471

Ian: 12. 1680/1.

The President Sr. Christopher Wren was Present.


A Letter sent in by mr. Boyle was Read, ^ /wherein was/ Giuing an accout
of a Strange Hurricane which hapned at Hanu in Nouem
ber Last together wth. seuerall other strange concomitant
accidents of that storme, It was subscribed. Wm Bythesea.
next a Letter from Mr. Paschall to mr Hooke was Read, dated
from Chedsey in Somerset there Ian: 4. 1680. Giuing an account
of an Earthquake which had hapned the Day before at that
and Diverse other contiguous parts, as also something concer
ning the comet now appearing.

It was orderd that soe much of these Letters as concerned
those matters should be transcribed into the Letter booke
of the Society.

Herevpon the President Discoursed concerning the cause of
Earthquakes. that He conceiued many of those which hapned
which only shook the earth and did not break the earth -
were occasioned by some vast subterraneous cauernesinto which some vast /Great/ impending parts of the vper
parts might fall into the Lower and thereby make that
Great Dead noyse and trembling which is sensible on
the surface of the earth contiguous therevnto, and that
hence the Reason migh
be giuen why after some Earth
quakes there haue been found diuers parts of the Ground
/sunk/ which are sometimes also filled wth water and soe make
a lake or stagnum.

And he was of opinion that there might be some Gene
rall constitution of the aether that might be the caue
as well of the earthquakes as of the storm & comet.

Ref: CELL/RS/HF_473  © Centre for Editing Lives and Letters