The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON, April 15.

Saturday evening a most dreadful Fire happened at Haddenham, between Thame and Aylesbury, in the County of Bucks. which in about three Hours entirely consumed twenty two Dwelling-Houses, besides many Barns full of Corn, Stables, Hovels, a Malthouse, with a large Quantity of Malt and Grain, Hay and Corn Ricks, Utensils in Husbandry, the Household Furniture, and Wearing Apparel of the Inhabitants. &c. &c. whereby the poorer sufferers have lost their All. and are left destitute of common Necessaries of Life.

This dreadful Disaster is conjectured to have happened by a Woman's having carelessly carried out some Wood Ashes not thoroughly extinguished, which being fanned by the Wind, set fire to the Basket, and afterwards to the Straw in the Yard.

Notwithstanding this Fire broke out in the Middle of the Day, and the Labourers in the Fields flew immediately to assist. yet almost every Thing which they were able to get out of the Houses were afterwards burnt upon the Ground; for though the buildings were many of them at a considerable distance from each other, by their being in general Straw thatched, and the Garden and other Fences made of Earth, covered with Straw, as a Security from Weather, and the Wind happening to be very brisk, the Flames spread so furiously that the People were thrown into the utmost Confusion, and rendered almost incapable of being in any wise serviceable towards stopping so dreadful a Calamity.

A Scene of greater Distress can scarce be imagined ; and the miserable Inhabitants must inevitably perish, unless relieved by the Humane and Charitable.