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Deare Unckle Babington
Having an opertunity I make boud to trouble you with these few Lines hopeing
that they will find you & the Rest wthwith you in helth & safety praying to god to grant you peace & quietness
& setle your Land in a peaceable condition. I have bene Ill allmost this 12 Months but Especiously from OctoOctober
on wchwhich day I got a fall from horce back by wchwhich I gott as I suppose some Inward Bruse that I have bene
in a very weake condition ever since so ytthat I have not beene above 2 miles from home never since OctobrOctober yethe 2
sometimes I am in some hopes of Recovery & sometimes to the Contrary much fearing a Consumption.
I have heare incloased sent you a Coppey or Table of the Moation of a Comet that appeared with us
Last falle in Maryland wchwhich as I suppoase did first appeare a morning star in the South East NovNovember 16: 1680
the 19th I did see it about 5 in yethe morning in neare conjunction with yethe virgins Spike yethe comet being Elivated
above it about of a degree: yethe 20th of NovNovember at 5 in the morning I beheld it & it was then about 2 degrees under Spica virginis being very swift in Motion declineing much to yethe southward being direct haveing south Latitude yethe 22 of NovNovember affter brake of yethe day I did see it neare yethe South East wchwhich seemed to me as though it would come to the meridian with Arcturus affter wchwhich day we haveing about a weke of clowdey mornings the comet being direct & swift in motion drew so neare the Sun that that it was not seene no more with us till I suppoase till as I suppoase it became an Evening star wchwhich was first sene then to appeare with us it was december the 16th that yethe Comet appeared: but part of the Taile or Streame thereof It being so Large & bright was seene about yethe 10th day affter Sun Sett in the South west wchwhich was a very great amaizement to many & likewise to my selfe to see such a Long bright streame then In forme like a Sword Streameing from yethe Horizon about in altitude being so nearly affter Sun Set & no star to be Seene with us Till yethe 16 day wchwhich was the first time that Observations could be made as is heare shewed by this Encloased table. Though I have sett downe theare Every dayes Motion from the 16th of decembrdecember to yethe 13th of JanJanuary yet my dayes of Observation was as followeth Impr Dec'December 16 & 17: yethe 25th yethe 26: yethe 28 yethe 30th: JanJanuary yethe :1: yethe 2: yethe 7 & 8: yethe 11 & 13 yethe yethe 25th & 26: yethe 30 & 31: after wchwhich time the Comet was so Obscuredd ytthat Observation could not be well maid though part of the taile appeared till about yethe 5th of febfebruary: about wchwhich time it Spent it Selfe to Southward of the Head of Meduza: But wttwhat neede I trouble you with a Table there of So rudely cumpoased for no doubt but you ar furnished Long before this with tables thereof far more presise & exact then this is by Observations wchwhich hath bene allredey made with you by far more Large & Costley Instruments then mine be for I suppoase that yethe Comet did appeare To all Inhabitable parts of the world by Reason of yethe North & South declination it had though I suppoase ytthat being a Eveing star it might in some placeis appeare sooner then in others. Therefore If you please to do me that kindeness as to Lett Mr Newton Looke over this Table To see how much I have Ered in my Observations & If he please to give me an Accompt thereof. As for the Instrument by wchwhich I Observed, it was but a pocket pece & therefore cannot be so Exact as those of far Larger Sizeses therefore mine may sometimes faile about one degree in the Right Ascension & a degdegree in the declination wchwhich is in some placeis yes but one forth part of a dayes Motion. As for yethe Longitude of this place I suppoase it to be about from London westwardly. But If Mr Newton be more desirous to know the Trueth thereof There was an Eclips of the Mone Feb 22: the beginning with us was about in the Morning the Moone at Setting neare about 10 digits Eclipsed by wchwhich meanes yethe LongtLongitude may somewhat nearly be Obtained by them who ar well versed in astronomy: Our Latitude being .
Haveing
Haveing no moore at present but my Duty To you with my Best Respects To All my frends wthwith you I Rest at your Command your Nephew To serve you: Arth: Storer
From Patuxant River in Maryland neare Mr kinders neare Hunting Creek Aprill 18: 1681
For the Reverend Doct Humph: Babington at Treynety Colidg In Cambridig Diliver in 4
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A Table shewing The Right Ascension declination and Culmination of A
Comet that first appeared an Eveing star DecembrDecember the 16th 1680: In Maryland The Latitude and the Longitude from London about Westardly. The use of the Table is thus In the first Collumn towards yethe left hand sheweth the month day & yeare. In the second Collumn sheweth the hour & minminute of the night that the Observation was made. The third Collumn sheweth the Comets Right Ascension in DegrsDegrees & minminute. The Fourth Collumn sheweth the Comets declination in DegrsDegrees & minminute the Letter S: signifyeth South Declination & :N: North: The Fifth Collumn sheweth the degdegree signe & minminute of the Comets Cullmination vizd when the Comet Comes to yethe meridian with the Sun &c.
This Comet as I supppoase did first appeare a Morning Star & as far as I can give notice thereof was first seene with us to appeare In Maryland was November yethe :16: 1680: Being a Morning Star In the South west which I suppose then to be neare the 10th degre of Libra haveing then but Litle Latitude from yethe Ecliptick being as I suppoase Northward: of frijday yethe 19th about 5 in the Morning I did see it about South East in neare Conjunction with the virgines Spike yethe Comett being elivated above it about of a degree at wchwhich time I beheld it with a prospective glass & seemed to me to be very bigg so ytthat I could Judg it to be no Less then 2 or 3 times bigger then Spica virgneSpica virginis as I compared them by the glass wchwhich appeared of a grim pale Leadon Coller more Like a bright cloud then a star the Taile then being about or :: in Length darting uppwards as the Evening Comet did the 20th day of NovNovember about 5 in the morning I beheld it & it was then about 2days under Spica virginis Being very swift in motion & direct the 22 day of November I did see it neare yethe S: East wchwhich seemed to me to Come as though it would come to yethe Meridian with Arcturus after wchwhich day was about a weke or better of clowdey wether with us I & yethe the & yethe comet being Direct & very swift in Motion drew so nareneare yethe Sunn that it was not seene no moore with us: till as I suppose it became an Evening Star wchwhich was first seene then to appeare wthwith us was DecembrDecember 16th that the comet appeared but part of yethe taile or streame therof it being so Large & bright was seene about yethe 10th day of DecembrDecember after Sun Sett in the south west wchwhich was a very great amazement to many & Likewise to my selfe to see such a Long bright streame then in forme Like a sword streameing from the Horizon above in altitude being so nearely after Sun Sett & no star then to be seene: the 16th day when first the Comet appeared I Observed the Leingth of the taile wchwhich was then about or DegrsDegrees in Length & Likewise the hight of the Taile when that yethe comett was about setting neare about degrsdegrees so that I did observe that yethe Taile did appeare affter that the comett was sett about 3 or 4 hours it being so bright & Long that I suppoase ytthat yethe Like hath not beene seene this 100: of yeares for to have so Large & bright a streame or taile though the Comett was but small not much neare so bigg to yethe Ey as the morning Comet Weare & yethe Reason is as I suppoase is because it was neare yethe Sun & had in a months Time above spent it selfe for 5 or 6 months time is supposed to spend yethe Greatest comet as Ever yet was seene. I might have heare sett downe the Longitude & Lat'Latitude But by Reason of the Smallness of my Instruments by wchwhich I observed I might be subject apt to faile somewhat of Exactness thereby wchwhich may by Chance faile about one Degree in the Right Ascension & halfe a degree in yethe Declination. Therefore I Omitted the Longitude & Lat'Latitude & sett downe onely the Right Ascension Declination & time of Cullmination whereby is Easily gained the Longitude & Lat'Latitude & likewise the Comets Ryseing Southing & Setting Altitude Amplitude Azimuth the Cozmicall Rysing & Acronicall Setting for Every day from decembdecember :16th: to Jan 13 & yethe Rest According to yethe Table &c.