It was a peaceful night And the moon was full We were all asleep Yet something wasn't right That September 2, 1666 A fire begun in the house and the shop of our King Charles's baker in Pudding lane Sparks from the burning home they fell on hay in the yard of the Star Inn at Fish Street Hill The spreading flames from the inn Set light to St. Margaret The holy House of our Lord was on fire It spread in waves to a warehouse where Oil, spirits, hemp and hay were stored Eight a.m., some six hours later, more or less The Great Fire was halfway across London Bridge I woke up to screams and shouting everywhere Men came here in Seething Lane to call for me By the time I reached for the tower Three hundred houses were on fire I realized disaster threatened London so I hurried off to the Court in Whitehall With buckets, axes, ladders, squirts and fire hooks, and water from the river we fought the blaze Everyone gave his own best We had to build some fire breaks And there was no other way than to pull down houses We prayed our god to grant us strength When our supplies became too scarce There was so little time for action So much to do to save our town As we all thought it was over The Fire was still threatening Westminster The Duke of York prevented the disaster by ordering the destruction, of the paper house Within five days, the fire had ravaged London, and devastation lasted, for many years