A True Account how Mr. read's House at Santoft happened to be Burned.  
THere was a little House adjoining to his Dwellinghouse of about Four Yards Square, the Wall of it about Seven Foot high, covered with a Thatched Roof: This House was his Brewhouse and Baking-house; within it stood a great Copper just under the Thatch, the Room not being Chambered Upon the 15th of April last Mr. read's Family were Brewing within this Place, and that Night brought much Wood into it to Boil the Liquor, and more than did it, and left it there carelessly: Now it so happened that that Wood took Fire that Night, and got to the Thatch, and so set Fire to that House; and thereby his Dwellinghouse was also Burned: And that the Fire so happened, is demonstrable for these Reasons, viz.  
1. The Servants who were in the House perceiving a great Smoak risen out of Bed, and the Maid running out cried Fire, and said, woe worth this Booker's Wife (who was the Person whom Mr. Reading employed to be his Brewer) she hath undone us: One Thomas Parrot their near and next Neighbour hearing the Maid thus Cry out, came running hastily; when he got thither, he saw no Fire breaking out outwardly, only a great Smoke through the Thatch the Fire was within, he saw none break forth: And it being a low House, as is aforesaid, he got upon the House Ridge on one side and pulled all the Thatch of there; and one Watson a Weak Old Man who lodged in Mr. read's House that Night, got upon another patr of the outside, but had not strength enough to pull of the Thatch where he was, so that the Fire prevailed upon him, and got hold of the Thatch, and burnt out furiously, insomuch as they two could not quench it, but it soon got hold of the Dwellinghouse, which was also Thatched, and so burned it.  
2. The said Parrot Deposed upon Oath, the Fire was occasioned as aforesaid; and that had there been another Man as strong as himself, they could have saved all the Buildings The Night was very Calm, and by the help of this Parrot, and some others that came afterwards, most of Mr. read's Household Goods were saved (except some Lumber Goods)  
3. The next day after the Fire, Mr. Reading contrived how he might lay the Burning of it to the charge of the Country, and told his Servants he must Charge the Country with it: And to that end, he and some with him, made some Marches with Line-hards, or Tow, wrapped together, and tied on a Stick, and got another thing wherewith he used to Grease his Coach, and than carried them amongst the Thatch which was fallen from the House, and had escaped Burning and laid them down there, and than took them up again and said to them, Now you see I took these ●●ings from amongst the Thath; and when you are called to it, you may safely Swear you see me take them out of the Thatch.  
4. Mr. Reading afterwards going to a Justice of Peace, and taking his Maid Servant Susan Winder with him, would have had her to have Sworn that those Matches were found amongst the Thatch, and that the House was Burned thereby, and she would not; and he was thereupon very angry with her and said, What than came you with me hither for?  
5. Mr. Reading having a great Malice against Thomas Spark a Commoner in Epworth, was very desirous to have laid the Burning of his House to his Charge; and accordingly soon after the Fire, he went to Ric Aldus' House in Belton, to inquire whether Spark was there all that Night the 15th of April, because he was told he was: Aldus telling him he was there the whole Night, Mr. Reading would have persuaded him to have said, that he was out two hours of the Night; but Aldus fully satisfying him he was not, Mr. Reading made answer, If it be so, than I doubt the Fire came by the carelessness of my own Servants; for they had much Wood that Night in the Brew house.  
6. Mr. Reading out of his further mischievous Malice would have persuaded Thomas Parrot and Susan Winder to say and swear, that Gunpowder was strewed in some places about the House: And said to them, Do you not see Powder lie here? whereas it was nothing but some black Ashes or Cinders of some burnt Wood; and they could see no Powder.  
7. Mr. Reading by a late scandalous Printed Paper of his, charges the Burning of his said House on all the Commoners: But all along since the Fire he did not so, sometimes he charged it upon one, and after upon another; and he Bond the said Thomas Spark over to the last Assizes at Lincoln about it; and when he saw how he was provided with Witnesses to make his Defence, being prepared to prove all the aforesaid things, than he preferred no Indictment against him.  
8. Mr. Reading hath since said to Robert Whiteley, That he, and none but he burned the said House, And also to Robert Bernard, he and the said Spark burned it: And at other times he charged Richard Scot, William Vessey, and William Kynman with it.  
Now upon all these Circumstances, which are great Truths, it is most evident, the Fire accidentally happened by the carelessness of Mr. read's Servants, as many times (too often) Fire's in other Places have done: And this will be made evidently appear by credible Witnesses.