Strange and terrible news from Alton in Hamp-shire being a full and true account of a dreadful tempest which happened there by thunder and lightning, December 19th 1686. This may be printed, Jan. 6. 1686. R.P.

Strange and Terrible NEWS from Alton in Hamp-Shire , Being a full and true Account of a Dreadful Tempest Which happened by Thunder and Lightning , December 19th . 1686.

AMongst all those Varieties of Natural Accidents , that either cause our Fear or occasion our Amazement , there is certainly nothing that more contributes to both of them than Thunder and Lightning : In the rest of the methods that the Almighty pleases to evidence His Power to the World , there are more manifest signs of His mercy and mildness than His Anger and Displeasure , as the Reader may find in the following Relation .

On the Nineteenth of December , 1686. at Alton in Hampshire , there happened such a Tempest , that for the strangeness of its circumstances can scarce be parallel'd in any History ; whether we consider the violence of the Storm , or its duration , or the favourable Exit it made . On Sunday when the Reverend Minister of the Parish was towards the latter end of his Prayer before Sermon , it grew on a sudden so exceeding dark that the People could hardly discern one another , and immediately after happened such flashes of Lightning that the whole Church seemed to be in a bright Flame ; the surprize of the Congregation was exceeding great , especially when two Balls of Fire that made their entry at the Eastern Wall , pass'd through the body of the Church , leaving behind 'em so great a Smoke , and smell of Brimstone , as is scarce able to be exprest . The People endeavour'd all they could to get out of the Church , and as it generally happens in such occasions , the Throng and Pressing at the Door was so great and tumultuous , that it was a considerable time before they got out ; some of them fainted away in the Church , as namely the Clerk , who , when he came to himself , cry'd out , Good People where be yee ; some Swounded in the Church-yard , and others in their own Houses , so great an impression had the Tempest made on them . In short , both within and without , the cry of Women and Children was exceeding affrightful ; but to the everlasting remembrance of so strange an event , none were killed , Lightning and Thunder cannot go a hairs breadth beyond the Almighty's Commission ; Winds and Tempests fulfil His Word .

Thus for the Relation of the Tempest in General ; come we now to the particular Damages it wrought : it broke a hole through the Tower about the bigness of a Cannon-Bullet-hole , and went away by the brim of the great Bell ; it melted above sixty foot of Wire , and passing down into the Clock-room , removed several Boards , and threw a Stone from off the top of a Pillar down among the People , making at the same time as great a noise as the largest Piece of Ordnance in England . It has shatter'd and broke the Windows all round the Church , and likewise a very substantial strong Door that goes into the Tower . Also it came in at a Door upon the Leads , shaking down a great part of the Wall , and setting ( as 't is supposed ) the middle Lost on Fire , which by the timely care of the People was immediately quench'd and suppressed . The Weather-Cock was carried quite away , and the Hand and Boords belonging to the Clock fell among the Congregation . Several Houses in . Alton were so extreamly shook with the violence of the Storm , that the People ran out of Doors , fearing their Houses would fall upon their Heads . William Hamman a Shooe-maker had his Head broke , as likewise Joseph Esments . The Minister ( whose name is Mr. Henry Butler , and who justifies the truth of the whole Relation ) had his Eye-brows singed with the Lightning ; his Eyes were extreamly sore by the burning that happened ; as several others of the Parish , that shared with him in this unfortunate Accident . The Wall behind the Pulpit has suffered much damage ; the Steeple was set on Fire , which was soon extinguished by the industry of the Townsmen . To give you the words of a Gentleman that had the Curiosity to go and view the Ruins some few daies afterwards ; I never in my life ( saies he ) saw a Sight so dreadful and amazing ; and found my self extreamly concern'd to see the Walls ( some whereof are six or eight Foot wide and square ) shatter'd and rent after such a dismal manner ; I touched the Wall about the Breach , and the Stones crumbled under my Fingers . The Thunder-Clap put the People in such a Consternation , that few of them were able to give a satisfactory account of the matter , &c.

To conclude , as we have great reason to admire the infinite goodness and mercy of the Lord upon this occasion ; ( not one single person being killed , tho some were wounded ) so we ought to apply the case home to our selves , and by a timely quitting our sinful courses , avert those Judgments that otherwise will unavoidably fall upon us . Some of our Neighbouring Nations ( as the Gazette has inform'd us ) have sufficiently smarted under Heavens displeasure . The better part of Friezeland lies covered with the Water : whole Villages and Towns swept away by the Deluge ; and some part of the Castle of St. Angelo at Rome carried by the force of the Inundation . Let Atheists and Hypocrites beware in time , and return to the performance of those Duties , which they are obliged to do as men , and as Christians : For those that will not listen to the Voice of the Lord in His Scriptures , shall hear , against their wills , His Voice in Thunder ; and those that are not to be reduced by the Almighties Clemency , must be reclaimed by a Judgment .

Witnessed by William Hamman , John Deane , William Constance , Sexton . FINIS .