N00083:65
Gods terrible voice in the city of London wherein you have the narration of…
Gods terrible voice in the city of London wherein you have the narration of the two late dreadful judgements of plague and fire, inflicted by the Lord upon that city; the former in the year 1665. the latter in the year 1666. / By T.V. ; To which is added, the general bill of mortality, showing the number of persons which died in every parish of all diseases, and of the plague, in the year abovesaid. ; [Two lines from Micah]Gods terrible voice in the city of London wherein you have the narration of the two late dreadful judgements of plague and fire, inflicted by the Lord upon that city; the former in the year 1665. the latter in the year 1666. / By T.V. ; To which is added, the generall bill of mortality, shewing the number of persons which died in every parish of all diseases, and of the plague, in the year abovesaid. ; [Two lines from Micah]
printed by Marmaduke Johnson, 1668
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now the Train-bands are up in Arms, watching at every quarter for Outlandish-men, because of the general fears and jealousies, and rumours that Fire-Balls were thrown into Houses by several of them, to help on and provoke the too furious flames. Now goods are hastily removed from the lower parts of the City; and the body of the people begin to retire, and draw upwards, as the people did from the Tabernacles of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, when the earth did cleave asunder and swallow them up, Numb. 16. 27,31,32. or rather as Lot drew out from his House in Sodom, before it was consumed by Fire from Heaven, Gen. 19. Yet some hopes were retained on the Lords-day, that the Fire would be extinguished, especially by them who lived in the remote parts, they could scarcely imagine that the Fire a mile off should be able to reach their Houses.
Now the Train-bands are up in Arms, watching at every quarter for Outlandish-men, because of the general fears and jealousies, and rumours that Fire-Balls were thrown into Houses by several of them, to help on and provoke the too furious flames. Now goods are hastily removed from the lower parts of the City; and the body of the people begin to retire, and draw upwards, as the people did from the Tabernacles of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, when the earth did cleave asunder and swallow them up, Numb. 16. 27,31,32. or rather as Lot drew ont from his House in Sodom, before it was consumed by Fire from Heaven, Gen. 19. Yet some hopes were retained on the Lords-day, that the Fire would be extinguished, especially by them who lived in the remote parts, they could scarcely imagine that the Fire a mile off should be able to reach their Houses.
But the evening draws on, and now the Fire is more visible and dreadful: instead of the Black curtains of the night, which used to be spread over the City, now the curtains are Yellow; the smoke that arose from the burning parts, seemed like so much flame in the night, which being blown upon the other parts by the wind, the whole City at some distance seemed to be on fire. Now hopes begin to sink, and a general consternation seizeth upon the spirits of the people; little sleep is taken in London this night, the amazement which the eye and ear doth effect upon the spirit, doth either dry up, or drive away the vapour which used to bind up the senses: Some are at work to quench the Fire with water, others endeavour to stop its course, by pulling down of Houses; but all to no purpose: if it be a little allayed, or beaten down, or put to a stand in some places, it is but a very little while; it quickly recruits, and recovers its force; it leaps and mounts, and makes the more