The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 11
MEDITATION XI. Upon the Burning of Publick Halls.
If any think thoſe Halls were built meerly for feaſting and entertainment (or at the moſt but for pompe) they are much deceived. Certainly, they were both intended and improved to higher and better uſes. All great Bodies and Societies of men muſt needs, for order ſake, be divided and ſubdivided. So Armies are divided into ſeveral Regiments; Regiments, into ſeveral Troopes or Companies: ſo Navies divide themſelves into ſeveral Squadrons. Upon the ſame accompt, the Citizens of London, being a great Body of Traders, and thoſe of ſeverall Profeſſions; it was but neceſſary, they ſhould be parcelled into ſeveral Companies, having each of them their peculiar Officers, which made them as it were an entire body by themſelves, fitted with head and members of all ſorts, the reſpective Maſters being, as it were, the head, the ſubordinate Officers, the Eſſential parts, and the ordinary members the integral. Both decency and conveniency required, there ſhould be a handſome place, for each of thoſe Societies to meet in; which was, as it were, a little Parliament Houſe belonging to them, in which the Repreſentatives of each Company (I mean their Officers) did meet together to conſult and Parley, what might be for the good of the whole. Here the grievances of each Society (falling within their cognizance) where complained of and redreſſed. Here they adviſed and agreed together what to do, and what to petition their Superiors for, that might be for the benefit of their reſpective trades and Profeſſions, how they might prevent encroachments and abuſes, how they might maintain their priviledges, how they might take all advantages, for the beſt improvement of their reſpective Trades. In all of theſe a common ſtock was kept on foot, and carefully lookt after, for divers needful purpoſes; as namely, for the relief of ſuch of their own Society, as ſhould fall to decay, for helping young beginners, who had little to ſet up with, and might there borrow upon good ſecurity, for improving the Eſtates of Widowes (as in the Book-ſellers Company) and for many other good purpoſes; one of which, Schollars ought never to forget, and that is for encouraging young Students, by liberall exhibitions wherewith to increaſe their maintainance at the Univerſity. There were in ſeverall Halls, though not in each of them, Stocks going for all theſe purpoſes (and it is like for many more) which may ſufficiently evidence, that they were places of great uſe; which, I mention to ſhew, what cauſe we have to bewail the loſſe of them. To ſay, they were moſt of them noble Structures, even thoſe that did belong to the meaner Trades (as, who ſhould ſay, they aſſumed ſome grandeur to themſelves, as they were a Society, whatſoever their condition might be …ngly and apart) Or, to ſay, that the meeting together, of the members of thoſe Companies, in their ſeverall Halls, upon many great ſolemnities, was a probable means to increaſe love and friendſhip amongſt them, were to defcend to lower conſiderations about them, then I have yet taken notice of (and yet thoſe things are not altogether contemptible) and therefore I ſcarce care to mention them. But put all I have ſaid, together (though poſſibly I know not half the uſes they were put to) it will appear a doleful thing, that they were burnt, and that, in their deſtruction, we loſt, not onelyonly great Splendor, but great conveniences, helps, and advantages, and that in ſeveral kinds. If men did there decree righteous things amongſt themſelves (as I hope they did) I know no Crime thoſe places were chargeable with, unleſs it were too much Feaſting: which, the ſadneſs of Times, for many years paſt, might put an aggravation upon: And, if that were all their Crime, I ſee, how neceſſary it is, to ſhun, not only greater, but alſo leſſer ſins, which may expoſe Places; and, if Places, Why not Perſons alſo to ruin and deſtruction.
One Hall there was of ſomething a different uſe from the reſt, and of greater ſpendor, Guild-Hall I mean; in which, one Author tells me, no leſs than nine ſeveral Courts had wont to be kept; whereof, one was called, The Court of Conſcience: If any of the reſt did not deſerve the ſame name, (which I cannot charge:) thoſe, or that which did not, ſhould be lookt upon as the Acan's, which troubled that place, and brought a curſe upon it. One ſinner deſtroyeth much good, ſaith Solomon, Eccleſ. 9.18. What then may not an unrighteous Court do, which conſiſts of many ſinners? When I conſider the Largeneſs, the Strength, and yet the Antiquity, the Majeſty, and the daily-Uſefulneſs of that ſame Guild-Hall, methinks it is not enough to weep over the Ruines of it: As firm as it ſtood, it was founded no leſs than upward of 360 years agoe; and, to ſee it confounded, (as I may call it) in one day, Whoſe heart would it not cauſe to bleed? Other Halls were like Parliament-Houſes, to particular Companies; but this, to the whole City: where the Aſſembling together of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Councill, had ſome reſemblance of a King, Lords, and Commons. There ſeemed to be an awfulneſs in the very place; methinks it had a Majeſtick look with it; and ſuch, as made the Magiſtrates there convened (though very venerable in themſelves) yet ſomething more conſiderable than they would have appeared elſewhere. It was ſurely that place, which did more contribute to make London look like it ſelf (that is, like the Head-City of theſe three Kingdomes) than any one Structure thereunto belonging. London had not been its ſelf, if it had loſt nothing but that one Hall: I wonder, That all the Wiſe Heads, that were concerned in it, could not ſave that ſtately Hall, (our Engliſh Capitol, as I may call it) from burning: Methinks it ſpeaks our Provocations-high, that we have ſinned away ſo great an Ornament, ſo vaſt an Accommodation as that Hall was; and, to think, that almoſt all the reſt are gone with it, might make our joynts tremble, and our knees ſmite together, as Belſhazzar's did, when he ſaw the handwriting upon the wall. I ſee there is no building certainly durable, but that, which Paul ſpeaks of, 2 Cor. 5.1. and, Lord, let that be mine (as well as his,) That building of God, that houſe not m…de with hands, eternal in the heavens.