An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

Also, on June 26. 1682. there were the most amazing Lightnings that have been known in New-England, a great part of the night being thereby made as light as the Day. In some places grievous Hail fell with the Lightning, breaking the Windows of some Houses. But at Springfield it was most dreadful, where great pieces of Ice, some seven, some nine inches about, fell down from the Clouds with such violence that the Shingles upon some Houses were broken thereby, and holes beat into the Ground, that a man might put his hand in. Several acres of Corn (both Wheat and Indian) were beat down and destroyed by the Hail. Yet this Hail-storm (though terrible) was not comparable to that which happened three years ago in another part of the World, viz. at the Town of Blois in France, where the People were by the amazing fury of a prodigious Tempests affrighted ⟨p. 319⟩out of their sleep, and forced to rise out of their Beds that they might save their lives. Several Houses, and two (Churches) Meeting-houses, were beat down to the ground. This Tempest was likewise accompanied with a most prodigious Hail, many thousand stones being found as big as a Mans fist. This unusual Artillery of Heaven, broke all the Slates wherewith the Houses were covered, and the Glass-windows, all over the Town, as if they had been beaten in a Mortar. Without the Town eight whole Parishes with the Fields adjacent were wholly ruined by that Hail, in such a terrible manner, that it seemed as if no Corn had been sown, or Vines planted there. Four other Parishes were much endamaged, multitudes of Chimneys beaten down, so that the damage thereby, with the breaking of the Windows and Tiles, were valued to be above two hundred thousand Crowns; and the harm in the Vineyards, and Corn-fields invaluable. The Divine Providence was very much seen, in that Man, Woman nor Child were killed in this fearful Desolation. The Reader may see a more full Relation of this prodigious Hail-storm in Mr. Burton's surprising Miracles of Nature, Page 180,181. As for those sudden Gusts wherewith part of ⟨p. 320⟩Cambridge, and several Towns near New-Haven in New-England were Alarmed, the like happened at a place in England, fourteen years ago; the account whereof may be seen in the Philosophical Transactions Numb.17. Page 2156. which I shall here insert. It is that which followeth, Octob. 30. 1669.