( f 77 ) 
VI. Part of a Letter from Mt* Robert Tailor, 
Apothecary at Hiichin in Hartfordfliire, to 
Hans Sloan, giving Accomt of agreatHiid* 
fiorm thercj May 4^^, 16^7. 
SIR, 
ON TuefJaj the ^iho( May, 1697. about Nine of the 
Clock in the Morning, it began to Lighten and 
Thunder extreamly, fome great Showers intervening ; 
it continued till about two of the Clock in the After- 
noon, when on a fudden a Black Cloud arofe S, W. of 
us, the Wind being E. and blew hard 1 then fell a 
fliarp Shower, with fome Hailftones : I Ctnt my Man 
out, and he took up fome, which I meafured Seven and 
Eight Inches about but the extremity of the Stornt 
fell about 0#0', where there was unhappily a young 
Fellow keeping Sheep, who was killed, and one of his 
Eyes ftuck out of his Head , his Body was all o- 
ver black with the Bruifes ; another Perfon near- 
er to Offley efcaped his Life , but much Bruifed ; 
there was in the Houfe of Sir John Spencer , 
7000 Quarries of Glafs broke, and there was great 
damage done to all the Neighbouring Houfes therea- 
bouts ; the Hail fell in fuch vaft quantities, and fo 
great , that it tore up the Ground, fplit great Oaks 
and other Trees, in great Numbers ; it cut down 
great Fields of Rye, as with a Scyth, and has deftroy- 
ed feveral Hundred Acres of Wheat, Barley, &c. info- 
much, that they Plough it up, and fow it with Oats ; 
The Tempeft was fuch when it fell, that in four Poles 
of Land, from the Hills near us, it carried away all 
the Staple of tlie Land, leaving nothing but Chalk ; 
R rrr the 
