Note:what follows is a firsthand contemporary account by an unknown writer. The numbers of Palatines the writer discusses are discounted by as much as half in some instances according to many historians. "Being a short account of those Germans who, as it were through some species of enchantment, in 1709, sailed over the sea into England. How it fared with them, when they arrived and where they afterwards took their abode." In order not to detain the courteous reader with a tedious and unpleasant narration, I will briefly refer to the things which were done openly in England, before the "Praeludia" before the arrival of the Germans in 1708, on Blackheath. On the 24-25-26-27 and 28 days of July, 1708, not only in the gloomy night, but also in the broad daylight, many things were witnessed by all four camps whereon the following year, the Germans camped on the Black Head or "Blackheath", namely upon the Ritter-Kamm and in the "Camberwell" and in the Middle camp, just like a well laid off military encampment, many thousands of people of divers kinds, andreligiously educated, saw the spectacle with their own eyes, and to which they have solemnly attested, and have related to the minutest details, all the circumstances worthy of belief. Among others there was one witness, deep rooted in the faith, Jaun Alplin, minister of the Capella College, near Grinovium, and also Mr. John Burian, minister in the church of Dertforth, not yet knowing what significance should come out of this. In appearance, it has become cause for higher admiration and greater confusion, that in the presence of those encamping, especially those on the Blackheath, many thousands of birds like doves, gathered, and after they had flown about in the sky for a few days, they died there and were buried by those that were left, in the cool sand. Thereupon the Englishman ventured all sorts of conjectures and waited ever after for a fulfillment of their conjectures. Finally in the year never to return, 1709, on the 6th and 8th of May, eleven ships filled with Germans arrived in the great and mighty city of London, in the neighborhood of St. Catherine's and the Royal Brewery, and there landed from them 18,006 persons, old men, young men and women, who after being sent to Blackheath, where the camp was laid out as before stated by the direction of the Queen, were ordered to lodge four by four in the tents provided for them. A fortnight before the already named eleven ships arrived, five others had come bringing 4324 persons, transported from Holland to England, who also betook themselves to the camping place where they kindly received by a nobleman through the gracious command of the Queen. On St. John's Day four more ships arrived under full sail bringing 2138 souls, among whom were two clerical gentlemen, one named master George Hainer, formerly vicar at Holtzen and Rudling, in the dominion of Lansenberg, and of the Evangelical Lutheran religion; the other was John Stager, a Reformed student from Nassau-Siegen. He believed these 2138 were more highly regarded than any of the rest of the Germans because they brought no catholics with them, but at the command of their religious leaders debarred them from the ship. On this account they also received the best tents and the most pleasant location in the camp, namely the Rittercamp, and a more gracious eye was cast upon them than upon the others, by the wise Queen and the Parliament. Six weeks after this three ships arrived in Greenwich haven with 1328 Germans, who had to go into the Middle camp by the wholesale, because they looked somewhat slovenly and had a good many Catholics among them. About eight days before Michaelmas, (Sep. 29) the number of Germans was again increased by 4003 souls, part of whom took up their march at once to Ireland, partly because it was getting colder. (We have not taken into account the 3060 men, women and children who were buried at Blackheath.) They were in the meantime lodged in St. Catherine's and in the Royal Brewery. At last, three days before St. Martin's day(Nov. 11) the camp was removed. the beginning was made with the Rittercamp, because the Lord Commissioners had sought out the best lodgements for them. More than one hundred wagons were sent to take our beggarly property from the camp, so that no one had to incur expense. For eight days we had to take up our quarters in the Redhouse, until the rooms at Charles Cox's warehouse were cleaned. During the following eight days, while we were standing outside the Rittercamp at the Redhouse, two other ships arrived with 945 souls, who were at once directed to take up winter quarters in the above named warehouse. Two ships were driven out of their course by a storm and these did not arrive until the second Sunday in Advent, and then only with 540 persons. The above named were sent to westforth in order to have good quarters and not to further suffer as they had Christmas week there was a report that some of the very richest men in Germany came to England, but in truth they were only corrupted Swiss and a few from Nassau-Siegen. They had a few old horses, which I believe they would have eaten because of their great hunger. There were 288 souls scattered about the streets by the Tower, where 168 large pieces of cannon were placed, which, as was customary, were fired when ships coming across the sea arrived in harbor. At New Year 72 souls came over land about 100 miles, they having been deceived and brought hither on Holland coal ships. After these arrived by packet boat at one time 20, at another 30, now more, now less, until the total number of Germans was 32,468* souls. *This number is high by 30-50 per cent. ==== PENNA-DUTCH Mailing List ==== Forgot how to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE? Send the appropriate one word message to PENNA-DUTCH-L-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM