Crop Circle Connector

During the course of my researching something completely different, I came across an item that I thought might intrigue or amuse (hopefully both!) you. Below I offer you an extract from a letter written 9 July 1686 from one A. Paschal to the celebrated antiquary John Aubrey, concerning an extraordinary incident that occurred in Somerset on 14 June 1686. Note that I have modernised the language a little here & there in order to render it a little more intelligible: 

"On June 14, about 6 at night, came a Storm, with Thunder, and a whirlwind uncommon. Sir Fr. R. had 10 or 12 people about Hay in a ground of his on the N. side of Polden Hill, four miles hence. It made them think the Judgement Day was come, and to run from their work. They saw it take up many of the Hay-cocks, to the quantity of two or three, load very high into the air. It fell all about the parish, some was carried two miles off. Trees bowed flat to the ground by it. A man said to be taken up and carried to some Distance, supposed as an 100 yards, and set down in a ditch. Active and inventive fancy saw there were armies in the sky, heard drums and guns, beheld colours, and a long Dragon's Tail; and at last the scene was removed with very sweet music, that of the Spheres not comparable to it. A great storm of rain fell about a mile or two short of the place wherein this to-do was. This is hugely talked of at a distance; and the story is dressed up to a Miracle; but setting aside what Superstition adds to it, I can be assured of nothing in it but what was natural, only not very usual." 

No "normal" whirlwind this, then. A rare recorded incidence of freakish weather phenomena incorporating powerful uplift and enough down force to make trees bend to the ground- all of which was accompanied by what we might today describe as a multi-sensory experience featuring colours (lights, I assume), visuals (Dragon's Tail? A vapour trail?), mechanical noises (drums & guns) & 'very sweet music' (phew!). Quite something, eh? 

The letter was eventually published in 1723, in a volume edited by Richard Rawlinson with the title: Miscellanies on Several Curious Subjects: Now First Published From Their Respective Originals (London, W. Mears & J. Hooke). The item is exceedingly rare, needless to say.