The Virginia Gazette

This morning about three o'clock a most dreadful fire broke out in the two pair of stairs apartment, at the house of Mr. Seymour, in Pope's head alley, Cornhill. The flames communicated to, and consumed the lottery offices of, Mr. Bannister, Mr. Pearce, and Mr. Alvarange, the counting-houses of Mr. Woodmas, Messrs. Callegan and Harty, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Nicholson, the Pope's head eating-house, also the house of Mrs. Peat, and another in Lombard street, Mr. Aubrey, Mr. Webster, Old Sam's coffee-house, Baker's coffee house, Messrs. Gifford and Parry, and the King's arms coffee house and tavern, Change alley, besides damaging ten or twelve other houses. The flames were so rapid (and most of the alley consisting of old wooden houses) that it was with the utmost difficulty any of the families escaped with their lives; and it is supposed that an old Lady and a foreign Gentleman who lodged at Mr. Seymour's, are burnt.

This morning the Lord Mayor ordered his officers to attend at the fire, which they did, and took several persons into custody who were plundering the unfortunate sufferers.