An abstract of a Leter from Mr. John Bushel, and Mr. Francis Bond two Eminent Merchants in the Barba­does, to Mr. Edward Bushel Citizen and Merchant of London; concern­ing the late dreadful Fire, which hapned at Bridge Town, the cheif place in that Island April 18^th 1668.

THis Vessels sudden departure, and our amazeing distraction gives us time to write to you, onely 2 or three lines, but upon the most dismal and af­flicting occasion that ever offered it self from these parts; for on Satterday evening last, being the eighteenth of this instant month, there hapned a most dreadful Fire in our Town, which in the space of two or three houres time, burnt and consumed almost all the whole buildings there­of, [Page 2] save only a very few houses to the great astonish­ment of all those who were either concerned in the loss, or spectators thereof.

Divine Providence so ordered it, that our house was one of the first sacrifices to the flames, whether it begun in our or our Neighbors house we know not; and help could none be there expected, it being next door to the publique Magazine of the Island, which somtime after blew up, with great terrour and damage; we having scare time in the mean space to save our Books and Papers of con­cern (together with our lives) from the merciless rage of that devouring fire, and dreadful stroke of the pow­der which killed many with its violent stroke.

The Lord sanctifie this affliction unto us, and cause us with deep and serious contrition, to be sensible of his severe displeasure, which hath been revealed against us, and others of this Nation.

The abstract of another Letter sent from the aforesaid Persons to Mr. Edward Bushel dated April the 27^th 1668.

WE shall now (as having more time and leasure) give you a particular account of the sad callamity which befel on Satrurday the 18 instant, mentioned in my last: that day we were at home busy, writing most part of the day, and at Evening about five of the clock, (our house being washed and books and papers laid aside, being our usual practise in order to a timely re­tirement for the Sabboth; we two walked out as far as Exchange-place, leaving three or four of our servants at home, but we had not been gone little above the space of a quarter of an hour, till we were allarum'd with an out cry of a fire, which was said to be either in our, or our Neighbours Garret. James Costin was then in our count­ing house receiving of mony, yet so ignorant of the mis­hap that he knew nothing thereof, till he was made sensible of it, by the peoples running up stairs, who dis­covered the garret all on fire: nor can he give any account by what means or when it hapned, that which is much suspected and most probable, is that it was either done by a little Negro, who lighted the Candle for them to tell the Money, and might go up with the same into the Garret, or else that it might [Page 4] be kindled by some spark accidentally falling from some of the Neighbours Chimneys, but of which we cannot yet absolutely determine,

But we upon our return, finding the Fire past reco­very hasted to secure what was most considerable, and what in such a sudden exigency we could carry away, not daring to stay any long time, the Fire prevailing so dread­fully upon our House, and it being next to the Magazine of the Island, which had in it about 170 barrels of pow­der, which set such an amazement, and struck such a terrour upon the hearts of most people, that they durst not attempt to give that assistance, which otherwise would have been done and performed, and might have preven­ted (in all probability) a great part of this devastation.

So that by what hath been demonstrated, we must ascribe the cause of the Fire prevailing so far, to be the cause of the Magazine, which being in the middle of the Town, was a terrour to every man for lending his as­sistance to the quenching of the flames, well knowing that when the Fire came to the powder so near adjacent, it would cause such a blow as would destory all near un­to it: and indeed it is a miracle of mercy (that upon so little warning) it did not destroy many hundreds of people, which either by covetuosness of saving their goods, or impotency, staid behind, as it was likely to have done, had the powder been in a low room, and not above, and questionless had it met with any opposition it might have caused a very great Earthquake (which Islands of this Nature are much subject unto) and so by consequence, reason induces me to believe, that very few in or near the Town had escaped alive. But God [Page 5] whose mercies are infinite here demonstrated it unto us, and mingled pitty with his Judgements, in not punishing to the full measure of our deserts.

This blow so dispersed the Fire, and shattered all the houses, that the whole Town became presently a prey to its flames, it being supposed there is no less then 800 houses consumed in this terrible conflagration, with a very great value of goods, the Town being very rich in Commodities, of which very little was saved, most off those goods being too cumberous as to admit of a sudden removeal.