A50202:16
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have happened this last age, especially in New-England / by Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England.An essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have hapned this last age, especially in New-England / by Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England.
printed by Samuel Green for Joseph Browning, 1684
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There is another Remarkable Passage about Lightning which happened at Duxborough in New-England, concerning which I have lately received this following Account.
There is another Remarkable Passage about Lightning which hapned at Duxborough in New-England, concerning which I have lately received this following Account.
September 11. 1653. (being the Lords Day) There were small drizzling Showers, attended with some seldom and scarce perceivable rumbling Thunders until towards the Evening; at what time Mr. Constant Southworth of Duxbury returning home after evening Exercise, in company with some Neighbours, Discoursing of some extraordinary Thunder-claps with Lightning, and the awful effects and consequents thereof,) being come into his own House (there were present in one room, himself, his Wife, two ⟨image 9⟩Children, viz. Thomas (he was afterwards drowned) and Benjamin, (he was long after this killed by the Indians) with Philip Delano a Servant,) there broke perpendicularly over the said House and Room a most awful and amazing clap of Thunder, attended with a violent flash, or rather flame of Lightning; which brake and shivered one of the Needles of the Catted or Wooden Chimney, carrying divers Splinters seven or eight Rods distance from the House: it filled the Room with Smoke and Flame. Set fire in the Thatch of a Lean-to which was on the backside of a Room adjoining to the former, in which the five persons abovementioned were. It melted some Pewter, so that it ran into drops on the out-side, as is often seen on Tin ware; melted round holes in the top of a Fire shovel proportionable in quantity to a small Goose-shot; struck Mrs. Southworth's Arm so that it was for a time benumbed; smote the young Child Benjamin in his Mothers' Arms, deprived it of Breath for a space, and to the Mothers apprehension squeezed it as flat as a Planck; smote a Dog stone-dead which lay within two foot of Philip Delano, the Dog never moved out of his place or posture, in which he was when smitten, but giving a small yelp, and quivering with his ⟨image 10⟩