Old Saint Paul's A Tale of the Plague and the Fire

, according to custom, at prayer. The grocer's name was Stephen Bloundel. His family consisted of his wife, three sons, and two daughters. He had, moreover, an appren

uffered no one to be absent, on any plea whatever, except indisposition, from morning and evening devotions; and these were always performed at stated times

e an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of Hosts had sent in his spirit by the former prophets." He admitted that great sins require great chastisement, and that the sins of London were enormous; that it was filled with strifes, seditions, heresies, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and every kind of abomination; that the ordinances of God were neglected, and all manner of vice openly practised; that, despite repeated warnings and afflictions less grievous than the present, these vicious practices had been persisted in. All this he humbly acknowledged. But he implored a gracious Providence, in consideration of his few faithful servants, to spare

as also grievously afflicted about the same time, and in the same manner. Notwithstanding every effort to cut off communication with these states, the insidious disease found its way into England by means of some bales of merchandise, as it was suspected, at the latter end of the year 1664, when two persons di

swept away by the visitation; by the prognostications of astrologers; by the prophesyings of enthusiasts; by the denunciations of preachers, and by the portents and prodigies reported to have occurred. During the long and frosty winter preceding this fatal year, a comet appeared in the heavens, the sickly colour of which was supposed to forebode the judgment about to follow. Blazing stars and other meteors, of a lurid hue and strange and preternatural shape, were

long the Tyburn-road. Saint Andrew's, Holborn, was next infected; and as this was a much more populous parish than the former, the deaths were more numerous within it. For a while, the disease was checked by Fleet Ditch; it then leaped this narrow boundary, and a

ver, before the opening of this history, fine weather having commenced, the horrible disease began to grow more rife, and laughing all precaution

the porter, and old Josyna, his mother, together with Patience, the other woman-servant, betook themselves silently, and with troubled countenances, to the kitchen. Leonard Holt, the apprentice, lingered for a moment to catch a glance from the soft blue eyes of Amabel, the grocer's eldest daughter (for even the

once fondly hoped the fair Amabel would accompany him, in the character of his bride. Not that he had ever ventured to declare his passion, nor that he had received sufficient encouragement to make it matter of certainty that if he di

could not remain insensible to her extraordinary beauty-for extraordinary it was, and such as to attract admiration wherever she went, so that the "Grocer's Daughter" became the toast among the ruffling gallants of the town, many of whom sought to obtain speech with her. Her parents, however, were far too careful to permit any such approach. Amabel's stature was lofty; her limbs slight, but exquisitely symmetrical; her features small, and cast in the most delicate mould; her eyes of the softest blue; and her h

ut before he could interfere, the fray was ended. One of them had received a thrust through the sword arm, and his blade dropping, his antagonist declared himself satisfied, and with a grave salute walked off. The wounded man wrapped a lace handkerchief round his arm, but immediately afterwards complained of great faintness. Pitying his condition, and suspecting no harm, the grocer led him into an inner room, where restoratives were offered by Mrs. Bloundel and her daughter Amabel, both of whom had been alarmed by the noise of the conflict. In a short time, the wounded man was so far recovered as to be able to converse with his assistants, especially the younger one; and the grocer having returned to the shop, his discourse became so very animated and tender, that Mrs. Bloundel deemed it prudent to give her daughter a hint to retire. Amabel reluctantly obeyed, for the young stranger

ssioned tone, "but suffer me to declare the l

ushes, cast down her eyes before the ardent regards

d I release you. Am I wholly indif

ou. He loves you not. He would ruin you. This is the way with all thes

h, mother," returned Amabel, art

on his knees, and pressing her hand to his lips

own indiscretion, forcibly withdrew her hand, exclaiming in a cold tone, and with much natural dig

allant, passionately. "I love

. Bloundel, contemptuous

oined the gallant, risi

ed her f

s you pretend, this is not the way to win her; for though she can have no pretension to wed with one of your seeming degree, nor is it for her happiness that she should, yet, were she sought by the proudest noble in the land, she shall never, if I can help it, be lightly

"I cannot give you a hope til

gallant. "I will tarry

to seat himself, but Mrs

man of rank. You may be one of the profligate and profane crew who haunt the court. You may be the worst of them all, my Lord Rochester himself. He is about your age, I have heard, and though a mere boy in years, is a vete

ly. I am sure he is neither a profligate gallant himself, nor a

loundel's address; "but I shall reform when I am married. It would be impossible to be inconstant to so fair a c

convinces me you will meet with a decided re

derly at Amabel. "If I should be so fortun

that question," she rej

go, indeed, you must.

I will stay," resumed Wyv

e," she answered,

"I shall return shortly, and trust to find your f

rms, and perhaps snatched a kiss, if

here. If you look to wed my daughter, you must conduct yourself mor

had better give her to me quietly, and save me th

del, in accents of alarm; "now

cely carry me off without my own consent; and I am not likely

ly effaced her displeasure; "I meant not to offend. I spoke only the languag

that," she replied; "bu

anguage of real regard,

zed gave place to a fierce and forbidding expression. Controlling himself by a powerful effort, he replied, with

"What, ho! son Stephen! Leonard Holt! I say. This gentlem

rushing before the younger Bloundel, and flourishing h

d upon his sword: "and if it were not for the presence of your mistres

my cudgel and your shoulders acquainted, if you

ould have drawn his sword, but

laimed; "you shall rue this to

you," replied Leonard,

hand, and looking with the greatest commiseration at W

are not what rude treatment I experience from this churl. We sha

xt for quarrel would arise, but he was disappointed. Wyvil took

omment, he proceeded about his business, and remained in the shop till it was closed. Wyvil did not return, and the grocer tried to persuade himself they should see nothing more of him. Before Amabel retired to re

blushed

truth, father," she rejo

o say I

ut you would not be happy with him. I am sure he i

sighed Amabel. And th

in his manner which he had not hitherto assumed. What passed between him and Bloundel was not known, for the latter never spoke o

ent, from many other signs, that Wyvil completely engrossed her thoughts. Fully aware of this, Mrs. Bloundel said nothing of it to her husband, because the subject was painful to him; and not supposing the passion deeply rooted, she hoped it would speedily wear away. But she was mistaken-the flame was kept alive in

of which was then converted into a public walk, and generally thronged with town gallants, bullies, bona-robas, cut-purses, and rogues of every description. In short, it was the haunt of the worst of characters of the metropolis. When, th

He was whispering a few words in her ear, unperceived by her sister. Maddened by the sight, Leonard hurried towards them, but before he could rea

n to my father what you have ju

hat gallant again without my knowl

. Satisfied she would not break her word, the apprentice became more easy, and as a week elapsed, and no

towards him, and in consequence of this notion, he sought to meet her gaze, as before related, after prayers. While trying to distract his thoughts b

I should next meet Maurice Wyvil. He will be here to-ni

he felt unwell. The apprentice returned an evasive answer, and half determined to relate all he knew to his master, but the next moment he changed his intention, and, influenced by that chivalric feeling which always governs those, of whatever condition,

im, and became convinced from his manner that something ailed him. Not having any notion of the truth, and being filled with apprehensions of the plague, his dread was that Leonard was infected by the disease. Supper was generally the pleasantest meal of the day at

l appearance exceedingly striking. In age he was about fifty. His integrity and fairness of dealing, never once called in question for a period of thirty years, had won him the esteem of all who knew him; while his prudence and economy had enabled him, during that time, to amass a tolerable fortune. His methodical habits, and strong religious principles, have been already mentioned. His eldest son was named after

h character of her husband, whom she regarded as the most perfect of human beings. These slight failings allowed for, nothing but good remained. Her conduct was exemplary in all the relations of life. The tenderest of mothers, and the most affectionate of wives, she had as much genuine piety and strictness of moral prin

ove-eyed, flaxen-haired child, between four and five years old, and shared the fate of

arly in life, where she married Blaize's father, who died soon after their union. An excellent cook in a plain way-indeed, she had no practice in any other-she would brew strong ale and mead, or mix a sack-posset with, any innkeeper in the city. Moreover, she was a careful and tender nurse, if her services were ever required in that capacity. The children looked upon her as a second mother; and her affection for them, which was unbounded, de

other's advice, he steeped rue, wormwood, and sage in his drink, till it was so abominably nauseous that he could scarcely swallow it, and carried a small ball in the hollow of his hand, compounded of wax, angelica, camphor, and other drugs. He likewise chewed a small piece of Virginian snake-root, or zedoary, if he approached any place supposed to be infected. A dried toad was suspended round his neck, as an amulet of sovereign virtue. Every nostrum sold by the quacks in the streets tempted him; and a few days before, he had expended his last crown in the purchase of a bottle of plague-water. Being of a superstitious nature, he placed full faith in all the predictions of the astrologers, who foretold that London should be utterly laid waste, that grass should grow in t

, while his heart palpitated frightfully. A dreadful suspicion seized his father. He ran towards him, and assisted him to a seat. Scarcely had the young man reached it, when a violent sickness seized him; a greenish-coloured froth appeared at the mo