Following on from the talk by Carol Rawcliffe on the Great Fires of Norwich of 1508 where she pointed out that the fires took place in 1508 and not 1507 as stated by Blomefield. Here is the original Blomefield text. It is written in old English but just about decipherable. The Popingjay was an Inn located where All Bar One is now. Also note that the fire spread more easily because the river was piled up with rubbish. There also seems to be a suggestion that the second fire was started on purpose:
In 1507, on the 31st day of March, one Tho. Norrice, condemned by Richard Nix Bishop of Norwich, was for the true profession of the Gospel burnt in this city: (fn. 28) which soon after felt the violence of flames in a great degree, for on the 25th day of April following (being St. Mark's day, and Easter Tuesday) a fire broke out, which burnt with continual violence four days. (fn. 29) And it was not long before the same fate attended the city again, for on the 4th of June following (being Ascension day) happened another lamentable fire, which burnt two days and a night, both which, as an old roll in the Herald's Office (fn. 30) informs us, burnt above 18 score houses, "Norwich was byrned with fire at twey times, to the noumbir of xviij score howsholdys and mo and most parte of their goodys." But I find by the evidences, that the city was almost utterly defaced, that there were 718 houses burnt, in the parishes of St. Peter of Mancroft, St. Giles, St. Gregory, St. Laurence, St. Margaret in West-Wymer, Little St. Mary, St. Cuthbert, St. Buttolph, All-Saints in Fibrigge, St. George of Tombland, St. Simon, St. Michael at Plea, St. Andrew, St. Saviour, St. George in Colgate, St. Martin in the Bail, &c. And by what I have seen, it seems to have begun near the Popinjay, which was then burnt, and to have made the greatest havock on the river side from the bottom of Tombland through St. Andrew's, &c. up the city; for the river was so stopped up with rubbish, that the first thing the court did, was to publish an order for it to be forthwith cleared, and then they chose Tho. Aldrich, Rob. Browne, and Henry atte Mere, to go to the King's privy council to inform his Majesty of their misfortune, and implore his aid and advice, to maintain the sufferers in their present extremity, and rebuild the city: and soon after they sent Tho. Aldryche, John Clerk, John Marsham, and Henry atte Mere, to the King, for his Majesty's answer.
The second fire (as Holingshed says, (fn. 31) though he hath placed it in the wrong year) began in the house of a French surgeon, named Peter Joknson, in the parish of St. George in Colgate, I suppose by accident; the former, as I learn from the History of Yarmouth, (fn. 32) which says, 'The citye of Norwiche was set on fyer, and a great parte thereof was brente,' seems as if it was supposed to have been done purposely; but however it was, the city of London and the rest of the country raised large sums, which joined to what the court and other private subscriptions raised, soon re-edified part of it again.
