69 



would bury them in the ruins of the town. 

 Many had imagined they were to be fwal- 

 lowed up by the fea, which threatened the 

 place in huge and ioud-roariog billows. 

 Some, widening their fears to the whole ex- 

 tent of our iCand, confidered the awful fceoe 

 as an omen to the Parliament (which was to 

 meet this day)^ to warn them agaioft perfift- 

 ing in a " cruel and bloody war others,, 

 looking to the immenfe fleets preparing for 

 our expeditions, believed the whole about to 

 be fwallowed up, becaufe their employment 

 was wicked; and all feemed to regard the 

 tempeft as a fcourge, intended to punifli the 

 vices, and chaftife the follies of mankind, 



Whilft every one contemplated the event 

 as of vaft and mighty import, bufy Imagina- 

 tion had tortured their individual fears into a 

 thoufand forms. One worthy dame had felt 

 the earth fhake under her ; another faw the 

 whole ftreet move ; the olfactories of a third 

 had perceived fulphureous fumes i^^uing from 

 below, and fome had even heard the church 

 and other buildings falling into the opened 



^3 



V 



