A Brief Relation OF A  Accident, A DISSOLUTION OF THE EARTH, IN THE Forest of CHARNWOOD, About Two Miles from LOUGHBOROUGH in Leicestershire; Lately Done, and Discovered, and Resorted to by many People, both OLD, and YOUNG.  
Published by two Lovers of Art, I. C. and I. W.  
Sold by Nath. Ponder at the Peacock against the Stocks Market. 1679.   

To the READER.  
TO your ingenious Acceptation, we communicate these our Observations; not for filthy Lucre's s●●●, but for public Satisfaction, and Truth s●ke, (being provoked thereto by some Pe●sons of Quality:) considering he evil custom of erroneous Reports, and the fearful Rumours of ignorant People.  
Read and judge charitably, without critical, or incredulous Censure; here is no wand●●ing Prol●●●●y, nor superfluous embellishment of Eloquence, but a S●●●●y into the proper Antithesis, apparelled with necessary Language. Be candid, not canine.  
Vale.   

THE DESCRIPTION OF THIS Wonderful BREACH.  
THE Figure is almost circular, posited in a declining condition to the Horizon, it being the end or fragment of a hilly body, and contains about two Acres of ground. In its upper Divison, or primary Breach, the lower, or 〈◊〉 p●●● of it, lies a Yard (in some places) beneath the unmoved body: ab●●● three parts of this c●●●●ar wonders shows s●mpton●s of the efficient cause; and the rest shows little, or no defect.  
About three paces from the upper Breach, (or prime Divison) is a second Trench all down one Curve of the Circle, (aforesaid) and some second Fractures on the other side these be over the prime Trench or Breach li●th a narrow path way; the fa●●n part, whose Hypotenusal should fall upon the true Angular Point, (i● it had a Perpendicular Fall:) is subverted, and turned aside on Foot, or more.  
Between the Prime Breach, and second Curvery Fracture, the Earth shows a Perpendicular Decent, or Downright Falling, because it doth thrust itself within its former bounds; on the other side of the Curve, which is higher Ground, the parts of the Earth fallen, and unfallen, shows the distance of a Foot; which if it should be raised to a Parallel with its former Bounds, would differ half a Yard. The Sine for these Curves, is the Radius, or total Sine.  
The lower part of the Periphery, (or Arch opposite to the Primary Breach) is rolled in, with an overshooting of his Bounds; as if it were driven, being light in substance, and stones (in some places thereof) thrusts forth themselves. This lower Curve contains about half the Radius for its versed Sine.  
The unbreached part of the Periphery lies on the lower side of the Hill, in respect to the Hills ridge.  

Some Persons judge WATER to be the cause of the BREACH; others, say WIND.  
The latter we account proper, and consider both, in method and manner following.  

1. That it was not WATER.  
2. That it was occasioned by Wind.    

REASON'S Negative, and Affirmative, That it was not WATER.  
Reas. 1. Water doth naturally run in a Channel, hasting forward, yea, and that where the Ground is level: but where the Ground descendeth through which it's to pass, there it forceth with a more direct course, and speedy stream; not dilating itself, but rather drawing its Body more close into narrow Bounds.  
Reas. 2. If Water had been the cause, than it should not have run in a round Figure, where the Hill is so much descending; unless some artificial Pipes had been laid, which by the attractive power of the Air should draw the Water up again; which if Fancy, or any person's Supposition should incline to, yet nevertheless it would have more powerful force in its Descent, than Ascent.  
Reas. 3. Had Water (by its violent Billows) caused this Accident, it would either have done it by an Eruption outward, or a Dissolution of the Earth within, whereby the upper Superncies should have fallen in, or sunk within its counterminal Sides. Indeed, some part of the Ground we allow to be depressed, but another part is not, but rather heightened, by rolling up. And how any thing should produce contrary effects to its nature, is marvellous!  
Reas. 4. Had Water been the cause by demolishing the entrails of the Earth, than (running in a Channel) the Breach should be opposite to its Current; and should from hence the current of Water be guest to fall where the Ground is fallen in all down one Curve of the Circle, then should not other Breach considerable appear from its Production, and the Earth would have been overshot or carried that way as the Current of Water past; but the Earth is carried that way where no such salling in appears.   

That it was WIND.  
Reas. 1. Because it's so improbable to be Water; but we judge Wind ●●gh● be the Ca●●●, forasmuch as it is its property to produce ●●ch 〈◊〉.  
Reas. 2 For Wind being gathered, and straightened within the Bowels of the ●arth, in order to an Earthquake, doth at last (by a volatile motion) break or burst forth in some plac●, or other, with g●●at violence, rending, tw●●●ing in, and burying the ea●●● within is own bowels: and in ●s motion, arc●●ng, flying, and searching about, might (very naturally) cause this Breach.  
Reas. 3. Because the lower part of the Periphery which is oversh●● lies rolled in, hu●●, or blown▪ dar●ing from its swo●n (or enlarged) Pores, Stones o● a considerable weight: as also the root of a Tree, which is turned up in the Primary Breach.  
Reas. 4. This being at the Front of a hilly Range, the Earthquake might come running along, and there disburden itself: and that moreover that it's free from Rocks, the Ground solvable; and consequently the Pores more easily extended.   

Arguments corresponding with the former Reasons.  
1. Arg. If Water had been the cause, then from a slant Descent, or Ascent, the Breach would have showed itself in a right lined, or serpentine Figure, and more especially in a right lined Figure, its Surface having Declination.  
But this Breach is circular, and declining, contrary to a right lined, or serpentine Figure.  
Therefore the Cause could not be Water.  
2. Arg Water was not the Cause, but rather Wind; for Wind is volotile, light, and forcible, and known to be of circular motion; where it's streighten'd, and wants liberty to disburden, or disperse itself into its own Element, it searches a passage, and by Operation, is (by Philosophers) accounted the cause of Earthquakes, it vents, and turns up the Earth in its delivery thence.  
But, in this Breach the Figure is circular, diversely fractured, blown or hu●● up, writhed, which are the Symptoms of an Earthquake.  
Ergo. Wind was the proper and true Cause.   

Now it remains that we answer three Objections, and conclude.  
1. Object. May some say, Had there been an Earthquake, why was it not discerned, felt, or discovered by one or other?  
2. Object. Though Towns be not very nigh, yet there be some Inhabitants on the ●orest nigh resident, and would not they have been sensible of some motion or noise which accompany Earthquakes?  
3. Object. There be many Trees not far off, would not some of them have received prejudice by overturning, or Rocks where you suppose the windy commotion ran along.   

Answers to the Objections.  
Ans. 1. Had there been any Inhabitants dwelling on the said Hill, they might then have felt it.  
Ans. 2. As for them that dwell nigh, they might very well be unsensible of noise, or motion, which might happen in the Night; and because Earthquakes (more general ones) have been experienced to operate in one part of the Town, and not in another part of the same; or in a various manner, in little distance; no wonder then if such Inhabitants perceive it not.  
Ans. 3. As for Trees, how should they be prejudiced, where the Earthquake came not? but had Trees stood where the Breach was made, they would probably then have been overthrown (as the roo● of a Tree aforesaid) and as for Rocks being not removed over the windy passage, they might be spared for the same reason that the ground in those places was; and both spared, because the disturbance hastens along to the Front, as a Stone to its Centre.    
FINIS.