The Storm: or, a Collection of the most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters which Happen'd in the Late Dreadful Tempest, both by Sea and LandDefoe, Daniel
History
The Storm: or, a Collection of the most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters which Happen'd in the Late Dreadful Tempest, both by Sea and Land
Defoe, Daniel
Storms -- Early works to 1800
We cannot therefore but think, that as the Author believes himself
sufficiently back'd by the Authority of the Vouchers he presents, so
after what has been here premis'd, no Man will have any room to suspect
us of Forgery.
The ensuing Relation therefore, as to Damages in the Country, shall
consist chiefly of Letters from the respective Places where such things
have happen'd; only that as all our Letters are not concise enough to be
printed as they are, where it is otherwise the Letter is digested into a
Relation only; in which the Reader is assur'd we have always kept close
to the matter of fact.
And first, I shall present such Accounts as are entire, and related by
Men of Letters, principally by the Clergy; which shall be given you in
their own Words.
The first is from _Stowmarket_ in _Suffolk_, where, by the Violence of
the Storm, the finest Spire in that County, and but new built, _viz._
within thirty Years, was overthrown, and fell upon the Church. The
Letter is sign'd by the reverend Minister of the Place, and vouched by
two of the principal Inhabitants, as follows.
_SIR_,
Having seen an Advertisement of a Design to perpetuate the
Remembrance of the late dreadful Storm, by publishing a Collection
of all the remarkable Accidents occasion'd by it, and supposing the
Damage done to our Church to be none of the least, we were willing
to contribute something to your Design, by sending you an Account
thereof as follows.
We had formerly a Spire of Timber covered with Lead, of the height
of 77 Foot; which being in danger of falling, was taken down: and in
the Year 1674, with the Addition of 10 Loads of new Timber, 21
thousand and 8 hundred weight of Lead, a new one was erected, 100
Foot high from the Steeple, with a Gallery at the height of 40 Foot
all open, wherein hung a Clock-Bell of between 2 and 3 hundred
Weight. The Spire stood but 8 Yards above the Roof of the Church;
and yet by the extreme Violence of the Storm, a little before 6 in
the Morning the Spire was thrown down; and carrying with it all the
Battlements on the East side, it fell upon the Church at the
distance of 28 Foot; for so much is the distance between the Steeple
and the first Breach, which is on the North-side of the middle Roof,
of the length of 17 Foot, where it brake down 9 Spars clean, each 23
Foot long, and severally supported with very strong Braces. The
Spire inclining to the North, fell cross the middle Wall, and broke
off at the Gallery, the lower part falling in at the aforesaid
Breach, and the upper upon the North Isle, which is 24 Foot wide,
with a flat Roof lately built, all new and very strong: It carried
all before it from side to side, making a Breach 37 Foot long,
breaking in sunder two large Beams that went a-cross, which were 12
Inches broad and 15 deep, besides several other smaller. Besides
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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