My Lord Hollis explaining this to
the foreigner, he was overcome by amazement at the charge; and
when asked what he had thrown into the house, made answer he had
not flung anything. But he remembered well, whilst walking in
the street, he saw a piece of bread upon the ground, which he, as
was the custom in his country took up. Afterwards he laid it
upon a shelf in a neighbouring house, which being close by, my
Lords Hollis and Ashley, followed by a dense crowd, conducted
him thither, and found the bread laid upon a board as he had
stated. It was noted the next house but one was on fire, and on
inquiry it was ascertained that the worthy citizen, seeing a
foreigner place something inside a shop without tarrying, and
immediately after perceiving a dwelling in flames, which in his
haste he took to be the same, he had charged the man with
commission of this foul deed. But even though many were
convinced of his innocence, my Lord Hollis concluded the
stranger's life would be in safer keeping if he were committed to
prison, which was accordingly done.
Meanwhile the fire continued; and on Monday night and Tuesday
raged with increasing violence. The very heart of the city was
now eaten into by this insatiable monster: Soper Lane, Bread
Street, Friday Street, Old Change, and Cheapside being in one
blaze. It was indeed a spectacle to fill all beholding it with
consternation; but that which followed was yet more terrible, for
already St.
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