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A13794
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The True lamentable discourse of the burning of Teuerton in Deuon-shire the third day of Aprill last past, about the hower of one of the clocke in the after-noone being Market day, 1598. At what time there was consumed to ashes about the number of 400 houses with all the money and goods that was therein: and fyftie persons burnt aliue through the vehemencie of the same fyer.
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1598
(1598)
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STC 24093; ESTC S103033
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6,643
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14
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The True lamentable discourse of the burning of Teuerton in Deuon-shire the third day of Aprill last past about the hower of one of the Clocke in the after-noone being Market day 1598. At what time there was consumed to Ashes about the number of 400 houses with all the money and goods that was therein and Fyftie persons burnt aliue through the vehemencie of the same Fyer AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Thomas Millington and are to be sould at his shop in Corn-hill vnder St. Peters Church The lamentable spoyle of Teuerton YT is not vnknowne to many and chiefly to English Marchants that the Towne of Teuerton in Deuon-shire about Ten myles on this side Exceter was the chiefe Market for Cloth that is in all the West parts of England pleasantlye situate vppon the cleere running Ryuer of Exe garnished with manye costlye and goodly buildinges inhabited with diuers rich and wealthy Marchants and so well peopled as no other Towne of the same bignesse in all those quarters could compare therewith And by reasoÌ„ of the Market kept therin euery Monday for Cloth and other commodities it was greatly frequented of all the countrey people neere adioyning especially of Clothiers and such other persons as had any dealinges therein where they were sure of sale and to haue present money for their commodities were it neuer so much where alwayes before dinner they had their Coyne truely payde which was no small benefit to all the poore men of the West partes as Weauers and Tuckers and such like But such is the mutabillite of fortune and the vncertaintie of our mortall state that no man can make assurance of that hee hath nor warrant his owne welfare one minute of an hower as by this following example and many other the like is manifest For we may bee well assured that the Third daye of Aprill last when the rich Inhabitants of Teuerton rose in the morning Nay when they were in the Market at Noone they little thought that before night their wealth should haue been turned into such want but now behold a thing more wonderfull he which at one a clocke was worth fiue Thousand Pound as the Prophet saith drunke his wine in bowles of fine Siluer plate had not by two a Clocke so much as a woodden dish left to eate his meate in nor a house to couer his sorrowfull head neyther did thys happen to one man alone but to many other being neyther in danger of the crueltie of warrs nor on the Seas where they might feare the furie of waters But when they thought themselues secure and farre from any imynent perrill in prime of the bright day not wheÌ„ their Towne was emptie but when their streetes swarmed with store of people not when they were a sleepe or naked in their bâ—ds when they could not shift for themselues but when they were awake apparelled and fit for any businesse Lo then I say sodenly as it were in a twinkling of an eye came that great griefe vppon them which turn'd their wealth to miserable want their riches to vnlookt-for pouertie and how was that mary sir by Fyer But no fier from Heauen no vnquenchable fier such as worthily fell on the sinfull Citie of Sodome and Gomora but a sillie flash of fier blazing forth of a frying pan the circumstance whereof I will briefly shew you The fier first began at the West end of the Towne on the fardest side of the sayde faire Riuer about one a clocke in the after noone in the very prime and chiefe of the Market wheÌ„ people were most busiest in the sale of their commodities For there was dwelling in a little lowe thatched house a poore beggerly woman who hadde got a companion fit for her purpose I meane an other woman of the like condicion And they together went to bake pan-cakes with strawe for their abillitie and prouision was so good that there was no wood in the house to doe it And as they were busie about their cookerie sodenly the fier got into the Pan which also caught present hould on the strawe lying hard by by meanes whereof the house being very low was by the high blaze of the strawe fiered in the verye roofe whych by the force of an extreame high wind which blew strongly in the West kindled with such vehemencie that their was no help for the same the fier wherof tooke hould of a certaine bay-house neere adioyning and from thence it passe to the Towne milles The winde blowing still fiercely did driue the fier into the Towne by this meanes in lesse then halfe an hower the whole Towne was set on fier and after burnt except the Church Court-house which sometime belonged to the Earle of Deuon-shire But marke what followed men would haue thought that vpon a Market day when euery street was so well replenishe with people froÌ„ all parts there had been help enough quickly to haue quencht the flambe thereof hauing also the commoditie of a ryuer neere adioyning But yt came not so to passe for they had neyther bookes nor buckets fit for such seruice which all other wise and discreete Citizens doe politiequely prouide against such casualties which might haue been a meanes of their preseruation Notwithstanding it is sayd that the chiefe of the towne had often been in hand to make such prouision but neuer brought it to effect for howsoeuer it was well motioned it was ill remembred the want whereof they now felt to their great sorrow and cost for whether it were couetousnesse or necligence or both which in these dayes is the cause of great euill it is certaine they were destitute of such engines the misse whereof when they found then all too late they bewailed their approned follie which was vndoubtedly Gods iust Iudgement for their iniquities by the which let all other Townes take example Whereby we may gather it is not in mans power to preuent with strength of haÌ„d the least plague which the Lord doth purpose to bring on any place For you shall vnderstand that all that day the wind being at West-South-west blowing extreame hard the power thereof was so great high and vehement that it inforest the kindled flambe to rise most fiercely beating the same toward the Towne in most outragious sort so that by the time the people with all expedition hadd gathered vnto that place to quench the furie thereof beholde ere they wist the fier had taken hould in the Principall place of the Towne and by that time they came backe againe and got thither they perceaued other houses to burne in like maner so that while manye were busie in helping their neighbours their owne houses was in as ill a case Then began the crie to grow most grieuous in euery part of the Towne the mighty winde still increasing the furie of the inraged fier here stoode one man crying for help there another another and another wringing their hands and making great lamentation more and
of reliefe poore Lazarus laye vnregarded at the rich mans gate and could not get one little morsell of meate to cherish his hungry heart therfore if it were so yt was the iust iudgement of God that they which through couetousnesse would not part from any thinge should sodenly lose all For there was not so much as one peece of Timber left of all those Foure Hundred houses but all were consumed to ashes except some fewe chimneys and stone walles whych are monuments of the Townes ruine Whereby it is come to passe that those rich Marchantes that earst scornd to grace a poore maÌ„s house with his preseÌ„ce is nowe glade to request their fauour for the worst corner in their Cottage where they may remaine in this thier misery which may bee a good warning for all other men of the lyke abillitie how they contemne and dispise the poore members of Christ houlding them in disdaine whom God hath opprest with pouertie O famous London thou that flowest in wealth and aboundest in Riches Thou which art the chiefe Lady-cittie of this Land whose fame soundeth through al Christian Kingdoms cast thy cleere eyes on this ruinous Towne consider her fall and pitie her distresse learne by her calamitie to loke into thy selfe examine thy conscience and see whether thou hast deserued the like plague or no giue thou example of true contricion and as thou art chiefe in glorie bee thou chiefe in grace that god may long and many yeares vphould thy prosperous estate Yea let all the goodly Cities and Townes which beautifies the Westerne plat of this florishing Iland looke vpon their woefull Sister Teuerton who lately did braue it wyth the best and thought her selfe nothing inferior to the fayrest But now she sittes clad in mournfull weeds hauing her faire heade couered with pale ashes her brauery conuerted to beggerie her glory to disgrace and all her mirth into moane so that their is nothing seen but lamentation and complaint Oh Teuerton well may thy friendes crie ouer thee as sometime greate Kinges did ouer Babilon saying alas alas for that proper Towne of Teuerton that wealthie and rich Towne for at one hower is thy Iudgment come thy Marchants may now weepe and morne for no man buyeth ware in thee anye more Consider this thou faire Cittie of Exceter thou which art next neighbor to this distressed Town which hast as it were the smoke of her fier yet before thy face and her lamentations tynging lowde in thy cares pitte her heauie happe that knowest not what miserie hanges ouer thy owne head And let me speake to thee thou Towne of Plymouth whose stately buildinges ouer-peareth the hilles easting their prospects vpon the mounting waues take warning by Teuerton and turne thy many vices into vertues least God turne from thee his great and mighty blessinges Sinne is the cause of many sorrowes and vngoblinesse the ground-worke of all intollerable griefe yet if wee shoulde thinke that the people of Teuerton were the greatest transgressors because they haue suffered the greatest punishment of any towne in the West we should think much amisse For as our Sauoiour Christ said vnto the Iewes suppose not that those on whome the Tower of Silo fell were greater sinners then the rest but except you repent you shall likewise perish So say I to you and al other Cities and Towns in England thinke not that the Inhabitants of Teuerton did surpasse all other in wickednesse because they exceede all other in woe but it hath pleased God to punish theÌ„ for your instruction that behoulding their fall you may feare to offende and learne by their miserie your owne speedy amendment For what is he which passeth by this Towne and â—aâ—st knew the florishing state thereof seeing now her lamentable spoile but many bee prouoked to crie with Ieremie and saye of Teuerton as hee spoke of Ierusalem Alasâ—e how desolate sitteth this towne that sometime was full of people how is shee become lyke a widowe sorow full heauie and comfortlesse which lately was had in good regard and famous among all her familiers she weepeth sore in the night her teares run downe her cheeks in great abundance But it is easie for al men to say this to shake their heades and crie alack alack But a hard matter to make benefit therof and to be warned by their neighbors harmes Notwithstanding let all distressed people know that whosoeuer faythfully trusteth in God shall neuer be forsaken well may they sustaine sorrow but they shall not be left in miserie The Lord that brought them low can rayse them againe aloft as it is manifest by Iobes affliction Therefore God graunt wee may take patiently those Fatherly corrections which he layeth vpon vs knowing that all the miseries of this life is not worthy of the least ioye which is prepared in Heauen for the souns of men Vnto the which place Christ Iesus bring vs that by his blood so deerely bought vs. Amen FINIS