civil
preparations or religious. They were, indeed, as if they had had no
warning, no expectation, no apprehensions, and consequently the least
provision imaginable was made for it in a public way. For example, the
Lord Mayor and sheriffs had made no provision as magistrates for the
regulations which were to be observed. They had gone into no measures
for relief of the poor. The citizens had no public magazines or
storehouses for corn or meal for the subsistence of the poor, which
if they had provided themselves, as in such cases is done abroad, many
miserable families who were now reduced to the utmost distress would
have been relieved, and that in a better manner than now could be done.

The stock of the city's money I can say but little to. The Chamber of
London was said to be exceedingly rich, and it may be concluded that
they were so, by the vast of money issued from thence in the rebuilding
the public edifices after the fire of London, and in building new works,
such as, for the first part, the Guildhall, Blackwell Hall, part of
Leadenhall, half the Exchange, the Session House, the Compter, the
prisons of Ludgate, Newgate, &c., several of the wharfs and stairs
and landing-places on the river; all which were either burned down or
damaged by the great fire of London, the next year after the plague; and
of the second sort, the Monument, Fleet Ditch with its bridges, and
the Hospital of Bethlem or Bedlam, &c. But possibly the managers of the
city's credit at that time made more conscience of breaking in upon
the orphan's money to show charity to the distressed citizens than the
managers in the following years did to beautify the city and re-edify
the buildings; though, in the first case, the losers would have thought
their fortunes better bestowed, and the public faith of the city have
been less subjected to scandal and reproach.

It must be acknowledged that the absent citizens, who, though they were
fled for safety into the country, were yet greatly interested in
the welfare of those whom they left behind, forgot not to contribute
liberally to the relief of the poor, and large sums were also collected
among trading towns in the remotest parts of England; and, as I have
heard also, the nobility and the gentry in all parts of England took the
deplorable condition of the city into their consideration, and sent up
large sums of money in charity to the Lord Mayor and magistrates for
the relief of the poor. The king also