ENGLAND'S most Dreadful Calamity BY THE LATE FLOODS: Being a most Lamentable Account of the Great Damages sustained by the Fearful INUNDATIONS; CAUSED BY The Unparalleled RAIN Which fell on the 24th of April, 1682.  
And the Late Rains which have lately happened.  
Containing the several Houses, Barns, Cattle, Outhouses, Stacks of Hay and Corn, being carried away: Together with the number of Persons Drowned, and of some Thousands of Acres of Ground laid under Water.  
Giving a Relation of the particular Damage sustained in the City of London, and the Suburbs thereof; at Br●nford, Camberwell, Dulwich, Dep●ford, on the River of Thames, Godmanchester, Ripton, and many Towns near St. Ive's suffering much, many Houses under water, and some people being drowned, a Coach and Six Horses coming from York with 6 passengers, were all drowned; with many of the Northern Carriers, some losing their whole Teams, and their Wagons being overturned and driven away in the stream, many others losing all their Cattle, being drowned, as Oxen, Sheep, Hogs, etc. As likewise, at Boston in Lincolnshire, Dale in Sussex, and other places in England and Scotland; The like Dreadful Calamity not having been known upon the like Occasion.  
Together with several Godly Exhortations to prevent such judgements for the future, by a Timely Repentance.  
Printed for P. Brooksby, in Wost-Smithfield. 1682.   

England's most Dreadful Calamity By the Late FLOODS,  
ACcording to the Old Proverb, Water and Fire are two good Servants, but bad Masters; For when either of them get the upperhand, they show no mercy, but with Impetuous Rage, destroy all before them, being by nature two of the furiousest and  Elements that operate in the Creation: But above all, the Deluges or raging Floods that have been caused in this Island by the former Rain, I think none is more to be noted then what has lately happened, the Relation of the Damages and exceeding Loss sustained by it, being the subject of this Sheet.  
But to begin; On the 24th of April, this present year 1682. about 7 in the Evening it began to Rain (as indeed it has for the greatest part of this Spring, as every one can testify) by little and little increasing, till at last it fell with such unwonted fury, that several people were beaten down with its Impetuosity; for instead of usual drops, it seemed as if it had been poured out of Buckets, or as a waterspout (which Mariners tell of) long hover in the air, and whirled about with Winds, far lower than the Cloud, at last falls, and if by chance, as oft it does, light on the Deck of a Ship, unless it be strong built, it seldom misses to sink the same.  
This Rain had not continued above an hour, but the Streets of the City of London swum with Water so high, that in many places Boats might have Rowed; nor was that all, for several Warehouses and Cellars that lay low, received some three some four foot deep in Water, (by reason the Kennels were not able to vent it) to the great damage of the Merchandise contained therein, which at the least value could not amount to less than 2000 pounds.  
At Hockley in the Hole, in the Parish of St. James' Clerken-Well, it came down upon the Inhabitants like a Sea, driving away all that opposed it; insomuch that it passed quite thorough several Houses, carrying away good part of them, and causing the Goods in near 20 others to swim about; It took away part of a Brewhouse, and made the Fats to swim as if they had been in some great River, so that many people were forced in that dreadful Calamity, to get to the tops of their Houses, and there continued till the Waters were abated.  
In Field-Lane it did no less spoil amongst the slaughter-houses, forcing open the doors, and carrying away several Hogs, and spoiling several Sheep and other Cattle that were ready dressed, several of the Hogs being the next day found in Fleet-Ditch, and in the River of Thames, where they had been carried by the violence of the Stream.  
In Fleet-Ditch, although at Ebbing water, it filled the Ditch so full, that most, if not all the Cellars, were filled with with water, breaking the Hawsers of 5 or 6 Lighters, laden with Coals, and driving them down the Stream, where one of them running cross, and stopping at Fleet-Bridge, the which stopping the rest, three were sunk and broke in pieces, the rest being much battered, and at least 50 Cauldron of Coals cast away.  
Two persons coming that night from Craydon, having been at the Quarter-Sessions holden there, and turning down Wash-Lane, which leads from Bristol Causeway to Camberwell, the fearful Torrent meeting them, by descending down a Hill, threw up their Horse's heels, forced one of them through the Hedge, together with his horse, where both perished in the water, whilst the other by good luck getting hold of a Tree, hung there for some hours, and so saved himself, though, as we hear, his horse was likewise drowned: the man that perished was the Master of the Kings-head at Camberwell.  
At Dulwich-Wells the Waters came down the Hill in such a Torrent, that it over-turned many of the Huts set up there.  
At Debtford the River's over-flowed, so that the Meadows were two or three Yards standing water, where perished several Cattle, as likewise a Youth coming from Lusham, was drowned.  
A Boat coming from Wolwich to Greenwich, was so filled with Water on a sudden with the excessive Rain, that e'er they could put to shore, the Boat sunk, and the Waterman hardly escaped; about a hundred Sculls and Skiffs that were fastened in divers places sunk likewise; as being filled brimful with the Rain.  
At Branford the same night, the Waters came down in such abundance, that in the hither Town it drove down a great many Stables and outhouses, demolishing, defacing, and carrying away part of six or seven dwelling houses, so that the Inhabitants to save their Lives, were forced to crawl on the tops of their Neighbours houses, by getting out at the Garret Windows, and those that had none, forced their way through the Roof; such shifts will people make to avoid eminent danger; a great number of Cattle and Poultry being found dead the next morning, some swimming in the River, and others lest by the Water upon dry Land; so that in Hay, Corn, and other things, the damage could not be judged less worth than 600 pounds.  
Near to Dale in Sussex, the Sea at that time broke in and laid a hundred Acres of Land under water, drowning and carrying away many Cattle; as likewise breaking several small Vessels, who by the force of the Sea, enraged by such violent Rain, drew their Anchors, and were forced upon the Sands; six people we hear of likewise drowned there, three of which were a drowned in a little house standing by the Sea side, which was carried away by the Flood.  
At Boston in Lincolnshire, the Rivers likewise over-flowed, and drowned a great part of the low Grounds, destroying six or seven Daries that were placed in them, and drowned several persons, together with Cattle, and setting the Reeks of Hay, and Corn afloat; the Fens, a low Ground in that County, were likewise overflowed.  
The River Trent likewise over-flowed on the 25th of April, by reason of the exceeding Land-Flood that poured out into it, and by the Effusion of Waters, laid the Meadows in a Sea, the which being abated, a great number of goodly Fish were found upon the dry Land, some dead, some flouncing in the Osiers; yet it did great damage by washing away the Corn; as likewise overturning a Mill that stood upon the bank of the River, wherein the Miller being at work, was drowned, and some Cattle carried away.  
The Inhabitants of many parts of the Bishopric of Durham, give us a doleful Relation of the great spoil the Floods have made amongst them, and how that at present a great deal of their Corn lies under water, and the Rain continues so Incessant, that the like (for the Season of the year) has not been known.  
In the Town of Northampton, great damage has been sustained by the late immoderate Rains, many Barns of Corn being spoiled, a great deal likewise carrryed away that was ready dressed upon the Floor.  
The River Isis at Oxford overflowing, laid most of the Level under Water, which continued so for the space of three days; and likewise by the Rain which was there accompanied with Thunder and Lightning, much damage was sustained in the City.  
Nor do all the Accounts from Scotland of the dire Effects of that terrible Night (for it seems it was Universal) differ from what we receive nearer home, it having done excessive damage in many parts of that Kingdom, as Leith, Glascow, St. johnston's, and other places adjacent; nay, as far as we can yet hear, it had its dreadful Effects in most neighbouring Kingdoms, to the great terror and amazement of such as were eye-witnesses to the Calamity, it occasioned.  
But what can we expect less, then that God should send his Judgements abroad, when as Rebellious Man perseveres in his obstinate Rebellion against him? For certain it is, that the great Creator, who made what ever had beginning, can, when it pleases him, use any part of his Creation to punish his Enemies; as we may Read in Joshua, when He showered down Hailstones to destroy the Wicked Canaanites; And in Egypt's Evil day, to Curb the Pride of Rebellious Pharaoh, he sent Hail mingled with Fire, accompanied with such prodigious Thunder and Lightning, that the like before was never known; when God likewise was displeased with the Sons of Men, and that as he was pleased to express himself, it grieved him at his very heart that he had made them, he did but command it and all the Elements conspired to overflow the Globe of the Earth, the Clouds sucked up the Sea, and poured it down in Streams; or as Moses has it, The Windows of Heaven were open, which were no other, then that the Clouds were crushed by strong Winds, the Earth likewise obeying her Creator's voice, opened every watery part, when Rivers gushes, and Springs redole their force, the Fountains of the great deep was likewise broken, it would know no bounds: Nor have we wanted instances of the like nature in our age, as the late fearful Inundations of Holland, and other places, but above all, this present Relation for excessive Rain, has not been known in many Ages; so that some conjecture, had it held for 48 hours with the same violence, it would have Lanced under Water, most of the Northern parts of England.  
Godmanchester, Ripton, and many Towns near St. Ive's suffering much, many Houses under water, and some people being drowned; a Coach and six Horses coming from York with six Passengers, were all drowned; with many of the Northern Carriers, some losing their whole Teams, and their Wagons being overturned and driven away in the stream; many others losing all, their Cattle being drowned, as Oxen, Sheep, Hogs, etc.   
FINIS.