A Strange and true relation of a wonderful and terrible earth-quake, that hapned at Hereford on Tuesday last, being the first of this present October, 1661. Whereby a church-steeple and many gallant houses were thrown down to the ground, and several of the inhabitants slain; with the terrible thunder-claps and violent storm of great hail-stones that then fell, which were about the bigness of an egge, many cattle thereby utterly destroyed as they were feeding in the field. Also, the prodigious and wonderful apparitions that were seen in the air, to the great amazement of all spectators, who beheld two perfect armes and hands: in the right-hand being graspt a great broad sword, and in the left, a bowl full of blood, from whence they heard a most strange and loud voice, to the wonderful astonishing of all present, the fright whereof causing divers women to fall in travel, amongst whom the clerks wife, named Margaret Pelmore, fell in labour, and brought forth three male-children, who had all teeth, and spake as soon as they were born, and presently after gave up the ghost and died together, the like having never been known before in any age! The truth hereof is witnessed by Francis Smalman, and Henry Cross, churchwardens. Peter Philpot. constable. [double brace] Nicholas Finch, Gent. James Tulley, Gent. George Cox, Robert Morris, Thomas Welford, &c.

Abstract

Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library.