by Daniel Defoe
Gideon Harvey.
London, Theo. Collier.
Nov. 27. 1703. Robert Richards.
These Accounts of like Nature are particularly attested by Persons of known Reputation and Integrity.
SIR
In order to promote the good Design of your Book, in perpetuating the Memory of God’s signal Judgment on this Nation, by the late dreadful Tempest of Wind, which has hurl’d so many Souls into Eternity; and likewise his Providence in the miraculous Preservation of several Persons Lives, who were expos’d to the utmost Hazards in that Hurricane: I shall here give you a short but true Instance of the latter, which several Persons can witness besides my self; and if you think proper may insert the same in the Book you design for that Purpose; which is as follows. At the Saracens’ Head in Friday Street, a Country Lad lodging three Pair of Stairs next the Roof of the House, was wonderfully preserv’d from Death; for about Two a Clock that Saturday Morning the 27th of November, (which prov’d fatal to so many) there fell a Chimney upon the Roof, under which he lay, and beat it down through the Ceiling (the Weight of the Tiles, Bricks, &c. being judged by a Workman to be about Five Hundred Weight) into the Room, fell exactly between the Beds Feet and Door of the Room, which are not Two Yards distance from each other, it being but small: the sudden Noise awaking the Lad, he jumps out of Bed endeavouring to find the Door, but was stopt by the great Dust and falling of more Bricks, &c. and finding himself prevented, in this Fear he got into Bed again, and remain’d there till the Day Light, (the Bricks and Tiles still falling between-whiles about his Bed) and then got up without any Hurt, or so much as a Tile or Brick falling on the Bed; the only thing he complain’d of to me, was his being almost choak’d with Dust when he got out of Bed, or put his Head out from under the Cloaths: There was a great Weight of Tiles and Bricks, which did not break through, as the Workmen inform me, just over the Beds Tester, enough to have crush’d him to Death, if they had fallen: Thus he lay safe among the Dangers that threatned him, whilst wakeful Providence preserv’d him. And SIR, if this be worthy your taking Notice of, I am ready to justify the same. In Witness whereof, here is my Name,
Dec. 3. 1703.Henry Mayers.
A great Preservation in the late Storm
William Phelps and Frances his Wife, living at the Corner of Old Southampton Buildings, over against Gray’s-Inn Gate in Holborn, they lying up three pair of Stairs, in the Backroom, that was only lath’d and plaister’d, he being then very ill, she was forc’d to lie in a Table-Bed in the same Room: about One a Clock in the Morning, on the 27th of November last, the Wind blew down a Stack of Chimneys of seven Funnels4 that stood very high; which broke through the Roof, and fell into the Room, on her Bed; so that she was buried alive, as one may say: she crying out, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Phelps, the House is fall’n upon me, there being so much on her that one could but just hear her speak; a Coachman and a Footman lying on the same Floor, I soon call’d them to my Assistance. We all fell to work, tho’ we stood in the greatest Danger; and through the Goodness of God we did take her out, without the least hurt; neither was any of us hurt, tho’ there was much fell after we took her out. And when we took the Bricks off the Bed the next Morning, we found the Frame of the Bed on which she lay broke all to pieces.
William Phelps.
Another great Preservation
Mr. John Hanson, Register of Eaton College, being at London about his Affairs, and lying that dreadful Night, Nov. 26, at the Bell-Savage Inn on Ludgate Hill, was, by the Fall of a Stack of Chimneys (which broke through the Roof, and beat down two Floors above him, and also that in which he lay) carried in his Bed down to the Ground, without the least hurt, his Cloaths, and every thing besides in the Room, being buried in the Rubbish; it having pleased God so to order it, that just so much of the Floor and Ceiling of the Room (from which he fell) as covered his Bed, was not broken down. Of this great Mercy he prays he may live for ever mindful, and be for ever thankful to Almighty God.
SIR
The Design of your Collecting the remarkable Accidents of the late Storm coming to my Hands, I thought my self obliged to take this Opportunity of making a publick Acknowledgment of the wonderful Providence of Heaven to me, namely, the Preservation of my only Child from imminent Danger.
Two large Stacks of Chimneys, containing each five Funnels, beat through the Roof, in upon the Bed where she lay, without doing her the least Harm, the Servant who lay with her being very much bruised. There were several Loads of Rubbish upon the Bed before my Child was taken out of it.
This extraordinary Deliverance I desire always thankfully to remember.
I was so nearly touch’d by this Accident, that I could not take so much notice as I intended of this Storm; yet I observ’d the Wind gradually to encrease from One a Clock till a Quarter after Five, or thereabouts: at which time it seem’d to be at the highest; when every Gust did not only return with greater Celerity, but also with more Force.
From about a Quarter before Six it sensibly decreas’d. I went often to the Door, at which times I observ’d, that every Gust was preceded by small Flashes, which, to my Observation, did not dart perpendicularly, but seem’d rather to skim along the Surface of the Ground; nor did they appear to be of the same kind with the common Light’ning Flashes.
I must confess I cannot help thinking that the Earth it self suffer’d some Convulsion; and that for this Reason, because several Springs, for the space of 48 Hours afterwards, were very muddy, which were never known to be so by any Storm of Wind or Rain before: nor indeed is it possible, they lying so low, could be affected by any thing less than a Concussion of the Earth it self.
How far these small Hints may be of use to the more ingenious Enquirers into this matter, I shall humbly leave to their Consideration, and subscribe my self,
SIR, Your humble Servant,
Joseph Clench,
Apothecary in Jermyn Street,
Dec. 8, 1703.near St. James’s.
SIR
This comes to let you know that I received yours in the Downs, for which I thank you. I expected to have seen you in London before now, had we not met with a most violent Storm in our way to Chatham. On the 27th of the last Month, about Three of the Clock in the Morning, we lost all our Anchors and drove to Sea: about Six we lost our Rother,5 and were left in a most deplorable condition to the merciless Rage of the Wind and Seas: we also sprung a Leak, and drove 48 Hours expecting to perish. But it pleased God to give us a wonderful Deliverance, scarce to be parallelled in History; for about Midnight we were drove into shoul Water,6 and soon after our Ship struck upon the Sands: the Sea broke over us, we expected every minute that she would drop to pieces, and that we should all be swallowed up in the Deep; but in less than two hours time we drove over the Sands, and got (without Rother or Pilot, or any Help but Almighty God’s) into this Place, where we run our Ship on shore, in order to save our Lives: but it has pleased God also, far beyond our expectation, to save our Ship, and bring us safe off again last Night. We shall remain here a considerable while to refit our Ship, and get a new Rother. Our Deliverance is most remarkable, that in the middle of a dark Night we should drive over a Sand where a Ship that was not half our Bigness durst not venture to come in the Day; and then, without knowing where we were, drive into a narrow place where we have saved both Lives and Ship. I pray God give us all Grace to be thankful, and never forget so great a mercy.
I am,
Your affectionate Friend and humble Servant,
Russell, at Helversluce in
Holland, Dec. 16. 1703. Henry Barclay.
SIR
According to the publick Notice, I send you two or three Observations of mine upon the late dreadful Tempest: As,
1. In the Parish of St. Mary Cray, Kent, a poor Man, with his Wife and Child, were but just gone out of their Bed, when the Head of their House fell in upon it; which must have kill’d them.
2. A great long Stable in the Town, near the Church, was blown off the Foundation entirely at one sudd
en Blast, from the West-side to the East, and cast out into the High-way, over the Heads of five Horses, and a Carter feeding them at the same time, and not one of them hurt, nor the Rack or Manger touch’d, which are yet standing to the Admiration of all Beholders.
3. As the Church at Heyes received great Damage, so the Spire, with one Bell in it, were blown away over the Church yard.
4. The Minister of South-Ash had a great Deliverance from a Chimney falling in upon his Bed just as he rose, and hurt only his Feet; as blessed be God, our Lives have been all very miraculously preserv’d, tho’ our Buildings every where damag’d. You may depend on all, as certify’d by me,
Thomas Watts,
Vicar of Orpington and St. Mary Cray.
There are an innumerable variety of Deliverances, besides these, which deserve a Memorial to future Ages; but these are noted from the Letters, and at the Request of the Persons particularly concern’d.
Particularly, ’tis a most remarkable Story of a Man belonging to the Mary, a fourth Rate Man of War, lost upon the Goodwin Sands; and all the Ship’s Company but himself being lost, he, by the help of a piece of the broken Ship, got a-board the Northumberland; but the Violence of the Storm continuing, the Northumberland ran the same fate with the Mary, and coming on shore upon the same Sand, was split to pieces by the Violence of the Sea: and yet this Person, by a singular Providence, was one of the 64 that were delivered by a Deal Hooker out of that Ship, all the rest perishing in the Sea.
A poor Sailor of Brighthelmston was taken up after he had hung by his Hands and Feet on the top of a Mast 48 hours, the Sea raging so high, that no Boat durst go near him.
A Hoy run on shore on the Rocks in Milford Haven, and just splitting to pieces (as by Captain Soams’ Letter) a Boat drove by, being broke from another Vessel, with no body in it, and came so near the Vessel, as that two Men jumpt into it, and sav’d their Lives: the Boy could not jump so far, and was drowned.
Five Sailors shifted three Vessels on an Island near the Humber and were at last sav’d by a Long-boat out of the fourth.
A Waterman in the River of Thames lying asleep in the Cabbin of a Barge, at or near Black-Fryers, was driven thro’ Bridge in the Storm, and the Barge went of her self into the Tower-Dock, and lay safe on shore; the Man never wak’d, nor heard the Storm, till ’twas Day; and, to his great Astonishment, he found himself safe as above.
Two Boys in the Poultry lodging in a Garret or Upper-room, were, by the Fall of Chimneys, which broke thro’ the Floors, carried quite to the bottom of the Cellar, and receiv’d no Damage at all.
SIR
At my Return home on Saturday at Night, I receiv’d yours: and having said nothing in my last concerning the Storm, I send this to tell you, that I hear of nothing done by it in this Country that may seem to deserve a particular Remark. Several Houses and Barns were stript of their Thatch, some Chimneys and Gables blown down, and several Stacks of Corn and Hay very much dispers’d; but I hear not of any Persons either kill’d or maim’d. A Neighbour of ours was upon the Ridge of his Barn endeavouring to secure the Thatch, and the Barn at that instant was overturn’d by the Storm; but by the good Providence of God, the Man received little or no harm. I say no more, not knowing of any thing more remarkable. I am sorry that other Places were such great Sufferers, and I pray God avert the like Judgments for the future. I am
Your real Friend to serve you,
Orby, Dec. 18. 1703. Hen. Marshal.
SIR
I have no particular Relation to make to you of any Deliverance in the late Storm, more than was common with me to all the rest that were in it: but having, to divert melancholly Thoughts while it lasted, turn’d into Verse the CXLVIII Psalm to the 9th, and afterwards all the Psalm; I give you leave to publish it with the rest of those Memoirs on that Occasion you are preparing for the Press.
SIR, Your, &c.
Henry Squier.
I. Verse 1, 2
Hallelujah: From Heav’n
The tuneful Praise begin;
Let Praise to God be giv’n
Beyond the Starry Scene:
Ye Angels sing
His joyful Praise;
Your Voices raise
Ye swift of Wing.
II. 3, 4
Praise him, thou radiant Sun,
The Spring of all thy Light;
Praise him thou changing Moon,
And all the Stars of Night:
Ye Heav’ns declare
His glorious Fame;
And waves that swim
above the spbere.
III. 5, 6
Let all his Praises sing,
His Goodness and his Power,
For at his Call they spring,
And by his Grace endure,
That joins ’em fast,
The Chain is fram’d,
Their Bounds are nam’d,
And never past.
IV. 7, 8
Thou Earth his Praise proclaim,
Devouring Gulfs and Deeps;
Ye Fires, and fire-like Flame,
That o’er the Meadows sweeps;
Thou rattling Hail,
And flaky Snow,
And Winds that blow
To do his Will.
V. 9, 10
Ye Prodigies of Earth,
And Hills of lesser size,
Cedars of nobler Birth,
And all ye fruitful Trees;
His Praises show
All things that move,
That fly above,
Or creep below.
VI. 11, 12
Monarchs, and ye their Praise,
The num’rous Multitude;
Ye Judges, Triumphs raise;
And all of nobler Blood:
Of ev’ry kind,
And ev’ry Age,
Your Hearts engage,
In Praises join’d.
VII. 13, 14
Let all his glorious Name
Unite to celebrate;
Above the Heaven’s his Fame;
His Fame that’s only great:
His Peoples Stay
And Praise is He,
And e’re will be:
Hallelujah.7
The two following Letters, coming from Persons in as great Danger as any could be, are plac’d here, as proper to be call’d Deliverances of the greatest and strangest kind.
From on board a Ship blown out of the
Downs to Norway.
SIR
I cannot but write to you of the Particulars of our sad and terrible Voyage to this Place. You know we were, by my last, riding safe in the Downs, waiting a fair Wind, to make the best of our way to Portsmouth, and there to expect the Lisbon Convoy.
We had had two terrible Storms, one on the Friday before, and one on Thursday; the one the 18th, the other the 25th of November: In the last I expected we shou’d have founder’d at an Anchor; for our Ground Tackle8 being new and very good held us fast, but the Sea broke upon us so heavy and quick, that we were in danger two or three times of Foundring as we rode but, as it pleas’d God we rid it out, we began to think all was over, and the Bitterness of Death was past.
There was a great Fleet with us in the Downs, and several of them were driven from their Anchors, and made the best of their way out to Sea for fear of going on shore upon the Goodwin. the Grand Fleet was just come in from the Streights, under Sir Cloudsly Shovel, and the Great Ships being design’d for the River, lay to Leeward: Most of the Ships that went out in the Night appear’d in the Morning; and I think there was none known to be lost, but one Dutch Vessel upon the Goodwin.
But the next Day, being Friday, in the Evening, it began to gather to Windward; and as it had blown very hard all Day, at Night the Wind freshen’d, and we all expected a stormy Night. We saw the Men of War struck their Top-masts, and rode with two Cables an-end: so we made all as snug as we could, and prepar’d for the worst.
In this condition we rid it out till about 12 a-clock; when, the Fury of the Wind encreasing, we
began to see Destruction before us: the Objects were very dreadful on every side; and tho’ it was very dark, we had Light enough to see our own Danger, and the Danger of those near us. About One-a-clock the Ships began to drive, and we saw several come by us without a Mast standing, and in the utmost Distress.
By Two a-clock we could hear Guns firing in several Parts of this Road, as Signals of Distress; and tho’ the Noise was very great with the Sea and Wind, yet we could distinguish plainly, in some short Intervals, the Cries of poor Souls in Extremities.
