STRANGE NEWS FROM Tower-ditch: Being a Perfect Relation of the vast Quantity of FISH taken there on Friday the 20th. of this instant October.  
With the strange manner of their coming in, in such abundance, and how some of them died and Stunk as soon as they were handled, others were very sweet, and eaten without any Ill Effects.  
AS ALSO The most probable Conjectures of Intelligent persons concerning the Cause or Reason of this wonderful Accident.  

This may be Printed,  
October 24. Roger L'Estrange.   
Printed for P. Brooksby in West-Smith's-field.   

News from Tower-Ditch, etc.  
THe odd Accidents of an unusual multitude of Fish that lately came into, and were taken in Tower-ditch, and other Creeks belonging to the River of Thames, having occasioned much discourse about this City, it has been thought convenient for public satisfaction to give a particular and true Relation of the matter, with its most remarkable circumstances which the Reader may take as follows, on the Testimony of credible eye-witnesses.  
On Friday the Twentieth of this instant October, it being that day High-water at London-bridge about ten a Clock; the Tide coming in and flowing (according to the usual manner, when it is permitted by the gates being open) into the Moat or Ditch that surrounds the Royal Arsenal, commonly called the Tower of London, brought with it an incredible number of Fish; Insomuch that a poor Boy who was playing, or otherwise idling on the Bank, being (as we hear) the first discoverer would needs seeing such a great quantity undress himself as far as his Shoes, Stockings and Breeches, and so waded in, and took up divers of them with his hands and fling them to the shore, this was before eight a clock, being there then but young Flood.  
The sight of his action soon drew many others to be at once spectators and admirers of the matter, and that which added to their wonder, was that they could plainly see great numbers of small Fish floating as it were with their heads on the surface of the water, which made many others go in likewise, some with Nets, and others without; for the shoal was so numerous that they could hardly miss of catching several at a time only with their hands; They seemed not so much to use their natural power of swimming with their Fins, as to lie still and suffer themselves to be gently carried with the Current of the stream, but when touched (unless suddenly tossed up and taken) could nimbly glide away, so that 'twas plain they had life, but were in a manner stupefied, and did not exercise it till provoked thereunto by some external Violence.  
The number or quantity taken in all it is not at all possible to set forth, considering how many persons by several means employed themselves to take them; myself spoke with three persons that severally affirmed each of them got near a Bushel, as for the particular kinds of the Fish they were such as the River is generally stored with, that is to say, Roaches, Dace, Perches, Eels, etc.  
These Fish whilst in the Water were generally observed to gasp as for air, and many of them immediately as soon as they were touched, died; and presently stunk, which were fling away: others appeared ruddy and fresh, and many people (especially of the meaner sort) dressed and eat of them, affirming that they never tasted better, nor did any Indisposition or ill effects follow to any that fed on them that we can hear of.  
Divers Gentlemen and Citizens that had Water Spaniels would fling in stones or the like, and the Dogs following to fetch them; seldom failed in stead thereof to bring out a Fish in their mouths. When the Tide fell, great quantities were left gasping on the banks, some alive, but more dead; and some Fishermen having planted Nets at the Sluice or Gate where the water goes out, caught a vast number.  
Nor was it only here, for at Lime-house-bridge, The Shore at Wapping; Blackwall; the Dock-head in Southwark, and other places there was the like; and above Bridge also, (as we are informed) the same was observed by divers Fishermen, who admired at the prodigious draughts they made that day, above all other times.  
The reasons of this wonderful plenty of Fish appearing in so strange a manner, are variously assigned; To say 'tis a thing ordinary, will be contradicted by common experience. For as the like had not been known before, so was not there any such thing the very next Tide after, or any time since, though expected and curiously observed by many; To ascribe it to chance is below the thoughts of a wise man, who knows there is no such thing as that fortuitous Goddess existent in the world, save in the vain and ignorant imaginations of fools, who blindly attribute thereunto whatever they cannot understand, whereas in truth nothing comes to pass without its proper causes, Cooperating to a certain determinate effect.  
Nor need we run to such a silly Asilum for the solution of this business; some think the cause may only be, that great multitudes of Fish brought down by the fresh waters after the late rains, being suddenly hurried into the salt water, which lately has (by reason of the former long drought,) been observed to flow beyond the usual marks, even almost as far as London-Bridge, might be the occasion of it. The River Fish being disturbed with that brackish Aliment, flying from it into every opportune creek. But others rather judge it might be caused by great quantities of some stupefying Bait thrown or fallen in, which laying them for a time as it were asleep, made them insensibly be born in with the current of the Tide; We know several sorts of Pasts artificially made, and some natural drugs which Fish are extremely greedy of; have a quality so to intoxicate them, that they may easily be taken up by hand; and that something of like kind was in this case is very probable from their gasping and swimming on the surface of the water, which operating more with some than others according to the quantity received, might occasion the kill and putrefaction of part, whilst the rest remained (though not altogether undistempered) yet more lively and wholesome.  
We read in History, that as Augustus was once walking on the Shoar, several Fishes leaped out of the Sea and cast themselves at his feet, which by the learned of those times was construed as a good Omen, that Nepture had adopted and received him for his Lieutenant over the Ocean instead of Sextus Pompeius; nor was the prediction frustrated by the event, the Empire of the World (as well by Sea as Land) being soon after peaceably vested in that illustrious and well deserving Roman.  
FINIS.