THe many sad and lamentable Fires that have lately broke forth or happened about this Honourable City of London, and in several other parts and places of this King­dom, have for some time by-past been the Common Theme of most Peoples Discourse: but as 'tis usual for every one to abound in his own sense, and natural for those under affliction to ascribe the cause of their sufferings to others, so on this occosion many ground­less Reports and surmises have been spread abroad; We confess that by all we can discover, (and we have been not a little curious and inquisitive in the matter) we cannot positively find any solid bottom for such Conjectures; and therefore many look up­on these disasters as chastizements from Providence for our sins, proceeding from what we call unfortu­nate accidents, and occasion'd by neglects, carelesness, [Page 3] &c. As the proximate and immediate causes, though we will not deny, but rather affirm that there might be and were several others more remote contributing unto, or at least signifying and fore-shewing the same or the like Calamities, and that not onely in this Nation, but in several other parts of the European world.

It must be remembred, that the Inhabitants of this Earthly Globe have for several years past, and do at this present labour under the effects; or Male-significations of the Comet or Comets (whether sin­gular or three distinctions we shall not here dispute) appearing in the years 1664. and 1665. Sure we are, the last visible in March 1665. had a Tail eminently large and conspicuous, and tovvards the end of it's appearance looked very red, fiery, and inflam'd, &c. Which (besides its martial significations whereof all Europe has been sadly sensible) did likewise very apt­ly denote many strange and unusual calamities by fire, (whereof the dreadful conflagration of London soon after following was a sad and amazing Instance.) Nor can it be reasonably imagined the effects of so won­derful a Phaiomenon should terminate in one single dis­aster though never so eminent.

In this very year 1076. we have had diverse vio­lent and threatning positions and aspects of the supe­rior bodies, enough to bring into act more of it's dis­mal significations, as the Conjunction of Jupiter and Mars, Jan. 15. The square of Saturn and Mars, Feb. 23. of Jupiter and the Sun, March 28. The Conjun­ction of Sol and Saturn, April 25. and that remarkable [Page 4] (though not total as a certain inconsiderate Ignore calls it) Eclipse of the Sun in Geminy, (Londons Ho­roscope) on the first of June, &c. But least any Drol­sters of the times whose ignorance renders them Eni­mies to sidereal studies should pretend, we onely go about with Lesbian Logick to sit the foot to the last, and coyn causes unthought of, for effects now plainly visible, give us leave here to remind the world of those many plain hints, or rather prophetical Expressions delivered to this purpose by that most Judicious Ar­tist Mr. Lilly in his Menlinus Anglicus (or Almanack) for this present year, finished by him, and sent to the Press in the beginning of September, 1675.

In the 1 [...] Page of his Astrological Judgements on the position of Saturn in Taurus he has these suffic [...] ­cently plain words— Great will be the Tribulati­ons or Afflictions of many Countries, many Citties, Towns, Villages, and Houses fired and destroyed.

God preserve London from farther Fires, &c. p. 23.

And in the Page before that, upon the Eclipse be­fore mentioned.— We may not wonder at the great variety of actions like to succeed this Eclipse, or at the Lightning, Fire or Fires hence expected.

And in P. 5. — God of his great mercy grant that no farther calamities, Pestilence, Fires, &c. befall England.

In the before cited Page 14. He has these signifi­cant words.— Mercurius in Aspectu Martis in Ex­ordio Anni in signo Ignes significat validos ventos & Ignes: Mercury in a fiery sign in aspect of Mars signifies Fires very frequent.

[Page 5] And P. 20. He declares particularly Starguard in Germany, France, and the West and Southwest of England to be passive in these calamities.

We now dare challenge the greatest calumniators of astrology to declare, what more could be expected from an Artists Pen to this purpose, (not pretending to supernatural illumination) than these repeated and so oft inculcated predictions; and how far they are (already) verified, is too sadly apparent by the ensu­ing Catalogue of Dismal fires which (pinch beyond what is usual) have since the writing thereof happen­ed, omitting a great number of smaller fires whereby only 1 or 2 houses chanc'd to be consumed, and insist­ing on what has been more general and remarkable.

Within a fortnight after the writing of the said A­strological judgements, Viz. on Munday Sep. the 20. happened the lamentable fire at Northampton, whereby the greatest and richest part of that ancient and emi­nent corporation was destroyed.

On Saturday the 29 of April 1676. about 10 of the clock in the morning at a noted Village called Cotten­ham, within four miles of Cambridge, in the Road to Ely broke forth a dreadful fire, beginning in a Stack of course sedge whereunto the Wind had carried some Embers by a certain woman carelesly flung into a back-side, and from thence the flames were carried by the violence of the wind all along the street, so that in the space of five hours there were above one hundred Dwelling-houses consumed, besides Barns, Stables, out-houses, Stacks of Corn, Hay, Faggots, [Page 6] &c. to the value of many thousand pounds.

On Friday the 26 of May, 1676. was the terrible Fire in Southwark; It was first discovered in a Colour­mans Shop, between the George and Talbot Inns, near St. Margorets-Hill: It soon seiz'd the other side of the vvay, and continued rageing from about three a Clock in the morning, all the day, till the evening fol­lovving, and in that space burnt dovvn these Five Famous Inns, the Queens-head, the Talbot, the Georg, the White-Hart, the Kings-head, and the Green-Dragon in Fowl-lane: As likevvise the Counter, the Mealmarket, &c.

In a word, all along on the East-side of the way, from the Queens-Arms-Tavern, Scituate about a Dozen Doors below the Spurt-Inn towards the South, unto St. Thomas Haspital towards the North was con­sumed, but the Hospital safe; onely some small damage sustained in the Porch, Windows, &c. And on the West-side of the way, from St. Marga­rets-hill, to St. Saviours (Commonly called St. Mary Overies) Church: which Church was with extraordinary pains, and great difficulty preserved; There is modestly computed at the least six hundred dwelling houses destroyed.

The same day happened a Fire at Abington in Bark­shire, which burning very fiercely, destroyed seve­ral Houses, and had it not pleased God that the wind suddenly changed, 'tis believed the whole Town had been consumed, but by that singular pro­vidence, and the great industry used, it was preser­ved, and the Fire in short time Extinguished.

[Page 7] About the same time the Town of Blandford in Sommersetshire, was a considerable part burnt down to the ground, there being (as we stand informed) about thirty dwelling houses there consumed.

The beginning of this instant month of June, a Fire began in a Barn in a Village called Wittham, two or three miles from Oxford: which destroyed about a dozen houses, and had wasted many more, if great numbers of people had not speedily come in to their assistance from Oxford; 'Tis said that a day or two before, the Officers of this Village had set a certain Vagabond woman in the Stocks, for begging, or some other misdemeanour, and that she should threaten that within four and twenty hours she would be even with them, and make them repent it, &c. and thereupon 'tis supposed that she, or some of her Con­federates might mischievously set this Barn on Fire, it being scarce to be imagined how it should come on fire any other way.

On Wednesday the 21 of this instant June, there was a very considerable fire in Sun-Court in Nightingale-lane; it began in a Box-makers-house, and though immediately on the discovery of it there was thou­sands ready to help quench it, yet it could not be Ma­stered till it had destroyed above Twenty Tenements.

The same week also there has been several great Tempests of Thunder, with fierce and unusual Light­ning, whereby three very large Stacks of old Hay were consumed near Brainford, considerable hurt done near Putney, and great damage sustained at several other places.

[Page 8] But to shew that our Native Country of England is not the onely sufferer under these Calamities by fire, but that rather 'tis a general affliction sent by Provi­dence, and some particular Constitution of the Hea­vens about this time, stiring up, or signifieing such de­structive effects more then at other seasons.

Be pleased to take notice that there was in the City of Mosko a dreadful fire in April last, which lasted with much fury for the space of Nine days, and in that space burnt down to the ground above seaven Thousand dwelling houses, besides Shops, Warehouses, out-houses, and other Edifices Innumerable: on the 29 of April it was thought to have been master'd and stopt, but about Eleven a clock that Night the Wind blow­ing very strong at North-west, it broke forth afresh, the loss sustained is as well incredible as Invaluable and adds as to the begining of it: that 'tis supposed to be done by Fire-kindlers: There have been likewise several great fires in Germany, in May last, and particu­larly the Cities of Starguard (expresly mentioned by Mr. Lilly) and new Branderburgh, belonging to his Electoral Highness, were then above half burnt down and consumed, and divers great fires have likewise a­bout the same time happened in Burgundy, Picardy, and other parts of France.

We shall conclude this Paper with the words of Mr. Lilly in his Astrological Iudgements before recited.—God Preserve London, (and all his Maje­sties Dominions) from further Fires, and Increase the Trade and Commerce therefore; Ad Infinitum: Amen.