LON 
were given by order of the king ; and, at length, they 
Were lent by the government to South Carolina, with 
eVery thing necefiary for them during the voyage, and 
proper means for their comfortable eftablifkment on their 
arrival. 
At this time the (ilk-weavers experienced great diftrefs, 
but an aft palled for their relief put an end to feveral 
riotous proceedings which had for fome time alarmed the 
city. The importation of French lilks had been the 
caufe of thefe difturbances, and the alTurances to the tnaf- 
ter-weavers that it would be difcontinued, aided by the 
timely interference of the mngiftrates and of the parlia¬ 
ment, brought the whole to a peaceable accommodation. 
A dreadful fire broke out on the ill of June, 1765, in 
a maft-yard, near Rotherhithe church, which, in a few 
hours, deftroyed two hundred and fix houfes, together 
with a brig and feveral lighters in the river. The wind 
carried the flames to a confiderable diftance ; but luckily 
they were driven from the Thames, otherwife the confe- 
quence to the fliipping mult have been very fatal. Thefe 
Ioffes were computed at ten thouland pounds; but the 
unhappy fufferers, many of whom had not infured their 
property, were relieved by the munificence of the public, 
who raifed 1‘uch contributions as greatly exceeded the ef- 
timates of the claimants. 
This and many other fires which happened during the 
dourfe of the year, appear to have been either produced, 
or greatly increafed, if they occurred accidentally, by 
evil-minded perfons ; for, about this time, many incen¬ 
diary letters were dropped in different parts of London, 
and feveral trains, laid for this defperate purpofe, were dif- 
covered and defeated within a few weeks. Notwithftar.d- 
ing this, another dreadful conflagration took place on the 
7th of November, about three o’clock in the morning, 
at the houfe of one Rutland, a peruke-maker, in Biftiopf- 
gate-ftreef, next door to the corner-houfe in Leadenhall- 
ltreet. The wind being high, the flames fpread to the 
corner-houfe, and from thence to the oppofite fide; when 
thefe, for want of water and proper afliftance, foon com¬ 
municated to the other two, fo that the four corner-houfes 
were all on fire at the fame time. The houfe, which 
formed the corner of Gracechurch-ftreet and Cornhill, 
was only damaged, but the other three were all defiroyed ; 
as were alfo all the houfes from the corner of Cornhill, 
next Bilhopfgate-ftreet, to the church of St. Martin Out- 
wicli, at the corner of Threadneedle-flreet. The church 
and parf'onage-houfe, as well as the back part of feveral 
houfes in Threadneedle-flreet, were greatly damaged. 
All the houfes in White-Lion-court were entirely de¬ 
ftroyed ; amongWhich was the White-Lion-tavern, that 
had been bought but the evening before for between two 
and three thoufand pounds. The back part of Merchant- 
Taylors’ Hall was greatly damaged ; five houfes on the 
Exchange-fide of Cornhill were entirely cofifumed, as 
were feveral others in Leadenhall-flreet. Near a hundred 
houfes were deftroyed or damaged; and the lofs was com¬ 
puted at ioojoool. Several lives were loft, not only by 
the fire, but by the falling of chimneys and walls. A 
gentleman, who ventured among the ruins next day, 
thinking that fome perfons might be (fill alive under the 
rubbifh, waved his hat, to engage the attention of the 
fpeftators, and declared that he was fure many were ac¬ 
tually under the fpot on which he flood. Upon this, the 
firemen went immediately to work with their pick-axes; 
and, on removing the rubbifh, they drew out, alive, two 
men, three women, and a child about fix years old. 
The following day, as fome of the workmen were clear¬ 
ing away the rubbifh from the cellar of one of the houfes, 
a flack of chimneys fuddenly fell down ; by which acci¬ 
dent eight perfons were killed, and feveral others had 
their limbs cruflied in a (hocking manner. Many of the 
fufferers by this fire not being infured, a fubfcription was 
opened for their relief, which foon produced a handfome 
firm ; one thoufand pounds of which was fubfcribed by his 
jnajefty. The Grocers’and Ironmongers’ companies'each 
¥ol. XIII. No."892. 
DON. 109 
fubfcribed a hundred pounds, and the lord-mayor fifty ; 
a part of which was diftributed among the unfortunate 
widows and children of .the men who were killed by the 
falling of the flack of chimneys. 
The annals of the city prefent us, at this period, with 
feveral regulations, iffued from the court of common- 
council, by which the rights of the citizens, and the fup- 
port of the poor were considerably improved. At a court 
held the 23d of January, 1767, it was unanimouily re- 
folved, that, on account of the diftreffes of the poor, 
(which at that time were very great, occafioned by the 
inclemency of the feafon,) one thoufand pounds (bould 
be fubfcribed out of the chamber of the city ; and that 
a fubfcription-book fliould be opened in the chamberlain’s 
office, for the donations of all well-difpofed perfoijs; 
which money ffiould be appropriated to the relief of fuch 
poor perfons, inhabiting within the city and liberties, as 
did not receive alms of the pariffies ; and a committee 
was appointed, confiding of the lord-mayor, and all the 
aldermen, and fifty-two commoners, who immediately 
withdrew, and began a fubfcription among themfelves ; 
to which the lord-mayor gave one hundred pounds, and 
the reft of the gentlemen very liberally. By this noble 
plan great numbers of people were happily relieved from 
the mod abjeft Hate of diftrefs. 
On the 14th of September, 1767, Elizabeth Brownrigo- 
(wife of James Brownrigg, painter, in Fetter-lane, FleeN 
lrreet) was executed at Tyburn, for the murder of Mary 
Clifford, her apprentice. The child’s death uas occa¬ 
fioned by a feries of fuch uncommon barbarities, as, had 
they not been well attefted on the trial, would have ap¬ 
peared almoft incredible. The huffiand and foil, who 
were in fome degree concerned, were acquitted of the 
murder, but afterwards tried for an affault ; of which 
being found guilty, they were fentenced to be imprifoned 
in Newgate fix months, and to enter into recognifance 
for their good behaviour for feven years. Before (lie left 
Newgate, her hufband and Ion took an affectionate leave 
of her in the cell. She appeared very penitent in the way 
to, and at, the place of execution ; where the number of 
fpeftators was fo great, that many perfons were confider- 
ably bruifed by the prefiure of the crowd. 
The year 1768 began with a very fevere froft, which 
greatly contributed to the calamity of the lower fort of 
people, who were already much diftrelfed from the exor¬ 
bitant price of provisions. On the 9th of January, the 
river, below bridge, bore ail the appearance of a general 
wreck ; ffiips, boats, and ftnall craft, lying in a very con- 
fufed manner, fome on-fbore, and others lunk, or overfec 
by the ice. A fifhing-boat was discovered, near Dept- 
ford-creek, jammed in by the ice, and all the people in 
it frozen to death ; one of whom, a youth about feven- 
teen, was found fitting ereft, a's if alive. 
Dreadful affrays happened at this time, between coal- 
heavers and tailors; which ended in the execution of two 
of the former for the murder of one Battie. 
In the fame year, the king of Denmark being on a vifit 
to his majefty, the citizens of London were delirous of 
Showing their refpeft to him ; in confequence of which it 
was relolved in a court of common-council to invite him 
to an entertainment at the Maniion-houfe, which being 
accepted, the 23d of September was the day appointed 
for receiving the royal gueft, who intimated his defire of 
coming to the city by water. In confequence of this, 
on the appointed day, the city-barge, attended by the 
companies' barges, proceeded to New Palace-yard, where 
the king embarked ; and, in order to give him <t more ex- 
tenfive view of the banks of the river, a circuit was made 
as high as Lambeth, and then down to the Steel-yard, 
after which they returned to the Temple-flairs, and, on 
landing, were conducted to the Middle-Temple Hall, 
where an elegant collation was prepared by the benchers 
of the two locieties. From the Temple his majefty was 
conducted to the Manfion-houfe in the city ftate-coach, 
followed by the ncbleinen of his ante, and the aldermen 
F f at&i 
