I was likewise inform'd, that in the same earthquake, a great parcel of hens, and chickens, kept at that time in Gray's-inn-lane, upon the shock, ran to the roost, affrighted. And the like was observ'd of pigeons. And in our last account of the earthquake from Northampton, 'tis remarked, that the birds in cages put their heads under their wings, as to hide themselves.
June 21, at the Royal Society, Mr. Jackson potter at Lambeth, gave an account of some boats, cobles and lighters in the river, at that time; the people in them seem'd to feel, as if a porpoise, or some great fish had heav'd and thump'd at the bottom of the vessels. This is sometimes the case of ships at sea, when all is perfectly calm: which seems evidently owing to an electrical impression on the water.
In the evening-post of june 23, we had a paragraph from Venice, that a terrible earthquake had been felt lately in the little rocky isle of Cerigo, in the Mediterranean, south of Morea. It threw down a great number of houses; and above 2000 of the inhabitants were buried in the ruins.
Another earthquake about that time, happen'd in Switzerland; which split a vast, rocky mountain; and an old castle wall of an immense thickness.
All these circumstances, and many more confirmed me in my former opinion. But since then, these wonderful movements have stalk'd round the globe: and again been lately felt in our own island; happily for us, to the terror only, of many thousand people: beside those concussions of this sort that appear'd in the western parts, in the more early time of the year.
I receiv'd a letter from my friend Maurice Johnson, Esq; the founder, and secretary of the Literary Society of Spalding; which has now subsisted these 40 years. He acquaints me, that on thursday, 23d of August last, an earthquake was very sensibly felt there, about seven o'clock in the morning; throughout the whole town and neighbourhood; and many miles round: but that it chiefly spread itself northward, and southward. He says, that for a fortnight before, the weather had been serene, mild, and calm. And one evening, there was a deep red aurora australis, covering the cope of heaven, very terrible to behold. This same shock was felt at Grantham, Stamford, and Milton by Peterborough; and generally at all the intermediate places: and from Spalding it fled northward, along the sea shore, to Boston: thence up Boston river, to Lincoln.
Since then, I had a letter from Mr. Alderman Taylor of Stamford, giving an account of another earthquake, that happen'd there, september 30, at 36 minutes after twelve o'clock at noon. He describes it thus. They were suddenly surprised with an uncommon noise in the air, like the rolling of large carriages in the streets, for about 20 seconds. At the same instant they felt a great shake, or snap, as he calls it; insomuch that it sensibly shook a punch-bowl, which was in his parlour, and made it ring. He says, it was perceiv'd of most of the people of Stamford, who generally ran out of their houses. At Oakham the chief town of Rutland, the congregation ran out of the church whilst the preacher was in the pulpit. All the towns round Stamford, were sensible of it: and at Peterborough, down to Wisbech.
Thus far the Alderman. But we have had many advices from all hands, at the first, and second meetings of the Royal Society, for the winter season; with further particulars relating to this great concussion. That it was felt at the same time, at Rugby in Warwickshire, and reach'd to Warwick, at Lutterworth, in Leicestershire: at Leicester, and round about. It extended itself to Coventry, Derby, Nottingham, Newark; then came eastward to Harborough, Towcester, Northampton, Rowel, Kettering, Wellingborough, Oundle, in Northamptonshire; Uppingham, Oakham in Rutland; Stamford, Bourn, Grantham, Spalding, Boston, and to Lincoln in Lincolnshire; Holbech, and all Holland in that county. Peterborough, Wisbech, in the isle of Ely; together with all the intermediate, and adjacent places. Then it passed over the whole breadth of Ely fen: was felt at Mildenhall, and reach'd to Calford by Bury in Suffolk, and the country thereabouts; of which we had notice from lady Cornwallis. An extent from Warwick to Bury of about 100 miles in length; and generally speaking, 40 miles in breadth. And this vast space was pervaded by this amazing motion, as far as we can get any satisfaction, in the same instant of time. They describe it, that the houses totter'd, and seem'd to heave up, and down: tho' it lasted but a few seconds. It was attended with a rushing noise, as if the houses were falling, and people were universally so affrighted, as to run out; imagining that their own, or their neighbours houses were tumbling on their heads. In the villages around, the people being generally at divine service, were much alarm'd: both with the noise, which exceeded all the thunder they had ever heard, beyond compare: and with the great shock accompanying; which was like somewhat, as they imagin'd, that rush'd against the church-walls, and roof. Some thinking the pillars crack'd, many that the beams of the roof were disjointed; and all, that the whole was falling. And happy were they that could get out first. Many people fancied, that nests of drawers, and cabinets, or the like heavy things, were fallen down above stairs: or that chimnies had broke thro' the roof of the house: or that some persons fell down stairs: and the like. Some perceived the crackling of inward wainscots or partitions: as Dr. Mortimer and I, observ'd in our first and second shocks at London. A few slates, tiles, and parts of chimneys fell from some houses: pewter, china, glasses and brass from shelves. A clock bell, chamber bell sometime struck: windows universally rattled, and the like circumstances of tremor.
In regard to circumstances, they were pretty similar throughout. Many people sitting in their chairs relate, that they and their chairs were several times sensibly lifted up and set down again. A stack of chimneys were thrown down in College-lane; a place retaining the memory of a sort of university once beginning at Northampton. The windows of houses rattled throughout the whole town: but no mischief done: in general it was frightful, and innocuous.