which the Lord hath laid on us in the day of his fierce anger
against Marleborough; All the heart and principal
parts of it laid in the dust, to the utter undoing of a multitude
of Families, that now want bread: And I have had
a great share in this sad affliction, my houses being burnt
down to the ground, a good part of my wares plundred,
lost, and burnt: my loss is very great, yet it is a mercy
we escaped with our lives, but blessed be the name of the
Lord, he hath not urterly destroyed us, as we deserve: we
are thereby put out of our habitations and callings, and if
speedy relief be not sent from the Nation, it will be a ruinous
place and destitute of trade, and a monument to posterity,
that once there was a flowrishing Town, which
now mourns in silence. I hope the City will have a compassion
are eye, and lend as their help. I am so tyred out
with watching &c. that I ern scarce w[unr]esense unto you.
I pray let your uncle Strange pertake of this sad Newes.
With my kinde respects to your self and Mrs. Lawrence,
I remain
Yours,
Marleborough, April 30. 1653.
Tho. Bayly.
Mr. Scattergood:
Friend, had I leasure and strength, I should tell you the
saddest story that I think you ever head, of a Town no
bigger then Marleborough, where in three hours time
were consumed at least 250 houses, and all those the chiefest,
not one Shopkeepers house standing, not scarce one
sufficient mans, except Mr. Majors, and that was entered
upon by the fire, but God made me an instrument to save
it, and in probabitity, by so doing the most part of the
poor houses now left: all the other lying in the dust. My
loss is about 2000 pounds; 1000 in houses. 300 quarter of
mault, 100 l. in wood, besides householdstuf, some goods,
and money, and goods lent to several men before this sad
calamity, but are not capable to pay four pence. But all
this roubles me not so much as honest and sufficient trades[unr]
[unr] have not money to buy them bread; though I praise