sign-post before the
landlord's door, when they were diverted from their dreadful purpose by
Solomon Eagle, who prevailed upon them to carry him to Newgate.

The conflagration had now assumed so terrific a character that it
appalled even the stoutest spectator. It has been mentioned, that for
many weeks previous to the direful calamity, the weather had been
remarkably dry and warm, a circumstance which had prepared the old
wooden houses, abounding in this part of the city, for almost
instantaneous ignition. Added to this, if the incendiaries themselves
had deposited combustible materials at certain spots to extend the
conflagration, they could not have selected better places than accident
had arranged. All sorts of inflammable goods were contained in the shops
and ware-houses,--oil, hemp, flax, pitch, tar, cordage, sugar, wine, and
spirits; and when any magazine of this sort caught fire, it spread the
conflagration with tenfold rapidity.

The heat of the flames had now become almost insufferable, and the
sparks and flakes of fire fell so fast and thick, that the spectators
were compelled to retreat to a considerable distance from the burning
buildings. The noise occasioned by the cracking of the timbers, and the
falling of walls and roofs, was awful in the extreme. All the avenues
and thoroughfares near the fire were now choked up by carts, coaches,
and other vehicles, which had been hastily brought thither to remove the
goods of the inhabitants, and the hurry of the poor people to save a
wreck of their property, and the attempts made by the gangs of
plunderers to deprive them of it, constituted a scene of unparalleled
tumult and confusion. As yet, no troops had appeared to maintain order,
and seeing that as much mischief was almost done by the plunderers as by
the fire, Leonard determined to go in search of the lord mayor, and
acquaint him with the mischief that was occurring. Having heard that the
fire had already reached London Bridge, he resolved to ascertain whether
the report was true. As he proceeded down Saint Michael's-lane, he found
the venerable church from which it was designated on fire, and with some
difficulty forcing his way through the crowd, reached Thames-street,
where he discovered that the conflagration had even made more fearful
progress than he had anticipated. Fishmongers' Hall, a large square
structure, was on fire, and burning swiftly,--the flames encircling its
high roof, and the turret by w