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. 


*&U*6rtJ  SZvmarS&eHnant 


EX 

LIBRIS 

JAMES 

KELSEY 

McCONICA 

7 
611 


A. 


Imprimatur  hie  Liber, 

•A. 

cui  titulus, 
The  Natural  Hifiorj  of  Oxfordshire. 

RA:  BATHVRST, 

Vice-Cancellar.  QXON. 

April.  13,   1676. 


THE 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

OXFORDSHIRE, 

Being  an  EfTay  toward  the  O^Qatural  Hijlory 

ENGLAND. 


By  %  T^^LL.  D, 


Ejc  Ails  av^-ftfTroi  >iyv&Krxo/^V,   aM.  'fn  ttbM* 

KUfvfoi.     Arat.  in  Phxnom. 


1^ 


Printed  at  the  Theat  br  in  0  XFO  R  Dt  and  are  to  be  had  there; 
And  in  London  at  Mr.  S.  Miller^  at  the  Star  near  the 
Weft-end  of  St.  Pauls  Ghurch-yard.     1677. 

The  price  in  fneets  at  the  Prefs,  nine  fhillings. 
To  Subfcribcrs,  eight  (hillings, 


.-:- 


i  ti 


■ 


To  the  moft  Sacred  Majefty  of 

Charles  the  Second, 

<By  the  Grace  of  gOX>, 

King  of  Cjreat  <Britan,    France  and  Ireland, 

"Defender  of  the  FAITH,  See* 

May  it  pleafe  Your  zZMa'jefty, 

T  had  certainly  been  an  unpardon- 
able prefumtion  for  fo  mean  aperfon 
as  the  Author  of  this  Effay,  to  have 
prefented  Your  M  ajefty  with  a  yet 
meaner  difcourfe,  had  not  the  fub- 
ject  of  it  alwaies  deferved  the  notice* 
and  the  Enquirers  into  it,  the  favor 
of  Princes.  Thus  had  Ariflotle  in  writing  his  Treatife  of 
Animals  the  afsiftance  of  Alexander  •  and  Tliny  the  Pa- 
tronage of  Titus  Vejpatian  to  his  Natural  Hiftory. 

Befide,  this  attemt  feems  more  juftly  to  belong  to  Your 
Majefty,  than  any  of  their  Hiftories  to  their  refpe&ive  Pa- 
trons, it  being  fo  far  from  exceeding  Your  Majefties  Do- 
minions, that  it  contains  but  an  Enquiry  into  one  of  the 
fmalleft  parts  of  them;  *vi%.  Your  alwaies  Loial  County 
and  Univerfity  of  Oxford >  whereas  their  Volumes  are 
bounded  only  with  the  Univerfe. 

h  Yet 


The  Efijlle  Dedicator/, 

Yet  what  more  particularly  moved  me  to  prefent  it  to 
Your  Majefty,  is  not  only  Your  favor  to  Learning  in  ge- 
neral) and  efpecially  to  this  place  •  but  much  more  Your 
Majefties  exquifit  infight  into  the  matter  it  folf,  infomuch 
that  though  the  former  might  have  given  me  fome  confi- 
dence of  Your  Majefties  acceptance,  yet  it  feems  more  my 
intereft  to  appeal  to  Your  Judgment,  and  humbly  to  im- 
plore Your  Majefties  decifion,  Whether  if  England  and 
Wales  were  thus  furveyed,  it  would  not  be  both  for  the 
honor,  and  profit  of  the  Nation  ' 

Which  defign,  if  Your  Majefty  think  fit  to  difapprove, 
it  will  yet  be  fome  fatisfadtion  to  the  Author,  that  he  has 
fhewed  his  ready  (though  mifguided}  zeal  to  ferve  his 
Country :  But  if  Your  Majefty  fhall  judge  it  advanta- 
geous to  the  Kingdom,  or  but  any  way  worthy  Your 
Majefties  diverfion,  there  {hall  none  more  induftrioufly 
and  chearfully  proceed  in  itj  than 


Your  Majeslles  mofl  Loial 

and 
most  obedient 


SubjeB, 


Rob.  Plot. 


To  the  Reader, 


T  Hough  this  Eflay  has  faelVd  to  fo  much  greater  a  Bulk  thdft 
ever  I  expecled  it  could  poffibly  have  done,  that  I  might  well 
bazz  fuperfeded  any  further  addrefs  than  that  ^/Dedication; 
yet  it  being  but  neceffary  to  acquaint  the  Reader  with  fome  matters^ 
that  are  general,  and  will ferve  for  all  other  Counties  as  well  as  this* 
I  thought  good  toput  them  down  briefly  asfolloweth. 

Andfirfl,  that  though  I  dare  not  pretend  the  Map  of  Oxford-* 
(hire prefixt  to  this  Eflay,  isfo  accurate  as  any  I  fhallmakg,  hereafter  ± 
yet  I  dare  promife  the  Reader  it  far  exceeds  any  we  had  before ;  for 
befide  that  it  contains  all  the  M.ercat  Towns,  and  many  Paridies  0- 
tnitted  by  Saxton,  Speed,  &c.  it  pews  alfo  the  Villages,  diftinguifi  \ 
edby  a  different  mark  and  chara&er,  and  the  tioufes  of  the  Nobili- 
ty andGentry,  and  others  of  any  magnitude  within  the  County  j 
and  all  thefe  with  their  bearings  to  one  another,  according  to  the 
Compafs. 

And as  for  the  diftances,  though  I  dare  not  promife  them  Mathe?* 
matically  exacl  (which  by  rcafon  of  the  rifings  and  fallings  of  the 
ground,  interpolations  of  Woods,  Rivers,  &c.  I  think,  farce  pof 
fible  in  many  places  to  be  given  at  all)  yet  fome  few  of  them  are  as  true* 
asaftual  dimenfuration,  and  mofi  of  them  asthedoftrin  of  Trian- 
gles, and  the  beft  information,  all  compared  together,  could  direel 
me  to  put  them  :  So  that  provided  they  have  not  been  moved  in  the 
Graving  (as  I  think,  they  have  but  little)  I  take  them  all  feated  not 
far  from  the  truth. 

As  for  the  fcale  of  miles,  there  being  three  forts  in  Oxford- 
ill  ire,  the  greater,  lejfer,  and  middle  miles,  as  almosl  every  where 
elje ;  it  is  contrived  according  to  the  middle  fort  of  them  ;  for  thefe  I 
conceive  may  be  mofi  properly  called  the  true  Oxford-fhire  miles,  which 
upon  aclual  dimenfuration  at  fever al  places,  I  found  to  contain  for 
the  mofi  part  y  furlongs  and  a  quarter,  of  which  about  60  anfwer  a 
Degree :  Where  by  the  way  its  but  expedient  that  the  Reader  take 
notice,  that  I  intend  not  that  there  are  60  of  thefe  miles  in  a  degree^ 
according  to  the  common  account ;  for  reckoning  5280  feet-,  (or  eight 

b  2  fur- 


To  the  Reader. 

furlongs)  to  a  mile,  as  is  ufual  in  England,  no  lefs  than  69  will  cor- 
refpond  to  a  degree  ;  upon  which  account  it  is  and  no  other,   that  of 
the  middle  Oxford-fhire  miles,  each  containing  9  furlongs  and.a 
quarter,  about  60  will  do  it. 

According  to  thefe  miles,  the  degrees  of  North  latitude  are  divi- 
ded into  minutes  on  each  fide  /^eMap,  chiefly  made  off  from  the  exacl 
Northern  latitude  of  Oxford,  collected  from  the  many  years  obfer- 
vations  of  Dr.  Banbridg,  and  at  lafi  concluded  to  befeated  in  the 
46  minute  of  the  5 1  degree,  proxime  ;  the$2nd  degree  beginning 
at  the  fmall  line  pajfing  through  Mixbury, Clifton,  north  o/Dedding- 
ton,  the  two  Barfords,  South  Nuneton,  and  between  Hoke  Nor- 
ton and the  Lodge;  By  which  divifion  'tis  eafie  to  know  to  a  minute 
of  a  degree,  nayqlmoft  to  a  fecond,  in  what  latitude  every  Town, 
Parifti,  Village,  and  Gentlemans  Houfe  is  feated. 

Befide,  for  the  Houfes  of  the  Nobility  and  Gentry,  this  Map  is 
fo  contrived,  that  a  Foreigner  as  well  as  Engli(h-man,  at  what  di- 
flance  foever,  may  with  eafefind  out  who  are  the  Owners  of  moft  of 
them  ;  (0  as  to  be  able  to  fay  that  this  is  fuch  or  fuch  a  Gentlemans 
Houfe:  And  all  this  done  by  Figures  put  to  every  fuch  Houfe,  which 
referring  again  to  Figures  of  the  fame  value,  placed  in  order  over  the 
Arms  in  the  Limb  of  /i>eMap,  Jhew  in  the  bottom  of  each  Shield  the 
Nobleman  or  Gentlemans  name,  whofe  houfe  itfc  ;  their  refteftive 
Coats  of  Arms  being  always  placed  between  the  Figure,  and  Name: 
which  too  (allbutfomefew)  are  cut  in  their  metals,  furs,  or  colours, 
as  born  by  their  Owners. 

And  not  only  the  Shields,  but  Ordnaries,  Charges,  Differences, 
&c.  where  they  are  not  too/mall:  if  Argent,  being  left  white  ; 
if  Or,  filled  with  fmall points;  if  Gules,  lineated perpendicular- 
ly, or  in  pale  j  if  Azure,  horizontally,  or  fefs-ways  ;  if  Vert, 
obliquely  or  bend-ways  ;  //"Sable,  both  pale  and  fefs-ways,  as 
may  bejeenin  the  Map,  which  are  all  the  colours  made  uje  of  there: 
And  if  ever  hereafter  I  Jball  meet  with  any  bearing  Purpure,  Ten,  or 
Sanguine ;  thefirjl  Jhallbe  represented  with  Lines  in  bend  finifter  ; 
Ten,  with  lines  falter-  ways,  mixt  of  Vert  and  Purpure ;  and  San- 
guine, paly  bendy,  mixt  of  Gules  and  Purpure. 

According  to  this  method,  not  only  the  Arms  of  the  Univerfity, 
all  the  Colleges,  and  Towns  incorporate  in  the  County  (which  1 
have  placed  in  the  upper  margin  of  /^Map)  but  on  the  fides  and  bot- 
tom 


To  the  Reader* 

torn,  thofeof  the  Nobility  and  Gentry,  are  induslriou/ly  ranged  iri 
Alphabetical  order,  to  avoid  the  difficulties  that  might  otherwife  have 
rijen  about  precedency :  which,  hefide  the  ufe  above  mentioned  of 
difcovering  the  Owners  of  the  Houfes,  and  that  they  are  an  orna- 
ment to  the  Map,  /  hope  may  alfo  have  thefe  other  good  effe&s. 
i .  That  the  Gentry  hereby  will  be  fomwhat  influenced  to  keep  their 
Seats,  together  with  their  Arms,  leaft  their  Pofterity  hereafter,  not 
without  reflexions ,  fee  what  their  Anceftors  have  parted  with. 
Andfecondly,  Vagabonds  deterfd from  making  counterfeit  Paries* 
by  puting  falfe  names  and  Seals  to  them,  both  which  may  be  difcover- 
edbyfuch  Maps  at  thefe. 

To  thefe  add  the  ancient  houfes  of  Kings,  the  principal  Seats  of 
ancient  Baronies,  ancient  Ways,  Fortifications,  and  the  fites  of 
Religious  houfes,  all  di/iinguifi'd  as  defcrihed  by  their  reffeftive 
marks  in  the  Table  for  that  purpofe.  All  which  put  together,  make 
the  fum  of  the  Map,£6  Iintendtheyfiallin  all others  hereafter,  fo  that 
thofe  Memento's  need  ndmore  be  repeated,  fince  they  are  defigned  td 
be  apply  ed  to  all  following  Maps  as  well  as  th'ps, 

Tet  this  Map,  though  it  contains  near  five  times  as  much  as  any 
other  of  the  County  before,  partly  by  reafon  of  its  being  the  firft  / 
ever  made,  and  partly  becaufe,  either  of  the  pure  ignorance  or  ab- 
(ence  of  feme,  and  over  curious  pieviflhnefs  that  I  met  with  amongji 
others,  is  not  fo  perfecl,  /  confefs,  as  I  wifh  it  were ;  there  being 
upon  thefe  accounts,  feme  few  Arms  omitted,  and  others  out  of  place 
at  the  foot  of  the  Map,  and  perhaps  here  and  there  a  Village  over- 
look'd:  wherefore  I  have  entertained  feme  thoughts  of  cutting  it  a- 
gain,  and  per  haps  fomwhat  larger,  to  be  hung  up  in  Frames  (with- 
out alteration  of  this  for  the  Book)  with  all  the  defeats  above- 
mentioned  fupplyed;  provided  fuch  Gentry  a*  find  their  Arms  o- 
mitted,  or  any  Villages  near  them  containing  ten  houfes  (under  which 
number  I  feldom  think,  them  worth  notice')  pleafe  to  bring  in  their 
Arms  in  colours,  with  the  particular  bearings  and  diftances  of 
their  Houfes  and  Villages,  from  the  mofi  noted  place  near  them,  to 
the  Porter  or  one  of  the  Keepers  of  the  Bodleyan  Library,  who 
will  be  ready  to  receive  them,  or  any  other  Curio fity  of  Art  or  Na- 
ture, in  order  to  the  compiling  an  Appendix  to  this  Work,  to  be 
Printedapart. 

Which  is  all  concerning  the  Map,  but  that  the  Reader  alfo  note, 

that 


To  the  Reader. 

that  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Berkftiire,  Lord  Lovelace, 
&c.  are  defignedly  left  out,  in  regard  that  though  they  have  Eftates 
and  Seats  in  this  County,  yet  their  chiefeft,  and  places  of  moft  com- 
mon refidence  being  elfewhere,  I  have  chofen  rather  to  omit  them  here, 
and  to  place  them  in  thofe  that  feem  their  more  defirable  Counties. 

Concerning  the  Hiftory  it/elf  lean  advife  little  more,  but  that  I 
undertook,  it  at  firil  for  my  own  pleafure,  the  fuhjeel  of  it  being  fo 
pleafant,  and  of  fo  great  variety,  that  it  furprifed  me  to  think,  how 
many  Learned  Ages  hadpaji  (careful  and  laborious  enough  in  compi- 
ling the  Civil  and  Geographical  Hi/lories  of  England)  without  fo 
much  as  ever  attemting  that  o/Nature  or  Arts  .*  itfeeming  to  be  a  de- 
fign  (had  the  Undertaker  beenfuitable)  more  highly  deferving  of  the 
publicktoo,  than  either  of  the  former,  as  tending  not  only  t  o  the  ad- 
vancement of  a  fort  of  Learning  fo  much  negletled  in  England,  hut 
of  Trade  alfo,  which  I  hope  in  fome  meafure  is  made  to  appear  in  the 
following  Treatife, 

Which  though  fujfeient  to juftifie  my  choice  of  this  fubjeft,  yet  I 
ventured  not  upon  it  without  the  joint  approbation  of  the  moft  knowing 
in  thefe  matters,  fuch  as  the  Honorable  Robert  Boyle  Efq;  Dr.  Willis, 
Dr.  Wallis,  Dr.  Bathurft,  &c.  wheje  celebrated  names  ferving  to 
remove  the  groundlefs  fufpitions  many  had  of  the  attcmt^  I  proceeded 
to  give  this  Specimen  of  it :  Wherein  the  Readers  only  defired to 
take  notice,  that  moft  of  the  Curiofities,  whether  of  Art,  Nature, 
or  Antiquities  engraven  in  the  Cuts,  are  fo  certain  truths,  that  as 
many  as  were  portable,  or  could  he  procured,  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
Author.  But  for  fuch  things  as  are  infep  arable  from  their  places,  they 
remain  to  hefeen  as  in  the  Hislory  directed,  there  being  nothing  here 
mention' d,  hut  what  either  the  Author  has  feen  himfelf  or  has  recei- 
ved unauefticnable  teftimony /or  it,  which  for  the  moft  part,  if  not 
alwaies,  the  Reader  will  find  cited. 

/«//»€  Philofophical/w/,  /  have  chiefly  embraced  the  Principles 
of  Dr.  Willis,  as  the  moft  univerfally  known  and  received,  and  there* 
fore  moft  likely  (in  this  inquifitive  Age)  to  he  the  trueft ;  which  if  I 
have  any  where  mif  applied  (as  'tis  manifold  odds  fome  where  or  other 
I  may)  yet  I  doubt  not  but  the  Learned  and  fob  er  Reader  will  can- 
didly accept  of  thehonefty  of  my  endeavor  in  excufe  of  my  Error. 
But  as  for  the  hot-headed  half-witted Cenfurer,  who  perhaps  only  looks 
on  the  Title  of  a  Chapter,or  here  and  there  a  Paragraph  that  makes  for 

his 


To  the  Reader. 

his  turn,  I  mutt  and  do  expecl  the  la[h  of  his  tongue,  it  being  indeed 
hi*  bufinefs  to  find  out  /^elapfes,  and decry  all attemts,  wherein  (for- 
footh)  he  himfelf  has  not  been  confulted :  But  I  would  have  fuch  to 
know  (that  if  J  meet  with  but  proportionable  encouragement  from  the 
former*)  'tis  not  all  they  can  fay  or  do,  Jhall  difcourage  me  from  my 
purpofe;  for  if  I  have  erred  in  anything,  I  Jhall  gladly  receive  the 
calm  reproofs  of  my  Friends,  and  flill  go  on  till  I  do  underjiand  my 
bufinefs  aright,  in  the  mean  time  contemning  the  verdift  of  the  igno- 
rant and  faftidious  that  throw  words  in  baft. 


THE 


\ 


CO 

THE 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

OF 

Oxford  ftiire. 

— .i —  '•■'■■'         i 

CHAP.    J. 

Of  the  Heayens  and  Jin  '. 

OXF  0  RD  ,  being  not  undefervedly  by  Mr.  Cambdert 
ftiled,  Our mosl  noble  Athens ,  The  Mufes  feat,  and,  One 
of  Englands  Pillars  ;  nay,  The  Sun,  The  Eye,  &c.  It 
would  have  occafion'd  as  ftrange  a  remark,  as  any  to  be  men-1 
tion'd  in  this  whole  Eflay,  had  there  not  fome  eminent  Celeftiai 
Obfervations  been  made  in  this  C ounty  ;  efpecially  fince  that  ftu- 
pendous  Mathematical  Inftrument,  now  called  the  Telefedpe,kems 
to  have  been  known  here  above  300  years  ago.  But  thefe  being 
chiefly  matters  of  Art,  relating  either  to  the  difcovery  of  the 
magnitude,  figure,  or  determination  of  the  motions  of  the  Hea- 
venly Bodies,  mult  be  referr'd  (as  moft  proper)  to  the  end  of 
this  Work  y  if  "being  my  purpofe  in  this  Hifiory  of  Nature,  to  ob- 
ferve  the  moft  natural  method  that  may  be. 

2.  And  therefore  I  (ball  confider,  firft,  Natural  Things,  fuch 
as  either  the  hath  retained  t|ie  fame  from  the  beginning,  or  freely 
produces  in  her  ordinary  courfe  ;  as  Animals,  Plants,  and  the 
univerfal  furniture  of  the  World.  Secondly,  her  extravagancies  and 
defefts,  occafioned  either  by  the  exuberancy  of  matter,  or  obfti- 
nacy  of  impediments,  as  in  Monfiers.  And  then  laftly,  as  (he  is 
reftrained,  forced,  falliioned,  or  determined,  by  Artificial  Ope- 
rations. All  which,  without  abfurdity,  may  fall  under  the  gene- 
ral notation  of  a  Natural  Hifiory,  things  of  Art  (as  the  Lord 
Bacon  a  well  obferveth)  not  differing  from  thofe  of  Nature  in 
form  and  ejjence,  but  in  the  efficient  only ;  Man  having  no  power 

»  De  Augm  Scient,  '&£».  cup  2. 

A  over 


%  The  Statural  Hijlory 

over  Nature,  but  in  her  matter  and  motion,  i.  e .  to  put  together, 
feparate, or  fafhion  natural  Bodies,  and  fomtimes  to  alter  their 
ordinary  courfe. 

3.  Yet  neither  fhall  I  fo  ftrictly  tie  my  felf  up  to  this  method, 
but  that  I  (hall  handle  the  two  firft,  viz,.  The  feveral  Species  of 
natural  things,  and  the  errors  of  Nature  in  thofe  refpective  Spe- 
cies, together  ;  and  the  things  Artificial  in  the  end  apart :  Method 
equally  begetting  iterations  and  prolixity,  where  it  is  obferved 
too  much,  as  where  not  at  all.  And  thefe  I  intend  to  deliver  as 
fuccin&ly  as  may  be,  in  a  plain,  eafie,  unartificial  Stile,  itudiouf- 
ly  avoiding  all  ornaments  of  Language,  it  being  my  purpofe  to 
treat  of  Things,  and  therefore  would  have  the  Reader  expect 
nothing  lefs  then  Words  :  Yet  neither  fhall  my  Difcourfe  be  fo 
jejune,  as  wholly  to  confift  of  bare  Narrations,  for  where  the 
fubject  has  not  at  all,  or  but  imperfectly  been  handled,  I  (hall  beg 
leave  either  to  enlarge,  or  give  my  opinion. 

4.  Since  then  the  Celeftial  Bodies  are  fo  remote,  that  little  can 
be  known  of  them  without  the  help  of  Art,  and  that  all  fuch 
matters  (according  to  my  propofed  method)  muft  be  referred  to 
the  end  of  this  Book :  I  have  nothing  of  that  kind  to  prefent 
the  Reader  with,  that's  local,  and  feparate  from  Art,  but  the  ap- 
pearance of  two  Parhelia  or  mock-Suns,  one  on  each  fide  of  the 
true  one,  at  En/ham  on  the  29th  of  May,  early  in  the  morning, 
in  the  year  1673.  With  them  alfo  appeared  a  great  circle  of 
light  concentrical  to  the  true  Sun,  and  paffing  through  the  disks 
of  the  fpurious  ones,  as  in  Tab.  1.  Fig.i.  which  though  I  faw 
not  the  Phenomenon,  is  as  truly  drawn  (for  fo  it  was  confeft  by 
fome  that  did)  as  I  could  poffibly  have  done  it  if  perfonally  pre- 
fent ;  and  yet  fo  incurious  was  the  amazed  multitude,  that  they 
could  not  fo  much  as  give  me  ground  to  guefs  at  the  diameter  of 
the  circle,  much  lefs  whether  it  were  interrupted  in  fome  of  its 
parts,  or  interfered  (as  they  ufually  are)  with  any  other  circles 
of  a  fainter  colour. 

5.  Whether  thefe  appearances  are  caufed  by  reflection  or  re- 
fraction in  the  Clouds,  according  to  the  old  Philofophy  ;  or  by 
both,  in  a  great  annulary  cake  of  Ice  and  Snow,  as  Des  Cartes  •  or 
by  fcmiopaque  Cylinders,  as  M.  Hugens  deZulichem,  will  be  too 
too  tedious  here  to  difpute.  Let  it  therefore  at  prefent  fuffice, 
that  this  Phenomenon  is  worthy  our  notice,  in  regard, 

1.  That 


Of  .0  XFO%T>~S  HI%E.  £ 

i .  That  no  circle  paries  through  the  true  Suns  disk,  nor  the 
fpurious  ones  found  in  the  interfeclion  of  two  hides?  as 
in  thofe  that  appeared  at  Rome,  March  20.  1629.  »>  and 
in  France,  April*).  Anno  1666. c 

2.  That  whereas  generally  fuch  mock-Suns  appear  not  fo 
bright,  nor  are  fo  well  defined  as  the  true  one  is  ;  thefe 
according  to  the  agreement  of  all,  appeared  of  fo  even 
and  ftrong  a  light,that  'twas  hard  to  diftinguifti  the  true 
from  the  falfe,  and  perhaps  might  not  be  inferior  to  the 
Parhelia  mention'd  by  Cardan  d,  or  that  lately  were  feen 
in  Hungary.  I 

6.  When  they  appear  thus  bright  and  ilhiftrious,  Aftrologers 
heretofore  always  prefaged  a  Triumvirate :  thus  the  Triumvirate 
of  Anionics ,  Auguflut,  and  Lepidus,  with  all  the  evils  that  at- 
tended it,  was  referred  to  the  Parhelia  feen  a  little  before ;  and 
herein  Cardan  is  fo  pofltive,  that  he  fears  not  to  affert,  That  after 
fuch  an  appearance,  we  feldom  (if  ever)  fail  of  one,  and  there- 
fore refers  the  Parhelia  feen.  by  himfelf  to  the  Triumvirate  of 
Henry  the  fecond  King  of  France,  Charles  the  fifth,  and  Solyman 
the  Turkifh  Emperor.  And  truly,  were  not  thefe  to  be  more 
than  fufpected  of  vanity,  it  werecafieto  adapta  Triumvirate  to 
ours  :  But  my  Religion,  and  that  God  that  hath  exhorted  us,  not 
to  be  difmayed  at  thefigns  of  Heaven,  and  folemnly  profeffes,  that 
'tis  even  He  that  fruftrates  the  tokens  of  the  Lyars,  and  makes  the 
Diviners  mad  f,  has  taught  me  to  forbear/  I  fhall  therefore  add 
no  more  concerning  thefe  things,  but  that  though  moft  common- 
ly the  Parhelia  with  the  true  Sun,  appear  but  three  in  number, 
yet  that  fomtimes  more  have  been  feen  ;  as  four  g  in  France?  Anno 
1666.  five  h  at  Rome,  Anno  1629.  ^ve  <  ln  England,  Anno  1233. 
and  fix  k  Anno  1525.  by  Sigifmund  the  firft,  King  of  Poland \ 
which  are  the  moft  that  we  read  were  ever  feen  at  a  time,  though 
Des  Cartes  endeavors  to  (hew  'tis  poflible  there  may.  be  Ceveri. 

7.  And  indeed  this  had  been  all  I  thought  I  fhould  have  men- 
tioned concerning  the  Heavens,  but  that  even  now  while  I  am 
writing  this, at  Oxon:  on  the  23d  of  November,  Anno  1675.  about 
7  at  night,  behold  the  Moon  fet  her  Bow  in  the  clouds,  of  a  white 

*■  DesCartes  Meteor  cap.  10  &  CnJfend.inEp.  adRenerium.  «  Thilof.Tranfnum.\\.  *  De  remrn  Va- 
rtetate  libxic.jQ.  c  FhilofTranfnumb.^-j.  f  lfa.  44.  ^.24,25.  «  Fbilof.  Tranf.numb.i^.  *  Des 
Cartel,  Meteor,  cap.  \q.  '  Matthew  Faris,  17  Henr.  III.  *  Des  Cartes  Meteor,  cap  iq.  &From07td.Me* 
tear.  Lib.  6.  Art.  2. 

A  2  colour, 


q.         v  The  ^(jtural  Uiflory 

colour,  entire  and  well  determined,  which  continued  fo  for  a- 
bouthalf  an  hour  after  Ifirftfaw  it.  The  reafon  why  fuch'  ap- 
pear not  of  divers  colours,  as  Rain-bows  do  that  are  made  by 
the  Sun,  has  been  alwaies  afcribed  by  Philofophers,  to  the  weak- 
nefs  of  the  Moons  raies,  not  entring  fo  deeply  into  the  opacity 
of  the  clouds.  But  if  we  may  give  credit  to  '  Van:  Smnzrtws, 
it  has  once  to  his  knowledge  happened  otherwife,  vi^.  in  the 
year  1593,  wnen  ^tev  a  great  ftorm  of  Thunder  and  Lightning, 
he  beheld  an  Iris  Lunaris  adorned  with  all  the  colours  of  the 
Rain-bow.  As  for  ours,  though  I  could  not  perceive  in  any 
part  of  it,  that  it  had  the  leaft  ftiade  of  any  colour  but  white  ; 
however,  I  thought  it  not  'unworthy  our  notice,  not  only  for 
the  infrequency  of  the  thing(they  never  happening  but  at  or  near 
the  Moons  full,  and  then  but  fo  very  feldom  too,  that m  Arislotk 
profeffes,  that  hefawbuttwo  in  above  fifty  years  ;  and  I  know 
feveral  learned  and  obferving  Men,  that  never  faw  fuch  an  Iris 
in  their  lives)  but  alfo  becaufe  of  the  great  clemency  of  the  wea- 
ther, that  followed  upon  it  at  that  time  of  the  year  ;  there  fal- 
ling not  one  drop  of  rain,  nor  any  wind  ftirringfor  fixtecn  days 
after,  but  fo  great  a  ferenity,  that  the  waies  were  as  clean  and 
paffable  then,  as  we  could  wifh  or  ever  enjoyed  them  at  Mid- 
fummer. 

8.  From  the  Firmament  (waving  all  confiderations  of  the 
pure  /Ether,  of  which  we  know  fo  little,  that  I  lhall  fay  nothing) 
I  naturally  defcend  to  the  loweft  Heaven,  I  mean  that  fubtile  Bo- 
dy that  immediatly  incompafles  the  Earth,  and  is  filled  with  all 
manner  of  exhalations,  and  from  thence  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Atmoffihere.  Whether  befidcthefe  exhalations, 
there  be  any  peculiar  fimplebody,  called  Air,  Heave  to  the  more 
fubtile  Philofophers,  and  confider  it  here  only,  as  'tis  the  fub- 
jeft  of  ftorms,  of  thunder  and  wind,  of  Echo's,  and  as  it  has 
relation  to  ficknefs  and  health. 

9.  As  to  Tempefts  that  have  happen'd  in  this  County,though 
perhaps  there  have  been  fome  heretofore  attended  with  as  deplo- 
rable effe&s  as  any  where  elfe  •  yet  becaufe  they  are  no  where 
tranfmitted  to  pofterity,  I  (hall  only  mention  two  within  our 
memory,  vi%.  The  ftorm  of  wind  that  happen'd  one  night  in 
February,  Anno  i66*2i  which  though  general  (at  leaft  all  over 

1  Si'tiTtertUsinEpitom.Vhyf.     m  E»  'trtr.,   .*  :•  mf.  Meteor- lib.  3.  C*p- 2. 

England") 


OfOXFO%T),SHlKjE.  1 

England)yet  was  remarkable  at Oxoni'm  thefe two refpe&s. i .That 
though  it  forced  the  ftones  inwards  into  the  cavity  of  All-hallows 
Spire,  yet  it  over-threw  it  not.  And  21)T*  That  in  the  morning, 
when  there  was  fome  abatement  of  its  fury,  it  was  yet  fo  vio- 
lent, that  it  laved  water  out  of  the  River  Cherwcll,  and  caft  it 
quite  over  the  Bridge  at  Magdalen  College,  above  the  furface  of 
the  River  nea-  20  foot  high  ;  which  paflage,  with  advantage  of 
holding  by  the  College  walls,  I  had  then  the  curiofity  to  go  fee 
my  felf,  which  otherwife,  perhaps,  I  friould  have  as  hardly  cre- 
dited as  fome  other  perfons  now  may  do.  But  thofe  that  have 
failed,  to  the  Indies  can  inform  them  what  force  Hurricane's  and 
Turbo' shave,  with  what  violence  and  impetuofity  they  take  up 
whole  Seas  of  water,  and  furioufly  mount  them  into  the  air  n. 
Now  that  fuch  as  thefe  may  alfo  happen  at  Land  (though  per- 
haps for  the  moft  part  of  lefs  ftrength)  I  think  we  have  little  rea- 
fon  to  doubt,fince  our  own  Chronicles  inform  us,  that  in  Q^Ma- 
ties  time,  within  a  mile  of  Nottingham,  all  the  houfes  of  two 
little  Parifhes,  with  their  Churches,  were  wholly  born  down  by 
fuchaTempeft  ;  and  the  water,  with  the  mud  from  the  bottom 
of  the  River  Trent,  that  ran  between  them,  carryed  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  and  caft  againft  Trees,  with  the  violence  whereof  they 
were  torn  up  by  the  roots. 

10.  Of  much  fuch  another  Land  Hurricane,  Bellarmin  gives  us 
a  relation  fo  incredible,  that  he  himfelf  premifeth,  Quod  nifi  vi- 
difftm  non  crederem.  Vidi  (faies  he)  a  vehementijftmo  vento  effojfam 
ingentem  terrae  molem,  eamque  delatamfuper  pagum  quendam,  ut  fovea 
altiffima  confpiceretur  unde  eruta  fuerat,  iy  pagus  totus  coopertus  iy 
quafi  fepultus  manferit,  ad  quern  terra  ilia  divenerat  °.  Which  be- 
ing fufficient  (I  fuppofe)  to  evince  the  poffibility  of  my  ftory,  I 
proceed  to 

11.  The  fecond  tempeft  of  Thunder  and  Lightning,  on  the 
10th  of  May,  1666.  which  though  terrible  enough  to  all  parts 
adjacent  to  Oxford,  yet  was  mifchievous  only  at  Medley,  a  well 
known  Houfe,  about  a  mile  or  fomwhat  more  diftant  from  it ; 
two  Scholars  ofcWadham  College,  alone  in  a  boat,  and  new  thruft 
off  fhore  to  come  homewards,  being  (truck  off  the  head  of  the 
boat  into  the  water,  the  one  of  them  ftark  dead,  and  the  other 

n  It  nuat  obfervedby  an  able  Seaman  of  Briftol,  that  this  luintttuas  the  fag-end  of  a  Hurricanc>  -which 
hegan  in  NViy-England  about  three  hovrsb?f0rt  it  came  hither  ;  the  Sea-men  obJerrSdthat  it  went  dinilly  t»~ 
•wards  England.    "  Bellarmin.  de  afienf.ment.  in  Deum,  Or  ad  t-  cap-  4, 

jftuck 


6  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

ftuck  faft  in  the  mud  like  a  poft,  with  his  feet  downward,  and 
for  the  prefent  fo  difturbed  in  his  fenfes,  that  he  neither  knew 
how  he  came  out  of  the  boat,  nor  could  remember  either  Thun- 
der or  Lightning  that  did  effect  it.  *  Others,  in  another  boat  a- 
bout  ten  or  twenty  yards  diftance  from  the  former,  feltadifturb- 
anceand  (baking  in  their  boat,  and  one  of  them  had  his  chair 
ftruck  from  under  him,  without  hurt.  But  of  this  no  more,  a 
full  relation  of  the  accident  being  already  given  by  the  Reverend 
and  Learned  X? J ohnWallis  Savilian  ProfefTor  of  Geometry  in 
the  Univerfity  of  Oxford,  and  publiGi'd  in  our  Englifti  Philofo- 
phical  Tranfa&ions  p. 

12.  What  hapned  before  or  after  thofe  Tern pefts,  I  was  not 
fo  curious  in  thofe  days  to  obferve,but  it  might  indeed  be  wifh'd, 
as  the  learned  and  obferving  Dr  2foi/eadvifesq,  thatfome  old  Al- 
manacks were  written  inftead  of  new  ;  that  inftead  of  the  con- 
jectures of  the  weather  to  come,  fome  ingenious  and  fit  Perfons 
would  give  a  faithful  account  from  divers  parts  of  the  world,  not 
only  of  the  Storms,  with  the  antecedents  and  confequents  of 
them,  but  of  the  whole  weather  of  the  years  paft,  on  every  day 
of  the  month  ;  as  it  was  induftrioufly  begun  above  300  years 
ago,  by  William  Merh  Fellow  of  Merton  College,  who  obferved 
the  weather  at  Oxford  for  every  day  of  the  month  for  7  years 
together;  vi%.  from  January  Anno  Dom.  1337,  to  January  Anno 
Dom.  1344.  the  MS  copy  of  which  Obfervations  yet  remain  in 
the  Bodleyan  Library r  ;  For  from  hence  in  time  we  might  exa- 
mine upon  fome  grounds,  as  the  learned  Dr Bcale  well  remarks, 
how  far  the  positions  of  Planets,  or  other  fymptoms  or  conco- 
mitants, are  indicative  of  weathers,  and  probably  be  forewarn'd 
of  Dearths,Famines,  Epidemical  Difeafes,<£src.  and  by  their  caufes 
be  inftrufted  for  remedies,  or  prevention.  Certainly  from  fuch 
Calendars  we  might  learn  more  in  few  years,  then  by  Obferva- 
tions at  random  all  the  days  of  our  lives  ;  and  if  they  might  be 
had  from  foreign  and  remote  parts  *,  we  fhould  then  be  in  fome 
hopes  of  true  Inveftigations  of  heats  and  colds,  and  of  the 
breadth  and  bounds  of  coafting  Rains  and  Winds. 

13.  Next  the  Tragedies  (it  being  as  agreeable  to  my  Method, 
as  feafonable  to  the  Difcourfe)  it  will  not  be  amifs  to  prefent  the 

P  Fhilofoph.Travfatl.Numb.  13.  s  Thilofliph.  TravfaB-Hvm  90.  '  MS.DigfyfiL  iy6-  *  Such  ob- 
fervations of the  leather  every  day  of the  month  through  the  "whole  year  1671,  inert  made  by  Erafmus  Bar- 
tholine>tfW  are  printed  inter  Atta  McdkaTho.  Bartholini  Obf.  130. 

Reader 


:  ofOXFo%p^SHI%Ea  y 

Reader  with  fome  of  the  fports  of  Nature,  and  entertain  him  a- 
while  with  the  Nymph  Echo  ;  a  Miftrefs  ihe  is  indeed  that  is  ea- 
fily  lpoke  with,  yet  known  to  few:  if  therefore  I  take  pains  to 
acquaint  him  with  her,  I  hope  I  fhall  not  perform  a  thanklefs  of- 
fice. 

1 4.  Firft  therefore,  that  Philechus  may  not  be  out  in  his  choice* 
whenever  he  attempts  to  court  her  in  Oxford-flAre,  he  muft  know 
that  of  thefe  there  are  feveral  forts,  and  may  beft,  I  fuppofe,  be 
diftinguifh'd  by  their  Objefts,   which  are^ 

Single,  fuch  as  return  the  voice  but  once ;  and  thefe  again 

'Polyjyltabical ,  fuch  as  return  many  fyllables, 
words,  or  a  whole  fentence. 
either «  are  either  <;  Tomcat,  fuch  as  return  the  voice  but  once,  nor 

that  neither,  except  adorned  with  fome  pe- 
culiar Mufical  note. 

Manifold,  and  thefe  return  fyllables  and  words,  the  fame 
oftentimes  repeated,  and  may  therefore  be  ftiled  Tau- 
tological Echoes,  which  are  caufed 

either  bys^     ,,  £  Reflexion. 
J  ^Double} 

15.  As  for  Polyfyllabical  articulate  Echo's,  the  ftrongeft  and 
beft  I  have  met  with  here,  is  in  the  Park  at  Wood/lock,  which  in 
the  day  time,  little  wind  being  ftirring,  returns  very  diftin&ly 
feventeen  fyllables,  and  in  the  night  twenty  ;  I  made  experiment 
of  it  with  thefe  words, 

— Quae  nee  reticere  loquenti, 
Nee  prior  ipfa  loqui  didicit  refonabilh  Echo. 

In  the  day  it  would  return  only  the  Iaft  verfe,  but  in  the  night  a- 
bout  twelve  by  the  clock,  I  could  alfo  hear  the  laft  word  of  the 
former  Hemiftick  [loquenti.~\  The  objett  of  which  Echo,  or  the 
Centrum  phonocampticum,  I  take  to  be  the  hill  with  the  trees  on  the 
fummitoi  it,  about  half  a  mile  diftant  from  Woodcock,  town,  in 
the  way  thence  to  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Rochejler's 
Lodge  :  And  the  true  place  of  the  Speaker,  or  Centrum  phonicum, 

the 


The  5\£atural  Hijlory 

the  oppofite  Hill  juft  without  the  gate  at  the  Towns  end,  about 
thirty  paces  dire&ly  below  the  corner  of  a  wall  inclofing  fome 
hay-ricks,  near  Cbaucers  houfe:  fome  advantage  I  guefs  it  re- 
ceives from  the  rivulet  that  runs  as  it  were  in  a  direct  line  between 
the  two  centers,  and  from  the  pond  at  the  foot  of  the  object 
hill ;  as  alfo  from  two  other  hills  that  run  obliquely  up  to  it ; 
Which  may  better  be  apprehended  by  the  profpeft  of  the  place, 
as  in  Tab.  i.  Fig.  2* 

16.  That  this  Echo  makes  return  of  fo  many  fyllables,  and  of 
a  different  number  in  the  day  and  night,  being  indifputable  and 
matter  of  faft  *>  I  proceed  in  the  next  place  to  the  reafons  of  thefe 
certainties,  which  poflibly  to  every  body  may  not  be  fo  plain. 
Firft  then,  the  caufes  why  fome  Echo's  return  more,  and  fome 
fewer  fyllables,  I  take  to  lye  in  the  different  diftances  of  the 
obje&s  (returning  the  voices)  from  the  places  of  the  fpeakers : 
for  by  experience  'tis  found,  that  if  the  fpeaker  be  too  near  the 
objeft,  the  return  is  made  fo  quick  upon  him,  that  the£^>o  is  as 
it  were  drowned  in  the  voice :  but  if  he  remove  farther  from  it, 
then  it  begins  to  be  clear  and  diftincl:  ;  and  if  it  be  a  potyjjlla- 
bical  one,  it  firft  repeats  one  fyllable,  then  two,  three,  four, 
five,  or  more,  according  as  the  fpeaker  removes  farther  off  it, 
which  I  take  to  be  the  only  true  way  of  meafuring  the  proporti- 
ons of  the  fpaces  of  the  ground,  requifite  for  the  return  of  one 
or  more  fyllables.  That  this  is  true,  I  (hall  ufe  no  arguments  to 
perfwade,  bccaufe  the  experiment  is  fubjeft  to  every  manstryal ; 
and  if  fo,  it  muft  neceffarily  be  admitted,  that  the  reafon  why 
this  Echo  returns  fo  much,  is  becaufe  of  the  great  diftance  of  the 
objeft  from  the  fpeaker. 

17,  What  diftance  is  required  to  the  return  of  each  fyllable, 
is  beft  indeed  determined  by  fuch  a  procedure,  where  the  object 
is  fore-known,  and  the  condition  of  the  place  will  admit  of  the 
experiment:  but  both  thefe  being  wanting  here  (Echo's  them- 
felves  being  generally  firft  known,  and  not  the  obje&s)  I  was 
forced  to  make  ufe  of  a  new  analytical  method,  and  find  out  the 
objeft  by  the  number  of  fyllables  already  returned,  which  being 
feventeen  in  the  day  time,  and  twenty  by  night ;  and  having  be- 
fore found  by  frequent  experience,  that  according  to  Blancanws  s, 
no  one  fyllable  will  be  returned  clearly,  under  the  diftance  of  24. 

*    "Blanc  ani  Echotnetria  7b  for  em  5 . 

Geome- 


ofOXFo%$>~SHl%E.  9 

Geometrical  paces,  or  120  feet,  I  guefs'd  that  the  object  could 
not  be  removed  lefs  than  400  of  the  former,  and  2000  of  the 
latter.  For  the  better  undetftanding  of  which  Analyfis,  and  for 
the  Readers  more  fecure  finding  of  the  true  diftance  of  the 
fpeaker  in  any  other  place,  it  may  be  convenient  that  he  take  no- 
tice, that  all  Echo's  have  fome  one  place  whither  they  are  return- 
ed ftronger,  arid  more  diftindt  than  any  other,  and  is  always  the 
place  that  lies  at  right  angles  with  the  object,  and  is  not  too  near,' 
Of  too  far  off":  for  if  a  man  ftand  at  oblique  angles  with  it,  the 
voice  is  better  returned  to  fome  other  perfon  at  another  place1, 
than  to  the  fpeaker  ;  andfo  if  he  ftand  too  near,  or  far  off,  aU 
though  he  do  ftand  at  right  angles  with  it,  which  is  plain  by  the 
diagram, Tab.  i.Fig.  3.  where 

a.  is  the  true  place  of  the  fteaker. 

a  b.  the  vocal  line  falling  at  right  angles  on  the  objeft. 

cd.  places  on  each  hand  the  true  place,  and  oblique  to  the  object. 

e  f.  places  above  and  below  the  objecl,  whence  atfo  the  voice 

comes  obliquely  to  it, 
g  h.  places  whence  (?tis  true)  the  voice  goes  in  right  Angles  to 

the  objett,  but  g  is  too  far  off,  and  h  too  near* 

Now  the  fpeaker  ftanding  in  4*  and  his  voice  going  in  the  ftraight 
line  a  b,  and  ftriking  upon  the  object  fo  as  to  make  right  angles 
with  it,  muft  needs  return  to  the  fpeaker  again  in  the  fame  line* 
and  no  farther,  becaufe  he  is  fuppos'd  to  ftand  at  the  two  ex- 
treams  of  the  whole  mix'd  line  of  action  i  but  if  he  ftand  too 
near  at  h,  then  the  Echo  repeat's  mote  fyllables,  anddiftinfter  at 
g  than  either  at  h  or  a,  becaufe  g  is  now  the  extream  of  the  line 
0^  action  ;  for  by  how  much  the  nearer  the  fpeaker  is  to  the  ob- 
ject, by  fo  much  the  more  forcible  he  ftrikes  it,  which  caufes  the 
rebound  to  be  fo  much  beyond  him :  and  thus  if  he  ftand  as  much 
too  far  off,  asatg,  then  the  Echo  repeats  more  fyllables  and  di- 
ftinfter  at  h,  then  either  at  a  or  g,  becaufe  the  diftance  being  too 
great  from  g  to  b,  and  the  reflexion  weak,  the  Echo  muft  needs 
terminate  fo  much  the  (horterat^5  allthefe  being  fuppofed  to 
take  up  the  whole  line  of  the  voices  direct  and  reflex  action,  A- 
gain,  if  the  fpeaker  ftand  in  c  obliquely  to  the  object,  the  Echo  h 
better  heard  at  */,  than  either  at  a  or  c  ;  andfo  if  he  fta"nd  at  dt 
it  is  better  heard  ate  then  any  other  place  :  thus  if  he  ftand  at  e 

B  above* 


io  The  Zh(jtural  Hi/lory 

above  the  objeft,  the  Echo  is  beft  heard  in  the  valley  f,  &  vice 
verfa.  All  which,  may  be  well  enough  made  out  by  throwing  a 
ballagainft  a  wall,  to  which,  if  it  be  thrown  in  an  oblique  line, 
it  returns  not  to  the  thrower  but  to  another  place ;  and  though 
the  projicient  do  fo  throw  it,  that  it  ftrikes  at  right  angles  with 
the  wall,  yet  (like  as  in  the  voice)  if  heftand  too  far  off,  it  will 
fall  as  much  too  iliort  in  the  rebound,  as  it  will  exceed  if  he 
(land  too  near. 

i  8.  According  to  thefe  grounds  I  carefully  examined  this 
Echo,  and  found,  upon  motion  backward,  forward,  and  to  each 
hand,  the  true  centrum  phonicum,  or  place  of  the  fpeaker,  to  be 
upon  the  hill  at  Woodjiock.  towns  end,  about  thirty  paces  below 
the  corner  of  the  wallaforefaid,  direclly  down  toward  the  Kings 
Majejiies  Manor  :  from  whence  by  meafure  to  the  brow  of  the 
hill,  on  which  my  Lord  Rocheflers  Lodge  ftands,  are  45^  Geo- 
metrical paces,  or  2280  feet ;  which  upon  allowance  of  24  Geo- 
metrical paces,  or  120  feet  to  each  fyllable,  to  my  great  fatisfa- 
ftion  I  found  to  be  agreeable  to  the  return  of  1 9  fyllables,  vi%, 
one  fewer  than  it  returns  in  the  night,  and  two  more  than  in  the 
day. 

19.  The  meafure  I  muft  eonfefs  had  been  much  more  eafie 
and  natural,  could  I  have  began  from  the  obje&,  and  fo  removed 
backward  accordingly  as  the  Echo  gradually  increafed  in  the  repe- 
tition of  more  fyllables  ;  for  then  I  could  have  given  the  due 
proportion  to  each,  if  I  had  found  any  inequality  upon  the  in^- 
creafe,  which  I  guefs  there  may  be,  becaufc  the  allowance  of  an 
equality  feems  to  fet  the  objeft  too  far  off  by  a  fyllable  or  two. 
But  it  not  being  feafible  in  this  place,  I  was  forced  to  take  the  for- 
mer courfe  ;  for  in  the  valley  between  the  two  hills,  being  the 
whole  medium  through  which  the  voice  pafles,  and  the  Echo  re- 
turns it,  there  is  fcarce  any  fuch  thing  as  an  Echo  to  be  found  ; 
nay,  if  youftandat  the  Manor  itfelf,  which  is  not  far  from  the 
true  place  of  the  fpeaker,  and  fituate  almoftas  high,  and  direct 
your  voice  toward  the  place  of  the  object,  you  (hall  not  have  the 
leaft  return  ;  whence  'tis  moft  evkknt  that  I  could  not  ufe  that 
procedure  here,  and  therefore  muft  defire '%o  he  held  excufec). 
from  giving  the  proportions  of  (pace,  which  I  fuppofe,  accord- 
ing to  Kircher1  may  decreafe ,  according  as  the  number  of  fyl- 

«  Maya  Fhonocampticai  fretl.  y. 

lables 


'    Of  OXFO  %!&*$ H1%E>  n 

tables  increafe,  till  I  meet  with  an  Echo  fit  for  the  purpofe; 

20.  Thereafon  of  the  difference  between  day  and  night,  why 
it  (hould  return  feventeen  fyllables  in  the  one,  and  twenty  in  the 
other,  may  lie,  I  fuppofe,  in  the  various  qualities,  and  confti- 
tution  of  the  medium  in  different  feafons  •  the  Air  being  much 
more  quiet,  and  ftock'd  with  exhalations  in  the  night  than  day, 
which  fomthing  retarding  the  quick  motion  of  the  voice  to  the 
objeft,  and  its  return  to  the  fpeaker  fomwhat  more,  (by  reafon 
the  voice  muft  needs  be  weakned  in  the  reflexion)  muft  necevTari- 
ly  give  fpace  for  the  return  of  more  fyllables, 

2 1 .  Amongft  other  tryals  of  this  Echo,  I  difeharged  a  Piftol* 
which  made  a  return  much  quicker  then  my  voice,  and  (at  which 
I  ftill  wonder)  with  a  much  different  found  from  that  the  Piftol 
made,  whence  I  can  only  conclude,  that  the  more  forcibly  the 
Air  is  ftricken,  (as  alfo  in  the  projection  of  a  ball)  the  fooner  the 
refponfe  is  made,  and  that  poffibly  there  may  be  fome  founds 
more  agreeable  to  every  Echo,  than  others.  And  it  being  my 
Lord  Bacon's  opinion,  That  there  are  fome  letters  that  an  Echo 
will  hardly  exprefs,  and  particularly  the  letter  S,  which,  faies 
he,  being  of  an  interior  and  hiffing  found,  the  Echo  at  Font  Cha* 
renton  would  not  return u ;  hereupon  I  tryed,as  well  as  his  Lord- 
fhip,  with  the  word  Satan,  befi.de  many  others  of  the  fame  ini- 
tial, but  found  the  Echo  here  neither  fo  modeft  or  frighted,  but 
that,  though  the  Devil  has  been  bufie  enough  hereabout  (as  ftiall 
further  be  (hewn  near  the  end  of  this  Hiftory)  it  would  readily 
enough  make  ufe  of  his  name. 

22.  Juft  fuch  another  polyfyllahical  Echo  we  have  at  Magdalen 
College,  in  the  water-walks,  near  the  Bull-work  called  Dover 
Peer ;  it  repeats  a  whole  Hexameter  verfc,  but  not  fo  ftrongly  as 
Woodcock.-'  Where  the  true  object  of  this  may  be,  cannot  fo  well 
be  found  by  meafure,  becaufe  of  the  many  Buildings  interpofing ; 
but  I  conjecture  it  may  be  about  the  publick  Schools,  or  New  Col- 
lege *.  I  could  gladly,  I  confefs,  have  aligned  it  fomthing  fur- 
ther off,  becaufe  I  fear  that  diftance  falls  fomwhat  fhort  of  our 
former  account,  but  the  buildings  beyond  lying  all  lower  then 
thofe,  it  muft  by  no  means  be  admitted  ;  which  makes  me  think, 
there  muft  be  a  latitude  allowed  in  thefe  matters,  according  to  the 

■  Nat.  Hifl.  Cent.  3.  Numb,  aji.     *  Since,  New  College  hath  been  advanced  *  Story  higher,  A.  1> 
167$.  this  Echo  is  /omiuhata/ter'J. 

B   2  dif- 


it  The  J^atural  Hijlory 

different  circumftances  perhaps  of  time,  as  well  as  place  ;  and 
that  poffibly  Mtrfennu*  might  not  be  fo  much  miftaken,  when  he 
aflignedto  each  fyllable  but  69  feet. 

23.  Tonical Echo's,  fuch  as  return  but  fome  one  particular  Mu- 
fical  Note,  I  have  met  with  feveral,  and  do  not  doubt  but  they 
are  to  be  met  with  in  moft  arched  Buildings,  though  fcarce  ob- 
ferved  or  noted  by  any.     Such  a  one  is  that  in  the  Gate-houfe  at 
Brafen-nofe  College,  which  anfwers  to  no  Notefo  clearly,  as  to 
Gamut.     The  curious  and  well  built  Gate  of  Vniverfity  College, 
to  none  fo  well  as  B  mi.     The  like  Note  I  met  with  again  at  Mer- 
lon College,  in  the  Vault  between  the  old  and  new  Quadrangles, 
and  in  the  large  arched  Vault  of  Queens  College  Gate  :  Whereas 
the  (lately  arched  Stair-cafe  leading  into  Cbriil  Church  great 
Hall,  will  return  all  the  Notes  through  the  Scale  of  Mufick.  Thefe 
I  muft  confefs  are  but  Echo's  improperly  fo  called,  becanfe  they 
will  exprefs  nothing  that's  articulate,  and  therefore  rather  fall 
under  the  notation  of  a  Bombws  ;  jet  their  caufe  being  fomwhat 
nice  and  fubtile,  I  thought  not  fit  to  pafs  them  by,  but  to  take  oc- 
cafion  from  hence  to  advertife  the  Reader,  that  there  are  fome 
other  inanimate  Bodies  befide  the  Load-fione,  that  though  they 
have  no  fenfe,  yet  have  a  fort  of  perception,  which  I  take  to  be 
fufficiently  proved  from  thefe  Vaults,  that  feem  to  have  a  kind  of 
ele&ion  to  embrace  what  is  agreeable,  and  exclude  all  that  is  in- 
grate  to  them :  thus  are  the  very  feats  in  Churches  and  Chappels 
affe&ed  with  fome  peculiar  Notes  of  the  Organ ;  and  I  have  a 
friend   (a  Violift)  whom  I  dare  believe,  that  fays,   his  Thigh  is 
thus  fenfible  of  a  peculiar  Note,  as  oft  as  he  lights  on  it  during 
his  playing.      Some  have  imputed  much  of  this  in  Buildings,  to 
the  figure  and  accurate  fcruftureofthe  Arch,  and  that  where  they 
have  different  fhapes  and  magnitudes,  there  will  be  different 
tunings  alfo:   But  I  do  not  find  it  agreeable  to  experience,  there 
being  another  Vault  in  the  entrance  into  Merton  College  Chappel, 
much  lefs,   and  of  a  far  different  figure  from  that  other  before 
mentioned  in  the  hmt  College,  which  returns  very  near,  if  not 
exaftly  the  fame  Note :   And  fo  do  the  Gates  of  Queens  and  Vni- 
verfity Colleges,  than  which  in  height,  breadth  and  length,  there 
are  few  more  different, 

24.  It  muft  therefore  rather  be  referr'd  to  the  pores  of  the 
ftones,  which  are  fitted  to  receive  fome  vibrations  of  the  Air, 

rather 


Of  0XF0%T>~SH1%E.  13 

rather  than  others  ;  juft  as  in  two  Viols  tuned  to  aVnifon,  where 
the  firings  being  fcrewed  to  the  fame  tenfion,  and  their  pores 
t  put  into  the  fame  figure,  if  you  ftrike  one,  the  correfponding 
fixing  of  the  other  Viol  prefently  anfwers  it :  becaufe  the  firft 
ftring  being  of  fuch  a  tenfion,  and  having  pores  of  fueh  a  form, 
makes  vibrations  in  the  Air,  fuitable  only  to  the  pores  made  by 
the  fame  tenfion  in  the  other  ftring. 

25.   As  for  Tautological  Poljiphonou*  Echo's,  fuch  as  return  a 
word  or  more,  often  repeated  from  divers  objects  by  fimple  re- 
flection, there  are  none  here  eminent ;  the  beft  I  have  met  with 
is  at  Ewelme,  on  the  fide  of  a  bank,  inaMeddow  fouth  and  by 
weft  (about  a  furlong)  from  the  Church  :  it  returns  the  fame  word 
three  times,  from  three  feveral  objects  of  divers  diftances,  which 
I  guefs  may  be,   1.    The  Manor,  2.   The  Church  and  Hoftital, 
And  3d.  Colonel  Martins  houfe.     Another  there  is  near  Oxford,  a- 
bout  the  eaft-end  of  Chrift  Church  new  walk,  that  repeats  three  or 
four  fyllables  twice  over  ;  and  a  treble  one  at  the  moft  northern 
point  of  the  Fortifications  in  New  Parks  j  But  there  being  many 
better  than  thefe  of  the  kind  no  doubt  in  other  places,  I  fhall  re- 
fer ve  their  confideration  at  large  to  a  better  opportunity,  and  on- 
ly take  notice  here  by  the  way,  that  thefe  are  never  of  many  Syl- 
lables ;  and  that  always,  by  how  many  more  they  are' of,  by  fo 
many  the  fewer  times  they  repeat  them,  becaufe  fo  great  diftance 
will  be  required  for  their  objects,  that  they  muft  quickly  be  re;, 
moved  put  of  the  reflex  action  of  the  voice  :  for  fuppofe  but  z 
fentence  of  ten  fyllables,  viz^.    Gemitu  nemita  omne  remugit,  and 
allow,  as  before,  for  the  return  of  each  fyllable  1 20  feet,  the  firft 
object  muft  be  1200  feet  off;  and  the  fecond,  with  abatement  for 
diftance,    at  leaft  2000  ;    and  the  third,  certainly  out  of  the 
voices  reach,  beyond  all  hopes  of  any  refponfe.      Indeed,  could 
we  meet  with  one  of  Mcrfennus's  Echo's,  where  fixty  nine  feet 
would  return  us  a  fyllable,  then  fuch  an  Hemijiick.  might  be  re- 
founded  three  times,  or  perhaps  a  whole  Hexameter  twice <   yet 
however  fmall  a  fpace  maybe  found  for  the  clear  repetition  of 
fuch  a  Verfe,   I  cannot  think  it  can  poflibly  be,  that  any  Ecbb 
fhould  repeat  one  eight  times  over :  for  fuppofe  a  fmaller  diftance 
would  fuffice,   then  that  allowed  by  Merfennws,  as  but  350  yards 
to  a  Verfe  of  feventeen  fyllables,  and  allowing  fome  decreafe 
for   the  objects  diftances ;    yet  I  do  not  doubtp  but.  two  or 

three 


14.  The  Natural  Hiftory 

three  of  the  furtheft  muft  needs  be  out  of  the  voices  a&ion. 

26.  Much  lefs  fure  can  any  fingle  objecl:  perform  this,  and  yet 
Jacobus  Boiffardus,  in  his  Topography  of  Rome,  reports  this  to  be  ^ 
true  upon  his  own  knowledge.  On  the  Appian  way  (faies  he) 
amongft  many  other  vafl  ruins,  which  fome  think,  to  have  been  the 
Caftle  wherein  the  Praetorian  Soldiers  lay,  there  are  many  Sepulchers, 
cbtufe  and  [olid  Pyramids,  (yc.  But  the  moil  eminent  it  of  a  round 
form,  made  of  fquared  white  Marble,  like  a  Tower,  hollow  within 
and  open  at  the  top,  erecled  in  memory  of  Caecilia  Metella  :  itjiands 

in  the  corner  of  another  wall,  in  whofe  circuit  there  are  carved  in  Mar*»  * 
ble,  near  200  Bulls  heads,  whence  'tis  called,  Capo  di  Boi.  At 
the  foot  of  the  hill  where  this  Tower  (lands,  if  any  man  pronounce  an 
Heroic  Verfe,  a  wonderful  Echo  there  is,  that  returns  it  often  entirely 
and  articulately  :  1  my  f elf,  fays  he,  have  heard  it  repeat  the  firfl 
Verfe  of  Virgils  JEneids  diflindly  eight  times,  and  afterward  often 
broken  and  confufedly.  Noplace  in  the  World  yields  the  like  Echo  w, 
isrc.  And  what  if  I  add,  nor  that  neither,  fince  befide  the  natural 
impoffibility  of  the  thing,  the  induftrious  Kircher,  after  he  had 
ufed  all  imaginable  care  in  the  queft  of  it,  came  away  unfuccefs- 
ful,  and  found  no  fuch  matter  *. 

27.  But  though  we  have  no  confiderable  Tautological  Echo's, 
by  a  fimple  refleftion,  yet  we  have  others  of  no  inferior  account 
made  by  a  double  one,  which  alfo  arifing  from  divers  obje&s, 
though  in  a  different  manner,  belong  to  this  place.  Of  thefe, 
though  there  are  fcarce  any  that  will  return  a  Trijfyllable, occ?£ion- 
ed,  I  fuppofe,  by  the  nearnefs  of  the  fecondary  objefts,  yet  a  clap 
with  the  hands  or  ftamp  of  the  feet,  there  are  fome  will  re- 
turn eight,  nine,  or  ten  times,  the  noife  dying,  as  it  were,  and 
melting  away  by  degrees  with  fuch  a  trembling  noife,  that  I  fom- 
time  thought  of  the  Epithet  [tremulous]  to  difcriminate  this  fort 
of  Echo  from  the  reft. 

28.  At  Heddington,  in  the  Garden  of  one  Mr  Pawling  Mercer 
of  Oxon:  there  is  a  wall  of  about  40  yards  long,  built  for  the 
advantage  of  the  Fruit,  with  divers  Niches ;  to  which,  if  you 
ftand  but  a  little  obliquely,  fo  as  to  fee  the  Peers  ftanding  out  be- 
tween each  two  of  them,  you  have  the  feveral  objefts  of  fuch  an 
Echo,  not  above  nine  or  ten  foot  diftant  from  each  other,  which 
return  a  clap  with  the  hand,  or  a  monofyllable  (the  wind  being 

w  J<*ni  Jacob-  Boifardi,  TtfografhiaHom^p  65, 66.     *  Magi*  Fhoxocamptic*,  Pra/uf.2. 

quiet 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  iS 

quiet  and  ftill)  at  leaft  nine,  if  not  ten  or  eleven  times,  but  fo 
thick  and  clofe,  that  even  a  dijfyllable  breeds  a  confufion  :  Where 
by  the  way  if  it  be  objected,  that  (the  whole  wall  being  but  40 
yards,  or  120  foot  long)  according  to  the  afore-limited  diftance 
for  Echo's,  a  monofylldble  fhould  not  be  returned  above  once  at 
moft:  It  is  to  be  noted,  thatthefe  Echo's  made  by  a  double  re- 
flexion, begin  (quite  contrary  to  all  others)  at  the  remoteft  objecl: 
from  the  corpus fonorum,  which  in  as  many  as  I  have  yet  feen,  is 
a  diftincl:  wall,  falling  on  that ;  on  which  the  reft  of  the  objefts 
are,  in  right  angles  ;  and  this  objecl:  it  is,  that  firft  terminates 
the  voice,  clap,  or  ftamp ;  and  from  which,  by  reflection,  they 
next  ftrike  the  ultimate  fecondary  objecl;,  then  the  penultimate  and 
antepenultimate;  which,  though  nearer  to  the  corpus fengrum  in 
refpett  of  the  fituation  of  the  obje&s,  yet  are  ftill  further  off 
in  refpeft  of  the  voice,  or  other  founds  motion :  whence  it 
comes  to  pafs,  that  the  neareft  objecl:  to  the  corpus  f Quorum  is  laft 
ftricken,  and  therefore  repeats  a  fyllable  as  well  as  any  of  the 
reft,   becaufe  indeed  in  that  refpeft  the  furtheft  from  it. 

29.  After  the  voice  or  clap  has  ftricken  thefe  fecondary  ob- 
jects, by  way  of  acceffion  as  it  were  to  the  corpus  fonorum,  it  is 
carryed  again  by  a  fecond  reflection  away  from  it  toward  the 
primary  objecl,  and  fomtimes  over  it,  as  it  appears  to  be  in  this 
Echo  at  Heddington,  where  the  found  feems  as  it  were  fomwhat 
refrafted,  for  it  is  heard  quite  out  qf  the  place,  as  is  evident  to 
any  one  that  ftands  in  the  Nortb-eaft  corner  of  the  Garden  and 
fpeaks  Wtffatrdf*.  who  will  hear  the  Echo  rather  in  theHortyard 
on  the  other  fide  the  wall,  than  in  the  Garden,  which  I  take 
moft  certainly  to  be  occafioned  by  this  fecond  refleclion  ;  for  let 
any  one  that  fufpefts  the  Echo  tq  pe  really  in  the  Hortyard,  and. 
not  in  the  Garden,  go  but  into  it,  and  he  fliall  there  find  no  fuch 
matter  as  an  Echo.  All  which,  is  more  fenfihly  explained  in 
Tab.  1.  Fig.  4.  where 

a.  is  the  place  of  the  fpeakeror  maker  of  any  other  found. 

h,  the  primary  objecl  firft  terminating  the  founds  and  rebelling 
it  on  the?eei'softhe  other  wall. 

c  c  e  c  c  c.  the  Peers  between  ev$ry  two  Niches  that  receive  the 
found  refiecled  from  the  primary  objecl  and  make  the  Echo. 

d  d  d  d  d  d.  the  lines  wherein  the  voice  is  carryed  back.again  0- 
ver  the  primary  objecl,  whereby  the  Echo  appears  out  of  its 
place.  But 


\6  The  j^jitural  Hiftory 

But  herein  let  it  be  noted,  that  I  am  not  fo  fanguine  as  to  exclude 
all  fears  that  it  may  be  otherwife,  but  only  fuggeft  what  feems 
moft  probable  at  prefent,  cum  ammo  revocandi,  whenever  1  ("hall  be 
better  informed  by  another,  or  my  own  future  experience. 

30.  At  New  College  in  the  Cloyfters,  there  are  others  of  this 
kind,  to  be  heard  indeed  on  all  fides,  but  beft  on  the  South  and 
Weft,  becaufe  on  thofe  there  are  no  doors  either  to  interrupt  or 
waft  the  found  :  Thefe  return  a  ftamp  or  voice,  feven,  eight,  or 
nine  times,  which  fo  plainly  is  occdfion'd  by  the  Peers  between 
the  windows,  that  on  the  Weft  and  fhorter  fide  (being  but  38 
yards  long)  the  returns  are  more  quick  and  thicker  by  much  than 
on  the  South,  where  the  primary  objeft  being  above  fifty  yards 
removed  from  the  corpus fonorum,  and  the  fecondary  ones  propor- 
tionably  further  •  the  returns  are  much  flower  and  more  diftinft, 
in  fo  much  that  on  that  fide  the  Echo  will  return  a  di/jyllable,whete- 
as  on  the  Weft  fide  you  can  have  but  a  monofyllable  only.  If  it 
be  objected,  that  according  to  the  rule,  3  8  yards  are  not  enough 
for  the  return  of  a  monofyllable  ;  I  anfwer,  that  though  it  may 
be  likely  enough  that  the  return  of  the  primary  objeft  on  that 
fide  is  not  heard,  yet  that  there  is  none  of  the  fecondary  ones,  or 
Peers  between  the  windows,but  what  are  diftant  from  the  fpeak- 
er  above  40  yards,  and  therefore  may  well  return  ^monofyllable. 
And  if  again  it  be  objefted,  that  the  interval  of  an  Echo  muft  be 
liberum  and  patens  *,  and  it  be  further  demanded  how  it  comes  a- 
bout  that  we  have  fuch  Echo's  in  Cloyfters,  when  we  can  have 
none  in  wells  that  arecover'd  with  houfes,  becaufe  the  interval 
is  clofed  at  both  ends,  as  this  Cloyfter  is  :  It  muft  be  anfwered, 
that  that  rule  holds  only  in  narrow  intervals  clofed  up  on  all  fides, 
and  not  in  fuch  Cloyfters  that  are  open  and  arched  to  the  top  ; 
Which  may  alfo  be  the  reafon  why  at  Magdalen  College,  where 
the  Cloyfters  are  covered  with  a  flat  roof,  they  have  but  an  in- 
confiderable  Echo,  and  at  Corpus  Chrift/'none  at  all ;  notwithftand- 
ing  they  have  all  other  conditions  requifite. 

31.  In  the  Cloyfter  at  All-fouls  College,  in  the  North  and  Weft 
fides,  where  no  doors  hinder,  there  is  much  fuch  another,  which 
to  the  ftamp  of  ones  foot,  or  clap  with  the  hands,  anfwers  four 
orfivetimes,  with  a  noife  not  unlike  the  (baking  of  a  door,  and 
in  nothing  differing  from  the  former,  but  that  to  the  voice  it 

*  BUncani  Efhmetria,  1hcorematey  4 

makes 


OfOXFO^p^SHl^E.  ty 

makes  no  refponfe  *  :  arid  indeed,  it  would  be  matter  of  won- 
der if  it  fhould,  fince  no  one  fide  of  that  Cloyfter  comes  near 
the  diftance  affigned  for  the  return  of  a  fyllable,  whereas  that  at 
Reddington  juft  equals  it>  and  one  fide  of  New  College  much  ex- 
ceeds it. 

3  2i  Other  Echo's  there  be  that  belong  to  this  place,  as  Echo's 
upon  Echo's^  and  fuch  as  my  Lord  Verulam1  ftiles  back-Echo's  | 
of  which,  becaufe  I  have  met  with  none  confiderable,  I  am  con- 
tent to  pafs  them  by,  having  fufficiently,  as  I  fuppofe,  by  this 
time  tired  the  Readers  patience  with  too  tedious  a  confideration 
of  fo  particular  a  fubjeft,  and  make  hafte  to  treat  of  the  Air  of 
Qxford-flnre,  as  it  ftands  in  reference  toSicknefs  or  Health.  But 
all  Air  of  it  felf  being  equally  pure,  and  only  accidentally  good 
or  bad,  accordingly  as  more  or  lefs  filled  with  wholfom  or  noxi- 
ous vapors  afcending  from  the  Waters,  or  moift  Earths  ;  1  refer 
its  confideration  to  the next  Chapter,  to  which  it  feems  more  in- 
timately and  originally  to  belong :  it  being  the  opinion  of  Hippo- 
crates^  and  on  all  hands  agreed,  That  Waters  are  of  much  more 
concernment  in  reference  to  health  than  the  Air  can  be,  becaule 
they  are  as  it  were  part  of  our  aliment,  and  the  Air  not  fo  ;  and 
may  be  of  themfelves  fundamentally  bad,  whereas  the  Air  is  only 
fo  by  participation, 

*  There  it  much  fuch  another  as  this,  in  the  Ball-Court  at  Corpus  Chrifti  Coll.    i  Nat.  Hift.Cmt.  j> 
Num.  24.9, 250. 


CHAP* 


18  The  Natural  Hijlory 

CHAP.     II. 
Of  the  Waters. 

THAT  Oxford-Jhire  is  the  beft  watefd  County  in  England, 
though  I  dare  not  with  too  much  confidence  affert,  yet 
am  induced  to  believe  there  are  few  better ;  fmce  befide 
the  five  more  considerable  Rivers  of  Thame,  Ifis,  Cherwell,  Even- 
lode,  and  Windrujb,  there  are  numbred  no  lefs  than  threefcore 
and  ten  at  leaft  of  an  inferior  rank,  befide  fmaller  Brooks  not 
worthy  notice  :  And  all  thefe  of  fo  quick  a  ftream,  and  free  from 
ilagnation,  fo  clear,  and  yet  fo  well  impregnated  with  wholfom 
primogenial  Steams  of  Salts  and  Sulphurs,  that  few  (if  any) 
vappid  and  ftinking  Exhalations  can  afcend  from  them  to  cor- 
rupt the  Air.  As  for  (landing  Pools,  Marifh,  or  Boggy  grounds, 
the  parents  (at  leaft  occafions)  of  Agues,  Coughs,  Catarhs,  they 
are  feweft  here  of  any  place  to  be  found  :  the  Soyl  for  the  moil 
part  lying  dry,  and  water'd  only  with  clear  and  rapid  Fountains. 
Infhort,  fo  altogether  agreeable  is  this  County  to  Cardans  z  rule , 
Solum  ficcum  cum  aquh  currentibu*  faluhritatem  Aerk  efficiunt,  that 
had  he  wanted  an  inftance  for  confirmation,  he  might  have  found 
one  here  moll  fuitable  to  his  purpofe.  And  if  plenty  of  whol- 
fom Fifli,  fpontaneous  produclions  of  odoriferous  Plants,  and 
the  fcarcity  of  filthy  Reptils,  be  cogent  Arguments  of  the  good- 
nefs  of  Waters,  Soyls,  and  confequently  of  Air,  as  heretofore 
they  have  been  accounted,  I  know  not  the  place  can  make  better 
pretences,  as  iTiall  be  fhewn  more  at  large  in  their  proper  places. 

2.  Befide  its  clearnefs  from  peftiferous  vapors,  I  take  the 
fharpnefs  we  find  this  Air  to  be  of,  to  be  no  fmall  argument  of 
its  health  and  purity.  Ariftotle,  'tis  true,  thought  Air  mode- 
rately warm,  but  its  conflant  return  to  a  brisk  coldnefs,  after  it 
has  been  heated  either  by  fire,  the  Sun,  or  warm  exhalations, 
gives  us  ftrong  fufpitions  that  Vis  naturally  cold :  All  natural 
Bodies,  after  they  have  fuffered  violence,  returning  of  themfelves 
to  their  innate  condition.  To  which  add,  that  the  Air  on  the 
tops  of  high  Mountains,  above  the  reach  of  the  Clouds  and  o- 
ther  warm  Exhalations,    as  'tis  found  to  be  clear,  fo  'tis  very 

»  CoTmnent.mliipboc.deAere-,  aquis,  &  loc'u. 

cold  : 


Of  OXFO^V^SHI^E.  19 

cold  ;  whence  I  chink  it  may  not  be  illogkally  concluded,  That 
the  colder  the  Air,  the  nearer  to  purity ,  and  confequentially 
more  healthy  :  Which  is  alfo  very  fuitable  to  the  do&rine  of  Hip* 
pocrates,  who  fpeaking  concerning  the  healthy  fituation  of  CI* 
ties,  fays,  That  fetch  which  are  placed  to  cold  winds,  a  ^am  f^  to 

v£iLia.  TO  <TY.\Y\£?rn  *)   •\'VX&>   ui   '^  ^  "^"^a*  yAwta^gratj   -----   TO?  j  xg- 

<p*A*5  Cym&ts,  £«Aij#i«.  i.  e.  that  though  their  Waters  are  harfi  and 
cold,  yet  for  the  moftpart  they  arefweet,  and  the  Inhabitants  healthy 
and  brisk.,  found,  and  free  from  deflwxions.  And  fo  indeed  in  the 
main  I  find  them  here,  of  a  very  chearful  humor,  affable,  and 
courteous  in  their  Deportment ;  neither  fparing,  nor  profufe  in 
their  Entertainments,  but  of  a  generous  temper,  fuitable  to  the 
fweet  and  healthful  Air  they  live  in  :  Whereas  the  Inhabitants  of 
fenny  and  boggy  Countries,  whofe  Spirits  are  do gg?  d  with  perpetual 
Exhalations,  are  generally  of  a  more  fiupid,  and unpleafant  convex* 
fation. 

3.  That  the  qualities  of  Waters  and  Soyls,  together  with  the 
fituations  of  places  to  the  refpe&ive  Quarters  of  the  World, 
make  them  more  or  lefs  healthy,according  to  the  great b  Hippocra- 
tes, there  is  no  doubt.  But  to  thefe  I  muft  beg  the  favor  of  ad- 
ding, not  only  more  fwafive  but  more  irrefragable  proof;  I  mean, 
the  great  age  and  conftant  health  of  perfons  that  have  been  lately, 
and  are  now  living  here :  Richard  Clifford,  not  long  fince  of  Bol- 
fcot  in  this  County,  died  at  114  yeafs  of  age :  Brian  Stephens, 
born  at  C herlbury,  but  Inhabitant  of  Wcodftock,  dyedlaft  year  at 
103.  Where  alfo  there  now  lives  one  George  Green  (but  born  at 
Enjbam)  in  his  hundredth  year  :  at  Kidlington  one  Mns  Hill  was 
born,  and  lived  there  above  an  hundred  years :  and  at  Oxford 
there  is  living,  befide  feveral  near  it,  a  Woman  (commonly  called 
Mother  George*)  now  in  her  hundredth  year  current.  The  pleafant 
fituation  of  which  City  is  fuch,  and  fo  anfwerable  to  the  great 
Reputation  it  ever  had  in  this  refpeft,  that  it  muft  not  by  any 
means  be  paft  by  in  filence. 

4.  Seated  it  is  on  a  riling  Ground,  in  the  midft  of  a  pleafant 
and  fruitful  Valley  of  a  large  extent,  at  the  confluence,  and  ex- 
tended between  the  two  Rivers  of  Ifis  and  Cherwell,  with  which 
it  is  encompafs'd  on  the  Eaft,  Weft,  and  South  \  as  alfo,  with  a 
ridge  of  Hills  ata  miles  (or  fom  what  more)  diftance,  in  the  form 

*  Hifpocr.  *&<  ciifutf  ihi-nt  n-imt.    <>   Id,  ibid. 

C    2  Of 


2o    «  The  Statural  Hijlory 

of  a  Bow,  touching  more  then  the  Eaft  and  Weft  points  with  the 
ends,  fo  chat  the  whole  lies  in  form  of  a  Theater'-  In  the  Area 
ftands  the  City  mounted  on  a  fmall  hill,  adorned  with  fo  many 
Towers,  Spires  and  Pinnacles,  and  the  fides  of  the  neighboring 
Hills  fo  fprinkled  with  Trees  and  Villa's,  that  no  place  I  have  yet 
feen  has  equalPd  the  Profpeft  *.  'Twas  the  fweetnefs  and  com- 
modioufnefs  of  the  place,  that  (no  queftion)  firft  invited  the 
great  and  judicious  King  Alfred,  to  felecT:  it  for  The  Mufes  Seat ;  and 
the  Kings  of  England  ever  fince  (efpecially  when  at  any  time 
forc'd  from  London  by  War,  Plague,  or  other  inconveniencies) 
fo  frequently  to  remove  hither,  not  only  their  Royal  Courts,  but 
the  Houfes  of  Parliament,  and  Courts  of  Judicature :  Many  Synods 
and  Convocations  of  the  Clergy  have  been  alfo  for  the  fame  reafon 
held  here  ;  of  which,  as  they  have  promifcuouily  happened  in 
order  of  time,  take  the  following  Catalogue. 

A  Catalogue  of  Parliaments,  Councils,  and  Terms 
that  have  been  held  at  Oxford. 

A  Parliament  held  at  Oxford,  in  the  time  of  King  Ethelred, 
anno  1002. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  under  King  Canutus,  an.  1  o  1 8. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  under  King  Harold  Harefoot,  anno 
1036. 

A  Conference  at  Oxford,  under  King  William  Rufus,  an.  1088. 

A  Conference  at  Oxford,  in  the  time  of  King  Stephen. 

A  Council at  Oxford,  held  againft  the  Waldenfes,  temp.  Hen. 2. 
an.  1 160. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  under  King  Hen.  2.  temp.  Tho.  Becket 
Archiep.  Cant.  an.  1166. 

A  generalCouncil  at  Oxford,  at  which  King  Hen.  2 .  made  his  Son 
John  King  of  Ireland,  an.  1 1 77. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  ta/Z^Parliamentum  magnum,  temp, 
H.  2.  an.  11  85. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  temp.  Rich.  1. 

A  Conference  at  Oxford,  in  the  time  of  King  John. 

*  Ah  a?nomftateJ!tm  Bcllofitum  JiSum. 


OfOXFOXV^SHIXE.  21 

A  T Parliament  held  at Oxford,  temp.  Hen.  3.  an.  121 8.  which 
firftgave  occafion  to  the  Barons  Wars. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  under  Steph.  Langton  Arch-BifiopofCzn- 
terbury,  an.  1222. 

ACouncilat  Oxford,  an.  1227, 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  under  Stephen  Arch-Bifhop  of  Canterbu- 
ry, and  his  Suffragans?  an.  1230.  14  Hen.  3. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  temp.  Hen.  3.  an.  1233. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  under  Edmund  Arcb-Biflop  of  Cant. 

A  Council  held  at  Oxford,  by  the  Bifiops,  temp.  Hen.  3.  an.  1241, 

A  Term  kept  at  Oxford,  3 1  Hen.  3. 

A  Council  at  Oxf or d,  temp.  Hen.  3.  an.  1 247. 

A  Council  held  by  the  Bifhops  at  Oxford,  an.  1250^ 

A  Parliament  held  at  Oxford,  called  Parliamentum  infanum, 
41  Hen.  3. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  an.  1258. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  an.  1261, 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  an.  1 264. 

A  Council  at  Oxford,  under  John  Peckham  Arch-Bifhop  of  Can- 
terbury, an.  1 271. 

A  Council  held  at  Oxford,  under  Robert  Winchilfea  Arch-Bifhop 
of  Canterbury,  an.  1290.  . 

A  Parliamentfummon'dat  Oxford,  4  Edw.  3. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,   1 9  Novemb.  an.  1382* 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  6  Rich.  2. 

A  Term  kept  at  Oxford,  n  Rich.  2. 

A  Term  kept  at  Oxford,  16  Rich.  2. 

A  Convocation  of  the  Clergy  at  Oxford,  by  Tho.  Arundel 
Arch-Bif/jop  of  Canterbury,  an.  1395. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford-,   1  Car.  1.  1625. 

A  Parliament  fummon'd  at  Oxford,  temp;  Car.  1.  an.  1644, 
The  Terms  kept  at  Oxford,  eodem  temp,  it  being  the  Kings  Head- 
Quarters  in  the  late  Civil  War. 

A  Parliament  at  Oxford,  13  Car.  2.  an.  166$. 

TheTerm  kept  at  Oxford,  eodem  temp,  the  Plague  being  then 


at  London. 


5.  Of 


iz  The  Natural  Hi  (lory 

5.  Of  thefe  there  is  an  imperfeft  Lift  in  a  MSS.  c  In  Corpus 
Ckrijii  College  Library  Oxon.  in  which  there  are  alfo  mentioned 
three  Synods  held  in  St.  Maries  Church  :  A  Provincial  Chapter  of 
the  Fryars  Preachers,  and  a  Council  held  at  Oxon.  whofe  Votes 
were  written  by  Abraham  Woodhall.  There  is  alfo  a  Provincial 
Council  at  Oxford,  mention'd  in  the  Catalogue  fet  before  the  De- 
crees of  Gratian.  But  thefe  bearing  no  date,  and  in  all  likely- 
hood  the  fame  with  fome  of  the  afore-mentioned  ;  I  pafs  on  to 
another  Parliament,  which  though  not  at  Oxford,  yet  was  held 
in  this  County,  and  therefore  I  fuppofe  not  improper  for  this 
place.  However,  I  {hall  rather  venture  the  danger  of  impro- 
priety and  mifplacing,  then  omit  the  taking  notice  of  fo  confi- 
derablea  Meeting,  it  being  the  firft  Parliament  held  in  the  County, 
and  doubtlefsin  England;  called  it  was  at  Shi  ford,  now  a  fmali 
Village  in  the  Parifh  of  Bampton,  and  (hewing  now  nothing 
adequate  to  fo  great  an  Affembly* 

6.  There  is  a  MSS.  in  Sir  Robert  Cottons  Library,  that  gives 

an  account  of  this  Parliament,  which,  it  faies,  confifted  of  the 

chief  of  all  Orders  of  the  Kingdom,  and  was  called  at  Sifford 

(now  Shlford)  m  Oxford- pnre,  by  King  Alfred,  where  the  King 

as  Head  confulted  with  the  Clergy,  Nobles,  and  others,  about 

the  maners  and  government  of  the  people,  where  he  delivered 

fome  grave  admonitions  concerning  the  fame  :  The  words  of  the 

MSS.  are  thefe, 

"Rn  Sippopb  j-ccen  Bancp  manic,  pele  Bifcopr,  ec  pele  Bodepeb,  €plerppu&e,  ec 
Cnihcer  egloche  :•  ISeppar  6ple€lFpicop^Sela5ermuthpij-e,  *J  ec  Klppeb  €njlchip&, 
€n£le  6eplin£,on  englanb  he  paj-  Cynj,  hem  he  £an  Iepen,  j  po  hi  hepen  mihten  hu  hi  hepe 
hple&enrcol&en. 

i.e.  There  fate  at Shifford many  Thanes,  many  Bijbop,  and  many 
learned  Men,  wife  Earls,  and  awful  Knights ;  there  was  Earl  El- 
frick  very  learned  in  the  Law,  and  Alfred,  Englands  Herdf-man, 
Englands  Darling  ;  he  was  King  of  England,  he  taught  them  that 
could  hear  him  bow  they  fiould  live. 

7.  To  which  perhaps  may  be  added,  the  great  Council  of 
Kyrtlington  held  there  not  long  after,  in  an.  977,  at  which  were 
prefentKing  Edward 'the  Martyr,  and  Sr  Dun/Ian  Arch-Biftiop  of 
Canterbury  ;  and  at  which  died  Sidemannus  Bifhop  of  Crediton. 
This  Council  by  Sir  Henry  Spelman  d  is  taken  to  be  the  fame  men- 
tioned by  Wigornienfis  held  at  Kyrtlinege,  which  he  gueffes  to  be 

«  wt.fol. cp.  173.    d  H.  Spelman  Ctmcil.  Tom.  i.  An.  fft.f.  495. 

now 


Of  OXFORDS Hl%E.  i| 

now  Katlage  in  Cambridge-JlAre  ;  but  I  rather  believe  it  was  held 
here,  not  only  for  the  fake  ~of  the  name,  which  remains  the  fame 
to  this  day,  but  becaufe  of  the  one  and  only  Constitution  made 
there,  vi%*  That  it  fhould  be  lawful  for  the  Country  People  to  go  iri 
Pilgrimage  to  St.  Mary  o/Abington  ;  a  thing  in  all  Iikelyhood  not 
fo  defrible  to  the  People  of  Cambridge- fij'ire,  as  to  ours  of  #x- 
ford-fiire  fo  near  the  place  :  Befide,  the  great  reputation  that  this 
place  was  of  in  ancient  times,  feems  to  juftifiemy  plea,  it  enjoy- 
ing as  great  Privileges,  and  perhaps  being  a  fitter  place  in  thofe 
days  for  the  reception  of  fuch  an  Aifembly,  then  Oxford  it  felf  \ 
for  I  find  it  part  of  the  PorTeffions  of  the  Kings  of  England,  frofri 
whom  it  came  to  Henry,  Son  of  Edmund  Crouchback.  Earl  of  Lan* 
cafter  and  Father  to  Henry,  the  firft  Duke  of  Lancasler,  by 
whofe  Daughter  and  fole  Heir  Blanch,  it  came  to  John  of  Gaunt 
Duke  of  Aquitane  and  Lancafler,  and  was  free,  2.Tbelonio,paf[a- 
gio,  laflagio^pacagio,  slallagio,  tallagio,  tollagio,  cariagio,^  terragio? 
per  totum  Regnum,  as  I  find  it  in  an  old  Charter  in  the  poffeflion 
of  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Tho:  Chamberleyne,  now  Lord  of  the 
Town,  whofe  Angular  civilities  in  imparting  this,  and  fome  o- 
ther  matters  hereafter  to  be  mention'd,  I  cannot  but  in  gratitude 
ever  acknowledge. 

8.  From  whence  (after  fo  long,  but  I  hope  not  unpleafant  di- 
greffion)  I  return  to  the  Beautiful  Oxford  again,  a  place  of  fo 
fweetand  wholfom  an  Air,  that  though  it  muft  not  be  compared 
with  that  of  Montpellieri  yet  upon  my  own  knowledge  it  has 
proved  fo  advantagious  to  fome,  that  it  has  perfectly  recovered 
them  of  deep  Confumptions  ;  and  particularly  a  worthy  Friend 
of  mine,  who  though  he  came  hither  fufticiently  fpent,  yet  with- 
out the  help  of  any  other  Phyfick.,  within  few  Months  felt  a  fen- 
fible  amendment ;  and  in  fewer  Tears  became  of  as  fanguine  a 
complexion  as  the  reft  of  his  friends,  that  had  almoft  defpaired 
of  him. 

9.  Some  have  thought  the  Small  Pox  here  more  then  ordina- 
rily frequent,  and  it  muft  indeed  be  confeft,  That  we  are  per- 
haps as  often,  though  not  fo  feverely  infefted  as  fome  other4 
places  ;  for  generally  here  they  are  fo  favorable  and  kind,  that 
be  the  Nurfe  but  tolerably  good,  the  Patient  feldom  mifcarries. 
But  admit  the  Obje&ion  be  truly  made,  That  it  is  more  fubjeft  to 
the  Small  Pox  than  other  neighboring  Cities  about,  yet  ifbyfo 

much 


t±  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

much  the  lefs  it  feel  the  rage  of  the  Plague,  I  think  the  edge  of 
the  charge  is  fufficiently  rebated,  'tis  reported  amongft  the  e  ob- 
fervations  of  an  ingenious  Perfon  that  refided  long  in  the  Ifland 
Japan,  That  though  the  Air  be  very  falubrious  there,  yet  the 
Small  Pox  and  Fluxes  are  very  frequent,  but  the  Plague  not  fo 
much  as  ever  heard  of;  which  has  often  made  me  reflect  on  the 
year  1665,  when  the  Peftilence  wasfpreadina  maner  all  over 
the  Kingdom,  that  even  then,  though  the  Court,  both  Houfes 
of  Parliament,  and  the  Term  were  kept  at  Oxford,  the  Plague 
notwithftanding  was  not  there  at  all. 

10.  Others  again,  tell  us  of  the  Black.  Apife  held  in  the 
Caftle  here,  an.  1577.  wnen  a  poyfon  out  fleam  broke  forth  of 
the  Earth,  and  fo  mortally  feifed  the  fpiritsof  the  Judges,  Sheriffs, 
Juslices,  Gentry  and  Juries,  befide  great  numbers  of  others  that 
attended  the  bufinefs,  that  they  fickned  Upon  it  and  almoft  all  of 
them  dyed  ;  but  let  it  not  be  afcribed  to  \\\  fumes  and  exhalations 
afcending  from  the  Earth  and  poyfoning  the  Air,  for  fuch  would 
haveequally  affected  the  Prifoners  as  Judges,  but  we  find  not  that 
they  dyed  otherwife  then  by  the  halter,  which  eafily  perfwades 
me  to  be  of  the  mind  of  my  f  Lord  Verulam,  who  attributes  it 
wholly  to  the  fmell  of  the  Goal,  where  the  Prifoners  had  been 
long,  clofe,  and  naftily  kept. 

1 1 .  'Tis  true,  that  Oxford  was  much  more  unhealthy  hereto- 
fore then  now  it  is,  by  reafon  the  City  was  then  much  lefs,  and 
the  Scholars  many  more,  who  when  crowded  up  in  fo  narrow  a 
fpace,  and  the  then  flovenly  Towns-men  not  keeping  the  ftreet 
clean,  but  killing  all  maner  of  Cattle  within  the  walls,  did  ren- 
der the  place  much  more  unhealthy.  Hence  'tis,  that  we  find 
fo  many  refcripts  of  our  Kings  prohibiting  maftationem  grojfarum 
lefliarum  infra  muros,  (y  quod  vici  mundentur  a  ftmi*  &  fimarm, 
bearing  date  13  Hen.  3.  2jEdw.i.  12  Edw.y.  37  Hen.  6.g  and 
all  alledging  the  reafon ,  quiaper  hat  maSlationes,  isrc  aer  ibidem  in- 
ficitur,  becaufeby  the  killing  fuch  maner  of  Cattle,,  and  laying 

the  dung  in  the  ftreets,  the  Air  was  infected.  Moreover,  about 
thefe  times  the  Ifis  and  Cherwell,  through  the  carelefnefs  of  the 
Towns-men,  being  filled  with  mud,  and  the  Common-flioars 
by  this  means  ftopt,  did  caufe  the  afcent  of  malignant  vapors 
whenever  therchappened  to  be  a  Flood  ;  for  befide  its  ftirring 

•  Phi/ofoph.  Tranjatt.  num.  49.     t  Nat.  Hifi.  Cent.  ro.  mm  914.     *  MSS.in  Arch.  Bib-  Bod.fol.  90,  91. 

the 


of  0 XFO %p-S  HI1{E.  25 

the  infectious  mafs,  great  part  of  the  waters  could  not  timely 
pafs  away,  but  ftagnating  in  the  lower  Meddows,  could  not  but 
increafe  the  noxious  putrid  fleams.  But  the  former  being  long 
fince  remedyed  by  the  care  of  the  Vniverfity,  and  the  latter  by  the 
piety  and  charge  of  Richard  Fox  Bifhop  of  fVinchefier ,  and  Found- 
er of  C.C.  C.Oxon.  who  in  the  year  15 17.  cleanfed  the  Rivers, 
and  cut  more  Trenches  for  the  Waters  free  paflage h ;  the  Town 
hath  ever  fince  continued  in  a  healthful  condition  ;  though  I  can- 
not but  believe,  but  were  there  yet  more  Trenches  cut  in  fome 
of  the  Meddows,  the  .Air  might  be  fomwhat  better'd  ftill,  efpe- 
cially  during  the  Winter  feafon,  when  I  fear  fomtimes  Floods 
ftay  a  little  too  long-,  and  that  not  only  near  Oxford,  but  in  Ot" 
moor ;  and  all  along  the  Ifis  from  EnJJmm  to  North-moor,  Shiford, 
Chimly,  and  Rotcot,  which  brings  me  again  to  the  general  confide- 
ration  of  the  Waters  as  well  of  the  whole  County  as  City. 

12.  That  the  healthinefs  of  Waters  Confifts  in  their  due  impre- 
gnation With  Salts  and  Sulphurs,  and  their  continuance  fo,  in 
theif  continual  motion,  is  indifputably  evinced  from  the  ftinking 
evaporations  of  them  upon  any  ftagnation*  Now  that  the  Rivers 
here  abound  with  thefc,  will  be  altogether  as  manifeft  as  that 
they  ton,  if  we  confider  but  the  Springs  they  receive  and  Earths 
they  wafri.  The  Ifis,  'tis  true,  till  it  comes  to  New-bridge,  re- 
ceives not  (that  I  find)  any  eminently  fait  or  fulphureou*  waters ; 
but  there  it  admits  the  nitrous  Windrufh,  fo  well  impregnated  with 
that  abfterfive  fait,  that  no  place  yields  Blanketing  fo  notorioufly 
white,  as  is  made  ztWitney,  a  Mercat  Town  on  that  River,  and 
upon  this  account  the  moft  eminent  in  England  for  that  kind  of 
Trade  \  though  I  am  not  ignorant,  that  fome  add  another  caufe 
joyntly  contributing  with  the  afore-mentioned,  to  the  excellency 
of  thefe  Blankets  ;  of  which  more  at  large  when  I  come  to  treat 
of  Arts. 

13.  Som what  lower,  zboutCafiirigton,  it  receives  the  Even* 
lode,  a  River  whofe  Banks,  efpecially  near  the  Fountain  heads, 
are  very  well  faturatcd  with  both  the  Minerals  :  witnefs  the  wa- 
ters that  rife  a  little  above  Sir  Thomas  Pennyfton's,  in  the  Parifh  of 
Cornwell,  from  a  fort  of  Earth  that  may  well  pafs  for  a  Marie  ; 
and  the  brinifh  Bog  near  Churchill-xm\\,  which  though  upon  the 
furfaceof  the  ground  feems  to  have  no  communication  with  the 

h  Hijl.  &  Ajitiq.  Univerf  Oxon.  Lii.i.pag.  i+j. 

D  ad- 


2tf  The  Statural  Hijlory 

adjoyning  Rivulet,  yet  being  fo  near,  and  the  Glebe  all  there- 
about being  to  be  prefumed  of  a  like  nature,  it  mult  needs  lick 
fome  of  the  Mineral  in  its  paffage.  About  Kingham  I  was  told 
of  a  fulphureout  Earth,  and  that  fome  of  the  Waters  there  were 
of  fuch  an  odour  ;  but  whether  true  or  no,  I  am  fure  On  the  o- 
ther  fide  the  water,  at  a  place  called  Bould  in  the  Parity  of  Id- 
bury,  it  is  manifeftly  fo ;  which  being  not  far  from  the  River,  ac 
leaft  not  from  the  Stream  that  runs  by  Fofcot,  and  fo  into  it,  in 
all  likely  hood  may  impart  to  the  waters  hereabout  no  mean  quan- 
tity of  its  more  volatile  parts.  Upon  the  Cherwellwt  have  a  fait 
Spring  runs  immediatly  into  it ;  and  perhaps  the  fulpbureout  Glebe 
of  Deddington  may  fomwhere  reach  the  River.  The  Banks  of  the 
Thame  are  fo  well  fated  with  fome  kind  of  acid,  that  no  well- 
water  in  the  whole  Town  of  the  name,  will  either  brew,  or  lather 
with  foap  :  But  none  of  thefe  give  a  tinflure  fo  high,  that  they 
can  be  perceived  by  the  moft  exquifite  palate,but  only  fo  far  forth 
as  may  conduce  to  a  due  fermentation,  and  to  keep  them  living  : 
And  yet  without  doubt  from  hence  it  is,  that  the  Thames  water  at 
Sea,  in  eight  months  time,  acquires  fo  fpirituous  and  active  a 
quality,  that  upon  opening  fome  of  the  Cask,  and  holding  the 
candle  near  the  bung-hole,  its  fteams  have  taken  fire  like  Spirit 
of  wine,  and  fomtimes  endangered  firing  the  Ship '.  Hence  'tis 
alfo  that  its  flench  is  no  abfolute  corruption,  and  that  after  a 
third  or  fourth  fermentation,  it  equals  the  waters  of  the  Well  in 
the  Haven  of  Brundufium  *,  and  ftiaks  no  more  ;  and  though  the 
Mariners  are  fomtimes  forced  to  drink  it  and  hold  their  nofes, 
yet  upon  that  account  they  do  not  ficken  ;  whereas  all  other  wa* 
ters,  as  far  as  has  been  hitherto  obferved,  become  irrecoverable 
upon  ftinking,  and  dangerous  to  drink. 

14.  Cardan  in  his  Comment  upon  Hippocrates k,  takes  the 
plenty  and  goodnefs  of  the  Fifh,  to  be  a  fure  indication  of  the 
wholfomnefs  of  waters.  And  our  Country-man,  the  ingenious 
Dr  Browne  *,  fpeaking  of  the  great  fecundity  of  the  River  Tibifcut, 
admits  it  into  confideration,  whether  its  exceeding  fertility  may 
not  be  afcribed  to  the  [aline  Tinclures  it  receives  from  the  natural 
fait  Mines  it  licks  by  the  way  :  which  opinions  if  approved,  as 
rationally  they  may  be,  ftiew  the  health  of  our  waters  and  the 

>  Pbilofoph.Tranfan.Num.2f.  pag.  495.     *  Flin.  Nat.  Hifi./ii.  2.  tap.  103.     K   De  Aere  Aauis  &  loeii 
fup<rlcxt.-$.     *  General Defcr:ption  of  Hungary, pag-  io. 

rcafon 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  ij 

reafon  of  it  too  :  for  though  we  muft  not  compare  our  Ifls  with 
Tibifcus  or  Brodrack  ;  the  one  whereof  is  faid  to  confift  of  two 
parts  of  water,  and  one  of  Fijh  ;  and  the  other  fo  replenifh'd  with 
them,  that  in  Summer  when  the  River  is  low,  the  People  fay* 
The  water fmells  of  Fifh :  yet  in  the  year  1674.  it  gave  fo  ample 
teftimony  of  its  great  plenty,  that  in  two  days  appointed  for  the 
Fifhing  of  Mr  Major  and  the  BaylifYs  of  the  City,  it  afforded  be- 
twixt Smthins-Wear,  and  Woolvercot -bridge  (which  I  guefs  may  be 
about  three  miles  diftant)  fifteen  hundred  Jacks,  befide  other 
Fi(h ;  which  great  fecundity,  as  it  argues  the  goodnefs  of  th6 
Element,  fo  'tis  no  whether  to  be  referr'd,  as  to  its  Original  caufe, 
but  to  the  various  Salts  upon  which  depend  the  propagation  of 
all  forts  of  Species's  l ;  and  as  far  as  concerns  this  part  of  the  Ani- 
mal Kingdom^  are  plentifully  to  be  found  at  the  bottoms  of  fome 
Rivers. 

15.  And  I  faid  the  rather  at  the  bottoms  of  Rivers^  not  only 
becaufe  Bodies  from  Salts  have  their  folidity  and  weight"1,  and 
therefore  may  well  be  prefumed  to  refide  in  the  loweft  places  :  but 
becaufe  I  find  it  the  joynt  agreement  of  all  the  Water-men  hereabout 
that  I  have  yet  talk'd  with,  that  the  congelation  of  our  Rivers  is 
always  begun  at  the  bottom,  which  however  furprizing  it  may 
feem  to  the  Reader,  is  neither  unintelligible  nor  yet  ridiculous  s 
for  befide  matter  of  facl:  wherein  they  all  confent,  vi^.  that  they 
frequently  meet  the  Ice-meers  (for  fo  they  call  the  cakes  of  Ice 
thus  coming  from  the  bottom)  in  their  very  rife,  and  fomtimes 
in  the  under-fide  including  ftones  and  gravel  brought  with  them 
ab  imo,  it  feems  upon  confideration  alfo  confonant  to  reafon  :  for 
that  congelations  come  from  the  conflux  of  Salts,  before  difpers'd 
at  large,  is  as  plain  as  the  vulgar  experiment  of  freezing  a  pot  by 
the  fire  -  and  that  induration  and  weight  come  alfo  from  thence, 
fufficiently  appears  from  the  great  quantities  of  them  that  are  al- 
ways found  in  ftones,  bones,  tefiaceom,  and  all  other  weighty  bo- 
dies n.  Now  whatever  makes  things  compact  and  ponderous,  muft 
needs  be  indued  with  the  fame  qualities  it  felf,  and  therefore  af- 
feft  fuitable  places  ;  fo  that  why  ftanding  Pools  ftiould  freez  at 
the  top,  might  poftibly  have  proved  the  greater  difficulty  of  the 
two,  had  not  the  Learned  Dr  Willi*  already  cleared  the  point,  by 
(hewing  us,  that  all  ftanding  waters  are  more  or  lefs  in  a  ftate  of 

^    Williiyde  Ferment-  cap -2-     m  Willis  tie  Ferment,  cap.  2.     *  Wtlbi  deFermnt-tap.  \i, 

D  2  putre- 


28  The  Statural  Hijlory 

putrefaction  °,  with  their  falls  and  fulphurs  ready  for  flight,  and 
in  that  pofture  catch'd  by  the  adventitious  cold,  are  probably 
fo  congealed  at  the  top  of  the  water.  How  confonant  to  truth 
this  Theory  may  be,  I  leave  to  the  Readers  judgment  and  future 
experience,  and  by  the  way  would 'have  him  take  notice,  that  as 
this,  fo  my  other  opinions  hereafter  to  be  mentioned,  are  not 
magifterially  laid  down,  fo  as  to  juftle  out  better  whenever  they 
can  be  brought,  but  fairly  to  have  their  tryal,  and  fo  live  or  dye. 
But  as  to  the  matter  of  Fad,  as  I  cannot  but  think  it  hard  that 
fo  many  people  (liould  agree  in  a  ralfity,  fo  methinks  'tis  as  diffi- 
cult they  (hould  miftake  in  their  judgments,  fince  I  was  told  by 
one  of  thefobereft  of  that  calling,  that  he  once  knew  a  Hatchet 
cafually  fall  over-board  into  the  River  near  Wallingford,  which 
was  afterwards  brought  up ,  and  found  in  one  of  thefe  Ice- 
meers. 

1 6.  And  fo  much  for  the  [alts  that  give  life  to  the  waters,  mul- 
tiply the Fifii  and  are  the  caufe  of  congelations-,  for  the  watry 
Plants  it  feems  have  their  vegetation  from  none  of  thefe,  but  a 
higher  principle,  which  fome  will  have  to  be  a  volatile  Niter, 
brought  along  with  the  fhowers  in  their  paffage  through  the  Air. 
Thatfubaqueout  Plants  have  a  proportionable  growth  to  thofe  on 
the  Land  after  a  fhower  of  rain,  is  alfo  the  general  voice  of  the 
Barge-men;  and  herein  I  am  the  rather  inclin'd  to  believe  them, 
becaufe  'tis  a  matter  fo  much  their  intereft  to  obferve  ;  our  water- 
men here  in  thefe  (hallow  Rivers,  praying  notfo  much  for  rain  to 
fill  them  when  low,  as  that  weeds  may  alfo  grow  to  help  keep  the 
waters  when  they  have  them,  which  will  otherwife  too  foon  glide 
away,  to  their  no  fmall  detriment.     Some  have  thought  this  vi- 
gorous (hooting   of  the  aqueous  Plants,  fo  prefently  fenfible  af- 
ter plentiful  Ihowers,  to  proceed  rather  from  the  foyls  brought 
with  them  from  the  hills,  and  impregnated  with  [alts  fit  to  pro- 
mote vegetation ;  but  the  contrary  is  evident  from  the  former 
Paragraphs,  for  with  fuch  as  thefe  the  Rivers  are  daily  fated,  and 
yet  this  brisk  vegetation  is  wanting  till  it  rains  :  whence  I  guefs 
that  terreslrial  and  fubaqueous  Plants  (that  I  fay  not  fuch  as  delight 
in  uliginout  places)  have  their  fprightful  (hooting  from  different 
principles  5  and  if  to  the  former  I  (hould  aflign  a  more  fix'd, 
and  to  the  latter  a  volatile  fait,  perchance  I  might  not  be  much 

0  Witt*  deFermwnt.  cap.  %. 

out 


Of  OXFO%T>^S H1\E.  19 

out  of  the  way  :  but  it  being  not  fo  much  my  bufinefs  to  find  the 
reafons  of  phenomena?  as  to  give  the  Reader  fuch  hints  as  may 
lead  his  greater  fagacity  tb  do  it ;  I  forbear  faying  more,  &  manum 
de  tabula,  only  advertifing  him,  that  what  has  been  faid  of  the 
Ifis  may  be  indifferently  applyed  to  the  reft  of  the  greater  Rivers, 
of  which  neither  have  I  any  thing  more  to  add,  but  an  unufual 
accident  that  happened  to  the  CherveelU  An.  1 66*,  which  without 
one  drop  of  rain,  or  any  other  vifible  caufe  here,  but  from  great 
and  fudden  fhowers  that  fell  in  Northampton-fbire,  fwelled  to  that 
vaft  height,  that  in  two  hours  time,  not  only  the  Medows  Were 
o're-flown,  Magdalen  College  cellar  drowned,  and  their  raifed 
Water-walks  covered ;  but  the  River  Ifis  driven  back  as  far  as  Ivy- 
Hincksey,  atleaft  a  mile  from  the  confluence  of  the  two  Eivers. 

17.   But  amongft  the  many  frmWerR  i7;ulets,  perchance  it  may 
not  be  unworthy  notice.    (1 .)   That  the  two  confiderable  Rivers 
of  Stour  and  Oufe,  though  but  fmall  here  and  running  but  little  way 
in  it,  yet  rife  in  this  County ;  the  one  at  Swalcliff,  which  goes  in- 
to the  Severn  Sea  in  the  weft  ;  and  the  other  at  Fritwell,  whence 
it  runs  into  the  Sea  between  Lincoln-fiireznd  Norfolk'm  the  eaft  of 
England.      And  (2.)  that  the  Fountain-heads  of  the  River  Rea 
lye  for  the  moftpartin  a  plain  Country,  having  little  more  to  feed 
them, than  juft  a  declivity  to  facilitate  their  paffage  ;  which  feems 
to  argue,  that  all  running  waters  owe  not  their  continuance  to 
rain  and  dews,  colle&ed  as  they  fay,  on  thefpungy  tops  of  hills, 
and  fent  forth  again  fomwhere  in  the  declivity.      And  fo  do's  a 
a  fmall  Spring  at  Cleydon,  that  rifes  in  the  ftreet  on  the  fouth  fide 
of  the  Town,  which  continues  running  all  the  year,  but  nioft 
plentifully  like  the  Scatebra  of  Pliny  p,  in  the  dryeft  weather : 
to  which  add  a  Well  at  Ewelme,  alfo  fouth  of  the  Church,  whofe 
Springs  run  loweft  in  the  Winter  feafon,  and  advance  in  the 
Summer  remarkably  higher  ;  as  1  am  credibly   informed  from 
Lambourn  in  Berk-fine,  all  the  Springs  in  that  Town  moft  con- 
ftantly  do.      But  I  decline  all  engagement  in  this  great  Contro- 
verfie  concerning  the  origin  of  Springs,  till  my  Travels  have 
fupplyed  me  with  more,  and  more  certain  evidences,   as  well  for 
the  one  as  other  part  of  the  queiiion. 

1  8.    That  Land-firings,  and  fuch  as  run  but  once  perhaps  in 
many  years,  have  their  rife  and  continuance  from  plentiful  (hoW- 

t  Nat.  Hifi-  lib.  2.  cap.  103. 

ers, 


}o  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

ers,  I  think  we  have  little  reafon  to  doubt,  fince  we  have  them 
not  at  all,  or  but  very  weak  in  any  Summer,  or  the  dryer  Winters  : 
fuch  are  thofe  that  fore-tell  (and  naturally  enough)  the  fcarcity 
and  dearnefs  of  Corn  and  Vi&uals  ;  whereof  that  of  Ajfenton,  near 
Henly  upon  Thames,  is  one  of  the  moft  eminent  that  I  know  of  in 
England ';  and  no  queftion  is  the  fame  mentioned  by  Johannes  Eu- 
feb.  Nierembergim  %  in  his  Book  (as  he  calls  it)  of  the  Miracles  of 
Nature.  In  Britannia  territorio  Chiltrenfi  funtfontesmulti,&c.  by 
which,  I  fuppofe,  he  mult  mean  the  Chiltern  Country  o$  Oxford- 
fiire,  There  are,  fays  he,  many  Springs,  which  in  fertile  years  are 
always  dry  ;  but  before  any  dcjeft,  as  the  Harbingers  of  an  approach- 
ing dearth ,  tkefe  waters  get  loofe,  and  at  it  were  breaking  prifon,  they 
quickly  unite  into  a  forcible  ftream.     And  fo  they  did  lately,  in  An. 
16 74. with  that  violence,that  feveral  Mills  might  have  been  driven 
with  the  Current ;  and  had  not  the  Town  of  Henly  made  fome 
diverfion  for  them,  their  Fair  Mile  muft  have  been  drowned  for 
a  confiderabletime.     Of  thefe  there  are  many  in  the  County  of 
Kent,  which  I  know  not  for  what  reafon  they  call  Nailbourns 
there,  and  prefcribe  them  (fome  will)  a  certain  time  for  their 
running,  as  once  in  feven,  ten,  or  fifteen  years.     But  the  certain 
natural  principle  of  fuch  Springs,  altogether  depending  upon 
an  uncertain  caufe,  no  heed  is  to  be  given  to  fuch  kind  offtories,^ 
they  being  equally  as  vain  as  the  perfons  that  broach'd  them. 

19.  Befide  thefe  conftant  and  intermitting  Rivulets,  that  al- 
ways difcharge  themfelves  into  Seas  or  Lakes,  we  have  others 
here  of  a  peculiar  kind  that  empty  themfelves  into  neither  of 
them  ;  but  as  they  firftrofe  out  of  the  Earth,  fo  prefently  after 
a  fhort  ftay  on  it,  ingulf  themfelves  again,  and  are  no  more 
feen.  Two  of  thefe  there  are  at  Shot -over  Foreft,  both  rifing  as 
I  take  it  on  the  north  fide  of  the  hill ;  the  one  not  far  from  He d- 
dington  Quarry-pits,  is  conftantly  fed  with  a  double  Spring,  yet 
after  it  has  run  about  two  Bows  fhoot,  is  received  by  a  rocky  fub- 
terraneous  indraught,  and  appears  no  more  :  for  though  fome  have 
thought  it  to  come  forth  again  at  the  Pool  of  a  Mill  not  far  from 
it,  yet  after  diligent  fearch  I  could  find  no  fuch  matter.  Ano- 
ther there  is  not  far  from  Forefi-hill,  and  I  think  in  the  Grounds 
of  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrill,  which  fomtimes  in  Winter  runs  with  that 
violence,and  has  worn  its  In-let  to  fuch  a  capacity,  that  it  can  and 
has  received  an  Ox.         ,  DtMiracuLNat./lb.2.t.i6, 

20.  Other 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  p 

20.  Other  waters  again  are  of  fo  flow  a  pace,  that  they  feem 
rather  to  fweat  than  run  out  of  the  Earth,  part  whereof  being 
fpent  in  exhalation,  and  the  reft  in  fating  the  dry  neighboring 
Earth,  do  neither  reach  the  Sea ,  are  received  in  Lakes,  nor 
fwallowed  up  like  the  former,  but  of  themfelves  ate  ftopt  upon 
the  very  furface.  And  yet  I  have  obferved,  and  believe  rightly 
too,  that  thefe  are  the  moft  durable  Land  firings  we  have,  wit- 
nefs  that  famous  one  of  this  kind  at  Nettkbed,  which  I  know  not 
from  what  old  Witch  heretofore,  by  way  of  derifion,  they  call 
Mother  Hibblcmeer  ;  whereas  if  we  confider  how  ferviceable  (he 
has  been,  being  never  known  to  fail  them  in  the  dryeft  Summer, 
and  that  in  a  Country  fo  uncapable  of  Wells,  that  there's  no  fuch 
thing  to  be  found  in  the  Parifh,  (lie  rather  merits  the  efteern  of 
the  Nymph  of  the  place. 

2 1 .  In  Wejiphalia  they  have  a  Spring  they  call  their  Botderborn r., 
from  a  noife  that  it  makes  at  the  exit  of  the  water  ;  whether  ours 
may  defer ve  the  name,  I  know  not,  but  fuch  a  one  there  is  in  the 
Parifli  of  Qhmpton,  in  a  wood  about  a  mile foiith -w eft  from  the 
Church,  in  a  place  where  there  are  ftones  in  the  form  of  Cockles  J 
upon  which  account  hereafter  I  {hall  mention  it  again*  The 
Springs,  as  I  remember,  are  in  number  three,  and  the  mofrfouthern 
one  of  thefe  'tis  that  has  the  humming  noife,  much  like  that  of 
an  empty  bottle  held  with  the  mouth  againft  the  wind,which  per- 
haps may  be  a  refemblance  fo  befitting  our  purpofe,  that  it  may 
help  to  explain  the  caufeas  well  as  the  found  :  for  provided  the 
channel  be  large  within,  and  r.he  paffage  forth  fomwhat  narrow 
like  a  bottle,  the  coUifion  of  the  water  againft  the  lips  of  the 
orifice,  may  well  make  a  noife  in  a  large  vault  within,  efpecially  if 
the  waters  be  indued  with  a  fpirit,  as  perad venture  anon  may  be 
proved  like  enough. 

22.  Which  is  all  I  have  to  fay  concerning  the  flux  of  Rivulets, 
but  that  one  there  is  at  Sommerton  makes  a  fmall  Cafcade,  or  fall 
of  water  about  feven  foot  high  ;  which  were  it  not  in  the  high- 
way, butm  a  Gentlemans  Garden,  fome.ufe  might  be  made  on't 
for  divers  good  purpofes,  but  as  the  cafe  ftands  I  think  it  can 
have  none,  except  for  experiments  of  petrifications,  for  which 
fure  it  cannot  but  be  very  excellent,  fmce  the  living  blades  of 
grafs  of  not  above  half  a  years  growth,  within  that  fmall  time 

'  Varenii  Geog- lib.  I.  cap.  17. prop.  if. 

are 


5i  The  U^atural  Hijlory 

are  all  covered  with  ftone,  and  hang  down  the  bank  like  fo  many 
Ificles  ;  and  the  Earth  it  felf  over  which  it  glides,  as  'twere  foli- 
ated over  with  a  cruft  of  ftone  like  the  Mofco  petrofo  of  F  err  ante 
hnperato*.  Which  brings  me  to  a  clofer  consideration  of  waters, 
as  they  are  eminently  endued  with  any  peculiar  qualities,  of  Pe- 
trification, Saltnefs,  or  Medicinal  ufe ;  of  which  in  their  order  as 
briefly  as  may  be. 

23.  Of  Petrifying  waters,  though  I  doubt  not  but  their  kinds 
are  as  various,as  the  effe&s  they  produce  ;  and  theeffe&s  again,  as 
the  fubjefts  they  work  on ;  yet  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  they 
all  agree  thus  far,  that  they  proceed  in  the  main  from  the  fame 
frock  and  linage,  and  are  all  more  or  lefs  of  the  kindred  of  Salts, 
which  fublimed  and  rarified  in  the  bowels  of  the  Earth  into  an 
invifible  fteam,  are  received  by  the  waters  as  their  moft  agreeable 
vehicle,  and  brought  hither  to  us  at  the  riling  of  Springs,  as  in- 
vifibly  as  the  particles  of  filver  or  gold,  when  each  is  diflblved 
in  its  proper  menfiruum :  where  meeting  perchance  with  an  am- 
bient Air,  much  colder  and  chilling  than  any  under  ground,  in 
alllikelyhood  are  precipitated,  and  thrown  down  on  fuch  fub- 
je&s,  as  they  cafually  find  at  the  place  of  their  exit,  which  they 
prefently  cloath  with  a  cruft  of  ftone;  or  elfe  (where  precipita- 
tion or  cohefion  will  not  fuftice)  they  pafs  with  the  waters  through 
the  pores  of  the  fubjefts,  and  are  left  behind  in  them  juft  as  in  a 
filter. 

24.  The  reafon  of  which  difference  may  probably  be,  that 
fomeof  thtft  petrifying  fteams  or  atoms,  may  be  grofs  and  more 
bulky  than  fome  others  are,  and  cannot  be  held  up  in  the  watry 
vehicle,  without  fuch  a  heat  as  they  have  under  ground,  but  fall, 
and  by  reafon  of  their  bignefs,  do  not  penetrate,  but  adhere  to 
their  fubje&s  •  whereas  others  that  are  fine,  more  minute  and  fub- 
tile,  are  eafily  fupported  in  a  volatile  condition,  and  pafs  with 
the  waters  into  the  clofeft  textures. 

25.  If  any  body  doubt  whether  ftones,  and  fa  petrifications, 
arife  from  Salts,  let  him  but  confult  the  Chymifis,  and  afk,  Whe- 
ther they  find  not  all  /W«r<7/eiBodies,fuch  as  ftones,  bones,ftielIs, 
and  the  like,  moft  highly  fated  with  the  [aline  principle  ?  Some 
mixture  of  Earth  and  Sulphur  'tis  true  there  is  in  them,  which 
give  the  opacity  that  moft  ftones  have  ;  from  which,  according  as 

•  Dell  Hi[l.  Natural.  M.2J.  cap.  8. 

they 


0fOXFO%p*SHI%E.  % 

they  are  more  or  lels  free,  they  have  proportionable  transparency  4 
and  fom  hardnefs  too  ;  as  the  beft  of  gems,  the  Diamant?  evinces^ 
And  if  he  fhall  ask  what  Salts  are  the  apteft  to  perform  this  feat 
of  petrification?  though  the  difficulty  of  the  queftion  might  well 
excufe  me,  yet  Fie  venture  thus  far  to  give  him  anartfwer,  That 
I  have  frequently  feen  at  Whitftable  in  Kent-,  how  their  Coperas  of 
Vitriol  is  made  out  of  ftones  that  'tis  more  then  probable  were 
firft  made  out  of  that :  to  the  Spirit  of  which  Vitriol  if  you  add 
Oyl  of  Tartar?  they  prefently  turn  into  a  nVd  and  fom  what  hard 
fubftance,  not  much  inferior  or  unlike  to  fome  incruflations  % 
which  feems  to  conclude,  that  from  thefe  two,  all  fUch  like  cort* 
ctetions  are  probably  made  ?  and  that  could  we  but  admit  that 
Ocean  of  Tartar,  which  Plato1  placed  in  the  center  of  the  Earth* 
and  thought  the  origin  of  all  our  Springs?  the  bufinefs  of  petrifi^ 
cations  were  fufficiently  clear.  To  which  I  alfo  add  in  the  be- 
half of  Vitriol?  what's  matter  of  fact,  and  prevails  with  me  much, 
That  where-ever  I  find  ftrong  Vitriol  waters,  the  petrifying  ones 
are  feldom  far  oft";  which  as  far  as  I  have  obferved,  1  believe 
may  be  reduced  to  thefe  three  kinds  that  prefently  follow. 

i.  Such  as  purely  of  thcmfelves  TStpetrifyed?  the  very  body 
of  water  being  turned  into  (tone  as  it  drops  from  the 
rocks,  which  we  therefore  commonly  call  Lapidesflil-* 
latitios?  and  fhall  accordingly  treat  of  them  in  the 
Chapter  of  Stones'?  thefe  not  ftriftly  coming  under  fetri* 
fications?  where  befide  the  water  zxi&faxeou*  oefdur?  there 
is  always  required  a  fubject  to  work  on  of  a  diftinft 
(pedes  from  either  of  the  two  ;  as  in 

2.  Such  aspebrifie  by  incruftation?and  are  only  fuperficial,  of 

3 .  Such  as  petrifie  per  minima?  or  totumper  totum  ;  of  both 

which  I  fhall  inftantly  treat,  but  of  the  laft  more  at 

large  in  the  following  Chapter. 
26.  Incruflations?  are  petrifications  made  by  fuch  waters  as  let 
fall  their  ftony  particles,  which  becaufe  either  of  their  own  big-* 
nefs,  or  clofenefs  of  thepores  and  texture  of  the  Body  on  which 
they  fall,  are  fixt  only  to  the  fuperficial  parts?  as  it  were,  by  ag- 
gregation? and  do  not  enter  the  folid  body ;  of  which  I  have  met 
with  feveral  in  Oxford-Jhire?  and  particularly  at  Sommerton?  as 
was  above-mentioned,  where  the  grafs,  being  one  of  xhefluvia^ 

«  Anton-  Galataus  dtflurmmin  itrmibm. 

E  tilia? 


34.  The  J^atural  Hiflory 

tilia,  is  covered  over  with  a  foft  ftone  ;  and  yet  fo,  that  broken 
off,  the  grafs  appeared  (for  any  thing  I  could  fee)  as  frefh  and 
green  as  any  other  not  crufted,  nothing  of  the  blade  being  alter'd 
or  impaired,  which  is  the  neareft  incrujlation  I  ever  yet  faw :  for 
though  fome  of  thefe  petrified  blades  of  grafs  hung  down  at  leaft 
a  foot  in  length,  yet  flipping  them  off  from  about  the  root,  I 
could  take  the  grafs  by  the  end,  and  pull  it  clean  out  as  it  were 
from  a  (heath  of  ftone,  fo  little  of  cohefion  had  the  one  to  the 
other  :  the  reafonof  which  I  guefs  may  be,  that  the />om  of  the 
Plant  pofTeft  with  its  own  juice,  and  already  furnifh'd  with  a 
congenial  [alt-,  might  well  refufe  adventitious  ones. 

27.  And  yet  far  other  wife  is  it,  but  juft  on  the  other  fide  the 
River  at  North-  Ajhton,  in  a  Field  north-weft  of  the  Church,  where 
either  the  petrifying  water,  or  plants,  are  fo  different  from  what 
before  I  had  found  them  zzSommerton,  that  though  there  too  the 
work  be  begun  by  adhefion,  yet  the  roots  of  rufies,  graft,  mofi,  (src. 
are  in  a  while  fo  altogether  eaten  away,  that  nothing  remains  af- 
ter the  petrification  is  compleated,  but  the  figures  of  thofe  Plants 
with  fome  augmentation. 

28.  And  petrifications  of  this  kind  I  frequently  meet  with, 
that  happen  on  things  of  much  different  fubft  ances,  zsjlells,  nuts, 
leaves  of  trees,  and  many  times  on  their  moft  ligneous  parts.  In 
the  Parifh  of  Sr  Clements  in  the  Suburbs  of  Oxford,  about  a  quarter 
of  a  milediftant,  on  the  right  hand  of  the  firft  way  that  turns 
eafi-ward  out  of  Marfton-lane,  there  is  a  ditch,  the  water  whereof 
incrufiates  the  flicks  that  fall  out  of  the  hedge,  and  fome  other 
matters  it  meets  with  there  :  but  this  is  fo  inconfiderable,  that  I 
fhould  not  have  mention'd  it,  but  that  it  has  been  taken  notice  of 
by  fo  many  before,  that  my  filence  herein  would  have  looked  like 
a  defect.  Much  better  for  this  purpofe  is  the  water  of  a  Pump 
at  the  Crop-Inn  near  Carfax,  in  the  City  it  felf,  which  not  only 
incrufiates  boards  fallen  into  it,  but  inferts  it  felf  fo  intimately  in- 
to the  pores  of  the  wood,  that  by  degrees  rotting  it  away,  there 
is  in  the  end  the  fucceflion  of  a  perfect  ftone  ;  and  that  not  with- 
out fome  courfe  reprefentation  of  the  very  lineaments  of  the 
wood  it  felf :  Which  though  I  muft  confefs  to  be  of  fomwhat  a 
higher  kind  of  petrification  than  incrufiation,  yet  it  being  wholly 
performed  by  acceffion  of  parts,  and  continual  intrufion  into  the 
open  pores  of  rotten  wood,  will  not  amount  to  the  warranty  of  a 
different ffecies.  29.   A 


Of  0  XFO  I^D^HI^E.  35 

-  29*  A  curious  pattern  I  have  of  this  kind,  in  a  piece  of  wood 
given  me  by  Mr  Pomfret  School-mafter  of  Woodfiock.  (whofe  care 
in  my  enquiries  I  muft  not  forget)  wherein  nature  has  been  fo 
feafonably  taken  in  her  operation,  that  the  method  flie  ufes  is  ea- 
fily  difcovered  ;  for  being  interrupted  in  the  midft  of  her  work^ 
one  may  plainly  fee  how  the  ftony  atoms  have  intruded  themfelves, 
as  well  at  the  center  zs/uperficies,  and  fo  equally  too  into  all  parts 
alike,  that  'tis  hard  to  difcern  in  any  part  of  it,  whether  ftonc 
or  wood  obtain  the  better  (hare. 

,30.  Petrifications  of  this  kind  are  always  friable,  and  though 
fomtimes  they  faintly  fhew  the  grain,  yet  never,  that  I  could  fee, 
keep  the  colour  of  the  wood  ;  in  the  fire  they  are  as  incombufiible 
as  any  other  ftone,  andlofe  nothing  of  their  extenfion,  but  their 
colour  for  the  moft  part  feems  to  alter  toward  white  :  in  diftil- 
led  Vinegar  they  remain  indiffoluble ,  though  not  without  the 
motion  (as  Mr  Hook"  well  obferves)  that  the  fame  fpirit  has  when 
it  corrodes  Corals,  yielding  many  little  bubbles,  which  in  all  pro- 
bability (as  he  fays)  are  nothing  elfe  but  fmall  parcels  of  Air  dri- 
ven out  of  its  fubftance  by  that  infinuating  Menflruum,  it  ftill  re- 
taining the  fame  extenfion :  but  in  aqua  forth,  the  Sommerton 
cruft  was  wholly  diffolved  into  a  white  fubftance,  not  unlike  the 
white  wa[h  ufed  by  Plaislerers.  All  of  them  increafe  the  bulk  of 
the  fubjeft  on  which  they  work ;  and  moft  of  them,  as  the  inge- 
nious Mr  Hook?  alfo  further  notes,  feem  to  have  been  nothing 
more  but  rotten  wood,  before  the  petrification  began. 

3 1 .  But  fome  others  I  have  fcen  of  a  far  nobler  kind,  that 
fhew  themfelves  likely  to  be  petrifications  per  minima,  and  per- 
formed with  a  fteam  fo  fine,  as  permeates  the  very  fchematifm  and 
texture  of  the  body5  that  even  to  a  Microfcope  feems  moft  folid, 
and  muft  in  all  likelyhood  be  as  tenuiou*  as  the  fubtileft  effluviums 
that  come  from  a  Magnet ;  fome  whereof  are  fo  unlike  rotten 
wood,  that  they  keep  the  colour  and  texture  of  heart  of  Oak, and 
are  fome  of  them  fo  hard  that  they  cut  Glafs  :  and  with  one  of 
them,  that  feems  formerly  to  have  been  apiece  of  Ground-ajh,  I 
ftrook  fire  to  light  the  candle  whereby  I  write  this.  But  I  have 
nothing  more  to  fay  of  it  here,  becaufe  I  guefs  the  change  not 
to  have  been  wrought  by  water;  that  therefore  I  offer  not  vio- 
lence to  the  Chapter  of  Earths,  by  which  I  think  this,  and  all 

»  Micograph-  O&f.  if. 

E  2  other 


3<*  The  Natural  Hijlory 

other  of  the  Vind,l  have  met  with  in  Oiford-JI/ire  have  been  per- 
formed; 1  forbear,  and  proceed  to  the  other  fait  waters  that  are 
more  eminently  fuch,  and  do  not  petrifie. 

32.  And  amongft/iw7,  we  muft  remember  to  reckon  all  fuch 
as  are  unfit  for  waftiing,  and  will  not  take  Soap ;  for  though  thefe 
to  our  taft  are  not  fenfibly  fait,  yet  to  our  touch  (as  the  Learn- 
ed Willi*  w  notes)  they  areharfh  and  unpleafant,  which  they  have 
from  their  too  great  impregnation  with  Salts :   But  what  is  a  much 
more  certain  evidence  of  it,  we  do  not  find  any  but  inftantly 
lathers,  except  fuch  as  hold  an  acid  fait,  and  difcover  themfelves 
fuch  upon  evaporation.     To  which  may  be  added  this  very  eafie 
Experiment,  That  if  to  fimple  water,  and  fuch  as  before  would 
lather  well,  you  add  fomefew  drops  of  Spirit  of  Vitriol,  or  fome 
fuch  like  acid,  it  prefently  refufes  to  mix  with  foap :  The  reafon 
of  which  feems  indeed  to  be  no  other,  but  the  congrefsof  the 
acid /alt  of  the  water,  with  the/xVand  alcalizate  one  of  the  foap, 
which  it  fo  wholly  fubdues  to  its  own  inclinations,  that  it  will 
not  permit  it  any  longer  to  hold  the  oily  parts  of  the  foap,  or  mix 
them  with  the  water ;  but  now  vifibly  increafed  both  in  quantity 
and  weight,  by  the  confiderable  acquesl  of  this  new  prifoner,  it 
may  alfo  perhaps  fo  fill  up  the  pores  and  little  cells  of  the  water, 
that  the  excluded  jiilpbur  or  oily  parts  of  the  foap  (as  in  their  fe- 
parate  nature)  are  forced  to  the  furface. 

33.  Many  of  thefe  waters  are  every  where  found,  and  accord- 
ing to  fome,  all  Pump  waters  are  fuch  •  but  that  they  are  miftaken, 
my  experience  has  taught  me,  for  I  have  met  with  fome  that  will 
lather  very  well. 

34.  At  Henly  they  are  troubled  with  many  of  them,  but  not 
fo  much  as  they  are  at  Thame ;  for  there  they  have  a  way  to  let 
them  ftand  two  days,  within  which  time  (as  I  was  informed  by 
my  worthy  Friend  Mr  Munday,  Phyfitian  there)  the  Vitriol,  or 
whatever  other  acid  kbe,  falls  down  to  the  bottom  of  theVef- 
fels  that  hold  them,  and  then  they  will  wafh  as  well  as  one  can 
dcfirc.  But  TxTbame,  where  there  is  never  a  Well  in  the  whole 
Town  whofe  water  will  wafh,  or  (which  is  worfe)  brew  :  This 
Experiment,  for  I  caufcd  it  to  be  tryed,  will  by  no  means  fuc- 
ceed  ;  fo  that  were  they  not  fupplyed  by  the  adjoyning  Rivulet, 
the  place  muft  needs  be  in  a  deplorable  condition.    The  reafon,  I 

w  Be  Ferment. cap.?. 

fuppofe, 


Of  OXFOXV-S Hl%E.  37 

fuppofe,  why  the  acid  will  not  fall,  as  it  do's  at  Henly  and  fome 
other  places,  is  becaufe  thefe  waters,  befide  their  fait,  *in  all  pro- 
bability alfo  hold  a  crude  Sulphur,  whofe  vifcous  particles  do  fo 
tenacioufly  embrace  it,  that  it  will  not  admit  of  any  feparation ; 
which  may  alfo  perhaps  be  a  hint  to  the  caufe  why  their  Beer  will 
ftink  within  fourteen  days  whenever  they  attempt  to  brew  with 
this  water,  for  where  a  Sulphur  is  any  thing  great  in  quantity, 
and  its  body  opened  and  exalted  by  the  heat  in  brewing,  and  the 
a&ive  fpirituous  particles  of  Mault,  (as  I  guefs  the  cafe  may  have 
itfclf  here)  the  frame  of  that  mixtion  may  probably  be  loofed, 
wherein  the  fpirits  firft  taking  their  flight,  the  Sulphur  will  next 
begin  to  evaporate,  whofe  fteams  being  fmartly  aculeated  by  the 
fait,  that  then  bears  the  chief  fway  in  thefubjecl:,  caufe  the  ftink 
of  the  Beer  that  is  brewed  with  fuch  water. 

35.  Other  waters  there  are  that  are  palatably  fait,  and  Suffi- 
ciently ftinking  without  being  brewed,  and  fuch  is  that  before- 
mentioned  near  Churchill-mill ;  but  I  think  within  the  bounds  of 
the  Parifh  of  Kingham  ;  The  water  as  it  ftands  looks  of  a  greenifli 
colour,  as  rooft  of  the  palatably/*//  waters  do,  and  to  it  refort  all 
the  Pigeons  in  the  Country  ;  which  fhould  they  not  do,  I  (hould 
much  wonder,  fince  be/ides  its  faltnefs  it  has  fuch  a  ftink,  that  it 
equals  the  faltflone,  and  roafteddog  too  :  fo  that  (hould  the  Pro- 
prietor  but  build  a  Dove-houfe  here,  he  might  honeftly  rob  all  his 
neighbors  of  their  flights ;  but  that  he  may  not  put  it  to  fo  invi- 
dious a  ufe,  I  (hall  divert  him  anon  by  a  more  profitable  way* 

36.  As  to  the  fait  that  impregnates  this  water,  I  do  not  take 
it  to  be  a  fimpleone,  but  fome  Mineral  concrete  both  of  fait  and 
fulphur  ;  for  without  thefe  two  be  in  their  exaltation,  and  become 
fo  far  fluid  as  to  endeavor  a  divorce  from  each  other,  it  could  ne- 
ver acquire  fo  noifom  a  fmell.     Which  concrete  (hould  I  call  a 

fait  Marine,  peradventure  I  might  not  be  much  miftaken  ;  for  if 
you  take  but  a  fmall  quantity  of  thrice  calcined  Bay  falti  and 
diffolve  it  in  a  pint  of  Well-water,  upon  diffolution  you  will 
have  much  fuch  an  odour,  as  has  been  obferved  by  a  late  Author 
in  a  fhort  account  of  the  Sulphur  Well  at  Knarsborough*. 

3  7.  Nor  hinders  it  at  all  that  the  Sea  is  fo  remote,  fince  whe- 
ther ^ri/zg*  have  any  communication  with  it  or  no,  fuch  marine 
falts  may  be  had  very  well ;  for  if  the  Sea  grow  fait  by  the  Earth 

x  SimpfoTtf  Hydrel'g.  Chjtn  part.  2. 

tnat 


38  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

that  it  licks,  which  I  take  to  be  as  certain  as  that  'tis  not  fo  by 
torrefailion  ;  then  if  it  be  poffible  we  may  have  fuch  Earths,  as 
give  the  Seatrxofefalino-fulphureou*  tinctures,  it's  altogether  as 
poflible  we  may  have  fuch  waters  too,  without  any  neceflity  of 
fuch  communication. 

38.  If  it  be  objected,  That  the  waters  of  the  Sea  fend  forth 
no  fuch  flench  as  we  find  thefe  do,  let  it  be  confidered  that  the 
flux  of  the  one,  and  ftagnation  of  the  other,  may  well  occafion 
fuch  a  difference  ;  whil'ft  the  Sea-waters  are  in  their  motion,  'tis 
true  their  [alts  and  fulphurs  fo  involve  one  another,  that  their 
mutual  imbraces  hinder  2W  evaporations  ;  but  whenever  they  come 
to  ftand  but  awhile,  as  they  do  moft  times  in  the  holds  of  Ships, 
then  their  fulphurs  evaporate  with  as  great  a  ftink,  as  can  be  fup- 
pofed  ours  have  here  at  Land  ;  and  this  the  Ships  pump  doth  fre- 
quently witnefs,  to  the  great  content  of  all  that  travel  by  Sea?  it 
being  a  fure  indication  of  the  Ships  health,  which  abundantly 
recompences  the  inconvenience  of  theftench. 

39.  Such  another  I  have  heard  of  in  the  Parifh  of  Chadling- 
ton,  in  the  grounds  of  one  Mr  Rawlifon  there,  not  differing  in  any 
thing  at  all  from  the  former,  but  only  it's  fomwhat  ftronger  of 
the  marine  fait :  this  I  muft  confefs  I  faw  not  my  felf,  yet  having 
my  information  from  fo  knowing  a  Perfon,  and  of  fo  unqueftion- 
able  fidelity  as  Sir  Thomat  Pennyfton,  I  doubt  not  at  all  the  truth  of 
thething. 

48.  A  fait  firing  there  is  alfo  at  Clifton  near  Deddington,  with- 
in a  Quoits  caft  of  the  River  fide :  but  its  faline  particles  are  fo 
fubtilized  in  the  water,,  that  they  fcarcely  can  at  all  be  perceived 
by  the  palate,  and  yet  it  lays  them  down  plentifully  enough  on 
the  ftones  and  Earth  over  which  it  paffes.  What  fort  of  fait  this 
is,  I  care  not  to  determine,  becaufe  it  will  be  difficult  not  to 
miftake  ;  for  upon  evaporation  of  about  a  gallon,  it  yielded  a 
fait  of  a  urinous  taft :  which  at  firft  I  muft  confefs  was  fo  furpri- 
zingtome,  that  I  could  not  but  think,  that  during  myabfence, 
fome  waggifh  fellow  had  either  put  a  trick  on  me,  or  elfe  that  I 
might  have  ufed  fome  unfit  veffel ;  whereupon  I  caufed  a  new 
earthen  pot  to  be  bought,  well  glafed,  and  then  repeated  the  Ex- 
periment very  carefully,  but  found  in  the  end  all  had  been  honeft 
about  me,  for  I  had  zfalt  again  of  the  very  fame  taft. 

41.  How  this  fliould  come  about  I  cannot  divine,  unlefs  from 

the 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  5p 

thefweatof  the  Bodies  of  Animals,  it  being  much  tifed  in  cuti- 
cular  Difeafes  ;  but  this  i  think  neither  can  well  be,  becaufe  'tis 
a  conftantly  running  $ri/zg,  and  would  fure  carry  off  what  might 
be  left  of  that  nature  :  I  therefore  wholly  leave  it  to  the  Readers 
greater  perfpicacity,  and  (hall  content  my  felf  with  this  fatisfa- 
ction,  that  however  improbable  the  thing  may  feem,  that  in  the 
mean  time  'tis  an  improbable  truth. 

42 .  1  have  often  fince  wiftfd,  that  I  had  tryed  this  water  with 
afolutionof  Alum,  and  feen  whether  it  would  have  given  any 
thing  of  that  milky  precipitation  it  do's  with  Vrines'y  which  be- 
ing then  quite  out  of  my  head,  is  left  to  the  tryal  of  fome  inge- 
nious perfon  that  lives  thereabout;  though  before-hand  I  muft 
tell  him,  that  I  believe  it  will  not  fucceed  becaufe  the  urinous  fub- 
ftance  feems  not  to  be  copious  enough. 

43 .  Divers  might  be  the  ufes  of  thefe  waters,  and  particularly 
of  the  two  firft,  as  good,  or  perhaps  better  than  that  at  Clifton, 
for  cutkular  Difeafes  of  Men  and  Beafts?-  fome  whereof  I  have 
known  carry ed  out  of  thefe  Inland  Countrys  to  the  Sea  fide ; 
whereas  'tis  likely  they  might  (in  all  the  Diftempers  for  which 
we  have  recourfe  thither)  with  much  more  eafe  have  had  a  re* 
medy  at  home. 

44.  But  tar  more  profitable  muft  they  furely  be,  if  imployed 
to  improve  poor  and  barren  Lands,  which  no  queftion  might 
be  done  by  calling  them  on  it.  In  Chejhire  y,  near  the  Salt-pits 
of  Nantwicb,  'tis  yearly  practiced  thus  to  brine  their  Fields ; 
which  though  never  done,  but  after  the  fall  of  great  ftore  of 
Rain-waters  into  their  pits,  which  before  they  can  work  again 
muft  be  gotten  out ,  and  with  it  fome  quantity  of  their 
brine  too ,  yet  even  with  thefe  but  brackifh  waters  do  they 
fo  feafon  their  adjoyning  Lands,  that  they  receive  a  much  more 
profitable  return,  then  they  could  have  done  from  any  foil  or 
dung. 

45.  In  Cornwall  and  Devon/hire,  fo  confiderable  are  their  im- 
provements by  fea-fand,  that  it  is  carryed  to  all  parts  as  far  as 
they  have  the  advantage  of  the  water,  and  afterwards  1 0  or  12 
miles  up  higher  into  the  Country  on  horfes  backs  :  At  which  I 
muft  confefs  1  marvel  not  at  all,  fince  we  are  informed  by  an  in- 
telligent Gentleman  of  thofe  parts  %  that  where-ever  this  fand  is 

•  »  SirHughVhes  Jewel-hovfe  of  Art  and Nature,  cap.  I04.    *  Fhilofoph.  Trdnfacl.  Uum.  113. 

ufed, 


4_o  *The  Statural  Hijlory 

ufed,  the  feed  is  much  and  the  ftra vv  little,  (/  have  feen,  faies  he 
in  fuch  a  Place,  good  Barly,  where  the  ear  has  been  equal  in  length 
with  theftalk.it  grew  on}  and  after  the  Corn  is  off,  that  the  grafs 
in  fuch  places  turns  to  Clover.  Some  of  the  heft  of  this  fand,  he 
faies,  lies  under  Ouje  or  Mud  about  a  foot  deep  ;  and  who  knows 
but  there  may  be  fuch  a  Sand  under  the  briny  Bog  near  Church- 
/>/'//- mill,  or  at  Chadlingtcn  ?  1  am  fure  the  fait  firing  at  Clifton 
comes  from  a  fand ;  if  fo,  and  the  Farmers  thereabout  get  fuch 
Corn  and  Clover-grafi,  I  hope  I  (hall  not  want  the  thanks  of  the 
Country. 

46.  However,  I  do  not  doubt  but  the  water  will  be  ferviceable, 
either  to  caft  on  their  Land.,  as  at  Nantwich,  or  to  fteep  their 
Corn  in  before  they  fow  it,  to  preferve  it  from  all  the  inconve- 
niencies  formerly  prevented  by  brining  and  liming  it,  and  to 
ftrengthen  it  in  its  growth. 

47.  Sir  Hugh  Plat*  tells  us,  of  a  poor  Country-man  who  paf- 
fing  over  an  arm  of  the  fea  with  his  Seed-corn  in  a  fack,  by  mif- 
chance  at  his  landing  fell  into  the  water,  and  fo  his  Corn  being 
left  there  till  the  next  Ebb,  became  fomwhat  brackifh  ;  yet  fuch 
was  the  neceffity  of  the  Man,  that  (notwithftanding  he  was  out 
of  all  hope  of  any  good  fuccefs,  yet  not  being  able  to  buy  any 
other)  he  fowed  the  fame  upon  his  plowed  grounds  ;  and  in  fine, 
when  the  Harveft  time  came  about,  he  reaped  a  crop  of  goodly 
Wheat,  fuch  as  in  that  year  not  any  of  his  Neighbors  had  the 
like. 

48.  Now  let  the  Owners  or  Farmers  of  thefe  firings  fit  down 
and  confider  of  what  has  been  faid,  and  if  they  fhall  think  fie, 
make  tryal  of  them,  wherein,  if  they  meet  with  fuccefs,  I  only 
beg  of  them  (which  I  (hall  gladly  accept  as  the  guerdon  of  my 
labors)  that  they  would  be  as  free  of  it  to  their  poor  Neighbors 
that  have  lean  grounds  and  ill  penny-worths,  as  God  has  been  to 
them  by  me  his  weak  inftrument  in  the  difcovery. 

49.  Having  fpoke  of  fuch  waters  as  cure  faulty  grounds,  and 
cuticular  diftempcrs  by  external  application,  it  followeth,  that  we 
treat  of  fuch  as  are,  or  may  be  taken  inwardly,  and  defcrve  the 
repute  of  Medicinal  waters.  The  firft,  and  perchance  the  beft  of 
thefe,  1  found  at  Veddington,  a  fmall  Mercat  Town,  within  the 
Clofe  of  one  Mr.  Lane,  where  not  long  fmce  digging  a  Well, 

■  Id.  loco  ci  tat* 

and 


of  0 XFO  %T>^S  HI%E.  +i 

and  pafling  through  a  blew  Clay,  adorned  with  fome  glittering 
fparks ;  and  meeting  by  the  way  with  -pyrites  argenteus,  and  a 
bed  of  Belemnitesy  or  (as  they  call  them)  Thunder-bolts b  He 
came  within  few  yards  to  this  water,  of  a  ftrong  [ulphureows 
fmell,  the  moft  like  of  any  thing  I  can  think  of,  to  the  water 
that  has  been  ufed  in  the  fcouring  a  foul  gun  :  in  weight  lighter 
than  pure  Spring-water  by  an  Ijs.  in  a  quart,  and  yet  after  feve- 
raltryals,I  found  it  fo  highly  impregnated  with  a  vitrioline  fait  as 
well  as  fulphur,  that  two  grains  of  the  powder  of  galls  would 
turn  a  gallon  of  water  into  a  dusky  red,  inclining  to  purple  ;  nor 
did  they  only  fo  alter  the  fite  and  pofition  of  the  particles,  as  to 
give  a  different  colour  and  confiftence,  as  it  happens  in  waters 
but  meanly  fated  ;  but  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  did  fo  condenfe 
and  conftipate  the  pores  of  the  watery  vehicle,  that  the  excluded 
particles  of  the  Minerals  appeared  in  a  feparate  ftate,  curdled  in 
theVeffel,  and  of  fo  weighty  a  fubftance,  that  they  fubfided  to 
the  bottom  in  a  dark  blue  colour. 

50.  The  fediment  being  great  in  quantity,  I  tryed  upton  red 
hot  Irons,  and  fome  other  ways,  to  fee  whether  the  falts  or  fuU 
phur?  either  by  colour,  fcintillation,  or  odour,  might  not  by  that 
means  betray  themfelves  ;  but  with  fmall  fuccefs  :  whereupon  I 
betook  me  to  diftillation,  putting  about  a  quart  into  a  glafs  body, 
to  which  fitting  a  head  and  clean  receiver,  I  gave  an  eafie  heat, 
till  there  was  diftilled  off  about  three  or  four  ounces,  which 
when  poured  out,  I  found  had  neither  fmell,  taft,  or  any  other 
properties,  that  might  diftinguifh  it  from  any  other  firing  water 
diftilled:  for  with  galls  it  would  make  no  more  alteration  than  any 
other  fimple  common  water  would.  Then  ordering  the  fire  to  be 
flackned,  to  fee  what  precipitate  it  would  let  fall ;  upon  filtration. 
of  what  remained  in  the  body,  I  procured  only  a  pale  calx  of  a 
gritty  fubftance,  (hewing,  as  it  dryed  in  the  Sun,  many  tran- 
fparent  particles  intermix' d  :  in  taft  it  had  a  faint  pleafant 
piercing,  with  a  gentle  warmth  diffufed  on  the  tongue  ;  but  pour- 
ing on  it  Spirit  of  Vitriol,  Oyl  of  Tartar,  tec  I  could  not  perceive 
any  manifeft  ebullition,  fo  as  to  judge  whether  the  fait  Contained 
in  this  refidence,  were  either  of  the  acid  or  lixiviate  kind. 

51.  Wherefore  to  come  clofer  to  the  point,  and  taking  dire- 
ctions from  that  accurate,  Jevere,  and  profound  Philofopher,  the 
Honorable  Robert  Boyle  Efq;  the  glory  of  his  Nation,  and  pride 

F  of 


^x  The  Statural  Hifiory 

of  his  Family ;  and  to  whofe  moft  fignal  Encouragement  of  the 
Dcfign  in  hand,  thefe  Papers,  in  great  part,  owe  their  birth  :  I 
took  good  Syrup  of  Violets,  impregnated  with  the  tinclure  of  the 
Flowers,  and  drop'd  fome  of  it  ii.to  a  glafs  of  this  water  as  it 
came  from  the  Well;  whereupon,  quite  contrary  to  my  expecta- 
tion, not  only  the  Syrup,  but  the  whole  body  of  the  water  turn- 
ed not  of  ared,  but  a  brisk  green  colour,  the  Index  of  a//xzz/i- 
ate,  and  not  that  acid  Vitriol,  which  I  before  had  concluded  on, 
from  the  infufl  on  of  galls.  The  Phenomenon  at  firft  was  very 
furprifing,  till  I  had  further  weighed  the  cautious  Expreffions  of 
that  Noble  Author*  9  and  found,  that  he  reftrains  the  Experiment 
of  the  Syrup  of  Violets,  turning  red  with  acids,  with  provifion 
always  they  be  diftilled  Liquors  ;  and  what  he  feems  to  hint  in  a 
former  Experiment  *,  that  fulphureoutfalts,  (fuch  as  the  Vitriol 
of  this  water  will  anon  more  plainly  appear  to  be)  being  of  a 
quite  contrary  nature,  may  have  different  effecls :  which  may 
alfo  be  the  reafon  why  this  fulphureous  water,  notwithftanding  it 
moil:  ceYtainly  poflfeffes  an  acidfalt,w'i\\  yet  as  certainly  lather  with 
foap,  and  raife  a  greater  fud  than  other  waters  commonly  do  ; 
and  if  put  into  milk?  though  boiled  up  to  the  height,  will  not 
feparate  the  more  grofs  from  the  ferows  parts  of  it :  efecls  fo  u- 
fually  following  upon  fuch.  applications,  that  perhaps  till  now 
they  have  always  been  fuppofed,  never  as  yet  to  have  happened 
otherwife. 

52.  But  Experience,  that  great  baffler  of  /peculation,  afifuresus 
the  contrary  to  be  pofiible  enough,  and  brings  matter  of  fact  to 
confute  our  fuppofitions  in  the  very  tryal  of  this  water,  wherein 
the  great  quantity  of  Vitriol,  is  yet  fo  clofe  lock'd  up  by  the  vif- 
cous  particles  of  Sulphur,  and  thereby  rendered  fo  dull  and  un- 
acYive,that  it  cannot  exert  its  enmity  to  (as  Dr '  Mayow c)  or  friend- 
ly embraces  with  (as  Dr  Willis  d)  the Mcalizate  fait  it  finds  in  the 
feap  ;  or  fo  comprefs  the  pores  of  the  milk,  as  thereby  tocaufe 
a  precipitation :  but  having  as  it  were  thus  put  on  the  nature  of  a 
fix 'd fait,  a&s  not  upon  its  like,  nor  longer  enjoys  the  aftringent 
power  of  an  acid. 

53.  And  under  this  vizorof  a  fix d Alcaliitwds,  thatita&ed 
its  part,  and  with  Syrup  of  Violets,  gave  a  green  tin&ure  ;  unlefs 

; 
b  Hift  of  Cohmf,  Exper.  20.     *  Ibid-  Expcr.  10     c  Btlktrmk  Bathmievfihu.fubfiveia.     <>   Be  Fer- 
ment, cap.  11. 

we 


OfOXFOIW-S'HFRj;.  -M 

we  may  allow  its  fait  to  be  a  volatile  Alcali,  with  which  alfo  that 
Syrup  turns  to  the  fame  colour  :  to  admit  fuch  a  thought  'tis  true 
is  very  hard,  yet  finding  but  a  mile  off,  at  Clifton  as  above- 
mentioned,  a  Spring  ftrangely  fated  with  fuch  a  kind  of/**//;  I 
adventur'd  to  try  another  Experiment  of  the  aforefaid  Honorable 
Author ,  and  according  as  he  directs  %  made  a  folution  of  fubli- 
mate  in  fair  water  (the  only  Criterion  I  yet  know  of,  that  plain- 
ly diftinguifhes  the  two  AlcalVs)  to  which  I  added  this  Well- 
water,  in  great,  fmall,  and  the  intermediate  quantities:  but  it 
anfwer'dnot  at  all  the  defign  of  the  Experiment,  not  giving  the 
tawny,  much  lefs  the  white  precipitate  :  Whence  'tis  eafie  to  con^ 
elude,  that  this  alfo  fucceeds  only  in  difcriminating  Chymicalfalts, 
as  that  gredtVirtuofo  well  obferves,  and  not  in  the  immediate  pro* 
dufts  of  Nature* 

54.  One  thing  more  I  could  not  but  obferve,  that  notwith^- 
(landing  the  powers  of  the  Vitriol  are  thus  reftrained  in  reference 
to  its  acting  on  foap  and  milk,  that  yet  it  has  its  ufual  effoft  upon 
Iron  :  for  the  corrofion  of  the  Pump-rod  I  muft  believe  to  pro- 
ceed from  Vitriol,  till  any  one  upon  better  grounds  can  convince 
me,  that  'tis,  likely  it  may  be  from  fomwhat  elfe  ;  and  yet  this 
neither  do  I  conceive  to  be  done,  but  by  fuch  fleams  as  afcend 
in  the  Well,  and  are  freed  from  the  .(hackles  of  Sulphur,  much 
queftioning  whether  the  Pump-rod  under,  or  near  the  bottom  of 
the  water,  be  eaten  fo  or  no. 

55.  To  this  add,  that  although  the  Sulphur  do's  exercife  fuch 
dominion  over,  and  fo  clofely  knits  up  the  Vitriol^  whil'ft  toge- 
ther in  the  water,  yet  it  may  and  do's  too,  let  go  its  hold  <  and 
like,  what  is  reported  by  Henricws  ab  Beers  of  his  Spadacrene,  and 
the  Sauvenir  by  Frambefariu* ,  can  hardly  be  kept  within  any 
bounds,  but  expires  through  glafles  ftopt  never  fo  clofe ;   'tis 
true,  I  had  not  the  conveniency  there  of  putting  it  under  the 
Hermetickfeal,  butfo  eafiea  paflage  it  made  through  a  good  cork 
cover'd  over  with  wax,  and  both  bound  down  with  a  double 
leather,  that  in  fix  miles  riding  it  loft  all  its  virtues,  not  giving 
then  any  tinfture  with  galls,  and  having  but  a  faint  putrid  fmell 
of  the  Sulphur :  Whether  it  loft  in  weight  or  bulk,  as  well  as  7/0- 
latile  Spirits,  I  muft  acknowledge  I  was  not  then  enough  curiou9 
to  obferve-,  but  imagine  it  might,  ftnee  'tis  plain  from  its  not 

«  W(l.  of  Colours.  Exper.  40. 

F   2  tinging 


44  The  Natural  Hiflary 

tinging  xvkhgalls,  that  not  only  the  Sulphur,  but  alfo  the  Vitrio- 
iine  particles  exhale  with  it,  and  corporeally  feiz  on  the  next  a- 
greeahle  fubjccl:,  which  'tis  manifeft  they  did  on  the  above-men- 
tioned Pump-rod. 

$6.  Befide  the  more  considerable  ingredients  of  Vitriol  and 
Sulphur,  'tis  evident  that  this  water  alfo  holds  fome  (mail  qnan* 
tity  of  Naphtha,  one  ofthe  liquid  Bitumens,  which  flies  not  away 
like  the  two  former,  but  after  reparation  of  the  parts,  made  ei- 
ther by  precipitation  with  gilts,  or  infenfible  evaporation,  remains 
fwiming  on  the  top  in  a  thin  skin,  variegated  as  it  were  with  the 
colours  ofthe  Rain-bow,  much  after  the  fame  maner  as 'tis  fre- 
quently feen  upon  waters  ftanding  in  boggy  grounds,  or  fuch 
places  where  we  dig  the  bituminous  Earths  called  Peats :  But  whe- 
ther this  will  burn  at  all,  or  with  any  fuch  bright  flame  exceed- 
ing that  of  fulplmr,  as f  Hen.  ab  Heers  affirms  of  fuch  a  film  that 
covers  the  waters  of  his  Spadacrene,  if  kept  all  night,  I  have  left 
jto  fome  ingenious  perfon  thereabout,  that  has  both  more  (kill  and 
leifuretotry. 

5  7.  At  Banbury,  another  Mercat  Town  about  four  miles  hence, 
at  Dr  Lanes  Phyfitian  there,  Brother  to  the  above-named  Mr  Lane 
of  Deddington,  and  my  very  good  Friend ;  there  is  alfo  another 
fulphur  Well,  much  like  the  former  in  tafte,  but  not  altogether  of 
fo  ftrong  a  fmell,  holding,  I  fuppofe,  either  much  more  fait  than 
that,   oralefs  tenacious  fulphur'.  for  here  I  found  not  the  energy 
of  the  Vitriol  fo  fetter'd  by  the  vigorous  particles  of  fulphur,  but 
that  it  had  power  to  make  that  hoftile  or  friendly  congrefs  with 
the  lixiviat  fait  of  foap,  and  fend  the  oily  part  to  float  at  top, 
making  no  lather  or  mixtion  with  it ;  and  alfo  fo  to  conftipate 
the  pores  of  boiled  milk-,  as  to  feparate  its  parts  into  curds  and 
whey.     The  quantity  of  fait  appeared  upon  evaporation  made 
by  the  faid  Dr  Lane  fince  I  was  there,  but  how  much  to  a  quart 
or  gallon  he  fent  me  no  word.      This  water  has  alfo  a  volatile 
part,  collected  by  the  faid  Do&or,  which  I  did  not  find  that  Bed- 
dington  water  had  ;  upon  the  tongue  it  feems  to  have  a  little 
pricking,  but  nothing  that  I  could  perceive  of  a  faltifti  taft, 
wherefore  trying  further  with  a  convenient  Menfiruum,  it  atlaft 
confeft  it  felf  to  be  F lores  fulphurk,  precipitating  with  the  fame 
ebullition,  fmell,  and  colour,  that  fome  others  did  I  had  from  the 

lllOpS.  f  Hen  ay  Hfers  spgJatrettr,  cap.  4. 

"58.  An- 


Of  0  XFO^ID^S >Ht\E.  4* 

58.  Another  of  thefe  of  zfulphureou*  fmell  that  will  not  take 
foap,  and  turns  milk.,  I  found  at  Bould  mtfoe  'Parifli  of  Idbury, 
in  part  of  the  pofTeflions  of  one  W  Lbggm,  a  worthy  Gentleman, 
(whofe  affiftance  in  the  tryal  of  this  water,  and  furtherance  in  my 
other  bufinefs,I  cannot  without  ingratitude  tver  forget  t)  which 
differs  from  the  former  only  in  thrs,  that  bfefides  its  tinging  red 
with  powder  of  Galls,  with  fpirit  of  Vrin  it  tarns  white,  which 
(as  I  had  obferved  before  at  Banbury)  that  would  notdo-:  whence 
I  have  ground  to  fufpeft,  that  over  and  beftde  the  ingredients  of 
that,  here  muft  in  all  likelyhoodbe  fomthing  of  Alum  \  and  in 
this  opinion  I  am  the  more  confirmed,  fince  I  am  informed,  by 
the  Controverfie  between  jyWittie  and  Mr  Sympfbn,  that  Vitthl 
and  Alum  are  fomtimes  found  together,  as  intheGliff  near  the 
Scarborow  Spaw.  And  that  in  Sweden  g  there  is  a  fingte  ftohe  of 
a  yellow  colour,  intermixed  with  ftreaks  of  white,  and  very 
weighty,  that  affords  Sulphur,  Vitriol,  A  turn,  and  Minium  j  now 
that  fuch  aftone  is  here,  though  I  dare  not  aflfert,  yet  queftion* 
lefs  there  may  be  fomthing  not  fo  altogether  unlike,  but  whenever 
there  is  occafion  of  digging  there-about  again,  the  ftones  and 
earth  may  deferve  examination  *. 

59.  I  (hould  next  have  proceeded  to  the  waters  impregnated 
with  Vitriol  only,  but  that  I  am  called  back  to  Deddingtm  again 
by  another  water  of  a  fetid  odour,  in  ftench  much  exceeding  all 
before-mentioned.  This  I  met  with  in  a  fmall  Clofe  behind  a 
Barn,  within  a  furlong  or  lefs  of  that  at  Mr.  Lanes±  having  the 
Houfe  where  the  Vutthy -Court  is  kept  to  the  Eaft*  and  the  Guild 
Weft,  and  belonging  to  Ch.  Cb.  Colt,  in  Oxon,  in  fmell  fo  per- 
fectly refembling  that  of  rotten  eggs,  and  accordingly  fo  ftfdngly 
arTefting  the  fenfe,  that  I  could  not  fo  much  as  put  it  to  my  mouth 
without  danger  at  leaflt  of  {training  to  vomit.  Such  a  one  aa 
this  is  mentioned  by  Georgiut  Agricola  h,  at  the  Gaftle  of  Steutt* 
•wold  in  the  Bijboprickof  Uildejhtim ,  within  a  mile  of  HafJaj 
where,  fays  he,  there  is  another  Spring  that  fends  forth  a  ftifik, 
qualit  eft  pulvem  bombard*  exftintti :  a  defcription  fo  agreeable 
alfo  to  our  fulphur  well  at  Deddington,  that  as  I  could  not  at  firft 
but  Wonder,  that  two  fuch  waters  fhould  be  found  at  places  fo 
far  afunder,  (o  ftrangly  alike  ;  fo  it  gave?  me  a  hint,  that  thefg 

<  Phil0foph.Tranfaff.Num.21.  PW.OlaiWormii,  Mupeumdeeodem,cap.^.  *  At  SnowdoWri-hilk 
in  Carnarvan-shire,  there  are  alfo  Jwh  Hones,  Dr.  Merrets  F max  mum  Nat.  f-ilj.  *  Lib.DeNatu- 
ra  eonum  yuie  iffiuunt  ex  terra. 

waters 


q.6  The  D^atural  Hijlory 

waters  in  all  probability  might  receive  their  tinctures  from  the 
fame  Minerals,  and  that  their  difference  might  only  lye  in  the 
diftances  they  have  from  the  Mineral  bed,  or  more  Colanders  the 
one  may  pafs  through  than  the  other.  Agricola  obferves,  that 
the  water  at  Steurewald  fmeW'mg  like  ours,  much  like  rotten  eggs, 
not  only  comes  forth  ofzMarble  Quarry,  but  that  the  belchings 
of  fuch  as  drink  it  falling,  give  alfo  the  odour  of  brayed  Mar- 
hie.  Whether  ours  have  either  fuch  a  paflage  or  effeft,  I  muft 
confefs  I  cannot  inform  the  Reader  ;  my  Purfe  not  affording  me 
to  try  the  one,  nor  my  Stomach  the  other  :  However,  I  could 
wifh  it  had  not  been  ftop'd  up,  as  I  hear  it  is  fince  my  being 
there,  not  only  for  the  ufe  it  might  have,  but  that  Perfons  better 
qualified  than  I,  might  have  made  the  Experiments. 

60.  Of  Vitriolate  and  Ferrugineous  firings ,there  are  alfo  plen- 
ty in  this  County,  one  at  Nether -Worton,  and  another  at  North- 
Wefton  *,  within  lefs  than  a  Bolts-  fhot  of  each  of  their  Churches ; 
both  of  thefe,  befide  their  tinging  with  galls,  let  fall  a  fediment 
of  a  rufly  colour  ;  only  with  this  difference,  that  Nether -Worton 
fpringismuch  the  quicker  and  clearer,  though  I  doubt  not  the 
other  might  be  very  well  amended,  were  but  little  charge  be* 
flowed  on  it.  -    ;. 

6 1 .  At  Shipton  under  Which-wood there  is  another  of  thefe,  at 
an  Inn  there  whofe  fign  is  the  Red-horfe, but  fo  weakly  impregna- 
ted with  the  Mineral,  that  it  fcarce  tinges  fenfibly  with  the  powder 
of  galls,  yet  lays  down  the  rufly  fediment  in  as  great  quantities 
as  any  of  the  reft ;  and  I  have  met  with  fome  at  other  places  that 
have  plentifully  enough  yielded  this,  which  by  no  means  could 
ever  be  brought  to  confefs  any  thing  of  Vitriol,  which  has  begot- 
ten a  ftrong  fufpition  in  me,  that  this  rufly  tMure  may  probably 
be  the  effluvium  of  fome  other  Body,  different  from,  and  not  of 
the  chaly beat  kind:  for  were  it  fo,  I  cannot  imagin  but  the  fait 
of  Mars  muft  needs  be  difcovered.  However,  herein  1  will 
not  bepofitive,  but  propound  it  only  as  the  fubjeft  of  a  feverer 
refearch. 

62.  And  of  thefe  I  was  told  of  a  very  odd  one  in  the  Parifti 
of  Heddingtoh,  near  a  place  called  the  Wyke  (I  think)  now  ftop'd 
up,  that  in  the  wintertime  would  flrike  with  galls,  but  not  in 
the fummer :  „  whereof  may  be  given  this  very  eafie  reafon  '  that 

*  Ifiundanoiber  price,  near  Whites-Oak  in  tie  Pa>ifl:  of  North-Leigh. 

during 


OfOXFO%T>~SHl%E.  47 

during  the  time  of  winter,  the  pores  of  the  Earth  being  ftopt,  and 
the  Mineral  thereby  not  permitted  to  exhale,  the  water  is  then 
impregnated  with  it,  and  gives  the  tinfture ;  whereas  in  the fum- 
mer  feafon  it  expires  fo  much,  that  the  depauperated  water  can 
fliew  nothing  of  it.  That  waters  do  thus  alter  according  to  the 
Seafons  of  the  Year,  I  found  alfo  to  be  manifeft  from  the  waters 
of  Deddington,  which  I  found  fomtimes  lighter*  and  at  other 
times  heavyer  than  common  water,  and  to  give  much  difterentye- 
diments  at  divers  tryals  with  the  lame  materials.  And  this  I 
thought  convenient  to  note,  not  only  to  excite  Men  to  more  cri- 
tical Obfervations,  but  that  the  curious  Explorator  may  not  be 
ftartled,  in  cafe  he  find  them  at  any  time  not  exa&ly  to  anfwer. 

63.  In  the  Park  at  Cornbury,  not  far  from  the  Lodge,  in  a 
pit  newly  digged,  there  rifes  a  firing  alfo  of  a  Vitriol  kind  ,  co- 
louring the  mud  and  earth  under  it  very  black  ;  into  this  pit,  it 
being  defigned  for  a  conservatory  of  Eifh,  they  put  over  night 
fome  of  feveral  forts,  but  found  them  next  day  in  the  morning 
all  dead  ;  which  gave  me  good  ground  tofufpefl:  (having  juft  be- 
fore met  with  a  relation  of  Dr.  Wit  ties1,  That  Carps  put  into  a 
Copper  Brewing-veffel  to  be  preferved  but  for  one  night,  were  all  found 
dead  in  like  maner  in  the  morning)  that  here  might  be  fomthing  of 
that  nature  too  ;  and  that  the  Vitriol  wherewith  this  water  is  fated, 
might  rather  be  that  of  Venus  than  Mars  :  And  in  thefe  thoughts 
I  was  the  more  confirmed,  when  I  quickly  after  was  informed,  of 
an  odd  kind  of  fteam  that  rofe  hereabout  of  a  fuitable  effect* 
But  of  this  no  more,  leaving  its  further  confideration  to  the 
Right  Honorable  and  ingenious  Proprietor  of  the  place,  and  my 
Angular  good  Lord,  Henry  Earl  of  Clarendon,  a  moft  effectual 
cncourager  of  thisdefign. 

64.  To  thefe  I  muft  add  another  fort  of 'waters,  which  though 
in  taft  they  refemble  milk?  muft  yet  I  believe  be  reduced  to  this 
Head,  for  I  find,  notwithftanding  their  eminent  fweetnefs,  they 
all  refufe  to  lather  with  foap,  and  therefore  conclude  them  to  hold 
fome  Acid :  Of  thefe  we  have  feveral  within  the  City  of  Oxford, 
one  at  a  Pump  over-againft  the  Crofilnn,  another  near  the  Mount 
in  New  College  Gar den,  and  a  third  at  the  Pump  at  Buckley  Hall, 
now  the  dwelling  houfe  of  one  Mr.  Bowmam  Book-feller,  and 
feveral  other  places  *  :  All  which,  notwithftanding  their  lacleous 

•  Anfwer  to  Hydrologia  Chym  />.  27.    *  I  heard  of  fitch  another  fomwhere  near  Wardington. 

taft, 


4.8  '     The  Statural  Hijlory 

taft,  1  guefs  may  be  impregnated  with  fomthing  of  Vitriol,  which 
though  of  it  felf  it  be  a  fmart  acid,  yet  its  edge  "being  rebated 
with  a  well  concocted  fulpbur,  turns  fweet,  and  becomes  of  that 
more  palatable  guft.  And  herein  perhaps  I  have  not  guefs'd  a- 
mifs,  fince  we  are  informed  by  as  eminent,  as  'tis  a  vulgar  Expe- 
riment, that  the  aufterity  that  Vitriol  gives  in  the  mouth,  is  cor- 
rected by  the  fumes  of  Tabacco  taken  quickly  after  it ;  whofe  ful- 
phureous  particles,  fays  the  Learned  Willis  k,  mixing  with  the  /aline 
pontic  ones  of  the  Vitriol,  create  fuch  a  plea/an t  and  mellifluous  taft. 

6$.  There  are  alfo  two  fmall  and  very  weak  (firings,  of  a  la- 
fieous  colour  but  no  fuch  taft,  in  the  way  from  South-ftokg  leading 
to  Goreing,  by  the  River  fide  ;  not  many  years  fince  of  great  re- 
pute in  thofe  parts  for  Medicinal  ufe,  but  now  quite  deferted  ; 
whether  upon  account  of  the  ineffectual  ufe  of  them,  or  becaufe 
they  are  but  temporary  fprings,y«/>  Judice  Ik  eft  :  The  people  will 
tell  you  they  were  very  foveraign,  and  never  ceafed  running  till 
fome  advantage  was  made  of  the  water,  and  that  Providence  till 
then  with-held  them  not.  This  water  iffues  forth  from  a  fat 
whitiflh  Earth,  and  has  always  a  kind  of  unctuous  fkin  upon  it, 
yet  to  the  taft  I  thought  it  feemed  dry  and  ftiptical,  as  if  it  pro- 
ceeded from  a  kind  of  Lime-ftone,  further  within  the  Earth,  and 
not  to  be  feen. 

66.  But  however  the  cafe  may  have  it  felf  there,  it  is  notfo 
dubious,  that  at  a  Well  in  Oddington^  there  is  a  water  of  the 
talcarious  kind,and  proceeding  furefrom  fome  neighboring  Lime- 
Jione,  which  befide  its  dry  and  restrictive  taft,  more  fignally  evi- 
dences it  felf,  in  the  providential cur e.  of  a  local  Difeafe  amongft 
Cattle,  frequently  catch'd  by  their  grafing  on  Otmoor,  and  there- 
fore by  the  Inhabitants  thereabout  commonly  called  by  the  name 
of  the  Moor-Evil:  The  Difeafe  is  a  kind  of  flux  of  the  belly,  and 
correfponds  (in  a  Man)  to  what  we  call  a  Vyfentery,  whereby  the 
Cattle  fo  fpend  themfelves,  that  in  little  time  from  well  and  good 
liking,  they  fall  in  a  maner  to  fkin  and  bone,  and  fo  dye  away  un- 
lefs  prevented  ;  which  is  certainly  done  by  giving  them  dry  meat, 
and  fuffering  them  to  drink  of  this  water  only. 

6j.  Befide  thefe  we  have  many  other  waters,  not  apparently 
(atleaft  to  fenfe)  of  any  Mineral  virtue,  yet  without  doubt  have 
their  tinSiurefrom  fomefubterraneous  fleam,  of  a  much  finer  than 

*  Dc  Arima  Brutorurrr7cap- 12.  De  Guftatu, 

ordi- 


Of  0  XF01{  D-S  HI%E.  w 

ordinary,  and  therefore  unknown  texture.  Such  are  thofe  in 
many  places  accounted  fo  foveraign  for  the  Eyes,  and  cure  of  in- 
veterate Ulcers,  after  the  ineffe&ual  tryals  of  the  bed  Chirurgi- 
ons  :  Thefe  for  the  moft  part,  and  perhaps  not  undefervedly,  are 
commonly  ftiled  Holy-wells^  not  only  for  the  good  they  have  for- 
merly done,  but  for  that  they  feem  to  be  the  immediate  gift  of 
God,  and  defigned  for  the  poor. 

6  8.  A  very  eminent  one  of  thefe  there  is  in  the  Parifh  of  Sand- 
ford,  not  far  from  Great  Tew,  which  within  the  memory  of  many 
thereabout,  hath  done  great  cures  upon  putrid  and  fetid  old  fores, 
a  long  time  before  given  over  for  incurable.  Thefe  watershzve 
with  them,  according  to  the  obfervations  of  the  ingenious  Doftor 
Beal  l,a  kind  of  aclive  fri&ion,  but  intermingling  with  their  afpe- 
rities  fuch  a  pleafant  titillation,  as  invites  the  Patient  to  rub  On 
the  tetfive  water,  and  will  all  along  recompence  the  pain  of  fearch- 
ing  the  wound,  with  fuch  fpeedy  and  indulgent  degrees  of  fana- 
tion,  as  mitigates  the  torment  with  variety  of  pleafures. 

69.  And  thus  (as  I  am  informed  by  perfonsof  unqueftionable 
fidelity,  that  have  often  ufed  them  for  their  eyes,  and  in  fome  o- 
ther  cafes)  do  the  waters  of  St.  Crojfts  in  the  Suburbs  of  Oxford, 
whofe  Well  was  heretofore,  and  in  fome  meafureyet  remains,  fo 
confiderable  for  fuch  like  purpofes,  that  the  great  refort  of  peo- 
ple to  it  has  given  occafion  of  change  to  the  name  of  theParifti, 
which  to  this  very  day  we  call  now  nothing  but  Holy-well. 

70.  But  of  much  greater  Fame  was  the  Well  0?  St.  Edward, 
without  St.  Clements  at  Oxford,  now  quite  ftop'd  up;  but  as  'tis 
remembred  by  fome  of  the  antienteft  of  the  Parilh,was  in  the  field 
about  a  furlong  S.  S.  Weft  of  the  Church  ;  this  at  leaft  was  be- 
lieved to  be  fo  effe&ual  in  curing  divers  diftempers,  and  there- 
upon held  to  be  of  fo  great  fanolity,  that  here  they  made  vows,  and 
brought  their  alms  and  offerings ;  a  cuftom,  though  common  e- 
nough  in  thofe  days,  yet  always  forbidden  by  our  Anglican  Coun- 
cils ™,  under  the  name  of  u/ilpeopjjun^a  \Wilveorthunga~\  more  right- 
ly translated  Well-worjbip  than  Will-worjbip,  as  is  plainly  made 
appear  by  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  Hammond^,  out  of  an 
old  Saxon  Penitential,  and  a  Saxon  Homily  ofBi/lop  Lupus  ;  where 
the  word  r<f  is  rather  (hewed  to  fign'ihe  font  em,  than  vohntatem. 
Ag-ainft  thefe  fuperjiitions  Co  ordinary  in  thofe  days,  there  are  fe- 

1  PMof.Tranfici-Num.-j  j.    m  CanonUusful>f.dgaroCan.6o-    *  Annotat.onEpft.ColoJfc.  2.V.23. 

G  veral 


50  The  Statural  Hijiory 

veral  prohibitions  in  the  fore-cited  Penitential  and  Homily.  And 
of  which  kind  are  alfo  divers  Injunctions  to  be  leen  in  the  Office  of 
Lincoln^  of  Oliver  Sutton  ;  and  amongft  them,  one  particularly 
againft  the  worfhip  of  this  Well  of  St.  Edward,  without  St.  Cle- 
ments in  Oxford,  and  St.  Laurence's  Well  zx.  Peter  bur gh^  i&c. 

7 1 .  And  fo  much  for  the  Waters,  with  the  Minerals  they  hold ; 
and  perhaps  too  much  too  in  fuch  like  matters,may  fome  Man  fay, 
for  an  unfkilful  Lawyer  :  However,  fince  what  has  been  faid,  has 
not  been  magifterially  impofed,  but  modeftly  only,  and  timeroufly 
conjeftur'd  ;  and  fince  I  have  not  invaded  another  Mans profejfion, 
by  fo  much  as  naming  the  Difeafes  they  may  probably  cure,  ex- 
cept where  they  have  a  known  reputation  already,  I  hope  I  may 
evade  the  imputations  of  rafhnefs,  or  putting  my  fickle  into  an- 
other Mans  Harveft. 


CHAP. 


Of  OXFO%V^HI%E.  51 

CHAP.      III. 
Of  the  Earths. 

OXFORV-SHIRE,  fays  Mr.  Cambden0,  is  a  ftrtik 
County  and  plentiful,  the  Plains garmjbed  with  Corn-fields 
and  Meddows,  and  the Hills  befet  with  Woods  ;  jloredint- 
very  -place  not  only  with  Corn  and  Fruits,  but  alfo  with  all  kind  of 
Game  for  hound  and  hawk^  and  well  watered  with  Rivers  plentiful  of 
Fiji.  Which  general  defcription  of  the  Soil,  though  in  the 
main  it  be  true  to  this  day,  yet  if  we  come  to  a  more  particular 
and  clofe  consideration  of  it,  we  (hall  find,  that  though  Oxford- 
//Are  almoft  -in  every  part,  where  the  induftry  of  the  Hufband- 
man  hath  any  thing  (hewed  it  felf,  doth  produce  Corn  of  all  forts 
plentifully  enough ;  yet  it  has  much  more  caufe  to  brag  of  its  Med- 
dows, and  abundance  of  Paftures,  wherein  (as  in  Rivers)  few 
Countrys  may  be  compared,  perhaps  none  preferr'd.  And  as 
to  matter  of  Fruits,  1  think  I  may  better  aflert  of  it  what  Giral- 
du*  do*s  of  Ireland,  Pafcuis  tamen  quam  frugibut,  gramine,  quant 
grano,  fdecundior  Comitate,  than  groundlefly  to  commend  it  over- 
much. 

2.  The  Hills,  'tis  true,  before  the  late  unhappy  Wars,  were 
well  enough  (as  he  fays)  befet  with  Woods,  where  now  'tis  fo 
fcarcy ,  that  'tis  a  common  thing  to  fell  it  by  weight,  and  not  on- 
ly at  Oxford,  but  at  many  other  places  in  the  Northern  parts  of 
thefiire ;  where  if  brought  to  Mercat,  it  is  ordinarily  fold  for 
about  one/hilling  the  hundred,    but  if  remote  from  a  great  Town, 
it  may  be  had  for  fevenpence  :  And  thus  it  is  every  where  butin 
the  Chiltern  Country,   which  remains  to  this  day  a  woody  Trafr, 
and  is  (as  I  have  very  good  ground  to  think)  fome  of  the  weflern 
part  of  the  great  Foreft  ftn&pe&erpab,  or  Kti&pe&erlege,  reaching,  fays 
Leland?,  from  befide  Portu*  Limenus'm  Kent,z  120  miles  wefiward, 
which  happily  falls  out  to  be  about  this  place  :   To  which  had 
C*far  ever  arrived,  he  had  never  fure  left  us  fuch  an  account,  as 
we  find  in  his  Commentaries  concerning  our  Woods  :   Materia,  fays 
he,  cujujque  generis,  ut  in Gallia,  prater  Abietem  (?  fagumq,  i.e. 

«  Britan. in  Oxford/hire,    t  Letandi  Comment,  in  Cyg.  Cantinvtrbot,imems.     ^Ve  Bella  Galluo,l>h<. 
fubinttium. 

G  2  that 


51  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

that  there  was  here  all  maner  of  wood,  as  in  France,  except  the  for 
and  Beech  :  of  the  laft  whereof  there  is  fuch  plenty  in  the  Chil- 
tern,  that  they  have  now  thereabout  fcarce  any  thing  elfe;  but 
it  lies  fo  far  from  Oxford,  and  fo  near  the  River  fide,  which  eafily 
conveys  it  to  London  Mercat,  that  'tis  fcarce  beneficial  to  the  reft 
of  the  County. 

3.  As  to  the  qualifications  of  the  Soil  in  refpeel:  of  Corn,  I 
find  them  in  goodnefs  to.difter  much,  and  not  only  according  to 
their  feveral  compofitions  (being  in  fome  places  black,  oxreddijb 
earth :  in  others  a  clay  or  chalky  ground,  fome  mixt  of  earth  and 
[and,  clay  and  [and,  gravel and  clay,  isre.')  but  chiefly  according  to 
the  depth  of  the  mould  ox  uppermoft  coat  of  the  earth,  and  the 
nature  of  the  ground  next  immediatly  under  it :  for  let  the  up- 
permoft mould  be  never  fo  rich,  if  it  have  not  fome  depth,  or  fuch 
a  ground  juft  underneath  it,  as  will  permit  all  fuperfluows  moifture 
to  defcend,  and  admit  alfo  the  hot  and  com] or  table  fleams  to  afcendi  it 
will  not  be  fo  fertile  as  a  much  leaner  foil  that  enjoys  thefe  con- 
ditions. 

4.  Thus  have  I  often-times  feen  in  this  County,  in  all  appear- 
ance a  very  good  foil,  and  fuch  indeed  as  would  otherwife  have 
been  really  fo ,  lefs  fertile  becaufe  of  its  fliallownefs  ,  and  a 
cold  Jliffclay,  or  clofe  free-Jlone  next  under-neath  it,  than  a  much 
poorer  Land  of  fome  considerable  depth,  and  lying  over  a  fand 
or  gravel,  through  which  all  fuperfluows  moifture  might  defcend, 
and  not  ftand,  as  upon  clay  or  fione,  to  chill  the  roots  and  make 
the  Cornlangui(h. 

5.  Where  by  the  way  let  it  be  noted,  that  I  faid  a  cold  ftiff 
clay  or  clofe  free-Jlone  ;  for  if  there  be  under  a  fliallow  mould,  a 
clay  that's  mixed  (as  'tis  common  in  the  blew  ones  of  this  County*) 
either  with  pyrites  aureus,  or  brafi  lumps  ;  or  the  ftones  be  of  the 
warm  calcariou*  kind,  it  may  neverthelefs  be  fruitful  in  Corn,  be- 
caufe thefe,  I  fuppofe,  do  warm  the  ground,  and  give  fo  much 
ftrength,  that  they  largely  recompence  what  was  wanting  in 
depth. 

6,  More  poflibly  might  have  been  added  to  this  general  ac- 
count of  Earths,  and  not  a  little  inftru&ive  to  the  Farmers  of  the 
Country,  but  I  found  moft  of  them  froward  and  to  flight  my 
Quire's  ;  let  them  therefore  thank  themfelves  if  I  am  not  fo  ob- 
liging :  Befide,  it  feems  a  bufinefs  a  little  befide  my  defign,  there- 
fore 


Of  OXFO%rD^Hl%E.  55 

fore  in  haft  I  proceed  to  a  more  particular  Confideration  of  Earths 
(as  before  of  Waters)  holding  fome  Spirit,  Bitumen,  or  concrete 
Juice  ,  and  as  they  are  ufeful  in  Trades,  or  are  otherwife  necevTary, 
convenient,  or  ornamental. 

7.  But  herein  I  flhall  not  fhew  my  felf  either  fo  angry  or  igno- 
rant, or  fo  much  either  difrefpecl:  my  fubjeft,  or  the  civilities  of 
the  Gentry  for  the  fake  of  the  clowns,  as  not  in  the  next  place  to 
treat  of  luch  Earths  whofe  molt  eminent  ufes  relate  to  Husbandry, 
fince  they  alfo  hold  fome  concrete  Juices  (whereby  they  become 
improvements  of  fuch  poor  barren  Lands)  and  are  therefore 
very  fuitable  to  my  prefent  purpofe. 

8.  The  beft  of  thefe  we  call  commonly  3for/.y,whereof,though 
'twas  believed  there  were  none  in  Oxford-Jbire,  yet  I  met  with  no 
lefs  than  three  feveral  forts,  and  in  quantities  fufficient  enough 
forufe.  The  Britijb  Marls  were  very  famous  of  old,  whereof 
Pliny"  numbers  feveral  forts  ;  and  of  principal  note  were  the 
LeucargilU ,  whereby,  he  fays,  Britan  was  greatly  enriched : 
And  of  this  kind,  that  I  guefs  may  be  one,  lately  difcovered  by 
the  much  Honored,  and  my  truly  noble  Friend,  ThomoiStoncr  Efq; 
of  Watlington-P  ark^,  of  which  he  already  has  had  good  expe- 
rience :  of  colour  it  is  whitijh,  a  little  inclining  to  yellow,  not 
very  fat,  and  of  fo  eafie  diifolution,  that  it  may  be  laid  on 
the  ground  at  any  time  of  the  year,  and  may  be  as  good,  I fup- 
pofe,  for  pafiure  as  arable :  this  he  found  at  a  place  near  Blunds - 
Court,  but  I  think  within  the  Parifti  of  Shiplake,  where  upon  an- 
other account  finking  a  deep  pit,  amongil:  other  matters  he  met 
with  this  MarL 

9.  Since  that,  there  has  lately  been  another  difcovered  by  that 
eminent  Virtuojo  Sir  Tbomat  Pennyjion,  in  his  own  Grounds  in  the 
Parifhof  Cornwell,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north-weft  of  his 
Houfe,  of  a  blue  colour,  and  foabfterfive,  that  it  would  readily 
enough  take  fpots  out  of  cloaths,  and  gave  its  owner  fome  ground 
to  hope,  thatpoffibly  it  might  be  fit  for  the  Fullers  ufe  ;  but  he 
quickly,  upon  tryal,  difcovered  an  incurable  fault  that  the  Men 
of  that  Trade  will  never  pardon:  however,  I  take  it  to  be  fo 
rich  a  Marl,  that  it  may  amply  recompence  the  induftry  of  its 
Mafter,  if  laid  on  its  neighboring  barren  Hills;  which  I  advife 
may  be  done  about  the  beginning  of  Winter,  that  the  Frofts  and 

r  THn.  Nat.  Hi[i.  Ub.  17.  cap.  6,  7. 

Rain 


54.  The  Natural  Hijlory 

Rain  may  the  better  feparate  its  parts,  and  fit  it  to  incorporate 
with  that  hungry  Soil. 

10.  Which  condition  I  fuppofe  may  not  at  all  be  required,  in 
the  manure  of  a  light  and  hollow  fort  of  Marl.,  lately  found  by 
the  worfhipful  and  induftrious  Improver,  George  Pudfey  Efq;  of 
Elsfield:  for  in  water  it  diffolves  almoft  as  foon  as  Fullers  earthy 
and  is  naturally  of  it  felf  fo  hollow  and  fpungy,  that  one  would 
think  it  were  always  in  the  very  ferment,  and  may  therefore  be 
ufed  at  any  fit  time  of  year :  of  colour  when  dry,  it  is  of  a 
whitifh  gray,  intermixed  with  fand,  and  very  friable,  and  may 
in  all  probability  be  the  very  fame,  with  the  Marga  Candida  are- 
nofa  friabilk,  of  Hildejbeim,  mention 'd  by  Kentmannus  s,  and  out 
of  him  by  Lachmund.  Of  juft  fuch  another  Marl  as  this,  brittle 
and  dufty  when  dry,  but  fat  when  wet,  we  are  inform'd  there  is 
at  Wexford  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  by  Dr  GerrardBoat l  fom- 
time  Phyfitian  there ;  only  thzt that  is  blue,  and  this  a  vvhitidi 
gray,  and  may  therefore  be  fitter  for  Pafture  than  Arable.  It 
being  obferved  in  the  Counties  of  Sujfex  and  Kent,  where  Marls 
are  molt  plenty  of  any  places  of  England,  that  the  gray  fuit  with 
Paftures,andthe£/«e  (fuch  perhaps  as  Sir  Thomas  Penny/Ions')  with 
Arable  belt. 

ii.  It  may  therefore  be  expedient,  that  thefe  new  found 
Marlsbe  thus  agreeably  tryed,  and  though  they  anfwer  notexpe^ 
ftation  the  firft  year,  as  fome  fay  they  will  not  %  let  not  their 
Owners  be  thus  difcouraged,  but  ftill  continue  to  make  frequent 
tryals,  of  divers  proportions  of  Earth,  at  all  feafons  of  the 
year,  with  all  kinds  of  Grain  upon  all  forts  of  Soil,  till  they 
find  out  the  moft  fuitable  and  neceffary  circumftances,  fo  iliall 
they  in  time  attain  to  a  knowledge  beyond  the  expectation,  and 
perchance  imitation  of  their  Neighbors.  But  I  forbear  to  in- 
ftruct  fuch  Ingenious  Perfons,  as  the  Owners  of  the  above- 
named  Marl-pits  are :  the  Orator  being  accounted  little  lefs  than 
a  fool,  that  went  about  in  his  Speech  to  teach  Hannibal  to 
fight. 

12.  But  befide  thefe,  we  have  another  fort  of  Earth,  of  a  fat 
clofe  texture,and  greenilli  colour,  fo  well  impregnated  with  fome 
kind  of  fait,  that  put  in  the  fire,  it  prefently  decrepitates  with  no 

«  Kfvtman.nomtnelat.rer.fo/capl.  de  Margii.     '   Boats  Nat.  Hiftof  Ireland,  cap- 12.     »  Plifi.Nat- 
Hijf./ii.  17.  cap.  8. 

lefs 


of  0  XFO  %p~S  Ht%E.  |ft 

lefs  noife  than  fait  it  felf;  and  in  neater,  after  a  quick  and  fub- 
tile  folution,  leaves  behind  it  a  kind  of  brackifh  taft,  which  I 
thought  might  proceed  from  a  fort  of  Vitriol,  and  perhaps  true 
enough*  though  the  water  would  not  tinge  with  powder  of  galls  J 
it  takes  greafe  out  of  cloaths  extreamly  well,  and  would  it  but 
whiten,  as  Fullers  earth  doth,  I  fliould  not  doubt  to  pronounce 
it  the  fame  with  the  viridis  Saponaria,  found  near  Beichling  in 
Thuringia,  and  mentioned  by  Rentmannws  in  his  colle&ion  of 
Foffils  w.  This  we  have  in  great  plenty  in  Shot-over  Foreft,  whefe 
'tis  always  met  with  before  they  come  to  the  Ochre,  from  which 
it  is  feparated  but  by  a  thin  Iron  cruft,  and  may  peradventure  be 
as  ftrickt  a  concomitant  of  yellow  Ochre,  as  Chryfocolla  (another 
green  Earth)  is  faid  to  be  of  Gold.  At  pfefent  'tis  accounted 
of  fmall  or  no  value*  but  in  recompenceof  the  fignal  favors  of* 
its  prefent  Proprietor,  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Timothy  lyrril, 
who  in  perfon  was  pleafed  to  fhew  me  the  pits,  I  am  ready  to 
difcover  a  ufe  it  may  have,  that  may  poffibly  equal  that  of  his 
Ochre.  Which  brings  me  next  to  treat  of  iuch  Earths  as  are 
found  in  Oxford-Jhire,  and  are  ufefulin  Trade9.  * 

13.  And  amongft  thefe  the  Ochre  of  Shotover,  no  doubt,  may 
challenge  a  principal  place,  it  being  accounted  the  beft  in  its  kind  . 
in  the  world,  of  a  yellow  colour  and  very  Weighty,  much  ufed 
by  Painte r s  fimply  of  it  felf,  and  as  often  mix'd  with  the  reft  of 
their  colours.  This  by  Flirty  x,  and  the  Lathes,  was  anciently 
called  Sil,  which  we  have  now  changed  for  the  modern  word 
Ochra,  taken  up  as  fome  think  from  the  colour  of  the  Earth,  and 
the  Greek  word  *%&<,  Pallidum  ;  or  as  others,  and  they  perhaps 
more  rightly,  from  the  River  Ochra  that  runs  through  Brunfwick^ 
whofe  Banks  do  yield  great  quantities  of  it y ;  and  from  whence! 
in  all  likelyhood  we  received  the  name,  upon  the  arrival  of  the 
Angles  and  Saxons  in  Britan. 

14.  They  digit  now  atShotOver  on  the  eaft  fide  of  the  Hill, 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  way  leading  from  Oxford  to  Whately, 
though  queftionlefs  it  may  be  had  in  many  other  parts  of  it  ;  The 
vein  dips  from  Eaft  to  Weil,  and  lies  from  feven  to  thirty  feet 
in  depth,  and  between  two  and  feven  inches  thick ;  enwrapped 
it  is  within  ten  folds  of  Earth,  all  which  mull  be  paft  through 
before  they  come  at  it ;  for  the  Earth  is  here,  as  at  moft  other 

v  Cap.  1.  Dittrru.    »  Ylin.  Nat.  HJft.  lib.  33.  tap,  i».    1  Eneelim  dt  re  Metal,  lit.  2.[cap.  20. 

places, 


5<£  *•        The  Statural  Hifiory 

pjaces,  I  think  I  may  fay  of  a  bulbous  nature,  fevcral  folds  of 
divers  colours  and  confiftencies,  ftill  including  one  another,  not 
unlike  the  feveral  coats  of  a  Tulip  root,  or  Onyon. 
The  i .  next  the  turf,  is  a  reddifb  earth. 

2.  a  pale  blue  clay, 

3.  ayellovpfand. 
\             4.  a  white  clay, 

5.  an  iron  /lone. 

6.  a  white,  andfomtimes  a  reddifb  Maum. 

7.  a  green,  fat,  oily  kjnd  of  clay. 
•   8.  a  thin  iron-coloured  rubble. 

9 .  a  green  clay  again . 

1  o.  another  iron  rubble,  almoft  like  Smiths  cinders. 
And  then  the  yellow  Ochre,  which  is  of  two  parts. 

1 .  The  /lone  Ochre,  which  we  may  alfo  call  native,  be- 
caufe  ready  for  ufe  as  foon  as  'tis  dug :  and 

2.  Clay  Ochre,  which  becaufeof  the  natural  inequality 
in  its  goodnefs,  they  wafh  and  fteep  two  or  three 

%    days  in  water,  and  then  beat  it  with  clubs  on  a  plank 
into  thin  broadcak.es,  of  an  equal  mixture  both  of 
good  and  bad ;  then  they  cut  it  into  fquares  like  Tiles, 
and  put  it  on  hurdles  laid  on  treftles  to  dry,  which 
when  throughly  done  'tis  fit  for  the  Merchant. 

15.  Where  perhaps  by  the  way  it  may  be  worthy  our  notice, 
how  different  either  the  Ochres,  or  opinions  of  men  concerning 
them,  are  now,  from  what  they  formerly  were  :  for  whereas 
Diofcorides  (as  quoted  by  Wormiusz>)  commends  to  our  choice  the 
lighteft  earthy  Ochre,  highly  before  the  other  of  (lone :  We  on 
the  contrary,  and  not  without  reafon,  prefer  the  /lone  Ochre  as 
far  before  the  clay.  t 

1 6.  I  was  told  of  zyellow  Ochre  fomwhere  between  Vuckling- 
ton  and  Witney,  that  ferves  them  thereabout  for  inferior  ufes  • 
and  met  with  it  befide  at  fome  other  places,  but  none  fo  good  as 
this  at  Shotover ;  .that at  Gar/ington  being  full  of  blueftreaks,  and 
afmall  parcel  (that  was  (hewn  me)  taken  up  about  Pyrton  inter- 
mixed a  little  too  much  with  red,  as  if  it  were  now  in  the  tranf- 
mutation  (fo  much  fpoke  of  by  Natural i/ls)  by  the  earth  and  funs 
heat ;  firft  into Rubricks or  Ruddle, and  thenceatlaft  into pnigitk^ 

Or  elie  blacky  Chalk.  »  Ol.WmniiMHfruw.^.i,.    *  Enceljert  Metal,  eep.20. 

17.  -Now 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  jj 

lj.  Now  that  Nature  indeed  proceeds  in  this  method,  lata 
almoft  perf waded  by  what  I  have  found  in  Shotover-hill^nd  elfe- 
where  near  it  i  for  within  two  beds  next  under  the  Ochre  (nothing 
but  a  white  Sand  interceding)  there  lies  another  of  a  rhuch  red* 
derhue,  which  firft  receiving  the  fteams  of  the  earth,  is  now  in 
the  way  of  becoming  a  ruddle,  and  in  procefs  of  time  when  it 
grows  aduft,  may  at  laft  make  a  change  into  a  black,  chalk;  which 
I  fhould  not  fo  eafily  have  been  induced  to  believe,  but  that  at 
Whately  Towns  end,  near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  lately  fome 
attempts  were  made  for  Coal,  they  met  with  a  vein  of  fuch  kind 
of  chalk,  which  perhaps  long  before  might  have  been  nothing 
but  ruddle,  and  as  long  before  that,  a  yellow  Ochre,  But  whe- 
ther Nature  proceed  thus  or  no  ;  or  fuppofe  thefe  are  not  (as 
fome  have  thought)  the  feveral  gradations  of  the  fame  indivi- 
dual* yet  however,  I  fhall  not  be  guilty  of  mif-placing,  finceall 
three  belong  to  the  Painters  Trade. 

1 8.  To  which  may  be  added  a  fort  of  C&ruleum,  which  in 
Englijh  we  may  render  native  blue,  becaufe  naturally  produced 
by  the  fteam  of  fome  Mineral^  latent  under  the  afore-mentioned 
Marl  2X.Blunds -Court,  amOngft  which  it  is  found  in  very  good 
plenty  ;  but  yet  fo  thinly  coating  the  little  cavities  of  the  earth, 
and  fome  other  bodies  (of  which  hereafter)  to  which  it  fticks, 
that  no  quantities  can  be  gotten  for  the  Painters  ufe,  for  whom 
it  would  otherwife  be  very  fit,  as  upon  tryal  has  been  found  by 
the  worthy  Mr  Stonor.  Kentmannui b  indeed  tells  us  of  a  cine- 
reous fort  of 'Earth  fom where  near  Padua,thzt  affords  fuch  a  blue ; 
but  I  guefs  that  ours  cannot  be  (nor  perhaps  is  that)  the  immedi* 
ate  production  of  the  ambient  Earth,  but  rather  of  fome  mineral 
Or  metal  below  it ;   of  which  more  at  large  in  a  fitter  place. 

1 9.  Hither  alfo  may  be  referr'd  a  gritty  fort  of  Vmbers  found. 
in  all  parts  of  the  County  where  there  are  Quarries  of  Stone  :  a 
courfer  kind  of  them  I  met  with  near  Witney,  and  a  fomwhat  finer 
at  Bladen  Quarry  ;  thefe  fomtimes  are  found  in  the  feams  of  the 
Rocks,  and  fomtimes  again  in  the  body  of  the  Stone;  and  not- 
withstanding their  gritty  texture ,  yet  prove  ufeful  enough  to 
drejjersof  Leather.  But  yet  a  much  finer  than  either  of  the  for. 
mer,  has  been  lately  taken  up  at  Waterperry,  in  the  ground,  and 
near  the  Houfe  of  the  Right  Worftiipful  Sir  Thomas  Curfon,  of  fo 

*  Kerttman  d*  terris,  cap-  I . 

H  riert1 


58  fTbe  Statural  Hijlory 

rich  and  beautiful  a  colour,  that  perhaps  it  might  better  have 
been  placed  among  the  Ochres,  but  that  mix'd  with  Oyl,  it  turned 
darker  than  that  they  call  Englifi,  and  much  more  fo  than  the 
fyruce-Qchre  of  Shotover  Forest. 

20.  Befidethefe,  we  have  another  fine  Earth,  of  a  white  co- 
lour, porous  and  friable,  infipid  and  without  fcent,  diflbluble 
in  water ;  and  tinging  it,  of  a  milky  colour,  and  fom  times  railing 
a  kind  of  ebullition  in  it ;  found  frequently  in  theliffoms  or  feams 
of  the  Rocks,  or  {licking  to  the  hollow  roofs  of  them  :  in  (liort, 
fo  altogether  agreeable  to  what  Con r aciu*  Gefner c  (and  out  of  him 
Boetiws  de  Boot ,  Calceolarias,  Aldrovandus,  and  Olau*  Wormiut) 
calls  Lac  Lun<e,  that  I  could  not  but  think  it  the  very  fame.  And 
to  put  all  out  of  doubt,  I  tryed  the  Experiment  of  Daniel  Major 
(who  wrote  no  lefs  than  a  whole  Treatife  concerning  it)  and 
found  according  to  him,  that  with  Lacca,  though  I  could  get 
none  good,  it  gave  the  skin  fo  florid  a  whitenefs,  that  1  dare  pro- 
nounce it  a  good  Cofmetick)  and  upon  that  very  fcore  have  given 
it  place  here. 

21.  I  obferved  it  firft  near  the  Worcefier  road,  about  mid-way 
between  Helton  and  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrils,  where  the  Stones  taken 
up,  for  I  know  not  what  ufe,  as  alfo  at  fome  places  in  Whately 
field,  were  all  in  a  maner  covered  with  it.  And  I  met  with  it 
again  near  Hafeley,  in  the  fields  between  that  and  little  Milton^ 
and  quickly  after  at  long Hanborough,  upon  ftones  provided  for 
walling  there  :  I  enquired  of  the  Quarry-men  what  it  might  be, 
whether  they  had  made  any  ufe,  or  obfervations  of  it,  but  all  I 
could  get  would  amount  to  no  more,  but  that  it  was  a  fign  of  a 
very  good  Lime-ftone. 

22.  Which  alfo  it  feems  is  its  character  amongft  our  Neighbors 
in  Ireland,  where  (we  are  d  told)  the  beft  Lime-fione  is  of  a  gray 
colour,  and  if  broken,  has  a  white  duft  that  flies  away  from  it. 
But  if  we  may  believe  Olam  Wormiut,  'tis  a  fign  alfo  of  fomthing 
much  better  than  that,  who  apprehends  it  to  be  nothing  lefs  than 
a  certain  effect,  of  Metallick.  vapors :  Oritur,  (faies  he,  fpeaking  of 
Lac  Lun<eJ  avaporibmmetallich,  qui  indies fub 'tiles  vehunt  exhaJa- 
tiones,  qudt  ubi  per  faxa  in  cavitates  exfudaverint,  huniido  evocalo, 
quodficcum  efiremanet  &  in  medullam  hanc  raram,  tcneram,  (srfiia- 
bilem  concrefcit.     e  To  which  Daniel  Major  not  only  agrees,  but 

J  Dtfiguiv Lapidum,tap.6.    *  BoztsNat.HiJt.ofhel  c-io-feSl.^..     «   Ol.UermiiMvfaum,  cap.4..   ' 

more 


of  0  XFO  %T>^S  Hl%E.  5P 

more  particularly  adds,  that  the  matter  of  this  Earth  proceeds 
from  the  metallick.  vapours  of  filver  ore,  by  fome  fermentation 
raifed  and  fublimed,  and  then  condenfed  on  the  fides  of  the 
Rocks. 

23.  Of  which,  fays  Gefnerf,  there  are  two  forts ;  the  one 
groft  and  gritty,  becaufe  immature  and  crude;  the  other  more 
perfectly  concocted,  whiter,  lighter,  and  fofter  :  And  of  both 
thefe  we  alfo  find  here,  but  whether  indicative  of  filver  ore,  as  iri 
the  mentioned  places  by  Johan:  Daniel  Majorg ,  is  the  great 
queftion.  In  anfwer  whereunto  I  cannot  but  add,  that  though 
I  fliould  be  very  unwilling,  that  any  Owner,  Farmer,  or  others^ 
fhould  hazard  their  Fortune  upon  my  weak  judgment,  without 
the  advice  of  ancient  and  experienced  Bermen  ;  yet  that  at  Shot- 
over,   befide  Lac  Lun<z,  there  are  other  Symbols  of  filver  Ore. 

24.  Whereof,  if  any  heed  may  be  given  to  flirty,  the  Ochre 
before- mention'd  may  be  accounted  one  :  In  argeriti  {$  auri  me- 
tallic nafcuntur  etiam  optima  pigmenta  Sil  ($•  cdtruleum  ;  where  by1 
Sil  he  means  fuch  yellow  Ochre,  than  which,  there  is  no  place 
we  know  of  in  the  world  that  has  greater  plenty,  or  of  equal 
worth.  To  which  we  may  add  a  fort  of  Iron-floiie,  which  is  not 
Iron- ore,  found  peradventurc  in  as  great  quantities  here,  as  it  is 
upon  the  hills  near  Schemnitz^m  Hungary  ,  the  greateft  Mine- 
town  in  that  Kingdom  :  where  itfeems  it  is  not  only  a  fign  of  the 
Ore,  butisalfo  of  great ufe  in  melting  of  it ;  whereof  faies  Dr. 
Brown,  in  his  Journey  thither,  that  of  a  liver-colour  is  counted 
beft h.  Now  that  we  have  fuch  an  Ore,  though  I  dare  not  pro- 
mife,  yet  provided  we  had  in  the  greateft  plenty,  the  liver-co- 
lour'd  Iron-flone  (I  dare  fay  it)  would  not  fail  us. 

25.  But  if  Lac  Lun<e  alone  may  be  a  fufficient  Index,  and  if 
we  are  not  miftaken  in  the  thing  it  felfj  as  I  verily  think  we  can- 
not be,  none  of  the  places  already  mention'd  can  fhew  it  hi 
quantity  and  goodnefs  too,  equal  to  a  Quarry  in  the  Parifti  of 
Cornwell,  fouth  weft  and  by  weft  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
Right  worfhipful  Sir  Thomas  Penny (ions  houfe  ;  where  it  is  found 
fo  well  concocled,  and  of  fo  great  purity,  that  the  driven  Snow 
never  appeared  whiter  ;  and  yet  in  fo  great  quantity  too,  that  I 
cannGt  guefs  the  Mineral,  or  whatfoever  other  metal  it  be,  that 

'  Defguris  Lapidum.  tap.  2.     *  De  Latin  Luna  dijfertath  Mtdica.  Edit.  Annoxdif.     h  ACCOuntof 
his  Travels,  pag.  92. 

H  2  gives 


do  The  ^Qatural  Hijlory 

gives  fo  great  a  fteam  as  this,  can  lie  very  deep,  or  be  very  poor  : 
Yet  I  fliall  not  prefume  to  advife  its  owner,  the  eminent  Virtuofo 
Sir  Thomas  Pennyfl  on,  any  further  to  dig  in  queft  of  it,  than  ac- 
cording as  he  (hall  want  Stone  upon  other  occafions,  to  fink  his 
Pit  for  the  future,  perpendicular  to  the  Horizon,  whereas  now  he 
takes  it  as  it  rifes  in  piano  :  So  that  in  time,  when  he  is  gotten 
through  the  Rock,  a  more  certain  judgment  may  be  pad  on  what 
lies  under,  with  little  charge  or  damage  to  him  :  Where  if  in 
time  he  finde  a  Treafure,  I  am  fure  the  Difcoverer  will  not  want 
his  reward,  from  fo  Ingenious,  and  every  way  fo  accomplifti'd 
a  Perjon,  atleaft  in  fuch  proportion  as  has  alwaies  been  allowed 
by  the  Societies  of  the  Mines  Royal,  and  Mineral  Battery -works. 

l6.  Befide  the  notice  it  gives  of  Mines,  and  ufe  it  has  in  cover- 
ing the  blemifhesof  the  Face,  like  the  Earth  Quei  of  China,  men- 
tion'd  by  1  Kircher  ;  its  Medicinal ufes  are  very  great.  For  by 
Ceorgim  Agricola,  and  Fernante  Imperato;  the  former  whereof 
calls  it  Stenomargak,  and  the  latter  Agaricus  Minerals1:  it  is 
thought  to  have  the  virtues  of  the  Samian  Earth,  and  to  be  very 
beneficial  in  Hopping  of  blood,  andwomens  difeafes.  Boetitts™ 
holds  it  to  be  a  good  narcotick,  and  that  it  fafely  may  be  given  to 
procure  deep.  And  Gefner  n  affirms  it  to  be  commonly  fold  by 
the  Apothecaries  of  Lucern,  and  ufed  by  Chirurgians  to  dry  gleet- 
ing  fores  ;  and  that  given  to  Nurfes,  it  increafes  their  milk,  and 
quickly  makes  their  Brefts  apparently  fwell.  And  upon  this  ac- 
count it  ferves  me  as  a  feafonabie  tranfition  to  pafs  next  to  the 
Earths  of  Medicinal 'ufe. 

27.  Of  which  the  moft  likely  I  have  met  with  yet,  is  dug  a- 
mongft  the  clay  they  ufe  for  bricks,  in  the  Parifh  of  Nettlehed, 
not  far  from  the  Wind-mill,  of  as  red  a  colour  as  Bolus  Armenws, 
but  not  like  that  difcolouring  the  hands ;  ftrongly  adhering,  if 
put  to  the  tongue,  but  whether  provocative  of  fweat  or  no,  I  have 
not  hitherto  been  able  to  perfwade  a  tryal.  However,  let  it 
prove  never  Co  good,  I'le  not  promife  the  owner  any  great  profit, 
becaufe  of  the  humor  we  have  of  defpifing  our  own,  and  only 
admiring  and  efteeming  thofe  things  that  are  far  fetched  and 
dearly  bought. 

28.  But  quite  of  another  mind  was  that  famous  Phyfitian, 

i  China  Wuftrata.     k   De  Natur- Fojjtl-     »   DeW  Hifi.  Natural-  Lii.e,.  tap-  4-     n  De  Lafid.  &  Gem- 
mis,  cap.  229.     »  De  Figuris  Lapidum,  cap.  2. 

Mr.  Henry 


OfOXFO%T>^SHl:RKE.  <5i 

Mr.  Henry  Sayer  of  Magdalene  College  Oxon,  who  commonly  made 
ufe  of  a  cinereous  Earth,  fomwhat  tending  to  yellow,  and  finely 
chamletted,  that  he  found  at  the  Quarries,  in  the  gullies  of  the 
Rocks  in  the  Parifri  of  Heddington  :  with  which,  as  I  am  inform- 
ed by  my  worthy  Friend  Mr.  Crofs  once  his  Apothecary,  and  frill 
living,  he  did  as  frequently,  and  as  well  procure  Sweats,  as  with 
any  of  the  Forreign  earths  whatever. 

29.  To  thefe  may  be  added  a  whitifh  fat  earth,  formerly  of 
fomeufe  in  external  applications,  which  they  fetch'd,  whil'ft  the 
waters  continued  in  requeft,  from  the  orifice  of  the  afore-men- 
tioned  faring  at  Goreing,  and  phanfied  it  at  leall,  to  be  a  very 
good  remedy  for  the  ach  of  Corns,  and  fo me  other  fuch  mala* 
dies :  but  as  foon  as  the  waters  began  to  fail,  the  earth  too  (though 
ftill  there  remain  enough)  began  to  decline  in  its  reputation,  and 
is  now  of  very  little,  if  of  any  efteem. 

30.  There  is  another  white  earth  of  fome  ufe  in  this  Coun- 
try, which  fome  will  have  alfo,  as  well  as  Lac  Lung,  to  deferve 
the  name  of  a  mineral  Agaric :  it  grows  for  the  moft  part  within 
round  hollow  Flints,  to  be  had  almoft  every  where  in  the  Chilterrt 
Country,  and  good  to  flop  fluxes  boiled  in  milk ;  and  I  was  told 
by  an  eminent  Phyfitian,  has  been  ufed  in  Confumptions  with 
good  fuccefs.  The  ftone  in  which  it  grows  they  call  here  a  Chalk 
Egg,  and  is  the  fame  with  the  Gecdesof  the  ancient  Naturalifts,  of 
which,  becaufe  further  in  the  Chapter  of  Clones,  I  forbear  to  add 
more  concerning  it  here. 

31 .  Hither  alfo  muft  be  referred  not  only  the  earths  that  are 
found  to  be  foveraign  for  Mans  prefervation,  but  according  to 
the  Logicalrule  of  contraries,  fuch  as  often  have  been  his  deftru- 
ction  too  :  Whereof  there  are  fome  in  the  Parifli  of  North  Leigh, 
that  fend  forth  fuch  fudden  and  deadly  fteams,  that  they  kill  be- 
fore the  Patient  can  give  the  leaft  notice,  of  which  they  have  had 
two  very  deplorable  examples. 

32.  The  flrft  whereof  happened  in  August,  about  twenty  years 
fince,  when  two  men  of  the  place  imployed  to  dig  a  well,  firft 
fickned,  and  wifely  withdrew  from  the  work :  whereupon  it  was 
undertaken  by  two  others  of  Wood/lock,  men  ©f  greater  rcfolu- 
tion  and  Iefs  wifdom  ;  who  before  they  could  do  any  thing  con- 
fiderably  in  it,  funk  down  and  irrecoverably  dyed  in  the  well  i 
which  quickly  being  perceived  by  a  woman  above,  a  Miller  hard 

by 


6%  The  Statural  H'ijlory 

by  was  tailed  to  their  afliftance,  who  as  unhappily  as  willing- 
ly defcending  to  them*  alfo  fuddenly  fell  down  upon  them,  and 
dyed  :  To  whom,after  fome  deliberation  taken,  another  ventures 
down  with  a  roap  about  his  middle,  but  he  fell  from  the  Lad- 
der in  juft  the  fame  manner,  and  chough  prefently  drawn  up  by 
the  people  above  ,  yet  was  fcarcely  recover'd  in  an  hour  or 
more. 

33.  And  now  again  but  lately,   on  the  20th  of  Augufi  1674. 
upon  a  buckets  falling  cafually  into  a  well,  on  the  fouth  fide  of 
the  Town,  about  a  furlong  from  the  former,  a  woman  calls  her 
neighbor,  a  lufty  ftrong  man,  to  go  down  by  a  Ladder  to  fetch 
up  her  bucket,  who  altogether  unmindful  of  the  former  acci- 
dent, foon  granted  (as  it  proved)  her  unhappy  requeft  ;  for 
by  that  time  he  came  half  way  down,  he  fell  dead  from  the 
Ladder  into  the  water :  the  woman  amazed,  calls  another  of 
her  Neighbors,  a  lufty  young  man  of  about  eight  and  twenty, 
who  haftily  defcending  to  give  his  afliftance,  much  about  the 
fame  place  alfo  fell  from  the  Ladder,  and  dyed,  without  giving 
the  leaft  fign  of  his  change,  fo  fuddenly  mortal  are  the  damps  of 
this  earth. 

34.  Dr.  Boat  °,  in  his  Natural  Biftory  of  Ireland,  gives  ac- 
count of  an  accident  that  happen'd  at  Dublin,  in  a  well  there  fo 
very  like  ours,that  they  fcarcely  differ  in  any  circumftance.  And 
we  have  a  relation  in  our  Pbilofoplical  Tranfaftions  p,  of  fuch  kind 
of  damps  that  happen'd  in  Coal-mines  belonging  to  the  Lord 
Sinclair  in  Scotland.  Now  though  we  muft  not  conclude  from 
hence,  that  here  muft  therefore  needs  be  Coal ;  yet,  conjoyned 
with  others  I  know  hereabout,  I  take  it  not  to  be  {o  unlikely  a 
fign,  but  that  of  all  others  I  know  of  in  the  County,  I  guefs  this 
may  be  the  moft  probable  place. 

35.  For  though  I  think  thofe  poyfonous  and  killing  fteams 
may  indeed  more  immediatly  have  their  rife  from  a  Pyrites,  or 

.  Coperatftone,  found  here  in  great  plenty  where-ever  they  dig ;  a 
piece  whereof  brought  me  by  a  friend  from  thence,  upon  taft, 
proved  a  Vitriol  fo  ftrong  and  virulent,  that  prefently  from  my 
mouth  it  foafYe&ed  my  ftomach,  that  I  confefs  for  a  while  I  was 
fearful  of  danger :  yet,  it  being  the  common  confent  of  Natu~ 
rahfts,  that  fuch  Pyrites  are  nothing  but  the  efiorefcence  of  Mine- 

o-  Cap.  iZ.feft.  4.     p  Ybihf.Tranfatt.  Num.  3. 

rals. 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  d3 

rals,  latent  underneath  them  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  my 
conje&ure  thereby  is  not  made  the  lefs  valid. 

36.  With  the  Pyrites  cinereus,  or  Coperatfione,  not  unlikely 
there  may  alfo  be  fome  mixture  of  Arftnic,  which  advances  its 
malignity  to  that  deadly  ftrength,  that  no  man  may  approach  un- 
der pain  of  death  :  But  that  for  the  future,  the  infenftble  inva- 
sions of  this  fecret  enemy  may  for  ever  be  avoided  ;  let  all  work? 
men,  and  fuch  as  upon  any  account  whatever  have  occafion  to  dig 
or  go  down  in  thefe  wells,  firft  throw  down  into  them  a  peck  of 
good  Lime,  which  flaking  in  the  water,  and  fuming  out  at  the 
top,  willfo  effectually  difpel  all  fuch  poifonous  vapors,  thatthey 
may  fafely  go  down,  and  ftay  fome  time  unhurt. 

37.  From  thefe  mifchievous  ones  of  Vitriol  and  Arfenic,  I 
proceed  to  fome  other  more  innocent  (alts-,  before  promifed  more 
fully  to  be  handled  here,  with  which  fome  earths  being  peculiar- 
ly qualified,  are  accordingly  difpofedto^e/ri/fe  bodies.  How  all 
petrifications  are  performed  by  falts,  and  petrifications  per  minima, 
by  their  fubtileft  fteams,  I  fuppofe  has  already  fufticiently  been 
(hewn,  as  alfo  how  waters  moil:  probably  erred  them  :  It  remains 
only  therefore  now  to  be  proved,  that  earths  as  well  as  waters,  do 
afford  fuch  fteams  as  permeate  alfo  the  moft  folid  texture. 

38.  To  which  purpofe  I  met  with  a  curious  inftance  in  the 
Fields  between  Clifton  and  Nuneham-Courtney ,  of  a  ftone  that 
reprefents  a  found  piece  of  Afh,  cut  both  parallel  and  tranfverfly 
to  the  pores,  and  retaining  the  grain  and  colour  fo  well  and  live- 
ly, that  no  body  at  fight  believes  it  to  be  other  than  a  firm  and  fo- 
lid piece  of  wood  ;  and  yet  this  was  taken  out  of  grounds  there- 
about, as  far  from  water  as  one  need  to  wifh.  In  fliort,  the  ver- 
(ion  feemsfo  very  perfect,  its  fubjeft  appearing  to  have  been  ve- 
ry found  and  free  from  rottenntfs,  that  either  we  muft  own  fuch 
petrifications  as  this,  to  be  truly  fuch,  and  totumfer  totum,  or  elfe 
allow  that  ftones  may  grow  in  grain  and  colour  exaftly  like 
wood. 

39.  But  that  the  latter  of  thefe  may  not  fo  far  take  place  (though 
the  poiTibility  of  the  thing  muft  not  be  denyed)  as  to  exclude 
a  poffibility  of  its  being  fomtimes  otherwife  ;  I  take  leave  to  in- 
ftance in  another  petrification  made  alfo  by  an  earth,  and  not  by 
water,  that  feems  to  carry  a  necefTity  with  it,  of  its  fubjecls  once 
being  folid  wood:  for  befide,  that  it  flhews  the  clofe  grain  of  Oak, 

and 


tf  4-  The  Natural  Hi /lory 

and  therefore  by  Naturalifts  called  Vryites  \  it  was  taken  up  in 
great  quantities  too,  and  out  of  fome  of  the  pieces,  (whereof 
1  have  one)  it  may  be  plainly  feen  where  twigs  have  come  forth, 
the  knots  ftill  remaining  where  they  were  cut  off;  fo  that  unlefs 
we  fly  to  the  (ports  of  Nature^  and  allow  her  to  imitate  almoft  all 
things  in  ftone,  we  cannot  well  avoid  a  confent,  that  this  was 
fomtime  really  Wood.  It  was  cafually  dug  up  in  the  Parifti  of 
Wendlebury,  in  a  gravelly  ground  not  far  from  the  Church,  and 
is,  I  believe,  the  fame  Earth  mentioned  fo  good  for  this  purpofe 
in  our  Philofophical  Tranfaclions^. 

4c.  Thus  having  confidered  the  principal  Earths  ufed  'in  Huf- 
bandry  ,  Tainting,  Medicine,  (yc.  I  proceed  in  the  next  place  to 
treat  of  fome  others,  lefs  in  value,  and  put  to  inferior  ufes :  A- 
mongft  which  we  may  reckon  the  very  uppermoft  Turf;  which 
befide  for  Bowling-greens,  and  Grafs-walks  in  Gardens,  is  here 
not  unfrequently  ufed  by  Thatchers,  and  laid  on  Mud-walls,  and 
the  top  of  Houfes,  in  the  place  and  manner  of  thofc  we  call 
Ridge-tiles ;  not  that  it  is  fo  good  as  Thatching  (though  fome  fay 
it  better  refills  the  winds)  but  becaufe  in  fome  places  Wood  is  fo 
fcarce,  that  they  cannot  get  (prates  to  fatten  on  Thatch  ;  or  elfe 
the  people  fo  poor  that  they  care  not  to  buy  them. 

41.  Alfo  at  fome  other  places  for  want  of  Wood,  they  make 
ufe  of  another  fort  of  Turf  for  fewel ,  not  the  upper  Green* 
ficord,  but  an  inferior  ftringy  bituminous  Earth,  cut  out  like  Brick?) 
for  the  moftpart  from  moorifh  boggy  grounds  ;  in  fome  Coun- 
tries called  Peat-pits,  in  others  Mojfes.  The  beft  of  this  Turf  that 
I  have  feen  in  Oxford-Jhire,  I  met  with  at  Mr,  Warcup  in  the  Parifti 
of  North -Moor,  but  dug  as  I  was  informed  in  Stanton-Harcourt^ 
about  a  mile  diftance  S.  Weft  from  the  Church:  it  lies  but  one 
fpits  depth  within  the  ground,  and  is  fuppofed  to  be  at  leaft 
four  foot  thick :  They  cut  it  in  March,  and  lay  the  pieces  called 
Peats  to  dry  on  the  grafs,  fomtimes  turning  them  ;  which  when 
reafonably  well  done,  they  then  pile  up  like  Wheelwrights  felleys, 
leaving  every  where  empty  fpaces  between,that  the  Air  and  Wind 
paffing  through  them,  they  at  length  may  become  dry  enough  for 
the  fire.  They  think  that  the  ftringy  roots,  that  together  with 
the  Bitumen,  make  up  the  Peats,  do  never  flourifh  above  the  fur- 
face  :  if  fo,  I  am  fomthing  confirmed  in  an  opinion,  that  there  are 

1  Num.  6. 

many 


Of  OXFO%rD~SHI%E.  di 

many  fubterraneous  Plants  not  noted,  of  which  I  intend  a  dili- 
gent enquiry  r.  After  the  Peats  are  taken  out,  they  fill  up  the 
ground  again  with  the  grafly  earth  that  was  firft  cut  up.  And  at 
Cowley,  where  they  alfo  dig  them,  they  ufually  leave  the  depth  of 
one  ffrade-graft  at  the  bottom,  as  a  foundation  whereon  they  may 
grow  again,  which  in  the  fpace  of  twenty  or  thirty  years,  'tis 
obferv'd  they  will  do  in  the  North  of  England*  . 

•42.  The  fcarcity  alfo  of  fireing  has  induced  fome  People  to 
burn  a  fort  of  black  fubflance,  of  a  grain  fomwhat  like  rotten 
wood  half  burnt,  but  participating  alfo  of  a  Mineral  nature,  and 
therefore  by  Authors  called  Met  allophy  turn,  or  Lignum  foffde s : 
put  into  water,  it  will  not  fwim  ;  and  into  fire,  it  confumes  but 
flowly,  and  fends  forth  very  unpleafant  fumes :  it  is  found  in  a 
Quarry  called  Langford-fits,  m  the  Parifri  of  Kidlington,  not  far 
from  Thruf,  about  eighteen  foot  deep  under  the  Rock,  where 
there  lies  a  bed  about  four  inches  thick.  But  at  Duckl'mgton  I 
met  with  a  much  finer  kind,  and  richer  in  bitumen ;  for  though 
on  the  out  fide  it  looks  like  wood,  yet  broken,  it  Chews  a  fmooth 
znd.ft\\mng  fuperficies,  not  unlike  to  flone-fitch,  and  put  in  the 
fire,  has  not  near  fo  ill  a  fmell.  This  was  dug,  and  kindly  be- 
llowed upon  me  by  the  Worfhipful  William  Bayly  Efq;  who  told 
mebefide  of  an  Aluminous  earth  that  he  fom  where  alfo  found  in 
his  ground.  As  for  the  fubftance,  Lignum  foffde  it  is  thought  to 
be  originally  a  cretaceous  earth,  turned  to  what  it  is  by  fubterra- 
neons  heats,  which  probably  at  Kidlington  may  indeed  be  great, 
becaufe  reflefted  by  the  Quarry  above  it,  for  that  it  was  never 
formerly  wood,  notwithftanding  its  fpecious  and  outward  like- 
nefs,  is  plain,  from  its  never  being  found  with  roots  or  boughs,  or 
any  other  figns  of  wood. 

43 .  At  Marjb  Balden  Heath,  and  Nuneham-Courtney,  they  have 
a  fort  of  earth  of  du&ile  parts,  which  put  in  the  fire  fcarcely 
cracks,  and  has  been  formerly  ufed  by  Potters,  but  upon  what 
account  I  know  not,  now  neglected.  There  is  alfo  a  Clay  near 
Little  Milton  that  might  very  well  ferve  for  the  Potters  ufe.  And 
at  Shotover-hill  there  is  a  white  clay,  the  fourth  fold  of  earth  in 
the  way  to  the  Ochre,  which  during  the  late  wars,  in  the  fiege  of 
Oxford,  was  wholly  ufed  for  making  Tobacco-fifes  there  ;  and  is 

r  Vid.  Nich.  Stetunis  Vrodrom.     *  They  dig  prety  good  Peats  alfo  near  the  Wyke  at  Heddington ;  and 
in  a  bo^gy  ground  Eaft-ward  of  Elsfie/d Church.     »  Ol.  Warmii> Mufamm  /;£•  2.  cap.  6. 

I  ftill 


66  The  Natural  Hiftory 

ftillin  part  put  to  chat  fcrvice,mixed  with  another  they  have  from 
Northampton-fhire.  Itisalfo  of  excellent  life  to  Statuaries,  for 
making  Moddels,  Gargills,  or  Antkks ;  and  containing  a  hard, 
but  very  fmall  grit ;  mpolifiing  Silver,  it  comes  near  to  Tripela. 

44.  And  fo  do's  an  anonymous  very  white  earth,  found  in  the 
feams  of  the  Quarries  at  Teynton,  which  at  firft  1  concluded  a  crude 
Alabafter,  becaufe  I  found  near  it  a  piece  that  was  perfect  :  but 
reducing  it  into  a  very  fine  powder,  and  putting  it  over  a  quick 
fire,  it  would  not  boil  like  Alabafter  duft,  nor  keep  the  colour,  but 
turned  reddifh.  Many  other  tryals  were  made  with  it,  in  Pla- 
fticks,  Policing,  Painting  isrc.  but  my  endeavors  fucceeded  in  no- 
thing fo  well,  as  in  policing  fmaller  fllver  Veflels,  that  could  not 
endure  bumifhing  well',  to  which  it  gave  a  more  glorious  bright- 
nefs  than  Tripela  would,  though  perhaps  not  fo  lafting  ;  and  not 
far  behinde  that  of  burnilh'd  Plate. 

45 .  And  yet  neither  this,  nor  the  former  will  polifh  brrfs,  nor 
any  thing  elfe  that  is  not  of  its  colour,  which  has  lately  engaged 
my  thoughts  in  2  Query,  whether  in  all  other  Metals  the  rule  does 
hold  :  for  I  find,  that  fulphur  gives  a  lufter  to  Gold;  and  that 
nothing  does  brighten.Co/^r  fo  well,  as  a  fort  of  ftuff  they  call 
rotten  ft  one,  alfo  foriithing  of  its  colour. 

46.  At  Teynton  alfo,  within  a  fpit  of  the  furface,  they  dig  a 
fort  of  earth  they  there  call  Lam,  of  a  whitifh  colour  inclining  to 
yellow  ;  which  mixt  with  fand,  and  fome  other  earth,  makes  the 
beft  earthen  floors  for  ground-rooms  and  barns:  it  diflblves  as 
quick  as  Fullers-earth,  and  were  it  not  for  a  fault  which  might 
poffibly  be  help'd,  it  may  ferve  their  turns  perhaps  as  well  as  any 
they  ufe. 

47.  To  thefe  may  be  added  another  whitifh  earth,  which  cor- 
ruptly I  fuppofe  from  its  colour  is  called  Which-earth  ;  mixed  with 
ftraw,  they  ufe  it  for  fide-walls  and  ceilings,  and  with  horfe- 
dung  it  makes  mortar  for  laying  of  ftones :  it  feems  to  be  a  natu- 
ral mixture  of  lime  and  fand,  found  at  Thame,  Waterperry,  and 
Adwell,  and  (lakes  in  water  (like  Gypfuni)  without  any  heat. 

48.  At  Milton  near  Adder  bury,  Great  Tew,  and  Stunsfield,  I  met 
alfo  with  another  fort  of  fpungy  chalk,  which  though  it  will  not 
flake  like  the  former  ;  yet  at  Milton  and  Adder  bury  ufed  for  point- 
ing, feems  to  bindethe  ftones  of  their  walls  very  well :  and  theirs 
at  Great  Tew  being  fomwhat  finer,  ferves  as  well  to  white  their 

rooms 


ofOXFO  %$>~S  HMJB.  -67 

rooms  within  (aslfawat  Stoerford)  as  to  point  walls  without rj 
but  at  Stunsfidd  there  was  no  body  knew  of  its  ufe. 

49.  Other  earths  there  are  that  I  find  in  this  County,fbr  whofe 
names,  as  well  as  natures,  I  am  quite  at  a  lofs ;  whereof  there  is 
one  in  Sir  Thomas  Vennyfions  Park,  which  for  the  ftrangenefs  of 
its  qualities  deferves  the  firft  place.  Of  colour  it  is  extreamly 
white,  of  little  taft,  and  lefsfmell;  lying  in  veins  in  ayellowifli 
clay,  like  a  medulla  about  the  bignefs  of  ones  wrift;  taken  out 
with  a  knife,  it  falls  into  a  fine  powder,  fomwhat  gritty,  but  of 
fo  very  great  a  weight,  that  its  double  at  leaft  to  any  other  earth 
of  its  bulk  ;  put  in  the  fcale  againft  white  Marble  dusl,  itequali'd 
its  weight,  and  exceeded  that  ofAlabafter  by  almoft  a  fourth  part : 
fetin  fandin  a  glafs  retort,  and  driven  with  a  quick  and  ftrong 
fire,  it  fublimed  to  the  fides  of  the  glafs  a  little,  but  ftill  preferved 
its  colourand  weight,  till  put  between  two  Crucibles,  one  invert- 
ed upon  the  other ;  well  luted,  and  ftrongly  forced  in  a  wind- 
furnace  for  about  two  hours,it  loft  above  the  moiety  of  its  weight: 
for  as  I  well  remember,  of  three  ounces  put  in,  there  came  not  out 
full  one  and  a  half,  and  yet  nothing  fublimed  in  the  top  of  the 
Crucible :  the  colour  ftill  remained  as  white  as  ever,  and  the  bulk 
(as  near  as  I  could  guefs)  the  fame,  but  now  of  a  ftrong  fait  and 
urinous  taft ;  which  after  folution,  filtration,  and  evaporation, 
came  at  laft,  to  what  people  as  little  underftood,  as  what  became 
of  its  ponderous  ingredient. 

50.  Wetrycd  it  alfo  at  Cornwell,  in  Sir  Thomas  Penny tf?o«'s 
Laboratory,  becaufeof  its  weight  with  divevsfluxingfalts,  in  hopes 
of  fome  kind  of  metalline  fubftance,  but  all*  as  before,  to  little 
purpofe.  So  that  I  cannot  tell  what  to  divine  it  (Tiould  be,  ex- 
cept the  Gur  of  the  Adeptifls  congealed,  which  they  defcribe  in 
their  Books  to  be  much  fuch  a  thing,  which  for  want  of  more 
time  to  fpend  in  its  fervice,  I  leave  to  the  difcovery  of  future 
ages. 

5 1 .  In  the  Chalk-pits  almoft  every  where  in  the  South-eaft 
parts  of  Oxford-fljirey  they  finde  a  fort  of  iron-colour'd  terra  la- 
pidofa,  in  the  very  body  of  the  chalk,  which  I  think  they  call 
Iron-moulds,  and  particularly  at  a  place  between  Brightwell  and 
Berricki  of  an  oval  figure :  how  they  came  to  be  of  that  (hape, 
or  at  all  grow,  in  a  fubftance  of  fo  different  a  nature  as  chalk.,  t 
confefs  to  be  a  problem  beyond  my  knowledge,  as  well  as  the 

t  2  ufc 


tf  8  The  Statural  Hiflory 

ufe  they  may  probably  have,  which  I  alfo  remit  to  pofterity  to 
find. 

5  2.  They  have  an  earth  about  Teynton  of  a  yellowifh  colour, 
adorned  all  over  with  glittering  (parks,  which  unlefs  they  are 
particles  of  the  fpecular  (lone,  or  Englifh  Talc,  with  the  former 
muft  be  reckoned  amongft  the  unknown  earths. 

53.  To  which  add  another  kind  of  terra  lapidofa  found  about 
Thame,  at  the  bottom  of  their  Quarries,  it  is  much  of  the  colour 
of  the  Turkjfi  Rufma,  hollow  and  fpungy,  and  full  of  fhining 
grains  like  a  fort  of  Pyrites,  but  of  what  nature  or  ufe  I  can  no 
where  find.  Nor  of  another  fort  of  Clay  found  at  Hampton-Gay, 
holding  a  grit  of  a  golden  colour,  much  of  the  nature  of  Pyri- 
tes aureus,  only  'tis  not  found  like  that  in  great  pieces,  which  by 
our  modern  Naturalifts  are  called  Brafs  lumps. 

54.  And  thus  I  had  concluded  the  Chapter  of  Earths,  but  that 
I  think  it  belongs  to  this  place  to  mention  alfo  fuch  accidents  as 
attend  them  ;  and  therefore  muft  not  be  altogether  filentof  an 
eminent  Proffett  about  a  mile  from  Teynton,  where  from  a  Hil! 
Nor th-eaft from  thence,  ten  Mercat  towns mz clear  day  may  plain- 
ly be  feen.  Nor  of  a  fmall  Earth-quake,  that  on  the  nineteenth 
of  February,  1665.  was  obferved at  divers  places  near  Oxford-,  as 
ztBlechington,  Stanton  St.  J ohns,i$c.  But  it  fhall  fuffice  juft  to 
mention  it,  Relations  (with  the  concomitants')  of  it,  being  al- 
ready publiftied  :  '  one  by  the  Honorable  Robert  Boyle  Efq;  and 
the  other  by  the  Learned  Di.Jobn  Walks. 

*  FhikfTravfaa.Num.  io,  II. 


CHAP. 


Of  0 XFO  %!D~SHtXEi  69 

CHAP.     IV.  ; 

Of  Stones. 

AS  in  the  Chapters  of  Waters  and  Earths;  I  treated  only  of 
fuch  a*  eminently  held  fome  fait  or  fulphur,  and  were 
fome  way  or  other  ufeful  to  Man :  I  intend  in  like  man- 
ner in  this  of  Stones  ftriftly  to  obferve  the  fame  method,  and  take* 
notice  only  of  fuch  as  either  plainly  (hew  thofe  Minerals,  and 
fupply  the  nettffities ;  or  are  for  the  ornament,  or  delight  of  Man- 
kind. 

2.  How  sW/lones  are  chiefly  made  out  offatts,  with  a  mixture 
of  earth  and  fomtimes  of  fulphur,  was  formerly  hinted  in  ano- 
ther place.  It  remains  only  that  I  confider  them  in  a  more  par- 
ticular manner,  and  (hew  which  they  be,  and  where  they  are, 
that  hold  any  of  thefe  principles  more  fignally  than  other,  which 
I  fuppofe  by  their  effefts  may  beft  be  difcover'd. 

3.  In  the  Road  from  Oxford  toward  London,  not  far  beyond 
Tetjwortb,  in  a  hollow  way  on  therifing  of  a  hill,  I  found  a  fcft 
ftone  there-about  called  Maume ,  of  a  whitifh  colour ;  whofe 
fait  is  fo  free  from  the  bonds  of  fulphur,  that  with  the  frofts  and 
rain  it  flakes  like  lime  :  perhaps  half  the  firing  ufed  to  burn  away 
the  fulphur  in  other  lime-ficne,  might  ferve  the  turn  here.  An  Ex- 
periment fo  very  likely  to  be  beneficial  to  the  Country,  that  I  left 
it  with  the  Son  of  the  ingenious  Improver,  Sir  Thomat  Tipping} 
as  a  thing  not  unworthy  of  his  Fathers  tryal ;  but  whether  he 
have  at  all,  or  but  unfuccefsfully  made  any*  I  have  not  yet  had  the 
favor  to  hear. 

4.  In  the  way  to  Whitfield,  as  I  rod  thither  from  Tetfveorth,  I 
found  the  ways  mended  with  this  kinde  of  fl one,  I  fuppofe  be- 
caufe  they  could  get  no  other,  for  certainly  otherwife  there  were 
nothing  more  unfit,  than  a  ftone  of  fo  loofe  and  open  a/j// : 
much  rather  with  fuch  fhould  they  mend  their  Lands  than  High- 
ways, that  like  lime,  marks,  and  chalk,  will  flake  in  the  Winter  ; 
which  I  take  for  fo  fure  a  mark  of  its  improving  quality,  that  I  can- 
not but  commend  it  to  the  tryal  of  the  Country. 

5 .  And  for  their  encouragement,  let  me  farther  tell  them,  that 
at  a  place  called  Hornton  in  the  North  of  this  County,  they  com- 
monly 


70  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

monly  ufe  the  chippings  of  the  Hone  dug  there  in  the  Quarry,  for 
improvement  of  the  Land,  and  that  not  without  apparent  fuccefs : 
and  yet  the  ftone  is  of  a  much  harder  kind,  than  this  at  Tetf- 
vporth  and  in  the  way  to  Whitfield. 

6.  Amongft  fonie  MSS.  notes  of  Natural  things,  I  met  with  one 
of  a  ftone  at  Oriel  College,  commonly  called  (fays  the  Author) 
The  [stating  ftone,  at  which  the  Birds  were  conftantly  pecking 
and  licking ;  as  1  guefs  (if  ever  there  were  any  fuch  thing)  for 
fome  kind  of  faltnefs  they  found  come  from  it:  I  fay,  if  ever 
there  were  any  fuch  thing,  for  I  find  it  not  in  this  new,  norre- 
mains  there  any  tradition  of  it  in  the  old  College,  I  therefore  pafs 
it  by  without  further  notice. 

7.  However,  in  (hort,  all  ftones  have  fo  much  fait  in  them,, 
that  in  forre  meafure  they  are  an  improvement  of  Land,  for  though 
it  be  fo  clofelock'd  up  with  fulphur,  that  the  greateft  frofts  and 
rain  will  not  make  the  ftones  run,  yet  there  is  ftill  fuch  an  emiffi- 
on  of  feline  fteams,  that  fome  earths  have  their  whole  fertility 
from  them.  Thus  have  I  feen  Fields  cover'd  with  Flints  and 
Pebbles,produce  better  Corn  than  where  there  were  none, which 
perhaps  may  be  a  better  reafon  than  what  is  brought  by  Pliny  u, 
why  the  Foreign  Coloni  that  came  to  Syracufe  to  inhabit  there,and 
praciife  Hufbandry  ;  after  they  had  cleared  the  ground  of  all 
the  ftones,  could  have  no  Corn,  till  they  had  laid  them  again  on 
the  very  fame  ground  from  whence  they  had  taken  them  but  juft 
before. 

8.  The  like  maybe  obferved  in  walls  and  buildings,  where  fe- 
veral  forts  of  vegetables,  yea  trees  of  great  bignefs,  will  thrive 
and  profper  remote  from  the  earth,  without  any  further  nouriih- 
ment,  than  that  they  have  from  the  fertile  ftones,  and  lime  they  are 
laid  with,  alfo  made  out  of  Hones. 

9.  If  it  be  objected  that  Pebbles  and  Flints  alfo  hold  z  fulphur  y 
as  well  as  a  fait,  and  that  in  all  probability  Corn  and  other  Vege- 
tables may  receive  their  flouniliing  verdure ,  rather  from  the 
warm  comfortable  fteams  of  that,  then  the  others  of  fait,  I  friall 
not  fo  much  as  contend  about  it,  but  gladly  accept  of  the  oppor- 
tunity by  this  means  to  pafs  fxom  Jlones  holding  fait  only,  to  fuch 
as  have  alfo  a  mixture  of  fulphur. 

10.  And  fuch  are  all  that  with  fleet,   or  any  other  fit  body, 

;  Lib.  17.  cap.  4. 

Will 


Of  OXFO%T>~SBt%E.  ?t 

will  ftrike  fire,  and  therefore  by  a  very  fir  name  called  Pyrites,  un- 
der which  genu*  may  be  reckon'd  not  only  Pyrites  ftrictly  taken, 
but  Flints,  Pebbles,  Sand,  and  whatever  elfe  by  any  quick  and 
fudden  attrition  may  have  its  parts  kindled  into  fparks :  of  which 
as  many  as  I  find  eminent  in  their  kind,  or  are  fit  for  ufes;  as 
briefly  as  may  be. 

1 1 .  And  amongft  them  (as  I  think  moft  due)  for  the  preroga- 
tive of  its  colour,  I  affign  the  fir  ft  place  to  the  Pyrites  aureus,  or 
golden  fire-done,  whereof  they  find  great  plenty  in  digging  of 
Wells  about  Banbury 'And.  Cleydon,  and  fomwhere  in  the  River  at 
Clifton  near  Dorchefter :  Some  of  them  are  taken  up  in  great  'limps 
(and  arc  therefore  alfo  called  Brafl  lumps')  of  uncertain  form, 
whereof  I  had  very  rich  ones  out  of  the  Well  of  one  Boreman  of 
Cleydon  But  thofe  from  Clifton  aforefaid  feem  to  be  laminated, 
and  fome  of  them  (hot  into  angles  like  Brijiol  Diamants,  and  are 
mentioned  by  Aldrovandws  w,  which  he  calls,  Pyrites  cum  fluoribus 
adnafcentibus,  and  cuju*  partes  coherent  tanquam  lapilli  angulofi. 
Thefe  ftrike  fire  in  great  plenty,  and  for  that  reafon  formerly  have 
been  much  ufed  for  Carabines  and  Pislols,  whil'ft  If  heel-locks  were 
in  fafhion  ;  and  are  alfo  very  weighty,  and  perhaps  hold  metal^ 
which  ,  were  it  not  for  the  too  great  proportion  of  fulpbur 
(whence  fuch  Minerals,  faith  the  Learned  Willis x ,  have  chiefly 
their  concretion)  that  carryeth  it  away  while  it  melteth  in  the 
Crucible,  by  over  volatilizing  it,  which  the  Mine-men  therefore 
term  the  Robber,  might  otherwife  be  procured  with  advantage  to 
the  owner. 

12.  At  A flon  Rowant,  Nettlebed,  and  Henly,  and  indeed  all 
along  the  Chiltern  Country,  they  have  another  fort  of  Marcha- 
fite,  within  fide  of  a  golden,  and  without  of  a  darkifh  rufty  co- 
lour, and  therefore  at  fome  of  the  afore-mentioned  places  called 
commonly  Crow -iron :  this  fort,  if  broken  and  laid  in  the  air,  or 
any  other  moift  place,  diflblves  into  a  fait  that  taftes  like  ink,  and 
is  no  queftion  the  Pyrites  of  Kentmannws Y,  which  for  that  reafon 
he  terms  atramenti parens.  And  fuch  a  one  is  the  Pyrites  found  at 
North-Leigh-,  brought  me  thence  by  my  worthy  Friend  Dr.  Par- 
rot, which  not  only  like  the  former  gave  the  taft  of  ink,,  but  ex- 
posM  to  the  air  awhile,  became  cover'd  with  a  white  downy  fait 
of  the  very  fame  taft,  which  1  take  to  be  fuch  a  natural  atramentum 

w  Li6-  4..  cap  3.    *  De  Ferment,  cap.  <J.     y  Tit.  2.  cap.  de  Succii  efflorefctnUhw- 

album*, 


j%  The  !hQatural  Hiflory 

album,  as  isfaid  by  the  fame  Kentmannws,  Efflorefcere  e  pyrite  Gof- 
lariano,  is1  Radebergenfi z . 

13.  Next  to  thefe,  in  order  of  nature  as  well  as  dignity,  comes 
the  filver  Marchafite  under  confideration,  of  a  white  gliftering 
colour,  and  to  be  had  in  the  bottom  of  the  River  between  Clif- 
ton and  Burcot  :  this  ftrikes  fire  as  well  as  the  golden  Pyrites,  but 
notwithftanding  itwasexpofed  in  the  fitted  places,  yet  would 
never,  that  I  could  perceive,  fend  forth  any  efflorefcence.  An- 
other fort  of  them  I  met  with  at  Deddington,  taken  out  of  the 
afore-mentioned 7«^«r  Well  there,  of  as  glorious  a  colour  as 
the  former  ;  but  feveral  times  tryed  on  the  belt.  Steel  I  could  get, 
would  never  yield  the  leaft  fpark  of  fire  :  whence  I  rather  con- 
cluded it  to  be  argentum  felium,  or  Cat -filver,  but  that  it  would 
not  (bine  in  the  dark,  or  confume  in  the  fire  :  However,  it  may 
pafs  for  a  fferik  nitidum,  fo  often  mentioned  by  Naturalifis,  it 
being  a  glorious  nothing,  of  no  kind  of  ufe. 

14.  That  Flints,  Pebbles,  and  Sands,  are  alfo  Pyrites,  needs 
no  further  evidence  than  that  they  ftrike  fire,  a  thing  fo  obvious 
to  the  meaneft  Obferver,  that  to  fpend  time  to  prove  it,  would 
be  loft  time  to  the  Reader  ;  it  (hall  fuffice  therefore  to  enumerate 
the  feveral  kinds  of  each,  and  chiefly  to  infift  upon  fuch  as  have 
ufes. 

15.  All  along  the  Cbiltern  Country  of  Oxford-fiire,  Flints 
areas  plentiful  as  any  where  elfe  ;  amongft  them  the  black  one, 
wellpolifh'd,  will  fupply  the  place  of  the  Lydianftone  ;  and  at 
Henly  they  ufe  them  in  making  of  Glafs,  of  which  more  anon  in 
the  Chapter  of  Arts.  They  are  found  befide  of  divers  other  co- 
lours, and  fomeofthem  h  tranfparent,  that  they  feem  not  only 
to  imitate,  but  to  be  the  very  fame  with  Achats.  I  have  one, 
found  at  Dorchefter,  about  an  inch  and  half  fquare,  of  zflejhco- 
louri  and  fo  tranjfarent,  that  it  may  well  enough  deferve  the 
name  of  Sardachates.  Such  as  this  were  alfo  (hewn  me,  by  the 
truly  Ingenious,  the  Right  Honorable  James  Lord  Norreys  of  i?i- 
cot,  and  found,  as  I  think  his  Lordfhip  told  me,  fome  where 
thereabout,  and  are  I  do  not  queftion  the  very  fame  (tones,  that 
Kentmannm a  indeed  places  in  his  Title  of  Flints,  yet  calls  them, 
Pellucentes  Sard<z  colore. 

16.  Of  Pebbles  there  are  fome  alfo  transparent,  to  be  had  a- 

»  'lit.  2-  cap.  Sory,  &  dejuccisefflorefient.     »  Kentmm-  tit 8. 

bout 


Of  OXFO%T>*SH1%E.  75 

bout  Finslock.  and  Nuneham-  Courtney  ;  I  found  them  alfo  in  the 
way  between  Nevo-yate  and  Enfiam,  but  none  comparable  to  what 
was  fhewn  me  by  that  great  Virtuofo,  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir 
Anthony  Cope  of  Hanwell,  the  moft  eminent  Artift  and  NaturaliSi 
while  he  lived,  if  not  of  England,  moft  certainly  of  this  County, 
whole  Hpufe  me  thought  feemed  to  be  the  real  New  Atlantis, 
which  my  Lord  Vifcount  Verulam  had  only  in  fanfie.  The  Pebble 
I  remember  was  about  the  breadth  of  ones  hand,  of  a  flat  form, 
and  yet  not  much  lefs  than  an  inch  in  thicknefs,  fo  clear  and  pel- 
lucid, that  no  Chryftal  that  ever  I  faw  yet  excellM  it ;  fo  that  had 
not  its  Mafter,  the  cautious  Artift,  took  care  to  leave  on  it  part 
of  its  outward  coat,  few  would  have  believed  it  had  ever  been  a 
Pebble. 

1 7.  Thefe  Pebbles  when  transparent,  make  an  excellent  ingre- 
dient for  the  Glaft-worh;  and  fo  do  thofe  which  arew/?>/7e,though. 
not  transparent,  called  by  fome  Authors  by  the  name  of  Quocoli, 
and  perhaps  not  much  different  in  nature  from  the  Cuogolo  of 
Ftrrantt  Imperato b,  and  fuch  are  the  Pebbles  gathered  at  Tefino  % 
with  which  they  make  the  pureft  Glafs  at  the  Moran. 

1 8 .  There  are  about  Goreing  and  Nunebam-Courtney,  a  fort  of 
Pebbles  of  a  blue-black,  colour,  that  ifpoliflb'd,  might  fupply 
the  place  of  Touch.  And  about  Fawler  and  Stunsfieldz.it  a  red- 
difli  kind,  very  hard,  and  for  the  moft  part  of  an  oval  Figure, 
fo  excellent  for  pitching  offirtets  and  ftables,  and  for  Painters 
mullars,  that  none  can  be  found  more  fit  and  durable. 

19.  After  confideration  of  Flints  and  Pebbles  apart,  let 
us  now  take  a  view  of  them  jointly  together,  for  fo  I  found 
them  at  C aver/ham,  and  Greenvil,  and  in  the  way  from  Pufiill 
to  Stonor-houfe,  in  clufters  together  of  divers  colours,  and  uni- 
ted into  one  body,  by  a  petrified  cement  as  hard  as  themfelves, 
and  moft  of  them  I  believe  capable  of politure  *.  But  the  beft  of 
all  are  in  theClofe  at  Stonor,  of  which  there  are  fome  fo  large 
and  clofe  knit,  that  could  the  Ingenious  Proprietor,  Thomas  Sto- 
nor Efq;  find  a  way  to  (lit  and  polifti  them  without  too  much 
charge,  he  might  make  him  rich  Chimney-pieces  and.  Tables  of  them, 
fo  far  excelling  Porphyrie  and  Marble,  that  perhaps  they  might 
compare  with  the  beft  Ja/per  or  Achat.  For  I  havefeen  fuch  as 
thefe  found  about  Hampfted,  curioufly  wrought  into  handles  of 

b  Dell'  Hift.  Nat.  lib.  24.  cap.  16:    e  Anton.  Neri,  Hi.  1.  cap- 1.     *  There  is  a  Quarry  of  this  South 
of  Wohircot  Church,  but  the  Cement  fo  loft,  that  it  will  not  polish. 

K.  knives, 


74.  The  Statural  Hijlory 

knives  by  that  eminent  Artift  Sir  Anthony  'Cope ;  to  which  few* 
Achats  might  be  compared,  perchance  none  preferr'd,  either  in 
thepolifh  or  variety  of  colours. 

2c.  The  Ingenious  Mr.  Ray ,  amongft  other  Obfervations 
made  in  his  Journey  through  Italy,<£rc.  tells  us,That  in  the  Church 
of  the  Benediftinesat  Ravenna,  the  Monks  did  fhew  him  two 
Marble  -pillars,  for  which  they  faid,  the  Venetians  ofter'd  them  no 
lefs  than  their  utmoft  weight  in  Silver.  But  the  like  he  fays,  he 
had  feen  elfewhere,  at  the  Library  at  Zurich,  and  at  Verona  in  our 
Ladies  Chappel,  in  the  Garden  of  Seignior  Horatio  Guifti :  their 
generation  at  fifft,  fays  he,  was  out  of  a  mafs  of  fmall  Flints 
and  Pebbles,  united  by  a  cement  as  hard  as  themfelves,  and  capa- 
ble ofpoliture ;  which  cement,  he  gueffes,  was  feparated  by  de- 
grees from  a  fluid  wherein  the  ftones  formerly  lay  :  which  I  take . 
to  be  a  defcription  fo  agreeable  to  ours,  that  nothing  more  need 
be  faid  to  promote  their  tryal. 

2 1 .  Hither  alfo  muft  be  reduced  a  courfer  fort  of  Smirk,  dug 
up  in  the  pits  ziWhately  Towns  end,  of  a  cinereous  colour,  hard 
and  rough,  and  ftriking  fire  as  well  as  a  Flint.  The  beft  fort  of 
Smirk  ferves  for  feveralufes  ;  but  ours  is  fit  only  to  cut  the  hard- 
er fort  of  ftones,  that  the  fand  commonly  ufed  will  not  fo  well 
do,  and  perhaps  for  fome  other  inferior  ufes.„ 

22.  And  to  thefe  muft  be  added  the  feveral  forts  of  Sands , 
which  upon  violent  motions  all  ftrike  fire,  and  are  commonly, 
and  fomtimes  promifcuoufly  ufed,  for  Building,  Hour-glares,  and 
cutting  of  Stone.  But  fome  there  are  of  a  more  peculiar  and 
confiderable  ufe,  and  fuch  is  that  dug  in  the  Pariffi  of  Kingham^ 
which  after 'tis  wafhed  and  duly  ordered,  fo  perfectly  refembles 
Calk-fand,  that  it  ferves  and  is  fold  for  the  very  fame  :  it  is  not 
found  in  every  place,  but  they  have  figns  (like  Miners)  to  know 
where  it  lies  ;  vi%.  a  fort  of  fluff  that  looks  almoft  like  rotten 
wood,  which  if  they  meet  with  under  the  Turf,  they  feldom  fail 
of  the  Sand  a  little  deeper ;  which  they  firft  cleanfe  from  rubbifTi, 
and  the  greater  ftones,  by  putting  it  through  acourfe  fievc,  then 
they  wafh  it  in  a  trough  and  lay  it  a  drying  ;  which  when  fuffici- 
ently  done,  they  feparate  again  by  a  finer  fieve,  the  courfer  part 
of  it  from  the  finer  :  the  courfer  ferves  for  wheting  of  fithes,  but 
the  finer  fort  for  fcouring  pewter,  for  which  purpofe  it  feems 
'tis  fo  very  excellent ,  that  the  Retailers  fell  it  for  a  penny  a 

pound, 


Of  0  XFO  ^V-SHIXM:  7f 

pound,  which  amounts  to  above  twenty  (hillings  a  bufheb 

23.  Other  fands  there  are  alfo  of  very  good  ufe,  to  give  a 
confiftency  and  body  to  glafl ;  the  naturally  whiteft  are  at  Nettle* 
bed  and  S 'hot-over ,  but  the  fineft  by  much  at  F  inflockznd.  Ledwell^ 
which  when  wafbed  and  cleanfed  ,  at  leaft  equal  the  former* 
Thefirft  of  thefe  has  been  tryed  with  fuccefs  at  the  Glafs-houfe 
ztHenly  :  and  any  of  the  reft,  perhaps,  might  prove  as  good 
Tarfo  as  any  they  have  from  France,  or  is  nfed  in  Italy,  were  they 
but  in  place  where  they  might  be  tryed, 

24.  From  Sands,  I  proceed  to  Lapps  atenarius,  commonly  caU 
led  Free-fione,  and  ufed  in  Building  ;  of  which  we  have  as  great 
plenty  and  variety  in  Qxford-fiire,  peradventure  as  in  any  other 
part  of  England.  The  Quarry  at  Heddington,  fcarce  two  miles 
from  Oxford,  fuppliesus  continually  with  a  good  tort  of ftone,  and 
fit  for  all  ufes  but  that  of  fire-,  in  which,  that  of  Teynton  and 
Hornton  excel  it.  In  the  Quarry  it  cuts  very  foft  and  eafie,  and 
is  worked  accordingly  for  all  forts  of  Building ;  very  porous,and 
fit  to  imbibe  lime  and  fand,  but  hardening  continually  as  it  lies 
to  the  weather. 

25.  Of  it  in  general,  there  are  two  forts  ;  one  that  they  call 
Free-slone,  and  the  other  Rag-ftone  :  but  thefe  again  are  fubdi- 
vided  into  feveral  fpecies,  according  as  they  are  cut  or  put  to  di- 
vers ufes.  The  Free-fione,  if  cut  cubically  into  very  great  blocks., 
is  theft  by  way  of  eminence  called  nothing  but  Ftee-flone  ;  but  if 
cut  into  oblong,  or  other  forts  of  fquares,  of  a  leffer  bulk,  they 
then  call  it  /[filer;  and  the  fragments  of  thefe  of  inequilateral^ 
multangular  Figures,  Scabble-burs.  The  two  firft  are  ufed  irt 
principal  Buildings,  and  thelaft,  if  fquared,  is  fomtimes  mixed 
with  A/hlerm  Range -work,  or  by  it  felf  in  that  they  call  Planted- 
workm  the  meaner  Buildings :  but  when  not  fquared  at  all*  is 
commonly  thrown  in  amongft  Rag-flone  for  walling;  for  which 
only,  and  making  lime,  that  fecond  fort  is  good,  except  it  rifes 
flat  in  the  bed,  and  then  'tis  worth  the  while  to  hew  it  for 
paving.  A 

26.  Of  the  Jl one  afore-mentioned  confifts  the  grofs  of  our 
Buildings;  but  for  Columns,  Capitels,  Bafes,  Window-lights,  Door- 
cafes,  CorniJ/Ang,  Mouldings,  (yc.  in  the  chiefeft  work  they  ufe 
Burford-ftone,  which  is  whiter  and  harder,  and  carries  by  much 
a  finer  Arris,  than  that  at  Heddington:  but  yet  is  not  fohard  as 

K  2  that 


y6  The  Statural  Hiflory 

that  at  Teynton,  nor  will  it  like  that  endure  the  fire,  of  which 
they  make  Mault-kjlls,  and  hearths  for  Ovens ;  but  then  they  take 
care  to  furbed  the  ftone,  i.  e.  fet  it  edg-v/ays,  contrary  to  the 
pofture  it  had  in  the  bed,  for  otherwife  there  will  be  fome  danger 
of  its  flying. 

27.  Befide  the  fire,  it  endures  the  weather,  for  of  this  mix- 
ed with  another  fort  dug  near  Whately,  on  the  Worcefter  road  fide, 
as  it  paffes  betwixt  Holton  and  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrills,  are  all  the 
oldeft  Colleges  in  Oxford  built ;  as  Baliol,  Merton,  Exeter,  Queens, 
Canterbury  (now  part  of  Cb.  Ch.)  College,  Durham  (now  Trinity} 
College,  New  College,  Lincoln,  All  Souls,  Magdalen,  Brafen-nofe, 
and  the  outermoft  Quadrangle  of  St -.John  Bapt.  Coll.  yet  it  en- 
dures not  the  weather  fo  well  as  Heddington,  by  reafon,  I  fup- 
pofe,  of  a  fait  it  has  in  it,  which  the  weather  in  time  plainly  dif- 
folves,  as  may  be  feen  by  the  Pinnacles  of  New  College  Chanel, 
made  of  this  ftone,  and  thus  melted  away. 

28.  And  yet  the  moifture  of  water  has  no  fuch  power  over 
it,  but  that  they  make  of  it  Troughs  and  Cijlerns,  and  now  of 
late  Mefi-fats  for  Brewing ;  firft  hinted,  'tis  true,  by  Mr.  Bayly  of 
Duckjington,  but  pra&ifed  by  one  Mr.  Veyfej  of  Teynton,  who  had 
the  firft  made  him  by  one  Strong  a  Mafon,  which  it  fecms  did  an- 
fwer  expe&ation  fo  well,  that  it  has  fince  obtained  in  many  other 
places.  Of  thefe,  that  generous  and  courteous  Gentleman,  Sir 
ComptonRead  of  Shipton  under  Whichwood,  has  one  that  holds  a- 
bout  fixty  five  bufhels,  drawn  home  with  no  lefs  than  one  and 
twenty  horfes  ;  they  ordinarily  mejh  in  it  three  quarters  of  Mault, 
but  can,  when  at  any  time  neceffity  requires,  mejh  five  at  a  time  : 
the  dimenfions  of  which  Veffel  of  one  fingle  ftone,  taken  within 
the  hollow  and  abating  its  thicknefs,  becaufe  of  its  vaft  unufual 
magnitude,  I  thought  fit  to  note,  and  give  as  folioweth  ; 

long,  2  yards  \. 

broad,  1  yard  8\  and  'xan  inch. 

deep,  1  yard  a. 

yet  much  larger  than  this  might  be  had  from  the  Quarry,  were 
there  ufe  for  them,  or  could  portage  be  contrived ;  for  as  I  was 
informed  by  many  credible  witneffes,  there  was  one  fingle  ftone 
dug  in  this  Quarry,  containing  no  lefs  than  three  hundred  tuns. 
And  another  in  the  year  1673.  meafured  by  Mr.  Vejfey,  of  an 
>  hundred 


0fOXFO%$>-SHl\E.  77 

hundred  and  three  tuns  ,  accounting  fixteen  foot  cubic  to  the 
tun. 

29.  Other  Quarries  there  are  alio  of  confiderable  ufe,  as  Bla- 
den, Little  Milton,  Barjord,  and  Hornton,  whereof  the  laft  has 
the  bell  Fire-ftone  of  any  in  the  County ;  fome  of  it  feems  to 
have  Iron-colour'd  veins,  that  receive  (as  I  have  feen)  a  toler- 
able poliiri,  a-ud  is  the  ftone  I  mention'd  before,  whofe  chippingt 
(laid  on  it)    improve  their  land,  by  reafon  I  fuppofe  of  the 

fait  there  is  in  it,  which  may  alfo  be  the  caufe  it  endures  fire 
fo  well. 

30.  At  Cornbury  Park,  there  was  a  fort  of  flow,  the  Quarry 
whereof  is  now  quite  exhaufted,  that  never  would  fweat  in  the 
moifteft  weather,  of  which  the  pavement  of  the  Hall'm  the  houfe 
there,  ftill  remains  as  a  fufticient  teftimony  :  of  this,  did  it  rife 
in  great  blocks,  might  poflibly  have  been  made  very  good  Mill- 
ftones,  the  not  fweating  being  a  principal  qualification  in  all  Hones 
whatever  ufed  for  Corn-mills.    . 

31.  But  before  we  take  leave  of  materials  for  Building,  we 
muft  not  forget  that  the  Houfes  are  covered,  for  the  moft  part  in 
Oxford-fhire  (not  with  tiles)  but  flat-ftone,  whereof  the  lighteft, 
and  that  which  imbibes  the  water  leaft,  is  accounted  the  bed. 
And  fuch  is  that  which  they  have  at  Stunsfietd,  where  it  is  dug 
firft  in  thick  cakes,  about  Michaelmafs  time,  or  before,  to  lye 
all  the  winter  and  receive  thefrofts,  which  make  it  cleave  in  the 
(pring  following  into  thinner  plates,  which  otherwife  it  would  not 
do  fo  kindly.  But  at  Bradwell  (near  the  Grove)  they  dig  a  fort 
of  flat -ft  one,  naturally  fuch,  without  the  help  of  winter,  and  fo 
ftrangely  great,  that  fomtimes  they  have  them  of  feven  foot  long, 
and  five  foot  over  :  with  thefe  they  commonly  make  mounds  for 
their  Clofes  and  1  have  feen  a  fmall  hovel,  that  for  its  whole  co- 
vering has  required  no  more  than  one  of  thefe  Hones  :  and  fome 
of  them  are  of  fo  hard  and  clofe  a  texture,  that  I  have  known 
them  by  Painters  of  very  good  (kill,  preferr'd  before  Marble  for 
grinding  their  colours. 

32.  To  ftone  ufed  in  Building  they  fomtimes  add  L  ime,  which 
becaufe  for  the  moft  part,  is  here  made  of  ftone,  muft  alfo  be 
handled  in  this  place  ;  for  which  they  count  the  hardeft  rag-ftone 
beft,  but  any  will  make  it,  fays  the  Learned  WHI'psa^  except  fuch 

d   JV  Ferment,  cap.  10. 

as 


78  The  Statural  Hiftory 

as  is  made  up  of  a  reddifli  kind  of  gravel :  the  bed  fign  of  it 
here,  as  well  as  in  Ireland,  has  been  fufficiently  hinted  in  the 
former  Chapter,  to  be  that  white  and  frungy  kind  of  matter,  that 
fticks  to  thtftones  in  the  caverns  of  the  Rocks,  and  fo  plentifully 
found  at  Cornwell  and  Whately  5  at  Hanborough,  Farrier,  and  in 
Ccrnbury  Park.  Not  but  that  very  good  Lime  may  be  had  from 
ftone  that  ftiews  not  the  leaft  of  this  fign,  as  at  Bladen  Quarry, 
and  many  other  places,  but  that  none  makes  better  then  the  ftone 
that  has  it  ;  except  hereafter  it  may  be  found  true  here,  what 
Lachmund e  aflerts  of  the  Bifioprick.  of  Hildejheim,  where  the  belt 
(he  fays)  is  made  of  the  hardeft  ftone,  quodvaria  infe  Conchylia 
continet,  fet  full  of  petrified  tt\c\\-t\Qi :  for  if  fo,  our  beft  Lime- 
flone  muft  be  at  Charleton  and  Langley  •  at  Little  Milton,  and  Shot- 
over  Forresl,  in  the  Quarry  there  on  the  north  fide  of  the  Hill, 
not  far  from  the  way  to  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrills ;  at  all  which  places, 
the  ftone  is  ftuckfull  of  Cockles,  Efcallops,  and  Oyslers,  of  which 
more  anon  in  the  following  Chapter. 

33.  Befide  the  ftone  that  is  ufed  for  the  fubftafice,  there  is  o- 
ther  that  ferves  for  the  ornament  of  Building,  a  fort  of  gray 
Marble  dug  in  the  Parifh  of  Blechington,  in  the  Lordftiip  of  the 
Right  Honorable  Arthur  Earl  of  Anglefey,  Lord  Fr ivy  Seal :  Of 
this  there  are  feveral  Chimny-pieces  and  Pavements,  in  his  Lord- 
fiips  Houfe  there,  well  worth  the  notice  ;  as  alfo  at  the  Right 
Honorable  the  Earl  of  Clarendon's  at  Cornbury.  And  of  this 
are  the  Pillars  of  the  Portico's  at  St.  Johns  College  in  Oxford.  They 
make  befide  of  it  Tomb-slones  and  Tables,  and  of  late  alfo  Mill- 
fiones^  good  enough  for  the  Oyl-mills ;  but  not  for  the  Corn-millsy 
becaufeof  its  fuppofed  fweating,  to  which  this  is  fubjedt  in  rainy 
weather,  like  all  other  Marbles. 

34.  Some  other  ftones  there  are  of  inferior  ufe,  which  yet  muft 
by  no  means  be  paft  by  in  filence  ;  whereof  I  know  one  fo  like  the 
Tripoli-Jlone,  in  colour,  confidence,  and  for  all  its  ufes,  that  I 
cannot  but  think  it  of  the  very  fame  kind  :  to  fdver  it  gave  that 
very  lafting  brightnefs,  that  another  piece  of  Plate  that  was  try- 
edagainft  it,  receiv'd  from  the  Gold-fmiths  Tripoli-Jicne,  and 
proved  it  felf  in  all  refpe&s  fo  much  the  very  fame  ;  that  would 
any  thing  pleafe  us  not  far  fetchM,  perhaps  there  might  be  no  fur- 
ther need  of  fending  any  more  to  Africa  for  it. 

«   Lach-'Opvx.-nyyi<pi*,Seff.  3.  caf.  t. 

35.  Nor 


OfOXFO%V-SHl%E.  y? 

3  5 .  Nor  muft  I  forget  the  Iron-ftone  at  Shot-over,  though  oc- 
cafionally  mention'd,  and  its  ufes  delared,  in  the  immediatly 
preceding  Chapter  of  Earths  :  fo  called,  not  from  any  fuch  metal 
that  it  holds,  but  meerly  I  fuppofefrom  the  colour  'tis  off.  This 
Itryed  with  the  Load-fione  and  Aqua  forth,  thinking  thereby,  if 
it  held  any  Iron,  it  muft  needs  have  confeft  it  to  one  of  thofe 
two.  But  I  fince  have  found  the  Experiments  but  ill  applyed,  for 
neither  will  Cavala  (which  is  the  belt  Iron-ore)  anfwer  either  of 
them  :  So  that  I  do  not  now  condemn  it  to  be  no  Iron-ore,  upon 
thofe  grounds  as  at  firft,  but  from  other  confiderable  differences 
it  has  from  the  known  Iron- ores  of  Glocefter-flire  and  Sufex. 

36.  There  is  alfo  near  Thame  on  Cuttkbrookrfide,  another  Iron- 
colour'' d  ft  one,  but  more  fpungy  than  the  former,  and  including 
within  it  a  blackifh  kind  of  Cinder  \  the  moft  like,  of  any  thing 
I  yet  have  feen,  to  Magnefta  (in  the  Glafs-houfes,  called  Man- 
ganefe)  only  it  wants  of  its  clofenefs  of  texture  and  weight : 
what  it  fliould  be,  or  for  what  ufe  likely,  to  me  I  confefs  is 
wholly  unknown,  unlefs  1  may  call  it  the  Siderites  of  Pliny f.  I 
therefore  defift  to  fay  more  about  it,  but  commend  it  to  the  dif- 
covery  of  future  ages. 

37.  At  Eyfield-merrymouth,  in  the  Field  above  the  Cave  lately 
made  by  Mr.  Bray,  in  the  bank  near  the  Brook,  I  found  a  ftone  of 
a  light  yellow  colour,  made  up  of  glittering  Lamella,  or  Plates, 
which  according  to  the  defcription  of  Georgia  Agricola  %  feems 
not  unlike  the  Samian-ftone,  found  alfo  about  Uafda  in  the  Bifhop- 
rick  of  Hildejbeime,  and  good  only  for  polifhing  filver  and  gold* 
Such  laminated  Stones  by  Nicolas  Stenoh  are  thought  to  be  no- 
thing but  incruflations,  made  in  the  confines  o^zfiluid  zndfelid,  an 
opinion  that  feems  to  come  near  to  the  truth.  However  it  be,  it 
is  fomthing  formed,  and  ma^  well  ferve  to  ufher  in  the  next  Cha- 
pter, which  I  have  wholly  refer  ved  for  formed Jiones. 

'  Hifl.  Nat.  lit-  37.  c- 10.     «  Fopium,  lib.  5.     »   In  Vrodrom. 


CHAP. 


80  The  Statural  Hijlory 

CHAP.     V. 
Of  Formed  Stones. 

AFter  Stones  made  to  ferve  the  neceffnies  of  Man,  and  not 
brought  into  form  but  by  the  tool  of  the  Artift,  come  we 
next  to  confider  thofe  that  are  naturally  formed,  and  feem 
rather  to  be  made  for  his  admiration  than  ufe.  Whereof  the 
World  is  beautified  with  fo  great  variety,  that  as  on  the  one  hand 
I  cannot  but  wonder  at  the  great  Providence  of  God,  and  his 
moft  perfect  Workmanftiip,  that  has  thus  created  the  Vniverfe  for 
Mans  delight  as  well  as  ufe  :  fo  on  the  other,  I  cannot  but  repre- 
hend the  petulant  defpifers  of  this  innocent  fort  of  Learning, 
who  in  derifion  have  called  it,  picking  of  ftones  ;  as  if  what  the 
Omnipotent  and  moft  wife  God  hath  thought  lit  to  create,  were 
not  worth  the  conlrderation  of  weak  Man.  But  let  fuch  malici- 
ous Scoffers  know,  that  'tis  their  pride  and  ignorance  that  has 
engaged  them  in  this  Cenfure :  for  as  God  has  created  them,  fo 
fome  things  muft  be  written  off  meerly  for  information,  as  well 
as  others  that  tend  to  our  advantage.  Befide,  who  knows  but 
thefe  things  may  have  a  ufe,  that  hereafter  may  be  difcover'd, 
though  not  known  at  prefent.  Since  then  their  Exceptions  are 
fo  ill  grounded,  that  they,  vanifli  in  a  manner  as  foon  as  named, 
'tis  but  juft  that  I  pay  them  in  their  own  coyn,  and  flight  their 
judgment  more  than  they  dare  do  my  fuljeft. 

2.  In  the  handling  whereof,  though  in  a  particular  Chapter,  I 
(hall  obferve  the  method  of  the  whole  Ejfay  :  And  rirft  treat  of 
fuch  formed  ftones  as  either  in  name,  or  thing,  or  both,  relate  to 
the  Heavenly  Bodies  or  Air  ;  and  next,  fuch  as  belong  to  the  Wa- 
tery Kingdom  :  After  them,  fuch  as  refemble  Plants  and  Animals, 
whether  in  the  whole,  or  parts.  And  laftly  fuch  ftones,  wherein 
contrary  to  all  rule,  Dame  Nature  kerns  to  imitate  Art ;  for  fo  far 
from  idlenefs  (fays  a  very  good  Author  ')  is  Nature  in  the  bowels 
and  dark  caverns  of  the  earth,  that  ftie  continually  plays  the  Geo- 
metrician there,  and  prefents  us  with  Bodies,  almoft  of  all  kinds, 
in  ftone . 

i  Ente/m,  Jerc Metallica>cap.f„ 

3.  Amongft 


-5 

5' 


Of  OXF0%p~SHI%E>  Si 

Amongft  the  flones  that  have  relation  to  the  Heavenly  Bo* 
dies,  the  firft  place  I  think  may  be  reafonably  given  to  fueh  as 
refpeft  the  greater  Lights  ;  upon  which  account,  fince  the  Flelio- 
trope  is  not  found  here,  much  lefs  the  Gemma  Solis,  mentioned 
by  Pliny  k ;  The  Sehnites  or  Moon-fione  mull:  have  the  precedence, 
which  we  find  in  great  plenty  in  a  bluifh  clay  that  lies  above  the 
Rock  at  Heddin^ton  Quarry,and  in  digging  Wells,^.  at  Hampton- 
Gay  and  Hanborough. 

4.  Where  by  the  way  let  it  be  noted,  that  I  intend  not  by  the 
Moon-fione,  the  grey  Tephrites  of  Pliny  \  that  grows  like  a  Crefceriti 
by  the  Greeks  called  Mend  is  ;  nor  that  other  ftrange  ftone  men* 
tion'd  by  Pliny  2nd  the  Poet  Marbodem  m,  corporeally  containing 
the  Figure  of  the  Moon  increafing  and  decreafing,  like  that  in 
the  heavens :  but  a  ftone  fo  called,  not  from  its  figure,  but  (as  'tis 
honeftly  confeft  by  Qefner n  and  Agricola  °)  that  only  reprefents 
the  Image  of  the  Moon,  in  all  itsphafes,  but  beftatfull,  juft  as  it 
were  in  a  glafs,  and  therefore  by  Authors  is  fomtimes  called  alfo 
Lapis  fpecularis. 

5.  And  thus  much  will  our  Sehnites  do,  if  obverted  to  the 
raies  of  the  Moon  in  right  angles  ;  which  if  all  that  is  really  in- 
tended by  the  name,  (for  the  very  fame  reafon)  I  know  not  why 
it  may  not  as  well  be  called  the  Sun-fione  too,  fince  it  equally  re- 
prefents the  one  as  well  as  the  other. 

6.  But  though  it  hath  nothing  of  the  Moon  in  figure,  yet  it 
is  commonly  found  of  a  certain  fhape  ,  in  circuit  hexangulat, 
but  with  two  of  the  fides  broader  and  more  deprefied,  in  the' 
form  of  a  Rhomboides,  as  in  Tab.  2.  Fig.  1 .  a.  and  therefore  the 
learned  Stenop  (which  I  think  its  beft  name)  not  unfitly  ftiled  it 
Selenites  Rhomboides.  Befldes  the  two  larger  Rhomboideal fides,  it 
hath  eight  others  of  an  oblong  fquare,  in  all  making  up  a  decahe- 
drum parallelipipedum  ;  whereof  the  fquares  of  the  two  fhorter 
fides  of  the  great  Rhomboides,  one  is  fomtimes  a  rigbt  angled  ine- 
quilateral parallelogram,  as  in  Tab.  2.  Fig.  1.  and  the  other  af 
Rhomboid-,  and  fomtimes  again  they  are  both  Rhomboids ,  but 
thofe  on  the  longeft  fides  of  the  great  Rhomboids?  as  far  as  I  have 
obferved,  are  always  Trapeziums. 

7.  As  to  its  texture,  the  grain  runs  feveral  ways,  but  flits  the 

k  Nat.Hift.l16  37.  cap.  10.     >  Nat.  Hi  ft.  leco  citato.     ™  Muf<eumCakeo!arium,fecl.  3.     °  i>efigurk 
l^idnm^cap  2.     °  VtNaturnFojJiliumjlib.^.     P  JnVroctromo.pag.  74.. 

L  eafieft 


$z  The  Statural  Hijlory 

eafieft  of  any  of  them,  in  ^planum  to  the  more  depreffed  Rbom- 
boideal  fides  ;  which  way  it  may  be  cut  into  very  thin  plates  by 
Aldrovandu*1*,  called  Scaiat,  for  which  reafon  'tis  called  alfo  A- 
lumen  ScaioU  ;  not  that  it  has  thetaft  of  Alum,  or  any  thing  like 
it.  It  breaks  alfo  another  way  into  fmall  threds,  of  which  it 
feems  chiefly  to  be  compofed,  much  after  the  manner  of  Amian- 
tus  or  Talc,  but  its  parts  not  fo  pliant  as  either  of  them  :  thefe 
threds  lie  for  the  moft  part,  clofe  and  paralel  to  the  longer  fides 
of  the  great  Rhomboids,  as  they  are  defcrib'd  in  Tab.  2.  though 
I  have  feenthem  fomtimes  alfo  parallel  to  the  fhorter  ;  but  they 
feem  not  to  be  continued  the  whole  bredth  of  the  Rhomboid,  but 
divided  by  other  parallel  lines  of  a  greater  diftance,  that  fom- 
times are  fubtended  to  the  acute  angles  of  the  Rhomboid,  but  moft 
commonly  run  in  a  more  oblique  pofture,as  may  likcwife  be  feen 
in  Fig.  1.  a.  In  thefe  lines  its  parts  are  alfo  eafily  feparated,  but 
breaking  (bort  off,  and  nothing  fo  flexible  as  they  are  when  bro- 
ken as  the  threds  run.  According  to  fome  peculiar  pofitions 
of  thefe  parts,  there  are  fome  of  them  that  really  reprefent  the 
Rain-bow,  whereof  I  have  fome  with  the  colours  as  vivid,  as  I 
ever  faw  any  in  a  glafs  Prifm.  Of  thefe  Aldrovandm  had  one  out 
of  Cypm,  of  which  he  has  given  us  a  Cut  in  his  Mufieum' ;  but  it 
being  in  Mans  power  to  make  thefe  Rain-hows  as  he  pleafes,  I 
think  even  thofe  we  find  thus,  to  belong  of  the  two  rather  to  ca- 
fualty  than  nature,  and  therefore  pafs  them  by. 

8.  There  is,  'tis  true,  a  fort  of  them  of  a  different  figure,  not 
fo  eafily  to  be  met  with,  with  only  two  depreffed  fides,and  fcarce 
any  angles,  but  what  are  fo  obtufe  that  they  deferve  not  the  name, 
in  the  wholealmoftofan  Oval  form,  as  reprefented  7d£.  2.  Fig.  i£. 
This  fort  of  Selenites,  befides  the  fhape,  is  alfo  fo  different  from 
the  former  in  texture,that  it  flits  not  like  that  into  plates  or  fcales, 
parallel  to  the  moft  depreffed  fides,  but  quite  contrary  parallel 
to  the  thicknefs  only ;  which  I  take  to  be  a  character  abundantly 
fufficient,  to  make  it  of  a  different  fiecies  from  the  other,  though 
in  the  reft  of  their  texture  they  be  much  the  fame. 

9.  About  the  origin  of  this  matter,  Authors  differ  much  ;  a- 
mongftwhom  Galen  *  makes  it  the  dew  of  Heaven,  congeled,  as 
he  fays,  by  the  light  of  the  Moon,  and  therefore  calls  it  by  the 
name  of  Jphrofelinum,  but  reftrains  the  performance  of  the  feat 

q  Mufeum  MetaUicumJib.  ^  cap.  33.     r  Lit. ^.  cap.  33-     •  Lib  deSimp.  Med- ad  Paters. 

to 


0f0XF0e8JD'SHI\E.  83 

to  Egypt.  Encdiu6r  thinks  it  a  fort  of  moifture  of  the  earth,  fo 
concreted,  that  like  Chryilal  it  will  not  diflblve,  but  remains  as 
it  were  an  indiffolubie  Ice,  whence  the  Germans  took  occafion  to 
call  it  Glacies  Marine.  But  that  learned  and  induftrious  inveftiga- 
tor  of  Nature,  Georgia*  Agricola,  differs  from  them  all,  and  makes 
it  a  product  of  Lime-Jione  and  water,  Gignitur  (fays  he)  ex[axo 
calcvs  cum  fauca  aqua  -permifto"  ;  and  thus  I  find  it  to  grow  here 
with  us  at  Heddington,  in  a  blue  clay  that  lies  over  the  Quarry, 
whofe  outermoft  cruft  is  a  hard  Lime-ftone. 

10.  The  learned  and  ingenious  Steno^  in  his  Prcdromut,  thinks 
Chryftalls  and  Selenites^s,  and  all  other  Bodies  having  a  fmooth 
furface  to  have  been  already  hardened,  when  the  matter  of  the 
Earth,  or  Hones  containing  them,  was  yet  a.  fluid  ;  if  fo,  indeed 
Agricola  muft  be  out  in  his  aim.  But  I  cannot  fee  how  our  bed 
of  clay  at  Heddington,  above  the  Quarry  at  fome  places  ten  foot 
thick,  could  have  been  a  fluid  within  fome  ages  paft  ;  and  yet  of 
the  Selenites's  of  the  Rkomboideal  Figure,  I  find  fome  as  fmall  as  a 
Barley-corn.,  fome  about  thre?  inches,  and  others  again  at  leaft 
half  a  foot  long :  fo  that  they  feem  rather  to  have  fome  fncceffion 
of  growth,  and  now  to  be  in  fieri ;  than  to  have  been  all  together 
already  hardened,  when  the  clay  that  now  contains  them  was  but 
a  fluid.  Befide,  they  then  would  have  been  found  clofe  together, 
wrhereas  we  here  meet  them  fome  higher  fome  lower,  and  mifc'd 
all  together  little  and  great ;  and  the  very  clay  it  felf,as  'tis  broken 
to  pieces,  feeming  fomwhat  inclinable  to  this  fort  of  form. 

n.  A  third  fort  we  have  of  them  alfo  found  here  at  Hedding- 
ton, in  the  very  fame  clay,  as  alfo  at  Cor nwell  and  Hanwell;  with 
two  fides  like  the  former,  more  deprefled  then  the  other,  in  com- 
pafs  alfo  hexangular  (thethineft  fides  of  them  being  divided  by  a 
ridge)  but  in  the  form,  not  of  a  Rhomboid,  but  an  inequilateral 
parallelogram,  as  in  7^.  2.  Fig.i.  d*.  Some  of  thefewefind 
fingle,  lying  in  any  poiture,  the  biggeft  fcarce  an  inch  broad,  or 
above  four  inches  long  ;  and  others  joined  together  in  a  certain 
pofition,  with  their  flatteft  fides  towards  each  other,  and  edges 
downward,  and  their  endsconftantly  meeting  in  a  center.  The 
Ingenious  Sir  Thomas  Pennyfton  has  obferved,that  at  Cormvell  they 
generally  lye  in  ternaries,  but  here  at  Heddington  we  find  them 

t  De  Lap'tdiimft Gentmit,  lit.  \cef-  $6-     a  De  Natura  Fojji/ium,  lib.  5.     w  Prodromi  prop.  1.  obftr- 
vat.  i-     •  There  are  fuch  as  thefe  in  Spain,  Thuringia,  and  Cappadocia.  Aldrovand.  Itb./y.cap.^. 

L    2  often- 


84.  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

oftentimes  more,  and  not  unfrequently  irradiating  all  manner  of 
ways  into  the  form  of  a  Globe,  thcfeveral  Selenites,  likefo  many 
radii-,  all  pointing  to  the  center,  as  is  plainly  reprefented  by  one 
half  of  fuch  a  globe  of  them,  in  Tab.  2.  Fig.  1 .  c. 

12.  ,The  texture  of  thefe  is  fomthing  agreeable,  and  fomthing 
different  from  the  Rhomboideal  Selenites,  for  they  all  cleave  in  a 
planum  to  the  flatteft  fides,  and  feem  to  confift  of  fmall  threds 
like  them  ;  but  fome  have  the  threds  running  obliquely  to  the 
whole  fquare,  as  in  the  lower  part  of  Fig.  1  .d.  others  have  them 
meeting  in  the  middle  of  the  flat  in  an  obtufe  angle,  as  in  the  up- 
per part  of  the  fame  Figure. 

13.  The  meeting  of  which  threds  f6  in  an  obtufe  angle,  I 
thought  at  firft  might  have  very  well  occafioned  that  reprefenta- 
tion  of  the  gramen  fegetum  panicula  tyarfa,  fair  panicled  corn  or 
bent-grafs,  to  be  feen  in  moft,  if  not  all  of  this  kind  (which  like 
z  fly  ox  ftidcr  in  amber')  feem  to  be  included  at  each  end  of  them, 
with  the  panicles  turned  contrary  to  each  other :  But  I  quickly 
found  my  felf  miftaken,  by  flitting  of  feveral,  whereby  I  dif- 
covered ,  that  the  threds  fomtimes  ran  quite  contrary  to  the 
fprezd'mgpanicles  of  the  corn  or  ben t-grafs  (fo  very  well  coun- 
terfeited in  many  of  them)  and  therefore  not  likely  to  give  that 
form  :  And  that  the  thing  it  felf  was  nothing  but  clay,  thus  pre- 
tily  difperfed  in  the  form  of  a  bent ;  which  befide  the  pleafure 
of  the  furprizal,  gave  me  another  argument  againft  Steno^s  opini- 
on, That  Selenites1  .r  were  all  hardened,  when  their  beds  they  now 
lie  in  were  nothing  but  fluids :  for  it  cannot  well  be  conceived 
how  the  clay  fhould  any  way  get  to  be  within  them,  had  it  not 
had  a  being  before  thefelenites,  and  thus  included  at  the  time  of 
their  formation. 

14.  Of 'formed flones,  though  there  are  few  that  have  any,  yet 
fome  there  are  of  eminent  ufe,  and  fuch  is  our  felenites  or  fpecular 
Jlone ;  good  taken  inwardly  for  many  diftempers,  number 'd  up 

by  Cerutu*7,  Aldrovandut*  and  Galen3 ;  and  externally  to  take 
away  the  blemijhes  of  the  face.  In  ancient  times,  before  the  ir^- 
vention  of  glafs,  it  was  of  very  great  ufe  for  Lanterns  and  Win- 
dows, it  being eafily  flit  into  very  thin  plates,  yet  loofmg  nothing 
thereby  of   its  diaphaneity.     Of    this  fays  Agricolab,  are  the 

J  InMufeoCaletolariQyfeEl.i.    *  Lib-$.  cap.yy  Muf.Mttal.    a  Vt  Slthp.  Med.  fault. My.    *  DtNa- 
turn  FoJJilium.  Hi,  5. 

Church- 


Of  0 XFO  ^2)-J H1%E.  Si 

Church-windows  made  at  Cafaick.  in  Saxony,  and  Merfeb'urg  in 
Thuringia,  which  certainly  mnft  be  of  a  different  fort,  from  what 
is  defcribed  by  Aldrovandm c  and  Wormiws d :  the  one  whereof 
fays  'tis  imbrium  impatiens ;  and  the  other,  humido  corruptibilis;  I 
expofed  this  of  ours  many  rainy  days,  but  could  not  find  that 
from  the  weather  it  received  any  damage,  and  therefore  guefs  it 
to  be  the  famedefcrib'd  by  Agricola  :  I  fteeped  itlikewife  many 
days  in  water,  but  found  not  any  fenfible  alteration  of  its  body, 
though  it  gave  the  water  both  an  odd  fmell  and  taft.  As  for  Lan-> 
terns  and  Windows;  Co  they  anciently  ufed  it  in  making  of  Bee-hives ,- 
that  through  it  they  might  fee  the  Bees  operations,  as  in  glafs^ 
hives  now  :  an  Invention  by  fome  people  taken  for  new,  though 
very  well  known  in  the  days  of  Pliny  e. 

15.  Out  of  burnt  felenites  is  made  the  belt  gypfum,  for  Phi" 
ftering,  Images,  Fret-works,  isrc  When  burn'd,  it  turns  to  a  pure 
white  Calx,  by  the  Italians  called  Geffb  ,  from  the  Latin  word 
gypfum :  Of  this  they  make  thofe  curious  counterfeit  Tables^  like 
Marble  in-laid  with  divers  Pretiews  ftones,  in  the  forms  of  AnU 
mats,  Plants,  isrc.  The  way  of  making  them  is  taught  us  by  Kir- 
cher f ;  but  there  is  a  friend  of  mine  has  a  better  method,  who  in- 
tends very  fpeedily  to  make  fome  attempt  to. make  them  in  Eng- 
land, and  of  Englifi  materials.  And  fo  much  for  our  firft/braJ 
ed  ffone  Selenites,  on  which  I  had  not  dwelt  fo  long,  but  to  fup-1 
ply  the  defecls  of  other  Authors,  whofe  defcriptions  df  it  are 
but  mean  andimperfeft. 

16.  After  the  Moon-Jione,  the  Ail eriae,  or  Star- ftones,  next 
offer  themfelves  to  our  confideration,  which,  to  avoid  the  con- 
fufion  of  other  Authors,  I  (hall  only  call  thofe,  whofe  whole 
Bodies  make  the  form  of  a  Star,  as  inTab.  2.  Fig.  2,3,  in  oppo- 
fition  to  the  Aflroites,  which  in  the  whole  are  irregular,  but  a- 
dorned  as  it  were  with  a  Conftellation,  as  in  Fig.  4,  5,  6  and  7. 

i  7.  The  Ajleria,  or  ftar-slone  ,  otherwife  by  Gefner 8  called 
Sphragh  Afteros,  or  figillum  JielU,  becaufe  of  the  ufe  it  is  fom- 
times  put  to,  is  plentifully  found  in  the  Fields  at  Cleydon,  the 
moft  Northern  Parilh  of  the  whole  County,  Northward  from 
the  Church,  and  particularly  on  the  Furlong  called  Hore-flone 
Furlong  ■■   the  texture  of  as  many  as  I  have  yet  feen,  feems  to  be 

e  Muf.  Metal  lit,.  ±.c.  33.     <J  In  Mufieo,  cap  7.     1  Nat.  Hift.lit.  21.  cap.  14-    '  Kircberi  Mundw  fu6 
ttrr.  Ub.  xz,  fea.  <;.p«rt.  3.  cap.  3.     g  De  Viguru  Lapidum,  cap.  2. 

of 


%6  The  Statural  Hijlory 

of  thin  lamella  or  plates,  lying  obliquely  to  the  Horizontal  pofi- 
tion  of  the  Star,  much  after  the  manner  of  L apis  Judaicws,  and 
their  colour  various,  according  to  the  different  Soils  they  are 
found  in  :  whence  'tis ,  that  in  Glocefter-fbire  and  Tork-fiire, 
where  they  are  taken  out  of  a  blew  clay,  they  are  almoftthem- 
felves  of  the  fame  colour,  breaking,  as  the  Ingenious  Mr.  Lifter 
informs  us h,  Flint-like,  and  of  a  dark  ftiining  politure.  InWar- 
rvick-ftire  they  are  accordingly,  and  in  fome  places  alfo  of  Glo- 
cefter-fiire,  of  a  cinereous  colour.  And  here  at  Cleydon,  becaufe 
taken  forth  of  a  yellowifh  earth,  of  a  yellow  colour,  herein  va- 
rying from  all  I  had  feen  before.  They  differ  much  alfo  from 
thofeof  other  Counties  in  circumference  and  foftnefs;  for  here 
we  have  them  ordinarily  of  above  an  inch  and  half,  and  fcarce 
any  fo  little  as  an  inch  in  compafs ;  than  which  in  thofe  Counties 
there  are  but  few  bigger.  And  whereas  in  other  Counties  they 
are  fo  hard  and  fo  firmly  cemented,  that  'tis  very  difficult,  if  at 
all  poffible,  to  feparate  them  from  each  other,  without  fpoiling 
the  Intagli  or  workmanftiip  of  the  Stars  ;  thefe  if  but  fteeped 
a  night  in  vinegar,  or  other  (harp  liquor,  may  be  divided  the  next 
morning  with  fafety  and  eafe. 

1 8.  And  as  in  colour,  circumference,  and  hardnefs  ;  fo  thefe 
fometimes  differ  from  thofe  of  other  places  in  figure  too,  as 
Tab.  2.  Fig.  2.  where  befide  the  fculpture  that  makes  up  the  an- 
gles, there  is  plainly  reprefented  a  rofe,  or  other  uniform  figure, 
in  the  middle  of  it,  which  I  never  faw  at  any  other  place,  nor 
indeed  are  fuch  often  to  be  met  with  there. 

1 9.  In  all  other  matters,  I  think  thefe  Afteri*  of  Cleydon  a- 
gree  with  the  accurate  defcription  of  them,  by  the  Ingenious  Mr. 
Lifter1;  all  feeming  to  be  fragments,  and  no  intire  Bodies,  and 
found  either  in  one  fingle  joint,  as  in  Tab.  2.  Fig,  2.  or  in  2,  3, 
4, 6,  8,  10,  or  1 5  heaped  together,  as  in  Fig.  3.  making  zpenta- 
gonous  cylindrical  column,  of  which  I  met  with  none  that  were  full 
an  inch  long;  but  however,  guefs  that  about  20  joynts,  as  in  o- 
ther  places,  may  go  to  an  inch  :  every  joynt  confifls  of  five  an- 
gles, which  in  fome  are  very  obtufe,  in  others  more  acute ;  the 
middle  of  each  angle  is  a  little  hollowed,  and  the  edges  more 
prominent  and  thick  furrowed,  by  which  the  feveral  joynts  are 
knit  together,  their  ridges  and  furrows  being  alternately  let  into 

1»  PhiloJoph.TranJaa.Numt.U2.     «  Ibid. 

one 


Of  0  XFO%  T>-S  H1\E.  8.7 

(one  another.  In  the  center  of  theyfoe  angles  is  a  fmall  hole,  con  - 
fpicuous  enough  in  nioft  of  them  •  but  in  fome  I  have  obferve  d 
the  fmall  hole  on  one  fide,  and  a  little  prominency  on  the  other, 
fit  as  it  were  to  be  let  in  to  the  Central-hole  of  the  next joynt,  after 
the  manner  of  the  ridges  and  furrows  of  the  angles. 

20.  Many  of  thefelongeft  jointed  AfterU,  have  ceitainjoynts 
a  thought  broader  and  more  prominent  than  others,  dividing  the 
whole  body  as  it  were  into  certain  conjugations,  of  two,  three, 
or  more  joynts ;  which  conjugations,  fays  the  learned  and  curious 
Obferver,  Mr.  Lifter  k,  are  marked  (as  he  calls  them)  with  fets 
of  Wyers,  which  though  I  could  not  perceive  in  any  found  at 
Cleydon,  yet  when  I  put  a  column  of  them-  into  Vinegar,  at  thofc 
very  places  I  could  perceive  bubbles,  Handing  as  it  were  at  the  ori- 
fices, where  formerly  thefe  Wyers  were  in  all  likelyhood  inferted, 
by  no  means  otherwife  vifible  to  the  eye.  And  whereas  'tis  cer- 
tain thatmoft  ofthefe  in  other  Counties,  if  of  any  confiderable 
length,  are  notftraight,  but  vifibly  bent  and  inclining;  thefe 
are  not  now,  or  fcarce  appear  to  have  ever  been  fo,  though  pof- 
fibly  this  may  rather  be  referred  to  the  fhortnefs  of  thofe  I  met 
with,  or  ill  luck  in  finding  none  of  the  kind,  than  to  any  diffe- 
rent operation  in  nature  here,  from  her  ufual  performances  in  o- 
ther  places. 

21.  They  are  found  alfo  about  Swerford  of  the  fame  colour, 
but  nothing  fo  plentifully,  or  large  as  thefe  at  Cleydon,  for  the 
biggeft  I  found  there  was  fcarce  an  inch  round  ;  in  all  other  re- 
fpeft s  they  correfpond  with  them,  only  the  conjugations,  made 
by  the  prominence  of  fome  jojnts  beyond  the  reft,  are  more  vifi- 
ble in  thefe  than  in  any  at  Cleydon. 

22.  Of  Ailroites  Qr  flarry-ftcnes,  fuch  as  in  bulk  are  irregular ', 
but  adorned  all  over  with  many  ftars,  there  are  no  lefs  in  this 
County  than  four  feveral  forts :  Whereof,  in  two,  the  ftars  are  in 
mezgo  Rilievo,  prominent,  and  (landing  outward,  with  the ftrice 
or  ft reaks  defcending  from  the  Center  at  the  top,  on  all  fides  to 
the  Rock  on  which  they  grow.  Some  of  thefe  are  of  a  larger, 
2sTab.i.Fig./\.  and  others  of  a  fmaller  kind,  asTab.2.Fig.$. 
both  found  in  the  Quarries  of  rubble-ftone,  dug  only  for  mend- 
ing the  High-ways,  not  far  from  the  foot  of  Shot-over  Hill,  on 
the  right  hand  of  the  road  from  Oxford  to  London?  in  the  Parifh 
of  Heddington.  k  Pl)i/of^.Tran/^  loeo  „,„„. 

23.    A 


88  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

23.  A  third fort  there  is,  and  indeed  the  moll  beautiful  of  a-* 
ny  it  has  been  hitherto  my  luck  to  meet  with,  to  be  had  in  the 
Fields  about  Steeple-Barton,  firft  difcovered  to  me  by  a  worthy 
Gentleman,  fince  deceafed,  theWorfhipful  Edward  Sheldon  Efq; 

'to  whofe  furtherance  of  my  defign  I  am  not  a  little  indebted. 
Butthefe,  quite  contrary  to  the  former,  arelntagli,  deeply  en- 
graven like  a  feaU  and  ftriated  from  the  prominent  edges  above 
(which  for  the  moft  part  are  Hexagons,  and  fomtimes  Pentagons') 
to  a  center  in  the  bottom,  as  in  Tab.  2.  Fig.  6.  yet  agree  with 
the  former  in  this,  that  the  Stars  of  all  three  are  only  fuperficial, 
and  not  to  be  found  in  the  body  of  the  ftone,  and  have  none  of 
them  (that  I  know  of)  been  any  where  noted  before. 

24.  To  thefe  add  a  fourth  fort,  imperfectly  defcribed  by  Gef- 
ner  ,  and  out  of  him  by  feveral  others ;  whofe  ftrU,  like  the  third 
fort,  defcend  in  a  concave,  but  from  edges  moft  times  round,  or 
quinquangular  at  the  top,  and  tend  to  a  center  not  of  their  own 
kind,  as  in  Fig.  6.  but  fmooth ;  and  not  depreifed,  but  vifibly 
prominent,  as  in  Fig.  J.  Thefe  are  found  in  the  afore-mentioned 
Quarries  of  rubble-ftone  in  the  Varifi  of  Heddington,  and  are 
ftellated not  only  in  the  fuperficies  of  the  ftone,  but  quite  through 
the  whole  depth  of  it,  yet  not  fo  that  one  continued  fiar  (as  fome 
have  thought)  does  reach  through  it ;  but  many,  according  to 
the  thicknefs  of  the  ftone,  about  ten  of  them  lying  in  the  depth 
of  an  inch,  much  after  the  manner  of  the  After  i^  or  ft  ar- ft  ones, 
only  they  are  not  feparate,  but  joined  together,  and  making  as  it 
were  fo  many  ranges  in  the  ftone,  which  are  clearly  reprefented  by 
Fig.  8 .  which  (hews  the  face  of  fuch  a  ftone,  cut  parallel  to  the 
defcentof  the  ftars  in  its  body,  which  lie  within  one  another  like 
fo  many  cones. 

25.  Of  this  fort  in  France  there  are  fome  fo  great,  as  Gefnerm 
was  informed  by  PetrwsBelloniut,  that  they  ufed  them  in  building 
of  Walls  and  Houfes  ;  to  which  ufe  'tis  true  we  do  not  put  ours, 
but  I  fuppofe  it  is  not  for  want  of  bignefi,  but  becaufe  we  have 
much  better  ftone  for  that  purpofe  ;  for  here  we  have  them  like- 
wife  fo  plentifully  and  great,  that  we  commonly  pave  our  Caufeys 
with  them,  as  may  be  {ten  in  the  Caufy  without  St.  Clements, 
leading  from  Oxford  up  Heddington  hill. 

26.  Having  hitherto  confidered  thefe  ftones  apart,  and  feen 

1  DeF'guris  Lapidumrcap.z.     m  Aid- 

how 


Of  0  XFO^V^SHI^E.  S9 

how  they  differ  from  one  another^  let  us  now  con/idcr  them  all 
together  in  that  admired  quality  of  their  moving  in  Vinegar,  which 
in  fome  meafure  is  found  in  the  Aftroites,  but  is  much  more  fignai 
in  the  Afleride  or  ftar-iiories :  for  the  Afiroites  mud  be  broken  in 
very  fmall  pieces  before  they  will  niove,  though  put  in  good  Vi* 
negar,  but  the  Afteria  will  move  not  only  in  a  whole  joynt,  but  two 
or  three  of  them  knit  together,  which  1  have  often  feen  done  by 
the  yellow  ones  of  Cleydon,  though  of  greater  bulk  than  thofe 
of  other  places ;  which  joined,  with  fome  other  circumftances 
anon  to  be  mention 'd,  has  given  me  ground  to  fufpecf,  if  not 
conclude,  that  though  it  may  be  true  enough  what  Mr*  Lifter  n 
has  aflerted,  as  well  of  7\\fo(fils,  as  the  ftones  Aftroites,  that  as 
many  of  them  as  Vinegar  will  corrode  as  a  Menftruum,  do  all  movd 
in  it ;  yet  nOne  of  them  reach  the  effefts  it  has  on  the  Afteria,  to 
which  therefore  I  muft  crave  leave  to  allow  fomwhat  more  than 
either  to  the  Aftroites  or  any  other  fofjds. 

27.  For  befide  the  progreffive  motion  to  be  feen  in  thofe,  the 
Afteria  has  a  motion  of  circumgyration,  and  moves  brisker  and 
longer  than  any  of  them  ?-  for  though  it  hath  been  fteeped  in 
Vinegar  three  or  four  days,  yet  upon  infufion  of  a  frefli  acid,  it 
ftill  fends  forth  many  little  bubbles -as  at  firft,  from  underneath 
it,  in  the  inftant  of  its  motion ;  which  feems  to  argue,  that  it 
has  it  not  wholly  from  the  corrofion  of  the  Menftruum,  but  in 
part  at  leaft  from  fome  other  principle,  which  I  take  to  be  a  fpi~ 
rituows,  yet  corporeal  effluvium,  continually  flowing  from  it,  when 
provoked  by  an  acid. 

28.  Whereof  there  is  one,  which  hereafter  (hall  be  publick, 
found  out  indeed  by  chance  at  the  Houfe  of  Mr.  Wildgofe,  Phyfi^ 
tian  at  Denton,  and  an  ingenious  Chymift,  whofe  affiftances  (in 
gratitude)  I  muft  ever  own  :  where  not  having  Vinegar  fo  ready 
at  hand,  we  thought  fit  to  make  ufe  of  another  fuitable  liquor, 
which  fo  effeftually  excited  the  effluviums  of  the  ftone,  that  they 
afcended  in  a  cloud  to  the  furface  of  the  Menftruum,  and  there 
feded  exa&ly  in  the  form  of  the  ftone,  and  that  not  only  of  a  fin- 
gle  joynt,  but  a  whole  column  of  them  together  :  which  perfwa- 
ded  me,  that  Cardan  °  was  notfo  far  out  of  the  way,  nor  defer  ved 
fomuch  the  reproofs  of  Aldrovandws* and  others,  forafferting 
the  motion  of  fuch  ftones  to   arife,  from  vapors  expelled  from 

■ Philofoph.Tranfatt.Num&.  100.     °  Subtilit- Lib.  5.    t  Mufaum Metallic-lib. \.cap.6<$. 

M  them 


po  The  O^atural  Hi/lory 

them  by  the  power  of  the  Vinegar.  Since  perhaps  his  pofition 
(though  not  fo  well  made  out)  comes  nearer  to  truth  than  any 
his  Animadverters  have  brought  for  itfince. 

29.  After  the  flones  fome  way  related  to  the  Celeftial  Bodies,  I 
defcend  nexttofuch  as  (by  the  vulgar  at  lead)  are  thought  to  be 
fent  us  from  the  inferior  Heaven  ,  to  be  generated  in  the  clouds, 
and  difcharged  thence  in  the  times  of  thunder  and  violent  powers  : 
for  which  very  realon,  and  no  other  that  we  know  of,  the  an- 
cient Naturalisls  coined  them  fuitable  names,  and  called  fuch  as 
they  were  pleafed  to  think  fell  in  the  Thunder, Br  ontide ;  and  thofe 
that  fell  in  /bowers,  by  the  name  of  Ombridt :   Which  though  a- 
mongft  other    Authors  has  been  the  only  reafon  why    thefe 
have  had  place  next  the  ftellated  ftones,  yet  methinks  it  is  due  to 
moft  of  them,   by  a  much  better  pretence,   having  fomthing  up- 
on them  that  rather  refembles  zfiar  of  five  points,  than  anything 
coming  from  the  clouds,  or  the  Fifh  Echinus ;  to  the  fhell  where- 
of deprived  of  its  prickles,  Vlyffes  Aldrovandws^,  and  fome  o- 
thers,  have  compared  them,  and  therefore  called  them  Echinitcs. 
However,  I  think  fit  rather  to  retain  the  old  names,  though  but 
ill  applyed  to  the  nature  of  the  things,   than  put  myfelfto  the 
trouble  of  inventing  new  ones. 

50.  Of  Brontidi  therefore,  or  Ombridt  (call  them  which  you 
will)  we  have  feveral  forts  in  Oxford-fiire,  which  yet  all  agree  in 
this,  that  they  are  a  fort  of  [olid  irregular  Hemijf  hears  ;  fome  of 
them  oblong,  and  having  fomwhat  of  an  oval ;  others  either  more 
elevated,  or  depreffed  on  their  bafes.  All  of  them  divided  into 
five  farts,  moft  times  inequal,  rarely  equal,  by  five  rays  iffuant 
from  an  umbilicus  or  center,  defcending  from  it  down  the  fides  of 
the  body,  and  terminating  again  fom  where  in  the  bafe.  They 
are  never  found  in  beds  together,  like  fome  other  formed  ftones, 
nor  that  I  have  yet  heard  of  (fays  the  Ingenious  Mr.  Ray  r )  in 
great  numbers  in  one  place :  but  in  the  latter  I  muft  take  leave  to 
inform  him,  that  though  I  think  it  in  the  main  to  be  true,  yet 
that  at  Tangley,  Fulbrook.,  and  all  about  Burford,  they  are  found 
in  fuch  plenty,  that  I  believe  it  were  eafie  in  a  little  time,  to  pro- 
cure a  Cart-load  of  the  firft  fort  of  them,  carefully  exhibited  in 
Tab.  2.  Fig.  9, 10. 

31.   Whole  innermoft  texture,  though  it  feem  to  be  nothing 

1  Muf*um  Meta/lic.  lib.  +.  cap.  1.     r  Obfervacions  Topograph.  &c.  p.  1  i(J. 

more 


0fQXF0%T>^SHI%E.  pi 

more  than  a  courfe  rubble-ftone,  yet  is  thinly  cafed  ove?r  with  a 
fine  lamia atcd  fubftance  (the  plates  lying  obliquely)  much  like 
Lapis  Judaku6 :  In  form  they  are  flat*  depreiled  upon  the  bafis* 
in  colour  generally  yellow,  their  rays  made  of  a  double  rank  of 
traafverfe  lines,  with  void  fpaces  between  the  ranks,  vifible  enough 
on  the  top  of  the  ftone  Fig.  9.  but  not  fo  diftinguiftiable  on 
the  bottom  Fig.  1  o.  the  whole  body  of  the  ftone,  as  well  as  the 
fpaces  included  within  the  rays,  being  elfewhere  filled  with  Aa- 
aulets,  much  more  curioufly  wrought  by  Nature,  than  by  the  tool 
of  the  Graver. 

32.  The  ceaterbf  thefe  rays,  by  Pl/ay  called  Modiolus,  by  A* 
riflotle,  Vmbilicws s,  is  never  placed  on  the  top  of  the  ftone,  but 
always  inclining  to  one  fide,  as  that  at  the  bottom  do's  to  the  o- 
ther ;  the  Axis  lying  obliquely  to  the  Hodzpa  of  the  ftone.  Which 
gave  occafion  to  a  Learned  Society  of  Virtuofi,  that  during  the 
late  Ufufpation  lived  obfcurely  at  Taagley,  and  had  then  time  to 
think  of  io  mean  a  fubjeft,  by  confent  to  term  it  the  Polar-fioae; 
having  ingenioUfly  found  out,  by  clapping  two  of  them  together, 
asfuppofe  the  Fig.  9, and  1  o.  that  they  made  up  a  Globe,  with 
Meridiaas  defcending  to  the  Hoi  izoa,  and  the  Pole  elevated,  very 
nearly  correfponding  to  the  real  elevatioa  of  the  Pole  of  the  place 
where  the  ftoties  are  found. 

33.  The  two  next,  reprefented  Fig.  11,12.  like  the  former, 
being  flat  and  deprefTed  on  their  bafis,  having  alfo  fome  refcm- 
blance  of  a  ftar  of  5  points,  were  therefore  thought  fit  to  be 
placed  next.  Whereof  the  1 1  indeed  is  a  beautiful  ftone,  found 
fomwhereinthe  Chiltern  about  Afioa  Rowaat,  whofe  inner  fub- 
ftance, though  of  black.  Fliat,  to  outward  view  is  of  a  cinereous 
colour,  and  adorned  by  Nature  with  fomwhat  more  than  ordi- 
nary. For  befide  the  Modiolus,  and  the  iffuing  rays  made  of  dou- 
ble ranks  of  poiats,  with  traafverfe  liaes  interceding  them,  it  is 
alfo fet  with  other  poiats  furrounded  with  double  Aanulets,  on 
each  fide  thtjloae  with  a  fingle,  and  from  the  terminations  of  the 
rays  with  double  ranks.  The  poiats  thus  furrounded,  are  neither 
deeply  excavated,  nor  any  thing  prominent  above  thtfuperficies  of 
the  ftone  ;  but  the  rays  as  they  are  but  fhort  (not  extending  above 
halfway  to  the  rim  of  the  ftoae)  fo  they  are  deeply  hollowed 
down  within  it,   wherein  it  differs, 

'  Lit.  it  Mundo  adAlexandrum. 

M  2  34.  From 


pz  The  Natural  Hijlory 

33.  From  that  of  Fig.  12.  found  in  the  Fields  about  Ifleyi 
whofe  rays  like  thofe  of  the  Polar  ftones,  are  made  of  double 
ranks  of  tranfaerfe  lints,  whereof  the  outermoft  are  much  the 
longer,  and  extended  likewile  to  the  rim  of  the  fione  ;  its  fub- 
ftance  alfo  like  that  feems  to  be  a  yellow  rubble,  but  not  cafed  thac 
I  can  perceive  with  any  fuch  laminated  fwbfc2inct,ox  adorned  with 
Annukts,  yet  the  Umbilicus  of  fome  of  them,  is  more  beautiful 
than  theirs,  it  being  fomtimes  divided  and  foliated  like  a  Rofe. 
And  fo  much  for  the  Bronti*  depreffed  on  their  bafts. 

35.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  others  of  a  more  elevated  kind, 
whereof  thofe  expreiTed  Fig.  13.  found  fomwhere  in  the  CbiU 
tern,  by  the  Country  people  called  commonly  Cap-fiones,  from 
their  likenefs  to  a  Cap  laced  down  the  fides,  are  of  any  the  moft 
uniform.  For  the  centers  of  thefe,  both  at  the  top  and  bottom, 
are  on  all  hands  equidiftant  from  the  rim  of  the  Jione,  and  the 
rays  interceding  the  centers  being  alfo  equidiftant,  cut  it  exa&ly 
into  five  equal  parts  ;  which  in  none  of  the  former,nor  thofe  that 
are  to  follow,  either  by  reafon  of  their  (hape,  or  eccentricity  of 
their  Modioli,  can  poffibly  be  found.  The  rays  of  thefe  are  made 
of  two  rows  of  points  fet  pretty  deep  in  the  body  of  the  ftone, 
out  of  which  you  are  to  fuppofe,  according  to  Aldrovandus  (who 
refembles  this  Jione  toadifarmed  Echinus)  proceeded  the  prickles 
that  Animal  is  fenced  with. 

36.  As  alfo  that  other  fom  what  of  an  oval  form,  Tab.  2. Fig.  14^ 
whofe  ce;z/£r  correfponds  with  the  figure  of  theflone,  and  is  not 
concluded  within  the  rays,  as  in  the  former,  but  is  extended  in  a 
ridge  to  the  rim  of  it :  from  which  center  there  defcend  as  it 
were  double  rays,  made  up  of  two  double  fets  of  points ;  which, 
expanding  themfelves  as  they  draw  toward  the  rim,at  about  mid- 
way are  furrounded  with  fingle  Annulets,  which  each  of  them 
including  two  points  apiece,  are  therefore  all  of  an  oval  Figure. 
Its  fubftance  within  is  a  black.  Flint,  though  without  it  appear  of 
a  cinereous  colour,  and  was  found  in  the  Fields  between  Ewelm 
and  Brightvpell. 

37.  At  Pyrton  I  met  with  another  of  thefe,  a  black.  Flint  with- 
in, and  cinereous  without,  of  oval  figure  and/  center  like  the  for- 
mer ,  but  the  defcending  rays  from  it  of  a  quite  different 
kind:  for  whereas  they  were  made  of  points  hollow  and  deep, 
thefe  on  the  contrary  are  all  prominent  ;  and  whereas  they  de- 
scended 


ad   fKg-9-l- 


-    ->ur  .  ritlin.  el  Jctilp 


Of  OXFO^^S HI%E.  9] 

fcended  in  double  branches  and  points,  which  near  the  rim  were 
included  in  oval  Annulets  ;  the  double  and  protuberant  points 
of  thefe ,  about  mid-way  to  the  rim  are  turned  into  fingle , 
though  much  larger  ones,  as  in  Tab.  3.  Fig.  1.  which  now  de- 
fcending  in  fingle  points,  and  meeting  in  an  Vmbilicm  not  in  the 
middle  of  the  bajis,  but  fo  much  to  one  fide,  that  the  branches 
upon  this  account  being  fome  longer  fome  (horter,  and  crofling 
the  bafis  in  a  much  different  manner,  make  a  figure  fomwhat  re- 
fcmblinga  Flwer-de-l'ps,  as  in  Tab.  3.  Fig.  2.  which  had  been  all 
I  fliould  have  faid  concerning  thefe  Bronti*,  but  that  perhaps  it 
may  not  be  unworthy  our  notice. 

1 .  That  the  protuberancies  of  this  laft  fione  are  all  hol- 
low, which  when  broken,  look  juft  like  the  hollow 
points  of  the  former  ;  which  has  given  me  fome 
ground  to  fufpeft,  that  the  deep  points  of  that  may 
have  formerly  been  eminencies  like  the  raKed  points  of 
this,  and  are  only  broken  down  by  the  injuries  of 
time. 

2.  That  none  of  thefe  Bront'ue  have  been  defcribed  be- 
fore, but  the  12  and  13  of  Tab.  2.  which  indeed  are 
fomwhat  like  the  8  and  1  o  of  Aldrovandws c  .*  and 

3.  That  though  fome  Authors  have  thought  them  the 
petrified  fhells  of  the  Echinus  Spatagus,  or  Briffu*  of 
Arislotle,  I  have  reafon  to  think  (as  (hall  appear  in  a 
fitter  place)  that  they  will  prove  nothing  lefs. 

38.  Befide  the  Brontioe  of  the  Forreign  Naturalisls,  we  have 
others,  which  herein  England we  call  likewife  Thunder-bolts,  in 
the  form  of  arrows  heads,  and  thought  by  the  vulgar  to  be  indeed 
the  darts  of 'Heaven :  which  only  in  conformity  to  my  own  Coun- 
try (though  for  as  much  reafon  as  the  foregoing  Brontidt)  I  have 
placed  amongft  the  [tones  related  to  the  Heavens. 

39.  From  their  form,  by  all  Naturalijls  they  are  called  Bele- 
mnites,  from  the  Greek  word  BUquw  telum,  which  indeed  there 
are  fome  of  them  reprefent  pretty  well.  We  have  of  them  in 
O-xford-fiire  of  divers  forts,  yet  all  of  them  I  find  agreeing  in 
this ,  that  their  texture  is  of  fmall  Jlrije,  or  threds  radiating 
from  the  center,  or  rather  axh  of  the  Stone,  to  the  outermoft 

fnperficies ;  and  that  burn'd,  or  rub'd  againft  one  another,  or 

t  U6 . 4,  cap.  1.  p.  455, 

fcraped 


94.  The  j\(atural  Hijlory 

fcraped  with  a  knife^  they  yield  an  odour  like  rafped  Horn. 

40.  In  magnitude  and  colour  they  differ  much,  the  biggeft  I 
have  met  with  yet,  being  that  expreft  in  Tab.  3.  Fig.  3.  in  length 
fomwhat  above  four  inches,  and  mthickjiefs  much  about  an  inch 
and  *.  This  was  found  in  the  Quarries  in  the  Pariih  of  Hedding- 
ton,  hollow  at  the  top  about  an  inch  deep,  and  filled  with  a  kind 
of  gravelly  earth  ;  and  has  the  rima  or  chink.-,  which  Aldrovan- 
du*  and  Boetiws  fay  all  of  them  have ;  but  I  find  itotherwife,  as 
(hall  be  fhewn  anon.  Of  colour  it  is  cinereous,  inclining  to  yellow, 
and  if  vehemently  rubb'd,  is  the  only  one  amongft  all  that  I  have, 
that  like  Amber  takes  woflraws,  and  fome  other  light  bodies. 

41 .  There  are  of  them  alfo  of  a  bluifi  colour,  found  at  Great 
Rohright  in  a  bluifi  clay,  of  about  a  fingers  length,  hollow  at 
the  top,  and  have  fome  of  them,  inftead  of  one,  three  clefts  or 
rim*,  but  neither  fo  plain  or  long  as  the  former,  they  afcending 
from  the  cu/pis  fcarce  half  up  the  (tone  :  two  whereof  are  (hewn 
Fig.  4.  and  the  third  hidden  behind  the  Sculpture  ;  which  may 
make  fome  amends  for  that  of  Fig.  5.  which  is  of  colour  cine- 
reous and  hollow  at  the  top,  but  has  no  chink  at  all ;  whereof 
there  was  a  bed  found  in  digging  the  Sulphur  Well  at  Mr.  Lanes 
of  Veddington,  as  was  mentioned  before  in  the  Chapter  of  Wa- 
ters. 

42.  To  which  add  a  fourth  fort,  found  in  great  plenty  in  the 
Gravel-pits  without  St.  Clements,  in  the  fuburbs  of  Oxford,  very 
few  of  them  hollow  at  the  top  like  the  former,  but  radiated  like 
a  /for  from  a  clofer  center,  as  in  Fig.  6*.  which  made  Gefner* 
think  it  to  be  the  jftrapios  of  Pliny,  though  exprefly  he  fays,  'tis 
of  a  white  or  azure  w,  whereas  this  is  always  of  an  amber  colour  : 
yet  draws  not  ftraws,  is  fomwhat  tranfparent,  and  may  therefore 
pafs  for  a  fort  of  Lapis  Lyncuriws  ;  not  that  it  has  original  from 
the  urine  of  that  Beaft,  for  we  have  plenty  of  the  ftones  here  and 
none  of  the  animals,  but  from  the  unpleafant  fmell  it  has  when 
burn'd  or  brayed ;  like  the  urine  of  Cats,  or  fuch  like  ramifh 
creatures,  whereof  the  Lynx  perhaps  may  be  one.  Thefe,  mod 
of  them,  are  made  tapering  to  a  point  like  the  former  ;  yet  fom- 
times  having  a  blunter  ending,  and  the  chink,  on  both  fides,  I 
thought  fit  rather  to  (hew  it  in  that  form  than  the  other,  as  in 

*  Thefe  not  being  hollow  at  the  top,  nor  containing  any  other  ftonc,  gravel,  or  earth,  fome  call  the 
male  Be/emnites :  the  three  former  being  of  the  female  kind-  «  De  Figurit  Lapidim,  cap.  5.  w  Mat. 
Hifi.lii.  37.  c*f.  ix. 

Fig.   6. 


of  o xFO%i>~sm%E.  >* 

Fig.  6.  where  the  cleft  runs  not  only  the  whole  length  of  the 
ftone,  but  quite  under  the  end,  and  half  way  up  the  other  fide. 
-  43.  Many  are  the  Medicinal  uCes  of  this  done,  mentioned  by 
Boetius ,  Aldrovandut ,  and  Gefner  :  Whereof  the  chief  aire, 
1.  For  the  tlone,  for  which  (inftead  of  the  Eurrhrfut)  'tis  ufed 
in  Spain  and  Saxony.  2.  For  exficcation  of  wounds  in  Pruffia  and 
Pomerania.  And  3.  for  ocular  diftempers  in  Horfes,  in  all  parts 
of  England. 

44.  Thus  having  run  through  the  fuppofltitious  ftones  from 
Heaven,  I  nextdefcendto  the  Atmofpbere,  or  inferior  Air,  im- 
mediatly  encompaffing  the  terraqueous  Globe  ;  which  though  in- 
capable of  itfelf  to  be  reprefented  inftone,  yet  having  met  with 
fome  related  to  its  Inhabitants,  I  mean  the  feathered  Kingdom,  I 
thought  fit  to  give  them  place  before  thofe  of  the  Waters. 

45.  Whereof  thefirft  and  only  one,  reprefented  in  Sculpture 
Tab.  3,  Fig.  7.  has  perfectly  the  fhape  of  an  Owls  head,  which 
becaufe  not  mention'd  by  any  Author  that  I  know  of,  I  thought 
good  to  exhibit,  and  call  Lapk  Buboniut ;  it  is  a  black,  flint  with- 
in, and  cinereous  without,  and  was  found  near  to  Hardwick  in  the 
Parifh  of  Whitchurch. 

46.  To  which  I  might  have  annex'd  the  (lone  Hieracites^  found 
frequently  in  the  Quarries  in  the  Parifh  of  Heddington,  but  is  not 
the  Hieracites  mention'd  by  Fliny™ ',  which  he  fays  alternatly 
changes  its  colour ;  but  of  Gefner x,  to  whofe  figure  of  it,  ours  is 
exa&ly  like  :  but  neither  his  nor  ours  refembling  any  thing  of  a 
Hawks,  or  other  Birds  feathers,  fo  much  as  to  deferve  a  cut,  or 
the  Readers  view  ;  I  have  faved  my  felf  the  expence,  and  him  the 
trouble. 

47.  Next  the  Air,  the  flones  that  concern  the  Watery  Kingdom, 
fall  in  order  of  Nature  under  confideration,  whereof  there  are 
fome  thatfeem  to  be  nothing  elfe  but  meerly  concreted  drops  of 
water,fo\md  plentifully  in  the  Fields  about  Kircklingtomnd  North- 
brook,  which  I  touched  on  before  under  petrifications,  and  pro- 
mifed  to  treat  of  more  largely  here.  By  Authors  they  are  cal- 
led Stalagmites,  and  feem  either  to  be  generated  of  pearls  of  dew, 
fetled  on  the  ftones  as  they  lie  in  the  Fields,  which  firft  being 
coated  over  with  the  fmall  terrene  atoms  that  are  flying  in  the  Air, 
and  by  that  means  kept  in  their  own  form  for  fome  confiderable 

*  L;'£.  37.  cap.  10.     x  Df  Figwii  LapMum,  cap.  i$. 

time, 


p6  The  O^tural  Hifiory 

time,  are  thus  at  length  fiVd  into  a  friable  kind  of  Hone,  by  the 
petrifying  fteam  that  comes  from  the  earth  ;  or  elfe  they  are  exfu- 
dations  out  of  the  ftones  themfelves,  whence  are  formed  thofeex- 
crefcenciis  like  warts  in  Animals  i  neither  of  which  feem  unagree- 
able to  their  defcription  in  Tab./}.  Fig.  8* 

48.  But  befide  the  Stalagmites,  there  are  other  concretions  made 
of  much  the  fame  materials,  viz^.  of  a  cold  fort  of  water i  thick- 
ned  with  terrene  and  petrifying  particles ;  which  yet  becaufe  of 
their  different  mode  of  generation,  have  obtained  a  different, 
and  more  fuitable  name :  And  fuch  are  theflone  s  made  of  nothing 
but  fuch  water,  as  it  drops  from  the  roofs  and  caverns  of  the 
Rocks,  and  therefore  called  Stalactites ,  or  Lapdes  fiillatitii ; 
which,  if  the  drops  defcend  by  the  fides  of  the  Rocks,  and  com- 
ply with  the  ufual  raggednefs  of  them,  are  then  indeed  of  vari- 
ous and  therudeft  forms,  and  by  the  work-men  called  Craume7* 
But  if  the  drops  defcend  from  the  top  of  a  vault,  or  any  more 
prominent  part  of  a  Rock,  in  a  direct  line  and  free  from  the 
fides,  they  are  commonly  then  of  a  pyramidal  form,  as  in  Tab.'}. 
Fig.  9.  which  is  the  reprefentation  o^ftone  of  about  nine  inches 
long,  of  a  yellowiih  colour,  as  it  hung  from  the  Rock  in  Hed- 
dington  Quarry,  where  without  doubt  it  was  produced  much  af- 
ter the  fame  manner,  as  1  fides  at  the  ends  of  fpouts  in  Winter,  by 
a  gradual  defcent  and  congelation  of  the  drops. 

49.  Hither  alfo  muft  be  referred  all  forts  of  Spars,  by  the 
Miners  called  Cawke,  and  the  Latins,  Fluores ;  which  (fay  they) 
yet  retain  fo  much  of  a fluid,  that  with  the  heat  of  fire,  like  Ice 
in  the  Sun,  they  melt  and  flow  :  an  effecf,  which  though  I  could 
not  find  it  had  upon  ours  without  the  help  of  Salts ;  yet  not 
doubting  at  all,  but  that  once  they  had  been  fluids,  I  could  not 
but  accordingly  give  them  place  here. 

5  o.  Whereof,  there  is  fcarce  any  Rock  whatever,  whether 
metalline  or  vulgar,  which  hasnotfome  kind  or  other  of  them, 
fliot  in  its  feams  or  other  hollows,  which  according  to  their  diffe- 
rent fubjects  or  matrixes,  are  fomtimes  of  different  colours,  and 
frequently  of  di vets  figures. 

51.  As  for  colours ,  I  have  not  obferved  above  two  forts  in 
Oxford-Jhire,  a  light  yellow,  and  a  Pearl-colour'd  white,  where - 

1  Of  thisthcreisaQuarry  between  Heathropzad  Enftm,  called  Broad-flane  Quarry,  that  has  great 
plenty.  'V 

of 


Of  0  XFO  ^T>^SHI\E.  £7 

of  there  are  foriie  in  the  Quarrys  near  Shot  over,  fo  clear  and  hard, 
that  they  come  not  much  behind  the  Briflol-ftones,  and  are  in  fi- 
gure (though  had  from  the  fame  Quarry)  as  various  as  Viamants  ; 
fome  of  them  being  comprifed  in/even,  others  in  nine,  others  in 
eleven,  and  fome  in  thirteen  planes,  as  may  eafily  be  computed 
from  their  trigonal,  tetragonal, pentagonal, and  hexagonal  pyramids, 
reprefented  in  Tdb.^.Fig.io.  to  which,  adding  theplanes  of  their 
columns,  and  the  planes  of their  bafts,  whereby  they  are  fix'd  to 
their  fubjefts,  thofe  numbers  of  Hedr*  rftuft  needs  be  concluded* 

52.   As  to  the  origin  and  texture  of  Spars,  I  take  them  to  be 
much  of  the  fame  with  Chryftals  (though  we  feldom  find  them 
of  their  hexagonal  figure,  or  their  columns  ever  interceding  two 
pyramids')  and  that  they  differ  in  lufter  and  hardnefs  according  t6 
the  more  clofe  or  loofe  texture  of  the/tones  whereon  they  fit,  and 
out  of  which  they  have  fw eat?  as  through  a  ftrainer  or  colanden 
Though  it  muft  not  be  denyed,  but  what  is  arTerted  by  the  inge- 
nious and  obferving  Steno'1  concerning  Chryflals,  may  haveplac£ 
alfo  in  the  increafe  and  growth  of  thefe,   which  he  fays  (what- 
ever may  be  the  manner  of  their  firft  delineation)  is  by  external 
appofition  of  new  Chryjlalline  matter  to  the  external  planes  of  the 
already  delineated  Chryftal;  which  he  alfo  obferves,  not  to  b£ 
joined  to  all  its  planes,  but  for  the  moftpartto  the//<772wof  the 
top  only  ;  nor  to  thefe  all  at  a  time,  nor  in  the  fame  quantity. 
Whence  it  is,  that  the  extream  or  top  planes  of  Spars  as  well  as 
Chryflals,  axe  feldom  of  never  equal,  and  not  always  triangular, 
but  rifing  with  unequal  fides  and  angles  from  the  planes  of  their 
columns,  as  in  that  feparate  piece  of  Spar  or  Chryftal  near  Fig.  10. 
which  I  take  to  be  arguments  furn'cieritly  concluding  the  ftmilitudi 
of  their  growth  and  texture  of  parts,  notwithstanding  the  planes 
of  the  columns  of  Spars  ate  notftreaked,  nof  fo  plainly  ihew  the 
places  of  appofition,  as  they  do  on  Chryftal ;  which  ftreaks,  for 
the  Readers  more  ready  apprehenfion,  are  therefore  cut  on  the  fe- 
parate column  near  Fig.  1  o.  though  otherwife  indifferently  to  be 
underftood  either  for  Spar  or  Chryjlall. 

53.  Some  of  thefe  Spars  fall  fo  little  fliort,  either  of  Chryftals 
or  BriflolDiamants,  either  in  lufter  or  hardnefs,  that  we  may  very 
welladmit  what  is  faid  of  them  by  Aldrdvandtis*,  that  they  are 
gemm&  inchoate,  is-  non  perjeft*.      And  that  Boetimh  in  all  likely. 

1  Vrodrem.  de  Chryftallo-propo[itionil>.  i.  2,  3.    *  Mufisum  Metall.lib.  4..  **/>.  76.    b  DeLapid.& 
Gem.  cap.  304.. 

N  hood 


98  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

hood  may  have  hit  the  mark,  who  doubts  not  but  they  are  made 
of  the  fame  matter  with  Gems,  and  therefore  gives  them  place 
between  Gems  and  Stones,  Inter  Gemmat  istlapides  medium  locum 
obtinent  fluores,  fays  he :  to  whom  in  this  matter  I  readily  fub- 
fcribe,  finding  many  of  them  to  participate  with  Gems  in  lufter, 
but  with  other  Stones  in  foftnefs  and  brittlenefs ;  whence  it  comes 
to  pafs,  that  they  will  not  polifh  like  other  ftones,  and  are  only 
fit  to  be  mix'd  with  other  metals,  which  they  render  much  more 
quick  in  fufwn,  than  otherwife  they  are  inclined  to  be  of  theni- 
felves. 

54.  After  Stones  fo  purely  made  out  of  Waters,  that  they 
readily  return  into  fluids  again,  or  have  only  fuch  figures,  into 
which  that  Element  feems  moft  naturally  to  compofe  it  felf,  as  the 
Stalagmites  and  Lapides  ftillatitii\  come  we  next  to  fuch  as  re  - 
prefentits  Inhabitants,  the  Fifties  of  the  Sea  and  frejh  Waters  too  : 
of  which  there  are  fome  of  fo  great  variety  of  texture,  that  in 
cafe  they  were  not  heretofore  the  fpoils  of  real  Fifies  indeed, 
and  now  petrified,requirea  much  higher  principle  for  their  effor- 
mation ;  concerning  which  before  we  attempt  any  thing,  let  us 
firft  confider  fome  of  their  particular  fhapes,  with  the  places  and 
poftures  they  are  now  found  in. 

55.  Of  fuch  as  refemble  any  of  the  frejh  water  kind,  I  have 
met  with  only  one  in  this  County,  which  did  we  but  know  where 
elfe  to  put  it,  fhould  not  be  placed  here  neither ;  for  it  was  taken 
out  of  a  block  of  coal  (whereof  there  is  none  dug  in  Oxford-fiire) 
by  the  ingenious  and  obferving  Sir  Thomas  Fennyfion,  at  his  Houfe 
at  Cornwell ;  and  feems  to  reprefent  a  Carp  or  Barbel,  the  belt 
of  any  Fifh  I  have  yet  compared  it  with,  and  rather  indeed  the 
latter  of  the  two,  becaufe  of  the  fhort  and  thick  fcale  :  It  was 
broken,  in  taking  it  out  of  the  Coal,  into  feveral  pieces,  whereof 
that  is  one  exaftly  engraven  Tab.  3.  Fig.  11.  kindly  bellowed  on 
me  by  that  worthy  Gentleman,  and  by  whom  the  reft  are  carefully 
preferv'd  ;  which  were  it  not  for  want  of  the  variety  of  co- 
lours, I  fhould  take  (for  the  fcales  fake)  to  be  the  Lepidotes  of 
Pliny c. 

56.  Theflones  that  we  find  in  this  In-land  Country,  having 
the  fhapes  of  Sea  fijh,  are  many,  but  chiefly  of  the  teslaceout  kind; 
whereof  there  are  fome  that  lie  in  a  mafs  of  ftone  together,  and 

*  Nat.  Hi  ft.  fib.  37.C.  10. 

others 


OfOXFO'Rp-SHIXE.  99 

Others  found  in  the  Fields  or  Quarries  apart.  Of  thefirft  fort 
of  thefe  we  have  a  curious  inftance  in  the  pofieffions  of  the  Right 
Honorable  Henry  Earl  of  Clarendon,  at  Langley  in  the  confines  of 
Wbichwood-forreft,  where  there  is  a  Quarry  of  very  hard  ftone, 
wholly  compofed  of  a  clofe  union  of  Cockles,  fcarce  any  of  them 
exceeding  a  Pea  in  bignefs,  and  ftreaked  circularly  to  the  hinges 
of  the  valves,  as  in  Tab.  3.  Fig.  12.  they  are  none  of  them  hol- 
low, but  firmer  within,  than  they  are  to  the  bed  of  ftone  where 
they  lye  ;  and  yet  even  to  that  they  are  fo  clofely  knit,  that  the 
mafs  receives  a  very  good  poliflh,  infomuch  that  his  Lordjhip  in- 
tends to  pave  the  new  Cbappel  now  building  at  Cornbury  with  it. 

57.  This  fort  of  Marble  is  niention'd  by  Stenod,  and  called 
(as  he  fays)  by  the  Italians,  Nephiri ;  whereof  there  is  alfo  a  very 
good  fort  at  Charleton  Towns  end,  upon  the  edge  of  Otmoor  *, 
differing  from  that  of  Langley  only  in  this,  that  the  grofs  of  the 
ftone  is  fomwhat  whiter,  the  Cockles  larger,  and  not  fo  thick  fet. 
However,  of  fo  firm  and  clofe  a  texture,  that  of  it  they  make 
Tomb-ftones,  Tables,  4&c,  fo  curioufly  fpotted  and  fet  with  rings, 
that  it  very  much  pleafes  the  eye  of  the  beholder,  and  has  alrea- 
dy gotten  (though  but  lately  found)  a  reputation  at  Oxford  and 
the  parts  adjacent. 

58.  Of  this  fort  of  ftone  moft  certainly  it  was,  though  fom- 
what perhaps  of  a  fofter  kind,  and  different  colour,  that  Paufa- 
nia6  informs  us  (as  quoted  by  Agricola)  the  Monument  of  Pbro-* 
news,  and  many  other  works,  were  mede  at  Megara.  Megard 
infaxo  valdealbo,  (sr  reliquvs  lapidibm  molliore,  undique  infunt  con- 
cha marina,  ex  quo  iyc.  are  the  words  of  Agricola  e ;  for  which 
very  reafon  this  fort  of  ftone  is  there  called  Concbites,  and  fince 
byjohnfion  and  Fred:  Lachmund*  (from  the  place  where  found) 
Lapis  Megaricu*. 

59.  There  is  another  fort  of  it  in  the  Quarries  near  Adderburyt 
thick  fet  with  Cockles  in  their  full  proportion,  as  in  Tab.  3.  Fig.i^t 
Some  of  them  are  wonderfully  Chryftallized,  and  beautiful  to  the 
eye,  but  not  being  fo  finely  cemented  together,  but  that  a  knock 
will  loofen  or  make  them  leap  from  their  beds ;  and  many  of  them 
being  hollow,  or  filled  with  brittle  Spar  ;  the  ftone  by  no  means 
will  receive  a  polifri,  and  upon  that  account  fit  for  no  other  work 

*  InFrodromo.  *  It  is  much  prized  by  the  Painters  ^London,  ithavinga  grit  that  Cuts  their  colours 
much  better  than  other  Marble.  Mr.  Aubrty'%  notes.  *  Ve  N*tw*  Fofplium.  Hi.  7.  *  •Oevr.rtx*p.  Hit- 
drjbeim.feft.j.caf,  1$. 

N  2  than 


ioo  The  Statural  Hijlory 

than  to  mend  the  high-ways,  or  fome  other  mean  ufes.  Nor  can 
1  inform  the  owners  of  thefe  Quarries  of  any  better  that  it  may 
have,  except  they  (hall  think  fit  to  burn  it  for  Lime,  for  which  I 
dare  promife  it  muft  needs  be  excellent. 

60.  And  fo  is  the  ftone  O/lracomorphos,  made  of  heaps  of  Oj- 
fiers  cemented  together,  and  found  plentifully  enough  on  Shot* 
over  hill,  not  far  from  the  way  to  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrils  ;  of  which 
I  have  forbornto  give  any  draught, it  being  eafily  conceived  from 
the  manner  of  the  Cockjes  thus  heaped,  together  in  the  two  for- 
mer cuts. 

61.  To  thefe  fucceed  the  fiones  refembling  Sea-fifb  of  the  te- 
ftaceou<s  kind,  not  found  in  clufters  after  the  manner  of  the  former, 
but  in  a  feparate  ftate  :  of  thefe  there  are  fome  curioufly  lineated, 
and  others  plain,  with  but  few  or  no  fuch  ornaments,  which  yet 
I  muft  treat  of  promifcuoufly  together,  becaufe  there  are  of  both 
forts  in  feveral  /pedes. 

62.  Of  thefe  again  fome  are  of  a  turbinated form,  and  others 
bivalvular,  refembling  the  double  fhell'd  kind,  joyned  together 
with  a  hinge,  and  yet  thefe  Tomtimes  found  all  with  their  (hells 
apart,  and  fomtimes  again  none  of  them  fo. 

63 .  Amongft  thefe  the  turbinated  or  wreathedk'md  ofjiones,  by 
the  Greeks  called  Strombites,  from  <rp*<pwtorqueo,  to  wreath  (which 
is  always  helically,  and  for  the  moft  part  from  the  right  hand  to 
the  left,  and  finally  from  a  greater  to  a  fmaller  ending)  are  but 
feldom  found  :  However,  I  have  met  with  both  the  forts  of  A- 
gricola  g,  the  greater,  which  he  fays  is  fomtimes  nine  inches  long, 
but  ours  indeed  not  much  exceeding  five,  of  a  yhinfuperjicies,  as 
in  Tab.  4.  Fig.  1  *.  and  the  lefler  wanting  of  half  an  inch  in 
length,  but  curioufly  ftriated,  as  Fig.  2.  both  found  in  the  Quar- 
ries in  the  Parilh  of  Heddington,  of  a  cinereous  colour,  fomwhat 
inclining  to  yellow,  and  of  a  harder  confiftence  than  the  ftone 
wherein  they  lye. 

64.  But  as  for  fuch  as  reprefent  the  bivalvular  Conch*,  fuch  as 
Cockles,  Efcallops,  Oyflers,  isc.  we  have  very  great  plenty,  as  well 
of  kinds  as  individuals.  The  Conchites  or  Cockle-ftones  found 
in  this  County,  may  alfo  be  divided  into  the  greater  and  letter  ; 
whereof  the  greater  arc  fome  of  them  ftriated  with  large  ftri<e, 

g  Ve  NaturaToj[ilium,Ub.  7,     *  Vtd.  Bucchium  lapidcum  Lcvc  Fate  Columna,  Aquatili*m&  terrejhr. 
oi/erv.cap.  22. 

and 


TAB     IU 


OfOXFO%T>~SHl\E.  ioi 

and  larger  furrows,  defcending  as  ic  were  from  a  center  atthetop, 
and  expanding  themfelves  to  the  rim  of  the  ftone  5  having  alfo 
fix  or  {even  tranfuerft  fimple  lines,  bent  circularly  to  the  hinge  or 
commiffure  of  thevalves,  as  in  Tab.  4.  Fig.  3.  which  is  a  font 
without,  of  a  dark  cinereous  colour,  but  within,  a  black,  flint  ; 
found  fomwhere  in  the  Chiltern  about  Henly  upon  Thames,  and 
kindly  beftowed  on  me  by  the  ingenious  Mr.  Munday,  Phyfitian 
there. 

65.  Some  there  are  again,  whofe  ftrice  alfo  defcend  from  the 
hinge  or  commiffure,  but  not  in  ftraight  li;;es,  but  bent  and  un- 
dulated, and  much  broader  than  the  former,  as  in  Tab.  4.  Fig. 4. 
which  though  in  magnitude  it  fall  fhort  of  the  Concha  Tridacna  of 
Aldrovandut  (fo  called  it  feems  becaufe  they  made  three  mouth- 
fuls  apiece)  yet  in  form  it  (hews  to  be  fo  very  like,  as  may  be  feen 
alfo  mjonflon,  Tab.  13.  that  were  it  not  a  Hone,  I  mult  pro- 
nounce it  the  fameh.  This  I  found  at  Great  Holrvright  in  a  bluifh 
clay,  whereof,  and  of  nothing  elfe,  it  feems  to  be  concreted  ; 
for  it  do's  not  much  exceed  it  in  hardnefs,  and  ftill  participates 
moft  of  that  colour,  though  covered  with  a  bright  and  fhining 
fubfiance,  by  the  Natural  ifts  called  Hoplites ,  or  Armatura  :  of 
which  more  anon  when  I  come  to  Cornu  Ammonium,  a  ftone,  the 
moftof  any  adorned  with  that  fubfiance. 

66.  Another  fort  there  is  found  at  Heddington  Quarries,  whofe 
lines  or  Jrridezre  not  drawn  like  the  two  former,  from  the  com- 
miffure of  the  valves  to  the  rim,  but  tranfverfly  and  circularly 
from  one  fide  of  the  ftone  to  the  other  ;  the  levler  circles  having 
place  next  the  commiffure,  and  the  greater  next  to  the  rim  of  the 
ftone,  as  in  Tab.  4.  Fig.  5.  which  feems  much  to  refemble  the 
Concha  rugata  of '  Rondoletiu*  \  with  valves  fwelling  very  high  ;  of 
colour  it  is  cinereous,  inclining  to  yellow,  not  hollow  within,  but 
a  folid  [tone,  and  of  much  the  fame  texture  with  the  rubble  of  the 
Quarry. 

67.  Of  the  fmaller  Conchites  there  are  alfo  feveral  forts,  differ- 
ing in  colour,  lineation  and  valves  ;  for  at  Teynton  and  about  Bur- 
ford,  where  they  are  found  jn  the  Fields,  they  are  moftof  them 
yellow^  with  their  valves  riling  high  and  approaching  to  around  *: 
but  at  Glympton,  where  they  are  only  found  in  a  fpring  that  rifes 


Vid Concliam  imbric  atom  mimmam  Aldrorvandi.deTeB.hb.^.  cap.  43.     '   Rondoktirti  deteftaceif,  tib.f. 

'for 

in 


tap.  'i  5.    *  Thefe  made  red  hot  and  put  into  drink,  are  accounted  in  this  Country  a  prcfent  remedy  for 


ioi  The  Statural  Hijiory 

in  a  Wood  about  a  mile  Southward  from  the  Church,  they  are 
much  more  depreffed  and  of  a  cinereous  colour  ;  but  both  having 
their  lineations  from  the  commiffure  to  the  riw,they  are  both  there- 
fore reprefented  under  one  draught,  Tab.  4.  Fig.  6. 

68.  How  it  Giould  come  about  that  thefe  C ockle-ftones  of  Glym- 
pton  Ihould  only  be  found  at  the  Fountain-  head,  and  no  where 
lower  in  the  ftream,  nor  that  I  could  hear  of,  in  the  Fields  about, 
I  muft  acknowledg  to  be  a  knot  not  eafily  loofed.  Some  have 
thought  them  brought  out  from  amongft  the  Rocks,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  hill  where  the  Spring  rifes  ;  others  that  they  are 
formed  by  a  peculiar  virtue  of  the  water,  as  it  runs  over  the 
rubble  ftones  that  lye  near  its  exit :  for,  fay  they,  if  you  pick 
them  never  fo  clean  away,  in  few  months  time  you  (ball  have  as 
many  more.  And  indeed  it  muft  be  confeft,  that  I  met  with  fe- 
veral  that  were  only  ftriated  on  one  fide,  and  rubble  ftone  on  the 
other  ;  and  fome  of  them  but  juft  begun  to  be  a  little  lineated : 
However  it  be,  I  lliall  determine  nothing  yet,  having  imployed  a 
careful  and  ingenious  perfon  to  watch  the  increafe  and  lineations 
of  thefe  ftones,  which  when  throughly  underftood,  fhall  be  faith- 
fully communicated. 

69.  Befide  thofe  of  dympon,  there  are  others  at  Cornwell,  in 
the  Park  of  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Thomas  Pennyfton,  found  in 
a  bank  of  yellowifti  clay,  of  a  much  different  form,  andtranf- 
verfly  ftriated,  as  in  Tab.  4.  Fig.  7.  which  though  indeed  for 
the  moft  part  are  hard  ftones,  yet  I  was  (hewed  feveral  by  the 
Ingenious  Owner  of  the  place,  that  were  nothing  but  clay,  not 
differing  at  all  from  that  in  the  bed  wherein  they  lye,  and  out  of 
which  they  feem  to  be  formed,  but  in  figure  only ;  which  is  alfo 
different  from  all  the  bivalvular  Conch*  that  I  find  in  Books,  or 
havefeen  in  collections  of  that  fort  of  Shell-fifh. 

70.  And  fo  is  the  figure  of  the  Conchites  found  in  Hornton 
Quarry,  near  approaching  to  an  oval,  and  fcarce  ftriated  at  all; 
which  inclines  me  at  leaft  to  doubt,  if  not  certainly  to  conclude, 
that  thefe  Cockle-like  ftones  were  never  heretofore  any  real  Cockje- 
fiells,  thus  tranfmuted  by  the  penetrating  force  of  petrifying 
juices,but  that  moft  of  them  (as  the  ingenious  Mr.  Lifter  thinks) 
ever  were,  as  they  now  are,  Lapides  fui  generic  differing  not  only 
from  one  another,  but  many  of  them  from  anything  in  Nature 

*  Pbilofok.  Tranfaif.  Numk.  j6. 

befide, 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  103 

befide,  that  thefrefti  or  fait- water  can  any  where  afford  us.  But 
before  I  engage  in  this  great  controverfie,  let  us  firft  confider  a 
few  more  of  thtfeftones  refembling  fl>ell-fifh. 

71.  And  firft,  the  above  -mentioned  Conchites  found  in  Horn* 
ton  quarry,  and  reprefented  in  Tab.^.  Fig,  8.  which  is  not  a 
folidftone  within  (as  all  the  Cocklc-Jiones  hitherto  defcribed  have 
been)  but  hoHow,  and  filled  with  fyar  ;  fomtimes  fhot  into  ir- 
regular figures,  but  for  the  mod  part  forked,  as  in  Fig.  9.  the 
bafts,  or  place  where  the  branches  of  the  fork  are  conjoyned,  be- 
ing rooted  (in  all  that  I  have  yet  feen)  at  the  commiffure  or  hinge 
of  the  valves ,  and  the  branches  extending  themfelves  in  the 
broader  parts  of  the  Conchites  ;  of  which  operation  of  Nature  I 
can  give  no  other  account,  but  that  it  was  firft  obferved,  by  the 
Reverend  and  Ingenious  Mr.  Clark,  Re&or  of  Vreyton  near  Ban- 
bury, from  whom,  befide  other  favors  ,  I  received  many  of 
them. 

72.  After  the  bivalvular  Cockles  found  always  with  their 
valves  clofed  together,  come  we  next  to  confider  the  other  Bi- 
valves found  never  fo,  but  their  valves  always  apart.  And  fuch 
are  the  ftones  refembling  Efcallops,  and  fome  other  ftriated  Con- 
chylia  :  whereof  that  reprefented  Fig.  10.  is  the  moft  curious  in 
its  kind  I  ever  yet  faw,  found  in  Heddington  quarries  by  Mr.  Hi* 
chard  Stapley,  an  ingenious  young  Man,  and  learned  in  thefe  mat- 
ters, to  whom  I  am  beholding  not  only  for  this,  but  for  fome  o- 
ther  choice  ftones  hereafter  to  be  mention'd.  Which  amongft  all 
the  Peftines  or  Efcallop-f hells  I  could  find  in  the  Itthyographersjdtft. 
refemblesthe  Petlen  after  of  Aldrovandu^1.  Of  colour  it  is  yel- 
lowifh,  eared  on  both  fides,  the  lineations  from  the  commiffure  to 
the  rim  of  the  ftone  very  prominent,  and  yet  having  fome  o- 
ther  tranfuerfe  lines  (not  bending  to,  but  from  the  commiffure') 
ftanding  upon  them,  and  not  pafling  through  the  deep  furrows 
fo  as  to  joyn  with  each  other, 

73.  As  the  tranfuerfe  lines  do  in  the  next  following  Peclinites, 
Fig.  1 1 .  where  they  are  both  of  equal  depth,  and  very  fmall, 
thick  and  fine  ;  the  tranfuerfe  lines  all  of  them  bent  to  the  commif- 
fure, but  the  othery?ri<£  not  meeting  together  in  it,  as  in  the  for- 
mer and  following  Efcallops :  This  ftone  is  of  a  light  reddifh  co- 
lour, eared  on  both  fides,  and  found  in  the  quarries  in  theparifh 
of  Heddington.  ,  De  +*„*,». ,.  eap.  c9, 

74.  And 


jO^.  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

74.  And  fo  was  the  next  ffone  in  form  of  a  Peftunculut,  oi 
little  Efcallop,  Fig.  12.  of  a  whitifti  yellow  colour,  the  ftrU 
large  and  broad,  but  the  tranfuerfe  lines  fmall,  eared  like  the  for- 
mer on  both  fides  t  Which  alio  argues,  that  this  ftone  was  never 
heretofore  the  (liell  of  a  FilTi,  and  thus  call:  into  ftone  by  an  Ani- 
malmold.  For  the  Peclunculi,  fays  Rondelet'w™,  are  a  diftinct. 
fiecies  from  the  Peclines  of  larger  Efcallops,  and  never  have  eafs 
but  on  one  fide,  which  indifferently  are  either  on  the  right  or  left ; 
except  that  we  (hall  fay  that  this  Was  once  the  fhell  of  a  young 
Feften,  not  yet  come  to  it's  full  growth. 

75.  To  this  alfo  may  bereferr'd  another  of  the  fame  texture, 
only  fomwhat  bigger^  and  wanting  the  ears  of  a  PeStunculites,  or 
little  Efcallop -ftone,  Fig.  13.  which  becaufe  it  (hews  no  figns  of 
its  ears  being  broken  off,  I  fuppofe  may  either  reprefent  the  Cha- 
maftriata  P eftiniformis  of  Aldrovandm n,  or  elfe  the  PeSlunculu*  of 
Belloniws,  which  (as  quoted  by  the  Zoographer  Gefner  °)  he  not 
only  fays  has  no  ears,  but  has  exhibited  it  in  Sculpture. 

j6.  And  fo  perhaps  may  the  nextftone,  Fig.  14.  except  we 
(hall  rather  make  it  the  fir  ft  of  the  Conchites  slriati,  or  ftreaked 
Cockje  ftones,  which  indeed  I  cannot  chufe  but  aflent  too,  becaufe 
of  its  bearing  tob  much  on  one  fide,  which  T  find  the  Peftinites 
of  Efcallop  ftones  do  not :  and  becaufe  it  cannot  be  a  Tellinitesy 
which  (hell-fi(h  (if  at  all)  is  never  ftreaked  that  way.  Let  it 
therefore  pafs  only  for  a  ftreaked  Cockle  slone,  which  are  plenti- 
fully found  not  only  at  Heddingtori,  and  about  Shot-over,  but  in 
the  Quarries  near  Stunsfield,  North  Leigh,  and  Little  Milton  ;  and 
are  placed  here,  becaufe  found  like  the  Efcallop  ftones,  always  with 
theif  (hels  apart. 

7  7.  Whereof  there  are  fome  largef,  and  as  it  were  heaped  up- 
on one  another,  as  in  Tab.  4.  Fig-  1 5  ;  and  others  fingle,  as  in 
Fig.- 1 7.  The  tzAfiell-fifhofi  which  kind,  called  Conchylia  ftria- 
ia,  though  thus  lineated  without,  are  always,  fays  Aldrovandus p, 
plain  and  fmooth  within,  contrary  to  what  we  find  in  thefe  Con- 
chites ftriati,  as  is  (hewn  by  Fig.  1 6.  which  shews  the  in-fide  of 
one  of  thofe  ftones,  not  only  lineated  from  the  commiffure  to  the 
rim,  but  adorned  alfo  with  four  or  five  tranfuerfe  fillets,  not  made 
of  one,  but  feveralconjoyned  lines,  which  feems  alfo  to  conclude 

»  T>eTefidceis,hb.i.cap.l6.    "  DeTefisceis,  lib-^ctp-C*)      "  D*  jiyuati/. /ib.  ±f>.$iy     p  J)e  Te- 
Paceis,lib.\.  "¥■+$• 

it 


Paesr;1°S- 


IL 


Of  OXFO%(D^SHI%E.  id? 

it  to  be  Lapis  fui  generis,  and  not  to  have  been  molded  by  a  filia- 
ted Cockd-flell. 

78.  Befide  Cockle  and  Efcallcp-flohes,  there  are  others  that 
feem  to  be  of  the  Oyjler  kind,  found  plentifully  in  the  Gravel- 
pits  without  St.  Clements,  in  Cowley -common,  and  in  a  wood  near 
Wood-eaton  1  amongft  them  there  are  fome  of  an  oblongfigure,  ve- 
ry thick,  and  of  a  bluiiTi  colour,  fuchas  that  depi&ed  Fig.  1 8. 
which  I  guefs  may  be  the  fame  with  the  petrified  Co'ncha  oblonga 
craffa,  mentioned  by  Dr.  M'erret  \  found  in  Wofcefter-flnre,  and 
there  called  Crow-jlones,  Crow-cups,  or  Egg^fiones  ;  or  elfe  the 
more  protuberant  part  of  the  Mytulus  niger  of  Aldrovandu* r,  of 
the  Mytulws  of  Rondeletiut  \ 

79.  But  others  are  again  of  the  true  Oyjler  jhape,  called  0 ft r as- 
cites, or  XiSorpeou,  reprefented  Fig.  19.  fome  whereof  are  blue, 
and  others  reddijh,  of  the  colour  of  the  Gravel  out  of  which 
they  are  taken  :  Thefe  are  generally  greater,  thicker  and  weigh- 
tier, than  the  true  Oyfter-fbell,  yet  like  them  feem  to  be  refolved, 
according  to  the  opinion  of  Sterio  \  ihtd  many  little,  fljells,  the 
innermoft  being  always  the  greateft,  and  the  outermoft  the  leas!  ' 
UpOn  which  very  account  I  could  eafily  have  aflented,  that  thefe, 
and  the  former,  might  once  indeed  have  been  jhell  fijh ;  but  that 
we  only  find  (juftas  m  the  Efcall'ops')  the  protuberant  parts  of  the 

fiells,  and  never  any  of  the  flat  ones ;  which  had  they  been  once 
fifhes,  we  have  little  reafon  to  think,  could  have  been  thus  abfent 
from  them. 

80.  We  find  alfo  in  Oxford-Jhire  a  fort  of  Mytuloides ,  of 
Mufcle-ftones,  of  an  odd  kind  of  figure,  and  not  eafie  perhaps  to* 
be  parallel'd,  though  the  teftacebws  Kingdom  be  of  large  extent  i 
They  are  -not  hollow,  but  within  a  terra  lapidbfa  of  a  yellowifh 
colour,  and  cover'd  without  with  a  white  (Lining  kind  of  Arma- 
ture, with  oblong  linedtions  agreeable  to  the  figure  of  the ftbne,  as 
in  Tab.  5.  Fig.  i.  found  in  digging  a  Well  in  thd  Parifh  of  Cley-> 
don.  To  which  we  may  add  another  fort  remarkably  fmall,  found 
InHeddingtoh  Quarries,  Fig.  2.  which  finifti  my  difcOurfe  cOrM 
cerningfuch/W.yas  fefemble  the  cre^tp^^,  or  teslaceous  Jbtll- 
fijh.     Whence  I  proceed 

81.  To  slones  reprefentirig  the  ^.xd^t^]  Or  the  fiell-fift)  of 

i  Pmax return  tfatur.  Srie.  p.  ai<J,    r  pe  Teftaceis,  lib.  3. c ap>  71-    f  De  Tejtacm,li£.  1.  cap  46.     *  In 

Trodromi  verf.  Ai^lp-  75,76. 

O  ihS 


\o6  The  Statural  Hiflory 

the  fofter  cruftaceou*  hind,  fuch  as  that  Tab. 5.  Fig.'},  in  fubftance 
and  hardnefs  much  like  a  Pebble,  and  of  colour  yellowifi-.  divi- 
ded firft  by  five  pretty  ftraight  lines,  adorned  on  each  fide  with 
double  fets  of  points,  afcending  from  a  protuberant  umbilicus  in 
the  bafts  of  the  /lone,  to  another  of  like  form  at  the  top,  but  fo- 
liatedround  in  manner  of  a  Rofe  :  And  after  again  fubdivided  by 
five  other  indented  lines,  terminated  before  they  reach  the  umbi* 
lid ;  by  which  means  the  fpaces  between  thefe  lines  are  all  penta- 
gons, like  the  outer  fcales  of  lome  fort  of"Tortoife.  Much  fuch 
another /?07ze  as  this  1  find  in  Aldrovandus,  in  his  Book  VeTefla- 
ceisu,  which  becaufe  he  thought  refembled  the  fea  Urchin  depri- 
ved of  its  outward  prickly  coat,  he  calls  Echinus  lapis  fboliatma. 
fuisjpinis :  But  it  fceming  to  me  to  be  much  more  like  the  Efirice 
marino ,  ft  ritravanclli  mari  profondi,  of  ¥  err  ante  Imperato™,  I 
chuferathertocall.it  Hiftricites,'  or  Porcupine -Jlone  without  bri- 
ftles.  This  was  found  in  the  Chiltern  Country,  near  Stonor- 
houfe,  and  fent  me  by  the  Worshipful  Tbo.  Stonor  Efq;  the 
Proprietor  of  the  place,  and  one  of  the  Nobleft  Encouragers  of 
this  Defign. 

82.  And  fo  was  the  following  curioufly  embroider'd  ftoner 
Fig.Af.  much  refembling  the  petrified  Riccio  marino,  or  fea  Vrchin 
oflmperatus x,  found  in  the  fame  place  alfo  without  prickles,  but 
much  differing  from  the  former  in  colour  and  fubftance,  as  alfo 
from  the  Jlone  of  that  Learned  Author  :  For.  whereas  he  confeflfes 
that  was  but  of  the  confidence  of  the  Lime-flone;  ours,  though 
without  of  a  whit'ifb  cinereous  colour,  within  is  a  hard  black,  flinty 
covered  over  with  thin  glittering  plates,  fet  edg-ways  to  the 
ball  of  the  flint,  out  of  which  thofe  uniform  eminencies  and  de- 
prejjures,  thofe  waved  and  tranfuerfe  Iineationsate  all  framed. 

83.  Thefe  are  found  in  great  plenty  in  the  Ifle  of  Malta,  and 
by  the  Country  men  there,  fays  the  Ingenious  Boccone7,  called 
Mamelles  de  Saint  Paul,  becaufe  of  the  lenticular  eminencies  and 
fmall  roundures,  that  fill  the  whole  furface  of  the  Jlone  ;  or  rather 
becaufe  they  are  fomtimes  found  coupled  two  and  two,  as  may 
be  feen  m  the  fculptures  of  the  fame  Author.  By  Boetius  and 
'Gefner,  and  all  the  old  Authors,  they  are  called  Ova  anguina^ 
Serpents  eggs  ;  perchance  becaufe  from  the  bafts  there  ifliie  as  it 

n  T>e  TeBaceis lib.  3 .  «p.  40.     w  DelP Hift.  Naturale,  lib.  2 8.  cap  i .     x  Dell' Hifl.  Naturale,  lib.  1+.C.26. 
j  Rechenhes  &obfrvatii>nsNaturelles:  Lett  re  vingt  fxieme- 

were 


OfOXFO%T>^SHt%E.  toy 

were  five  tails  of  ferpents*,  waved  and  attenuated  toward  the 
upper  part  of  the  Hones.  They  tell  us  alfo  a  ftory  of  its  being 
engendered  from  the  falivation-znd.  /lime  of  flakes,  and  call  into 
the  Air  by  the  force  of  their  fibilations,  where  if  taken,  has  ef- 
fects\is  wonderful  as  its  generation,  and  therefore  of  great  efteem 
amongft  the  French  Druids.  But  I  care  not  to  fpend  my  time  in 
Romance,  and  therefore  proceed 

84.  To  another  Echinites,  refembling  the  inner  fhell  of  the 
Echinus  ovarium  or  Efculentus,  fo  called  from  a  fort  of  quinque- 
partite  or  ftellated  eggs,  that  this  kind  of  Echinus  has  within  it 
good  to  eat.  Their  outermoft  coat  is  full  of  Jbarp  prickles,  upon 
which  account  they  are  fomtimes  called  Chaftaignes  de  Mer,  or 
fea  Chefnuts,  becaufe  of  their  likenefs  to  rough  prickles  that 
encompafs  Chefnuts  whil'ft  they  are  on  the  Tree  ;  for  which  ve- 
ry reafon  they  are  alfo  called  Heriffons  de  Mer,  fea  Hedg-hogs,  and 
Cardui  Marini,  fea  Thifiles  :  which  rough  coat  of  theirs,  when 
the  Fifh  is  dead,  coming  off  from  them,  they  then  difcover 
their  inward Jfjell  of  that  curious  vporkjuanfiip,  that  is  lively  repre- 
fented  by  our  (i one,  Fig.  5.  made  up  of  fo  many  compartements 
and  eminencies,  and  fo  regularly  difpofed*,  that,  fays  Monfieur  de 
Rochefort z  (who  calls  them  alfo  Pommes  de  Mer,  or  fea  Apples') 
the  moft  ingenious  Embroiderer  would  be  much  troubled  to  imi- 
tate them.  This  Echinites  ovarius  was  found  in  the  Parifh  of 
Teynton,  and  fent  me  by  my  worthy  and  ingenious  Friend  Mr*' 
Robert  Vejfeji,  to  whom  alfo  I  am  beholding  for  many  other  mat* 
ters  mentioned  in  this  Effay. 

85.  From  Teynton  alfo  was  fent  me  another  of  this  kind, 
but  much  fmaller,  not  exceeding  the  Rouncival  pea,  or  French 
Hal/Jet  in  bignefs  •  and  yet  with  lines  of  compartement,  and  o^ 
ther  eminencies  as  large  as  the  former,  but  much  fewer  in  num- 
ber :  to  which,  whether  there  be  any  Animal  in  Nature  whofe 
Jlell  will  exactly,  or  for  the  moft  part  correfpond,  I  much  que- 
ftion  ;  wherefore  that  it  may  be  examined  both  at  home  and  a-' 
broad,  I  have  caufed  it  to  be  engraven,  Fig.  6. 

86.  To  which  add  ^fourth  fort  with  its  prickles  ftill  on,  found 
plentifully  in  the  Quarries  near  Shotover-hill,  very  like  to  the  fifth 
fort  of  Echinus  of  Arislotle>  as  depicted  by  Rondeletius*,  whofe 
inward  fiell  it  feems  is  very  fmall,  but  its  prickles  long  and  ftub- 

*  Hiftoryof  che  Iflcs  Antilles,  or  Caribby  Iflands,  chap.  19.  aft.  13.    a  Vt  Ti'cibu/Jib.  18.  cap-  33. 

O  2  borri.? 


io8  The  Statural  Hiflory 

born,  found  always  in  the  decpeft  waters,  and  (ticking  to  Rocks, 
much  afcer  the  fame  manner  as  here  reprefented  in  ftone,  Fig.  7. 
which  in  conformity  to  Ariftotle  may  be  called  Echinites  minutue. 
And  this  had  ended  my  Difcourfe  of  Stones  refembling  Shell- 
fifi  of  the  crufiaceom  kind,  but  that  I  am  admonifh'd  by  the 
Learned,  and  defervedly  Famous  Virtuofi,  Ur.HookJ3  and  Mr. 
Ray  c,  and  fince  them  by  the  Ingenious  Sicilian  Gentleman  Mon- 
fieur  Boccone  d, 

87.  That  the  /lone  commonly  ftiled  Cornu  Ammonit,  alfo  be- 
longs to  this  place,  as  being  nothing  elfe  but  the  petrified  Jhell 
of  the  Nautilus,  or  Coquille  de  Porcellain  ;  or  as  Rondeletius e  calls 
it,  the  teftaceou*  Polypus.  Of  thefe  we  find  plenty  in  the  Coun- 
ty of  Oxford,  of  different  colours,  figures,  cizes,  but  all  fo  curled 
up  within  themfelves,  that  the  place  of  the  bead  is  always  in  the 
circumference  and  the  tail  in  the  center  of  the  /lone,  and  therefore 
by  the  Ancients  called  Cornua  Ammonis,  for  that  they  refembled 
the  curled  horns  of  the  Ram,  worfhipp'd  by  the  name  of  Jupi- 
ter Amman  in  the  defarts  of  Africa  f ;  to  whom  Alexander  the 
Great  having  declared  himfelf  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  more  like 
fo  inhuman  a  Rather,  he  affumed  the  horns  of  the  Ram  Deity,  as 
may  be  feen  on  the  Imprejjes  of  fome  of  his  Mony.  And  fo  did 
Lyfimachm  that  fucceeded  him  in  Thrace s,  Attila  the  Hun,  and 
fome  other  proud  Princes. 

88.  The  places  in  this  County  moft  remarkable  for  this  ftone, 
are  1.  The  City  or  Oxford  it  felf,  where,  in  digging  cellars,  foun- 
dations, (src  chiefly  in  the  eaftern  parts  of  it,  they  are  commonly 
met  with  ;  whereof  fome  are  fmall,  the  parts  protuberant,  and 
fwellingtoaround,  as  in  Tab.  5.  Fig.  8.  others  broader  and 
more  depreffed,  as  in  Fig.y.  but  thelineations  of  both  traved,and 
extended  from  toward  the  center,  to  a  fingle  edged  ridge  in  the 
back  of  the  ftone:  and  therein  different  from  a  third  fort  found 
alfo  at  Oxford,  whofe  I 'in eat ions  are  larger,  notfo  thick  nor  waved, 
and  terminated  at  greztprotuberances  on  each  fide  of  the ftone,  be- 
tween which,  on  the  broad  back  of  it,  there  intercede  other  /i- 
neations,  the  whole  body  of  the  ftone  being  alfo  divided  by  Su- 
tures, in  form  much  refembling  the  leaves  of  Oak->  as  in  Fig.10. 
The  two  latter  of  thefe  are  both  perforated  at  the  center,  and  there- 
in Micograph.Obfcrv.  17.     e  Obfervations  Topograph.  />.  12;.     *  Recherchs^Ol-firvoiioKsNa' 

1urelles,Lettrez%.     •  De  Pi/ciitu,  lib.  17.  cap.  9.     f  gnhit.  Curt'u  de  rcb.  Geff.  Alexandri,  HiftoT-lib.  4. 
*  S^e  the  Cabinet  in  the  Bodlcyan  Libraiy. 

fore 


Of  0  XFO  <R£~S  HI%E.  id? 

fore  called  by  Bauhinws  h,  Cornua  Ammon'pspertv.fa  :  And  all  three 
adorned  with  afhining  brafen  Armature,  in  lufter  equalling  that 
metal  it  felf,  yet  of  which  in  fubftance  it  has  nothing  lefs,  though 
Agricola  have  affirmed  it  to  be  nature  rudimentum  id  met allum  face- 
re  difcentis. 

89.  BoetiusdeBoot,  in  his  Book  deLapidibus  iff  Gemmis\  thinks 
the  flone  it  felf  naturally  of  a  ferrugineous  colour,  which  lying  in 
an  Earth  fated  with  an  aluminous  juice,  is  changed  thereby  into 
this  brafen  colour.  To  which  de  Laet k  in  his  Supplement,  adds, 
atr amentum  fut or ium  ;  both  which,  he  fays,  joined,  give  that  co- 
lour to  Iron.  For  my  part,  I  rather  think  it  may  be  performed 
by  Nature,  much  after  the  fame  manner  they  guild  money  at  our 
Englijb  Baths-,  if  fo,  there  will  be  requifite  fomthing  urinous, 
which  they  always  add  thereto  fuperinducefuch  a  colour,where- 
of  more  at  large  when  I  come  into  Somerfet-flnre. 

90.  The  ftcond  place  eminent  for  produftion  of  thefe  slones, 
is  the  Parifh  of  Cleydon,  where  they  find  them  of  many  more 
turns  than  thofe  at  Oxford,  though  not  much  bigger ;  without 
Armature,  of  a  yellomjh  colour  ( like  the  ^Jltridt  before  men- 
tion'd  found  at  the  hmeplace)  and  differentlyy?r/tf/^,  as  in  Fig. 
1 1 .  in  which  theflrU  from  the  innermoft  part  of  the  flone  are  all 
fmgle,  but  many  of  them  divided  before  they  reach  the  rim  of  it," 
where  they  are  terminated  with  a  back  much  more  protuberant 
than  the  reft  of  the  flone,  but  alike  flriated. 

9 1 .  Near  Thame,  in  the  Fields  Eaftward  from  the  Church,  they 
fomtimes  meet  alfo  with  the  Cornu  Ammonh,  Jlriated  fmgly  like 
the  former,  near  the  inner  part  of  the  flone,  and  prefently  divi- 
ding, but  without  termination  either  at  any  ridge,  or  othzxprotu- 
ber  amies  in  the  back  ;  the  divifion  being  continued  to  the  other 
fide  of  the  flone,  where  'tis  made  again  into  one  common  linea- 
Hon,  as  in  Fig.  12.  Of  which  fort  I  had  fome  arches  or  parts  fent 
me  alfo  from  Chiflehampton,  by  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  John 
V'Oyly  Baronet,  in  whom  flourifh  all  the  Virtues  of  that  ancient 
Houfe.  But  thefe  (not  like  the  former)  a  hard  flone,  but  fome 
of  them  a  kind  of  Terra  lapidofa,  or  hardened  yellow  clay,  one 
degree  perhaps  above  that  of  the  bed  wherein  they  lay;  which 
(befide  Sir  Thomas  Fenny flons  clay  Cockles)  feem  to  overthrow 

*  Joann.Bauhinusde  Lapidibtn  var'tis  in  fine  Hift.  admit abi lis  font 'is  Bollertps*    '  Cap .  24.6.     k  De  La- 
fid.  &  Gemmii,  cap.  22. 

Steno's  l 


no  The  ^dtural  Hijlory 

Steno's1  firft  con  je&ure  concerning  thefe  matters:  Thai  they  are 
always  found  in  the  fame  place,  of  the  fame  confidence ;  and  that  there 
arenofigns  amongft  them  of  fooneror  later production. 

92.  And  To  do  the  Ophiomorphit's  found  in  a  bluifh  clay  in  the 
Parifti  of  Great  Rolwright,  Eaftward  from  the  Church,  whereof 
fomeare  fo  foft,  that  'tis  eafleto  pfefs  them  afunder  with  ones 
fingers;  and  others  a  hard  bluifi  fione.  But  though  they  agree 
with  the  former  in  the  manner  of  production,  they  differ  as  much 
in  the  manner  of  their  lineations,  for  whereas  their  §lri#  were  di- 
vided near  the  rim,  fomeof  the  lineations  of  thefe  come  toge- 
ther there,  and  are  united  in  pretty  large  protuberant  knobs  on 
each  fide  the  back  of  the  done,  which  in  thefe  being  broad  and 
fomwhat  rifing,  is  croffed  by  other  arched  lines  that  intercede  the 
eminencies,  as  in  Fig.  13 « 

93.  Other  Ophiomorpbifs  there  are,  that  have  only  ftraight 
iingle  ribs,  which  terminate  alfo  in  ftraight  ridges  that  run  along 
on  each  fide  the  back  of  the  ftone  ;  between  which  two  ridges, 
there  rifes  a  third  more  prominent  one,  juft  in  place  as  it  were  of 
the  Spina  dor  fain,  as  in  Tab.  5 .  Fig.  14.  which  though  not  wreath- 
ed, but  plain  like  the  other  lower  ridges  on  each  hand  it,  I  take 
to  be  the  Cornu  Ammonhs  criflatum  of  Johannes  Baukinm  m.  One 
of  thefe,  of  about  four  inches  over,  and  made  up  of  as  many 
turns,\vzs  given  me  by  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  John  Wallit ; 
and  there  is  another  amongft  the  K^'a^o,  0f  the  Medicin  School, 
of  above  eight  inches  diameter,  taken  up  as  they  fay  fomwhere 
abou:  Corpus  CbrisJi  College. 

94.  There  are  alfo  Orphiomorphit's  found  fomtimes  about 
Adderbury,  about  two  miles  from  Banbury,  but  fo  very  feldom, 
that  though  I  were  there  often,  I  could  meet  with  none  of  them  ; 
fo  that  I  cannot  inform  the  Reader  whether  they  are  of  any  pecu- 
liar kind,  different  from  what  have  been  already  defcrib'd,or  no  : 
However,  that  the  Town  has  not  its  name  from  thefe  ftones  (as 
Mr.  Ray  thinks)  I  dare  confidently  avouch,  Adderbury  being  only 
the  vulgar  name  :  for  in  the  Court  Rolls  of  New  College,  (and  o- 
other  Inftruments)  to  which  the  Lordfiip  of  the  Town  belongs,it  is 
written  Eabberbury,  perhaps  from  St.  Ebba  the  tutelar  Saint  of  the 
Church. 

95.  Thebiggeftof  the  kind  that  I  have  yet  met  with,  was  at 

1  Ittt  aflatude Cards  Cnnkar'ne  aiJ[ecfocapite}f.  11S.     ">  Johannes  Hauhinus  de  Ltfidiimvariisin  fine 
Uiji.  admirabilisfontu,  Bollcnfis/>.  20. 

Clifton 


Tab  v 


ad 


PaS- 


6 


i%  £&*.  7tt.  y,   12 .  *jit.  5. 


Of  OXFO  %<£>*$ Hl%E>  til 

Clifton  near  Dorcbefier,  but  found  as  I  was  told  at  Sandjord near  #x- 
ford,  about  eleven  inches  over,  and  feventeen  pounds  in  weight ; 
having  tingle  ribs  only,  without  knobs  or  ridges  at  the  back,  which 
is  plain  and  even,  as  in  Fig.  15.  which  though  little  more  thari 
half  fo  big  as  that  mention'd  by  Dr.  Merret  of  21  inches  diame- 
ter *,  that  he  faw  in  the  Garden  of  one  Mr.  Rawdon,  yet  I  guefs 
it  mull  needs  fo  extravagantly  exceed  the  biggeft  Nautilus  or  For- 
cellane-Jhell,  both  in  latitude  and  number  of  turns,  that  we  muft 
be  forced  to  feek  out  another  origin  fork. 

96.  Befide,  ks  being  in-laid  with  a  fmall  fort  of  Conchites,  fo 
placed  in  its  fides,  that  they  have  fegments  (if  I  may  fo  call  them) 
within  the  very  bulk  or  body  of  the  Ophiomorphite,  feems  flatly 
to  deny  its  original  from  the  Nautilus,  for  had  this  fallen  out  by 
compreffion  of  their  fliells  together,  their  uniform  figures  muft 
needs  have  been  fpoiled,  contrary  to  what  appears  as  well  in  the 
fione  as  its  draught.  Which  brings  me  to  confider  the  great  Que- 
(lion  now  fo  much  controverted  in  the  World. 

Whether  the/tones  we  find  in  the  forms  of  Shell-fifti,  be  Lapides 
fui  generis,  naturally  produce d'by  fome  extraordinary plaftic 
virtue  latent  in  the  Earth  or  Quarries  where  tbey  are  found? 
Or  whether  they  ratber  owe  their  form  and  figuration  to  the 
{hells  of  the  Fifties  they  reprefent,  brought  to  the  places 
where  they  are  now  found  by  a  Deluge,  Earth-quake,  or  fome 
other  fuch  means,  and  there  being  filled  with  mud,  clay, 
and  petrifying  juices,  have  in  trail  of  time  been  turned  into 
ftones,  as  we  now  find  them,  fiill retaining  the  fame Jhape 
in  the  whole,  with  tbe  fame  lineations,  futures,  emincn- 
cies,  cavities,  orifices,  points,  that  they  had  whiV ft  tbey 
were  fliells  ? 

97.  In  the  handling  whereof,  though  I  intend  not  any  per- 
emptory decifwn,  but  a  friendly  debate ;  yet  having  according  to 
the  willies  and  advice  of  thofe  Eminent  Virtuafi  Mr.  Hookand 
Mr.  Ray,  made  fome  confiderable  collections  of  thefe  kind  of 
things,  and  obferved  many  particulars  and  circumfhnces  con- 
cerning them :  Upon  mature  deliberation,  I  muft  confefs  I  am 
inclined  rather  to  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Lifter,  that  they  are  Lapides 

*  Pinax  rerumNaturalium,  p.  2i<j.     There  is  another  about  thatbignefs  in  the  Repofitory  of  the 
"Royal Society,  given  by  the  Right  Honorable  Henry  Earl  o{ Norwich,  Earl  Marjhal  of  England. 

'     fit 


Hi  The  Natural  Hi  [lory 

fui  generis',  than  to  theirs,  That  they  arethut  formed in  an  Animal 
mold.  The  latter  opinion  appearing  at  prefent  to  be  prefled  with 
far  more,  and  more  infuperable  difficulties  than  the  former. 

98.  For  they  that  hold  thefe  slones  were  thus  formed  in  the 
fiells  of  fijbes,  muft  fuppbfe  either  with  Stenon,  that  they  were 

brought  hither  by  the  Deluge  in  the  days  of  Noah  ;  or  by  Tome  o- 
ther  more  particular,  and  perhaps  National  Flood,  fuch  as  the 
Ogygean,  or  Deucalionian  in  Greece^  than  either  of  which  there  is 
nothing  more  improbable. 

99.  Firft,  not  by  the  Flood  in  the  days  of  Noah,  becaufe 
that  (and  for  very  good  reafons  too)  feems  not  to  have  been  uni- 
verfal,  andatmoftto  have  covered  only  the  continent  of  Jfia°, 
and  not  to  have  extended  it  felf  to  this  then  uninhabited  Weftern 
part  of  the  World..  But  fuppofe  it  were  tfniverfal,  yet  it  pro- 
ceeded from  Rain,  which  (as  Mr.  Ray  wellobferves)  would  more 
likely  have  carryed  fiells  down  into  thefea,  than  brought  any 
upwards  from  it.  And  if  it  be  further  urged,  That  the  fountains 
of  the  great  deep  were  broken  up p,  and  that  the  Deluge  proceeded 
partly  from  a  breaking  forth  and  over-flowing  of  the  fea,  which 
confequently  might  bring  in  the  fiells :  It  may  be  anfwered,  that 
the  over-flowing,  either  gradually  increafed  upon  the  Earth,  or 
was  violent :  if  gradually,  as  it  is  moft  likely  (for  God  caufed  not 
any  wind%o  pafs  over  the  Earth  till  the  Waters  began  to  affwage  q ; 
and  befides,  the  Waters  that  defcended  in  Rain,  in  all  probabi- 
lity at  firft  ran  down  to  the  Sea,  and  gavefom^check  to  its  floods') 
why  fhould  we  think  that  any  Jbetl-fijb,  efpecially  of  the  teftace- 
cut  kind,  whereof  there  are  fome  that  always  ftick  to  rocks,  and 
others  that  have  no  locomotion,  as  Oysiers,  Mufcles,  (yc*  but  what 
is  given  them  by  the  Waters  violence,  fhould  leave  their  beds  in 
the  Sea  at  all,  and  be  carried  aloft  to  the  tops  of  Mountains. 
And  if  violent,  then  fuch  a  Flood  would  have  indifferently  fcat- 
tered  all  forts  of  fiells  over  the  whole  face  of  the  Earth,  efpeci- 
ally in  all  valleys  ;  whereas  we  find  the  ft  ones  that  refemble  them 
mapy  times  at  the  tops  of  hills,  and  but  in  few  valleys  ;  and  thofe 
not  fcattered  neither  indifferently  one  amongft  another,  but  fof 
the  moft  part  thofe  of  a  kind  together;  and  of  the  fame  kind 
too,  thofe  of  different  lineations  together.      Thus  at  Cor nw ell 

■  JnProdromo.    *  Vt'it  Scillingfleti  Or/g/'w  Sacras,  lit'.  3-  <■<*/+■     pCen.c7.ver.i1.    9  Gen- cap.  8. 
ver,  1, 

and 


Of  OXFO%T>~SHI%E.  ttj 

and  Hornton  we  find  only  Conchites  or  Cockle-iloneS,  and  thofe 
flriated  (if  at  all)  from  fide  to  fide  tranfverfly,  as  in  7a£.  4.  F/gj 
7, 8.  And  fo  at  Glympon  only  Cockle- Hones,  but  lineated the  con- 
trary way  from  the  commiffure  to  the  rim,  as  in  Fig.  6.  of  the  fame 
Tab.  On  Copley -common  we  find  nothing  but  Oftracitcs,  fuch  as 
mTab.  4.  Fig.  19.  And  in  the  Gravel-pits  of  St.  Clements a  mix-8 
ture  of  fuch  Oyfler-ftones,  and  (to  which  1  believe  it  will  be  hard 
to  adapt  zfiell-/ifij  the  ftone  Bekmnites.  The  Nephiri  or  Lapis 
MegaticmiX.  Langley,  is  a  bed  of  nothing  but  Cockles  as  fmall  as 
peafe  -  and  that  at  Charlton  the  fame,  Only  the  Cockles  are  fom^ 
what  bigger.  So  that  thefe  beds  of  Cockle-ftones  (if  they  muft 
needs  have  been  Jhell-fifi)  feem  rather  to  have  been  their  breeds 
ing places,  where  they  had  aboad  for  fome  confiderable  time 
(especially  where  we  find  them  of  feveral  cizes)  than  brought  hi- 
ther in  the  flood  in  the  time  of  Noah  ,  which  remained  on  the 
Earth  but  forty  natural  days,  too  fmall  a  time  for  fo  many  (hell-fifii 
fo  difperfed,  as  they  muft  be  prefumed  to  be  by  fo  violent  a  mo- 
tion ,  to  get  together  and  fequefter  themfelves  from  all  o-» 
ther  company,  and  fet  them  down,  each  fort,  in  a  convenient 
ftation. 

1 00.  And  fecondly,  that  they  fhould  be  brought  by  any  other 
flood  is  altogether  as  unlikely,  fince  we  have  no  other  floods  de- 
liver'd  down  to  us,  but  the  Ogygidn  and  Deucalionian^  which  were 
reftrained  within  Greece.  But  fuppofe  all  that  can  be  defired  by 
the  adverfe  party,  that  there  Was  fomtime  or  other  a  National 
flood  here  in  England,  that  did  for  fome  hundreds  of  years  cover 
the  face  of  the  Land,  of  which  there  is  no  Record  deliver'd  to 
pofterity  ;  yet  that  it  fhould  cover  the  higheft  Hills,  or  if  it  did, 
that  it  fhould  force  the  Jhells  to  their  tops,  which  are  weighty 
and  rather  affeft  the  lowcft  places,  is  a  conceffion  as  hard  to  be 
granted,  as  that  the  Mountains  (where  fuch  ftones  as  refemble 
them  are  now  found)  were  heretofore  low  places  and  fince  raifed 
by  Earth-quakes  '  a  thing  by  no  means  to  be  believed  of  our  Nor- 
thern parts,  where  the  Earth  -quakes  we  have  at  any  time  are  fo 
inconfiderable,  that  they  fcarce  fomtimes  are  perceived,  much 
lefsaffrightenus  ;  unlefswe  fhall  groundlefly  grant,  that  in  the 
infancy  of  the  World  the  Earth  fuffered  moreconcuffions,  and  con* 
fequently  more  mutations  in  its  fuperficies,  than  it  has  done  ever 
fince  the  Records  of  time. 

fi  loi.  Yet 


ii^  The  Statural  Hijiory 

i  o  i.  Yet  granting  too  that  in  the  Primitive  Times  there  were 
fuch  ftrange  Earthquakes,  or  elfe  that  there  was  fome  time  or  o- 
ther  fuch  a  Flood,  that  did  cover  our  highefi  bills,  and  which 
might  be  fo  violent,  as  to  bring  Jbells  out  of  the  great  deep,  and 
place  them  on  the  tops  of  Mountains ;  yet  that  our  formed  ft  ones, 
at  leaft  the  moft  of  them,  were  notfalhion'd  in  fuch  molds,  but 
are  Lapides  fui  generis,  maybe  ftrongly  fufpe&ed  from  the  fol- 
lowing reafons. 

102.  Firft,  becaufe  I  have  found  fome  of  them  that  refemble 
Jhell-fijh  that  always  ftick  to  rocks,  and  cannot  well  be  prefumed 

to  have  come  away  with  the  greateft  Flood,  unlefs  fo  violent  as  to 
have  brought  the  Rocks  too:  and  fuch  is  that  engraven  Tab.  5. 
Fig.  7.  which  whether  it  beft  reprefent  the  Echinus  quintus  of 
Ariflotle,  or  fome  fort  of  Lepas  or  Patella,  equally  makes  for  my 
purpofe,  neither  of  them  leaving  the  rock,  they  ftick  too,  being 
Univalves,  and  having  the  rock,  it  felf  inftead  of  the  other. 

103.  Secondly,  becaufe  there  are  many  Jbells,  and  other  tefta- 
ceous  and  bony  fubftances  belonging  to  Fifb,  that  rauft  alfo  have 
been  left  behind  upon  the  ebb  of  fuch  a  Flood  as  well  as  the  reft,  of 
which  we  have  no  ftones  that  refemble  them  at  all.  Such  are  the 
bones  of  If  hales,  Sea-horfes,  and  the  bones  of  all  thefquammeous 
kind  ;  the  greztflells  of  the  Buccina,  Murices,  Concha  Venerts,an<l 
Solenes  ;  the  fword  of  the  Xiphias  or  Sword-fifi,  and  almoft  all 
the  cruftaceou*  kind,  fiich  as  Crabs,  Congers,  Lobfters,(src.  which 
laft  having  locomotion,  I  (hould  much  rather  expe&ed  to  have 
found  petrified  on  the  tops  of  Mountains,  than  any  of  the  teftace- 
ous  kind,  and  yet  of  theft  we  meet  the  feweft  of  any. 

1 04.  Thirdly,  becaufe  there  are  many  Stones  formed  indeed 
in  the  manner  of  Bivalves,istc  which  yet  refemble  no  fpecies  of 
fiell-ftfi  now  to  be  found,  whereof  feveral  are  above -mention'd. 
And  this  is  ingenioufly  confefs'd  by  Fabiws  Columnar ',  though  one 
of  the  Adverfaries  of  this  my  prefent  opinion  :  Addemus  (fays 
he)  Pe&unculorum  imagines,  quarum  quafdam  non  nifi  lapideas  vi- 
dimus, of  which  that  he  calls  his  Mytulo-petlunculm  rarior  Berbe- 
roides,  is  one.  If  it  be  faid,  that  poflibly  thefe  Species  may  be 
now  loft,  I  (hall  leave  it  to  the  Reader  to  judge,  whether  it  be 
likely  that  Providence  which  took  fo  much  care  to  fecure  the 
works  of  the  Creation  in  Noah's  Flood,  fhould  either  then,  or 

»  Acjuatil.  <&  Terrejlr.  oifervat.  cap-  21. 

fince, 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  m 

fince,  have  been  fo  unmindful  of  fome  fiell-fi.fi  (and  of  ho  6v 
ther  Animals')  astofufferany  one  ftecies  to  be  loft. 

105.  Fourthly,  becaufe  there  are  feveral  formed  fiones,  that 
no  body  pretends  to  know  whether  to  refer,  as  reprefenting  nei- 
ther Animals  or  Plants,  either  in  the  whole  or  parts  ;  fuch  as  the 
Selenites,  Jfttoites,  and  Belemnites  ;#  which  if  thus  tacitly  confeft 
to  be  Lapides  fui  genem,  and  formed  by  fome  htentplafiick.  power 
of  the  Earth,  why  might  it  not  as  well  produce  all  the  reft  ?  e- 
fpecially  fince  fcarce  any  of  them  are  reduced  to  Animals  or  Plants 
without  great  inconvenience.  Thus  they  that  think  the  etfterkt 
to  be  nothing  but  the  Spina  dor/ales,  or  tail- bones  of  fifi  petrified 
(they  confifting,  'tis  true,  for  the  moil:  part  of  pieces  flicking  to-* 
gether  like  Vertebra)  neither  can  tell  us  of  what  fort  of  Fifi),  nor 
give  us  any  reafonable  account  why  the  tail-bones  of  fuch  a  parti- 
cular Fifi  (for  the  Jfieria  of  all  places  are  Striated  alike,  and  feem 
to  have  had  original  from  the  fame  Species)  (Tiould  be  thus  petrfc 
fied,  and  not  the  tail-bones  as  well  of  fome  others  ? 

106.  And  they  that  fanfie  the  feveral  Species  of  Brontia  to  be 
nothing  clfe  but  the  petrified  Jh ells  of  Echini  Spatagi,  or  Briffl; 
would  be  hard  put  to  it  to  reconcile  the  different  conditions  of 
that  fhell-fijh  and  thefe  ftones  :  for  firft,  the  Fifi  it  felf  is  but 
rarely  found,  •mhayiot  $  vatlvtot,  fays  4riftoth\  which  is  alfo  con* 
firmed  by  Rondeletiu<s\  whereas  the  Stones  are  plentiful  enough. 
Again,  the  Echinus  Spatagu*  has  but  few  briftlcs,  aculek  parvh  ($r 
yark  fcptws,  fays  the  fame  Rondeletiu* u,  and  thofe,  if  we  may  be- 
lieve the  Cuts  of  Authors,  but  diforderly  fet ;  which  how  a* 
grecable  to  our  Brontia,  Tab.  2.  and  3.  let  any  man  judge.  The 
firft  of  them  indeed  in  the  grofs  Figure,  is  like  the  Heriffbns  Spa± 
tagi  of  Boccone™  which  he  faw  in  Holland,  flat  like  zfrnall  cake ; 
but  he  tells  us  nothing  of  fuch  numberlefs  fmall  annulets  as  there 
are  in  our  Stones,  which  if  heretofore  the  places  of  fo  many 
hriftles,  but  ill  agree  with  the  defcription  of  Rondeletim.  Befide 
thefe  of  Oxford-fiire,  there  are  feveral  other  forts  that  I  have 
feen  in  other  Counties  (hereafter  to  be  reprefented,  in  cafe  this 
Ejfay  prove  acceptable)  which  I  could  heartily  wifh  the  Ingenious 
Sttno  and  Boccone^  or  any  other  Curiofo's,  for  the  better  clearing 
of  this  great  Controverfie,  would  undertake  to  parallel  (and  fo 

*  UiB.  Animalium,lih.^..caf.^.     *  Detifcibtu, lit.  18.  cap.  31.     b  Loco  citato.     w  Recherches  &  oh- 
(ervdtiont  tiaturelles  Lettrez6. 

P     2  Of 


ii 6  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

of  other  formed  flones  J  with  Jhtlls  in  all  parts  anfwerable. 

107.  They  that  think  the  Cornua  Ammon'n,  or  Ophiomorphites. 
to  have  been  formerly  nothing  but  Porcellane-fiells,  feem  alfo  to 
be  prerTed  with  the  like  difficulties  :  for  either  there  are  feverai 
forts  of  them  not  known  to  (I  am  furenotdefcribed  by)  Author^ 

or  elfe  our  flones  muft  have  their  formation  from  a  different  mold 
than  their  fiells.  For  fir  ft,  theftells  feem  to  be  extravagantly 
broad  at  the  mouth,  as  defcribed  by  Rondektiws  zndfonflon,  and 
not  to  have  more  than  two  other  fmall  turns  at  moft  ;  whereas  the 
turns  of  the  Ophiomorphit's  are  proportionable  to  one  another, 
and  in  number  many  times  four  or  five,  and  fomtimes  fix,  if  we 
may  believe  Aldrovandus x :  Of  which  difference  Chioccm y  feems 
to  have  been  fo  well  aware  in  his  defcription  of  the  latter  part  of 
the  Mufdtum  Calceolarium,  that  he  makes  the  Cornu  Ammonis  and 
Nautilus  lapidem  to  be  quite  different  things,  and  defcribes  the 
latter  very  broad  at  the  greater  end,  and  with  but  one  turn,  fom-* 
what  like  indeed  to  the  Porcellane-fiell. 

108.  Befide,  fo  far  are  fome  of  our  English  Opbiomorphif  s 
from  ever  having  been  formed  by  the  fiell  of  the  Nautilus,  that 
at  Huntley-Nab  in  the  North-riding  of  Tork-fiire,  they  are  found 
always  included  in  other  great  round  Jiones,  not  unlike,  fays  Mr. 
Cambden z,  to  Cannon  bullets.  And  at  Whitby,  fays  Mr.  Hay  %  in 
(tones  of  a  lenticular  figure,  which  if  formerly  they  had  been  the 
pells  of  Nautili,  how  they  fliould  become  thus  included  in  flones 
aifoof  -a  determinate  figure,  is  a  difficulty  more  infuperable  than 
any  of  the  former.  Add  hereunto  that  Mr,  Cambden  b,  and  fince 
him  Dr.  Cbildrey c  plainly  avouch,  that  the  Ophiomorphif 's  ofCain- 
fiam,  have  fome  of  them  heads,  and  that  in  this  they  differ  from 

thofe  of  Torkrfiire  :  Vidimus  aiim  lapidem  bine  delatum  ferpentis  in 
ffiram  revohti  effigie,  cujus  caput  in  circumferentia  prominuit,  extrema 
cauda  centrum  occupante,  are  the  very  words  of  Mr.  Cambden. 
Which  if  I  find  true  when  I  come  into  Svmerfet-ftire,  will  give  me, 
and  I  doubt  not,  others  fatisfa&ion  beyond  all  exception;  for 
that  the  fiells  of  the  Nautili  have  any  fuch  matter,  no  body  yet 
has,  nor  will  dare  to  pretend. 

1 09.  To  which  alfo  add  the  greatnefi  of  fome  of  thefe  fiones, 
whereof  there  are  fome  it  feems  near  two  d  foot  in  diameter,  far 

*  Mufieum Metallieum,  lib.^.  cap.x.  1  MupeumCakeolarium,fcH:.'i).p.if\6-  '  Cambden  m  Tork-Jhire. 
»  Topograph.  Objervat.  p.  114..  >>  Cambden  in  Somerjet-fhire-  «  Britannia  Bacimica  in  Smerjet/htre. 
*  Dr.  Merret's  Pinax  rtrum  natural,  pag.  215.* 

ex- 


t)fOXFO%p^SHl%E.  it; 

exceeding,  fays  Mr.  Ray  e  the  bulk  of  any  Jhell-fifh  now  Jiving  in 
our  fias.  To  which  it  it  be  faidthat  molt  petrifications  are  made 
either  by  aggregation^  by  intrufton  or  protrufion  of  parts,  which 
always  increafethe  bulk  of  the  fubjeft :  It  may  be  anfwered,  that 
though  fuch  augmentation  muft  be  allowed  indeed  in  many  cafes, 
yet  fure  it  did  not  fo  fall  out  in  the  petrification  of  the  Nephiri  or 
CockJe-fioneixLangley,  where  the  fiones  are  much  lefs  than  moil 
Natural^e/Zy. 

no.  Fifthly,  becaufe that  even  thofe fiones,  which  fo  exaclly 
reprefent  fome  fort  offiell-fijb,  as  Oyfiers,  Cockles,  (yc.  that  there 
can  be  no  exception  upon  the  account  of  figure,  but  that  they 
might  formerly  have  been  fliells  indeed  ;  at  fome  places  are  found 
with  only  one/bell,  and  not  the  other.  Thus  in  Cowley-common 
we  meet  only  with  the  gibbous,  and  not  the  flat  (hell  of  the  petri- 
fied Oyfier,  and  fo  of  the  Efcallop -fiones  in  the  Quarries  near 
Shot-over ;  which  had  they  been  once  the  fliells  of  Oyfiers  and 
Efcallops,  in  all  probability  had  fcarce  been  thus  parted. 

in.  Sixthly,  becaufe  I  can  by  no  means  fatisfie  my  felf,  how 
it  fhould  come  to  pafs,  that  in  cafe  thefe  ftones  had  once  been 
molded  in  fliells,  fome  of  the  fame  kind  ftiould  be  found  in  beds, 
as  the  Conchites  at  Langley,  Charleton,  Adderbury,  and  others, 
fcatter'd  as  at  Glympton  and  Teynton  ;  and  fo  the  Oftr aches  at  Shot- 
ever  and  Cowley.  Nor  how  it  ftiould  fall  out,  that  fome  of  thefe 
Bivalvulars  ftiould  always  be  found  with  their  fliells  apart,  as  the 
Ofiracites  and  Fettines  :  and  others  always  clofed  together,  as  the 
Conchites  in  all  places  I  have  yet  feen. 

ii2.  Laftly,  becaufe  many  of  thefe  formed fiones  feem  now  to 
be  in  fieri,  as  the  Selenites  at  Shot-over  and  Hampton-Gay,  the 
Conchites  zt  Glympton  and  Cornwell-,  where  within  one  of  the  clay 
Cockles  above-mentioned,  I  found  a  little  one  of  fione,  not  ex- 
ceeding a  vetch  in  bignefs  )  which  had  they  been  formed  hereto- 
fore by  Cockje-fijells,  in  all  likelyhood  would  both  either  have 
been  Stone  or  Clay.  Nor  can  it  befaid  they  were  brought  hither 
by  different  floods,  becaufe  they  were  both  found  in  the  fame 
bed,  one  included  in  the  other.  Which  is  all  I  have  to  urge  for 
this  part  of  the  Quefiion,  but  that  in  the  Bifiboprick^  Hildejheim, 
between  Mjdd  and  Eimbec,  there  is  a  fort  of  Ochre  that  forms 
it  felf  in  this  manner  into  the  ftape  of Oyfiers  f :  And  that  Mr.  Ray 

'  Topograph.  Obfervations,/>.  127.     f  LacbmaKdro^K^x"?  ft&-  J.  citf.  \. 

was 


ii  8  The  Statural  Hifiofy 

was  informed  by  a  perfon  of  good  credit,  of  a  flone  of  this  na- 
ture refembling  a  Cockje-fiell,  found  in  the  belly  of  a  Beef,  where 
in  all  likelyhood  it  bred,  and  (hot  into  that  figure :  Which  if  true, 
fays  he,  there  can  be  no  reafon  to  doubt,  but  that  thofe  in  the 
Quarries  and  other  places  arefo  generated. 

113.  But  againft  this  opinion  there  are  feveral  confiderable 
objeSlions  brought  by  the  ingenious  Mr.  Hock,  Steno  and 
Boccone,  which  I  {hall  next  faithfully  propound  to  the  bed  ad- 
vantage, and  then  fee  whether  they  may  not  more  eafily  be 
folved,  than  the  arguments  on  the  other  fide  perhaps  are  like 
to  be. 

114.  Firft,  That  amongft  thofe  ftones,  there  are  fome  with 
the  perfe&^e//,   in  figure,  colour  and  fubftance,  {ticking  to  their 
furface ;  efpecially,  fays  Mr.  HookJi   (difcourfing  of  thefe  mat- 
ters}   thofe  Serpentine  or  Helical  ftones  were  covered  with,  or  re- 
tained the  fiining  or  pearl-colour'' d  fubftance  of  the  infide  of  rffhell , 
which  fubftance  on  fome  parts  of  them  was  exceeding  thin,  and  might 
be  eafily  rubbed  off*   on  other  farts  it  was  pretty  thick-,  and  retained  a 
white  coat,  or  flaky  fubftance  on  the  top,  jufl  like  the  out  fides  of  fuch 
fhells  ;  fome  of  them  had  very  large  pieces  of  tbe  {hell,  very  plainly 
flicking  on  to  them,  which  were  eafily  broken  or  flaked  off  by  degrees. 
Add  hereunto  fome  particulars  mention'd  by  Stenob.      1.  That 
there  was  found  a  Fearl-bearingfiell  in  Tufcany,  a  F  earl  yet  flicking 
to  the  {hell.      2.   A  piece  of  the  great  Sea-nacre  [pinna  marina]  in. 
which  the  filkrlih  fubftance  within  the  fhell  being  con  fumed,  the  co- 
lour of  that  fubftance  did  remain  in  the  earthy  matter  which  had  fil- 
led the  {hell.      3.  That  about  the  City  of  Volaterra,  there  are  many 
beds  of  earth,  not  ft  ony, which  do  abound  with  true  Cockle-ihells,  that 
havefuffefd  no  change  at  all,  and  yet  they  muft  needs  have  lain  there 
above  ycooyears ;  whence  it  is  evident,  tbattbat  part  of  Tufcany 
was  of  old  time  cover'  d  with  the  Sea  :  And  why  then  might  not  as 
well  all  thofe  other  places  where  thefe  petrified  fiells  are  found  ? 
4.  To  which  alfo  let  me  add,  that  at  fome  places  here  in  Eng- 
land, particularly  at  Cats-grove  near  Reading,  a  place  fufficiently 
remote  from  the  Sea  (of  which  more  at  large  whenl  come  into 
Berk-fiire)  they  meet  with  a  bed  of  Oyfter-fiells  both  flat  and  gib- 
bous, about  1 2  or  14  foot  under  ground,  not  at  all  petrified,  all 
of  them  opened,  except  fome  very  few,  that  I  fuppofe  haveca- 

*  Micrograph.  Objerv.  lj.     b  InTrodromo. 

fually 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  ny 

fually  fallen  together  ;  which  how  they  fhould  come  there  with- 
out a  Deluge,  feems  a  difficulty  to  moft  men  not  eafily  avoid- 
ed. 

115.  To  all  which  it  may  be  anfwefed,  fifft  in  general  with 
Mr.  Lifter'1,  that  we  will  eafily  believe  that  along  the  (hoars  of 
moft  Countries,  fuch  as  are  particularly  the  (hoars  of  the  Britijb 
and  Mediterranean  Seas,  there  may  all  manner  of  Sea~(kells  be 
found  promifcuoufly  included  in  Rocks  or  Earth,  and  at  good  di- 
ftances  from  the  Sea,  where  the  grounds  are  no  higher  than  the 
Volaterran  hillock.-,  which  meeting  with  fuitable  petrifying  juices, 
may  either  be  wholly  petrified,  or  where  the  juices  are  not  com- 
potent,  be  only  metamorpbofdin  part,  fome  of  the  fielly  fubftance 
ftill  remaining ;  or  not  changed  at  all,  as  in  the  inftances  of 
Stenoy  and  perhaps  of  Mr,  Hcok,  for  he  tells  us  not  where  he 
found  thofe  femipetrified  Hones. 

116.  But  fecondly,  Suppofe  he  found  them  in  the  higheft  and 
moft  In-land  Counties,  fince  he  tells  us  not  that  he  found  them 
in  any  great  plenty,  we  can  eafily  alfo  admit  that  fome  fmall 
quantities  of  Jhells  thrown  away  after  the  Inhabitants  had  eaten 
the  fijb,  may  even  there  be  filled  with  mud  and  petrifying  juices, 
and  fo  turned  either  in  the  whole  or  part  into  ftone. 

117.  And  thirdly,  provided  it  be  near  a  great  Town  or  City, 
either  now  flourifhing,  or  that  did  fo  heretofore,  and  hath  for- 
merly been  the  feat  of  much  aftion  ;  it  may  be  allowed  alfo  that 
fome  quantities  of  pells  may  be  found,  either  perfectly  or  but 
imperfedtly petrified,  or  that  have  fuffer'd  no  change  at  all :  which 
helps  me  to  a  falvo  for  my  own  Objection  taken  from  the  bed  or 
true  Oyjler-Jhells  found  near  Reading,  it  having  been  a  Town  of 
very  great  aftion  during  the  Invafions  of  the  Danes,  who  cutting 
a  deep  trench  crofs  between  the  Kennet  and  Thames,  and  inclofmg 
themfelves  as  it  were  in  an  I/land,  held  it  againft  King  Ethelred, 
and  Alfred  his  Brother  k  a  confiderable  time ;  from  whence,  in 
all  probability,  the  Saxons  having  removed  their  Cattle  and  other 
provifions  before  the  Danes  arrival,  'tis  likely  that  they  might  be 
ftpplyed  from  their  Navy  with  Oyflers,  which  during  the  time  of 
the  aboad  of  the  Army  on  Land,  might  be  a  very  fuitable  employ- 
ment for  it :  Which  conjefture,  if  allowed,  there  is  nothing  more 

1  Vhilofifh.  Tranfatt.  Hum.  76.     *  Vid.  Hen.  Huntingdon,  lib.  $.    &  Ajjerium  Menrvtn.  de  rebui  gejik 
JElfredi. 

re- 


lib  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

required  to  make  out  the  poflibility  of  the  bed  of  Oyfters  coming 
thither  without  a  Deluge,  but  that  Cats-grove  was  the  place  ap- 
pointed for  the  Armies  repaft. 

1 1 8.  Secondly,  Ihztthefe  formed  ftones  are  many  of  them  in 
allrefpedts  like  the  Xiv'mg  fiell-fifi  ;  thus  fays  Boccone,  the  Her if 
fens  Spatagi  of  Jlone  {,  the  Cornua  Ammonh  or  Nautili  lapides  rn,  have 
the  very  marks,  characters,  eminencies,  cavities,  and  all  other 
parts  alike,  with  the  true  living  Nautili,  and  Heriffons  /patagi,  and 
Briffi  of  Imperato,  and  Rondelet,  which  proves,  fays  he,  the  body 
changed  to  have  been  the  very  fame  thing,  with  that  which  k  living. 
But  1  muft  tell  him,  it  do's  it  but  very  weakly,  all  arguments 
drawn  a  fimilitudine  being  the  moft  inefficacious  of  all  others, 
fuch  rather  illuftrating  than  proving ,  rather  perfwading  than 
compelling  an  adverfaries  affent  i  For  how  many  hundred  things 
are  there  in  the  World,  that  have  fome  refemblance  of  one  another, 
which  no  body  will  offer  to  think  were  ever  the  fame,  and  parti- 
cularly amongft  fome  other  formed  fiones  hereafter  to  be  mention- 
ed.    Such  are  the ftones  Otites,  ox  Auricular es,  feveral  forts  of 
Cardites,  Lapides  Mammillares,  Hyfterolithos,  ipc.   which  though 
they  as  exactly  refemble  thofe  parts  of  Men  from  whence  they 
have  their  names,  as  any  Concbites  or  Echinites  dothofefiell-fft ; 
yet  no  Man  that  lever  heard  of,  fo  much  as  dreamed  thatthefe 
were  ever  the  real  parts  of  Men,  in  procefs  of  time  thus  turned 
into  Hone.     As  well  might  we  fay,  that  our  Kettering-ftone  in 
Northamptonshire  here  in  England ,  was  once  nothing  elfe  but 
the  fpawn  of  Lobfters ;  than  which,  that  I  know  of,  there  is  no- 
thing more  like. 

119.  But  fhould  it  be  granted  that  thefe  ftone  Herifons  fyatagi 
were  fomtime  real  fiell-fijh,  as  reafonably  enough  perhaps  we 
may,  they  being  found  at  Malta,  as  you  come  into  the  Port  over- 
againft  St.  Erme n,  yet  this  by  no  means  would  conclude  that  all 
others  of  the  form  muft  needs  be  fo,  that  are  attended  with  much 
different,  and  indeed  (in  refpeel:  of  having  once  been  fiells)  in- 
explicable circumftances. 

1 20.  Thirdly  and  laftly,  That  itfeems  quite  contrary  to  the  infir- 
nite  prudence  of  Nature,  which  is  obfervable  in  all  its  works  and 
productions,  to  defign  every  thing  to  a  determinate  end,  and  for  the 
attaining  that  end,  makes  ufe  of  fuch  ways  as  are  (as  far  as  the  know- 

»  "Rtchmhes  ^  obftrvat.  Naturtllts,  Lettrt  26.    ■  Libro  citato,  Lettre  a8.     °  Libro citato,  Lettre  $6- 

ledge 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  ni 

ledge  of  man  ha*  yet  been  able  to  reach)  altogether  confonant  and  a- 
greeableto  mans  reafon,  and  of  no  way  or  means  that  doth  ccntraditt^ 
or  k  contrary  to  human  ratiocination  :  Whence  it  has  been  a  general 
obfervation  and  Maxim,  that  Nature  doth  nothing  in  vain.  h  funis 
Ifiy  contrary  to  that  great  wifdom  of  Nature,  that  thefe  Jnetilyjbaped 
bodies  fljould  have  all thofe  curious  figures  and  contrivances  f which 
many  of  them  are  adorned  and  contrived  with  J  generated  or  wrought 
by  a  plaftic  virtue,  fir  no  higher  end  than  only  to  exhibit  a  form  °. 

i2i.  To  which  I  anfwer,  that  Nature  herein  afts  neither  con- 
trary to  her  own  prudence,  human  ratiocination,  or  in  vain,  it  be- 
ing the  wifdo'm  and  goodnefs  of  the  Supreme  Nature,  by  the 
Scbool-men  called  Naturans,  that  governs  and  direcls  the  Natura 
naturata  here  below,  to  beautine  the  World  with  thefe  varieties  ; 
which  I  take  to  be  the  end  of  fuch  productions  as  well  as  of  mofl 
Flowers,  fuch  as  Tulips,  Anemones,  isc.  of  w'hich  we  know  as  lit- 
tle ufe  as  of  formed Hones.  Nay,  perhaps  there  may  proportion- 
ably,  number  for  number,  be  as  many  of  them  of  Medicinal  or 
other  ufe,  fuch  as  Selenites,  Belemnites,  Conchites,  Lapitjudaicus, 
isre.  as  there  are  of  Plants :  So  that  unlefs  we  may  fay  alfo 
(which  I  guefs  no  body  will)  that  thefe  are  produced  contrary 
to  the  great  wifdom  of  Nature,   we  muft  not  ofjlones. 

122.  And  thus  I  have  given  the  grounds  of  my  prefent  opinion, 
which  has  not  been  taken  up  out  of  humor  or  contradiclion,  with 
intent  only  to  affront  other  worthy  Authors  modeft  conjectures, 
but  rather  friendly  to  excite  them,  or  any  others,  to  endeavor  col- 
lections of ' fhell-fift),  and  parts  of  other  Animals,  that  may  an- 
fwer fuch  formed  Hones  as  are  here  already,  or  may  hereafter  be 
produced :  Which  when  ever  I  find  done,  and  the  reafons  alle- 
gcd folidly  anfwered,  I  fhall  be  ready  with  acknowledgment  to 
retraft  my  opinion,  which  I  am  not  fo  in  love  with,  but  for  the 
fake  of  Truth  I  can  chearfully  caft  off  without  the  leaft  relu- 
ftancy. 

123.  However,  in  the  meantime  fince  no  doubt  it  will  be  ex- 
pected, upon  fo  deliberate  rejeftion  of  Animal  molds,  thatfome 
further  and  more  particular  account  fhould  be  given  of  the  Pla- 
flic  virtue,  or  whatever  elfe  it  is,  thateffefts  thefe ftapes :  I  fhall 

briefly  fet  down  alfo  my  prefent  thoughts  concerning  it,  which 
yet  I  intend  not  my  felf  (much  lefs  defire  the  Reader)  to  em- 

•  Mr.Hovkf  Micrographkt,  Obfcrv- 1/. 

(L  kiaee, 


Hi  The  Statural  Hijlorj 

brace,  any  further  then  1  (hall  find  them  agreeable  to  future  ex- 
perience. 

1 24.  That  Salts  are  the  principal  Ingredients  onflows,  I  think 
has  fofufficiently  been  noted  already,  that  to  »endeavor  any  fur- 
ther evidence  of  the  thing,  would  be  aflum  agere  in  me,  and  lofs 
of  time  to  the  Reader  :  And  if  of  flows  in  general,  much  ra- 
ther fure  of  formed  ones,  it  being  the  undoubted  prerogative  of 
the  Saline  Principle  to  give  Bodies  their  figure,  as  well  as  folidity 
and  duration :  No  other  principle  that  we  yet  know  of  naturally 
(hooting  into  figures, .  each  peculiar  to  their  own  kind,  but  falts  ; 
thus  Nitre  always  shoots  into  Pyramids,  fait  Marine  into  Cubes, 
Alum  into  ofto,  and  Sal  Armoniac  into  Hexaedrums ,  and  other 
mixt  Jalts  into  as  mixt  figures. 

125.  Of  thefe  fpontaneous  inclinations  of  falts,  each  pecu- 
liar to  its  kind,  we  have  further  evidence  in  the  Cbymical  Anato- 
my of  Animals,  particularly  in  the  volatile  fait  of  Harts-horn, 
which  in  the  beginning  of  its  afcent  is  always  {een  branched  in 
the  head  of  the  Cucurbit  like  the  natural  Horn.  And  we  were 
told  the  laft  Term  by  our  very  Ingenious  and  Learned  Sidleyan- 
Profeffor  *  here  in  Oxon,  That  the  fait  of  Vipers  afcends  in  like 
manner,  and  shoots  into Jbapes  fomwhatlike  thofe  Animals,  pla- 
ced orderly  in  the  gfofl.  Thus  in  congelations  which  are  all 
wrought  by  adventitious  falts,  we  frequently  find  curious  ramifi- 
cations, as  on  Glafs-windows  in  winter,  and  the  figur'd  flakes 
offhow ;  of  which  Mr.  HookJ  obferved  above  an  hundred  feveral 
forts,  yet  all  of  them  branched  as  we  paint  fiars,  with  fix  prin- 
cipal Radii  of  equal  length,  shape,  and  make,  iffuing  from  a  cen- 
ter where  they  are  all  joined  in  angles  of  60  degrtes. 

126.  What  fait  it  (Tiould  be  that  gives  this  figure,  though  it  be 
hard  to  determin,  yet  certainly  it  muft  not  be  a  much  different 
one  from  that  which  gives  form  to  our  Aflroites  and  Afleri*,wheie~ 
of,  though  the  latter  have  but  five  points,  and  therefore  making 
angles  where  they  are  joy ned  at  the  center  of  72  degrees  ;  yet  the 
Affroites  both  in  tnezgp  Rilievo  and  Intagli,  as  in  Tab.  2.  have  ma- 
ny more.  Perhaps  there  may  be  fomthing  of  an  Antimonial fait 
that  may  determin  Bodies  to  this  $~larry  figure,  as  no  queftion  it 
do's  in  the  Regulut,  and  the  Caput  mortuum  of  the  Cinnabar of An- 
timony.    To  luch  a  fait  may  alio  be  referr'd  our  BrontU  or  Om- 

•  Dr.  Tbo-  MiUington  Fellow  of  All  Souls  Coll.    p  Mr.  Hioit  Micrograph  Obferv- 14.  Schem.  8. 

hridt, 


OfOXFO^V-Stil^E.  Hi 

hide,  arid  all  the  Echinites,  fome  whereof  are  plainly,  all  in  fome 
meziuYefiellatedzt  the  top. 

i  27.  The  Belemnites  which  are  all  Striated  from  a  Centtfi  yet 
in  the  whole  afleft  a  pyramidal  form  ;  feem  to  have  fom  what  alfo 
of  an  Antimcnial,   but  a  more  prevalent  quantity  of  a  nitrcm 

fah. 

128.  theConchites,  Pe£linites,i\nd  Oftracites,  whether  tranf- 
verily  firiated,  or  from  the  commijfures  to  the  hot,  feem  to  own 
their  origin  to  urinous  falts,  which  shoot  likewife  from  a  Center 
(as  fuppofefrom  the  hinges  of  thefe  fiones*)  but  generally  are  moft: 
extended  to  one  fide,  as  may  be  feen  in  the  branched  figure  form- 
ed on  the  furface  of  urine  by  freezing,  in  Mr.  Hooks  Micrography"1  5 
whofey?ri<£  not  obtaining  much  above  the  quadrant  of  a  circle, 
whatever  other  difference  there  may  be,  in  this  refpecl  at  lead  is 
agreeable  to  our  fiones. 

129.  To  which  add  the  Ophiomorphifs,  or  Corn u a  Ammonite 
mod  probably  formed  either  by  two  falts  shooting  different  ways, 
which  by  thwarting  one  another  make  a  helical  figure,  juft  as  two' 
Oppofite  winds  or  Waters  make  a  Turbo  ;  or  elfe  by  fome  fimple, 
yet  Unknown  fait,  that  afters  fuch  a  figure:  perhaps  the  items 
and  branchings  bended  in  a  moft  excellent  and  regular  order,  like 
the  ribs  of  fome  of  our  Ophiomorphit's,  obferved  by  Mr.  Hook.* 
in  Regulvs  Martk  flellatut,  might  not  a  little  conduce  to  the  clear- 
ing this  matter. 

130.  How  near  I  am  to  the  mark  inthefe  former  Conjectures,  I 
dare  not  too  temerarioufly  refolve  :   But  as  to  the  formation  of 
the  Rkomboideal Selenites,Tab.  i.Fig.  1.   with  a  little  mote  con- 
fidence I  fhall  venture  to  pronounce  it,  to  come  from  a  Tartareou* 
fait  in  the  Earth  ;   having  obferved  in  the  Honorable  Kr.BoyPs 

way  of  preparing  Tartarized  Spirit  of  Winer,  that  the  Calx  of 
Tartar  being  fated  with  the  phlegm atick.  part  of  the  Spirit,  and 
diflblved  by  the  heat ;  fetto  cool,  fomtimes  (hoots  (I  dare  noE 
fay  always)  exa&ly  into  fuch  Rhomboideal  figures  made  up  of 
plates,  and  the  whole  Rhomboids  fomtimes  ifluing  out  of  one  an- 
other, juft  as  we  find  the  Selenites  often  do. 

1 3  i .  More  might  have  been  added  concerning  fome  othef 
formed 'y?owj- hereafter  to  be  mention'd  ;  but  I  have  now  only  time 
to  hint  my  Hypcthefis,  which  I  fuppofe  may  be  fufficiently  done 

s  li.Jan.    *  Mkrographiaolifcrv.i^    f  EfTay  i.  of  the  u'nfuccefsfulnefs  of  Experiments. 

Q  2  hi 


n^  The  Statural  Hiflory 

in  the  afore-going  inftances  ;  not  intending  to  profecute  it  fur- 
ther till  I  have  had  more  experience,  which  this  my  prefent  at- 
tempt ferves  to  shew  the  World  is  yet  but  fmall.  And  therefore 
I  haften  on  to  therefidue  of  the  formed  flows,  which  according  to 
my  method  laid  down  in  the  beginning  of  this  Chapter  (having 
done  with  all  fuch  as  relate  to  the  waters)  arethofe  thatrefemble 
any  terrestrial  bodies  ;  andamongft  them,  firft  of  fuch  as  belong 
to  the  vegetable  Kingdom. 

132.  Whereof  there  are  fome  that  reprefent  whole  Plants, 
and  fuch  is  the  Fungites  or  Tuberoides,  found  fomwhere  in  the 
Chiltern  about  Stoke.n-Church-hill,  and  engraven  Tab.  6.  Fig.  1. 
of  a  cinereous  colour  without,  but  a  blackFlint  within,  and  live- 
ly reprefenting  one  of  the  fungi  letbales  non  efculenti. 

133.  Others  there  are  that  refemble  only  the  parts  of  Plants? 
and fuclris  that depifted  Tab. 6.  Fig.  1.  like  zBryony-root  broken 
off'  tranfverfly,  and  fhewing  the  fibrilldt  from  the  center  to  the 
circumference,  with  the  othery?n'<€  defcending  down  the  fides,  and 
the  annulary  divifions  ;  and  all  thefe  in  a  ffone  fo  exactly  of  the  co- 
lour of  a  Bryony-root,  that  it  would  be  hard  to  diftinguifh  it, were 
it  not  for  the  weight.  This  was  found  in  the  Quarry-pits  of  rub- 
ble ftone  near  Shot-over  hill.  * 

134.  And  others  there  are  again  like  the  Fruits  of  'Trees,  as  in 
Tab.  6.  Fig.  3,  and  4.  which  in  general  may  be  called  Lapidespy- 
riformes,  whereof  the  firft  is  a  blach^flint  found  fomwhere  near 
Bix  brand,  above  eleven  inches  round,  and  in  bignefs  and  form 
refembling  the  Bell  or  King-pear:  The  other  a  fort  of  Pebble? 
whitifh  without,  and  yellow  within  (as  manifeftly  appears  at  the 
place  of  the  £?rig)  in  the  shape  of  a  Warden-pear,  found  in  the 
Parish  of  U^aterSiock,  by  the  Learned  and  Ingenious  Sir  George 
Croke,  fomwhere  near  his  houfe. 

135.  In  the  Parish  of  Whitchurch  not  far  from  Hardwickrhoufc, 
I  found  a  hard  ftone  in  the  form  of  an  Apricock.,  with  the  Rimula 
or  cleft  from  the  pedicle  to  theatre,  juft  as  in  the  true  plum,  and 
as  depi&ed  Tab.  6.  Fig.  5.  And  in  the  Quarries  of  rubble  ftone 
near  Shotover-hill,  I  met  with  a  kind  of  ffar,  shot  exactly  in- 
to protuberances  (and  in  the  whole  bulk)  like  a  Mulberry,  as  in 
Fig.  6. 

136.  On  the  Cbiltern-K\\\s  near  to  Sherbourn,  I  found  a  white 
Flint,  with  another  fct  in  it,  in  the  form  of  a  Luca  Olive,  as  in 

Fig.  j. 


ofOXFOtRp-SHI%E.  115 

Fig.  7.  To  which  may  be  added,  the  Lapides  Judaki  or  Oxford- 
fiire,  which  though  of  a  much  more  (lender  and  longer  figure 
than  any  fort  of  Olive,  yet  becaufe  in  other  Countries  they  are 
found  in  that  shape,  and  for  that  very  reafon  called  fomtimes  Py- 
renes,  and  treated  on  by  Authors  s  amongft  flones  relating  to  the* 
fruits  of  Trees,  I  shall  not  change  their  place.  We  find  them 
hereof  different cizes,  from  abcut  two  inches  in  length  and  an 
inch  and  half  in  circuit,  downwards  to  an  inch  andlefs  in  length, 
and  not  much  above  half  an  inch  round  :  Moft  of  them  have  a 
kind  of  pedicle,  from  which  they  feem  to  have  had  their  growth, 
and  are  ridged  and  channelled  the  whole  length  of  the  Jlone0  the 
ridges  be'mgpurled  with  fmall  knots,  fet  in  the  Quincunx  order,  as 
in  Tab.  6.  Fig.  8.  As  to  their  texture,  1  find  it  to  be  very  curious, 
made  up  of  Lamella  or  little  thin  plates,  not  unlike  the  flone  Se- 
lenites  ;  only  thefe  are  opaque,  and  the  whole  bulk  of  the  flone 
indeed  much  different.  The  Plates,  as  in  the  Selenites,  feem  to 
be  made  up  of  firings,  which  in  moft  of  them  run  three,  but  in 
fome  but  two  ways  ;  according  to  the  running  of  thefe  firings 
the  slones  willeafily  cleave,  but  generally  fome  one  way  rather 
than  any  other,  which  moft  commonly  is  agreeable  to  the  helical 
running  of  the  ridges  of  knots  or  furrows  between .  them,  yet  all 
ways  obliquely  to  the  Axis  of  the  ftone,  as  is  perfectly  shewn, 
Tab.  6.  Fig.  9.  which  reprefents  the  flone  broken  the  three  fe- 
veral  ways. 

137.  By  Authors  they  are  faid  to  be  of  different  Sexes,  the 
leffer  and  rounder  of  the  feminine,  and  the  greater  and  longer  of 
the  mafculine  gender ;  whereof  the  former  is  good  againft  the 
flone  in  the  bladder,  and  the  latter  againft  it  in  the  kidneys,  for 

which  reafons  they  are  fomtimes  by  Authors  called  Eurrhei,  and 
Tecolithi.  The  greater  and  longer,  fays  Gefner '  are  rarely  found, 
but  that  muft  be  reftrained  to  his  own  Country  ;  for  here  in  Ox- 
ford-Jhire,  and  particularly  in  the  Quarries  of  rubble  ftone  near 
Shotover-h\\\,  we  have  plenty  of  them. 

138.  There  is  another  fort  of  them  alfo  at  the  fame  place, 
much  more  (lender  than  the  reft,  plain  and  fmooth,  without  ei- 
ther ridges  or  channels,  mention'd  by  Cafalpinus u  ;  which  (and 
not  the  Laphjudaicwi)  by  him  is  faid  to  be  the  true  Tecolithm  of 

f  Gefner  it  Figum  Labium,  cap.  <j-    «  Hem  loco  citato.    ■»  Andreas  Oralpinus  ie  Metallicis,  lib.i- 

Pliny™, 


n6  The  5\(jttt4ral  Hijlory 

Pliny  w,  that  breaks  and  expels  the  ilone^  if  the  Patient  do  but 
lick  it.  Of  colour. without,  it  is  a  whitifh  yellow,  and  breaks 
into  Chining  white  plates  oblikely  to  the  axis  of  the  (lone,  like  the 
former,  but  whether  made  up  of  threds  running  diifering  ways, 
I  could  not  afford  to  try,  having  but  one  of  the  kind  ;  which 
was  found  and  given  me,  befide  feveral  other  matters  of  the 
fame  nature,  by  my  very  good  Friend  Edward  Tjfon  A.  M.  an 
ingenious  and  induftrious  fearcher  into  the  works  of  Nature  and 
Arts. 

139.  Hither  alfomuft  be  referr'd  the  frefh  water  Adarce  made 
at  the  Cafcadt  at  Sommerton,  which  though  but  a  meer  incrujlation, 
and  formed  not  of  it  felf,  but  ad  formam  alterius,  viz.  of  the 
grafs  about  which  it  gachers,  and  therefore  none  of  the  Litbo- 
pbyta  ;  yet  it  having  fome  form,  though  but  accidental,  I  have 
thought  rather  fit  to  mifplace  ithere,than  omit  to  (hew  the  Read- 
er how  prettily  the  graft  is  fhesthed  with  flone,  which  is  accu- 
rately expreffed  by  Fig.  10, 

140.  Thus  having  done  with  the  Lapides  <putd«^$,  T  proceed 
to  the  ffones  refembling  Animals,  either  in  the  whole  or  parts; 
amongft  which,  fome  there  are  that  feem  to  have  been  reptils  pe- 
trified, which  poffibly  en6ugh  coming  to  the  places  where  they 
are  now  found  in  flone  without  the  difficulties  of  a  flood,  may  be 
true  enough  too  :  though  I  know  fome  places  in  other  Counties, 
where  there  are  Cocbleomorpbit's  ox  [nail  jl ones  fo  thick,  that  they 
feem  unlikely  to  have  ever  been  the  [foils  of  that  Animal.  Jn 
Oxfird-ftire  indeed  I  have  met  with  but  two,  one  at  Teyntcn,  and 
another  in  the  rubble  Quarries  near  Sbotover-h\\\,  both  which  be- 
ing of  the  fame  ffiape,  colour  and  bignefs,  are  reprefented  toge- 
ther under  Fig  1 1 . 

141.  At  the  fame  rubble  Quarries  we  find  alfo  the  Lapides  ver-> 
miculares,  or  worm-Jlones  of  two  forts,  whereof  one  is  of  a  whi- 
tifh yellow  colour,  not  hollow  within,  and  as  far  as  I  could  per- 
ceive of  the  fame  texture  with  the  rubble  /lone  it  felf;  fome  of 
them  are  of  the  bignefs  of  a  fmall  quill,  and  he  in  the  rock  in  mezjo 
rilievo  irregularly  contorted,  much  after  the  manner  of  the  Ver* 
micchiara,  or  Alcycnio  Milefw  oi~F  err  ante  lmperato  *,  as  in  Tab,  6. 
Fig.  13.  whereas  the  other  fort  lies  in  the  very  body  of  the 

fione->  of  a  white   colour ,    and   regularly  curled  up  like  the 

w  Nat.  HH.  lib.  37.  cap.  10.     *  DeU'lTi/t.  Naturale,  lib.  27.  cap.  8- 

fpring 


Of  OXFO  %<D~SHl%Mi  «# 

fpring  of  a  Watch*  as  in  Fig.  i2< 

142.  After  thofe  that  concern  Reptih,  corhe  we  next  to;  form- 
ed ftones  that  refemble  the  parts  of  four  footed  beafts,  whereof  we 
meet  with  one  fort  in  the  Quarries  at  Heddington,  fet  in  the  body 
of  the  (lone,  the  moft  like  to  the  head  of  a  Horfe  of  any  thing  I 
can  think  of;  having  the  ears,  and  creft  of  the  mane  appearing 
between  them,  the  places  of  the  eyes  fui'tably  prominent,  and  the 
reft  of  the  face  entire,  only  the  mouth  and  noftrih  are  "abfent  in 
them  all,  as  in  Tab.j.  Fig.i.  Thefe  are  plentifully  enough  found, 
and  of  divers  cizes,  yet  not  mention'd  that  I  know  of  by  any 
Author,  wherefore  I  have  taken  the  boldnefs  to  fit  them  with  a 
name,  and  in  imitation  of  other  Authors  (in  the  like  cafe)  flia.ll 
call  them  Hippocephaloides. 

143.  At  Heddington  in  the  fame  Quarry  there  are  plenty  of 
Cardites,  ox  ftones  in  the  forms  of  hearts,  but  by  Authors,  becaufe 
of  their  bignefs,  generally  called  Bucardites-,  or  ftones  like  Bulls 
hearts.  Thefe  at  Heddington  are  all  of  them  of  a  whitifli  yellow 
colour,  fmooth  arid  plain,  asin  Tab;  ^,  Fig.  2.  but  there  are  o- 
thers  found  about  Brife-Norton  and  Witney,  that  feem  to  be  ribbed 
on  each  fide,  as  in  Fig-  3.  Of  thefe  I  had  one  fent  me  by  my 
worthy  Friend  Robert  Ferrot  Efq;  from  North- Leigh,  ten  inches 
round,  and  near  two  pounds  in  weight,  which  is  the  biggeft  of 
the'kind  that  I  ever  yet  faw,  except  one  that  I  found  at  Shetfordj 
going  up  a  little  hill  eaft- ward  of  the  town,  about  20  pounds  in 
weight,  though  broken  half  away,  curioufly  reticulated  with  a 
white-fpar-colour'd  /tone,  as  in  Tab.  7.  Fig,  4.  which  being 
much  too  heavy  for  my  Horfe-portage,  was  afterward  upon -my 
direction,  fetch'd  away  by  that  miracle  of  Ingenuity  Sir  Anthony 
Cope,  fince  whofe  deceafe  it  is  come  I  fuppofe  into  the  hands  of 
his  equally  ingenious  Brother  Sir  John  Cope,  the  Heir  of  his  Vir- 
tues as  well  as  Eftate. 

1 44.  To  thefe  add  the  Orchites-,  or  Lapides  tefticulares,  that  lie 
at  the  foot  of  Shotover-h\\\,  which  though  indeed  they  extrava- 
gantly exceed  thofe  parts  as  well  of  beafts  as  men,  yet  of  the  tvvo 
1  rather  thought  fit  to  place  them  here  :  Moft  of  them  lie  in  pairs 
coupled  together,  as  in  Tab.  7,  Fig.  6.  and  are  called  Diorchites; 
but  fomtimes  (as  it  alfo  falls  out  in  monftrous  Animals)  there  are 
three  of  them  found  together,  and  then  we  call  them  TriorchiteSj 
whereof  there  are  two  or  three  on  the  foot  of  the  fame  Hill  of  fo 

Vaft* 


Il8  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

vaft  a  bignefs,that  I  guefs  they  cannot  be  lefs  than  a  tun  in  weighti 
I  am  fure  that  which  lies  higheft  on  the  Hill,  and  is  here  repre- 
fented  Fig.$ .  is  fo  much  at  the  leaft.  Of  thefe  all  that  Weftern 
fide  of  the  Hill  feems  to  be  compofed,  if  one  may  guefs  by  their 
appearance  above  the  ground  on  each  hand  the  way  ;  but  how 
they  ihould  come  there,  or  with  what  ^nbnal-mo\d  formed  (if 
not  by  fome  yeaAhrplafiic  power  in  the  earth")  1  leave  to  the  fa- 
vorers of  that  opinion  to  find. 

145.  Hither  alfo  I  muft  refer  for  the  very  fame  reafon,  a  fort  of 
ftone  found  in  the  Quarries  of  rubble  ftone  near  Shotover,  com- 
pofed as  it  were  of  filaments  like  hair,  which  yet  muft  not  be  the 
Polythrix  of  Pliny x  becaufe  nor  greenifh,  nor  the  Bofirychites  of 
Zoroaftres,  or  the  Corfoides  of  the  fame  Pliny1,  becaufe  neither 
gray  nor  long.  However,  let  it  be  a  Thrichites  (though  the  word 
be  differently  ufed  by  Diofeoridesz)  and  the  rather  placed  here,be- 
caufe  moft  like  the  fhort  hair  of  beajls  :  Of  colour  it  is  yello wifti, 
and  each  hair  (as  they  appear  in  the  Micro/cope')  feems  tohe  firiated 
and  channelled  its  whole  length ;  but  to  the  naked  eye  they  (hew 
themfelves  only  in  columns,  which  at  certain  diftances  are  all  joint- 
ed, as  in  Fig.  7. 

146-  Befide  the  ftones  reprefenting  the  parts  of  the  Viviparous, 
I  have  met  with  one  that  feems  to  belong  to  the  oviparous  Quadru- 
pedes,  and  that  is  a  Bufonites  or  Toad-Hone,  which  perhaps  may 
better  deferve  its  name,  than  any  yet  mention'd  by  other  Authors. 
For  by  my  Bufonites  or  Toad-fione,  I  intend  not  that  fhining  po- 
\ift\'d  fione,  firft  demonftrated  by  the  Ingenious  and  Learned  Dr. 
Merret ,  in  His  Majefiies  prefence,  to  be  nothing  elfe  but  the 
jaw-tooth  or  grinder  of  the  Lupus  marinus,  and  fo  confeft  to  be 
by  the  Gold-fmiths  that  fold  them.  But  a  certain  reddifh  liver- 
colour'd  real  y?o/ze,indeed  of  the  form  of  thofe  of  the  Sharkrfifi? 
i.  e*  like  the  fegment  of  nfphere,  convex  at  the  top,  and  concave 
underneath,  as  in  Tab.  7.  Fig.  8.  but  found  amongft  the  Gravel 
in  Magdalen  Coll.  Walks  :  and  may  be  fo  called  (as  I  prefume  the 
others  are)  from  fome  refemblance  they  have  to  the  figure  of  a 
Toads  skull,  not  that  there  comes  any  fuch  thing  out  of  a  vexed 
toads  head,  as  is  commonly  and  no  lefs  fabuloufly  reported. 

147.  Ihejlones  that  refcmble  the  parts  of  Men  being  next  to 
be  confider'd,  I  fhall  begin  with  thofe  that  have  relation  to  the 

■  Nat  Hi  ft. /it.  17.  cap.  19.     1  idem  loco  titato.     *  Lii.  5  cap.  1 14, 

ktad* 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  n9 

head,  and  fo  clefcend  in  order  to  the  lower  parts  •■  According  to 
which  method^  the  firft  that  prefents  it  felf  is  one  of  the  BrontU^ 
whofe  upper  part  was  defcribed  before,  feft.  33.  of  this  Chapter*, 
where  I  had  alfo  (hewn  its  bafis,  but  that  it  fomwhat  refembles 
part  of  the  lynl<pa,*.or,  or  bafis  of  a  Mans  brain,  yet  included  with- 
in its  dura  Meninx,  with  the  feveral^irj  of  nerves  cut  afunder  as 
they  come  through  it,  according  as  the  brain  is  prepared  and  in- 
verted in  Dr.  Willis  new  way  of  differing  it:  Befide  the 
exit  of  the  proce/Tm  Mammillares,  and  feveral  jtoir.?  of  nerves,  it  has 
a  fair  refemblance  of  the  Cerebellum  at  a  a,  2nd  of  the  Medulla 
oblongata  at  b  b,  as  is  plainly  reprefented  in  Tab.  7.  Fig.  9.  This 
was  found,  asabove-faid,  in  the  Chiltern  Country,  and  much  bet- 
ter dcferves  the  name  of  Encephaloides,  than  any  defcribed  by  Al- 
drovanduth,  or  others. 

1 48.  Add  hereunto  another  fort  of  Jlone,  found  in  the  rubble 
Quarry  near  Shotover-hWl,  lively  reprefenting  the  Olfattory  nerves 
or  par  primum,  entire  and  whole,  and  not  cut  off  Of  thefc  there 
are  many  to  be  found  in  thek  pits  of  a  yellowifh  colour,  fmooth 
without,  and  I  think  all  of  them  (for  I  have  broke  feveral)  hoU 
low  within,asin7d£.  J.  Fig.  10. 

149.  I  have  alfo  2  Jlone  (not  unlike  2, pebble*)  found  fom where 
in  the  gravel  near  the  City  of  Oxford,  of  an  oval  figure,  and  for 
the  greateft  part  of  a  reddifli  colour ;  but  at  one  end  diftin- 
guifh'd,  firft  with  a  circle  of  white,  within  which  is  a  Zone  of 
the  proper  colour  of  the  jlone,  and  then  a  round  pupilla  of  white^ 
in  the  whole  refembling  the  figure  of  an  Eye  obfcured  by  a  Cata- 
rafi,  as  in  Tab.  7.  Fig.  n.  This  1  fhould  have  taken  fortheftone 
called  Beli  Oculus,  but  that  Poetiws  c  exprefly  makes  the  body  of 
that  toleof  a  white  colour  :  The  neareft  it  comes  to  any  yet 
defcribed,  is  the  Leucophthalmm  of  Pliny,  which  he  plainly  fays 
is  of  a  reddifh  colour,  in  which  yet  it  carryeth  the  form  of  an 
Eye  both  for  white  and  black  d ;  And  fo  do's  ours,  only  it  wants 
the  black  Pupilla,  which  we  muft  fuppofe  to  be  covered  by  a  Ca- 
taraft.  However,  it  may  pafs  for  an  Ophthalmites,  or  fome  fort 
cf  Eye-done :  whence  I  proceed  to  fome  others,  in  shape  alfo  of 
another  of  our  fenfes  Organs. 

•>  Mufawn  MetaUieum,  lit.  4.  c- \.  fag.  477.     c  Boetiuf  deBoot,  de  lapid.  &  gem. lit-  2.  (•  99.     *  Nai. 
Hifi.  lit.  37.  cap.  10.     d  Vid.  Era/mi  Colloquium  cui  Tit.  Peregrinatio Religionit  ergo. 

R  1^0.  Which 


ip  The  Statural  Hijlory 

150.  Which  by  reafon  they  fo  well  refemble  the  Ears  of  a  Mdn, 
though  much  lefs,  asm  Tab.  7.  Fig.  12.  I  have  made  bold  to 
call  them  Otites,  or  Auriculares :  Of  which  we  have  plenty  in  the 
rubble  Quarries  near  Shotover,  in  the  banks  of  the  High-ways 
North  of  Fulbr  ookChmch  ;  but  the  mod  I  faw  any  where  yet,  are 
in  a  bank  near  a  firing  rifing  at  Sommerton  Towns  end,  Eaftward 
from  the  Church,  in  the  Lerdfiip  of  the  Worfhipful  Richard  Fer- 
mor  Efq?*  whofe  many  ingenious  Contrivances  about  his  Houfe, 
befide  other  afliftances  he  readily  afforded  me,  have  eminently 
contributed  to  this  Hiftory,  as  will  more  abundantly  appear  in  the 
Chapter  of  Arts. 

151.  From  theVpper,  I  defcend  next  to  fuch  formed ftones  as 
refemble  any  of  the  parts  of  the  middle  Ventricle-,  or  Thorax'. 
whereof  I  met  with  fome  on  Stokgn-Church  Hill.,  of  a  Flinty  fub- 
ftance,  ftrangely  like  to  human  Paps,  or  Duggs  ;  having  not  only 
the  Mamma,  but  Papilla  too,  furrounded  by  an  Areola,  and  ftud- 
ded  withfmall  protuberances,  as  in  Tab.  7,  Fig.  ult.  and  there- 
fore well  deferving  the  name  of  Mammillares  :  than  which  yet  I 
had  once  a  much  better  pattern,unhappily  loft  in  the  portage,  be- 
twixt my  Chamber  and  the  Gravers. 

152.  And  if  we  look  further  into  the  inner  parts,  I  have  ifiont 
that  fo  exquifitely  reprefents  the  Heart  of  a  Man,  as  \nTab.  8. 
Fig.  1 .  that  at,  and  near  the  bafis,  there  remains  the  trunck  of  the 
defcending  part  of  the  Vena  Cava  at  a,  the  afcending  portion  of 
the  Vena  Cava  ztb  ^  and  from  the  left  Ventricle  the  trunck  of  the 
Arteria  magna,  tending  upwards  at  c,  and  a  portion  of  the  fame 
Artery  tending  downwards  at  d.  This  wasalfo  found  on  the 
Hills  near  Stolon-Church-,  being  a  whitifti  kind  of  Flint,  and  per- 
haps may  merit  the  name  of  Anthropocardites.  Whereunto  add 
another  found  in  the  Gravel  near  Oxford,  by  my  ingenious  Friend 
John  Banisler  M.  A.  of  Magdalen  College,  which  though  not  fo 
exaftly  of  the  shape  of  a  Heart  as  the  former,  yet  becaufe  ftellated 
all  over  from  the  bafis  to  the  mucro,  as  in  Fig.  2.  1  thought  its 
admittance  would  not  be  ungrateful  to  the  Reader. 

153.  Other/otftt  there  are  alfo  inlikenefs  of  fome  parts  of  the 
Abdomen  or  loweft  Ventricle  ;  fuch  are  the  slones,  Vidymoides,  found 
in  the  Quarries  of  rubble  ftone  near  Shotover-hil],  having  upon 
it  both  the  rugofity,  and  future  of  the  Scrotum,  And  Phalloides, 
which  1  met  with  near  the  Wind-mill  at  Nettlebed,  perfectly  re- 

prefenting. 


1AKVII 


pag:^' 


Of  OXFO%V~SHI%E.  131 

preferring  the  glans  and  pr<eputium  penhhumani  ;  but  without 
any  fr&num  faftened  to  the  urethra  ;  Of  which  but  of  modefty 
I  have  given  no  fculptures. 

154.  To  thefe  add  another  'ft  one  which  we  may  call  LaphKit* 
phriticns,  not  from  any  likenefs  either  in  colour  or  effeft  to  the 
whitijh green  Jioneukd  in  diftempers  of  the  Kidneys  (though  the 
fignature  it  carries  might  perfwade  a  tryal)  but  from  the  colour 
and  figure  it  has  of  the  Kidney  of  an  Animal,  with  a  trunck.  of 
one  of  the  Vreters  defcending  from  the  hollow  of  it,  as  in  Tab.  8. 
Fig.^.  This  fione  was  lent  me  by  the  Reverend  and  univerfally 
Learned  Dr.  Ralph  Bathutft ,  Vice-Chancellor  of  Oxford,  and 
Veanof  Wells,  one  of  the  moft  cordial  Encouragers  of  this  de-* 
fign ;  who  found  it  hanging  to  an  Oyfter  by  that  part  which  repre- 
Tents  the  Vreter,  which  was  then  fo  foft  that  he  eafily  cut  it  a~ 
way  with  his  knife ;  but  within  lefs  than  an  hour  (like  the  Gorgo-> 
nia  of  Pliny  *)  it  grew  as  hard  as  the  reft  of  the  ftone,  which  I 
guefs  may  be  equal  to  that  of  a  Pebble :  preferving,  I  juppofe,  its 
native  foftnefs  whil'ft  it  enjoyed  the  faltfieams  in  the  heap  of 
Oyfters,  and  not  hardning  .till  expofed  to  the  purer  Air  ;  which 
evidently  fhews  (though' the  opinion  be  exploded  of  Coral) 
that  there  are  indeed  fome  other  Sea  things,  foft  under  water,  or 
whil'ft  they  enjoy  the  fteams  of  it,  that  as  foon  as  expofed  to  the 
freiher  Air,  become  prefently  fionts. 

155.  Next  the  ftones  that  relate  to  either  of  the  three  Ventrfa 
cles,  come  we  next  tofuch  as  concern  the  Artws,  or  other  mem* 
hers  of  the  body  :  Amongft  which,  I  have  one  dug  out  of  a  Quar- 
ry in  the  Parifti  of  Cornwell,  and  given  me  by  the  ingenious  Sir 
Thomas  Ptnnyilon,  that  has  exactly  the  figure  of  the  lowermoft 
part  of  the  thigh-hcne  of  a  Man,  or  at  leaft  of  fome  other  Ani- 
mal, with  the  capita  femorh  inferiora,  between  which  are  the  an- 
terior (hid  behind  the  fculpture')  and  the  larger  pofterior  finws,  the 
feat  of  the  ftrong  ligament  that  rifes  out  of  the  thigh,  and  that 
gives  fafe  paflage  to  the  veffels  defcending  into  the  leg  :  And  a  lit- 
tle above  the  finws,  where  it  feems  to  have  been  broken  oflr^  fhew^ 
ing.the  marrow  within  of  a  (Lining  (par-like  fubftance  ,  of  its 
true  colour  and  figure,  in  the  hollow  of  the  bone,  as  in  Tab.  8^ 
Fig.  4.  In  compafs  near  the  capita  femora  juft  two  foot,  and  at 
the  top  above  the  finws  (where  the  thigh-bone  is  as  fmallas  any 

*  Nat.  Hift.lib.  37.  cap.  10. 

R  2  where) 


l}l  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

where)  about  15  inches ;  in  weight,  though  reprefenting  fofhort 
a  part  of  the  thigh-bone,  almoft  20  pounds. 

156.  Which  are  dimenfions,  and  a  might,  fo  much  exceeding 
the  ordinary  courfe  of  nature,  that  by  Agricola",  C<efalpinu4f, 
and  Kircher  g,  fachftones  have  been  rather  thought  to  be  formed 
either  in  hollows  of  Rocks  cafually  of  this  figure,  and  filled  with 
materials  fit  for  petrification;  or  by  fome  other  fportive  plafiic 
power  of  the  Earth,  than  ever  to  have  been  real  hones,  now  petri- 
fied. 

157.  And  that  indeed  there  are  fiones  thus  naturally  fafhion- 
ed,  muft  by  no  means  be  doubted,  fince  no  queftion  theftony 
teeth  of  which  there  are  Cart-loads  to  be  had  in  a  Cave  near  Pa- 
lermo, befide  others  in  the  shape  of  leg  and  thigh-bones,  and  of 
the  Vertebrae  of  the  back,  are  no  others  than  fuchh.  None  of 
them,  as  the  judicious  Charles  Marquefs  of  Ventimiglia  well  ob- 
ferved,  having  any  figns  ofbollownefs  for  the  place  of  the  marrow? 
muchlefsof  the  marrow  it  felf. 

158.  Which  has  fully  convinced  me  that  this  ftone  of  ours  was 
not  fo  produced,  it  having  thofe  ftgns  exquifitly  expreffed  ;  but 
muft  have  been  a  real  bone,  now  petrified,  and  therefore  indeed 
not  properly  belonging  to  this  place.  However,  it  being  now 
a  ftone,  and  not  coming  to  my  hands  whilft  I  was  treating  of  pe- 
trifications, I  have  rather  thought  fit  to  throw  my  felf  upon  the 
Readers  candour ,  and  mif-place  it  here ,  as  I  did  the  Adarce, 
than  altogether  to  omit  fo  confiderable  an  inftance. 

159.  But  againftthis  opinion  of  its  having  been  once  a  real 
bone,  there  lies  a  confiderable  objection,  vi^.  that  it  will  be  hard 
to  find  an  Animal  proportionable  to  it,  both  Horfes  and  Oxen  fal- 
ling much  short  of  it.  To  which  if  it  be  anfwer'd,  that  it  may 
be  much  increafed  in  the  petrification  ;  it  may  again  be  reply ed, 
that  though  indeed  there  be  an  augment  in  tome  petrifications,  yet 
that  it  is  not  fo  mall:  for  though  in  ail  petrifications  there  be  an 
ingrefs  of  fleams  and  particles  that  were  not  there  before,  and 
therefore  either  a  ceffion  of  fome  other  body  required,  or  a  ne- 
ceffary  augmentation  ;  yet  that  thofe  petrifying  fleams  are  fom- 
times  fo  thin  and  fine,  that  they  require  only  the  cefficn  of  fome 
Airy  or  JEthereal  atoms  contained  before  in  the  porous  parts  of 

e  DeNaturatoflt/ium.liij.     t  De  MetttUtcisJii.i.caf.ifi.    g  Kircheri  Mundus  fubterrm.  lib.%.feil. 
3.  cap.  4.  difq-  »•     ■   Idem  loco  citato,  dijq.  i . 

the' 


the  body  to  be  changed,  as  indeed  ic  appears  to  have  been  in  this 
in  fiance  of  oux  petrified  bone  :  for  with  it  was  found  a  toothy  de- 
pi  fted  Fig.  5.  in  its  ex  aft  bignefs,  weighing  two  ounces  and  *, 
not  at  all  petrified  but  perfeft  bone  ftill,  rather  exceeding  than  any 
thing  fhort  of  it  in  proportion ;  whence  it  muft  neceffarily  be  con- 
cluded, that  there  could   be  but  little  if  any  augmentation  at 

all. 

1 60.  And  if  it  be  afked  how  it  fhould  come  to  pais  that  the 
thigh-bone  fhould  be  petrified,  and  not  the  tooth,  it  may  be  an- 
fwered,  and  that  experimentally  too,  that  teeth  admit  not  fo  ea- 
fjly  of  any  change  or  petrification,  becaufe  they  are  much  more 
clofely  compared  fubfiances  than  any  other  bones  ;  whence  'tis, 
that  we  fo  often  find  them  found  and  good,  when  all  other  bones 
are  confumed.  Thus  at  Bathendown,  or  Bannerdown  (the  Mons 
Badonicut  of  Nenniui)  not  far  from  Bath  in  Somerfet-Jhire,  there 
have  been  Cap  fulls  of  teeth  picked  up  by  fuch  as  followed  the 
Plough ',  but  we  are  told  of  no  other  bones  found  there.  And 
we  are  informed  by  Fazellu<sy  in  his  Hiftory  of  Sicily,  that  of 
two  Giants  Sceletons,  one  found  by  Johannes  a  brachih  fortibws,  in 
the  Field  Gibilo,  a  mile  South  of  the  Town  Mazarenum,  now 
Mazara  ,  and  the  other  by  Faults  Leontinut,  not  far  from  Paler- 
mo, that  when  they  came  to  be  touched,  all  fell  into  duft  but  the 
denies  molares,  or  the  greater  teeth  called  the  Grinders  k,  fufti- 
cient  Arguments  (I  had  almoft  faid)  of  their  unalterable  ftate* 

161.  Since  then  it  feems  to  be  manifeft,  that  thecizeof  the 
bone  has  been  fcarce  alter'd  in  its  petrification :  It  remains,  that 
it  muft  havebelong'd  to  fome  greater  Animal  than  either  an  Ox  or 
Horfe  ;  and  if  fo  (fay  almoft  all  other  Authors  in  the  like  cafe)  in 
probability  it  muft  have  been  the  bone  of  fome  Elephant  brought 
hither  during  the  Government  of  the  Romans  in  Britan :  But  this 
opinion  too  lies  under  fo  great  difficulties,  that  it  can  hardly  be 
admitted  ;  which  are  briefly  thefe. 

162.  Firft,  That  we  do  not  find  that  any  of  the  Roman  Au- 
thors, who  elfewhere  are  large  enough  in  defcribing  the  Ele- 
phants behavior  in  fight,  and  how  terrible  they  were  to  fome  of 
the  Trans-Alpine  Nations,  mention  any  fuch  matter  in  any  of 
their  Expeditions -into Britan*     Dion1,  'tis  true,  fays,  That  Clou* 

'  SiWsAnnals, intheLifeof  KingArtbw.    v  Tho. Fazdli dere6tuSicufoDtea*t.prieru,Ij6i.ejp-6, 
*  Dionis  Caffii  Rom.  Hiji.  lib.  60. 


dl 


IWS 


134.  The  Natural  Biflory 

dint  C<efar,  when  he  was  called  to  the  afliftance  of  the  Proetor 
Aulm  Plautiut,  fore  preffed  by  the  Britans,  then  revenging  the 
death  of  their  flain  Prince  Togodumnws,  amongft  other  prepara- 
tions, gathered  together  his  Elephants,  tff  <n  aMw,  $  EAepaVw 
«>e;ct«/ft'Agx'n)J  are  his  very  words.  But  Suetonius  in  his  life, 
where  he  is  very  particular  concerning  this  "Expedition  into  Bri- 
tan, mentions  no  fuch  matter ;  nor  indeed  doth  Dion  fay,  that 
he  brought  them  hither  with  him,  only  that  be  gather'd  them  to- 
gether in  order  to  it.  But  they  both  agree  in  this,  that  he  met 
with  fuch  ftormsin  his  intended  paffagc  by  Sea  thither,  that  he 
was  forced  to  put  in  at  Marfeilles,  and  march  by  Land  quite 
through  France  to  Gejforiacum,  now  fuppofed  to  be  Boulogne, 
from  whence  'tis  true  he  paffed  over  to  Britan.  But  f  o  fwift  was 
his  motion  in  this  Expedition,  that  they  alfo  both  agree,  that  he 
was  returned  to  Rome  again  within  fix  months,  a  time  fcarce  a- 
greeable  with  the  motion  of  fo  unwildy  Creatures  as  Elephants ; 
which  in  all  likelyhood  were  therefore  left  behind  at  Marfeilles, 
becaufe  hindered  by  the  weather  of  their  Sea  portage,  and  ne- 
ver tranfported  into  Britan  at  all.  Nor  find  I  in  other  Authors, 
that  it  was  ever  after  attempted.  One  there  was,  'tis  true,  fent 
hither  as  a  prefent  by  St.  Lewis  the  9th,  King  of  France,  to  King 
Henry  the  Third,  Anno  1255.  which,  fays  Matthew  Bark  *,  was 
the  firft  feen  on  this  fide  the  Alps ;  and  perhaps  there  may  have 
been  two  or  three  brought  for  flhew  hither  fmce :  but  whether 
it  be  likely  any  of  thefe  fhould  be  buryed  at  Cornwell,  let  the 
Reader  judge. 

163.  Befide,  had  this  thigh-bone  and  tooth,  and  the  feveral  o- 
thers  that  have  been  found  in  England,  fuch  as  the  two  teeth 
taken  up  at  Edulfsnefs  in  the  County  of  Effex,  intheRaign  of 
King  Richard  the  Firft,  that  might  have  been  cut  into  two  hun- 
dred of  an  ordinary  cizem  ;  and  divers  other  bones  and  teeth 
found  at  Chartham  near  Canterbury*,  and  Farley  near  Maidftone 
in  Kent,  whereof  I  have  one  now  by  me,  dug  up  and  given  me, 
by  the  truly  Noble  and  Ingenious  Jacob  Lord  Aftley,  near  feven 
inches  round,  and  five  ounces  and  I  in  weight,  of  which  more 
when  I  come  into  Kent,  Had,  I  fay,  thefe  bones  and  teeth  been 
ever  thefpoils  of  Elephants,  we  fhould  certainly  at  fome  time  or 

*   Matth.Paris/'wRdg.  Hr».  3.  in  Anno  Dom.  \i^  -    m  Cembdeu'mTjpx.    "  cbarthtm  news,  fet  forth 
by  Ux-Joh-  Somner. 

other 


of  0  XFO  %p-S  Hl%g,  m 

other  have  met  alfo  with  thofe  greater  Tusks  with  which  they 
are  armed,  of  which  I  have  not  heard  there  have  been  any  yet 
found  in  England,  nor  any  thing  like  them. 

164.  Add  hereunto  what  prevails  with  me  much,  thatilnce 
the  great  conflagration  of  London,  Anno  1666.  upon  the  pulling 
down  of  St.  Mary  Wool-Church,  and  making  the  fite  of  it  into  a 
Mtr  cat --place,  there  was  found  a  thigh-bone  (fuppofed  to  be  of  i 
WomanJ  now  to  be  feen  at  the  Kings-head  Tavern  at  Greenwich  in 
Kent,  much  bigger  and  longer  than  ours  of  Hone  could  in  pro- 
portion be,  had  it  been  intire.  We  have  alfo  here  at  Oxford*,  i 
thigh-bone  that  came  from  London,  three  foot  and  two  inches 
long,  which  I  guefs  may  be  of  an  agreeable  proportion  with 
ours.  And  the  fame  day  I  brought  the  tooth  from  Cornwell,  there 
were  two  others  happily  procured  for  me  by  my  worthy  Friend 
Samuel  Fowler  A.  M.  dug  up  in  the  Parifh  Church  of  Morton  Va- 
lence, about  feven  miles  from  Glocefter,  in  the  way  thence  to  Bri- 
fiol,  in  all  points  fo  exactly  like  the  other  from  Cornwell,  in  ridgeq, 
cavities,  isrc.  that  had  they  not  differ'd  fomwhat  in  colour,  they 
could  fcarce  have  any  way  been  diftinguifti'd.  Now  how  Ele- 
phants lliould  come  to  be  buryed  in  Churches,  is  a  queftion  not 
eafily  anfwered,  except  we  will  run  to  fo  groundlefs  a  fhift,  as  to 
fay,  that  poffibly  the  Elephants  might  be  there  buryed  before 
Chrijlianity  florifTi'd  in  Britan,  and  that  thefe  Churches  were  af- 
terward cafually  built  over  them. 

165.  If  it  be  urged  out  of  Pontics  Virunniu6,  and  fome  o- 
thers,  that  the  Emperor  Claudius  was  at  Glocejler,  and  that  he 
built  that  City  after  his  own  name,  in  memory  of  the  Marriage  of 
his  fair  Daughter  Genniffa,  with  Arviragu*  then  King  of  Britan  °, 
where  poffibly  he  might  have  fome  of  his  Elephants  with  him, 
which  might  dye  and  be  buried  thereabout.  It  muft  be  anfwer- 
ed, that  notwithstanding  the  name  of  Claudii  Caftrum,  now  Glo- 
cefler,  feemsfo  much  to  favor  the  ftory  in  hand,  that  yet  in  all 
likelyhood  there  was  never  any  fuch  matter  :  For  neither  Sue- 
tonius p,  who  numbers  up  all  the  Daughters  that  he  Had,  and 
shews  how  given  in  Marriage.  Nor  Vionq,  who  do's  the  fame 
(who  lived  in  his  time,  and  had  born  the  Office  of  Conful)  remem- 
ber any  fuch  Daughter,  or  fo  difpofed  of  to  Arviragus. 

*  In  the  Medicine  School.    »  Pont.  VirunniiyBisl, Britan.  lib.  4.     P  Sxeton.tn  vita  Claudii.    itHon. 

■  Hiji./.-b.Co. 

166.   Be- 


1^6  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

1(3(3.  Befide,  how  was  it  poflible  that  Claudius,  who  came 
hithcr,and  was  returned  again  to  Rome  within  fix  months,  ftiould 
findfo  much  time,  as  to  come  up  fo  far  in  the  Country  as  G/o- 
cejier,  much  lefs  to  celebrate  fuch  a  Marriage,  and  build  that  City, 
fince  the  fame  Dion  exprefly  fays,  that  of  thofe  fix  months  time, 
he  was  here  in  Brit  an  but  fixteen  days,  <*y  S>V}  Uxaifew  ^W  c*  t? 
Bperfavia,  wes"  i-jrolvot,  are  his  own  words r,  and  thofe  fixteen  days 
in  all  probability,  werefpent  in  ordering  his  Army,  and  joyning 
them  with  the  Force*  of  Plautiu*  that  lay  then  at  the  mouth  of 
Thames  ready  to  receive  him, and  in  taking  of  C amulodonum,  which 
the  fame  Author  aflerts  he  did  that  Expedition,  and  {"o  immediatly 
returned. 

167.  But  what  is  inffar  omnium  in  this  difficult  point,there  hap- 
pily came  to  Oxford  while  I  was  writing  of  this,  a  living  Elephant 
tobefhewn  publickly  at  the  Aft,  An.i6j6.  with  whofe  bones  and 
tcethl  compared  ours  ;  and  found  thofe  of  the  Elephant  not  only 
of  a  different  fhape,but  alfo  incomparably  bigger  than  c#rs,though 
the  Beaft  were  very  young  and  not  half  grown.  If  then  they 
are  neither  the  bones  of  Horfes,  Oxen,  nor  Elephants,  as  I  am 
ftrongly  perfwaded  they  are  not,  upon  comparifon,  and  from 
their  like  found  in  Churches  :  It  remains,  that  (notwithftanding 
their  extravagant  magnitude)  they  muft  have  been  the  bones  of 
Men  or  Women  :  Nor  doth  any  thing  hinder  but  they  may  have 
been  fo,  provided  it  be  clearly  made  out  that  there  have  been  Men 
and  Women  of  proportionable  ftature  in  all  ages  of  the  World, 
down  even  to  our  own  days. 

P68.  The  Sons  of  Anak,  no  queftion,  were  very  great  men, 
and  Goliath  for  certain  was  nine  foot  nine  inches  high s.  We  read 
alfo  of  the  Sons  of  the  Titans,  and  of  high  Giants  \  and  of  Gi- 
ants famous  from  the  begining,  that  were  of  great  ftature  and  ex- 
pert in  War ".  And  (to  omit  the  Fables  of  the  Giants  of  Mount 
Erice  near  Drepanum  in  Sicily,  200  cubits  high,  otTanger  in  Mau- 
ritania 60  cubits  w,  and  of  the  Giant  found  (landing  in  a  Rock, 
cleft  by  an  Earth-quake  in  the  Iile  of  Candy,  46  cubits,  fuppofed 
to  be  Or  ion,  or  0tU6 x,  and  feveral  others  mentioned  by  Phlegon  *.) 
Amongft  the  Romans,  Theutobochws  King  of  the  Teutones  or  Ger- 
mans, vanquifh'd  by  Marim,  is  reported-by  Floru*  to  be  in figne 

*  Idem  loco  citato.  »  i  Sam.  c.  17.  v.  4-  '  Judith  16.V.7.  ■  Baruch  3.  v.26.  ""Vtd.Atban.Kirckeri 
Mmdumfiibterr.Ub.%fea.i.caf.it.  x  Plin.Nat.  Hift.  Itb-J.cap.i6-  *  Phlegon  Tralliamu  dt  rebus mi- 
rabiltbus,  cap.  1 1, 12, 17, 18, 19. 

triumphi 


OfOXFO%t)-SHl%E.  157 

phifteftaculum,  fo  very  tall,  that  he  was  feeri  above  all  the"  Trd- 
phees  \  which  were  the  fpoils  of  the  Enemies,  ufually  carryed 
alofc  upon  the  tops  of  fpears.  Ndevius  Poll'io,  fays  Pliny z,  Was" 
fo  great  a  Giant  (having  no  account  of  his  dimenfions)  that  it 
was  taken  for  a  wonderful  ftrange  thing,  that  when  a  gteat  prefs 
of  people  came  running  upon  him,  he  had  like  to  have  beer! 
killed. 

169.  But  to  come  clofer  to  the  bufinefs,  and  mora  determi- 
nate ftatures,  the  fame  Pliny  a  tells  of  two  others  living  in  the 
time  of  Auguslus,  nick-named  Pufio  and  Secundilla,  whofe  bo- 
dies were  preferved  for  a  wonder  in  the  Salufiian  Gardens,  that 
were  ten  foot  high  :  and  that  in  his  time  there  was  one  Gabbara^ 
brought  out  of  Arabia,  in  the  days  of  Prince  Claudius  the  Em- 
peror, exaftly  of  the  height  of  Goliath,  viz,,  nine  foot  nine 
inches  high b ;  which  being  a  cize  very  proportionable  to  out 
bone  found  at  Cornwell,  I  am  rather  inclined  to  believe,  that  Clau- 
dius brought  this  Gabbara  into  Britan  with  him,  who  poffibly 
might  dye  and  lay  his  bones  here,  than  that  ever  they  belonged 
to  any  Elephant ;  except  we  (hall  rather  fay,  that  here  alfo  Cori~ 
n<£us,  cofin  to  Brute,  might  kill  one  of  Gogmagog's  race,  and  that 
from  him  the  place  doth  take  his  name,  as  well  as  the  County  of 
Cornwall. 

1 70.  Moreover,  that  there  were  men  heretofore  of  fuch  vaft 
ftatures,  we  have  the  teftimony  of  Jofephus c,  in  his  Antiquities 
of  the  Jews,  where  he  tells  us  of  one  Eleazar,  a  Jew  born,  fent 
amongft  the  Prefents  to  Tiberius,  when  Darius  the  Son  of  Arta- 
banusK'mg  of  Perfia>  after  a  Peace  made,  went  as  a  Hoftagc  to 
Rome,  that  was  full  feven  Cubits  in  height.  And  there  is  a  Sce- 
leton  d  now  to  be  feen  in  the  Town-hall  at  Lucern,  found  under 
an  old  Oak  in  the  County  of  Willifau,  near  a  Village  called  Rey- 
den,  within  the  jurifdi&ion  of  that  City,  that  gives  further  con- 
firmation, it  having  all,  or  moil:  of  the  bones  wherein  a  Man 
differs  from  other  Animals ,  and  being  above  feventeen  foot 
high. 

171.  And  if  we  confult  the  latter  ages:  of  the  World,  we  (hall 
ftill  find  that  there  were  always  fome  few  peifons  vaftly  exceed- 
ing the  ordinary  ftature  of  Men  ;  Job.  Cajfanio  e,  though  no  fa- 

7  Fieri  Hi  ft.  Rom.  lib.  3.  cap.  3.     z  Nat:Uift.lib.j.  cap.i6-     *  Idem  loco  citato.    *    idem  loco  citato. 
{  Lib-iZ.cap.6.    «•  KircheriMuTtd.fultterrMli.'&Jett.z.cap..^  c lo.  Caflanio  MonAftr-deGigantitv*,cap.6. 

S  vorer 


q8  *fhe  Statural  Hi jlory 

vorer  of  the  ftorics  of  Giants,  yet  tells  us  of  one  that  lived  a- 
bout  150  years  fince  at  Burdeaux  in  Aquitan,  commonly  called  the 
Giant  of  Burdeaux,  whom  Francis  the  firft,  King  of  France,  paf- 
fing  that  way,  beheld  with  admiration,  and  gave  efpecial  com- 
mand that  he  (hould  be  of  his  Guard  :  but  he  being  a  Peafant  of 
a  narrow  foul,  and  not  pleafed  with  a  Courtiers  life,  quitted  his 
Halbard,  and  got  away  by  Health  to  the  place  whence  he  came  : 
Of  whom  the  laid  Cajfanio  was  avTured  by  an  Honorable  Perfon, 
who  had  feenhim  Archer  of  the  Guard,  that  he  was  of  fo  great 
a  height,  that  a  Man  of  an  ordinary  ftature  might  go  upright 
between  his  legs  when  he  did  ftride.  And  Thuanm f  treating  of 
an  Invafion  made  by  the  Tartars  upon  the  Polanders,  in  the  Year 
1575.  tells  us  of  a  Tartar  flain  by  one  Jacobus  Niezabilovius  a 
Polander,  whofe  fore-head  was  24  inches  broad,  and  his  body 
of  fo  prodigious  a  bulk,  that  as  he  lay  dead  on  the  ground,  his 
carcafs  reached  to  the  navel  of  a  perfon  (landing  by  him. 

172.  Geropw  Becanusg,  Phyfitian  to  the  Lady  Mary,  lifter  to 
the  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth,  Queen  of  Hungary  and  Regent 
of  the  Netherlands,  aifuresus,  That  there  dwelt  a  perfon  within 
five  miles  of  him  ten  foot  high,  and  that  himfelf  faw  a  Woman 
of  the  fame  height.  The  talleft  that  I  have  yet  feen  in  our  days, 
was  alfo  a  Woman  of  a  Dutch  extraction,  (hewn  publickly  here  at 
Oxford,  feven  foot  and  a  half  high,  with  all  her  Limbs  propor- 
tionable :  when  (he  ftretch'd  forth  her  arm,  Men  of  ordinary  fta- 
ture might  walk  under  it  ;  and  her  hand,  from  the  carpus  or  wrift 
where  it  is  joined  to  the  radius  of  the  arm,  to  the  end  of  the 
middle  finger,  was  full  ten  inches  long.  A  ftature,  'tis  true, 
much  fhortof  any  of  the  afore-mentioned,  and  indeed  I  believe 
it  will  be  hard  to  meet  with  their  fellows  in  thefe  parts  of  the 
World,  where  Luxury  has  crept  in,  together  with  Civility  :  Yet 
if  we  look  abroad  amongft  the  prefent  barbarous  Nations  of  both 
Indies,  where  they  live  ftill  according  to  Nature,  and  do  not 
debauch  her  with  the  fenfual  Delights  of  the  more  civilized 
World,  we  (hall  find  (if  the  Relations  either  of  Fnglijh  or  Ho!-, 
landers  be  of  any  credit)  that  there  are  now  men  and  women  ad- 
equate to  them  in  ftature  ;  feveral  having  been  feen,  efpccially  a- 
boutthe  Straights  of  Magellan,  of  ten  :  and  one  near  the  River 
of  Plateby  Tho.  Turner,  12  foot  high. 

I  Joe.  KAug.  Thuani  Hift.  Tom.  3.  lib.  61 .    1  De  Gigantomwkt*. 

173.  whence 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  i# 

1 73 .  Whence  'tis  plain,  that  whether  we  refpecl:  the  mof  e  an-' 
cient  or  modern  Times,  'tis  poffible  enough  thefe  bones  from 
Cornwell  might  be  the  bones  of  a  man  or  woman,  there  being  no 
decay  apparent  in  the  conftitutions  of  Mankind  from  the  begin- 
ning to  this  day,  but  what  is  adventitious  and  accidentals  faving 
in  the  longevity  of  the  antediluvian  Patriarchs. 

174.  Befide  this  Gigantick. thigh-bone,  there  is  another  front 
at  the  foot  of  Shotover-h\\\,  amongftthe  Orchites  before -mention- 
ed^ Seel.  144.  thatalfo  reprefents  one  of  the  Artut-,  viz^.  the 
Leg  and  Foot  of  a  Man  cut  off  above  the  ancle,  as  in  Tab.S.  Fig.6. 
which  from  the  toe  to  the  heel  is  about  a  yard  long,  and  per- 
haps in  the  whole  may  weigh  50  or  60  pounds  .*  But  I  take  not 
this  for  a  petrification  as  the  former,  but  a  ftone  formed  in  this 
fliape  purely  by  Nature,  which  may  therefore  be  termed  Andra- 
podites,  as  might  all  thofc  of  the  kind  mentioned  by  Wormiu*  h. 
To  which  alfo  may  be  added  the  Lapis  acetabulum  refere /z^whereof 
there  is  plenty  on  the  Chiltern-hWls.  And  a  fort  of  OJleocolla  found 
in  Utddington  rubble  Quarries,  which  fcraped,  has  the  fmell  of 
burnt  bone,  and  may  I  fuppofe  be  the  fame  mentioned  by  Gefner  *, 
that  was  fent  him  by  Peter  Coldeberg,  Apothecary  of  Antwerp. 

175.  After  the  Stones  that  relate  to  the  parts  of  Animals, 
come  we  laftly  to  thofe  that  refemble  things  of  Art,  fuch  as  that 
in  the  form  of  a  button-mold,  Fig.  7.  whereof  there  were  feveral 
found  in  the  very  fame  Quarry  with  the  thigh-bone  and  tooth,  in 
the  Parifh  of  Cornmll,  and  no  doubt  did  belong  to  the  owner  of 
thofe  bones  :  And  the  other  in  the  (hape  of  the  heel  of  an  oldfioo, 
with  the  Lifts  plainly  to  be  diftinguifh'd,  as  in  Fig.  8.  which 
was  found  fomwhere  near  Oxford,  and  given  me  by  the  Right 
Reverend  and  profoundly  Learned,  Thomat  Lord  Bifhopof  Lin- 
coln, one  of  thefirft  Promoters  of  this  Defign.  But  both  thefe 
I  take  to  be  but  petrifications,  and  therefore  mif-placed  here  like 
the  Adarce  and  thigh-bone. 

1 7  6.  But  1  have  another  fort  of  button-slone,  fent  me  from 
Teynton,  which  I  take  to  be  a  meer  production  of  Nature,  finely 
ftriated  from  the  top  as  I  have  feenfome  hair  buttons,  as  inFig.y. 
and  may  therefore  be  called  Porpites :  Except  we  (liould  rather 
take  it  for  a  new  fort  of  Echinites,  not;  yet  difcover'd,  which 

h  Mufati  Wormian. cap.  it,.     Jntegrtmpedemhominiiinlapia'em'verjum.fpettandmthal/et Mufeum  Calceo- 
larium,  loh-  Bayt.  OHvus,  p.  C%.     *  Gelher  de F<g.  Lapid.  cap.  12. 

S  2  is 


14.0  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

is  wholly    left   to  the  Readers  choice. 

i  j  j.  In  the  Quarry  of  rubble  ftone  near  Sbotover -h\)l,  I  met 
with  a  Spar-lik?  ftone,  made  I  fuppofe  of  the  dropings  of  petrify- 
ing water,  not  unlike  to  the  bags  called  Manic*  Hippocratk,  ufed 
in  filtrations  by  the  Cbymifts,  three  one  above  another  as  they 
tifually  place  them,  as  in  Fig.  i  o.  And  in  the  very  fame  Quarry 
I  found  a  fingle  Trocbites  of  a  cinereous  colour,  fo  called  from 
its  likenefs  to  a  wbeel,  having  rays  coming  forth  of  its  center, 
like  the  fpoaks  of  a  Cart-wheel  from  its  ftock,  hub,  or  nave : 
Thefe  are  faid  to  have  affinity  with  the  Lafujudaicws  in  their  tex- 
ture ',  and  with  the  Afteridt  in  the  property  of  moving  in  Vine- 
gark,  neither  of  which  I  could  well  try,  having  but  one,  and 
that  toofetin  a  rubble  ftone  of  the  Quarry  They  are  found 
plentifully  Northward  in  Holy- I/land,  and  in  the  bottom  of  the 
Chanel  of  the  River  Tees  l,  at  Braugbton  and  Stock,  in  Torkrfiire, 
at  Beres ford  in  Stafford-fiire™,  and  are  commonly  there  called 
St.  Cuthberfs  Beads,  whereof  1  intend  Cuts,  and  (hall  treat  more 
at  large  when  I  come  to  thofe  places. 

178.  At  the  Parifh  of  Heat  b  I  met  with  a  reddifh  fort  of  ftone, 
intheufual  form  of  zWbet-ftone,  as  in  Tab.S.  Fig,  ir,  about 
fbur  inches  long,  very  hard,  and  for  both  thofe  reafons  not  fit 
for  ufe  :  it  was  given  me  by  Mr.  Evans,  Reftor  of  the  place,  and 
faid  by  him  to  be  taken  out  of  a  block  of  ftone  dug  in  the  Quar- 
ries thereabout,  naturally  having  grown  in  that  form.  And  at 
Stonor  there  was  given  me  a  crifp'd  white  ftone,  taken  up  not 
far  thence,  rcfembling  a  fort  of  Sweet-meat,  not  like  the  Confetti 
de  Tivoli,  but  rather  of  Viterbo  mentioned  by  Aldrovandws n,  or  a 
fort  of  Sweet-meat  we  have  from  Portugal. 

1 79.  Amongft  the  fiones,  like  things  of  Art,  I  think  I  muft 
alfo  number  a  fort  of  globular  iron-colour' d  balls,  taken  up  about 
Cornwell ;  whereof  I  have  two  given  me  by  Sir  Tbotnas  Pennyfton ; 
the  ont  plain  and  fmooth,  the  other  granulated  on  the  out-fide, 
not  unlike  to  an  Orange,  very  weighty,  and  made  up  within  of  a 
golden  ftriated  fubftance  from  the  center  to  the  circumference, 
shewn  in  the  Hemi/pbere  of  one  of  them,  Fig.  12.  Of  thefe  there 
arcfome  fo  equally  round,  as  if  done  by  Art ;  and  fo  they  are 
fays  Cambdenat  Huntley  Nab°,  where  under  the  craggy  Rocks 

l  Boet.  de  Lapid.&Gem.capi.i->.  k  Geo.  Agricola  de  Natura  FoJJilium,  cap.  5.  1  Mr.  Hay's  Topo- 
graph, obfervat.  />.  116.  »  Philofoph-  Tranfadt-  Num.  100.  n  Mujaum  Metallicum,  lib.  4.  />.  518. 
•  Cambd.  in  the  North-Riding  of  Tork-fbire. 

they 


OfOXFO  ^D^SHIXEi  141 

they  lye  fcatter'd  here  and  there  of  divers  bignefles,  fo  artifi- 
cially  by  Nature  shaped  round  in  manner  of  a  Globe,  that  one 
would  take  them  to  be  great  bullets,  call  fox  fiot,  to  be  dis- 
charged out  of  great  Ordnance.  Such  as  thefe  are  alfo  mention'd 
by  J  oh.  Kentmannws,  found  inter  lapides  ^rarios^  which  if  broken 
(fays  he)  are  like  the  filver  or  cinereous  Martha ftte,  out  of  which 
fomtimes  brafi  or  filver  are  fmeltedp,  than  which  ours  are  fom- 
what  of  a  better  colour,  but  whether  poffeft  with  thofe  or  a 
better  metal,  I  muft  confefs  I  have  not  tryed,  and  therefore  can- 
not inform  the  Reader. 

180.  Hither  alfo  muft  be  referred  a  round  flone  before  men- 
tioned, chap.  3  feci.  30.  containing  within  it  a  white  fort  of 
earth,  and  therefore  called  Geodes,  or  the  pregnant  flone  ;  differ- 
ing from  the  JEtites  in  this,  that  whereas  that  has  within  it  a 
movable  flone,  by  the  Naturalifls  called  Callimws ;  this  contains 
only  earth  or  fand,  that  moves  not  at  all :  The  outward  cruft  of 
thefe  is  fomtimes  only  an  indurated  chalk.,  under  which  are  fome 
other  folds  like  the  coats  of  an  Onyon  ;  and  when  found  thus,  by 
the  Inhabitants  of  the  Chiltern  (where  they  are  moft  plentiful) 
they  are  called  chalky  Eggs.  Others  there  are  of  them  ,  whofe 
outermoft  coats  are  hard  black  Flints,  fome  very  thin,  and  others 
thicker,  according  I  fuppofe  to  the  feniority  of  their  generation : 
For  1  have  fome  of  them  by  me  whofe  coats  are  not  much  thicker 
than  the  shell  of  a  Wall-nut,  others  ftone  half  way,  and  others 
fo  almoft  to  the  very  center;  and  thefe  Flint  coats  black  without 
fide,  and  gradually  whiter  and  whiter,  as  they  approach  nearer 
to  the  whitifh  earth  contained  within  :  whence  I  am  almoft  per- 
fwaded,  that  however  it  may  be  in  irregular  Flints,  that  in  thefe 
the  chalky  matter  does  turn  into  flone,  and  is  the  chief  principle 
of  their  generation. 

181.  Upon  the  Chil tern-hills,  near  to  Sherbourn  and  Lewkjier, 
I  found  many  of  the  Flints  inclining  to  a  Conical  Figure.  And 
in  the  gravel  about  Oxford,  I  have  feen  fafciated  Pebbles,  having 
as  it  were  Zones  ox  girdles  round  them,  of  different  colours  from 
thofe  of  the  jlones.  About  Fawler  and  Stunsfield,  the  Pebbles 
before  mentioned,  cap.  \.fecl.  18.  are  moft  of  them  ftreaked  with 
iron-colour' 'd lines,  fomtimes  inclining  towards  one  another  like 
the  ramifications  of  a  Dendrites  ;  which  though  not  fo  curious  as 

*  Catalog.  Vi)jJt!um:,Tit ■  id- deLapid.arariif  a  naturae ffigiatu. 

the 


jzj.1  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

the  Pietradi  figure  de  bofchiof  Ferrantelmperato*,  yet  fit  me  well 
enough  with  a  tranfition  to  the  Chapter  of  Vegetables,  which  im- 
mediatly  follows. 

182.  Only  Imuftbeg  leave  firft  to  advcrtife  the  Reader,  that 
what  I  have  afcribed  to  Dr.  Merret  concerning  the  Toad- ftone, 
fecl.1^6.  1  have  found  fince  the  Printing  of  that  fheet,  feeming- 
ly  alfo  given  to  the  Learned  Sir  George  Ent, by  the  no  lefs  Learn- 
ed Sir  Thomas  Brown,  in  the  laft  Edition  of  his  Pfeudodoxia  Epi- 
demica  V  to  whether  more  rightly,  let  them  contend.  And  that 
fince  the  Printing  the  beginning  of  this  Chapter,  I  received  from 
the  Right  worfhipful  Sir  Philip  Ear  court  of  Stanton  Harcourt,  two 
kinds  of  Selenites,  though  of  the  fame  texture,  yet  much  diffe- 
rently formed  from  any  there  mention'd  ;  both  of  them  being 
Vodeca'edrums,  but  the  Hedr<e  too  as  much  different  from  one  an- 
other, as  from  any  of  the  former:  The  firft  fort  of  them  being 
made  up  of  two  Rhomboideal  hdesfom  oblong,2nd  as  many  (hort- 
er pentagons  ;  and  two  fmall  Trapeziums,  one  half  whereof  are 
reprefented  Tab.  8.  Fig.  13.  And  the  fecond,  of  two  oblong 
Hexagons,  four  oblong  Trapeziums ,  four  oblong  parallelograms, 
and  two  large  pentagons,  one  half  whereof  are  alfo  reprefent- 
ed Fig.  14.  In  both  which  it  is  to  be  underftood,  that  the  Hedrdt. 
at  the  ends  of  each  ftone,  are  oppofed  by  two  others  like  them, 
not  according  to  the  breadth,  but  length  of  the  ftone.  The  two 
pentagons  at  the  top  of  the  ftone,  Fig.  13.  being  oppofed  by  two 
others  like  them,  behind  the  fmall  Trapezium  at  the  bottom  of  it ; 
and  the  fmall  Trapezium  at  the  bottom,  by  another  like  it  behind 
the  two  short  pentagons  at  the  top  ;  and  fo  the  oblong  parallelo- 
grams, and  large  pentagons  at  the  ends  of  the  ftone,  Fig.  14. 

n  DslfHifi.  Natura!elib.2+.  cap-  2+-     r  PJeudodax.  Epidm.  lib.  3.  cap.  13. 


CHAP. 


TAB.  Vlll .     1 


\ 


bfOXFO%p^SHI%Ea  43 

CHAP.     VI. 
Of  Tlants. 

NEXT  Inanimate  things,  I  proceed  to  fuch  as  have  Life  \ 
amongft  which ,  firft  of  thofe  that  hold  the  loweft 
place,  that  exercife  the  moft  univerfal,  and  therefore  in- 
ferior Faculties,  fuch  as  Herbs,  Shrubs,  Trees,  all  which  are  con- 
tained under  the  general  name  of  Plants :  But  of  thefe  I  intend 
notacompleat  Catalogue  (that  being  a  fubjeft  of  it  felf  large  e- 
nough  for  a  Volume)  but  only  a  (bort  account, 

i.  Of  the  Indigenous  Plants  of  the  County,  which  yet  either 

i .  Are  not  defcribed  by  any  Author  that  we  know 
of,   or 

2.  Have  not  been  noted  by  the  ingenious  Mr.  flay, 
in  his  excellent  Catalogue,  to  be  of  Englifb  na- 
tural growth  ;  or 

3.  Have  indeed  been  noted,  which  yet  remaining 
dubious,  either  as  to  the  certainty  of  their  de- 
fcription,  or ff>ecifical  difference,  are  cleared  in  this 
County. 

2.  Of  the  extraordinary  accidents  of  well  known  Plants. 

3.  Of  the  unufual  Plants  now  cultivated  in  the  Fields,  un- 
der which  head  fomwhat  of  the  Husbandry  of  the 
Country. 

according  to  which  method  I  fhall  treat  of  all  the  three  foremen" 
tioned  Species  of  Plants ;  viz^  Herbs,  Shrubs,  Trees,  fo  far  forth 
as  each  of  them  will  come  up  to  it.  And  firft,  of  thofe  (tiled 
herbaceous  Plants. 

1.  By  which  I  underftand  all  and  only  thofe  that  are  made  up 
of  zfuccuknt  and  carnous  fubftance,  that  never  in  any  part  will 
become  lignous^  (or  hardly  any  of  them  retain  it  all  winter)  as 
Shrubs  and  Trees  do  :  of  which  thofe  that  are  indigenous,  and  not 
defcribed  by  any  Author  that  we  know  of,  are  thefe  that  follow. 

2<   Viola 


■ 
< 


i^  The  Natural  Hijlory 

3.  Viola  Mania  hirfuta  major  inodora.  which  large  Violet  from 
a  fibrous  rootfendeth  forth  many  leaves,  each  upon  his  own 
foot-ftalk,  neither  creeping  as  the  common  March,  nor  branch- 
ed as  the  common  Dog-violet ;  its  leaves  and  (talks  are  all  hairy 
efpecially  on  the  back-fide  ;  they  are  alfo  broader,  larger,  and 
more  pointed  than  the  ordinary  March  Violets,  which  occafioned 
(as  fome  think)  the  ingenious  Dr.  Mtrret  to  note  it  by  the  name 
of  Viola  Trachelii  folio  s,  but  that  certainly  muft  be  fome  diffe- 
rent kind,  the  leaves  of  ours  being  all  invecked,  as  in  Tab.^.Fig.i. 
whereas  the  Trachelia  are  all  indented :  Amongft  the  leaves  grow 
hrgeflowers,  upon  foot-ftalks  (as  other  Violets')  of  a  pale  blue 
colour,  with  white  lines  or  rays  ifluing  from  the  middle  of  them, 
but  wholly  withoutyiW.  They  flower  in  March  and  April,  and 
are  commonly  but  abufively  fold  to  the  flops  amongft  other  Vio- 
lets, they  not  being  fo  good  for  any  of  thofe  ufes  the  Apotheca- 
ries put  them  to,  as  other  Violets  are.  They  grow  plentifully  in 
Magdalen  College  Cops,  on  Shotover  hill,  Stow-wood,  and  many 
other  places. 

.  4.  Viola  paluftris  rotundifolia.  From  the  root  of  this  Plant, 
which  is  white,  and  at  equal  diftances  knotted  (whence  only  it 
fends  forth  its  fibers  not  downward,  but  horizontally)  arife  3  or 
4  (fomtimes  more)  feeble  fmall  ftalks,  each  bearing  at  its  top 
only  a  round  leaf,  as  in  Tab.  9.  Fig.  2.  Among  which,  about 
April  come  up  the  slalks  of  the  flowers,  flender,like  thofe  of  the 
leaves ;  the  whole  Plant  being  weak,  and  beholding  to  the  neigh- 
boring ones  for  its  fupport.  The  flowers  are  all  fmall  and  blue, 
which  being  paft,  a  long  Prifmatical  feed-vefel  fucceeds,  open- 
ing its  felf  when  ripe  into  three  parts,  and  (hewing  a  rank  of 
brown  feeds,  appended  to  each  angle  by  white  Nerves:  This  is 
eafily  diftinguiiVd  from  all  other  Violets  by  its  native  place, 
wherein  it  is  fuppofed  they  will  not  grow  ;  and  by  the  fmalnefs 
of  its  flowers,  which  are  confiderably  lefs  than  any  of  the  reft  ; 
whereunto  add  the  remarkable  roundnefs  of  its  leaves,  which  are 
fo  far  from  drawing  to  points,  that  the  longeft  way  of  them  is 
from  fide  to  fide.  Clufiu*  indeed  feems  to  defcribe  a  Plant  like 
this,  by  the  name  of  Viola  Alpina  altera  \  but  makes  its  flower 
as  much  greater,  as  burs  is  lefs  than  the  common  one;  adding 
befide,  that  it  flowers  about  the  latter  end  of  June,  a  month  be- 

f  Pinaxrer.Nat.  Bdt«».p.i2^.    «  C*r.Clnfii?!ant.Hift.c*f>,\i,. 

fore 


OfOXFOKpSHlXE*  14? 

fore  which  time  the  Seed  of  ours  is  ripe  •,  which  are  differences 
fo  irreconcilable,  that  we  cannot  but  pronounce  ours  as  diftincl: 
from  bh$  as  from  any  other  Violets  before  defcribed  by  Authors, 
whereof  we  have  confulted  mofi,  if  not  all  the  beft.  It  grows 
'  fparingly  in  the  Boggs  about  Stow-woodi  and  on  the  Banks  of 
Cheme II between  Oxford  and.  Water-eaton  •  but  moft  plentifully  at 
Chiljwell  in  Berkshire,  amongft  the  moifteft  Boggs. 

5.  Juncellu*  omnium  minimus  cafitulu  Equifeti.  This  leaft 
club-rufh  from  fmall  hairy  roots,  rifeth  no  bigger  than  korfe-hairi 
and  not  above  three  inches  high,  bearing  at  the  top  a  little  club^ 
as  in  the  other  club-rufies,  but  proportionably  lefler,  as  in  Tab^ 
Fig.  3.  where  alfo  it  may  be  obferved,  that  the  rujb  rifes  fingly 
from  the  root,  and  not  branched,  like  the  Fluitans  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Ray u,  who  had  he  feen  this,  would  certainly  have  own- 
ed different  fiecies's  of  club-rujhes,  which  he  feems  fo  much  to 
doubt.  It  grows  in  Binfeji-Common,  in  the  moift  ditches  next  the 
River  Ifis. 

6.  Geranium  columbinum  maximum  foliis  diffcclis.  Or  the  great 
jagged  Doves-foot  Cranes-bill,  differs  from  the  jagged  ones  of  o- 
ther  writers,  in  that  it  is  jagged  at  the  firft  coming  Up,  whereas 
all  others  are  whole  then ;  its  leaves  are  alfo  Handing  on  long 
foot-ftalks,  and  much  greater  than  thofe  of  any  other  Doves-feet ; 
from  the  middle  of  which  there  rife  up  great  jointed  ftalks,  near 
the  bignefs  of  a  mans  finger,  branched,  and  almoft  ftanding 
upright  a  yard  in  height :  At  the  jojints,  which  are  largely  knotted, 
are  alfo  large  jagged  leaves,  which  at  the  top  grow  very  thick, 
amongft  which  ftand  the  flowers  upon  fliort  foot-ftalks,  as  in 
Tab.  9.  Fig.  4.  of  a  bright  and  red  colour,  whereas  the  others 
are  of  a  bluifh  purple  ;  the  feeds  being  like  thofe  of  other  Doves- 
feet.  This  grows  in  hedges  about  Marfton,  and  on  that  part  of 
Botley-Czufey  next  Oxford,  in  great  plenty. 

7.  Fentaphyllum  reptans  alatum  foliis  profundius  ferratis.  This 
creeping  Plant  in  all  refpefts  grows  like  the  common  Cinque-foil, 
but  that  at  the  bottom  fome  leaves  are  found  round  and  undivid- 
ed like  Alchimilla,  and  others  dividing  themfelves  into  five,  are 
jagged  but  half  way  :  As  it  increafes  in  growth,  the  number  of 
leaves  oftentimes  decreafe,  bearing  four,  three,  two,  and  at  the 
top,  one  ;  all  which,  have  two  little  leaves  or  ears  at  the  bottom 

0  In  Catalog.  Plantar-  Angl. 

T  of 


\^6  The  Natural  Hiflory 

of  the  foot-ftalk,  like  Tormtntill :  The  flowers  are  of  the  big- 
nefs  and  colour  of  common  Cinque-foil,  but  generally  made  up 
of  four  leaves,  as  in  Tab.y.  F/g.  5,  and  but  very  rarely  to  be 
found  with  five.  It  grows  in  the  edges  of  the  Corn-fields  between 
Hockley  and  the  Woods  under  Sbotover-h'\\\. 

8.  Orobancbe  Verbafculi  odore.  The  root  of  this  Plant  is  skaly 
and  obtufe,  to  which  are  appended  a  bundle  of  complicated  Fi- 
bers, like  thofe  of  Nidws  avis,  whence  it  rifeth  up  with  a  foft 
round  very  bxixiltftalk-,  feldom  eight  inches  high,  fet  with  thin, 
fmall,  fhort  fkaly  leaves  like  skins,  growing  clofe  to  it :  At,  or 
very  near  the  top  of  which  ftalk.,  grow  fomtimes  eight  or  ten 
fmall  flowers,  altogether  different  from  thofe  of  the  common  0- 
robancbe,  each  confuting  of  four  pretty  large  leaves,  within  which 
are  contained  as  many  leffer,  as  in  Tab.  9.  Fig.  6.   About  the 

feed  veflel  (which  is  round  at  the  bottom,  with  a  narrow  neck, 
and  a  hole  at  the  top  fomwhat  refembling  a  childs  fucking-bottle, 
as  in  Fig.  6.  a)  ftand  fmall  chives  with  purplifh  tops,  as  in  Fig.  6. 
b.  The  whole  herb,  flowers,  ftalks  and  leaves,  are  at  the  firft  flow- 
ering, of  a  whitifh  yellow,  or  ftraw  colour,  and  being  broken 
or  bruifed,  fmell  like  the  root  of  a  Primrofe.  It  grows  at  the  bot- 
toms of  Trees  in  the  woods  near  Stoken-Churcb,  and  we  find  it 
mention'd  infome  MS.  notes  of  the  famous  Mr.  Goodyer. 

9 .  Saxifraga  Anglica  annua  Alfine  folio.  This  fmall  annual  Sa- 
xifrage from  a  fmall  fibrous  root,  fpreadeth  its  trailing  jointed 
ftalks  about  an  inch  or  two  from  it,  at  each  joint  come  forth 
fmall  narrow  leaves  as  in  the  other  C  bickpeed- break  fione, 
and  from  the  upper  joynts  toward  the  end  of  the  ftalks,  come 
fmall  ht  rbaceom  flowers  made  up  of  four  leaves,  which  prove 
the  cafe  for  the  fmall  included  feed  veffel,  as  in  Tab.  9.  Fig.  7. 
This  Plant  differs  from  the  common  one-,  which  is  of  a  light frejh 
green,  -perennial,  and  fomtimes  roots  again  at  its  joynts;  in  that 
its  ftalks  and  leaves  are  of  a  brownifi  green  colour,  the  Plant  an- 
nualand  nev 'err ept ant:  it  grows  plentifully  in  the  walks  of  Ba- 
liol College  gardens,  and  on  the  fallow  Fields  about  Heddingtcn 
and  Cowley,  and  many  other  places. 

10.  To  which  perhaps  I  might  add  two  different  Lychnis's 
from  the  fylveftrh  flore  albo  Gerardi,  obferved  this  Year  by  Mr. 
Richard  Stanley ;  one  whereof  bears  a  white  flower  fomwhat  lefs 
than  the  common,  yet  at  the  center  having  another  little  flowery 

circle, 


TAB.iX 


of  0  XFO  %$)~S  MitJ?t  itf 

circle,  in  the  middle  of  which  appear  feveral  fine  (lamina,  with 
yellow  longilh  apices,  whereas  the  reclining  fiamina  of  the  com- 
mon Campion  have  no  apices  at  all  •  the  other  alfo  bears  a  white 
flower  without  that  flowery  circle,  but  has  fiamina  crowned  with 
roundifh  purple  apices,  with  the  duft  whereof  the  flower  it  felf 
is  commonly  foiled.  But  in  the  firft  of  thefe  the  feed  veffel  not 
appearing  at  all,  and  in  the  fecond  withering  away  with  the 
flower  ;  We  are  not  fo  bold  as  to  make  them  diftinft  ffecies's,  not 
knowing  as  yet  whence  they  flhould  be  propagated.  Thefe  were 
found  near  Holy-Well  in  the  Suburbs  of  Oxford,  and  grow  alfo  in 
the  Corn-fields  about  New-par kj,  and  as  we  fuppofe  in  moft  parts 
of  England.  Sedde  hoc  quaere. 

ii.  Befide  thefe,  there  is  alfo  another,  of  which  Authors 
write  fo  obfcurely,  that  we  cannot  pofltively  fay  whether  defcri- 
bed  or  no  :  However,  we  have  ventured  to  call  it  Artiplex  vulga- 
ris finuatafpicata,  it  not  being  like  the  Pes  anferinus  alter  five  ra- 
rnofior  of  JohnBauhin,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Ray™,  in  that  it  bears 
its  feeds  in  buttons  clofe  to  the  ftalks,  like  the  Fragiferd.  This 
grows  equally  common  on  Dung-hills  with  the  finuata  major,  a- 
mongft  which  we  fuppofe  it  has  hitherto  lay  hid. 

12.  As  for  the  Plants  defcribed  by  other  Authors,  but  not  no- 
ted by  Mr.  Ray  to  be  of  Engli/b  growth,  we  find  only  thefe  in 
the  County  of  Oxford,  i.  Clematis  Daphnoides  five pervinca  major, 
in  the  High-ways  betweenWoolvercot  and  Tarnton,  and  in  feveral 
kecgts  thereabout.  2.  Lagopus  major  vulgaris  Parkinfoni,  in 
Stair- trW  plentifully,  and  feveral  other  place  s.  3.  Oenanthe  a- 
quatica  minor  Park.,  five  juncut  odoratu6  Cordi,  in  the  ditches  a- 
bout  Medley  and  Binfey- Common,  and  almoft  every  where  about 
Oxford. 

13.  Whereunto  add  fome  others  indeed  noted  by  Mr.  Ray, 
but  left  in  doubt  whether  defatted,  or  different  from  one  ano- 
ther. Such  are  the  Helleborine  flore  albo,  mentioned  in  his  Ap~ 
pendix x  to  grow  in  the  woods  near  S token-Church-,  not  far  from 
the  road  leading  from  London  to  Oxford,  which  becaufe  he  had 
notfeen  either  flowering,  or  green,  modeftly  refufed  to  determin 
whether  defcribed  or  no  :  But  we  having  had  time  and  curiofity 
of  viewing  it  often  in  flower,  find  it  to  be  the  Helleborine  flore  albo 
of  Gerard  and  Tabern&montanw :  Epipaclts  anguflifolia  of  Befler7 

w  I» Catalog.  Vlant.Angl.     *  In  Appendictp.  339.    j  JacTheod.  Tabernxmont-  fart.  2. p.  400. 

T  2  in 


14.8  The  U^atural  Hi/lory 

in  his  Ucrtm  Eyfttttenfis z :  Alifma  quorundam  Cordi a,  and  Alifma 
Cytnbaleanthemon  Thaliih.  Which  Authors,  and  others,  we  have 
diligently  fearched,  and  by  comparing  them  together,  find  the 
Plant  to  agree  with  each  Figure,  as  well  as  they  could  do  one 
with  another,  had  they  (as  indeed  they  commonly  are)  been 
Printed  from  one  Plate. 

14.  The  Plants  which  he  doubts  whether  fpecifically  dislintl, 
yet  found  fo  in  Oxford-fiire,  are  alfo  Helleborine'' s  ;  the  one  his 
Helleborine  flore  atro  -rubente,  and  the  other  Helleborine  latifolia 
montanac,  both  plentifully  growing  on  S token-Church  hills: 
Whereof  the  former  has  fmall  narrow  leaves,  fomwhat  like  the 
Paluflm,  and  growing  thicker  on  the  ftalk  *  whereas  thofe  of 
the  Utter  are  broad  and  much  thinner,  the  ene  alfo  flowering  a 
full  month  after  the  other,  which  we  take  to  be  diftinguifhing 
CharaEiers  enough,  though  not  fo  fignally  differing  in  the  flowers 
as  Mr.  Ray  owns  his  to  do  ;  our  latifolia  montana  coming  nearer 
to  that  of  Gerard,  then  of  him  or  Vodonxut ,  having  purple 
flowers,  but  as  deep  or  deeper  than  thofe  of  the  Helleborine  flore 
atro  rubente. 

15.  Of  Accidents  that  are  incident  to  herbaceous  Plants,  be- 
fidewhat  I  have  ^een amongft  forreigners  in  Gardens,  I  have  met 
alfo  with  fome  amongft  the  natives  of  Oxford-Jbire ;  which  I  guefs 
may  happen  to  them  (as  likewife  to  all  others')  moft  times  through 
excefs,  or  defeel  in  their  nourishment.  Thus  have  I  feen  the  slalkj 
of  Dyers-weed  and  Succory,  from  a  round  near  the  root,  fpread 
themfelves  upward  into  a  hroadflat  ftalk,  as  if  there  were  feve~ 
ral  of  them  fafciated  together,  occasioned  I  fuppofe  by  reafon 
of  the  afcent  of  to  much  nourifhment  for  one  ftalk,  and  yet  not 
enough  for  two.  The  fafciation  (if  I  may  be  allowed  to  coyn  fuch 
a  word)  being  as  it  were  an  attempt  for  two  ftaiks,  which  upon 
the  afcent  of  furricient  fap,  is  fomtimes  accomplifti'd,  the  flat 
ftalk  then  dividing  into  two,  asl  obferved  it  this  Summer  in  a 
Vraba  lutea  fdiquh  slritlijfimis,  and  feveral  other  Plants  in  the 
Gardens. 

16.  Which  accident  of  Plants  the  German  Virtuofi  think  only 
to  happen  after  hard  and  late  Winters^,  by  reafon  whereof  in- 
deed the  fap  being  reftrained  fomwhat  longer  than  ordinary,  up- 

*  Wort:  EyBett. Plant.  Vernal.  Ord.cf.fbl.  5.  ,  Valer.  Cordi  Hifl.  dcVlant-lib.  itaf.  107.  •>  loh.  Tf»a- 
lii,  HarcyniaSaxono-Thuringica,p-  13.  «  In  Catalog,  plant.  Angl.  *  Mifcellan.  curiffa  Med.Fhyf. Acad. 
Nat.  Curioforum,An.  i.ebferv.  102. 

on 


Of  OXFO^V^HIT^E.  i0 

on  fudden  thaws,  may  probably  be  feat  up  mote  forcibly  and  /o- 
get  her,  and  fo  produce  thek  fafciated  ftalks  ;  whereas  the  natu- 
ral and  graduated  afcent  would  have  produced  them  but  fingle- 
Yet  experience  has  taught  us  this  prefent  year  i6j6i  that  fuch 
productions  muft  by  no  means  be  thus  reftrained  ;  the  Winter 
preceding,  in  Anno  167$.  being  one  of  the  mildeft  ever  known 
in  England,  and  yet  fajciated  Plants  as  frequent  as  ever; 

1 7.  Befide  thofe,  we  have  obferved  fome  others  here  curioufty 
ftriped  ;  fome  of  them  yellow,  as  Dens  Leonis,  C  aryophylldta,  Vr- 
tica  urens,  isrc.  others  white,  as  Papaver  fyumeum,  Plantago  quinque 
nervia,  Cruciata,  Calamintha  aquatica,  ijrc.  Others  again  differing 
from  the  reft  of  their  kind,  not  in  leaves,  but  colour  of.  their 
flowers  ;  fuch  are  Lamium  ruhrum,  Lyfimachia  [iliquofa  magnoflorei 
Tr  ache  Hum  minus,  Gentianella  fugax  minor,  Anagallvs  terreftm,  ($• 
aquatica  five  Becahunga,  cum  mult  Is  aim,  all  with  white  flowers  ; 
and  Hyacinths,  we  have  fomtimes  found  v/ith  red,  and  white  flow- 
ers :  All  which,  I  guefs  accidentally  accrew  to  thefe  Plants  (their 
fpecies's  having  flowers  of  different  colours)  through  defecl,  or 
fome  interception  of  their  nourishment^  which  occafion  difeafes^ 
and  fuch  difcolorations  both  in  their  leaves  and  flowers. 

1  8.  That  this  is  true  of  all ftriped  Plants,  is  manifeft,  in  that 
fuch  dijcolorations  may-  be  procured  by  artificial  fubitra&ion  of 
the  nourishment,  vi%.  by  applying  Lime,  or  other  hot  dry  matter 
to  their  roots  ;  which  drying  up,  or  otherwife '  rendring  the 
nourijlment  unfit,  will  thus  make  the  Plants  ftriped  ;  as  our  very 
Learned  Botanic  Profejfor,  Dr.  Mori/on,  informs  us  he  obferved  it 
in  Dulcamara  creeping  through  Lime  and  other  rubbifhof  Build- 
ings, at  the  Duh  of  Orleans  his  Houfe  at  Blois,  whence  not  only 
ours,  but  moft  other  Gardens  of  Europe  have  fince  been  fupplyed 
with  the  white  ftriped  Dulcamara. 

19.  Moreover,  that  fnch  ftripings  are  nothing  but  difeafe,  ap- 
pears plainly  in  that  moft,  if  not  all  ftriped  Plants,  are  fomwhat 
deformed  and  imperfett  in  their  leaves  ;  and  though  ftriped  very 
lively  in  the  beginning  of  the  Spring,  will  many  of  them  recover 
in  fome  meafure,  at  leaft  before  Autumn,  and  fome  of  them  have 
their  leaves  at  length  as  green,  as  the  reft  of  the  healthy  Plants  of 
their  kind'.  Which  I  take  to  be  manifeft  arguments  of  their  fickr 
neft,  and  fuch  ftripings  to  be  only  difcolorations  „and  no  ornaments 
of  perfection,  though  ornaments  of  our  Gardens. 

20.  To 


15©  The  Statural  Hijlory 

20.  To  which  if  it  be  objected  that  'tis  other  wife  in  the  Flow- 
ers  of  all  the  Plants  above-mentioned,  which  though  of  diffe- 
rent colours  from  the  reft  of  their  /pedes,  continue  fo  (till  from 
year  to  year,  not  altering  in  the  Autumn  from  what  they  were 
kh' Spring:  Itmuftbe  anfwer'd,  that  notwithftanding  what  is 
urged  be  true,  yet  fuch  conftancy  will  not  warrant  them  of  a  dif- 
ferent /pedes,  fince  nofeedthey  produce  will  bring  more  of  their 
kjnd,  but  only  fuch  whofe  flowers  will  be  of  the  ordinary  colour  ; 
which  is  fo  great  an  imperfection,  that  we  cannot  but  fufpeft 
thefe  alfo  to  be  difeafed,  and  to  have  their  variations  only  from 
thence. 

2 1 .  Though  it  muft  be  confeft,  that  it's  worthy  notice  too, 
that  many  of  thefe  Plants  feem  as  ftrong,  and  flourish  as  well  as 
any  others,  and  produce  perhaps  their  Seed  as  perfect  as  any  : 
Why  then  they  fhould  be  numbred  amongft  difeafed  plants,  any 
more  than  a-  red  hair' d  man  fhould  be  accounted  fo  in  England^ 
Or  a  black  haifd  one  in  Denmark,  (where  I  am  informed  there 
are  fo  few,  that  they  commonly  paint  Judas  with  black,  hair  as 
we  do  with  re d)  is  a  difficulty,  I  guefs,  not  eafily  avoided  ?*  e- 
fpecially  fince  the  difference  of  colours  in  flowers  may  be  occafi- 
oned  by  the  different  textures  of  the  ftalks  of  fome  certain  plants, 
as  it  is  in  the  hair  and  feathers  of  Animals,  alfo  of  different  co- 
lours from  the  reft  of  their  (j>ecies,  as  (hall  be  fully  made  out  in 
the  following  Chapter.  It  may  therefore  perhaps  be  more  fafely 
concluded,   that  the  different  colorations  zt  leaft  of  fome  of  thefe 

flowers,  may  indeed  be  accidents,  but  no  accidents  of  difeafe  or 
imperfeftion. 

22.  Which  is  all  I  have  met  with  concerning  wild  herbaceous 
Plants,  and  the  accidents  attending  them  remarkable  in  this  County, 
in  the  relation  whereof  1  have  been  all  along  fo  careful  of  not 
impofing  on  the  World,  that  I  have  mention'd  nothing,  except 
in  the  F  hilofophical  part,  wherein  I  have  not  confulted,  and  had 
the  approbation  of  fome  of  the  moft  knowing  in  the  Faculty,  fuch 
as  the  Reverend  William  Brown  B.  D.  and  Fellow  of  Magdalen 
College  Oxon,  Edward  Tyfon  M.  A.  John  BaniflerM.  A.  Richard 
Stapky  B.  A.  and  Mr.  Jacob  Bobart  junior,  all  eminent  Bota* 
nifis. 

23.  Of  unufual Plants  now  cultivated  in  the  Fields,  to  pafs  by 
the  ordinary  red  and  white  Lammas  Wheats,  black  and  white  Fjes, 

the 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  tft 

the  common  Barley,  Peas,  Beans,  and  Oats ,  there  are  feveraJ 
worthy  notice  now  Town  in  this  County,  that  have  been  fcarce 
ever  heard  of,  much  lefs  ufed  in  fome  others  :  Where  by  the  way 
let  it  be  noted,  that  the  word  [unufual~\  is  not  fo  much  to  be  ap- 
plyed  to  this,  as  other  Counties,  and  that  in  thefe  matters  of  Huf- 
'bandry,  I  rather  write  for  the  information  of  Grangers,  than  the 
inhabitants  of  Oxford-Jhire,  as  I  muft  hereafter  in  other  Counties 
for  the  information  of  this:  There  being  many  things  in  each 
County  thought  common  there  and  unworthy  notice,  that  per- 
haps in  fome  others  will  appear  fo  ftrange,  that  they  will  fcarcely 
be  believed.     And  fuch  are 

24.  Triticum  (pica  mutica  rubriim,  caule  item  rubro  ;  red  ftalkt 
wheat  (miftaken  by  many  for  red  Lammas')  fo  commonly  called 
from  the  rednefs  of  hsftraw,  efpecially  near  the  joints  when  the 
Corn  begins  to  turn  ;  which  rednefs  yet  will  vanifti  for  the  moft 
part  away,  when  it  is  full  ripe.  This  Corn,  as  I  was  informM, 
was  firft  propagated  from  fome  few  ears  of  it  pickt  out  of  many 
Acres,  by  one  Pepart  near  Bunftable,  about  fifty  years  ago,  which 
fowed  by  it  felf  till  it  amounted  to  a  quantity,  and  then  proving 
Mercatable,  is  now  become  one  of  thecommoneft  grains  of  this 
County,  efpecially  about  Oxford;  which  yet  becaufe  not  known 
in  many  other  places,  I  thought  fit  at  leaft  to  mention  it,  and 
the  rather  becaufe  of  its  feldom  or  nev txfmut ting,  a  convenien- 
cy  thatpleafes  the  Baker  and  Husbandman  both  ;  and  yet  itfeems 
'tis  not  now  fown  about  Thame  and  Watlington  fo  much  as  for- 
merly ,  becaufe  it  brings  not  fo  certain,  nor  fo  good  a  bur- 
then as 

25.  Triticum  (pica  mutica  albicante,  grants  rufefcentibus,  white 
eared  red  wheat,  white  Corn,  or  mixt  Lammas,  which  latter  name 
I  take  to  be  as  agreeable  as  any,  becaufe  of  its  participating  both 
of  the  white  and  red  Lammas,  having  a  white  ear  and  red  grain ; 
whereas  the  white  Lammas  has  both  ears  and  grain  white,  "and 
the  red  Lammas  both  red  :  Nor  has  this,  as  I  was  told,  been  long 
in  Oyford-fiire,  it  being  firft  advanced  like  the  former  from  fome 
few  ears,  and  at  laft  being  found  to  yield  confiderably  better  than 
moft  other  wheat,  viz,,  fomtimes  twenty  for  one,  it  is  now  be- 
come the  moft  eligible  Corn,  all  along  the  Vale  under  the  ChiU 
tern  Hills,  and  in  far  better  eftecm  than  the  red  ftalk'd  wheat, 


or, 


26.  TrU 


\^%  --    The  Statural  Hijlory 

26.  Tritkum  (pica  ariflath  glumi*  hirfutps,  the  long  Cone  Wheat, 
which  yet  is  the  beft  of  any,  to  be  fown  in  rank,  clay  Land,  its 
ffalks  being  reedy  and  not  fubjeft  to  lodging  ;  and  by  hedges 
fides,  becaufe  the  Birds  cannot  eat  it  ;  for  which  reafon  alfo  it 
muft  be  good  in  Inclofures,  befides  its  being  the  leaft  fubject  of  a- 
ny  Corn  yet  known,  to  the  inconveniency  of  Wildews  :  This 
fort  alfo  yields  extreamly  well,  but  its  Flower  being  courfe  and 
not  pleafing  the  Bakers,  it  is  feldom  fown  but  under  the  men- 
tioned circumftances,  except  fomtimes  mixt  amongft  the  other 
wheats. 

27.  Triticum  multiplex,  five  [pica  multiplici,  double  ear'd  wheat, 
fo  named  for  that  it  has  divers  [mall  ears  iffuing  out  of  the  (ides 
of  the  greater,  and  is  fown  about  Biffiter  and  Weflonon  the  Green, 
but  it  not  proving  agreeable  to  the  foils  thereabout,  nor  advan- 
tagious  to  the  Husbandman,  it  is  almoft  quite  difufed,  though 
I  hear  it  fucceeds  better  about  Fritwell  and  Souldern.  They  fow 
alfo  a  Wheat  about  Wefion  on  the  Green,  which  from  the  hanging 
of  its  ear  they  call  Pendule  wheat,  but  fufpefting  that  it  differs 
in  nothing  from  Cone,  it  being  ariflk  munitum,  andglumis  hirfutk? 
I  forbear  as  yet  to  pronounce  it  any  other,  though  I  am  told  that 
the  Pendule  has  a  redder  and  more  flender,  and  Cone  a  whiter  and 
fuller  ear ;  and  that  Cone  endures  longer,  and  Pendule  but  a  very 
(hort  time  here,  it  yielding  for  the  firft  year  fomtimes  twenty  for 
one,  and  within  two  years  after  dwindling  away,  fo  as  not  to  be 
worth  fowing ;  which  time  expiring,  they  fupply  themfelves 
again  out  of  Berks-JJ/ire,  at  Ahington  Mercat,  whereof  more  (if 
I  find  it  to  be  a  different  hind)  when  I  come  into  that  County. 

28.  All  which,  'tis  true,  in  Oxford-Jhireare  fo  commonly  fown, 
that  they  cannot  indeed  in  this  refpect  be  ftiled  unufual:  but  be- 
caufe fcarce  ever  heard  of  in  the  South-eaft  parts  of  England, . 
I  thought  it  convenient  at  leaft  to  hint  them.     And  fo  likewife 
our 

29.  Hordeum  diflichum precox,  or  rathe  ripe  Barly,  defervedly 
fo  called  from  its  early  ripening,  it  having  been  fomtimes  fown 
and  returned  to  the  Barn  again  in  two  months  time,  and  often  in 
nine  or  ten  weeks-      This  Barly,  'tis  true,  is  no  native  of  Oxford- 

fiire,  only  much  fown  here,  it  being  all  had  either  immediatly 
or  mediatly  from  Patney  in  Wilt/hire,  whence  by  fome  'tis  alfo 
called  Patney  Barley :  Where  the  foil  (as  I  am  told)  is  of  fo  pe- 
culiar 


OfOXFO%T>-SIllXE.  ty 

culiar  a  quality,  that  what-ever  other  Barly  is  fown  there,  it  is 
turned  forthwith  into  this  we  call  rathe-ripe  ;  a  feat,  which  they 
fay,  no  other  Land  will  perform.  But  we  are  told  by  Dr.  Obil* 
drey\  that  in  the  weftern  parts  of  Cornwall,  they  fow  a  fort  of 
Barly  near  the  Sea-fide,  which  they  carry  to  Mill  in  eight  or 
ninerr^J-  time  after  they  have  foWed  it.  However,  what  we 
have  here  comes  all  from  Patney,  but  is  not  fo  agreeable  to  our 
Oocford-Jhire  foil  immediatly  from  thence,  as  when  it  has  been 
fown  elfewhere  twice  or  thrice  ;  after  which,  it  endures  not  a- 
bove  three  or  four  years,  but  degenerates  again  into  common 
Barly.  Its  conveniency  notwithftanding  is  very  confiderable  in 
wet  and  backward  Springs,  and  moift  Autumns,  when  many  o- 
ther  Countrys  lofe  their  feafons,  and  fome  of  the  more  Northern 
ones  perhaps  their  crop,  the  common  Barly  there  never  coming 
to  be  ripe,  whereas  this  may  be  fown  at  the  latter  end  of  May,  and 
will  come  to  be  ripe  in  the  worft  of  Summers,  This  1  heard 
of  firft  at  Gaunt-houfe,  (the  Paternal  Eftate  of  the  Right  Reverend 
Father  in  God,  John  Lord  Biftop  of  Oxon,  one  of  the  Nobleft  En- 
couragers  of  this  Vefign)  but  met  with  it  after  all  over  the  County^ 
it  being  generally  approved  of  by  all  forts  of  Husbandmen.  And 
this  is  the  only  Barly  fown  in  this  County  unknown  in  fome 
others. 

30.  But  of  Peas  there  are  mzny  forts  little  thought  of  South- 
ward, that  poffibly  were  they  known,  might  prove  as  agreeable 
to  the  foils  there,  as  here,  and  as  advantagious  to  the  Husband- 
man. Such  are  the  Peas  called  Henly-gray ,  and  another  fort 
called  Red-flanks,  for  frefti  new  broken  Land  ;  the  Vale-gray  for 
flrong ;  and  Hampfhire-Kids  for  new  chalkt  Land  ;  the  {mz\\  Rathe- 
ripes^  for  poor  zndgravelly  ;  and  the  Cotfwold  Pea  for  four  ground. 
And  of  Vetches ;  in  deep  clay  Lands  they  fow  the  Gore  and  pebble- 
Vetch  ;  in  cold  moift  grounds  the  rathe-ripe  Vetch  ;  and  Dill  or 
Lentills,  in  poor  slone-brajh  land,  which  are  a  good  podware  for 
cattle,  and  fown  in  many  parts  of  the  County. 

31.  As  for  Beans  and  Oats,  they  fow  only  the  common  that 
are  every  where  elfe ;  but  for  Grafts,  the  ufual  name  for  any  Her- 
bage fown  for  Cattle,  efpecially  If  perennial  (to  pafs  by  the  trU 
folium purpureum  majws  five  fativum,  Clover-grafs;  and  Onobrychi* 
fyicataflorepurpureo,  femine  echinato,  commonly  called  Sainft-foin, 

'  Britannia  Baconica  in  Corn-mall. 

U  or 


ijq.  The  Natural  Hiflory 

or  Everlafling-grafs ;  but  according  to  Dr.  Morifon,  the  true  Lu- 
cern,  now  every  where  known,  and  therefore  nothing  concern- 
ing the  qualities  and  advantages  of  i/.)  They  have  lately  fown 
Ray-grafs,  or  the  Gramen  Loliaceum,  by  which  they  improve  any 
cold,  four,  clay -weeping  ground,  for  which  it  is  beft,  but  good  al- 
fo  for  dryer  up  -land  grounds,  efpecially  light  Jiony,  or  fandy 
Land,  which  is  unfit  for  SainSf-foin. 

32.  It  was  firft  fown  (as  I  was  told)  in  the  Chiltern  parts  of 
Oxford-fiire,  and  fince  brought  nearer  Oxford  by  one  Mr  Euftace, 
an  ingenious  Husband-man  of  I/lip,  who  though  at  firft  laught  at, 
has  been  fince  followed  even  by  tbofe  very  perfons  that  fcorn'd 
his  Experiment,  it  having  precedence  of  all  other  grajjes,  in  that 
it  takes  almoft  in  all  forts  of  poor  Land,  endures  the  drought  of 
Summer  beft,  and  in  the  Spring  is  the  carlyeft  grafs  of  any,  and 
cannot  at  that  time  be  over-ftock'd ;  its  being  kept  down  making 
it  fweeter,  and  better  beloved  by  Cattle  than  any  other  grafs  : 
Nay,  fomtimes  they  have  been  known  to  leave  Meddow  hay  to  feed 
on  this :  but  of  all  other  Cattle  it  is  beft  for  Horfesy  it  being  hard 
Hay  ;  and  for  Sheep,  if  unfound,  it  having  been  known  by  expe- 
rience to  have  work'd  good  cures  on  them,  and  in  other  refpe&s 
the  beft  Winter  grafs  that  grows. 

33.  As  to  the  manure  of  it,  fome  fow  but  two  hufiels  on  the 
Statute  Acre,  but  'tis  beft  to  fow  three,  mixt  with  the  trifolium 
agrarium  Dodon<*i,  called  Melilot-  trefoil,  and  fomtimes  Non-fuch, 
becaufe  of  it  felf  it  is  but  a  thinfpirygnz/?,  and  will  not  be  of 
any  bulk  the  firft  year,  unlefs  thickned  by  the  Trefoil,  which  fail- 
ing by  degrees,  the  Ray  or  bennet-grafs  (fo  fome  alfo  call  it) 
thickens  upon  it,  and  lafts  for  ever.  Of  Ray-grafs  and  Trefoil 
thusmix'd  together,  one  at  I/lip  but  lately  hadfo  advantagious 
a  crop,  that  from  four  Statute  Acres,  worth  not  above  forty  fal- 
lings per  annum ;  befide  the  keeping  fix  or  eight  cattle  till  holy 
Ihurfday,  and  the  feeding  ail  the  Winter  following,  had  twenty 
Quarters  of  Seed  worth  twenty  pounds,  and  fourteen  loads  of 
fodder,  enough  to  winter  five  or  fix  cattle. 

34.  The  fenum  Burgundiacum  caeruleum  UObelii,  or  Medica  legi- 
tima  Clufiiis?  EW0tf«ei,commonly  called  Lucern.  but  by  the  Learn- 
ed Dr.  Morifon  faid  to  be  the  true  Saintt-join,  is  alfo  fown  here, 
and  found  to  agree  well  enough  with  a  rich  moift  ground,  but  bet- 
ter by  much  in  a  warm  and  dry  foil.     This  ftands  recommended 

for 


Of  OXFO\T)-SHI%E.  \\i 

for  an  excellent  fodder  both  by  Men  and  Beafts,  efpecially  Hotfes, 
which  are  purged,  and  made  fat  with  it  in  the  Spring  time  in  8  or 
i  o  days.  But  no  more  of  this,  or  any  other  grajfes,  they  having 
all  (but  Ray-grafs)  been  already  defcribed. 
,  35.  But  befide  Grafles,  there  have  fome  other  Plants  been  cul- 
tivated here  of  no  mean  ufe,  fuch  as  Cnicws,  five  Cartbamwsfati* 
vus,  manured  hafiard  Saffron,  fomtimes  called  Saflore,  for  dying 
of  fear  lets  ;  and  therefore  by  fome  called  alfo  thefcarlet  Flower, 
whereof  there  was  once  a  considerable  quantity  fown  at  North-' 
Afton  by  Colonel  Vernon,  the  Seeds  being  planted  in  rows  about 
a  foot  diftant,  for  the  more  convenient  howing  and  keeping  it 
clean  from  weeds  :  In  thefe  rows  it  rifes  with  a  ftrong  round  ftalk 
three  or  four  foot  high,  branching  it  felf  to  the  top,  where  it 
bears  a  great  open  fkaly  head,  out  of  which  it  thrufts  forth  ma- 
ny gold  yellow  threds  of  a  moft  orient  and  fhining  colour,  which 
they  gather  every  day  as  fair  as  they  ripen,  and  dry  them  well ; 
which  done,  it  is  fit  for  fale,  and  dying  of  fcarlet, 

36.  And  about  Hampton  and  Clanfield,  they  make  fome  profit 
of  fowing  C arum  five  Careum,  or  the  Carui  of  thefheps,  com- 
monly called  Caruwaies,  which  they  fow  in  March  or  April,  as 
they  do  Parfly  ;  thefirft  year  (it  feems)  it  bears  no  Seed,  but  the 
next  it  feeds  and  (Tiatters,  and  fo  will  hold  fix  or  feven  years 
without  new  fowing,  or  any  other  care  or  trouble,  befide  keep- 
ing it  from  weeds:  the  encouragement  they  have  to  fow  it,  is 
the  value  put  on  it ;  one  pound  of  this  being  efteemed  by  the 
Grocers,  worth  almoft  two  of  that  which  they  have  from  Lon- 
don. 

37.  And  this  is  all  I  have  met  with  concerning  cultivated  pi  ants 
worthy  taking  notice  of  in  this  County,  but  that  like  the  wild  /«- 
digenows  o«w,thefe  have  fomtimes  accidents  that  attend  them  too  : 
for  fuch,  and  no  other,  were  the  two  ears  of  Wheat  branched 
from  one  ftalk,  and  fix  ears  of  barley  from  another,  found  at 
Fulbrook.  near  Burford,  and  given  me  by  Mr.  ?ourden,fmce  deceaf- 
ed.  Nor  have  I  more  to  add  concerning  them,  but  that  I  find 
few  that  I  have  mentioned  to  be  noted  by  Mr.  Ray. 

38.  Next  Herbaceous  plants,  I  proceed  to  the  Shrubs,  amongft 
which  I  met  with  but  little  extraordinary,  only  the  Haw-thorn  at 
Bampton,  in  the  bowling- green  hedge,  bearing  white  berries  or  haws, 
which  indeed  I  take  to  be  a  great  curiofity  :  for  though  in  Flowers 

U  2  and 


irf  The  Natural  Hi jlory 

and  Animals,  white  be  efteemed  by  fome  zpenuriout  colour,  and 
a  certain  indication  of  a  fcarcity  of  nourifljment :   Whence  'tis, 
fays  my  Lord  Verulam  f,  that  blue  Violets  and  other  Flowers,  if 
they  be  ftarved,  turn  pale  and  white  ;  Birds  and  Horfes  by  age 
turn  white ;  and  the  hoary  hairs  of  men  come  by  the  fame  reafon. 
And  though  among  Fruits  the  white  for  the  moft  part  argues  but  a 
mean  concoclion,  they  being  generally  of  a  flajby  over-watery  taft, 
as  Pear-plums ,  the  white-harveH  plum,  white  Bullets?  iyc%.  and 
divers  forts  of  pears  and  apples  of  that  colour.    Yet  in  Berries  the 
cafe  feems  to  be  quite  different,  as  we  fee  in  Goo/berries,  Grapes, 
Straw-berries,  Pafps,  whereof  the  white  are  by  much  the  more 
delicate,  and  have  the  better  flavor ;  which  if  true,  in  the  whole 
Jpecies  of  berry-bearing  Plants  (as  in  probability  it  may)  we  have 
reafon  to  conclude  that  the  berries  of  this  Thorn  are  not  acciden- 
tally white,  through  defecl  or  difeafe  as  in  fome  other  Plants,  but 
that  they  are  an  argument  of  its  perfection,   and  that  the  Thorn 
it  felf  is  of  a  quite  different  (pedes  from  all  known  before,  and 
may  juftly  challenge  the  name  of  Oxyacanthm  bauis  albis.      Thefe 
Berries  'tis  true,  I  faw  not  my  felf,  not  being  there  in  time  of 
year  for  them,  but  being  certified  of  the  truth  of  it  by  the  com- 
mon  voice  of  the  Parifb,  and  particularly  by  the  WorlTiipful 
Thomat  Hoard  Efq;  who  firft  told  me  of  it,  and  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Philips  Arch-Deacon  of  Salop,  and  one  of  the  three  Vicars 
there  ;  (men  of  great  ingenuity  and  undoubted  veracity)  I  had 
no  reafon  to  queftionthe  certainty  of  the  thing. 

39.  And  hither  I  think  may  be  referred  the  Glajlenbury  Thorn, 
in  the  Park  and  Gardens  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord  Ncr- 
reys,  that  conftantly  buds,  and  fomtimes  bloffoms  at  or  near 
Chriflmajs  :  Whether  this  be  a  Plant  originally  of  Oxjord-Jhire,  or 
brought  hither  from  beyond  Seas,  or  a  graft  of  the  old  ftock  of 
Glaftonbury,  is  not  eafie  to  determin.  But  thus  much  may  be  faid 
in  behalf  of  Oxford-Jbire,  that  there  is  one  of  them  here  fo  old, 
that  it  is  now  dying,  and  that  if  ever  it  were  tranfplanted  hither, 
it  is  far  beyond  the  memory  of  men. 

40.  As  for  the  excellent  and  peculiar  quality  that  it  hath,  fome 
take  it  as  a  miraculous  remembrance  of  the  Birth  of  CHRIST,  firft 
planted  by  ?ofepho{  Arimathea  ;  Others  only  efteem  it  as  an  ear- 
lier fort  of  Thorn  peculiar  to  England'.   And  others  again  are  of 

f  Sat.  Hift.  Cent.  1.  K.im  93.     Z  Here  except  the  TtrJegvin  and  white  Pamafin. 


*s    xj 


opinion 


ofOXFO<R$>~SHt%E.  157 

opinion,  that  it  is  originally  a  foreigner  of  fome  of  the  fiutherrt 
Cou:  tries,  and  fo  hardy  a  Plant,  that  it  ftill  keeps  its  time  of 
bloffoming  (which  in  its  own  Country  might  be  about  the  end  of 
December*)  though  removed  hither  into  a  much  colder  Climat. 
Whether  of  thefe  is  moft  probable,  1  {ball  not  determin,  but  leave 
every  Reader  beft  to  pleafehimfelf ;  and  whatever  more  can  be 
faid  of  it,  I  (hall  referve  till  I  come  into  somerfet-Jbire,  where  it  is 
in  greateft  reputation,  and  has  been  moft  obferved. 

41 .  Whereunto  perhaps  may  be  added  a  kind  of*  Rofa  Caninat 
which  we  have  ventured  to  ftile,  humilior  fruclu  rotundiori,  for  that 
it  wants  much  of  the  height  and  ftrength  of  the  common  <w,and 
has  round  leaves,  and  the  hips  comprefled  at  the  top,and  branches 
thick  fet  with  fmall  prickles  between  the  great  ones ;  whereas  the 
common  one  has  both  leaves  and  hip  long  and  pointed,and  only  a 
larger  fort  of  prickles  fet  at  fome  diftance  :  But  whether  this  be  not 
therofafylveftr is  folio  glabro,flore  plane  albo,oijohn  Bauhin,  to  wch 
we  find  it  moft  agreeable  of  any  defcribed  *,  we  dare  not  pro- 
nounce ;  and  therefore  have  not  ventured  to  give  it  any  draught, 
but  have  left  it  to  further  enquiry,  which  that  all  men  may  readi- 
ly make,  they  may  find  it  growing  plentifully  in  Magdalene  College 
water-walks  •  in  the  way  up  Heddington-h\\\ ;  and  in  many  other 
places  near  about  Oxford.  And  if  judged  at  length  to  be  that  of 
John  Bauhin :  however,  we  find  it  not  noted  by  Mr.  Ray,  and  there- 
fore cannot  be  guilty  of  mifplacing  it  here. 

42.  Befide  this,  I  met  with  no  others  cither  dubious  or  omit- 
ted, butfeveral  of  rhem  difeafed,difcoloured  or  ftriped  ;  fuch 
as  P  eridymenum  fylveftre  (with  the  more  accurate  Botanifts,  rather 
a  fubfrutex  than  a  Shrub*)  found  at  Shotover-h'iW ;  Cornutficmina 
at  Water  flock',  Rubui  major  vulgaris,  in  the  Lane  between  Finjiock. 
and  Fawler  ;  and  Sambucus  vulgaris,  in  the  hedges  at  Cowley,  and 
near  to  Oxford ;  all  which  are  ftriped  yellow,  but  the  lafttom- 
what  more  remarkably  than  any  of  the  former,  the  veins  only  be- 
ing yellow,  and  a\\  the  par enchymoita  part  of  the  leaf  remaining 
green,  fo  that  the  ftriping  reprefents  as  it  were  a  Network-  but 
this  alfo  growing  out  after  fome  time  like  the  reft,  muft  be  repu- 
ted of  the  fame  kind,  and  to  proceed  from  the  fame  caufe.  Which 
is  all  I  have  found  obfervable  under  the  fpecies  of  firubs,  ex- 
cept it  be  worthy  notice,  that  in  the  Chiltern  part  of  Oxford- 

*  Hi  ft.  Plant,  lib- 14.  cap.  I, 

cantha, 


15S  The  Natural  Hi/lory  t 

Jbire  the  Rubws  Id&m,  Framboife,  or  Rafp-berry  bufh,  grows 
plentifully  enough  among  the  woods  and  hills:  and  the  Oxya- 
cantha,  or  Barberry-buflh,  between  Vpper  and  Nether  Kiddington. 

43.  Thus  having  difpatch'd  both  Herbs  and  Shrubs,  I  come 
at  length  to  the  Trees,  whereof  I  have  met  with  but  one  undefcri-  • 
bed,  and  that  a  narrow  leaved  Elm,  which  alfo  being  fmooth,  juft- 
ly  defcrves  the  name  oSVlmws  folio  anguflo  glabro,  wherein  it  dif- 
fers not  only  from  the  Vlmus  minor  of  Parkinjon  and  Gerard,  but 
alfo  from  their  Vlmws folio  glabro,  whofe  Leaves  they  fay  are  no- 
thing fo  large  as  the  Wycb  Hafel,  but  neareft  in  bignefs,  and  exact- 
ly in  the  figure  of  the  common  Elm  \  whereas  ours  are  much  lefs, 
and  of  a  quite  different/gar*  ;  being  narrow,  and  having  a  pe- 
culiar kind  of  pointed  ending,  as  exa&ly  exprefTed  in  Tab.  10. 
Fig.  1 .  Of  thofe  there  are  plenty  in  the  Avenues  to  the  Honfe  of 
the  Honorable  the  Lady  Cope,  the  Relift  of  the  moft  Ingenious 
Sir  Anthony  Cope  ofHanwell,  where  there  is  a  whole  Walk  of  them 
planted  in  order,  befide  others  that  grow  wild  in  the  Coppices  of 
the  Park. 

44.  As  for  Trees  either  not  noted,  or  anyway  doubted,  I 
have  met  with  none  here  :  but  of  Trees  remarkable  for  fome  un- 
ufual  accident  attending  them,  there  are  feveral  worthy  notice. 
For  of  Oaks-,  though  I  found  none  fo  prodigious  as  fome  men- 
tion'd  by  the  Learned  and  Ingenious  John  Evelyn  Efq;  in  his  dif- 
courfe  of  Forres!  Trees h ;  yet  there  is  one  between  Nuneham- 
Courtney  and  Clifton,  that  fpreads  from  boughs  end  to  boughs 
end,  81  foot,  in  circumference  fuppofingthe  boughs  to  fpread 
uniformly  243,  fhading  560  fquare  yards  of  ground;  under 
which  allowing  three  fquare  yards  for  a  horfe  or  other  beafi,  and 
two  fquare  feet  for  a  man  ;  1 86  of  the  former,  and  2420  of  the 
latter,  may  be  (helter'd  from  the  injuries  either  of  fun  or  rain. 

45 .  Yet  there  is  a  fomwhat  bigger  Oakxhzn  that,  at  Magdalen 
College,  near  the  Gate  of  the  Water-walk?-,  whofe  boughs  (hoot 
from  the  boal  fifteen  or  fixteen  yards,  which  fuppofing  they  did 
fpread  of  equal  length  from  the  trunk,  like  the  rays  of  a  circle ; 
the  content  of  ground  on  which  it  would  drop,  would  be  no  lefs 
than  768  fquare  yards,  whereof  allowing  as  before,  three  fquare 
yards  of  ground  for  a  horfe  to  ftand  on  (three  yards  long,  and 
one  yard  broad,  feeming  a  competent  proportion)  there  might 

t>  Difcourfeof  Forreft Trees,  cap.  30. 

2<;6  horfe s 


OfOXFO%V-SHl%E.  iyP 

25 6  horfes  ftand  under  that  Tree  ;  or  allowing  as  before  2  fquare 
feet  for  a  man,  3456  men. 

46.  Yet  at  Ricot,  in  the  Park  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord 
Norreys,  there  is  an  Oak.  yet  fomwhat  bigger  then  either  of  the 
former,  by  the  Author  of  Dodona's  Grove,  cal(ed  his  Robur  Brita- 
nicum,  which  extendeth  its  branches  from  the  trunk  of  the  Tree 
about  1 8  yards,  fo  that  the  diameter  of  its  circumference  being 
36  yards,  it  takes  within  its  Area  972  fquare  yards  ;  under  the 
umbrage  of  which  Tree,  upon  the  afore-mentioned  proportions, 
no  lefs  than  324  horfes,  or  4374  men,  may  fufficiently  be  (hel- 
ter'd. 

47.  Andthefeare  theTrees  moft  capacious  without ;  fomeo- 
thers  there  are  that  have  given  (lielter  within  the  hollow  of  their 
trunks  :  Mr.  Evelyn  tells  us  of  one-,  fom where  in  Gloccjier-  (hire, 
that  contains  within  its  bowels  a  prety  wainfcoted  Room,  en- 
lighten1 d  with  windows,  and  furnifti'd  with  feats,  istc.  which  I 
fuppofe  may  have  given  reception  to  many  an  honevt  Gentleman, 
Now  though  'tis  true  we  have  none  put  to  fo  Honorable  a  ufe,  yet 
the  hollow  Oak.  on  Kidlington-grttn,  for  the  neceflary  and  pub- 
lick  fervice  it  has  done ,  ought  perhaps  to  have  preference, 
though  neither  fo  great  nor  gaudy  ,•  it  being  frequently  ufed  be- 
fore the  death  of  Judge  Morton  (before  whofe  Houfe  it  flood) 
for  the  Imprifoning  Vagabonds  and  other  inferior  MalefaSiors,  for 
the  fpace  of  a  night  or  fo,  till  they  conveniently  might  be  had  to 
the  Goal  at  Oxford :  Of  whom,the  hollow  is  fo  large  within,  that  ic 
would  receive  eight  or  ten  commodioufly  enough,  the  Tree  with- 
out being  25  foot  round  above  the  fpurs, 

48.  Juft  fuch  another  Prifon  as  this,  as  we  are  informed  by 
Johan.  Ferdinand  Hertoda  \  was  made  in  Moravia,  in  the  trunk  of 
a  Willcw  27  foot  round,  in  the  Village  of  Moravan,  by  a  certain 
Judge  of  that  C  ountry  :  The  extravagant  growth  of  which  Tree, 
he  attributes  to  the  fertility  of  the  whole  Marquifate  ;  whereas  I 
rather  think  (not  but  that  the  Country  may  be  fertile  enough) 
the  ex tr earn  rank  growth  of  that,  and  of  all  other  Plants  fo  ex- 
ceeding the  ordinary  couife  of  Nature,  ought  rather  to  be  im- 
puted to  fome  more  peculiar  agreeablenefs  of  the  refpe&ive  foils 
and  Plants,  than  is  ordinarily  met  with  in  any  other  places  of  the 
fame  Country  where-ever  it  be. 

1  Tartaromafligis  Moravia,  part- 1.  cap.  17. 

49.  On 


160  The  Statural  Hijlory 

49.  On  Blecbington-green,  near  the  Angel  2nd  Crown  Inn, 
there  is  alfo  an  Elm  of  fo  capacious  a  hollow  trunk,  that  it  once 
gave  reception  to  a  poor  great  bellyed  woman  (excluded  all  the 
houfes  in  the  Parijh,  to  prevent  her  bringing  a  charge  on  it)  who 
was  brought  to  bed  in  it  of  a  Son,  now  a  lufty  young  man,  and 
living,  as  they  told  me,  at  or  near  Harwich.  And  yet  neither 
this  Elm,  nor  the  afore- mentioned  Oak->  are  either  of  them  fo 
big,  but  that  they  may  be  match'd  in  many  other  places,  in  fo 
much  that  I  fhould  fcarce  have  thought  them  worthy  my  notice, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  Strange  ufes  they  were  heretofore 
put  to. 

50.  And  thus  I  had  immediatly  pafled  on  to  Elms,  but  that 
I  am  detained  by  a  parcel  of  fubttrraneous  Oaks,  found  fome  years 
fince  at  the  bottom  of  a  Pond  on  Binfield-beatk  in  the  Parifh  of 
Shiplake,  very  firm  and  found,  but  quite  through  to  the  heart  as 
black  as  Ebony ;  caufed  1  fuppofe  by  a  Vitriolic  humor  in  the  Earth, 
which  joining  with  0a\, the  parent  of  a  fort  of  Galls,  might  rea- 
fonably  enough  produce  fuchan^e^?,  as  we  fee  they  do  always 
in  the  making  of  Ink.'  And  that  I  am  not  miftaken  in  this  conje- 
cture, the  Ditches  by  the  Woods  fide  between  this  and  Caverfiam 
will  bear  me  witnefs,  the  Waters  whereof,  where  they  ftand  un- 
der Oaks  and  receive  their  dropings  and  fall  of  their  leaves,  be- 
ing turned  blacker  than  any  Vitriolic  ones  I  have  any  where 
feen,  except  thofe  of  Mr.  Tyrrill  of  Oakley  in  Buckjngham- 
Jbire. 

51.  And  thefe  alfo  no  queftion  performed  the  fame  feat  to 
fome  Tuns  of  Oak.  found  alfo  under  a  Pond,  belonging  to  the 
W6rfhipful  Thomas  Stonor  Efq;  of  Watlington-P  ark,  near  Blunds 
Court,  in  the  Parifh  of  Rotherfield  Pypard,  which  for  the  benefit 
of  the  foil ,  and  other  conveniencies  ,  being  cleanfed  in  July, 
Anno  1 6 75.  the  Work-men  finking  it  a  convenient  depth,  came 
at  laft,  as  it  proved,  to  the  top  Branches  of  an  Oak.'-  relation 
whereof  being  made  to  the  owner  the  worthy  Mr.  Stoner,  a  per- 
fon  not  only  curious,  but  equally  generous  ;  he  prefently  gave  or- 
der for  a  further  inquifition,  and  accordingly  employed  an  equal 
number  of  men  to  the  greatnefs  of  the  work,  who  finking  a  fit  a- 
bout  twenty  yards  over,  and  about  fifty  or  fixty  foot  deep,  found 
many  whole  Oaks  ;  whereof  one  flood  upright  perpendicular  to 
the  Horizon,  the  others  lay  obliquely,  onely  one  was  inverted,  the 

forked 


Of  OXFO%tD~SHl\E:  161 

forked  end  downward  :  All  of  them  ^ithrough  of  a  black  hiew 
\\VeEbony,  yet  much  of  the  Timber  found  enough,  and  fit  for 
many  ufes,  feveral  of  the  Trees  being  a  foot  or  fourteen  inches, 
and  particularly  one  above  three  foot  diameter,  and  all  receiving 
a  very  good  polifh  ;  and  therefore  fitter  for  Joyners  in-laid  works, 
than  pales  to  fet  about  clofes,  to  which  ufe  that  was  put,  which 
was  found  at  Binfield. 

52.  Befide  the  Trees,  all  along  as  they  dug,  they  met  with 
plenty  of  Hafel-nuts  from  within  a  yard  of  the  furface  to  the 
bottom  of  the  pit,  which  Times  iron  teeth  had  not  yetcrack'd  ; 
and  that  which  amazed  me  moft  of  all,  I  think  they  lay  thicker 
than  ever  they  grew  :  Some  of  which,  as  well  as  the  Oaks  were 
at  fome  places  cover'd  with  a  bluijb  Jubilance,  much  of  the  con- 
fiftence  of  the  flower  of  Sulphur,  and  not  much  unlike  to  the 
fineft  blue  ft larch ;  which  is  the  Coeruleum  nativum  before  mention- 
ed in  this  Hiftory,  Cap.  3.  Sell.  18.  The  Oaks  had  none  of  them 
any  roots,  but  plainly  cut  off  at  the  kerf,  as  is  ufed  in  felling  Tim- 
ber ;  The  (hells  of  the  Nuts  very  firm  without,  but  nothing  re- 
mained within  of  t\\eKernel,  but  a  (hew  of  the  dry  outer  rind. 
And  the  blue  fubftance  not  found  only  upon  the  Nuts  and  Oaks,hut 
in  any  other  fmall  cavities  of  the  Earth,  difperfedly  here  and 
there  all  over  the  pit. 

53.  Moreover,  there  was  found  a  fort  of  white  ft  one  difperfed 
in  like  manner,  in  pieces  fomtimes  as  big  as  ones  fift,  in  colour 
fomwhat  like  to  white  Marble  or  Alabafier,  but  of  a  much  diffe- 
rent texture.  And  near  the  bottom  of  the  pit  a  large  Stags  head, 
with  the  Brow-antliers,  as  found  as  the  Beam  it  felf,  with  two 
Roman  Vrns,  both  which  were  broken  by  the  incurious  Work- 
men. 

54.  How  the  Timber  (lioukl  be  thus  dyed  as  black  as  Ebony,  I 
hope  I  have  made  no  improbable  conjecture,  nor  is  it  liable  that 
I  know  of  to  any  exception,  unlefs  to  a  Quaere  :  Why  the  Nuts 
and  Stags  head  were  not  dyed  fo  too  ?  To  which  it  may  be  an- 
fwered,  That  the  pores  of  the  (hells  being  clofer  than  the  wood, 
and  neither  the  nuts  nor  the  horn  having  any  thing  gallijb,  the 
Vitriol  of  the  Earth  could  have  no  power  on  them,  whether  it 
be  wrought  by  repugnancy  or  combination,  to  work  that  ef- 
fect. 

55.  But  how  the  Timber  fhould  become  thus  buryed  both 

X  at 


i6i  The  Natural  Htjlory 

at  Binfield  and  Blunds  Court  ?  and  at  the  latter  how  joyned  in  To 
ftrange  a  mixture,  as  Hafel-nuts,  a  Stags  head,  and  Urns  ;  and 
at  fom  places  only,  with  an  Alabaftrine  kind  of  fubftance  ?  re- 
mains yeta  knot  not  fo  eafily  loofed.  However,  finceattemts 
have  fomtimes  pleafed,  and  it  has  always  been  acceptable  in  ma- 
gnU  voluiffe-,  I  fliall  adventure  to  propound  my  prefent  thoughts  j 
ftill  referving  the  liberty  to  my  felf,  as  well  as  Reader,  of  thinking 
otherwife  when  fufficient  grounds  of  change  fliall  offer  themfelves 
at  any  time  hereafter. 

56.  Firftthen,  as  for  the  timber  dug  at  Binfield- heath,  'tis 
likely  that  might  be  feird  and  buryed  there  when  Societies  of  men 
(which  I  guefs  was  not  common  till  the  days  of  King  Alfred)  un- 
der fome  Mean,  or  Lord  Paramount,  firft  chofe  to  themfelves  cer- 
tain places  of  aboad,  and  promoted  Agriculture  :  which  that 
they  might  the  better  do.  they  fell'd  and  buryed  the  timber  which 
they  could  not  well  burn  with  the  under-wood.  Thus,  as  I  have 
been  informed  by  a  very  worthy  Perfon,  who  had  it  from  his 
aged  Father,  did  our  Grand-fathers  ferve  their  timber  in  the  in- 
land parts  of  Kent  to  make  room  for  tillage,  digging  a  trench  by 
each  tree  after  it  was  fell'd,  and  fo  tumbling  it  in,  its  fale  not  be- 
ing worth  the  portage,  even  there,  fo  few  years  ago.  Much  ra- 
ther therefore  might  the  firft  Planters  of  Binfield-hcnh  throw 
it  into  Ponds,  or  other  hollow  places  ready  at  hand,  to  make 
room  as  well  for  habitation  as  tillage,  in  ancienter  times  :  which  I 
guefs  might  be  done  in  the  Reign  of  King  Alfred,  1.  becaufehe 
divided  the  Kingdom  into  Shires  and  Hundreds;  and  2.  becaufe 
Binfield  gives  name  to  the  Hundred  (however  inconfiderable  it  be 
now)  in  this  woody  part  of  the  County. 

57.  Moreover,  that  this  Timber  muft  be  buryed  by  defign, 
and  notcafually  over-thrown,  either  by  their  roots  being  loofen'd 
by  to  much  wet,  occafloned  by  the  obftru&ion  of  Rivers,  as  Cam- 
den k  apprehends  thofe  Trees  were,  found  in  Chatmofs  in  Lanca- 

Jhire  :  Nor  by  the  over-flowing  of  any  Rivers,  nor  fall  of  any" 
Torrent,  as  Steno  would  have  it1 :  Nor  undermined  by  fubterrane- 
ou4  ftreams,  or  diffblution  of  matter  underneath  them,  as  Dr. 
Jackson  m  thinks  it  happened  about  1 8  years  fince  at  Bilkely  in 
Hereford-Jlire,  is  plain  and  evident ;  for  that  all  the  Country  here- 

*  Camden  va  Lamajkire.    x  Steno  in  P>odhwi.  concerning  the  matter  of  beds.    m  Philcfoph.Tranf- 
acl.  Kmn-'ji. 

about 


ofOXFO  %p~S  HI%E.  irfj 

about  lies  very  high,  and  is  as  ftony  afaft  ground,  as  almoft  any 
where  to  be  found. 

5  8 .  It  remains  therefore,  that  it  muft  needs  be  defignedty  bu- 
ried, and  if  in  any  other  places  of  the  heathy  as  well  as  in  the 
pond,  may  poffibly  be  difcover'd  either  by  the  herbage  over  them, 
which  will  wither  much  fooner  than  any  of  the  reft;  as  near  Yeo- 
vil in  Somerfet-Jbire ,  where,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  Reverend 
and  Learned  Dr.  Beala,  the  parched  part  juft  over  them,  will 
bear  the  very  length  and  fhape  in  grofs  of  the  trees,  whence  they 
have  been  inftru&ed  to  find  and  take  up  hundreds  of  Oaks : 
Or  by  the  direction  of  the  dew  in  Summer ;  it  being  obferved  in 
Cumberland0,  that  the  dew  never  ftands  on  any  of  the  ground 
under  which  fuch  trees  lie ;  though  poffibly  too,  on  the  other 
fide  we  may  have  no  fuch  indications  here  in  firm  grounds,  they 
being  hitherto  obferved  only  in  moors  and  mojfes. 

59.  But  as  for  the  timber  at  Blunds  Court,  as  it  was  found,  fo 
it  requires  a  deeper  refearch,  it  being  very  unlikely  they  fliould 
dig  fo  low,  upon  the  fame  fcore  as  at  Binfield,  fince  timber  might 
have  been  buryed  on  far  eafier  terms.,  as  formerly  in  Kent.  Much 
lefs  can  it  be  admitted  it  fliould  be  f wallowed  by  an  Earth-quake, 
or  as  the  vulgar  will  needs  have  it,  thus  cover'd  with  Earth  by 
the  violence  of  a  Flood,  and  particularly  by  that  in  the  days  of 
Noah.  For  in  either  of  thofe  cafes,  we  fhould  have  found  each 
tree  with  roots  as  well  as  branches,  whereas  thefe  were  plainly 
hewen  off  at  the  Kerf,  as  is  ufed  in  felling  Timber,  the  marks  of 
the  Ax  ftill  remaining  upon  them. 

60.  Befide,  the  feveral  other  things  found  in  company  of  thefe 
trees,  feem  to  give  teftimony  of  fome  other  matters.  Thefirft 
and  chiefeft  whereof,  is  that  blewifh  kind  of  fubftance,  which 
I  am  ftrongly  perfwaded  is  C&ruleum  nativum,  and  the  rather, 
becaufe  found  in  an  AJJj -colour"  d  Earth.  The  true  Cyprian  C<*ru- 
hum,  or  Ultramarine,  as  is  teftified  by  Rulandws,  being  found  in 
terra cinerea  ;  and  the  Cdzruleum Pat avinum,  m  glebis{ubcinereitF; 
with  whom  agrees  Kentmannus,  as  cited  above,  Chap.  3.^.  18. 
And  if  true  C<eruleum,  we  have  reafon  to  fufpeft  a  Mine  under- 
neath ;  for  then,  fays  Aldrovandut,  is  Coeruleum  produced,  when 
fome  faline  acid  humor  (fuch  as  the  Vitriol  that  dies  the  Trees 

»  Philofoph.  Tranfaft.  Numb.  18.    °BritamtiaBaconicamCum&erla»d.     t  Mart.Ruland.  Lexic  Al~ 

thtmia. 

X  2  black) 


\6/\.  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

black)  corrodes  fome  metallick.  matter  or  other  q ;  which  fom- 
times  is  Copfer,  and  fomtimes  Gold,  as  Encelim  witneifeth  it  is  at 
Lauterberg  and  Goldeberg  in  Silefta,  in  his  Book  De  re  Mttallica r; 
where  he  alfo  further  adds,  that  Gold  is  fmelted  out  of-Geruleum 
itfelf. 

6r.  Dr.  Brown  alfo  tells  us,  in  the  account  of  his  Journey 
from  Comara  to  the  Mine-Towns  in  Hungary s,  that  at  Schemnitz^ 
where  the  filver  Ore  holds  fome  gold,  and  at  the  fdver  Mines  in 
/Vw,  there  are  Rocks  cover'd  over  with  a  fair  (Inning  blue.  Ru- 
landm1  alfo  joins  it  with  a  filver  Ore  at  Giefiubelia,  and  fo  does 
P/i;zy u :  What  then  fhould  hinder  but  it  may  be  fo  here  ?  fince 
I  do  not  doubt  it  to  be  the  fleam  of  a  mineral ;  for  when  I  was  at 
the  bottom  of  the  pit  (above  50  foot  deep)  notwithftanding  the 
opennefs  of  trieplt,  and  coolnefs  of  the  day,  no  Sun  appear- 
ing, I  found  it  fo  hot,  that  the  drops  followed  one  another  on 
my  face ,  whence  1  judged  the  Mine-chamber  not  to  be  far 
off. 

62.  Which  1  rather  guefs  to  be  of  filver  than  of  any  other 
metal,  becaufe  of  the  Alabaflrine  or  /far- like  fubftance  found 
mixM  with  it ;  wKich,  fays  Mr.  Websler,  was  in  fome  places  in- 
termixtalfo  in  the  beft  Silver -mine  ever  yet  found  in  England,  the 
Ore  whereof  held  about  fixtyfix  pounds  per  Tun  w.  From  all 
which  it  may  be  concluded,  that  'tis  probable  at  leaft  that  here 
may  have  been  formerly  fuch  a  mine,  ftopt  up  as  I  firft  thought  by 
the  Aboriginal  Britans,  upon  the  arrival  and  conquefts  of  the  Ro- 
mans ox  Saxons,  who  not  being  able  to  recover  their  Country  with- 
in the  memory  of  man,  it  might  be  loft  like  the  Gold-mine  of 
Glafs-Hitten'm  Hungary,  when Bethlem  Gabor  over-ran  that  Coun- 
try x ;  or  the  Gold-mine  of  Cunobtline  in  Effh,  difcover'd  again 
temp.  Hen.  4.  as  appears  by  the  Kings  Letters  of  Mandamus,  bear- 
ing date  1 1  May,  An.  2.  Rot.  34.  directed  to  Walter  Eitz^Walter 
concerning  it y ;  and  fince  that  loft  again. 

£3.  Till  at  length  they  found  the  Vms,  and  then  'twas  plain 
and  evident  that  it  muft  have  been  formerly  fome  Roman  Work, 
and  probably  ftill  remains  fome  old  Roman  Mine,  in  all  likelyhood 
ftopt  up,  when  Gallio  of  Ravenna  fent  hither  with  a  Legion  (the 
laft  that  ever  was  in  Britan)  to  repel  the  Pitts  and  Scots,  was  fi- 

<  Mufaum  Metallicum^lit.ycap.%.  '  Kneel,  de  re  Met allica.  cap.  22..  s  Account  of-  his  Travels, />.  93, 
94.  1  Mart:Rula?idi  Lexicon  Alcbemi*  *  Nat.  Hift.  bb.  7,\>  cap.  12.  *  Hiftory  of  Metals,  cap.i\. 
*  DiEr<rwnsTn\c\*intoHu7igarj.     \  ShJobnPettushhFodinteR'gal.cap  9- {5-13. 

nally 


Of  0 XFO^D-SHiliE  \6i 

hally  recalled  by  Valentinian  the  third,  toaffift  JEtiu*  in  Gallia  a- 
gainft  the  In-roads  of  the  Francks  under  Clodion,  and  to  fupport 
his  then  tottering,  and  quickly  after  ruin'd  Wejlern  Empire:  At 
-what  time,  fays  Mr.  Speed7-  (but  he  quotes  not  his  Author)  they 
buryed  alio  their  Treafures,  whereof  we  have  found  parcels  in  ail 
Ages  ever  fince. 

6\.  And  this  'tis  likely  they  might  do,  firft  by  throwing  in 
irteS)  which  not  lying  clofe  enough  immediatly  to  fupport  the 
Earth,  were  after  cover'd  whh.Hjfels  (when  the  Nuts  were  fully 
ripe,  which  has  occafioned  their  endurance  to  this  very  day)  on 
which  they  heaped  Earth  ;  which  after  fome  time  finking  below 
thefurface  of  the  other  ground  might  occafion  this  Pond,  never- 
thought  to  have  been  any  other  till  the  time  abovc-mention'd. 

65.  After  the  accidents  of  Oaks,  come  we  next  to  thofe  of 
Elms,  whereof  there  ftands  one  on -SizT^-Common,  at  the  ffurs 
next  the  ground  at  leaft  6  yards  diameter,  occafion'd  here,  as  (I 
fuppofe)  at  many  other  places,  by  erecting  a  Turf  feat  round  the 
bottom  of  the  Tree,  it  being  elfewhere  but  of  ordinary  dimen- 
sions. But  this  is  not  fo  extravagant  in  the  excefs  of  the  growth 
of  its  trunk. near  the  ground,  but  there  is  another  more  ftrange 
for  a  defect  in  that  place,  viz^  a  great  old  Elm  growing  near  the 
North-eaft  corner  of  the  Bowling-green  in  Magdalene  College 
Grove,  difbarked  quite  round,  at  moft  places  two  foot,  at  fome 
at  leaft  a  yard,  or  four  foot  from  the  ground  ;  which  yet  for 
thefe  many  years  paft  has  flourifh'd  as  well  as  any  Tree  in  the 
Grove. 

66.  Now  how  this  (hould  come  to  pafs  (all  frees  being  be- 
lieved to  receive  their  nourifliment  between  the  woodznd  barks 
and  prefently  to  die  upon  their  fepafatiori)  many  have  admired, 
but  few  attempted  to  explain,  being  further  difcouraged  by  the 
abfence  of  thepith,  the  Tree  being  within  as  hollow  as  a  Drum, 
and  its  outmoft  furface,  where  Unbark'd,  dead  and  dry  befide. 
All  which  I  think  had  not  ftartled  me  much,  but  that  1  found  it  in 
our  Tranfaftivns  a  pofkively  afferted,  that  if  any  circle  be  drawn 
round  any  common  Englifp  tree  (only  Afi  excepted)  as  Oak,, 
Elm,  Poplar,  isrc^  by  incifion  to  the  timber  (how  thin  foever  the 
knife  be)  fo  that  no  part  of  the  rind  or  bark,  to  the  very  folid 
timberbt  uncut,  the  Tree  will  die  from  that  part  upwards. 

*  Hiftory  of  Vritan-  lib.  6- cap.  $4.    *  Philofoph.  Tranfadt  Numb.  43. 

6j.  For 


\66  The  Statural  Hijlory 

6  j.  For  the  better  clearing  of  which  point,  and  avoidance  of 
the  attending  difficulties,  it  will  be  but  requifite,  though  two  prin- 
cipal parts  of  our  tree  be  wanting,  to  reprefent  in  Sculpture^  at 
leaft  afextant  of  the  body  of  an  Elm  cut  tranfverily,  together 
with  the  bark,  and  pith,  as  well  as  the  woo  J,  as  they  all  appear  in  a 
Micro/cope:  Which  without  further  trouble,  or  fufpicion  of  falf- 
hood,  I  have  carefully  taken  out  of  the  Anatomy  of  Trunks  lately 
publidi'dbythe  accurate  and  ingenious  Dr.  Grew,  zs'mTab.  10. 
Fig.  2.  only  with  fome  alteration  of  the  Letters  of  direttion. 
Wherein 

AB,  CD.   reprefent  the  whole  hark,  of  the  tree. 
AB.  the  skin  of  the  bark. 
CD  one  kind  offap  veffels. 
EF.   another  kind  of  ftp  veffels. 
GH.   the  parenchyma  of  the  barkwherein  theVeficuLe 
are  fo  exceeding  fmall,  at  difficultly  to  be  percei- 
ved by  the  Microfcope. 
IK,  LM,  NO,  PQ.  the  great  air  veffels  pojlured  chief- 
ly in  rings  on  the  inner  verge  of  every  annual 
growth  of  wood. 
rs,  rs,  rs.  thefmallair  veffels poslured  in  crofs  bars. 
TVW  thepith. 

XY.    the  diametral  portions ,    or  infertions  runing 
through  the  fever al  annual  rings  from  thepith. 
to  the  bark- 
2Z22.  the  true  wood,  having  been  originally  the  fap 
veffels  of  the  bark- 
now  the  fap  veffels  in  this  diagram  being  only  to  be  found  in  the 
Bark,and  thofe paffages  intercepted  atfo  great  diftances,  as  above- 
mention'd  in  our  Elm,  the  great  queftion  (till  returns  as  difficult 
as  before,  and  as  far  from  folution. 

68.  In  the  clearing  whereof,  it  muft  firft  for  certain  be  an- 
fwer'd,  that  its  a  great  miftake  (though  it  have  obtained  fo  long) 
that  a  tree  only  lives  by  the  afcent  of  its  nouriftiment  in  or  be- 
tween the  Bark  and  the  Wood,  and  that  trees  muft  needs  die 
when  once  they  are  bark'd  round  ,  here  being  matter  ot  faft  to 
confute  thofe  opinions.  And  fecondly,  That  it  is  as  certain  a 
truth  as  the  other  is  a  miftake-,  that  an  Elm  as  well  as  an  Ajb,  or 

any 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  idy 

any  other  tree,  whatever  Experiments  may  have  been  made,  may 
anddosfonitimeslive  afttr  'tis  difbarked, and  that  therefore  there 
muft  be  other  veffels,  beilde  thtfap  veff'ds  of  the  Bark,  capable  of 
the  office  of  conveying  fap,  fufficient  not  only  for  the  life,  but 
flourishing  condition  of  a  tree. 

6j.  And  fwch  perhaps  are  a  fort  of  fmall  veffels  in  the  very 
febematifm  of  the  wood  at  zzzz,  not  perceptible  by  a  Microfcope,  it 
being  on  all  hands  agreed  on,  that  the  whole  wood  of  trees,  was 
all  heretofore  the  fap  veffels  of  the  Bark  :  The  Bark  every  year* 
as  Dr.  Grewh  well  obferves,  dividing  into  two  parts,  and  diftri- 
buting  itfelftwo  contrary  ways ;  the  outer  pan  falling  off' toward 
the  fkin  at  A  B,  and  becoming  at  length  the  fkin  it  felf ;  and  the 
inner  part  adding  it  felf  to  thewocd,  xhzparenchymows  part  there- 
of making  a  new  addition  to  the  Injertions  at  X  Y,  and  the  fap 
veffels,  a  new  addition  to  the  lignou*  parts  at  zzzz  (landing  be- 
tween the  Infert'wns  :  So  that  a  Rirg  of  fap  veffels  in  the  Bark 
this  year,  becomes  a  Ring  of  wood'm  the  tree  the  next ;  all  which 
maybe  perfectly  fcen  in  the  great  Oak  afore-mentioned,  (§.  45. 
of  this  Chapter,  and  belonging  to  the  fame  College)  at  feveral 
places  where  the  rind  is  bruifed  off. 

70.  And  if  fo,  not  unlikely  they  may  fo  far  retain  their  anci- 
ent office  of  conveying  fap,  as  to  keep  a  tree  alive,  though  not 
augment  it,  which  perhaps  may  be  one  different  ufe  of  thefe  fap 
veffels  in  the  woo;/ from  thofe  in  the  bark,  thefe  being  fufficient 
for  the  continuation  of  ztree,  and  the  others  ferving  only  for  its 
augmentation  :  Which  if  true,  and  our  tree  pad  its  increafe,  as 
no  doubt  it  has  been  many  years  fince  ;  what  need  has  there  been 
of  any  fuch  thing  as  the  fap  veffels  of  the  barky  or  indeed  of  the 
bark,  it  felf? 

71.  Now  that  this  indeed  is  certainly  fo,  feems  agreed  on 
and  confirmed  by  the  learned  and  ingenious  Mr.  Willughby  and 
Mr.  Raj  c;  who  have  made  it  appear  by  irrefiftible  experience,  that 
the  fap  not  only  afcends  between  the  bark,  and  the  tree,  but  alfo 
through  the  very  fubftance  of  the  wood:  And  by  the  accurate 
Dr.  Grewd,  who  allows  to  the  wood,  as  weMfap  veffels  as  air  vef- 
fels, it  being  proper  to  the  bark,  to  have  fap  veffels  only.     All 

which  put  together,  feem  abundantly  to  difpel  all  appearing  dif* 

b  Compar.  Anatom.  of  Trunks,  c.  3.     e  Philofoph.  Traniadt.  tfumb.tfi.    d  Comparat-  Anatom. 
of  Trunks,  cap.  8. 

ficulties 


i<*8  The  Statural  Hiftory 

Jiculties,  and  no  queftion  will  fatisfie  all  unprejudiced   Readers 
how  our  tree  comes  to  flourish,  though  difbark'd  all  round. 

72.  But  if  there  fhall  be  any  found  fo  fro  ward,  as  not  to  al- 
low(againft  all  experience)  thofe  minute  fap  veffels  in  the  fubftance 
of  the  wood,  yet  the  vifible  pricked  circles  between  the  annual  coats 
of  the  wood r,  obferved  alfoby  Uv.lfillughby,  Mr.  Ray,  and  Dr. 
Tong  %  which  I  fuppofe  may  be  the  large  air  veffels  of  Dr.  Grew, 
may  be  fufficient  for  this  purpofe  ;  efpecially  in  Elm,  where  they 
are  numerous  and  of  two  forts,  as  in  Tab.  ro.  Fig.  2.  I K,  &c. 
rs,  is"C  It  being  the  office  of  air  veffels,  for  about  a  month  in  March 
and  ApriV,  before  the  new  Jap  veffels  of  the  ZwAare  fit  for  ufe,  to 
convey  the  fap  neceffary  for  the  vegetation  of  all  Plants.  And  if 
fo,  in  old  trees  that  have  done  growing,  and  have  no  need  of  the 
annual  new  production  of  a  bark.-,  why  may  it  not  continually  a- 
fcend  by  them  frill  ? 

73.  To  which  if  it  be  objected,  that  a  tree  lives  as  well  by  ve- 
getable air  zsfap,  and  that  if  the  air  veffels  be  continually  fill'd  with 
fap,  the  tree  muft  dye  on  the  other  fide  for  want  of  air :  It  may 

eafily  be  reply ed,  that  the  ufe  of  the  Infertions  or  Diametral por- 
tions t  Fig.  2.  X  Y,  interceding  the  pith  at  T  V  W,  and  the  paren- 
chyma of  the  bark,  at  G  H,  all  made  of  fmall  kind  of  bladders 
clufter'd  together,  is  for  conveyance  of  air,  as  well  as  the  air 
veffels  themfelves.  But  if  it  be  further  urged,  that  the  Diame- 
tral portions  only  ferve  to  convey  it  by  the  bredth,  and  not  the 
length  of  the  tree,  which  makes  them  inefficient  for  this  pur- 
pofe ;  we  have  latitude  enough,  and  can  allow  the  lefftr fap  vef- 
fels that  lye  in  crofs  bars  at  r  s  to  fupply  that  defect,  and  ftill  re- 
tain all  the  ranges  of  the  great  air  veffels  at  IK,  LM,  NO,  PQ  ,  for 
conveyance  of  the  fap,  in  fuch  like  Trees  as  our  old  Elm. 

74.  And  if  it  be  further  enquired,  how  it  comes  to  pafs  that 
fome  trees  do  dye  upon  the  lofs  of  their  bark,  and  all  are  not  pre- 
ferved  by  the  help  of  the  fap,  or  air  veffels  of  the  wood :  It  may 
be  anfwer'd,  and  probably  rightly  enough,  that  fuch  trees  as  are 
young,  a  growing,  have  a  plentiful  ifTue  of  x\\\nfap  between  the 
bark,  and  the  wood,  and  that  readily  bleed  when  they  are  wound- 
ed or  bored,  do  moft  commonly  (if  not  always)  certainly  dye: 
whereas  fome  of  the  fame  trees  when  older,  pad  growing,  efpe- 
cially if  they  have  a  more  gummy  juice,  fuch  as  Afi,  Elm,  Lime- 

*  Philofoph.  Tranfaft.  tJumi.  43.  ^48.    »  Dr.  Grew  of  the  vegetation  of  Plantsj  cap.  1. 

tree, 


/ 


Of  OXFOXV-SHmE*  t# 

tree,  i$c  may  live  and  flourifli  many  years  after  their  difbarking, 
by  the  faps  afcent  through  thcfap  or  air  veffelsof  the  wood. 

75.  Moreover,  amongft  the  accidents  that  have  happen'ct to 
Elms,  I  muft  not  forget  a  very  pleafant  one  that  fell  out  at  Mid^ 
dle-Afton,  where  cleaving  of  Elm  blocks  at  one  Mr.  Langffon's7 
there  came  out  a  piece  fo  exa&ly  reprefenting  a  fhdulder  of  Veal, 
that  it  was  thought  worth  while  to  preferve  it  from  the  fire  by  the 
owner  of  it,  by  whom  it  was  kindly  bellowed  on  me,  as  an  additi- 
on to  the  reft  of  my  Curiofities  of  Nature.  ,0 

76.  But  the  moft  remarkable  accidents  that  ever  befel  trees, 
perhaps  here,  or  in  any  other  County,  were  the  foundations  of  two 
eminent  Religions houfes  both  occafion'd  by  trees.  The  firft,  Ofeney 
Abby  founded  in  that  place  by  Robert  WOyly  the  fecond,  by  reafon 
of  a  certain  tree  thatftoodin  the  meddows  whereafter  he  built ;  the 
Abbey,  to  which  it  feems  repaired  a  company  of  ¥$t$y.  as  often 
as  Editha  the  wife  of  Robert  came  to  walk  that  way,  which  in 
company  with  her  maid  (lie  often  ufed  to  do  (as  Z^/dWexpreffes 
it)  to  folace  her  felf ~s :  at  whofe  arrival  the  Pyes  were  alwaies  fo 
clamorous,  that/5e  took  notice  of  it,  and  confults  with  one  Radul- 
phus  Canon  of  St.  Fridtfwid's,  what  this  might  fignifie  :  who  am- 
ingly  advifes,  that  (he  muft  build  fome  Cburcb  or  Monaflery  where 
the  tree  ftood,  which^e  inftantly  procures  her  Hutbmd to  do, 
and  this  Radulphut  (her  Confeffbry  to  be  made  the  firft  Prior. 

77.  What  tree  this  was,  Leland  acquaints  us  not  ;  but 
that  which  occafioned  the  fecond  Foundation  in  the  place  where 
it  is,  was  a  triple  Elm,  having  three  trunks  ifTuing  from  one  rooti 
Near  fuch  a  Tree  as  this  Sir  Thomas  White,  Lord  Major  of  London 
(as  we  have  it  by  Tradition)  was  warned  in  a  Dream  he  (hould 
build  aCollege,for  the  education  of  Youth  in  Religion  and  Learn- 
ing :  whereupon  he  repairs  to  Oxford,  and  firft  met  with  fom- 
thing  near  Glocefter-Hall that  feem'd  to  ahfwerhis  Dream,  where 
accordingly  he  ere&ed  a  great  deal  of  Building.  But  afterward; 
finding  another  Elm  near  St.  Bernards  College,  fuppreft  not  long 
before  by  King  Hen.  8.  more  exa&ly  to  anfwer  all  the  circumftan- 
ces  of  his  Dream,  he  left  off  at  Glocefter-Hall,  and  built  St.  John 
Bap.  College,  which,  with  the  very  Tree  befide  it,  that  occafion'd 
its  Foundation,  flouriflhestothis  day,  under  the  Preftdence  of  the 
Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  Levinz^  z  cordial  promoter  of  this 

Uejlgn.  g  Lelandlltinerarivm,  Vol.7..pag.\%-,\t). 

Y  78.  Be- 


lyo  *The  Statural  Hijlory 

78.  Befide  the  Elms  at  St.  Johns  knit  together  at  the  root, there 
are  two  Beeches  in  the  way  from  Oxford  to  Reading,  near  a  place 
called  Cain-end,  more  ftrangely  joined  together  a  great  height 
from  the  ground:  for  the  bodies  of  thefe  Trees  come  from  diffe- 
rent roots,  and  afcend  parallel  to  the  top,  but  are  joined  together 
a  little  before  they  come  to  bough,  by  a  tranfverfe  piece  of  tim-r 
ber  entering  at  each  end  into  the  bodies  of  the  Trees,  and  growing 
jointly  with  them,  for  which  reafon  'tis  commonly  called  the 
Callow-tree,  though  the  piece  that  intercedes  them  lies  fomwhat 
obliquely  ;  How  this  fhould  come  to  pafs  many  have  wondered, 
but  the  problem  I  guefs  may  be  eafily  folved,  only  by  allowing 
the  tranfverfe  piece  of  Timber  to  be  one  of  the  boughs  of  the  Tret 
to  which  its  lowermoft  end  ftill  joins,  which  whilft  young  and 
tender,  might  bear  fo  hard  againft  the  body  of  the  neighboring 
Tree,  that  with  the  continual  motion  of  the  wind,  it  might  not 
only  fretitfelf  afunder,  but  gall  off  the  barktoo  of  the  other 
Tree  ;  which  clofingup  again  in  calm  weather  at  the  rifing  of  the 
fap,  might  well  include  fo  near  a  neighbor,  firft  within  its  bark', 
and  after  fome  time  within  the  wood  it  felf :  which  1  have  obferr 
ved  to  have  been  done  but  very  lately  in  New  College  Gardens, 
where  the  boughs  of  two  different  Sycomores  are  thus  grown  to- 
gether, only  by  bearing  hard  on  one  another,  and  interchangably 
fretting  away  each  others  bark,  and  then  doling  up  again  at  the 
rifing  of  the  fap. 

79.  There  have  alfo  fome  accidents  befallen  the  Ajb  and  Wil- 
low, not  commonly  met  with  •  the  former  whereof  in  a  Clofe  of 
one  Mr.  Coker,  of  the  Town  of  Biffeter,  grows  frequently  out  of 
the  boal  of  the  other,  yet  not  as  'tis  ufual  amongft  other  Trees, 
but  fo  that  the  roots  of  the  Ajhes  have  fome  of  them  grown  down 
through  the  whole  length  of  the  trunks  of  the  Willows,  and  at  laft 
fattening  into  the  earth  it  felf,  have  fo  extended  themfelves  that 
they  have  burft  the  Willows  in  (under,  whofe  fides  falling  away 
from  them  and  perifhingby  degrees,  what  before  were  but  the 
roots,  are  now  become  the  bodies  of  the  Afies  themfelves.  But 
this  happens  only  to  Willows  that  have  been  lopt  at  fix  or  feven 
foot  high ;  the  Willows  at  Enfion,  in  the  walks  near  the  Rock, 
whereof  there  are  feveral  about  50  foot  high,  being  incapable  I 
fuppofe  of  any  fuch  accident. 

80.  Befide  this  unufual  growth  of  the  Aft,  I  have  met  with 

other 


■    ofOXFO^p-SHIT^E.  171 

Other  accidents  that  frequently  attend  it,  which  becaufe  fo  much 
commended  by  Pliny  h  in  Maple,  in  which  they  are  common,  1 
think  ought  much  more  to  be  noted  in  this:  And  fuch  are  the 
Nodofities  called  Brufcum  and  Mollufcum,  to  be  found  in  Afi  as 
well  as  Maple,  which  when  cut,  (hew  a  curled  and  twining  grain ; 
the  Brufcum  th  ick  and  intricate,  the  Mollufcum  being  Itreaked  in  a 
more  direcl;  courfe.  With  the  Mollufcum  of  Afh  there  is  a  whole 
Clofet  wainfcoted,  at  the  much  Honored  Mr.  Stonor's  o^Watling- 
/cwPark,  the  grain  of  the  panes  being  curioufly  waved  like  the 
Gamabe's  of  Achats.  And  at  the  Worlhipful  Mr.  Reads,  of  the 
Parifti  of  Ipfden,  the  Brufcum  of  an  old  Afb  is  fo  wonderfully  fi- 
gured, that  in  a  Dining-table  made  of  it  (without  the  help  of 
fanfie)  you  have  exactly  reprefented  the  figure  of  the  Filh,  we 
commonly  call  a  Jack.-,  though  endeavoring  to  mend,  they  have 
fomwhat  man' d  it  by  Art:  and  in  fome  other  Tablets  the  figures 
of  a  Vnicorn,  and  an  old  Man  from  the  navel  upwards,  but  nei- 
ther of  thefe  fo  plain  as  the  former. 

81.  Jacobus  Gaffarellus,  amongft  his  unheard  of  Curioftties\ 
tells  us  of  a  Tree  found  in  Holland,  which  being  cut  to  pieces  by  a 
wood-cleaver,  had  in  one  part  of  it  the  figure  of  a  Chalice,  in 
another  that  of  a  Priefts  Albe,  in  another  that  of  a  Stole  ;  and  in 
a  word,  there  were  reprefented  very  near  all  the  ornaments  be- 
longing to  a  Priefl :  which  relation  if  true,  fays  he,  it  muft  needs 
be  confeft,  that  thefe  figures  could  not  be  there  cafually  or  by- 
chance  ;  and  indeed  'tis  very  hard  to  think,  howfo  many  things 
pertinent  to  the  fame  office,  fhould  thus  meet  together  without 
fome  defign  of  Nature.  However,  till  I  am  better  fatisfied  of  the 
truth  of  the  thing,  or  convinced  by  the  fight  of  fome  other  fuch 
Curiofity,  I  cannot  afford  to  think  ours  (being  altogether  inde- 
pendent) more  than  meer  accidents. 

82.  Befide  thefe  unufuai  accidents  of  whole  Trees,ox:  their  Trunks^ 
there  are  fome  alfo  that  have  happened  to  their  upper  branches 
and  leaves,  whereof  the  former  are  fomtimes  fafciated,  and  the 
latter  ftriped.  In  willows,  and  fome  other  of  the  fofter  woods, 
the  uppermoft  boughs  are  commonly  fafciated,  but  the  beft  of  the 
kind  I  ever  yet  faw,  was  the  top-branch  of  an  Aft,  which  I  met 
with  at  Biffeter,  not  only  fafciated,  but  moft  uniformly  wreathed 
two  or  three  times  round.     And  there  is  a  good  example  of  this 

k  Nat-  HiH  lib.  16.  cap.  i6-    I  Unheard  of  Curiofities,  chap.  5. 

Y  2  na~ 


I  j%  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

nature,  in  a  top  branch  of  Holly  hanging  up  in  the  Gate-houfe  of 
the  Pbyflck-garden,  whence  'tis  plain,  that  this  happens  alfo  to 
the  hardeft  woods ;  and  in  both,  by  the  afrent  of  too  much 
nourifhment,  though  in  branches  of  Trees,  efpecially  fuch  as  are 
not  only  flat  but  helically  curled,  I  guefs  there  concurs  fome  blaft, 
orfome  fuch  like  matter,  that  contracts  the  fibers  and  fo  turns 
them  round,  befide  the  cxcefs  in  the  afcent  of  their  nouriQi- 
ment. 

83.  As  for  the  ftriped  leaves  of  7rar,as  well  as  thofe  of  Shrubs, 
and  herbaceous  Plants,  I  fuppofe  they  may  be  met  with  almoft  in 
every  kind.  The  greater  Maple,  mifcalled  the  Sycomore,  was  found 
ftriped  white  not  many  years  (ince  in  Magdalen  College  Grove, 
and  tranflated  thence  into  the  Pbyflck-garden,  where  it  flourifhes 
ftill  and  retains  its  slripings  ;  and  I  hear  of  a  ftriped  Elm  fom- 
where  in  Dorfet-Jbire.  Dr.  Childrey  k,  and  out  of  him  the  inge- 
nious Mr.  Evelyn  l,  inform  us  of  an  Oak  in  Lanhadron  Park  in  the 
County  of  Cornwall  (to  omit  the  painted  Oak.  in  the  Hundred  of 
Eaft')  which  conftantly  bears  leaves  fpeckled  with  white.  And 
there  was  another  of  thefe  found  thisinftant  year,  1676.  by  my 
worthy  Friend  Dr.  ThomasTayler,  in  a  place  called  Frid-wood,  in 
the  Parifh  of  Borden  near  Sittingbourn  in  Kent.  But  of  thefe  more 
hereafter,  when  I  come  into  thofe  Counties. 

84.  Of  Vnufual  trees  now  cultivated  in  Oxford-flnre,  there 
are  fome  remarkable  ;  fuch  is  the  Abele-tree,  advantagioufly  pro- 
pagated by  Sir  George  Croke  of  Waterftock->  which  he  does,  by 
cutting  flakes  out  of  the  more  fubftantial  part  of  the  wood,  which 
put  into  moift  ground  grow  more  freely  than  willows,  coming  in 
three  or  four  years  time  to  an  incredible  height.  And  fuch  are 
the  Fir-tree,  and  the  leffer  mountain  Pine,  whereof  there  are  fe- 
veral  Nurferies  planted  in  the  Quincunx  order,  at  Cornbury,  in  the 
Park,  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  which  they 
propagate  by  flips  twifted,  as  well  as  by  Kernels,  to  that  advantage 
that  there  is  great  hopes  of  beautiful  and  Irately  Groves  of  them  ; 
fuch  as  I  met  with  at  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Feter  Wentworths  at 
Lillingston  Lovel,  where  there  are  three  Walks  of  Firs,  moft  of 
them  20  yards  high. 

85.  Which  Parifh,  if  the  Reader  look  for  in  the  Map  of  Ox- 
fordshire hemuft  notexpeft  to  find,though  it  belong  to  the  County, 

*■  Britannia  Bacmica  in  ComnaalL     '  Difcourfeof  Foreft  Trees,  op-  3. 

it 


Of  OXFO%V~SHI%E:  173 

it  lying  five  miles  within  Buchjngham-fiire  :  as  on  the  other  fide 
feveral  Parishes  of  Berkshire,  Buckingham-Jbire,  and  Worcejler- 
flrire,  are  placed  within  0>ford -fij  ire.  How  thefe  things  come 
to  pafs  we  have  little  of  certainty.,  but  in  all  probability  this 
Lillingflcn  was  accounted  in  Oxford/lire  for  the  fake  of  the  Lords 
Lovels,  whofe  Inheritance,  from  the  addition,  we  may  conclude 
it  once  was  ;  who  being  powerful  men  in  thefe  parts,  and  not  un- 
likely moil  times  the  Kings  Lieutenants,  might  have  permiffion  to 
reckon  this  their  own  Fftate,  within  their  own  Jurisdiction  as 
part  of  Oxford  fiire  ;  as  I  fuppofe  all  other  Purifies  thus  placed 
out  of  the  body  of  their  Counties,  may  alfo  have  been. 

86.  From  this  neceflary,  and  therefore  I  hope  pardonable  di- 
greffion,  1  proceed  to  fome  Fruit-trees  not  ordinary  elfewhere, 
fuch  as  the  double-bearing  Pear-trees  :  whereof  I  met  with  one  in 
the  Parifh  of  Hafeley,  at  a  place  called  Latcbford,  in  the  Hort- 
yard  of  Mr.  Gooding,  called  the  Pear  of  Paradice,  whofe  firft 
Crop  is  ripe  about  Midfummer,  and  the  fecond  at  Micbaelmafl. 
There  is  alfo  another  of  thefe,  but  of  a  different  kind,  in  the 
Parifh  of  Stanlake  at  the  Chequer-Inn,  called  the  Hundred-found 
Pear,  which  BlofToms  at  two  diftinct  times,  and  bears  two  Crops, 
whereof  it  has  both  forts  (much  like  the  Fig)  upon  the  Tree  at 
a  time,  fome  rire,  and  others  green.  But  in  both  thefe  trees, 
the  Pears  in  the  fecond  Crops  are  fomwhat  lefs  than  of  the  firft, 
and  grow  both  after  a  peculiar  manner,  moft  of  them,  if  not  all, 
coming  forth  at  the  ends  of  the  twigs,  which  are  all  the  pedicles 
thev  feem  to  have ;  and  therefore  on  the  tree  they  do  not  hang 
downwards,  like  thofe  of  the  firft  Crop,  but  point  up  in  the  air, 
or  any  other  way  the  (hoots  direft  them. 

87.  At  Corpus  Chrifii  College  they  have  a  fort  of  Pear-tree,  that 
bears  Fruit  in  hardnefs  little  inferior  to  the  younger  shoots  of 
the  very  tree  that  bears  them  ;  and  therefore  not  undefervedly  by 
fome  called  the  Wooden- pear,  though  in  wet  years  I  have  known 
them  pretty  foft :  but  generally  they  are  fo  found,  and  of  fo  un- 
alterable a  conftitution,  that  1  have  now  fome  by  me  that  were  fea- 
fonably  gather'd,  above  ten  years  old,  as  hard  and  firm  as  ever 
they  were  at  firft,  only  fomwhat  lefs  than  when  firft  gather'd; 
for  which  very  reafon,  in  fome  parts  otworceiler-p/ire  where  they 
have  plenty  of  them,  they  are  called  Long-lafters,  being  not  fub- 
jeft  to  rot  like  other  Pears. 

88.  And 


174-  *n°e  ^Kat:Ural Hiflory 

88.  And  thus  I  had  finifh'd  the  Chapter  of  Flints,  but  that  I 
think  fit  to  acquaint  the  Reader  of  a  further  defign  I  have  concern- 
ing them,  viz.  Of  enquiring  hereafcer  into  fome  other  aedknts 
of  Plants  of  an  inferior  quality  to  any  before  mentioned  ;  which 
yet  perhaps  are  more  abftrufe  in  their  confideration  than  the  more 
noted  ones  are.  And  fuch  are  the  bkbs  or  hlislers  we  find  on  the 
leaves  of  many  Trees  and.  Shrubs,  which  fomtimes  happen  to  them 
after  heat  and  droughts,  and  fomtimes  too  upon  cold  nipping 
weather:  but  whether  thus  infected  from  the  air  from  without, 
or  by  juices  within,  or  by  both  ;  and  when  by  one,  or  the  other, 
or  both  together  ?  is  a  Qvejiion  requires  a  great  deal  of  time,  and 
more  feduiity  than  has  yet  been  afforded,  to  be  but  probably  fol- 
ved. 

89.  A;idthisl  the  rather  defign,  becaufeall  that  I  find  certain 
concerning  them  yet,  is  only  that  the  weak,  and  free  growing 
fappy  Trees  are  moft  fubjeft  to  them,and  the  ftout  Ever-greens  but 
little,  if  at  all:  that  the  infection  for  the  moft  part  is  under,  and 
the  blisler  above  the  leaf,  but  fomtimes  otherwife :  that  the  bli- 
fiers  fomtimes  have  Infecls  in  them,  fomtimes  bear  fungus's  on 

their  tops l,  and  fomtimes  have  neither :  But  what  kind  oflnfefls 
or  fungus's  they  are,  that  belong  to  each  Plant  that  have  them  ? 
or  whether  the  fame  Plants  have  not  fomtimes  different  Infetts 
and  fungus's,  efpecially  in  dry,  and  wet  years?  are  alfo  Quefiions 
that  require  indefatigable  induftry,  to  be  in  any  meafure  fatisfied.- 

90.  And  yet  even  in  thefe,  if  Godgive  me  life,  and  I  find  en- 
couragement to  proceed  in  my  undertaking,  I  intend  to  attempt 
fomthing.     As  alfo  to  find  out  how  it  comes  to  pafs,that  of  the 

feeds  of  many  Plants,  fuch  as  Oak,  Ajh,  Elm,  Beech-,  Tew,  Ju- 
niper, Hemp,  isre.  there  come  tome  Plants  again  that  will  never 
bear  feeds,  if  not  timely  prevented  by  our  Learned  Prcfefor  of 
Natural  Philcfophy,  the  Ingenious  Dr.  Millington ;  the  Learned 
Dr.  Morifon  our  Botanic  Profeffbr;  or  the  Learned  and  accurate 
Dr.  Grew,  now  reading,  writing,  and  pra&ifing  the  Anatomy,  of 
Vegetables. 

1  See  Mr.  Hooks  Micrograph.  Obfervat.  19. 


CHAP. 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  i7s 

CHAP.     VII. 
Of  'Brutes. 

HAVING  done  with  the  Vegetative,  I  proceed  to  the 
Animal  Kingdom ,  wherein  I  (hall  confider  firft ,  that 
part  of  it  that  indeed  has  apprehenfwn  of  external  Qbjefls, 
of  Fkafures  and  Pains,  and  Locomotion  to  make  addrefs  to  the  one, 
and  fly  the  other,  but  is  void  of  reafon  ;  within  which  may  be 
comprehended  all  manner  of  Brutes,  fuch  as  Birds,  Infefts,  Fijhes, 
Reptils,  and  four-footed  Beafis,  which  1  prefume  may  be  a  fuhjeft 
fufficient  for  this  Chapter,  though  as  in  the  former  of  Plant %  I  in- 
tend only  to  mention7«<i>,  as  cither  have  not  been  noted  before^ 
are  very  unufual,  or  have  fomthing  extraordinary  attending  them ; 
Leaving  what  concerns  Men  for  a  Chapter  by  it  felf. 

1.  And  herein,  as  before  in  the  Chapter  of  Formed  ftones  (and 
as  I  intend  for  the  future  in  all  other  Chapters  fo  far  forth  as  they 
will  bear  it)  I  (hall  ohferve  the  method  of  the  whole  Efay,  ancj 
firft  treat  of  fuch  Animals  as  are  Inhabitants  of  the  Heavens,thp^ 
of  thofe  that  belong  to  the  Waters,  and  laftly  of  fuch  as  inhabit 
the  dry  Land;  of  which  in  their  order. 

3 .  But  amongft  the  inhabitants  of  the  Air  or  lowermoft  Hea- 
ven, it  cannot  be  expe&ed  in  fo  fmall  a  Cpunty ,  I  (hould  produce 
many  not  already  noted,  fince  the  feathered  JCingdom  has  been  fo. 
lately  and  fo  carefully  furveyed,  py  the  Learned  and  induftrious 
F ranch  Willughby  Efq;  Nor  indeed  could  I  rneet  wJth  any  omitted 
by  him,  except  perchance  a  UttleBird,  forntimes  feen,  but  oft  - 
ner  heard  in  the  Park  at  Woodiiock.-,  from  the  noife  that  it  makes, 
commonly  called  the  Wood- cracker :  Defcribed  to  me  (fpr  I  had 
not  the  happinefs  to  fee  it)  to  be  about  the  PJgnefs  of  a  Sparrow, 
with  zblut  back,  and  a  reddijb  breaft,  a  wide  mouth  and  a  long 
bill,  which  it  puts  into  a  crack  or  fplinter  of  a  rotten  bough  of  a 
Tree,  and  makes  a  noife  as  if  it  were  rending  afunder,  with  that 
violence,  that  the  noife  maybe  heard  at  leaft  twelve  fcore  yards, 
fome  have  ventured  to  fay  a  mile  from  the  place. 

4.  Which  is  alU  could  find  in  the  County  of  Oxford  omitted  by 
that  careful  and  ingenious  Author^  except  I  may  have  leave  to 

number 


iy6  The  Statural  Hijlory 

number  the  Viabolu*  marinwi,  or  Sea  Devih-bird  mention 'd  by 
JohnSion  m,  and  others,  and  to  be  feen  in  the  Repofitory  of  the 
Bodleyan  Library  \  Which  though  it  has  fo  ill  a  name,  contracted 
I  fuppofe  from  its  exquifite  blacknefs,  and  the  ill  it  bodes  to  Sea  - 
men  whenever  they  fee  it;  yet  is  a  very  beautiful  Bird,  and  has 
therefore  by  fome  been  numbered  amongft  the  Manucodiata's,  and 
called  the  black  Bird  ot  Paradife.  But  of  this  no  more,  becaufe 
no  inhabitant  of  the  Land,  much  lefs  of  this  County. 

5.  Which  yet  I  think  I  had  not  forborn  to  defcribe,  had  our 
Bird  been  perfeft,  it  not  being  to  be  found  in  Sculpture  in  any 
Author  that  I  know  of :  For  though  1  did  it  not  in  Foreign  un- 
defcribed  Hants  growing  in  our  Gardens,  well  knowing  the  much 
abler  Dr.  Morifon  to  be  about  it :  Yet  1  think  I  may  take  the  liber- 
ty to  do  it  in  Animals,  not  hearing  of  any  body  elfe  nowdefign- 
ing  fuch  a  work. 

6.  And  therefore  (hall  not  omit  the  Hen  from  the  Ifle  of  St. 
Htlen,  now  living,  and  in  the  poffeffion  of  the  Right  Honorable 
the  Lord  Norreys,  a  great  lover  of  Curiofities  in  all  forts  of  AnU 
mats:  which  for  her  kind  I  think  may  be  accounted  one  of  the 
yifAfurvxesi  and  amongft  them  of  the  rapacious,  carnivorous  fort, 
having  her  beak  near  its  end,  crook'd  after  the  manner  of  a  Vul- 
tur,  and  ftr  iking  with  her  pounces  like  a  Hawk,  though  her  talons 
indeed  are  not  much  more  turned  than  thofe  of  a  common  houfe 
Hen. 

7.  In  her  head  'tis  true  (lie  is  fomwhat  like  the  fecond  fort  of 
Gypaetos  of  Aldrovandu* n,  or  the  Percnopteros  of  Johnfion  °,  be- 
ing bald  and  wrinkled,  but  not  quite  to  the  hinder  part  of  the 
head,  as  they  are  faid  to  be ;  having  from  the  crown  of  her  head 
down  to  the  beginning  of  her  neck-,  and  fo  behind  her  ears  to  her 
throat,  a  fort  of  (lender plume,  like  brifiles,  which  (he  ere&s  or 
lets  fall  at  pleafure  :  in  her  gorge  itio  2nd  pounces  {\\e  is  very  unlike 
them,  for  though  (he  be  carnivorous,  yet  her  gorge  is  (lender,  and 
though  (he  ftrike  with  her  pounces,  they  (carce  exceed  in  bignefs 
thofe  of  a  common  houje  Hen,  wThereas  the  gorge  2nd  pounces  of 
the  Gypaetos,  and  Percnopteros,  are  protuberant  and  very  long  ; 
nor  has  (he  like  them  any  part  of  her  plume  fo  difpofed  at  the 
top  of  her  back,  as  to  reprefent  a  Monks  hood,  thrown  backward 
from  his  head p. 

■  DtAvibui./ii.^.  tit  2. cat>.  4.     »  Omithofog.Tom.  1.  lib.  2.  cap.  10.     °  Hifr.Nat.  de  Avibus,  lib.  j. 
Tit.  1.  cap.  2.  Art.  4.     *  Vid  Willughbeii  Ornitholog.  lib.  leap.  3  Artie.  8  &  Tab.  4, 

8.  How- 


OfOXFO^T>^SHl%E.  \77 

8.  However,  for  her  near  refemblance  of  them  in  her  bead-, 
and  fome  other  parts,  we  cannot  but  allow  her  to  be  a  Bird  of  that 
genus,  though  undefcribed  ;  and  accordingly  advife,  (lie  may  be 
placed  amongft  them  by  future  Ornithologies,  to  which  purpofe 
let  them  take  the  following  defcription. 

9.  Her  beak'is  ftraight,  only  at  its  extremity,  where  it  is  turn- 
ed like  the  Vulturs,  in  length  2  inches  J,  and  her  Nares  long  and 
narrow,  as  in  Tab.  1  o.  Fig.  3.  ThepupilU  of  her  eyes  are  full  and 
black,  encompaffed  with  hides  of  a  dark  brown  colour,  bald 
and  wrinkled  to  the  top  of  the  head,  and  fo  round  by  the  ears 
(which  are  of  an  irregular  oval  form)  next  which  ftand  the  pen- 
rue  fetiformes  as  aforefaid ;  her  gorge  not  at  all  protuberant,  but 
flender  ;  her  wings  complicated  or  folded  to  her  body,  reach  al- 
moft  to  the  end  of  her  train,  and  exten<ied  at  full  ftretch,  have 
their  extremities  diftant  about  five  foot,  being  fomwhat  larger 
thanthofe  of  a  Lanar,  and  containing  in  each  of  them  ^^Remi- 
ges,  i.e.  befide  the  five  feathers,  29  at  leaft  or  30  flags :  her 
thighs  and  pounces  are  much  likethofeof  a  common  houfeHen, 
having  the  outermoft  talon  knit  to  the  reft  by  a  memhran.  In  the 
whole,  (lie  is  bigger  than  a  Mofcovy  Gofiawk,,  from  the  point  of 
her  beak,  to  the  extremity  of  her  train,  above  two  foot  long, 
her  plume  for  the  moil:  part  being  of  an  A(h-colour,  mixt  with 
fome  white  feathers,  and  growing  whiter  upon  mewing,  as  thofe 
of  Hawks  do. 

10.  Other  Birds  there  are  here  that  are  but  rarely  feen,  yet 
breed  in  this  Country,  and  are  continually  with  us,  and  therefore 
to  be  numbred  amongft  thofe  we  call  perennial.  Such  are  the  V- 
pupa  the  Hoopoe,  or  Hooping-bird;  whereof  I  faw  one  alive  on 
Otmoor,  and  another  was  given  me  for  the  Repofitory  of  the  Bod- 
leyan  Library  (killed  fomwhere  about  Caffenton*)  by  one  Mr.  Pain- 
ter Alderman  of  Woodfiock.  A  Bird  it  is  to  admiration  beautiful, 
being  curioufly  deck'd  with  feathers  of  divers  colours,  and  with 
a  large  creft  on  its  head,  as  it  is  exquifitely  engraven  both  by  Dr. 
Charleton  *  and  Mr.  Willughby ;  but  like  the  Viabolu*  marinm,  ne- 
ver appearing  or  being  heard  (as  the  vulgar  will  have  it)  till  im- 
mediatly  before  fome  approaching  calamity. 

11.  As  for  Birds  that  have  cafually  flown  hither,  or  come  but 
at  fome  certain  feafons  of  the  year,  by  Naturalists  ftiled  Aves  mi- 

*  OTiomafi.Zotcon-  Titul  Avts}ClaJfeConorarum. 

Z  gratorU 


jy8  The  Statural  Hijlory 

gratorU,  betide  Swallows,  and  fome  well  known  winter  Fowl: 
The  Cormorant  has  been  obferved  to  come  hither  about  Harvefi 
time,  whereof  there  was  one  killed  from  St.  Maries  fteeple  (ti- 
red with  a  long  flight)  An.i6j$.  and  another  young  one  taken  up 
in  Arncot-fielh  fallen  down  in  the  Corn,and  brought  me  to  Oxford. 

12.  But  what  is  fom  what  ftranger,  in  the  year  1644.  the  Pi- 
ca  Brafdienfis,  or  Toucan,  whofe  beak,  is  near  as  big  as  its  whole 
body,  was  found  within  two  miles  of  Oxford,  and  given  to  the 
Repofitory  in  the  Medecine-Schcol,  where  it  is  ftill  to  be  feen ;  which 
argues  it  a  Bird  of  a  very  rank,  wing,  there  being  a  neceffity  of 
its  flying  from  America  hither,  except  we  (hall  rather  fay  it  might 
be  brought  into  England  by  Ship,  and  afterwards  getting  away 
might  fly  hither. 

13.  Of  Birds  welljmown  of  unufua I  colours,  I  have  met  with 
two  remarkable  examples  :  the  one  a  white  Linnet,  given  me  by 
Mr.  Lane  of  Deddington  ;  and  the  other  a  fort  of  white,  zndpy- 
td  Phefants,  kept  by  the  Right  Honorable  James  Lord  Norreys  of 
Ricot  1  Whereof  how  fome  happen  to  be  of  different  colours  from 
the  reft  of  their  ffecies,  efpecially  when  they  have  deviated  from 
their  kind  by  whitenefi,  hath  been  a  queftion  thought  worthy  of  fe- 
vere  examination.  In  the  profecution  whereof,  it  hath  been  ob- 
ferved (as  before  in  the  Chapter  of  Plants,  §.38.)  that  whitenefi 
often  proceeds  from  a  defeft  of  moifture  or  nourifhment ;  and  it 
hath  been  a  received  opinion  concerning  Birds,  that  they  may 
become  white  by  plucking  off  their  firft  feathers,  which  will  caufe 
their  new  ones  to  come  forth  of  that  colour.  But  befide  thefe 
ways  of  art  and  privation,  it  is  manifeft  that  Nature  her  felf  fom- 
times  positively  defigns  fuch  a  colour,  even  in  ftecies  too  that 
feldom  are  of  it,  many  other  Animals  as  well  as  Birds,  having 
been  produced  of  that  colour  unufual  to  the  (pedes,  as  brisk  and 
well  liking  as  any  others  whatever,  fuch  as  white  Moles,  Rats,  Mice^ 
and  fomtimes  white  Fawns,  where  there  has  been  neither  Buck. 
nor  Doe  of  that  colour  in  the  Park. 

14.  And  this  Iguefs  (lie  does  by  giving  fome  certain  Indivi- 
duals of  each  fpecies  a  fkin  of  finer  and  more  contrafted/wrs  than 
others,  which  will  caufe  -whitenefi  in  feathers,  hair,  Isrc.  by  not 
permitting  of  the  fulphureout particles  to  expire,  which  give  varie- 
ty of  colours  q  ;  thus  we  fee  in  the  cicatrization  of  wounds  where 

1  Vtd.  Willi fium  de  Ferment,  cap.  2. 

the 


ofOXFO^-SBlXB.  i79 

the  fkin  is  drawn  together  like  apurfe,and  the/tfmclofed  up^  the 
hair  comes  conftantly  white  :  thus  the  fubtile  Veterinarians  pro-^ 
cure  white  /Jars,  or  other  defired  marks  in  the  fore-heads  of  their 
horfes  ;  and  I  have  feen  the  fkins  of  black  Grey-hounds  powder- 
ed with  white,  or  made  Ermynefs,  by  applying  wood-ticks  to  their 
(kins  when  young,  both  which  are  performed  alfo  by  cicatrization, 
and  clofingthe/ww  of  the  (kin,  thereby  hindering  the  exhalati^ 
on  of  the  Sulphur  in  thofe  parts. 

15.  Which  will  further  appear  from  an  obfervation  of  my 
Lord  Verulam's  concerning  Flowers,  whereof  the  whites  for  the 
moft  part  are^more  inodorate  than  other  colours :  And  this  he 
makes  out  in  many  Flowers,  as  fingle  white  Violets,  the  white  Rofe, 
white  July-flowers,  (src.  We  find  alfo,  fays  he,  that  bloifoms  of 
Trees  that  are  white  are  commonly  inodorate  ;  as  of  Cherry,  Pear, 
and  Plum-trees:  whereas  thofe  of  Apple,  Crab,  Almond,  and 
Peach-trees,  are  bluftiy,  and  fmell  fweet.  The  caufe  whereof  is, 
that  the  texture  of  thefe  Plants  producing  white  Flowers  (ex- 
cepting fuch  as  produce  white  Flowers  only,  as  Lillies  *  or  are 
extravagantly  fucculent,as  the  white  Satyrion)  is  fo  very  clofc  and 
fine,  that  it  will  not  permit  any  fulphureom  particles,  which  are 
alfo  the  caufe  of  fmell 's  r  as  well  as  colours,  in  any  meafure  to  ex- 
bale.  Which  poffibly  may  be  found  true,  if  duly  examined,  iri 
all  forts  of  Animals  ;  and  if  fo,  we  hereby  may  be  profitably  in- 
ftructed  what  Beaffs  of  each  kind  are  leaft  offenfive,  and  fitteft  for 
theconverfation  of  men  ox  women,  efpecially  Ladies,  who  com- 
monly have  great  fagacity  in  fmelling,  may  hereby  be  directed  in 
the  choice  of  their  Melitdti  or  Lap-dogs:. 

16.  As  for  pyed  Birds  that  are  generally  of  another  colour, 
fuch  zspyed  Phefants,  &c.  the  cafe  iseafier,  for  fuch  are  produced 
either  by  common  colour 'd  Hens  troden  by  a  white  Cockrphefant, 
or  viceverfa ;  which  poffibly  may  have  happened  alfo  by  our  white 
Linnet  whether  male  or  female,  or  in  any  other  Birds  of  any  o- 
ther  (pedes,  as  we  fee  it  falls  out  in  Dogs  and  Horfes,  and  moft 
other  Animals. 

1 7.  And  this  had  been  all  concerning  Birds,  but  that  at  Wit- 
ney, Anno  1674.  I  met  with  an  Egg  about  the  bignefs  of  a  Pid- 
geons,  containing  another  imperfect  one  in  it,  given  me  by  Mr. 
Hinton  the  then  Minifter  there,  which  feems  to  have  been  in  the 
way  toward  fuch  an  Ovum  in  Ovo  as  is  mentioned  by  the  Learn- 

'  Idem  in  loco  citato- 

I  2  ed 


180  The  Natural  Hiflory 

«d  Dr.  Harvey,  and  (hewn  by  him  to  that  incomparable  Prince, 
Charles  the  Martyr,  and  many  others;  Vidi  inquit  Ovum  pcrexi- 
guum  (Fibricius  Centeninumvocat,  &  Noftrates  mulieres  Gallo  a- 
fcribunt)  crufta  teCium,  intra  aliud  Galling  ovum  majus,  perftlum 
isr  cortice  circumcirca  obteclum,  contineri*.  Juft  fuch  an  Egg  as 
this,  pregnant  with  another,  is  preferved  in  the  Repofitory  of 
the  King  of  Denmark*  which  wasiliewn  by  his  Majefty  to  The 
Bartholine,  as  heteftificsinhis  Epiflles* ;  who  alfo  faw  another 
in  the  year  i66y u.  And  Geo.  Sebaftian  Jungius  met  with  ano- 
ther of  thefethe  nineteenth  of  June,  i6ji  w.  which  are  Autho- 
rities enough  (though  more  might  be  brought)  to  juftifie  my 
mentioning  the  thing,  though  by  fome  thought  inconfider- 
able. 

1 8.  Yet  before  we  take  leave  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Air, 
we  have  fomthing  worth  notice  concerning  winged  Infecls,  and 
particularly  of  the  feminine  monarchy  of  Bees,  not  only  the  Fro- 
gnofiicators,  but  Concomitants  of  Eloquence  :  of  their  Prophetical 
prefages  of  future  Eloquence,  we  have  inftances  in  Plato,  Pindar, 
Lucan,  and  that  eloquent  Father  of  the  Church  St.  Chryfoftom,  a- 
bout  whofc  mouths,  whil'ft  Infants,  the  Bees  gathered,and  dropt 
their  hony,  thereby  fore-telling  thofe  Rhetorical  Endowments  they 
fliould  hereafter  be  poffeft  of,  which  accordingly  came  to  pafs. 

19.  But  none  of  thofe,  fays  the  induftrious  Butler*,  are  more 
memorable  than  the  Bees  of  Ludovicus  Vives,  who  being  fent  in 
the  year  1520.  by  Cardinal  Wolfey  to  Oxford,  to  bepublick  Pro- 
feforof  Rhetorick.  there,  and  placed  in  the  College  of  Bees  (Cor- 
pus Chrifti  being  fo  called  by  the  Founder  in  his  Statutes)  was 
welcomed  thither  by  a  fwarm  of  Bees,  which  to  fignifie  the  in- 
comparable fweetnefs  of  his  Eloquence,  fetled  themfelves  over  his 
head  under  the  leads  of  his  Study  (atthc  weft- end  of  iheCloyfter) 
where  they  continued  about  130  years. 

20.  The  truth  of  tb'usftory  appears  as  well  by  the  general  voice  of 
tbe  Houfe,  who  have  received  it  by  tradition,  a*  by  the  fecial  tefti- 
mony  of  a  worthy  Antiquary  [Mr.  Brian  Twine]  who  affirmed  [to 
Mr.  Butler]  that  he  had  often  heard  hh  majler,  Dr.  Benefield  (one  of 
thepublick.  Profeflbrs  of  Divinity)  who  then  had  L.Vives\y  cham- 
ber and ftudy;  and  Dr.  Cole  (then  Prefident,  and  in  Q.  Maries 

•  De  Getter at.  Animalium^Exercit.  io-  deOvictrtht.  «  E»i(l.  Cent.  3.  Ep,  42.  fcr  Epijf :.  CM .  4.  Ep. 
63.  u  MtfceUoneaCur.  Med.  Thy],  Acad.  Nat.  Curiojbnmi.  An.  1.  obferv.^d.  w  Jbid.An.2.  obferv- 2<jO- 
*  Hiftory  of  Bees3  Numb.  59. 

days 


Of  OXFO%p-SHl%E.  181 

days  Scholar  of  this  Houfe)  to  fay  as  much,  calling  thefe  Bees,  Vi- 
ves  his  Bees. 

21.  In  the  year  1630.  the  leads  over  Vivcs  bit  iludy  being 
pluckt  up,  [it  then  being  theftndy  of  Mr.  Gabriel  Bridges)  their 
Stall  was  taken,  and  with  it  an  incredible  mafs  of  bony  :  but  the  Bees* 
as  prefaging  their  intended  and  imminent  defiruftion  (whereas  they 
were  never  known  to  have  /warmed  beforej  did  that  Spring  (to  pre- 
Jerve  their  famous  kindj  fend  down  afairfwarm  into  the  Prefidents 
garden,  which  in  the  year  1633.  yielded  two  /warms;  one  whereof 
pitched  in  the  garden  for  the  Prefident ;  the  other  they  fent  up  as  a 
new  Colony  topreferve  the  memory  of  this  mellifluous  Doftor,  as  the 
Univerfity  {filed  him  in  a  Letter  to  the  Cardinal.  Thus  far  Mr* 
Butler. 

22.  And  there  they  continued,  as  I  am  informed  by  feveral 
ancient  Members  of  that  Society  that  knew  them,  till  by  the  Par- 
liament Vifitation,  in  Anno  1648.  for  their  Loyalty  to  the  King, 
they  were  all,  but  twoy  turned  out  of  their  places,  at  what  time 
with  the  reft  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  College,  they  removed 
themfelves,  but  no  further  than  the  Ea/l  end  of  the  fame  Cloy- 
Jier,  where  as  if  the  feminine  fympathized  with  the  mafculineWio- 
narchy,  they  inftantly  declined,  and  came  fhortly  to  nothing. 
After  the  expiration  of  which  ancient  Race,  there  came,  'tis  true, 
another  Colony  to  the  Eaft  corner  of  the  Cloy/ier,  where  they  con- 
tinued till  after  the  return  of  his  moft  Sacred  Majefiy  that  now  is  : 
but  it  not  being  certain  that  they  were  any  of  the  remains  of  the 
ancient  Stock,  (though  'tis  faid  they  removed  thence  to  the  firft 
place)  nor  any  of  them  continuing  long  there,  I  have  chofe  ra- 
ther to  fix  their  period  in  the  year  1648.  than  to  give  too  much 
credit  to  uncertainties. 

23.  And  thus  unhappily,  after  above  fix  fcore  years  conti- 
nuance, ended  the  famous  ftock  of  Vives  his  Bees,  where  'tis 
pitty  they  had  not  remained,  as  Virgil  calls  them,  an  Immortale 
Genit4y.  However,  fmce  they  are  now  irrecoverably  loft,  it 
would  not  I  think  be  amifs,  if  the  College  provided  them  ano- 
ther Colony ;  not  that  I  think  that  Learned  Society  wants  any  fuch 
monitor  of  lnduftry,  but  that  itfeems  but  congruous,  they  Chould 
always  have  by  them  the  Thing,  whereof  their  whole  Houfe  is  but 
the  metaphor,  the  Founder  calling  it  Ahearium,  and  the  Students, 

1  Oiargic  Lib.  4. 

Inge- 


iSt  The  Statural  Hi jlory 

Ingeniofas  apes,  dies  notlefque  Ceram  ad  Dei  honorem,  &  dukiflua 
mella confident cs,  ad  juamisr  unherforum  Chriftianorum  commodita- 
tern.  And  this  I  the  rather  perfwade,  becaufe  by  the  new  dif- 
covery  of  that  excellent  method  of  Bee-houfes  and  Colonies,  they 
are  freed  from  moft,  if  not  all  the  hazards,  charge,  and  trouble 
that  heretofore  attended  them  :  Not  to  mention  the  advantage 
and  profit  accrewing  by  them,  which  has  always  been  judged  fo 
confiderable,  that  there  have  been  feveral  Trails  written  and 
publifli'd  full  of  experiments,  directions,  and  methods  to  be  ufed 
in  the  menage  of  thefe  Infecls. 

24.  But  none  yet  extant  that  I  know  of  comparable  to  what 
are  pra&ifed  by  John  Lad  of  Over-Wort  on,  and  William  Tayler  of 
Warkworth,  who  though  a  Nortbampton-fiire  Man,  has  Apifaclo- 
ries'm  this  County,  who  profefs  (as  I  am  informed  by  the  Reve- 
rend Mr.  Clark  Re&or  of  Dreyton  near  Banbury)  1 .  That  they 
can  take  [warms  out  of  any  slockthat'is  able,  and  negle&s  to  /warm, 
without  any  prejudice  to  the  flock  2.  That  they  can  take  hony 
out  of  a  #w:4without  that  hazard  to  the  Bees,  which  (they  fay) 
the  way  propofed  by  the  Author  of  the  Colonies  is  fubjecl:  too. 

3.  That  they  can  fecure  any  flock  from  the  invafion  of  Robbers. 

4.  That  they  can  fo  order  an  old  flock.-,  that  the  Bees  fhall  ga- 
ther pure  Virgin  hony.  5.  If  a  slock  be  in  low  condition,  they 
can  preferve  and  recruit  it,  fo  as  it  fhall  do  well.  6.  They  can 
take  away  a  Queen  where  there  is  more  than  one  in  a  hive,  and 
place  her  in  a  Jlock  where  the  Queen  is  dead,  or  otherwife  want- 
ing, and  by  that  means  keep  the  fubjecls  together,  which  would 
clfe  difperfe.  7.  If  a  Queen  wants  fubjecls,  they  can  draw  out 
of  feveral  flocks  fupplies  in  what  number  they  pleafe,  that  fhall 
fettle  under  her  government.  And  thefe  operations  they  com- 
monly practice,  which  becaufe  profitable  to  them,  they  are  un- 
willing fhould  be  made  too  common,  which  yet  they  are  fo  in- 
genious as  not  to  deny  to  communicate  to  fit  perfons  upon  rea- 
fonable  terms. 

25.  Of  other  flying  Infecls,  I  have  minded  only  the  Mufcdt  a- 
quaticje,  fuch  as  are  generated  in  the  waters,  and  come  of  Cad- 
worms,  and  therefore  called  by  Johnslon,  Phryganides z,  quod  e 
Phryganio  Monfeti a  (the  Caddis  of  the  EngliftS)  ortum  habeant : 

1  Hift. N.-t . delnfeclis,  lib.  I.  tit.  2-  cap. 2. art.  2-  puncl.  4.     *  hijctt-  five Min.  An-Theat.  lap.  12.  d* 
Mufcarum  ufu. 

Nor 


OfOXFOT{T>-SHIXE.  183 

Nor  fliall  I  venture  to  defcribe  above  one  of  thefe  neither  (and 
that  only  as  afpecimen  of  what  I  intend  of  the  reft,  as  fall  as  I  can 
compafsthe  method  of  their  productions)  which  I  think  I  may 
call  Mufca  e  Phryganio  ftaxatili,  there  being  a  done*  as  well  as  a 
flick.  Caddis,  or  Cad-worm  ;  in  the  generation  of  which,  Nature 
feems  to  obferve  the  following  method.  Firft,  there  appears  on 
the ftone  to  which  many  of  them  ftick,  as  in  Tab.  10.  Fig.  4. 
only  little  bubbles  of  a  glutinous  nature,  like  the  /pawn  of  frogs, 
which  by  the  defcent  of  gravel  znd /and  that  ftick,  to  them,  are 
formed  into  ftone  Caddis  houfes,  including  the  Animal  therefore 
called  the  ilone  Caddis ;  which  after  it  has  continued  in  its  rough- 
caftftonehoufe  its  due  time,  gets  off  the- ftone  either  to  the  ban}c 
of  the  River,  or  climes  up  fome  reed,  where  alfo  leaving  its 
houfte,  it  becomes  a  ftye,  fomwhat  like  in  fhape  to  the  Mujc<e 
toCnfgjft  or  bifiles  Moufeti* ',  that  come  of  the  ftick.  Caddis,  only 
it  is  ftiorter,  and  wants  both  the  Antenna  and  forked  bristly  tail ; 
butmoft  of  all  like  the  Breife,  only  the  Briefe  is  all  gray,  andthis 
has  a  £/<*<:£.  head  and  dark,  brown  wings.     See  its  form,  Tab.  1  o. 

26.  Other  water  F/ys  there  are  that  come  of  fuch  worms,  cal- 
led Ccckr/purs,  Rough-coats,  Pipers,  (src.  of  which  no  more  at  pre- 
fent  till  further  obfervation  ;  but  that  though  at  laft  they  come 
to  be  ftyinglnfecls,  yet  at  rirft  they  are  all  of  them  water  Animals, 
which  puts  me  in  mind  of  proceeding  next, 

27.  To  the  Fifies,  whereof  we  have  a  fort  in  the  River  Ifis,  f^^ 
that  we  call  here  a  Pride,  of  the  long  cartilagineous  fmooth  kind,    *    %lz 
concerning  which  Authors  feem  fo  obfeure,  that  I  know  not  whe- 
ther it  be  defcribed  at  all ;   or  if  it  be,   it  is  done  fo  imperfectly, 

that  perhaps  it  may  be  acceptable  if  I  contrive  another.  The  Fifth 
the  moft  like' it  of  any  I  can  find,  is  the  Lampetra  parva  ftuviati- 
lis  of  Rondeletiu6c,  rendred  by  Dr.  Charlton  d  and  Dr.  Merret", 
the  Stone-grig :  it  having  a  mouth  cut  neither  perpendicularly 
downward,  nor  tranfv-erfly,  but  hollowed  as  it  were  between 
two  cheeks,  without  an  under  jaw,  after  the  manner  of  Leeches; 
on  the  top  of  its  head  it  has  one,  and  on  each  fide  /even  holes 
that  fupply  the  place  of  gills  ;  and  under  the  belly  a  fmall  line, 
reaching  from  the'  mouth  to  the  exit  of  its  excrement ;  it  moves 

■»  Idem.  cap.  u.    c  DepiJci6usJ!uviatiI.iap.  24.    *  Onomaft.Zoic<m.tit.Pi/ces,cap.  Lavium.     *  Pinax 
rer.  Nat.  Briton-  p.  188. 

by 


1S4.  The  Statural  Hijlory 

by  a  winding  impulfe  of  its  body,  without  the  help  of  any  other 
fins  but  thepinnuU  at  the  tail,  by  which  it  fteers  its  courfe ;  and 
thus  far  it  agrees  with  the  Lampetra  fluviatili*. 

28,  But  though  they  agree  in  fome  particulars,  they  differ  in 
as  many,  our  Pride  being  fireakfd  from  the  top  of  its  back  down 
to  the  afore-mentioned  line  at  the  bottom  of  its  belly,  with  lines 
of  a  diftinft  colour  from  the  reft  of  its  body,  like  the  Pricka  ma~ 
rina  of  Aldrovandus f,  whereof  the  Lampetra  is  not  faid  to  have 
any :  Befide  the  two  pinnuU  of  the  Lampetra,  whereof  one 
ftands  on  the  top  of  its  tail,  and  the  other  a  little  higher  on  the 
back,  fome  fpace  interceding ;  the  Pride  has  another  underneath 
its  tail,  joyning  with  the  other  from  above  at  the  tip,  making 
the  whole  tail  to  end  like  the  head  of  a  /pear.  Moreover,  the 
eyes  of  the  Pride  are  very  obfcure,  and  not  fuch  plain  round 
ones  as  are  given  the  Lampetra,  not  only  in  the  defer iption  but 
Cut  of  Rondeletius  \  And  though  it  have  a  hole  in  its  head,  yet  it 
ftands  not  as  Rondeletiu*  defcribes  it  in  the  Lampetra,  juft  in  the 
middle  between  the  eyes,  but  more  forward  in  the  extremity  of 
the  head,  near  the  upper  lip  •  all  which  may  plainly  be  feen  Tab, 
1  o.  Fig.  6,  and  7.  Whence  'tis  eafie  to  conclude,  that  either  this 
Fijh  has  not  been  defcribed  at  all,  or  fo  very  meanly,  that  there 
was  almoft  a  neceffity  of  giving  another,  either  of  which  I  fup- 
pofe  will  excufe  this  attempt. 

29.  Befide  the  Pride  which  we  think  undefcribed,  we  have 
another  fort  of  Fijb  plentiful  in  the  Cherwell  (fcarce  ever  found 
in  I/is  but  below  the  place  where  the  Rivers  joyn)  that  is  more 
certainly  fo  ;  and  that  a  Fijb  of  the  fquammou*  kind,  which 
they  call  a  Finfcale,  fom  what  like  a  Roach,  only  the  belly  fins,  and 
the  (ingle  one  at  the  exit  of  the  excrement,  and  thofe  at  the  tail 
are  much  redder  then  thofe  of  a  Roach ;  it  has  alfo  a  full  black  eye, 
incompafled  with  a  yellow  iris,  whereas  that  of  a  Roch  is  red;  it 
is  alfo  a  much  deeper  and  thinner  Fifi,  but  yet  neither  fo  deep  or 
thin  as  a  Bream ;  from  which  alfo  it  differs  not  only  in  the  rednefi 
of  its  fins,  but  in  that  the  Jingle  fin  placed  next  the  exit  of  its  ex- 
crement, is  not  continued  to  the  tail  as  it  is  in  the  Bream  :  Its  fins 
nt  the  gills  are  much  whiter  than  the  reft,  and  that  upon  the  back 
of  a  dirty  bluijb  colour:  its  ft  ales,  efpecially  near  the  back,  are 
of  a  greenijh  yellow  colour,  on  which  from  the  gills  to  the  tail 

t  Aldrtvand.  dtPifcH>us}  lib.  4..  ca},  13. 

there 


OfOXFO^D^HI^E.  1S1 

there  runs  a  crooked  line  of  points,  one  on  eachfcale,  as  in  Tab* 
10.  Fig.  8.  The  Fifies  moftlike  it  of  any  defcribed,  are  the  Bol- 
lerws  or  Bordeliere,  and  the  Phoxini,  Rofe  or  Roftere  of  Rondele- 
tim%%  but  that  they  cannot  be  thefame  is  plain  from  hence, in  that 
the Bordeliere  is  confeft  to  have  no  teeth,  whereas  the  Finfcalehas 
teeth  as  large  as  a  Roach ;  and  the  Phoxini  never  to  be  found 
without  (pawn ,  or  to  exceed  half  a  foot  in  length,  whereas  I  have 
feen  Finfcales,  even  in  time  of  year  when  one  might  well  have 
expected  it,  without  any  (pawn ;  and  fome  of  them  (particularly 
the  defcribed  one,  Fig.  8.)  from  the  mouth  to  the  fork,  of  the 
tail  a  foot  long,  and  four  inches  and  a  half  in  depth,  befide  many 
other  differences  that  might  alfo  be  brought. 

30.  Which  is  all  I  have  met  with  extraordinary  amongft  the 
fquamous  kind  of  Fifb,  but  that  there  is  a  fort  of  Chub  peculiar 
to  the  Evehlode,  fome  fay  exceeding,  all  equalling  the  Pearch  or 
Tench  in  goodnefs.  And  that  at  Lillingflon-Lovell,  about  fix 
years  fince  were  taken  two  Salmons,  one  fomwhat  above,  theo- 
ther  fomwhat  under  a  yard  in  length,  in  a  fmall  brook,  (a  branch 
of  the  Oufe)  that  a  man  may  ftep  over,  little  lefs  (as  the  river 
runs)  than  two  hundred  miles  from  the  Sea.  How  thefe  Salmon* 
fhould  come  up  fo  high,  has  been  much  wondered  at  by  fome, 
fince  fo  many  Mills  and  Loch  ftand  in  the  way  on  this  Rivulet  to 
hinder  them :  but  to  fuch  as  have  either  feen,  or  but  read  of  the 
Salmon-leap  at  Kilgarran  in  Pembroke-fiire h,  or  at  JVajferfal  in  the 
Rhine,  which  I  fuppofe  is  much  greater,  and  that  they  run  up  that 
river  above  five  hundred  miles  to  the  Lake  of  Zugh  in  Switzer- 
land1, perhaps  it  may  not  appear  fo  ftrange  ;  efpecially  if  it  be 
alfo  confidered,  that  our  Mills  and  Locks  have  mod  of  them  back, 
fir  earns  and  lajhers  to  carry  off*  the  water  when  it  is  too  plentiful, 
over  which  the  leap  is  but  very  inconfiderable. 

3 1 .  I  have  met  with  alfo  fomwhat  remarkable  of  our  frefi  wa- 
ter fiell- fijh,  and  particularly  of  a  fort  ofGammarut,  or  Crey-fifl, 
found  in  5V/or;/ftream,that  do's  not  boil  to  a  briskred  colour, but 
at  beft  of  a  dirty yellowifi  red,  which  I  fuppofe  muft  be  attributed 
to  the  badnefsof  the  water,  infected  with  ill  qualities  perhaps 
by  the  Moor  through  which  it  pafTes,  which  is  very  agreeable  to 
one,  of  Cardans  figns  of  good  water:  Vbi  aqua  bona  (fays  he) 

«  Rond.de  Pipiius  lacujtribus,  cap.  8.  &  de  flwviatilibus>cap.  1%.     h  Camden  in  Vembr.  &  Cardigan. 
1  Mr.  Rays  Objervat.  Topograph.  &c.p.  430. 

A  a  aftaci 


\%6  The  Statural  Hijlory 

aflaci  debent  effe  valde  rubri,  cum  coquantur  k  :  whence  'tis  eafie  to 
conclude  (if  the  Symbol  be  truly  put)  that  where  they  boyl  of  a 
diferent  colour,  the  water  muft  needs  be  naught. 

32.  1  found  alfo  in  Ponds  at  Bradwell,  Hanwell,  and  Shot' 
over  Forejl,  as  well  as  in  Rivers,  the  Mytilmfluminum  maximvsfub- 
viridit,  whereof  1  examined  feveral  in  hopes  of  the  Pearls  to  be 
found  in  them,  mention'd  by  Sir  Hugh  Plat  in  the  Appendix  to  his 

Jexvel-houfe  of  Art  and  Nature1',  but  I  could  not  meet  with  any 
with  craggy  rough  cut  fides,  in  which  itfeems  they  are  only  found 
Qours  being  all  of  them  frnooth)  and  foloft  my  labor  ;  but  I  hear 
they  are  to  be  met  with  in  Buckingham  Jbire,  Montgomery -fl>ire,and 
Shrop-fiire,  as  Sir  Hugh  alfo  informs  us,  where  more  fully  con- 
cerning them,  if  this  defign  be  encouraged,  and  I  live  to  travel 
and  examine  the  productions  of  thefe  Counties. 

33.  We  have  alfo  in  great  plenty  all  the  Cochlea  flu'viatiles,  or 
frefti-water  Snails  mention'd  by  Mr.  Lifter  m,  concerning  which 
I  can  add  nothing,  but  that  his  Cochlea  fafciata  ore  adamuffim  ro- 
tundo  (which  is  fomwhat  ftrange)  feem  to  be  all  viviparous,  con- 
taining their  young  within  their  bodies,  cover'd  over  with  fall 
before  their  exclufion,  as  I  found  it  upon  examination  in  great 
numbers  of  them ;  and  that  I  found  mod  of  them  this  Summer 
fwiming  above  water,  dead  and  (linking,  which  whether  to  be 
afcribed  to  the  drought,  or  any  other  caufe ,  I  am  yet  uncer- 
tain. 

34.  Amongft  the  Cochlea  marina,  zndfiuviatiles,  I  find  all  the 
Naturalifts  to  treat  of  the  Cochlea  terreftres  a,  though  I  think  they 
fhould  rather  be  put  under  the  title  ofReptils  ;  whereof  we  have, 
one  fort  met  with  in  Cornbury  Parkby  Mr.  Jacob  B 'ob art junior, that 
I  find  not  defer i-bed  in  any  of  our  Zoographers :  in  (hape  (though 
not  fo  big)  like  the  Turbenmagnm  of  Rondelet0,  or  the  twelfth 
Turbo  of  Aldrovandu*  p,  having  a  long  Turbinated Jkell  rough  and 
unequal,  by  reafon  of  many  protuberant  ribs  thwarting  the  heli- 
cal turns  of  the fiell,  as  in  Tab.  10.  Fig.  9.  which  was  found  a- 
liveand  creeping  on  the  grafs,  but  what  it  (hould  be  I  cannot  di- 
vine, unlefs  the  fame  with  the  Cagaroles of  Spainnnd.  Montpellier, 
mentioned  by  Aldrovandus  q,   which  he  feems  to  deicribe  to  be  a 

k  JnHippoc.de  A're  Aquis&  Lotis,  lib.  2.  Lett.  14..  hi  text.  23.  '  Sir  Hugh  Vhts  App  p.lii.  m  Phi- 
lofoph.Tranfadl.  Numb.  105.  ■  Vid.  Oefnerum  deCoch/earum  terreft.  dii-erf.  fpecieb.  lib.  4..  de  Ajuatil.  & 
Aldrovandum.lib  3.  de  Teftaceis,  cap.  30.  0  Rond.  de  Teftaceif,  cap-  16.  *  Lib.  3.  de  Teftaceis,  cap.  30. 
*  ldemde  Teftaceis,  cap.  3 1 

Cochlea 


0fOXFO%p~SHI%E.  187 

Cochlea  terrettri*  of  this  figure,  but  gives  no  cut  of  it. 

35.  Of  other  Ripfils  we  have  little  to  fay,   but  that  in  the 
crdfiipof  Blechington,  and  all  the  more  Northern  parts  of  0x~ 

vrd-fiire,  no  Snakes  have  been  ever  or  very  rarely  feen,  in  fo 
much  that  I  met  with  feveral  ancient  people  about  Deddington  and 
Banbury  that  fcarce  ever  faw  a  Snake  in  their  lives,  at  leaft  not 
in  that  Country.  And  21  Blechington  'twas  confidently  believed, 
that  a  Snake  brought  from  any  other  place,  and  put  down  there, 
would  inftantly  die,  till  I  made  the  experiment  2nd.  found  no  fuch 
matter:  Whereupon  I  got  leave  (in  the  abfence  of  the  Family') 
to  inclofe  my  Snake  in  the  Court,  before  the  Right  Honorable  the 
Lord  Anglefey's  houfe,  to  fee  what  time  would  produce,  lea- 
ving the  Gardiner  in  trull  to  obferve  it  ftri&ly,  who  found  it  in- 
deed, after  three  weeks  time  -dead,  without  any  fenfible  external 
hurt. 

36.  How  this  fhould  come  to  pafs,  is  a  queflion  indeed  not 
eafie  to  determin,  but  certainly  it  muft  not  be  afcribed  to  the  7a- 
lifmanical  figure  of  the  (tone  Ophiomorphites  to  be  found  about  Ad- 
derbury,  and  in  moft  blue  clays,  whereof  there  are  plenty  in  this 
Country.  Since  thefe  are  to  be  met  with  about  Oxford  too,  and 
many  other  places,  where  there  are  Snakes  enough.  Befidc,  we 
are  informed  by  Cardan r,  that  Alberta*  Magnus  had  a  ftone,  that 
being  naturally  mark'd  with  the  figure  of  a  Serpent,  had  this  no 
lefs  admirable  than  contrary  virtue,  that  if  it  were  put  into  a 
place  that  was  haunted  with  Serpents,  it  would  draw  them  all  to 
it.  Much  rather  may  we  fubfcribe  to  the  caufe  afligned  by  Pliny  s, 
who  feems  confidently  to  affert,  that  the  earth  that  is  brackiffj, 
and  ftandeth  much  upon  Salt-peter,  is  freer  from  vermin  than  any 
other.  To  which  we  may  add  (if  need  be)  Sulpbur  and  Vitri- 
ol, whereof  there  is  plenty  in  thefe  parts  of  the  County  ;  but  whe- 
ther by  one,  two,  or  all  thefe,  though  we  dare  not  pronounce,  yen 
that  it  is  caufed  by  fome  fuch  mineral  fleam  difagreeable  to  the 
Animal,  I  think  we  may  be  confident. 

37.  Amongft  the  inhabitants  of  the  Earth,  come  we  next  to 
the  Quadrupeda,  whereof  fome  are  povwu-x*.,  whole-  hooft,  fuch 
as  Affes,  Mules,  Horfes,o£ which  laftkind  I  met  with  three  remark- 
able for  their  age ;  one  at  Souldern,  another  at  Sherbourn,  and  a 
third  at  Afton  Row  ant,  each  reported  to  be  about  forty  years  old 

I  T>e  Subtilitate,  lit.  7.     »  Nat.  Hi[i.  lib  17 .  cap.  4. 

A  a  2  apiece. 


1 8  S  The  Statural  Hi /lory 

apiece.  And  amongft  the  Quadrupeda  <%»;\«.,  or  cloven -hoofc 
Beafts,  there  was  a  Hog  at  Vpper-Tadmerto*,  of  as  ftrangeayfo- 
ture  as  they  were  of  age ;  being  fed  by  one  Pargiter  to  fo  extra- 
vagant a  greatnefs,  that  he  came  at  laft  to  be  near  1 3  hands  high, 
as  it  was  teftified  to  me  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Whateley,  Reftor 
of  the  place  ,  and  feveral  others  who  had  carefully  meafured 
him. 

38.  Of  four  footed  Beafts  that  chew  the  cud,  they  have  a  fort 
of  //jeep  efteemed  in  this  Country  for  their  conftantly  bearing  two 
lambs  at  a  time,  whence  they  have  juftly  obtained  the  name, 
though  fomwhat  an  improper  one,  of  double  Ews.  They  are 
faid  to  have  been  firft  brought  into  this  Country  by  the  Worfhipful 
James  Vxley  of  Darnford  Efq ;  where  I  hear  they  are  (till  preferved 
by  the  Right  Worfliipful  Sir  Nicholas  Pelham  Knight,  who  with 
one  of  his  daughters  (a  cokeirefi)  enjoys  that  Eflate.  1  heard  of 
them  alfo  about  Nemngton  and  Dorchefter,  and  fome  other  places 
here  and  there  in  the  County. 

39.  But  there  are  much  ftranger^W/>,  though  perhaps  not  fo 
profitable,  at  Ricot  in  the  Park  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lord 
Norreys,  brought  hither  from  fome  other  parts  of  England  or 
Wales,  but  now  breeding  here :  Of  which,  fome  of  them  at  firft 
had  fix  or  eight  horns  apiece,  but  the  number  upon  mixture  of 
their  generation  with  other Jbeep  is  fince  diminifh'd.  However, 
there  remain  ftill/nco  of  them  with  very  firange  heads,  having  each 
four  horns  ;  one  of  them  with  two  larger  ones  iffuing  from  the  top 
of  its  head,  bending  forward,  and  two  fide  ones  coming  out 
from  under  its  ears, "and  bending  round  towards  its  mouth,  as  in 
Tab.  10.Fig.10.  And  the  other  having  two  large  horns  ftanding 
prety  upright  on  its  head,  and  two  fide  ones  proceeding  from 
under  the  ears  like  the  former,  and  bending  round  to  the  cheeks, 
into  which  they  would  grow  (and  fo  in  the  whole  kind)  were 
they  not  prevented  by  being  timely  cut  off,  as  in  Tab.  10. 
Fig.  11. 

40.  And  as  thefe  are  remarkable  for  their  many  horns?  there 
was  another  Jbeep  once  there,  that  excelled  all  the  reft,  in  its  be- 
ing a  Vnicorn,  having  a  finglehorn  growing  almoft  in  the  middle 
of  its  fore-head,  21  inches  long,  with  annulary  protuberances 
round  it,  and  a  little  twifted  about  the  middle,  as  in  Tab.  10. 
Fig*  12.  There  was,  'tis  true,  another  little  horn  grew  on  the 

fame 


Of  OXFO  %p~S  HI  %E.  189 

Tame  head ,  but  fo  inconfiderable,  that  it  was  hid  under  the 
Wool.  This  head  is  ft  111  preferved  by  the  Honorable  the  Lord 
Notreys,  and  is  now  to  be  {hen  nailed  up  at  Ricot  on  the  North 
fide  of  the  Hall. 

41.  To  which  may  be  added  zCowof  Mris.  Dunches,  of  New- 
ington  near  Dorchefler,  more  ftrangely  prolific,  than  the  Sheep  are 
ftrange  in  form,  that  whirft  a  Calf,  before  Che  was  eleven  months 
old  produced  another :  which  Animals  carrying  their  burthen 
no  lefs  than  nine  months,  we  muft  either  admit  that  (lie  took  Bull 
at  about  ten  or  eleven  weeks  old,  or  that  the  Cow  her  felf  was 
at  firft  brought  forth  pregnant  of  another,  as  Ariftoth  reports  a 
fort  of  Mice  commonly  are  in  a  certain  place  in  Perfia,  -f  jj  Uepcnmt 

Of  tip*  toxci)  dvoce^afjifvuv  efJL@f>vuv}   rd  Siihta,   wf  wvovrat,  (pcuVera/,   1.  e.    that 

in  female  Mice  differed,  the  female  of-/pring  wot  found  pregnant  with 
others x.  The  fame  again  is  reported  by  Claudius  /Elian  of  the 
very  fame  Animals,  near  the  Cafpian  Sea u.  And  Ariftotle  further 
acquaints  us  ,  that  the  Fitli  Phoxini  have  fpawn  when  they 
are  very  little,  \kiy.^\  Ivth  <po%7voi  kwh'/^to.  «£«<n  are  his  very  words  w, 
info  much  that  Rondelet  adds,  ut  periti  Pifcat ores  cum  ovk  nafci 
afirment x. 

42.  We  are  informed  alfo,  that  the  fame  fomtimes  happens 
in  more  perfect  Animals,  by  Joan.  Baptijla  Nierembergius ,  who 
tells  us  of  a  certain  mare  in  Spain  that  brought  forth  a  mule,  great 
of  another  y.  And  the  learned  and  obferving  Bartholin z,  yet 
further  acquaints  us,  that  in  the  Parifh  ofVle/lovia  near  Neoburg  in 
F'wnia,  Joan  the  wife  of  Nocholas  Piter,  a  Hufbandman  of  that 
Country,  wasdeliver'd  of  *  female  ftill-born  child,  pregnant  with 
another  female,  duly  placed  in  the  womb  about  a  fpan  in  length, 
with  all  its  parts  fo  perfect,  that  the  Grand-mother  (who  diffected 
thepregnant  infant')  believed  it  had  been  living. 

43.  But  what  yet  comes  nearer  to  the  bufinefs,  we  are  inform- 
ed by  David Spilinbergerus,  Phyfitian  of  Leutfchovia,  that  in  the 
year  1 663.  there  was  a  Cow  in  Hungary  that  brought  forth  a  Calf 
with  a  great  belly,  wherein  there  was  found  another  Calf  "with 
all  its  limbs  perfect a.  How  thefe  things  fhould  come  to  pafs, 
the  learned  Bartholin  gives  us  his  conjecture,  vi%.  that  in  fuch/w- 
duclions  as  thefe  three  laft,  Nature  at  firft  intended  only  twins, 

t  Hifl.  Animal,  lib-  6.  cap.  ult-  ■  «fo<  £*>'«»,  lib.ij.cap.  17.  ,"  Hifi-Anim.  lib.  6.  cap  13.  «  Rovd.de 
Tifcib.  fluviatil.  cap.  28.  1  In  Hift.  Nat.  lib.  6.  cap. 2.  *  Hifl.  Anatom.  &  Med- rar.  Cent.  6.  Hifl-  ult.  & 
Epifl.  Med  Cent-  3.  Ep.  2I.    »  MifceUan.  Curiofa  Med.  PJbyf.  Germani*,  Ait.  \.  obferv.  36- 

and 


ipo  The  Statural  Hijlory 

and  that  by  fome  error  in  her  procedure,  one,  of  each  of  thefe, 
might  be  thruft  into  the  belly  of  the  other  (as  I  fuppofe  it  hap- 
pened in  fome  meafure  in  the  cafe  of  Lazarus  Colloredo  and  his 
Brother  Baptijib)  over  which  we  may  eafily  allow  a  fkin  to  be  fu- 
perinduced.  But  that  ever  any  fuch  fecond/>/&$  was  brought 
into  the  world,  living  after  the  firft,  we  have  noinftance,  except 
this  calf  of  Newington  may  pafs  for  one,  which  is  wholly  left  to 
the  readers  judgment.  For  my  part,  I  am  rather  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  Cow  might  take  Bull  at  ten  or  eleven  weeks  old, 
that  being  the  lefTer  wonder  of  the  two,  efpecially  having  lately 
received  news  out  of  the  Country  from  an  intelligent  Lady,  that 
the  thing  is  not  fo  ftrange,  but  poflible  enough. 

44.  Hither  alfo  muft  be  referr'd  the  three  calves  brought  forth 
by  a  cow  at  one  time,  that  I  met  with  at  Hardwick.  not  far  from 
Biffher,  which  though  a  production  not  frequent,  yet  is  as  much 
remarkable  in  that  they  became  all  grown  cattle,  and  fo  ftrangely 
alike,  that  their  very  owner  himfelf  fcarce  knew  them  afunder, 
much  lefs  could  I,  though  I  obferved  them  ftri&ly  :  whence  I  was 
firmly  convinced,  that  fimilitude  was  a  concomitant  as  well  of 
Tergemini  as  Twins,  and  held  as  well  in  Brutes  as  rational  Ani- 
mals. 

45 .  Nor  can  I  pafs  by  without  admiration,  the  Deer  of  Corn- 
bury  Park,  which  before  His  Majeslies  wonderful  reftoration,  be- 
ing (in  partatleaft)  turned  into  a  Cony-warren,  the  Deer  upon  ic 
had  all  dwarf  heads,  the  mod  of  them  irregular,  as  in  Tab.  10. 
Fig.  13.  but  if  any  of  them  were  uniform,  as  in  Tab.  10.  Fig. 
1 4.  yet  they  were  ftill  far  fhort  of  growth,  feldom  exceeding  8  or 
10  inches  long,  though  the  Deer  themfelves  were  well  enough 
grown,  and  warrantable ;  the  two  that  bore  thofe  engraven  beads, 
being  both  of  them  two  years  a  Buck  atleaft,  and  in  all  other  re- 
fpe&s  well  enough  liking:  which  yet  as  foon  as  the  Warren  was 
deftroyed  by  the  prefent  Proprietor,  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl 
of  Clarendon  came  again,  to  have  as  fair  branched-heads  as  any 
Deer  whatever  in  the  adjoyningForreft  :  Which  Grange  alterations 
I  cannot  guefs  to  proceed  from  any  other  caufe  than  the  infe£lion 
of  the  grafs  by  the  urin  and  crotizing  of  the  Conies,  which  being 
hotanddry  muft  rc:ds  abate  the  moifture  of  the  Deer,  which 
fupplyed  matter  for  the  fair  heads  wherewith  before  and  fince 

b  Iho.  Eorthol.  Anatom.  Med.  rar.  Hift  66- 

they 


Of  0  XFO  %p~SHI  %E.  i9i 

they  have  been  as  well  adorned,  as  any  of  their  kind. 

46.  Amongft  the  Quadrupeda  TroAt^'jcroA*,  or  claw-footed  Ani- 
mals, I  met  with  nothing  fo  ftrange  as  the  rib  of  a  Dog,  or  fom6 
fuch  like  Beaft,  fet  in  a  bone  interceding  two  other  ribs,  that  the 
inter  cojial  parts  were  filled  with  it,  as  in  Tab.  10.  Fig.  15.  in  fo 
much  that  if  all  the  ribs  were  thus  qualified,  the  whole  chefi  of 
that  Animal  muft  needs  be  one  bone.  This  was  found  about  Ox- 
ford, and  given  me  by  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God,  Thomas 
Lord  Bifhop  of  Lincoln.  And  there  are  two  other  rifo  joyned 
in  like  manner,  to  be  feen  in  the  Repofitory  in  the  Medicin  School. 
But  I  find  this  has  happened  not  only  to  Beaffs,  butfomtimes  to 
Men,  who  have  been  always  remarkable  for  their  prodigious 
firength ;  whereof  in  their  refpe&ive  places  as  I  meet  them  here- 
after. 


CHAP. 


xpx  The  Natural  Hiflory 


T 


CHAP..    VIII. 
Of  Men  and  Women. 

H  E  fubjeft  matter  of  this  Chapter  being  very  narrow,  ex- 
tending it  felf  only  to  Man,  whom  God  created  Male 
and  Female,  and  them  only  in  his  own  Image,  little 
lower  than  the  Angels '.  It  cannot  be  expefted,  that  the  methods 
of  the  other  Chapters  can  be  obferved  here,  there  being  no  new 
ffecies  of  Men  to  be  produced,  or  not  fufficiently  noted  already. 
All  therefore  that  remains  concerning  them  to  be  handled  here, 
will  be  only  the  unufual  Accidents  that  have  attended  them,where- 
of,  though  I  have  not  met  with  over  many  in  this  County,  yet 
they  are  enough  to  be  diftributed  into  fuch  as  have  attended 
them, 

■ 

rat  or  before  their  birth. 
either <in  their  courfe  of  life. 
C/Vz  their  death  or  grave. 

2.  Before  the  birtb  ofMan,tht  Vagitm  uterinu^or  crying  of  the 
child  in  the  mothers  womb,  is  not  ordinarily  to  be  met  with, 
though  we  find  many  examples  of  the  thing  in  Authors c,  to 
which  may  be  added  one  more  that  lately  happened  at  Heyford 
Purcel,  where  there  was  a  child  cryed  very  audibly  in  its  mothers 
womb  fomtime  before  the  birtb.  For  the  performance  of  which 
aftion,  whether  there  be  a  neceffity  of  the  Infants  having  refpi- 
ration  whil'ft  included  in  the  Amnion  ;  or  whether  it  may  not  be 
done  without  it?  let  the  Phyfitians  difpute  :  The  matter  offaft 
fufficeth  me  at  prefent  that  there  was  fuch  a  thing,  the  people 
being  frighted  with  it,  and  expecting  fome  calamity  fhould  foon 
attend  fuch  a  Prodigie,  pernicious  (forfooth)  not  only  to  the 
place  where  heard,  but  to  the  State  it  felf.  Whereas  the  learn- 
ed Bartholin  more  rightly  notes,  that  the  ruin  of  Kingdoms  de- 
pends rather  on  the  wickednefs  of  the  people,  living  in  con- 
tempt of  God  and  his  Laws,  than  any  fuch  vagitvs ;  which  por- 
tends nothing  but  happinefs  to  the  Infant,   the  Mother,  and  State 

c  Tho.Bi.nholin.HiJl.Anatom.rar. Cent.  l.  fflft.i. 

it 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  ipj 

it  felf :  To  the  Infant,  in  that  it  is  an  Index  of  its  ftrength,  and 
perfection  of  ^Organs-,  To  the  Mother,  in  the  certainty  that  her 
child  is  living,  and  likely  to  promote  its  own  exit ;  To  the  State, 
which  is  likely  to  be  bleft  with  an  able  fubjeft '  the  Vagitws  being 
nothing  but  fuch  an/o  Triumphe,  as  Livyd  reports  was  made  by 
the  infant  in  the  mothers  womb  in  Marrucink,  £.  Fabiws  Maximum 
being  the  fourth  time,  and  M.  Marcellws  the  third  time  COSS.  So 
that  if  any  thing  amifs  fall  out  after  fuch  Vagitws,  it  muft  be  im- 
puted rather  to  chance  than  defign  of  nature:  Let  us  but  mend 
our  lives,  and  no  fuch  matters  can  hurt  us. 

3.  In  the  birth  of  man  it  is  equally  ftrange,  that  the  fangs  of 
the  woman  in  the  exclufion  of  the  child  have  fomtimes  aflfefted  the 
Abdomen  of  the  husband,  which  yet  to  fuch  as  have  experiment- 
ed the  fecrecy  of  fympatbies ,  and  underftand  the  fubtilty  and 
power  of  effluviums,  perhaps  may  not  feem  difficult :  But  that 
the  Tfltf/zfliould  fomtimes  fuflfer  fuch  pains,  whil'ft  the  woman  is 
well,  and  before  (lie  is  in  labor,  is  a  problem  I  fear  beyond  all 
hopes  of  folution.  And  yet  that  this  has  happen'd  to  fome  per- 
fins  in  Oxford  is  very  certain,  and  that  to  knowing  ones  too,  very 
unlikely  to  be  deceived,  and  of  unqueftionable  veracity  :  where- 
of one  of  them  told  me  (whom  I  enquired  of  more  particularly 
concerning  them')  that  they  came  upon  him  when  he  little  thought 
of  his  wife,  and  that  the  pangs  were  very  odd  ones,  fuch  as  he 
never  felt  in  his  life  ;  not  like  any  griping  in  the  guts,  but  lying 
in  the  mufcles  of  the  Abdomen,  which  yet  he  fhould  never  have 
thought  to  have  had  relation  to  his  wife,  had  they  not  fuddenly, 
and  beyond  expe&ation  ceafed,  as  foon  as  his  wife  began  to  be 
in  labor.  Which  makes  much  for  the  credit  of  a  relation  of  the 
German  Virtuofi*,  concerning  one  Faber  ofBuxovil in  Alfatia>who 
conftantly  a&ed  the  part  of  his  pregnant  wife,  being  taken  with  vo- 
mitings, and  fuffering  thofe  inordinate  longings  that  ufually  at- 
tend women  in  that  condition,  his  wife  all  the  while  fuffering  no 
fuch  inconveniencies. 

4.  That  fuch  fymptoms  ftiould  be  thus  tranflated  from  the  wo- 
man to  the  man,  the  woman  remaining  well  and  undifturbed,  Dr. 

IPrimirofe*  thought  fo  irrational  (upon  account  that  natural  Agents 
firft  work  on  the  nearefi  objects,  and  then  on  the  remote/},  and 


T.  Livii  JTtft.  ab  XJrbeCond.  lib.  24.     e  MifceUania Curiofa  Med.  Tkyf.  German.  Art.  2.  dbferv.  215. 
}  Jac.  Primiroiii  M.  D.  de  vulgi  crroribus,  in  Med.  lib,  2.  cap.  13. 

Bb  that 


1^4-  The  Statural  Hi jlory 

that  therefore  a  woman  muft  needs  be  firft  affe&ed  with  her  owri 
noxious  humors)  that  he  looktupon  it  as  no  better  than  a  ridicu- 
lous error,  as  indeed  I  think  I  fhould  have  done  my  felf,  but  that 
I  am  otherwife  perfwaded  by  fiber  men,  who  well  know  how  to 
diftinguifh  the  manner  of  the  pangs,  and  the  circumftances  of 
them  ;  Nor  fhould  I  have  ventured  to  have  made  this  relation, 
but  that  the  perfons  are  living,  and  ready  to  juftifie  what  1  have 
written  to  any  perfon  fit  to  be  difcours'd  with  about  fuch  matters : 
but  how  they  fhould  come  to  pafs,  is  fo  hard  to  determin,  that 
I  dare  not  yet  attempt  it,  it  being  difficult  not  to  err  concerning 
fuch  myjleries  of  Nature. 

5 .  That  women  may  bring  forth  three  at  a  birth  appears  evident- 
ly by  the  example  of  the  Horatii,  and  Curiatii ;  to  whom  may  be 
added,  though  of  unequal  rank,  the  three  children  of  a  Tayler 
here  in  Oxford,  which  he  had  all  at  a  birth.  But  to  go  above 
that  number  fays  Pliny s,  is  reputed  and  commonly  fpoken  off  as 
monflrou6,and  to  portend  fome  mif-hap :  for  confirmation  where- 
of, he  inftances  in  a  Commoners  wife  of  OJiia,  who  was  delivered 
at  one  birth  of  two  boys  and  two  girls  ;  but  this,  fays  he,  was  a 
moft  prodigious  token,  and  portended  no  doubt  the  famine  that 
enfued  foon  after  :  i.  e.  It  pleafed  God  to  vifit  thofe  parts  with 
famin  about  that  time,  there  being  no  more  dependence  between 
the  famin  and  the  preceding  birth,  than  there  is  between  the  Wars, 
Plagues,  and  Famins,  that  fomtimes  follow  Comets  •  there  ha- 
ving been  (no  queftion)  as  many  of  them,  to  which  nothing  extra- 
ordinary has  been  fubfequent,  as  to  which  there  has  ;  and  fo  of 
Births. 

6.  Witnefs  the  four  children  brought  all  at  a  time  by  Elenor  the 
wife  of  Henry  Deven  of  Watlington,  An.  1675.  fince  which  time 
we  have  yet  lived  (thanks  be  to  God)  in  as  great  health,  peace  and 
plenty,  under  our  good  and  gracious  King,  as  ever  People  did, 

which  God  of  his  mercy  continue  to  us  ;  whom  if  we  ferve  in  fin- 
cerity,  performing  unto  Him  an  honeft,  faithful,  and  uniform  o- 
bedience  (though  'tis  true  our  beft  performances  will  be  mixed 
with  much  of  weaknefs,  ignorance,  frailties,  and  recidivations) 
we  need  never  to  fear  the  influence  of  any  fuch  accidents,  though 
they  much  exceed  the  ordinary  courfe  of  nature. 

7.  The  fame  Pliny h  informs  us,  that  many  men  indeed  have 

«  Nat.  Wft.  lib.  7.  cap.  3.     *  Nit-  Hifi.  lib.  7.  cap.  1 4. 

begotten 


OfOXFO^V^SHI^E.  i9l 

begotten  children  at  fixty  or  eighty  years  old  :  for  which  he  in- 
ftances  in  Volufius  Satur  ninths,  who  on  Dame  Cornelia,  of  the 
lineage  of  the  Scipio's,  begat  Volufiu*  Saturninm  (who  afterward 
was  Conful)  at  fixty  two  years  old  and  upwards,  Cato  Cenforius, 
fays  the  fame  Pliny  (anceftor  to  Cato  who  flew  hinifelf  ztVtica') 
begat  a  fon  on  the  daughter  of  Saloniws  his  Vaffal,  after  he  was 
part:  80  years  of  age  ;  and  King  Ma ffini/fi,  another,  whom  he  cal- 
led Methymathnws,  when  he  was  eighty  fix.  But  as  to  wome n,  he 
is  pofitive  that  they  are  paft  child-  bearing  at  fifty,  and  that  for  the 
moft  part  their  cufiomary  purgations  ftop  at  forty. 

8.  But  I  met  with  an  inftance.at  Sbetford  near  Banbury,  that 
proves  him  plainly  miftaken,  where  I  faw  and  fpoke  with  one 
Catharine  Tayler,  that  had  a  fon  then  living  and  lufty,  inthefixti- 
eth  year  of  her  age,  which  was  teftified  alfo  to  me  by  many  there 
about.And  I  have  fince  heard  of  one  Good  wife  Harvey  ofSmitben- 
green,  in  the  PariUiof  Leigh,  within  three  miles  of  Worcefier? 
that  is  now  with  child  in  her  fixty  third  year,  which  are  inftances 
wonderful  rare,  and  fcarce  heard  of  in  other  Countrys ;  though 
we  are  informed  indeed  by  Dr.  Boat\  that  amongft  the  women 
in  Ireland,  there  are  feveral  found  who  do  not  only  retain  their 
Catamenia,  but  even  their  fruitfulnefs,  above  the  age  of  fifty,  and 
fome  till  that  of  fixty  years  •  whereof  he  tells  us,  his  brother  knew 
fome,  who  being  above  three/core  years  old,  did  not  only  con- 
ceive and  bring  forth  children,  but  nurfed  them,  and  brought 
them  up  with  their  own  milk  :  which  alfo  as  we  are  acquainted  by 
Qui.  Fi/o  *,  is  very  common  in  Brafil. 

9.  As  in  the  child-bearingof  women,  and  the  accidents  attend- 
ing it,l  have  met  with  alfo  fomwhat  extraordinary  in  their  growth, 
which  muft  be  ranked  among  the  accidents  that  have  befallen  the 

fix  during  their  courfe  of  life ;  and  fuch  is  the  growth  of  one 
Philippa  French,  born  at  Milcomb  in  this  County,  now  fix  or  feven 
and  thirty  years  of  age,  and  a  marryed  woman,  having  all  her 
parts  proportionable,  and  of  good  fymmetry,  yet  wanting  half  an 
inch  of  a  yard  in  height '  which  is  fomwhat  lower  than  Manius 
Maximum,  or  M.  Tullius,  who  as  Varro  reports,  were  each  but  two 
-cubitsh'igh,  and  yet  they  were  Gentlemen  and  Knights  of  Rome  : 
but  higher  then  Conopas  the  Dwarf  of  Julia,  Neece  to  Auguftus, 

'  Natural  Hiftory  of  Irelandychap.  2?>fiB.  1.    *  Gul.Pifo}  de  India  utriufque  re  Nat ,  &  Med.lib.i \ 
"I-  '  t • '  3 

B  b   2  who 


io 6  The  Statural  Hijlory 

who  as  Pliny  k  tells  us,  was  but  two  foot  high  and  a  hand bredth  ; 
but  he  tells  us  not  whether  Conopa*  were  at  his  full  growth,  or  had 
good/ymmetry  of  parts  like  our  Philippa,  it  being  common  enough 
for  perfons  to  be  very  low  of  ftature,  when  either  their  Bo- 
dies are  awry,  or  fome  of  their  parts  difproportionable  to  the 
reft. 

10.  And  amongft  fuch  accidents  as  thefe,  we  may  reckon  a 
ftrange  difiafe  that  befel  Mary  the  daughter  of  John  Collier  of  Bur- 
ford-  who  out  of  the  corners  of  her  eyes  excluded  a  fort  of  con- 
gealed matter,  which  after  fome  time  turned  jnto  zflony  kind  of 
fubjiance,  not  unlike  the  slones,  as  they  were  defcribed  to  me,  that 

fomtimes  come  forth  of  the  tumor  called  Atheroma :  which  I 
therefore  guefs  to  have  been  only  a  more  exalted  kind  of  Mgilops, 
or  fiftula  lachrymalit,  and  not  to  have  been  caufed  by  fajcination, 
as  Lachmund '  thinks  the flones  were  that  came  forth  of  the  left  eye 
of  Margaret  the  daughter  of  Conrad  Brandk  of  Banteln,  (lie  be- 
ing cured  of  the  difeafe  by  that  eminent  Oculisl  Dr.  Turbervil  of 
Sarum. 

1 1 .  Yet  a  much  ftranger  accident  than  that  befel  one  Rebeckah 
Smith,  the  Servant-maid  of  one  Thoma*  White  of  Mintfer  Lovel, 
who  being  of  a  robuft  conftitution,  though  fhe  feldom  eat  flefh 
(it  fcarce  agreeing  with  her)  and  above  5  o  years  of  age ;  after 

fie  came  from  the  Communion  on  Palm-funday  ,  April  1 6.  Anno 
16  71.  was  taken  with  fuch  a  drynefs  in  her  throat,  that  (lie  could, 
not  fwallow  her  frittle,  nor  any  thing  elfe  to  fupply  the  decays 
of  nature :  and  in  this  czftfie  continued  without  eating  or  drink- 
ing, to  the  amazement  of  all,  for  about  ten  weeks-,  vHi  to  the 
29  of  June,  being  both  St.  Peters,  and  Witney '-fair day  :  by  which 
time  being  brought  very  low,  her  majter  enquired  and  found  out 
zperfon  who  gave  him  an  Amulet  (for  it  was  fuppofed^e  was  be- 
witch'd)  againft  this  evil ;  after  the  application  whereof,  within 
two  or  three  days  time  (though  I  dare  not  fuppofe  there  was  any 
dependence  between  the  medicin  and  difeafe')  (lie  firft  drank  a  lit- 
tle water,  then  warm  broaths  in  fmall  quantities  at  a  time,  and 
nothing  elfe  till  Palm-funday  again  twelvemonths  after,  when  (he 
began  to  eat  bread  and  other  food  again  as  formerly  (lie  had  done, 
and  is  now  about  the  age  of  ftxty,  and  ftill  living  at  the  fame  place 
ready  to  teftifiethe  truth  of  the  thing,  as  well  as  Tho.  White  and 

k  Nat.Hifi.  lib.  7.  cap.  16.    '  Fied.  Lachmundi,  'Qp*-n%*$.f.cl.  3.W/22. 

his 


OfOXFO  %T>-S  HI  \E.  i9f 

his  wife,  who  were  all  that  lived  in  the  houfe  with  her,  and  will 
confidently  aflert  (for  they  carefully  obferved)  that  they  do  not 
believe  (lie  ever  took  any  thing  in  thofe  ten  weeks  time,  nor  any 
thing  more  all  the  year  following  but  what  was  above-mention- 
ed :  wherein  I  think  they  may  the  rather  be  credited,  becaufe 
there  was  never  any  advantage  made  of  this  wonder,  which  argues 
it  clear  of  all  juggle  or  defign. 

12.  Concerning  the  death  of  women,  we  have  two  as  remark- 
able examples,  as  any  perhaps  to  be  met  with  in  Hi/iory,  both  of 
them  being  confirmations  of  what  Pliny  fays  of  them,  that  they 
much  more  frequently  revive  after  they  have  been  reputed  dead^ 
than  males  do  *,  whence  doubtlefs  alfo  the  Proverb,  mulieri  ne  ere- 
dot,  ne  mortu*  quidem.  Of  which  recoveries  of  the  female  Sex  ra- 
ther than  the  male,  the  fame  Pliny  offers  us  a  natural  reafon,  but 
I  think  fit  to  wave  it,  efpecially  fince  the  revivifcence  of  Anne  Green, 
innocently  condemned  to  dye,  and  executed  at  Oxford  for  the 
murther  of  an  abortive  Infant,  is  rather  afcribed  to  the  Juftice  of 
Heaven,  than  to  the  ftrength  or  other  conveniences  of  nature  for 
fuch  purpofe  in  women  rather  than  men,  though  it  muft  alfo  be  al- 
lowed, that  God  Himfelf  makes  ufe  many  times  of  natural  means 
in  production  of  the  moft  wonderful,  moft  amazing  effects.  The 
Hifiory  whereof,  as  it  is  taken  out  of  a  Chronicle  of  the  late  Civil 
Wars,  by  James  Heatb  Gentleman  ro,  and  the  continuation  of  the 
Hifiory  of  the  World,  by  Dionyfm  Petaviut",  with  fome  few  ad- 
ditions and  alterations,  take  as  followeth. 

13.  In  the  year  1650.  this  Anne  Green,  being  a  Servant-maid 
of  the  Right  Worfliipful  Sir  Thomas  Readof  Duns  Tew  in  Oxford- 
Jhire,  was  gotten  with  child  by  Comefervant,or  other  of  the  fami- 
ly (as  fie  conffantly  affirmed  when  fie  had  little  reafon  to  lye) 
and  through  over- working  herfelf  in  turning  ofmault,  fell  in  tra- 
vel about  the  fourth  month  of  her  time:  But  being  but  a  young 
wench,  and  not  knowing  what  the  matter  might  be,repairs  to  the 
houfe  of  eafment,  where  after  fome  ftraining,  the  child  (fcarce 
above  a  fpan  long,  of  what /ex  not  to  be  diftinguifli'd)  fell 
from  her  unawares.  Now  prefently  after,  there  appearing  figns  of 
fome  fuch  matter  in  the  linnen  where  fhe  lay,  and  [he  before  ha- 
vingconfeft,  that  (lie  had  been  guilty  of  what  might  occafion 

*  WJl-  Nat  lib.  7.  cap.  <7,     m  Hifiory  of  the  Civil  Wars  of  England,  Scotland)  and  Ireland,  in  Anno 
1650.    "  Append.  adHifi.  D  Petavii,  in  Anno  1650. 

her 


ip8  The  O^Qatural  Hijlory 

her  being  with  child,  afearch  inftantly  was  made,  and  the  Infant 
found  on  the  top  of  the  ordure. 

14.  Whereupon,  within  three  days  after  ber  delivery,^  was 
conveyed  to  the  Caftk  at  Oxford,  where  forthwith  (an  Affife  being 
purchafed  on  purpofe)fhc  was  arraigned  before  Serjeant  Vmpton 
Crokf,  then  living  but  at  Mar/ion,  who  fat  as  Judge  by  a  Commif- 
fion  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  and  by  him  fentenced  to  be  hanged  ; 
which  was  accordingly  executed  on  the  fourteenth  of  December 
in  the  faid  Caftle-yard-,  where  {lie  hung  about  half  an  hour,  being 
pulled  by  the  legs,  and  (truck. on  the  breft  (as  (lie  her  felf  defired) 
by  divers  of  her  friends ;  and  after  all,  had  feveral  ftroaks  given 
her  on  the  ftomach  with  the  but-end  of  a  Soldiers  Mufket.  Be- 
ing cut  down,  (lie  was  put  into  a  coffin,  and  brought  away  to  a 
houfeto  bedijfefted,  where  when  they  opened  it,  notwithftand- 
ing  the  rope  ftill  remained  unlofed-,  and  ftraight  about  her  neck, 
they  perceived  her  breft  to  rife  ;  whereupon  one  Ma/on  a  Tayler, 
intending  only  an  aft  of  charity,  fet  his  foot  upon  her  breft  and 
belly ;  and  as  fome  fay,  one  Orum  a  Soldier  ftruck  her  again  with 
the  but-end  of  his  musket. 

15.  Notwithftanding  all  which,  when  the  learned  and  inge- 
nious, Sir  William  Petty,  then  Anatomy  Profeffor  of  the  Vniverfity, 
Dr.  Will'ps,  and  Dr.  Clark,  now  Prefident  of  Magdalen  College, 
and  Vice-Chancellor  of the  Vniverfity,  came  to  prepare  the  body  for 
diffttiion,  they  perceived  fome  fmall  ratling  in  her  throaty  here- 
upon defifting.  from  their  former  purpofe,  they  prefently  ufed 
means  for  her  recovery,  by  opening  a  vein,  laying  her  in  a  warm 
bed,  and  caufing  another  to  go  into  bed  to  ber ;  alfo  ufing  divers 
remedies  rd^t^iing  her  fenfeleftneft,  Head,Throat,  and  Breft,  in  fo 
much  that  within  14  hours,  fie  began  to  fpeak,  and  the  next 
day  talked  and  prayed  very  heartily. 

16.  During  the  time  of  this  her  recovering,  the  officers  con- 
cerned in  her  execution,  would  needs  have  had  her  away  again  to 
have  compleated  it  on  her :  but  by  the  mediation  of  the  worthy 
Voclors,  and  fome  other  Friends,  with  the  then  Governor  of  the 
City,  Colonel  Kelfey,  there  was  a  guard  fet  upon  her  to  hinder  all 
further  difturbance,  till  he  had  fued  out  her  pardon  from  the 
Powers  then  in  being ;  thoufands  of  people  in  the  mean  time 
coming  to  fee  her,  and  magnifying  the  juft  Providence  of  God  in 
thusafferting  her  innocency  of  murther. 

1 7.  After 


ofOXFOcH$>~SHt%E.  199 

1  j.  After  fome  time  Dr.  Petty  hearing^  had  difcourfed 
with  thofe  about  her,  and  fufpecYing  that  the  women  might  fugged 
unto  her  to  relate  fomthing  of  ftrange  vifwns  and  apparitions  (lie 
had  feen,  during  the  time  fhe  feemed  to  be  dead  (which  they  al- 
ready had  begun  to  do,  telling  about  that  fie  faid,  fle  had  been 
in  a  fine  green  meddow,  having  a  River  running  round  it,  and  that 
all  things  there  glittered  like  ft  her  and  gold)  he  caufed  all  to  de- 
part the  room  but  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Faculty-,  who  were  to 
have  been  at  the  dijjetlion,  and  afked  her  concerning  her  fenfe  and 
apprehenfions  during  the  time  flie  was  hanged. 

18.  To  which  (he  anfwered  at  firft  fomwhat  impertinently, 
talking  as  if  fie  had  been  then  to  fujfer.  And  when  they  fpake  un- 
to her  concerning  her  miraculous  deliverance,  fie  answered,  that 

fie  hoped  God  would  give  her  patience,  and  the  like :  Afterward, 
when  fie  was  better  recovered,  fije  affirmed,  that^e  neither  re- 
membred  how  the  fetters  were  knocked  off,  how  fije  went  out  of 
the  Prifon  ;  when  Jhe  was  turned  off  the  ladder,  whether  any 
Pfalm  was  fung  or  not,  nor  was  fie  fenfible  of  any  pains  that  Jhe 
could  remember  :  what  is  moft  obfervable  is,  that  (lie  came  to 
her  [elf  as  if  fie  had  awakened  out  of  a  fleep,  not  recovering  the 
ufe  of  her  fpeech  by  flow  degrees,  but  in  a  manner  all  together, 
beginning  to  fpeak  juft  where  (lie  left  off  on  the  gallows. 

1 9.  Being  thus  at  length  perfectly  recovered ,  after  thanks 
given  to  God,  and  the  perfons  inftrumental  in  it,  fi>e  retired  into 
the  Country  to  her  friends  at  Steeple-Barton,  where  (lie  was  after- 
wards marryed,  and  lived  in  good  repute  amongft  her  Neighbors, 
having  three  Children  afterwards,  and  not  dying  as  I  am  inform- 
ed till  theyear  1659.  Which  occurrence  being  thought  worthy  of 
remembrance  by  the  Author  of  the  continuation  of  the  Hiftory  of 
the  World,  by  Dionyfiws  Petavius,  who  efteemed  it  no  lefs  than  the 
finger  of  God  pointing  out  the  Maids  innocency  ;  and  by  Mr. 
Heath,  who  thought  fit  to  tranfmit  it  to  pofterity  for  Gods  glory, 
and  man-  caution  in  judging  and  punidiing.  It  would  have 
been  a  great  omiffion  in  me  to  have  patted  it  by  untouched. 

20.  Not  long  after,  vi%.  in  the  year  1658.  Elizabeth  the  [ex - 
vant  of  one  Mrs.  Cope  of  Magdalen  Parlfi  Oxon,  was  indicted  at 
the  City  Sejfions  for  killing  her  baflard  child,  and  putting  it  in  the 
houfe  of  ofice ;  of  which  being  convicted,  fit  was  condemned 
to  dye,  and  accordingly  was  hanged  at  green-ditch,  the  place 

ap- 


zoo  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

appointed  for  the  execution  of  the  City  malefactors,  where  (lie  hung 
folong,  that  one  of  the  by-ftanders  fcrupled  not  to  fay,  that  if 
(he  were  not  dead,  he  would  be  hanged  {ox  her :  hereupon  being 
cut  down  (the gallows  being  very  high)  {Tie  fell  with  fuch  vio- 
lence on  the  ground,  that  it  would  have  been  enough  to  have 
been  the  death  of  many  another  per/on,  only  to  have  had  fuch  a 
fall.  Being  thus  cut  down,fi>e  was  put  into  a  coffin  and  brought 
to  the  George  Inn  in  Magdalen  Parifi  aforefaid,  which  when  o- 
pened,  they  found  perfect  life  in  her,  as  in  the  former:  where- 
upon breathing  a  vein,  and  putting  her  to  bed  with  another  young 
wench  by  her,  Jhe  came  quickly  to  hex  felf  and  might  no  queftion 
have  lived  alfo  many  years  after  ;  but  having  no  friends  to  ap- 
pear for  her,  fie  was  barbaroufly  dragg'd  the  night  following  by 
the  order  of  one  Mallory  then  one  of  the  Bayliffs  of  the  City, 
to  Glccefier- green,  and  there  drawn  up  over  one  of  the  arms  of 
the  Trees,  and  hang 'd  a  fecond  time  till  fhe  was  dead. 

2 1 .  After  what  concerns  women  folitarily  confider'd,  who  ac- 
cording to  the  courtefie  of  England,  have  always  the  firft  place, 
come  we  next  to  treat  of  things  unufual  that  concern  women  and 
men'pywxXy  together  ;  amongft  which  1  think  we  may  reckon  ma- 
ny ancient  Cujloms  ftill  retained  here,  abolifh'd  and  quite  loft  in 
moft  other  Counties :  fuch  as  that  of  Runningzt  the Quinten,  Quin- 
tain, or  Quintel,  fo  called  from  the  Latin  \_Quintws~^  becaufe  fays 
Minftjeu  °,  it  was  one  of  the  Ancient  Sports  ufed  every  fifth  year 
amongft  the  Olympian  games,  rather  perhaps  becaufe  it  was  the  lafl 
of  the  wmS-Aou  or  the  quinque  certamina gymnaftica,  ufed  on  the 
fifth  or  loft  day  of  the  Qlympick$.  How  the  manner  of  it  was  then 
I  do  not  find,  but  now  it  is  thus. 

22.  They  firft  fet  a  Pofi  perpendicularly  into  the  ground,  and 
then  place  a  (lender  piece  of  Timber  on  the  top  of  it  on  a  fpindle, 
with  a  board  nailed  to  it  on  one  end,  and  a  bag  of  fand  hanging  at 
the  other  ;  againft  this  boardthey  anciently  rod  wkh/pears ;  now 
as  I  faw  it  at  Deddington  in  this  County,  only  with  flrong  fiaves, 
which  violently  bringing  about  the  bago{  fand,  if  they  make  not 
good  fpeed  away  it  ftrikes  them  in  the  neck  or  (lioulders,  and  fom- 
times  perhaps  knocks  them  from  their  horfes  ;  the  great  defign  of 
the  (port  being  to  try  the  agility  both  of  horfe  and  man,  and  to  break 
the  board,  which  whoever  do's,is  for  that  time  accounted  Princep 

JUVentUtK.  •  jviinsh.  ijiffit  ti;  ra;  yXtirmuinveri*. 

23.  For 


Of  OXFO%T>-SHn{E.  201 

23.  For  whom  heretofore  there  was  fome  reward  always  ap- 
pointed, Eo  tempore  (fays  Matthew  Varis)  Juvenes  Londinenfes, 
ftatuto  Favonepro  bravio,  ad  Vadium  quod  Quintena  vulgariter  did- 
tur,  vires  propria*,  is*  Equorum  curfu*,  funt  experti :  Wherein  it 
feems  the  Kings  fervants  oppofing  them  were  forely  beaten  ;  for 
which;  upon  complaint,  the  King  fined  the  Cityv.  Whence  one 
may  gather  that  it  was  once  a  tryal  of  Man-hood  between  two 
parties  ;  fince  that,  a  conteft  amon^ft  friends  who  fhould  wear  the 
gay  garland,  but  now  only  in  requeft  at  Marriages,  and  fet  up  in 
the  way  for  young  men  to  ride  at  as  they  carry  home  the  Bride,  he 
that  breaks  the  board  being  counted  the  beft  man. 

24.  To  which  may  be  added  the  obfervation  of  Hoc-day, 
Hockcday,  Hoke-day,  Hake-tide,  Hoke-Mcnday  and  Hoke-Tuefday  1 
by  all  agreed  to  be  a  Fejlival  celebrated  in  memory  of  the  great 
flaughterof  the  D^es-in  the  time  of  King  Ethel)  ed,  they  being 
all  (lain  throughout  England 'in  one  day,  and  in  great  part  by  wo~ 
men q ;  whence  it  came  to  pafs,  that  the  women  to  this  day  bear 
the  chief  rule  in  this  Feasl,  flopping  all  paffagcs  with  ropes  and 
chains,  and  laying  hold  on  paffengers,  and  exacting  fome  fmall 
mater  of  them,  with  part  whereof  they  make  merry,  and  part 
they  difpofe  of  topiom  ufes,  fuch  as  reparation  of  their  Church, 
isrc 

25.  For  which  very  reafon  fome  have  thought  it  to  be  called 
Hoke-Tide,  from  the  German  or  High -Dutch,  ^oge?ett,  i.e. Tern- 
put  Convivii,  a  time  of  Feafting ;  or  the  Saxon  frozen,  which 
fignifies  a  Solemn  Feaft ;  or  perhaps  rather  from  the  Anglo-Saxon, 
fceage  ti6,  i.  e.  a  high  Time,  or  high  Day  :  Others  that  thought  the 
name  refpefted  the  contempt  that  the  Danes  now  lay  under,  a- 
mongft  whom  is  M.r.Lambard,thought  it  fo  called,^**//  frucxcuer&aes, 
/'.  e.  Dies  Marti*  irriforiut  \  perhaps  rather  from  Dopan  temnere  : 
And  others,  that  refpe&ed  the  manner  of  the  celebration  of  the 
Feasl,  chofe  rather  to  derive  it  from  the  German  I^OCfeeil,  which 
fignifies  obfidere,cingere,  incubare\  to  compafs  about,  lay  hold 
off,  isrc.  as  the  women  do  on  the  men  upon  this  day. 

26.  And  as  about  the  name,  fo  about  the  time  Authors  differ 
much,  fome  making  Hoke-day  to  be  the  Tuefday,  and  others  the 
Monday  fourteenth  night  after  Eafter,  and  none  of  them  on  the 

p  Matth.  Parii  fub  initium  An.  1253.  edit  Watfiand,p-%6-i,.     1  Vtd.Watfii  Glojjarium  in  Mat.  Paris. 
''  Perambulation  of  Kent,  in  Sandwich,     •  Vid.  Spelman.  GSoJfarium  inverbo. 

C  c  Danes 


201  The  Statural  Hijlory 

Vanes  maffacre,  which  Henry  Arch-Deacon  of  Huntingdon^  ex- 
prefly  fays  was  on  the  Feaft  of  St.  Brice,  i.  e.  the  1 3  of  Novem- 
ber. That  it  was  formerly  obferved  on  Tuefday,  not  only  Mr. 
Lambard,  utfupra,  but  Matthew  Paris  alfo  gives  us  teftimony,  Et 
po$J  Diem  Martis  quae  vulgar  iter  Hoke -day  appellator,  faflum  tji 
Parliamentum  Londini,  isrc u.  And  yet  the  fame  Matthew  Park  in 
another  place  makes  it  to  fall  on  the  Quinfieme  of  Eafter,  in  Quin- 
dena  Pafch*  quoe  vulgariter  Hoke-day  appellator  convenerunt  Lon- 
dini, (src  w.  which  muft  needs  be  Munday  ;  and  the  very  fame  day 
it  is  obferved  here  at  Oxford 'in  our  times. 

27.  In  fo  much  that  I  once  thought  they  might  anciently,  as 
well  as  now,  obferve  two  Hock-days,  one  for  the  women,  and  an- 
other for  the  men,  but  that  I  find  the  fame  Matthew  Paris  to  men- 
tion the  Monday  before  Hoke-Tuefday,  and  not  calling  it  a  Hockrday 
at  all  ;  viz.  Anno  1252.  where  mentioning  King  Henry  the  thirds 
taking  on  him  the  Crufado,  he  fays,  he  did  it  die  Lunje,  qu£  ipfum 
diem  proxime  pr^cedit  quern  Hoke-day  appellamm  x.  However  it 
were  then,  h  is  moft  certain  that  now  we  obferve  two  of  them  here, 
on  Monday  for  the  women,  which  is  much  the  more  folemn,  and 
Tuejday  for  the  men  which  is  very  inconfiderable  ;  and  yet  nei- 
ther of  thefe  perhaps  was  the  dies  Martis  ligatoria,  whatever  Sir 
Henry  Spelman  may  think y,  whereon  men  and  women  ufe  to  bind 
one  another,  that  being  now  celebrated  in  fome  parts  of  England 
on  Shrove  Tuefday  :  Much  lefs  the  fame  with  the  Feaft  of  St.  Blafe, 
as Minfieuz  thinks,  when  Country  women  went  about  and  made 
good  cheer,  and  if  they  found  any  of  their  Neighbor-women  a 
Spinning,  fet  their  dijlaff 'on  fire  ;  that  Feaft  being  celebrated  on 
the  third  of  February,  and  in  all  probability  upon  fome  other 
grounds. 

28.  Amongft  things  of  this  nature.,  I  think  we  may  alfo  reckon 
an  ancient  Cuflom  of  the  Royalty  of  Enfiam,  where  it  was  former- 
ly allowed  to  the  Towns-people  on  Whit-monday,  to  cut  down 
and  bring  away,  where-cver  the  Church -war  dens  pleafed  to  mark 
it  out,  by  giving  the  firft  chop,  as  much  Timber  as  could  be  drawn 
by  mens  hands  into  the  Abbey-yard,  whence  if  they  could  draw  it 
out  again,  notwithftanding  all  the  impediments  could  be  given  the 
Cart  by  the  fervants  of  the  Abbey  (and  fmce  that  by  the  family 

t  HtftorHtrwn  Litre  6 .  fu/>  ixitiwn.  u  Matth.  Park  in  A  i.  \  2  5  8.  edit.' Wat  f.P  96  } .  w  Idem  i*  An.  1  j^  ^. 
eJ}t.W.i:f.p.<)o\.  *  M:tth.?amedit.W«tf^.%i^.  y  VuL  Spelman  Glojfhium  im  vcr'w.  »  jfttifi.  rp- 
pur «',-  tk;  yAurms,  in  verbo- 

of 


OfOXFO%T>*SHI%E.  z*« 

of  the  Lord,  it  was  then  their  own,  and  went  in  part  at  leaft  to 
the  reparation  of  their  Church  ;  and  by  this,  as  fome  will  have  it, 
they  hold  both  their  Lammas  and  Michaelmas  Common.  But  this 
Cuftom,  now  the  Timber  is  almoft  deftroyed  thereabout,  begins 
to  be  fo  inconvenient,  that  if  it  be  not  feafonably  laid  afide,  it 
will  difcourage  all  people  from  planting  it  again,  even  about  their 
very  houfes  -  for  to  what  purpofe  flbould  they  do  it,  when  it  would 
frill  be  in  the  power  of  a  malicious  Church -war  den  to  give  it  a 
chop,  and  deftroy  it  when  he  pleafes.  To  prevent  which  great 
evil,  I  hear  the  chiefeft  of  the  Farifi  have  lately  combined,  where- 
in I  think  they  have  done  well  enough,  provided  always  that  the 
Rights  of  the  Church,  (whatever  they  be)  be  fully  compenfated 
fome  other  way. 

29.  In  the  Northern  part  of  Oxford- fine,  about  Banbury  and 
Bloxham,  it  has  always  been  the  cuflom  at  fet  times  of  year,  for 
young  people  to  meet  to  be  hired  as  fervants ;  which  meeting,  at 
Banbury  they  call  the  Mop  ;  at  Bloxham  the  Statute,  where  they 
all  fort  themfelves,  and  carry  their  badges  according  as  they  are 
qualified  ;  the  Carters  Handing  in  one  place  with  their  whips,  and 
the  Shepherds  in  another  with  their  crooks  ;  but  the  maids,  as 
far  as  I  could  obferve,  flood  promifcuoufly  :  which  cuftom  I  had 
fcarce  I  think  noted,  but  that  itfeems  to  be  as  oldzs  our  Saviour, 
and  to  illuftrate  his  Parable  in  St.  Matthews  Go/pel  %  where  the 
laborers  are  faid  to  ftand  in  the  mercat  to  be  hired. 

30.  And  now  I  have  run  my  felf  into  Divinity,  I  cannot  but 
note  an  odd  cuftom  at  Stanlake,  where  the  Par/on  in  the  Procefhon 
about  holy  Thurfday,  reads  a  Go/pel  at  a  Barrels  head  in  the  Cellar 
of  the  Chequer  Inn,  where  fome  fay  there  was  formerly  a  Hermi- 
tage ;  others,  that  there  was  anciently  a  Crofs,  at  which  they  read 
a  Gofpel  in  former  times,  over  which  now  the  houfe,  and  parti^ 
cularly  the  cellar  being  built,  they  are  forced  to  perform  it  in 
manner  as  above. 

31.  But  in  matters  of  Religion  there  is  nothing  fo  worthy  me- 
mory as  the  Chriflian  unanimity  of  the  Parifh  of  Brightwel^where^ 
through  the  exemplary  Piety,  and  prudent  condudt  of  that  wor- 
thy Gentleman,  the  Worfhipful  John  Stone  Efq;  Lord  of  the 
Town,  and  the  Reverend  Mr.  Piddis,  Reclor  of  the  place,  and 
their  Predecefors,  and  the  good  difpofition  of  the  people  them- 

*  Matth.  20.  V.  3. 

C  c   2  felves 


204.  The  Statural  Hijlory 

felves,  all  matters  both  of  Spiritual  and  Temporal  concern,  have 
been  fo  eftedually  prefs'd,  and  prudently  menaged,that  there  has 
not  been  known  any  fuch  thing  as  an  Ale-houfe,  a  Sttlary,  or  Suit 
of  Law  commenced  within  the  whole  parijh  (which  is  of  a  large 
extent)  in  the  memory  of  man:  which  being  more  for  ought  I 
know  than  any  Parifh  in  England  can  fay  befide,  and  fo  well  wor- 
thy the  imitation  of  all  other  places,  I  thought  fit  (for  the  eternal 
honor  of  its  Inhabitants)  to  recommend  it  accordingly. 

32.  Yet  but  few  miles  off,  at  the  Town  of  Watlington,  I  was 
told  of  a  fort  of  Sectaries ,  perhaps  never  heard  of  in  the 
world  before  ;  which  if  fo,  is  as  ftrange  as  the  thing  it  felf,  for 
one  would  have  thought  there  could  have  nothing  been  fo  abfurd 
in  Religion,  but  what  muft  have  needs  been  embraced  already. 
Thefe  by  the  reft  of  the  people  are  called  Anointers,  from  the  ce- 
remony they  nfe  of  anointing  all  perfons  before  they  admit  them 
into  their  Church,  for  which  they  allege  the  fifth  of  St.  James,  v. 
the  1 4  and  15.  Is  there  any  fick.  among  you  (which  it  feems  they 
account  all  people  to  be  but  themfelves)  let  him  call  for  the  Elders 
of  the  Church,  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oyl 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and  the  prayer  of  faith  fiall  fave  the  fick., 
and  the  Lord  fh all  raife  him  up->  and  if  he  have  committed  fins  thty 
fiall  he  forgiven  him:  which  Elders  amongft  them  are  fome  poor 
Tradefmen  of  the  Town,  and  the  ov/they  ufe,  that  commonly  fold 
in  the  fiops,  with  which  the  Profelyte  being  fmeared  over,  and 
fired  with  %eal,  he  prefently  becomes  a  new  Light  of  this  Church ; 
which  I  could  not  but  note,  thefe  people  being  as  remarkably  mad, 
as  thofe  of  Brightwell  are  good.  Though  perhaps  fome  may 
think  one  Richard  Haftings,  then  of  Broughton,  and  yet  living 
near  Banbury,  more  religioufly  mad  than  any  of  thofe  ;  who  with 
Origen  underftanding  the  twelfth  verfeof  the  nineteenth  Chapter 
of  St.  Matthews  Go/pel  literally,  hath  caftrated,  and  fo  made  him- 
felf  an  Eunuch  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heavens  fake. 

33.  And  thus  much  of  men  and  women  jointly  together  in  their 
lives ;  as  to  what  concerns  their  deaths,  I  nmft  add  alfo  a  Rela- 
tion, as  ftrange  as  'tis  true,  of  the  Family  of  one  Captain  Wood 
late  of  Bampton,  now  Brife- Norton,  Captain  in  the  late  Wars  for 
the  King ;  Some  whereof  before  their  deaths  have  had  fignai 
warning  given  them  by  a  certain  knocking,  either  at  the  doer  with- 
out, or  on  the  table  or  fielves  within  ;  the  number  of  ftroaks, 

and 


Of  0XF0V$>~SH1\E.  %c? 

and  diftance  between  them,  and  the  place  where,  for  the  mod 
part  refpefting  the  circumftances  of  the  perfons  to  dye,  or  their 
deaths  themfelves,  aswilleafily  be  collc&ed  from  the  following 
relation. 

34.  The  firft  knocking  that  was  heard,  or  at  leaft  obferved, 
was  about  a  year  after  the  reftoration  of  the  King,  in  the  after- 
noon a  little  before  night,  at  or  upon  the  door  it  being  then  open, 
as  it  was  apprehended  by  Mrs.  Elenor  Wood,  mother  to  Captain 
Bafil  Wood,  who  only  heard  it,  none  being  then  by  or  about  the 
boufe  but  her  felf ;  at  which  (lie  was  very  much  difturbed,  think- 
ing it  boded  fome  ill  to  her  or  hers,  and  within  fourteen  nights 
after,  (lie  had  news  of  the  death  of  her  Son  in  law  Mr.  George 
Smith,  who  dyed  in  London. 

35 .  About  three  years  after  that,  there  were  three  great  knocks 
given  very  audibly  to  all  that  were  then  in  the  houfe,  vi%.  to  the 
aforefaid  Mrs.  Elenor  Wood,  Mr.  Bafil  Wood,  and  his  wife  Mrs. 
Hefier,  and  fome  fervants :  which  knocks  were  fo  remarkable, 
that  one  of  the  maids  came  from  the  well  which  was  about  twenty 
yards  from  the  place,  to  fee  what  was  the  matter ;  and  Mrs.  E- 
lenor  Wood,  and  another  maid  that  was  within  the  boufe,  faw  three 
great  pans  of  Lard  (hake  and  totter  fo  upon  a  ftelf  in  the  Milk? 
houje,  that  they  were  like  to  fall  down.  Upon  this  violent  knock? 
ing,  Mr.  Bafil  Wood  and  his  wife  being  then  in  the  hall,  came 
prefently  into  the  milk-houfe  to  their  mother,  where  rinding  her 
fomwhat  difturbed,  and  enquiring  the  reafon,  fie  replyed,  God 
Almighty  only  knew  the  matter,  fit  could  tell  nothing  but  [he 
heard  the  knocking^ ;  which  being  within  doors,  Mr.  Bafil  Wood 
concluded  muft  be  for  fome  of  the  Family  at  home,  that  upon 
the  door  being  for  a  friend  abroad'-  which  accordingly  fell  out, 
three  of  the  family,  according  to  the  number  of  the  knocks,  dying 
within  little  more  than  half  a  year  after  ;  vi%.  Mrs.  Heiler  Wood 
wife  to  Mr.  Bafil  Wood,  a  child  of  Mr.  Woods  filler,  and  Mrs.  £- 
lenor  Wood  his  mother. 

36.  About  Auguft,  1674.  Mr.  Bafil  Wood  junior,  (onofBa- 
fil  aforefaid,  living  at  Exeter  in  Devon-fiire,  heard  the  fame  kind 
of  knocking,  at  which  being  difturbed,  he  wrote  word  of  it  to 
his  Eather  here  at  Bampton  in  Oxford-fiire  ;  vix.  That  one  Sun- 
day, he  and  his  wife,  and  her  fitter,  and  his  brother,  did  diftinftly 
hear  upon  a  Table  in  their  Chamber  as  they  ftood  by  it,  two  fe- 

veral 


zo6  The  Natural  Hijlory 

veral  knocks  (truck  as  it  were  with  a  cudgel,  one  of  them  before, 
and  the  other  after  Morning-prayer,  a  little  before  dinner  :  which 
Letter  was  (hewn  by  Mr.  Wood  fenior  (as  the  other  knockjngs  be- 
fore the  deaths  of  any  that  dyed,  were  before-hand  told)  to  fe- 
veral  neighboring  Gentlemen.  After  which,  within  about  four- 
teen days,  Mrs.  Hefter  JFiWafecond  wife  of  Mr.  'Bafil  Wood  fe- 
nior, and  about  a  quarter  of  a  year  after,  her  Father  Mr.  Richard 
Liffet,  dyed  both  at  Bampton  ;  fince  which  time  they  have  heard 
nothing  more  as  yet. 

37.  Amongft  fuch  unaccountable  things  as  thefe,  we  may 
reckon  the  ftrange  paffages  that  happened  at  Woodftock.\n  Anno 
1 649.  in  the  Manor-houk  there,  when  the  Commifiioners  for  fur- 
veying  the  Manor-houfe,  Park.,  Deer,  Woods,  and  other  the  Ve- 
meajnes  belonging  to  that  Manor,  fat  and  lodged  there :  whereof 
having  feveral  relations  put  into  my  hands,  and  one  of  them 
written  by  a  learned  and  faithful  perfon  then  living  upon  the 
place,  which  being  confirmed  to  me  by  feveral  eye-witneffes  of 
many  of  the  particulars ,  and  all  of  them  by  one  of  the  Ccmmif- 
fioners themfelves,  who  ingenioufly  confeftto  me,  that  he  could 
not  deny  but  what  was  written  by  that  perfon  above-mention'd 
was  all  true ;  I  was  prevailed  on  at  laft  to  make  the  relation  pub- 
lick  (though  I  muft  confefs  I  have  no  efteem  for  fuch  kind  offto- 
ries,  many  of  them  noqueftion  being  performed  by  combinati- 
on) which  I  have  taken  care  to  do  as  fully,  yet  as  briefly  as 
may  be. 

38.  October  the  13.  1649.  the  Commiffioners  with  their  fer- 
vants  being  come  to  the  Manor-houfe,  they  took  up  their  Lodging 
in  the  Kings  own  rooms,  the  Bed-chamber  and  with- drawing  Room; 
the  former  whereof  they  alfo  made  their  Kitchin  ;  the  Council- 
hall,  their  brevp-houfe ;  theChamber  of  Prejence,  their  place  of  fit- 
ting todifpatch  bufinefs  ;  and  a  wood-houfe  of  the  Dining-room , 
where  they  laid  the  wood  of  that  ancient  Standard  in  the  high- 
Park-,  known  of  all  by  the  name  of  the  Kings  Oak.,  which  (that 
nothing  might  remain  that  had  the  name  of  King  affixed  to  it) 
they  digged  up  by  the  roots.  October  the  14  and  15  they  had  lit- 
tle difturbance,  butonthe  16  there  came  as  they  thought,  fom- 
what  into  the  Bed-chamber  where  two  of  the  Commiffioners  and 
their  fervantshy,  in  the  fhape  of  a  dog,  which  going  under  their 
beds,  did  as  it  were  gnaw  the  bed-cords ;   but  on  the  morrow 

finding 


0f0XF0%3)^SHlrKE.  Z07 

finding  them  whole,  and  a  quarter  of  Beef  which  lay  on  the 
ground  untouched,   they  began  to  entertain  other  thoughts. 

39.  Oftob.  17.  Somthing  to  their  thinking  removed  all  the 
wood  of  the  Kings  Oak.  out  of  the  dining-room  into  the  Prefence 
Chamber.,  and  hurled  the  chairs  and  ftools  up  and  down  that  ;oom : 
From  whence  i:  came  into  the  two  Chambers  where  the  Cwtthifffa* 
ners  and  their  ferv ants  lay,  and  hoifted  up  their  beds  feet  fo  much 
higher  than  the  beads,  that  they  thought  they  fhould  have  been 
turned  over  and  over,  and  then  let  them  fall  down  withfnch  a 
force,  that  their  bodies  rebounded  from  the  bed  a  good  diftance, 
and  then  (hook  the  bed-fteds  fo  violently,  that  themfelves  con- 
fer! their  bodies  were  fore  with  it.  October  1  8.  Son- thing  came 
into  the  Bed- chamber  and  walkt  up  and  down,  and  fetching  the 
warming-fan  out  of  the  with-drawing  room,  made  fo  much  r.oife 
that  they  thought  five  bells  could  not  have  made  more.  And 
October  1 9.  Trenchers  were  thrown  up  and  down  the  dining-room 
and  at  them  that  lodg'd  there,  whereof  one  of  them  being  fllaken 
by  thefhoulder  and  awakened,  put  forth  his  head  to  fee  what 
was  the  matter,  but  had  trenchers  thrown  at  it,  Ofiober  20.  the 
curtains  of  the  bed  in  the  with-drawing  room  were  drawn  to 
and  fro,  and  the  bed/led  much  fhaken,  and  eight  great  pewter 
dijhes^nd  three  dozen  of  trenchers,  thrown  about  the  bed-chamber 
again,  whereof  fome  fell  upon  the  beds',  this  night  they  alfo 
thought  whole  arm -fulls  of  the  tfcod  of  the  Kings  Oak  had  been 
thrown  down  in  their  chambers ; .  but  of  that,  in  the  morning  they 
found  nothing  had  been  moved. 

40.  OSiobeni.  The  keeper  ot  their  Ordnary  and  his  bitch,  lay 
in  one  of  the  rooms  with  them,  which  night  they  were  not  di- 
fturbedat  all.  But  ORober  22.  though  the  bitch\tnntV  d  there 
again  (to  whom  they  afcribed  their  former  nights  reft)  both  they 
and  the  bitch  were  in  a  pitiful  taking  ;  the  bitch  opening  but  once, 
and  that  with  a  whining,  fearful  yelp.  October  23.  they  had  all 
their  cloaths  pluckt  off  them  in  the  with-drawing  room,  and  the 
bricks  fell  out  of  the  chimney  into  the  room-,  and  the  24th  they 
thought  in  the  dining-room  that  all  the  wood  of  the  Kings  Oak  had 
been  brought  thither,  and  thrown  down  clofe  by  (heir  bed-fids, 
which  noife  being  heard  by  thofe  of  the  with-drawing  room,  one 
of  them  rofe  to  fee  what  was  done,  fearing  indeed  that  his  fel- 
low Commiffioners  had  been  killed,  but  found  no  fuch  matter  • 

where- 


208  The  Natural  Hiftory 

whereupon  returning  to  his  bed  again ,  he  found  two  dozen 
of  trenchers  thrown  into  it,  and  handiomly  covered  with  the 
bed-cloaths. 

41.  Ottobe'r  25.  The  curtains  of  the  bed  in  the  with- drawing 
room  were  drawn  to  and  fro,  and  the  bedfted  fhaken  as  before  : 
and  in  the  bed-chamber  glafs  flew  about  fo  thick  (and  yet  not  a 
pane  of  the  chamber  windows  broken)  that  they  thought  it  had 
rained  money ;  whereupon  they  lighted  candles,  but  to  their  grief 
they  found  nothing  but  glafs,  which  they  took  up  in  the  morning 
and  laid  together.  Oclober  i^.  Somthing  walked  in  the  with- 
drawing room  about  an  hour,  and  going  to  the  window  opened  and 
fhut  it  ;  then  going  into  the  bed-chamber,  it  threw  great  ftones  for 
about  half  an  hours  time,  fome  whereof  lighted  on  the  high-bed, 
and  others  on  the  truckje-bed,  to  the  number  in  all  of  about  four- 
fcore.  this  night  there  was  alfo  a  very  great  no ife,  as  though 
forty  pieces  of  Ordnance  had  been  (hot  off  together  ;  at  two  fe- 
veral  knocks  it  aftonifhed  all  the  neighboring  dwellers,  which  'tis 
thought  might  have  been  heard  a  great  way  off.  During  thefe 
noifes  which  were  heard  in  both  room^  together,  both  Commijfion- 
ers  and  fervants  were  ftruck  with  fo  great  horror,  that  they  cryed 
out  to  one  another  for  help,  whereof  one  of  them  recovering 
bimfelf  out  of  a  ftrange  agony  he  had  been  in,  fnatch'd  up  a /word, 
and  had  like  to  have  killed  one  of  his  Brethren  coming  out  of  his 
bed  in  his  fliirt,  whom  he  took  for  the  Spirit  that  did  the  mif- 
chief:  However,  at  length  they  got  all  together,  yet  the  noife 
continued  fo  great  and  terrible,  and  (hook  the  walls  fo  much,  that 
they  thought  the  whole  Manor  would  have  fell  on  their  heads.  At 
its  departure  it  took  all  the  g/tf/?away  with  it. 

42.  November  1.  Somthing  as  they  thought  walk'd  up  and 
down  the  wit h-dr awing  room,  and  then  made  a  noife  in  the  dining- 
room  :  The  ftones  that  were  left  before  and  laid  up  in  the  with-draw- 
ing-room,  were  all  fetch 'd  away  this  night,  and  a  great  deal  of 
glajl  (not  like  the  former)  thrown  about  again.  November  2. 
came  fomthing  into  the  with-drawing  room  treading  (as  they  con- 
ceived) much  like  a  Bear,  which  firft  only  walking  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  at  length  it  made  a  noife  about  the  Table,  and 
threw  the  warming-pan  fo  violently,  that  it  quite  fpoiled  it :  It 
threw  alfo glafi  and  great  ftones  at  them  again,  and  the  bones  of 
horfes,  and  all  fo  violently,  that  the  bedfted and  walls  were  bruifed 

by 


Of  OX'FO%T>~SHl%E.  20? 

by  them.  This  night  they  fee  candles  all  about  the  rooms,  and 
made  fires  up  to  the  mantle-trees  of  the  chimneys  ;  but  all  were 
put  out  no  body  knew  how,  the  fire,  and  billets  that  made  it,  be- 
ing thrown  up  and  down  the  rooms  y  the  curtains  torn  with  the 
rods  from  their  beds,  and  the  bed-poftspulVd  away,  that  the  tefler 
fell  down  upon  them6  and  the  feet  of  the  hedged cloven  in  two  : 
And  upon  the  fervants  in  the  truchje-bed,  who  lay  all  this  time 
fweating  for  fear,  there  was  firft  a  little,  which  made  them  be- 
gin to  ftir  ;  but  before  they  could  get  out,  there  came  a  whole. 
coule,  as  it  were,  of  ftinking  ditch-water  down  upon  them,  fo 
green,  that  it  made  their  fiirts  and  Jheets  of  that  colour  too. 

43.  The  fame  night  the  windows  were  all  broke  by  throwing  of 
flones,  and  there  was  molt  terrible  noifes  in  three  feveral  places 
together,  to  the  extraordinary  wonder  of  all  that  lodged  near 
them  ;  nay,  the  very  Cony-ftealers  that  were  abroad  that  night, 
were  fo  affrighted  with  the  difmal  thundering,  that  for  haft  they 
left  their  Ferret  in  the  Cony-boroughs  behind  them,  beyond  Ro~ 
famonds  well.  Notwithftanding  all  this*,  one  of  them  had  the 
boldnefs  to  ask  in  the  Name  of  God,  what  it  was  ?  what  it  would 
have  ?  and  what  they  had  done,  that  tbeyjhould  be  difturbed  in  this 
manner  ?  to  which  no  anfwer  was  given,  but  the  noife  ceafed  for 
awhile.  At  length  it  came  again,  and  (as  all  of  themfaid)  brought 
feven  Devils  worfethan  it  felf.  Whereupon  one  of  them  light- 
ed a  candle  again,  and  fet  it  between  the  two  chafnbers  in  the 
door-way,  on  which  another  of  them  fixing  his  eyes,  faw  the 
fimilitude  of  a  hoof  ftriking  the  candle  and  candle-flick  into  the 
middle  of  the  bed-chamber,  and  afterwards  making  three  fcrapc3 
on  the  fnuff  to  put  it  out.  Upon  this  the  fame  perfon  was  fo 
bold  as  to  draw  his  [word,  but  he  had  fcarce  got  it  out,  but  there 
was  another  invifible  band  had  hold  of  it  too,  and  tug'd  with  him 
for  it,  and  prevailing,  (truck  him  fo  violently  with  the/ww/we/,that 
he  was  ftun'd  with  the  blow. 

44.  Then  began  grievous  noifes  again,  in  fo  much  that  they 
called  to  one  another,  got  together  and  went  into  the  Prefence- 
chamber  ,  where  they  faid  Prayers  and  fang  Pfalms  •  notwith- 
ftanding all  which,  the  thundring  noife  ftill  continued  in  other 
rooms.  After  this,  November  3.  they  removed  their  Lodgings 
over  the  gate  ;  and  next  day  being  Sunday,  went  to  ILwelm, 
where  how  they  efcaped,  the  Authors  of  the  Relations  knew  not ; 

D  d  but 


zio  The  Statural  Hijlory 

but  returning  on  Monday,  the  Devil  (for  that  was  the  name  they 
gave  their  nightly  gueft)  left  them  not  unvifited;  nor  on  the 
Tuefday  following,  which  was  the  laft  day  they  ftaid.  Where 
ends  the  Hifiory  (for  fo  he  was  ftiled  by  the  people)  of  the  juft 
devil  of  Wood/lock.',  the  Commifjfi oners  and  all  their  dependants 
going  quite  away  on  Wednefday;  fince  which  time,  fays  the  Au- 
thor that  lived  on  the  place,  there  have  honeft  perfons  of  good 
Quality  lodged  in  the  Bed-chamber  and  mth-draveing  room,  that 
never  were  difturb'd  in  the  leaft  like  the  Commiffioners . 

45.  Moftpart  of  thefe  TranfaSlions,  during  the  ftay  of  thefe 
Commiffioners,  'tis  true,  might  beeafily  performed  by  combination, 
butfome  there  are  of  them  fcarce  reconcilable  to  Jugling :  Such 
as  1.  The  extraordinary  noifes,  beyond  the  power  of  man  to 
make,  without  fuch  inftruments  as  were  not  there.  2.  The  faring 
down  and  fpliting  the  bed-pofls,  and  puting  out  fo  many  candles 
and  fo  great  fires  no  body  knew  how.  3.  A  vifible/?^  feen  of 
a  horfes  hoof  treading  out  the  candle.  And  4.  a  tugging  with 
one  of  them  for  his  foord  by  an  invifible  hand.  A\\  which  being 
put  together,  perhaps  may  eafily  perfwade  fome  man  otherwife 
inclined,  to  believe,  that  immaterial  beings  might  be  concern'd  in 
this  bufinefs  ;  which  if  it  do,  it  abundantly  will  fatisfie  for  the 
trouble  of  the  Relation,  ftill  provided  the  ffeculat he  Theijf,  be  not 
after  all,  a  practical  At heifi. 

46.  And  thus,  before  I  am  aware,  being  fallen  amongft  the 
unufual  accidents  that  have  happened  to  men  only,  the  next  unac- 
countable thing  that  prefents  it  felf,  is  a  remarkable  Dream  of 
ThomasWotton  Efq;  of  Boclon  Malherb  in  the  County  of  Kent,  Fa- 
ther to  the  famous  Sir  Henry  Wotton  Provoft  of  Eaton,  whofc 
dreams  did  ufually  prove  true,  both  in  fore-telling  things  to  come, 
and  difcovering  things  paft.  The  dream,  'tis  true,  of  which  I 
am  now  writing,  was  had  at  Boclon  in  Kent,  but  the  moil  impor- 
tant concern  of  it  relating  to  Oxford,  I  thought  fit  rather  of  the 
two  to  place  it  here  ;  the  particulars  whereof,  as  taken  verbatim 
out  of  Sir  Henry  Cottons  lifeb,  are  briefly  thefe. 

47.  Thh  Thomas  Wotton,  a  little  before  his  death  dreamed,  that 
Meliniverfity  Treafury  was  robbed  by  Towns-men  and  poor  Scho- 
lars, and  that  the  number  wa6  five.  And  being  that  day  to  vrite 
to  his  Son  Henry   (then  a  Scholar  of  Queens  College)  at  Oxford, 

*  Inter  Reliquias  Wottovian/i!. 

he 


OfOXFO%T>^SHl%E.  211 

he  thought  it  worth  fo  much  pains,  as  by  a  Pojifcript  in  his  Letter, 
to  make  a  flight  enquiry  of  it.  The  Letter  C®hich  was  writ  out  of 
Kent,  and  dated  three  days  beforej  came  to  his  Sons  hands  the  very 
morning  after  the  night  in  which  the  robbery  was  committed ;  and  when 
/^Univerfity  and City  were  both  in  aperplext  inqueft  cftheThieves, 
then  did  Mr.  Wotton  Jhew  his  Fathers  Letter,  by  which  fuch  light 
was  given  of  thi*  work,  of  darknefl,  that  the  five  guilty  perfons  were 
frefently  difcovered,  and  apprehended. 

48.   Amongft  the  unufual  accidents  attending  men  in  their 

Lives,  we  muft  alfo  reckon  all  unufual  difeafes,  fuch  as  that  of 

Mr.  Evans  Re&or  of  Heath,  who  had  a  Ranula  under  his  tongue, 

wherein  there  bred  a  Hone,  I  fuppofe  e  f anguine  craffo  isr  terreftri ; 

or  as  they  call  it,  a  Tartar  eom  humor  got   together  in  the  veins 

under  the  tongue,  fo  hard  and  great  that  it  almoft  quite  deprived 

/wflofhis  fpeech  ;  which  he  drew  away  with  his  own  hand,  and 

as  he  told  me  fent  it  to  the  Medicin  School  at  Oxford;  but  upon 

fearch  I  could  not  find  it,  nor  had  the  School-keeper  ewer  heard  of 

any  fuch  matter:  So  that  whoever  he  were  that  he  fent  it  by, 

proved  falfe  both  to  him  and  the  Vniverfity ;  which  I  the  rather 

note,  that  people  hereafter  may  take  more  care  by  whom  they 

fend  fuch  matters.     Of  juft  fuch  another  ftone  as  this  Mr.  Lifter 

gives  us  an  account  in  a  Letter  to  his  Grace  the  Arch-Bifiop  of 

Torkc,  cut  from  under  the  tongue  of  zman,  and  now  preferved 

in  the  Repository  of  the  Royal  Society,  which  he  chufes  to  call 

Lapis  Atheromas,  though  the  place  of  its  birth  made  him  allow 

the  diftemper  to  be  a  Ranula :  but  for  my  part,  though  the  Ranula 

be  always  a  tumor,  and  fomtimes  perhaps  of  that  fort  they  call 

Atheromata;  yet  the  place  giving  the  difeafe  a  peculiar  name,  I  think 

I  ought  rather  to  call  it  Lapis  Ranul&,  from  the  place  of  its  birth, 

and  thofe  only  Lapides  Atheromath  found  in  that  tumor  in  other 

places  of  the  body. 

49.  To  this  may  be  added  a  large  ftone  taken  out  of  the  bladder 
of  one  Skingley  of  Oxford,  weighing  above  a  pound,  and  being 
ten  inches  round  one  way  fere,  and  full  eleven  the  other  ;  prefer- 
ved, and  now  to  be  feen  in  the  Medicin  School.  As  alfo  a  Corn 
that  grew  on  the  Toe  of  one  Sarney  zWheel-wright,  of  St.  AU 
dates  Yznfh'm.  the  City  of  Oxford,  Anno  1655.  two  inches  long, 
which  for  the  unufual  figure  and  bignefs  of  it,  I  have  caufed  to 

e  Phiiofoph.  Tranfaft.  Numb.  83. 

D  d  2  be 


in  The  5\Qatural  Hiflory 

be  ingravenof  its  juft  magnitude,  Tab.  10.  Fig.  16.   which  isal- 
fo  to  be  feen  in  the  Medicin  School. 

50.   Amongft  which  alfo  I  think  we  may  number  the  defcend- 
ingtrunck  of  the  Arteria  magna,  taken  out  of  the  body  of  an  an- 
aentperfon,  by  the  fkilful  Mr.  Pointer  Chirurgion  of  Oxford,  in 
the  prefence  of  Dr.   Millington  our  Sidleyan  Profejfor  of  Natural 
Pbilofophy,  whofe  innermoft  coat  from  above  the  Emulgents  down 
to  the  Iliac  branches,  is  by  parcels  only  (and  not  continued 
throughout)  turned  into  bone,  the  outer  coat  remaining  foft  and 
tender  inks  ordinary  irate;   which  Artery  remains  to  be  feen  in 
the  cuftody  of  Mr.  Pointer.      Juft  fuch  another  Artery  as  this,  I 
find  obferved  by  Fallopius  d :  and  Dr.  Willis  took  another  of  them 
out  of  a  man  much  ufed  to  wine  and  $1 ale  drinks* ;   who  alfo  in- 
forms us,  that  in  the  dijfeclion  of  one  that  dyed  of  an  ulcerated 
Schirru*  in  the  Mefentery,  he  found  one  of  the  Carotides  turned 
into  bene  in  the  fame  mannerf:   Befide,  above  the  Emulgents 
nearer  the  heart,  there  was  a  portion  of  this  Artery  turned  into 
an  annulary  bone,  perhaps  fuch  another  as  was  obferved  by  Dr. 
Harvey,  and  Veflingiws  g,  in  the  great  Artery  of  an  old  man  ;  but 
this  I  have  not  feen,  it  being  in  the  poile/fton  of  our  afore-men- 
tion'd  Profejfor  refiding  in  London. 

54.  Amongft  other  the  fore-runners  of  death  and  the  grave, 
we  muft  not  forget  extream  old  age,  fuch  as  thofe  above-mention- 
ed, §>.  3.  of  the fecond  Chapter ;  and  of  one  J  often  Pierce  late  of 
Witney,  better  known  by  much  by  the  name  of  George  Jits,  who 
lived  to  the  age  of  an  hundred  and  twelve.  Where  alfo  in  the 
Tithing  of  Curbridg  there  is  one  William  Carter  now  living,  at  leaft 
a  hundred  years  old,  who  yet  it  feems  has  not  lived  more  abfte- 
miouily  than  others  of  his  rank,  nor  do's  he  now  at  this  age  take 
fo  much  care,  as  other  people  of  his  health  '  he  commonly  lying 
naked  amongft  the  blankets  of  the  Mill  where  he  lives,  which  ma- 
ny times  are  not  over  dry  ;  out  of  which  he  will  go  naked  in  the 
midft  of  winter,  and  drink  cold  water  at  the  Rivers  fide. 

52.  Of  accidents  in  the  very  point  of  death,  I  have  met  with 
none  obfervable  amongft  the  Men  of  this  County,  nor  of  any  at- 
tending them  in  the  Grave,  except  we  may  reckon  that  one,  of 
pre/ervation  from  corruption  many  years  after  death  ;  fuch  as  that 

'  Gabr.Vallof.  Tom.  2.  Trail.  9.  cap.  14.     •  Pharmaceut. ratimalis7  fed.  6-  caj>.^.     f  Cereir.  Anatom. 
cap.  7.     *  Syntag.  Anatom.  cap- 10. 

of 


X 


dpao-.  31  a. 


OfOXFO%T)~SHI%E.  n, 

of  the  body  of  one  that  had  been  Refior  of  Wendlebury,  taken  up 
in  the  Church  there  near  forty  years  after  he  had  been  buryed, 
whofe  flefhyet  look'd  as  red  (as  I  was  informed  by  the  Incumbent, 
fince  alfo  dead)  as  raw  beef:  which  whether  it  might  not  be  caufed 
by  the  petrifying  qualities  of  the  earths  and  waters  about  that 
Town,  would  be  an  experiment  worthy  the  trial  of  the  Ingenious 
thereabout ;  or  about  Sommerton  or  North  Aflon,  where  it  would 
be  eafie  to  try  whether  fleflh  were  fo  inclinable  to  corrupt  in  'pe- 
trifying waters  as  others.  But  if  this  prove  the  caufe,  all  bodies 
muft  equally  be  preferved  therc,as  well  as  that.    Ve quibm  quaere. 

53.  And  thus  I  had  finifli'd  this  eighth  Chapter?  but  that  I 
muft  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Reader,  that  fince  the  Printing  the 
2i  §.  of  it,  I  have  found  the  Quintan  amongft  the  Roman  exerci- 
fes  (which  yet  perhaps  they  might  borrow  from  the  Greeks)  by 
the  name  of  Quintana  ;  fo  called,  by  reafonthe  Romans  in  their 
Tents  made  firft  four  ways  in  manner  of  a  Crofs,  to  which  adding  a 
fifth  on  one  fide,  it  was  called  Quintana  *.  In  this  way  they  fetup 
a  great  Posl  about  fix  foot  high,  fuitable  to  the  ftature  of  a  man, 
and  this  the  Roman  Soldiers  were  wont  to  affail,  with  all  Inftru- 
ments  of  war,  as  if  it  were  indeed  a  real  enemy,  learning  upon 
this,  by  the  afliftance  of  the  Campidoftores,  how  to  place  their 
blows  aright.  And  this  they  other  wife  called  exercitium  ad  Pd- 
lum;  and  fomtimes  Palaria,  the  form  whereof  may  be  fee n  in 
Vulturwi  * :  which  pra&ice  being  in  ufe  during  their  Government 
here,  in  all  likely  hood  has  been  retained  among  us  ever  fince,  be- 
ing only  tranflated  in  times  of  Peace,  from  a  military,  to  a  fportive 
marriage  exercife. 

*  Vid.  Guid.  VanciroUum,  Rer.  memoraM/ium,  lib.  2.  tit-  21 ;     *  In  Auguftanis  Monumentis,  f .  2  37- 


CHAP. 


214.  The  Statural  H'tjiory 

CHAP.     IX. 
Of  Ms. 

THUS  having  run  through  all  the  Natural  Bodies  I  have 
met  with  in  Oxford-Jhire,  fuch  as  either  Dame  Nature  has 
always  retained  the  fame  from  the  beginning,  as  Waters, 
Earths,  Stones,  iyc.  or  freely  produces  in  her  ordinary  courfe, 
as  Plants,  Animals,  with  all  her  extravagancies  and  defefis,  or  o- 
ther  accidents  attending  :  I  am  come  at  length,  according  to  my 
propofed  method,  to  treat  of  Arts,  and  things  artificial,  that  have 
either  been  invented  or  improved  in  this  County  ;  whereof  firft,  of 
fuch  as  have  tended  to  the  difcovery  of  the  magnitudes,  or  de- 
termination of  the  motions  of  the  Heavenly  Bodies,  whither  alfo 
muft  be  referr'd  the  contrivance  of  new  Periods,  of  new  Hypo- 
thefes  and  their  demonfirations.  Secondly,  I  fti all  confider  Air, 
Fire,  and  water-works,  and  thence  go  on  to  fuch  Arts  as  have  a- 
ny  relation  to  Earths,  Stones,  or  Plants.  In  fhort,  I  fhall  here 
alfo  follow  the  method  of  the  whole  Effay  as  in  fome  other  Cha- 
pters, by  the  way  taking  in  all  Inventions,  and  improvements  that 
I  have  met  with  in  this  County,  whether  in  the  Mechanick.  or 
Liberal  Arts  ;  which  I  intend  the  whole  (cope  of  the  following 
Chapter. 

■v  2.  The  firft  CeleftialOhfervations  in  order  of  time,  made  here, 
that  were  any  thing  artificial,  I  prefume  might  be  done  by  Robert 
Groiihead  Bifhop  of  Lincoln,  craffi  quidem  capitis,  fed  [ubtills  in- 
genii,  fays  Pitfens  of  him  h  ;  who  amongft  other  his  Learned 
works,  left  us  Treatifes  of  the  Sphere  and  the  Aftrolabe,  with  which 
no  queftion  he  found  out  many  things  that  were  new  to  that  age  : 
But  becaufe  we  can  inftance  in  no  particulars,  let  it  fuffice  as  an 
evidence  of  the  great  probability,  that  he  is  highly  commended 
for  his  knowledge  in  Aftronomy  and  Perfrefiive  by  Roger  Bacon  a 
Frier  minor  of  Oxon:  and  fomtime  Fellow  of  Merton  College,  a 
Man  of  fuch  affrighting  (kill  in  Mathematicks,  efpecially  Perfte- 
ftive,  thathejuftly  deferved  the  title  of  Dr.  Mirabilis.  Nor  in- 
deed was  he  out  of  the  way  who  gave  him  fo  much,  flnce  had  he 

*  In  Anno  1253. 

lived 


ofOXFO%T>~SHI1{E.  us 

lived  in  our  days  we  could  have  given  no  lefs,  to  one  who  in  all 
probability  was  a  great  Improver  at  leaft,  if  not  the  Inventor  of 
that  ufeful  Mathematical  Inftrument,  fince  by  GaliUtK  and  others 
called  the  Telefcope  ;  of  which  admirable  Invention  perhaps  Ox- 
ford may  juftly  boaft,  and  for  it  expecl:  to  be  celebrated  to  all  po- 
fterity.  Whicii  affertion  if  made  good  with  all  perfpicuity  and 
clearnefs,  without  wrefting  any  words  or  begging  favorable  con- 
ftrucYion,  I  think  I  need  not  to  doubt  but  on  all  hands  'twill  be 
granted,  that  the  obfervations  here  made  as  they  were  new  and  fre- 
quent, foto  the  vulgar  and  ignorant,  they  muft  needs  be  terrible 
and  amazing. 

3.  That  this  Learned  Frier  underftood  all  forts  of  glaffes,  and 
to  order  and  adapt  them  to  fuch  like  purpofes  (not  to  cite  other 
places  that  might  eafily  be  brought)  I  think  I  may  with  truth  as 
well  as  confidence  affirm  from  the  unconftrained  fenfe  of  his  own 
words,  in  his  Book  of  Perfyeclive.  Si  vero  corpora  nonfunt  plana 
per  qu<£  vifm  videt,  (edffhdtrica  ;  tunc  eft  magna  diverfitoi,  nam  vel 
cdncavitoi  corporis  eft  ver(ws  oculum,  vel  convexitas '.  But,  fays 
he,  if  the  glaffes  be  not  plain  (having  treated  of  them  before) 
but  fpberical ;  the  cafe  is  much  otherwife,  for  either  the  concavity 
of  the  glafs  is  next  the  eye,  or  the  convexity,  (src.  Now  that  he  u- 
fed  thekglaffes  in  Celeftial  Obfervations,  is  altogether  as  evident 
from  the  fame  Book.-,  where  he  proceeds  in  thefe  words.  De  vifwne 
frafta,  majcra  funt,  nam  de  facili  patet,  maxima  poffe  apparere  mini- 
ma, &  e  contra  ;  (sr  longt  difiantia  videbuntur  propinquiffime,  (sr  e 
converfo  :  fie  etiam  facer  emws  Solem,  is"  Lunam,  (p  Stellas  defcendere 
fecundum  apparentiam  hie  inferiwt,  (yc k.  Greater  things  are  per- 
formed if  the  vifion  be  refratled,  for  [by  refraclion']  'tis  eafily 
made  appear  that  the  great  eft  things  may  be  reprefented  lefs,  and 
little  things  as  the  greateft  ;  and  that  things  afar  off 'may  be  repre- 
fented near  :  Thus  we  can  make  the  Sun,  and  Moon,  and  Stars,  to 
all  appearance,  to  come  down  to  us  here  below,  (ye. 

4.  Again  in  his  Epiftlc  ad  Parifienfem,  concerning  the  fecret 
works  of  Art  and  Nature.  Poffunt  enim  fie  figurari  perfyicua,  ut  lon- 
gifiimepofita,  appareant  propinquiffima,  <&  e  contrario ;  it  a  quod  ex 
incredibili  diftantia  legertmu*  literat  minutiffimab,  ($•  numeraremus 
res  quantumcunque parvas,  ($• Jlella*  facer emm  apparere  quo  vellemus '. 
Clajfes  may  be  fo  figured,  that  things  the  moil  remote  may  appear 

1  PerfpetKv.  part.  3.  difi.  2.  cap .  3.    k  Uid.  dl(t.  ultima.    l  In  Ep!fi.  adVarijiens,  cap.  5. 

near', 


z\6  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

near;  fo  that  at  an  incredible  distance  we  may  read  the  fmalleft 
Character,  and  number  things  though  never  (ofmall;  and  laftly, 
make  Stars  appear  as  near  as  we  pleafe.  And  thefe  things,  he 
fays  at  another  place,  were  to  the  illiterate  fo  formidable  and  a- 
mazing,  ut  animus  mortals  ignorans  veritatem  non  pojjit  aliqualiter 
fuftinere  m  .*  that  no  mortal,  ignorant  of  the  means,  could  poffibly 
bear  it. 

•5.  Wherein  this  Learned  Francifcan  did  fo  far  excel  the  anci- 
ent Magicians,  that  whereas  they  reprefented  the  Moons  approach 
by  their  magical  charms,  he  brought  her  lower  with  a  greater  in- 
nocence, and  with  his  glajfes  did  that  in  truth,  which  the  ancient 
Poets  always  put  in  a  Fable :  thus  Petroniut  brings  in  his  Witch-, 
boafting  the  power  of  her  charms. 

— Lundt  defcendit  imago 
Carminibwsdeduftameh. 


And  Martial n  in  the  Epitaph  of  PhiUnk  enquires, 

•    Vl 

Qua  nunc  Thejfatico  Lunam  deducere  Rhombo 
Qudefciet? 

All  which  put  together,  it  muft  neceflarily  be  confeft,  that  he  had 
fome  fuch  Inftrument,  though  not  fo  trimly  made,  'tis  like,  as 
our  Tele/copes  are  now.  In  favor  of  which  truth,  much  more 
might  be  alleged,  did  I  not  think  this  fufficient  to  evince  it  with 
unprejudiced  Readers,  for  whofe  benefit  I  have  laid  down  his 
words  thus  at  large,  and  tranflated  them  (as  I  alfo  intend  in  fome 
other  matters)  that  fuch  as  have  not  the  opportunity  of  feeing  his 
Books,  or  underftand  not  his  Language,  might  give  their  verdict, 
as  well  as  thofe  that  have,  or  do. 

6.  Upon  the  account  of  thefe,  and  many  other  excellent  Ex- 
periments, exceeding  ('tis  true)  the  capacity,  but  not  the  malice 
of  thofe  times,  he  wasaccufed  of  Magick  in  its  worft  fenfe,  to 
have  performed  them  by  the  concurrent  help  of  the  Devil0,  per- 
fected as  fuch  by  thofe  of  his  own  Fraternity,  and  thrown  into 
Prifon  by  Hieronymus  de  Efiulo?,  General  of  his  Order,  afterward 
Pope  by  the  name  of  Nicholas  the  Fourth,  where  they  fo  barba- 
roufly  treated  him,  that  he  was  forced  to  feek  redrefs  of  Clement 

■  Perfiediv.  part.  3.  difl.  3.     n  Martial.  Epigram,  lih.  9.  Epig.  22.  five  30.     B  Vtd.  Hifior.  &  Antia. 
Vniverj.  Oxon.  Lb-  l.f-  138.     »  ~Bal*iCent.  4   Numb.  j}. 

the 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  i,j 

the  Fourth,  to  whom  he  made  complaint  not  only  of  his  hard 
ufage,  and  fequeftration  of  his  Books,  but  charge  of  his  Experi- 
ments, fome  whereof  he  tells  him,  efpecially  concerning  burning 
things  at  any  diftance,  would  amount  at  leaft  to  a  thoufandmarks-, 
Et  certe  combufiio  in  omni  dislantia  confiaret  plufquam  mille  marcat, 
antequam  fyecula  fufficientiafierent  ad  hocq,  are  his  very  words,  And 
at.another  place  fpeaking  of  Mathematical Lnftruments,Inslrumentd 
hctcnon  funt  facia  apud  Latinos,  nee  fierent pro  ducentisnec  trecentis 
libr's  r,  that  they  would  not  be  made  for  two  or  three  hundred 
pounds :  great  fums  indeed  in  Bacons  time,  yet  fcarce  bearing  pro- 
portion with  his  greater  attempts. 

7.  Which  made  them  at  laft  fo  jealous  of  him,  that  notwith- 
ftanding  he  wrote  a  whole  Treatife  againft  the  ufe  of  Magickjj 
they  would  fuffer  none  to  come  near  him,  nor  his  Books  to  have 
place  in  their  Libraries,  infomuch  that  it  almoft  repented  him  of 
his  Inventions  \  which  in  all  probability  (not  to  mention  the 
humor  of  the  Age,  very  careful  of  breaking  the  Heavenly  Seal  (as 
they  called  it)  which  obfeured  their  myjleries  from  tne  uriWorthy 
multitude)  was  the  caufe  why  he  left  us  no  particular  Phenomena. 
of  the  motions  of  the  Planets,  nor  any  thing  of  newfiars  ;  the 
difclofing  (uchfecrets  producing  many  inconveniencies.  Which 
alfo  was  thereafon  (as  guefs'd  by  Dr.  Dee u)  why  he  never  re- 
vealed his  fecret  of  Gun-powder ;  not  but  he  efteemed  it  a  confi- 
derable  Invention,  but  becaufe  he  fore-faw  the  many  evils  attend- 
ing it,  which  thefe  latter  ages  have  feverely  felt ;  fince  brought 
into  practice  by  Bertholdut  Swartz^  of  which  more  fully  in  its  pro- 
per place. 

8.  So  far  then  was  John  Lipperfein  of  Zeland,  Metim  of  Alckr 
mar,  or  Galil*ws  himfelf  from  being  the  Invent  or  of  the  Telefiopei 
or  firft  appljer  of  it  to  the  Heavens  •  that  perhaps  had  not  Bacon 
left  his  Books  to  poiterity,  with  fuch  pregnant  Indications  how' 
much  might  be  done  that  way  ;  he  had  been  as  little  able  to  make 
thofe  advancements  he  d\d  ,  as  Paulws  Middleburgenfis,  or  Coper- 
nicuthzd  been,  to  give  occafion  for  the  correction  of  the  Julian 
Calendar,  or  Tropical  Tear,  confiding  of  365  days  and  6  hours 
(firft  contrived,  as  Bacon  informs  us,  by  one  Falix  w,  and  only 

*  InGperif  Mitt.  part.-],  cap.  13.  MS.in~Bib.Bod.  »  hieadem  Op.  Min.part.^.cap  11.  »  Contra  tfecro- 
manticos  five  denullitate  May*,  t  Vid.  Hift.  &  Antiq.XJniverf.Oxon.  Lib.  i./>.  138.  u  Dr.  Dee's  Annoi'. 
in  Epift.  ad  Varlfienfem.  *  In  Liho Fratris  Rog. Bacon.  Computus  Naturalium,  diclo^cap.%  MS.  in  Bib/. 
Cell.Vmverfitatu  Oxon. 

E  e  per* 


2i8  The  Statural  Hiflory 

perfe&ed  by  Csfar)  which  though  not  performed  till  the  time  of 
Gregory  the  13th,  Anno  1582.  yet  the  firfl  motion  of  its  being 
done,  was  certainly  made  by  this  Learned  Friar  to  Pope  Clement 
the  4th,  as  appears  from  a  fair  MS  Copy  of  the  fourth  part  of  his 
Opus  minus  in  the  Bodleyan  Library  :  Where  after  he  has  paflio- 
natly  lamented  its  errors  awhile,  he  gives  this  fuccinft  account  of 
it,  vi%.  that  its  being  greater  than  the  true  Solar  year,  was  the 
caufe  of  the  going  back  of  the  JEquinoxes  and  Solftices,  and  then 
how  all  was  to  be  amended. 

9.  Quod autem  hicintendo  (fays  hex)  eft  de  correttione  Calendarii 
quoutitur  Ecclefia.    Julius  quidem  Casfar  in  Aftronomia  edoclus 
complevit  ordinem  Calendarii  fecundum  quod  potuit  in  tempore  fuo  ; 
is?  ficut  K\  ft or\x  narrant  contra  Achorium  Aslronomum,  &  Eudo-< 
xum  ejus  Dcflorem  difputavit  in  Egypto  de  quantitate  Anni  Solaris, 

fuper  quam  fundatum  eft  Calendarium  nnftrumjindeficut  Lucanus  rt- 
ftrt,  ij>fe  dixit 

Non  meus  Eudoxi  vincetur  faftibus  Annus. 

Sednonpervenit  Julius  adveram  anni  quantitatem  quampofuit  effe  in 
Calendario /7o/?/'0  365  dies,  <&  quart  am  diei  integram,  qu<e  quartet 
col/igitur  per  quatuor  annos,  ut  in  anno  Biflextili  computetur  unus 
dies  plus  quam  in  aim  annis  communibus :  Manifeftum  autem  eft  per 
omnes  computiftas,  antiquosist  novos,  fed (9  certificatum  eil  per  vias 
Aftronomia?,  quod  quantity  anni  Solaris  non  eff  tanta,  imo  minor  ; 
(y  iftud  minus  <zftimatur  a  fapientibus  effe  quaft  130  pars  unius  diei, 
unde  tanquam  in  130  annis  fuperflue computatur  unius  dies,  qui  ft  au- 
ferretur,  effet  Calendarium  correftum  quoad  hoc  peccatum,  i.  e. 

10.  That  which  I  intend  here  (fays  he)  is  the  corrc&ionof 
the  Calendar  now  in  ufe  in  the  Church.  Julius  C<efar  indeed  be- 
ing learned  in  Aftronomy,  compleated  the  Calendar  very  well  for 
his  time,  and  as  Hiftories  tell  us,  difputed  in  Egypt  againft  Acho- 
riui,  and  his  Mafter  Eudoxus,  concerning  the  quantity  of  the 
Solar  year,  on  which  our  Calendar  is  founded,  which  made  Lu- 
can  bring  him  in  fpeaking  to  this  erM:, 

The  J ul'idn-iftja linear  be  proved  amifs, 
By  the  Eudoxian  Ephemeris. 

But  Julius  never  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  quantity  of* 

*  40  MS.  h  Bib.  Sod.  in  MufxO  Protobibliotheiarii  f-  327. 

the 


Of  0  XFO  %V~SHI%E.  ix9 

the  year,  which  he  made  to  confift  of  365  days,  and  a  whole 
fourth  part  of  a  day.  which  fourth  part  collected  at  four  years 
end,  made,  that  in  the  Biffextil  there  was  One  day  more  than  in 
any  otheryear  :  But  'tis  manifeft  (fays  he)  to  all  Aflronomers  both 
old  and  new,  and  'tis  plain  from  the  rules  of  Astronomy,  that  the 
quantity  of  the  Solar  year  is  not  fo  much,  but  lefs,  and  that  as  'tis 
judged  by  wife  men,  by  the  130th  part  of  a  day;  whence  it 
comes  to  pafs,thatin  130  years  we  have  one  fuperfluous  day, 
which  were  it  but  taken  away,  the  Calendar  would  be  corrected  as 
to  this  error. 

1 1.  And  then  he  proceeds  to  fliew,  that  upon  this  account 
it  is  that  the  /Equinoxes  and  Solstices  arc  not  fixt,  but  continually 
afcend  in  the  Calendar,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  Church  they 
were  not,  where  they  are  now  in  his  time  ;  and  in  the  conclufion 
of  the  Difcourfe,  Debet  autemnunc  temporis  remedium  apponi  pro- 
pter iftos  errores  manijeflos,  &c Y.  But  that  now  fome  remedy  muft 
be  found  for  thofe  palpable  errors,  and  that  to  take  off  fcandal 
from  the  Church ;  for  (fays  he)  all  the  learned  in  Aftronomy  know 
this,  and  laugh  at  the  ignorance  of  the  Prelates  that  fuffer  it.  Nay^ 
the  Infidel  Arabians,  Hebrews,  and  Greek,  abhor  the  folly  they  fee 
in  the  Chriftians  in  ordering  the  time  they  fet  afide  for  their  greater 
Solemnities'.  But  now  Ch riftians  have  fo  much  fkill  in  Agronomy, 
that  they  can  amend  all  thefe  things.  Therefore  your  Holynefs 
(meaning  PopeClement)  may  command,  is?  invenietk  homines  qui 
prrfdara  remedia  apponent  in  hac parte. 

1 2.  Thus  earneftly  wrote  he  for  the  reformation  of  the  Calen- 
dar, not  only  in  this  but  in  feveral  other  Books  ;  in  6\\t  whereof 
he  makes  alfo  this  complaint,  Non  tamen  aliquis  pr^fumit  tradere 
Calendarium  correclum,  propter  hoc  quod  Concilium  generate prohi-> 
bet  nc  quis  mutet  Calendzrium,  fine  licentia fedis  Apoftolicsegg/zmz^ 
// z,  i.  e.  Yet  no  body  prefumes  to  correct  this  Calendar,  becaufe 
it  is  forbid  by  a  General  Council  that  no  man  fhould  offer  to  alter 
it,  without  fpecial  licenfe  firft  obtained  of  the  Apoflolick  Sea. 
Which  licenfe  I  gather  at  length  was  given  him,  for  I  find  him  in 
the  end  of  the  aforefaid  Chapter,  mentioning  a  more  correct  Copy 
of  a  Calendar  fent  to  the  aforefaid  Pope  by  his  Boy  John,  than 
any  he  had  fent  him  before.      Cumpropter  feslinantiam,  is1  propter 

^  Loco  citato  {ub  finem  Paragraph.     *  In  Operit  Minor,  part.  3.  4°.  m$,  j„  Bib/iotheca  ~Bodleiana* 
lap.  67. 

E  e  2  occa- 


220  The  Statural  Hiftory 

occupations  in  aim  magna*  &  varias,  veflrum  Exemplar  non  fuit 
ufquequaque  correttum,  hie  ittrum  feci  tranferibi,  isr  correxi ;  is?  b<ec 
ideofacio,  ut  certitudina liter  confiderare  iff  conferre  poffitis  de  hac  ma- 
teria cum  quocunque  veliths  i.  e.  becau(e  upon  the  account  of  haft 
and  various  other  bufinefles  intervening,  your  Copy  was  not  fuffi- 
cicntly  correct,  I  have  corrected  and  tranferibed  it  again,  that 
you  might  confider  and  confer  about  it  more  certainly  with  whom 
you  pleafe.  A  perfect  and  fair  MS.  Copy  of  which  Calendar,  I  hear 
yet  remains  in  the  hands  of  one  Mr.  Theyer,  a  Gentleman  of  G/o- 
cesler-fiire. 

13.  From  which,  or  fome  other  Calendar  of  his,  PaulwsMid- 
dlehurgenfis  Biftiop  of  Foffombrone ,  in  the  Dukedom  of  Vrbiny 
ftolehalf  of  his  great  Volum,  which  he  calls  his  Paulina,  con- 
cerning the  true  time  of  keeping  Eafter,and.  day  of  the  Paffion  of 
our  Lord  JESUS ;  directed  to  Pope  Leo  the  Tenth,  in  order  to 
the  reformation  of  the  Roman  Calendar  and  Ecclefiaflical  Cycles^ 
written  juft  in  the  fame  order  and  method  generally  and  particu- 
larly as  Roger  Bacon  long  before  had  done  to  Clement  the  Fourth ; 
and  yet  full  (lender  mention  (fays  Dr.  Dee  a)  doth  this  Biflop 
make  of  him,  though  his  chief  Inftru&or  in  the  beft  part  of  the 
matter  contained  in  his  Book:  In  which  defign,  though  the  Via- 
giary  were  unfuccefsful ,  his  endeavors  being  fruftrated  for  a 
time,  yet  'twas  he  that  ftirred  up  Nicholas  Copernicus  (as  the 
fame  Nicholas  honeftly  confeffes  in  an  Epi/ile  of  his  to  Paul  the 
Thirdh)  moreaccuratly  to  obferve  the  motions  of  the  Sun  and 
Moon,  and  thence  to  define  the  quantities  of  years  and  months 
more  truly  than  they  were  before  in  the  Julian  Calendar  ;  upon 
whofe  foundations  Aloyfim^  and  the  reft  of  the  fumptuous  Col-* 
legeol  Mathematicians  at  Rome  having  built  their  Reformation,  it 
is  eafily  deducible  that  whatever  has  been  done  in  this  matter 
from  the  time  of  Frier  Bacon,  to  that  of  Pope  Gregory  the  Thir- 
teenth, muft  in  great  meafure  be  afcribed  to  him,  their  whole  Re  - 
formation  fcarce  differing  from  his. 

14.  Only  in  this  (which  is  well  worth  the  obfervation)  that 
whereas  the  Gregorian  Reformers  reduced  the  Equinoxes  and  Sol- 
Jlices  to  the  places  they  fuppofed  they  held  in  the  time  of  the  Ni- 
cene  Council?  Bacon  feems  inclinable  to  have  brought  them  (and 

a  Dr.  Dees  proxifal  to  Queen  £/;&>£.  and  her  Co*»ri/conceming  the  reformation  of  the  vulgar  Ca- 
lendar. MS.  in  BMotb.  c.  C.  €.  Oxon.  lit-  Z  fol.    fc  In  Prafat.  in  libros  re  volutionum. 

that 


OfOXFO%<D-SHl%£>  ut 

that  moft  rationally)  to  their  places,  in  a  much  more  eminent  Zu 
poche,  vi^  the  Winter  Sol/ike  to  the  tenth  of  the  Calends  of  Janu- 
ary ,  and  the  Vernal  JEquincx  to  the  tenth  of  the  Calends  of  April? 
their  true  places  at  the  time  of  Chrifts  birth  :  which  he  proves 
by  a  very  cogent  Argument  drawn  from  the  observations  of  Pto- 
lomy,  who  lived  but  140  years  after  Chrift  ;  in  whofe  time  the 
Vernal  Mquinox  was  found  to  be  on  the  eleventh  of  the  Calends  o( 
April',  now  allowing,  as  before,  that  it  afcends  in  the  Calendar  a 
whole  natural  day  in  1 30  years  ;  if  in  Vtolomies  t\me  it  fell  on  the 
eleventh  of  the  Calends  of  April,  it  muft  needs  at  Chrifts  birth 
have  been  at  leaft  on  the  tenth;  and  fo  of  the  Solftice  *.  Accord- 
ing to  which  computation  they  have  now  gon  back  in  our  Calen- 
dar fince  Chrifts  time  almoft  13  days,  the  number  130  days  be- 
ing fo  often  to  be  found  in  1676.  wanting  but  14.  Now  the  /Era 
of  Chrifts  birth  being  a  time  of  much  higher  value,  and  more  to 
be  refpe&ed  by  Chriftians  than  the  Nicene  Council,  in  what  ever1 
elle  they  have  exceeded  him3  I#am  fure  in  this  they  have  fallen 
(liortof  his  reformation. 

15.  And  (o  much  for  the  invention  of  the  Telefcope,  and  o- 
ther  Inftruments,  by  the  afliftance  whereof  he  fo  nearly  defined  the 
true  quantities  of  the  Solar  and  Lunar  years,  that  he  firft  gave  oc- 
cafion  to  the  reformation  of  the  Julian  Calendar',  wherein  if  the 
Header  (with  me)  be  convinced,  let  him  hither  refer  thofe  in- 
ordinate Encomiums  by  Kepler,  Fabriciut,  and  C<?far  la  Galla, 
heaped  on  GaliUu*  for  the  one  ;  and  whatever  elfe  of  that  na- 
ture he  (hall  meet  with,  given  to  Paulu*  Middleburgenfis,  Copernicus, 
or  Aloyfiws  for  the  other. 

1 6.  Thus  was  the  Chriftian  World  firft  informed  in  matters  of 
A/ironomy  by  Roger  Bacon,  and  with  fo  much  fuccefs  here  in  En- 
gland,  that  in  the  next  Century  we  meet  with  Richard  Wallingford 
Abbot  of  St.  Albans,  and  Simon  Bredon,  both  Oxford  men,  the 
moft  eminent  for  their  time  in  the  whole  World",  who  for  their 
fubtilty,  and  yet  clearnefs  of  demonftration,   we  find  yoaked 
with  no  lefs  than  the  great  Albategniws,  by  Lewk  Caerlyon  alfo  an 
Oxford  man,  in  his  obfervations  of  the  Eclypfes^  An.  Van.  1482°. 
where  alfo  he  treats  of  the  oblique  afcenfions  of  the  Signs  calcula- 
ted to  the  Meridian  of  Oxford.    And  quickly  after  we  meet  with 

*  fn  Operis  Mtn.  fart.  3-  cap   69.  MS.  in  Eibliatbeca  Coll.Vmverf.     c  4*  Ms  79.  inter  Codices  MS- 
Seldeni.\ 

William 


222  The  Statural  Hijlory 

William  Rede  (after  Biflop  of Chicheyter)  and  J ohn  E/chenden  joint- 
ly to  carry  on  this  ftudy,  as  appears  from  their  Treatifes  of  the 
central  Eclyps  of  the  Moon,  and  conjunction  of  the  three  fupe- 
rior  Planets  that  happen'd  An.  1345.  and  the  great  conjunction  of 
Jupiter  and  Saturn,  An.  1365.  both  which  were  calculated  by 
William  Rede,  and  the  Prognostications  added  by  J 'ohn  Efchenden  d : 
From  which  Eclyps,  and  the  firft  conjunction,  he  fore-told  the 
Epidemical  Pejiilence  that  followed  in  the  year  1349.  which  be- 
ginning in  Turky,  fpread  all  over  Syria  and  Greece  ;  whence  it 
came  into  Italy,  Spain  and  France,  and  at  length'  into  England. 
To  thefe  addjobn  Somer  and  William  Wyrcefter,  alfo  mod  eminent 
Aflronomers ;  the  former  whereof  corrected  the  Calendar  perhaps 
yet  more  accuratly  than  Bacon  e ;  and  the  latter  wrote  a  verifica- 
tion of  all  the  fix'd  flars,  as  to  their  longitude  and  latitude,  for 
the  year  1440 f.  with  fome  other  Agronomical  matters,  at  the  in- 
ftance  of  his  Patron  Sir  John  Falftoff. 

1  7.  Great  we  fee  was  the  ingreafe  of  this  fort  of  Learning, 
even  in  thofe  days,  yet  that  former  Ages  may  not  carry  away  the 
whole  honor,  let  us  alfo  make  an  eftimate  of  its  modern  advance- 
ments \  fuch  as  it  received  from  Thomm  Lydiat,  formerly  Fellow 
of  New  College,  and  Re&or  of  Alkerton  in  this  County,  who  de- 
fining a  yet  truer  period  than  any  of  the  former,  of  the  Sun  and 
Moons  motion  (without  which,  there  could  be  no  accurat  Syflem 
or  Calendar  of  years,  months  and  days)  moft  happily  firft  contri- 
ved the  Oclodefexcentenary  Period:  ipfe primus,  abfit  diclo  invidia; 
noftro  feculo  obfervavi,  are  his  own  words2:  Which  Period, 
though  till  now  not  fo  certainly  known,  'by  Learned  Antiquity 
was  called  the  great  year,  as  is  manifeftfrom/o/^tt*  his  Hiftory 
of  the  Jewsh,  where  fpeaking  of  the  great  advantages  our  Fvre- 
fat hers  had  in  Aslronomy,  he  fays,  Uxlov  %w  r®ew  mw  v£y.<$vi  «- 

$  0  fuiytt  opixvtos  7r?uj/>KTaf.  i.  e.  that  'tis  probable  God  gave  them  a 
longer  life,  that  they  might  fully  underftandthe  Theorems  of  Agro- 
nomy, which  they  could  not  well  do,  unlefs  they  lived  fix  hun- 
dred years ;  for  the  great  year,  fays  he,  is  accomplifti'd  in  that 
number  of  years. 

8.  Which  Lydiat  found  to  come  fo  near  the  truth,  that  there 


1 


a  Vol.  MS.  176.  inter  Codices  V'tgh-   e  S?^-  ***  inter  Codices  T>igh>™"MS-  5-     f  MS-  '»ter  Codices 
Laud,  12°.  B-  23.     «  Lydiati  Ej>.  Ajtronm.  de  Ami  Solaris  menfura-     *  Lib.  i-  cap.  4.  fub.fi/iem- 

needed 


ofOXFO%p~SHl%E:  a} 

heeded  but  the  abatement  of  eight  in  fix  hundred,  his  truster iod 
confifting  of  592  years,  and  that  (according  to  Geminus)  of  whole 
years,  whole  months,  and  whole  days,  as  a  period  ought  to  do1, 
viz*  of  592  intire  filar  years,  7322  entire  months  (whereof  21  S> 
are  intercalary*)  216223  entire  days,  and  30889  entire  weeks  ^ 
defining  every  Lunar  month  to  confift  of  29  days,  i2h,  44,  3  *  12  , 
44 "",  3V,  1 2V1.  And  the  filar  year  of  365  ^js,  5h,  47-',  50',  1 6 '",  6c 
387 ;  or  5h  and  J* ;  or  365  dkjtf  and  tJ'9  part  of  a  </<jy  :  So  that  the' 
whole  period,  or  592  Lydiatean  years ,  do  anticipate  fo  many  Julian 
ones  by  five  days. 

19.  According  to  this^nW found  out  in  i4«.  1605.  exceed- 
ing the  Dionyfian  but  60  years,  he  calculated  the  middle  motions 
of  thefieven  Planets  for  the  «i«e  firft  periods  entirely,  and  the  /^/^ 
fo  far  forth  as  it  had  gon  in  his  time  ;  (fome  MS*  fragments  of 
which  calculations  I  had  lately  in  my  poiTexlion,  butnowdifpofed 
of  to  the  WorfhipfulDr.  Lanphire,  Principal  of  Hart-hall,  care- 
fully to  be  prefervedamongftthe  reft  of  his  writings.  )And  in  An. 
1620.  viz.  in  the  laft  year  of  the  firft  half  of  his  tenthperiod,  he 
put  it  forth,  with  his  Menologium,  or  reformation  of  the  Calen- 
dar, which  he  oppofed  to  the  new,  but  confuted,  abfurd,  and 
falfe  Pomifical  Gregorian  year,  contrived  by  the  fumptuous  Col- 
lege of  Mathematicians  at  Rome  ;  and  defended  it  againft  the  ob- 
tractations  of/ofeph  Scaligerk,  a  man,  'tis  true,  of  great  Learning, 
but  withal  fo  confident  and  imperious,  fo  abufive  and  afliiming, 
that  whenever  he  wanted  Arguments  for  the  fupport  of  his 
caufe,  he  always  fought  revenge  upon  the  perfon  of  his  Ad- 
verfary. 

2c.  Which  was  manifeftly  the  cafe  of  modeft  Lydiat,  whom 
in  an  Epislle  to  Richard  Thomfon  (his  correfpondent  in  England) 
he  calls,  thegreateft  monfier  that  ever  England  produced^  ;  and  in 
another  to  the  fame  Thomfon,  the  veryefi  fool  in  the  whole  world, 
and  that  'twas  below  hi*  dignity,  nor  had  he  leifure  to  write  againfi 
fuch  a  Beetlem.  But  herein  (as  the  Reverend  Dr.  Heylin  very  well 
notes  in  another  cafe)  we  muft  pardon  Jofieph  ;  for  had 'not [corn  and 
contempt  heenpart  of  his  Effence,  he  had  neither  been  a  Scaliger,  nor 
the  fin  of  Julius",  who  fcrupled  not  to  pafs  this  rafti  cenfure  on 
the  whole  Englijh  Nation  ;  that  we  are,  Ferfidi,  inflati,  fieri,  con- 

'  Periedus  debet  eomprebendere,  o\*t  ipi&t,  %  o'a*s  pi**(,  v^'ibm  &««utbc.  Geminus  in  liiro  <j>«<»o^u'«>v 
.k  Vtd-  Lydiati  So/is  &  Luna  periodum,  inTituto.  '  Jef.Sca/igeriEpiflolar./ik  ^.Epift-  240.  m  Jof.  $ca- 
liger.  Epifto/.  lib,  3  Episl.  2+1-     D  CoJmograph.inCald-Ajfy.&Me/opot-fubfinem. 

temp  tor  el. 


%l\  The  Natural  Hi  [lory 

tempt  ores,  flolidi,  amentes,  inert es,  inhofpitales,immanes  °.  In  which 
very  aft  yet  1  think  he  proves  nothing,  but  that  mod  of  thofe 
Epithets  rather  belong  to  himfelf. 

21.  If  it  be  objefted  that  Jcfeph  did  not  fo  hxpatrirare,  but 
that  hefpake  Honorably  of  fome  of  the  Englifl\  fuch  as  Wcttcn, 
Savil,  Camden  ?,  Reynolds q:  it  muft  be  anfwered,  That  thefe 
touched  not  the  apple  of  his  eye,  nor  endeavored  the  ruin  of 
his  great  Diana,  the  Julian  Period,  of  which  he  conceited  him- 
felf the  Inventor  :  which  yet  fince  by  an  indifferent,  and  that  a 
competent  judge,  is  given  to  Robert  Lorringe  an  Englift  Biflop  of 
Hereford,  who  lived  $00  years  before  Scaligers  invention r.  'lis 
true,  he  fitted  it  to  Chronological  ufes ;  but  whil'ft  in  the  midft 
of  his  glorious  attempts,  behold  him  (liaken  by  meek,  and  modeft 
Lydiat,  the  happy  Inventor  of  a  more  accurat  period,  whereby 
hefo  difturbed  and  confounded  all  his  fupputations,  that  (if  we 
may  believe  the  moft  Learned  of  the  Age)  he  laid  his  angry  Rival 
flat  upon  his  back. 

22.  And  fo  much  concerning  the  Lydiatean  Period,  of  which, 
becaufe  fo  much  already  in  Print,  I  ft) all  not  add  more,  only  in 
what  years  of  as  many  ottbem,  as  have  already  been  (which  pof- 
fibly  may  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  Reader}  the  moft  confiderable 
/Era's  of  the  world  have  happen'd. 

Tears  of  the  World.     Tears  of  the  Lydiatean  Periods. 

The  flood.  1^57' 

Birth  cflfazc.  2109. 

Exodus.  2509. 

The  Temple.  2988. 

Empire  0/Nebuchadn.  3401. 

Empire  of  Cyrus.  347 1 . 
Empire  of  Alexander?         , 

the  Great.  \  5   75' 

Empire  of  Jul.  C sefar .  3956. 

Baptifm  of  Chrift.  4<>33' 

7^eDionyfianv^ro/?  > 

r    j   /        C       5^24- 
our  Lord,  16 20.      3 

The  year  of  our  Lor d,i6y  6.  5680. 

•  Jul-Cafar.Scal.  ?oetica,liB.  ^.cap.  i6-     '  JofScnlig.Epiftol.  U 
446.     c  In  Trafat.  in  Annate t  Jac.  Vjjini,  Archiep.  Armachan. 


473. 

(?) 

333. 

(4) 

141. 

(5) 

28. 

(6) 

441. 

(6) 

511. 

(0 

123. 

(7) 

404. 

(7) 

481. 

(7) 

296, 

(10) 

352. 

O) 

.  Epift-  232. 

*  Ibid.  lib.  4.  Epift. 

23.      If 

Of  OXF0%V-SHl%E.  2zj 

23.  If  I  defcend  yet  lower  to  perfons  now  living,  we  (hall 
daily  find  Aftronomy  receiving  new  advancements, particularly  from 
the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God,  Seth  Lord  Biftiop  of  Sarum, 
one  of  the  moft  cordial  Promoters  of  this  undertaking  :  who  ra- 
ther embracing  the  opinions  of  Diogenes,  Apolloniu*  Myndim^  of 
the  Chaldees,  and  at  length  of  Seneca  ;  That  Comets  are  perpetual 
ffars,  and carryed about  in  a  continued  motion  ;  than  of  Kepler,  who 
thought  them  ftill  produced  de  Novo,  quickly  perifhing  again  ;  or 
of  Gaffendm,  who  held  indeed  they  might  be  corpora  sterna,  but 
yet  that  they  always  moved  in  ftraight  lines  ;  he  firft  propofed 
this  new  Theory  of  them,  viz^  that  it  was  much  more  probable 
they  might  rather  be  carryed  round  in  Circles  01 ■  Ellipfes(ehher  in- 
cluding or  excluding  the  Globe  of  the  earth)  fo  great,  that  the 
Comets  are  never  vifible  to  us,  but  when  they  come  to  the  Perige's 
of  thofe  Circles  or  Ellipfes,  and  ever  after  invifible  till  they  have 
abfolved  their  periods  in  thofe  vaft  Orbs,  which  by  reafon  of  their 
(landing  in  an  oblique,  or  perpendicular  pofture  to  the  eye,  he  de- 
monftrated might  well  feem  to  carry  them  in  ftraight  lines  ;  all 
circles  or  ellipfes  fo  pofited,  projecting  themfelves  naturally  into 
fuch  lines :  which  Theory  was  firft  propofed  in  a  Letlure  here  at 
Oxford,  and  afterward  fet  forth  in  the  year  1 653.  The  Right  Re- 
verend Father  in  God,  Seth  Lord  Biftiop  of  Sarum,  and  my  very 
good  Lord,  being  then  Ptofeffor  of  Aftronomy  in  this  Vniver- 

24.  In  the  fame  year,  the  fame  Right  Reverend,  and  moft  ac- 
complifh'd  Bifhop  firft  Geometrically  demonftrated,  the  Copernico- 
Elliptical  Hypothefis  to  be  the  moft  genuine,  fimple  and  uniform,  the 
moft  eafie  and  intelligible,  anfweringall /^mwzetftf  without  com- 
plication of  motions,  by  Eccentrics,  Epicycles,  or  Epicyc- Epicycles. 
That  the  Excentricities  of  the  Planets  and  their  Apoge's  according 
to  the  Ptolemaic  hypothefis,  and  the  Aphelions  according  to  the 
Copernican,  might  all  be  folved  by  a  fimple  Ellipticall'ine,  was  firft 
indeed  noted  by  Kepler,  but  how  their  proper  andprimary  Inequa- 
lities, or  Anomali*  Codtquatdt,  fhould  thence  be  demonftrated  geo- 
metrically, he  profeft  he  knew  not,  and  utterly  defpaired  it  would 
ever  be  done:  which  ftirred  up  the  Learned  Ifmael  Bullialdus  to 
attempt  the  removal  of  this  difgrace  to  Aftronomy,  which  accord- 
ingly he  thought  he  had  done,  finding  the  method  of  the  Apheli- 
ons, and  demonftrating  (at  leaft  as  he  thought)  the  firft  Inequa- 

F  f  hies 


i%6  The  Statural  Hijlory 

Uties  geometrically,  and  making  Tables;  calling  his  work  Aslrono- 
miam  PhilAaicam. 

25.  But  how  far  he  came  fhort  of  what  he  pretended,  was 
fo  plainly  and  modeftly  made  appear  by  the  Reverend  Bifiop,  in 
a  Book  which  heentituled,  Inquifitio  in  Ifmaelis  Bullialdi  Ajlrono- 
mi<e  Philolaic*  fundamenta.  Edit.  Oxonii,  1653.  tnat  tne  ingeni- 
ous Bullialdu*  himfelf,  Cent  him  a  Letter  of  thanks,  and  recogni- 
tion of  his  errors.  Where  alfo  he  further  (hews,  that  although 
Bullialdws  had  not,  and  Kepler  thought  no  man  could  ,  rightly 
calculate  the  firft  inequalities  according  to  the  rules  of  Geometry, 
i.  e.  out  of  the  known  middle  motions  of  the  Planets  (or  true 
places  of  the  Aphelions')  accuratly  find  a  priori,  their  true  or  ap- 
pearing motions:  That  yet  there  were  methods  by  which  it  might- 
be  done,  whereof  he  propounded  two  in  the  fame  Book-,  and  de- 
monftratedthem,  which  afterwards  applying  to  all  the  primary 
Planets,  he  fet  forth  both  Elliptical  and  Circular  Aftronomy,  fhew- 
inghow  the  Phenomena,  according  to  both  Hypothefes,  might  be 
geometrically  made  out,  which  he  called  his  Aftronomia  Geometrica, 
Edit.  Londini,  An.  1656. 

26.  The  Elliptical  Hypothecs  has  received  yet  further  advance- 
ment from  Mr.  Edmund Rally  of  Queens  College  Oxon.  a  young  man, 
for  his  years  of  prodigious  (kill  in  Agronomical  matters,  who, 
amongft  many  other  excellent  performances  in  that  Science  to  be 
met  with  in  our  Englijh  PhilofophicalTranfaclions  %  has  (hewed  us 
a  direft.  and  geometrical  method  for  finding  the  Aphelions-,  Excentri- 
cities,  2nd  proportions  of  the  Orbs  of  the  primary  Planets,  with- 
out fuppofingthe  equality  of  the  angle  of  motion  at  the  other  Fo- 
cus of  the  Planets  Ellipfts,  which  has  been  hitherto  always  done 
amongft  Aftronomers1  :  From  whom  I  dare  promife  yet  further 
improvements,  he  being  lately  gon  to  the  Ifle  of  St.  Helen,  for  the 
more  advantagious  profecution  of  his  Aftronomical  ftudies  ;  from 
whofe  folitary  obfervations  there,  and  comparative  ones  with  Mr. 
Flamfted\  here,  Aftronomy  no  queftion  will  receive  confiderable 
advancements. 

27.  To  which  may  be  added  feveral  other  improvements  this 
Science  has  received  from  that  incomparable  perfon  Sir  Chriflopher 
Wren,  late  Profefjor  here  :  who  before  any  thing  of  Hugenius  ap- 
peared onthnfubjeft,  from  his  conftant  obfervations  of  Saturn, 

•  Philofoph.Tranfadions,  Nmk-  116,127,128.    l  Ibidem.  Numb.  128. 

ftated 


Of  OXFO%<D~SHI%E~  iiy 

ftated  a  Theory  of  that  Planet ;  and  of  the  Moons  Libration,  He 
has  attempted  alfo  (and  perhaps  by  this  time  performed)  a  Sele* 
nograpby  by  meafure,  what  we  have  yet  of  that  kind  being  rather 
pictures.)  than  accurate  furveys  or  maps  of  the  Moon  :  To  this  pur- 
pofe  he  contrived  a  Lunar  globe,  reprefenting  not  only  the  Moun~ 
tains  and  Vallepsm  folid  work,  but  the  feveral  degrees  ofwhitenefs 
and  blackpefi  on  the  furface,  which  if  turned  to  the  light,  (hews 
all  the  menjirual  pbafes  of  the  Moon,  with  the  feveral  appearances 
that  arife  from  the  fhadows  of  the  Hills  and  Vales. 

28.  He  has  made  Maps  of  the  Pleiades,  and  other  Telefcopial 
flats,  and  propofed  ways  to  folve  the  great  Queftion  concerning 
the  earths  reft  or  motion  by  fomefmally^m  about  the  North  pole  ± 
to  be  feen  only  in  large  and  well  made  Telescopes  :  To  which  In  - 
Jlrument  he  has  added  many  forts  of  Rete's,  /crews,  and  Apertures, 

to  take  in  more  or  lefs  light,  by  opening  and  (hutting  like  the  pu- 
pil of  the  eye,  according  as  the  Obferver  thinks  fit ;  and  has  im- 
proved the  manufacture  of  grinding  good  glajfes.  He  has  alfo 
made  two  Telefcopes  to  open  with  a  joynt  after  the  manner  of  a 
feclor,  whereby  dijiances  may  be  taken  to  half  minutes,  and  no 
differences  found  in  the  fame  objervation  often  repeated,  the  In- 
firument  not  being  lyable  to  any  prejudice  by  warping  or  luxation. 
He  has  contrived  and  hung  Quadrants,  Sextants,  and  Radii,  much 
better  than  heretofore,  by  which  Agronomical  Obfervations  may  be 
made  more  accurate  and  eafie.  Of  all  which  ingenious  and  ufe- 
ful  Inventions,  there  are  much  more  full  and  elegant  relations,  in 
the  moft  accurate  Hiflory  of  the  Royal  Society" :  However,  they 
being  moft,  if  not  all  of  them  found  out  here,  or  at  leaft  whil'ft 
their  Author  was  AJlronomy  Profejfor  in  this  Vniverfity,  I  could  not 
but  mention  them  with  relation  to  this  place,  as  I  fhallfome  other, 
matters  which  ow  their  invention  to  the  Nameworthy  per/on. 

29.  And  thefe  are  all  the  modern  advancements  in  Agronomical 
matters  I  can  at  prefent  think  of,  onely  a  late  invention  of  one 
R.  Holland,  a  teacher  of  Mathematicks'm  this  City  for  many  years, 
who  has  lliewed  us  a  way  to  get  the  Angle  of  Parallax  of  a  Comet 
or  other  Phenomenon  at  two  objervatious  to  be  taken  in  any  one 
ftation  or  place  of  the  earth,  and  thereby  the  diftance  from  the 
earth  :  whereof  no  more,  there  being  a  ftiort  account  of  the 
whole  contrivance  fet  forth  by  himfelf,  and  printed  at  Oxford. 

■  Hiftory  of  the  Royal  Society,  Tart.  2.fui>  firtem. 

Ffa  30.   Having 


11%  The  Natural  Hijlory 

30.  Having  done  with  the  inventions  and  Improvements  that 
concern  the  Heavens,  come  we  next  to  thofe  belonging  to  thefub- 
lunary  World,  whereof  the  fame  Ingenious  Sir  ChriflophexWren 
has  furnifh'd  us  with  feveral ;  as  of  exquifite  fubtilty,  fo  of  ex- 
cellent ufe :  Such  as  his  contrivance  to  make  Diaries  of  wind  and 
weather,  and  of  the  various  qualifications  of  the  air,  as  to  heats, 
colds,  drought,  moifiure,  and  weight,  through  the  whole  year  ;  and 
this  in  order  to  the  Hijlory  of  Seafons  :  with  obfervation,  which 
are  the  moft  healthful  or  contagions  to  men  or  beafts  •  which,  the 
Harbingers  of  blights,  meldews,fmut,  or  any  other  accidents  at- 
tending men,  cattle,  or  grain  ;  fo  that  at  length  being  inftrucled  in 
the  caufes  of  thefe  evils,  we  may  the  eafier  prevent,  or  find  reme- 
dies for  them. 

3  r .  Now  that  a  conftant  obfervation  of  thefe  qualities  of  the 
air,  both  by  night  and  day  might  not  be  infuperable  ;  he  contri- 
ved a  Thermometer  to  be  its  own  Regifter,  and  a  Clock  to  be  annex- 
ed to  a  weather-cock.,  which  moves  a  Rundle  covered  with  white 
Paper  ;  upon  which  the  Clock  moving  a  black-lead  pen/il,  the  ob- 
ferver,  by  the  traces  of  the  penfil  on  the  paper,  may  certainly 
know  what  winds  have  blown,  during  his  fleep  or  abfence,  for  1 2 
hours  together.  He  has  alfo  difcover'd  many  fubtile  ways  for 
eafier  finding  the  degrees  of  drought,  and  moislure,  and  the  gravi- 
ty of  the  Atmofphere  ;  and  amongft  other  Inftruments,  has  Bal- 
ances (alfo  ufeful  for  other  purpofes)  that  fliew  the  preffure  of 
the  air,  by  their  eafie  (I  had  almoft  faid  fpontaneous)  inclina- 


tionsw. 


32.  He  has  made  Inftruments  whereby  he  has  fhewn  the  Me- 
chanical reafon  of  failing  to  all  winds  ;  and  others  of  Reffiration, 
for  {training  the  breath  from  thick  vapors,  in  order  to  tryal  whe- 
ther the  fame  breath  thus  purified  will  ferve  turn  again.  Which 
Experiments,  however  nice  they  may  feem,  yet  being  concerned 
about  a  fubjecT:  fo  nearly  related  to  man,  that  he  always  lives  in  it, 
and  cannot  long  without  it,  and  is  well  or  ill  according  to  its  al- 
terations, the  minuteft  difcoveries  of  its  nature  or  qualifications 
ought  to  be  valuable  to  us. 

33.  Wherein  yet  we  have  been  affifted  by  nothing  more,  than 
the  Pneumatick.  Engine,  invented  here  at  Oxon:  by  that  miracle  of 
Ingenuity,  the  Honorable  Robert  Boyle  Efq;  with  the  concurrent 

*  Ibidem. 

help 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE,  up 

help  of  that  exquifite  contriver,  Mr.  Robert  Hook,  commonly 
called  the  Air  Fump  ;  fo  different  a  thing  from  the  Injirumentum 
Magdeburgicum,  devifed  by  Otto  Gericke  x,  an  ingenious  Conful  of 
that  Republic^  that  it  can  fcarce  be  reckoned  an  improvement  of 
that,  but  a  new  Engine  ;  although  it  muft  not  be  denyed  but  the 
Magdeburg  Experiment  gave  occafion  to  its  Invention.  By  the  af- 
fifta nee  whereof,  that  Noble  Philofopher  hath  accuratly  examined 
the  Elafiical  power ',  preffure,  and  weight  ;  expanfwn  and  weakpefi 
thereupon,  of  this  element ;  and  thereby  found  out  fo  many 
things  neve,  relating  to  the  height  and  gravity  of  the  Atmofphere, 
nature  of  a  Vacuum ;  Flame,  and  Excandefcence  of  coals,  match, 
firing  of  gun-powder  ;  propagation  of ' founh,  fluidity,  light,  freez- 
ing, reffiration,  (yc.  that  to  give  an  account  of  them  all  according 
to  the  merits  of  the  Experiments ,  would  be  to  tranferibe  the 
whole  Treatifeof  that  Honorable  Author  fet  forth  on  this  fubjeft  ; 
whither  I  refer  the  Reader  for  further  fatisfa&ion,  and  fo  to  the 
reft  of  his  Works  upon  feveral  other  fubje&s ;  many  of  his  nume- 
rous inventions  and  improvements,  wherewith  he  has  fo  highly  ob- 
liged the  World,  having  been  made  in  this  place. 

34.  W  hereof  I  (hall  mention  no  more  (it  being  indeed  uncer- 
tain as  to  moft  of  them,  which  were  made  here, which  at  London, 
and  which  at  other  places')  only  the  Barometer,  a  well  known  In- 
ftrument,  alfo  invented  here  by  the  fame  Noble  Per/on,  whereby, 
the  gravity  of  the  Atmofyhere  has  been  daily  obferved  by  the  Reve;- 
rend  and  Learned  Dr.  John  Wallit,  for  about  fix  years  together  : 
in  all  which  time  he  found  the  Quick-filler  in  the  Tube,  never  to 
afcend  much  above  30  inches,  and  never  to  defcend  much  be- 
low 28,  which  he  takes  to  be  the  whole  latitude  of  its  variation. 
He  alfo  obferved,  for  moft  of  that  time,  the  temper  of  the  air 
by  a  Thermometer,  whereof  he  has  ftill  the  Notes  by  him,  which 
are  very  particular  for  every  day. 

35.  Which  latter  infirument,  though  of  very  ancient  inven- 
tion, there  having  been  one  of  them  found  by  Robert  de  EluRibws 
•graphically  delineated,  in  a  MS.  of  500  years  antiquity  at  leaft  yt 
yet  it  has  ftill  received  other  ufeful  advancements  (befide  that  a- 
bovemention'd)  from  that  curious  Artift  Sir  ChrifiopherWren, 
who  finding  the  ufual  Thermometers  not  to  give  fo  exaft  a  meafure 
of  the  airs  extenfion,  by  reafon  the  gravity  of  the  liquor  as  it 

*  Cafp.  Schotti Magia  Univer.part.  3.  lib.  7.  cap.  6.    t  Mofaical  Philofophy;  lib.  1 .  cap.  1 . 

ftands 


230  The  Statural  Hijlory 

ftands  higher  or  lower  in  the  Glafs,  weighs  unequally  on  the  air, 
and  gives  it  a  contraction  and  extenfion,  befide  what  is  produced 
by  beat  and  cold ;  he  therefore  invented  a  Circular  Thermometer,  m 
which  the  liquor  can  occaflon  no  fuch  fallacy,  it  remaining  conti- 
nually of  one  height,znd  moving  the  whole  infirument  like  a  wheel 
on  its  axel z. 

36.   Amongft  other  Aerotechnick§,  here  is  a  Clock  lately  con- 
trived by  the  ingenious  John  Jones  LL.  B.   and  Fellow  ofjefws 
College  Oxon:   which  moves  by  the  air,  equally  expreffed  out  of 
bellows  of  a  cylindrical  form,  falling  into  folds  in   its  defcent, 
much  after  the  manner  of  Paper  Lanterns :  Thefe,  in  place^of 
drawing  up  the  weights  of  other  Clocks,  are  only  filled  with  air, 
admitted  into  them  at  a  large  orifice  at  the  top,   which  is  ftop'd 
up  again  as  foon  as  they  are  full  with  a  hollow  [crew,  in  the  head 
whereof  there  is  fet  a  (mzllbrafs  plate,  about  the  bignefs  of  a  fil- 
ver  half  penny,  with  a  hole  perforated  fcarce  fo  big  as  the  fmal- 
left  pins  head  :  through  this  little  hole  the  air  is  equally  expref- 
fed by  weights  laid  on  the  top  of  the  bellows,  which  defcending 
very  flowly,  draw  a  Clcck^line,  having  a  counterpoife  at  the  o- 
ther  end,  that  turns  a  pully-wheel,  faftened  to  the  arbor  or  axis 
of  the  hand  that  points  to  the  hour:  which  device,  though  not 
brought  to  the  intended  perfeftionof  rhe  Inventor,  that  perhaps 
it  may  be  by  the  help  of  a  tumbrel  or  fufie,yet  highly  deferves  men- 
tioning, there  being  nothing  of  this  nature  that  I  can  find  amongft 
the  writers  of  Mechanicks. 

37.  To  which  may  be  added,  a  hopeful  improvement  of  that 
uncommon  Hygrofcope,  made  of  two  Veal,  or  rather  Poplar  boards, 
mention'd  in  our  Englifh  Phikfopbical  Tranfailions  %  contrived 
by  my  ingenious  Friend  John  Toung  M.  A.  of  Magdalen  Hall,  who 
rationally  concluding,  that  the  teeth  of  the  thin  piece  of  brafs 
placed  acrofs  the  juncture  of  the  two  boards,  muft  needs  in  its 
paffage  from  bearing  on  one  fide  of  the  teeth  of  the  pinion,  to  the 
other,  upon  change  of  weather,  make  a  ftand  as  it  were  in  re- 
Tpefl:  of  the  motion  of  the  axel  of  the  hand ;  thinks  a  pretty  ftift 
firing  cut  on  theunderfide,  after  the  manner  of  a  hwefile,  placed 
flat  and  not  edge-ways,  and  bearing  pretty  hard  upon  an  axel  ot 
Copper,  may  turn  the  hand  upon  change  of  weather  in  thtpuntlum 
of  reverfion,   without  any  more  than  a  negative  reft :   which  be- 

1  Hiftory  of  the  Royal  Society,  part.  i.Jubfinem.     *  Philofoph.  Trandidl.  Numb.  127. 

ing 


of  0  XFO  <R$>-S  HIXE.  231 

ingan  opinion  fo  very  rational  and  unlikely  to  fail,  when  brought 
to  the  teft,  I  thought  fit  to  propound  it  to  the  Ingenious,  though 
the  Pre/?  would  not  give  us  leave  firft  to  experiment  ic  our  felves-* 
Whence  I  proceed,  . 

38.  To  fuch  Afti  as  relate  to  the  Fire, which  I  have  placed  next, 
in  regard  we  have  knowledge  of  no  other  but  what  is  Culinary 
that  in  the  concave  of  the  Mcon  being  only  a  dream  of  t\\eJncU 
ents.  Amongft  which,  we  muft  not  forget  the  perpetual,  at 
leaft  long-lived  Lamps,  invented  by  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir 
Chriftopher  Wren  ;  nor  his  Regifters  of  Chymical  Furnaces  for  keepi- 
ingaconftant  heat  in  order  to  divers  ufes  ;  fuch  as  imitation  of 
Nature  in  the  produ&ion  of  Foff/les,  Plants,  Infecls ;  batching  of 
Eggs,  keeping  the  motions  of  Watches  equal,  in  reference  to  Lon^- 
gitudes  and  Agronomical  ufes,  and  feveral  other  advantages  b. 

39.  But  amongft  all  the  Fire-worh  ever  yet  produced  by  the 
Art  of  Man,  there  is  none  fo  wonderful  as  that  of  Frier  Bacon, 
mention'd  in  his  Epiftle  ad  Parifienjem,  where  fpeaking  of  the 
fecret  works  of  Nature  and  Arts,  he  has  thefe  words,  In  omnem 
diSiantiam  quam  volumws  poffumusartificialiter,componere  ignem,com- 
burentem  ex  [ale  Petr<z,  (sr  aliis  c ;  which  alia,  as  the  Reverend  and 
Learned  Dr.fohnWallis  faw  it  in  a  MS.  Copy  of  the  fame  Roger 
Bacon,  in  the  hands  of  the  Learned  Dr.  Ger.  Langbain,  late  Pro- 
voft  of  Queens  College,  were  Sulphur,  and  Carbonumpulvh  :  con- 
cerning which,  after  awhile  he  further  adds:  Prater  h<xc(\.e. 
combvfUcnem)  funt  alia  flupenda  nature,  nam  font  velutTonitrut,  {*? 
corufcationes  peffunt  fieri  in  aere,  imo  majore  horrore,  quam  ilia  qu<£ 
fiunt  per  naturam  :  Nam  modica  materia  adapta,  fc.  ad  quant  it  at  em 
uniu* polUcit,  fonum  facit  horribilem  (y  corufcationem  ojlendit  violent 
tern,  is  hoc  fit  multitmodh  quibws  Civitasaut  Fxercitws  deftruatur. 

—Igneexfiliente  cum  fragore  in&flimabili Mir  a  h&c  funt  fi  quh 

Jciretuti  ad  plenum  in  debita  quantitate  isr  materia. 

40.  That  is,  that  of  Salt-peter,  and  other  matters,  viz^.  Sul- 
phur, and  the  duft  of  coal,  he  could  make  fire  that  fhould  burn  at 
what  diftance  he  pleafed  ;  and  further,  that  with  the  fame  mat- 
ter he  could  make  founds  like  Thunder,  and  corufcations  in  the 
air  more  dreadful  than  thofe  made  by  Nature  :  For,  fays  he,  a 
little  of  this  matter  rightly  fitted,  though  not  bigger  than  ones 
Thumb,  makes  a  horrible  noife,  and  (hews  a  violent  corufcation, 

k  Hiftory  of  the  Royal  Society,  Part.i-futfmim.    c  JnEpifl.adTarifienfetn.cap  ■>'•>. 

which 


z;i  The  3\(jtural  Hiftorj 

which  may  be  ordered  many  ways ;  whereby  a  City  or  Armymzy 
be  deftroyed— the  Fire  breaking  forth  with  an  unfpeakable  noife 
--—which  are  wonderful  things,  if  a  man  knew  exadtly  how  to 
ufethem  in  due  quantity  and  matter. 

41 .  Whence  'tis  plain,  he  either  invented  ox  knew  Gun-powder ', 
though  I  think  we  cannot  allow  him  lefsthan  the  firft,  till  we 
find  out  an  ancienter  Author  for  it  *,  which  if  no  body  ever  do's 
(as  'tis  manifold  odds  they  never  will)  in  all  probability  it  was 
invented  here  at  Oxford,  where  he  made  the  reft  of  his  aflfrighten- 
ing  Experiments.  And  that  out  of  his  works,  Conftantinws  Ancklit- 
Zen  of  Friburg6,  or  Bertholdus Swartz^ '■>  and  the  reft  of  the  Im- 
provers, in  all  likelihood  might  have  their  pretended  Inventions, 
though  we  allow  him  not  quite  fo  explicit  as  in  the  Copy  of  the 
Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  Langbain,  but  that  as  'tis  conjectured 
by  Dr.  Dee  f,  hefomwhat  concealed  his  Invention  in  the  word 
\_alw~\  well  knowing  it  might  be  dangeroufly  deftru&ive  to  man- 
hind. 

42.  As  for  Water-works  invented  or  improved  in  this  County, 
fome  concern  profit,and  others  only  pleafure.  Of  the  firft  fort,is 
anlnftrumentof  Sir  Chrijlop her  Wrens,  that  meafures  the  quanti- 
ty of  Rain  that  falls,  which  as  foon  as  'tis  full,  empties  it  felf, 
fo  that  at  the  years  end  'tiseafie  to  compute  how  much  has  fal- 
len on  fuch  a  quantity  of  ground  for  all  that  time;  and  this  he 
contrived  in  order  to  the  difcovery  of  the  Theory  or  Springs,  ex- 
halations, is-c.  And  fecondly,  other  Inftruments  whereby  he 
has  fhewn  the  Geometrical  Mechanie  of  Rowing,  viz^  that  the  Oar 
moves  upon  its  Thowle,as  a  veclis  on  a  yielding//Jcr«w,and  found 
out  what  degree  of  impediment  the  expanfion  of  a  body  to  be  moved 
in  a  liquid  medium  ordinarily  produces  in  all  proportions,  with 
feveral  other  matters  in  order  for  laving  down  the  Geometry  of 
failing,  fwiming,  rowing,  and  the  fabrick. of  Ships  g. 

43.  Hither  alfo  belong  the  Locks  and  Turn-pikes  made  upon  the 
River  Ifis,  the  21  of  King  James,  when  it  was  made  navigable 
from  Oxford  to  Bercot,  which  are  abfolutely  neceflary  for  that 
purpofe,  on  (hallow  rivers  that  have  alfo  great  falls,  to  keep  up 
the  water,  and  give  the  vejfelszn  eafie  defcent.  For  the  firft  where- 

*  Baconusfatis  cone ejjit,  Anno  1292  near  100  years  before  any  of  the  other  pretended  Inventions. 
4  Vid-  Quid.  PancirolU  rer.  memorah.  recevs  Invent,  part.  2.  tit.  18-  '  Vid.  Steph.  Foreatulnm  J.  C.  deGaUo- 
rumImperio&Philojoph.lib$.ful>finem.  (  Dr.  Vees  Annotations  in  Epifi.  ad  Parifie>;fe?n.  «  Hiftory 
of  the  Royal  Sociery,  Part,  ij'ubfinetru 

of, 


OfOXPO  1CDJHI  %£.  i$  ■ 

of,  provided  the  fall  of  water  be  not  great,  a  Lock,  will  fuffite^ 
which  is  made  up  only  of  bars  of  wood  called  Rimers,  fet  per- 
pendicularly to  the  bottom  of  the  paffage  (which  are  more  or  lefs 
according  to  its  breadth)  and  Lockrgates  put  down  between  eve- 
ry two  of  them,  or  boards  put  athwart  them,  which  will  keep 
ahead  of  water  as  well  as  the  Turn-pike  for  the  paffage  of  a  Barge± 
but  mull  be  all  pulled  up  at  its  arrival,  and  the  water  let  go  till 
there  is  an  abatement  of  the  fall,  before  the  boat  may  pafs  either 
down  or  upwards  ;  which,  with  the  ftream,  is  not  without  vio- 
lent precipitation  ;  and  again  ft  it,  at  many  places,  not  without 
the  help  of  a  Cap/lain  at  Land  ;  and  fomtimes  neither  of  them 
without  imminent  danger. 

44.  But  where  the  declivity  of  the  Channel,  and  fall  of  wai- 
ter is  fo  great,  that  few  barges  could  live  in  the  paffage  of  them^ 
there  we  have  Turn-pikes,  whereof  there  are  three  between  0x- 
ford  and  Bercot ;  oneat^ey,  another  at  Sanford,  and  a  third  at 
Culbam  in  the  Swift-ditch,  which  was  cut  at  that  time  when  the 
River  was  made  navigable  ;  and  are  all  thus  contrived.  Firft, 
there  are  placed  a  great  pair  of  Folding  doors,  or  Flood-gates  of 
Timber  crofs  the  river,  that  open  againft  the  ftream  and  (hut  with 
it,  not  fo  as  to  come  even  in  a  ftraightline,  but  in  an  obtufe  angle, 
the  better  to  refill  and  bear  the  weight  of  the  water,  which  by  how 
much  the  greater  it  is,  by  Co  much  the  clofer  are  the  gates  preffed  ; 
in  each  of  which  Flood-gates  there  is  a  fluse  to  let  the  water 
through  at  pleafure  ,  without  opening  the  gates  themfelves. 
Within  thefe,  there  is  a  large  fquare  taken  out  of  the  river,  built 
up  at  each  fide  with  Free-ftone,  big  enough  to  receive  the  largeft 
barge  afloat ;  and  at  the  other  end  another  pair  of  Flood-gates, 
opening,  and  (hutting,  and  having  /luces  like  the  former.  Which 
is  the  whole  Fabrickof  a  Turn-pike- 

45.  Attheuppermoft  pair  of  thefe  gates  the  water  is  ftopt, 
which  raifes  it  in  the  river  above,  and  gives  the  Vejjels  paffage  o- 
ver  the  fallows,  which  when  come  to  the  Turn  pikes,  the  Sluces 
are  firft  opened,  and  the  water  let  in  to  the  fquare  or  inclofed 
fpace  between  the  two  pair  of  gates,  where  it  muft  neceffarily 
rife  (the  lower  gates  being  (hut)  till  at  length  it  comes  to  be  level 
with  the  furfaceof  the  river  above  :  when  this  is  done,  the  up- 
per ftream  then  making  no  fuch  preflure  on  the  gates  as  before^ 
they  are  eafily  opened  by  two  or  three  men,  and  the  Vejfds  let  in 

Gg  one 


234.  The  Statural  Hijlory 

one  at  a  time ;  which  done,  they  fliut  thofe  upper  gates  and  /luces 
as  before  :  Then  they  open  the  puces  of  the  gates  at  the  other  end 
of  the  Turn-pike,  and  let  the  water  by  degrees  out  of  the  inclofed 
fquare  till  it  is  funk  down,  and  the  Veffel  with  it,  level  with  the  ri- 
ver below,  and  then  open  the  gates  themfelves,  and  let  the  Veffel 
out;  the  uppers/wall  the  while  being  drove  too,  and  kept  fo 
faft  by  the  water  above,  that  little  of  it  can  follow.  And  thus  the 
boats  go  down  ftream. 

46.  But  when  they  return,  they  are  firft  let  into  the  inclofed 
(pace  (where  the  water  (lands  conftantly  level  with  that  of  the  low- 
er channel')  at  the  lower  gates,  which  as  foon  as  (hut  again,  the 

/luces  are  opened  at  theuppermoft  gates,  and  the  water  let  in,  till 
it  rifes  with  the  boat  upon  it,  to  be  equal  with  that  of  the  river 
above :  this  done,  the  upper  gates  are  eafily  opened  as  before, 
there  being  no  prefTure  upon  them,  and  the  boat  let  out.  So  that 
notwithstanding  the  Channel  has  much  fteeper  defcents  where 
thefe  Turn-pikes  are  fet,  than  at  any  of  the  Locks,  yet  the  boats 
pafs  at  thefe  with  much  more  eafe  and  fafety.  Notwithftand- 
ing  thefe  provisions,  the  River  Thames  is  not  made  fo  perfectly 
Navigable  to  Oxford,  but  that  in  dry  times,  barges  do  fomtimes  lie 
aground  three  weeks,  or  a  month,  or  more,  as  we  have  had  fad 
experience  this  laft  Summer  ;  which  in  great  meafure  no  doubt 
might  be  prevented,  were  there  a  convenient  number  of  Locks,  or 
Holds  for  water,  made  in  the  River  Cherwel  above  Oxford,  to  let 
down  fla/hes  as  occasion  iliould  ferve  ;  and  fo  again  out  of  the 
River  Eennet  near  Reading,  the  Lodden,  ipc* 

47.  Not  impertinent  hereunto  is  a  contrivance  for  Fifh-ponds, 
that  I  met  with  at  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Philip  Hat  court's  at 
Stanton  Harcourt,  where  the  /lews  not  only  feed  one  another,  as 
the  Ponds  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Clarendon  at  Corn- 
bury,  Sir  Timothy  Tyrrils  at  Shot -over- Forresl,  and  the  worfhipful 
BromeWhorwoods  ztHolton,  istc.  and  may  be  fewed  by  letting  the 
water  of  the  upper  Ponds  out  into  the  lower  5  but  by  afide  Ditch 
cut  along  by  them,  and  S luces  out  of  each,  may  be  any  of  them 
emptyed,  without  letting  the  water  into,  or  giving  the  leaft  di- 
sturbance to  any  of  the  reft:  which  being  a  convenience  that  I 
never  met  with  before,  and  perhaps  unknown  to  many,  I  thought 
good  to  mention. 

48.  Amongft 


OfOXPOT^-StitXE.  ft» 

r—  - 

48.  Amongft  the  Wdter -works  of  Pleafure,  we  muft  not  forget 
an  Engine  contrived  by  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God*  John 
Wilkins,  Jate  Lord  Bilhop  of  Chefier,  when  he  was  Warden  of 
Wadham  College,  though  long  fince  taken  thence ;  whereby,  of  but 
few  gallons  of  water  forced  through  a  narrow  Figure,  he  could 
raife  a  mift  in  his  Garden,  wherein  a  perfon  placed  at  a  due  di- 
ftance  between  the  Sun  and  the  mijl}  might  fee  an  exquifite  Rdin^ 
love  in  all  its  proper  colours  i  which  diftance  I  conceive  was  the 
fame  with  that  afligned  by  Des  Cartes,  vi^,  where  the  Eye  of  the 
Beholder  is  placed  in  an  angle  of  4Z  degrees,  made  by  the  decuffa- 
ticn  of  the  line  of  Vifion,  and  the  rays  of  the  Sun  ;  and  the  Fifure 
fuch  another  as  in  his  Diagram  h.  But  what  kind  of  Instrument  it 
was  that  forced  the  water,  I  dare  not  venture  to  relate,  the  defcri- 
ption  given  me  of  it  being  but  lame  and  imperfect. 

49.  Nor  can  Ipafs  by  unmentioned,  a  Clock  that  I  met  with 
at  Hanwell,  at  the  Houfe  of  the  Right  worftiipful  Sir  Anthony 
Cope,  that  moves  by  water,  and  (hews  the  hours,  by  the  rife  of  a 
new  guilded  Sun  for  every  hour,  moving  in  a  fmall  Hemisphere  of 
wood,  each  carrying  in  their  Centers  the  number  of  fome  hour 
depi&ed  black. ;  as  fuppofe  of  one  a  clock,  which  afcending  half 
way  to  the  Zenith  of  the  arch,  fhews  it  a  quarter  paft  one,  at  the 
Zenitbhzlf  hour;  whence  descending  again  halfway  towards 
the  Horizon,  three  quarters  paft  one  ;  and  at  laft  abfconding  under 
i:,  chere  prefently  arifes  another  guilded  Sun  above  the  #ori^)tf  at 
the  other  fide  of  the  arch,  carrying  in  its  center  the  figure  two  : 
andfo  of  the  reft.  Which  ingenious  device,  though  taken  out 
of  Bettinus l,  who  calls  it,  aquarii  Automates  ingenioftffimi  horari- 
am  operationem  :  yet  being  fince  improved  by  that  ingenious  Per/on^ 
and  applyed  to  other  ufes,  particularly  of  a  Pfeudo-perpetual  mo- 
tion  made  by  the  defcent  of  feveral  guilt  bullets  upon  an  indented 
declivity,  fucceffively  delivered  by  a  wheel  much  of  the  fame  fa- 
brick  with  the  Tympanum  of  the  Water-clock-,  fo  that  they  feem  ftill 
the  fame :  I  could  not  but  in  juftice  take  notice  of  it* 

50.  There  are  fome  other  Water-works  at  the  fame  Sir  Anthony 
Copes,  in  a  Houfe  of  diver fion  built  in  a  fmall  l/land  in  one  of  the 
Fijh-ponds,  Eaft  ward  of  his  houfe,  where  a  ball  is  toft  by  a  column 
of  water,  and  artificialj^Wm  defcend  at  pleafure ;  within  which 
they  can  yet  fo  place  a  candle,thzt  though  one  would  think  it  muft 

*  Dei Cartes  Meteoror.caf.%.     '  Marti  Bettim  JErariiThilofoph.Mathemat.Tam-zExodw^.  &ult. 

G  g  2  needs 


27,6  The  Statural  Hiflory 

needs  be  overwhelmed  with  wate r,  it  (hall  not  be  extinguifht,  fac. 
But  the  Waterworks  that  furpafs  all  others  of  the  County,  are 
thofeof  Enfton,  at  the  Rock  firft  discovered  by  Tho.  BufhellEXq; 
about  4  or  5  and  forty  years  fince,  who  cleanfingthe  Spring  then 
called  Goldwell,  though  quite  over-grown  with  bryars  and  bufhes, 
to  place  a  Ciflern  for  his  own  drinking,  met  with  a  Rock  fo  won- 
derfully contrived  by  Nature  her  felf,  that  he  thought  it  worthy 
of  all  imaginable  advancement  by  Art. 

51.  Whereupon  he  made  Cifterns,  and  laid  divers  Pipes  be- 
tween the  Rocks,  and  built  a  houfeover  them,  containing  one 
fair  room  for  banquetting,  and  feveral  other  fmall  Clofets  for  divers 
ufes,  befide  the  rooms  above  ;  which  when  finifht  in  the  year 
1636.  together  with  the  Rock,  Grove,  Walks,  and  all  other  the 
appurtenances,  were  all  on  the  23d  of  Augufl,  by  the  faid  Tho. 
Buftel Efq;  prefented  to  the  then  Queens  moft  excellent  Majefty, 
who  in  company  with  the  King  himfelf,  was  gracioufly  pleafed  to 
honor  the  Rock  not  only  with  her  Royal  Prelence,  but  commanded 
the  fame  to  be  called  after  her  own  Princely  Name,  HENRIETTA  : 
At  which  time  as  they  were  entring  it,  there  arofe  a  Hermite  out 
of  the  ground,  and  entertain'd  them  with  a  Speech  ;  returning 
again  in  the  clofe  down  to  his  peaceful  Urn.  Then  was  the  Rock 
prefented  in  a  SWganfwer'd  by  an  Echo,  and  after  that  a  banquet 
prefented  alfo  in  a  Sonnet,  within  the  Pillar  of  the  Table  ;  with 
fome  other  Songs,  all  fet  by  Symon  Ive. 

52.  Which  firuclure,  with  all  the  Ingenious  Contrivances  a- 
bout  it,  continued  in  a  flourilhing  condition  for  fome  few  years, 
till  the  late  unhappy  Wars  coming  on,  it  became  wholly  neglect- 
ed, and  fo  fenfibly  decayed,  till  at  laft  it  lapfed  (being  next  door 
to  ruinc)  into  the  Hands  of  the  Right  Honorable  and  truly  Noble 
Lord,  Edward  Henry  Earl  of  Lichfield,  Lord  of  the  foil;  who 
in  the  year  1 674.  not  only  repaired  the  broken  Ciflerns  and  Pipes, 
but  made  a  fair  addition  to  it,  in  a  fmall  Ifland  fituate  in  the  paf- 
fage  of  a  Rivulet,  juft  before  the  building  fet  over  the  Rock; 
which  though  the  laft  in  erection,is  yet  the  firft  thing  that  prefents 
it  felf  in  the  exterior  Profteft  of  the  whole  work,  Tab.  11.  where- 
in the  Figures, 

1.1.  Shew  the  water  of  the  Rivulet. 

2.2.  The  Ifland  in  the  middle  of  it, 

3.  3.  the 


0fOXFO<Hp-SHl%E.  ztf 

3.3.  the  Pales  round  it  /landing  on  afione  wall. 

4.  An  artificial  Rock  ereftedin  the  middle  of  the  Ifland,  co* 
vered  with  living  aqueous  Plants. 

5.  The  Keeper  of  the  Water-works  that  turns  the  Cocks. 

6.  A  Canopy  of  water  caff  over  the  Rock,  by 

7.  an  Inftrument  of  Brats  for  that  purpofe. 

8.  A  Column  of  water  rifmg  about  14  foot,  defigned  totofs 
a  Ball. 

999999.  The  fir  earns  of  water  from  about  30  Pipes^r  round 
the  Rock,  that  water  the  whole  Ifland,  and  fportively  wet 
any  perfons  within  it ;  which  moft  people  ^riving  to  avoid, 
get  behind  the  Man  that  turns  the  Cocks,  whom  he  wets  with 

10.  flfpont  of  water  that  he  lets  fly  over  hh  head ;  or  elfe  if 
they  endeavor  to  run  out  of  the  Ifland  over  the  bridge,  with 

11.  12.  which  are  two  other  Spouts,  whereof  that  reprefented 
at  a  1  i,ftrikgs  the  legs,  and  that  at  12  the  reins  of  the  back, 

1 3 .  The  Bridge  over  the  water  lying  on  two  treftlcs. 

14.  The  fteps  leading  into  the  Grove,  and  toward  the  Houfe, 
where  you  pafs  by 

15.  a  Table  of  black.  Marble. 

16.  AC  iftern  offione,  with  five  fyouts  of  water  iffuing  out  of 
a  ball  of  brafs,  in  which  a  fmall Spaniel hunts  a  Duck,  both 
diving  after  one  another,  and  having  their  motion  from  the 
water. 

17.  The  way  up  into  the  banquetting-room  over  the  Rock, 
and other  Clofets,  &c. 

1 8.  Thepajfage  between  the  Ciftern  and  Building. 

1 9 .  The  iron  grate  that  gives  light  to  the  Grot  within. 

20.  Thepajfage  down  to  the  Grot. 

2 1 .  Thewindows  of  the  Banqueting-room. 

22.  The  Grove  and  Walks  behind  and  on  each  end  of  the 
Building. 

53.  Being  now  comedown  into  the  Grot  by  the  paffage  18, 
Tab,  1 1 .  and  landing  at  the  bottom  of  the  slairs,  Tab.  12.  a.  on 
a  large  half  pace  before  it  bb.  The  Rock,  prefents  it  felf  made  up 
of  large  craggy  fiones  with  great  cavities  between  them,  ccc  isre.  out 
of  which  flows  water  perpetually  night  and  day,  dafhingagainft 
the  Rocks  below,  and  that  in  great  plenty  in  the  dryeft  Seafons, 

though 


2,58  The  Statural Hijlory 

though  fed  only  with  a  fingle  Spring  riling  in  a  piece  of  ground 
call'd  Ramfall,  between  Enslon  and  Ludfton.  The  natural  Rock,  is 
about  10  foot  highland  fo  many  in  bredth  ;  fome  fewftelves  of 
lead*/*/,  and  the  top  ftones  only  having  been  added  (eafily  to  be 
diftinguifht  by  their  drynefs)  which  have  advanced  it  in  all  about 
14  foot  high. 

54.  In  the  half  pace  juft  before  the  Compartment  e  e  e,  upon 
turning  one  of  the  cocks  at/  rifes  a  chequer  hedge  of  water,  as  they 
call  it,  ggggl  and  upon  turning  another,  the  two  fide  columns 
of  water,  h  h,  which  rife  not  above  the  height  of  the  natural  rock; 
and  of  a  third,  the  middle  column  i,  which  afcending  into  the 
turn  of  the  Arch,  and  returning  not  again,  is  received  into  hidden 
pipes  provided  for  that  purpofe  :  Into  one  whereof,  terminated 
in  a  very  fmall  Ciflern  of  water  behind  a  flone  of  the  rock. ,  and  ha- 
ving a  mouth  and  Languetjuft:  above  its  furface,  the  air  being  for- 
ced into  it  by  the  approaches  of  the  water,  a  noife  is  made  near 
refembling  the  notes  of  a  Nightingale  :  But  when  that  pipe  is  fil- 
led there  is  then  no  more  finging,  till  the  water  haspaft  away  by 
another  pipe  in  the  lower  part  of  the  rock,  which  when  almoft  done, 
there  is  heard  a  noife  fomwhat  like  the  found  of  a  drum,  perform- 
ed by  the  milling  in  of  air  into  the  hollow  of  the  pipe,  which  is 
large,  and  of  copper,  to  fupply  the  place  of  the  water  now  al- 
moft gon  out ;  which  don,  the  Nightingale  may  be  made  to  fing 
again. 

55.  From  the  turned  roof  of  the  rock,  by  help  of  the  brafs 
inftrument  k->  and  turn  of  a  cock  in  one  of  the  clofets  above,  they 
can  let  down  a  canopy  of  water  //;  from  the  top  alfo  they  can 
throw  arched  [pouts  of  water  eroding  one  another,  and  dafliing 
againft  the  walls,  oppofite  to  thofe  of  their  rife,  as  at  m  n  and  op  ; 
and  others  that  rife  out,  and  enter  in  again  to  the  roof  at  fome  di- 
ftance,  never  falling  down  at  all  at  q  r  and  s  t.  Which  falls  of 
water  miy  be  alfo  delicatly  feen,  turning  the  back  upon  them  as 
well  as  looking  forward,  by  help  of  a  Looking- glafs  placed  in  the 
wall  oppofite  to  them,  which  could  not  be  poiTibly  reprefented 
in  the  Cut.  And  fome  of  thefe  waters  (1  muft  not  fay  which)  be- 
ing often  ufed  by  way  of  [port  to  wet  the  Vifitants  of  the  Grot, 
that  they  might  not  avoid  it  by  running  up  the  flairs,  and  fo  out 
into  the  Grove,  by  turning  a  cock  in  another  of  the  Clofets,  they 
can  let  fall  water  fo  plentifully  in  the  door  u  u,  that  mofrpeople  ra- 
ther 


Of  OXFO%T)-SEl%Et  ii9 

ther  chufe  to  ftay  where  they  are,  than  pafs  through  it :  which  is 
all  concerning  the  inner  Profpecl  of  the  Rock  ;  what  remains  being 
only  a  reprefentation  of  the  Arch  of  ftone  w  w  built  over  it,  with 
two  Niches  xy  one  of  each  fide5and  the  grate  s^at  the  top,  through 
which  they  look  down  out  of  the  Banqueting-rcom  into  the  Grot. 
Of  which  no  n'ore,  but  that  behind  the  Rock  there  is  a  Cellar Tor 
keeping  Liquors  cool,  or  placing  Mufick.,  tofurprife  the  Auditors  ; 
and  behind  that  the  Receivers  of  water  to  fupply  the  Pipes,  (yc 

56.  To  thefe  fucceed  the  Arts  relating  to  Earths,  which  either 
refpeft  the  Tillage,  or  Formation  of  them.  How  many  forts  of 
Soils  I  met  with  in  Oxfordfbire,  viz^  Clay,  Chalk,  and  others  from 
their  different  mixtures  called  Maum,Red-land,S  our  aground,  Stone- 
hrafi,S tony, Sandy, and  Gravelly,were  enumerated  amongft  Earths, 
Chap.  3.  It  remains  that  we  here  give  a  particular  account,  by 
what  Arts  they  are  tilled  to  the  beft  advantage.  And  firft  of 
Clay, 

57.  Which  if  kind  for  Wheat,  as  mod  of  it  is,  hath  its  firft 
tillage  about  the  beginning  of  May  ;  or  as  foonas  Barly  Seafon 
is  over,  and  is  called  the  Fallow,  which  they  fomtimes  make  by 
a  cajiing  tilth,  i.  e.  beginning  at  the  out  fides  of  the  Lands,  and 
laying  the  Earths  from  the  ridge  at  the  top.  After  this,  fome  fhort 
time  before  the  fecond  tilth,  which  they  caMJiirring,  which  is 
ufually  performed  about  the  latter  end  of  June,  or  beginning  of 
July,  they  give  this  Land  its  manure  ;  which  if  Horfe-dung  or 
Sheep- dung,  or  any  other  from  the  Home-Jlall,  or  from  the  Mixen 
in  the  Field,  is  brought  and  fpread  on  the  Land  juft  before  this 
/koH^ploughing :  But  if  it  be  folded  (which  is  an  excellent  ma-* 
nure  for  this  Land,  and  feldom  fails  fending  a  Crop  accordingly 
if  the  Land  be'in  tillage}  they  doit  either  in  Winter  before  the 
fallow,  or  in  Summer  after  it  is  fallowed.  And  thefe  are  the  manures 
of  Clay  Land  in  the  greateft  part  of  Oxford-flire,  only  in  and 
near  the  Chiltern  ;  where  befide  thefe,  it  is  much  enriched  by  a 
foft  mellow  Chalk  that  they  dig  from  underneath  it :  when  it  is 
{lined  it  lies  again  till  the  time  of  fo  wing  Wheat,  except  in  a  moift 
dripping  year,  when  runing  to  thiftles  and  other  weeds,  they  fom- 
times give  it  afecondftirring,  before  the  lafi  for  fowing. 

58.  All  which  tillages  they  are  very  careful  to  give  it  as  dry  as 
may  be,  ridging  it  up  twice  or  thrice  for  every  cajiing  tilth  (/.  e.  in 
the'xr  ftirring,  and  for  fowing ,  beginning  at  the  top  of  the  Land 

and 


24.0  The  Natural  Hiftory 

and  laying  the  Earth  ftill upwards  to  the  ridge')  by  which  means 
both  Land  and  Corn  lie  dryer,  warmer,  and  healthier,   and  the 
Succeeding  Crop  becomes  more  free  from  weeds.      After  it  is  thus 
prepared, they  fow  hw\thWheat,wh\ch  is  its  proper  grain  ;  and  if 
it  be  a  ftrong  ftiff  Clay,  with  that  they  call  Cone-wheat :  and  the 
next  year  after  (it  being  accounted  advantagious  in  all  tillage  to 
change  thegrain)  with  Beans  ;  and  then  ploughing  in  the  bean- 
brufiat  All- Saints,  the  next  year  with  Barly;  and  amongft  the 
feveral  forts  of  that  grain,  if  the  Land  be  rank,   with  that  they 
call  [prat -Barly ;  and  then  the  fourth  year  it  lies  fallow,  when  they 
give  it  Summer  tilth  again,  and  fow  it  with  Winter  Corn  as  before. 
But  at  moft  places  where  their  Land  is  call  into  three  Fields,  it  lies 
fallow  in  courfe  every  third  year,  and  is  fown  but  two  :  the  firft 
with  Wheat,  if  the  Land  be  good,  but  if  mean  with  Mifcellan,  and 
the  other  with  Barly  and  Pulfe  promifcuonfly.   And  at  (omeplaces 
where  it  lies  out  of  their  hitching,  i.  e.  their  Land  for  Pulfe,  they 
fow  it  but  every  fecond  year,  and  there  ufually  two  Crops  Wheat, 
and  the  third  Barly,  always  being  careful  to  lay  it  up  by  ridging 
againft  winter  ;  Clay  Lands  requiring  to  be  kept  high,  and  to  lie 
warm  and  dry,  ftill  allowing  for  Wheat  and  Barly  three  plowingsy 
and  fomtimes  four,  but  for  other  grains  feldom  more  than  one. 
When  at  any  time  they  fow  Peas  on  this  Land,  the  beft  Husband- 
men will  chufe  the  Vale-gray  as  moft  proper  for  it ;  and  if  Fetches, 
the  Gore  or  Pebble-vetch  :  But  if  focold  a  weeping  Clay  that  unfit 
for  thefe,  then  they  improve  it  with  Ray-grafs. 

59.  As  for  the  Chalk- lands  of  the  Chiltern-hills,  though  it  re- 
quires not  to  be  laid  in  ridges  in  refpeft  of  drynefs,  yet  of  warmth 
it  doth:  when  defigned  for  Wheat,  which  is  but  feldom,  they 
give  it  the  fame  tillage  with  Clay,  only  laying  it  mfour  or  fix  fur- 
row'd  Lands,  and  foiling  it  with  the  beft  mould,  or  dung  but  half 
rotten,  to  keep  it  from  binding,wh\ch  are  its  moft  proper  manures ; 
and  fo  for  common  Barly  and  winter  Vetches,  with  which  it  is  much 
more  frequently  fown,  thefe  being  found  the  more  Suitable  grains. 
But  if  it  be  of  that  pooreft  fort  they  call  white-land,  nothing  is  fo 
proper  as  ray-grafs  mixt  with  Non-fuch,  or  Melilot  Trefoil,  accord- 
ing as  prefcribedin  Chap.  6.  §.  33. 

60.  If  the  Land  be  of  that  fort  they  call  Maumy,  confiding  of 
a  mixture  of  White-clay  and  Chalk,  and  fomwhat  of  Sand,  which 
caufes  it  to  work  fo  fhort  if  any  thing  dry,   it  is  commonly  fown 

with 


Of  0  XFO%fD~SHl%E.  2+i 

with  all  forts  of  Wheat,  Mifcellan,  Barly,  (src.  having  the  fame  til- 
lage, and  requiring  to  be  kept  high,  and  to  lie  dry  and  warm  as 
the  Clay  doth,  only  its  moft  proper  manure  is  the  rottenesl  dung  $ 
and  as  they  fow  Beans  next  after  Wheat  in  clay  grounds,  in  this 
they  judge  Peas  a  more  agreeable  grain,  and  take  care  in  their 
feed-time  that  the  weather  be  fair,  and  fetled  ;  for  if  there  happen 
but  afmart  fhower  prefently  after  they  have  fown^  it  will  bind 
fo  fall:,  that  the  feed  in  great  part  will  be  utterly  loft  ;  whereas  if 
they  have  but  one  or  two  dry  nights,  all  fucceeds  well  enough* 

6 1.  If  Bed-land ,  whereof  there  are  fome  quantities  in  the 
North  and  Weft  of  Oxford-fiire,  it  muft  have  its  tillage  as  foon  in 
the  year  as  pofiibly  may  be,  before  the  clay,  where  they  are  in 
competition,  becaufe  it  will  not  endure  the  fcorching  tillage  that 
clay  will  do,  and  therefore  muft  have  it  before  the  Sun  get  to  near 
the  Crab  :  if  it  be  moift  when  fallowed,  fo  it  be  not  too  wet,  it  is 
the  better.  This  never  requires  a  double  ftirring^  nor  muft  be 
made  toofineznd.  light,  for  then  it  runs  to  May-weed,  or  Matherni 
as  they  call  it ;  yet  the  manure  for  clay  does  very  Well  with  it,  but 
the  mixt  manure  of  Horfe-dung  and  Cove-dung  together,  they  fay 
does  beft  of  any  :  Nor  is  the  Sheep-fold  amifs  either  Winter  or 
Summer, which  muft  all  be  applyed  before  fiirring,  and  ploughed 
in  ;  if  for  wheat,  about  the  latter  end  of  July,  or  beginning  of  Au- 
guft;  if  for  barly,  later  in  the  year,  as  the  time  and  feafon  gives 
leave.  This  Land,  like  clay,  bears  wheat,  mifcellan, harly-,  and^y, 
in  their  order  very  well,  and  lies  fallow  every  other  year,  where  it 
falls  out  of  their  hitching. 

62.  There  is  another  fort  of  ground  in  this  County  which  they 
call  Sour-land,  which  muft  have  its  tilth  according  to  its  ftate  and 
condition  when  they  fet  about  it ;  if  it  have  a  faongfwarth  on  it, 
then  they  caft  to  give  it  a  fallow,  when  the  Sun  is  prety  well  en- 
ter''d  Cancer ;  and  this  they  call  a  fcalding- fallow,  which  kills  the 
grafs  roots,  and  makes  the  Land  fine ;  But  if  it  be  light,  and  as 
they  term  it,  hath  little  skin  on  the  back,  they  either  leave  it  for 
cooler  tillage,  or  plough  it  early  in  the  year  as  foon  as  their  clay  is 
fallow  td,2.nd  then  there  will  faring  fome  fpiring-grafs  that  will  keep 
it  from  fcorching  in  the  Summer ;  for  if  they  fuffer  it  to  be  fcorch- 
ed  when  it  is  light  before,  all  their  Art  and  Manure  will  never  pro- 
cure a  good  Crop  of  it. 

Hh  63.  The 


2/^.z  The  Natural  Hijlory    . 

63.  The  Sheep- fold  is  good  for  this  Land  winter  and  fummer, 
they  manure  it  alfo  with  the  Dung-cart,  if  near  home,  before  the 
slirring  ;  but  Pidgeons  dung  is  the  mod  proper  for  this  fort  of  foil, 
becaufe  it  is  for  the  moft  part  very  cold  Land,  and  fo  is  Mault-dufi 
in  a  larger  quantity,  both  fown  with  the  winter-corn  and  ploughed 
in  with  it,  for  then  it  lies  warm  at  the  roots  of  the  Corn  all  win- 
ter, and  correfts  the  crudities  of  the  rains  and  fro/is,  makes  the 
Corn  cover  the  ground  fooner  than  ordinary,  and  holds  the  moi- 
fture  of  the  Spring  longer  with  it ;  and  in  (hort  (if  thus  order- 
ed) brings  a  certain  Crop.  It  muft  not  be  ftirred  or  fown  very 
wet,  for  then  it  proves  uneafle  both  for  Man  and  Beaft,  nor  will 
it  be  kind  for  Corn,  it  being  then  very  hard  to  cover  it  with  the 
barrows.  It  is  a  good  Land  for  wheat  or  mifcellan,  when  it  is  fine, 
efpeciallyif  in  condition  for  zfcalding  fallow,  and  accordingly  is 
fown  with  that  and  barly  by  turns  to  change  the  grain  ;  and  when 
it  falls  in  a  Peas  quarter,  feldom  fails  of  a  good  burthen,  though 
fomtimes  it  doth  not  kid  very  well,  which  yet  poffibly  may  be 
prevented  by  fowingthe  Cotfwold  Pea,  which  I  guefs  the  moft  a- 
greeable  to  this  fort  ok  ground'.  But  if  too  wet  for  thefe,  the  rath- 
ripe  Vetch  is  fitteft  for  it. 

64.  In  fome  parts  of  the  County  they  have  another  fort  of  Land 
they  call  Stone-brafi,  confifting  of  a  light  lean  Earth  and  a  fmall 
Rubble-ftone,  or  elfe  of  that  and  four ground  mixt  together,  which 
are  alfo  tilled  according  to  their  prefent  condition  ;  for  if  they  be 
grafte,  which  they  otherwife  czMfwardji,  they  fallow  them  pretty 
late,  but  not  fo  hot  and  fcorchingzs  four  ground,  becaufe  they  will 
not  bear  fuch  tillage  :  But  if  they  befcary,  as  they  word  it,  i.  e. 
have  no  skjn  or fward  upon  them,  they  either  fold  them  in  winter, 
and  the  Jbeeps  dung  with  addition  of  fome  hay  feeds,  will  help  them 
to  get  grafie ;  or  elfe  they  lay  upon  them  in  the  beginning  of  the 
faring,  old  thatch  01  fir  aw,  or  the  moft  ftrawy  part  of  the  dung- 
hill, earth  out  of  ditches,  the  Jlovelings  of  a  dirty  Court,  or  the 
like., which  fpread  thin  will  aflift  the  grafs  in  its  growth  ;  which 
muft  necefTarily  be  had,  for  they  hold  it  (in  fome  parts  of  the 
County  at  leaft)  for  a  general  Rule,  that  if  thefe  forts  of  Land  have 
not  (ward on  them  before  they  are  fallowed,  they  will  by  no  means 
bring  a  kind  Crop,  but  great  ftore  of  Mony-wort ,  May-weed , 
i$c. 

65.  This  done  in  September,  Oclober,  November,  and  fomtimes 

in 


ofOXFO%T>'SHl%E.    .         243 

in  December,  they  fallow  them  as  theiryWr^  direct,  and  if  in  ei- 
ther of  the  two  laft  months,  are  called  Winter -fallows,  and  are  ne- 
ver ftirred  at  all,  but  fowed  with  Barly  upon  the  fecond  earth  irt 
the  beginning  of  fowing,  becaufe  then  they  work  moft  kindly,  and 
will  bear  cold  weather  better  than  when  more  finely  tilled.  Thefe 
Lands  will  alfo  bear  Wheat  and  Mifcellan  indifferently  well  in  a  kind 
year,  but  not  fo  well  as  clay,  four-ground,  or  red-land ;  but  they 
bear  a  fine  round  barly  and  thin  ikin'd,  efpecially  if  they  be  kept 
in  heart :  They  lie  every  other  year  fallow  (as  other  Lands')  except 
where  they  fall  among  the  Peas  quarter,  and  there  after  Peas  they 
are  fown  with  Barly,  and  lie  but  once  in  four  years.  Thefe  are 
fownalfo  many  times  with  Dills  or  Lentils,  and  when  quite  worn 
out,  or  foppor  that  they  will  bear  nothing  elfc  to  advantage,they 
are  yet  fit  for  Ray-grafs  mixt  with  Trefoil,  as  prefcribed  above  in 
the  Chapter  of  Plants. 

66.  There  is  a  fort  of  tillage  they  fomtimes  ufe  on  thefe  Lands 
in  the  faring  time,  which  they  call  ftreak.- fallowing ;  the  manner 
is,  to  plough  owe  furrow  and  leave  one,  fo  that  the  Land  is  but 
half  of  it  ploughed,  each  ploughed  furrow  lying  on  that  which 
is  not  fo  :  when  it  is  (lined  it  is  then  clean  ploughed,  and  laid  (o 
fmooth,  that  it  will  come  at  fowing  time  to  be  as  plain  as  before. 
This  is  done  when  thefe  Lands  are  not  fwardy  enough  to  bear  clean 
tillage,  nor  callow  or  light  enough  to  lie  to  get  fward,  the  intent  is 
to  keep  the  Sun  from  fcorching  them  too  much  :  But  in  moft 
places  they  think  this  way  of  tillage  wears*  their  Z,<Wtoofaft,and 
therefore  feldom  ufe  it. 

6j.  Asfor  finny  Land,  whereof  there  is  but  little  can  be  pro-' 
perly  fo  called  but  in  the  Chiltern  Country,  they  give  it  for  Wheat, 
Peas,  and  Barly,  much  the  fame  tillage  and  manure,  they  do  Clay 
in  other  places,  adding  the  advantage  of  chalking  it,  which  they 
have  not  elfewhere  for  then  clay  grounds,  by  which  they  much 
enrich  it  for  fome  years,  {o  that  it  bears  excellent  wheat,  barly, 
feas  •  of  which  laft  thofe  they  call  Hampjhire-kids ,  if  the  Land 
be  new  chalkt,  are  counted  moft  agreeable  ;  where  by  the  way  let 
"  it  be  noted,  that  I  faid  but  for  fome  years,  for  when  once  the 
manure  by  chalk  is  worn  out,  the  Land  is  fcarce  recoverable  by 
any  other,  whence  'tis  Proverbial 'here,  as  well  as  fome  other  parts 
of  England,  That  chalkt  Landmakes  a  rich  Father  but  a  poor  Son, 
thereby  intimating  the  ruin  of  the  Land  in  the  end,  it  becoming 

Hh  2  at 


244  ^oe  ^Cj^ural  Hifiory 

at  laft  only  fit  for  Ray-grafs,  mixt  with  Trefoil  as  above. 

68.  Laftly,  then  finely  and  gravelly  light  ground,  hasalfo  much 
the  fame  tillage  for  wheat  and  barly,  as  clay,  (src.  only  they  require 
many  times  but  two  ploughings,  efpecially  if  for  wheat,  except  the 
fallow  be  run  much  to  weeds,  and  then  indeed  they  fomtimes  afford 
\taftirring,  elfe  none  at  all .  Itsmoft  agreeable  grains -die,  white, 
red,  and  mixt  Lammas  wheats,  and  mifcellan,  i.  e.  wheat  and  rye  to- 
gether, and  then  after  a  years  fallow,  common  or  rathe-ripe  barly  '- 
fo  that  it  generally  lies  frill  every  other  year,  it  being  unfit  for 
hitching,  i.  e.  Beans  and  Peas,  though  they  fomtimes  fow  it  with 
whiter  Vetches ;  and  if  ever  with  Peas,  the  fmall  rathe-ripes  are  ac- 
counted the  bed  :  Its  moil  agreeable  manure  is  of  ftraw,  from  the 
Clcfe  or  Mhen  half  rotten,  which  keeps  it  open,  and  fufTers  it  not 
to  bind  too  much,  where  fubjeft  to  it ;  but  if  otherwife,  the  rot- 
teneft  dung  is  the  beft. 

69.  Whereof,  as  upon  all  other  Lands  before  mention'd,  they 
lay  about  1 2  loads  upon  a  common  Field  acre,  i.  e.  about  20  upon 
a  Statute  acre  ;  but  I  find  the  bufinefs  of  manuring  Land  to  have  a 
great  latitude,Uen  doing  it  here  many  times  not  according  to  their 
judgment,  but  according  to  the  quantities  they  have,  fo  that  where 

the  quantities  of  manure  are  but  fmall  and  the  tillage  is  great,  the 
cafe  is  much  otherwife,  than  where  both  tillage  and  manure  are 
in  a  contrary  condition.  But  however  the  cafe  (land,  I  find  this 
a  general  Rule  amongft  them,  that  they  always  foil  that  Land  firft 
and  beft,  which  is  to  bear  three  Crops ;  one  on  the  tillage,  another 
of  beans  and  peas,  and  a  third  of  barly,  on  the  beans  or  peas  brufh  ; 
all  which  depend  upon  the  fingle  manure  given  it  when  it  lay  fallow 
for  wheat '  though  I  have  known  this  order  frequently  inverted 
by  the  beft  Husbandmen  on  their  richeft  Lands,  fowing  barly  firft, 
then  peas  or  beans,  and  their  wbeai  laft,  for  which  they  allege  this 
very  good  reafon,That  wheat  following  the  dung  Cart  on  their  beft 
Land,  is  the  more  liable  to  fmut. 

70.  And  fo  much  for  the  ordinary  Manures  of  this  County, 
there  being  two  others  yet  behind,  viz^  Chippingsofslone,  and  woolen 
rags,  not  altogether  fo  common,  which  I  have  therefore  thought 
fit  to  confider  apart  ,•  theirs!  whereof  I  met  with  at  Hornton  near 
Banbury,  where  the  chippings  of  the  (lone  they  hew  at  their  Quarry, 
proves  a  very  good  manure  for  their  Ground  thereabout,  and  is 
accordingly  madeufe  of,  by  reafon  no  doubt  of  a  filt  that  flone 

holds 


OfOXFO%T>^Hl^E.  m 

holds,  which  being  diflblved  by  the  weather-,  is  imbibe  d  by  the 
Earth,  as  hinted  before  in  Chap.  4.  of  this  Effay. 

7  r.  The  2d  fort  I  firft  obferved  about  Watlington,  and  the  two 
Britwels,  where  they  ftrew  them  on  their  Land  with  good  fuccefs ; 
&  I  have  heard  fince  of  feveral  other  places  where  they  do  the  fame. 
To  this  purpofe  they  purchafe  Taylers  fhreds,  which  yet  retain- 
ing fomwhat  of  the  fait  of  the  Fulling- earth  with  which  they  were 
dreft,  do  well  enough  ;  but  I  judge  them  not  fo  good  as  other 
old  rags  firft  worn  by  men  and  women,  which  muft  needs  befide  be 
very  well  fated  with  urinous  fa  Its,  contracted  from  the  freat  and 
continual  perftiration  attending  their  Bodies.      And  in  this  Opini- 
on I  am  confirmed  by  Sancl.  Sancloriut,  who  is  pofitive,  that  our 
infenfible  evacuations,  tranfcend  all  ourfenfible  ones  put  together  k,  to 
that  eycefs,  that  of  eight  pounds  weight  of  meat  and  drink,  be  taken 
by  a  man  in  one  day,  bk  infenfible  transpirations  ufe  to  amount  to  five  \ 
Now  if  fo,  our  deaths  muft  needs  be  fo  filled  with  a  well  rectified 
fait,  left  behind  in  the  percolation  of  the  fleams  of  our  bodies,  that 
there  can  be  nothing  more  rational,  if  well  confidered,  then  that 
they  fliould  be  a  very  fit  manure  for  Land,  when  unfit  for  other 
ufes. 

72.  As  to  the  quantities  of  Corn  fown  on  the  fldtute  Acre,  they 
differ  much  in  proportion  to  the  richnefsof  m?annefsofthe  land; 
about  two  bufiels  of  wheat  and  vetches,  two  buf/jels  and  \oibarly, 
oats,  and  peas,  and  a  quarter  of  ^2/7*  fufficing  the  poorer  ;  where- 
as the  richer  Land  mil  take  up  three  bufiels  or  more  of  wheat  or 
vetches,  three  bufiels  and  \  or  upwards  of  barly,  oats,  peas,  and 
fomtimes  fix  bufiels  of  beans  :  Yet  I  have  known  fome  able  Huf- 
bandmen  afford  more  Seed  to  their  poor  than  rich  Land,  giving 
this  reafon,  That  the  Seed  in  the  rich  does  Hilar  t  i.  e.  fprout  into 
feveral  blades  and  fpread  on  the  ground,  whereas  on  the  poor 
Land  its  fprouts  come  all  fingle,  which  therefore,  fay  they,  re- 
quires the  more  feed. 

73.  In  the  choice  of  their  feed  they  have  a  double  re fpeft, 
firfcto  the  grain  itfelf,  andfecondly  to  the  AWit  grew  on.  As 
to  the  firft,  they  take  care  that  it  be  clear  of  all  manner  of  feeds ; 
that  it  be  handfom  round  Corn,  of  an  equal  cize,  which  fome  of 
them  call  Even  fiooting  Corn,  or  well  brefied ;  fuch  Corn  being  for 
the  moft  part  full  of  kernel,  and  the  likelieft  to  give  ftrongrcots. 

k  S.  Sznclorli Medic'ma: Statiae,  Lib.  i.fett.i.  Aphorism.  4.     '  Ibid  Aphorifm  6- 

And 


2^,6  '  The  Natural  Hiflory 

And  in  refpeft  of  the  foil,  they  conftantly  choofe  Corn  that  grew 
on  landoi  a  quite  different  nature  from  that  it  is  to  be /own  on  ; 
but  in  general,,  they  defire  it  from  land  that  is  weW'm  heart,  and 
rich  in  its  kind.  If  they  are  to  fow  wheat  upon  tillage,zhey  choofe 
wheat  fown  before  upon  bean  Stubs,  and  when  they  fow  upon  peas 
or  bean  Hubs,  wheat  fown  before  on  tillage ;  for  Clay  ground  they 
have  their  feed  from  Red-land  or  Chalk. ,  is  vice  verfa ;  for  the  o- 
ther  foils,  that  from  Clay  is  efteemed  the  beft,  though  that  from 
Red-land  is  little  inferior;  for  barly  they  count  that  beft  which 
comes  of  new  broken  laud',  and  for  the  reft,  none  fo  good  as 
thofe  that  come  from  the  richeft  foils. 

74.  Before  they  fow,  if  the  place  be  fubject  to  the  annoyan- 
ces of  Smutting,  Meldews,  Birds,  istc.  they  take  care  to  prevent 
them  either  in  the  preparing  or  choice  of  their  grain.  Againft 
fmutting  they  both  brine  and  lime  their  Corn,  fome  making  their 

brine  of  urin  and  fait ;  or  elfe  fow  red-ftraw^d wheat,  which  is  the 
leaft  fubjeft  to  it  of  any.  To  prevent  meldews,  fome  fow  prety 
early,  judging  Corn  moft  fubjeft  to  that  annoyance  when  fown 
late ;  or  elfe  make  choice  of  the  long  bearded  Cone,  that  being  the 
lcaft  fubjecl:  of  any  wheat  yet  known  to  the  inconveniencies  of 
meldews,  and  of  being  eaten  by  Birds,  and  therefore  alfo  fitteft 
to  be  fown  in  fmall  Inclojures,  as  noted  before  in  the  fixth  Cha- 
pter. 

75 .  In  Sowing  they  have  their  feveral  methods,  vi%,  the  (ingle 
Caft,  the  double  C ajl ;  and  as  they  call  it  about  Burford,  the  Hack- 
ney bridle,  or  riding  Caff.  The  fingle  Caft  fows  a  Land  at  one  bout ; 
the  double  Caft  is  twice  in  a  place,  at  two  different  bouts,  viz. 
once  from  furrow  to  ridge,  and  afterwards  from  ridge  to  furrow. 
The  Hackney  bridle  is  two  cafts  on  a  Land  at  one  time,  and  but 
once  about,  though  I  find  thefe  two  latter  fomtimes  confounded, 
their  names  being  interchangably  applyed  in  different  parts  of  the 
County.  The  fir  ft  way  is  feldom  ufed  amongftthem,  only  by  the 
ancienteft  Seeds-men ;  the  fecond  is  their  ufual  and  moft  certain 
way  ;  the  laft,  though  the  neweft  faChion,  is  but  feldom  ufed  yet, 
though  fome  have  tryed  it  with  good  fuccefs,  and  perhaps  may 
hereafter  bring  it  more  in  praftice,  it  having  more  fpeed  than  the 
double  Caft  to  recommend  it  to  ufe.  They  have  alfo  a  way  of  fow- 
ing  in  the  Chiltern  Country  ,which  is  called  fowing  Hentings,  which 
is  done  before  the  Plough,  the  Corn  being  caft  in  a  ftraight  line 

Jiift 


OfOXFO%V-SHl1\E,  itf 

juft  where  theplougb  muft  come,  and  is  prefently  ploughed  m.  By 
this  way  of /owing  they  think  they  fave  much  feed  and  other 
charge,  a  dexterous  Boy  being  as  capable  of  fowing  this  way  out 
of  his  hat,  as  the  moft  judicious  Seeds-man.  But  of  this  way 
more  hereafter,  when  I  come  into  Buckingham-fiire. 

76.  Thus  having  run  through,  the  Tillage,  Manures,  Quantities 
and  choice  of  Seed,  and  the  feveral  ways  of  fowing  the  Soils  of 
this  County,  I  proceed  to  the  lnflruments  ufed  in  their  tillage :  A- 
mongil  which,  the  Plough  being  the  beft,  becaufe  the  moftufeful 
Engine  in  the  World,  deferves  the  firft  place  ;  of  which  there 
are  two  forts  ufed  in  Oxford-fbire,  the  Foot,  and  Wheel-plough  ; 
whereof  the  firft  is  ufed  in  deep  and  Clay  Lands,  being  accord- 
ingly fitted  with  a  broad  fin  fhare,  and  the  Horfes  going  always  in 
a  firing  and  keeping  the  furrow,  to  avoid  poching  the  Land  ;  and 
the  fecond'm  the  lighter  and  ftony  Land,  the  Horfes  either  going  in 
a  firing,  or  two  a  breaft,  according  as  thought  moft  fuitable  to 
the  tillage  in  hand  m :  This  Plough  when  ufed  in  ftony  Land,  is 
armed  with  a  roundpointed  fhare,  having  alfo  near  the  chep  of  the 
Plough  a  fmailyfoz  to  cut  the  roots  of  the  grafs,  for  in  this  Land 
the  broad  fin  jumps  out  of  the  ground.  The  foot  plough  does  beft 
at  the  henting,  i.  e.  ending  of  a  Land,  it  going  clofe  up  to  a  hedge, 
and  not  being  fubje'cc  to  over-throw ;  whereas  the  wheel  plough, 
if  care  and  difcretion  do  not  meet  in  the  holder,  is  apt  to  over- 
throw there,  the  Land  being  ridged  ;  but  goes  much  morelight- 
fom  and  eafie  for  the  Horfes  than  the  foot  plough  doth,  which  is 
the  fum  of  the  Conveniences  and  Inconveniencies  of  both. 

77.  After  Ploughing  and  Sowing,  they  cover  their  Corn  with 
Harrows,  whereof  fome  have  4,  5,  or  6  bulls,  or  /pars  apiece,  each 
of  them  armed  with  five  tines,  and  of  a  fquare  form  a$  at  moft  o~ 
ther  places.  But  at  Whitfield,  near  Sir  Thomat  Tif pings,  I  faw  a 
great  weighty  triangular  Harrow,  whofe  tines  ftood  not  in  rows 
after  the  manner  of  others,  its  ufe  being  in  ground  much  fubjecl  to 
Quitch -grafs,  whofe  roots  it  feems  continually  palling  between  the 
tines  of  other  Harrows,  are  not  fo  eaflly  dragged  forth  by  them,  as 
this,  whofe  tines  ftand  not  in  rows,  and  is  drawn  with  one  of  the 
Angles  fore-moft,  after  the  manner  of  a  Wedge  :  Yet  I  could  not 
find  it  anfwer'd  expectation  fo  well  as  to  obtain  in  other  places, 
moft  thinking  the  great  fquare  Bull  harrow,  drawn  by  the  fecond 

"  On  light  Land  fome  count  the  treading  of  double  Cattle  advantageous  to  it. 

bull 


1$  The  Statural  Hijlory 

bull  on  the  near  fide  of  the  harrow,  to  take  the  Grafs  much  better 
than  that. 

78.  But  the  worft  ground  to  harrow  of  all  others  is  new  broken 
Land,  the  parts  of  its  furrows  being  commonly  fo  faft  knit  to- 
gether by  the  roots  of  the  grafs,  that  though  great  charge  and 
trouble  be  afforded  in  the  harrowing,  yet  after  all  it  will  notfo 
difperfe  the  Corn,  but  that  it  will  come  up  as  it  fell,  thick  and  in 
ranks  between  the  furrows,  and  fcarce  any  where  elfe.  To  pre- 
vent thefeinconveniencies,  the  Ingenious  Mr,  Sacheverel,  late  of 
Bolfcot,  deceafed,  contrived  a  way  of  howing  the  earth  from  the 
turf  as  foon  as  a  little  dryed,  thereby  firft  laying  his  ground  even 
and  then  fowing  it;  by  which  means  his  feed  not  only  fell  and 
came  up  equally  difperft  in  all  parts  alike,  but  he  found  that  a 
quantity  confiderably  lefs,  did  this  way  ferve  the  turn.  Which 
Experimentht  often  made  with  good  approbation,  the  charge  of 
bowing  not  exceeding  that  of  harrowing,  which  without  it  muft 
be  great,  whereas  after  it,  one  crofs  tine  covers  the  Corn  well  e- 
nough.  , 

79.  After  harrowing,  if  it  hath  been  fo  dry  a  time,  that  the 
ground  has  rifen  in  clods  that  cannot  be  broken  with  harrows,  they 
commonly  do  it  with  a  beetle,  or  big  flick  '  But  a  much  quicker 
way  is  that  I  met  with  about  Biffeter  by  a  weighty  Roll,  not  cut 
round,  but  octangular,  the  edges  whereof  meeting  with  the  clods, 
would  break  them  effectually,  and  with  great  expedition.  I  was 
fhewed  alfo  at  Bolfcot  another  uncommon  Roll,  invented  by  the 
fame  Mr.  Sacheverel  above-mentioned,  cut  neither  fmooth  nor  to 
angles,  but  notched  deep  and  pretty  broad,  after  the  manner  of 
a  Tejfella  or  Lattice,  fo  that  the  protuberant  parts  remained  al- 
moft  as  bi'g  as  the  foot  of  a  Horfe,  by  which  being  large  and  weigh- 
ty, he  could  fo  firmly  prefs  his  light  Land  fubjeft  to  Quich-grafs 
and  other  weeds,  and  fo  fettle  the  roots  of  the  Corn,  that  it  would 
come  up  even  and  well ;  whereas  if  it  had  been  left  hollow  it 
would  certainly  have  been  choaked,  and  came  to  little ;  He  aflert- 
ed,  that  it  alfo  excelled  a  fmooth  Roll,  efpecially  if  the  Seafon 
proved  dry  and  windy,  in  that,  when  a  Field  is  rolled  fmooth, 
the  wind  is  apt  to  blow  the  Earth  from  the  Corn,  whereas  by  this 
the  ground  is  laid  fo  uneven  and  full  of  holes,  like  Chequer -work* 
that  what  the  wind  blows  from  the  ridges,  ftill  falls  into  the  hollows 
between  them,  and  on  the  contrary  gives  the  Corn  the  better  root. 

80.    I  have 


OfOXFQ%cD^Ht%E.  24.9 

So.  I  have  heard  of  another  fort  of  Roll,  of  a  large  diameter, 
and  weighty,  fet  the  whole  length  with  edged  plates  of  Heel,  pro- 
minent from  the  body  of  the  Roll  about  an  inch  and  half;  thus 
contrived  for  the  quicker  cutting  of  turf,  which  drawn  firft  one 
way,  and  crofs  again  at  right  angles,  cuts  the  turf  into  fquares,  in 
bignefs  proportionable  to  the  diftanceof  the  edged  plates  on  the 
Roll,  requiring  no  farther  trouble  afterward,  then  to  be  pared 
off  the  ground  with  a  turfing  Spade,  which  feems  to  promife  well 
for  the  cutting  out  of  Trenches,  Drains,  (yc.  But  this  I  have  not 
feen,  nor  has  it  that  I  know  of,  been  yet  experimented  by  the  in- 
genious Inventor  :  However,  I  thought  fit  to  offer  it  to  the  confi- 
deration  of  Improvers,  and  the  rather  becaufe  it  affords  me  a 
fmooth  tranfition  from  the  confederation  of  the  Arable,  to  the 
Meddow  and  Pa/lure  Lands. 

8 1 .  For  the  Meddow grounds  of  this  County,  as  they  are  numer- 
ous, fo  they  are  fertile  beyond  zWpreference,  for  they  need  no  0- 
ther  compos!  to  be  laid  on  them,  than  what  the  Floods  fpontaneoufly 
give  them,  and  therefore  the  Reader  muft  not  expert  any  methods 
or  rules  concerning  that  affair  here :  Nor  concerning  the  remedies 
of  annoyances,  fuch  as  Sour-grafs,  Moffes,  Rufies,  Sedges,  (src  for 
I  find  none  of  our  meddows  much  troubled  with  them.  As  for 
their  Vp- lands,  when  they  prepare  them  for  grafs,  they  make  them 
as  rich  as  they  can  with  their  molt  fuitabkyoi/j-,  and  lay  thenl  alfo 
dry  to  keep  them  from  Rufies  and  Sedges  ;  if  any  thing  boggy, 
they  ufually  trench  them  ;  but  that  proves  not  furficient,  for 
the  trenches  of  boggy  grounds  will  fwell,  and  fill  up  of  them* 
felvcs. 

82.  To  prevent  which  inconveniency,  I  know  an  ingenious 
Husbandman,  that  having  dug  his  trenches  about  a  yard  deep  and 
two  foot  over,  firft  laid  at  the  bottom  green  Blackthorn  bullies, 
and  on  them  a  flratum  of  large  round  ftones,  or  at  leaft  fuch  as 
would  not  lie  clofe ;  and  over  them  again,  another  flratum  of  Black: 
thorn,  and  upon  themy?;w,  to  keep  the  dirt  from  falling  in  be* 
tween,  and  filling  them  up  :  by  which  means  he  kept  his  trench 
open,  and  procured  fo  conftant  and  durable  a  drain,  that  the  land 
is  fince  funk  a  foot  or  1  8  inches,  and  become  firm  enough  to  fup- 
port  carriages. 

83.  As  for  the  Graffes  fown  in  this  County,  I  have  little  more 
to  add  concerning  them,  but  what  was  faid  before  in  the  Chapter 

Ii  of 


250  The  Statural  Hijlory 

of  Plants,  only  that  it  has  been  found  molt  agreeable  that  Sancl- 
foin,  Ray-grafs,istc.  benotfown  prefently  after  the  Early,  Oats-, 
or  whatever  other  Grain  it  be  fowed  with,  but  rather  after  the 
Corn  is  come  pretty  high,  fo  that  it  may  (belter  the  feed  horn  the 
heat  of  the  Sun,  which,  as  is  apprehended  at  leaft,  is  fomtimes 
prejudicial.  And  that  in  the  Chiltern  Country,  after  they  have 
eaten  oft  their  Ray-grafs  or  Sancl-join,  they  find  it  advantagious 
to  fold  it  with  Sheep,  as  other  Corn-lands  :  which  I  thought  good 
to  note,  it  being,  as  I  am  informed,  but  lately  practifed. 

84.  Amongft  Arts  that  concern  formation  of  Earths,  I  (hall 
not  mention  the  making  of  Pets  at  Marjh-Balden,  and  Nuneham- 
Courtney ;  nor  of  Tobacco-pipes  of  the  White-earth  of  S 'hot- over , 
fince  thofe  places  are  now  deferted.  Nor  indeed  was  there,  that 
I  ever  heard  of,  any  thing  extraordinary  performed  during  the 
working  thofe  Earths,  nor  is  there  now  of  a  very  good  Tobacco- 
pipe  Clay  found  in  the  Parifti  ofHorfpath,  fince  the  Printing  of  the 
third  Chapter  of  this  Hifiory.  Let  it  fuffice  for  things  of  this 
nature,  that  the  ingenious  John  Dwight,  M.  A.  of '  Chrift  Church 
College  Oxon.  hath  difcovered  the  myjlery  of  the  ftone  or  Co- 
logne  Wares  (fuch  as  D"  Alva  Bottles,  Jugs,  Noggins)  heretofore 
made  only  in  Germany,  and  by  the  Dutch  brought  over  into  En- 
gland  in  great  quantities,  and  hath  fet  up  a  manufacture  of  the 
fame,  which  (by  methods  and  contrivances  of  his  own,  altogether 
unlike  thofe  ufed  by  the  Germans)  in  three  or  four  years  time  he 
hath  brought  it  to  a  greater  perfection  than  it  has  attained  where 
it  hath  been  ufed  for  many  Ages,  infomuch  that  the  Company  of 
Glafs-fellers,  London,  who  are  the  dealers  for  that  commodity,  have 
contracted  with  the  Inventor  to  buy  only  of  his  Englifh  manufa- 
cture, and  refufe  the  foreign. 

85.  He  hath  difcovered  alfo  the  myffery  of  the  Heffian  wares, 
and  makes  Veffels  for  reteining  the  penetrating  Salts  and  Spirits 
of  the  Chymifts,  more  (erviceable  than  were  ever  made  in  England, 
or  imported  from  Germany  it  felf. 

86.  And  hath  found  out  ways  to  make  an  Earth  white  and 
tran fpa rent  as  Porcellane,  and  not  diftinguiftiable  from  it  by  the 
Eye,  or  by  Experiments  that  have  been  purpofely  made  to  try 
wherein  they  difagree.  To  this  Earth  he  hath  added  the  colours 
that  are  ufual  in  the  colour'd  China-ware,  and  divers  others  not 
feen  before.  The  (kill  that  hath  been  wanting  to  fet  up  a  manufa- 
cture 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  m 

Slure  of  this  tranfparent  Earthen-ware  in  England,  like  that  of 
China,  is  the  glazing  of  the  white  Earth,  which  hath  much  puz- 
zel'dthe  Projeclor,  but  now  that  difficulty  alfo  is  in  great  meafure 
overcome. 

$j.  He  hath  alfo  caufed  to  be  modelled  Statues  or  Figures  of 
the  faid  tranfparent  Earth  (a  thing  not  done  elfewhefe,  for  China 
affords  us  only  imperfect,  mouldings*)  which  he  hath  diverfified 
with  great  variety  of  colours,  making  them  of  the  colours  of  Iron, 
Copper,  Brafs,  and  party-colour' d,  as  fome  Achat-ftones.  The  con- 
siderations that  induced  him  to  this  attempt,  were  the  Duration 
of  this  hard  burnt  Earth  much  above  brafs,  or  marble,  againft  all 
^z'rand  Weather',  and  the  foftnefs  of  the  matter  to  be  modelled, 
which  makes  it  capable  of  more  curious  work,  than  ftones  that  are 
wrought  with  chifels,  or  metals  that  are  caft.  In  (hort,  he  has  fo 
far  advanced  the  Art  Plaslick.,  that  'tis  dubious  whether  any  man 
fince  Prometheus  have  excelled  him,  not  excepting  the  famous  Da- 
mophilut,  and  Gorgajm  of  Pliny n. 

88.  And  thefe  Arts  he  employs  about  materials  of  Engli/b 
growth,  and  not  much  applyed  to  other  ufes  ;  for  inftance,  He 
makes  the  ftone  Bottles  of  a  Clay  in  appearance  like  to  Tobacco-pipe 
clay,  which  will  not  make  Tobacco-pipes,  though  the  Tobacco-pipe 
clay  will  make  Bottles  ;  fo  that,  that  which  hath  lain  buryed  and 
ufelefs  to  the  Owners,  may  become  beneficial  to  them  by  reafon  of 
this  manufacture,  and  many  working  hands  get  good  livelyhoods ; 
not  to  fpeak  of  the  very  considerable  y^tf?*  of  Engli/fr  Coyn  annual- 
ly kept  at  home  by  it. 

89.  About  Nettle-bed  they  make  a  fort  ofbrickfo  very  ftrong, 
that  whereas  at  moft  other  places  they  are  unloaded  by  hand,  I 
have  feen  thefe  (hot  out  of  the  C art  after  the  manner  of  ftones  to 
mend  the  High-ways,  and  yet  none  of  them  broken ;  but  this  I 
fuppofe  muft  be  rather  afcribed  to  the  nature  of  the  Clay,  than  to 
the  skjll of  the  Artificer  in  making  or  burning  them,  and  Should 
therefore  have  been  mention'd  in  the  Chapter  of  Earths. 

90.  At  Caverftjam,  near  the  Right  Worfhipful  Sir  Anthony 
Cravens  (and  at  fome  other  places)  they  make  a  fort  of  brick 
22  inches  long,  and  above  fix  inches  broad,  which  fome  call 
Lath-bricks^  by  reafon  they  are  put  in  the  place  of  the  Laths  or 
Spars  (fupported  by  Pillars')  in  Oafts  for  drying  mault,  which  is 

•  ttut.Hifi-lib.^.cap.\1. 

Ii   2  the 

I 


252,  The  Natural  Hiflory 

the  only  ufe  of  them,  and  in  truth  I  think  a  very  good  one  too  ; 
for  befide  that  they  are  no  way  liable  to  fire,  as  the  wooden  Laths 
are,  they  hold  the  heat  fo  much  better,  that  being  once  heated,  a 
fmall  matter  of  fire  will  keep  them  fo,  which  are  valuable  advan- 
tages in  the  Profeffion  of  Maulting. 

9 1 .  And  which  brings  me  to  the  Arts  relating  to  Stone,  they 
have  lately  alfo  about  Burford,  made  their  Mault  kills  of  Jione  ; 
the  firft  of  them  being  contrived  after  an  accident  by  fire,  by  Va- 
lentine Strong,  an  ingenious  Mafon  of  Teynton,  much  after  the 
manner  of  thole  of  brick,  which  for  the  benefit  of  other  Coun- 
ties where  they  are  not  known,  I  have  caufed  to  be  delineated  fo 
far  forth  at  leaft,  as  may  be  direction  enough  to  an  ingenious 
Workman,  in  Tab.  13,  Fig.  1,2.  whereof  the  firft  Figure  (hews 
the  front  of  fuch  a  Kill,  and  the  Letters 

a.  The  Kill  bole. 

b.  The  Pillars  thatfupport  the  principal  Joifts. 

c.  The /loping  away  of  the  in  fide  of  the  Oaft. 

d.  The  ends  of  the  Joifts. 

e.  Theftaces  between  the  Joifts/or  the  Laths. 

And  the  fecond  Figure-,  the  fquare  above,  immediatly  fupporting 
the  Oaft-hair  and  the  Mault,  wherein  the  Letters 

f  f.  Jhew  the  Flame- ftone. 

g  g.  The  Pillars  on  which  the  principal  Joifts  lie. 

h  h.  The  principal Joifts. 

i  i.  Tbefiorter  Joifts. 

kk.  The  Laths  between  the  Joifts. 

1 1.  The  (faces  between  the  Laths. 

Which  firft  Kill  of  Valentine  Strong,  built  after  this  manner  in 
ftone,  fucceeded  fo  well,  that  it  hath  fince  obtained  in  many  o- 
ther places  ;  nor  do  I  wonder  at  it,  for  befide  the  great  fecurity 
from/re,  to  which  the  old  Kills  were  very  fubjeft,  thefe  alfo  dry 
the  mault  with  much  lefs/we/,  and  in  a  fhortertime,  than  the  old 
ones  would  do  ;  infomuchthat  I  was  told  by  one  Mr.  Trindar,  an 
ingenious  Gentleman  of  Weft-well,  who  fhewed  me  a  fine  one  of 
his  own  at  Holwell,  that  whereas  he  could  formerly  dry  with  the 
ordinary  Kill  but  two  Quarter s  in  a  day,  he  can  now  dry  fix,  and 
with  as  Utile  fuel.  Now  if  Mauh-kMs  or  Oafts  made  with  ordi- 
nary 


of  0  XFO  %p~S  Ht%E>  .*# 

nary  (lone  prove  foadvantagious,  what  would  one  of  them  do,  if 
the  Joijls  and  Laths  at  leaft  were  made  of  the  Cornifi  warming-flone, 
that  will  hold  heat  well  eight  or  ten  hours  ?  or  of  Spanijh  Ruggi- 
ola's,  which  are  brozdplates  like  tiles,  cut  out  of  a  Mountain  of 
red  fait  near  Cardcna,  which  being  well  heated  on  both  fides,  will 
keep  warm  24  hours  °? 

92.  To  which  may  be  added  the  Invention  of  making  Glaffes 
of  Hones,  and  fome  other  materials,  at  Henly  upon  Thames,  lately 
brought  into  England  by  Seignior  de  Cofta  a  Montferratees,  and  car- 
ryed  on  by  one  Mr.  Raven/croft,  who  has  a  Patent  for  the  fole 
making  them  ;  and  lately  by  one  Mr.  Bifiop.  The  materials  they 
u(ed  formerly  were  the  blacked  Flints  calcined,  and  a  white  Chri- 
ftalline  fand,  adding  to  each  pound  of  thefe,  as  it  was  found  by 
folution  of  their  whole  mixture,  by  the  ingenious  Dr.  Ludwell 
Fellow  of  Wadham  College,  about  two  ounces  of  Niter,  Tar  tar -,  and 
Borax. 

93.  But  the  Glaffes  made  of  thefe  being  fubjeft  to  that  unpar- 
donable fault  called  Crizelling,  caufed  by  the  two  great  quanti- 
ties of  the  Salts  in  the  mixture,  which  either  by  the  adventitious 
Niter  of  the  Air  from  without,  or  warm  liquors  put  in  them, 
would  be  either  increafed  or  diffblved ;  and  thereby  indnre  a  Sca- 
hrities  or  dull  roughnefs,  irrecoverably  clouding  the  tranfparency 
of  the  glafs  •  they  have  chofen  rather  fince  to  make  their  glaffes 
of  a  great  fort  of  white  Pebbles,  which  as  I  am  informed  they 
have  from  the  River  Po  in  Italy  ;  to  which  adding  the  aforemen- 
tioned falts,  but  abating  in  the  -proportions,  they  now  make  a  fort 
of  Pebbleglafs,  which  are  hard,  cjurable,  and  whiter  than  any 
from  Venice,  and  will  not  Crizel ,'  but  endure  the  fevereft  trials 
whatever,  to  be  known  from  the  former  by  a  Seal  fet  purpofelv 
on  them. 

94.  And  yet  I  guefs  that  the  difference,  in  refpefr  ofCrizeling. 
between  the  prefent  Glafs  and  the  former,  lies  not  fo  much  in  the 
Calx,  the  Pebbles  being  Pyrites  (none  but  fflch  I  prefume  being  fit 
for  vitrification)  as  well  as  the  Flints;  but  rather  wholly  in  the  a~ 
batement  of  the  falts,  for  there  are  fome  of  the  Flint  glaffes  frricl- 
ly  fo  called  (whereof  I  have  one  by  me)  that  has  endured  all  try  - 
als  as  well  as  thefe  lafi.  But  if  it  be  found  otherwife,  that  white 
Pebbles  are  really  fitter  for  their  turns  than  black  Flints,  I  think 

•  See  Mr.  WiUu&hbfs  Voyage  through  Spain,  p.  471 . 

they 


254-  Vbe  ^C.aturalHiJlory 

they  have  little  need  to  fetch  them  from  Italy,  there  being  enough 
in  England  of  the  fame  kind,  not  only  to  fupply  this,  but  per- 
haps Foreign  Nations.  Which  is  all  concerning  Arts  relating  to 
Jione  and glafs  ;  except  it  be  alfo  worth  notice,  that  Venerable  Bede 
of  this  Vniverfity,  firft  brought  Building  with/lone,  and  Glafiwin- 
dows  into  England*. 

95.  Whence  according  to  my  propofed/zze/iw/,  1  proceed  to 
the  Arts  relating  to  Plants;  amongft  which,  the  firft  that  prefent 
tbemfelves,  are  thofe  that  concern  the  Herbaceous  kind.  Of  this 
fort  we  may  reckon  that  ingenious  Experiment  rmdcm^une,  1669. 
by  my  worthy  Friend/oi>/z  Wills  M.  A.  and  Fellow  of  Trin.  Coll. 
Oxon.  in  order  to  find  in  what  meafure  Herbs  might  perfpire,  where- 
in he  made  ufe  of  the  following  method.  He  took  two  glafs  Vials 
with  narrow  necks,each  holding  ontpound 8  ounces,  and  2  drachms 
of  water,  Avoir  de  po'-s  weight :  into  one  of  thefe  glaffes  filled 
with  water,  he  nut  a  fprig  of  florifhing  Mint  (which  before  had 
grown  in  the  water)  weighing  one  ounce  ;  the  other  glafs  he  alfo 
fill'd  with  water,  and  expofed  them  both  in  a  window  to  the  Sun. 
After  ten  days  time,  he  found  in  the  bottle  where  the  mint  was, 
only  five  ounces  and  four  drachms  of  water  remaining,  and  no  more, 
fo  that  there  was  one  pound 'two  ounces  and  fix  drachms  fpent,  the 
mint  weighing  fcarce  two  drachms  more  than  at  firft. 

96.  From  the  other  Glafs,  where  water  was  put  of  the  fame 
weight,  and  no  mint,  he  found  the  Sun  had  exhaled  near  one 
ounce  of  water,  and  therefore  concluded  it  drew  but  fo  much  out 
of  the  firft  glafs,  at  leaft  not  more  .*  So  that  allowing  one  ounce  for 
what  the  Sun  had  exhaled,  there  was  in  thofe  ten  days  fpent  by 
the  mint,  one  pound  one  ounce  fix  drachms  of  water ;  and  the  mint 
being  increafed  in  weight  only  two  drachms,  'twas  plain  the  mint 
had  purely  expired  in  thofe  ten  days,  one  pound  one  ounce  2nd  four 
drachms,  that  is,  each  day  above  an  ounce  and  half,  which  is  more 
than  the  weight  of  the  whole  mint.  Whence  he  concluded,  that 
what  Malpighiws  fo  wonders  at  in  his  Book  Be  Bombyce,  vi^  that 
thofe  Animals  willfomtimes  eat  in  one  day,  more  than  the  weight 
of  their  bodies,  is  out-  done  by  every  fprig  of  mint,  and  moft  o- 
ther  Herbs  in  the  Field,wh'ich  every  fummers  day  attraft  more  nou- 
riftiment  than  their  own  weight  amounts  too. 

»  Vtd.  Comment,  in  Camnn  Phaleucium  Joban-  Seldeni,  before  Hoptons  Concordance  of  years. 

97.  Which 


OfOXFO%T>~S-HI\E.  in 

97.  Which  thel^me  ingenious^r/o/zatleaftqueftionsnot  (and 
therefore  willies  tryals  may  be  made)  of  the  Tithyrnali,  EfuU , 
and  efpecially  of  Pinguicula  and  Ros  Solk,  which  laft  fucks  up 
moifture  fatter  than  the  Sun  can  exhale  it,and  is  bedewed  all  over 
at  Noon-day,  notwithstanding  its  power  .•  Nor  doubts  he  but 
that  Wormwood,  and  all  other  Plants  that  are  very  hot,  and  of 
ftrong  fmells,  expire  as  much,  if  not  more  than  Mint. 

98.  There  are  alfo  feveral  Arts,  ufed  about  the  Corn  in  this 
County,  whii'ft  in  the  blade,  zndjlraw,  that  belong  to  this  place, 
fuch  as  eating  it  off  with  Sheep,  if  too  rank.,  to  make  it  grow 
ftrong  and  prevent  lodging  :  whii'ft  the  Corn  is  young  they  alfo 
weed  it,  cutting  the  thislles  with  a  hook ;  but  rattles  they  hand- 
weed  as  foon  as  in  flower,  and  fo  they  do  cockles  when  they  in- 
tend the  Corn  for  feed.  If  the  Crows  toward  Harveft  are  any 
thing  mifchievous,  as  they  many  times  are,  deftroying  the  Corn 
in  the  outer  limits  of  the  Fields,  they  dig  a  hole  narrow  at  the; 
bottom,  and  broad  at  thetop,  in  the  green  fwarth  near  the  Corn, 
wherein  they  put  duff,  and  cinders  from  the  Smiths  forge,  mixt 
with  a  little  Gun-powder,  and  in  and  about  the  holes  iWck  feathers 
(Crow -feathers  if  they  can  get  them)  which  they  find  about  Bur- 
ford  to  have  good  fuccefs. 

99.  They  cut  their  Wheat  here  rather  a  little  before,  than  let 
it  ftand  till  it  be  over-ripe  ;  for  if  it  be  cut  but  a  little  too  foon, 
the  fiock.  will  ripen  it,  and  the  Corn  will  be  beautiful,  whereas  if 
it  ftand  too  long,  much  will  fhatter  out  of  the  head  in  reaping,  e- 
fpecially  if  the  wind  blow  hard,  and  that  the  beft  Corn  too  ;  the 
worft  only  remaining,  which  will  be  pale  in  the  hand,  an  unpar- 
donable fault  where  the  Baker  is  the  Chapman.  In  reaping  Whedt 
and  Rye  they  ufe  not  the  fide,  but  a  fmooth  edged  hook.,  l&ying 
their  Corn  in  fmall  hand-fulls  all  over  the  Field;  I  fuppofe  that  it 
may  the  fooner  dry,  in  cafe  wet  come  before  they  bind  it,  which 
they  do  in  very  fmall  fieaves,  and  very  loofc  in  comparifon  of 
fome  other  Counties :  They  fiock.  it  rafter-  wife,  ten  /leaves  in  a 
fiock.-,  which  if  fet  wide  in  the  but-end,  will  be  very  copped  and 

fharp  at  the  top,  and  will  bear  out  rain  beyond  hope,  or  almoft 
credit. 

100.  They  count  their  Barly  ripe  (as  they  do  their  Wheat') 
when  it  hangs  the  head  and  the  slraw  has  loft  its  verdure,  which 
they  mow  with  zfithe  without  a  cradle,   never  binding  but  raking 

it 


irf  The  Statural  Hiflory 

it  together,  and  cocking  it  with  a  fork. ,  which  js  ufually  a  trident, 
whofe  teeth  ftand  not  in  a  row,  but  meet  pyramidally  in  a  center  at 
the  ftaff:  _They  let  it  lie  in  the  fwathe  a  day  or  two,  which  both 
ripens  the  Corn  and  withers  the  weeds.  Oats,  and  all  mixed  Corns 
called  Horfe-meat,  are  Harvefted  fomtimes  with  two  reaping  books, 
whereof  the  manner  is  thus :  The  Workman  taking  a  hookjn  each 
hand,  cuts  them  with  that  in  his  right  hand,  and  rolls  them  up 
the  while  with  that  in  his  left,  which  they  call  bagging  of  Peas  : 
Others  they  cut  with  a  reaping  hook,  fet  in  a  fiajf  about  a  yard 
long,  and  then  they  cut  and  turn  the  Peas  before  them  with  both 
hands  till  they  have  a  wad,  which  they  lay  by,  and  begin  again ; 
and  this  they  call  cutting  with  the  slaff-hook.'  But  the  fithe  they  fay 
is  much  the  fpeedieft  way,  which  if  ufed  with  care,  cuts  them  as 
well  and  clean,  as  either  of  the  other. 

i  c  r .  After  the  fithe  they  wWboth  Beans  and  Teas,  and  fo  turn 
them  till  they  are  throughly  withered  and  dry,  and  then  cockznd 
fit  them  for  carriage,  only  with  this  difference,  that  Beans  while 
they  are  cockedand  carryed,  have  the  \oofe /talks  pickt  up  by  hand, 
the  rake  being  apt  to  beat  the  Beans  out  of  the  pods,  as  they  are 
drawn  up  againft  the  leg.  All  forts  of  Cocks  are  beft  made  of 
a  middleingci^e,  and  well  top'd ;  the  advantages  are,  that  thefe 
are  apprehended  at  leaft  totakelefs  wet  with  the  fame  rain  than 
greater,  and  will  dry  again  without  breaking ;  whereas  the  great 
cocks,  after  rain,  muft  be  pulled  to  pieces,  which  cannot  be  done 
without  great  lofs,  for  in  the  opening  and  turning  much  Corn 
will  be  beaten  out,  and  that  certainly  the  beft  too. 

102.  If  their  Corn  be  brought  home  a  little  moifler,  or  greener 
than  ordinary,  or  the  weeds  be  not  let  lie  to  be  throughly  (hrunk 
or  wither'd,  that  they  fufpect.  it  may  heat  in  the  Barn  more  than 
ordinary  (for  it  is  kind  for  C orn  and  fodder  to  heat  a  little)  then 
they  draw  a  Cubb  or  Beer-lip  (which  others  call  the  Seed-cord') 
up  the  middle  of  the  mow  ovftack. ,  and  through  the  hole  that  this 
leaves,  the  heat  will  afcend  and  fo  prevent  mow-burning ;  Or  if  it 
heat  in  the  Barn  beyond  expe&ation,  and  be  like  to  do  amifs, 
they  then  pull  a.  hole  in  the  middle  from  the  top  to  the  bottom, 
which  will  alfo  help  it  much.  They  draw  an  old  Axel-tree  of  a 
Cart  up  a  Hay-rick  to  the  fame  purpofe,  if  they  think  their  Hay  of 
the  greeneji,  or  over  moift  when  ftack$d. 

103.  But 


Of  0  XFO  %T>~SHI%E>  %%f 

103.  But  the  beft  contrivance  I  ever  yet  faw  to  prevent  theyfre- 
ing  of  Ricks  of  Hay,  or  Saincl-foin,  I  met  with  at  Tufmore,  at  the 
Worfhipful  Richard  Fermors  Efq;  where  they  let  in  [quart  pipes 
made  of  boards  of  a  foot  diagonal,  to  the  middle  of  their  Hacks-) 
to  give  them  Air  perpetually  ;  the  number  of  pipes  bearing  proj 
portion  to  the  bignefs  of  the  Ricks?  which  no  queftion  may  alfo 
be  as  rationally  apply ed  to  Hacks  of  Corn,  whenever  thought  fub- 
jeft  to  the  fame  danger. 

1 04.  To  preferve  their  Ricks  of  Corn  lyable  to  rats  and  mice, 
they  commonly  place  them  in  this  Country,  on  /landers  and  caps  of 
Jlone ;  the  ganders  being  four  Obelifcs  about  two  foot  high,  and  the 
caps  as  many  Hemifphericalflones  placed  upon  them,  with  the  flat 
fides  downwards,  on  which  having  laid  four  ftrong  pieces  of 
Timber,  and  other  Joijis  to  bear  up  the  Corn,  they  place  their  Riches, 
which  then  are  not  annoyed  by  mice  or  rats  (at  lead  notfo  much) 
as  flacks  on  the  ground,  by  reafon  the  Hemifpherical  ftones  being 
planums  at  the  bottom,  though  they  may  poffibly  afcend  the/land*- 
ers  well  enough,  yet  can  fcarce  get  up  the  caps,  whofe  broad  bot- 
toms hang  fo  over  them  in  piano  Hori^ontis,  that  they  muft  needs 
fall  in  the  attempt. 

105.  The  Cart  they  moft  ufe  to  bring  home  their  Corn,  is  the 
two-wheeled  long  Cart,  having  fiambles  over  the  fiafts  or  thills, 
a  Cart  Ladder  at  the  breech,  and  hoops  over  the  wheels,  on  which 
they  will  lay  great  and  very  broad  loads,  though  it  go  not  fo  fe- 
cureand  fteady  as  a  Waggon,  which  notwithstanding  that  advan- 
tage is  of  but  little  ufe  here,  only  amongft  Carriers,  Isrc.  They 
ufe  alfo  a  fort  of  Cart  they  Call  a  Whip-lade,  oxWhip-cdrt,  whofe 
hinder  part  is  made  up  with  boards  after  the  manner  of  a  Dung- 
cart,  having  alfo  a  head  of  boards,  andjbambles  over  the  thills  ; 
which  head  being  made  fo  as  to  be  taken  out  or  left  in,  the  Cart 
may  be  indifferently  ufed  to  carry  dung  or  other  matters  ;  dung, 
when  the  head  is  in,  and  Corn,  iyc.  when  taken  out. 

106.  About  Banbury  moft  of  their  Carts  have  Axel-trees  of 
Iron,  made  fquare  at  one  end  and  roundat  the  other  j  at  the fquare 
end  they  are  made  faft  into  one  of  the  wheels,  and  move  round 
together  with  it ;  and  at  the  other  end  they  move  within  the  box 
of  the  wheel,  and  the  wheel  round  them  too:  With  this  fort  of 
Axel  fome  are  of  opinion  that  the  C art  moves  much  lighter  for  the 
Cattle,  than  with  a  wooden  one,  to  whom  I  (liould  much  rather 

K  k  affent, 


258  The  Statural  Hijlory 

aflent,  did  the  round  end  of  the  Axel  move  in  a  box  of  brafs,  and 
were  the  places  where  the  Cart  refts  on  it,  lined  with  brafs plates, 
for  then  a  fmall  matter  of  oil  (as  'tis  in  the  oiling  of  fo//*-)  would 
caufe  the  heavieft  weight  to  be  moved  with  great  eafe :  however 
as  they  are,  much  lefs  greafe  ferves  the  turn  ;  and  one  of  them 
made  of  good  tough  iron,  will  laft  a  mans  age,  and  iomtimes  two, 
whereas  the  wooden  ones  are  frequently  at  reparations :  nor  does 
there  any  inconveniency  attend  them  that  I  could  hear  of,  but  that 
the  wheels  have  not  fo  much  room  to  play  to  and  fro  on  thefe,  as 
on  the  others  of  wood,  and  therefore  not  fo  good  where  either 
the  ways  or  Cart-routs  are  deep. 

107.  Their  way  in  this  Country  to  bring  the  com  from  the  firaw, 
is  for  the  moft  part  by  the  flail,  only  in  Come  places  when  their 
wheat  is  very  fmutty,  they  have  a  way  of  whipping  it  firft,  and  then 
threjbing  it  afterwards  :  their  manner  of  whipping  is  ftriking  the 
corn  by  a  handful  at  a  time,  againft  a  door  fet  on  its  edge  ;  and 
when  a  fieaf  is  thus  whipt,  they  bind  it  up  again  for  the  flail : 
which  way  indeed  is  troublefom  and  tedious ,  but  by  this  means 
the  fmut  bags  or  balls  are  prefer ved  unbroken,  and  by  the  ftrength 
of  a  good  wind,  and  care  in  the  raying,  moft  part  of  them  may 
be  gotten  forth,  and  the  wheat  left  clear. 

108.  But  before  they  threfh  Rye,  they  fomtimes  take  care  to 
prefer ve  fome  of  the flraw  whole  or  unbroken,  to  ferve  for  flraw- 
works  '  which  I  fhould  not  have  thought  worth  mentioning,  but 
that  we  have  an  Artift  herein  Oxford,  the  ingenious  Robert  Wife- 
man,  excellent  for  fuch  matters,  beyond  all  comparifon ;  and  yet 
he  modeftly  owns,  that  he  faw  work  in  Italy  that  gave  him  a  hint 
for  his  Invention,  but  knows  not  whether  that  Artift  (but  believes 
rather  the  contrary)  ufes  the  fame  procedure  that  he  does  or  no  : 
However,  if  it  muft  not  be  allowed  his  Invention,  yet  becaufe  he 
has  improved  it  to  fo  great  an  excellency,  I  cannot  but  let  the  World 
know,  that  though  heprofeffes  nothing  extraordinary  in  the  dying 
of  his  colours,  yet  by  certain  method,  of  firft  fcraping  the  flraw, 
and  cutting  it  into  fmall  (quare  pieces,  none  longer  than  the  20th  or 
30th  part  of  an  inch,  he  can  lay  them  on  wood,  copper  or  filver  (firft 
prepared  for  the  purpofe)  in  fuch  order  and  manner,  and  that 
with  great  expedition,  that  thereby  y^ereprefents  the  ruins  of  Build- 
ings, Profpecls  of  Cities,  Churches,  (yc.  upon  dreffmg  or  writing 
Boxes,  or  Boxes  for  any  other  ufe. 

109.  He 


ofOXFOKQ-SHlXn,  tip 

109.  He  alfo  reprefents  in  a  molt  exquifite  manner,  both  the 
Irijh  and  Bredtb  Jiitch  in  Carpets  and  Screens,  which  he  makes  of 
thisy?/w  nw£.for  the  more  curious  Ladies  ;  and  with  thefe  he  co- 
vers Tobacco  boxes,  or  of  any  other  kind,  whether  of  wood  or  me" 
tal,  puting  the  Arms  of  the  Nobility  and  Gentry,  if  defired,  upon 
the  tops  or  ellewhere  :  And  all  thefe  with  the  colours  fo  neatly 
fhadedofi,  from  one  another,  that  at  due  diftance  they  flbow  no- 
thing inferior  to  colours  laid  with  a  Penfil.  When  thefe  Tr  off  eels,  &c. 
are  made,  he  can  and  does  frequently  wafti  his  work  with  common 
water,  leting  it  continue  at  leaft  an  hour  underneath  it ;  theh  drys 
it  with  z/funge,  and  beats  it  with  a  wooden  mallet  as  thin  as  may 
be,  and  then  lays  it  on  his  boxes,  giving  it  laftly  fo  curious*  zpolifi, 
that  no  varnifhing  excels  it :  which  work,  though  made  of  fuch 
minute  fquares  ofjlraw,  will  endure  portage,  and  any  other  as 
fevere  ufage,  as  moll  other  materials  ;  none  of  them  being  to  be 
gotten  oft  by  eafie  means,  but  will  admit  of  wafiing  and  polifi- 
ing  again,  when  at  any  time  foul,  as  well  as  at  the  firft. 

no.  Which  is  all  concerning  Corn,  whil'ft  in  the  blade  or 
flraw,  what  remains  relates  to  the  feparating  the  feed  from  the 
chaff,  and  preserving  it  in  the  Jlores.  As  to  the  firft,  they  either 
do  it  in  a  good  wind  abroad,  or  with  the  fan  at  home,  I  mean 
the  leaved fan  ;  for  the  kneefdn,  and  calling  the  corn  the  length  df 
the  Barn,  are  not  in  ufe  amongft  them.  They  that  have  but  fmall 
quantities,  when  no  wWisftirring,  will  do  it  with  z  fleet  j  the 
manner  thus  :  Twoperfons  take  a  fleet,  and  double  it  at  the  featri, 
then  rolling  in  each  end  a  little,  and  holding  one  hand  at  the  top, 
and  the  other  a  foot  or  1 8  inches  lower*  they  ftrike  together  and 
make  a  good  wind,  and  fome  fpeed.  But  the  wheel  fan  fives  a 
mans  labor,  makes  a  better  wind,  and  does  it  with  much  more  ex- 
pedition. 

in.  They  prefer  ve  it  in  their  slores,  as  well  as  ricks,  from  mice 
and  rats  by  many  ordinary  means  ufed  in  other  places  .*  but  I  met 
with  one  way  fomwhat  extraordinary,  performed  by  a  peculiar 
fort  of  Rats-bane,  that  kills  no  creatures  but  thofe  for  which  it  is 
defigned,  except  poultry  ;  fo  that  it  is  an  excellent  remedy,  efpeci- 
ally  within  doors,  where  Fowls  feldom  come,  or  any  other  place 
where  they  may  be  kept  from  it ;  all  Cats,  Dogs,  (sre  tailing  it 
without  hurt.  To  fecure  their  Corn  from  mulling,  I  have  heard 
of  fome  that  have  laid  it  in  Chambers  mixt  with  Pebble-Jlones  of  the 

K  k  2  larger 


2tfo  The  Statural  Hijlory 

lar ger  c\zt  ftratum  fuper  ftratumy  v'17^  after  every  fix  inches  thick- 
nefs  of  Corn,  zfiratum  of  Pebbles,  placed  about  a  yard  diftance 
from  each  other,  then  Corn  again  to  the  fame  thicknefs,  and  fo 
S  SS  to  ten  lains  apiece  :  by  which  method,  as  I  was  told,  Corn 
had  been  preferved  fweet  and  free  from  muft,  ten  years  together, 
only  removing  it  once  a  year,  and  laying  it  again  as  before ;  and 
in  the  Summer  time  when  the  weather  was  dry,  fetting  open  the 
windows  in  the  day  time  and  (hutting  them  at  night, 

112.  To  recover  it  from  mufiinefs,  to  its  priU'mfweetnefs,  fome 
have  laid  it  out  all  night,th'm  fpred  on  cloaths,to  receive  the  Even- 
ing and  Morning  dews,  with  fo  good  fuccefs,  that  being  dryed  a- 
gain  next  day  in  the  Sun,  the  ill  fmell  has  been  quite  removed. 
And  thus  I  have  done  with  the  moft  uncommon  Arts]  have  met 
with  concerning  Plants  related  to  Husbandry,  and  the  whole  Her- 
baceou*  kind  *  where  by  the  way  let  it  be  noted,  as  mChap.  6.^.23. 
that  thefe  Arts  are  called  uncommon,  not  fo  much  in  refpecl:  of 
this,  as  of  other  Counties,  where  indeed  they  will  feem  fo  :  and 
that  I  have  written  of  them  rather  for  the  information  of grangers, 
than  the  Inhabitants  of  Oxford-Jhire,  as  I  muft  hereafter  in  other 
Counties,  for  information  of  this.  Wherein  if  through  my  own 
ignorance,  or  frowardnefi  of  fome  Husbandmen  (I  dare  not  fay  all) 
I  have  failed  of  that  accuracy,  that  might  otherwife  have  been 
expected,  I  beg  the  Readers  pardon,  and  promife  amendment  in 
the  following  Counties,  provided  I  have  encouragement  to  go  on 
in  my  defign. 

113,  After  the  Herbaceous  Plants,  come  we  next  to  confider 
,  the  Shrubs  and  Subfrutices,  amongft  which  I  met  with  one,  per- 
haps I  may  fay  fcarce  heard  of  curiofity,  though  it  have  been  an 
Experiment  frequently  performed  many  years  fincc,  not  only  by 
thofe  excellent  Gardeners  and  Botanifts,  the  two  Bobarts,  Father 
and  Son  ;  but  as  I  have  heard  alfo  by  the  Reverend  and  Ingenious 
Robert  Sharrock.  LL  D,  and  Fellow  of  New  College,  who  after 
many  unfuccefsful  tryals  of  grafting  one  Fruit  upon  another, 
made  at  laft  a  very  pleafant  one,  and  to  good  advantage  too,  upon 
different  Vines,  which  in  fo  great  meafure  anfwer'd  their  hopes, 
that  they  have  now  fignal  proof  in  the  Phyfick.  Garden  of  the 
white  Frontiniac  grafted  upon  the  Par  fly  Vine,  growing  and  bear- 
ing very  well ;  and  to  this  advantage,  that  they  think  the  early 
ripening  ftock  of  the  Parfly  Vine,  to  conduce  fomwhat  to  the 

earlyer 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  itit 

carlyer  ripening  of  the  white  Frontiniac,  naturally  late. 

114.  They  have  alfo  grafted  the  early  red-clu/ler  or  Currant- 
grape,  upon  that  large,  luxuriantly  growing  Vine,  called  the  Fox- 
grape,  which  feems  to  produce  much  fairer  and  ftronger  Fruit; 
than  that  grape  isufually  upon  its  own  flock*  And  divers  other 
Experiments  of  this  nature  they  fay  may  eafily  be  made,  as  well 
to  have  w/>/7e  and  black,  or  other  varieties,  as  they  have  already 
broad  leaved  and  narrow  leav'd,  early  grapes  and  late  ones,  on  the 
fame  flock '  But  this  is  not  to  be  done  by  prefent  amputation,  as 
in  other  Fruits,  the  wood  being  not  fufficiently  folid  to  bear  it. 

115.  As  to  the  Arts  relating  to  Trees,  the  chiefeft  are  thofe  of 
the  Planter  and  Gardener  making  curious  Walks,  and  Tipiary  work} 
of  them ;  fuchis  the  Dial  cut  in  Box  in  New  College  Garden^  the 
Kings  armsfind  the  College  coat  of  arms  there,and  at  Exeter  College; 
befide  the  other  Garden  knots  of  Box  in  both  thofe  Colleges,  and 
in  Brafen-nofe  College  Quadrangle  ;  to  which  add  the  Guards  at  the 
Pbyflckgarden  gate  of  Gigantick.  fixture,  arid  feveral  other  Topia 
in  the  fame  Garden,  all  formed  of  the  Tew  tree.  Of  Walks,  the 
moft  curious  I  have  met  with  in  this  County,  are  thofe  elegant 
ones  of  Trees  of  various  kinds  in  Cornbury  Park.',  and  (to  omit 
the  numerous  Walks  in  and  about  the  Vniverfity)  thofe  of  Firs  at 
Sir  Peter  Wentworths  at  Lillingslon  Lovel,  and  the  pleafant  Vifla 
at  Sir  Timothy  Tjrrils,  from  a  fhort  walk  of  Trees  toward  the  Chil- 
tern  hills ;  and  for  a  clofe  Walkthtxt  is  a  fine  one  lately  defigned  in 
Grimes-ditch,  near  Ditchley ,  a  feat  of  the  Right  Honorable  Edward 
Henry  Earl  of  Lichfield's,  about  half  a  mile  in  length. 

1 1 6.  For  Garden  walks,  I  think  one  of  the  longeft  I  met  with^ 
was  at  the  Worfhipful  Mr.  Clerks  at  Aslon  Rbwant.  And  for  a 
defcent,  there  are  none  like  the  Walks  at  Roufham,  in  the  Garden 
of  the  Worlhipful  Robert  Dormer  Efq;  where  there  are  nolefs  than 
five  one  under  another,  leading  from  the  garden  above,  down  to 
the  r/Wfide,  having  peps  at  each  end,  and  parted  with  hedges  of 
Codlings,  isrc.  But  of  all  that  1  ever  met  with,  there  is  a  Walk  at 
the  Worlhipful  Mr.  Fermors  of  Tufmore,  the  moft  wonderfully 
pleafant,  not  only  in  that  it  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  a  Fifi-pond, 
but  fo  contrived,  that  {landing  in  the  middle  no  Eye  can  perceive 
but  it  is  perfectly  fir  eight,  whereas  when  removed  to  either  end, 
it  appears  on  the  contrary  fo  ftrangely  crooked,  that  the  Eye  does 
not  reach  much  above  half  the  way, 

t\j.  Which 


%6z  The  Natural  Hijlory 

117.  Which  deception  of  fight  moft  certainly  arifes  from  a 
bow  in  the  middle,  which  feems  only  an  ornament,  and  the  inca- 
pacity of  the  Beholder  of  feeing  both  parts  of  the  Walk  at  one 
time  ;  which  that  it  may  be  the  better  apprehended,  fee  the  man- 
ner of  it,  Tab.  1 3 .  Fig.  3 .  where  the  letter  a  (hews  the  walk  from 
the  garden  tending  toward  that  in  the  Fifi-pond,  b  the  place  of 
the  beholder,  c  the  femicircle  or  bow  oppofite  to  him,  d  e  the  two 
ends  of  the  walk.:  Now  the  beholder  being  placed  in  b,  and  ha- 
ving the  bow  before  him,  is  not  commonly  fo  wary  as  to  find,that 
if  the  lines  fghi  were  continued,  they  would  decujjate  and  not 
fall  into  straight  lines,  nor  that  the  walks  themfelves  would  do  the 
fame,  becaufe  be  fees  but  one  ftraight  part  of  the  walk  b  d  at 
one  time,  and  the  other  b  e  at  another  time,  which  when  feen  to-v 
gether  at  either  end,  plainly  meet  in  an  angle,  and  by  reafon  of 
the  fide  hedges  terminate  the  fight  at  little  more  than  half  way, 
at  kl. 

1 J  8.  Hither  alfo  belong  the  methods  whereby  they  order  their 
Woods  in  this  County,  which  if  Vnder-woods  in  or  near  the  Forreft 
ofWhichwood,  they  commonly  fell  not  till  twenty  years  growth  ;  but 
in  the'Chafe  near  by  it,  fomtimes  at  feven  or  eight :  dividing  them 
into  Acres  and  Braids  (or  bredths)  every  Acre  containing  forty 
braids,  a  braid 'being  one  pole  long  and  four  broad  ;  into  which 
they  thus  divide  their  Woods  for  the  better  fale  of  them  to  the 
meaner  fort  of  people,  fome  buying  ten,  others  twenty,  and  fome 
thirty  braids  or  more. 

119.  In  the  Chiltern  Country  they  fell  their  Under-wood  Co- 
pices  commonly  at  eight  or  nine  years  growth,  but  their  tall  wood, 
or  Copices  of  which  they  make  talljhids,  billet,  (src.  at  no  certain 
time;  nor  fell  they  thefe  Woods  all  together,but  draw  them  as  they 
call  it,  almoft  every  year  fome,  according  as  their  wood  comes  to 
be  of  a  fit  fcantling  for  tall  Jhid  or  billet,  cutting  every  Jhid  of 
tall  wood  four  foot  long  befide  the  kerf,  and  the  billet  three  foot 
four  inches,  according  to  the  Statutes  of  the  7  of  Edw.  6.  7.  and 
the  43  of  Q^  Eliz^.  14.  which  ought  alfo  according  to  the  fame 
Statutes,  whether  round  bodyed,  half  round,  or  quarter  cleft  y  to  be 
of  a  certain  number  of  inches  about,  according  as  named  or  mark- 
ed of  fo  many  Casl,  as  may  be  feen  particularly  in  the  Statutes  at 
large.  Which  is  all  concerning  Arts  relating  to  Plants,  except 
it  fhall  be  thought  worthy  notice,  that  they  ufe  ropes  in  this  Coun- 
try, 


OfOXFO%T>^SHl%E.  ify 

try,  made  of  the  bark  of  the  Tilia  famina  folio  minore ,  fmall 
leav'd  Lime  or  Linden  tree,  in  fame  Countrys  called  Bad ;  whence 
the  ropes  are  alfo  called  Bafien  ropes  ;  but  of  thefe  no  more,  the 
Tree  neither  growing,  nor  the  ropes  being  made  in  this  County,  but 
only  ufed  here. 

120.  Of  Arts  relating  to  Brutes,  I  have  met  with  none  extra- 
ordinary concerning  the  winged  Kingdom, but  the  new  fort  of  boxes, 
or  Colony  hives  for  Bees,  flrft  invented,  I  fuppofe,  by  the  Right 
Reverend  Father  in  God  John  Wilkins,  late  Lord  Bithop  of  Che- 
(ier  ;  notwithstanding  the  pretentions  of  John  Gedde  Gent,  and 
his  feven  years  experience  :  for  I  find  one  of  them  fet  up  in 
Wadham  College  Garden  (where  it  ftill  remains)  when  the  faid  ac- 
complifh'd  Bifhop  was  Warden  there  above  twenty  years  fince. 
For  Fijb,  I  was  (hewed  the  model  of  a  Net  contrived  by  the  in- 
genious Sir  Anthony  Cope,  that  feemed  likely  to  catch  all  found 
within  fuch  acompafs. 

i2r.  Relating  to  four  footed  Beafts ,  the  ingenious  Richard 
Fermorof  Tufmore  Efq;  (hewed  me  a  pretty  contrivance  to  avoid 
the  incumbrance  of  Oat  tubs  in  Stables,  efpecialiy  where  they  are 
any  thing  ftreightned  in  their  room,  by  letting  the  Oats  down  from 
a  loft  above,  out  of  a  vejfel  like  the  Hopper  of  a  Mill,  whence  they 
fall  into  a  fqmrepipe  let  into  the  wall,  of  about  four  inches  diago* 
nal,  which  comes  down  into  a  Cup-board alfo  fet  into  the  wall,  but 
with  its  end  fo  near  the  bottom,  that  there  (hall  never  be  above  a 
gallon,or  other  dcfirable  quantity  in  the  cup-board  at  a  time,  which 
being  taken  away  and  given  to  the  Horfes,  another  gallon  prefentjy 
fucceeds  ;  fo  that  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Stable  where  the  Horfes 
frand,  there  is  not  one  inch  of  room  taken  up  for  the  whole  pro- 
vision of  Oats  ;  which  contrivance  has  alfo  this  further  conveni- 
ence, that  by  this  motion  the  Oats  are  kept  conftantly  faeet  (the 
taking  away  one  gallon  moving  the  whole  mafs  above)  which  laigl 
up  any  other  wife  in  great  quantities  grow  frequently  tnufty. 

122.  The  fame  ingenious  Gentleman  has  alfo  applyed  the  fame 
contrivance,  with  fome  little  alteration,  to  the  feeding  of  his  Swine, 
which  have  conftaritly  their  meat  from  fuch  a  veffel  like  the  hopper 
of  a  Mill  placed  over  the  sly,  into  which  having  put  a  certain 
quantity  of  beans,  enough  to  fat  fo  many  Hogs,  they  continually 
defcend  to  about  half  way  down  the  ily  in  a  large  fquare />//><?, 
which  then  divides  it  felf  into  fix  fmaller  ones,  which  terminate 

each 


264.  Tbc  Natural  Hi  [lory 

each  of  them  in  a  fmall  trough,  no  bigger  than  juft  to  admit  the 
nofeoi  a  Hog,  and  come  all  of  them  with  their  ends  to  near  the 
bottom,  that  there  is  never  above  a  handful  of  beans  or  fo,  in  each 
trough  at  a  time,  which  taken  away  by  the  Hogs,  there  follow  fo 
many  handfulls  again,  but  never  more ;  lo  that  having  alfo  drawn 
a  fmall  Rivulet  of  water  through  they?)/,  the  daily  trouble  of  fer- 
vants  waiting  on  them  is  not  only  faved  (for  they  need  never  come 
near  them  till  they  know  they  we  fat)  but  the  Hogs  themfelves  are 
alfo  made  hereby  uncapable  of  fpoiling  a  bean,  by  trampling  or 
pilling  amongft  them  as  in  moft  other  flies,  they  never  having  a- 
bove  a  handful  at  a  time,and  thofe  in  a  trough  too  fmall  to  admit 
any  fuch  means  of  waft. 

123.  Hehas  thoughts  alfo  of  applying  the  fame  contrivance 
to  the  feeding  of  his  Hounds ;  and  has  made  /rails  for  Oxen,  by 
fparsof  wood  defcending  perpendicularly  from  the  utmoft  rim 
of  the  rack.,  and  nailing  boards  on  them  half  way  up  before  the 
Oxen,  that  they  cannot  fpoil  by  trampling,  or  any  other  means, 
the  leafty??w  or  grafs,  all  that  go  befide  their  mouths  falling  ftill 
within  the  boards  nailed  upon  the  (pars,  which  when  come  to  any 
quantity,  is  returned  into  the  rack,  as  fweet  and  good,  as  when 
put  there  at  firft.  Which  being  matters  of  Architecture  relating  to 
Beafts,  bring  me  next  to  treat, 

124.  Of  Artst\\z.t  refpe£t  Mankind,  and  firft  of  Architecture, 
wherein  we  have  many  remarkable  Curiofities,  as  well  in  the  Coun- 
try as  Vniverfity  ;  fome  whereof  are  of  an  inferior,  others  of  a 
more  Honorable  rank  and  quality.  Of  the  firft  fort  are  feveral  Mills 
that  I  have  met  with  in  this  County, tew  ce  perhaps  to  be  found  elf- 
where  in  England-,  fuch  is  that  at  the  fame  ingenious  Mr.  Fermors 
at  Tufmore,  which  with  one  horfe  and  man  (who  is  carryed  round 
as  it  were,  in  a  Coach-box  behind  the  horfe)  performs  at  pleafure 
thefe  very  many  offices.  Firft,  it  grinds  Apples  the  common  way 
for  Cider.  And  fecondly  Wheat,  which  it  fijts  at  the  fame  time  in- 
to four  different  fineneffes.  Thirdly  Oats,  which  it  cuts  from  the 
husk,  and  winnows  from  the  chaff,  making  very  good  Oat-meal. 
Andlaftly  makes  Muftard,  which  indeed  is  ameer  cur iofity.  And 
all  thefe  it  performs  feverally,  or  together,  according  as  defired. 

125.  At  Hanwell,  in  the  Park,  there  is  alfo  a  Mill ere&ed  by  the 
ingenious  Sir  Anthony  Cope,  of  wonderful  contrivance,  where- 
with that  great  Virtuofo  did  not  only  grind  the  Corn  for  his  Houfe, 

but 


Of  OXFORDS BIT^E.  %6-j 

but  with  the  fame  motion  turned  a  very  large  Engine  for  cutting 
the  hardeft  ftone,  after  the  manner  of  Lapidaries  ;  and  another 
for  boaring  of  Guns  :  and  thefe,  as  in  the  Mill  at  Tufmore,  either 
feverally  or  all  together, at  plcafure. 

126.  To  thefe  add  the  Mills  for  making  French  Early ,  erected 
fome  years  fince  upon  the  river  near  Caverjham,  by  one  Mr.  Bur- 
naby,  but  are  now  carryed  on  by  one  Mr.  Nelthrop  of  London, 
Merchant :  They  are  four  in  number,  and  differ  from  other  Com 
mills  chiefly  in  the  following  particulars.  1 .  In  that  they  have 
always  double  tackling.  2.  The  ftones  not  being  the  Cologne,  but 
ordinary  white  ftones ;  which  thirdly,  are  both  of  them  cut  the 
fending  way :  and  fourthly,  the  uppery?o/ze  or  runner,  hung  about  a 

hands  breadth  diftant  from  the  lower  or  bed  ftone,  alfo  called  the 
Legier.  They  put  in  the  Corn,  about  half  a  bulTiel  at  a  time,  not 
at  the  eye,  but  round  the  hoops  at  the  (ides  of  theftones  ;  they  ftop 
the  /pout  or  tunnel,  and  let  the  Mill  lun  juft  an  hour,  for  if  the 
Corn  ftay  longer  the  heat  will  turn  kyellow  :  then  they  let  it  out, 
and  fever  the  bran  and  flower  from  the  Corn,  and  put  it  up  again 
into  another  777/// of  the  fame  kind,  and  let  it  run  in  the  fame  man- 
ner another  hoar,  and  the  work  is  finished. 

127.  Hither  alfo  muft  be  referred  the  Mault  Kills  of  Henly,  fo 
thriftily  contrived,  thatthe  Kill  holes  are  placed  in  the  backs  of 
their  Kitchin  Chimneys,  fo  that  drying  their  mault  with  wood,  the 
fame  fire  ferves  for  that,  and  all  the  other  ufes  of  their  Kitchins  be- 
fide.  To  this  place  alfo  belongs  a  fort  of  Oasl  made  about  thirty 
years  fince  by  one  Philips  a  Baker  of  Magdalen  Varijf)  Oxon,  who 
having  a  very  great  Oven,  made  it  plain  at  the  top  and  plaifter'd 
it  over,  whereon  laying  mault,  he  dryed  it  with  the  fame  fire  that 
heated  his  Oven  for  the  bread,  and  thus  made  the  belt  mault  that 
Oxford  afforded,  and  of  neceffity  the  cheapeft,  for  the  fire  coft 
him  nothing.  I  have  heard  alfo  of  the  fame  method  ufed  at  Henly 
on  the  Thames  ;  and  thefe,  as  fome  have  ventured  to  aflert,  gave 
the  firft  hints  to  the  Invention  of  that  fort  of  Kills  whereby  they 
dry  mault  with  coal ;  but  herein  I  dare  not  be  too  confident,  not 
knowing  of  what  (landing  thofe  Kills  are,  otherwife  the  thing 
feems  to  be  likely  enough. 

128.  Thus  having  run  through  thofe  of  inferior  rank,  I  come 
next  to  the  remarkable  curiofities  of  Architecture  in  our  moQtftately 
buildings,  and  that  have  a  more  immediate  relation  to  mankind 

Ll  than- 


%6  6  Tbe  Natural  Hi/lory 

than  any  before  mentioned,  whereof  fome  are  private,  others 
publick',  and  may  both  be  confidered  either  in  the  whole  or  parts. 
Of  private  buildings,  the  moft  eminent  in  this  County,  are  the 
Seats  of  the  Right  Honorable  the  Earl  of  Anglefey,  Lord  Privy 
Seal,  at  Blechington,  the  Earl  of  Clarendon  at  Cornbury,  the  Earl 
of  Lichfield  at  Ditchley,  the  Earl  of  Rochefier  at  Adderbury,  the 
Countefs  of  Down  atWroxton,  the  Lord  Vifcount  Say  and  Seal  at 
BrOughton,  the  Lord  Vifcount  Falkland  at  Great  Tew,  the  Lady 
Abergavenny  at  Sherbourn,  the  Lord  Norreys  (His  Majefties  Lord 
Lieutenant  of  Oxford-Jhire)  at  7?ico/,  the  Lord  Carrington  at  ZW~ 
B>e/,  and  of  the  Honorable  James  Herbert  Efq;  at  Tythrop  in  Oxford- 
Jhire,  though  of  Kingsey  Parifh  in  the  County  of  Buckingham. 

129.  Whereunto  might  be  added  fever al  ilruflures  of  the  mi- 
nor  Nobility,  that  fhew  a  great  deal  either  of  paft  or  prefent  Ma- 
gnificence, fuchas  that  of  the  Right  Worflbipful  Sir  Anthony  Cope 
late  of  Hanwell,  of  Sir  John  Cope  at  Bruern  Abbey,  Sir  Tho.  Spencer 
at  Tarnton,  Sir  Tho.  Chamberleyn  at  Northhrook.-,  Sir  Francis  Wen- 
man  at  Thame-? ark. and  Cafwel,  Sir  77>o.  f  o£Z>  at  Addtrbury, Sir  ytftf- 
/tej>  Craven  at  Caverjham,  Six  William  Glyn  at  Amerfden,  Sir  /?o- 
bertjenkjnfon  at  Walcot,  Sir  William  Walter  at  Sarefden,  Sir  Thomas 
Penyfton  at  Cornwel,  Sir  Compton  Read  at  Shipton  under  Which- 
wood,  Sir  John  D'Oyly  at  Chijlehampton,  Sir  Edward  Norreys  at 
Wefton  on  thegreew,  Sir  George  Croke  at  Watersloh->  Sir  i^i/i/*  H<*r- 
«wr/  at  Stanton  Harcourt.  And  of  the  worftiipful  7/w.  Stonor  at 
Watlington  Parkand  Stonor,  Efq;  Robert  Dormer  at  Roufiam,  Efq; 
Richard  Fermor  at  Tufmore  and  Sommerton,  Efq;  /o/w  S/o/ze  at 
Brightwel,  Efq;  /oitfz  C7er£.  at  i4#o«  Rowant,  Efq;  77>o.  #0077/  at 
Cm/,  Efq;  Arthur  Jones  at  Chafleton,  Efq;  Zfoy//  Brookjat  North- Aflcn, 
Efq;  and  the  feats  of  the  Families  of  Knolles  at  Rot  her  field  Grays, 
and  B/oh/z/  at  Maple^Durham,  Efqs;  To  which  add  the  Parfonage 
Houfe  of  the  Re&ory  of  Chinncr,  little  inferior  to  fome  of  the 
aforementioned,  either  in  greatnefs,  commodioufnefs,  or  elegancy  of 
Building. 

130.  And  yet  amongft  all  thefe  eminent  private  Structure s, 
could  I  find  nothing  extraordinary  in  the  w/>o/e  .*  But  in  the  parts, 
the  Kitchin  of  the  Right  Worfliipful  Sir  /V>/7//>  Harcourt  Knight, 
of  Stanton  Harcourt,  is  fo  ftrangely  unufual,  that  by  way  of  #/W- 
<//e  one  may  truly  call  it,  either  a  Kitchin  within  a  Chimney,  or  a 
Kitchin  without  one  ;  for  below  it  is  nothing  but  a  large  [quare, 

and 


OfOXPO%<D~SHl%,E.  i67 

and  octangular  above  afcending  like  a  Tower,  the  fires  being  made 
againft  the  walls,  and  thefmoak.  climbing  up  them,  without  any 
tunnels  or  difturbance  to  the  Cookj  ;  which  being  ftopped  by  a 
large  conical  roof  at  the  top,  goes  out  at  loop-holes  on  every  fide 
according  as  the  wind  Cits  j  the  loop-holes  at  the  fide  next  the  jpzW 
being  (hut  with  falling  doors,  and  the  adverfe  fide  opened. 

131.  Thefpacious  Stair- cafe  at  Blechington-houk  is  alfo  re- 
markable,not  only  for  that  it  ftands  on  an  Area  of  30  foot  fquare, 
but  for  its  rarity  too,  it  being  not  perhaps  at  all,  at  leaft  not  eafie 
to  be  met  with  amongft  the  writers  of  Architeclure :  .wherefore^ 
though  I  cannot  approve  of  its  contrivance  in  all  particulars,  yet 
for  the  fake  of  its  magnificence-,  and  variety  from  moft,  if  not  all 
others,  I  cannot  in  jufticc  but  afford  it  a  fliort  defcription. 

132.  It  being  placed  therefore  backward,  oppofite  to  the  moft 
honorable  entrance  of  the  Houfe,  between  two  wings  that  extend 
themfelves  beyond  it,  and  the  grofs  of  the  Pile,  you  enter  upon 
it  having  paft  by  the  ball,  and  other  offices  ufually  placed  by  it,  at 
the  door-way  A,  Tab.  13.  Fig.  4.  and  land  upon  the  half  pace  1, 
which  together  with  the  reft  marked  234,  iyc  are  6  foot  J  fquare: 
The  figures  in  their  natural  order  (hew  how  you  afcend  from  one 
half  pace  to  another,  by  afcents  of  7lfteps,  each  about  5  inches  J 
deep,  and  near  10  inches  J  broad  :  The  half  paces  marked  with 
the  fame  figure  lye  on  the  fame  level,  and  therefore  as  4  is  the 
higheft  half  pace  in  this  firft  Scheme  of  it,  fo  it  is  the  loweft  in  the 
fecond,7tf£.  13.  Fig.  5. 

133.  In  which  alfo  the  order  of  the  figures  (hews  the  manner 
of  afcent  juft  as  in  the  former,  only  it  muft  be  obferved,  that  as 
the  afcent  to  the  half  pace  4  in  the  firft  Scheme,  was  fuppofe  from 
Eaft  and  Weft,  fo  the  afcent  higher  from  it  in  the  fecond,  is  to  North 
and  South  :  Of  which  two  Schemes  placed  alternatly  over  one  an- 
other, the  whole  ft  air -cafe  is  framed  from  bottom  to  top,  which 
iseafily  apprehended,  if  you  but  imagine  the  half  pace  4  in  the 
fecond  Scheme,  to  be  placed  over  4  in  the  firft,  and  fuch  another 
frame  as  is  delineated  in  the  firft  Scheme  to  be  placed  on  the  fe- 
cond :  The  Letters  V  V  ihew  the  vacancies  that  open  a  Pro/peel 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the  whole  ftair-cafe,  and  abed 
Ihew  the  places  of  the  doors  into  the  rooms  at  each  corner  of 
it. 

LI  2  134.  In 


2<S8  The  Statural  Hiftory 

134.  In  (liort,  this  fl air -cafe  feems  to  be  a  compofition  of  4 
half-pace- open-newel'd  fair-cafes,  as  may  eafily  be  perceived  by 
the  figures^  123,  123,123, 123,  and  567,  567,  567,  567  ,  only 
communicating  in  the  middle  ;  which  indeed  (hews  very  magni- 
ficently, but  has  this  inconvenience,  that  there  is  no  paflage  from 
one  room  into  another  though  on  the  fame  floor,  without  going  up 
and  down  many  fteps  ;  as  in  Scheme  the  fecond,  if  from  a  to  b, 
andfoof  the  rooms  of  any  of  the  other  fides,  you  have  no  paf- 
fage  but  from  6  to  7,  and  fo  down  again  to  6,  i.  e.  14  fteps.    But 

if  you  are  to  go  from  corner  to  corner,  as  fuppofe  from  a  to  c,  or 
b  to  d,  &  vice  verfa,  whether  you  pafs  round  the  fides,  or  over 
the  middle  halfpace^  you  cannot  do  it,  without  afcending  and 
defcending  in  all  twenty  eight  fteps. 

135.  Ofpublick  Buildings,  the  moft  eminent  in  the  County 
are  certainly  thofe  of  the  Colleges  and  Halls,  the  FublickScboolsr 
Library  and  Theater  in  the  Vniverfity  of  Oxford-,  of  which  yet  in 
the  whole  I  (hall  give  no  account,  their  magnificence  and  outward 
Architetlure  being  already  fufficiently  (hewn,by  the  exquifite  hand 
of  Mr.  David  Loggan,  C  halcographer  to  the  Vniverfity,  in  his  Cuts 
of  them  all  lately  fet  forth.  It  (hall  fuffice  me  therefore  to  give 
a  fuccincl:  account  of  fome  particular  parts  of  them,  whether  in 
the  /lone  or  Timber-work)  fcarce  to  be  met  with  elfewhere,  or 
known  to  few. 

136.  Of  the  firft  fort  is  the  flat  floor  offlone  over  the  paffage 
between  the  Right  Reverend  the  Provotts  Lodgings,  and  the  Chap- 
pel  at  Queens  College,  born  up  only  by  the  fide  walls  without  any 
pillar,  though  confifting  of  divers  ftones  not  reaching  the  walls, 
which  yet  indeed  may  very  well  be,  fince  as  I  am  informed  by  the 
fame  Right  Reverend  Frovoft,  and  Bi/hop  of  Lincoln,  who  pulled 
up  the  boards  of  the  room  above  to  view  the  curiofity ;  the  Jlones 
are  all  cuneoform,  and  laid  like  that  they  czWjlraight  Arch-work, 

137.  The  Roof  of  Merton  College  Treafury  is  alfo  an  odd  piece 
of  f  one- work-,  being  all  made  of  Ajhler,  yet  flooping  to  an  angle 
(only  more  acute  than  ufual)  like  roofs  made  of  Timber :  It  has, 
'tis  true  within,  three  inequidiftant  arched  ribs  of  flone  thatfeem 
to  fupport  the  Fabrick,  which  is  about  20  foot  long,  but  thtf  ones 
not  reaching  from  rib  to  rib,  and  feeming  to  be  laid  like  common 

s  pavementboth  within  and  without,  make  many  to  wonder  that  it 
does  not  fill  in :  but  the  ffones  being  pretty  thick,  and  cut  as  they 

call 


of  0  XFO  %$)■£  Hl%£.  x69 

call  it,  with  an  arching  joint,  muft  neceflarily  lye  as  firm  ("and  for 
the  very  fame  reafon)  as  thofe  at  Queens  College  do,  and  fo  moft 
certainly  they  would,  were  the  arches  quite  removed.  There  is 
alfo  much  fuch  another  roof  over  a  little  Oratory  or  Cbapptl  in  the 
Church  of  North  Leigh  in  this  County. 

138.  Asfo«-  arched  roofs  of  fione,  that  of  the  Divinity  School 
is  a  fine  piece  of  Architecture  ;  and  fo  is  that  of  the  ftately  ftair- 
cafe  leading  into  Chrisl-Church  great  hall.  The  Phyfickgarden  gate 
is  a  curious  piece  of  ruftick.rock?work.  ;  and  the  Porich  at  St.  Maries, 
the  Vniverfity  Church,  is  a  well  contrived  thing.  And  were  it  not 
improper  amongft  thefe  to  mention  zftruclure  of  fo  inferior  a  qua- 
lity, as  New  College  houfe  of  Eafement,  commonly  called  the  long- 
boufe,  I  could  not  but  note  it  as  a  ftupendious  piece  of  buildings  it 
being  fo  large  and  deep,  that  it  has  never  been  emptyed  fince  the 
foundation  of  the  College,  which  was  above  300  years  fince,  nor 
is  it  ever  like  to  want  it. 

139.  The  Portico's  on  the  Eafi  and  Weft  fides  of  the  Neve  Qua- 
drangle at  St.  Johns  College,  built  by  the  moft  Reverend  Father  in 
God,  William  Laud  Arch-Buliop  of  Canterbury,  fupported  with 
■pillars  of  Blecbington  Marble,  are  well  worthy  notice  ;  and-fo  is 
the  Cloyfter  at  Magdalen  College,  the  Butterefles  without  being 
curioufly  adorned  with  Hieroglyphical  Imagery. 

1 40.  The  erecl:  Southern  declining  Vial  over  ^11  Souls  College 
Chappel,  is  a  neat  piece  of  work,  fo  curioufly  contrived  by  Sir 
Chriftopher  Wren,  that  though  it  ftand  high,  yet  by  the  help  of  two 
half  rays,  and  one  whole  one  for  every  hour,  one  may  fee  to  a  mi- 
nute what  it  is  a  clock*  the  minutes  being  depicted  on  the  fides  of 
the  rays,  vi%.  1 5  on  each  fide,  and  divided  into  fives  by  a  diffe- 
rent character  from  the  reft. 

141 .  The  Cylindrical  Dyal  in  Corpus  Chrifti  College  Quadrangle, 
let  at  right  angles  with  the  Horizon  (the  common  feclions  whereof, 
with  the  hour  circles  (except  the  Meridian  circle  which  divides  it 
by  the  axis')  as  alio  the  Mquinottial,  are  all  Ellipfis)  is  a  fine  old 
piece  of  Gnomonicks  ;  of  which  no  more,  becaufe  its  Contriver 
Mr.  Robert  Heggs,  Fellow  of  theCollege,  has  already  written  of  it^. 
And  the  Dials  made  upon  a  pile  of  Books  on  Neve  College  Mount, 
with  Time  on  the  top,  exaftly  pointing  out  from  what  Quarter 
the  wind  blows,  upon  the  32  Points  of  the  Compafs,  depi&ed  on 

'  Tr*8.  deHorohgiii,  Lib.  4:.  cap.  4.  MS- in  BH>liatA.C.C,C- 


270  The  Statural  Hijlory 

z  Cylinder  of  ft  one,  is  an  ingenious  contrivance. 

142.  There  are  many  lofty  fares  about  the  Country  as  well  as 
City,  built  all  of  Free-ftone,  and  of  exquifite  workmanftiip,  fuch 
as  thofe  of  Bampton,  Witney,  Burford,  Bloxham,  Spelsbury,  Kidling- 
ton,  (ye.  but  that  which  excels  all  the  reft  is  the  /pire  of  St,  Mary's 
in  Oxford,  the  Vniverfity  Church,  the  Battlements  whereof  were 
repaired,  and  thus  thick  fet  with  Pinnacles  as  it  now  ftands,  by 
Dr.  .ffi/zg  Dean  of  Chrift  Church,  then  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Vni- 
verftty,  afterwards  Biiliop  of  London. 

143.  For  Towers,  that  of  Merton  College  is  a  large  well  built 
thing;  and fo is  that  of  the  Schools,  but  more  remarkable,  for 
that  it  is  .adorned  on  the  inner  fide  next  the  Quadrangle,  with  all 
the  orders  of  Pillars.  But  for  a  neat  plain  piece  of  work,  that 
of  Magdalen  College  excells  all  I  have  yetfeen,  adorned  on  the  top 
with  well  proportion'd  Pinnacles,  and  within  with  a  moft  tunable 
fweet  ring  of  bells. 

MiramTurrim  egregiam  facro  JEre  fonantem. 

144.  Amongft  curiofities  in  Timber-work.  ■>  we  may  reckon  fe- 
\e12Xfcreens  in  College  Chappels  5  fuch  as  that  of  Magdalen  College, 
that  of  Cedar  at  Lincoln  College,  and  another  at  Corpus  Chrijii  now 
erecting.  There  is  zn  Altar  rail  at  Ml  Souls  College  of  curious 
workmanftiip,  and  to  this  place  belongs  the  Tomb  of  St.  Fridef- 
wide,  ftill  remaining  at  Chrifl  Church,  the  top  whereof  is  wood, 
and  a  fine  old  piece  of  work  :  But  not  comparable  to  the  Tomb 
of  fair  Rofamund  at  Godjiow,  in  the  Chapter-houfe  of  the  Nuns 
there,  which  according  to  the  defcription  of  Ranulph  Higden 
feems  to  have  been  alfo  of  wood,  and  of  wonderful  contrivance, 
ciftaejufdempuelU  (fays  he,  having  fpoken  before  of  her  death  and 
Epitaph,zna\  of  the  Amoufs  between  her  and  K.  Henry  the  fecond) 
vix  UpedalU  menfur<x.,fedmirabili6  architeliur*.  ibidem  cernitur,  &crm 
i.  e.  That  her  cheft  coffin  or  tomb  was  there  to  be  feen,  not  above 
two  foot  long,  or  perhaps  rather  fquare,  but  a  ftupendous  piece 
of  workmanftiip,  in  qua  (fays  the  fame  Author  at  the  fame  place) 
confliclus  Pugilum,  geftws  animalium,  volatm  avium,  faltws  pifcium 
abfquehominps  impulfu  confyiciuntur,  i.  e.  where  in  might  be  feen 
the  conoids  of  champions,  the  geftures  of animals, the  flights  of  birds, 
withfifies  leaping,  and  all  done  without  the  affiftance  of  man. 

1  Ravulphi  Higden  polychron.  Ub.-].inHtn.2,MS.fol.inBil>.  Bod- 

145.  By 


Of  OXFO %T>^S HI %E.  lyi 

145.  By  what  means  this  was  effected  ;  we  are  not  informed  by 
the  afore-cited  Author,  but  the  Learned  Tboma6  Allen  M.  A.  of 
Glocefler-hall,  thought  it  might  be  done  by  a  fort  of  Looking-glafs, 
whofe  ftru&ure  he  found  mentioned  in  an  ancient  MS,  De  Arcarivs 
&  Secretin,  with  this  Title,  Speculum  in  quo  uno  vifu  apparebunt 
multdt  imagines  moventesfe.  To  be  made  thus,  accipefixidembene 
profundam,  &  pone  infundo  ejus  frtculum  commune,  fc.  convexum,  po- 
ftea>  isre.  Take,  fays  the  Author,  a  deep  box,  and  place  in  the  bot- 
tom of  it  a  common  ccnvexglafi,  then  take  6  or  7  other  convex 
glajfeso?  the  fame  bignefs,  and  fcrape  off  the  lead  \_plumbum  is 
the  word]  in  the  concave  part  with  a  knife ;  where  by  the  way  the 
Author  advifes,  that  finceit  is  very  hard  to  get  the  lead  clean  off 
without  breaking  thcglafs,  that  Quick-fiver  be  made  ufeof,  to  a- 
noint  the  lead  to  get  it  off. 

146.  Thcfe  glajfes  when  made  clean,  he  orders  to  be  put  into 
the  box,  fo  as  they  may  ftand  obliquely  in  divers  pofitions,  in  this 
manner  :  When  the  firft  glafs  is  put  in  the  bottom,  the  fecond 
muft  be  fo  put,  that  one  fide  of  it  muft  touch  the  firft  glafs,  and 
the  oppofite  fide  be  diftant  from  it  an  inch,  &  fie  (fays  he)  oblique 
pones  in  pixide.  In  the  top  there  muft  be  put  one  cleanfed  glafs  as 
the  firft,  plain  and  not  obliquely,  fo  that  nothing  muft  be  feen  but 
the  uppermoftg/d/},  into  which  if  you  look,  you  (hall  fee  as  many 
Images  as glaffe s  ;  and  if  turned  round,  how  one  Image  always 
ftandsftillin  the  middle,  and  the  reft  run  round  it,  as  if  they 
went  about  to  dance.  Of  which  contrivance,  though  I  underftand 
not  fome  particulars,  yet  I  thought  fit  to  mention  them,  becaufe 
they  may  poffibly  meet  with  a  Reader  that  may,  and  tranflate  them 
too  as  well  as  I  could,  for  the  benefit  of  them  all.  As  for  thofe 
that  have  opportunity,  and  are  defirous  of  feeing  the  Latin  Copy, 
they  may  find  it  in  a  Mifcellaneom  MS.  in  Mr.  Seldens  Library3.  For 
my  part,  all  that  I  can  add  concerning  it,  is,  that  I  have  feen  a 
fort  of  Cabinets  of  this  nature,  that  by  the  help  of  glajfes  placed 
obliquely  havefhewn  fuch  prety  profpecls. 

147.  The  great  bivalve  wooden  windows  in  the  upper  Gallery  of 
the  Theater,  are  fo  ingenioufly  contrived,  that  notwithstanding 
their  great  weight,  yet  can  never  fink  fo  as  to  be  brought  out  of 
fquare,  as  'tis  ufual  in  fuch  windows,  for  the  Iron  bars  crofting  them 
from  fide  to  fide,  not  being  fet  at  right  angles,  but  diagonallyhke 

*  4°  MS.  79.  in  Biblioth.  Selden. 

flruts 


zyz  The  Natural  Hifiory 

ftruts  or  braces-,  as  in  Tab.  13.  Fig.  6.  mult  neceffarily  bend  or 
break  before  the  window  can  fink.  Nor  are  the  round  windows  be- 
low unworthy  confideration,  being  contrived  to  admit  air  in  foul 
weather,  yet  not  one  drop  of  rain  ;  for  being  opened  and  fet  ob~ 
liquely,?&  in  Tab.  1 8.  Fig.  7.  it  receives  the  rain  within  at  a,  and 
cafts  it  out  again  at  b  ;  much  lefs  will  it  admit  rain  any  ways  when 
Jhut,  itclofing  within  its/r/3weatthe  top,  and  without  it  at  the 
bottom. 

148.  It  was  an  excellent  device,  who  ever  firft  contrived  it,  of 

making  flat  floors  or  roofs  of  fhort  pieces  of  Timber,  continued  to 

a  great  bredth  without  either  Arch-work®?  Pillar  tofupportthem, 

being  fuftained  only  by  the  fide  walls  and  their  own  texture ;  for 

by  this  means  many  times  the  defecl  of  long  timber,  or  miftakes  of 

Workmen,  are  fupplyed  and  rectified  without  any  prejudice  to  the 

Building'  Of  this  fort  of  work  we  have  an  example  in  the  Schools, 

in  the  floor  of  the  upper  moft  room  of  the  Tower ',   but  to  be  feen 

Only  in  the  room  underneath  where  the  Records  of  the  Vniverfity 

lye.      There  is  alfo  a  diagram  of  fuch  work  in  the  Architecture  fee 

forth  by  Sebaftian  Serlj  \  for  which  reafon  I  think  I  (hould  fcarce 

have  mention'd  it,  but  that  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  John 

Wallit,  Savilian  Profeiior  of  Geometry  here,  was  the  firft  that  de- 

monftrated  the  reafon  of  this  work,  and  has  given  divers  forms 

of  it  befide  the  fore-mentioned,  in  his  Book  De  Motu,  whence  I 

have  taken  the  diagrams^  Tab.  13.  Fig.  8,9,1  o,  1 1, 1 2 u.   to  make 

them  more  publick ;  upon  the  two  firs!  whereof  depend  the  three 

laft,  and  all  others  of  the  kind  what  ever,  whether  made  up  of 

quadrats  or  oblongparallelograms,  of  which  there  are  fome  other 

forms  in  the  fore-cited  Book  De  Motu,  befide  that  engraven  Fig. 

10.  confifting  of  great  and  fmall  Quadrats  ;  or  Triangles  alone, 

as  Fig.  11.  or  mixt  with  Hexagons,  as  Fig.  12.  to  which  Book 

I  recommend  the  Reader  for  further  fatisfa&ion  concerning  them. 

149.   But  of  all  the  flat  floors  having  no  Pillars  to  fupport  it, 

and  whofe  main  beams  are  made  of  divers  pieces  of  Timber,  the 

moft  admirable  is  that  of  the  Theater  in  Oxford,  from  fide  wall  to 

fide  wall  80  foot  over  one  way,  and  70  the  other, whofe  Lockages 

being  fo  quite  different  from  any  before  mentioned,  and  in  many 

other  particulars  perhaps  not  to  be  parallel'd  in  the  World,  I  have 

taken  care  to  reprefent  an  exaft  draught  of  it,  Tab.  14.  Fig.  1 . 

t  S.'b.Ser/ii  ArchiteilLib.  i.  dtOcom.  cap.  I.     u   Walliti  Mctbamca  five  de  Motu,  Parte  3.  devcile 
cap.  6.  frop.  10. 

150.  Where- 


TAB.  l^. 


ipa(r.^7* 


Of  OXFO\V^Hl%E.  ift 

150.  Wherein  a  a  a  zndbbb  (lie  w  the  walls  of  the  Theater  that 
fupport  this  frame  of  timber,  and  the  places  of  the  pilafters  of  the 
rail  and  ballifier  round  it  ;  ccc  and  ^/^/^/  the  leads  and  pipes  let 
down  into  the  wall  for  conveyance  of  water  ;  eee  and  ///  the 
wall  plate  ov  lintel,  and  places  of  its  joints ;  ggg  the  girders  of 
the  femi  circle,  each  fupported  by  a  King  piece  or  C  t  own p of  cut  oft* 
athhh,  and  lcrewed  into  the  binding  beam  i  i  i ;  which  is  fom- 
what  different  from  the  reft  of  the  binding  beams  k.k.k>  III,  mm  mi 
nnn,  having  (everal  prick-pofts  let  into  it  at  0000,  befide  the 
King-pofts  that  fupport  this  and  the  reft  at  ppppp,  isfc.  The  Let- 
ters qqq  fhew  thepurlines between  the  binding  beams,  not  fet  right 
againft  one  another  becaufe  of  room  to  turn  the /crews  whereby 
they  are  faftened,  and  rrrr  two  dragon  (perhaps  rather  Trigon) 
beams  or  braces  lying  under  the  joifts  ss  ss  ss,  (src.  the  true  lengths 
and  diflances  whereof,  and  of  all  other  pieces  of  timber  and  places 
whatever,  are  all  (hewn  by  the  fcale  Fig.  2. 

151.  And  fo  are  the  lengtbs  and  diflances  of  the  feveral  pieces 
of  timber  fet  over  this  flat  floor,  fuch  as  the  principal rafters  tttt, 
the  Crown  polls  or  King  pieces  uuuu,  the  prick  pofts  www,  braces 
or  punchons  xxx,  by  all  which  together  the  binding  beams,  girders, 
joifls,  (src.  are  all  held  up  as  it  were  by  an  Arch  above,  as  in  Tab. 

14.  Fig.  3.  which  is  the  whole  band  of  Timber  that  ftands  next 
the  femi  circle,  having  prickpoffs  and  different  lockages  from  the 
reft  of  the  four  bands,  as  is  fufficiently  reprefented  by  one  half  of 
one  of  them,  Tab.  14.  Fig.  4. 

152.  Which  is  all  I  think  need  be  fa  id  concerning  this  fine 
piece  of  Timber-work.-,  only  that  there  are  crofs  braces  between  the 
middle  Crown  pofts  as  they  ftand  in  a  line  from  the  front  to  the  fe- 
micide, as  h  reprefented  Tab.  i\.Fig.$.  mark'd  with  the  letters 
yyyyyy  DOtn  here,  and  as  they  ftand  Fig.  1 .  And  that  it  was  con- 
trived by  our  Englifh  Vitruvius,  the  Right  Worfhipful  and  Learn- 
ed Sir  Christopher  Wren%  and  worked  by  Richard Frogley  an  able 
Carpenter  ;  and  both  thk,  and  the  tlone-work.too,  at  the  fole  charge 
of  the  moft  Reverend  Father  in  God  Gilbert,  by  Divine  Provi- 
dence, Lord  Arch-Biftiop  of  Canterbury,  Primat  of  all  England, 
and  Metropolitan,  who  finifhing,  and  having  endowed  i/witha 
competent  Eflate  for  its  reparations  forever,  It  is  like  to  ftand  a 
moft  magnificent  and  lafting  monument  of  his  Graces  Munificence, 
and  favor  of  good  Learning  to  all  pofterity . 

Mm  153.  There 


zj^  The  Statural  Hiflory 

153.  There  are  feveral  other  roofs  in  this  Vniverfity  alfowell 
worth  the  noting,  whereof  fome  are  flat  or  under -pit  eke  J,  as  the 
roof  of  the  great  Hall  at  Chrift  Church  College,  and  the  roofs  of  the 
Chappels  and  Halls  at  Magdalen  College  and  New  College  ;  others 
due  proportioned,  or  over-pitched,  fuch  as  itjefws,  Wadham,  Corpus 
Cbriji'h  Exeter,  and  Oriel  Colleges  •  which  yet  having  nothing  ex- 
traordinary either  in  their  contrivance  or  workmanfhip,  I  pafs 
them  by,  and  proceed  next, 

154.  To  fome  remarkable  pieces  of  Painting  that  we  have  here 
at  Oxon ;  arrtongft  which  (to  omit  the  deformation  of  a  Cdefars  head 
to  be  feen  in  the  Schools,  brought  into  fhape  by  a  metalline  Cylin- 
der, and  feveral  others  of  the  kind  at  Sir  Anthony  Copes  ;  and  that 
Painting  itfelf  was  firft  brought  into  England  by  Venerable  Bede  of 
this  Vniverfity  w)  I  take  the  Painting  of  the  Theater  to  be  well 
worth  examination  :  for  in  imitation  of  the  Theaters  of  the  anci- 
ent Greeks  and  Romans,  which  were  too  large  to  be  covered  with 
leadot  tile,  fo  this  by  the  Painting  of  the  fiat  roof  within,  is  repre- 
fented  open  :  and  as  they  ftretched  a  cordage  from  Pilafier  to  Pila- 
fier,  upon  which  they  drained  a  covering  of  cloth,  to  protect  the 
people  from  the  injuries  of  the  weather,  fo  here  is  a  cord-molding 
guilded,  that  reaches  crofs  and  crofs  the  houfe  both  in  length  and 
bredth,  which  fupporteth  a  great  reddifh  Drapery,  fuppofed  to 
have  covered  the  roof,  but  now  furPd  up  by  the  Genii  round  about 
the  Houfe  toward  the  walls,  which  difcovereth  the  open  Air,  and 
maketh  way  for  the  defcent  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences,  that  are  con- 
gregated in  a  circle  of  clouds,  to  whofe  affembly  Truth  defcends, 
as  being  follicited,and  implored  by  them  all. 

155.  For  joy  of  this  Fefiival  fome  other  Genii  fport  about 
the  Clouds,  with  their  Feftoons  of  Flowers  and  Larvrels,  and  pre- 
pare their  garlands  of  Lawrels  and  Rofes,  viz.  Honor  and  Pleafure 
for  the  great  lovers  and  ffudents  of  thofe  Arts:  and  that  this  affem- 
bly might  be  perfectly  happy,  their  great  enemies  and  difturbers, 
Envy,  Rapin,  and  Brutality,  are  by  the  Genii  of  their  oppofite  Vir- 
tues,vi%.  Prudence,  Fortitude,2.n&  Eloquence,  driven  from  the focie- 
ty,  and  thrown  down  head-long  from  the  Clouds :  The  report  of 
the  affembly  of  the  one,  and  theexpulfion  of  the  other,  being  pro- 
claimed through  the  open  and  ferene  Air,  by  fome  other  of  the 
Genii,  who  blowing  their  tftf/io^Trumpets,  divide  themfelves  into 
the  feveral  Quarters  of  the  World.      Hitherto  in  grofs. 

*  Vid.  Co?mi:e>it.  in  Carmm.  fhaleuctum,  Job.  SMeni,  before  Hoptons  Concordance  of  Years. 

156.    More 


V 

V 

A 

A 

A 

^\ 

V 

r 

'' 

J-; 


Of  0  XFO  ^V-SHIXE*  %y$ 

156.  More  particularly  the  circle  of  Figures  confifts  firftof 
Theology,  with  her  Book  with  jevenfeals,  imploring  the  affiftance 
of  Truth  for  the  unfolding  of  it.  On  her  left  hand  is  the  Mofai* 
cal  Law  vailed,  with  the  Tables  of  Hone,  to  which  (lie  points 
with  her  Iron  rod.  On  her  right  hand  is  the  Goftel^  with  the  Crofs 
in  one  hand,  and  a  Chalice  in  the  other,  In  the  fame  divifion 
over  the  Mofakal  Law  is  Hifiory,  holding  up  her  Pen  as  dedicating 
it  to  Truth,  and  an  attending  Genius  with  feveral  frdgme  nts  of  old 
Writing,  from  which  Hie  collects  her Hiftory  into  her  Book  :  CM 
the  other  fide,  near  the  Goffel,  is  Divine  Poefy  with  her  Harp  of  Da- 
vids  fafhion. 

157.  In  the  triangle  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Go/pel,  is  alio 
Logickm  a  pofture  of  arguing  ;  and  in  another  on  the  left  hand  of 
the Mofaical Law,  is  Mufickwkhher  antick. Lyre,  having  a  Pen  in 
her  hand,  and  paper  of  mufick.  notes  on  her  knee,  with  a  Genius 
on  her  right  hand  (a  little  within  the  partition  of  Theology*)  play- 
ing on  a  flute,  being  the  emblem  of  the  moft  ancient  mufick,',  and 
on  the  left  (but  within  the  partition  for  PhyficlQ  VramatickPoeJ), 
with  a  z//'^0rreprefentiiigC0wz&/y,  a  bloody  dagger  for  Tragedy,  and 
the  reed  pipe  for  Paftoral. 

158.  in  the  fquare  on  the  right  fide  of  the  Circle ,  is  Law,  with 
her  ruling  fcepter,  accompanied  with  Records,  Patents,  and  Evi- 
dences on  the  one  fide ;  and  on  the  other  with  Rhetcrick'  by  thefe 
is  an  attending  Genius  with  the  fcale s  ofjutlice  ;  and  z  figure  with 
a  Palm  branchy  rhe  emblem  of  reward  for  virtuous  aclions  ;  and  the 
Roman  Fafces,  the  marks  of  Power  and  Punifhment*  Printing,  with 
zCafe  of  Letters  in  one  hand,  and  a  Form  ready  let  in  the  other, 
and  by  her  feverzlfteets  hanging  as  a  drying. 

159.  OntheleftfidetheCirc/eoppofiteto  Law  isPbyfick,  hold- 
ing the  knotty  ftaff of  Efculapius,  whhaferpent  winding  about  it; 
The Botanift  imploring  the  affiftance  of  Truth  in  the  right  under- 
ftanding  of  the  nature  of  her  Plants :  Chymislry  with  a  Retort  in 
her  hands :  and  Chyrurgery  preparing  her  felf  to  finifh  the  dif- 
feftingof  ahead,  which  hath  the  brain  already  opened,  and  held 

before  her  by  one  of  the  Genii. 

1 60.  On  the  other  fide  of  the  circle  oppofite  to  Theology,  in 
thrctfquares  are  the  Mathematical fciences  (depending  on  demonftra- 
tion,  as  the  other  on  Faith)  in  the  firft  of  which  is  fiftroncmy  with 
the  Celeftial  globe,  Geography  with  the  terrefirial,  together  with 

M  m  2  three 


27<S  The  Statural  Hi ftory 

three  attending  Genii ;  having  Arithmetick.  in  the  fquare  on  one 
hand,  with  a  paper  of  figures-  Optick  with  the  Perfpeftive-glafs  ; 
Geometry  with  a  pair  of  compajfes  in  her  left,  and  a  Table  with  Geo- 
metrical figures  in  it,  in  her  right  hand :  And  in  the  fquare  on  the 
other  hand,  Architecture  embracing  the  capitel  of  a  column,  with 
compaffes,  and  the  norma  or  fquare  lying  by  her ;  and  a  workman 
holding  anothery^wdre  in  one  hand  and  zplumb-line  in  the  other. 

1 6 1.  In  the  midft  of  thtte  fquares  and  triangles  (as  defcending 
from  above)  is  the  figure  of  Truth  (king  on  a  c/cW,  in  one  hand 
holding  a  /Vw-  branch  (the  emblem  of  Victory)  in  the  other  the  5m/7, 
whofe  brightnefs  enlightens  the  whole  circle  of  figures,  and  is  fo 
bright,  that  it  feenis  to  hide  the  face  of  herfelf  to  the  fieflators  be- 
low. 

162.  Over  the  entrance  of  the  front  of  the  Theater  are  three 
figures  tumbling  down  ;  firft  Envy  with  herfnaky  hairs, [quint  eyes, 
hags  breafts,  pale  venomous  complexion,  firong  but  ugly  limbs,  and  ri- 
vet'd  skin,  frighted  from  above  by  the  fight  of  the  fhield  of  Pal- 
las,  with  the  corgons  head  in  it,  againft  which  (lie  oppofes  her 
fnaky  trefes,but  her  fall  is  fo  precipitous,  that  (he  has  no  command 
of  her  arms. 

163.  Then  Rapine  with  her  fiery  eyes, grinning  teeth  Jbarp  twangs, 
her  hands  imbrewed  in  blood,  holding  a  bloody  dagger  in  one  hand, 
in  the  other  a  burning  Flambeau,  with  thefe  Inftruments  threatning 
the  deftru&ion  of  Learning,  and  all  its  habitations,  but  is  over- 
come and  fo  prevented  by  a  Herculean  Genius,  or  Power.  Next  that 
is  reprefented  brutifli  fcoffing  /g7zor/27z«,endeavoring  to  vilifie  and 
contemn  what  (lie  underftands  not,  which  is  charmed  by  a  Mer- 
curial Geniws  with  his  Caduceus.  Which  is  the  fum  of  what  is 
defigned  by  the  painting  of  the  Theater,  for  the  moft  part  thus  de- 
fer i bed <by  William  SoperM..  A.  of  Wadham  College-,  after  of  Hart 
Hall,  only  with  fome  few  additions  and  neceffary  alterations. 

1 64.  Befide  thepainting  of  the  Theater,  there  are  other  fine 
pieces  perhaps  as  well  worthy  notice,  fuch  are  the  Refurreclions  at 
Magdalen  and  All-fouls  Colleges,  both  of  Fullers  work;  though 
the  latter  indeed  be  fomwhat  defaced.  The  written  Piclure  of  his 
Majefty  King  Charles  the  firft,  in  St.  Johns  College  Library,  taking 
up  the  whole  Book  of  Pfalms  in  the  Engli/l  tongue  ;  and  the  writ- 
ten Piclure  of  King  James,  and  the  Arms  of  England  (as  now 
born)  taking  up  the  whole  Book  of  Pfalms  in  the  Latin,  in  the 

hands 


OfOXFO%T>~SHl%E.  %yy 

hands  of  Mr.  Moorhead  Rector  of  Bucknel,  are  pretty  curiofities, 
and  much  admired. 

165.  And  fo  is  the  Cat  painted  over  one  of  the  compartments  in- 
cluding the  Arms  of  the  Vniverfity,  in  the  South  fide  of  the  gal- 
lery at  the  Schools,  for  her  looking  directly  upon  all  her  Beholders, 
on  what  fide  foever  they  place  themfelves  ;  which  common,  yet 
furprizing  effecT:  of  the  Painters  Art,  is  caufed,  fays  the  ingenious 
Honoratu*  Faber  x,  in  all  Piftures  whatever  of  this  nature,  by  their 
turning  the  nofe  to  one  fide  and  the  eyes  to  the  other  ;   whence  it 
comes  to  pafs  that  fuch  Piftures  feem  to  look  to  the  right  fide,  be- 
caufe  indeed  the  eyes  are  turned  that  way  ;  and  to  the  left  in  like 
manner,  becaufe  the  point  of  the  noje  is  turned  to  the  left :  where 
by  the  way  he  alfo  notes,  that  'tis  neceffary  that  all  fuch  piftures  be 
drawn  on  flat  tables,  fo  that  the  Beholder  perceive  not  that  the  eyes 
of  thepifture  are  turned  contrary  to  the  nofe ;  which  he  muft  needs 
do  if  the  eyes  of  the  portrait  were  convex,  Concluding,  that  no 
figure  can  be  made  in  Rilievo  thus  to  look  every  way. 

166.  To  this  place  alfo  belongs  the  Invention  of  drawing  pi- 
ftures by  Microfcopical  glafes  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren  y,  and  the  In- 
vention of  Mr.  Bird  Stone-C  utter  or  Carver  of  Oxford,  of  fink- 
ing a  colour  a  confiderable  depth  into  the  body  of  polifh'd  white 
marble,  by  application  of  it  to  the  out-fide  only,  fo  that  the  fame 
Figures  delineated  without,  (ball  be  as  perfectly  reprefented  with- 
in, deeper  or  (liallower,  according  as  he  continues  his  applica- 
tion to  the  furface  a  longer  or  lliorter  while  *.  And  if  we  may 
take  in  Etching,  which  ispainting  in  Copper,  there  is  a  Very  cu- 
rious and  fpeedy  way  alfo  invented,by  the  fo  often  mentioned  Sir 
Chriflopher  Wren a.  And  which  borders  frill  on  thefe,  in  the  Sta^ 
tuaries  Trade,  we  can  fhew  two  excellent  pieces  of  Art,  in  the  Sta- 
tues of  Brafs  of  King  Charles  the  firft,  and  his  Queen  Henrietta^ 
placed  in  the  Niches  over  the  gates  of  the  new  Quadrangle  in  Saint 
John  Baptift  College  Oxon.  * 

167.  In  fome  other  Trades  yet  inferior  to  thefe,  there  have 
been  made  alfo  confiderable  Inventions  and  Improvements,  fuch  as 
that  of  weaving  (ilk.  (lockings,  firft  invented  by  one  Mr.  William 
LeeU.  A.  of  this  Vniverfity,  who  being  marryed  and  poor,  and 
obferving  how  much  pains  his  Wife  took  in  knitting  a  pair  offtockr 

*  HmoratiFabri  Trafl.  de  Homine,Ub.  z.prop.^.  (uifinem.    1  Hiftoryof  the  Royal  Society,  Part. 
2  fubfinem.    l  Philofoph.Tranfaft.  Numi.  7.     »  Hift.of  the Royal  Society,  Part. 2.  fubfinem. 

irJgs9 


278  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

ings,  puthimfelf  on  chinking  of  a  nearer  way  :  whereupon  ha- 
ving obferved  the  contrivance  of  the  flitches  by  unravelling  a 
flocking,  he  defigned  a  Loom  accordingly,  which  fucceeded  fo 
well,  that  (with  but  fmall  alteration)  it  remains  the  fame  to  this 
very  day. 

168.  And  'tis  confidently  vouched,  that  the  Engine  for  cut- 
ting of  bandies  of  Knives,  we  commonly  buy  cut  into  thofe  va- 
rious figures,was  firft  invent  ed^ndi  practiced  here  in  Oxford  by  Tho- 
ma6  Pierce  a  Cutler,  whofe  apprentice  now  practices  the  fame  Art 
in  London  :  But  not  with  fo  much  accuracy  as  Robert  Alder  ano- 
ther Cutler  of  Oxford,  who  only  by  obfervanceofthe  others  work, 
andlongftudy,  atlaft  found  it  out  alfo,  and  hath  improved  it 
much:  which  two  laft,  as  I  am  informed,  are  the  only  two  per- 
fins  that  can  do  this  in  England,  perhaps  I  may  fay  ith'  World. 
Nor  can  I  pafs  by  the  Invention  in  the  Coopers  Trade,  of  making 
barrels  without  hoops,  whereof  I  found  a  ftecimen  in  St.  Ebbs 
Parifti  Oxon.  though  1  know  the  Invention  belongs  to  another 
place,  of  which  more  whenl  come  thither. 

169.  For  Improvements,  'tis  certain  that  the  Blanketing  trade 
of  Witney  is  advanced  to  that  height  that  no  place  comes  near  it  ; 
fome  I  know  attribute  a  great  part  of  the  excellency  of  thefe 
Blankets  to  the  abflerfive  nitrous  water  of the  R'werWindrufi  where- 
with they  are  fcoured,  as  was  mentioned  before,  cap.  2,  §.  12. 
but  others  there  are  again  that  rather  think  they  owe  it  to  a  pecu- 
liar way  of  loofe  (pinning  the  people  have  hereabout,  perhaps  they 
may  both  concur  to  it :  However  it  be,  'tis  plain  they  are  efteem- 
ed  fo  far  beyond  all  others,  that  this  place  has  engroifed  the  whole 
trade  of  the  Nationtox:  this  Commodity ;  in  fo  much  that  the  wool 
fit  for  their  life,  which  is  chiefly  fell  wooll  (oft*  from  Sheep-skins^) 
centers  here  from  fome  of  the  furthermoft  parts  of  the  Kingdom, 
MQ  from  Rumney-marfi,  Canterbury,  Colchefter,  Norwich,  Exeter, 
Leicefter,  Northampton,  Coventry,  Huntington,  &c.  of  which  the 
Blankgters,  whereof  there  are  at  leaft  threefcore  in  this  Town,  that 
amongft  them  have  at  leaft  150  Looms,  employing  near  3000  poor 
people,  from  children  of  eight  years  old,  to  decrepit  old  age,  do 
work  out  above  a  hundred  packs  of  wool  per  week. 

170.  This  Fell  wool  they  feparate  into  five  or  fix  forts,  z/i^. 
long  fell  wooll,  head  wooll,  bay  wool,  ordinary,  middle,  and  tail  wooll: 
Long  fell  wooll  they  fend  to  Wells,  Taunton,  Tiverton,  &c.  for  ma- 
king 


0fOXF0%p~SHl'KE.  t7> 

king  worfled  ftockings ;  of  head  wool  and  bay  wool,  theymake  the 
blankets  of  1 2,  1 1 ,  and  i  o  quarters  broadband  fomtimes  (end  it,if 
ic  bear  a  good  price,  to  Kederminfter  for  making  their  Stuffs,  and 
to  Evefiam,  Tarjhore,  &c.  for  making  jam  blockings  ;  or  into  Effex 
for  making  Bays,  whence  one  fort  of  them  I  fuppofe  is  called  bay 
wool:  of  the  ordinary  and  middle  they  make  blankets  of  8  and  7 
quarters  broad  ;  and  of  thefemixt  with  the  courfer  locks  of  fleece 
wooll,  a  fort  of  ftufT  they  call  Duffields  (which  if  finer  than  ordi* 
nary,they  make  too  of  fleece  wooll)  of  which  Duffields  and  blankets 
confifts  the  chief  Trade  of  Witney* 

171.  Thefe  Duffields,  fo  called  from  a  Town  in  Brabant,  where 
the  trade  of  them  firft  began  (whence  it  came  to  Colcbtfter,  Brain  - 
try,  isrc.  and  fo  to  Witney')  otherwife  caWtdflags,  and  by  the  Mer- 
chants, trucking  cloth  ;  they  make  m  pieces  of  about  30  yards  long, 
and  one  yard  \  broad,  and  dye  them  red  or  blue,  which  are  the  co- 
lours beft  pleafe  the  Indians  of  Virginia  and  New  England,  with 
whom  the  Merchants  truck  them  for  Bever,  and  other  Furs  of  fe- 
veral  Beafts,  (yc  the  ufe  they  have  for  them  is  to  apparel  them- 
felves  with  them,  their  manner  being  to  tear  them  into  gowns  of  a- 
bout  two  yards  long,  thrufting  their  arms  through  two  holes  made 
for  that  purpofe,  and  fo  wrapping  the  reft  about  them  as  we  our 
loofe  Coats.  Our  Merchants  have  abufed  them  for  many  years  with 
fo  falfe  colours,  that  they  will  not  hold  their  glofs  above  a  month 
wear  ;  but  there  is  an  in geniox* perfon  of Witney  that  has  improved 
them  much  of  late,  by  fixing  upon  them  a  true  blue  dye,  having 
an  eye  of  red,  whereof  as  foon  as  the  India m  (ball  be  made  fenfi- 
ble,  and  the  difturbances  now  araongft  them  over,  no  doubt  the 
trade  inthofe  will  be  much  advanced  again. 

172.  Of  their  beft  tail  wooll  ohcy  make  the  blankets  of  6  quar- 
ters broad,  commonly  called  cats,  which  (erve  Sea-men  for  their 
Hammocs,  and  of  their  worft  they  make  Wednel  for  Collar-makers, 
"wrappers  to  pack  their  blanckets  in,  and  tilt-cloths  for  Barge-men. 
They  fend  all  the  forts  of  Duffields  and  Blankets  weekly  in  waggons 
up  to  London,  which  return  laden  with  fell  wooll  from  Leaden-hall, 
and  Barnaby-flreet'm  Southward  whether  'tis  brought  for  this  pur- 
pofe from  moft  places  above-mention'd ;  Gxford-fiire  and  the  ad- 
jacent Counties  being  not  able  to  fupply  them. 

1 73.  There  are  alfo  in  this  Town  a  great  many  E ell-mongers, 
out  of  whom  at  the  neighboring  Town  of  Bampton,  there  arifes 

an- 


280  The  Natural  Hijlory 

another  considerable  trade,  the  Fell-mongers  fheep- skins,  after 
dr effe d  and  drained,  being  here  made  into  wares,  viz^.  Jackets, 
Breeches,  Leather  linings,  i$c.  which  they  chiefly  vent  into  Berkr 
fiire,  VVilt-Jhire,  and  Dorfit-Jfrire,  no  Town  in  England  having  a 
trade  like  it  in  that  fort  of  ware. 

1 74.  Which  two  trades  of  the  Towns  of  Witney  and  Bampton, 
are  the  moft  eminent,  that  are  too,  the  moftpeculiar  of  this  Coun- 
ty. The  Mauhing  trade  of  Oxfordznd  Henly  on  Thames,  'tis  true 
are  confiderable,  and  Burford  has  been  famous  time  out  of  mind 
for  the  making  of  Saddles ;  and  fo  has  Oxford  had  the  reputation 
of  the  beft  Gloves  and  Knives,  of  any  place  in  England ;  butthefe 
trades  being  not  peculiar  to  the  places  where  they  are  pra&ifed,  I 
therefore  pafs  them  by  without  further  notice. 

175.  But  the  Starch  trade  of  Oxford,  though  indeed  it  be  not 
great,  yet  being  practiced  in  few  places,  and  the  method  known 
to  fewer  how  it  is  made,  its  difcovery  perhaps  may  be  acceptable 
to  fome,  I  (hall  not  therefore  flick  to  give  a  fhort  account  of  it. 
Let  them  know  therefore,  that  the  fubftance  we  commonly  call 
Starch,  notwithftanding  its  pmewhitenefs,  is  made  of  the  fhorteft 
and  worft  Iran  that  they  make  in  the  Meal  flops,  worfe  than  that 
they  fell  to  Carriers  to  feed  their  Horfis ;  This  they  fteep  in  a  water 
prepared  for  that  purpofe  (by  a  folution  at  firft  of  Roch-Alum,  a- 
bout  a  pound  to  a  Hogshead,  which  will  laft  for  ever  after)  for  ten 
or  fourteen  days  in  great  tubs  ;  then  'tis  taken  and  wajhed  through 
a  large  Ofier  basket  over  three  other  tubs,  the  fower  water  of  the  fe- 
condtub  wafhing  it  into  the  firft  ;  and  the  fower  water  of  the  third, 
into  the  fecond;  and  clear  water  from  the  Pump  wafliing  it  into 
the  third. 

1 76.  Where  by  the  way  it  muft  be  noted,  that  only  Pump  wa- 
ter will  ferve  the  turn  to  give  it  this  laft  waflnng,  and  continue 
the  waters  fowernefs  for  ever  after,  by  reafon  I  fuppofe  of  the  in- 
cifive  particles  of  fait  to  be  found  in  moft  Pump  waters  (which  are 
plain  from  their  not  taking  Joaf)  that  are  apt  to  work  upon  and 
feparate  the  fineft flower  yet  flicking  to  the  bran  (notwithftanding 
the  mill  and  fieve")  which  at  laft  becomes  slarch. 

177.  What  remains  in  the  basket  at  laft  after  the  three  wajhings, 
is  thrown  upon  the  dung-hill,  which,  as  they  have  found  of  late, 
becomes  a  very  good  manure  for  meddow  land,  and  fliould  there- 
fore have  been  mentioned  in  the  70  §.  of  this  Chapter,  amongft 

the 


Of  OXFO\T>~SHl%E.  281 

the  uncommon  manures.  And  the  fat  flower  thus  wafhed  from  the 
Iran,  is  let  ftand  again  in  its  own  water  for  about  a  week,  then  be- 
ing all  fetled  at  the  bottom,  it  is  ftirred  up  again  and  frefh  Pump 
water  added,  and  ftrained  from  its  fmalleft  bran  through  a  Lawn 
fieve  ;  which  done,  they  permit  it  to  fettle  again,  which  it  does 
in  one  day,  and  then  they  draw  off'  the  water  from  it  all  to  a  fmall 
matter  .*  then  ftanding  two  days  more,  it  at  laft  becomes  fo  fixt* 
that  with  a  burchen  broom  they  fweep  the  water  left  at  the  top, 
(which  is  a  (limy  kind  of  matter)  up  and  down  upon  it  to  cleanfe 
it  from  filth,  and  then  pouring  it  off,  they  wafli  its  furface  yet 
cleaner,  by  dafhing  upon  it  a  bucket  of  fair  Pump  water. 

178.  Which  done,  they  then  cut  it  out  of  the  tubs  in  great 
pieces  with  flharp  trowels,  and  box  it  up  in  troughs,  having  holes 
in  the  bottom  to  drain  the  water  from  it,  always  puting  wet  cloths 
between  the  wood  and  it,  for  the  more  commodious  taking  it  out 
of  the  troughs  again  to  dry,  which  they  do  within  a  day ;  laying 
it  firft  on  cold  bricks  for  about  two  days,  which  fuck  away  a  great 
deal  of  moiilure  from  it,  and  after  over  a  Bakers  oven  four  or  five 
days  together,  which  will  dry  it  fufficiently,  if  intended  only  to 
be  ground  to  powder  for  bairns  it  is  chiefly  here  ;  but  if  intended 
to  be  fold  asjlarcb,  they  then  ufe  a  fiove  to  give  it  the  fiarch- grain, 
which  the  oven  will  not  do. 

179.  From  the  inferior,  I  proceed  to  the  fuperior  Arts  and  Sci- 
ences, and  others  inftrumental  to  them,  for  in  thefe  too,  there 
have  been  many  Inventions  and  Improvements  made  in  this  Vniver- 
fity.  In  enumeration  whereof,  if  we  begin  fo  low  as  the  very 
Elements  of  Speech,  we  (hall  find  that  the  Reverend  and  Learned. 
Dr.  Walln,  Savilian  Profejjbrof  Geometry  here,  firft  obferved  and 
difcovered  thePhyfical  or  Mechanical  formation  of  all  founds  in 
Speech,  as  plainly  appears  from  his  Tie'dt'ifedeLoquela,  prefiVd 
to  his  Grammar  for  the  Englijb  Tongue ,  firft  publifh'd  in  the 
Year  1653. 

1  8c.  In  purfuance  whereof,  foalfo  found  out  a  way  whereby 
he  hath  taught  dumb  per fons  (who  were  therefore  dumb  becaufe 
deaf)  not  only  to  underftand  what  they  read,  and  by  writing  to 
exprefs  their  minds,  but  alfo  to  (feak  and  read  intelligibly,  ac* 
cording  to  directions  for  the  artificial  pofition  and  motion  of  the 
Organs  of  Speech,  and  thereby  alfoaffifted  others  who  have  fpoken 
very  imperfectly.      Of  which  no  more,  there  being  a  particular 

N  n  account" 


28z  The  Statural  Hijlory 

account  given  by  bimfclf  in  our  EnglifiPbilofopbicalTranfaftions, 
of  July  iS.   1670  b. 

1 8 1. 1  know  that  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God  John  Wil- 
kins,  late  Lord  Bifhop  of  Chefter,  hath  alfo  laid  down  the  diftinft 
manner  of  forming  all  founds  in  Speech,  and  fhewed  in  Sculpture 
which  letters  are  Labial,  Lingual,  Nafal,isec.  and  how  the  Epiglot- 
tis, Larynx,  A(pera  Arteria,  and  Oefophagus,  conduce  to  them. 
Since  him,  in  the  Year  1669.  the  Reverend  and  Ingenious  Wil- 
liam Holder  D.D.  publifh'd  an  Effay  of  Inquiry  into  the  Natural 
Production  of  Letters,  together  with  an  Appendix  to  inftruft  per- 
fons  deaf  and  dumb c.  Yet  whether  either  of  thefe,  with  advan- 
tage of  what  Dr.  Wallis  did  before,  have  with  more  accuracy  of 
judgment  performed  the  fame,  I  dare  not  by  any  means  take  up- 
on me  to  determine. 

182.  The  fame  Dr.  Wallis  hath  alfo,  with  great  fagacity,  de- 
ciphered many  things  written  in  Cypbers,  of  very  intricate  and 
perplext  contrivance,  beyond  what  hath  been  known  to  have  been, 
done  by  any  other,  whereof  there  be  Examples  of  many  in  a 
MS.  Book,  of  his,  referved  in  the  Archives  of  the  Bodleyan  Li- 
brary. 

183.  Add  hereunto  the  ingenious  Invention  of  a  Vniverfal Cha- 
racter, or  Philcfophical Language,  firft  contrived  here  at  Oxford  by 
Mr.  George  Valgar no  Wl.  A,  who  in  the  Year  1656.  endeavoring 
to  improve  the  Art  of  Short-hand  beyond  what  others  had  done, 
by  expreffingthe  auxiliary  Particles  of  the  Englijb  Language,  by 
diftinft  points  and  places  about  the  radical  or  integral  words,  after 
the  manner  that  'tis  done  by  prefixes  and  fuffixes  in  the  Hebrew ; 
found  at  laft  that  there  was  no  way  to  diftinguilh  the  affixed  points 
which  he  intended  to  be  ufed  really,  from  thofe  ufed  before  in  the 
common  way  of  Short-band  (where  not  only  the  Capital  Chara- 
cter, bwtpoints  about  it  were  Alphabetical^)  but  by  making  theprin- 
cipal  Char  after  it  felf,  to  which  they  were  to  be  acceffary,  not  Al- 
phabetical but  real. 

1 84.  Thus  having  formed  Tables  both  of  Integrals  and  Parti- 
cles, tobeexpreffedby  fingle  Characters,  he  perceived  at  length, 
that  he  was  gone  unawares  further  than  ever  he  intended,  having 
not  only  improved  the  Art  of  Short-hand,  but  alfo  difcovered  a 
real  Character  equally  applicable  to  all  Languages :  And  after  he 

*  PhilofophTranJadtMw/J.di.     *  Philofoph.Tranfaft  NW.+7- 

had 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  283 

had  purfued  the  defign  of  a  dumb  Cbaracler  a  confiderable  time* 
at  laft  he  perceived  that  it  would  naturally  refolve  it  felf  into  a 
Language,  having  this  advantage  over  any  Character,  that  we 
may  ufe  our  known  Alphabet  to  exprefs  it,  whereas  in  a  Character 
the  figures  muft  be  new.  At  length  having  digefted  his  whole  con- 
trivance into  a  Synopfis,  he  communicated  it  to  feveral  Learned 
Men,  whofe approbation  and  certificates  procured  him  good  en- 
couragement ;  but  he  met  with  no  Man  that  took  fo  much  pains 
to  underftand  the  Novelty,  or  fo  zealous  to  have  it  finifhed  and 
come  abroad,  as  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  John  Wilkjns  late 
Lord  Bifhop  of  Qhefier,  then  the  worthy  Warden  of  Wadham 
College. 

185.  The  laft  thing  he  attempted  in  his  Tables,  was  the  re^ 
ducing  the  /pedes  of  Natural  Bodies  to  the  rules  of  Art,  the  rea- 
fon  of  which  delay,  was  becaufe  he  perceived  that  they  occurred 
but  feldom  in  common  difcourfe,  and  that  there  was  but  little 
Grammatical  difficulty  about  them,  though  in  number  they  much 
excelled  all  the  other  /imp le  notions,  which  make  the  body  of  a 
Language  :  His  judgment  then  being,  and  as  far  as  I  can  perceive, 
ftill  remaining  unfhaken,  notwithstanding  what  has  been  done 
fince,  that  from  a  few  general  words  allowed  to  be  radical,  the 
names  of  the  inferior  ftecies  (\\ou\d  be  made  off  by  compofition,  ad- 
ding to  the  general and  radical  word,  one,  or  fomtimes  more  fuch 
vrords  taken  from  the  Table  of  Accidents  as  might  defcribe  the  in- 
tended fiecies,  and  difference  it  from  all  others,  and  fomtimes 
alfo  to  allow  Periphrafes. 

1  86.  And  this  In/iitution,  as  he  takes  it  to  be  grounded  upon 
nature  and  necefftty,  as  appears  more  or  lefs  in  all  Languages,  fo  he 
thinks  it  approved  by  the  higheft  Examples  that  ever  Art  was  :  For 
God  Himfelf  named  the  firft  Man,  though  a  fingle  Individual,  not 
by  a  word  of  zfirft,  but  (econd  infiitution  ;  and  Adam  as  a  perfeft 
Philofopberimhat'mghis  Maker,  named  all  living  Creatures  not  by 
words  of  a  first  infiitution,  antecedently  infignificative,  but  by 
fuch  as  by  an  antecedent  infiitution,  might  be  apt  to  exprefs  fom- 
thing  of  their  nature,  for  otherwife  the  common  opinion  of  DU 
vines  that  Adam  gave  names  to  the  Creatures  according  to  their  na* 
tures,  would  be  abfurd. 

187.  Which  Infiitution  he  takes  alfo  to  have  this  further  dd± 
vantage,  that  the  name  of  any  fingle  /pedes  may  be  known  with- 

N  n  2  out 


Z84.  The  Natural  Hiftory 

out  obliging  the  Learner  to  carry  in  his  memory  all  the  Predica- 
mental  Series  of  its  fellow  Species ;  fo  that  names  of  common  ufe 
may  be  known,  pafling  by  others  that  are  notfo,  which  to  Learn- 
ers is  as  great  an  encouragement,  as  the  obtruding  things  not  ne- 
cefiary  is  a  difcouragement  to  them.  According  to  this  Inftitu- 
tion,  he  publifhed  a  Specimen  called  Ars  Signorum,  in  the  Year 
1660.  containing  but  500  Radicals,  all  the  V articles  being  brought 
from  the  Radicalsby  which  they  are  refolved  ;  every  Radical,  ex- 
cept the  genera  intermedia  being  Monofyllables ,  and  all  things  elfe 
being  made  off  from  theft  by  compofition,  which  is  allowed  here  in 
its  fulleft  latitude,-  Quidlibet  cum  quolibetpro  re  nata,  provided  the 
fimple  terms\oofe  nor  change  nothing  of  fignification,  by  compofi- 
tion. 

188.  But  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  John  Wilkins,  who 
throughly  underftood  and  commended  his  labors  in  the  former 
part  of  the  work,  thinking  perhaps  that  this  way  of  compofition 
would  produce  too  long  words,  or  that  the  various  conceptions  of 
Men,  muft  needs  caufe  different  compofitions  and  defcriptions  of  the 
fame  things ,  and  thence  unavoidably  bring  mifunderftandings 
(which  yet  Mr.  Dalgarno  thought  might  be  avoided  by  ftating  of 
notions  and  a  collection  of  Formula's')  did  not  approve  of  this  In- 
Jliiution  ;  declaring  his  judgment  to  be,  that  all  the/pecies  of  Na- 
tural Bodies  (according  as  he  owns,  was  fuggefted  to  him  by  that 
moft  learned  and  excellent  perfon  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  the  prefent  Bi- 
fhop  of  Salisbury  *  )  ought  to  be  provided  for  as  Radicals,  by  a 
regular  enumeration  of  them  according  to  the  Theories  of  the 
Schools. 

1 89.  Nor  did  he  approve  of  his  rejection  of  a  Character,  lince 
a  graceful  one  might  be  contrived  more  proper  for  Brachygraphy, 
and  equally  convenient  for  many  Nations,  with  the  common  al- 
phabet :  Nor  of  his  bringing  the  Particles  from  the  Radicals  by 
which  they  are  refolved  ;  judging  perhaps  their  compofition,  be- 
fide  the  reducing  fome  of  them  handfomly,  more  troublefom  than 
that,  of  learning  a  fnall,  yet  fufficient  number  of  them  difpofed 
regularly  infchemes,  and  noted  with  fmaller  Characters  than  thofe 
of  Integrals.  All  which  may  be  collected  from  the  learned  Effay  to- 
wards a  real  Character,  or  Philofophical  Language,  put  forth  by  that 
highly  ingenious  perfon  then  Dean  of  Rippon,  An.  1668. 

*  Effay  towards  a  Real  Character,  in  the  Epiftle  to  the  Reader. 

190.  In 


OfOXFOcBS>~SHl:RE.  28* 

190.  In  which,  though  'tis  true  the  number  of  Radicals  are 
near  3000,  yet  are  they  fo  ordered  by  the  help  of  a  natural  method \ 
that  they  may  be  moreeafily  learned  and  remembred  than  1000 
words  otherwife  difpofed  of,  upon  which  account  they  may  be 
reckoned  but  as  1000,  For  the  Signa  (they  are  fo  methodical- 
ly contrived)  they  may  be  all  learned  inlefs  than  an  hour,  were 
they  twice  as  many  ;  the  difficulty  therefore  muft  be  in  the  figna- 
ta,  but  thefe  being  drawn  up  in  fchemes,  fo  that  one  notion  will 
clearly  depend  upon  another,  they  feem  to  be  a  perfect  artificial 
memory,  rather  than  require  any  help  to  be  remembred.  Not- 
withftanding  it  leaves  a  large  fcope,  enough  for  derivation  and  com- 
paction, as  may  be  feen  by  the  Tables,  where  feveral  words,  though 
no  Sjnonoma's  to  it,  may  be  made  off  from  a  Primitive,  as  Queen, 
Crown,  Scepter,  Throne,  from  the  Radical  [King]  ;  and  fo  from  the 
Primitive,  \_Jbeef\  are  made  off,  ram,  ewe,  lamb,  weather,  mutton, 
bleat,  fold,  flock,  Jbepherd-,  (src.  which  compofitions  are  clear, 
though  the  greateft  difficulty  of  the  Language  confifts  in  thefe. 

191.  Yet  I  ftiall  not  offer  to  determine  which  of  thefe  is  to  be 
preferr'd,  leaving  that  wholly  to  the  Readers  judgment,  who  may 
confult  both  Treatises :  It  being  fufficient  for  me,  that  a  Vniverfal 
Character  and  P bilofophical  Language  can  be  no  more  reckoned  a- 
mongft  the  Defiderata  of  Learning,  and  that  the  defect  was  firft 
fupplyed  here  at  Oxford;  the  Contrivances  of  both  being  firft 
founded  here,  and  both  grounded  upon  rational  and  folid  princi- 
ples, with  greater  advantages  of  facility,  than  can  be  believed 
poffible  to  any  that  have  not  made  tryal.  And  this  is  all  con- 
cerning Letters  and  Language,  but  that/o/fa  Bafmiloke  alfo  an  Ox- 
ford  man,  Figuras  Gr^corum  numerates  in  Angliam  portavit,  is  ea- 
rum  notitiam  fuh  familiar ibws  fignificavit,  de  quibus  flgurh  hoc  maxu 
me  admirandum-)  quodunicafiguraquilibetnumerwfignificatur,  quod 
non  eft  in  Latino  vel  in  Algorifmo  d. 

192.  In  Logic  k.  the  tubule  Johannes  Duns  Scotut,  Fellow  ofMer- 
ton  College,  was  the  Bather  of  the  Seel:  of  the  Reals;  and  his 
Scholar  e  Gulielmws  Occham,  fomtimes  falfly  printed  Holran,  of 
the  fame  Houfe,  Father  of  the  Seel:  of  the  Nominals,  betwixt  whom 
as  the  ftory  goes,  there  falling  out  a  hot  Difpute  (Scotu*  being 
thenDean  of  the  College,  and  Occham  zBacbelor  Fellow)  where- 

*  Matth. Paris,  tijft  Angl.inAnno  1252.  pag.  835.  Edit.  Watfiana.     *  VtJ.  Johannis  Lclandi  col- 
fr&anea  dt  Viris  Illnfiribus. 

in 


z86  The  Statural  Hijlory 

in  though  the  latter  is  faid  to  have  obtained  the  better,  yet  being 
but  an  inferior,  at  parting  fubmitted  himfelf  with  the  reft  of  the 
Bachelors  to  the  Dean  in  this  form,  Domine  quidfaciemws,  as  it 
were  begging  punilhment  for  their  boldnefs  in  arguing ;  to  whom 
Scotus  returning  this  anfwer,  he,  isrfacite  quidvultis.  They  forth- 
with brake  open  the  Buttery  and  Kitchin  doors,  taking  all  they 
could  meet  with,  making  merry  with  it  all  night:  Which,  Vis 
faid,  gave  occafion  to  their  obferving  the  fame  diverfion  to  this 
very  day,  whenever  the  Dean  keeps  the  Bachelors  at  Di/putations 
till  twelve  at  night,  which  they  now  commonly  call  a  Black, 
night. 

193.  Roger  it*  Smffet ',  alias  Swinfhead,  of  the  fame  College,  was 
the  firffc  Contriver  of  the  Art  Calculator)  in  difputation,  wherein 
'fays  the  Learned  Selden,  Multiplicath  particulis  negatives  &  traje- 
ftkper  effe,  &  non  effe,  Calculo  (which  was  Beans  and  Peas)  opus 
erat,  quotieserat  difputandum*.  But  others  who  have  confulted 
more  Of  his  Works  than  I  fuppofe  Mr.  Selden  ever  did,  rather  think 
this  Ait  Calculator),  to  be  fome  way  he  had  to  determine  the^ro- 
portionsof  matters  capable  of  proportion  or  degrees,  fuch  as  aclion, 
motion,  reaction,  intension,  remiffion,  istc.  whereof  the  Reader,  if  he 
think  it  worth  while,  may  further  fatisfie  himfelf  from  his  Print- 
ed Works  ;  fuch  as  his  Introduclorium  in  Calculationem,  his  Calcu- 
lationes  cum  Qusjl.  de  Reaclione,  his  Treatifes  de  intenfione  &  remiffi- 
one,  maximo  is"  minimo  ;  to  which  add,  M.  Baffani  Politi,  Introdu- 
florium  in  C alculationes  Swijfet,  moft  of  which,  if  not  all,  are  in 
Merton  College  Library . 

1 94.  The  fame  Roger  Swijfet  found  out  many  things  in  Mathe- 
maticks,  which  no  body  found  before  him,  is  perpaucipofi  eumjam 
Inventa  comprehendere  valuerunt,  fays  Pitfem  of  him  f.  And  the 
Honorable  Robert  Dudley  of  Cbrift  Church  College  Oxon  (made  Duke 
by  the  Emperor g,  with  the  Title  of  Northumberland  here  in  En- 
gland, whereof  he  fanfied  himfelf  wrongfully  deprived)  contri- 
ved many  Engines  and  Mathematical  Infiruments  not  known  be- 
fore, now  in  thepofleffion  of  the  Great  Duke  oiTufcany,  to  whofe 
Anceslorshe  applyed  himfelf  in  his  difcontent,  by  whom  he  was 
fuccor'd  and  highly  valued  for  his  great  Learning,  and  with  whom 
his  Children  now  remain  to  this  day  in  Wealth  and  Honor,  retain- 

*  Vid  Comment,  in  Carmen  Thaleucium,  Job.  Se/deni,  before  iloptons  Concordance  of  Years-  f  Vid. 
Pitfei  Relatione; Hift.  de  rebus  Angl.  prafertimde  Seriptoribus  in  An.  1350.  '  Hift.  &  Antiquitates  Vni- 
verfttatis  Oxon- per  Anthonium  a  Wood,  lib.  2  /><ȣ.  275. 

ing 


Of  0  X  FO^'S  HI%E.  187 

ing  the  Titles  of  Dukzs  of  Northumberland  and  Earls  of  Warwick. 
and  Leiceiler ;  which  Titles  others  fay,  and  perhaps  more  right- 
ly too,  were  conferred  on  them  by  the  Pope,  in  whofe  Quarrel 
they  were  pretended  at  leaft  to  have  been  loft  \ 

195.  Of  later  years  the  highly  ingenious  Sir  Chriftopher  Wreni 
in  the  year  1 66S.  firft  found  out  a  Straight  line  equal  to  a  Cycloid 
and  the  parts  thereof,  as  is  clearly  made  appear  in  his  behalf  by 
the  Right  Honorable  and  Learned,  the  Lord  Vifcount  Brounckeri 
Chancellor  to  Her  Majefty,  and  Prefident  of  the  Royal  Society ;  a,nd 
the  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr .John  Wallk '.  The  fame  Right  Wor- 
fhipful  and  very  learned  Perfon  Sir  Chrislopher  Wren,  found  out 
alfo  feveral  new  Geometrical  Bodies,thzt  arife  by  the  application  of 
two  Cylinders  and  one  Lenticular  Body,  fit  for  grinding  one  ano- 
ther ;  by  whofe  mutual  attrition  will  neceffarily  be  produced  a  Co* 
noides  Hyperbolicum,  and  two  Cylindroidea  Hyperbolica  :  The  £«- 
gine  whereby  this  may  be  done  being  reprefented  in  Sculpture  in 
our  Pbilofophical  Tranfafiions,  and  defigned  for  grinding  Hyperbo- 
lical glajfes  k.  He  alfo  firft  obferved  that  zplainjiraight  edged  ChU 
fel,  fet  any  way  obliquely  to  a  Cylinder  of  wood,  did  necevTarily 
torn  it  into  a  Cylindroides  Hyperbolicum  Convexo-concavum,  the  fe- 
verzl  feSiions  whereof  are  accuratly  demonftrated  by  the  Reverend 
and  Learned  Dr.  JohnWalli*  our  Englifh  Archimedes  \ 

196.  The  fame  Dr.  John  Wallis,  Savilian  ProferTor  of  Geome^ 
try  in  this  Vniverfity,  intheyear  1656.  publiftied  his  new  method 
called  his  Arithmetick  of  Infinites,  for  the  more  expedite  and  ef- 
fectual enquiry  into  the  Quadrature  of  Curvilinear  figures,  or  o- 
ther  difficult  Problems  in  Geometry  ;  and  therein,  amongft  other 
things  (at  the  Scholium  of  his  3  8  Propofition)  fhewd  the  way  of 
comparing  slraight  and  crooked  lines,  which  gave  occafion  to  Mr. 
William  Neil  (in  purfuance  thereof)  intheyear  1657.  to  find  out 
(the  firft  of  any  Man)  a  flraight  line  equal  to  a  Curve,  of  which 
we  have  an  account  in  the  Pbilofophical Tranfafiions  of  Novemb.\j. 
i«73ffl. 

197.  The  fame  Reverend  and  Learned  Dr.  JohnWallit,  a- 
mongft  his  other  numerous  and  new  Performances  in  Arithmetick. 
and  Geometry,  firft  demonftrated  the  impoffibility  of  fquaringthe 
Circle,  Arithmetically,  according  to  any  way  of  notation  yet  ge- 

fc  Exltinerario]oh.  Bargravc,?.  T.  p.  l$?r abend.  Ecckfi<eChrifti  Cant.  Mi  penes  feipfum.  '  Philofoph 
Tranfaft.  Numb-  98-     k  ibid.  Numb.  53.     ^Walltfii Mechanica,five  de Moturfart.T.  de  CakukCentri gra- 
vitate, cap.  5.  Ptop.  32.    m  Philofoph.  Tranfadt.  N«»i.  98. 

nerally 


ifg  The  Statural  Hiftory 

ncrally  received  n,  and  what  kind  of  new  notation  muft  be  intro- 
duced to  exprefs  it,  with  divers  methods  of  fquaringthe Circle, 
Ellipfis,  and  Hyperbole,  fo  far  as  the  nature  of  Numbers  will  bear , 
having  apply 'd  his  method  of  Infinites  in  order  thereunto  ;  as  alfo 
for  rectifying  of  Curve-lines,  plaining  of  Curve -fur faces,  fquaring 
of  innumerable  forts  of  Curve- lined  figures,  plain  and  folid  (a- 
mongft  which  are  a  multitude  of  figures  of  infinite  length,  andyf- 
nite  content)  determining  their  Centers  of  Gravity,  and  other  ac- 
eidents, 

198.  He  has  alfo  adjufted  the  ftrength  of  percuffions  and  reflexi- 
ons (or  repercuffions')  and  other  motions  to  Geometrical  meafures, 
deduced  from  principles  of  Elafiicity  ;  and  has  eftimated  the  ar- 
tificial force  acquired  in  all  forts  of  Mecbanick  Engins,  deduced 
from  our  common  principle  of  the  Reciprocation  of  Strength  and 
time ;  with  many  other  improvements  of  Aritbmetick,  Algebra, 
Gtometry,  Methanicks,  and  other  parts  of  Matbematicks,  in  his 
Arithmetic^  of  Infinites,  his  Treatife  of  the  Cycloid,  with  that  ad- 
joyned  of  the  reclificat ion  of  Curves ;  his  Treatife  of  Motion,  and 
other  his  Printed  Works. 

199.  In  Muftck.  (which  is  Aritbmetick  adorned  with  founds) 
to  pafs  by  a  Harpfechord 'that  I  met  with  at  Sir  Tbo.  Penyfions  with 
Cats-gut  ftrings.  It  hath  been  lately  obferved  here  at  Oxford,  that 
though  Viol  or  Lute  ftrings  rightly  tuned  do  affect  one  another, 
yet  moft  of  them  do  it  not  in  all  places  alike,  as  has  till  now  been 
fuppofed :  for  if  the  leffer  of  two  Oftaves  be  touched  with  the 
hand  or  bow,  each  half  of  the  greater  will  anfwer  it,  but  will 
ftand  ftill  in  the  middle ;  and  if  the  greater  of  the  two  0  Raves  be 
touched  on  either  of  its  halves,  all  the  leffer  will  anfwer  it,  but  if 
touched  on  the  middle,  the  leffer  will  not  ftir  any  where  at  all.  So 
if  the  leffer  ftring  of  two  fifths  be  touched  on  either  of  its  halves, 
each  third  pzrt  of  the  greater  will  anfwer  it,  but  if  on  the  middle 
they  will  not  ftir ;  and  if  the  greater  of  two  fifths  be  touched  on  ei- 
ther of  its  thirds,  each  half  of  the  leffer  will  anfwer  it,  but  if  in 
the  divifions  they  will  not  ftir  :  and  foof  twelfths,  fifteenths,  istc 

200.  Which  Phenomena  I  fhall  always  gratefully  acknowledge 
were  firft  difcovered  to  me  by  the  ingenious  Thomas  Pigot  B.  A. 
and  Fellow  of  Wadham  College,  which  have  alfo  been  obferved  for 
about  thefetwo^r^by  the  no  lefs  ingenious  William  NobleU.  A. 

*  Vtd.  Aritl:tn:ticamInjinitorum,Prop.\^,  cttmSchtliofetpi. 

of 


Of  OXFO%fD-SHl%E.  a8p 

of  Merlon  College  :  The  folution  whereof  in  all  their  Cafes,  as  re^ 
ceived  from  the  learned  and  accurate  hand  of  the  Reverend  Nar* 
cijfa  Mar/h  D.  D.  and  Principal  of  St.  Alban  Hall,  one  of  the  moft 
cordial  Encouragers  of  this  Defign,  take  as  followeth :  which 
though  fo  exquifitely  done,  that  it  feems  not  capable  of  much  ad^ 
dition  or  amendment,  yet  he  modeftly  will  have  called  but  a  (hort 
Efiay  touching  the  (efteemed)  Sympathy  between  Lute  or  Viol 
firings. 

201.  Wherein  he  firft  lays  it  down  as  a  Pofiulatum,  that  if  two 
Lute  or  Viol  brings  be  rightly  tuned,  the  one  being  touched  with 
the  hand  or  bow,  the  other  will  anfwer,  or  tremble  at  its  motion, 
which  holds  alio  in  fome  meafure  in  Wire  firings  ;  and  between  Or- 
gan pipes  and  Viol  firings,  but  not  between  Wire  and  Viot firings. 
For  the  clearer  folution  of  which  Phenomenon  in  all  its  cafes,  he  has 
laid  down  thefe  two  following  Principles. 

Princip.  i.  That  firings  which  areVnifons  are  of the  fame \  ord 

proportionable  length,  bignefl,  andtenfion  \fo  that  by  how  much 

any  firing  is  longer  than  other,  ceteris  paribus,  by  fo  much 

fmaller,  or  more  tended ;  and  by  how  much  bigger,  by  jo  much 

Jfjorter  or  more  tended  mufi  it  be,  to  render  them  Vnifons,  wch 

will  appear  in  the  following  Cafes.W hereunto  he  premifeth^ 

That  in  firings  moved  by  an  equal  force^  through  a  like  medium, 
the  difference  of  motion  does  arife  from  the  difference  of  magni- 
tude and  tenfton,  wherefore  (the force  and  medium  being  alike)  he 
Premifeth  i.   Thatfirings  of  the  fame  ci^move  equally  faff, 
becaufe  they  cut  the  Air  with  the  fame  facility.     Hence 

2.  That  the  greater  any  firing  is  in  diameter  (or  circumfe- 
rence) thefiower  it  moves  (and  on  the  contrary)  becaufe  it 
finds  the  greater  refiftance  in  the  Air. 

3.  That  firings  of  the  fame  length  and  tenfion  move  to  the  fame 
diflance,  becaufe  they  have  the  fame  comfafito  play.   Hence 

4.  That  the  longer,  or  lefs  tended,  any  firing  is,  the  farther  it 
moves  (and  on  the  contrary)  becaufe  of  the  greater  com- 
pafl  it  can  fetch. 

Whence  he  infers  this  Conclufion, 
That  (in  firings  moved  through  the  fame  medium)  the  fwiftnefi  of 
motion  does  arife  from  the  greater  force,   and  /e/?cize  or  bignefs; 
the  comfafi  of  vibration,  from  the  greater  length  (or  force)  and 

O  o  iefi 


290  The  Statural  Hiftory 

/?/?  tenfion  ;  and  the  quicknefs  or  frequency  of  vibration,  from  the 
greater  or  fmfter  motion,  and  le/s  compafs. 

202.  This  premifed,  he  proceeds  to  his  firft  Hypothefis,  and 
fhews,  that  if  AB  and  C  D,  Tab.  15.  F/g.i.  be  equal  in  length, 
as  in  Viol  firings,  what  founds  and  vibrations  they  will  produce  ac- 
cording to  their  different  bignefs  and  tenfion  in  the  following 

&/  1.  LetAB=(i.  e.  beequalto)£  D, Tab. 15.  Fig.i.  have 
the  fame  cize  and  tenfion,  and  be  touched  with  an  equal  force, 
they  will  vibrate  to  equal  diftances  EG=IK(perpr<emi[fam  3) 
in  the  fame  time  (perpr<*m.  1.)  whereby  ftriking  the  ^4/V  in- 
to alike  arches,  or  arftfai'  of  equal  circles,  with  the  fame  brifk- 
nefs,  and  alike  quick  or  frequent  returns  of  their  vibrations, 
they  will  produce  the  fame  found,  and  fo  be  unifons,  1  to  1, 
vibration. 

Caf  2.  Let  A  B=C  P,  Fig.  1.  have  the  fame  cize  and  a  greater 
tenfion,  'twill  with  the  fame  force,  vibrate  proportionably  to 
alefs  diftance  (perpr^emif.  4.) in zjborter  time  (perpr*m.i.) 
as,  if  double  the  tenfion,  to  half  the  diflance  EF=[EG  or 
/ZF,  in  half  the  J/we ;  ftriking  the  tfir  into  an  drc/>  of  a  great- 
er circle  (and  that  fo  much  the  greater,  as  ^4  B  is  a  chord  of 
fewer  degrees  to^GZ?,  the  lefs)  which  doing  brifk  and 
fmartly  with  a  quick  return,  becaufe  of  the  little  compafs  it 
fetches,  'twill  beget  a  found  fo  much  the  more  acute,  as  its 
vibrations  (are  fhorter,  and  thereby)  come  thicker  and  oft- 
ner  ;  i.e.  of  double  the  acute/ie/s,  or  an  upper  cflave  to  C 
1/  2  to  1  vibration. 

Caf.  3.  Let  ^4  B=C~D,  Tab.  15.  ^fg.  2.  have  a  greater  riband 
the  fame  tenfion,  it  will  with  the  fame /orce,  vibrate  to  the 
fame  distance  E'G~IK (per pr<*m.y.)  but  in  a  longer  time 
proportionably  (perpr*m.  2. J  as,  if  it  be  double  in  diame- 
ter (and  foin  circumference,  i.  &.  quadruple  in  bulk)  in  twice 
the  time  ;  ftriking  a  Note  fo  much  the  more  grave,  as  its  vi- 
brations return  flower  and  feldomer,  and  are  thereby  fewer, 
i.  e.  twice  as  grave,  or  an  under  ofiave  to  CD,  1  to  2  vibra- 
tions. 

Caf  4.  Let  A  B=C  P  F/£.  2.  have  as  much  greater  a  cize  as 
tenfion,  it  will,  with  an  equal  /orce,  vibrate  to  a  lefs  diflance 

pro- 


ofOXFO%p~SHt%E.  z$i 

proportionally  ;  as  if  double  the  cize  and  tenfwn,  to  half 
the  diftance  E  F*4  E  C  or  IK  in  the  fame  time  (per  Caf  2 .  is1 
3 .)  and  fo  keeping  touch  in  their  vibrations,  they  will  ftrike 
unifons  1  to  1  vibration. 
Caf.  5.  Let  A  B=C  D  Fig.  2.  have  as  much  greater  cize  as  lefs 
tenfwn,  'twill  with  the  fame  force  vibrate  to  a  greater  diftance 
proportionally,  in  a  time  greater  in  a  duplicat  proportion ; 
as  if  double  the  cize,  and  but  half  the  tenfwn,  to  double  the 
diftance  E  H—z  EC  or  /  K,  in  quadruple  the  time  (per  Caf. 
2.  isr  3.)  and  fo  will  ftrike  an  under  difdiapafon  or  15th  to  C 
D,  1  to  4  vibrations ;  as  on  the  contrary  C  D  to  A  B  an  up- 
per., 4  to  1  w'^r. 

Whereby  the  way  he  gives  notice,  that  when  he  fpeaks  of  firings' 
(of  a  different  ci^e)  being  moved  by  the  fame  or  an  equal  force 
(which  is  alfo  to  be  underftood  in  all  the  following  cafes  where  not 
expreft)  that  he  means  it  that  way  their  gravity  does  propend, 
viz*  downward  in  thofe  that  are  Horizontally  ftreined,  left  their 
proper  gravity  might  be  thought  to  caufe  a  difference. 

203.  Thus  having  abfolved  hisftrft  Hypothefis  concerning  firings 
of  equal  length,  he  proceeds  to  his  fecond,  and  (hews  that  if 
A  B  and  C  D,  Fig.  3.  be  unequal  in  length,  as  in  moft  Lute-ftringsi 
what  vibrations  and  founds  they  will  produce,  according  to  their 
different  cizes  and  tenfwn  alfo  in  the  following  Cafes* 

Caf  1.  Let  AB>  (i.  e.  be  longer  than)  CD,  Tab.  15.  Fig*  %i 
have  the  fame  cize  and  tenfion,  it  will  with  an  equal  force, 
vibrate  proportionably  to  a  greater  diftance  Qerpr^m.^.J 
in  a  greater  time  (perprxm.  1.)  as  if  twice  as  long  to  double 
the  diftance,  LN=iLM\  For  AL.LNnCL.  LM.  ((y  AN. 
CM::NL.  ML.  [per  4.  6.  Euc.']  ergo  Arch.  AN^Arc.  CMD) 
and  that  in  twice  the  time  ;  ftriking  the  air  into  an  arch  of  a 
circle  of  double  the  Radius ;  by  which  double  flower  re- 
turn of  its  vibrations^twill  produce  a  found  twice  asgrdz/e, 
or  an  under  oclane  to  CD.  1  to  2  vibrations. 

Caf  2.  Let  AB>  CD  Fig.  3.  have  the  fame  cize,  and  a i  tenfwn 
as  much  greater  as  'tis  longer,  'twill  with  an  equal  force,  vi- 
brate to  the  fame  diftance  LM(perpr*m.(\.  velper  Caf  1.  Hyp. 
2.  isfCaf.2.  Hyp.!.)  in  the  lame  time  Cperpreem.  1.) ftriking 
the  air  (with  alike  brilknefs)  into  an  arch  of  a  circle,  fo* 

Oo  2  much 


zpz  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

much  greater  proportionally,  as  CD  is  the  chord  of  fewer 
degrees,  and  fo  will  produce  alike  founds  or  unifons.  i  to  i 
vibration. 
Caf  3 .   Let  AB  >  CD,  Fig.  3 .  have  the  fame  cize  and  a  tenfion 
as  much  /<?/$,  as  'tis  longer ;  'twill  vibrate  to  a  difiance,  and 
in  a  /Z777e  greater  in  a  duplicate  proportion  Cper  proem.  4.  &>•  1 .. 
w/jter  C^  r*Hjfp.  2.  &>•  C0/2.  Hjp.i.)  as,  if  being  double, 
it  has  but  half  the  tenfion  to  quadruple  the  difiance  L0=/\.  LM 
in  quadruple  the  //V»e,  and  fo  will  produce  2  found  4  times 
as  grave,  or  an  under difdiapafon  to  CD  1  to  4  z/i^r. 
Gj/!  4.  Let  AB>  CD,  Tab.  15.  Fig.  4.  have  a  a^asmuch 
greater  as  'tis  longer,  and  the  fame  tenfion.   'twill  vibrate  to 
a  greater  difiance  proportionably  (per  proem. ^.  velper  Caf.  1. 
Hj>/>.  2.  J  in  a  ///»*  greater  in  a  duplicate  proportion  (per  proem. 
2.  W/er  &/  3.  H)/>.  1 .)  as  if  double  in  length  and  c«£,  to 
double  the  diftance  PR— 2  Pfljn  quadruple  the  time ;  and  fo 
will  ftrike  an  under  difdiapafon  or  1 5th  to  CD.  1  to  4  vibr. 
Caf.  5.  Let  AB>  CD,  Tab.  15.  Fig.  5.  havead^as  much 
lefs  as  *tis  longer,  and  the  fame  /e«//o«  ;   'twill  with  the  fame 
force,  vibrate  to  a  greater  diftance  proportionably  (per  proem. 
4.  w/  Caf.  1 .  #?/>.  2.)  as  if  twice  as  long  to  double  the  di- 
ftance TX=2  TV,  in  the  fame  time  (per proem. 2. J  and  fo  keep- 
ing pace  in  their  vibrations  will  ftrike  unifons,  1  to  1 .  vibr. 
Caf.  6.  Let  AB>  CD,  Fig.  4.  have  both  cize  and  tenfion  as  much 
greater  as  'tis  longer,   'twill  vibrate  to  the  fame  difiance  PQ^ 
(per proem. 4.  z/e/  Caf  2. Hyp.  2. J  in  a  longer  /zwze proportion- 
ably (per proem.  2.J  as  if  double  the  cize,  in  twice  the  time, 
and  fo  will  ftrike  an  under  oftave,  1  to  2  vibrations. 
Caf.  7.   Let  AB>  CD,  Fig.  5.  have  both  cize  and  tenfion  as 
much  /e/J,  as  'tis  longer  ;   'twill  vibrate  to  a  diftance  greater 
i.  in  a  duplicate  proportion  Qer.  Caf.  3.  /jite,  2. J  in  a  ///we  pro- 

portionably greater  Cper  pram.  2. J  as  if  double  the  length, 
it  has  but  half  the  cize  and  tenfion,  to  quadruple  the  diftance 
TT—$TV'm  twice  the  /i«e,and  fo  will  ftrike  an  under  oftave 
1  to  2  vibr. 
Caf  8.  Let  AB  >  CD,  Fig.  4.  have  a  a'^e  as  much  greater,  and 
a  /e«/?otf  as  much  lefs  as  'tis  /eager  ;  'twill  vibrate  to  a  diftance 
greater  in  a  duplicate  proportion  Cper  Caf.  3.  ##>.  2. J  in  a 
time  greater  in  a  triplicate  proportion  Cper proem.  2. J  as  if  dou- 
ble 


Of  OX  FO%!D~S  HI%E.  r9; 

ble  in  length  and  cize,  and  but  half  fo  much  tended,  to  qua^ 
druple  the  distance  PS=$PQJn  octuple  the  time  ;  and  fo 
willftrike  an  under  trifdiapafon,  or  a  22d,  i  to  8.  vibr. 
Cafe  9  Let  AB  >  CD,  Fig.  5 .  have  a  cize  as  much  lefs,  and  a  ten* 
fion  as  much  greater  as  'tis  longer  ;  'twill  vibrate  to  the  fame 
diftance  TVCper  Caf  2.  /%>.  2.J  in  a  time  proportionably  /*/5 
Cperpram.  2.  velCaJ.  3.  #j//>.  i.J  as  if  half  the  cize  in  half 
the  time ;  and  thereby  will  ftrike  an  upper  oclave,  2  to  1 
vibr. 

All  which  £<*/«,  may  be  thus  briefly  expreffed  (putting  7"  for  Ten- 

fion,  D  for  the  Cize  or  Diameter,  and  L  for  the  /o?gM  of  the  firing:) 

fuppofing  £^=1  to  be  the  acutene/s  of  the  found  propofed  (to 

which  you  compare  the  reft)  the  acutenefs  in  the  other  cafes  com- 
pared to  it,  will  be  in  the  proportions  following  refpectively. 

u *,a    <;C^J-     2-       a-       4.       5. 

Hypoth.i.2j_^      aT  j 2T t    _iT  ^ 

„4      ,         C^L  2.  3.  4.  5. 

Eypoth.z.X  t    _,      2T  _,      «v.      _X_  _^        T 


ZL*2D        +*       2L*»D       '* 


6.  7.  8*  9 

aT         .         iT   ._,         \\       j         2T 


51     _.« 

■*"      ^ — r"~ — »•     ~~— —  ~« 


2L*2D  2LxjD  2L*2D  •        2L*jD 


The  reafon  of  which  manner  of  expreffion,  depends  on  this  * 
that  (in  Proportions  expreffed  after  the  manner  of  Fraftions) 
increasing  that  above  the  line,  doth  increafe  the  value  (and  fo  doth 
the  increafe  of  Tenfion,  increafe  the  acutenefs  :)  But  increafing  that 
under  the  line,  doth  diminijh  the  value  (and  fo  doth  the  increafe  of 
the  length,  and  the  increafe  of  the  cize,  diminijb  the  Acutenefs)  in  the 
fame  proportion.  Which  may  ferve  for  a  brief  demonfiration  of  the 
whole. 

By  which  may  be  judged  of,  all  other  more  mixt  or  compound 
Cafes,  which  are  infinite,  according  to  the  divers  unequal  pro- 
portions, of  length,  bignefs,  and  ten/ion  ;  but  being  all  made  out 
of,  or  founded  on  thefe7  they  will  all  hold  true  in  Analogy  to 
them. 

204.  From  many  of  which  Cafes  'tis  plain  and  eafie,  that  the 
Jympathy  and  confent  of  firings  lies  not  wholly  in  their  like  ten/ion 

and 


ap^  Wi  Statural  Hijlory 

and  formation  of />or«,  as  was  fuppofed  §.  24.  of  thefirft  £,6<2~ 
/fer  of  this  Book.  Whence  alfo  'tis  equally  cafie  to  make  thefe 
three  following  Illations* 

it  That  firings  agreeing  in  either  lengthy  bignefs,  or  tenfwn,  can 
be  made  unifons  but  four  ways.  1 .  If  they  be  of  the  fame 
length,  bignefs,  and  tenfwn  Cper  Caf.i.  Hyp.i.J  2.  Of  the  fame 
length,  and  one  a  cize  and  tenfwn  equally  greater  than  the  o- 
ther  (per  Caf^.HypA.J  3.  Of  the  fame  cize,  and  one  a  length 
and  tenfwn  equally  greater  (per  Caf.  2.  Hyp. 2. J  4.  Of  the 
fame  tenfwn,  and  one  as  much  longer  as  'tis  left  (per  Caf.  5. 
Hyp*  2.)  and  after  the  fame  manner  when  they  difagree  in 
ail  three,  as  will  be  obvious  to  the  confidering  :  Wherefore 
unifons  are  always  firings  of  the  fame,  or  a  proportionable 
length,  bignefs,  and  tenfwn. 

2.  That  unifons  may  be  moved  by  the  fame  force,  in  the  fame 
time  ;  or  being  moved  by  the  fame  or  an  equal  force,  will 
vibratein  the  fame  time  ;  as  is  manifeft  in  the  fore-mention- , 
ed  Cafes,  to  which  all  others  bear  Analogy. 

3,  That  oclaves  being  moved  by  the  fame  or  an  equal  force,  the 
upper  will  vibrate  in  half  the  time,  that  the  under  does,  or 
twice  to  its  once  Qw  Caf  2  is  3.  Hyp.  1 .  is-  Caf  1,  6,  7,  (y 
9.  Hyp.  2.J  wherefore  they  can  by  no  force  be  made  to  vi- 
brate together ;  for  as  much  as  the  fame  firing  (being  of  the 
fame  length  and  tenfwnj  always  vibrates  in  the  fame  time ;  a 
greater  force  only  making  it  fly  out  to  a  greater  difiance,  or 
fetch  a  greater  compafs  in  its  vibrations,  and  thereby  move 
(but  not  vibratej  falter,  />er  Concluf.  posl  Prjemiffa*.  And 
thefame  is  verified  concerning  all  other  Notes. 

205.  Having  done  with  his  firfi  Principle,  with  the  Hypothefes, 

and  feveral  Cafes  attending  it,  the  fame  Reverend  and  Learned 

Dr.  N.  M„  proceeds  to  his  fecond  Principle,  viz.  That  all  tuned 

firings  either  are  or  confifi  of  unifons,  which  will  plainly  appear  from 

thedivifionof the  Monocbord ;  where, 

1.  Vnifons  are  as  AB  to  BC,  Fig.  6. 1  to  1  part,  or  vibration,  per 

Illationemi.  iy  2. 

2 .  A  Diapajon  or  Oclaves,  as  BCto  CD,  Fig.  7. 1  to  2  Vnifons,  or 

2  to  1  Vibrat.per  Illat.  3. 

3.  A  Diapente,  or  perfect  fifths,  as  CD  to  VE,  Fig.  8.  2  to  3 
Vnifons,  or  3  to  2  vibrat.  4.  A 


4.  A  Diatefferon,  or  fourths,  as  DE  to  EF,  Fig.  9.  3  to  \Vni- 
fons,  or  4  to  3  vibrat. 

5.  A  Ditone,  or  greater  thirds,  as  EF  to  FG,  Fig.  10.  4  to  5 
Vnifons,  or  5  to  4  z/i/irtf/. 

6.  A  Semiditone,  or  lefler  thirds,  as  FG  to  G#,  Fig.  h.  5  to  6 
Vnifins^  or  6  to  5  vibrat. 

7.  A  Viapafon  with  a   Diapente,    or  twelfths,  as  7/f  to  #£, 
Fig.  iz.   1  to  3  Vnifons,  or  3  to  1  vibrat. 

8.  A  Difdiapafon  or  fifteenths,  as  M#to  AT0,  Fig.  13.  1  to  4IV- 
tf*y<;w,   or  4  to  1  vibrat. 

And  fo  for  the  reft,  whereof  the  chief  may  be  expreffed  on  one 
line,  Fig.  14. 

rAB.  AC.orAC.CG 

or  AD.  AG,  are 
AC.  AD.  or  v4£.  ^4G. 
AD.AE. 
AE.AF 
AF.  AG. 
mere<AD.AF. 
AC.  AF. 
AB.  AD.  or  AB.  BE. 

or  AC.  AG. 
AB.AE.oxAB.BF. 

or  AB.CG.  >IS' 

AB.  AF.  orAB.BG.ij. 
AB.AG.  i9. 


8. 

5- 

4. 

3m* 

3ml 
6. 

10. 

-12. 


;b 


206.  And  thus  much  for  his  Principles,  whence  he  goes  on  to 
fome  fpecial  or  particular  Proportions,  in  drder  to  demonftrate  the 
late  obferved  Phenomena,  which  immediatly  follow. 

Prop.  1.  If  two  firings  be  tuned  Vnifons  AB.  BC.  Fig.  6.  and 
either  be  touched  with  the  hand  or  bow,  the  other  willanfwer  it-, 
by  trembling  at  its  motion. 

For  the  Air  being  put  into  an  arched  figure  and  motion  by  the  firing 
that  is  touched,  rolls  away  to  the  other,  which  finding  of  a  lengthy 
bignefs,  and  tenfion,  that  are  the  fame,  or  proportionable  {per  ll~ 
lat.  i.)it  eafily  (by  the  force  it  received  from  the  touched  firing) 

imprints 


2p6  The  fhQatural  Hiftory 

imprints  both  figure  and  motion  into  it,  In  the  ftrfl  Cafe  (perCaf.  i. 
H,p.\.  Trine,  i.)  orelfe  communicates  its  motion  only,  inthey£- 
cond,  (per  Mat.  2.)  whereby  the  next  undulation  of  Air,  from  the 
touched  firing,  taking  it  juft  at  its  return,  and  in  like  manner  the 
confequent  ones,  and  moving  it  as  before,  they  continue  their 
vibrations  together, pajfibas  <equi4,  Q^  E.  D. 

Prop.  2.  If  the  leffer  of  Wo  Oftaves  BC,  be  touched  Fig.  7. 
each  half  of  the  greater  C2,  2D  will  anfwer  it,  the  middle  2 
fiandingslill ■  which  he  thus  demonftrates. 

About  CD  wraploofly  3  mrrowftrips  of  paper,  one  in  the  middle 
2,  the  other  betwixt  Ci  and  2D  (exemp.gr.  in  p  and  q)  then  with 
the  finger  or  bow  ftrike  BC,  or  any  part  of  it,  and  you  will  fee  the- 
papers  in  p  q,  dance  and  play  up  and  down  and  about  the  firing, 
'twixt  Ci  and  iD,  but  that  in  2  ftand  ftill.  Whence  it  is  evident, 
that  CD  moves  in  its  two  halves,  by  two  difiincl  motions.  Which 
he  thinks  occafioned  by  the  arched  Airs,  nulling  with  the  force  of 
BC  againft  all  CD,  and  moveing  it  fomwhat  forward  out  of  its 
place ;  but  finding  it  of  a  difproportionate  lengtb,  bignefs,  and 
tenfion,  to  be  excited  by  fo  quick  vibrations,  as  may  correfpond 
with  thofe  of  BC,  and  the  undulations  whereinto  they  ftrike  the 
Air  (by  which  alone  it  caufes  any  firing  to  vibrate)  per  Mat.  3. 
the  fecond  undulation  of  the  Air  from  BC  meets  CD  juft  at  its  re- 
turn (CD's  vibrations  to  BC's,  and  the  Airs  undulations  caufed 
thereby,  being  as  1  to  2)  whereby  it  is  beat  back,  and  rebounds 
from  2  towards  BC}  when  the  third  undulation  from  BC  occurring, 
forces  it  forward  again  ;  whereupon  (not  being  able  to  move 
backward  nor  forward)  the  undulations  break  and  roll  away  to 
each  fide,  towards  CandD.  Which  parts  Ci.  2  D  being  Vnifons 
to  BC,  per  Princip.  2.  it  eafily  moves  them  per  Prop.  1.  and  fo, 
(though  Des  Cartes  denys  it  °)  they  apparently  vibrate  mpq  (vid. 
Fig. i$. j  by  two  difiinft  motions, Q^E.  D. 

Prop.  3 .  If  the  greater  of  two  Oftaves  CD  be  touch  on  either  of 
its  halves  C2.  2D.  all  the  leffer  will  anfwer  it,  but  if  on  the 
middle  2  itwillfiir  no  wbzre.  Which  is  thus  demonftrated. 

About  BC,  Fig.  y.  wrap  loofly  onefirip  of  paper,  then  with  the 
finger  or  bow,  ftrike  CD  on  either  half,  Ci  or  2  D,  and  you  will  fee 

1 

•  Pes  cartes  Mu/.  Comp-  f-  5. 

the 


Of  0XF0%T>~SH1XE-  %9 J 

the  paper  dance  and  play  as  before,  and  that  in  all  parts  of  B(j 
alike  '  but  if  you  ftrike  it  on  the  middle  2,  the  paper  will  not  ftir. 
The  reafon  whereof  feems  to  be,  that  Ci.  2D  being  Vnifons  to 
BC,per  Princip.  2.  if  either  be  touched,  BC  will  anfwer  it,  per 
Prop.  1.  But  CD  having  a  difproportionate/e/zgM,  bignefsnnd.  ten- 
fion  to  BC  :  if  Touched  in  2  (whereby  the  whole  firing  is  equally 
moved)  it  cannot  affeft  it,  by  reafon  of  their  different  vibrations ; 
as  in  the  former  Proportion,  £.  E.  D. 

Note  that  this,  and  (efpecially)  the  following  Experiments, 
muft  be  tryed  curioufly  by  a  gentle  touch  of  the  siring  (only  fo 
hard  as  to  make  the  papers  move )  and  that  with  a  bow  rather  than 
the  finger  :  For  if  CD  be  touched  boldly  in  2  (with  the  finger  he 
means,  not  the  bow  J  by  reafon  of  the  ftrong  motion  communica- 
ted to  its  parts  (and  happily  divided  there,which  perhaps  may  be 
the  caufe  too,  why,ifyoU  ftrike  it  with  the  bow  in  2,  it  fends  forth 
forth  a  fcreaking  broken  found)  BC  will  tremble,  but  with  a  mo- 
tion nothing  fo  brisk,  as  when  touched  with  but  half  the  force  any 
where  elfe. 

Prop.  4.  If  thelejfer  of  two  Fifths,  CD  Fig.  8.  be  touched  on 
either  of  its  halves  C2.  2D,  each  third  part  of  the  greater  D 
X,  XZ,ZE,  will  anfwer  it,  but  if  in  the  middle  2  they  will 
not  ftir.     Which  will  plainly  appear, 

By  laying  papers  as  before,  on  /,  x,  3,  ^,  v,  if  then  you  ftrike  CD 
on  C2  or  2D,  you'l  fee  the  papers  on  /,  3,  v,  frisk  and  daunce, 
while  thofe  on  x  and^ftand  ftill,  but  if  you  ftrike  it  on  2  none 
will  move.  Demonslratio  eadem  eft  cuntfuperioribws,  for  Ci .  2D  are 
Vnifons,  and  CD  an  0 clave,  to  DX,  JfZ,  ZE,per  Prim.  2. 

If  it  be  demanded,  wherefore  DZ  or  Jl£  ('which  are  Vnifons 
to  CD  per  Princip.2.)  do  not  vibrate  when  it  is  touched  in  2.  He 
anfwers,  if  DZ,  then  by  the  fame  reafon  XE  alfo,and  fo  XZ  would 
at  the  fame  time  be  moved  by  contrary  motions,  as  in  Fig.  16. 
Q^E.A. 

Prop.  5.  If  the  greater  of  two  fifths  DE  be  touched,  Fig.  8.  on 
either  of  its  thirds  DX,  XZ,  ZE,  each  half  of  the  leffer  Ci. 
2D, will  anfwer  it :  but  if  in  the  divifions  XZ,they  will  not  ftir. 

Experimentum  &  demonftratio  inftituuntur  utfupra,  DX^  XZ,  ZE,  be- 
ing Vnifons  to  C2.  2D,  and  oclaves  to  CD, per  Princip.  2. 

Pp  If 


298  The  Natural  Hiflory 

If  it  be  ask,  why,  when  DE  is  touchton  Xor  Z,  whereby  the 
conterminous  parts  feem  principally  to  be  moved,  CD  does  not 
vibrate,  which  is  Vnifon  to  it.  He  anfwers,  that  if  all  CD  could 
tremble,  then  beating  the  Air  back  again  on  DE,  it  would  at  once 
fhake  DZ  and  XE  (Vnifons  to  CD)  as  in  the  former  Prof  of.  QJL.A'. 

Prop.  6.  If  the  kffer  of  two  twelfths  IK,  Fig.  12.  be  touched, 
each  third  fart  of  the  greater,  Ka,  a  b,  b  L,  will  move ;  but 
in  the  dwifions,  a  b  fiandfiill.  On  the  contrary,  if  the 
greater  be  touched  en  its  parts,  K  a,  ab,  b  L,  all  the  lefs  will 
tremble ;  but  if  on  the  divifions  a  b,  it  will  not fiir. 

Experimentum  (sr  Demonfiratio  ut  ante,  IK.  being  a  Vnifon  to  K  a,  a  b, 
b  L,perPrincip.  2. 

Prop.  7.  If  the  kffer  of  two  fifteenths,  MN  Fig.  1 3.  be  touched, 
the  greater  will  move  in  all  its  quarters  N  c,  c  4,  4  d,  d  O, 
but  not  in  their  divifions,  c  4  d.  On  the  contrary,  if  the 
greater  be  touched  on  either  of  its  quarters  N  c,  c  4, 4  d,  d  O, 
all  the  lefs  will  move ;  but  if  on  the  divifions  c  4  d,  it  will 
fiandfiill. 

Experimentum  &  demonflratio  infiituuntur  ut  fupra.  MN  being 
Vnifon  to  Nc,  c4,  /[.d,dO,  per  Princip.  2. 

207.  Thus  having  cleared  the  late  obferved  Phenomena  men- 
tioned above  in  §.  199.  he  infers  the  following  Corollaries. 

1 .  That  all  Confonancy  Cor  Sympathetick.  motion  of  firings  J 
is  made  by  Vnifons,  that  is,  1  moves  1,  and  noti.  2,  or  2.3, 
isre.  as  appears  from  the  fore-going  Proportions.  Hence 

2.  That  each  firing  at  the  due  touch  of  another,  will  tremble  in 
as  many  places  as  it  contains  Vnifons  thereunto,  whether  to 
the  whole  or  its  parts.  So  a  lower  oftave  in  2,  each  half  be- 
ing Vnifon  to  the  higher  ;  a  lower  fifth  in  three,  and  the 
higher  in  two,  they  being  as  3  Vnifons  to  2,  i£rc     Hence 

3.  That  all  tuned  firings  whatever  C  whether  thirds  fourths,fifths, 
fixths,  i&c.)  will  anfwer  each  other  more  or  lefs,  at  the  due 
touch  of  their  Correfpondents :  But  the  tremor  or  vibration 
in  fome  of  them  being  made  in  many  places  at  the  fame  time 
(  according  to  the  number  of  the  Vnifons,  per  Corol.  2  .J  and 
therefore  not  great,  where  the  part  moved  is  but  (hort  (per 

•   Caf  1. Hyp.  2.  Princ.i.)   it  cannot  always  be  difcerned  by 

the 


ofOXFO*Hp~SHl%E.  i?p 

by  thefenfe,  but  follows  by  a  parity  of  reafon  ;  contrary  to 
what  Des  Canes p  afferts,  that  fuch  vibrations  are  found  on- 
ly in  upper  thirds  and  fifths. 
208.  From  the  fame  Principles  may  be  (hewn  how  a  Man  may 
ftrike  any  two  Notes  with  his  mouth  at  the  fame  time.  For  ifa  Man 
open  his  mouth  in  two  places  at  once,  as  AB  to  BC,  Fig.  1 7.  or  as 
1  to  2  both  in  length  and  bredth,  and  then  force  out  the  breath 
ftrongly  againft  them  (thus  opened)  fo  that  the  found  be  all  begot- 
ten there    (as  in  whittling)  you  will  hear  diftincY  and  perfect 
oflaves,per  Princ.  2.  And  fo  fecondly,if  a  Man  can  open  his  lips  as 
BC  toCD,Fig.  1 8.  or  as  2  to  3  in  length  &  bredth,and  do  as  before, 
he  will  ftrike  fifths,  per  Princip.  2.  And  after  the  fame  manner  for 
the  reft  of  the  Notes,  according  to  the  divifion  of  the  Monochord. 
2.09.   According  to  which  Hypothecs  one  Hooper  here  of  Oxford 
could  fo  clofe  his  lips,  as  to  fing  an  ottave  at  the  fame  time.      And 
I  know  two  other  perfons  now  living  here,  that  can  do  it  though 
their  lips  feem  not  to  be  fet  in  that  pofture,  yet  they  Unit  them  fo 
clofe  that  they  can  by  no  means  pronounce  any  thing  articulate. 
"But  he  that  excels  them  all,  and  indeed  to  a  miracle,  is  one  Mr, 
Jojhuah  "Dring,  a  young  Gentleman  of  Hart-hall,  who  lings  a  Song 
articulatly,orepatulo,2nd  all  in  oSlaves  fo  very  ftrongly  ,&  yet  with- 
out much  ftraining,that  he  equals  if  not  excels  theloudeft  Organ* 

210.  By  what  means  he  performs  this,  is  hard  to  guefs,  unlefs 
the  Epiglottis  and  Vvula  be  both  concerned  in  it,  one  founding  the 
upper,  and  the  other  {he  lower  ollave ;  or  either  of  them  apart,  o- 
pening  unequally  as  1  to  2  in  Fig.  1 7.  or  which  is  moft  likely  of 
the  three,  by  an  unequal  application  of  the  Vvula  to  the  Epiglot- 
tis. For  his  own  part  he  can  give  but  little  account  of  it  himfelf 
only  that  he  performs  it  in  the  lower  part  of  his  throat,  and  that 
it  came  cafually  on  him  atfirft,  upon  draining  his  -voice  ;  yetmuft 
it  not  be  reckoned  a  meer  cafualty  neither,for  he  rings  thefe  oftaveS, 
or  otherwife  (and  both  very  ftrongly)  according  to  pleafure. 
And  this  is  all  I  know  of  new,  concerning  the  Mathematicks,  ex- 
cept there  be  any  thing  of  Chorcgraphy  in  the  Map  of  Oxford-fiire 
prefixt  to  this  Ejpty,  that  may  be  thought  worthy  the  name  of  a 
new  Contrivance. 

211,  In  Natural  Pbilofophy*  Medicine  and  Anatomy,  there  have 
alfo  been  many  new  Inventions  and  Improvements,  made  of  later 
years  in  this  Vniverfity,  which  as  they  promifcuoujly  fell  out  in  order 

rM*Jic*  Compend.f.  <j. 

Pd   2  of 


300  The  Statural  Hijlory 

of  time,  immediatly  follow.  The  Honorable  and  Ingenious  Ro* 
bert  Dudley  Efq;  formerly  of  Chrifi  Church  aforementioned,  titu- 
lar Duke  of  Northumberland,  was  the  firft  Inventor  of  the  Pulvis 
Cornacbinut,  being  a  mixture  of  Diagridium,  Tartar,  and  Diapho- 
retic Antimony,  with  cream  of  Tartar,  the  proportions  varying /ro 
re  nataq ;  a  Medicine  of  fuch  general  and  excellent  ufe,  that  Mpr- 
cui  Cornachinut  (from  whom  it  has  its  name)  wrot  a  whole  Trea- 
tife  concerning  it,commending  it  to  the  World  as  highly  ufeful  in 
all  Difeafes  whatever,  requiring  Purgation. 

212.  Nor  doubt  I  in  the  leaft,  notwithstanding  the  pretenfions 
of  the  famous  Thomas  Bartholin,  and  Olaus  Rudbeck,  but  that  the 
ingenious  Mr.  JoIHffof  th\sV  niverftty,  firft  of  Wadham,  and  af- 
ter of  Pembroke  College,  was  the  firft  Inventor  of  that  fourth  fort 
of  Vejjels,  plainly  differing  from  the  Veins,  Arteries,  and  Nerves, 
now  commonly  called  the  Lympheducls:  That  he  knew  them  about 
the  beginning  of  June,  An.  1652.  we  have  the  teftimony  of  the 
learned  and  famous  Dr.  Gliffon,  to  whom  he  difcovered  them, 
coming  to  Cambridge  to  take  his  Doclors  degree  r;at  what  time,fays 
the  Learned  Dr.  Walter  Charleton,  'tis  plain  from  Bartholins  own 
Book  fet  forth  in  May,  1653. tnat  ne  fcarce  ever  dreamt  of  them  \ 

213.  Yet  1  know  the  Learned  Bartbolin,  amongft  his  Anatomi- 
cal Hi/lories,  tells  us  he  firft  found  them  the  15th  of  Decemb.  1651. 
and  again,  the  9th  of  January,  and  28  of  Febr.  1652'.  and  that 
the  Learned  Qlam  Rudbeckhys,  He  firft  difcovered  them  in  Octo- 
ber and  November,  16  $0 u.  both  anticipating  the  date  of  Dr.  Glif- 
fon. But  I  have  been  frequently  told  by  my  worthy  and  learned 
Friend,  Dr.  Robert  Stately,  an  eminent  Phyfitian,  and  one  of  un- 
queftionable  fidelity,  Contemporary  with  Mr.  Jollijf'&t  Pembroke 
College  till  Oxford  was  made  a  Garrifon  for  the  7fi/2g,about  the  Year 
1642.  that  they  were  often  (hewn  to  him  by  the  fame  Mr.  Jolliff 
while  they  were  Students  there.  To  which  add  the  Teftimony  of 
the  fore-cited  Dr.  Charleton }thzttheCe  Vejjelswere  known  &  com- 
monly talked  of  amongft  the  Fellows  and  Candidats  of  the  Famous 
College  of  Pbyfitians  in  London,  many  years  before  they  heard  any 
news  of  them  from  beyond  Sea  w.  Not  to  mention  that  Dr.  Higb- 
more  teems  to  have  noted  fomthing  of  them,  though  veiled  under 
a  different  name  and  defcription. 

1  Vid.  ]o  Schroderi  Pharmicop.  Medico-Chym.  lib.  z.  cap.  77.  r  Fran.Gliflonii  zAnatom.  Hepatis, 
cap.  31.  »  Gualt.  Charletoni  OEconom.  Animal.  Exercit .  9.  '  Tho.  Bartholini  Hiftoriar.  Anatom.  Rar. 
Cent.  2 .  Hifi.  48 .  u  Rudbeckii  EpiR.  ad  Bartholin,  dc  Vafis  Serofit,p.  U  •  w  Idem  loco  citato.  Vid.  etiam  E- 
//fl.Timoch.  Clark, M.V.  Philofoph.  Tranfaft.  Numb.  35. 

214.  The 


OfOXFO%T>~SHI%E.  501 

214.  The  fame  Learned  Dr.  Highmere,  formerly  of  Trinity 
College  Oxon.  was  the  firft  that  we  know  of  that  treated  of  the  ftru- 
dure  of  Mans  body,  adapting  it  to  the  then  new  received  Doftrine 
of  the  circulation  of  the  Blood;  for  the  proof  whereof  hefeerris 
chiefly  to  have  intended  his  piece  of  Anatomy,  dedicating  it  to  the 
Author  of  the  Invention,  the  famous  Dr.  Harvey  :  Wherein  he  has 
feveral  new  Cuts  of  the  Spleen,  Pancreas,  Teftes,  (jrc  of  which, 
though  moft  have  fince  received  confiderable  Improvements  from 
others,  yet  it  muft  be  acknowledged  that  he  deferved  very  well 
for  his  diligent  and  laborious  fearch  into  them  all,  but  more  par- 
ticularly for  his  firft  difcovery  of  the  new  duclm  for  the  carriage  of 
the  feed 'from  the  Teftes  to  the  Paraftat*  x,  and  for  his  new  defcri- 
ptions  of  the  Veffels  and  Fibres  of  the  Spleen,  by  the  ancient  Ana- 
tomifls  held  to  be  Veins  y,  and  of  the  intricate  plexus  of  the  Para- 
ftat<e,  (sre  r. 

215.  In  Natural  Philojophy,.  the  famous  Dr.  Willis  of  Chrift 
Church  College  Oxon.  and  Sidleyan  Profeffor  of  Natural  Philofophy 
in  this  Vniverfity,  firft  taught  us,  that  the  Generations,  Perfections, 
and  Corruptions  of  Natural  Bodies,  whether  Mineral,  Vegetable,  or 
Animal;  and  fo  likewife  of  Bodies  Artificial,  do  depend  upon 
fermentations,  raifed  from  the  different  proportions  and  motions 
of  Spirit,  Sulphur,  Salt,  Water,  and  Earth,  which  he  has  confti- 
tuted  the  ultimate  fenfible  principles  of  mixed  bodies a.  According 
to  which,  in  his  Book  deFebribut,  he  has  given  us  the  Anatomy  of 
Blood,  and  declared  the  true  caufes  and  nature  of  fermentations  m 
the  juices,  and  upon  them  built  his  moft  rational  Do&rine  of  Fe- 
vers, intermittent, putrid  and  malignant,  with  particular  inftances 
and  obfervations  concerning  them,  much  different  from  the  ways 
of  the  Ancients :  to  which  he  has  fuperadded  the  Spagyrical  A- 
natomy  of  Vrin. 

216.  In  Anatomy  (wherein  he  had  the  affiftance  of  the  defer- 
vedly  famous,  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  Dr.  Mlllington,  Dr.  Edmund 
King,  Dr.  Mafters,  but  chiefly  of  Dr.  Lower*)  his  method  of  dif- 
fering the  Brain  is  new,  and  moft  natural;  and  fo  exact,  that 
there  is  fcarceany  one  part  in  it,  but  what  has  received  confider- 
able advancements  from  him.  To  mention  all  would  beendlefs, 
let  it  therefore  fuffice,  that  after  his  defcription  of  the  Palace  in 

*  Corp.  Human.  Aifquifit.Anatom.  Lib.  \ -part.  ^.  cap. 2.     1  Ibid,  part.  5.  cap  3.     2  Ibid-  part  4..  cap.  2. 
■  / 1  Libro  de  Ferment. 

general, 


}ot  The  Statural  Hiflorj 

general,  he  has  allotted  the  feveral  appartments  to  the  faculties  of 
the  fenfitive  Soul:  His  placing  the  Spirits  to  ferve  to  voluntary 
aftions  in  the  Cerebrum,  and  thole  that  ferve  Involuntary  in  the 
Cerebellum,  is  a  noble  and  ufeful  dijeovery. 

2 1 7.  His  affigning  the  cortical  part  for  generating  Spirits,  and 
the  feat  of  Memory  ;  the  Medullary,  or  Corpus  callofum,  for  the  o- 
perations  of  the  P  bant  a  fie ;  the  Corpus  ftriatum  for  the  common 
fenfe ;  the  Medulla  oblongata,  apromptuary  for  the  Spirits,  for  per- 
forming the  office  of  Senfation,  and  ftontaneous  motion  ;  and  the 
Prominentia  orbiculares,  and  their  Epipbyfes-,  for  conveying  the 
imprejfes  of  thepaff/ons,  and  natural  infiincl,  between  the  Cerebrum 
and  the  Cerebellum,  are  highly  ingenious  and  his  own  ;  and  fo  is 
his,  and  Dr.  Lowers  joint  difcovery  of  the  curious  plexus,  of  the 
Vertebral  and  fpinal  Veins  and  Arteries  ;  their  Neurologia  is  alfo 
moft  elaborate  and  no  lefs  admirable,tracing  the  Nerves  from  their 
very  fource,  and  following  them  through  all  the  Meanders  of  the 
Body,  and  thence  (hewTingus  the  reafon  of  the.  fecret  Jympathies  - 
of  the  parts. 

218.  And  although  Dr.  Willis  was  not  the  firft  that  mention'd 
two  Souls  in  a  Man,  vi%.  the  Senfitive  and  Rational  •  yet  there  is 
no  body  has  proved  it  fo  well  as  himfelf ;  as  likewife  that  the fenfe* 
the  is  igneous ;  and  that  there  are  two  parts  of  it,  thefiammea  and 
lucida:  Where  he  difcourfes  of  the  manner  how  the  Soul  performs 
its  operations  in  us  ;  he  does  it,  as  indeed  he  has  done  all,  with 
the  greateft  Improvements  within  the  compafs  of  Wit  and  Reafon : 
And  having  fully  difcovered  the  Hypoftafis  of  the  fenfitive  Soul,  its 
affeclions  and  fenfes ;  he  further  obliges  Mankind  with  a  moft  ratio- 
nal account  of  the  difeafes  feated  in  it,  and  the  Nervous  Juice,  ac- 
cording to  the  different  parts  of  the  Brain,  and  the  Syflema  nervo- 

fum  '  placing  Cepbalalgies  in  the  Meninges  ;  Lethargies,  fomnolen- 
tia  continua^  Coma,  Car  us,  Pervigilium,  and  Coma  vigil,  in  the  An~ 
fraflus  and  Cortical  part  of  the  Brain ;  the  Incubus  in  the  Cerebellum: 
Then  defcending  to  the  Corpus  callofum,  he  finds  the  Sprits  there 
fomtimes  hurled  round  into  Vertigoes,  fomtimes  exploded  in 
Spafms,  Convulfwns,  Epilepfies,  fomtimes  eclypfed  in  Apoplexies. 

219.  In  the  Corpora  firiata,  and  Medulla  oblongata,  if  the  ffi- 
rits  that  ferve  to  motion  be  difturbed,  thence  he  (hews  come  like- 
wife  Spafms  and  Convulfwns  ;  if  thofe  that  ferve  to  fenfation,  do- 
lor ;  if  either,  or  both,  are  impeded  or  deftroyed,   the  Palfie  : 

And 


OfOXFO%<D~SHl%E.  $fg 

And  as  the  fenfitive  Soul  is  the  feat  and  organ  of  the  Rational,  fo 
the  ill  conftitntion  of  that  (he  obferves)  proves  oftentimes  trie 
diforde'r  of  the  other  :  For  the  Animal  faints  being  fpirituo-faiine, 
if  they  are  inflamed,  they  produce  a  Fhrenfie  ;  if  acid,  Melancholy, 
if  acrout,  like  Aquaftygia,  Madnefs  ;  if  z/a'/zW,  Stupidity.  In  dif- 
courfing  of  which  diftempers,  his  /Etiologies  of  the  various^m^ 
poms?  his  methods  of  cure,  and  forms  of  prefcriptions,  are  found- 
ed upon  far  more  rational  principles,  than  ever  Greece  taught  us. 
And  how  far  Antiquity,  and  later  Ages  too,  were  miftaken  in  their 
notions  of  divers  other  difeafes  ;  his  evincing  Hyfterical  and  #y/>o- 
chondriacal 'affeclions ;  the  Co/ic,  Gout,  Scurvy,  fome  fort  of  Aflh- 
ma's,  the  Tympanitis,  with  c^err ;  either  wholly,  or  in  part  to  bt 
Nervous,  does  plainly  demonftrate. 

220,  Nor  has  the  Pathological  part  of  Phyfick.  been  only  hap- 
py in  his  labors ;  but  the  Pharmaceutical  part  likewife  highly  im- 
proved in  the  Inventions  of  his  Spiritus  Sali*  Armoniacifuccinatus, 
Syrup  of  Sulphur,  preparation  of  Steel  without  Acids,  and  from 
thence  of  his  artificial  AciduU :  In  general,  this  part  of  Phyfick. 
has  been  fo  far  advanced  by  him,  that  what  was  formerly  Empiri- 
cal, and  but  lucky  hits,  is  now  become  moft  rational,  by  his 
making  the  operations  of  Chaihartic,  Emetic,  Diaphoretic,  Cardiac, 
and  Opiat  ^ed7a*tfe.y,intelligible  by  Mechanical  Explications ;  having 
fubjoined  to  each  moft  neatand  artificial  Formula's,  as  well  Chy- 
tnicalzs  others;  a  Province  but  meanly  adorned  by  the  Ancients, 
though  of  infinite  ufe.  And  where  Nature  is  exorbitant  in  any 
of  thefe  Evacuations^  he  has  likewife  taughtus  how  to  check  and 
reduce  her  ;  adding  for  the  better  illuftration  of  the  whole,  a  new 
Anatomy  of  the  Stomach,  Inteftines,  Qula^  Veins,  and  ArterleSi 

221.  Which  he  has  feconded  with  a  further  difco very  and  ra- 
tional account  of  Thoracicznd  Epatic Medicines,  and  of  the  Dif- 
eafes belonging  to  thofeparts ;  difcourfing  alfo  ofVenefecllon,  flop- 
ping of  Hemorraghies,  of  Iffues  and  cutaneous  Diftempers  ;  In  all 
which  it  may  be  obferved,  what  is  almoft  peculiar  to  him  ;  that 
there  is  nothing  trivial,  moft  new,  and  all  moft  ingenious.  To 
which  add,  that  the  organs  of  Refpiration,  which  have  been  the  fub- 
jefl  of  fo  many  Learned  Pens  of  late,  are  beft  underftood,  from 
his  moft  elegant  defer iptions,  and  beautiful  Cuts.  But  it  is  too 
difficult  a  task  to  give  a  juft  account  how  far  Phyfick.-,  Anatomy,  Chy~ 
miSlry^  and  Philofophy,  ftand  indebted  to  him  for  their  Improve- 

mentSi 


306  The  ^(atural  Hi/lory 

licular  Repofitories  or  Bags,  near  the  exit  of  the  Intejlinum  reclum, 
wherein  they  keep  thofe  humors  or  liquors,  that  are  the  Vehicles  of 
their  refpe&ive  [cents. 

229.  This  he  firft  obferved  in  a  male  Pol-cat  he  diffe&ed  here 
at  Oxford,  Febr.  4.  1 674.  and  was  further  confirmed  therein  the 
fecond  of  March  in  the  year  following,  1675.  in  a  female  Pol-cat, 
at  the  opening  whereof  I  was  prefent  my  felf ;  fince  which  times, 
he  has  found  the  fame  in  a  Fox  differed  in  the  prefence  of  Dr. 
Grew  ;  and  fince  again  in  Weafeh,  Cats,  iyc.  the  veficles  or  little 
bags  being  found  by  pairs,  one  on  each  fide  the  gut ;  and  accord- 
ing to  the  bignefs  of  the  Animals,  largeft  in  the  Fox,  and  lead  in 
the  Weafel. 

230.  Thofe  of  the  Pol-cat  were  about  the  bignefs  of  Peas,  of 
a  fomwhat  oblong  figure-,  and  a  yellowifh  colour,  and  feemed  to 
confift  of  a  double  fubftance,  glandulous  and  membranous ;  the  mem- 
branous toward  the  necks  of  the  bags  being  cover'd  with  glandu- 
les, but  toward  the  fundus  wholly  membranous,  reprefenting  upon 
being  emptied.,  orbicular  mufcular  Fibres,  which  he  fuppofes  by 
contraction  force  the  contained  bumor  out  into  the  gut. 

231.  The  ufe  of  the  Glandules  he  doubts  not  to  be,  to  feperate 
the  humor  from  the  mafs  of  blood  (zllfecretions  in  the  Body  being 
performed  by  the  help  of  Glandules')  and  the  necks  of  the  bags  lm- 
mediatly  emptying  themfelves  into  thegut, without  any  continued 
duclus  ;  and  being  placed  near  the  Sphincler  Ani,  made  him  think 
the  contained  humor  in  refpeft  of  the  Animal,  to  be  excrementitious. 
In  this  Pol-cat  it  was  of  fomwhat  a  thick  confiftence,  for  the  mod 
pzrtwhite,  but  in  fome  places  of  a  greenijhye  How  colour,  and  up- 
on preffing  out,  of  fo  ftrong  a  [cent,  that  I  could  fcarce  (I  well  re- 
member) endure  the  room  ;  which  once  removed  from  the  body, 
we  could  not  perceive  any  confiderable  ill  frnell  in  any  of  the  o- 
therparts. 

232*  In  a  Cat  that  he  differed  (which  was  but  a  young  one, 
and  a  female)  the  bags  when  blown  up  were  not  above  the  cize  of 
ordinary  Peas,  feated  like  the  former  on  both  fides  the  inteftinum 
re&um,  juft  under  \\\t  Sphincler  Ani,  which  covering  them,  he  fup- 
pofes might  both  occafion  their  not  being  noted  before,  and  help 
in  the  expreffion  of  the  humor  out,  which  (he  obferved  in  the 
Cat)  was  not  into  thegut,  but  in  the  limb  or  margo  Ani,  the  orifices 
of  the  bags  terminating  there,  fo  that  he  plainly  perceived  them 

before 


Of  OXFO  %T>^SHt%E.  $1 

before  he  began  to  diffecl:  her  :  The  Glandules  that  feperate  the  hu- 
mor from  the  mafs  of  Blood,  and  tranfmitted  it  into  the  bags?  af- 
forded a  pleafant  fight,  there  being  feven  fmall  round  ones  placed 
in  a  circle  about  the  veficles,  the  humor  within  not  being  confider- 
able  but  for  the  fietor. 

233.  Such  Glandules  (which  he  thinks  hold  the  nature  of  E- 
munclories)  he  has  likewife  obferved  in  Rabbits,  but  with  no  con- 
fiderable  cavity,  the  liquor  whereof  he  rationally  gueffes  may  give 
the  ranck  taft  we  find  about  thofe  parts  after  they  are  roafted  1 
He  thinks  alfo  fuch  like  Glandules  axe  found  in  Mice  and  Rats,  and 
obferves  that  in  fome  Animals  they  are  found  more  glandulous,  in 
others  with  a  more  fignal  bag  or  cavity.  And  analogous  to  thefe 
/cent-bags  in  Quadrupeds,  he  believes  thofe  Glandules  feated  on  the 
rumps  of  Fowls,  whofe  excretory  veffels  may  be  thofe  little  protube- 
rances  or  pipes  we  obferv eon  them;  whence  'tis  alfo  (as  in  Rob' 
bits)  that  we  find  the  rumps  of  Fowls  ftrongeft  tailed,  and  to  par- 
take moft  of  the  natural  [cent  of  the  Fowl. 

234.  That  all  Animals  conferve  their  peculiar  [cents  in  fuch 
like  parts,  though  he  dares  not  afTert ;  yet  if  the  analogy  that  Na- 
ture obferves  in  forming  moft  of  theparts,  of  moft  Animals  alike, 

;  be  fufficient  Logick.  to  warrant  an  inference,  he  thinks  it  highly 
probable  that  'tis  fo  in  moft  ;  and  that  fliould  they  be  found  in 
Man  (which  he  has  not  yet  had  opportunity  to  Experiment)  it 
might  be  worthy  enquiry  how  far  Fiftula's,  Tenefme's,  (pc.  might 
be  concerned  in  them.  Which  is  all  I  have  met  with  new  relating 
to  this  County,  in  Medicine,  Anatomy,  or  Natural  Philofophy.  For 
to  mention  the  many  and  new  Experiments  of  the  Famous  Mr. 
Boyle  (did  we  diftinftly  know  which  were  made  here)  would  be 
endlefs,  and  to  recapitulate  the  New  Difioveries  (if  there  be  any  in 
this  Ejfay)  but  a  vain  repetition. 


■if  '1 1         i 


Og  2  CHAP, 


}o8  The  Statural  Hijlory 

C  H  A  P.     X. 
Of  Jntiquities. 

AN  D  thus  having  finifh'd  the  Natural  Hijlory  of  Qxford- 
finre,  I  had  accordingly  here  put  a  period  to  my  Efay, 
but  meeting  in  my  Travels  with  many  considerable  Anti- 
quities, alfo  relating  to  Arts,  either  wholly  pall  by  both  by  Lt~ 
land  and  Camden,  or  but  imperfeftly  mention 'd ;  and  finding 
that  I  may  as  well  alfo  note  them  in  other  Counties  hereafter,  as  let 
them  alone  :  I  have  been  perfwaded  to  add  (becaufe  perhaps  a 
digreffion  that  may  be  acceptable  to  fome)  what  I  have  met  with 
in  this  kind,  whether  found  under  ground,  or  whereof  there  yet 
remain  any  foot-fteps  above  it ;  fuch  as  ancient  Mony,  Ways,  Bar- 
rows, Pavements,Vrns,  ancient  Monuments  of  ftone,  Fortificati- 
ons, isrc.  whether  of  the  ancient  Britans,  Romans,  Saxons,  Vanes, 
Normans.   Of  which  in  their  order, 

2.  Leaving  the  Antiquities  and  Foundations  of  Churches  and 
Religious  Houfes,  their  Dedications,  Patronages,  and  foundation 
Charters  ;  with  theped/grees  and  descents  of  families  and  Lands, 
isrc.  as  fufficient  matter  for  another  Hiftorian,  and  as  too  great  a 
task.,  and  too  much  befide  my  defign,  for  me  to  attempt.  How- 
ever, \  have  taken  care  in  the  M^prefix'd  to  this  Efay,  to  put  a 
mark,  for  the  fite  of  all  Religious  houfes,  as  well  as  ancient  ways 
and  Fortifications,  exceipt  Brocfeley  and  Saucomb,  both  mention'd 
in  the  Catalogues  of  Harpsfield g  and  Speedh,  which  I  could  not 
find  out,  though  I  fought  them  diligently. 

3.  Of  Britifb  Antiquities  that  are  certainly  fuch,  I  have  met 
with  none  here  but  fome  pieces  of  their  Mony  ;  whereof,  as  much 
as  I  find  not  defcribed  before,  I  have  caufed  to  be  delineated, 
Tab.  15.  Fig.  19,20,21.  Of  which  the  firft  no  doubt  is  a  Coin  of 
King  Cunobelin,  a  King  here  in  Britan  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of 
our  Saviour  CHRIST;  it  (hewing  a  #br/e,  and  his  Infcription  on 
one  fide,  and  an  Ear  of  Corn  and  CAMV  on  the  reverfe  ;  inti- 
mating the  place  of  its  coinage  to  be  Camulodunum,  the  Royal  City 
and  feat  of  Cunobelin. 

«  CatalogusAZdiumReligiofar.  in  fine  Hi  ft-  Angl.  EccUfiaft.    b  Hiftory  of  Great  Britan. /H>.y  cap.  21. 
fubfinem.         > 

4.  Omden 


6fOXF0%p~SHI!KE.  to? 

4..  Camden,  'tis  true,  has  defcribed  a  Coin  of  the  famzRing, 
not  differing  in  the  reverfe  at  all  from  this  ;  but  the  Injcription  of 
ours  varies  from  his,  in  that  the  final  Letter  O,  is  not  plac'd  in  a 
line  with  the  reft  of  the  preceding  Letters  under  the  Horfes  feet, 
but  juft  before  his  breafi  ;  the  Horfe  having  alfo  a  /pica  or  ear  of* 
Corn  (or  fomc  fuch  like  thing)  placed  over  his  back,  Fig.  19* 
which  is  not  to  be  found  in  any  of  his.  This  was  dug  up  at 
Wood-Eaton  this  prefent  Year  16  j6.  near  the  Houfe  of  the  Wor- 
ftiipful/0/fo  AWy£Efq;amongftold  Foundations,  and  kindly  be- 
llowed on  me  by  the  fame  worthy  Perfin* 

5.  At  the  fame  time  and  place,  the  fmall  one  next  engraven* 
Fig.  20.  was  alfo  dug  up,  but  whether  of  the  fame  King  or  no, 
does  no  where  appear,  it  having  nothing  upon  it  but  fomwhat 
like  a  Chalice,  and  a  crooked  lineation,  under  which  there  is  alfo 
a  forked  kind  of  Figure,  and  a  fmall  Crefcent  j  unlefs  the  affirmative 
may  be  collected  from  the  laft  of  thefe,  the  Crefcent  being  to  be 
met  with  on  Cunobelins  mony,  as  is  plain  from  Mr.  #zWe«,and  fo 
on  the  mony  which  he  thinks  carries  the  name  of  the  City  Callenai 
alias  Gallena,  now  Wallingford1 :  Whereof  though  I  can  give  no 
better  account,  I  however  thought  fit  to  give  a  draught  of  it,  be- 
caufe  poffibly  it  may  meet  with  a  Reader  that  can; 

6.  But  for  the  third,  that  feems  adorned  with  two  faces  on  the 
obverfe,  and  an  ill  (Tiapen  Horfe  and  a  'wheel underneath  him  on  the 
reverfe,  Fig.  2  r .  dug  up  at  Little  Milton,  now  in  the  poffeffion  of 
my  Reverend  and  Learned  Friend,  Mr.  Obadiah  Walker  the  wor* 
thy  Mafter  of  Vniverfity  College ;  I  take,  notwithftanding  the 
want  of  an  Infcripion,  to  be  a  coin  of  Prafutagus,  King  of  the 
Iceni,  mention'd  by  Tacitus,  who  out  of  hopes  of  preferving  his 
Kingdom  and  Houfe  quiet  after  his  death ,  made  the  Emperor" 
Nero,  and  his  two  daughters,  Co-heirs  of  his  Fortunes.  And 
that  the  two  faces  are  of  him  and  his  valiant  Queen  Boodicia  \ 
otherwife  called  by  the  fame  Tacitus,  Boudicea1,  and  Voadicam, 
who  in  revenge  of  her  own  daughters  ill  ufage  by  the  Romans,  af- 
ter thedeceafe  of  her  husband,  raifed  an  Army  againft  them,  ut-> 
terly  vanquifh'd  the  ninth  Legion,  fack'd  Camulodunum  and  Veru* 
lam,  and  flew  no  lefs  then  feventy  thoufand  of  them". 

7.  And  the  ground  of  this  conjecture,  I  take  from  the  reverfe 

1  See  Camdens  general  Hiftory  of  Brit  an.     k  TacitiAnnalium^tib.i^.cap.^i.  '  Ibidem  cap,  35.  */» 
Liir.  Tacit.  deJuliislgricoUvita^ap.  16.     a  Taciti Aanalium,lib.i^.  cap.tf, 

with 


^io  The  Statural  Hijlory 

with  the  Horfe  and  wheel  under  him,  moft  times  found  on  the 
Coins  of  the  fame  Boodicia,  where  her  name  is  ftamp'd  on  them, 
as  may  be  feen  both  in  Mr.  Camdemnd  Mr.  Speed's  Hiftories :  by 
the  horfe  and  wheel  intimating  perhaps  their  great  ftrength  to  lie  in 
their  Ejfeda,  a  fort  of  Chariot  much  ufed  by  the  Britans'm  War, 
as  is  teftified  by  Cafar  °,  and  particularly  by  Tacitws  of  this  very 
Boudicea,  vi%.  that  (he  was  drawn  in  a  Chariot,  with  her  daugh- 
ters placed  before  herp,  when  (lie  came  to  fight  Suetonius  then 
Proprietor  of  Britan.  Or  elfe  perhaps  by  this  time  having  learn- 
ed of  the  Romans  the  neceflity  and  convenience  of  making  mili- 
tary ways,  and  other  paffages  for  Carriages  through  the  Woods  and 
marifi  grounds  •  in  memory  of  the  faft,  after  the  manner  of  the 
Romans,  as  may  be  feen  on  the  mony  of  Trajan,  Hadrian r,  (src. 
they  might  put  thefe  horfes  and  wheels  on  their  Coin. 

8.  Which  is  all  I  know  remarkable  in  thefe  Br itijh pieces,  but 
that  they  are  all  hollowed  to  a  concave  on.  one  fide,  and  convex  on 
the  other  (a  concomitant  of  moft,  if  not  all  Britifi  coin)  and 
that  they  are  all  gold,  or  at  Ieaft  Eletirum,  as  moft  of  the  Britijb 
mony  we  now  find  is,  which  is  a  fort  of  metal  compounded  of 
gold and  filver,  and  this  done  either  by  nature,  or  proportioned 
by  the  Artifi.  That  there  is  fuch  a  metal  as  natural  Eleclrum,  we 
have  not  only  the  teftimony  of  Pliny s,  who  fays,  'tis  found  com- 
monly in  trenches  and  pits.  But  of  Servius l,  and  St.  Ifidore 
Bifhop  of  Sevil,  the  latter  whereof  aflerts,  that  the  natural  E- 
leclrum  is  of  great  value,  Quod  naturaliter  invenitur  inpretio  habe- 
tur,  are  his  very  words,  for  that  it  is  more  pure  then  any  other 
metal,  and  that  if  poifon  be  put  into  a  veflel  made  of  it,  it  makes 
a  hifling  fparkling  noife  (as  Pliny  alfo  witneffes)  and  cafts  it  felf 
into  femicircles,  refembling  Rain-bows,  as  well  in  colours  as  fi- 
gure u. 

9.  To  which  add  the  teftimony  of  Peter  Martyr,  a  perfon  of 
unqueftionable  credit  and  veracity,  who  himfelf  faw  a  great  piece 
of  pure  natural  Eleclrum,  fo  heavy,  that  he  was  unable  to  move 
it  one  way  or  other,  much  lefs  to  lift  it  with  both  hands  from  the 
ground:  they  affirmed  (faies  he)  that  it  weighed  above  300 
pounds,  at  eight  ounces  to  the  pound,  and  that  it  was  found  in 


Of  OXFORDSHIRE.  311 

the  Houfe  of  a  certain  Prince,  and  left  him  by  his  Ancefiors. 
And  albeit,  that  in  the  days  of  the  Inhabitants  then  living,  it  was 
no  where  digged,  yet  knew  they  where  the  Mine  of  it  was,  but 
were  very  unwilling  to  difcover  the  place  ;  yet  at  length  they  did, 
it  being  ruinated  and  ftopt  with  (tones  and  rubbiih  ;  being  much 
eafier  to  dig  then  Iron  mine,  and  might  be  reftored  again,  if  Mi- 
ners, and  others  fkilfnl  therein,  were  appointed  to  work  it  w. 

1  o.  Some  fuch  natural  Eleclrum  feems  alfo  to  be  hinted  in  the 
Civil  Law,  and  to  have  been  mixed  with  Silver.  Neratius  re- 
porting that  Proculus  gave  fentence,  that  it  was  no  matter  in  a  Le- 
gacy of  Eleclrine  vejfels,  how  much  Silver  or  Eleclrum  was  in 
them ,  but  whether  the  Silver  or  Eleclrum  exceeded  ?  which 
might  eafily  be  perceived  by  ocular  infpe&ion  ;  or  if  fo  equally 
mixt  that  it  could  not  be  done,  that  then  recourfe  was  to  be  had 
to  the  Eslimat  of  the  Teftator,  amongft  which  fort  of  veffels  he 
ufually  accounted  them  x.  Whence  'tis  eafie  to  colleft,  that  the" 
Eleclrumhere  fpoke  of,  can  be  no  artificial  mixture  of  filver  and 
gold,  again  mixed  with  filver ;  but  a  natural  metal  before  it  mix- 
tion with  filver. 

1 1 .  Moreover,  that  there  is  alfo  an  artificial  Eleclrum,  is  as  e- 
videntfrom  the  Inftitutesot  the  Emperor  Juji in  1 an  y,and  Q±  Flor. 
Tertullian z:  made  by  intermingling  gold  and  filver,  according  to 
the  natural  mixture  ;  which  according  to  Serviws  and  St.  Ifidore  % 
was  of  gold'm  a  triple,  but  according  to  Plinyh  and  Monfieur  Sa~ 
vot c,  in  a  quadruple  proportion,  to  one  of  filver  ;  vi%.  19  Carats 
J  of  gold,  and  4  Carats  and :}  of  filver  ;  which  as  the  fame  Savot 
teftifies,  were  the  proportions  obferved  by  the  Emperor  Sevens 
Alexander,  and  Lewis  the  Twelfth  of  France,  by  an  Ordinance 
made  at  Blok,  of  Nov.  19.1506.  {ovthcFrench  gold. 

1 2 .  Which  very  proportions  I  fhould  be  willing  to  think  our 
Britifi  coins  to  have  ;  only  I  guefs  the  Britans  had,  and  made  ufe 
of,  as  little  Art  as  might  be  :  Wherefore  I  am  enclinedto  believe 
them  rather  native  Eleclrum,  dug  and  coined  thus  according  as 
they  found  it,  either  richer  or  poorer ;  for  I  havefeen  fome  pie- 
ces of  this  fort  of  mony,  much  richer  in  gold  then  fome  others  are. 
That  gold  and  filver  Mines  were  worked  here  in  Britan  in  thofe 

*  Petri  Maityris  AngleriideOrbeN<rvo,T>ecad.i.cap.^.  *  fl.De  Auto  Afgentoj&e.  IJCg.Yediailu^Ne- 
rat'uu.  1  Jnftitut.  de  Rerum  divifwm,  §.  Si  duorum.  *  ,<?  Septi?nii  Florent.  Tertulliani  Lib.  adverf.  Her- 
mog.cap.i^.  &  adverfa  Praxean.  cap.  27.  "  Lock  fupra  citatis.  b  Loco  citato.  «  Lovis  Savot  de  la 
Matiere  des  Medalles  antiques,  ipart.chapitre  9. 

ancientef 


y%  The  Statural  Hi '/lory 

ancienter  days,  is  plain  out  of  Tacitus :  Fert  Britannia  (fays  he) 
Aurum  is  Argentum,  isr  alia  met  alia,  pretium  vitlori<ed.  And 
Prince  Galgacus  chief  Captain  of  the  Britans,  now  beat  Back  as 
far  as  Mount  Grampius  in  Scotland,  in  his  fpeech  (before  the  fight 
with  the  Proprietor  Agricola)  exciting  them  to  indignation  againft 
the  Romans ;  amongft  other  things  tells  them,  that  thefe  were  the 
men  that  had  taken  from  them  their  fertile  Soil,  their  Mines,  and 
trading  Towns  :  Neque  enim  Arva  nobis,  aut  metalla,  aut  Tortus 
funt,  quibws  exercendis  refervemur e .  Now  all  gold  whatever  con- 
taining (pmefelver  more  or  lefs,  and  the  Britans  not  being  able  to 
refine  it  then,  as  in  after  Ages,  were  neceflitated  to  coin  ElecJrum 
after  this  manner. 

13.  That  they  had  and  coined  fi her  in  thefe  early  times,  is 
alfo  plain  from  Mr.  Camden,  Mr.  Speed,  (yc.  who  have  given  us 
draughts  of  filver  Coins  of  Cunobelin,  Venutius  King  of  the  Bri- 
gantes,  and  Caraflacus  King  of  the  Silures,  both  which  make  not 
a  little  for  the  reputation  of  my  conjecture  §  §  62  and  63  of  the 
fixth  Chapter  of  this  Ejfay,  the  Mines  there  mention'd,  in  all  pro- 
bability, being  fome  of  thofe  fpoken  of  by  Tacitus,  and  perhaps 
firft  belonging  to  the  aboriginal  Britans,  and  after  to  the  Ro~ 
mans. 

14.  To  this  if  it  be  objected  out  of  Cdefars  Commentaries,  that 
the  Britans  then  ufed  only  Copper  (and  that  imported)  and  Iron 
rings  inftead  of  mony  f ;  and  that  this  gold  might  either  be  alfo 
imported,  or  the  Mines  difcover'd  after  the  conquefts  of  the 
Romans.  It  may  rationally  be  anfwer'd,  that  Cdefars  account  of 
the  State  of  Brltan  (as  has  been  (hewn  alfo  before  in  another  cafe, 
Chap.  3.§.  2.  of  this  Ejfay')  is  as  imperfect  as  his  Victories  or  Tra- 
vels in  it  were.  For  we  find  in  Mr.  Speed  a  gold  coin  of  King 
Cajfrvellaun,  who  was  King  here  in  Britan  at  Coefars  arrival ;  befide 
the  Romans  came  then  not  to  enrich,  but  to  fpoil  Britan,  how  un- 
likely it  is  therefore  they  fhould  fupply  them  with  gold,  or  find 
them  Mines  fo  early,  let  the  Reader  judge. 

1 5 .  Whereunto  it  may  be  added  (as  Tacitus  informs  us)  that 
Coefar  rather  difcovered  then  conquered  Britan ;  that  he  rather 
frightened  the  Inhabitants  on  the  (hoars,  than  got  footing  there : 
Quanquam  proffer  a  pugna  ter  merit  Incolas,  ac  littore  potitusfit,  pot  eft 

<  TadWinvitaJulii  AgricoU,  caj>.  I*,    f  UiJtm  cap.  51.     <  Julii  Cffar.  Comment.  Jt  Btll$  Galil- 
eo, lit.  5. 

in 


OfOXFO%T>~SHI\E.  & 

videri  oflendifepofteris,  non  tradidijfe  s,  are  his  very  words  of  him  t 
And  that  whatever  he  pretended  at  Rome,  he  got  little  here  but 
dry  blows,- and    the   honor  of  having  led  an  Army  hither* 

a«  ezpaTOYAvaj  lir  ax>%i  c&fo/,  fays  DionCaffiusof  his  firft  Expedition  . 
And  Tacitus  rather  more  than  lefs  of  his  fecond-,  who  brings  in" 
Caraclacus  encouraging  his  Britifh  Army  to  recover  their  Liberty  ; 
and  in  order  thereunto,  calling  upon  the  names  of  their  An- 
cejlors,  Qui  Diftatorem  Cdefarem pepulifentt  that  had  driven  theDi-1 
ftator  Cdcfar  out  of  the  Land1. 

1 6.  Add  further  hereunto  what  Strabo  delivers  concerning  his 
Expeditions  into  Britan,  OvSiv  fjya.  ^^alaf^©. ,  tifli  *gpwu&to  mi 
iroXv  t«  yii<r«,  that  he  did  nothing  gre^/,  nor  went  far  up  into  the 
IJ!andk.  And  that  Tacitus  further  confeffes  him  beaten  hence: 
for  fpeaking  concerning  the  arguments  the  Britans  ufed  amongft 
themfelves  to  perfwade  the  Revolt  under  Voadica,  he  fays  they 
brought  this  as  a  main  one,  that  could  they  ftiew  but  the  cou- 
rage of  their  Anceftors,  Recefuros  (7.  e.  Romanos}  ut  Divus  Julius 
receffijfet1 :  intimating,  that  his  fudden  departure  hence  was  little 
better  than  a  flight.  Not  to  mention  what  Quintilian  fays  of  one 
M.  Aper,  that  he  met  with  an  ancient  Britan,  that  avowed  to  him, 
that  he  was  in  the  Britifi  Camp  when  they  beat  C<efar  from  the 
fhore  ra  ;  and  that  Lucan  fays  of  him  exprefly, 

Territa  qudefitis  ofiendit  terga  Britannia n. 

1 7.  After  whofe  departure,  the  Britans,  fays  Tacitus,  enjoyed 
along  Peace,  lying  forgotten  by  the R omans  all  the  days  of  Au~ 
guftus,  Tiberius,  and  Caligula  °;  fo  unlikely  were  the  Romans  to 
help  Caffivellaun  or  Cunobelin  to  this  Gold  or  Eleclrum  :  Nor  indeed 
is  it  probable  they  would  do  it  after,  in  the  time  of  Claudius,  when 
they  had  footing  here  ;  not  only  for  that  mony  and  riches  are  the  in*- 
centives  to  rebellion,  and  the  very  finews  of  near,  but  becaufe  had 
they  thought  it  fit  either  then  or  before,  we  fliould  certainly  have 
heardon'tinfome  of  their  writings. 

18.  Of  Roman  Antiquities  yet  remaining  in  this  County,  (to 
wave  the  ftories  of  Molmutius  and  Beline)  the  moft  confiderabk 
of  any,  are  their  pub  lick,  ways,   whereof  though  there  are  feveral, 

e  Tacitui  in  vita  Ju'ii  Ai,ricol<t,  cap.  n .  <■  Dionk  Cajffii,  Rom.  Hift,  lib.  39.  >  Tacit:  A'tnalium,  lib.  I  i. 
cap.  34..  *  Strabon.Qeograph.lib.^..  '  Tacitus  in  vita  Agricol<e,cap.  15.  m  ¥ab-  Ouincliliavi  deOra-' 
toribus  Dialog,  cap.  1 7.     n  ^n.  Lutani  de  Bello  Civili,  lib.  2 .  v.  572.     °  7rf«/«  r»  vita~AgricoU,  cap.  1 3- 

R  r  and 


ji/j.  The  Natural  Hijlory 

and  of  different/orm*  and  materials,  andthofetoo  broken  down, 
and  difcontinued  by  ploughing  and  other  accidents  ;  yet  by  their 
pointing,  and  after  a  diligent/cru/itfj',  I  hope  I  (hall  render  at  leaft 
a  probable  account  of  them. 

19.  But  before  I  defcend  to  particulars,  it  will  beneceifary  I 
think  to  acquaint  the  Reader,  that  of  thefe  amongft  the  Romans 
fome  were  called publicly  w*  ^0^v>  and  others  Vicinal?.  And 
that  the  firft  fort  of  thefe  were  otherwife  called  (as  reckon'd  up 
by  Taboetiws^  by  thefe  other  different  names,  Regime  (by  the 
Greeks  0«*Ahh$)  Pr<£tori<£7  Confulares,  Militares,  Privilegiatdt,  Illu- 

ftres,  frequentat<e,  Celehres,  Eximidi,  (pc.  and  after  by  the  Conque- 
ror William*  in  the  Laws  he  confirmed  of  St.  Edwards,  Qhemini 
majores,  from  the  French  Chemin,  as  may  be  fcen  by  the  Laws  of 
the  fame  King  Edward* :  of  which  fort  we  had  in  all  but  four  in 
England ;  Watling-ftreet,  the  Fofs,  Ihnild-ftreet,  and  Erming- 
ftreet ;  whereof  two  ftretched  themfelves  from  Sea  to  Sea  the 
length  of  the  Land,  and  the  two  other  the  bredtb ;  all  mifdemea- 
nors  committed  in  thefe,falling  under  the  cognizance  of  the  King 
himfelf.  Pax  autem  quatuor  Cbeminorum  Qntellige  majorum)  fub 
majorijudicio  continetur s  ? 

20.  Befide  thefe,  there  were  many  others  of  like  ereUion, 
though  of  lefs  extent,  by  the  ancient  Romans  called  Vicinales, 
quod  in  vicos  ducebant,  i.  e.  from  Colony  to  Colony,  from  slation  to 
Ration  ;  which  were  alfo  publick.,  if  compared  with  the  more  pri- 
vate Agrarian  ways  \  And  thefe  were  after  by  King  William  cal- 
led Qhemini  minores,  and  were  the  ways  (as  exprefly  defcribed 
in  the  Laws  of  St.  Edward  the  Confejfor^)  de  Civitate  ad  Civitatem, 
de  Burgh  ad  Burgos,  ducentes,  per  quos  Mercata  vehuntur,  &  cetera 
negotia  fiunt,is-c.  all  mifdemeanors  committed  in  thefe,  falling 
under  the  cognizance  of  the  Earl,  or  chief  military  Governor  of 
theCounty,  or  of  his  Vice-Comes  or  Sheriff. 

21.  It  will  alfo  be  expedient  to  inform  the  Reader,  that  both 
the  Majores  and  Minores  were  fomtimes  raifed,  and  fomtimes  le- 
vel with  the  ground  u,  and  fomtimes  trenched;  and  the  raifedcnes 
fomtimes  only  of  earth,  and  fomtimes/xn/e*/*,  efpecially  in  moift 
and  boggy  grounds  ;  though  it  muft  alfo  be  acknowledged  that 

*  ff  Nequidinlotopubl '  vel  Mnerefiat-LPrator  ait^.viarum.  1  Ju/iusTabtet.  in  Epbemerid.  Hijfor. 
*  AtZMotopixGul.  Lambard.  inter  L.L.boni  Regis  Edoard-  LL.  12, 13.  'Ibidem.  *  fi.  Ne  quid  in  loco,&c. 
L&§.quibutfuf>ra.  •  Web. Bergier Hiftoiredet grands Cbtminsde L' Empire.  Liv.%-  chopitrt  17.  "Ibid. 
Cbapitre  7. 

we 


Of  0  XFO  %T>~SHI%E.  )iy 

we  fomtimes  find  them  paved,  where  there  was  little  need  :  which 
I  guefs  might  be  done  to  exercife  the  Soldiers  and  commonpeople 
of  the  Country,  leaftby  lying  idle  they  fhould  have  grown  muti- 
nous, and  affe&ed  alterations  in  the  State.  But  where  they  were 
indeed  laid  through  meers  and  low  places,  and  neceffity  compel- 
led them  to  rjufeandjCwye  them,  we  have  the  exaft  method  of 
making  them,  laid  us  down  by  Statius x. 

Hicprimus  labor  inchoare  Sulcos, 

Et  refcindere  limites,  (sr  alto  ,        . 

Egeflu  penitut  cavare  terras :  "    .__  _  \ 

Mox  hau/las  aliter  replere  foffas  !.*'    .       l 

Etfummogremiumparare  dorfo, 

Ne  nutent  Sola,  ne  maligna  fedes 

Et  prejfis  dubium  Cubile  [axis. 

i.  e.  that  they  firft  laid  out  the  bounds,  then  dug  trenches,  remo- 
ving the  falfe  earth  :  then  filled  them  with  found  earth,  and  paved 
them  with  {lone,  that  they  might  not  fink  or  otherwife  fail. 

22.  Of  the  four  Bafilical,  Confular,  or  Pr&torian  ways,  or  Che* 
mini  majores,  I  have  met  with  but  one  that  paffeth  through  this 
County,  the  difcovery  whereof  yet  I  hope  may  prove  acceptable, 
becaufe  not  defenbed  before,  or  its  footfteps  any  where  noted 
by  Sir//.  Spelman,Mr.  Camden,  or  any  other  Author  that  I  have 
read  or  could  hear  of:  whereat  indeed  I  cannot  but  very  much 
wonder,  fince  it  is  called  by  its  old  name  at  very  many  places 
[Ikenildvpay~\  to  this  very  day.  Some  indeed  call  it  Icknil,  fome 
Acknil,  others  Hackney,  and  fome  again  Hackjngton,  but  all  intend 
the  very  hmeway,  that  ftretches  it  felf  in  this  County  from  North- 
eaft  to  South-weft  ;  coming  into  it  ("out  of  Bucks)  at  the  Parifh 
of  Chinner,  and  going  out  again  over  the  Thames  (into  Berks) 
at  the  Parifh  of  Goreing,  lying  within  the  County  in  manner  and 
form,  and  bearing  to  the  Farijhes  and  Villages  placed  on  each 
hand,  as  defcribed  in  the  Mjp  prefixed  to  this  Effay,  by  two  {ha- 
ded parallel  lines  made  up  of  points,  which  I  have  chofe,  to  (hew 
that  this  way  is  not  caft  up  in  a  ridged  bank,orlaid  out  by  a  deep 
trench,  as  fome  others  are ;  defcribed  alfo  in  the  Map  by  two  con- 
tinued parallel  lines,  that  the  Reader,  or  fuch  as  pleafe  to  view 
them  hereafter,  may  know  where  to  expe&a  bank,  or  trench,  and 

Where  nO  lUch  matter.  ,  Papin.Surc. Statii Silvar.JJb.*.  i»  viaQomitian. 

R  r  2  23.  The 


p6  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

23.  Thereafon,  ifuppole,  why  this  way  was  not  raifed,  is, 
becaufe  it  lies  along  under  the  Chiltern  hills  on  a  firm  faft  ground, 
having  the  Hills  themfelves  as  a  fufficient  dire&ion  :  Which  is  all 
worth  notice  of  it,  but  that  it  paffes  through  no  Town  or  Village 
in  the  County,  but  only  Goreing  ;  nor  does  it  (as  1  hear)  fcarce 
any  where  elfe,  for  which  reafon  'tis  much  ufed  by  ftealers  of 
Cattle :  and  fecondly,  that  it  feems  by  its  pointing  to  come  from 
Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  formerly  the  Kingdom  of  the  Iceni,  from 
whom  moft  agree  (and  perhaps  rightly  enough)  it  received  its 
name  lcenild>  or  Ikenild;  and  to  tend  the  other  way  Weft-ward, 
perhaps  into  Devon-Jhire  and  Cornwall,  to  the  Lands  end.  So 
much  miftaken  is  Mr. Holinfied in  his  defcription  of  this  way7, 
who  fanfied  it  began  fomwhere  in  the  South,  and  fo  held  on  to- 
ward Cirnecefter,  and  thence  to  Worcester,  Wicomb,  Brimicbam, 
Lichfield,  Darby,  Chefterfield,  and  crofling  Watling-slreet  fom- 
where in  Torkrjhire,  ftretched  forth  in  the  end  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Tine  at  the  main  Sea.  Yet  the  Learned  Mr.  Vugdale  z  feem- 
ing  to  favor  this  opinion  in  his  defcription  of  Ickje-ftreet  that 
paffes  through  Warwick-fiire,  I  fufpend  my  judgement  till  I  have 
feenmoreof  both. 

24.  Amongftthe  many  Vicinal  ways,  or  Chemini  minores,  we 
have  but  one  neither  here,  of  all  thofe  mentioned  by  Antoninus  in 
his  Itinerary,  and  that  is  part  of  the  Gual-Hen,  which  fignifies  in 
Brittilh  antiquum  Vallum,  that  went  between  Pontes,  now  Cole- 
brook?  and  the  old  City  Caleva,  or  rather  as  it  was  written  in 
the  ancienteft  Books,  Gallena* ;  to  which  our  Fore-fathers  ad- 
ding the  word,  Ford,  by  reafon  of  the  ftiallownefs  of  the  Ri- 
ver there,  and  changing  the  letter  G  into  W  (a  thing  frequently 
done  by  the  Saxons  b)  it  was  at  length  called  j>aUcn5apop&,  now  more 
contraftedly  Wallengford. 

25.  Which  'tis  plain  flood  not  formerly  where  it  now  doth, 
this  old  Vallum,  or  high  ridged  way,  pointing  down  from  be- 
tween Mungewell and  Nune  ham -Warren  on.  Oxford-Jbire  fide  the  Ri- 
ver, as  defcribed  in  the  Map,  near  a  mile  below  the  Town  as  it  is 
now  feated ;  whereabout,  in  all  likely  hood,  on  the  other  fide  the 
River  ftood  that  part  of  the  City  containing  the  1  2  Parities,  laid 
defolate  by  a  great  Plague  that  reigned  there,  temp.Edw.%.  Which 

t  Raph.  Holm/bed's  defcriptionof  Britan,lil>.  i.  cap.  19.  z  Antiquities  of  Warwick-fare  in  Barlick- 
•umy  Hundred,  pag.  568.  ■  See  Burton's  Commentary  on  Antoninus  hk  Itinerary.  Itinere -j .  a  Regno 
Londiniitm.     *  See  Rich.  F<rr/?rg#»yAntiquities  of  the  E nglifh  Nation,  cap-  5 .  frb  finem. 

great 


of  0  X  F  0<H$)'S  H  I%E>      i       pf 

great  blow  it  could  never  recover  (though  much  endeavored  by 
Rich.  2.)  the  Bridges  of  Abington  and  Dorchefier  being  alfo  about 
that  time  built,  which  diverted  the  Trade  another  way,  whereas 
before  there  was  no  paflage  over  the  Thames  but  here  at  Walleng- 
ford c. 

26.  This  Valium  or  ridged  Bank,  now  called  Grimes-dike,  as 
it  runs  towards  Pontes,  yet  remains  very  high,  but  is  but  fingle 
till  it  comes  to  the  Woods  near  Tuffield,  alias  Nuffield,  where  it 
appears  double  with  a  deep  trench  between,  like  the  ways  near 
Piperno  and  at  Porto  in  Italy  d  ;  which  induces  me  to  believe,  that 
that  part  next  Wallengford was  once  fo  too,  and  therefore  ftill 
called  Grimes-ditch,  the  trench  in  all  likelyhood  being  filled  up 
with  one  of  the  banks  thrown  into  it  upon  the  increafe  of  Agri- 
culture, perhaps  at  firft  defigned  only  to  carry  off  the  water,  and 
the  two  banks  on  each  fide  for  the  carriages  'twixtthe Jiations  *  ; 
thofe  from  Wallengford 'to  Pontes  going  upon  one  Bank,  and  thofe 
from  Pontes  to  Wallengford 'upon  the  other,  fo  that  there  could  be 

.nodifturbanceby  meeting  on  the  way.  From  Tuffield,  I  was 
told,  it  held  on  its  courfe  through  the  thick  Woods,  andpafled 
the  River  below  Henly  into  Berk-fiire  again,  but  the  Woods  fcarce 
admitting  afoot  paflage,  much  lefs  for  a  Horfe,  I  could  not  con- 
veniently trace  it  any  further. 

27.  There  feems  alfo  to  have  been  caft  up  another  Roman  way, 
between  the  old  City  of  Alceslerm  the  Parilh  of  Wendlebury  (di 
which  more  anon  in  its  proper  place)  and  the  City  of  Calleva, 
whereof  there  is  part  to  be  (een  to  this  day  running  quite  crofs 
Otmoor,  as  defcribed  in  the  Map,  and  coming  out  of  the  Moor  un- 
der Beckjey  Park^  wall  3  which  'tis  plain,  has  been  paved  (as  in- 
deed it  had  need)  by  the  {tones  yet  found  upon,  and  about  the 
ridge,  and  no  where  elfeon  the  Moor.  From  Beck.ly  it  paries  on 
to,  and  may  plainly  befeen  in  the  Wood  near  Stackers,  where  cut- 
ting the  London  road  to  Worcejler,  it  goes  plainly  through  the  fields 
to  Stafford- Grove,  and  thence  over  Bayards  watering-place,  to- 
ward Heddington  Quarry  pits,  leaving  Shotover-hill  on  the  left, 
and  the  Pits  on  the  right  hand. 

28.  At  the  foot  of  Shotover-hill  it  enters  Magdalen  College  Cop- 
pices, and  thence  through  Brafen-nofe  College  Coppices,  over  the 

'  Vid.  LelandiComme7it.inCy&neamCantionemin<verbtCalcVa.    *  Vid.  Leon.  Bapt.  Alberti  de  re  2E- 
difc .  lib.  4..  cap.  f .     *  Ibidem. 

Eajiern 


318  The  Natural  Hijlory 

Easlernyzrt  of  Bullington- green,  as  I  gather  by  its  pointing,  for 
it  is  not  to  be  feen  there,  it  having  been  ploughed  down  as  well 
mthegreen,  as  fields  thereabout,  as  may  be  feen  by  the  marks  of 
the  ridge  and  furrow  yet  remaining  upon  it ;  whence  1  guefs  it  paf- 
fes  on  towards  the  two  Baldens,  and  fofor  Wallingford;  going 
over  the  River  at  Benfon,  alias  Benfmgton,  where  it  may  be  {ttn 
again  running  JT^  of  the  Church,  and  is  there  called  by  the  name 
of  Medlers-bank. 

29.  If  it  be  asked  why  this  way  'twixt  Wallengfordznd.  Alee- 
fier  was  laid  fo  crooked  ?  it  is  plain,  'twas  for  the  convenience  of 
taking  Oxford  in  the  way  as  occafion  fhould  ferve.  For  though  I 
could  not  difcover  the  diverticulum  tending  toward  Oxford  in  the 
way  from  Wallengford,  yet  in  the  way  from  Alcefier  it  remains  at 
fome  places  yet  plain  and  evident,  coming  out  of  the  main  road 
about  the  Par  ifh  of  BecHey,  and  palling  more  Wejlward  through 
Stow-wood,  and  more  particularly  through  the  grounds  ftill  cal- 
led Principal  (for  that  they  were  formerly  the  Principal  Coppices 
before  the  dif-forrefting  that  Wood)  where  the  way  is  to  be  (een. 
entire  and  perfeft,  having  formerly  beenpaved,  as  appears  by  a 
ditch  cut  through  the  bank,  in  a  divifion  of  thefe  grounds,  where 
the  ftones  lie  arcb-wife  in  form  of  the  bank,  there  being  none  nei- 
ther like  them  in  the  fields  thereabouts. 

30.  Coming  almoft  as  far  as  Elsfield,  where  it  is  now  deeply 
trenched  between  two  bank?,  like  fome  part  of  Grimes-dike  men- 
tioned above,  it  is  broken  down  and  difcontinued,  I  fuppofe  by 
ploughing,  but  points  juft  upon  Heddington,  whereof  the  hollow 
lane  afcending  into  the  Town,  near  Mr.  Pawlings  new  Buildings, 
perhaps  may  be  a  part ;  and  the  deep  way  between  two  green 
banks  a  little  on  this  fide  Heddington,another;  and  the  hollow  way 
on  the  brow  of  Heddington- hill,  another  piece  of  it.  Out  of 
which  there  feems  alfo  another  way  to  have  branched  about  the 
top  of  the  hill,  which  paffing  through  the  grounds  'twixt  that 
and  Mar/ion-lane,  where  it  is  plain  to  be  feen,  by  its  pointing  (hews 
as  if  it  once  parTed  the  River  above  Holy-well  Church,  ftraight  up- 
on St.  Giles's,  or  the  old  Bellofitum,  now  Beaumont ;  where  about 
Thoma*  Rudburn  in  his  Chronicon  Hydenfe,  fays,  anciently  before 
its  reftoration  by  Mlfred,  the  Vniverfity  was  feated  :  Qu<e  Vniver- 
fitat  Oxoniae  quondam  (fays  he,  having  before  difcourfed  of  its 
refloration  by  flLlfred)  erat  extra  Portam  Borealem  ejufdem  Vrbh,  isr 

erat 


Of  OXFO%T>^SHI%E.  3*9 

erat  principalis  Ecclefia  totiws  Cleri,  Ecclefia  SancliJEgidii  extra  ean- 
demportam  *.  Which  two  put  together,  perhaps  may  make  as 
much  for  the  Antiquity  of  this  place,  as  need  be  brought  for  it. 

31.  Befide,  this  branch  out  of  the  way  'twixt  Alcefler  and 
Walkngford pointing  toward  Oxford^  I  muft  not  forget  there  is 
another  that  feems  defignedly  made  for  a  pafTage  hither  immedi- 
atly  from  Alcefter,  whereof  there  is  a  part  ftill  remaining  about 
Hoke?  whence  it  panes  through  the  fields  to  the  purlue  grounds, 
where  it  cuts  the  Worcester  road,  and  fo  into  Vrun/hil,  formerly 
a  part  of  the  Forrefi  of  Stovp-wood,  where  about  fourteen  years 
fincc  there  were  feveral  Roman  Vrns  and  Coins  dug  up  ;  beyond 
which  place  I  could  not  trace  it,  it  being  ploughed  down  in  the 
following  grounds,  which  yet  is  the  beft  conjecture  I  can  make  of 
it,  unlefs  we  (hall  rather  fay  it  was  only  laid  this  way  to  avoid 
Otmoor'in  the  winte  r  feafon,  when  it  is  ufually  underwater;  and 
that  it  turned  about  again  (as  indeed  it  feems  to  point)  and  joyn- 
ed  with  theforemention'd  to  Walleng ford  and  Oxford. 

32.  Nor  muft  it  be  omitted,  that  the  people  hereabout  call 
that  part  of  this  way  that  lies  through  Otmoor,  by  the  name  of 
Akeman-ftreet,  fuppoflng  it  to  have  come  from  Wallengford,  and 
to  have  pafled  on  by  Alce/ier  to  Banbury  ;  to  which  name  of  theirs, 
and  courfe  of  the  way,  Mr.  Camden  feems  to  afford  his  tacit  con- 
fent e :  wherein  I  wonder  they,  but  more  that  he,  (hould  be  fo 
much  or'e-feen,  fince  he  could  not  but  know,  that  neither  end  of 
fuch  a  way  could  tend  toward  Bathe,  the  old  ace-mannej--ceaj-cep,  or 
Vrbs  Mgrotorum  hominum  ;  nor  they,  that  the  true  Kce-manncr-rcpaec, 
comes  near  indeed  to  AlcesJer,  but  paffing  through  the  County 
quite  another  way,  both  the  City  and  way  leading  to  it,  having 
their  names  from  the Jickperfons,  or  men  with  aches ,  travelling  on  it 
thither, 

33.  The  true  Akemanftreet  then,  or  as  fome  call  it  Akehamftreet, 
and  others  Akermanjireet,  coming  out  of  Buckjngbam-fiire,  en- 
ters this  County  at  a  Village  called  B lack- t horn ,whence  itpaffes  on 
without  any  raifed  bank,  clofe  by  Alcejler  as  far  as  Chefierton,  as 
defcribed  by  the  (haded  or  pointed  lines  in  the  Map :  whence  it 
goes  to  Kirklington  Towns  end,  and  fo  over  the  River  Cherwell 
near  Tackley, and  thence  in  a  ftraight  line  to  WoodttockrVark,  which 
it  enters  near  Wooton-gate,  and  partes  out  again  at  Mapleton-well 

*  Chromcon  Hj/denfe  MS.  inter  xnun'pw*  Qxonitnf.     '  Vid-  Camd.  Britan.  in  Comit.  Oxon. 

near 


}zo  The  Statural  Hi jlory 

near  StunsfieldftWe,  whence  it  holds  on  again  as  far  as  Stunsfteld; 
and  all  this  way  on  a  raifed  bank.-,  as  defcribed  in  the  Map  by  two 
parallellines  ;  where  breaking  off  (but  ftill  keeping  its  name)  it 
goes  on  over  the  Evenlode  to  Wilcot,  and  fo  to  Ram/Jen  ;  a  little 
beyond  which  Village,  at  a  place  called  Witty-green,  it  may  be 
feen  again  for  a  little  way  ;  but  from  thence  to  Aftally^over  Aftall- 
bridge,  and  fo  through  the  fields  till  it  comes  to  Brodwel-grove,  it 
is  fcarce  vifible,  but  there  'tis  as  plain  again  as  any  where  elfe, 
holding  a  ftraight  courfe  into  Glocesler-fiire,  and  fo  towards  Bath 
the  old  Akgmancefter. 

34.  And  out  of  this  Akemanflreet,  as  moft  other  fuch  ways, 
there  are  feveral  branches  •  vi%.  two  near  Kirklmgton ;  one  at 
the  Towns  end,  which  though  prefently  discontinued,  yet  points 
juft  upon  the  Port  way  running  Eaft  of  Northbrook,  the  two  Hey- 
fords,  Sommerton,  and  Souldern,  for  fix  miles  together  ;  and  an- 
other, that  by  its  pointing  feems  to  have  come  out  of  Akeman- 
ilreet,  nearer  the  place  where  it  pafles  the  River  Cherwel,  crofling 
the  Port  way,  and  running  at  the  broadeft  place,  fcarce  a  mile  di- 
ftant  from  it,  as  far  as  FritwelU  where  on  the  North  fide  of  the 
Town  it  inclines  toward  the  Port  way,  as  if  it  joyned  with  it  again 
fomwhere  about Souldern,  both  of  them  pointing  upon  the  For- 
tifications  called  Rainsborough  (perhaps  a  corruption  of  Romans- 
borough')  near  Charleton  in  Northampton-Jhire  :  whence  in  all  pro- 
bability it  went  to  Vennonh,  alias  Bennonk,  an  old  Roman  ftation, 
by  the  Saxons  after  called  Claycefter,  in  the  confines  of  Warwick, 
and  Leicester -Jhires ;  and  fo  on  to  the  Rat<e  of  Antoninus,  or  Ragdt 
of  Ptolomy,  now  Leicester f. 

35.  This  fecond  branch  of  Akgmanslreet,  about  Fritwell  they 
czWWattle-bank;  but  in  an  old  Terrier  of  Sir  Thomas  Chamberleyns, 
it  is  called  Avefdich,  perhaps  a  corruption  of  Offa's-ditch,  the 
great  King  of  the  Mercians,  whofe  Kingdom  might  at  firft  be  ter- 
minated here,  though  I  find  he  extended  it  at  length  as  far  as 
Ben/on,  as  thinking  it  for  his  honor  zndproftt  both,  that  the  Weil- 
Saxons  flhould  have  nothing  North  or  Weft  of  the  Thames*:  Or 
if  ancienter  than  Offa,  it  might  perhaps  be  a  pratentura,  or  fore- 
fence  of  the  Romans,  raifed  againft  the  Britans  (or  vice  verfa) 
who  might  poflibly  be  pofleft  of  the  Port  way  before. 

36.  Yet  I  rather  believe  they  might  be  both  of  them  ancient 

f  Vid.  Ttolomai  Geograph  Edit. per  Pet-  Bertium.     «  Fid.  Camd.  Britan.  in  Com,  Oxon. 

ways, 


OfOXFO%T>~SHl%E.  pi 

ways,  though  fo  near  together,  for  we  read  that  the  Romans-, 
where  thewflj'  was  not  well  laid  out,  or  was  longer  than  needed ; 
did  commonly  (to  keep  the  people  from  idlenefs,  and  the  Soldi- 
ers from  mutinies')  lay  them  firaiter  and  better  •  as  Galen  wit- 
neffeth  that  Trajan  did  in  Italy :  hStt.  P  w$i)  fmimt  «  to^an^vms  2k 
riv,  octcuJ^*  ciwro't-ov  tii&tv  TtfA.vofjfyj@i h  ?  j.  e.  that  where  the  way  was 
longer  than  needed,  he  cut  out  another  jhorter,  which  pofiibly 
might  alfo  be  done  here,  the  Port  way  being  much  (horter  and 
more  direft  then  Avefdich,  to  the  place  whither  they  both  feem 
to  hold  on  their  courfe  :  which  may  alfo  be  the  reafon  of  the 
two  Ikgnild  ways  under  Stoken  Church  hills,  there  being  about 
Lewkner  and  AftonRowant,  an  upper  and  lower  Ikenild  way. 

37.  Befide  thefe,  there  are  yet  two  other  branches  coming  out 
of  Akemanjireet ;  one  in  Wood/lock  Park,  near  Col:  Cooks  Lodge^ 
whence  it  runs  toward  the  trees  called  Oak.  and  Afh,  not  far  from 
Glympton,  where  it  is  difcontinued ;  and  where  to  be  met  with  a- 
gain  I  could  no  where  find  •  fo  that  all  I  can  fay  of  it  is,  that 
towards  the  end  it  points  North-wed  towards  En/Ion  and  Chipping* 
norton,  and  feems  to  have  cut  another  fuch  like  way  near  Upper 
Kiddington,  which  has  its  period there,  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  but 
runs  as  far  as  Ditchley  the  other  way,  where  the  ridge  turns  to  a 
ditch  by  the  name  of  Grimes-dike  (as  that  near #^//e/zg/W)  and 
gives  name  I  fuppofe  to  Ditchley  that  (lands  upon  it,  a  Seat  of  the 
Right  Honorable  Edward  Henry  Earl  of  Lichfield's,  whence  it 
runs  in  that  manner  fair  and  vifible  for  about  half  a  mile  ;  but 
before  it  comes  to  Charlbury,  turns  again  to  a  ridge,  very  high  and 
lofty  at  a  place  called  Baywell,  where  it  enters  into  Cornbury 
Pdr£.butfcarce  vifible  there  ;  yet  as  I  was  told,  to  be  found  again 
in  the  woods  beyond  it,  and  that  it  pointed  toward  Ramfden,  where 
at  firft  (as  I  guefs)  it  branched  out  of  Ak?manftreet. 

38.  But  whether  this,  and  the  other  before-mentioned  tend-* 
ed,  is  hard  to  guefs,  no  Roman Jiation  lying  near  this  place,  unlefs 
I  may  be  allowed  to  conjecture  by  their  pointing,  at  a  great di- 
ftance,  which  muft  needs  be  very  uncertain.  However,  becaufe 
a  guefs  perhaps  may  better  pleafe  than  to  fay  nothing,  I  conjeclurc 
the  way  by  Ditchley  may  tend  either  toward  Vennoni*,  and  Ratdi, 
as  the  Port  way  and  ^z/f/^/Vy6afore-mention'd  were  thought  to  do, 
or  elfe  toward  Tripontium,  now  Toucejier  in  Northampton-Jfnre  % 

S  f  and 


321  The  Natural  Hiftory 

and  that  from  Woodfiock.  to  ward  Mandueffedum,  now  Manchesler  in 
Warwickrjbire,  or  rather  the  old  Etocetum,  now  the  Wall  in  vSVd/- 
fordfiire. 

39.  Which  are  all  the  raifed banks  or  deep  trenches  that  I  met. 
with  in  Oxford-fiire,  except  the  two  banks  with  a  /rewc/6  between 
them  (therefore  called  dike-bills')  South  and  by  Weft  of  Vorche* 
tier,  which  I  cannot  imagin  part  of  any  Roman  way,  becaufe  ex- 
tended only  as  a  ftringto  a  great  bow  of  the  River  Ifis,  as  defcribed 
in  the  Map ;  but  rather  a  Fortification,  fuch  as  P.  Oftoriu*  Proprie- 
tor herein  Britan  under  Claudius,  is  faid  by  Tacitus  to  have  made 
on  the  Rivers  Antona  and  Sabrina*  •  or  elfe  fome  of  the  Out- 
works of  the  Fortifications  on  Long-Witenham  hill  on  the  other 
fide  the  water,  which  perhaps  was  the  Sinnodunum l  of  the  an-, 
cient  Britans. 

40.  Nigh  to  the  raifed  ways  thus  call:  up  by  the  Romans,  they 
placed  the  Tumuli,  or  Sepulchres  of  their  Generals,  or  fuch  o- 
ther  valiant  perfons  as  dyed  in  the  wars;  it  being  forbid  by  the 
Law  of  the  1 2  Tables  to  bury  within  their  Cities  or  Stations.  Ho- 
minem  mortuum  in  Vrbe  ne  fepelito  neve  urito  k :  And  by  a  penal 
Refiript  of  the  Emperor  Hadrian l.  Now  the  reafon  why  they 
placed  them  on  the  military  ways,  rather  then  elfewhere,  is  given 
us  by  Camden,  viz^.  that  Paffengers  might  be  put  in  mind,  that  as 
thefe  here  buryed  were  fomtimes  mortal  men,  that  they  them- 
felves  are  no  better  now  m :  whence  perhaps  the  formula  ftill  ufed 
on  Tombs,  Sifte  Viator,  and  monumentum  d  monendo. 

41.  But  I  guefs  that  there  could  not  but  be  fomwhat  more  in't, 
for  as  it  was  accounted  the  greateft  dijhonor  imaginable  to  lie  un- 
buryed,  fo  it  was  a  great  reputation  to  the  perfon  deceafed  to  be  co- 
ver'd  with  a  large  Tumulus,  which  'tis  like  might  in  part  at  leaft 
be  the  reafon  of  their  placing  them  fo  near  the  public  ways,  that 
Paffengers  might  continually  add  to  the  heap,  it  being  look'd  up- 
on as  piety  in  them  fo  to  do  ;  nor  fufficed  it  to  throw  on  a  fingle 
handful  of  earth,  but  (as  may  be  colle&ed  from  Horace')  ufually 
three.  For  in  Archytats  requeft  to  the  Mariner,  that  he  would  not 
fuffer  his  Body  any  longer  to  lye  on  the floar  unburyed,  he  makes 
it  part  of  his  plea,  that  notwithftanding  the  fwift  motion  of  Sea- 
men, yet  he  might  find  time  enough  to  throw  3  handfuls  of  duft. 

*  Taciti  Annal  lib.  ii.  t*p.  $1.  l  Vid.  Leldnd.  Comment,  in  Cigntarn  C*nt.  in  verbo  Sinnidumtm. 
1  Ex  Legibus  12.  Tab.de  Jure  Sacrorum.  Vid.  etiamCicer.de  L.L.  lib.  a.  '  ff.  Di  Sepulcbroviolato.  L. 
Prator  a:t,  §.  Divus  Hadrianus.     »  Vid.  Camdeni  Britan-  m  Com.  Wilts. 

Qua?- 


of  0  XFO^p^S  Hl%E.  323 

Quanquam  fe  ft  in  at,  non  eft  mora  longa,  licebit 
Injetlo  terpuhere  curras  n. 

42.  Which  way  of  burial  under  Conical  hillocks-,  whether  na- 
turally compofing  themfelves  into  that  Figure  by  the  fall  of  the 
Earth,  or  defi^nedly  fo  made  by  the  Soldiers ■,  was  fure  very  an- 
cient ;  for  from  their  being  placed  without  Cities,  I  find  them 
called  by  the  Greeks,  vp*^p*te«w  Koyoi,  and  upon  High-ways,  Rpjtcmb^ 
for  that  the  God  Mercury  had  the  charge  of  ways  ;  as  his  other 
name  Ero'A®.  like  wife  imports. 

We  find  alfo  Achilles  in  Homer,  complaining  how  fmall  a  Tumulu* 
he  had  made  for  his  beloved  Patroclws, 

0 

Awi'  'S-hxeivJax,  tg7ov}  p  <&•£. 

and  intreating  ?#0/£  ftiould  come  after  to  raife  it  higher,  which 
defire  of  his  was  pioufly  performed  by  the  fucceeding  Greeks, 
who  raifed  it  to  fo  great  a  height,  that  they  defigned  it  for  a  Sea- 
mark to  thofe  that  fhould  fail  the  Helle/font. 

and  this  I  find  here,  and  at  all  other  places,  they  always  perform- 
ed x&wn*  Si  S  ww  r ;  and  fo  again  in  the  erection  of  the  Tumulus 
over  Hefior*,  by  pouring  on  earth  or  Jlones ;  the  worda?«»M  a9 
Euftathiws  informs  us,  being  fomtimes  ufed  abfolutely,  proytw'fih' 
%fi  *7i  -T&vefoi c.  i.  e.  (in  the  mod  critical  fenfe)  for  humare. 

43.  It  was  alfo  very  ancient  amongft  the  Romans,  not  only  for 
Princes,  as  Virgil  witneifes, 

fait  ingens  montefub  alto 
Regis  Dercenni  terreno  ex  agger e  huflum. 
Antiqui  Laurenth,  opacaque  like  teclum u. 

with  whom  agrees  Lucan, 

Et  regnum  cineres  exslruclo  monte  quiefcunt™. 

n  <£.HoratiiFlacCarminum,lib,  i-Cdtli.  °  Horn.  Odyff.  (J.'-t.  v.471.  *  Horn.  Iliad.  fiiZ.ty.  V  24$. 
1  Hom-Odyf  fald.v  80.  '  Hom.lliad.  p,%.  •$>'•  v.257.  '  jbid.  p,%u.  v.  8oi-  l  Vid.  Euftathii  Schol. 
in  Horn.     J  JEneid.  lib.  11.  v.  8jo.     w  An.  Lucani  rharfaliafive  de  bello  Civili,  lib.  8-  fub  fintm. 

Sf  2  but 


.324-  The  Natural  Hiflory 

butalfofor  meaner  perfons ;  for  thus  we  find  /Eneas  burying  his 
Nurfe  Cajeta,     . 

At  piws  exequ'w  Mneas  rite  folutit. 
Aggere  compofito  tumuli,  (src  x. 

Nay  fo  very  ancient  was  it,  that  Pliny  fays  exprefly,  it  was  long 
in  ufe  amongft  them  before  Burning,  Ipfum  cremare  apud  Romanos 
nonfuit  vetem  inftituti ;  terra  condebantur,  i.  e.  that  they  always 
interred them,  till  they  began  to  underftand  that  the  bodies  of 
their  men  flain  in  the  wars  afar  off,  were  fomtimes  taken  forth 
from  under  their  Tumulty  and  barbarofly  abufed  y,  as  Florus  ac- 
quaints us  the  Germans  ferved  the  body  of  the  Conful  Varus,  a- 
mongft  other  indignities  offer'd  the  Romans  :  Ipfiws  quoque  Confu- 
te Corpus,  quod militum pietas  abdiderat,  ejfoffum7-. 

44.  To  prevent  which  barbarity  for  the  future,  they  ordained 
burning  before  tumulation,as  was  ufed  always  amongft  the  Greeks ; 
for  we  find  in  Homer,  that  the  body  of  Heftor  (as  well  as  Patro* 
clus)  was  firft  burned,  and  his  calcined  white  bones  then  gather* 
ed  by  his  Friends  and  put  in  an  Vrn. 

'Ose'x  A^/>(sb  Asjpyfo  H&enyi/tfloi  eTccgpl  it a  &C, 

and  then  follows  their  raifinga  tumulus  over  him,  which  itfeems 
was  of  ftones, 

ouulap   uta^Gg 

andyetexprefledas  where  made  of  Earth,  by  pouring  them  on, 

45 .  It  was  a  uf  ual  cuftom  alfo  amongft  th  e  Northern  Nations, 
in  their  fecond  Age,  which  they  called  ^0tg0lD>  or  ^oelff  tijfc  Tu- 
mulorum  Mtai ;  thus  to  bury  their  dead  under  earthen  hillocks, 
Arenam  &  ten  am  exaggerando  ufque  dum  injuslam  monticuli  exfurge- 
rent  altitudinem,  fays  Wormius  of  the  Danes d ;  and  of  thefe  he 
fays  they  had  two  forts,  the  Rudiores,  which,  ex  fola  terra  inro- 
tunditatem  &  Conumcongeftaconslabant,  i.  e.  that  were  made  only 
of  Eartb,  caft  up  in  a  round  conical  figure,  which  were  fet  up  in 
memory  of  any  ftout  Champions  that  had  deferved  well  of  their 

*  Rneid.  lib.  7.v-<j.  y  plin.  Secund.  Nat.  Hill.  Kb.  7. cap.  54.  *  L.  An.  FltriRerum  Rom.  lib.  4.  c.  ill 
»  Hom.Iliad-£l".a.v.j<)T).  *  I6idemv-T)j,  798.  £  Uidemtv.  801.  *  OlaiWormii,  Monument.  Da- 
me, lib.  1.  cap.  j. 

Country. 


OfOXFOXV-SHmjS.  52* 

Country.  And  the  Ornati,  which  were  encompaffed  with  a  circle 
of  fiones,  fee  up  only  for  their  Generals,  or  fome  other  great 
Perfons e. 

46.  And  thefe  they  fetover  the  Bodies  without  burning  them 
(as  they  had  formerly  done  in  their  first  age,  which  they  called 
ffiotfolt),  or  T&itttiiZ ti)U>  ALtatignea*)  the  manner  being  as  Mr. 
Camden  informs  us,  for  every  Soldier  remaining  alive  after  a 
field  fought ,  to  carry  his  head-piece  full  of  earth ,  towards 
making  the  tombs  of  their  fellows  that  were  flaing,  Xgo'<V)Tgj5  to  oSf/**, 
fundentes  tumulum,  after  the  manner  of  the  Greeks. 

47.  But  the  Romans  here  in  Briton,  having  little  reafon  to  ex- 
pert more  favor  then  they  found  in  Germany ;  whenever  any  Con- 
ful,  or  eminent  Warrior  dyed  in  fuch  an  Expedition,  firft  burned 
them  on  the  level  near  the  via  firata,  or  militaris  ;  by  which 
means  having  deprived  their  exafperated  Enemies  of  all  hope  of 
being  able  to  abufe  the  dead  bodies ;  they  more-over  endeavored 

x  to  prevent  the  very  Scattering  their  ajbes  in  haft,  the  whole  Army 
calling  on  them  pure  grafjy  turfs,  cut  from  the  furface  of  the 
ground,  which  probably  indeed  may  be  the  very  reafon  (as  the 
learned  and  ingenious  Mr.  Dugdale  h  guefles)  why  there  appears 
not  any  hollo wnefs  whence  the  earth  was  taken  that  rai  fed  thefe 
Tumuli. 

48.  Whereof  here  in  Oxford-Jhire  I  have  met  with  two  kinds  ; 
one  placed,  as  above,  on  the  Pr<etorian  ways ;  and  the  other  fort 
not  fo,  yet  both  commonly  called  Burrows,  alias  Barrows,  from 
the  Saxon  Beops,  collis,  acervut,  whence  our  word  to  bury  \  Hence 
alfo  the  raifed  banks,  made  for  Conies  to  hide  themfelves,  fays 
Sir  Henry  Sptlman,  were  alfo  called  Berries  K  Of  the  firft  fort  is 
the  hillock  in  the  Parifh  of  Fritwell,  called  Ploughly-bill,  {land- 
ing juft  within  Oxford-Jhire  on  the  Portwayy  and  (which  isfom- 
what  more  then  ordinary)  giving  name  to  the  Hundred  wherein  it 
ftands. 

49.  And  there  is  another  on  the  Weft  fide  of  that  branch  of 
Ahsmanfireet  that  comes  out  of  Woodftock.??itV,  clofe  by  the  Ri- 
vulet over  which  that  way  pafles  ;  but  the  moft  eminent  on  Ake- 
manfireet,  is  that  they  call  Aflall  Barrow,  ftanding  high  and  lofty > 
which  I  conceive  might  be  the  Sepulcher  of  fome  confiderable/'er- 

e  Ibidemlib.  icap.6.  '  ibidem  cap.y.  «  Vid.  Camd.  Brit  an.  in  Com.  Wilt.  h  Mr.  Vugdale's  AnrM 
quities of IVarioick^fhire, in Knightlow  Hundred.  '  Vid.  Gu/tel.St>mneri,Diftionar.  Saxonic'o  Latino  Ait&l 
in  verbo.      k  Vid.  spelmamiGloJ/arium  in'verLo'Ber^ium. 

fin, 


y.6  The  Natural  Hiflory 

fon,  atleaft  of  great  repute  amongft  the  common  people  that  paft 
that  way  ;  there  being  another,  not  far  off  upon  the  fame  way, 
on  the  edge  of  Oxford-fiire,  incomparably  lefs. 

50.  Upon  thefe  their  High-ways  it  was  alfo  ufual  amongft  them 
to  place  pillars  of  Jione,  whereon  they  inferibed  the  diftances 
from  the  regal  Cities,  Stations,  and  Mutations,  whence  thephrafe, 
adtertium,  quartum,  vel  quintum,  ab  Vrbe  lapidem,  i.  e.  fo  many 
miles  from  the  City,  And  of  thefe  I  think  the ftone,  that  yet  lies 
on  a  bankclofeby  Akemanftreeiway,  not  far  from  Aftall  Barrow, 
to  have  been  a  remnant,  and  raoft  likely  of  any  the  pedejial  of 
fuch  a  Pillar :  unlefs  we  (hall  rather  think  it  to  have  been  zpedeftal 
to  a  Uatue  of  Mercury,  made  with  four  (ides  and  without  arms, 
from  thence  called 'n*?*^©*,  x«Mdf,  or  Cylleniws  \,  and  in  old  time 
Herm<e,  which  were  alfo  ufed  every  where  to  be  fet  up  near  high- 
ways ;  and  if  in  crofs  roads,  with  as  many  heads  as  there  were 
ways,  ut  interdum  etiam  quatriceps  confpiceretur  m. 

5 1 .  Whatever  it  were,  no  doubt  this,  and  the  fore-mention'd 
Barrows,  were  of  Roman  ere&ion  ;  but  as  for  Kenners  Barrow  near 
Sbipton  under  Which-wood,  the  large  Barrow  at  Stanton- Harcourt, 
and  that  other  (if  it  be  one)  called  Adwel  Cop  ;  I  think  rather 
ere&edbythe  Britans  or  Danes,  for  that  near  no  high-ways,  but 
in  the  open  fields,  as  Saxo-Grammaticu*  n,  and  Wormitvs  fay  they 
made  them  :  Non  folum  in  campi*  &  pram  occurrunt  Tumuli,  fed  (sr 
in  Silvh  ist  Luck,  (yc.  °  i.  e.  that  they  have  them  not  only  in  the 
fields  and  meddows,  but  in  the  woods  andgroves  too. 

52.  More  particularly,  as  for  Kenners  barrow  and  Adwel  cop, 
I  think  them  erefted  but  for  inferior  Captains,  though  perhaps  e- 
minent  Soldiers,  becaufe  they  are  of  the  rudiores,  exfola  terra :  But 
for  that  at  Stanton  Harcourt,  if  a  Danijh  Monument,  it  was  cer- 
tainly a  memorial  of  fome  greater  Per/on,  becaufe  of  the  Jlones 
fet  near  it,  of  whichtnore  anon  in  another  place;  though  it  be 
poflible  too  that  thefe  may  be  Roman,  it  being  cuftomary  for  them 
to  fet  up  fuch  Trophees,  at  the  utmoft  bounds  of  their  Victories,  or 
where  they  could  not  conveniently  advance  them  further,  as  Dion 
teftifies,  the  Roman  General  Drufas  did  at  the  River  Albis,  **»<>»■** 
siiotKcZpiwpnotV,  i.e.  that  he  fet  Trophies  and  returned:  which  Tro- 
phies of  his,  Floras  fays  exprefly,  were  only  a  Tumulu* :  Nam  Mar. 

1  Lavim  Torrentii  Comment,  in  Horat.Flac.  lib.  lOde  10.     m  Ibidem.     n  SaxonisGammaticiHift'Da- 
Mt<a,  lib.  8.     "  Olai  Wormii  Monument-  Dank.  lib.  1.  caj>.  6.     v  Dioais  Caffu  Rom.  Hift.  lib.  ^.fub  initium. 

coman- 


Of  OXFO%p~SHl%E.  3*7 

comannorum  fpolils  infignibw  quendam  editum  tumulnm  in  Trcphxi 
modum  excoluit,  are  his  very  words  q  concerning  the  fame  Expe- 
dition of  Drufits. 

53.  However  ic  were,  'tis  certain  the  Reformer  of  thefe,  are 
much  different  from  thofe  ere&ed  on  the  viae  militares,  for  I  found 
them  trenched  round,  and  particularly  that  of  Adwel  cop-,  with 
two  or  three  circumvallations,  part  whereof  are  ftill  vifibie  on  the 
South-eaft  fide  of  it,  infomuch  that  I  queftion  whether  there 
were  not  fome  Camp,  with  this  Trophie  perhaps  of  Viclory  erefted 
within  it,  of  which  more  anon  when  I  come  to  fpeak  ptofeffed- 
ly,  of  the  ancient  Fortifications  yet  remaining  in  this  County. 

54.  Of  other  Roman  Antiquities  that  I  can  certainly  call  fuch> 
the  moft  eminent1  met  with  is  a  part  of  their  pavemtnt  made  of 
fmall  bricks  or  tiles,  not  much  bigger  than  dice ;  whereof  the 
Roman  Generals,  amongft  their  other  baggage,  were  ufed  to  carry 
a  quantity  fufficient  to  pave  the  place,  where  they  fet  the  Pr*tori- 
um  or  Generals  Tent,  or  at  leaft  fome  part  of  it,  which  is  parti- 
cularly witnefled  of  Julias  Crffar,  In  expeditionibm  tejfella,  isrft- 
cliliapavimenta,  circumtulifle r. 

5$.  Thefe  if  made  of  fmall  Cquare  Marbles,  of  divers  natural 
colours,  were  called  Lithoftrota  ;  butif  of  fmall  brkfo  or  tiles*,  ar- 
tificially tinged  with  colours,  annealed  zndpolifib'd,  Pdvimenta 
tefellata,  or  opwi  Mufivumr;  and  both  Afarota  *j  for  their  not  be- 
ing to  be  fwept,  but  wiped  with  zfpunge.  As  for  ours  plough- 
ed up  fom  where  about  great  Tew,  and  engraven  Tab.  i$.  Fig^st. 
I  take  it  for  certain  to  be  of  the  fecond  fort ,  it  confiding  of  a 
matter  much  fofter  than  Marble,  cut  into  fquares  fomwhat  bigger 
then  dice,  of  four  different  colours,  9tj^  blut,  while,  yellow,  and 
red,  all  polijhed,  and  orderly  difpofed  into  works  ;  the  colours 
of  the  fquares  being  reprcfented  in  the  Cut,  as  thofe  of  the  Arms 
in  the  Map. 

56.  There  was  much  fuch  another  Pavement  ploughed  up  at 
Steeple*  Aflon,  confuting  likewife  of  fquares  of  divers  colours,  and 
fet  in  curious/gara-,  but  as  defcribed  to  me  by  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Greenwood,  Reftor  of  the  place,  not  cubkklikc  the  former, 
but  oblong  fquares  fet  perpendicular  to  the  Horizon.  That  thefe 
Pavements  were  Roman,  I  think  there's  no  doubt,  notwithftand- 

1  L-  An.Flori  Rer.Roman.lib.  $.cap.\2.     t  Suetonim  invitajuhidejarls.     '  Salrttafii  Annot.  l»Sti' 
tm.in-vitaJuUi  Ctfaris.     l  Plm.SecH/Ji.  Mrt/^,36.  c,  3$. 

ing 


;z8  The  Statural  Hiftory 

ing  found  near  no  Roman  Jiation,  and  far  enough  removed  from 
any  Roman  high-way ;  ("except  the  branches  of  Akgmanflreet  from 
from  Ram/Jen  and  WoodftocK,  might  happily  pafs  thefe  places:)  but 
I  guefs  not  fet  here  till  they  wholly  pofleft  themfelves  of  this 
Southern  part  of  Britan,  and  might  fecurely  enough  pafs  their 
Armies  any  where  ;  and  therefore  cannot  afford  them  any  high- 
er antiquity  than  the  time  of  Agricola  the  Lieutenant  of  Vefpafiany 
who  compleated  the  Roman  Conquefts  ;  or  at  moft  of  Pauling 
that  defeated  Boadicea. 

5  7.  Under  the  Sepulchral  monuments,  or  tumuli  afore- mention- 
ed, railed  by  the  Romans  over  their  dead  in  memory  of  them, 
they  placed  the  more  immediate  receptacles  of  their  ajbes,  or  at 
leaft  fome  part  of  them,  as  much  as  could  be  faved  in  the  Vat  uftri- 
num  ;  for  they  were  not  fo  curious  as  fome  have  imagined,  to 
fcrape  together  all  the  bones  and  aJkesoU the  Corpses  may  be  eafily 
collected  from  thefmalnefs  of  ?\\VrnsJoxLt  Family  ones.  Yet  over 
all  their  Vrns  they  raifed  not  fuch  a  tumulus-,  for  we  find  them  ma- 
ny times  in  level  ground,  though  containing  the  remains  of  noble 
Perfons,  as  may  be  gueffed  by  the  Lamps,  Lachrymatories,  and  Vef- 
fels  ofOyls,  or  Aromatical  Liquors  fomtimes  found  with  them. 

58.  Of  which  fort  of  Veffels,  \  prefume  that  odd  fafhioned 
glajl,  depicted  Tab.  15.  Fig.  23.  muft  needs  be  one,  found  in 
a  place  called  bufiy  Leas,  betwixt  Brigbtwel  and  Chalgrave,  be- 
ing part  of  the  poffeffions  of  that  right  worthy  Gentleman,  John 
Stone  of  Brightwel  Efq;  furrounded  with  no  lefs  than  twelve  of 
thofeVrns,  Tab.  15.  Fig.  24.  both  which,  amongft  many  other 
fignal  favors,  were  kindly  beftowed  on  me  by  the  fame  worthy 
perfon.  That  the  Earthen  pot,  Fig.  24.  is  a  Roman  Urn,  I  take  to 
be  fo  plain,  that  it  would  not  need  proof,  though  one  of  the 
four  Regal  high-ways  were  much  farther  removed  than  Ikenild  way 
is,  which  comes  upalmoftto  Ewelm,  not  far  from  this  place.* 
But  whether  this  glafs  contained  a  lamp,  were  a  Lacbrymatorie,  or 
a  veffel  containing  water,  or  fome  Aromatical  liquor,  is  the  great 
queftion  next  to  be  determined. 

59.  That  the  Bodies  of  great  Perfons  were  ufually  accompa- 
nied with  Lamps  after  death,  is  plain  from  the  Civil  Lave  u,  and 
to  interr  Lamps  with  them,  was  heretofore  fo  frequent,  that  For- 
tunim  Licetu*  has  written  a  whole  Book,  De  reconditk  Antiquorum 

■  8  T>e  ManumiJJis  Tejfamento,  L.  Mavix. 

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OfOXFO%2>~SHI%E.  yi9 

Lucernls,  amongft  which  he  mentions  one  out  of  Baptifta  Porta^ 
called  Lucerna  Nefidea  (from  the  Ifland  where  found  in  Craterc 
Neopolitano  fitaj  which  was  included  within  a  glafi,  and  placed 
in  a  Marble  Tomb™,  upon  the  fame  account  (I  fuppofe)  that  in- 
deed all  others  were ;  both  as  a  Symbol  of  the  quality  of  the  per- 
fon  there  interr'd,  and  for  the  fake  of  the  foul,  which  they  thought 
did  not  fo  quite  defert  the  body,  but  that  it  relied  with  it  in  the 
grave  x. 

60.  But  that  ours  was  fuch  a  glafs  including  a  lamp,  I  dare  not 
conclude,  more  than  that  it  is  barely  poffible  it  might  be  fo,  it 
feeming  much  rather  likely  to  have  been  zphiala  Lachrymatoria,  or 
tear-bottle,  wherein  the  furviving  Friends  of  the  deceafed,  col- 
lected thofe  paffionate  expreffions  of  their  grief,  andufually  bu- 
ryed  with  them,  as  is  fomtimes  fignified  in  old  Infer iptions,  by 
fomefuch  expreffion  as,  Cum  lachrymis  pofuere1 ;  only  it  is  of  a 
much  different  figure  from  any  of  thofe  defcribed  in  Job*  Bapt. 
Cafalim  z,  and  Vaulws  Aringhws a. 

6 1 .  And  therefore  I  rather  believe  it  to  have  been  one  of  thofe 
veffels  containing  fome  Aromatical  liquor,  fuch  as  they  ufually  in- 
terred with  the  Vrns  of  Noble  Families^,  and  perhaps  a  glafs  of 
the  fame  kind  with  thofe  three  found  in  a  Roman  Urn,  preferved 
by  Cardinal  Farnefe,  and  mentioned  by  Vigeneric:  Except  we 
fhall  rather  think  it  the  veffel  for  the  Aqua  lufiralk  fprinkled  by 
the  Prieft  on  the  Vrns,  to  expiate  for  the  fmaller  faults  of  the  de  - 
ceafed»d,  which  pofiibly  they  might  after  bury  with  them,  which 
waters  were  otherwife  called  arferidt  aqu<£,  and  by  the  Greeks, 
^wa  Aw»fa,  or  £&k»«b  no7s  vexfoTt  <7GJBv£i>$jo» e ;  But  I  rather  incline 
to  the  former  of  the  two,  becaufe  there  feems  a  kind  of  white  fub- 
Jiancc  yet' remaining  between  the  two  aw*  of  the glafi  (it  being  a 
vefel  of  a  peculiar  make,  one  glafi  as  it  were  including  another') 
which  poffibly  might  be  the  fediment  of  fomefuch  Aromatical  li- 
quor when  dryed  away. 

62.  Alfo  in  the  Parifh  ofWendlebury  I  faw  a  great  fquareflone, 
hollowed  round  in  the  middle,  dug  up  in  or  near  the  old  City  of 
Aldcefter,  in  which  there  wasfet  a  glafs  bottle  fitted  to  it,  con- 
taining nothing  but  fomwhatlike  afhes,  and  cover'd  over  above 

*  Bapt.Torta  Magi*  Nat.  Lib-M.cap.ult.  *  Fortunii  Liceti  de  recondith  Antiauorum  Lucerms,L'&1- 
cap- 6,  (§■■].  T  V'dJohan.Bapt.CaffaliumdeVr(>e,i^RitiiusRomanorum,  cap.  21.  *  Ibidem.  a  fault 
u4ringhi  Roma  fubterranea,  lib.  %.  cap.  22.  •>  Sir  Thomas  Brown's  Hydriotapbia,  cap.%.  '  Ibidem  cap.'z . 
*  Job  Bapt.  Caja/itts  de  Urbe  &  ritibut  Romanorum,  cap.  22.     e  Vtd.'job.Meur[iHmde}unere,cap.\\. 

T  t  with 


^o  The  Statural  Hijlory 

with  another  broad  flat  Hone  :  This  Urn  I  faw  at  a  houfe  in  the 
Town,  where  'tis  ufed  for  a  Hog-trough,  but  the  glafi  had  been 
broken  long  before,  nor  could  I  get  any  certain  defcription  of  it ; 
however,  I  guefs  it  fome  fuch  like  veffel  with  that  defcribed  a- 
bove,  and  placed  there  upon  the  fame  or  like  accounts.  There 
have  been  feveral  other  Vrns<A{o  taken  up  at  divers  other  places, 
particularly  in  the  old  Mine  at  Blunds  Court  above-mention'd, 
Chap. 6.  §.63.  at  a  place  called  Drunfiil  notfar  from  Wood- Eat on, 
but  belonging,  as  I  was  told,  to  the  Pariih  of  Marfion,  near  the 
ridged  way  that  comes  from  Noke  ;  and  three  in  one  Mr.  Finches 
.houfe  at  the  Mercat-phce  in  Henly,  and  one  in  the  high-way  that 
leads  towards  the  North  at  the  Towns  end,  not  far  from  Ancaftle, 
which  argues  thofe  places  fome  of  the  firft  Roman  habitations,' 
though  no  recorded garifons. 

63.  Nor  indeed  is  there  any  fuch  to  be  found  in  this  County, 
though  it  cannot  but  be  acknowledged  that  Oxford  it  felf  muft  be 
a  noted  place,  before  the  departure  of  the  Romans  at  leaft,  if  the 
Roman  way  thither  defcribed  in  the  Map,  prove  fo  good  an  ar- 
gument to  the  Reader  as  my  felf.  Where  by  the  way  perhaps  it 
may  not  be  unworthy  notice,  that  Oxford  is  mention'd  by  the  Ara- 
bian Geographer,  Sharif  oP  Edr/fi,  or  Adrift  (of  whofe  works 
the  Geographia  Nubienfis  tranflated  by  Gab.  Sionita,  and  Job.  He%^ 
ronita,  is  too  fhortan  Epitome)  by  the  name  of  e^ia^c  Ozcfort  *, 
withal  adding,that  it  ftands  on  the  fame  river  with  London  (which 
river  he  calls  *<>-2>L-L,  Retandah  f)  40  miles  above  it f,  which  fhews 
that  Oxford  was  always  a  Town  of  good  repute,  in  the  rcmoteft 
places,  as  well  as  times. 

64.  As  for  the  antiquity  of  the  Vniverfity,  befide  what  was  al- 
leged §.  30.  of  this  Chapter,  I  think  it  very  confiderable  what 
remains  upon  record  in  Magdalen  College  Library,  in  an  ancient 
MS  of  Walter  Burley's  Fellow  of  Merton  College,  (Tutor  to  the 
Famous  King  Edw.  3.  and  defervedly  ftiled  Dr.  Profundus')  upon 
the  Problem  {Complexio  rara  quare  fanior~]  he  has  thefe  words 
(which  fhonld  indeed  have  been  mentioned  before,  Chap.  2.  §.  3. 

*  Perhaps  written  e>j_i^,«£  Ozcfort,  (by  a  tranfpofition  of  the  Letters  which  many  times  oc« 

curs  in  words  of  difficult  found;  infead  of  o»-J>JCl£  Oczfart.    f  frj    A   ly  *<*<'>«fr  feems  ro 

be  a  fault  of  the  Scribe :  whereas  the  Author  probably  intended  to  have  it  read  ^_^VJL>  TJmize,  or 

lamife.     '  Sharif  o/'  EJrlfi  Geograpk.  MS.  Arab,  penes  Revert* J.  Edw.  P<ko\  S.  T-  P.  &  Ecfhf  Cath. 
Cbriji.  Oxon.  Csnonkum. 

of 


of  0  XFO^p^S  Hl%E>  gg 

of  this  Effay)  concerning  the  healthy  fituation  of  Oxford,  and  its 
fele&ion  by  Students,  for  the  feat  of  the  Mufe s :  Notanda,  inquit, 
funttria,  quod  Civ kzsfana  eft  in  Borea  is  in  Oriente  fiplantata  eft 
aperta,  is  in  Auftro  is  Occident^  montofa  ;  propter  pur  it  at  em  Bo- 
reae,  is  Orientis,  is  putrefaclionem  Auftri  is  Occidentis  :  ficut 
Oxonia,  qu<£pe.:  induftriam  Philofophorum  de  Grxciz  fuerat  ordina- 
ta  8,  i.  e.  that  a  healthy  City  mull  be  open  to  the  North  and  Eaft, 
and  mountanous  to  the  South  and  Weft  ;  by  reafon  of  the  purity 
of  the  two  former  quarters,  in  refped  of  the  latter  :  juftas  Oxford 
is  feated,  which  was  fele&ed  by  the  Philofophers  that  came  from 
Greece. 

6$ .  And  that  according  to  the  rules  of  their  great  Mafter  Hip- 
pocrates, who  requires  no  other,  but  the  very  fame  fituation  for 
a  healthy  City  h.  But  about  what  time  it  was  thefe  Philofophers 
arrived,  though  I  dare  not  be  too  confident,  yet  in  all  probabili- 
ty they  might  be  fomeof  thofe  Grecians  brought  over  by  Theodo- 
rm  the  Greek  Arch-bifliop  of  Canterbury,  about  the  year  66S\ 
^whom  'tis  like  he  placed  here  to  inftruft  the  Saxon  youth  ;  for  we 
find  Venerable  ZWe,and  St.  Johnde  Beverlaco  (alwaies  reputed  of 
this  Vniverftty)  to  have  been  his  Scholars  ;  and  fo  Tobias  Bifhop  of 
Eocbefter,znd  Albinws  Abbot  of  St.  Auguftins  Cant,  who  are  faid  to 
have  underftood   the  Greek.  Tongue  as    well  as  their  native 


one  k. 


66.  Not  to  mention  that  Britan  was  known  to  the  Greeks  be- 
fore the  arrival  of  the  Romans  ;  for  otherwife  Polybiws  could  ne- 
ver have  hoped  to  have  defcribed  Britan,  or  the  method  there  ufed 
in  ordering  Tin,  as  we  find  he  defigned,  having  promifed  to 

Write,     *%*   %  'Bfsrta.piHcip  vttmv,  ^  irit  TV  wfliiipii  wm,mAi*i  \A      Which 

Book  though  loft,  yet  Strabo  *  bears  us  witnefs,  that  therein  hfi 
refuted  the  Errors  of  Vic^archut,  Pytbiatand  Eratofthenes,  con- 
cerning the  magnitude  of  Britan,  who  were  alfo  Greek  Authors 
(that  it  feems  had  written  fomthing  concerning  this  Ifland)  and 
much  ancienter  than  himfelf.  Nor  to  note  fecondly,  that  the 
French  Druids  (who  had  their  Learning  out  of  Britan')  in  things 
of  common  concern;  ufed  the  Greek  Cbarafter™;  which  how 

«  Inproblematibtu  Arifot  fecu»dumJaboremMagiftriWz\terBar]ey,  ad  ordinem<LAlphabeti.  MS.6^.  in 
Bib.  Coil.  B.  M-  Magdal.Oxon  fol.  12  b.  *  Mn«5»f  tufjxutT^e/iiat  t*  hMH  .  xj  Is  *'»«thPi«{  <?  '^^"•it-  Hip- 
pocrat  Oper.  feci.  3.  cap.  «fe<  tcipui  i/'Ajt«»,  -riimi.  '  Godwinus  de  Tr*fulib-Ang.in'vitaTheodori.  hMattb. 
Parker  de  Anttqtiitate  Ecclef.  Briton-  in  vita  Theod.  '  ptlybii  Megal-  Hifloriar.  lib.  3./*.  209  Edit.  If.  Ca- 
faub.  An.  1619.  *  Strabon  Gtograpb.  lib.  2-  pat,.  104.  Edit.  Cafaub,  parti,  An,  1620.  m  "}ul.C<e(arii 
Comment,  de  bello  Gallic,  lib,  6. 

T  t  2  they. 


fiz  The  Natural  Hijlory 

they  ftiould  come  by  without  the  learning  of  the  Greeks  (which 
poflibly  might  be  brought  over  by  fome  of  their  Philofophers  who 
accompanyed  the  Merchants  trading  for  7/«,and  feated  themfelves 
here)  let  the  Reader  judge. 

67.  But  for  the  Bijhopick.  of  Oxon,  it  is  but  of  late  erection, 
taken  out  of  that  of  Lincoln  by  King  Hen.  8.  and  of  no  longer 
Handing  than  his  days,  notwithstanding  what  we  meet  with  in 
the  Decretals  of  Pope  Gregory  ;  where  we  find  two  Refcripts  of 
Pope  Alexander  the  Third,  about  the  year  1 1 5  8.  directed  to  the 
Bifhopof  Oxon.  and  others",  it  being  but  a  miftake  (though  to 
be  found  in  all  the  Copies,  I  could  meet  with)  of  Oxonienfi,  for 
Exonienfi,  as  plainly  appears  in  the  fourth  Book,  of  the  fame  De- 
cretals °,  compared  with  the  places  afore-cited. 

6$.  Yet  the  ancienteft  Town  of  the  whole  County  I  take  to 
be  Henley,  fo  called  from  the  Brittifi  Hen,  which  fignifies  old,  and 
Lley  a  place,  and  perhaps  might  be  the  head  Town  of  the  people 
called  Ancalites,  that  revolted  to  Cdtfar p  :  it  was  alfo  called  Han- 
leganz^  and Hannelurg,  as  appears  by  an  Infyeximu*  of  (^Eliza- 
beth, granted  this  Corporation.  And  there  is  a  place  near  it,  ftill 
called  Ancajile  (weft  of  the  Town  where  the  Wind-mill  now 
ftands)  which  is  but  the  Norman  name,  importing  the  fame  with 
the  Saxon  Hanneburg.  If  it  be  objected,  that  Aldbury  near  Ricot 
in  this  County  (according  to  vulgar  tradition)  is  the  mother  of 
Henly,  and  confequentially  older  ;  it  may  be  anfwer'd,  that  its 
probable  indeed  that  Chriftian  Henley  may  be  younger  than  Ald- 
bury, in  refpect  of  a  Church  firft  built  there,  but  upon  no  other 
account. 

69.  And  the  Town  of  Watlington  feems  of  no  fmall  antiquity, 
provided  its  age  do  but  anfwer  its  Etymologie ;  for  by  its  name  it 
feems  alfo  to  have  been  an  old  Britijh  City,  which  according  to 
Strabo,  were  nothing  elfe  but  groves  fenced  about  with  trees  cut 
down,  and  laid  crofs  one  another,  within  which  they  built  them 
Jheds  both  for  themfelves  and  Cattle.      Pfo*** 3  *&t»9  Iwr  °«  <tyup», 

xaAu^omxBj'Tttf)  $  m,  ^oox)f/^c<i«  xa.?ttsaG|t*<A/V<H  ^,  are  his  very  words  .* 
which  manner  offence  the  Saxons  after  called  patelaj-  Crates,  hur- 
dles or  wattles,  within  which  mound  building  them  tents  or  co- 

. 

0  Decret  de  film  Prei&yteror.  ordin.  <&  non.  c.  Tropofuit.  &de  officio,  ejr  poteft.juft.  deleg.  c.  Caufam. 
«  Decret.  <jtii  fdii fint  legitimi,  c>  Caufam.  '  fulii  C«f oris  Comment ar.  de  ielloGallico,  lii.y  *  Strabofik 
Ceo  graphite ,lib.  4.. 

T  verings, 


Of  0 XFO  %T>^SHIXE.  ^ 

verings,  by  the  Saxons  alfo  called  F^el r  -  from  one  of  thefe,  or 
both,  1  guefs  this  Town  took  its  name. 

70.  As  alfo  the  Prxtorian  or  Confular  way,  called  Watlingftreet, 
and  Wattle-bank  here  in  Oxford/hire,  thefe  in  all  probability  be- 
ing made  the  fame  way,  that  Hadrian  is  faid  to  have  made  bounda- 
daries  (where  Rivers  were  wanting)  between  barbarous  people, 
Stipitibws  magnh  in  modum  muraltsfeph  funditm  jatik  atque  con- 
nexh\  i.  e.  with  great  fiakfs  fet  faft  in  the  ground,  and  knit  to- 
gether 'tis  like  with  fmaller  wood  woven  between  ;  which  if  hap- 
pily made  ufe  of  in  thefe  ways  to  keep  up  the  earth  at  firft, 
might  well  invite  the  Saxons  to  name  them  Wattleing-jlreet*,  Wat- 
tle-bank, isrc 

7 1 .  Juft  upon  the  meeting  of  Akemanslreet  way,  and  the  Port 
way  from  Wallengford,  there  are  alfo  fome  foot-fteps  of  that  decay- 
ed ancient  slation,  by  Camden  called  Akheiier,  ftill  remaining^ 
which  he  gueffes  fo  called,  as  one  would  fay  an  oldTown  \  But  I 
have  met  with  fomenotes  in  a  MS.  now  by  me,  that  fays  it  was 
the  Seat  of  Ahftu*  the  Emperor,  who  having  trecheroufly  flain 
his  Friend  and  Mafter,  the  Emperor  Caraufiws,  bafely  ufurped 
Britan  for  himfelf,  calling  this  his  new  Seat  after  his  own  name, 
Alefti  Caftrum,  fince  Alcheiler  or  Aldcefier :  but  it  feems  by  the 
ftory  that  it  florifh'd  not  long,  for  Conftantiws  Chlorus  being  fent 
againft  him  by  the  Emperors  Dioclefian  and  Maximian*,  and  by 
the  benefit  of  a  mift,  landing  privatly  fomwhere  on  the  South 
(hoar,  near  the  IJle  of  Wight  (whether  Ahftws  came  to  prevent  it) 
gave  him  battle,  defeated,  and  put  him  to  flight  towards  this 
his  chief  Fortrefs,  but  was  over-taken  and  flain  by  Afclepiodotuit, 
one  of  Con$~lantiu4\  Captains  (as  this  Author  will  have  it)  here 
at  Elsfield u  near  Oxon,  (which  he  alfo  would  have  a  corruption  of 
AleSlus -field}  before  he  could  reach  it. 

72.  For  the  credit  of  this  relation,  it  having  no  foundation 
in  the  Roman  ftory,  I  (hall  wholly  leave  it  to  the  Readers  judge- 
ment ;  yetihall  add  thus  much  for  its  reputation,  that  the  Roman 
military  ways  lye  very  agreeable  to  it ;  for  on  fuppofition>  this 
conf/ift  happened  about  Regnum,  now  Ring-wood;  or  Clanfentum, 
now  Southampton,  the  Roman  ways  lye  directly  thence  to  Venta 
Belgarum,  now  Winchefter ;  and  fo  to  Callena,  now  Wallengford, 

*  Gul.SirmneriDiBionariumSaxonico-Lat-tjingl.inverbis.     f  AttiuiSpartiantninHaelriario.    l  Cdmd. 
Britan.  inOxon.     "  MS.  penes  Authorm. 

accord- 


«^  The  Statural  H'tjlory 

according  to  the  Itinerary  of  Antoninus*  ;  and  thence  clofe  by 
Elsficld  toAlchefier,  as  defcribed  in  the  Map,  and  in  §§.  2  7.  and 
28.  of  this  Chapter. 

73.  Which  is  all  I  find  remaining  of  the  Romans  here,  but 
fome  parcels  of  their  Mony  found  at  many  other  places,  particu- 
larly near  Dorcbefter  not  far  from  Dih-hills,  near  the  Fortification 
at  Idbury,  and  Madmarflon-hill  in  the  Parifti  of '  Svalcliff,  inclofed 
with  a  double  vallum  ;  which  I  therefore  judge  to  have  been  Ro- 
man works.  There  is  alfo  a  fmail  circumvallation  in  a  Wood  South 
and  by  Weft  of  Harpfden  Church,  near  which  place  there  has  alfo 
been  Roman  mony  dug  up  (whereof  there  is  fome  in  the  poffeffion 

of  the  Worfhipful Hall  Efq;)  and  fo  likewife  about  Hor- 

lej,  Swerford,  Chippingnorton,  Teynton,  and  a  Village  called  Sinet 
near  Burford,  Stratton-Audley,  Fringford  and  TuJ more,  and  moft 
of  them,  of  the  Emperors  between  Cocceiws  Nerva,  and  Theodofms 
thefecond,  exclufively.  ■  .     * 

74.  After  the  departure  of  the  Romans  came  the  Saxons  into 
Britan,  and  after  them  the  Danes,  who  alfo  made  them  Works  Co 
indiftinguifhable  from  the  Romans  (otherwife  than  by  the  Roman 
mony  found  near  them,  as  in  the  former  Paragraph)  that  they  can 
fcarce  be  known  afunder:  So  that  whatever  of  thefe  Fortificati- 
ons (at  moft  places  in  this  County  abufively  called  Barrows)  have 
no  Roman  mony  found  at  or  near  them,  I  think  we  muft  conclude 
either  Saxon  or  Danijh ;  Saxon  if  fquare,  and  if  round  Danifi  ; 
for  fo  1  find  them  diftinguifh'd  in  a  MS,  Hiftory  of  Ireland  by 
E.  S.  whereof  the  fir  ft  fort  he  calls  Falkmotes,  i.  e.  places  for  the 
meeting  of  the  folk,  or  people,  upon  the  approach  of  the  enemy  3 
and  the  latter  Danerathes,  i.  e.  hills  of  the  Danes  made  for  the 
fame  purpofex,  though  I  very  much  queftion  whether  I  (hall  find 
thefe  forms  ftri&ly  obferved  in  all  places  hereafter. 

75.  Yet  I  find  Tadmerton-Caslle,  and  Hooknorton  Barrow  not 
far  from  it,  agreeable  to  this  rule ;  the  former  being  large  and 
round,  and  the  other  fmaller  and  rather  a  quinquangle  than  a  fquare; 
both  of  them  caftup  (the  great  round  one  by  the  Danes,  and  the 
lefs  fquare  one  by  the  Saxons)  about  the  year  914,  when  the 
Danes  in  the  time  of  Edward  Senior  being  grown  ftrong  and  nu- 
merous, came  forth  of  Northampton  and  Leicefter,  and  made  great 
(laughter  of  the  Englijh-  Saxons  at  ^oc^meretune,  fays  J  oh.  Brom- 

*  See  Burtoft's  Map  of  Antoninus  his  Itinerary.     *  Hiftory  of  Ireland,  MS  ptnes  Autborem. 

ton, 


Of  0XF0%<D~SH1%E,  & 

ton,  /4w.  io.of  Edw.Seny.  at  ^ofieuertune,  hysFlorentiusWi- 
gornienfis,  which  he  caHs  Fi7/^/?z  Regiam  z,  now  Hokg-norton. 

j6.  As  for  Cbaftleton  barrow,  by  the  above-mention'd  rw/e,  it 
fhould  be  a  Fortification  of  the  Danes,  perhaps  caft  up  about  the 
year  i  o  1 6.  at  what  time  Edmund Ironfide  met  Canutus  the  Danijh 
King  hereaboUw,  and  defeated  him  after  a  long  and  bloody  Bat- 
tle, fought  at  a  place  called  Seorftan  by  fob.  Bromton  \  Sterne/ion 
and  Scerufdan  by  Matth.  Wefimin/ter  \  Scearslan  by  Florentws  Wi~ 
gornienfis  c  and  Simon  of  Durham d,  and  Sejerftan  by  Wormiut  % 
fromfejer  vifloria,  and  yftjfl  /j/>«  ;  whereof  all  the  reft  feem  but 
corruptions,  there  being  feveral  fuch  in  Denmark^nd  Norway  cal- 
led by  that  name  to  this  day  *  :  which  though  they  all  fay  ex- 
prefly  was  in  Hwinclia  or  Huiccia,  i.  e.  Worcejler-Jhire,  yet  I  verily 
believe  it  with  Camden,to  be  that  (lone not  far  off,  called  Fourfiire 
Hone  (or  clfe  that  other  near  it)  parting  four  Counties,  whereof 
Worcejier-fhire  is  one. 

77.  And  as  for  the  Entrenchments  in  Merton  Woods,  1  guefs 
them  caft  up  by  King  Mthelred,  or  the  Danes  in  the  year  871.  at 
what  time  fays  Floren.Wigornienfis,  King  /Etbelred and  his  Bro- 
ther JElfred,  cum paganhpugnantes  apud  S^ZVttUtlZ e,  fighting  with 
the  Danes  at  Mereton  (as  1  find  this  town  was  anciently  written  in 
the  Leigier  Book  o'lEnJbam  f)  overcame  them,and  put  their  whole 
Army  to  flight.  That  the  Danes  had  fomwhat  to  do  hereabout,  is 
further  evinced,  from  one  of  their  (purs  in  the  hands  (if  I  mif- 
remember  not)  of  George  Sherman,  of  the  Town  of  Biffeter  not 
far  from  this  place,  which  I  took  no  care  to  get  engraven,  becaufe 
already  done  by  Olaus  Wormiut*,  where  the  Reader  may  fee  the 
exaft  figure  of  it :  All  which  put  together,  and  that  this  place  is 
near  the  meeting  of  two  military  ways ,  I  am  pretty  well  fa- 
tisfied  that  this  Battle  between  JEthelred,  his  Brother  ALlfred,  and 
the  Danes,  was  much  rather  here,  than  at  Merdon  in  Wilt-fiire,  as 
fome  have  thought  it. 

78.  And  if  AdwellCop  may  pafs  for  a  Fortification,  as  the  En- 
trenchments about  it  on  the  South-eaft-fide  feem  to  promife,I  guefs 
it  made  about  the  year  1  o  1  o,  when  the  Danes,  as  Simeon  of  Dur- 
ham teftifies,  came  forth  of  their  Ships  in  the  month  of  January, 

T  In  ckrmieo  Johan.  Bromton.  Abbot.  Jornalens,  in  An.  10.  Ed.  Sen.  *  Florentim  Mgornienfis  in  Anno 
914-  *  Chroniconjo.  Bromton  Abb-  Jam.  iwuitaEdmundiFer.lat.  b  Matth. Wcftmon.  F lores  Hi Bar.  in 
An.ioib.  «  f  lor.  Wigor.  in  An.  citato.  d  Simeon  Dunelmenfis  Hift.  de  geftis Reg.  Ang.  in  eodem.  *  Ol. 
Worm.  M»n.  Van.  lib-  <;■  Monumentoncm  inter  Ripenfia  f.  p.  343.  c  Floren.  Wigornenfis  in  An  citato-  '  E 
HegiBrode  En/ham,  MS  penes  ReverendiJJtmum  Decanum  &  Capitulum  Ecclef*  Cathedral.  Cbrift.  Oxonia. 
«  Qlai  Wormii  Monument.  Vamcor-  lib.  1 .  cap.  7. p,  50.  Fig.  E. 

and 


7^6  The  Statural  Hi jlory 

and  paffing  through  the  Chiltern  Woods,came  to  Oxford  and  burnt 
it\  ere&ing  perhaps  this  fortified  Barrow  in  the  way,  where 'tis 
like  they  might  meet  with  fome  oppofition,  and  loofe  fome  prin- 
cipal Captain.  As  alfo  upon  Shotover-hill,  where  rhere  feems  to 
have  been  two  other  little  Barrows,  on  the  left  hand  of  the  road 
from  Oxford  to  London ,that  fhould  I  confefs  have  been  mention'd 
before  in  §.  5 1 .  of  this  Chapter. 

79.  But  as  for  the  large  fquare  Entrenchments  on  Callow-hills 
in  the  Parifti  of  Stunsfield  (which  yet  'tis  poflible  too  may  have 
been  an  old  Britift  town,  fuch  as  defcribed  by  C<efar,  Oppidum  vo- 
cant  cumfj/lvas  impedita6vallG  atquefofia.  munierunt\  it  being  much 
larger  than  any  of  the  reft,  and  having  deep  holes  within,  I  fup- 
pofe,  to  preferve  water")  the  fmall  Fortification  under  Cornbury 
Park-wall ,  and  the  large  one  called  Beaumont ,  near  Mixbury- 
Church,  encompaffed  with  a  ditch  1 70  paces  one  way,  and  128 
the  other  ;  I  can  give  no  account  of  them,  but  that  in  general  'tis 
like  they  were  works  of  the  Saxons,  thefe  being  aWfqua re,  though 
the  laftby  its  name  fhould  indeed  be  Norman. 

8  o .  And  fo  again  for  the  Fortification  commonly  called  Round- 
caftle,  weft  of  Begbrook  Church,  but  in  the  Parifh  of  Bladen, 
and  Lineham  Barrow  (between  which  and  Pudlycot,  a  Seat  of  the 
ancient  Family  of  the  Lacy's,  there  is  a  paflage  under  ground 
down  to  the  river')  I  can  fay  little  of  them,  but  that  in  general  'tis 
moft  probable  they  were  made  by  the  Danes  (they  being  both 
round)  but  upon  what  particular  occafion  ,  I  could  no  where 
find. 

81.  Befide  the  circles  of  Earth  caft  up  by  the  Danes,  there 
are  others  of  slone  in  many  places  of  this  Nation,  and  particular- 
ly one  here  in  the  very  bounds  of  Oxford-fiire,  near  Chipping-nor- 
ton,  in  the  Parifh  of  Little  Rollwright,  the  ftones  being  placed  in 
manner  and  form,  and  now  remain  as  exactly  engraven  Tab.  16. 
Fig.  2222,  in  a  round  of  'twixt  30  and  40  paces  over ;  the  tai- 
led: of  them  all  (which  may  be  zfeak  for  the  reft)  being  about  fe- 
ven  foot  high.  North  of  thefe,  about  a  Bolts-fhootoff,  on  the 
other  fide  the  hedge,  in  the  County  of  Warwick.-,  ftandsonefin- 
gly  alone,  upwards  of  nine  foot  high,  in  form  as  defcribed  Fig. 
1 .  and  Eaft ward  five  others,  as  in  Fig.  3 .  about  two  furlongs  off, 

*  Simeon Dunelmenfistde geftis'Reg.  Avg.  in  Anno  ioio.     '  Jutii  Cafar'u  Comment arior.de  MoGalli- 
co,  lib.  5. 

the 


OfOXFO\T>~SHI\E.  33? 

the  higheft  of  them  all  about  nine  Toot  alfo  ;  meeting  formerly  at 
the  top  (as  drawn  by  Mr.  Camden)  with  their  tapering  ends,  al- 
moft  in  fhape  of  a  wedge,  fince  whofe  time  there  are  two  of  them 
fallen  down  from  the  reft.  Of  which  ancient  Monument  (or  what 
ever  elfe  it  be)  he  gives  us  in  brief  this  following  account k.  - 

8  2.  Not  far  from  Burford  (he  {hould  have  faid  Chipping-norton^ 
for  Bu rford cannot  be  lefs  then  7  or  8  miles  from  it)  upon  the  ve- 
ry border  of  Qxford-flAre,  is  an  ancient  Monument,  to  wit,  cer- 
tain huge  (tones  placed  in  a  circle :  the  common  people  call  them 
Rollrich-ftones,  and  dream  they  were  fomtimes  men,  by  a  mira- 
culous Metamorphofis  turned  into  hard  ftones.  The  higheft  of 
them  all,  which  without  the  circle  looketh  into  the  Earth,  they  call 
the  King,becaufe  he  (hould  have  been  King  of  England  (forfooth) 
if  he  had  once  feen  Long-Compton,  a  little  Town  lying  beneath, 
and  which  one  may  fee  if  he  go  fome  few  paces  forward. 

83.  Other/z/eftanding  on  the  other  fide,  touching  as  it  were 
one  another,  they  imagin  to  have  been  Knights  mounted  on  horfe- 
hack.,  and  the  reft  the  Army.  Thefe  would  I  verily  think* 
fays  he,  to  have  been  the  Monument  of  fome  Victory,  and  happily 
cre&ed  by  Rollo  the  Dane,  who  afterward  conquer 'd  Normandy ; 
for  what  time  he  with  his  Vanes  troubled  England  with  depredati* 
ons,we  read  that  the  Danes  joyned  Battle  with  the  EngliJ/j  at  Hoch- 
norton,  a  place  for  no  one  thing  more  famous  in  old  time,  than  for 
the  woful  (laughter  of  the  Engliflj  in  that  foughten  Field  under 
the  Raign  of  King  Edward  the  elder. 

84.  That  this  Monument  might  be  erefted  by  Rollo  the  Dane,  or 
rather  Norwegian,  perhaps  may  be  true  ,  but  by  no  means  about 
the  time  of  Edward  the  elder  ;  for  though  it  be  true  enough  that 
he  troubled  England  with  depredations,  yet  that  he  made  them  in 
the  days  of  King  Alfred,  I  think  all  the  ancient  Hijlorians  agree, 
An.  897.  according  to  Florilegus  \  but  according  to  Abbot  Brom* 
tonm  a  much  better  Author,  in  the  year  875,  near  40  years  before 
that  (laughter  of  the  Englijb  in  King  Edwards  days,  as  will  plain- 
ly appear,  upon  comparifon  of  this  with  the  75.  §.  of  the  fame 
Chapter. 

85.  Therefore  much  rather  thanfo,  (hould  I  think  he  ere&ed 
them,  upon  a  fecond  Expedition  he  made  into  England-,  when  he 

*  Britannia  iaOxford/h.     \  Matth.  Wefimonaft.  in  An.  citato.     m  Joban.  Bromten  A&b.Jorn.  in  vita 
A-uredi. 

Uu  wa9 


y&  The  D^amal  Hi/lory 

was  called  in  by  King  /Ethelftan  toaflift  him  (as  Thomas  of  Walfin- 
gham  witneffes  )  againft  fome  potent  rebels  that  had  taken 
arms  againft  him  n ;  whom  having  vanquifhed,  and  reduced  into 
obedience  to  their  Prince,  and  perhaps  too  (lain  the  defigned 
King  of  them  (who  poflibly  might  be  perfwaded  to  this  rebellion, 
upon  a  conditional  Prophefie  of  coming  to  that  honor  when  he 
fhould  fee  Long-Compton)  might  erect  this  Monument  in  memory 
of  the  Fafl  ;  the  great  fingle  ftone  for  the  intended  Ring,  the  five 
flones  by  themfelves  for  his  principal  Captains,  and  the  round  for 
the  mixt  multitude  (lain  in  the  Battle,  which  is  fomwhat  agreeable 
to  the  tradition  concerning  them. 

86.  But  if  I  may  give  my  opinion  what  I  really  think  of  them, 
(though  I  do  not  doubt  much  but  they  muft  be  a  Danijh  or  Norwe- 
gian monument")  I  can  by  no  means  allow  the  round  or  other  flones 
to  be  Sepulchral  monuments :  For  had  the  Cirque  of  flones  been  any 
fuch  memorial,  it  would  certainly  have  had  either  a  tumulus  in  the 
middle,  like  the  monument  near  the  way  to25trcfein  Seland,  and 
of  TUttgtJeen  Mitt  not  far  from  it  °,  and  another  near  &oef$il&  * ; 
or  a  ftone  Altar,  as  in  the  notable  monument  of  HaraldHyldetand 
near  JLtitZ  in  Seland p,  placed  there,  fays  Wormiws  (in  another 
part  of  his  Book)  eo  fine  ut  ibidem  inmemoriam  defuntti  quotannis 
facra  paragantur,  that  they  might  yearly  offer  Sacrifices  in  memo- 
ry of  the  defunct,  at  the  place  of  his  inhumation.  But  neither 
of  thefe  are  within  Rollright  Cirque,  nor  could  that  curious  and 
learned  Antiquary  the  Worfliipful  Ralph  Sheldon  of  Beoly  Efq; 
(one  of  the  nobleft  Promoters  of  this  defign)  who  induftrioufly 
dug  in  the  middle  of  it  (to  fee  whether  he  could  meet  any  ]ym- 
bols  or  marks-,  either  who  might  erect  it,  or  for  what  end  or  pur- 
pofe)  find  any  fuch  matter. 

87.  For  the  very  fame  reafon,  it  is  alfo  as  certain  that  it  can- 
not have  been  any  place  of  judicature,  fuch  as  was  ufed  in  old 
time  in  the  Northern  Nations,  whereof  there  is  one  fo  great  in 
Seland,  as  defcribed  by  Wormim,  that  it  takes  up  no  lefs  than  fix 
and  forty  great  flones  of  ftupendious  magnitude  within  its  cir- 
cumference q,  and  fo  does  Rollright  and  more  too  ;  but  then  it 
has  no  ftone  (nor  I  fuppofe  ever  had)  erected  in  the  middle  for 
the  Judge  to  fit  on,  as  thofe  always  had.     Befide  thefe  Fora,  or 

•  Tho.dtWal[inghamTpodigmaNtuflri*tf*kinititm.     •  QlaiWormiiMon.Danic.  lib.i.caf.^.     *  Idem 
hb.  i.cap.6-     *  Idemlib.  l-cap.  5.     *»  Qlai  Warmii  Mon.  Danic.lit.  leap.  10. 

places 


Of  0  XFO  ^D^SHI^E.  x? 

places  of  Judicature,  (by  the  Danes  called  ^ttlggTj  feem  always  to 
have  had  their  muniments  offtone,  either  of  a  Quadrangular  or 
Oval  Figure,  and  not  to  be  entered  but  at  two  fides,  as  that  at 
^Djetijitlgmention'd  by  Wormiut*,  whereas  ours  is  circular,  and 
fhews  no  figns  of  fuch  gates. 

88.  Which  perhaps  might  occafion  the  Learned  Dr. Charleton, 
to  judg  it  rather  a  Trophie,  or  Triumphal  pile,  fet  up  as  a  Monument 
of  fome  great  Viftorie f,  to  whom  though  I  cannot  but  fomwhat 
incline,  yet  am  verily  perf waded,  that  at  the  fame  time  it  might 
ferve  alfo  for  the  Eleclion  and  Inauguration  of  a  King  ;  and  much 
rather  than  the  great  and  famous  monument  of  fstone^ettg  on  Sa-> 
lesbury  Plain  ;  the  very  difparities  betwixt  it  and  thofe  in  Ben- 
mark,  brought  by  himfelf  \  being  not  to  be  found  here. 

89.  For  befide  that  it  is  placed  (as  all  fuch  Courts  of  the 
Danes  were)  1.  Upon  anting  ground,  for  the  advantage  of  pro* 
ff>ecl  (that  the  common  people  affembled  to  confirm  thefurrrages 
or  votes  of  the  Electors  by  their  univerfal  applaufe,  and  congratu- 
latory acclamations,  might  fee  and  withefs  the  folemn  manner  of 
Election:)  2.  Made  of  huge  flows  of  no  regular  Figure.  And 
thirdly,  Having  no  Epigraph  or  Infcription  cut  or  trenched  in  the 
Hones,  as  carrying  a  fufficient  evidence  of  its  defignment  and  ufe, 
in  the  figure  of  ksplatform;  It  is  but  a  jingle  Cirque  of  ftones  with- 
out Epislyles  or  Architraves,  few  of  them  very  high  on  which 
the  Electors  might  eafily  get  up  to  give  their  fujfrages,  as  was  ufii* 
ally  done  in  the  Northern  Nations ;  whereas  ^toue^eng  is  made 
up  of  three  circles  at  leaft  (fome  fay  four')  and  the  Jlones  of  each 
circle  joyned  with  Architraves,  whereof  there  is  no  example  to  be 
found  in  thofe  Countrys. 

90.  Now  that  the  Northern  NatioristfwdWy  erefted  fuch  Cirques 
of  rude  ftones  for  the  elellion  of  their  Kings,  is  fully  teftified  by 
Olaut  Wormius,  Reperiuntur  inquit  in  his  oris  loca  quaedam  in  quibm 
Reges  olim  folenni  creabantur  pompa,  qude  cincla  adhuc  grandibu4 
faxh,  ut  plurimum  duodecim,  cenfyiciuntur,  in  medio  grandiore  quo- 
dam  prominent  e,  cui  omnium  fuffragw  Eleftum  Regem  imponebant', 
magnoque  applaufu  excipiebant.  Hie  isr  Comitia  celebrabant,  (y  dt 
Regni  negotii*  confultabant.  Regem  vero  defignaturi  Electores  Sa- 
xk  infifiebant  forum  cingentibws,  decreti  firmitudinem pronunciantes u; 
i.  e.  as  Englifhedby  Dr.  Charleton  w. 

r  Ibidem-     »  Dcxftor  Charleton 's  Stone  Heng  reftored  to  the  Danes,  pag.  4^'.     t  Idem  pdg.  f4-     tf  o/ 
Wormri  Monument.  Dank.  lib.  1.  cap.  12.     "  Stone-Heng  reftored  to  the  Vane$,pag.  48. 

U  u  2  91*  In 


3^.0  The  Statural  Hifiory 

9  r .  In  this  County  arc  beheld  certain  Courts  of  Parliament,  in 
which  Kings  heretofore  were  folemnly  elected,  which  are  fur- 
rounded  with  greatftonesjor  the  moft  part  twelve  in  number,  and 
one  other  ftone  exceeding  the  reft  in  eminency,  fet  in  the  middle  ; 
upon  which  (as  upon  a  Regal  Throne')  they  feated  the  new  ele- 
cted King,  by  the  general  fuftrage  of  the  ArTembly,  and  inaugu- 
rated him  with  great  applaufe  and  loud  acclamations.  Here  they 
held  their  great  Councils,  and  confulted  about  affairs  of  the  King- 
dom: But  when  they  met  together  to  nominate  their  Kings,  the 
Electors  hood  upright  on  the  Jiones  environing  the  Court,  and  gi- 
ving their  voices,  thereby  confirmed  their  choice. 

92.  The  very  fame  pradice  of  the  Northern  Nations,  with  the 
Ceremonies  of  it,  are  alfo  briefly  fet  down  by  Saxo  Grammatics, 
Lefiuri  Regem  veteres  affixis  humo  Saxkinfijlerefuffragiaquepromere 
confueverunt ,  fubjeclotum  lapidum  firmitate,  fafli  conflantiam  omina* 
turi x,  i.  e.  that  the  Ancients  being  about  to  choofe  their  King, 
ufed  to  ftand  upon  (tones  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  thence  give 
their  votes,  by  thefirmnefs  of  the  jiones  on  which  they  ftood,  ta- 
citly declaring  the  firmnefs  of  their  AH.  Which  manner  of  ele- 
ction is  alfo  proved  of  them,  by  Crantzius-,  Meurfiu*,  and  Bern* 
hardus  Mai  in  cor  t  de  Archicancellariis  y. 

93.  Which  places  of  election  itfeems  were  held  fo  /acred,  as 
further  teftified  by  Worm'u^,  and  out  of  him  by  Dr.  Charleton  % 
that  in  times  of  peace  the  Candidate  King,  was  obliged  de  Jure 
there  to  receive  his  Inauguration,  the  place  and  ceremonies  being 
accounted  effential  parts  of  his  right  to  Soveraignty,  and  the  votes 
of  his  Eleftors  much  more  valid  and  authentick  for  being  pro- 
nounced in  the  ufual  Forum. 

94.  But  if  it  happened  the  King  fell  in  a  Foreign  expedition  by 
the  hand  of  the  enemy,  the  Army  prefently  got  together  a  parcel 
of  great  Jlones,zt\d  fet  them  in  fuch  a  round,  as  well  fomtimes  per- 
haps for  the  interment  of  the  corps  of  the  deceafed  King,  as  e/e- 
ttion  of  his  fuccejfor.  And  this,  'tis  like,  they  did,  1 .  Becaufe 
they  efteemed  an  eletlion  in  fuch  a  Forum,  a  good  addition  of  7i- 
tle.  And  fecond,  with  all  expedition,  becaufe  by  the  delay  of 
fuch  eletlion  too  long,  irreparable  damages  many  times  accrewed 
to  the  Republick.  thereupon  b ;  which  practice  of  the  Danes  they 

*  Saxon.  GramrnaticiHifi.J>anorum,lib.  i.  fubmitium.  1  De  qu'tbui  vide  Olnum  Wamium,  Mon.  t>*n. 
ljb.\.caf.\i-  »  Ibidem  fubfijtem.  •  Storn-H«ng  reftored  to  the  f>*?HS,f.  48.  h  Ol.  Wormii  M«».  D*». 
'ib.i.cap.\2.fubfi?iem. 

both 


of  0  XFO'Hp^  Ht%E.  f£ 

both  confirm,  by  the  authorities  of  Stephana  Stephanie,  in  his 
Commentaries  on  the  firft  Book  of  Saxo  Grammaticas's  Hiftory  of 
Denmark,  and  Soaningiusz  grave  and  faithful  Writer  of  that  Na* 
tion,  though  what  they  cite  of  the  latter  (if  that  be  all  be  fays) 
fcarce  proves  quite  fo  much. 

95.  Befide  the  erection  of  Stones  in  Foreign  Nations  upon  the 
lofs  of  one  King,  and  eleclion  of  another,  what  if  I  ftiould  add 
that  its  alfo  very  likely  that  the  fame  might  be  done  at  the  Invefli* 
ture  of  a  Conqueror  into  a  new  acquired  Principality  :  Thus  why  • 
might  not  Rollo,  either  being  compelled  as  z  younger  brother,  to 
leave  Denmark,  or  Norway,  as  was  appointed  by  the  Lave  of  the 
former  Kingdom,  and  to  feek  him  a  new  feat c  •  or  forced  from 
the  latter  for  Piracy  by  King  Harold  Harfager,  as  in  the  Chronicle 
of  Norway d ;  I  fay,  why  might  not  Rollo  after  good  fuccefs  againft 
rhofe  he  invaded  (as  Walfingham  fays  exprefly  he  was e,  though 
in  another  place)  be  elected  Kingby  his  followers,  and  be  inaugu-* 
rated  here,  as  well  as  there,  within  fuch  a  circle  of  Jiones,  which 
bearing  his  name  co  this  very  day,  and  he  being  acknowledged 
both  by  Bromton*  and  Florilegu* 8  to  have  beaten  the  Saxons.,  and 
to  have  tarryed  in  this  Nation  a  whole  Winter,  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable he  might  be. 

96.  For  if  we  enquire  into  the  origin  of  the  name  of  this 
Cirque  of  Jiones,  we  (hall  find  that  &fetd&  or  !Rift  fignifies  a  King- 
dom,  and  fomtimes  a  King,  as  €yn  nitty  frato,  the  Queen,  or  Kings 
woman h :  Whence  'tis  plain,  chat  thefe  Jiones  feem  (till  to  be  cal- 
led the  Jiones  of  King  Rollo,  or  perhaps  rather  of  Rollo' $  King- 
dom, for  it  was  cuftomary  for  them  to  have  fo  many  Cirques  of 
Jiones  as  Kingdoms,  though  in  the  fame  Country.  Thus,  as  Wqt* 
mim  teftifies,  there  are  three  at  this  day  in  the  Kingdom  of  Den- 
mark', one  in  Seland,  another  in  Schoneland,  and  a  third  in  the 
Cimbrick  Territory,  becaufe  thefe  were  anciently  three  diftinct 
Principalities,  and  under  the  dominion  of  as  many  Kings1,  as  'tis 
certain  England  was  alfo  about  this  time. 

97.  And  if  this  conjecture  may  be  allowed  to  take  place,  we 
arefupplyed  alfo  with  a  reafon  why  we  have  no  tumulws  in  or  neaf 
this  monument,  there  being  no  King  or  eminent  Commander  flain, 
but  only  a  conqueft  of  the  enemy  in  or  near  this  place,  intimated 

'  ThoWalfmgham'sYpodignatleuftri*  in  principle,  *  Vtd.  Cbronictn.  tionatgicum-  *  TbtWatfingharrlt 
Ypodigma  Neujlri*  inprineip.  '  Job.  Bromtcm  Abbat-  Jornal.  in  An.%-]^.  *  Matth.  Weftmon-  in  An-  897.- 
*  Vtd-  Petri Dafyfodii  Diifionat.  Lot.  Gerphm.  invert.  Rigxe-     *  0/  Wmrmi  Men-  Pan.  hi-  i-ttf.  ia- 

by 


34-fc  *Tbe  Natural  Hijlory 

by  the  fiveflones  meeting  in  a  point  at  the  top  ;  which  perhaps* 
may  be  the  difpofition  intended  by  Saxo  Grammaticus,  and  out  of 
him  by  Wormius,  Cuneatoordine,  which  he  fays  exprefly  fignified, 
Equeslrium  acies  ibidem,  vel prope,fortunatim  triumphafek  i.e.  that 
Knights  or  Horfe-men  there,  or  near  the  place,  obtained  a  glori- 
ous Viftory. 

98.  Yet  againft  this  conjefture  I  fore-fee  there  lye  two  objections 
worth  removal.  1 .  That  in  thefe  Cirques  of  flones  defigned  for 
the  elettion  of  Kings,  there  was  always  a  &Oflgftolen  moft  times 
bigger  than  the  reft  placed  in  the  middle  of  it,  as  intimated  above, 
§.90.  Andfecondly,  that  had  this  place  been  at  firft  defigned 
for  the  Inauguration  of  a  Danifb  or  Norwegian  King,  and  fuch 
places  been  fo  effential  to  a  good  title,  as  pretended  above,  §.93. 
certainly  all  the  Kings  of  the  Vanijb  race  that  reigned  after  here 
in  England,  would  have  been  either  crowned  here,  or  at  fome 
other  fuch  Forum  ;  whereas  we  have  no  fuch  Bottgftolett  in  the 
middle  of  the  Cirque  •  and  befide,  find  Canutus  with  great  fole- 
mnity  Crowned  at  London,  Harold  Barefoot  here  at  Oxford  (not 
far  from  this  Cirque)  and  Hardi-Canute  likewife  at  London. 

99.  To  which  it  may  be  replyed,  that  though  not  placed  in 
tht  Cirque,  yet  here  is  a  ftongftolett  not  far  off,  which 'tis  like, 
was  not  necefTary  fliould  be  fet  within  it ;  for  I  find  the  place 
where  the  new  eleftedfcmg  ftood  and  (hewed  himfelf  to  the  peo- 
ple, at  the  Forum  for  this  purpofe  at  %tixt  in  Seland,  to  have  been 
without  the  Area,  as  our  &ottgttolen  is.  -Area  faxh  undique  cincla 
Coronationi  Regum  deputata  vicinum  habet  Collem,  cut  Coronate  jam 
infi/iebat  jurapopulo  daturus,  iy  omnibus  confpiciendum  fepr debit urut\ 
i.  e.  that  the  Area  encompaiTed  with  flones  defigned  for  the  Coro- 
nation of  their  Kings,  had  a  Hill  near  it,  whence  the  new  Crown- 
ed King  gave  Laws,  and  Chewed  himfelf  to  thepeople ;  it  feeming 
indifferent  from  hence ,  and  another  fuch  like  hillock  called 
CfOUebarolilOV,  whereon  the  King  alfo  ftood,  at  the  place  of 
fuch  ele&ion  near  Lundie  in  Scania  m,  whether  he  afcended  a  ftone 
or  mount  of  earth;  within,  or  without  the  Area,  fo  he  thence 
might  be  feen  and  heard  by  thepeople. 

100.  And  to  the  fecond  Objection  it  may  be  reafonably  an- 
fvvered,  that  the  Danes  by  this  time  having  gotten  the  whole 
Kingdom,  and  fuch  capital  Cities  as  London  and  Oxford  were, 

*  Idem  lil>.  i.cap.y.     »  ldtmlii  1  cap  5.     *>  Idem  lii.U  cup  a. 

«fe  might 


Of  OXFOXV-SHIXE.  j4j 

might  well  change  the  places  of  their  Coronations  :  Befide,  Canute 
and  the  reft  were  much  greater  perfons,  and  more  civilized  than 
Rollo  and  his  crew,  can  be  prefumed  to  have  been  ;  for  befide  that 
he  lived  above  a  hundred  years  before  them,  we  find  him  (though 
the  fon  of  a  Norwegian  %ty\i,  or  Earl)  a  great  Pyrate  at  Sea n,  and 
little  better  then  a  Robber  by  Land  ;  well  might  he  therefore  be 
contented  with  this  Inauguration,  after  the  old  barbarous  fafhion, 
having  gained  no  City  wherein  it  might  be  done  with  greater  fo- 
lemnity. 

i  o  i .  But  as  for  the  fiones  near  the  Barrow  at  Stanton- Harcourti 
called  the  Devils  Coits,  I  fhould  take  them  to  be  appendices  to 
that  Sepulchral  Monument,  but  that  they  feem  a  little  too  far  re- 
moved from  it ;  perhaps  therefore  the  Barrow  might  be  caft  up 
for  fome  Saxon,  and  the  fiones  for  fome  Britans  (lain  hereabout 
Caut  vice  verfaj  at  what  time  the  Town  of  e^ney-ham,  about  a  mile 
off,  as  Camden  informs  us,  Was  taken  from  the  Britans  by  Cuth- 
wolf  the  Saxon  °.  Which  is  all  I  can  find  worthy  notice  con- 
cerning them,  but  that  they  are  about  eight  foot  high,  and  near 
the&j/efeven  broad  ;  and  ..that  they  feem  not  natural,  but  made 
by  art,  of  a  fmall  kind  of  fiones  cemented  together,  whereof 
there  are  great  numbers  in  the  Fields  hereabout ;  which  makes 
thus  much  for  the  conje&ure  concerning  thofe  at  Stone-Hcng, 
that  they  may  be  artificial,  it  being  plain  from  thefe,  that  they 
could,  and  did  do  fuch  things  in  the  ancienter  times. 

1 02.  There  ftands  alfo  a  ftone  about  half  a  mile  South-weft  of 
Enfion  Church,  on  a  Bank  by  the  way-fide  between  Neat-Enfion 
and  Fulwell,  fomwhat  flat,  and  tapering  upward  from  a  broad 
bottom,  with  other  fmall  ones  lying  by  it ;  and  another  near  the 
road  betwixt  Burford  and  Cbipping-nor ton,  which  I  guefs  might 
be  ere&ed  for  the  fame  purpofe  with  the  two  former,  as  above- 
mention  M  :  Unlefs  we  (hall  rather  think,  both  tbefe  and  them  to 
have  been  fome  of  the  Gods  of  the  ancient  Britans,  as  the  Reve- 
rend and  Learned  Dr.  Stillingfleet  thinks  it  not  improbable  thofe 
Pyramidal  fiones-)  mention'd  by  Camden  in  Torkrjbire,  called  the 
Devils  boltsp,  fomtimes  were.  Andfolikewife  Stone-Heng  in 
Wilt/hire,  which  he  judges  neither  to  be  a  Roman  Temple,  nor  Da- 
nijb  Monument,  but  rather  fomwhat  belonging  to  the  Idol  Marh^ 

*  VidckronhonNorwegicum.     •  Vid.CamdBritan.h  Oxfordjh-    *  Idem  i*  Com.  E&&. 


34.4.  The  Statural  Hifiory 

lis,  which  Buxtorf  faith  the  Rabbins  called  D'Sip  n'3  ^^^w  Koli**\ 
of  which  more  hereafter  when  I  come  into  that  County  ;  and  into 
Ketf/,  where  of  Kits-coty-boufe,  which  I  take  to  be  an  Antiquity 
of  the  fame  kind. 

103.  That  the  Britanslong  before  the  arrival  of  the  Romans, 
were  acquainted  with  the  Greeks,  has  fufficiently  I  guefs  been 
made  appear  already,  §.  66.  of  this  Chapter  ;  and  that  long  be- 
fore that  they  were  known  to  the  Phoenicians,  and  all  the  Eailern 
Countries,  is  plain  out  of  Strabo  r,  and  Bochartws  ',  and  by  com- 
parifon  of  the  Learning  and  Religion  of  the  Druids,  with  thofe  of 
the  Indian  Brachmans.  Now  that  it  was  the  ancient  cuftom  of  all 
the  Greeks  tofetup  unpolifi' 'dftones  inftead  of  Images,  to  the  ho- 
nor of  their  Gods,  we  have  the  teftimony  of  Paufanias  in  thefe 

WOrds      #n*  5  *n  mhcuongft, ,    <&  To?i  moiv  E.M.ec<,  ti^s  fig&SV  aVri   aLyxh^f- 

$?%*  dpy>\  hi&>i\  i.e.  that  unhewn  ftones amongft  all  the  Grecians, 
had  the  honor  of  Gods  inftead  of  Images  ;  more  particularly  the 
fame  Author  aflerts,  that  near  the  Statue  of  Mercury  there  were  30 
fquare  ftones,  TgTe^roi  *A9oi  r&<*wm,  which  the  Pharii  worfhipt, 
and  gave  to  every  one  of  them  the  name  of  a  Goda. 

1 04.  That  the  Arabians  and  Paphians  alfo  worflhip'd  fuch  like 
Gods,  is  like  wife  witnefled  by  Maximums  Tyr i'i6.     A&IG01  eiSvai^r, 

ovnvccSi  esKoTSbt,'  3  Si  aytXng.0  eTSbv,  PuG©.  1m  ttt^ayev^-.  Fa<p/ois?i  fMv  A- 
9£P$tw  i«!s  ittf&s  *xi'  8  5  ayai\(J&  vx.  ay  (I^ooj:  aMfti   t^  *i  >mejL[Uix  Awxj    • 

i.e.  that  the  Arabians  worfhip'd  he  fcarce  knew  what  God ,  but 
that  he  faw  amongft  them  was  only  a  fquare  flone  ;  and  that  the 
Paphians  wordiip'd  Venus  under  the  reprefentation  of  a  white 
Pyramid. 

105.  And  Herodian  defcribing  the  Worjhip  of  HeUgabalus  at 
Emefa  in  Phoenicia,  faith,  that  he  had  no  kind  of  Image  after  the 
modern  Greek,  or  Roman  fafhion  made  by  mens  hands,  *'G©* 

Si  mi  £?i  fJJiyr&t  y&'m&iv  i^ipgp™,  A^'jew  eis  o^uVeT*,    xwoa^s  ew/7&T  2*^51  *> 

i.  e.  but  a  great  ftone  round  at  the  bottom,  and  lefleningby  de- 
grees toward  the  top,  after  the  manner  of  a  Cone.  To  which 
add,  that  Peter  della  Valle,  in  his  late  Travels  into  the  Indies, 
faith,  that  at  Ahmedabad  there  was  a  famous  Temple  of  Mahadeu* 
wherein  there  was  no  other  Image  but  a  little  column  of  ftone  af- 

*  Job.  Buxtorfii  Lex.  Talmud-  in  v.  Markplis.  t  strabonis  Geographic,  lib.  \pag.  1 75>  Edit.  If-  Cafaub. 
Paris,  <^An.  1620.  *  Sam.  Bocharti  Ceog.Sacr.part.2H6.  I.  cap.  39.  c  n*«n»»i*  A%a4>&.pag.  228.  E<#/. 
Silburg.  "  /bidem.  w  Max.  TyriiDifJert. Pbllofoph.tf.  p  tf*)..  Edit- Dan- Heinpi.  *  Herodiani  Hifto- 
riar-lii  5-p<srg.  114.  Edit  Hen.  Stepbani. 

ter 


OfOXF  0^  D,S  HI%E.  34* 

ter  a  Pyramidal  form ;  which  Mahadeu,  he  faith,  in  their  Lan- 
guage fignifies  the  great  Godyn  And  after  this  fafhion,  he  faith, 
'tis  the  cuftom  of  the  Brachmans  to  reprefent  Mahadeu  *. 

1 06.  All  which  being  put  together,  efpecially  as  recommend- 
ed by  fo  Learned  a  Perfon  as  the  Reverend  Dr.  Stillingfleet ■,  have 
prevailed  with  me  much  :  However,  the  Reader  is  free  toufe  his 
judgment,  whether  they  are  memorials  of  the  dead,  as  common- 
ly thought,  or  reprefentations  of  the  Deities  of  the  ancient  Bri+ 
tans,  given  them  by  fome  Companions  of  the  Eaftern  Merchants, 
trading  hither  for  Tin,  to  the  C  affiterides . 

107*  Other  Antiquities  contemporary,  with  the  fiones  above- 
mentioned,  I  met  with  none  here  in  Oxford-Jhire,  but  thofe  three 
Rings  lincked  one  within  another,  and  engraven  by  miftake  a  lit- 
tle out  of  their  place,  Tab.  16.  Fig.  4.  for  that  they  are  not  like  to 
be  Britijb  or  Roman,  I  think  is  pretty  certain.  The  Britans,  'tis 
true,  ufed  Rings  inftead  of  Mony,  yet  as  C<efar  teftifies,  they  were 
only  of  Iron*.  And  though  the  Romans,  amongft  their  other 
dona  militaria,  did  ufually  give  Calbeos  b,  five  armillas,  bracelets^ 
yet  they  were  conftantly  I  find,  either  of  gold  or  filver ;  where- 
as ours,  as  in  number,  are  of  three  different  materials ;  the  largeft 
copper?  the  fecond  iron?  and  the  leaft  green  glafs,  or  fome  Hone  of 
that  colour. 

108.  It  remains  they  muft  therefore  be  either  Saxon  or  Vanift, 
but  whether  of  the  two,  we  muft  not  hope  to  determin,  fince  we 
find  fuch  rings  ufed  by  both  Nations.  That  the  Saxons  had  fuch 
bracelets,  is  plain  from  King  JElfred,  who  notwithftanding  he 
came  to  the  Kingdom,  long  habituated  as  it  were  to  rafines  and 
murders,  yet  brought  it  before  his  death  into  fo  good  a  pofture-, 
(as  is  learnedly  made  out,  and  by  what  degrees  he  did  it,  in  that 
excellent  Hlslory  of  his  Life,  now  in  the  Prefs*)  that  he  could,  and 
did  hang  up  fuch  bracelets  of  gold  in  the  high- ways,  which  no 
Traveller  dared  touch.  ^Elfredus  per  publicos  aggeres,  ubi  femitde 
finduntur  in  qua  drum,  Armillasjubebat  aureat>  appendi,  utViantium 
aviditatem  irritaret,  cur  non  effet  qui  ea6  acciperet,  fays  Florilegut 
of  himc.  Where,  by  the  way,  perhaps  it  may  not  beamifs  to 
note,  that  thefe  Rings  were  drawn  out  of  the  River  Cherwel  with 
a  Fifhing-net,  near  Hampton  Gay,  not  far  from  the  meeting  of 

I  Pet-  delta  Valle  Viaggi,  f.  3  Lett.  1 .  $.15.  p.  107.     *  Ibidem.     *  "Jul.  Cafarii  Comment,  de  bello  GaUicoj 
lib  5.     b  VidSexti?omp.Fefli,Fragment.libro-$.     t  Matth.Weftmon.  Flora  Hifl.  in  An.%<)i. 

X  x  fuch 


^6  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

fuch  ways  at  Kirkl'ington,  and  kindly  beftowed  on  me  by  my  wor- 
thy Friend  Mr.  B  arry,  amongft  fome  other  matters  of  like  nature, 
though  notfo  fit  to  be  mention'd  here. 

109.  And  that  the  Danes  alfo  made  the  fame  Experiment  of  the 
innocency  of  their  people,and  of  Univerfal  peace  &  freedom  from 
rapine,  is  as  manifaft  out  of  Saxo  Grammatics,  who  fays  exprefly 
of  F  rot  ho  the  Great,  Vt  uniufcujufque  rem  familiar  em  afurum  incur fu 
tutam  pr&Siaret,  Armillam  unam  in  Rupe,  isrc*  .  i.  e.  that  he  might 
preferve  every  mans  Goods  from  the  fpoils  of  thieves  and  robbers, 
hung  up  a  bracelet  of  gold  on  the  rock,  called  after  his  own  name, 
Frothonhpetram  •  and  another  in  the  Province  of  Wig,  threatning 
great  feverity  to  the  Prefidents  of  thofe  Countries,  if  they  flhould 
be  taken  away.  They  ufed  them  alfo  (like  the  Romans)  as  re- 
wards of  valour,  as  appears  from  the  proffer  of  King  Roricut,  of 
his  fix  bracelets  to  any  man  that  would  undertake  the  Champion  of 
the  Sclavi  (his  Enemies)  challenging  any  man  in  his  Army e ;  and 
fomtimes  too  as  rewards  of  Wit,  .as  the  fame  Author  informs  us, 
Wiggo  being  honor'd  with  a  great  Armilla  by  Rolvo  Krage,  for  a 
Jeft  f;  zadRefo,  by  GotoK'mg  of  Noway,  ideo  tantum  quod  eum 
cultim  iy  familiar ius  habuijfet g. 

no.  Thefe  ArmilU,  the  Danes  and  other  Northern  Nations 
accounted  fo  facred,  that  as  Bartholin  informs  us  outof  Arngri- 
mws,  the  I/landers  ufually  fwore  upon  them,  Cujus  religionis  fuit 
ritws,  utjur amentum prsftituri,  adhibithsteflibus  Annulum  in  Ara  De- 
orum  ajfervari  folitum,  &  in  for 0  Judiciali  ajudice  fupremo  in  bra- 
chio geftatum,  hoftiarumque  fanguine  illinitum,  attretiarent b,  i.  e. 
that  the  manner  of  people  to  befoorn  was,  that  before  witnefi  they 
ftiould  lay  their  hands  on  a  certain  Ring,  ufually  kept  upon  the 
altar  of  their  gods,  worn  upon  the  arm  of  the  Chief Juftice  (whence 
'tis  plain  it  was  an  Armilla')  and  fmeared  over  with  the  blood  of 
their  Sacrifices.  And  Ethelwerdus  and  Ajferiws  both  acquaint  us, 
that  King  Mlfred  having  gotten  confiderable  advantage  over  the 
Danes,  made  them  fwear  (befide  on  his  own  Reliques)  in  eorum 
Armilla  facra,  quod  c£ter  arum  Regionum  Regibus  fecere  nunquam1, 
i.  e.  upon  their  holy  bracelet,  which  they  had  never  done  before 
to  the  Kings  of  any  other  Nation. 

i  Saxon.  Gram.  Hift.  Dan.  lib.  5 .  p.  46  Edit.  Operin.  e  idem  lib.  3 .  pag.  24.  D.  '  Idem  lib.  2 .  pag.  16  C. 
e  Idem  lib.  8. /lag.  83. C-  h  Tho .Bartholin/ Schedion  de  tArmtllii  veterum,  §.  7./.  98.  '  Chronicorum  E- 
thelvierdijib.if.  in  An.  876.  vid-  etiam  Ajferium  Menevenf.  ineodem  An- 

in.  Which 


of  0  XFO%$)~S  Hl%E,  547 

in.  Which  ArmilU it  feems  were  fomtimes fingle,  and  fom- 
times curioufly  link'd  together.  Thus  the  fix  bracelets  of  King 
Roricus  above-mentioned,  are  faid  to  have  been,  ita  mutuh  nexi- 
bus  involutes  ut  ab  invicem  fequeilrari  nequirent,  no  Jorum  inextrica- 
biliter  ferie  coh<£rentek,  i.e.  fo  inextricably  involved  one  within 
another,  that  ihere  was  no  parting  them.  The  Learned  Bartho- 
lin alfo  informs  us,  that  fomtimes  the  Armilla  had  a  Ring  hung 
to  it.  Eft  tamen  ArmilU  fuus  quandoque  circuits  1 1  And  that  when 
rings  are  thus  hung  to  bracelets,  there  is  always  fome  my  fiery,  in  it, 
quo d  annuli  Armillk  ferejungantur  non  caret  myfterio  m.  Where  by 
ArmilU  he  means  $M'a>  or  ^y&pma.,  ornaments  for  the  wrifts, 
and  by  annuli  and  circuli,  ornaments  for  the  fingers  :  ArmilU  id 
brachio  fr<*ftant,  quod  digim  annuli n,  i.  e.  that  bracelets  have  the 
fame  ufe  on  the  wrift,  that  rings  have  on  the  finger. 

112.  Now  that  ours  was  an  Armilla,  is  plain  enough,  for 
that  the  great  Coffer  ring  is  of  fomwhat  above  three  inches  dia- 
meter, and  big  enough  to  encompafs  any  ordinary  mans  wrift ; 
the  letter  iron  one,  and  green  ring  of  glafs,  being  additional  orna- 
ments, efpecially  the  latter,  which  queftionlefs  was  put  on  to  re- 
prefent  an  Emrauld ;  that  fort  of  slone,  as  Pignorius  and  Bartho- 
lin both  teftifie,  being  much  ufed  in  bracelets  ° :  which  makes  me 
think  it  the  bracelet  but  of  fome  ordinary  perfon,  the  Armilla  it 
felf  being  coffer,  with  which,  faith  Bartholin,  only  the  vulgar1 
adorned  themfelves,  ArmilU  <zreje,  flebedt  cenfendde  funt  p,and  the 
affendent glafi  but  a  counterfeit  Jewel. 

n^.  For  eminent  places  in  this  County,  during  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Saxons  and  Vanes  in  Briton,  we  may  reckon  firft  Ban- 
bury, then  called  Baneybypis,  where  Kenric,  the  fecond  Weft-Saxon 
King,  about  the  year  540,  put  to  flight  the  Britans,  fighting  for 
their  lives,  eftates,  and  all  they  had  q.  After  the  Conqueft,  about 
the  year  1 1 25.  it  was  ftrengthned  with  a  Caftle  by  Alexander  the 
then  great  Bifhop  of  Lincoln  ;  and  fince  that,  Jan.  26.  i°  MarU, 
made  a  Burg  or  Burrough  confifting  of  a  Bayliff,  1 2  Aldermen, 
and  1 2  Burgeffes,  in  recompence  of  their  faithful  fervice  done  to 
the  faid  Queen  Mary  (as  'tis  expreftin  their  Charter)  in  manful- 
ly refilling  John  Duke  of  Northumberland  that  rebelled  againft 
her  ;  whence  'tis  plain  this  Town  was  ever  zealou*  in  matters  of 

k  Sax  Cram.Hift.  Pan./ii.  ^.p.i^.D.Edit.Operini.  '  Tko.  Bartholin.  Schedion  de  Arm.  Vet.  §4.^.41. 
"  ldem§  \-inprincip.  n  Ibidem.  °  Vid.  Laurentium  Pignoriumde  Seivis.  Et  Bartholin.  Schedion  de  Ar~ 
mill-  §.  3./*.  37.     ?  Idem%.  3.  de  Armillarum materia, p.  32.    *  camd. Bntan< in  Oxf. 

X  X  2  RC* 


34-S  The  Statural  Hifiory 

Religion,  of  what  perfwafion  foever  they  were ,  heretofore  as 
well  as  now.  Since  again  on  the  8  o1June,Jac.  6,  it  was  made 
a  Major  Town,  confiding  of  a  Major,  12  Aldermen,  and  6  Capi- 
tal'Burgejfes. 

114.  And  fecondly,  Ben/on,  alias  Benefingtune* ,  which  Ma- 
rian (fays  Camden)  calls  villam  Regiam,  the  Kings  Town,  and  re- 
porteth  that  Ceaulin,  the  third  King  of  the  Weft-Saxons,  about  the 
year  572,  took  it  from  the  Britans,  which  his  fucceflbrs  kept 
200  years  after,  till  they  were  difpofleft  again  by  Offa  the  great 
King  of  the  Mercians1,  And  thirdly,  though  Dorcbetfer  has 
its  name  from  the  Britifi  Dour  ,  which  fignifies  water ,  and 
therefore  called  by  Leland,  Hydropolk ;  and  feems  to  have  been 
known  to  the  Romans  by  the  many  found  thereabout,  and  the  La- 
tin  termination  Ce(ler,  which,  fays  Leland,  the  Saxons  apply ed  to 
Cities  as  well  as  Fortifications* ;  yet  it  never  came  to  its  height  till 
Birinus,  an.  614.  was  feated  there  as  Bifhop  of  the  Weil-Saxons, 
by  Cymjelre  their  King,  whom  he  had  newly  Baptized,  and  Of- 
wald  King  of  Northumberland,  God-father  to  Cynigelfe1. 

115.  About  this  time  the  Town  of  Berencefter,  alias  Bernce- 
fter,  in  Saxon  Bupenceartep,  and'  Bepnacej-cep,  which  I  take  to  have 
been  its  primitive  names,  feems  alfo  to  have  been  raifed,  and  to 
have  taken  its  name  ,as  fomehave  thought,  from  the  fame  Bifhop 
Birinus,  quafi  Birini  ca/lrum :  But  I  much  rather  believe  it  fo  cal* 
led  from  Bern-woo  d,  or  For  reft,  mention 'd  by  Bede",  F/orilegus, 
and  Wigornienfis  w,  upon  the  edge  whereof  it  was  then  feated, 
nor  is  now  far  off  it ;  after  which  perhaps  from  St.  Eadburg,  to 
whom  the  Priory  there  was,  and  Parifh  Church  is  now  dedicated, 
it  changed  its  name  to  Burgcefter,  and  fince  that  to  Burcefter,  now 
Bijfeter. 

116.  The  Town  of  Bur  ford,  in  Saxon  Beoppopb,  feems  alfo  to 
have  been  a  place  of  good  Antiquity,  but  moft  remarkable  for  a 
battle  fought  near  it,  about  the  year  750%  perhaps  on  the  place 
ftill  called  Battle-edge,  Weft  of  the  Town  betwixt  it  and  Upton  ; 
between  Cut bred  or  Cuthbert,  a  tributary  King  of  the  Weft-Saxons, 
and  Etbelbald the  Mercian,  whofe  infupportable  exactions  the  for- 
mer King  not  being  able  to  endure,^  came  into  the  Field  againft 

*  Will.Malmesbur'tenf.  dc  geflis  Reg.  Ang.lib.  i.  cap- 2-  r  Cam  Jew  Britan.  inCom.Oxon.  f  Lelandi 
Comment.  inCygneam  Cant.  inv.  Hydrtpolis.  r  Ven.Beda  Hift.  Ecde fun  Gent.  Ang.M>A-cap.7>  v  Chro- 
no/ogiaSaxonka,  in  An.  921.  •  Mat.Weftmon.  &  Florent.Wigorn.  in  An.  918.  *  Rog.  Haveden  Anna/. 
Part. priori  in  An.  cit at. 

him, 


OfOXFO  ^D-S  HI  %E>  34.9 

him,  met,  and  overthrew  him  here  about  Burford,  winning  his 
Banner  wherein  there  was  depi&ed  a  golden  Dragon7 ;  in  memo- 
ry of  which  Viftory,  perhaps  the  custom  (yet  within  memory)  of 
making  a  Dragon  yearly,  and  carrying  it  up  and  down  the  Town 
in  great  jollity  on  Midfummer  Eve,  to  which  (I  know  not  for 
what  reafon)  they  added  a  Gyant,  might  likely  enough  be  firft 
inftituted. 

117.  After  the  Conqueft,  I  find  it  the  Town  of  Robert  Rati  of 
Gloceiler,  bafe  SontoKingi&wry  the  Firft,  to  whofe  Son  William 
I  have  feen  an  Original  Charter  granted  him  by  King  Henr.  2.  gi- 
ving to  this  his  Town  of  Bureford,  Gildam  &  omnes  confuetudints 
quas  habent  liberi  Burgenfes  de  Oxeneford;  moft  of  which  it  has 
iince  loft,  and  chiefly  by  the  over-ruling  power  of  Sir  Lawrence 
Tanfield,  Lord  chief  Baron  in  Queen  Elizabeths  time :  Yet  it  ft  ill 
retains  the  face  of  a  Corporation,  having  a  common  Seal,  isrc.  the 
very  fame  with  Henley,  as  defcribed  in  the  Map,  if  they  differ  not 
in  colours,  which  I  could  not  learn. 

118.  As  for  Wuduftokg,  or  Wudettoc,  Sax.  pu&ercoc  (i.  e.  locus 
fylveftw*)  now  Wood/lock,  it  feems  to  have  been  a  feat  Royal  ever 

fince  the  days  of  King  Mlfred,  it  appearing  by  a  MS.  in  Sir  John 
Cotton's  Library ,  that  he  tranflated  Boetiut  de  Confolaticne 
Philofophi<e,K.\\exel.  Nay,  fo  confiderable  was  it  in  the  time 
of  K  ing  Mtheldred,  that  he  called  a  Parliament  there,  and  En- 
acted Laws,  to  be  i^een  amongft  that  collection  of  ancient  Laws  fet 
forth  by  Mr.Lambard*. Whence  it  may  almoft  be  certainly  conclu- 
ded, that  here  muft  have  been  a  houfe  of  the  Kings  of  England,\ong 
before  the  days  of  King  Henry  the  Firft  ;  who  yet  'tis  like  indeed 
was  the  firft  that  inclofed  the  Park,  with  a  wall,  though  not  for 
Deer,  but  all  foreign  wild  Beafls,  fuch  as  Lyons,  Leopards,  Camels > 
Linx's,  which  he  procured  abroad  of  other  Princes;  amongft 
which  more  particularly,  fays  William  of  Malmesbury,  he  kept  a 
Porcupine,  hifpidi*  feth  cooper  tarn,  qua*  in  Canes  infeftantes  natura- 
liter  emittunth,  i.e.  cover'd over  with  fharp  pointed  Quills,which 
they  naturally  frioot  at  the  dogs  that  hunt  them. 

119.  Of  the  Town  of  Thame,  anciently  Tamerrop&a,  I  could 
find  little,  till  about  the  time  of  Edward  Senior,  An.  92 i>  when 
the  Danijh  Army  out  of  Huntingdon  came  hither  and  erefted  fome 

1  Camd.BritaninCom.Oxon:    *  MS.inBMioth.Cott<mi<ma)  fubOthone  A.    *  AfX»<"<>t*i*Gu/.  Lam- 
bard,  fol.  82-    b  Will.  MalmesburienJ.  dt  Henr.  i.  lib.  5. 

kind 


250  The  Statural  Hifiory 

kind  of  Fortification  ;  but  at  this  time  it  feems  it  was  fo  confider- 
able,  that  it  had  the  reputation  of  a  Burg  ;  for  King  Edward  com- 
ing againft  it  the  fame  year,  his  Army  is  faid  to  have  befieged  the 
Burg  and  taken  it,  andto  have  flain  the  Vanifi  King,  EarlTo5ior; 
and  Earl  CDannan  Kisfin,  his  brother,  and  all  others  whatever  with- 
in the  Town  c.  And  again,  An.  1010.  when  the  Danes  over-ran 
moft  of  this  part  of  England,  we  find  this  Town  amongft  others 
to  have  fuffered  much  by  them  d. 

120.  Qhippingnorton,  anciently  Ceapan-neptunc,  was  alfo  moft 
certainly  a  Town  of  note  in  the  Saxons  days,  as  one  may  gather 
from  its  name,  it  being  fo  called  from  Ceapan  Emere,  to  buy  or 
cheapen,  fo  that  it  implies  as  much  as  Mercat  Norton,  or  Norton 
where  the  people  ufually  cheapened  Wares.  And  Whitney,  now 
Witney,  feems  to  have  been  a  Town  of  good  repute  before  the 
Conquesl,  it  being  given  about  the  year  1040.  to  the  Church  of 
St.  Swithins  Winton  :  with  eight  other  Manors,  by  Alwinm  then 
Biflhop  of  that  See,  who  for  his  over-familiarity  with  Emma  Mo- 
ther to  K.  Edward 'the  Confefor,  was  caufelefly  fufpected  of  Adul- 
tery with  her  :  Of  which  fufpition  Queen  Emma  purging  herfelf 
and  him  by  the  Fire  Ordeal,  of  walking  bare-foot  over  nine  red- 
hot  plough -Jbares  without  hurt;  in  thankfulnefs  ('tis faid)  they 
each  gave  nine  Manors  to  the  Church  of  Winchester,  which  are  all 
named  by  Mr.  I>ugdale,  Witney  being  one  of  thofe  given  by  Al- 


winu6 e. 


121.  And  the  neighboring  Town  of  Bampton,zncknt\y  Bemcune, 
feems  to  be  of  much  about  the  fame  antiquity,  yet  neither  can  I 
find  any  higher  Record  of  it,  than  of  Leofric  Chaplain  to  King 
Edward  thsConfeffor,  who  ^#.1046.  upon  the  union  of  the  Bi- 
fhopricks  of  Criditon  and  Cornwal,  and  both  of  them  tranflated  to 
Exeter,  whereof  he  was  made  the  firft  Bifeop,  quickly  after  gave 
to  this  his  new  Church  his  lan&  aes  Bemcune  f9  to  which  it  belongs  to 
this  very  day. 

122.  Which  is  all  I  could  meet  with  of  the  Towns  of  Oxford- 
shire before  the  Conquejl  (for  after  long  fearch  I  could  find  no- 
thing of  Deddington,  till  about  the  Reign  of  King  Edw.  2.  where- 
of when  I  come  to  fpeak  of  the  Caslle  there)  concerning  which 
I  could  have  added  much  more,  and  brought  their  Hifiory  down 

1  ChronologiaSaxonica,  in  An-  92 1.     d  Joh.Bromton  Abb/jornal'tn  An.citat.     c  Monafiici  A»gUcani, 
VtL  1 .  inter  Addenda,pag.  980.     t  E  Cod.  vet.  MS-  in  Bib.  Bodfol.  Med.  120.  inprincip. 

to 


Of  OXFO\T)^Hl%E.  £* 

to  thefe  times,  as  above  in  Banbury;  only  that,  and' whatever 
elfe  is  worthy  notice  of  them,  may  be  found  in  fome  other  modern 
■Hiftories. 

123.  Yet  before  we  come  to  the  times  fince  the  Conquefl,  let  us 
firft  remember  that  the  Town  of  Iflip,  Sax.  Gighcrlepe,  or  Gibcrlepe; 
muft  needs  be  of  good  repute  in  thofe  days,  for  Camden  fays  ex- 
prefly,  and  fo  do  feveral  other  Authors,  that  King  Edward  the 
Confejfor  was  born  there,  which  they  prove  from  his  original 
Charter  of  Restoration  of  the  Abby  of  Weslminsler,  wherein  he 
gives  to  this  his  new  Church  the  Town  of  Iflip,  with  the  additi- 
onal Claufe  of  [the  place  where  he  was  bornl~\  which  though,  'tis 
true,  I  could  not  find  in  Mr.  Dugdale h,  yet  here  remaining  fome 
foot-fteps  of  the  ancient  Palace,  and  a  Chappel  now  put  to  pro- 
fane ufe,  called  the  Kings  Chapel,  and  the  Town  ftill  belonging  to 
the  Church  of  Weflminfter,  there  is  no  great  doubt  to  be  made  of 
the  thing,  tradition  it  felf  being  not  like  to  be  erroneous  in  a  mat- 
ter of  this  nature,  though  there  were  no  fuch  Charter  to  prove 
the  thing  alleged,  which  yet  we  have  reafon  to  believe  there  is, 
or  was,  though  not  produced  by  Mr.  Dugdale. 

124.  In  the  Chapel  above-mentioned,  not  many  years  fince, 
there  flood  (as  was  conftantly  deliver'd  down  to  pofterity)  the 
very  Font,  wherein  that  Religious  Prince,  St.  Edward  the  Confef- 
for,  received  the  Sacrament  ofBaptifm  :  which,  together  with  the 
Chapel,  in  thefe  latter  days  being  put  to  fome  indecent  at  leaft,  if 
not  profane  ufe,  was  carefully  and  pioufly  refcued  from  it,  by 
fome  of  the  Right  Worfhipful  Family  of  the  Browns  of  Nether 
Kiddington,  where  it  now  remains  in  the  garden  of  that  worthy 
Gentleman  Sir  Henry  Brown  Baronet,  fet  handfomly  on  a  pedefial 
as  exaftly  reprefented  Tab.  1 6.  Fig.  6.  and  adorned  with  a  Poem 
rather  pious  than  learned,  which  yet  I  think  I  had  put  down, 
but  that  it  is  imperfeft. 

125.  Which  holy  King  Edward  was  the  firft  to  whom  Was 
granted  the  gift  of  Sanation,  only  with  the  touch  of  his  hand,  of 
the  Difeafe  called  the  Struma,  or  Scrofula,  and  in  Englifti  upon 
this  account,  the  Kings  Evil;  which  as  a  mark  of  Gods  moft  efpe- 
cial  favor  to  this  Kingdom,  has  been  tranfmitted  with  it,  as  an  he- 
reditary gift  to  all  his  Succeffors :  Every  facred  hand  in  all  Ages  ever 
fince,  that  has  held  the  Scepter  of  this  moft  happy  and  now  flo- 

*  Camd.  Briton.  inCom.Oxon.    fc  Vid-  Monaff  icon  Angl.voil.  p.  59. 


rifhing 


tfi  The  J^atural  Hiftory 

rifhing Kingdom,  having  been  fignally  bleftby  divers  and  undoubt^ 
ed  Experiments  of  healing  that  Difeafe. 

126.  Before  they  touch  for  this  diftemper,  they  have  always 
Prayers  read  futable  to  the  occafion,  both  which  when  performed, 
the  King  forthwith  beftows  on  every  Patient,  a  piece  of  Angel- 
gold  pur  pofely  coined,  and  put  upon  a  white  ribbon  to  be  hung  a- 
bout  the  neck  ;  which  as  long  as  worn  preferves  the  virtue  of  the 
touch,  though  Dr.  Tooker  will  have  it  only,  Sanitate  fymb wlum  in- 
choate, &  Eleemojyn*  facr<e  monumentum1,  i.  e.  a  mark  that  the 
Cure  is  already  begun,  and  a  lading  memorial  of  the  Kings  chari- 
ty and  piety  to  the  poor  patients. 

127.  However  it  be,  that  this  was  the  cuftom  ab  initio,  I  take 
to  be  plain  from  that  piece  of  Gold  of  King  Edward  the  Confeffbr, 
Tab.  16.  Fig.  5.  found  in  St.  Giles's  field  in  the  Suburbs  ofOxon. 
having  the  initial  letters  of  his  name  over  the  hinder  part  of  the 
head,  and  two  fmall  holes  through  it,  as  if  defigned  to  be  hung 
on  a  ribbon  for  the  purpofe  above-mention'd,  the  holes  being 
ftrengthened  with  Gold  Wire  fattened  round  them,  and  to  the 
piece  it  felf,  much  after  the  fafhion  of  the  eye  of  a  mans  doublet, 
as  exa&ly  defcribed  in  the  Figure,  utfupra'  which  piece  was  lent 
me  by  that  courteous  Gentleman  Sir  John  Roleman  Baronet,  in 
whofe  poffeflion  it  now  remains  at  his  Houfe  near  Northam- 
pton. 

128.  From  King  Edward  the  Confeffbr s  being  born  at  1/lip,  'tis 
eafie  to  colleft,  that  his  Father  King  JEthelred  muft  neceffarily 
have  had  a  Royal  Seat  there,  as  in  all  probability  likewife  at  Hed- 
dington  near  Oxford;  for  though  Tradition  now  goes,  that  it  was 
but  the  Nurfery  of  the  Kings  Children,  whereof  there  remains 
yet  upon  the  place  fome  figns  of  foundations  in  a  Field  near  the 
Town,  called  Court-cloje  ;  yet  it  is  plain,  that  King  JEthelred  did 
fomtimes  at  leaft  refide  there  himfelf,  for  he  concludes  a  Char- 
ter, or  fome  fuch  like  Injirument,  wherein  he  grants  Privileges  to 
the  Nionaftery  of  St.  Fridefwide  here  in  Oxon.  of  his  own  Refio- 
ration,  in  Englifh  thus,  C^tSllJntilegetDajJiDit^at^eDinton,  and 
after  in  Latin,  Scripta  fuit  hdec  Cedula  juffu  prxfati  Regit  in  villa 

Regia  qu<£ appellatur,  die  oftavarum  beati  Andre*  Apofloli, 

hi*  confencientibu*  p quifubtm  notati  videntur.  Ego  /Ethel- 

redus  Rex  hoc  privilegium,  (frck. 

*  Gul.Tookpri CharifmafivedonumSanatitmitjReg.Aiig.ccclitMconccflum-     k  Monafticon  Anglican.  Vol. 
y  inter  addenda,  t>w-  08+. 

129.   Be- 


OfOXFO^V^SHI^E.  w 

129.  Befide  thefe,  the  Kings  of  England  had  feveral  other 
feats  within  this  County  (not  to  mention  again  that  Wcodjlockwus 
one,  or  that  old  Alcesler  was  the  feat  of  Aleclut)  fuch  as  Beau- 
mont, juft  without  the  fuburbs  of  Oxford,  the  Birth-place  of  the 
valiant  King  Richard  the  Firft.  Langley,  upon  the  edge  of  the 
ForeftofWbichwood,  a  feat,  as  Tradition  has  deliver'd  it  down 
to  us,  of  the  unhappy  King  John,  who  perhaps  during  the  time 
of  his  Refidence  here,  might  indeed  build  the  Caftle  of  Bampton, 
which  alfo  Tradition  informs  us  was  ot  his  foundation.  And 
Evpelm,  built  indeed  by  William  De  la  Pool  Duke  of  Suffolk-,  who 
marrying  Alice  the  daughter  and  heir  of  Thomas  Chaucer,  had  a 
fair  Eftate  hereabout ;  but  after,  upon  the  attaindure  of  John 
Earl  of  Lincoln,  and  Edmund  his  brother,  Grand-children  to  the 
Duke,  it  came  to  the  Crown  in  the  days  of  King  Henr.  7.  and  was 
afterward  made  an  Honor,  bylayingunto  it  the  Manor  of  WaU 
lengford,  and  feveral  others,  by  King  Hen.  8.  All  which  houfes  are 
mark'd  out  in  the  Map,  by  the  addition  of  a  fmall  Imperial  Crown 
placed  fomwhere  near  them. 

130.  As  all  places  that  gave  title  to  ancient  Barons,  moft  of 
whofe  Families  long  fince  have  been  extinguifh'd,are  mark'd  with 
a  Coronet  \  fuch  are,  1.  The  Baronies  by  ancient  Tenure,  which 
were  certain  Territories  held  of  the  King,  who  ftill  referved  the 
Tenurein  chief  to  himfelf :  whereof  the  ancienteft  in  this  Coun- 
ty were  rhofeof  Oxford  and  St.  Valeric,  the  head  of  the  latter  be- 
ing the  Town  of  Hok?-Norton  %  both  given  by  the  Conqueror  to 
Robert  WOyly  who  accompanied  him  out  of  Normandy*.  2.  The 
Barony  of  Arfic,  belonging  to  Manafer  Arfic,  who  florifh'd  An. 
1103.  3  Hen.  1.  the  head  of  which  Barony  was  Coggs  near  Witney, 
Summerton  and  Hardmck  in  this  County,  being  other  members  of 
it.  3.  The  Barony  of  Hedindon,  now  Heddington,  given  the 
25  of  Henr.  2.  to  Thomas  Baffet  in  Fee-farm,  whofe  Son  Gilbert 
the  Founder  of  Bifeter  Priory,  in  the  firft  year  of  Richard  the 
Firft,  was  one  of  the  Barons  that  attended  at  the  Coronation.  And 
thefe  are  all  the  Baronies  of  ancient  Tenure  that  were  heretofore 
in  Oxford- /hire. 

131.  In  the  beginning  of  the  Reign  of  King  Edward  the  Firft, 
there  were  feveral  other  able  w7e«fummon'd  as  Barons  to  Parlia- 
ment, that  had  not  fuch  Lands  of  ancient  Tenure,  as  thole  above 

«  Camd.  Briton,  in  Com.  Oxon.    *  Monaftiam.  Jtngl.  vol.  2  p. 

Yy  had, 


354.  The  Natural  Hi/lory 

had,  which  were  therefore  ftiled  Barons  by  W>  its  of  Summons  to 
Parliament.  The  firft  of  thefe  in  Oxford-Jhire  was  William  de 
Huntercomb  (whofe  feat  ftill  remains  by  the  fame  name  in  the  Pa-, 
rifh  of  Tujfield)  who  was  fummoned  to  Parliament  by  the  Kings 
Writ,  bearing  date  the  23  of  Edw.  1.  The  fecond,  I  find,  was 
Joh.  Gray  of  Rotherfield,  whofe  Anceflors  being  of  a  younger 
Houfeof  Walter  Grey  Arch-Biftiop  of  Tork,  had  Rotherfield given 
them,  befide  many  other  poffefftons  by  the  faid  Arch-Biftiop :  He 
was  fummoned  firft  to  Parliament  the  25  of  Edrv.  1. 

132*  Andfo  was  thirdly,  his  next  Neighbor  Ralph  Pipard  of 
the  other  Rotherfield,  in  the  fame  year  of  the  fame  King,  their 
feats  having  now  almoft  quite  changed  their  names,  forthofe  of 
their  owners  ;  one  of  them  feidom  being  called  otherwife  than 
Pipard  or  Pepper ,  and  the  other  Grays.  Alfo  fourthly,  John 
Baron  Lovel,  of  Minfter-Lovel,  whofe  anceflors  though  Barons  by 
tenure  many  years  before,  as  feifed  of  the  Barony  of  Caflle-Cary  in 
Somerfet-Jhire,  yet  dif-pofleft  of  that  I  know  not  by  what  means, 
received  fummons  to  Parliament  whil'ft  feated  here  at  Min§ier, 
25  of  Edrv.  1* 

133.  The  fifth  of  thefe  Barons  was  Hen.  le  lyes,  who  having  a 
grant  of  Sherbourn  here  in  Oxford-Jhire  from  Richard  Earl  of  Corn- 
wall, temp.  Henr.  3.  which  Sherbourn  had  formerly  been  a  part  of 
the  Barony  of  Robert  deDruis,  was  fummoned  to  Parliament  the 
28  of  Edw.  1 .  And  fo  was  fixthly,  John  de  la  Mare  of  Garfmg* 
ion,  the  very  fame  year.  To  which  fhould  be  added,  the  Barons 
by  Letters  Patents  of  Creation,  fo  firft  made  about  the  11  of  Rich. 2. 
But  of  thefe,  whofe  Barony  is  now  vacant,  there  is  only,  feventh- 
ly,  the  Lord  Williams,  folemnly  created  Lord  Williams  of  Thame 
the  firft  of  April,  1  MarU,  who  had  alfo  fummons  the  fame  time 
to  the  Parliament  then  fitting,  but  his  Patent  it  feems  was  never 
enrolled. 

134.  For  this  account  of  thefe  Baronies,  I  acknowledge  my 
felf  beholding  to  that  Learned  Antiquary,  William  Dugdale  Efq; 
Norroy  King  at  Arms,  in  whofe  elaborate  Volumes  of  the  Baronage 
of  England,  the  Reader  may  receive  more  fatisfa&ion  concerning 
them.  Yet  befide  thefe,  as  the  people  will  have  it,  the  Manor  of 
Wilcot  was  the  head  of  a  Barony,  one  of  the  Barons  whereof,  as 
tradition  tells  them,  lies  buryed  under  a  fair  Monument  in  North- 
Leigh  Church:  But  the  Writings  of  the  prefent  Proprietor,  my 

worthy 


0fOXF0%p~SHlrkE.  & 

worthy  Friend  Mr.  Cary  of  Woodcock,  (whom  yet  I  found  incli- 
ned to  believe  fome  fuch  thing)  being  at  London,  whereby  other- 
wife  it  poflibly  might  have  been  proved,  and  the  teftimony  of  the 
people  being  too  weak  an  evidence  to  build  upon ;  1  have  rather 
chofen  to  forbear,  then  add  a  Coronet  to  the  place. 

135.  Befide  the  Saxon  and  Danifh  Fortifications  above-men- 
tioned, there  are  others  here  in  Oxford-Jbire  of  a  later  date,  either 
quite  rafed,  or  in  a  manner  ufelefs,  and  fome  of  them  too,  known 
but  to  few  ;  wherefore  I  have  thought  fit  to  give  this  ftiort  ac- 
count of  them*  To  pafs  by  therefore  the  Cattle  of  Oxford,  fo 
well  known  to  be  built  by  Robert  d'Oyly  who  came  in  with  the  Con- 
queror, and  the  Caftles  ofBampton  and  Banbury  fpoken  of  before  : 
thefirft  thatprefentsit  felf  to  my  confideration,  is  the  old  Caftle 
of  Deddington,  formerly  Vathington  g,  which  I  take  to  be  ancient;, 
and  the  very  place  no  queftion  to  which  Aymer  de  Valence,  Earl  of 
Pembroke,  brought  Piers  de  Gave/ion  the  great  Favorite  of  King 
Edward  the  Second,  and  there  left  him  to  the  fury  of  the  Earls  of 
Lancafter,  Warwick.  ■>  and  Hereford,  who  carrying  Urn  to  Warwick.-, 
after  fome  time,caufed  him  to  be  beheaded  in  a  place  called  Blakr 
law,  in  their  own  prefenceh. 

136.  Secondly,  the  Caftle  of  Ardley,  the  Foundations  where- 
of are  yet  to  befeen  in  a  little  Wood  weft  of  the  Town,  which  if 
any  heed  may  be  given  to  the  tradition  of  the  place,  florifh'd  a- 
bout the  time  of  King  Stephen:  and  fo  perhaps  thirdly,  might 
Chipping-norton  Caftle;  free  leave  being  g^ven  at  the  beginning  of 
his  Reign,  to  all  his  Subjects  to  build  them  Caftles,  to  defend  him 
and'them  againft  Maud  the  Emprefs,wh\ch  at  laft,  finding  ufed  fom- 
times  againft  himfelf  he  caufed  no  lefs  than  eleven  hundred  of 
thefe  new  built  Ciftles  to  be  rafed  again,  which  no-doubt  is  the 
caufe  we  find  no  more  of  them,  but  their  bare  Foundations  and 
Trenches. 

1 3  7.  But  fourthly,  the  Caftle  of  Middleton,  now  Middleton- 
flony,  was  none  of  thefe,  for  I  find  Richard  de  Camvil  had  Li- 
very given  him  of  Middleton  Caftle  in  Oxford-flAre  (which  muft 
needs  be  this)  the  tenth  of  King  John,  as  part  of  his  own  Inhe- 
litanceby  defcent  from  his  Father  K  And  fifthly,  as  for  the  ru- 
ins of  old  Fortifications  at  Craumerfi,  or  Croamijb  Giffard  near 

*  Thom/udelaMoorinHift.  vita  &  mortis  EdtJ.I.  inprindpio.     •>  Jbidem.     '  See  Mr.  Dxgdale's  Ba-< 
ronage  of  England.  v«l- 1-  Bar.  Camvil. 

Yy  2  WaU 


y$6  The  Natural  Hijlory 

Walkngford,  I  take  them  either  for  the  foundations  of  that  wooden 
Tower  ere&ed  by  King  Stephen,  in  the  year  1139.  when  he  befieged 
Maud  the  Emprefs,  and  her  Brother  Robert  Earl  of  Gloce/ier  in 
Wallengford  Cafile  k,  or  elfe  of  the  Cajlle  0$  Craumerfe,  or  Croamifi 
it  felf,  built  by  the  fame  King  Stephen  at  another  fiege  of  Walleng- 
ford, An.  1153.  which  Henry  Fitz^Emprefi  endeavoring  to  raife, 
and  bringing  King  Stephen  to  great  ftraits,  they  came  atlaft  to 
an  accord  concerning  the  Kingdom  of  England1. 

1 38.  There  are  fome  other  Antiquities  of  yet  later  date,  that 
I  have  met  with  in  Oxford-Jhire  ajfo  perhaps  worthy  notice,  fuch 
as  that  odd  bearded  Dart, Tab.  16.  Fig.  7.  having  the  beards  iffu- 
ing  from  it,  not  as  ufually  one  againft  another,  but  one  lower  and 
the  other  higher,  perhaps  thus  contrived  for  its  eafier  paflage  in, 
and  as  great  or  greater  difficulty  to  get  it  out  of  a  body  ;  which 
were  it  not  for  the  too  long  diftance  of  time,  I  (hould  be  willing 
to  take  for  the  Materis,  Matam,  or  Matara,  the  Britijh  long  Dart, 
which  were  ufually  thrown  by  thofe  that  fought  in  Effedk m  :  But 
theftemof  it  being  wood,  and  not  very  hard  neither,  I  cannot  af- 
ford it  to  be  above  200  years  ftanding,  or  thereabout :  Nor  can 
I  add  more  concerning  it,  but  that  it  was  found  fomwhere  about 
Steeple  Barton,  and  given  me  by  the  Worfhipful  Edward  Sheldon 
Efq; 

139.  Yet  thcfione  engraven  Tab.  16.  Fig.  8.  dug  up  in  the  gar- 
den,  and  now  in  the  poneflion  of  the  Right  Worihipful  Sir  Tho- 
mas Spencer  Baronet,  a  moft  cordial  Encourager  of  this  under  - 
tahjng,  can  fcarce  be  allowed  fo  ancient  as  that,  the  Character  up- 
on  it  in  Rilieve  work  being  certainly  China:  Forunlefswe  may 
imagin  it  brought  thence  in  the  days  of  King  Mlfred,  by  Swithe- 
lin  Bilhop  of  Sher bourn,  Qui  detulit  ad  Sanftum  Thomam  in  India 
Eleemofynai  Regit  Aluredi,  {&  incolumk  rediit D,  i.  e.  who  carryed 
the  offerings  of  King  Alfred  to  the  Church  of  St.  Thomas  in  India, 
and  returned  fafe,  we  can  by  no  means  allow  it  to  have  been  here, 
180  years  ;  that  Country  having  been  quite  loft  again  to  this  We- 
Jlern  part  of  the  world,  till  Vafquez^  Gama  was  fent  by  Emanuel 
King  of  Portugal  to  make  new  difcoveries,  in  the  year  1497.  In 
which  year,  though  he  recovered  the  way  again  to  the  Eaji  Indies, 
yet  Fernanda*  Andradiws  difcover'd  not  China  till  1517  °.  So  that 

*  ChrovicaGervafii  Dorobornen/ii,  &  Flwen.  Wigorv.  in  An.  citato.  '  Chron.Gerv.  Dorobom.in  An. 
eitat.  a  Jul.c*far. comment. deMoGattkOitib.^.  ■  Jab  Bromton  Ab.Jorn.  Jv  An.i^.RefX  Abtrtdi. 
•  Hitronymi  Ojorii  Hift.  Luftan.  lib.  1 1 . 

pro- 


Of  0  XFV  %T>~SHi  %£>  |j? 

provided  xKisfione  (which  in  very  unlikely)  were  brought  thence 
by  forae  of  Andradiu*  his  company  the  very  firft  voyage,  yet  it 
can  be  (with  us)  but  160  years  -Handing. 

140.  As  for  the  Stone  it  felf  k  is  of  an  odd  kind  of  texture, 
and  colour  too,  not  unlike  (to  fight)  to  fome  fort  ofcbeefev  exact- 
ly of  the  figure  and  bignefs  as  engraven  an  the  Table ;  and  moft 
likely  of  any  thing  to  have  been  one  of  their  Togra\  or  Stamp, 
wherein  the  chief  perfons  of  the  Eafiern  Countries  ufually  had  their 
names  cut  in  a  larger  fort  of  Cbaracler,  to  put  them  to  any  In/iru- 
ments  at  once,  without  further  trouble.  That  they  have  fuch 
kind  offlamps,  is  clearly  teftined  by  Alvures  Semedo,  in  his  jBi|- 
fiory  of  China  :  Tbey  Print,  lays  he,  liktwife  with  Tables  of  fione, 
but  this  manner  of  Printing  fervts  only  for  Epitaphs,  Trees,  Moun- 
tains, isrc.  of  which  kind  tbey  have  very  many  Prints ;  the  fiones 
which ferve  for  thii  ufebeingalfo  of  a  proper  and  peculiar  fort v,  as  ours 
feems  to  be  :  So  that  in  all  probability  the  letters  on  this  ftone  con- 
tain only  the  name,  and  perhaps  the  office,  or  other  title  of  fome 
perfon  of  Quality,  and  therefore  hard  to  be  found  out ;  and  that 
it  was  brought  hither  by  fome  Traveller  of  the  Honorable  Family 
of  the  Spencers,  and  either  cafually  loft,  or  carelefly  thrown  out 
as  a  thing  of  no  value. 

141.  And  thus  with- no  fmalltoil  and  charge,  yet  not  without 
the  affiftance  of  many  Honorable  Perfons,  whole  names  in  due  time 
lhall  be  all  gratefully  mentioned,  I  have  made  ffcift  to  finifh  this 
specimen  of  Oxford-Jhire  ;  which  I  am  fo  far  from  taking  for  a  per- 
fect Hijlory,  that  I  doubt  not  but  time  and  fevere  obfervation  (to 
which  1  hope  this  £^ov  will  both  encourage  and  direft)  may  pro- 
duce an  Appendix  as  large  as  this  Book,  ',  For  that  new  matter  will 
daily  prefent  it  felf,  to  be  added  to  fome  one  or  other  of  thefe 
Chapters,  I  am  fo  fenfibly  convine'd.  that  even  fince  the  Printing 
the  firft  Chapter  of  this  Treatife,  I  have  found  here  at  home  juft  fuch 
another  Echo,  as  at  Mr.  Pawlingszt  Heddington,  in  the  Portico's 
of  the  new  Quadrangle  at  St.  John  Baptift's  College.  And  fince  my 
writing  the  fecond,  my  worthy  Friend  Dr.  Tho.  Taylor  has  found 
fo  ftronga  Chalybeat  Spring  in  F nlling-mill-bam-fir earn  neat  Ofeney 
Bridge^  that  notwithstanding  laft  hard  Winter  (when  the  greateft 
Rivers  were  frozen)  this  continued  open  and  fmoaking  all  the 
time,    tinging  all  the  fiones  by  reafon  of  its  not  running,  nor 

*  F.iAhares Semedo, Hifl. Chin. part,  i.eap.6.  [ubfinem* 

mix- 


}5&  The  Statural  Hi/lory 

mixing  with  other  water,  with  a  deep  rufty  colour.  And  third- 
ly, fince  the  Printing  the  48  §.  of  Chap.  8.  I  have  feen  a  Lapis 
KanuU  taken  out  from  under  the  Tongue  of  one  Johnfon  a 
Shoo-maker  (by  the  skilful  Mr.  Pointer  Chirurgion)  here  in 
Oxford. 

142.  Which  is  all  I  have  at  prefentto  offer  the  Reader,  but 
that  he  would  take  notice,  1.  That  in  Chap.  2.  §.69,  where  I 
mention  a  Well  to  eminent  heretofore  for  curing  diftempers,  in  the 
Parifh  of  St.  Crojfes,  that  it  has  given  it  the  more  lafting  name  of 
Holy-well-,  that  I  intend  not  that  Well  of  late  eredlion  (though 
perhaps  the  water  of  that  is  as  good)  and  now  molt  ufed,  but  an 
other  ancienter  Holy- well  behind  the  Church,  in  Mr.  Nevil's  Court 
before  his  houfe.  And  that  fecondly,  notwithftanding  the  au- 
thority of  the  Learned  Dr.  Hammond  (with  whom  a  man  need 
not  much  be  aftiamed  to  err)  fome  will  have,  that  he  calls  the 
Well  of  St.  Edward in  the  Parifh  of  St.  Clements,  rather  the  Well  of 
St.  Edmund,  for  which  I  find  the  very  fame  authority  alleged,  that 
Dr.  Hammondbrings q.  And  laftly  to  beg  of  him,  that  though 
in  general  he  find  me  unequal  to  my  defign,  and  many  particulars 
of  this£^  perhaps  ill  placed,  and  worfe  expreffed,  that  yet 
in  confideration  that  this  is  my  firft  attempt  (wherein  many  Incon- 
veniencies  could  not  be  fore-feen?  which  may  hereafter  be  avoid- 
ed) he  would  candidly  accept  of  the  fmcerity  of  my  intention, 
with  all  imaginable  endeavor  of  amendment  for  the  future,  in  lieu 
and  excufe  of  my  prefent  Inabilities. 

}  Vid. Hiji  & Antiq. Uaiverf- Oxon. lib. 7,$ag.  10. e o/. I. 


FINIS. 


ERRATA. 


IN  the  Map,  the  Crown  belonging  to  Ewelm,  is  mif-placed  at  Benfon\  and  the  mark  for 
Banbury  Caftle  wanting.  In  Tab.  7.  Fig.  9.  for  bb  read  aa;  and  for  reread  bb.  Inthe 
Book,  p.  34.  line  4.  for  war*/?,  r.  meereft.  p.  56. 1.  i4.forp<*rf/,  r.  forts,  p.  98. 1.  8.  r.  with 
metals,  p.  1  Ji.l.  29.  r.  white  Cone.  p.  155. 1.  18.  for  Hampton,  x.Bamfttn.  p.231. 1.  27.  r. 
adapata.  p.  253, 1,  jl,  r.  »»<J*c*.  p.  280. 1.  2.  X.ftnined,  p,  323. 1.  32,  r.r<r£««.p.  344, 1.  31, 
r.'  V^Jtu-m. 


THE 


INDEX, 

Wherein  the  firft  Figure  fignifies  the  Chapter, 
the  reft  that  follow,  the  Paragraph. 


A. 


ABele  Tree  in  Oxford-Jhire.  cap.  6. 
Paragraph.  84. 
AdwellCop,  an  ancient  Fortifi- 
cation, c.  io. par.  51,  52, 53, 78. 
Air-pump  ,  invented  at  Oxford,  c.  9, 

par.  33. 
Air  of  Oxford-Jhire  healthy,  proved 
from  the  nature  of  the  foil,  wa- 
ters, manners,  and  long  life  of 
its  Inhabitants,  c.  i.far.  1,  2,3. 
Air  of  Oxford  (fee  Oxford)  healthy, 
proved  from  its  curing  Confumti- 
ons.  c.2.  far.%. 

Frequency  of  the  Small-pox, 

no  argument  to  the  contrary. 

far.  9. 

Nor  the  Black  Aflize. par.  10. 

Not  fo  healthy  formerly,  par.u. 

Akemanflreet-way.  c.  10. par.  2j,&c, 

Aldcefier,  the  feat  of  the  Emperor  A- 

letius.  par.  71. 
Anatomy  improved  at  Oxford,  c  9- 

par.  zi/\,&c. 
Antiquities,  BritifJj.  c.  10.  par.  2,  &c. 
fee  Coins. 

Roman,  par.  r  8,  &c.  fee  Barrows, 
Buryals,  Coinsj  Pavements, 
Ways. 
Saxon  and  Daniff). par.  74,  &c 
Architecture,  fee  Buildings. 
Ardly  Caftle  ,when  built,  c.  j  o.  par.i  36. 
Armill<e,  Rings  or  Bracelet s,  the  ancient 

ufeof  them,  par.  107,  &c. 
Arfic,  an  ancient  Barony,  par.  1 30. 
jirteria  magna  defcendens,  turned  part- 

ly  into  bone,  c.  %.par.  50. 
Afhes  growing  in  Willows,  c.  6.  far.  79. 
Black  Affi%e-  at  Oxon,  c  2. par.  io# 
Ajlall  barrow,  a  Funeral  Monument, 

e.  10.  par.  ^9. 
After ia,  Star-ftones,f.  5.  par.  \6,  &c. 
Move  in  Vinegar,  and  why,  far. 
26,  &c. 


Afiroites lapis ',  Starry -{tones,  far.  22. 

AJironomy  advanced  at  Oxford, by  Lord 

Bifhop  ofSarum,  c.  9.  par.  23. 

By  Sir  Chrijiopher  Wren,  par.  27. 

Mr.  Hallyot  Queens  Coll.  par. 26  • 

Mr.  Holland,  par.  29. 

AtriL  lex  vulgaris,  fisff,  not  yet  defcri- 

bed,  c.  6.  far.  1 1. 
Avefditch,an  ancient  High-way,  c.  10. 
.  /»r.  35,35. 

Axel-  trees  tor  C  arts  made  of  Iron,  c.  9. 
par,  106. 

B. 

Roger  (Frier)  Bacon  his  excellent  Dis- 
coveries, c.  9. far.  2,  &i. 

Why  accufed  of  Magick,  par. 6-. 

B  amp  ton  given  to  the  See  of  Exeter 

before  the  Conqueft,  c.  10. par.  m. 

The  Caftle  there,  built  by  King 

John,  far.  125. 

Banbury,  afhortHiftory  of  it,  c.  10. 

par.  113. 
Barly  with  fix  ears  on  one  ftalk,  c .  6. 

tAr-  37- 
Rathe-ripe  Barley,  par.  29. 

Barometer,  invented  at  Oxford,  c.  9. 

pari  34. 
Barons,  by  Writs  of  Summons  to  Par- 
liament, c.  10.  far.  131,  &c. 
Ancient  Baromes  in  Oxfordjh.  par.  130. 
Barrels  without  hoops,  c.  9.  par.  168. 
Barrows, or  Barrow- hills,  c.  10. par.  48, 

^c.  item  par.  78,  &c. 
Beaumon,  the  Birth-place  of  King  iv/- 

chardthcY\r&,c.  10.  par.  129. 
Bees,  an  emblem  of  Eloquence,  c.j. 
par.  18. 

The  Hiftory  of  thofeover  hud. 
Vives  his   S'udy  in    Corpus 
Chrifli  Coll. par.  19,  &C. 
The  improvement  and  manage- 
ment of  them  in  Oxford- fjjire, 
far.  24. 
A  new  fort  of  Hives  for  them, 
c.  9. fart  120. 
Z  z  Belemnit  is 


Beltmnitts  lapis,  Thunderbolts 
I  'Paragraph  38,^. 

Their  ule  in  Medicine, /ar.43. 
Ben/on,  an  account  of  it  before  the 

Conqueft,  c.  10.  far,  114, 
Birds,  lee  Diabolus  marinus,  Hooping- 

bird,  Toucan,  Wood-cracker. 
Bijfeter,  an  account  of  it  before  the 

Conqueft,  c.  10.  par.  11^. 
Blanketing-trade  at  Witney,  c-  9.  par. 

169,  (3  c. 
Native  Blue  in  Oxford-Jhire,  c.  3.  /w. 

1 8.  lee  Caruleum  nat. 


The  INDEX. 

,   cap.  5, 


Cffar  never  entred  Britan  fofar  as  Ox- 
ford-/hire,  cap.  3.  paragraph  2. 

Beaten  out  by  the  Britans,c.io. 
par.  14,  £fc. 

xyirs  Calculator  1  a  fljogeri  Sffijjtt,  c.  9. 
par.  193. 

Calendar  reformed  by  Tho.Lydiat,  c.9. 
par.  j p. 

Gregorian  reformation  of  the  Calendar, 
taken  from  Roger  Bacon,  c.  9.  par. 

■d  Calendar  or  regifter  of  weather,  its 
ufe,  c.  1. far.  12. 

Boggy  grounds,  how  drained,  c.9. par.  Caleva,  now  Walkngford,  c.xo.  par. 

81,82.  24, 2f. 

Thigh-bone   of  a  prodigious  bignefs  ^  Calf  of  ir  months  old  that  brought 

petrified  c.  5. par.  158.  forth  another, c.  r.par.^x. 

Bracelets,  the  ancient  ufe  of  them,  c .  How  it  is  poffible  to  be  fb,  par. 

10.  Par.  1 07,  (§c%  42,43. 

Br  afs  lumps,  cap.  3.  par.  53.  item.  c.  4.  7£r«  Calves  cai\  at  once,  all  three  li- 

/>* r  .11.  Ving  to  be  of  full  growth,  par.  44. 

Bricks  made  to  fupply  Laths  in  Malt-  Caraways,  an  improvement  of  Land, 

kills,  c.  9.  par.  90.  c.  6. par,  36. 

Strong  Bricks  made  at  Nettlebed,  par.  Cardites  lapit^  c.  f.par.  143,  171. 

$9.  Carts,  of  what  fafhionuied  in  Oxford-" 

The  Parifli  of  Brightrvell  has  had  no  Jhire,  c.  9.  par.  105. 

Ale-houfe,  Sectary,  or  fuit  at  Law,  With  Iron  Axel-trees, par.  106, 

within  memory  or  man,  c.  S.par.95.  Cafiles,  when  and  by  whom  built  in 

Britain  known  to  the  Greeks,  long  be-  Oxford-Jhire,  c.  10.  par.  13  r,  6?r. 

fore  the  Romans  came,  cap>  10,  /w.  C^o$  how  feparated  from  the  Corn 

66.  in  Oxfordshire,  c  p.  par.  no. 

Bronti(et  Thunder- [tones,  c.  5. par.  29,  Chalk  eggs,  c.^.par.iSo. 

&c.  Black  Chalky  c.  -3. par.  16,  17. 

Called  alfo  Polar-Jlones,  par.  3  2;  Chaslleton  Barrow,  a  Danijh  Fortifica- 


Buboniua  laffc,  c.  ;.^r, 45. 

Bufonites  lapis,  par.  146. 

Buildings  eminent  in  Oxfordshire,  c.9: 
par.  128,  tff. 

Burford,  the  reafon  why  they  carry  a 
Dragon  about  the  Town  on  Mt£ 
Jummer-eve,c.  10. par.  n6. 


tion,  r. 10. par.  76. 
A   fA/W  born  with    another  in  its 
womb,  cj.par.  42. 

Heard  to  cry  in  the  Mothers 

womb,  c.  %.par.  2. 
Portends  no  mif-fortune,  ibid. 


Four  Children  at  a  birth,  c.S.par.  5-, 6. 
Privileges  granted  them,  /<*r.    Child-birth,  the  pangs  affecling  the 
117.  Husband,  par.  3 ,  4. 

The  ancient  and  Roman  way  of  Burial,    China  ware,  the  way  to  make  it  found 


c,  10.  jter.  40,  &c. 
Button-molds  petrified,  c.  $.  par.ijf. 


Stone  Cadtvorms  (fee  Mufca  2  Phryganio 

faxatili)  c.  7.  par.  2  5 . 
Caruleumntiivum,c.  3  par,\S.  itemc. 
6.  par.  5  2 . 

A  fign  of  Silver  Ore,  par.  60, 
&c. 


out  at  Oxford,  c.  9. par.  85. 
Chipping-norton,  its  antiquity,  c.  10. 
/>ar.  120. 

The  Caftle  when  built,/w.  135. 
Chubs  in  the  River  Evenlode  equalling 

Pearch  in  goodnefs,  c .  7.  ^^r.  30. 
Clemath  daphnoids,  &c.    of  Englifli 

growth,  c.  9. par.  10. 
A  C/fl^  that  moves  by  the  Air,  c.  9. 
par.  19. 

By  water,  par.  a.9. 

Coals, 


The  INDEX. 

Coals,  where  likely  to  be  found  in  Ox- 

ford-Jhire,  c.  $.par.  34. 
Cechlea  fluviatiles,  viviparousj  cap.   7. 

Taragraph  $$. 
Cochleomorphites  lapis,  c.  $.par.  140. 
Conchites  lapis,  c»  5.  par.  56,  &c. 

Good  tor  Tables,  &c .  ibid. 
A  Cormorant  killed  at  Oxford,  c.  9. par. 

11. 
Vulvis  CornAch'mui invented  by  R.Dud- 
ley titular  Duke  of  Northumberland, 
c.  9. par.  211. 
A  Corn  two  inches  long,  c .  8.  /w.  4? . 
Corw,   how  managed  in  Oxjord-Jhire 
when  green, c.  9. par.  98. 

How  in  Harveit,  far.  99,  efc. 
How  preferved  in  the  Bam  from 

heating,  par.  102. 
How  from  Mice  in  the  Rick, 

far.  104. 
How   threfhed    when  fmutty, 

par.  107. 
How  preferved  from  Mice  and 


of  feveral  men  killed  by  them,  cap* 
3 .  Paragrap  ^31,  fee. 

Are   a  fign    of  Coals  there- 

abouts,/w.  34. 
Are  remedyed   by  calling   in 
Quick-lime, par.  36. 
Death,  fome  odd  prefigniheations  of 

it,  c.  %.par-  33,  fee, 
Deddington  Caifle,  c- 13. par.  135. 
Deer  of  Cornbury   Par\  defective  in 
their  horns,  when  made  a  Warren, 
f.  j.p  r.45. 
Devils  Coits.  a  Funeral  Monument,  c; 
10.  par.  101. 

Made  of  artificial  ftone, /^. 
The  juft  Devil o{  Woodftck,  c.  8.  ^r, 

37,<irf. 
Diaboliu  mar  in  us,  Sea  Devils- bird,  <\ 

7.  /*r.  4. 
Dial  ax.  All  Souls  College,  c.  9 .  par.  1 40. 

Corpus  Chrifti  Coll. par.  141. 
Dorcheper,  an  account  of  it  before  thd 
Conqueft,  c.  10.par.114. 


muftinefs  after  threfhing,/w.    Robbery  Difcovered  by  a  Dream: 


ill. 

Cornburj  Park,  fee  Deer. 

C<?/7/tf  t_s4mmonis,af.par.  87,  ete. 

Bodies  why  not  Corrupted  when  bury- 

ed,c.  $.par.?2. 
Cofbieticks,  or  Medicines  beautifying 

the  skin,  f.  3./^.  20. 
Councils  held  at  Oxford,  c.  2. par.  4. 

At  Kirtlington,  par.  ~j- 
Britifh C<y«£, <•.  iopar.  3,4,  Cfo  .£. 

Roman  frww,  /w.  73. 
AC^wofKing^warrftheConfefTor,    Isar/As  (fee  Soils)  fit  for  Husbandry, 


8.  par.  46. 
Dudleys  Dukes  of    Northumberland, 

Earls  of  Warwick  and  Leicejler,  in 

Italy,  c.  9.  par.  149. 
Dumb  6c  deaf  perfbns  taught  to  fpeak, 

f .  $>p*r.  1 80. 
Z)^  A/#x,  a  Roman  Fortification,  c4 

1©.  £>tfr.  39. 


fuch  as  he  gave  when  he  touched 
for  the  Kings-Evil,  cio.par.  1 27. 
Craume,c.  5.  par.  48. 
Crej-fjh  at  Saiford,  c.  7.  par.  31. 

Their  different  colours,  when 
boiled ,  (hew  the  different 
goodnefs  of  waters,  ibid. 
Crowshow  frighted  from  mifchiefing 

Corn,  c9.par.9S. 
Crow-iron,  c.  4.  par.  12. 
Cufloms  ufed  in  Oxford- /hire.  See  2?ar- 
ford,  Enjham,  Hoke- tide,  Qui nten, 
Stanlake. 


D. 


c.  3 .  par-  8,  <fe-r.   fee  Maries. 
Medicinal,  c.  3.  />4r.  27,  fee. 
Serving  for  Statuaries,  Tobac* 
co  pipes,  Potters,  polifhing 
filver,  fee. par.  43, 44. 
Earths  ferving   for   Earthen  floor?* 
Ceilings,  fide-walls,  whiting  and 
pointing  walls,  far.  46,  fee. 
Earths  fit  for  painting.     See  native 
Blue,  Lac  Luna,  Ochre,  Pnigitis, 
Ruddle,  Umber. 

Sending  forth  poifbnous  fleams, 

See  Damps. 

Yetundefcnbed,  c  3 par. 4.9,  fed 

A  green  fort  of  Earth  at  sbotover-hjlL 

par.    12. 

A  bearded  Dart  found  at  Steeple-Bar-    Ear  then-wares,  as  Juggs,  Bottles,  Por- 

ton,  c.  10. par.  138.  .  cellane,  the  way  how  to  make  them 

Damps  at  North  Leigh,\rith  an  account        difcovered  at  Oxfordf.9  par-  8  4.  fee. 

Zz  2  An 


The  INDEX. 


An  Earthquake  at  Stanton  St.  $ohnsy 

c.3.  far.  54* 
Echimites  lafit)  c  5.  far.  82,^. 
£chos ,  their  feveral  forts,  c .  1 .  far. 

14. 

Returning  twenty  Syllables  at 
Wo  odftock,  far.  1 J .  at  M*gtf. 
Co#.  />*r.  22. 

How  to  find  the  place  of  the 
fpeaker,  and  the  place  re- 
turning the  voice,far.  1 6,fac. 

Tonical ,  or  returning  a  cer- 
tain Mufical  Note,  c.  1.  far. 
23. 

Tautological,  or  returning  the 
fame  word  feveral  times, 
fir.  25-. 

Returning  often  the  lame  inar 


Failing,    Rebecca   Smith  failed    ten 
weeks,  c.  8.  far.  11. 

Began  to  eat  after  the  applica- 
tion of  an  Amulet,  ibid. 
Fellmongers ,   a   pretty    confiderable 

Trade  at  Witney,  c.  9.  far.  173. 
Feveel,  fome  unulual  forts  of  it  in  Ox- 
ford-fare,  c.  3.  far.  41,  42. 
Finfcale,  a  Fifh  not  yet  defcnbed,  c . 

7.  par.  29. 
Fir-tret*  planted  in  Oxford-fb're ,  c. 

6.  par.  84. 
Fijhes,  See  Finfcale,  Mytilns,  Pride. 
Fifh  ponds,  a  new  contrivance  to  few 
them,  c.  9    far.  47. 


ticulate  found,  at  Hedding-    Flints,  tranfparent  like  Agats,  c.  4. 


ton,  far.  25.  at  New  Coll.  far. 

30.  at  All-fouls  Cell. par.  3 1.  at 

S.  Joh.Baft. Coll.c- 1  far.  141 . 

An  Egg  with  another  within  it,  c.  7. 

p*r.  17. 
King  .Edfa;.  the  Conf.  born  at  JJllf,  c. 
10.  far.  123. 

His  Fo/rt  frill  remains  at  Sir  H. 

Browns  Bar.  far.  1 24. 
Firft  cured  the  Kings  Evil,  far. 
125. 
EleBrum,  a  mixt  metal  of  Gold  and 
Silver  found  in  England,  cap.   10. 


far.  15. 

Black,  their  ufe,  ibid. 
A  great  F/^W  in  the  River  Cherwett, 

c.  2.  par.  17. 
Fortifications  in  Oxford-fiire,c.\o.par. 
73,  <&*. 

At  CroamiJh,Giffard,  far.  137. 

In  Merton  Woods,  where  King 

JEtbelred  beat  the  Vanes,  far. 

11- 
Freeftone,  the  feveral  forts,  f .  4.  ^^r. 

24,25. 

Rivers  Freeze  firft  at  the  bottom,  r .  2. 

far.  15. 

5".  par.  j  3  2. 


/4r.  8,  <fer 

EKiftical hjfothefis  of  the  Planets  mo-    Fungites  lapis,  c 
tions,  firft.  demonftrated  at  Oxford, 
c.y.  par.  84,  #f.  G. 

An  Elm  whofe  trunckis  fix  yards  dia- 
meter, <r.  6. /or.  65.  Garfmgton,  an  ancient  Barony,  c  10. 

An  Elm  flourifhing  without  Bark  or        par.  133. 

pith,   ibid.  Geodes lapis,  c.  5. par.  180. 

How  it's  poffible  to  live  fb,  par.    New  Geometrical  Bodies  invented  by 
66,&c.  Sir chriftopher Wren,  c.y.  ^r.195. 

An  Elm  having  three  trunks  out  of   Geranium  columbinum,  &c.  not  yet  de- 
one  root,  c.  6. par.  77. 

A  narrow  leaved  Elm  not  yet  defcri 
bed,  par.  43 


fcribed,  c.  6. par.  6. 
Giants,  a  Difcourfe  of  them,  c.f.par. 

168,  &c. 
Glajfes  made  of  Flints,  cy.par.92,  &c. 
Found  together  with  Urns,  their 
ufe,  c.  10.  far.  57,  fac 


Encephaloides  lapis,  c.  f.  par-  147. 
Enquiries  to  be  made  by  the  Author 

about  Plants,  c.  6.  par-  88,  &V. 
En/ham,  thecuftom  of  thatRoialty,    Glajfenbury  thorn,  c.  6.  par.  39,  40 

c  8.  par.  28. 
Ewelm  a  Roial  Seat,  f.  10.  par.  1  29. 

The  Echo  there,  c  1.  /w.   25. 
Double  Ewes, ox  Ews  that  always  yean 

two  Lambs  at  once,  c .  7  /w.  3  8. 


Grapes,  meliorated  by  grafting,  r.  9. 

/w.  113,114. 
Grimes-ditch,  a  Roman  w ay,  f.  xo.  par. 

26. 
Robert  Grofled  Bifhop  of  Lincoln,  a 

great 


the  INDEX, 


great  Aftronomer,  c.  9 .  par.  2. 
Gual  Hen,  a  Roman  way,  c.  10.  par.  24. 
Gunpowder,  an  Invention  of  Frier  i?a« 

ft?«,  cap.  9.  Paragraph  7,  39)  40. 
Gar,  c.  3.  /4r.  50. 


/. 


he -niters,  cap.  2. Paragraph  if. 
Jkenildjlreet-vpay,  c.  10  far.  22,  23. 
Several  Improvements  by  Sir  Chrifta" 
pherWren,  c.  9.  par.  30,  31,  32,  33, 

3f,3s»42»l66'I95. 

By  Dt.Wallit,  c.9.  far.  i<}6,&c. 
By   Mr.   Drvigbt   in   Earthen 
wares,  />«r.  84,^. 
Injection  of  Liquors  into  the  veins  of 

Animals,  c.9.  far. 222. 
St.  John  Baft.  Coll.  how  it  came  to  be 
built,  c.d.far.  77. 
fl£T,  how  prefer ved  from  heating,    7™ Lunaris  feen  at  0xfW, ft  I.  far.j. 


H. 

Harrows,  a  new  fort  of  them,  ft  9. 

par.  77- 
Harvefling,  the  manner  of  it  in  0x- 

fordjhire,  ft  9. par.  99,8  c. 
A  Hawthorn  with  white  berries,  ft  6. 

jfrar.  38. 


Iron  moulds,  c.  3.  /Mr.  $1. 

Iron  Hone,  c.\.  par.  35,  36. 

.//?*)>  the  Birth-place  of  King  Edward 

the  Confeflor,  r.  10. far.  123. 
ARoialSeat,  /ar.  128. 
L^tf  Judaic  its,  c.  5 .  /»4r.  136,  &c. 
Junceilfts  omnium}  &c.  notyetdefcri- 

bed,  c  6. far.  5. 


c.  9.  far.  103. 
Htddingiony  a  Seat  of  King  Edw.  the 
Conf  c.  10.  />«r.  128. 

An  ancient  Barony,  far.  130. 
The  Echo  there, c.  i.far.  25. 
HtUeborine flore  albo,  c.  6. par.  1 3. 
Atro  rubente,  far.  14. 
Latifolia  montana,  ibid. 
A  Heno£  the  Iflandojt  St.  Helen  fe- 

fcribed,  c.  j.par.  67, &c. 
Henly,the  ancienteft  Town  in  Oxford- 

fhire.c.  10. far.  68. 
Htppocephaloides  lapis,  ft  f:  far.  142. 
Hijlr kites  lapis,  par.  8i. 
A  new  fort  of  Hives  for  Bees,  c.  9.  par. 

120. 
Hoggs,  an  ingenious  way  of  giving 

them  meat,  c.9.  par.  122. 
A  Hog  near  1 3  hands  high,  c.  7.  />ar. 

73- 

Hoke-norton  barrow,  an  ancient  For- 
tification, ft  10.  par.  75. 

Hoke-norton  an  ancient  Barony,  />dr. 
131. 

Hoke-tide,  or  Hoke-Munday,  ft  8. 
^ar.  24)<£rr. 

Hoofing- bird,  c.  7.  par.  10. 

Hordeum  diHicum  precox,  c  6. far.  9. 

Horfes  forty  years  old,  c7.par.3j. 

Ancient  fioufes  of  the  Kings,  in  0*- 
fordfhirt,  c.  10.  />«r.  1 28. 

Husbandry  of  Arable  Land  in  Oxford-    Lagopus  major  vulgaris  Parfyn/oni,  c.6. 


Xi 


Kgnntrs  barrovt,  a  Funeral  Monument, 

c.  10.  par.  $1,  52. 
Northern  ./£/»£/  how  anciently  elect- 
ed and  inaugurated,  c.  10.  ^/*.  88, 

9o,e£v. 
Kirtlingtom  anciently  part  of  the  pof- 

feflions  of  the  Kings  of  England, 

c.  2.  par.  7. 

Its  ancient  Privileges,  ibid. 
A  Kitchin  without  a  Chimney,   c  9. 

far.  136. 
Knives,  their  carved  hafts  firft  made 

at  Oxon.  ft  9.  />4r.  168. 

L. 

LacLtin*  found  in  Oxfordfb.  c.  3 .  />ar. 
20,  &c. 

Afignof  Silver  Ore, par.  22,23. 
Its  ufe  in  Medicine,  par.  26. 


fore,  c.9.  par.  ?6,&c 

Of  Pafture  Land,  par.  8 1,  e£v. 
Of  Corn  when  green,  par.  98. 
When  ripe,  par.  99. 
Huntercomb,  an  ancient  Barony j  ft  10. 

/>ar.  iji. 
The  Hygrofcope  improved,ft9./w.37. 


/>«r.  1 2. 
Langley,  anciently  a  Roial  feat,  ft  io. 

par.  129. 
Philofophical  Language.  See  Univer- 

fal  Character. 
Lightning,  fhange  effe&s  of  it,  c .  1 . 

far.  11. 

Aaa  Lignum 


The  INDEX. 


Lignum  fojfile,  c.  3.  par.  42. 
LiUingJtone  Lovely    why  in  Oxford- 

flyire,  c.6.  far.  85. 
Limey  the  fitteit  itoncs  to  make  it,  e.4. 

par.  32. 
Quickzlime  y  reft ifies  the  malignancy 

of  Damps,  c.  3.  par.  36., 
A  white  Linnet,  c.  7.  par.  r  3 . 


Mytilus  fiuminum  maximusfubviridn, 
not  found  to  have  Pearl  in  them  j 
c.j.  far.  32. 

2V. 


Ntfbriticm  lapis ,  c*/..y.  Taragrafb 
154. 
Thereafonofitswhitenefs,  />ar.    Ha/el- Nuts  found    fifty  foot   under 
14, 1  f.  ground,  <\  2./w.  52. 

Loc^j  to  keep  up  waters*     See  Turn- 

pikes.  0. 

Lucern.     See  SainBfoin. 
Lychnis,  afortofthemnotyetdefcri-    Oajis.  See  Mali-kills. 

bed,  c.6: par.  10.  0^»  away  to  difpofe  them  conveni- 

LymphtduUs^  firftdifc  overed  at  Oxon.        cntly  in  ftablesj  c  9. par.  1 2  r . 


f.  9. par.  212. 

M 

Malt-kills  of  ftone  very  advantage- 
ous, c  9.  par.  92. 

New  contrivances  of  them.  p<?r. 
127. 
Mamillary  laf  if,  c.  5.  ^ar.  iri. 
Marble  at  Blechington,  c  4.  par.  ■$•$'. 
A  new  way  of  painting  it,  c.  $. 
far.  166. 
Marchafite.  (See  Pyrites)  c.  4.  f<ar.  1 2. 
Mar/,  the  feveral  forts  of  it,  c,$.far. 


Yellow  Ochre  at  Shotover-htU,  c.  3.  par. 
13,  Cfc, 

Align  of  Silver  Ore,  far.  24. 

Oenantbe  minor  aquatica,  Park.    c.  6. 
/><*r.  1 2. 

Ophiomorphitts  lapis,  c.  5.  ^?r.  92,  £ft\ 

Ophthalmitis  lapis,  far.  149. 

Orchites  lapis,  c.  5.  jtar.  144. 

Orohanche  verbafculi  odore,  not  yet  de- 
scribed, c.6.  far.%. 

Ojeney  ^Abby  how  it  came  to  be  built, 
c.6.  far.  7 '6. 

Ofteocolla,  c.  y,  par.  174. 

OHraches  lapis,  par.  79. 

Ofiracomorphos  Lafti,  par.6o. 


Mathematicks  improved  at  Oxon>  c,  9.    Otites lapis,  c.  5.  par.  150 


par.  194,  Gfc. 
Mawn,  a  good  foil,  c.  4.  /w.  3,4,$. 
Men  apt  for  generation  till  eighty,  c . 

8.  par»  7. 

Of  a  great  Age,par.  54. 
Merton  Coll.  the  reafbn  of  £tec£  »igfo 

there,  e.g.  far.  192. 
Mejh-fats,  very  good  ones  made  of 

Burford ftone,  c.  4. far.  27. 
Middleton-itony,  the  Caftle  there,  c.io. 

par.  1   7. 
it////*  of  a  rare  contrivance,  f .  9.  _/>*r. 

124,  &c. 
Minfter  Lovel,  an  ancient  Barony,  c. 

10.  par.  133. 
Artificial  ^///j-,  c.  9.  far.  24. 
Money.  See  Coyns. 
Moon- (loon.  See  Selenites. 


Ova  anguina,  c.  5.  /»<ar.  83. 

0.xr»,  a  pretty  contrivance  to  feed 

them,  c.  9.  /w.  123. 
Oxford,  how  fituated  at  prefent,  c.  2. 
^w.  4. 

How  anciently,  c.io.  far.  30. 
Its  prefent  fituation  healthy,  c. 

10.  far.  64. 
Parliaments  and  Councils   held 

there,  f.  2.  /-ar.  4. 
WhenmadeaZ/wz-w//^,  f.  10. 

/w.  65. 
When  the  Bifhoprick  was  foun- 
ded, /><zr.  6 j. 
Oxford-Jlnre  has  more  Pafture  than  a- 
rableLand,  c.  3.  par.  1. 


P. 


Moor- Evil,  how  cured,  f.  2.  ^*r.  66. 

Mufca.  i  PhrjganioJaxatili,c  j.far.  2?.    Painting  ,  an  account  of  that  at  the 
Mufuk ,  new  difcoveries  in  it,  with    Theater  at  Oxon.  c  9,  far.  154,  Sfc. 
their  denionftrations ,  ^/».  9.  far.  Some  that  is  remarkable  elfe- 

199*  where,  /w.164, 165. 

Parhelia, 


Tk  INDEX, 

Parhelia*  or  Mock-funs,  feen  at  En-    Plants  ftriped,  c.  6.  par.  17,  42. 
flam,  cap.  r.  Paragraph  4.  How  procured,  'Paragraph  1%. 

Their  fignification,  /-ar.  6.  Is  their  difeafe  rather  theu  per- 

Tarliaments  held  at  Oxford,  c.  2  ^r.  4.  fection,  par.  19,  &<;, 

The   firft  in  England  held  at    River  Plant}  grow  fenfibly  after  raiiii 
Shi  ford,  par.  5,  6.  and  why,  c.  2.  /w.  16. 

Tafiure-land,  how  manured  in  Oxford-    Plants  cultivated  in  Oxford-Jlrire)  that 

are  not  in  Tome  other  Counties.  See 
Barley,  Caraways ,  Lucern,  Pear- 
trees,  Peas,  Ray-grafs,  Rofa  can't* 
na,  fee .  baftard  Saffron,  San&foin, 
Wheat. 
Plants,  enquiries  to  be  made  by  the 
Author  about  them,  c .  6.  par.  8  S^fec. 
Peafe,  the  forts  of  them  in  Oxjord-    Ploughly.hiU,    a  Funeral  Monument, 

/hire,  c.6.  par.30.  c.  10.par.4S. 

Peat  found  in  Oxford-Jhire,  c.  3.par.a.i.    Ploughs,  the  Ieveral  forts  of  them  uled 

their  way  of  menagingit,  ibid.  in  Oxford-Jhire,  c.$.  par.-]  6. 

Pebbles  transparent,  c.  4.  par.  16.  their    PnigitU,  or  black  chalky. /w.  16,17. 
ufe,  far.  17,  18.  Porcellane  ware,  the  way  to  make  it  in- 

Cemented  with    Flints   make        vented  at  Oxford,  c.  9.  par.  86. 
excellent   Chimney   pieces ,    Tort way,  c.  10.  par.  35,36. 
Tables,  OV.  par.  19,20.  Pride,  a  Fifh  doubted  whether  yet  de- 

Pettinites  lapU,  c.   5.  par.  72,  &c.  fcribed,  c.  7.  par.  27,  28. 

Pentaphyllum  reptans  alatumfoliu  pro-    Profyebl  at  Teynton,  c  3.  par.  54. 

fundius  (erratis,  c.6. par. 7.  Pyrites  aurem,  c4.par.11,  12. 

Period  of  years ,  a  more  acurate  one      .  t^Argentem ,  par.  13. 

found  out  by  Tho.  Lydiat,  c.  9.  par.     Pojfonotts  exhalations  how  remedyed, 


/hire,  c.9.  par.  Si,  fee. 
Roman   Pavermnts  in   Oxford/hire, 

c.  10.  par.  $4,<£r£- 
Tear -trees ,    an  unufual  fort  of  them 
bearing  twice  a  year,  c.  6. par.  86. 
Bearing  a  Pear  hard  and  dura- 
ble like  wood,  par.  87. 


c.3.  par.  36. 


*L 


Quarries  at  Burfird,  c.  4.  par.  26. 
KtHedd'.ngton,  par.  24. 
Elfewbere,  par.  29,30. 
Qumten,  a  Sport  ufed  in  Oxford- Shin 
at  Weddings,  as  they  carry  home 
the  Bride,  c.  8.  par.  21,  fee.  53. 


R. 


17,  <&•£. 

Ter[piration  of  Plants  difcovered.  at 

Oxford,  c.  o.  /w.  9  5. 
Petrifications ,  whence  they  proceed, 
t.  2.  />£/•.  23,  fee. 

Their  ieveral  forts,  />ar.  25,  fee. 
item,  c.  5.  ^r.  47,<£rf. 
Petrified  honey  c.  5.  /w.   i/8. 
Petrified  wood ,    cap.  3.  par.  38,   39. 

?VfW  c.  f.  par.  175. 
Thalloides  lapis,  c.  5 .  /'^r.  153. 
The[ants>with  white  and  pyed  feathers, 

f.  7. par.  13. 
PicJures,    drawn    by  Microfcopical    Rainsborough,  an  ancient  Fortifkati- 
glafTes,  <:.  9.  /w.  166.  on,  c.  10.  par.  34. 

Remarkable  ones  of  K.  James    Lapis  Ramila,  c  lO.par.  141. 

andK.  Charles,  par.  164.  fyfyberry  buffi  grows  commonly  in  the 

Another  of  a  Cat  looking  leve-         Chi Item  part  of  Oxford-/!) ire,  c.  6. 
ralways,  par.  165.  par. 42. 

Tlants,not  yQtdc{cxihcd,c.6.par.3.fee.    Ray-grafs,  an  improvement  of  Land, 
Not  yet  noted  whether  ot  En-        c.  6. par.  31,  &  e. 

glijh growth,  par.  12.  When  the  b~ft  timetofowit, 

Doubted  whether  yet  defcri-  c.9. par. S3. 

bed,par.  i3»  14.  Rib  of  a  Dog  of  an  unufual  make,  c  7. 

Plants  fafciated,  c.6.  par.  15.  />#r.  46. 

Not  only  after  hard  Winters,    ito?£j,theancientufeoftheminthefe 
par.  16.  Northern  Countries  j. IQ  par.  107,  fee 

A  a  a  2  fl/wr/ 


the  INDEX. 

Rivers  running  into  the  ground,  c.  2. 

far.  19- 
Robber,  c.\.far.  n. 
Robbery  difcovered  by  2.  Dream,  c.  8. 

far.  46 


Silver  Ore,  where  likely  to  be   found 

See  Ctvruleum  nativum. 
Singing,  two  oftaves,or  fifths,  fung 

by  the  fame  perfon  at  the  fame 

time,  c.  9.  par.  208,  &c. 


Rolls,  of  an  unufual  make  for  tilling  Slat-flones  ferving  for  covering  hou- 

Land,  c.  9.  far.  79,  80.  fes,  c.  $.far.  31. 

Roll-rich  ftones,  c.  10.  far.  8  r.  Good  for  grinding  colours,  ib. 

Not  a  Funeral  Monument,  far.  Smiris  its  ufe,  c .  4 .  far.  2 1 
86. 


Nor  a  Court  of  Judicature, 

far.  87. 
Built  by  Rollo  the  Norman, far. 

83.  at  his  inauguration,  far. 

95>  <&*• 
Roofs  of  Stone  of  rare  contrivance, 

c.  9.  ftfr.  136,  Gfc. 
.Ro/>«  made  of  the  barks  of  Trees,  c . 

9.  par.  119. 
lb/2  canina,  <fe* •  c.  6.  /ar.  40. 
Rofamond's  Tomb,  r.  9.  par.  144,  &c. 
Rot herfield Grays,  an  ancient  Barony, 

c.  10.  par.  131. 


Snails,  a  fort  of  them  not  yet  defcri- 
bed,  c.  j. par.  34. 

Snakes y  none  to  be  found  in  the  Nor- 
thern parts  of  Oxford-Jhire,   c.  7. 

Soils  (See  Earths)  of  a  fmall  depth, 
why  fome  fertil,  others  not,  c.  3. 
far.  i,&c. 
Sfars,  c.  f.  far.  49,  jo,  Ji. 

Their  original,  far.  52. 
Their  ufe,  /tar.  53. 
Speech,  improved  by  Dr.  WaUis, 
far.  179. 

By  Dr.  Wilfyis,  /w.  181. 


c.  9. 


RotherfieldPifard  an  ancient  Barony,    Spire fteeples,  c.  9.  ^r.  14 


/w.   132. 
Rubrick,  or  ruddle,  c  3.  far.  16. 

S. 

Baftard  Saffron,  c.  6.  far.  35. 
Sainftfoin,  far.  31,  34. 

How  managed,  c.  9.  par.  83. 
Salmons  at  LfllingHone  Loa/<?/,how  they 

come  thither,  f .  7.  par.  30. 
Sand,  its  ufe.  c.  4.  far.  22,  23. 
Saxifraga  Anglica,  &c.  not  yet  defcri- 

bed,c.  6.  far.  9 


Springs,  their  original,  c.  2.  /ar.  17. 
A  Chalybeat  Spring  befide  Oxford,  c.io. 

far.  141. 
Land  Sf rings,  c.  2.  par.  18. 

Sweating  out  of  the  Earth,  and 
for  the  moft  part  imbibed  a- 
gain,p<*r.  20. 
A  Stags  head  found  50  foot  under- 
ground, c.  6.  far.  53. 
Stair-cafe  at  Blechington  defcribed,  c.p. 

far.  i3i»<£rc. 
Stalatlites  lapis,  c.  J.  p4r.  48. 
Stalagmites  lapis,  far.  47. 


Sent-bags,  difcovered  in  moft  ftrong    Stanlake ,  the  Parfon  reads  a  Gofpel 


far. 


fented  Animals,  at  Oxon,  c  9 

228,  &c. 
Seftaries,  a  new  fort  of  them  at  Wat- 

lington,  c.  8.  far.  32. 
Selenites  lafti,  the  feveral  forts,  c.  J. 

far.  3,  8}  ri,  182. 

Its  ufe,  far-  14, 1 5- 
Servants,  how  hired,  c.  8.  par.  29. 
A  iSfojp  with  only  one  horn,  r .  7.  par. 

40. 
Sheef  with  8  or  10  horns  apiece,  far. 

_  39- 

Sher bourn  an  ancient  Barony,  f.  10. 

par.  133. 
«S/7^  Stockings,   the  way  of  weaving 

them  difcovered  at  Oxford,  c.  9.  far. 

167. 


every-Holy  Thurfday,  on  a  Barrels 

head  in  the  Cellar  of  the  Chequer 

Inn,  c.  8.  far.  30. 
Starch-trade  at  Oxford,  an  account  of 

it,  c.  9.  far.  172,  e?f. 
Star  (lone.  See  A  fieri  a. 
Excellent   Statues  in  Brafs  of  King 

Charles  I.  and  his  Queen,  <r.  9.  /ar. 

166. 
•SVowe-r  an  improvement  of  Land,  '.4. 

p4r.  7,  8.  heme.  9.  /><*r.  70. 
Stones  refembling  Fifhes,  as  a  Barbel f 

c  5-  tar-  5f* 

Cockles  fingly,  far.  64,  Cfr.  76. 
Cockles  in  clufters,  par.  56,8V. 

Their  ufe,  ibidem. 
Efcallops,  c.  f.far.  72. 

Mufcles, 


The  INDEX. 


Mu'cles,  par.  80. 

Oifters,  par.  60,  78,  79. 

A  Porcupine,  par.  81. 

A  Rams  horn,  par.  87.  &c. 

Snakes,  par.  92. 

ASea  Urchin,  par.  %2H&c. 
How  Stones  refembling  Shell- fjljes  ac- 
quire that  form,  c.  5. par.  96,  £?c. 
3>0»«  refemblir-g  Plants,  as, 

an  Apricock,  c.  5.  ^w.  135. 

A  Briony  root,/w.  133. 

A  Mulberry,  par.  135-. 

Luca-Olives,  jw,  136. 

Pears,  par.  134. 

Toad-ftools,/w.  132. 
Stones  refembling  living  Creatures,  or 
fome  parts  of  them,  as  a 

Bullocks  heart, e.  5  par.  143. 

A  Horfe  head, par.  142. 

An  Owls  head,  par.  45 . 

Snails,  par.  140. 

The  Tefticles,  par.  144. 

A  Toads  head,  par.  145. 

Worms,  par.  141. 
iSiflWJ  refembling  fome  part  of  man, 
•    ashis  Brain,  c.  %.par.  147. 

Br eaft, par.  151. 

Ear,  par.  150. 

Eye,  />dr.  149. 

Foot,  par.  1 74. 

Glans  penis  humani,  par.  153. 

Heart,  far.  1J2. 

Kidneys,  /vsr.  154. 

Olraftory  nerves,  par.  148. 

Scrotum, par.  153 


at  Tarnton,  c.  10.  Paragraph  139. 
Straw-work,  of  a  new  contrivance^ 

f.  9.   /><7/\  I08. 

Strombites,  or  wreathed  ftones,  r.  f. 
^«7r.  53 . 

T. 

Tadmerton  Cafile  a  I>47zi/ft  Fortificati- 
on, c.  10.  /ar.  75. 
7W&&  of  a  prodigious  bignefs,  c.  5.  /w. 

i59,  i^3»r^4- 
Telef cope,  known  to  Frier  Z?df<?»,  «•.£. 

JMT.  2,  d^C. 

Thame  an  ancient  Barony,  f.  10.  ^>4r. 

'33- 

Its  antiquity,  par.  up. 

The  Well-waters,  when  brewed, 
ftink,  c.  2.par.34.. 
Theater  atOxford,  its  contrivance,^. 
9.  par.  147,  &c. 

An  account  of  the  Tainting, 
par.  154,  £?f. 
Thermometer  invented  $00  years  agO$ 

c.  9.  par.  35. 
Thigh-hones  of  a  prodigious  bignefs, 
<r.  J.  par.  X5J,  i<f4. 

Whether  really  the  bones  of  a 
man,  par.  157. 
Thunder.  See  Lightning. 
Thunder-bolts.  See  Belemnltes. 
Thttnder-ftones .  See  Brontias. 
Tillage.  See  Husbandry. 
Tobaccopipe-claj  at  Shotover-hill,  f.  31* 

JVo»m  reprefenting  Buttons,  r.  j./«r.    Toucan,  an  American  Bird  found  be- 

fide  Oxford,  c.  7. par.  ii. 
To rver s  at  0*<?w,  c.  9.^.  143. 
Britifh  Towns  how  built,  f.  10. par.  75. 
Transfusion  of  Blood invented  at  Oxford, 

c. 9. par. 223. 
Trees  ok  a  vaft  bignefs.  f.  6./W.44,  fifa 
That  have  been  put  tooddufes, 

par. /tf,  fee. 
Buryed   under  the  ground  at 

B infield- heath,  pur.  so. 
Where  dyed  black,  and  why, 

ibid. 
Found  fifty  foot  under  ground 

at  RotherJield-Pipard,par.  5 1. 
How,  and  on  what  account  bu- 
ryed under  ground  ,  par.  55, 
&c. 


175. 

The  heel  of  a  (hoo,  par.  176. 
Awheel,  par.  177. 
Stones     naturally     globular  ;     fome 
fmooth,  fome  granulated,  c.  5.  par. 

*79> 

Stones  voided  out  of  the  Eyes,  c.  8. 
par,  10. 

Bred  under  the  Tongue,  par. 

48.  itemc.  10,  par.  141. 
Taken  out  of  a  mans  bladder 

that  weighed  above  a  pound, 

c.  S.par.  49. 
Made  by  art,  c .  1  o .  par.  I  o  1 . 
Worshipped    by    the    ancient 

Britans,  par.  102, &c. 
Set  up  in  the  high-way,  tolhew 


the  number  of  miles,  par.  50.    Two  Trees  joyned  together  after  an 
A  Stone  with  Chine fe  Characters  found        odd  way,  c.  6.  par.  78. 

Bbb  TV- 


The  IN 

Tr'icb'ues  lafii,  c.  5.  ^Paragraph  145. 

Tripoli  -ft one ,  c.  4.  /><*/•.  34. 

Troc bites  lapis,  c.  f.par.  177, 

7Vf  laid  onhoufes  inflead  of  ridge- 
tiles,  c  3.  /w.  40. 

Serving  for  tewel,  far,  41. 

Turn-pikes  to  keep  water  up,  c.  9 .  />/«". 
43,  efc.     * 


f. 


VaghitsVterinuSyc.  %.par.  \. 

No  ill  omen,  ibid. 
Vermicular it  lapit ,  c.  5 .-par.  141. 
F;«^j-  meliorated  by  grafting,  c.  9.  par. 

113,114. 
Viola  Martin,  6c.  not  yet  defcribed, 

c,  6.  .par.  3,4. 
Ludovicm  Vives  his  Bees,  ff.  7.^r.  19. 
Umber,  c.  ^.par.  19, 
V  niverfal  CharaBer  invented  at  Oxford, 
c.  9. par.  183,  G?c. 

Improved  there, /^r.  188,  Off. 
#r»j,  c.  10.  pur.  57,62. 

Found    at    Rotherfield-Pipard 
fifty  foot  under  ground,  c.  6. 


wr 


Walk*,  and  other  curioiities  in  Trees, 

c.  9.  /w.  115,  eft. 
Waters  in  Oxford  Jlnre  healthy,proved 
from  the  abundance  of  Fifh,  c.   2. 
/w.  14. 

From  their  impregnations  with 
Salts  and  Sulphurs,  par.  12, 
13,15. 
Waters petrefying.  See  Petrifications. 
Why  fomewill  not  bear  Soap, 

c.  2. par.  32. 
How  remedied  at  Henly,par.$q. 
Strongly  impregnated  with  Salts 
at  Church-hill  Mill,  par.  :  ?. 
At  Chadlington,  par.  39. 
At  Clifton,  par.  40, 
What  ufe  they  may  be  put  to. par. 

43,^.     - 
W iters  Medicinal  at  Beddington,  c.z. 
par.  49. 


At  Banbury,  par,  yj. 
At  I&urjipar-  5  8. 
Curing  Eyes  and  Ulcers,  /w.  57, 

&c.   item  c.  10. par.  14.2. 
Chalybeat,  c.  10. par.  141. 
Vitriolate,t.  2.pr.  60,  6c. 
Tailing  like  Milk,  par.  6a, . 
White  like  Milk, par.  65. 
Waters,  a  note  of  their  goodnefs,  c.f. 

par.  31. 
Water-works,  c.  9. par.  42,  drr. 

AtJB»/?o»delcribed,  par.  50,6c. 
Wat  ling- ftreet,}  why  fo  called,  f.  10. 
Wattle-bank,   )      par.  70.. 
Watlington  an  ancient  Town,  with  the 

reafon  of  its  name,  />4r.  6p. 
Roman  ways,  their  feverai  forts,  1. 10  ♦ 
par.  18, 6?  £.  See  Akeman-ftreet,  Avef- 
ditch,  Grimes-ditch,  Ikenild-street, 
Port -way. 
Wheat  with  two  ears  on  one  ftalk,  c.  6. 
par,  37. 

The  feverai  forts  of  it  cultivated 
in  Oxford- /hire,  not  fo  in  fbme 
other  Counties, par.  23,  fee. 
Dr.  Willis,  an  account  of  hisdifcove- 
ries  in  Anatomy  and  Phyfick,  c.  9. 
par.  215,  6c. 
A  great  Wind  at  Oxford,  c.  l.par.  9. 
Witney  given  to  St.  SmthinsWinton 
before  the  Conqueft,  c~\o,  par.  1 20. 
Woollen  rags  an  improvement  of  Land, 

c.j.par.  70,71. 
Women  bearing  Children  till  63.  c,  8. 
par.  8. 

Revive  oftner  then  men,  two  ex- 
amples in  Oxford-Jhire,  par. 
12,  6c. 
A  Woman  of  extream  little  growth, 
not  a  yard  high,  yet  all  parts  pro- 
portionable, c.  8.  par.  9. 
Wood  petrified,  c.  ^-par.^S,  39. 
Sold  by  weight,  ^<ar.  2. 
How  ordered  in  Oxford-Jhire,c9, 
par.  118,  119. 
model acker,  a  Bird  not  yetdefcribed, 

c.  7.  par.  3. 
Modjhckt  the  Echo  there, c.  l.par.  1  $. 
When  made  aSeat  Royal,  c.  10. 
par.  n 8. 


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