A brief representation of the sad and lamentable condition of that once flourishing Town of Marleborough, In Wiltshire, as it hath been represented by several letters from credible persons of that place to their Friends in LONDON.  

Master Lawrence:  
I Doubt not but before you receive this letter, you have heard the relation of our sad miseries and afflictions, 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 plundered, and lost, and burned my loss is very great, yet it is a mercy we escaped with our lives: the most furious fire that ever mortal creature saw. We were all in the dust within three or four hours: if it had been in the night, we could not have escaped with our lives, but blessed be the name of the Lord, he hath not utterly 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 flourishing Town, which now mourns in silence. I hope the City will have a compassionate eye, and lend us their help. I am so tired out with watching, &c. that I can scarce write sense unto you. I pray let your uncle Strange and other Friends partake of this sad news. With my kind respect to yourself and Mrs. Lawrence I remain  
Yours, Thomas Baily. Marleborough, April the 30. 1653.   

Mr. Scattergood:  
FRiend, had I leisure and strength, I should tell you the saddest story that I think you ever heard, of a Town no bigger than Marleborough, where in three hours' time were consumed at least two hundred and fifty houses, and all those the chiefest, not one Shopkeepers house standing, not scarce one sufficient man's, except Mr. Majors, and that was entered upon by the fire, but God made me an instrument to save it; and in probability, 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, 1100 in houses, 300 quarter of malt, 100 l. in wood, besides householdstuff, some goods, and money, and goods lent to several men that were sufficient before this sad calamity, but now are not able to pay four pence. But all this troubleth me not so much as that many honest and sufficient Tradesmen have not money to buy bread; though I praise God, I have; and divers friends in and about the Town would entertain me: but I bless God, I am not yet brought so low, and I trust that no man shall lose four pence by me, neither shall they so long as I have three pence lest. I have gotten two rooms to make a shop of, in the most convenient house, though a thatched one. We have sent three friends to the general, and I hope every good man will be put forward by all that have heard of the once flourishing condition of Marleborough, that it may be built again: If not, we are all utterly undone for ever both for Trade and Lodging, for we have not one inn left standing in the Town. The Lord keep you, and your true loving friend to his poor power.  
John Keynes. Marleborough, The last of April, 1653.   

Mr. Eglesfield,  
YOurs received, I am to unfold a sad business to you which happened on Thursday last, I being at the devices. It pleased God to lay his heavy hand by fire on Marleboroough, which hath burned down our dwelling houses, (I have but very little saved, not above eight pounds worth of all my goods and Books) so that we that are in the Town have no habitations, scarce any thing left but our lives, all burned; the children crying to go home, and I tell them we have none to go to. S. Mary's Church, with the Market house, and all the chief houses in the Town on both sides of the high Street burned to dust: three hundred families at least out of doors. I do not know well what course to take for the present. Pray tell Mr. Sparks of this. The loss is unspeakable, all being on fire in an instant of Time. I rest your loving friend  
John Hammond. Marleborough. April. the 30. 1653.   

Mrs. Manning,  
ON Thursday last there happened in our town a great and lamentable fire, which did burn down and consume all the eminent parts of the Town. The fire did begin almost at S. Peter's Church, at Francis freeman's house, a Tanner, on the south side of the high street, and did burn down both sides of the way: not one house escaped. It burned the Town-hall, the marketplace, and four or five ton of Cheese in it; also S. Mary's Church, and the chiefest part of S. Mary's Parish is burnt. The like fire was scarce ever seen by any man in England, it is thought there are between three or four hundred houses burnt: the loss cannot be conceived as yet: all the shops and inns in the Town are burnt to the ground. It hath pleased God to spare our house, (yet we had a great loss) which we acknowledge his great mercy to us in sparing us. It is a great and sore affliction; I pray God it may be sanctified to us, that so we may have cause to say, It was good for us that we were afflicted.  
Thomas Keynton. Marleborough, April the 30. 1653.   

A more particular and full relation of the beginning of this woeful fire, and manner of God's dealing with that poor and distressed Town in it, you may expect hereafter, only this for the present, as it hath been related, is as followeth.  
IT pleased God that on Thursday the 28. of April 1653. in the out-housing of one Francis Freeman a Tanner, almost at the West-end of the High-street, near St. Peter's Church, on the south side, his people being drying of bark, it took fire about 7 or 8 of the clock in the morning, and they endeavoured to put it out: the Neighbours espying of it proffered their help, which was refused, Mr. Freeman himself being (as it is said) from home. At last it prevailed so much that it took hold of the dwelling house, and grew so violent on a sudden, that within a short space the fire by the hand of God was carried from this side of the street to the other side on the North of at: So that it took hold of some thatched houses, and the stacks of wood in their backside, and so suddenly ran along the whole length of the Town Eastward, and totally consumed the street on both sides, in three or four hours' space, as is before related.  
This ancient market Town being so remarkable a place, for trade and commerce both with the Cities of London and Bristol, and also serving for a Magazine and storehouse for all the Inland Counties near adjacent, and of so great consequence generally to all people who have any relation in those parts, it is hoped that all the true and sincere-hearted people of this Nation will seriously consider the woeful calamities and sad afflictions of those their Christian brethren and countrymen, so as that they may neglect no time nor opportunity to move all their friends and such as are in power, to administer such relief as they are able in this dark, day of their lamentable visitation, towards the re-edifying of that deplo●able place; not knowing whose turn it may be next to implore the help of others upon the like occasion: from which good Lord deliver us all.