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About the Tydes.
where by reason of excessive Rains that had fallen, all St. Georges Fields in
Southwark, as also the Palace Yard, even Westminster Hall, were overflown.
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Secondly, Inundations of the Thames may be caused by boisterous Northwest Winds,
which generally cause very great Tides, not only in the Thames at the Mouth
thereof,
but on the Coast of Holland, Flanders, Picardy, and the Shores of England
opposite to
them. And this is, because that Wind doth with equal Force blow in the Tide of
Flood
at both Ends of this Island, both Westwards and Northwards.
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The Cause thereof.
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Thirdly, There is another Cause of great Tydes and Inundations in the Thames,
which
is not commonly taken notice of, and that is, the Moon's being in the Perigeon,
or in
that Part of her Orb nearest to the Earth; for if (as aforesaid) the Moon's
coming nearer
the Earth at her Full and Change makes her Spring Tides; and her withdrawing
farther
from the Earth at her Quarters makes the Neap Tides, it must doubtless follow,
that if to
the Proximiority which the Moon hath to the Earth, by moving in her Eclipsis,
there be
added that Proximiority which she hath in her Eccentrick (or opposite Angles)
she
should operate so much the more extraordinarily upon the Sea, and make the
higher
Spring Tydes at such Full and Change. And on the contrary, that when she is
estranged from us by a double Elongation of the Quarter in her Elipsis, and of
her Auge
in her Eccentrick, she should operate so much the more weakly there ordinarily,
and to
that Quarter make a slack Neap Tyde.
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Another Cause.
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Of the strange shifting of the Tydes sometimes in the River of Thames.
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In the Thames, at some times there hapeneth strange shifting of the Tydes, which
is
reckoned for a Prodigy, because it hapeneth but seldom, and yet it is by some
known to
proceed from a natural Cause, as well as other common Effects; now for the
finding out
the Cause I will speak of several of these Shiftings that have happened as taken
notice
off by our Historians.
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The Cause of the shifting of the Tydes.
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1. On the 12th of October, 1411, the Thames flowed thrice in one Day.
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2. On the 17th of September, 1550, the Thames Flowed and Ebbed three times in
nine
Hours beflow the Bridge.
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3. On the 26th of January, 1564, at Night there were two Tides in two Hours at
London-bridge; and likewise, next Day there were two in the Morning, and two at
Night. And on Sunday the 28th of the said Month, two Tides in the Morning, and
at
Night but one, as it used to be, and so continued.
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4. On the 6th of November, 1574 , in the Morning there happened two great
Tydes,
the first in Course, and the other within an Hour after, which overflowed the
Marshes
at Lambeth, and many Vaults and Sellers adjoining.
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5. On the 19th of February, 1608, it should have been dead low Water at the
Bridge,
but instead thereof it was high Water, and presently it Ebbed almost half an
Hour to a
Foot Depth, and
then suddenly it flowed almost two Foot higher than it did before, and then
Ebbed
again, until it came near to its right Course, so that the next Flood began (in
a manner)
as it should do. All this happened, saith the Chronology, before Twelve a Clock
at
Noon, the Weather being indifferent Calm.
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6. On the 6th of February, 1609, there was a strange shifting of the Tydes, but
our
Author gives not the Time.
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7. On the 3d of January, 1622, in the Morning, the Thames shifted four Tydes in
five
Hours, viz. two Floods, and two Ebbs, and then kept its right Course.
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8. On the 2d of February, 1653, the Thames Ebbed and Flowed thrice in six
Hours;
and the little shifting of the Tydes was observed in the Maritime Places in Kent
at the
same time.
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9. On the 3d of October, the Thames Ebbed and Flowed twice in three Hours.
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10. On All-saints Day, 1660, betwixt Ten a Clock at Night, and Five the next
Morning, there was an unusual shifting of the Tydes; Ebbing and Flowing three
times
in that Space. But if we examine these Shiftings, we shall find that in all of
them the
Tydes were very slack, and in a manner at the very neapness; and that in all of
them
(except two, viz. in 1574, and in 1656 (the Moon was in Apogæo, about
three or
four Days before the Shifting, to make them (if possible) more slack and neap.
By the
Examples in 1654, and 1660, I can't but think, that the Cause of the shifting of
the
Tydes, is only the overbearing of their Course, when at the slack by a Northwest
Wind,
which is the most powerful Adversary they can have upon our Coast; for if a slow
Ebb
be encountered full in the Teeth, what can follow but a Return of the Tyde
again? And
if the Northwest Wind either abates its Fierceness, or shifts into some other
Quarter, as
the Southwest or Northeast for some short time, and then either return to its
former
Place, or resume its former Force, and does thus once, twice, or thrice (which
is usual
at Sea, though at Land its Wandrings are not sensible) we shall easily believe
(seeing so
plain a Reason for it) that there will be a playing of the Tyde to and fro, and
several
Floods and Ebbs succeeding one another in a few Hours. And it may be, this
shifting
of the Tydes is the more notable in the Thames, because of its gentle Ebb to the
Seaward, which is the more easily turned, whereas a swift Current in a River
would
prevail over these Irregularities.
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Furthermore, in the Example of 1660, it happened upon a Northwesterly Wind,
sometimes blowing pretty fresh, and the Tydes were then at the neapest. Indeed
in this
Shifting the Moon was not in Apogæo, but almost in the very Place of her
Perigæum. Which makes me think the Apogæosis is not altogether so
necessary, but that the Neapness of the Tydes and the Wind were able to do it
themselves, (assisted I mean with a private Cause,) so the alternate Inentions,
and
Remissions of the Wind be but proportionably greater, to supply the Want of the
Apogæosis.]
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CHAP. VII.
A Survey of the River of Thames, as far as it
lyes under the Care and Inspection of the
Lord Maior .
And what Care hath been taken of it by the
City .
HAVING thus far proceeded in the Description of this
famous River, even from
her Head and Original, till her being embraced by the Sea; I thought good to go
on a
litter further
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The Extent of Thames under the Jurisdiction of the Lord Maior, and City.
A. M.
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