In a little meadow called Mill-mead, belonging to the farme of Broad Chalke, is good peate, which in my father's time was digged and made use of; and no doubt it is to be found in many other places of this country, if it were search't after. But I name it onely to bring in a discovery that Sr Christopher Wren made of it, sc. that 'tis a vegetable, which was not known before. One of the pipes at Hampton Court being stop't, Sr Christopher commanded to have it opened (I think he say'd 'twas an earthen pipe), and they found it choak't with peate,* which consists of a coagmentation of small fibrous vegetables. These pipes were layd in Cardinal Wolsey's time, who built the house.
* I believe that in ye pipes was nothing else but Alga fontalis trichodes, (C. B.) which is often found in conduit pipes. See my Synopsis.-[JOHN RAY.]
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Earth growing. - In the court of Mrs. Sadler's, the great house in the close in Salisbury, the pitched causeway lay neglected in the late troubles, and not weeded: so at lengthe it became overgrown and lost: and I remember about 1656, goeing to pave it, they found,…. inches deep, a good pavement to their hands.
In the court of my honoured friend Edm. Wyld Esq., at Houghton in Bedfordshire, in twenty-four yeares, viz. from 1656 to 1680, the ground increased nine inches, only by rotting grasse upon grasse. 'Tis a rich soile, and reddish; worth xxs. per acre. ___________________________________
The spring after the conflagration at London all the ruines were overgrown with an herbe or two; but especially one with a yellow flower: and on the south side of St. Paul's Church it grew as thick as could be; nay, on the very top of the tower. The herbalists call it Ericolevis Neapolitana, small bank cresses of Naples; which plant Tho. Willis told me he knew before but in one place* about the towne; and that was at Battle Bridge by the Pindar of Wakefield, and that in no great quantity. [The Pindar of Wakefield is still a public-house, under the same sign, in Gray's Inn Road, in the parish of St. Pancras, London.- J. B.]
*It growes abundantly by ye waysides between London and Kensington.-[J. RAY.]
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Sir John Danvers, of Chelsey, did assure me to his knowledge that my Lord Chancellor Bacon was wont to compound severall sorts of earths, digged up very deep, to produce severall sorts of plants. This he did in the garden at Yorke House, where he lived when he was Lord Chancellor. (See Sir Ken. Digby, concerning his composition of earth of severall places.)
Edmund Wyld, Esq. R.S.S. hath had a pott of composition in his garden these seven yeares that beares nothing at all, not so much as grasse or mosse. He makes his challenge, if any man will give him xx li. he will give him an hundred if it doth not beare wheate spontaneously; and the party shall keep the key, and he shall sift the earth composition through a fine sieve, so that he may be sure there are no graines of wheat in it He hath also a composition for pease; but that he will not warrant, not having yet tryed it, ___________________________________
Pico's [Peaks.] - In this county are Clay-hill, near Warminster; the Castle-hill at Mere, and Knoll-hill, near Kilmanton, which is half in Wilts, and half in Somersetshire; all which seem to have been raised (like great blisters) by earthquakes. [Bishop TANNER adds in a note, "Suthbury hill, neer Collingburn, which I take to be the highest hill hi Wiltshire".] That great vertuoso, Mr. Francis Potter, author of the "Interpretation of 666,"† Rector of Kilmanton, took great delight in this Knoll-hill. It gives an admirable prospect every way; from hence one may see the foss-way between Cyrencester and Glocester, which is fourty miles from this place. You may see the Isle of Wight, Salisbury steeple, the Severne sea, &c. It would be an admirable station for him that shall make a geographical description of Wilts, Somersett, &c.
†[The full title of the work referred to is a curiosity in literature. It exemplifies forcibly the abstruse and mystical researches in which the literati of the seventeenth century indulged.
"An Interpretation of the Number 666; wherein not only the manner how this Number ought to be interpreted is clearly proved and demonstrated; but it is also shewed that this Number is an exquisite and perfect character, truly, exactly, and essentially describing that state of government to which all other notes of Antichrist do agree; with all knowne objections solidly and fully answered that can be materially made against it". (Oxford, 1642, 4to.) So general were studies of this nature at the time, that Potter's volume was translated into French, Dutch, and Latin. The author, though somewhat visionary, was a profound mathematician, and invented several ingenious mechanical instruments. In Aubrey's "Lives", appended to the Letters from the Bodleian, 8vo. 1813, will be found an interesting biographical notice of him.-J. B.]
[IN its etymological sense the term fossil signifies that which may be dug out of the earth. It is strictly applicable therefore, not only to mineral bodies, and the petrified forms of plants and animals found in the substance of the earth, but even to antiquities and works of art, discovered in a similar situation. The chapter of Aubrey's work now under consideration mentions only mineralogical subjects; whence it would appear that he employed the term "mineralls" instead of "metals", including such mineral substances as were not metals under the general term "fossills".
At present the term fossil is restricted to antediluvian organic remains; which are considered by Aubrey, in Chapter VII. under the name of "Formed Stones".-J. B.]
THIS county cannot boast much of mineralls: it is more celebrated for superficiall treasure.
At Dracot Cerne and at Easton Piers doe appeare at the surface of the earth frequently a kind of bastard iron oare, which seems to be a vancourier of iron oare, but it is in small quantity and course.
At Send, vulgarly called Seen, the hill whereon it stands is iron- oare, and the richest that ever I saw. (See Chap. II.)
About Hedington fields, Whetham, Bromham, Bowdon Parke, &c. are still ploughed-up cindres; sc. the scoria of melted iron, which must have been smelted by the Romans (for the Saxons were no artists), who used only foot-blasts, and so left the best part of the metall behind. These cinders would be of great use for the fluxing of the iron-oare at Send. ___________________________________
At Redhill, in the parish of….. (I thinke Calne) they digge plenty of ruddle; which is a bolus, and with which they drench their sheep and cattle for ……… and poor people use it with good successe for …… This is a red sandy hill, tinged by {iron}, and is a soile that bears very good carrets. ___________________________________
Mr. John Power of Kington St. Michael (an emperick) told me heretofore that in Pewsham Forest is vitriol; which information he had from his uncle Mr. …. Perm, who was an ingeniose and learned man in those daies, and a chymist, which was then rare. ___________________________________
At Dracot Cerne is good quantity of vitriol-oare, which with galles turnes as black as inke.
About the beginning of the raigne of King James the First, Sir Walter Long [of Dracot] digged for silver, a deep pitt, through blew clay, and gott five pounds worth, for sixty pounds charges or more. It was on the west end of the stable: but I doubt there was a cheat put upon him. Here are great indications of iron, and it may be of coale; but what hopes he should have to discover silver does passe my understanding. There was a great friendship between Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Long, and they were allied: and the pitt was sunk in Sir W. Raleigh's time, so that he must certainly have been consulted with. I have here annexed Sir James Long's letter.
"Mr. Aubrey, I cannot obey your commands concerning my grandfather's sinking of pitts for metalls here at Draycott, there being no person alive hereabouts who was born at that time. What I have heard was so long since, and I then so young, that there is little heed to be taken of what I can say; but in generall I can say that I doe believe here are many metalls and mineralls in these parts; particularly silver- oare of the blew sort, of which there are many stones in the bottome of the river Avon, which are extremely heavy, and have the hardnesse of a file, by reason of the many minerall and metalline veines. I have consulted many bookes treating of minerall matters, and find them suite exactly with the Hungarian blew silver oare. Some sixteen or eighteen yeares ago in digging a well neer my house, many stones very weighty where digged out of the rocks, which also slaked with long lyeing in the weather. I shewed some to Monsieur Cock, since Baron of Crownstronie in Sweden, who had travelled ten yeares to all the mines in North Europe, and was recommended to me by a London merchant, in his journey to Mindip, and staied with me here about three weekes. He told me the grains in that oare seemed to be gold rather than copper; they resembled small pinnes heads. Wee pounded some of it, and tried to melt the dust unwashed in a crucible; but the sulphur carried the metall away, if there was any, as he said. He has been in England since, by the name of Baron Crownstrome, to treat from his master the King of Sweden, over whose mines he is superintendant, as his father was before him. The vitriol-oare we find here is like suckwood, which being layd in a dry place slakes itself into graine of blew vitriol, calcines red, and with a small quantitie of galles makes our water very black inke. It is acid tasted as other vitriol, and apt to raise a flux in the mouth. Sir, yours, &c.
August 12, 1689. J. L". ___________________________________
"In the parish of Great Badminton, in a field called Twelve Acres, the husbandmen doe often times plough up and find iron bulletts, as big as pistoll bulletts; sometimes almost as big as muskett bulletts". Dr. Childrey's Britannia Baconica, p. 80. ["Britannia Baconica, or the Natural Rarities of England, Scotland, and Wales, historically related, according to the precepts of Lord Bacon". By Joshua Childrey, D.D. 1661. 8°.]
These bulletts are Dr. Th. Willises aperitive pills; sc. he putts a barre of iron into the smith's forge, and gives it a sparkling heat; then thrusts it against a roll of brimstone, and the barre will melt down into these bulletts; of which he made his aperitive pills. In this region is a great deale of iron, and the Bath waters give sufficient evidence that there is store of sulphur; so that heretofore when the earthquakes were hereabouts, store of such bulletts must necessarily be made and vomited up. [Dr. Willis was one of the most eminent physicians of his age, and author of numerous Latin works on medical subjects. The above extract is a curious illustration of the state of professional knowledge at the time. - J. B.] ___________________________________
Copperas. - Thunder-stones, as the vulgar call them, are a pyrites; their fibres doe all tend to the centre. They are found at Broad Chalke frequently, and particularly in the earth pitts belonging to the parsonage shares, below Bury Hill, next Knighton hedge; but wee are too fare from a navigable river to make profit by them; but at the Isle of Wight they are gathered .from the chalkie rocks, and carried by boates to Deptford, to make copperas; where they doe first expose them to the aire
and raine, which makes them slake, and fall to pieces from the centre, and shoot out a pale blewish salt; and then they boile the salt with pieces of old rusty iron. ___________________________________
In the chalkie rocks at Lavington is umber, which painters have used, and Dr. Chr. Meret hath inserted it in his Pinax. ["Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum, continens Vegetabilia, Animalia, et Fossilia in hac Insula reperta". By Christopher Merret, M.D., 1666, 12mo.] ___________________________________
In the parish of Steeple Ashton, at West Ashton, in the grounds of Mr. Tho. Beech, is found plenty of a very ponderous marchasite, of which Prince Rupert made tryall, but without effect. It flieth away in sulphur, and the fumes are extreme unwholsom: it is full of (as it were) brasse, and strikes fire very well. It is mundick, or mock-oare. The Earle of Pembroke hath a way to analyse it: not by fire, but by corroding waters.
Anno Domini, 1685, in Chilmark, was found by digging of a well a blewish oare, with brasse-like veines in it; it runnes two foot thick. I had this oare tryed, and it flew away in sulphur, like that of Steeple Ashton. ___________________________________
On Flamstone downe (in the parish of Bishopston) neer the Race-way a quarrie of sparre exerts itselfe to the surface of the turfe. It is the finest sparre that ever I beheld. I have made as good glasse of this sparre as the Venice glasse. It is of a bright colour with a very little tincture of yellow; transparent; and runnes in stirias, like nitre; it is extraordinary hard till it is broken, and then it breakes into very minute pieces. ___________________________________
We have no mines of lead; nor can I well suspect where we should find any: but not far off in Glocestershire, at Sodbury, there is. Capt. Ralph Greatorex, the mathematical instrument maker, sayes that it is good lead, and that it was a Roman lead-worke. ___________________________________
Tis some satisfaction to know where a minerall is not. Iron or coale is not to be look't for in a chalky country. As yet we have not discovered any coale in this county; but are supplied with it from Glocestershire adjoyning, where the forest of Kingswood (near Bristowe) aboundeth most with coale of any place in the west of England: all that tract under ground full of this fossill. It is very observable that here are the most holly trees of any place in the west. It seemes to me that the holly tree delights in the effluvium of this fossil, which may serve as a guide to find it. I was curious to be satisfied whether holly trees were also common about the collieries at Newcastle, and Dr.. .. . , Deane of Durham, affirmes they are. These indications induce me to thinke it probable that coale may be found in Dracot Parke. The Earledomes, near Downton, (woods so called belonging to the Earledome of Pembroke,) for the same reason, not unlike ground for coale.
They have tryed for coale at Alderbery Common, but was baffled in it. (I have heard it credibly reported that coale has been found in Urchfont parish, about fifty or sixty yeares since; but upon account of the scarcity of workmen, depth of the coale, and the then plenty of firing out of ye great wood called Crookwood, it did not quit the cost, and so the mines were stop'd up. There hath been great talk several times of searching after coale here again. Crookwood, once full of sturdy oakes, is now destroyed, and all sort of fuel very dear in all the circumjacent country. It lies very commodious, being situate about the middle of the whole county; three miles from the populous town of the Devises, two miles from Lavington, &c.-BISHOP TANNER.)
[Several abortive attempts have been made at different periods to find coal on Malmesbury Common.-J. B.]
I WILL begin with freestone (lapis arenarius), as the best kind of stone that this country doth afford.
The quarre at Haselbury [near Box] was most eminent for freestone in the western parts, before the discovery of the Portland quarrie, which was but about anno 1600. The church of Portland, which stands by the sea side upon the quarrie, (which lies not very deep, sc. ten foot), is of Cane stone, from Normandie. Malmesbury Abbey and the other Wiltshire religious houses are of Haselbury stone. The old tradition is that St. Adelm, Abbot of Malmesbury, riding over the ground at Haselbury, did throw down his glove, and bad them dig there, and they should find great treasure, meaning the quarre. ___________________________________
AT Chilmarke is a very great quarrie of freestone, whereof thereligious houses of the south part of Wiltshire and Dorset were built.[The walls, buttresses, and other substantial parts of SalisburyCathedral are constructed of the Chilmarke stone. - J. B.]
At Teffont Ewyas is a quarrie of very good white freestone, not long since discovered.
At Compton Basset is a quarrie of soft white stone betwixt chalke and freestone: it endures fire admirably well, and would be good for reverbatory furnaces: it is much used for ovens and hearth-stones: it is as white as chalke. At my Lord Stowell's house at Aubury is a chimney piece carved of it in figures; but it doth not endure the weather, and therefore it ought not to be exposed to sun and raine.
At Yatton Keynel, in Longdean, is a freestone quarrie, but it doth not endure the weather well.
In Alderton-field is a freestone quarrie, discovered a little before the civill-warres broke forth.
In Bower Chalke field, in the land that belongs to the farme of Broad Chalke, is a quarrie of freestone of a dirty greenish colour, very soft, but endures the weather well. The church and houses there are built with it, and the barne of the farme, w{hi}ch is of great antiquity. ___________________________________
The common stone in Malmesbury hundred and thereabout is oftentimes blewish in the inside, and full of very small cockles, as at Easton Piers. These stones are dampish and sweate, and doe emitt a cold and unwholsome dampe, sc. the vitriolate petrified salt in it exerts itselfe.
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I know no where in this county that lime is made, unlesse it be made of Chalke stones: whereas between Bath and Bristoll all the stone is lime-stone. If lime were at xs. or xxs. per lib. it would be valued above all other drugges. ___________________________________
At Swindon is a quarrie of stones, excellent for paveing halls, staire-cases, &c; it being pretty white and smooth, and of such a texture as not to be moist or wett in damp weather. It is used at London in Montagu-house, and in Barkeley-house &c. (and at Cornberry, Oxon. JOHN EVELYN). This stone is not inferior to Purbac grubbes, but whiter. It takes a little polish, and is a dry stone. It was discovered but about 1640, yet it lies not above four or five foot deep. It is near the towne, and not above [ten] miles from the river of Thames at Lechlade. [The Wilts and Berks Canal and the Great Western Railway now pass close to the town of Swindon, and afford great faculties for the conveyance of this stone, which is now in consequence very extensively used.- J. B.] ___________________________________
If Chalk may be numbred among stones, we have great plenty of it. I doe believe that all chalke was once marle; that is, that chalke has undergone subterraneous bakeings, and is become hard: e. g, as wee make tobacco-pipes. ___________________________________
Pebbles. - The millers in our country use to putt a black pebble under the pinne of ye axis of the mill-wheele, to keep the brasse underneath from wearing; and they doe find by experience, that nothing doth weare so long as that. The bakers take a certain pebble, which they putt in the vaulture of their oven, which they call the warning-stone: for when that is white the oven is hot.
In the river Avon at Lacock are large round pebbles. I have not seen the like elsewhere. Quaere, if any transparent ones? From Merton, southward to the sea, is pebbly.
There was a time when all pebbles were liquid. Wee find them all ovalish. How should this come to passe? As for salts, some shoot cubicall, some hexagonall. Why might there not be a time, when these pebbles were making in embryone (in fieri), for such a shooting as falls into an ovalish figure?
Pebbles doe breake according to the length of the greatest diameter: but those wee doe find broken in the earth are broken according to their shortest diameter. I have broken above an hundred of them, to try to have one broken at the shortest diameter, to save the charge and paines of grinding them for molers to grind colours for limming; and they all brake the long way as aforsayd. ___________________________________
Black flints are found in great plenty in the chalkie country. They are a kind of pyrites, and are as regular; 'tis certain they have been "in fluore".
Excellent fire-flints are digged up at Dun's Pit in Groveley, and fitted for gunnes by Mr. Th. Sadler of Steeple Langford. ___________________________________
Anno 1655, I desired Dr. W. Harvey to tell me how flints were generated. He sayd to me that the black of the flint is but a natural vitrification of the chalke: and added that the medicine of the flint is excellent for the stone, and I thinke he said for the greene sicknesse; and that in some flints are found stones in next degree to a diamond. The doctor had his armes and his wife's cutt in such a one, which was bigger than the naile of my middle finger; found at Folkston in Kent, where he told me he was borne.
In the stone-brash country in North Wilts flints are very rare, and those that are found are but little. I once found one, when I was a little boy learning to read, in the west field by Easton Piers, as big as one's fist, and of a kind of liver colour. Such coloured flints are very common in and about Long Lane near Stuston, [Sherston ?-J. B.] and no where else that I ever heard of.
It is reported that at Tydworth a diamond was found in a flint, which the Countess of Marleborough had set in a ring. I have seen small fluores in flints (sparkles in the hollow of flints) like diamonds; but when they are applied to the diamond mill they are so soft that they come to nothing. But, had he that first found out the way of cutting transparent pebbles (which was not long before the late civill warres) kept it a secret, he might have got thousands of pounds by it; for there is no way to distinguish it from a diamond but by the mill. ___________________________________
I shall conclude with the stones called the Grey Wethers; which lye scattered all over the downes about Marleborough, and incumber the ground for at least seven miles diameter; and in many places they are, as it were, sown so thick, that travellers in the twylight at a distance take them to be flocks of sheep (wethers) from whence they have their name. So that this tract of ground looks as if it had been the scene where the giants had fought with huge stones against the Gods, as is described by Hesiod in his {Gk: theogonia}.
They are also (far from the rode) commonly called Sarsdens, or Sarsdon stones. About two or three miles from Andover is a village called Sersden, i. e. Csars dene, perhaps don: Cæsar's dene, Cæsar's plains; now Salisbury plaine. (So Salisbury, Cæsaris Burgus.) But I have mett with this kind of stones sometimes as far as from Christian Malford in Wilts to Abington; and on the downes about Royston, &c. as far as Huntington, are here and there those Sarsden-stones. They peep above the ground a yard and more high, bigger and lesser. Those that lie in the weather are so hard that no toole can touch them. They take a good polish. As for their colour, some are a kind of dirty red, towards porphyry; some perfect white; some dusky white; some blew, like deep blew marle; some of a kind of olive greenish colour; but generally they are whitish. Many of them are mighty great ones, and particularly those in Overton Wood. Of these kind of stones are framed the two stupendous antiquities of Aubury and Stone-heng. I have heard the minister of Aubury say those huge stones may be broken in what part of them you please without any great trouble. The manner is thus: they make a fire on that line of the stone where they would have it to crack; and, after the stone is well heated, draw over a line with cold water, and immediately give a smart knock with a smyth's sledge, and it will breake like the collets at the glasse-house. [This system of destruction is still adopted on the downs in the neighbourhood of Avebury. Many of the upright stones of the great Celtic Temple in that parish have been thus destroyed in my time.- J. B.]
Sir Christopher Wren sayes they doe pitch (incline) all one way, like arrowes shot. Quaere de hoc, and if so to what part of the heavens they point? Sir Christopher thinks they were cast up by a vulcano.
[AUBREY, and other writers of his time, designated by this term the fossil remains of antediluvian animals and vegetables. This Chapter is very brief in the manuscript; and the following are the only passages adapted for this publication.
The numerous excavations which have been made in the county since Aubrey's time have led to the discovery of a great abundance of organic remains; especially in the northern part of the county, from Swindon to Chippenham and Box. Large collections have been made by Mr. John Provis and Mr. Lowe, of Chippenham, which it is hoped will be preserved in some public museum, for the advantage of future geologists.-J. B.]
THE stones at Easton-Piers are full of small cockles no bigger than silver half-pennies. The stones at Kington St. Michael and Dracot Cerne are also cockley, but the cockles at Dracot bigger. Cockleborough, near Chippenham, hath its denomination from the petrified cockles found there in great plenty, and as big as cockles. Sheldon, in the parish of Chippenham, hath its denomination from the petrified shells in the stones there.
At Dracot Cerne there is belemnites, as also at Tytherington Lucas.They are like hafts of knives, dimly transparent, having a seame onone side.___________________________________
West from Highworth, towards Cricklad, are stones as big, or bigger than one's head, that lie common even in the highway, which are petrified sea-mushromes. They looke like honeycombs, but the holes are not hexagons, but round. They are found from Lydiard Tregoze to Cumnor in Barkshire, in which field I have also seen them. [See page 9.-J. B.] ___________________________________
At Steeple Ashton are frequently found stones resembling the picture of the unicorne's horn, but not tapering. They are about the bignesse of a cart-rope, and are of a reddish gray colour.
In the vicaridge garden at Bower Chalke are found petrified oyster shells; which the learned Mr. Lancelot Morehouse, who lived there some yeares, assured me: and I am informed since that there are also cockle shells and scalop shells. Also in the parish of Wotton Basset are found petrified oyster shells; and there are also found cornua ammonis of a reddish gray, but not very large. About two or three miles from the Devises are found in a pitt snake-stones (cornua ammonis) no bigger than a sixpence, of a black colour. Mr. John Beaumont, Junr., of Somersetshire, a great naturalist, tells me that some-where by Chilmarke lies in the chalke a bed of stones called "echini marini". He also enformes me that, east of Bitteston, in the estate of Mr. Montjoy, is a spring,-they call it a holy well,-where five-pointed stones doe bubble up (Astreites) which doe move in vinegar.
At Broad Chalke are sometimes found cornua ammonis of chalke. I doe believe that they might be heretofore in as great abundance hereabout as they are about Caynsham and Burnet in Somersetshire; but being soft, the plough teares them in pieces; and the sun and the frost does slake them like lime. They are very common about West Lavington, with which the right honourable James, Earle of Abington, has adorned his grotto's there. There are also some of these stones about Calne.
[THE seventeenth century was peculiarly an age of scientific research and investigation. The substantial and brilliant discoveries of Newton induced many of his less gifted contemporaries to pursue inquiries into the arcana and profound mysteries of science; but where rational inferences and deductions failed, they too frequently had recourse to mere unsupported theory and conjectural speculation.
The stratification of the crust of our globe, and the division of its surface into land and water, was a fertile theme for conjecture; and many learned and otherwise sagacious writers, assigned imaginary causes for the results which they attempted to explain.
The chapter of Aubrey's work which bears the above title is, to some extent, of this nature. It consists chiefly of speculative opinions extracted from other works, with a few conjectures of his own, which, though based upon the clear and judicious views of his friend Robert Hooke, do not, upon the whole, deserve much consideration; although to the curious in the history of Geological science they may appear interesting. Its author had sufficient diffidence as to the merits of this chapter to describe it as "a digression; ad mentem Mr. R. Hook, R.S.S."; and his friend Ray, in a letter already quoted, observes, after commending other portions of the present work, "I find but one thing that may give any just offence; and that is, the Hypothesis of the Terraqueous Globe; wherewith I must confess myself not to be satisfied: but that is but a digression, and aliene from your subject; and so may very well be left out". Ray's work on "Chaos and Creation" published in 1692, a year after the date of this letter, was a valuable contribution to the geological knowledge of the time. Some notes by Evelyn, on Aubrey's original MS., shew that he was at least equally credulous with the author.
Aubrey concludes that the universal occurrence of "petrified fishes' shells gives clear evidence that the earth hath been all covered over with water". He assumes that the irregularities and changes in the earth's surface were occasioned by earthquakes; and has inserted in his manuscript, from the London Gazette, accounts of three earthquakes, in different parts of Italy, in the years 1688 and 1690. A small 4to pamphlet, being "A true relation of the terrible Earthquake which happened at Ragusa, and several other cities in Dalmatia and Albania, the 6th of April 1667", is also inserted in the MS. Aubrey observes: "As the world was torne by earthquakes, as also the vaulture by time foundred and fell in, so the water subsided and the dry land appeared. Then, why might not that change alter the center of gravity of the earth? Before this the pole of the ecliptique perhaps was the pole of the world". And in confirmation of these views he quotes several passages from Ovid's Metamorphoses, book i. fab. 7. 8. He also cites the scheme of Father Kircher, of the Society of Jesus, which, in a section of the globe, represents it as "full of cavities, and resembling the inside of a pomegranade", the centre being marked with a blazing fire, or "ignis centralis". "But now", writes Aubrey in 1691, "Mr. Edmund Halley, R.S.S., hath an hypothesis that the earth is hollow, about five hundred miles thick; and that a terella moves within it, which causes the variation of the needle; and in the center a sun". Further on he says, "that the centre of this globe is like the heart that warmes the body, is now the most commonly received opinion". On the subject of subterranean heats and fires the author quotes several pages from Dr. Edward Jorden's "Discourse of Natural Baths and Mineral Waters; wherein the original of fountains, the nature and differences of water, and particularly those of the Bathe, are declared". (4to. 1632.) He also extracts a passage from Lemery's "Course of Chymistry", (8vo. 1686,) as the foundation of a theory to explain the heat of the Bath waters.
The difficulty of reconciling the various opinions that were advanced with the Mosaic account of the Creation, was a great stumbling-block to the progress of geological science at the time when Aubrey wrote. He was not however inclined to read the sacred writings too literally on this subject, for after giving a part of the first chapter of Genesis, he quotes (from Timothy, ch. iii. v. 15) the words, "from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation:" upon which he observes, "the Apostle doth not say, to teach natural philosophy: and see Pere Symond, where he says that the scriptures in some places may be erroneous as to philosophy, but the doctrine of the church is right". It is presumed that the above passages, which indicate the general nature of Aubrey's theory, will be sufficient, without further quotations from this chapter. - J. B.]
Præsentemq{ue} refert quaelibet herba Deum.- OVID.
[THIS is one of the most copious chapters in Aubrey's work. Ray has appended a number of valuable notes to it, several of which are here printed. Dr. Maton has quoted from this chapter, which he mentions in terms of commendation, in his "Notices of animals and plants of that part of the county of Wilts within 10 miles round Salisbury", appended to Hatcher's History of Salisbury, folio, 1843.-J. B.]
IT were to be wish't that we had a survey or inventory of the plants of every county in England and Wales, as there is of Cambridgeshire by Mr. John Ray; that we might know our own store, and whither to repaire for them for medicinall uses. God Almighty hath furnished us with plants to cure us, that grow perhaps within five or ten miles of our abodes, and we know it not.
Experience hath taught us that some plants have wonderful vertues; and no doubt all have so, if we knew it or could discover it. Homer writes sublimely, and calls them {Gk: Cheires Theion}, the hands of the gods: and we ought to reach them religiously, with praise and thanksgiving.
I am no botanist myselfe, and I thinke we have very few in our countrey that are; the more is the pity. But had Tho. Willisel* lived, and been in England, I would have employed him in this search.
* THOMAS WILLISEL was a Northamptonshire man (Lancashire - J. RAY), a very poor fellow, and was a foot soldier in ye army of Oliver Cromwell. Lying at St. James's (a garrison then I thinke), he happened to go along with some simplers. He liked it so well that he desired to goe with them as often as they went, and tooke such a fancy to it that in a short time he became a good botanist. He was a lusty fellow, and had an admirable sight, which is of great use for a simpler; was as hardy as a Highlander; all the clothes on his back not worth ten groates, an excellent marksman, and would maintain himselfe with his dog and his gun, and his fishing-line. The botanists of London did much encourage him, and employed (sent) him all over England, Scotland, and good part of Ireland, if not all; where he made brave discoveries, for which his name will ever be remembred in herballs. If he saw a strange fowle or bird, or a fish, he would have it and case it. When ye Lord John Vaughan, now Earle of Carbery, was made Governour of Jamaica, 167-, I did recommend him to his Excellency, who made him his gardiner there. He dyed within a yeare after his being there, but had made a fine collection of plants and shells, which the Earle of Carbery hath by him; and had he lived he would have given the world an account of the plants, animals, and fishes of that island. He could write a hand indifferent legible, and had made himself master of all the Latine names: he pourtrayed but untowardly. All the profession he had was to make pegges for shoes.
Sir William Petty surveyed the kingdome of Ireland geographically, by those that knew not what they did. Why were it impossible to procure a botanique survey of Wiltshire by apothecaries of severall quarters of the county? Their profession leadeth them to an acquaintance of herbes, and the taske being divided, would not be very troublesome; and, besides the pleasure, would be of great use. The apothecaries of Highworth, Malmesbury, Calne, and Bath (which is within three miles of Wilts) might give an account of the northern part of Wiltshire, which abounds with rare simples: the apothecaries of Warminster, the Devises, and Marleborough, the midland part; and the apothecaries of Salisbury the south part, towards the New Forest.
Mr. Hayward, the apothecary of Calne, is an ingenious person and a good botanist; and there-about is great variety of earths and plants. He is my friend, and eagerly espouses this designe. He was bred in Salisbury, and hath an interest with the apothecaries there, and very likely at Bath also. I had a good interest with two very able apothecaries in Salisbury: Hen. Denny (Mr. Hayward's master), and Mr. Eires; but they are not long since dead. But Mr. Andrewes, on the ditch there, hath assured a friend of mine, Robt. Good, M.A. that he will preserve the herbes the herbe-women shall bring him, for my use.
If such an inventory were made it would sett our countrey-men a worke, to make 'em love this knowledge, and to make additions.
In the meantime, that this necessary topick be not altogether void, I will sett down such plants as I remember to have seen in my frequent journeys. 'Twas pleasant to behold how every ten or twenty miles yield a new entertainment in this kind.
I will begin in the north part, towardes Coteswold in Gloucestershire.
In Bradon Forest growes very plentifully rank wood-wax; and a blew grasse they call July-flower grasse, which cutts the sheepes mouthes; except in the spring. (I suppose it is that sort of Cyperus grasse which some herbarists call "gramen caryophylleu{s}".- J. RAY.) Wood- wax growes also plentifully between Easton-Piers and Yatton Keynel; but not so rank as at Bradon Forest. ___________________________________
At Mintie is an abundance of wild mint, from whence the village is denominated. ___________________________________
Argentina (wild tansey) growes the most in the fallowes in Coteswold, and North Wilts adjoyning, that I ever saw. It growes also in the fallowes in South Wiltshire, but not so much. (Argentina grows for ye most part in places that are moist underneath, or where water stagnates in winter time. - J. RAY.) ___________________________________
About Priory St. Maries, and in the Minchin-meadowes* there, but especially at Brown's-hill, which is opposite to the house where, in an unfortunate hour,† I drew my first breath, there is infinite variety of plants; and it would have tempted me to have been a botanist had I had leisure, which is a jewell I could be never master of. In the banks of the rivulet growes abundantly maiden-haire (adiantum capillas veneris), harts-tongue, phyllitis, brooke-lime (anagallis aquatica), &c. cowslip (arthritica) and primroses (primula veris) not inferior to Primrose Hills. In this ground calver-keys, hare-parsely, wild vetch, maiden's-honesty, polypodium, fox-gloves, wild-vine, bayle. Here is wonderfull plenty of wild saffron, carthamus, and many vulnerary plants, now by me forgott. There growes also adder's-tongue, plenty - q. if it is not the same with viper's-tongue? (We have no true black mayden-hair growing in England. That which passeth under that name in our apothecaries' shops, and is used as its succeedaneum, is trichomores. Calver-keys, hare's-parseley, mayden's-honesty, are countrey names unknown to me. Carthamus growes no where wild with us. It may possibly be sown in ye fields, as I have seen it in Germany.-J. RAY.)
* Minchin is an old word for a nunne.
† Vide my Villa. "Quoque loco primum tibi sum male cognitus infans".In Natalem, Ovid. Trist. lib. iii.
This north part of the shire is very naturall for barley. Till the beginning of the civill warrs wheat was rarely sown hereabout; and the brown bread was barley: now all the servants and poor people eat wheaten bread. ___________________________________
Strawberries (fragaria), in Colern woods, exceeding plentifull; the earth is not above two inches above the free-stone. The poor children gather them, and sell them to Bathe; but they kill the young ashes, by barking them to make boxes to put them in.
Strawberries have a most delicious taste, and are so innocent that a woman in childbed, or one in a feaver, may safely eate them: but I have heard Sir Christopher Wren affirm, that if one that has a wound in his head eates them, they are mortall. Methinks 'tis very strange. Quaere, the learned of this? ___________________________________
About Totnam-well is a world of yellow weed (q. nomen) which the diers use for the first tinge for scarlet; and afterwards they use cutchonele. ___________________________________
Bitter-sweet (dulcamara), with a small blew flower, plenty at Box.(And Market Lavington, in the withy-bed belonging to the vicarage.-BISHOP TANNER.)
Ferne (filix); the largest and rankest growes in Malmesbury hundred: but the biggest and tallest that ever I saw is in the parke at Draycot Cerne, as high almost as a man on horseback, on an ordinary horse.
"The forest of Savernake is of great note for plenty of game, and for a kind of ferne there that yieldeth a most pleasant savour".-(Fuller's Worthies: Wilts, Hen. Sturmy.)
This ferne is mentioned by Dr. Peter Heylin in his Church History, in the Pedegre of Seymour. The vicar of Great Bedwin told me that he hath seen and smelt the ferne, and that it is like other ferne, but not so big. He knowes not where it growes, but promised to make enquirie. Now Mr. Perkins sayes that this is sweet cis, and that it is also found in the New Forest; but me thinkes the word Savernake seems to be a sweet- oke-ferne: - oke, is oake; verne is ferne; perhaps sa, or sav, is sweet or savorous. - (Vide Phytologia Britannic., where this fern is taken notice of. Sweet fern is the vulgar name, for sweet chervill or cicely; but I never found that plant wild in England.-J. RAY.)
Danes-blood (ebulis) about Slaughtonford is plenty. There was heretofore (vide J. Milton) a great fight with the Danes, which made the inhabitants give it that name.
Wormewood exceedingly plentifull in all the wast grounds in and about Kington St. Michael, Hullavington, and so to Colerne, and great part of the hundred of Malmesbury.
Horse-taile (equisetum). Watchmakers and fine workers in brasse use it after smooth filing. They have it from Holland; but about Dracot Cerne and Kington St. Michael, in the minchin-meadow of Priory St. Maries, is great quantity of the same. It growes four and five foot high.
Coleworts, or kale, the common western dish, was the Saxon physic. In the east it is so little esteemed that the poor people will not eate it.
About Malmesbury "ros solis", which the strong-water men there doe distill, and make good quantitys of it. In the woods about the Devises growes Solomon's-seale; also goates-rue (gallega); as also that admirable plant, lilly-convally. Mr. Meverell says the flowers of the lilly-convally about Mosco are little white flowers.-(Goat's-rue:- I suspect this to be a mistake; for I never yet heard that goat's-rue was found by any man growing wild in England.-J. RAY.)
The middle part of Wilts.- Naked-boys (q. if not wild saffron) about Stocton. (Naked-boys is, I suppose, meadow saffron, or colchicum, for I doe not remember ever to have seen any other sort of saffron growing wild in England. - J. RAY.) ___________________________________
The watered meadows all along from Marleborough to Hungerford, Ramesbury, and Littlecot, at the later end of Aprill, are yellow with butter flowers. When you come to Twyford the floted meadowes there are all white with little flowers, which I believe are ladysmocks (cardamine): quaere of some herbalist the right name of that plant. (Ranunculus aquaticus folio integro et multum diviso, C. Bankini.- J. RAY.) The graziers told me that the yellow meadowes are by much the better, and those white flowers are produc't by a cold hungry water. ___________________________________
South part. - At the east end of Ebbesbourne Wake is a meadowe called Ebbesbourne, that beareth grasse eighteen foot long. I myself have seen it of thirteen foot long; it is watered with the washing of the village. Upon a wager in King James the First's time, with washing it more than usuall, the grasse was eighteen foot long. It is so sweet that the pigges will eate it; it growes no higher than other grasse, but with knotts and harles, like a skeen of silke (or setts together). They cannot mowe it with a sythe, but they cutt it with such a hooke as they bagge pease with.
At Orston [Orcheston] St. Maries is a meadowe of the nature of that at Ebbesbourne aforesayd, which beares a sort of very long grasse. Of this grasse there was presented to King James the First some that were seventeen foot long: here is only one acre and a half of it. In common yeares it is 12 or 13 foot long. It is a sort of knott grasse, and the pigges will eate it.
[The "Orcheston Grass" has long been famous as one of the most singular vegetable products of this country. From the time of Fuller, who particularly mentions it in his "Worthies of England", many varying and exaggerated accounts of it have been published: but in the year 1798 Dr. Maton carefully examined the grass, and fully investigated the peculiar circumstances of soil and locality which tend to its production. He contributed the result of his inquiries to the Linnæan Society, in a paper which is printed in the fifth volume of their Transactions. Some comments on that paper, and on the subject generally, by Mr. Davis, of Longleat, will be found in the second volume of the Beauties of Wiltshire, p. 79. That gentleman states that "its extraordinary length is produced by the overflowing of the river on a warm gravelly bed, which disposes the grass to take root and shoot out from the joints, and then root again, and thus again and again; so that it is frequently of the length of ten or twelve feet and the quantity on the land immense, although it does not stand above two feet high from the ground". Although the meadow at Orcheston St. Mary in which this grass grows is only two acres and a half in extent, its produce in a favourable season, is said to have exceeded twelve tons of hay. Shakspere, to whom all natural and rural objects were familiar, alludes to the "hindering knot-grass", in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act iii. sc. 2. ___________________________________
Ramsons (allium ursinum, fl. albo): tast like garlick: they grow much in Cranbourn Chace. A proverb: -
"Eate leekes in Lide,* and ramsins in May,And all the yeare after physitians may play".
* March.
[I have seen this old proverb printed, "Eat leekes in Lent, and raisins in May, &c." - J. B.]
No wild oates in Wiltshire, or rarely. In Somersetshire, common. (There is abundance of wild oats in the middle part of Wiltsh., especially in the west clay of Market Lavington field, when the crop is barley. - BISHOP TANNER.) ___________________________________
Thorowax beares a pretty little yellow flower, not much unlike the blowing of a furze that growes so common on the downes, close to the ground: the bees love it extremely. (There is a mistake in thorowax, or perfoliata; for that rises to a good stature, and hath no such flower. I suppose the plant you mean is trifolium corniculatum, or bird's-foot trefoil.-J. RAY.) ___________________________________
The right honorable James, Earle of Abingdon, tells me that there are plenty of morillons about Lavingtons, which he eates, and sends to London. Methinkes 'tis a kind of ugly mushroom. Morillons we have from Germany and other places beyond sea, which are sold here at a deare rate; the outer side is like a honeycombe. I have seen them of nine inches about They grow near the rootes of elmes.
Poppy (papaver) is common in the corn fields; but the hill above Harnham, by Salisbury, appeares a most glorious scarlet, it is so thick there.
"Ilia soporiferum, parvas initura penates,Colligit agresti lene papaver humo.Dum legit oblito fertur gustàsse palato,Longamq{ue} imprudens exsoluisse famem". - OVID. FAST. lib. iv.___________________________________
In a ground of mine called Swices (which is a neck of land at the upper end of the field called Shatcomb) growes abundantly a plant called by the people hereabout crow-bells, which I never saw any where but there. "Swice", in the old English, signifies a neck. ___________________________________
Dwarfe-elder (ebulus) at Box, &c. common enough: at Falston and Stoke Verdon, in the high waies. The juice of ebulus turnes haire black; and being mingled with bull's fatt is Dr. Buller's remedie for the gowte.
The best way to dye haire browne is to take alhanna in powder, mix't with fair water as thick as mustard: lay it on the haire, and so tye it up in a napkin for twelve houres time. Doe thus for six dayes together, putting on fresh every day for that time. This will keep the haire browne for one whole yeares time after it. The alhanna does prepare the hair and makes it of a darke red or tawny colour. Then they take "takout", which is like a small gall, and boyle it in oyle till it hath drunk up all the oyle; then pulverize it, and mix it with water and putt it on the haire. Grind a very little of alkohol, which they use in glazeing of their earthen vessels, in a mortar with the takout, and this turnes the haire to a perfect black. This receipt I had from my worthy and obligeing friend Mr. Wyld Clarke, merchant, of London, who was factour many yeares at S{an}cta-Cruce, in Barberie, and brought over a quantity of these leaves for his own use and his friends. 'Tis pity it is not more known. 'Tis leaves of a tree like a berbery leafe. Mr. Clarke hath yet by him (1690) above half a peck of the alhanna.
Dr. Edw. Brown, M.D. in his Travells, sc. description of Larissa and Thessalie, speakes of alhanna. Mr. Wyld Clarke assures me that juice of lemons mixt with alhanna strikes a deeper and more durable colour either in the hands or nailes. ___________________________________
Tobacco. - We have it onely in gardens for medicine; but in the neighbouring county of Gloucester it is a great commodity. Mdm. "Tobacco was first brought into England by Ralph Lane in the eight and twentieth yeare of Queen Elizabeth's raigne". - Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle. Rider's Almanack (1682) sayes since tobacco was first brought into England by Sir Walter Raleigh, 99 yeares. Mr. Michael Weekes, of the custome house, assures me that the custom of tobacco is the greatest of all other, and amounts now (1688) to four hundred thousand pounds per annum. [Now (1847) about three millions and a half.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Broome keeps sheep from the rott, and is a medicine not long since found out by physitians for the dropsy. In some places I knew carefull husbandmen that quite destroyed their broome (as at Lanford), and afterwards their sheep died of the rott, from which they were free before the broom was cutt down; so ever since they doe leave a border of broome about their grounds for their sheep to browze on, to keep them sound. ___________________________________
Furzes (genista spinosa).-I never saw taller or more flourishing English furzes than at Chalke. The Great Duke of Thuscany carried furzes out of England for a rarity in his magnificent garden. I never saw such dwarft furzes as at Bowdon parke; they did but just peep above the ground. ___________________________________
Oakes (the best of trees).-We had great plenty before the disafforestations. We had in North Wiltshire, and yet have, though not in the former plenty, as good oakes as any in England. The best that we have now (1670) are at Okesey Parke, Sir Edward Poole's, in Malmesbury hundred; and the oakes at Easton Piers (once mine) were, for the number, not inferior to them. In my great-grandfather Lite's time (15—) one might have driv'n a plough over every oake in the oak- close, which are now grown stately trees. The great oake by the day- house [dairy house - J. B.] is the biggest oake now, I believe, in all the countie. There is a common wealth of rookes there. When I was a boy the two greatest oakes were, one on the hill at the parke at Dracot Cerne; the other at Mr. Sadler's, at Longley Burrell. 'Twas of one of these trees, I remember, that the trough of the paper mill at Long-deane, in the parish of Yatton Keynell, anno 1636, was made. In Garsden Parke (now the Lord Ferrars) is perhaps the finest hollow oake in England; it is not high, but very capacious, and well wainscotted; with a little table, which I thinke eight may sitt round. When an oake is felling, before it falles, it gives a kind of shreikes or groanes, that may be heard a mile off, as if it were the genius of the oake lamenting. E. Wyld, Esq. hath heard it severall times. This gave the occasion of that expression in Ovid's Metamorph. lib. viii. fab. ii. about Erisichthon's felling of the oake sacred to Ceres:- "gemitumq{ue} dedit decidua quercus".
In a progresse of K. Charles I. in time of peace, three score and ten carts stood under the great oake by Woodhouse. It stands in Sir James Thinne's land. On this oake Sir Fr. D—— hung up thirteen, after quarter. Woodhouse was a garrison for the Parliament. He made a sonn hang his father, or è contra. From the body of this tree to the extreme branches is nineteen paces of Captain Hamden, who cannot pace less than a yard. (Of prodigious trees of this kind you will see many instances in my Sylva, which Mr. Ray has translated and inserted in his Herbal.- J. EVELYN.) ___________________________________
In the New Forest, within the trenches of the castle of Molwood (a Roman camp) is an old oake, which is a pollard and short It putteth forth young leaves on Christmas day, for about a week at that time of the yeare. Old Mr. Hastings, of Woodlands, was wont to send a basket full of them every yeare to King Charles I. I have seen of them severall Christmasses brought to my father.
But Mr. Perkins, who lives in the New Forest, sayes that there are two other oakes besides that which breed green buddes about Christmas day (pollards also), but not constantly. One is within two leagges of the King's-oake, the other a mile and a halfe off. [Leagges, probably lugs: a lug being "a measure of land, called otherwise a pole or perch". (Bailey's Dictionary.) The context renders leagues improbable.-J. B.] ___________________________________
Elmes.-I never did see an elme that grew spontaneously in a wood, as oakes, ashes, beeches, &c.; which consideration made me reflect that they are exotique; but by whom were they brought into this island? Not by the Saxons; for upon enquiry I am enformed that there are none in Saxony, nor in Denmarke, nor yet in France, spontaneous; but in Italy they are naturall; e. g. in Lombardie, &c. Wherefore I am induced to believe that they were brought hither out of Italy by the Romans, who were cultivators of their colonies. The Saxons understood not nor cared for such improvements, nor had hardly leisure if they would.
Anno 1687 I travelled from London as far as the Bishoprick of Durham. From Stamford to the bishoprick I sawe not one elme on the roade, whereas from London to Stamford they are in every hedge almost. In Yorkshire is plenty of trees, which they call elmes; but they are wich-hazells, as wee call them in Wilts (in some counties wich- elmes). I acquainted Mr. Jo. Ray of this, and he told me when he travelled into the north he minded it not, being chiefly intent on herbes; but he writes the contrary to what I doe here: but it is matter of fact, and therefore easily to bee prov'd. [See Ray's Letter to Aubrey, ante, p. 8.] "Omnesq{ue}, radicum plantis proveniunt". - Plin. lib. xvi. cap. 17.
In the Villare Anglicanum are a great many towns, called Ash-ton,Willough-by, &c. but not above three or four Elme-tons.
In the common at Urshfont was a mighty elme, which was blown down by the great wind when Ol. Cromwell died. I sawe it as it lay along, and I could but just looke over it. [See note in page 14.-J. B.] ___________________________________
Since the writing this of elmes, Edmund Wyld, Esq. of Houghton Conquest in Bedfordshire, R.S.S. assures me that in Bedfordshire, in severall woods, e. g. about Wotton, &c. that elmes doe grow naturally, as ashes, beeches, &c.; but quaere, what kind of elm it is? ___________________________________
Beeches.-None in Wilts except at Groveley. (In the wood belonging to Mr. Samwell's farm at Market Lavington are three very large beeches.- BISHOP TANNER.) I have a conceit that long time ago Salisbury plaines might have woods of them, but that they cut them down as an incumbrance to the ground, which would turn to better profit by pasture and arable. The Chiltern of Buckinghamshire is much of the like soile; and there the neernesse of Bucks to London, with the benefit of the Thames, makes their woods a very profitable commodity. ___________________________________
About the middle of Groveley Forest was a fair wood of oakes, which was called Sturton's Hatt. It appeared a good deale higher than the rest of the forest (which was most coppice wood), and was seen over all Salisbury plaines. In the middle of this hatt of trees (it resembled a hatt) there was a tall beech, which overtopt all the rest. The hatt was cutt down by Philip II. Earle of Pembroke, 1654; and Thomas, Earle of Pembroke, disafforested it, an°. 1684. ___________________________________
Birch. - Wee have none in North Wilts, but some (no great plenty) in South Wilts: most by the New Forest (In the parish of Market Lavington is a pretty large coppice, which consists for the most part of birch; and from thence it is well known by the name of the Birchen coppice.- BISHOP TANNER.) ___________________________________
In the parish of Hilmerton, in the way from Calne, eastward, leaving Hilmerton on the left hand, grows a red withy on the ditch side by the gate, 10 feet 6 inches about; and the spreading of the boughs is seaven yards round from the body of the tree. ___________________________________
Wich-hazel in the hundred of Malmesbury and thereabout, spontaneous. There are two vast wich-hazel trees in Okesey Parke, not much lesse than one of the best oakes there.
At Dunhed St. Maries, at the crosse, is a wich-hazell not lesse worthy of remarque than Magdalene-College oake (mentioned by Dr. Rob. Plott), for the large circumference of the shadowe that it causeth. When I was a boy the bowyers did use them to make bowes, and they are next best to yew. ___________________________________
Hornbeam we have none; neither did I ever see but one in the west ofEngland, and that at Bathwick, juxta Bath, in the court yard of Hen.Nevill, Esq.___________________________________
Yew trees naturally grow in chalkie countrys. The greatest plenty of them, as I believe, in the west of England is at Nunton Ewetrees. Between Knighton Ashes and Downton the ground produces them all along; but at Nunton they are a wood. At Ewridge, in the parish of Colern, in North Wilts (a stone brash and a free stone), they also grow indifferently plentifull; and in the parish of Kington St Michael I remember three or four in the stone brash and red earth.
When I learnt my accidents, 1633, at Yatton Keynel, there was a fair and spreading ewe-tree in the churchyard, as was common heretofore. The boyes tooke much delight in its shade, and it furnish't them with their scoopes and nutt-crackers. The clarke lop't it to make money of it to some bowyer or fletcher, and that lopping kill'd it: the dead trunke remaines there still. (Eugh-trees grow wild about Winterslow. A great eugh-tree in North Bradley churchyard, planted, as the tradition goes, in the time of ye Conquest. Another in …. Cannings churchyard. Leland (Itinerary) observes that in his time there was thirty-nine vast eugh-trees in the churchyard belonging to Stratfleur Abbey, in Wales.-BISHOP TANNER. Abundance of ewgh-trees in Surrey, upon the downes, heretofore, thô now much diminished.-J. EVELYN.) ___________________________________
Box, a parish so called in North Wilts, neer Bathe, in which parish is our famous freestone quarre of Haselbery: in all probability tooke its name from the box-trees which grew there naturally, but now worne out.
Not far off on Coteswold in Gloucestershire is a village called Boxwell, where is a great wood of it, which once in …. yeares Mr. Huntley fells, and sells to the combe-makers in London. At Boxley in Kent, and at Boxhill in Surrey, bothe chalkie soiles, are great box woods, to which the combe-makers resort. ___________________________________
Holy is indifferently common in Malmesbury hundred, and also on the borders of the New Forest: it seemes to indicate pitt-coale. In Wardour Parke are holy-trees that beare yellow berries. I think I have seen the like in Cranborne Chase. ___________________________________
Hazel.- Wee have two sorts of them. In the south part, and particularly Cranbourn Chase, the hazells are white and tough; with which there are made the best hurdles of England. The nutts of the chase are of great note, and are sold yearly beyond sea. They sell them at Woodbery Hill Faire, &c.; and the price of them is the price of a buschell of wheate. The hazell-trees in North Wilts are red, and not so tough, more brittle. ___________________________________
Coven-tree common about Chalke and Cranbourn Chase: the carters doe make their whippes of it. It growes no higher than a cherry-tree. ___________________________________
Buckthorne very common in South Wiltshire. The apothecaries make great use of the berries, and the glovers use it to colour their leather yellow. ___________________________________
Prick-timber (euonymus).- This tree is common, especially in North Wilts. The butchers doe make skewers of it, because it doth not taint the meate as other wood will doe: from whence it hath the name of prick-timber. ___________________________________
Osiers.- Wee have great plenty of them about Bemarton, &c. near Salisbury, where the osier beds doe yield four pounds per acre. ___________________________________
Service-trees grow naturally in Grettwood, in the parish of Gretenham, belonging to George Ayliffe, Esq. In the parke of Kington St. Michel is onely one. At the foot of Hedington Hill, and also at the bottome of the hill at Whitesheet, which is the same range of hill, doe growe at least twenty cervise-trees. They operate as medlars, but less effectually.
Pliny, lib. xv. c. 21. "De Sorbis. Quartum genus torminale appellatur, remedio tantum probabile, assiduum proventu minimumq{ue} pomo, arbore dissimili foliis plane platani". Lib. xvi. cap. 18.- "Gaudet frigidis Sorbus sed magis betulla". Dr. Gale, R.S.S. tells me that "Sorbiodunum", now Old Sarum, has its denomination from "sorbes"; but the ground now below the castle is all turned to arable. ___________________________________
Elders grow every where. At Bradford the side of the high hill which faces the south, about Mr. Paul Methwin's house, is covered with them. I fancy that that pent might be turned to better profit, for it is situated as well for a vinyard as any place can be, and is on a rocky gravelly ground. The apothecaries well know the use of the berries, and so doe the vintners, who buy vast quantities of them in London, and some doe make no inconsiderable profit by the sale of them. ___________________________________
At the parsonage house at Wyley growes an ash out of the mortar of the wall of the house, and it flourishes very well and is verdant. It was nine yeares old in 1686. I doe not insert this as a rarity; but 'tis strange to consider that it hath its growth and nourishment from the aire, for from the lime it can receive none. [In August 1847, I observed a large and venerable ash tree growing out of and united with the ancient Roman walls of Caistor, near Norwich. The whole of the base of the trunk was incorporated with bricks, rubble, and mortar; but the roots no doubt extended many yards into the adjacent soil.- J. B.] ___________________________________
Whitty-tree, or wayfaring-tree, is rare in this country; some few in Cranbourn Chace, and three or four on the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke. In Herefordshire they are not uncommon; and they used, when I was a boy, to make pinnes for the yoakes of their oxen of them, believing it had vertue to preserve them from being forespoken, as they call it; and they use to plant one by their dwelling-house, believing it to preserve from witches and evill eyes. ___________________________________
Mr. Anthony Hinton, one of the officers of the Earle of Pembroke, did inoculate, not long before the late civill warres (ten yeares or more), a bud of Glastonbury Thorne, on a thorne at his farm-house at Wilton, which blossomes at Christmas as the other did. My mother has had branches of them for a flower-pott severall Christmasses, which I have seen. Elias Ashmole, Esq., in his notes upon "Theatrum Chymicum", saies that in the churchyard at Glastonbury grew a wallnutt tree that did putt out young leaves at Christmas, as doth the king's oake in the New Forest. In Parham Parke, in Suffolk (Mr. Boutele's), is a pretty ancient thorne that blossomes like that at Glastonbury; the people flock thither to see it on Christmas-day. But in the rode that leades from Worcester to Droitwiche is a blackthorne hedge at Clayn, halfe a mile long or more, that blossomes about Christmas-day for a week or more together. The ground is called Longland. Dr. Ezerel Tong sayd that about Runnly-marsh, in Kent, [Romney-marsh?] are thornes naturally like that at Glastonbury. The souldiers did cutt downe that neer Glastonbury: the stump remaines. ___________________________________
In the parish of Calne, at a pleasant seat of the Blakes, calledPinhill, was a grove of pines, which gives the name to the seate.About 1656 there were remaining about four or five: they made fineshew on the hill.___________________________________
In the old hedges which are the boundes between the lands of Priory St. Marie, juxta Kington St. Michael, and the west field, which belonged to the Lord Abbot of Glastonbury, are yet remaining a great number of berberry-trees, which I suppose the nunnes made use of for confections, and they taught the young ladies that were educated there such arts. In those days there were not schooles for young ladies as now, but they were educated at religious houses.
[THIS Chapter, with the three which follow it, on "Fishes", "Birds", and "Reptils and Insects", constitute a principal branch of the work. On these topics Aubrey was assisted by his friend Sir James Long, of Draycot, Bart., whose letters to him are inserted in the original manuscript. Besides the passages here given, the chapter on "Beastes" comprises some extracts from Dame Juliana Berners' famous "Treatyse on Hawkynge, Hunting, and Fisshynge" (1481); together with a minute account of a sculptured representation of hunting the wild boar, over a Norman doorway at Little Langford Church. This bas-relief is engraved in Hoare's Modern Wiltshire. - J. B.]
I WILL first begin with beastes of venerie, whereof there hath been great plenty in this countie, and as good as any in England. Mr. J. Speed, who wrote the description of Wiltshire, anno Domini [1611], reckons nine forests, one chace, and twenty-nine parkes.
This whole island was anciently one great forest. A stagge might have raunged from Bradon Forest to the New Forest; sc. from forest to forest, and not above four or five miles intervall (sc. from Bradon Forest to Grettenham and Clockwoods; thence to the forest by Boughwood-parke, by Calne and Pewsham Forest, Blackmore Forest, Gillingham Forest, Cranbourn Chase, Holt Forest, to the New Forest.) Most of those forests were given away by King James the First. Pewsham Forest was given to the Duke of Buckingham, who gave it, I thinke, to his brother, the Earle of Anglesey. Upon the disafforesting of it, the poor people made this rhythme:-
"When Chipnam stood in Pewsham's wood,Before it was destroy'd,A cow might have gone for a groat a yeare-but now it is denyed".
The metre is lamentable; but the cry of the poor was more lamentable. I knew severall that did remember the going of a cowe for 4d. per annum. The order was, how many they could winter they might summer: and pigges did cost nothing the going. Now the highwayes are encombred with cottages, and the travellers with the beggars that dwell in them. ___________________________________
The deer of the forest of Groveley were the largest of fallow deer in England, but some doe affirm the deer of Cranborne Chase to be larger than Groveley. Quaere Mr. Francis Wroughton of Wilton concerning the weight of the deer; as also Jack Harris, now keeper of Bere Forest, can tell the weight of the best deere of Verneditch and Groveley: he uses to come to the inne at Sutton. Verneditch is in the parish of Broad Chalke. 'Tis agreed that Groveley deer were generally the heaviest; but there was one, a buck, killed at Verneditch about an°. 165-, that out-weighed Groveley by two pounds. Dr. Randal Caldicot told me that it was weighed at his house, and it weighed eight score pounds. About the yeare 1650 there were in Verneditch-walke, which is a part of Cranborne Chase, a thousand or twelve hundred fallow deere; and now, 1689, there are not above five hundred. A glover at Tysbury will give sixpence more for a buckskin of Cranborne Chase than of Groveley; and he saies that he can afford it. ___________________________________
Clarendon Parke was the best parke in the King's dominions. Hunt and Palmer, keepers there, did averre that they knew seven thousand head of deere in that parke; all fallow deere. This parke was seven miles about. Here were twenty coppices, and every one a mile round. ___________________________________
Upon these disafforestations the marterns were utterly destroyed in North Wilts. It is a pretty little beast and of a deep chesnutt colour, a kind of polecat, lesse than a fox; and the furre is much esteemed: not much inferior to sables. It is the richest furre of our nation. Martial saies of it -
"Venator capta marte superbus adest". - Epigr.
In Cranborn Chase and at Vernditch are some marterns still remaining. ___________________________________