Smart Lethieullier Esq; F. R. S. to the President, of the Burning of the Steeple of Danbury in Essex, by Lightning, and of the Earthquake

On Thursday last the Lightning fell on 2 Steeples not far from Colchester. * * *. From † Your humble Servant, Abraham Trembley. VIII. Smart Lethieullier Esq; F. R. S. to the President, of the burning of the Steeple of Danbury in Essex, by Lightning, and of the Earthquake. SIR, Read March 1. 1749-50. AS I think there was some Mistake in the Account of the late burning of Danbury Steeple by Lightning (read last Thursday before the Royal Society) which Mistake seem'd to give Room to imagine it had some Connexion with the late Earthquake, I take the Liberty of sending you the Particulars of the aforesaid Accident, as they were transmitted to me by two Gentlemen † Mr. Trembley, who was going the next Day for Holland, was at the Time of the Earthquake with Mr. Folkes in his Study in Queen's-Square; where were also the Earl of Macclesfield and the Hon. Charles Bentinck; they all felt themselves at the same Instant strongly lifted up, and presently let down again: They also heard a Noise over their Heads as of some heavy Piece of Furniture being thrown down, whilst those who were in the Room over them were frighted, and apprehended the like Accident had happened below-stairs. The Coachmen on the Boxes of 2 Coaches then standing at the Door, were extremely sensible of the Shock, and apprehended the House was going to fall upon them. men of Distinction in the Parish, who are the present Church-wardens. Monday, the 5th of this instant February, about 3 o’Clock in the Afternoon, a very great and black Cloud pass’d over the Hill on which Danbury stands, and broke into a violent Storm of Thunder, Lightning, and Rain. No immediate Damage was apprehended that Night; but, between four and five o’Clock next Morning, some Persons perceiv’d the Ball on the Top of the Spire (which was of Wood, and on which the Weather-cock stood) to be on Fire, they immediately alarm’d the Neighbourhood, and, by the Help of a large Fire-Engine, fetch’d from Chelmsford, they got the Mastery of the Fire by about 11 o’Clock at Noon; tho’ it broke out twice afterwards. It burnt downwards with great Fury, and has intirely consum’d 11 Feet of the Spire, and damaged 8 Feet more, as likewise the Beams on which the Spire was fixed. —— Some of the burnt Timbers and melted Lead have hurt the Roof of the Chancel, but not very considerably. The great Height of the Situation of this Church probably exposes it to Accidents of this Nature; for Walsingham relates, ‘that, on Corpus Christi Day anno 1402. the Devil enter’d this Church in the Likeness of a Friar-Minor, where he raged, to the great Terror of the Parishioners, and at the same time, by the Violence of Thunder and a Tempest, the whole Body of the Church was broken.’ This Devil, or Friar, was, I conclude, no more than a Flash of some fiery Meteor, which the fruitful Fancy of those Times could immediately cloath with the first Habit that occur’d to them. With With regard to the Extent of the late Earthquake this Way (I mean due East from London) I cannot learn that it pass'd the little River Rodden that runs by my Gardens, and crosses the Harwich Road at Great Ilford. My own House stands about half a Mile North from the 6 Mile-Stone. I was in my Gardens with several Workmen, and none of us were sensible of any thing; but my Wife, who was in her Dressing-room, felt the House tremble so much, that, upon my coming in, she told me she verily believ'd there had been an Earthquake; the Motion of the House under her being exactly like what she had often heard describ'd when she was in Italy. I am, SIR, Your most obedient humble Servant, Smart Lethieullier. IX. The President's Account of the Earthquake at London, March 8. March 8, 1749. At very nearly half an Hour after 3 this Morning, being then in Bed, but perfectly awake, I felt a very strong Shake, or rather 3 or 4 successive Shakes of an Earthquake, as I immediately took them to be. I judge the whole Phenomenon