Letter written from Richard Bower in Yarmouth to Joseph Williamson, 7 September 1666. Catalogue ref: SP 29/170 f.137.
Joseph Williamson (1633-1701) was the Under-Secretary of State (1660-74) and Keeper of the State Papers which he reorganised from (1661-1701). He also started the ‘Oxford Gazette’ at the time of the Great Plague in 1665, which later became established as the ‘London Gazette’.
- What was the cause of the fire according to the writer of this letter?
- How as the spread of news been affected by the fire?
- What does this letter infer about the international situation?
Transcript
7th September 1666
We have not heard of our fleet nor the Dutch fleet, since our fleet went out of Southwold Bay any further there, as a Southwold man informs us which was the upon Saturday last towards evening. We left our fleet within a league of the Dutch fleet, about ten leagues of the North Holland into the West Channel. Here is a French seaman just now had before the Bailiffs, who hearing the sad news of the fire of London told him by some young men under witness it was good news if this town (Yarmouth) were a fire too, with words he did pronounce using plain English but upon examination will not own he can speak a word of English. We had no post come to this town since Monday night last which is occasioned as we conceive by the sad fire that happened in the city or as most here judge wilfully, set a fire by the Dutch and French who lurk about the city.
Yarmouth
September 7, 1666.
Your humble servant
Richard Bower
Simplified transcript
We have no news of our fleet or the Dutch ships off the coast of Holland. Here in Southwold a Frenchman has been arrested for saying that it would be good news if Southwold had a fire like the city of London. He now claims he can’t speak English. We have had no post since Monday. Most people think that London was set on fire by the Dutch and the French.