The Storm Part 4

Nor has the_ Navy _better Quarter found; 50 There we've receiv'd our worst, our deepest Wound.

The Billows swell, and haughty_ Neptune _raves, The Winds insulting o're th' impetuous Waves._ Thetis _incens'd, rises with angry Frown, And once more threatens all the World to drown, And owns no Power, but_ England_'s and her own.

Yet the_ aeolian _G.o.d dares vent his Rage; And ev'n the Sovereign of the Seas engage.

What tho' the mighty_ Charles _of_ Spain_'s on board, The Winds obey none but their bl.u.s.t'ring Lord. 60 Some s.h.i.+ps were stranded, some by Surges rent, Down with their Cargo to the bottom went.

Th' absorbent Ocean could desire no more; So well regal'd he never was before.

The hungry Fish could hardly wait the day, When the Sun's beams should chase the Storm away, But quickly seize with greedy Jaws their Prey._

DAM.

_So the great_ Trojan_, by the Hand of Fate, And haughty Power of angry_ Juno_'s Hate, While with like aim he cross'd the Seas, was tost, 70 From Sh.o.r.e to Sh.o.r.e, from foreign Coast to Coast: Yet safe at last his mighty Point he gain'd; In charming promis'd Peace and Splendor reign'd._

MEL.

_So may_ Great Charles, _whom equal Glories move, Like the great_ Dardan Prince _successful prove: Like him, with Honour may he mount the Throne, And long enjoy a brighter destin'd Crown._

CHAPTER IV

_Of the Extent of this Storm, and from what Parts it was suppos'd to come; with some Circ.u.mstances as to the Time of it_

As all our Histories are full of the Relations of Tempests and Storms which have happened in various Parts of the World, I hope it may not be improper that some of them have been thus observ'd with their remarkable Effects.

But as I have all along insisted, that no Storm since the Universal Deluge was like this, either in its Violence or its Duration, so I must also confirm it as to the particular of its prodigious Extent.

All the Storms and Tempests we have heard of in the World, have been Gusts or Squauls of Wind that have been carried on in their proper Channels, and have spent their Force in a shorter s.p.a.ce.

We feel nothing here of the Hurricanes of _Barbadoes_, the North-Wests of _New England_ and _Virginia_, the terrible Gusts of the _Levant_, or the frequent Tempests of the _North Cape_. When Sir _Francis Wheeler_'s Squadron perish'd at _Gibralter_, when the City of _Straelsond_ was almost ruin'd by a Storm, _England_ felt it not, nor was the Air here disturb'd with the Motion. Even at home we have had Storms of violent Wind in one part of _England_ which have not been felt in another. And if what I have been told has any truth in it, in St. _George_'s Channel there has frequently blown a Storm at Sea right up and down the Channel, which has been felt on neither Coast, tho it is not above 20 Leagues from the _English_ to the _Irish_ Sh.o.r.e.

Sir _William Temple_ gives us the Particulars of two terrible Storms in _Holland_ while he was there; in one of which the great Cathedral Church at _Utrecht_ was utterly destroy'd: and after that there was a Storm so violent in _Holland_, that 46 Vessels were cast away at the _Texel_, and almost all the Men drowned: and yet we felt none of these Storms here.

And for this very reason I have reserv'd an Abridgment of these former Cases to this place; which as they are recited by Sir _William Temple_, I shall put them down in his own Words, being not capable to mend them, and not vain enough to pretend to it.

'I stay'd only a Night at _Antwerp_, which pa.s.s'd with so great Thunders and Lightnings, that I promis'd my self a very fair Day after it, to go back to _Rotterdam_ in the _States_ Yacht, that still attended me. The Morning prov'd so; but towards Evening the Sky grew foul, and the Sea men presag'd ill Weather, and so resolved to lie at Anchor before _Bergen ap Zoom_, the Wind being cross and little. When the Night was fallen as black as ever I saw, it soon began to clear up, with the most violent Flashes of Lightning as well as Cracks of Thunder, that I believe have ever been heard in our Age and Climate. This continued all Night; and we felt such a fierce Heat from every great Flash of Lightning, that the Captain apprehended it would fire his s.h.i.+p. But about 8 the next Morning the Wind changed, and came up with so strong a Gale, that we came to _Rotterdam_ in about 4 Hours, and there found all Mouths full of the Mischiefs and Accidents that the last Night's Tempest had occasioned both among the Boats and the Houses, by the Thunder, Lightning, Hail, or Whirlwinds. But the Day after came Stories to the _Hague_ from all Parts, of such violent Effects as were almost incredible: At _Amsterdam_ they were deplorable, many Trees torn up by the Roots, s.h.i.+ps sunk in the Harbour, and Boats in the Channels; Houses beaten down, and several People were s.n.a.t.c.h'd from the Ground as they walk'd the Streets, and thrown into the Ca.n.a.ls. But all was silenc'd by the Relations from _Utrecht_, where the Great and Ancient Cathedral was torn in pieces by the Violences of this Storm; and the vast Pillars of Stone that supported it, were wreathed like a twisted Club, having been so strongly compos'd and cimented, as rather to suffer such a Change of Figure than break in pieces, as other Parts of the Fabrick did; hardly any Church in the Town escap'd the Violence of this Storm; and very few Houses without the Marks of it; Nor were the Effects of it less astonis.h.i.+ng by the Relations from _France_ and _Brussels_, where the Damages were infinite, as well from Whirlwinds, Thunder, Lightning, as from Hail-stones of prodigious Bigness. This was in the Year 1674.

'In _November_, 1675, happen'd a Storm at _North-West_, with a Spring-tide, so violent, as gave apprehensions of some loss irrecoverable to the Province of _Holland_, and by several breaches in the great Diques near _Enchusen_, and others between _Amsterdam_ and _Harlem_, made way for such Inundations as had not been seen before by any man then alive, and fill'd the Country with many relations of most deplorable Events. But the incredible Diligence and unanimous Endeavours of the People upon such occasions, gave a stop to the Fury of that Element, and made way for recovering next Year all the Lands, though not the People, Cattel, and Houses that had been lost.'

_Thus far_ Sir William Temple.

I am also credibly inform'd that the greatest Storm that ever we had in _England_ before, and which was as universal here as this, did no Damage in _Holland_ or _France_, comparable to this Tempest: I mean the great Wind in 1661. An Abstract of which, as it was printed in _Mirabilis Annis_, an unknown, but unquestion'd Author, take as follows, in his own Words.

_A dreadful Storm of Wind, accompanied with Thunder, Lightning, Hail and Rain; together with the sad Effects of it in many Parts of the Nation._

Upon the 18_th_ of _February_, 1661, being _Tuesday_, very early in the Morning, there began a very great and dreadful Storm of Wind (accompanied with Thunder, Lightning, Hail, and Rain, which in many Places were as salt as Brine) which continued with a strange and unusual Violence till almost Night: the sad Effects whereof throughout the Nation are so many, that a very great Volume is not sufficient to contain the Narrative of them. And indeed some of them are so stupendious and amazing, that the Report of them, though from never so authentick Hands, will scarce gain Credit among any but those that have an affectionate Sense of the unlimited Power of the Almighty, knowing and believing that there is nothing too hard for Him to do.

Some few of which wonderful Effects we shall give a brief Account of, as we have received them from Persons of most unquestionable Credit in the several Parts of the Nation.

In the City of _London_, and in _Covent Garden_ and other Parts about _London_ and _Westminster_, five or six Persons were killed outright by the Fall of Houses and Chimneys; especially one Mr. _Luke Blith_ an Attorney, that lived at or near _Stamford_ in the County of _Lincoln_, was killed that Day by the fall of a Riding-House not far from _Pickadilla_: and there are some very remarkable Circ.u.mstances in this Man's Case, which do make his Death to appear at least like a most eminent Judgment and severe Stroak of the Lord's Hand upon him.

From other Parts likewise we have received certain Information, that divers Persons were killed by the Effects of this great Wind.

At _Chiltenham_ in _Gloucesters.h.i.+re_, a Maid was killed by the Fall of a Tree, in or near the Church-Yard.

An honest Yeoman likewise of _Scaldwel_ in _Northamptons.h.i.+re_, being upon a Ladder to save his Hovel, was blown off, and fell upon a Plough, died outright, and never spoke Word more.

Also at _Tewksbury_ in _Gloucesters.h.i.+re_, a Man was blown from an House, and broken to Pieces.

At _Elsbury_ likewise in the same County, a Woman was killed by the Fall of Tiles or Bricks from an House.

And not far from the same Place, a Girl was killed by the Fall of a Tree.

Near _Northampton_, a Man was killed by the Fall of a great Barn.

Near _Colchester_, a Young-man was killed by the Fall of a Wind-mill.

Not far from _Ipswich_ in _Suffolk_, a Man was killed by the Fall of a Barn.

And about two Miles from the said Town of _Ipswich_, a Man was killed by the Fall of a Tree.

At _Langton_, or near to it, in the County of _Leicester_, one Mr.

_Roberts_ had a Wind-mill blown down, in which were three Men; and by the Fall of it, one of them was killed outright, a second had his Back broken, and the other had his Arm or Leg struck off; and both of them (according to our best Information) are since dead.

Several other Instances there are of the like Nature; but it would be too tedious to mention them: Let these therefore suffice to stir us up to Repentance, _lest we likewise perish_.

There are also many Effects of this Storm which are of another Nature, whereof we shall give this following brief Account.

The Wind hath very much prejudiced many Churches in several Parts of the Nation.

At _Tewksbury_ in _Gloucesters.h.i.+re_, it blew down a very fair Window belonging to the Church there, both the Gla.s.s, and the Stone-work also; the Doors likewise of that Church were blown open, much of the Lead torn up, and some Part of a fair Pinnacle thrown down.

Also at _Red-Marly_ and _Newin_, not far from _Tewksbury_, their Churches are extreamly broken and shatter'd, if not a considerable part of them blown down. The like was done to most, if not all the Publick Meeting-places at _Gloucester_ City. And it is reported, that some Hundreds of Pounds will not suffice to repair the Damage done to the Cathedral at _Worcester_, especially in that Part that is over the Quire.

The like Fate happen'd to many more of them, as _Hereford_, and _Leighton Beau-desart_ in _Bedfords.h.i.+re_, and _Eaton-Soken_ in the same County; where they had newly erected a very fair Cross of Stone, which the Wind blew down: and, as some of the Inhabitants did observe, that was the first Damage which that Town sustained by the Storm, though afterwards in other respects also they were in the same Condition with their Neighbours. The Steeples also, and other Parts of the Churches of _Shenley_, _Waddon_, and _Woolston_ in the County of _Bucks_, have been very much rent and torn by the Wind. The Spire of _Finchinfield_ Steeple in the County of _Ess.e.x_, was blown down, and it brake through the Body of the Church, and spoil'd many of the Pews; some Hundreds of Pounds will not repair that Loss. But that which is most remarkable of this kind, is, the Fall of that most famous Spire, or Pinnacle of the Tower-Church in _Ipswich_: it was blown down upon the Body of the Church, and fell reversed, the sharp End of the Shaft striking through the Leads on the South-side of the Church, carried much of the Timber-work down before it into the Alley just behind the Pulpit, and took off one Side of the Sounding-board over the Pulpit: it shattered many Pews: The Weather-c.o.c.k, and the Iron upon which it stood, broke off as it fell; but the narrowest Part of the Wood-work, upon which the Fane stood, fell into the Alley, broke quite through a Grave-stone, and ran shoring under two Coffins that had been placed there one on another; that Part of the Spire which was pluck'd up was about three Yards deep in the Earth, and it is believed some Part of it is yet behind in the Ground: some Hundreds of Pounds will not make good the Detriment done to the Church by the Fall of this Pinnacle.

Very great Prejudice has been done to private Houses; many of them blown down, and others extreamly shattered and torn. It is thought that five thousand Pounds will not make good the Repairs at _Audley-End House_, which belongs to the Earl of _Suffolk_. A good Part also of the Crown-Office in the _Temple_ is blown down. The Instances of this kind are so many and so obvious, that it would needlesly take up too much time to give the Reader an Account of the Collection of them; only there has been such a wonderful Destruction of Barns, that (looking so much like a Judgment from the Lord, who the last Year took away our Corn, and this our Barns) we cannot but give a short Account of some Part of that Intelligence which hath come to our Hands of that Nature.

A Gentleman, of good Account, in _Ipswich_, affirms, that in a few Miles riding that Day, there was eleven Barns and Out-houses blown down in the Road within his View; and within a very few Miles of _Ipswich_ round about, above thirty Barns, and many of them with Corn in them, were blown down. At _Southold_ not far from the Place before mentioned, many new Houses and Barns (built since a late Fire that happened there) are blown down; as also a Salt-house is destroyed there: and a thousand Pounds, as it is believed, will not make up that particular Loss.

From _Tewksbury_ it is certified, that an incredible Number of Barns have been blown down in the small Towns and Villages thereabouts. At _Twyning_, at least eleven Barns are blown down. In _Ashchurch_ Parish seven or eight. At _Lee_, five. At _Norton_, a very great Number, three whereof belonging to one Man. The great Abby-Barn also at _Tewksbury_ is blown down.

It is credibly reported, that within a very few Miles Circ.u.mference in _Worcesters.h.i.+re_, about an hundred and forty Barns are blown down. At _Finchinfield_ in _Ess.e.x_, which is but an ordinary Village, about sixteen Barns were blown down. Also at a Town called _Wilchamsted_ in the County of _Bedford_ (a very small Village) fifteen Barns at least are blown down. But especially the Parsonage Barns went to wrack in many Places throughout the Land: In a few Miles Compa.s.s in _Bedfords.h.i.+re_, and so in _Northamptons.h.i.+re_, and other Places, eight, ten, and twelve are blown down; and at _Yielding Parsonage_ in the County of _Bedford_ (out of which was thrust by Oppression and Violence the late Inc.u.mbent) all the Barns belonging to it are down. The Instances also of this kind are innumerable, which we shall therefore forbear to make further mention of.

We have also a large Account of the blowing down of a very great and considerable Number of Fruit-Trees, and other Trees in several Parts; we shall only pick out two or three Pa.s.sages which are the most remarkable.

In the Counties of _Gloucester_, _Hereford_, and _Worcester_, several Persons have lost whole Orchards of Fruit-Trees; and many particular Mens Loss hath amounted to the Value of forty or fifty Pounds at the least, meerly by Destruction of their Fruit-Trees: and so in other Parts of _England_ proportionably the like Damage hath been sustained in this Respect. And as for other Trees, there has been a great Destruction made of them in many Places, by this Storm. Several were blown down at _Hampton-Court_. And three thousand brave Oaks at least, but in one princ.i.p.al Part of the Forest of _Dean_, belonging to his Majesty. In a little Grove at _Ipswich_, belonging to the Lord of _Hereford_ (which together with the Spire of the Steeple before-mentioned, were the most considerable Ornaments of that Town) are blown down at least two hundred goodly Trees, one of which was an Ash, which had ten Load of Wood upon it: there are now few Trees left there.

In _Bramton Bryan Park_ in the County of _Hereford_, belonging to Sir _Edward Harly_, one of the late Knights of the _Bath_, above thirteen hundred Trees are blown down; and above six hundred in _Hopton Park_ not far from it: and thus it is proportionably in most Places where this Storm was felt. And the Truth is, the Damage which the People of this Nation have sustained upon all Accounts by this Storm, is not easily to be valued: some sober and discreet People, who have endeavoured to compute the Loss of the several Counties one with another, by the Destruction of Houses and Barns, the blowing away of Hovels and Ricks of Corn, the falling of Trees, _&c._ do believe it can come to little less than two Millions of Money.

There are yet behind many Particulars of a distinct Nature from those that have been spoken of; some whereof are very wonderful, and call for a very serious Observation of them.