[...] pitty, to all people that shall heare of it in [...] [...]ull fire that hapned on London-Bridge, the 11. [...]
[...]o the tune of, Aime not too high.
IT gri
[...]ves my heart to write such heauy newes,
As in my story afterward ensues;
I would to God it neuer had béene so,
But 'tis too true, the Lord aboue doth know.
O, here begins my heauy tale of woe,
The which will force salt teares from eyes to flow,
I thinke there cannot be a heart so hard,
But to my subiect will haue some regard.
O onely
London, then that art the flower,
On which the Lord his blessing still doth shower;
Alas I doe lament the heauy losse,
The which many a thousand pound hath cost.
O
London-bridge, that place of beauty faire,
The world againe the like cannot compare:
What heauy fortune now there is befell,
Ala
[...]ke, alas, it grieues me for to tell.
How shall I write to giue you all content?
Nay, I must write that which wil I cause lament,
Vnto a heart that is as hard as stéele,
Yet sure he needes must some compassion féele.
On Munday night, the eleuenth of February,
A fire hapned, of which none was wary;
Hapned, said I? alas, it is too true,
As it is knowne, howsoeuer first it grew.
Some say, 'twas through a Maidens negligence,
But that Ile leaue for other to dispence,
I would not speake more than what I doe know,
For feare that some offened th
[...]
[...]
But certaine 'tis, there's many houses burned,
The fire could not stented be, nor turned,
Vntill it had consum'd them euery one,
Third part the bridge from that place where't begun
Hard by Saint Magnus, first it did begin,
When as good folkes their beds were sléeping in,
Then some arising starting all with feare,
Whenas they saw they were beset with fire.
Some cryed o
[...] fire fire, being afraid,
Yet very few could doe them any aide,
They could not come to doe them any good,
Because the houses ouer water stood.
Indéed the cryes were grieuous to be heard,
The women were so wonderfully skar'd,
The children shaking, to their friends did say,
God Father and Mother, pray let's goe away.
Alas, poore soules, they well might be afraid.
Being likely to be burn'd if they had staid,
The fire it did still encrease so fast,
That they much goods into the Thames did cast.
I flamed aloft and fire did still encrease,
Vse all the meanes they could, it would not cease,
Vntill it had consumed both sides oth' way,
Néere forty dwelling houses, as some say.
You may imagine of the wondrous losse.
Besides the money that the buildings cost,
For surely those that on the bridge doe dwell,
Were men which did in riches much excell.
The second part.
To the same tune.
AS I haue read the Chronicle of
Stowe,
One thousand one hundred thirty sixe yeeres agoe
The Bridge then being builded all of wood,
Was burned euery sticke and stake as 't stood.
And many people then was burned too,
Because out of the fire they could not goe,
O Lord I wish the like may nere be knowne.
As this prospect, for which all sigh and groane,
At that same time was b
[...] aboundance more,
The fire then the City ran halfe ore,
From
London-stone to
Aldgate, and to
Pauls,
It did consume goods, timber, worke, and walls.
Let me intreat both old and young to pray,
For to defend's from such sudden decay,
I thinke the veriest tyrannizing heart,
This same t'haue séen, wold make him féel some smart.
Alas, my masters, say twere your' owne case,
Or thinke your selues had béen in that same place,
It would haue put you in a dangerous feare,
Besides still after, sorrow, griefs and care.
O Lord, me thinkes, I heare the cryes and groanes,
That many of them made with heauy moanes,
O helpe, O helpe, they all aloud did cry,
Whilst fire burned and flames aloft did flye.
The Husband bade the Wife she should not feare,
Although his eyes did shead full many a teare,
Yet would he giue her comfort in her was,
But how to helpe themselues they did not know.
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