The natural history of Stafford-shire by Robert Plot ...

CHAP. III. Of the Earths.

1. STaffordshire, bounded on the North with Cheshire, East with Derbyshire and Leicestershire, on the West with Shropshire, and on the South with Worcester and Warwickshires; is di∣vided by the Trent into the North, and South, or rather into the North-East and South-West parts; And the North-East, as Mr. Erdeswick and some others will have it, subdivided again into the Moorelands, and Woodlandsa 1.1; which latter lying between the Trent, Tene, and Dove, others choose rather to call the middle part of Staffordshire: Whereof the Moorelands are the more Northerly mountanous parts, lying between Trent and Dove, from the three shire heads Southwardly, to Draycot in the Moores, yielding Coal, Lead, Copper, Rance Marble, and Mill-stones; and the Woodlands the more Southerly level part of that Country, from Draycot, to Whichnor, Burton, &c. between the aforesaid Rivers; including Needwood Forrest with all its Parks, also the Parks of Whichnor, Hore-Cross, Bagots, Chartley, Loxley, Birchwood, and Paynsley (which anciently I suppose were all but as one Wood that gave it the deno∣mination) produceing Salt, black Marble, and Alabaster, beside great quantities of very good Timber; and both Moorelands and Woodlands, as goodly Cattle, large and fair spread, as Lancashire it self, and such as the Grasiers say will feed better; the warm Lime∣stone Hills of the very Moorelands producing a short, but a fine sweet grass, and large Oxen, though in an open cold Country, as Drayton in his Polyolbion, speaking of the Moorelands, also plainly testifies;

She from her chilly site, as from her barren feed, For body, horn, and hair, as fair a Beast doth breed As scarcely this great Isle can equalb 1.2—

2. And if amongst the mountains of the Moorelands, much more can they breed and feed Cattle too, in the rich Meddows that adorn the banks of Trent, Blithe, Tene, Churnet, Hamp••x all ••••any∣fold, all in this quarter of the Countrey; and more especially still upon the famous Dove-bank, esteemed by many, the best feeding land of England; which lying upon a Limestone as Mr. Camden

imagins, sucks such fertility from it (though I think with the right Worshipful and most worthy Loyal Gent. Sr. Rowland Okeover of Okeover Knight, it rather proceeds from the Soil, especially the Sheeps dung, thrown down into the Meddows from the Hills in great rains) that in the very midst of winter the Meddows are a∣dorn'd with a pleasant verdure; and if the River happen, as it does frequently (holding its course all along betwixt great Hills, which give it a sudden rise) to overflow them in the spring, it en∣riches them as the River Nile does Egypt, and makes them so fruit∣ful, that the Inhabitants thereabout upon such occasions, usually chante this joyful Ditte,

In April, Doves flood, is worth a Kings goodc 1.3.

whereof the forecited Michael Drayton renders this very good reason,

— Because the dainty grass That grows upon its bank, all other doth surpassd 1.4.

as he saith the land of Needwood (wherein truly I think he is not mistaken) doth the land of all other Forrests in England.

— Needwood doth surmount In excellency of Soil, by being richly plac't 'Twixt Trent and battening Dove, and equally embrac't By their abounding banks, participates their store; Of Britans Forrest's all (from th' less unto the more) For fineness of her Turf surpassinge 1.5 —

3. From which Limestone hills, and rich Pastures and Meddows, the great Dairys are maintained in this part of Staffordshire, that supply Ʋttoxater Mercat with such vast quantities of good butter and cheese, that the Cheesmongers of London have thought it worth their while to set up a Factorage here, for these Commodities, which are brought in from this, and the neighbouring County of Derby, in so great plenty, that the Factors many Mercat days (in the season) lay out no less than five hundred pounds a day, in these two commo∣dities 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The butter they buy by the Pot, of a long cylindri∣cal form, made at Burslem in this County of a certain size, so as not to weigh above six pounds at most, and yet to contain at least 14. pounds of butter, according to an Act of Parliament made about 14 or 16 years agoe, for regulateing the abuses of this trade, in the

make of the Pots, and false packing of the butter; which before sometimes was layed good for a little depth at the top, and bad at the bottom; and sometimes set in rolls only touching at the top, and standing hollow below at a great distance from the sides of the pot: To prevent these little country Moorelandish cheats (than whom no people whatever are esteemed more subtile) the Factors keep a Surveyor all the summer here, who if he have ground to sus∣pect any of the pots, tryes them with an instrument of Ion made like a Cheese-Taster, only much larger and longer, called an Auger or Butterboare, with which he makes proof (thrusting it in ob∣liquely) to the bottom of the pot: so that they weigh none (which would be an endless business) or very seldom; nor do they bore it neither, where they know their Customer to be a constant fair dealer: But their Cheese, which comes but little, if any thing short of that of Cheshire, they sell by weight as at other places.

4. Nor comes this Northern part of Staffordshire much behind the South in breeding of Sheep, which indeed are but small, have generally black noses, and their wool but course; Nor (now of late years) in the production of Corn: for though the land im∣ployed for tillage for the most part indeed be naturally but mean, yet where the industry of the Husbandman ha's any thing shewed it self, in marling, limeing, or mixing lime with Ess (as they doe com∣monly in the Moorelands) and so laying them together on their heathy grounds, as shall be shewen hereafter in fit place; it pro∣duces Corne of all sorts (according to the condition of the ground) plentifully enough. The black moorish and gouty grounds of the Moorelands, with the best helps are fit indeed only for Oates and Barley; but the arable lands about Marchington, Draycot in the Clay, Rolleston, Horninglow, and some other Townes about Need∣wood, are of so rich a Clay; that they produce as good Hard-corne (i. e. Wheat and Rye) Peas, Beanes, &c. as any in the South, though not so much; the quantity of arable land there, being much greater than 'tis in the North: the Sheep too of the South, bear somewhat a finer fleece, and it produces more and better Coale, and Iron stone; of each of which, hereafter in their proper places.

5. Beside Wool, for the supply of the Cloathing trade and Felt∣ing, which are chiefly exercised about Tamworth, Burton, and Newcastle under Lyme; they sow both Hemp and Flax all over the Country in small proportions, whereby they are furnish't too, in some measure with Linnens: so that all things considered this seems to be terra suis contenta bonis, a Land that can as well subsist of it self, without the help, either of any domestick, or forraigne Countries, as any in the Kingdome; yielding Lead, Copper, Iron, Marble, Alaba∣ster,

Millstones, Coale, Salt, Cattle and Corne of all sorts, both Lin∣nen and Woolen, and what not? and yet a third part at least, if not half this County, must be confest when all's done, to be barren hea∣thy, and gorsy grounds, and woodland: which yet are so far from being any disparagement to it, that these yield some of the chief profits, as well as pleasures of the Country; for though the surface be barren, yet the subterranean riches (which are considerable here) I mean the Mines, are usually found in such uncultivated places; and of this sort of Land is the Chase of Canck-wood, and most of the Warrens and Parks of the Nobility and Gentry, whereof before the late unhappy Civil VVar, there were near 50 in this County stock't with Deer, and about 33 or 34 yet remaining; so great plenty is there of this kind of Land, stored not only with Mines, but with all sorts of Game both for Hound and Hawk; so happily are the profits of the Gentry of this County, mixt with their pleasures, Ʋtile dulci.

6. This heathy, broomy, gorsy, barren sort of Soile, for the most part too is a gravelly fast land, whence it is that in Canck-wood, and most of their Parks, they have so pleasant and secure pursuit of their Game. Hence 'tis too, that their high-ways are so universally good, except in the most Northerly parts of the Moore-lands, where between the three shire heads, and Longnor, the Hills and Boggs are such, that a Horse can scarce pass between those two places; and indeed many of the Mountains of that part of the Country, which they call Roches, Clouds, Torrs, Edges, Cops, Heads, &c. are hard∣ly passable, some of them being of so vast a height, that in rainy weather I have frequently seen the tops of them above the Clouds; particularly those of Narrow-dale, are so very lofty, that the Inha∣bitants there for that quarter of the year, wherein the Sun is near∣est the Tropic of Capricorn, never see it at all; and at length when it does begin to appear again, as at Lanthony in Monmouth-shiref 1.6, they never see it till about one by the clock, which they call therea∣bout, the Narrowdale noon; useing it proverbially when they would express a thing done late at noone. Such Mountains as these I say are hardly passable, but these are but in a little skirt of the Country, the most of it being as level as most other Countries usually are, and the earth so fast, and the ways so good (except where now and then they pass through a Marle, and a little about Wednesbury, Sedgley, and Dudley, where they are uncessantly worn with the carriage of coale) that 'tis reported King James, speaking jocularly of this County, should say, 'twas fit only to be cut out in∣to thongs, to make high-ways for the rest of the Kingdom.

7. And thus much in general of the Lands of Stafford-shire: Let us next consider such particular Earths, as have any thing re∣markable belonging to them: And first, before we begin to break the turf; of such Soils as have any thing peculiar in their surface. Amongst which those which induce upon the teeth of Cattle a golden Armature (though they be pretty common) are not alto∣gether unworthy our consideration; and such are some grounds at Aston near Stone, belonging to the Worshipful VValter Heven∣ingham Esq, who having killed a Cow just before I came thither of his owne feeding, its teeth were found tinged (on the outside chiefly) with a golden or rather a brasen colour; which the inge∣nious Mr. Lister Physitian at York, imagins might proceed from its feeding on some plants, of the Erica kind; or rather the viola lutea grandiflora montana C. B. which he observes to be a great part of the food for their Cattle in May and June, in the mounta∣nous pastures of Westmorland, where such guilded teeth are every where met with: Whether any such plants did grow hereabout, I must confess I observed not; however I rather guess that this was superinduced the same way, the like Armature was, over the Cornua Ammonis mentioned in the History of Oxfordshireg 1.7, by some urinous kind of Salt in the juice of the grass, which in some plants is so great, that as Virgil acquaint us, it may sometimes be tasted in the very milk of the Cattle.

Et Salis occultum referunt in lacte saporemh 1.8.

with which guilding quality, the Lago di Rieti in Ʋmbria is so strong∣ly impregnated, that the hoofs of the Cattle that goe into it, are covered with such a shineing brasen Armaturei 1.9.

8. It must also be ascribed to the Saltness of the Soile and Grass, that if any Horned Cattle of never so deep a black or other colour, be put to feed in a place called the Clots in Newbold grounds, in the Parish of Tatenhill, about a mile East of Dunstall, they will certain∣ly change the colour of their coat to a whitish-dun (like a Daws head) in a Summers runing; and so they will if put upon Taten∣hill Common; or into Buck-slew, another parcel of Newbold grounds: Nor does only the Grass, but the Hay of these grounds, will also turn Cattle to this whitish-dun, which 'tis said they recover not in two or three years time, though put into grounds that have nothing of this quality. As for Horses, they are improved upon these grounds, at a great rate; only they make them dappled, be they of what colour soever. All which proceeds no doubt from

the Saltness of the Soile, that not only communicates it self to the grass but to all the waters thereabout, makeing them brackish at least, as was shewn above Chap. 2. §. 111. Salt being of a hot na∣ture, drying up, and so restraining the succus nutritius, that none or very little can be afforded for the hair, which (as it does in old age) upon defect of moisture turns white, justly called by my Lord Bacon, for this very reason, the penurious colourk 1.10. Pliny, in∣deed and Pictorius, tell us of divers Rivers that will effect the same, and yet they doe not say that any of them are Salt, or so much as brackish, but certainly they must be impregnated with some such thing, which they lick from the Earth as they pass along, at least if it be true, that Melas and Cephyssus, comeing forth the same Lake, doe make Sheep of quite contrary coloursl 1.11.

9. Another Earth there is at Ranton Abbey, the Seat of the vir∣tuous Madam Anne Cope, that is also eminent for giving a colour, which it does at divers places, but more remarkably under a Closet that hangs over that corner of the Cloyster which is next the Stee∣ple; where I was shewn on the ground, a reddish place, that looked much as if a calfe or sheep had been kill'd there; upon which the water falling whenever it rains, is presently turned of the colour of blood. This at first I thought might proceed from the nature of the soile, or stones, or covering of the House; but upon strict exami∣nation by diging the Earth, I found it a hasle mould, very unlikely to give the water any such tincture; the stones of a light gray, and the House cover'd with Shingles, both as unlikely as the Soile; so that at present I judg'd it a thing unaccountable: But since hav∣ing more fully consider'd the matter, I have thought that the Shin∣gles being made of Oak, may first give the water a gallish tincture, which falling upon an Earth that may possibly be vitriolic, the wa∣ter may come to turn of this blood-red tincture; just as vitriolic waters doe, upon infusion of powder of galls, which are but the fruit of an Oak, and have both of them the same astringent qua∣lities.

10. It is also worth notice that one of Occamsley pits (whereof there are about 16 upon the Watlingstreet way, betwixt Knaves-Castle and Frog-Homer) never contains any water, or has any seen in it, for the least moment of time, after the most sudden shower, or most durable rain; though all the neighbouring pits at the same time are fill'd to the brim: of which truth I had an excellent op∣portunity (to my sorrow) of makeing an Experiment, for after above a Months constant rain, I found that one pit, as dry and hard, as the highest gravelly ground in the street-way, the weight both of my

selfe and Horse, not makeing any visible impression in the bottom of it, though all the rest about it, stood then brim-full of water; and to all appearance lying higher i. e. not being so deep as this, and no∣thing interceding but a spungy heathy soil; which I must confess to this day remains unaccountable to me: Unless it be sufficient to su∣spect, that the bottom of the dry pit (though hard and sound) yet may be a very loose open gravel, through which the water may pre∣sently descend; and the sides and bottoms of the rest, either a stiff clay, or some other Earth at least fit to hold water.

11. That the Earth is informed at least with a vegetative Soule, was the opinion of the Pythagoreans, Platonists, and Stoics: a∣mongst whom says Plotinus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. that any one may be convinced that the earth has a vegetative Soule by those things which are produced by itm 1.12: Yet seeing it seems not to be nourish't by any aliment internally received, or to have any offspring of its own Species, more viventium, it may well indeed be doubted, whe∣ther it be indued with vegetation, in a strict sense. But that the Earth in many places does receive augmentation, is very evident from all old buildings, whose very windows (which certainly were never built so at first) are now level with the ground; more especially in great Townes, such as Lichfield and Newcastle, which 'tis very plain stand on higher ground now, than they did formerly; other pave∣ments being many times found about a yard below these they now use, when they have occasion to sink Wells or dig Cellars: which I suppose may have come to pass upon rebuilding these Towns after some general conflagration. It is also likely, if not certain, that all valleys rise by atterration i. e by Earth continually brought down from the tops of mountains by rains and Snows, whence all Moun∣tains are become lower than they were formerly, and the Valleys risen higher; So that in time all the Mountains (except the rocky, such as the Roches in the Moorelands) will by great shoots of rain be quite washed away, and the whole earth levelled:

12. Whereof the ingenious Mr. Ray gives us a very pertinent confirmation from the steeple of Craich in the Peak of Derbyshire, which in the memory of some old men yet liveing, could not have been seen from a certain hill lying between Hopton & Werksworth, whereas now not only the steeple, but a great part of the body of the Church may be seen thence, which without doubt comes to pass by the deterration or sinking of a hill between the Church, and place of viewn 1.13: And I am told of just such another example of a hill be∣tween Sibbertoft and Hasleby in Northampt. by my worthy Friend Mr. Maurice Wheeler, whence yet we may only inferr, that the parts

of the earth doe change their Situation, giveing as much increase (in proportion) at one place, as it takes away at another, without any augmentation, or diminution in the whole. But we are told by the Learned Sr. George Makenzie his Majesties Advocat for the Kingdom of Scotland, that near his dwelling house, and at another farm of his 20 miles distant, He has two plots of ground out of which for these many years he has dug a stiff, clayish, moist earth (used there for a soile to barley land) which in two years time, though dug a foot deep, will grow up again and fill the excavated placeo 1.14: And the banks of the black Meer in the parish of Norbury in this County, doe yearly grow forward upon the surface of the water, 3 or 4 yards in seven years, the water standing under them; perhaps the Moss near Hixon may have been such a Meer too, now grown totally over from the bank side as 'tis supposed this would be, were not the banks cut away to prevent the loss of Cattle, which ha's frequently happen'd here by reason of these hollow banks. In which two last instances, there being an increase of bulk, without deterration from any other place, possibly some may conclude somewhat of a genuine vegetati∣on: For my part I think the same of them, I doe of the peat pit earths of Oxfordshire, which will grow up again in some yearsp 1.15, by virtue of the stringy roots that are always found in them, and are perpetually putting forward, which no more argues any vegetation in the earth it self, than any other plant does that growes upon it.

13. Of such kind of stringy bituminous earths (roots and oily substances being very boyant) the floating Island, so much talk'd of, and admired in many parts of the world are most certainly con∣stituted, whereof there are two about 20 foot broad, but about 30 or perhaps 40 foot long, in Kinson poole, belonging to the courteous, and most obligeing Gent. Walter Fowler of St. Thomas Esq which An: 1680 began in March to move from under the Hill on the N. W. side of the poole, and came together like the Symplegades, first to the S. W. corner, where after they had continued about 3 weeks, they began to move again, and were come in May (when I was there) to the S. E. corner, lying just in the passage of the water out of the poole toward the Mill: I was told also of such in Aqualat Meer, which 'tis like at first might be nothing but a kind of Scum upon the water mixt with a few weeds, cover'd over above in part, with dust brought by the winds, and supplyed at the same time underneath, with other viscous terrestrieties, elevated by the vapors from the bottoms of the pooles; and so in process of time becomeing a fungous sort of earth, bearing weeds, dwarf willows, and such kind of trash, and floating above water. And from such

small beginnings as these, the floating Island in the Lake Loumund in Scotlandq 1.16, others in the Lago di Bassanello, the great Tarquinian Lake, and divers other Lakes in Italy, mention'd by Pliny and Bacciusr 1.17, may have also their Rise (for ought I know) as well as these.

14. Having done with the Soiles in general, and the peculiarities attending some of them in their very surface, come we next to break the turf, which they cut in the Moorelands in the Spring time with an instrument call'd a push-plow, being a sort of spade, shod somewhat in the form of an arrow, with a wing at one side, and ha∣ving a cross piece of wood, and the upper end of the helve, after the manner of a Crutch, to which they fasten a pillow, which setting to their thigh and so thrusting it forward, they will commonly dis∣patch a large turf at two cuts; and then turn it up to dry; which in good weather is done on one side in eight, on the other, in 4 or 5 days at most: when dryed, if they intend them for fuel in winter, they pile them up round in manner of a Hay-rick 10 or 12 foot high, and let them stand all Summer: But if for manuring their land, they heap it up round a good quantity together on the ground, and set it on fire, which it will take of it self, if it be dry; otherwise they give it the assistance of wood: These heaps they will keep burning sometimes 3 weeks together, still covering them over with new turf, as the old ones burn away, only giving them vent by Air-holes, which they make with a stick: The Ashes of these turfs they call Ess, which laid on their Meddows, Rye, or Barley lands, some are of opinion goes further than dung or Lime. And these are all the uses they put their turf too; only as in Oxfordshire (beside for bowling-greens, and grass-walks in Gardens) they use it frequen∣tly to ridg and head their meaner houses, and sometimes wholy thatch them with its 1.18.

15. Under the uppermost turf, in their moorish boggy grounds, they also digg peats, which because they order much after the same manner, as has already been described in Oxfordshiret 1.19, I pass them over, and proceed to another black, moist, and rotten sort of Earth, that lyes just under the turf in heathy soiles, such as Archer moore near Beresford, and upon a hill called the Gun above Rudyerd-Hall, where, as I was seriously told by the Worshipful and most ingeni∣ous Charles Cotton EsqTho Rudyerd of Rudyerd Esq & Mr Gent of Ashbourn, if one ride in a dark night in so wet a season that a Horse breaks through the turf, and throws up this black, moist, spungy sort of earth, He seems to fling up so much fire, which lyes shineing

upon the ground like so many Embers; by the light whereof one Horse may trace another, though at some distance, and it be never so dark; it continuing light upon the ground, and being gradually dying away, for near a quarter of an hour. To which let me add another agreeable relation, whereof I was informed by that worthy Loyal Gent. Capt. Tho. Lane of Bentley Esq who endeavouring to help a friend and Kinsman of His (one Mr. Jones) who casually fell into a ditch in Bescot grounds in the night time, and having stirred the mud and dirt pretty much in performing that good office; they presently found their gloves, bridles, and horses, as fas as the water or dirt had touch't them, all in a kind of faint flame, much like that (as He described it) of burnt brandy, which continued upon them for a miles rideing.

16. Of which odd Phaenomena, though I might be reasonably ex∣cused from giving any account, having seen neither of them my self, the Gent: above mentioned having also been too incurious of the circumstances, to afford me any more than a bare relation: Yet that the Reader might not be left wholy in the dark concerning these matters, let us consider how many things there are beside fire (for we may well presume this to be none) that give any light; and in what state and condition they are, whilst they doe so; and then whether the shining of the earths and mud above mentioned, may not be reduced to some one, or more of them, at least so far forth as that a tolerable conjecture may be raised from the comparisons. First then upon enumeration of such luciferous bodies, that send forth a light, and yet have strictly nothing of the nature of fire, I find some of them to be animate, and others inanimate: As to the animate, 'tis evident that our English Glow-wormes, as well as the American, or flaming-flyesv 1.20, have a luminous juice in their tailes which shines in the dark: And 'tis as certain if we may beleive the learned Monsieur Auzout, that the clammy moisture of Oysters that shines in the dark of a violet colour, comes from luciferous wormes that have their holes in the shells, whereof He distinguishes no less than three sortsw 1.21.

17. It is as true also, as 'tis a common experiment, that a Cat rub'd upon the back in the dark against the hair, sends forth lumi∣nous sparks. And there is a Master of Arts of this Ʋniversity that when He shifts Himself, emits such sparks so violently that they have been heard to crackle like the sparks of fire: all which (with other instances that might be brought) seem mightily to confirme that there are such accensions, or Platonic flames in the juices of Animals, which shine only, and doe not burn, as were hinted and proved,

from the Aerial Noctiluca, and solid Phosphorus mentioned §. 9 of the second Chap. And as for the inanimate luciferous bodies, beside the Bononian and Balduinian stones; the Phosphori, Smaragdinus and Fulgurans, and of Dr. Kunkelius: Every body knowes that rotten wood, and loaf Sugar scraped, shine in the dark, and that the Salt water of the Sea, more especially when the wind is South East, or in any point 'twixt South and East, gives so great a light, that being dash't with Oars, it seems to run off them, just like liquid-fire; Nay it has been observed at some places to be so very luminous in strong gales of wind (near the Isles of Cape-verd) that Passengers have seen the very Keel of their ship by it, and fishes playing under∣neath itx 1.22.

18. Secondly, as to the state and condition these luciferous bodies are in, whether animate or inanimate, during the time of their shineing; it is plain that (as fire it self) they shine only while they are in motion, upon expence, or both: Thus all the Phosphori spend themselves, and some of them shine most (that I say not burn) when any violence is offer'd them: Sugar sparkles not, but when it is scraped: Nor doth the Sea water appear like liquid flame, but when dash't together by stormes, or striken against Ships, rocks, or with Oars. The Cat sends not forth its luminous spirits, but upon rubing against the hair, and opening the pores, whereby no doubt there is some expence of them too, as there is also of that Gentle∣mans, that emits them so freely. As for the Glow-wormes whether English, or those of Iamaica, and the worins on Oysters, they shine no longer than whilst they are living, and their luminous humors are kept in motion. My Lord Bacon indeed confesses that they doe continue their shineing a little after their deathy 1.23: Dr. Stubbs informes us that those of Jamaica will also hold their light for some days afterz 1.24: and the learned and most ingenious Sr. Thomas Browne ownes that its true that a Glow-worme will afford a faint light, almost a days space after many conceive it dead: But then (says He) this is but a mistake in the compute of death, and term of disanimation; for in∣deed it is not then dead, but if it be distended will slowly contract it self again, which when it cannot doe, it ceaseth to shine any morea 1.25. Beside in case it would not thus contract it self, it would be too peremptory notwithstanding to determin an Insect to be dead, when it ceases to move; for that many times they are not so, though they afford not the visible evidences of life, as may be observed in flyes, which when they appear even quite forsaken of their formes; by virtue of the Sun, or other warmth, quickly convince us, by their motion, they had never lost them.

19. Now though it be possible indeed that there may be small subterraneous Animals, such as the Oyster wormes &c. that may be bred and live in such black, bituminous, moist, rotten earths, or the mud of ditches, and upon sudden commotions may send forth such lights as were at large above mention'd; Yet me thinks they may rather proceed from some salino-sulphureous mixtures that may be in those Earths and Mud, which being smartly moved as in the ditch, or violently striken with the Horses feet, as the Sea-water with Oars (which is also salino-sulphureous as was plainly shewn above Chap. 2. §. 124) may more likely occasion such lights from the same principles (howsoever they operate) as in the Salt water of the Sea, though others more probably may think (both earths and mud seeming in a state of putrefaction) that they may become luciferous by the same means, that rotten-wood and stinking fish are so: which yet shine not so much upon account of their rottenness as they doe of their moisture (as it is in these Earths, and the liveing tree in Jamaica, which shines most vividly after a shower of raine* 1.26,) both of them ceasiing to shine rateably as they become dry. Nor can it be objected that these are neither in motion or expence, since putrefacti∣ons are nothing else but gradual consumptions, haveing all of them also an inward motion in them, as well as fire or light.

20. At Pipe-hill in a hallow Lane S. W. from Mr. Bulls house, a∣bout two bow-shoots down the Lane on the left hand, in the side of the bank which seems to be of anorange colour'd clay, I found a nother shineing sort of Earth (but not in the dark as the former) also of an orange colour, though made up in great part, with silver co∣lour'd Laminae, somwhat weighty, very unctuous, and guilding the hands if rub'd upon them; of which I was inform'd by my most worthy Friend, Sebright Repington of Ammington Esq who though a Warwickshire Gent. yet so zealous was He for the promoting this work that He became none of the least Encouragers of it: I was shewn the same again at the signe of the Starr at the foot of Brereton Hill, by the Worshpfull William Chetwynd of Rugeley Esq where in digging a Cellar they found great quantities of it. These at first I thought might be the Mica arenosa of the Naturalists, which the Germans call Catsilver or Glimmer, for being dryed it became friable; but bringing it to a fiery triall in a Crucible, I found it of so obstinat a nature, that it would neither change its co∣lour or substance by it, which all the sorts of Micae are said to doeb 1.27. Then I tryed it with the strongest acids I could get, and divers other things, but it would not stir or make Ebullition with any of them; so that I presently concluded it to be a sort of Talc, which

says Caesalpinus, in igne perennis est, neque enim funditur, neque com∣buritur, neque colorem amittit, and therefore by the Ancients cal∣led Argyrodamas, quasi argentum indomitum, it remaining invin∣cible even to fire it selfc 1.28: Whence the Chymists find it so difficult to draw an oile of Talc, which yet in this sort seems already done to their hands, for between the fingers it feels as soft and oily as butter, though it have somewhat too of the nature of the Schistus, its Laminae lying all the same way so as to give it a grain; but they are not so large, but it may be easily broken contrary to it: nay when dryed it becomes so very friable, that it serves very well in stead of sand to strew upon Letters, like the Ammochrysos mollis friablis of Caesalpinusd 1.29 and Kentmanc 1.30, which is the only use I can yet find it has, though I have made many tryalls with it in relation to guilding, painting &c.

21. Amongst the underturf Earths, the next that present them∣selves, are the arable soiles, which to mention more particularly than above, are either Clay, marly, sandy, gravelly, light mould, black∣land, moorish and gouty land; each of which they fit with their most agreeable grains and manures, but the due application of them belonging to the Chapter of Arts, I shall consider only here the severall sorts of Marles, which though manures to other lands, yet being Earths too themselves, they plainly appertain to this place. Whereof I find in Staffordshire about four or five sorts. 1. a red fat earthy sort, having some veins of blew (which is the most com∣mon) found upon the Trent side about Ingestre, Tixall, Heywood &c, lyeing generally about 18 inches or two foot under the sur∣face, though sometimes it lyes so ebb (as they call it) that they plow up the head of it, otherwise that which covers it, is a hungry clay, which yet makes them this recompence, that it holds the Marle so together above, that undermining it, they can have a fall of seven or eightscore loads at a time, which could not be, were this taken away, beside being commonly blended with 3 or 4 yards depth of good marle underneath, it is hardly seen, much less doth any hurt. 2 About Swynnerton, and the more Northerly parts of the Country they have a stiff blewish sort Marle with red veines; and 3 another sort mixt for the most part blew and red, that is not so stiff, much better for corne; both which (like the former) will fall with undermining, & are commonly dug for 4 shillings 6 pence the hundred load, each load containing 12 measures: And 4 the learned and inquisitive Sr. Simon Degg told me of another blew Marle, somewhere about Kinston, much like Fullers earth, which

but that it differs in colour, I should otherwise have thought to have been the Gischromargon of Plinyf 1.31.

22. Beside these, about Charnes, Broughton, Swynerton, Beech, Ellarton, and Heywood, they have harder, stony, slatty sorts of Marles, at some places called Slat, at others Dice-Marle; which will not be got by falling like the former, but must be dug with pick and Crow, and costs at some places 8 or 9^s the hundred getting, it riseing sometimes in great stones as much as two Men can load: of this sort there is white, red, and blew; the latter whereof perhaps may be the Columbine Marle of Pliny, rather than any of of the rest, by reason of its colour, though they all equally fall under his definition, being fetcht out of the ground in clots or lumpsg 1.32: Which though most of them very hard, yet by the help of frosts, Sun, and rains, they dissolve like Lime, and spread well enough upon the ground in a little time, though at some places for expedition they apply a little Iron mallet. And these last are the Marles preferr'd by the Husbandmen much before the Clay earthy Marles, which bind and stiffen their lands upon long tillage; whereas these loosen the stiffest clay, and make it yeild much better grass than otherwise it would. In short these seldom are known to faile the expectation of the Husbandman, upon whatsoever sort of land they have occasion to lay them, whether for corne or grass: Besides, these are accounted more beneficial than the others, because spending themselves but gra∣dually and lasting longer upon the ground, though the other's tis like may fatten it sooner; according to that of Agricola, Quanto quaeque marga est pinguior, tanto magis ea pinguescunt arva; quo durior, eo plures annos durat antequam solvatur. which is all I can think off at present coucerning Marles as they relate to Husbandry, only in general that they seem amongst Earths, to be analagous to the fat in Animals; and that they are commonly reputed the bet∣ter, the deeper they are dug; which tis like may be true enough, because their Salts in the uppermost parts in all probability may indeed be spent in the production of Plants.

23. But beside the use of Marle in matters of Husbandry, they have another use of them here in order to building, very good bricks being made of the reddish clay marle, whereof I saw great quan∣tities at Mr. Chetwynd's at Ingestre, and many other places: They have very good brick-earth likewise about Ricarscot near Stafford, and on a bank by the way side, betwixt Newcastle and Keele, I met with a peculiar sort of brick-earth, which when burnt became all over blew, those bricks only which were placed furthest from the fire, having any redness in them: The Romans seem to have made

use of some such Clay as this for makeing their Ʋrns, those found at St. Albans, and near Newington in Kent being many of them blew; Whence we may reasonably conclude that there must be such clay in many other places, were they so well searched out elswhere, as they have been in Yorkshire, by that curious Observer Martin Li∣ster Esq who informes me that such clay is found in many places amongst the mountains of that County. Beside for the Bricklayers, there are Earths also usefull in many other Trades found in Staf∣fordshire, such as Terra Saponaria Fullers earth, whereof I met with some, much like that of Wobourn, near Statfold, but in no great quantity; what there might be found, were search made, remains uncertain; However it may not be amiss for the ingenious Proprie∣tor of that Estate, upon this hint, to be mindfull whenever He ha's occasion to digg thereabout, what sorts of Earths are thrown up; for could He meet with a quantity of this, I need not acquaint, what would be the advantage.

24. As for Tobacco-pipe clays they are found all over the County, near Wrottesley House, and Stile Cop in Cannock-wood, whereof they make pipes at Armitage and Lichfield, both which though they are greyish clays, yet burn very white; There is Tobacco-pipe clay also found at Darlaston near Wednesbury, but of late disused, because of better and cheaper found in Monway-field betwixt Wednesbury and Willingsworth, which is of a whitish colour, and makes excellent pipes: as doth also another of the same colour dug near the Salt water poole in Pensnet Chase, about a Mile and ½ South of Dudley. And Charles Riggs of Newcastle makes very good pipes of three sorts of Clay, a white and a blew, which He has from between Shelton and Hanley green, whereof the blew clay burns the whitest, but not so full as the white, i. e. it shrinks more; but the best sort He ha's from Grubbers Ash, being whitish mixt with yellow, it is a short britle sort of Clay, but burnes full and white, yet He sometimes mixes it with the blew beforementioned. But the Clay that surpasses all others of this County, is that at Amblecot, on the bank of Stour, in the parish of old Swynford yet in Staffordshire, in the lands of that judicious and obliging Gent. the Worshipfull Harry Gray of Enfield Esq whose beautifull Mansion, perhaps the best situat of any in the County, is here represented Tab. 7. I say the most pre∣ferrable clay of any, is that of Amblecot, of a dark blewish colour, whereof they make the best pots for the Glass-houses of any in Eng∣land: Nay so very good is it for this purpose, that it is sold on the place for sevenpence the bushell, whereof Mr. Gray has sixpence, and the Workman one penny, and so very necessary to be had, that it is sent as far as London, sometimes by Waggon, and some∣times by Land to Beaudley, and so down the Severn to Bristol, and

thence to London: the goodness of which clay, and cheapness of coal hereabout, no doubt has drawn the glass-houses, both for Ves∣sells and broad-glass, into these parts; there being divers set up in different formes here at Amblecot, old-Swynford, Holloways-end and Cobourn brook.

25. Other Potters-clays for the more common wares, there are at many other places, particularly at Horsley-Heath in the parish of Tipton; in Monway-field abovemention'd, where there are two sorts gotten, one of a yellowish colour mixt with white, the other blewish; the former stiff and weighty, the other more friable and light; which mixt together, work better than apart: of these they make divers sorts of Ʋessels at Wednesbury, which they paint with Slip, made of a reddish sort of Earth gotten at Tipton. But the greatest Pottery they have in this County, is carryed on at Burslem near Newcastle under Lyme, where for making their severall sorts of Pots, they have as many different sorts of Clay, which they dig round about the Towne, all within half a miles distance, the best being found nearest the coale, and are distinguish't by their colours and uses as followeth.

• 1. Bottle clay, of a bright whitish streaked yellow colour.
• 2. Hard-fire clay of a duller whitish colour, and fuller intersperst with a dark yellow, which they use for their black wares, being mixt with the
• 3. Red blending Clay, which is of a dirty red colour.
• 4. White-clay, so called it seems though of a blewish colour, and used for making yellow-colour'd ware, because yellow is the lightest colour they make any Ware of.

all which they call throwing clays, because they are of a closer tex∣ture, & will work on the wheel;

26. Which none of the three other clays, they call Slips, will any of them doe, being of looser and more friable natures; these mixed with water they make into a consistence thinner than a Syrup, so that being put into a bucket it will run out through a Quill, this they call Slip, and is the substance wherewith they paint their wares; whereof the

• 1. Sort is called the Orange Slip, which before it is work't, is of a greyish colour mixt which orange balls, and gives the ware (when annealed) an orange colour.
• 2. The white Slip, this before it is work't, is of a dark blewish colour, yet makes the ware yellow, which being the lightest colour they make any of, they call it (as they did the clay above) the white Slip.
• 3. The red Slip, made of a dirty reddish clay, whcih gives wares a black colour.

neither of which clays or Slips must have any gravel or Sand in them; upon this account, before it be brought to the wheel they pre∣pare the clay by steeping it in water in a square pit, till it be of a due consistence; then they bring it to their beating board, where with a long Spatula they beat it till it be well mix't; then being first made into great squarish rolls, it is brought to the wageing board, where it is slit into flat thin pieces with a Wire, and the least stones or gravel pick't out of it; This being done, they wage it, i. e. knead or mould it like bread, and make it into round balls proportionable to their work, and then 'tis brought to the wheel, and formed as the Workman sees good.

27. When the Potter has wrought the clay either into hollow or flat ware, they are set abroad to dry in fair weather, but by the fire in foule, turning them as they see occasion, which they call whaving: when they are dry they stouk them, i.e. put Ears and Han∣dles to such Vessels as require them: These also being dry, they then Slip or paint them with their severall sorts of Slip, according as they designe their work, when the first Slip is dry, laying on the others at their leasure, the Orange Slip makeing the ground, and the white and red, the paint; which two colours they break with a wire brush, much after the manner they doe when they marble paper, and then cloud them with a pensil when they are pretty dry. After the vessels are painted, they lead them, with that sort of Lead-Ore they cal Smithum, which is the smallest Ore of all, beaten into dust, finely sifted and strewed upon them; which gives them the gloss, but not the colour; all the colours being cheifly given by the variety of Slips, except the Motley-clour, which is procured by blending the Lead with Manganese, by the Workmen call'd Magnus. But when they have a mind to shew the utmost of their skill in giving their wares a fairer gloss than ordinary, they lead them then with lead calcined into powder, which they also sift fine and strew upon them as before, which not only gives them a higher gloss, but goes much further too in their work, than Lead-Ore would have done.

28. After this is done, they are carryed to the Oven, which is ordinarily above 8 foot high, and about 6 foot wide, of a round copped forme, where they are placed one upon another from the bottom to the top: if they be ordinary wares such as cylindricall Butter-pots &c. that are not leaded, they are exposed to the naked fire, and so is all their flat ware though it be leaded, haveing only parting-shards. i. e. thin bits of old pots put between them, to keep them from sticking together: But if they be leaded hollow∣wares, they doe not expose them to the naked fire, but put them in shragers, that is, in course metall'd pots, made of marle (not clay) of divers formes according as their wares require, in which they

put commonly 3 pieces of clay called Bobbs for the ware to stand on, to keep it from sticking to the Shragers; as they put them in the shragers to keep them from sticking to one another (which they would certainly otherwise doe by reason of the leading) and to preserve them from the vehemence of the fire, which else would melt them downe, or at least warp them. In 24 hours an Oven of Pots willl be burnt, then they let the fire goe out by degrees which in 10 hours more will be perfectly done, and then they draw them for Sale, which is cheifly to the poor Crate-men, who carry them at their backs all over the Countrey, to whome they reckon them by the piece, i. e. Quart, in hollow ware, so that 6 pottle, or 3 gallon bottles make a dosen, and so more or less to a dosen, as they are of greater or lesser content; The flat wares are also reckon'd by pieces and dosens, but not (as the hollow) according to their content, but their different bredths.

29. Having done with the Smectic and figuline Earths, come we next to such as are used in colouring and painting; amongst which we may reckon the yellow and red Ochres, sometimes met with (but in small quantities) near Stansop in the parish of Allston∣field; the yellow Ochre found upon Willenhall green about a yard deep, which they beat up upon boards, and separate from gravel, & then make into oval Cakes which they sell abroad for 4 pence per dosen for the Glovers use; as they doe also a sort of blew clay found at Darlaston near Wednesbury amongst the Iron stone, which beat up after the same manner and made into cakes, are sold also to the Glovers, to give their wares an ash-colour. Ruddle or Red-Ocher they dig very good at the parish of Ipston, which they observe to lye cheifly in their best lands. I was told there was of it also about Dilhorne, and at Kingswood poole, within Wrottesley park. And I was informed of a sort of black Chalk found between the beds of Chirts, and the beds of gray Marble, sometimes a finger thick, and sometimes less, in Langley Close near Stansop (but in the parish of Wetton) belonging to the right Honorable William Earle of Devon. To which add a sort of fine reddish Earth, which I found under a rock where the Springs came forth near Himley Hall, belonging to the right Honorable the Lady Dudley, that when dry, proved near as good a red Chalk, as any we have from France. As for Medicinal Earths I met with but few in this Country, the most likely to be such is a red sort of Earth, near Tennal Hall in the parish of Harborn by the way side, which discolours the hands, and strongly adheres if put to the tongue, like the Bolus Armenus; but whether as usefull as that, I left to the tryal of the learned and ingenious Sr. Ch: Holt a near Neighbour to it, whereof I have not yet had the favour to hear. I was told also at Treasle by Mr. William

Barnesley, that they had thereabout a sort of white pebbles contain∣ing a mealy substance within them, that perhaps may be the Aga∣ricus mineralis of the Naturalists, of which because at large in my History of Oxfordshireh 1.33, no more of it here.

30. And these are all the Earths strictly so call'd (amongst all those 179001060 different sorts of Earths reckon'd up by such as have written de Arte combinatoria) that I could find of use in this County; yet I must not conclude this Chapter here neither, the other media Mineralia such as Sulphurs, Bitumens, &c. of a middle nature betwixt stones and Metalls, being also taken in under this head, by most (if not all) the Geoponic writers. Upon which account the History of Pit-coal, otherwise called Sea-coale (though in this inland Country, and seldom carryed by water, much less by Sea) be∣longs to this place: Whereof there being great plenty of divers kinds found here, I shall first give an account of the severall Species of them. 2. of their dipping, basseting or cropping, and their Rows or Streeks, 3. of the measures or floores there are of them, their part∣ings or Lamings, with the terms of Art for them in different places, 4. of the damps that attend them, by what means they seem to be occasiond, and how cured, 5. how the coal-pits come so many of them to take fire, and 6. of their several ways of finding and working them, which last though more properly belonging to the Chapter of Arts, yet the right understanding them for the most part so intimatly de∣pending on some of the particulars just preceding, I thought fit ra∣ther to misplace them here, as I did the Art of Pottery above, than render either of them the less intelligible to the Reader: And the rather too that this chapter might bear some proportion with the rest, the Arts relating to Earths being sufficient beside, to fill up a competent share of their owne Chapter.

31. But first of the several Species's or rather sorts of Coale; which though they differ some what in all pits, nay in the several measures of the same pit, yet none of them so signally as to obtain a distinct name, except the Cannel-coal, and the Peacock-coale, from the common pit coal of Wednesbury and other parts; which yet all come under the common Genus of Lithanthrax or Stone-coale, they being all of a competent hardness, and seem to be nothing else but Bitumen indurated by subterraneal heats, though not equally; the Cannel-coal being the hardest, and of so close a texture, that it will take a passable polish; as many be seen in the Choir of the Cathedral Church of Lichfield, which in great part is paved Lozengy, black and white (as other Churches with Marble) with Cannel-coale for the black, and Alablaster for the white, both plentifully found in this Country; which when kept clean, so well represent black and white

Marble, that to an incurious heedless Eye, they seem to be the same: It turnes like Ivory into many pretty knacks, such as Ink-boxes, Can∣dlesticks &c. They cut it also into Salts, Standishes, and carve Coats of Armes in it, witness that of the right Honorable William Lord Paget, in the Gallery of his stately Seat at Beaudesart, which as a thankfull memorial of the Encouragement He so readily afforded this Work, is here represented Tab. 8. And the rather here because this Coale is dug in the Park adjoyning, also belonging to his Lord∣ship, about 20.30. or sometimes 40 fathoms deep, lyeing between other beds of a softer kind, and is the best in Staffordshire, or any where else that we know of, except that in Lancashire, which (they say) has no grain, and therefore not cleaving as this will doe, upon which account esteemed somwhat better for makeing such Ʋtensills as were mention'd above.

32. And yet this at Beaudesart will work so very well, that the Kings Majesties head is said to have been cut in it by a Carver at Lichfield resembleing Him well: In the working whereof espe∣cially turning it, they use no edg'd tooles, it presently rebating them; but at first they use rasps, then finer files, and last Seal∣skin and Rushes, these giveing the ultimat gloss, which is some∣times so high, that it ha's been thought to be the lapis Obsidianus of the ancients; but its non performance of the office of the Ba∣sanitis in touching gold and silver, as Caesalpinus asserts the Obsi∣dian stone will doe, gives full satisfaction it cannot be so: much rather could I afford it to be a Species of the Gagates Lapis, which all agree to be nothing else but indurated Naphtha or Petroleum, and to take fire like this, only this has not that Electricity of drawing straws and chaff, which Rulandus and others say that Jeat ha's; so that they must not be allowed to be the same, though they agree in their original principles, colour, and curious politure. Notwith∣standing which, the cheifest use they make of this coale, is for fire∣ing, wherein they much observe the grain of the coale, for if they would have it burn slow (as the poorer and thriftier sort of people are best pleased it should) they lay it slat ways upon the fire, as it lay before in the bed or measure; but if they would have it burn quick and flame clear (as the Gentry commonly will) they surbed it, i. e. set it edgways, the cleaving way next the fire, by which means it so easily admits it, that it presently flames as bright as a Can∣dle, whence parhaps not unlikely it may receive its name Canwyll in the British tongue signifying a Candle, from Cann, candidus; and Gwyll, tenebrae; eo quod albere, h. e. lucere faciat tenebras, says the learned Dr. Davies in his British Dictionary.

33. The Peacock-coal dug at Hanley-green near New-Castle under Lyme, is much softer than the Cannel, not exceeding the com∣mon

sorts of other pits in hardness, the blocks of both being divided into much more sensible plates or Scaiae, of about a ¼ of an inch thick, which appear to the naked Eye; whereas the Cannel though it have a grain, yet the joynts are not visible; upon which account this is no more capable of politure than the common coal, yet is more gay to the sight, than if it were; it most vividly representing all the colours of the most glorious feathers in a Peacoks trayne (whence it borrowes its name) and that not emphatically, like the colours in a glass Prisme, or of variable silk, which are evanid at lest, if not fantastical: but solidly & genuinly, the colours remaining fixt in all manner of obversions of the coal, though not so vivid when turn'd from the light. Whence 'tis plainly deducible that this coal has great variety in its texture, and that its parts and pores are not all of a shape, as 'tis probable they are for the most part in the Can∣nel, and the common coal of other pits, which appear uniformly black in all parts alike; diversity of colours in opacous bodies (such as this of the peacock-coal is) seeming to arise from the vari∣ous figure, situation, and order of the inunmerable superficieculae that are differently obverted to the Eye, and to one another, whereof some reflect the light mingled with more, others with less shade* 1.34. Nor must it be objected that the superficies of this seems as smooth and polite as any other coal: for howsoever it may apear to our dull sight and touch, it is certainly only so in a popular, or at most a physical; but by no means in a rigid Geometrical sense. From which great variety of protuberancies it is, that the body of this coal must needs be of an open texture, whence 'tis like it comes to pass that it burns so swift, and is therefore better for Smithy's, than Kitchin fires.

34. Which are much better supply'd by the common coal of the Country, especially that of Wednesbury, Dudley, and Sedgley; which some stick not to preferr even to the Cannel it self; the texture and other qualities thereof being, such viz. that it is a fat shineing coal, having a pretty open grain, lying seldom in a level with the plane of the Horizon but most times some what inclining to it (according to which it cleaves into blocks at the discretion of the Workman) that it burns away with a sweet bright flame, and into white ashes, leaving no such Cinder as that from New-Castle upon Tine. Of which sort there is so great plenty in all parts of the County (e∣specially about the three aboue-mention'd places) that most com∣monly there are 12 or 14 Colerys in work, and twice as many out of work, within 10 miles round; some of which afford 2000 tuns of

coal yearly, others three, four, or five thousand Tuns, the upper or topmost beds above the Iron-stone, lying sometimes ten, eleven, or twelve yards thick: nay I was told by Mr. Persehouse of nether Gournall, that in his grounds at Etingsall in the parish of Sedgley, in a place call'd Moorefields, the bed of coal lyes 14 yards thick; in so much that some acres of ground have been sold hereabout for a 100 pound per acre; I was inform'd of one acre, sold for 150 pound, and well indeed it might be so, since out of one single shaft there have sometimes been drawn 500 pounds worth of coal. Nor indeed could the Country well subsist without such vast supplies, the wood being most of it spent upon the Iron-works, for it is here (as well as other Countries that fetch their winter stores from hence) thought not only fit for the Kitchin, but all other offices, even to the parlour and bedchamber.

35. And not only in privat Families, but now too in most, if not all the Mechanic professions (except the Iron-works) that require the greatest expence of fewell; witness the glass-houses, and Salt-works, brick-making, and maulting; all which were heretofore performed with wood or charcoal, especially the last, which one would think should hardly admit of the unpleasant fumes of such fireing: nor indeed does it, no more than of wood; for they have a way of Char∣ring it (if I may so speak without a solecisme) in all particulars the same as they doe wood, whence the coal is freed from these noxious steams, that would otherwise give the mault an ill odour. The coal thus prepared they call Coaks, which conceives as strong a heat almost as charcoal it self, and is as fit for most other uses, but for melting, fineing, and refining of Iron, whch it cannot be brought to doe, though attempted by the most skillfull and curious Artists. In the glass-houses, Salt-works, and Brick-clamps, they use the raw coal as brought from the pit; in the former whereof, as to the proportion, I am not so certain; but in the Staffordshire Salt-works, they spend two Tuns to a drawing; and for burning a Clamp of 16000 bricks, they use about 7 Tunns of coal. The last effort that was made in this Country for making Iron with pit-coal, was also with raw coal, by one Mr. Blewstone a high-German who built his furnace at Wednesbury, so ingeniously contrived (that only the flame of the coal should come to the Oare, with severall other conveni∣encies) that many were of opinion He would succeed in it. But experience that great baffler of speculation shewed it would not be: the sulphureous vitriolic steams that issue from the Pyrites, which frequently, if not always, accompanies pit-coal, ascending with the flame, & poysoning the Ore, sufficiently to make it render much worse Iron, than that made with char-coal, though not perhaps so much worse, as the body of coal it self would possibly doe.

36. In digging all sorts of coal (that appears not to the day, as the Miners speak) after the Soil or arable, and the gravel, Sand, grit, and clays are removed, which keep no course; all the Bass, Freestone (of what sort soever) Clunches, Bats, and Partings lye one above another, and keep a regular course; wherein the things most observable are their rise, croping or basseting; their diping; and the row or streek; which after the Species or sorts of coal, were the next things proposed to our consideration. In the hand∣ling whereof I must first acquaint the Reader, that coal generally in this, as in all other Countrys, lyes in the earth obliquely i. e. neither in plano Horizontis, nor perpendicular; but riseing one way toward the surface of the Earth, till it comes within a foot or two, some∣times a yard or more, of the superficies, which the workmen in this Country generally call basseting, others croping; and diping into the earth the other way so deep, that it is seldom or never followed to the end, or indeed any thing near it (except where a Mine lips or crops up again, as sometimes it does, as well in the dip as the row) by reason the Workmen are either prevented by waters, or too deep a draught. This basseting, and diping of coal is various, sometimes greater and sometimes less, sometimes approaching to a perpendi∣cular, cutting the superficies almost at right angles, which sort they call a rearing Mine, whereof I was told there was one at Biddulph that runs down perpendicularly. Others are again that come so near to a plane of the Horizon that they dip not above one foot in 10, 20 or sometimes 30 foot: these they call flat Mines by reason of their even and almost level course. The open works at Wednesbury seem to be of this kind, where there being but little earth lying o∣ver the measures of coal, the VVorkmen rid off the earth, and dig the coal under their feet and carry it out in wheel-barrows, there being no need for these, of windless, roap, or carf, whence these sort of Coale-works are commonly call'd Foot-ridds, or Footrills.

37. Though there are too of these, in the third and most com∣mon sort of coal, that dips one foot in three, or one in five, which they call hanging coal; but they cannot be made but where the coal is found to rise in proportion to the ascent of a Hill; in which case in∣deed the Coaliers can work a cuniculus into the side of the Hill, ac∣cording to the course of the row or streek of the coal, for some hun∣dreds of yards in a direct line upon a level, through which they bring forth the coal as easily altogether as in a flat open work; as they doe at the Footerill at Apedale belonging to the right Wor∣shipfull Sr. John Bowyer Baronet one of the most noble promoters of this work, of which more in due place, when I come to treat of the ways of working of coal. Yet from that little has been said, 'tis easy for the Reader to conceive, how perferable these are to the o∣ther

more common hanging mines, in which they are forc't to follow the coal to a great depth, to be at the expence and labour of draw∣ing all up by hand, and sometimes of freeing the Mine from water, both which are saved in this sort of hanging Mine, as well as in the flat open works. And that yet they fall short of the latter, in regard it is a long time (if ever) in these, before the Colliers can reach so far forward as to be hinderd in their work either by want of Air or any long draught, and so are longer workable; whereas the former riseing with the Hill (though 'tis true they may work a vast way forward) before they want Air, yet haveing but one way to work beside viz. by making setings up with the croping of the coal, they must work out at last, and cannot hold on so long, as where they may work every way round them, and perhaps further forward than the others can too.

38 However these are as preferable to other hanging Mines, as those are to the rearing ones, which are the worst of all: the Colliers quickly reaching to their utmost workable depth every way; though it must not be denyed but that the coal of these, and the common hanging Mines, is most times more firm, and better for burning, than that of the others; it being certainly true as well in coal as stone, that the deeper it is fetch't the harder and better; and the nearer they come to the surface, the softer and worse; till at last they are con∣verted, if stone, most commonly to a little better than sand; and if coal, to a shale, smut, or dross, that will not burn. Which is all I could hear of concerning the rise and diping of coal; but that some∣times it will alter its dip to a rise, and crop to the same point of the compass it dipt before, which the Workmen call leaping. Nay so sportive sometimes does nature seem to be in this matter, that the coal which has cropt to the same point of its first diping, as in the foremention'd example; before it has reach't the surface and cropt out, has taken another dip agreeable to the first, and then again another crop agreeable to the former; but these are but rarities not often to be met with.

36. Nor does it leap only in the diping, but also in the row or streek, as I was inform'd by Mr. Poole of Hardingswood a person very skillfull in these matters; which as it leaps the Workmen according∣ly follow, till (as sometimes it does) it leaps down again into the same range it lay at first. The rows of coal lye ordinarily one under another at certain distances, yet seldom so near, as that ever any body dug through one row down to another, though sometimes they will draw much nearer together at one place than another, as the same Mr. Poole informed me they doe at Hardingswood, where the row or streek lyeing to North and South, they draw together to the Northward and spread to the South to a good distance, and

then run parallel. Of which there is little more worth notice, but this general rule (I think without exception) that to what points soever the rise & dip direct their course, the row, side basset or streek, lyes quite contrary: as supposeing a Coalery dip East, the two points that the dip and rise respect, must be East and West: whence it necessarily follows that the row must run (as it does here at Har∣dingswood, about New-Castle, and as some are of opinion, it most times does) North and South, and so in all the intermediat points of the compass; as about Chedle where the coal dips S. W. and by S. or as the Miners call it to the two a Clock-Sun, there the rise must be to the N. E. and by N. and the row or streek must lye N. W. and by N. and S. E. and by S. the two courses of the diping and row, always cuting the compass into right angles, proxime; not Geometrically such, but such as are passable enough, in so gross a body as a coal-Mine is.

40. Hitherto we have considered this mineral of Coal, in two of its dimensions, viz its longitude and latitude; it remains that we now treat of the third, its profundity, or thickness as it lyes between the roof and the warrant or pavement; which are most times bass or freestone above, and Ironston or earth, below; or what ever else the substances be, that lye above the coal, or below it. wherein we shall give account of the measures, or floors; and the partings or lamings which the coal has in it self; which was the third thing to be discour'st on: all coale-Mines beside the sepa ation they have from all other bodies by their roofs and pavements, have∣ing divers partitions in the body of the coal it self, made by thin substances called partings or lamings; which are sometimes no thicker than ½ a crown or a crown, but sometimes 1, 2, 3, 4. or 5 inches thick; each division differing somewhat in texture and goodness: whence amongst the Workmen they obtain different names, which are not the same all over the Countrey, but vary al∣most in every Coalery, though but 3 or 4 miles distant. For example at Wednesbury, upon the surface they meet first with earth and stone, 2. blew clunch, and in the 3 place, coale. which they divide into an upper and nether coal: in the upper coal there are the following di∣visions, with their respective depths, and different denominations.

• 1. The top or roof floor, 4 foot thick.
• 2. The overslipper floor, 2 foot.
• 3. The gay floor, 2 foot.
• 4. The Lam-floor, 2 foot.
• 5. The Kit floor, 1 foot thick.
• 6. The bench floor, 2 foot and ½
• 7. The spring floor, 1. foot.
• 8. the Lower slipper Floor, 2 foot and ½.

then a bat between 1 and 3 yards thick, which being past they come next to the nether coal, wherein there are the like divisions, with their respective depths, and different names.

• 1. The slip floor, 1. foot.
• 2. The lam floor, 2 foot.
• 3. The Oary floor, 1 foot.
• 4. The bench floor, 1 foot.
• 5. The spring Floor, 2 foot.
• 6. The slipper Floor, 2 foot.

between every one of which floors, both in the upper and nether coal, there are substances call'd partings of the thickness above mention'd, of consistence between an earth and a coal, or soft bat, then below the nether coal before they come to the ironstone, they have

• 1. Earth, 1. foot.
• 2. The Mee Floor, 1 foot.
• 3. Bat, 1 foot and ½.
• 4. The Omfry floor, 2 foot, and ½.
• 5. Iron stone Earths, of divers thicknesses.
• 6. Iron stone.

In all from the surface 22 different partitions: whence it appears as was hinted in Oxfordshirei 1.35, how much the earth here, as also in the following instances, seems to be of a bulbous nature; several folds of divers consistencies still including one another, after the manner of the coats of a pearl, or an onyon.

41, At Amblecot in this County where the coal lyes deep, they have first the top earth, 7 yards thick. 2 a rock of 14 yards. 3 an earth called blew-clunch, 3 yards. 4 stones parted with earth, call'd the three frogs. 5 catch-earth, 1 yard thick, mixt with wild Iron-stone, which covers or lyes upon

• 1. The white, or top coal.
• 2. Heath, or tough coal.
• 3. Fine coal, or sea coal.
• 4. The veins.
• 5. The long-coal.
• 6. Rough coal.
• 7. Spin coal.
• 8. Top of the suder height.
• 9. Bottom Bench.
• 10. Back-stone.
• 11. Iron-stone, 3 yards thick earth and all.
• 12. Heathen coal.

between every one of which measures of coal, lyes a laming or par∣ting of various thicknesses. About Dudley as I find it in the Metal∣lum Martis of Dud. Dudley Esqk 1.36; the three uppermost measures, are call'd the white measures, from the white Arsenical substance con∣tain'd in them. 4. the shoulder coal. 5 the toe caol. 6 the foot coal. 7 the yard coal. 8. the slipper coal. 9 the sawyer coal. 10 the frisley coal, all which 10 measure of coal make up one with another 10 yards in thickness. Next them lye the severall measures of Iron stone; and

then coal again 2 yards thick, call'd the bottom, or heathen coal. These if they lye close & firm together, as generally they doe in this County, and the coal it self and partings, but tolerably clear of the Pyrites, and arsenical mixtures, are workt so much the more free from danger: not only upon account that if the coal be full of rifts, it is so much the more apt to colt in upon the Workmen, but from the natural fitness that such clefts have to admit either cor∣rupted Air, or the poysonous vapours of such minerals; mortal to all Animals (except the Rat) which they call.

42. Damps, the fourth thing promised to be treated on relating to this mineral, which though they happen not so frequently in this County, as in some others, by reason (as I sayd) of the firmness and closeness of the measures of most coal there; yet because they doe sometimes fall out, and the knowledg of the means whereby they seem to be occasion'd, may not perhaps be thought less pro∣fitable to the Philosopher, than the cure of them to the Collier: I have thought fit to give some account of all the Species of them I have yet heard of, with their respective Cures. The Species of them naturally divide themselves into.

• ...Damps
  • Sub∣ter∣rane∣al
    • Posi∣tive
      • Simple, Air alone corrupted.
      • Com∣pound
        • Invisible
          • ...Smoak-damps.
          • ...Peas-blossom-damp.
        • Visible
          • Form'd, the Globe-damp, in shape of a foot-bal.
          • Not form'd, the Fire, or Fulminating damp.
    • Privative, want of Air.
  • Superterraneal, in the open Air above ground.

All which, whether super or subterraneal, I take in general to pro∣ceed from stagnations in the subterranel Vaults of the Earth, for want of due Ventilations, and commerce betweene the inferior and superior Air. The material causes 'tis true may be various, either simple or compound: as the meer corruption of the simple Air alone upon a long stagnation in the Coal-rooms, and the rifts and clefts of the rock of coal it self, may be its material cause indeed, but the causa sine qua non of such a damp, I take to be the want of mo∣tion in those cavities, without which, the Air would never have corrupted; no more than water which never corrupts till it stag∣nates,

when indeed like the Air it becomes poysonous, though possib∣ly not to that degree, the Air being a body much finer, and convey∣ed to the more tender parts of the body.

43. Whence it is that in the old works, wherein there has been no digging for a long time, no laveing, drawing, or pumping of water, all which keep the Air in motion, and the water from canckering, these damps are most frequent and most dangerous. Whence it is too that the Works where the bed of coal is thin, and admits of but few or no such rifts or clefts for the Air to stagnat or corrupt in, are seldom or never troubled with them. Upon which account 'tis likewise that though a bed of coal have many of these rifts, and large ones too; yet as long as there is a profluence of water through them, there is no danger of their entertaining such damps; which as soon as made dry by a Sough or free-Level, the same Mine shall become much more lyable to them; the wholsom Air that was in them whilst kept in motion by the flux of the water (having little or no communication with that above ground) now stagnating and corrupting to that degree, that it not only extinguishes the glowing heat of coales, and the flame of candles, torches &c. but the flam∣mula vitae too in most living creatures, so that the Animal which respires it, some times expires with it too. And as it is in simple damps made out of corrupted Air only, so it is in the compound ones of one or more minerals, whether visible or invisible; whether ariseing from the smoak of coale it selfe, or as some will have one of them, from the scent of vegetables, or 2 from the steams of the Work∣mens breath, and sweat of their bodies, together with the smoak of the candles they work by; or 3 from sulphureous, arsenical, ni∣trous, or other such mineral steams that may be incident to Coal∣works: for to all these they ascribe a particular sort of Damp.

44. The first sort whereof, which arises from the smoak of coal it self, is said to happen only in such grooves where they make use of great fires to soften the rocks to make them yeild to the pick-Axe, which sending up with the smoak a sulphureous or perhaps an ar∣senical vapour, in probability may so infect the quiet Air in such deep caverns, as to render it unfit for respiration: it haveing been long indeed observed that such mines are seldom or never free from damps. And of this sort perhaps are the damps of the coalworks about Chedle; where above the Mines they have a rock of a greyish colour, call'd Pox-stone, so very hard, that where they doe not luckily meet with a cleft, they are forced to put fire to it, which in some time will make it flaw, or at least so soften it, that the pick-axes will enter it, which otherwise would not work away so much in a day, as will fill a hat. And yet these damps are neither visible nor noisome, nor will they take fire, but are so gross & moist that they extinguish

it & are suddenly mortal. Nor is the peas blossom damp (whereof we have an account from the learned Martin Lister Physitian at Yorkl 1.37) either visible or noisom, it being so call'd, as they say, because it smells like the blossoms of peas, though they fancy it proceeds from the multitude of red trifoyle flowers, with which the Lime stone meddows of the Peak (where they have this sort of damp) doe much abound: and as it is not noisom, so neither was it ever heard that this was mortal to the Workmen, the scent perhaps freeing them from the danger of a surprize. Of this sort I enquired in the east part of Staffordshire, where the Moore-lands bound upon the Peak-Country of Darbyshire, and found it not only there, but as far as I could learn, to be the most common damp in the Country, it making their candles first to diminish, to burn round, and at length to goe out, perfuming the Stauls at the same time with a faint sweet smell, as those in Darbyshire doe, only with this difference, that here they are said to be sometimes visible, shewing like a thin smoak, which may be seen not only in the grooves, but fuming out at the top of the pit. But here they are wiser (where they goe for their coal 40 or 50 yards deep, and have no such thing as trefoil; for many miles, and yet have this damp) than to think it proceeds either from peas or trefoil; it being rather apprehended to arise from the Workmens breath and sweat, mixt with the steams of the golden Marchasite or brass lumps, than any thing else.

45. Not much unlike that (only in its fatality) we call the Globe∣damp, thought to be compounded of the Workmens breath &c. and sweat of their bodies, together with the smoak of the candles they work by, which ascending to the uppermost parts of the grooves, there condense so much, that they become visible in the form and bigness of a foot ball, seeming to be cover'd with a skin, of of the thickness and colour of a Cobweb. These if by any casualty they come to be broken, they immediatly disperse themselves, and suffocat all the company, being altogether as mortal though not so violent; as the fulminating damps mention'd by the same worthy Gent. and the ingenious Mr. Jessop of Broomhall in Yorksh: to have happen'd not long since at Hasle-berg-hills, and at Wingersworth within two miles of Chesterfield An. 1675m 1.38. where the vapours takeing fire at the candles of the Workmen, they found themselves presently inviron'd with flames, their faces, hands, hair, and cloaths in great part, being very much burnt, and one of them having his armes and leggs broken, and the rest of his body strangely distor∣ted: the now enflamed damp of one of them goeing forth of the mouth of the pit like a clap of Thunder, shooting off the Turn or

Windeless, and shakeing the very earth so much, that a Workman in another Bink hard by, fear'd the roof would have fallen in upon Him and buryed Him. The ingenious Mr Beaumont tells us they have this sort of Damp too, in some Coal-works bordering upon Mendip hillsn 1.39, and that in the most Easterly ones of them, they are so very frequent, that scarce a pit fails of them, many Men of late years having been there kill'd, many others lam'd, and a multi∣tude burnt: many having been blown up at the works mouth, and the turn beam which hangs over the shaft, thrown off the frame by the force of it. It is also said to be in Scotland by Mr. Geo. Sinclar in a land call'd Werdy, West of Leitho 1.40; which they there from its ef∣fects (that are very much like ours) are please'd to call Wild-fire, thinking it to proceed from a fat sort of coal, wherein there is a cer∣tain fire resembling an Ignis fatuus, which even in the day time is sometimes seen in the Coalworks in little holes shining like kindled sulphur, which uniting in the night when the workmen are gon home, if it meet with any fire at their return, it breaks out which such violence that it kills whomsoever it finds in its way.

46. Yet neither of these were comparably strange to the fire-damp that happend at Mostyn in Flintshire in the Coalworks there, belongeing to the right Worshipfull Sr. Roger Mostyn Kt. Lord of that Manorp 1.41, in the same year with that at Wingersworth; which upon making a Witchet, for drawing down the Spring that hinder'd their further wining of Coal, as soon as they were scanted of Air, the fire-damp appear'd in the crevisses or slits of the coal, (where water had been before) in a small blewish flame, which whil'st the Colli∣ers continued their work, was not so troublesom, as upon the in∣termission of 48 hours, within which time it got so much strength, that the Workmen looking into the Pit, could see it shooting from side to side like sword blades, cross one another, so that none durst venture to go downe into it. Upon this they took a pole and bound candles to it, which they no sooner put over the Eye of the pit, but the Damp would fly up at them with a long sharp flame, and put them out, leaving a foul ill scented smoak behind it. But finding this would not doe, they tyed many candles to the end of a hook fastend to a roap, and lowerd them down a little way into the pit, when up came the damp immediatly, and blew them all out, burnt their hair, beards, and clothes, struck down one of them, in the mean time making a noise like the roaring of a Bull, but loud∣er, leaving a stink behind it worse than the former; so heating the water that though drawn out of another distant pit, it was blood∣warm at least. After 3 days cessation more, the Steward going down

with some others to contrive conveyance of Air, one of them unad∣visedly puting his candle over the Eye of the pit, the damp im∣mediatly fired at it, burnt and tore their clothes from their backs, and flew to and fro all over the hollows with a great roaring; car∣rying most of the Men 15 or 16 yards from their first station, and one of them out of the pits Eye above 30 yards high, with a noise like a Cannon, only somewhat shriller, which was heard no less than 15 miles off: it also forcibly drove up the buckets and rope, with the Trunk or barrel that wound them up, of a 1000 weight, and tore it to pieces, though fasten'd to a strong frame with locks and bolts, and bound about with Iron.

47. What should be the material causes of such prodigious effects as these, though it be hard to determin, yet I think I may be positive that the cause assigned by Mr. Geo Sinclar is insufficientq 1.42, though it may indeed be allowed to be a social cause: the oyliness and fat∣ness of the coal may be necessary indeed for its so quik takeing fire, but this will not account for its violence and noise: there must therefore certanly be somewhat of Niter, joyn'd with the bitumen and sulphur in the coal, to perform this feat. That bitumen must be a concurrent cause of such damps, I take to be evident indeed from hence, that in the relation at large of the fire damp above, it is said that it would play upon the surface of the water of a rainbow colour; and that Sulphur must also be an ingredient, I take to be as plain, for that in the same relation, it is expressly said, that in working the roach of coal 5 yards thick, when they came near the bottom, where the water was not mixt with sulphureous and brassy Metalls, the fire-damp was neither seen or heard of; and that Niter must also have a share in such dreadfull Scenes as these, I take to be as manifest as the facts themselves, since no such ex∣plosions can be made without it, and that the smoak that follows the fireing such damps, is on all hands confest to have the smell and colour of Gunpowder. But of this matter further, when I come to consider, how it comes to pass that so many of the coal-pits take fire of themselves.

48. There is another sort of damp they call want of Air. i. e. want of Air sufficient for the breathing of Animals, and burning of Can∣dles. This sort of damp (improperly so call'd) is that they commonly meet with in long Soughs for conveyance of water from the coale; or when to avoid charge they run in their work as far underground as possible, for wining of coal, without leting down a new shaft. The cause of which sort of damp is cetainly nothing else, but the want of communication with the Air above ground, it being found by experience that the further a Man goes, into one of these coal-levels,

the flame of his candle will gradually grow less and less, till it goes quite out, and his difficulty of breathing greater and greater, till he cannot breathe at all, & vice versa in his return. And so I found it in my entrance into the above mention'd Footerill at Apedale, where before we came 200 yards into it, 2 of the 3 candles I had in with me, went quite out, and the third was just expiring, in so much that I was forc't to make a retreat. This sort of damp is nothing so dangerous as some of the former, because not surprising, but comeing so gra∣dually, that a man may releive Himself at pleasure, though it be true enough too, that this will kill Animals, as well as extinguish coales or candles, if they be far enough removed from the Air above ground, and continue long enough there.

49. And these seven (including one that's to follow) are all the Species of damps I have hitherto met with, which as so many diseases, have their respective cures, known by most Coalyers: a∣mongst which that of the first, or smothering damp, is the most difficult of any, it being sudden and surprising, comeing upon them unawares when they little think on't, and then too not always equally pernicious, the uncertainty whereof the most sagacious Workmen say depends upon the Wind; which if it sit toward the face of the work (as they call it) there is no danger, the subterraneal Air complying with that above, and by this means rather pressing the corrupted Air in the rifts and clefts, further into the coal-Wall, then bringing it forth: Whereas if it sit toward the old Wasts, the Air in the coal-rooms also presses that way, and as it were leads the corrupted Air forth, every thing naturally moving that way, where there is the ••east resi∣stance. And therefore the prudent Coalyer that knows his work lyable to these inconveniencies, always minds the Wind, which is the only way they have to avoid this sort of damp. The second sort of damp occasion'd by smoak, they dispel either by water, where they have no Air pits, and in winter time; but cheifly by fire, which they let down in an Iron cradle, they call their Lamp, into the shaft or by pit next to that they intend to work, which ma∣king a great draught of Air from the bottom of the works, the smoak-damp must necessarily come away, and fresh Air from a∣bove come down the other pit, where the Workmen went down, and the Coal is drawn forth. Which very way they use about Chedle, and 'tis a secure one too, but very chargeable; the charge of one of these shafts, by reason sometimes of the hardness of the rocks, vastness of the depth, drawing water &c. often equalling, if not exceeding the ordinary charge of the whole Work: to

remedy which, I think the expedient divised and practised a∣bout Luyck or Leigh, communicated to the Royal Society by Sr Robert Murray, seems preferable to all others, for efficacy, ease, and cheapnessr 1.43.

50. As for the peas blossom damp, the scent most times frees them from danger of a surprise, which 'tis likely indeed is the occasion (more than the innocency of the thing) we seldom hear that this is mortal: but if the Workmen at any time through too much rashness, do happen to be striken with it, they presently bring them up into the open Air, dig a hole in the ground, and lay them flat upon their belleys, with their faces in the hole, which (if not too far gone) infallibly recovers them. And for the pestilential damp that appears in the roofs of the coal-works in form of a foot ball, Mr Listers 1.44 tells us they have a way by the help of a stick and a long roap, of breaking it at a distance; which done, they pu∣rify the place well by fire, and then enter it again without much scruple. Much after the same manner as they also avoid the fire or fulminating damp, which says Mr Sinclart 1.45, in Scotland is pre∣vented by a person that enters before the Workmen, who being cover'd with wet sackcloath, when He comes near the coal-wall where the fire is feared, He creepeth on his belly with a long pole before him, having a lighted candle on the top on't, with whose flame the wild-fire meeting, it breaketh with violence, and runing along the roof, goeth out with a noise at the mouth of the sink; the person that gave fire escaping by creeping on the ground, and keeping his face close to it, till it be over past. Iust as they did at first with the fire damp at Mostyn v, where the workmen every morning before they went down into the pit, used to send a resolute Coalyer before, whose manner was to put on the worst raggs He had and wet them in water, and as soon as He came within danger of it, He fell groveling down upon his belly, and went in that manner forward, holding in one hand a long rod or pole to which he tyed candles burning, & reached them by degrees towards it, then the damp would fly at them, and if it mist of puting them out, it would quench it self with a blast, lea∣ving a noisom ill scented smoak behind it.

51. The privative damp or want of Air, is best cured the same way the smoaky damp is, by setting down a shaft to the adit, as soon as the candles begin to burn orbicular and to lessen, and the VVork∣man is any thing sensible of a difficulty of breathing; which infal∣libly cures it. And these are the peculiar remedies for each res∣pective damp, most whereof may plainly be reduced to motion,u 1.46

which I take to be the catholic remedy of all damps, which confirms me in my first opinion that the causa sine qua non of all damps, is want of motion: for come they either from corruption of Air alone; from smoak; from the scent of vegetables; from the sweat or breath of Mens bodies; from the steams of noxious minerals &c. though never so mortal; or from want of Air; yet grant but a circulation of Air in the coal-chamber, or let the waters that commonly annoy such Mines, be drawn thence, not by a Sough, or free natural course, but by force, as by laving, buckets, pumps &c. either of them shall be so broken, disperst, and at length gradually brought (with the motion of all other things that way) through the Eye of the Pit into the open Air, that they shall have little or no∣thing of the effect, which if sufferd to unite (through cessation of labour or otherwise) they would certainly have. Whence it is that Coal-works that are wet, and always require a forcible drain; are much more wholsom, than those made dry, by a free course of water, as by a Sough, which by a constant unforc't descent, quickly exhausts the rifts of a coal-work, and fits them for the rece∣ption of corruptible Air. Whence 'tis also that in Mines not draind by a Sough, when the Springs are low, and fill not up the passages in the coal, nor require so prepetual and forcible a drain as they use to doe; that then, at that time of the year, at the latter end of Summer, the coal-works are most lyable to poysonous damps, that the Air stagnates in the void spaces and corrupts, and is quietly impregnated with noxious mineral steams.

52. Which are sometimes so very strong, that they force their way through the pores of the earth, where there hath never been any Sough or shaft set down to give them vent, and are very noi∣som though in the open Air above ground, which may pass I think for a seventh sort of damp, though the same materially with some of the former: whereof there are two manifest instan∣ces in this Connty, near the same place; one, under the bank of the South side of Tettenhall wood, where passengers sometimes in mornings and evenings, meet with a very offensive troublesom damp, of which they can give no account, which yet no question must come from some such principles as were the causes of the fore∣mention'd subterraneal damps, though I have not heard that any met with here, have proved mortal, as another of this kind (for I cannot imagin it any think else) which in the year 1671 in a house in Tettenhall, struck 5 men and no more, of 200 that were then present at the monthly meeting of Iustices, whereof 3 dyed quickly after, the other two recoverd in some measure, but are still troubled with vertigo's or disyness in the head, which I take to be some remains of the first poison. But how it should affect

the•••••••• and no more, in so great a crowd, is hard to determin, unless we may think that it shot like a ray of light or Sun-bean through a cloud, and so only struck those five within its narrow compass: which fancy of mine (to call it no more) I am the more willing to favour, because the fire-damp at Mostyn, it seems affected that figure; it being said to shoot from one side of the pit to the other, like sword blades, cross one another; and that it would fly up at a candle in a long sharp flamew 1.47.

53. These things being premised, an answer to the question how it comes to pass that so many of the coal pits take fire, which was the sift thing to be consider'd, is easily had. For if it be true (as it seems to be) what Caesalpinus relates concerning Bitumen, Peculiare est in bitumine accendi aquax 1.48; which Pliny also asserts of the Thracian stoney 1.49, by some translated pit-coal; and that the fire-damp at Mostyn did appear in the watery crevisces of the rocks, and shine upon the surface of the water in the bottom of the pit, of a rainbow colour; if too the same fire-damp were found only where the water was mixt with sulphureous and brassy Metalls, and that these subterraneal fires were found actually kindled without any co∣operation of Manz 1.50, as Mr. Geo. Sinclar also asserts they are in like manner found in some cole mines in Scotlanda 1.51, and as Mr. Beaumont ownes he heard one Colemine did, in or near Mendipb 1.52; to which add that it has always been observ'd, that heat and moisture, doe highly promote all sorts of damps: All these things (I say) being put together, what can there else be concluded but that some Coal-pits may and doe take fire of themselves; as 'tis unanimously agree'd they doe at Wednesbury (where the coal-works now on fire take up eleven Acres of ground) Cosley, Etings all, and Pensnet in this County, as Mr. Camden will have it, whereas indeed the place He mentions then on firec 1.53, was Broadhurst on Pensnet in the Parish of Dudley and County of Worcester, where He says a Colepit was fired by a Candle through the negligence of a Groover; and so possibly it might; but as for the rest (which are in Staffordshire) 'tis agree'd they all fired natural of themselves, as they expect the shale and small-coal in the hollows and deads of all the old works, will doe and have done, beyond all memory.

54. Which they say is occasion'd by a mixture of the Laming (that lyes between the measures of the coal) and the sleck (more especially when very much mixt with brass lumps) which lying together in the old cancker'd waters of the pits, heat to that de∣gree, that they fire the small coal left there, which continues

burning till it's all spent, and then goes out of it self as soon as it comes to the rock of coal, which if it have no rifts or clefts in it, ad∣mits it not: insomuch that the inhabitants of these places are not concern'd at it, nor have half the dread upon them for it, that those have that live remote, far enough out of its reach. The Worshipfull Dud. Dudley in his Metallum Martisd 1.54 says that small coal with sleck thrown moist together (not mentioning any thing of Laming) by reason of its sulphurousness, will doe the same thing; which I am inclined to believe since I find amongst Dr. Powers observations that the Pyrites aureus being exposed to the moist Air, or sprinkled with water, will smoak and grow exceeding hot, and if many be laid in a heap and water'd, will turn red hot of themselves, as He says He had seen them Himself. whereof He acquaints us with a very unhappy example, that fell out at Ealand a neighboring Town to Him in Yorksh. where one Wilson having piled up many Cartloads of them in a barn of his (for some secret purpose of his owne) the roof being faulty, and admitting rain water to fall copiously in a∣mongst them, they first began to smoak, and at last to take fire and burn like red hot coales, so that the Town was in an uproar about the quenching of theme 1.55. Now if the golden Marchasit or brass lumps alone will thus take fire, much more will they sure when mixt with small coal: whereby as Dr. Jorden assures us whole heaps of coals mixt with this sort of Pyrites (call'd metall coals) have taken fire at Puddle wharfe in London, and at New-Castle, and been burnt before their timef 1.56.

55. Whence 'tis plain how likely it is that the Coal pits at Wednesbury &c. take fire of themselves, in which there is so much Sulphur which sublimes by the heat of the fire from the pyrites in the coal, that there lyes great quantities of it upon the burnt sur∣face of the earth a fire underneath, in its true colour fixt to the Cinders and poxstone, all striated, I suppose by the ascent of the heat and smoak: out of which, if not already so much burnt, as to be become effete, possibly some advantage might be made, either by casting it, as it is into rolls or Magdaleons, by makeing great quantities of flowers of brimstone, or oile of Sulphur per Campanam: with which, where there is mixt a due proportion of Niter, there is the true natural Gunpowder in all probability produced, that when fir'd, has much greater sorce and noise than the artificial: for 'tis this no question when fir'd, and pent up within the earth, that puts it into those convulsions we call Earthquakes; such as happen'd in this County in the Christmass time An. 1677 about 11

at night which came with a noise plainly to be heard before the shaking: it was considerable about Willenhall near Wolverhampton, but very short, giving the earth but one shock, and moving (as they thought by the noise) from South to North. The same Earthquake was felt also at Hanbury upon the confines of Darbyshire, but as Mr. Villiers of that Town, a sober grave Gent. assured me, it happen'd there about 8 in the evening, which ar∣gues its motion must be from East to West, and very slow; or else not the same earthquake; neither whereof can certainly be coucluded, for that no body knows in what Maeanders, the caverns of the earth run; nor with what obstacles it might meet by the way, to retard and prolong the time of its mo∣tion.

56. Nov: 4. 1678 there happend another Earthquake in this County, it was most dreadfull of any place I could hear of, about Brewood, whither it came with a noise, not like a clap, but a flat rumbleing distant Thunder, yet so great that it wakened people in their beds, at 11 a clock by the night, about what time it began, and continued till towards two in the morning; the earth moving very sensibly three times, at about ½ an hours distance, each motion from the other. The night following there hap∣pen'd another, but not so great, yet not without noise, as I sup∣pose very few doe; if any, it must be where the fire damp kindles so deep in the earth, that the explosion cannot be heard through so dense a body as it may be thence to the superficies, though the convulsion may be sensible. That which was felt at Oxon: about 7 in the morning Sept: 17. 1683, was also accompanied with a noise like distant Thunder, the murmuring sound (as it appeard to me) preceding the shock about two Seconds of time. Octob: 9th in the same year, about eleven at night there happen'd a∣nother in Stafford-shire and all the adjoyning Counties, which as I have it from good hands, was not without a noise neither; whence I conclude that few or none happen without, and that all of them have their origin from the kindling and explosion of fire-damps; though I doe not remember I must confess that the earthquake at Bushbury, that fell out there (they will tell you upon opening the Friars Tomb) within the memory of man (for I spake with one that remember'd it well) had any that attended it, though it was so considerable as 'to make the pewter clatter in their houses, and the great pot they boyled their meat in, at Bushbury hall, to leap up from the ground: but this indeed needed not any great explosion, for it was so very peculiar, that it did not extend beyond the bounds of the parish; nor was it valuable any where, but about the Church.

57. If it be objected that Air is so necessary to the being and duration of fire, that a subterraneal one, though actually kindled, could hardly continue long without extinction, and surely much less be kindled there. And secondly that if these noises which attend earthquakes, proceed from the kindling and explosion of natural Gunpowder made up of coal, Sulphur, and niter, as the artificial is; we should find it some where, or some time or other, break forth of the earth and shew it self, which yet we hear little or nothing of. And thirdly that earthquakes many times happen, where one at least, if not more of these materials, were never known to be; as at Oxford above mentiond; and that therefore in such places however, it is by no means likely, that earthquakes should proceed from the assigned causes. To the first I answer, that Air is so unnecessary to that sort of fire kindled from the principles, and in the circumstances abovemention'd, that we find it in the relation of the fire damps at Mostyn, they never began to appear till the Workmen perceiv'd a want of Air, that being esteemed a great nourisher, as the immission of Air, from above, a destroyer of themg 1.57. Which may give an account in some measure for the perpetual Lamps of the ancients shut close up in Tombs or other subterraneal Cells, which could have no communication with external Air, and were preserved by it, the oile perhaps being somewhat of this kind, all Histories agreeing that they were all extinguish't presently upon the least immission of external Air. Not to mention that our hot Bathes may be also accounted for, this way, this sort of fire heating water as well as any other, as was plain at Mostyn, and as it is at Mount Hecla or Hecklefield in the cold Country of Ice-land, which sometimes throws forth scolding hot water, and from whence 'tis they have springs so hot in that Country, that in a quarter of an hour they will suffici∣ently boyle great pieces of beefh 1.58.

58. And to the second it may be replyed, that though in most cold regions, where the Earth is not so plentifully stored with Minerals as 'tis in the hot; and where the pores of it are shut in the time of earthquakes, which commonly happen here toward winter, and most commonly upon frosts, these fires seldom or never break out, but in all probability are extinguish't after some time with their owne filthy smoak: yet that in forraigne Countreys of a warmer Climat, where the earth is commonly replenish't with Minerals, and the pores of it always open with heat; there is no∣thing a more certain attendant of an earthquake, than an eruption of fire somewhere within its verge. The earthquakes that so fre∣quently

(that I say not always) precede the eruptions of flaming Moun∣tains, make good this; whereof Pliny who was of this opinion, and compares Earthquakes to thunderi 1.59, gives us an extraordinary instance which fell out near Rome, Lucius Martius and Sex. Julius being Consuls; when two Mountains were seen to assault one another with a very great noise, smoak and fire issuing from between them at their congress and regress, a multitude of Roman Knights, their servants, and Travellers, looking on the while from the Ae∣mylian wayk 1.60. And all Vulcano's indeed upon their greatest eru∣ptions have earthquakes preceding them, as whoever consults those of Vesuvius or Aetna, whether ancient or modern, will always find them prefaced with such passages as these; praecedente hor∣rido terraeinotu: post ingentes terrae concussiones: whereof there fell out a very terrible example March 8. 1669, when Eatna took fire after a most dreadfull earthquake.l 1.61. The like happen'd not long after in the Isle de la Palma, one of the Canary's Nov. 13. 1677. where about a ¼ of an hour before Sun set, an earthquake began which continued to the 17^th with a thundering noise in the bowels of the earth, more especially in the plain call'd the Canios; where, and in divers other places, the earth open'd several mouthes, to the number of 18. whence with the same thundering noise, issued fire and smoak, melted rocks, and fiery stones, which it threw so high into the Air, that the people lost sight of themm 1.62. Mount Hecla too, which is always burning more or less, has also in proportion as constant an earthquake attends it, as Martineir informs us, who with his companion and two guides traveld up it about half a league, when it was reckon'd prety quiet, yet found it then to tremble so un∣der their feet, and heard such a strange crashing and rumbleing within, that they were glad to get back again as fast as they could, for fear of being swallowedn 1.63; and if it trembled in this manner in its quietest condition, what must it doe when it burns with its greatest vehemence? when, as we find it in the Geologia Norwegica, it makes a terrible rumbleing like loud thunder, where∣as in other Counties where there is less exuberance of matter, these explosions (which are ratably weaker) must be stricktly pent up to make an earthquake, which let loose through any ductus into the open Air, would cause no such matter, and this I take to be the reason why we have no such fiery eruptions upon earthquakes here, as they have abroad.

59. Tis true indeed that about Oxford we have no such matter as coal that yet we know of, and yet have earthquakes now and then

which was the third objection; and is answer'd already by Dr. Power § 54, where He says that the golden Marchasit or brass lumps moistned with water, are sufficient to produce heats and actual fire without coal; to which add niter, of both which there is plenty about Oxford, and we have sufficient materials to supply for an earthquake, and the noise too, that commonly attends them. Beside the pyrites or Marchasits about Oxford lye generally, if not always, in a dark blew clay, which after further concoction of many Ages perhaps many come to be coal: however as it is, it seems to be somewhat like the laming that lyes between the measures of coal, which according to one opinion § 54 was look't upon as one of the materials as productive of heat and fire, as any of the rest: which if so, this blew clay perhaps may supply the place of coal in the process of nature for begetting an earthquake, as per∣fectly and well, as if coal were at hand, though I must confess were there any other circumstances favorable, this would induce one to think coal could not be far off. Which brings me

60. Lastly, to the signes whereby they find coal, and the methods they use in finding and diging them; which though they properly indeed belong to the Chapter of Arts, yet for the reasons above mention'd, I shall treat of them here. For finding of coal, if in a place where never any have bin discover'd, they first consult the springs if any near, to see whether they can find any coal water i. e. an acid water having a Car, or yellow sediment: above ground they look for a smut as they call it, i. e. a friable black earth: when they meet with either of these, they reckon themselves under circumstances tolerably good for the finding of coal, which prompt them next ei∣ther to boar or sink a pit; the former whereof if they think the coal lyes shallow, is the better of the two; but if it lye deep, it be∣comes almost as expensive as sinking a pit, the drawing the rods of the Augre expending very much time, in reguard they are many, and that it must be done frequently; besides its leaving the Search∣er under great uncertainties, in respect of the course of the coal, the draining it, its goodness and thickness; all which are very con∣siderable in the search of coal. Whereas by sinking, all these un∣certainties are removed, only the charge is certain, for that in all virgin grounds where the coal lyes intire and untouch't, there is always a great affluence of water, which many times brings the un∣fortunat inquisitor, not only under a necessity of a great expence for drawing of water, but sometimes too, to let Himself know that the work can never turn to account: However of the two, this is reekon'd the better, for the reasons above mentiond.

61. As it is also where search is made, where coal is al∣ready known to be, either by their appearing to the day any

where, as by Rivers fides, or having been dug not far of: the ran∣ges of the Metalls already known, and their distances, with their diping, and the rise of ground above them, giving directions al∣most infallibly where they shalt set down their pit. For these being known, 'tis no great difficulty to judg whereabout they'l crop out; that which lyes lowest, comeing forth furthest; and that which uppermost, nighest to the place foreknown: So that supposeing the worst that can befal the Searcher in the use of this Method, that He should find Himself mistaken in seting down his Pit, and meet either with a Metall that lyes above, or under the coal; in the first case all He has to doe, is to move in proportion so much backward, and in the latter so much forward, and He sinks his pit just upon it. In finding of coal the most skillfull Work∣men give much heed to the roof, whereby they will not only tell what mine they are over, but the quality of the coal too, as to its goodness or badness; a roof of loose rotten stone without any certain beding or diping, being a certain Index of ill rotten coal; as a firme roof, vice versa, is of a good one.

62. When the coal is found, they work it according to the greater or lesser diping: if it be a rearing mine or edg-coal as some call it, cuting the superficies of the earth at right angles, if yet of a sufficient thickness to be thought worth working at all, they sink a pit as deep as the water will give leave, and work along the row or streek as far as they think convenient: if it rise or crop with the ascent of a hill, and is fit for a footrill, as at Apedale, they follow the row or side basset of the coal, as far as the want of Air will permit them, and at due distances make setings up acoording to the cro∣ping of the coal, i. e. as other Coal works are dug with a side dip, so these in an up dip. The footrill at Apedale is driven in thus upon a level about 200 yards, in which space there are 12 setings up, haveing pillars at each side which they call ribs, between which they must carry up their work, though the coal hath leiths or joynts in it that run otherways, according to which yet they cannot work it as they doe in the Flat and hanging mines; which they divide into partitions or wallings as they call them, more or less in number according as the mine dips: if but little, which they call a flat mine, the wallings are so many the more, in regard it is workable a great way, before either the Mine will dip to the water, or crop to the grass: if a hanging mine, so many the less, in proportion likewise to the diping.

63. I went down into one of these hanging mines at Harding∣swood belonging to the aforemention'd Mr. Poole of this County, where He shewed me a level of 35 yards of roach as it lay in an ob∣lique diping line above the water, which came to 35 foot perpen∣dicular,

diping one foot to every yard: in this Level He had five wallings or Stauls, out of which they dug the coal in great blocks; between the wallings there were ribbs left, and passages through them called thurlings, which give convenience of Air, and passage for the coal out of one walling into another, which in all coal mines stand thick or thin, partly according to the substance of the coal; most commonly thiner in the lower wallings, which are therefore consequently wider; and thicker in the upper wallings, which must be therefore narrower, the coal of the upper wallings being generally nasher; i. e. softer and more friable then that of the lower wallings, which are more firme and solid: whence they compare the coal of the upper wallings to brush wood, as burn∣ing swifter, sweeter, and clear from soot; and that of the lower wallings to hard wood, as being more solid and lasting, though making more soot. But in this point they mind not so much the coal as the roof, the wallings or staules being made narrower or wider, according as that is found better or worse, which some∣times being nothing but a bass, full of joynts; and perhaps soluble in the Air, they are forced then to leave a yard of coal that lyes next under it for a roof, and make their wallings narrow: whereas on the contrary where there is a strong rock next the coal, and no bass, they will then venture their roof so far sometimes as to make their wallings 8 or 9 yards wide, which roof of rock puts me in mind that tis time to shut up this tedious discourse of coal, and pro∣ceed to the succeding Chapter of Stone.

64. But before I enter on it, perhaps it may not be amiss to add a word or two concerning the Methods they use in laying their coales dry, when any thing troubled with water, which because they are not so frequently, or so much, as in some other Countrys, they are not forced upon such variety of expensive Engines. The ordinary ways they use are by Sough or by Gin. The former when they have the advantage of fall of ground enough, which they try by the Level, and then either dig a trench open to the surface, like a great ditch as deep as the coale, or drive in a cuniculus about a yard diameter to the pavement (if they can) of the lowest dip, of the lowest measure of coale, which without more adoe will lay all the coal so dry, toward the Crop, that it may be workt without diffi∣culty. But when they have no fall, they draw it up by Gin, which is made either bigger, or less, according to the exi∣gence of the work; the less they call a Iack, which is either turned by Men, as requiring less strength; or by Horses, ac∣cording as the Owner thinks most fit. But the Gin is always work't by Horses, which likewise is two-fold, either by chain, or by barrells: the chain is made with leather suckers upon

it at lit le distances, which bring up water, and discharge themselves into a trough set near the Eye of the pit, whence tis carryed off by a small trench. The Gin by Barrells, whereof always one goes up as the other goes downe, will also void great quantities of water, provided they be constantly fol∣lowed day and night, else upon the least neglect, the water will get such head, that much time will be spent before it can be master'd again, which Engines being so common, and so easy of apprehension, as not to deserve a Cut, or the Readers view; I have saved my self the expence, and Him the trouble, both of the one and th' other.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Mr. Sampson Erdeswick's view of Staffordshire in princip.
• b 1.2

  Mich. Drayton's Poly••lbion, Song the 12.
• c 1.3

  Camden's Britannia in Staffordsh.
• d 1.4

  Mich. Drayton's Polyolbion Song the 12.
• e 1.5

  Ibidem.
• f 1.6

  Camden's Britannia in Monmouth-shire, in initio.
• g 1.7

  Nat. Hist. of Oxfordsh. Chap. 5. § §. 88, 89.
• h 1.8

  P. Virgilii Georgic. Lib. 3. v. 397.
• i 1.9

  Geo. Pi••lorius de paludibus & stagnis.
• k 1.10

  Nat. Hist. Cent. 1. Num. 93.
• l 1.11

  C. Plinii secundi Nat. Hist. Lib. 2. cap. 103. vid. etiam Pictorium de fontibus & fluviis miraculosis.
• m 1.12

  Plotini Operum Ennead. 4. Lib. 4. cap. 22.
• n 1.13

  Mr Rays observations Topograph &c. p. 8.
• o 1.14

  Philosoph. Transa••t. Num. 117. p. 396.
• p 1.15

  Nat. Hist. of Oxfordshire Chap 3. §. 41.
• q 1.16

  Hieron. Cardani de Rerum Varietate Lib. 1. cap. 7.
• r 1.17

  C. Plinti 2^di Nat. Hist. Lib. 2. cap. 95. & Andr. Baccii de Thermis Lib. 4. cap. 15.
• s 1.18

  Nat. Hist. of Oxfordshire Chap. 3. §. 40.
• t 1.19

  Ibid. § 41.
• v 1.20

  Sr. Tho. Brownes Enquiryes into Vulgar Errors Lib. 3. cap. 27.
• w 1.21

  Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 12. p. 204.
• x 1.22

  Ligon's Hist. of the Barbadoes p. 7.
• y 1.23

  Nat. Hist. Cent. 4. Num. 352.
• z 1.24

  Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 36.
• a 1.25

  Sr Tho. Brown's Enquiries into Vulgar Errors Lib. 3. cap. 27.
• * 1.26

  Trapham's Hist. of Iamaica Chap. 2. p. 29.
• b 1.27

  Geo. Agricola in Bermanno.
• c 1.28

  Andreae Caesalpini de Metallitis Lib. 2. cap. 59.
• d 1.29

  Ibidem.
• c 1.30

  Io. Kentmani Nomenclaturae rer. foss. tit. 4.
• f 1.31

  Plinii Nat. Hist. Lib. 17. cap. 8.
• g 1.32

  Ibidem.
• h 1.33

  Nat. Hist. of Oxfordshire, Chap. 3. §§. 26. and 30.
• * 1.34

  There is much such a Coalmine bordering upon Mendip which they call there by the same name, that Mr. Beaumont thinks receives it's resplendency from a sulphury tincture, and so perhaps may ours. Philosoph. Collect. Numb. 1.
• i 1.35

  Nat. Hist. of Oxfordsh. chap. 3. §. 14.
• k 1.36

  Metallum Martis p. 38.
• l 1.37

  Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 117.
• m 1.38

  Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 117. and 119.
• n 1.39

  Philosoph. Collect. Numb. 1.
• o 1.40

  G. Sinclar's Miscellan. Observ. p. 292. 293.
• p 1.41

  Philosoph. Transact. Num. 136.
• q 1.42

  G. Sinclar's Mistellan. Observ. p. 293.
• r 1.43

  Philosoph. Transact. Num. 5.
• s 1.44

  Ibid. Num. 117.
• t 1.45

  G. Sinclar's Miscellan. Observ. p. 294.
• u 1.46

  Philosoph. Transact. Num. 136.
• w 1.47

  Ibidem
• x 1.48

  Andr. Caesalpim de Metallicis Lib. 1. cap. 31.
• y 1.49

  C Plin. 2di. Nat. Hist. Lib. 33. cap. 5.
• z 1.50

  Philosoph. Transact Num. 136.
• a 1.51

  G. Sinclar's Miscel Observ. p. 293.
• b 1.52

  Philosoph. Collect. Num. 1. p. 8.
• c 1.53

  Camden's Britannia in Staff.
• d 1.54

  Metall. Martis p. 37.
• e 1.55

  Dr. Po••••er's Microscop. Observ. p. 62, 63.
• f 1.56

  Jorden of Mi∣neral waters chap. 14 in fine.
• g 1.57

  Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 136. p. 897. and 898.
• h 1.58

  Mr Collins's account of Ice∣land. p. 78.
• i 1.59

  C. Plinii 2di. Hist. Nat. Lib. 2. cap. 79.
• k 1.60

  Ibid. Lib. 2. cap 83.
• l 1.61

  Ioh. Alphons. B••relli de Incendiis Aetnae cap. 4.
• m 1.62

  Lectio Cutler. de potent. restit. p. 52.53.
• n 1.63

  Marti∣neir's Northern voyage p. 134.