On Wednesday last, at half an hour after eleven at night, in a quarter of an hour’s time or less, my house at Epworth was burned down to the ground—­I hope by accident; but God knows all.  We had been brewing, but had done all; every spark of fire quenched before five o’clock that evening—­at least six hours before the house was on fire.  Perhaps the chimney above might take fire (though it had been swept not long since) and break through into the thatch.  Yet it is strange I should neither see nor smell anything of it, having been in my study in that part of the house till above half an hour after ten.  Then I locked the doors of that part of the house where my wheat and other corn lay, and went to bed.

The servants had not been in bed a quarter of an hour when the fire began.  My wife being near her time, and very weak, I lay in the next chamber.  A little after eleven I heard “Fire!” cried in the street, next to which I lay.  If I had been in my own chamber, as usual, we had all been lost.  I threw myself out of bed, got on my waistcoat and nightgown, and looked out of window; saw the reflection of the flame, but knew not where it was; ran to my wife’s chamber with one stocking on and my breeches in my hand; would have broken open the door, which was bolted within, but could not.  My two eldest children were with her.  They rose, and ran towards the staircase, to raise the rest of the house.  There I saw it was my own house, all in a light blaze, and nothing but a door between the flame and the staircase.

I ran back to my wife, who by this time had got out of bed, naked, and opened the door.  I bade her fly for her life.  We had a little silver and some gold—­about 20 pounds.  She would have stayed for it, but I pushed her out; got her and my two eldest children downstairs (where two of the servant were now got), and asked for the keys.  They knew nothing of them.  I ran upstairs and found them, came down, and opened the street door.  The thatch was fallen in all on fire.  The north-east wind drove all the sheets of flame in my face, as if reverberated in a lamp.  I got twice to the step and was drove down again.  I ran to the garden door and opened it.  The fire there was more moderate.  I bade them all follow, but found only two with me, and the maid with another in her arms that cannot go; but all naked.  I ran with them to an outhouse in the garden, out of the reach of the flames; put the least in the other’s lap; and not finding my wife follow me, ran back into the house to seek her, but could not find her.  The servants and two of the children were got out at the window.  In the kitchen I found my eldest daughter, naked, and asked her for her mother.  She could not tell me where she was.  I took her up and carried her to the rest in the garden; came in the second time and ran upstairs, the flame breaking through the wall at the staircase; thought all my children were safe, and hoped my wife was some