Rachael Bryant
English portfolio Entry 3
Narrative-The Great Fire of London, 1666
Wall of Light
The time I brought the fire upon London was a sad night for all as the flame grew and spread weakening us all the more. For this wall of light, flame the fault was thine. To have this folly grow for days I do so repent for the lives lost in a fury of red and orange.
It was at 55 past the eleventh hour when I crept up to my bed, leaving the small blaze-impossible to shadow-behind me to grow as it fed upon the thatched floor not needing the warmth for the glow of the fire. My candle, second candle providing small light compared to the growing, brilliant light burning in the bakery. I am unsure of how but it happened all the same, I fell asleep unawakened til father arose from the next partition as the smell, the smoke at a choking thickness woke him and in a rush he hurried me out the window and together we shimmied down the vines (as I had once done a rocky wall to save our dog Maggie) to safety. By now we saw it was too late to save the bakery and we heard a howl as a family member as she was died in the blaze trying to save father's assistant Francis and his love Mary as they to perish in this heat. Our wooden walls were burning outrageously.
From there on it spread far and fast so when morning finally arrived many a home, chapel and parish was burning as already more were adding to the great ruin, the mess I made of London with a single candle slipping from a work area, unfaltering as it fell, to land on the grassed floor creating a bigger light than needed for all in London. This second day many asked "Eve, Eve do come here to help us bathe the burns collected by these strong warriors, thy healing hands cleansing as they are need to soothe this cool balm upon their sores", "I shall come" I answered "but needed as I am I shall be gone soon for there is many a place I am wanted to be to repent for my sins".
On this day I found that good deeds do indeed make up for many a wrong we humans create as I did meet a handsome youth of nineteen summers, a good count for my eighteen. With short golden locks, sparkling blue eyes and a dry sense of humour I hoped he would never lose, he was the most handsome of men-even above my friend Anna's husband. Whatever my faults were and deeds of bad I did were counter balanced with those of good heart sent out, to the brave men facing the wall of heat growing in our great city, through my hands, gentle as one would handle a new born lamb, with a cooling balm used by many to treat burns and scratches, abrasions and rashes. To the young man whom captured my heart both in sorrow and something deeper I am bound to call love I send a special prayer that he soon shall be of full health along with the other prayers for families, homes and pets alike that they shall not perish as many already have.
In these streets, those that are safe are outside the wall on Bishopsgate St. Where I am baking bread with many other women and girls. All who are able have a job looking after men and children with little shelter or healthy areas for many are cramped in small spaces along all streets away from the blaze, all whom are aware help each other as they wish to be helped in return. As unaware as I was of the time, the only time heeded was that of it was running out, I did not notice when the sun had finished its daily run as candles were soon lit, but kept out of harms' way, with little light we still went on until respected family members beckoned us to our little areas for much needed and welcomed sleep, though many could not for the smell of smoke and light of flame could be seen and smelled for yards all round. So when my father came, worried to the height, I dished up a meal for the both of us and let him lead me back to our spot...
Oh gosh I thought as we set down; for my father had stopped right near the youth twice mentioned before. As I soon found his name was Edward John, his father a blacksmith and his mother (like mine) had gone to a better place on his tenth summer. They had saved little in time but had a few blankets and were willing to share, as were many in this time of great despair.
A second day came and was passed in much the same fashion as the wind helped move the fire steadily on burning all it touched, all in its path. As the women cooked, fed and healed all as much was possible men were out trying to halt the fire, stop it in its tracks. Their many attempt at fire breaks never succeeded in stoping that great wall of light and heat.
This third day saw more deaths from burns now infected that we couldn't heal. Anna, her brother and her son were among many that I knew, Edward, his burns to extensive to heal, was amongst them. As sadness grew I heard of more deaths through tales of the midwife, her chatter never ceasing. At not even mid-morning things began to change as the strong eastward wind died down and fires came to a halt burning themselves out like a candle burns down til all its fuel is gone.
As I heard from Anna's mother a lady of great respect, a fire break ordered to be made with gunpowder by the garrison of the Tower of London halted further spreading of the fire eastward and The duke of York ordered the paper house to be demolished serving as another fire break, stopped the fire so it could burn no further.
I saw as i walked along memorising the damage, even the great St. Paul's Cathedral was burnt in the blaze. All who heard when I came back to father at the day's end knelt down at once in prayer for that cathedral was a centrepiece in our lives. The damage was continued even outside the wall, and the area burnt caused my eyes to water when I saw how much was gone.
Days have passed yet still cleaning up was being done by all alive and well. I went to the Tower and was asked to keep record of everything that happened as I was in the thick of the destruction and was the only one able to read and write. The deaths recorded were only 16 as middle and lower class were not seen as important though to be fair it was us who suffered the worst. Not only had the plague been through and wiped many out but now the fire and many more deaths. I must stick to my faith and say it is God's will but sometimes it is hard to see how he could want this. Although lots of bad things happened and came out of this disaster some good was done also such as the death of many rats that carried the plague infected fleas. The aristocratic area in Westminster was unaffected by the fire as were a few areas inside and out of the wall.
My lesson was learned and paid for by many others that greediness and other sins shall not be tolerated by our Lord and punishment shall be given as it was in the plague and the fire.