( 5»38 ) 
■J^e Copy tf(i tetter from Som^tkl^^ a Strange 
^ Froft, which hath lately done much hurt about Bnftol j toge* 
tier with Jbme ufeful bints fuggtjied upon that<iCcaJion^ 
SIR, 
I Havemy fcif obferved, and heard from others, that 
much violent Rain fell in many places of England 
this laft Summer and Autumn 1672* And 'cis manifeft, 
that fuch vehement fliowcrs do wafli and carry away the 
Soil and richeft Gompoft out of the common fields into the 
Rivers, and by them into the Ocean : Which is the caufe 
of barrenefs and fcarcity of Corn, and fometimes of a 
great mortality of Men and Cattle in the following years $ 
as I could make appear by many fad inftances. 
For a remedy agaiffft Famine,or to prevent it,fome good 
Men, with much zeal for the pubh'ck welfare, haveear- 
neftly follicited The Plantation of Orchards and Groves 3 ha« 
viog received it from a Tradition^retending to long Obi. 
fervation and frequent Experience, that in rhofe years, 
in which Gprn moft fails, fruif, maftjChcfnuts, wall-nuts, 
and ftch relief from our Trees, do moft abound. But 
there is no fufiicienc defence againft Divine Judgments , 
till we return to our duty. That Orchards and Groves 
will not do it, you may (ee by the Narrative following 5 
The Freezing rain, which fell here the ninth, tenth, or 
eleventh of December \^{{^ (for I cannot confine the time 
exactly) hath made fuch a deftruftibnof Trees in all the 
Villages and High - ways from Brifiol toward Wells and to- 
vfavdsshepton 'Mallet^ and towards ^^^i and Br&ton, and 
in other places of the Weft, that both for the Manner and 
Matter it may feem incredible 5 and is more ftrange than 
I have found in any Englilh Ghronicle. You will have the 
proof and manner and beft meafureof it in a Tranfcript, 
which l ihall here give you from a very worthy perjfoa 
of unqueftionable credit, as you or others of your near 
acquaintance dowcUknow» 
^^Thc 
