to tear his hair, to smite his breast, to lift up his hands and his eyes to Heaven, and when his Sheep had all perished, and himself endured an extream cold and hunger, he was at last taken up in a Boat that was sent to save the distressed. But here we must talk of _Bristol_, which is one of the chiefest Cities in _England_, by reason of the Haven, which bringeth thither abundance of Merchants, from several Nations. The same day of that Inundation, the Sea breaking into a great Channel, did presently overflow the Countrey with such quickness and violence, that it covered the Valleys, and the smaller Hills, in so much that nothing but an utter ruine was expected; many whole houses were turned upside down, and carried away with the Flood. The Barns full of Corn, Hay, and Straw, were overthrown, and the Cattle carried away, besides abundance of people of all sorts. The Merchants of _London_ and _Bristol_, and the rest of the Inhabitants, besides the loss of Provisions, suffered an inestimable one in their Commodities, which they had provided for the Fair, that was then near hand, the most part of them being carryed away by the Flood, and the rest so spoiled, that the owners could not tell what to do with them. A Gentleman dwelling between _Barnstable_ and _Bristol_, and two Leagues off from the Sea, being gone abroad in the Morning to oversee his grounds, did look towards the Sea, ran back again to his house, to bring this sad news to his Wife and Servants, while they were endeavouring to pack up the most precious of their Goods, the Water came about the house so fast, that they altered their resolution, and bethought themselves only to save their lives; the servants busied themselves about tying the Goods together, thinking the Water could not have carryed them away. As for the Gentleman, he went with his Wife and Children to the top of the house, and got upon the rafters of the Roof. Although nothing appeared to them but the Image of death; nevertheless some hope and desire of escaping, made the Gentleman come down to save a little Trunk, wherein his papers of greatest concernment were. Being come down from the Rafter, he laid hold of the Trunk, and fastened it to a Manger; while he was busie about it, the Waves of the Sea did so beat against that house, that it fell down to the Ground. The Wife, Children, and Servants were swallowed up in the ruine. The Gentleman laid hold on a Rafter, and was carryed away with it above half a League further, to a Mountain, where he set his foot upon dry Ground, being half dead with fear and grief, and bewailing the loss of his Wife, Children, and Servants, he spyed the little Trunk and the Manger, which he drew to Land, and that was all he saved, besides his Life.