(44) 
A Relation of Perfbns- lulled withfuhterrantous 
Damps. 
This Relation was likewife made to the l^Bjal S@€uty^ by that 
Eminent Fntuofo Sir Meray^ who was pleafed^upon their de- 
fire_, to give it them in writing; as folio weth, 
In a Coal'pitjbeionging to the Lord Sinclair in Smlan/i^-whtre 
the Coal is fomeiS or 20 foot thick, and antiently wafted to a 
great depth: The Colliers^ fomc Weeks agoe,having wrought 
asdeep as they couldj and being to remove into new Rooms 
(as they call them) did^ by taking off,as they retiredgpart of the 
Coal that was left as Pillars to fupportthe Roof and Earth over 
it, fo much weaken them, that within a fliort fpace,after they 
were gone out of the Pitt, the Pillars falling, the Earth above 
them filled up the whole Space ^ where the Colliers had lately 
wrought, with Its ruins. The Colliers being here-by out of 
work, fome of them adventured to work upon old remains of 
Wallsj fo near the old waftes, that ftriking through the flender 
partition of the Coal-wall, that feparated between them and the 
place, where they ufed to work, they quickly perceived their 
Errour, and feartog to be ftiflcd by the bad Air^that they knewj 
pofTelTed thefe old waftes^ in regard not onely of the Damps, 
which fuch waftes do ufuaily afford, but becaufe there having 
for many years been a Fire in thofe waftes, that filled them with 
ftifling fumes and vapours^retircd immediately and faved them- 
lelves from the eruptions of the Damp. But next day fome fe- 
vcn or eight of them came no fooner fo farr down the ftaircs^ 
that led them to the placCjwhere they had been the day before, 
as they intended, but upon their ftepping into the place, where 
the Air was infcd:ed, they fell down dead, as if they had beea 
fliott: And there being amongft them one, whofe Wife was in- 
formed he was ftifled in that place, flie went down fo far with- 
out inconvenience, that feeing her Husband near her, ventu* 
red to go to him, but being choaked by the Damp, as foon as 
flie came near him, (lie fell down dead by him/ 
This^ 
