ame time to the mayor
and aldermen desiring them to afford every assistance to Wenceslas Hollar
and Francis Sandford, whom he had appointed to make an exact survey of the
city as it stood after the fire.(1337) The civic authorities on their part
instructed Robert Hooke to devise a scheme for re-building the city, and
on the 21st September he presented to the Common Council "an exquisite
modell or draught" which found much favour with the court.(1338) Early in
the following month (4 Oct.) the Common Council was informed that for the
greater expedition in carrying out the work of re-building the city, the
king had appointed Wren and two others to make a survey, with the
assistance of such surveyors and workmen as the civic authorities should
nominate. The city's choice fell upon Robert Hooke, described as "Reader
of the Mathematicks in Gresham Colledge," Peter Mills and Edward Jermyn or
Jarman. By way of preparation for the survey, the owners of houses that
had been destroyed were again ordered (9 Oct.) to clear their foundations
of rubbish, and to pile up the bricks and stones within fourteen days, so
that every man's property might be "more exactly measured and
asserted."(1339)

(M680)

The impracticability of re-building the city except on old foundations
soon become manifest, and the handsome design which Wren prepared had to
be dismissed. There was difficulty enough as it was, and the four sworn
viewers of the city whose duty at ordinary times was to guard against
encroachments and other nuisances were unusually busy. Sometimes the old
foundations proved too weak to support a new building, sometimes the new
building threatened to encroach on the public thoroughfare. Such matters
required the constant attention of the viewers. Disputes would also arise
between the landlords and tenants of houses destroyed by the fire. In
order to settle all differences that arose, a special Court of Judicature
was established by Act of Parliament (31 Jan., 1667).(1340) The court sat
at Clifford's Inn, and the decrees signed by the judges, as well as the
portraits of the judges themselves, are preserved at the Guildhall.(1341)
The city authorities were very urgent in getting this Act passed, and
pressed the judges to give the Bill all dispatch they could, "as a matter
of principal concernment and encouragement to the great worke of
re-building the citty." This their lordships promised to do.(1342)

(M681)

It was not deemed in any