On Sunday November the 19th. 1682. about 9 or 10 of the Clock at night, a most dreadful and terrible, outragious and consuming Fire broke out at Wapping, in Cinnamon-Lane, at the house of one Captain Allen, a person who usually bore Command at Sea, and by the most true and exact account as we can yet get, but it is supposed true enough, by the means of a Drunken Fellow, whose senses being drowned in the superflu­ity of strong drink, rendred him as much like a Beast▪ as it useth to do by all men, who inconsiderately drink to excess; but he coming home with his mind as care­less as his brain witless, and lodging in a Garret of the aforesaid Captain Allens, he being drowsie and o­ver-loaded with Liquor, let his Candle fall into some Shavings which were in the Garret, which immedi­ately [Page 2] took fire, and burnt with such vehemence, that it soon set the house all on a Flame, and in a moment as it were, consumed that house even to the very ground, notwithstanding the immediate discovery made by a Boy of about eight years of Age, and the great In­dustry of the Neighbourhood, who were extraordinary active to suppress the raging Flame, yet by the strength of the Wind, which then blew exceeding hard, the Flames increased, and run on with such violence, that it is scarce imaginable, that all the Inhabitants were put into a fearful consternation, some of them so affright­ed, that they came running into the street in their shift only; but yet the Fire grew fiercer and fiercer, and all their endeavours to obstruct or hinder its progres­sion, proved ineffectual, for by the severity of the Wind it was carryed along irresistably, water being at that time scarce, and the Inhabitants so amazed, that they had not sense enough to secure what they might, the fire violently running through 3 or 4 houses as it were even at once, destroying all before it, for the Buildings many of them being old, took fire as it were like Tinder, and run on for the space of an hour and a half, before any Engines came to the assistance of the Sufferers, and by the narrowness of the Streets, the Flames had the advantage of firing on both sides of the way; so that then it became terrible to behold; at last Engines came, but water being scarce, many of them proved unserviceable, the Engineirs used their utmost Industry, but to small effect.

And after, by the outrage of these consuming flames, about a hundred houses were destroyed, it was ordered that Powder should be conveyed thither from the [Page 3] Tower by Water, which was accordingly done, and Orders were given for blowing up, so that immediate­ly six houses were Levelled; but the Timber lying in the way, took fire, and burnt more firecely then before, and so run down in spight of opposition, to the very Thames fide, which caused the Ships to weigh Anchor, and stand for the other shore; much damage was sustain­ed, but some of them that lay nearest the shore had their Shrowds fired; and one amongst the rest, was fired in her Fore-Castle, but by the double diligence of the Sailers, she was preserved; but, 'tis said, that two Seamen hastily getting on Board, fell into the Ri­ver, and one of them was lost.

The poor Inhabitants disorderly flying away from the outrage of the fire, and endeavoured to save what they could from the Flame; the Neighbouring fields were over-spread with the Goods that hasty removing had much damaged. About One in the morning the Life-Guard came with Powder, in hopes to Extinguish the fire, which then was hoped might be conquered, but the Wind rising and turning into another Quar­ter, together with the fear of the people, several ha­ving been killed by Timber and the fall of Chimneys, Walls, and other places, the Flame went on without opposition, fiercely burning towards Shadwel, destroy­ing the new Buildings that were built after the great Fire, about five or six years ago; also Store Houses, Ware-houses, and Cranes, with great quantities of To­bacco and Brandy, Wood-yards in abundance were consumed; and not a Cart to be got for money; and the Tyde being low; all hopes of help by Water were frustrated, so that by eight in the morning 6 or 7 hun­dred [Page 4] houses were thought to be burnt, and about twen­ty blown up, and many more pulled down, notwith­standing the diligence of the Water-men imployed by the Insurers, who very boldly adventured their lives, hoping to secure the houses Insured.

It is unknown how many people were destroyed by this sad accident, but it is without doubt there were many, three or four of which lay openly as objects of pitty to the sorrowful beholders, and 'tis thought about forty more are burnt and maimed; one was knocked on the head by the fall of some part of a house which was blown up, and it is yet not known how many lost their lives by this deplored Fire.

The greater Sufferer, as we are informed, is Sir Wil­liam Warren, who it is reported, hath lost some hundreds a year, besides what he had Insured. The Lady Ivey, so much commended both far and near for her great pitty and Charity, hath been a considerable sufferer, whose loss is much lamented by the poor, and I hope by the Rich also. All the Fields belonging to her, and be­tween that and Stepney, and also up to White Chappel, were covered and filled with the Goods of those poor and much to be lamented people, who the day before, many of them thought themselves to be in a happy condition, but now ruined and undone by the merciless Flame. Besides, several Ships that lay in the River were filled with Goods, the like, except the great Fire of London, was scarce ever known; and greater would the loss have been to several Timber-men, if they had not had the opportunity of saving their Tim­ber by the Water; some do affirm that it began by the carelessness of the person aforesaid, but it would [Page 5] be well if this might be a warning to all others to take care of their Candles, lest the product of their negli­gence prove fatal and destructive, as this hath done, to the utter ruine of some, and the great detriment of thousands.

We have this account also of one Fellow that was seized, and had several Fire-Balls found about him, who was with much difficulty, conveyed to the Watch-house, and there preserved from the fury of the incensed peo­ple, who otherwise would have undoubtedly killed him, but more of this you may expect hereafter.

On the Tuesday there was heard a most lamentable and mournful noise like groaning, near to a Celler belonging to a house that was blown up, which occa­sioned many to suspect that there might be some poor creatures even buried alive under the Rubbish, which being removed prov'd even so, for there they found five persons in a miserable plight, three of them being dead, and the other two not like to live; Lord grant that it may never be our lots, who now escaped this Calamity, ever to be left to the mercy of the merciless Flames; Amen.

On Tuesday November the 21th. 1682. we had account that the number of Houses computed to be consumed, were 2000. amongst which were two or three hundred blown up, and we hear, in the Execution thereof, about 40 were killed, and many more bruised and wounded; we hear at present only of one old woman that perish­ed in the Flame, except it were the Maid of the house where it began, who it was feared, did taste of the like Calamity. Sir John Wettwang who had a Ship a building there worth about 6 or 7 hundred pound, was very [Page 6] active, and by encouraging the Seamen by giving them Guinnies, happily preserved her from the Flames, who had it been Burned, would have done much damage to other Houses.

Amongst the Houses that were destroyed, the most chief and eminent were as followeth; Sir William War­rens, Mr. Hoopers, Mr. Wilsons, Mr. Hains, and Master Jacksons, who all kept considerable Deal-Yards, besides one Mr. Grinball who kept a Mast-Yard, and lost several hundreds of pounds worth, besides great store of other Commodities of all sorts consumed by the fire.

At Wapping-wall it took hold of a pile of Building, called the old Water-house, which it consumed in less then an hour, and then crossing the way, burnt violent­ly towards the Water-side, and had it not been for the vigilancy and industry of his Grace the Duke of Alber­marle, and the Earl Craven, and the two Sherriffs of Lon­don, who by their wisdom and industry put courage in­to the hearts of the never-daunted Seamen, it had been far worse, by their ordering some houses to be blown up, did put some present stop to it, which else had set fire to a great Ship which lay by Wapping-wall, but Tide coming in, they got her off, with several others which lay on Ground there.

The Fire, notwithstanding the many Houses which were blown up, burnt very fiercely to Kings-street-bridg, and near to New-Gravel-Lane, and there met with some Timber-Houses, and others who were built with boards and Tarr'd on the out-side, which took Fire immediate­ly and burnt like Tow almost, so that it was 8 a Clock at night almost before they could get a head of it, the wind being very high, and continued westerly all night and all day on Munday.