1 6 0 7 Lamentable newes out of Monmouth- shire in Wales. CONTAYNING, The wonderfull and most fearefull accidents of the great ouerflowing of waters in the saide Countye, drowning infinite numbers of Cattell of all kinds, as Sheepe, Oxen, Kine and horses, with others: together with the losse of many men, women and Children, and the submersion of xxvi Parishes in Ianuary last 1 6 0 7. LONDON Printed for W.W. and are to be solde in Paules Church yard at the signe of the Grey hound. To the Reader. REader, when these newes were brought, & an importunitie vsed to me, that I would giue the' some forme, & bestow an exhortation on them, I was vnwilling, both in regard of that short space (of lesse than one day which was limited to vndertake the matter) and also in respect of the vsual vnfaithfullnes of men ordinarily in reporting of such accidents as these bee: whereby it often falleth out, that the relater of them reapeth much discredit. But when I could not haue these iust excuses taken, I began and finished this businesse, as the shorte space wold permit me. And now I offer it vnto thee, read it with that good affection wherewith I doe present it, and I am sure, it both may and will profit thee by putting thee in remembrance why God doth punish others, that so thou maist thy self in time look vnto thine own courses, least he proceed in the same or some more grieuous maner with thee: for our vices are the serpe'ts of our soules, stinging them to death, vnlesse we looke vp vnto him that was nailed vppon the Crosse, that so we may be cured of them, & be brought to forsake and relinquish them. Well then, seeing that it is meere wickednesse to change or alter good lawes, to awake strife, or wilfully to maintaine it; to abate nobility, & exalt the vnworthy; to banish gaods seruants, and tohonour the gracelesse; to loue flatterers and dispraise the vertuous & plaine dealers; to imbrace delights and pastimes, & neglect works of duty and office, to account vanitie a mother, and pure religion a step-mother; & in a word to regard nothing but idlenesse, riot, and wantonnesse; and that the Lord vseth from time to time, to reueale his wrath from heauen against these and such like impieties: the Lord of his goodnes purge our land daily, more and more, from such of them as doe beare anye rule in it: that so Gods indgements bring auerted, wee may haue his mercies continually multiplyed vpon vs and our posteritie, vnto the worlds end. Amen. Farwell.

Wofull newes from Wales Or The lamentable losse of diuers Villages and Parishes (by a strange and wonderfull Floud) within the Countye of Monmouth in Wales; Which hapned in Janu- ary last past 1607. whereby a great num- ber of his Maties Subjectes Inhabiting those parts, are vtterlye vndone.

THE Holye Scriptures teacheth us, that when as God had framed the Heavens, Earth, Sea, Aire, and all that in them is, hee then created Mankinde the last of all: even as it were a little briefe or concise mappe, a summe or an abridgement of the whole worlde's perfections; to the intent, that beholding so soone as hee was made, this comely and glorious Theater of nature replenished with all things profitable and delightfull, either for soule or body, he might presently be put in remembrance how much he was obliged unto his and their Creator: yea admonished what occasion and cause he had to love him in true sinceritie of afection, to obey his statutesin integritie of devotion, to worship and glorifie him, had ordeyned him Sovereigne Lord and maister over all his creatures. But the text doth ad a point more notably to be observed: namely, that the Lord made mankinde even in his owne image and likenesse: the which was placed not onely in the externall figure of his body, as Avidius wickedly maintained, but even both in soule and body, seeing sin doth consist in both, which is the contrarie thereunto: and also that the renewing of the same again in us, is the sanctification of the one, as well as of the other: nay, as waxe is apter to receive a print than clay, so the soule being a spirit, and so neerer unto the Divine nature in the essence of it, It took more into it of God's Image, and did better expresse it than the bodie either did or could doe, wherefore the Lord's Image wherein hee created our first parents, was placed partly in man's substance, especially in his soule, and in the essentiall partes, powers, and forces of it, and partly also in certaine qualities, and in a certaine honour, dignitie, and glory, wherewith they were adorned: for first the verye substance of Adam's soule did resemble God's essence, in the simplicity, invisibleness, and immortallitie thereof, and also in that power which it enjoyed to know and will. Againe, as God is but one in the world, sustayning, quickning with life, and governing the same, so there is but one soule in the body, which beeing whole in everie part thereof, without either augme'tation or diminution ruleth it, giving unto it life, sence, and motion. Further also, the soule is like unto God in the faculties of the same, considering that as there is but one onely devine essence in the Godhead, and yet three distinct persons persons in respect of their external actions, so the soule is but one, howsoever it consisteth of three essential faculties: the intellective, the sensitive and the vegetative. Moreover as for the qualities of the soule, it did in wisdome, justice, true hollines resemble God, as appeareth, in that Paul exorteth us to bee renued unto these partes of his image as the most excellent: on the other side, as for the body, it did resemble God in that immortalitie wherein at the first it was created: Againe the several members of the bodie, resmbled the varietie of his perfections, and therefore in respect of their divers users, they are often in scriptures metaphorically ascribed to him, and handes to shew us his omnipotence, and eyes to teach us his providence: besides, in his very bodie man resembled God, in regard of a certaine imperious majestie conspicuous therein; but principally in his face, and countinance, which caused all the living Creatures to stand in aw of him. Briefly the whole man both soule and bodie, did and doth still in some small measure resemble God, in that his dominion wherein as a little God, he is by the Lord appointed soveraigne ruler over all things both in the earth, sea, and ayre. Now the devil the old serpent, being falne through his transgression into wretchednesse and miserie, and envying the blessedness in which he sawe our parents were planted in earthlye Paradice: he possessed the bodie of a serpent, and therein did come and tempt Evah the mother of us al, to disobey the Lord in tasting the fruit which hee had forbidden her and her husband upon paine of death to medle withal. What shold I say more? he drew her by his wiles to heare him accuse God of unkindness, from hearing to suspition of his love, from suspition unto direct rebellion against his law: she took of the meat prohibited and eat thereof, yea not so contented, she did intice and allure by perswasions her husband, unto the same capitall crime and offence against the divine majestie, the world's Creator. The fact being thus notoriouslie committed, the Lord came and gave his sentence upon the malefactors, namely that they should among other punishments specified in the text, returne unto earth from whence they were taken. Thus of immortall they were made mortal, children of death and corruption, but happy it had been if this calamity had extended no further then themselves: alas, Adam was a publick person and received graces for al his posteritie, and therefore if hee had stood, we had likewise done so, but hee falling, wee fall together with him into the same calamityes which sin brought him into, even into all miseries leading unto death, and death itself both temporall and eternall, unlesse wee bee redeemed by our blessed mediator and redeemer Jesus Christ our Saviour. So that howsoever manye of the olde worlde's patriarkes lived seaven, eight, and nine hundred year, by means not onlye of their owne temperance, but also of a singular blessing of God bestowed on them, to the end they might the better find out artes and sciences, which required long experience: fill also the world the sooner with people, have their obedience unto the Lord the more fully tride, and the more purelye convay true religion unto their posteritie, as not passing thro' the hands of many persons, yet you see stil at the last they dyed: the power of originall sin, the wages whereof is death, alwaies at the length taking hold upon them, and because they used the benefit of their long life, not in such holy manner as the Lord required, but grew shameless in all evill courses, wee see that Almighty God being mooved unto wrath by their enormous vices, sent a flood upon them, and swept them away from the face of the earth, like dung and excrements, onely preserving faithfull Noah and his householde, together with some reliques of the creatures, in an Arke which he had caused him to frame for that service: and as for their posteritie in Noah's linage, who repeopled the world againe, we see that the Lord did abridge their yeares by many hundreds from those which their forefathers did injoy, that so they and wee to the world's end might be perpetuallye mindefull of their and our departure out of this vale of miserie, wherein wee have no certaine habitation or inheritance, but are continually subject unto the arrest of death and hel's prison, unlese in time we get all of the debts of our offences cancelled by being made heires of the riches of God's love, in his sonne Christ Jesus, for death striketh with more darts than one, he hath even almost infinite wayes to seize uppon us when from the Lord he hath his licence. Thus we see sometimes men consume away and languish: sometimes the pestilence doth destroy them; sometimes the sword, and sometimes famine: everie one some thing or another according to the speech of the Poet, Happie is he that is so provided as that in deed no kinde of death is suddaine to him, and seeing examples used to moove us, let us seriously thinke upon the late inundation of waters, which hath even at unawares surprised many who little expected such an accident, that so that by the due noting of it, wee may bee incited to prepare ourselves for some tempest in one kinde or another, as terrible unto us as that hath been to them, knowing that these prodigious overflowings of the waters, howsoever natural causes, as God's instruments doe claim their partes in them, yet they proceed from the Lord's own direction, who by his punishing of others with them, doth threaten grievous calamities, even against our vice, unless I say speedy repentance and amendment doe avert his fearful wrath and judgement from us, apparently kindled in many kindes within these few yeares last past against us. It hath alreadie by the pen of another been related, what great harme hath been done by the deluge of waters invading Somersetsh. and covering neere the Severne 20 mile in compas, to the ruine of all creatures and places which lay within the circuite: further it hath been shewed that al Brent marsh is covered, and the sea got up between Barnstable and Bristowe as high as Bridge-water: what is done in Herefordsh: Glocestersh: and other bordering places upon the seas, it cannot yet in special be recorded upon ground of certaintye: but touching Monmouthsh: in Wales, the report of one place of authoritie, and that not upon a bare hearesay, is this:- In the month of Januarie last past upon a Tuesday, the Sea being very tempestuously moved by the windes, overflowed his ordinary Bankes and did drowne 26 Parishes adjoyning on the Coast side, in the foresaide Countrey of Monmouthshire, the particulars whereof doe follow: all spoiled by the greevous and lamentable furie of the waters:

Matharne.	Gouldenlifte.
Portescuet.	Nashe.
Caldicot.	Saint Peire.
Vndye.	Lanckstone.
Roggiet.	wiston.
Lanihangiell.	Lanwerne.
Ifton.	Christchurch.
Magor.	Milton.
Redwicke.	Bashallecke.
Saint Brides.	Romney.
Peterston.	Marshfield.
Lambeth.	Wilfricke.
Saint Mellins.

Now all kinde of Cattle being for twentie fowre miles in length, and fowre in breadth, were drowned: Reikes and mowes of corne torne out of their places and carried away. Againe the Sea hath beaten down at the foresaid times, a great multitude of houses, scattering and dispersing the poore substance of innumerable persons. So that the damage done in the foresaid places both in cattel and other goodes, is supposed to amount unto the value of above an hundreth thousand pounds. But alas, a man will give all that he hath, so that his life may be preserved: this is it which wee esteeme of above all worldly treasures: howsoever, as one said well of olde, it being nothing but a bridle and miserable fetter, which chaineth the pure and everlasting soule, unto the vile, sinfull, and corruptible bodie. But surely there is none eyther so great an Oratour, or else so mightie an Enchanter as life is; for it doeth persuade us unto the contrarie of that which wee both see and feele; for although we know our owne frailty and that we must needes die, yet what wrongs, what hatreds, what lobours, and what unspeakable wretchednessewill men endure, rather than leave these their clay houses, wherein they are but Tenants at Will, subject to be dispossessed at God's pleasure. Wel saide the Roman wise man, That seeing the flowers of life be but lusts and pleasures, false shewes, shadowes and vanities, the fruites thereof but labour, care, sickness, and tediousness, yea the Tree itself but corruption and frailety; Oh what reason have men to doate upon it; why should death be so fearefull unto them; especially when having their portion in Christ Jesus, they are well assured that their felicity is not in this life to be expected, but in the world to come - into the which death is our Ferriman, and consequently our advantage, as the Scripture tearmeth him. Neverthelesse seeing life is precious, as Nature's blessing, left with us by the Lord in trust, and to be redemanded by him, and obediently yeelded up by us at his pleasure, for his glory, how happy woulde those that endured the foresaid losses have thought themselves, if so bee that they had but escaped away with their lives. But poore wretches the most of them were drowned by the foresaid inundation: not as tho' I did judge them all miserable who did die therein. For as KOPER saith touching the flood which did surprise the olde worlde: in the first judgement wherein the transgressing angels were to be censured, and in the last days of assizes generall: onely the reprobate have beene and shall be condemned, the elect saved. But in judgements that fal out between, neither the elect alone are preserved, nor the reprobate onely are destroyed. And yet no doubt many of them, yea the most were prophane, as the residue of all our Countrey is in respect of hte multitude: for pride, gluttony, drunkennesse, the very Metropolitaine City of all the Province, of vices, fornication, and all sortes of uncleanenesse, the which the Lord threatneth to punish where he findeth them, in a fearful manner, doe even walke up and downe like rulers in all places. And what shall I say concerning the contempt of the Ministerie of the word, and the manifold wrongs continually offered even unto the most reverend and faithful Ministers of the same. Is the covetousness of our yron hard hearted age unknown to any man? doeth it not destroy and corrupt daily more and more, both Church and Common weale among us? hath it not stollen almost into every corner, and crept wel neare into every heart, maring all where it cometh? But hee is blinde who noteth not the severall kindes of oppression every where practised, and the lying and dissimulation every where used. In a worde, idlenesse, one of those sinnes which caused Sodome to be destroyed, is most palpably to bee noted in all states and conditions of men among us, both in Church and Common-weale; while the Cleargie doth nothing but looke for livings, and leave the labours of their function; and the Gentry esteem more of their Hawkes, Houndes, and other their vainer pleasures then the godly discharging of their offices wherein the Lord hath set them? And shall we then imagine that they were onely good that are gone in this calamity of waters? Certainely, as I make no question, but God hath had his faithful servants among them, so I doubt not but that the greatest part of them were even as the rest of our Nation is at this daye; lewde and prophane wretches, whom the Lord hath thus plagued, for to recall us if it be possible from our filthy practises; lest at once hee be provoked to poure downe the full vialls of his wrath upon us. And therefore, if wee be wise, let other men's harmes make us warie, lest customin vice make it grow even another nature to us. Wherefore above all things, let us take heed that long escape of punishment, or the vaine hope of long life doe not delude us, and make us run on stil into our sinns like the bard horse into the battel: for our life is but like the gourd of Jonas, or the pilgimage of Jacob, the daies whereof are as few as evil: yea it is like unto the vision of Esdras, goodly to look upon, but vanished in a moment: And therefore, there is nothing more perillous to be entertaiend by us than the Mot of Epicures, (o thanatos uden pos:) death belongs not to us: seeing we are therby broght to be carlesse of our actions. But to return to our foresaid narration. The foresaid water having gotten over their wonted limittes, are affirmed to have runen at their first entrance with a swiftnesse so incredible, as that no Gray-hounde could have escaped by running before them. And they yet cover twenty foure miles in length, and four and more in breadth; which if the water were quite gone againe, be not to be recovered within the space of five or sixe years, to be so serviceableground as formerly they have beene: yea, and there is no probabilitie that that parte of the country wil ever be so inhabited againe in our age as it was before this floud, howsoever it hath heretofore been reputed, the richest and the fruitfullest place in all that countrey. Moreover, the land overflowed with the Severne sea, is valued at above fortie thousand pounds by the yeare, only in the said Countrey of Monmouth, which is yet under the waters, and to be recovered againe from them at the Lord's good pleasure. Further, among other matters, these things are related as certaine truths. As that a certaine man and a woman having taken a tree for their succour, and espying nothing but death before their eyes: at last among other things which were carried along in the streame, they perceyved a certaine Tubbe, of great largenesse, to come neerer and neerer unto them, untill it rested upon that Tree wherein they were; into which (as sent unto them by GODS providence) they committed themselves, and were carryed safe untill they were cast uppe uppon the drie shoare. Againe, of a maide child, not passing the age of foure yeares: it is reported, that the mother thereof, perceiving the waters to breake so fast into her house, and not being able to escape with it, and having no clothes on it, set it upon a beame in the house, to save it from being drowned. And the waters rushing in a pace, a little chicken as it seemeth, flew up unto it, (it being found in the bosome of it, when as helpe came to take it downe) and by the heate thereof, as it is thought, preserved the childe's life in the middest of so colde a tempest. Another little childe is affirmed to have bene cast uppon land in a cradle, in which was nothing but a catte, the which was discerned as it came floating to the shoare, to leape still from one side of the cradle unto the other, even as if she had bene appointed steresman to preserve the small barke rom the waves furie. Moreove one Mistresse Van, a gentlewoman of good sorte, whose living was an hundred pounds and better by the yeare, is vouched, before she could get uppe into the higher roomes of her house, having marked the approach of the waters, to have bene surprsed by them and destroyed, howsoever, her house being distant above foure miles in breadth from the sea. Besides these things in Monmouth-shiere, already specified: One Mistresse Mattheus of Llandaffe in Glamorgin Shiere, dwelling some foure miles in breadth from the sea, is said to have lost foure hundreth English Ewes. Much corn is likewise there destroyed in that country, many houses ruinated, and many other kindes of cattell perished. The number of men that are drowned, are as yet not knowne to exceede above twentie hundred. A multitude more then did, had perished for want of foode and exremitie of colde, had not the Right Honourable the Lord Herbert, sonne and heir to the Earle of Worcester, and Sir Walter Montague, Knight, brother unto the Recorder of London, who dwellt neare unto the foresaid places,sent out boates, (fetched tenne miles compasse upon waines) to releeve the distressed. The Lord Herbert himselfe (as the relation is,) going himself unto such houses as he could, that were in extremitie, to minister unto them provision of meate and other necessaries. And these are the things touching these foresaid places, which have beene delivered as truthes unto us, of undoubted veritie. And there we leave them. As for ourselves, seeing we are all of us subject unto the like sinnes that others are: and that these when wee dayly fall into them, doe like the bloud of Abell, sollicite the wrath and vengeance of the Lord to be powred downe upon us. Let us thinke upon the judgementes which God hath inflicted upon others for their vices, so that wee may be the more averted from the like offences. Thus did David doe. And the Prophet Hab: doth witnesse, that the greevous plagues which even in a vision hee did see should come upon the Chaldeans, did make him to quake and tremble: what would he have done, if so bee that hee had seene the very actuall execution of them? would not hee have applied them unto his own person, remembring that his miserie by nature was as great as any others? But no man careth to knowe himselfe and hsi owne deservings: everie one delighteth to marke his brethren, and their infirmities, being therein like unto those Lamiae or Fairies: concerning which, Plutarch speaketh, who when they went abroad, filled their heads with eyes, but when they cam home againe, plucked them out, and put them in boxes: As for his owne breath, each one thinketh it to be sweet enough, as the Proverbe speaketh. The Lord of his mercie grant, that we may learne in time to be wise un- to our owne health and salvation, least that these water-flouds in particular, proove but fore- runners unto some fearfull calami- ties, more generall. FINIS.