Britannia Baconica: Or, The Natural RARITIES OF England, Scotland, & Wales.  
According as they are to be found in every SHIRE.  
Historically related, according to the Precepts of the Lord Bacon; Methodically digested; and the Causes of many of them Philosophically attempted. WITH Observations upon them, and Deductions from them, whereby divers Secrets in Nature are discovered, and some things hitherto reckoned Prodigies, are fain to confess the cause whence they proceed.  
Useful for all ingenious men of what Profession or Quality soever.  
By J. CHILDREY.  
Res semper aliquid apportat novi. Terent.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by H. E. at the sign of the Greyhound in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1662.   

To the Right Honourable, my most Noble Lord and Master, HENRY Somerset Lord HERBERT, & C.  
It may please your Lordship,  
THe Calling I have entered into, and the capacity wherein I have the honour to serve your Lordship, will (I fear) offend the weak tenderness of some, who think these deep searches into reason, mis-becoming a Preacher of Faith, and the contemplation of the works of Nature very impedimentall (if not destructive) to the work of Grace; And give them occasion to censure me for dealing so far with Philosophy. Yet somewhat I have to plead in excuse of myself; supposing what I do, to be a crime: And more I have to plead in defence of myself, that what I do is no crime at all. The smallness of the work, together with its being written, before I put my hand to the plough, is enough to excuse me, and extenuare the crime; were it indeed, what it is only supposed to be. But seeing the fortress is defensible, it can be held for no less than cowardice to capitulate. It would not a little disparage a good cause to seek to excuse that, which may be justified; especially since it hath so learned and solid a Lawyer, as the Lord Chancellor Bacon to plead in its behalf. Philosophia Naturalis (saith that eloquent Wit) Post Uerbum Dei 
Nou. Organ. 1, I Aph. 89. , certissima Superstitionis Medicina est; eademque probatissimum fidei alimentum. Itaque merito Religioni donatur tanquam fidissimd ancilla: cum ulter a Voluntatem Dei, altera Potestatem manifestet. Neque enim erravit ille qui dixit, Erratis, nescients 
Mat. 22. 29,  Scripturas, & Potestatem Dei: informationem de Voluntate, & meditation m de Potestate, nexu individho commiscens & copulans. Natural Philosophy, next to God's Word is the most Sovereign Antidote to expel the poison of Superstition; and not only so, but also the most approved food to nourish Faith. And therefore well may she be given to Religion as her most faithful handmaid: seeing the one shows us the Will of God, and the other his Power Nor was he out that said, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God: joining these two together, Instruction touching the Will, and Meditation on the Pow oer, as inseparable, and equally necessary. Want of Philosophy is indeed the Nurse of Superstition: whence the ignorant age, or Childhood of the World in which the Natural causes of Eclipses, Comets, Thunder, Earthquakes, and the like were not known, was the most Superstitious: As are also at this day the simple and most vulgar sort of men. Who (likethose others, that the same Noble Author mentions in the same Aphorism) conjiciunt singula ad Manum, 
Ibidem  & Virgulam Divinam (quod Religionis, ut putant, maximè intersit) facilius posse referri: quod nihil aliud est quàm Deo per mendacium gratificari velle. They conceive (saith he) that without enquiring into the middle and inferior causes, all effects may more easily be referred to the immediate act and finger of God, the supreme cause, as conducing most of all to the interest of Religion; Which is as much, as to go about to flatter the God of Truth with a lie, and to make him, what he is not, or would not be thought. All the treasure of the Earth is Gods, (who doubts it?) for Domini est 
Psalm 24. 1.  terra, & plenitudo ejus: Yet when our Saviour in the Gospel saw the Emperor's stamp upon the penny brought to him, he thought it no robbery, nor injury to his Father, to say: Reddite quae Caesaris sunt, Caesari; & quae Dei, Deo. Give unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God, the things that are Gods; That is, that are Gods immediate own. Even so I confess all effects and things, from the very foundation of the world to this present day, are the works of God. Yet because I find Nature's superseription on many (if not most) of them, (though in some it be not so legible as in others) I hold it no impiety, or robbing God of his Glory, to say: Reddite naturae, etc. Give unto Nature, the works that are Natures: And unto God, those that are Gods. There being a great difference between the dividing of the Red Sea, and Jordan, by Moses and Joshua: and the dividing of the River ouse in Bedfordshire. related in this Book: And between the small Vermin that infested the Egyptians, and the Phthiriasis in the Philosopher's finger Which difference nevertheless without Philosophy we are not capable of knowing, but are apt to think all strange thingsSupernaturall; and (like those mistaken Philosophers, who think the Magnet hath its Vis directrix, from the Polestar) to seek for that cause above, which we may find here below.  
Besides, it is apparent by several passages in the Book of God, that many of the Secretaries of the Holy Ghost (as Moses, David, Isaiah, Amos, etc.) had either from their own parts & industry, the acquired: of from their inspirer the infused knowledge of natural things: which they were not ashamed to make use of, even when they were about God's great work. Nor could the extremity of Jobs miseries make him forget orlay by thoseMathematicks, 
10.33.31.32  which he had learned in the time of his prosperity. But the example of Solomon puts the matter out of all scruple, whose divine Pen (so often serviceable to the Spirit of God) did more than divert itself with Philosophy, writing whole Volumes of the History of Nature. For we are told, that he spoke (with the tongue of his Pen) of 
3 kin. 4. 33.  Trees, from the Cedar tree, that is in Lebanon, even unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the Wall. As also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And we are told it by him, who surely would not have commended it, had he disliked it.  
Yet not but that (as want of Philosophy nourisheth Superstition, so) a care should be taken on the other side, lest the abuse of Philosophy cause Profaneness and 
Col. 2. 8.  Atheism, which lies as much against God, as Superstition doth for him.  
My Lord, though all this be truth, and nothing but reason, yet so petulant is prejudice, that it will not pass for such, unless besides its dead Advocate to defend it, it also have a living Patron to afford it the influence of his countenance & protection. Which favour I most humbly beg of your Lordship, both for myself and my book; but withal your Pardon for my being so bold to beg it: and for daring to prefix your Noble name to the contemptible endeavours of  
My very good Lord Your Honour's most faithful, and ever devoted Servant and Chaplain J. CHILDREY.   

The Preface to the READER.  
THE design of the ensuing Tract is to make itself useful & satisfactory to all sorts of men. For every man is either one of these three; One of the Vulgar, a Gentleman, or a Scholar: Or else (to avoid cavilling) he is both Gentleman and Scholar. And  
First, this Book is intended for the use of the Vulgar, to teach them not to mis-believe or condemn for untruths all that seems strange, and above their wit to give a reason for, who are the least able of all men to do it. For here they may read as strange things, (and yet true) as any of those reported, or written by Travellers; and reform their Judgements into so much Charity, as to think, that many Travellers do not make so much use of their Authority to lie, as they might. Not that I will undertake for the truth of all the Relations in Mandevile, and other credulous Writers; but so much may be said in their behalf, that all is not as the most is; that they have many Truths interserted with their fables and falsehoods, and some of them altogether as improbable as they Here are no stories told you of what is to be seen at the other end of the world, but of things at home, in your own Native Country, at your own doors, easily examinable with little travel, lesscost, and very little hazard. This book doth not show you a Telescope, but a Mirror, it goes not about to put a delightful cheat upon you, with objects at ' a great distance, but shows you your selves.  
Next jintend this Book for the service of the Gentry, that they may see England is not void of those things which they admire abroad in their travels. And that those ingenious Gentlemen whose occasions carry them into several Counties, or who are otherwise disposed to see the sports of Nature about them, may know by this Portable-book, in what parts of what Counties to find them. As Italy hath Virgil's Grott, and the Sibyl's Cave by Puteoli, so England hath Okey-hole by Wells. We have Baiae at Bath; the Alps in North-Wales; Mount Baldus under the Picts Wall, the Spa in Yorkshire; Euripus at Pool in Dorsetshire; Gabijs in Lincolnshire; Asphaltites at Pitchford in Shropshire; Harpasa in Cornwall, the Pyramids at Burrowbriggs, the Pearls of Persia on the shores of Westmoreland; the Diamonds of India on St. Vincents Rock. And what is there worth wonder abroad in the world, whereof Nature hath not written a Copy in our Island? I would have those that know other countries' so well, not to be strangers to their own, which is a compendium of all others.  
Lastly and chief, My end is to serve the Commonwealth of Learning, which much wants such Histories as this to be written, and laid as a sure Foundation, whereon to build those Axioms that make us true Scholars, and knowing men in Philosophy. I have as nearly (as I could) followed the Precepts of my Master, the Lord Bacon, and (by way of acknowledgement, from whom I received my first light into this way) have given my Book the Title of BRITANNIA BACONICA; and the rather, because it will serve for a part of several Histories in his Lordship's Catalogue, at the end of his Novum Organon. I have not at all m'dled with matter of Antiquity, Pedigrees, or the like, those being copiously handled by several of our Countrymen already; as the learned Cambden in his Britannia, Mr. Dugdale in his Deseription of Warwickshire, Mr. King in his Vale Royal, Mr. Lambert in his Perambulation, Mr. Philpot in his Villare Cantianum, and others. Only I ventured at the description of the Caves in Wiltshire, because I find it mentioned by none of our Antiquaries. I have here and there attempted to give the Causes of the Rarity I relate, having the example of my Lord B. for my authority, who in his Sylva Sylvarum hath the like excursions ever and anon into the AEtiology. And though I cannot but confess, that such kind of writing is a little too bold yet, before the Histories of Art and Nature are completely done; yet possibly I may in some, hit upon the true Reason by chance; and unless men were more forward (than I see they are yet) in collecting such Histories, these kinds of confidences must be dispensed with. Indeed, had those men that have spent so much time & pains in writing voluminous Comments on Arist. but laboured as diligently in writing Comments upon Nature, & (with that self denial and indifferency, which becomes ingenuity in the dark) in trying to render a reason of such and such odd appearances in things, though some of them had been but false Positions; doubtless the Philosophical part of Learning would have been at a much better pass, and Inquisition a great deal more happy and thriving than it is at this day. The pest of Learning is, that men first fancy Opinions and Axioms to themselves, and then by the help and art of Distinguishing, wrist and fit particular Instances and Observations to them. And this was the first original of Distinctions in the Schools, they being merely invented (like the Astronomers Hypotheses) to salve the Phaenomena of Aristotle's oversights. And hence likewise the impregnability of Sophistry, which with its flanking distinctions will repel the strongest arguments, that would prove that snow is white.  
There are many of the other Rarities, whose causes I could make bold with, and purpose so to do, so soon as I receive the censure of the Learned, on what is already done; and as they shall encourage or discourage me, I shall proceed or desist. For though I have much more to say, yet any good and faithful advice shall persuade me to hold my peace. I purpose also (if God grant me life, health, and leisure to publish the Philosophical Rarities of the World, so far as they are communicated to us from Geographers and Travellers, having already made a considerableprogressin the work. Which I believe will go a greater way in the advancement of Learning, then is yet imagined, and enable us to write more confident Comments on Nature, and to draw up such Articlesagainst her, as if she be examined upon them, she will be forced to confess much more of her subtle ways of cozenage, than She hath yet told us of.  
I have endeavoured to tell my tale as plainly as might be, both that I might be understood of all, and that I might not disfigure the face of Truth by daubing it over with the paint of Language. Renatus des Cartes hath told us, not without reason, how bardit is either to tell what we have seen, or what we have heard, or to understand a related story exactly, according to the Relatours' sense. So much difference there is between seeing and speaking, and between hearing and apprehending. And therefore in those Rarities which I have not seen myself, I have followed my Authors close at the heels (word for word) it may be (and I have cause to fear it) with so much rigidness & nicety (with some trivial things here and there) in some places as will sound harsh andungrateful to the Readers ear: yet not with more rigidness then for the reason above given is necessary. For such articles as we are to examine nature upon, had need to be so punctually true, that they cannot be too true If there be but the least matter of doubt or uncertainly in them, she will easily evade them and fool us. And I am persuaded that divers of those relations I have given you from the Authors I speak of, though they sincerely intended them for truth (and I have as sincerely translated and transeribed them) yet they are not truth to us by reason of our misunderstanding them: And that if the places and things themselves were visited. they would tell us as much, and appear different from what they are said to be And peradventure by examining the particulars of them, we should find some one that would discover, or give a light into the cause of them; whereas some relations not being particular enough, leave us much unsatisfied, and make us think the causes of them much more strange and dark than they are. This I speak to provoke young Gentlemen to look and search into these pleasant Speculations morethen heretoforethey have done, andto visit each his neighbour cuosities, and to bestow upon the Manes of this Lord VERULAM that circumstantial History of them, that is requisite for his great work, The interpretation of Nature.  
That I have one or two reflections on Astrology, I hope the Reader will pardon me. I may say with the learned Clarencieux that I have not been altogether unacquainted with those vanities. I cannot but profess, that I have an affection for the study; & why I should not have so, I know not. The only argument that I know against the lawfulness of Astrology, is that it is not true. Were it rectified, it might easily be justified. Now that is partly my aim in those reflections I mention: to lay a foundation for the rectifying it in the Doctrine of Ascendants, and for redeeming it from that obloquy which it hath for so many ages of the world been obnoxious to. That there is such a Science as Astrology, there is no question to be made. The stars have an influence on us, and some small matter touching this influence Astrology knows; yet no more, and of no more use, then to assure her that she doth know something of it. But her vanity is, she promiseth much more than she is able to perform: and is led much more by fancy & plausibilities, than found reason. I could wish, that to Multae praedicuntur, quae non eveniunt: multa eveniunt, quae non praedicuntur, she had some other answer than Pudet haec opprobria nobis, etc. And to let her know I wish it hearty, I shall make it part of my endeavour to furnish her with an answer. There is much to be found out, if men did but well attend to observation, and doubt even the very Principles of Astrology, till they had examined the truth of them. For the most important maxims in the Art are many of them shrewdly to be suspected, though there may be peradventure an instance or two alleged to their advantage, wherein they have hit passing well: because in Astrology (above most, if not all other pieces of learning) it is very easy to mistake a Non-cause for a true cause. and a Me ambulante coruscavit, for a Sol oritur, ergo dies est. The way to go forward in this excellent Art, is to look back and compare the accidents of men and States, with the influences of heaven, and this will not only try the truth of the old Principles, but add new ones: such (it is very likely) as the sons of Art do not yet dream of. Which I have very great reason to say: and yet what that great reason is, I desire at present to be excused from saying, because it cannot be said without Ostentation.  
I shall conclude my compliments to the Reader with two requests; one, that he will not make any haste to pass the sentence of condemnation against me for setting down several idle, empty, and useless things (as he may possibly imagine them to be) till he hath read the sixth Aphorism of the Lord Bacon's Pa●asceue; The other, that if his native County afford any other Rarity then what is related in this Book, he will be pleased to communicate it for the sake of Learning, (For its possible, I have not made the Meshes of my net so narrow, but that some of the small try of curiosities have escaped me,) And in particular, if he be of Dorsetshire, that he would bestow upon us a punctual account of that raining of blood at Pool with all its circumstances. And so I remit him to the Book itself, wishing him that satisfaction from it, which he expects, and bidding him hearty  
FAREWELL.   

An occasional Advertisement to the READER.  
THe READER is desired to take notice, that while this Book was in the Press, on Thursday being All Saint's day, November the first, 1660. between ten of the Clock that night, and five of the Clock the next morning happened an unusual shifting of the Tides in the Thames at London, ebbing and flowing three times (as it is reported) in that space. Which how it agrees with the time of my conjecture (not to say prediction) pag. 97. of this Book, I shall leave him to judge.  
Further, it happened upon a Northwesterly-wind, sometimes blowing pretty fresh, and sometimes remitting in a manner to a Calm (as my Diary of observations of the weather hath it for that day and night) and the Tides were at the Neapest; both which are according to my Hypothesis. Indeed the Moon was not in Apogaeo but almost in the very place of her Perigaeum; Which makes me begin to think the Apogaeosis is not altogether so necessary to concur in the business, but that the Neapness of the Tides and the wind are able to do it of themselves (assisted I mean with a private cause) so the alternate intentions and remissions of the wind be but proportionably greater to supply the wantof the Apogaeosis. I know many will hardly believe that that sentence of my conjecture at the time of this supposed Prodigy came fairly into the Book, but that it was foisted in out of a design of the Authors to make himself talked of, (because it is the first prediction that was ever ventured at in this nature) But I can aflure them he is not so light a regarder of his reputation, as to endanger it by a forgery easily to be detected. If this profession be not of power to persuade the Authors integrity, let doubters know, he can (if it be required of him) tell when the like prodigy will happen again; and give a pre-account of some other Prodigies shortly to come. But (as in duty bound) he confesses, that (Secundum Deum) he owes all this new knowledge to the Lord Bacon.  
Some busy Scriptorculi may perhaps go about to amuse the people with strange matters portended in the State, by this pretended wonder; and the rather because it happened but the night before the arrival of his Majesty's Royal Mother at London. And it is probable (to affright you the more) they will erect a figure for the beginning of it, and tell you that Saturn and Mars the two Malevolents with Sol and Mercury, are altogether in the fift house in Scorpio, the worst sign of the twelve, and the house of Mars; But that they hope Venus applying to a Conjunction of Jupiter in her own house in the 3 not far from an Angle, will much allay the venom of their influence. But I must tell them that this strange marvel, signifies nothing at all; and that whatever follows it, hath no relation to it. I believe had the thing fallen out about Midsummer last, the death of three English Dukes within less than three months' space could not but have been thought the correspondent of that presage: whereas now (it falling just after) we are to seek for a Portent to bewail the iminence of so signal a mortality.   

Britania Baconica: Or, the Natural RARITIES OF England, Scotland, & Wales.  
According as they are to be found in every COUNTY, etc.  

CORNWALL.  
DEvonshire and Cornish-men are more active in wrestling, and such boisterous exercises then other Shires in England; being also more brawny, stout, and able of body: As for instance, one John Bray carried at his back at one time for the space of a But length, almost six Bushels of Wheaten Meal (reckoning fifteen Gallons to the Bushel) and the Miller, (a Lubber of twenty four years of age) upon the whole. And one John Roman a thick short fellow, would carry the whole Carcase of an Ox. There was also one Kiltor, who lying in Launceston Castle-green upon his back, threw a stone of some pounds weight over the top of one of the high Towers of that Castle. Which stoutness and goodly stature of these people, Cambden reflecting on, makes this observation; That the Western people of most countries are the tallest and stoutest. I know not whether it hold in all countries'; but so much is true, that the Chinese, the Eastermost people of this Continent of the World, are the most esteminate and unwarlike in the World; for which we have not only the authority of Mendez Pinto, (who never told lie) but of many authentic Geographers. However I am rather induced to think, that it is the Rockiness of this County that gives the generality of the inhabitants these qualities: For it is as well observable, that rocky and mountainous places breed stout, hardy, warlike, and tall people, as we see by the Highlanders of Scotland, the Swissers and Grisons; low and flat Countries rather disposing the Natives to ingenuity, craft, invention and sedentary industry, as is manifest by the Chinese and the Dutch. And it may be the reason why the Hollanders are not altogether Chineses in stature, sloth, and cowardice, is because they inhabit the West side of a Continent:  
The Cornish men are very healthful and long livers, eighty or ninety years of age is ordinary in every place, and in most persons accompanied with an able use of the body and senses One Polzew lived 130 years; a Kinsman of his 112. one Beauchamp 106. and one Brawn a beggar above 100 and in one Parish (in Qu. Elizabeth's time) there died in 14. Weeks space four people, whose years added together, made 340. And (to urge no more examples) one Mr. Chamond who lived at Stratton in this County, was Uncle and Great-Uncle to (at least) 300. The cause of this healthfulness I conceive to be also the rockiness and dryness of the Country, which though it be for the most part environed with the sea, yet it hath few Marshes or Oozy shores, but most sandy; and withal, the air is cleansed by often winds, lying so open to the sea: So that by reason of the purity of the air, the plague is seldom among them; and it was observed, that in Anno 1589. when our Fleet returned from the Portugal action, the Diseases which the Soldiers brought home with them; grew more grievous, as they carried them further into the Land, than it fell out at Plymouth where they landed; For there the Disease was though infectious, yet not so infectious; and though pestilential, yet not the Pestilence, as it after proved in other places. Yet the air of Cornwall is such, that it is apt to preserve, then recover health, especially in a stranger that is troubled with a linger sickness.  
There was within these hundred years, one Mr. Alwel Parson of St. Tues in Cornwall, who withal practised Physic; but so strange was his Method (not to say his Humour) that though now and then he used blood-letting, and did administer commonly Manus Christi, and the like Cordials; yet for all Diseases he did chief prescribe Milk, and very often Milk and Apples; by which means he did very many strange and desperate cures, and maintained his Reputation unimpaired, so that he had many Patients from the neighboringCounties. Butwhether it wereM. Atwels' Physic, or the pure air of Cornwall that did the cures, is hard to say; or whether there may not be some peculiarMedicines appropriated by Nature to some particular Airs, as well as to some particular Diseases, and that that which will do in Cornwall, or the like air, will not elsewhere.  
The Spring is later in Cornwall, then in the East parts of England; the Summer temperate, but Harvest late, especially in the middle of the Shire, where they seldom get in their Corn before Michaelmas. The Winter is milder than elsewhere; for the frost and snow come very seldom, and never stay long when they do come. But this Country is much subject to storms, lying (as I said) so open to the sea. so that the Hedges are pared, and their Trees dwarf-grown, and the hard stones and iron bars of Windows are fretted with the Wether. One kind of these storms they call a Flaw; (and so indeed in some Counties they call any violent storm of Wind) which is a mighty Gale of Wind, passing suddenly to the shore with great violence.  
Cornwall is hilly, (one cause of the temperate heat of the Summer, and the lateness of the Harvest, even as its Maritine situation is the cause of the gentleness of the Winter:) hilly I say, parted with short and narrow Valleys. The earth is but shallow, underneath which is rocks and shelves, so that it is hard to be tilled, and apt to be parched by a dry summer.  
The middle of the shire lieth open, the earth being of a blackish colour, and bears heath and spiry grass. There is but little Meadow-ground, but store of pasture for cattle and sheep, and plenty of Corn-ground.  
They have a stone here, called Moore-stone, found upon Moors and waste grounds, which serves them instead of Freestone, for Windows, Doors and Chimneys. It is white with certain glimmering sparkles: They have a stone digged out of the sea-cliffs, of the colour of grey Marble, and another stone black as Jet; and out of the Inland Quarries they dig Freestone. Nor must we forget to tell you (speaking here of stones) that the sea here works the pebbles upon the shore, by the often rolling of the waves, to a kind of roundness.  
They have a slate of three sorts, blue, sageleaf-coloured, and grey, which last is the worst; and all these slates are commonly found under another kind of slate, that they wall with, when the depth hath brought the Workmen to the Water. They also make Lime of a kind of Marble stone, either by burning a great quantity together with Furze, or with stone-coal in smaller Kills, which is the cheaper way; but the first Lime is the whiter.  
For Metals, they find Copper in sundry places here, and the Ore is sometimes shipped to be refined in Wales. And though Cicero will have none in Britain, yet silver hath been found in this shire in the time of Edward the first, and Edward the third, who reaped good profit by it. Nay, Tinners do find little quantities of Gold, and sometimesSilver among the Tin Over, which they sell to the Goldsmiths. Also Diamonds are found in many places, cleaving to those Rocks out of which the Tin is digged: they are smooth, squared, and pointed by nature. Their quantity is from a Pease to a Walnut; but they are not so black and hard as the right ones. But the Metal which the Earth yields in greatest plenty, is Tin, in searching after which the Tinners do many times dig up whole and huge Timber-Trees, which they think were overthrown, and have lain buried in the earth ever since the flood. And they hold, that the Tin lay couched at the first before Noah's flood, in certain strikes among the Rocks like a Tree; from the depth whereof the main Load spreadeth out his branches till they approach the open air; but the Flood (say they) carried with the Rocks and Earth so much of the load, as was enclosed therein, and at the drying up of the flood, left the same scattered here and there in Valleys and Rivers where it passed; whence it comes to pass, that they find Tin sometimes upon the Moor-Lands. In their Tin-Works they find daily among the Rubbish, Pick-Axes of Holm, Box, and Hartshorn, and sometimes they find certain little Tool-Heads of Brass; and there was once found a Brass Coin of the Emperor Dometians, in one of the Works; an argument that the Romans wrought in these Tin-Works in times past. They discover the Tin-Mines by certain Tin-stones, which are somewhat round and smooth, lying on the ground, which they call shoad. But (if we will believe stories) there is another way to discover them very easy, and that is by dreams; for so it is reported, some have found Works of great value. As in Edward the sixth his time a Gentlewoman (heir to one Tresculierd) dreamt, that a handsome man told her, that in such a Tenement of her Land she should find so much Tin, as would enrich herself and her posterity. She told her husband of it, who upon trial found a Tin-work there, which in four years was worth to him almost 4000 pounds. It is said also, that one Taprel of the parish of S. Niot, by a dream of his daughters was wished to such a place, which he farmed of the Lord of the soil, and found a Tin-Work accordingly, which made him a rich man. On which stories we may bestow this observation; That if they be true, they make much for the credit of women's Dreams. For the stories touching the success of Dreams, are not to be rejected altogether as Fables, till they be examined, and ventilated in their peculiar History, which is the 51. History in the L. Veculams' Catalogue being there called, Historia Somni, & Insomniorum.  
From the bottom of the Tin-Works, if they be of any depth, you shall see the stars at noonday, in clear Wether. And the like may be done from the bottom of deep Wells (as they say) or any other deep pits. Nor is it any wonder, the cause being so plain. It is reported that Tycho Brahe in his Isle of Huena, showed K. James the stars in the daytime) at what time he went into Denmark) from out of a Cave cut a good way into the side of a Hill for the purpose.  
If the load (as they call it) of the tin lie right down, the tinners follow it sometimes to the depth of 40. or 50. fathoms, and the deeper they sink, the greater they find the Load.  
The labour of the tinners is so hard and tedious, that they cannot work above four hours in a day. And as they dig their load sloapwise under the ground, the air at length will not yield them breathing, till they sink a shaft, (as they call it, that is a hole) perpendicular down to that place from the top, or surface of the Earth. And though (when they have so done) the light be just over their heads, yet is the Pit still so dark, that they are fain to work most by Candle-light, of which the reason is plain enough. In their passage under ground, they meet sometimes with very lose Earth; sometimes with extreme hard Rock, (where though commonly they make speedyway through with their Pickaxes, yet now and then they light upon such an hard piece of Rock, that a good Workman will scarce be able to hue above a foot in a Week) sometimes again they meet with great streams of Water; and sometimes with stinking damps that distemper their heads for the present; but there is no great danger in the consequence.  
The Tin Stone being brought above ground out of the Work, is broken in pieces with hammers, and then stamped at a Mill into smaller pieces (and if the Stone be moist, it is dried by the fire in an iron Cradle) and then it is ground to a fine sand. Then this sand being laid in water that runs over it, hath all the earth washed from it, and then it is called black tin, which is carried to the blowing house, where it is melted by a Charcoal Fire, blown by a great pair of Bellows moved by a Water-wheel (the attenders on which bellows may be known from other men by their faces tanned and discoloured with smoke) and then it is coined. Further it is to be noted, that there is hard Tin and soft Tin; but the soft Tin is the more worth of the two: A foot of black Tin is in measure two Gallons; but the weight of it is uncertain, and is according to the goodness of it. A foot of good Moor Tin (which is held the best) will weigh about 80. pound: A foot of the Mine Tin (which is meaner) 52. pound: of the worst 50. pounds. Two pounds of good black Tin being melted, will yield one pound of white Tin. Tin also hath been made of that refuse that the Tinners formerly have rejected, and with good profit. And so much for the Tin-Works, and for Metals.  
In some places on the coast of Cornwall, there are Pearls found that breed in big Oysters and Muskles, yet though they are great, they are not good, being neither round nor Orient. Here are also Agates and white Coral, as they say. It may be this white Coral may be of the same kind with Isidis Plocamos, that grows about the Isle of Portland, of which more hereafter.  
About two miles Eastward from St. Michael's Mount at a low Water, they cast aside the sand on the shore, and dig up turfs that are full of Root of trees, and on some of these they have found Nuts, which seems to argue some inundation of the sea upon this shore: I have heard the like story of a place in Scotland: I shall not defend or impugn the truth of these stories; only this is manifest in Nature, that the excluding of air from preying upon bodies, preserves them much longer from putrefaction.  
In the West part of Cornwall there are Bends growing on sandy fields, which are knit from over the head in narrow breadths after a strange fashion, of which they make mats.  
In this shire grows greater store of Sampire and Sea-holly, (whose Roots commonly called, Eringo-Roots, are a great rescaurative and corroborative, being preserved in Syrup) then in any other part of England. Some of the gaully grounds do also yield plenty of Rosa Solis (more properly called Ros Solis, a Plant that grows indeed in boggy and quagmiry grounds) Upon the Sea-cliffs in Cornwall grow wild Hyssop, Sage, Pelamountain, Majoram, Rosmary, and other fragrant Herbs.  
The Husbandmen in Cornwall, about May, cut up all the grass of that ground, which they intent to break up and till, into turfs, which they call Beating; and raise these turfs so, that the sun and wind may dry them the sooner; and after they are throughly dried, they pile them in little heaps, and burn them to ashes. Then they bring in Sea-sand; & a little before ploughing time, they scatter abroad those ashes, & the sand heaps upon the ground, & plough it in, weh giveth heat to the root of the corn: This sand makes the ground rich; and if they strew it too thick, the ground will be too rank, and choke the Corn with weeds. When the ground is thus sanded and ordered, the tiler can commonly take but two crops of wheat, and two of oats, and then is fain to give it at least 7. or 8. years' layer, or fallow, and to till elsewhere. But the inland Country requires not so much sand as the places by the sea side. The tillable fields are in some places so hilly, that the Oxen can hardly take sure footing: in some places so tough, that the Plough can scarce cut them; and in some places so shelfy, that the Corn can hardly fasten its roots. They have two sorts of wheat, viz. French wheat, which is bearded, and requires the best soil, and brings the best crop; and another wheat not bearded, which is sown in the worse Land, and yieldeth the less crop. In those grounds that will bear no wheat, they sow Rye; yet in the western parts of Cornwall they sow Barley in the parts near the sea, which they carry to the Mill within eight or nine weeks after they sowed it.  
For fruits, they have a sort called Whurts, as also Chestnuts, (but whether they ripen there, or not, mine Author saith not) and Grapes. For though the Country be bleak, yet Vines prosper well, and their Grapes are pleasant of taste, as in most other Southern parts of England.  
They have little wood or timber, unless in the East quarters of the Shire, where there are some Coppice woods. And hereabouts (saith mine Author) the Country people have a fable that the Snakes by their breathing about a hazle-wand, do make a stone-ring of blue colour, in which there appeareth the yellow figure of a snake; and that Beasts which are stung being given to drink some of the water wherein this stone hath been soaked, will thereby recover.  
It is observed, that strangers at their first coming into Cornwall, are much visited with Lice, and yet the cleanly Natives find no such matter.  
For Beasts, here are Marterns, badger's, Otters, (some of which, though they are all of the same kind) live in the cliffs, and there breed, and feed on sea-fish; and others live in the fresh Rivers, which sometimes also feed on Lambs and Poultry; Foxes (who have their holes in abundance in the steep cliffs by the sea side) Goats, Rother Cattle, Horses, (but they are but small and low) but there are no red Deer at all.  
Their draught Oxen have each his Name, which he knows when he is at work. When Cornwall lay waste and open for want of manuring, the sheep had generally little badies, and course wool, so that it was called Cornish hair; but since it hath been manured, their sheep are little inferior to the Eastern Flocks for bigness, fineness of wool, often breeding, speedy fatting and price, and besides are sweeter Mutton, and freer from the rot. Most of the Cornish sheep have no horns, and those that are so, have the finer wool, and those that are horned, have indeed more in quantity, yet courser; yet in some places of Cornwall the sheep have four horns.  
Cornish cattle are but small.  
For Birds and Fowl Cornwall hath these following, viz. Woodcocks, (in abundance) Sparhawks (the most useless of Hawks, serving to fly little above six weeks in the year, and that only at the Partridge) etc. but there are no Nightingales, at least very few: A thing not to be wondered at by reason of the great scarcity of woods, (as I said) the delight of that Bird: Furzes and Broom being all that looks like woods in this country; of the former of which they have great, and of the latter good quantity.  
In the West parts of Cornwall, during the winter swallows are found sitting in old deep Tin-works, and holes of the sea cliffs.  
In Q. Elizabeth's time a flock of Birds came into Cornwall about Harvest, a little bigger than a Sparrow, which had bills thwarted crosswise at the end, and with these they would cut an apple in two at one snap, eating only the Kernels; and they made a great spoil among the apples. These birds are common (saith mine Author) in Gloucestershire and other apple countries. The cause of these birds rambling so far into Cornwall that year, was, I conceive, the failing of fruit in the fruit countries, as in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, etc. and its taking in Cornwall and some other parts. (For we know that it often happens, that fruit fails in one country, and takes in another) Which obliged these Birds to seek for their peculiar food where it was to be had. We read in our Chronicles, that at the time when field Mice did so swarm in Denge Hundred in Essex, in the year 1580. that they eat up all the roots of the grass etc. a great number of Owls, of strange and various colours, assembled and devoured them all; and after they had made an end of their prey, they took their flight back again, from whence they came. The reason of which I conjecture to be the same with the former. For that which produced these Mice in that great abundance, was an extreme dripping warm year, and a mild and moist winter, as country men assure us, & Keppler himself believes is the constant cause of that Vermin. Now because (though God can, yet) nature cannot extend the same extremity of weather all over the world; but (as is most probable) when there is an extremity of warmth and moisture in one country, there is as great an extremity of cold and drought in another (even as we see that the reason why it it flows in one Port, is because it ebbs in another; the reason, I say, or at leastthe cansafine qua non) hence it follows, that the extremity of of warmth and moisture that we had then in England, could not have been without as great an extremity of cold and drought in some other countries, which (because an enemy to generation, especially to that of this Vermin) made them fail most certainly in those other countries, whose Nature and temper is apt to produce them more constantly and abundantly, and (it may be) almost always. Whence these painted Owls (strangers to us, but not to those countries, where the abundance and constancy of food makes them daily Guests) very likely were forced by hunger to seek out food, which provident Nature had provided for them in other places, where their stay was no longer then till they had spent their provision, and then ad pristina praesepia. All which these flying Pilgrims might very well do, without any great notice how and whence they came, and whither they went, because they are birds of night, and travel only in the dark: And I conceive the reason of several birds leaving us, and returning again at set times of the year, to be much like this; either they find that food that pleaseth them here among us at some times of the year, which we have not for them at others; or (which is probable in some birds) they delight in one certain degree of heat or cold; and as they find the constant temper of the season to grow hotter or colder, they accordingly take their flight more Northernly or Southerly; and if the winter prove very mild, than the Winter birds (as Fieldfares, etc.) come not quite home to us, finding their due proportion of warmth in countries more Northerly than we; and if the Winter prove extreme sharp, than they fly beyond us to the southward; yet taking our climate by the way, at the beginning of the sharp weather, they give a prefage to country people of a hard Winter by their early appearing.  
Every Hill almost in Cornwall, sendeth out a spring whose waters are pleasant and wholesome. That the springs should be so frequent in a barren country, I do not wonder; for where the vegetables are but few and small, to spend the stock of rain that falls, there must needs be the more left to soak into the earth, and make springs.  
And that the waters of these springs (though strained through the Tin-Mines) should be all pleasant, wholesome, not Medicinal or purgative, I conceive the cause may be for that Tin is a fast metal, and not apt to dissolve and communicate its self to the water, that passeth through it, as appears also by its slow rusting. Whereas iron, which is not so fast, but more apt to rust, easily gives a Tincture to springs, (as appears by Tunbridge wells) and makes them medicinal. For fishes, they have these kinds, viz. the Shoate (a fish proper to Devonshire and Cornwall; it is like a Trout, but lesser, and nothing near so good as a Trout) Peale, Trout, and Salmon, (which breed in fresh water, and live in salt.) The Trout & Peale come from the sea between March & Midsummer, into the rivers to shed their Spawn. The Salmon's chief coming is between Michaelmas and Christmas; for till then the rivers are too shallow for them. The Salmon are fattest when they come first from the Sea: they pass up as high as any water can carry them to Spawn the more safely, and to that end take advantage of the great rain floods. And after Christmas they return to the Sea, and as the spring comes on, the young fry follow; and it hath been observed, that the Salmon, Trout, and Peale haunt the same rivers where they first were bred. The nature of the Salmon is, that if in the night he see any light, as of a Candle, or of Lightning, he will come to the top of the water, and play in and out. The Cornish-men use to take Salmon and Trout by tickling them under the bellies, and so throwing them on the land, Sharks (in the rivers) Lobsters, Crabs, (many of the Crabs breeding in Cockle-shells, and many of the Lobsters in Wrinckle-shells (as myself have seen, saith mine Author) and being grown they come forth, and live in holes of rocks, from whence at low water they are dragged out by a long crook of Iron.) Oysters) of which they hold that there are male & female Oysters the female Oysters about May or June have in them a milk, which they then shed and whereof the Oyster is engendered; the little ones at first cleaye in great numbers to the mother's shell, & waxing bigger toward Michaelmas they fall away, and fall asunder one from another: only here and there some are fast knit together (two, three, or more in a cluster) that nothing but violence will severe them. Some people have a conceit, that in Summer they are all sick, (as if the males did breed their wife's children) and out of season; as indeed the milky are. But some Gentlemen (saith M. Carew) have found the contrary by experience eating of them at all times of the year without danger. Oysters have this property, that though taken out of the water, they open against the flood time, and close upon the ebb. Yet they will close before; if they chance to be touched; whence it once happened (saith the same Gentleman) that an Oyster lying open did by his sudden shutting catch three young mice by the heads, that were going to eat him.) Sole and Plaice (both which follow the tide into the fresh rivers) Eels some whereof are bred in fresh water, and are of the best taste. The great rain floods after September break their beds, where they breed, and carry them into the Sea; the other Eels called Conger-Eeles are bred in Salt water, and when they are grown a little, they go into the Ocean.) Porpoise and Seal (the Porpoise is a very big fish, and black: they chase the smaller fish from the Sea into the rivers, leaping up and down the water, oneafter another; puffing like a fat Lubber out of breath, and so follow their chase as far as any water will carry them, which the fishermen observing get below them with their Boats, and cast a strong net cross the stream, with which and their loud and continual shouting they fray them from retiring, till the ebb hath left them, and then they take them. The Seal-fish is like a Pig; ugly faced, and footed like a Moldwarp: he loves music, or any loud noise, and after the noise will come a shore, almost above water, and sometime many of them will come a shore, and lie sleeping in holes of the cliff where they kill them with Guns. Seal and Porpoise use to be cut in pieces, and powdered, and it seems being so ordered, they are eatable) Scallops; Seahedgehogs (both which are sound on the Sea coasts. The Sea-hedgehog is restaurative, being enclosed in a round shell like a loaf of bread, handsomely wrought and pinked, and guarded with prickcles) the Sheathfish (which is also found upon the coast: it is as big, and as long as a man's finger, and tastes like a Lobster, but is more restaurative) Pilchards (the Pilchard is a little fish, and a great multiplier, he comes up into the fresh water between Harvest and Allhollandtide pursuing into the rivers a fish called a Britt, upon which he seeds. He is also himself a prey to a bigger kind of fish, called a Plusher, which is like a Dogfish, and leaps up now and then above water, Other fish likewise prey upon the Pilchard, as the Tonny fish, the Hake (a fish so called) as also a kind of bird called a Gannett) the Starfish (which is held to be contagious, but whether it be that fish which in Kent the fishermen call 5 fingers, and 12 fingers I know not.) Tonny and Turbot (which they use to boil, and preserve fresh in Vinegar) etc.  
On the North side of Cornwall, and to the Westward of Foy, few or no Salmon are taken. The cause whereof I think is, because there both the Seas are too unquiet for them, as commonly they are about Promontories, and the mouths of swift rivers, such as Seavern; and because there are no rivers of any competent bigness thereabout, fit for them to spawn in.  
There swims in the Sea upon this coast a round slimy substance, called a Blobber, which is thought to be noisome and hurtful to the fish (which I suppose is that that is very frequent in the river of Medway by Rochester, and called there a Water-gall.)  
For Sea fowl, they have these following, viz. Gulls, Pewets, and other Sea fowls, (which breed in little Islands, laying their eggs in the grass, and not building any nests; and they have young ones about Whusuntide. And here mine Author relates, that an old Gull, was known for many years together to come, and feed young Gulls kept tame in a Gentleman's yard joining to his house that bordered upon a cliff of the Sea.) Puffins (a fowl which hatcheth in holes of the Sea cliffs, and whose flesh tasteth like fish) Burranets (a fowl that hatcheth also in holes of the Sea cliffs, and when her young ones are hatched, she leads them sometimes a mile or better into the land, where they are ordinarily taken and kept tame with Ducks.  
There are also Sprays here, the same fowl, that Pliny calls Haliaetoes, but it is not eatable.  
The Chough is a peculiar bird to this County, being found no where else in England; it haunts the Seas, but feeds not upon fish. His bill is sharp, long and red, his legs red; and his feathers black. It is a very unlucky bird (and mischievous like the Pie) for he will hid money, and other little things, and will carry sticks of fire about, and set barns, stacks, etc. on fire. He is frequent about the Alps.  
There are many Lepers in Cornwall, who are thought to contract that disease from much eating of fish, especially newly taken, and more especially from the eating of the Livers of such new fish; but some have it as an hereditary disease from their Ancestors.  
The ancient Cornish men were excellent archers, they would shoot an arrow 24 score: their Arrow was a Cloth yard long, wherewith they would pierce any ordinary Armour: One Mr. Robert Arundel would shoot 12. score with his right hand, with his left hand, and behind his head; And one Robert Bone shot at a little Bird upon a Cow's back, and killed the Bird without touching the Cow.  
In Cornwall they find that sea sand is more fructifying and enriching then land sand, by reason of its saltness, as they think. And they further observe, that the Sand is the better, by how much the farther down in the sea it lies. They use also oozy mud to lay upon their land, but it is not altogether so good as the Sand. There is also a weed called Orewood, whereof some grows upon Rocks under high-water mark, and some is broken from the bottom of the sea by rough weather, and cast upon the next shore by the wind and flood; and with these Weeds they compassed their Barley Land. This floating Orewood that is cast ashore by the flood, is now and then found naturally form like ruffs and Combs.  
Upon the shore of this County, in many places are found shells of sundry fashions and colours, (as indeed there are upon many shores elsewhere) and in some places on the shore there are Nuts to be found like a sheep's kidney, but flatters with a hard brownish rind, and the kernel is without taste, and (as they say) good for Women in travel.  
Edgecomb house by Plymouth is a very healthful dwelling, though near the Sea: The cause is, because it is hilly, rocky, and free from marshes. For which reason the Country about Dover in Kent is found to be healthful too, though lying just upon the Sea. This house is famous for two things; first for the brave Echo about it, and then for a sort of Stone, that they dig near it, which serves for building, lime, and marl, and all.  
Some Gentlemen in this Country have for their delight Salt-water pond, into which if you cast Oysters of trees, Oysters will grow upon them.  
At Trematon in Cornwall in the Parish Chancel, a Leaden Coffin was digged up, in which being opened was found the proportion of a very big man's body, but being touched it turned to dust. It was thought to be the body of Duke Orgarus, who, as Speed saith, married his daughter to King Edgar: for there was an inscription on the Coffin, that signified, it was the body of a Duke, whose heir was married to a Prince.  
Saltash is a very healthful place; In this Town there is a Well, the water of which will never boil peason to an eatable softness.  
On Hengsten- down a little above Plymouth are great store of Cornish Diamonds. The people about this Country observe, that when Hengsten top is capped with a cloud, a shower followeth soon after.  
The Country men in Cornwall are great eaters of Garlic for healths sake, whence they call it there, the Country man's Treacle.  
The cement or mortar of the walls of Tintogell Castle resist the fierceness of the weather better than the stones.  
The Town of Bodmin is held a very unhealthful place, and the cause of it they say is, for that it hath one street (a mile in length) running due East and West, on the South side whereof it hath a great high hill that hides the Sun from it; and their Back-houses, as Kitchens, Stables, etc. are climbed up to by steps and every great shower washeth the Sulledge of them through the houses into the streets; and (which is more) their Conduit water runs through the Church yard.  
It will not be a miss to add here out of our Author an odd presage of the Cornish rebellion in the time of Edward the sixth, which happened in this Town of Bodmin. About a year before that rebellion the Scholars of Bodmin School grew into two factions, the one (as they call it) for the old religion, the other for the new; and this quarrel was prosecuted with some eagerness sundry times, till by an unhappy accident (no other than the kill of a Calf during the beardless conflict) complaint was made to the Master, and so the play ended. Which presage is seconded with several others of the like nature out of ancient & modern history; but to impercinent to our design and too tedious to be here related.  
In Saint Clears parish in Cornwall, there are upon a plain six or eight Stones, such as are upon Salisbury plain, which like them two will be mistaken in the telling; so that when they are told over a gain, they will be found over or under the first number. A thing, that happens (no doubt) meerIy by their confused standing.  
There is a story that passes concerning Saint Kaines well in this County; which is, that whosoever drinks first of the water, be it husband or wife, gets the mastery. A fit fable for the vulgar to believe.  
At Hall near Foy there is a Faggot which is all one piece of wood, naturally grown so, and it is wrapped about the middle with a bond, and parted at ends into four sticks, one of which sticks is subdivided into two others. It was carefully preserved (and painted over, that it might keep the better) for many years by the Earl of Devon, being reckoned a fore-token of his progeny. For his Estate (saith Mr. C.) is now come into the hands of four Cornish Gentlemen, one of whose Estates is likewise divided between two Heirs.  
An Earthen Pot was found many years ago near Foy, gilded and graved with Letters, in a great Stone Chest, and full of a black Earth; the Ashes ('tis like) of some ancient Roman.  
In Lanhadron Park there grows an Oak that bears Leaves speckled with white; and so doth another called Painter's Oak, in the Hundred of East. It is certain (saith our Author) that divers ancient Families in England, are pre-admonished of their end by Oaks bearing of strange leaves.  
There are two Lakes not far asunder, nor far from St. Agnes Hil in this shire, whereof the one will live and Fish thrive in, but not in the other.  
By Helford is a great Rock lying upon the ground, and the top of it is hollow like the long half of an Egg. This they say holdeth water, which ebbeth and floweth with the Sea. And indeed (saith Mr. C.) when I came hither to see this curiosity, the Tide was half gone, and the Pit or hollowness half empty.  
There is a Rock in this shire called Mainamber, which is a very great one, and yet so laid upon lesser Rocks, that the push of a finger will sensibly move it to and fro; but not all the strength which men can make, can remove it from the place.  
The Cliffs to the Westward of St. Jes in Cornwall, have streaks of a glittering colour, like Copper, which show as if there were a likelihood of finding Copper there.  
An exceeding big Carcase of a man was found by Tinners digging at a Village near the Lands end, called Trebegean. Hitherto I have borrowed all I have written (save only my conjectures at the causes) out of Mr. Carew's ingenious Book, called, The Survey of Cornwall, published in the year 1602.  
What Cambden and others say over and above, is as followeth.  
The chief time of the swarming (as one would say) of Pilchards about the shores of Cornwall, is from July to November, at which time they are taken, garbaged, salted, and hanged in the smoke, laid up and pressed, and so carried away, and sold in France and other countries'.  
In the Rocks at the Lands end, at a low Water, are found Veins of white Lead, and brass.  
At St. Michael's Mount, at low ebbs, one may see Roots of mighty Trees in the Sands, which shows that there hath been overflowing of the sea upon this coast hereabout, as it appeareth also to have been about Plymouth Haven, and other places adjoining. And it is manifest that the sea hath devoured much Land upon the coast of Cornwall, towards Silley Islands. For between the Lands end and Silley, the sea is all of an equal depth of about 40. or 60. fathom, Water being about 30 Miles in length; only in the mid way there lies a Rock called the Gulf. The cause of the devouring of this Land by the sea, I conceive to be its being a Promontory lying open to the merciless storms and weather, and withal, lying in a place where two currents meet and part; I mean the Tide as it comes in, and returns out of the Sleeve, or narrow Seas, and the Irish Seas, and Seavern; the rolling and force of the Sea being apt to carry before it all that stands in its way, according to the proportion that its own strength bears to the yeeldingness of the object. But the cause why the Gulf rock was not washed away with the rest, is because it was of too stubborn a matter, and too fast founded in the Earth. Nor can I think but that the Silley Islands were once all parts of the main Land of England, (and the like I conceive of Heysant in France, an Isle lying before the Promontory of Britain) but severed by degrees each from other, and all from the Continent by the means abovementioned.  
At Stratton in Cornwall grows the best Garlic in all the Country. It may be old Mr. Chamond (before spoken of) owed part of the cause of his great age. to his living so near the best Garlic the Country man's Treacle.  
On the shore of this shire, about 30. or 40. years, ago, was a huge Mass of Ambergrise, found by a poor Fisherman; a story very famous, and frequent in the mouths of several persons of credit and quality.   

DEVONSHIRE.  
THE west of this Shire (being that which borders upon Cornwall) is stored with Tin Mines. The River Lid by Lidford runs under ground.  
At Combmarton are found Mines of Lead, and some Veins of Silver.  
Ordulphus (this Country man, for he was Son of Ordarus, E. of Devonshire) was a: Giantlike man, that (if William of Malmesbury say true) would break open the bars of Gates, and stride 10. foot. 'Tis probable he was one of somewhat a larger proportion then ordinary (and so might give a fair occasion for the Hyperbole) and that the brawniness and big-bodiedness of the Cornish men may extend to their neighbours of Devonshire-  
The air of Devonshire is sharp and wholesome: the soil hilly and woody; and here they use (as in Cornwall) sea-sand to mend and enrich their Land, which makes it very fat and battle.  
Devonshire abounds with Wool, Kerseys, Sea-fish, and Seafowl.  
Loadstones have been found upon Dartmore Rocks, of good value and virtue.  
Upon Exmore are such stones, (huge, and placed confusedly) as are upon Salisbury Plain; and one of them hath Danish Letters upon it, directing passengers that way.  
At Hubblestow in this shire, was a battle fought by the Danes, where their Banner called Reafan, in which they reposed confidencce of Victory and Success, was notwithstanding taken, and Hubba their Captain slain.  
It is reported by several persons of credit, that during the late War, at the time that Exeter was besieged by the Parliaments sources, an infinite number of Larks came flying into the Town, and settled in a void green place within the Walls, where they were killed by the besieged in huge quantities, and eaten.   

DORSETSHIRE.  
THE Air of this Shire is healthful, and the Sea yieldeth the shrub called Isidis Plocamos, growing without leaves, like Coral; When it is cut, it waxeth hard and black, and is brittle. It groweth among that useless Seaweed, called Algar, and is most plentiful about the Isle of portland.  
About Birtport, or Burport, grows the best Hemp in these parts of England.  
The River of Stir affordeth great store of Tench and Eeles: Probably 'tis a muddy River.  
Alum and Coperas is made at Canford in this Shire; the reason I suppose is because the shores of the Sea (not far from it) may afford Copperas stones for the purpose, in good quantity.  
At Shaftsbury (as say some of our Historians) lived in times past one Aquila (which yet some will have to be the Bird of that name) who prophesied, that the British Empire after the Saxons and Normans would return to the old Britan's. There was never any age of the World, but it afforded a Prophet for a pleasing improbability; and the greater or more pleasing improbability, the more the Prophets.  
At Pool in the year 1653. June 20. it is reported, that it reigned warm blood. The particulars of which would be well worth the while to inquire after, because Peireskius, the noble French Philosopher, contends, that that blood falls not out of the air, but is a superfluous matter remaining after the hatching of a Butterfly, and left in such places sometimes, where no rain can come to drop. It were easy to inquire the true particulars of it, being so late a prodigy. I once had a conceit, (but I had no reason to cherish it long) that this Blood might be engendered of some Vapours drawn up by the Sun from that part of the Sea where the cruel Sea-fight was fought between the English and Dutch, not far from this Town, and not long before this time; as if the crimsoned Sea had afforded a Crimson Vapour to make this rain of. But this is not the first plausible error that I have had. Query, whether about Pool, and in the Isle of Wight, and other places in England, where our Histories tell us it hath reigned blood, there be not generally greater store of Butterflies and Grasshoppers then elsewhere.  
In the Haven of this Town of rool, the sea contrary to all other Ports in England) ebbs and flows (like another Euripus) four times in 24 hours; for first it flows a S. E. and N. W. Moon, and then a South and by East, and a North and by West Moon once more, which second flood is caused (as Seamen conceive) by the return of the fore-ebb, which coming from the Sussex Coast, and so along between the Isle of Wight, and the main Land of Hantshire, strikes in here, as lying in its way. Note that Euripus in Eubaea, is situated almost like Pool.  
At Hermitage in Dorsetshire (it lies, I think in the vail of White, Hart) in the year 1582. & 3. January the 13. being Sunday, a piece of ground of three Acres, removed from its old place (saith Stow in his Summary) and was carried over another Close where Alders and Willows grew, the space of 40. Rods or Perches, and stopped up the Highway that led to Cerne (a Market Town) and yet the Hedges that it was enclosed with, enclose it still, and the Trees stand bolt upright; and the place where this ground was before, is left like a great pit.  
The Portland men (like the ancient Inhabitants of the Baleares Isles in the Mediterranean Sea) are excellent slingers.  
In the Isles of Purbeck are Veins of Marble running under the earth.   

SOMERSETSHIRE.  
IN this Shire the Air is mild, and the soil generally very wet, miry, and moorish.  
Of the hot Baths in this Shire (at the City of Bath) Johnson in his Mercurius Botanicus, gives us this description. Bath (saith he) lies in a plain (not great) encompassed with Mountains almost of an equal height. The Baths are four; the King's Bath, the Queen's Bath, the Cross Bath, and the Hot Bath: The King's Bath lies in the middle of the City, being about 60. feet square, and it hath about the middle of it many hot Springs rising, whence it hath the greater heat. The Queen's Bath hath no Spring in it, but only receives the Water from the King's Bath (from which it is only divided by a Wall) for which reason it is more temperate than the Kings. In these two Baths there is a Pump to pump Water upon the diseased, where strong Embrocations (as Physicians speak) are required; for often times the matter of the Disease is so contumacious, that simple bathing will not remove it. The Cross Bath and Hot Bath are in the West part of the City. The Cross Bath is Triangular, and about 25. foot long, and as broad at one end. It hath not so many Springs as the King's Bath, and hot bath have; and therefore is of a more gentle heat. About 22. paces from the Cross Bath, is the Hot Bath, so called, because formerly when it was not so large as now it is, it was much hotter than the rest. But now it is only as hot as the King's Bath, or but little hotter. It is 27. foot long, & 13, foot broad. The Water of all these Baths in a small quantity seems clear and pellucid; but if one look upon its surface in the Bath, it lookssomewhat green, (or of a blue or sea-colour, as Cambden saith) and it hath a Bituminous unsavoury smell, but almost no taste, at least it is hardly perceivable to the palate. Once a week the Baths are empited, and swept clean; only the Cross Bath, because of its frequent use and its narrowness, is sometimes cleansed twice a week. For the nature of the water is, that about 4. or 5. hours after the going out of the Baths, the water casts out a foamy scum or filth which swims on the top of it, and fouls it. The Minerals that are conceived by learned Writers to give these Waters their heat and Tincture, are Bitumen. Sulphur, and Nitre; and there is Bitumen; Sulphur and Nitre being in less quantity: The Mineralness of these Waters appears also by a way that the people of Bath have to give Silver Money a Golden colour, which is done with a Composition made (as they say) of the mud of the Bath, and some of the Bath-Water and Urine mixed together, with which composition they rub the Money which they intent to gild; but the colour is but pale and faint, and will quickly wear off. Now that it is a Bituminous and Sulphury matter that gives this Water its heat and tincture; besides its Medicinal Virtues, as that it dries, heats, dissolves, softens, opens, attracts, digests, cuts, and is abstersive, etc. there is this manifest proof, that the Country hereabouts is full of Cole-Mines, especially about Bristol, and the southermost parts of Glocestershire, as Mengerfield, Westerley, etc. and so also under Mendip-Hills, that part of them that lies towards Frome-Selwood. And all naturalists agree (as they have reason) that Coal is a Bituminous and sulphury matter; For that it is a Bitumen, is manifest by its black pitchy viscosity, and its melting as it burns: And that there is a quantity of Sulphur in it, is as evident by the Brimstony smell the Embers of them give, as any one may find that will but hold his head a while over a pan of them; as also by their burning blew many times, especially when they hurn eagerly, as in frosty Wether; whence many people reckon the fires burning blue, a slgne of frost and hard weather: And (which is yet a further argument, the Coal hereabouts hath abundance of Veins like Gold or Brass in it (as I have often observed myself, and it may be observed every day; for indeed there is nothing more common) a thing which I could never observe in Newcastle Coal, though this Cake as that doth, and doth not burn all away to a white ashes, as the Coal which they dig about Staffordshire, and which I think they call Canell-Coale.  
There are (saith Cambden) a kind of pit-coals digged near the River from, with which Smiths use to soften Iron. These are the Coals I mentioned before, under Mendip Hills, toward Frome-Selwood: That they should soften Iron, is no wonder, since we see any Coal, or the like violent sire doth the same; but whether they have a singular power thatway above other coal, may be further enquired.  
It is reported that about Uphill (Parish by the seaside not far from Axbridge) within these half hundred years, a parcel of Land swelled up like a hill, and on a sudden clavae asunder, and fell down again into the Earth, and in the place of it remains a great Pool.  
At Keinsham in stone quarries, are found stones in the form of a Serpent, like the Whitbay stones (of which I shall speak more in Yorkshire) only here is the difference between them; whereas those at Whitbay want heads, some of these have. Hereabouts also (saith Cambden) grows Percepier, or Parsley-break stone, an Herb proper to England, bitter, hot, biting and sour, without stalk, with hereby Flowers, never above a span high: It grows naturally all the year long; it is extremely dieuretical, and very quick in operation, Yet however Cambden puts it down as a special rarity in this place; our modern Herbarists make no such rarity of it; for Mercurius Botanicus saith indefinitely, that it grows in Agris Siccioribus, that is, in dry grounds; and others say that it is commonly to be found in airable fields after Harvest.  
At Bristol it flows a 11. or 12. els in height every Tide; an extraordinary proportion in comparison of most places on the English shore. The cause I suppose is, the extreme wide and direct mouth of Severn, lying open to the Vast Atlantic Sea, where the Tide comes rolling in a-main, and being contracted as it comes in higher into the River, and land-locked, and not being able to fall back again (till it ebb without in the Main) by reason of the continual succession of Water, must needs swell to that height in the Severn, and by consequence very easily communicate part of his burden to the Avon of Bristol.  
Not far from Bristol is the famous Rock called St. Vincents Rocks, ragged, and hanging over the bank of the River of Avon, where (saith Johnson) is a Well of warm Water, pleasing to the taste. It flows out of the Clest of a great Rock, & is overflowed every Tide, and left open to the air at the ebb; for its spring breaks out at the Root of the Rocks; the Water is much commended for Ulcers, and calculous affections of the reins, being taken inwardly. It is also often applied outwardly to cure old sores with very good success (saith he) as I have heard those say that have tried. There is moreover in this place a Vein of Iron in the Bowels of the Earth (saith the same Author) whence the water gets its virtue, and a greater heat, which it loseth by running a great way before it can get out. But by my Author's leave, it cannot be conceived how a vein of Iron should make water so hot, since we see that iron Mines in other places work no such effect upon those Waters that run through them. I rather conceive there it is some other Vein of Metal, or rather Mineral there, that is the cause of the heat, and likely the same Mineral that causeth the heat of the Bath-Waters. Much more I could say, but I am unwilling to enlarge too far upon Plausibilities. Note that this hot Well is not above 12. miles from Bath.  
On the upper side of these craggy Rocks of St. Vincent, are digged out pellucid stones, sexangular (or six cornered) and quadrangular, (or four cornered) which we call Diamonds. Some will have them to be Crystal, but (saith Mr. Johnson) I think they are rather of the nature of Fluores. For (saith he) I remember an Apothecary of Bristol told me, the Lord of the place would not have them taken out of the Iron Mine, (which was the womb in which they were form) because the greater quantity of them make the Metal the more fluid. and apt to melt. And Agricola tells us, that Fluores are very like Diamonds, but not so hard, and that they are used in the melting and trying of Metals, till they be throughly tried; for (saith he) they make the matter in the fire much more fluid. And Kentmannus in his Catalogue of Fossils', reckons Pellucid Fluores, sexangular, and like Crystal. Of these St. Vincent Stones, Cambden speaks thus: They are (saith he) so plentiful there, that one may fill a bushel with them; and they are all either four cornered, or six cornered. And saith Speed, saving their hardness, they are as good as the Diamonds of India.  
On another Rock more Western then St. Vincents Rock, there are found Diamonds enclosed in hollow and reddish Flints after a wonderful manner, and the Earth itself is red there too.  
At Chedder near Axbridge, is a Spring so plentiful of Water presently, that it drives twelve Mills within a quarrer of a mile of the head of it. The reason I suppose is, for that the head of it ariseth in a corner, been encompassed round with steep barren hills, (save only that way which the stream runs) which pour out all that plenty of Water they contain in their bowels, into this head-spring, where it all meets as in a centre, and there rusheth forth in a vast abundance.  
In the Isle of Athelney in this shire, was in ancient time a Monastery, which was so contrived, that the whole Frame thereof hanged upon four main Posts made fast in the ground. So saith Cambden out of William of Malmesbury.  
It is credibly reported (saith the same Author Cambden) that there was a Walnut-Tree in the holy Churchyard at Glastenbury, that did never put out leaf before St. Barnabas day, and upon that very day was very rank & full of leaves; but that is now gone, and a young Tree set in this place. Also that there is Hawthorn in Wirall Park hard by Glastenbury, that upon Christmas day sprouteth forth as if it were in May. This is reported (saith he) by very credible men that live thereabouts. But it is since (as credibly reported) that the malice and fury of the late wars, hath destroyed this Hawthorn too.  
There is at Bristol a Church, called the Temple, the Tower whereof shakes to and fro when the bells ring, so that it hath divided itself from the rest of the Building from the top to the bottom the breadth of three Fingers, and openeth and shutteth whensoever the bell is rung.  
` There is about a mile Eastward from Bath, a great hill, and on the top of it a very large barren Plain, called Landsdown, under which very probably, if search were made, would be found the Mineral or Furnace that heats the Bath-Water; but no doubt it lies so deep, that it would not be worth the time, the pains, or the cost to search after it; it seems by the very sight of it to be pregnant of some such matter. These were my thoughts at first, touching the Bed of the Mineral that heats the Bath; but Dr. Meara of Bristol hath since taught me to lay down that conjecture, by showing me the Copy of a Letter written by himself in Latin to Dr. Prujean of London, touching astrange thing that happened in July 1659. at the Bath; the abstract of which I shall take the boldness to give the Reader in the Doctors own words, as followeth.  

Aquis Calidis, 4ᵒ nonas Aug. 1659. Amplissimo & Excellentissimo D. D. F. Prujean, Medicinae Doctori, etc. Ampl. & Excel. Domine.  
QUod jamdudum factum oportuit, etc. hostiam autem adfero tibiz ut auguror, non ingratam fortuitam scilicit detectionem Zetematis non ignobilis de cansa Caloris Thermarum hujus loci, cujus investigatio clarissimos medicos diu exercuit. Illustrissimus D. Fairfax qui cum Conjuge Valetudinari jam Aquis Calidis haeret, cum nudiustertius apricandi causa non procul ab urbe obequitaret, casu offendit cretam quandam nivei candoris sparsime terrâ in exiguis cumulis emergentem ad instar terrae à talpis egestae. Hujus Portionem domum attulit mihique ostendit. Friabilis est, spontè ferè in scobem levissimam abit; saporem exhibet manifestè acidum sine astrictione; sed paulatim mordicat, ac ixflammatoriam strangulationem in faucibus parit, ut non dubitem illam multo chalcantho abundare, nec esse omnino Arsenici expertem. In frigidam à me effusa confestim ebullitionem vehementem excitavit, non secus as si calx esset viva; & pedetentim aqua tam insignem calorem concepit, ut ovis citò coquendis paresset. Quum haec Creta in Thermarum vicinia reperiatur, verisimile existimo aquam thermalem hoc igne calescere. Non ignoro authores passim Thermarum calorune Sulphuri aut Bitumini ascribere. Verùm, quamvis negari non possit Magnam Bituminis & Sulphuris copiam in his scaturaginibus reperiri, ijsque has thermas abunde impregnari convincat cura scabiei, ulcerum, tremoris paralyseos, etc. dubito tamen an eorum aliquod fermenti aquam calefacere nati rationem habere possit, quum utrumque aciditate, fermentationis opifice, destitutum sit: neutrum verò in aquam conjectum fermentationem aut calorem producere possit; & quum eorum consistentia tenax sit & viscida, Bituminis praesertim, ut aqua in minimas eorum particulas expeditè se insinuare non possit; fit ut ad ejusmodi fermentationem sint inepta; Cujus contrarium in consistentia friabili, & minimè cohaerente hujus Cretae continget. Locus ubi hoc fossile fuit repertum, terra est spongiae instar porosa, ut facile appareat illud florem esse sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mineralium fermentantium unà cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritibus sursum eluctantem. Verùm quid in hàc obscuritate potiùs statuendun sit, tuo judicio ego libenter subijcio, gratesque quam possum maximas humanitati tuae refero etc.  
Vir Ampl. & Excel. Famulus Devinctissimus, Edm. Meara.   

The English thus in effect:  
Bath, August the 2d 1659.  
To the Worshipful his very much honoured friend Fran. Prujean D. of Physic, etc.  
W. and H. Sir,  
WHat I should have done long since, etc. The Sacrifice I bring to your Altar, will not I conceive be ungrateful. It is the strange accidental discovery of a noble Mystery touching the cause of the heat of the Baths here; the search into which hath long exercised the most famous Physicians, the manner of it was thus. The right Honourable the Lord Fairfax, who continues still at the Bath with his Lady, riding abroad not far from this City two days ago, to take the air, by chance found a kind of Chalk as white as snow, working here and there out of the ground in little heaps, like earth cast up by Moles. A piece of this he brought home, and shown me. It is a crumbling matter, and almost of its self turns to a small light dust: its taste is manifestly acide without astriction, but by little and little biting, and causing an extreme hot strangulation in the mouth, so that I am persuaded it hath much Chalcanthus in it, and is not altogether without Arsenic. I put it into cold water, and presently it fell a boiling, and bubbling apace, just as if it had been quick Lime; and by degrees the water grew so very hot that it would quickly have boiled an Egg. Now seeing that this Chalk is found near the Bath, I conoeive it not unlikely that it is this, that heats the Bath-water, I know very well that Authors generally attribute the heat of Baths to Sulphur or Bitumen. Nevertheless, though it cannot be denied that there is a great quantity of Bitumen and Sulphur found in these Springs, and the cure of Scabbiness, Ulcers, Trembling, the Palsy, and the like diseases doth evince that the Baths are plentifully impregnated with them; yet I doubt whether either of them hath any thing of a fermentative power in them to heat water, seeing both of them want acidity, the efficient cause of fermentation; and neither of them being put into water can produce any fermentation or heat. And since their consistence is clammy and viseid (especially that of Bitumen) that water cannot readily insinuate itself into the minute particles of them, they must needs be unfit for any such fermentation; The contrary of which will follow upon the crumbling and incoherent consistence of this Chalk. The place where this Fossile was found, is an earth porous like a sponge, so that it planly appears to be (as it were) the flos, or excriscence of fermenting Mineral, working up out of the Earth with those Spirits, that cause the fermentation. But what to determine, and say positively on this dark riddle, I know not; and therefore humbly submit it to your judgement; returning you most cordial thanks, etc.  
W. and H. Sir, Your most obliged servant Ed. Meara.   
Mendip-Hills in this shire afford great abundance of Lead. I have heard it reported, that the Led Over in these hills is found by a very strange means. There are men; they say, that go up and down upon the hills with forked hazle-wands in their hands near the places, where they suspect the Ore to be; And the nature of the wands is, that when they pass over a place where Ore is, they bend and draw down to the Earth toward the Ore of their own accord; and so they Over is found. They say likewise, that any hazle wand will not do it, but that these we speak of, are prepared after a secret manner, the mystery of which is known but to some very few men there who make a living out of this Art of theirs, by finding out the Ore for the owners. This story is very strange, and unlikely to be true: nor could I have given any credit to it, had I not read in Sebastian Munster's Cosmography, that in the Silvermines in Germany the place where the Ore lies, and the veins run, is found by this very means of Hazle-wands. And in one of the figures of his Book he gives us the picture of a fellow going along upon the hills, with a forked wand, or stick in his hand, ad explorandum metallum. Besides this I remember very well that the Necromancers have a kind of rodds, called Mosaical rodds (which are nothing but Hazle-wands, cut upon such a day of the week, under such a constellation, and perpared with abundance of ceremonies and circumstances partly Sottish, partly impious) the virtue whereof they say, is to find out treasure hidden in the groaned.   

WILTSHIRE.  
IN the edge of this Shire between Luckinton, great Badminton (the seat of my noble Lord and Master, the Lord Herbert) is a place called the Caves; and by some the Giants caves, according to the language of ignorance, fear, and superstition. They are upon the top of a riling hill, a number about. 9 And some of them are (or were formerly) cemented with lime. Some of them are deeper and some shallower; some broader and longer than others. They lie altogether in a row. The manner of them is two long stones, set upon the sides, and broad stones upon the top to cover them. The least of these Caves is four foot broad, and some of them are nine or ten foot long. This is, the account, which I have received from some neighbour Gentlemen touching them with which I was fain to content myself, because the Earth and Rubbish is now so fallen in, that (without digging) nothing almost can be seen, but the place where they are the cavities being all filled up, and bushes over growing them. I presume these causes are nothing else but the tombs of so many Saxon or Danish Heroes, (or it may be Romans) slain in a battle fought not far from the place. The curiosity of some ingenious men (as it is reported) within these 40 years, tempted them to dig into it, and make a search for some Antic remains, but they found nothing, but an old Spur, and some few other things not worth the mentioning. The broadness of the stones is not at all strange, since the whole Country hereabout is slatty, and in many places affords stones altogether as large as these.  
In this shire is a small Rill, called Deverill, which runneth a mile under ground, like as also doth the little River Mole in Surrey, and the river Anas in Spain, and the Niger in afric:  
Near Warmister (saith Cambden) is a natural round, and high copped hill called Clay Hill. Why Cambden should think this hill to be naturally so as it is, I know not: Sure I am, there is the like round and high copped hill about a mile Southward from Aubury in this shire, called Silbury-Hill, in the road from Bath to Marleborough; which seems not, for many reasons, to be natural, but to have been cast up by men's hands, and it is not impossible that Clay Hill may have been made by the same means.  
At Juy-Church was in times past found a Corpse 12 foot long, as the tradition ruuneth, and a Book of very thick Parchment, all written with great Roman Letters, but when the leaves were touched, the mouldered to dust.  
In the forest of Savernac grows a kind of sweet Ferne.  
Sometimes there breaks out water in the manner of a sudden land flood, out of certain stones (that are like rocks) standing aloft in open fields near the rising of the river Kenet in this shire, which is reputed by the common people a fore runner of death. That the sudden eruption of Springs in places, where they use not always to run, should be a sign of death, is no wonder. For these usual eruptions (which in Kent we call Nailbourns) are caused by extreme gluts of rain, or lasting wet weather, and never happen but in wet years (witness the year 1648. when there were many of them) In which years Wheat, and most other grain thrive not well (for a plain reason) and therefore a dearth succeeds the year following. The Country Proverb in Kent is, that drought never makes a dearth; Which was sufficiently verified in the years 1654. and 1655. when (after that lasting drought that began in 1651, and continued till 1655.) the price of Wheat desceuded to 18d the bushel, and other grain proportionably: And to our purpose, very remarkable it was in the year 1654., that several springs, and rivulets were quite dried up by reason of the precedent drought, which raged most in 1651, 52, and 53. As the head of the stoure, that riseth near Elham in Kent, and runs through Canterbury, was dry for some miles space; and the like happened to the stream that crosseth the Road way between Sittingborn and Cantsrbury at Ospring near Feversham, which at other times ran with a plentiful current, but then wholly failed, like the Brooks in Israel in the days of Ahab.  
The Stonehenge upon Salisbury plain in this shire, is counted the most admirable rarity, that our Island affords. It is in this manner. There are in a pit great stones standing upright. Some being 28 foot high, and 7 foot broad, in three ranks round like a Crown, and overthwart them are laid others with tenants and Mortises. Now the great wonder and question among the learned is, how these stones came hither. For say they, it is not likely that they were ab initio, placed here by the God of nature, because the whole Country round for some miles affords not a stone hardly, either great or small. And they seem too vast to be brought hither by waggon or the like carriages The learned Cambden therefore thinks, that they were made there by art, of pure sand, and some unctuous cement, even as those also in Yorkshire, because anciently there was such an art of making stone. And Pliny saith that the dust of Puteoli (Puzzele) being laid in water becometh stone presently, and that there were Cesterns at Rome, made of digged sand, and lime, which were so firm and hard, that they seemed stone. But notwithstanding the authority of this great Scholar, jam clearly of opinion that they are natural stones, and placed there ab initio; Then which I think nothing is plainer. For upon the Downs between Marleborough and Aubury, not above 20 miles from Stonehenge, which Downs are but a continuation, or rather a part of Salisbury plain, differing nothing from it but in the un-evenness, are to be found abundance of great stones, commonly called by the Country thereabout, the Grey Wethers; and at Aubury in an Orchard there are half a dozen, or half a score stones little inferior to the Stonehenge for hugeness, some standing upright like the Sonehenge, & others lying flat on the ground. And the Country here, like that about the Stonehenge, affords not a stone beside. So that unless we will have all these stones to be artificial, we must grant the Stonehenge to be natural. Now whereas this unstoniness of the Country about which we speak of, seems to some a strong objection against the naturalness of the stones, it is on the contrary, if duly considered, a great argument for it. For what can be more probable, than that Nature could not provide herself otherwise of Lapidifick matter enough to make these huge stones of, but by robbing the circumjacent parts. The more of that matter here, the less hereabouts; because nature wanting timber, would fetch it nearest hand. I have no more to add touching the Stonehenge, but that near it men's bones are digged up many times. The reason of which is, because it was the ancient burying place for the Kings of the Britan's.  
About Sapworth near Sharstan are found abundance of stones somewhat like Cockles. yet so apparently differing from their shape, that by the very sight of them one may plainly see that they never were true Cockles; as some do believe. But of these I shall speak more in Gloncestershire.  
In the Parish of Luckingten in the edge of this Shire (formerly mentioned) is a well called Hancacks-well the waten whereof is said to be very cold in Summer, and Warm in Winter, and is commended as a fingalar water for the eyes.   

HANTSHIRE.  
AT Portsmouth in this shire, they boil Salt out of Salt-water, which is our Bay-Salt, being of a pale or greenish colour; and by boiling it again with an art the have they make it exceeding white.  
This shire is very plentiful for all sorts of commodities, especially for Kerfies and Iron.  
Out of the walls of Silcester in this shire a decayed Town grow huge Oaks (of ten loadsapiece, (saith Stow) that seem to grow to the very stones, spreading both their tops and their roots exceedingly. Also  
Near this Town of Silcester, though the land be fruitful enough generally, yet in some places (as it were by Beds) the Soil is nothing near so fruitful as elsewhere, which makes men think, that along these Beds the streets of the old town formerly went. And (which is observable) these unfertile beds do intersect each other, like streets: The conjecture is not unlikely, because the like is reported of the streets of old Richborough by Sandwich in Kent.  
The Isle of Wight is a wholesome air ', and the dwellers very aged. It affords plenty of Corn, and the best Wool, next to that of Lemster and Cotswald; As also plenty of Coneys, Hares, Pheasants, Partridges, etc.  
Our Chroniclers tell us, that in the year 1176. in the Ifle of Wight, it reigned a shower of blood for two hours together.  
At Wickham in this Shire are Medicinal Waters.  
It is reported, that about Portsmouth is a race of small Dogs, like Beagles, that they use there to hunt Moles with, which they hunt as their proper natural Game.   

BERKSHIRE.  
AT Finchamstead in this Shire, in the year 1100 as Writers say, a Well boiled up with streams of blood, and continued so 15. days together, whose Waters madered all others where they came. A story not incredible, though very strange; because we read of several the like stories touching Fountains in other countries', in Authors of good credit.  
In this Shire is one of the fruitful Vales of England for Corn, called the Vale of White Horse.  
About the year 1348. (saith Cambden) being presently after the Conjunction of Saturn & Mars, in Capricorn, was a very great Plague over all Europe, and then was Wallingford, (being a bigger and more considerable Town then now it is) almost dis-peopled with it. The Conjunction of Saturn and Mars, that Cambden means, was 1342. & 43. in February, and it happened in 25. degrees of Capricorn; but in my opinion, it ushered its pretended effect at too large a distance to entitle itself the cause of it. Nor can I believe so small a cause could produce so great an effect; conjunctions of Saturn and Mars happening constantly every two years, and sometimes (though very rarely) three of them happening in one year, (as in the year 1640. in the last face of Libra, and (if Pitatus have calculated right) in the year 1542. in the first face of the pestilent sign Virgo) without any such extraordinary effects succeeding them. And which is as observable as any thing, in the year 1578. was a Conjunction of Saturn and Mars in 23. deg. of Capricorn, (but two degrees short of the Conjunction, 1342.) and yet the following years were not guilty of any extravagant Mortality's, Therefore I conceive it will not be amiss to ascribe rather this black effect to something nearer 1348. viz. to the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 1345. in 18. deg. of Libra (which Astrologers reckon the house of Saturn) a Conjunction of greater importance and influence, and so more likely to produce a greater effect. And yet I would not be too bold to fasten it upon this Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter neither (till further enquiry be made) because other Conjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter in Libra have passed over more lightly. Unless we will say that there may be some particular venom about the 18th. degree of Libra which other degrees of Libra father off are not infected with. And indeed in the year 553. we are told by Alsted, that there raged so horrid a plague at Constantinople, that there died 5000. in a day, and sometimes 10000 in a day. which was not above two years after a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 19 degrees of Libra, which happened 1551.  
Cambden takes notice, that abundance of Fern grows about Reading, a Plant that loves gravelly and sandy places, such, as that Country is all about.   

SURREY.  
THis County is commended for a healthful air; the cause is its sandiness, and being an Inland County.  
Under Holmecastle, standing upon a Hill of Grit or crumbling stone, is a great Vault of Arched Work. Architects tell us, that Arched Work is the more firm, by how much the greater weight lies upon it.  
The River Mole runs above a mile under ground and at the place where it falls into the ground groweth abundance of Box naturally. Inquiry might be made by Herbarists, whether the Earth be not of the same nature and composition, where the same Vegetables grow naturally.  
Near Non-such is a Vein of Potter's Earth much commended, of which Crueibles are made for melting of Gold, etc.  
The rising of a Bourn or stream near Croyden (as the common people hold) presageth death, as the Plague; and it hath been observed to fall out so. The rising of bourn's in places where they run not always, we have before proved to be caused by great wet years, which (according to HYpocrates observation) are generally the most sickly; and if they prove hot, as well as wet, (because heat and moisture are the great disposers to putrefaction) they prove also malignant, and for the most part pestilential. And the reason why the using of this Bourn doth not always presage the Plague, is because all wet years do not presage hot.  
It is observed, that few or no Rivers do ebb and flow so far up from the Sea, as the River of Thames, which flows up as high as Richmond in this Shire: The reason of which is very plain, depending chief upon two very great causes. The first is the coming in of the flood, at both ends of this Island, that is, from the Westward by the Cape of Cornwall, and from the Northward, by the North end of Scotland, which (as our Books of Navigation tell us) meet at a Rock called the Galloper (which lies right against the mouth of the River of Thames, between it and the coast of Holland and Flanders, about the midway) with very great noise and rippling: Now the two floods (as I said) meeting here, must needs hinder the course of each other, and by consequence make the Sea swell much in this place, and so easily discharge itself by a strong flood into the neighbouring River of Thames, lying so conveniently for its reception. The other cause is the motion of the Earth from West to East, whibh carrying the banks of the Thames along towards the place where the mouth of it was but now, must needs (as it were) draw the Water into it, by leaving it behind. And peradventure upon enquiry, it will be found that the floods run more strongly (for this reason) up into those Rivers that discharge themselves into the sea on the East side of a great Island or Continent, than those on the West side; and that where there are Currents or Streams that run thwart on upon a shore, they beat more violently (in calm weather) upon Eastern, then Western shores. But whether this be the reason why on the East side of the Continents of Asia, Africa, and America, there be many more small Islands, then on the Western side of those Continents, (for so our Maps inform us, witness Japan, the Philippine Islands, the Moluccos, the Maldivae, the two Javas, Sumatra, Madagascar, etc. on the Eastern side of Asia and afric, and the great swarm of Islands, called, the Summer Islands, (to which we may add those vast shouldst on the coast of Brasil, (on the Eastern side of America) or whether it be from the constant Intra-tropical Eastwind that galls the Lee-shores, and hath in long process of time carved them so curiously into Islands, is hard to say at present, but must be left to a more through disquisition.  
The Waters of Ebbesham in this shire are very famous, and much frequented for their Medicinal virtue, and purging by siege. These Waters without doubt receive their Tincture from some Mineral-Mass that lurks in the neighboring-hills (it may be under Banstead-Downs) and that the bowels of the earth hereabout are pregnant of some such matter, seeming by that Crucible-Clay (mentioned but now) found about Non-such, which (as I am told) blushes something like Terra Lemnia in some places.  
It is reported, that on the hills by Farneham are Snake-stones to be found, of the form (but not of the colour) of those at Alderley in Glocestershire.   

SUSSEX.  
THis is a Maritine County, and therefore no wonder it affords plenty of Fish and Seafowl. The Soil is rich, the Land low, and the Ways deep. It was anciently in a manner an entire Wood, being part of the great Wood Andradswald, which was 120. miles long, and 30. miles broad.  
In this County are many Iron Mines, but the Iron here made is more brittle than Spanish Iron. Also,  
Here they make Glass, but it is neither very good, nor very clear.  
The place at Battle, where the fatal battle was fought between William the Conqueror and Harold, looks of a reddish colour after rain. I cannot think it to be the Conqueror's Livery that it still wears. No doubt that was worn out long since, both colour and Cloth, unless that kind of ground be more retentive of stains than others; or hath better luck than the places where the great Battles of our late Wars have been sought, where no signs remain at all of the Tragedies acted there. Certainly it is nothing but the natural colour of the earth, which it had before that Battle; for all men know, that in several parts of England the earth is more than reddish, as in some places of the Weald of Kent, and particularly at a place in the lower side of the Parish of Sutton-Valence.  
The Downs in Sussex by the sea-coast, because they stand upon a fat Chalk, or Marle, are abundantly fertile of Corn. Downs generally are barren, because eit her they were ab initio, of a hungry Clay, or else if they consisted of light lose earth (which is generally more fertile than other sorts of earth) yet it is continually washed away by great rains into the Valleys. I mean the upper face of the earth before it is rotten enough to be fat, and disposed for generation. But where downs and descents (as these we speak of) consist of a fat clammy 〈◊〉 Chalk or Marle, the great shoots of rain have not power to moulder it so fast, and wash it away into the Valleys; so that being fat & fertile at their first Creation, it is easy for them to continue so. It is observed in Glocestershire, (and it may be is as true in all Clayie Countries) that the hills, and sides of hills are the most wet and clayie. The cause doubt less is the same with this, to wit, That the rains that fall, wash by degrees the uppermost mould down into the Valleys, because it is more lose and light; but leaves the underclay behind, because more stiff and fast, and so very hardly to be tempted away. And this I suppose to be the reason why waters running over mere Clay, or issuing from it, are hungry, and clear, as we find in our land-springs about Badminton, because the Clay is unapt to mix with the water. And I suppose for the same reason, that if Downs consisting of light lose earth were ploughed, they would in process of time (by constant ploughing) lose much at theof unevenness, and become plain, (I mean where there are no more enclosures to stop the concourse of the washed mould) whereas lying unploughed, they continue with very little alteration: But for the same reason Clayie Downs ploughed are not likely to suffer any great change.  
At Selsey in this shire (saith Cambden) are great stores of Cockles and Lobsters; probably the shore there is rocky and hard, which kind of places Lobsters and Cockles delight in.  
In the year 1250. the Town of Winchelsey was swallowed up of the sea. The like fate befell the Lands of Earl Goodwin, which were (as we read) once firm Land; but then by a sudden inundation of the sea devoured (and turned into Goodwin Sands.) As also were at the same time a great part of the Low-countrieses, and some part of Scotland as Hector Boethins saith.   

KENT.  
THis County being a kind of Peninsula, the Sea and the Thames encompassing the greatest part of it; the air is not very clear, because of vapours continually rising. Nor is it so cold (saith Speed) as other parts of England are: Which must be understood of the low places near the sea, where the air is not only not so cold as in other parts of England, but also as in other parts of Kent, as appears by the sooner dissolving of the snow in Winter, upon a thaw in these places, then in the Upland and hilly parts of the County, where it many times in Winter snows, when in the low Maritine places nothing falls but rain. Myself bathe several times observed it so, and I believe the like difference may be observed between the Upland and Maritine places in other Connties.  
No Mines in Kent, but a little Iron about Tunbridge.  
The Medicinal Wells at Tunbridge are sufficiently known. To render a reason of which, we need say no more, then that they are made so Medicinal by issuing from, or running through the Iron Mines there. And that which induces me the more to think so, is because the Waters are so good for Splenitick Diseases, in which Powder of Steel is so often prescribed. I do almost believe, could the truth of it be well searched out, it will hold as an Universal Maxim, that wheresoever the Waters are Medicinal, there are near the place Iron Mines, or some of the base Metals; and that wheresoever the hot Springs rise, (as at the Bath here) there are near the place Mines of Silver, Tin, or some of the purer sort of Metals. For we all know, that in Devonshire and Cornwall, the Tin Mines are, where also Silver hath been found, as it hath likewise been in Wales: Nor is it impossible that the like Metals might be found nearer Bath. So much is already certain, that the Coals that are digged about Bristol, and several parts in Glocestershire, have Metalline veins (many of them) running along them like Gold, as is aforesaid in Cornwall. And it is very observable also, that in the Confines of Germany, between it and Helvetia, and in sundry places of Saxony, and the parts thereabout, there are as abundance of hot Baths, so also abundance of Silver Mines.  
It is reported that at Egerton near Lenham, is a Spring, whose Water turns Wood into Stone.  
Three miles directly South from Tunbridge, near Frant, in the very edge of Sussex, in a white sandy ground, are divers huge craggy stones, of strange forms, whereof two of the greatest stand so close together, and yet are divided with so straight a Line, as one would think they had been sawn asunder.  
A small Rivulet of Medway loseth itself under ground, and riseth again at a Parish called Lose, not far from Cock's Heath.  
There are three ridges of Hills in Kent: The first is that, that runs by Boxtey, Dettling, Hellingborn, etc. and is called, Health without Wealth. The second is that that runs along by Sutton-Ulcomb, 〈◊〉 Malherse, etc. and is called, Health and Wealth. The third is that, that runs by Tenterden, and is called, Wealth without Health: Names very proper for them, and the reason very plain why they are so.  
August the 4th. 1585. after a very violent tempest of Thunder and Rain, at Motingham in this shire, eight miles from London, the ground suddenly began to sink, and three great Elms growing upon it, were carried so deep into the earth, that no part of them could any more be seen. The hole left, (saith the story) is in compass 80. yards about, and a Line of 50. sathom plummed into it, finds no bottom. Also,  
December the 18. 1596. A mile and half from Westram, Southward (which is not many miles from Motingham) two Closes lying together, separated with aihedge of hollow Ashes, there was found a part thereof 12. Perches long, to be sunk fix foot and a half deep; the next morning 15. foot more; the third morning 80. foot more at the least, & so daily that great Trench of ground, containing in length about 80. Perches, and in breadth 28. began with the Trees and Hedges on it, to lose itself from the rest of the ground lying round about it, and withal, to move and shoot Southward day and night for eleven days. The ground of two Water-pits, the one six foot deep of Water, the other 12. at the least, and about four Perches over in breadth, having sundry tuffs of Aldars and Ashes growing in the bottoms, with a great Rock of Stone under them, were not only removed out of their places, and carried toward the South, at least four Perches a pieces; but withal, mounted aloft, and become hills, with their sedge. Flags, and black mud upon the tops of them, higher them the face of the Water (which they had forsaken) by 9 foot, and in the place from which they are removed, other ground, which lay higher, is descended, receiving the Water which lies upon it. Moreover in one pace of the plain field, there is a great hole made by sinking of the earth to the depth of 30. foot at the least, being in breath in some places two Pearches over, and in length five or six pearches. Also there is a hedge 30. pearches long, carried Southward with his Trees seven pearches at the least. And sundry other sinkings there be in divers places, one of 60. foot, another of 47. and another of 34. foot. By means of which confusion it is come to pass, that where the highest Hills were, there be the deepest Dales, and the lowest Dales are become the highest grounds. The whole measure of breaking was at the least nine Acres, seven days works, and four Pearches, etc. To this effect is this strange story related in our Chronicles, with the other of Motingham, both which we have no reason to doubt the truth, since of late years; namely Anno 1657. we have had a fresh example of an Earthsinking at Bickley in Cheshire, of which we shall speak in its place, and which answers to that or Motingham. And our Chronicles afford us two very remarkable stories of Earth-removing, one in Herefordshire, 1571. Marcley-Hill, and another at Armitage in Dorsetshire, of which we have already spoken. Now for Earth sinking, I conceive I have found out the cause (in case the Country about Motingham and Bickley be lose and sandy) and I imagine it to be this: The Springs that run to and fro in the body of the earth, the deeper they run, the more they are increased in quantity; and as they run thus, if the earth be lose or sandy, they must needs wash and carry away the sand or lose earth with them by degrees, and so make their passages bigger and bigger, both in breadth & depth. For the earth being hollowed and vaulted by this means, the sieling (as I may call it) of this Vault, (being as we conceived sandy and lose) moulders and drops down by degrees into the stream under it, which as it falls, still clears it away; and thus at length it is not improbable, that it becomes a very spacious and deep hollowness. Now while this hollowness continues thus increasing, sometimes little, sometimes much, according as the temper of the year augments, or diminishes the bulk & force of the waters) there comes at length a great glnt of Rain, which exceedingly increasing the waters, and by consequence the violence of these subterrahian streams, they wash away now much more of the sides of the Vault (this little River overflowing its ordinary banks) then at other times, and withal the weight of the incumbent earth; (that I mean which lies right over this cavity) is much augmented by the extreme wet. So that the weight being much more, and the strength to support the mass of Earth much less, I cannot conceive what can follow hereupon, but a sinking of the incumbent Earth to the very bottom, how deep soever it be; Sometimes by degrees, and sometimes all at once, ac-according to the nature of the Earth, which in some places I confess, though sandy, yet may not be mere sand; And it may be the air within the vault gives not place so quickly, as the earth hath a desire to descend, but must be squeezed out by little and little. Further I conceive, that after great wets, the strong tendency of the waters downward altogether, presseth in the air in the vault on all fides, and so begets a conflict between the water and the air, the air struggling outrageously to free itself, which conflict begets a confusion, and this confusion must needs loosen the incumbent earth, and so much contribute also to its falling in, if it be lose and sandy. And I am of opinion, that whensoever the truth comes to be found out, it will appear, that this tumultuary tendency of waters downward (after great wets) pressing in the air (as I said) in hollow places of the Earth; begets a conflict, and that a concussion which is that we call an Earthquake. For so much is truer than truth itself, that Earthquakes always succeed great wets, or a sudden glut, and tempest of rain in the time of a great drought, See 1 King. Which commonly falls all in one place, or Country, and none in another, and is for the most part much more large and pouring, then in dripping years for a plain reason; Witness that horrid thunder-shower, that poured down so much rain in so short a time and within so little compass of ground, and made so great a flood in the Parish of great Badminton in Glocestershire, June 1652. in the middle of the greatest drought, that our age hath known. Besides it is further to be considered, that sandy places doth more easily let in the rain into the bowels of the Earth, so that it distils not down by drops, but presently, and almost altogether; nor can it mix with the sand to make dirt, and evaporate upward from whence it came (as rain doth in most forts of earth) but descends more entire, little or none of that wet that falls, returning, unless the Sun shine very forciblyout, immediately after the rain, and then it cannot draw much neither. And I partly believe, that those little sinkings of Earth in sandy ways in wet years (called Quicksands) such as I have seen one towards the upper end of Bocton streer, in the road between Sittingbourr. and Canterbury. and others in many other places) are but the effects of some of the smaller sorts of these causes; and the reason why they are rather in road-ways, than other places, is only because of the great weight of carriages, that sends the pendulous earth going. Thus far I have ventured at the cause of earth sinking, and would attempt as much at earth remove, were I but sure, that Machley-hill in Herefordshire, Westram in Kent, and Armitage in Dorsetshire were all of a fat and clammy soil, and not very stiff; (for then I think I have much to say to the cause of those too) but till I am sure, I shall be silent, though some of Herefordshire have told me, that Marcley-hil is such as I would have it to be.  
In Tenderden-steeple some some where about the Belfry (I have been told) there is a stone, which as the Rain falls upon it immediately out of the air, or drops down from the stones on the side of the steeple about it, grows in a matter of five or six years very manifestly, and having been pared away with an Instrument, grows up again as high as before.  
Upon the shores of the Isle of Shepey are found weighty stones, out of which Brimstone and Coperas are tried by Minster in the same Island, by boiling them in a furnace made for the purpose.  
Nigh Feversham, & likewise in other parts of Kent are pits of great depth (saith Cambden) narrow at the mouth, and very wide below, which have distinctions of rooms and Chambers, as it were with several pillars of Chalk to support them; out of which he thinks, the old Britan's dug Chalk to manure their Land withal, as Pliny also saith: And which is observable, and much to the purpose, they are not found but in Chalky and Marly soil. The pits Cambden means, I suppose, are the great pit near the Town, called Hagdale-Pit; The great Chalk pit joining to the Roadway, between Feversham and Bocton; There is another too on the right hand of the way going up from the Town toward Shelwich, near Copton Farme-house; Another between Davington Church, and Stone Church; to which we may add one or two great pits in the parish of Norton, in a Field not far from the Beacon-hill, which are very deep, and yet very narrow to the top.  
Wheresoever the streets went in Richborow (an ancient Town near Sandwich, long since destroyed and gone) the corn that is now there sowed, in those places is but thin. And it is reported that the cement of the old walls is as hard as the stone.  
Great store of Sampire grows on the cliffs between Deal and Dover.  
The Weald for wood, East Kent for Corn, Rumney for meadow, Tenbaem for an Orchard Sheppey & Reculuer for Wheat, Tha●et for Barley and Hedcorn for the brood of fat, big, and commended Capons.  
At Dengeness for a mile and more grow abundance of Holly trees naturally among nothing but Beach and Pebbles. And westward from Dengeness among the Beach grow peason naturally like Clusters of Grapes together, in taste very like our field peason. The like to which as also a kind of Hops do grow naturally among a great deal of Beach and Pebbles in the Marshes between the Isle of Thanet and Sandwich, about a mile (or better) from the Town, as I was told by an inhabitant of Sandwich.  
Cambden supposeth, that England hath formerly been united to the continent about Calais; because in the middle between Calais and Dover the Sea is but 25 fathom deep (even as between Sicily and Italy it is but 80 paces, which Island likewise hath anciently been thought to have been united to Italy) but on both sides of it the Sea is much deeper. Moreover in the very middle between Calais & Dover is one bank called Frowen-shoale, which at a low water is scarce three fathom deep, but within half a league of it to the Southward it is 27 fathom deep, and to the Northward 25. Likewise the cliffs are alike high about Calais and Dover, and of the same matter and colour. My opinion is, that the Shallowness in that place may peradventure be caused rather from the narrowness of the Sea there, and its being so near the place where the two floods meet, that come in at both ends of the Island (of which I spoke before) & so by degrees work up the sand, gravel, stones, &c here in heaps, which they wash from the ground, as they come along; and not from having been the Isthmus of England formerly. For I have been told by credible men, that between the Isle of Shepey and the continent of Kent, at the place where the two floods meet, that come in at both ends of the Island, there is the like shelf or shallow place, that lies cross from the continent to the Island, which no doubt is caused by the same means. But as to the likeness of the cliffs on both sides; I am able to say nothing of it.  
It is reported that at Sellenge and Egerton, about 40 years ago were medicinal waters.  
Cranebrook hath the name for good Beer.  
It is reported, that there are no moles in the Isle of Shepey, and that if they be carried over thither (as it hath been tried) they will not live.  
The Isle of Thanet is all Chalky, and hath the name for the best Barley. Query Whether Chalky land be not the most natural soil for Barley.  
Tenham, and the parishes in that level, are very unhealthful. The reason is, because they stand low, and among the marshes. And another reason may be, because theearth there is very rotten, and quagmiry, and therefore is apt to mix with the Spring-waters that issue from it, and corrupt them.  
The River Stoure, that runs through Canterbury, breeds the best Trout in the Southeast parts of England.  
At Boxley Abbey, about two miles from Maidstone, is a Spring, the water whereof (as it is reported) in nine days will turn sticks, and such like wood into stone.  
In the Parish of Lewesham, about six miles from London, is a Medicinal water. It was found about the year 1651, and hath been since much frequented. Taken in a good plentisull quantity, it purgeth gently by urine and siege. It riseth on a great Common, upon the descent of the highest hill in that part of Kent, and is supposed to issue from an Aluminous earth.  
I spoke before of the earth sinking at Mottingham. I have since viewed the place, and find the Country to be all a gravelly lose earth, according to my Hypothesis. The hole where the earth sunk in, lies in a watercourse, and is since by degrees filled up with that sulledge that great rains bring into it.   

GLOUCESTERSHIRE.  
THe hilly part of this County (called Castwald) abounds with fine wool, small sheep which are long-necked, and square of bulk, and bone) and hath a very pleasant air: The low parts of it are exceeding fruitful and rich in Corns, so that (as Cambden saith) it returns an hundred for one. The parts about Bristol afford great store of Coals that cake as New Castle Coal doth, but yet differ from it, as I have already said. The Northern parts of it are as abundant in fruit; And the Apple trees and Pear trees that grow in every hedge, are not graffed, but grow naturally, by reason the ground is so inclined to bear fruit; Yet the fruit for beauty and taste far exceeds all others, and will keep till a new supply come; Yea some of them will not whither or rivel in a whole year. The part of Gloucestershire beyond the River of Seavern (called the Forest of Dean) is stored with Iron Mines.  
Speed tells us further, that this Shire is very full of Vineyards, which thrive very happily, and bear very pleasant Grapes; so that the Wines made of them are little inferior to the French Wines.  
The River of Seavern is very swift, and there is a daily rage and sury of its waters, raising up the Sands and Mire from the bottom, winding and driving them upon heaps, & sometimes overflowing her banks. And the force of this rage is such, that it will overturn a Vessel, if it take it on the side.  
Tewksbury hath a name for excellent mustard.  
About the Choir in the Cathedral Church of Gloucester in an Arch of it, there is a wall built in form of a Semicircle full of corners; and if a man speak with a very low voice, at the one side, or end of it, and another lay his ear to the other, being a good way distant, he may very easily hear every syllable, theotherspeaks. This whispering place I have seen, and surveighed very carefully. It is in the form, that I have described here.  
A C D E F B is the passage of the voice, or whispering place. At A and B are the two persons to stand that whisper to each other. At D the middle of the passage is door and entrance into a Chapel, with Window Cases on each side of the door, if I remember right. The Chapel is in the place I describe it. And to my best remembrance there are one or two places open upward in the roof of the passage. My opinion is, that the Chapel standing so in the middle, much conduceth to the conveying of the sound so entirely, which is helped by the open places in the roof I speak of. For they seem to draw in the voice, wchelse would not so welenter into that narrow passage, but reverberate back into that broad open place, before the whispering entry. And one thing which makes me think the Chapel doth a great part of the Work, is, for that we see in Viols. Lutes, and other Musical instruments, there are holes cut into the belly of the instrument, just under the playing or striking place, which we find by experience do much augment the noise of the notes, and make them more audible. But in this, and most other things, I say, I give but my poor judgement, submitting it to the censure of the learned.  
At Stroud (commonly called Stroud-water) they die Scarlet; the Water there (as they say) having a peculiar property to give the right tincture, which other waters generally want. So much variety there is in Water, according to the several Earth's that they pass through.  
No Snakes or Adders to be found about Badminton; I suppose the cause to be the barrenness and coldness of the Land the reabout; for Snakes are bred out of rich, fat, and hot mould, or mud (whence we find them commonly about ditches, and low, rich, shady grounds, lurking under long grass) of which this Country affords no great plenty. Besides being an open Country, it wants that shade and shelter that they delight in.  
In the fields about Badminton are found many times Cylindrical stones, long and round, like a man's finger. The inner part of them is like flint, somewhat pellucid, and of a sad brown colour, and it is enclosed round on the outside with a whitish Putamin, like Flint too.  
About Badminton also are several holes (called Swallow-holes) where the Waters (after any great shower of rain, or in Winter, when their Springs run) fall into the bowels of the earth, and are seen no more, nor is it known whether ever they rise again. The most remarkable of them are one or two, in the way between Badminton and Acton Farfeild. All that I can say to them yet, is, that in a Clayie and slatty Country, if there be any inlets and passages into the Earth by reason of its discontinuity here and there, they are likely enough to be kept open, because such kind of earth is not apt to moulder with wet, and fall in, and so damn them up.  
At Alderley (saith Speed) a Country Parish 8. miles from the Severn, upon the hills, to this day are found Cockles, Periwinkles, and Oysters of solid stone. This place being but four or five miles from Badminton, the seat of that noble Family, that I have the honour to be a servant to, I have very diligently examined, and found it thus: The place where the stones are found, is partly a Sand, and partly a Clay; Cockles I found, but neither Periwinkles nor Oysters: But though I found not them, yet instead of Periwinkles I found many Serpentine stones (or Snake stones, as they call them thereabout) flat, resembling the banner of Dan, as it's given in the Genealogies at the beginning of some of our English Bibles And instead of Oysters, I found Scallops, perfect fragments of them I mean (pardon the seeming contradiction) which I conceive had been broken with Ploughing: They were exactly ridged in rows at certain short distances, just like a Scallop-shell. Moreover, an honest inhabitant of the parish bestowed upon me a whole Scallop, that is somewhat bigger than the ordinary size of Scallops, with a perfect shell upon it, ridged (as is before said) very naturally, and having an irregular piece of stone growing to it. No man that looks upon it, would at first sight imagine it to be other than a true Scallop-shell, so curiously it represents it in its colour, and only exceeds it a little (as I said) in its dimension. Besides these, I found other figured stones, some resembling very much the Musclefish; but they were somewhat bigger too, than what they were like; and others like the kernel of an Almond, long, and somewhat roundish, with two edges opposite to each other, and they were streaked and cranked like a Cockleshell. Other little stones I found, somewhat bigger than a Hazelnut, and some much less, that were cranked in like a Cockleshell, but deeper, and not so thick together as a Cockle-shel: Some of them did resemble also the Cockle very near, others not so much; yet all did so sufficiently differ from the form of it, at the supposed opening place of the Cockle, that a man may easily judge that they never were Cockles; for there the two shells were bend up in the fashion almost of a blobber-lip. And that which is not unworthy our consideration, is, that they are few of them like one another; some being flatter, others more round; some have the lip more turned up, others less. They have upon them a whitish shining shell, and within they are (for some I have broken) a mass of little particles, of a pellucid matter (somewhat like Alabaster) grown hard together. The Country hereabout for some miles round upon the hills, affords many of these last sort of stones; for I have found them in gravel that was digged in Badminton, and sometimes I have found of them growing to great irregular stones about the Country. I have been told that about Sapworth by Sharston, there are abundance of them to be found. I found one of them in Witney Town, seven Miles from Oxford, upon a paved Causey: How it came there, I know not, nor had I time to inquire whether the Country thereabout afford any store, or any more of them. The Snake-stones I spoke of, have a perfect spina running all along the back of them (as those also at Keynsham have; but those at Keynsham are much bigger than these at Alderley, and lie in another manner) with little ridges (like ribs) on both sides of them, all along from the head without, to the tail within, in the form almost of a Roman S. and in this they agree with those of Keinsham too. Further, the outer part of this snaky wreath is divisible, and may be knocked off from the inner part of the wreath to which it is joined, without taking from it, or losing to it; so that it is not one entire Stone throughout, but is within, as it seems without, separable with a little violence; and in this too they agree with the Snake-stones of Keinsham. Lastly, on the outside they have a kind of scale, thin and shining, as if it were a little polished; in some whitish like Alabaster; in others brownish, of the colour of a dried Eel-skin; and in others again of a dirty yellow colour, inclining something to red. My opinion of all these stones, for many reasons, is that they are not Shellfish petrified (as some would have them to be, who think that upon the ebb of the deluge these fish were left upon the tops of hills, and turned to stone by degrees, wanting their former moisture to keep them soft within, like other Shelfish.) For first, they are all solid within, without any cavity, even the Muscles, Cockles, and Scallops. Again, some of the Muscles, Cockles, and Scallops, are a great deal bigger than true ones. Thirdly, the Snake-stones are without heads generally, if not all; for as for those appearances of heads which some fancy at the outer end of some of them, I take them rather for irregular pieces of stone, and as it were attempts of Nature to continue the wreath further on; but as all works of Nature are finite, she being here at her Ne-plus-ultra, is not able to produce what she would, but doth what she can toward it, which is but an imperfect Lump, even as a weak Womb produces a Mooncalf. Fourthly, some of these Mockfish have but half their shapes, the other part being an irregular and deformed Mass, Nature as it were failing in her Workmanship, for want of fit matter in that place. Nay one of the Snake-stones I gathered, hath a Segment (as I may call it) of another less Snake so joined to the side of it, that there can be no room for the other side of the Segment, but in the very body and bulk of the greater. And one of the Cockles I gathered (being indeed but half a Cockle, nothing but one Cockle-shel, with a lump of irregular stony matter in the cavity of it) hath within the hollow of the shell almost joining to it, another little Cockle-shel peeping (as it were) out of that irregular stony matter I speak of. Fifthly, these stones are not so absolutely like those creatures they would seem to represent petrified as they should be; for there is an apparent difference between the Muscle stone, and the true Muscle of the sea, both in the shape of the stones, and in the cranking of it; for it is cranked like a Cockleshel almost, which the Muscleshel of the sea is not, unless perhaps there be some such Muscle of the sea which I never saw. Again, the stone which I said was like the kernel of an Almond, I know not what fish or creature to liken it to, unless it be a Snag without shell (such as are in Peason, and in Gardens at time of year) when his horns are drawn in, and his body is shrunk up; and yet it doth not so perfectly resemble that neither, because this is cranked on the side, and that is not. And yet further, those other little stones which I said were less than Cockles, with a lip turned up, are neither exactly like Cockles, nor any other Shellfish that I have seen, but seem, rather to be as natural stones, as Flints or Pebbles. But that which will put the matter quite out of doubt, is, that the Scallop which I said was given me, and which I have now by me, and intent to preserve for the satisfaction of the curious, is most manifestly different from the true Shellfish of the Name; for whereas the true Scallop hath one shell concave, and the other flat, both the pretended shells of this Scallop-stone are concave. So that unless there be a kind of Scallop which I never saw yet, this one stone is able to convince any man that these stones are not petrificatious. Natural there is no doubt they are, and such as now they are from the Creation; but how they came to put on such strange and imitating figures, is a secret we dare not meddle with, till we have satisfied Sir Francis Bacon's mind, by writing a complete History of Nature and Art. I only forget to tell you, that all these stones are found near the surface of the Earth; and if you dig any depth, you find no more of them; and that they are also to be found upon the Hil hetween Hilsley and Upton (about a mile from Alderley Southward) in the horse-way.  
In the Parish of Great Badminton, in a Field there, called, Twelve Acres, the Husbandmen do often times plough up, and find iron Bullets as big as Pistol bullets, and some almost as big as Musket bullets.  
At Tormanton, (commonly called Tormarton) by Sodbury is a Quarry of Freestone, and several others there are about the Country. All kinds of stone are not to be found in one kind of earth, but several soils afford several kinds of stone. Chalky Countries afford Flint; Sandy (if they find any) a great rough stone, generally (I think always) of the colour of the Sand where it is; Loamy, a kind of lightish red bastard Flint, such as is to be found in many places in the road way between Rochester and the top of Boxley-hill; Gravelly Pebbles, and clayie Countries, in some places afford hard, rough, whitish stone, and in other places Freestone, according to the difference of the Clay. It seems every soil is most apt to afford that stone that is most of kin, and nearest of nature to it. And therefore it may be, it is the less wonder that Chalky ground should afford Flint, because Flint (like all pellucid substances) being pulverised, becomes almost perfectly white like Chalk. I have no more to add of the Freestone of Tormarton, but that if it be nearly viewed with a diligent eye, it seems to be nothing but an infinite number of little Grains of Gravel cemented together into a Mass, which I think will be found true of all Freestone  
At Lassington a village about a mile and a half from Gloucester West or Northwest, on the fide of a hill, a little below the brow of it, in the high way are to be found little Star-stones, the Greeks call them Astroites. They are thin (about the thickness of a halfe-Crown,) flat and five pointed like a Star or Mullet in Heraldry, only the points of them are not sharp, but a little roundish, and most of them are not so big as a single half penny, though some are very near as big. Further they are of a grayish colour, and on both sides curiously graved (as it were by art with a fine graving instrument, & a neat hand) as if there were a little Mullet within the great. You shall find many of them joined together (flat fide to flat side) in little Columns, or Prismes an inch long or more, half a score or more of them together, and so fast, that you cannot sever them without breaking; though they are distinguished with a perfect line. I believe they were all knit together in such Columns at first, (even those which are found single) and that they were severed by frost, or some such piercing cause. Being told of these Rarities so nigh me, I took a journey to see the place, and gathered many of the stones, and found them such as I have told you. Being put into Vinegar they have a motion, as other Astroites have, though not so lively; I suppose because of the shortness, and roundishness of their points, in the form of which I conceive lies a great part of the cause of their motion. Some of these stones (like the stones at Alderly) are deficient in their figure, and have the defect supplied  
(or rather Super-supplied) with a rugged formless matter, hard like itself. I observed that the ground is a miry deep rotten Clay, and extreme bad way in Winter, and (which I wondered most of all at) there were here and there great Pebbles as big as a man's fist, or thereabout, mingled with this rotten earth, and by enquiry I found that this mixture of Pebbles was not from any mending of the high way, but the mere original nature of the Earth, for I found these Pebbles in the fields as well as in the high ways. So that since this thwarts, what we said but now of Pebbles being the natural companions of gravelly land, we are willing to grant, that (as in Grammar, so) in natural philosophy there is no general rule without an exception. Query, Whether in other places, where the Star-stones are found, as about Shugbury in Warwickshire, and Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, the earth be so rotten, deep and miry, and withal whether there be any such great Pebbles mixed with it, as here, and in particular inquire.  
At Purton passage over the River of Seavern, where the shore as it is reported, yieldeth these Star-stones also, but they are bigger, and the Columns of them longer then at Lassington. And indeed accordingly it is delivered to me, as a miry ousy shore in some places, and a quicksand in others, very dangerous for horse and man at low water, and one of the worst passages, over the River at those times.  
At Puckle Church (about 6 miles from Bristol) they dig a kind of Stone that is hard, bluish, broad and about half a foot thick, and so even, and the sides so parallel to each other, as if nature had intended it for Tombestones. The stones are many of them of a very great breadth, and lie some six or seven of them one under another in bed, and of about the same thickness all of them; and then they come to a light bluish Clay, belowwhich is no more of this stone to be found. The uppermost bed of the stone lies very near to the surface of the earth, so that in one place near the Town in the high way, a man rides for ten peirches or more, as if he road upon a pavement of broad stone; or rather upon one entire stone.   

OXFORDSHIRE.  
THis County (saith Speed) hath a wholesome temperate air, and rich soil.  
There are in one place of this shire Stones set up in a round Circle (like the Stonehenge) called Rollrich stones.  
The City of Oxford is a very healthful place, which Cambden thinks is, because it is defended from the South wind, and the West, but lies open to the North-East and East wind.  
On the descent of Heddenton hill near Oxford rises a spring, which runs down towards Kingsmill, a mill so called, lying over against Magdalen College. It is reported, that this spring hath a petrifying quality, and will in some short time, if a stick be laid in it, either turn it into stone, or wrap it in a stony crust.   

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.  
IN this Shire grows Beech in greater plenty, then in any, at least most Counties of England; and it grows most in the Chalky parts of it.  
The Sheep in the Vales of this Shire (saith Speed) have most excellent fine and soft fleeces.  
About Marlowe, when their land is worn out, they make it rich again with Chalking of it, so that it bears corn abundantly.   

Bedfordshire & Hartfordshire.  
BEdfordshire (saith Speed) hath temperate air, and in the North good soil, but the South not so good, yet it is excellent good for Barley. So that this County (as also her next neighbour Hartfordshire) hath the name for the best Barley in the Eastern parts of England.  
In the year 1399, just before the wars broke out between the two illustrious Roses of York and Lancaster, on New years day, the deep River that passeth between Suelstone and Harwood (two villages not far from Bedford Town) called Ouse, suddenly ceased its course, and stood still; so that forward men passed three miles together on foot in the very depth of the Channel, and backward the waters swollen up to a great height, which some judicious men observing, conceived was an ill omen of that division, which followed shortly after between K. Richard the second, and his people. I dare not be surety for the truth of every circumstance of this story, yet I believe the main of it may be true. But I cannot conceive how so strange a thing should come about, unless it were by a sudden frost (the time of the year being seasonable for it) which might congeal those waters that fed the stream, at their first issuing out of the earth at the head of the River, the rest of the water in the mean time passing away down, because being in motion they were not so capable of congelation. Notwithstanding the story mentions not a word of frost, which peradventure might be the cause of it for all that; the custom of those that tell such strange stories, being prudently to conceal those particulars that are likely to bewray the natural cause, and spoil the miracle; It being as natural to the generality of visible creatures, to love being the Authors of wonderful relations as to laugh.  
There was in time past an odd story of K. Offa's leaden Tomb, (which was once in Bedford Town) that it appears often to them that esek it not, but cannot be seen of them that seek it. But whether the report continue still, I know not.  
At Aspley-Gowiz near Woburn is an earth, that they say turneth wood into stone, and that a wooden ladder was to be seen in the Monastery hard by, which having lain a good while covered all over with it, was digged out again all stone.  
Dunstable stands upon a Chalky ground, having four streets, & in each of them it hath a pond, which is fed with rain, and hath no Spring (for they have never a well in the Town under twenty four Cubits deep) and yet these ponds are never dry.  
In our remembrance (saith Cambden) near Fishpoole-street in Saint Alban certain Anchors were digged up: This is a very strange thing indeed, and very well worth the Ventilating It puts me in mind, of what the Poet Ovid sings in the person of Pythagoras of Samos,  
— Vetus inventa est in montibus Anchora summis.  
On tops of hills old Anchors have been found.  
There is near St. Alban a Brook called Wenmere, or Womere, which never breaketh out, but it foretelleth dearth and scarcity of Corn, or else some extraordinary dangerous times shortly to ensue, as the Common people believe. See what we have said of the river Kennet in Wiltshire, touching the breaking forth of unusual Springs. If now that it is a brook and runs but seldom, it be of so ill portent, let them that have a mind to smile, say, of how fatal a signification it was, when it was a river, and a Navigable one too, as the Anchors before mentioned seem willing to persuade us.  
At Ashwell in Hartfordshire rise so many sources of Springs together, that they presently drive a Mill, and become a pretty big River. See before, what we said of the Spring at Chedder in Sommersetshire.   

MIDDLESEX.  
THe air of this Shire is healthful (as being all a gravel) and the soil rich, as being generally flat and level, and having a ready help at hand, the fat compost of a populous City.  
At Barnet are medicinal waters, very famous.  
Heston a small village near Harrow on the Hill, is very famous for yielding the purest flower for Manchet.  
The water of Crowders Well (saith the Author of Tactometria) on the back side of St. Giles by Cripplegate, and that of the Postern Spring on Tower Hill, have a very pleasant taste like that of new milk, and are very good for sore eyes. But Crowders well is far better of the two. An ancient man (saith the same Author) in London whensoever he was sick, would drink plentifully of this Crowders well water, and was presently made well again; and whensoever he was overcome of drink he would drink of this water, which would presently make him sober again.  
The Stews by the Bankside (saith Cambden) in Southwark were made to feed Pikes & Tenches sat, and to scour them from their muddy Fennish taste. I have seen (saith he) Pikes paunches opened with a knife to show their fatness, and presently the wounds have come together again by the touch of tenches, and by the help of their glewy slime been perfectly healed up.  
The shore of this Shire is washed by the goodly River of Thames, which glidts along with a much more clear and gentle stream then the river of Severn. The cause of the clearness of the Water, is its running in a gravelly Valley, and over a clear ground, Gravel being unapt to mix with Water, when it is stirred, and too heavy to swim very far along with it. The River of Severn (as also the River of Avon that runs from the Bath, and by Bristol) is on the contrary a very muddy troubled Water, because it washes a miry and oozy shore almost all along. For the gentleness of the Current in the Thames, we are to know there are two principal causes of it, the great winding of the River, which locks in the Water that it cannot make that haste down to sea, that it would; and the low lying of the head Springs of it, from whence there is but an easy descent to the sea. And I think it is not amiss to note here, that this easy descent of the Waters to the seaward, is another reason why the tide flows up so high into the heart of this River. For who sees not, that the more steep the River, the less way is the Tide able to force its way up into it? Swift Rivers have always their Heads lying high, or their course direct, or both. Indeed in case swift Rivers do, or did at first run winding to, and again; yet if their Springs lie high, they will in process of time by their violence pair away the Promontories of their banks, (unless they be rocky and stubborn) and make their way straighter.  
There are in the Thames three other things worth observation, to wit, its Spring-Tides, its overflowing its banks, and its strange shifting of Tides at some times; touching all which (because it falls not unhandsomely into this place) I shall deliver my conceptions, in regard I have (I think) something to say to them, which I never yet read, And first, for the Spring-Tides in the Thames and other Rivers (which are higher Tides then ordinary, that happen about every full and change of the Moon) the great French Philosopher Des-Cartes, endeavours in his Principia Philosophiae, to give us the reason of them, by framing a most ingenious Hypothesis (too long here to set down) and telling us from the Theoric of the Moon, that the Moon moves so in her Ellipsis, or Oval-fashioned Orb about the Earth, that at her full and change she comes nearer the earth, and in each Quarter goes farther from it; whence (according to his Hypothesis) greater Tides must be at full and change, and neap or low Tides at the Quarters. All which is for the most part true indeed; and without doubt the Moon her nearness at the Full and Change, is the cause of the Spring-Tides then, even as the Moon's being further off at the Quarters, makes the neap-tides then; but there is another thing considerable in the business, which Des-Cartes never considered, and which I fear he never knew; that is, that the springtides come not just upon the day of the Full and Change, but follow two or three days after (and so do the Neaps too after the Quarters) which is against him, and seems to shake his Hypothesis, I mentioned, that makes the Springtides and Neaps to fall just on thedays of the Change, Full and Quarters. To untie this knot, than I conceive the cause why the Springtides are at the highest two or three days after the Full and Change, and not on the very day, etc. is the same with that why the sharpest pinching time of Winter comes not just at the shortest day, when the Sun is at the lowest, but in January, about a Month or five Weeks after: Why also the coldest time of the night is not at midnight, but about break of day: Why the hottest time of Summer is in July, a Month or five Weeks after the solstice; and why the hottest time of the day is not just at noon, but about two or three a Clock in the afternoon. To illustrate the reason of which, let us suppose a large Cistern which hath a Cock towards, or at the bottom of it, that constantly lets out six. Gal. of water (if there be so much in the Cistern) in a certain space of time; and over the Cistern suppose another Cock that conveys Water from some other place into this Cistern, and which runs at first but very slowly, but after by degrees faster and faster, till at length it let in eight Gallons of water in the same space of time that the cock below (as we said) lets out six Gallons: And further, let us suppose that the cock above, after it hath continued running for some small time after the rate of eight Gallons doth decrease, by the same degrees (that befote it increased by) to seven Gallons, and so to six, five, four, and so less and less, till at length it quite give over running. There is no man, I think, but will say, that this Cistern will be fuller of Water when it hath decreased from eight Gallons, in a space to seven Gallons, and yet fuller when it is decreased to six Gallons and a half, then when it was at seven; and fullest of all just before it is decreased to six Gallons in a space, because till that time there comes more Water into the Cistern at the one Cock, than there goes out at the other. Even so. though the heat of the Sun simply considered in its self, be not so great about the middle of July, as at the solstice in June, because he is descended lower; yet because the heat that the Sun pours in the air every day, is greater than the cold which his absence causeth by night, nothing can follow thereupon, but an increase of the heat. And the like may be said of afternoon heats; January after-winters', morning colds, and springtides coming behind the Fulls and Changes.  
In the next place, the Thames overflowing its banks proceeds from several causes, as from great rains, whereby the fresh Waters increase up the River, and going down to seaward, are encountered by the Flood, whence they must needs swell above their usual height; of which there was a notable example in the year 1555. when by reason of excessive rains that had fallen, all St. George's Fields in Southwark, and Westminster-Hall were overflown. Again, inundations of the Thames may be caused by boisterous Northwest Winds, which cause generally very great Tides, not only in the River of Thames, and at the mouth of it, but on the coast of Holland, Flanders, Picardy, and the shores of England opposite to them. And this is, because that wind doth with equal force blow in the Tide of flood at both the ends of this Island, Westward and Northward, as is partly touched before. But thirdly, there may be peradventure another cause of great Tides and inundations in the Thames, which is not yet commonly taken notice of; and that is, the Moons being in the Perigaeon of her Eccentrick, or in that part of her Orb which is nearest to the earth. For if (as we said before) the Moons coming nearer the earth at her Full and Change, make the Spring-Tides, and her withdrawing herself farther from the Earth at her Quarters, make the neap-tides, methinks it should follow (but I would have it observed further) that if to the proximiority which the Moon hath to the earth by moving in her Ellepsis, there be added that proxiomiority which she hath in her Eccentrick (the Astronomers call it sometimes her Opposite Auge) she should operate so much the more extraordinarily upon the Sea, and make the higher Spring-Tides at such Full or Change; and on the contrary, that when she is estranged from us by a double elongation, to wit, of the Quarter in her Ellepsis, and of her Auge in her Eccentrick, she should operate so much the more weakly then ordinary, and at that quarter make a slack Neap. I have observed it somewhat myself, and found it hit, so far as I was able to judge; but I dare not trust my own single observation, especially because I observed it not long, and never could so constantly as I should. There rests only one doubt in this matter, which I profess I know not what to say to it; and that is, that the Moon comes down lower to the earth in herEccentrick, then in her Ellepsis (pardon the oddness of the expression, for I confess her Ellipsis is her Eccentrick) and yet her less approximations at the Full and Change, make the great Tides, whereas her great Eccentrick approximations make less alterations in them without doubt, and (it may be) no alterations at all.  
Lastly, in the Thames there happens at some times strange shifting of the Tides, which is vulgarly reckoned a great Prodigy, because it happens but seldom; and yet I believe it hath a natural cause, as well as other common effects, and would be as common as they, if its cause were as common. Now for the finding out the cause we speak of, we shall give you a Catalogue and History of several of these shift that have happened, according to the relation of our Chronicles.  
Octob. 12. 1411. the Thames flowed thrice in one day.  
Anno 1550. Decemb. 17. being Thursday, the Thames flowed and ebbed three times in nine hours below the Bridge. It should have been either Wednesday the 17th. or Thursday the 18th. The Historian was only out in the day.  
Anno 1564. January the 26. being Friday at night were two Tides in two hours, at London-Bridge. The next day were likewise two in the morning, and two at night. On Sunday January the 28. were two Tides in the morning, and at night but one (as it used to be) and so continued.  
Anno 1574. November the 6. in the morning, there happened two great Tides at London in the Thames; the first by course, the other within an hour after, which overflowed the Marshes, with many Vaults and Sellers near adjoining.  
Anno 1608, and 609. February the 19 being Sunday, it should have been dead low Water at London-Bridge, but than it was high Water, and presently it ebbed almost half an hour to a foot depth, and then suddenly it flowed again almost two foot higher than it did before, and then ebbed again till it came near the right course; so that the next flood began in a manner as it should, and so continued. All his (saith the Chronicler) happened before 12. of the clock at noon, the Wether being in different calm.  
Anno 1609, & 10. February the 6. was strange shifting of the Tides in the Thames again.  
Anno 1622. & 23. January the 3d. being Friday in the morning, the Thames shifted four Tides within five hours, viz. Two Floods, and two Ebbs, and then kept its right course. Thus farout of our Chronicles; to which I shall add two other instances that happened of late years. Viz.  
Anno 1653. & 4. on Candlemas day the Thames ebbed and flowed thrice in six hours; and the like shifting of the Tides was observed in the Maritine places of Kent at the same time, as I was assured by many Seamen.  
Lastly, Anno 1656. Octob. 3. the River of Thames ebbed and flowed twice in three hours. For this we are beholding to C. Wharton's Gesta Britannorum, in his Almanac.  
Which instances if we particularly examine, we shall find, that in all of them the tides were very slack, and in a manner at the very neapest; and (which is not inconsiderable) that in all of them (except two, viz. 1574 and 1656. the Moon was in Apogaeo about three or four days before the shifting, to make them (if possible) the more neap and slack. And in my Diary of observations for 1654. (in whichyear I was an exact observer of the Wind and Wether) I find against the second of February, and the days before and after it, 1653. & 54. that the Wind blew hard at Northwest. In all the other examples abovenamed, I cannot inform myself how the Wind was, no not in 1622. & 23. though Kepler hath set down the Wether for that year, because he hath said nothing at all of the wind. And in 1656. though I was an observer that year too; yet being in October afflicted with a fierce Quartan, which had siezed me the August before, my observations for that Month are very imperfect, both as to Wind and Wether too, so that I am at a loss how the Wind was then. Nevertheless, by that little light we have from the example mentioned in 1653. & 54. I cannot but think that the cause of the shifting of the Tides is only the overbearing of their course when they are at their slackest, by a Northwest Wind, which is the most powerful Adversary they can have upon our coasts, as is said before. For if a slow ebb be encountered full in the teeth with a hard storm, what can follow but a return of the Tide back again? And if the Northwest Wind either abate its fierceness, or shift into some other quarters, as the South-west, or North-east for some short time, and then either return to its former place, or resume its former force, and do thus once, twice, and again, (which we know is not inconsistent with the nature and custom of the wind off at sea; though at Land its wander are not altogether so sensible) we shall easily believe (seeing so plain a reason for it) that there will be a playing of the Tide to and fro, and several floods and ebbs succeeding one another in a few hours space. And it may be this shifting of the Tides is the more notable in the Thames, because of its gentle ebb to Seaward, which is the more easily turned; whereas a swift Current in a River would prevail over these irregularities. But let further observation be made, how the Wind is disposed at the next shifting of the tides that happens, which (forsome private reasons) I conceive will be in the next year, 1661. if not this Winter, 1660.  
I forgot to say in its due place, that several great inundations speak in favour of my opinion touching the Moon in Perigaeo, her greatning the Tides. For I can assure you, that for that great Flood Anno 1530. November 5, on which was made this Distich.  

Anno ter deno cum sequi mille, Novembris  
Quinta stat salsis Zelandia totasub undis:   
That in the year 1551. & 1552. January the 13. that horrible one 1570. on All-Saints day the first of November, and that not able one in the year 1606. & 7. January the 20. the greatest that was ever known in Severn, and so fatal to Somersatshire, Glocestershire, and Monmouthshire; they were all when the Moon was in Perigaeo, as he that lists to caloulare or search the Ephemerideses for those years, will find.  
I have heard it reported, (but I would have further trial made) that the water of the Postern-spring on Tower-hill, being let stand for several days to settle, will have in the bottom of it a yellow sediment, much resembling Brimstone both in colour and substance.   

ESSEX.  
THeair of thisshire is temperate, only towards the Sea it is aguish: The Soil is for the most part good, but in somparts so fruitful, that after three years Gleab of Saffron (which they plant much in the North part of the shire) the Land for 18. more will yield plenty of Barley, without any dung or compost at all; and so Saffron again. Which Saffron (saith Cambden) in the month of July every third year, when the heads thereof have been plucked up, is after twenty days spitted, or set again under mould, and about the end of September it puts forth a bluish Flower out of the middle whereof hang three red chives of Saffron, which are gathered before sunrise, and being plucked out of the Flower, are dried at a soft fire; every acre of ground making 80. or 100 weight of moist Saffron, which being dried, is some twenty pound.  
Near Tilbury (over against Gravesend) there are such pits as those spoken of before in Kent, of ten fathom deep in a chalky ground, and of the same form.  
At the mouth of the Thames lies the little Isle of Canvey, the Mutton whereof is much commended for its sweetness.  
The salt-water about Harwich maketh all their springs brackish.  
At Barklow (saith Speed) grows an Herb called Dane-wort, very plentifully, that beareth red Berries, which is held by the common people to spring from Danes-blood. This Herb is no other than that which Herbarists called Dwarf-Elder; it grows in sundry other places of England, as namely in the high way between Babchild and Greenstreet, at a place called Radfield, near Sittingburn in Kent.  
Walfleet in this shire is commended for the excellent Oysters it sends to the City of London. In the time of Rich. the 2d in the Eastern Promontory of this County, very huge teeth were found; and not far from thence in the reign of Qu. Elizabeth, extraordinary huge bones were digged up. They are thought to have been the bones and teeth of some Elephant buried there by their loving Masters the Romans.  
In the year 1580. at Alhallantide, an Army of Miceso overrun the Marshes in Denge-Hundred, near Southminster, that they eat up the Grass to the very Roots, and so poisoned it with their teeth, that a great Murrain fell upon the Cattle that grazed there. But at length a great number of strange painted Owls came (no man knows whence) and devoured all the Mice. The like vexation was at the same time in Kent, saith Stow. It is reported, that in 1648. there happened the like again in Essex. But of this we have discoursed somewhat largely already in Cornwall.   

SUFFOLK.  
THis County is most of it Clay and rich Marl, and the air so good, that it is by some Physicians thought to be the best in England, especially about Bury: It yields much Butter and Cheese; the Butter excellent good, but the Cheese far inferior to that of Cheshire: It is thought (not without reason) that the goodness of the one, spoileth the other.  
In the year 1555. (saith Speed) which was an unseasonable year, that the Corn through England was choked and blasted in the ear, such a crop of Peason without tillage, or sowing, grewin the Rocks between Oxford and Aldbrough, where never Grass grew, or earth was ever seen, but hard Rocks three yards deep under their Roots, that in August there were gathered above a hundred quarters, and there remained as many more in blossoming. Cambden says the same, but that the Peason grew about the end of September, and brought down the price of Corn, whereas before there was a great Dearth. Query, whether there grow not Peason in the same place every year (though it may be in wet years, such as 1555. proved in Harvest, they grow up more plentifully.) because Herbarists say that they are a distinct sort of Pease (differing from our common Garden and Field-Pease) and love to grow on such desert shores near the sea side, as is said before in Kent about Sandwich and Dengeness, where they grow every year, and never miss.  
Ralph Coggeshall (an old Author) reports, that near Oxford, about the year 1187. a fish in all parts like a man, was taken and kept 6 months in the Castle there, whence he escaped again to sea. Story saith he was taken in a Fisherman's Net. A story much like this we have in the life of Periskius, written by the learned Gassendus, which compared with this, makes me give a little credit to that which Pliny reports, that a Triton or Manfish was taken on the shore of Portugal, and that another was caught in the straits of Gibraltar. But I give not the like credit to the fable of Nubrigensig touching two green boys of the kind of Satyrs, that should rise out of the ground at Wulpit, coming from the Antipodes.   

NORFOLK.  
THis County hath a sharp air, especially in in the Champion, and near the Sea, and the Spring and Harvest are late. The soil is in many places good, but it is generally Olayie, or a fat Chalk. And though it be healthy in some places, yet by compasture of sheep the heaths are made mighty rich for Corn; and when they are laid again from bearing of Corn, they yield a sweeter and more plentiful feed for sheep. This County also yields good store of Honey and Saffron; but the best Saffron is about Walsingham.  
The inhabitants of this Country (as Cambden relates) are observed to be naturally very capable of the niceties and quirks of the Law; and those of them that bend their studies that way, prove generally the best Lawyers. They are also (he saith) of a passing good complexion.  
In the shore of this County every September is a great fishing for Herring, it being the nature of that Fish in great shoals to dance out once a year about our Island, and keep its duetime & season upon the same shores (unless its course be a little retarded by storms and foul weather) coming from the Sea into our narrow Seas by the North of Scotland, and going out again by the Lands end of Cornwall, and taking this shore in its way in September. It is reported, that Herring are not where more plentiful then on the coast of England.  
The River Bure in this shire is incredibly full of fish. For the finding out the cause of this, enquiry should be made what kind of soil the head springs issue from, and what kind of shore it washes. Generally the slowest Rivers (caeteris paribus) are fullest of fish. And this I take to be one reason why the Thames is more pisculent, or full of fish then the Severn.  
The River You're by Norwich is very full of a kind of fish called Ruffs, which (saith Cambden) have a body all over rough with sharp & pricky fins. It delights in sandy places like the Perch, and is as big; in colour brown and duskish above, but of a palish yellow beneath: it is marked by the chaws with a double course of half circles; the eye for the upper half of it is of a dark brown; for the nether part of it somewhat yellowish, the ball of it black; and there is a line goes along the back, which is fastened to the body as it were with an overthwart thread; it is all spotted over the tail and fins with black speckles; when the fish is angry, the fins stand up stiff; and after its anger is over, they fall flat again. It is a very wholesome Fish, and eats tender and short, and tastes like a Perch. One cause of its tenderness I conceive to be its roughness without, and the sharp prickliness of its fins. Even as it is probable that the tenderness of venison is caused by the separation of so great a quantity of hard matter, as the horns of the beast consist of, from the Mass of the body. This Ruff is a very rare fish to be found in other Rivers. Query, whether the banks of Rivers that produce peculiar fish, do not produce peculiar plants, because the peculiarity of the fish seems to proceed from a peculiar tincture of the Water, which it cannot have but from the earth.  
St. Bennets in the Holm hath such fenny and rotten ground about it, that (saith Cambden) if a man cut up the Roots or Strings of Trees, etc. it floateth aloft on the Water, and follows one whithersoever he pleases. Hereabouts also are Cockles and Periwinkles sometimes digged up out of the earth, which makes some think that formerly it was overflowed with the sea.  
The ground about Winterton (like that of Bricatium in afric, mentioned by Pliny) is the richest, fattest, rottenest, and easiest to plough of any in England.  
Upon the shore of this shire Jet and Amber are often found; and sometimes Hawks are taken.   

Cambridgeshire.  
THis County by reason of the Fens hath but a sickly air. The soil yields very good Barley and good store of Saffron.  
The herb called Scordium (or Water-Germander) groweth very plentifully in the Fens. Of this they make that well known Cordial and Diaphoretic called Diascordium.  
In the Country about the Fens (saith Speed) waterfowl is so plentiful and cheap, that five men may be well satisfied with that kind of fare for less than a half penny.  
In the Fens, when they have mown their lid (as they call it) that is their grass, which is exceeding rank, as much as will serve their turns, they set fire on the rest in November, that it may come up again in abundance. An Advertisement for Graziers in other Counties.   

Huntingtonshire.  
THe hilly part of this County is for the plough, and the valley for pasture, which is reckoned as good as any in England. The inhabitants burn much turf, which they have in good plenty from the adjacent moors.  
At Ayleweston in this shire are two little Springs, the one fresh, the other somewhat brackish. The latter they say is good for Scabs and Leprosy: and the other for dim sights.  
Wittlesmere-lake, and other Meers near it in this Shire do sometimes in calm and fair weather, suddenly rise tempestuously with water-quakes; by reason (as some think) of vapours breaking violently out of the earth. Which may well be, for the ground near it, is rotten and hollow.  
The Natives that dwell about these Meers are heathfull, and live very long, but strangers are subject to much sickness.   

Northamptonshire.  
THis County hath a wholesome air, and a very rich soil.  
By Collyweston in this shire slate stones are digged.  
The River Nen runs by the South side of Peterborough, in the middle of which (as William of Swaffham saith) is a gulf so deep and cold withal, that even in Summer no swimmer is able to dive to the bottom of it, yet in is never frozen in Winter; for there is a Spring, in it, whence the water always riseth and bubbleth up, and that keeps it from freezing.   

Leicestershire.  
THe air of this shire is mild and wholesome. and makes the inhabitants very healthful, and long lived.  
Near Lutterworth is a Spring so cold, that within a short time it turneth straw and sticks into stones.  
In the North parts of the shire are store of Pit Coals, which are of the nature of hardened Bitumen, saith Cambden.  
The people of Carleton (as both Cambden and Speed say) cannot pronounce their words well, but all of them in a manner have an ill-favoured untunable kind of Speech, fetching their words with much ado deep out of their throat, with a kind of wharling, whether it be by the nature of the soil or the water, or by some secret operation of nature. Thus say they, but I have heard from some that were this Country men, that it is Breson that is the Town of the Wharlers, and not Carleton.  
In the Rocks about Belvoir Castle is sometimes found the Astroits or Star-stone, resembling little stars joined one to another, wherein are to be seen at every corner five beams, and in every beam in the middle is small hollowness. The Astroites of Germany being put into Vinegar (saith Cambden) will move itself and turn round, but whether these of Belvoir will do so too or no, I never tried. I once saw an Astroite put into Vinegar, which moved according as Cambden would have it, but from whence it came, or where it was gathered I know not; only I am sure it was none of those of Lassington, for it was bigger much than they, and not so much wrought.  
At Barrow is digged the best Limestone in England, being extraordinary strong; Of which it may be was made the Mortar that they used in building in times past, which was in a manner as hard as the stone itself, as appears in the walls of Leicester and other Cities at this day.   

Nottingham. & Rutlandshires.  
THe air of Nottinghamshire is healthful; and the soil rich, being in some places clayie, and others sandy.  
In this shire are abundance of Pit Coals. Also  
Here grows a stone softer than Alabaster which being burnt makes a Plaster harder than that of Paris; And with this they floor their upper rooms, and when it is dry it becomes as hard as a stone.  
At Worksop grows the best Liquorice in these parts of England.  
In the Town of Nottingham are many rooms with the very Chimneys, Stairs, Windows, and the like, cut and hewn out of the Main solid Rock.  
Rutlandshire hath rich Land; but it is red, So that it stains the Wool of those Sheep that feed on it; into a reddish colour. The air is temperate, wholesome, and not subject to fogs.   

Derbyshire.  
THis shire (as most inland shires of England) hath a wholesome air, and in theSouth and East parts rich soil, but in the North and West hilly, with a black and mossy barren ground; Which two differing natures of soil are divided by the River Derwent. And this is in some places stained black with the soil and earth it passeth by.  
The Town of Derby affords excellent Ale; which kind of drink Turnebus saith is more wholesome, and contributory to long life then Wine; and that it is this that makes many of us live 100 years. Yet Asclepiades in Plutarch saith, it is the cold climate that keeps in the natural heat in our bodies, and makes us live 120 years. Thus saith Cambden. So much indeed is true, that within these 100 years (since the use of Beer hath increased among us, which was first known about the year 1524) we live not generally so great age as formerly.  
This shire is well stored with Millstones, Crystal, Alabaster and Whetstone; And in the Peak withPit Coal, Iron, & Lead; A metal which France wanteth.  
The Peak hath under it in many places close to the upper crust of the earth, Limestone; which makes it so fruitful, that there be in it green grassy valleys, and hills, which bear full Oats, and feed abundance of Cattle and Sheep.  
The Lead-stones in the Peak lie but just within the ground next to the upper crust of the earth. They melt the Lead upon the top of the hills that lie open to the West wind; making their fires to melt it as soon as the West wind gins to blow; which wind by long experience they find holds longest of all others. But for what reason I know not, lince I should think Lead were the easiest of all metals to melt, they make their fires extraordinary great.  
In the Mines and Quarries in the Peak (saith Cambden) is sometimes found a kind of white fluor very like Crystal.  
There is Stibiunt found in certain veins of earth in this shire. And if so (Speed is mine Author for it) I wonder I hear of no medicinal waters, near it. For I think Newenham Regis in Warwickshire is too far from it, and the waters of Buxton are not purgative, For  
At Buxton nine Springs arise out of a rock within the compass of eight yards, eight of which are warm, and the ninth very cold. These run from under a fair square building of free stone, and about sixty paces of receive another hot Spring from a Well enclosed with four flat stones; near unto which another very cold Spring bubbleth up. These waters (as daily experience showeth) are good for the stomach and sinews.  
There is a Cave (saith Speed) called Eldenhole, where (it is confidently affirmed) the waters that trickle from the top of that Cave, which indeed is very spacious, but of a low & narrow entrance, do congeal into stone, and hang like Icicles in the in the roof; and some are hollow within, and grow Taperwise towards their points; very white and something like Crystal.  
In the Peak Forrest, not far from Buxton, is a well that ordinarily ebbs and flows four times in an hour, or thereabout, keeping his just tides.   

Warwickshire.  
THis Shire is commended much for the wholesomeness of the air, especially the Town of Warwick. The soil is very rich; especially the Vale of Red Horse, which hath a red Earth, and affords great plenty of Corn.  
Here is also great store of Wool and Iron; especially about Bromicham.  
At Gofford-gate in the East part of Coventry hangs the shield bone of a wild Boar, far bigger than the greatest Ox bone, (it is very likely to be an Elephants) with whosesnout (as the tale goes, and you may believe it, if you please) the great Pit called Swainswell was turned up.  
At Shugbury are found the stones formerly mentioned in Glouceshershire, called Astroites, or Star-stones,  
At Lemington a Salt Spring riseth, though a great way off from the Sea.  
At Newenham-Regis are three Fountains, which it should seem, are strained through a vein of Allume. The water looks, and tastes like milk; it procures urine abundantly: it is very sovereign against the stone, and for green wounds, Ulcers, and Imposthumes: Being drunk with Salt it loosens the body, but with Sugar binds it. It turneth wood into Stone (saith Speed) which I myself saw by some sticks, that were fallen into it, some part of them ash, some part of them stone.   

Worcestershire.  
THis is a very pleasant County, and fertile especially the vale of Evesham. In some parts of it are many Salt Pits, and Salt Springs. It affords store of excellent Cheese. The hedgerows, and highways are beset with Pear-trees of which they make Perry, a very pleasant drink, but generally very cold and windy. But (saith Cambden) although the Pears be in such huge abundance, yet are they not so pleasing to the taste. Which if it be true, I much wonder at it. For certainly there is much reason to believe, that where fruit trees are planted in hedgerows and highways, their fruit should be better rellishred, than fruit of the same kind planted in Orchards within the shade of other trees; because those in hedgerows lie more open to the Sun, and that heat, that must concoct them to give them their true relish; though on the other side I deny not, that they are more subject to bsasting winds.  
The Seavern here affords great store of fresh water Lampreyes; they are (saith Cambden) like Eels slippery and blackish; but under their bellies something blue: they have no gills, but let in the water at seven holes on each side of their throat: in the Spring they are sweetest, and most etable; for in Summer the inner nerve, which serves them instead of a backbone waxeth hard. The Italians make a delicate dish of them, taking a Lamprey, and killing it in Malmsey: they close the mouth with a Nutmeg, and fill all the holes with as many cloves: then they roll it up, and put 〈◊〉- Nut-kernels stamped, crumbs of bread, oil, Malmsey, and Spices to it, and so they boil it with great care, and then turn it over a soft gentle fire of Coals in a frying pan. The reason why Seavern affords Lampreys I conceive is its muddiness, the Lamprey being a kind of Eel, that breeds and delights in mire. Other fish (as is before said) Seavern breeds not so plentifully, because as men thrive best in clear air, so sish in clear water; gross air choking the one, and thick water the other.  
At Droitwich are three Fountains of Salt water divided by a little Brook of fresh water passing between; by the boiling of which Salt water they make pure white Salt. Gervase of Tilbury (an Historian not rashly to be credited) saith, that these salt Springs are most salt between Christmas and Midsummer; and that the rest of the year they are somewhat fresh, and not so good to make Salt of; and that when the Salt water is run sufficiently for the use of the Country, the Springs do scarce overflow to any waist; and that at the greatestSaltness of it, it is not allayed by the nearness of the fresh water to it; and lastly, that it is found no no where near the Sea, Cambden doubts the truth of some of these affirmations, but of which he saith not: Only he saith, that the Salt is made from Midsummer to Midwinter, which is quite contrary to Gervase. Indeed if there be any difference in the saltness of these waters in several times of the year, they should I think, be fresher from Christmas to Midsummer; because that half year all Springs (but land Springs) are highest, & run most plentifully, by reason of the great wet season immediately foregoing, which must therefore more dilute the salt. And on the contrary the Springs between Midsummer and Christmas must be the lower, because of the drought just preceding I have heard Masons in Kent, that used to dig wells, say, that the Springs that feed their wells, are lowest about Alhollantide, and highest between Easter and Whitsuntide, for the very same reason I could wish some ingenuous native would bestow upon us, the perfect History of these Salt Springs in Worcestershire, and Cheshire. Some Philosophers trouble themselves much about the cause of the Saltness of the Sea. I think it needs not so much puzzle and ado. If there be salt Springs that run continually into the Sea, and no part of the saltness of the water (but that which is mere fresh) ascend in vapour at the Suns call, why should not the Sea be, and continue salt. There would rather be more fear, lest the Sea should grow salter and salter, by these Springs continually running into it, but that the Salinae on several shores of the world do rob it every day, besides other losses it sustains, and escapes that it makes through private passages in the earth.  
There is a report of a medicinal Water found out lately about Eckington-Bridge, about 7 miles from Worcester.   

Staffordshire.  
THe air of this shireiss very healthful, yet in the North parts and Moreland it is very sharp, the wind blowing cold, and the snow lying long. It affordeth good store of Albaster, Iron, Pit-Coale (Which is thought to be the Lapis Obsidianus of the Ancients, if it be at all in England, for it is hard, bright, light, and easy to be cloven in flakes, and being once kindled it burns away very quickly.) And Fish, whereof the River of Trent is full. The meadows of this shire are so moistened withstreams and rivers runningby them, that they look green in the middle of winter.  
In Pensneth Chase is a Coal-Pit, which (saith Cambden) was set on fire by a Candle through the negligence of a digger, the smoke of it is commonly seen, and sometimes the flame.  
In this shire there runs a hill a long, and so through the middle of England as far as Scotland, like the Apennine in Italy.  
In this shire they manuretheir land with Limestone.  
The people about Wotton by Wolverhil in Moreland observe, that when the wind sets West, it always produces rain; but the East and South wind, which elsewhere brew and bring rain, here bring fair weather; unless the wind turn from the West into the South; and this they ascribe to the nearness of the Irish Seas. This observation I fear is somewhat imperfect, and should be driven a little further by men able to make observation.  
If the River Dove overflow its banks, and run into the adjoining meadows in April, it makes them extreme fruitful. The reason of this is plain enough without further enquiry. Indeed some River's overflowing their banks enrich more, and others less, according to the fatness or hungryness of their water.  
The River Dove uses to rise extremely within twelve hours' space, but it will within the space of twelve hours return again within its banks: but Trent being once up, and over its banks, flows over the fields four or five days together, ere the supersluous waters can get away. Of this we have given an account already, speaking of the Thames and Seavern.  
The little River Hans runs under ground for three miles together.  
Cambden saith that Necham speaks of a Lake in Staffordshire (but where it is he cannot tell) that foreshews things to come by its roaring, and no wild beast will enter into it; but he thinks it is but a Fable. And  
Gervase of Tilbury tells us of another Lake in this shire, called Mahall, near a village called Magdalea, which if hunter's when they and their horses are tired do drink of, and give their horses of it, though it be in the hottest, and most scorching weather; they both become presently as fresh, as if they had not run at all. Likely to be as true as the former.   

Lincolnshire.  
IN this Shire upon the East and South parts the air is thick and foggy because of the Fens, etc. yet very moderate and mild; and the winds, that come from the raging Seas disperse those vapours, that they cannot much hurt. The North and West part of the shire is fruitful, but the East and South are brackish and fenny, yet extraordinary full of Fish and Seafowl; especially Mallards', which they take in August with nets.  
This Shire yieldeth Flax and Alabaster, and Plaster, which I think is that they call Plaster of Paris, or of that kind.  
The ground about Crowland is so rotten, that one may thrust a Pole into it thirty foot deep. Also  
The ground in Holland (apart of this shire so called) is so wet, that as one stands upon it, the earth will shake under his feet, and he will be ready to sink into it; Nor shall you beside the paved Causeys meet with somuch as a little stone in it. Here are also many quicksands, which have a wonderful force both to draw to them, and to hold fast that which they have drawn. Moreover the people here have no fresh water, but only rain water, and that in pits. Which if they be deep; becomes brackish presently; And if they be shallow they dry up as soon.  
About Barton upon Humber are abundance of Pewits, Godwits, Knots, (which are so called from Cnule the Dane, and are thought to have flown hither out of Denmark) and Dottrells, a sim ple kind of bird, much given to imitating. These Dottrells are caught by Candle light in this manner. The Fowler stands before the bird, and if he put out an arm, the bird stretcheth out a wing: If he holds out his head, or set forward his leg, the bird doth the like, and imitates the Fowler's gesture so long, till the Fowler drawing nearer and nearer by degrees, at length throws his net over him, and takes him.  
In the Isle of Axholme, grows a sweet kind of Shrub, called Galls, as also Pets in the Moors, (I know not what that is) and dead roots of Fir wood, which in burning give a rank sweet smell. Further there have been great and long Fir Trees found both in this Island, and at Laughton upon Trent: Also there is in this Isle much Flax and Alabaster; But the Alabaster is more fit for Plaster then any thing else, because it is brittle.   

Shropshire.  
THis County (saith Speed) hath wholesome temperate air, affording health to the inhabitants at all seasons of the year. This was verified in old Thomas Parr of Alberbury, who was 152 pears old, and died in the year 1635. The soil is generally fertile, standing most upon a reddish clay, and yields Pit Coals and Iron.  
At Wenlock in the time of Richard the second was found a rich Mine of Copper.  
Upon Cleehill grows the best Barley in the shire.  
At Pitchford is a Well (or Spring) in a private man's yard, whereon floweth a thick scum of liquid Bitumen; which being cleared and taken off one day, will have the like again on the morrow. Try (saith Cambden) whether this Bitumen be good for the falling sickness, and have a powerful property to draw and close up wounds, as that in Judaea is known to have. There is the like swimming of Bitumen in that lake in Judaea we speak of, called Asphaltites, supposed to be the place where Sodom and Gomorrha stood; as also in a standing water about Samosata, and in a Spring by Agrigentum in Sicily.  
Where the plot of the City Wroxcester lay, the earth is more blackish than elsewhere, and bears very good Barley.  
In the year 1551. April the 15. the English sweeting sickness broke forth first at Shresbury, and so dispersed itself over the whole land, and killed abundance, especially middle-aged people. The first time of this sweeting sickness was in the year 1485, saith Cambden, a little after a great Conjunction of the Superior Planets in Scropio. The second time (but more mildly, yet the Plague accompanied it) was Anno 1518, being 33 years after it, upon a great Opposition of the same Planets in Scorpio and Taurus, when it also plagued the Netherlands, and high Germany too. And the 3 time was 33 years after that again, viz. Anno 1551. the year now spoken of, when another Conjunction of those Planets in Scorpio took its effects, but we must crave leave to tell Cambden, that his pretended revolution of 33 years is not so; for the middle sweat was not in 1518, as he affirms it, but in 1517 as both Godwin and Stow tell us; though we confess, the Plague was in 1518. So that then there will be instead of 33 and 33, 32 and 34. And that which will do this revolution more mischief is, that there was a fourth sweat between the years 1517 and 1551, viz. Anno 1528, which Cambden never mentions; besides another fift sweat, that (if I be not mistaken) happened before 1517. Moreover whereas Cambden saith, that the sweat 1485 was a little after a great Conjunction of the superior Planets in Scorpio, if by the superior Planets he mean all the three, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars; that was not so. For neither did Saturn Jupiter Mars meet in the same degree of Scorpio, nor were all the three Conjunctions, which these three Planets made at that turn in Scorpio. It is true indeed the Conjunction, of Saturn, & Mars, was in Scorpio, about the 12th degree; but it was in November 1483, almost 2 years before that sweat which began in September 1485; And the Conjunction, of Saturn, & Jupiter was in Scorpio too, about the 20th degree, but that was almost a year before the sweat too, viz. about Alhollanday 1484: But as for the Conjunction, of Saturn, & Mars, that fell not in Scorpio, but about the 25 degree of Libra, and about Alhollandtide 1483, not far distant from the time of the Conjunct. of Saturn, & Mars; so that the sweat was neither after a Conjunction of the superior Planets in Scorpio, nor a little after any Conjunction of them. Again, neither was the sweat 1517. upon a great Opposition of the same Planets in Scorpio and Taurus, for the opposition of Saturn and Jupiter, which happened in Taurus and Scorpio, were all three of them in 1513. and 1514. and so was the opposition of Jupiter and Mars in Taurus and Scorp. in Novemb. 1513. about the first degree of those two signs. And for the opposition of Saturn and Mars; and conjunction of Saturn and Mars, which we grant happened both in one year, and during Saturn his abode in Scorp. too, they both fell in 1513. the one in March, and the other in December following. Nor let it startle any one that a conjunction of Saturn and Mars, and opposition of Saturn and Mars, should happen both, during Saturn his being in Scorpio; for those that know any thing in Astronomy, must needs know that Saturn never passeth through any sign (no not Gemini where he moveth swistest, because in Perihelio) but Mars gives him a conjunction and opposition constantly, before he can get out of it; nay sometimes he gives him two conjunctions, and sometimes three, beside the opposition, especially if he be near his Aphelium, as he is in Scorpio; and yet now he did not. Nor last, let any man start at the three oppositions of Saturn and Jupiter, that happened in 1513. and 1514. for all Astronomers know, that it is a very rare thing (or rather impossible) for an opposition of Saturn and Jupiter to happen single, they happening constantly every twenty years, and as constantly by three, of which the reason is plain to any versed in Calculations. So that it remains, that the Sweat 1517. neither followed upon such an opposition of the Planets, nor near it. Lastly, whereas he says, that the Sweat 1551. was when another conjunction of those Planets in Scorpio, took its effects, this is wider from the truth then all the rest; for there was no conjunction of the Superiors within six years of this Sweat: For example, the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 28. of Scorpio, happened in September 1544 and the conjunction of Jupiter & Mars, happened in the 27. deg. of Scorpio, in January 1543. and 44. And for conjunctions of Saturn and Mars in Scorpio, there happened none that year, (for the conjunction of Saturn and Mars that was, fell in the beginning of Sagitarius) though we confess there fell (to admiration) three conjunctions of Saturn and Mars in Scorpio, in the year 1542. (A very rare thing indeed, such a triple conjunction of those planets having never happened since till the year 1640.) But how Conjunctions should work seven or nine years after their celebration, and not before, is a secret in Astrology that I yet understand not. In the year 1632. was indeed a very great opposition of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in Taurus and Scorpio, the two Malevolents in Scorpio, opposing Jupiter in Taurus, the conjunction and two oppositions happening very near together; yet there happened in the years following, no such sweat as is pretended to be the effect of such conjunctions and oppositions; so that the Astrological cause of those contagious sweats lies yet in the dark. I would adventure something toward it here, but that it requires a distinct Treatise by itself. Fracastorius attributes this sweeting sickness to the Plaistriness of the soil here in England, (and yet it is so but in few places) and to the moistness of the weather in those years; but why it doth not reign constantly in such kind of soil in wet years, he saith not. Cambden thinks that this contagion hath been long before 1485 as rife in England as since, although it be not mentioned by Historians; that is not impossible indeed, for for that last Age wherein Saturn and Jupiter did use to meet in Scorpio, our Chronicles are very empty and uncertain.  
Eclipses of the Sun in Aries (saith Cambden) have been most dangerous to Oswestry; for in the year 1542, and 1567. when the Eclipses of the Sun in Aries, wrought their effects, it suffered great loss by fire; but most of all after this latter Eclipse; for there were then about two hundred houses burnt. A good observation indeed, but our Author observed not all; for that which is most remarkable is, that those two Eclipses happened within two degrees one of the other; so that it may be the Ascendent of Oswestry (as Astrologers speak) is about the 27. deg. of Aries. And peradventure the reason why the late Eclipse of the Sun in Aries, viz. 1652. March 29. had no influence upon Oswestry, was because it happened in the 19 deg. of Aries, 8. deg. distant from its Ascendent. This is further observable, (and it looks as if there were something in it) that in 1567. when Oswestry was burnt, Milnall in Suffolk was burnt too; and that though the Eclipse in Aries 1652. had nothing to do with them (perhaps for the reason above given) yet within the time (that Astrologers limit the effects of Eclipses) two Towns in the same Shires, viz. Bungay in Suffolk, and Drayton in Shropshire, were burnt; as if there were a way to trace Ascendants from one Town to another, and as if the Ascendants of near places were not far asunder. But nihil temere statuendum de paucis; inquire farther, and see what I have written in my Syzygiasticon Instauratum, (published Anno 1653.) where I have treated of the Ascendants of Towns in general, and of the Ascendent of Teverton in Devonshire in particular. Query also, whether in February, 1655.56. any thing extraordinary happened to the Town of Oswestry, upon the conjunction of Jupiter and Mars, in 25. degrees of Aries.   

CHESHIRE.  
THe air of this Shire is so healthful, that the Inhabitants generally live very long. And the warm vapours rising from the Irish Seas, do sooner melt the snow and ice in this County, then in places further off. The soil is very rich, yet observed to be more kindly and natural for Cheese, than Corn; and it is thought that it is the soil, and not the skill of the Dairy-Woman, that makes the Cheese so excellent, the best in Europe. Both men and women here, have a general commendation for beauty and handsome proportion. This shire (saith Speed) yieldeth Salt, Metals, Mines, and Meres.  
In the River Dee is great plenty of Salmon. Giraldus Cambrensis, who lived about the year 1200, saith, that this River foreshowed a sure token of Victory to the inhabitants living upon it, when they were in open hostility one shore against the other, according as it inclined more to this side, or to that, after it had left the Channel. And the relator doth in some sort believe it, and so may any one else if he please.  
This River Dee upon the fall of much Rain riseth but little; but as often as the southwind beats long upon it, it swells and overflows the grounds adjoining extremely. This River is a very straight and broad river to seaward, so that what rain falls, hath an easy and quick passage out. But if the Southwind blow long, the River must needs swell much, because no wind hath so much power on the Irish seas, as that, because it blows right in upon it between the coasts of Wales and Ireland, and must needs swell and roll it so much the more, for that it brings the sea still in, which having not so free a passage quite through by reason of the narrow straight between Scotland and the North of Ireland, still returns back, where it meets with a fresh supply of Waters continually coming in: Now the Irish sea thus swelling, will have easy and ready admission into a straight River.  
In the low places on the south side of Cheshire, by the River Wever, Trees are oftentimes found by digging under ground; which people think have lain buried there ever since Noah's Flood.  
Nantwich, Northwich, and Middlewich, are the famous Salt pits of this Shire, being 5. or 6. miles asunder. The whitest Salt is made at Nantwich, which (saith Cambden) hath but one Pit about some 14. foot from the River, out of which they convey Salt-Water by troughs of Wood into the Houses adjoining, where there stand little Barrels pitched fast in the ground; which they fill with the Water, and then make fire under the Leads, whereof they have six in a house, and in them they seethe the Water. Then with little wooden rakes they fetch up the Salt from the bottom, and put it in baskets, out of which the Liquor runs, and the pure salt remains. The Salt pit at Northwich is very near the brink of the River Dan, being a very deep and plentiful pit. Quaere, whether the Rivers Wever and Dan be themselves salt at these two places. The two salt Wells at Middlewich, are parted one from the other by a small brook of fresh Water.  
It is reported, that there are Trees that float in Bagmere, (a Mere so called, near the seat of the Family of the Breretons) against the death of any of the heirs of the Breretons; and after the heir is dead, they sink, and are never seen more till the next occasion. Cambden saith, that this story is verified upon the credit of many credible persons; and that these bodies of trees swim for certain days together, and may be seen of any body: And he seconds it with another story to this purpose. Leonardus Vairus (saith he) reports from the testimony of Cardinal Gravel, that near the Abbey of St. Maurice in Burgundy, is a Fishpond, into which are fishes put according to the number of the Monks of that place, and if any one of them happen to be sick, there is a fish seen also to float and swim above the water half dead: And if the Monk shall die, the said fish will die too, some few days before him. Thus Cambden: who gives so much credit to these stories, that he thinks they are the Works of Angels. But so doth not Speed, who thinks it to be but a conceit, and a fable; as he doth also the prophecy of Leyland concerning Beeston Castle mounted upon a steep hill; The Castle being ruinated, Leyland prophesied of it in his time, (thus) that it should be re-edified.  

The day shall come when it again shall mount his head aloft;  
If I a Prophet may be heard, from Seers that say so oft.   
Whether Leylands Prophesy have proved true since, I know not; but so much is true, that in the late Wars Beeston Castle was a Garrison. Prophets generally are very compassionate to the rubbish of stately Piles, and the Elegies they commonly sing at their fall, are Prophecies of their re-edifying, because they see men generally willing to believe what they would have, though improbable; nay, though impossible. And this I think was the true original of that late Prophecy among the Welsh, that Ragland Castle shall be built again.  
I will not undertake to tell you the cause of the floating of those Trees in Bagmere, because there are several circumstances that render it very dark. Only observe, that in this shire (as is said) bodies of Trees are often times digged out of the ground.  
July the 8th. being Wednesday 1657. about three of the clock, in the parish of Bickley, was heard a very great noise like Thunder afar off, which was much wondered at, because the sky was clear, and no appearance of a Cloud. Shortly after (saith the Author of this relation) a neighbour comes to me, and told me I should see a very strange thing, if I would go with him. So coming into a field called the Layfeild, we found a very great bank of earth which had many tall Oaks growing on it, quite sunk under the ground, Trees and all. At first we durst not go near it, because the earth for near twenty yards round about, is exceeding much rent, and seems ready to fall in; but sinee that time myself and some others by Ropes have ventured to see the bottom, I mean, to go to the brink, so as to discern the visible bottom, which is Water, and conceived to be about 30. yards from us, under which is sunk all the earth about it for sixteen yards round at least, three tall Oaks, a very tall Awber, and certain other small Trees, and not a sprig of them to be seen above water. Four or five Oaks more are expected to fall every moment, and a great quantity of Land is like to fall, indeed never ceasing more or less; and when any considerable clod falls, it is much like the report of a Canon. We can discern the ground hollow above the Water a very great depth; but how far hollow, or how deep, is not to be found out by man: Of this we have said somewhat in Kent. Some of the water, (as I have been told) was drawn out of this pit with a bucket, and they found it to be as salt as sea-water; whence some imagine, that there are certain large passages there, into which the sea flows under ground; but I rather think, that this salt water is no more but that which issues from those salt springs about Nantwitch, and other places in this shire. Query, whether those Trees that are before said to be digged up in some places hereabout, were not buried in the earth by some such sinking as this. I am told, that about Bickley the soil is a very soul miry clay, that there is hardly any travelling that way in the winter time. If so, I conceive then, that under this upper Clay lies a mouldering washy Clay, or Sand, which is carried away by degrees by the course of Springs (as we said before of Motingham) and that this July being the driest part of Summer, and this Summer 1657. being an extreme hot and dry Summer, (the hottest and driest I ever knew) this Clayie ground did chap (as it is the nature of Clay to do in dry hot weather, especially the most rotten and miry Clay, as we see in Marshes) and divide itself from the rest of the ground near it, to which, and to its fall, the hollowness underueath, and the weight of the tall Oaks above did much contribute.   

Herefordshire.  
THE air is very wholesome, and the soil of this shire exceeding rich for Corn.  
About Lemster is the finest Wool of England, though it be not so fine as that of Aquila and Tarentum in Italy. It is likewise famous for the purest Wheat, as Weabley is for the best Ale.  
By Snodhill Castle is a quarry of excellent Marble.  
Not far from Richard's Castle, is a Well called Bone-well, wherein are continually found little Fishes bones, (yet Cambden thinks they may be Frogs bones) but there is not a Fin to be seen; and being wholly cleansed thereof, will yet have the like again. But (saith Speed) no man can tell whether they are produced naturally, or brought thither in veins.  
In the year 1571. Marcley hill in the East part of the shire, with a roaring noise removed itself from the place where it stood, and for three days together traveled from its old seat. It began first to take its journey, February the 17th. being Saturday at six of the clock at night, and by seven of the clock the next morning it had gone forty paces, carrying with it sheep in their coats, hedgerows, and Trees, whereof some were overturned, and some that stood upon the plain, are firmly growing upon the hill. Those that were East, were turned West, and those in the West were set in the East. In this remove it overthrew Kinnaston Chapel, and turned two Highways near a hundred yards from their old paths The ground that thus removed was about 26. acres, which opening itself with Rocks and all, bore the earth before it for four hundred yard's space, without any stay, leaving Pasturage in place of the Tillage, and the Tillage overspread with Pasturage. Lastly, overwhelming its lower parts, it mounted to an hill of twelve fathoms high, and there rested after three day's travel. Cambden thinks this was that kind of Earthquake which Philosophers call Brasmatias.   

Brecknockshire.  
THree miles from Brecknock is a hill called Mounch-denny, that hath its top above the clouds; and if a cloak, hat, or staff or the like be thrown from the top of it, it will never fall, but be blown up again; nor will any thing descend but stones, or metalline substance, or things as heavy.  
On the very top of the hill called Ca dier Arthur riseth a Spring which is deep like a Well, and four square, having no streams issuing from it, and yet there are Trout found in it.  
Two mile's East from Brecknock is a Mere called Llynsavaihan, which (as the people dwelling there say) was once a City, but the City was swallowed up by an Earthquake, and this water (or lake) succeeded in the place. They say likewise that at the end of Winter, when after a long frost the ice of this lake breaks, it makes a fearful noise like thunder. Peradventure it is, because the lake is encompassed with high steep hills, which pen in in the found, and multiply it, or else the ground may be hollow underneath, or near the lake. Through this lake there runs a River called Levenny without mixture of its waters, as may be perceived both by the colour of the watet, and also by the quantity of it, because it is no greater than when it entered the lake. The non-mixture of two waters, doth doubtless proceed from nothing else, but the oiliness of the one, and the acidity, (or if you will have it) the acetosity of the other Water; for we see that oil and vinegar will not mix.   

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

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

Monmouthshire.  
THis County hath good air, but bad ways.  
The two Rivers of Uske and Wye are full of Salmon and Trout. And they say, that when the Salmon grow out of season in the one River, they come in season in the other. But in which of the two it is that Salmon are in season from September till April, (which is the ordinary and general time-for Salmon) I cannot learn, though the thing itself be averred by men of the Country.  
The River Wye at Chepstow, riseth every Tide to a great height; Of the cause of it we have already said something.  
At Lanthony Abbey (saith Cambden) the rain, which the Mountains breed, falls very often; the Wind blows strong, and all the Winter almost it is continually cloudy and misty; yet there are seldom any diseases there; and the grosser the air is, the milder it is.  
The Moor or Marsh near Chepstow, suffered great loss in January 1606, For when the Severn sea (saith Cambden) at a springtide upon the Change of the Moon was partly driven back for three days together with a southwind, and partly with a very strong pirry from the Sea troubling it, it swollen so high, that it came rushing in a main upon the tract lying so low, and also upon the like flats in Somersetshire over against it, and overflowed all, overthrowing houses, and drowning cattle and some people. We have already said that this flood happened when the Moon was in Perig. not that we exclude the change of the Moon, and the convenient sitting of the wind to be the joint causes in the effect. We only would say, that more causes greaten the effect.  
On Gold-cliff are yellow stones of a golden colour, and glittering by the reflection of the Sunbeams, which hath made some suspect, that there might be a mine there.  
Merlin prophesied, that when a stont Prince with a freckled face should pass over the Ford called Rydpencarn, being in a River called Nantpen-carn, the Welsh should be subdued. Which accordingly came to pass, for Henry the second, who passed over this Ford, was freckle faced; And as soon as the Welsh men heard where the King came over, their hearts failed them, because of this prophecy; and so they submitted, through too much credulity, saith Cambden. It is not impossible, that King Henry might choose to go over at this Ford, because of the prophecy, and his enemy's credulity, the more to facilitate his conquests,   

Glamorganshire.  
THis shire hath a temperate air, and is generally the pleasantest part of all Southwales.  
On the top of a certain hill called Minyd-morgan is a monument with a strange character, which the dwellers thereabouts say, if any man read the same, he will die shortly after. This is not improbable; for if a chid of three months old read the three first verses of Homer's Illiads, I am confident he will not live three days to an end.  
Upon the River Ogmore, and near unto Newton in a sandy plain, about one hundred paces from Severn springs a Well; the water whereof is not very clear, in which at full Sea (in the Summer time) can hardly any water be gotten, but at the ebb of the tide it bubbleth up amain. In Summer time I say, for in Winter the ebbing and flowing is nothing so evident, because of the veins of water coming in by showers or otherwise. Besides it is observed, that this spring never riseth up to the brink, or overfloweth. Polybius saith the same of a certain Well at Cadiz.  
Clemens Alexandrinus saith, that in Britain is a Cave under the bottom of a hill, and on the top of it a gaping chink. And when the wind is gathered into that hole, and tossed to and fro in the womb of it, there is heard as it were a musical sound, like that of Cymbals. It is most likely that he speaks of the Cave at Aberbarry in this shire, the story agreeing very near with the quality of the Cave. It is mentioned by the Lord Verulam in his History of the winds, to this effect. In a certain rocky cliff, in which there are holes, if a man lay his ear to them, he shall hear divers noises, and rumbling of winds under the earth. These noises Cambden saith, are to be heard as well at the lowest ebb, as the higest flood.   

Pembrokeshire.  
THis shire hath a good, temperate, and wholesome air. The soil yields Pit Coal, and Marle.  
It appeareth by Giraldus Cambrensis, that the Flemings that inhabited this shire in his time were very skilful in sooth-saying, by looking into beasts inwards.  
In the Rocks in this shire there breeds a rare kind of Falcon, which is thus described. The head is flat and low, the feathers laid in rows. the legs pale and wan, the claws slender, and wide spread, and the bill soaked round.  
About 300 years ago it is reported, that for 5 generations the Father of the Family in the Earldom of Pembroke (their name was Hastings) never saw his son.  
At the time when Henry the second made his abode in Ireland were extraordinary violent, and lasting storms of wind and weather, so that the sandy shore on the coast of this shire was laid bare to the very hard ground, which had lain hid for many ages. And by further search the people found great Trunks of Trees, which when they had digged up, they were apparently lopped, so that one might see the strokes of the Axe upon them, as if they had been given but the day before. The earth looked very black, and the wood of these Trunks was altogether like Ebony.  
At the first discovery made by these storms, the Trees (we speak of) lay so thick, that the whole shore seemed nothing but a lopped grove. Whence may be gathered; that the Sea hath overflowed much land on this coast; Asit hath indeed on the shores of many Countries bordering upon the Sea; which is to be chief imputed to the ignorance of the Britan's and other barbarous Nations, who were long without the knowledge of Arts, and understood not those ways to repress the fury of the Sea, which now we do. For without doubt since the knowing age of the World the Sea hath not gained upon the land one quarter of that it did before.  
About Kilgorran are abundance of Salmon taken, and there is a place called the Salmon's leap; as there is the like also in other Rivers for this reason. The Salmon coveteth to get into fresh water Rivers to spawn; and when he comes to places where the water falls down right from some high places (and some such places there be in many Rivers) he useth this policy. He bends himself backward, and takes his tail in his mouth, and with all his force unloosing his circle on a sudden (like a lath let go) he mounteth up before the fall of the stream. And therefore these downright falls (or little Cataracts) of water are called the Salmon Leap.  
In the Isle of Scalmey grows abvudance of wild Thyme.   

Cardiganshire.  
AT the head of the River Istwyd are some Veins of Lead found.  
In the River Tivy in times past, the Beaver (or Castor) hath been found; but now they can find none of them. The Beaver is an amphibious creature, that is, lives indifferently in the Water, and on the Land. His fore-feets are like a dogs, but the hinder feet are whole-skinned, like those of a Goose. His dog-feets serve him ashore to run, and his Geese-feets in the Water to swim. His tail is broad and gristly, which he useth as a stern to direct and turn his course: His skin is ash-coloured, somewhat inclining to blackish. It is a very subtle creature.  
The Chronicles report, that while David Menevensis Bishop of St. David's, refuted the Pelagian Heresy at Llan-devi-brevi, the earth whereon he stood and preached, risen up by Miracle to a certain height under his feet.   

Cacrmardenshire.  
THis shire (as most hilly Countries) hath a wholesome air. The soil is not said to be very fertile, but only in some places to yield pit coals.  
In Carreg Castle is a Well, that (like the sea ebbs and flows twice in four and twenty hours.   

Merionethshire.  
THe air may be wholesome, but the soil is but barren: For it is very full of spired Hills, being the most Mountainous shire in Wales, except Caernarvon shire. This shire is also subject to many and extraordinary great winds.  
Near Bala is a great pool of water that drowns at least 160. acres of ground; whose nature is (as they say) such, that the high land-floods, though never so great, cannot make this pool to swell bigger; but if the air be troubled with violent tempests of winds, it riseth above its banks. The River Dee runneth into this pool (saith speed) with a sharp stream, and slides through it (as they say) without mixture of waters. For in this pool is bred the fish called Guinjad, which is never seen in Dee. And in Dee Salmon are taken, which are never found in the pool.  
Upon the sea-coast of this shire, great store of Herrings are taken at the time of year.  
The sea beateth so sore and hard upon the West side of the shire, that it is thought it hath carried away part of it.  
The Welsh people tell great wonders of Caer-Gai in this shire; but what they are, I know not. Cambden tells us, that the people of this shire are much given to idleness and wantonness. I much wonder atit, becauseitis generally observed, that hilly countries' are least subject to those two vices, breeding for the most part hardy and warlike people. Indeed I have heard (how truly I cannot say) that Cambden was not altogether so ingenuous in this Character, as he should have been; for (they say) when he came to visit this County in his preambulation, he received some unhandsome affront at one place, which provoked his choler to bestow this brand of insamy upon the Merioneth-shire men.   

Caernarvonshire.  
THe air of this shire is sharp and piercing Here are extraordinary high hills (the highest in all Wales) on some of which the Snow lies long, and on others it lies all the year long hard crusted together. A thing not at all to be wondered at, since on the Alps, and many other Mountains much more southerly than our Island, it doth the like. The consideration of which hath bred an opinion in me, that the Globe of the Earth and Sea is of an Elliptic, or Oval form; that is, like an Egg. And my reason is this: I suppose that every year under both the Poles, there falls a quantity of snow, (either little or much, in the time of the suns being at the contrary Tropic, and likely enough at other times of the year too) which the Sun when he hath greatest power upon it, cannot melt all. And this is more than probable, because not only in Greenland, but also here in this shire, and (if we will believe Munster) on the top of the Alps too, there are Mountainous Crusts of frozen snow that never were melted. So that now after so many years lapse it cannot be, I think, but that the Diameter of the earth from pole to pole, from the top of the snow at one end of the earth, to the top of it at the other end, is much longer then in any part under the Equator, though at the Creation it were (as I believe) made spherical. And so I suppose in longer process of time it will grow more oblong. And as it so increaseth in length, so I believe the sea will decrease in depth, (though gh both very insensibly) because snow must consist of something, and that something can be nothing but a watery vapour condensed and congealed, etc. And this watery vapour must be drawn out of the sea, or out of that part of the earth which once (sooner or later) received it from the sea: And this snow being thrown down at the Poles, and not melting, that so it may return from whence it came, and re-fil that which is emptied, must needs caufe a decrease in the sea. Now that which tempts me to embrace this Paradox the more affectionately, is, for that it serves excellently well to solve a great doubt, which troubled Tycho and Keppler, about centrel Eclipses of the Moon, that happen near the Equator, such as that was which Tycho observed in the year 1588. and that which Keppler observed in the year 1624. concerning which he speaks to this purpose. Notandum est hanc Lunae Eclipsin (instar illius, quam Tycho, anno 1588. observavit, totalem, & proximam centrali) egregie calculum fefellisse. Nam non solum mora totius Lunae in tenebris brevis fuit, sed & duratio reliqua multo magis. Perinde quasi Tellus Elliptica esset, dimetientem breviorem habens sub AEquatore longiorem à Polo uno ad alterum: that is, We must note that this Eclipse of the Moon (viz. that on the 26. of September, stylo Novo, 1624. like that which Tycho observed in the year 1588. being a total, and almost centrel one, did notoriously deceive my calculation; for not only the duration of the total obscurity was short, but also the rest of the duration before and after the total obscurity much shorter; as if (saith he) the Earth were Elliptical, having a shorter Diameter under the Equator, then from one Pole to another. And yet I am not so devoted to my own fancies, but that one solid reason shall prevail with me to abandon the dearest of them, though for the present I see abundance of reason for what I think.  
In some places of this shire are bred certain Shellfish, which being produced (saith my Author) by an heavenly dew, bring forth Pearls.  
In the Pool called Lin-paris, there is (as it is reported) a kind of fish called Torcoch, having a red belly, which is not where else to be seen but here.  
It is said also, that on the high hills of this shire are two Meres, one of which produceth fish that have but one eye; and in the other is a movable and floating Island, which as soon as a man treads on, it presently floats a great way off. But Speed thinks they are both but fables.  
Snowdon Hills (saith Cambden) although they have snow always lying on them, yet are exceeding rank with grass, insomuch that they are become a Proverb among the Welsh; and it is certain, that there are pools and standing waters upon the very tops of these Mountains; and they are so coated with that snowy crust that lies on them, that if a man do but lightly set his foot any where on the top of the Mountains, he shall perceive the earth to stir the length of a stones cast from him; which I suppose might occasion the fable of the Floating Island mentioned but now.   

Anglesey.  
IN divers places (saith Hugh Lloyd) in the low grounds and Champion fields of this Island, the Inhabitants do every day find and dig out of the earth the bodies of huge Trees, with their Roots, and Firre-Trees of a wonderful bigness and length: Which Trees he thinks were such as were cut down by the Romans in theirtime; because Tacitus saith, the Romans when they had conquered this Island, caused all their Woods to be cut down, and utterly destroyed. But if some be found with their roots on, I cannot think so, but rather impute thesespoils made on Maritime places to the want of industry and husbandry in the first ages of the world.  
This Island was in times past full of Woods and Timber; but instead of that now, it yields plenty of Corn, Sheep, and cattle. The air is reasonable healthful, save only a little aguish at some time, and in some places, by reason of the fogs that rise from the sea. It yieldeth also great store of Millstones, and Grindstones; and in some places is found an Aluminous earth, of which they may make Alum and Copperas, but it must be with some cost and labour.  
This Island (saith Hugh Lloyd) yields every year such plenty of wheat, that they call it the Mother of Wales.   

Denbighshire.  
THe air of this shire is cold, but very wholesome, and the snow lies long on the hills; for it is a hilly Country, the high hills resembling the battlement of Walls; on the tops of which, when vapours rise in the morning in Summer time, it foreshews a fair day to follow.  
The highest hill in the shire, called Moilenlly. hath a spring of clear water on the top of it.  
The people living in the Vale (saith Cambden) are very healthful; their heads sound and firm; their eyesight never dim, and their age very lasting and cheerful.  
The little Riveret called allen, runs under ground once or twice.  
Near the little Town Moinglath, is plenty of Lead.  
In the west part of the shire where the ground is barren, they pair away the surface of the earth into turfs with a broad spade, and burn them, and lay the ashes of them upon those grounds, which enriches them much. This way of enriching Land was used anciently by the Romans, and spoken of both by Virgil and Horace.  
In the year 1574, February the 26. were great Earthquakes, which did many people much hurt, both within doors, and without, in York, Worcester, Hereford, Gloucester, Bristol, and other places adjacent. This shaking of the earth made the Bell in the Shire-Hall of Denbigh to toll twice, but did no other harm at all thereabouts,   

Flintshire.  
THe air of this shire is healthful, without any. Fogs or Fenny vapours, saving that sometimes there riseth from the Sea, and the River Dee, certain thick and smoky mists which yet hurt not at all; for the people here are very aged, and healthful. The air is colder here then in Cheshire, because it is encompassed with the Sea and the River, so that the Northwinds being carried long upon the waters blow the colder; whence it is, that snow lies very long here upon the hills. The Country affordeth great plenty of Cattle, but they are but small.  
Millstone is digged in this shire, as well as in Anglesey.  
Towards Dee, an arm of the Sea, the fields bear in some places Barley, in others Wheat, but generally throughout Rye, with twenty fold increase, and better, (especially every first year, that they be new broken up, and sown) and afterwardsfour or five crops together of Oats.  
At the mouth of the River Cluid the valley on the land seemeth to be lower, and to lie under the Sea, and yet the water to the admiration of the beholders never overfloweth into the valley. There are many things in the world that are not as they seem, besides Hypocrites.  
Near Holy-well in times past was a rich Mine of Silver.  
Hard by Kilken is a little well, that at certain times ebbs, and flows.  
In this shire is that excellent Well called Saint Winifrids' Well, or Holy-Well, so famous for the strange cures of aches, and lameness, that it hath done. The water ofit is extreme cold; and the brook that flows from it hath so plentiful and violent a stream, that it is presently able to drive a mill. The stones about it are as it were spotted with bloody spots, and there are many red stones in the bottom of it. The moss that grows on the sides of it, is of an exceeding sweet smell, and (they say) though some of it be given to every stranger that comes, yet it never wasteth.   

Yorkshire.  
YOrkshire being a shire of a very large extent (the biggest in England) hath variety of air, and as great variety of soil, some barren, and some fertile.  
In some parts of the Shire, viz. near Shirburn, are quarries of Stone, the stones whereof being newly hewn, and taken forth of the quarry, are very foft, but seasoned with wind and weather, of themselves become very hard and durable. And in other parts is a kind of Limestone, which being burnt serves to manure and enrich those lands, that are cold and hilly.  
About Pomfret and Knaresborough grows great quantity of Liquorice.  
About Knaresb. also is great store of yellow Marle, which it may be isa kindly earth for production of Liquorice, because of the same colour with it. But whether the like Marle be as plentiful about Pomfret, I cannot tell. So much indeed Speed saith, that great plenty of Skirriwort (or Skirrets) grow about Pomfret, but he saith nothing of the quality of the soil.  
It is reported that at the suppression of the Abbeys by Henry the eight, in a certain Chapel in York a Lamp was found burning in a Vault or Sepulchre under ground, wherein Constantius the Emperor was supposed to have been buried. Which kind of Lamps Lazius means, when he saith that in old time they had a way to preserve light in Sepulchers by an artificial resolving of gold into a liquid and fatty substance, which would continue burning for many ages together.  
There are many iron Mines about Sheffield.  
About the year of Christ 759. the Town of Doncaster was burnt by fire from heaven.  
Some of the inhabitants about Dichmarsh and Marshland are of opinion that the land there is hollow, and hanging, and that as the waters rise, the land is also heaved up. And the like (saith mine Author) Pomponius Mela hath written of Antrum an Isle some where in France.  
About Brotherton is a yellow kind of Marle found, which being cast upon fields, makes them bear good Corn for many years together. Query, Whether the ground here (as about Knaresborough) would not be proper for the planting of Liquorice.  
The River Wherfe is a mighty swift River, roaring, and sometimes driving the stones in it before it. Though this River have many waters fall into it, yet at Tadcaster Bridge it is in a manner dry at Midsummer; but in the Winter it is so deep, that the bridge is scarce able to receive so much water. It seems by the story that this River hath many great shoots into it, and that it is fed chief by land Springs, which run highest in Winter. Of the swiftness of Rivers we have spoken before.  
At Tadcaster Limestone is digged, which is counted a very good and strong Lime.  
The Abbey of Fountains hath Led Mines near it  
Near Burrow Briggs are certain Pyramids standing, which are supposed by some to have been made of a factitious stone compounded of pure sand, Lime, Vitriol, and some unctuous matter. See before, what we have said touching the Stonehenge upon Salisbury plain.  
Under Knaresborough is a Well called Dropping-well, in which the waters Spring not out of the veins of the earth, but diftill from the Rocks that hang over it. This water turns wood into stone; for wood put into it will shortly after be covered over with a stony bark, and at length become stone, as hath been often tried, saith Speed.  
Alevinus in an Epistle of his to Egelred King of Northumberland speaks of the raining of blood on St. Peter's Church at York even in a fair day, which descended in a very violent manner from the top of the roof of the Church; And thereupon breaks forth into these words, May it not be thought, that blood is coming upon the land from the North parts? And not long after (to fulfil his prediction) the Danes invaded England, and among other their outrages, burned the City of York.  
At Giggleswick a mile from Settle (and a way-bit) are small Springs not distant from one another a quoits cast, the middlemost of which at every quarter of an hour ebbs and flows about the height of a quarter of a yard, when it is highest; and at the ebb falls so low, that it is not an inch deep with water.  
The little River Derwent increased by rain, doth often overflow its banks. It seems there are great shoots into it, and great wind in it.  
The Rivers Humber and Ouse have a very forcible current, and flow with a great noise, being dangerous for those, that sail therein.  
Great store of Goats about Sureby; And upon the hills of this Shire toward Lancashire is the like for Goats and Deer.  
Near Flamborough Head (saith Cambden) it is reported, that there are certain waters called Vipseys, which flow every other year out of blind Springs, and run with a very violent stream through the low Land, into the Sea. They rise (they say) from many Springs meeting together within the ground, which makes their stream so forcible on a sudden. When they are dry, it is a good sign; but when they break out, they say it is a certain sign of dearth to follow. Yet when I traveled here; (saith he) I could hear nothing of these Springs, although I enquired very earnestly after them.  
Scarborough Castle hath a little Well of fresh after springing out of a Rock,  
Scarborough is the chief place for catching of Herrings at time of the year. In our great grandfathers days (saith Cambden) the Herrings kept altogether about the coast of Norway, but now in our times they swim every year round about Britain, by shoal in huge numbers, About Midsummer they shoal out of the deepand vast Northern Seas to the coasts of Scotland, at which time they are at the fattest. From thence they come to the East coast of England, and from the middle of August to November is the best taking them between Scarborough and the Thames mouth. Afterwards by some great storm they are carried into the British Sea, and there till Christmas are caught by Fishermen in their nets. From hence dividing themselves, and swimming along both sides of Ireland, after they have coasted round about Britain, they take their course into the North Seas again, as their home; and there they rest till June, where after they have cast their spawn, and gotten a young fry, they return again, as before. To this doth that of St. Ambrose agree, where he saith, that Fishes in infinite numbers swim together, and make towards the blasts of the North wind, and by a certain instinct of nature hasten into the Sea of the North parts; And thus (saith he) they swim through Propontis into Pontus Euxinus.  
At Whitbay are Serpents (or snakes) of stone found. Query whether the soil be such thereabouts, as I have described it about Alderley in Glocestershire; as also whether there be any difference in the shape, colour, or bigness of the one or the other.  
Wild Geese flying over cettain fields near Whitbay in the Winter time to pools and Rivers that are not frozen, in the South parts, suddenly fall to the ground, from a secret antipathy, as is thought.  
Upon the shore by Moulgrave Castle is found Feat. It grows among the Cliffs and Rocks, where they gape asunder. Before it be polished, it is of a reddish rusty colour, but after it is of an excellent black as every one knows. It is said by some of the Ancients, that jet put into water, will take fire and burn, and that oil quencheth it: but experience tells usit is not so.  
At Skengrave a little Village in Cleaveland, in the Northriding of the shire, about the year 1535. a Triton or Manfish was taken, as it is reported, that for certain days together fed upon raw fish, but espying his opportunity he got away to Sea again, ans was seen no more.  
Upon this shore by Skengrave, whensoever it is calm, and the Sea (as it were) level, there is heard many times on a sudden an horrible and fearful groaning, as it were a great way off, at which time the fishermen dare not launch out into the deep.  
Near unto hunt-cliff upon the same shore (and not far from the shore) there appear certain Rocks, about which the Seal-fish meet together to sleep and Sun themselves. And upon that Rock that is next the shore, one of the Seals lies to keep Sentinel; and as any man approacheth, he either throws down a big stone, or tumble himself into the water with a great noise, as a signal to the rest to awake, and get into the water. They are not afraid of women, but only of men, and therefore they that will catch them, put on women's apparel. When they are chased by men, if they be destitute of water, they will with their hinder feet fling backward a cloud of sand and gravel in the faces and eyes of their pursuers; Yea, and many times drive them away, making them weary of their design by this means.  
Upon the same shore are found stones, some yellow, some radish, some with a rough cast crust over them of a Salt matter; which by their smell and taste make show of Copperas, Nitre and Brimstone. Here are also great store of Marcasites in colour resembling brass.  
At Huntly Nab at the roots of the craggy Rocks, that are there upon the shore, there lie stonesskattering here and there, of divers bignesses, so artificially (and yet naturally) round, that one would think they had been turned for shot for great Ordnance. In which, if you break them, you shall find stony Serpents wrapped round (that is, just in the form of the Aderley and Keynsham snakes) but most of them are headless. The way to break them is by heating them read hot in the fire, and then quenching them in cold water; for by that means they will fall asunder of themselves. These stones (if that which I have be of this sort, and he that gave it me assured me it was) are within of a pellucid whitish matter like Alabaster, though not so white, and are on the out side covered over with a coat so absolutely like brass, that I think they cannot be distinguished. The outward form of them is just like the Glocestershire stones, with a spin and ribs. The stone that I have is about an inch in Diameter, but I have seen two or three more, that were near two inches in Diameter. I have another stone somewhat like this I speak of, but it is not above a Barley corn in Diameter. It hath a brassy coat, and is wreathed snake-like, as the other: But it is not pellucid within, nor so light coloured; and withal it hath no Spine, but instead of it four rows of prickles very curiously wrought; and it is much bigger toward the head, and lesser at the tail, than the other. Whether it were found at the same. place with the other I know not, neither did the giver tell me. There is a place in Provence in France, near the mouth of the Rhosne, called the Stone field where several acres are covered with such stones exactly round, (& the like is in the Island Cuba in America) but whether there be Serpents in them or no, I never heard nor read.  
Gisburgh is much commended for a healthful place, far exceeding Puteoli in Italy. The land about it is very fertile, and beareth flowers a great part of the year, and is withal extraordinary full of veins of metal, and Alum. earth of sundry colours, but especially of Ochre and Murray; As also ofIron, out of which (saith my Author Cambden) they have begun to try very good Alum and Coperas. These veins of earth Sir Thomas Chaloner, Prince Henry his Tutor, first discovered, by observing, that the leaves of the trees were of a more weak green colour here, then elsewhere; that the Oaks had their roots spreading broad, but very ebb (or shallow) within the earth, which had much strength, but small store of sap; and that the earth standing upon clay, and being of divers colours; whitish, yellowish, and blue, was never frozen; and in a clear night glittered in the paths like glass.  
Almost at the top of Roseberry-topping (a very high hill hard by Gilsburgh there is a Spring of water, coming out of a huge Rock, medicinable for fore eyes. It is likely to be an oily water.  
When Roseberry-topping hath a cloudy cap on, there commonly follows rain. Whence this rimeing Proverb is very frequent with the people:  

When Roseberry-topping wears a Cap,  
Let Cleaveland then beware a clap.   
The River Recall hides itself under ground near Elmesly in this Riding.  
Abundance of Springs rise together at Hinderskell a little Castle, near Sherry-Hutton Castle.  
The hills in Richmondshire are well stored with Lead, Copper, and Pit-Coals. And on the tops of these hills stones have been found like Sea-winkles, Cockles, and other fish. Which (saith Cambden) are either natural, or else are the relics of Noah's flood petrified. Orosius speaks as much of Oysters of stone found upon hills far from the Sea, which have been eaten in hollow with the water. In all likelihood these stone-fish are of the same kind with ours in Glocestershire.  
Plenty of Lead-stones in Wentsedale.  
The River Ure is full of Creafish; but the breed was brought thither out of the South parts of England by Sir Christopher Medcalfe. It may be from Newbury in Berkshire, where there are the like plenty.  
The River Small is a very swift River.  
Mask in this shire is full of Lead Ore.  
There is a place in this shire called St. Wilfrids' Needle, being a passage so narrow, that one of a mean bulk can but just creep through it. The story goes of it, that it easily lets chaste women through, but holds fast those, that have played false. However the thing may seem a Fable at first sight, yet if the women, that have played false, be with child, it may be true without wonder.   

The Bishopric of Durham.  
THe air of this County is sharp and piercing, and would be more, but that the vapours of the Sea do help to dissolve the ice and snow. The Eastern part of it is the richest, the South is moorish, and the West all Rocky without grass or grain, only it feeds Cattle, and is well stored with Coal, as indeed the whole County is, being the greatest in England for great Coals And the Coals grow so near the surface of the earth, that the Cart wheels turn them up in the trod-ways.  
In the West part of this County are Iron Mines. Query, whether all Mines be not in a hilly Country.  
The East part of the County yields a great plenty of Coal, and yet where it hath plenty of it, it is likewise fruitful and good land.  
At Egleston is a Marble quarry.  
Near Darlington, whose waters are warm (hot saith Cambden) and by an Antiperistasis, or reverberation of the cold air) are three pits wonderful deep, called Hell kettles. These are thought to come of an earthquake, that happened Anno 1179. For on Christmas day (say our Chronicles) at Oxenhall (which is this place) the ground heaved up aloft like a Tower, and so continued all that day as it were immovable till evening, and then fell in with a very horrible noise, and the earth swallowed it up, and made in the same place three deep pits.  
It is reported that Bishop Tunstall put a Goose into one of those pits, having first given her a mark; and the same Goose was found in the River Tees, so that it seems these Kettles have passages under ground.  
Within the River Were at Butterby near Durham, in Summer time there issues a salt reddish water, from the sides of certain stones at the ebb & low water, which with the Sun waxes white, & growing thick beeoms a salt, which the people thereabouts always use. Cambden saith further, that if you pour water upon these stones, and temper it a little with them, it will suck in a saltish quality.   

Lancashire.  
THe air of this County is thin and piercing, not troubled with gross mists or fogs. And the people are very comely, healthful and long lived, and not subject to strange diseases. The soil is not very fruitful, yet it breeds great number of Cattle, that are of huge proportion, and have goodly heads and large spread horns. Here is also fish and fowl on the Sea coasts in good plenty, and in other places of the shire the like store of Coals, and a competent increase of flax. Where the ground is plain, it is good for wheat, and barley; that which lies at the bottom of hills is better for oats.  
Along the Sea side in many places lie heaps of Sand, upon which the people pour water till it contract a saltish humour from the sand; and thus they boil with turfs, till it become white salt.  
This shire in divers places suffereth much by the flowing fury of the Sea, as in Fourness, much of which the Sea hath eaten away by little and little. The cause is plain. For who can expect less, where a shore full of quicksands (as this is) is washed, and beaten upon by a Sea, hardly ever quiet, such as every one knows the Irish Sea is, unless it be sometimes in Summer.  
Not far from Fourness Felles lies the greatest standing Water of England, called Winander Mere, which is wonderful deep, and ten miles over, and all paved (as it were) in the bottom. There are many such places in England, that are naturally paved. When I went to Keynsham (by Bristol), to search for the snake-stones, there I found the Lane (where they are) as it were all paved with broad hard stones, and the fnakes lying upon the middle of the surface of the stones. We have also in some places of Kent such natural pavements; And such I take stone-streets by Hithe to be if it were not a work of the Romans.  
This Winander Mere breeds a kind of fish called a Chare, which is not where else to be found.  
The Mosses in this shire are very unwholesome places to live in. If the upper coat of this mossy earth be pared away, it yields fat turfs for fuel, and sometimes trees, that have lain long under ground as it is thought; unless they grew there, which is unlikely. In divers places also these mosses underneath afford abundance of Marle to enrich land with.  
On the banks of the River Irwell is a kind of reddish stone.  
About Manchester are quarries of very good stone.  
By Chatmoss in this shire is a low mossey ground, very large, a great part of which (saith Cambden) not long ago, the Brooks swelling high, carried quite away with them, whereby the Rivers were corrupted, and a number of fresh fish perished. In which place now lies a low vale watered with a little Brook, where trees have been digged up, lying along, which are supposed by some to have come thus. The channels of the Brooks being not scoured, the Brooks have risen, and made all the land moorish; that lay lower than others. Whereby the roots of the trees being loosened by reason of the bogginess of the ground, or by the water finding a passage under ground, the trees have either by their own weight, or by some storm being blown down, and so sunk into that soft earth, and been swallowed up. For it is observable, that trees are not where digged out of the earth, but where the earth is boggy; And even upon hills, such moorish and moist grounds are commonly found. The wood of these trees burns very bright and clear like torchwood (which perhaps is by reason of the Bitumenous earth, in which they have been so long) so that some think them to be Fir Trees, but it is not so saith Cambden. Such mighty trees are often found in Holland, which are thought to be undermined by the waves working into the shire, or by winds driven forward, and brought to those lower places, where they settled and sunk. But Query (saith Cambden) whether they be not subterraneous Trees, growing under ground, as well as plants, and other creatures.  
At Ferneby the people use Turfs for fire and candle both. And when they dig them, they find under them a certain dead & blackish water, upon which swims a kind of fat oily matter, and in it there are little flshes, which the diggers take. And just in the same manner (saith Cambden) fishes are digged out of the earth at Heraclea, and Tios in Pontus. But that which is much stranger, is, that in Paphlagonia many, and those very good fishes are gotten by digging in places nothing waterish; but (saith he) this is a secret in nature.  
On the very top of Pendle-hill grows a peculiar plant, called Cloudesberry, as though it came out of the clouds. This hill (saith Cambden) lately did the country much harm near it, by reason of an extraordinary deal of water gushing out of it. It is also famous for an infallible sign of rain, whensoever the top of it is covered with a mistress  
There are three great hills here, not far distant asunder, seeming to be as high, as the clouds, which are Ingleborrow, Penigent, and this Pendle.  
In the River Lune near Cockersand Abbey is great store of Salmon; That fish delighting, and thriving best in shallow, sandy, and clear Rivers.   

Cumberland.  
THis County (like the rest of the rough Northern Countries) hath sharp piercing air which would be worse, if the high Hills in the North did not break of the storms and falling Snow. The soil is fertile for the most part, both for Corn and cattle; and the Maritime places are well furnished with Fish and Fowl, and the Rivers breed a kind of Musck that beareth Pearl. And Speed tells us, that in the mouth of the River Jet, as they lie gaping and sucking in the dew that falls, the people gather them, and sell them.  
In this County are many Mines of Copper, especially at Keswick, and Newland, where likewise the Black-Lead is found. Formerly there were Veins of Gold and Silver in the Coppermines about Newland.  
At Salkelds upon the River Eden, is a Trophy of Victory, called by the Country people, Long Meg and her Daughters. They are 77 stones, each of them ten foot high above ground, and one amongst the rest is fifteen foot high.  
Skiddaw-Hill riseth up with two mighty high Heads, (like Parnassus) and beholds Scruffel Hill in Annandale, within Scotland: And according as mists rise or fall upon these heads, the people thereby prognosticate of the change of weather, singing this Rhyme:  

If Skiddaw have a Cap,  
Scruffel wots full well of that.   
There are two other exceeding high Hills in this shire, called Lauvellin and Casticand.  
The sea (as is before said) hath eaten a great part of the Land away, upon the shores of these Western shires. There are on the shore of this shire Trees discovered sometimes by the Winds at low water, which are else covered over with Sand. And it is reported by the people dwelling thereabouts, that they dig up trees without boughs, out of the ground in the mossy places of the shire, and that by the direction of the dew in Summer; for they observe, that the dew never stands upon that ground under which they lie.  
The earth and stones at Penrith are of a reddish colour.  
Some Empirick Surgeons of Scotland take their journey to the Picts Wall every year, in the beginning of Summer, to gather vulnerary Plants, which they say grow plentifully there, and are very effectual, being sown and planted by the Romans for Chirurgical uses.   

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

Hic jacet edentulus, Canus, atque Decanus;  
Rursum dentescit, nigrescit, & hic requiescit.   
There are Hills hard by North Tine so boggy, and standing with Water on the top, that no Horseman is able to ride over them. And yet there are great heaps of stones cast up together upon them, which it may be, is the mark of some victory.  
By Bywell Castle is great store of Salmon: As indeed there is in most of the Rivers in the North of England, and in Scotland.  
Coquet Isle hath a Vein of Sea-Cole in it.   

The Isle of MAN.  
Hath cold and sharp air: It yields much Hemp and Flax. The cattle and Sheep are smaller than ours in England, being much like those in Ireland, which are but small neither, nor have their cattle so fair a head as ours.  
Many Trees are found and digged out of the earth in this Island: And they have here a clammy turf, which they burn for their fuel.  
In the Calf of Man are abundance of Puffins, as also Bernacles, which the people there say are bred of rotten wood.  
The soil of the Isle of Man (saith H. Lloyd) is reasonable fertile, both for Corn and Grass, and yields good plenty of Barley, Wheat and Rye, but especially of Oats, and feeds great store of cattle and Sheep; yet the Land is more waste and barren then that of Anglesey; and the people that are born and bred here, are weaker, and less fit for the Wars.   

Westmoreland.  
THe air here is sharp and piercing, not subject to gross sogs and vapours, by reason of which, the people are free from strange and infectious Diseases, being very healthful, and living generally to great ages. The soil is moorish and barren for the most part, yet the Southern part is is not so bad as the rest.  
Near the River Loder, is a spring that ebbs and flows many times in a day: And in the same place there are huge stones like Pyramids (some of them are nine foot high, and fourteen foot thick) pitched directly in a row for a mile together  
In the River Can, near Kendale, are two Cataracts, or Water-falls, where the waters descend with a great fall, and mighty noise. And when that which standeth North from the Neighbour living between them., sounds clearer and loud than the other, they certainly look for fair weather to follow; but when that on the south side doth so, they expect fogs and showers of rain.  
By Kirkby Lonsdale are many deep and hollow places like Caves.  
In ancient time the Pearl-bearing Muskles are found upon this shore, which conceive by the dew which they suck in; and they are to be found at this day both here, & in the rivers of Cumberland.   

Scotland.  
THE air of this Kingdom hath its variety according to the situation of several places and parts of it; but generally it is healthful, because cold. The Soil in the Highlands is very poor and barren generally, but in the low lands it is good, and beareth excellent Oats, much ranker than ours in England. The people are strong of body, and of good proportion. Their cattle are but small. Their best Nags are bred about Galloway. For Bernacles, or Soland. Geese, they have so infinite a number of them, that they even darken the Sun's sight. These Geese are most rife about the Basse, an Island at the mouth of the Frith, going up to Edenbrough; and hither they bring an incredible number of fishes, and withal, such an abundance of sticks, and little twigs to build their nests, that the people are very plentifully provided of fuel, who also make a great gain of their Feathers and Oil. There hath been great dispute among the Learned, about the generation of these Geese, some holding that they were bred of the leaves of the Bernacle Tree falling into the Waters others that they were bred of moist rotten; Wood lying in the Waters, but it is since found, that they come of an Egg, and are hatched as all other Geese are.  
Lough-Rian is full of Herrings and Stone-fish saith Cambden.  
Near the head of the River Cluyd in Crawford Moor, in wild, waste places, certain Husbandmen of the Country after great store of violent rain, happened to find small pieces like scrape of Gold, which gave them hopes of finding a Mine of Gold. Indeed (saith Cambden) there is Azure gotten out every day without any labour at all. Thus saith Cambden, Ortelius tells us, That in Drisdale in Scotland is a Mine of Gold, in which also is found that which they commonly call Lazure. It may be these are but two divers stories of one and the same thing.  
There is a Well near Edinburgh (saith Speed) that floateth with Bitumen: There is a Spring about two miles from Edenbrough (saith Ortelius) on the top of the Water whereof, drops of Oil continually, swim, so as if you take none from it, there will be never the more; and if you take any from thence, there will be never the less: Which Oil is good for the roughness of the skin Likely the same thing diversely related.  
In Galloway (saith Ortelius) is a Lake called Myrtoun, part of whose Waters freezes in the Winter, as other Waters do; but the other part was never known to be frozen in the greatest Frost that ever were.  
In Loghabre are Iron-Mines, saith Cambden. And somewhere in Scotland Ortelius saith there are Lead-Mines.  
In the Province of Coil (saith Ortelius) about ten Miles from Air, is a stone hardly twelve foot high, and 33. cubits thick, called the Deaf Rock on the one side of which, though you make never so great a noise, nay if you shoot off a piece of Ordinance, it shall hardly be heard on the other side, except you be a good way off from it, and then the sound may easily be perceived.  
In Buqhan Rats are never seen: And if any be brought in thither, they will not live:  
This Country of Buqhan yields the finest Wool in all Scotland: And Lorn the best barley.  
The Rivers of the coast of Buqhan are well stored with Salmon, and yet they never enter into the River Ratra.  
On the banks of this River Ratra, in Buqhan, is a Cave near unto Stanys Castle, in which is Water, which dropping out of a natural Vault, presently turneth into Pyramidal stones, of a middle nature, between ice and hard stone. It is brittle and crumbling, and never cometh to the hardness of Marble: And if the Cave were not rid of these stones, as they fall, the whole Cave would shortly be filled.  
The Water of the River Nessa, and of the Lough-Nessa, is always warm, and never freezeth.  
The Lough-Lomund is about 20. or 24. miles long, and eight miles broad. It is well stored with fish, and particularly with one kind of fish, very wholesome and good, called a Pollac, which is not where else to be found. Necham saith, that this Lough turneth sticks into stones. In this Lough (saith Ortelius) are thirty Islands, whereof divers have Villages inhabited, and Churches; and one of them, which is very good for feeding of cattle, floats up and down in the Lake, as it is carried by the Wind: Not unlike those Islands reported by Pliny to be in the Lake, Vadimon, which are full of Grass, and covered over with rushes and reeds, and swim up and down in the Lake. There are the like also near St. Omars by Calais. In the Lough Lomund also are fishes without fins. Further, it is the nature of this Lough to rage, and rise in waves most of all in the fairest and calmest weather, so that boats are often cast away.  
The River Douglass hath a black greenish Water.  
In the Wood Caledonia in old time, were white Bulls, wild, and very fierce, whose manes were like Lions, thick and curled: And so hateful they were to mankind, that they abhorred whatsoever was handled, or breathed upon by men. And Martial and Plutarch speak of bears here,  
In Sutherland (saith Cambden) there are whole Hills of white Marble.  
Towards the North of Scotland (saith Speed) there be Mountains all of Alabaster, and some all of Marble.  
Fife is well stored with Pit-Coals; and the shores of it are as largely stored with Oysters, and other Shellfish.  
In the Rivers Dee and Done is great store of Salmon, and a shellfish called the Horse-Muskle, in which there grow Pearls, as Orient as the best.  
The Country of Athole is infamous for witches, and wicked women.  
Near Falkirk (saith Lythgow) remain the ruins and marks of a Town, etc. swallowed up into the Earth by an Earthquake, and the void place is filled with water.  
It is credibly reported (saith Ortelius) that in Argile there is a kind of stone to be found, which if it be covered but a while with straw or flax, it will set it on fire.  
The same Author saith, That in the Country of Carict are very great Oxen, whose flesh is very tender, and of a very pleasant and delicate taste, and the fat never waxes hard, but is thin, like liquid Oil; and that the sea also on this coast affords great store of Oysters, Cockles, conger's, Herrings (at time of year) etc. Also he saith, That  
At the mouth of the River Frith, in the main Sea, is a very high Rock, out of whose top a spring of fresh water runs abundantly.  
The snow lies all the year long upon the hills in Ross.  
A huge piece of Amber (saith Cambden) as big as an Horse, was not long since cast upon the shore of Buqhan. Note that this shore lies almost over-against the mouth of the Baltic sea, in which sea upon the shores of Prussia and Pomerland, both Jet and Amber are often found, as Geographers generally assure us. Serapio, and the Modern Philosophers say, that Amber is a clammy Bituminous Earth, lying under the sea, and by the sea side, of which tempests cast part upon the shore, and fishes devour the reit.  
Near a place called Disert in Fife, which stands by the sea side, is a Heath, where there is great plenty of an Earthy Bitumen, and it partly burneth.  
In the Country of Argile (saith Cambden) at this day there are Kine and red Deer ranging wild upon the hills.  
In the Country of Murray is a Mere that breeds and maintains a great abundance of Swans, by the help of the herb, called Olorina, which grows very plentifully in it, saith Cambden.  
The River of Aberden breeds great store of Salmon.  
The Wool in Galloway (saith Lithgow) is nothing inferior to that of Biscay in Spain: And the Mutton is as sweet as the Wool is fine.  
Between the coast of Cathnes, and the Isle of South Rannaldshaw in Orknay (saith the same Author) is a dreadful Frith or Gulf, in the North west end of which, by reason of the meeting of several (he saith nine) contrary tides or Currents, is a Mael-stream, or great Whirl-pool, that whirleth ever about. And if any Ship, Boat, or Bark, come within the sphere of its activity, (as it may be called) they must quickly throw over some thing into it, as a barrel, a piece of timber, or such like, or else the Vessel will inevitably be swallowed up. Which the Cathnes and Orkney Mariners know very well, and observe it as a constant custom to redeem themselves that way from danger.  

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

The ORCADESES.  
In these Isles grow no trees; yet the Land bears barley, and other grain, but no wheat at all: They breed no Serpent, nor any venomous beast; nor will any such creature live, being brought into one of these Islands from other places. They have store of barley (saith Hector Boethius) and make much Ale, and are great drinkers; and yet you shall never see a drunken man, or a mad man, or a natural fool among them. And they live very long without the use of physic.  
In the Isle Pomonia is plenty of tin and lead.  
The Island of Zeal (saith de la Mothe le Vayer) one of the Isles of Schetland, will not endure any creature that is not bred and born there.  

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

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

Garnesey  
Hath a very fruitful soil. This Island hath neither Toad, Snake, Adder, or any other venomous creature; but Jersey hath great plenty of them.  
Among the Rocks in this Island is found the hard stone, called Smyris, which Glasiers use, and Goldsmiths and Lapidaries to cut their stones with.   

Jersey.  
The air of this Island is very healthful, not subject to any diseases, but agues in September; And the Island is as fertile. Their sheep have most of them 4 horns a piece, but a very fine and white Wool; of which our Jersey (as we call it) is made. Upon the coast of this Island in Summer time they catch excellent Conger and Lobster:  
In Jersey they have no wood, butburn the Seaweed (called Fucus Marinus) being dried at the fire which groweth plentifully on the Rocks there, and with the ashes of this fuel they manure their fields, and make them very battle.   

Alderny.  
Both the air and land of this Island are commended to be indifferent good. In this Island was once found (as they say) a Giant's tooth as big as a man's fist, that was thought to be one of his Molares or Grinders. But I believe it was rather an Elephant's tooth.      

Advertisements to the Curiou and Ingenious.  
In the year 1653. I published a little Pamphlet (or Almanac) entitled, SyzygiasticonInstauratum, wherein I desired those that were Astronomically addicted to take notice of a little long black Cloud, lying cross the milky way, between the two Constellations of Cygnus and Cepheus, and neither increasing nor diminishing, nor moving from the place it first appeared in. I conceived than it was some new apparition, but finding it ever since in the same place where it was, and not perceiving it to alter in any respect, I began to think, that it hath been always there, and will be so to the end; And that, though it be obvious to every vulgar eye, yet it might lie hid till our age, through the inobvertency of the greater part of Astronomers. Besides this,  
There is another thing, which I must needs recommend to the observation of Mathematical men. Which is, that in February, and for a little before, and a little after that month (as I have observed several years together) about six in the evening, when the Twilight hath almost deserted the Horizon, you shall see a plainly discernible way of the Twilight striking up toward the Pleyades or seven Stars, and seeming almost to touch them. It is to be observed any clear night, but it is best illuc nocte. There is no such way to be observed at any other time of the year, (that I can perceive) nor any other way at that time to be perceived darting up elsewhere. And I believe it hath been, and will be constantly visible at that time of the year. But what the cause of it in nature should be, I cannot yet imagine, but leave it to further euquiry.  
There have been lately three sorts of Telescopes invented by this Author, of two whereof trial hath been made, by M. Reeves living over-against the foot and leg in Long-Acre: And the Author makes no doubt at all of the third.  
At the said M. Richard Reeves are to be had all sorts of Telescopes, and all other sorts of Optic glasses.   

ERRATA.  
In the Title over the pages for Britania, read Britannia, page 7. line ult. for Veculam read Verulam, p 20.l 26. for Sprays r. Osprayes, p. 25.11. for will live and fish thrive in, r. fish will live and thrive in, p. 36 l. 9. been r. being, p. 45.l.4. aster Luckington add (and) p. 55.l 15, & 17. death r. dearth, l. 18 usual r. unusual, p. 55 l.1.r. Hippoctates, l. 6. using r. rising, l 8. prosage r. prove, p. 56.l.32. seeming r. seems, p. 63. l,15. breath r. breadth, p. 98. l. 5. sequir. sesqui, p. 101 l. 13. & 102. for Oxford r. Orford.