A True and Perfect RELATION Of the late and dreadful INUNDATION Which happened in HOLLAND On Sunday Novemb. 3. 1675. at 4 of the Clock Afternoon, Saturn being then in Opposition to Mars.  
By which lamentable Accident all the Land is set under Water from Amsterdam to Leyden, Vtrecht, Woorden, Tergow, all South-Holland, and a great part of North-Holland, about Hoorn, etc.  
TOGETHER With an Account of those further Miseries and Calamities that followed thereupon, as the drowning of Men, Women and Children, and multitudes of .  
As also a brief Account of a dreadful Storm with Thunder and Lightning on the same day at Antwerp and Gent, to the loss of the Lives of divers porsons.  

Licenced  
Nou. 12. 1675. Roger L'Estrange.   
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1675.   

A True and Perfect. RELATION Of the Late INUNDATION OF WATER That happened in Holland, by which all the Land is Overflowed from Amsterdam to Leyden, Utrecht, Woorden, Tergow, all South-Holland, and a great Part of North-Holland, etc.  
My good Friend,  
I Have not been able to omit making known to you those sad tidings which lately happened here; namely, that all our fruitful Northernland (except that of Keeren and Swaagdijke, and that farther Eastward of Hoorn, as far as Enckhuysen) is so miserably overflowed, that it is like a great Pool of Water, which came to pass on this wife:  
Upon Sunday the third of this Instant November, S. N. the Northwest Wind did so drive in the Sea upon us, that you would have thought that the Waves thereof would have overwhelmed the whole Country; and the Water was d●●ven in so vehemently by the Storm, that it flowed higher here at this time, than was ever seen by any man living before; for in the Night it was risen to that height, that it stood an Inch above the lower Lintel of our High Houses, and the Stream can through all our Low Houses.  
The next day in the Evening, there was a great floing in of the Water at the Sluice of the East-gate; also it broke through the Dike at the East-gate, where the Spanish Cavalry stood; so that the water began to flow exceeding high in that place, but was stopped by the powerful assistance of men, that brought with them Sails and Weights for that purpose; also they brought two great Schuyts, and placed them upon the Sails, and filled them full of water, so that by that means they might bear down the Sails with the greater weight.  
About Two a Clock in the Morning the Bells of the Brant and Statehouse began to ring, which occasioned a great Alarm in the City; at that time News was brought, That the Dike to the Westward of Hoorne was broken through between Scharwoude and the Swart Church; and about half an hour after there came likewise News that there was another great breach made in the said Dyke before Carbalius Wieltie, so that the Burghers came too late thither. But to prevent farther danger, and to turn the water back as much as was possible. The next day in the Morning they beat the Drums, to give notice, That if there were any that would work at the Breaches of the Dykes for Wages, they should repair to Keeren, where they should he civility enterained, (there being already great Companies of Volunteers at work both before and behind the Water, and had brought Earth & Stones thither to make a crooked Ba●●●hinking thereby to turn off the water along by 〈◊〉 Somerdyke, to hinder it from flowing more Northwards; but this proved unsuccesful, for in the Evening the Somerdyke was broken through in two or three places, and had overflowed that good Land as far as Medenblick.  
But it pleased God to bless the endeavours of the people at Keeren, so that their work was not wholly in vain there, for by that crooked Bank which they had made they forced the Water to run over as far as Swaagdyke; and being supplied with Earth, they made a Dyke by which they could the better stop the Water there, and hinder it from breaking farther into the Polder, which hath hitherto succeeded well, and it is hoped will so continue, by the blessing of Almighty God, and the great care and vigilance of our Magistrates, who have quitted themselves extraordinary well in this Affair.  
My Dear Friend, This day being Wednesday, I went to the great Church with my Father, (which was the first time of my going forth since Monday▪ the Waters being so high) where Mijn Heer Newstadt made a good Sermon; his Audience was but 25 men, all the rest being gone to work at Keeren. The Sermon being ended, we also went all of us thither, and found all things in the dreadfullest condition that can possibly be expressed with a Pen; For they tell us, that some of the poor Boars were come thither with their Goods in Schuijts: That others had filled their Schuijts with drowned , & brought them thither to sell, (they being forced to eat the drowned Beasts or starve.) They tell us also that some Vagabond Rogues have … ke Throats of their Hogs & Sheep, and carried ●●em away in Sacks to sell to others: That some are gone away with pieces of dead Cows, which they carry here and there to th● Inhabitants that are fled from the Waters. Others are fled with Wagons full of Household Goods, and Schuijts laden with Cheese, and left their  behind them. Also they say, that others are fled with their Wives and Children, having lost all their , and whatsoever they had besides. In general, the Calamity is so great, it cannot be expressed by any person alive.  
The 7th Instant in the Morning (the Bells having rung, and the Drums beat all the night) all the men came to Keeren to assist in stopping the Water.  
It is now also commanded by the States, that all the Women should come forth (that are able to work) to help the men to lad Stones in Ships, that they might be carried and sunk before the Breach: The Women in all parts of the Country are so forward in complying with this Command, that they pass by here in Thousands towards Luydendijke having their Baskets with them to carry Stones; so that it is with us (you may think) as if we were in a Beleaguered City, the which is dreadful to behold. If you yourself were here at this time, you would see a thousand times more than I can write to you.  
There are of those poor Inhabitants that lie in Hundreds upon Planks and Board's, and in open Houses, without Fire or Victuals, that must (if things so continue) be starved with Hunger and Cold, for no Boats can come at them to fetch them off. Herewith I take my leave at present, praying to God to preserve us from further Inundations, and remain,  
Your very loving Friend N. N.   

Another Letter from Amsterdam.  
SIR,  
BY reason of an extraordinary Storm of Wind, the Dike between this City and Haerlem is broken down, so that there is no passage between us and them, nor hath been for these five days. The Storm and Flood hath done a great deal of mischief, insomuch that it is impossible to relate all the misery we daily undergo. Among many wonderful Accidents take these following; The Island Mark (which is an Island that lies about two Leagues from this City, in the Mouth of the Zuijder-Zee) is altogether washed away, nothing is remaining but the Churches. Also a great part of the Island Urk is washed away.  
Some Ships which are lately arrived here from the Texel, tell us, That they have met several pieces of Houses driving at the Sea, and people upon the tops of them, which is almost incredible, yet it is related here for a Truth.  
Sir, Not only the Dike between Haerlem and Amsterdam is broken down, but all the Land is set under Water from Amsterdam to Leyden, Utrecht, Woorden, Tergow, all South-Holland, and a great part of North-Holland, and it is to be feared we shall hear of more damage shortly in other parts of this Country. By the next Post you shall have an Account of the number of Persons and  drowned. Having no more at present, I remain,  
SIR, Your Loving Friend, Stephen Swaert.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
I Have since received an Account, that at Antwerp from Sunday till Teusday there was such extraordinary bad weather from the Northwest, which drove the Water very high, and hath done much damage to some Pack-houses: But at Gent on Monday in the Evening, about 8 or 9 of the Clock was a most dreadful Storm of Wind, accompanied with Thunder and Lightning, insomuch that it set Fire to two Towers, Belfort and St. Peter, and the people being forward to put out the Fire, there was many persons killed and wounded, whereof two were killed outright by the Thunder, and many destroyed in the Rubbish.  
FINIS.