jacent places; but we require the lord mayor and aldermen of London, upon a full consideration, and weighing all conveniences and inconveniences, that can be forthseen, to propose such a place as may be fit for all those trades, which are carried on by smoak, to inhabit together; or at least several places for the several quarters of the town for those occupations, and in which they shall find their account in convenience and profit, as well as other places shall receive the benefit in the distance of the neighbourhood; it being our purpose that they who exercise those necessary professions shall be in all respects as well provided for and encouraged as ever they have been, and undergo as little prejudice as may be by being less inconvenient to their neighbours.

"The grounds and foundations being laid, from the substance whereof we shall not depart, and which being published are sufficient advertisements to prevent any man's running into, or bringing any inconvenience upon himself, by a precipitate engagement in any act which may cross these foundations, we have, in order to the reducing this great and gracious design into practice, directed, and we do hereby direct, that the lord mayor and court of aldermen do with all possible expedition cause an exact survey to be made and taken of the whole ruins occasioned by the late lamentable fire; to the end that it may appear to whom all the houses and ground did in truth belong, what terms the several occupiers are possessed of, and at what rents, and to whom either corporations, companies, or single persons, the reversion and inheritance appertained; that some provision may be made, that though every man must not be suffered to erect what buildings and where he pleases, he shall not in any degree be debarred from receiving the reasonable benefit of what ought to accrue to him from such houses or lands; there being nothing less in our thoughts than that any particular person's right and interest should be sacrificed to the public benefit or convenience, without any such recompence, as in justice he ought to receive for the same. And when all things of this kind shall be prepared

and

and adjusted by such commissioners, and otherwise which shall be found expedient, we make no doubt that such an act of parliament will pass as shall secure all men in what they shall and ought to possess.

By the time that this survey shall be taken, we shall cause a plot or model to be made for the whole building through those ruined places; which being well examined by all those persons who have most concernment as well as experience, we make no question but all men will be pleased with it, and very willingly conform to these orders and rules, which shall be agreed for the pursuing thereof.

"In the mean time we do heartily recommend it to the charity and magnanimity of all well disposed persons, and we do heartily pray unto Almighty God that he will infuse it into the hearts of men speedily to endeavour, by degrees, to re-edify some of those many churches which in this lamentable fire have been burnt down and defaced, that so men may have those public places of God's worship to resort to, to humble themselves together before him upon this heavy displeasure, and join in their devotion for his future mercy and blessing upon us; and as soon as we shall be informed of any readiness to begin such a good work, we shall not only give our assistance and direction for the model of it, and freeing it from buildings at too near a distance, but shall encourage it by our own bounty, and all other ways we shall be desired.

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Lastly, that we may encourage men by our example, we will use all the expedition we can to rebuild our Custom House in the place where it formerly stood, and enlarge it with the most conveniences for the merchants that can be devised; and upon all other lands which belong unto us, we shall depart with any thing of our own right and benefit for the advancement of the public service and beauty of the city; and shall further remit to all those who shall erect any building according to this declaration, all duties arising to us upon the Hearth Money for the space of seven years. "Given at our court at Whitehall, the 13th day of September 1666, in the eighteenth year of our reign.”

Accordant

Accordant with the munificent endeavours used by the king, for renovating the city, the parliament was convened with all possible dispatch, and on the 18th of this month passed an act for erecting a court of judicature, by which was to be determined all differences between landlords and tenants respecting houses and buildings demolished by the late fire, and the justices of the courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, and the barons of the Exchequer, were appointed to be of the said court. The integrity and impar tiality with which the judges conducted themselves, induced the citizens, in token of their gratitude, to cause the portraits of those virtuous men, to be hung up in Guildhall, as monuments of their great merit; but the service has so long elapsed, that the benefactors are nearly forgotten, and the portraits are mouldering into rottenness A sad reflection on those to whom their preservation should have been a primary object!

The decisions of the judges were followed by an act of parliament for rebuilding the city; in which proper directions were given "how the houses should be constructed, and for the regulation of builders; for granting the corporation powers to open and enlarge the streets and lanes; for appointing an annual fast on the day the fire broke out; for erecting a column of brass or stone on the spot where it began, with a proper inscription to perpetuate the memory of the disaster; and for imposing a duty of one shilling per chaldron or ton, on coals for ten years, towards defraying the necessary expences of carrying the said act into exe

cution."

The common-council, on the 29th of April 1667, also passed an act, in which they allotted what streets should be enlarged and widened, and to what respective widths they should be opened; and agreeably to the act of parliament, the following order was immediately framed, and presented to his majesty, who so highly approved of it, that, on the 8th of May following, he confirmed and enforced it by an order of council:

VOL. I. No. 10.

Hh

It

"It is ordered that the surveyors take special care, that the breast-summers of all the houses do range of an equal heighth, house with house, so far as shall be convenient, and there to make breaks by directions.

"And that they do encourage and give directions to all builders, for ornament sake, that the ornaments and projections of the front buildings be of rubbed bricks; and that all the naked parts of the walls may be done of rough bricks, neatly wrought, or all rubbed, at the direction of the builder, or that the builders may otherwise enrich their fronts as they please.

"That if any person or persons shall desire, in any street or lane of note, to build on each side of the street or lane, opposite one to the other, six or more houses of the third rate, or that the upper rooms or garrets may be flat roofs, encompassed with battlements of bricks covered with stone, or rails, and bannisters of iron or stone, or to vary their roofs for the greater ornament of building; the surveyors, or one of them, shall certify their opinions therein to the committee for rebuilding, who shall have liberty to give leave for the same, if they see cause.

"That in all streets no sign-posts shall hang across, but signs shall be fixed against the balconies, or some other convenient part of the side of the house.

"It is ordered, that a postern shall be made on the north side of Newgate, for conveniency of foot passengers; and that Holborn Bridge shall be enlarged to run strait on a bevel -line from the timber house on the north side thereof, known by the sign of the Cock, to the front of the building at the Swan inn on the north side of Holborn Hill.

"Forasmuch as it is provided in the late act for rebuilding, that the surveyors shall take care for the equal setting out of all party-walls and piers, and no person be permitted to build till that be done; therefore, for preservation of any exaction in the taking of such surveys, and of all quarrels and contentions that may arise between the builders, it is ordered, That no builder shall lay his foundation, until the

surveyors,

surveyors, or one of them (according to the act) shall view it, and see the party-walls and piers equally set out; and that all persons observe the surveyors directions concerning the superstructure to be erected over the said foundation.

"And that, for the defraying that and all other incident charges of measuring, staking out, taking the level, and surveying the streets and ground, each builder, before he lay his foundation, and such survey shall be taken, do repair to the chamber of London, and there enter his name, with the place where his building is to be set out, and to pay to the chamberlain the sum of six shillings and eight-pence for every foundation to be rebuilt. For which Mr. Chamberlain shall give acquittances; upon receipt of which ac quittances the surveyors shall proceed to set out such persons foundations.

"And it is ordered, that all persons who have already laid any foundations shall forthwith pay into the chamber of London, six shillings and eight-pence for every founda tion.

"And this court is consenting and desirous that all straight and narrow passages, which shall be found conve nient for common benefit and accommodation, and shall receive his majesty's order and approbation, shall and may be enlarged and made wider, and otherwise altered, before the 20th of May now next ensuing, as shall be fitting for the beauty, ornament, and conveniency thereof, and staked and set out accordingly.

"Several late inhabitants of Fleet Street, intending to rebuild their houses, which did formerly stand backward of other foundations near adjoining, and desiring liberty to ad vance their houses, that the whole front may run on a straight line; the committee did agree to the same, if the right honourable the lord high chancellor of England and the other lords shall approve thereof, and procure his ma jesty's approbation to the same: and the committee do desire liberty may be given for other persons in other places where it shall be found convenient.