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space before St. Paul’s church, which had been thrown down a few minutes before, and had buried a great part of a numerous congregation. Here I stood for some time, considering what I should do; but not thinking myself safe, I climbed over the ruins of the west end of the church to get to the river-side, that I might be removed as far as possible from the tottering houses, in the dreadful event of a second shock.
This with some difficulty I accomplished; and by the river-side I found a prodigious concourse of both sexes, and of all ranks and conditions. All these, whom their mutual dangers had here assembled as to a place of safety were on their knees at prayer, with the terrors of death in their countenances, every one striking his breast and crying incessantly to heaven for mercy and protection.
In the midst of our devotions, the second shock came with little less violence than the first, and it completed the ruin of those buildings which had already been shattered. The consternation now became so universal, that shrieks and cries could be distinctly heard from a considerable distance: at the same time we heard the fall of the parish church, whereby many were killed on the spot. The force of the shock was so great
