Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

INUNDATION IN HOLLAND
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sudden, with a little gust of rain gott up a high easterly wind 1686.
just in our teeth, it blew pretty fierce all night, and next day, at sea.
yet notwithstanding the boat sailling well this day moonday
Novr. 1: we made the land of Zeland, and discovered west
capple steeple, a place nigh to middleborough, just about
noon: we presently made of, and stirred uncertain in tacking
to, and again 24 hours, when we made land again, which we
found to be skouen land, we continued still tacking about, at at sea‘
night the wind comes south east, and by east, blows so all
night. novr.
Next morning, Wednesday Novr. 3, we made skouen land
again, when plying all our saills against two in ye aftarnoon
we mad goree land, and then in to the maes, and over the dry
befor 10 of the night.
Next day, Thursday, Novr. 4 in the morning we came to the holland.
Brill, and thene that same day to Ho41, where god graciously
once more aftar 3 years travell and absence, restored me to my
freinds, who were all in holland at this very time, because of
trouble at home. The packet boat we came over in was cast
away the very next voyadge.
Novr. 13.—There blowing a dreadfull tempest the wind at
west north west there was a great inondation in holland, in so
much that the whole province of groningue was overflowed,
severall hundreds of people, and thousands of cattle drowned,
the watar filled most sellars in Ho44, some people were lost:
but the next day it abated : yet in the moneth of march next
ensueing there was another inondation, that caused also great
loss.
Novr. 19.—I went to the Hague and sie the prince, princess hollaud.
and court, and returned to Ro44. 23 ditto.
Novr. 30.—I went to Utrecht, and there being invited to Utrecht,
teach some freinds the french languadge, I accepted the offer,
and stayed with them till april 3: my scholars were Mr.
Chisley, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Erskin, Mr. Lumsden, Mr. hamilton,
Mr. Nisbet, Mr. Burnet, and Mr. Scrope, the 3 last english :4 and
1 At this time ‘ there was a large British colony at Utrecht, with the usual
appanages of an English coffee-house, serving the purposes of a club, and an
English church, in which an exiled minister, English or Scottish, officiated.
The town, with its varied society, its noble cathedral, its shady mall, and open