f ) 
laiephdigiout Frafi (faith he) baih mmh difdhki 
^ manjf old Orchards exfofed to the NortkEafl. Had it con- 
eluded with fome gufis of Wind^ it might have been of fad im* 
^^ portances 1 weighed the Sprigg of an Alb-tree of juffthre^ 
^^^uarters of a poundy which was brought to my Table i the Ice 
*^ on it meighed flxteen pounds ^ heftdes what was melted off 
by the hands of them that brought it. A very fmallbent at 
the fame time was produced, which had an Jjifle, encompaffir^ 
*^ i>3 of five inches round by meafure; Tet all this while ^ when 
Trees and hedges were loaden with Ice^ there was no Ice to be 
feen on our RimrSy nor fo much as on our fianding Pools, Now 
we are ferioufly concerned for Replanting. Dated ^ ^jf"^ 
Sir, The like, or worfe aod more ftraoge complaints,! 
received from feveral other places, and from Eye? WitneC* 
fes of credit. Some Travailers were almoft loft by the co!d^ 
nefs of the freezing air, and freezing rain. All the Treej, 
young and old,oa the high« way from Briflol to shepton^vffctc 
to torn and thrown down on both fides the ways, that 
they were unpaflable. By the like obftruftions the Carri- 
ers of Bruton were forc't to return back* Some were af- 
frighted with the noife in the Air, till they difcerned that 
it was the clatter of Icy boughs daflied one againft another 
by the wind. Some told me, that riding on the fnowy 
Downsj they faw this freezing rain fall upon the fnow,and 
immediately freeze to Ice, without finking at all into the 
Inow 5 (b that the fnow was covered with Ice all along,and 
had been dangerous, if the Ice had been ftrong enough to 
bear them. Others were on their Journey when the Ice 
was able to bear them in fome places, and they were in 
great diftreft* 
I faid, I could not pundually define the time when this 
freezing rain was moft violent and moft apparent. Dec,8i> 
much fnow fell here • the ninth, much rain fell here ; and 
all the fnow paffed away, not leaving an Icicle amongft 
us. The tenth day, we had fuddain fits of cold and relax- 
ing warmnefs* On Wcdncfday (^Dec, i u) I (aw a youag 
man, who returning home from a Journey of five miles, 
R r r r r and 
