Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/258

 of the shape represented in the Figure R. The Ring appear'd of a somewhat brighter Light than the Body; and the Black lines a a, crossing the Ring, and b b crossing the Body (whether Shadows or not, I dispute not) were plainly visible; whence I could manifestly see, that the Souther most part of the Ring was on this side of the Body, and the Northern part, behind, or covered by the Body.

This Relation was written by that worthy Gentleman, Thomas Neale Esquire, (the then High Sheriff of the County of Hampshire, when this disaster hapned) to a Friend of his in London, as follows;

On the 24 of January 166, one Mr. Brooks of Hampshire, going from Winchester towards his house near Andover in very bad Weather, was himself slain by Lightning, and the Horse, he rode on, under him. For about a mile from Winchester he was found with his Face beaten into the ground, one leg in the stirrup, the other in the Horses mane; his Cloaths all burnt off his back, not a piece as big as a handkerchief left intire, and his hair and all his body singed. With the force, that struck him down, his nose was beaten into his face, and his Chin into his Breast; where was a wound cut almost as low, as to his Navil; and his cloaths being, as aforesaid, torn, the pieces were so scatter'd and consum'd, that not enough to fill the crown of a hat could be found. His gloves were whole. but his hands in them sing'd to the bone. The hip-bone and shoulder of his Horse burn't and bruised; and his saddle torn in little pieces. This was what appear'd to the Coroners inquest, and so is likely to be as near truth, as any is to be had.

So far this Letter: Which, if it had come soon enough to the hands of the Publisher, would have been joyned to a like Relation, inserted in the next foregoing Papers of an accident hapn'd at a later time. With both which may be compared the Account, formerly published in Latin by the Learned Dr. Charleton, concerning the Boy, that was Rh