A50202:316
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.
betwixt five and •ix of the Clock in the Evening, the Wind […], at Ashley in North-Hamptonshire, happened a formidable Hurricane, scarce bearing sixty yards in its breadth, and spending it self […] about seven minutes of time. Its first disc••n'd assault was upon a Milk-Maid, taking her Pail and Hat from off her Head; and carrying it many scores of yards from her, where it lay undiscovered some days. Next, it stormed the Yard of one Sprig, dwelling in Westthorp (a name of one part of the Town) where it blew a Wagon-body off of the Axle-trees, breaking the Wheels and Axle-trees in pieces, and blowing three of the Wheels so shattered over a Wall. The Wagon stood somewhat cross to the passage of the Wind. Another Wagon of Mr. Sali•b•ries marched with great speed upon its Wheels against the side of his House to the astonishment of the Inhabitants. A branch of an As•-tree of that bigness that two lusty Men could scarce lift it, blew over ⟨p. 321⟩Mr. Salisbury's House without hurting it; and yet this Branch was torn from a Tree, an hundred yards distant from that House. A Slate was found upon a Window of the house of Samuel Templer Esqr. which very much bent an Iron Bar in it; and yet tis certain▪ that the nearest place, the slate was at first forced from, was near two hundred yards. Not to take notice of its stripping of several Houses; one thing is remarkable, which is, that at Mr. Maidwell's Senior, it forced open a Door, breaking the Latch, and thence marching through the Entry, and forcing open the Dairy Door, it overturned the Milk-Vessels, and blew out three Panes or Lights in the Window; next it mounted the Chambers, and blew out nine Lights more: from thence it proceeded to the Parsonage, whose Roof it more than Decimated; thence crosseth the narrow Street, and forcibly drives a Man headlong into the Doors of Tho. Brigs▪ Then it passed with a cursory salute at Thomas Marstone's, down to Mr. George Wignil's, at least a Furlongs distance from Marston's, and two Furlongs from Sprigs, where it plaid notorious Exploits, blowing a large Hovel of Peas from its Supporters, and settling it cleverly upon the ground, without any considerable damage to the Thatch. Here it