A Letter from Mr. Ralph Thoresby, F. R. S. to Dr. Hans Sloane, R. S. Secr. Giving an Account of the Damage Done by a Storm of Hail, Which Happen'd Near Rotherham in Yorkshire, on June 7. 1711

which I examined were very much dilated, and seemed to be charged with as much Wind as Blood. If there is any thing I have omitted, or have been too tedious in, I hope you will be pleased to excuse me, being in some confinement for want of time; which I will endeavour to mend at leisure. I am Your obliged Humble Servant, W. COWPER. VIII. A Letter from Mr. Ralph Thoresby, F. R. S. to Dr. Hans Sloane, R. S. Secr. Giving an Account of the Damage done by a Storm of Hail, which happen'd near Rotherham in Yorkshire, on June 7. 1711. Leedes, Nov. 3. 1711. Honoured Sir, Being not long ago at Wentworth-Woodhouse, and other Places near Rotherham, where very considerable Damage was done by a Storm, I enquired after the most remarkable Particulars; which having receiv'd from so sure Hands as the Parties immediately concern'd, will not, I presume, be unacceptable to you. The Storm of Hail, accompanied with very terrible Thunder and Lightning, happened upon the 7th of June last: It begun about Rotherham, (a little beyond which was somewhat of a Hurricane,) where it burnt a noted Tree. Tree. About one of the Clock it reached Wentworth-Woodhouse. The Hail-Stones were from 3 to 5 Inches in Circumference, and some say larger, which killed several Pidgeons; but the chief Damage done here was in the Glass Windows, which cost Forty Pounds in repairing. In Wash Field, about two Miles from thence, it did vast Damage. This Field is generally computed to be worth a Thousand Pounds when in White Corn (to use the Countryman's expression:) Some part of it escaped, and the Barley received no Damage; but the generality of the Wheat was cut off, about half a Yard from the Ground, and the Rye about two Foot. The Stubble, tho' green at first, turn'd white, that it look'd like a Field newly Shorn. The Rye was afterwards Mown instead of Shearing, and yielded not above a Bushel of Corn in a Wain-load. Some of the Wheat took Root, and grew up; but the Husbandmen generally thought, that if it should come to Perfection, it would scarce yield as much as would be Seed for another Year. The breadth of this Storm was about half a Mile, as appeared by the Effects. In Places adjoining there was no Hail, but large drops of Rain. A Joiner working with the Minister, from whom I receiv'd part of this Relation, measured one of the Hail-Stones with his Compasses, and it was an Inch and half in length; But these were not globular, but mostly oblong. The generality of them there (which was at Dalton super Dearne) were of the bigness of ordinary Cherries; tho' the aforesaid Minister's Son took up one that was an Inch and half in Diameter and round, not long, and somewhat flat, as the others were; but the Youth durst not stay long out, the Hail fell with such violence. Ten of his Pidgeons were brought in sore wounded, tho' not quite dead. Great quantities of Twigs and small Boughs were beaten off the Trees, which being of less Moment. Moment are omitted; but the Damage in the Corn was severe upon the poorer sort of Inhabitants. I shall conclude this, as the good old Minister (who was a Sufferer by this Calamity) does his Letter: When thy Judgments, O Lord, are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World should learn Righteousness. Isa. 26. 9. I am, Sir, Your Obliged Humble Servant, RALPH THORESBY. LONDON: Printed for H. Clements at the Half-Moon, and W. Innys at the Princes-Armes, in St Paul's Church-yard; and D. Brown without Temple-Bar.