●●d and Lamentable News FROM Northampton, OR, A full and true Relation of the late great FIRE: Whereby the far greater part of that ancient and Eminent Corporation is destroyed: There being the Great Church of St. All-Hallows and two other Parish Churches, the Market-place, and most part of the chief Streets in the Town burnt down and consumed.  
On Monday the 20th of this instant September, 1675.  
With Allowance.  
Printed in the Year 1675.   

An Account of the late great Fire at Northampton.  
NORTHAMPTON( situate near the very centre or middle of England, and about threescore miles from London) was a Town inferior to few Inland places throughout the Nation for the sweetness of air, The gallant champaign Country surrounding it, The number of Gentry living in or near it, and resorting to it, together with the several great roads lying through it, as to Westchester, Nottingham, most part of Yorkshire &c. seemed all to conspire to render it a place of considerable Trade and Importance.  
But places as well as men have their crittical times and seasons of visitation: Troy, Ninive and Carthage once the famoust cities of the universe have now nothing but paper walls to preserve their memories, This eminent Town but the other day filled with numerous Inhabitants and flourisheth with plenty and opulency within less then the compass of half a day is for the most part reduced to ashes, It's stately structures become heaps of rubbish, and it's magnificent building sacred and civil butted in their own ruins by a sudden and unexpected catastrophe.  
So fleeting transitory and uncertain are all worldly Enjoyments that can promise no certain continuance to themselves, or lasting felicity to their possessors.  
The beginning or original cause of this deplorable disaster as in all other such sudden great and surprising Accidents is variously reported, but the most approved opinion of persons best informed agrees, That it began in a poor womans house in manner following.  
On monday the 20. of this instant september this woman being to wash some clothes got some straw to heat her water( wood and all sort of fuel being there always extraordinary dear and scarce to be got) and having kindled too great a wisp thereof, with the sudden blaze it set her chimney on fire and so the spark put all the roof of her tenement which was only covered with thatch in a flamme.  
It was then about one or two of the clock in the afternoon, and being at such a time in the open day when all people were abroad and ready to help and the Town being generally built of ston, not liable to catch the combustion so fast as wooden yet on the other side if it be considered, how violent the wind was which blew very high and hard all that day, and how right it it did set to cast the flames upon the whole body of the town, how great an increase the fire presently got by seizing upon several ricks or stacks of hay and corn, how sad an astonishment the poor affrigted people were in and that they wanted the benefit of engines and the skill( perhaps or the conveniency at least to put in practise the remedy of blowing up houses &c. we canno● but apprehended dreadful consequences, and conclude that there was sufficient cause for this sad devastation that now sorrowfully behold.  
Thus fleeting transitory and uncertain are all worldly enjoyments not only particular men being liable by various accidents to be stripped of their wealth, but whole towns obnoxious to the same fate, and in a moment reduced to Ashes.  
For this raging fire in spite and defiance of all resistance went on and being driven forward and spread by the impetuosity of the wind which in a very small space veer'd to several points of the Gomposs, It seized upon the very heart of the town burnt down the most most part of the High street consumed the market place( which was a very goodly one) and what is yet more destroyed the stately church of St. Ailhallowes and two other parish Churches, S that there is now but one Church left fit for the people to sssemble in, to worship God in the whole Town.  
There was scarce any place in England could boast of so many large and fair Inns, or so well furnished for the accommodation of Travellers, but now they are generally destroyed, together with most part of their Goods and Provision of Hay, Provinder and Corn, to a mighty value. This disaster being so much the more unhappy and Calamitous, in that it fell out just after Harvest, when most people had laid up, and furnished themselves with their Winter-store; which now being thus suddenly destroyed, they are forced( poor souls) very many of them to seek Bread for themselves and Families, and cannot but under such circumstances, be exposed to very sad and pressing necessities.  
In brief, 'tis modesty computed by the most observing persons, that three parts in four of the said Town of Northampton, are ruined and consumed, there being only the Skirts or Suburbs left standing. And all this mischief done between ●ne or two of the Clock in the Afternoon, and nine or ten at Night( for about that time the Fire was stopped and mastered.)  
The particular losses or total Damages cannot yet be computed to any degree of exactness. But in general; we cannot but conceive that the same are very vast and considerable. For the Calamity coming so suddenly and fast upon them, few of the distressed Inhabitants had time or opportunity to get away their Goods, and several having made shift to remove their things into the Streets, the Fire came on with such violence, that it seized and burned them there, before they could carry them any farther.  
To go about to represent the dismal confusions of such a terrible Visitatoin, were to suspect the Readers Christian compassion, which cannot of itself but sympathise with the ruinated Sufferers, without being moved thereunto by a Rhetorical description; and besides, is needless to those that have seen London in Flames, and by their own disasters( as well as common Charity) have been taught to comiserate those of their Brethren.  
Let this fresh Example rather warn all persons whether in City or Country, not to trust in uncertain Riches; much less to violate the Laws of God, or injure their Neighbours, to obtain them by indirect courses.  
To go about to make any studied pathetical description of the Horrors, the Frights, the Amazements, Confusions, Cries and Lamentations o● the distressed Inhabitannts in this miserable Juncture, would be to suspect the Readers Christian Charity, as if the bare Relation of such a calamitous accident could not raise their sympathising Griefs to the highest Key without expecting to have their affections moved with the doleful Notes of Rhetor●ck: Those that have seen London in ashes will find in themselves more lively Ideas, if these poor disco●solate Souls Condition than any I can express, and know how from their own Experience, as well as good nature, to commiserate their Brethren.  
But naked pity is but a helpless s●lve for misery, Let us improve it by Charity and all the good Offices of Love to the Sufferers, and to ourselves by taking warning from this fresh accident( or rather Provdence) not to trust in uncertain Riches, not to set up our rest in Earthly Tabernacles, much less to violate the Laws of God, or injure our Neighbours to obtain them by indirect courses, since we see, that in one moment we may be stripped of them all, and then nothing will remain to us but the sin of having got them unlawfully. And for those immediately concerned, learn from thence, to lye low under the Visitation of God, acknowledging him to be holy in all his works, and righteous in all his Judgments. What though God hath taken away your houses and goods by Fire? Is it not an unspeakable mercy that your Souls are still on this side the fire of Hell;; 'Tis his mercy that yourselves were not likewise consumed; Leave off your childish whining for these earthly trifles, and settle your affections on things above, strive for those glorious eternal Mansions not made with hands prepared by the Father for all that love and obey him; Learn to know and prise that one thing uncessary: It is not necessary that I should be rich, but it is necessary that I should be holy, if ever I would be lastingly happy, Tis not necessary I should enjoy a pleasurable life in this world, but it is absol●tely necessary that I should make God my portion and obtain an assurance of his love, if I would not be eternally miserable in the next. What though I am housless my Saviour had not whereon to lay his head? What though I am money less, if I am not Graceless and Christless, 'tis no great matter.  
Let Sins, thoughts, and Considerations, I say, or these rest upon their hearts, and support their drooping Spirits, so may this Loss prove their infinite Gain, and the Burning of their Houses be an Instrumental occasion to preserve their Souls from everlasting Burnings, and then how joyfully will they reflect upon that which now they count matter of Grief, when they shall experience that never failing Promise of that Holy One, That all things shall work together for Good to those that fear him.  
The particular lesser or total damage cannot at least as yet be computed to any degree of Exactness only in general we must conclude them to be very vast and considerable, and such as cannot but influence much further ●han the flames were seen, not a few as tis feared in this City suffering in the unailing of their Customers and correspondents there for hapening see suddenly many had not time to remove their goods but into the street where flakes of fire carried to a great distance by the impetuossity of the wind seized them and consumed them before they could bee carried further.   
FINIS.