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and Queen Mary were conducted by a
noble cavalcade to Guildhall, where their
Majesties and a numerous train of the no-
bility were entertained at dinner; and
soon after the Parliament reversed the
proceedings of the former reigns on the
quo warranto, declaring them to be ille-
gal and arbitrary, and confirmed all the
rights and privileges of the city.
After the peace of Ryswick, King
William III. at the desire of the Lord
Mayor and citizens, made his public en-
try into the city, with great magnificence,
the Lord Mayor carrying the city sword
before his Majesty.
In the reign of Queen Anne, her Ma-
jesty came several times in great state to
St. Paul's, to return thanks for the glo-
rious victories of the great Duke of Marl-
borough; and after the victory of Blen-
heim, his Grace, with the Prince of Hesse
and many of the nobility, dined with the
Lord Mayor and Aldermen at Gold-
smith's Hall.
On Friday the 26th of November
1703, happened the most dreadful storm
of wind that perhaps was ever known in
any age or nation. For, beginning about
eleven at night, and increasing till about
seven in the morning, it committed the
most terrible and amazing devastations,
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by blowing down houses, trees, brick
walls, and stacks of chimneys; by which
many of the citizens were buried in ruins;
a considerable number of whom were
killed, others terribly wounded, while
others again were amazingly preserved
unhurt among the rubish. As an in-
stance of which, it may be proper to men-
tion the following circumstance: two
boys lying in a garret in the Poultry, a
huge stack of chimneys fell in, which
making its way through that and all the
other stories to the cellar, it was followed
by the bed with the boys asleep in it, who
first awaked in that gloomy place of con-
fusion, without having suffered the least
hurt. Incredible as this story is, it is ne-
vertheless well attested.
By the impetuosity of this storm, many
spires and turrets were destroyed; upon
the churches and other public buildings,
the lead was rolled up like scrolls, and
blown to a considerable distance. At the
approach of day, the houses appeared like
so many skeletons, and being mostly strip-
ped, the damage done to the roofs was so
great, that the price of tiles rose from
1l. 1s. to 6l. a thousand.
It is not easy to conceive the surprize
that appeared in all countenances in the
morning; for the streets were covered
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