(ft? ) 
V. A Relation of the Effdls of a Storm of Thunder 
and Jjghtnmg at Sampford-Coiirtney m Devon- 
(liire, on O&ober the yth 171.1. Communicated ' A 
by John Chamberlayne EJfo F. S. 
I N the Parifli of Samp ford* Courtney near Oakjhampton 
in Devon, QJKthe 7th of O&ober , about 5 or 4 a 
Clock in the Afternoon, there was a great darknefs as 
the Minifter was Catechifing the Children, that he could 
hardly fee with Spectacles : And as foon as Prayers were 
over, fome young. Men went to ringing, as commonly 
they ufed to do ^ and there were feveral People in the 
Church Porch talking ^ and of a fudden, a great Fire- 
Ball fell in between them, and threw fome one way, 
fome another 5 but no one was hurted. The Ringers 
faid, they never knew the Bells go fo heavy in all their 
lives, and were forced to leave off s And being very 
weary, and looking out of the Belfrey inco the Church, 
faw 4 Fire-Balls more, a little bigger than a Mans Fift, 
which of a fudden broke to pieces , fo that the Church 
was full of Fire and Smoak. . 
John Goodman’s Man received a full Blow in the Neck, 
which caufed him to bleed both at Nofe and Mouth $ m j-. 
but is very well now. He fays, that the Fire and Smoak 
went up into the Tower, which broke a great Beam 
which one of the Bills hung on, and theGudging break- 
ing, the Bell fell on the Floor. 1 c likewife carried away 
one of the Pinacles of the Tower next the Town, and 
threw feme of the Stones near a Barn Door at a pretty 
diftance frera the Church, and hath done fome Damage 
to the Barn at one end. The Chimney of the Houfe « 
v.. -was 
