Lady Good-for-Nothing: A Man's Portrait of a Woman

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

  Chapter VI.

  DOCUMENTS.

  I.

  _From Abraham Castres Esq.: his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary to theKing of Portugal, to the Secretary of State, Whitehall, London._LISBON, _November 6th_, 1755.

  "SIR,--You will in all likelihood have heard before this of theinexpressible Calamity befallen the whole Maritime Coast, and inparticular this opulent City, now reduced to a heap of Rubbish andRuin, by a most tremendous Earthquake on the first of this Month,followed by a Conflagration which has done ten times more Mischiefthan the Earthquake itself. I gave a short account of our Misfortuneto _Sir Benjamin Keene_, by a _Spaniard_, who promised (as allintercourse by Post was at a stand) to carry my Letter as far as_Badajoz_ and see it safe put into the Post House. It was merely toacquaint His Excellency that, God be praised, my House stood out theShocks, though greatly damaged; and that, happening to be out of thereach of the Flames, several of my Friends, burnt out of theirHouses, had taken refuge with me, where I have accommodated them aswell as I could, under Tents in my large Garden; no Body but _LordCharles Dowglass_, who is actually on board the Packet, besides myChaplain and myself having dared hitherto to sleep in my House sincethe Day of our Disaster. The Consul and his Family have been saved,and are all well, in a Country House near this City. Those with meat present are the _Dutch_ Minister, his Lady, and their threeChildren, with seven or eight of their Servants. The rest of myCompany of the better Sort consists of several Merchants of thisFactory, who, for the most part have lost all they had; though someindeed, as Messrs. _Parry_ and _Mellish's_ House, and Mr. _Raymond_,and _Burrell_, have had the good Fortune to save their Cash, eitherin whole or in part. The number of the Dead and Wounded I can giveno certain Account of as yet; in that respect our Poor Factory hasescaped pretty well, considering the number of Houses we have here.I have lost my Good and Worthy Friend the _Spanish_ Ambassador, whowas crushed under the Door, as he attempted to make his Escape intothe Street. This with the Anguish I have been in for these five Dayspast, occasioned by the dismal Accounts brought to us every instantof the Accidents befallen to one or other of our Acquaintance amongthe Nobility, who for the most part are quite Undone, has greatlyaffected me; but in particular the miserable Objects among the lowersort of His Majesty's Subjects, who fly also to me for Bread, and liescattered up and down in my Garden, with their Wives and Children.I have helped them all hitherto, and shall continue to do so, as longas Provisions do not fail Us, which I hope will not be the Case, bythe Orders which _M. de Carvalho_ has issued in that respect.One of our great Misfortunes is, that we have neither an _English_ or_Dutch_ Man of War in the Harbour. Some of their Carpenters andSailors would have been of great use to me on this occasion, inhelping to prop up my House; for as the Weather, which has hithertobeen remarkably fair, seems to threaten us with heavy Rains, it willbe impossible for the Refugees in my Garden to hold out much longer;and how to find Rooms in my House for them all I am at a loss todevise; the Floors of most of them shaking under our Feet; and mustconsequently be too weak to bear any fresh number of Inhabitants.The Roads for the first Days having been impracticable, it wasbut yesterday I had the Honour in Company with _M. de la Calmette_,of waiting on the King of _Portugal_, and all the Royal Family at_Belem_, whom we found encamped; none of the Royal Palaces being fitto harbour Them. Though the loss His Most Faithful Majesty hassustained on this occasion is immense, and that His Capital-City isutterly Destroyed; He received us with more Serenity than weexpected, and among other things told us, that He owed Thanks toProvidence for saving His and His Family's Lives: and that He wasextremely glad to see us both safe. The Queen in her own Name, andall the young Princesses, sent us word that they were obliged to usfor our attention; but that being under their Tents, and in a Dressnot fit to appear in, They desired that for the present we wouldexcuse their admitting our Compliments in Person. Most of theconsiderable Families in our Factory have already secured tothemselves a passage to _England_, by three or four of our _London_Traders, that are preparing for their departure. As soon as thefatigue and great trouble of Mind I have endured for these first Daysare a little over, I shall be considering of some proper method forsheltering the poorer Sort, either by hiring a _Portuguese_ Hulk, orif that is not to be had, some _English_ Vessel till they can be sentto _England; _and there are many who desire to remain, in hopes offinding among the Ruins some of the little Cash they may have lost intheir Habitations. The best orders have been given for preventingRapine, and Murders, frequent instances of which we have had withinthese three Days, there being swarms of _Spanish_ Deserters in Town,who take hold of this opportunity of doing their business. As I havelarge sums deposited in my House, belonging to such of my Countrymenas have been happy enough to save some of their Cash, and that myHouse was surrounded all last Night with _Ruffians_; I have wrotethis Morning to _M. de Carvalho_, to desire a Guard, which I hopewill not be refused. We are to have in a Day or two a Meeting of ourscattered Factory at my House, to consider of what is best to be donein our present wretched Circumstances. I am determined to staywithin call of the Distressed, as long as I can remain on Shore withthe least Appearance of Security: and the same Mr. _Hay_ (the Consul)seemed resolved to do, the last time I conferred with him about it.I most humbly beg your Pardon, Sir, for the Disorder of this Letter,surrounded as I am by many in Distress, who from one instant to theother are applying to me either for Advice or Shelter. The Packethas been detained at the Desire of the Factory, till another appearsfrom _England_, or some Man of War drops in here from the_Streights_. This will go by the first of several of our MerchantShips bound to _England_. I must not forget to acquaint you, that_Sir Oliver Vyell_ and Lady are safe and well, and have the Honour tobe, &c."

  II.

  _From the Same to the Same._'BELEM, _November 7th_, 1755.

  "Sir,--. . . The present Scene of Misery and Distress is not to bedescribed; the Kingdom of _Portugal_ is ruined and undone, and_Lisbon_, one of the finest Cities that ever was seen, is now nomore. The Escape of the forementioned _Sir. O. Vyell_ is one of themost providential Things that ever was heard of; for whilst he wasriding about the middle of the City in his Chaise, on the firstinstant, he observed the Driver to look behind him, and immediatelyto make the Mules gallop as fast as possible, but both he and theywere very soon killed and buried in the Ruins of a House which fellon them; whereupon _Sir Oliver_ jumped out of the Chaise, and raninto a House that instantly fell also to the Ground, and buried himin the Ruins for a considerable Time; but it pleased God that he wastaken out alive, and not much bruised. His Lady likewise wasprovidentially in the Garden when their House fell, and so escaped.About half an Hour after the first Shock, the City was on fire infive different Parts, and has been burning ever since, so that the_English_ Merchants here are entirely ruined. There have been threeShocks every Day since the first, but none so violent as the first.The King has ordered all the Soldiers to assist in burying the Dead,to prevent a Plague; and indeed upon that Account the Fire was ofService in consuming the Carcasses both of Men and Beasts.The _English_ have miraculously escaped, for notwithstanding theFactory was so numerous, not more than a Dozen are known to have beenkilled; amongst whom was poor _Mrs. Hake_, Sister to Governor _Hardy_of _New York_, who suffered as she was driving her Children beforeher; and the _Spanish_ Ambassador was killed also, with his youngChild in his Arms. Every person, from the King to the Beggar, is atpresent obliged to lie in the Fields, and some are apprehensive thata Famine may ensue."

  III.

  _An Extract of a Letter from on board a Ship in Lisbon Harbour,Nov: 19, to the same Purport_.

  "Mine will not bring you the first News of the most dreadful Calamitybefallen this City and whole Kingdom. On _Saturday_ the firstinstant, about half an Hour past nine o'clock, I was retired to myRoom after Breakfast, when I perceived the House began to shake, butdid not apprehend the Cause; however, as I saw the Neighbours aboutme all running down Stairs, I also made the best of my Way; and bythe time I had cross'd
the Street, and got under the Piazzas of somelow House, it was darker than the darkest Night I ever was out in,and continued so for about a Minute, occasioned by the Clouds of Dustfrom the falling of Houses on all sides. After it cleared up, I raninto a large Square adjoining; but being soon alarmed with a Cry thatthe Sea was coming in, all the People crowded foreward to run to theHills, I among the rest, with Mr. _Wood_ and Family. We went neartwo Miles thro' the Streets, climbing over the Ruins of Churches,Houses, &c., and stepping over hundreds of dead and dying People,Carriages, Chaises and Mules, lying all crushed to Pieces; and thatDay being a great Festival in their Churches, and happening just atthe time of celebrating the first Mass, thousands were assembled inthe Churches, the major part of whom were killed; for the greatBuildings, particularly those which stood on any Eminence, sufferedthe most Damage. Very few of the Churches or Convents have escaped.We staid near two Hours in an open Campo; and a dismal scene it was,the People howling and crying, and the Sacrament going about to dyingpersons: so I advised, as the best, to return to the Square near ourown House and there wait the event, which we did immediately; but bythe Time we got there the City was in Flames in several distantParts, being set on fire by some Villains, who confessed it beforeExecution. This completed the Destruction of the greatest Part ofthe City; for in the Terror all Persons were, no Attempt was made tostop it; and the Wind was very high, so that it was communicated fromone Street to another by the Flakes of Fire drove by the Winds.It raged with great Violence for eight Days, and this in theprincipal and most thronged Parts of the City; People being fled intothe Fields half naked, the Fire consumed all sorts of Merchandise,Household Goods, and Wearing Apparel, so that hardly anything is leftto cover People, and they live in Tents in the Fields. If the Firehad not happened, People would have recovered their Effects out ofthe Ruins; but this has made such a Scene of Desolation and Misery asWords cannot describe."

  "The King's Palace in the City is totally destroyed, with all theJewels, Furniture, &c. The _India_ Warehouses adjoining, full ofrich Goods, are all consumed. The Custom-house, piled up with Balesupon Bales, is all destroyed; and the Tobacco and other Warehouses,with the Cargoes of three _Brazil_ Fleets, shared the same Fate.In short, there are few Goods left in the whole City."

  IV.

  _From a Ship's Captain writing home under the same date_.

  ". . . On Saturday the first instant, I arose at Five, in order toremove my Ship from the Custom-house, agreeable to my Order; by Ninewe sailed down and anchored off the upper end of the _Terceras_.Wind at N.E. a small Breeze, and a fine clear morning. Ten Minutesbefore Ten, I felt the Ship have an uncommon Motion, and could nothelp thinking she was aground, although sure of the Depth of Water.As the Motion increased, my Amazement increased also; and as I waslooking round to find out the Meaning of this uncommon Motion, I wasimmediately acquainted with the direful Cause; when at that Instantlooking towards the City, I beheld the tall and stately Buildingstumbling down, with great Cracks and Noise, and particularly thatpart of the City from _St. Paul's_ in a direct Line to _Bairroalto_;as also, at the same Time, that Part from the said Church along theRiver-side Eastward as far as the Gallows, and so in a curve LineNorthward again; and the Buildings as far as _St. Joze_ and the_Rofcio_, were laid in the three following Shocks, which were soviolent as I heard many say they could with great Difficulty stand ontheir Legs. There is scarce one House of this great City lefthabitable. The Earth opened, and rent in several Places, and manyexpected to be swallowed up.--As it happened at a Time when theKitchens were furnished with Fires, they communicated their Heat tothe Timber with which their Houses were built or adorned, and inwhich the Natives are very curious and expensive, both in Furnitureand Ceilings; and by this means the City was in a Blaze in differentParts at once. The Conflagration lasted a whole Week.--What chieflycontributed to the Destruction of the City, was the Narrowness of theStreets. It is not to be expressed by Human Tongue, how dreadful andhow awful it was to enter the City after the Fire was abated: whenlooking upwards one was struck with Terror at beholding frightfulPyramids of ruined Fronts, some inclining one Way, some another; thenon the other hand with Horror, in viewing Heaps of Bodies crushed todeath, half-buried and half-burnt; and if one went through the broadPlaces or Squares, there was nothing to be met with but Peoplebewailing their Misfortunes, wringing their Hands, and crying_The World is at an End_. In short, it was the most lamentable Scenethat Eyes could behold. As the Shocks, though Small, are frequent,the People keep building Wooden Houses in the Fields; but the Kinghas ordered no Houses to be built to the Eastward of _Alcantara_Gate.--Just now four _English_ Sailors have been condemned forstealing Goods, and hiding them in the Ballast, with Intent to make aProperty of them."