[ 1212^ 
Same remarkable efeSis of a great Storm of Thun- 
der andVightmng at Portfmouth Oii. 23. 85. 
I Cannot omit giving an Account of what hath 
hapned to us here the 23d. inftant between 4 and 
S of the Clack in the Evening in the height of the Storm 
.we had Jbere. 
^ On board his Majeflys {hip the J^oyal "fames, a fiafh of 
hightning and Thunder together, took the Maft which 
was put into her for Careening, being a made Maft, 
and bound with Iron hoops from one end to the other, 
and fliivered it down to the Deck, breaking ,one ofthe 
Iron hoops in the body ot the Maft, io that Splinters 
are forc't out of the middle of the Maft a foot and \ 
iohgv f'and a ball of fire run too and fro on the Deck) in 
fomuch that the Maft is wholly unferviceable and muft 
be taken out. 
On board the Coronation^ notwithftanding the Ships 
head was to windward, a great Ball of fire came into 
the Gunroom Ports, and threw a Boy out of one of the 
Ports, and he was drowned j and ieverall Workmen be- 
ing on board, as Carpenters, Joyners, .and Seamen, were 
Itruck down and made fenfelefs for lomc time, and the 
Ball of Fire ran <«p and ftruck on the Starboard fide 
of the Wardrobe, and left a place fcorched round up- 
on the fide, and between the two Ring-bolts, as if it had 
been a fliott ; and beat the Wainfcott over to the other 
fide, all fcorcht as if with Fire 5 and run up againft the 
Doors and Hinges, away .; and run into fe vera 11 Balls of 
Fire on.the Deck amongft theMen j and fome part of it 
broke ia at the Windows of theround houfe, and fhivcr- 
cd off a great deal of the Wainsfcott, and broke the 
Glaflesofa Perfpedive Glafs, and made a hole through 
a Letter that lay ia the Window eight double, the cir- 
cumference (5f a Musket Bullet, and no more ; it 
.alfo fhivercd the Timber that holds the Enfigne-ftaff on 
.the Poop. Portfmouth O^ober zj^xh* 16% Sevt- 
