Monday, June 3 to Monday, June 10, 1706

     Limerick, Decemb. 7, 1705
On Thursday last about one a Clock in the morning, there was the most violent Storm, and Floods occasioned by it, that ever was known by any living, or ever heard of here. It lasted till 9. The Water rose so violently of a sudden, and to that heighth, that most of the Cellars in the Town were full of Water, by which the Merchants, Vintners, Ale-sellers and other People suffered very much. The Inhabitants of the Suburbs of the English Town, &c. were forced to crawl naked from the Inside to the tops of their Cabbins without side, whence some fell down being benumm'd and not able to hold longer, some others were drowned before they had time to stir, others by Boats suck, so took, so that we can already reckon about 17 persons here, and God knows what the losses in the Country are. It's certain all the Cattle and Corn in the low Lands near the Shannon are lost, as well as the Corn and Rape in Stack as that in Ground; besides, a great many People, I fear, were lost. Many Houses in Town and Country were until'd, and some blown down; two Ships that lay at the Key, taking in their lading, and one empty were got on the top of the Key; two are got off, but the 3d, a Dutch Ship of 80 Tons, lyes now just at Key Gate, and had it not been for the Key ??? been driven into the Town. They are taking out her Goods and breaking down the Key, in hopes to get her off. I hear the Queen Ann of London of 400 Tuns, from Jamaica, with Sugar, Indigo, &c. is put ashore at a place called Glinn, about 11 Leagues down the River, & the Anna of Rotterdam, with Beef, Butter, Hides and Tallow, is driven ashore upon Fines Island, 8 Leagues down, and is 2 or 300 yards higher in the Fields than ever the Tide came before. It's said the Queen Ann is not bulged but very far up, and buryed in the Sand very deep. Our Barge was bulged and sunk. The Watch-house and 3 other Houses were blown down on the Key. Two of the Garison Gates were blown to pieces. The Magazines and Guard-Houses were almost quite unflated and unglazed, and the Centry Boxes broken to pieces.