Being thus provided both with Men and Boats he sent them off, and by this means brought on Shore above 200 Men, whose Lives a few Minutes after, must infallibly ha' been lost.
Nor was this the End of his Care, for when the Tide came in, and 'twas too late to go off again, for that all that were left were swallow'd up with the Raging of the Sea, his Care was then to relieve the poor Creatures, who he had sav'd, and who almost dead with Hunger and Cold, were naked and starving.
And first he applied himself to the Queen's Agent for Sick and Wounded Seamen, but he would not relieve them with One Penny, whereupon, at his own Charge, he furnish'd them with Meat, Drink and Lodging.
The next Day several of them died, the Extremities they had suffer'd, having too much Master'd their Spirits, these he was forc'd to bury also at his own Charge, the Agent still refusing to Disburse one Penny.
After their Refreshment the poor Men assisted by the Mayor, made a fresh Application to the Agent for Conduct Money to help them up to London, but he answer'd he had no Order, and would Disburse nothing, whereupon the Mayor gave them all Money in their Pockets, and Passes to Graves-End.
I wish I could say with the same Freedom, that he receiv'd the Thanks of the Government, and Reimbursement of his Money as he deserv'd, but in this I have been inform'd, he met with great Obstructions and Delays, tho' at last, after long Attendance, upon a right Application I am inform'd he obtain'd the repayment of his Money, and some small Allowance for his Time spent in solliciting for it.
Nor can the Damage suffered in the River of Thames be forgot. It was a strange sight to see all the Ships in the River blown away, the Pool was so clear, that as I remember, not above 4 Ships were left between the Upper part of Wapping, and Ratcliff Cross, for the Tide being up at the Time when the Storm blew with the greatest violence. No Anchors or Landfast, no Cables or Moorings would hold them, the Chains which lay cross the River for the mooring of Ships, all gave way.
The Ships breaking loose thus, it must be a strange sight to see the Hurry and Confusion of it, and as some Ships had no Body at all on Board, and a great many had none but a Man or Boy left on Board just to look after the Vessel, there was nothing to be done, but to let every Vessel drive whither and how she would.
Those who know the Reaches of the River, and how they lye, know well enough, that the Wind being at South West Westerly, the Vessels would naturally drive into the Bite or Bay from Ratcliff Cross to Lime-house Hole, for that the River winding about again from thence towards the New Dock at Deptford, runs almost due South West, so that the Wind blew down one Reach, and up another, and the Ships must of necessity drive into the bottom of the Angle between both.