are many Pits which being somewhat narrow at the top and widening towards the bottom are distinguished into several Rooms or Apartments and supported as it were with Pillars of Chalk At a House of the Marquess of Worcester's at Emsbury I have been told that at the pulling down of an old Wall the Labourers discovered a Cavity which upon search led to a large Cave where there was found a Monument of great Antiquity and Riches which by the Character and some other circumstances appears to have been the Tomb of Queen Guinever Wife to King Arthur Near Kirby-Longdale in Westmorland are many deep places like Caves Fifthly At Aberbarry in Glamorganshire there is a Cave at the bottom of a Hill the mouth whereof is a gaping Clift or Chink into which when the Wind enters there is heard a kind of harmonious noice as it were of Cymbals There hath been also heard from a Clift on the Sea-side near the Island Barry a sound as it were of Smiths at work and this by the Testimony of Lilius Giraldus Lakes and Fountains there are very many among us which have something strange and extraordinary in them Near Brereton in Cheshire which belongs to an Eminent Family of the same Name there is a Pool wherein the bodies of Trees swimming are said to presage the Death of some of the Family There are two Lakes very near to each other hard by St. Agnes-Hill in Cornwall of which it is credibly reported that in the one of them Fish will live and thrive in the other not In Lancashire near Furness-Fells there is a standing water accounted the greatest in England commonly called Miander-Meer being no less than 10 Miles in length and all along paved with stone at the bottom It is said moreover that a Fish call'd a Ohare breeds here only and no where else In Huntingtonshire there are several Lakes and among the rest one called Wittlesmeer-Lake which in fairest weather grow tempestuous and rage with violent surges like the Sea In Staffordshire there are two remarkable Lakes of one Necham delivers That by its Roaring it foretells things to come the other is call'd Mahal of which the Tradition goes That Horses when tir'd drinking of the water thereof becomes fresh as ever Of this Gervase of Tilbury makes particular mention On the high Hills of Carnarvonshire there are two Meers of a strange nature if report be true for one is said to produce a sort of Fish that hath but one Eye the other to have a floatable Island whereon no sooner any one sets foot but it drives farther off from the shoar There is also at Bala in Merionethshire a Pool which never fills by Land-floods though rising never so high but in tempestuous weather swelleth above its Banks At Lynsavathan in Brecknockshire is a Meer which is said to have swallowed up a City that once stood in the room thereof through this Meer runs the River Levenny keeping its own stream intire and unmix'd At Kilken in Flintshire is a little Well which hath a constant ebbing and flowing like the Sea At Gigglesworth in Yorkshire there are three small Springs of two whereof there is nothing of observable but the middlemost hath a constant course of ebbing and flowing four times an hour the difference between its highest rise and lowest fall being about eight Inches Likewise in Derbyshire in the Forrest of the Peak is such another Spring ebbing and flowing 4 times an hour observing a constant and due revolution of its tydes On the River Ogmore in Glamorganshire there is a Well which every full tyde in Summer time is almost destitute of water but at ebb is replenish'd many times very near but never totally to an overflowing Another there is at Carry-Castle in Caermardenshire which ebbs and flows Another in Westmorland near the River Loder which ebbs and flows several times a day At Lemington in Warwickshire a Salt Spring ariseth at a great distance from the Sea Near Kenet in Wiltshire the water breaking but of certain stones is accounted a sign of Dearth The River Can in Westmorland hath Cataracts which by their fall foretell either Rain or fair Weather The rising of a Bourn near Croiden in Surry is said to presage Mortality Near St. Albans in Hertfordshire there is a Brook called which when it breaketh out presageth Dearth or some other Calamity In a private mans Yard at Pitchford in Shropshire is a Well whose waters cast up a Skum of liquid Bitumen In the North-riding of Yorkshire are Wells called Tingtong Wells three Miles within the earth The Petrifying Wells and Springs of England are very many nor is it worth the while to mention all of them the chief are in these particular Places at Newenham or Menham-Reges in Warwickshire Three which are also of a Medicinal quality as being strained through Allum at Lutterworth in Leicestershire Near Knarisborough in York-shire the Well-Drepa whose Waters distil from the Rocks that hang over it At Hodington-Hill near Oxford upon the descent of the Hill At Boxly Abbey near Maidston in Kent at Egerton in the same County Nor are those Wells and Springs to be forgotten among the Memorabilia of Nature whose Waters are of a Medicinal virtue the chief of this nature not only of England but even of all Europe for the virtue of the Waters the Magnificence of the Structures about the Wells and the vast resort to them are those famous Bathing Wells which give denomination to the City Bath and which were first found out by one Bladud who is reckoned in the Catalogue of our Ancient British Kings and renowned in History if it may be called History and not rather Historical Tradition as well for Philosopher as King Others there are whose Waters esteemed for their Purging quality are generally carous'd as Ebsham or Epsone-Wells in Surry those of Tunbridge in Kent of Barnet in Hertfordshire and now of late of North-hall in the same Shire Now I cannot but fancy that there must needs be a very great advantage in this way of Physick since those who Evacuate so merrily with so much divertisement so many as it were together for good Companies sake no doubt find a more effectual Operation than those who coop'd up in a Melancholly Chamber sup up a mixture of Nauseous and uncouth Ingredients out of an Apothecaries Shop Other places there are not altogether of no note for their Medicinal Wells as Luckington in Wiltshire where there is a Well called Handcocks-Well whose greatest Virtue consists in the Cure of sore Eyes having also this property that its Water is cold in Summer and hot in Winter Eckington in Worcestershire where there is lately discovered a Medicinal Well accounted of great Virtue for several Distempers Wallingborough in Northamptonshire where upon the account of the Waters Queen Mary lay for several weeks Lenisham in Kent six Miles from London where in the year 1651. a Medicinal Water was found which hath been since much frequented Dulwich Wells within
for it's chief City Champechio this Province yields Wood for dying Rich Colours and likewise store of Deer and Cattle almost like Elks. Florida was discovered by Sebastian Cabot Anno 1467. which at that time it was possessed by the Spaniards with whom the French made War till they consumed each others people to that degree that it was abandoned by either Nation but since repeopled by the Spaniards who have built there several strong Forts The Commodities are Gold Ore some Veins of Silver some Spices and Woods of value And thus much of those Provinces the Spaniards possess Now I shall come to Treat of Virginia and New-England possessed by the English CHAP. XIII A View of Virginia and of the Trade Manners Customs and Government thereof and of the Commodities of that Colony VIrginia being discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh Anno 1584. had it's name from our Virgin Queen it lying in height thirty five degrees North Latitude and extends to thirty eight and a half being planted by the English only from 37 to 34 degrees under the Protection and Supream Authority of his Majesty of great Britain having the Bay of Roanoake and Cape Florida to the Southward and Mary-land to the Northward The main entrance out of Virginia into the Sea is about 10 Leagues the Country is full of Navigable Rivers stored with Fish and some of them abounding with Oysters Crabs and Sturgeon many of the Rivers being 7 8 9 or 10 Miles over running 140 and 150 Miles up in the Country so that Ships Anchor with great Security no Trade being permitted but with England So that as soon as any Vessel arrives the Master or Captain resorts to the Governour to give him an account from whence he came his Residence being for the most part at Jame's City lying 40 Miles up Jame's River and round about the English Colony the Indians Inhabit whose Treacheries prove too often fatal to our Country-men as the several Massacrees they have made can testifie Their Courts of Judicature chiefly consist of 4 quarterly Courts the Governour and his Council being Judges to try and determine as well in matters Criminal as Suits between man and man and every year once an Assembly meet in imitation of our Parliament to settle weighty Affairs Their Laws are the same with ours as likewise what Monies they have are of English Coyn. The Soil is every-where Fertile and the Woods abound with Oaks of divers sorts Black Wall-nuts Chess-nuts Ash Pine Day-Wood Cedar Saxafras Mulbury Small-nuts Wild Grapes and the like The Weather is much like ours only in the Summer continues a Month longer hotter and are troubled with Flashes of Light'ning dismal Claps of Thunder and now and then a Hurricane The days are about an Hour and an half shorter in Summer and so much longer in Winter All sorts of English Fruits and Cattle thrive there and their chief Commodities amongst themselves are Horses Oxen Sheep Hogs Turkies Geese Ducks Corn of which they have store and their Woods abound with Hairs Roacoons Possums Squirrils Wild-Cats Foxes Bears Wolves Elks and in remote Parts some Lyons are found Their Corn called Indian Corn or Maiz they buy and sell by the Barrel which Barrel contains 5 Bushels Winchester Measure and the Indians sell their Corn Pease and other Commodities of the like nature amongst themselves by the Baskets each Basket containing half a Bushel The chief Commodities they Trade with our Merchants for except Tobacco of which I shall speak anon are Hides Otter Beaver Muskats Bear Dear-Skins Saxafras Black-Walnut-Tree-Planks c. with them and Tobacco 40 or 50 Ships are yearly Loaden no Customs being lay'd upon any thing imported or exported but in England they pay five per cent for all they carry over and 2 pence per pound for every pound of Tobacco brought from thence and so proportionably for other Goods The Commodities carryed from England thither are Linnen and Woollen-Cloath Nailes Iron wrought into Tools Sope Starch Gunpowder Shot Wine Strong-Water Brandy Sugar Spice and the like and when any one comes over with Servants to Inhabit as a Planter he has 50 Acres of Land allotted him to manure even where he will choose unless in such Places as are before in Possession and for that Parcel of Land he pays 12 pence per Annum quit Rent The manner of planting and bringing to perfection their Tobacco accounted by them the Staple Commodity of the Colony is thus in January they sow the Seed which is smaller than Mustard-Seed and when it comes up they take up the Plants and place them upon little Hills which is usually done in May 4 or 5000. Hills being contained in one Acre every Hill containing a Plant the which when it is about 2 Foot high they Crop to give more Nourishment to the Leaves which Leaves are a Foot or two Foot long and some a Foot broad and when they are at the bigest they cut them up Stalk and all and hang them up in Sheads to dry which done they strip them from the Stalks and so bind them up in Handfuls for packing in Casks or make them up in Rolls An Acre of good Ground is reckoned to bear 1500 Weight of Tobacco not less then 17000. Hogs-heads being reckoned to be Shipped yearly for England Scotland and Ireland Their Servants for the most part consist of Negroes which they buy of the Merchants that bring them thither CHAP. XIV A View of New-England and the Trade thereof NEw-England has for it's chief Town or City Boston where all their Trade Centres especially that which accrues by Navigation a place which contains about 1500 houses Built of Brick and Timber in it is a State House and Congregational Meeting-Houses the Inhabitants for the most part being Presbyterians and Independants and are supplyed with great Quantities of Fish from Marblehead and other places As for Fowl they Trade with the Indians as likewise for Muscat Beaver Otter c. for which they deliver them strong-Strong-Waters Shagged-Cloath Beads Looking-Glasses and the like and thither likewise are brought Provisions from St. Martins Long Island Road Island Shelter Island and other places they all being little spots standing in the Sea and have their Trade chiefly consisting in Provision The chief Roads for the safe Riding of Shipping are Boston Charlestown Salem and Pascataqua A Mint they have in which they Coyn English money as 12 pence 6 pence 3 pence and smaller piece both Silver and Tinn The Reason of setting it up was upon the spreading of many adulterated Pieces of Eight amongst them brought from Peru but notwithstanding the English Coyn Mexico and Sevil Royals go currant at a Crown apiece Their Accounts are kept after the Italian Fashion by such as understand the way and those that do not keep them as in old England Their Weights are Averdupois and Troy the former consisting of 16 Ounces the pound and the latter of twelve their hundred Averdupois is 112 pounds and by that they
Roll-rich-stones erected in manner of those at Stone-henge which certain fabulous Traditions have rendred to have been men so transform'd but more certain History delivers them the Monument of a great Battle there fought by Rollo the Dane At Bosken in Cornwall there is another of 18 large Stones erected and plac'd in a circular figure 12 Foot distant each from the other a Trophy of some Roman or Saxon Victory In the same County are other Monumental Stones called the Hurlers which fabulous Tradition will have to be the Stony Metamorphosis of certain Humane Creatures but common reason gives the same conjecture of them as of the foremention'd The like may be said of two other large Stones erected in St. Clares Parish in one whereof there is an Inscription in strange and intelligible Characters other Remarks there are in the same County form'd by Nature only as that Pile of Rocks one upon the other called Wring-Cheese near the lowest of them having the resemblance of a Cheese hard press'd by the accumulation of Rocks upon it the other is a very wonderful Rock call'd Main-Amber near Pensans this Rock lies upon lesser Rocks in such an exact equilibrium that what the push of a Finger can stir and cause as it were to totter not the greatest force imaginable is able to displace Likewise by Helford is a vast Rock lying on the ground the top whereof being hollow containeth water which ebbeth and floweth like the Sea Three Miles from Tunbridge on the edge of Sussex there lye scattered up and down in a dry Sandy-ground divers Craggy-stones of a considerable magnitude the two biggest whereof standing close together seem by the crease which divides them in a straight line as if they were but just saw'd asunder In the same County near Tenderden-Steeple is a Stone which by the falling of the Rain palpably gathers increase of bulk At Exmore in Devonshire are great Stones erected some in a Circular some in a Triangular form in memory doubtless of some Roman Saxon or Danish Victory In Westmorland near the River Loder there are Pyramidal Stones pitched for a Mile together some 9 some 14 Foot thick At Salcelds upon the River Eden in Cumberland is a Monumental Trophy consisting of 77 Stones called by the Inhabitants Long-Meg and her Daughters one of which Stones alone called the Long-Meg being 15 Foot high from the ground all the rest but 10. On the Hill called Mindgate-Morgan in Glamorganshire there is a Monument superscrib'd with a very fatal Character for it hath been received from those that live thereabout that whoever reads it shall die soon after if there be not a fallacy herein viz. That the Character is so strange and uncouth that no man is able to read it Some places are noted for Stones of another kind that is to say whose Rarity consists in the unusualness of their Figure At Alderly in Glocestershire upon the top of certain Hills are found Oysters Cockles and Periwinkles of solid Stone and at Puckle-Church in the same Shire there is a Vein of Blew-stone consisting of several Stones Smooth Square and about half a Foot thick as it were Artificial and ready cut out fit for work they lye about seven or eight one upon another as it were in beds very near contiguous to each other for about the length of a Pearch And at Lassington in Glocestershire there is plenty of that which we call the Star-stone being of the figure of a Mullet or what we commonly picture for a Star of a Grey colour and of the circumference of a single Penny but the thickness of half a Crown they stick together in Columns of about three or four Inches long and being singly put into Vinegar they naturally move and tend towards a Unition Near Sayworth in Wiltshire are Stones that have a very near resemblance of Cockles In a Town call'd Cainsham in the Road-way between Bath and Bristol and in the High-way thereabout there are Stones frequently to be seen wreathing in a Spiral form like Snails this Town is commonly Nick-nam'd Smoaky-Cainsham upon this occasion Some years since one of the Townsmen standing at his door with Tears in his Eyes and being ask'd by one of his Neighbours that observ'd him as he pass'd by what the cause of his Grief was answered That there was so great a Smoak in his house that he was not able to endure to stay within doors When in truth he had been newly beaten by his Wife Whereupon Travellers now and then to make themselves Sport will ask Whether that Town be called Smoaky-Cainsham But the wiser sort of those that ask this question prepare at the same instant to put on to a more than ordinary speed for fear of some Hostility from the good Women of the place At Whitbay in Yorkshire are Stones of a Serpentine Figure Also in the Stone-Quarry at Kingham in Somersetshire On Rosemary-Topping a Hill in Yorkshire are Stones found in the shape of Sea-winkles and Cockles At Huntly-Nab in the same County at the roots of the Rocks are Stones as perfectly round as any Ball in which broken are the shapes of Stony-Serpents all but the head Of the Caves of England those of principal remark are First Ochy-hole near Wells in Somersetshire it is a Cave of large extent into the earth and in which those that have made the farthest Incursions are said to have discerned many Rivulets and Caverns or hollow Recesses Secondly A Cave very much talk'd of under an Old Castle in the Peak of Darby commonly called the Devils Arse in Peak there is a strange story told by one Gervasius of a Swinherd belonging to one William de Penerel sometime Lord of the Place This Swinherd having lost a Sow great with Pig is said to have entred in earnest quest thereof into the mouth of this Cave and passing through several obscure Nooks and windings to have come at length into a spacious Field where among a company of Reapers he found his Masters Sow which had newly Pig'd and making his Case known to the chief person in Office there brought back his Sow together with her Pigs returning the same way he came Thirdly In the same County another Cave called Eldenhole in the Peak Forrest which shoots directly down into the Earth and as far as 60 yards of depth is to be seen into the mouth or entrance on the top is about 30 yards in length and 15 in breadth but downwards it straightens into a much narrower space Fourthly Certain Caves called the Gyants Caves between great Badmin and Lockington on the border of Wiltshire At a place called Oxenhall not far from Darlington in the Bishoprick of Durham there are three Pits of an extraordinary depth commonly called Hell-Kettles suppos'd to be produc'd by an Earthquake which hapned in the year 1179. And near Tilbury in Essex there are several Pits in a Chalky ground which are judg'd to be no less than 12 Fathom deep Also near Feversham in Kent there
Bishop of Exon His Seat Exon Palace in Exeter Devon Dr. VVilliam Thomas Bishop St. Davids His Seat Abergwilly Carmarthen Dr. VVilliam Gulston Bishop of Bristol His Seat Bristol Palace Somerset Dr. VVilliam Beaw Bishop of Llandaff His Seats Matherne Palace Monmouth Llandaff Palace Glamorgan Dr. VVilliam Lloyd Bishop of St. Asaph His Seat St. Asaph Flint A SUPPLEMENT TO The Foregoing Work I. To the Arable and Pasturage of England ANGLESEY yields such plenty of Wheat that it is call'd the Mother of Wales In Shropshire upon Clee-hill is the best Barley in the Shire Sheep in the Vale of Buckinghamshire have a fine soft wool East Kent for Corn The Weald for Wood Rumney for Meadow Tenham for Orchard Sheppey and Reculver for Wheat Thanet for Barley Hedcorn for fat and large Capons To the other Productions DOctor Caius the Founder of Caius Colledge in Cambridge in a learned Treatise of his divides the Canes Britanici first into the Generosi Rustici Degeneres the Generosi he subdivides into the Venatici Aucupatorii Delicati the Venatici first into the threefold Sâ—gax or Hound viz. the Terrarius or Terrare the Leverarius or Harrier the Sanguinarius or Bloodhound next into the Agasaeus or Gasehound the Leporarius or Greyhound the Levinarius sâ—u Lorarius the Liviner or Liemmer the Vertragus or Tumbler The Aucupatorii into the Hispaniâ—lus or Spaniel the Index or Sâ—tter the Aquaticus or Water-Spaniel the Inquisitor or Finder Of the Delicati he makes only one sort viz. the Meliteus seu Fotor the Spaniel Gentle or Comforter The Rustiâ—i into the Pastoralis or Shepherds Dog the Vilaticus seu Cathenarius Mastiff or Bandog The Dâ—generes into the Admonitor or Wap the Veâ—sator or Turnspit the Salâ—ator or Dancer About Sureby in Yorkshire are great store of Goats and on the Hills towards Lancashire Goats and Deer In Cornwall on the Cliffs by the Sea-side are Marterns Otters Badgers Foxes in abundance In the Isle of Wight are store of Goats Rother-cattle Horses low and small but hardy and in most parts of Hantshire Conies and Hâ—res particularly abound In the River Tiver in Cardiganshire the Beaver hath been found In Devonshire there are three sorts of Curlicus the first as big as a Muscovie Duck the second as big as an ordinary Duck the third somewhat less The Sanderlin a Bird about the bigness of a Snipe of the same make only of a lighter Grey In Lincolnshire and Yorkshire near the Sea are store of Reeves Roughs Gulls and a Bird called a Stint somewhat bigger than a Lark Puffins and Burranets hatch in the holes of the Sea-Cliffs Woodcocks Sparhawks and Fieldfares take Cornwall in their way to warmer Climates There is also in those parts a Bird called a Spray thought to be the Halyaetus of Pliny Lincolnshire abounds with God wits and Knots besides Pewets and Dottrels aforementioned And about Barton upon Humber is plenty of Mallards In the Calf of Man are Puffins and also Barnacles On the Shore of Norfolk Hawks are are sometimes taken Turkies or Guiny-Cocks are said to have been first brought into England Anno 15 H. 8. The Shoat is a Fish proper to Cornwall and Devonshire where also the Peal Trout and Salmon breed in fresh Waters but live in Salt Sharks breed and live in the Rivers In Norfolk the River Yare by Norwich is full of a Fish called a Ruff very rarely found in other Rivers In Worcestershire The River Severn affords store of fresh Water Lampreys About Kilgarran in Pembrokeshire and in the River Dee in Cheshire there is great store of Salmons Also Vsk and Wye in Monmouthshire are full of Salmons and Trouts In a great Pool near Balu in Merionethshire there breeds a Fish called a Guinnind never seen in Dee As the Pool wants Salmons which Dee abounds in Upon the Sea-Coast of this Shire are store of Herrings Carps are generally concluded to have been first brought in here in King Henry the Eighth's Reign with several other things unknown here before Near Bremicham in Warwickshire are Iron-Mines the convenience whereof possibly gave beginning to the Smiths Trade in Bremicham The same may be said of those near Sheffield in Yorkshire At the Head of the River Istwyd in Darbyshire are Veins of Lead In the Rocks at the Lands End of Cornwall are Veins of White-Lead and Brass In the West part of the Bishoprick of Durham are Iron-Mines thereabout also are Cole-Mines as likewise at Mengerfield and Westerley in Gloucestershire Nor is Pembrokeshire destitute of Pit-Coal and Marl. Some parts of Lincolnshire afford Alabaster and Plaister of Paris In Flintshire Mill-stones are frequent And in the Isle of Anglesey Mill-stones Grind-stones and a kind of Earth out of which Allum and Copperas are extracted And upon the Shores of Shepey Island Stones from which are drawn Brimstone and Copperas In some parts of Derbyshire there is Lime-stone As also very good in Oxfordshire near Holton about Hasely and between that and Little Milton But Barrow in Leicestershire is accounted the place of England for that sort of Stone At Tormanton by Sudbury in Gloucestershire is a Quarry of Free-stone And at Eglestone in the Bishoprick of Durham a Marble Quarry On Goldcliff in Mâ—nmouthshire there is found a Stone of a Yellowish or Golden Colour And about Brotherton in Yorkshire a yellow Marle very good to fertilize the Earth Upon Dartmore Rocks in Devonshire there is some quantity of the Magnes or Load-stone Not to insist upon the several sorts of Ochre Fullers Earth Chalk and Gypsum at Shotover Gaâ—sington Witney and other parts of Oxfordshire the Umber at Bladen Quarry the Caeruleum or Native Blue at Blounds Court the yellowish coloured Earth with glittering Sparks about Teynton the Earth called Lam at Teinton fit for Earthen Floors the Terra Lapidosa of the colour of the Turkish Rusma in the Quarries about Thame the Gold gritty Clay or Pyrites aureus at Hampton-Gay the white Clay at Shotover used for Tobacco-pipes and equal to Tripela for Medals Galgils Antiques and polishing of Silver the soft Stone called Maume near Tetsworth the Golden-coloured Marchasite haply the Pyrites of Kentmanus at Nettlebed and Henly All mentioned by Doctor Plat in his learned and most useful Description of Oxfordshire In Cornwall as well as on the Cliffs between Deal and Dover great store of Samphire grows which being pickled makes an excellent Sallad And also of Eringus or Sea-Holly whose Roots Candied are reckoned amongst the most acceptable of Sweet-Meats in regard of their restorative vertue And in the most boggy Grounds of this County there is store of a Plant called Ros Solis And upon the Cliffs and such like Maritine parts abundance of Wild Hisop Rosemary Marjoram Sage Pelamountain There are likewise in this County very good Chesnuts and a kind of Berry called Whurts of two sorts And for Garlic doubtless this County abounds in general with this sort of Plant for that it is much eaten by the Cornish men
whose Health and Longaevity is by many imputed to their frequent feeding upon this Country man's Treacle as they call it Dorcetshire especially the Isle of Portland or thereabouts produces a rare sort of Plant which is accounted much of the same nature if not the same with that which the Greeks called Isidis Plocamos But particularly Birdport in this Shire is noted for the excellent Hemp growing thereabout At Dengeness in Kent Holly Trees grow thick for a Mile in length among Beech and Pebbles Axholm in Shropshire is noted for a sort of Shrub called Galls growing peculiarly thereabout About Keinsham in Somersetshire great store of Percepier or Parsely Break Stone Neither is Fern so inconsiderable a Plant but that Cambden takes notice of abundance of it growing about Reading But in Sabernacle Forest in Wiltshire there is a sort of Fern more remarkable than ordinary by reason of the sweetness of its scent Several Fruits and Flowers and other Plants have not been known in England till of late Ages First Pippins and Cherries as hath been already intimated and as Mr. Leonard Mascal of Plumstead King Henry the Eighth's-Gardiner observes after that Apricots about the fifteenth of the said King's Reign And about the same time Hops from Artois Some say Apricots Malacotoons and Muscmelons came in about the twentieth of Queen Elizabeth Others say Melon-seeds were first sent out of Italy to King James and the Stem of a yellow Rose which flowers from May till Christmas Choice Flowers were first in use and reputation at Norwich by means of the Dutch who first brought them thither The latest are Gillyflowers and Carnations the Province and Red Rose and that of Jericho Also the Tulip perhaps the Lilly of the Valley and the White-Chappel Flower Moreover Artichoaks and Asparagus Oranges and Lemons are but of late date here As likewise both English and Smirna Corants perhaps the soonest of them about an hundred and fifty years since Tobacco was first brought into England by Sir Walter Raleigh though never thought fit to be planted About the same time came in Sugar The first planting of Mulberries was about Anno 1609. 〈◊〉 Flax Staffordshire Shropshire and the Isle of Man are particularly mentioned and the last for Hemp. Also Tewksbury in Gloucestershire To the Wonders of England THE Monument of Stones at Stanton Drew near Pensford in Somersetshire deserves a particular description but much more that of Aubury in Wiltshire about four Miles West from Marleborough About this Village is cast a Ditch of a prodigious depth viz. as deep as that of Winchester which is the deepest that hath been observed and not without as usually but within this Ditch is raised a very high Bank or Trench not in a form absolutely Circular but somewhat near Within the Trench and answerable to the form thereof Stones are set round excepting those Gaps which appear to have been made by the Invasion of the Villagers upon these Stones with Sledges for their use in Building Within this prodigious Round of Ditch Bank and Stones iâ— the Village and two Piles of these large Stones viz. about eighteen nineteen or twenty Foot high in a manner somewhat Circular bur pretty compact together but the Church stands wholly without the Round of the Ditch Moreover there is another thing no less remarkable than the rest namely a streight Walk made by two long Tracts of Stone about five six or seven Foot high on either hand of about a Mile long leading as an Avenue to the said Work And at the beginning thereof two other Tracts which make another Walk leading on the Right Hand to two other Circles of Stone one within another The River Kinnel running just underneath This Description â—ogether with a Delineation of the Stones at Stanton Drew I received from a particular friend Mr. John Aubrey of the Royal Society a person of much worth and ingenuity but most especially curious in the search of Antiquities And this favour is so much the greater for that before he had designed the Description thereof himself in a Work he intends to publish Entituled Monumenta Britanica There are Stones near the Barrow at Stanton Harcourt called The Devil's Coits Pyramidal Stones in Yorkshire called The Devil's Bolts A Stone between Neat Enston and Fulwell somewhat flat and tapouring upward from a broad bottom Snake-stones Cockle-stones and Star-stones at Purton Passage over Seavern in Gloucestershire at Shugbury in Warwickshire on the Rocks by Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire Cockle-stones at Sapworth by Sharston in Gloucestershire at Witney in Oxfordshire on the Hills by Farnham in Surrey Three deep Pits near Darlington in the Bishoprick of Durham Hagdale Pit near Feversham The great Pit in the Road-way between Feversham and Bocton Another near Shelwich One between Daving-Church and Stone-Church One in the Parish of Norton One or two in a Field near Beacon-Field Under Holm-Castle in Surrey is a great Arched Vault Near Flamborough-Head in Yorkshire are certain Waters called Vipsies which flow out of Neighbouring Springs every other Year and fall with a violent Stream into the Sea On Cadier Arthur Hill in Cheshire is a Spring deep as a Well and four square and having no Streams but there are Trouts found in it To the Medicinal Wells already mentioned lately found out may be added that of Sellenge and that of Egerton near Lenham in Kent both which were discovered about forty years since and the last turns Wood into Stone At Ashwell in Bedfordshire rise so many Sources of Springs that they soon drive a Mill. In the midst of the River Nen South of Peterborough in Noâ—â—hamptonshire is a deep Gulf so cold that in Summer no Swimmer is â—â—le tâ—â—â—dure it yâ—â— not frozen in Winter At Lutterworth in â—â—icestershire is a Spring so cold that it 〈◊〉 Straw and Sticks into Stoâ—â— A Valley in Fliâ—â—â—hire at the Mouth of the River seeming to lie lower than the Sea is yet never overflowed A Spring at Chedder near Axbridge drives twelve Mills within a quarter of a Mile Several Rivers run under Ground As Mole in Surrey A Branch of Medway in Kent The little River Hans in Staffordshire The little River Alen in Denbighshire At Asply Gowetz in Bedfordshire is an Earth that turns Wood into Stone To the Remarks of England may be added the Artificially cast up Tumuli or Barrows of Earth An innumerable Company of them on Salisbury Plain And that prodigious one called Silbury Hill between Marlborough and Cawn Like which is that called Clay Hill near Warmister But that lies in some doubt whether Natural or Artificial Likewise divers Vestigia of Roman Camps viz. Yarnborough Castle on Salisbury Plain Maiden Castle about a Mile West of Dorchester Badbury Castle in Dorsetshire Northsed on Hounslow Heath One near Oswaldstree in Shropshire Crednet Hill in Hertfordshire Where also Ariconium now Kenchester To the Manufactures and Inventions of England MAsons Painting and Glasing first brought into England by Benedict Anno 728. Antonio
weigh all their gross Commodities using Troy only for Silk Gold and Silver Their Measures are likewise consistent with ours Their chief Merchandise consists in Hogs Oxen Fish Flower Pease Kell or Rice Biskets Beaver Muskat Skins Otter Pipe-Staves Masts and the like and some Tobacco for which they receive in exchange English Linnen and Woollen-Cloath Iron-Tools Stockins Shoes Thred Buttons Ribons Lead Puter Tinn small Ordnance Gunpowder Shot Strong Waters Wines Oyls Fruit Salt and the like not taking any Customs for ought imported except Wines and Strong Waters and for that not above 30 or 40 Shillings per Tun Consolage they take none their Factorage is from 5 to 10 per cent for Sails and returns only and that not fixed but as the Trader and the Factor can agree Sugars they have likewise which they sell in Casks and have not many Ships belonging to the Plantation Their chief Fishing consists in dry Cod and poor Jack which every Spring and Fall they take by Hooks and sell by the Quintal or hundred Weight each for 28. or 30 Royals sometimes more tho sometimes they Barrel them up their Fraight per Tun from thence to London is 3 pound 3 pound 10 Shillings and sometimes 4 pound They have likewise an Office of Assurance now much in request both by the Inhabitants and such as Trade thither And thus much for New-England CHAP. XV. A View of Mary-Land and of the Customs and Trade thereof MAryland is upon the main Continent of America being an English Colony lying between 38 and 40 Degrees North Latitude bounded on the North by Virginia and on the South by New-England the great Ocean on the East and on the West the River Pattowmeck and was first a Colony of English Anno 1633. and for the better Increase of Trade tolerate the Christian Religion of what Profession soever and is held by a Governour or Proprietor in Fee of the Crown of England It abounds with fair Rivers stored with Fish and Commodious for the receipt of Shipping The usual way of Trading is Goods for Goods and the chief of their Commodities is Tobacco their Weights and Measures are consonant with those of England without any Tret or over allowance some Beaver Otter and other Furs they have which the English that Trade thither purchase and the Inhabitants receive them for Tobacco and Strong-Water of the Indians Mulberry Trees are there in Abundance and some Silk Their Customs or Taxes are but seldom taken as to the Subjects of England The greatest abuse that Merchants receive is the Packing of Tobacco which loose Packed or either too dry or wet put up often deceives their Expectations therefore the only way to discover such Frauds is by weighing it A full Hogs-Head well Packed will hold 400 Weight and never less than 300. For their Commodities they receive Cloath-Hangings Stuffs all manner of Iron-Ware Strong-Water Wine and the like and what they Trade with the Native Indians for they deliver them Coats commonly called Match-Coats made of coarse Shagged-Cloath Dutch-Duffields or English Hogbays either Red or Blew The new Netherlands a place Situate in 41 Degrees North Latitude upon Hudson's River is Inhabited by a Colony of the Dutch who have Incroached upon the English Trade with the Natives for Beavor Otter Elk-Skins Bears-Skins Dear-Skins and the like for which they deliver them Iron Instruments and Shaged Cloath and sometimes Guns Powder and Rapier-Blades the fatal Execution of which they have twice felt by two Massacrees Committed upon them by the Indians to the loss of half their Colony Their chief Town is New-Amsterdam indowed with many Priviledges as the old the better to draw People thither Corterialis Nurembega and Nova Francia are accounted Mexican Provinces and for the most part possessed by the French and some few Portugals Their Trade is small consisting only of Skins and Furs Estotiland or New-foundland discovered 1527 by the English in Winter is so Extream cold that it is not inhabited but by some few Natives and all the advantage which indeed is considerable that the English Reap thereby is their Fishing Trade the Fish in England being known by the Name of Newland Fish and is taken in such abundance that with them are furnished most parts of Europe The manner of the Fishing thus The Ships sometimes 40 Sail depart from our Coast about the end of February and about the middle of April arriving there they unrigg their Ships and going on Shoar Build Huts and in Shallops with Hooks and other Tackling take sometimes 30 or 40 great Fish in an Hour that is one Shallop which they slit and dry upon Rocks and Sandy-Banks after which they Salt them and in such manner continue till September when loaden with their Fish they return and dispose of them in Spain France and other Places to good advantage selling them either by the hundred Weight or by Tail and many times they sell them before they have caught 'em that is Bargain for the delivery of them when taken and of late there is an Art found of making Oyl commonly called New-Land Oyl CHAP. XVI A View of the Peruanan Provinces and of their Trade and Customs THis South part of America is divided from the North part by the Streights of Darien a Neck of Land of 10 Miles over and consists of these Pro-Provinces viz. Castella-Aurea Guinnia Peru Brasilia and Chile Castella Aurea takes its Name from the abundance of Gold that is found therein and was first discovered by the Spaniards The chief Cities are Portabel and Panama at which two Places the Viceroy makes his Residence as he sees fit and at the Latter of which the Spanish Plate-fleet for the most part is Loaded It abounds with standing Pools and deep Waters and the chief Commodities are Spices Drugs Gold Ore and Silver About it are several small Islands of which the chiefest are St. Antonio and St. Vincent situate against Cape Verd. Guinnia is situated under the Equinoctial Line being fruitful in all parts abounding with rate Fruits and so Incompassed and branched with great Rivers that in Winter time many of the Inhabitants dwell in Trees for fear of Inundations often caused by the overflowing of the Rivers Of this Countrey our famous Sir Walter Reighley made the first effectual Survey and gave Name to the great River Arinoque calling it Ralinia a River navigable for 1000 miles and for Shallops and Wherries 2000. The chief City of this Province is Manoa otherwise called the Golden City of the abundance of Gold that is found therein most of the Trade consisting of Gold-Ore Peru is for Gold the richest Province of America The Mines being more plentiful then Mines of Lead and Iron in England and the Riches thereof may be Conjectured by this When Piscario the Spanish Captain subdued it and took the King Prisoner he proposed his Ransom and delivered to the treacherous Spaniard upon solemn Promise for his Life and Liberty as much refined Gold and Silver as amounted to
consists only in terrible Rains begins about the last of April and continues till September The Commodities of the growth of this Island consist only in Palm-Trees and Cocus but hither are brought Silk Spices Jewels and all the Manufactures of India Arabia Persia Armenia c. The Weights used here are the Quintal and Rove the proper Weights of Portugal and are used in weighing most European Commodities They have likewise a Maund of 12 pound Averdupois another Weight they have proper to the Weighing of Pepper which is here found in abundance and nearly corresponds with our neat hundred Their Measure for Grain and the like is the Medida of which 24 make a Maund and 20 Maunds are 14 Bushels English Their Measure of Length is consistent with those of Lisbon to which I refer the Reader As for their Coyns they are two sorts good and bad so that when Merchants Trade they as well include in their Bargain what Coyn they shall receive or pay as what Goods they buy or sell The common Money is the Pardus Xeraphin worth 300 Res of Portugal or 3 Testons which are valued at 4 Shillings 6 pence Sterling one Pardus is worth 4 good Tangas and one good Tangas is worth 4 good Ventins or 5 Badoves a Ventine good is worth 18 bad Basarucos or 15 good ones 3 Basarucos good are 2 Res of Portugal There are currant likewise the Persina Larins of Silver worth 110 Basarucos also the Pagode of Gold worth 10 Tangas and is accounted 8 Shillings Sterling the Venetiander of Gold worth two Pardus Sheraphin the St. Thomas of Gold worth 8 Tangas the Royal of 8 ◠called Pardus d' Reales worth 440 Res of Portugal as for the Larins of Persia they continue not at any setled price but rise fall as the trade increases or decreases All the money received in way of Trade passes through the Hands of the Sheraffs a kind of Officers who for a small consideration for telling each Summ are bound to make it good either in Tale or goodness c. Having thus far proceeded I shall now give the Reader a Relation of the Pearl-Fishery a View of which may be both pleasant and profitable to the Reader as thus When the time of this Fishery draweth near which is about the middle of March the Boats go out and let down their Divers to find where the Beds of Oysters lye by Reason they continue not always in one place which being found the Gallies Armed that are appointed to defend the Fisher-men from Rovers Anchor or Cruse at a distance from the Shoar and then the Fisher-men set up a kind of a Wooden Village to contain their necessaries and to Lodg in till the time of Fishing be over and then put out their Boats or Barks in each of which is 10 men at least who mooring by their Anchors fasten a great Stone or Iron Weight to the end of a Rope and then one of them Stripping has his Ears and Nose stopped with Wool dipped in Oyl and sometimes a Sponge dipped in Oyl in his mouth and a Basket fast'ned to his left Arm or about his Neck he gets astride upon the Stone or Weight and with it Sinks to the Bottom his Companions holding one end of the Rope by which when he has filled his Basket they draw him up he giving them notice when to do so by pulling the Rope and when he is come up another is ready to go down and so take it by turns till their Bark is full of Fish which then they carry to Shoar and lay on heaps every Boats heap by it self and so continue diving for the most part in 14 or 15 Fathom Water till the middle of April or sometimes till the latter end by which time those they first took are opened by the heat of the Sun which drys away the moisture and then each Boats Crue and such others as they have to help them fall to searching for the Pearls but find them not in every Shell nor at all times of the same perfection when the Pearls are gathered there are certain Persons that View and sort them dividing them into 4 distinctions and accordingly set Prices on them as they are in Largeness Beauty and Goodness which they discern by a small instrument full of holes The divisions of Pearls are these The first second third and fourth sort viz. the round Pearl which they call the Aja or Vnja of Portugal the wrinkled Pearl called the Aja of Bengala the third sort called the Aja of Canora and the 4 or worst sort are called Aja Cambaia and when they are thus divided great is the striving amongst the Merchants who shall make the best purchase for note that none are allowed to Fish for them but such as will pay tribute and acknowledgment for so doing and indeed few there are that are expert therein And thus much for the Pearl Fishing As for the manner of their Sail and the Prices they are sold for in India I shall speak hereafter As for the Coast of Malabar it abounds with Pepper which is bought up by the Portugals six months before it's Ripe and when it comes to perfection stored up till the Arrival of their Ships and to this Coast are accounted these places viz. Romes Onor Barsellor Mongalor Cananor Calicut Granganor Cochin Coulon and Cape de Comery CHAP. XLIV A View of Musulipatan the Trade Commodities Weights Customs and Coyns thereof MVsulipatan is the chief Town upon the Coast of Chormandel where the English have setled a Factory as likewise at the Towns of Petipoly and Armagon in the same Tract all depending upon the former the Port and Situation being Commodious both for the Reception of Shipping and Temperate for English Bodies being Eastward the Natives are very Industrious in Manufacture and the Soil yields plenty in abundance and abounds with most Commodities of India from this Coast there is found driven a great Trade into Bengala Pegu Siam and Malacca In this place it is that the fine Cottons of divers colour sare wrought and dispersed not only all over India but throughout the World The Weight used on this Coast is the Candile which in the Weight of Gross Goods is found to be 20 Maunds each Maund being Accounted 26 pound 14 ½ Ounces English As for Measures I find not any they usually weighing both dry and Liquid Commodities the Customs were once 12 per cent but now reduced to 4. The currant Coyns along this Coast is the Pagode of Gold the Mahomudy and Fanan of Silver the Pagode being valued at 15 Fanans or 8 Shillings English a Fanan is 9 Cashees which are accounted 6 pence ¾ Sterling they have likewise Ryals of Spain and other Coyns the Mamody is as is before recited 12 pence English CHAP. XLV A View of Satagan the Metropolis of Bengala the Trade of that Coast and the River Ganges and the Commodities Weights Customs c. THis Coast beginneth where the before-mentioned
Royal Navy can be made which till it be is of no Effectual use but lies at charge And we see likewise upon their occasions that Merchants are put to great straights and inconveniencies and do pay excise-rates for the carrying on their Trade Now if 24,000 able Bodyed Tradesmen whereby 6000 per Annum brought up and fitted for Sea-service and for their incouragement allowed twenty Shillings per Annum for every Year they had been at Sea even when they stay at home not exceeding six pound for those who have served six years or upwards it follows that about 72000. pound at the medium of three pound per man would so satiate the whole number and so forasmuch as half the Sea-men which manage the Merchants Trade are supposed to be always in Harbour and are about 40000 together with the said half the Auxiliaries last mentioned would upon Emergencies man out the whole Royal Navy leaving to the Merchant 12000 of the able Auxiliaries to perform their business in Harbour till others come home from the Sea I say that more then this Summ 72000 pounds per Annum is Fruitlesly spent over-paid by the Merchants whensoever a great Fleet is to be fitted out Now these whom I call Auxiliary Seamen are such as have another Trade besides wherewith to maintain themselves when they are not imployed at Sea and the charge of maintaining themselves the 72000 pounds per Annum I take to be little or nothing for the Reasons above-mentioned and consequently an easie Tax to the people because levied by and paid to themselves As we propounded that Ireland should be Taxed with Flax and England by Linnen and other Manufactures of the same so I conceive that Scotland might be Taxed as much to be paid in Herrings as Ireland in Flax. Now these three Taxes of Flax Linnen and Herrings and the maintenance of the Triple Militia and of the Auxiliary Seamen above-mentioned do all five of them together amount to 1,000,000 pounds of money the raising whereof is not a Million spent but gain'd to the Common-Wealth unless it can be made appear that by Reason of all or any of them the Exportations of Wollen Manufactures Lead and Tin are lessened or of such Commodities as our own East and West India Trade do produce for as much as I conceive that the Exportation of these last mentioned Commodities is the Touch-stone whereby the Wealth of England is Tried and the Pulse whereby the Health of the Kingdom may be discerned CAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual Impediments be more Powerful at Sea then England or the low Countries POwer at Sea consists chiefly in men able to fight at Sea and that in such Shipping as is most proper for the Seas Wherein they serve and those are in these Northern Sea-Ships from between 300 to 1300 Tuns and of these such as Draw much Water and have a deep latih in the Sea in order to keep a good Wind and not to fall too Leward a matter of vast advantage in Sea-Service wherefore it is to be Examined first Whether the French King has Ports in the Northern Seas where he has most occasion for his Fleets of War in any Consists above to receive the Vessels above-mentioned in all Weather both in Winter and Summer Seats for if the French King could bring to Sea an equal number of Fighting men with the English or Hollanders in small Float Leward Vessels he would certainly be of the weaker side for a Vessel of 1000 Tuns man'd with 500 Fighting men with five Vessels of 200 Tuns each man'd with 100 men apiece shall in common Reason have the better offensively and defensively for asmuch as the great Ship can carry such Ordnance as can reach the small ones at a far greater distance then these can reach or at lest hurt the other and can batrer and sink at a distance when a small one can scarce pierce Moreover it is more difficult for men out of a small vessel to enter a tall Ship then for men from an higher place to leap down into a lower nor is small Shot so effectual upon a tall Ship as vice versa And as for Vessels drawing much Water and consequently keeping a good Wind they can toke or tear Leward Vessels at pleasure and secure themselves from being boarded by them Moreover the Windward Ship has a fairer mark at a Leward Ship then vice versa and can place her shot upon such parts of the Leward Vessel as upon the next tack will be under Water Now the French King having no Ports able to receive large Windward Vessels between Dunkirk and Vshant what other Ships he can bring into those Seas will not be considerable as for the wide Ocean which his Harbours of Breas◠and Brovage do look into it affordeth him no advantage upon an Enemy there being so great a Latitude of engaging or not even when the Parties are in sight of each other◠wherefore altho the French King were immensly rich and could build what Ships he pleased both for number and quality yet if he have not Ports to receive and shelter that sort and size of Shipping which is fit for his purpose his Riches will in this case be Fruitless and a meer expence without any return or profit Some will say that other Nations can't build so good Ships as the English I do indeed hope they can't but because it seems too possible that they may sooner or later by Practice and Experience I shall not make use of that Argument having only bound my self to shew that the Impediments of France as to this purpose are natural and perpetual Ships and Guns do not fight of themselves but men who act and manage them wherefore it is more material to shew that the French King neither has nor can have men sufficient to man a Fleet of equal Strength to that of the King of England The King of England's Navy consists of about 70,000 Tuns of Shipping which requires 36,000 men to man these men being supposed to be divided into eight parts 1 ◠part must be Persons of great Experience and Reputation in Sea-Service another ⅛ part must be such as have used the Sea seven Years and upwards half of them or ¼ part must be such as have used the Sea above a twelve Month viz. 2 3 4 5 or six Years allowing but one quarter of the whole compliment to be such as never were at Sea at all or at most but one Voyage or upon one Expedition so that at a medium I reckon the whole Fleet must be men of three or four Years growth one with another Fournier a late judicious Writer making it his business to persuade the World how considerable the Kings of France was or might be at Sea in ninety two or ninety three Pages of his Hierography saith that there was one place in Britany which had Furnished the King with 1400 Seamen and that perhaps the whole Sea coast of France