The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul 19.7.5

19.7.5

so that wee were much frighted, and satt vp till midnight, for that wee had no helpe but to flye our selues and loose all our goodes, for it was reported that it would runne higher then the topp of my house by 3 foote and carry al away, beeing poore mudd buildings, 14 years past a terreble experience having showed the violence, the foote of the Tanck beeing leuell with our dwelling and the water extreame great and deepe, so that the topp was much higher then my house, which stood in the bottome in the Course of the water, euery ordinarie raine making such a Current at my doore that it runne not swifter in the Arches of London bridge and is for some howers impassible by horse or man. But God other wise disposed it in his Mercy. The king Caused a sluce to bee cutt in the night to ease the water another way. Yet the very rayne had washed downe a great part of the walls of my house, and soe weakened itt all by diuers breaches in, that I feared the fall more then the flood, and was soe moyled with durt and water that I could scarce lye drye or safe, soe that I must bee enforced to be at new chardge in reparation. Thus were wee every way afflicted — fires, smokes, floodes, stormes, heate, dust, flyes, and no temperate or quiett season. August 22. — I receiued from the Prince another warrant for 5,500 mamoodies formerly mentioned ; for that the first, it seemes, was not sufficient.