The history of the worthies of England who for parts and learning have been eminent in the several counties : together with an historical narrative of the native commodities and rarities in each county / endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

The Wonders.

This Shire affordeth none properly so called, unless some conceive the bones re∣ducible thereunto digged out of this* 1.1 County at the Ness near Harwich, which with their bigness and length amazed the beholders. I cannot see how such can maintain them to be the bones of men, who must confess that according to the proportion of the doors and roofs of antient building, (either as extant or read of) they must Ingredi & incedere proni, go in Stooping, not to say Lye along. Except the Avouchers be as Incurious of their Credit as the Travellor was, who affirming that he saw Bees as big as Dogs, and yet their Hives of our ordinary size; and being demanded what shift they made to get in; Let them (said he) look to that.

More probable it is, that those were bones of Elephants, store whereof were brought over into England by the Emperour Claudius. Indeed some Sciolists will boast

to distinguish bones of Beasts from Men by their Porosity, which the learned deride as an undifferencing difference. Indeed when a Scull may be produced of such magni∣tude, (which by its form is secured from mistake as appropriate to man alone,) then the wonder will begin indeed: Till which time I behold these Shanks and Thigh b•…•…nes pretended to Men, to be of Elephants.

To these Wonders it will not be amiss to adde the ensuing relation written by the Pen of Master Thomas Smith of Sewarstone, in the Parish of Waltham Abby, a discreet person not long since deceased.

It so fell out that I served Sir Edward Denny, (towards the latter end of the raign of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory,) who lived in the Abbey of Waltham-Crosse in the County of Essex, which at that time lay in ruinous heaps, and then Sir Edward began slowly now and then to make even and re-edify some of that Chaos. In doing whereof, Tomkins his Gardner, came to discover (among other things) a fair Marble Stone, the Cover of a Tombe hewed out in hard Stone: This Cover, with some help he removed from off the Tombe, which having done, there appeared (to the view of the Gardner, and Master Baker Minister of the Town, (who died long since) and to my self and Master Henry Knagg, (Sir Edwards Bayliffe,) the Anatomy of a Man lying in the Tombe abovesaid, onely the Bones remaining, Bone to his Bone, not one Bone dislocated: In observation whereof, we wondred to see the Bones still remaining in such due order, and no Dust or other Filth besides them to be seen in the Tomb: We could not conceive, that it had been an Anatomy of Bones only laid at first into the Tomb; yet if it had been the whole Carcass of a * 1.2 Man, what became of his Flesh and Entrals? for (as I have said above) the Tomb was clean from all Filth and Dust, besides the Bones.

This when we had all well observed, I told them, that if they did but touch any part thereof, that all would fall asunder, for I had onely heard somewhat formerly of the like accident. Tryall was made, and so it came to pass. For my own part, I am perswaded, that as the Flesh of this Anatomy to us became invisible, so likewise would the Bones have been in some longer continuance of time. O what is Man then, which vanisheth thus away, like unto Smoak or Va∣pour, and is no more seen? Whosoever thou art that shalt read this passage, thou mayst find cause of humility sufficient.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Camdens Brit. in Ess•…•….
• * 1.2

  It is general∣ly conceived the body of King Harold.