OF THE MONUMENT.
The Act of Parliament 19 and 20 Car. II., enacts, that--The better to
preserve the memory of this dreadful visitation, a column or pillar of
brass or stone be erected on, or as near unto the place where the fire
unhappily began, as conveniently may be; in perpetual remembrance
thereof: with such inscription thereon as the lord mayor and court of
aldermen shall direct.
In obedience to which act, the fine piece of architecture, called The
Monument, was erected, at the expense of fourteen thousand five
hundred pounds; it is the design of the great Sir Christopher Wren,
and undoubtedly the finest modern column in the world, and in some
respects may vie with the most famous of antiquity, being twenty-four
feet higher than Trajan's pillar at Rome. It is of the Doric order,
fluted; its altitude, two hundred and two feet from the ground;
greatest diameter of the body fifteen feet; the ground bounded by the
plinth or lower part of the pedestal, twenty-eight feet square; and
the pedestal is in altitude forty feet; all of Portland stone. Within,
is a large staircase of black marble, containing three hundred and
forty-five steps, ten inches and a half broad, and six inches risers;
a balcony within thirty-two feet from the top, whereon is a spacious
and curious gilded flame, very suitable to the intent of the whole
column.
On the front or west side of the die of the pedestal of this
magnificent column is finely carved a curious emblem of this tragical
scene, by the masterly hand of Mr. Gabriel Cibber. The eleven
principal figures are in alto, the rest in basso relievo.
At the north end of the plain the city is represented in flames, and
the inhabitants in consternation, their arms extended upward, crying
for succour. A little nearer the horizon, the arms, cap of
maintenance, and other ensigns of the city's grandeur, partly buried
under the ruins. On the ruins, lies the figure of a woman crowned with
a castle, her breasts pregnant, and in her hand a sword; representing
the strong, plentiful, and well-governed city of London in distress.
The king is represented on a place ascended to by three steps,
providing by his power and prudence for the comfort of his citizens
and ornament of his city. On the steps stand three women: 1. Liberty,
having in her right hand a hat, wherein the word Liberty, denoting the
freedom or liberty given those who engaged three years in the work. 2.
Ichnographia, with rule and compasses in one hand, and a scroll in the
other; near her, the emblem of Industry, a beehive. 3. Imagination,
holding the emblem of Invention. All which intimate, that the speedy
re-erection of the city was principally owing to liberty, imagination,
contrivance, art, and industry. There is the figure of time raising
the woman in distress, and Providence with a winged hand containing an
eye, promising peace and plenty, by pointing to those two figures in
the clouds. Behind the king, the work is going forward. Under the
king's feet appears Envy enraged at the prospect of success, and
blowing flames out of his mouth. The figure of a lion, with one
fore-foot tied up, and the muzzle of a cannon, denote this deplorable
misfortune to have happened in time of war; and Mars, with a chaplet
in his hand, is an emblem of approaching peace. Round the cornice are
noble enrichments of trophy work, sword, the king's arms, cap of
maintenance, &c., at the angles, four very large dragons, the
supporters of the city arms.
On this column of perpetual remembrance the lord mayor and court of
aldermen have ordered inscriptions to be cut in Latin:
That on the north side, describes the desolation of the city in ashes;
and is thus translated:
In the year of Christ 1666, the second day of September, eastward from
hence at the distance of two hundred and two feet, (the height of this
column) about midnight, a most terrible fire broke out, which, driven
by a high wind, not only wasted the adjacent parts, but also places
very remote, with incredible noise and fury: it consumed eighty-nine
churches, the city gates, Guildhall, many public structures,
hospitals, schools, libraries, a vast number of stately edifices,
thirteen thousand two hundred dwelling houses, four hundred streets;
of twenty-six wards, it entirely consumed fifteen, and left eight
others shattered and half burnt; the ruins of the city were four
hundred and thirty-six acres, from the Tower by the Thames side to the
Temple church, and from the north-east gate of the city wall to
Holborn-bridge: to the estates and fortunes of the citizens it was
merciless, but to their lives very favourable[18]; that it might in
all things resemble the last conflagration of the world.
[Footnote 18: It was a very miraculous circumstance, amidst all this
destruction and public confusion, no person was known either to be
burnt, or trodden to death in the streets.]
The destruction was sudden, for in a small space of time, the same
city, was seen most flourishing, and reduced to nothing.
Three days after, when this fatal fire had baffled all human councils
and endeavours, in the opinions of all, as it were by the will of
heaven, it stopped, and on every side was extinguished.
The south side describes the glorious restoration of the city, and has
been thus translated:--
Charles the Second, son of Charles the Martyr, King of Great Britain,
France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, a most gracious prince,
commiserating the deplorable state of things, while the ruins were
yet smoking, provided for the comfort of his citizens, and the
ornament of his city; remitted their taxes, and referred the petitions
of the magistrates and inhabitants to the parliament, who immediately
passed an act, that public buildings should be restored to greater
beauty with public money, to be raised by an imposition on coals; that
churches, and the cathedral of St. Paul's, should be rebuilt from
their foundations with all magnificence; that bridges, gates, and
prisons should be made new; the sewers cleansed; the streets made
straight and regular; such as were steep, levelled, and those too
narrow, made wider; markets and shambles removed to separate places.
They also enacted, that every house should be built with party walls,
and all in front raised of equal height, and those walls all of square
stone or brick; and that no man should delay beyond the space of seven
years. Moreover, care was taken by law to prevent all suits about
their bounds. Also, anniversary prayers were enjoined;[19] and to
perpetuate the memory hereof to posterity, they caused this column to
be erected. The work was carried on with diligence, and London is
restored; but whether with greater speed or beauty may be made a
question. Three years' time saw that finished which was supposed to be
the business of an age.
[Footnote 19: By statute 19 and 20, Car. II., it is enacted, That the
citizens of London, and their successors for the time to come, may
retain the memory of so sad a desolation, and reflect seriously on the
manifold iniquities, which are the unhappy causes of such judgments:
be it therefore enacted, that the second day of September (unless the
same happen to be Sunday, and if so, then the next day following) be
yearly for ever hereafter observed as a day of fasting and humiliation
within the said city and liberties thereof, to implore the mercy of
Almighty God upon the said city; to make devout prayers and
supplications unto him, to divert the like calamity for the time to
come.]
The east side, over the door, has an inscription, thus Englished:
This pillar was begun, Sir Richard Ford, knight, being lord mayor of
London, in the year 1671: carried on in the mayoralties of Sir George
Waterman, knight; Sir Robert Hanson, knight; Sir William Hooker,
knight; Sir Robert Viner, knight; Sir Joseph Sheldon, knight; and
finished, Sir Thomas Davis, knight, being lord mayor, in the year
1677.
The inscription on the plinth of the lower pedestal is in page 245.
On a stone in front of the house built on the spot where the fire
began, there was (very lately) the following inscription:
"Here, by the permission of Heaven, hell broke loose on this
protestant city, from the malicious hearts of barbarous Papists, by
the hand of their agent, Hubert, who confessed, and on the ruins of
this place declared his fact, for which he was hanged, viz.:--That he
here began the dreadful fire, which is described and perpetuated on
and by the neighbouring pillar. Erected 1680, in the mayorality of Sir
Patience Ward, knight."