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ME-thinks the several Conduits that were in London, stood like so many little (but strong) Forts, to confront and give check, to that great enemy, Fire, if any occasion should be. There,
me-thinks the water was, as it were, intrenched and ingarrisoned. The several Pipes and Vehicles of water, that were within those Conduits, all of them charged with water, till, by the turning of the Cocks, they were discharged again; were, as so many Souldiers within those Forts, with their Musquets charged, and ready to be discharged up∣on the drawing of their several Cocks, to keep and defend those places. And look how Enemies are wont to deal with those Castles, which they take to be impregnable, and dispair of ever get∣ting by storm, viz. to attempt the starving of them by a close Siege, intercepting all provision of Victuals from coming at them; so went the fire to work with those little Castles of stone, which were not easie for it to burn down (witness their standing to this day); spoiled them or almost spoil∣ed them it hath for present, by cutting off those supplies of water, which had wont to slow to them, melting those leaden Channels, in which the water had wont to be conveyed to them, and thereby, as it were, starving those Garrisons, which they could not take by storm.
What the Scripture speaks of the Land of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom, even as the Garden of the Lord, like the Land of Egypt (made fruitful by the River Nilus); the same might have been said of London before this fire, It was watered like Paradise its self: yea, whereas Paradise had but one River, (though it parted into four heads, Gen. 2.10.) Lon∣don had two at least, deviding its self, or rather de∣vided into many branches, and dispersing its self several wayes. For, besides the noble River of Thames, gliding not only by the sides, but tho∣row
the bowels of London, there was another, called the New-River, brought from Hartfordshire thither, by the industry and ingenuity of that worthy and ne∣ver to be forgotten Knight, Sir Hugh Middleton, the spring of whose deserved fame is such, as the late Fire its self (though the dreadfullest of all that we have known) hath not, nor will not be able to dry up; but continue it will, a Fountain of praise and honour, bubling up to all posterity.
As nature, by Veins and Arteries, some great, some small, placed up and down all parts of the Body, ministreth blood and nourishment to every member thereof, and part of each member; so was that wholsome Water, which was as necessary for the good of London, as blood is for the life and health of the body, conveyed by Pipes, wooden or metalline, as by so many veins into all parts of that famous City. If water were, as we may call it, the blood of London, then were its several Con∣duits, as it were, the Liver and Spleen of that Ci∣ty (which are reckoned as the Fountains of blood in humane bodies) for that the great Trunks of veins conveying blood about the body, are seated there, as great Roots fixed in the Earth, shooting out their branches divers and sundry wayes. But alas! how were those Livers inflamed, and how unfit have they been since to do their wonted Office? What pity it is, to see those breasts of London (for so I may also call them) almost dryed up: and the poor Citizens mean time so loth as they are, to be wean∣ed from their former place. They were lovely streams indeed, which did refresh that noble City, one of which was alwayes at work, pouring out its self when the rest lay still.
As if the Fire had been angry with the poor
old Tankard-bearers, both Men and Women, for propagating that Element which was contrary to it; and carrying it upon their shoulders as it were in State and Triumph; it hath even destroyed their Trade, and threatned to make them perish by fire, who had wont to live by water. Seeing there are few or none to suck those Breasts at this day, the matter is not so great; if they be almost empty and dry at present, may they but sill again, and their Milk be renewed, so soon as the honest Citi∣zens shall come again to their former scituations. O Lord, that it might be thy good pleasure to let London be first restor'd, and ever after preserved from Fire; and when once restored, let it be as plentifully and commodiously supplied with water as ever it was formerly: Make it once again as the Paradise of God; but never suffer any destroying Serpent any more to come there.