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and near which the spindle rested, was beaten to powder, and a hole made through the under part of the stone. That this stone in this condition should still support the seven courses above it, which weighed four tuns, exclusive of the spindle, vane, and their appertinances; and that the whole did not fall when struck with the lightning, is in no small degree surprizing.
From the bottom of the spindle to the first course of stone, where the workmen had used iron cramps, the distance was five feet seven inches. These cramps were bedded in the stone. Part of the lightning, from the bottom of the spindle through the hole just now mentioned, seized these cramps, and threw off large scales of stones at their ends. From these there were three courses of stone, in which there were no cramps; these suffered nothing.
In edifices of this kind, for additional strength, the builders employ bars of iron, connected together in such a manner as their exigencies require; and these, though they have no links, are denominated chains. These are sometimes so adapted to the courses of stone as not to be visible, and are perfectly concealed: at other times, they are in part visible, and in part concealed.
The first metal, that occurred after the cramps before mentioned, was a concealed chain, one foot above the base of the obelisk, and two feet above the first cross chain. Here two stones were burst and shattered. In the course of stone, where the first cross chain was inserted, and the several stones connected by iron cramps, many of the stones were much shattered.
Vol. LIV.
