Rebuilding of London Act 1666
King Charles II oversees the reconstruction plans for London after the Great Fire of 1666, as architects and laborers present their designs under the Rebuilding Act. The Master Architect explains the
Setting
A large temporary canvas pavilion erected near the ruins of Westminster, serving as a makeshift planning office. The ground is uneven, scattered with debris and newly laid bricks. A large table dominates the center, covered with architectural plans and models.
Characters
King Charles II
primary
A tall, dark-haired man in his late 30s with a prominent nose and full lips, sporting the characteristic flowing black curls and pointed beard of the Restoration period. His piercing dark eyes survey the scene with keen intelligence, and his posture carries the effortless authority of a monarch.
Master Architect
primary
A middle-aged man of slight but sturdy build, with sharp, intelligent features. His face is weathered from years of overseeing construction sites, with deep-set eyes that scrutinize details and a prominent nose. His hands are calloused but precise, often gesturing with measured movements.
Surveyor
secondary
A middle-aged man of lean build with sun-weathered skin and sharp, observant eyes. His hands are calloused from years of handling measuring tools, and his posture suggests a lifetime of meticulous work. A faint scar runs along his right cheekbone, likely from a past accident in the field.
Bricklayer Foreman
secondary
A middle-aged man with a wiry, muscular build from years of labor. His hands are rough and calloused, his face weathered by sun and wind. Dark hair streaked with gray, tied back with a simple leather thong. A prominent scar runs across his right forearm from an old construction accident.
Royal Guard
background
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late 30s with a weathered face and a neatly trimmed mustache. His piercing blue eyes scan the surroundings with military precision, and his posture suggests years of disciplined training. His hands, resting on the hilt of his sword, bear the calluses of frequent weapon drills.
Dialog
King Charles II
Master Architect, these plans show admirable ambition, but I must insist—these lanes shall be no less than thirty feet wide, as we decreed. Fire respects neither rank nor architecture.
Master Architect
Your Majesty, with greatest respect—the existing property lines constrain us here. The proposed twenty-five feet allows for—
Surveyor
—nay, Master, the lane cannot exceed twenty-two feet here without infringing upon St. Stephen's precinct!
King Charles II
Mon Dieu, must we rebuild London with the same crooked alleys that fed the flames? Surveyor—mark these boundaries anew.
Master Architect
Perhaps... if we adjust the cornice projections here, we might gain the necessary width without violating sacred ground?
Surveyor
By my chain measure, Your Majesty—the easternmost properties yield precisely twenty-eight feet if we incorporate the new brick embankment.
King Charles II
Enfin—a compromise worthy of Solomon. Let it be twenty-eight feet then, and may London never again burn for want of air.