THursday September the Second, 1680. John Sawyer, a Farmer with his Son Richard, a Youth of 13 Years of Age, went with four Horses halfe a Mile to a Field in the Parish of Cookham, called by the Name of Ham Field, to Plough, about the hour of Ten in the forenoon, it being then fair weather, but about Eleven a Clock the Sky began to lower, the Clouds grew thick, and soon it Lightned and Thundred, and some showers of Rain fell; it thundred several times very loud, sharp, and shrill, to the amazement of several Persons: two other Ploughs were at work in the same Field at the same time; their Cattel being afrighted and unruly, they shoot off and go home, and leave John Sawyer in the Field, about one of the Clock the Tempest began to give off. Four hours after a neighbouring Man a Labourer, one Francis Dell, pas­sing from the Woods side down to Cookham, sees this John Sawyer, with his Son Richard, and the four Horses all dead on the ground: knowing the Man and his Cattel, he came into Cookham, and acquaints the Inhabitants with the Matter, immediately the Major part of the Towns Folks flockt up into the Fields to see this sad Spectacle of amazement, and with the rest, the Wife of the said John Sawyer, where to her exceeding grief she saw her Husband, Son, and Four Hor­ses dead, no impression of any stroak or bruise on the Man, but the Boy his Cloaths were most part of them rent from his body, and his Hat torn in two or three Pieces; One Shooe all the upper leather torn from the Sole and Heel: and his Whip broke in two or three pieces, his Shirt beaten to Lint, and strewed on the Horse he was supposed to ride, except one narrow Slip from his Neck to the fore part, only remaining from his Neck downward before; he was obser­ved to be naked, and from the Neck down his Back burnt, or singed, as is sup­posed with the Lightning, likewise scorched or singed on the belly, some part of his hair singed, as the Eye-brows, and part of the hair of his Head; and that the Horse he was supposed to ride, was singed from the Neck to the Flanck. It is judged by those Plough-men that shot out, and came home safe, that it might be the last Clap of Thunder and Lightning that afforded them that fatal stroak. John Sawyer and his Son had shot out from Plough, and were about six Pole from the Plough, each of them being supposed to be Riding homeward, they each of them having their left Leg under the near side of the Horses they were supposed to Ride; the Horses falling all one way, it is judged that the Horses were struck immediately dead in their walk, none of them having so much as one Leg stretched out, or any reason to conclude that they strove [Page 2] for Life. John Sawyer was a Man of good repute among his Neighbours, that lived Soberly and Honestly. On Saturday the 14th. of September, the Coroner came and called a Jury for Inquiry, and they gave their Verdict that it was the immediate providence of Almighty God; and so the Coroner gave order for the Burial of the Man and his Son, which the same Evening was per­formed.

We whose Names are here under Written do testify the Truth of this Relation:

• Jo. Whitfield, Esq Justice of Quorum for Berkshire.
• Fran. Crawley, Vic. de Cookham.
• Robert Bennet, Church-wardens of Cookham.
• John Rea, Church-wardens of Cookham.
• John Chery of Maiden head, Warden of the Town.
• Thomas Bird, Apprentice at Mr. King's a Fishmonger in Newgate-Market, whose Father liveth at Cookham, was likewise at Cookham when this sad Ac­cident happened, and saw the Man, Boy, and Horses in the Field.
• John Harding, being very near the place the next day.
• From Cookham to Maiden-head 2 Miles.
• From Cookham to Marlow 3 Miles.
• From Cookham to Windsor 6 Miles.
• From Cookham to Beconsfield 3 Miles.
• From Cookham to Wickham 5 Miles.
• From Cookham to Reading in Berkshire 11 Miles.

The same day at Norwich, and for 6 Miles round, happened a terrible Thunder and Lightning, where Eight Persons, that were at Harvest work, retiring into a Church Porch, when a great Clap of Thunder and Lightning came and struck them all dead.