, that the supply was voted much later than Charles expected, or even than the public neceflities feemed to require. The intrigues of the duke of Buckingham, a man who wanted only fteadiness to render him ext; emely dangerous, had fomewhat embarraffed the measures of the court: And this was the first time that the king found any confiderable reafon to complain of a failure of confidence in this house of commons. The rifing fymptoms of ill-humour tended, no doubt, to quicken the fteps, which were already making towards a peace with foreign enemies, 1666. peace. CHARLES began to be fenfible, that all the ends, Advances for which the war had been undertaken, were likely towards to prove entirely abortive... The Dutch, even when fingle, had defended themfelves with vigour, and were every day improving in their military fkill and preparations. Though their trade had VOL. VII. fuffered É e 1667. As CHAP. fuffered extremely, their extenfive credit enabled LXIV. them to levy great fums; and while the feamen of England loudly complained for want of pay, the Dutch navy was regularly fupplied with money and every thing requifite for its fubfiftence. two powerful kings now fupported them, every place, from the extremity of Norway to the coafts of Bayonne, was become hoftile to the English. And Charles, neither fond of action, nor ftimulated by any violent ambition, earnestly fought for means of restoring tranquillity to his people, difgufted with a war, which, being joined with the plague and fire, had proved fo fruitlefs and deftructive. THE firft advances towards an accommodation were made by England. When the king fent for the body of fir William Berkeley, he infinuated to the States his defire of peace on reasonable terms; and their anfwer correfponded in the fame amicable intentions. Charles, however, to maintain the appearance of fuperiority, ftill infifted that the States 1hould treat at London; and they agreed to make .him this compliment fo far as concerned themfelves: But being engaged in alliance with two crowned heads, they could not, they faid, prevail with thefe to depart in that refpect from their dignity. On a fudden, the king went fo far on the other fide as to offer the fending of ambaffadors to the Hague; but this propofal, which feemed honourable to the Dutch, was meant only to divide and distract them, by affording the English an opportunity to carry on cabals with the difaffected party. The offer was therefore rejected; and conferences were fecretly held in the queen-mother's apartments at Paris, where the pretenfions of both parties were difcuffed. The Dutch made equitable propofals; either that all things fhould be restored to the fame condition in which they ftood before the war; or that both parties fhould continue in poffeffion Charles poffeffion of their prefent acquifitions. newed his pretenfions to this island; and as the LORD Hollis and Henry Coventry were the Englifh ambaffadors. They immediately defired, that a fufpenfion of arms fhould be agreed to, till the feveral claims could be adjufted: But this propofal, feemingly fo natural, was rejected by the credit of de Wit. That penetrating and active minister, thoroughly acquainted with the characters of princes and the fituation of affairs, had discovered an opportunity of ftriking a blow, which might at once reftore to the Dutch the honour loft during the war, and feverely revenge those injuries, which he afcribed to the wanton ambition and injuftice of the English. WHATEVER projects might have been formed by Charles for fecreting the money granted him by parliament, he had hitherto failed in his intention. The expences of fuch vaft armaments had exhausted all the fupplies; and even a great debt was contracted • The Dutch had spent on the war near 40 millions of livres ayear, above three millions fterling: A much greater fum than had been Ee 2 CHA P., LXIV. 1667. |