Old Wiltshire country prognosticks of the weather:-
"When the hen doth moult before the cock,The winter will be as hard as a rock;But if the cock moults before the hen,The winter will not wett your shoes seame."
In South Wiltshire the constant observation is that if droppes doe hang upon the hedges on Candlemas-day that it will be a good pease yeare. It is generally agreed on to be matter of fact; the reason perhaps may be that there may rise certain unctuous vapours which may cause that fertility. [This is a general observation: we have it in Essex. I reject as superstitious all prognosticks from the weather on particular days.-JOHN RAY.] ___________________________________
At Hullavington, about 1649, there happened a strange wind, which did not onely lay down flatt the corne and grasse as if a huge roller had been drawn over it, but it flatted also the quickset hedges of two or three grounds of George Joe, Esq.-It was a hurricane.
Anno 1660, I being then at dinner with Mr. Stokes at Titherton, news was brought in to us that a whirlewind had carried some of the hay- cocks over high elmes by the house: which bringes to my mind a story that is credibly related of one Mr. J. Parsons, a kinsman of ours, who, being a little child, was sett on a hay-cock, and a whirlewind took him up with half the hay-cock and carried him over high elmes, and layd him down safe, without any hurt, in the next ground. ___________________________________
Anno 1581, there fell hail-stones at Dogdeane, near Salisbury, as big as a child's fist of three or four yeares old; which is mentioned in the Preface of an Almanack by John Securis, Maister of Arts and Physick, dedicated to ….. Lord High Chancellor. He lived at Salisbury. "Tis pitty such accidents are not recorded in other Almanacks in order for a history of the weather. ___________________________________
Edward Saintlow, of Knighton, Esq. was buried in the church of Broad Chalk, May the 6th, 1578, as appeares by the Register booke. The snow did then lie so thick on the ground that the bearers carried his body over the gate in Knighton field, and the company went over the hedges, and they digged a way to the church porch. I knew some ancient people of the parish that did remember it. On a May day, 1655 or 1656, being then in Glamorganshire, at Mr. Jo. Aubrey's at Llanchrechid, I saw the mountaines of Devonshire all white with snow. There fell but little in Glamorganshire. ___________________________________
From the private Chronologicall Notes of the learned Edward Davenant, of Gillingham, D.D.:- "On the 25th of July 1670, there was a rupture in the steeple of Steeple Ashton by lightning. The steeple was ninety- three feet high above the tower; which was much about that height. This being mending, and the last stone goeing to be putt in by the two master workemen, on the 15th day of October following, a sudden storme with a clap of thunder tooke up the steeple from the tower, and killed both the workmen in nictu oculi. The stones fell in and broke part of the church, but never hurt the font. This account I had from Mr. Walter Sloper, attorney, of Clement's Inne, and it is registred on the church wall." [The inscription will be found in the Beauties of Wiltshire, vol. iii. page 205. It fully details the above circumstances.-J. B.]
Whilst the breaches were mending and the thunder showr arose, one standing in the church-yard observed a black cloud to come sayling along towards the steeple, and called to the workman as he was on the scaffold; and wisht him to beware of it and to make hast. But before he went off the clowd came to him, and with a terrible crack threw down the steeple, sc. about the middle, where he was at worke. Immediately they lookt up and their steeple was lost.
I doe well remember, when I was seaven yeares old, an oake in a ground called Rydens, in Kington St. Michael Parish, was struck with lightning, not in a strait but helical line, scil. once about the tree or once and a half, as a hop twists about the pole; and the stria remains now as if it had been made with a gouge. ___________________________________
On June 3rd, 1647, (the day that Cornet Joyce did carry King Charles prisoner to the Isle of Wight from Holdenby,) did appeare this phenomenon, [referring to a sketch in the margin which represents two luminous circles, intersecting each other; the sun being seen in the space formed by their intersection.-J. B.] which continued from about ten a clock in the morning till xii. It was a very cleare day, and few took notice of it because it was so near the sunbeams. It was seen at Broad Chalke by my mother, who espied it going to see what a clock it was at an horizontal dial, and then all the servants about the house sawe it Also Mr. Jo. Sloper the vicar here sawe it with his family, upon the like occasion looking on the diall. Some of Sr. George Vaughan of Falston's family who were hunting sawe it. The circles were of a rainbowe colour: the two filats, that crosse the circle (I presume they were segments of a third circle) were of a pale colour. ___________________________________
Ignis fatuus, called by the vulgar Kit of the Candlestick, is not very rare on our downes about Michaelmass. [These ignes fatui, or Jack-o'- lanthorns, as they are popularly called, are frequently seen in low boggy grounds. In my boyish days I was often terrified by stories of their leading travellers astray, and fascinating them.- J. B.]
Biding in the north lane of Broad Chalke in the harvest time in the twy-light, or scarce that, a point of light, by the hedge, expanded itselfe into a globe of about three inches diameter, or neer four, as boies blow bubbles with soape. It continued but while one could say one, two, three, or four at the most It was about a foot from my horse's eie; and it made him turn his head quick aside from it. It was a pale light as that of a glowe-worme: it may be this is that which they call a blast or blight in the country. ___________________________________
Colonel John Birch shewed me a letter from his bayliff, 166f, at Milsham, that advertised that as he was goeing to Warminster market early in the morning they did see fire fall from the sky, which did seem as big as a bushell I have forgot the day of the moneth. ___________________________________
From Meteors I will passe to the elevation of the poles. See "An Almanack, 1580, made for the Meridian of Salisbury, whose longitude is noted to bee ten degrees, and the latitude of the elevation of the Pole Arctick 51 degrees 47 minutes. By John Securis, Maister of Art and Physick". To which I will annexe the title of another old almanack, both which were collected by Mr. Will. Lilly. "Almanack, 1580, compiled and written in the City of Winchester, by Humphrey Norton, Student in Astronomic, gathered and made for the Pole Arctik of the said city, where the pole is elevated 51 degrees 42 minutes". ___________________________________
I come now to speak of ECHOS:-
"Vocalis Nymphe; quæ nec reticere loquentiNec prior ipsa loqui didicit, resonabilis Echo.Ille fugit; fugiensque manus complexibus aufert."- OVID, METAMORPH. lib. iii.
But this coy nymph does not onely escape our hands, but our sight, and wee doe understand her onely by induction and analogic. As the motion caused by a stone lett fall into the water is by circles, so sounds move by spheres in the same manner, which, though obvious enough, I doe not remember to have seen in any booke.
None of our ecchos in this country that I hear of are polysyllabicall. When the Gospels or Chapters are read over the choire dore of Our Lady Church in Salisbury, there is a quick and strong monosyllabicall echo, which comes presently on the reader's voice: but when the prayers are read in the choire, there is no echo at all. This reading place is 15 or 16 foot above the levell of the pavement: and the echo does more especially make its returnes from Our Ladies ChappelL
So in my kitchin-garden at the plain at Chalke is a monosyllabicall Echo; but it is sullen and mute till you advance …. paces on the easie ascent, at which place one's mouth is opposite to the middle of the heighth of the house at right angles; and then, - to use the expression of the Emperor Nero,-
"— reparabilis adsonat Echo."-PERSIUS. ___________________________________
Why may I not take the libertie to subject to this discourse of echos some remarks of SOUNDS? The top of one of the niches in the grot in Wilton gardens, as one sings there, doth return the note A "re", lowder, and clearer, but it doth not the like to the eighth of it. The diameter is 22 inches. But the first time I happened on this kind of experiment was when I was a scholar in Oxford, walking and singing under Merton-Colledge gate, which is a Gothique irregular vaulting, I perceived that one certain note could be returned with a lowd humme, which was C. "fa", "ut", or D. "sol", "re"; I doe not now well remember which. I have often observed in quires that at certain notes of the organ the deske would have a tremulation under my hand. So will timber; so will one's hat, though a spongie thing, as one holds it under one's arm at a musique meeting. These accidents doe make me reflect on the brazen or copper Tympana, mentioned by Vitruvius, for the clearer and farther conveying the sound of the recitatores and musicians to the auditors. I am from hence induc't to be of opinion that these tympana were made according to such and such proportions, suitable to such and such notes.
Mersennus, or Kircher, sayes, that one may know what quantity of liquor is in the vessel by the sound of it, knowing before the empty note. I have severall times heard great brasse pannes ring by the barking of a hound; and also by the loud voice of a strong man.-(The voice, if very strong and sharp, will crack a drinking glass.- J. EVELYN.)
[I have been favoured with a confirmation of this note of Evelyn from the personal experience of my old friend. Mr. Brayley, who was present at a party on Ludgate Hill, London, many years ago, when Mr. Broadhurst, the famed public vocalist, by singing a high note, caused a wine glass on the table to break, the bowl being separated from the stem.-J. B.] ___________________________________
After the echos I would have the draught of the house of John Hall, at Bradford, Esq., which is the best built house for the quality of a gentleman in Wilts. It was of the best architecture that was commonly used in King James the First's raigne. It is built all of freestone, full of windowes, hath two wings: the top of the house adorned with railes and baristers. There are two if not three elevations or ascents to it: the uppermost is adorned with terrasses, on which are railes and baristers of freestone. It faceth the river Avon, which lies south of it, about two furlongs distant: on the north side is a high hill. Now, a priori, I doe conclude that if one were on the south side of the river opposite to this elegant house, that there must of necessity be a good echo returned from the house; and probably if one stand east or west from the house at a due distance, the wings will afford a double echo.
[Part of this once fine and interesting mansion still remains, but wofully degraded and mutilated. It is called Kingston House, having been formerly the residence of a Duke of Kingston. It appears to have been built by the same architect as the mansion of Longleat, which was erected between the years 1567 and 1579, and for which, it is believed, John of Padua was employed to make designs.-J. B.]
[IN Aubrey's time the mineral waters of Bath, Tonbridge, and other places, were very extensively resorted to for medical purposes, and great importance was attached to them in a sanatory point of view. The extracts which have been selected from this chapter sufficiently shew the limited extent of the author's chemical knowledge, in the analysis of waters; which he appears to have seldom carried beyond precipitation or evaporation. He mentions several other springs in Wiltshire and elsewhere, attributing various healing properties to some of them; but of others merely observing, with great simplicity, whether or not their water was adapted to wash linen, boil pease, or affect the fermentation of beer. The chapter comprises a few remarks on droughts; and particularly mentions a remarkable cure of cancer by an "emplaster" or "cataplasme" of a kind of unctuous earth found in Bradon forest.- J. B.]
HOLY-WELL, in the parish of Chippenham, near Sheldon, by precipitation of one-third of a pint with a strong lixivium, by the space of twenty- four houres I found a sediment of the quantity of neer a small hazell nut-shell of a kind of nitre; sc. a kind of flower of that colour (or lime stone inclining to yellow); the particles as big as grosse sand. Upon evaporation of the sayd water, which was a pottle or better, I found two sorts of sediment, perhaps by reason of the oblique hanging of the kettle: viz. one sort of a deep soot colour; the other of the colour of cullom earth. It changed not colour by infusion of powder of galles. Try it with syrup of violettes.
Hancock's well at Luckington is so extremely cold that in summer one cannot long endure one's hand in it. It does much good to the eies. It cures the itch, &c. By precipitation it yields a white sediment, inclining to yellow; sc. a kind of fine flower. I believe it is much impregnated with nitre. In the lane that leads from hence to Sapperton the earth is very nitrous, which proceeds from the rich deep blew marle, which I discovered in the lane which leads to Sapworth.
Biddle-well lies between Kington St. Michael and Swinley; it turnes milke. In the well of the mannour house (Mr. Thorn. Stokes) of Kington St. Michael is found talc, as also at the well at Priory St. Maries, in this parish; and I thinke common enough in these parts.
In Kington St. Michael parish is a well called Mayden-well, which I find mentioned in the Legeir-booke of the Lord Abbot of Glaston, called Secretum Domini [or Secretum Abbatis.] Let it be tryed. Alice Grig knows where about it is.
In the park at Kington St. Michael is a well called Marian's-well, mentioned in the same Legeir-book.
In the parish of North Wraxhall, at the upper end of ye orchard of Duncomb-mill at ye foot of ye hill ye water petrifies in some degree; which is the onely petrifying water that I know in this countie. [In subsequent pages Aubrey refers to other petrifying waters near Calne, Devizes, and elsewhere.-J. B.]
At Draycott Cerne (the seate of my ever honoured friend Sir James Long, Baronet, whom I name for honour's sake) the waters of the wells are vitriolate, and with powder of galles doe turne of a purple colour.-[I have a delicate, cleare, and plentifull spring at Upper Deptford, never dry, and very neer the river Ravens-born; the water famous for ye eyes, and many other medicinal purposes. Sr Rich. Browne, my father-in-lawe, immur'd it, wth a chaine and iron dish for travellers to drink, and has sett up an inscription in white marble.- JOHN EVELYN.] ___________________________________
Stock-well, at Rowd, is in the highway, which is between two gravelly cliffs, which in warm weather are candied. It changed not colour with powder of galles; perhaps it may have the effect of Epsham water. The sediment by precipitation is a perfect white flower, Mice nitre. The inhabitants told me that it is good for the eies, and that it washes very well. It is used for the making of medicines. ___________________________________
At Polshutt rises a spring in a ditch neer Sommerham-bridge, at Seenes townes-end, in a ground of Sir Walter Long, Baronet, which with galles does presently become a deepe claret colour. ___________________________________
At Polshutt are brackish wells; but especiall that of Rich. Bolwell, two quarts whereof did yield by evaporation two good spoonfulls heapt of a very tart salt. Dr. Meret believes it to be vitriolish.
Neer to which is Send (vulgo Seene), a very well built village on a sandy hill, from whence it has its name; sand being in the old English called send (for so I find writ in the records of the Tower); as also Send, in Surrey, is called for the same reason. Underneath this sand (not very deep), in some place of the highway not above a yard or yard and a half, I discovered the richest iron oare that ever I sawe or heard of. Come there on a certain occasion,* it rained at twelve or one of the clock very impetuously, so that it had washed away the sand from the oare; and walking out to see the country, about 3 p.m., the sun shining bright reflected itself from the oare to my eies. Being surprised at so many spangles, I took up the stones with a great deale of admiration. I went to the smyth, Geo. Newton, an ingeniose man, who from a blacksmith turned clock maker and fiddle maker, and he assured me that he has melted of this oare in his forge, which the oare of the forest of Deane, &c. will not doe.
* At the Revell there, An°. D. 1666.
The reader is to be advertised that the forest of Milsham did extende itselfe to the foot of this hill. It was full of goodly oakes, and so neer together that they say a squirrill might have leaped from tree to tree. It was disafforested about 1635, and the oakes were sold for 1s. or 2s. per boord at the most; and then nobody ever tooke notice of this iron-oare, which, as I sayd before, every sun-shine day, after a rousing shower, glistered in their eies. Now there is scarce an oake left in the whole parish, and oakes are very rare all hereabout, so that this rich mine cannot be melted and turned to profit. Finding this plenty of rich iron-oare, I was confident that I should find in the village some spring or springs impregnated with its vertue; so I sent my servant to the Devizes for some galles to try it; and first began at Mr. J. Sumner's, where I lay, with the water of the draught- well in the court within his house, which by infusion of a little of the powder of the galles became immediately as black as inke; that one may write letters visible with it; sc. as with inke diluted with water, which the water of Tunbridge will not doe, nor any other iron water that ever I met with or heard of. I tryed it by evaporation and it did yield an umberlike sediment: I have forgot the proportion. I gave it to the Royall Society.
In June 1667,1 sent for three bottles of this well water to London, and experimented it before the Royall Society at Gresham Colledge, at which, time there was a frequent assembly, and many of the Physitians of the Colledge of London. Now, whereas the water of Tunbridge, and others of that kind, being carried but few miles loose their spirits, and doe not alter their colour at all with powder of galles, these bottles, being brought by the carrier eighty odd miles, and in so hot weather, did turn, upon the infusion of the powder, as deep as the deepest claret; to the admiration of the physitians then present, who unanimously declared that this water might doe much good: and Dr. Piers sayd that in some cases such waters were good to begin with, and to end with the Bath; and in some "è contra". This place is but 9 or 10 miles from Bath.
The Drs. then spake to me, to write to some physitians at Bath, and to recommend it to them, whom I knew; which I did. But my endeavours were without effect till August 1684. But they doe so much good that they now speake aloud their own prayses. They were satisfied (I understood at last) of ye goodnesse and usefulnesse of these waters, but they did not desire to have patients to be drawn from ye Bath. Now, whereas one person is grieved with aches, or bruises, or dead palseys, for which diseases the Bath is chiefly proper, ten or more are ill of chronicall diseases and obstructions, for the curing whereof these chalybiate waters are the most soveraigne remedie.
This advertisement I desired Dr. Rich. Blackburne to word. He is one of the College of Physitians, and practiseth yearly at Tunbridge- wells. It was printed in an Almanack of Hen. Coley about 1681, but it tooke no effect.
"Advertisement.- At Seen (neer ye Devizes in Wiltshire) are springs discovered to be of the nature and vertue of those at Tunbridge, and altogether as good. They are approved of by severall of ye physitians of the Colledge in London, and have donne great cures, viz. particularly in the spleen, the reines, and bladder, affected with heat, stone, or gravell; or restoring hectick persons to health and strength, and wonderfully conducing in all cases of obstructions."
I proceeded and tryed other wells, but my ingeniose faithfull servant Robert Wiseman (Prudhome) tryed all the wells in the village, and found that all the wells of the south side doe turne with galles more or lesse, but the wells of the north side turne not with them at all. This hill lies eastward and westward; quod N.B.
The water of Jo. Sumner's well was so bad for household use that they could not brew nor boyle with it, and used it only to wash the house, &c.; so that they were necessitated to sinke a well in the common, which is walled, about a bow shott or more from his dwelling house, where is fresh and wholsome water. Memorandum. Dr. Grew in his [Catalogue] of the Royall Society has mistaken this well in the common for the medicinall well of J. Sumner. But, mem., there is another well that turnes, I thinke, as deep as J. Sumner's. [On the subject of this discovery by Aubrey, to which he attached great importance, the reader is referred to Britton's "Memoir of Aubrey", published by the Wiltshire Topographical Society, p. 17. As there stated, most of the property about Seend now belongs to W. H. Ludlow Bruges, Esq. M.P., who preserves the well; but its waters are not resorted to for sanatory purposes. - J. B.] ___________________________________
Memorandum. That Dudley, Lord North, grandfather to Sir Francis North, Lord Keeper, and Baron of Guildford, returning from his travells from the Spaw, &c. making a visit to the Earle of Leicester at Penshurst, his relation, as he was riding thereabout made observation of the earth where the water run, the colour whereof gave him an indication of its vertue. He sent for galles, and tryed it by evaporation, &c. and found out the vertue, which hath ever since continued and donne much good to the drinkers, and the inhabitants thereabout* This discovery was this year (1685), about seventy-five years since, and 'tis pitty it should be buried in oblivion. My Lord Keeper North told me of this himselfe.
*At Tunbridge and Epsom Wells, where were only wild commons, now are abundance of well-built houses. [The changes and improvements at Tunbridge Wells have been very great since Aubrey wrote. In 1832 I wrote and published an octavo volume- " Descriptive Sketches of Tunbridge Wells and the Calverley Estate", with maps and prints. Since that time the railroad has been opened to that place, which will increase its popularity. Epsom Wells are now deserted. At Melksham, in the vicinity of Seend, a pump-room, baths, and lodging-houses were erected about twenty-five years ago; but fashion has not favoured the place with her sanction. See Beauties of Wiltshire, vol. iii.- J. B.]
___________________________________
When the springs doe breake in Morecombe-bottom, in the north side of the parish of Broad Chalke, which is seldome, 'tis observed that it foretells a deer yeare for corne. It hath discontinued these forty yeares. ___________________________________
At Crudwell, neer to the mannour house, is a fine spring in the street called Bery-well. Labourers say it quenches thirst better than the other waters; as to my tast, it seemed to have aliquantulum aciditatis; and perhaps is vitriolate. The towne, a mannour of the Lord Lucas, hath its denomination from this well; perhaps it is called Crudwell from its turning of milke into cruds.
At Wotton Basset, in the parke, is a petrifying water, which petrifies very quickly.
At Huntsmill, in this parish, is a well where the water turnes leaves, &c. of a red colour. ___________________________________
Below the Devises, the water in all the ditches, at the fall of the leafe, lookes blewish, which I could not but take notice of when I was a schoole boy. ___________________________________
In the parish of Lydyard-Tregoz is a well called by the country people Antedocks-well (perhaps here was the cell of some anchorete or hermite); the water whereof they say was famous heretofore in the old time for working miracles and curing many diseases. ___________________________________
As I rode from Bristoll to Welles downe Dundery-hill, in the moneth of June, 1663, walking down the hill on foot, presently after a fine shower I sawe a little thinne mist arise out of the ditch on the right hand by the highwayes side. But when I came neer to the place I could not discern it: so I went back a convenient distance and saw it again; and then tooke notice of some flower or weed that grew in the ditch whence the vapour came. I came againe to the marke, and could see nothing of a mist, as before; but my nose was affected with a smell which I knew; but immediately it came not to my mind; which was the smell of the canales that come from the bathes at Bath. By this time my groom was come to me, who, though of a dull understanding, his senses were very quick; I asked him if he smelt nothing, and after a sniff or two, he answered me, he smelt the smell of the Bath. This place is about two parts of three of the descent of Dundery-hill, ___________________________________
I doe believe the water of the fountaine that serves Lacock abbey is impregnated with {symbol for mars}[iron]. That at Crokerton, near Warminster, I thinke not at all inferior to those of Colbec in France. The best felt hatts are made at both places. ___________________________________
At or near Lavington is a good salt spring. (From ye Earl ofAbingdon.)
The North Wilts horses, and other stranger horses, when they come to drinke of the water of Chalke-river, they will sniff and snort, it is so cold and tort I suppose being so much impregnated with {alchemical sign for nitre} [nitre]. ___________________________________
Advise my countrymen to try the rest of the waters as the Sieur Du Clos, Physitian to his most Christian Majestie, has donne, and hath directed in his booke called " Observations of the Minerall Waters of France made in ye Academy of Sciences."- I did it transient, and full of businesse, and "aliud agens tanquam canis e Nilo". ___________________________________
The freestone fountaine above Lacock, neer Bowdon, in the rode-way, is higher than the toppe of Lacock steeple. Sir J. Talbot might have for a small matter the highest and noblest Jeddeau [jet-d'eau] in England. ___________________________________
It is at the foot of St. Anne's-hill, or else Martinsoll-hill, {that} three springs have their source and origen; viz. the south Avon, which runnes to Sarum, and disembogues at Christes Church in Hants; the river Kynet, which runnes to Morlebrugh, Hungerford, and disembogues into the Thames about Reading; and on the foote of the north side arises another that runnes to Calne, which disembogues into the north Avon about Titherton, and runnes to Bristowe into the Severne. [See also Chap. III. Rivers.-J. B.] ___________________________________
In the parish of……. is a spring dedicated to St. Winifred, formerly of great account for its soveraigne vertues. What they were I cannot learne; neither can I thinke the spring to be of less vertue now than in the time of Harry the Eight; in which age I am informed it was of great esteeme: and I am apt to conjecture that the reason why the spring grew out of fame was because S*. Winifred grew out of favour. ___________________________________
At the Devizes, on the north side of the castle, there is a rivulet of water which doth petrifie leafes, sticks, plants, and other things that grow by it; which doth seem to prove that stones grow not by apposition only, as the Aristotelians assert, but by susception also; for if the stick did not suscept some vertue by which it is transmuted we may admire what doth become of the matter of the stick ___________________________________
At Knahill [Knoyle] is a minerall water, which Dr. Toop and Dr. Chamberlayn have tryed. It is neer Mr. Willoughby's house: it workes very kindly, and without any gripeing; it hath been used ever since about 1672. ___________________________________
Dr. Guydot sayes the white sediment in the water of North Wiltshire is powder of freestone; and he also tells me that there is a medicinall well in the street at Box, near Bathe, which hath been used ever since about 1670. ___________________________________
Mr. Nich. Mercator told me that water may be found by a divining rod made of willowe; whiche he hath read somewhere; he thinks in Vitruvius. Quaere Sir John Hoskins de hoc. ___________________________________
In Poulshott parish the spring was first taken notice of about thirty yeares since by S. Pierse, M.D. of Bathe, and some few made use of it Some of the Devises, who dranke thereof, told me that it does good for the spleen, &c., and that a hectick and emaciated person, by drinking this water, did in the space of three weekes encrease in flesh, and gott a quick appetite.
Memorandum. In this village are severall springs, which tast brackish; which I had not the leisure to try, but onely by præcipitation, and they yield a great quantity of the white flower-like sediment. ___________________________________
Bitteston.- At the George Inne, the beere that is brewed of the well there is diuretique. I knew some that were troubled with the stone and gravell goe often thither for that reason. The woman of the house was very much troubled with fitts of the mother; and having lived here but a quarter of a yeare, found herself much mended; as also her mother, troubled with the same disease. I observed in the bottome of the well deep blew marle.
[The hysterical paroxysms to which females are peculiarly subject were in Aubrey's time commonly termed "the mother", or "fits of the mother". Dr. Edward Jorden published a "Discourse on the Suffocation of the Mother", (4to.) in 1603.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Alderton. - Mr. Gore's well is a hard water, which, when one washes one's hands will make them dry, as if it were allume water. I tryed it by præcipitation, and the sediment was the colour of barme, white and yellow, and fell in a kind of flakes, as snow sometimes will fall, whereas all the other sediments were like fine flower or powder. ___________________________________
In Minety Common in Bradon forest, neer the rode which leadeth to Ashton Caynes, is a boggy place called the Gogges, where is a spring, or springs, rising up out of fuller's earth. This puddle in hot and dry weather is candid like a hoar frost; which to the tast seemes nitrous. I have seen this salt incrustation, even 14th September, four foot round the edges. With half a pound of this earth I made a lixivium. Near half a pint did yield upon evaporation a quarter of an ounce wanting two graines. Of the remainder of the lixivium, which was more than a pint, I evaporated almost all to crystallize in a cellar. The liquor turned very red, and the crystalls being putt on a red hott iron flew away immediately, like saltpetre, leaving behind a very little quantity of something that look'd like burnt allum. Now it is certain that salts doe many times mixe; and Mr. Robert Boyle tells me hee believes it is sea-salt mix't with {nitre}, and there is a way to separate them. After a shower this spring will smoake. The mudd or earth cleanses and scowres incomparably. A pike of eighteen foot long will not reach to the bottome.
My Lady Cocks of Dumbleton told me that ladies did send ten miles and more for water from a spring on Malverne hill in Worcestershire to wash their faces and make 'em faire. I believe it was such a nitrous spring as this. ___________________________________
The fuller's earth which they use at Wilton is brought from Woburne in Bedfordshire; and sold for ten groates a bushell. ___________________________________
The Baths may have its tinging vertue from the antimonie in Mendip. Quaere Mr. Kenrick, that when he changed a sixpence holding it in his hand it turned yellow, and a woman refused it for bad silver. I thinke he had been making crocus of antimonie. The chymists doe call antimony Proteus, from its various colouring. ___________________________________
Mr. T. Hanson, of Magd. Coll. Oxon, acquaints me in a letter of May 18, 1691, that he observes that almost all the well-waters about the north part of Wiltshire were very brackish. At High-worth, Mr. Alhnon, apothecary, told him he had often seen a quantity of milke coagulated with it: and yet the common people brew with it, which gives their beer an ungratefull tast. At Cricklad their water is so very salt that the whole town are obliged to have recourse to a river hard by for their necessary uses. At Wootton Basset, at some small distance from the town, they have a medicinall spring, which a neighbouring divine told him Dr. Willis had given his judgment of, viz. that it was the same with that of Astrop. They have also a petrifying spring. At the Devizes, about a quarter of a mile from the towne, a petrifying spring shewn me by Dr. Merriweather, a physitian there. At Bagshot, near Hungerford, is a chalybiate, dranke by some gentlemen with good successe. ___________________________________
Mdm. In my journey to Oxford, comeing through Bagley-wood, on St. Mark's day, 1695,1 discovered two chalybiate springs there, in the highway; which On May the 10th I tryed with powder of galles, and they give as black a tincture as ever I saw such waters: one may write with it as legibly as with black lead.
At the gate at Wotton Common, near Cumnor in Berkshire, is a spring which I have great reason to believe is such another: and also at the foot of Shotover-hill, near the upping-stock, I am confident by the clay, is such another spring. Deo gratias. ___________________________________
Quæres for the Tryall of Minerall Waters; by the Honourable SirWilliam Petty, Kt.:-
1. How much heavier 'tis than brandy ? 2. How much common water will extinguish its tast ? 3. What quantity of salt upon its evaporation ? 4. How much sugar, allum, vitriol, nitre, will dissolve in a pint of it ? 5. Whether any animalcule will breed in it, and in how long time ? 6. Whether fish, viz. trout, eeles, &c. will live in it, and how long? 7. Whether 'twill hinder or promote the curdling of milk, and fermentation ? 8. Whether soape will mingle with it ? 9. Whether 'twill extract the dissolvable parts of herbes, rootes, seedes, &c. more or less than other waters; (i. e.) whether it be a more powerful menstruum ? 10. How galles will change its colour ? 11. How 'twill change the colour of syrup of violets ? 12. How it differs from other waters in receiving colours, cochineel, saffron, violets &c.? 13. How it boyles dry pease? 14. How it colours fresh beefe, or other flesh in boyling ? 15. How it washes hands, beards, linnen, SEC. ? 16. How it extracts mault in brewing ? 17. How it quenches thirst, with meat or otherwise ?
8. Whether it purges; in what quantity, time, and with what symptomes? 19. Whether it promotes urine, sweat, or sleep ? 20. In what time it passeth, and how afterwards ? 21. Whether it sharpens or flattens the appetite to meate ? 22. Whether it vomits, causes coughs, &c. ? 23. Whether it swell the belly, legges; and how, in what time, and quantity &c. ? 24. How it affects sucking children, and (if tryed) foetus in the wombe ? 25. Whether it damps or excites venerie ? 26. How blood lett whilest the waters are dranke lookes, and how it changes ? 27. In what degrees it purges, in different degrees of evaporation, and brewed ? 28. Whether it breakes away by eructation and downwards ? 29. Whether it kills the asparagus in the urine? 30. What quantity may be taken of it in prime ? 31. Whether a sprig of mint or willow growes equally as out of other waters? 32. In what time they putrify and stink ?
[THE following extracts include the whole of this chapter, with the exception of a few extraneous passages.-J. B.]
I SHALL begin with the river of Wyley-bourn, which gives name to Wilton, the shire town. The mappe-makers write it Wyley fulvous, and joiner a British and a Saxon word together: but that is a received error. I doe believe that the ancient and true name was Twy, as the river Twy in Herefordshire, which signifies vagary: and so this river Wye, which is fed with the Deverill springs, in its mandrels winding, watering the meadows, gives the name to the village called Wyley, as also Wilton (Wyley-ton); where, meeting with the upper Avon and the river Adder, it runnes to Downtown and Fording bridge, visiting the New Forest, and disembogues into the sea at Christ Church in Hampshire. On Monday morning, the 20th of September, [1669] was begun a well intended designe for cutting the river [Avon] below Salisbury to make it navigable to carry boats of burthen to and from Christ Church. This work was principally encouraged by the Right Reverend Father in God, Seth, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, his Lordship digging the first spit of earth, and driving the first wheeled barrow. Col. John Wyndham was also a generous benefactor and encourager of this undertaking. He gave to this designe an hundred pounds. He tells me that the Bishop of Salisbury gave, he thinks, an hundred and fifty pounds: he is sure a hundred was the least. The engineer was one Mr. Far trey, but it seems not his craft's-master; for through want of skill all this charge and paines came to nothing: but An° Done 16. . .it was more auspiciously undertaken and perfected; and now boats passe between Salisbury and Christ Church, and carry wood and corne from the New Forest, the cartage whereof was very dearer; but as yet they want a haven at Christ Church, which will require time and charge.
[Of the numerous rivers in Wiltshire only a few are navigable, and those only for a short distance in the county. This is the consequence of its inland position and comparative elevation; whence it results that the principal streams have little more than their sources within its limits. The project of rendering the Avon navigable from Salisbury to Christ Church appears to have been first promulgated by John Taylor, the Water Poet, who, in 1625, made an excursion in his own sherry, with five companions, from London to Christ Church, and thence up the Avon to Salisbury. He published an account of his voyage, under the title of " A Discovery by sea, from London to Salisbury." Francis Mathew also suggested the improvement of the navigation of the river in 1655; and an Act of Parliament for that purpose was obtained in 1664. Bishop Ward was translated to the see of Salisbury in 1667, but the commencement of the works, as described by Aubrey, was probably delayed till 1669, in August of which year the Mayor of Salisbury and others were constituted a Committee "to consult and treat with such persons as will undertake to render the Avon navigable." Two other pamphlets urging the importance of the project were published in 1672 and 1675 (see Gough's Topography, vol. ii. p. 366); and in 1687 a series of regulations was compiled "for the good and orderly government and usage of the New Haven and Pier now made near Christchurch, and of the passages made navigable from thence to the city of New Sarum." (See Hatcher's History of Salisbury, pp. 460, 497.) The works thus made were afterwards destroyed by a flood, and remained in ruins till 1771. Some repairs were then executed, but they were inefficient; and the navigation is now given up, except at the mouth of the river; and even there the bar of Christchurch is an insurmountable obstacle except at spring tides.-(Penny Cyclopædia, art. Wiltshire.) As the Bishop dug the first spitt, or spadeful of earth, and drove the first wheelbarrow, that necessary process was no doubt made a matter of much ceremony. The laying the "first stone" of an important building has always been an event duly celebrated; and the practice of some distinguished individual "digging the first spitt" of earth has lately been revived with much pomp and parade, in connection with the great railway undertakings of the present age.- J. B.] ___________________________________
The river Adder riseth about Motcomb, neer Shaftesbury. In the Legeir booke of Wilton Abbey it is wrott Noþþre, "a Nodderi fluvii ripa", (hodie Adder-bourn, Naþþre}, "serpens, anguis", Saxonicè, Addar, in Welsh, signifies a bird.*) This river runnes through the magnificent garden of the Earle of Pembroke at Wilton, and so beyond to Christ Church. It hath in it a rare fish, called an umber, which are sent from Salisbury to London. They are about the bignesse of a trowt, but preferred before a trowt This kind of fish is in no other river in England, except the river Humber in Yorkeshire. [The umber is perhaps more generally known as the grayling. See Chap. XL Fishes.-J. B.]
* [Adar is the plural of Aderyn, a bird, and therefore signifies birds.-J. B.] ___________________________________
The rivulet that gives the name to Chalke-bourn,† and running through Chalke, rises at a place called Naule, belonging to the farme of Broad Chalke, where are a great many springs that issue out of the chalkie ground. It makes a kind of lake of the quantity of about three acres. There are not better trouts (two foot long) in the kingdom of England than here; I was thinking to have made a trout pond of it. The water of this streame washes well, and is good for brewing. I did putt in craw-fish, but they would not live here: the water is too cold for them. This river water is so acrimonious, that strange horses when they are watered here will snuff and snort, and cannot well drinke of it till they have been for some time used to it. Methinks this water should bee admirably good for whitening clothes for cloathiers, because it is impregnated so much with nitre, which is abstersive.
† Bourna, fluvius. (Vener. Bed. Hist. Eceles.) As in some counties they say, In such or such a vale or dale; so in South Wilts they say, such or such a bourn: meaning a valley by such a river. ___________________________________
The river Stour hath its source in Sturton Parke, and gives the name [Stourhead.-J. B.] to that ancient seat of the Lord Sturtons. Three of the springs are within the park pale and in Wiltshire; the other three are without the pale in Somersetshire. The fountaines within the parke pale are curbed with pierced cylinders of free stone, like tunnes of chimneys; the diameter of them is eighteen inches. The coate armour of the Lord Sturton is, Sable, a bend or, between six fountaines; which doe allude to these springs. Stour is a British word, and signifies a great water: sc. "dwr" is water; "ysdwr" is a considerable, or great water: "ys", is "particula augens". [The Stour rises near the junction of the three counties, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Dorsetshire. Its course is chiefly through the last mentioned county, after leaving which it enters Hampshire, and flows into the South Avon near Christchurch.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Deverill hath its denomination from the diving of the rill, and its rising again. Mr. Cambden saieth, In this shire is a small rill called Deverill, which runneth a mile under ground,* like as also doth the little river Mole in Surry, and the river Anas [Guadiana ?-J. B.] in Spain, and the Niger in Africk. Polybius speakes the like of the river Oxus, "which, falling with its force into great ditches, which she makes hollow, and opens the bottome by the violence of her course, and by this meanes takes its course under ground for a small space, and then riseth again." (lib. x.)
* I am informed by the minister of Deverill Longbridge, and another gentleman that lived at Maiden Bradley thirty years, that they never knew or heard of this river Deverall that runs underground.-(BISHOP TANNER.) [Yet Selden, in his "Notes to Drayton's Poly-Olbion", makes the same statement as Aubrey does respecting the Deverill.- J. B.]
"Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu,Existit procul hinc, alioq{ue} renascitur ore.Sic modò combibitur, tecto modò gurgite lapsusRedditur Argolicis ingens Erasinus in arvis:Et Mysum capitisq{ue} sui ripaq{ue} priorisPœnituisse ferunt, aliò nunc ire, Calcum."- OVID, METAMORPH. lib. xv.
In Grittleton field is a swallow-hole, where sometimes foxes, &c. doe take sanctuary; there are severall such in North Wiltshire, made by flouds, &c.; but neer Deene is a rivulet that runnes into Emmes-poole, and nobody knowes what becomes of it after it is swallowed by the earth.
[The reader will find a full account of the remarkable "swallows", or "swallow holes", in the course of the river Mole, in Brayley's History of Surrey, vol. i. p. 171-185, with a map, and some geological comments by Dr. Mantell. The river, or stream designated by Aubrey as the Deverill, is probably the principal of several streams which rise near the villages of Longbridge Deverill, Hill Deverill, Brixton Deverill, Monkton Deverill, and Kingston Deverill (in the south west part of Wiltshire), and, after running through Maiden Bradley, flow into the Wyley near Warminster.-J. B.] ___________________________________
At the foot of Martinsoll-hill doe issue forth three springs, which are the sources of three rivers; they divide like the parting of the haire on the crowne of the head, and take their courses three severall wayes: viz. one on the south side of the hill, which is the beginning of the upper Avon,† which runnes to Salisbury; on the other side springes the river Kynet, which runnes eastward to Marleborough;‡ from thence passing by Hungerford, Newbury, &c. it looses itselfe and name in the river of Thames, near Reading. The third spring is the beginning of the stream that runnes to Caln, called Marden,§ and driving several mills, both for corne and fulling, is swallowed up by the North Avon at Peckingill-meadow near Tytherington. [See also Aubrey's description of these three springs, ante, page 24.- J. B.]
† Avon, a river, in the British language. ‡ Cynetium, Marleborough, hath its name from the river. The Welsh pronounce y as wee doe u. § Quaere, if it is called Marden, or Marlen? [Marden is the present name.- J. B.]
The North Avon riseth toward Tedbury in Gloucestershire, and runnes to Malmesbury, where it takes in a good streame, that comes from Hankerton, and also a rivulet that comes from Sherston,* which inriching the meadows as it runnes to Chippenham, Lacock, Bradford, Bath, Kainsham, and the city of Bristowe, disembogues into the Severne at Kingrode.
* [The Sheraton rivulet, and not that which rises near Tetbury, is generally regarded as the source of the North, or Bristol Avon.-J. B.] ___________________________________
The silver Thames takes some part of this county in its journey to Oxford. The source of it is in Gloucestershire, neer Cubberley (in the rode from Oxford to Gloucester), where there are severall springs. In our county it visits Cricklad, a market towne, and gives name to Isey, a village neer; and with its fertile overflowing makes a most glorious verdure in the spring season. In the old deeds of lands at and about Cricklad they find this river by the name of Thamissis fluvius and the Thames. The towne in Oxfordshire is writt Tame and not Thame; and I believe that Mr. Cambden's marriage of Thame and Isis, in his elegant Latin poem, is but a poeticall fiction: I meane as to the name of Thamisis, which he would not have till it comes to meet the river Thame at Dorchester.
[The true source of the river Thames has been much disputed. A spring which rises near the village of Kemble, at the north-western extremity of Wiltshire, has been commonly regarded, during the last century, as the real "Thames head". It flows thence to Ashton Keynes, and onward to Cricklade. At the latter place it is joined by the river Churn, which comes from Coberly, about 20 miles to the northward, in Gloucestershire. Aubrey refers to the latter stream as the source of the Thames; and, on the principle of tracing the origin of a river to its most remote source, the same view has been taken by some other writers, who consequently dispute the claims of the Kemble spring. - J. B.] ___________________________________
The river Thames, as it runnes to Cricklad, passes by Ashton Kaynes;† from whence to Charleton, where the North Avon runnes, is about three miles. Mr. Henry Brigges (Savilian professor of Geometrie at Oxford) observing in the mappe the nearnesse of these two streames, and reflecting on the great use that might accrue if a cutt were made from the one to the other (of which there are many examples in the Low Countreys), tooke a journey from Oxford to view it, and found the ground levell and sappable and was very well pleased with his notion; for that if these two rivers were maried by a canal between them, then might goods be brought from London to Bristow by water, which would be an extraordinary convenience both for safety and to avoid overturning. This was about the yeare 1626. But there had been a long calme of peace, and men minded nothing but pleasure and luxury.
"Jam patimur longæ pacis mala, sævior armisLuxuria incumbit."- LUCAN.
+ [If Aubrey was right in the preceding paragraph in regarding the stream which rises at "Cubberley" in Gloucestershire as the source of the Thames, he is wrong in stating that "the Thames" passes by Ashton Keynes. It is the other brook, from Kemble, which runs through that village; and the two streams only become united at Cricklade, which is some distance lower down, to the eastward of Ashton Keynes.- J. B.]
Knowledge of this kind was not at all in fashion, so that he had no encouragement to prosecute this noble designe: and no more done but the meer discovery: and not long after he died, scilicet Anno Domini 1631, January 31st.; and this ingeniose notion had died too and beene forgotten, but that Mr. Francis Mathew, (formerly of the county of Dorset, a captain in his majestie King Charles I. service), who was acquainted with him, and had the hint from him, and after the wars ceased revived this designe. Hee tooke much paines about it; went into the countrey and made a mappe of it, and wrote a treatise of it, and addressed himselfe to Oliver the Protector, and the Parliament. Oliver was exceedingly pleased with the designe; and, had he lived but a little longer, he would have had it perfected: but upon his death it sank.
After his Majesties restauration, I recommended Captain Mathew to the Lord Wm. Brouncker, then President of the Royall Societie, who introduced him to his Majestie; who did much approve of the designe; but money was wanting, and publick-spirited contributions; and the Captain had no purse (undonn by the warres), and the heads of the Parliament and Counsell were filled with other things.- Thus the poor old gentleman's project came to nothing.
He died about 1676, and left many good papers behind him concerning this matter, in the hands of his daughters; of which I acquainted Mr. John Collins, R.S.S. in An°. 1682, who tooke a journey to Oxford (which journey cost him his life, by a cold), and first discoursed with the barge-men there concerning their trade and way: then he went to Lechlade, and discoursed with the bargemen there; who all approved of the designe. Then he took a particular view of the ground to be cutt between Ashton-kaynes and Charleton. From Malmesbury he went to Bristoll. Then he returned to Malmesbury again and went to Wotton Bassett, and took a view of that way. Sir Jonas Moore told me he liked that way, but J. Collins was clearly for the cutt between Ashton-Kayns and Charleton.
At his return to London I went with him to the daughters of Mr. Mathew, who shewed him their father's papers; sc. draughts, modells, copper-plate of the mappe of the Thames, Acts of Parliament, and Bills prepared to be enacted, &c.; as many as did fill a big portmantue. He proposed the buying of them to the R. Societie, and tooke the heads of them, and gave them an abstract of them. The papers, &c. were afterwards brought to. the R. Societie; the price demanded for all was but five pounds (the plate of the mappe did cost 8li.) The R. Societie liked the designe; but they would neither undertake the businesse nor buy the papers. So that noble knight, Sir James Shaen, R.S.S., who was then present, slipt five guineas into J. Collins's hand to give to the poor gentlewomen, and so immediately became master of these rarities. There were at the Societie at the same time three aldermen of the city of London (Sir Jo. Laurence, Sir Patient Ward, and …. ….), fellows of the Society, who when they heard that Sir James Shaen had gott the possession of them were extremely vex't; and repented (when 'twas too late) that they had overslipped such an opportunity: then they would have given 30li. This undertaking had been indeed most proper for the hon{oura}ble city of London.
Jo. Collins writt a good discourse of this journey, and of the feazability, and a computation of the chardge. Quaere, whether he left a copie with the R. Society. Mr. Win, mathematicall instrument maker in Chancery-lane, had all his papers, and amongst many others is to be found this.
I have been the more full in this account, because if ever it shall happen that any publick-spirited men shall arise to carry on such a usefull work, they may know in whose hands the papers that were so well considered heretofore are now lodged.
Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor of the Ordinance, told me that when the Duke of York sent him to survey the manor of Dauntesey, formerly belonging to Sir Jo. Danvers, he did then take a survey of this designe, and said that it is feazable; but his opinion was that the best way would be to make a cutt by Wotton Bassett, and that the King himselfe should undertake it, for they must cutt through a hill by Wotton-Basset; and that in time it might quit cost. As I remember, he told me that forty thousand pounds would doe it.
But I thinke, Jo. Collins sayes in his papers, that the cutt fromAshton-Kains to Charleton may bee made for three thousand pounds.
[Some of the above facts are more briefly stated by Aubrey in his "Description of North Wiltshire" (printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart.) They are however sufficiently interesting to be inserted here; and they clearly shew that, notwithstanding Aubrey's credulity and love of theory, he was fully sensible of the beneficial results to be expected from increased facilities of conveyance and locomotion. On this point indeed he and his friends, Mr. Mathew and Mr. Collins, were more than a century in advance of their contemporaries, for it was not till after the year 1783 that Wiltshire began to profit by the formation of canals.
Sanctioned by the approval of King Charles the Second, for which, as above stated, he was indebted to Aubrey, Francis Mathew published an explanation of his project for the junction of the Thames with the Bristol Avon. This work, which advocated similar canals in other parts of the country, bears the following title: "A Mediterranean Passage by water from London to Bristol, and from Lynn to Yarmouth, and so consequently to the city of York, for the great advancement of trade." (Lond. 1670, 4to.) An extract from this scarce volume is transcribed by Aubrey into the Royal Society's MS. of his own work; and a copy of Mr. Mathew's map, which illustrated it, is also there inserted.
The liberality of Sir James Shaen in the purchase of Mathew's papers, and the apathy of the London aldermen, until too late to secure them, are amusingly described. Similar instances of civic meanness are not wanting in the present day; indeed the indifference of corporate authorities to scientific topics is strikingly illustrated by the fact that the Royal Society has not at present enrolled upon its list of Fellows a single member of the corporation of London; whereas in Aubrey's time there were no less than three.
The short canal projected in the seventeenth century to connect the Thames and Avon has never been executed: subsequent speculators having found that the wants and necessities of the country could be better supplied by other and longer lines of water communication. Hence we have the Thames and Severn Canal, from Lechlade to Stroud, commenced in 1783; the Kennet and Avon Canal, from Newbury to Bath, begun in 1796; and the Wilts and Berks Canal (1801), from Abingdon to a point on the last mentioned canal between Devizes and Bradford.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Mdm.-The best and cheapest way of making a canal is by ploughing; which method ought to be applied for the cheaper making the cutt between the two rivers of Thames and Avon. The same way serves for making descents in a garden on the side of a hill.- See …… Castello della Currenti del Acquo, 4to; which may be of use for this undertaking.
Consider the scheme in Captain Yarrington's book, entitled "England'sImprovement", as to the establishing of granaries at severall towneson the Thames and Avon; e. g. at Lechlade, Cricklade, &c. See alsoPlin. Nat. Hist. lib. vi. c. 11.
At Funthill Episcopi, higher towards Hindon, water riseth and makes a streame before a dearth of corne, that is to say, without raine; and is commonly look't upon by the neighbourhood as a certain presage of a dearth; as, for example, the dearness of corne in 1678.
So at Morecomb-bottome, in the parish of Broad Chalke, on the north side of the river, it has been observed time out of mind, that, when the water breaketh out there, that it foreshewes a deare yeare of corne; and I remember it did so in the yeare 1648. Plinie saieth (lib. ii. Nat. Hist.) that the breaking forth of some rivers "annonæ mutationem significant".
[At Weston-Birt, in Gloucestershire, near the borders of Wiltshire, water gushes from the ground in spring and autumn, and at other times, in many hundred places at once, and continues to flow with great rapidity for several days, when the whole valley, in which the houses are placed, is completely filled. The street of the village is provided with numerous rude bridges, which on these occasions become available for purposes of communication.-J. B.] ___________________________________
'Tis a saying in the West, that a dry yeare does never cause a dearth.
Anno 1669, at Yatton Keynel, and at Broomfield in that parish, they went a great way to water their cattle; and about 1640 the springs in these parts did not breake till neer Christmas.
[THIS and the three succeeding chapters, on "Mineralls and Fossills," "Stones," and "Formed Stones", comprise the Geological portions of Aubrey's work. In a scientific view, these chapters may be regarded as of little value; though creditable to their author as a minute observer, and enthusiastic lover of science. It has been necessary to omit much which the progress of scientific knowledge has rendered obsolete; and in the passages quoted, the object has been to select such as possessed the most general interest, as well as having direct application to Wiltshire. A good summary of the Geological characteristics of the county will be found in the article "Wiltshire," in the Penny Cyclopædia. Mr. John Provis, of Chippenham, contributed a similar sketch to the third volume of the Beauties of Wiltshire; and the geology of Salisbury and its vicinity is described in Hatcher's History of Salisbury, by the son of the historian, Mr. W. H. Hatcher.-J. B.]
THIS county hath great variety of earth. It is divided, neer about the middle, from east to west into the dowries; commonly called Salisbury- plaine, which are the greatest plaines in Europe: and into the vale; which is the west end of the vale of Whitehorse.
The vale is the northern part; the soile whereof is what wee call a stone-brash; sc. red earth, full of a kind of tile-stone, in some places good tiles. It beareth good barley. In the west places of the soile, wormewood growes very plentifully; whereas in the south part they plant it in their garden.
The soile of Malmesbury hundred, which is stone-brash and clay, and the earth vitriolish, produces excellent okes, which seem to delight in a vitriolate soile, and where iron oare is. The clay and stones doe hinder the water from sinking down, whereby the surface of the earth becomes dropsicall, and beares mosse and herbs naturall to such moist ground. In the ploughed fields is plenty of yarrow; in the pasture grounds plenty of wood wax; and in many grounds plenty of centaury, wood sorrell, ladies' bed-straw, &c., sowre herbes.
I never saw in England so much blew clay as in the northern part of this county, and it continues from the west part to Oxfordshire. Under the planke-stones is often found blew marle, which is the best. ___________________________________
In Vernknoll, a ground belonging to Fowles-wick, adjoyning to the lands of Easton-Pierse, neer the brooke and in it, I bored clay as blew as ultra-marine, and incomparably fine, without anything of sand, &c., which perhaps might be proper for Mr. Dwight for his making of porcilaine. It is also at other places hereabout, but 'tis rare.
[It is not very clear that "blew clay," however fine, could be "proper for the making of porcilane," the chief characteristic of which is its transparent whiteness. Apart from this however, Aubrey's remark is curious; as it intimates that the manufacture of it was attempted in this country at an earlier period than is generally believed. The famous porcelain works at Chelsea were not established till long afterwards; and according to Dr. Plott, whose "Natural History of Staffordshire" was published in 1686, the only kinds of pottery then made in this country were the coarse yellow, red, black, and mottled wares; and of those the chief sale was to "poor crate-men, who carried them on their backs all over the country", I have not found any account of the Mr. Dwight mentioned by Aubrey, or of his attempts to improve the art of pottery.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Clay abounds, particularly about Malmesbury, Kington St. Michael,Allington, Easton Piers (as also a hungry marle), Dracott-Cerne,Yatton-Keynell, Minty, and Bradon-forest.
At Minty, and at a place called Woburn, in the parish of Hankerton, is very good fullers'-earth. The fullers'-earth at Minty-common, at the place called the Gogges, when I tooke it up, was as black as black polished marble; but, having carryed it in my pocket five or six dayes, it became gray.
At Hedington, at the foot of the hill, is a kind of white fullers'- earth which the cloth-workers doe use; and on the north side of the river at Broad Chalke, by a poole where are fine springs (where the hermitage is), is a kind of fullers'-earth which the weavers doe use for their chaines: 'tis good Tripoly, or "lac lunæ". Lac lunæ is the mother of silver, and is a cosmetick.
In Boudon-parke, fifteen foot deep under the barren sand, is a great plenty of blew marle, with which George Johnson, Esq., councellor-at- law, hath much improved his estate there. The soile of the parke was so exceedingly barren, that it did beare a gray mosse, like that of an old park pale, which skreeks as one walkes on it, and putts ones teeth on edge. Furzes did peep a little above the ground, but were dwarfes and did not thrive.
At Bitteston, in the highway, blew marle appears. Mr. Montjoy hath drawn the water that runnes through it, and is impregnated with its nitre, into his pasture grounds, by which meanes they are improved from —— to —— per annum. ___________________________________
In Bradon-forest, and at Ashton Kaynes, is a pottery. There is potters' clay also at . .. . Deverell, on the common towards Frome, and potts are made there. ___________________________________
At Clarendon-parke is lately discovered (1684) an earth that cleanseth better than Woburne earthe in Bedfordshire; and Mr. Cutler, the cloathier of Wilton, tells me he now makes only use of it. There is at Burton-hill, juxta Malmesbury, fullers' earth, as also about Westport, and elsewhere thereabout, which the cloathiers use.
Tobacco-pipe-clay excellent, or the best in England, at Chittern, of which the Gauntlet pipes at Amesbury are made, by one of that name. They are the best tobacco pipes in England. [See a curious paragraph on the subject of Gauntlet-pipes in Fuller's Worthies,- Wiltshire.-J. B.] ___________________________________
The earth about Malmesbury hundred and Chippenham hundred, especially about Pewsham-forest, is vitriolate, or aluminous and vitriolate; which in hot weather the sun does make manifest on the banks of the ditches.
At Bradfield and Dracot Cerne is such vitriolate earth; which with galles will make inke. This makes the land so soure, it beares sowre and austere plants: it is a proper soile for dayries. At summer it hunger-banes the sheep; and in winter it rotts them.
These clayy and marly lands are wett and dirty; so that to poore people, who have not change of shoes, the cold is very incommodious, which hurts their nerves exceedingly. Salts, as the Lord Chancellor Bacon sayes, doe exert (irradiate) raies of cold. Elias Ashmole, Esq. got a dangerous cold by sitting by the salt sacks in a salter's shop, which was like to have cost him his life. And some salts will corrode papers, that were three or four inches from it. The same may be sayd of marble pavements, which have cost some great persons their lives. ___________________________________
The soil of South Wilts is chalke and white marle, which abounds with nitre; and is inimique to the nerves by the nitre that irradiates from it. 'Tis that gives the dampishnesse to the flowres and walles of Salisbury and Chalke, &c. E contra, Herefordshire, Salop, Montgomeryshire, &c. the soile is clear of any salt; which, besides the goodnesse of the air, conduces much to their longævitas: e. g., 100 yeares of age in those parts as common as 80 in Wilts, &c.
The walles of the church of Broad Chalke, and of the buttery at the farme there, doe shoot out, besides nitre, a beautifull red, lighter than scarlet; an oriental horse-flesh colour.
The soile of Savernake forest is great gravelle: and (as I remember) pebbley, as on the sea side. At Alderbury, by Ivy Church, is great plenty of fine gravelle; which is sent for all over the south parts of the countrey.
At Sutton Benger eastward is a gravelly field called Barrets, which is sown every year onely with barley: it hath not lain fallow in the memory of the oldest man's grandfather there. About 1665 Mr. Leonard Atkins did sow his part of it with wheat for a triall. It came up wonderfully thick and high; but it proved but faire strawe, and had little or nothing in the eare. This land was heretofore the vineyard belonging to the abbey of Malmesbury; of which there is a recitall in the grant of this manner by K. Henry VIII. to Sir —— Long. This fruitfull ground is within a foot or lesse of the gravell. ___________________________________
The soil of Christian Malford, a parish adjoyning to Sutton, is very rich, and underneath is gravell in many parts. ___________________________________
The first ascent from Chippenham, sc. above the Deny hill, is sandy: e. g. Bowdon-parke, Spy-parke, Sandy-lane, great clear sand, of which I believe good glasse might be made; but it is a little too far from a navigable river. They are ye biggest graines of sand that ever I saw, and very transparent: some where thereabout is sand quite white.
At Burbidge the soile is an ash-coloured gray sand, and very naturall for the production of good turnips. They are the best that ever I did eate, and are sent for far and neere: they are not tough and stringy like other turnips, but cutt like marmalad.
Quaere, how long the trade of turnips has been here? For it is certain that all the turnips that were brought to Bristoll eighty years since [now 1680] were from Wales; and now none come from thence, for they have found out that the red sand about Bristoll doth breed a better and a bigger turnip.
Burbidge is also remarqueable for excellent pease. ___________________________________
The turf of our downes, and so east and west, is the best in the world for gardens and bowling- greens; for more southward it is burnt, and more north it is course.
Temple downe in Preshut parish, belonging to the right honble CharlesLord Seymour, worth xxs. per acre, and better, a great quantity of it.
As to the green circles on the downes, vulgarly called faiery circles (dances), I presume they are generated from the breathing out of a fertile subterraneous vapour. (The ring-worme on a man's flesh is circular. Excogitate a paralolisme between the cordial heat and ye subterranean heat, to elucidate this phenomenon.) Every tobacco-taker knowes that 'tis no strange thing for a circle of smoke to be whiff'd out of the bowle of the pipe; but 'tis donne by chance. If you digge under the turfe of this circle, you will find at the rootes of the grasse a hoare or mouldinesse. But as there are fertile steames, so contrary wise there are noxious ones, which proceed from some mineralls, iron, &c.; which also as the others, cæteris paribus, appear in a circular forme. ___________________________________
In the common field of Winterbourn …… is the celebrated path called St. Thomas Becket's path. It leads from the village up to Clarendon Parke. Whether this field be sown or lies fallow, the path is visible to one that lookes on it from the hill, and it is wonderfull. But I can add yet farther the testimonies of two that I very well know (one of them my servant, and of an excellent sight) that will attest that, riding in the rode from London one morning in a great snow, they did see this path visible on the snow. St. Thomas Becket, they say, was sometime a cure priest at Winter-bourn, and did use to goe along this path up to a chapell in Clarendon Parke, to say masse, and very likely 'tis true: but I have a conceit that this path is caused by a warme subterraneous steame from a long crack in the earth, which may cause snow to dissolve sooner there than elsewhere: and consequently gives the dissolving snow a darker colour, just as wee see the difference of whites in damask linnen.
The right reverend father in God, Seth, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, averres to me that at Silchester in Hampshire, which was a Roman citie, one may discerne in the corne ground the signe of the streetes; nay, passages and hearthes: which also Dr. Jo. Wilkins (since Lord Bishop of Chester) did see with him, and has affirm'd the same thing to me. They were there, and saw it in the spring.
——— "ita res accendunt lumina rebus".- LUCRETIUS. ___________________________________
The pastures of the vale of White Horse, sc. the first ascent below the plaines, are as rich a turfe as any in the kingdom of England: e. g. the Idovers at Dauntesey, of good note in Smithfield, which sends as fatt cattle to Smythfield as any place in this nation; as also Tytherton, Queenfield, Wroughton, Tokenham, Mudgelt, Lydyard Tregoz, and about Cricklad, are fatting grounds, the garden of Wiltshire. ___________________________________