L-D have Mercy on us!—the Capitol! the Capitol! is burnt

down!

O astonishing Fate!—which occasions this Meeting in Town.

And this Fate proves a Loss, to be deplored the more,

The said Fate being th’ Effect of Malice and Design, to be sure.

And yet ’tis hard to comprehend how a Crime of so flagitious a

Nature

Should be committed, or even imagined, by any but an irrational

Creature.

But when you consider, that the first emission of Smoke was not

from below,

And that Fires kindled by Accident always burn slow,

And not with half the Fury as when they burn on Purpose you

know

You’ll be forced to ascribe it (with Hearts full of Sadness)

To the horrid Machinations of desperate Villains, instigated by

infernal Madness.

God forbid I should accuse or excuse any without just Foundation,

Yet I may venture to assert—for our own Reputation,

That such superlative Wickedness never entred the Hearts of

Virginians, who are the Cream of the British Nation.

The Clerks have been examin’d, and clear’d by the May’r,

Yet are willing to be examin’d again by you, and that’s fair.

And will prove in the Face of the Country, if requir’d,

That it was not by their Conduct our Capitol was fir’d.

I must add, to do ’em Justice, that the Comfort we have,

In enjoying our authentic Registers, which those Clerks did save,

Is owing to their Activity, Resolution and Diligence,

Together with Divine Providence

All which would have been in vain, I protest,

If the Wind, at the bursting out of the Flames, had not changed

from East to Northwest.

Our Treasury being low, and my Infirmities great,

I would have kept you prorogu’d till the Revisal of the Laws

was compleat;

But this Misfortune befalling the Capitol of the Capital of our

Nation

Require your immediate Care and Assistance for its Instauration.

To press you in a Point of such Usefulness manifest,

Would shew a Diffidence of your sincere Zeal for the public

Interest

For which you and I always make such a laudable Pother,

And for which we’ve so often applauded one Another.

The same public Spirit which within these Walls us’d to direct

you all,

Will determine you (as Fathers of your Country) to apply Means

effectual

For restoring the Royal Fabric to its former Beauty

And Magnificence, according to your Duty;

With the like Apartments, elegant and spacious

For all the the weighty purposes of Government, so capacious.

Mean time the College and Court of Hustings our Weight may

sustain,

But pray let us speedily have our Capitol, our important Capitol

again.

We the King’s best Subjects, the Council of this Dominion,

Are deeply affected (as is every true Virginian)

With the unhappy Occasion of our present Meeting:

——In Troth we have but a sorry Greeting.

We are also not a little touch’d (in the Head) with the same

Weakness as your Honour’s,

And therefore think this raging Fire which consum’d our Capitol,

should incite us to reform our Manners:

The best Expedient at present to avert the Indignation divine,

And nobly to express our Gratitude for the Justice, which (temper’d

with Mercy) doth shine,

In preserving our Records, tho’ Red hot,

And like Brands pluck’d out of the Flames, in which they were

going to pot,

Without this Expedient we shall be ruin’d quite.

Besides, This Fire puts us in Mind of New-Light;

And we think it Heav’n’s Judgment on us for tolerating the Pres-

byterians,

Whose Forefathers drubb’d ours, about a hundred Year-hence.

We therefore resolve to abate a little of our Drinking, Gaming,

Cursing and Swearing,

And make up for the rest, by persecuting some itinerant Presby-

terian.

An active Discharge of our important Trusts, according to your

Honour’s Desire.

Is the wisest Project of Insurance that can be, of the Public Safety,

from the Attempts of such as would set it on fire.

Tis a Project also for advancing the Honour and Interest of our

King and Nation,

And a Project for engaging Heaven’s Protection from Generation

to Generation.

We take this Opportunity, that we may not be suspected of

Malignity,

To congratulate you, Sir, on your Promotion to the Baronet’s

Dignity;

A fresh Instance of just Regard to your long and faithful Services,

we say,

Because from Carthagena your Honour came safe away.

And you lent and sent such great Assistance for reducing Canada.

The just Sense you express for the Loss of our Cap-

itol, which to be sure was a fatal Mishap,

Your affectionate Concern for the Infirmities of my Honour,

And Joy at my new Title, of which our good K—g is the Donor,

Claim sincere Acknowledgments of Thankfulness,

And Gratitude, for this obliging Address.

And, (lest here and hereafter we’re left in the Lurch)

To promote true Religion, (I mean our own Church)

I’ll heartily concur with you, and lend a few Knocks

To suppress these confounding New Light Heterodox.

Then if from our Sins, we also refrain,

Perhaps we may have our Capitol! our dear Capitol! our glo-

rious Royal Capitol again.