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1254 On St. Lucie's Day, 1253, there fell a great snow, and 

 withal a winter's thunder. There followed a marvellous 

 sore later end of a winter through cold and oversharp 

 weather, which continued till the Feast of St. Gregory, in 

 March. Also a great murrain and death of sheep and 

 deer, so that of whole flocks scarce one half escaped. 

 The wind continuing this year for the space of three 

 months and odd days northerly, did greatly hinder the 

 growth and increase of flowers and fruits, and about the 

 first of July there fell such a storm of hail and rain as 

 the like had not been seen nor heard of in those days, 

 breaking down the tiles and other coverings of houses with 

 boughs of trees by the violent abundance and force of the 

 hailstones and water, which continued above the space of 

 an hour pouring and beating down incessantly (Holinshed). 



On the Vigil of the Assumption, St. Peter's Church, at 

 St. Albans, struck by lightning. After the Feast of All 

 Saints', a most terrible pestilence, called the tongues' evil, 

 caused the death of many horses, and made many others 

 sick and useless (M. of W.). 



1255 The sea rose with most high tides, rivers were so 

 filled with abundance of water by reason of the great 

 continual rain that marvellous floods followed thereupon. 

 A comet also appeared, and many high buildings were 

 stricken by force of tempests. The moon suffered a 

 marvellous eclipse on the night following the day of St. 

 Margaret in July. It began before midnight, and con- 

 tinued four hours (Jfolinshed). 



Violent storms of wind, with heavy rain, from the Feast 

 of St. Valentine into the following month, day, and night, 

 caused an unprecedented confusion. The weather was 

 very unseasonable during nearly the whole of the spring 

 season, and very unfavourable to flowers and trees, be 

 cause the whole of the month of April there was neither 

 rain nor dew to soften the dry earth, or to give it even the 

 slightest refreshment (M. of W.). 



