DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0246
216
CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE
occasion, was estimated at about seven millions and a half.
—’There is also a traditionary report, that during this
fire, an elderly woman, who was surprised by it, in a house
in a corner near Angel-street, St. Martin’s-le-grand, took
refuge in the chimney, while the building fell, and by that
means escaping unhurt, that place, from the name of the
old woman, has been distinguished ever since by the name
of Nans Hole.
But this fire, though a great calamity, was also a
great mercy ; this will further appear from a contrast of
the same, with the following account of the fire at Moscow
in Russia, in 1571, including a description by an eye-wit-
ness, which we may safely pronounce, has in history no
parallel. It is also considered by the most enlightened,
that had it not been for these dreadful disasters, the plague,
which used very frequently to appear, making the most
destructive ravages, would have still continued, instead of
ceasing, as it has done ever since. And in respect to the
still more dreadful fire at Moscow, we find “that also was
preceded by a plague, which, in the course of four months,
swept away above 250,000 people.
This extraordinary misery (the plague), was followed
the year after, on the 15th of May, by a strange ruin
and conflagration; the occasion was, that the Emperor of
the Tartarians, being discontented that the Russians did
not pay him some annual tribute; and hearing besides,
that the Great Duke, by his tyranny and massacres, had
so depopulated the country, that he should find no great
resistance that way, did summon him to pay the said tri-
bute ; but the Great Duke returned nothing in answer, but
spiteful and reproachful words: wherefore the Tartarian
came out of his country about the end of February, fol-
lowed with an army of 100,000 horse, who within the
space of two months and a half, did ride about 500 Ger-
man leagues, which make 2000 English miles. When they
were
CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE
occasion, was estimated at about seven millions and a half.
—’There is also a traditionary report, that during this
fire, an elderly woman, who was surprised by it, in a house
in a corner near Angel-street, St. Martin’s-le-grand, took
refuge in the chimney, while the building fell, and by that
means escaping unhurt, that place, from the name of the
old woman, has been distinguished ever since by the name
of Nans Hole.
But this fire, though a great calamity, was also a
great mercy ; this will further appear from a contrast of
the same, with the following account of the fire at Moscow
in Russia, in 1571, including a description by an eye-wit-
ness, which we may safely pronounce, has in history no
parallel. It is also considered by the most enlightened,
that had it not been for these dreadful disasters, the plague,
which used very frequently to appear, making the most
destructive ravages, would have still continued, instead of
ceasing, as it has done ever since. And in respect to the
still more dreadful fire at Moscow, we find “that also was
preceded by a plague, which, in the course of four months,
swept away above 250,000 people.
This extraordinary misery (the plague), was followed
the year after, on the 15th of May, by a strange ruin
and conflagration; the occasion was, that the Emperor of
the Tartarians, being discontented that the Russians did
not pay him some annual tribute; and hearing besides,
that the Great Duke, by his tyranny and massacres, had
so depopulated the country, that he should find no great
resistance that way, did summon him to pay the said tri-
bute ; but the Great Duke returned nothing in answer, but
spiteful and reproachful words: wherefore the Tartarian
came out of his country about the end of February, fol-
lowed with an army of 100,000 horse, who within the
space of two months and a half, did ride about 500 Ger-
man leagues, which make 2000 English miles. When they
were