Britannia Baconica: or, The natural rarities of England, Scotland, & Wales. According as they are to be found in every shire. Historically related, according to the precepts of the Lord Bacon; methodically digested; and the causes of may of them philosophically attempted. With observations upon them, and deductions from them, whereby divers secrets in nature are discovered, and some things hitherto reckoned prodigies, are fain to confess the cause whence they proceed. Usefull for all ingenious men of what profession of quality soever. / By J. Childrey.

Britania Baconica: Or, the Natural RARITIES OF England, Scotland, & Wales.

According as they are to be found in every COUNTY, &c.

CORNWALL.

DEvonshire and Cornish-men are more active in wrestling, and such boi∣strous exercises then other Shires in England; being also more brawny, stout, and able of bo∣dy: As for instance, one John Bray carried at his back at one time for the space of a But length, almost six Bushels of Wheaten Meal (reckoning fifteen Gallons to the Bushel)

and the Miller, (a Lubber of twenty four years of age) upon the whole. And one John Romane a thick short fellow, would carry the whole Carcase of an Ox. There was also one Kiltor, who lying in Launceston Castle-green upon his back, threw a stone of some pounds weight over the top of one of the high Towers of that Ca∣stle. Which stoutness and goodly stature of these people, Cambden reflecting on, makes this obser∣vation; That the Western people of most coun∣treys are the tallest and stoutest. I know not whether it hold in all Countreys; but so much is true, that the Chineses, the Eastermost people of this Continent of the World, are the most esteminate and unwarlike in the World; for which we have not only the authority of Men∣dez Pinto, (who never told lye) but of many au∣thentick Geographers. However I am rather in∣duced to think, that it is the Rockiness of this County that gives the generality of the inhabi∣tants these qualities: For it is as well observa∣ble, that rocky and mountainous places breed stout, hardy, warlike, and tall people, as we see by the Highlanders of Scotland, the Switzers and Grisons; low and flat Countreys rather dispo∣sing the Natives to ingenuity, craft, invention and sedentary industry, as is manifest by the Chineses and the Dutch. And it may be the rea∣son why the Hollanders are not altogether Chine∣ses in stature, sloath, and cowardize, is because they inhabit the West side of a Continent:

The Cornish men are very healthful and long livers, eighty or ninety years of age is ordinary

in every place, and in most persons accompani∣ed with an able use of the body and sences One Polzew lived 130 years; a Kinsman of his 112. one Beauchamp 106. and one Brawn a beg∣gar above 100. and in one Parish (in Qu. Eliza∣beth's time) there died in 14. Weeks space four people, whose years added together, made 340. And (to urge no more examples) one Mr. Cha∣mond who lived at Stratton in this County, was Uncle and Great-Uncle to (at least) 300. The cause of this healthfulness I conceive to be also the rockiness and dryness of the Countrey, which though it be for the most part invironed with the sea, yet it hath few Marishes or Ouzy shores, but most sandy; and withall, the air is cleansed by often winds, lying so open to the sea: So that by reason of the purity of the air, the plague is seldom among them; and it was ob∣served, that in Anno 1589. when our Fleet re∣turned from the Portugal action, the Diseases which the Souldiers brought home with them; grew more grievous, as they carried them fur∣ther into the Land, then it fell out at Plymouth where they landed; For there the Disease was though infectious, yet not so infectious; and though pestilential, yet not the Pestilence, as it after proved in other places. Yet the air of Cornwall is such, that it is apter to preserve, then recover health, especially in a stranger that is troubled with a lingering sickness.

There was within these hundred years, one Mr. Alwel Parson of St. Tues in Cornwall, who withall practised Physick; but so strange was his

Method (not to say his Humor) that though now and then he used blood-letting, and did administer commonly Manus Christi, and the like Cordials; yet for all Diseases he did chiefly prescribe Milk, and very often Milk and Apples; by which means he did very many strange and desperate cures, and maintained his Reputation unimpaired, so that he had many Patients from the neighboringCounties. Butwhether it wereM. Atwels Physick, or the pure air of Cornwall that did the cures, is hard to say; or whether there may not be some peculiarMedicines appropriated by Nature to some particular Airs, as well as to some particular Diseases, and that that which will do in Cornwall, or the like air, will not else∣where.

The Spring is later in Cornwall, then in the East parts of England; the Summer temperate, but Harvest late, especially in the middle of the Shire, where they seldom get in their Corn be∣fore Michaelmas. The Winter is milder then elsewhere; for the frost and snow come very sel∣dom, and never stay long when they do come. But this Countrey is much subject to storms, ly∣ing (as I said) so open to the sea. so that the Hedges are pared, and their Trees dwarf-grown, and the hard stones and iron bars of Windows are fretted with the Weather. One kind of these storms they call a Flaw; (and so indeed in some Counties they call any violent storm of Wind) which is a mighty Gale of Wind, passing sud∣denly to the shore with great violence.

Cornwall is hilly, (one cause of the temperate heat of the Summer, and the lateness of the Harvest, even as its Maritine scituation is the cause of the gentleness of the Winter:) hilly I say, parted with short and narrow Valleys. The earth is but shallow, underneath which is rocks and shelfs, so that it is hard to be tilled, and apt to be parched by a dry summer.

The middle of the shire lieth open, the earth being of a blackish colour, and bears heath and spiry grass. There is but little Meadow-ground, but store of pasture for cattel and sheep, and plenty of Corn-ground.

They have a stone here, called Moore-stone, found upon Moores and wast grounds, which serves them instead of Free-stone, for Windows, Doors and Chimneys. It is white with certain glimmering sparkles: They have a stone digged out of the sea-cliffs, of the colour of grey Mar∣ble, and another stone black as Jett; and out of the Inland Quarries they dig Free-stone. Nor must we forget to tell you (speaking here of stones) that the sea here works the pebbles up∣on the shore, by the often rolling of the waves, to a kind of roundness.

They have a slate of three sorts, blew, sage∣leaf-coloured, and gray, which last is the worst; and all these slates are commonly found under another kind of slate, that they wall with, when the depth hath brought the Workmen to the Water. They also make Lime of a kind of Mar∣ble stone, either by burning a great quantity together with Furze, or with stone-coal in smal∣ler

Kills, which is the cheaper way; but the first Lime is the whiter.

For Metals, they find Copper in sundry pla∣ces here, and the Ore is sometimes ship'd to be refined in Wales. And though Cicero will have none in Britain, yet silver hath been found in this shire in the time of Edward the first, and Edward the third, who reaped good profit by it. Nay, Tinners do find little quantities of Gold, and sometimesSilver among the Tin Ore, which they sell to the Gold-smiths. Also Diamonds are found in many places, cleaving to those Rocks out of which the Tin is digged: they are smooth, squared, and pointed by nature. Their quantity is from a Pease to a Wall-nut; but they are not so black and hard as the right ones. But the Metal which the Earth yields in greatest plenty, is Tin, in searching after which the Tinners do many times dig up whole and huge Timber-Trees, which they think were o∣verthrown, and have lien buried in the earth ever since the flood. And they hold, that the Tin lay couched at the first before Noahs flood, in certain strakes among the Rocks like a Tree; from the depth whereof the main Load spread∣eth out his branches till they approach the o∣pen air; but the Flood (say they) carried with the Rocks and Earth so much of the load, as was enclosed therein, and at the drying up of the flood, left the same scattered here and there in Valleys and Rivers where it passed; whence it comes to pass, that they finde Tin sometimes upon the Moor-Lands. In their Tin-Works they

find daily among the Rubbish, Pick-Axes of Holm, Box, and Harts-Horn, and sometimes they find certain little Tool-Heads of Brass; and there was once found a Brass Coyn of the Emperor Dometians, in one of the Works; an ar∣gument that the Romans wrought in these Tin-Works in times past. They discover the Tin-Mines by certain Tin-stones, which are some∣what round and smooth, lying on the ground, which they call shoad. But (if we will believe stories) there is another way to discover them very easie, and that is by dreams; for so it is re∣ported, some have found Works of great value. As in Edward the sixt his time a Gentlewoman (heir to one Tresculierd) dreamed, that a hand∣some man told her, that in such a Tenement of her Land she should find so much Tin, as would enrich her self and her posterity. She told her husband of it, who upon trial found a Tin-work there, which in four years was worth to him al∣most 4000 pounds. It is said also, that one Tap∣rel of the parish of S. Niot, by a dream of his daughters was wished to such a place, which he farmed of the Lord of the soil, and found a Tin-Work accordingly, which made him a rich man. On which stories we may bestow this ob∣servation; That if they be true, they make much for the credit of Womens Dreams. For the sto∣ries touching the success of Dreams, are not to be rejected altogether as Fables, till they be ex∣amined, and ventilated in their peculiar Histo∣ry, which is the 51. History in the L. Veculams

Catalogue being there called, Historia Somni, & Insomniorum.

From the bottom of the Tin-Works, if they be of any depth, you shall see the stars at noon-day, in clear Weather. And the like may be done from the bottom of deep Wells (as they say) or any other deep pits. Nor is it any won∣der, the cause being so plain. It is reported that Tycho Brahe in his Isle of Huena, shewed K. James the stars in the day-time) at what time he went into Denmark) from out of a Cave cut a good way into the side of a Hill for the purpose.

If the load (as they call it) of the tin lye right down, the tinners follow it sometimes to the depth of 40. or 50. fathoms, and the deeper they sink, the greater they find the Load.

The labour of the tinners is so hard and te∣dious, that they cannot work above four hours in a day. And as they dig their load sloapwise under the ground, the air at length will not yeild them breathing, till they sink a shaft, (as they call it, that is a hole) perpendicular down to that place from the top, or surface of the Earth. And though (when they have so done) the light be just over their heads, yet is the Pit still so dark, that they are fain to work most by Candle-light, of which the reason is plain e∣nough. In their passage under ground, they meet sometimes with very loose Earth; some∣times with extreme hard Rock, (where though commonly they make speedyway through with their Pickaxes, yet now and then they light up∣on such an hard piece of Rock, that a good

Work-man will scarce be able to hew above a foot in a Week) sometimes again they meet with great streams of Water; and sometimes with stinking damps that distemper their heads for the present; but there is no great danger in the consequence.

The Tin Stone being brought above ground out of the Work, is broken in pieces with ham∣mers, and then stamped at a Mill into smaller pieces (and if the Stone be moist, it is dryed by the fire in an iron Cradle) and then it is ground to a fine sand. Then this sand being laid in wa∣ter that runs over it, hath all the earth washed from it, and then it is called black tin, which is carried to the blowing house, where it is melt∣ed by a Charcole Fire, blown by a great pair of Bellows moved by a Water-wheel (the atten∣ders on which bellows may be known from o∣ther men by their faces tanned and discolour∣ed with smoke) and then it is coined. Further it is to be noted, that there is hard Tin and soft Tin; but the soft Tin is the more worth of the two: A foot of black Tin is in measure two Gallons; but the weight of it is uncertain, and is according to the goodness of it. A foot of good Moor Tin (which is held the best) will weigh about 80. pound: A foot of the Mine Tin (which is meaner) 52. pound: of the worst 50. pounds. Two pounds of good black Tin be∣ing melted, will yield one pound of white Tin. Tin also hath been made of that refuse that the Tinners formerly have rejected, and with good profit. And so much for the Tin-Works, and for Metals.

In some places on the coast of Cornwall, there are Pearls found that breed in big Oysters and Muskles, yet though they are great, they are not good, being neither round nor Orient. Here are also Agates and white Coral, as they say. It may be this white Coral may be of the same kind with Isidis Plocamos, that grows about the Isle of Portland, of which more hereafter.

About two miles Eastward from St. Michaels Mount at a low Water, they cast aside the sand on the shore, and dig up turfs that are full of Root of trees, and on some of these they have found Nuts, which seems to argue some inunda∣tion of the sea upon this shore: I have heard the like story of a place in Scotland: I shall not defend or impugne the truth of these stories; onely this is manifest in Nature, that the exclu∣ding of air from preying upon bodies, preserves them much longer from putrifaction.

In the West part of Cornwall there are Bents growing on sandy fields, which are knit from o∣ver the head in narrow breadths after a strange fashion, of which they make mats.

In this shire grows greater store of Samphire and Sea-holly, (whose Roots commonly called, Eringo-Roots, are a great rescaurative and corro∣borative, being preserved in Syrup) then in any other part of England. Some of the gaully grounds do also yield plenty of Rosa Solis (more proper∣ly called Ros Solis, a Plant that grows indeed in boggy and quagmiry grounds) Upon the Sea∣cliffs in Cornwall grow wilde Hysope, Sage, Pela∣mountain, Majoram, Rosmary, and other fragrant Herbs.

The Husbandmen in Cornwall, about May, cut up all the grass of that ground, which they in∣tend to break up and till, into turfs, which they call Beating; and raise these turfs so, that the sun and wind may dry them the sooner; and after they are throughly dryed, they pile them in little heaps, and burn them to ashes. Then they bring in Sea-sand; & a little before plough∣ing time, they scatter abroad those ashes, & the sand heaps upon the ground, & plough it in, weh giveth heat to the root of the corn: This sand makes the ground rich; and if they strow it too thick, the ground will be too rank, and choak the Corn with weeds. VVhen the ground is thus sanded and ordered, the tiller can commonly take but two crops of wheat, and two of oats, and then is fain to give it at least 7. or 8. years layer, or fallow, and to till elsewhere. But the inland Countrey requires not so much sand as the places by the sea side. The tillable fields are in some places so hilly, that the Oxen can hard∣ly take sure footing: in some places so tough, that the Plough can scarce cut them; and in some places so shelfy, that the Corn can hardly fasten its roots. They have two sorts of wheat, viz. French wheat, which is bearded, and requires the best soil, and brings the best crop; and ano∣ther wheat not bearded, which is sown in the worser Land, and yeildeth the less crop. In those grounds that will bear no wheat, they sow Rye; yet in the western parts of Cornwall they sow Bar∣ley in the parts near the sea, which they carry to the Mill within eight or nine weeks after they sowed it.

For fruits, they have a sort called Whurts, as also Chesnuts, (but whether they ripen there, or not, mine Author saith not) and Grapes. For though the Countrey be bleak, yet Vines pros∣per well, and their Grapes are pleasant of taste, as in most other Southern parts of England.

They have little wood or timber, unless in the East quarters of the Shire, where there are some Coppice woods. And hereabouts (saith mine Author) the Countrey people have a fa∣ble that the Snakes by their breathing about a hazle-wand, do make a stone-ring of blew co∣lour, in which there appeareth the yellow fi∣gure of a snake; and that Beasts which are stung being given to drink some of the water wherein this stone hath been soaked, will thereby reco∣ver.

It is observed, that strangers at their first co∣ming into Cornwall, are much visited with Lice, and yet the cleanly Natives find no such mat∣ter.

For Beasts, here are Marternes, Badgers, Otters, (some of which, though they are all of the same kind) live in the cliffs, and there breed, and feed on sea-fish; and others live in the fresh Rivers, which sometimes also feed on Lambs and Poul∣try; Foxes (who have their holes in abundance in the steep cliffs by the sea side) Goats, Rother Cattle, Horses, (but they are but small and low) but there are no red Deer at all.

Their draught Oxen have each his Name, which he knows when he is at work. VVhen Cornwall lay wast and open for want of manu∣ring,

the sheep had generally little badies, and course wool, so that it was called Cornish hair; but since it hath been manured, their sheepe are little inferior to the Eastern Flocks for big∣ness, fineness of wool, often breeding, speedy fatting and price, and besides are sweeter Mut∣ton, and freer from the rot. Most of the Cornish sheep have no horns, and those that are so, have the finer wool, and those that are horned, have indeed more in quantity, yet courser; yet in some places of Cornwall the sheepe have four horns.

Cornish Cattel are but small.

For Birds and Fowl Cornwall hath these fol∣lowing, viz. Woodcocks, (in abundance) Sparhawks (the most useless of Hawks, serving to flye little above six weeks in the year, and that onely at the Partridge) &c. but there are no Nightingales, at least very few: A thing not to be wondred at by reason of the great scarcity of woods, (as I said) the delight of that Bird: Furzes and Broom being all that looks like woods in this countrey; of the former of which they have great, and of the latter good quantity.

In the West parts of Cornwall, during the win∣ter swallows are found sitting in old deep Tin∣works, and holes of the sea cliffs.

In Q. Elizabeths time a flock of Birds came into Cornwall about Harvest, a little bigger then a Sparrow, which had bils thwarted crosswise at the end, and with these they would cut an apple in two at one snap, eating onely the Ker∣nels; and they made a great spoil among the ap∣ples.

These birds are common (saith mine Au∣thor) in Gloucestershire and other apple coun∣treys. The cause of these birds rambling so far into Cornwall that year, was, I conceive, the fail∣ing of fruit in the fruit countreys, as in Glouce∣stershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, &c. and its taking in Cornwall and some other parts. (For we know that it often happens, that fruit fails in one countrey, and takes in another) Which ob∣liged these Birds to seeke for their peculiar food where it was to be had. We read in our Chroni∣cles, that at the time when field Mice did so swarm in Denge Hundred in Essex, in the yeare 1580. that they eat up all the roots of the grass &c. a great number of Owles, of strange and various colours, assembled and devoured them all; and after they had made an end of their prey, they took their flight back again, from whence they came. The reason of which I con∣jecture to be the same with the former. For that which produced these Mice in that great a∣bundance, was an extream dripping warm year, and a mild and moist winter, as countrey men assure us, & Keppler himself belives is the constant cause of that Vermine. Now because (though God can, yet) nature cannot extend the same extremity of weather all over the world; but (as is most probable) when there is an extremity of warmth and moisture in one countrey, there is as great an extremity of cold and drought in another (even as we see that the reason why it it flows in one Port, is because it ebbs in ano∣ther; the reason, I say, or at leastthe cansafine qua

non) hence it follows, that the extremity of of warmth and moisture that we had then in England, could not have been without as great an extremity of cold and drought in some o∣ther countreys, which (because an enemy to ge∣neration, especially to that of this Vermine) made them fail most certainly in those other countreys, whose Nature and temper is apt to produce them more constantly and abundant∣ly, and (it may be) almost alwayes. Whence these painted Owls (strangers to us, but not to those countreys, where the abundance and constancy of food makes them daily Guests) very likely were forced by hunger to seek out food, which provident Nature had pro∣vided for them in other places, where their stay was no longer then till they had spent their provision, and then ad pristina praesepia. All which these flying Pilgrims might very well do, with∣out any great notice how and whence they came, and whither they went, because they are birds of night, and travel onely in the dark: And I conceive the reason of several birds lea∣ving us, and returning again at set times of the year, to be much like this; either they find that food that pleaseth them here among us at some times of the year, which we have not for them at others; or (which is probable in some birds) they delight in one certain degree of heat or cold; and as they find the constant temper of the season to grow hotter or colder, they accor∣dingly take their flight more Northernly or Southerly; and if the winter prove very mild,

then the Winter birds (as Fieldfares, &c.) come not quite home to us, finding their due propor∣tion of warmth in countreys more Northerly then we; and if the Winter prove extreme sharp, then they flye beyond us to the south∣ward; yet taking our climate by the way, at the beginning of the sharp weather, they give a pre∣fage to countrey people of a hard Winter by their early appearing.

Every Hill almost in Cornwall, sendeth out a spring whose waters are pleasant and wholsom. That the springs should be so frequent in a bar∣ren countrey, I do not wonder; for where the vegetables are but few and small, to spend the stock of rain that falls, there must needs be the more left to soak into the earth, and make springs.

And that the waters of these springs (though strained through the Tin-Mines) should be all pleasant, wholesom, not Medicinal or purgative, I conceive the cause may be for that Tin is a fast metal, and not apt to dissolve and communi∣cate its self to the water, that passeth through it, as appears also by its slow rusting. Whereas iron, which is not so fast, but more apt to rust, easily gives a Tincture to springs, (as appears by Tunbridge wells) and makes them medicinal. For fishes, they have these kinds, viz. the Shoate (a fish proper to Devonshire and Cornwall; it is like a Trout, but lesser, and nothing near so good as a Trout) Peale, Trout, and Salmon, (which breed in fresh water, and live in salt.) The Trout & Peale come from the sea between March & Midsummer,

into the rivers to shed their Spawn. The Salmons chief coming is between Michaelmas and Christ∣mas; for till then the rivers are too shallow for them. The Salmons are fattest when they come first from the Sea: they pass up as high as any water can carry them to Spawn the more safely, and to that end take advantage of the great rain floods. And after Christmas they return to the Sea, and as the spring comes on, the young fry follow; and it hath been observed, that the Sal∣mon, Trout, and Peale haunt the same rivers where they first were bred. The nature of the Salmon is, that if in the night he see any light, as of a Can∣dle, or of Lightning, he will come to the top of the water, and play in and out. The Cornish-men use to take Salmons and Trouts by tickling them under the bellies, and so throwing them on the land, Sharkes (in the rivers) Lobsters, Crabbs, (ma∣ny of the Crabbs breeding in Cockle-shells, and ma∣ny of the Lobsters in Wrinckle-shells (as my selfe have seen, saith mine Author) and being grown they come forth, and live in holes of rocks, from whence at low water they are dragged out by a long crook of Iron.) Oysters) of wch they hold that there are male & female Oysters the female Oysters about May or June have in them a milk, which they then shed and whereof the Oyster is ingendred; the little ones at first cleaye in great numbers to the mothers shel, & waxing bigger toward Michaelmas they fall away, and fall asunder one from another: onely here and there some are fast knit together (two, three, or more in a cluster) that nothing but violence will severe them. Some people have

a conceit, that in Summer they are all sick, (as if the males did breed their wives children) and out of season; as indeed the milky are. But some Gentlemen (saith M. Carew) have found the con∣trary by experience eating of them at all times of the year without danger. Oysters have this pro∣perty, that though taken out of the water, they open against the flood time, and close upon the ebbe. Yet they will close before; if they chance to be touched; whence it once hapned (saith the same Gentleman) that an Oyster lying open did by his sudden shutting catch three young mice by the heads, that were going to eat him.) Soale and Playce (both which follow the tide into the fresh rivers) Eels some whereof are bred in fresh water, and are of the best tast. The great rain floods after September break their beds, where they breed, and carry them into the Sea; the other Eeles called Conger-Eeles are bred in Salt water, and when they are grown a little, they go into the Ocean.) Porcpisce and Seale (the Porcpisce is a very big fish, and black: they chase the smaller fish from the Sea into the rivers, leaping up and down the water, oneafter another; puffing like a fat Lubber out of breath, and so follow their chase as far as any water will carry them, which the fishermen observing get below them with their Boats, and cast a strong net cross the stream, with which and their loud and continuall shout∣ing they fray them from retiring, till the ebbe hath left them, and then they take them. The Seal-fish is like a Pig; ugly faced, and footed like a Moldwarp: he loves musick, or any loud noise,

and after the noise wil come a shore, almost above water, and sometime many of them will come a shore, and lye sleeping in holes of the cliffe where they kill them with Guns. Seale and Porcpisce use to be cut in pieces, and powdered, and it seems being so ordered, they are eatable) Scallops; Sea∣hedgehogs (both which are sound on the Sea coasts. The Sea-hedgehog is restaurative, being enclosed in a round shell like a loaf of bread, handsomely wrought and pinked, and guarded with prick∣cles) the Sheathfish (which is also found upon the coast: it is as big, and as long as a mans finger, and tastes like a Lobster, but is more restaurative) Pilchards (the Pilchard is a little fish, and a great multiplier, he comes up into the fresh water be∣tween Harvest and Allhollandtide pursuing into the rivers a fish called a Britt, upon which hee seeds. He is also himself a prey to a bigger kind of fish, called a Plusher, which is like a Dog∣fish, and leaps up now and then above water, Other fish likewise prey upon the Pilchard, as the Tonny fish, the Hake (a fish so called) as also a kind of bird called a Gannett) the Starfish (which is held to be contagious, but whether it be that fish which in Kent the fishermen call 5 fingers, and 12 fingers I know not.) Tonny and Turbot (which they use to boil, and preserve fresh in Vinegar) &c.

On the North side of Cornwall, and to the Westward of Foy, few or no Salmons are taken. The cause whereof I think is, because there both the Seas are too unquiet for them, as commonly they are about Promontories, and the mouths of

swift rivers, such as Seavern; and because there are no rivers of any competent bigness therea∣bout, fit for them to spawn in.

There swims in the Sea upon this coast a round slimy substance, called a Blobber, which is thought to be noisome and hurtfull to the fish (which I suppose is that that is very frequent in the river of Medway by Rochester, and called there a Water∣gall.)

For Sea fowl, they have these following, viz. Gulls, Pewets, and other Sea fowls, (which breed in little Islands, laying their eggs in the grass, and not building any nests; and they have young ones about Whusuntide. And here mine Author relates, that an old Gull, was known for many years together to come, and feed young Gulls kept tame in a Gentlemans yard joining to his house that bordered upon a cliff of the Sea.) Puf∣fins (a fowle which hatcheth in holes of the Sea cliffs, and whose flesh tasteth like fish) Burranets (a fowle that hatcheth also in holes of the Sea cliffs, and when her young ones are hatched, she leads them sometimes a mile or better into the land, where they are ordinarily taken and kept tame with Ducks.

There are also Sprayes here, the same fowle, that Pliny calls Haliaetos, but it is not eatable.

The Chough is a peculiar bird to this County, being found no where else in England; it haunts the Seas, but feeds not upon fish. His bill is sharp, long and red, his leggs red; and his feathers black. It is a very unlucky bird (and mischievous like the Pye) for he will hide mony,

and other little things, and will carry sticks of fire about, and set barns, stacks, &c. on fire. He is frequent about the Alpes.

There are many Lepers in Cornwall, who are thought to contract that disease from much eat∣ing of fish, especially newly taken, and more especially from the eating of the Livers of such new fish; but some have it as an heriditary disease from their Ancestors.

The ancient Cornish men were excellent archers, they would shoot an arrow 24 score: their Ar∣row was a Cloath yard long, wherewith they would pierce any ordinary Armour: One Mr. Robert Arundel would shoot 12. score with his right hand, with his left hand, and behind his head; And one Robert Bone shot at a little Bird upon a Cows back, and killed the Bird without touching the Cow.

In Cornwall they find that sea sand is more fru∣ctifying and enriching then land sand, by reason of its saltness, as they think. And they further observe, that the Sand is the better, by how much the far∣ther down in the sea it lyes. They use also ouzy mud to lay upon their land, but it is not altogether so good as the Sand. There is also a weed called Ore∣wood, whereof some grows upon Rocks under high-water mark, and some is broken from the bottom of the sea by rough weather, and cast up∣on the next shore by the wind and flood; and with these Weeds they compast their Barley Land. This floating Orewood that is cast a-shore by the flood, is now and then found naturally formed like ruffs and Combs.

Upon the shore of this County, in many places are found shells of sundry fashions and colours, (as indeed there are upon many shores elsewhere) and in some places on the shore there are Nuts to be found like a sheeps kidney, but flatters with a hard brownish rind, and the kernell is without taste, and (as they say) good for Wo∣men in travell.

Edgecomb house by Plymouth is a very healthful dwelling, though near the Sea: The cause is, be∣cause it is hilly, rocky, and free from marishes. For which reason the Country about Dover in Kent is found to be healthfull too, though lying just upon the Sea. This house is famous for two things; first for the brave Eccho about it, and then for a sort of Stone, that they dig near it, which serves for building, lime, and marle, and all.

Some Gentlemen in this Country have for their delight Salt-water pond, into which if you cast Oysters of trees, Oysters will grow upon them.

At Trematon in Cornwall in the Parish Chan∣cell, a Leaden Coffin was digged up, in which being opened was found the proportion of a very big mans body, but being touched it turned to dust. It was thought to be the body of Duke Orgarus, who, as Speed saith, married his daughter to King Edgar: for there was an inscription on the Coffin, that signified, it was the body of a Duke, whose heir was married to a Prince.

Saltash is a very healthfull place; In this Town

there is a Well, the water of which will never boile peason to an eatable softness.

On Hengsten- down a little above Plimouth are great store of Cornish Diamonds. The people about this Country observe, that when Hengsten top is capped with a cloud, a shower followeth soon after.

The Country men in Cornwall are great eaters of Garlick for healths sake, whence they call it there, the Country mans Trea∣cle.

The cement or morter of the walls of Tinto∣gell Castle resist the fierceness of the weather bet∣ter then the stones.

The Town of Bodmin is held a very unhealth∣full place, and the cause of it they say is, for that it hath one street (a mile in length) running due East and West, on the South side whereof it hath a great high hill that hides the Sun from it; and their Back-houses, as Kitchins, Stables, &c. are climbed up to by steps and every great shower washeth the Sulledge of them through the houses into the streets; and (which is more) their Conduit water runs through the Church yard.

It will not be a miss to add here out of our Au∣thour an odde presage of the Cornish rebellion in the time of Edward the sixth, which happened in this Town of Bodmin. About a year before that rebellion the Scholars of Bodmin School grew into two factions, the one (as they call it) for the old religion, the other for the new; and this quar∣rell was prosecuted with some eagerness sun∣dry

times, till by an unhappy accident (no other then the killing of a Calfe during the beardless conflict) complaint was made to the Master, and so the play ended. Which presage is seconded with severall others of the like nature out of ancient & modern history; but to impercinent to our de∣sign and too tedious to be here related.

In Saint Cleeres parish in Cornwall, there are upon a plain six or eight Stones, such as are upon Salsbury plain, which like them two will be mista∣ken in the telling; so that when they are told o∣ver a gain, they will be found over or under the first number. A thing, that happens (no doubt) meerIy by their confused standing.

There is a story that passes concerning Saint Kaines well in this County; which is, that who∣soever drinks first of the water, be it husband or vvife, gets the mastery. A fit fable for the vulgar to believe.

At Hall near Foy there is a Fagot vvhich is all one piece of vvood, naturally grovvn so, and it is wrapped about the middle vvith a bond, and parted at ends into four sticks, one of which sticks is subdivided into two others. It was care∣fully preserved (and painted over, that it might keep the better) for many years by the Earl of Devon, being reckoned a fore-token of his pro∣geny. For his Estate (saith Mr. C.) is now come into the hands of four Cornish Gentlemen, one of whose Estates is likewise divided between two Heirs.

An Earthen Pot was found many years ago near Foy, gilded and graved with Letters, in a great

Stone Chest, and full of a black Earth; the Ashes ('tis like) of some ancient Roman.

In Lanhadron Park there grows an Oake that bears Leaves speckled with white; and so doth a∣nother called Painters Oak, in the Hundred of East. It is certain (saith our Author) that divers anci∣ent Families in England, are pre-admonished of their end by Oaks bearing of strange leaves.

There are two Lakes not far asunder, nor far from St. Agnes Hil in this shire, whereof the one wil live and Fish thrive in, but not in the other.

By Helford is a great Rock lying upon the ground, and the top of it is hollow like the long half of an Egg. This they say holdeth water, which ebbeth and floweth with the Sea. And indeed (saith Mr. C.) when I came hither to see this curiosity, the Tide was half gone, and the Pit or hollowness half empty.

There is a Rock in this shire called Mainamber, which is a very great one, and yet so laid upon les∣ser Rocks, that the push of a finger will sensibly move it to and fro; but not all the strength which men can make, can remove it from the place.

The Cliffs to the Westward of St. Jes in Corn∣wall, have streaks of a glittering colour, like Cop∣per, which shew as if there were a likelihood of finding Copper there.

An exceeding big Carcass of a man was found by Tinners digging at a Village near the Lands end, called Trebegean. Hitherto I have borrowed all I have written (save onely my conjectures at the causes) out of Mr. Carew's ingenious Book, cal∣led, The Survey of Cornwall, published in the year 1602.

What Cambden and others say over and above, is as followeth.

The chief time of the swarming (as one would say) of Pilchards about the shores of Cornwall, is from July to November, at which time they are ta∣ken, garbaged, salted, and hanged in the smoak, laid up and pressed, and so carryed away, and sold in France and other Countreys.

In the Rocks at the Lands end, at a low Water, are found Veins of white Lead, and brass.

At St. Michael's Mount, at low ebbs, one may see Roots of mighty Trees in the Sands, which shews that there hath been overflowing of the sea upon this coast hereabout, as it appeareth also to have been about Plymouth Haven, and other pla∣ces adjoyning. And it is manifest that the sea hath devoured much Land upon the coast of Cornwall, towards Silley Islands. For between the Lands end and Silley, the sea is all of an equal depth of about 40. or 60. fathom, Water being about 30 Miles in length; onely in the mid way there lyes a Rock called the Gulf. The cause of the devouring of this Land by the sea, I conceive to be its being a Promontory lying open to the merciless stormes and weather, and withall, lying in a place where two currents meet and part; I mean the Tide as it comes in, and returns out of the Sleeve, or nar∣row Seas, and the Irish Seas, and Seavern; the rolling and force of the Sea being apt to carry before it all that stands in its vvay, according to the propor∣tion that its own strength bears to the yeelding∣ness of the object. But the cause why the Gulf rock was not washed away with the rest, is because

it was of too stubborn a matter, and too fast foun∣ded in the Earth. Nor can I think but that the Sil∣ley Islands were once all parts of the main Land of England, (and the like I conceive of Heysant in France, an Isle lying before the Promontory of Britain) but severed by degrees each from other, and all from the Continent by the means above∣mentioned.

At Stratton in Cornwall grows the best Garlick in all the Countrey. It may be old Mr. Chamond (before spoken of) owed part of the cause of his great age. to his living so near the best Garlick the Countrey man's Treacle.

On the shore of this shire, about 30. or 40. years, ago, was a huge Mass of Ambergrise, found by a poor Fisherman; a story very famous, and fre∣quent in the mouths of several persons of credit and quality.

DEVONSHIRE.

THE west of this Shire (being that which bor∣ders upon Cornwall) is stored with Tin Mines. The River Lid by Lidford runs under ground.

At Combmarton are found Mines of Lead, and some Veins of Silver.

Ordulphus (this Countrey man, for he was Son of Ordarus, E. of Devonshire) was a: Giant-like man, that (if William of Malmesbury say true) would break open the bars of Gates, and stride 10. foot. 'Tis probable he was one of somewhat a larger proportion then ordinary (and so might give a fair occasion for the Hyperbole) and that the braw∣niness and big-bodiedness of the Cornish men may extend to their neighbours of Devonshire-

The air of Devonshire is sharp and wholesom: the soil hilly and woody; and here they use (as in Cornwall) sea-sand to mend and enrich their Land, which makes it very fat and battle.

Devonshire abounds with Wool, Kersies, Sea∣fish, and Sea-fowl.

Load-stones have been found upon Dartmore Rocks, of good value and vertue.

Upon Exmore are such stones, (huge, and placed confusedly) as are upon Salisbury Plain; and one of them hath Danish Letters upon it, directing pas∣sengers that way.

At Hubblestow in this shire, was a battel fought by the Danes, where their Banner called Reafan, in which they reposed confidencce of Victory and Success, was notwithstanding taken, and Hubba their Captain slain.

It is reported by several persons of credit, that during the late War, at the time that Exceter was besieged by the Parliaments sorces, an infinite number of Larks came flying into the Town, and settled in a void green place within the Walls, where they were killed by the besieged in huge quantities, and eaten.

DORSETSHIRE.

THE Air of this Shire is healthful, and the Sea yeildeth the shrub called Isidis Plocamos, growing without leaves, like Coral; When it is cut, it waxeth hard and black, and is brittle. It grow∣eth among that useless Sea-Weed, called Algar, and is most plentiful about the Isle of portland.

About Birtport, or Burport, grows the best Hemp in these parts of England.

The River of Sture affordeth great store of Tench and Eeles: Probably 'tis a muddy River.

Alume and Coperas is made at Canford in this Shire; the reason I suppose is because the shores of the Sea (not far from it) may afford Copperas stones for the purpose, in good quantity.

At Shaftsbury (as say some of our Historians) lived in times past one Aquila (which yet some wil have to be the Bird of that name) who prophesi∣ed, that the Brittish Empire after the Saxons and Normans would return to the old Britans. There was never any age of the World, but it afforded a Prophet for a pleasing improbability; and the greater or more pleasing improbability, the more the Prophets.

At Pool in the year 1653. June 20. it is report∣ed, that it rained warm blood. The particulars of which would be well worth the while to enquire after, because Peireskius, the noble French Philo∣sopher, contends, that that blood falls not out of the air, but is a superfluous matter remaining af∣ter the hatching of a Butter-flye, and left in such places sometimes, where no rain can come to drop. It were easie to enquire the true particulars of it, being so late a prodigy. I once had a conceit, (but I had no reason to cherish it long) that this Blood might be engendered of some Vapours drawn up by the Sun from that part of the Sea where the cruel Sea-fight was fought between the English and Dutch, not far from this Town, and not long before this time; as if the crimson'd Sea had afforded a Crimson Vapour to make this rain of. But this is not the first plausible error that I have had. Query, whether about Pool, and in the Isle of Wight, and other places in England, where our Histories tell us it hath rained blood, there be not generally greater store of Butterflies and Grashoppers then elsewhere.

In the Haven of this Town of rool, the sea con∣trary to all other Ports in England) ebbs and flows (like another Euripus) four times in 24 hours; for first it flows a S. E. and N. W. Moon, and then a South and by East, and a North and by West Moon once more, vvhich second floud is caused (as Sea∣men conceive) by the return of the fore-ebb, vvhich coming from the Sussex Coast, and so a∣long between the Isle of Wight, and the main Land of Hantshire, strikes in here, as lying in its vvay. Note that Euripus in Eubaea, is scituated al∣most like Pool.

At Hermitage in Dorsetshire (it lyes, I think in the vail of White, Hart) in the year 1582. & 3. Ja∣nuary the 13. being Sunday, a piece of ground of three Acres, removed from its old place (saith Stow in his Summary) and vvas carryed over another Close vvhere Alders and Willows grew, the space of 40. Rods or Perches, and stopt up the High-Way that led to Cerne (a Market Tovvn) and yet the Hedges that it vvas enclosed vvith, enclose it still, and the Trees stand bolt upright; and the place vvhere this ground was before, is left like a great pit.

The Portland men (like the ancient Inhabitants of the Baleares Isles in the Mediteranean Sea) are excellent slingers.

In the Isles of Purbeck are Veins of Marble run∣ning under the earth.

SOMERSETSHIRE.

IN this Shire the Air is mild, and the soil ge∣nerally very wet, miry, and moorish.

Of the hot Baths in this Shire (at the City of Bath) Johnson in his Mercurius Botanicus, gives us this description. Bath (saith he) lyes in a plain (not great) encompassed with Mountains almost of an equal height. The Baths are four; the King's Bath, the Queen's Bath, the Cross Bath, and the Hot Bath: The King's Bath lyes in the middle of the City, being about 60. feet square, and it hath about the middle of it many hot Springs rising, whence it hath the greater heat. The Queen's Bath hath no Spring in it, but on∣ly receives the Water from the King's Bath (from which it is onely divided by a Wall) for which reason it is more temperate then the Kings. In these two Baths there is a Pump to pump Water upon the diseased, where strong Embrocations (as Phisicians speak) are required; for often times the matter of the Disease is so contuma∣cious, that simple bathing wil not remove it. The Cross Bath and Hot Bath are in the West part of the City. The Cross Bath is Triangular, and about 25. foot long, and as broad at one end. It hath not so many Springs as the Kings Bath, and hot bath have; and therefore is of a more

gentle heat. About 22. paces from the Cross Bath, is the Hot Bath, so called, because former∣ly when it was not so large as now it is, it was much hotter then the rest. But now it is only as hot as the King's Bath, or but little hotter. It is 27. foot long, & 13, foot broad. The Water of all these Baths in a small quantity seems clear and pellucid; but if one look upon its surface in the Bath, it lookssomewhat green, (or of a blew or sea-colour, as Cambden saith) and it hath a Bitu∣minous unsavoury smell, but almost no tast, at least it is hardly perceivable to the palate. Once a week the Baths are empited, and swept clean; onely the Cross Bath, because of its frequent use and its narrowness, is sometimes cleansed twice a week. For the nature of the water is, that a∣bout 4. or 5. hours after the going out of the Baths, the water casts out a foamy scum or filth which swims on the top of it, and fouls it. The Minerals that are conceived by learned Writers to give these Waters their heat and Tincture, are Bitumen. Sulphur, and Nitre; and there is Bi∣tumen; Sulphur and Nitre being in less quantity: The Mineralness of these Waters appears also by a way that the people of Bath have to give Silver Money a Golden colour, which is done with a Composition made (as they say) of the mud of the Bath, and some of the Bath-Water and Urine mixed together, with which composi∣tion they rub the Money which they intend to gild; but the colour is but pale and faint, and will quickly wear off. Now that it is a Bituminous and Sulphury matter that gives this Water its

heat and tincture; besides its Medicinal Vertues, as that it dryes, heats, dissolves, softens, opens, attracts, digests, cuts, and is abstersive, &c. there is this manifest proof, that the Countrey herea∣bouts is full of Cole-Mines, especially about Bristol, and the southermost parts of Glocester∣shire, as Mengerfield, Westerley, &c. and so also un∣der Mendip-Hills, that part of them that lyes towards Frome-Selwood. And all Naturallists a∣gree (as they have reason) that Coale is a Bitumi∣nous and sulphury matter; For that it is a Bitu∣men, is manifest by its black pitchy viscosity, and its melting as it burns: And that there is a quantity of Sulphur in it, is as evident by the Brimstony smell the Embers of them give, as a∣ny one may find that will but hold his head a while over a pan of them; as also by their bur∣ning blew many times, especially when they hurn eagerly, as in frosty Weather; whence ma∣ny people reckon the fires burning blew, a slgne of frost and hard weather: And (which is yet a further argument, the Coale hereabouts hath abundance of Veins like Gold or Brass in it (as I have often observed my self, and it may be ob∣served every day; for indeed there is nothing more common) a thing which I could never ob∣serve in New-Castle Coal, though this Cake as that doth, and doth not burn all away to a white ashes, as the Coale which they dig about Staffordshire, and which I think they call Canell-Coale.

There are (saith Cambden) a kind of pit-coals digged near the River Frome, with which Smiths

use to soften Iron. These are the Coales I men∣tioned before, under Mendip Hills, toward Frome-Selwood: That they should soften Iron, is no wonder, since we see any Coal, or the like vio∣lent sire doth the same; but whether they have a singular power thatway above other coal, may be further enquired.

It is reported that about Uphill (Parish by the sea-side not far from Axbridge) within these half hundred years, a parcel of Land swelled up like a hil, and on a sudden clave asunder, and fel down again into the Earth, and in the place of it remains a great Pool.

At Keinsham in stone quarries, are found stones in the form of a Serpent, like the Whitbay stones (of which I shal speak more in Yorkshire) onely here is the difference between them; whereas those at Whitbay want heads, some of these have. Hereabouts also (saith Cambden) grows Percepier, or Parsley-break stone, an Herb proper to England, bitter, hot, biting and sowre, without stalk, with herby Flowers, never above a span high: It grows naturally all the yeer long; it is extreme∣ly dieuretical, and very quick in operation, Yet however Cambden puts it down as a special rarity in this place; our modern Herbarists make no such rarity of it; for Mercurius Botanicus saith indefinitely, that it grows in Agris Siccioribus, that is, in dry grounds; and others say that it is commonly to be found in airable fields after Harvest.

At Bristol it flows a 11. or 12. Ells in height e∣very Tide; an extraordinary proportion in

comparison of most places on the English shore. The cause I suppose is, the extreme wide and direct mouth of Severn, lying open to the Vast Atlantick Sea, where the Tide comes rolling in a-main, and being contracted as it comes in higher into the River, and land-locked, and not being able to fall back again (til it ebb without in the Main) by reason of the continual succes∣sion of Water, must needs swel to that height in the Severn, and by consequence very easily communicate part of his burden to the Avon of Bristol.

Not far from Bristol is the famous Rock cal∣led St. Vincents Rocks, ragged, and hanging over the bank of the River of Avon, where (saith Johnson) is a Well of warm Water, pleasing to the tast. It flows out of the Clest of a great Rock, & is overflowed every Tide, and left open to the air at the ebb; for its spring breaks out at the Root of the Rocks; the Water is much commended for Ulcers, and calculous affections of the reins, being taken inwardly. It is also often applied outwardly to cure old sores with very good success (saith he) as I have heard those say that have tried. There is moreover in this place a Vein of Iron in the Bowels of the Earth (saith the same Author) whence the wa∣ter gets its vertue, and a greater heat, which it loseth by running a great way before it can get out. But by my Authors leave, it cannot be con∣ceived how a vein of Iron should make water so hot, since we see that iron Mines in other pla∣ces work no such effect upon those Waters that

run through them. I rather conceive there it is some other Vein of Metal, or rather Mineral there, that is the cause of the heat, and likely the same Mineral that causeth the heat of the Bath-Waters. Much more I could say, but I am un∣willing to inlarge too far upon Plausibilities. Note that this hot Well is not above 12. miles from Bath.

On the upper side of these craggy Rocks of St. Vincent, are digged out pellucid stones, sex∣angular (or six cornered) and quadrangular, (or four cornered) which we call Diamonds. Some will have them to be Chrystal, but (saith Mr. Johnson) I think they are rather of the na∣ture of Fluores. For (saith he) I remember an Apothecary of Bristol told me, the Lord of the place would not have them taken out of the I∣ron Mine, (which was the womb in which they were formed) because the greater quantity of them make the Metal the more fluid. and apt to melt. And Agricola tells us, that Fluores are very like Diamonds, but not so hard, and that they are used in the melting and trying of Metals, till they be throughly tried; for (saith he) they make the matter in the fire much more fluid. And Kentmannus in his Catalogue of Fossils, rec∣kons Pellucid Fluores, sexangular, and like Cry∣stal. Of these St. Vincent Stones, Cambden speaks thus: They are (saith he) so plentiful there, that one may fill a bushel with them; and they are all either four cornered, or six cornered. And saith Speed, saving their hardness, they are as good as the Diamonds of India.

On another Rock more Western then St. Vin∣cents Rock, there are found Diamonds enclosed in hollow and reddish Flints after a wonderful ma∣ner, and the Earth it self is red there too.

At Chedder near Axbridge, is a Spring so plen∣tiful of Water presently, that it drives twelve Mills within a quarrer of a mile of the head of it. The reason I suppose is, for that the head of it ariseth in a corner, been encompassed round with steep barren hills, (save onely that way which the stream runs) which pour out all that plenty of Water they contain in their bowels, into this head-spring, where it all meets as in a center, and there rusheth forth in a vast abun∣dance.

In the Isle of Athelney in this shire, was in an∣cient time a Monastry, which was so contrived, that the whole Frame thereof hanged upon four main Posts made fast in the ground. So saith Cambden out of William of Malmesbury.

It is credibly reported (saith the same Author Cambden) that there was a Walnut-Tree in the holy Church-yard at Glastenbury, that did never put out leaf before St. Barnabas day, and upon that very day was very rank & ful of leaves; but that is now gone, and a young Tree set in this place. Also that there is Hawthorn in Wirall Park hard by Glastenbury, that upon Christmas day sprouteth forth as if it were in May. This is reported (saith he) by very credible men that live thereabouts. But it is since (as credibly reported) that the malice and fury of the late wars, hath destroyed this Hawthorn too.

There is at Bristow a Church, called the Temple, the Tower whereof shakes to and fro when the bells ring, so that it hath divided it self from the rest of the Building from the top to the bottom the breadth of three Fingers, and openeth and shutteth whensoever the bell is rung.

`There is about a mile Eastward from Bath, a great hill, and on the top of it a very large bar∣ren Plain, called Landsdown, under which very probably, if search were made, would be found the Mineral or Furnace that heats the Bath-Wa∣ter; but no doubt it lies so deep, that it would not be worth the time, the pains, or the cost to search after it; it seems by the very sight of it to be pregnant of some such matter. These were my thoughts at first, touching the Bed of the Minerall that heats the Bath; but Dr. Meara of Bristow hath since taught me to lay down that conjecture, by shewing me the Copy of a Letter written by himself in Latine to Dr. Prujean of London, touching astrange thing that hap∣pened in July 1659. at the Bath; the abstract of which I shall take the boldness to give the Reader in the Do∣ctors own words, as followeth.

Aquis Calidis, 4^o nonas Aug. 1659

Amplissimo & Excellentissimo D. D. F. Prujean, Medicinae Doctori, &c. Ampl. & Excel. Domine.

QUod jamdudum factum oportuit, &c. hostiam autem adfero tibiz ut auguror, non ingratam for∣tuitam scilicit detectionem Zetematis non ignobilis de cansa Caloris Thermarum hujus loci, cujus investi∣gatio clarissimos medicos diu exercuit. Illustrissimus D. Fairfax qui cum Conjuge Valetudinari jam Aquis Calidis haeret, cum nudiustertius apricandi causa non procul ab urbe obequitaret, casu offendit cretam quan∣dam nivei candoris sparsime terrâ in exiguis cumulis emergentem ad instar terrae à talpis egestae. Hujus Por∣tionem domum attulit mihi{que} ostendit. Friabilis est, spontè ferè in scobem levissimam abit; saporem exhibet manifestè acidum sine astrictione; sed paulatim mordi∣cat, ac ixflammatoriam strangulationem in faucibus parit, ut non dubitem illam multo chalcantho abunda∣re, nec esse omnino Arsenici expertem. In frigidam à me effusa confestim ebullitionem vehementem excitavit, non secus as si calx esset viva; & pedetentim aqua tam insignem calorem concepit, ut ovis citò coquendis pares∣set. Quum haec Creta in Thermarum vicinia reperia∣tur, verisimile existimo aquam thermalem hoc igne ca∣lescere.

Non ignoro authores passim Thermarum calo∣rune Sulphuri aut Bitumini ascribere. Verùm, quam∣vis negari non possit Magnam Bituminis & Sulphuris copiam in his scaturaginibus reperiri, ijs{que} has thermas abunde impregnari convincat cura scabiei, ulcerum, tremoris paralyseos, &c. dubito tamen an eorum ali∣quod fermenti aquam calefacere nati rationem habere possit, quum utrum{que} aciditate, fermentationis opifice, destitutum sit: neutrum verò in aquam conjectum fer∣mentationem aut calorem producere possit; & quum eorum consistentia tenax sit & viscida, Bituminis prae∣sertim, ut aqua in minimas eorum particulas expeditè se insinuare non possit; fit ut ad ejusmodi fermentatio∣nem sint inepta; Cujus contrarium in consistentia fria∣bili, & minimè cohaerente hujus Cretae continget. Lo∣cus ubi hoc fossile fuit repertum, terra est spongiae instar porosa, ut facile appareat illud florem esse sive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mineralium fermentantium unà cum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 spiritibus sursum eluctantem. Verùm quid in hàc obscuritate potiùs statuendun sit, tuo judicio ego libenter subijcio, grates{que} quam possum maximas hu∣manitati tuae refero &c.

Vir Ampl. & Excel. Famulus Devinctissimus,

Edm. Meara.

The English thus in effect:

Bath, August the 2^d 1659.

To the Worshipful his very much honored friend Fran. Prujean D. of Physick, &c.

W. and H. Sir,

WHat I should have done long since, &c. The Sacrifice I bring to your Altar, will not I conceive be ungratefull. It is the strange accidentall discovery of a noble Mistery touch∣ing the cause of the heat of the Baths here; the search into which hath long exercised the most famous Physi∣cians, the manner of it was thus. The right Honoura∣ble the Lord Fairfax, who continues still at the Bath with his Lady, riding abroad not far from this City two days ago, to take the air, by chance found a kind of Chalke as white as snow, working here and there out of the ground in little heaps, like earth cast up by Moles. A piece of this he brought home, and shewed me. It is a crumbling matter, and almost of its self turns to a small light dust: its tast is manifestly acide without astriction, but by little and little biting, and causing an extream hot strangulation in the mouth, so that I am perswaded it hath much Chalcanthus in it, and is not altogether without Arsenick. I put it into cold wa∣ter, and presently it fell a boiling, and bubbling apace, just as if it had been quick Lime; and by degrees the

water grew so very hot that it would quickly have boil∣ed an Egge. Now seeing that this Chalk is found near the Bath, I conoeive it not unlikely that it is this, that heats the Bath-water, I know very well that Authors generally attribute the heat of Baths to Sulphur or Bi∣tumen. Nevertheless, though it cannot be denyed that there is a great quantity of Bitumen and Sulphur found in these Springs, and the cure of Scabbiness, Ul∣cers, Trembling, the Palsey, and the like diseases doth evince that the Baths are plentifully impregnated with them; yet I doubt whether either of them hath any thing of a fermentative power in them to heat water, seeing both of them want acidity, the efficient cause of fermentation; and neither of them being put into wa∣ter can produce any fermentation or heat. And since their consistance is clammy and viseid (especially that of Bitumen) that water cannot readily insinuate it self into the minute particles of them, they must needs be unfit for any such fermentation; The contrary of which will follow upon the crumbling and incoherent consistence of this Chalk. The place where this Fossile was found, is an earth porous like a spunge, so that it planly appears to be (as it were) the flos, or excri∣scence of fermenting Minerall, working up out of the Earth with those Spirits, that cause the fermentation. But what to determine, and say positively on this dark riddle, I know not; and therefore humbly submit it to your judgement; returning you most cordial thanks, &c.

W. and H. Sir,

Your most obliged servant Ed. Meara.

Mendip-Hills in this shire afford great abun∣dance of Lead. I have heard it reported, that the Lead Ore in these hills is found by a very strange means. There are men; they say, that go up and down upon the hils with forked hazle-wands in their hands near the places, where they suspect the Ore to be; And the na∣ture of the wands is, that when they pass over a place where Ore is, they bend and draw down to the Earth toward the Ore of their own ac∣cord; and so they Ore is found. They say like∣wise, that any hazle wand wil not do it, but that these we speak of, are prepared after a secret manner, the mystery of which is kown but to some very few men there who make a living out of this Art of theirs, by finding out the Ore for the owners. This story is very strange, and un∣likely to be true: nor could I have given any credit to it, had I not read in Sebastian Munsters Cosmography, that in the Silvermines in Germany the place where the Ore lies, and the veins run, is found by this very means of Hazle-wands. And in one of the figures of his Book he gives us the picture of a fellow going along upon the hills, with a forked wand, or stick in his hand, ad explorandum metallum. Besides this I remem∣ber very well that the Necromancers have a kind of rodds, called Mosaicall rodds (which are no∣thing but Hazle-wands, cut upon such a day of the week, under such a constellation, and per∣pared with abundance of ceremonies and cir∣cumstances

partly Sottish, partly impious) the vertue whereof they say, is to find out treasure hidden in the groand.

WILTSHIRE.

IN the edge of this Shire between Luckinton, great Badminton (the seat of my noble Lord and Master, the Lord Herbert) is a place called the Caves; and by some the Giants caves, ac∣cording to the language of ignorance, fear, and superstition. They are upon the top of a riling hill, a number about. 9. And some of them are (or were formerly) cemented with lime. Some of them are deeper and some shallower; some broader and longer then others. They lye altogether in a row. The manner of them is two long stones, set up∣on the sides, and broad stones upon the top to cover them. The least of these Caves is four foot broad, and some of them are nine or ten

foot long. This is, the account, which I have received from some neighbour Gentlemen touching them with which I was fain to con∣tent my self, because the Earth and Rubbish is now so fallen in, that (without digging) no∣thing almost can be seen, but the place where they are the cavities being all filled up, and bu∣shes over growing them. I presume these causes are nothing else but the tombes of so many Saxon or Danish Heroes, (or it may be Romans) slain in a battle fought not far from the place. The curiosity of some ingenious men (as it is reported) within these 40 years, tempted them to dig into it, and make a search for some Antick remains, but they found nothing, but an old Spur, and some few other things not worth the mentioning. The broadness of the stones is not at all strange, since the whole Country hereabout is slatty, and in many pla∣ces affords stones altogether as large as these.

In this shire is a small Rill, called Deverill, which runneth a mile under ground, like as al∣so doth the little River Mole in Surrey, and the river Anas in Spain, and the Niger in Africk:

Near Warmister (saith Cambden) is a naturall round, and high copped hill called Clay Hill. Why Cambden should think this hill to be natu∣rally so as it is, I know not: Sure I am, there is the like round and high copped hill about a mile Southward from Aubury in this shire, cal∣led Silbury-Hill, in the road from Bath to Marle∣borough; which seems not, for many reasons, to be natural, but to have been cast up by mens

hands, and it is not impossible that Clay Hill may have been made by the same means.

At Juy-Church was in times past found a Corps 12 foot long, as the tradition ruuneth, and a Book of very thick Partchment, all writ∣ten with great Roman Letters, but when the leaves were touched, the mouldred to dust.

In the forrest of Savernac grows a kind of sweet Ferne.

Sometimes there breaks out water in the man∣ner of a sudden land flood, out of certain stones (that are like rocks) standing aloft in open fields near the rising of the river Kenet in this shire, which is reputed by the common people a fore runner of death. That the sudden erupti∣on of Springs in places, where they use not always to run, should be a sign of death, is no wonder. For these usuall eruptions (which in Kent we call Nailbourns) are caused by ex∣tream gluts of rain, or lasting wet weather, and never happen but in wet years (witness the year 1648. when there were many of them) In which years Wheat, and most other grain thrive not well (for a plain reason) and therefore a dearth succeeds the year following. The Coun∣try Proverb in Kent is, that drought never makes a dearth; Which was sufficiently verifi∣ed in the years 1654 and 1655. when (after that lasting drought that began in 1651, and conti∣nued till 1655.) the price of Wheat desceuded to 18d the bushell, and other grain proportio∣nably: And to our purpose, very remarkable it was in the year 1654, that severall springs, and

rivulets were quite dryed up by reason of the precedent drought, which raged most in 1651, 52, and 53. As the head of the stoure, that ri∣seth near Elham in Kent, and runs through Can∣terbury, was dry for some miles space; and the like happened to the stream that crosseth the Road way between Sittingborn and Cantsrbury at Ospring near Feversham, which at other times ran with a plentifull current, but then wholly failed, like the Brooks in Israel in the days of Ahab.

The Stonehenge upon Salisbury plain in this shire, is counted the most admirable rarity, that our Island affords. It is in this manner. There are in a pit great stones standing upright. Some being 28 foot high, and 7 foot broad, in three ranks round like a Crown, and overthwart them are laid others with tenants and Mortises. Now the great wonder and question among the learned is, how these stones came hither. For say they, it is not likely that they were ab initio, placed here by the God of nature, because the whole Country round for some miles affords not a stone hardly, either great or smal. And they seem too vast to be brought hither by waggon or the like carriages The learned Cambden therefore thinks, that they were made there by art, of pure sand, and some unctuous cement, even as those also in Yorkshire, because anciently there was such an art of ma∣king stone. And Pliny saith that the dust of Pu∣teoli (Puzzele) being laid in water becometh stone presently, and that there were Cesterns at

Rome, made of digged sand, and lime, which were so firm and hard, that they seemed stone. But notwithstanding the authority of this great Scholar, Iam clearly of opinion that they are naturall stones, and placed there ab initio; Then which I think nothing is plainer. For up∣on the Downs between Marleborough and Au∣bury, not above 20 miles from Stonehenge, which Downs are but a continuation, or rather a part of Salisbury plain, differing nothing from it but in the un-evenness, are to be found abundance of great stones, commonly called by the Coun∣try thereabout, the Gray Weathers; and at Au∣bury in an Orchard there are halfe a dozen, or halfe a score stones little inferiour to the Stone∣henge for hugeness, some standing upright like the Sonehenge, & others lying flat on the ground. And the Country here, like that about the Stonehenge, affords not a stone beside. So that unless we wil have all these stones to be artificiall, wee must grant the Stonehenge to be natural. Now where∣as this unstoniness of the Country about which we speak of, seems to some a strong objection a∣gainst the naturalness of the stones, it is on the contrary, if duly considered, a great argument for it. For what can be more probable, then that Nature could not provide her selfe other∣wise of Lapidifick matter enough to make these huge stones of, but by robbing the cir∣cumjacent parts. The more of that matter here, the less hereabouts; because nature wanting timber, would fetch it nearest hand. I have no more to add touching the Stonehenge, but that near it mens bones are digged up ma∣ny

times. The reason of which is, because it was the ancient burying place for the Kings of the Britans.

About Sapworth near Sharstan are found abun∣dance of stones somewhat like Cockles. yet so ap∣parently differing from their shape, that by the very sight of them one may plainly see that they never were true Cockles; as some do believe. But of these I shall speak more in Gloncestershire.

In the Parish of Luckingten in the edge of this Shire (formerly mentioned) is a well called Hancacks-well the waten whereof is said to be very cold in Summer, and Warm in Winter, and is commended as a fingalar water for the eyes.

HANTSHIRE.

AT Portsmouth in this shire, they boile Salt out of Salt-water, which is our Bay-Salt, being of a pale or greenish colour; and by boil∣ing it again with an art the have they make it exceeding white.

This shire is very plentifull for all sorts of commodities, especially for Kerfies and Iron.

Out of the walls of Silcester in this shire a de∣cayed Town grow huge Oaks (of ten loadsa∣piece,

(saith Stow) that seem to grow to the very stones, spreading both their tops and their roots exceedingly. Also

Near this Town of Silcester, though the land be fruitful enough generally, yet in some places (as it were by Beds) the Soil is nothing near so fruitful as elsewhere, which makes men think, that along these Beds the streets of the old town formerly went. And (which is observable) these unfertile beds do intersect each other, like streets: The conjecture is not unlikely, because the like is reported of the streets of old Richbo∣rough by Sandwich in Kent.

The Isle of Wight is a wholesom air', and the dwellers very aged. It affords plenty of Corn, and the best Wool, next to that of Lemster and Cotswald; As also plenty of Conies, Hares, Phea∣sants, Partridges, &c.

Our Chroniclers tel us, that in the year 1176. in the Ifle of Wight, it rained a shower of blood for two hours together.

At Wickham in this Shire are Medicinal Wa∣ters.

It is reported, that about Portsmouth is a race of small Dogs, like Beagles, that they use there to hunt Moles with, which they hunt as their proper natural Game.

BERKSHIRE.

AT Finchamstead in this Shire, in the yeare 1100 as Writers say, a Well boiled up with streams of blood, and continued so 15. dayes together, whose Waters madered all others where they came. A story not incredible, though very strange; because we read of several the like stories touching Fountains in other Countreys, in Authors of good credit.

In this Shire is one of the fruitful Vales of England for Corn, called the Vale of White Horse.

About the year 1348. (saith Cambden) being presently after the Conjunction of Saturn & Mars, in Capricorn, was a very great Plague over all Eu∣rope, and then was Wallingford, (being a bigger and more confiderable Town then now it is) al∣most dis-peopled with it. The Conjunction of Sa∣turn and Mars, that Cambden means, was 1342. & 43. in February, and it happened in 25. degrees of Capricorn; but in my opinion, it ushered its pretended effect at too large a distance to enti∣tle it self the cause of it. Nor can I believe so small a cause could produce so great an effect; conjunctions of Saturn and Mars happening constantly every two years, and sometimes

(though very rarely) three of them happening in one year, (as in the year 1640. in the last face of Libra, and (if Pitatus have calculated right) in the yeare 1542. in the first face of the pesti∣lent sign Virgo) without any such extraordina∣ry effects succeeding them. And which is as ob∣servable as any thing, in the yeare 1578. was a Conjunction of Saturn and Mars in 23. deg. of Capricorn, (but two degrees short of the Conjun∣ction, 1342.) and yet the following years were not guilty of any extravagant Mortalities, Therefore I conceive it will not be amiss to as∣cribe rather this black effect to something near∣er 1348. viz. to the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 1345. in 18. deg. of Libra (which A∣strologers reckon the house of Saturn) a Conjun∣ction of greater importance and influence, and so more likely to produce a greater effect. And yet I would not be too bold to fasten it upon this Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter neither (till further enquiry be made) because other Conjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter in Libra have passed over more lightly. Unless we wil say that there may be some particular venom about the 18th. degree of Libra which other degrees of Libra father off are not infected with. And in∣deed in the year 553. we are told by Alsted, that there raged so horrid a plague at Constantinople, that there died 5000. in a day, and sometimes 10000. in a day. which was not above two years after a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 19. degrees of Libra, which happened 1551.

Cambden takes notice, that abundance of Fern grows about Reading, a Plant that loves gravel∣ly and sandy places, such, as that Countrey is all about.

SURREY.

THis County is commended for a healthful air; the cause is its sandiness, and being an Inland County.

Under Holmecastle, standing upon a Hill of Grit or crumbling stone, is a great Vault of Ar∣ched Work. Architects tel us, that Arched Work is the more firm, by how much the greater weight lies upon it.

The River Mole runs above a mile under ground and at the place where it falls into the ground groweth abundance of Box naturally. Inquiry might be made by Herbarists, whether the Earth be not of the same nature and com∣position, where the same Vegetables grow natu∣rally.

Near Non-such is a Vein of Potters Earth much commended, of which Crueibles are made for melting of Gold, &c.

The rising of a Bourn or stream near Croydon (as the common people hold) presageth death, as the Plague; and it hath been observed to fall out so. The rising of Bourns in places where they run not alwayes, we have before pro∣ved to be caused by great wet years, which (ac∣cording

to HYpocrates observation) are gene∣rally the most sickly; and if they prove hot, as wel as wet, (because heat and moisture are the great disposers to putrifaction) they prove al∣so malignant, and for the most part pestilential. And the reason why the using of this Bourn doth not always presage the Plague, is because all wet years do not presage hot.

It is observed, that few or no Rivers do ebb and flow so far up from the Sea, as the River of Thames, which flows up as high as Richmond in this Shire: The reason of which is very plain, depending chiefly upon two very great causes. The first is the coming in of the flood, at both ends of this Island, that is, from the Westward by the Cape of Cornwall, and from the North∣ward, by the North end of Scotland, which (as our Books of Navigation tell us) meet at a Rock called the Galloper (which lyes right against the mouth of the River of Thames, between it and the coast of Holland and Flanders, about the mid-way) with very great noise and rippling: Now the two floods (as I said) meeting here, must needs hinder the course of each other, and by consequence make the Sea swell much in this place, and so easily discharge it self by a strong flood into the neighboring River of Thames, ly∣ing so conveniently for its reception. The other cause is the motion of the Earth from West to East, whibh carrying the banks of the Thames a∣long towards the place where the mouth of it was but now, must needs (as it were) draw the Water into it, by leaving it behind. And perad∣venture

upon enquiry, it will be found that the floods run more strongly (for this reason) up into those Rivers that discharge themselves into the sea on the East side of a great Iland or Con∣tinent, then those on the West side; and that where there are Currents or Streams that run thwart on upon a shore, they beat more violent∣ly (in calm weather) upon Eastern, then Western shores. But whether this be the reason why on the East side of the Continents of Asia, Africa, and America, there be many more small Islands, then on the Western side of those Continents, (for so our Maps inform us, witness Japan, the Philippine Islands, the Moluccos, the Maldivae, the two Javas, Sumatra, Madagascar, &c. on the Ea∣stern side of Asia and Africk, and the great swarm of Islands, called, the Summer Islands, (to which we may ad those vast shoulds on the coast of Brasil, (on the Eastern side of America) or whether it be from the constant Intra-tropical Eastwind that galls the Lee-shores, and hath in long process of time carved them so curiously into Islands, is hard to say at present, but must be left to a more through disquisition.

The Waters of Ebbesham in this shire are very famous, and much frequented for their Medici∣nal virtue, and purging by siege. These Waters without doubt receive their Tincture from some Mineral-Mass that lurks in the neighbor∣ing-hills (it may be under Banstead-Downs) and that the bowels of the earth hereabout are preg∣nant of some such matter, seeming by that Cru∣cible-Clay (mentioned but now) found about

Non-such, which (as I am told) blushes some∣thing like Terra Lemnia in some places.

It is reported, that on the hills by Farneham are Snake-stones to be found, of the form (but not of the colour) of those at Alderley in Gloce∣stershire.

SUSSEX.

THis is a Maritine County, and therefore no wonder it affords plenty of Fish and Sea-Fowl. The Soil is rich, the Land low, and the Ways deep. It was anciently in a manner an en∣tire Wood, being part of the great Wood An∣dradswald, which was 120. miles long, and 30. miles broad.

In this County are many Iron Mines, but the Iron here made is more brittle then Spanish I∣ron. Also,

Here they make Glass, but it is neither very good, nor very clear.

The place at Battel, where the fatal battle was fought between William the Conqueror and Harold, looks of a reddish colour after rain. I cannot think it to be the Conquerors Livery that it still wears. No doubt that was worn out long since, both colour and Cloath, unless that kind of ground be more retentive

of stains then others; or hath better luck then the places where the great Battels of our late Warres have been sought, where no signs remain at all of the Tragedies a∣cted there. Certainly it is nothing but the natural colour of the earth, which it had before that Battel; for all men know, that in several parts of England the earth is more then reddish, as in some places of the Weald of Kent, and particularly at a place in the lower side of the Parish of Sutton-Valence.

The Downs in Sussex by the sea-coast, because they stand upon a fat Chalk, or Marle, are abun∣dantly fertile of Corn. Downs generally are barren, because eit her they were ab initio, of a hungry Clay, or else if they consisted of light loose earth (which is ge∣nerally more fertile then other sorts of earth) yet it is continually washed away by great rains into the Valleys. I mean the upper face of the earth before it is rotted e∣nough to be fat, and disposed for generation. But where downs and descents (as these we speak of) consist of a fat clammy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chalk or Marle, the great shoots of rain have not power to moulder it so fast, and wash it away into the Valleys; so that being fat & fertile at their first Creation, it is easie for them to continue so. It is obser∣ved in Glocestershire, (and it may be is as true in all Clayie Countreys) that the hills, and sides of hills are the most wet and clayie. The cause doubt less is the same with this, to wit, That the rains that fall, wash by degrees the uppermost mould down into the Valleys, because it is more loose and light; but leaves the under∣clay behind, because more stiff and fast, and so very hardly to be tempted away. And this I suppose to be the reason why waters running over meer Clay, or issu∣ing from it, are hungry, and clear, as we find in our

land-springs about Badminton, because the Clay is unapt to mix with the water. And I suppose for the same reason, that if Downs consisting of light loose earth were ploughed, they would in process of time (by constant ploughing) lose much at theof unevenness, and becom plain, (I mean where there are no more enclosures to stop the concourse of the washed mould) whereas lying unploughed, they continue with very little alteration: But for the same reason Clayie Downs ploughed are not likely to suffer any great change.

At Selsey in this shire (saith Cambden) are great stores of Cockles and Lobsters; probably the shore there is rocky and hard, which kind of places Lob∣sters and Cockles delight in.

In the year 1250. the Town of Winchelsey was swallowed up of the sea. The like fate befel the Lands of Earl Goodwin, which were (as we read) once firm Land; but then by a sudden inundation of the sea devoured (and turned into Goodwin Sands.) As also were at the same time a great part of the Low-Countreys, and some part of Scotland as Hector Boethins saith.

KENT.

THis County being a kind of Peninsula, the Sea and the Thames encompassing the greatest part of it; the air is not very clear, because of va∣pors continually rising. Nor is it so cold (saith Speed) as other parts of England are: Which must be understood of the low places near the sea, where the air is not onely not so cold as in other parts of England, but also as in other parts of Kent, as appears by the sooner dissolving of the snow in Winter, upon a thaw in these places, then in the Upland and hilly parts of the County, where it many times in Winter snows, when in the low Maritine places nothing falls but rain. My self bath several times observed it so, and I belive the like difference may be observed between the Upland and Maritine places in other Connties.

No Mines in Kent, but a little Iron about Tun∣bridge.

The Medicinal Wells at Tunbridge are sufficient∣ly known. To render a reason of which, we need say no more, then that they are made so Medici∣nal by issuing from, or running through the Iron Mines there. And that which induces me the more to think so, is because the Waters are so good for Splenitick Diseases, in which Pouder of Steel is so often prescribed. I do almost believe, could the

truth of it be well searched out, it will hold as an Universal Maxim, that wheresoever the Waters are Medicinal, there are near the place Iron Mines, or some of the baser Metals; and that wheresoever the hot Springs rise, (as at the Bath here) there are near the place Mines of Silver, Tin, or some of the purer sort of Metals. For we all know, that in Devonshire and Cornwall, the Tin Mines are, where also Silver hath been found, as it hath like∣wise been in Wales: Nor is it impossible that the like Metals might be found nearer Bath. So much is already certain, that the Coals that are digged about Bristol, and several parts in Glocestershire, have Metalline veins (many of them) running along them like Gold, as is aforesaid in Cornwall. And it is very observable also, that in the Confines of Germany, between it and Helvetia, and in sundry places of Saxony, and the parts thereabout, there are as abundance of hot Baths, so also abundance of Silver Mines.

It is reported that at Egerton near Lenham, is a Spring, whose Water turns Wood into Stone.

Three miles directly South from Tunbridge, near Frant, in the very edge of Sussex, in a white sandy ground, are diverse huge craggy stones, of strange forms, whereof two of the greatest stand so close together, and yet are divided with so strait a Line, as one would think they had been sawn a∣sunder.

A small Rivulet of Medway loseth it self under ground, and riseth again at a Parish called Loose, not far from Cocks Heath.

There are three ridges of Hills in Kent: The first is that, that runs by Boxtey, Dettling, Helling∣born, &c. and is called, Health without Wealth. The second is that that runs along by Sutton-Ulcomb, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Malherse, &c. and is called, Health and Wealth. The third is that, that runs by Tenterden, and is called, Wealth without Health: Names very proper for them, and the reason very plain why they are so.

August the 4th. 1585. after a very violent tem∣pest of Thunder and Rain, at Motingham in this shire, eight miles from London, the ground sud∣denly began to sink, and three great Elmes grow∣ing upon it, were carried so deep into the earth, that no part of them could any more be seen. The hole left, (saith the story) is in compass 80. yeards about, and a Line of 50. sathom plummed into it, finds no bottom. Also,

December the 18. 1596. A mile and half from Westram, Southward (which is not many miles from Motingham) two Closes lying together, se∣parated with aihedge of hollow Ashes, there was found a part thereof 12. Perches long, to be sunk fix foot and a half deep; the next morning 15. foot more; the third morning 80. foot more at the least, & so daily that great Trench of ground, containing in lenght about 80. Perches, and in breadth 28. began with the Trees and Hedges on it, to loose it self from the rest of the ground ly∣ing round about it, and withall, to move and shoot Southward day and night for eleven days. The ground of two Water-pits, the one six foot deep of Water, the other 12. at the least, and about

four Perches over in breadth, having sundry tuffs of Aldars and Ashes growing in the bottoms, with a great Rock of Stone under them, were not on∣ly removed out of their places, and carried toward the South, at least four Perches a pieces; but with∣all, mounted aloft, and become hills, with their sedge. Flags, and black mud upon the tops of them, higher them the face of the Water (which they had for saken) by 9 foot, and in the place from which they are removed, other ground, which lay higher, is descended, receiving the Water which lyes upon it. Moreover in one pace of the plain field, there is a great hole made by sinking of the earth to the depth of 30. foot at the least, being in breath in some places two Pearches over, and in length five or six pearches. Also there is a hedge 30. pearches long, carryed Southward with his Trees seven pearches at the least. And sundry o∣ther sinkings there be in diverse places, one of 60. foot, another of 47. and another of 34. foot. By means of which confusion it is come to pass, that where the highest Hills were, there be the deepest Dales, and the lowest Dales are become the high∣est grounds. The whole measure of breaking was at the least nine Acres, seven days works, and four Pearches, &c. To this effect is this strange sto∣ry related in our Chronicles, with the other of Motingham, both which we have no reason to doubt the truth, since of late years; namely Anno 1657. we have had a fresh example of an Earth∣sinking at Bickley in Cheshire, of which we shall speak in its place, and which answers to that or Motingham. And our Chronicles afford us two ve∣ry

remarkable stories of Earth-removing, one in Herefordshire, 1571. Marcley-Hill, and another at Armitage in Dorsetshire, of which we have already spoken. Now for Earth sinking, I conceive I have found out the cause (in cafe the Countrey about Motingham and Bickley be loose and sandy) and I imagine it to be this: The Springs that run to and fro in the body of the earth, the deeper they run, the more they are encreased in quantity; and as they run thus, if the earth be loose or sandy, they must needs wash and carry away the sand or loose earth with them by degrees, and so make their pas∣sages bigger and bigger, both in breadth & depth. For the earth being hollowed and vaulted by this means, the sieling (as I may call it) of this Vault, (being as we conceived sandy and loose) moulders and drops down by degrees into the stream under it, which as it falls, still clears it away; and thus at lenght it is not improbable, that it becomes a very spacious and deep hollowness. Now while this hol∣lowness continues thus encreasing, sometimes lit∣tle, sometimes much, according as the temper of the year augments, or diminishes the bulk & force of the waters) there comes at length a great glnt of Rain, which exceedingly encreasing the waters, and by consequence the violence of these subter∣rahian streams, they wash away now much more of the sides of the Vault (this little River over∣flowing its ordinary banks) then at other times, and withall the weight of the incumbent earth; (that I mean which lyes right over this cavity) is much augmented by the extream wet. So that the weight being much more, and the strenght to sup∣port

the mass of Earth much less, I cannot con∣ceive what can follow hereupon, but a sinking of the incumbent Earth to the very bottom, how deep soever it be; Sometimes by degrees, and sometimes all at once, ac∣according to the nature of the Earth, which in some places I confess, though sandy, yet may not be meer sand; And it may be the air within the vault gives not place so quickly, as the earth hath a desire to descend, but must be squeezed out by little and little. Further I conceive, that after great wets, the strong tendency of the waters downward altogether, presseth in the air in the vault on all fides, and so begets a conflict between the water and the air, the air struggling outragi∣ously to free it self, which conflict begets a confu∣sion, and this confusion must needs loosen the in∣cumbent earth, and so much contribute also to its falling in, if it be loose and sandy. And I am of opinion, that whensoever the truth comes to be found out, it will appear, that this tumultuary tendency of waters downward (after great wets) pressing in the air (as I said) in hollow places of the Earth; begets a conflict, and that a concussi∣on which is that we call an Earthquake. For so much is truer then truth it self, that Earthquakes always succeed great wets, or a sudden glut, and tempest of rain in the time of a great drought, See 1 King. Which commonly falls all in one place, or Country, and none in another, and is for the most part much more large and pouring, then in dripping years for a plain reason; Witness that horrid thunder-shower, that poured down so

much rain in so short a time and within so little compass of ground, and made so great a flood in the Parish of great Badminton in Glocestershire, June 1652. in the middle of the greatest drought, that our age hath known. Besides it is further to be considered, that sandy places doth more easi∣ly let in the rain into the bowells of the Earth, so that it distills not down by drops, but presently, and almost altogether; nor can it mix with the sand to make dirt, and evaporate upward from whence it came (as rain doth in most forts of earth) but descends more entire, little or none of that wet that falls, returning, unless the Sun shine very forciblyout, immediately after the rain, and then it cannot draw much neither. And I partly believe, that those little sinkings of Earth in sandy ways in wet years (called Quicksands) such as I have seen one towards the upper end of Bocton streer, in the road between Sittingbourr. and Canterbury. and others in many other places) are but the effects of some of the smaller sorts of these causes; and the reason why they are rather in road-ways, then other places, is onely because of the great weight of carriages, that sends the pendulous earth going. Thus far I have ventured at the cause of earth sinking, and would attempt as much at earth removings, were I but sure, that Machley-hill in Herefordshire, Westram in Kent, and Armitage in Dorsetshire were all of a fat and clam∣my soile, and not very stiffe; (for then I think I have much to say to the cause of those too) but till I am sure, I shall be silent, though some of Herefordshire have told me, that Marcley-hil is such as I would have it to be.

In Tenderden-steeple some where about the Belfrey (I have been told) there is a stone, which as the Rain falls upon it immediately out of the air, or drops down from the stones on the side of the steeple about it, grows in a matter of five or six years very manifestly, and having been pared away with an Instrument, grows up again as high as before.

Upon the shores of the Isle of Shepey are found weighty stones, out of which Brimstone and Co∣peras are tryed by Minster in the same Island, by boiling them in a furnace made for the pur∣pose.

Nigh Feversham, & likewise in other parts of Kent are pits of great depth (saith Cambden) narrow at the mouth, and very wide below, which have di∣stinctions of rooms and Chambers, as it were with severall pillars of Chalk to support them; out of which he thinks, the old Britans dug Chalk to ma∣nure their Land withall, as Pliny also saith: And which is observable, and much to the purpose, they are not found but in Chalky and Marly soile. The pits Cambden means, I suppose, are the great pit near the Town, called Hagdale-Pit; The great Chalk pit joining to the Road-way, between Feuersham and Bocton; There is another too on the right hand of the way going up from the Town toward Shelwich, near Copton Farme-house; Another between Davington Church, and Stone Church; to which we may adde one or two great pits in the parish of Norton, in a Field not far from the Beacon-hill, which are very deep, and yet very narrow to the top.

Wheresoever the streets went in Richborow (an ancient Town near Sandwich, long since destroy∣ed and gone) the corn that is now there sowed, in those places is but thin. And it is reported that the cement of the old walls is as hard as the stone.

Great store of Sampire grows on the clifts be∣tween Deale and Dover.

The Weald for wood, East Kent for Corn, Rum∣ney for meadow, Tenbaem for an Orchard Sheppey & Reculuer for Wheat, Tha••et for Barley and Hed∣corn for the brood of fat, big, and commended Capons.

At Dengeness for a mile and more grow abun∣dance of Holly trees naturally among nothing but Beach and Pebbles. And westward from Dengeness among the Beach grow peason naturally like Clu∣sters of Grapes together, in tast very like our field peason. The like to which as also a kind of Hops do grow naturally among a great deal of Beach and Pebbles in the Marshes between the Isle of Thanet and Sandwich, about a mile (or better) from the Town, as I was told by an inhabitant of Sandwich.

Cambden supposeth, that England hath formerly been united to the continent about Calais; be∣cause in the middle between Calais and Dover the Sea is but 25 fathom deep (even as between Sicily and Italy it is but 80 paces, which Island likewise hath anciently been thought to have been united to Italy) but on both sides of it the Sea is much deeper. Moreover in the very middle between Calais & Dover is one bank called Frowen-shoale,

which at a low water is scarce three fathom deep, but within halfe a league of it to the Southward it is 27 fathom deep, and to the Northward 25. Likewise the clifts are alike high about Calais and Dover, and of the same matter and colour. My o∣pinion is, that the Shallowness in that place may peradventure be caused rather from the narrow∣ness of the Sea there, and its being so near the place where the two floods meet, that come in at both ends of the Island (of which I spake before) & so by degrees work up the sand, gravel, stones, &c here in heaps, which they wash from the ground, as they come along; and not from having been the Isthmus of England formerly. For I have been told by credible men, that between the Isle of She∣pey and the continent of Kent, at the place where the two floods meet, that come in at both ends of the Island, there is the like shelfe or shallow place, that lyes cross from the continent to the Island, which no doubt is caused by the same means. But as to the likeness of the cliffs on both sides; I am able to say nothing of it.

It is reported that at Sellenge and Egerton, about 40 years ago were medicinall waters.

Cranebrook hath the name for good Beer.

It is reported, that there are no moles in the Isle of Shepey, and that if they be carryed over thither (as it hath been tryed) they will not live.

The Isle of Thanet is all Chalky, and hath the name for the best Barley. Query Whether Chalky land be not the most naturall soyle for Barley.

Tenham, and the parishes in that levell, are very unhealthfull. The reason is, because they stand low, and among the marshes. And another rea∣son may be, because theearth there is very rotten, and quagmiry, and therefore is apt to mix with the Spring-waters that issue from it, and corrupt them.

The River Stoure, that runs through Canterbu∣ry, breeds the best Trouts in the South-East parts of England.

At Boxley Abbey, about two miles from Maidstone, is a Spring, the water whereof (as it is reported) in nine days will turn sticks, and such like wood into stone.

In the Parish of Lewesham, about six miles from London, is a Medicinall water. It was found about the year 1651, and hath been since much fre∣quented. Taken in a good plentisull quantity, it purgeth gently by urine and siege. It riseth on a great Common, upon the descent of the highest hill in that part of Kent, and is supposed to issue from an Aluminous earth.

I spake before of the earth sinking at Motting∣ham. I have since viewed the place, and find the Country to be all a gravelly loose earth, accor∣ding to my Hypothesis. The hole where the earth sunk in, lyes in a water-course, and is since by de∣grees filled up with that sulledge that great rains bring into it.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

THe hilly part of this County (called Castwald) abounds with fine wool, small sheep which are long-necked, and square of bulk, and bone) and hath a very pleasant air: The low parts of it are exceeding fruitfull and rich in Corns, so that (as Cambden saith) it returns an hundred for one. The parts about Bristol afford great store of Coals that cake as New Castle Coal doth, but yet dif∣fer from it, as I have already said. The Northern parts of it are as abundant in fruit; And the Apple trees and Pear trees that grow in every hedge, are not graffed, but grow naturally, by rea∣son the ground is so inclined to bear fruit; Yet the fruit for beauty and tast far exceeds all others, and will keep till a new supply come; Yea some of them will not wither or rivell in a whole year. The part of Gloucestershire beyond the River of Seavern (called the Forrest of Dean) is stored with Iron Mines.

Speed tells us further, that this Shire is very full of Vineyards, which thrive very happily, and bear very plesant Grapes; so that the Wines made of them are little inferiour to the French Wines.

The River of Seavern is very swift, and there is a daily rage and sury of its waters, raising up the Sands and Mire from the bottome, winding and

driving them upon heaps, & somtimes overflow∣ing her banks. And the force of this rage is such, that it will overturn a Vessell, if it take it on the side.

Tewkesbury hath a name for excellent mustard.

About the Quire in the Cathedrall Church of Gloucester in an Arch of it, there is a wall built in form of a Semicircle full of corners; and if a man speak with a very low voice, at the one side, or end of it, and another lay his ear to the other, be∣ing a good way distant, he may very easily hear e∣very syllable, theotherspeaks. This whispering place I have seen, and surveighed very carefully. It is in the form, that I have described here.

[illustration]

A C D E F B is the passage of the voice, or whispering place. At A and B are the two persons to stand that whisper to each other. At D the middle of the passage is door and entrance into

a Chappel, with Window Cases on each side of the door, if I remember right. The Chappel is in the place I describe it. And to my best re∣membrance there are one or two places open upward in the roof of the passage. My opinion is, that the Chappel standing so in the middle, much conduceth to the conveighing of the sound so entirely, which is helped by the open places in the roof I speak of. For they seem to draw in the voice, wchelse would not so welenter into that narrow passage, but reverberate back into that broad open place, before the whisper∣ing entry. And one thing which makes me think the Chappel doth a great part of the Work, is, for that we see in Viols. Lutes, and o∣ther Musical instruments, there are holes cut in∣to the belly of the instrument, just under the playing or striking place, which we find by ex∣perience do much augment the noise of the notes, and make them more audible. But in this, and most other things, I say, I give but my poor judgement, submitting it to the censure of the learned.

At Stroud (commonly called Stroud-water) they dye Scarlet; the Water there (as they say) having a peculiar property to give the right tin∣cture, which other waters generally want. So much variety there is in Water, according to the several Earths that they pass through.

No Snakes or Adders to be found about Bad∣minton; I suppose the cause to be the barrenness and coldness of the Land the reabout; for Snakes are bred out of rich, fat, and hot mould, or

mud (whence we find them commonly about ditches, and low, rich, shady grounds, lurking under long grass) of which this Countrey af∣fords no great plenty. Besides being an open Countrey, it wants that shade and shelter that they delight in.

In the fields about Badminton are found many times Cylindrical stones, long and round, like a mans finger. The inner part of them is like flint, somewhat pellucid, and of a sad brown colour, and it is enclosed round on the outside with a whitish Putamin, like Flint too.

About Badminton also are several holes (called Swallow-holes) where the Waters (after any great shower of rain, or in Winter, when their Springs run) fall into the bowels of the earth, and are seen no more, nor is it known whether ever they rise again. The most remarkable of them are one or two, in the way between Bad∣minton and Acton Farfeild. All that I can say to them yet, is, that in a Clayie and slatty Coun∣trey, if there be any inlets and passages into the Earth by reason of its discontinuity here and there, they are likely enough to be kept o∣pen, because such kind of earth is not apt to moulder with wet, and fall in, and so dam them up.

At Alderley (saith Speed) a Countrey Parish 8. miles from the Severn, upon the hills, to this day are found Cockles, Periwinkles, and Oy∣sters of solid stone. This place being but four or five miles from Badminton, the seat of that noble Family, that I have the honor to be a ser∣vant

to, I have very diligently examined, and found it thus: The place where the stones are found, is partly a Sand, and partly a Clay; Coc∣kles I found, but neither Periwinkles nor Oy∣sters: But though I found not them, yet instead of Periwinkles I found many Serpentine stones (or Snake stones, as they call them thereabout) flat, resembling the banner of Dan, as it's given in the Genealogies at the beginning of some of our English Bibles And instead of Oysters, I found Scallops, perfect fragments of them I mean (par∣don the seeming contradiction) which I con∣ceive had been broken with Ploughing: They were exactly ridged in rows at certain short di∣stances, just like a Scallop-shell. Moreover, an ho∣nest inhabitant of the parish bestowed upon me a whole Scallop, that is somewhat bigger then the ordinary size of Scallops, with a perfect shell up∣on it, ridged (as is before said) very naturally, and having an irregular piece of stone growing to it. No man that looks upon it, would at first sight imagine it to be other then a true Scallop∣shell, so curiously it represents it in its colour, and onely exceeds it a little (as I said) in its dimension. Besides these, I found other figured stones, some resembling very much the Muscle∣fish; but they were somewhat bigger too, then what they were like; and others like the kernel of an Almond, long, and somewhat roundish, with two edges opposite to each other, and they were streaked and cranked like a Cockle-shell. Other little stones I found, somewhat bigger then a Hasel-Nut, and some much less, that

were cranked in like a Cockle-shell, but deeper, and not so thick together as a Cockle-shel: Some of them did resemble also the Cockle very near, others not so much; yet all did so sufficiently differ from the form of it, at the supposed open∣ing place of the Cockle, that a man may easily judge that they never were Cockles; for there the two shels were bent up in the fashion almost of a blobber-lip. And that which is not unworthy our consideration, is, that they are few of them like one another; some being flat∣ter, others more round; some have the lip more turned up, others less. They have upon them a whitish shining shel, and within they are (for some I have broken) a mass of little particles, of a pellucid matter (somewhat like Alablaster) grown hard together. The Countrey hereabout for some miles round upon the hills, affords ma∣ny of these last sort of stones; for I have found them in gravel that was digged in Badminton, and sometimes I have found of them growing to great irregular stones about the Countrey. I have been told that about Sapworth by Sharston, there are abundance of them to be found. I found one of them in Witney Town, seven Miles from Oxford, upon a paved Causey: How it came there, I know not, nor had I time to enquire whether the Countrey thereabout afford any store, or any more of them. The Snake-stones I spoke of, have a perfect spina running all along the back of them (as those also at Keynsham have; but those at Keynsham are much bigger then these at Alderley, and lye in another man∣ner)

with little ridges (like ribs) on both sides of them, all along from the head without, to the tail within, in the form almost of a Roman S. and in this they agree with those of Keinsham too. Further, the outer part of this snaky wreath is divisible, and may be knocked off from the inner part of the wreath to which it is joi∣ned, without taking from it, or losing to it; so that it is not one entire Stone throughout, but is within, as it seems without, separable with a little violence; and in this too they agree with the Snake-stones of Keinsham. Lastly, on the out∣side they have a kind of skale, thin and shining, as if it were a little polished; in some whitish like Alablaster; in others brownish, of the colour of a dryed Eel-skin; and in others again of a dirty yellow colour, inclining something to red. My opinion of all these stones, for many reasons, is that they are not Shel-fish petrified (as some would have them to be, who think that upon the ebb of the deluge these fish were left upon the tops of hills, and turned to stone by degrees, wanting their former moisture to keepe them soft within, like other Shelfish.) For first, they are all solid within, without any cavity, even the Muscles, Cockles, and Scallops. Again, some of the Muscles, Cockles, and Scallops, are a great deal bigger then true ones. Thirdly, the Snake∣stones are without heads generally, if not all; for as for those appearances of heads which some fancy at the outer end of some of them, I take them rather for irregular pieces of stone, and as it were attempts of Nature to continue

the wreath further on; but as all works of Na∣ture are finite, she being here at her Ne-plus-ul∣tra, is not able to produce what she would, but doth what she can toward it, which is but an imperfect Lump, even as a weak Womb produ∣ces a Moon-Calf. Fourthly, some of these Mock∣fishes have but half their shapes, the other part being an irregular and deformed Mass, Nature as it were failing in her Workmanship, for want of fit matter in that place. Nay one of the Snake-stones I gathered, hath a Segment (as I may call it) of another less Snake so joined to the side of it, that there can be no room for the other side of the Segment, but in the very bo∣dy and bulk of the greater. And one of the Cockles I gathered (being indeed but halfe a Cockle, nothing but one Cockle-shel, with a lump of irregular stony matter in the cavity of it) hath within the hollow of the shel almost joining to it, another little Cockle-shel peeping (as it were) out of that irregular stony matter I speak of. Fifthly, these stones are not so abso∣lutely like those creatures they would seem to represent petrified as they should be; for there is an apparent difference between the Muscle stone, and the true Muscle of the sea, both in the shape of the stones, and in the cranking of it; for it is cranked like a Cockleshel almost, which the Mus∣cleshel of the sea is not, unless perhaps there be some such Muscle of the sea which I never saw. Again, the stone which I said was like the ker∣nel of an Almond, I know not what fish or crea∣ture to liken it to, unless it be a Snag without

shel (such as are in Peason, and in Gardens at time of year) when his horns are drawn in, and his body is shrunk up; and yet it doth not so per∣fectly resemble that neither, because this is cranked on the side, and that is not. And yet further, those other little stones which I said were less then Cockles, with a lip turned up, are neither exactly like Cockles, nor any other Shel∣fish that I have seen, but seem, rather to be as natural stones, as Flints or Pebbles. But that which wil put the matter quite out of doubt, is, that the Scallop which I said was given me, and which I have now by me, and intend to preserve for the satisfaction of the curious, is most mani∣festly different from the true Shel-fish of the Name; for whereas the true Scallop hath one shel concave, and the other flat, both the pretended shels of this Scallop-stone are concave. So that unless there be a kind of Scallop which I never saw yet, this one stone is able to convince any man that these stones are not petrificatious. Natural there is no doubt they are, and such as now they are from the Creation; but how they came to put on such strange and imitating figures, is a secret we dare not meddle with, til we have satisfied Sir Fran∣cis Bacons mind, by writing a compleat History of Nature and Art. I onely forget to tel you, that all these stones are found near the surface of the Earth; and if you dig any depth, you find no more of them; and that they are also to be found upon the Hil hetween Hilsley and Up∣ton (about a mile from Alderley Southward) in the horse-way.

In the Parish of Great Badminton, in a Field there, called, Twelve Acres, the Husbandmen do often times plough up, and find iron Bullets as big as Pistol bullets, and some almost as big as Musket bullets.

At Tormanton, (commonly called Tormarton) by Sodbury is a Quarry of Free-stone, and seve∣ral others there are about the Countrey. All kinds of stone are not to be found in one kind of earth, but several soils afford several kinds of stone. Chalky Countreys afford Flint; Sandy (if they find any) a great rough stone, generally (I think always) of the colour of the Sand where it is; Loamy, a kind of lightish red bastard Flint, such as is to be found in many places in the road way between Rochester and the top of Boxley-hill; Gravelly Pebbles, and clayie Countreys, in some places afford hard, rough, whitish stone, and in other places Free-stone, according to the differ∣ence of the Clay. It seems every soil is most apt to afford that stone that is most of kin, and nea∣rest of nature to it. And therefore it may be, it is the less wonder that Chalky ground should afford Flint, because Flint (like all pellucid sub∣stances) being pulverized, becomes almost per∣fectly white like Chalk. I have no more to add of the Free-stone of Tormarton, but that if it be nearly viewed with a diligent eye, it seems to be nothing but an infinite number of little Grains of Gravel cemented together into a Mass, which I think will be found true of all Free-stone

At Lassington a village about a mile and a halfe from Gloucester West or Northwest, on the fide of a hill, a little below the brow of it, in the high way are to be found little Star-stones, the Greeks call them Astroites. They are thin (about the thickness of a halfe-Crown,) flat and five pointed like a Star or Mullet in Heraldry, onely the points of them are not sharp, but a little roundish, and most of them are not so big as a sin∣gle halfe penny, though some are very near as big. Further they are of a grayish colour, and on both sides curiously graved (as it were by art with a fine graving instrument, & a neat hand) as if there were a little Mullet within the great. You shall find many of them joined together (flat fide to flat side) in little Columnes, or Prismes an inch long or more, halfe a score or more of them to∣gether, and so fast, that you cannot sever them without breaking; though they are distinguished with a perfect line. I believe they were all knit together in such Columnes at first, (even those which are found single) and that they were severed by frost, or some such piercing cause. Being told of these Rarities so nigh me, I took a jour∣ney to see the place, and gathered many of the stones, and found them such as I have told you. Being put into Vinegar they have a motion, as other Astroites have, though not so lively; I sup∣pose because of the shortness, and roundishness of their points, in the form of which I conceive lyes a great part of the cause of their motion. Some of these stones (like the stones at Alderly) are deficient in their figure, and have the defect sup∣plied

(or rather Super-supplied) with a rugged formless matter, hard like it self. I observed that the ground is a miry deep rotten Clay, and ex∣tream bad way in Winter, and (which I wondred most of all at) there were here and there great Pebbles as big as a mans fist, or thereabout, ming∣led with this rotten earth, and by enquiry I found that this mixture of Pebbles was not from any mending of the high way, but the meer originall nature of the Earth, for I found these Pebbles in the fields as well as in the high ways. So that since this thwarts, what we said but now of Pebbles be∣ing the naturall companions of gravelly land, we are willing to grant, that (as in Grammar, so) in naturall philosophy there is no general rule with∣out an exception. Query, Whether in other pla∣ces, where the Star-stones are found, as about Shugbury in Warwickshire, and Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, the earth be so rotten, deep and miry, and withall whether there be any such great Pebbles mixed with it, as here, and in particular enquire.

At Purton passage over the River of Seavern, where the shore as it is reported, yieldeth these Star-stones also, but they are bigger, and the Co∣lumnes of them longer then at Lassington. And in∣deed accordingly it is delivered to me, as a miry ousy shore in some places, and a quicksand in o∣thers, very dangerous for horse and man at low water, and one of the worst passages, over the Ri∣ver at those times.

At Puckle Church (about 6 miles from Bristol) they dig a kind of Stone that is hard, blewish,

broad and about halfe a foot thick, and so even, and the sides so parallel to each other, as if nature had intended it for Tombestones. The stones are many of them of a very great breadth, and lye some six or seven of them one under another in bed, and of about the same thickness all of them; and then they come to a light blewish Clay, be∣lowwhich is no more of this stone to be found. The uppermost bed of the stone lyes very near to the surface of the earth, so that in one place near the Town in the high way, a man rides for ten peir∣ches or more, as if he rode upon a pavement of broad stone; or rather upon one entire stone.

OXFORDSHIRE.

THis County (saith Speed) hath a wholesome temperate air, and rich soil.

There are in one place of this shire Stones set up in a round Circle (like the Stonehenge) called Rollrich stones.

The City of Oxford is a very healthfull place, which Cambden thinks is, because it is defended from the South wind, and the West, but lyes open to the North-East and East wind.

On the descent of Heddenton hill near Oxford rises a spring, which runs down towards Kings∣mill,

a mill so called, lying over against Magdalen Colledge. It is reported, that this spring hath a petrifying quality, and will in some short time, if a stick be laid in it, either turn it into stone, or wrap it in a stony crust.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

IN this Shire grows Beech in greater plenty, then in any, at least most Counties of England; and it grows most in the Chalky parts of it.

The Sheep in the Vales of this Shire (saith Speed) have most excellent fine and soft fleeces.

About Marlow, when their land is worn out, they make it rich again with Chalking of it, so that it bears corn abundantly.

Bedfordshire & Hartfordshire.

BEdfordshire (saith Speed) hath temperate air, and in the North good soile, but the South not so good, yet it is excellent good for Barley. So that this County (as also her next neighbour Hartfordshire) hath the name for the best Barley in the Eastern parts of England.

In the year 1399, just before the warrs brake out between the two illustrious Roses of York and Lancaster, on New years day, the deep River that passeth between Suelstone and Harwood (two vil∣lages not far from Bedford Town) called Ouse, sud∣denly ceased its course, and stood still; so that for∣ward men passed three miles together on foot in the very depth of the Channell, and backward the waters swelled up to a great height, which some judicious men observing, conceived was an ill o∣men of that division, which followed shortly after between K. Richard the second, and his people. I dare not be surety for the truth of every circum∣stance of this story, yet I believe the main of it may be true. But I cannot conceive how so strange a thing should come about, unless it were by a sudden frost (the time of the year being season∣able for it) which might congeal those waters that fed the stream, at their first issuing out of the earth at the head of the River, the rest of the water

in the mean time passing away down, because be∣ing in motion they were not so capable of conge∣lation. Notwithstanding the story mentions not a word of frost, which peradventure might be the cause of it for all that; the custome of those that tell such strange stories, being prudently to con∣ceale those particulars that are likely to bewray the naturall cause, and spoil the miracle; It being as naturall to the generality of visible creatures, to love being the Authors of wonderfull relations as to laugh.

There was in time past an odd story of K. Offa's leaden Tomb, (which was once in Bedford Town) that it appears often to them that esek it not, but cannot be seen of them that seek it. But whether the report continue still, I know not.

At Aspley-Gowiz near Woburn is an earth, that they say turneth wood into stone, and that a woodden ladder was to be seen in the Monastery hard by, which having lien a good while co∣vered all over with it, was digged out again all stone.

Dunstable stands upon a Chalky ground, ha∣ving four streets, & in each of them it hath a pond, which is fed with rain, and hath no Spring (for they have never a well in the Town under twenty four Cubits deep) and yet these ponds are ne∣ver dry.

In our remembrance (saith Cambden) near Fishpoole-street in Saint Albans certain Anchors were digged up: This is a very strange thing in∣deed, and very well worth the Ventilating It puts me in mind, of what the Poet Ovid sings

in the person of Pythagoras of Samos,

—Vetus inventa est in montibus Anchora summis.

On tops of hills old Anchors have been found.

There is near St. Albans a Brook called Wen∣mere, or Womere, which never breaketh out, but it foretelleth dearth and scarcity of Corn, or else some extraordinary dangerous times shortly to ensue, as the Common people believe. See what we have said of the river Kennet in Wiltshire, touch∣ing the breaking forth of unusuall Springs. If now that it is a brook and runs but seldome, it be of so ill portent, let them that have a mind to smile, say, of how fatall a signification it was, when it was a river, and a Navigable one too, as the Anchors before mentioned seem wil∣ling to perswade us.

At Ashwell in Hartfordshire rise so many sources of Springs together, that they present∣ly drive a Mill, and become a pretty big River. See before, what we said of the Spring at Chedder in Sommersetshire.

MIDDLESEX.

THe air of this Shire is healthfull (as being all a gravell) and the soile rich, as being gene∣rally flat and levell, and having a ready help at hand, the fat compost of a populous City.

At Barnet are medicinall waters, very famous.

Heston a small village near Harrow on the Hill, is very famous for yielding the purest flowr for Manchet.

The water of Crowders Well (saith the Author of Tactometria) on the back side of St. Giles by Cripplegate, and that of the Postern Spring on Tow∣er Hill, have a very pleasant tast like that of new milk, and are very good for sore eyes. But Crow∣ders well is far better of the two. An ancient man (saith the same Author) in London whensoever he was sick, would drink plentifully of this Crow∣ders well water, and was presently made well a∣gain; and whensoever he was overcome of drink he would drink of this water, which would pre∣sently make him sober again.

The Stews by the Bank-side (saith Cambden) in Southwarke were made to feed Pikes & Tenches sat, and to scour them from their muddy Fennish tast. I have seen (saith he) Pikes panches opened with

a knife to shew their fatness, and presently the wounds have come together again by the touch of tenches, and by the help of their glewy slime been perfectly healed up.

The shore of this Shire is washed by the good∣ly River of Thames, which glidts along with a much more clear and gentle stream then the ri∣ver of Severn. The cause of the clearness of the Water, is its running in a gravelly Valley, and over a clear ground, Gravel being unapt to mix with Water, when it is stirred, and too heavy to swim very far along with it. The River of Severn (as also the River of Avon that runs from the Bath, and by Bristol) is on the contrary a very muddy troubled Water, because it washes a mi∣ry and ouzy shore almost all along. For the gen∣tleness of the Current in the Thames, we are to know there are two principal causes of it, the great winding of the River, which locks in the Water that it cannot make that haste down to sea, that it would; and the low lying of the head Springs of it, from whence there is but an easie descent to the sea. And I think it is not amiss to note here, that this easie descent of the Waters to the sea-ward, is another reason why the tide flows up so high into the heart of this River. For who sees not, that the more steep the River, the less way is the Tide able to force its way up in∣to it? Swift Rivers have alwayes their Heads lying high, or their course direct, or both. In∣deed in case swift Rivers do, or did at first run winding to, and again; yet if their Springs lye high, they will in process of time by their vio∣lence

pare away the Promontories of their banks, (unless they be rocky and stubborn) and make their way straighter.

There are in the Thames three other things worth observation, to wit, its Spring-Tides, its overflowing its banks, and its strange shifting of Tides at some times; touching all which (be∣cause it falls not unhandsomely into this place) I shal deliver my conceptions, in regard I have (I think) something to say to them, which I ne∣ver yet read, And first, for the Spring-Tides in the Thames and other Rivers (which are higher Tides then ordinary, that happen about every ful and change of the Moon) the great French Philosopher Des-Cartes, endeavours in his Prin∣cipia Philosophiae, to give us the reason of them, by framing a most ingenious Hypothesis (too long here to set down) and telling us from the Theorique of the Moon, that the Moon moves so in her Ellipsis, or Oval-fashioned Orb about the Earth, that at her ful and change she comes nearer the earth, and in each Quarter goes far∣ther from it; whence (according to his Hypothe∣sis) greater Tides must be at ful and change, and neap or low Tides at the Quarters. All which is for the most part true indeed; and without doubt the Moon her nearness at the Ful and Change, is the cause of the Spring-Tides then, even as the Moon's being further off at the Quarters, makes the neap-tides then; but there is another thing considerable in the business, which Des-Cartes never considered, and which I fear he never knew; that is, that the spring-tides

come not just upon the day of the Full and Change, but follow two or three days after (and so do the Neaps too after the Quarters) which is against him, and seems to shake his Hypothesis, I mentioned, that makes the Spring-tides and Neaps to fall just on thedays of the Change, Ful and Quarters. To untye this knot, then I con∣ceive the cause why the Spring-tides are at the highest two or three days after the Ful and Change, and not on the very day, &c. is the same with that why the sharpest pinching time of Winter comes not just at the shortest day, when the Sun is at the lowest, but in January, a∣bout a Month or five Weeks after: Why also the coldest time of the night is not at mid-night, but about break of day: Why the hottest time of Summer is in July, a Month or five Weeks af∣ter the solstice; and why the hottest time of the day is not just at noon, but about two or three a Clock in the afternoon. To illustrate the rea∣son of which, let us suppose a large Cistern which hath a Cock towards, or at the bottom of it, that constantly lets out six. Gal. of water (if there be so much in the Cistern) in a certain space of time; and over the Cistern suppose a∣nother Cock that conveys Water from some o∣ther place into this Cistern, and which runs at first but very slowly, but after by degrees faster and faster, til at length it let in eight Gallons of water in the same space of time that the cock below (as we said) lets out six Gallons: And further, let us suppose that the cock above, after it hath continued running for some small time

after the rate of eight Gallons doth decrease, by the same degrees (that befote it encreased by) to seven Gallons, and so to six, five, four, and so less and less, til at length it quite give o∣ver running. There is no man, I think, but wil say, that this Cistern wil be fuller of Water when it hath decreased from eight Gallons, in a space to seven Gallons, and yet fuller when it is de∣creased to six Gallons and a half, then when it was at seven; and fullest of all just before it is de∣creased to six Gallons in a space, because til that time there comes more Water into the Ci∣stern at the one Cock, then there goes out at the other. Even so. though the heat of the Sun sim∣ply considered in its self, be not so great about the middle of July, as at the solstice in June, be∣cause he is descended lower; yet because the heat that the Sun pours in the air every day, is greater then the cold which his absence causeth by night, nothing can follow thereupon, but an encrease of the heat. And the like may be said of afternoon heats; January after-Winters, mor∣ning colds, and spring-tides coming behind the Fulls and Changes.

In the next place, the Thames overflowing its banks proceeds from several causes, as from great rains, whereby the fresh Waters encrease up the River, and going down to sea-ward, are encountred by the Flood, whence they must needs swel above their usual height; of which there was a notable example in the year 1555. when by reason of excessive rains that had fal∣len, all St. Georges Fields in Southwark, and West∣minster-Hall

were overflown. Again, inundati∣ons of the Thames may be caused by boistrous North-west Winds, which cause generally very great Tides, not onely in the River of Thames, and at the mouth of it, but on the coast of Hol∣land, Flanders, Picardy, and the shores of England opposite to them. And this is, because that wind doth with equal force blow in the Tide of flood at both the ends of this Island, Westward and Northward, as is partly touched before. But thirdly, there may be peradventure another cause of great Tides and inundations in the Thames, which is not yet commonly taken no∣tice of; and that is, the Moons being in the Peri∣gaeon of her Eccentrick, or in that part of her Orb which is nearest to the earth. For if (as we said before) the Moons coming nearer the earth at her Ful and Change, make the Spring-Tides, and her withdrawing her self farther from the Earth at her Quarters, make the neap-tides, me∣thinks it should follow (but I would have it obser∣ved further) that if to the proximiority which the Moon hath to the earth by moving in her Ellepsis, there be added that proxiomiority which she hath in her Eccentrick (the Astrono∣mers call it sometimes her Opposite Auge) she should operate so much the more extraordina∣rily upon the Sea, and make the higher Spring-Tides at such Ful or Change; and on the con∣trary, that when she is estranged from us by a double elongation, to wit, of the Quarter in her Ellepsis, and of her Auge in her Eccentrick, she should operate so much the more weakly

then ordinary, and at that quarter make a slack Neap. I have observed it somewhat my self, and found it hit, so far as I was able to judge; but I dare not trust my own single observation, e∣specially because I observed it not long, and ne∣ver could so constantly as I should. There rests onely one doubt in this matter, which I profess I know not what to say to it; and that is, that the Moon comes down lower to the earth in herEc∣centrick, then in her Ellepsis (pardon the odd∣ness of the expression, for I confess her Ellipsis is her Eccentrick) and yet her less approxima∣tions at the Ful and Change, make the great Tides, whereas her great Eccentrick approx∣imations make less alterations in them without doubt, and (it may be) no alterations at all.

Lastly, in the Thames there happens at some times strange shifting of the Tides, which is vul∣garly reckoned a great Prodigy, because it happens but seldom; and yet I believe it hath a natural cause, as wel as other common effects, and would be as common as they, if its cause were as com∣mon. Now for the finding out the cause wee speak of, we shal give you a Catalogue and Hi∣story of several of these shiftings that have hap∣pened, according to the relation of our Chro∣nicles.

Octob. 12. 1411. the Thames flowed thrice in one day.

Anno 1550. Decemb. 17. being Thursday, the Thames flowed and ebbed three times in nine hours below the Bridge. It should have been either Wednesday the 17th. or Thursday the 18th.

The Historian was onely out in the day.

Anno 1564. January the 26. being Friday at night were two Tides in two hours, at London-Bridge. The next day were likewise two in the morning, and two at night. On Sunday January the 28. were two Tides in the morning, and at night but one (as it used to be) and so conti∣nued.

Anno 1574. November the 6. in the morning, there happened two great Tides at London in the Thames; the first by course, the other within an hour after, which overflowed the Marshes, with many Vaults and Sellers near adjoining.

Anno 1608, and 609. February the 19. being Sunday, it should have been dead low Water at London-Bridge, but then it was high Water, and presently it ebbed almost half an hour to a foot depth, and then suddenly it flowed again almost two foot higher then it did before, and then eb∣bed again til it came near the right course; so that the next flood began in a manner as it should, and so continued. All his (saith the Chronicler) happened before 12. of the clock at noon, the Weather being in different calm.

Anno 1609, & 10. February the 6. was strange shifting of the Tides in the Thames again.

Anno 1622. & 23. January the 3d. being Friday in the morning, the Thames shifted four Tides within five hours, viz. Two Floods, and two Ebbs, and then kept its right course. Thus farout of our Chronicles; to which I shal add two other instances that happened of late years. Viz.

Anno 1653. & 4. on Candlemas day the Thames ebbed and flowed thrice in six hours; and the like shifting of the Tides was observed in the Maritine places of Kent at the same time, as I was assured by many Sea-men.

Lastly, Anno 1656. Octob. 3. the River of Thames ebbed and flowed twice in three hours. For this we are beholding to C. Wharton's Gesta Britanno∣rum, in his Almanack.

Which instances if we particularly examine, we shall find, that in all of them the tides were very slack, and in a manner at the very neapest; and (which is not inconsiderable) that in all of them (except two, viz. 1574 and 1656. the Moon was in Apogaeo about three or four days be∣fore the shifting, to make them (if possible) the more neap and slack. And in my Diary of ob∣servations for 1654. (in whichyear I was an ex∣act observer of the Wind and Weather) I find against the second of February, and the days be∣fore and after it, 1653. & 54. that the Wind blew hard at Northwest. In all the other exam∣ples above-named, I cannot inform my self how the Wind was, no not in 1622. & 23. though Kepler hath set down the Weather for that year, because he hath said nothing at all of the wind. And in 1656. though I was an observer that year too; yet being in October afflicted with a fierce Quartan, which had siezed me the August before, my observations for that Month are ve∣ry imperfect, both as to Wind and Weather too, so that I am at a loss how the Winde was then. Nevertheless, by that little light we have from

the example mentioned in 1653. & 54. I cannot but think that the cause of the shifting of the Tides is onely the overbearing of their course when they are at their slackest, by a North-west Wind, which is the most powerful Adversarie they can have upon our coasts, as is said before. For if a slow ebb be encountered ful in the teeth with a hard storm, what can follow but a return of the Tide back again? And if the North-west Wind either abate its fierceness, or shift into some other quarters, as the South-west, or North∣east for some short time, and then either return to its former place, or resume its former force, and do thus once, twice, and again, (which we know is not inconsistent with the nature and cu∣stom of the wind off at sea; though at Land its wanderings are not altogether so sensible) we shall easily believe (seeing so plain a reason for it) that there wil be a playing of the Tide to and fro, and several floods and ebbs succeeding one another in a few hours space. And it may be this shifting of the Tides is the more nota∣ble in the Thames, because of its gentle ebb to Sea-ward, which is the more easily turned; whereas a swift Current in a River would pre∣vail over these irregularities. But let further observation be made, how the Wind is disposed at the next shifting of the tides that happens, which (forsome private reasons) I conceive will be in the next year, 1661. if not this Win∣ter, 1660.

I forgot to say in its due place, that several great inundations speak in favour of my opini∣on

touching the Moon in Perigaeo, her greatning the Tides. For I can assure you, that for that great Flood Anno 1530. November 5, on which was made this Distich.

Anno ter deno cum sequi mille, Novembris Quinta stat salsis Zelandia totasub undis:

That in the year 1551. & 1552. January the 13. that horrible one 1570. on All-Saints day the first of November, and that not able one in the year 1606. & 7. January the 20. the great∣est that was ever known in Severn, and so fatal to Somersatshire, Glocestershire, and Monmouthshire; they were all when the Moon was in Perigaeo, as he that lists to caloulare or search the Ephemeri∣des for those years, wil find.

I have heard it reported, (but I would have further tryal made) that the water of the Po∣stern-spring on Tower-hill, being let stand for several days to settle, wil have in the bottom of it a yellow sediment, much resembling Brim∣stone both in colour and substance.

ESSEX.

THeair of thisshire is temperate, only towards the Sea it is aguish: The Soil is for the most part good, but in somparts so fruitful, that after three years Gleab of Saffron (which they plant much in the North part of the shire) the Land for 18. more wil yeeld plenty of Barley, without any dung or compost at all; and so Saffron again. Which Saffron (saith Cambden) in the month of July every third year, when the heads thereof have been plucked up, is after twenty days spit∣ted, or set again under mould, and about the end of September it puts forth a blewish Flower out of the middle whereof hang three red chives of Saffron, which are gathered before sun∣rise, and being plucked out of the Flower, are dryed at a soft fire; every acre of ground ma∣king 80. or 100. weight of moist Saffron, which being dryed, is some twenty pound.

Near Tilbury (over against Gravesend) there are such pits as those spoken of before in Kent, of ten fathom deep in a chalky ground, and of the same form.

At the mouth of the Thames lyes the little Isle of Canvey, the Mutton whereof is much com∣mended for its sweetness.

The salt-water about Harwich maketh all their springs brackish.

At Barklow (saith Speed) grows an Herb called Dane-wort, very plentifully, that beareth red Berries, which is held by the common people to spring from Danes-blood. This Herb is no other then that which Herbarists called Dwarf-Elder; it grows in sundry other places of England, as namely in the high way between Babchild and Greenstreet, at a place called Radfield, near Sitting∣burn in Kent.

Walfleet in this shire is commended for the ex∣cellent Oysters it sends to the City of London. In the time of Rich. the 2d in the Eastern Pro∣montory of this County, very huge teeth were found; and not far from thence in the reign of Qu. Elizabeth, extraordinary huge bones were digged up. They are thought to have been the bones and teeth of some Elephant buried there by their loving Masters the Romans.

In the year 1580. at Alhallantide, an Army of Miceso over-run the Marshes in Denge-Hundred, near Southminster, that they eat up the Grass to the very Roots, and so poisoned it with their teeth, that a great Murrain fel upon the Cattle that grazed there. But at length a great num∣ber of strange painted Owles came (no man knows whence) and devoured all the Mice. The like vexation was at the same time in Kent, saith Stow. It is reported, that in 1648. there happen∣ed the like again in Essex. But of this we have discoursed somewhat largely already in Corn∣wall.

SUFFOLK.

THis County is most of it Clay and rich Marl, and the air so good, that it is by some Phy∣sicians thought to be the best in England, especi∣ally about Bury: It yeelds much Butter and Cheese; the Butter excellent good, but the Cheese far inferior to that of Cheshire: It is thought (not without reason) that the goodness of the one, spoileth the other.

In the year 1555. (saith Speed) which was an unseasonable year, that the Corn through Eng∣land was choaked and blasted in the ear, such a crop of Peason without tillage, or sowing, grew∣in the Rocks between Oxford and Aldbrough, where never Grass grew, or earth was ever seen, but hard Rocks three yards deep under their Roots, that in August there were gathered above a hundred quarters, and there remained as ma∣ny more in blossoming. Cambden sayes the same, but that the Peason grew about the end of Sep∣tember, and brought down the price of Corn, whereas before there was a great Dearth. Que∣ry, whether there grow not Peason in the same place every year (though it may be in wet years, such as 1555. proved in Harvest, they grow up

more plentifully.) because Herbarists say that they are a distinct sort of Pease (differing from our common Garden and Field-Pease) and love to grow on such desert shores near the sea side, as is said before in Kent about Sandwich and Den∣geness, where they grow every year, and never miss.

Ralph Coggeshall (an old Author) reports, that near Oxford, about the year 1187. a fish in all parts like a man, was taken and kept 6 months in the Castle there, whence he escaped again to sea. Story saith he was taken in a Fisher-mans Net. A story much like this we have in the life of Periskius, written by the learned Gassendus, which compared with this, makes me give a lit∣tle credit to that which Pliny reports, that a Triton or Man-fish was taken on the shore of Por∣tugal, and that another was caught in the streights of Gibraltar. But I give not the like credit to the fable of Nu∣brigensig touching two green boys of the kind of Satyres, that should rise out of the ground at Wulpit, coming from the Antipodes.

NORFOLK.

THis County hath a sharp air, especially in in the Champian, and near the Sea, and the Spring and Harvest are late. The soil is in many places good, but it is generally Olayie, or a fat Chalk. And though it be heal∣thy in some places, yet by compasture of sheep the heaths are made mighty rich for Corn; and when they are laid again from bearing of Corn, they yeild a sweeter and more plentiful feed for sheep. This County also yeilds good store of Honey and Saffron; but the best Saffron is about Walsingham.

The inhabitants of this Countrey (as Camb∣den relates) are observed to be naturally very capable of the niceties and quirks of the Law; and those of them that bend their studies that way, prove generally the best Lawyers. They are also (he saith) of a passing good complex∣ion.

In the shore of this County every September is a great fishing for Herings, it being the nature of that Fish in great shoals to dance out once a year about our Island, and keep its duetime & season upon the same shores (unless its course

be a little retarded by storms and foul weather) coming from the Sea into our narrow Seas by the North of Scotland, and going out again by the Lands end of Cornwall, and taking this shore in its way in September. It is reported, that He∣rings are no where more plentiful then on the coast of England.

The River Bure in this shire is incredibly full of fish. For the finding out the cause of this, en∣quiry should be made what kind of soil the head springs issue from, and what kind of shore it wa∣shes. Generally the slowest Rivers (caeteris pari∣bus) are fullest of fish. And this I take to be one reason why the Thames is more pisculent, or ful of fish then the Severn.

The River Yare by Norwich is very full of a kind of fish called Ruffes, which (saith Cambden) have a body all over rough with sharp & pricky fins. It delights in sandy places like the Perch, and is as big; in colour brown and duskish a∣bove, but of a palish yellow beneath: it is mar∣ked by the chaws with a double course of half circles; the eye for the upper half of it is of a dark brown; for the nether part of it somewhat yellowish, the ball of it black; and there is a line goes along the back, which is fastened to the bo∣dy as it were with an overthwart thred; it is all spotted over the tail and fins with black spec∣kles; when the fish is angry, the finnes stand up stiff; and after its anger is over, they fall flat a∣gain. It is a very wholesom Fish, and eats tender and short, and tastes like a Perch. One cause of its tenderness I conceive to be its roughness

without, and the sharp prickliness of its finnes. Even as it is probable that the tenderness of ve∣nison is caused by the seperation of so great a quantity of hard matter, as the hornes of the beast consist of, from the Mass of the body. This Ruffe is a very rare fish to be found in other Ri∣vers. Query, whether the banks of Rivers that produce peculiar fish, do not produce peculiar plants, because the peculiarity of the fish seems to proceed from a peculiar tincture of the Wa∣ter, which it cannot have but from the earth.

St. Bennets in the Holm hath such fenny and rotten ground about it, that (saith Cambden) if a man cut up the Roots or Strings of Trees, &c. it floteth aloft on the Water, and follows one whithersoever he pleases. Hereabouts also are Cockles and Periwinkles sometimes digged up out of the earth, which makes some think that formerly it was overflowed with the sea.

The ground about Winterton (like that of Bri∣catium in Africk, mentioned by Pliny) is the ri∣chest, fattest, rottenest, and easiest to plough of any in England.

Upon the shore of this shire Jeat and Am∣ber are often found; and sometimes Hawks are taken.

Cambridgeshire.

THis County by reason of the Fennes hath but a sickly air. The soile yields very good Barly and good store of Saffron.

The herb called Scordium (or Water-German∣der) groweth very plentifully in the Fenns. Of this they make that well known Cordiall and Dia∣phoretick called Diascordium.

In the Country about the Fenns (saith Speed) water-Fowle is so plentifull and cheap, that five men may be wel satisfied with that kind of fare for less then a half penny.

In the Fenns, when they have mowen their lid (as they call it) that is their grass, which is exceeding ranke, as much as will serve their turns, they set fire on the rest in November, that it may come up again in abundance. An Adver∣tisement for Grasiers in other Counties.

Huntingtonshire.

THe hilly part of this County is for the plough, and the valley for pasture, which is reckoned as good as any in England. The inhabitants burn much turfe, which they have in good plenty from the adjacent moors.

At Ayleweston in this shire are two little Springs, the one fresh, the other somewhat brackish. The latter they say is good for Scabs and Leprosie: and the other for dim sights.

Wittlesmere-lake, and other Meers near it in this Shire do somtimes in calme and fair weather, suddenly rise tempestuously with water-quakes; by reason (as some think) of vapours breaking violently out of the earth. Which may well be, for the ground near it, is rotten and hollow.

The Natives that dwell about these Meers are heathfull, and live very long, but strangers are subject to much sickness.

Northamptonshire.

THis County hath a wholesome air, and a very rich soile.

By Collyweston in this shire slate stones are dig∣ged.

The River Nen runs by the South side of Peter∣borough, in the middle of which (as William of Swaffham saith) is a gulfe so deep and cold with∣all, that even in Summer no swimmer is able to dive to the bottom of it, yet in is never frozen in Winter; for there is a Spring, in it, whence the water always riseth and bubbleth up, and that keeps it from freezing.

Leicestershire.

THe air of this shire is mild and wholesome. and makes the inhabitants very healthfull, and long lived.

Near Lutterworth is a Spring so cold, that with∣in a short time it turneth straw and sticks into stones.

In the North parts of the shire are store of Pit Coals, which are of the nature of hardned Bitumen, saith Cambden.

The people of Carleton (as both Cambden and Speed say) cannot pronounce their words wel, but all of them in a manner have an illfavoured untu∣nable kind of Speech, fetching their words with much ado deep out of their throat, with a kind of wharling, whether it be by the nature of the soile or the water, or by some secret operation of na∣ture. Thus say they, but I have heard from some that were this Country men, that it is Breson that is the Town of the Wharlers, and not Carleton.

In the Rocks about Belvoir Castle is sometimes found the Astroits or Star-stone, resembling little stars joined one to another, wherein are to bee seen at every corner five beams, and in every beam in the middle is small hollowness. The A∣stroites of Germany being put into Vinegar (saith Cambden) will move it selfe and turn round, but whether these of Belvoir will do so too or no, I ne∣ver tried. I once saw an Astroite put into Vine∣gar, which moved according as Cambden would have it, but from whence it came, or where it was gathered I know not; onely I am sure it was none of those of Lassington, for it was bigger much then they, and not so much wrought.

At Barrow is digged the best Lime-stone in Eng∣land, being extraordinary strong; Of which it may be was made the Morter that they used in building in times past, which was in a manner as hard as the stone it self, as appears in the walls of Leicester and other Cities at this day.

Notingham. & Rutlandshires.

THe air of Nottinghamshire is healthful; and the soile rich, being in some places clayie, and others sandy.

In this shire are abundance of Pit Coals. Also

Here grows a stone softer then Alabaster which being burnt makes a Plaister harder then that of Paris; And with this they floor their upper rooms, and when it is dry it becomes as hard as a stone.

At Worksop grows the best Liquorice in these parts of England.

In the Town of Nottingham are many rooms with the very Chimneys, Stairs, Windows, and the like, cut and hewen out of the Main solid Rock.

Rutlandshire hath rich Land; but it is red, So that it stains the Wooll of those Sheep that feed on it; into a reddish colour. The air is temperate, wholesome, and not subject to fogs.

Derbyshire.

THis shire (as most inland shires of England) hath a wholsome air, and in theSouth and East parts rich soile, but in the North and West hilly, with a black and mossy barren ground; Which two differing natures of soile are divided by the River Derwent. And this is in some places stained black with the soile and earth it passeth by.

The Town of Derby affords excellent Ale; which kind of drink Turnebus saith is more whole∣some, and contributory to long life then Wine; and that it is this that makes many of us live 100 years. Yet Asclepiades in Plutarch saith, it is the cold climate that keeps in the naturall heat in our bodies, and makes us live 120 years. Thus saith Cambden. So much indeed is true, that within these 100 years (since the use of Beer hath increased a∣mong us, which was first known about the year 1524) we live not generally so great age as formerly.

This shire is well stored with Milstones, Crystal, Alabaster and Whetstone; And in the Peak withPit Coal, Iron, & Lead; A metal which France wanteth.

The Peak hath under it in many places close to the upper crust of the earth, Limestone; which makes it so fruitful, that there be in it green gras∣sie valleys, and hills, which bear full Oats, and feed abundance of Cattle and Sheep.

The Lead-stones in the Peak lye but just within the ground next to the upper crust of the earth. They melt the Lead upon the top of the hills that lye open to the West wind; making their fires to melt it as soon as the West wind begins to blow; which wind by long experience they find holds longest of all others. But for what reason I know not, lince I should think Lead were the easiest of all metalls to melt, they make their fires extraor∣dinary great.

In the Mines and Quarries in the Peak (saith Cambden) is sometimes found a kind of white fluor very like Crystall.

There is Stibiunt found in certain veins of earth in this shire. And if so (Speed is mine Author for it) I wonder I hear of no medicinall waters, near it. For I think Newenham Regis in Warwickshire is too far from it, and the waters of Buxton are not purgative, For

At Buxton nine Springs arise out of a rock with∣in the compass of eight yards, eight of which are warm, and the ninth very cold. These run from under a fair square building of free stone, and a∣bout sixty paces of receive another hot Spring from a Well enclosed with four flat stones; near unto which another very cold Spring bubbleth up. These waters (as daily experience sheweth) are good for the stomach and sinews.

There is a Cave (saith Speed) called Eldenhole, where (it is confidently affirmed) the waters that trickle from the top of that Cave, which indeed is very spacious, but of a low & narrow entrance, do congeal into stone, and hang like Isicles in the

in the roof; and some are hollow within, and grow Taperwise towards their points; very white and something like Crystall.

In the Peak Forrest, not far from Buxton, is a wel that ordinarily ebbs and flows four times in an hour, or thereabout, keeping his just tides.

Warwickshire.

THis Shire is commended much for the wholesomeness of the air, especially the Town of Warwick. The soile is very rich; especi∣ally the Vale of Red Horse, which hath a red Earth, and affords great plenty of Corn.

Here is also great store of Wool and Iron; espe∣cially about Bromicham.

At Gofford-gate in the East part of Coventry hangs the shield bone of a wild Bore, far bigger then the greatest Oxe bone, (it is very likely to be an Elephants) with whosesnout (as the tale goes, and you may believe it, if you please) the great Pit called Swainswell was turned up.

At Shugbury are found the stones formerly mentioned in Glouceshershire, called Astroites, or Star-stones,

At Lemington a Salt Spring riseth, though a great way off from the Sea.

At Newenham-Regis are three Fountains, which it should seem, are strained through a vein of Al∣lume.

The water looks, and tasts like milk; it procures urine abundantly: it is very soveraign against the stone, and for green wounds, Ulcers, and Imposthumes: Being drunk with Salt it loos∣ens the body, but with Sugar binds it. It turneth wood into Stone (saith Speed) which I my selfe saw by some sticks, that were fallen into it, some part of them ash, some part of them stone.

Worcestershire.

THis is a very pleasant County, and fertile espe∣cially the vale of Evesham. In some parts of it are many Salt Pits, and Salt Springs. It affords store of excellent Cheese. The hedge-rows, and high-ways are beset with Pear-trees of which they make Perry, a very pleasant drink, but generally very cold and windy. But (saith Cambden) al∣though the Pears be in such huge abundance, yet are they not so pleasing to the tast. Which if it be true, I much wonder at it. For certainly there is much reason to believe, that where fruit trees are planted in hedgerows and highways, their fruit should be better rellishred, then fruit of the same kind planted in Orchards within the shade of other trees; because those in hedgerows lye more open to the Sun, and that heat, that must

concoct them to give them their true relish; though on the other side I deny not, that they are more subject to bsasting winds.

The Seavern here affords great store of fresh water Lampreyes; they are (saith Cambden) like Eeles slippery and blackish; but under their bel∣lies something blew: they have no gills, but let in the water at seven holes on each side of their throat: in the Spring they are sweetest, and most etable; for in Summer the inner nerve, which serves them instead of a backbone waxeth hard. The Italians make a delicate dish of them, taking a Lamprey, and killing it in Malmesey: they close the mouth with a Nutmeg, and fill all the holes with as many cloves: then they roll it up, and put 〈◊〉〈◊〉-Nut-kernels stamped, crums of bread, oyle, Malmesey, and Spices to it, and so they boile it with great care, and then turn it over a soft gentle fire of Coals in a frying pan. The reason why Seavern affords Lampreys I conceive is its muddi∣ness, the Lamprey being a kind of Eele, that breeds and delights in mire. Other fish (as is before said) Sea∣vern breeds not so plentifully, because as men thrive best in clear air, so sish in clear water; gross air choak∣ing the one, and thick water the other.

At Droitwich are three Fountains of Salt water divided by a little Brook of fresh water passing between; by the boiling of which Salt water they make pure white Salt. Gervase of Tilbury (an Historian not rashly to be credited) saith, that these salt Springs are most salt between Christmas and Midsummer; and that the rest of the year they are somewhat fresh, and not so good to make

Salt of; and that when the Salt water is run suf∣ficiently for the use of the Country, the Springs do scarce overflow to any wast; and that at the greatestSaltness of it, it is not allayed by the near∣ness of the fresh water to it; and lastly, that it is found no where near the Sea, Cambden doubts the truth of some of these affirmations, but of which he saith not: Onely he saith, that the Salt is made from Midsummer to Midwinter, which is quite contrary to Gervase. Indeed if there be any dif∣ference in the saltness of these waters in severall times of the year, they should I think, be fresher from Christmas to Midsummer; because that half year all Springs (but land Springs) are highest, & run most plentifully, by reason of the great wet season immediately foregoing, which must there∣fore more dilute the salt. And on the contrary the Springs between Midsummer and Christmas must be the lower, because of the drought just prece∣ding I have heard Masons in Kent, that used to dig wells, say, that the Springs that feed their wells, are lowest about Alhollantide, and highest between Easter and Whitsuntide, for the very same reason I could wish some ingenuous native would bestow upon us, the perfect History of these Salt Springs in Worcestershire, and Cheshire. Some Philosophers trouble themselvs much about the cause of the Saltness of the Sea. I think it needs not so much puzzle and ado. If there bee salt Springs that run continually into the Sea, and no part of the saltness of the water (but that which is meer fresh) ascend in vapour at the Suns call, why should not the Sea be, and continue salt.

There would rather be more fear, lest the Sea should grow salter and salter, by these Springs continually running into it, but that the Salinae on severall shores of the world do rob it every day, besides other losses it sustains, and escapes that it makes through private passages in the earth.

There is a report of a medicinall Water found out lately about Eckington-Bridge, about 7 miles from Worcester.

Staffordshire.

THe air of this shireis very healthfull, yet in the North parts and Moreland it is very sharp, the wind blowing cold, and the snow lying long. It affordeth good store of Albaster, Iron, Pit-Coale (Which is thought to be the Lapis Obsidia∣nus of the Ancients, if it be at all in England, for it is hard, bright, light, and easie to be cloven in flakes, and being once kindled it burns away very quickly.) And Fish, whereof the River of Trent is full. The meadows of this shire are so moistned withstreams and rivers runningby them, that they look green in the middle of winter.

In Pensneth Chase is a Coal-Pit, which (saith Cambden) was set on fire by a Candle through the negligence of a digger, the smoak of it is com∣monly seen, and sometimes the flame.

In this shire there runs a hill a long, and so through the middle of England as far as Scotland, like the Apennine in Italy.

In this shire they manuretheir land with Lime∣stone.

The people about Wotton by Wolverhil in Moreland observe, that when the wind sets West, it always produces rain; but the East and South wind, which elsewhere brew and bring rain, here bring fair weather; unless the wind turn from the West into the South; and this they ascribe to the nearness of the Irish Seas. This observation I fear is somewhat imperfect, and should be driven a lit∣tle further by men able to make observation.

If the River Dove overflow its banks, and run into the adjoyning meadows in Aprill, it makes them extream fruitfull. The reason of this is plain enough without further enquiry. Indeed some Rivers overflowing their banks enrich more, and others less, according to the fatness or hungryness of their water.

The River Dove uses to rise extreamly within twelve hours space, but it will within the space of twelve hours return again within its banks: but Trent being once up, and over its banks, flows o∣ver the fields four or five days together, ere the supersluous waters can get away. Of this wee have given an account already, speaking of the Thames and Seavern.

The little River Hans runs under ground for three miles together.

Cambden saith that Necham speaks of a Lake in Staffordshire (but where it is he cannot tell) that

foreshews things to come by its roaring, and no wild beast will enter into it; but he thinks it is but a Fable. And

Gervase of Tilbury tells us of another Lake in this shire, called Mahall, near a village called Mag∣dalea, which if hunters when they and their hor∣ses are tired do drink of, and give their horses of it, though it be in the hottest, and most scorching weather; they both become presently as fresh, as if they had not run at all. Likely to be as true as the former.

Lincolnshire.

IN this Shire upon the East and South parts the air is thick and foggy because of the Fennes, &c. yet very moderate and mild; and the winds, that come from the raging Seas disperse those vapours, that they cannot much hurt. The North and West part of the shire is fruitfull, but the East and South are brackish and fenny, yet ex∣traordinary

full of Fish and Sea-fowl; especially Mallards, which they take in August with nets.

This Shire yieldeth Flax and Alabaster, and Plaister, which I think is that they call Plaster of Paris, or of that kind.

The ground about Crowland is so rotten, that one may thrust a Pole into it thirty foot deep. Also

The ground in Holland (apart of this shire so called) is so wet, that as one stands upon it, the earth will shake under his feet, and hee will bee ready to sink into it; Nor shall you beside the paved Causeys meet with somuch as a little stone in it. Here are also many quicksands, which have a wonderfull force both to draw to them, and to hold fast that which they have drawn. Moreover the people here have no fresh water, but only rain water, and that in pits. Which if they be deep; becomes brackish presently; And if they be shallow they dry up as soon.

About Barton upon Humber are abundance of Pewits, Godwits, Knots, (which are so called from Cnule the Dane, and are thought to have flown hi∣ther out of Denmark) and Dottrells, a sim ple kind of bird, much given to imitating. These Dottrells are caught by Candle light in this manner. The Fowler stands before the bird, and if hee put out an arm, the bird stretcheth out a wing: If hee holds out his head, or set forward his leg, the bird

doth the like, and imitates the Fowlers gesture so long, till the Fowler drawing nearer and near∣er by degrees, at length throws his net over him, and takes him.

In the Isle of Axholme, grows a sweet kind of Shrub, called Galls, as also Pets in the Moores, (I know not what that is) and dead roots of Firre wood, which in burning give a rank sweet smell. Further there have been great and long Firre Trees found both in this Island, and at Laugh∣ton upon Trent: Also there is in this Isle much Flax and Alabaster; But the Alabaster is more fit for Plaister then any thing else, because it is brittle.

Shropshire.

THis County (saith Speed) hath wholesome temperate air, affording health to the inha∣bitants at all seasons of the year. This was verified in old Thomas Parre of Alberbury, who was 152 pears old, and dyed in the year 1635. The soile is generally fertile, standing most upon a reddish clay, and yields Pit Coals and Iron.

At Wenlock in the time of Richard the second was found a rich Mine of Copper.

Upon Cleehill grows the best Barley in the shire.

At Pitchford is a Well (or Spring) in a private mans yard, whereon floweth a thick skum of li∣quid Bitumen; which being cleared and taken off one day, will have the like again on the morrow. Try (saith Cambden) whether this Bitumen bee good for the falling sickness, and have a power∣full property to draw and close up wounds, as that in Judaea is known to have. There is the like swimming of Bitumen in that lake in Judaea we speak of, called Asphaltites, supposed to be the place where Sodom and Gomorha stood; as also in a standing water about Samosata, and in a Spring by Agrigentum in Sicily.

Where the plot of the City Wroxcester lay, the earth is more blackish then elsewhere, and bears very good Barley.

In the year 1551. Aprill the 15. the English sweating sickness brake forth first at Shresbury, and so dispersed it self over the whole land, and killed abundance, especially middle-aged people. The first time of this sweating sickness was in the year 1485, saith Cambden, a little after a great Conjunction of the Superiour Planets in Scropio. The second time (but more mildly, yet the Plague ac∣companied it) was Anno 1518, being 33 years af∣ter it, upon a great Opposition of the same Planets in Scorpio and Taurus, when it also plagued the Ne∣therlands, and high Germany too. And the 3 time was 33 years after that again, viz. Anno 1551. the

year now spoken of, when another Conjunction of those Planets in Scorpio took its effects, but we must crave leave to tell Cambden, that his pretended re∣volution of 33 years is not so; for the middle sweat was not in 1518, as he affirms it, but in 1517 as both Godwin and Stow tell us; though we con∣fess, the Plague was in 1518. So that then there will be instead of 33 and 33, 32 and 34. And that which will do this revolution more mischief is, that there was a fourth sweat between the years 1517 and 1551, viz. Anno 1528, which Cambden never mentions; besides another fift sweat, that (if I be not mistaken) happened before 1517. Moreover whereas Cambden saith, that the sweat 1485 was a little after a great Conjunction of the superiour Planets in Scorpio, if by the superiour Planets he mean all the three, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars; that was not so. For neither did Saturn Jupiter Mars meet in the same degree of Scorpio, nor were all the three Conjunctions, which these three Planets made at that turn in Scorpio. It is true indeed the Conjunction, of Saturn, & Mars, was in Scorpio, about the 12th degree; but it was in November 1483, almost 2 years before that sweat which began in September 1485; And the Conjuncti∣on, of Saturn, & Jupiter was in Scorpio too, about the 20th degree, but that was almost a year before the sweat too, viz. about Alhollanday 1484: But as for the Conjunction, of Saturn, & Mars, that fell not in Scorpio, but about the 25 degree of Libra, and about Alhollandtide 1483, not far distant from the time of the Conjunct. of Saturn, & Mars; so that the sweat was neither after a Conjunction of the supe∣riour

Planets in Scorpio, nor a little after any Con∣junction of them. Again, neither was the sweat 1517. upon a great Opposition of the same Pla∣nets in Scorpio and Taurus, for the opposition of Saturn and Jupiter, which happened in Taurus and Scorpio, were all three of them in 1513. and 1514. and so was the opposition of Jupiter and Mars in Taurus and Scorp. in Novemb. 1513. about the first degree of those two signs. And for the opposition of Saturn and Mars; and conjuncti∣on of Saturn and Mars, which we grant happen∣ed both in one year, and during Saturn his a∣bode in Scorp. too, they both fell in 1513. the one in March, and the other in December following. Nor let it startle any one that a conjunction of Saturn and Mars, and opposition of Saturn and Mars, should happen both, during Saturn his be∣ing in Scorpio; for those that know any thing in Astronomy, must needs know that Saturn never passeth through any sign (no not Gemini where he moveth swistest, because in Perihelio) but Mars gives him a conjunction and opposition constantly, before he can get out of it; nay sometimes he gives him two conjunctions, and sometimes three, beside the opposition, especi∣ally if he be near his Aphelium, as he is in Scorpio; and yet now he did not. Nor lastly, let any man start at the three oppositions of Saturn and Jupi∣ter, that happened in 1513. and 1514. for all Astronomers know, that it is a very rare thing (or rather impossible) for an opposition of Saturn and Jupiter to happen single, they happening constantly every twenty years, and as constant∣ly

by threes, of which the reason is plain to any versed in Calculations. So that it remains, that the Sweat 1517. neither followed upon such an opposition of the Planets, nor near it. Lastly, whereas he sayes, that the Sweat 1551. was when another conjunction of those Planets in Scorpio, took its effects, this is wider from the truth then all the rest; for there was no conjunction of the Superiors within six years of this Sweat: For example, the conjunction of Saturn and Ju∣piter in 28. of Scorpio, happened in September 1544 and the conjunction of Jupiter & Mars, happened in the 27. deg. of Scorpio, in January 1543. and 44. And for conjunctions of Saturn and Mars in Scorpio, there happened none that year, (for the conjunction of Saturn and Mars that was, fell in the beginning of Sagitarius) though we con∣fess there fell (to admiration) three conjuncti∣ons of Saturn and Mars in Scorpio, in the yeare 1542. (A very rare thing indeed, such a triple conjunction of those planets having never hap∣pened since till the year 1640.) But how Con∣junctions should work seven or nine years after their celebration, and not before, is a secret in Astrology that I yet understand not. In the year 1632. was indeed a very great opposition of Sa∣turn, Jupiter, and Mars in Taurus and Scorpio, the two Malevolents in Scorpio, opposing Jupiter in Taurus, the conjunction and two oppositions happening very near together; yet there hap∣pened in the years following, no such sweat as is pretended to be the effect of such conjuncti∣ons and oppositions; so that the Astrological

cause of those contagious sweats lyes yet in the darke. I would adventure something toward it here, but that it requires a distinct Treatise by it self. Fracastorius attributes this sweating sick∣ness to the Plaistriness of the soil here in Eng∣land, (and yet it is so but in few places) and to the moistness of the weather in those years; but why it doth not reign constantly in such kind of soil in wet years, he saith not. Cambden thinkes that this contagion hath been long before 1485 as rife in England as since, although it be not mentioned by Historians; that is not impossible indeed, for for that last Age wherein Saturn and Jupiter did use to meet in Scorpio, our Chronicles are very empty and uncertain.

Eclipses of the Sun in Aries (saith Cambden) have been most dangerous to Oswestry; for in the year 1542, and 1567. when the Eclipses of the Sun in Aries, wrought their effects, it suffered great loss by fire; but most of all after this lat∣ter Eclips; for there were then about two hun∣dred houses burnt. A good observation indeed, but our Author observed not all; for that which is most remarkable is, that those two Eclipses happened within two degrees one of the other; so that it may be the Ascendent of Oswestry (as Astrologers speak) is about the 27. deg. of Aries. And peradventure the reason why the late E∣clipse of the Sun in Aries, viz. 1652. March 29. had no influence upon Oswestry, was because it happened in the 19. deg. of Aries, 8. deg. distant from its Ascendent. This is further observable, (and it looks as if there were something in it)

that in 1567. when Oswestry was burnt, Milnall in Suffolk was burnt too; and that though the Eclips in Aries 1652. had nothing to do with them (perhaps for the reason above given) yet within the time (that Astrologers limit the effects of Eclipses) two Towns in the same Shires, viz. Bungay in Suffolk, and Drayton in Shropshire, were burnt; as if there were a way to trace Ascendents from one Town to another, and as if the Ascen∣dents of near places were not far asunder. But nihil temere statuendum de paucis; enquire farther, and see what I have written in my Syzygiasticon Instauratum, (published Anno 1653.) where I have treated of the Ascendents of Towns in general, and of the Ascendent of Teverton in Devonshire in particular. Query also, whether in February, 1655.56. any thing extraordinary happened to the Town of Oswestry, upon the conjunction of Jupiter and Mars, in 25. degrees of Aries.

CHESHIRE.

THe air of this Shire is so healthful, that the Inhabitants generally live very long. And the warm vapors rising from the I∣rish Seas, do sooner melt the snow and ice in this County, then in places further off. The soil is very rich, yet observed to be more kindly and natural for Cheese, then Corn; and it is thought that it is the soil, and not the skill of the Dairy-Woman, that makes the Cheese so excellent, the best in Europe. Both men and women here, have a general commendation for beauty and hand∣some proportion. This shire (saith Speed) yeil∣deth Salt, Metals, Mines, and Meres.

In the River Dee is great plenty of Salmons. Giraldus Cambrensis, who lived about the yeare 1200, saith, that this River foreshewed a sure to∣ken of Victory to the inhabitants living upon it, when they were in open hostility one shore a∣gainst the other, according as it inclined more to this side, or to that, after it had left the Channel. And the relator doth in some sort be∣lieve it, and so may any one else if he please.

This River Dee upon the fall of much Rain riseth but little; but as often as the south-wind

beats long upon it, it swells and overflows the grounds adjoining extremely. This River is a very streight and broad river to sea-ward, so that what rain falls, hath an easie and quick passage out. But if the South-wind blow long, the River must needs swell much, because no wind hath so much power on the Irish seas, as that, because it blows right in upon it between the coasts of Wales and Ireland, and must needs swell and roll it so much the more, for that it brings the sea still in, which having not so free a passage quite through by reason of the narrow streight between Scotland and the North of Ire∣land, still returns back, where it meets with a fresh supply of Waters continually coming in: Now the Irish sea thus swelling, will have easie and ready admission into a streight River.

In the low places on the south side of Cheshire, by the River Wever, Trees are oftentimes found by digging under ground; which people think have lien buried there ever since Noah's Flood.

Nantwich, Northwich, and Middlewich, are the fa∣mous Salt pits of this Shire, being 5. or 6. miles asunder. The whitest Salt is made at Nantwich, which (saith Cambden) hath but one Pit about some 14. foot from the River, out of which they conveigh Salt-Water by troughs of Wood into the Houses adjoining, where there stand little Barrels pitched fast in the ground; which they fill with the Water, and then make fire under the Leads, whereof they have six in a house, and in them they seeth the Water. Then with

little wooden rakes they fetch up the Salt from the botom, and put it in baskets, out of which the Liquor runs, and the pure salt remains. The Salt pit at Northwich is very near the brink of the River Dan, being a very deep and plentiful pit. Quaere, whether the Rivers Wever and Dan be themselves salt at these two places. The two salt Wells at Middlewich, are parted one from the other by a small brook of fresh Water.

It is reported, that there are Trees that flote in Bagmere, (a Mere so called, near the seat of the Family of the Breretons) against the death of any of the heirs of the Breretons; and after the heir is dead, they sink, and are never seen more till the next occasion. Cambden saith, that this story is verified upon the credit of many credi∣ble persons; and that these bodies of trees swim for certain dayes together, and may be seen of any body: And he seconds it with another sto∣ry to this purpose. Leonardus Vairus (saith he) reports from the testimony of Cardinal Gravel, that near the Abbey of St. Maurice in Burgundy, is a Fish-pond, into which are fishes put accor∣ding to the number of the Monks of that place, and if any one of them happen to be sick, there is a fish seen also to flote and swim above the water half dead: And if the Monk shall dye, the said fish will dye too, some few days before him. Thus Cambden: who gives so much credit to these stories, that he thinks they are the Works of Angels. But so doth not Speed, who thinks it to be but a conceit, and a fable; as he doth also the prophesie of Leyland concer∣ning

Beeston Castle mounted upon a steep hill; The Castle being ruinated, Leyland prophesied of it in his time, (thus) that it should be re∣edified.

The day shall come when it again shall mount his head aloft; If I a Prophet may be heard, from Seers that say so oft.

Whether Leylands Prophesie have proved true since, I know not; but so much is true, that in the late Wars Beeston Castle was a Garrison. Prophets generally are very compassionate to the rubbish of stately Piles, and the Elegies they commonly sing at their fall, are Prophesies of their re-edifying, because they see men generally willing to believe what they would have, though improbable; nay, though impossible. And this I think was the true original of that late Prophesie among the Welch, that Ragland Castle shal be built again.

I will not undertake to tell you the cause of the floting of those Trees in Bagmere, because there are several circumstances that render it ve∣ry dark. Onely observe, that in this shire (as is said) bodies of Trees are often times digged out of the ground.

July the 8th. being Wednesday 1657. about three of the clock, in the parish of Bickley, was heard a very great noise like Thunder afar off, which was much wondred at, because the skye was clear, and no appearance of a Cloud. Shortly after (saith the Author of this relation) a neigh∣bour

comes to me, and told me I should see a very strange thing, if I would go with him. So coming into a field called the Layfeild, we found a very great bank of earth which had many tall Oakes growing on it, quite sunk under the ground, Trees and all. At first we durst not go near it, because the earth for near twenty yards round about, is exceeding much rent, and seems ready to fall in; but sinee that time my self and some others by Ropes have ventured to see the bottom, I mean, to go to the brink, so as to dis∣cern the visible bottom, which is Water, and conceived to be about 30. yards from us, under which is sunk all the earth about it for sixteen yards round at least, three tall Oaks, a very tall Awber, and certain other small Trees, and not a sprig of them to be seen above water. Four or five Oaks more are expected to fall every mo∣ment, and a great quantity of Land is like to fall, indeed never ceasing more or less; and when any considerable clod falls, it is much like the report of a Canon. We can discern the ground hollow above the Water a very great depth; but how far hollow, or how deep, is not to be found out by man: Of this we have said somewhat in Kent. Some of the water, (as I have been told) was drawn out of this pit with a bucket, and they found it to be as salt as sea-water; whence some imagine, that there are certain large pas∣sages there, into which the sea flows under ground; but I rather think, that this salt water is no more but that which issues from those salt springs about Nantwitch, and other places in this

shire. Query, whether those Trees that are be∣fore said to be digged up in some places herea∣bout, were not buried in the earth by some such sinking as this. I am told, that about Bickley the soil is a very soul miry clay, that there is hardly any travelling that way in the winter time. If so, I conceive then, that under this upper Clay lyes a mouldring washy Clay, or Sand, which is carried away by degrees by the course of Springs (as we said before of Motingham) and that this July being the dryest part of Summer, and this Summer 1657. being an extream hot and dry Summer, (the hottest and dryest I ever knew) this Clayie ground did chap (as it is the nature of Clay to do in dry hot weather, espe∣cially the most rotten and miry Clay, as we see in Marshes) and divide it self from the rest of the ground near it, to which, and to its fall, the hollowness underueath, and the weight of the tall Oaks above did much contribute.

Herefordshire.

THE air is very wholsome, and the soil of this shire exceeding rich for Corn.

About Lemster is the finest Wool of England, though it be not so fine as that of Aquila and Tarentum in Italy. It is likewise famous for the purest Wheat, as Weabley is for the best Ale.

By Snodhill Castle is a quarry of excellent Marble.

Not far from Richards Castle, is a Well called Bone-well, wherein are continually found little Fishes bones, (yet Cambden thinks they may be Frogs bones) but there is not a Fin to be seen; and being wholly cleansed thereof, wil yet have the like again. But (saith Speed) no man can tell whether they are produced naturally, or brought thither in veins.

In the year 1571. Marcley hill in the East part of the shire, with a roaring noise removed it self from the place where it stood, and for three days together travelled from its old seat. It began first to take its journey, February the 17th. being Saturday at six of the clock at night, and by se∣ven of the clock the next morning it had gone fourty paces, carrying with it sheepe in their

cotes, hedge-rows, and Trees, whereof some were overturned, and some that stood upon the plain, are firmly growing upon the hill. Those that were East, were turned West, and those in the West were set in the East. In this remove it overthrew Kinnaston Chappel, and turned two High-wayes near a hundred yards from their old pathes The ground that thus removed was about 26. acres, which opening it selfe with Rocks and all, bore the earth before it for four hundred yards space, without any stay, leaving Pasturage in place of the Tillage, and the Til∣lage overspread with Pasturage. Lastly, over∣whelming its lower parts, it mounted to an hill of twelve fathoms high, and there rested after three dayes travel. Cambden thinks this was that kind of Earth-quake which Philosophers call Brasmatias.

Brecknockshire.

THree miles from Brecknock is a hill called Mounch-denny, that hath its top above the clouds; and if a cloak, hat, or staffe or the like be thrown from the top of it, it will never fall, but be blown up again; nor will any thing des∣cend but stones, or metalline substance, or things as heavy.

On the very top of the hill called Ca dier Ar∣thur riseth a Spring which is deep like a Well, and four square, having no streams issuing from it, and yet there are Trouts found in it.

Two miles East from Brecknock is a Meer called Llynsauaihan, which (as the people dwelling there say) was once a City, but the City was swallow∣ed up by an Earthquake, and this water (or lake) succeeded in the place. They say likewise that at the end of Winter, when after a long frost the ice of this lake breaks, it makes a fearful noise like thunder. Peradventure it is, because the lake is encompassed with high steep hills, which pen in in the found, and multiply it, or else the ground may be hollow underneath, or near the lake. Through this lake there runs a River called Leven∣ny without mixture of its waters, as may be per∣ceived

both by the colour of the watet, and al∣so by the quantity of it, because it is no greater then when it entred the lake. The non-mixture of two waters, doth doubtless proceed from no∣thing else, but the oiliness of the one, and the acidity, (or if you will have it) the acetosity of the other Water; for we see that oil and vinegar will not mix.

Radnorshire.

THis Shire hath sharp and cold air, because of the Snow lying long unmelted under the shady hills, and hanging Rocks, whereof there are many.

Montgomeryshire.

THis shire bred excellent horses in times past. There is nothing else rare, or observable here for our purpose.

Monmouthshire.

THis County hath good air, but bad ways.

The two Rivers of Uske and Wye are full of Salmons and Trouts. And they say, that when the Salmons grow out of season in the one Ri∣ver, they come in season in the other. But in which of the two it is that Salmons are in sea∣son from September till April, (which is the ordi∣nary and general time-for Salmons) I cannot learn, though the thing it self be averred by men of the Countrey.

The River Wye at Chepstow, riseth every Tide to a great heigth; Of the cause of it we have al∣ready said something.

At Lanthony Abbey (saith Cambden) the rain, which the Mountains breed, falls very often; the Wind blows strong, and all the Winter almost it is continually cloudy and misty; yet there are seldom any diseases there; and the grosser the air is, the milder it is.

The Moor or Marsh near Chepstow, suffered great loss in January 1606, For when the Severn sea (saith Cambden) at a spring-tide upon the Change of the Moon was partly driven back for three dayes together with a south∣wind, and partly with a very strong pirry from

the Sea troubling it, it swelled so high, that it came rushing in a main upon the tract lying so low, and also upon the like flats in Somersetshire over against it, and overflowed all, overthrowing houses, and drowning cattle and some people. We have already said that this flood happened when the Moon was in Perig. not that we exclude the change of the Moon, and the convenient sitting of the wind to be the joint causes in the effect. We onely would say, that more causes greaten the ef∣fect.

On Gold-cliff are yellow stones of a golden co∣lour, and glittering by the reflection of the Sun∣beams, which hath made some suspect, that there might be a mine there.

Merlin prophesied, that when a stont Prince with a freckled face should passe over the Ford called Rydpencarn, being in a River called Nant∣pen-carn, the Welch should be subdued. Which ac∣cordingly came to passe, for Henry the second, who passed over this Ford, was freckle faced; And as soon as the Welch men heard where the King came over, their hearts failed them, because of this prophesie; and so they submitted, through too much credulity, saith Cambden. It is not impos∣sible, that King Henry might choose to go over at this Ford, because of the prophecy, and his ene∣mies credulity, the more to facilitate his con∣quests,

Glamorganshire.

THis shire hath a temperate air, and is general∣ly the pleasantest part of all Southwales.

On the top of a certain hill called Minyd-mor∣gan is a monument with a strange character, which the dwellers thereabouts say, if any man read the same, he will dye shortly after. This is not im∣probable; for if a chid of three months old read the three first verses of Homers Illiads, I am confident hee will not live three dayes to an end.

Upon the River Ogmore, and near unto Newton in a sandy plain, about one hundred paces from Severn springs a Well; the water whereof is not very clear, in which at full Sea (in the Summer time) can hardly any water be gotten, but at the ebbe of the tide it bubbleth up amain. In Sum∣mer time I say, for in Winter the ebbing and flowing is nothing so evident, because of the veins of water coming in by showers or otherwise. Be∣sides it is observed, that this spring never riseth up to the brink, or overfloweth. Polybius saith the same of a certain Well at Cadiz.

Clemens Alexandrinus saith, that in Britain is a Cave under the bottome of a hill, and on the top of it a gaping chink. And when the wind is gathered into that hole, and tossed to and fro in the womb of it, there is heard as it were a musicall sound, like that of Cymballs. It is most likely that he speaks of the Cave at Aber∣barry in this shire, the story agreeing very near with the quality of the Cave. It is men∣tioned by the Lord Verulam in his History of the winds, to this effect. In a certain rocky cliffe, in which there are holes, if a man lay his ear to them, he shall hear diverse noises, and rum∣bling of winds under the earth. These noises Cambden saith, are to be heard as well at the low∣est ebb, as the higest flood.

Pembrokeshire.

THis shire hath a good, temperate, and whole∣some air. The soile yields Pit Coal, and Marle.

It appeareth by Giraldus Cambrensis, that the Flemmings that inhabited this shire in his time were very skilfull in sooth-saying, by looking into beasts inwards.

In the Rocks in this shire there breeds a rare kind of Falcon, which is thus described. The head is flat and low, the feathers laid in rows. the legs pale and wan, the claws slender, and wide spread, and the bill soaked round.

About 300 years ago it is reported, that for 5 generations the Father of the Family in the Earle∣dome of Pembroke (their name was Hastings) ne∣ver saw his son.

At the time when Henry the second made his abode in Ireland were extraodinary violent, and lasting storms of wind and weather, so that the sandy shore on the coast of this shire was laid bare to the very hard ground, which had lien hid for many ages. And by further search the people found great Trunks of Trees, which when they had digged up, they were apparently lopped, so

that one might see the stroaks of the Axe upon them, as if they had been given but the day be∣fore. The earth looked very black, and the wood of these Trunks was altogether like Ebony.

At the first discovery made by these storms, the Trees (we speak of) lay so thick, that the whole shore seemed nothing but a lopped grove. Whence may be gathered; that the Sea hath overflowed much land on this coast; Asit hath indeed on the shores of many Countries bordering upon the Sea; which is to be chiefly imputed to the ignorance of the Britans and other barbarous Nations, who were long without the knowledge of Arts, and understood not those ways to repress the fury of the Sea, which now we do. For without doubt since the knowing age of the World the Sea hath not gained upon the land one quarter of that it did before.

About Kilgorran are abundance of Salmons taken, and there is a place called the Salmons leap; as there is the like also in other Rivers for this rea∣son. The Salmon coveteth to get into fresh water Rivers to spawn; and when he comes to places where the water falls down right from some high places (and some such places there be in many Rivers) he useth this policy. He bends himself backward, and takes his tail in his mouth, and with all his force unloosing his circle on a sudden (like a lath let go) he mounteth up before the fall of the stream. And therefore these downright falls (or little Catarracts) of water are called the Salmons Leap.

In the Isle of Scalmey grows abuudance of wild Thyme.

Cardiganshire.

AT the head of the River Istwyd are some Veins of Lead found.

In the River Tivy in times past, the Beaver (or Castor) hath been found; but now they can find none of them. The Beaver is an amphibious creature, that is, lives indifferently in the Wa∣ter, and on the Land. His fore-feet are like a dogs, but the hinder feet are whole-skinned, like those of a Goose. His dog-feet serve him a∣shore to run, and his Geese-feet in the Water to swim. His tail is broad and gristly, which he u∣seth as a stern to direct and turn his course: His skin is ash-coloured, somewhat inclining to blackish. It is a very subtil creature.

The Chronicles report, that while David Me∣nevensis Bishop of St. David's, refuted the Pelagi∣an Heresie at Llan-devi-brevi, the earth whereon he stood and preached, rose up by Miracle to a certain height under his feet.

Cacrmardenshire.

THis shire (as most hilly Countreys) hath a wholesome air. The soil is not said to be very fertile, but onely in some places to yield pit coals.

In Carreg Castle is a Well, that (like the sea ebbs and flows twice in four and twenty hours.

Merionethshire.

THe air may be wholesom, but the soil is but barren: For it is very full of spired Hills, being the most Mountainous shire in Wales, ex∣cept Caernarvon shire. This shire is also subject to many and extraordinary great winds.

Near Bala is a great pool of water that drowns at least 160. acres of ground; whose nature is (as they say) such, that the high land-floods, though never so great, cannot make this pool to swell bigger; but if the air be troubled with violent tempests of winds, it riseth above its banks. The

River Dee runneth into this pool (saith speed) with a sharp stream, and slides through it (as they say) without mixture of waters. For in this pool is bred the fish called Guinjad, which is never seen in Dee. And in Dee Salmons are ta∣ken, which are never found in the pool.

Upon the sea-coast of this shire, great store of Herrings are taken at the time of year.

The sea beateth so sore and hard upon the West side of the shire, that it is thought it hath carried away part of it.

The Welch people tell great wonders of Caer-Gai in this shire; but what they are, I know not. Cambden tels us, that the people of this shire are much given to idleness and wantonness. I much wonder atit, becauseitis generally observed, that hilly Countreys are least subject to those two vices, breeding for the most part hardy and war∣like people. Indeed I have heard (how truly I cannot say) that Cambden was not altogether so ingenuous in this Character, as he should have been; for (they say) when he came to visit this County in his preambulation, he received some unhandsom affront at one place, which provoked his choler to bestow this brand of in∣samy upon the Merioneth-shire men.

Caernarvonshire.

THe air of this shire is sharp and piercing Here are extraordinary high hills (the highest in all Wales) on some of which the Snow lyes long, and on others it lyes all the year long hard crusted together. A thing not at all to be wondred at, since on the Alps, and ma∣ny other Mountains much more southerly then our Island, it doth the like. The consideration of which hath bred an opinion in me, that the Globe of the Earth and Sea is of an Elliptick, or Oval form; that is, like an Egg. And my rea∣son is this: I suppose that every yeare under both the Poles, there falls a quantity of snow, (either little or much, in the time of the suns being at the contrary Tropick, and likely e∣nough at other times of the year too) which the Sun when he hath greatest power upon it, cannot melt all. And this is more then proba∣ble, because not only in Greenland, but also here in this shire,and (if we wil believe Munster) on the top of the Alps too, there are Mountainous Crusts of frozen snow that never were melted. So that now after so many years lapse it cannot be, I think, but that the Diameter of the earth

from pole to pole, from the top of the snow at one end of the earth, to the top of it at the o∣ther end, is much longer then in any part un∣der the Equator, though at the Creation it were (as I believe) made spherical. And so I suppose in longer process of time it will grow more ob∣long. And as it so increaseth in length, so I be∣lieve the sea will decrease in depth, (tho gh both very insensibly) because snow must consist of something, and that something can be no∣thing but a watry vapour condensed and con∣gealed, &c. And this watry vapour must be drawn out of the sea, or out of that part of the earth which once (sooner or later) received it from the sea: And this snow being thrown down at the Poles, and not melting, that so it may return from whence it came, and re-fil that which is emptied, must needs caufe a decrease in the sea. Now that which tempts me to embrace this Paradox the more affectionately, is, for that it serves excellently well to solve a great doubt, which troubled Tycho and Keppler, about centrel Eclipses of the Moon, that happen near the E∣quator, such as that was which Tycho observed in the year 1588. and that which Keppler obser∣ved in the yeare 1624. concerning which hee speaks to this purpose. Notandum est hanc Lunae Eclipsin (instar illius, quam Tycho, anno 1588. ob∣servavit, totalem, & proximam centrali) egregie cal∣culum fefellisse. Nam non solum mora totius Lunae in tenebris brevis fuit, sed & duratio reliqua multo ma∣gis. Perinde quasi Tellus Elliptica esset, dimetientem breviorem habens sub AEquatore longiorem à Polo uno

ad alterum: that is, We must note that this E∣clipse of the Moon (viz. that on the 26. of Sep∣tember, stylo Novo, 1624. like that which Tycho ob∣served in the year 1588. being a total, and al∣most centrel one, did notoriously deceive my calculation; for not onely the duration of the total obscurity was short, but also the rest of the duration before and after the total obscurity much shorter; as if (saith he) the Earth were El∣liptical, having a shorter Diameter under the E∣quator, then from one Pole to another. And yet I am not so devoted to my own fancies, but that one solid reason shall prevail with me to aban∣don the dearest of them, though for the present I see abundance of reason for what I think.

In some places of this shire are bred certain Shel-fish, which being produced (saith my Au∣thor) by an heavenly dew, bring forth Pearls.

In the Pool called Lin-paris, there is (as it is re∣ported) a kind of fish called Torcoch, having a red belly, which is no where else to be seen but here.

It is said also, that on the high hills of this shire are two Meres, one of which produceth fish that have but one eye; and in the other is a moveable and floting Island, which as soon as a man treads on, it presently flotes a great way off. But Speed thinks they are both but fables.

Snowdon Hills (saith Cambden) although they have snow always lying on them, yet are excee∣ding rank with grass, insomuch that they are become a Proverb among the Welsh; and it is cer∣tain, that there are pools and standing waters upon the very tops of these Mountains; and

they are so coated with that snowy crust that lyes on them, that if a man do but lightly set his foot any where on the top ofthe Mountains, he shal perceive the earth to stir the length of a stones cast from him; which I suppose might oc∣casion the fable of the Floting Island mention∣ed but now.

Anglesey.

IN diverse places (saith Hugh Lloyd) in the low grounds and Champion fields of this Island, the Inhabitants do every day find and dig out of the earth the bodies of huge Trees, with their Roots, and Firre-Trees of a wonder∣ful bigness and length: Which Trees he thinks were such as were cut down by the Romans in theirtime; because Tacitus saith, the Romans when they had conquered this Island, caused all their Woods to be cut down, and utterly destroyed. But if some be found with their roots on, I cannot think so, but rather impute thesespoils made on Maritime places to the want of indu∣stry and husbandry in the first ages of the world.

This Island was in times past full of Woods and Timber; but instead of that now, it yeeld∣eth plenty of Corn, Sheep, and Cattel. The air is reasonable healthful, save onely a little aguish at some time, and in some places, by reason of the fogs that rise from the sea. It yeildeth also great store of Mil-stones, and Grind-stones; and in some places is found an Aluminous earth, of which they may make Alume and Copperas, but it must be with some cost and labour.

This Island (saith Hugh Lloyd) yeilds every year such plenty of wheat, that they call it the Mother of Wales.

Denbighshire.

THe air of this shire is cold, but very whol∣some, and the snow lyes long on the hils; for it is a hilly Countrey, the high hils re∣sembling the battlement of Walls; on the tops of which, when vapors rise in the morning in Summer time, it foreshews a fair day to fol∣low.

The highest hil in the shire, called Moilenlly. hath a spring of clear water on the top of it.

The people living in the Vale (saith Cambden) are very healthful; their heads sound and firm; their eye-sight never dim, and their age very la∣sting and chearful.

The little Riveret called Alen, runs under ground once or twice.

Near the little Town Moinglath, is plenty of Lead.

In the west part of the shire where the ground is barren, they pare away the surface of the earth into turfs with a broad spade, and burn them, and lay the ashes of them upon those grounds, which enriches them much. This way of enriching Land was used anciently by the Romans, and spoken of both by Virgil and Ho∣race.

In the year 1574, February the 26. were great Earthquakes, which did many people much hurt, both within doors, and without, in York, Worcester, Hereford, Gloucester, Bristol, and other places adjacent. This shaking of the earth made the Bell in the Shire-Hall of Denbigh to toll twice, but did no other harm at all thereabouts,

Flintshire.

THe air of this shire is healthfull, without any. Fogs or Fenny vapours, saving that somtimes there riseth from the Sea, and the River Dee, cer∣tain thick and smoky mists which yet hurt not at all; for the people here are very aged, and health∣full. The air is colder here then in Cheshire, be∣cause it is encompassed with the Sea and the River, so that the Northwinds being carried long upon the waters blow the colder; whence it is, that snow lyes very long here upon the hills. The Country affordeth great plenty of Cattle, but they are but small.

Millstone is digged in this shire, as well as in Anglesey.

Towards Dee, an arm of the Sea, the fields bear in some places Barley, in others Wheat, but ge∣nerally throughout Rye, with twenty fold in∣crease, and better, (especially every first year, that they be new broken up, and sowen) and af∣terwardsfour or five crops together of Oats.

At the mouth of the River Cluid the valley on the land seemeth to be lower, and to lye under the Sea, and yet the water to the admiration of the beholders never overfloweth into the valley. There are many things in the world that are not as they seem, besides Hypocrites.

Near Holy-well in times past was a rich Mine of Silver.

Hard by Kilken is a little well, that at certain times ebbs, and flows.

In this shire is that excellent Well called Saint Winifrids Well, or Holy-Well, so famous for the strange cures of aches, and lameness, that it hath done. The water ofit is extream cold; and the brook that flowes from it hath so plenti∣full and violent a stream, that it is presently able to drive a mill. The stones about it are as it were spotted with bloody spots, and there are many red stones in the bottome of it. The moss that grows on the sides of it, is of an exceeding sweet smell, and (they say) though some of it be given to every stranger that comes, yet it never wast∣eth.

Yorkshire.

YOrkshire being a shire of a very large extent (the biggest in England) hath variety of air, and as great variety of soil, some barren, and some fertile.

In some parts of the Shire, viz. near Shirburn, are quarries of Stone, the stones whereof being newly hewen, and taken forth of the quarry, are very foft, but seasoned with wind and weather, of themselves become very hard and durable. And in other parts is a kind of Limestone, which being burnt serves to manure and enrich those lands, that are cold and hilly.

About Pomfret and Knaresborough grows great quantity of Liquorice.

About Knaresb. also is great store of yellow Marle, which it may be isa kindly earth for production of Liquorice, because of the same colour with it. But whether the like Marle be as plentifull about Pomfret, I cannot tell. So much indeed Speed saith, that great plenty of Skirriwort (or Skirrets) grow about Pomfret, but he saith nothing of the quality of the soile.

It is reported that at the suppression of the Abbies by Henry the eight, in a certain Chappell

in York a Lamp was found burning in a Vault or Sepulchre under ground, wherein Constantius the Emperour was supposed to have been buried. Which kind of Lamps Lazius means, when he saith that in old time they had a way to preserve light in Sepulchers by an artificiall resolving of gold in∣to a liquid and fatty substance, which would conti∣nue burning for many ages together.

There are many iron Mines about Sheffield.

About the year of Christ 759. the Town of Doncaster was burnt by fire from heaven.

Some of the inhabitants about Dichmarsh and Marshland are of opinion that the land there is hollow, and hanging, and that as the waters rise, the land is also heaved up. And the like (saith mine Author) Pomponius Mela hath written of Antrum an Isle some where in France.

About Brotherton is a yellow kind of Marle found, which being cast upon fields, makes them bear good Corn for many years together. Querie, Whether the ground here (as about Knaresborough) would not be proper for the planting of Liquorice.

The River Wherfe is a mighty swift River, roar∣ing, and sometimes driving the stones in it before it. Though this River have many waters fall into it, yet at Tadcaster Bridge it is in a manner dry at Midsummer; but in the Winter it is so deep, that the bridge is scarce able to receive so much water. It seems by the story that this River hath many great shoots into it, and that it is fed chiefly by land Springs, which run highest in Winter. Of the swiftness of Rivers we have spoken before.

At Tadcaster Limestone is digged, which is counted a very good and strong Lime.

The Abby of Fountains hath Lead Mines near it

Near Burrow Briggs are certain Pyramids stand∣ing, which are supposed by some to have been made of a factitious stone compounded of pure sand, Lime, Vitriol, and some unctuous matter. See before, what we have said touching the Stone∣henge upon Salisbury plain.

Under Knaresborough is a Well called Dropping∣well, in which the waters Spring not out of the veins of the earth, but diftill from the Rocks that hang over it. This water turns wood into stone; for wood put into it will shortly after be covered over with a stony bark, and at length become stone, as hath been often tryed, saith Speed.

Alevinus in an Epistle of his to Egelred King of Northumberland speaks of the raining of blood on St. Peters Church at York even in a fair day, which descended in a very violent manner from the top of the roof of the Church; And thereupon breaks forth into these words, May it not be thought, that blood is coming upon the land from the North parts? And not long after (to fulfil his prediction) the Danes invaded England, and among other their outrages, burnt the City of York.

At Giggleswick a mile from Settle (and a way∣bit) are small Springs not distant from one ano∣ther a quoits cast, the middlemost of which at eve∣ry quarter of an hour ebbs and flows about the height of a quarter of a yard, when it is highest;

and at the ebbe falls so low, that it is not an inch deep with water.

The little River Derwent increased by rain, doth often overflow its banks. It seems there are great shoots into it, and great windings in it.

The Rivers Humber and Ouse have a very forci∣ble current, and flow with a great noise, being dangerous for those, that sail therein.

Great store of Goats about Sureby; And upon the hills of this Shire toward Lancashire is the like for Goats and Deer.

Near Flamborough Head (saith Cambden) it is reported, that there are certain waters called Vip∣seys, which flow every other year out of blind Springs, and run with a very violent stream through the low Land, into the Sea. They rise (they say) from many Springs meeting together within the ground, which makes their stream so forcible on a sudden. When they are dry, it is a good sign; but when they break out, they say it is a certain sign of dearth to follow. Yet when I travelled here; (saith he) I could hear nothing of these Springs, although I enquired very earnest∣ly after them.

Scarborough Castle hath a little Well of fresh a∣ter springing out of a Rock,

Scarborough is the chief place for catching of Herrings at time of the year. In our great grand∣fathers days (saith Cambden) the Herrings kept altogether about the coast of Norway, but now in our times they swim every year round about Bri∣tain, by shoale in huge numbers, About Midsum∣mer they shoale out of the deepand vast Northern

Seas to the coasts of Scotland, at which time they are at the fattest. From thence they com to the East coast of England, and from the middle of August to November is the best taking them between Scar∣borough and the Thames mouth. Afterwards by some great storme they are carried into the British Sea, and there till Christmas are caught by Fish∣ermen in their nets. From hence dividing them∣selves, and swimming along both sides of Ireland, after they have coasted round about Britain, they take their course into the North Seas again, as their home; and there they rest till June, where after they have cast their spawn, and gotten a young fry, they return again, as before. To this doth that of St. Ambrose agree, where he saith, that Fishes in infinite numbers swim together, and make towards the blasts of the North wind, and by a certain instinct of nature hasten into the Sea of the North parts; And thus (saith he) they swim through Propontis into Pontus Euxinus.

At Whitbay are Serpents (or snakes) of stone found. Query whether the soile be such therea∣bout, as I have described it about Alderley in Glo∣cestershire; as also whether there be any difference in the shape, colour, or bigness of the one or the other.

Wild Geese flying over cettain fields near Whit∣bay in the Winter time to pools and Rivers that are not frozen, in the South parts, suddenly fall to the ground, from a secret antipathy, as is thought.

Upon the shore by Moulgrave Castle is found Feat. It grows among the Cliffs and Rocks, where

they gape asunder. Before it be polished, it is of a reddish rusty colour, but after it is of an excel∣lent black as every one knows. It is said by some of the Ancients, that jeat put into water, will take fire and burn, and that oyl quencheth it: but experience tells usit is not so.

At Skengrave a little Village in Cleaveland, in the Northriding of the shire, about the year 1535. a Triton or Manfish was taken, as it is reported, that for certain days together fed upon raw fish, but espying his opportunity he got away to Sea again, ans was seen no more.

Upon this shore by Skengrave, whensoever it is calme, and the Sea (as it were) levell, there is heard many times on a sudden an horrible and fearfull groaning, as it were a great way off, at which time the fishermen dare not lanch out into the deep.

Near unto Hunt-cliffe upon the same shore (and not far from the shore) there appear certain Rocks, about which the Seal-fishes meet together to sleep and Sun themselves. And upon that Rock that is next the shore, one of the Seals lyes to keep Centinell; and as any man approacheth, he either throws down a big stone, or tumble himselfe into the water with a great noise, as a signall to the rest to awake, and get into the water. They are not afraid of women, but onely of men, and there∣fore they that will catch them, put on womens apparell. When they are chased by men, if they be destitute of water, they will with their hinder feet fling backward a cloud of sand and gravell in the faces and eyes of their pursuers; Yea, and

many times drive them away, making them weary of their design by this means.

Upon the same shore are found stones, some yellow, some reddish, some with a rough cast crust over them of a Salt matter; which by their smell and tast make shew of Copperas, Nitre and Brim∣stone. Here are also great store of Marcasites in colour resembling brass.

At Huntly Nab at the roots of the craggy Rocks, that are there upon the shore, there lye stonesskatt∣ering here and there, of diverse bignesses, so arti∣ficially (and yet naturally) round, that one would think they had been turned for shot for great Ordnance. In which, if you break them, you shall find stony Serpents wrapped round (that is, just in the forme of the Aderley and Keynsham snakes) but most of them are headless. The way to break them is by heating them red hot in the fire, and then quenching them in cold water; for by that means they will fall asunder of themselves. These stones (if that which I have be of this sort, and he that gave it me assured me it was) are within of a pellucid whitish matter like Alabaster, though not so white, and are on the out side cove∣red over with a coat so absolutely like brass, that I think they cannot be distinguished. The out∣ward form of them is just like the Glocestershire stones, with a spine and ribbs. The stone that I have is about an inch in Diameter, but I have seen two or three more, that were near two in∣ches in Diameter. I have another stone somewhat like this I speak of, but it is not above a Barley corn in Diameter. It hath a brassy coat, and is

wreathed snake-like, as the other: But it is not pellucid within, nor so light coloured; and with∣all it hath no Spine, but instead of it four rows of prickles very curiously wrought; and it is much bigger toward the head, and lesser at the taile, then the other. Whether it were found at the same. place with the other I know not, neither did the giver tell me. There is a place in Provence in France, near the mouth of the Rhosne, called the Stone field where several acres are covered with such stones exactly round, (& the like is in the Island Cuba in America) but whether there be Serpents in them or no, I never heard nor read.

Gisburgh is much commended for a healthfull place, far exceeding Puteoli in Italy. The land a∣bout it is very fertile, and beareth flowers a great part of the year, and is withall extraordinary full of veins of metall, and Alume. earth of sundry co∣lours, but especially of Ochre and Murray; As also ofIron, out of which (saith my Author Camb∣den) they have begun to try very good Alume and Coperas. These veins of earth Sir Thomas Chaloner, Prince Henry his Tutor, first discovered, by observing, that the leaves of the trees were of a more weak green colour here, then elswhere; that the Oaks had their roots spreading broad, but ve∣ry ebbe (or shallow) within the earth, which had much strength, but small store of sap; and that the earth standing upon clay, and being of di∣verse colours; whitish, yellowish, and blew, was ne∣ver frozen; and in a clear night glittered in the paths like glass.

Almost at the top of Roseberry-topping (a very

high hill hard by Gilsburgh there is a Spring of water, coming out of a huge Rock, medicinable for fore eyes. It is likely to be an oily water.

When Roseberry-topping hath a cloudy cap on, there commonly follows rain. Whence this rime∣ing Proverb is very frequent with the people:

When Roseberry-topping wears a Cap, Let Cleaveland then beware a clap.

The River Recall hides it self under ground near Elmesly in this Riding.

Abundance of Springs rise together at Hinder∣skell a little Castle, near Sherry-Hutton Castle.

The hills in Richmondshire are well stored with Lead, Copper, and Pit-Coals. And on the tops of these hills stones have been found like Sea-win∣kles, Cockles, and other fish. Which (saith Camb∣den) are either naturall, or else are the reliques of Noahs flood petrified. Orosius speaks as much of Oysters of stone found upon hills far from the Sea, which have been eaten in hollow with the water. In all likelyhood these stone-fishes are of the same kind with ours in Glocestershire.

Plenty of Lead-stones in Wentsedale.

The River Ure is full of Creafishes; but the breed was brought thither out of the South parts of England by Sir Christopher Medcalfe. It may be from Newbury in Barkeshire, where there are the like plenty.

The River Swale is a very swift River.

Mask in this shire is full of Lead Ore.

There is a place in this shire called St. Wilfrids Needle, being a passage so narrow, that one of a

mean bulk can but just creep through it. The sto∣ry goes of it, that it easily lets chast women through, but holds fast those, that have plaid false. However the thing may seem a Fable at first sight, yet if the women, that have plaid false, be with child, it may be true without wonder.

The Bishoprick of Durham.

THe air of this County is sharp and piercing, and would be more, but that the vapours of the Sea do help to dissolve the ice and snow. The Eastern part of it is the richest, the South is moor∣ish, and the West all Rocky without grass or grain, onely it feeds Cattle, and is well stored with Coal, as indeed the whole County is, being the greatest in England for great Coals And the Coals grow so near the surface of the earth, that the Cart wheels turn them up in the trod-ways.

In the West part of this County are Iron Mines. Query, whether all Mines be not in a hilly Coun∣try.

The East part of the County yields a great plenty of Coale, and yet where it hath plenty of it, it is likewise fruitfull and good land.

At Egleston is a Marble quarry.

Near Darlington, whose waters are warm (hot

saith Cambden) and by an Antiperistasis, or rever∣beration of the cold air) are three pits wonder∣full deep, called Hell kettles. These are thought to come of an earthquake, that happened Anno 1179. For on Christmas day (say our Chronicles) at Oxenhall (which is this place) the ground hea∣ved up alost like a Tower, and so continued all that day as it were immovable till evening, and then fell in with a very horrible noise, and the earth swallowed it up, and made in the same place three deep pits.

It is reported that Bishop Tunstall put a Goose into one of those pits, having first given her a mark; and the same Goose was found in the River Tees, so that it seems these Kettles have passages under ground.

Within the River Weere at Butterby near Durham, in Summer time there issues a salt reddish water, from the sides of certain stones at the ebbe & low water, which with the Sun waxes white, & growing thick beeoms a salt, which the people thereabouts alwayes use. Cambden saith further, that if you pour water upon these stones, and temper it a lit∣tle with them, it will suck in a saltish quality.

Lancashire.

THe air of this County is thin and piercing, not troubled with gross mists or fogs. And the people are very comly, healthfull and long lived, and not subject to strange diseases. The soile is not very fruitfull, yet it breeds great num∣ber of Cattle, that are of huge proportion, and have goodly heads and large spread horns. Here is also fish and fowle on the Sea coasts in good plenty, and in other places of the shire the like store of Coals, and a competent increase of flax. Where the ground is plain, it is good for wheat, and barley; that which lyes at the bottome of hils is better for oats.

Along the Sea side in many places lye heaps of Sand, upon which the people pour water till it contract a saltish humour from the sand; and thus they boile with turfs, till it become white salt.

This shire in divers places suffereth much by the flowing fury of the Sea, as in Fourness, much of which the Sea hath eaten away by little and little. The cause is plain. For who can expect less, where a shore full of quicksands (as this is) is washed, and beaten upon by a Sea, hardly ever quiet, such

as every one knows the Irish Sea is, unless it be sometimes in Summer.

Not far from Fourness Felles lyes the greatest standing Water of England, called Winander Meere, which is wonderfull deep, and ten miles over, and all paved (as it were) in the bottome. There are many such places in England, that are naturally paved. When I went to Keynsham (by Bristol), to search for the snake-stones, there I found the Lane (where they are) as it were all paved with broad hard stones, and the fnakes lying upon the middle of the surface of the stones. We have also in some places of Kent such natu∣rall pavements; And such I take stone-streets by Hithe to be if it were not a work of the Romans.

This Winander Meere breeds a kind of fish called a Chare, which is no where else to be found.

The Mosses in this shire are very unwholesome places to live in. If the upper coat of this mossie earth be pared away, it yields fat turfes for fewel, and sometimes trees, that have lien long under ground as it is thought; unless they grew there, which is unlikely. In diverse places also these mosses underneath afford abundance of Marle to enrich land with.

On the banks of the River Irwell is a kind of red∣dish stone.

About Manchester are quarries of very good stone.

By Chatmoss in this shire is a low mossey ground, very large, a great part of which (saith Camb∣den) not long ago, the Brooks swelling high, carri∣ed quite away with them, whereby the Rivers

were corrupted, and a number of fresh fish perish∣ed. In which place now lyes a low vale watered with a little Brook, where trees have been digged up, lying along, which are supposed by some to have come thus. The channels of the Brooks being not scoured, the Brooks have risen, and made all the land moorish; that lay lower then others. Whereby the roots of the trees being loosened by reason of the bogginess of the ground, or by the water finding a passage under ground, the trees have either by their own weight, or by some storm being blown down, and so sunk into that soft earth, and been swallowed up. For it is ob∣servable, that trees are no where digged out of the earth, but where the earth is boggy; And e∣ven upon hils, such moorish and moist grounds are commonly found. The wood of these trees burns very bright and clear like torchwood (which per∣haps is by reason of the Bitumenous earth, in which they have been so long) so that some think them to be Firre Trees, but it is not so saith Cambden. Such mighty trees are often found in Holland, which are thought to be undermined by the waves working into the shire, or by winds dri∣ven forward, and brought to those lower places, where they settled and sunk. But Querie (saith Cambden) whether they be not subterraneous Trees, growing under ground, as well as plants, and other creatures.

At Ferneby the people use Turfs for fire and candle both. And when they dig them, they find under them a certain dead & blackish water, upon which swimms a kind of fat oily matter, and in it

there are little flshes, which the diggers take. And just in the same manner (saith Cambden) fishes are digged out of the earth at Heraclea, and Tios in Pontus. But that which is much stranger, is, that in Paphlagonia many, and those very good fishes are gotten by digging in places nothing waterish; but (saith he) this is a secret in nature.

On the very top of Pendle-hill grows a peculiar plant, called Cloudesberry, as though it came out of the clouds. This hill (saith Cambden) lately did the country much harm near it, by reason of an extraordinary deal of water gushing out of it. It is also famous for an infallible signe of rain, when∣soever the top of it is covered with a mist.

There are three great hills here, not far distant asunder, seeming to be as high, as the clouds, which are Ingleborrow, Penigent, and this Pendle.

In the River Lune near Cockersand Abbey is great store of Salmon; That fish delighting, and thriving best in shallow, sandy, and clear Rivers.

Cumberland.

THis County (like the rest of the rough Northern Countries) hath sharp piercing aire which would be worse, if the high Hils in the North did not break of the storms and fal∣ling Snow. The soil is fertile for the most part, both for Corn and Cattel; and the Maritime places are wel furnished with Fish and Fowl, and the Rivers breed a kind of Musck that bear∣eth Pearl. And Speed tels us, that in the mouth of the River Jet, as they lye gaping and sucking in the dew that falls, the people gather them, and sel them.

In this County are many Mines of Copper, especially at Keswick, and Newland, where likewise the Black-Lead is found. Formerly there were Veins of Gold and Silver in the Copper-Mines about Newland.

At Salkelds upon the River Eden, is a Trophee of Victory, called by the Countrey people, Long Meg and her Daughters. They are 77 stones, each of them ten foot high above ground, and one amongst the rest is fifteen foot high.

Skiddaw-Hill riseth up with two mighty high Heads, (like Parnassus) and beholds Scruffel Hill

in Annandale, within Scotland: And according as mists rise or fall upon these heads, the people thereby prognosticate of the change of wea∣ther, singing this Rime:

If Skiddaw have a Cap, Scruffel wots full well of that.

There are two other exeeeding high Hills in this shire, called Lauvellin and Casticand.

The sea (as is before said) hath eaten a great part of the Land away, upon the shores of these Western shires. There are on the shore of this shire Trees discovered somtimes by the Winds at low water, which are else covered over with Sand. And it is reported by the people dwelling thereabouts, that they dig up trees without boughs, out of the ground in the mossie places of the shire, and that by the direction of the dew in Summer; for they observe, that the dew never stands upon that ground under which they lye.

The earth and stones at Penrith are of a red∣dish colour.

Some Empirick Chirurgions of Scotland take their journey to the Picts Wall every year, in the beginning of Summer, to gather vulnerary Plants, which they say grow plentifully there, and are very effectual, being sowen and planted by the Romans for Chirurgical uses.

Northumberland.

THe air of this shire also is sharp and piercing of itsself; but the Germane Ocean doth somewhat abate the edge of it, and helps to dissolve the Ice and Snow. The soil is rough, hard, and barren, and it should seem the inha∣bitants are long lived; for one Mr. Macklain a Scotch man, Parson of Lesbury, (who died about the year 1659.) did in the year 1657. (two years before) renew his youth; so that (though for 40. years before he could not read without Spe∣ctacles, being 116. years of age) he would then read the smallest print without them. He had his hair, which before he had lost, came again like a childs, &c. Which puts me in mind of an aged Dean, who had the like renovation of age, and when he dyed, he had this Epitaph bestow∣ed by some barbarous pen upon his Tomb:

Hic jacet edentulus, Canus, at{que} Decanus; Rursum dentescit, nigrescit, & hic requiescit.

There are Hills hard by North Tine so boggy, and standing with Water on the top, that no Horseman is able to ride over them. And yet there are great heaps of stones cast up together upon them, which it may be, is the mark of some victory.

By Bywell Castle is great store of Salmons: As indeed there is in most of the Rivers in the North of England, and in Scotland.

Coquet Isle hath a Vein of Sea-Cole in it.

The Isle of MAN.

Hath cold and sharp air: It yeilds much Hemp and Flax. The Cattel and Sheepe are smaller then ours in England, being much like those in Ireland, which are but small neither, nor have their Cattel so fair a head as ours.

Many Trees are found and digged out of the earth in this Island: And they have here a clammy turf, which they burn for their fewel.

In the Calf of Man are abundance of Puffins, as also Bernacles, which the people there say are bred of rotten wood.

The soil of the Isle of Man (saith H. Lloyd) is reasonable fertile, both for Corn and Grass, and yeilds good plenty of Barley, Wheat and Rye, but especially of Oats, and feeds great store of Cattel and Sheep; yet the Land is more waste and barren then that of Anglesey; and the people that are born and bred here, are weaker, and less fit for the Wars.

Westmorland.

THe air here is sharp and piercing, not subject to gross sogs and vapours, by reason of which, the people are free from strange and infe∣ctious Diseases, being very healthful, and living generally to great ages. The soil is moorish and barren for the most part, yet the Southern part is is not so bad as the rest.

Near the River Loder, is a spring that ebbs and flows many times in a day: And in the same place there are huge stones like Pyramids (some of them are nine foot high, and fourteen foot thick) pitched directly in a row for a mile toge∣ther

In the River Can, near Kendale, are two Catar∣rhacts, or Water-falls, where the waters descend with a great fall, and mighty noise. And when that which standeth North from the Neighbour living between them., sounds clearer and loude then the other, they certainly look for fair wea∣ther to follow; but when that on the south side doth so, they expect fogs and showers of rain.

By Kirkby Lonsdale are many deep and hollow places like Caves.

In ancient time the Pearl-bearing Muskles are found upon this shore, which conceive by the dew which they suck in; and they are to be found at this day both here, & in the rivers of Cumberland.

Scotland.

THE air of this Kingdom hath its variety ac∣cording to the scituation of several places and parts of it; but generally it is healthful, because cold. The Soil in the High-lands is very poor and barren generally, but in the low lands it is good, and beareth excellent Oats, much ranker then ours in England. The people are strong of body, and of good proportion. Their Cattel are but small. Their best Nags are bred about Galloway. For Bernacles, or Soland. Geese, they have so infinite a number of them, that they even darken the Suns sight. These Geese are most rife about the Basse, an Island at the mouth of the Frith, going up to Edenbrough; and hither they bring an incredible number of fishes, and withal, such an abundance of sticks, and little twigs to build their nests, that the peo∣ple are very plentifully provided of fewel, who also make a great gain of their Feathers and Oil. There hath been great dispute among the Learned, about the generation of these Geese, some holding that they were bred of the leaves of the Bernacle Tree falling into the Waters others that they were bred of moist rotten; Wood lying in the Waters, but it is since found, that they come of an Egg, and are hatched as all other Geese are.

Lough-Rian is ful of Herrings and Stone-fishes saith Cambden.

Near the head of the River Cluyd in Craw∣ford Moor, in wild, waste places, certain Hus∣bandmen of the Countrey after great store of violent rain, happened to find small pieces like scrapings of Gold, which gave them hopes of finding a Mine of Gold. Indeed (saith Camb∣den) there is Azure gotten out every day with∣out any labour at all. Thus saith Cambden, Orte∣lius tels us, That in Drisdale in Scotland is a Mine of Gold, in which also is found that which they commonly call Lazure. It may be these are but two diverse stories of one and the same thing.

There is a Well near Edenburgh (saith Speed) that floteth with Bitumen: There is a Spring a∣bout two miles from Edenbrough (saith Ortelius) on the top of the Water whereof, drops of Oil continually, swim, so as if you take none from it, there wil be never the more; and if you take a∣ny from thence, there wil be never the less: Which Oil is good for the roughness of the skin Likely the same thing diversly related.

In Galloway (saith Ortelius) is a Lake called Myrtoun, part of whose Waters freezes in the Winter, as other Waters do; but the other part was never known to be frozen in the greatest Frost that ever were.

In Loghabre are Iron-Mines, saith Cambden. And somewhere in Scotland Ortelius saith there are Lead-Mines.

In the Province of Coile (saith Ortelius) about ten Miles from Aire, is a stone hardly twelve

foot high, and 33. cubits thick, called the Deaf Rock on the one side of which, though you make never so great a noise, nay if you shoot off a piece of Ordinance, it shall hardly be heard on the other side, except you be a good way off from it, and then the sound may easily be per∣ceived.

In Buqhan Rats are never seen: And if any be brought in thither, they wil not live:

This Country of Buqhan yeilds the finest Wool in all Scotland: And Lorn the best barley.

The Rivers of the coast of Buqhan are wel sto∣red with Salmon, and yet they never enter into the River Ratra.

On the banks of this River Ratra, in Buqhan, is a Cave near unto Stanys Castle, in which is Wa∣ter, which dropping out of a natural Vault, presently turneth into Pyramidal stones, of a middle nature, between ice and hard stone. It is brittle and crumbling, and never cometh to the hardness of Marble: And if the Cave were not rid of these stones, as they fall, the whole Cave would shortly be filled.

The Water of the River Nessa, and of the Lough-Nessa, is alwayes warm, and never free∣zeth.

The Lough-Lomund is about 20. or 24. miles long, and eight miles broad. It is wel stored with fish, and particularly with one kind of fish, very wholesome and good, called a Pollac, which is no where else to be found. Necham saith, that this Lough turneth sticks into stones. In this Lough (saith Ortelius) are thirty Islands, where∣of

divers have Villages inhabited, and Chur∣ches; and one of them, which is very good for feeding of Cattel, flotes up and down in the Lake, as it is carried by the Wind: Not unlike those Islands reported by Pliny to be in the Lake, Vadimon, which are ful of Grass, and covered o∣ver with rushes and reeds, and swim up and down in the Lake. There are the like also near St. Omars by Calais. In the Lough Lomund also are fishes without finns. Further, it is the nature of this Lough to rage, and rise in waves most of all in the fairest and calmest weather, so that boats are often cast away.

The River Douglass hath a black greenish Wa∣ter.

In the Wood Caledonia in old time, were white Bulls, wild, and very fierce, whose manes were like Lyons, thick and curled: And so hateful they were to mankinde, that they abhorred whatsoever was handled, or breathed upon by men. And Martial and Plutarch speak of bears here,

In Sutherland (saith Cambden) there are whole Hills of white Marble.

Towards the North of Scotland (saith Speed) there be Mountains all of Alablaster, and some all of Marble.

Fife is wel stored with Pit-Coals; and the shores of it are as largely stored with Oysters, and other Shel-fish.

In the Rivers Dee and Done is great store of Salmon, and a shel-fish called the Horse-Muskle, in which there grow Pearls, as Orient as the best.

The Countrey of Athole is infamous for witch∣es, and wicked women.

Near Falkirk (saith Lythgow) remain the ru∣ines and marks of a Town, &c. swallowed up into the Earth by an Earth-quake, and the void place is filled with water.

It is credibly reported (saith Ortelius) that in Argile there is a kind of stone to be found, which if it be covered but a while with straw or flax, it wil set it on fire.

The same Author saith, That in the Coun∣trey of Carict are very great Oxen, whose flesh is very tender, and of a very pleasant and delicate taste, and the fat never waxes hard, but is thin, like liquid Oyle; and that the sea also on this coast affords great store of Oysters, Cockles, Congers, Herrings (at time of year) &c. Also he saith, That

At the mouth of the River Frith, in the main Sea, is a very high Rock, out of whose top a spring of fresh water runs abundantly.

The snow lies all the year long upon the hills in Ross.

A huge piece of Amber (saith Cambden) as big as an Horse, was not long since cast upon the shore of Buqhan. Note that this shore lies almost over-against the mouth of the Baltick sea, in which sea upon the shores of Prussia and Pomer∣land, both Jeat and Amber are often found, as Geographers generally assure us. Serapio, and the Modern Philosophers say, that Amber is a clam∣my Bituminous Earth, lying under the sea, and by the sea side, of which tempests cast part up∣on

the shore, and fishes devour the reit.

Near a place called Disert in Fife, which stands by the sea side, is a Heath, where there is great plenty of an Earthy Bitumen, and it partly burneth.

In the Countrey of Argile (saith Cambden) at this day there are Kine and red Deer ranging wild upon the hills.

In the Countrey of Murray is a Meer that breeds and maintains a great abundance of Swans, by the help of the herb, called Olorina, which grows very plentifully in it, saith Camb∣den.

The River of Aberden breeds great store of Salmon.

The Wool in Galloway (saith Lithgow) is no∣thing inferiour to that of Biscay in Spain: And the Mutton is as sweet as the Wool is fine.

Between the coast of Cathnes, and the Isle of South Rannaldshaw in Orknay (saith the same Au∣thor) is a dreadful Frith or Gulf, in the North west end of which, by reason of the meeting of several (he saith nine) contrary tides or Cur∣rents, is a Mael-stream, or great Whirl-pool, that whirleth ever about. And if any Ship, Boat, or Bark, come within the sphere of its activity, (as it may be called) they must quickly throw over some thing into it, as a barrel, a piece of timber, or such like, or else the Vessel wil ine∣vitably be swallowed up. Which the Cathnes and Orkney Mariners know very wel, and observe it as a constant custom to redeem themselves that way from danger.

The HEBRIDES.

In Alize, one of these lsles (saith Ortelius) is abundance of Soland-Geese: And the same Author saith, that another Isle of them is a fertile soil for Corn, and rich in Veins of Me∣tal.

The ORCADES.

In these Isles grow no trees; yet the Land bears barley, and other grain, but no wheat at all: They breed no Serpent, nor any vene∣mous beast; nor wil any such creature live, being brought into one of these Islands from other places. They have store of barley (saith Hector Boethius) and make much Ale, and are great drinkers; and yet you shall never see a drunken man, or a mad man, or a natural fool among them. And they live very long without the use of physick.

In the Isle Pomonia is plenty of tin and lead.

The Iland of Zeal (saith de la Mothe le Vayer) one of the Isles of Schetland, wil not endure any creature that is not bred and born there.

Holy Island.

The air of it is sickly, because it is both cold and foggy; the soil is rocky and barren.

Farne. Island.

This Isle hath a very sickly air, subject to the Dysentery (or bloudy Flux) and other diseases by reason of the frequent fogs there. It is also much troubled with tempests of wind, storms of rain, and rage of the Sea. The soil is barren, and good for little. This Island, and Holy-Island yield good store of fish and fowle.

Garnesey

Hath a very fruitfull soile. This Island hath nei∣ther Toad, Snake, Adder, or any other venemous creature; but Jersey hath great plenty of them.

Among the Rocks in this Island is found the hard stone, called Smyris, which Glasiers use, and Goldsmiths and Lapidaries to cut their stones with.

Jersey.

The air of this Island is very healthful, not sub∣ject to any diseases, but agues in September; And the Island is as fertile. Their sheep have most of them 4 horns a piece, but a very fine and white Wooll; of which our Jersey (as we call it) is made. Upon the coast of this Island in Summer time they catch excellent Conger and Lobster:

In Jersey they have no wood, butburn the Sea-weed (called Fucus Marinus) being dryed at the fire which groweth plentifully on the Rocks there, and with the ashes of this fewell they manure their fields, and make them very battle.

Alderny.

Both the air and land of this Island are com∣mended to be indifferent good. In this Island was

once found (as they say) a Giants tooth as big as a mans fist, that was thought to be one of his Mo∣lares or Grinders. But I believe it was rather an Ele∣phants tooth.