Middlesex
to Wit

The Information ofWilliam Collett< no role >
taken before me this 18th. day of October 1781

who being upon Oath saith that on Tuesday ye.
9th. Instt. abt. [..] past 11 o Clock he was standing in
ye passage of the Talbot. Inn in the strand he
heard a Girl Cry Firehe ran up the passage
but before he cod. well get out of ye passage a Watchman
rang his Rattle & the first Object he saw was a
light Resembling a Candle just lighted on the left
hand side of the Hatter ShopSevl. Watchmen
were got together endeavouring to force open the
Door of the House & alarm the people within &
the NeighbourhoodThe Flames got to a Head
in ye space of about 2 or 3 Minutes after Informt
first saw ye light, and just then observed two or three
Persons come out at the Top of the House about
Naked who went the House to the left hand

Saith that at the time he first observed the
light it second to him from ye quick increase
of the Flames that a Number of loose papers
had been left together in the shop and by the spack
of a Candle or some such Matter dropping among
them had Communicated to the Hat Boxes and so
caused the Fire to spread with such quickness
not thensaithhaving any Idea it cod. he done
willfully as Informt. was a total Stronger to that
part of the Neighbourhood

Sworn before me this
18th. day of October 1781}

Sampn Wright< no role >

Wm. Collett< no role >