IF it be true ( as it is infallible ) that the Lord our God , before hee chastiseth vs rigorously , onely for his infinite mercies sake , vseth to admonish vs , and giue vs many warnings , that so wee might cease to offend and prouoke him : it is then a most certaine signe , that when the warnings ( which God giues ) are great and fearefull , that then our sinnes are very great and haynous , and consequently the chastisement which wee deserue for them , must needes be great and terrible . Among many other warnings in this latter age , one of the greatest hath beene the strange inundations which of late haue happened in the Riuers of Ebro , Lobregat , Segre , Cinca , and other Streames issuing and branching from them ; the discourse whereof , though it be short , and would affect more being seene then related , yet the rysing and swelling of these waters , being so strange and notable , the particulers so certaine , and the losses proceeding thence so lamentable , I haue thought it not amisse to set them downe in writing .

But that which affrighted most , and caused the greatest terrour to all men , was , when the Riuer of Ebro beganne to rise , in such sort , that the Inhabitants of Tortosa beganne to feare that it would carry away their Citie . For now at the beginning of its rising , ( which was about the shutting in of the day ) that which the Riuer had already set afloat , as chests , doores , beds , tables , stooles , and infinite other things , did euidently shew the lamentable spoyle it had made vpon the bankes where the Riuer had passed .

Which they of Tortosa seeing , after many Processions , Prayers , Letanies , a a Rather shold you haue fixed the eye of your Faith & Hope vpon Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father . at last they opened the most holy Sacrament in their Churches , crying all for mercy to the diuine Maiestie , desiring that hee would be pleased to pardon them , and to deliuer them from so euident and certaine a danger . The rising of this Riuer continued two whole dayes , carrying away the Bridge of Tortosa , and gushing into the Citie , cast downe and carryed away more then an hundred houses . It is impossible to relate the particular damages and spoyle of houses , gardens , and other grounds which stood on the bankes , besides the death of Cattell innumerable .

Moreouer , there was one Country-man which had his house and three hundred Oliue trees , together with many other trees of sundry other kindes carryed away with this violent and mercilesse streame : neyther was there one tree left standing on the Riuers side .

About some three leagues from the City of Tortosa was a small village called Benifallet , whereafter that the floud had drowned many of the Countrey people , which to saue their goods did hazard their liues , at last it carryed away the whole Towne , so that of two hundred houses there were left but onely sixteene .

In another little village called Gerta , about two leagues from Tortosa , of two hundred and fifty houses there remayned but onely seauen .

At Ginestar also , which stands about fiue leagues from Tortosa , haue happened many notable and lamentable losses , both in the houses and in the fields . In briefe , so many and so great haue beene the ouerthrowes all about the Riuer , that in all the places neare adioyning vnto it , not a stone hath beene left vpon a stone , but the poore Inhabitants and dwellers thereabout , are vtterly vndone , being depriued of all their substance .

Praysed be the diuine Maiestie for euer , and mought hee be pleased to appease his anger , that so this punishment may serue for a warning to all sinners , and so procure vnto vs the amendment of our liues .

In the Citie of Barcelona the third day of the Month of Nouember , in the sea , and port of the Citie , happened such a storme and tempest , that the like hath not beene seene in the memory of man . Scarce remayned there a Vessell on the water , which was not at least leaky and sorely beaten : the shrikes and cryes of the afflicted Mariners , made the most dolefull noyse in the world , and might haue softned and moued to compassion the most hardened flinty heart . For so high and furious was the winde from the Leuante , that neuer was there seene so terrible and dreadfull a storme ; the prayers and supplications of the distressed Mariners and other deuont people ( for now all Barcelona was come together ) caused a great terrour to all . Some cryed out and called for mercy vpon our Lord God Christ Jesus , and inuocated b b Why is not Christ sufficient , as for the rest you robbe him of his honour so that it may iustly bee demaunded of you , Who required these things at your hands ? his most pittifull Mother the holy Virgin of Montserrat , all prayed and called vpon Saint Telmo , and the glorious Saint Eulalia , and Saint Matrona , the Patronesses of Barcelona . All the Cleargy of the said Citie came out in Procession , bringing forth the most holy Sacrament with them , which they held two and twenty houres vpon the Bulwarke . All the Conuents also in the Towne came forth with very deuout Processions , Loe here the refuge of superstitious and Idolatrous people . and carryed many Reliques of Saints , which caused a wonderfull great deuotion in all the people . They brought also the most holy c c As you supersticiously do beleeue . true Crosse to the Sea side , which they dipt three times in the water , vntill it pleased the diuine Maiestie to be appeased , which was about midnight , this fearefull storme hauing now endured sixe and twenty houres , and that in such extremitie , that it cast a great fe●re vpon all the people of Barcelona : for it had now continually rained for the space of more then thirty dayes together without intermission , whereupon there succeeded such a floud from the Riuer Lobregat , and that with such excesse and fury , that it carryed away the greatest part of the houses and mansions , with two and twenty turrets or small houses which stood on the Riuers side , and foure thousand head of cattell were drowned in this floud , which were found in the vallies and lower grounds , but the greatest losse which this floud caused was in Sheepe .