The
Sad
and
Dreadfull
Accident
OF
THE
BURNING
OF
A
Rich
Turkey
Ship
BY
LIGHTNING
,
IN
THE
ROAD
of
GRAVESEND
:
On
Thursday
the
23d
.
of
June
,
1687.
AS
the
Season
for
some
months
past
has
been
extraordinary
,
beyond
the
Memory
of
Man
,
for
the
Violence
of
the
Winds
,
so
the
Element
of
Fire
has
produced
so
prodigious
effect
on
the
Watry
Region
,
as
to
shew
Mankind
which
of
the
Elements
has
predominancy
over
the
other
,
making
the
demonstration
on
a
floating
World
in
the
River
of
Thames
,
which
the
following
account
will
shew
the
particulars
,
viz.
That
the
Honourable
the
TURKEY-COMPANY
,
having
(
with
no
less
Diligence
then
great
Expence
,
)
fitted
forth
divers
Ships
this
Season
for
the
Ottoman-Trade
;
which
as
to
the
Glory
as
well
as
profit
of
the
Nation
,
Exports
the
English
Manufacture
of
Cloath
,
&c.
and
having
Freighted
the
Ship
Palestine
,
of
about
140
Tonns
,
Captain
Sammon
Commander
;
with
near
300
Bayls
of
Cloath
and
other
Merchantdise
,
and
Bound
her
to
the
Port
of
Scandaroone
,
the
extreamest
part
of
the
Streights
:
She
this
Week
Tyded
down
the
River
to
the
Road
of
Gravesend
,
the
usual
stoppage
for
their
clearing
out
from
the
Custom-House
;
and
having
received
her
Dockets
for
her
Discharge
,
design'd
to
set
forwards
on
her
Voyage
as
on
Saturday
the
25th
.
Instant
;
but
behold
the
Providence
of
the
Almighty
,
to
disappoint
many
times
with
unusual
methods
what
Man
directs
,
sent
a
dreadfull
Fiery-Messenger
to
lay
an
Imbargo
on
her
Voyage
.
For
on
Thursday
the
23d
.
of
this
instant
June
,
between
the
hours
of
7
and
8
at
Night
the
Heavens
were
over-cast
,
and
on
a
sudden
,
by
the
Eastward
,
a
mighty
flash
of
Lightning
broke
through
the
Sky
,
followed
by
a
great
Clap
of
Thunder
,
and
a
shower
of
Rain
,
and
as
it
were
,
a
Fire-ball
,
fastne'd
or
lodged
among
the
Sails
and
Shrouds
of
the
Ship
Palestine
aforesaid
,
and
inflamed
with
that
impetuosity
,
that
it
caught
hold
of
the
Rigging
thereof
,
which
being
new
Tarred
,
in
a
wonderful
swift
manner
run
down
to
the
Deck
or
Hull
of
the
Ship
with
such
Fury
,
that
the
Marriners
were
not
able
to
withstand
the
Flames
,
some
leaping
into
the
River
to
save
their
Lives
,
which
so
furiously
fastned
upon
the
Ship
,
being
new
Pitched
and
Rozen'd
,
that
the
Industry
of
Man
,
tho'
they
had
all
the
assistance
possible
from
other
Ships
in
the
Road
,
could
not
quench
or
extinguish
the
least
part
of
her
,
untill
she
burnt
to
the
Waters
Edge
,
whereby
all
her
Cargo
,
(
there
being
300
Bayls
of
Rich
Cloth
,
and
other
rich
Marchandize
aboard
her
,
was
intirely
lost
,
the
Dammage
of
the
whole
being
computed
to
the
value
of
20000
l.
or
upwards
;
The
account
of
which
we
have
received
in
a
Letter
from
the
same
place
,
as
also
,
had
it
confirmed
by
the
Merchants
on
the
Exchange
,
who
have
also
received
the
bad
Tidings
thereof
.
FINIS
.