I went next to the black-smith,

The silver and jack-smith,

And so called on a perfumer;

But he, like a rogue,

Though the chief trade in vogue,
Bid the devil in hell consume her.

I went to the printer,

The victualler and vintner,

But, there finding nothing but chalk,
To the weavers I went,

But, being near day of rent,

They were all mov'd, their landlords to baulk.

But, sir, 'tis too long

To repeat the whole throng,

I have been with most trades in the city;

And said what I cou'd,

But 'twould all do no good,

They're too poor to be wrought into pity.

Having finish'd my range,

From Temple-Bar to the 'Change,
I thought of a new expedition;

I was resolved to go,

As far as Soho *,

And try of French and Dutch the condition.

And yet, by the way,

I made a short stay

At the Temple, if you know the place, sir;

On a lawyer I call'd,

That oft client had maul'd,

And told him the state of my case, sir.

He ask'd me, from whence

I had that impudence,

To expect any goodness from him;

Says he, sirrah, you know,

We have nothing to do,

But to cheat, drink, whore, and go trim.

Then, master attorney,

Since it don't concern ye,

I'll go to the jobber of stocks;

But he'd jobb'd so long,

As I found by his song,

That he could give her nought but the pox.

The French refugees and Dutch, that came over in king William's reigu, chiefly settled about Soho-square.

A a 3

I went next to the priest,
But he swore, 'twas in jest

To ask any charity there;

For he'd many children to get,
With much cost, painis, and sweat,
Besides something for puddings and beer.

And now for Monsieur *,
Who, before I came near,

I suppose had smelt out the matter;
He makes two or three cringes,
As if he hung upon hinges,
And thus he began for to flatter.

Begar, me and Minheer,
Bin very sorry to hear,

Of de death of de English trade;
Dis be one good nation,
Upon my salvation,

As ever me tinke dat God made.

Here I put him in mind
Of what I design'd,

And he very briskly reply'd:

De French and de Dutch,
Dat love her so much,

Will take care dat she shall be supply'd.

The Frenchman, begar,
Will take very good care,

To lay her so deep she shan't rise;
For, if once she shou'd,

Dat wou'd be no very good,

If de English should open their eyes.

The beadle here ends

The tale he intends,

And so we march'd on to the

But, when we came nigh,

There was such an outcry,

grave;

Good Lord! how the people did rave.

There was gun-smith, and cutlers,
And founders, and suttlers,
And coach-makers a great many;
There were coblers, and tinkers,
Those honest ale drinkers,

And shoe-makers too more than any.

There were some of all trades,
Even rogues, thieves, and jades,

See the foregoing note.

All howling and yelping about her;

Such throwing away snot,

Drivel, piss, and what not,

That, in short, I wish'd myself out, sir.

Had you been next,

When Master Spin-text

Began to hold forth to the people,

You'd have swore that the jar

Had been louder by far

Than that 'twixt the 'Change and Bow-steeple.

And then for the sound,

When they put her i' th' ground,
What mortal was able to bear it?
For my part, I confess,

I got out of the press,

And left those, that lik'd it, to hear it.

But now, to conclude,

I think, 'twou'd be rude,
Without saying something o'th' dame;
In short, we shall miss her,

But you know how 'tis, sir,

And let those that deserve't have the blame.

A FULL AND TRUE ACCOUNT*

OF A

MOST DREADFUL AND ASTONISHING FIRE WHICH HAPPENED AT WHITEHALL,

And begun in Col. Stanley's Lodgings, on Tuesday last, about Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, continuing with great Violence till about Nine O'Clock the next Morning, burning down and consuming the King's Chapel, the Guard-Chamber, the Long Gallery, &c. together with near 150 Houses. An Account also how several Persons were killed, with the blowing up twenty Houses, &c. Licensed according to Order. London, Printed by J. Bradford in Little Britain, 1698. Folio, containing two Pages.

MANY

ANY and various have been the relations concerning this dreadful and surprising accident, some affirming it had its beginning in one place, and some in another, and yet all or most of them remote from truth; therefore, for satisfaction of all such who desire to be truly informed in those unhappy and amazing particulars, I have published this following account, viz.

* Vide the 513th article in the catalogue of pamphlets in the Harleian library.

On Tuesday last, being the fourth of this instant January 1698, betwixt the hours of three and four of the clock in the afternoon, a Dutch woman who belonged to Col. Stanley's lodgings (which were near adjoining to the Earl of Portland's house at Whitehall) having sudden occasion to dry some linnen in an upper room, (for expedition sake) lighted a good quantity of charcoal, and carelesly left the linnen hanging round about it, which took fire in her absence to such a degree, that it not only consumed the linnen, but had seized the hangings, wainscots, beds, and what not, and flamed and smoaked in such a violent manner, that it put all the inhabitants thereabouts into consternation, as well as confusion, not knowing from whence it proceeded, insomuch that the unhappy Dutch woman could not return; so that in an instant (as it were) the merciless and devouring flames got such advantage, that, notwithstanding the great endeavours used by the water engines, numerous assistance, and blowing up houses to the number of about twenty, it still increased with great fury and violence all night, till about eight of the clock next morning, at which time it was extinguished, after it had burnt down and consumed (according to modest computation) about 150 houses, most of which were the lodgings and habitations of the chief of the nobility.

Such was the fury and violence of this dreadful and dismal conflagration, that its flames reduced to ashes all that stood in its way, from the Privy-Stairs to the Banqueting-House, and from the Privy-Garden to Scotland-Yard all on that side, except the earl of Portland's house, and the Banqueting-House, which were preserved, though much damnified and shattered. The fire proceeded close to the gate by the duke of Ormond's lodgings, before it could be extinguished. The most remarkable houses, which were consumed by these astonishing flames, are the Guard-Chamber, Council-Chamber, Secretary's Office, the King's Chapel, the Long Gallery to the gate, the Queen's Lodgings, Duke of Devonshire's, &c. but not the Earl of Portland's, as has been impudently affirmed in a late scandalous and ridiculous pamphlet. The danger, done by this fiery disaster, is at present unaccountable, considering the vast riches that were contained among those noble families; therefore consequently their loss must be very great, and might have been much greater, had not the officers of the guards taken care to stop the numerous crouds from pressing forward into houses where goods were removing.

It was confidently affirmed, that twenty or thirty persons were killed, but, blessed be God, upon a strict enquiry, I cannot learn that above twelve persons perished, among whom were two grenadiers, a water-man, and a painter; who endeavouring to reach out some goods at a window while the house was on fire, a piece of iron fell upon his head and beat out his brains. The like fate had a gardener, by the blowing up of a house: yet it is certain many more are dangerously wounded.

The Banqueting-House, though not much injured by the fire, except that part next Westminster, yet all parts of that renowned

and ancient building are so much shattered and disordered, that it little resembles what it was the day before; as are also most houses thereabouts, whose inhabitants were under the apprehension of danger, particularly the duke of Ormond's at the gate, which is not only cleared of all its rich furniture, but of all hangings whatsoever, that could possibly be got out, during the fury of the fire.

To conclude, it is a dismal sight to behold such a glorious, famous, and much renowned palace, reduced to a heap of rubbish and ashes, which the day before might justly contend with any palace in the world, for riches, nobility, honour, and grandeur.

God save king William.

Note, There is a scandalous, lying, and ridiculous pamphlet published, which asserts, that the Earl of Portland's and Duke of Shrewsbury's houses are burnt; which is notoriously false, they being both standing, having received no damage by the fire; with many other impertinencies, which the printer is ashamed to set his name to, or the place where he lives, only a counterfeit one like his pamphlet.

A LETTER TO A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN*:

SETTING FORTH THE CAUSE OF THE DECAY AND RUIN OF TRADE.

To which is annexed a List of the Names of some Gentlemen who were Members of the Last Parliament, and now are (or lately were) in Publick Employments. London; printed in 1698. Quarto, containing twenty-four Pages.

SIR,

YOURS

YOURS I received, bearing date the third of the last month, by which I find you seem to be much afflicted to see the trade of the nation ruined, and your native country brought into so great calamity as now it is; and desire me to give you some account, if possible, how, and by what means, all these evils have been brought upon the whole kingdom? Which I shall endeavour to do, in as brief a manner as I can, and, in order to it, shall relate to you some publick transactions in relation to the late war, and then leave you and all rational men to judge, who it is have been the grand instruments of bringing all these evils upon us.

For the situation of our country and the constitution of our government, we have always been esteemed the happiest nation in Europe: and no people in the universe ever enjoyed a longer series peace and plenty than we have done. Yet, during the time of

of

* Vide the 514th article in the catalogue of pamphlets.