The Storm Part 16

Commanders. Places where lost. ------------------------+----------------+---------------------------- John Anderson-- Yarmouth Roads Her Captain, Purser, Master, Chyrsurgeon, Clerk and Sixteen Men were Ash.o.a.r, the rest drowned.

James Greenway } ---- ---- } All their men lost.

Fleetwood Emes } ---- ---- } John Johnson-- } ---- Third Lieutenant, Chaplain, } Cook Chyrsurgeon's Mate; } four Marine Captains, and } Goodwin Sands sixty-two Men saved.

} Rear Admiral Beaumont, } ---- Only one Man saved by Edward Hopson } Swimming from Wreck to Wreck, } and getting to the Sterling } Castle; the Captain Ash.o.a.r, } as also the Purser.

Thomas Long-- } Holland-- Her Company saved except Raymond Raymond } four.

Nathan Bostock-- Selsey-- } Their Officers and Men saved.

Thomas Liell-- Pemsey-- } William Carter-- Drove from Carpenter and twenty-three Spithead and Men saved.

lost upon the Coast near Chichester. Thomas Blake-- Bristol-- Captain and twenty-five Men drown'd; the Ship recover'd and order'd to be sold.

George Hawes-- Nore-- Officers and Men lost.

The Van Guard, a Second Rate, was over-set at Chatham, but no Men lost, the Ship not being fitted out.

_Of the Damage to the Navy_

This is a short but terrible Article, there was one Ship called the _York_, which was lost about 3 days before the great Storm off of _Harwich_, but most of the Men were saved.

The loss immediately sustain'd in the Royal Navy during the Storm, is included in the List hereunto annex'd, as appears from the Navy Books.

The damage done to the Ships that were sav'd, is past our Power to compute. The Admiral, Sir _Cloudesley Shovel_ with the great Ships, had made sail but the day before out of the _Downs_, and were taken with the Storm as they lay at or near the _Gunfleet_, where they being well provided with Anchors and Cables, rid it out, tho' in great extremity, expecting death every minute.

The loss of small Vessels hir'd into the Service, and tending the Fleet, is not included in this, nor can well be, several such Vessels, and some with Soldiers on Board, being driven away to Sea, and never heard of more.

The loss of the _Light-House_, call'd the _Eddystone_ at _Plymouth_, is another Article, of which we never heard any particulars other than this; that at Night it was standing, and in the Morning all the upper part from the Gallery was blown down, and all the People in it perished, and by a particular Misfortune, Mr. _Winstanly_, the Contriver of it, a Person whose loss is very much regreted by such as knew him, as a very useful Man to his Country: The loss of that _Light-House_ is also a considerable Damage, as 'tis very doubtful whether it will be ever attempted again, and as it was a great Security to the Sailors, many a good Ship having been lost there in former Times.

It was very remarkable, that, as we are inform'd, at the same time the _Light-House_ abovesaid was blown down, the Model of it in Mr.

_Windstanly_'s House at _Littlebury_ in _Ess.e.x_, above 200 Miles from the _Light-House_, fell down, and was broken to pieces.

There are infinite Stories of like nature with these, the Disasters at Sea are full of a vast variety, what we have recommended to the view of the World in this History, may stand as an Abridgment; and the Reader is only to observe that these are the short Representations, by which he may guess at the most dreadful Night, these parts of the World ever saw.

To relate all Things, that report Furnishes us with, would be to make the story exceed common probability, and look like Romance.

Tis a sad and serious Truth, and this part of it is preserv'd to Posterity to a.s.sist them in reflecting on the Judgments of G.o.d, and handing them on for the Ages to come.

_Of the_ Earthquake

Tho' this was some time after the Storm, yet as the Accounts of the Storm bring it with them in the following Letters, we cannot omit it.

The two following Letters are from the respective Ministers of _Boston_ and _Hull_, and relate to the Account of the Earthquake, which was felt over most part of the County of _Lincoln_ and the East Riding of _Yorkshire_.

The Letter from _Hull_, from the Reverend Mr. _Banks_, Minister of the Place, is very particular, and deserves intire Credit, both from the extraordinary Character of the worthy Gentleman who writes it, and from its exact Correspondence with other Accounts.

_SIR_,

I receiv'd yours, wherein you acquaint me with a Design that (I doubt not) will meet with that Applause and Acceptance from the World which it deserves; but am in no capacity to be any way serviceable to it my self, the late Hurricane having more frighted than hurt us in these Parts. I doubt not but your Intelligence in general from the Northern Parts of the Nation, supplies you with as little Matter as what you have from these hereabouts, it having been less violent and mischievous that way. Some Stacks of Chimneys were over-turn'd here, and from one of them a little Child of my own was (thanks be to G.o.d) almost miraculously preserv'd, with a Maid that lay in the Room with him. I hear of none else this way that was so much as in danger, the Storm beginning here later than I perceive it did in some other Places, its greatest Violence being betwixt 7 and 8 in the Morning, when most People were stirring.

The Earthquake, which the Publick Accounts mention to have happen'd at _Hull_ and _Lincoln_ upon the 28th _ult._ was felt here by some People about 6 in the Evening, at the same time that People there, as well as at _Grantham_ and other Places, perceived it. We have some flying Stories about it which look like fabulous, whose Credit therefore I wou'd not be answerable for; as, that upon _Lincoln-Heath_ the Ground was seen to open, and Flashes of Fire to issue out of the Chasm.

I doubt this Account will hardly be thought worth the Charge of Pa.s.sage: Had there been any thing else of note, you had been very readily serv'd by,

SIR, _Your Humble Servant_, _Boston_, Jan. 8. 1703. E.K.

_SIR_,

I am afraid that you will believe me very rude, that yours, which I receiv'd the 12th of _April_, has not sooner receiv'd such an Answer as you expect and desire, and truly I think deserve; for, a Design so generous, as to undertake to transmit to Posterity, A Memorial of the dreadful Effects of the late terrible Tempest (that when G.o.d's Judgments are in the World, they may be made so publick, as to ingage the Inhabitants of the Earth to learn Righteousness) ought to receive all possible Encouragement.

But the true Reason why I writ no sooner, was, Because, by the most diligent Enquiries I cou'd make, I cou'd not learn what Harm that dreadful Tempest did in the _Humber_; neither indeed can I yet give you any exact Account of it: for, the great Mischief was done in the Night; which was so Pitch-dark, that of above 80 Ships that then rid in the _Humber_, about _Grimsby_ Road, very few escap'd some Loss or other, and none of 'em were able to give a Relation of any body but themselves.

The best Account of the Effects of the Storm in the _Humber_, that I have yet met with, I received but Yesterday, from Mr. _Peter Walls_, who is Master of that Watch-Tower, call'd the _Spurn-Light_, at the _Humber_ Mouth, and was present there on the Night of the 26th of _November_, the fatal Night of the Storm.

He did verily believe that his Pharos (which is above 20 Yards high) wou'd have been blown down; and the Tempest made the Fire in it burn so vehemently, that it melted down the Iron-bars on which it laid, like Lead; so that they were forced, when the Fire was by this means almost extinguished, to put in new Bars, and kindle the Fire a-fresh, which they kept in till the Morning Light appear'd: And then _Peter Walls_ observed about six or seven and twenty Sail of Ships, all driving about the _Spurn-Head_, some having cut, others broke their Cables, but all disabled, and render'd helpless. These were a part of the two Fleets that then lay in the _Humber_, being put in there by stress of Weather a day or two before, some from _Russia_, and the rest of 'em _Colliers_, to and from _Newcastle_.

Of these, three were driven upon an Island call'd the _Den_, within the _Spurn_ in the Mouth of the _Humber_.

The first of these no sooner touch'd Ground, but she over-set, and turn'd up her Bottom; out of which, only one of six (the Number of that Ship's Company) was lost, being in the Shrowds: the other five were taken up by the second Ship, who had sav'd their Boat. In this Boat were saved all the Men of the three Ships aforementioned (except as before excepted) and came to Mr. _Walls_'s House, at the _Spurn-Head_, who got them good Fires, and all Accommodations necessary for them in such a Distress. The second Ship having no body aboard, was driven to Sea, with the Violence of the Tempest, and never seen or heard of more. The third, which was then a-ground, was (as he supposes) broken up and driven; for nothing, but some Coals that were in her, was to be seen the next Morning.

Another Ship, the Day after, _viz._ the 27th of _November_, was riding in _Grimsby_ Road, and the Ships Company (except two Boys) being gone a-sh.o.r.e, the Ship, with the two Lads in her, drive directly out of _Humber_, and was lost, tho' 'tis verily believ'd the two Boys were saved by one of the _Russia_ Ships, or Convoys.

The same Day, in the Morning, one _John Baines_, a _Yarmouth_ Master, was in his Ship, riding in _Grimsby_ Road, and by the Violence of the Storm, some other Ships coming foul upon him, part of his Ship was broken down, and was driven towards Sea; whereupon he anch.o.r.ed under _Kilnsey-Land_, and with his Crew came safe a-sh.o.r.e, in his Boat, but the Ship was never seen more.

The remainder of the six or seven and twenty Sail aforesaid, being (as was before observed) driven out of the _Humber_, very few, if any of 'em, were ever heard of; and 'tis rationally believ'd, that all, or the most of them, perished. And indeed, altho' the Storm was not so violent here as it was about _Portsmouth_, _Yarmouth_ Roads, and the Southern Coast, yet the Crews of the three Ships above-mentioned declare, that they were never out in so dismal a Night as that was of the 26th of _November_, in which the considerable Fleet aforesaid rid in _Grimsby_ Road in the _Humber_; for most of the 80 Sail broke from their Anchors, and run foul one upon another; but by reason of the Darkness of the Night, they cou'd see very little of the Mischief that was done.

This is the best Account I can give you at present of the Effects of the Tempest in the _Humber_; whereas had the Enquiry been made immediately after the Storm was over, a great many more of remarkable Particulars might have been discover'd.

As to the Earthquake here, tho' I perceiv'd it not my self (being then walking to visit a sick Parishoner) yet it was so sensibly felt by so many Hundreds, that I cannot in the least question the Truth and Certainty of it.

It happen'd here, and in these Parts, upon _Innocent_'s Day, the 28th of _December_, being _Tuesday_, about Five of the Clock in the Evening, or thereabout. Soon after I gave as particular Account as I cou'd learn of it, to that ingenious Antiquary Mr. _Thorsby_ of _Leeds_ in _Yorkshire_, but had no time to keep a Copy of my Letter to him, nor have I leisure to transcribe a Copy of this to you, having so constant a Fatigue of Parochial business to attend; nor will my Memory serve me to recollect all the Circ.u.mstances of that Earthquake, as I sent them to Mr. _Th.o.r.esby_; and possibly he may have communicated that Letter to you, or will upon your least intimation, being a generous Person, who loves to communicate any thing that may be serviceable to the Publick.

However, lest I shou'd seem to decline the gratifying your Request, I will recollect, and here set down, such of the Circ.u.mstances of that Earthquake as do at present occur to my Memory.

It came with a Noise like that of a Coach in the Streets, and mightily shak'd both the Gla.s.s Windows, Pewter, _China_ Pots and Dishes, and in some places threw them down off the Shelves on which they stood. It did very little Mischief in this Town, except the throwing down a Piece of one Chimney. Several Persons thought that a great Dog was got under the Chair they sat upon; and others fell from their Seats, for fear of falling. It frighted several Persons, and caus'd 'em for a while to break off their Reading, or Writing, or what they were doing.

They felt but one Shake here: but a Gentleman in _Nottinghamshire_ told me, that being then lame upon his Bed, he felt three Shakes, like the three Rocks of a Cradle, to and again.

At _Laceby_ in _Lincolnshire_, and in several other Parts of that County, as well as of the Counties of _York_ and _Nottingham_, the Earthquake was felt very sensibly; and particularly at _Laceby_ aforesaid. There happen'd this remarkable Story.

On _Innocent_'s Day, in the Afternoon, several Morrice-Dancers came thither from _Grimsby_; and after they had Danc'd and play'd their Tricks, they went towards _Alesby_, a little Town not far off: and as they were going about Five a Clock, they felt two such terrible Shocks of the Earth, that they had much ado to hold their Feet, and thought the Ground was ready to open, and swallow 'em up. Whereupon thinking that G.o.d was angry at 'em for playing the Fool, they return'd immediately to _Laceby_ in a great Fright, and the next Day home, not daring to pursue their intended Circuit and Dancing.

I think 'tis the Observation of Dr. _Willis_, that upon an Earthquake the Earth sends forth noisome Vapours which infect the Air, as the Air does our Bodies: and accordingly it has prov'd here, where we have ever since had a most sickly time, and the greatest Mortality that has been in this Place for 15 Years last past: and so I believe it has been over the greatest part of _England_. This, SIR, is the best Account I can give you of the Earthquake, which had com'd sooner, but that I was desirous to get likewise the best Account I cou'd of the Effects of the Storm in the _Humber_. My humble Service to the Undertakers: and if in any thing I am capable to serve them or you, please freely to command,

SIR, _Your most humble Servant_, Ro. Banks.

We have a farther Account of this in two Letters from Mr. _Th.o.r.esby_, F.R.S. and written to the Publisher of the Philosophical Transactions, and printed in their Monthly Collection, No. 289. as follows, which is the same mentioned by Mr. _Banks_.

_Part of two Letters from Mr._ Th.o.r.esby, F.R.S. _to the Publisher, concerning an Earthquake, which happen'd in some Places of the North of_ England, _the 28th of_ December 1703.