THAT Oxford-ſhire is the beſt water'd County in England, though I dare not with too much confidence aſſert, yet am induced to believe there are few better; ſince beſide the five more conſiderable Rivers of Thame, Iſis, Cherwell, Evenlode, and Windruſh, there are numbred no leſs than threeſcore and ten at leaſt of an inferior rank, beſide ſmaller Brooks not worthy notice: And all theſe of ſo quick a ſtream, and free from ſtagnation, ſo clear, and yet ſo well impregnated with wholſom primogenial Steams of Salts and Sulphurs, that few (if any) vappid and ſtinking Exhalations can aſcend from them to corrupt the Air. As for ſtanding Pools, Mariſh, or Boggy grounds, the parents (at leaſt occaſions) of Agues, Coughs, Catarhs, they are feweſt here of any place to be found: the Soyl for the moſt part lying dry, and water'd only with clear and rapid Fountains. In ſhort, ſo altogether agreeable is this County to Cardans Comment. in Hippoc. de Aere, aquis, & locis. rule, Solum ſiccum cum aquis currentibus ſalubritatem Aeris efficiunt, that had he wanted an inſtance for confirmation, he might have found one here moſt ſuitable to his purpoſe. And if plenty of wholſom Fiſh, ſpontaneous productions of odoriferous Plants, and the ſcarcity of filthy Reptils, be cogent Arguments of the goodneſs of Waters, Soyls, and conſequently of Air, as heretofore they have been accounted, I know not the place can make better pretences, as ſhall be ſhewn more at large in their proper places.

2. Beſide its clearneſs from peſtiferous vapors, I take the ſharpneſs we find this Air to be of, to be no ſmall argument of its health and purity. Aristotle, 'tis true, thought Air moderately warm, but its conſtant return to a brisk coldneſs, after it has been heated either by fire, the Sun, or warm exhalations, gives us ſtrong ſuſpitions that 'tis naturally cold: All natural Bodies, after they have ſuffered violence, returning of themſelves to their innate condition. To which add, that the Air on the tops of high Mountains, above the reach of the Clouds and other warm Exhalations, as 'tis found to be clear, ſo 'tis very cold; whence I think it may not be illogically concluded, That the colder the Air, the nearer to purity, and conſequentially more healthy: Which is alſo very ſuitable to the doctrine of Hippocrates, who ſpeaking concerning the healthy ſituation of Cities, ſays, That ſuch which are placed to cold winds, Hippocr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . i. e. that though their Waters are harſh and cold, yet for the moſt part they are ſweet, and the Inhabitants healthy and brisk, ſound, and free from defluxions. And ſo indeed in the main I find them here, of a very chearful humor, affable, and courteous in their Deportment; neither ſparing, nor profuſe in their Entertainments, but of a generous temper, ſuitable to the ſweet and healthful Air they live in: Whereas the Inhabitants of fenny and boggy Countries, whoſe spirits are clogg'd with perpetual Exhalations, are generally of a more ſtupid, and unpleaſant converſation.

3. That the qualities of Waters and Soyls, together with the ſituations of places ſo the reſpective Quarters of the World, make them more or leſs healthy, according to the greatId. ibid. Hippocrates, there is no doubt. But to theſe I muſt beg the favor of adding, not only more ſwaſive but more irrefragable proof; I mean, the great age and conſtant health of perſons that have been lately, and are now living here: Richard Clifford, not long ſince of Bolſcot in this County, died at 114 years of age: Brian Stephens, born at Cherlbury, but Inhabitant of Woodſtock, dyed laſt year at 103. Where alſo there now lives one George Green (but born at Enſham) in his hundredth year: at Kidlington one Mris Hill was born, and lived there above an hundred years: and at Oxford there is living, beſide ſeveral near it, a Woman (commonly called Mother George) now in her hundredth year current. The pleaſant ſituation of which City is ſuch, and ſo anſwerable to the great Reputation it ever had in this reſpect, that it muſt not by any means be paſt by in ſilence.

4. Seated it is on a riſing Ground, in the midſt of a pleaſant and fruitful Valley of a large extent, at the confluence, and extended between the two Rivers of Iſis and Cherwell, with which it is encompaſs'd on the Eaſt, Weſt, and South; as alſo, with a ridge of Hills at a miles (or ſomwhat more) diſtance, in the form of a Bow, touching more then the Eaſt and Weſt points with the ends, ſo that the whole lies in form of a Theater: In the Area ſtands the City mounted on a ſmall hill, adorned with ſo many Towers, Spires and Pinnacles, and the ſides of the neighboring Hills ſo ſprinkled with Trees and Villa's, that no place I have yet ſeen has equall'd the ProſpectAb amoenitate ſitus Belloſitum dictum.. 'Twas the ſweetneſs and commodiouſneſs of the place, that (no queſtion) firſt invited the great and judicious King Alfred, to ſelect it for The Muſes Seat; and the Kings of England ever ſince (eſpecially when at any time forc'd from London by War, Plague, or other inconveniencies) ſo frequently to remove hither, not only their Royal Courts, but the Houſes of Parliament, and Courts of Judicature: Many Synods and Convocations of the Clergy have been alſo for the ſame reaſon held here; of which, as they have promiſcuouſly happened in order of time, take the following Catalogue.

5. Of theſe there is an imperfect Liſt in a MSS.MSS. fol. C. p. 173. in Corpus Chriſti College Library Oxon. in which there are alſo mentioned three Synods held in St. Maries Church: A Provincial Chapter of the Fryars Preachers, and a Council held at Oxon. whoſe Votes were written by Abraham Woodhall. There is alſo a Provincial Council at Oxford, mention'd in the Catalogue ſet before the Decrees of Gratian. But theſe bearing no date, and in all likelyhood the ſame with ſome of the afore-mentioned; I paſs on to another Parliament, which though not at Oxford, yet was held in this County, and therefore I ſuppoſe not improper for this place. However, I ſhall rather venture the danger of impropriety and miſplacing, then omit the taking notice of ſo conſiderable a Meeting, it being the firſt Parliament held in the County, and doubtleſs in England; called it was at Shifford, now a ſmall Village in the Pariſh of Bampton, and ſhewing now nothing adequate to ſo great an Aſſembly.

6. There is a MSS. in Sir Robert Cottons Library, that gives an account of this Parliament, which, it ſaies, conſiſted of the chief of all Orders of the Kingdom, and was called at Sifford (now Shifford) in Oxford-ſhire, by King Alfred, where the King as Head conſulted with the Clergy, Nobles, and others, about the maners and government of the people, where he delivered ſome grave admonitions concerning the ſame: The words of the MSS. are theſe, At Sifford seten Dancr manie, fele Biscops, et fele Boclered, Erles prude, et Cnihtes egloche. ðer ƿas Erle Elfricof ðe lage smuth ƿise, & ec Alfred Englehird, Engle derling, on England he ƿas Cyng, hem he gan leren, sƿo hi heren mihten hu hi here lif leden scolden. i. e. There ſate at Shifford many Thanes, many Biſhops, and many learned Men, wiſe Earls, and awful Knights: there was Earl Elfrick very learned in the Law, and Alfred, Englands Herdſ-man, Englands Darling; he was King of England, he taught them that could hear him how they ſhould live.

7. To which perhaps may be added, the great Council of Kyrtlington held there not long after, in an. 977, at which were preſent King Edward the Martyr, and St Dunſtan Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury; and at which died Sidemannus Biſhop of Crediton. This Council by Sir Henry Spelman H. Spelman Concil. Tom. 1. An. 977. p. 493. is taken to be the ſame mentioned by Wigornienſis held at Kyrtlinege, which he gueſſes to be now Katlage in Cambridge-ſhire; but I rather believe it was held here, not only for the ſake of the name, which remains the ſame to this day, but becauſe of the one and only Conſtitution made there, viz. That it ſhould be lawful for the Country People to go in Pilgrimage to St. Mary of Abington; a thing in all likelyhood not ſo deſirable to the People of Cambridge-ſhire, as to ours of Oxford-ſhire ſo near the place: Beſide, the great reputation that this place was of in ancient times, ſeems to juſtifie my plea, it enjoying as great Privileges, and perhaps being a fitter place in thoſe days for the reception of ſuch an Aſſembly, then Oxford it ſelf; for I find it part of the Poſſeſſions of the Kings of England, from whom it came to Henry, Son of Edmund Crouchback Earl of Lancaſter, and Father to Henry, the firſt Duke of Lancaster, by whoſe Daughter and ſole Heir Blanch, it came to John of Gaunt Duke of Aquitane and Lancaſter, and was free, a Thelonio, paſſagio, laſtagio, pacagio, stallagio, tallagio, tollagio, cariagio, & terragio, per totum Regnum, as I find it in an old Charter in the poſſeſſion of the Right Worſhipful Sir Tho: Chamberleyne, now Lord of the Town, whoſe ſingular civilities in imparting this, and ſome other matters hereafter to be mention'd, I cannot but in gratitude ever acknowledge.

8. From whence (after ſo long, but I hope not unpleaſant digreſſion) I return to the Beautiful Oxford again, a place of ſo ſweet and wholſom an Air, that though it muſt not be compared with that of Montpellier, yet upon my own knowledge it has proved ſo advantagious to ſome, that it has prefectly recovered them of deep Conſumptions; and particularly a worthy Friend of mine, who though he came hither ſufficiently ſpent, yet without the help of any other Phyſick, within few Months felt a ſenſible amendment; and in fewer Years became of as ſanguine a complexion as the reſt of his friends, that had almoſt deſpaired of him.

9. Some have thought the Small Pox here more then ordinarily frequent, and it muſt indeed be confeſt, That we are perhaps as often, though not ſo ſeverely infeſted as ſome other places; for generally here they are ſo favorable and kind, that be the Nurſe but tolerably good, the Patient ſeldom miſcarries. But admit the Objection be truly made, That it is more ſubject to the Small Pox than other neighboring Cities about, yet if by ſo much the leſs it feel the rage of the Plague, I think the edge of the charge is ſufficiently rebated. 'Tis reported amongſt thePhiloſoph. Tranſact. num. 49. obſervations of an ingenious Perſon that reſided long in the Iſland Japan, That though the Air be very ſalubrious there, yet the Small Pox and Fluxes are very frequent, but the Plague not ſo much as ever heard of; which has often made me reflect on the year 1665, when the Peſtilence was ſpread in a maner all over the Kingdom, that even then, though the Court, both Houſes of Parliament, and the Term were kept at Oxford, the Plague notwithſtanding was not there at all.

10. Others again, tell us of the Black Aſsiſe, held in the Caſtle here, an. 1577. when a poyſonous ſteam broke forth of the Earth, and ſo mortally ſeiſed the ſpirits of the Judges, Sheriffs, Justices, Gentry and Juries, beſide great numbers of others that attended the buſineſs, that they ſickned upon it and almoſt all of them dyed: but let it not be aſcribed to ill fumes and exhalations aſcending from the Earth and poyſoning the Air, for ſuch would have equally affected the Priſoners as Judges, but we find not that they dyed otherwiſe then by the halter, which eaſily perſwades me to be of the mind of myNat. Hiſt. Cent. 10. num. 914. Lord Verulam, who attributes it wholly to the ſmell of the Goal, where the Priſoners had been long, cloſe, and naſtily kept.

11. 'Tis true, that Oxford was much more unhealthy heretofore then now it is, by reaſon the City was then much leſs, and the Scholars many more, who when crowded up in ſo narrow a ſpace, and the then ſlovenly Towns-men not keeping the ſtreet clean, but killing all maner of Cattle within the walls, did render the place much more unhealthy. Hence 'tis, that we find ſo many reſcripts of our Kings prohibiting mactationem groſſarum beſtiarum infra muros, & quod vici mundentur à fimis & fimariis, bearing date 13 Hen. 3. 29 Edw. 1. 12 Edw. 3. 37 Hen. 6.MSS. in Arch. Bib. Bod. fol. 90, 91. and all alledging the reaſon, quia per has mactationes, &c. aer ibidem inficitur, becauſe by the killing ſuch maner of Cattle, and laying the dung in the ſtreets, the Air was infected. Moreover, about theſe times the Iſis and Cherwell, through the careleſneſs of the Towns-men, being filled with mud, and the Common-ſhoars by this means ſtopt, did cauſe the aſcent of malignant vapors wherever there happened to be a Flood; for beſide its ſtirring the infectious maſs, great part of the waters could not timely paſs away, but ſtagnating in the lower Meddows, could not but increaſe the noxious putrid ſteams. But the former being long ſince remedyed by the care of the Ʋniverſity, and the latter by the piety and charge of Richard Fox Biſhop of Wincheſter, and Founder of C.C.C. Oxon. who in the year 1517. cleanſed the Rivers, and cut more Trenches for the waters free paſſageHiſt. & Antiq. Univerſ. Oxon. Lib. 1. pag. 245. ; the Town hath ever ſince continued in a healthful condition: though I cannot but believe, but were there yet more Trenches cut in ſome of the Meddows, the Air might be ſomwhat better'd ſtill, eſpecially during the Winter ſeaſon, when I fear ſomtimes Floods ſtay a little too long, and that not only near Oxford, but in Otmoor; and all along the Iſis from Enſham to North-moor, Shifford, Chimly, and Rotcot, which brings me again to the general conſideration of the Waters as well of the whole County as City.

12. That the healthineſs of Waters conſiſts in their due impregnation with Salts and Sulphurs, and their continuance ſo, in their continual motion, is indiſputably evinced from the ſtinking evaporations of them upon any ſtagnation. Now that the Rivers here abound with theſe, will be altogether as manifeſt as that they run, if we conſider but the Springs they receive and Earths they waſh. The Iſis, 'tis true, till it comes to New-bridge, receives not (that I find) any eminently ſalt or ſulphureous waters; but there it admits the nitrous Windruſh, ſo well impregnated with that absterſive ſalt, that no place yields Blanketing ſo notoriouſly white, as is made at Witney, a Mercat Town on that River, and upon this account the moſt eminent in England for that kind of Trade; though I am not ignorant, that ſome add another cauſe joyntly contributing with the afore-mentioned, to the excellency of theſe Blankets; of which more at large when I come to treat of Arts.

13. Somwhat lower, about Caſsington, it receives the Evenlode, a River whoſe Banks, eſpecially near the Fountain heads, are very well ſaturated with both the Minerals: witneſs the waters that riſe a little above Sir Thomas Pennyſton's, in the Pariſh of Cornwell, from a ſort of Earth that may well paſs for a Marle; and the briniſh Bog near Churchill-mill, which though upon the ſurface of the ground ſeems to have no communication with the adjoyning Rivulet, yet being ſo near, and the Glebe all thereabout being to be preſumed of a like nature, it muſt needs lick ſome of the Mineral in its paſſage. About Kingham I was told of a ſulphureous Earth, and that ſome of the Waters there were of ſuch an odour; but whether true or no, I am ſure on the other ſide the water, at a place called Bould in the Pariſh of Idbury, it is manifeſtly ſo; which being not far from the River, at leaſt not from the Stream that runs by Foſcot, and ſo into it, in all likelyhood may impart to the waters hereabout no mean quantity of its more volatile parts. Upon the Cherwell we have a ſalt Spring runs immediatly into it; and perhaps the ſulphureous Glebe of Deddington may ſomwhere reach the River. The Banks of the Thame are ſo well ſated with ſome kind of acid, that no well-water in the whole Town of the name, will either brew, or lather with ſoap: But none of theſe give a tincture ſo high, that they can be perceived by the moſt exquiſite palate, but only ſo 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 ſo ſpirituous and active a quality, that upon opening ſome of the Cask, and holding the candle near the bung-hole, its ſteams have taken fire like Spirit of wine, and ſomtimes endanger'd firing the ShipPhiloſoph. Tranſact. Num. 27. pag. 495. . Hence 'tis alſo that its ſtench is no abſolute corruption, and that after a third or fourth fermentation, it equals the waters of the Well in the Haven of Brunduſium Plin. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 2. cap. 103. , and ſtinks no more; and though the Mariners are ſomtimes forced to drink it and hold their noſes, yet upon that account they do not ſicken; whereas all other waters, as far as has been hitherto obſerved, become irrecoverable upon ſtinking, and dangerous to drink.

14. Cardan in his Comment upon Hippocrates De Aere Aquis & locis ſuper Text. 3. , takes the plenty and goodneſs of the Fiſh, to be a ſure indication of the wholſomneſs of waters. And our Country-man, the ingenious Dr Browne General Deſcription of Hungary, pag. 10. , ſpeaking of the great fecundity of the River Tibiſcus, admits it into conſideration, whether its exceeding fertility may not be aſcribed to the ſaline Tinctures it receives from the natural ſalt Mines it licks by the way: which opinions if approved, as rationally they may be, ſhew the health of our waters and the reaſon of it too: for though we muſt not compare our Iſis with Tibiſcus or Brodrack; the one whereof is ſaid to conſiſt of two parts of water, and one of Fiſh; and the other ſo repleniſh'd with them, that in Summer when the River is low, the People ſay, The water ſmells of Fiſh: yet in the year 1674. it gave ſo ample teſtimony of its great plenty, that in two days appointed for the Fiſhing of Mr Major and the Bayliffs of the City, it afforded betwixt Swithins-Wear, and Woolvercot-bridge (which I gueſs may be about three miles diſtant) fifteen hundred Jacks, beſide other Fiſh; which great fecundity, as it argues the goodneſs of the Element, ſo 'tis no whether to be referr'd, as to its original cauſe, but to the various Salts upon which depend the propagation of all ſorts of Species'sWillis, de Ferment. cap. 2. ; and as far as concerns this part of the Animal Kingdom, are plentifully to be found at the bottoms of ſome Rivers.

15. And I ſaid the rather at the bottoms of Rivers, not only becauſe Bodies from Salts have their ſolidity and weightWillis de Ferment. cap. 2. , and therefore may well be preſumed to reſide in the loweſt places: but becauſe 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 ſurprizing it may ſeem to the Reader, is neither unintelligible nor yet ridiculous: for beſide matter of fact wherein they all conſent, viz. that they frequently meet the Ice-meers (for ſo they call the cakes of Ice thus coming from the bottom) in their very riſe, and ſomtimes in the under-ſide including ſtones and gravel brought with them ab imo, it ſeems upon conſideration alſo conſonant to reaſon: for that congelations come from the conflux of Salts, before diſpers'd at large, is as plain as the vulgar experiment of freezing a pot by the fire; and that induration and weight come alſo from thence, ſufficiently appears from the great quantities of them that are always found in ſtones, bones, teſtaceous, and all other weighty bodiesWillis de Ferment. cap. 12. . Now whatever makes things compact and ponderous, muſt needs be indued with the ſame qualities it ſelf, and therefore affect ſuitable places; ſo that why ſtanding Pools ſhould freez at the top, might poſſibly, have proved the greater difficulty of the two, had not the Learned Dr Willis already cleared the point, by ſhewing us, that all ſtanding waters are more or leſs in a ſtate of putrefaction Willis de Ferment. cap. 8. , with their ſalts and ſulphurs ready for flight, and in that poſture catch'd by the adventitious cold, are probably ſo congealed at the top of the water. How conſonant 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, ſo my other opinions hereafter to be mentioned, are not magiſterially laid down, ſo as to juſtle out better whenever they can be brought, but fairly to have their tryal, and ſo live or dye. But as to the matter of Fact, as I cannot but think it hard that ſo many people ſhould agree in a falſity, ſo methinks 'tis as difficult they ſhould miſtake in their judgments, ſince I was told by one of the ſobereſt of that calling, that he once knew a Hatchet caſually fall over-board into the River near Wallingford, which was afterwards brought up, and found in one of theſe Icemeers.

16. And ſo much for the ſalts that give life to the waters, multiply the Fiſh, and are the cauſe of congelations; for the watry Plants it ſeems have their vegetation from none of theſe, but a higher principle, which ſome will have to be a volatile Niter, brought along with the ſhowers in their paſſage through the Air. That ſubaqueous Plants have a proportionable growth to thoſe on the Land after a ſhower of rain, is alſo the general voice of the Barge-men; and herein I am the rather inclin'd to believe them, becauſe 'tis a matter ſo much their intereſt to obſerve; our watermen here in theſe ſhallow Rivers, praying not ſo much for rain to fill them when low, as that weeds may alſo grow to help keep the waters when they have them, which will otherwiſe too ſoon glide away, to their no ſmall detriment. Some have thought this vigorous ſhooting of the aqueous Plants, ſo preſently ſenſible after plentiful ſhowers, to proceed rather from the ſoyls brought with them from the hills, and impregnated with ſalts fit to promote vegetation; but the contrary is evident from the former Paragraphs, for with ſuch as theſe the Rivers are daily ſated, and yet this brisk vegetation is wanting till it rains: whence I gueſs that terrestrial and ſubaqueous Plants (that I ſay not ſuch as delight in uliginous places) have their ſprightful ſhooting from different principles; and if to the former I ſhould aſſign a more fix'd, and to the latter a volatile ſalt, perchance I might not be much out of the way: but it being not ſo much my buſineſs to find the reaſons of phaenomena, as to give the Reader ſuch hints as may lead his greater ſagacity to do it; I forbear ſaying more, & manum de tabula, only advertiſing him, that what has been ſaid of the Iſis may be indifferently applyed to the reſt of the greater Rivers, of which neither have I any thing more to add, but an unuſual accident that happened to the Cherwell, An. 1662/3, which without one drop of rain, or any other viſible cauſe here, but from great and ſudden ſhowers that fell in Northampton-ſhire, ſwelled to that vaſt height, that in two hours time, not only the Medows were o're-flown, Magdalen College cellar drowned, and their raiſed Water-walks cover'd; but the River Iſis driven back as far as Ivy-Hincksey, at leaſt a mile from the confluence of the two Rivers.

17. But amongſt the many ſmaller Rivulets, perchance it may not be unworthy notice. (1.) That the two conſiderable Rivers of Stour and Ouſe, though but ſmall here and running but little way in it, yet riſe in this County; the one at Swalcliff, which goes into the Severn Sea in the weſt; and the other at Fritwell, whence it runs into the Sea between Lincoln-ſhire and Norfolk in the eaſt of England. And (2.) that the Fountain-heads of the River Rea lye for the moſt part in a plain Country, having little more to feed them, than juſt a declivity to facilitate their paſſage; which ſeems to argue, that all running waters owe not their continuance to rain and dews, collected as they ſay, on the ſpungy tops of hills, and ſent forth again ſomwhere in the declivity. And ſo do's a a ſmall Spring at Cleydon, that riſes in the ſtreet on the ſouth ſide of the Town, which continues running all the year, but moſt plentifully like the Scatebra of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 2. cap. 103. , in the dryeſt weather: to which add a Well at Ewelme, alſo ſouth of the Church, whoſe Springs run loweſt in the Winter ſeaſon, and advance in the Summer remarkably higher; as I am credibly informed from Lambourn in Berk-ſhire, all the Springs in that Town moſt conſtantly do. But I decline all engagement in this great Controverſie concerning the origin of Springs, till my Travels have ſupplyed me with more, and more certain evidences, as well for the one as other part of the queſtion.

18. That Land-ſprings, and ſuch as run but once perpahs in many years, have their riſe and continuance from plentiful ſhowers, I think we have little reaſon to doubt, ſince we have them not at all, or but very weak in any Summer, or the dryer Winters: ſuch are thoſe that fore-tell (and naturally enough) the ſcarcity and dearneſs of Corn and Victuals; whereof that of Aſſenton, near Henly upon Thames, is one of the moſt eminent that I know of in England; and no queſtion is the ſame mentioned by Johannes Euſeb. Nierembergius De Miracul. Nat. lib. 2. c. 26. , in his Book (as he calls it) of the Miracles of Nature. In Britanniae territorio Chiltrenſi ſunt fontes multi, &c. by which, I ſuppoſe, he muſt mean the Chiltern Country of Oxford-ſhire, There are, ſays he, many Springs, which in fertile years are always dry; but before any defect, as the Harbingers of an approaching dearth, theſe waters get looſe, and as it were breaking priſon, they quickly unite into a forcible ſtream. And ſo they did lately, in An. 1674. with that violence, that ſeveral Mills might have been driven with the Current; and had not the Town of Henly made ſome diverſion for them, their Fair Mile muſt have been drowned for a conſiderable time. Of theſe there are many in the County of Kent, which I know not for what reaſon they call Nailbourns there, and preſcribe them (ſome will) a certain time for their running, as once in ſeven, ten, or fifteen years. But the certain natural principle of ſuch Springs, altogether depending upon an uncertain cauſe, no heed is to be given to ſuch kind of ſtories, they being equally as vain as the perſons that broach'd them.

19. Beſide theſe conſtant and intermitting Rivulets, that always diſcharge themſelves into Seas or Lakes, we have others here of a peculiar kind that empty themſelves into neither of them: but as they firſt roſe out of the Earth, ſo preſently after a ſhort ſtay on it, ingulf themſelves again, and are no more ſeen. Two of theſe there are at Shot-over Foreſt, both riſing as I take it on the north ſide of the hill; the one not far from Heddington Quarry-pits, is conſtantly fed with a double Spring, yet after it has run about two Bows ſhoot, is received by a rocky ſubterraneous indraught, and appears no more: for though ſome have thought it to come forth again at the Pool of a Mill not far from it, yet after diligent ſearch I could find no ſuch matter. Another there is not far from Foreſt-hill, and I think in the Grounds of Sir Timothy Tyrrill, which ſomtimes in Winter runs with that violence, and has worn its In-let to ſuch a capacity, that it can and has received an Ox.

20. Other waters again are of ſo ſlow a pace, that they ſeem rather to ſweat than run out of the Earth, part whereof being ſpent in exhalation, and the reſt in ſating the dry neighboring Earth, do neither reach the Sea, are received in Lakes, nor ſwallowed up like the former, but of themſelves are ſtopt upon the very ſurface. And yet I have obſerved, and believe rightly too, that theſe are the moſt durable Land ſprings we have, witneſs that famous one of this kind at Nettlebed, which I know not from what old Witch heretofore, by way of deriſion, they call Mother Hibblemeer; whereas if we conſider how ſerviceable ſhe has been, being never known to fail them in the dryeſt Summer, and that in a Country ſo uncapable of Wells, that there's no ſuch thing to be found in the Pariſh, ſhe rather merits the eſteem of the Nymph of the place.

21. In Weſtphalia they have a Spring they call their Bolderborn Varenii Geog. lib. 1. cap. 17. prop. 15. , from a noiſe that it makes at the exit of the water; whether ours may deſerve the name, I know not, but ſuch a one there is in the Pariſh of Glympton, in a wood about a mile ſouth-weſt from the Church, in a place where there are ſtones in the form of Cockles; upon which account hereafter I ſhall mention it again. The Springs, as I remember, are in number three, and the moſt ſouthern one of theſe 'tis that has the humming noiſe, much like that of an empty bottle held with the mouth againſt the wind, which perhaps may be a reſemblance ſo befitting our purpoſe, that it may help to explain the cauſe as well as the ſound: for provided the channel be large within, and the paſſage forth ſomwhat narrow like a bottle, the colliſion of the water againſt the lips of the orifice, may well make a noiſe in a large vault within, eſpecially if the waters be indued with a ſpirit, as peradventure anon may be proved like enough.

22. Which is all I have to ſay concerning the flux of Rivulets, but that one there is at Sommerton makes a ſmall Caſcade, or fall of water about ſeven foot high; which were it not in the highway, but in a Gentlemans Garden, ſome uſe might be made on't for divers good purpoſes, but as the caſe ſtands I think it can have none, except for experiments of petrifications, for which ſure it cannot but be very excellent, ſince the living blades of graſs of not above half a years growth, within that ſmall time are all covered with ſtone, and hang down the bank like ſo many Iſicles; and the Earth it ſelf over which it glides, as 'twere foliated over with a cruſt of ſtone like the Moſco petroſo of Ferrante Imperato Dell' Hiſt. Natural. lib. 27. cap. 8. . Which brings me to a cloſer conſideration of waters, as they are eminently endued with any peculiar qualities, of Petrification, Saltneſs, or Medicinal uſe; 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 effects they produce; and the effects again, as the ſubjects they work on; yet I am inclined to believe that they all agree thus far, that they proceed in the main from the ſame ſtock and linage, and are all more or leſs of the kindred of Salts, which ſublimed and rarified in the bowels of the Earth into an inviſible ſteam, are received by the waters as their moſt agreeable vehicle, and brought hither to us at the riſing of Springs, as inviſibly as the particles of ſilver or gold, when each is diſſolved in its proper menſtruum: where meeting perchance with an ambient Air, much colder and chilling than any under ground, in all likelyhood are precipitated, and thrown down on ſuch ſubjects, as they caſually find at the place of their exit, which they preſently cloath with a cruſt of ſtone; or elſe (where precipitation or coheſion will not ſuffice) they paſs with the waters through the pores of the ſubjects, and are left behind in them juſt as in a filter.

24. The reaſon of which difference may probably be, tha • ſome of theſe petrifying ſteams or atoms, may be groſs and more bulky than ſome others are, and cannot be held up in the watry vehicle, without ſuch a heat as they have under ground, but fall, and by reaſon of their bigneſs, do not penetrate, but adhere to their ſubjects; whereas others that are fine, more minute and ſubtile, are eaſily ſupported in a volatile condition, and paſs with the waters into the cloſeſt textures.

25. If any body doubt whether ſtones, and ſo petrifications, ariſe from Salts, let him but conſult the Chymiſts, and aſk, Whether they find not all indurated Bodies, ſuch as ſtones, bones, ſhells, and the like, moſt highly ſated with the ſaline principle? Some mixture of Earth and Sulphur 'tis true there is in them, which give the opacity that moſt ſtones have; from which, according as they are more or leſs free, they have proportionable transparency, and ſom hardneſs too; as the beſt of gems, the Diamant, evinces. And if he ſhall ask what Salts are the apteſt to perform this feat of petrification, though the difficulty of the queſtion might well excuſe me, yet I'le venture thus far to give him an anſwer, That I have frequently ſeen at Whitſtable in Kent, how their Coperas or Vitriol is made out of ſtones that 'tis more then probable were firſt made out of that: to the Spirit of which Vitriol if you add Oyl of Tartar, they preſently turn into a fix'd and ſomwhat hard ſubſtance, not much inferior or unlike to ſome incruſtations; which ſeems to conclude, that from theſe two, all ſuch like concretions are probably made; and that could we but admit that Ocean of Tartar, which Plato Anton. Galataeus de fluminum generibus. placed in the center of the Earth, and thought the origin of all our Springs, the buſineſs of petrifications were ſufficiently clear. To which I alſo add in the behalf of Vitriol, what's matter of fact, and prevails with me much, That where-ever I find ſtrong Vitriol waters, the petrifying ones are ſeldom far off; which as far as I have obſerved, I believe may be reduced to theſe three kinds that preſently follow.

26. Incruſtations, are petrifications made by ſuch waters as let fall their ſtony particles, which becauſe either of their own bigneſs, or cloſeneſs of the pores and texture of the Body on which they fall, are fixt only to the ſuperficial parts, as it were, by aggregation, and do not enter the ſolid body; of which I have met with ſeveral in Oxford-ſhire, and particularly at Sommerton, as was above-mentioned, where the graſs, being one of the fluviatilia, is covered over with a ſoft ſtone; and yet ſo, that broken off, the graſs appeared (for any thing I could ſee) as freſh and green as any other not cruſted, nothing of the blade being alter'd or impaired, which is the neareſt incruſtation I ever yet ſaw: for though ſome of theſe petrified blades of graſs hung down at leaſt a foot in length, yet ſlipping them off from about the root, I could take the graſs by the end, and pull it clean out as it were from a ſheath of ſtone, ſo little of coheſion had the one to the other: the reaſon of which I gueſs may be, that the pores of the Plant poſſeſt with its own juice, and already furniſh'd with a congenial ſalt, might well refuſe adventitious ones.

27. And yet far otherwiſe is it, but juſt on the other ſide the River at North-Aſhton, in a Field north-west of the Church, where either the petrifying water, or plants, are ſo different from what before I had found them at Sommerton, that though there too the work be begun by adheſion, yet the roots of ruſhes, graſs, moſs, &c. are in a while ſo altogether eaten away, that nothing remains after the petrification is compleated, but the figures of thoſe Plants with ſome augmentation.

28. And petrifications of this kind I frequently meet with, that happen on things of much different ſubſtances, as ſhells, nuts, leaves of trees, and many times on their moſt ligneous parts. In the Pariſh of St Clements in the Suburbs of Oxford, about a quarter of a mile diſtant, on the right hand of the firſt way that turns eaſt-ward out of Marſton-lane, there is a ditch, the water whereof incruſtates the ſticks that fall out of the hedge, and ſome other matters it meets with there: but this is ſo inconſiderable, that I ſhould not have mention'd it, but that it has been taken notice of by ſo many before, that my ſilence herein would have looked like a defect. Much better for this purpoſe is the water of a Pump at the Croſs-Inn near Carfax, in the City it ſelf, which not only incruſtates boards fallen into it, but inſerts it ſelf ſo intimately into the pores of the wood, that by degrees rotting it away, there is in the end the ſucceſſion of a perfect ſtone; and that not without ſome courſe repreſentation of the very lineaments of the wood it ſelf: Which though I muſt confeſs to be of ſomwhat a higher kind of petrification than incruſtation, yet it being wholly performed by acceſſion of parts, and continual intruſion into the open pores of rotten wood, will not amount to the warranty of a different ſpecies.

29. A curious pattern I have of this kind, in a piece of wood given me by Mr Pomfret School-maſter of Woodſtock (whoſe care in my enquiries I muſt not forget) wherein nature has been ſo ſeaſonably taken in her operation, that the method ſhe uſes is eaſily diſcovered; for being interrupted in the midſt of her work, one may plainly ſee how the ſtony atoms have intruded themſelves, as well at the center as ſuperficies, and ſo equally too into all parts alike, that 'tis hard to diſcern in any part of it, whether ſtone or wood obtain the better ſhare.

30. Petrifications of this kind are always friable, and though ſomtimes they faintly ſhew the grain, yet never, that I could ſee, keep the colour of the wood; in the fire they are as incombuſtible as any other ſtone, and loſe nothing of their extenſion, but their colour for the moſt part ſeems to alter toward white: in diſtilled Vinegar they remain indiſſoluble, though not without the motion (as Mr Hook Micograph. Obſ. 17. well obſerves) that the ſame ſpirit has when it corrodes Corals, yielding many little bubbles, which in all probability (as he ſays) are nothing elſe but ſmall parcels of Air driven out of its ſubſtance by that inſinuating Menſtruum, it ſtill retaining the ſame extenſion: but in aqua fortis, the Sommerton cruſt was wholly diſſolved into a white ſubſtance, not unlike the white waſh uſed by Plaisterers. All of them increaſe the bulk of the ſubject on which they work; and moſt of them, as the ingenious Mr Hooke alſo further notes, ſeem to have been nothing more but rotten wood, before the petrification began.

31. But ſome others I have ſeen of a far nobler kind, that ſhew themſelves likely to be petrifications per minima, and performed with a ſteam ſo fine, as permeates the very ſchematiſm and texture of the body, that even to a Microſcope ſeems moſt ſolid, and muſt in all likelyhood be as tenuious as the ſubtileſt effluviums that come from a Magnet; ſome whereof are ſo unlike rotten wood, that they keep the colour and texture of heart of Oak, and are ſome of them ſo hard that they cut Glaſs: and with one of them, that ſeems formerly to have been a piece of Ground-aſh, I ſtrook fire to light the candle whereby I write this. But I have nothing more to ſay of it here, becauſe I gueſs the change not to have been wrought by water; that therefore I offer not violence to the Chapter of Earths, by which I thank this, and all other of the kind, I have met with in Oxford-ſhire have been performed; I forbear, and proceed to the other ſalt waters that are more eminently ſuch, and do not petrifie.

32. And amongſt them, we muſt remember to reckon all ſuch as are unfit for waſhing, and will not take Soap; for though theſe to our taſt are not ſenſibly ſalt, yet to our touch (as the Learned Willis De Ferment. cap. 9. notes) they are harſh and unpleaſant, 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 inſtantly lathers, except ſuch as hold an acid ſalt, and diſcover themſelves ſuch upon evaporation. To which may be added this very eaſie Experiment, That if to ſimple water, and ſuch as before would lather well, you add ſome few drops of Spirit of Vitriol, or ſome ſuch like acid, it preſently refuſes to mix with ſoap: The reaſon of which ſeems indeed to be no other, but the congreſs of the acid ſalt of the water, with the fix'd and alcalizate one of the ſoap, which it ſo wholly ſubdues to its own inclinations, that it will not permit it any longer to hold the oily parts of the ſoap, or mix them with the water; but now viſibly increaſed both in quantity and weight, by the conſiderable acquest of this new priſoner, it may alſo perhaps ſo fill up the pores and little cells of the water, that the excluded ſulphur or oily parts of the ſoap (as in their ſeparate nature) are forced to the ſurface.

33. Many of theſe waters are every where found, and according to ſome, all Pump waters are ſuch; but that they are miſtaken, my experience has taught me, for I have met with ſome that will lather very well.

34. At Henly they are troubled with many of them but not ſo much as they are at Thame; for there they have a way to let them ſtand two days, within which time (as I was informed by my worthy Friend Mr Munday, Phyſitian there) the Vitriol, or whatever other acid it be, falls down to the bottom of the Veſſels that hold them, and then they will waſh as well as one can deſire. But at Thame, where there is never a Well in the whole Town whoſe water will waſh, or (which is worſe) brew: This Experiment, for I cauſed it to be tryed, will by no means ſucceed; ſo that were they not ſupplyed by the adjoyning Rivulet, the place muſt needs be in a deplorable condition. The reaſon, I ſuppoſe, why the acid will not fall, as it do's at Henly and ſome other places, is becauſe theſe waters, beſide their ſalt, in all probability alſo hold a crude Sulphur, whoſe viſcous particles do ſo tenaciouſly embrace it, that it will not admit of any ſeparation; which may alſo perhaps be a hint to the cauſe why their Beer will ſtink 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 active ſpirituous particles of Mault, (as I gueſs the caſe may have it ſelf here) the frame of that mixtion may probably be looſed, wherein the ſpirits firſt taking their flight, the Sulphur will next begin to evaporate, whoſe ſteams being ſmartly aculeated by the ſalt, that then bears the chief ſway in the ſubject, cauſe the ſtink of the Beer that is brewed with ſuch water.

35. Other waters there are that are palatably ſalt, and ſufficiently ſtinking without being brewed, and ſuch is that before-mentioned near Churchill-mill: but I think within the bounds of the Pariſh of Kingham; The water as it ſtands looks of a greeniſh colour, as moſt of the palatably ſalt waters do, and do it reſort all the Pigeons in the Country; which ſhould they not do, I ſhould much wonder, ſince beſides its ſaltneſs it has ſuch a ſtink, that it equals the ſalt ſtone, and roaſted dog too: ſo that ſhould the Proprietor but build a Dove-houſe here, he might honeſtly rob all his neighbors of their flights; but that he may not put it to ſo invidious a uſe, I ſhall divert him anon by a more profitable way.

36. As to the ſalt that impregnates this water, I do not take it to be a ſimple one, but ſome Mineral concrete both of ſalt and ſulphur; for without theſe two be in their exaltation, and become ſo far fluid as to endeavor a divorce from each other, it could never acquire ſo noiſom a ſmell. Which concrete ſhould I call a ſalt Marine, peradventure I might not be much miſtaken; for if you take but a ſmall quantity of thrice calcined Bay ſalt, and diſſolve it in a pint of Well-water, upon diſſolution you will have much ſuch an odour, as has been obſerved by a late Author in a ſhort account of the Sulphur Well at Knarsborough Simpſons Hydrolog. Chym part. 2. .

37. Nor hinders it at all that the Sea is ſo remote, ſince whether ſprings have any communication with it or no, ſuch marine ſalts may be had very well; for if the Sea grow ſalt by the Earth that it licks, which I take to be as certain as that 'tis not ſo by torrefaction; then if it be poſſible we may have ſuch Earths, as give the Sea thoſe ſalino-ſulphureous tinctures, it's altogether as poſſible we may have ſuch waters too, without any neceſſity of ſuch communication.

38. If it be objected, That the waters of the Sea ſend forth no ſuch ſtench as we find theſe do, let it be conſidered that the flux of the one, and ſtagnation of the other, may well occaſion ſuch a difference; whil'ſt the Sea-waters are in their motion, 'tis true their ſalts and ſulphurs ſo involve one another, that their mutual imbraces hinder all evaporations; but whenever they come to ſtand but awhile, as they do moſt times in the holds of Ships, then their ſulphurs evaporate with as great a ſtink, as can be ſuppoſed ours have here at Land; and this the Ships pump doth frequently witneſs, to the great content of all that travel by Sea, it being a ſure indication of the Ships health, which abundantly recompences the inconvenience of the ſtench.

39. Such another I have heard of in the Pariſh of Chadlington, in the grounds of one Mr Rawliſon there, not differing in any thing at all from the former, but only it's ſomwhat ſtronger of the marine ſalt: this I muſt confeſs I ſaw not my ſelf, yet having my information from ſo knowing a Perſon, and of ſo unqueſtionable fidelity as Sir Thomas Pennyſton, I doubt not at all the truth of the thing.

48. A ſalt ſpring there is alſo at Clifton near Deddington, within a Quoits caſt of the River ſide: but its ſaline particles are ſo ſubtilized in the water, that they ſcarcely can at all be perceived by the palate, and yet it lays them down plentifully enough on the ſtones and Earth over which it paſſes. What ſort of ſalt this is, I care not to determine, becauſe it will be difficult not to miſtake; for upon evaporation of about a gallon, it yielded a ſalt of a urinous taſt: which at firſt I muſt confeſs was ſo ſurprizing to me, that I could not but think, that during my abſence, ſome waggiſh fellow had either put a trick on me, or elſe that I might have uſed ſome unfit veſſel; whereupon I cauſed a new earthen pot to be bought, well glaſed, and then repeated the Experiment very carefully, but found in the end all had been honeſt about me, for I had a ſalt again of the very ſame taſt.

41. How this ſhould come about I cannot divine, unleſs from the ſweat of the Bodies of Animals, it being much uſed in cuticular Diſeaſes; but this I think neither can well be; becauſe 'tis a conſtantly running ſpring, and would ſure carry off what might be left of that nature: I therefore wholly leave it to the Readers greater perſpicacity, and ſhall content my ſelf with this ſatisfaction, that however improbable the thing may ſeem, that in the mean time 'tis an improbable truth.

42. I have often ſince wiſh'd, that I had tryed this water with a ſolution of Alum, and ſeen whether it would have given any thing of that milky precipitation it do's with Ʋrines; which being then quite out of my head, is left to the tryal of ſome ingenious perſon that lives thereabout; though before-hand I muſt tell him, that I believe it will not ſucceed becauſe urinous ſubſtance ſeems not to be copious enough.

43. Divers might be the uſes of theſe waters, and particularly of the two firſt, as good, or perhaps better than that at Clifton, for cuticular Diſeaſes of Men and Beaſts; ſome whereof I have known carryed out of theſe Inland Countrys to the Sea ſide; whereas 'tis likely they might (in all the Diſtrempers for which we have recourſe thither) with much more eaſe have had a remedy at home.

44. But far more profitable muſt they ſurely be, if imployed to improve poor and barren Lands, which no queſtion might be done by caſting them on it. In Cheſhire Sir Hugh Plat's Jewel-houſe of Art and Nature, cap. 104. , near the Salt-pits of Nantwich, 'tis yearly practiced thus to brine their Fields; which though never done, but after the fall of great ſtore of Rain-waters into their pits, which before they can work again muſt be gotten out, and with it ſome quantity of their brine too, yet even with theſe but brackiſh waters do they ſo ſeaſon their adjoyning Lands, that they receive a much more profitable return, then they could have done from any ſoil or dung.

45. In Cornwall and Devonſhire, ſo conſiderable are their improvements by ſea-ſand, that it is carryed to all parts as far as they have the advantage of the water, and afterwards 10 or 12 miles up higher into the Country on horſes backs: At which I muſt confeſs I marvel not at all, ſince we are informed by an intelligent Gentleman of thoſe partsPhiloſoph. Tranſact. Num. 113. , that where-ever this ſand is uſed, the ſeed is much and the ſtraw little, (I have ſeen, ſaies he in ſuch a Place, good Barly, where the ear has been equal in length with the ſtalk it grew on) and after the Corn is off, that the graſs in ſuch places turns to Clover. Some of the beſt of this ſand, he ſaies, lies under Ouſe or Mud about a foot deep; and who knows but there may be ſuch a Sand under the briny Bog near Churchhill-mill, or at Chadlington? I am ſure the ſalt ſpring at Clifton comes from a ſand; if ſo, and the Farmers thereabout get ſuch Corn and Clover-graſs, I hope I ſhall not want the thanks of the Country.

46. However, I do not doubt but the water will ſerviceable, either to caſt on their Land, as at Nantwich, or to ſteep their Corn in before they ſow it, to preſerve it from all the inconveniencies formerly prevented by brining and liming it, and to ſtrengthen it in its growth.

47. Sir Hugh Plat Id. loco citato. tells us, of a poor Country-man who paſſing over an arm of the ſea with his Seed-corn in a ſack, by miſchance at his landing fell into the water, and ſo his Corn being left there till the next Ebb, became ſomwhat brackiſh; yet ſuch was the neceſſity of the Man, that (notwithſtanding he was out of all hope of any good ſucceſs, yet not being able to buy any other) he ſowed the ſame upon his plowed grounds; and in fine, when the Harveſt time came about, he reaped a crop of goodly Wheat, ſuch as in that year not any of his Neighbors had the like.

48. Now let the Owners or Farmers of theſe ſprings fit down and conſider of what has been ſaid, and if they ſhall think fit, make tryal of them, wherein, if they meet with ſucceſs, I only beg of them (which I ſhall 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 inſtrument in the diſcovery.

49. Having ſpoke of ſuch waters as cure faulty grounds, and cuticular diſtempers by external application, it followeth, that we treat of ſuch as are, or may be taken inwardly, and deſerve the repute of Medicinal waters. The firſt, and perchance the beſt of theſe, I found at Deddington, a ſmall Mercat Town, within the Cloſe of one Mr. Lane, where not long ſince digging a Well, and paſſing through a blew Clay, adorned with ſome glittering ſparks; and meeting by the way with pyrites argenteus, and a bed of Belemnites, or (as they call them) Thunder-bolts, He came within few yards to this water, of a ſtrong ſulphureous ſmell, the moſt like of any thing I can think of, to the water that has been uſed in the ſcouring a foul gun: in weight lighter than pure Spring-water by an ℥js. in a quart, and yet after ſeveral tryals, I found it ſo highly impregnated with a vitrioline ſalt as well as ſulphur, 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 ſo alter the ſite and poſition of the particles, as to give a different colour and conſiſtence, as it happens in waters but meanly ſated; but in a quarter of an hour did ſo condenſe and conſtipate the pores of the watery vehicle, that the excluded particles of the Minerals appeared in a ſeparate ſtate, curdled in the Veſſel, and of ſo weighty a ſubſtance, that they ſubſided to the bottom in a dark blue colour.

50. The ſediment being great in quantity, I tryed upon red hot Irons, and ſome other ways, to ſee whether the ſalts or ſulphur, either by colour, ſcintillation, or odour, might not by that means betray themſelves; but with ſmall ſucceſs: whereupon I betook me to diſtillation, putting about a quart into a glaſs body, to which fitting a head and clean receiver, I gave an eaſie heat, till there was diſtilled off about three or four ounces, which when poured out, I found had neither ſmell, taſt, or any other properties, that might diſtinguiſh it from any other ſpring water diſtilled: for with galls it would make no more alteration than any other ſimple common water would. Then ordering the fire to be ſlackned, to ſee what precipitate it would let fall; upon filtration of what remained in the body, I procured only a pale calx of a gritty ſubſtance, ſhewing, as it dryed in the Sun, many tranſparent particles intermix'd: in taſt it had a faint pleaſant piercing, with a gentle warmth diffuſed on the tongue; but pouring on it Spirit of Vitriol, Oyl of Tartar, &c. I could not perceive any manifeſt ebullition, ſo as to judge whether the ſalt contained in this reſidence, were either of the acid or lixiviate kind.

51. Wherefore to come cloſer to the point, and taking directions from that accurate, ſevere, and profound Philoſopher, the Honorable Robert Boyle Eſq the glory of his Nation, and pride of his Family; and to whoſe moſt ſignal Encouragement of the Deſign in hand, theſe Papers, in great part, owe their birth: I took good Syrup of Violets, impregnated with the tincture of the Flowers, and drop'd ſome of it into a glaſs of this water as it came from the Well; whereupon, quite contrary to my expectation, not only the Syrup, but the whole body of the water turned not of a red, but a brisk green colour, the Index of a lixiviate, and not that acid Vitriol, which I before had concluded on from the infuſion of galls. The Phaenomenon at firſt was very ſurpriſing, till I had further weighed the cautious Expreſſions of that Noble Author Hiſt. of Colours, Exper. 20. , and found, that he reſtrains the Experiment of the Syrup of Violets, turning red with acids, with proviſion always they be diſtilled Liquors; and what he ſeems to hint in a former ExperimentIbid. Exper. 10. , that ſulphureous ſalts, (ſuch as the Vitriol of this water will anon more plainly appear to be) being of a quite contrary nature, may have different effects: which may alſo be the reaſon why this ſulphureous water, notwithſtanding it moſt certainly poſſeſſes an acid ſalt, will yet as certainly lather with ſoap, and raiſe a greater ſud than other waters commonly do; and if put into milk, though boiled up to the height, will not ſeparate the more groſs from the ſerous parts of it: effects ſo uſually following upon ſuch applications, that perhaps till now they have always been ſuppoſed, never as yet to have happened otherwiſe.

52. But Experience, that great baffler of ſpeculation, aſſures us the contrary to be poſſible enough, and brings matter of fact to confute our ſuppoſitions in the very tryal of this water, wherein the great quantity of Vitriol, is yet ſo cloſe lock'd up by the viſcous particles of Sulphur, and thereby rendered ſo dull and unactive, that it cannot exert its enmity to (as Dr Mayow De Thermis Bathonienſibus, ſub finem.) or friendly embraces with (as Dr Willis De Ferment. cap. 11. ) the alcalizate ſalt it finds in the ſoap; on ſo compreſs the pores of the milk, as therby to cauſe a precipitation: but having as it were thus put on the nature of a fix'd ſalt, acts not upon its like, nor longer enjoys the aſtringent power of an acid.

53. And under this vizor of a fix'd Alcali it was, that it acted its part, and with Syrup of Violets, gave a green tincture; unleſs we may allow its ſalt to be a volatile Alcali, with which alſo that Syrup turns to the ſame colour: to admit ſuch a thought 'tis true is very hard, yet finding but a mile off, at Clifton as above-mentioned, a Spring ſtrangely ſated with ſuch a kind of ſalt; I adventur'd to try another Experiment of the aforeſaid Honorable Author, and according as he directsHiſt. of Colours. Exper. 40. , made a ſolution of ſublimate in fair water (the only Criterion I yet know of, that plainly diſtinguiſhes the two Alcali's) to which I added this Well-water, in great, ſmall, and the intermediate quantities: but it anſwer'd not at all the deſign of the Experiment, not giving the tawny, much leſs the white precipitate: Whence 'tis eaſie to conclude, that this alſo ſucceeds only in diſcriminating Chymical ſalts, as that great Virtuoſo well obſerves, and not in the immediate products of Nature.

54. One thing more I could not but obſerve, that notwithſtanding the powers of the Vitriol are thus reſtrained in reference to its acting on ſoap and milk, that yet it has its uſual effect upon Iron: for the corroſion of the Pump-rod I muſt believe to proceed from Vitriol, till any one upon better grounds can convince me, that 'tis likely it may be from ſomwhat elſe; and yet this neither do I conceive to be done, but by ſuch ſteams as aſcend in the Well, and are freed from the ſhackles of Sulphur, much queſtioning whether the Pump-rod under, or near the bottom of the water, be eaten ſo or no.

55. To this add, that although the Sulphur do's exerciſe ſuch dominion over, and ſo cloſely knits up the Vitriol, whil'ſt together in the water, yet it may and do's too, let go its hold; and like, what is reported by Henricus ab Heers of his Spadacrene, and the Sauvenir by Frambeſarius, can hardly be kept within any bounds, but expires through glaſſes ſtopt never ſo cloſe; 'tis true, I had not the conveniency there of putting it under the Hermetick ſeal, but ſo eaſie a paſſage it made through a good cork cover'd over with wax, and both bound down with a double leather, that in ſix miles riding it loſt all its virtues, not giving then any tincture with galls, and having but a faint putrid ſmell of the Sulphur: Whether it loſt in weight or bulk, as well as volatile Spirits, I muſt acknowledge I was not then enough curious to obſerve; but imagine it might, ſince 'tis plain from its not tinging with galls, that not only the Sulphur, but alſo the Vitrioline particles exhale with it, and corporeally ſeiz on the next agreeable ſubject, which 'tis manifeſt they did on the above-mentioned Pump-rod.

56. Beſide the more conſiderable ingredients of Vitriol and Sulphur, 'tis evident that this water alſo holds ſome ſmall quantity of Naphtha, one of the liquid Bitumens, which flies not away like the two former, but after ſeparation of the parts, made either by precipitation with galls, or inſenſible evaporation, remains ſwiming on the top in a thin skin, variegated as it were with the colours of the Rain-bow, much after the ſame maner as 'tis frequently ſeen upon waters ſtanding in boggy grounds, or ſuch places where we dig the bituminous Earths called Peats: But whether this will burn at all, or with any ſuch bright flame exceeding that of ſulphur, asHen. ab Heers Spadacrene, cap. 4. Hen. ab Heers affirms of ſuch a film that covers the waters of his Spadacrene, if kept all night, I have left to ſome ingenious perſon thereabout, that has both more ſkill and leiſure to try.

57. At Banbury, another Mercat Town about four miles hence, at Dr Lanes Phyſitian there, Brother to the above-named Mr Lane of Deddington, and my very good Friend; there is alſo another ſulphur Well, much like the former in taſte, but not altogether of ſo ſtrong a ſmell, holding, I ſuppoſe, either much more ſalt than that, or a leſs tenacious ſulphur: for here I found not the energy of the Vitriol ſo fetter'd by the vigorous particles of ſulphur, but that it had power to make that hoſtile or friendly congreſs with the lixiviat ſalt of ſoap, and ſend the oily part to float at top, making no lather or mixtion with it; and alſo ſo to conſtipate the pores of boiled milk, as to ſeparate its parts into curds and whey. The quantity of ſalt appeared upon evaporation made by the ſaid Dr Lane ſince I was there, but how much to a quart or gallon he ſent me no word. This water has alſo a volatile part, collected by the ſaid Doctor, which I did not find that Deddington water had; upon the tongue it ſeems to have a little pricking, but nothing that I could perceive of a ſaltiſh taſt, wherefore trying further with a convenient Menſtruum, it at laſt confeſt it ſelf to be Flores ſulphuris, precipitating with the ſame ebullition, ſmell, and colour, that ſome others did I had from the ſhops.

58. Another of theſe of a ſulphureous ſmell that will not take ſoap, and turns milk, I found at Bould in the Pariſh of Idbury, in part of the poſſeſſions of one Mr Loggan, a worthy Gentleman, (whoſe aſſiſtance in the tryal of this water, and furtherance in my other buſineſs, I cannot without ingratitude ever forget:) which differs from the former only in this, that beſides its tinging red with powder of Galls, with ſpirit of Ʋrin it turns white, which (as I had obſerved before at Banbury) that would not do: whence I have ground to ſuſpect, that over and beſide the ingredients of that, here muſt in all likelyhood be ſomthing of Alum; and in this opinion I am the more confirmed, ſince I am informed, by the Controverſie between Dr Wittie and Mr Sympſon, that Vitriol and Alum are ſomtimes found together, as in the Cliff near the Scarborow Spaw. And that in Sweden Philoſoph. Tranſact. Num. 21. Vid. Olai Wormii, Muſaeum de eodem, cap. 9. there is a ſingle ſtone of a yellow colour, intermixed with ſtreaks of white, and very weighty, that affords Sulphur, Vitriol, Alum, and Minium; now that ſuch a ſtone is here, though I dare not aſſert, yet queſtionleſs there may be ſomthing not ſo altogether unlike, but whenever there is occaſion of digging there-about again, the ſtones and earth may deſerve examinationAt Snowdown-hill, in Carnarvan-shire, there are alſo ſuch stones. Dr. Merrets Pinax rerum Nat. p. 217. .

59. I ſhould next have proceeded to the waters impregnated with Vitriol only, but that I am called back to Deddington again by another water of a fetid odour, in ſtench much exceeding all before-mentioned. This I met with in a ſmall Cloſe behind a Barn, within a furlong or leſs of that at Mr. Lanes, having the Houſe where the Dutchy-Court is kept to the Eaſt, and the Guild Weſt, and belonging to Ch. Ch. Coll. in Oxon, in ſmell ſo perfectly reſembling that of rotten eggs, and accordingly ſo ſtrongly affecting the ſenſe, that I could not ſo much as put it to my mouth without danger at leaſt of ſtraining to vomit. Such a one as this is mentioned by Georgius Agricola Lib. De Natura eorum quoe effluunt ex terra., at the Caſtle of Steurewald in the Biſhoprick of Hildeſheim, within a mile of Haſda; where, ſays he, there is another Spring that ſends forth a ſtink, qualis est pulveris bombardae exſtincti: a deſcription ſo agreeable alſo to our ſulphur well at Deddington, that as I could not at firſt but wonder, that two ſuch waters ſhould be found at places ſo far aſunder, ſo ſtrangly alike; ſo it gave me a hint, that theſe waters in all probability might receive their tinctures from the ſame Minerals, and that their difference might only lye in the diſtances they have from the Mineral bed, or more Colanders the one may paſs through than the other. Agricola obſerves, that the water at Steurewald ſmelling like ours, much like rotten eggs, not only comes forth of a Marble Quarry, but that the belchings of ſuch as drink it faſting, give alſo the odour of brayed Marble. Whether ours have either ſuch a paſſage or effect, I muſt confeſs I cannot inform the Reader; my Purſe not affording me to try the one, nor my Stomach the other: However, I could wiſh it had not been ſtop'd up, as I hear it is ſince my being there, not only for the uſe it might have, but that Perſons better qualified than I, might have made the Experiments.

60. Of Vitriolate and Ferrugineous ſprings, there are alſo plenty in this County, one at Nether-Worton, and another at North-Weſton I found another ſince, near Whites-Oak in the Pariſh of North-Leigh. , within leſs than a Bolts-ſhot of each of their Churches; both of theſe, beſide their tinging with galls, let fall a ſediment of a ruſty colour; only with this difference, that Nether-Worton ſpring is much the quicker and clearer, though I doubt not the other might be very well amended, were but little charge beſtowed on it.

61. At Shipton under Which-wood there is another of theſe, at an Inn there whoſe ſign is the Red-horſe, but ſo weakly impregnated with the Mineral, that it ſcarce tinges ſenſibly with the powder of galls, yet lays down the ruſty ſediment in as great quantities as any of the reſt; and I have met with ſome at other places that have plentifully enough yielded this, which by no means could ever be brought to confeſs any thing of Vitriol, which has begotten a ſtrong ſuſpition in me, that this ruſty tincture may probably be the effluvium of ſome other Body, different from, and not of the chalybeat kind: for were it ſo, I cannot imagin but the ſalt of Mars muſt needs be diſcovered. However, herein I will not be poſitive, but propound it only as the ſubject of a ſeverer reſearch.

62. And of theſe I was told of a very odd one in the Pariſh of Heddington, near a place called the Wyke (I think) now ſtop'd up, that in the winter time would ſtrike with galls, but not in the ſummer: whereof may be given this very eaſie reaſon; that during the time of winter, the pores of the Earth being ſtopt, and the Mineral thereby not permitted to exhale, the water is then impregnated with it, and gives the tincture; whereas in the ſummer ſeaſon it expires ſo much, that the depauperated water can ſhew nothing of it. That waters do thus alter according to the Seaſons of the Year, I found alſo to be manifeſt from the waters of Deddington, which I found ſomtimes lighter, and at other times heavyer than common water, and to give much different ſediments at divers tryals with the ſame materials. And this I thought convenient to note, not only to excite Men to more critical Obſervations, but that the curious Explorator may not be ſtartled, in caſe he find them at any time not exactly to anſwer.

63. In the Park at Cornbury, not far from the Lodge, in a pit newly digged, there riſes a ſpring alſo of a Vitriol kind, colouring the mud and earth under it very black; into this pit, it being deſigned for a conſervatory of Fiſh, they put over night ſome of ſeveral ſorts, but found them next day in the morning all dead; which gave me good ground to ſuſpect (having juſt before met with a relation of Dr. Witties Anſwer to Hydrologia Chym. p. 25., That Carps put into a Copper Brewing-veſſel to be preſerved but for one night, were all found dead in like maner in the morning) that here might be ſomthing of that nature too; and that the Vitriol wherewith this water is ſated, might rather be that of Venus than Mars: And in theſe thoughts I was the more confirmed, when I quickly after was informed, of an odd kind of ſteam that roſe hereabout of a ſuitable effect. But of this no more, leaving its further conſideration to the Right Honorable and ingenious Proprietor of the place, and my ſingular good Lord, Henry Earl of Clarendon, a moſt effectual encourager of this deſign.

64. To theſe I muſt add another ſort of waters, which though in taſt they reſemble milk, muſt yet I believe be reduced to this Head, for I find, notwithſtanding their eminent ſweetneſs, they all refuſe to lather with ſoap, and therefore conclude them to hold ſome Acid: Of theſe we have ſeveral within the City of Oxford, one at a Pump over-againſt the Croſs Inn, another near the Mount in New College Garden, and a third at the Pump at Buckley Hall, now the dwelling houſe of one Mr. Bowman a Book-ſeller, and ſeveral other placesI heard of ſuch another ſomwhere near Wardington. : All which, notwithſtanding their lacteous taſt, I gueſs may be impregnated with ſomthing of Vitriol, which though of it ſelf it be a ſmart acid, yet its edge being rebated with a well concocted ſulphur, turns ſweet, and becomes of that more palatable guſt. And herein perhaps I have not gueſs'd amiſs, ſince we are informed by as eminent, as 'tis a vulgar Experiment, that the auſterity that Vitriol gives in the mouth, is corrected by the fumes of Tabacco taken quickly after it; whoſe ſulphureous particles, ſays the Learned Willis De Anima Brutorum, cap. 12. De Guſtatu., mixing with the ſaline pontic ones of the Vitriol, create ſuch a pleaſant and mellifluous taſt.

65. There are alſo two ſmall and very weak ſprings, of a lacteous colour but no ſuch taſt, in the way from South-ſtoke leading to Goreing, by the River ſide; not many years ſince of great repute in thoſe parts for Medicinal uſe, but now quite deſerted; whether upon account of the ineffectual uſe of them, or becauſe they are but temporary ſprings, ſub Judice lis eſt: The people will tell you they were very ſoveraign, and never ceaſed running till ſome advantage was made of the water, and that Providence till then with-held them not. This water iſſues forth from a fat whitiſh Earth, and has always a kind of unctuous ſkin upon it, yet to the taſt I thought it ſeemed dry and ſtiptical, as if it proceeded from a kind of Lime-ſtone, further within the Earth, and not to be ſeen.

66. But however the caſe may have it ſelf there, it is not ſo dubious, that at a Well in Oddington, there is a water of the calcarious kind, and proceeding ſure from ſome neighboring Limeſtone, which beſide its dry and restrictive taſt, more ſignally evidences it ſelf, in the providential cure of a local Diſeaſe amongſt Cattle, frequently catch'd by their graſing on Otmoor, and therefore by the Inhabitants thereabout commonly called by the name of the Moor-Evil: The Diſeaſe is a kind of flux of the belly, and correſponds (in a Man) to what we call a Dyſentery, whereby the Cattle ſo ſpend themſelves, that in little time from well and good liking, they fall in a maner to ſkin and bone, and ſo dye away unleſs prevented; which is certainly done by giving them dry meat, and ſuffering them to drink of this water only.

67. Beſide theſe we have many other waters, not apparently (at leaſt to ſenſe) of any Mineral virtue, yet without doubt have their tincture from ſome ſubterraneous ſteam, of a much finer than ordinary, and therefore unknown texture. Such are thoſe in many places accounted ſo ſoveraign for the Eyes, and cure of inveterate Ʋlcers, after the ineffectual tryals of the beſt Chirurgions: Theſe for the moſt part, and perhaps not undeſervedly, are commonly ſtiled Holy-wells, not only for the good they have formerly done, but for that they ſeem to be the immediate gift of God, and deſigned for the poor.

68. A very eminent one of theſe there is in the Pariſh of Sandford, not far from Great Tew, which within the memory of many thereabout, hath done great cures upon putrid and fetid old ſores, a long time before given over for incurable. Theſe waters have with them, according to the obſervations of the ingenious Doctor Beal Philoſ. Tranſact. Num. 57. , a kind of active friction, but intermingling with their aſperities ſuch a pleaſant titillation, as invites the Patient to rub on the terſive water, and will all along recompence the pain of ſearching the wound, with ſuch ſpeedy and indulgent degrees of ſanation, as mitigates the torment with variety of pleaſures.

69. And thus (as I am informed by perſons of unqueſtionable fidelity, that have often uſed them for their eyes, and in ſome other caſes) do the waters of St. Croſſes in the Suburbs of Oxford, whoſe Well was heretofore, and in ſome meaſure yet remains, ſo conſiderable for ſuch like purpoſes, that the great reſort of people to it has given occaſion of change to the name of the Pariſh, which to this very day we call now nothing but Holy-well.

70. But of much greater Fame was the Well of St. Edward, without St. Clements at Oxford, now quite ſtop'd up; but as 'tis remembred by ſome of the antienteſt of the Pariſh, was in the field above a furlong S. S. Weſt of the Church; this at leaſt was believed to be ſo effectual in curing divers diſtempers, and thereupon held to be of ſo great ſanctity, that here they made vows, and brought their alms and offerings; a cuſtom, though common enough in thoſe days, yet always forbidden by our Anglican Councils Canonibus ſub Edgaro. Can. 60. , under the name of Wilƿeorþuga [Wilveorthunga] more rightly tranſlated Well-worſhip than Will-worſhip, as is plainly made appear by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Hammond Annotat. • n Epiſt. Coloſſ. c. 2. v. 23. , out of an old Saxon Penitential, and a Saxon Homily of Biſhop Lupus; where the word ƿil is rather ſhewed to ſignifie fontem, than voluntatem. Againſt theſe ſuperſtitions ſo ordinary in thoſe days, there are ſeveral prohibitions in the fore-cited Penitential and Homily. And of which kind are alſo divers Injunctions to be ſeen in the Office of Lincoln, of Oliver Sutton; and amongſt them, one particularly againſt the worſhip of this Well of St. Edward, without St. Clements in Oxford, and St. Laurence's Well at Peterburgh, &c.

71. And ſo much for the Waters, with the Minerals they hold; and perhaps too much too in ſuch like matters, may ſome Man ſay, for an unſkilful Lawyer: Howver, ſince what has been ſaid, has not been magiſterially impoſed, but modeſtly only, and timerouſly conjectur'd; and ſince I have not invaded another Mans profeſſion, by ſo much as naming the Dſeaſes they may probably cure, except where they have a known reputation already, I hope I may evade the imputations of raſhneſs, or putting my ſickle into another Mans Harveſt.

OXFORD-SHIRE, ſays Mr. Cambden Britan. in Oxfordſhire., is a fertile County and plentiful, the Plains garniſhed with Corn-fields and Meddows, and the Hills beſet with Woods; ſtored in every place not only with Corn and Fruits, but alſo with all kind of Game for hound and hawk, and well water'd with Rivers plentiful of Fiſh. Which general deſcription of the Soil, though in the main it be true to this day, yet if we come to a more particular and cloſe conſideration of it, we ſhall find, that though Oxford-ſhire almoſt in every part, where the induſtry of the Huſbandman hath any thing ſhewed it ſelf, doth produce Corn of all ſorts plentifully enough; yet it has much more cauſe to brag of its Meddows, and abundance of Paſtures, wherein (as in Rivers) few Countrys may be compared, perhaps none preferr'd. And as to matter of Fruits, I think I may better aſſert of it what Giraldus do's of Ireland, Paſcuis tamen quam frugibus, gramine, quam grano, faecundior Comitatus, than groundleſly to commend it overmuch.

2. The Hills, 'tis true, before the late unhappy Wars, were well enough (as he ſays) beſet with Woods, where now 'tis ſo ſcarcy, that 'tis a common thing to ſell it by weight, and not only at Oxford, but at many other places in the Northern parts of the ſhire; where if brought to Mercat, it is ordinarily ſold for about one ſhilling the hundred, but if remote from a great Town, it may be had for ſeven pence: And thus it is every where but in the Chiltern Country, which remains to this day a woody Tract, and is (as I have very good ground to think) ſome of the weſtern part of the great Foreſt Andredesƿald, or Andredeslege, reaching, ſays Leland Lelandi Comment. in Cyg. Cant. in verbo Limenus., from beſide Portus Limenus in Kent, a 120 miles weſtward, which happily falls out to be about this place: To which had Caeſar ever arrived, he had never ſure left us ſuch an account, as we find in his Commentaries concerning our Woods: Materia, ſays he, cujuſque generis, ut in Gallia, praeter Abietem & fagum De Bello Gallico, lib. 5. ſub initium., i. e. that there was here all maner of wood, as in France, except the Fir and Beech: of the laſt whereof there is ſuch plenty in the Chiltern, that they have now there-about ſcarce any thing elſe; but it lies ſo far from Oxford, and ſo near the River ſide, which eaſily conveys it to London Mercat, that 'tis ſcarce beneficial to the reſt of the County.

3. As to the qualifications of the Soil in reſpect of Corn, I find them in goodneſs to differ much, and not only according to their ſeveral compoſitions (being in ſome places black, or reddiſh earth: in others a clay or chalky ground, ſome mixt of earth and ſand, clay and ſand, gravel and clay, &c.) but chiefly according to the depth of the mould or uppermoſt coat of the earth, and the nature of the ground next immediatly under it: for let the uppermoſt mould be never ſo rich, if it have not ſome depth, or ſuch a ground juſt underneath it, as will permit all ſuperfluous moiſture to deſcend, and admit alſo the hot and comfortable ſteams to aſcend, it will not be ſo fertile as a much leaner ſoil that enjoys theſe conditions.

4. Thus have I often-times ſeen in this County, in all appearance a very good ſoil, and ſuch indeed as would otherwiſe have been really ſo, leſs fertile becauſe of its ſhallowneſs, and a cold ſtiff clay, or cloſe free-ſtone next under-neath it, than a much poorer Land of ſome conſiderable depth, and lying over a ſand or gravel, through which all ſuperfluous moisture might deſcend, and not ſtand, as upon clay or ſtone, to chill the roots and make the Corn languiſh.

5. Where by the way let it be noted, that I ſaid a cold ſtiff clay or cloſe free-ſtone; for if there be under a ſhallow mould, a clay that's mixed (as 'tis common in the blew ones of this County) either with pyrites aureus, or braſs lumps; or the ſtones be of the warm calcarious kind, it may nevertheleſs be fruitful in Corn, becauſe theſe, I ſuppoſe, do warm the ground, and give ſo much ſtrength, that they largely recompence what was wanting in depth.

6. More poſſibly might have been added to this general account of Earths, and not a little inſtructive to the Farmers of the Country, but I found moſt of them froward and to ſlight my Quaere's; let them therefore thank themſelves if I am not ſo obliging: Beſide, it ſeems a buſineſs a little beſide my deſign, therefore in haſt I proceed to a more particular Conſideration of Earths (as before of Waters) holding ſome Spirit, Bitumen, or concrete Juice, and as they are uſeful in Trades, or are otherwiſe neceſſary, convenient, or ornamental.

7. But herein I ſhall not ſhew my ſelf either ſo angry or ignorant, or ſo much either diſreſpect my ſubject, or the civilities of the Gentry for the ſake of the clowns, as not in the next place to treat of ſuch Earths whoſe moſt eminent uſes relate to Husbandry, ſince they alſo hold ſome concrete Juices (whereby they become improvements of ſuch poor barren Lands) and are therefore very ſuitable to my preſent purpoſe.

8. The beſt of theſe we call commonly Marls, whereof, though 'twas believed there were none in Oxford-ſhire, yet I met with no leſs than three ſeveral ſorts, and in quantities ſufficient enough for uſe. The Britiſh Marls were very famous of old, whereof Pliny Plin. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 17. cap. 6, 7. numbers ſeveral ſorts; and of principal note were the Leucargillae, whereby, he ſays, Britan was greatly enriched: And of this kind, that I gueſs may be one, lately diſcovered by the much Honored, and my truly noble Friend, Thomas Stonor Eſq of Watlington-Park, of which he already has had good experience: of colour it is whitiſh, a little inclining to yellow, not very fat, and of ſo eaſie diſſolution, that it may be laid on the ground at any time of the year, and may be as good, I ſuppoſe, for paſture as arable: this he found at a place near Blunds-Court, but I think within the Pariſh of Shiplake, where upon another account ſinking a deep pit, amongſt other matters he met with this Marl.

9. Since that, there has lately been another diſcovered by that eminent Virtuoſo Sir Thomas Pennyſton, in his own Grounds in the Pariſh of Cornwell, about a quarter of a mile north-weſt of his Houſe, of a blue colour, and ſo abſterſive, that it would readily enough take ſpots out of cloaths, and gave its owner ſome ground to hope, that poſſibly it might be fit for the Fullers uſe; but he quickly, upon tryal, diſcovered an incurable fault that the Men of that Trade will never pardon: however, I take it to be ſo rich a Marl, that it may amply recompence the induſtry of its Maſter, if laid on its neighboring barren Hills; which I adviſe may be done about the beginning of Winter, that the Froſts and Rain may the better ſeparate its parts, and fit it to incorporate with that hungry Soil.

10. Which condition I ſuppoſe may not at all be required, in the manure of a light and hollow ſort of Marl, lately found by the worſhipful and induſtrious Improver, George Pudſey Eſq of Elsfield: for in water it diſſolves almoſt as ſoon as Fullers earth, and is naturally of it ſelf ſo hollow and ſpungy, that one would think it were always in the very ferment, and may therefore be uſed at any fit time of year: of colour when dry, it is of a whitiſh gray, intermixed with ſand, and very friable, and may in all probability be the very ſame, with the Marga candida arenoſa friabilis, of Hildeſheim, mention'd by Kentmannus Kentman. nomenelat. rer. foſ. cap. 3. de Margis., and out of him by Lachmund. Of juſt ſuch another Marl as this, brittle and duſty when dry, but fat when wet, we are inform'd there is at Wexford in the Kingdom of Ireland, by Dr Gerrard Boat Boats Nat. Hist. of Ireland, cap. 12. ſomtime Phyſitian there; only that that is blue, and this a whitiſh gray, and may therefore be fitter for Paſture than Arable. It being obſerved in the Counties of Suſſex and Kent, where Marls are moſt plenty of any places of England, that the gray ſuit with Paſtures, and the blue (ſuch perhaps as Sir Thomas Pennyſtons) with Arable beſt.

11. It may therefore be expedient, that theſe new found Marls be thus agreeably tryed, and though they anſwer not expectation the firſt year, as ſome ſay they will notPlin. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 17. cap. 8. , let not their Owners be thus diſcouraged, but ſtill continue to make frequent tryals, of divers proportions of Earth, at all ſeaſons of the year, with all kinds of Grain upon all ſorts of Soil, till they find out the moſt ſuitable and neceſſary circumſtances, ſo ſhall they in time attain to a knowledge beyond the expectation, and perchance imitation of their Neighbors. But I forbear to inſtruct ſuch Ingenious Perſons, as the Owners of the abovenamed Marl-pits are: the Orator being accounted little leſs than a fool, that went about in his Speech to teach Hannibal to fight.

12. But beſide theſe, we have another ſort of Earth, of a fat cloſe texture, and greeniſh colour, ſo well impregnated with ſome kind of ſalt, that put in the fire, it preſently decrepitates with no leſs noiſe than ſalt it ſelf; and in water, after a quick and ſubtile ſolution, leaves behind it a kind of brackiſh taſt, which I thought might proceed from a ſort of Vitriol, and perhaps true enough, though the water would not tinge with powder of galls: it takes greaſe out of cloaths extreamly well, and would it but whiten, as Fullers earth doth, I ſhould not doubt to pronounce it the ſame with the viridis Saponaria, found near Beichling in Thuringia, and mentioned by Kentmannus in his collection of Foſſils Cap. 1. De terris.. This we have in great plenty in Shot-over Foreſt, where 'tis always met with before they come to the Ochre, from which it is ſeparated but by a thin Iron crust, and may peradventure be as ſtrickt a concomitant of yellow Ochre, as Chryſocolla (another green Earth) is ſaid to be of Gold. At preſent 'tis accounted of ſmall or no value, but in recompence of the ſignal favors of its preſent Proprietor, the Right Worſhipful Sir Timothy Tyrril, who in perſon was pleaſed to ſhew me the pits, I am ready to diſcover a uſe it may have, that may poſſibly equal that of his Ochre. Which brings me next to treat of ſuch Earths as are found in Oxford-ſhire, and are uſeful in Trades.

13. And amongſt theſe the Ochre of Shotover, no doubt, may challenge a principal place, it being accounted the beſt in its kind in the world, of a yellow colour and very weighty, much uſed by Painters ſimply of it ſelf, and as often mix'd with the reſt of their colours. This by Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 33. cap. 12. , and the Latines, was anciently called Sil, which we have now changed for the modern word Ochra, taken up as ſome think from the colour of the Earth, and the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Pallidus; or as others, and they perhaps more rightly, from the River Ochra that runs through Brunſwick, whoſe Banks do yield great quantities of itEncelius de re Metal. lib. 2. cap. 20. ; and from whence in all likelyhood we received the name, upon the arrival of the Angles and Saxons in Britan.

14. They dig it now at Shotover on the eaſt ſide of the Hill, on the right hand of the way leading from Oxford to Whately, though queſtionleſs it may be had in many other parts of it; The vein dips from Eaſt to West, and lies from ſeven to thirty feet in depth, and between two and ſeven inches thick; enwrapped it is within ten folds of Earth, all which muſt be paſt through before they come at it; for the Earth is here, as at moſt other places, I think I may ſay of a bulbous nature, ſeveral folds of divers colours and conſiſtencies, ſtill including one another, not unlike the ſeveral coats of a Tulip root, or Onyon.

The 1. next the turf, is a reddiſh earth. 2. a pale blue clay. 3. a yellow ſand. 4. a white clay. 5. an iron ſtone. 6. a white, and ſomtimes a reddiſh Maum. 7. a green, fat, oily kind of clay. 8. a thin iron-coloured rubble. 9. a green clay again. 10. another iron rubble, almoſt like Smiths cinders.

And then the yellow Ochre, which is of two parts.

1. The ſtone Ochre, which we may alſo call native, becauſe ready for uſe as ſoon as 'tis dug: and

2. Clay Ochre, which becauſe of the natural inequality in its goodneſs, they waſh and ſteep two or three days in water, and then beat it with clubs on a plank into thin broad cakes, of an equal mixture both of good and bad; then they cut it into ſquares like Tiles, and put it on hurdles laid on treſtles 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 Dioſcorides (as quoted by Wormius Ol: Wormii Muſaeum. cap. 4. ) commends to our choice the lighteſt earthy Ochre, highly before the other of ſtone: We on the contrary, and not without reaſon, prefer the ſtone Ochre as far before the clay.

16. I was told of a yellow Ochre ſomwhere between Ducklington and Witney, that ſerves them thereabout for inferior uſes; and met with it beſide at ſome other places, but none ſo good as this at Shotover; that at Garſington being full of blue ſtreaks, and a ſmall parcel (that was ſhewn me) taken up about Pyrton intermixed a little too much with red, as if it were now in the tranſmutation (ſo much ſpoke of by Naturaliſts) by the earth and ſuns heat; firſt into Rubrick, or Ruddle, and thence at laſt into pnigitis, or elſe black chalk.

17. Now that Nature indeed proceeds in this method, I am almoſt perſwaded by what I have found in Shotover-hill, and elſewhere near it: for within two beds next under the Ochre (nothing but a white Sand interceding) there lies another of a much redder hue, which firſt receiving the ſteams of the earth, is now in the way of becoming a ruddle, and in proceſs of time when it grows aduſt, may at laſt make a change into a black chalk; which I ſhould not ſo eaſily have been induced to believe, but that at Whately Towns end, near the foot of the hill, where lately ſome attempts were made for Coal, they met with a vein of ſuch kind of chalk, which perhaps long before might have been nothing but ruddle, and as long before that, a yellow Ochre. But whether Nature proceed thus or no; or ſuppoſe theſe are not (as ſome have thought) the ſeveral gradations of the ſame individual, yet however, I ſhall not be guilty of miſ-placing, ſince all three belong to the Painters Trade.

18. To which may be added a ſort of Caeruleum, which in Engliſh we may render native blue, becauſe naturally produced by the ſteam of ſome Mineral, latent under the afore-mentioned Marl at Blunds-Court, amongſt which it is found in very good plenty; but yet ſo thinly coating the little cavities of the earth, and ſome other bodies (of which hereafter) to which it ſticks, that no quantities can be gotten for the Painters uſe, for whom it would otherwiſe be very fit, as upon tryal has been found by the worthy Mr Stonor. Kentmannus Kentman de terris, cap. 1. indeed tells us of a cinereous ſort of Earth ſomwhere near Padua, that affords ſuch a blue; but I gueſs that ours cannot be (nor perhaps is that) the immediate production of the ambient Earth, but rather of ſome mineral or metal below it; of which more at large in a fitter place.

19. Hither alſo may be referr'd a gritty ſort of Ʋmbers, found in all parts of the County where there are Quarries of Stone: a courſer kind of them I met with near Witney, and a ſomwhat finer at Bladen Quarry; theſe ſomtimes are found in the ſeams of the Rocks, and ſomtimes again in the body of the Stone; and notwithſtanding their gritty texture, yet prove uſeful enough to dreſſers of Leather. But yet a much finer than either of the former, has been lately taken up at Waterperry, in the ground, and near the Houſe of the Right Worſhipful Sir Thomas Curſon, of ſo 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 Engliſh, and much more ſo than the ſpruce-Ochre of Shotover Forest.

20. Beſide theſe, we have another fine Earth, of a white colour, porous and friable, inſipid and without ſcent, diſſoluble in water; and tinging it, of a milky colour, and ſomtimes raiſing a kind of ebullition in it; found frequently in the liſſoms or ſeams of the Rocks, or ſticking to the hollow roofs of them: in ſhort, ſo altogether agreeable to what Conradus Geſner De figuris Lapidum, cap. 6. (and out of him Boetius de Boot, Calceolarius, Aldrovandus, and Olaus Wormius) calls Lac Lunae, that I could not but think it the very ſame. And to put all out of doubt, I tryed the Experiment of Daniel Major (who wrote no leſs than a whole Treatiſe concerning it) and found according to him, that with Lacca, though I could get none good, it gave the skin ſo florid a whiteneſs, that I dare pronounce it a good Coſmetick, and upon that very ſcore have given it place here.

21. I obſerved it firſt near the Worceſter road, about mid-way between Holton and Sir Timothy Tyrrils, where the Stones taken up, for I know not what uſe, as alſo at ſome places in Whately field, were all in a maner covered with it. And I met with it again near Haſeley, in the fields between that and little Milton, and quickly after at long Hanborough, upon ſtones provided for walling there: I enquired of the Quarry-men what it might be, whether they had made any uſe, or obſervations of it, but all I could get would amount to no more, but that it was a ſign of a very good Lime-ſtone.

22. Which alſo it ſeems is its character amongſt our Neighbors in Ireland, where (we are Boats Nat. Hiſt. of Irel c. 20. ſect. 4. told) the beſt Lime-ſtone is of a gray colour, and if broken, has a white duſt that flies away from it. But if we may believe Olaus Wormius, 'tis a ſign alſo of ſomthing much better than that, who apprehends it to be nothing leſs than a certain effect of Metallick vapors: Oritur, (ſaies he, ſpeaking of Lac Lunae) à vaporibus metallicis, qui indies ſubtiles vehunt exhalationes, quae ubi per ſaxa in cavitates exſudaverint, humido evocato, quod ſiccum eſt remanet & in medullam hanc raram, teneram, & friabilem concreſcit. Ol. Wormii Muſaeum, cap. 4. To which Daniel Major not only agrees, but more particularly adds, that the matter of this Earth proceeds from the metallick vapours of ſilver ore, by ſome fermentation raiſed and ſublimed, and then condenſed on the ſides of the Rocks.

23. Of which, ſays Geſner De figuris Lapidum. cap. 2. , there are two ſorts; the one groſs and gritty, becauſe immature and crude; the other more perfectly concocted, whiter, lighter, and ſofter: And of both theſe we alſo find here, but whether indicative of ſilver ore, as in the mentioned places by Johan: Daniel Major De Lacte Lunae diſſertatio Medica. Edit. Anno 1667. , is the great queſtion. In anſwer whereunto I cannot but add, that though I ſhould be very unwilling, that any Owner, Farmer, or others, ſhould hazard their Fortune upon my weak judgment, without the advice of ancient and experienced Bermen; yet that at Shotover, beſide Lac Lunae, there are other Symbols of ſilver Ore.

24. Whereof, if any heed may be given to Pliny, the Ochre before-mention'd may be accounted one: In argenti & auri metallis naſcuntur etiam optima pigmenta Sil & caeruleum; where by Sil he means ſuch 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 ſort of Iron-ſtone, which is not Iron-ore, found peradventure in as great quantities here, as it is upon the hills near Schemnitz in Hungary, the greateſt Mine-town in that Kingdom: where it ſeems it is not only a ſign of the Ore, but is alſo of great uſe in melting of it; whereof ſaies Dr. Brown, in his Journey thither, that of a liver-colour is counted beſtAccount of his Travels. pag. 92.. Now that we have ſuch an Ore, though I dare not promiſe, yet provided we had in the greateſt plenty, the liver-colour'd Iron-ſtone (I dare ſay it) would not fail us.

25. But if Lac Lunae alone may be a ſufficient Index, and if we are not miſtaken in the thing it ſelf, as I verily think we cannot be, none of the places already mention'd can ſhew it in quantity and goodneſs too, equal to a Quarry in the Pariſh of Cornwell, ſouth weſt and by weſt about a hundred yards from the Right worſhipful Sir Thomas Pennyſtons houſe; where it is found ſo well concocted, and of ſo great purity, that the driven Snow never appeared whiter; and yet in ſo great quantity too, that I cannot gueſs the Mineral, or whatſoever other metal it be, that gives ſo great a ſteam as this, can lie very deep, or be very poor: Yet I ſhall not preſume to adviſe its owner, the eminent Virtuoſo Sir Thomas Pennyston, any further to dig in queſt of it, than according as he ſhall want Stone upon other occaſions, to ſink his Pit for the future, perpendicular to the Horizon, whereas now he takes it as it riſes in plano: So that in time, when he is gotten through the Rock, a more certain judgment may be paſt on what lies under, with little charge or damage to him: Where if in time he finde a Treaſure, I am ſure the Diſcoverer will not want his reward, from ſo Ingenious, and every way ſo accompliſh'd a Perſon, at leaſt in ſuch proportion as has alwaies been allowed by the Societies of the Mines Royal, and Mineral Battery-works.

26. Beſide the notice it gives of Mines, and uſe it has in covering the blemiſhes of the Face, like the Earth Quei of China, mention'd byChina illuſtrata. Kircher; its Medicinal uſes are very great. For by Georgius Agricola, and Fernante Imperato; the former whereof calls it Stenomarga De Natur. Foſſil., and the latter Agaricus Mineralis Dell' Hiſt. Natural. Lib. 5. cap. 4. : it is thought to have the virtues of the Samian Earth, and to be very beneficial in ſtopping of blood, and womens diſeaſes. Boetius De Lapid. & Gemmis. cap. 229. holds it to be a good narcotick, and that it ſafely may be given to procure ſleep. And Geſner De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 2. affirms it to be commonly ſold by the Apothecaries of Lucern, and uſed by Chirurgians to dry gleeting ſores; and that given to Nurſes, it increaſes their milk, and quickly makes their Breſts apparently ſwell. And upon this account it ſerves me as a ſeaſonable tranſition to paſs next to the Earths of Medicinal uſe.

27. Of which the moſt likely I have met with yet, is dug amongſt the clay they uſe for bricks, in the Pariſh of Nettlebed, not far from the Wind-mill, of as red a colour as Bolus Armenus, but not like that diſcolouring the hands; ſtrongly adhering, if put to the tongue, but whether provocative of ſweat or no, I have not hitherto been able to perſwade a tryal. However, let it prove never ſo good, I'le not promiſe the owner any great profit, becauſe of the humor we have of deſpiſing our own, and only admiring and eſteeming thoſe things that are far fetched and dearly bought.

28. But quite of another mind was that famous Phyſitian, Mr. Henry Sayer of Magdalene College Oxon, who commonly made uſe of a cinereous Earth, ſomwhat tending to yellow, and finely chamletted, that he found at the Quarries, in the gullies of the Rocks in the Pariſh of Heddington: with which, as I am informed by my worthy Friend Mr. Croſs once his Apothecary, and ſtill living, he did as frequently, and as well procure Sweats, as with any of the Forreign earths whatever.

29. To theſe may be added a whitiſh fat earth, formerly of ſome uſe in external applications, which they fetch'd, whil'ſt the waters continued in requeſt, from the orifice of the afore-mentioned ſpring at Goreing, and phanſied it at leaſt, to be a very good remedy for the ach of Corns, and ſome other ſuch maladies: but as ſoon as the waters began to fail, the earth too (though ſtill there remain enough) began to decline in its reputation, and is now of very little, if of any eſteem.

30. There is another white earth of ſome uſe in this Country, which ſome will have alſo, as well as Lac Lunae, to deſerve the name of a mineral Agaric: it grows for the moſt part within round hollow Flints, to be had almoſt every where in the Chiltern Country, and good to ſtop fluxes boiled in milk; and I was told by an eminent Phyſitian, has been uſed in Conſumptions with good ſucceſs. The ſtone in which it grows they call here a Chalk Egg, and is the ſame with the Geodes of the ancient Naturaliſts, of which, becauſe further in the Chapter of stones, I forbear to add more concerning it here.

31. Hither alſo muſt be referred not only the earths that are found to be ſoveraign for Mans preſervation, but according to the Logical rule of contraries, ſuch as often have been his deſtruction too: Whereof there are ſome in the Pariſh of North Leigh, that ſend forth ſuch ſudden and deadly ſteams, that they kill before the Patient can give the leaſt notice, of which they have had two very deplorable examples.

32. The firſt whereof happened in August, about twenty years ſince, when two men of the place imployed to dig a well, firſt ſickned, and wiſely withdrew from the work: whereupon it was undertaken by two others of Woodſtock, men of greater reſolution and leſs wiſdom; who before they could do any thing conſiderably in it, ſunk down and irrecoverably dyed in the well: which quickly being perceived by a woman above, a Miller hard by was called to their aſſiſtance, who as unhappily as willingly deſcending to them, alſo ſuddenly fell down upon them, and dyed: To whom, after ſome deliberation taken, another ventures down with a roap about his middle, but he fell from the Ladder in juſt the ſame manner, and though preſently drawn up by the people above, yet was ſcarcely recover'd in an hour or more.

33. And now again but lately, on the 20th of Auguſt 1674. upon a buckets falling caſually into a well, on the ſouth ſide of the Town, about a furlong from the former, a woman calls her neighbor, a luſty ſtrong man, to go down by a Ladder to fetch up her bucket, who altogether unmindful of the former accident, ſoon granted (as it proved) her unhappy requeſt; 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 luſty young man of about eight and twenty, who haſtily deſcending to give his aſſiſtance, much about the ſame place alſo fell from the Ladder, and dyed, without giving the leaſt ſign of his change, ſo ſuddenly mortal are the damps of this earth.

34. Dr. Boat Cap. 18. ſect. 4., in his Natural Hiſtory of Ireland, gives account of an accident that happen'd at Dublin, in a well there ſo very like ours, that they ſcarcely differ in any circumſtance. And we have a relation in our Philoſophical Tranſactions Philoſ. Tranſact. Num. 3. , of ſuch kind of damps that happen'd in Coal-mines belonging to the Lord Sinclair in Scotland. Now though we muſt not conclude from hence, that here muſt therefore needs be Coal; yet, conjoyned with others I know hereabout, I take it not to be ſo unlikely a ſign, but that of all others I know of in the County, I gueſs this may be the moſt probable place.

35. For though I think thoſe poyſonous and killing ſteams may indeed more immediatly have their riſe from a Pyrites, or Coperas ſtone, found here in great plenty where-ever they dig; a piece whereof brought me by a friend from thence, upon taſt, proved a Vitriol ſo ſtrong and virulent, that preſently from my mouth it ſo affected my ſtomach, that I confeſs for a while I was fearful of danger: yet, it being the common conſent of Naturaliſts, that ſuch Pyrites are nothing but the effloreſcence of Minerals, latent underneath them in the bowels of the earth, my conjecture thereby is not made the leſs valid.

36. With the Pyrites cinereus, or Coperas ſtone, not unlikely there may alſo be ſome mixture of Arſenic, which advances its malignity to that deadly ſtrength, that no man may approach under pain of death: But that for the future, the inſenſible invaſions of this ſecret enemy may for ever be avoided; let all workmen, and ſuch as upon any account whatever have occaſion to dig or go down in theſe wells, firſt throw down into them a peck of good Lime, which ſlaking in the water, and fuming out at the top, will ſo effectually diſpel all ſuch poiſonous vapors, that they may ſafely go down, and ſtay ſome time unhurt.

37. From theſe miſchievous ones of Vitriol and Arſenic, I proceed to ſome other more innocent ſalts, before promiſed more fully to be handled here, with which ſome earths being peculiarly qualified, are accordingly diſpoſed to petrifie bodies. How all petrifications are performed by ſalts, and petrifications per minima, by their ſubtileſt ſteams, I ſuppoſe has already ſufficiently been ſhewn, as alſo how waters moſt probably effect them: It remains only therefore now to be proved, that earths as well as waters, do afford ſuch ſteams as permeate alſo the moſt ſolid texture.

38. To which purpoſe I met with a curious inſtance in the Fields between Clifton and Nuneham-Courtney, of a ſtone that repreſents a ſound piece of Aſh, cut both parallel and tranſverſly to the pores, and retaining the grain and colour ſo well and lively, that no body at ſight believes it to be other than a firm and ſolid piece of wood; and yet this was taken out of grounds thereabout, as far from water as one need to wiſh. In ſhort, the verſion ſeems ſo very perfect, its ſubject appearing to have been very ſound and free from rottenneſs, that either we muſt own ſuch petrifications as this, to be truly ſuch, and totum per totum, or elſe allow that ſtones may grow in grain and colour exactly like wood.

39. But that the latter of theſe may not ſo far take place (though the poſſibility of the thing muſt not be denyed) as to exclude a poſſibility of its being ſomtimes otherwiſe; I take leave to inſtance in another petrification made alſo by an earth, and not by water, that ſeems to carry a neceſſity with it, of its ſubjects once being ſolid wood: for beſide, that it ſhews the cloſe grain of Oak, and therefore by Naturaliſts called Dryites: it was taken up in great quantities too, and out of ſome of the pieces, (whereof I have one) it may be plainly ſeen where twigs have come forth, the knots ſtill remaining where they were cut off; ſo that unleſs we fly to the ſports of Nature, and allow her to imitate almoſt all things in ſtone, we cannot well avoid a conſent, that this was ſomtime really Wood. It was caſually dug up in the Pariſh of Wendlebury, in a gravelly ground not far from the Church, and is, I believe, the ſame Earth mentioned ſo good for this purpoſe in our Philoſophical Tranſactions Num. 6..

40. Thus having conſidered the principal Earths uſed in Huſbandry, Painting, Medicine, &c. I proceed in the next place to treat of ſome others, leſs in value, and put to inferior uſes: Amongſt which we may reckon the very uppermoſt Turf; which beſide for Bowling-greens, and Graſs-walks in Gardens, is here not unfrequently uſed by Thatchers, and laid on Mud-walls, and the tops of Houſes, in the place and manner of thoſe we call Ridge-tiles; not that it is ſo good as Thatching (though ſome ſay it better reſiſts the winds) but becauſe in ſome places Wood is ſo ſcarce, that they cannot get ſpraies to faſten on Thatch; or elſe the people ſo poor that they care not to buy them.

41. Alſo at ſome other places for want of Wood, they make uſe of another ſort of Turf for fewel, not the upper Green-ſword, but an inferior ſtringy bituminous Earth, cut out like Bricks, for the moſt part from mooriſh boggy grounds; in ſome Countries called Peat-pits, in others Moſſes. The beſt of this Turf that I have ſeen in Oxford-ſhire, I met with at Mr. Warcups in the Pariſh of North-Moor, but dug as I was informed in Stanton-Harcourt, about a mile diſtance S. Weſt from the Church: it lies but one ſpits depth within the ground, and is ſuppoſed to be at leaſt four foot thick: They cut it in March, and lay the pieces called Peats to dry on the graſs, ſomtimes turning them; which when reaſonably well done, they then pile up like Wheelwrights felleys, leaving every where empty ſpaces between, that the Air and Wind paſſing through them, they at length may become dry enough for the fire. They think that the ſtringy roots, that together with the Bitumen, make up the Peats, do never flouriſh above the ſurface: if ſo, I am ſomthing confirmed in an opinion, that there are many ſubterraneous Plants not noted, of which I intend a diligent enquiryVid. Nich. Stenonis Prodrom.. After the Peats are taken out, they fill up the ground again with the graſſy earth that was firſt cut up. And at Cowley, where they alſo dig them, they uſually leave the depth of one ſpade-graft at the bottom, as a foundation whereon they may grow again, which in the ſpace of twenty or thirty years, 'tis obſerv'd they will do in the North of England They dig prety good Peats alſo near the Wyke at Heddington; and in a boggy ground Eaſt-ward of Elsfield Church..

42. The ſcarcity alſo of fireing has induced ſome People to burn a ſort of black ſubſtance, of a grain ſomwhat like rotten wood half burnt, but participating alſo of a Mineral nature, and therefore by Authors called Metallophytum, or Lignum foſſile Ol. Wormii, Muſaeum lib. 2. cap. 6. : put into water, it will not ſwim; and into fire, it conſumes but ſlowly, and ſends forth very unpleaſant fumes: it is found in a Quarry called Langford-pits, in the Pariſh of Kidlington, not far from Thrup, about eighteen foot deep under the Rock, where there lies a bed about four inches thick. But at Ducklington I met with a much finer kind, and richer in bitumen; for though on the out ſide it looks like wood, yet broken, it ſhews a ſmooth and ſhining ſuperficies, not unlike to ſtone-pitch, and put in the fire, has not near ſo ill a ſmell. This was dug, and kindly beſtowed upon me by the Worſhipful William Bayly Eſq who told me beſide of an Aluminous earth that he ſomwhere alſo f • und in his ground. As for the ſubſtance, Lignum foſſile it is thought to be originally a cretaceous earth, turned to what it is by ſubterraneous heats, which probably at Kidlington may indeed be great, becauſe reflected by the Quarry above it, for that it was never formerly wood, notwithſtanding its ſpecious and outward likeneſs, is plain, from its never being found with roots or boughs, or any other ſigns of wood.

43. At Marſh Balden Heath, and Nuneham-Courtney, they have a ſort of earth of ductile parts, which put in the fire ſcarcely cracks, and has been formerly uſed by Potters, but upon what account I know not, now neglected. There is alſo a Clay near Little Milton that might very well ſerve for the Potters uſe. 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 ſiege of Oxford, was wholly uſed for making Tobacco-pipes there; and is ſtill in part put to that ſervice, mixed with another they have from Northampton-ſhire. It is alſo of excellent uſe to Statuaries, for making Moddels, Gargills, or Anticks; and containing a hard, but very ſmall grit; in poliſhing Silver, it comes near to Tripela.

44. And ſo do's an anonymous very white earth, found in the ſeams of the Quarries at Teynton, which at firſt I concluded a crude Alabaſter, becauſe 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 Alabaster duſt, nor keep the colour, but turned reddiſh. Many other tryals were made with it, in Plaſticks, Poliſhing, Painting, &c. but my endeavors ſucceeded in nothing ſo well, as in poliſhing ſmaller ſilver Veſſels, that could not endure burniſhing well; to which it gave a more glorious brightneſs than Tripela would, though perhaps not ſo laſting; and not far behinde that of burniſh'd Plate.

45. And yet neither this, nor the former will poliſh braſs, nor any thing elſe that is not of its colour, which has lately engaged my thoughts in a Query, whether in all other Metals the rule does hold: for I find, that ſulphur gives a luſter to Gold; and that nothing does brighten Copper ſo well, as a ſort of ſtuff they call rotten ſtone, alſo ſomthing of its colour.

46. At Teynton alſo, within a ſpit of the ſurface, they dig a ſort of earth they there call Lam, of a whitiſh colour inclining to yellow; which mixt with ſand, and ſome other earth, makes the beſt earthen floors for ground-rooms and barns: it diſſolves as quick as Fullers-earth, and were it not for a fault which might poſſibly be help'd, it may ſerve their turns perhaps as well as any they uſe.

47. To theſe may be added another whitiſh earth, which corruptly I ſuppoſe from its colour is called Which-earth; mixed with ſtraw, they uſe it for ſide-walls and ceilings, and with horſe-dung it makes mortar for laying of ſtones: it ſeems to be a natural mixture of lime and ſand, found at Thame, Waterperry, and Adwell, and ſlakes in water (like Gypſum) without any heat.

48. At Milton near Adderbury, Great Tew, and Stunsfield, I met alſo with another ſort of ſpungy chalk, which though it will not ſlake like the former; yet at Milton and Adderbury uſed for pointing, ſeems to binde the ſtones of their walls very well: and theirs at Great Tew being ſomwhat finer, ſerves as well to white their rooms within (as I ſaw at Swerford) as to point walls without: but at Stunsfield there was no body knew of its uſe.

49. Other earths there are that I find in this County, for whoſe names, as well as natures, I am quite at a loſs; whereof there is one in Sir Thomas Pennyſtons Park, which for the ſtrangeneſs of its qualities deſerves the firſt place. Of colour it is extreamly white, of little taſt, and leſs ſmell; lying in veins in a yellowiſh clay, like a medulla about the bigneſs of ones wriſt: taken out with a knife, it falls into a fine powder, ſomwhat gritty, but of ſo very great a weight, that its double at leaſt to any other earth of its bulk; put in the ſcale againſt white Marble dust, it equall'd its weight, and exceeded that of Alabaſter by almoſt a fourth part: ſet in ſand in a glaſs retort, and driven with a quick and ſtrong fire, it ſublimed to the ſides of the glaſs a little, but ſtill preſerved its colour and weight, till put between two Crucibles, one inverted upon the other; well luted, and ſtrongly forced in a wind-furnace for about two hours, it loſt 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 ſublimed in the top of the Crucible: the colour ſtill remained as white as ever, and the bulk (as near as I could gueſs) the ſame, but now of a ſtrong ſalt and urinous taſt; which after ſolution, filtration, and evaporation, came at laſt, to what people as little underſtood, as what became of its ponderous ingredient.

50. We tryed it alſo at Cornwell, in Sir Thomas Pennyston's Laboratory, becauſe of its weight with divers fluxing ſalts, in hopes of ſome kind of metalline ſubſtance, but all, as before, to little purpoſe. So that I cannot tell what to divine it ſhould be, except the Gur of the Adeptiſts congealed, which they deſcribe in their Books to be much ſuch a thing, which for want of more time to ſpend in its ſervice, I leave to the diſcovery of future ages.

51. In the Chalk-pits almoſt every where in the South-eaſt parts of Oxford-ſhire, they finde a ſort of iron-colour'd terra lapidoſa, in the very body of the chalk, which I think they call Iron-moulds, and particularly at a place between Brightwell and Berrick, of an oval figure: how they came to be of that ſhape, or at all grow, in a ſubſtance of ſo different a nature as chalk, I confeſs to be a problem beyond my knowledge, as well as the uſe they may probably have, which I alſo remit to poſterity to find.

52. They have an earth about Teynton of a yellowiſh colour, adorned all over with glittering ſparks, which unleſs they are particles of the ſpecular ſtone, or Engliſh Talc, with the former muſt be reckoned amongſt the unknown earths.

53. To which add another kind of terra lapidoſa found about Thame, at the bottom of their Quarries, it is much of the colour of the Turkiſh Ruſma, hollow and ſpungy, and full of ſhining grains like a ſort of Pyrites, but of what nature or uſe I can no where find. Nor of another ſort of Clay found at Hampton-Gay, holding a grit of a golden colour, much of the nature of Pyrites aureus, only 'tis not found like that in great pieces, which by our modern Naturaliſts are called Braſs lumps.

54. And thus I had concluded the Chapter of Earths, but that I think it belongs to this place to mention alſo ſuch accidents as attend them; and therefore muſt not be altogether ſilent of an eminent Proſpect about a mile from Teynton, where from a Hill North-eaſt from thence, ten Mercat towns in a clear day may plainly be ſeen. Nor of a ſmall Earth-quake, that on the nineteenth of February, 1665. was obſerved at divers places near Oxford; as at Blechington, Stanton St. Johns, &c. But it ſhall ſuffice juſt to mention it, Relations (with the concomitants) of it, being already publiſhed:Philoſ. Tranſact. Num. 10, 11. one by the Honorable Robert Boyle Eſq and the other by the Learned Dr. John Wallis.

AS in the Chapters of Waters and Earths, I treated only of ſuch as eminently held ſome ſalt or ſulphur, and were ſome way or other uſeful to Man: I intend in like manner in this of Stones ſtrictly to obſerve the ſame method, and take notice only of ſuch as either plainly ſhew thoſe Minerals, and ſupply the neceſſities; or are for the ornament, or delight of Mankind.

2. How all ſtones are chiefly made out of ſalts, with a mixture of earth and ſomtimes of ſulphur, was formerly hinted in another place. It remains only that I conſider them in a more particular manner, and ſhew which they be, and where they are, that hold any of theſe principles more ſignally than other, which I ſuppoſe by their effects may beſt be diſcover'd.

3. In the Road from Oxford toward London, not far beyond Tetſworth, in a hollow way on the riſing of a hill, I found a ſoft ſtone there-about called Maume, of a whitiſh colour; whoſe ſalt is ſo free from the bonds of ſulphur, that with the froſts and rain it ſlakes like lime: perhaps half the firing uſed to burn away the ſulphur in other lime-ſtone, might ſerve the turn here. An Experiment ſo very likely to be beneficial to the Country, that I left it with the Son of the ingenious Improver, Sir Thomas Tipping, as a thing not unworthy of his Fathers tryal; but whether he have at all, or but unſucceſsfully made any, I have not yet had the favor to hear.

4. In the way to Whitfield, as I rod thither from Tetſworth, I found the ways mended with this kinde of ſtone, I ſuppoſe becauſe they could get no other, for certainly otherwiſe there were nothing more unfit, than a ſtone of ſo looſe and open a ſalt: much rather with ſuch ſhould they mend their Lands than High-ways, that like lime, marles, and chalk, will ſlake in the Winter; which I take for ſo ſure a mark of its improving quality, that I cannot 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 commonly uſe the chippings of the stone dug there in the Quarry, for improvement of the Land, and that not without apparent ſucceſs: and yet the ſtone is of a much harder kind, than this at Tetſworth and in the way to Whitfield.

6. Amongſt ſome MSS. notes of Natural things, I met with one of a ſtone at Oriel College, commonly called (ſays the Author) The ſweating ſtone, at which the Birds were conſtantly pecking and licking; as I gueſs (if ever there were any ſuch thing) for ſome kind of ſaltneſs they found come from it: I ſay, if ever there were any ſuch thing, for I find it not in this new, nor remains there any tradition of it in the old College. I therefore paſs it by without further notice.

7. However, in ſhort, all ſtones have ſo much ſalt in them, that in ſome meaſure they are an improvement of Land, for though it be ſo cloſe lock'd up with ſulphur, that the greateſt froſts and rain will not make the ſtones run, yet there is ſtill ſuch an emiſſion of ſaline ſteams, that ſome earths have their whole fertility from them. Thus have I ſeen Fields cover'd with Flints and Pebbles, produce better Corn than where there were none, which perhaps may be a better reaſon than what is brought by Pliny Lib 17. cap. 4., why the Foreign Coloni that came to Syracuſe to inhabit there, and practiſe Huſbandry; after they had cleared the ground of all the ſtones, could have no Corn, till they had laid them again on the very ſame ground from whence they had taken them but juſt before.

8, The like may be obſerved in walls and buildings, where ſeveral ſorts of vegetables, yea trees of great bigneſs, will thrive and proſper remote from the earth, without any further nouriſhment, than that they have from the fertile ſtones, and lime they are laid with, alſo made out of stones.

9. If it be objected that Pebbles and Flints alſo hold a ſulphur, as well as a ſalt, and that in all probability Corn and other Vegetables may receive their flouriſhing verdure, rather from the warm comfortable ſteams of that, then the others of ſalt, I ſhall not ſo much as contend about it, but gladly accept of the opportunity by this means to paſs from ſtones holding ſalt only, to ſuch as have alſo a mixture of ſulphur.

10. And ſuch are all that with steel, or any other fit body, will ſtrike fire, and therefore by a very fit name called Pyrites, under which genus may be reckon'd not only Pyrites ſtrictly taken, but Flints, Pebbles, Sand, and whatever elſe by any quick and ſudden attrition may have its parts kindled into ſparks: of which as many as I find eminent in their kind, or are fit for uſes, as briefly as may be.

11. And amongſt them (as I think moſt due) for the prerogative of its colour, I aſſign the firſt place to the Pyrites aureus, or golden fire-ſtone, whereof they find great plenty in digging of Wells about Banbury and Cleydon, and ſomwhere in the River at Clifton near Dorcheſter: Some of them are taken up in great lumps (and are therefore alſo called Braſs lumps) of uncertain form, whereof I had very rich ones out of the Well of one Boreman of Cleydon. But thoſe from Clifton aforeſaid ſeem to be laminated, and ſome of them ſhot into angles like Briſtol Diamants, and are mentioned by Aldrovandus Lib. 4. cap. 3., which he calls, Pyrites cum fluoribus adnaſcentibus, and cujus partes cohaerent tanquam lapilli anguloſi. Theſe ſtrike fire in great plenty, and for that reaſon formerly have been much uſed for Carabines and Pistols, whil'ſt Wheel-locks were in faſhion; and are alſo very weighty, and perhaps hold metal, which, were it not for the too great proportion of ſulphur (whence ſuch Minerals, ſaith the Learned Willis De Ferment. cap. 9. , 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 otherwiſe be procured with advantage to the owner.

12. At Aſton Rowant, Nettlebed, and Henly, and indeed all along the Chiltern Country, they have another ſort of Marchaſite, within ſide of a golden, and without of a darkiſh ruſty colour, and therefore at ſome of the afore-mentioned places called commonly Crow-iron: this ſort, if broken and laid in the air, or any other moiſt place, diſſolves into a ſalt that taſtes like ink, and is no queſtion the Pyrites of Kentmannus Tit. 2. cap. de Succis efflore ſcentibus., which for that reaſon he terms atramenti parens. And ſuch a one is the Pyrites found at North-Leigh, brought me thence by my worthy Friend Dr. Perrot, which not only like the former gave the taſt of ink, but expos'd to the air awhile, became cover'd with a white downy ſalt of the very ſame taſt, which I take to be ſuch a natural atramentum album, as is ſaid by the ſame Kentmannus, Effloreſcere è pyrite Goſlariano, & Radebergenſi Tit. 2. cap. Sory, & de ſuccis effloreſcent..

13. Next to theſe, in order of nature as well as dignity, comes the ſilver Marchaſite, under conſideration of a white gliſtering colour, and to be had in the bottom of the River between Clifton and Burcot: this ſtrikes fire as well as the golden Pyrites, but notwithſtanding it was expoſed in the fitteſt places, yet would never, that I could perceive, ſend forth any effloreſcence. Another ſort of them I met with at Deddington, taken out of the afore-mentioned ſulphur Well there, of as glorious a colour as the former; but ſeveral times tryed on the beſt Steel I could get, would never yield the leaſt ſpark of fire: whence I rather concluded it to be argentum felium, or Cat-ſilver, but that it would not ſhine in the dark, or conſume in the fire: However, it may paſs for a sterile nitidum, ſo often mentioned by Naturaliſts, it being a glorious nothing, of no kind of uſe.

14. That Flints, Pebbles, and Sands, are alſo Pyrites, needs no further evidence than that they ſtrike fire, a thing ſo obvious to the meaneſt Obſerver, that to ſpend time to prove it, would be loſt time to the Reader; it ſhall ſuffice therefore to enumerate the ſeveral kinds of each, and chiefly to inſiſt upon ſuch as have uſes.

15. All along the Chiltern Country of Oxford-ſhire, Flints are as plentiful as any where elſe; amongſt them the black one, well poliſh'd, will ſupply the place of the Lydian ſtone; and at Henly they uſe them in making of Glaſs, of which more anon in the Chapter of Arts. They are found beſide of divers other colours, and ſome of them ſo tranſparent, that they ſeem not only to imitate, but to be the very ſame with Achats. I have one, found at Dorcheſter, about an inch and half ſquare, of a fleſh colour, and ſo tranſparent, that it may well enough deſerve the name of Sardachates. Such as this were alſo ſhewn me, by the truly Ingenious, the Right Honorable James Lord Norreys of Ricot, and found, as I think his Lordſhip told me, ſome where thereabout, and are I do not queſtion the very ſame ſtones, that Kentmannus Kentman. tit. 8. indeed places in his Title of Flints, yet calls them, Pellucentes Sardae colore.

16. Of Pebbles there are ſome alſo tranſparent, to be had about Finstock and Nuneham-Courtney; I found them alſo in the way between New-yate and Enſham, but none comparable to what was ſhewn me by that great Virtuoſo, the Right Worſhipful Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell, the moſt eminent Artiſt and Naturalist while he lived, if not of England, moſt certainly of this County, whoſe Houſe me thought ſeemed to be the real New Atlantis, which my Lord Viſcount Verulam had only in fanſie. The Pebble I remember was about the breadth of ones hand, of a flat form, and yet not much leſs than an inch in thickneſs, ſo clear and pellucid, that no Chryſtal that ever I ſaw yet excell'd it; ſo that had not its Maſter, the cautious Artist, took care to leave on it part of its outward coat, few would have believed it had ever been a Pebble.

17. Theſe Pebbles when tranſparent, make an excellent ingredient for the Glaſs-works; and ſo do thoſe which are white, though not tranſparent, called by ſome Authors by the name of Quocoli, and perhaps not much different in nature from the Cuogolo of Ferrante Imperato Dell' Hiſt. Nat. lib. 24. cap. 16: , and ſuch are the Pebbles gathered at Teſino Anton. Neri, lib. 1. cap. 2. , with which they make the pureſt Glaſs at the Moran.

18. There are about Goreing and Nuneham-Courtney, a ſort of Pebbles of a blue-black colour, that if poliſh'd, might ſupply the place of Touch. And about Fawler and Stunsfield are a reddiſh kind, very hard, and for the moſt part of an oval Figure, ſo excellent for pitching of ſtreets and ſtables, and for Painters mullars, that none can be found more fit and durable.

19. After conſideration of Flints and Pebbles apart, let us now take a view of them jointly together, for ſo I found them at Caverſham, and Greenvil, and in the way from Puſhill to Stonor-houſe, in cluſters together of divers colours, and united into one body, by a petrified cement as hard as themſelves, and moſt of them I believe capable of politure There is a Quarry of this South of Wolvercot Church, but the Cement ſo ſoft, that it will not polish.. But the beſt of all are in the Cloſe at Stonor, of which there are ſome ſo large and cloſe knit, that could the Ingenious Proprietor, Thomas Stonor Eſq find a way to ſlit and poliſh them without too much charge, he might make him rich Chimney-pieces and Tables of them, ſo far excelling Porphyrie and Marble, that perhaps they might compare with the beſt Jaſper or Achat. For I have ſeen ſuch as theſe found about Hampſted, curiouſly wrought into handles of knives by that eminent Artiſt Sir Anthony Cope; to which few Achats might be compared, perchance none preferr'd, either in the poliſh or variety of colours.

20. The Ingenious Mr. Ray, amongſt other Obſervations made in his Journey through Italy, &c. tells us, That in the Church of the Benedictines at Ravenna, the Monks did ſhew him two Marble pillars, for which they ſaid, the Venetians offer'd them no leſs than their utmoſt weight in Silver. But the like he ſays, he had ſeen elſewhere, at the Library at Zurich, and at Verona in our Ladies Chappel, in the Garden of Seignior Horatio Guiſti: their generation at firſt, ſays he, was out of a maſs of ſmall Flints and Pebbles, united by a cement as hard as themſelves, and capable of politure; which cement, he gueſſes, was ſeparated by degrees from a fluid wherein the ſtones formerly lay: which I take to be a deſcription ſo agreeable to ours, that nothing more need be ſaid to promote their tryal.

21. Hither alſo muſt be reduced a courſer ſort of Smiris, dug up in the pits at Whately Towns end, of a cinereous colour, hard and rough, and ſtriking fire as well as a Flint. The beſt ſort of Smiris ſerves for ſeveral uſes; but ours is fit only to cut the harder ſort of ſtones, that the ſand commonly uſed will not ſo well do, and perhaps for ſome other inferior uſes.

22. And to theſe muſt be added the ſeveral ſorts of Sands, which upon violent motions all ſtrike fire, and are commonly, and ſomtimes promiſcuouſly uſed, for Building, Hour-glaſſes, and cutting of Stone. But ſome there are of a more peculiar and conſiderable uſe, and ſuch is that dug in the Pariſh of Kingham, which after 'tis waſhed and duly ordered, ſo perfectly reſembles Calis-ſand, that it ſerves and is ſold for the very ſame: it is not found in every place, but they have ſigns (like Miners) to know where it lies; viz. a ſort of ſtuff that looks almoſt like rotten wood, which if they meet with under the Turf, they ſeldom fail of the Sand a little deeper; which they firſt cleanſe from rubbiſh, and the greater ſtones, by putting it through a courſe ſieve, then they waſh it in a trough and lay it a drying; which when ſufficiently done, they ſeparate again by a finer ſieve, the courſer part of it from the finer: the courſer ſerves for wheting of ſithes, but the finer ſort for ſcouring pewter, for which purpoſe it ſeems 'tis ſo very excellent, that the Retailers ſell it for a penny a pound, which amounts to above twenty ſhillings a buſhel.

23. Other ſands there are alſo of very good uſe, to give a conſiſtency and body to glaſs; the naturally whiteſt are at Nettlebed and Shot-over, but the fineſt by much at Finſtock and Ledwell, which when waſhed and cleanſed, at leaſt equal the former. The firſt of theſe has been tryed with ſucceſs at the Glaſs-houſe at Henly: and any of the reſt, perhaps, might prove as good Tarſo as any they have from France, or is uſed in Italy, were they but in place where they might be tryed.

24. From Sands, I proceed to Lapis arenarius, commonly called Free-ſtone, and uſed in Building; of which we have as great plenty and variety in Oxford-ſhire, peradventure as in any other part of England. The Quarry at Heddington, ſcarce two miles from Oxford, ſupplies us continually with a good ſort of ſtone, and fit for all uſes but that of fire; in which, that of Teynton and Hornton excel it. In the Quarry it cuts very ſoft and eaſie, and is worked accordingly for all ſorts of Building; very porous, and fit to imbibe lime and ſand, but hardening continually as it lies to the weather.

25. Of it in general, there are two ſorts; one that they call Free-stone, and the other Rag-ſtone: but theſe again are ſubdivided into ſeveral ſpecies, according as they are cut or put to divers uſes. The Free-ſtone, if cut cubically into very great blocks, is then by way of eminence called nothing but Free-ſtone; but if cut into oblong, or other ſorts of ſquares, of a leſſer bulk, they then call it Aſhler; and the fragments of theſe of inequilateral, multangular Figures, Scabble-burs. The two firſt are uſed in principal Buildings, and the laſt, if ſquared, is ſomtimes mixed with Aſhler in Range-work, or by it ſelf in that they call Planten-work in the meaner Buildings: but when not ſquared at all, is commonly thrown in amongſt Rag-ſtone for walling; for which only, and making lime, that ſecond ſort is good, except it riſes flat in the bed, and then 'tis worth the while to hew it for paving.

26. Of the ſtone afore-mentioned conſiſts the groſs of our Buildings; but for Columns, Capitels, Baſes, Window-lights, Door-caſes, Corniſhing, Mouldings, &c. in the chiefeſt work they uſe Burford-ſtone, which is whiter and harder, and carries by much a finer Arris, than that at Heddington: but yet is not ſo hard as that at Teynton, nor will it like that endure the fire, of which they make Mault-kills, and hearths for Ovens; but then they take care to ſurbed the ſtone, i. e. ſet it edg-ways, contrary to the poſture it had in the bed, for otherwiſe there will be ſome danger of its flying.

27. Beſide the fire, it endures the weather, for of this mixed with another ſort dug near Whately, on the Worceſter road ſide, as it paſſes betwixt Holton and Sir Timothy Tyrrills, are all the oldeſt Colleges in Oxford built; as Baliol, Merton, Exeter, Queens, Canterbury (now part of Ch. Ch.) College, Durham (now Trinity) College, New College, Lincoln, All Souls, Magdalen, Braſen-noſe, and the outermoſt Quadrangle of St. John Bapt. Coll. yet it endures not the weather ſo well as Heddington, by reaſon, I ſuppoſe, of a ſalt it has in it, which the weather in time plainly diſſolves, as may be ſeen by the Pinnacles of New College Chappel, made of this ſtone, and thus melted away.

28. And yet the moiſture of water has no ſuch power over it, but that they make of it Troughs and Ciſterns, and now of late Meſh-fats for Brewing; firſt hinted, 'tis true, by Mr. Bayly of Ducklington, but practiſed by one Mr. Veyſey of Teynton, who had the firſt made him by one Strong a Maſon, which it ſeems did anſwer expectation ſo well, that it has ſince obtained in many other places. Of theſe, that generous and courteous Gentleman, Sir Compton Read of Shipton under Whichwood, has one that holds about ſixty five buſhels, drawn home with no leſs than one and twenty horſes; they ordinarily meſh in it three quarters of Mault, but can, when at any time neceſſity requires, meſh five at a time: the dimenſions of which Veſſel of one ſingle ſtone, taken within the hollow and abating its thickneſs, becauſe of its vaſt unuſual magnitude, I thought fit to note, and give as followeth; long, 2 yards ⅛. broad, 1 yard ⅛. and ½ an inch. deep, 1 yard ½. yet much larger than this might be had from the Quarry, were there uſe for them, or could portage be contrived; for as I was informed by many credible witneſſes, there was one ſingle ſtone dug in this Quarry, containing no leſs than three hundred tuns. And another in the year 1673. meaſured by Mr. Veyſey, of an hundred and three tuns, accounting ſixteen foot cubic to the tun.

29. Other Quarries there are alſo of conſiderable uſe, as Bladen, Little Milton, Barford, and Hornton, whereof the laſt has the beſt Fire-ſtone of any in the County; ſome of it ſeems to have Iron-colour'd veins, that receive (as I have ſeen) a tolerable poliſh, and is the stone I mention'd before, whoſe chippings (laid on it) improve their land, by reaſon I ſuppoſe of the ſalt there is in it, which may alſo be the cauſe it endures fire ſo well.

30. At Cornbury Park there was a ſort of ſtone, the Quarry whereof is now quite exhauſted, that never would ſweat in the moiſteſt weather, of which the pavement of the Hall in the houſe there, ſtill remains as a ſufficient teſtimony: of this, did it riſe in great blocks, might poſſibly have been made very good Mill-ſtones, the not ſweating being a principal qualification in all stones whatever uſed for Corn-mills.

31. But before we take leave of materials for Building, we muſt not forget that the Houſes are covered, for the moſt part in Oxford-ſhire (not with tiles) but ſlat-ſtone, whereof the lighteſt, and that which imbibes the water leaſt, is accounted the beſt. And ſuch is that which they have at Stunsfield, where it is dug firſt in thick cakes, about Michaelmaſs time, or before, to lye all the winter and receive the froſts, which make it cleave in the ſpring following into thinner plates, which otherwiſe it would not do ſo kindly. But at Bradwell (near the Grove) they dig a ſort of ſlat-ſtone, naturally ſuch, without the help of winter, and ſo ſtrangely great, that ſomtimes they have them of ſeven foot long, and five foot over: with theſe they commonly make mounds for their Cloſes, and I have ſeen a ſmall hovel, that for its whole covering has required no more than one of theſe stones: and ſome of them are of ſo hard and cloſe a texture, that I have known them by Painters of very good ſkill, preferr'd before Marble for grinding their colours.

32. To ſtone uſed in Building they ſomtimes add Lime, which becauſe for the moſt part, is here made of ſtone, muſt alſo be handled in this place; for which they count the hardeſt rag-ſtone beſt, but any will make it, ſays the Learned Willis De Ferment. cap. 10. , except ſuch as is made up of a reddiſh kind of gravel: the beſt ſign of it here, as well as in Ireland, has been ſufficiently hinted in the former Chapter, to be that white and ſpungy kind of matter, that ſticks to the ſtones in the caverns of the Rocks, and ſo plentifully found at Cornwell and Whately; at Hanborough, Fawler, and in Cornbury Park. Not but that very good Lime may be had from ſtone that ſhews not the leaſt of this ſign, as at Bladen Quarry, and many other places, but that none makes better then the ſtone that has it; except hereafter it may be found true here, what Lachmund Lach. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sect. 3. cap. 1. aſſerts of the Biſhoprick of Hildeſheim, where the beſt (he ſays) is made of the hardeſt ſtone, quod varia in ſe Conchylia continet, ſet full of petrified ſhell-fiſh: for if ſo, our beſt Lime-ſtone muſt be at Charleton and Langley; at Little Milton, and Shot-over Forrest, in the Quarry there on the north ſide of the Hill, not far from the way to Sir Timothy Tyrrills; at all which places, the ſtone is ſtuck full of Cockles, Eſcallops, and Oysters, of which more anon in the following Chapter.

33. Beſide the ſtone that is uſed for the ſubſtance, there is other that ſerves for the ornament of Building, a ſort of gray Marble dug in the Pariſh of Blechington, in the Lordſhip of the Right Honorable Arthur Earl of Angleſey, Lord Privy Seal: Of this there are ſeveral Chimny-pieces and Pavements, in his Lordſhips Houſe there, well worth the notice; as alſo 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 beſide of it Tomb-stones and Tables, and of late alſo Mill-ſtones, good enough for the Oyl-mills; but not for the Corn-mills, becauſe of its ſuppoſed ſweating, to which this is ſubject in rainy weather, like all other Marbles.

34. Some other ſtones there are of inferior uſe, which yet muſt by no means be paſt by in ſilence; whereof I know one ſo like the Tripoli-ſtone, in colour, conſiſtence, and for all its uſes, that I cannot but think it of the very ſame kind: to ſilver it gave that very laſting brightneſs, that another piece of Plate that was tryed againſt it, receiv'd from the Gold-ſmiths Tripoli-ſtone, and proved it ſelf in all reſpects ſo much the very ſame; that would any thing pleaſe us not far fetch'd, perhaps there might be no further need of ſending any more to Africa for it.

35. Nor muſt I forget the Iron-ſtone at Shot-over, though occaſionally mention'd, and its uſes delared, in the immediatly preceding Chapter of Earths: ſo called, not from any ſuch metal that it holds, but meerly I ſuppoſe from the colour 'tis off. This I tryed with the Load-ſtone and Aqua fortis, thinking thereby, if it held any Iron, it muſt needs have confeſt it to one of thoſe two. But I ſince have found the Experiments but ill applyed, for neither will Cavala (which is the beſt Iron-ore) anſwer either of them: So that I do not now condemn it to be no Iron-ore, upon thoſe grounds as at firſt, but from other conſiderable differences it has from the known Iron-ores of Gloceſter-ſhire and Suſſex.

36. There is alſo near Thame on Cuttlebrook-ſide, another Iron-colour'd ſtone, but more ſpungy than the former, and including within it a blackiſh kind of Cinder; the moſt like, of any thing I yet have ſeen, to Magneſia (in the Glaſs-houſes, called Manganeſe) only it wants of its cloſeneſs of texture and weight: what it ſhould be, or for what uſe likely, to me I confeſs is wholly unknown, unleſs I may call it the Siderites of Pliny Hiſt. Nat. lib. 37. c. 10. . I therefore deſiſt to ſay more about it, but commend it to the diſcovery of future ages.

37. At Fyfield-merrymouth, in the Field above the Cave lately made by Mr. Bray, in the bank near the Brook, I found a stone of a light yellow colour, made up of glittering Lamellae, or Plates, which according to the deſcription of Georgius Agricola Foſſilium, lib. 5. , ſeems not unlike the Samian-ſtone, found alſo about Haſda in the Biſhoprick of Hildeſheime, and good only for poliſhing ſilver and gold. Such laminated Stones by Nicolas Steno In Prodromo. are thought to be nothing but incruſtations, made in the confines of a fluid and ſolid, an opinion that ſeems to come near to the truth. However it be, it is ſomthing formed, and may well ſerve to uſher in the next Chapter, which I have wholly reſerved for formed ſtones.

AFter Stones made to ſerve the neceſſities of Man, and not brought into form but by the tool of the Artiſt, come we next to conſider thoſe that are naturally formed, and ſeem rather to be made for his admiration than uſe. Whereof the World is beautified with ſo great variety, that as on the one hand I cannot but wonder at the great Providence of God, and his moſt perfect Workmanſhip, that has thus created the Ʋniverſe for Mans delight as well as uſe: ſo on the other, I cannot but reprehend the petulant deſpiſers of this innocent ſort of Learning, who in deriſion have called it, picking of ſtones; as if what the Omnipotent and moſt wiſe God hath thought fit to create, were not worth the conſideration of weak Man. But let ſuch malicious Scoffers know, that 'tis their pride and ignorance that has engaged them in this Cenſure: for as God has created them, ſo ſome things muſt be written off meerly for information, as well as others that tend to our advantage. Beſide, who knows but theſe things may have a uſe, that hereafter may be diſcover'd, though not known at preſent. Since then their Exceptions are ſo ill grounded, that they vaniſh in a manner as ſoon as named, 'tis but juſt that I pay them in their own coyn, and ſlight their judgment more than they dare do my ſubject.

2. In the handling whereof, though in a particular Chapter, I ſhall obſerve the method of the whole Eſſay: And firſt treat of ſuch formed ſtones as either in name, or thing, or both, relate to the Heavenly Bodies or Air; and next, ſuch as belong to the Watery Kingdom: After them, ſuch as reſemble Plants and Animals, whether in the whole, or parts. And laſtly ſuch ſtones, wherein contrary to all rule, Dame Nature ſeems to imitate Art; for ſo far from idleneſs (ſays a very good AuthorEncelius, de re Metallica, cap. 7. ) is Nature in the bowels and dark caverns of the earth, that ſhe continually plays the Geometrician there, and preſents us with Bodies, almoſt of all kinds, in ſtone.

3. Amongſt the ſtones that have relation to the Heavenly Bodies, the firſt place I think may be reaſonably given to ſuch as reſpect the greater Lights; upon which account, ſince the Heliotrope is not found here, much leſs the Gemma Solis, mentioned by Pliny Nat. Hiſt. lib. 37. cap. 10. : The Selenites or Moon-ſtone muſt have the precedence, which we find in great plenty in a bluiſh clay that lies above the Rock at Heddington Quarry, and in digging Wells, &c. at Hampton-Gay and Hanborough.

4. Where by the way let it be noted, that I intend not by the Moon-ſtone, the grey Tephrites of Pliny Nat. Hist. loco citato., that grows like a Creſcent, by the Greeks called Menöis; nor that other ſtrange ſtone mention'd by Pliny and the Poet Marbodeus Muſaeum Calceolarium, ſect. 3. , corporeally containing the Figure of the Moon increaſing and decreaſing, like that in the heavens: but a ſtone ſo called, not from its figure, but (as 'tis honeſtly confeſt by Geſner De figuris lapidum, cap. 2. and Agricola De Natura Foſſilium, lib. 5. ) that only repreſents the Image of the Moon, in all its phaſes, but beſt at full, juſt as it were in a glaſs, and therefore by Authors is ſomtimes called alſo Lapis ſpecularis.

5. And thus much will our Selenites do, if obverted to the raies of the Moon in right angles; which if all that is really intended by the name, (for the very ſame reaſon) I know not why it may not as well be called the Sun-ſtone too, ſince it equally repreſents 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 ſhape, in circuit hexangular, but with two of the ſides broader and more depreſſed, in the form of a Rhomboides, as in Tab. 2. Fig. 1. a. and therefore the learned Steno In Prodromo, pag. 74. (which I think its beſt name) not unfitly ſtiled it Selenites Rhomboides. Beſides the two larger Rhomboideal ſides, it hath eight others of an oblong ſquare, in all making up a decahedrum parallelipipedum; whereof the ſquares of the two ſhorter ſides of the great Rhomboides, one is ſomtimes a right angled inequilateral parallelogram, as in Tab. 2. Fig. 1. and the other a Rhomboid; and ſomtimes again they are both Rhomboids, but thoſe on the longeſt ſides of the great Rhomboids, as far as I have obſerved, are always Trapeziums.

7. As to its texture, the grain runs ſeveral ways, but ſlits the eaſieſt of any of them, in a planum to the more depreſſed Rhomboideal ſides; which way it may be cut into very thin plates by Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metallicum, lib. 4. cap. 33. , called Scaias, for which reaſon 'tis called alſo Alumen Scaiolae; not that it has the taſt of Alum, or any thing like it. It breaks alſo another way into ſmall threds, of which it ſeems chiefly to be compoſed, much after the manner of Amiantus or Talc, but its parts not ſo pliant as either of them: theſe threds lie for the moſt part, cloſe and paralel to the longer ſides of the great Rhomboids, as they are deſcrib'd in Tab. 2. though I have ſeen them ſomtimes alſo parallel to the ſhorter; but they ſeem not to be continued the whole bredth of the Rhomboid, but divided by other parallel lines of a greater diſtance, that ſomtimes are ſubtended to the acute angles of the Rhomboid, but moſt commonly run in a more oblique poſture, as may likewiſe be ſeen in Fig. 1. a. In theſe lines its parts are alſo eaſily ſeparated, but breaking ſhort off, and nothing ſo flexible as they are when broken as the threds run. According to ſome peculiar poſitions of theſe parts, there are ſome of them that really repreſent the Rain-bow, whereof I have ſome with the colours as vivid, as I ever ſaw any in a glaſs Priſm. Of theſe Aldrovandus had one out of Cyprus, of which he has given us a Cut in his Muſaeum Lib. 4. cap. 33.; but it being in Mans power to make theſe Rain-bows as he pleaſes, I think even thoſe we find thus, to belong of the two rather to caſualty than nature, and therefore paſs them by.

8. There is, 'tis true, a ſort of them of a different figure, not ſo eaſily to be met with, with only two depreſſed ſides, and ſcarce any angles, but what are ſo obtuſe that they deſerve not the name, in the whole almoſt of an Oval form, as repreſented Tab. 2. Fig. 1. b. This ſort of Selenites, beſides the ſhape, is alſo ſo different from the former in texture, that it ſlits not like that into plates or ſcales, parallel to the moſt depreſſed ſides, but quite contrary parallel to the thickneſs only; which I take to be a character abundantly ſufficient, to make it of a different ſpecies from the other, though in the reſt of their texture they be much the ſame.

9. About the origin of this matter, Authors differ much; amongſt whom Galen Lib de Simp. Med. ad Patern. makes it the dew of Heaven, congeled, as he ſays, by the light of the Moon, and therefore calls it by the name of Aphroſelinum, but reſtrains the performance of the feat to Egypt. Encelius De Lapidibus & Gemmis, lib. 3. cap. 56. thinks it a ſort of moiſture of the earth, ſo concreted, that like Chrystal it will not diſſolve, but remains as it were an indiſſoluble Ice, whence the Germans took occaſion to call it Glacies Mariae. But that learned and induſtrious inveſtigator of Nature, Georgius Agricola, differs from them all, and makes it a product of Lime-ſtone and water, Gignitur (ſays he) ex ſaxo calcis cum pauca aquâ permiſto De Natura Foſſilium, lib. 5. ; and thus I find it to grow here with us at Heddington, in a blue clay that lies over the Quarry, whoſe outermoſt cruſt is a hard Lime-ſtone.

10. The learned and ingenious Steno Prodromi prop. 1. obſer. vat. 1. in his Prodromus, thinks Chryſtalls and Selenites's, and all other Bodies having a ſmooth ſurface to have been already hardened, when the matter of the Earth, or ſtones containing them, was yet a fluid; if ſo, indeed Agricola muſt be out in his aim. But I cannot ſee how our bed of clay at Heddington, above the Quarry at ſome places ten foot thick, could have been a fluid within ſome ages paſt; and yet of the Selenites's of the Rhomboideal Figure, I find ſome as ſmall as a Barley-corn, ſome about three inches, and others again at leaſt half a foot long: ſo that they ſeem rather to have ſome ſucceſſion 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. Beſide, they then would have been found cloſe together, whereas we here meet them ſome higher ſome lower, and mix'd all together little and great; and the very clay it ſelf, as 'tis broken to pieces, ſeeming ſomwhat inclinable to this ſort of form.

11. A third ſort we have of them alſo found here at Heddington, in the very ſame clay, as alſo at Cornwell and Hanwell; with two ſides like the former, more depreſſed then the other, in compaſs alſo hexangular (the thineſt ſides of them being divided by a ridge) but in the form, not of a Rhomboid, but an inequilateral parallelogram, as in Tab. 2. Fig. 1. d There are ſuch as theſe in Spain, Thuringia, and Cappadocia. Aldrovand. lib. 4. cap. 33.. Some of theſe we find ſingle, lying in any poſture, the biggeſt ſcarce an inch broad, or above four inches long; and others joined together in a certain poſition, with their flatteſt ſides towards each other, and edges downward, and their ends conſtantly meeting in a center. The Ingenious Sir Thomas Pennyſton has obſerved, that at Cornwell they generally lye in ternaries, but here at Heddington we find them oftentimes more, and not unfrequently irradiating all manner of ways into the form of a Globe, the ſeveral Selenites, like ſo many radii, all pointing to the center, as is plainly repreſented by one half of ſuch a globe of them, in Tab. 2. Fig. 1. c.

12. The texture of theſe is ſomthing agreeable, and ſomthing different from the Rhomboideal Selenites, for they all cleave in a planum to the flatteſt ſides, and ſeem to conſiſt of ſmall threds like them; but ſome have the threds running obliquely to the whole ſquare, as in the lower part of Fig. 1. d. others have them meeting in the middle of the flat in an obtuſe angle, as in the upper part of the ſame Figure.

13. The meeting of which threds ſo in an obtuſe angle, I thought at firſt might have very well occaſioned that repreſentation of the gramen ſegetum paniculâ ſparſa, fair panicled corn or bent-graſs, to be ſeen in moſt, if not all of this kind (which like a fly or ſpider in amber) ſeem to be included at each end of them, with the panicles turned contrary to each other: But I quickly found my ſelf miſtaken, by ſlitting of ſeveral, whereby I diſcovered, that the threds ſomtimes ran quite contrary to the ſpreading panicles of the corn or bent-graſs (ſo very well counterfeited in many of them) and therefore not likely to give that form: And that the thing it ſelf was nothing but clay, thus pretily diſperſed in the form of a bent; which beſide the pleaſure of the ſurprizal, gave me another argument againſt Steno's opinion, That Selenites's were all hardened, when their beds they now lie in were nothing but fluids: for it cannot well be conceived how the clay ſhould any way get to be within them, had it not had a being before the ſelenites, and thus included at the time of their formation.

14. Of formed ſtones, though there are few that have any, yet ſome there are of eminent uſe, and ſuch is our ſelenites or ſpecular ſtone; good taken inwardly for many diſtempers, number'd up by Cerutus In Muſaeo Calceolario, ſect. 3. , Aldrovandus Lib. 4. cap. 33. Muſ. Metal. and Galen De Simp. Med. facult. lib. 9. ; and externally to take away the blemiſhes of the face. In ancient times, before the invention of glaſs, it was of very great uſe for Lanterns and Windows, it being eaſily ſlit into very thin plates, yet looſing nothing thereby of its diaphaneity. Of this ſays Agricola De Natura Foſſilium. lib. 5. , are the Church-windows made at Caſwick in Saxony, and Merſeburg in Thuringia, which certainly muſt be of a different ſort, from what is deſcribed by Aldrovandus Muſ. Metal. lib. 4. c. 33. and Wormius In Muſaeo, cap. 7. : the one whereof ſays 'tis imbrium impatiens; and the other, humido corruptibilis. I expoſed this of ours many rainy days, but could not find that from the weather it received any damage, and therefore gueſs it to be the ſame deſcrib'd by Agricola: I ſteeped it likewiſe many days in water, but found not any ſenſible alteration of its body, though it gave the water both an odd ſmell and taſt. As for Lanterns and Windows; ſo they anciently uſed it in making of Bee-hives, that through it they might ſee the Bees operations, as in glaſshives now: an Invention by ſome people taken for new, though very well known in the days of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 21. cap. 14. .

15. Out of burnt ſelenites is made the beſt gypſum, for Plaiſtering, Images, Fret-works, &c. When burn'd, it turns to a pure white Calx, by the Italians called Geſſo, from the Latin word gypſum: Of this they make thoſe curious counterfeit Tables, like Marble in-laid with divers Pretious ſtones, in the forms of Animals, Plants, &c. The way of making them is taught us by Kircher Kircheri Mundus ſub terr. Lib. 12. ſect. 5. part. 3. cap. 3. ; but there is a friend of mine has a better method, who intends very ſpeedily to make ſome attempt to make them in England, and of Engliſh materials. And ſo much for our firſt formed stone Selenites, on which I had not dwelt ſo long, but to ſupply the defects of other Authors, whoſe deſcriptions of it are but mean and imperfect.

16. After the Moon-ſtone, the Asteriae, or Star-ſtones, next offer themſelves to our conſideration, which, to avoid the confuſion of other Authors, I ſhall only call thoſe, whoſe whole Bodies make the form of a Star, as in Tab. 2. Fig. 2, 3, in oppoſition to the Aſtroites, which in the whole are irregular, but adorned as it were with a Conſtellation, as in Fig. 4, 5, 6 and 7.

17. The Aſteria, or ſtar-stone, otherwiſe by Geſner De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 2. called Sphragis Aſteros, or ſigillum ſtellae, becauſe of the uſe it is ſomtimes put to, is plentifully found in the Fields at Cleydon, the moſt Northern Pariſh of the whole County, Northward from the Church, and particularly on the Furlong called Hore-ſtone Furlong: the texture of as many as I have yet ſeen, ſeems to be of thin lamellae or plates, lying obliquely to the Horizontal poſition of the Star, much after the manner of Lapis Judaicus, and their colour various, according to the different Soils they are found in: whence 'tis, that in Glocester-ſhire and York-ſhire, where they are taken out of a blew clay, they are almoſt themſelves of the ſame colour, breaking, as the Ingenious Mr. Liſter informs usPhiloſoph. Tranſact. Numb. 112. , Flint-like, and of a dark ſhining politure. In Warwick-ſhire they are accordingly, and in ſome places alſo of Gloceſter-ſhire, of a cinereous colour. And here at Cleydon, becauſe taken forth of a yellowiſh earth, of a yellow colour, herein varying from all I had ſeen before. They differ much alſo from thoſe of other Counties in circumference and ſoftneſs; for here we have them ordinarily of above an inch and half, and ſcarce any ſo little as an inch in compaſs; than which in thoſe Counties there are but few bigger. And whereas in other Counties they are ſo hard and ſo firmly cemented, that 'tis very difficult, if at all poſſible, to ſeparate them from each other, without ſpoiling the Intagli or workmanſhip of the Stars; theſe if but ſteeped a night in vinegar, or other ſharp liquor, may be divided the next morning with ſafety and eaſe.

18. And as in colour, circumference, and hardneſs; ſo theſe ſometimes differ from thoſe of other places in figure too, as Tab. 2. Fig. 2. where beſide the ſculpture that makes up the angles, there is plainly repreſented a roſe, or other uniform figure, in the middle of it, which I never ſaw at any other place, nor indeed are ſuch often to be met with there.

19. In all other matters, I think theſe Asteriae of Cleydon agree with the accurate deſcription of them, by the Ingenious Mr. Liſter Ibid.; all ſeeming to be fragments, and no intire Bodies, and found either in one ſingle joint, as in Tab. 2. Fig. 2. or in 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 15 heaped together, as in Fig. 3. making a pentagonous cylindrical column, of which I met with none that were full an inch long; but however, gueſs that about 20 joynts, as in other places, may go to an inch: every joynt conſiſts of five angles, which in ſome are very obtuſe, in others more acute; the middle of each angle is a little hollowed, and the edges more prominent and thick furrowed, by which the ſeveral joynts are knit together, their ridges and furrows being alternately let into one another. In the center of the five angles is a ſmall hole, conſpicuous enough in moſt of them; but in ſome I have obſerved the ſmall hole on one ſide, 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 theſe longeſt jointed Aſteriae, have certain joynts 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, ſays the learned and curious Obſerver, Mr. Liſter Philoſoph. Tranſact. loco citato., are marked (as he calls them) with ſets of Wyers, which though I could not perceive in any found at Cleydon, yet when I put a column of them into Vinegar, at thoſe very places I could perceive bubbles, ſtanding as it were at the orifices, where formerly theſe Wyers were in all likelyhood inſerted, by no means otherwiſe viſible to the eye. And whereas 'tis certain that moſt of theſe in other Counties, if of any conſiderable length, are not ſtraight, but viſibly bent and inclining; theſe are not now, or ſcarce appear to have ever been ſo, though poſſibly this may rather be referred to the ſhortneſs of thoſe I met with, or ill luck in finding none of the kind, than to any different operation in nature here, from her uſual performances in other places.

21. They are found alſo about Swerford of the ſame colour, but nothing ſo plentifully, or large as theſe at Cleydon, for the biggeſt I found there was ſcarce an inch round; in all other reſpects they correſpond with them, only the conjugations, made by the prominence of ſome joynts beyond the reſt, are more viſible in theſe than in any at Cleydon.

22. Of Astroites or starry-ſtones, ſuch as in bulk are irregular, but adorned all over with many ſtars, there are no leſs in this County than four ſeveral ſorts: Whereof, in two, the ſtars are in mezzo Rilievo, prominent, and ſtanding outward, with the ſtriae or ſtreaks deſcending from the Center at the top, on all ſides to the Rock on which they grow. Some of theſe are of a larger, as Tab. 2. Fig. 4. and others of a ſmaller kind, as Tab. 2. Fig. 5. both found in the Quarries of rubble-ſtone, dug only for mending 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 Pariſh of Heddington.

23. A third ſort there is, and indeed the moſt beautiful of any it has been hitherto my luck to meet with, to be had in the Fields about Steeple-Barton, firſt diſcovered to me by a worthy Gentleman, ſince deceaſed, the Worſhipful Edward Sheldon Eſq to whoſe furtherance of my deſign I am not a little indebted. But theſe, quite contrary to the former, are Intagli, deeply engraven like a ſeal, and ſtriated from the prominent edges above (which for the moſt part are Hexagons, and ſomtimes 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 ſuperficial, and not to be found in the body of the ſtone, and have none of them (that I know of) been any where noted before.

24. To theſe add a fourth ſort, imperfectly deſcribed by Geſner, and out of him by ſeveral others; whoſe ſtriae, like the third ſort, deſcend in a concave, but from edges moſt times round, or quinquangular at the top, and tend to a center not of their own kind, as in Fig. 6. but ſmooth; and not depreſſed, but viſibly prominent, as in Fig. 7. Theſe are found in the afore-mentioned Quarries of rubble-ſtone in the Pariſh of Heddington, and are ſtellated not only in the ſuperficies of the ſtone, but quite through the whole depth of it, yet not ſo that one continued ſtar (as ſome have thought) does reach th •• ugh it; but many, according to the thickneſs of the ſtone, about ten of them lying in the depth of an inch, much after the manner of the Asteriae or star-ſtones, only they are not ſeparate, but joined together, and making as it were ſo many ranges in the ſtone, which are clearly repreſented by Fig. 8. which ſhews the face of ſuch a ſtone, cut parallel to the deſcent of the ſtars in its body, which lie within one another like ſo many cones.

25. Of this ſort in France there are ſome ſo great, as Geſner Ibid. was informed by Petrus Bellonius, that they uſed them in building of Walls and Houſes; to which uſe 'tis true we do not put ours, but I ſuppoſe it is not for want of bigneſs, but becauſe we have much better ſtone for that purpoſe: for here we have them likewiſe ſo plentifully and great, that we commonly pave our Cauſeys with them, as may be ſeen in the Cauſey without St. Clements, leading from Oxford up Heddington hill.

26. Having hitherto conſidered theſe ſtones apart, and ſeen De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 2. how they differ from one another, let us now conſider them all together in that admired quality of their moving in Vinegar, which in ſome meaſure is found in the Aſtroites, but is much more ſignal in the Aſteriae or star-stones: for the Aſtroites muſt be broken in very ſmall pieces before they will move, though put in good Vinegar, but the Aſteria will move not only in a whole joynt, but two or three of them knit together, which I have often ſeen done by the yellow ones of Cleydon, though of greater bulk than thoſe of other places; which joined, with ſome other circumſtances anon to be mention'd, has given me ground to ſuſpect, if not conclude, that though it may be true enough what Mr. Liſter Philoſoph. Tranſact. Numb. 100. has aſſerted, as well of all foſſils, as the stones Aſtroites, that as many of them as Vinegar will corrode as a Menſtruum, do all move in it; yet none of them reach the effects it has on the Aſteria, to which therefore I muſt crave leave to allow ſomwhat more than either to the Aſtroites or any other foſſils.

27. For beſide the progreſſive motion to be ſeen in thoſe, the Aſteria has a motion of circumgyration, and moves brisker and longer than any of them; for though it hath been ſteeped in Vinegar three or four days, yet upon infuſion of a freſh acid, it ſtill ſends forth many little bubbl • as at firſt, from underneath it, in the inſtant of its motion: which ſeems to argue, that it has it not wholly from the corroſion of the Menſtruum, but in part at leaſt from ſome other principle, which I take to be a ſpirituous, yet corporeal effluvium, continually flowing from it, when provoked by an acid.

28. Whereof there is one, which hereafter ſhall be publick, found out indeed by chance at the Houſe of Mr. Wildgoſe, Phyſitian at Denton, and an ingenious Chymist, whoſe aſſiſtances (in gratitude) I muſt ever own: where not having Vinegar ſo ready at hand, we thought fit to make uſe of another ſuitable liquor, which ſo effectually excited the effluviums of the ſtone, that they aſcended in a cloud to the ſurface of the Menſtruum, and there ſetled exactly in the form of the ſtone, and that not only of a ſingle joynt, but a whole column of them together: which perſwaded me, that Cardan Subtilit. Lib. 5. was not ſo far out of the way, nor deſerved ſo much the reproofs of Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metallic. lib. 4. cap. 65. and others, for aſſerting the motion of ſuch ſtones to ariſe, from vapors expelled from them by the power of the Vinegar. Since perhaps his poſition (though not ſo well made out) comes nearer to truth than any his Animadverters have brought for it ſince.

29. After the ſtones ſome way related to the Celestial Bodies, I deſcend next to ſuch as (by the vulgar at leaſt) are thought to be ſent us from the inferior Heaven, to be generated in the clouds, and diſcharged thence in the times of thunder and violent ſhowers: for which very reaſon, and no other that we know of, the ancient Naturalists coined them ſuitable names, and called ſuch as they were pleaſed to think fell in the Thunder, Brontiae; and thoſe that fell in ſhowers, by the name of Ombriae: Which though amongſt other Authors has been the only reaſon why theſe have had place next the ſtellated ſtones, yet methinks it is due to moſt of them, by a much better pretence, having ſomthing upon them that rather reſembles a ſtar of five points, than any thing coming from the clouds, or the Fiſh Echinus; to the ſhell whereof deprived of its prickles, Ʋlyſſes Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metallic. lib. 4. cap. 1. , and ſome others, have compared them, and therefore called them Echinites. However, I think fit rather to retain the old names, though but ill applyed to the nature of the things, than put my ſelf to the trouble of inventing new ones▪

30. Of Brontiae therefore, or Ombriae (call them which you will) we have ſeveral ſorts in Oxford-ſhire, which yet all agree in this, that they are a ſort of ſolid irregular Hemiſphears; ſome of them oblong, and having ſomwhat of an oval; others either more elevated, or depreſſed on their baſes. All of them divided into five parts, moſt times inequal, rarely equal, by five rays iſſuant from an umbilicus or center, deſcending from it down the ſides of the body, and terminating again ſomwhere in the baſe. They are never found in beds together, like ſome other formed ſtones, nor that I have yet heard of (ſays the Ingenious Mr. Ray Obſervations Topograph. &c. p. 116.) in great numbers in one place: but in the latter I muſt 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 ſuch plenty, that I believe it were eaſie in a little time, to procure a Cart-load of the firſt ſort of them, carefully exhibited in Tab. 2. Fig. 9, 10.

31. Whoſe innermoſt texture, though it ſeem to be nothing more than a courſe rubble-ſtone, yet is thinly caſed over with a fine laminated ſubſtance (the plates lying obliquely) much like Lapis Judaicus: In form they are flat, depreſſed upon the baſis; in colour generally yellow, their rays made of a double rank of tranſverſe lines, with void ſpaces between the ranks, viſible enough on the top of the ſtone Fig. 9. but not ſo diſtinguiſhable on the bottom Fig. 10. the whole body of the ſtone, as well as the ſpaces included within the rays, being elſewhere filled with Annulets, much more curiouſly wrought by Nature, than by the tool of the Graver.

32. The center of theſe rays, by Pliny called Modiolus, by Ariſtotle, Ʋmbilicus Lib. de Mundo ad Alexandrum., is never placed on the top of the ſtone, but always inclining to one ſide, as that at the bottom do's to the other; the Axis lying obliquely to the Horizon of the ſtone. Which gave occaſion to a Learned Society of Virtuoſi, that during the late Uſurpation lived obſcurely at Tangley, and had then time to think of ſo mean a ſubject, by conſent to term it the Polar-ſtone, having ingeniouſly found out, by clapping two of them together, as ſuppoſe the Fig. 9, and 10. that they made up a Globe, with Meridians deſcending to the Horizon, and the Pole elevated, very nearly correſponding to the real elevation of the Pole of the place where the ſtones are found.

33. The two next, repreſented Fig. 11, 12. like the former, being flat and depreſſed on their baſes, having alſo ſome reſemblance of a star of 5 points, were therefore thought fit to be placed next. Whereof the 11 indeed is a beautiful ſtone, found ſomwhere in the Chiltern about Aſton Rowant, whoſe inner ſubſtance, though of black Flint, to outward view is of a cinereous colour, and adorned by Nature with ſomwhat more than ordinary. For beſide the Modiolus, and the iſſuing rays made of double ranks of points, with tranſverſe lines interceding them, it is alſo ſet with other points ſurrounded with double Annulets; on each ſide the ſtone with a ſingle, and from the terminations of the rays with double ranks. The points thus ſurrounded, are neither deeply excavated, nor any thing prominent above the ſuperficies of the ſtone; but the rays as they are but ſhort (not extending above half way to the rim of the ſtone) ſo they are deeply hollowed down within it, wherein it differs,

33. From that of Fig. 12. found in the Fields about Ifley, whoſe rays like thoſe of the Polar ſtones, are made of double ranks of tranſverſe lines, whereof the outermoſt are much the longer, and extended likewiſe to the rim of the ſtone; its ſubſtance alſo like that ſeems to be a yellow rubble, but not caſed that I can perceive with any ſuch laminated ſubſtance, or adorned with Annulets, yet the Ʋmbilicus of ſome of them, is more beautiful than theirs, it being ſomtimes divided and foliated like a Roſe. And ſo much for the Brontiae depreſſed on their baſes.

35. Let us now proceed to others of a more elevated kind, whereof thoſe expreſſed Fig. 13. found ſomwhere in the Chiltern, by the Country people called commonly Cap-ſtones, from their likeneſs to a Cap laced down the ſides, are of any the moſt uniform. For the centers of theſe, both at the top and bottom, are on all hands equidiſtant from the rim of the ſtone, and the rays interceding the centers being alſo equidiſtant, cut it exactly into five equal parts; which in none of the former, nor thoſe that are to follow, either by reaſon of their ſhape, or excentricity of their Modioli, can poſſibly be found. The rays of theſe are made of two rows of points ſet pretty deep in the body of the ſtone, out of which you are to ſuppoſe, according to Aldrovandus (who reſembles this ſtone to a diſarmed Echinus) proceeded the prickles that Animal is fenced with.

36. As alſo that other ſomwhat of an oval form, Tab. 2. Fig. 14. whoſe center correſponds with the figure of the ſtone, 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 deſcend as it were double rays, made up of two double ſets of points; which, expanding themſelves as they draw toward the rim, at about midway are ſurrounded with ſingle Annulets, which each of them including two points apiece, are therefore all of an oval Figure. Its ſubſtance within is a black Flint, though without it appear of a cinereous colour, and was found in the Fields between Ewelm and Brightwell.

38. Beſide the Brontiae of the Forreign Naturalists, we have others, which here in England we call likewiſe 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 Country (though for as much reaſon as the foregoing Brontiae) I have placed amongſt the ſtones related to the Heavens.

39. From their form, by all Naturaliſts they are called Belemnites, from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 telum, which indeed there are ſome of them repreſent pretty well. We have of them in Oxford-ſhire of divers ſorts, yet all of them I find agreeing in this, that their texture is of ſmall ſtriae, or threds radiating from the center, or rather axis of the Stone, to the outermoſt ſuperficies; and that burn'd, or rub'd againſt one another, or ſcraped with a knife, they yield an odour like raſped Horn.

40. In magnitude and colour they differ much, the biggeſt I have met with yet, being that expreſt in Tab. 3. Fig. 3. in length ſomwhat above four inches, and in thickneſs much about an inch and ¼. This was found in the Quarries in the Pariſh of Heddington, hollow at the top about an inch deep, and filled with a kind of gravelly earth; and has the rima or chink, which Aldrovandus and Boetius ſay all of them have; but I find it otherwiſe, as ſhall be ſhewn anon. Of colour it is cinereous, inclining to yellow, and if vehemently rubb'd, is the only one amongſt all that I have, that like Amber takes up ſtraws, and ſome other light bodies.

41. There are of them alſo of a bluiſh colour, found at Great Rolwright in a bluiſh clay, of about a fingers length, hollow at the top, and have ſome of them, inſtead of one, three clefts or rimae, but neither ſo plain or long as the former, they aſcending from the cuſpis ſcarce half up the ſtone: two whereof are ſhewn Fig. 4. and the third hidden behind the Sculpture; which may make ſome amends for that of Fig. 5. which is of colour cinereous 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 Deddington, as was mentioned before in the Chapter of Waters.

42. To which add a fourth ſort, found in great plenty in the Gravel-pits without St. Clements, in the ſuburbs of Oxford, very few of them hollow at the top like the former, but radiated like a star from a cloſer center, as in Fig. 6Theſe not being hollow at the top, nor containing any other ſtone, gravel, or earth, ſome call the male Belemnites: the three former being of the female kind.. which made Geſner De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 5. think it to be the Aſtrapias of Pliny, though expreſly he ſays, 'tis of a white or azure Nat. Hiſt. lib. 37. cap. 11. , whereas this is always of an amber colour: yet draws not ſtraws, is ſomwhat tranſparent, and may therefore paſs for a ſort of Lapis Lyncurius; not that it has original from the urine of that Beaſt, for we have plenty of the ſtones here and none of the animals, but from the unpleaſant ſmell it has when burn'd or brayed; like the urine of Cats, or ſuch like ramiſh creatures, whereof the Lynx perhaps may be one. Theſe, moſt of them, are made tapering to a point like the former; yet ſomtimes having a blunter ending, and the chink on both ſides, I thought fit rather to ſhew it in that form than the other, as in Fig. 6. where the cleft runs not only the whole length of the ſtone, but quite under the end, and half way up the other ſide.

43. Many are the Medicinal uſes of this stone, mentioned by Boetius, Aldrovandus, and Geſner: Whereof the chief are, 1. For the stone, for which (inſtead of the Eurrhaeus) 'tis uſed in Spain and Saxony. 2. For exſiccation of wounds in Pruſſia and Pomerania. And 3. for ocular diſtempers in Horſes, in all parts of England.

44. Thus having run through the ſuppoſititious ſtones from Heaven, I next deſcend to the Atmoſphere, or inferior Air, immediatly encompaſſing the terraqueous Globe; which though incapable of it ſelf to be repreſented in ſtone, yet having met with ſome related to its Inhabitants, I mean the feathered Kingdom, I thought fit to give them place before thoſe of the Waters.

45. Whereof the firſt and only one, repreſented in Sculpture Tab. 3, Fig. 7. has perfectly the ſhape of an Owls head, which becauſe not mention'd by any Author that I know of, I thought good to exhibit, and call Lapis Bubonius; it is a black flint within, and cinereous without, and was found near to Hardwick in the Pariſh of Whitchurch.

46. To which I might have annex'd the ſtone Hieracites, found frequently in the Quarries in the Pariſh of Heddington, but is not the Hieracites mention'd by Pliny Lib. 37. cap. 10., which he ſays alternatly changes its colour; but of Geſner De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 13. , to whoſe figure of it, ours is exactly like: but neither his nor ours reſembling any thing of a Hawks, or other Birds feathers, ſo much as to deſerve a cut, or the Readers view; I have ſaved my ſelf the expence, and him the trouble.

47. Next the Air, the ſtones that concern the Watery Kingdom, fall in order of Nature under conſideration, whereof there are ſome that ſeem to be nothing elſe but meerly concreted drops of water, found plentifully in the Fields about Kircklington and Northbrook, which I touched on before under petrifications, and promiſed to treat of more largely here. By Authors they are called Stalagmites, and ſeem either to be generated of pearls of dew, ſetled on the ſtones as they lie in the Fields, which firſt being coated over with the ſmall terrene atoms that are flying in the Air, and by that means kept in their own form for ſome conſiderable time, are thus at length fix'd into a friable kind of stone, by the petrifying ſteam that comes from the earth; or elſe they are exſudations out of the ſtones themſelves, whence are formed thoſe excreſcencies like warts in Animals: neither of which ſeem unagreeable to their deſcription in Tab. 3. Fig. 8.

48. But beſide the Stalagmites, there are other concretions made of much the ſame materials, viz. of a cold ſort of water, thickned with terrene and petrifying particles; which yet becauſe of their different mode of generation, have obtained a different, and more ſuitable name: And ſuch are the ſtones made of nothing but ſuch water, as it drops from the roofs and caverns of the Rocks, and therefore called Stalactites, or Lapides ſtillatitii; which, if the drops deſcend by the ſides of the Rocks, and comply with the uſual raggedneſs of them, are then indeed of various and the rudeſt forms, and by the work-men called Craume Of this there is a Quarry between Heathrop and Enſton, called Broad-ſtone Quarry, that has great plenty.. But if the drops deſcend from the top of a vault, or any more prominent part of a Rock, in a direct line and free from the ſides, they are commonly then of a pyramidal form, as in Tab. 3. Fig. 9. which is the repreſentation of a ſtone of about nine inches long, of a yellowiſh colour, as it hung from the Rock in Heddington Quarry, where without doubt it was produced much after the ſame manner, as Iſicles at the ends of ſpouts in Winter, by a gradual deſcent and congelation of the drops.

49. Hither alſo muſt be referred all ſorts of Spars, by the Miners called Cawke, and the Latins, Fluores; which (ſay they) yet retain ſo much of a fluid, that with the heat of fire, like Ice in the Sun, they melt and flow: an effect, 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.

50. Whereof, there is ſcarce any Rock whatever, whether metalline or vulgar, which has not ſome kind or other of them, ſhot in its ſeams or other hollows, which according to their different ſubjects or matrixes, are ſomtimes of different colours, and frequently of divers figures.

51. As for colours, I have not obſerved above two ſorts in Oxford-ſhire, a light yellow, and a Pearl-colour'd white, whereof there are ſome in the Quarrys near Shotover, ſo clear and hard, that they come not much behind the Briſtol-stones, and are in figure (though had from the ſame Quarry) as various as Diamants; ſome of them being compriſed in ſeven, others in nine, others in eleven, and ſome in thirteen planes, as may eaſily be computed from their trigonal, tetragonal, pentagonal, and hexagonal pyramids, repreſented in Tab. 3. Fig. 10. to which, adding the planes of their columns, and the planes of their baſes, whereby they are fix'd to their ſubjects, thoſe numbers of Hedrae muſt needs be concluded.

52. As to the origin and texture of Spars, I take them to be much of the ſame with Chryſtals (though we ſeldom find them of their hexagonal figure, or their columns ever interceding two pyramids) and that they differ in luſter and hardneſs according to the more cloſe or looſe texture of the ſtones whereon they ſit, and out of which they have ſweat, as through a ſtrainer or colander. Though it muſt not be denyed, but what is aſſerted by the ingenious and obſerving Steno Prodrom. de Chryſtallo. propoſitionib. 1, 2, 3. concerning Chryſtals, may have place alſo in the increaſe and growth of theſe, which he ſays (whatever may be the manner of their firſt delineation) is by external appoſition of new Chryſtalline matter to the external planes of the already delineated Chryſtal; which he alſo obſerves, not to be joined to all its planes, but for the moſt part to the planes of the top only; nor to theſe all at a time, nor in the ſame quantity: Whence it is, that the extream or top planes of Spars as well as Chryſtals, are ſeldom or never equal, and not always triangular, but riſing with unequal ſides and angles from the planes of their columns, as in that ſeparate piece of Spar or Chryſtal near Fig. 10. which I take to be arguments ſufficiently concluding the ſimilitude of their growth and texture of parts, notwithſtanding the planes of the columns of Spars are not ſtreaked, nor ſo plainly ſhew the places of appoſition, as they do on Chrystal; which ſtreaks, for the Readers more ready apprehenſion, are therefore cut on the ſeparate column near Fig. 10. though otherwiſe indifferently to be underſtood either for Spar or Chryſtall.

53. Some of theſe Spars fall ſo little ſhort, either of Chryſtals or Briſtol Diamants, either in luſter or hardneſs, that we may very well admit what is ſaid of them by Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metall. lib. 4. cap. 76. , that they are gemmae inchoatae, & non perfectae. And that Boetius De Lapid. & Gem. cap. 304. in all likelyhood may have hit the mark, who doubts not but they are made of the ſame matter with Gems, and therefore gives them place between Gems and Stones, Inter Gemmas & lapides medium locum obtinent fluores, ſays he: to whom in this matter I readily ſubſcribe, finding many of them to participate with Gems in luſter, but with other Stones in ſoftneſs and brittleneſs; whence it comes to paſs, that they will not poliſh like other ſtones, and are only fit to be mix'd with other metals, which they render much more quick in fuſion, than otherwiſe they are inclined to be of themſelves.

54. After Stones ſo purely made out of Waters, that they readily return into fluids again, or have only ſuch figures, into which that Element ſeems moſt naturally to compoſe it ſelf, as the Stalagmites and Lapides ſtillatitii; come we next to ſuch as repreſent its Inhabitants, the Fiſhes of the Sea and freſh Waters too: of which there are ſome of ſo great variety of texture, that in caſe they were not heretofore the ſpoils of real Fiſhes indeed, and now petrified, require a much higher principle for their efformation; concerning which before we attempt any thing, let us firſt conſider ſome of their particular ſhapes, with the places and poſtures they are now found in.

55. Of ſuch as reſemble any of the freſh water kind, I have met with only one in this County, which did we but know where elſe to put it, ſhould not be placed here neither; for it was taken out of a block of coal (whereof there is none dug in Oxford-ſhire) by the ingenious and obſerving Sir Thomas Pennyſton, at his Houſe at Cornwell; and ſeems to repreſent a Carp or Barbel, the beſt of any Fiſh I have yet compared it with, and rather indeed the latter of the two, becauſe of the ſhort and thick ſcale: It was broken, in taking it out of the Coal, into ſeveral pieces, whereof that is one exactly engraven Tab. 3. Fig. 11. kindly beſtowed on me by that worthy Gentleman, and by whom the reſt are carefully preſerv'd; which were it not for want of the variety of colours, I ſhould take (for the ſcales ſake) to be the Lepidotes of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 37. c. 10. .

56. The ſtones that we find in this In-land Country, having the ſhapes of Sea fiſh, are many, but chiefly of the testaceous kind; whereof there are ſome that lie in a maſs of ſtone together, and others found in the Fields or Quarries apart. Of the firſt ſort of theſe we have a curious inſtance in the poſſeſſions of the Right Honorable Henry Earl of Clarendon, at Langley in the confines of Whichwood-forreſt, where there is a Quarry of very hard ſtone, wholly compoſed of a cloſe union of Cockles, ſcarce any of them exceeding a Pea in bigneſs, and ſtreaked circularly to the hinges of the valves, as in Tab. 3. Fig. 12. they are none of them hollow, but firmer within, than they are to the bed of ſtone where they lye; and yet even to that they are ſo cloſely knit, that the maſs receives a very good poliſh, inſomuch that his Lordſhip intends to pave the new Chappel now building at Cornbury with it.

57. This ſort of Marble is mention'd by Steno In Prodromo., and called (as he ſays) by the Italians, Nephiri; whereof there is alſo a very good ſort at Charleton Towns end, upon the edge of Otmoor It is much prized by the Painters at London, it having a grit that cuts their colours much better than other Marble. Mr. Aubrey's notes., differing from that of Langley only in this, that the groſs of the ſtone is ſomwhat whiter, the Cockles larger, and not ſo thick ſet. However, of ſo firm and cloſe a texture, that of it they make Tomb-stones, Tables, &c, ſo curiouſly ſpotted and ſet with rings, that it very much pleaſes the eye of the beholder, and has already gotten (though but lately found) a reputation at Oxford and the parts adjacent.

58. Of this ſort of ſtone moſt certainly it was, though ſomwhat perhaps of a ſofter kind, and different colour, that Pauſanias informs us (as quoted by Agricola) the Monument of Phroneus, and many other works, were made at Megara. Megarae in ſaxo valde albo, & reliquis lapidibus molliore, undique inſunt conchae marinae, ex quo &c. are the words of Agricola De Natura Foſſilium. lib. 7. ; for which very reaſon this ſort of ſtone is there called Conchites, and ſince by Johnſton and Fred; Lachmund 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Hildeſheim. ſect. 3. cap. 15. (from the place where found) Lapis Megaricus.

59. There is another ſort of it in the Quarries near Adderbury, thick ſet with Cockles in their full proportion, as in Tab. 3. Fig. 13. Some of them are wonderfully Chryſtallized, and beautiful to the eye, but not being ſo finely cemented together, but that a knock will looſen or make them leap from their beds; and many of them being hollow, or filled with brittle Spar; the ſtone by no means will receive a poliſh, and upon that account fit for no other work than to mend the high-ways, or ſome other mean uſes. Nor can I inform the owners of theſe Quarries of any better that it may have, except they ſhall think fit to burn it for Lime, for which I dare promiſe it muſt needs be excellent.

60. And ſo is the ſtone Oſtracomorphos, made of heaps of Oyſters cemented together, and found plentifully enough on Shot-over hill, not far from the way to Sir Timothy Tyrrils; of which I have forborn to give any draught, it being eaſily conceived from the manner of the Cockles thus heaped together in the two former cuts.

61. To theſe ſucceed the ſtones reſembling Sea-fiſh of the teſtaceous kind, not found in cluſters after the manner of the former, but in a ſeparate ſtate: of theſe there are ſome curiouſly lineated, and others plain, with but few or no ſuch ornaments, which yet I muſt treat of promiſcuouſly together, becauſe there are of both ſorts in ſeveral ſpecies.

62. Of theſe again ſome are of a turbinated form, and others bivalvular, reſembling the double ſhell'd kind, joyned together with a hinge, and yet theſe ſomtimes found all with their ſhells apart, and ſomtimes again none of them ſo.

63. Amongſt theſe the turbinated or wreathed kind of ſtones, by the Greeks called Strombites, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 torqueo, to wreath (which is always helically, and for the moſt part from the right hand to the left, and ſpirally from a greater to a ſmaller ending) are but ſeldom found: However, I have met with both the ſorts of Agricola De Natura Foſſilium, lib. 7. , the greater, which he ſays is ſomtimes nine inches long, but ours indeed not much exceeding five, of a plain ſuperficies, as in Tab. 4. Fig. 1Vid. Buccinum lapideum laeve Fabii Columnae, Aquatilium & terreſtr. obſerv. cap. 22. . and the leſſer wanting of half an inch in length, but curiouſly ſtriated, as Fig. 2. both found in the Quarries in the Pariſh of Heddington, of a cinereous colour, ſomwhat inclining to yellow, and of a harder conſiſtence than the ſtone wherein they lye.

65. Some there are again, whoſe ſtriae alſo deſcend from the hinge or commiſſure, but not in ſtraight lines, but bent and undulated, and much broader than the former, as in Tab. 4. Fig. 4. which though in magnitude it fall ſhort of the Concha Tridacna of Aldrovandus (ſo called it ſeems becauſe they made three mouthfuls apiece) yet in form it ſhews to be ſo very like, as may be ſeen alſo in Jonſton, Tab. 13. that were it not a stone, I muſt pronounce it the ſameVid. Concham imbricatam minimam Aldrovandi. de Test. lib. 3. cap. 43. . This I found at Great Rolwright in a bluiſh clay, whereof, and of nothing elſe, it ſeems to be concreted; for it do's not much exceed it in hardneſs, and ſtill participates moſt of that colour, though covered with a bright and ſhining ſubſtance, by the Naturaliſts called Hoplites, or Armatura: of which more anon when I come to Cornu Ammonius, a ſtone, the moſt of any adorned with that ſubſtance.

66. Another ſort there is found at Heddington Quarries, whoſe lines or ſtriae are not drawn like the two former, from the commiſſure of the valves to the rim, but tranſverſly and circularly from one ſide of the ſtone to the other; the leſſer circles having place next the commiſſure, and the greater next to the rim of the ſtone, as in Tab. 4. Fig. 5. which ſeems much to reſemble the Concha rugata of Rondoletius Rondoletius de teſtaceis, lib. 1. cap. 25. , with valves ſwelling very high; of colour it is cinereous, inclining to yellow, not hollow within, but a ſolid ſtone, and of much the ſame texture with the rubble of the Quarry.

67. Of the ſmaller Conchites there are alſo ſeveral ſorts, differing in colour, lineation and valves; for at Teynton and about Burford, where they are found in the Fields, they are moſt of them yellow, with their valves riſing high and approaching to a roundTheſe made red hot and put into drink, are accounted in this Country a preſent remedy for a ſtitch.: but at Glympton, where they are only found in a ſpring that riſes in a Wood about a mile Southward from the Church, they are much more depreſſed and of a cinereous colour; but both having their lineations from the commiſſure to the rim, they are both therefore repreſented under one draught, Tab. 4. Fig. 6.

68. How it ſhould come about that theſe Cockle-ſtones of Glympton ſhould only be found at the Fountain-head, and no where lower in the ſtream, nor that I could hear of, in the Fields about, I muſt acknowledg to be a knot not eaſily looſed. Some have thought them brought out from amongſt the Rocks, at the bottom of the hill where the Spring riſes; others that they are formed by a peculiar virtue of the water, as it runs over the rubble ſtones that lye near its exit: for, ſay they, if you pick them never ſo clean away, in few months time you ſhall have as many more. And indeed it muſt be confeſt, that I met with ſeveral that were only ſtriated on one ſide, and rubble ſtone on the other; and ſome of them but juſt begun to be a little lineated: However it be, I ſhall determine nothing yet, having imployed a careful and ingenious perſon to watch the increaſe and lineations of theſe stones, which when throughly underſtood, ſhall be faithfully communicated.

69. Beſide thoſe of Glympton, there are others at Cornwell, in the Park of the Right Worſhipful Sir Thomas Pennyſton, found in a bank of yellowiſh clay, of a much different form, and tranſverſly ſtriated, as in Tab. 4. Fig. 7. which though indeed for the moſt part are hard ſtones, yet I was ſhewed ſeveral 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 ſeem to be formed, but in figure only; which is alſo different from all the bivalvular Conchae that I find in Books, or have ſeen in collections of that ſort of Shell-fiſh.

70. And ſo is the figure of the Conchites found in Hornton Quarry, near approaching to an oval, and ſcarce ſtriated at all: which inclines me at leaſt to doubt, if not certainly to conclude, that theſe Cockle-like ſtones were never heretofore any real Cockle-ſhells, thus tranſmuted by the penetrating force of petrifying juices, but that moſt of them (as the ingenious Mr. Lister Philoſoph. Tranſact. Numb. 76. thinks) ever were, as they now are, Lapides ſui generis, differing not only from one another, but many of them from any thing in Nature beſide, that the freſh or ſalt-water can any where afford us. But before I engage in this great controverſie, let us firſt conſider a few more of theſe ſtones reſembling ſhell-fiſh.

71. And firſt, the above-mention'd Conchites found in Hornton quarry, and repreſented in Tab. 4. Fig. 8. which is not a ſolid ſtone within (as all the Cockle-ſtones hitherto deſcribed have been) but hollow, and filled with ſpar; ſomtimes ſhot into irregular figures, but for the moſt part forked, as in Fig. 9. the baſis, or place where the branches of the fork are conjoyned, being rooted (in all that I have yet ſeen) at the commiſſure or hinge of the valves, and the branches extending themſelves in the broader parts of the Conchites; of which operation of Nature I can give no other account, but that it was firſt obſerved, by the Reverend and Ingenious Mr. Clark, Rector of Dreyton near Banbury, from whom, beſide other favors, I received many of them.

72. After the bivalvular Cockles found always with their valves cloſed together, come we next to conſider the other Bivalves found never ſo, but their valves always apart. And ſuch are the ſtones reſembling Eſcallops, and ſome other ſtriated Conchylia: whereof that repreſented Fig. 10. is the moſt curious in its kind I ever yet ſaw, found in Heddington quarries by Mr. Richard Stapley, an ingenious young Man, and learned in theſe matters, to whom I am beholding not only for this, but for ſome other choice ſtones hereafter to be mention'd. Which amongſt all the Pectines or Eſcallop-ſhells I could find in the Icthyographers, beſt reſembles the Pecten aſper of Aldrovandus De Testaceis, lib. 3. cap. 69. . Of colour it is yellowiſh, eared on both ſides, the lineations from the commiſſure to the rim of the ſtone very prominent, and yet having ſome other tranſverſe lines (not bending to, but from the commiſſure) ſtanding upon them, and not paſſing through the deep furrows ſo as to joyn with each other,

73. As the tranſverſe lines do in the next following Pectinites, Fig. 11. where they are both of equal depth, and very ſmall, thick and fine; the tranſverſe lines all of them bent to the commiſſure, but the other ſtriae not meeting together in it, as in the former and following Eſcallops: This ſtone is of a light reddiſh colour, eared on both ſides, and found in the quarries in the pariſh of Heddington.

74. And ſo was the next stone in form of a Pectunculus, or little Eſcallop, Fig. 12. of a whitiſh yellow colour, the ſtriae large and broad, but the tranſverſe lines ſmall, eared like the former on both ſides: Which alſo argues, that this ſtone was never heretofore the ſhell of a Fiſh, and thus caſt into ſtone by an Animal mold. For the Pectunculi, ſays Rondeletius De Teſtaceis, lib. 1. cap. 16. , are a diſtinct ſpecies from the Pectines or larger Eſcallops, and never have ears but on one ſide, which indifferently are either on the right or left; except that we ſhall ſay that this was once the ſhell of a young Pecten, not yet come to its full growth.

75. To this alſo may be referr'd another of the ſame texture, only ſomwhat bigger, and wanting the ears of a Pectunculites, or little Eſcallop-ſtone, Fig. 13. which becauſe it ſhews no ſigns of its ears being broken off, I ſuppoſe may either repreſent the Chama ſtriata Pectiniformis of Aldrovandus De Testaceis, lib. 3. cap. 69. , or elſe the Pectunculus of Bellonius, which (as quoted by the Zoographer Geſner De Aquatil. lib. 4. p. 813. ) he not only ſays has no ears, but has exhibited it in Sculpture.

76. And ſo perhaps may the next ſtone, Fig. 14. except we ſhall rather make it the firſt of the Conchites striati, or ſtreaked Cockle ſtones, which indeed I cannot chuſe but aſſent too, becauſe of its bearing too much on one ſide, which I find the Pectinites or Eſcallop ſtones do not: and becauſe it cannot be a Tellinites, which ſhell-fiſh (if at all) is never ſtreaked that way. Let it therefore paſs only for a ſtreaked Cockle stone, which are plentifully found not only at Heddington, and about Shot-over, but in the Quarries near Stunsfield, North Leigh, and Little Milton; and are placed here, becauſe found like the Eſcallop ſtones, always with their ſhels apart.

78. Beſide Cockle and Eſcallop-stones, there are others that ſeem to be of the Oyſter kind, found plentifully in the Gravel-pits without St. Clements, in Cowley-common, and in a wood near Wood-eaton: amongſt them there are ſome of an oblong figure, very thick, and of a bluiſh colour, ſuch as that depicted Fig. 18. which I gueſs may be the ſame with the petrified Concha oblonga craſſa, mentioned by Dr. Merret Pinax rerum Natur. Brit. p. 216. , found in Worceſter-ſhire, and there called Crow-ſtones, Crow-cups, or Egg-ſtones; or elſe the more protuberant part of the Mytulus niger of Aldrovandus De Teſtaceis, lib. 3. cap. 71. , or the Mytulus of Rondeletius De Teſtaceis, lib. 1. cap. 46. .

79. But others are again of the true Oyſter ſhape, called Ostracites, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , repreſented Fig. 19. ſome whereof are blue, and others reddiſh, of the colour of the Gravel out of which they are taken: Theſe are generally greater, thicker and weightier, than the true Oyster-ſhell, yet like them ſeem to be reſolved, according to the opinion of Steno In Prodromi verſ. Angl. p. 75, 76. , into many little ſhells, the innermoſt being always the greateſt, and the outermoſt the least: Upon which very account I could eaſily have aſſented, that theſe, and the former, might once indeed have been ſhell fiſh; but that we only find (juſt as in the Eſcallops) the protuberant parts of the ſhells, and never any of the flat ones; which had they been once fiſhes, we have little reaſon to think, could have been thus abſent from them.

80. We find alſo in Oxford-ſhire a ſort of Mytuloides, or Muſcle-ſtones, of an odd kind of figure, and not eaſie perhaps to be parallel'd, though the testaceous Kingdom be of large extent: They are not hollow, but within a terra lapidoſa of a yellowiſh colour, and cover'd without with a white ſhining kind of Armature, with ablong lineations agreeable to the figure of the ſtone, as in Tab. 5. Fig. 1. found in digging a Well in the Pariſh of Cleydon. To which we may add another ſort remarkably ſmall, found in Heddington Quarries, Fig. 2. which finiſh my diſcourſe concerning ſuch ſtones as reſemble the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or testaceous ſhell-fiſh. Whence I proceed

81. To stones repreſenting the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or the ſhell-fiſh of the ſofter crustaceous kind, ſuch as that Tab. 5. Fig. 3. in ſubſtance and hardneſs much like a Pebble, and of colour yellowiſh: divided firſt by five pretty ſtraight lines, adorned on each ſide with double ſets of points, aſcending from a protuberant umbilicus in the baſis of the ſtone, to another of like form at the top, but foliated round in manner of a Roſe: And after again ſubdivided by five other indented lines, terminated before they reach the umbilici; by which means the ſpaces between theſe lines are all pentagons, like the outer ſcales of ſome ſort of Tortoiſe. Much ſuch another ſtone as this I find in Aldrovandus, in his Book De Teſtaceis De Testaceis lib. 3. cap. 40. , which becauſe he thought reſembled the ſea Ʋrchin deprived of its outward prickly coat, he calls Echinus lapis ſpoliatus à ſuis ſpinis: But it ſeeming to me to be much more like the Eſtrice marino, ſi ritrava nelli mari profondi, of Ferrante Imperato Dell' Hiſt. Naturale, lib. 28. cap. 1. , I chuſe rather to call it Hiſtricites, or Porcupine-ſtone without briſtles. This was found in the Chiltern Country, near Stonor-houſe, and ſent me by the Worshipful Tho. Stonor Eſq the Proprietor of the place, and one of the Noblest Encouragers of this Deſign.

82. And ſo was the following curiouſly embroider'd ſtone, Fig. 4. much reſembling the petrified Riccio marino, or ſea Ʋrchin of Imperatus Dell' Hiſt. Naturale, lib. 24. c. 26. , found in the ſame place alſo without prickles, but much differing from the former in colour and ſubſtance, as alſo from the ſtone of that Learned Author: For whereas he confeſſes that was but of the conſiſtence of the Lime-ſtone; ours, though without of a whitiſh cinereous colour, within is a hard black flint, covered over with thin glittering plates, ſet edg-ways to the ball of the flint, out of which thoſe uniform eminencies and depreſſures, thoſe waved and tranſverſe lineations are all framed.

83. Theſe are found in great plenty in the Iſle of Malta, and by the Country men there, ſays the Ingenious Boccone Recherches & obſervations Naturelles: Lettre vingt ſixieme., called Mamelles de Saint Paul, becauſe of the lenticular eminencies and ſmall roundures, that fill the whole ſurface of the ſtone; or rather becauſe they are ſomtimes found coupled two and two, as may be ſeen in the ſculptures of the ſame Author. By Boetius and Geſner, and all the old Authors, they are called Ova anguina, Serpents eggs; perchance becauſe from the baſis there iſſue as it were five tails of ſerpents, waved and attenuated toward the upper part of the stones. They tell us alſo a ſtory of its being engendered from the ſalivation and ſlime of ſnakes, and caſt into the Air by the force of their ſibilations, where if taken, has effects as wonderful as its generation, and therefore of great eſteem amongſt the French Druids. But I care not to ſpend my time in Romance, and therefore proceed

84. To another Echinites, reſembling the inner ſhell of the Echinus ovarius or Eſculentus, ſo called from a ſort of quinque-partite or ſtellated eggs, that this kind of Echinus has within it good to eat. Their outermoſt coat is full of ſharp prickles, upon which account they are ſomtimes called Chaſtaignes de Mer, or ſea Cheſnuts, becauſe of their likeneſs to rough prickles that encompaſs Cheſnuts whil'ſt they are on the Tree; for which very reaſon they are alſo called Heriſſons de Mer, ſea Hedg-hogs, and Cardui Marini, ſea Thiſtles: which rough coat of theirs, when the Fiſh is dead, coming off from them, they then diſcover their inward ſhell of that curious workmanſhip, that is lively repreſented by our ſtone, Fig. 5. made up of ſo many compartements and eminencies, and ſo regularly diſpoſed, that, ſays Monſieur de Rochefort Hiſtory of the Iſles Antilles, or Caribby Iſlands, chap. 19. art. 13. (who calls them alſo Pommes de Mer, or ſea Apples) the moſt ingenious Embroiderer would be much troubled to imitate them. This Echinites ovarius was found in the Pariſh of Teynton, and ſent me by my worthy and ingenious Friend Mr. Robert Veyſey, to whom alſo I am beholding for many other matters mentioned in this Eſſay.

85. From Teynton alſo was ſent me another of this kind, but much ſmaller, not exceeding the Rouncival pea, or French Halſlet in bigneſs; and yet with lines of compartement, and other eminencies as large as the former, but much fewer in number: to which, whether there be any Animal in Nature whoſe ſhell will exactly, or for the moſt part correſpond, I much queſtion; wherefore that it may be examined both at home and abroad, I have cauſed it to be engraven, Fig. 6.

86. To which add a fourth ſort with its prickles ſtill on, found plentifully in the Quarries near Shotover-hill, very like to the fifth ſort of Echinus of Aristotle, as depicted by Rondeletius De Piſcibus, lib. 18. cap. 33. , whoſe inward ſhell it ſeems is very ſmall, but its prickles long and ſtubborn, found always in the deepeſt waters, and ſticking to Rocks, much after the ſame manner as here repreſented in ſtone, Fig. 7. which in conformity to Ariſtotle may be called Echinites minutus. And this had ended my Diſcourſe of Stones reſembling Shell-fiſh of the cruſtaceous kind, but that I am admoniſh'd by the Learned, and deſervedly Famous Virtuoſi, Mr. Hook Micograph. Obſerv. 17. and Mr. Ray Obſervations Topograph. p. 123., and ſince them by the Ingenious Sicilian Gentleman Monſieur Boccone Recherches & Obſervations Naturelles, Lettre 28. ,

87. That the ſtone commonly ſtiled Cornu Ammonis, alſo belongs to this place, as being nothing elſe but the petrified ſhell of the Nautilus, or Coquille de Porcellain; or as Rondeletius De Piſcibus, lib. 17. cap. 9. calls it, the teſtaceous Polypus. Of theſe we find plenty in the County of Oxford, of different colours, figures, cizes, but all ſo curled up within themſelves, that the place of the head is always in the circumference and the tail in the center of the ſtone, and therefore by the Ancients called Cornua Ammonis, for that they reſembled the curled horns of the Ram, worſhipp'd by the name of Jupiter Ammon in the deſarts of Africa Quint. Curtii de reb. Gest. Alexandri, Histor. lib. 4. ; to whom Alexander the Great having declared himſelf Son, that he might be the more like ſo inhuman a Father, he aſſumed the horns of the Ram Deity, as may be ſeen on the Impreſſes of ſome of his Mony. And ſo did Lyſimachus that ſucceeded him in Thrace See the Cabinet in the Bodleyan Library., Attila the Hun, and ſome other proud Princes.

88. The places in this County moſt remarkable for this ſtone, are 1. The City of Oxford it ſelf, where, in digging cellars, foundations, &c. chiefly in the eaſtern parts of it, they are commonly met with; whereof ſome are ſmall, the parts protuberant, and ſwelling to a round, as in Tab. 5. Fig. 8. others broader and more depreſſed, as in Fig. 9. but the lineations of both waved, and extended from toward the center, to a ſingle edged ridge in the back of the ſtone: and therein different from a third ſort found alſo at Oxford, whoſe lineations are larger, not ſo thick nor waved, and terminated at great protuberances on each ſide of the ſtone, between which, on the broad back of it, there intercede other lineations, the whole body of the ſtone being alſo divided by Sutures, in form much reſembling the leaves of Oak, as in Fig. 10. The two latter of theſe are both perforated at the center, and therefore called by Bauhinus Joann. Bauhinus de Lapidibus variis in fine Hiſt. admirabilis fontis Bollenſis., Cornua Ammonis pertuſa: And all three adorned with a ſhining braſen Armature, in luſter equalling that metal it ſelf, yet of which in ſubſtance it has nothing leſs, though Agricola have affirmed it to be naturae rudimentum id metallum facere diſcentis.

89. Boetius de Boot, in his Book de Lapidibus & Gemmis Cap. 246., thinks the ſtone it ſelf naturally of a ferrugineous colour, which lying in an Earth ſated with an aluminous juice, is changed thereby into this braſen colour. To which de Laet De Lapid. & Gemmis, cap. 22. in his Supplement, adds, atramentum ſutorium; both which, he ſays, joined, give that colour to Iron. For my part, I rather think it may be performed by Nature, much after the ſame manner they guild money at our Engliſh Baths; if ſo, there will be requiſite ſomthing urinous, which they always add there to ſuperinduce ſuch a colour, whereof more at large when I come into Somerſet-ſhire.

90. The ſecond place eminent for production of theſe stones, is the Pariſh of Cleydon, where they find them of many more turns than thoſe at Oxford, though not much bigger; without Armature, of a yellowiſh colour (like the Aſteriae before mention'd found at the ſame place) and differently ſtriated, as in Fig. 11. in which the ſtriae from the innermoſt part of the ſtone are all ſingle, but many of them divided before they reach the rim of it, where they are terminated with a back much more protuberant than the reſt of the ſtone, but alike ſtriated.

91. Near Thame, in the Fields Eaſtward from the Church, they ſomtimes meet alſo with the Cornu Ammonis, ſtriated ſingly like the former, near the inner part of the ſtone, and preſently dividing, but without termination either at any ridge, or other protuberancies in the back; the diviſion being continued to the other ſide of the ſtone, where 'tis made again into one common lineation, as in Fig. 12. Of which ſort I had ſome arches or parts ſent me alſo from Chiſlehampton, by the Right Worſhipful Sir John D'Oyly Baronet, in whom flouriſh all the Virtues of that ancient Houſe. But theſe (not like the former) a hard ſtone, but ſome of them a kind of Terra lapidoſa, or hardened yellow clay, one degree perhaps above that of the bed wherein they lay; which (beſide Sir Thomas Pennyſtons clay Cockles) ſeem to overthrow Steno'sIn t • actatu de Canis Carchariae diſſecto capite, p. 118. firſt conjecture concerning theſe matters: That they are always found in the ſame place, of the ſame conſiſtence; and that there are no ſigns amongst them of ſooner or later production.

92. And ſo do the Ophiomorphit's found in a bluiſh clay in the Pariſh of Great Rolwright, Eaſtward from the Church, whereof ſome are ſo ſoft, that 'tis eaſie to preſs them aſunder with ones fingers; and others a hard bluiſh ſtone. 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 striae were divided near the rim, ſome of the lineations of theſe come together there, and are united in pretty large protuberant knobs on each ſide the back of the stone, which in theſe being broad and ſomwhat riſing, is croſſed by other arched lines that intercede the eminencies, as in Fig. 13.

93. Other Ophiomorphit's there are, that have only ſtraight ſingle ribs, which terminate alſo in ſtraight ridges that run along on each ſide the back of the ſtone; between which two ridges, there riſes a third more prominent one, juſt in place as it were of the Spina dorſalis, as in Tab. 5. Fig. 14. which though not wreathed, but plain like the other lower ridges on each hand it, I take to be the Cornu Ammonis criſtatum of Johannes Bauhinus Johannes Bauhinus de Lapidibus variis in fine Hiſt. admirabilis fontis, Bollenſis p. 20. . One of theſe, of about four inches over, and made up of as many turns, was given me by the Reverend and Learned Dr. John Wallis; and there is another amongſt the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Medicin School, of above eight inches diameter, taken up as they ſay ſomwhere about Corpus Christi College.

94. There are alſo Orphiomorphit's found ſomtimes about Adderbury, about two miles from Banbury, but ſo very ſeldom, that though I were there often, I could meet with none of them; ſo that I cannot inform the Reader whether they are of any peculiar kind, different from what have been already deſcrib'd, or no: However, that the Town has not its name from theſe ſtones (as Mr. Ray thinks) I dare confidently avouch, Adderbury being only the vulgar name: for in the Court Rolls of New College, (and oother Inſtruments) to which the Lordſhip of the Town belongs, it is written Eabberbury, perhaps from St. Ebba the tutelar Saint of the Church.

96. Beſide, its being in-laid with a ſmall ſort of Conchites, ſo placed in its ſides, that they have ſegments (if I may ſo call them) within the very bulk or body of the Ophiomorphite, ſeems flatly to deny its original from the Nautilus, for had this fallen out by compreſſion of their ſhells together, their uniform figures muſt needs have been ſpoiled, contrary to what appears as well in the ſtone as its draught. Which brings me to conſider the great Question now ſo much controverted in the World.

97. In the handling whereof, though I intend not any peremptory deciſion, but a friendly debate; yet having according to the wiſhes and advice of thoſe Eminent Virtuoſi, Mr. Hook and Mr. Ray, made ſome conſiderable collections of theſe kind of things, and obſerved many particulars and circumſtances concerning them: Upon mature deliberation, I muſt confeſs I am inclined rather to the opinion of Mr. Liſter, that they are Lapides ſui generis; than to theirs, That they are thus formed in an Animal mold. The latter opinion appearing at preſent to be preſſed with far more, and more inſuperable difficulties than the former.

98. For they that hold theſe stones were thus formed in the ſhells of fiſhes, muſt ſuppoſe either with Steno In Prodromo., that they were brought hither by the Deluge in the days of Noah; or by ſome other more particular, and perhaps National Flood, ſuch as the Ogygean, or Deucalionian in Greece, than either of which there is nothing more improbable.

99. Firſt, not by the Flood in the days of Noah, becauſe that (and for very good reaſons too) ſeems not to have been univerſal, and at moſt to have covered only the continent of Aſia Vide Stillingfleti Origines Sacras, lib. 3. cap. 4. , and not to have extended it ſelf to this then uninhabited Weſtern part of the World. But ſuppoſe it were univerſal, yet it proceeded from Rain, which (as Mr. Ray well obſerves) would more likely have carryed ſhells down into the ſea, than brought any upwards from it. And if it be further urged, That the fountains of the great deep were broken up Gen. c. 7. ver. 11., and that the Deluge proceeded partly from a breaking forth and over-flowing of the ſea, which conſequently might bring in the ſhells: It may be anſwered, that the over-flowing, either gradually increaſed upon the Earth, or was violent: if gradually, as it is moſt likely (for God cauſed not any wind to paſs over the Earth till the Waters began to aſſwageGen. cap. 8. ver. 1.; and beſides, the Waters that deſcended in Rain, in all probability at firſt ran down to the Sea, and gave ſome check to its floods) why ſhould we think that any ſhell-fiſh, eſpecially of the teſtaceous kind, whereof there are ſome that always ſtick to rocks, and others that have no locomotion, as Oysters, Muſcles, &c. but what is given them by the Waters violence, ſhould leave their beds in the Sea at all, and be carried aloft to the tops of Mountains. And if violent, then ſuch a Flood would have indifferently ſcattered all ſorts of ſhells over the whole face of the Earth, eſpecially in all valleys; whereas we find the ſtones that reſemble them many times at the tops of hills, and but in few valleys; and thoſe not ſcattered neither indifferently one amongſt another, but for the moſt part thoſe of a kind together; and of the ſame kind too, thoſe of different lineations together. Thus at Cornwell and Hornton we find only Conchites or Cockle-stones, and thoſe striated (if at all) from ſide to ſide tranſverſly, as in Tab. 4. Fig. 7, 8. And ſo at Glympton only Cockle-stones, but lineated the contrary way from the commiſſure to the rim, as in Fig. 6. of the ſame Tab. On Cowley-common we find nothing but Oſtracites, ſuch as in Tab. 4. Fig. 19. And in the Gravel-pits of St. Clements a mixture of ſuch Oyſter-stones, and (to which I believe it will be hard to adapt a ſhell-fiſh) the ſtone Belemnites. The Nephiri or Lapis Megaricus at Langley, is a bed of nothing but Cockles as ſmall as peaſe; and that at Charlton the ſame, only the Cockles are ſomwhat bigger. So that theſe beds of Cockle-ſtones (if they muſt needs have been ſhell-fiſh) ſeem rather to have been their breeding places, where they had aboad for ſome conſiderable time (eſpecially where we find them of ſeveral cizes) than brought hither in the flood in the time of Noah, which remained on the Earth but forty natural days, too ſmall a time for ſo many ſhell-fiſh, ſo diſperſed, as they muſt be preſumed to be by ſo violent a motion, to get together and ſequeſter themſelves from all other company, and ſet them down, each ſort, in a convenient ſtation.

100. And ſecondly, that they ſhould be brought by any other flood is altogether as unlikely, ſince we have no other floods deliver'd down to us, but the Ogygian and Deucalionian, which were reſtrained within Greece. But ſuppoſe all that can be deſired by the adverſe party, that there was ſomtime or other a National flood here in England, that did for ſome hundreds of years cover the face of the Land, of which there is no Record deliver'd to poſterity; yet that it ſhould cover the higheſt Hills, or if it did, that it ſhould force the ſhells to their tops, which are weighty and rather affect the loweſt places, is a conceſſion as hard to be granted, as that the Mountains (where ſuch ſtones as reſemble them are now found) were heretofore low places and ſince raiſed by Earth-quakes: a thing by no means to be believed of our Northern parts, where the Earth-quakes we have at any time are ſo inconſiderable, that they ſcarce ſomtimes are perceived, much leſs affrighten us; unleſs we ſhall groundleſly grant, that in the infancy of the World the Earth ſuffered more concuſſions, and conſequently more mutations in its ſuperficies, than it has done ever ſince the Records of time.

101. Yet granting too that in the Primitive Times there were ſuch ſtrange Earthquakes, or elſe that there was ſome time or other ſuch a Flood, that did cover our higheſt hills, and which might be ſo violent, as to bring ſhells out of the great deep, and place them on the tops of Mountains; yet that our formed ſtones, at leaſt the moſt of them, were not faſhion'd in ſuch molds, but are Lapides ſui generis, may be ſtrongly ſuſpected from the following reaſons.

102. Firſt, becauſe I have found ſome of them that reſemble ſhell-fiſh that always ſtick to rocks, and cannot well be preſumed to have come away with the greateſt Flood, unleſs ſo violent as to have brought the Rocks too: and ſuch is that engraven Tab. 5. Fig. 7. which whether it beſt repreſent the Echinus quintus of Ariſtotle, or ſome ſort of Lepas or Patella, equally makes for my purpoſe, neither of them leaving the rock they ſtick too, being Ʋnivalves, and having the rock it ſelf inſtead of the other.

103. Secondly, becauſe there are many ſhells, and other teſtaceous and bony ſubſtances belonging to Fiſh, that muſt alſo have been left behind upon the ebb of ſuch a Flood as well as the reſt, of which we have no ſtones that reſemble them at all. Such are the bones of Whales, Sea-horſes, and the bones of all the ſquammeous kind; the great ſhells of the Buccina, Murices, Conchae Veneris, and Solenes; the ſword of the Xiphias or Sword-fiſh, and almoſt all the cruſtaceous kind, ſuch as Crabs, Congers, Lobſters, &c. which laſt having locomotion, I ſhould much rather expected to have found petrified on the tops of Mountains, than any of the teſtaceous kind, and yet of theſe we meet the feweſt of any.

104. Thirdly, becauſe there are many Stones formed indeed in the manner of Bivalves, &c. which yet reſemble no ſpecies of ſhell-fiſh now to be found, whereof ſeveral are above-mention'd. And this is ingeniouſly confeſs'd by Fabius Columna Aquatil. & Terreſtr. obſervat. cap. 21. , though one of the Adverſaries of this my preſent opinion: Addemus (ſays he) Pectunculorum imagines, quarum quaſdam non niſi lapideas vidimus, of which that he calls his Mytulo-pectunculus rarior Berberoides, is one. If it be ſaid, that poſſibly theſe Species may be now loſt, I ſhall leave it to the Reader to judge, whether it be likely that Providence which took ſo much care to ſecure the works of the Creation in Noah's Flood, ſhould either then, or ſince, have been ſo unmindful of ſome ſhell-fiſh (and of no other Animals) as to ſuffer any one ſpecies to be loſt.

105. Fourthly, becauſe there are ſeveral formed ſtones, that no body pretends to know whether to refer, as repreſenting neither Animals or Plants, either in the whole or parts; ſuch as the Selenites, Astroites, and Belemnites; which if thus tacitly confeſt to be Lapides ſui generis, and formed by ſome latent plaſtick power of the Earth, why might it not as well produce all the reſt? eſpecially ſince ſcarce any of them are reduced to Animals or Plants without great inconvenience. Thus they that think the Aſteriae to be nothing but the Spinae dorſales, or tail-bones of fiſh petrified (they conſiſting, 'tis true, for the moſt part of pieces ſticking together like Vertebrae) neither can tell us of what ſort of Fiſh, nor give us any reaſonable account why the tail-bones of ſuch a particular Fiſh (for the Aſteriae of all places are striated alike, and ſeem to have had original from the ſame Species) ſhould be thus petrified, and not the tail-bones as well of ſome others?

106. And they that fanſie the ſeveral Species of Brontiae to be nothing elſe but the petrified ſhells of Echini Spatagi, or Briſſi, would be hard put to it to reconcile the different conditions of that ſhell-fiſh and theſe ſtones: for firſt, the Fiſh it ſelf is but rarely found, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſays Ariſtotle Hist. Animalium, lib. 4. cap. 5. , which is alſo confirmed by Rondeletius De Piſcibus, lib. 18. cap. 31. , whereas the Stones are plentiful enough. Again, the Echinus Spatagus has but few briſtles, aculeis parvis & raris ſeptus, ſays the ſame Rondeletius Loco citato., and thoſe, if we may believe the Cuts of Authors, but diſorderly ſet; which how agreeable to our Brontiae, Tab. 2. and 3. let any man judge. The firſt of them indeed in the groſs Figure, is like the Heriſſons Spatagi of Boccone Recherches & obſervations Naturelles Lettre 26. which he ſaw in Holland, flat like a ſmall cake; but he tells us nothing of ſuch numberleſs ſmall annulets as there are in our Stones, which if heretofore the places of ſo many briſtles, but ill agree with the deſcription of Rondeletius. Beſide theſe of Oxford-ſhire, there are ſeveral other ſorts that I have ſeen in other Counties (hereafter to be repreſented, in caſe this Eſſay prove acceptable) which I could heartily wiſh the Ingenious Steno and Boccone, or any other Curioſo's, for the better clearing of this great Controverſie, would undertake to parallel (and ſo of other formed ſtones) with ſhells in all parts anſwerable.

107. They that think the Cornua Ammonis, or Ophiomorphites, to have been formerly nothing but Porcellane-ſhells, ſeem alſo to be preſſed with the like difficulties: for either there are ſeveral ſorts of them not known to (I am ſure not deſcribed by) Authors, or elſe our stones muſt have their formation from a different mold than their ſhells. For firſt, the ſhells ſeem to be extravagantly broad at the mouth, as deſcribed by Rondeletius and Jonſton, and not to have more than two other ſmall turns at moſt; whereas the turns of the Ophiomorphit's are proportionable to one another, and in number many times four or five, and ſomtimes ſix, if we may believe Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metallicum, lib. 4. cap. 1. : Of which difference Chioccus Muſaeum Calceolarium, ſect. 3. p. 416. ſeems to have been ſo well aware in his deſcription of the latter part of the Muſaeum Calceolarium, that he makes the Cornu Ammonis and Nautilus lapideus to be quite different things, and deſcribes the latter very broad at the greater end, and with but one turn, ſomwhat like indeed to the Porcellane-ſhell.

108. Beſide, ſo far are ſome of our Engliſh Ophiomorphit's from ever having been formed by the ſhell of the Nautilus, that at Huntley-Nab in the North-riding of York-ſhire, they are found always included in other great round ſtones, not unlike, ſays Mr. Cambden Cambden in York-ſhire., to Cannon bullets. And at Whitby, ſays Mr. Ray Topograph. Obſervat. p. 114. , in ſtones of a lenticular figure, which if formerly they had been the ſhells of Nautili, how they ſhould become thus included in ſtones alſo of a determinate figure, is a difficulty more inſuperable than any of the former. Add hereunto that Mr. Cambden Cambden in Somerſet-ſhire., and ſince him Dr. Childrey Britannia Baconica in Somerſet-ſhire. plainly avouch, that the Ophiomorphit's of Cainſham, have ſome of them heads, and that in this they differ from thoſe of York-ſhire: Vidimus enim lapidem hinc delatum ſerpentis in ſpiram revoluti 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 Somerſet-ſhire, will give me, and I doubt not, others ſatisfaction beyond all exception; for that the ſhells of the Nautili have any ſuch matter, no body yet has, nor will dare to pretend.

109. To which alſo add the greatneſs of ſome of theſe ſtones, whereof there are ſome it ſeems near two Dr. Merret's Pinax rerum natural. pag. 215.* foot in diameter, far exceeding, ſays Mr. Ray Topograph. Obſervations, p. 127. the bulk of any ſhell-fiſh now living in our ſeas. To which if it be ſaid that moſt petrifications are made either by aggregation, or by intruſion or protruſion of parts, which always increaſe the bulk of the ſubject: It may be anſwered, that though ſuch augmentation muſt be allowed indeed in many caſes, yet ſure it did not ſo fall out in the petrification of the Nephiri or Cockle-ſtone at Langley, where the ſtones are much leſs than moſt Natural ſhells.

110. Fifthly, becauſe that even thoſe ſtones, which ſo exactly repreſent ſome ſort of ſhell-fiſh, as Oyſters, Cockles, &c. that there can be no exception upon the account of figure, but that they might formerly have been ſhells indeed; at ſome places are found with only one ſhell, and not the other. Thus in Cowley-common we meet only with the gibbous, and not the flat ſhell of the petrified Oyſter, and ſo of the Eſcallop-ſtones in the Quarries near Shot-over; which had they been once the ſhells of Oyſters and Eſcallops, in all probability had ſcarce been thus parted.

111. Sixthly, becauſe I can by no means ſatisfie my ſelf, how it ſhould come to paſs, that in caſe theſe ſtones had once been molded in ſhells, ſome of the ſame kind ſhould be found in beds, as the Conchites at Langley, Charleton, Adderbury, and others, ſcatter'd as at Glympton and Teynton; and ſo the Oſtracites at Shot-over and Cowley. Nor how it ſhould fall out, that ſome of theſe Bivalvulars ſhould always be found with their ſhells apart, as the Oſtracites and Pectines: and others always cloſed together, as the Conchites in all places I have yet ſeen.

112. Laſtly, becauſe many of theſe formed ſtones ſeem now to be in fieri, as the Selenites at Shot-over and Hampton-Gay, the Conchites at Glympton and Cornwell, where within one of the clay Cockles above-mentioned, I found a little one of ſtone, not exceeding a vetch in bigneſs; which had they been formed heretofore by Cockle-ſhells, in all likelyhood would both either have been Stone or Clay. Nor can it be ſaid they were brought hither by different Floods, becauſe they were both found in the ſame bed, one included in the other. Which is all I have to urge for this part of the Queſtion, but that in the Biſhoprick of Hildeſheim, between Alfeld and Eimbec, there is a ſort of Ochre that forms it ſelf in this manner into the ſhape of Oysters Lachmundi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſect. 1. cap. 4. : And that Mr. Ray was informed by a perſon of good credit, of a ſtone of this nature reſembling a Cockle-ſhell, found in the belly of a Beef, where in all likelyhood it bred, and ſhot into that figure: Which if true, ſays he, there can be no reaſon to doubt, but that thoſe in the Quarries and other places are ſo generated.

113. But againſt this opinion there are ſeveral conſiderable objections brought by the ingenious Mr. Hook, Steno and Boccone, which I ſhall next faithfully propound to the beſt advantage, and then ſee whether they may not more eaſily be ſolved, than the arguments on the other ſide perhaps are like to be.

114. Firſt, That amongſt thoſe ſtones, there are ſome with the perfect ſhell, in figure, colour and ſubſtance, ſticking to their ſurface; eſpecially, ſays Mr. Hook Micrograph. Obſerv. 17. , (diſcourſing of theſe matters) thoſe Serpentine or Helical ſtones were covered with, or retained the ſhining or pearl-colour'd ſubſtance of the inſide of a ſhell, which ſubſtance on ſome parts of them was exceeding thin, and might be eaſily rubb'd off; on other parts it was pretty thick, and retained a white coat, or flaky ſubſtance on the top, juſt like the outſides of ſuch ſhells; ſome of them had very large pieces of the ſhell, very plainly ſticking on to them, which were eaſily broken or flaked off by degrees. Add hereunto ſome particulars mention'd by Steno In Prodromo.. 1. That there was found a Pearl-bearing ſhell in Tuſcany, a Pearl yet ſticking to the ſhell. 2. A piece of the great Sea-nacre [pinna marina] in which the ſilk-like ſubſtance within the ſhell being conſumed, the colour of that ſubſtance did remain in the earthy matter which had filled the ſhell. 3. That about the City of Volaterra, there are many beds of earth, not stony, which do abound with true Cockle-ſhells, that have ſuffer'd no change at all, and yet they muſt needs have lain there above 3000 years; whence it is evident, that that part of Tuſcany was of old time cover'd with the Sea: And why then might not as well all thoſe other places where theſe petrified ſhells are found? 4. To which alſo let me add, that at ſome places here in England, particularly at Cats-grove near Reading, a place ſufficiently remote from the Sea (of which more at large when I come into Berk-ſhire) they meet with a bed of Oyſter-ſhells both flat and gibbous, about 12 or 14 foot under ground, not at all petrified, all of them opened, except ſome very few, that I ſuppoſe have caſually fallen together; which how they ſhould come there without a Deluge, ſeems a difficulty to moſt men not eaſily avoided.

115. To all which it may be anſwered, firſt in general with Mr. Liſter Philoſoph. Tranſact. Num. 76, , that we will eaſily believe that along the ſhoars of moſt Countries, ſuch as are particularly the ſhoars of the Britiſh and Mediterranean Seas, there may all manner of Sea-ſhells be found promiſcuouſly included in Rocks or Earth, and at good diſtances from the Sea, where the grounds are no higher than the Volaterran hillock, which meeting with ſuitable petrifying juices, may either be wholly petrified, or where the juices are not compotent, be only metamorphoſ'd in part, ſome of the ſhelly ſubſtance ſtill remaining; or not changed at all, as in the inſtances of Steno, and perhaps of Mr. Hook, for he tells us not where he found thoſe ſemipetrified stones.

116. But ſecondly, Suppoſe he found them in the higheſt and moſt In-land Counties, ſince he tells us not that he found them in any great plenty, we can eaſily alſo admit that ſome ſmall quantities of ſhells thrown away after the Inhabitants had eaten the fiſh, may even there be filled with mud and petrifying juices, and ſo turned either in the whole or part into ſtone.

117. And thirdly, provided it be near a great Town or City, either now flouriſhing, or that did ſo heretofore, and hath formerly been the ſeat of much action; it may be allowed alſo that ſome quantities of ſhells may be found, either perfectly or but imperfectly petrified, or that have ſuffer'd no change at all: which helps me to a ſalvo for my own Objection taken from the bed of true Oyſter-ſhells found near Reading, it having been a Town of very great action during the Invaſions of the Danes, who cutting a deep trench croſs between the Kennet and Thames, and incloſing themſelves as it were in an Iſland, held it againſt King Ethelred, and Alfred his BrotherVid. Hen. Huntingdon, lib. 5. & Aſſerium Meneven. de rebus geſtis Aelfredi. a conſiderable time; from whence, in all probability, the Saxons having removed their Cattle and other proviſions before the Danes arrival, 'tis likely that they might be ſupplyed from their Navy with Oyſters, which during the time of the aboad of the Army on Land, might be a very ſuitable employment for it: Which conjecture, if allowed, there is nothing more required to make out the poſſibility of the bed of Oyſters coming thither without a Deluge, but that Cats-grove was the place appointed for the Armies repaſt.

118. Secondly, That theſe formed ſtones are many of them in all reſpects like the living ſhell-fiſh; thus ſays Boccone, the Heriſſons Spatagi of ſtone Recherches & obſervat. Naturelles, Lettre 26. , the Cornua Ammonis or Nautili lapides Libro citato, Lettre 28. , have the very marks, characters, eminencies, cavities, and all other parts alike, with the true living Nautili, and Heriſſons ſpatagi, and Briſſi of Imperato, and Rondelet, which proves, ſays he, the body changed to have been the very ſame thing, with that which is living. But I muſt tell him, it do's it but very weakly, all arguments drawn a ſimilitudine being the moſt inefficacious of all others, ſuch rather illuſtrating than proving, rather perſwading than compelling an adverſaries aſſent: For how many hundred things are there in the World, that have ſome reſemblance of one another, which no body will offer to think were ever the ſame, and particularly amongſt ſome other formed ſtones hereafter to be mentioned. Such are the ſtones Otites, or Auriculares, ſeveral ſorts of Cardites, Lapides Mammillares, Hyſterolithos, &c. which though they as exactly reſemble thoſe parts of Men from whence they have their names, as any Conchites or Echinites do thoſe ſhell-fiſh; yet no Man that I ever heard of, ſo much as dreamed that theſe were ever the real parts of Men, in proceſs of time thus turned into stone. As well might we ſay, that our Kettering-ſtone in Northampton-ſhire here in England, was once nothing elſe but the ſpawn of Lobſters; than which, that I know of, there is nothing more like.

119. But ſhould it be granted that theſe ſtone Heriſſons ſpatagi were ſomtime real ſhell-fiſh, as reaſonably enough perhaps we may, they being found at Malta, as you come into the Port over-againſt St. Erme Libro citato, Lettre 26. , yet this by no means would conclude that all others of the form muſt needs be ſo, that are attended with much different, and indeed (in reſpect of having once been ſhells) inexplicable circumſtances.

120. Thirdly and laſtly, That it ſeems quite contrary to the infinite prudence of Nature, which is obſervable in all its works and productions, to deſign every thing to a determinate end, and for the attaining that end, makes uſe of ſuch ways as are (as far as the knowledge of man has yet been able to reach) altogether conſonant and agreeable to mans reaſon, and of no way or means that doth contradict, or is contrary to human ratiocination: Whence it has been a general obſervation and Maxim, that Nature doth nothing in vain. It ſeems I ſay contrary to that great wiſdom of Nature, that theſe pretily ſhaped bodies ſhould have all thoſe curious figures and contrivances (which many of them are adorned and contrived with) generated or wrought by a plaſtic virtue, for no higher end than only to exhibit a formMr. Hooks Micrographia, Obſerv. 17..

121. To which I anſwer, that Nature herein acts neither contrary to her own prudence, human ratiocination, or in vain, it being the wiſdom and goodneſs of the Supreme Nature, by the School-men called Naturans, that governs and directs the Natura naturata here below, to beautifie the World with theſe varieties; which I take to be the end of ſuch productions as well as of moſt Flowers, ſuch as Tulips, Anemones, &c. of which we know as little uſe as of formed stones. Nay, perhaps there may proportionably, number for number, be as many of them of Medicinal or other uſe, ſuch as Selenites, Belemnites, Conchites, Lapis Judaicus, &c. as there are of Plants: So that unleſs we may ſay alſo (which I gueſs no body will) that theſe are produced contrary to the great wiſdom of Nature, we muſt not of ſtones.

122. And thus I have given the grounds of my preſent opinion, which has not been taken up out of humor or contradiction, with intent only to affront other worthy Authors modeſt conjectures, but rather friendly to excite them, or any others, to endeavor collections of ſhell-fiſh, and parts of other Animals, that may anſwer ſuch formed stones as are here already, or may hereafter be produced: Which when ever I find done, and the reaſons alleged ſolidly anſwered, I ſhall be ready with acknowledgment to retract my opinion, which I am not ſo in love with, but for the ſake of Truth I can chearfully caſt off without the leaſt reluctancy.

123. However, in the mean time ſince no doubt it will be expected, upon ſo deliberate rejection of Animal molds, that ſome further and more particular account ſhould be given of the Plaſtic virtue, or whatever elſe it is, that effects theſe ſhapes: I ſhall briefly ſet down alſo my preſent thoughts concerning it, which yet I intend not my ſelf (much leſs deſire the Reader) to embrace, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 any further then I ſhall find them agreeable to future experience.

124. That Salts are the principal Ingredients of ſtones, I think has ſo ſufficiently been noted already, that to endeavor any further evidence of the thing, would be actum agere in me, and loſs of time to the Reader: And if of ſtones in general, much rather ſure of formed ones, it being the undoubted prerogative of the Saline Principle to give Bodies their figure, as well as ſolidity and duration: No other principle that we yet know of naturally ſhooting into figures, each peculiar to their own kind, but ſalts; thus Nitre always shoots into Pyramids, ſalt Marine into Cubes, Alum into octo, and Sal Armoniac into Hexaedrums, and other mixt ſalts into as mixt figures.

125. Of theſe ſpontaneous inclinations of ſalts, each peculiar to its kind, we have further evidence in the Chymical Anatomy of Animals, particularly in the volatile ſalt of Harts-horn, which in the beginning of its aſcent is always ſeen branched in the head of the Cucurbit like the natural Horn. And we were told the laſt Term by our very Ingenious and Learned Sidleyan Profeſſor Dr. Tho. Millington Fellow of All Souls Coll. here in Oxon, That the ſalt of Vipers aſcends in like manner, and shoots into ſhapes ſomwhat like thoſe Animals, placed orderly in the glaſs. Thus in congelations which are all wrought by adventitious ſalts, we frequently find curious ramifications, as on Glaſs-windows in winter, and the figur'd flakes of ſnow; of which Mr. Hook Mr. Hooks Micrograph. Obſerv. 14. Schem. 8. obſerved above an hundred ſeveral ſorts, yet all of them branched as we paint ſtars, with ſix principal Radii of equal length, shape, and make, iſſuing from a center where they are all joined in angles of 60 degrees.

126. What ſalt it ſhould be that gives this figure, though it be hard to determin, yet certainly it muſt not be a much different one from that which gives form to our Aſtroites and Aſteriae, whereof, though the latter have but five points, and therefore making angles where they are joyned at the center of 72 degrees; yet the Astroites both in mezzo Rilievo and Intagli, as in Tab. 2. have many more. Perhaps there may be ſomthing of an Antimonial ſalt that may determin Bodies to this starry figure, as no queſtion it do's in the Regulus, and the Caput mortuum of the Cinnabar of Antimony. To ſuch a ſalt may alſo be referr'd our Brontiae or Ombriae, and all the Echinites, ſome whereof are plainly, all in ſome meaſure ſtellated at the top.

127. The Belemnites which are all striated from a center, yet in the whole affect a pyramidal form; ſeem to have ſomwhat alſo of an Antimonial, but a more prevalent quantity of a nitrous ſalt.

128. The Conchites, Pectinites, and Oſtracites, whether tranſverſly striated, or from the commiſſures to the rim, ſeem to own their origin to urinous ſalts, which shoot likewiſe from a center (as ſuppoſe from the hinges of theſe ſtones) but generally are moſt extended to one ſide, as may be ſeen in the branched figure formed on the ſurface of urine by freezing, in Mr. Hooks Micrography Ibidem.; whoſe ſtriae not obtaining much above the quadrant of a circle, whatever other difference there may be, in this reſpect at leaſt is agreeable to our stones.

129. To which add the Ophiomorphit's, or Cornua Ammonis, moſt probably formed either by two ſalts shooting different ways, which by thwarting one another make a helical figure, juſt as two oppoſite winds or waters make a Turbo; or elſe by ſome ſimple, yet unknown ſalt, that affects ſuch a figure: perhaps the ſtems and branchings bended in a moſt excellent and regular order, like the ribs of ſome of our Ophiomorphit's, obſerved by Mr. Hook Micrographia obſerv. 14. in Regulus Martis stellatus, might not a little conduce to the clearing this matter.

130. How near I am to the mark in theſe former Conjectures, I dare not too temerariouſly reſolve: But as to the formation of the Rhomboideal Selenites, Tab. 2. Fig. 1. with a little more confidence I ſhall venture to pronounce it, to come from a Tartareous ſalt in the Earth; having obſerved in the Honorable Mr. Boyl's way of preparing Tarta • ized Spirit of WineEſſay 1. of the unſucceſsfulneſs of Experiments., that the Calx of Tartar being ſated with the phlegmatick part of the Spirit, and diſſolved by the heat; ſet to cool, ſomtimes ſhoots (I dare not ſay always) exactly into ſuch Rhomboideal figures made up of plates, and the whole Rhomboids ſomtimes iſſuing out of one another, juſt as we find the Selenites often do.

131. More might have been added concerning ſome other formed ſtones hereafter to be mention'd; but I have now only time to hint my Hypotheſis, which I ſuppoſe may be ſufficiently done in the afore-going inſtances; not intending to proſecute it further till I have had more experience, which this my preſent attempt ſerves to shew the World is yet but ſmall. And therefore I haſten on to the reſidue of the formed ſtones, which according to my method laid down in the beginning of this Chapter (having done with all ſuch as relate to the waters) are thoſe that reſemble any terrestrial bodies; and amongſt them, firſt of ſuch as belong to the vegetable Kingdom.

132. Whereof there are ſome that repreſent whole Plants, and ſuch is the Fungites or Tuberoides, found ſomwhere in the Chiltern about Stoken-Church-hill, and engraven Tab. 6. Fig. 1. of a cinereous colour without, but a black Flint within, and lively repreſenting one of the fungi lethales non eſculenti.

133. Others there are that reſemble only the parts of Plants, and ſuch is that depicted Tab. 6. Fig. 2. like a Bryony-root broken off tranſverſly, and ſhewing the fibrillae from the center to the circumference, with the other ſtriae deſcending down the ſides, and the annulary diviſions; and all theſe in a stone ſo exactly of the colour of a Bryony-root, that it would be hard to diſtinguiſh it, were it not for the weight. This was found in the Quarry-pits of rubble ſtone 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 Lapides pyriformes, whereof the firſt is a black flint found ſomwhere near Bix brand, above eleven inches round, and in bigneſs and form reſembling the Bell or King-pear: The other a ſort of Pebble, whitiſh without, and yellow within (as manifeſtly appears at the place of the strig) in the shape of a Warden-pear, found in the Parish of Waterstock, by the Learned and Ingenious Sir George Croke, ſomwhere near his houſe.

135. In the Parish of Whitchurch not far from Hardwick-houſe, I found a hard ſtone in the form of an Apricock, with the Rimula or cleft from the pedicle to the apex, juſt as in the true plum, and as depicted Tab. 6. Fig. 5. And in the Quarries of rubble ſtone near Shotover-hill, I met with a kind of ſpar, shot exactly into protuberances (and in the whole bulk) like a Mulberry, as in Fig. 6.

136. On the Chiltern-hills near to Sherbourn, I found a white Flint, with another ſet in it, in the form of a Luca Olive, as in Fig. 7. To which may be added, the Lapides Judaici of Oxford-ſhire, which though of a much more ſlender and longer figure than any ſort of Olive, yet becauſe in other Countries they are found in that shape, and for that very reaſon called ſomtimes Pyrenes, and treated on by Authors Geſner de Figuris Lapidum, cap. 9. amongſt ſtones relating to the fruits of Trees, I shall not change their place. We find them here of different cizes, from about two inches in length and an inch and half in circuit, downwards to an inch and leſs in length, and not much above half an inch round: Moſt of them have a kind of pedicle, from which they ſeem to have had their growth, and are ridged and channelled the whole length of the ſtone, the ridges being purled with ſmall knots, ſet in the Quincunx order, as in Tab. 6. Fig. 8. As to their texture, I find it to be very curious, made up of Lamellae or little thin plates, not unlike the ſtone Selenites; only theſe are opaque, and the whole bulk of the ſtone indeed much different. The Plates, as in the Selenites, ſeem to be made up of ſtrings, which in moſt of them run three, but in ſome but two ways; according to the running of theſe strings the stones will eaſily cleave, but generally ſome one way rather than any other, which moſt 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 ſtone, as is perfectly shewn, Tab. 6. Fig. 9. which repreſents the ſtone broken the three ſeveral ways.

137. By Authors they are ſaid to be of different Sexes, the leſſer and rounder of the feminine, and the greater and longer of the maſculine gender; whereof the former is good againſt the ſtone in the bladder, and the latter againſt it in the kidneys, for which reaſons they are ſomtimes by Authors called Eurrhei, and Tecolithi. The greater and longer, ſays Geſner Idem loco citato. are rarely found, but that muſt be reſtrained to his own Country; for here in Oxford-ſhire, and particularly in the Quarries of rubble ſtone near Shotover-hill, we have plenty of them.

138. There is another ſort of them alſo at the ſame place, much more ſlender than the reſt, plain and ſmooth, without either ridges or channels, mention'd by Caeſalpinus Andreas Caeſalpinus de Metallicis, lib. 2 cap. 44.; which (and not the Lapis Judaicus) by him is ſaid to be the true Tecolithus of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 37. cap. 10. , that breaks and expels the stone, if the Patient do but lick it. Of colour without, it is a whitiſh yellow, and breaks into ſhining white plates obliquely to the axis of the ſtone, like the former, but whether made up of threds running differing ways, I could not afford to try, having but one of the kind; which was found and given me, beſide ſeveral other matters of the ſame nature, by my very good Friend Edward Tyſon A. M. an ingenious and induſtrious ſearcher into the works of Nature and Arts.

139. Hither alſo muſt be referr'd the freſh water Adarce made at the Caſcade at Sommerton, which though but a meer incruſtation, and formed not of it ſelf, but ad formam alterius, viz. of the graſs about which it gathers, and therefore none of the Lithophyta; yet it having ſome form, though but accidental, I have thought rather fit to miſplace it here, than omit to ſhew the Reader how prettily the graſs is ſheathed with ſtone, which is accuratly expreſſed by Fig. 10.

140. Thus having done with the Lapides 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I proceed to the stones reſembling Animals, either in the whole or parts; amongſt which, ſome there are that ſeem to have been reptils petrified, which poſſibly enough coming to the places where they are now found in ſtone without the difficulties of a flood, may be true enough too: though I know ſome places in other Counties, where there are Cochleomorphit's or ſnail-ſtones ſo thick, that they ſeem unlikely to have ever been the ſpoils of that Animal. In Oxford-ſhire indeed I have met with but two, one at Teynton, and another in the rubble Quarries near Shotover-hill, both which being of the ſame ſhape, colour and bigneſs, are repreſented together under Fig. 11.

142. After thoſe that concern Reptils, come we next to formed ſtones that reſemble the parts of four footed beaſts, whereof we meet with one ſort in the Quarries at Heddington, ſet in the body of the stone, the moſt like to the head of a Horſe of any thing I can think of; having the ears, and creſt of the mane appearing between them, the places of the eyes ſuitably prominent, and the reſt of the face entire, only the mouth and noſtrils are abſent in them all, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 1. Theſe are plentifully enough found, and of divers cizes, yet not mention'd that I know of by any Author, wherefore I have taken the boldneſs to fit them with a name, and in imitation of other Authors (in the like caſe) ſhall call them Hippocephaloides.

143. At Heddington in the ſame Quarry there are plenty of Cardites, or ſtones in the forms of hearts, but by Authors, becauſe of their bigneſs, generally called Bucardites, or ſtones like Bulls hearts. Theſe at Heddington are all of them of a whitiſh yellow colour, ſmooth and plain, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 2. but there are others found about Briſe-Norton and Witney, that ſeem to be ribbed on each ſide, as in Fig. 3. Of theſe I had one ſent me by my worthy Friend Robert Perrot Eſq from North-Leigh, ten inches round, and near two pounds in weight, which is the biggeſt of the kind that I ever yet ſaw, except one that I found at Shetford, going up a little hill eaſt-ward of the town, about 20 pounds in weight, though broken half away, curiouſly reticulated with a white-ſpar-colour'd ſtone, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 4. which being much too heavy for my Horſe-portage, was afterward upon my direction, fetch'd away by that miracle of Ingenuity Sir Anthony Cope, ſince whoſe deceaſe it is come I ſuppoſe into the hands of his equally ingenious Brother Sir John Cope, the Heir of his Virtues as well as Eſtate.

144. To theſe add the Orchites, or Lapides teſticulares, that lie at the foot of Shotover-hill, which though indeed they extravagantly exceed thoſe parts as well of beaſts as men, yet of the two I rather thought fit to place them here: Moſt of them lie in pairs coupled together, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 6. and are called Diorchites; but ſomtimes (as it alſo falls out in monſtrous Animal) there are three of them found together, and then we call them T iorchites, whereof there are two or three on the foot of the ſame Hill of ſo vaſt a bigneſs, that I gueſs they cannot be leſs than a tun in weight: I am ſure that which lies higheſt on the Hill, and is here repreſented Fig. 5. is ſo much at the leaſt. Of theſe all that Weſtern ſide of the Hill ſeems to be compoſed, if one may gueſs by their appearance above the ground on each hand the way; but how they ſhould come there, or with what Animal-mold formed (if not by ſome peculiar plastic power in the earth) I leave to the favorers of that opinion to find.

145. Hither alſo I muſt refer for the very ſame reaſon, a ſort of ſtone found in the Quarries of rubble ſtone near Shotover, compoſed as it were of filaments like hair, which yet muſt not be the Polythrix of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 37. cap. 10. becauſe not greeniſh, nor the Boſtrychites of Zoroaſtres, or the Corſoides of the ſame Pliny Idem loco • itato., becauſe neither gray nor long. However, let it be a Thrichites (though the word be differently uſed by Dioſcorides Lib. 5 cap. 114.) and the rather placed here, becauſe moſt like the ſhort hair of beaſts: Of colour it is yellowiſh, and each hair (as they appear in the Microſcope) ſeems to be ſtriated and channelled its whole length; but to the naked eye they ſhew themſelves only in columns, which at certain diſtances are all jointed, as in Fig. 7.

146. Beſide the ſtones repreſenting the parts of the Viviparous, I have met with one that ſeems to belong to the oviparous Quadrupedes, and that is a Bufonites or Toad-stone, which perhaps may better deſerve its name, than any yet mention'd by other Authors. For by my Bufonites or Toad-ſtone, I intend not that ſhining poliſh'd ſtone, firſt demonſtrated by the Ingenious and Learned Dr. Merret, in His Majeſties preſence, to be nothing elſe but the jaw-tooth or grinder of the Lupus marinus, and ſo confeſt to be by the Gold-ſmiths that ſold them. But a certain reddiſh liver-colour'd real ſtone, indeed of the form of thoſe of the Shark-fiſh, i. e. like the ſegment of a ſphere, convex at the top, and concave underneath, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 8. but found amongſt the Gravel in Magdalen Coll. Walks: and may be ſo called (as I preſume the others are) from ſome reſemblance they have to the figure of a Toads skull, not that there comes any ſuch thing out of a vexed toads head, as is commonly and no leſs fabulouſly reported.

147. The ſtones that reſemble the parts of Men being next to be conſider'd, I ſhall begin with thoſe that have relation to the head, and ſo deſcend in order to the lower parts: According to which method, the firſt that preſents it ſelf is one of the Brontiae, whoſe upper part was deſcribed before, ſect. 33. of this Chapter, where I had alſo ſhewn its baſis, but that it ſomwhat reſembles part of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or baſis of a Mans brain, yet included within its dura Meninx, with the ſeveral pairs of nerves cut aſunder as they come through it, according as the brain is prepared and inverted in Dr. Willis's new way of diſſecting it: Beſide the exit of the proceſſus Mammillares, and ſeveral pairs of nerves, it has a fair reſemblance of the Cerebellum at a a, and of the Medulla oblongata at b b, as is plainly repreſented in Tab. 7. Fig. 9. This was found, as above-ſaid, in the Chiltern Country, and much better deſerves the name of Encephaloides, than any deſcribed by Aldrovandus Muſaeum Metallicum, lib. 4. c. 1. pag. 477. , or others.

148. Add hereunto another ſort of ſtone, found in the rubble Quarry near Shotover-hill, lively repreſenting the Olfactory nerves or par primum, entire and whole, and not cut off. Of theſe there are many to be found in theſe pits of a yellowiſh colour, ſmooth without, and I think all of them (for I have broke ſeveral) hollow within, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 10.

149. I have alſo a ſtone (not unlike a pebble) found ſomwhere in the gravel near the City of Oxford, of an oval figure, and for the greateſt part of a reddiſh colour; but at one end diſtinguiſh'd, firſt with a circle of white, within which is a Zone of the proper colour of the ſtone, and then a round pupilla of white, in the whole reſembling the figure of an Eye obſcured by a Cataract, as in Tab. 7. Fig. 11. This I ſhould have taken for the ſtone called Beli Oculus, but that Boetius Boetius de Boot, de lapid. & gem. lib. 2. c. 99. expreſly makes the body of that to be of a white colour: The neareſt it comes to any yet deſcribed, is the Leucophthalmus of Pliny, which he plainly ſays is of a reddiſh colour, in which yet it carryeth the form of an Eye both for white and blackNat. Hiſt. lib. 37. cap. 10. Vid. Eraſmi Colloquium cui Tit. Peregrination Religionis ergo.: And ſo do's ours, only it wants the black Pupilla, which we muſt ſuppoſe to be covered by a Cataract. However, it may paſs for an Ophthalmites, or ſome ſort of Eye-stone: whence I proceed to ſome others, in shape alſo of another of our ſenſes Organs.

150. Which by reaſon they ſo well reſemble the Ears of a Man, though much leſs, as in 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 Fulbrook Church; but the moſt I ſaw any where yet, are in a bank near a ſpring riſing at Sommerton Towns end, Eaſtward from the Church, in the Lordſhip of the Worſhipful Richard Fermor Eſq whoſe many ingenious Contrivances about his Houſe, beſide other aſſiſtances he readily afforded me, have eminently contributed to this Hiſtory, as will more abundantly appear in the Chapter of Arts.

151. From the Ʋpper, I deſcend next to ſuch formed stones as reſemble any of the parts of the middle Ventricle, or Thorax: whereof I met with ſome on Stoken-Church Hill, of a Flinty ſubſtance, ſtrangely like to human Paps, or Duggs; having not only the Mamma, but Papilla too, ſurrounded by an Areola, and ſtudded with ſmall protuberances, as in Tab. 7, Fig. ult. and therefore well deſerving the name of Mammillares: than which yet I had once a much better pattern, unhappily loſt in the portage, betwixt my Chamber and the Gravers.

152. And if we look further into the inner parts, I have a ſtone that ſo exquiſitely repreſents the Heart of a Man, as in Tab. 8. Fig. 1. that at, and near the baſis, there remains the trunck of the deſcending part of the Vena Cava at a, the aſcending portion of the Vena Cava at b; and from the left Ventricle the trunck of the Arteria magna, tending upwards at c, and a portion of the ſame Artery tending downwards at d. This was alſo found on the Hills near Stoken-Church, being a whitiſh kind of Flint, and perhaps may merit the name of Anthropocardites. Whereunto add another found in the Gravel near Oxford, by my ingenious Friend John Banister M. A. of Magdalen College, which though not ſo exactly of the shape of a Heart as the former, yet becauſe ſtellated all over from the baſis to the mucro, as in Fig. 2. I thought its admittance would not be ungrateful to the Reader.

154. To theſe add another ſtone which we may call Lapis Nephriticus, not from any likeneſs either in colour or effect to the whitiſh green ſtone uſed in diſtempers of the Kidneys (though the ſignature it carries might perſwade a tryal) but from the colour and figure it has of the Kidney of an Animal, with a trunck of one of the Ʋreters deſcending from the hollow of it, as in Tab. 8. Fig. 3. This ſtone was lent me by the Reverend and univerſally Learned Dr. Ralph Bathurst, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, and Dean of Wells, one of the moſt cordial Encouragers of this deſign; who found it hanging to an Oyſter by that part which repreſents the Ʋreter, which was then ſo ſoft that he eaſily cut it away with his knife; but within leſs than an hour (like the Gorgonia of Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 37. cap. 10. ) it grew as hard as the reſt of the ſtone, which I gueſs may be equal to that of a Pebble: preſerving, I ſuppoſe, its native ſoftneſs whil'ſt it enjoyed the ſalt ſteams in the heap of Oyſters, and not hardning till expoſed to the purer Air; which evidently ſhews (though the opinion be exploded of Coral) that there are indeed ſome other Sea things, ſoft under water, or whil'ſt they enjoy the ſteams of it, that as ſoon as expoſed to the freſher Air, become preſently ſtones.

155. Next the ſtones that relate to either of the three Ventricles, come we next to ſuch as concern the Artus, or other members of the body: Amongſt which, I have one dug out of a Quarry in the Pariſh of Cornwell, and given me by the ingenious Sir Thomas Pennyſton, that has exactly the figure of the lowermoſt part of the thigh-bone of a Man, or at leaſt of ſome other Animal, with the capita femoris inferiora, between which are the anterior (hid behind the ſculpture) and the larger posterior ſinus, the ſeat of the ſtrong ligament that riſes out of the thigh, and that gives ſafe paſſage to the veſſels deſcending into the leg: And a little above the ſinus, where it ſeems to have been broken off, ſhewing the marrow within of a ſhining ſpar-like ſubſtance, of its true colour and figure, in the hollow of the bone, as in Tab. 8. Fig. 4. In compaſs near the capita femoris juſt two foot, and at the top above the ſinus (where the thigh-bone is as ſmall as any where) about 15 inches; in weight, though repreſenting ſo ſhort a part of the thigh-bone, almoſt 20 pounds.

156. Which are dimenſions, and a weight, ſo much exceeding the ordinary courſe of nature, that by Agricola De Natura Foſſilium, lib. 7. , Caeſalpinus De Metallicis, lib. 2. cap. 48. , and Kircher Kircheri Mundus ſubterran. lib. 8. ſect. 2. cap. 4. diſq. 2. , ſuch ſtones have been rather thought to be formed either in hollows of Rocks caſually of this figure, and filled with materials fit for petrification; or by ſome other ſportive plaſtic power of the Earth, than ever to have been real bones, now petrified.

157. And that indeed there are ſtones thus naturally faſhioned, muſt by no means be doubted, ſince no queſtion the ſtony teeth of which there are Cart-loads to be had in a Cave near Palermo, beſide others in the ſhape of leg and thigh-bones, and of the Vertebrae of the back, are no others than ſuchIdem loco citato, diſq. 1. . None of them, as the judicious Charles Marqueſs of Ventimiglia well obſerved, having any ſigns of hollowneſs for the place of the marrow, much leſs of the marrow it ſelf.

158. Which has fully convinced me that this ſtone of ours was not ſo produced, it having thoſe ſigns exquiſitly expreſſed; but muſt have been a real bone, now petrified, and therefore indeed not properly belonging to this place. However, it being now a ſtone, and not coming to my hands whilſt I was treating of petrifications, I have rather thought fit to throw my ſelf upon the Readers candour, and miſ place it here, as I did the Adarce, than altogether to omit ſo conſiderable an inſtance.

159. But againſt this opinion of its having been once a real bone, there lies a conſiderable objection, viz. that it will be hard to find an Animal proportionable to it, both Horſes and Oxen falling much ſhort of it. To which if it be anſwer'd, that it may be much increaſed in the petrification; it may again be replyed, that though indeed there be an augment in ſome petrifications, yet that it is not ſo in all: for though in all petrifications there be an ingreſs of ſteams and particles that were not there before, and therefore either a ceſſion of ſome other body required, or a neceſſary augmentation; yet that thoſe petrifying ſteams are ſomtimes ſo thin and fine, that they require only the ceſſion of ſome Airy or Aethereal atoms contained before in the porous parts of the body to be changed, as indeed it appears to have been in this inſtance of our petrified bone: for with it was found a tooth, depicted Fig. 5. in its exact bigneſs, weighing two ounces and ¼, not at all petrified but perfect bone ſtill, rather exceeding than any thing ſhort of it in proportion; whence it muſt neceſſarily be concluded, that there could be but little if any augmentation at all.

160. And if it be aſked how it ſhould come to paſs that the thigh-bone ſhould be petrified, and not the tooth, it may be anſwered, and that experimentally too, that teeth admit not ſo eaſily of any change or petrification, becauſe they are much more cloſely compacted ſubstances than any other bones; whence 'tis, that we ſo often find them ſound and good, when all other bones are conſumed. Thus at Bathendown, or Bannerdown (the Mons Badonicus of Nennius) not far from Bath in Somerſet-ſhire, there have been Caps full of teeth picked up by ſuch as followed the Plough Stow's Annals, in the Life of King Arthur. , but we are told of no other bones found there. And we are informed by Fazellus, in his Hiſtory of Sicily, that of two Giants Sceletons, one found by Johannes à brachiis fortibus, in the Field Gibilo, a mile South of the Town Mazarenum, now Mazara; and the other by Paulus Leontinus, not far from Palermo, that when they came to be touched, all fell into duſt but the dentes molares, or the greater teeth called the Grinders Tho. Fazelli de rebus Siculis Decad. prioris, lib. 1. cap. 6. , ſufficient Arguments (I had almoſt ſaid) of their unalterable ſtate.

161. Since then it ſeems to be manifeſt, that the cize of the bone has been ſcarce alter'd in its petrification: It remains, that it muſt have belong'd to ſome greater Animal than either an Ox or Horſe; and if ſo (ſay almoſt all other Authors in the like caſe) in probability it muſt have been the bone of ſome Elephant brought hither during the Government of the Romans in Britan: But this opinion too lies under ſo great difficulties, that it can hardly be admitted; which are briefly theſe.

162. Firſt, That we do not find that any of the Roman Authors, who elſewhere are large enough in deſcribing the Elephants behavior in fight, and how terrible they were to ſome of the Trans-Alpine Nations, mention any ſuch matter in any of their Expeditions into Britan. Dion Dionis Caſſii Rom. Hiſt. lib. 60., 'tis true, ſays, That Claudius Caeſar, when he was called to the aſſiſtance of the Praetor Aulus Plautius, ſore preſſed by the Britans, then revenging the death of their ſlain Prince Togodumnus, amongſt other preparations, gathered together his Elephants, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are his very words. But Suetonius in his life, where he is very particular concerning this Expedition into Britan, mentions no ſuch matter; nor indeed doth Dion ſay, that he brought them hither with him, only that he gather'd them together in order to it. But they both agree in this, that he met with ſuch ſtorms in his intended paſſage by Sea thither, that he was forced to put in at Marſeilles, and march by Land quite through France to Geſſoriacum, now ſuppoſed to be Boulogne, from whence 'tis true he paſſed over to Britan. But ſo ſwift was his motion in this Expedition, that they alſo both agree, that he was returned to Rome again within ſix months, a time ſcarce agreeable with the motion of ſo unwildy Creatures as Elephants; which in all likelyhood were therefore left behind at Marſeilles, becauſe hindered by the weather of their Sea portage, and never tranſported into Britan at all. Nor find I in other Authors, that it was ever after attempted. One there was, 'tis true, ſent hither as a preſent by St. Lewis the 9th, King of France, to King Henry the Third, Anno 1255. which, ſays Matthew Paris Matth. Paris in Reg. Hen. 3. in Anno Dom. 1255. , was the firſt ſeen on this ſide the Alps; and perhaps there may have been two or three brought for ſhew hither ſince: but whether it be likely any of theſe ſhould be buryed at Cornwell, let the Reader judge.

163. Beſide, had this thigh-bone and tooth, and the ſeveral others that have been found in England, ſuch as the two teeth taken up at Edulfsneſs in the County of Eſſex, in the Raign of King Richard the Firſt, that might have been cut into two hundred of an ordinary cizeCambden in Eſſex.; and divers other bones and teeth found at Chartham near Canterbury Chartham news, ſet forth by Mr. Joh. Somner. , and Farley near Maidstone in Kent, whereof I have one now by me, dug up and given me, by the truly Noble and Ingenious Jacob Lord Aſtley, near ſeven inches round, and five ounces and ⅛ in weight, of which more when I come into Kent. Had, I ſay, theſe bones and teeth been ever the ſpoils of Elephants, we ſhould certainly at ſome time or other have met alſo with thoſe 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, that ſince the great conflagration of London, Anno 1666. upon the pulling down of St. Mary Wool-Church, and making the ſite of it into a Mercat-place, there was found a thigh-bone (ſuppoſed to be of a Woman) now to be ſeen at the Kings-head Tavern at Greenwich in Kent, much bigger and longer than ours of stone could in proportion be, had it been intire. We have alſo here at Oxford In the Medicine School., a thigh-bone that came from London, three foot and two inches long, which I gueſs may be of an agreeable proportion with ours. And the ſame 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 Pariſh Church of Morton Valence, about ſeven miles from Gloceſter, in the way thence to Briſtol, in all points ſo exactly like the other from Cornwell, in ridges, cavities, &c. that had they not differ'd ſomwhat in colour, they could ſcarce have any way been diſtinguiſh'd. Now how Elephants ſhould come to be buryed in Churches, is a queſtion not eaſily anſwered, except we will run to ſo groundleſs a ſhift, as to ſay, that poſſibly the Elephants might be there buryed before Chriſtianity floriſh'd in Britan, and that theſe Churches were afterward caſually built over them.

165. If it be urged out of Ponticus Virunnius, and ſome others, that the Emperor Claudius was at Gloceſter, and that he built that City after his own name, in memory of the Marriage of his fair Daughter Genniſſa, with Arviragus then King of Britan Pont. Virunnii, Hist. Britan. lib. 4. , where poſſibly he might have ſome of his Elephants with him, which might dye and be buried thereabout. It muſt be anſwered, that notwithſtanding the name of Claudii Caſtrum, now Gloceſter, ſeems ſo much to favor the ſtory in hand, that yet in all likelyhood there was never any ſuch matter: For neither Suetonius Sueton. in vita Claudii., who numbers up all the Daughters that he had, and shews how given in Marriage. Nor Dion Dion. Caſſ. Rom. Hiſt. lib. 60. , who do's the ſame (who lived in his time, and had born the Office of Conſul) remember any ſuch Daughter, or ſo diſpoſed of to Arviragus.

166. Beſide, how was it poſſible that Claudius, who came hither, and was returned again to Rome within ſix months, ſhould find ſo much time, as to come up ſo far in the Country as Gloceſter, much leſs to celebrate ſuch a Marriage, and build that City, ſince the ſame Dion expreſly ſays, that of thoſe ſix months time, he was here in Britan but ſixteen days, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are his own wordsIdem loco citato., and thoſe ſixteen days in all probability, were ſpent in ordering his Army, and joyning them with the Forces of Plautius that lay then at the mouth of Thames ready to receive him, and in taking of Camulodonum, which the ſame Author aſſerts he did that Expedition, and ſo immediatly returned.

167. But what is instar omnium in this difficult point, there happily came to Oxford while I was writing of this, a living Elephant to be ſhewn publickly at the Act, An. 1676. with whoſe bones and teeth I compared ours; and found thoſe of the Elephant not only of a different ſhape, but alſo incomparably bigger than ours, though the Beaſt were very young and not half grown. If then they are neither the bones of Horſes, Oxen, nor Elephants, as I am ſtrongly perſwaded they are not, upon compariſon, and from their like found in Churches: It remains, that (notwithſtanding their extravagant magnitude) they muſt have been the bones of Men or Women: Nor doth any thing hinder but they may have been ſo, provided it be clearly made out that there have been Men and Women of proportionable ſtature in all ages of the World, down even to our own days.

P68. The Sons of Anak, no queſtion, were very great men, and Goliath for certain was nine foot nine inches high1 Sam. c. 17. v. 4.. We read alſo of the Sons of the Titans, and of high Giants Judith 16. v. 7., and of Giants famous from the begining, that were of great ſtature and expert in WarBaruch 3. v. 26.. And (to omit the Fables of the Giants of Mount Erice near Drepanum in Sicily, 200 cubits high, of Tanger in Mauritania 60 cubitsVid. Athan. Kircheri Mundum ſubterr. lib. 8 ſect. 2. cap. 4. , and of the Giant found ſtanding in a Rock, cleft by an Earth-quake in the Iſle of Candy, 46 cubits, ſuppoſed to be Orion, or Otus Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 16. , and ſeveral others mentioned by Phlegon Phlegon Trallianus de rebus mirabilibus, cap. 11, 12, 17, 18, 19. .) Amongſt the Romans, Theutobochus King of the Teutones or Germans, vanquiſh'd by Marius, is reported by Florus to be inſigne 〈…〉 phiſpectaculum, ſo very tall, that he was ſeen above all the Trophees Fl • ri Hist. Rom. lib 3 cap. 3. , which were the ſpoils of the Enemies, uſually carryed aloft upon the tops of ſpears. Naevius Pollio, ſays Pliny Nat: Hiſt. lib. 7. cap. 16. , was ſo great a Giant (having no account of his dimenſions) that it was taken for a wonderful ſtrange thing, that when a great preſs of people came running upon him, he had like to have been killed.

169. But to come cloſer to the buſineſs, and more determinate ſtatures, the ſame Pliny Idem loco citato. tells of two others living in the time of Augustus, nick-named Puſio and Secundilla, whoſe bodies were preſerved for a wonder in the Saluſtian 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 Emperor, exactly of the height of Goliath, viz. nine foot nine inches highIdem loco citato; which being a cize very proportionable to our bone found at Cornwell, I am rather inclined to believe, that Claudius brought this Gabbara into Britan with him, who poſſibly might dye and lay his bones here, than that ever they belonged to any Elephant; except we ſhall rather ſay, that here alſo Corinaeus, coſin 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.

170. Moreover, that there were men heretofore of ſuch vaſt ſtatures, we have the teſtimony of Joſephus Lib. 18. cap. 6., in his Antiquities of the Jews, where he tells us of one Eleazar, a Jew born, ſent amongſt the Preſents to Tiberius, when Darius the Son of Artabanus King of Perſia, after a Peace made, went as a Hoſtage to Rome, that was full ſeven Cubits in height. And there is a Sceleton Kirch •• Mund. ſubterr. lib. 8. ſect. 2. cap. 4 now to be ſeen in the Town-hall at Lucern, found under an old Oak in the County of Williſau, near a Village called Reyden, within the juriſdiction of that City, that gives further confirmation, it having all, or moſt of the bones wherein a Man differs from other Animals, and being above ſeventeen foot high.

171. And if we conſult the latter ages of the World, we ſhall ſtill find that there were always ſome few perſons vaſtly exceeding the ordinary ſtature of Men: Joh. Caſſanio Io. Caſſanio Monaſtr. de Gigantibus, cap. 6. , though no favorer of the ſtories of Giants, yet tells us of one that lived about 150 years ſince at Burdeaux in Aquitan, commonly called the Giant of Burdeaux, whom Francis the firſt, King of France, paſſing that way, beheld with admiration, and gave eſpecial command that he ſhould be of his Guard: but he being a Peaſant of a narrow ſoul, and not pleaſed with a Courtiers life, quitted his Halbard, and got away by ſtealth to the place whence he came: Of whom the ſaid Caſſanio was aſſured by an Honorable Perſon, who had ſeen him Archer of the Guard, that he was of ſo great a height, that a Man of an ordinary ſtature might go upright between his legs when he did ſtride. And Thuanus Jac. Aug. Thuani Hist. Tom. 3. lib. 61. treating of an Invaſion made by the Tartars upon the Polanders, in the Year 1575. tells us of a Tartar ſlain by one Jacobus Niezabilovius a Polander, whoſe fore-head was 24 inches broad, and his body of ſo prodigious a bulk, that as he lay dead on the ground, his carcaſs reached to the navel of a perſon ſtanding by him.

172. Geropius Becanus De Gigantomachia., Phyſitian to the Lady Mary, ſiſter to the Emperor Charles the Fifth, Queen of Hungary and Regent of the Netherlands, aſſures us, That there dwelt a perſon within five miles of him ten foot high, and that himſelf ſaw a Woman of the ſame height. The talleſt that I have yet ſeen in our days, was alſo a Woman of a Dutch extraction, ſhewn publickly here at Oxford, ſeven foot and a half high, with all her Limbs proportionable: when ſhe ſtretch'd forth her arm, Men of ordinary ſtature might walk under it; and her hand, from the carpus or wriſt where it is joined to the radius of the arm, to the end of the middle finger, was full ten inches long. A ſtature, 'tis true, much ſhort of any of the afore-mentioned, and indeed I believe it will be hard to meet with their fellows in theſe parts of the World, where Luxury has crept in, together with Civility: Yet if we look abroad amongſt the preſent barbarous Nations of both Indies, where they live ſtill according to Nature, and do not debauch her with the ſenſual Delights of the more civilized World, we ſhall find (if the Relations either of Engliſh or Hollanders be of any credit) that there are now men and women adequate to them in ſtature; ſeveral having been ſeen, eſpecially about the Straights of Magellan, of ten: and one near the River of Plate by Tho. Turner, 12 foot high.

173. Whence 'tis plain, that whether we reſpect the more ancient or modern Times, 'tis poſſible enough theſe bones from Cornwell might be the bones of a man or woman, there being no decay apparent in the conſtitutions of Mankind from the beginning to this day, but what is adventitious and accidental; ſaving in the longevity of the antediluvian Patriarchs.

174. Beſide this Gigantick thigh-bone, there is another stone at the foot of Shotover-hill, amongſt the Orchites before-mentioned, Sect. 144. that alſo repreſents one of the Artus; viz. the Leg and Foot of a Man cut off above the ancle, as in Tab. 8. Fig. 6. which from the toe to the heel is about a yard long, and perhaps in the whole may weigh 50 or 60 pounds: But I take not this for a petrification as the former, but a ſtone formed in this ſhape purely by Nature, which may therefore be termed Andrapodites, as might all thoſe of the kind mentioned by Wormius Muſaei Wormian. cap. 1 • Intogrum pedem hominis in lapidem verſum, ſpectandum habet Muſaeum Calceolarium, Ioh. Bapt. Oliv • 〈◊〉 . To which alſo may be added the Lapis acetabulum referens, whereof there is plenty on the Chiltern-hills. And a ſort of Oſteocolla found in Heddington rubble Quarries, which ſcraped, has the ſmell of burnt bone, and may I ſuppoſe be the ſame mentioned by Geſner Geſner de Fig. Lapid. cap. 12. , that was ſent him by Peter Coldeberg, Apothecary of Antwerp.