Seymour Sir Rowland Beckley Col. Strangways Sir John Charlton Mr. Sandys Mr. Finch Sir Tho. Allen Sir Edward Massey Lord Ancram Col. Birch Lord Herbert Mr. Whorwood Sir Edm. Walpool Mr. Pepis Sir Robert Brook Sir John Heath Mr. Coventry Sir Robert Atkins Sir Richard Everard Sir Tho. Littleton Mr. Millward Serj. Maynard Sir Thomas Gower Mr. Crouch Mr. Prin Sir Richard Ford Sir Jo. Talbot Mr. Trevor Mr. Merrel Mr. Jones Mr. Rob. Milward Mr. Morley Sir Thomas Clifford Sir Will. Hickman Sir Solom Swale Sir Will. Lowther Mr. Garraway Sir Hen. Caesar Sir Richard Brown Sir Tho. Tomlins Sir Rich. Vatley Sir Fran. Goodrick Sir John Monson Mr. Maynard And they are to meet to morrow at two of the Clock in the afternoon in the Speakers Chamber and to send for Persons Papers and Records VVill. Goldesbrough Cer. Dom. Com. October 9. 1666. Ordered That these Members following be added to the Committee appointed to enquire into the Causes of the late Fire Viz Sir John Pelham Mr. Hugh Buscowen Mr. Giles Hungerford Sir VVilliam Lewis Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir John Brampstone Mr. Milward Mr. Buscowen and all the Members that serve for the City of London VVill. Goldesbrough Cler. Dom. Com. October 16. 1666. Ordered That Mr. Davies Sir Thomas Higgons Mr. St. John Sir Richard Franklin Sir Thomas Tomkins Mr. Devereux Mr. Millard Mr. Lewis Mr. Dowdswell Sir James Thyn Sir Edm. Pierse Mr. Coleman Sir Tho. Allen Mr. Giles Hungerford Mr. Churchill be added to the Committee appointed to enquire into the Causes of the late Fire Will. Goldesbrough Cler. Dom. Com. THe Honourable Committee according to the fore-mentioned Orders of the House did meet in the Speakers Chamber and having chosen Sir Robert Brook for their Chairman proceeded to receive many considerable Informations from divers credible Persons about the matter wherewith they were intrusted and thereupon did at last agree that Sir Robert Brook should make the ensuing Report to the Honourable House of Commons The Report of Sir Robert Brook Chair-man to the Committee that was appointed by the House of Commons to enquire into the Firing of the City of London made the Two and twentieth of January 1666. THat in a Letter from Alanson of the 23d of August 1666 New Stile written from one Dural to a Gentleman lodging in the House of one of the Ministers of the French Church in London called Monsieur Herault there were these Expressions Pray acquaint me with the truth of certain News which is common in this Country That a Fire from Heaven is fallen upon a City called Belke scituated on the side of the River of Thames where a world of People have been killed and burnt and Houses also consumed Which seemeth a word of Cabal cast out by some that were knowing and taken up by others that might be ignorant of the signification of it Mrs Elizabeth Styles informs That in April last in an eager discourse she had with a French man Servant of Sir Vere Fan he hastily replied You English Maids will like the Frenchmen better when there is not a House left between Temple-Bar and London-Bridge To which she answered I hope your eyes will never see that He replied This will come to pass between June and October William Tisdale informs That he being about the beginning of July at the Greyhound in St. Martins with one Fitz-Harris an Irish Papist heard him say There would be a sad Desolation in September in November a worse in December all would be united into one Whereupon he asked him Where this Desolation would be He answered In London Mr. Light of Ratcliff having some discourse with Mr. Langhorn of the Middle-Temple Barrister reputed a zealous Papist about February 65 last after some discourse in disputation about Religion he took him by the hand and said to him You expect great things in Sixty Six and think that Rome will be destroyed but what if it be London Mr. Kitley of Barkin in Essex informs That one Mrs. Yazly a Papist of Ilford in the said County came unto his House August the 13th and being in discourse with his Mother said They say the next Thursday will be the bottest day that ever was in England She replied I hope the hottest season of the year is now past To which she answered I know not whether it be the hottest for Weather or for Action This Mrs. Yazly coming to the same House the Week after the Fire Mr. Kitley said to her with some trouble I have often thought of your Hot Thursday To which she replyed It was not indeed upon the Thursday but it happened upon the Sunday was sennight after Mrs Yazly hearing this Evidence produced against her endeavoured to avoid the words saying That upon the 13th of August she did tell Mrs. Kitley That they say the next Thursday will be the darkest Thursday that ever was in England but not otherwise which she affirms to have received from one Finchman an old Woman of Ilford who being examined by a Justice of Peace to discover the truth thereof denied that ever she said any such words to Mrs Yazly or that she had discoursed with her about any such matter And as to the subsequent words she saith Mrs Yazly denies ever to have spoken them But Mr. Kitley offered in her presence if it should be demanded to bring his Mother and Wife to testifie the same William Ducket Esq a Member of the House informs That one Henry Baker of Chippenham in the County of Wilts coming from Market with one John Woodman of Kelloway in the same County the Thursday before the Fire began in London they had some discourse about the buying of a yoke of fat Bullocks wherein they differed because Woodman who was to sell them was desired to keep them a while in his hands But the said Woodman denied so to do for that as he alledged he could not stay in the Country till that time which Baker would have them delivered to him in and being asked whither he was going he refused to tell Asking what had he to do to make that question But riding a little further the said Woodman exprest these words You are brave Blades at Chippenham you made Bonfires lately for beating the Dutch But since you delight in Bonfires you shall have your Bellies full of them ere it be long Adding that if he lived one week longer he should see London as sad a London as ever it was since the World began And in some short time after he should see as bloody a time as ever was since England was England This discourse was not much taken notice of at that time it was spoken But when the City of London was Burnt the said Henry Baker gave this Information to the said Mr. Ducket and thereupon he issued out his Warrant to apprehend Woodman but he was gone out of the Country and cannot be heard of since Robert Hubert of Roan in Normandy who acknowledged that he was one of those that
that they spent 700 Fire-balls and had others both Men and Women attending to Plunder what they could having a Warehouse in VVild-street and another at Somerset-house to receive what they so got which amounted to the value of 14000 pounds as aforesaid c. As for the Fifth-Monarchy-men that were Executed mentioned by the said Strang to Mr. Oats in this Discourse 'T is very observable what Account the Gazett gave of their Tryal 'T is in the Gazett published on Munday April the 30th 1666. The words are these At the Sessions in the Old-Baily John Rathbone an old Army-Colonel William Saunders Henry Tucker Thomas Flint Thomas Evans John Miles William Wescot and John Cole formerly Officers or Soldiers in the late Rebellion were Indicted for Conspiring the Death of his Majesty and the overthrow of the Government having laid their Plot and Contrivance for the Surprizal of the Tower The Killing his Grace the Lord General Sir John Robinson Lieutenant of his Majesties Tower of London and Sir Richard Brown and then to have declared for an equal division of Lands c. The better to effect this Hellish design THE CITY WAS TO HAVE BEEN FIRED and the Portcullices to have 〈◊〉 let down to keep out all assistance The Horse-Guard to have been surprized in the Inns where they were quartered several Ostlers having been gain'd for that purpose the Tower was accordingly viewed and its surprise ordered by Boats over the Moat and from thence to scale the VVall one Alexander who in not yet taken had likewise distributed sums of Money to these Conspirators and for the carrying on the Design more effectually they were told of a great Council of the GREAT ONES that sate frequently in London from whom issued all Orders which Council received their Directions from another in Holland which sate with the States and that the Third of SEPTEMBER was pitcht on for the attempt as being found by Lillies Almanack and a Scheme erected for that purpose to be a Lucky day a Planet then ruling which Prognosticated the downfal of Monarchy The evidence against these Persons was very full and clear and they accordingly found Guilty of High-Treason Thus that Gazett verbatim From whence we may observe 1. How exactly the Account given by Father Strang to Mr. Oats agrees herewith as to the Number of Persons Time Design c. 2. How industrious these Popish Conspiraters are and how dexterous in turning themselves into all shapes and complying with all humours to carry on their designes as here pretending to embrace and promote Fifth-Monarchy-Principles Levelling c. which should methinks caution all Protestant Dissenters from the Establisht Church-Government yet to abhor all Conspiracies and never to be drawn into any Plot or Seditious Pranks on any pretensions whatsoever lest whilst by indirect means they fondly hope to advance some little Notions and Whimsies of their own they shall but do the Jesuits Drudgery and really be found diligent Instruments to advance that Scarlet VVhore whom they so loudly declaim against and abominate 3. The Jesuits herein Acted with that Devilish Policy which is so much the Study of their Society for having such an horrid Plot on Foot they thought fit to find out some other Party upon whom they might lay the Scandal of it but it seems could meet with none so ready to be Bubbled as the Fifth-Monarchy-men For said the subtle Fathers if we can perswade them to the Business viz. Fireing the City and Killing the King Then not only our work will be done to out hands but we shall have an excellent occasion to fall not only on these people but whoever else we shall please to call Fanaticks as their Accomplices and all the World shall acknowledge that we do but Justice in cutting them off when they shall be made guilty of such Treason and Villany On the other side if they attempt and fail in it Let the Rogues Hang we and our Church are free both from the Danger and the Odium of it Nay more we shall gain this advantage That when we shall do it in earnest 't will certainly be laid at their Doors because of their former Attempt and to load them the heavier they had set down the Names of all the most eminent Dissenters and such as had serv'd under the Parliament as concern'd in this Plot and left it with these people That as a List of the Conspirators it might be taken with them and consequently all those persons secured in Custody at a time when they design'd the French with whom we were then at War should invade the Kingdom and I am credibly inform'd they had all been taken had not his Grace the late Duke of Albemarle Interposed 4. As they had to do with ignorant Enthusiastical people so they managed them accordingly Telling them a Story of an Equal Division of Lands a Councel of Great Ones that must be nameless and another yet greater that sate with the States But especially they forgat not to name the Third of September to them being the day or next save one themselves had so long pitcht upon for the Burning of London and for this purpose the Oracle Lillies Almanack must be consulted but indeed it was the Astrology of St. Omars that resolved the Question for they did this meerly that if they should be discovered that circumstance should likewise be divulged as part of this Fifth-Monarchy-Plot and consequently being remembred by people when they should see the City on Fire They might thence take occasion to fall upon the Fanaticks as the Incendiaries and 't is more than probable that not finding these Half-witted Fellows very fit to serve their Purposes actively They resolved to make them do it passively and might themselves cause them to be betray'd it being nothing infrequent with the Jesuits to imitate their Father the Devil in tempting people first to Villany and then to be the first that shall accuse them An Account of some other Fires since that Grand Conflagration in 66. NExt after destroying the City of London the Popish Design hath all along been to Ruin and lay wast its Suburbs This several of the Fathers as Gifford and others have declared to me and the same is evident by matter of Fact For knowing the Borough of Southwark to be a place of eminent Trade and generally a sober industrious people how oft have they made Attempts thereon till at last they laid the best part thereof in Ashes As first At the George-Inn the 25 of July about 8 a Clock in the Morning Concerning the manner of this Iohn Whitler Head-Ostler at the said Inn did attest That the same morning he was removing some Baggs of Hopps which lay in a shed near to a Flax-shop in which was some Tow and other Combustibles ordinarily used to stuff Chairs with and then he did not perceive or smell any Smoak or Fire nor had any Candle or Fire been in the said Flax-Shop for many Months before to his or any
of the Families knowledge but as he was removing the said Packs there came in 4 persons like Gentlemen to take Coach for Dover or that way which Coach was standing by the said Shed and they by it drinking immediately after which the said Ostler was called into the Street and left all in safety but in short time returning met the said Coach driving our with all speed and found the said Flax Shop on Fire Anthony Blake the Head-Tapster attesteth that he waited on those Gentlemen filling them drink and being sent for 6 Canns at his return the Coach was driving away and the Tow in the place aforesaid all on a Flame Mr. Weyland the Master of the House and his whole Family solemnly attesting they know not how it came to kindle there but verily believe it must come through some Treachery This is the more probable because one Harrison some small time before had told Mr. Atkins at the Grey-hound-Inn in Holbourn that there would within three weeks or a Month be great and dreadful Fires about London and Southwark and particularly mentioned the Talbot and George-Inns and advised him to put off his House and Goods which Harrison in the time of this Fire was seen suspitiously lurking about the Talbot-Inn which suffered much by this Fire and being known by the said Mrs. Atkins Daughter of the Gentlewoman that kept the Talbot and coming thither to help them he was seized and carried to a Foot-Company that stood in Arms near the said Inn and a Charge given them by my Lord Craven and Sir Iohn Smith then one of the Sheriffs of London to keep him safe after the Fire was put out enquiry being made for him the Captain told them he was discharged by the Lord Craven However on the 27 of July being informed he taught School in Thredneedle-street he was retaken and examined before the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen where the following Articles were prov'd against him upon Oath 1. THat he had had frequent Correspondency with Iesuites and Papists 2. That he had spoken to several of his Acquaintance to go with him to Popish Meetings declaring that he knew of many 3. That he had been perswaded to turn Mendicant Fryar and hath been offered a stipend to turn to the Romish Religion 4. That he knew there would be divers great and dreadful Fires in and about London within a month 5. That he advised Friends to rid their hands of all their Concerns in and about London for there would be a great consumption of houses there 6. That when he was in Custody of the Foot Company aforesaid Mr. Atkins aforesaid offering to swear the former Article he threatned him if he did it should Cost him the best house he had 7. That he said there were forty Thousand French Papists lately come over to his knowledge besides many that were amongst us already 8. The Lord Mayor asking him Who perswaded him to turn Catholick He answered King's Under-Barber Phillips After which he told the Court That when he was first apprehended for these things my Lord Craven discharged him and took him with him in his Barge to Whitehall He further told the Court that he was sometime an Assistant to Mr. Lovejoy School-Master at Canterbury and that he had Letters Testimonial of his goood behaviour from the Dean of Canterbury Upon which my Lord Mayor remembred that he had seen him with Mr. Lovejoy and said that Mr. Lovejoy told him That he was an Idle Rogue And so he was committed to Newgate On Saturday the 30th of July it was further desposed upon Oath by Thomas Roe before Sir Iohn Fredrick as follows The Information of Thomas Roe of Bernards Inn Gent. taken the 30th of July 1690 by Sir John Fredrick Alderman one of His Majesties Justices of Peace in the City of London upon Oath as followeth THomas Roe saith that he hath for at least twelve or thirteen years last past been acquainted with one Ioseph Harrison who was examined lately at the Guild-Hall London before the Honourable the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen upon suspition of his being a Conspirator in the Fireing the City and Suburbs in several parts thereof Thomas Roe and Ioseph Harrison having been School-fellows at Eaton Colledge and being thereby acquainted Ioseph Harrison hath several times lately been with him and advised him to with-draw his Concerns and remove above twenty miles out of the City for that the City and twenty miles round would be suddenly destroyed and laid waste or to that purpose Whereupon Thomas Roe asked him whether he were privy to any such conspiracy or concern'd in its Agitation pressing him with divers Arguments to discover what he was acquainted with of that kind Harrison replyed That he had no personal and positive knowledge thereof Thomas Roe demanded upon what ground then he did thus advise him Ios. Harrison replyed That he was sometimes conversant among some Papists and perceived a Plot or Design was carrying on by them against the City of London and the Protestant Religion which Plot or design said he the Papists call The Game of Trap or do you understand Trap ad Crucem which is the watch-word amongst them Further Ios. Harrison said That he was informed of those things by some German Protestants and that he had offers of fifty pounds per annum made him by some Iesuites and Papists to turn to their Religion but he had refused it and would not embrace the Romish Religion Thomas Roe further saith That about five weeks since he walked through New-Cheapside and from thence into Mark-lane with Ioseph Harrison in company with Mr. Moseley a Gentleman belonging to Bernards Inn likewise and one of his acquaintance together with another man a stranger to Thomas Roe Upon their first associating Harrison said unto him That he would not discover himself to be an Englishman but pretended himself to be a German or Italian whether of the two he doth not well remember and that he might not detect himself spake in the company as occasion offer'd in Latine But leaving the place where they tarried in Mark-lane going towards Bishopsgate-street Mr. Harrison told Mr. Roe secretly That he believed that Mr. Mosely understood the Game of Trapp by some signs he had observed from him and that he would try him Then going altogether into a house about the end of Thredneedle-street Mr. Harrison having by this time discovered himself to be an Englishman said Trapp and made a Cross over his face with his finger directing himself to Mr. Moseley whereupon Mr. Moseley did also say Trapp crossing his forehead or race two or three times and with a quick motion drew his finger over his own Throat Upon which Mr. Roe asked Mr. Moseley what was the meaning of Trapp but he refused to tell Mr. Roe urging him again He replied He would not saying You are not of my Religion Then Mr. Moseley asked Mr. Harrison what his Name was for he knew him not by Name He
he said the Deponent might come easily to the house the back way and no body observe him But he principally urged the firing of the said Ship and as for the time he bid him observe the Tide and be sure to do it within an hour of low water He also gave him directions touching the manner of firing the said Balls viz. That if he could by any means privately get into the said ship or any of the said houses then to wrap one of the Balls in half a pound of pitch with some quantity of Tow and set fire to it But if that might not be done with safety and secresy then to observe a hole or narrow passage which was in the middle or Centre of the Ball into which he should put some dust of gun-powder and setting fire to it throw it into the place intended After these directions the same fellow gave the Deponent one of the said Balls into his hand who then was urgent for his money but is denyed till the Ship or one of the houses should be on fire They telling him that they would be thereabouts and when they had observed his work to be done would go to the Bull-head Tavern in Grace-Church-street where they would meet with him and give him his reward In this discourse about the money the Deponent told them that Twenty shillings was too small a matter and they might well give him four or five pounds because he ventured his life being sure to be hanged if discovered to which was returned by them that they would certainly procure him a pardon if it should happen so but of that there was no danger After all this talk the Deponent willing to apprehend them tells them he was very dry and desires that they would give him some drink to which they would by no means assent But he was so importunate with them as begot a suspicion in them of his design upon them whereupon he with the Stick said Hang him Dog or Hang him Rogue he will not do the business or words to that effect and after some other words endeavoured to seize the Deponent one of them drawing his Sword but he got away and they did not pursue him but run away themselves cross the fields as fast as possibly they could as he turning back at some distance observ'd They being thus fled the Deponent at once apprehending the hazard of Concealment and the danger those places might be in that they directed him to fire did immediately repair to Captain Tailors house as also to the Tarr-shop by the Armitage Bridge acquainting them with this affair as also several people in Wapping as he went along particularly two Constables and their Watch thence he went home to his Master and presently inform'd him of it who repair'd to the next Constable they to the Common Council-man of their Liberty and then all together to the watch-house at Aldgate where part of the Fire-ball was tryed for an experiment which burned to their general wonder and amazement The same Night was he to appear before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor at his house but his Lordship being in Bed he was put off till next morning and then by reason of his Lordships indisposition carried before the worshipful Sir Thomas Bludworth before whom he deposed the premises and further declared on his oath that the before-mentioned persons told him when the Fire came to the midst of the Ball it would flame two yards or two yards and an half high An Account of the apprehending of a Scotchman about the same time at the Cross-keys in Fleet-street about Firing A Scotch-man pretending great respect he had for William Colborn then keeping the Cross-keys a Victualling-house in Fleet-street near Chancery-lane end came to him and advised him that by all means he should remove his goods out of London and dispose of his house Colborn askt for what reason the Scotch-man replyed Because that he with many others were imployed to set the remainder of London on fire and that they would set it on fire at several places at one and the same time and Chancery lane end which is near the said Colborns house as aforesaid they intended should be one of the first set on fire With several other discourses very soberly and after a friendly manner expressed Whereupon Colborn according to his duty apprehended him and being brought to his Tryal he was sentenced to stand in the Pillory and did accordingly stand three times once at Chancery lane end and twice elsewhere in the City A Relation of a Fire that happened in Budge-row in July 1670. ON the eighth of July about midnight in a new house not glazed in Budge-row a Fire began the Shop-windows and doors were all made and close shut and fastned when the Brick-layers went away which was between six and seven of the Clock in the evening before the Carpenters not having been at work that afternoon and the Bricklayers at that time having nothing to do above stairs but only to build up a wall in the yard When the fire was first discovered it appeared in a Room over the front of the Shop right against the Chimney where stood several Deal-boards and Laths reared against the wall being prepared in order to floor part of the said house then unfinished some of the next neighbours who heard the first alarm of the Fire do affirm That if they could presently have got to it they might easily have quenched it 't was so small to appearance or that they could in case they had wanted water have thrown it out at the Window But before they could get the doors open it was grown so outragious that there was no venturing up stairs to suppress it and in short time it so far prevailed as very considerably to prejudice four Houses That this came by Treachery there is good reason to believe as well because there had been no fire nay not so much as any person all the day before in the said Chamber where it began as also for that near Islington on the evening before some persons that were going thitherwards met two men and one woman who very earnestly inquired If there were not a Fire in London near Cheap-side The Information of one William Trigg taken before Sir William Turner Knight one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London the 13th of August 1670. as followeth THis Informant saith That he liveth in Angel-alley in Aldersgate-street and hath no Family but himself and two young-men and a maid at home at this time his wife being at or near Hampstead with his said young Child and that his young men lie at his Shop at a distance from his house that the next night save one before the fire happened she call'd him out of his Bed saying either the house was on fire or there were thieves in it neither of which being found true caused him to have some Jealousies she intended some mischief and