London and the Great fire

In 1666, only one year after another tragic incident, the Great Plague which killed about 70,000 people, the City of London was confronted by the greatest fire in its history. It was so important that it lasted four days, from Sunday 3rd September until Wednesday 6th September, and it did not cause a lot of damage among the population, at least we hope not because it was difficult to count all the victims with accuracy - some say only 8 victims perished in the fire! However this was not the case as far as the City itself was concerned. Nearly all the inhabitants living there had their houses destroyed by the fire.

Doc. The Great fire of London

- Great Plague
- 8 victims
- lasted 4 days
- Gundpowder Plot

to resign: démissionner
Great Plague: la grande épidémie
accuracy: exactitude
to perish: périr, mourir
the inhabitants: les habitants
to spread: se répandre
overcrowded: très fréquenté
squalid: sordide
thatch: chaume
coated with pitch: couvert de suie
narrow: étroit
to put out: lancer
to be bound to happen: devoir nécessairement arriver
the nearby houses: les maisons proches
he delayed: il s'est attardé
to put the fire out: éteindre le feu
fruitless: inutile
the Thames: la Tamise
the Dutch: le hollandais
the clergy: le clergé
Gunpowder Plot: la conspiration des poudres
the struggling: la lutte
foreigners: étrangers
As one man’s loss is another man’s gain: le malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres
carts: chariots
thick stony walls: des murs pierreux épais
the garrison of the Tower of London: la garnison de la tour de Londres
to take place: se situer
to be bothered: être dérangé
a simpleton: un simplet
a scapegoat: un bouc émissaire
a papist: papiste
a culprit: coupable
he was hanged: il a été pendu
bricks: des briques
tiles: des tuiles