DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0248
218 CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE
stifled in the caves, where they had retired, because, their
houses being made of great trees, when they fell, they
crushed down all that was underneath; others being con-
sumed to ashes, stopped all the passages of going and
coming out, so that for want of air, they all perished.
The poor country people that had saved themselves in the
city, with their cattle, from threescore miles round about,
seeing the conflagration, ran all into the Market-place,
which is not paved of wood as the rest; nevertheless, they
were all roasted there, in such sort, that the tallest man
seemed but a child, so much had the fire contracted their
limbs; and this, by reason of the great houses that were
round about, a thing more hideous and frightful than any
can imagine. In many places of the said Market, the
bodies were piled one upon another, to the height of half a
pike ; which put me into a wonderful admiration, being not
able to apprehend nor understand, how it was possible they
should be so heaped together.
This wonderful conflagration caused all the fortifica-
tions of the town-wall to fall, and all the ordnance that
were upon it to burst. The walls were made of brick,
according to the ancient way of building, without either
fortifications or ditches. Many that had saved themselves
among them, were nevertheless roasted, so fierce and vehe-
ment was the fire; among them, many Italians and Wal-
loons of my acquaintance. While the fire lasted, we
thought that a million of cannons had been thundering to-
gether, and our thoughts were upon nothing but death,
thinking that the fire would last some days, because of the
great circumference of the castle and suburbs ; but all this
was done in less than four hours time; at the end of which,
the noise growing less, we were curious to know, whether
the Tartarians, of whom we stood in no less fear than of
the fire, were entered. After we had hearkened awhile,
we heard some Russians running to and fro through the
smoke,
stifled in the caves, where they had retired, because, their
houses being made of great trees, when they fell, they
crushed down all that was underneath; others being con-
sumed to ashes, stopped all the passages of going and
coming out, so that for want of air, they all perished.
The poor country people that had saved themselves in the
city, with their cattle, from threescore miles round about,
seeing the conflagration, ran all into the Market-place,
which is not paved of wood as the rest; nevertheless, they
were all roasted there, in such sort, that the tallest man
seemed but a child, so much had the fire contracted their
limbs; and this, by reason of the great houses that were
round about, a thing more hideous and frightful than any
can imagine. In many places of the said Market, the
bodies were piled one upon another, to the height of half a
pike ; which put me into a wonderful admiration, being not
able to apprehend nor understand, how it was possible they
should be so heaped together.
This wonderful conflagration caused all the fortifica-
tions of the town-wall to fall, and all the ordnance that
were upon it to burst. The walls were made of brick,
according to the ancient way of building, without either
fortifications or ditches. Many that had saved themselves
among them, were nevertheless roasted, so fierce and vehe-
ment was the fire; among them, many Italians and Wal-
loons of my acquaintance. While the fire lasted, we
thought that a million of cannons had been thundering to-
gether, and our thoughts were upon nothing but death,
thinking that the fire would last some days, because of the
great circumference of the castle and suburbs ; but all this
was done in less than four hours time; at the end of which,
the noise growing less, we were curious to know, whether
the Tartarians, of whom we stood in no less fear than of
the fire, were entered. After we had hearkened awhile,
we heard some Russians running to and fro through the
smoke,