[874] This appears from a Letter sent by Dr. Little, then minister of this town, to the author of an Account of that storm, published soon after in a 12mo. volume: of which Letter the following is a copy—
“Sir, I had answered yours sooner, but that I was willing to get the best information I could of the effect of the late dismal storm amongst us. I have advised with our merchants and ship-masters, and find that we have lost from this port seven ships, the damage whereof, at a modest computation, amount to 3000l. The men that perished in them are reckoned about twenty in number. There is another ship missing, tho’ we are not without hopes that she is gone northward: the value of ship and cargo about 1500l. The damage sustained in the buildings of the town is computed at a 1000l. at least.
I am your faithful Friend and Servant,
Thomas Little.”Lyn, January 17. 1703–4.
[875] So confident was he of the firmness of the structure, that he is said to have declared, when doubts were suggested of the danger it might be exposed to from a great storm, that he should have no fear to be there in the greatest storm that could blow.
[876] Of the general tenor of that proclamation the reader may form some judgment from the following extract—
“Whereas by the late most terrible and dreadful storms of wind; with which it has pleased almighty God to afflict the greatest part of this our kingdom on Friday and Saturday, the 26th. and 27th. days of November last; some of our ships of war, and many ships of our loving subjects, have been destroyed and lost at sea, and great numbers of our subjects serving on board the same have perished, and many houses and other buildings of our good subjects have been either wholly thrown down and demolished, or very much damnified and defaced, and thereby several persons have been killed, and many stacks of corn and hay thrown down and scattered abroad, to the great damage and impoverishment of many others, especially the poorer sort; and great number of timber and other trees have by the said storm been torn up by the roots, in many parts of this our kingdom. A calamity of this sort so dreadful and astonishing, that the like hath not been or felt in the memory of any person living in this, our kingdom, and which loudly calls for the deepest and most solemn humiliation of us and our people. Therefore, out of a deep and pious sense of what we, and our people have suffered, by the said dreadful winds and storms, which we most humbly acknowledge to be a token of the divine displeasure, and that it was the infinite mercy of God that we and our people were not thereby wholly destroyed—we have resolved, and do hereby command, that a general and public fast be observed, &c.”
[878] Of that address the following notice and copy are to be found in the Hall-books—
“Sept. 25. 1704. It is ordered that the common Seale be affixed to the following address To the Queen’s most Excellent Majestie. May it please your Majestie, To admitt us (amongst the great number of your loyall subjects) with unfeigned hearts to congratulate the glorious success of your arms in the victory obtained by your successfull Generall John Duke of Marleborow over the French and Bavarians near Hochstet; a defeat so entire, that hardly foreign or English history can paralell, so seasonable that the safety of the whole empire was the consequence of it; and upon the distant Danube, where the English arms never triumphed before: and whilst reverence makes us approach leisurely to your Majesties Throne, every day still produces new trophies; the Sea as well as the Land, Affrica as well as Europe must loudly proclaime Your Majestie is every where, invincible.—These are blessings justly due to your Majesties Piety and Courage, who so steddily have pursued the example of your glorious Predecessor, that from his early years, and almost a private station was always the chiefe opposer of the torrent of France, Popery, and Slavery, and whose memory will always be valuable in all true English hearts; were it for nothing else, yet for paving us the establishment of a Protestant succession in the person of your sacred Majestie, Notwithstanding which by the treachery of your faithless Ennemys your Majestie upon your accession found the dreadful powers of France and Spain united, who singly have in their turns push’d fair for the western monarchy. This would have shaken any courage less firm than your own, who whilst all Europe lay gasping waiting for the result of your councell, you stretched out your powerful arme to support the then tottering frame of its liberty, and was alone able to preserve it, and in that ourselves. And whilst your Majestie so carefully nurses our established church, your charity extends to the whole Protestant interest of Europe, which must certainly appear very naturall to your Majestie whilst your capital Enemy prides himselfe in being the Head of the Roman Catholicks and they in him.—May Your Majesties Subjects unite in their acknowledgements to your Majestie that the last subterfuge of our conquered Ennemys (our Divisions) may not prevail amongst us; but that whilst our Armys are so bravely commanded, our Treasury so frugally expended, our Laws so equally administered—and above all, The whole by your Majesties providentiall care so wisely superintended, Our Religion and Liberty may under your most auspicious government be immovably secured to us and to our Posterity.”
Such was this notable specimen of the wisdom and loyalty, the genius and eloquence of our honoured ancestors.
[880a] This teems to bespeak a consciousness that all was not right, and that some of their exactions were unjust and oppressive.
[880b] It appears that they were now ready to relinquish, if hard pressed, all the exactions complained of, except the two particulars last specified; which certainly does not look well.