AT a Joyners House in Plum-Tree street , in St. Giles's in the Fields , Lodged one Mr. Kerby a Stone-Cutter and his Wife , with their Two Sons ; He being a Man of good Business , was wont often to have Work in the Country , where he would stay commonly all the Week , and come home again only on Saturday Nights , and so begon again on Monday Morning following ; but his Wife ●●ing an Extravagant Woman , would spend all that she could get ; insomuch that in her ●usband's absence at any time , she would Pawn all her Cloaths , and run him to needless ●●arges , which the poor Man seeing that if she did not speedily take up from her Wicked ●●d Extravagant Course of Life , she would soon cause his Ruin ; which made him often ●arn her , but he finding it to no purpose and all in vain , which obstinency in her , was ●●e cause that he could not bear that Affection towards her as he was wont to ; which her ●andlady perceiving , yet knowing the ca●se , she could not greatly affect her Wicked Deeds , ●nd so took little or no notice to him of it , any further than that she would have him ●ear a little longer with her , to see whether she would amend or no , which he promised 〈◇〉 would .

But on Saturday Night last , being the 13th of this Instant April , 1700. her Husband as 〈◇〉 pretended to , having an occasion to go to B●rnet , as she told her Landlady , who did 〈◇〉 in the least mistrust either him or her , but that he was gone to Work as he used to 〈◇〉 , but whether it was so or no we cannot tell for certainty : but his wicked Wife Mrs. ●●rby not forgetting her wicked Practices , took the opportunity when her Landlord and ●●s Wife was gon to Bed on Saturday Night last , which was between Twelve and One of ●he Clock , as having occasion to sit up later that Night than they were wont to do ; and ●efore they were got to Sleep , they heard a great rumbling sort of noise in Mrs. Kirby's Room , but thinking that she was a cleaning it , they went both to Sleep , in which time she had conveyed away all the moveable and Houshould Goods that she could come at in the Room where she lay , leaving nothing but the Rug and Bed ; then she came down ●tairs with a lighted Candle in her Hand , which she set against the Wainscoat going down ●he Sellar-stairs , on purpose to Fire the House , that she might the better come off with ●●e things she had conveyed away . But before they had sl●pt an Hour , they ●●●e awa●●●ed out of their Sleeps , by the scorching Heat and fierce Flames of the Fire , which had ●●compassed them in , and broken into the Chamber where they lay , which so Astonished ●nd Affrighted them that they knew not which way to go , by reason that he did see Fire both ●bove and below too ; which he seeing , was resolved to go down Stairs , at that h● snatch●d up his Britches , having within Two Guineas and the rest in Silver , to the value of 3 Pounds , which he threw out of the Window , and afterwards run down Stairs through the Fire , which was so fierce that it burned the Hair of his Head . And opening the Street-door to cry out for help , found his Britches with the Money taken out and laid down again : but before he could get any considerable help , he met on the Stairs his Lodger Mrs Kirby , who told him , that she had throw'd the Bolster of the Bed out of the Window : Then he told her that he believed she had done this Wicked fact ; and saying , that he would make her find out the other Bolster which they missed before then , with many other things .

By this time their Neighbours came to his help and assistance to quence the Fire , which if it had gone on but a little longer , it had for certain been a dreadful one indeed ; but the Fire being carefully put out , and all the bussel over , Mrs. Kirby with her two Twin Sons about 10 Years of Age , went to lie down on the Bed in their Chamber till about ten of the Clock on Sunday Morning , she came down and went away , leaving her two Sons behind , who followed after , and has not been seen since . Therefore who can bring them to Judgment , they shall be well required .

Disciription of Edward Kirby , a Lusty short Man , with a fresh coloured Face , thick Lip , wearing sad coloured Cloaths , and his own Hair . Margaret Kerby his Wife , having a thin Face with a long Nose , middle si●ed , wearing a Redding coloured Gown , being ●ccompanied with ●er two T●o Sons Joseph and Benjamin