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Title: The Natural History of Wiltshire
Author: John Aubrey
Editor: John Britton
Release date: January 1, 2004 [eBook #4934]
Most recently updated: July 19, 2025
Language: English
Credits: Mikle Coker
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NATURAL HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE ***
The Natural History of Wiltshire
["Aubrey, John", "Britton, John"]
1656
2025-07-19
Unknown
en
"The Natural History of Wiltshire" by John Aubrey is a historical account written during the late 17th century. This work reflects Aubrey's compilation of observations, folklore, and scientific insights about the natural and cultural aspects of Wiltshire, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in regional history and topography. At the start of the book, the editor's preface sets the stage for Aubrey's unpublished manuscript, which seeks to document the unique features of Wiltshire. It discusses Aubrey's endeavors to promote local history and highlights his interactions with various contemporary figures, indicating a blend of personal anecdotes and scholarly efforts. The opening also mentions the initial challenges faced in publishing the work, ultimately establishing it as a significant contribution to the understanding of the county's natural history, including geology, climate, and the local populace's customs and characteristics. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE
by JOHN AUBREY, F.R.S.
(written between 1656 and 1691.)
TO
GEORGE POULETT SCROPE, ESQ. M.P.,
&c, &c. &c.
MY DEAR SIR,
By inscribing this Volume to you I am merely discharging a debt of
gratitude and justice. But for you I believe it would not have been
printed; for you not only advocated its publication, but have
generously contributed to diminish the cost of its production to the
“WILTSHIRE TOPOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY”, under whose auspices it is now
submitted to the public.
Though comparatively obsolete as regards its scientific,
archaeological, and philosophical information, AUBREY’S “NATURAL
HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE” is replete with curious and entertaining facts
and suggestions, at once characterising the writer, and the age in
which he lived, and illustrating the history and topography of his
native county. Had this work been revised and printed by its author, as
he wished and intended it to have been, it would have proved as useful
and important as Plot’s “Staffordshire” and “Oxfordshire”; Burton’s
“Leicestershire”; Morton’s “Northamptonshire”; Philipott’s “Kent”; or
any others of its literary predecessors or contemporaries. It could not
have failed to produce useful results to the county it describes; as it
was calculated to promote inquiry, awaken curiosity, and plant seeds
which might have produced a rich and valuable harvest of Topography.
Aubrey justly complained of the apathy which prevailed in his time
amongst Wiltshire men towards such topics; and, notwithstanding the
many improvements that have since been made in general science,
literature, and art, I fear that the gentry and clergy of the county do
not sufficiently appreciate the value and utility of local history;
otherwise the _Wiltshire Topographical Society_ would not linger for
want of adequate and liberal support. Aubrey, Bishop Tanner, Henry
Penruddocke Wyndham, Sir Richard Colt Hoare, and the writer of this
address, have successively appealed to the inhabitants of the county to
produce a history commensurate to its wealth and extent, and also to
the many and varied objects of importance and interest which belong to
it: but, alas! all have failed, and I despair of living to see my
native county amply and satisfactorily elucidated by either one or more
topographers.
By the formation of the Society already mentioned, by writing and
superintending this volume and other preceding publications, and by
various literary exertions during the last half century, I have
endeavoured to promote the cause of Topography in Wiltshire; and in
doing so have often been encouraged by your sympathy and support. For
this I am bound to offer you the expression of my very sincere thanks;
and with an earnest wish that you may speedily complete your projected
“History of Castle Combe,”
I am,
My dear Sir,
Yours very truly,
JOHN BRITTON.
_Burton Street, London._
1_st September_, 1847.
EDITOR’S PREFACE.EDITOR’S PREFACE.
In the “Memoir of John Aubrey”, published by the Wiltshire
Topographical Society in 1845, I expressed a wish that the “NATURAL
HISTORY of WILTSHIRE”, the most important of that author’s unpublished
manuscripts, might be printed by the Society, as a companion volume to
that Memoir, which it is especially calculated to illustrate.
The work referred to had been then suggested to the Council of the
Society by George Poulett Scrope, Esq. M.P., as desirable for
publication. They concurred with him in that opinion; and shortly
afterwards, through the kind intervention of the Marquess of
Northampton, an application was made to the Council of the Royal
Society for permission to have a transcript made for publication from
the copy of the “Natural History of Wiltshire” in their possession. The
required permission was readily accorded; and had not the printing been
delayed by my own serious illness during the last winter, and urgent
occupations since, it would have been completed some months ago.
When the present volume was first announced, it was intended to print
the whole of Aubrey’s manuscript; but after mature deliberation it has
been thought more desirable to select only such passages as directly or
indirectly apply to the county of Wilts, or which comprise information
really useful or interesting in itself, or curious as illustrating the
state of literature and science at the time when they were written.
Before the general reader can duly understand and appreciate the
contents of the present volume it is necessary that he should have some
knowledge of the manners, customs, and literature of the age when it
was written, and with the lucubrations of honest, but “magotie-headed”
John Aubrey, as he is termed by Anthony a Wood. Although I have already
endeavoured to portray his mental and personal characteristics, and
have carefully marked many of his merits, eccentricities, and foibles,
I find, from a more careful examination of his “Natural History of
Wiltshire” than I had previously devoted to it, many anecdotes,
peculiarities, opinions, and traits, which, whilst they serve to mark
the character of the man, afford also interesting memorials of his
times. If that age be compared and contrasted with the present, the
difference cannot fail to make us exult in living, breathing, and
acting in a region of intellect and freedom, which is all sunshine and
happiness, opposed to the gloom and illiteracy which darkened the days
of Aubrey. Even Harvey, Wren, Flamsteed, and Newton, his contemporaries
and friends, were slaves and victims to the superstition and fanaticism
of their age.
It has long been customary to regard John Aubrey as a credulous and
gossiping narrator of anecdotes of doubtful authority, and as an
ignorant believer of the most absurd stories. This notion was grounded
chiefly upon the prejudiced testimony of Anthony a Wood, and on the
contents of the only work which Aubrey published during his
lifetime,—an amusing collection of “Miscellanies” relating to dreams,
apparitions, witchcraft, and similar subjects. Though his “History of
Surrey” was of a more creditable character, and elicited the approval
of Manning and Bray, the subsequent historians of that county, an
unfavourable opinion of Aubrey long continued to prevail. The
publication of his “Lives of Eminent Men” tended, however, to raise him
considerably in the estimation of discriminating critics; and in my own
“Memoir” of his personal and literary career, with its accompanying
analysis of his unpublished works, I endeavoured (and I believe
successfully) to vindicate his claims to a distinguished place amongst
the literati of his times.
That he has been unjustly stigmatised amongst his contemporaries as an
especial votary of superstition is obvious, even on a perusal of his
most objectionable work, the “Miscellanies” already mentioned, which
plainly shews that his more scientific contemporaries, including even
some of the most eminent names in our country’s literary annals,
participated in the same delusions. It would be amusing to compare the
“Natural History of Wiltshire” with two similar works on “Oxfordshire”
and “Staffordshire,” by Dr. Robert Plot, which procured for their
author a considerable reputation at the time of their publication, and
which still bear a favourable character amongst the topographical works
of the seventeenth century. It may be sufficient here to state that the
chapters in those publications on the Heavens and Air, Waters, Earths,
Stones, Formed stones, Plants, Beastes, Men and Women, Echoes, Devils
and Witches, and other subjects, are very similar to those of Aubrey.
Indeed the plan of the latter’s work was modelled upon those of Dr.
Plot, and Aubrey states in his Preface that he endeavoured to induce
that gentleman to undertake the arrangement and publication of his
“Natural History of Wiltshire”. On comparing the writings of the two
authors, we cannot hesitate to award superior merits to the Wiltshire
antiquary.
A few passages may be quoted from the latter to shew that he was
greatly in advance of his contemporaries in general knowledge and
liberality of sentiment:—
“I have oftentimes wished for a mappe of England coloured according to
the colours of the earth; with markes of the fossiles and minerals.”
(p. 10.)
“As the motion caused by a stone lett fall into the water is by
circles, so sounds move by spheres in the same manner; which, though
obvious enough, I doe not remember to have seen in any booke.” (p. 18.)
“Phantomes. Though I myselfe never saw any such things, yet I will not
conclude that there is no truth at all in these reports. I believe that
extraordinarily there have been such apparitions; but where one is true
a hundred are figments. There is a lecherie in lyeing and imposing on
the credulous, and the imagination of fearfull people is to
admiration.” [In other words, timid people are disposed to believe
marvellous stories.] (p. 122.)
“Draughts of the Seates and Prospects. If these views were well donn,
they would make a glorious volume by itselfe, and like enough it might
take well in the world. It were an inconsiderable expence to these
persons of qualitie, and it would remaine to posterity when their
families are gonn and their buildings ruined by time or fire, as we
have seen that stupendous fabric of Paul’s Church, not a stone left on
a stone, and lives now only in Mr. Hollar’s Etchings in Sir William
Dugdale’s History of Paul’s. I am not displeased with this thought as a
desideratum, but I doe never expect to see it donn; so few men have the
hearts to doe public good to give 4 or 5 pounds for a copper-plate.” p.
126.)
With regard to the history of the work now first published, it may be
stated that it was the author’s first literary essay; being commenced
in 1656, and evidently taken up from time to time, and pursued “con
amore”. In 1675 it was submitted to the Royal Society, when, as Aubrey
observed in a letter to Anthony á Wood, it “gave them two or three
dayes entertainment which they were pleased to like.” Dr. Plot declined
to prepare it for the press, and in December 1684 strongly urged the
author to “finish and publish it” himself; he accordingly proceeded to
arrange its contents, and in the month of June following (in the
sixtieth year of his age) wrote the Preface, describing its origin and
progress. He states elsewhere that on the 21st of April 1686, he
“finished the last chapter,” and in the same year he had his portrait
painted by “Mr. David Loggan, the graver,” expressly to be engraved for
the intended publication.
On the 18th of August 1686 he wrote the following Will: “Whereas I,
John Aubrey, R.S.S., doe intend shortly to take a journey into the
west; and reflecting on the fate that manuscripts use to have after the
death of the author, I have thought good to signify my last Will (as to
this Naturall History of Wilts): that my will and desire is, that in
case I shall depart this life before my returne to London again, to
finish, if it pleaseth God, this discourse, I say and declare that my
will then is, that I bequeath these papers of the Natural History of
Wilts to my worthy friend Mr. Robert Hooke, of Gresham Colledge and
R.S.S., and I doe also humbly desire him, and my will is, that the
noble buildings and prospects should be engraven by my worthy friend
Mr. David Loggan, who hath drawn my picture already in order to it”
This document* shews at once the dangers and difficulties which
attended travelling in Aubrey’s time, and also that he seriously
contemplated the publication of his favourite work.
* [It has been already printed in my Memoir of Aubrey. A note attached
to it shews that the author intended to incorporate with the present
work some portions of his MS. “Monumenta Britannica”; which was also
dedicated to the Earl of Pembroke.]
Neither his fears of death nor his hopes of publication were however
then realized: probably the political disturbances attending the
Revolution of 1688 interfered with the latter. In the November of the
year following that event Aubrey’s friend and patron Thomas, Earl of
Pembroke, was elected President of the Royal Society, which
distinguished office he held only for one year. During that period the
author dedicated the “Natural History of Wiltshire” to his Lordship;
and there is little reason to doubt that the fair copy, now in the
Society’s Library, was made by the author, and given to it in the year
1690. About the same time he had resolved to present his other
manuscripts, together with some printed books, coins, antiquities, &c.,
to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford; and most of them were accordingly
deposited there. He however appears to have retained his original
manuscript of the “Natural History,” in which he made several
observations in the year 1691; that being the latest date attached by
him to any of the additions.†
† [Some of these additions of 1691 Aubrey afterwards transcribed into
certain blank spaces in the Royal Society’s copy.]
On the 15th of September in the same year Aubrey sent this work to his
learned and scientific friend, John Ray, for his perusal. The latter
made a number of notes upon various parts of the manuscript, which he
retained till the 27th of the ensuing month; when he returned it with
the very judicious letter which will be found printed in this present
publication (p. 7.) He had acknowledged the receipt of the work in a
previous letter, in which he says: “I have read it over with great
pleasure and satisfaction. You doe so mingle “utile dulci” {the useful
with the sweet} that the book cannot but take with all sorts of
readers: and it is pity it should be suppressed; which, though you make
a countenance of, I cannot persuade myself you really intend to do:”
and then proceeds to criticise a few pedantic or “new-coyned” words,
and also the contents of Chapter VIII. (Part I.) It was probably soon
afterwards that Evelyn perused and added some notes to the manuscript;‡
and in February 1694 Aubrey also lent the work to Thomas Tanner
(afterwards Bishop of St Asaph), at his earnest request. He seems to
have become acquainted with his fellow county-man, Tanner, only a short
time before this. The latter, although then only in his twenty-first
year, and pursuing his studies at Oxford, had acquired a reputation for
knowledge of English antiquities, and with the ardour and enthusiasm of
youth evinced much anxiety to promote the publication of this and some
of the other works of his venerable friend. He added several notes to
the manuscript, and whilst in his possession it was no doubt examined
also by Gibson. It is referred to in the notes to the latter’s edition
of Camden’s “Britannia.”
‡ [Perhaps in May 1692; when he is known to have examined another of
Aubrey’s works, “An Idea of Education of Young Gentlemen”.—Evelyn’s
notes to the “Wiltshire” are thus referred to in a memorandum by Aubrey
on a fly-leaf of the manuscript: “Mdm. That ye annotations to which are
prefixed this marke [J. E.] were writt by my worthy friend John Evelyn,
Esq. R.S.S. ’Twas pitty he wrote them in black lead; so that I was
faine to runne them all over againe with inke. I thinke not more than
two words are obliterated.”]
Had Aubrey’s life been spared a few years longer it is very possible
that most of his manuscripts would have been printed, under the
stimulus and with the assistance of his youthful friend. His
“Miscellanies,” which appeared in 1696, seem to have owed their
publication to these influences; and in the Dedication of that work to
his patron the Earl of Abingdon, Aubrey thus expressly mentions
Tanner:— “It was my intention to have finished my Description of
Wiltshire (half finished* already), and to have dedicated it to your
Lordship, but my age is now too far spent for such undertakings.† I
have therefore devolved that task on my countryman Mr. Thomas Tanner,
who hath youth to go through with it, and a genius proper for such an
undertaking.”
* [The work alluded to still remains “half finished,” being a
Description of the “North Division” only of the county. It has been
printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps from the MS. in the Ashmolean Museum.
4to. 1821–1838.]
† [He was then in his 71st year.]
A chapter of the “Natural History” (being “Fatalities of Families and
Places”), was at this time detached from the original manuscript to
furnish materials for the remarks on “Local Fatality,” in the
“Miscellanies.”
John Aubrey died suddenly in the first week in June 1697, and was
buried in the church of St. Mary Magdalen at Oxford, and from the time
of his decease the original draught of his Wiltshire History has been
carefully preserved in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, as the fair copy
of 1690 has also in the Library of the Royal Society in London.
Until the “Natural History of Wiltshire” was briefly described in my
own “Memoir” of its author, very little was known of it beyond the mere
fact of the existence of the two manuscripts. Copying from the original
at Oxford, Dr. Rawlinson printed the Preface and Dedication, together
with Ray’s letter of the 27th October, 1691, as addenda to his edition
of Aubrey’s “History of Surrey,” (1719.) The same manuscript was also
noticed by Thomas Warton and William Huddesford in a list of the
author’s works in the Ashmolean Museum.‡ Horace Walpole referred to the
Royal Society’s copy in his Anecdotes of Painting (1762); but though
his reference seems to have excited the curiosity of Gough, the latter
contented himself with stating that he could not find the work
mentioned in Mr. Robertson’s catalogue of the Society’s library.
‡ [This list forms a note to the “Lives of Leland, Hearne, and Wood”
(8° 1772). Though it includes the “Natural History,” it omits the
“Description of North Wiltshire.” The latter was known previously,
being mentioned by Aubrey himself in his Miscellanies, and also by Dr.
Rawlinson; and hence, Warton and Huddesford’s list being supposed to be
complete, much confusion has arisen respecting these two of Aubrey’s
works, which have been sometimes considered as identical.]
Some years ago Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., contemplated publishing
this “Natural History,” but he appears to have abandoned his design.
A brief description of the present state of the two manuscripts, with
reference to the text of the volume now published, may be desirable.
The Oxford copy, which may be termed the author’s rough draught, is in
two parts or volumes, demy folio, in the original vellum binding.§
Being compiled at various times, during a long series of years, it has
a confused appearance, from the numerous corrections and additions made
in it by Aubrey. A list of the chapters is prefixed to each volume,
whence it appears that Aubrey had intended to include some observations
on “Prices of Corne”, “Weights and Measures”, “Antiquities and Coines”,
and “Forests, Parks, and Chaces”. Most of these topics are adverted to
under other heads, but the author never carried out his intention by
forming them into separate chapters. Besides wanting the “Fatalities of
Families and Places”, taken out by the author in 1696, as already
stated, the Oxford manuscript is deficient also in the chapters on
“Architecture”, “Accidents”, and “Seates”. So far therefore as Aubrey’s
own labours are concerned, the Royal Society’s copy is the most
perfect; but the notes of Ray, Evelyn, and Tanner were written upon the
Oxford manuscript after the fair copy was made, and have never been
transcribed into the latter. The Royal Society’s manuscript is entirely
in Aubrey’s own hand, and is very neatly and carefully written, being
in that respect, as well as in its completeness, much superior to the
original. Of the latter it appears to have been an exact transcript;
but it wants some of the rude sketches and diagrams with which the
original is illustrated. The two parts form only one volume, demy
folio, which is paged consecutively from 1 to 373, and is bound in
modern Russia leather.
§ [The first volume has two title-pages. On one of them, as well as on
the cover, the work is called the “Natural History” of Wiltshire; but
the remaining title designates its contents as “Memoires of Natural
Remarques” in the county.]
As already stated, a copy of the entire work was made for the purposes
of this publication from the Royal Society’s volume. The ownership of
this copy has since been transferred to George Poulett Scrope, Esq.
M.P., of Castle Combe, who has had it collated with the Oxford
manuscript, thus making it unique.
Every care has been taken to preserve the strictest accuracy in the
extracts now published, and with that view, as well as to correspond
with such of Aubrey’s works as have been already printed, the original
orthography has been retained. The order and arrangement of the
chapters, and their division into two parts, are also adhered to. At
the commencement of each chapter I have indicated the nature of the
passages which are omitted in the present volume, and although such
omissions are numerous, it may be stated that all the essential and
useful portions of the work are either here printed, or so referred to
as to render them easily accessible in future to the scientific
student, the antiquary, and the topographer.
With respect to the Notes which I have added, as Editor of the present
volume, in correction or illustration of Aubrey’s observations, I am
alone responsible.* It would have been easy to have increased their
number; for every page of the original text is full of matter
suggestive of reflection and comment. I am aware that a more familiar
acquaintance with the present condition of Wiltshire would have
facilitated my task, and added greatly to the importance of these
notes. On this point indeed I might quote the remarks of Aubrey in his
preface, for they apply with equal force to myself; and, like him, I
cannot but regret that no “ingeniouse and publique-spirited young
Wiltshire man” has undertaken the task which I have thus imperfectly
performed.
* [These are enclosed within brackets [thus], and bear the initials J.
B. Some of the less important are marked by brackets only.]
In closing this address, and also in taking leave of the county of
Wilts, as regards my literary connection with it, I feel it to be at
once a duty and a pleasure to record my acknowledgments and thanks to
those persons who have kindly aided me on the present occasion. When I
commenced this undertaking I did not anticipate the labour it would
involve me in, and the consequent time it would demand, or I must have
declined the task; for I have been compelled to neglect a superior
obligation which I owe to a host of kind and generous friends who have
thought proper to pay me and literature a compliment in my old age, by
subscribing a large sum of money as a PUBLIC TESTIMONIAL. In return for
this, and to reciprocate the compliment, I have undertaken the
laborious and delicate task of writing an AUTO-BIOGRAPHY which will
narrate the chief incidents of my public life, and describe the
literary works which I have produced. It is my intention to present a
copy of this volume to each subscriber, so as to perpetuate the event
in his own library and family, by a receipt or acknowledgment
commemorative of the mutual sympathy and obligation of the donor and
the receiver. Being now relieved from all other engagements and
occupations, it is my intention to prosecute this memoir with zeal and
devotion; and if health and life be awarded to me I hope to accomplish
it in the ensuing winter.*
* [The volume will contain at least fifteen illustrations from steel
copper, wood, and stone, and more than 300 pages of letterpress. A copy
of the work will be presented to each subscriber, proportionate in
value to the amount of the contribution. Hence three different sizes of
the volume will be printed, namely: imperial 4to, with India proofs,
fur subscribers of 10 [pounds}; medium 4to, with proofs, for those of 3
{pounds} and 5 {pounds}; and royal 8vo, with a limited number of
prints, for subscribers of 1{pound} and 2 {pounds}.]
To the MARQUESS OF NORTHAMPTON, a native of Wiltshire, the zealous and
devoted President of the Royal Society, my especial thanks are tendered
for his influence with the Council of that Society, in obtaining their
permission to copy Aubrey’s manuscript; and also to
GEORGE POULETT SCROPE, Esq. M.P., for contributing materially towards
the expense of the copy, and thereby promoting its publication.
To my old and esteemed friend the REV. DR. INGRAM, President of Trinity
College, Oxford, I am obliged for many civilities, and for some
judicious corrections and suggestions. His intimate acquaintance with
Wiltshire, his native county, and his general knowledge of archaeology,
as well as of classical and mediaeval history, eminently qualify him to
give valuable aid in all publications like the present.
To JOHN GOUGH NICHOLS, Esq. F.S.A., both myself and the reader are
under obligations, for carefully revising the proof sheets for the
press, and for several valuable corrections.
To C. R. WELD, Esq. Assistant Secretary to the Royal Society, I am
indebted for affording facilities for copying the manuscript.
Lastly, my obligations and thanks are due to MR. T. E. JONES, for the
accurate transcript which he made from Aubrey’s fair manuscript, for
collating the same with the original at Oxford, for selecting and
arranging the extracts which are now for the first time printed, and
for his scrupulous and persevering assistance throughout the
preparation of the entire volume. But for such essential aid, it would
have been out of my power to produce the work as it is now presented to
the members of the “Wiltshire Topographical Society,” and to the
critical reader.
JOHN BRITTON.
Burton Street, London.
1st September, 1847.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Title-page, with View of the Upper Part of the Tower of Sutton Benger
Church.
DEDICATION to G. P. SCROPE, Esq. M.P.
The EDITOR’S PREFACE; with Historical and Descriptive Particulars of
Aubrey’s Manuscripts
Title-page to the Original Manuscript
DEDICATION, by Aubrey, to THOMAS, EARL of PEMBROKE
The AUTHOR’S Original PREFACE.
Letter from John Ray to Aubrey, with Comments on the Writings of the
latter.
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. CHOROGRAPHIA:—Geological Remarks, Local
Influences
List of “THE CHAPTERS”
PART I.
CHAP. I. AIR:—Winds, Mists, Storms, Meteors, Echos, Sounds
CHAP. II. SPRINGS MEDICINAL:—At Chippenham, Kington St. Michael,
Draycot, Seend, Epsom, Melksham, Dundery-hill, Lavington, Devizes,
Minety, Wotton Bassett, &c.; Sir W. Petty’s “Queries for the Tryall of
Minerall Waters”
CHAP. III. RIVERS:—Wily, North Avon, Upper Avon, Nadder, Stour,
Deverill, Kennet, Marden, Thames, &c.; Proposal for a Canal to connect
the Thames and North Avon.
CHAP. IV. SOILS:—Clay, Marl, Fuller’s Earth, Chalk, Gravel, Sand;
Downs, Fairy-rings, Becket’s Path at Winterbourn, Peat, Spontaneous
Vegetation, Hills
CHAP. V. MINERALS AND FOSSILS:—Iron, Silver, Copperas, Umber, Spar,
Lead, Coal.
CHAP. VI. STONES:—Of Haselbury, Chilmark, and Swindon; Lime, Chalk,
Pebbles, Flints; the Grey Wethers
CHAP. VII. FORMED STONES:—Belemnites, Madrepores, Oysters, Astroites,
Cornua Ammonia, Echini, &c.
CHAP. VIII. AN HYPOTHESIS OF THE TERRAQUEOUS GLOBE:—Learned
Speculations on the structure of the Earth.
CHAP. IX. PLANTS:—Herbs, Orcheston Knot-grass, Alhanna, Tobacco, Oak,
Elm, Beech, Hazel, Yew, Box, Holly, Osiers, Elders, Ash, Glastonbury
Thorn, &c.
CHAP. X. BEASTS:—Deer, Hares, Rabbits, Dogs, Cattle
CHAP. XI. FISHES:—Trout, Eels, Umbers or Grayling, Carp, Tench,
Salmon; Fish-ponds, &c.
CHAP. XII. BIRDS:—Larks, Woodpeckers, Bustards, Crows, Pheasants,
Hawks, Sea-gulls, &c.
CHAP. XIII. REPTILES AND INSECTS:—Snakes, Adders, Toads, Snails, Bees;
Recipe to make Metheglyn
CHAP. XIV. MEN AND WOMEN:—Longevity, Remarkable Births, &c..
CHAP. XV. DISEASES AND CURES:—Leprosy, the Plague, Gout, Ricketts,
Pin-and-Web, &c.
CHAP. XVI. OBSERVATIONS ON PARISH REGISTERS:—Population, Poor Rates,
Periodical Diseases
PART II.
CHAP. I. WORTHIES:—Princes, Saints, Prelates, Statesmen, Writers,
Musicians; John Aubrey, Captain Thomas Stump
CHAP. II. THE GRANDEUR OF THE HERBERTS, EARLS OF PEMBROKE:—Description
of Wilton. House; Pictures, Library, Armoury, Gardens, Stables; the
Earl’s Hounds and Hawks, Tilting at Wilton, &c.
CHAP. III. LEARNED MEN WHO HAD PENSIONS GRANTED TO THEM BY THE EARLS
OF PEMBROKE:—With Notices of Mary, Countess of Pembroke, Dr. Mouffet,
William Browne, Philip Massinger, J. Donne, &c.
CHAP. IV. GARDENS:—At Lavington, Chelsea, Wilton, Longleat
CHAP. V. ARTS, LIBERAL AND MECHANICAL:—Learning, Colleges; Trades,
Inventions, Machinery
CHAP. VI. ARCHITECTURE:—Stonehenge, Avebury, Old Sarum, Salisbury
Cathedral, Wardour Castle, Calne Church, Painted Glass, Bradenstoke
Priory, Market Crosses, Paving Tiles, Old Mansions, Church Bells
CHAP. VII. AGRICULTURE:—Manures, Water Meadows, Butter and Cheese,
Malting and Brewing
CHAP. VIII. THE DOWNES:—Pastoral Life, Sydney’s Arcadia; Sheep,
Shepherds, Pastoral Poetry
CHAP. IX. WOOL:—Qualities of Wool; its Growth, and Manufacture
CHAP. X. FALLING OF RENTS in Wiltshire attributed to the reduced price
of Wool
CHAP. XI. HISTORY OF THE CLOTHING TRADE:—Merchants of the Staple;
Introduction of the Cloth Manufacture
CHAP. XII. EMINENT CLOTHIERS or WILTSHIRE:—John Hall, of Salisbury;
William Stump, of Malmsbury; Paul Methuen, of Bradford, &c.
CHAP. XIII. FAIRS AND MARKETS:—At Castle-Combe, Wilton, Chilmark,
Salisbury, Devizes, Warminster, Marlborough, Lavington, Highworth,
Swindon
CHAP. XIV. HAWKS AND HAWKING:—Extraordinary Flight, Historical Details
CHAP. XV. THE RACE:—Salisbury Races, Famous Race Horses, Stobball-play
CHAP. XVI. NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS IN WILTSHIRE:—Increase of Attorneys the
Cause of Litigation
CHAP. XVII. FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES:—Norrington,
Castle-Combe, Stanton St. Quintin, Easton Piers
CHAP. XVIII. ACCIDENTS, OR REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES:—Destruction of
Marlborough by Fire; Cure of the King’s Evil, Pretended Witchcraft,
Mysterious Knockings at North Tidworth, Witches Executed at Salisbury,
Phantoms
CHAP. XIX. SEATS:—Merton, Ivy-church, Littlecot, Longleat, Tottenham
Park, Wardour Castle
CHAP. XX. DRAUGHTS OF THE SEATS AND PROSPECTS:—Aubrey’s Instructions
to the Artists for a Map of the County, with Engravings of the
Principal Buildings and Views
MEMOIRES
OF
NATURALL REMARQUES
IN THE
County of Wilts:
TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED,
OBSERVABLES OF THE SAME KIND
IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY, AND
FLYNTSHIRE.
BY
MR. JOHN AUBREY, R.S.S.
1685.
PSALM 92, v. 5, 6.
“O LORD, HOW GLORIOUS ARE THY WORKES: THY THOUGHTS ARE VERY DEEP. AN
UNWISE MAN DOTH NOT WELL CONSIDER THIS: AND A FOOL DOTH NOT UNDERSTAND
IT.”
PSALM 77, v. 11.
“I WILL REMEMBER THE WORKES OF THE LORD: AND CALL TO MIND THY WONDERS
OF OLD TIME.”
GRATII PALISCI CYNEGETICON.
“O RERUM PRUDENS QUANTUM EXPERIENTIA VULGO
MATERIEM LARGILIA BONI, SI VINCERE CURENT
DESIDIAM, ET GRATOS AGITANDO PREBENDERE FINES!
—————— DEUS AUCTOR, ET IPSA
AREM ALUIT NATURA SUAM.”
TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THOMAS, EARLE OF PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERIE,
LORD HERBERT OF CAERDIFFE, &c.;
ONE OF THE PRIVY COUNCELL TO THEIR MAJESTIES,
AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYALL SOCIETIE.
[A page is appropriated in the manuscript to the Author’s intended
DEDICATION; the name and titles of his patron only being filled in, as
above.
The nobleman named is particularly mentioned by Aubrey in his Chapter
on “The Worthies of Wiltshire”, printed in a subsequent part of this
volume. He was Earl of Pembroke from 1683 till his death in 1733; and
was distinguished for his love of literature and the fine arts. He
formed the Wilton Collection of marbles, medals, and coins; and
succeeded John, Earl of Carbery, as President of the Royal Society, in
November, 1689.—J. B.]
PREFACE.PREFACE.
Till about the yeare 1649,* ’twas held a strange presumption for a man
to attempt an innovation in learning; and not to be good manners to be
more knowing than his neighbours and forefathers. Even to attempt an
improvement in husbandry, though it succeeded with profit, was look’t
upon with an ill eie. “Quo non Livor abit?”† Their neighbours did
scorne to follow it, though not to do it was to their own detriment.
’Twas held a sinne to make a scrutinie into the waies of nature;
whereas Solomon saieth, “Tradidit mundum disputationibus hominum”: and
it is certainly a profound part of religion to glorify GOD in his
workes.‡
* Experimentall Philosophy was then first cultivated by a club at Oxon.
† Ovid. Fast.
‡ “Deus est maximus in minimis. Prsæsentemque refert quælibet Herba
Deum”.
In those times to have had an inventive and enquiring witt was
accounted resverie [affectation§], which censure the famous Dr. William
Harvey could not escape for his admirable discovery of the circulation
of the blood. He told me himself that upon his publishing that booke he
fell in his practice extremely.
§ [The words inclosed within brackets are inserted in Aubrey’s
manuscript above the preceding words, of which they were intended as
corrections or modifications. If the work had been printed by the
author he would doubtless have adopted those words which he deemed most
expressive of his meaning.—J. B.]
Foreigners say of us that we are “Lyncei foris, Talpœ domi”. There is
no nation abounds with greater varietie of soiles, plants, and
mineralls than ours; and therefore it very well deserves to be
surveyed. Certainly there is no hunting to be compared with “Venatio
Panos”; and to take no notice at all of what is dayly offered before
our eyes is grosse stupidity.
I was from my childhood affected with the view of things rare; which is
the beginning of philosophy: and though I have not had leisure to make
any considerable proficiency in it, yet I was carried on with a strong
[secret] inpulse to undertake this taske: I knew not why, unles for my
owne private [particular] pleasure. Credit there was none; for it getts
the disrespect [contempt] of a man’s neighbours. But I could not rest
[be] quiet till I had obeyed this secret call. Mr. Camden, Dr. Plott,
and Mr. Wood confess the same [like].
I am the first that ever made an essay of this kind for Wiltshire, and,
for ought I know, in the nation; having begun it in An°. 1656. In the
yeare 1675 I became acquainted with Dr. Robert Plott, who had then his
“Naturall Historie of Oxfordshire” upon the loome, which I seeing he
did performe so excellently well, desired him to undertake Wiltshire,
and I would give him all my papers: as I did [he had] also my papers of
Surrey as to the naturall things, and offered him my further
assistance. But he was then invited into Staffordshire to illustrate
that countie; which having finished in December 1684, I importuned him
again to undertake this county: but he replied he was so taken up in
[arranging?] of the Museum Ashmoleanum that he should meddle no more in
that kind, unles it were for his native countie of Kent; and therefore
wished me to finish and publish what I had begun. Considering therefore
that if I should not doe this myselfe, my papers might either perish,
or be sold in an auction, and somebody else, as is not uncommon, put
his name to my paines; and not knowing any one that would undertake
this designe while I live, I have tumultuarily stitch’t up what I have
many yeares since collected; being chiefly but the observations of my
frequent road between South and North Wilts; that is, between Broad
Chalke and Eston Piers. If I had had then leisure, I would willingly
have searched the naturalls of the whole county. It is now fifteen
yeares since I left this country, and have at this distance inserted
such additions as I can call to mind, so that methinks this description
is like a picture that Mr. Edm. Bathurst, B.D. of Trinity Colledge,
Oxon, drew of Dr. Kettle three [some] yeares after his death, by
strength of memory only; he had so strong an idea of him: and it did
well resemble him. I hope hereafter it will be an incitement to some
ingeniouse and publique spirited young Wiltshire man to polish and
compleat what I have here delivered rough-hewen; for I have not leisure
to heighten my style. And it may seem nauseous to some that I have
rak’t up so many western vulgar proverbs, which I confess I do not
disdeigne to quote,* for proverbs are drawn from the experience and
observations of many ages; and are the ancient natural philosophy of
the vulgar, preserved in old English in bad rhythmes, handed downe to
us; and which I set here as “Instantiæ Crucis” for our curious moderne
philosophers to examine and give {Gk: dioti} to their {Gk: hostis}.
* Plinie is not afraide to call them Oracles: (Lib. xviii. Nat. Hist.
cap. iv.) “Ac primum omnium oraculis majore ex parte agemus, qua non in
alio vite genere plura certiorara sunt.”
But before I fly at the marke to make a description of this county, I
will take the boldness to cancelleer, and give a generall description
of what parts of England I have seen, as to the soiles: which I call
Chorographia Super and Sub-terranea (or thinke upon a more fitting
name).
_London, Gresham Coll., June_ 6_th_, 1685.
[The original of the following LETTER from JOHN RAY to AUBREY is
inserted immediately after the Preface, in the MS. at Oxford. It is
not transcribed into the Royal Society’s copy of the work.—J. B.]
FOR MR. JOHN AUBREY.
Sr,
Black Notley, 8br 27, —91.
Your letter of Octob. 22d giving advice of your safe return to London
came to hand, wch as I congratulate with you, so have I observed your
order in remitting your Wiltshire History, wch with this enclosed I
hope you will receive this week. I gave you my opinion concerning this
work in my last, wch I am more confirmed in by a second perusal, and
doe wish that you would speed it to ye presse. It would be convenient
to fill up ye blanks so far as you can; but I am afraid that will be a
work of time, and retard the edition. Whatever you conceive may give
offence may by ye wording of it be so softned and sweetned as to take
off ye edge of it, as pills are gilded to make them lesse ungratefull.
As for the soil or air altering the nature, and influencing the wits of
men, if it be modestly delivered, no man will be offended at it,
because it accrues not to them by their own fault: and yet in such
places as dull men’s wits there are some exceptions to be made. You
know the poet observes that Democritus was an example—
Summos posse viros, et magna exempla daturos
Vervecû in patria, crassoque sub aere nasci.
Neither is yr observation universally true that the sons of labourers
and rusticks are more dull and indocile than those of gentlemen and
tradesmen; for though I doe not pretend to have become of the first
magnitude for wit or docility, yet I think I may without arrogance say
that in our paltry country school here at Braintry—“Ego meis me
minoribus condiscipulis ingenio prælu[si]”: but perchance the advantage
I had of my contemporaries may rather be owing to my industry than
natural parts; so that I should rather say “studio” or “industria
excellui”.
I think (if you can give me leave to be free with you) that you are a
little too inclinable to credit strange relations. I have found men
that are not skilfull in ye history of nature, very credulous, and apt
to impose upon themselves and others, and therefore dare not give a
firm assent to anything they report upon their own autority; but are
ever suspicious that they may either be deceived themselves, or delight
to teratologize (pardon ye word) and to make a shew of knowing strange
things.
You write that the Museum at Oxford was rob’d, but doe not say whether
your noble present was any part of the losse. Your picture done in
miniature by Mr. Cowper is a thing of great value, I remember so long
agoe as I was in Italy, and while he was yet living, any piece of his
was highly esteemed there; and for that kind of painting he was
esteemed the best artist in Europe.
What my present opinion is concerning formed stones, and concerning the
formation of the world, you will see in a discourse that is now gone to
the presse concerning the Dissolution of the World: my present opinion,
I say, for in such things I am not fix’t, but ready to alter upon
better information, saving always ye truth of ye letter of ye
scripture. I thank you for your prayers and good wishes, and rest,
Sr, your very humble servant,
JOHN RAY.
I have seen many pheasants in a little grove by the city of Florence,
but I suppose they might have been brought in thither from some foreign
country by the Great Duke.
Surely you mistook what I wrote about elms. I never to my knowledge
affirmed that the most common elm grows naturally in the north: but
only thought that though it did not grow there, yet it might be native
of England: for that all trees doe not grow in all countreys or parts
of England. The wych-hazel, notwithstanding its name, is nothing akin
to the “corylus” but a true elm.
The story concerning the drawing out the nail driven crosse the
wood-pecker’s hole is without doubt a fable.
Asseveres and vesicates are unusuall words, and I know not whether the
wits will allow them.
[The name of John Ray holds a pre-eminent place amongst the naturalists
of Great Britain. He was the first in this country who attempted a
classification of the vegetable kingdom, and his system possessed many
important and valuable characteristics. Ray was the son of a blacksmith
at Black Notley, near Braintree, in Essex, where he was born, in 1627.
The letter here printed sufficiently indicates his natural shrewdness
and intelligence. One of his works here referred to is entitled “Three
Physico-Theological Discourses concerning Chaos, the Deluge, and the
Dissolution of the World,” 1692. There is a well-written memoir of Ray
in the “Penny CyclopEedia,” Aubrey’s portrait, by the celebrated
miniature-painter Samuel Cooper, alluded to above, is not now extant;
but another portrait of him by Faithorne is preserved in the Ashmolean
Museum, and has been several times engraved. A print from the latter
drawing accompanied the “Memoirs of Aubrey,” published by the Wiltshire
Topographical Society. Cooper died in 1672, and was buried in the old
church of St. Pancras, London. Ray visited Italy between the years 1663
and 1666. J. B.]
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. CHOROGRAPHIA.INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
CHOROGRAPHIA.
[IT has been thought sufficient to print only a few brief extracts from
this Introductory Chapter, which in the original is of considerable
length. Its title (derived from the Greek words {Gk:choros} and {Gk:
grapho}) is analogous to Geography. By far the greater portion of it
has no application to Wiltshire, but, on the contrary, consists of
Aubrey’s notes, chiefly geological and botanical, on every part of
England which he had visited; embracing many of the counties. His
observations shew him to have been a minute observer of natural
appearances and phenomena, and in scientific knowledge not inferior to
many of his contemporaries; but, in the present state of science, some
of his remarks would be justly deemed erroneous and trivial.
It will be seen that he contends strongly for the influence of the soil
and air upon the mental and intellectual faculties or “wits”, of
individuals; on which point some of his remarks are curious. Ray’s
comments on this part of his subject will be found in the letter
already printed (page 7). “The temper of the earth and air”, in the
opinion of Aubrey, caused the variance in “provincial pronunciation”.
The author’s theory of the formation and structure of the earth, which
is here incidentally noticed, will be adverted to in the description of
Chapter VIII.—J. B.]
PETRIFIED SHELLS.—As you ride from Cricklad to Highworth, Wiltsh., you
find frequently roundish stones, as big, or bigger than one’s head,
which (I thinke) they call braine stones, for on the outside they
resemble the ventricles of the braine; they are petrified sea
mushromes. [Fossil Madrepores?—J. B.]
The free-stone of Haselbury [near Box] hath, amongst severall other
shells, perfect petrified scalop-shells. The rough stone about
Chippenham (especially at Cockleborough) is full of petrified cockles.
But all about the countrey between that and Tedbury, and about
Malmesbury hundred, the rough stones are full of small shells like
little cockles, about the bigness of a halfpenny.
At Dinton, on the hills on both sides, are perfect petrified shells in
great abundance, something like cockles, but neither striated, nor
invecked, nor any counter-shell to meet, but plaine and with a long
neck of a reddish gray colour, the inside part petrified sand; of which
sort I gave a quantity to the R. Society about twenty yeares since; the
species whereof Mr. Hooke says is now lost.
On Bannes-downe, above Ben-Eston near Bathe, [Banner-downe, near
Bath-Easton.—J. B.] where a battle of king Arthur was fought, are great
stones scattered in the same manner as they are on Durnham-downe, about
Bristow, which was assuredly the work of an earthquake, when these
great cracks and vallies were made.
The like dispersion of great stones is upon the hills by Chedar rocks,
as all about Charter House, [Somersetshire,] and the like at the forest
at Fountain-Bleau, in France; and so in severall parts of England, and
yet visible the remarques of earthquakes and volcanoes; but in time the
husbandmen will cleare their ground of them, as at Durnham-downe they
are exceedingly diminished since my remembrance, by making lime of
them.
The great inequality of the surface of the earth was rendred so by
earthquakes: which when taking fire, they ran in traines severall miles
according to their cavernes; so for instance at Yatton Keynell, Wilts,
a crack beginnes which runnes to Longdeanes, in the parish, and so to
Slaughtonford, where are high steep cliffs of freestone, and opposite
to it at Colern the like cliffs; thence to Bathe, where on the south
side appeare Claverdon, on the north, Lansdon cliffs, both downes of
the same piece; and it may be at the same tune the crack was thus made
at St. Vincent’s rocks near Bristow, as likewise Chedar rocks, like a
street. From Castle Combe runnes a valley or crack to Ford, where it
shootes into that that runnes from Yatton to Bathe.
Edmund Waller, Esq., the poet, made a quaere, I remember, at the Royal
Society, about 1666, whether Salisbury plaines were always plaines?
In Jamaica, and in other plantations of America, e. g. in Virginia, the
natives did burn down great woods, to cultivate the soil with maiz and
potato-rootes, which plaines were there made by firing the woods to
sowe corne. They doe call these plaines Savannas. Who knowes but
Salisbury plaines, &c. might be made long time ago, after this manner,
and for the same reason?
I have oftentimes wished for a mappe of England coloured according to
the colours of the earth; with markes of the fossiles and minerals.
[Geological maps, indicating, by different colours, the formations of
various localities, are now familiar to the scientific student. The
idea of such a map seems to have been first suggested by Dr. Martin
Lister, in a paper on “New Maps of Countries, with Tables of Sands,
Clays, &c.” printed in the Philosophical Transactions, in 1683. The
Board of Agriculture published a few maps in 1794, containing
delineations of soils, &c.; and in 1815 Mr. William Smith produced the
first map of the strata of England and Wales. Since then G. B.
Greenough, Esq. has published a similar map, but greatly improved; and
numerous others, representing different countries and districts, have
subsequently appeared.—J. B.]
The great snailes* on the downes at Albery in Surrey (twice as big as
ours) were brought from Italy by ..... Earle Marshal about 1638.
OF THE INDOLES OF THE IRISH.—Mr. J. Stevens went from, Trinity College
in Oxford, 1647-8, to instruct the Lord Buckhurst in grammar;
afterwards he was schoolmaster of the Free Schoole at Camberwell;
thence he went to be master of Merchant Taylors’ Schoole; next he was
master of the schoole at Charter House; thence he went to the Free
Schoole at Lever Poole, from whence he was invited to be a schoole
master of the great schoole at Dublin, in Ireland; when he left that he
was schoolmaster of Blandford, in Dorset; next of Shaftesbury; from
whence he was invited by the city of Bristoll to be master of the Free
Schoole there; from thence he went to be master of the Free Schoole of
Dorchester in Dorset, and thence he removed to be Rector of Wyley in
Wilts, 1666.
* Bavoli, (i.e.) drivelers.—J. EVELYN.
CHOROGRAPHIA: LOCAL INFLUENCES.CHOROGRAPHIA: LOCAL INFLUENCES.
He is my old acquaintance, and I desired him to tell me freely if the
Irish Boyes had as good witte as the English; because some of our
severe witts have ridiculed the Irish understanding. He protested to me
that he could not find but they had as good witts as the English; but
generally speaking he found they had better memories. Dr. James Usher,
Lord Primate of Ireland, had a great memorie: Dr Hayle (Dr. of the
Chaire at Oxford) had a prodigious memorie: Sir Lleonell Jenkins told
me, from him, that he had read over all the Greeke fathers three times,
and never noted them but with his naile. Mr. …. Congreve, an excellent
dramatique poet. Mr. Jo. Dodwell hath also a great memorie, and Mr. ….
Tolet hathe a girle at Dublin, mathematique, who at eleven yeares old
would solve questions in Algebra to admiration. Mr. Tolet told me he
began to instruct her at seven yeares of age. See the Journall of the
R. Society de hoc.
As to singing voyces wee have great diversity in severall counties of
this nation; and any one may observe that generally in the rich vales
they sing clearer than on the hills, where they labour hard and breathe
a sharp ayre. This difference is manifest between the vale of North
Wilts and the South. So in Somersettshire they generally sing well in
the churches, their pipes are smoother. In North Wilts the milkmayds
sing as shrill and cleare as any swallow sitting on a berne:—
“So lowdly she did yerne,
Like any swallow sitting on a berne.”—CHAUCER.
According to the severall sorts of earth in England (and so all the
world over) the Indigense are respectively witty or dull, good or bad.
To write a true account of the severall humours of our own countrey
would be two sarcasticall and offensive: this should be a secret
whisper in the eare of a friend only and I should superscribe here,
“Pinge duos angues—locus est sacer: extra
Mei ite.”—PERSIUS SATYR.
Well then! let these Memoires lye conceal’d as a sacred arcanum.
In North Wiltshire, and like the vale of Gloucestershire (a dirty
clayey country) the Indigense, or Aborigines, speake drawling; they are
phlegmatique, skins pale and livid, slow and dull, heavy of spirit:
hereabout is but little, tillage or hard labour, they only milk the
cowes and make cheese; they feed chiefly on milke meates, which cooles
their braines too much, and hurts their inventions. These circumstances
make them melancholy, contemplative, and malicious; by consequence
whereof come more law suites out of North Wilts, at least double to the
Southern Parts. And by the same reason they are generally more apt to
be fanatiques: their persons are generally plump and feggy: gallipot
eies, and some black: but they are generally handsome enough. It is a
woodsere country, abounding much with sowre and austere plants, as
sorrel, &c. which makes their humours sowre, and fixes their spirits.
In Malmesbury Hundred, &c. (ye wett clayy parts) there have ever been
reputed witches.
On the downes, sc. the south part, where ’tis all upon tillage, and
where the shepherds labour hard, their flesh is hard, their bodies
strong: being weary after hard labour, they have not leisure to read
and contemplate of religion, but goe to bed to their rest, to rise
betime the next morning to their labour.
——“redit labor actus in orbem
Agricolae.”—VIRGIL, ECLOG.
The astrologers and historians write that the ascendant as of Oxford is
Capricornus, whose lord is Saturn, a religious planet, and patron of
religious men. If it be so, surely this influence runnes all along
through North Wilts, the vale of Glocestershire, and Somersetshire. In
all changes of religions they are more zealous than other; where in the
time of the Rome-Catholique religion there were more and better
churches and religious houses founded than any other part of England
could shew, they are now the greatest fanaticks, even to spirituall
madness: e. g. the multitude of enthusiastes. Capt. Stokes, in his
“Wiltshire Rant, “printed about 1650, recites ye strangest
extravagancies of religion that were ever heard of since the time of
the Gnosticks. The rich wett soile makes them hypochondricall.
“Thus wind i’th Hypochondries pent,
Proves but a blast, if downwards sent;
But if it upward chance to flie
Becomes new light and prophecy.”—HUDIBRAS.
[The work above referred to bears the following title: “The Wiltshire
Rant, or a Narrative of the Prophane Actings and Evil Speakings of
Thomas Webbe, Minister of Langley Burrell, &c. By Edward Stokes. “4to.
Lond. 1652.—J. B.]
The Norfolk aire is cleare and fine. Indigente, good clear witts,
subtile, and the most litigious of England: they carry Littleton’s
Tenures at the plough taile. Sir Thorn. Browne, M. D., of Norwich, told
me that their eies in that countrey doe quickly decay; which he imputes
to the clearness and driness (subtileness) of the aire. Wormwood growes
the most plentifully there of any part of England; which the London
apothecaries doe send for.
Memorandum.—That North Wiltshire is very worme-woodish and more
litigious than South Wilts.
[A Table of Contents, or List of the Chapters, is prefixed to each
Part, or Volume, of the Manuscript, as follows:—]
THE CHAPTERS.THE CHAPTERS.
PART I.PART I.
1. Air.
2. Springs Medicinall.
3. Rivers.
4. Soiles.
5. Mineralls and Fossills.
6. Stones.
7. Formed Stones.
8. An Hypothesis of the Terraqueous Globe: a digression “ad mentem
M{emo}ri”, R. Hook, R.S.S.
9. Plants.
10. Beastes.
11. Fishes.
12. Birds.
13. Insects and Reptils.
14. Men and Woemen.
15. Diseases and Cures.
16. Observations on some Register Books, as also the Poore Rates and
Taxes of the County, “ad mentem D{omi}ni” W. Petty.
PART II.PART II.
1. Worthies.
2. The Grandure of the Herberts, Earles of Pembroke. Wilton House and
Garden.
3. Learned Men who received Pensions from the Earles of Pembroke.
4. Gardens—Lavington-garden, Chelsey-garden, &c.
5. Arts—Inventions.
6. Architecture.
7. Agriculture and Improvements.
8. The Downes—Sheep—Shepherds—Pastoralls.
9. Wool.
10. Falling of Rents.
11. History of Cloathing
12. Eminent Cloathiers of this County.
13. Faires and Marketts
14. Hawks and Hawking.
15. The Race.
16. Number of Attorneys in this Countie now and heretofore.
17. Locall Fatality.
18. Accidents.
19. Seates
20. Draughts of the Seates and Prospects [an Appendix].
Memorandum. Anno 1686, ætatis 60.—Mr. David Loggan, the Graver, drew my
picture in black and white, in order to be engraved, which is still in
his hands.
CHAPTER I. AIR.CHAPTER I.
AIR.
[This Chapter contains a variety of matter not apposite to Wiltshire.
Besides the passages here quoted, there are accounts of several
remarkable hurricanes, hail storms, &c., in different parts of England,
as well as in Italy. The damage done by “Oliver’s wind” (the storm said
to have occurred on the death of the Protector Cromwell) is
particularly noticed: though it may be desirable to state on the
authority of Mr. Carlyle, the eloquent editor of “Cromwell’s Letters
and Speeches” (8vo. 1846), that the great tempest which Clarendon
asserts to have raged “for some hours before and after the Protector’s
death”, really occurred four days previous to that event. Aubrey no
doubt readily adopted the general belief upon the subject. He quotes,
without expressly dissenting from it, the opinion of Chief Justice
Hale, that “whirlewinds and all winds of an extraordinary nature are
agitated by the spirits of air”. Lunar rainbows, and meteors of various
kinds, are described in this chapter; together with prognostics of the
seasons from the habits of animals, and some observations made with the
barometer; and under the head of Echoes, “for want of good ones in this
county”, there is a long description by Sir Robert Moray of a
remarkable natural echo at Roseneath, about seventeen miles from
Glasgow. On sounds and echoes there are some curious notes by Evelyn,
but these are irrelevant to the subject of the work.—J. B.]
Before I enter upon the discourse of the AIR of this countie, it would
not be amiss that I gave an account of the winds that most commonly
blow in the western parts of England.
I shall first allege the testimony of Julius Cæsar, who delivers to us
thus: “Corns ventus, qui magnam partem omnis temporis in his locis
flare consuevit”.—(Commentaries, lib. v.) To which I will subjoine this
of Mr. Th. Ax, of Somersetshire, who hath made dayly observations of
the weather for these twenty-five years past, since 1661, and finds
that, one yeare with another, the westerly winds, which doe come from
the Atlantick sea, doe blowe ten moneths of the twelve. Besides, he
hath made observations for thirty years, that the mannours in the
easterne parts of the netherlands of Somersetshire doe yield six or
eight per centum of their value; whereas those in the westerne parts
doe yield but three, seldome four per centum, and in some mannours but
two per centum. Hence he argues that the winds carrying these
unwholesome vapours of the low country from one to the other, doe make
the one more, the other less, healthy.
This shire may be divided as it were into three stories or stages.
Chippenham vale is the lowest. The first elevation, or next storie, is
from the Derry Hill, or Bowdon Lodge, to the hill beyond the Devises,
called Red-hone, which is the limbe or beginning of Salisbury plaines.
From the top of this hill one may discerne Our Lady Church Steeple at
Sarum, like a fine Spanish needle. I would have the height of these
hills, as also Hackpen, and those toward Lambourn, which are the
highest, to he taken with the quicksilver barometer, according to the
method of Mr. Edmund Halley in Philosophical Transactions, No. 181.
Now, although Mindip-hills and Whitesheet, &c., are as a barr and
skreen to keep off from Wiltshire the westerly winds and raines, as
they doe in some measure repel those noxious vapours, yet wee have a
flavour of them; and when autumnal agues raigne, they are more common
on the hills than in the vales of this country.
The downes of Wiltshire are covered with mists, when the vales are
clear from them, and the sky serene; and they are much more often here
than in the lowest story or stage.
The leather covers of bookes, &c. doe mold more and sooner in the hill
countrey than in the vale. The covers of my bookes in my closet at
Chalke would be all over covered with a hoare mouldinesse, that I could
not know of what colour the leather was; when my bookes in my closet at
Easton-Piers (in the vale) were not toucht at all with any mouldiness.
So the roomes at Winterslow, which is seated exceeding high, are very
mouldie and dampish. Mr. Lancelot Moorehouse, Rector of Pertwood, who
was a very learned man, say’d that mists were very frequent there: it
stands very high, neer Hindon, which one would thinke to stand very
healthy: there is no river nor marsh neer it, yet they doe not live
long there.
The wheat hereabout, sc. towards the edge of the downes, is much
subject to be smutty, which they endeavour to prevent by drawing a
cart-rope over the corne after the meldews fall.
Besides that the hill countrey is elevated so high in the air, the
soile doth consist of chalke and mawme, which abounds with nitre, which
craddles the air, and turns it into mists and water.
On the east side of the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke are
pitts called the Mearn-Pitts*, which, though on a high hill, whereon is
a sea marke towards the Isle of Wight, yet they have alwaies water in
them. How they came to be made no man knowes; perhaps the mortar was
digged there for the building of the church.
* Marne is an old French word for marle.
Having spoken of mists it brings to my remembrance that in December,
1653, being at night in the court at Sr. Charles Snell’s at Kington St.
Michael in this country, there being a very thick mist, we sawe our
shadowes on the fogg as on a wall by the light of the lanternes, sc.
about 30 or 40 foot distance or more. There were several gentlemen
which sawe this; particularly Mr. Stafford Tyndale. I have been
enformed since by some that goe a bird-batting in winter nights that
the like hath been seen: but rarely.
[A similar appearance to that here mentioned by Aubrey is often
witnessed in mountainous countries, and in Germany has given rise to
many supernatural and romantic legends. The “spectre of the Brocken”,
occasionally seen among the Harz mountains in Hanover, is described by
Mr. Brayley in his account of Cumberland, in the Beauties of England
and Wales, to illustrate some analogous appearances, which greatly
astonished the residents near Souterfell, in that county, about a
century ago.—J. B.]
The north part of this county is much influenc’t by the river Severne,
which flowes impetuously from the Atlantick Sea. It is a ventiduct, and
brings rawe gales along with it: the tydes bringing a chilnesse with
them.
On the top of Chalke-downe, 16 or 18 miles from the sea, the oakes are,
as it were, shorne by the south and south-west winds; and do recline
from the sea, as those that grow by the sea-side.
A Wiltshire proverb:-
“When the wind is north-west,
The weather is at the best:
If the raine comes out of east
’Twill raine twice twenty-four howres at the least.”
I remember Sr. Chr. Wren told me, 1667, that winds might alter, as the
apogæum: e.g. no raine in Egypt heretofore; now common: Spaine barren;
Palseston sun-dried, &c. Quaere, Mr. Hook de hoc.
A proverbial rithme observed as infallible by the inhabitants on the
Severne-side:—
“If it raineth when it doth flow,
Then yoke your oxe, and goe to plough;
But if it raineth when it doth ebb,
Then unyoke your oxe, and goe to bed.”
It oftentimes snowes on the hill at Bowden-parke, when no snow falles
at Lacock below it. This hill is higher than Lacock steeple three or
four times, and it is a good place to try experiments. On this parke is
a seate of my worthy friend George Johnson, Esqr., councillor at lawe,
from whence is a large and most delightfull prospect over the vale of
North Wiltshire.
Old Wiltshire country prognosticks of the weather:—
“When the hen doth moult before the cock,
The winter will be as hard as a rock;
But if the cock moults before the hen,
The winter will not wett your shoes seame.”
In South Wiltshire the constant observation is that if droppes doe hang
upon the hedges on Candlemas-day that it will be a good pease yeare. It
is generally agreed on to be matter of fact; the reason perhaps may be
that there may rise certain unctuous vapours which may cause that
fertility. [This is a general observation: we have it in Essex. I
reject as superstitious all prognosticks from the weather on particular
days.—JOHN RAY.]
At Hullavington, about 1649, there happened a strange wind, which did
not onely lay down flatt the corne and grasse as if a huge roller had
been drawn over it, but it flatted also the quickset hedges of two or
three grounds of George Joe, Esq.-It was a hurricane.
Anno 1660, I being then at dinner with Mr. Stokes at Titherton, news
was brought in to us that a whirlewind had carried some of the
hay-cocks over high elmes by the house: which bringes to my mind a
story that is credibly related of one Mr. J. Parsons, a kinsman of
ours, who, being a little child, was sett on a hay-cock, and a
whirlewind took him up with half the hay-cock and carried him over high
elmes, and layd him down safe, without any hurt, in the next ground.
Anno 1581, there fell hail-stones at Dogdeane, near Salisbury, as big
as a child’s fist of three or four yeares old; which is mentioned in
the Preface of an Almanack by John Securis, Maister of Arts and
Physick, dedicated to ….. Lord High Chancellor. He lived at Salisbury.
’Tis pitty such accidents are not recorded in other Almanacks in order
for a history of the weather.
Edward Saintlow, of Knighton, Esq. was buried in the church of Broad
Chalk, May the 6th, 1578, as appeares by the Register booke. The snow
did then lie so thick on the ground that the bearers carried his body
over the gate in Knighton field, and the company went over the hedges,
and they digged a way to the church porch. I knew some ancient people
of the parish that did remember it. On a May day, 1655 or 1656, being
then in Glamorganshire, at Mr. Jo. Aubrey’s at Llanchrechid, I saw the
mountaines of Devonshire all white with snow. There fell but little in
Glamorganshire.
From the private Chronologicall Notes of the learned Edward Davenant,
of Gillingham, D.D.:—“On the 25th of July 1670, there was a rupture in
the steeple of Steeple Ashton by lightning. The steeple was
ninety-three feet high above the tower; which was much about that
height. This being mending, and the last stone goeing to be putt in by
the two master workemen, on the 15th day of October following, a sudden
storme with a clap of thunder tooke up the steeple from the tower, and
killed both the workmen in nictu oculi. The stones fell in and broke
part of the church, but never hurt the font. This account I had from
Mr. Walter Sloper, attorney, of Clement’s Inne, and it is registred on
the church wall.” [The inscription will be found in the Beauties of
Wiltshire, vol. iii. page 205. It fully details the above
circumstances.—J. B.]
Whilst the breaches were mending and the thunder showr arose, one
standing in the church-yard observed a black cloud to come sayling
along towards the steeple, and called to the workman as he was on the
scaffold; and wisht him to beware of it and to make hast. But before he
went off the clowd came to him, and with a terrible crack threw down
the steeple, sc. about the middle, where he was at worke. Immediately
they lookt up and their steeple was lost.
I doe well remember, when I was seaven yeares old, an oake in a ground
called Rydens, in Kington St. Michael Parish, was struck with
lightning, not in a strait but helical line, scil. once about the tree
or once and a half, as a hop twists about the pole; and the stria
remains now as if it had been made with a gouge.
On June 3rd, 1647, (the day that Cornet Joyce did carry King Charles
prisoner to the Isle of Wight from Holdenby,) did appeare this
phenomenon, [referring to a sketch in the margin which represents two
luminous circles, intersecting each other; the sun being seen in the
space formed by their intersection.—J. B.] which continued from about
ten a clock in the morning till xii. It was a very cleare day, and few
took notice of it because it was so near the sunbeams. It was seen at
Broad Chalke by my mother, who espied it going to see what a clock it
was at an horizontal dial, and then all the servants about the house
sawe it Also Mr. Jo. Sloper the vicar here sawe it with his family,
upon the like occasion looking on the diall. Some of Sr. George Vaughan
of Falston’s family who were hunting sawe it. The circles were of a
rainbowe colour: the two filats, that crosse the circle (I presume they
were segments of a third circle) were of a pale colour.
Ignis fatuus, called by the vulgar Kit of the Candlestick, is not very
rare on our downes about Michaelmass. [These ignes fatui, or
Jack-o’-lanthorns, as they are popularly called, are frequently seen in
low boggy grounds. In my boyish days I was often terrified by stories
of their leading travellers astray, and fascinating them.—J. B.]
Biding in the north lane of Broad Chalke in the harvest time in the
twy-light, or scarce that, a point of light, by the hedge, expanded
itselfe into a globe of about three inches diameter, or neer four, as
boies blow bubbles with soape. It continued but while one could say
one, two, three, or four at the most It was about a foot from my
horse’s eie; and it made him turn his head quick aside from it. It was
a pale light as that of a glowe-worme: it may be this is that which
they call a blast or blight in the country.
Colonel John Birch shewed me a letter from his bayliff, 166f, at
Milsham, that advertised that as he was goeing to Warminster market
early in the morning they did see fire fall from the sky, which did
seem as big as a bushell I have forgot the day of the moneth.
From Meteors I will passe to the elevation of the poles. See “An
Almanack, 1580, made for the Meridian of Salisbury, whose longitude is
noted to bee ten degrees, and the latitude of the elevation of the Pole
Arctick 51 degrees 47 minutes. By John Securis, Maister of Art and
Physick”. To which I will annexe the title of another old almanack,
both which were collected by Mr. Will. Lilly. “Almanack, 1580, compiled
and written in the City of Winchester, by Humphrey Norton, Student in
Astronomic, gathered and made for the Pole Arctik of the said city,
where the pole is elevated 51 degrees 42 minutes”.
I come now to speak of ECHOS:-
“Vocalis Nymphe; quæ nec reticere loquenti
Nec prior ipsa loqui didicit, resonabilis Echo.
Ille fugit; fugiensque manus complexibus aufert.”—OVID, METAMORPH. lib.
iii.
But this coy nymph does not onely escape our hands, but our sight, and
wee doe understand her onely by induction and analogic. As the motion
caused by a stone lett fall into the water is by circles, so sounds
move by spheres in the same manner, which, though obvious enough, I doe
not remember to have seen in any booke.
None of our ecchos in this country that I hear of are polysyllabicall.
When the Gospels or Chapters are read over the choire dore of Our Lady
Church in Salisbury, there is a quick and strong monosyllabicall echo,
which comes presently on the reader’s voice: but when the prayers are
read in the choire, there is no echo at all. This reading place is 15
or 16 foot above the levell of the pavement: and the echo does more
especially make its returnes from Our Ladies ChappelL
So in my kitchin-garden at the plain at Chalke is a monosyllabicall
Echo; but it is sullen and mute till you advance …. paces on the easie
ascent, at which place one’s mouth is opposite to the middle of the
heighth of the house at right angles; and then, to use the expression
of the Emperor Nero,-
“— reparabilis adsonat Echo.”-PERSIUS.
Why may I not take the libertie to subject to this discourse of echos
some remarks of SOUNDS? The top of one of the niches in the grot in
Wilton gardens, as one sings there, doth return the note A “re”,
lowder, and clearer, but it doth not the like to the eighth of it. The
diameter is 22 inches. But the first time I happened on this kind of
experiment was when I was a scholar in Oxford, walking and singing
under Merton-Colledge gate, which is a Gothique irregular vaulting, I
perceived that one certain note could be returned with a lowd humme,
which was C. “fa”, “ut”, or D. “sol”, “re”; I doe not now well remember
which. I have often observed in quires that at certain notes of the
organ the deske would have a tremulation under my hand. So will timber;
so will one’s hat, though a spongie thing, as one holds it under one’s
arm at a musique meeting. These accidents doe make me reflect on the
brazen or copper Tympana, mentioned by Vitruvius, for the clearer and
farther conveying the sound of the recitatores and musicians to the
auditors. I am from hence induc’t to be of opinion that these tympana
were made according to such and such proportions, suitable to such and
such notes.
Mersennus, or Kircher, sayes, that one may know what quantity of liquor
is in the vessel by the sound of it, knowing before the empty note. I
have severall times heard great brasse pannes ring by the barking of a
hound; and also by the loud voice of a strong man.-(The voice, if very
strong and sharp, will crack a drinking glass.—J. EVELYN.)
[I have been favoured with a confirmation of this note of Evelyn from
the personal experience of my old friend. Mr. Brayley, who was present
at a party on Ludgate Hill, London, many years ago, when Mr.
Broadhurst, the famed public vocalist, by singing a high note, caused a
wine glass on the table to break, the bowl being separated from the
stem.—J. B.]
After the echos I would have the draught of the house of John Hall, at
Bradford, Esq., which is the best built house for the quality of a
gentleman in Wilts. It was of the best architecture that was commonly
used in King James the First’s raigne. It is built all of freestone,
full of windowes, hath two wings: the top of the house adorned with
railes and baristers. There are two if not three elevations or ascents
to it: the uppermost is adorned with terrasses, on which are railes and
baristers of freestone. It faceth the river Avon, which lies south of
it, about two furlongs distant: on the north side is a high hill. Now,
a priori, I doe conclude that if one were on the south side of the
river opposite to this elegant house, that there must of necessity be a
good echo returned from the house; and probably if one stand east or
west from the house at a due distance, the wings will afford a double
echo.
[Part of this once fine and interesting mansion still remains, but
wofully degraded and mutilated. It is called Kingston House, having
been formerly the residence of a Duke of Kingston. It appears to have
been built by the same architect as the mansion of Longleat, which was
erected between the years 1567 and 1579, and for which, it is believed,
John of Padua was employed to make designs.—J. B.]
CHAPTER II. SPRINGS MEDICINALL.CHAPTER II.
SPRINGS MEDICINALL.
[IN Aubrey’s time the mineral waters of Bath, Tonbridge, and other
places, were very extensively resorted to for medical purposes, and
great importance was attached to them in a sanatory point of view. The
extracts which have been selected from this chapter sufficiently shew
the limited extent of the author’s chemical knowledge, in the analysis
of waters; which he appears to have seldom carried beyond precipitation
or evaporation. He mentions several other springs in Wiltshire and
elsewhere, attributing various healing properties to some of them; but
of others merely observing, with great simplicity, whether or not their
water was adapted to wash linen, boil pease, or affect the fermentation
of beer. The chapter comprises a few remarks on droughts; and
particularly mentions a remarkable cure of cancer by an “emplaster” or
“cataplasme” of a kind of unctuous earth found in Bradon forest.—J. B.]
HOLY-WELL, in the parish of Chippenham, near Sheldon, by precipitation
of one-third of a pint with a strong lixivium, by the space of
twenty-four houres I found a sediment of the quantity of neer a small
hazell nut-shell of a kind of nitre; sc. a kind of flower of that
colour (or lime stone inclining to yellow); the particles as big as
grosse sand. Upon evaporation of the sayd water, which was a pottle or
better, I found two sorts of sediment, perhaps by reason of the oblique
hanging of the kettle: viz. one sort of a deep soot colour; the other
of the colour of cullom earth. It changed not colour by infusion of
powder of galles. Try it with syrup of violettes.
Hancock’s well at Luckington is so extremely cold that in summer one
cannot long endure one’s hand in it. It does much good to the eies. It
cures the itch, &c. By precipitation it yields a white sediment,
inclining to yellow; sc. a kind of fine flower. I believe it is much
impregnated with nitre. In the lane that leads from hence to Sapperton
the earth is very nitrous, which proceeds from the rich deep blew
marle, which I discovered in the lane which leads to Sapworth.
Biddle-well lies between Kington St. Michael and Swinley; it turnes
milke. In the well of the mannour house (Mr. Thorn. Stokes) of Kington
St. Michael is found talc, as also at the well at Priory St. Maries, in
this parish; and I thinke common enough in these parts.
In Kington St. Michael parish is a well called Mayden-well, which I
find mentioned in the Legeir-booke of the Lord Abbot of Glaston, called
Secretum Domini [or Secretum Abbatis.] Let it be tryed. Alice Grig
knows where about it is.
In the park at Kington St. Michael is a well called Marian’s-well,
mentioned in the same Legeir-book.
In the parish of North Wraxhall, at the upper end of ye orchard of
Duncomb-mill at ye foot of ye hill ye water petrifies in some degree;
which is the onely petrifying water that I know in this countie. [In
subsequent pages Aubrey refers to other petrifying waters near Calne,
Devizes, and elsewhere.—J. B.]
At Draycott Cerne (the seate of my ever honoured friend Sir James Long,
Baronet, whom I name for honour’s sake) the waters of the wells are
vitriolate, and with powder of galles doe turne of a purple colour.-[I
have a delicate, cleare, and plentifull spring at Upper Deptford, never
dry, and very neer the river Ravens-born; the water famous for ye eyes,
and many other medicinal purposes. Sr Rich. Browne, my father-in-lawe,
immur’d it, wth a chaine and iron dish for travellers to drink, and has
sett up an inscription in white marble.—JOHN EVELYN.]
Stock-well, at Rowd, is in the highway, which is between two gravelly
cliffs, which in warm weather are candied. It changed not colour with
powder of galles; perhaps it may have the effect of Epsham water. The
sediment by precipitation is a perfect white flower, Mice nitre. The
inhabitants told me that it is good for the eies, and that it washes
very well. It is used for the making of medicines.
At Polshutt rises a spring in a ditch neer Sommerham-bridge, at Seenes
townes-end, in a ground of Sir Walter Long, Baronet, which with galles
does presently become a deepe claret colour.
At Polshutt are brackish wells; but especiall that of Rich. Bolwell,
two quarts whereof did yield by evaporation two good spoonfulls heapt
of a very tart salt. Dr. Meret believes it to be vitriolish.
Neer to which is Send (vulgo Seene), a very well built village on a
sandy hill, from whence it has its name; sand being in the old English
called send (for so I find writ in the records of the Tower); as also
Send, in Surrey, is called for the same reason. Underneath this sand
(not very deep), in some place of the highway not above a yard or yard
and a half, I discovered the richest iron oare that ever I sawe or
heard of. Come there on a certain occasion,* it rained at twelve or one
of the clock very impetuously, so that it had washed away the sand from
the oare; and walking out to see the country, about 3 p.m., the sun
shining bright reflected itself from the oare to my eies. Being
surprised at so many spangles, I took up the stones with a great deale
of admiration. I went to the smyth, Geo. Newton, an ingeniose man, who
from a blacksmith turned clock maker and fiddle maker, and he assured
me that he has melted of this oare in his forge, which the oare of the
forest of Deane, &c. will not doe.
* At the Revell there, An°. D. 1666.
The reader is to be advertised that the forest of Milsham did extende
itselfe to the foot of this hill. It was full of goodly oakes, and so
neer together that they say a squirrill might have leaped from tree to
tree. It was disafforested about 1635, and the oakes were sold for 1s.
or 2s. per boord at the most; and then nobody ever tooke notice of this
iron-oare, which, as I sayd before, every sun-shine day, after a
rousing shower, glistered in their eies. Now there is scarce an oake
left in the whole parish, and oakes are very rare all hereabout, so
that this rich mine cannot be melted and turned to profit. Finding this
plenty of rich iron-oare, I was confident that I should find in the
village some spring or springs impregnated with its vertue; so I sent
my servant to the Devizes for some galles to try it; and first began at
Mr. J. Sumner’s, where I lay, with the water of the draught-well in the
court within his house, which by infusion of a little of the powder of
the galles became immediately as black as inke; that one may write
letters visible with it; sc. as with inke diluted with water, which the
water of Tunbridge will not doe, nor any other iron water that ever I
met with or heard of. I tryed it by evaporation and it did yield an
umberlike sediment: I have forgot the proportion. I gave it to the
Royall Society.
In June 1667,1 sent for three bottles of this well water to London, and
experimented it before the Royall Society at Gresham Colledge, at
which, time there was a frequent assembly, and many of the Physitians
of the Colledge of London. Now, whereas the water of Tunbridge, and
others of that kind, being carried but few miles loose their spirits,
and doe not alter their colour at all with powder of galles, these
bottles, being brought by the carrier eighty odd miles, and in so hot
weather, did turn, upon the infusion of the powder, as deep as the
deepest claret; to the admiration of the physitians then present, who
unanimously declared that this water might doe much good: and Dr. Piers
sayd that in some cases such waters were good to begin with, and to end
with the Bath; and in some “è contra”. This place is but 9 or 10 miles
from Bath.
The Drs. then spake to me, to write to some physitians at Bath, and to
recommend it to them, whom I knew; which I did. But my endeavours were
without effect till August 1684. But they doe so much good that they
now speake aloud their own prayses. They were satisfied (I understood
at last) of ye goodnesse and usefulnesse of these waters, but they did
not desire to have patients to be drawn from ye Bath. Now, whereas one
person is grieved with aches, or bruises, or dead palseys, for which
diseases the Bath is chiefly proper, ten or more are ill of chronicall
diseases and obstructions, for the curing whereof these chalybiate
waters are the most soveraigne remedie.
This advertisement I desired Dr. Rich. Blackburne to word. He is one of
the College of Physitians, and practiseth yearly at Tunbridge-wells. It
was printed in an Almanack of Hen. Coley about 1681, but it tooke no
effect.
“Advertisement.—At Seen (neer ye Devizes in Wiltshire) are springs
discovered to be of the nature and vertue of those at Tunbridge, and
altogether as good. They are approved of by severall of ye physitians
of the Colledge in London, and have donne great cures, viz.
particularly in the spleen, the reines, and bladder, affected with
heat, stone, or gravell; or restoring hectick persons to health and
strength, and wonderfully conducing in all cases of obstructions.”
I proceeded and tryed other wells, but my ingeniose faithfull servant
Robert Wiseman (Prudhome) tryed all the wells in the village, and found
that all the wells of the south side doe turne with galles more or
lesse, but the wells of the north side turne not with them at all. This
hill lies eastward and westward; quod N.B.
The water of Jo. Sumner’s well was so bad for household use that they
could not brew nor boyle with it, and used it only to wash the house,
&c.; so that they were necessitated to sinke a well in the common,
which is walled, about a bow shott or more from his dwelling house,
where is fresh and wholsome water. Memorandum. Dr. Grew in his
[Catalogue] of the Royall Society has mistaken this well in the common
for the medicinall well of J. Sumner. But, mem., there is another well
that turnes, I thinke, as deep as J. Sumner’s. [On the subject of this
discovery by Aubrey, to which he attached great importance, the reader
is referred to Britton’s “Memoir of Aubrey”, published by the Wiltshire
Topographical Society, p. 17. As there stated, most of the property
about Seend now belongs to W. H. Ludlow Bruges, Esq. M.P., who
preserves the well; but its waters are not resorted to for sanatory
purposes.—J. B.]
Memorandum. That Dudley, Lord North, grandfather to Sir Francis North,
Lord Keeper, and Baron of Guildford, returning from his travells from
the Spaw, &c. making a visit to the Earle of Leicester at Penshurst,
his relation, as he was riding thereabout made observation of the earth
where the water run, the colour whereof gave him an indication of its
vertue. He sent for galles, and tryed it by evaporation, &c. and found
out the vertue, which hath ever since continued and donne much good to
the drinkers, and the inhabitants thereabout* This discovery was this
year (1685), about seventy-five years since, and ’tis pitty it should
be buried in oblivion. My Lord Keeper North told me of this himselfe.
*At Tunbridge and Epsom Wells, where were only wild commons, now are
abundance of well-built houses. [The changes and improvements at
Tunbridge Wells have been very great since Aubrey wrote. In 1832 I
wrote and published an octavo volume—“Descriptive Sketches of Tunbridge
Wells and the Calverley Estate”, with maps and prints. Since that time
the railroad has been opened to that place, which will increase its
popularity. Epsom Wells are now deserted. At Melksham, in the vicinity
of Seend, a pump-room, baths, and lodging-houses were erected about
twenty-five years ago; but fashion has not favoured the place with her
sanction. See Beauties of Wiltshire, vol. iii.—J. B.]
When the springs doe breake in Morecombe-bottom, in the north side of
the parish of Broad Chalke, which is seldome, ’tis observed that it
foretells a deer yeare for corne. It hath discontinued these forty
yeares.
At Crudwell, neer to the mannour house, is a fine spring in the street
called Bery-well. Labourers say it quenches thirst better than the
other waters; as to my tast, it seemed to have aliquantulum aciditatis;
and perhaps is vitriolate. The towne, a mannour of the Lord Lucas, hath
its denomination from this well; perhaps it is called Crudwell from its
turning of milke into cruds.
At Wotton Basset, in the parke, is a petrifying water, which petrifies
very quickly.
At Huntsmill, in this parish, is a well where the water turnes leaves,
&c. of a red colour.
Below the Devises, the water in all the ditches, at the fall of the
leafe, lookes blewish, which I could not but take notice of when I was
a schoole boy.
In the parish of Lydyard-Tregoz is a well called by the country people
Antedocks-well (perhaps here was the cell of some anchorete or
hermite); the water whereof they say was famous heretofore in the old
time for working miracles and curing many diseases.
As I rode from Bristoll to Welles downe Dundery-hill, in the moneth of
June, 1663, walking down the hill on foot, presently after a fine
shower I sawe a little thinne mist arise out of the ditch on the right
hand by the highwayes side. But when I came neer to the place I could
not discern it: so I went back a convenient distance and saw it again;
and then tooke notice of some flower or weed that grew in the ditch
whence the vapour came. I came againe to the marke, and could see
nothing of a mist, as before; but my nose was affected with a smell
which I knew; but immediately it came not to my mind; which was the
smell of the canales that come from the bathes at Bath. By this time my
groom was come to me, who, though of a dull understanding, his senses
were very quick; I asked him if he smelt nothing, and after a sniff or
two, he answered me, he smelt the smell of the Bath. This place is
about two parts of three of the descent of Dundery-hill,
I doe believe the water of the fountaine that serves Lacock abbey is
impregnated with {symbol for mars}[iron]. That at Crokerton, near
Warminster, I thinke not at all inferior to those of Colbec in France.
The best felt hatts are made at both places.
At or near Lavington is a good salt spring. (From ye Earl of
Abingdon.)
The North Wilts horses, and other stranger horses, when they come to
drinke of the water of Chalke-river, they will sniff and snort, it is
so cold and tort I suppose being so much impregnated with {alchemical
sign for nitre} [nitre].
Advise my countrymen to try the rest of the waters as the Sieur Du
Clos, Physitian to his most Christian Majestie, has donne, and hath
directed in his booke called “Observations of the Minerall Waters of
France made in ye Academy of Sciences.”—I did it transient, and full of
businesse, and “aliud agens tanquam canis e Nilo”.
The freestone fountaine above Lacock, neer Bowdon, in the rode-way, is
higher than the toppe of Lacock steeple. Sir J. Talbot might have for a
small matter the highest and noblest Jeddeau [jet-d’eau] in England.
It is at the foot of St. Anne’s-hill, or else Martinsoll-hill, {that}
three springs have their source and origen; viz. the south Avon, which
runnes to Sarum, and disembogues at Christes Church in Hants; the river
Kynet, which runnes to Morlebrugh, Hungerford, and disembogues into the
Thames about Reading; and on the foote of the north side arises another
that runnes to Calne, which disembogues into the north Avon about
Titherton, and runnes to Bristowe into the Severne. [See also Chap.
III. Rivers.—J. B.]
In the parish of……. is a spring dedicated to St. Winifred, formerly of
great account for its soveraigne vertues. What they were I cannot
learne; neither can I thinke the spring to be of less vertue now than
in the time of Harry the Eight; in which age I am informed it was of
great esteeme: and I am apt to conjecture that the reason why the
spring grew out of fame was because S*. Winifred grew out of favour.
At the Devizes, on the north side of the castle, there is a rivulet of
water which doth petrifie leafes, sticks, plants, and other things that
grow by it; which doth seem to prove that stones grow not by apposition
only, as the Aristotelians assert, but by susception also; for if the
stick did not suscept some vertue by which it is transmuted we may
admire what doth become of the matter of the stick
At Knahill [Knoyle] is a minerall water, which Dr. Toop and Dr.
Chamberlayn have tryed. It is neer Mr. Willoughby’s house: it workes
very kindly, and without any gripeing; it hath been used ever since
about 1672.
Dr. Guydot sayes the white sediment in the water of North Wiltshire is
powder of freestone; and he also tells me that there is a medicinall
well in the street at Box, near Bathe, which hath been used ever since
about 1670.
Mr. Nich. Mercator told me that water may be found by a divining rod
made of willowe; whiche he hath read somewhere; he thinks in Vitruvius.
Quaere Sir John Hoskins de hoc.
In Poulshott parish the spring was first taken notice of about thirty
yeares since by S. Pierse, M.D. of Bathe, and some few made use of it
Some of the Devises, who dranke thereof, told me that it does good for
the spleen, &c., and that a hectick and emaciated person, by drinking
this water, did in the space of three weekes encrease in flesh, and
gott a quick appetite.
Memorandum. In this village are severall springs, which tast brackish;
which I had not the leisure to try, but onely by præcipitation, and
they yield a great quantity of the white flower-like sediment.
Bitteston.—At the George Inne, the beere that is brewed of the well
there is diuretique. I knew some that were troubled with the stone and
gravell goe often thither for that reason. The woman of the house was
very much troubled with fitts of the mother; and having lived here but
a quarter of a yeare, found herself much mended; as also her mother,
troubled with the same disease. I observed in the bottome of the well
deep blew marle.
[The hysterical paroxysms to which females are peculiarly subject were
in Aubrey’s time commonly termed “the mother”, or “fits of the mother”.
Dr. Edward Jorden published a “Discourse on the Suffocation of the
Mother”, (4to.) in 1603.—J. B.]
Alderton.—Mr. Gore’s well is a hard water, which, when one washes one’s
hands will make them dry, as if it were allume water. I tryed it by
præcipitation, and the sediment was the colour of barme, white and
yellow, and fell in a kind of flakes, as snow sometimes will fall,
whereas all the other sediments were like fine flower or powder.
In Minety Common in Bradon forest, neer the rode which leadeth to
Ashton Caynes, is a boggy place called the Gogges, where is a spring,
or springs, rising up out of fuller’s earth. This puddle in hot and dry
weather is candid like a hoar frost; which to the tast seemes nitrous.
I have seen this salt incrustation, even 14th September, four foot
round the edges. With half a pound of this earth I made a lixivium.
Near half a pint did yield upon evaporation a quarter of an ounce
wanting two graines. Of the remainder of the lixivium, which was more
than a pint, I evaporated almost all to crystallize in a cellar. The
liquor turned very red, and the crystalls being putt on a red hott iron
flew away immediately, like saltpetre, leaving behind a very little
quantity of something that look’d like burnt allum. Now it is certain
that salts doe many times mixe; and Mr. Robert Boyle tells me hee
believes it is sea-salt mix’t with {nitre}, and there is a way to
separate them. After a shower this spring will smoake. The mudd or
earth cleanses and scowres incomparably. A pike of eighteen foot long
will not reach to the bottome.
My Lady Cocks of Dumbleton told me that ladies did send ten miles and
more for water from a spring on Malverne hill in Worcestershire to wash
their faces and make ’em faire. I believe it was such a nitrous spring
as this.
The fuller’s earth which they use at Wilton is brought from Woburne in
Bedfordshire; and sold for ten groates a bushell.
The Baths may have its tinging vertue from the antimonie in Mendip.
Quaere Mr. Kenrick, that when he changed a sixpence holding it in his
hand it turned yellow, and a woman refused it for bad silver. I thinke
he had been making crocus of antimonie. The chymists doe call antimony
Proteus, from its various colouring.
Mr. T. Hanson, of Magd. Coll. Oxon, acquaints me in a letter of May 18,
1691, that he observes that almost all the well-waters about the north
part of Wiltshire were very brackish. At High-worth, Mr. Alhnon,
apothecary, told him he had often seen a quantity of milke coagulated
with it: and yet the common people brew with it, which gives their beer
an ungratefull tast. At Cricklad their water is so very salt that the
whole town are obliged to have recourse to a river hard by for their
necessary uses. At Wootton Basset, at some small distance from the
town, they have a medicinall spring, which a neighbouring divine told
him Dr. Willis had given his judgment of, viz. that it was the same
with that of Astrop. They have also a petrifying spring. At the
Devizes, about a quarter of a mile from the towne, a petrifying spring
shewn me by Dr. Merriweather, a physitian there. At Bagshot, near
Hungerford, is a chalybiate, dranke by some gentlemen with good
successe.
Mdm. In my journey to Oxford, comeing through Bagley-wood, on St.
Mark’s day, 1695,1 discovered two chalybiate springs there, in the
highway; which On May the 10th I tryed with powder of galles, and they
give as black a tincture as ever I saw such waters: one may write with
it as legibly as with black lead.
At the gate at Wotton Common, near Cumnor in Berkshire, is a spring
which I have great reason to believe is such another: and also at the
foot of Shotover-hill, near the upping-stock, I am confident by the
clay, is such another spring. Deo gratias.
Quæres for the Tryall of Minerall Waters; by the Honourable Sir
William Petty, Kt.:-
1. How much heavier ’tis than brandy? 2. How much common water will
extinguish its tast? 3. What quantity of salt upon its evaporation? 4.
How much sugar, allum, vitriol, nitre, will dissolve in a pint of it?
5. Whether any animalcule will breed in it, and in how long time? 6.
Whether fish, viz. trout, eeles, &c. will live in it, and how long? 7.
Whether ’twill hinder or promote the curdling of milk, and
fermentation? 8. Whether soape will mingle with it? 9. Whether ’twill
extract the dissolvable parts of herbes, rootes, seedes, &c. more or
less than other waters; (i. e.) whether it be a more powerful
menstruum? 10. How galles will change its colour? 11. How ’twill change
the colour of syrup of violets? 12. How it differs from other waters in
receiving colours, cochineel, saffron, violets &c.? 13. How it boyles
dry pease? 14. How it colours fresh beefe, or other flesh in boyling?
15. How it washes hands, beards, linnen, SEC.? 16. How it extracts
mault in brewing? 17. How it quenches thirst, with meat or otherwise?
8. Whether it purges; in what quantity, time, and with what symptomes?
19. Whether it promotes urine, sweat, or sleep? 20. In what time it
passeth, and how afterwards? 21. Whether it sharpens or flattens the
appetite to meate? 22. Whether it vomits, causes coughs, &c.? 23.
Whether it swell the belly, legges; and how, in what time, and quantity
&c.? 24. How it affects sucking children, and (if tryed) foetus in the
wombe? 25. Whether it damps or excites venerie? 26. How blood lett
whilest the waters are dranke lookes, and how it changes? 27. In what
degrees it purges, in different degrees of evaporation, and brewed? 28.
Whether it breakes away by eructation and downwards? 29. Whether it
kills the asparagus in the urine? 30. What quantity may be taken of it
in prime? 31. Whether a sprig of mint or willow growes equally as out
of other waters? 32. In what time they putrify and stink?
CHAPTER III. RIVERS.CHAPTER III.
RIVERS.
[THE following extracts include the whole of this chapter, with the
exception of a few extraneous passages.—J. B.]
I SHALL begin with the river of Wyley-bourn, which gives name to
Wilton, the shire town. The mappe-makers write it Wyley fulvous, and
joiner a British and a Saxon word together: but that is a received
error. I doe believe that the ancient and true name was Twy, as the
river Twy in Herefordshire, which signifies vagary: and so this river
Wye, which is fed with the Deverill springs, in its mandrels winding,
watering the meadows, gives the name to the village called Wyley, as
also Wilton (Wyley-ton); where, meeting with the upper Avon and the
river Adder, it runnes to Downtown and Fording bridge, visiting the New
Forest, and disembogues into the sea at Christ Church in Hampshire. On
Monday morning, the 20th of September, [1669] was begun a well intended
designe for cutting the river [Avon] below Salisbury to make it
navigable to carry boats of burthen to and from Christ Church. This
work was principally encouraged by the Right Reverend Father in God,
Seth, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, his Lordship digging the first spit of
earth, and driving the first wheeled barrow. Col. John Wyndham was also
a generous benefactor and encourager of this undertaking. He gave to
this designe an hundred pounds. He tells me that the Bishop of
Salisbury gave, he thinks, an hundred and fifty pounds: he is sure a
hundred was the least. The engineer was one Mr. Far trey, but it seems
not his craft’s-master; for through want of skill all this charge and
paines came to nothing: but An° Done 16. . .it was more auspiciously
undertaken and perfected; and now boats passe between Salisbury and
Christ Church, and carry wood and corne from the New Forest, the
cartage whereof was very dearer; but as yet they want a haven at Christ
Church, which will require time and charge.
[Of the numerous rivers in Wiltshire only a few are navigable, and
those only for a short distance in the county. This is the consequence
of its inland position and comparative elevation; whence it results
that the principal streams have little more than their sources within
its limits. The project of rendering the Avon navigable from Salisbury
to Christ Church appears to have been first promulgated by John Taylor,
the Water Poet, who, in 1625, made an excursion in his own sherry, with
five companions, from London to Christ Church, and thence up the Avon
to Salisbury. He published an account of his voyage, under the title of
“A Discovery by sea, from London to Salisbury.” Francis Mathew also
suggested the improvement of the navigation of the river in 1655; and
an Act of Parliament for that purpose was obtained in 1664. Bishop Ward
was translated to the see of Salisbury in 1667, but the commencement of
the works, as described by Aubrey, was probably delayed till 1669, in
August of which year the Mayor of Salisbury and others were constituted
a Committee “to consult and treat with such persons as will undertake
to render the Avon navigable.” Two other pamphlets urging the
importance of the project were published in 1672 and 1675 (see Gough’s
Topography, vol. ii. p. 366); and in 1687 a series of regulations was
compiled “for the good and orderly government and usage of the New
Haven and Pier now made near Christchurch, and of the passages made
navigable from thence to the city of New Sarum.” (See Hatcher’s History
of Salisbury, pp. 460, 497.) The works thus made were afterwards
destroyed by a flood, and remained in ruins till 1771. Some repairs
were then executed, but they were inefficient; and the navigation is
now given up, except at the mouth of the river; and even there the bar
of Christchurch is an insurmountable obstacle except at spring
tides.-(Penny Cyclopædia, art. Wiltshire.) As the Bishop dug the first
spitt, or spadeful of earth, and drove the first wheelbarrow, that
necessary process was no doubt made a matter of much ceremony. The
laying the “first stone” of an important building has always been an
event duly celebrated; and the practice of some distinguished
individual “digging the first spitt” of earth has lately been revived
with much pomp and parade, in connection with the great railway
undertakings of the present age.—J. B.]
The river Adder riseth about Motcomb, neer Shaftesbury. In the Legeir
booke of Wilton Abbey it is wrott Noþþre, “a Nodderi fluvii ripa”,
(hodie Adder-bourn, Naþþre}, “serpens, anguis”, Saxonicè, Addar, in
Welsh, signifies a bird.*) This river runnes through the magnificent
garden of the Earle of Pembroke at Wilton, and so beyond to Christ
Church. It hath in it a rare fish, called an umber, which are sent from
Salisbury to London. They are about the bignesse of a trowt, but
preferred before a trowt This kind of fish is in no other river in
England, except the river Humber in Yorkeshire. [The umber is perhaps
more generally known as the grayling. See Chap. XL Fishes.—J. B.]
* [Adar is the plural of Aderyn, a bird, and therefore signifies
birds.—J. B.]
The rivulet that gives the name to Chalke-bourn,† and running through
Chalke, rises at a place called Naule, belonging to the farme of Broad
Chalke, where are a great many springs that issue out of the chalkie
ground. It makes a kind of lake of the quantity of about three acres.
There are not better trouts (two foot long) in the kingdom of England
than here; I was thinking to have made a trout pond of it. The water of
this streame washes well, and is good for brewing. I did putt in
craw-fish, but they would not live here: the water is too cold for
them. This river water is so acrimonious, that strange horses when they
are watered here will snuff and snort, and cannot well drinke of it
till they have been for some time used to it. Methinks this water
should bee admirably good for whitening clothes for cloathiers, because
it is impregnated so much with nitre, which is abstersive.
† Bourna, fluvius. (Vener. Bed. Hist. Eceles.) As in some counties they
say, In such or such a vale or dale; so in South Wilts they say, such
or such a bourn: meaning a valley by such a river.
The river Stour hath its source in Sturton Parke, and gives the name
[Stourhead.—J. B.] to that ancient seat of the Lord Sturtons. Three of
the springs are within the park pale and in Wiltshire; the other three
are without the pale in Somersetshire. The fountaines within the parke
pale are curbed with pierced cylinders of free stone, like tunnes of
chimneys; the diameter of them is eighteen inches. The coate armour of
the Lord Sturton is, Sable, a bend or, between six fountaines; which
doe allude to these springs. Stour is a British word, and signifies a
great water: sc. “dwr” is water; “ysdwr” is a considerable, or great
water: “ys”, is “particula augens”. [The Stour rises near the junction
of the three counties, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, and Dorsetshire. Its
course is chiefly through the last mentioned county, after leaving
which it enters Hampshire, and flows into the South Avon near
Christchurch.—J. B.]
Deverill hath its denomination from the diving of the rill, and its
rising again. Mr. Cambden saieth, In this shire is a small rill called
Deverill, which runneth a mile under ground,* like as also doth the
little river Mole in Surry, and the river Anas [Guadiana?—J. B.] in
Spain, and the Niger in Africk. Polybius speakes the like of the river
Oxus, “which, falling with its force into great ditches, which she
makes hollow, and opens the bottome by the violence of her course, and
by this meanes takes its course under ground for a small space, and
then riseth again.” (lib. x.)
* I am informed by the minister of Deverill Longbridge, and another
gentleman that lived at Maiden Bradley thirty years, that they never
knew or heard of this river Deverall that runs underground.-(BISHOP
TANNER.) [Yet Selden, in his “Notes to Drayton’s Poly-Olbion”, makes
the same statement as Aubrey does respecting the Deverill.—J. B.]
“Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu,
Existit procul hinc, alioq{ue} renascitur ore.
Sic modò combibitur, tecto modò gurgite lapsus
Redditur Argolicis ingens Erasinus in arvis:
Et Mysum capitisq{ue} sui ripaq{ue} prioris
Pœnituisse ferunt, aliò nunc ire, Calcum.”—OVID, METAMORPH. lib. xv.
In Grittleton field is a swallow-hole, where sometimes foxes, &c. doe
take sanctuary; there are severall such in North Wiltshire, made by
flouds, &c.; but neer Deene is a rivulet that runnes into Emmes-poole,
and nobody knowes what becomes of it after it is swallowed by the
earth.
[The reader will find a full account of the remarkable “swallows”, or
“swallow holes”, in the course of the river Mole, in Brayley’s History
of Surrey, vol. i. p. 171-185, with a map, and some geological comments
by Dr. Mantell. The river, or stream designated by Aubrey as the
Deverill, is probably the principal of several streams which rise near
the villages of Longbridge Deverill, Hill Deverill, Brixton Deverill,
Monkton Deverill, and Kingston Deverill (in the south west part of
Wiltshire), and, after running through Maiden Bradley, flow into the
Wyley near Warminster.—J. B.]
At the foot of Martinsoll-hill doe issue forth three springs, which are
the sources of three rivers; they divide like the parting of the haire
on the crowne of the head, and take their courses three severall wayes:
viz. one on the south side of the hill, which is the beginning of the
upper Avon,† which runnes to Salisbury; on the other side springes the
river Kynet, which runnes eastward to Marleborough;‡ from thence
passing by Hungerford, Newbury, &c. it looses itselfe and name in the
river of Thames, near Reading. The third spring is the beginning of the
stream that runnes to Caln, called Marden,§ and driving several mills,
both for corne and fulling, is swallowed up by the North Avon at
Peckingill-meadow near Tytherington. [See also Aubrey’s description of
these three springs, ante, page 24.—J. B.]
† Avon, a river, in the British language. ‡ Cynetium, Marleborough,
hath its name from the river. The Welsh pronounce y as wee doe u. §
Quaere, if it is called Marden, or Marlen? [Marden is the present
name.—J. B.]
The North Avon riseth toward Tedbury in Gloucestershire, and runnes to
Malmesbury, where it takes in a good streame, that comes from
Hankerton, and also a rivulet that comes from Sherston,* which
inriching the meadows as it runnes to Chippenham, Lacock, Bradford,
Bath, Kainsham, and the city of Bristowe, disembogues into the Severne
at Kingrode.
* [The Sheraton rivulet, and not that which rises near Tetbury, is
generally regarded as the source of the North, or Bristol Avon.—J. B.]
The silver Thames takes some part of this county in its journey to
Oxford. The source of it is in Gloucestershire, neer Cubberley (in the
rode from Oxford to Gloucester), where there are severall springs. In
our county it visits Cricklad, a market towne, and gives name to Isey,
a village neer; and with its fertile overflowing makes a most glorious
verdure in the spring season. In the old deeds of lands at and about
Cricklad they find this river by the name of Thamissis fluvius and the
Thames. The towne in Oxfordshire is writt Tame and not Thame; and I
believe that Mr. Cambden’s marriage of Thame and Isis, in his elegant
Latin poem, is but a poeticall fiction: I meane as to the name of
Thamisis, which he would not have till it comes to meet the river Thame
at Dorchester.
[The true source of the river Thames has been much disputed. A spring
which rises near the village of Kemble, at the north-western extremity
of Wiltshire, has been commonly regarded, during the last century, as
the real “Thames head”. It flows thence to Ashton Keynes, and onward to
Cricklade. At the latter place it is joined by the river Churn, which
comes from Coberly, about 20 miles to the northward, in
Gloucestershire. Aubrey refers to the latter stream as the source of
the Thames; and, on the principle of tracing the origin of a river to
its most remote source, the same view has been taken by some other
writers, who consequently dispute the claims of the Kemble spring.—J.
B.]
The river Thames, as it runnes to Cricklad, passes by Ashton Kaynes;†
from whence to Charleton, where the North Avon runnes, is about three
miles. Mr. Henry Brigges (Savilian professor of Geometrie at Oxford)
observing in the mappe the nearnesse of these two streames, and
reflecting on the great use that might accrue if a cutt were made from
the one to the other (of which there are many examples in the Low
Countreys), tooke a journey from Oxford to view it, and found the
ground levell and sappable and was very well pleased with his notion;
for that if these two rivers were maried by a canal between them, then
might goods be brought from London to Bristow by water, which would be
an extraordinary convenience both for safety and to avoid overturning.
This was about the yeare 1626. But there had been a long calme of
peace, and men minded nothing but pleasure and luxury.
“Jam patimur longæ pacis mala, sævior armis
Luxuria incumbit.”—LUCAN.
+ [If Aubrey was right in the preceding paragraph in regarding the
stream which rises at “Cubberley” in Gloucestershire as the source of
the Thames, he is wrong in stating that “the Thames” passes by Ashton
Keynes. It is the other brook, from Kemble, which runs through that
village; and the two streams only become united at Cricklade, which is
some distance lower down, to the eastward of Ashton Keynes.—J. B.]
Knowledge of this kind was not at all in fashion, so that he had no
encouragement to prosecute this noble designe: and no more done but the
meer discovery: and not long after he died, scilicet Anno Domini 1631,
January 31st.; and this ingeniose notion had died too and beene
forgotten, but that Mr. Francis Mathew, (formerly of the county of
Dorset, a captain in his majestie King Charles I. service), who was
acquainted with him, and had the hint from him, and after the wars
ceased revived this designe. Hee tooke much paines about it; went into
the countrey and made a mappe of it, and wrote a treatise of it, and
addressed himselfe to Oliver the Protector, and the Parliament. Oliver
was exceedingly pleased with the designe; and, had he lived but a
little longer, he would have had it perfected: but upon his death it
sank.
After his Majesties restauration, I recommended Captain Mathew to the
Lord Wm. Brouncker, then President of the Royall Societie, who
introduced him to his Majestie; who did much approve of the designe;
but money was wanting, and publick-spirited contributions; and the
Captain had no purse (undonn by the warres), and the heads of the
Parliament and Counsell were filled with other things.—Thus the poor
old gentleman’s project came to nothing.
He died about 1676, and left many good papers behind him concerning
this matter, in the hands of his daughters; of which I acquainted Mr.
John Collins, R.S.S. in An°. 1682, who tooke a journey to Oxford (which
journey cost him his life, by a cold), and first discoursed with the
barge-men there concerning their trade and way: then he went to
Lechlade, and discoursed with the bargemen there; who all approved of
the designe. Then he took a particular view of the ground to be cutt
between Ashton-kaynes and Charleton. From Malmesbury he went to
Bristoll. Then he returned to Malmesbury again and went to Wotton
Bassett, and took a view of that way. Sir Jonas Moore told me he liked
that way, but J. Collins was clearly for the cutt between Ashton-Kayns
and Charleton.
At his return to London I went with him to the daughters of Mr. Mathew,
who shewed him their father’s papers; sc. draughts, modells,
copper-plate of the mappe of the Thames, Acts of Parliament, and Bills
prepared to be enacted, &c.; as many as did fill a big portmantue. He
proposed the buying of them to the R. Societie, and tooke the heads of
them, and gave them an abstract of them. The papers, &c. were
afterwards brought to. the R. Societie; the price demanded for all was
but five pounds (the plate of the mappe did cost 8li.) The R. Societie
liked the designe; but they would neither undertake the businesse nor
buy the papers. So that noble knight, Sir James Shaen, R.S.S., who was
then present, slipt five guineas into J. Collins’s hand to give to the
poor gentlewomen, and so immediately became master of these rarities.
There were at the Societie at the same time three aldermen of the city
of London (Sir Jo. Laurence, Sir Patient Ward, and …. ….), fellows of
the Society, who when they heard that Sir James Shaen had gott the
possession of them were extremely vex’t; and repented (when ’twas too
late) that they had overslipped such an opportunity: then they would
have given 30li. This undertaking had been indeed most proper for the
hon{oura}ble city of London.
Jo. Collins writt a good discourse of this journey, and of the
feazability, and a computation of the chardge. Quaere, whether he left
a copie with the R. Society. Mr. Win, mathematicall instrument maker in
Chancery-lane, had all his papers, and amongst many others is to be
found this.
I have been the more full in this account, because if ever it shall
happen that any publick-spirited men shall arise to carry on such a
usefull work, they may know in whose hands the papers that were so well
considered heretofore are now lodged.
Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor of the Ordinance, told me that when the Duke
of York sent him to survey the manor of Dauntesey, formerly belonging
to Sir Jo. Danvers, he did then take a survey of this designe, and said
that it is feazable; but his opinion was that the best way would be to
make a cutt by Wotton Bassett, and that the King himselfe should
undertake it, for they must cutt through a hill by Wotton-Basset; and
that in time it might quit cost. As I remember, he told me that forty
thousand pounds would doe it.
But I thinke, Jo. Collins sayes in his papers, that the cutt from
Ashton-Kains to Charleton may bee made for three thousand pounds.
[Some of the above facts are more briefly stated by Aubrey in his
“Description of North Wiltshire” (printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps,
Bart.) They are however sufficiently interesting to be inserted here;
and they clearly shew that, notwithstanding Aubrey’s credulity and love
of theory, he was fully sensible of the beneficial results to be
expected from increased facilities of conveyance and locomotion. On
this point indeed he and his friends, Mr. Mathew and Mr. Collins, were
more than a century in advance of their contemporaries, for it was not
till after the year 1783 that Wiltshire began to profit by the
formation of canals.
Sanctioned by the approval of King Charles the Second, for which, as
above stated, he was indebted to Aubrey, Francis Mathew published an
explanation of his project for the junction of the Thames with the
Bristol Avon. This work, which advocated similar canals in other parts
of the country, bears the following title: “A Mediterranean Passage by
water from London to Bristol, and from Lynn to Yarmouth, and so
consequently to the city of York, for the great advancement of trade.”
(Lond. 1670, 4to.) An extract from this scarce volume is transcribed by
Aubrey into the Royal Society’s MS. of his own work; and a copy of Mr.
Mathew’s map, which illustrated it, is also there inserted.
The liberality of Sir James Shaen in the purchase of Mathew’s papers,
and the apathy of the London aldermen, until too late to secure them,
are amusingly described. Similar instances of civic meanness are not
wanting in the present day; indeed the indifference of corporate
authorities to scientific topics is strikingly illustrated by the fact
that the Royal Society has not at present enrolled upon its list of
Fellows a single member of the corporation of London; whereas in
Aubrey’s time there were no less than three.
The short canal projected in the seventeenth century to connect the
Thames and Avon has never been executed: subsequent speculators having
found that the wants and necessities of the country could be better
supplied by other and longer lines of water communication. Hence we
have the Thames and Severn Canal, from Lechlade to Stroud, commenced in
1783; the Kennet and Avon Canal, from Newbury to Bath, begun in 1796;
and the Wilts and Berks Canal (1801), from Abingdon to a point on the
last mentioned canal between Devizes and Bradford.—J. B.]
Mdm.-The best and cheapest way of making a canal is by ploughing; which
method ought to be applied for the cheaper making the cutt between the
two rivers of Thames and Avon. The same way serves for making descents
in a garden on the side of a hill.—See …… Castello della Currenti del
Acquo, 4to; which may be of use for this undertaking.
Consider the scheme in Captain Yarrington’s book, entitled “England’s
Improvement”, as to the establishing of granaries at severall townes on
the Thames and Avon; e. g. at Lechlade, Cricklade, &c. See also Plin.
Nat. Hist. lib. vi. c. 11.
At Funthill Episcopi, higher towards Hindon, water riseth and makes a
streame before a dearth of corne, that is to say, without raine; and is
commonly look’t upon by the neighbourhood as a certain presage of a
dearth; as, for example, the dearness of corne in 1678.
So at Morecomb-bottome, in the parish of Broad Chalke, on the north
side of the river, it has been observed time out of mind, that, when
the water breaketh out there, that it foreshewes a deare yeare of
corne; and I remember it did so in the yeare 1648. Plinie saieth (lib.
ii. Nat. Hist.) that the breaking forth of some rivers “annonæ
mutationem significant”.
[At Weston-Birt, in Gloucestershire, near the borders of Wiltshire,
water gushes from the ground in spring and autumn, and at other times,
in many hundred places at once, and continues to flow with great
rapidity for several days, when the whole valley, in which the houses
are placed, is completely filled. The street of the village is provided
with numerous rude bridges, which on these occasions become available
for purposes of communication.—J. B.]
’Tis a saying in the West, that a dry yeare does never cause a dearth.
Anno 1669, at Yatton Keynel, and at Broomfield in that parish, they
went a great way to water their cattle; and about 1640 the springs in
these parts did not breake till neer Christmas.
CHAPTER IV. SOILES.CHAPTER IV.
SOILES.
[THIS and the three succeeding chapters, on “Mineralls and Fossills,”
“Stones,” and “Formed Stones”, comprise the Geological portions of
Aubrey’s work. In a scientific view, these chapters may be regarded as
of little value; though creditable to their author as a minute
observer, and enthusiastic lover of science. It has been necessary to
omit much which the progress of scientific knowledge has rendered
obsolete; and in the passages quoted, the object has been to select
such as possessed the most general interest, as well as having direct
application to Wiltshire. A good summary of the Geological
characteristics of the county will be found in the article “Wiltshire,”
in the Penny Cyclopædia. Mr. John Provis, of Chippenham, contributed a
similar sketch to the third volume of the Beauties of Wiltshire; and
the geology of Salisbury and its vicinity is described in Hatcher’s
History of Salisbury, by the son of the historian, Mr. W. H.
Hatcher.—J. B.]
This county hath great variety of earth. It is divided, neer about the
middle, from east to west into the dowries; commonly called
Salisbury-plaine, which are the greatest plaines in Europe: and into
the vale; which is the west end of the vale of Whitehorse.
The vale is the northern part; the soile whereof is what wee call a
stone-brash; sc. red earth, full of a kind of tile-stone, in some
places good tiles. It beareth good barley. In the west places of the
soile, wormewood growes very plentifully; whereas in the south part
they plant it in their garden.
The soile of Malmesbury hundred, which is stone-brash and clay, and the
earth vitriolish, produces excellent okes, which seem to delight in a
vitriolate soile, and where iron oare is. The clay and stones doe
hinder the water from sinking down, whereby the surface of the earth
becomes dropsicall, and beares mosse and herbs naturall to such moist
ground. In the ploughed fields is plenty of yarrow; in the pasture
grounds plenty of wood wax; and in many grounds plenty of centaury,
wood sorrell, ladies’ bed-straw, &c., sowre herbes.
I never saw in England so much blew clay as in the northern part of
this county, and it continues from the west part to Oxfordshire. Under
the planke-stones is often found blew marle, which is the best.
In Vernknoll, a ground belonging to Fowles-wick, adjoyning to the lands
of Easton-Pierse, neer the brooke and in it, I bored clay as blew as
ultra-marine, and incomparably fine, without anything of sand, &c.,
which perhaps might be proper for Mr. Dwight for his making of
porcilaine. It is also at other places hereabout, but ’tis rare.
[It is not very clear that “blew clay,” however fine, could be “proper
for the making of porcilane,” the chief characteristic of which is its
transparent whiteness. Apart from this however, Aubrey’s remark is
curious; as it intimates that the manufacture of it was attempted in
this country at an earlier period than is generally believed. The
famous porcelain works at Chelsea were not established till long
afterwards; and according to Dr. Plott, whose “Natural History of
Staffordshire” was published in 1686, the only kinds of pottery then
made in this country were the coarse yellow, red, black, and mottled
wares; and of those the chief sale was to “poor crate-men, who carried
them on their backs all over the country”, I have not found any account
of the Mr. Dwight mentioned by Aubrey, or of his attempts to improve
the art of pottery.—J. B.]
Clay abounds, particularly about Malmesbury, Kington St. Michael,
Allington, Easton Piers (as also a hungry marle), Dracott-Cerne,
Yatton-Keynell, Minty, and Bradon-forest.
At Minty, and at a place called Woburn, in the parish of Hankerton, is
very good fullers’-earth. The fullers’-earth at Minty-common, at the
place called the Gogges, when I tooke it up, was as black as black
polished marble; but, having carryed it in my pocket five or six dayes,
it became gray.
At Hedington, at the foot of the hill, is a kind of white
fullers’-earth which the cloth-workers doe use; and on the north side
of the river at Broad Chalke, by a poole where are fine springs (where
the hermitage is), is a kind of fullers’-earth which the weavers doe
use for their chaines: ’tis good Tripoly, or “lac lunæ”. Lac lunæ is
the mother of silver, and is a cosmetick.
In Boudon-parke, fifteen foot deep under the barren sand, is a great
plenty of blew marle, with which George Johnson, Esq.,
councellor-at-law, hath much improved his estate there. The soile of
the parke was so exceedingly barren, that it did beare a gray mosse,
like that of an old park pale, which skreeks as one walkes on it, and
putts ones teeth on edge. Furzes did peep a little above the ground,
but were dwarfes and did not thrive.
At Bitteston, in the highway, blew marle appears. Mr. Montjoy hath
drawn the water that runnes through it, and is impregnated with its
nitre, into his pasture grounds, by which meanes they are improved from
—— to —— per annum.
In Bradon-forest, and at Ashton Kaynes, is a pottery. There is potters’
clay also at . .. . Deverell, on the common towards Frome, and potts
are made there.
At Clarendon-parke is lately discovered (1684) an earth that cleanseth
better than Woburne earthe in Bedfordshire; and Mr. Cutler, the
cloathier of Wilton, tells me he now makes only use of it. There is at
Burton-hill, juxta Malmesbury, fullers’ earth, as also about Westport,
and elsewhere thereabout, which the cloathiers use.
Tobacco-pipe-clay excellent, or the best in England, at Chittern, of
which the Gauntlet pipes at Amesbury are made, by one of that name.
They are the best tobacco pipes in England. [See a curious paragraph on
the subject of Gauntlet-pipes in Fuller’s Worthies,—Wiltshire.—J. B.]
The earth about Malmesbury hundred and Chippenham hundred, especially
about Pewsham-forest, is vitriolate, or aluminous and vitriolate; which
in hot weather the sun does make manifest on the banks of the ditches.
At Bradfield and Dracot Cerne is such vitriolate earth; which with
galles will make inke. This makes the land so soure, it beares sowre
and austere plants: it is a proper soile for dayries. At summer it
hunger-banes the sheep; and in winter it rotts them.
These clayy and marly lands are wett and dirty; so that to poore
people, who have not change of shoes, the cold is very incommodious,
which hurts their nerves exceedingly. Salts, as the Lord Chancellor
Bacon sayes, doe exert (irradiate) raies of cold. Elias Ashmole, Esq.
got a dangerous cold by sitting by the salt sacks in a salter’s shop,
which was like to have cost him his life. And some salts will corrode
papers, that were three or four inches from it. The same may be sayd of
marble pavements, which have cost some great persons their lives.
The soil of South Wilts is chalke and white marle, which abounds with
nitre; and is inimique to the nerves by the nitre that irradiates from
it. ’Tis that gives the dampishnesse to the flowres and walles of
Salisbury and Chalke, &c. E contra, Herefordshire, Salop,
Montgomeryshire, &c. the soile is clear of any salt; which, besides the
goodnesse of the air, conduces much to their longævitas: e. g., 100
yeares of age in those parts as common as 80 in Wilts, &c.
The walles of the church of Broad Chalke, and of the buttery at the
farme there, doe shoot out, besides nitre, a beautifull red, lighter
than scarlet; an oriental horse-flesh colour.
The soile of Savernake forest is great gravelle: and (as I remember)
pebbley, as on the sea side. At Alderbury, by Ivy Church, is great
plenty of fine gravelle; which is sent for all over the south parts of
the countrey.
At Sutton Benger eastward is a gravelly field called Barrets, which is
sown every year onely with barley: it hath not lain fallow in the
memory of the oldest man’s grandfather there. About 1665 Mr. Leonard
Atkins did sow his part of it with wheat for a triall. It came up
wonderfully thick and high; but it proved but faire strawe, and had
little or nothing in the eare. This land was heretofore the vineyard
belonging to the abbey of Malmesbury; of which there is a recitall in
the grant of this manner by K. Henry VIII. to Sir —— Long. This
fruitfull ground is within a foot or lesse of the gravell.
The soil of Christian Malford, a parish adjoyning to Sutton, is very
rich, and underneath is gravell in many parts.
The first ascent from Chippenham, sc. above the Deny hill, is sandy: e.
g. Bowdon-parke, Spy-parke, Sandy-lane, great clear sand, of which I
believe good glasse might be made; but it is a little too far from a
navigable river. They are ye biggest graines of sand that ever I saw,
and very transparent: some where thereabout is sand quite white.
At Burbidge the soile is an ash-coloured gray sand, and very naturall
for the production of good turnips. They are the best that ever I did
eate, and are sent for far and neere: they are not tough and stringy
like other turnips, but cutt like marmalad.
Quaere, how long the trade of turnips has been here? For it is certain
that all the turnips that were brought to Bristoll eighty years since
[now 1680] were from Wales; and now none come from thence, for they
have found out that the red sand about Bristoll doth breed a better and
a bigger turnip.
Burbidge is also remarqueable for excellent pease.
The turf of our downes, and so east and west, is the best in the world
for gardens and bowling-greens; for more southward it is burnt, and
more north it is course.
Temple downe in Preshut parish, belonging to the right honble Charles
Lord Seymour, worth xxs. per acre, and better, a great quantity of it.
As to the green circles on the downes, vulgarly called faiery circles
(dances), I presume they are generated from the breathing out of a
fertile subterraneous vapour. (The ring-worme on a man’s flesh is
circular. Excogitate a paralolisme between the cordial heat and ye
subterranean heat, to elucidate this phenomenon.) Every tobacco-taker
knowes that ’tis no strange thing for a circle of smoke to be whiff’d
out of the bowle of the pipe; but ’tis donne by chance. If you digge
under the turfe of this circle, you will find at the rootes of the
grasse a hoare or mouldinesse. But as there are fertile steames, so
contrary wise there are noxious ones, which proceed from some
mineralls, iron, &c.; which also as the others, cæteris paribus, appear
in a circular forme.
In the common field of Winterbourn …… is the celebrated path called St.
Thomas Becket’s path. It leads from the village up to Clarendon Parke.
Whether this field be sown or lies fallow, the path is visible to one
that lookes on it from the hill, and it is wonderfull. But I can add
yet farther the testimonies of two that I very well know (one of them
my servant, and of an excellent sight) that will attest that, riding in
the rode from London one morning in a great snow, they did see this
path visible on the snow. St. Thomas Becket, they say, was sometime a
cure priest at Winter-bourn, and did use to goe along this path up to a
chapell in Clarendon Parke, to say masse, and very likely ’tis true:
but I have a conceit that this path is caused by a warme subterraneous
steame from a long crack in the earth, which may cause snow to dissolve
sooner there than elsewhere: and consequently gives the dissolving snow
a darker colour, just as wee see the difference of whites in damask
linnen.
The right reverend father in God, Seth, Lord Bishop of Salisbury,
averres to me that at Silchester in Hampshire, which was a Roman citie,
one may discerne in the corne ground the signe of the streetes; nay,
passages and hearthes: which also Dr. Jo. Wilkins (since Lord Bishop of
Chester) did see with him, and has affirm’d the same thing to me. They
were there, and saw it in the spring.
——— “ita res accendunt lumina rebus”.—LUCRETIUS.
The pastures of the vale of White Horse, sc. the first ascent below the
plaines, are as rich a turfe as any in the kingdom of England: e. g.
the Idovers at Dauntesey, of good note in Smithfield, which sends as
fatt cattle to Smythfield as any place in this nation; as also
Tytherton, Queenfield, Wroughton, Tokenham, Mudgelt, Lydyard Tregoz,
and about Cricklad, are fatting grounds, the garden of Wiltshire.
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.]
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.]
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.]
CHAPTER V. MINERALLS AND FOSSILLS.CHAPTER V.
MINERALLS AND FOSSILLS.
[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.]
CHAPTER VI. STONES.CHAPTER VI.
STONES.
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 the
religious houses of the south part of Wiltshire and Dorset were built.
[The walls, buttresses, and other substantial parts of Salisbury
Cathedral 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.
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.
CHAPTER VII. OF FORMED STONES.CHAPTER VII.
OF FORMED STONES.
[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 on
one 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.
CHAPTER VIII. AN HYPOTHESIS OF THE TERRAQUEOUS GLOBE. A DIGRESSION.CHAPTER VIII.
AN HYPOTHESIS OF THE TERRAQUEOUS GLOBE. A DIGRESSION.
[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.]
CHAPTER IX. OF PLANTS.CHAPTER IX.
OF PLANTS.
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 of
England, 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, called
Pinhill, was a grove of pines, which gives the name to the seate.
About 1656 there were remaining about four or five: they made fine
shew 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.
CHAPTER X. BEASTES.CHAPTER X.
BEASTES.
[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.
In Wiley river are otters, and perhaps in others. The otter is our
English bever; and Mr. Meredith Lloyd saies that in the river Tivy in
Carmarthenshire there were real bevers heretofore—now extinct. Dr.
Powell, in his History of Wales, speakes of it. They are both alike;
fine furred, and their tayles like a fish. (The otter hath a hairy
round tail, not like the beavers.—J. RAY.)
I come now to warrens. That at Auburn is our famous coney-warren; and
the conies there are the best, sweetest, and fattest of any in England;
a short, thick coney, and exceeding fatt The grasse there is very
short, and burnt up in the hot weather. ’Tis a saying, that conies doe
love rost-meat.
Mr. Wace’s notes, p. 62.—“We have no wild boares in England: yet it may
be thought that heretofore we had, and did not think it convenient to
preserve this game”. But King Charles I. sent for some out of France,
and putt them in the New Forest, where they much encreased, and became
terrible to the travellers. In the civill warres they were destroyed,
but they have tainted all the breed of the pigges of the neighbouring
partes, which are of their colour; a kind of soot colour.
(There were wild boars in a forest in Essex formerly. I sent a Portugal
boar and sow to Wotton in Surrey, which greatly increased; but they
digged the earth so up, and did such spoyle, that the country would not
endure it: but they made incomparable bacon.—J. EVELYN.)
In warrens are found, but rarely, some old stotes, quite white: that
is, they are ermins. My keeper of Vernditch warren hath shewn two or
three of them to me.
At Everley is a great warren for hares; and also in Bishopston parish
neer Wilton is another, where the standing is to see the race; and an°.
1682 the Right Honble James, Earle of Abingdon, made another at West
Lavington.
Having done now with beastes of venerum, I will come to dogges. The
British dogges were in great esteeme in the time of the Romans; as
appeares by Gratius, who lived in Augustus Caesar’s time, and Oppian,
who wrote about two ages after Gratius, in imitation of him. “Gratii
Cynegeticon”, translated by Mr. Chr. Wace, 1654:-
“What if the Belgique current you should view,
And steer your course to Britain’s utmost shore’!
Though not for shape, and much deceiving show,
The British hounds no other blemish know:
When fierce work comes, and courage must he shown,
And Mars to extreme combat leads them on,
Then stout Molossians you will lesse commend;
With Athemaneans these in craft contend.”
It is certain that no county of England had greater variety of game,
&c. than Wiltshire, and our county hounds were as good, or rather the
best of England; but within this last century the breed is much mix’t
with northern hounds. Sir Charles Snell, of Kington St. Michael, who
was my honoured friend and neighbour, had till the civill warrs as good
hounds for the hare as any were in England, for handsomenesse and mouth
(deep-mouthed) and goodnesse, and suited one another admirably well.
But it was the Right Hon. Philip I. Earle of Pembroke, that was the
great hunter. It was in his lordship’s time, sc. tempore Jacobi I. and
Caroli I. a serene calme of peace, that hunting was at its greatest
heighth that ever was in this nation. The Roman governours had not, I
thinke, that leisure. The Saxons were never at quiet; and the barons’
warres, and those of York and Lancaster, took up the greatest part of
the time since the Conquest: so that the glory of the English hunting
breath’d its last with this Earle, who deceased about 1644, and shortly
after the forests and parkes were sold and converted into arable, &c.
’Twas after his lordship’s decease [1650] that I was a hunter; that is
to say, with the Right Honourable William, Lord Herbert, of Cardiff,
the aforesaid Philip’s grandson. Mr. Chr. Wace then taught him Latin,
and hunted with him; and ’twas then that he translated Gratii
Cynegeticon, and dedicated it to his lordship, which will be a lasting
monument for him. Sir Jo. Denham was at Wilton at that time about a
twelve moneth.
The Wiltshire greyhounds were also the best of England, and are still;
and my father and I have had as good as any were in our times in
Wiltshire. They are generally of a fallow colour, or black; but Mr.
Button’s, of Shirburn in Glocestershire, are some white and some black.
But Gratius, in his Cynegeticon, adviseth:-
“And chuse the grayhound py’d with black and white,
He runs more swift than thought, or winged flight;
But courseth yet in view, not hunts in traile,
In which the quick Petronians never faile.”
We also had in this county as good tumblers as anywhere in the nation.
Martial speakes of the tumblers:-
“Non sibi sed domino venatur vertagus acer,
Illæsum leporem qui tibi dente feret”—
Turnebus, Young, Gerard, Vossius, and Janus Ulitius, all consenting
that the name and dog came together from Gallia Belgica. Dr. Caldicot
told me that in Wilton library there was a Latine poeme (a manuscript),
wrote about Julius Caesar’s time, where was mention of tumblers, and
that they were found no where but in Britaine. I ask’d him if ’twas not
Gratius; he told me no. Quaere, Mr. Chr. Wace, if he remembers any such
thing? The books are now most lost and gonne: perhaps ’twas Martial.
Very good horses for the coach are bought out of the teemes in our
hill-countrey. Warminster market is much used upon this account.
I have not seen so many pied cattle any where as in North Wiltshire.
The country hereabout is much inclined to pied cattle, but commonly the
colour is black or brown, or deep red. Some cow-stealers will make a
hole in a hott lofe newly drawn out of the oven, and putt it on an oxes
horn for a convenient tune, and then they can turn their softned homes
the contrary way, so that the owner cannot swear to his own beast. Not
long before the King’s restauration a fellow was hanged at Tyburn for
this, and say’d that he had never come thither if he had not heard it
spoken of in a sermon. Thought he, I will try this trick.
CHAPTER XI. FISHES.CHAPTER XI.
FISHES.
HUNGERFORD trowtes are very much celebrated, and there are also good
ones at Marleborough and at Ramesbury. In the gravelly stream at
Slaughtenford are excellent troutes; but, though I say it, there are
none better in England than at Nawle, which is the source of the
streame of Broad Chalke, a mile above it; but half a mile below Chalke,
they are not so good. King Charles I. loved a trout above all fresh
fish; and when he came to Wilton, as he commonly did every summer, the
Earle of Pembroke was wont to send for these trowtes for his majesties
eating.
The eeles at Marleborough are incomparable; silver eeles, truly almost
as good as a trout. In ye last great frost, 168-, when the Thames was
frozen over, there were as many eeles killed by frost at the poole at
the hermitage at Broad Chalke as would fill a coule; and when they were
found dead, they were all curled up like cables. [“Coul, a tub or
vessel with two ears.” Bailey’s Dictionary.—J. B.]
Umbers are in the river Nadder, and so to Christ Church; but the late
improvement of drowning the meadowes hath made them scarce. They are
only in the river Humber besides. [Aubrey’s friend, Sir James Long,
mentions these fish as “graylings, or umbers”. They are best known by
the former name. Dr. Maton states that they are still to be found in
the Avon, at Downton, where Walton speaks of them as being caught in
his time. Mr. Hatcher says that “the umber abounds in the waters
between Wilton and Salisbury”. (History of Salisbury, p. 689.)—J. B.]
Crafish are very plenty at Salisbury; but the chiefest places for them
Hungerford and Newbury: they are also at Ramesbury, and in the Avon at
Chippenham.
“Greeke, carps, turkey-cocks, and beere,
Came into England all in a yeare.”
In the North Avon are sometimes taken carpes which are extraordinary
good. [Besides giving “the best way of dressing a carpe”, Aubrey has
annexed to his original manuscript a piece of paper, within the folds
of which is inclosed a small bone. The paper bears the following
inscription: “1660. The bone found in the head of a carpe. Vide
Schroderi. It is a good medicine for the apoplexie or falling sickness;
I forget whether.” Aubrey’s reference is to “Zoology; or the History of
Animals, as they are useful in Physic and Chirurgery”; by John
Schroderus, M.D. of Francfort Done into English by T. Bateson. London,
1659, 8vo.
When a boy I caught many of these fish in the pond at Kington St.
Michael, both by angling and by baiting three or four hooks at the end
of a piece of string and leaving them in the water all night. In the
morning I have found two, and sometimes three, large fish captured. On
one occasion “Squire White”, the proprietor of the estate, discharged
his gun, apparently at me, to deter me from this act of poaching and
trespassing.—J. B.]
As for ponds, we cannot boast much of them; the biggest is that in
Bradon Forest. There is a fair pond at West Lavington which was made by
Sir John Danvers. At Draycot Cerne the ponds are not great, but the
carpes very good, and free from muddinesse. In Wardour Parke is a
stately pond; at Wilton and Longleat two noble canals and severall
small ponds; and in the parke at Kington St. Michael are several ponds
in traine. [The latter ponds are supplied by two springs in the
immediate vicinity, forming one of the tributaries of the Avon. The
stream abounds with trout, many of which I have caught at the end of
the summer season, by laving out the water from the deeper holes.—J.
B.]
Tenches are common. Loches are in the Upper Avon at Amesbury. Very good
perches in the North Avon, but none in the Upper Avon. Salmons are
sometimes taken in the Upper Avon, rarely, at Harnham Bridge juxta
Sarum. [On the authority of this passage, Dr. Maton includes the salmon
among the Wiltshire fish; but he adds, “I know no person now living who
has ascertained its having ascended the Avon so far as Salisbury.”
Hatcher’s Hist, of Salisbury, p. 689.—J. B.]
Good pikes, roches, and daces in both the Avons. In the river Avon at
Malmesbury are lamprills (resembling lampreis) in knotts: they are
but….. inches long. They use them for baytes; and they squeeze these
knotts together and make little kind of cheeses of them for eating.
CHAPTER XII. BIRDS.CHAPTER XII.
BIRDS.
WE have great plenty of larkes, and very good ones, especially in
Golem-fields and those parts adjoyning to Coteswold. They take them by
alluring them with a dareing-glasse,* which is whirled about in a
sun-shining day, and the larkes are pleased at it, and strike at it, as
at a sheepe’s eye, and at that time the nett is drawn over them. While
he playes with his glasse he whistles with his larke-call of silver, a
tympanum of about the diameter of a threepence. In the south part of
Wiltshire they doe not use dareing-glasses but catch these pretty
ætheriall birds with trammolls.
* [“Let his grace go forward, and dare us with his cap like larks.”
—Shakspere, Henry VIII. Act iii. sc. 2.]
The buntings doe accompany the larkes. Linnets on the downes.
Woodpeckers severall sorts: many in North Wilts.
Sir Bennet Hoskins, Baronet, told me that his keeper at his parke at
Morehampton in Hereford-shire, did, for experiment sake, drive an iron
naile thwert the hole of the woodpecker’s nest, there being a tradition
that the damme will bring some leafe to open it. He layed at the
bottome of the tree a cleane sheet, and before many houres passed the
naile came out, and he found a leafe lying by it on the sheete. Quaere
the shape or figure of the leafe. They say the moone-wort will doe such
things. This experiment may easily be tryed again. As Sir Walter
Raleigh saies, there are stranger things to be seen in the world than
are between London and Stanes. [This is the “story” which Ray, in the
letter printed in page 8, justly describes as, “without doubt, a
fable.”—J. B.]
In Sir James Long’s parke at Draycot Cerne are some wheat-eares; and on
come warrens and downes, but not in great plenty. Sussex doth most
abound with these. It is a great delicacie, and they are little lumps
of fatt.
On Salisbury plaines, especially about Stonehenge, are bustards. They
are also in the fields above Lavington: they doe not often come to
Chalke. (Many about Newmarket, and sometimes cranes. J. EVELYN.) [In
the “Penny Cyclopaedia” are many interesting particulars of the
bustard, and in Hoare’s “Ancient Wiltshire, vol. i. p. 94, there is an
account of two of these birds which were seen near Warminster in the
summer of 1801; since when the bustard has not been seen in the
county.—J. B.]
On Salisbury plaines are gray crowes, as at Royston. [These are now met
with on the Marlborough downs.—J. B.]
“Like Royston crowes, where, as a man may say,
Are friars of both the orders, black and gray.”—J. CLEVELAND’S POEMS.
’Tis certain that the rookes of the Inner Temple did not build their
nests in the garden to breed in the spring before the plague, 1665; but
in the spring following they did.
Feasants were brought Into Europe from about the Caspian sea. There are
no pheasants in Spaine, nor doe I heare of any in Italy. Capt. Hen.
Bertie, the Earle of Abingdon’s brother, when he was in Italy, was at
the great Duke of Tuscany’s court entertained with all the rarities
that the country afforded, but he sawe no pheasants. Mr. Wyld Clarke,
factor fifteen yeares in Barberie, affirmes there are none there. Sir
John Mordaunt, who had a command at Tangier twenty-five yeares, and had
been some time governour there, a great lover of field sports, affirmes
that there are no pheasants in Africa or Spaine. [See Ray’s Letter to
Aubrey, ante, page 8.]
Bitterns in the breaches at Allington, &c. Herons bred heretofore, sc.
about 1580, at Easton-Piers, before the great oakes were felled down
neer the mannour-house; and they doe still breed in Farleigh Parke. An
eirie of sparrow-hawkes at the parke at Kington St. Michael. The
hobbies doe goe away at….. and return at the spring. Quære Sir James
Long, if any other hawkes doe the like?
Ganders are vivacious animals. Farmer Ady of Segary had a gander that
was fifty yeares old, which the soldiers killed. He and his gander were
both of the same age. (A goose is now living, anno 1757, at Hagley hall
in Worcestershire, full fifty yeares old. MS. NOTE.)
Sea-mewes. Plentie of them at Colern-downe; elsewhere in Wiltshire I
doe not remember any. There are presages of weather made by them.
[Instead of “presages of weather,” the writer would have been more
accurate if he had said that when “sea-mewes,” or other birds of the
ocean, are seen so far inland as Colern, at least twenty miles from the
sea, they indicate stormy weather in their natural element.—J.
B.]-Virgil’s Georgics, lib. i. Englished by Mr. T. May:-
“The seas are ill to sailors evermore
When cormorants fly crying to the shore;
From the mid-sea when sea-fowl pastime make
Upon dry land; when herns the ponds forsake,
And, mounted on their wings, doe fly aloft.”
CHAPTER XIII. REPTILS AND INSECTS.CHAPTER XIII.
REPTILS AND INSECTS.
[THIS Chapter contains several extraordinary recipes for medicines to
be compounded in various ways from insects and reptiles. As a specimen
one of them may he referred to which begins as follows:-“Calcinatio
Bufonum. R. Twenty great fatt toades; in May they are the best; putt
them alive in a pipkin; cover it, make a fire round it to the top; let
them stay on the fire till they make no noise,” &c. &c. Aubrey says
that Dr. Thomas Willis mentions this medicine in his tractat De
Febribus, and describes it as a special remedy for the plague and other
diseases.—J. B.]
No snakes or adders at Chalke, and toades very few: the nitre in the
chalke is inimique to them. No snakes or adders at Harcot-woods
belonging to — Gawen, Esq.; but in the woods of Compton Chamberleyn
adjoyning they are plenty. At South Wraxhall and at Colern Parke, and
so to Mouncton-Farley, are adders.
In Sir James Long’s parke at Draycot-Cerne are grey lizards; and no
question in other places if they were look’t after; but people take
them for newts. They are of that family. About anno 1686 a boy lyeing
asleep in a garden felt something dart down his throat, which killed
him: ’tis probable ’twas a little newt. They are exceeding nimble: they
call them swifts at Newmarket Heath. When I was a boy a young fellow
slept on the grasse: after he awak’t, happening to putt his hand in his
pocket, something bitt him by the top of his finger: he shak’t it
suddenly off so that he could not perfectly discerne it. The biteing
was so venomous that it overcame all help, and he died in a few hours:-
“Virus edax superabat opera: penituaq{ue} receptum
Ossibus, et toto corpore pestis erat.”—OVID. FASTOR.
Sir George Ent, M.D. had a tenant neer Cambridge that was stung with an
adder. He happened not to dye, but was spotted all over. One at Knahill
in Wilts, a neighbour of Dr. Wren’s, was stung, and it turned to a
leprosy. (From Sr. Chr. Wren.)
At Neston Parke (Col. W. Eire’s) in Cosham parish are huge snakes, an
ell long; and about the Devises snakes doe abound.
Toades are plentifull in North Wiltshire: but few in the chalkie
countreys. In sawing of an ash 2 foot + square, of Mr. Saintlowe’s, at
Knighton in Chalke parish, was found a live toade about 1656; the sawe
cutt him asunder, and the bloud came on the under-sawyer’s hand: he
thought at first the upper-sawyer had cutt his hand. Toades are
oftentimes found in the milstones of Darbyshire.
Snailes are everywhere; but upon our downes, and so in Dorset, and I
believe in Hampshire, at such degree east and west, in the summer time
are abundance of very small snailes on the grasse and come, not much
bigger, or no bigger than small pinnes heads. Though this is no strange
thing among us, yet they are not to be found in the north part of
Wilts, nor on any northern wolds. When I had the honour to waite on
King Charles I.* and the Duke of York to the top of Silbury hill, his
Royal Highnesse happened to cast his eye on some of these small snailes
on the turfe of the hill. He was surprised with the novelty, and
commanded me to pick some up, which I did, about a dozen or more,
immediately; for they are in great abundance. The next morning as he
was abed with his Dutches at Bath he told her of it, and sent Dr.
Charleton to me for them, to shew her as a rarity.
* [This should be “Charles II.” who visited Avebury and Silbury Hill,
in company with his brother, afterwards James II., in the autumn of the
year 1663, when Aubrey attended them by the King’s command. See his
account of the royal visit, in the Memoir of Aubrey, 4to. 1845.—J. B.]
In the peacefull raigne of King James I. the Parliament made an act for
provision of rooke-netts and catching crows to be given in charge of
court-barons, which is by the stewards observed, but I never knew the
execution of it. I have heard knowing countreymen affirme that
rooke-wormes, which the crows and rookes doe devour at sowing time, doe
turne to chafers, which I think are our English locusts: and some
yeares wee have such fearfull armies of them that they devour all
manner of green things; and if the crowes did not destroy these wormes,
it would oftentimes happen. Parliaments are not infallible, and some
thinke they were out in this bill.
Bees. Hampshire has the name for the best honey of England, and also
the worst; sc. the forest honey: but the south part of Wiltshire having
much the like turfe must afford as good, or little inferiour to it.
’Tis pitty these profitable insects should loose their lives for their
industry.
“Flebat Aristæus, quod Apes cum stirpe necatas
Viderat incoeptos destituisse favos.”-OVID. FAST. lib. i.
A plaster of honey effectually helpeth a bruise. (From Mr. Francis
Potter, B. D., of Kilmanton.) It seemes to be a rational medicine: for
honey is the extraction of the choicest medicinal flowers.
Mr. Butler of Basingstoke, in Hampshire, who wrote a booke of Bees, had
a daughter he called his honey-girle; to whom, when she was born, he
gave certain stocks of bees; the product of which when she came to be
married, was 400li. portion. (From — Boreman, of Kingston-upon-Thames,
D.D.)
Mr. Harvey, at Newcastle, gott 80li. per annum by bees. (I thinke Varro
somewhere writes that in Spaine two brothers got almost as much yearly
by them.—J. EVELYN.) Desire of Mr. Hook, R.S.S. a copie of the modelle
of his excellent bee-hive, March 1684-5; better than any yet known. See
Mr. J. Houghton’s Collections, No. 1683, June, where he hath a good
modelle of a bee-hive, pag. 166. Mr. Paschal hath an ingeniouse
contrivance for bees at Chedsey; sc. they are brought into his house.
Bee-hive at Wadham College, Oxon; see Dr. Plott’s Oxfordshire, p. 263.
Heretofore, before our plantations in America, and consequently before
the use of sugar, they sweetened their [drink, &c.] with honey; as wee
doe now with sugar. The name of honey-soppes yet remaines, but the use
is almost worne out. (At Queen’s College, Oxon, the cook treats the
whole hall with honey-sops on Good Friday at dinner.—BISHOP TANNER.)
Now, 1686, since the great increase of planting of sugar-canes in the
Barbados, &c. sugar is but one third of the price it was at thirty
yeares since. In the time of the Roman Catholique religion, when a
world of wax candles were used in the churches, bees-wax was a
considerable commodity.
To make Metheglyn:-(from Mistress Hatchman. This receipt makes good
Metheglyn; I thinke as good as the Devises). Allow to every quart of
honey a gallon of water; and when the honey is dissolved, trie if it
will beare an egg to the breadth of three pence above the liquor; or if
you will have it stronger putt in more honey. Then set it on the fire,
and when the froth comes on the toppe of it, skimme it cleane; then
crack eight or ten hen-egges and putt in the liquor to cleare it: two
or three handfulls of sweet bryar, and so much of muscovie, and sweet
marjoram the like quantity; some doe put sweet cis, or if you please
put in a little of orris root. Boyle all these untill the egges begin
to look black, (these egges may be enough for a hoggeshead,) then
straine it forth through a fine sieve into a vessell to coole; the next
day tunne it up in a barrell, and when it hath workt itself cleare,
which will be in about a weeke’s time, stop it up very close, and if
you make it strong enough, sc. to carry the breadth of a sixpence, it
will keep a yeare. This receipt is something neer that of Mr. Thorn.
Piers of the Devises, the great Metheglyn-maker. Metheglyn is a pretty
considerable manufacture in this towne time out of mind. I doe believe
that a quantity of mountain thyme would be a very proper ingredient;
for it is most wholesome and fragrant [Aubrey also gives another
“receipt to make white metheglyn,” which he obtained “from old Sir
Edward Baynton, 1640.” I have seen this old English beverage made by my
grandmother, as here described.—J. B.]
Mr. Francis Potter, Rector of Kilmanton, did sett a hive of bees in one
of the lances of a paire of scales in a little closet, and found that
in summer dayes they gathered about halfe a pound a day; and one day,
which he conceived was a honey-dew, they gathered three pounds wanting
a quarter. The hive would be something lighter in the morning than at
night. Also he tooke five live bees and putt them in a paper, which he
did cutt like a grate, and weighed them, and in an hower or two they
would wast the weight of three or four wheatcornes. He bids me observe
their thighes in a microscope. (Upon the Brenta river, by Padua in
Italy, they have hives of bees in open boates; the bees goe out to feed
and gather till the honey-dews are spent neer the boate; and then the
bee master rows the boate to a fresh place, and by the sinking of the
boate knows when to take the honey, &c.—J. EVELYN.)
CHAPTER XIV. OF MEN AND WOEMEN.CHAPTER XIV.
OF MEN AND WOEMEN.
[THE following instances of remarkable longevity, monstrous births, &c.
will suffice to shew the nature of this Chapter. It must be admitted
that its contents are unimportant except as matters of curious
speculation, and as connected with the several localities referred
to.—J. B.]
A PROVERB:—
‘Salisbury Plain
Never without a thief or twain.’
As to the temper and complexion of the men and woemen, I have spoken
before in the Prolegomena.
As to longæevity, good aire and water doe conduce to it: but the
inhabitants are also to tread on dry earth; not nitrous or vitriolate,
that hurts the nerves. South and North Wiltshire are wett and dampish
soiles. The stone walles in the vale here doe also cast a great and
unwholsome dampe. Eighty-four or eighty-five is the age the inhabitants
doe rarely exceed. But I have heard my worthy friend George Johnson of
Bowdon, Esq., one of the judges in North Wales, say that he did observe
in his circuit, sc. Montgomery, Flint, and Denbigh, that men lived
there as commonly to an hundred yeares as with us to eighty. Mr.
Meredith Lloyd hath seen at Dolkelly, a great parish in Merionithshire,
an hundred or more of poore people at eighty yeares of age at church in
a morning, who came thither bare-foot and bare-legged a good way. In
the chancell of Winterborn Basset lies interred Mr. Ambrose Brown, who
died 166-,aged 103 yeares. Old goodwife Dew of Broad Chalke died about
1649, aged 103. She told me she was, I thinke, sixteen yeares old when
King Edward the sixth was in this countrie, and that he lost his
courtiers, or his courtiers him, a hunting, and found him again in
Falston-lane. In the parish of Stanton St. Quintin are but twenty-three
houses, and when Mr. Byron was inducted, 167-, here were eight persons
of 80 yeares of age. Mr. Thorn. Lyte of Easton-Piers, my mother’s
grand-father, died 1626, aged 96; and about 1674 died there old William
Kington, a tenant of mine, about 90 yeares of age. A poore woman of
Chippenham died about 1684, aged 108 yeares.
Part of an Epitaph at Colinbourne-Kinston in Wiltshire, communicated to
the Philosophicall Conventus at the Musæum at Oxford, by Mr. Arthur
Charlett, Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford:—“Pray for the soule of
Constantine Darrel, Esq. who died Anno Dni. 1400, and……. his wife, who
died A°. Dni. 1495.” See it. I doe believe the dates in the inscription
are in numerical letters. [In this case the former date was probably
left unfinished, when the husband placed the inscription to his wife,
and after his death it was neglected to be filled up, as in many other
instances. The numerals would be in black letter.—J. B.]
In the chancel at Milsham is an inscription of Isaac Self, a wealthy
cloathiers of that place, who died in the 92nd yeare of his age,
leaving behind him a numerous offspring; viz. eighty and three in
number.
Ella, Countesse of Salisbury, daughter to [William] Longespe, was
foundress of Lacock Abbey; where she ended her days, being above a
hundred yeares old; she outlived her understanding. This I found in an
old MS. called Chronicon de Lacock in Bibliotheca Cottoniana. [The
chronicle referred to was destroyed by the fire which so seriously
injured the Cotton MSS. in 1731. The extracts preserved from it do not
confirm Aubrey’s statements, but place the Countess Ela’s death on the
ix kal. Sept. 1261, in the 74th year of her age. See Bowles’s History
of Lacock, Appendix, p. v.—J. B.]
Dame Olave, a daughter and coheire of Sir [Henry] Sharington of Lacock,
being in love with [John] Talbot, a younger brother of the Earle of
Shrewsbury, and her father not consenting that she should marry him;
discoursing with him one night from the battlements of the Abbey
Church, said shee, “I will leap downe to you:” her sweet heart replied
he would catch her then; but he did not believe she would have done it.
She leap’t downe, and the wind, which was then high, came under her
coates and did something breake the fall. Mr. Talbot caught her in his
armes, but she struck him dead: she cried out for help, and he was with
great difficulty brought to life again. Her father told her that since
she had made such a leap she should e’en marrie him. She was my
honoured friend Col. Sharington Talbot’s grandmother, and died at her
house at Lacock about 1651, being about an hundred yeares old. Quaere,
Sir Jo. Talbot?
[This romantic story seems to have escaped the attention of the
venerable historian of Lacock, the Rev. Canon Bowles. The late John
Carter mentions a tradition of which he was informed on visiting Lacock
in 1801, to the effect that “one of the nuns jumped from a gallery on
the top of a turret there into the arms of her lover.” He observes, as
impugning the truth of the story, that the gallery “appears to have
been the work of James or Charles the First’s time.” Aubrey’s anecdote
has an appearance of authenticity. Its heroine, Olave, or Olivia
Sherington, married John Talbot, Esq. of Salwarpe, in the county of
Worcester, fourth in descent from John, second Earl of Shrewsbury. She
inherited the Lacock estate from her father, and it has ever since^
remained the property of that branch of the Talbot family, now
represented by the scientific Henry Fox Talbot, Esq.—J. B.]
The last Lady Prioresse of Priorie St Marie, juxta Kington St. Michael,
was the Lady Mary Dennys, a daughter of the Dennys’s of Pocklechurch in
Gloucestershire; she lived a great while after the dissolution of the
abbeys, and died in Somersetshire about the middle or latter end of the
raigne of King James the first
The last Lady Abbese of Amesbury was a Kirton, who after the
dissolution married to….. Appleton of Hampshire. She had during her
life a pension from King Henry VIII.: she was 140 yeares old when she
dyed. She was great-great-aunt to Mr. Child, Rector of Yatton Keynell;
from whom I had this information. Mr. Child, the eminent banker in
Fleet Street, is Parson Child’s cosen-german. [The name of the last
Abbess of Amesbury was Joan Darell, who surrendered to the King, 4 Dec.
1540. Hoare’s Modern Wiltshire, Amesbury Hundred, p. 73. J. B.]
When King Charles II. was at Salisbury, 1665, a piper of Stratford sub
Castro playd on his tabor and pipe before him, who was a piper in Queen
Elizabeth’s time, and aged then more than 100.
One goodwife Mills of Yatton Keynel, a tenant of my father’s, did
dentire in the 88 yeare of her age, which was about the yeare 1645. The
Lord Chancellour Bacon speakes of the like of the old Countesse of
Desmond, in Ireland.
Mr. William Gauntlett, of Netherhampton, born at Amesbury, told me that
since his remembrance there were digged up in the churchyard at
Amesbury, which is very spacious, a great number of huge bones,
exceeding, as he sayes, the size of those of our dayes. At Highworth,
at the signe of the Bull, at one Hartwells, I have been credibly
enformed is to be seen a scull of-a vast bignesse, scilicet half as big
again as an ordinary one. From Mr. Kich. Brown, Rector of Somerford
Magna, (At Wotton in Surrey, where my brother enlarged the vault in
which our family are buried, digging away the earth for the
foundations, they found a complete skeleton neer nine foot in length,
the skull of an extraordinary size.—J. EVELYN.)
George Johnson Esq. bencher of the Middle Temple, digging for marle at
Bowdon Parke, Ano. 1666, the diggers found the bones of a man under a
quarrie of planke stones: he told me he saw it. He was a serious
person, and “fide dignus”.
At Wishford Magna is the inscription, “Hic jacet Thomas Bonham,
armiger, quondam Patronus istius Ecclesiæ, qui quidem Thomas obiit
vicesimo nono die Maii, Anno Domini MCCCCLXXIII (1473); el Editha uxor
ejus, quæ quidem Editha obiit vicesimo sexto die Aprilis, Anno D’ni
MCCCCLXIX. (1469). Quorum animabus propitietur Deus.—Amen.” They lye
both buried under the great marble stone in the nave of this church,
where is the above said inscription, above which are their
pourtraictures in brasse, and an escucheon now illegible. Beneath this
inscription are the small figures of nine young children in brasse.
This Mr. Bonham’s wife had two children at one birth, the first time:
and he being troubled at it travelled, and was absent seven yeares.
After his returne she was delivered of seven children at one birth. In
this parish is a confident tradition that these seven children were all
baptized at the font in this church, and that they were brought thither
in a kind of chardger, which was dedicated to this church, and hung on
two nailes, which are to be seen there yet, neer the bellfree on the
south side. Some old men are yet living that doe remember the chardger.
This tradition is entred into the register booke there, from whence I
have taken this narrative (1659). [See the extract from the register,
which is signed by “Roger Powell, Curate there,” in Hoare’s Modern
Wilts. (Hundred of Branch and Dole) p. 49.—J. B.]
On Tuesday the 25th day of October, Anno Dni 1664, Mary, the wife of
John Waterman, of Fisherton Anger, neer Salisbury, hostler, fell into
travell, and on Wednesday, between one and two in the morning, was
delivered of a female child, with all its parts duly formed. Aboute
halfe an hour after she was delivered of a monstrous birth, having two
heades, the one opposite to the other; the two shoulders had also
[each] two armes, with the hands bearing respectively each against the
other; two feet, &c. About four o’clock in the afternoon it was
christened by the name of Martha and Mary, having two pretty faces, and
lived till Fryday next. The female child first borne, whose name was
Elselet, lived fourteen days, and died the 9th of November following:
the mother then alive and in good health.
[This narrative is accompanied by a description of the internal
structure of the lusus naturæ, as developed in a post mortem
examination; which “accurate account,” says Aubrey, “was made by my
worthy and learned friend Thorn. Guidot, Dr. of Physick, who did kindly
communicate it to me out of his collection of medicinall observations
in Latin.”]
Dr. Wm. Harvey, author of the Circulation of the Blood, told me that
one Mr. Palmer’s wife in Kent did beare a child every day for five
daies together.
A wench being great with child drowned herself in the river Avon,
where, haveing layn twenty-four houres, she was taken up and brought
into the church at Sutton Benger, and layd upon the board, where the
coroner did his office. Mris. Joane Sumner hath often assured me that
the sayd wench did sweat a cold sweat when she lay dead; and that she
severall times did wipe off the sweat from her body, and it would
quickly returne again: and she would have had her opened, because she
did believe that the child was alive within her and might bee saved.
In September 1661 a grave was digged in the church of Hedington for a
widow, where her husband was buried in 1610. In this grave was a
spring; the coffin was found firme; the bodie not rotten, but black;
and in some places white spotts; the lumen was rotten. Mr. Wm. Scott’s
wife of this parish, from whom I have this, saw it, with severall of
her neighbours.
Mrs. Mary Norborne, of Calne, a gentlewoman worthy of belief, told me
that Mr…. White, Lord of Langley’s grave was opened forty years after
he was buried. He lay in water, and his body not perished, and some old
people there remembred him and knew him. He was related to Mrs.
Norborne, and her husband’s brother was minister here, in whose time
this happened.
Mrs. May of Calne, upon the generall fright in their church of the
falling of the steeple, when the people ran out of the church,
occasioned by the throwing of a stone by a boy, dyed of this fright in
halfe an hour’s time. Mrs. Dorothy Gardiner was frightened at Our Lady
Church at Salisbury, by the false report of the falling of the steeple,
and died in… houres space. The Lady Jordan being at Cirencester when it
was beseiged (anno atatis 75) was so terrified with the shooting that
her understanding was so spoyled that she became a child, that they
made babies for her to play withall.
At Broad Chalke is a cottage family that the generation have two
thumbes. A poor woman’s daughter in Westminster being born so, the
mother gott a carpenter to amputate one of them with his chizel and
mallet. The girl was then about seven yeares old, and was a lively
child, but immediately after the thumb was struck off, the fright and
convulsion was so extreme, that she lost her understanding, even her
speech. She lived till seventeen in that sad condition.
The Duke of Southampton, who was a most lovely youth, had two foreteeth
that grew out, very unhandsome. His cruel mother caused him to be bound
fast in a chaire, and had them drawn out; which has caused the want of
his understanding.
[This refers to Charles Fitzroy, one of the natural sons of King
Charles II. by his mistress, Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland. He
was created Duke of Southampton in 1674; became Duke of Cleveland on
the death of his “cruel mother” in 1709; and died in 1730.—J. B.]
Mdm. Dr. W. Harvey told me that the biteing of a man enraged is
poysonous. He instanced one that was bitt in the hand in a quarrell,
and it swoll up to his shoulder, and killed him in a short time. [That
death, from nervous irritation, might follow such a wound is not
improbable: but that it was caused by any “poison” infused into the
system is an idea too absurd for refutation.—J. B.]
CHAPTER XV. DISEASES AND CURES.CHAPTER XV.
DISEASES AND CURES.
[SEVERAL passages may have been noticed in the preceding pages,
calculated to shew the ignorance which prevailed in Aubrey’s time on
medical subjects, and the absurd remedies which were adopted for the
cure of diseases. In the present chapter this topic is further
illustrated. It contains a series of recipes of the rudest and most
unscientific character, amongst which the following are the only parts
suited to this publication. Aubrey describes in the manuscript an
instrument made of whalebone, to be thrust down the throat into the
stomach, so as to act as an emetic. He states that this contrivance was
invented by “his counsel learned in the law,” Judge Rumsey; and
proceeds to quote several pages, with references to its advantages,
from a work by W. Rumsey, of Gray’s Inn, Esq., entitled, “Organon
Salutis, an instrument to cleanse the stomach: with new experiments on
Tobacco and Coffee.” The work quoted seems to have been popular in its
day, for there were three editions of it published. (London, 1657,
1659, 1664, 12mo.)—J. B.]
THE inscription over the chapell dore of St. Giles, juxta Wilton, sc.
“1624. This hospitall of St. Giles was re-edified by John Towgood,
Maior of Wilton, and his brethren, adopted patrons thereof, by the gift
of Queen Adelicia, wife unto King Henry the first.” This Adelicia was a
leper. She had a windowe and a dore from her lodgeing into the chancell
of the chapell, whence she heard prayers. She lieth buried under a
plain marble gravestone; the brasse whereof (the figure and
inscription) was remaining about 1684. Poore people told me that the
faire was anciently kept here.
At Maiden Bradley, a maiden infected with the leprosie founded a house
for maidens that were lepers. [See a similar statement in Camden’s
“Britannia,” and Gough’s comments thereon.—J. B.]
Ex Registro. Anno Domini 1582, May 4, the plague began in Kington St.
Michaell, and lasted the 6th of August following; 13 died of it, most
of them being of the family of the Kington’s; which name was then
common, as appeared by the register, but in 1672 quite extinct.
[The words “here the plague began,” and “here the plague rested,”
appear in the parish register of Kington St. Michael, under the dates
mentioned by Aubrey. Eight of the thirteen persons who died during its
continuance were of the family of the Kingtons.—J. B.]
May-dewe is a very great dissolvent of many things with the sunne, that
will not be dissolved any other way; which putts me in mind of the
rationality of the method used by Wm. Gore of Clapton, Esq}. for his
gout; which was, to walke in the dewe with his shoes pounced; he found
benefit by it. I told Mr. Wm. Mullens, of Shoe Lane, Chirurgion, this
story; and he sayd this was the very method and way of curing that was
used in Oliver Cromwell, Protectour. [See “Observations and Experiments
upon May-Dew,” by Thomas Henshaw, in Philosophical Transactions, 1665.
Abbr. i. 13.—J. B.]
For the gowte. Take the leaves of the wild vine (bryony, vitis alba);
bruise them and boyle them, and apply it to the place grieved, lapd in
a colewort-leafe. This cured an old man of 84 yeares of age, at
Kilmanton, in 1669, and he was well since, to June 1670: which account
I had from Mr. Francis Potter, the rector there.
Mr. Wm. Montjoy of Bitteston hath an admirable secret for the cure of
the Ricketts, for which he was sent to far and neer; his sonne hath the
same. Rickettie children (they say) are long before they breed teeth. I
will, whilst ’tis in my mind, insert this remarque; viz. about 1620,
one Ricketts of Newbery, perhaps corruptly from Ricards, a practitioner
in physick, was excellent at the curing children with swoln heads and
small legges; and the disease being new and without a name, he being so
famous for the cure of it they called the disease the ricketts; as the
King’s evill from the King’s curing of it with his touch; and now ’tis
good sport to see how they vex their lexicons, and fetch it from the
Greek {Gk: Rachis} the back bone.
For a pinne-and-webbe* in the eye, a pearle, or any humour that comes
out of the head. My father laboured under this infirmity, and our
learned men of Salisbury could doe him no good. At last one goodwife
Holly, a poore woman of Chalke, cured him in a little time. My father
gave her a broad piece of gold for the receipt, which is this:-Take
about halfe a pint of the best white wine vinegar; put it in a pewter
dish, which sett on a chafing dish of coales covered with another
pewter dish; ever and anon wipe off the droppes on the upper dish till
you have gott a little glassefull, which reserve in a cleane vessell;
then take about half an ounce of white sugar candie, beaten and searcht
very fine, and putt it in the glasse; so stoppe it, and let it stand.
Drop one drop in the morning and evening into the eye, and let the
patient lye still a quarter of an hour after it.
I told Mr. Robert Boyle this receipt, and he did much admire it, and
tooke a copie of it, and sayd that he that was the inventor of it was a
good chymist. If this medicine were donne in a golden dish or porcelane
dish, &c. it would not doe this cure; but the vertue proceeds, sayd
hee, from the pewter, which the vinegar does take off.
* [The following definitions are from Bailey’s Dictionary (1728):-“Pin
and Web, a horny induration of the membranes of the eye, not much
unlike a Cataract.” “Pearl (among oculists), a web on the eye.”—J.B.]
In the city of Salisbury doe reigne the dropsy, consumption, scurvy,
gowte; it is an exceeding dampish place.
At Poulshot, a village neer the Devises, in the spring time the
inhabitants appeare of a primrose complexion; ’tis a wett, dirty place.
Mrs. Fr. Tyndale, of Priorie St. Maries, when a child, voyded a
lumbricus biceps. Mr. Winceslaus Hollar, when he was at Mechlin, saw an
amphisbæna, which he did very curiously delineate, and coloured it in
water colours, of the very colour: it was exactly the colour of the
inner peele of an onyon: it was about six inches long, but in its
repture it made the figure of a semicircle; both the heads advancing
equally. It was found under a piece of old timber, about 1661; under
the jawes it had barbes like a barbel, which did strengthen his motion
in running. This draught, amongst a world of others, Mr. Thorn.
Chiffinch, of Whitehall, hath; for which Mr. Hollar protested to me he
had no compensation. The diameter was about that of a slo-worme; and I
guesse it was an amphisbænal slo-worme.
[The serpents called amphisbæna are so designated (from the Greek {Gk:
amphisbaina}) in consequence of their ability to move backwards as well
as forwards. The head and tail of the amphisbæna are very similar in
form: whence the common belief that it possesses a head at each
extremity. It was formerly supposed that cutting off one of its “heads”
would fail to destroy this animal; and that its flesh, dried and
pulverized, was an infallible remedy for dislocations and broken
bones.—J. B.]
CHAPTER XVI. OBSERVATIONS ON PARISH REGISTERS, ACCORDING TO THE WAY PRESCRIBED BY THE HONBLE. SIR WM. PETTY, KNIGHT.CHAPTER XVI.
OBSERVATIONS ON PARISH REGISTERS, ACCORDING TO THE WAY PRESCRIBED BY
THE HONBLE. SIR WM. PETTY, KNIGHT.
[THIS chapter consists merely of memoranda for the further examination
of those valuable materials for local and general statistics—the
parochial registers. Aubrey has inserted the number of baptisms,
marriages, and burials, recorded in the registers of Broad Chalke, for
each year, from 1630 to 1642, and from 1676 to 1684 inclusive;
distinguishing the baptisms and burials of males and females in each
year. The like particulars are given for a period of five years from
the registers of Dunhead St. Mary. He adds, “In anno 1686 I made
extracts out of the register bookes of half a dozen parishes in South
Wiltshire, which I gave to Sir Wm. Petty.” The following passages will
suffice to indicate the nature of his remarks.—J. B.]
MR. ROBERT GOOD, M.A., of Bower Chalke, hath a method to calculate the
provision that is spent in a yeare in their parish; and does find that
one house with another spends six pounds per annum; which comes within
an hundred pounds of the parish rate.
Sir “W. Petty observes, from the account of the people, that not above
halfe teeming women are marryed; and that if the Government pleased
there might be such a multiplication of mankind as in 1500 yeares would
sufficiently plant every habitable acre in the world.
Mdm. The poore’s rate of St. Giles-in-the-fields, London, comes to six
thousand pounds per annum. [The sixth chapter of Mr. Rowland Dobie’s
“History of the United Parishes of St. Giles-in-the-Fields and St.
George, Bloomsbury,” (8vo. 1829) contains some curious and interesting
“historical sketches of pauperism.” Speaking of the parish workhouse,
the author says, “It contains on an average from 800 to 900 inmates,
which is however but a small proportion to the number constantly
relieved, at an expense [annually] of nearly forty thousand pounds.”—J.
B.]
Dunhead St. Mary.-The reason why so few marriages are found in the
register bookes of these parts is that the ordinary sort of people goe
to Ansted to be married, which is a priviledged church; and they come
40 and 50 miles off to be married there.
Of periodicall small-poxes.—Small-pox in Sherborne dureing the year
1626, and dureing the yeare 1634; from Michaelmas 1642 to Michaelmas
1643; from Michaelmas 1649 to Michaelmas 1650; &c. Small-pox in Taunton
all the year 1658; likewise in the yeare 1670, &c. I would I had the
like observations made in great townes in Wiltshire; but few care for
these things.
It hath been observed that the plague never fix’t (encreased) in
Bridgenorth in Salop. Also at Richmond it never did spread; but at
Petersham, a small village a mile or more distant, the plague made so
great a destruction that there survived only five of the inhabitants.
1638 was a sickly and feaverish autumne; there were three graves open
at one time in the churchyard of Broad Chalke.
PART II.PART II.
CHAPTER I. WORTHIES.CHAPTER I.
WORTHIES.
[IN this chapter Aubrey has transcribed that portion of Fuller’s
Worthies of England which relates to celebrated natives of the county
of Wilts; but as Fuller’s work is so well known, it is unnecessary to
print Aubrey’s extracts from it here. He has interspersed them with
additional matter from which the following passages are selected.—J.
B.]
PRINCES.—There is a tradition at Wootton Basset that King Richard the
Third was born at Vasthorne [Fasterne], now the seate of the earle of
Rochester. This I was told when I was there in 1648. Old Mr. Jacob,
then tenant there to the Lady Inglefield, was then eighty yeares old,
and the like other old people there did affirme.
[According to the best authorities, this tradition is incorrect:
Richard was born in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, on the 2d of
October, 1452.—J. B.]
Anne, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Hyde, Knight, was born at Purton,
in this county, and married to His Royal Highnesse James Duke of Yorke,
[James II.] by whom she left issue Mary Queen of England, and Anne
Princesse of Denmark [afterwards Queen].
SAINTS.—St. Adelm. There was a great bell at Malmesbury Abbey, which
they called St. Adelm’s bell, which was accounted a telesman, and to
have the power, when it was rang, to drive away the thunder and
lightning. I remember there is such a great bell at St. Germain’s Abbey
at Paris, which they ring to the aforesayd purpose when it thunders and
lightens. Old Bartlemew and other old people of Malmesbury had by
tradition severall stories of miracles donn by St. Adelm some whereof I
wrott down heretofore; now with Mr. Anth. Wood at Oxford. [St. Adelm,
or more correctly Aldhelm, is mentioned in page 42, ante. His life was
written by William of Malmesbury, and published by the Rev. Henry
Wharton, in his “Anglia Sacra.” (fol. 1691.)—J. B.]
Methinkes it is pitie that Ela, daughter of [William] Longespe Earl of
Salisbury, should be here omitted. [See ante, p.70 ]
PRELATES.—Since the Reformation.—Alexander Hyde, LL.Dr., sonn of Sir
Laurence Hyde, and brother to Sir Robert Hyde, Lord Cheif Justice of
the King’s Bench, was born, I believe, at Hele, in this county. He was
made Bishop of Salisbury 1665.
STATESMEN.—William Earle of Pembroke [the second of that name]. In the
east windowe of the south aisle of the church at Wilton is this
following inscription in gothick black letter:-“… church was… by the
vertuose….. wife to the right…. Sir Henry Sidney, Knight of the Garter
and Lord President of the Marches of Wales, &c. In April 1580, the
eight day of that moneth, was born William Lord Herbert of Cardif, the
first-born child to the noble Henry Earle of Pembroke, by his most dear
wife Mary the Countesse, daughter to the forenamed Sir Henry and Lady
Mary, whose lives Almighty God long prosper in much happiness.”*
Memorandum, to insert his titles inscribed under his printed picture.
As I remember he was Lord High Steward of his Majesties Household,
Justice in Eire of all his Majesties Forrests, &c. on this side Trent,
Chancellor of the University of Oxford, one of his Majesties Privy
Councell, and Knight of the Garter. He was a most noble person, and the
glory of the court in the reignes of King James and King Charles. He
was handsome, and of an admirable presence-
* [This inscription is not mentioned in the account of Wilton Church in
Hoare’s Modern, Wiltshire, but the author notices a tablet recording
the birth and baptism of the Earl “over the south entrance.” He states
that the side aisles were added to the church “within the last two
centuries”—J. B.]
“Gratior et pulchro veniens a corpore virtus.”
He was the greatest Mecænas to learned men of any peer of his time or
since. He was very generous and open handed. He gave a noble collection
of choice bookes and manuscripts to the Bodleian Library at Oxford,
which remain there as an honourable monument of his munificence. ’Twas
thought, had he not been suddenly snatch’t away by death, to the grief
of all learned and good men, that he would have been a great benefactor
to Pembroke Colledge in Oxford, whereas there remains only from him a
great piece of plate that he gave there. His lordship was learned, and
a poet; there are yet remaining some of his lordship’s poetry in a
little book of poems writt by his Lordship and Sir Benjamin Ruddyer in
12o. [“Poems, written by William Earl of Pembroke, &c. many of which
are answered by way of repartee, by Sir Benjamin Rudyard. With other
poems by them occasionally and apart.” Lond. 1660, 8vo.—J. B.] He had
his nativity calculated by a learned astrologer, and died exactly
according to the time predicted therein, at his house at Baynard’s
Castle in London. He was very well in health, but because of the fatal
direction which he lay under, he made a great entertainment (a supper)
for his friends, went well to bed, and died in his sleep, the [10th]
day of [April] anno Domini 1630. His body lies in the vault belonging
to his family in the quire of Our Ladies Church in Salisbury. At Wilton
is his figure cast in brasse, designed, I suppose, for his monument.
[See the notices of the Earls of Pembroke in the ensuing chapter.—J.
B.]
Sir Edward Hyde, Earle of Clarendon, Lord Chancellour of England, was
born at Dynton in Wiltshire. His father was the fourth and youngest
sonn of….. Hyde, of Hatch, Esq. Sir Edward married [Frances] daughter
of Sir Thomas Aylesbury, one of the clarks of the councell In his exile
in France he wrote the History of the late Times, sc. from 1641 to
1660; near finished, but broken off by death, by whom he was attacked
as he was writing; the penn fell out of his hand; he took it up again
and tryed to write; and it fell out the second time. He then saw that
it was time to leave off, and betooke himself to thinke about the other
world. (From the Countess of Thanet.) He shortly after ended his dayes
at [Rouen] Anno Domini 1674, and his body was brought over into
England, and interred privately at Westminster Abbey. From the Earle of
Clarendon. [Anthony Wood states (probably on the authority of Aubrey)
that Clarendon was buried on the north side of Henry the Seventh’s
chapel in Westminster Abbey; but the place of his interment is not
marked by any monument or inscription.—J. B.]
SOLDIERS.—Sir Henry Danvers, Knight, Earle of Danby and Baron of
Dauntesey, was born at Dauntesey, 28th day of June Ano. Dni. 1573. He
was of a magnificent and munificall spirit, and made that noble
physic-garden at Oxford, and endowed it with I thinke 30li. per annum.
In the epistles of Degory Wheare, History Professor of Oxford, in
Latin, are severall addressed to his lordship that doe recite his
worth. He allowed three thousand pounds per annum only for his kitchin.
He bred up severall brave young gentleman and preferred them; e. g.
Colonell Leg, and severall others, of which enquire further of my Lady
Viscountesse Purbec. The estate of Henry Earle of Danby was above
eleven thousand pounds per annum; near twelve. He died January the
20th, 1643, and lies buried in a little chapell made for his monument
on the north side of Dantesey-church, near to the vault where his
father and ancesters lye. [Aubrey here transcribes his epitaph, which,
with other particulars of his life, will be found in the Beauties of
Wiltshire, vol. iii. p. 76.—J. B.]
Sir Michael Ernele, Knight, was second son of Sir John Ernele, of
Whetham in the County of Wilts. After he had spent some time at the
University of Oxford, he betooke himself to a militarie life in the Low
Countries, where he became so good a proficient that at his return into
England at the beginning of the Civill warres, King Charles the First
gave him the commission of a Colonell in his service, and shortly after
he was made Governour of Shrewsbury, and he was, or intended to bee,
Major Generall. He did his Majesty good service in the warres, as doth
appeare by the Mercurii Aulici. His garrison at Shrewsbury being
weakened by drawing out great part of them before the battel at Marston
Moore, the townesmen plotted and betrayed his garrison to the
Parliament soldiers. He was slain then in the market-place, about the
time of the battle of Marston Moore.*
* [It was the common belief that Sir Michael Erneley was killed, as
here stated, by the Parlimentary soldiers at the time Shrewsbury was
taken (Feb. 3,1644-5); but in Owen and Blakeway’s Hist, of Shrewsbury,
4to. 1825, the time and manner of his death is left uncertain. His name
is included in the list of those who were made prisoners when the town
surrendered.—J. B.]
William Ludlow, Esq. sonn and heir of Sir [Henry] Ludlow, and Dame……
daughter of the Lord Viscount Bindon, in this county, was Governour of
Wardour Castle in this county, for the Parliament, which he valiantly
defended till part of the castle was blown up, 1644 or 1645. He was
Major General, &c. See his life in Mr. Anth. Wood’s Antiquities of
Oxford. [This passage refers to Edward (not William) Ludlow; the famous
Republican general. His “Memoirs” were printed in 1698-9, at Vevay in
Switzerland, where he died about five years previous to their
publication. They have gone through several editions, and constitute a
valuable historical record of the times.—J. B.]
Sir John Ernele, great-grandson of Sir John Ernele above sayd, and
eldest sonn of Sir John Ernele, late Chancellour of the Exchequer, had
the command of a flag-ship, and was eminent in some sea services. He
married the daughter and heir of Sir John Kerle of…. in Herefordshire.
A DIGRESSION.—Anno 1633, I entred into my grammar at the latin schoole
at Yatton-Keynel, in the church, where the curate, Mr. Hart, taught the
eldest boyes Virgil, Ovid, Cicero, &c. The fashion then was to save the
forules of their bookes with a false cover of parchment, sc. old
manuscript, which I [could not] was too young to understand; but I was
pleased with the elegancy of the writing and the coloured initiall
letters. I remember the rector here, Mr. Wm. Stump, great gr.-son of
St. the cloathier of Malmesbury, had severall manuscripts of the abbey.
He was a proper man and a good fellow; and, when he brewed a barrell of
speciall ale, his use was to stop the bung-hole, under the clay, with a
sheet of manuscript; he sayd nothing did it so well: which me thought
did grieve me then to see. Afterwards I went to schoole to Mr. Latimer
at Leigh-delamer, the next parish, where was the like use of covering
of bookes. In my grandfather’s dayes the manuscripts flew about like
butterflies. All music bookes, account bookes, copie bookes, &c. were
covered with old manuscripts, as wee cover them now with blew paper or
marbled paper; and the glovers at Malmesbury made great havoc of them;
and gloves were wrapt up no doubt in many good pieces of antiquity.
Before the late warres a world of rare manuscripts perished hereabout;
for within half a dozen miles of this place were the abbey of
Malmesbury, where it may be presumed the library was as well furnished
with choice copies as most libraries of England; and perhaps in this
library we might have found a correct Pliny’s Naturall History, which
Cantus, a monk here, did abridge for King Henry the Second. Within the
aforesaid compass was Broad stock Priory, Stan Leigh Abbey, Farleigh
Abbey, Bath Abbey, eight miles, and Cirencester Abbey, twelve miles.
Anno 1638 I was transplanted to Blandford-schoole, in Dorset, to Mr.
Wm. Sutton. (In Mr. Wm. Gardner’s time it was the most eminent schoole
for the education of gentlemen in the West of England.) Here also was
the use of covering of bookes with old parchments, sc. leases, &c., but
I never saw any thing of a manuscript there. Hereabout were no abbeys
or convents for men. One may also perceive by the binding of old bookes
how the old manuscripts went to wrack in those dayes. Anno 1647 I went
to Parson Stump out of curiosity, to see his manuscripts, whereof I had
seen some in my childhood; but by that time they were lost and
disperse. His sons were gunners and souldiers, and scoured their
gunnies with them; but he shewed me severall old deeds granted by the
Lords Abbots, with their scales annexed, which I suppose his sonn Capt.
Tho. Stump of Malmesbury hath still. [I have quoted part of this
curious paragraph in my Memoir of Aubrey, 4to. 1845.—J. B.]
WRITERS.—William of Malmesbury. He was the next historiographer of this
nation to Venerable Bede, as he himself written; and was fain, he
sayes, to pick out his history out of ballads and old rhythmes…..
hundred yeares after Bede. He dedicates his history to [Robert, Earl of
Gloucester] “filio naturali Henrici primi”. He wrote also the history
of the abbey of Glastonbury, which is in manuscript in the library of
Trinity College in Cambridge, wherein are many good remarques to be
found, as Dr. Thomas Gale of Paules schoole enformes me. [This was
edited by Gale, and published at Oxford in 1691, 8vo.—J. B.]
Robertus Sarisburiensis wrote a good discourse, De Piscinis, mentioned
and commended by Sir Henry Wotton in his Elements of Architecture. Q.
Anth. Wood, de hoc.
Dr….. Forman,—Mr. Ashmole thinkes his name was John, [Simon.—J. B.]-
physitian and astrologer, was born at Wilton, in Wilts. He was of the
University of Oxford, but took his degree of Doctor in Cambridge,
practised in Salisbury, where he was persecuted for his astrologie,
which in those ignorant times was accounted conjuring. He then came to
London, where he had very good practise, and did great cures; but the
college hated him, and at last drove him out of London: so he lived and
died at Lambeth, where he lies buried. Elias Ashmole, Esq. has severall
bookes of his writing (never printed), as also his own life. There it
may be seen whether he was not a favorite of Mary, Countesse of
Pembroke. He was a chymist, as far as chymistry went in those dayes,
and ’tis very likely he was a favorite of her honour’s. Quaere Mr.
Dennet, the Earl of Pembrock’s steward, if he had not a pension from
the Earl of Pembrock? Forman is a common name in Calne parish, Wilts,
where there are still severall wealthy men, cloathiers, &c. of that
name; but tempore Reginæ Elizabethæ there was a Forman of Calne, Lord
Maior of London. My grandfather Lyte told me that at his Lord Maior’s
shew there was the representation of the creation of the world, and
writt underneath, “and all for man.” [Some interesting passages from
Forman’s MS. Diary have recently been brought forward by Mr. Collier in
illustration of the history of Shakspere’s works. They describe some
very early performances of several of his plays, at which Forman was
present.—J. B.]
Sr Johan Davys, Knight, was born at Tysbury; his father was a tanner.
He wrote a poeme in English, called “Nosce Teipsum”*; also Reports. He
was Lord Chief Justice in Ireland. His wife was sister to the Earle of
Castle-Haven that was beheaded; she had also aliquid dementiæ, and was
a prophetesse, for which she was confined in the Tower, before the late
troubles, for her predictions. His onely daughter and heire was married
to [Ferdinando] Earle of Huntingdon.
[*“Nosce Teipsum: this oracle expounded in two elegies. 1st. Of Human
knowledge. 2nd. Of the soule of man, and the immortality thereof;” with
acrostics on Queen Elizabeth. (London, 1609, small 8vo.) The works of
the above named Lady Eleanor Davies, the prophetess, widow of Sir John,
were of a most extraordinary kind. See a list of them in Watt’s
Bibliotheca Britannica.—J. B.]
Mr. Thomas Hobbes was born at Westport juxta Malmesbury, April the
fifth, anno 1588, he told me, between four and six in the morning, in
the house that faces or points to the horse-faire. He died at Hardwick
in Darbyshire, Anno Domini 1679, ætatis 91. [See Aubrey’s Life of
Hobbes, appended to Letters from the Bodleian, vol. iii. p. 593.—J. B.]
Thomas Willis, M.D., was born at Great Bedwin in this county, anno
[1621.] His father, he told me, was steward to my Lady Smyth there. He
dyed in London, and lies interred with his wife in Westminster Abbey.
Thomas Piers, D.D., and Dean of Salisbury, formerly President of
Magdalen College in Oxford, was born at the Devizes. His father was a
woollen draper and an alderman there.
Sir Christopher Wren, Knt., Surveyor of his Majesties buildings, the
eldest sonne of Dr. Christopher Wren, Deane of Windsor, was born at
Knoyle, in this county, where his father was rector, in the
parsonage-house, anno 1631; christened November the 10th; but he tells
me that he was born October the 20th. His mother fell in labour with
him when the bell rung eight.
[Richard] Blackmore, M.D., born in Cosham parish, the sonne of an
attorney, went to schoole to Parson…. of Dracot. Scripsit an Epique
poeme, called Prince Arthur, 1694.
Sir William Penn, Vice-Admirall, born at Minety, in the hundred of
Malmesbury. His father was a keeper in Braden forest: the lodge is
called Penn’s lodge to this day. He was father to William Penn, Esq.
Lord Proprietor of Pensylvania; it is a very ancient family in
Buckinghamshire. This family in North Wilts had heretofore a dependence
on the Abbey of Malmesbury as stewards or officers. [Sir William Penn
was buried in Redcliffe Church, Bristol. See Britten’s Account of
Redcliffe Church.—J. B.]
T. Byfield, a physician, sonn of Adoniram Byfield, the Assembly man,
born at Collingbourn Ducis, where his father was rector. He published a
book of Waters about 1684.
Mr. Edward Whatman, of Mayden Bradley, practitioner in physick, and
very successfull in his practise. By reason of the civill warrs he was
of no university, but he was a young man of great parts and great
hopes. He died shortly after his Majesties restauration, aged about 35.
He onely printed “Funerall Obsequies on the Honourable the Ladie
Elizabeth Hopton, wife to Sir Ralph Hopton,” London, 1647.
Mr. William Gardiner, the eminent schoolemaster at Blandford, about
twenty yeares; born in this county; died about 1636, aetatis 47.
MUSICIANS.-The quire of Salisbury Cathedral hath produced as many able
musicians, if not more, than any quire in this nation.
Andrew Markes, of Salisbury, where his father was a fiddle maker, was
the best lutinist in England in his time—sc. the latter end of Queen
Elizabeth and King James, and the best composer of lute lessons; and as
to his compositions, Mr. Sam. Cowper, the famous limner, who was an
excellent lutinist, did affirme that they are of great value to this
time.
Jo. Coperario, whose reall name I have been told was Cowper, and
Alfonso Ferrabosco, lived most in Wiltshire, sc. at Amesbury, and
Wulfall, with Edward Earle of Hertford, who was the great patrone of
musicians.
Davys Mell, born at Wilton, was the best violinist of any Englishman in
England: he also took a fancy to make clocks and watches, and had a
great name for the goodness of his work. He was of the King’s musick,
and died in London about 1663.
…. Bell, of Wilton, was sagbuttere to King Charles the First, and was
the most excellent artist in playing on that instrument, which is very
difficult, of any one in England. He dyed about the restauration of the
King.
Humphrey Madge, of Salisbury, was servant bound to Sir John Danvers,
and afterwards one of the violinists to King Charles the Second.
Will. Yokeney, a lutinist and a composer of songs, e. g. of Colonel
Lovelace’s songs, &c. was born at Lacock, 1646. Among other fine
compositions of songs by Will. Yokeney, this following ought to be
remembred, made 1646 or 1647, viz.:-
“What if the King should come to the city,
Would he be then received I trow?
Would the Parliament treat him with rigor or pity?
Some doe think yea, but most doe think no, &c.”
It is a lively, briske aire, and was playd by the lowd musick when King
Charles the Second made his entry in London at his restauration.
Captain Thomas Stump, of Malmesbury. Tis pity the strange adventures of
him should be forgotten. He was the eldest sonn of Mr. Will. Stump,
rector of Yatton Keynell; was a boy of a most daring spirit; he would
climbe towers and trees most dangerously; nay, he would walke on the
battlements of the tower there. He had too much spirit to be a scholar,
and about sixteen went in a voyage with his uncle, since Sir Thomas
Ivy, to Guyana, in anno 1633, or 1632. When the ship put in some where
there, four or five of them straggled into the countrey too far, and in
the interim the wind served, and the sails were hoist, and the
stragglers left behind. It was not long before the wild people seized
on them and strip’s them, and those that had beards they knocked their
braines out, and (as I remember) did eat them; but the queen saved T.
Stump, and the other boy. Stump threw himself into the river Pronoun to
have drowned himself, but could not sinke; he is very full chested. The
other youth shortly died. He lived with them till 1636 or 1637. His
narrations are very strange and pleasant; but so many yeares since have
made me almost forget all. He sayes there is incomparable fruite there,
and that it may be termed the paradise of the world. He says that the
spondyles of the backbones of the huge serpents there are used to sit
on, as our women sitt upon butts. He taught them to build hovels, and
to thatch and wattle. I wish I had a good account of his abode there;
he is “fide dignus”. I never heard of any man that lived so long among
those salvages. A ship then sayling by, a Portughese, he swam to it;
and they took him up and made use of him for a seaboy. As he was
sayling near Cornwall he stole out of a port-hole and swam to shore;
and so begged to his father’s in Wiltshire. When he came home, nobody
knew him, and they would not own him: only Jo. Harris the carpenter
knew him. At last he recounted so many circumstances that he was owned,
and in 1642 had a commission for a Captain of Foot in King Charles the
First’s army.
CHAPTER II. OF THE GRANDEUR OF THE HERBERTS, EARLES OF PEMBROKE.CHAPTER II.
OF THE GRANDEUR OF THE HERBERTS, EARLES OF PEMBROKE.
WILTON HOUSE AND GARDENS.
[AUBREY’S account of the famous seat of the Pembroke family at Wilton,
and of its choice and valuable contents, will be found exceedingly
interesting. His statements are based upon his own knowledge of the
mansion before the Civil Wars, and upon information derived from Thomas
Earl of Pembroke, Dr. Caldicot, who had been chaplain to the Earl’s
family, and Mr. Unlades, who also held some appointment in the
establishment.
As the ensuing narrative is occasionally somewhat obscure, owing to its
want of method and arrangement, it may be useful to prefix a brief
summary of the history of the mansion, with reference to dates, names,
and other necessary particulars.
William Herbert, the founder of this branch of the family, married
Anne, sister to Queen Katharine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII. He
was knighted by that monarch in 1544, and in the same year the
buildings and lands of the dissolved Abbey of Wilton, with many other
estates in different counties, were conferred upon him by the King.
Being left executor, or “conservator” of Henry’s will, he possessed
considerable influence at the court of the young sovereign, Edward VI.;
by whom he was created Earl of Pembroke (1551). He immediately began to
alter and adapt the conventual’s buildings at Wilton to a mansion
suited to his rank and station. Amongst other new works of his time was
the famous porch in the court-yard, generally ascribed to Hans Holborn
(who died in 1554). To what extent this nobleman carried his building
operations is not known. He was succeeded in 1570 by his son Henry, who
probably made further additions to the house. This nobleman married
Mary, the sister of Sir Philip Sidney, a lady whose name is illustrious
in the annals of literature. He died in 1601.
William, his son (the second Earl of that name), who has been fully
noticed in the last Chapter, succeeded him in the title, and was
followed in 1630 by his brother Philip, who, in 1633, at the
instigation of King Charles I., added a range of buildings at Wilton,
forming the south front of the house, and facing an extensive garden
which was laid out at the same time. In designing both the building and
the gardens, he employed Solomon de Caus, a Gascon, on the
recommendation of Inigo Jones. About fifteen years afterwards the south
front so erected was destroyed by fire, and rebuilt by the same Earl in
1648, from the designs of John Webb, who had married the niece of Inigo
Jones. This peer was a great lover of the fine arts, and a patron of
Vandyck. He died in 1650.
Philip, his son (the second Earl of that name), experienced some
pecuniary difficulties, and the valuable collection of pictures and
books formed by his predecessor, was sold by auction, and dispersed for
the benefit of his creditors. Aubrey’s description, from his own
familiar knowledge of them before the sale, is therefore the more
curious and valuable.
In 1669 the second Earl Philip was succeeded by his son William (the
third of that name), and on the death of the latter in 1674, the title
and estates were inherited by his brother, a third Earl Philip. The two
last-mentioned noblemen, according to Aubrey, “espoused not learning,
but were addicted to field sports and hospitality”. Their younger
brother, Thomas, became Earl of Pembroke in 1683. He was a warm admirer
and liberal patron of literature and the fine arts, and is famous as
the founder of the magnificent collection of ancient marbles, coins,
&c. which have given great celebrity to Wilton House. Aubrey dedicated
the present work to that nobleman, soon after he succeeded to the
title, and was honoured with his personal friendship. The Earl survived
him many years, and was succeeded by Henry, the second of that name, in
1733. Of the latter nobleman and his works at Wilton, Horace Walpole
wrote as follows:—“The towers, the chambers, the scenes which Holbein,
Jones, and Vandyke had decorated, and which Earl Thomas had enriched
with the spoils of the best ages, received the best touches of beauty
from Earl Henry’s hand. He removed all that obstructed the views to or
from his palace, and threw Palladium’s theatric bridge over his river.
The present Earl has crowned the summit of the hill with the equestrian
statue of Marcus Aurelius, and a handsome arch designed by Sir William
Chambers.* No man had a purer taste in building than Earl Henry, of
which he gave a few specimens besides his works at Wilton.” (Anecdotes
of Painting, &c.) The nobleman thus commended for his architectural
taste, was succeeded as Earl of Pembroke, in 1751, by his son Henry,
who employed Sir William Chambers as mentioned by Walpole; and George,
who succeeded to the Earldom in 1794, caused other extensive additions
and alterations to be made at Wilton, by the late James Wyatt.—J. B.]
*[I have in my possession a drawing of this arch by the architect.—J.
B.]
THE old building of the Earl of Pembroke’s house at WILTON was designed
by an architect (Hans Holbein) in King Edward the Sixth’s time.† The
new building which faced the garden was designed by Monsieur Solomon de
Caus, tempore Caroli {primi}, but this was burnt by accident and
rebuilt 1648, Mr. Webb then being surveyor. [See next page.]
†[There is no authority for the assertion that Holbein designed more
than the porch mentioned elsewhere.—J. B.]
The situation of Wilton House is incomparably noble. It hath not only
the most pleasant prospect of the gardens and Rowlindon Parke, but from
thence over a lovely flatt to the city of Salisbury, where that lofty
steeple cuts the horizon, and so to Ivychurch; and to add further to
the glory of this prospect the right honourable Thomas, Earle of
Pembroke, did, anno 1686, make a stately canal from Quidhampton to the
outer base-court of his illustrious palace.
The house is great and august, built all of freestone, lined with
brick, which was erected by Henry Earle of Pembroke. [Holbein’s porch,
and probably other parts of the house, were anterior to the time of the
first Earl Henry. See the introductory note to this chapter.—J. B.] Mr.
Inigo Jones told Philip, first Earle of Pembroke, that the porch in the
square court was as good architecture as any was in England. ’Tis true
it does not stand exactly in the middle of the side, for which reason
there were some would have perswaded his Lordship to take it down; but
Mr. Jones disswaded him, for the reasons aforesayd, and that we had not
workmen then to be found that could make the like work.—(From Dr.
Caldicot.)
King Charles the first did love Wilton above all places, and came
thither every summer. It was he that did put Philip first Earle of
Pembroke upon making this magnificent garden and grotto, and to new
build that side of the house that fronts the garden, with two stately
pavilions at each end, all “al Italiano”. His Majesty intended to have
had it all designed by his own architect, Mr. Inigo Jones, who being at
that time, about 1633, engaged in his Majesties buildings at Greenwich,
could not attend to it; but he recommended it to an ingeniouse
architect, Monsieur Solomon de Caus, a Gascoigne, who performed it very
well; but not without the advice and approbation of Mr. Jones: for
which his Lordship settled a pension on him of, I think, a hundred
pounds per annum for his life, and lodgings in the house. He died about
1656; his picture is at Mr. Gauntlet’s house at Netherhampton. I shall
gladly surcease to make any further attempt of the description of the
house, garden, stables, and approaches, as falling too short of the
greatness and excellency of it. Mr. Loggan’s graver will render it much
more to the life, and leave a more fixt impression in the reader. [This
refers to one of Aubrey’s contemplated illustrations. See Chap. XX. (in
a subsequent page), Draughts of the Seates and Prospects.—J. B.]
The south side of this stately house, that was built by Monsieur de
Caus, was burnt ann. 1647 or 1648, by airing of the roomes. In anno
1648 Philip (the first) re-edifyed it, by the advice of Inigo Jones;
but he, being then very old, could not be there in person, but left it
to Mr. Webb, who married his niece.
THE PICTURES. In the hall (of old pieces) were the pictures of the
Ministers of State in Queen Elizabeth’s time, and some of King Henry
the Eighth. There was Robert, Earle of Essex, that was beheaded, &c.
At the stairecase, the picture of Sir Robert Naunton, author of
“Fragmenta Regalia;” his name was writt on the frame. At the upper end
was the picture of King Charles I. on horseback, with his French riding
master by him on foot, under an arch; all as big as the life: which was
a copie of Sir Anthony Vandyke, from that at Whitehall. By it was the
picture of Peacock, a white race-horse, with the groom holding him, as
big as the life: and to both which Sir Anthony gave many master
touches. Over the skreen is a very long picture, by an Italian hand, of
Aurora guiding her horses, neigheing, and above them the nymphes
powring down out of phialls the morning showres. Here was the “Table”
of Cebes, a very large picture, and done by a great master, which the
genius describes to William, the first earl of this family, and lookes
on him, pointing to Avarice, as to be avoyded by a noble person; and
many other ancient pieces which I have now forgott.
The long gallery was furnished with the ministers of estate and heroes
of Queen Elizabeth’s time, and also some of the French. In one of the
pictures of Sir Philip Sydney are these verses, viz.-
“Who gives himselfe may well his picture give,
Els were it vain, since both short time doe live.”
At the upper end is the picture of King James the First sitting in his
throne, in his royall robes; a great piece, as big as the life; by him
on the right hand wall is the picture of William Herbert, first earle,
at length, as big as the life, and under it the picture of his little
dog, of a kind of chesnut colour, that starved himselfe for his
master’s death. Here is the picture of Henry Earle of Pembroke and his
Countesse; and of William Earle of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain; severall
Earles of Oxford; and also of Aubrey Earle of Oxford, now living; the
pictures of Cardinal Wolsey; Archy (King James’s jester);……, governour
to Sir Philip Sydney; Mr. Secretary Walsingham, in his gown and wrought
cap; Mary Countess of Pembrok, sister of Sir Philip Sydney; the last
Lady Abbess of Wilton (Lady Anna Gawen), a pretty, beautiful, modest
Penelope; with many others now forgotten by me and everybody else.
[The last mentioned name must be erroneous. The Abbess of Wilton at the
time of the dissolution of monasteries was Cecily Bodenham, who had
previously been Prioress of St. Mary’s, Kington St. Michael.—J. B.]
I was heretofore a good nomenclator of these pictures, which was
delivered to me from a child eight yeares old, by old persons relating
to this noble family. It is a great and a generall fault that in all
galleries of pictures the names are not writt underneath, or at least
their coates of armes. Here was also the picture of Thomas Lyte, of
Lytes Cary; and a stately picture of King Henry the eighth.
The genius of Philip (first) Earle of Pembroke lay much to painting and
building, and he had the best collection of paintings of the best
masters of any peer of his time in England; and, besides those pictures
before mentioned, collected by his ancestors, he adorned the roomes
above staires with a great many pieces of Georgeon [Giorgione], and
some of Titian, his scholar. His lordship was the great patron of Sir
Anthony Van Dyck, and had the most of his paintings of any one in the
world; some whereof, of his family, are fixt now in the great pannells
of the wainscot in the great dining roome, or roome of state; which is
a magnificent, stately roome; and his Majesty King Charles the Second
was wont to say, ’twas the best proportioned roome that ever he saw.*
In the cieling piece of this great roome is a great peece, the Marriage
of Perseus, drawn by the hand of Mr. Emanuel De Cretz; and all about
this roome, the pannells below the windows, is painted by him, the
whole story of Sir Philip Sydney’s Arcadia,† Quaere, Dr. Caldicot and
Mr. Uniades, what was the story or picture in the cieling when the
house was burnt. At the upper end of this noble roome is a great piece
of Philip (first) Earle of Pembroke and both his Countesses, and all
his children, and the Earle of Carnarvon, as big as the life, with
landskip beyond them; by the hand of that famous master in painting Sir
Anthony Van Dyk, which is held one of his best pictures that ever he
drew, and which was apprized at 1,000 li. by the creditors of Philip
the third earle of Pembrok. Mr. Uniades told me that he heard Philip
(first) Earle say, that he gave to Sir Anthony Van Dyk for it five
hundred Jacobuses. ’Tis an heirloome, and the creditors had nothing to
doe with it, but Mr. Davys the painter, that was brought from London to
apprize the goods, did apprize it at a thousand pounds. Captain Wind
tells me that there is a tagliedome of this great picture: enquire for
it. [A critical account of this picture, which is 17 feet in length by
l1 feet in height, and contains ten full-length portraits, will be
found in the Beauties of Wiltshire, vol. i. p. 180-187. It was engraved
by Bernard Baron in 1740.—J. B.]
*[This refers to the “double-cube” room, as it is often called, from
its proportions. The Great Hall at Kenilworth was also a double cube;
and the same form was adopted in many other old buildings.—J. B.]
†[In “A Description of the Antiquities and Curiosities in Wilton
House,” 4to. these paintings are ascribed to Signer Tomaso and his
brother.—J. B.]
The anti-roome to the great roome of state is the first roome as you
come up staires from the garden, and the great pannells of wainscot are
painted with the huntings of Tempesta, by that excellent master in
landskip Mr. Edmund Piers.‡ He did also paint all the grotesco—painting
about the new buildings.
‡[Ascribed to Tempesta junior in the “Description” already
mentioned.—J. B.]
In the roome within this great roome is the picture of King Charles the
First on his dun horse by Van Dyk; it hangs over the chimney. Also the
Dutchess of Richmond by Van Dyk. Now this rare collection of pictures
is sold and dispersed, and many of those eminent persons’ pictures are
but images without names; all sold by auction and disparkled by
administratorship: they are, as the civilians term them, “bona caduca”.
But, as here were a number of pictures sold, with other goods, by the
creditors of Philip (the second), so this earle [Thomas] hath supplied
it with an admirable collection of paintings by great masters in Italy,
when his lordship was there, and since; as he also did for prints, and
bookes of fortification, &c.
THE LIBRARIE.—Here was a noble librarie of bookes, choicely collected
in the time of Mary Countesse of Pembroke. I remember there were a
great many Italian bookes; all their poets; and bookes of politic and
historic. Here was Dame Julian Barnes of Hunting, Hawking, and
Heraldry, in English verses, printed temp. Edward the Fourth. (Philip,
third earle, gave Dame Julian Barnes to Capt. Edw. Saintlo of
Dorsetshire.) A translation of the whole book of Psalmes, in English
verse, by Sir Philip Sydney, writt curiously, and bound in crimson
velvet and gilt; it is now lost. Here was a Latin poëme, a manuscript,
writt in Julius Cæsar’s time. [See ante, p. 60.] Henry Earle of
Pembroke was a great lover of heraldrie, and collected curious
manuscripts of it, that I have seen and perused; e. g. the coates of
armes and short histories of the English nobility, and bookes of
genealogies; all well painted and writt. ’Twas Henry that did sett up
all the glasse scutchions about the house: quære if he did not build
it? Now all these bookes are sold and dispersed as the pictures.
THE ARMORIE. The armory is a very long roome, which I guesse to have
been a dorture heretofore. Before the civill warres, I remember, it was
very full. The collection was not onely great, but the manner of
obtaining it was much greater; which was by a victory at the battle of
St. Quintin’s, where William the first Earle of Pembroke was generall,
Sir George Penruddock, of Compton Chamberlain, was Major Generall, and
William Aubrey, LL.D. my great-grandfather, was Judge Advocat. There
were armes, sc. the spoile, for sixteen thousand men, horse and foot.
(From the Right Honourable Thomas Earle of Pembroke.)
Desire my brother William Aubrey to gett a copy of the inventory of it.
Before the late civill warres here were musketts and pikes for ...
hundred men; lances for tilting; complete armour for horsemen; for
pikemen, &c. The rich gilt and engraved armour of Henry VIII. The like
rich armour of King Edward VI. In the late warres much of the armes was
imbecill’d.
WILTON GARDEN: by Solomon de Caus. [See also in a subsequent page,
Chap. IV. OF GARDENS.] “This garden, within the inclosure of the new
wall, is a thousand foot long, and about four hundred in breadth;
divided in its length into three long squares or parallellograms, the
first of which divisions, next the building, hath four platts
embroydered; in the midst of which are four fountaines, with statues of
marble in their middle; and on the sides of those platts are the platts
of flowers; and beyond them is a little terrass raised, for the more
advantage of beholding those platts. In the second division are two
groves or woods, cutt with divers walkes, and through those groves
passeth the river Nader, having of breadth in this place 44 foote, upon
which is built the bridge, of the breadth of the great walke: and in
the middest of the aforesayd groves are two great statues of white
marble of eight foot high, the one of Bacchus, and the other of Flora;
and on the sides ranging with the platts of flowers are two covered
arbours of three hundred foot long, and divers allies. At the beginning
of the third and last division are, on either side of the great walke,
two ponds with fountains, and two columnes in the middle, casting water
all their height; which causeth the moving and turning of two crowns at
the top of the same; and beyond is a compartment of green, with divers
walkes planted with cherrie trees; and in the middle is the great
ovall, with the Gladiator of brasse, the most famous statue of all that
antiquity hath left. On the sides of this compartment, and answering
the platts of flowers and long arbours, are three arbours of either
side, with turning galleries, communicating themselves one into
another. At the end of the great walke is a portico of stone, cutt and
adorned with pyllasters and nyckes, within which are figures of white
marble, of five foot high. On either side of the said portico is an
ascent leading up to the terrasse, upon the steps whereof, instead of
ballasters, are sea-monsters, casting water from one to the other, from
the top to the bottome; and above the sayd portico is a great reserve
of water for the grotto.”
[The gardens of Wilton were illustrated by a series of twenty-six folio
copper plates, with the following title; “Le Jardin De Wilton,
construct par le trés noble et trés p. seigneur Philip Comte Pembroke
et Montgomeri. Isaac de Caux invt.” The above description is copied
from one of these plates. Solomon de Caus was architect and engineer to
the Elector Palatine, and constructed the gardens at Heidelberg in
1619. Walpole infers that Isaac and Solomon de Caus were brothers, and
that they erected, in conjunction with each other, “the porticos and
loggias of Gorhambury, and part of Campden house, near Kensington.”
(Anecdotes of Painting.) As the engravings of Wilton gardens bear the
name of Isaac, he had probably some share in the arrangement of the
grounds, and perhaps also in building the house. In Campbell’s
Vitruvius Britannicus, vols. ii. and iii. are several views, plans, and
sections of Wilton House and grounds.—J. B.]
The grotto is paved with black and white marble; the roofe is vaulted.
The figures of the tritons, &c. are in bas-relieve, of white marble,
excellently well wrought. Here is a fine jeddeau and nightingale pipes.
Monsieur de Caus had here a contrivance, by the turning of a cock, to
shew three rainbowes, the secret whereof he did keep to himself; he
would not let the gardener, who shewes it to strangers, know how to doe
it; and so, upon his death, it is lost. The grott and pipes did cost
ten thousand pounds. The garden is twelve acres within the terrace of
the grott.
The kitchin garden is a very good one, and here are good ponds and a
decoy. By the kitchin garden is a streame which turnes a wheele that
moves the engine to raise the water to the top of a cisterne at the
corner of the great garden, to serve the water-workes of the grotto and
fountaines in the garden.
Thomas, Earle of Pembroke, told me that his sister-in-law’s priest, a
Frenchman, made a pretty poem or poemation on Wilton House and Garden,
in Latin verse, which Mr. Berford, his Lordship’s Chaplain, can
procure.
THE STABLES, of Roman architecture, built by Mons. de Caus, have a
noble avenu to them, a square court in the middle; and on the four
sides of this court were the pictures of the best horses as big as the
life, painted in severall postures, by a Frenchman. Among others was
the great black crop-eared stone horse on which Gustavus Adolphus, King
of Sweden, was killed at the battle of Lutzen, two miles from Leipzig.
Upon the comeing of the Scotts, in 1639, Sir. .. Fenwyck and... fearing
their breeds of horses would be taken away by the Scotts, did sell
their breeds of horses and mares to Philip (first) Earle of Pembroke.
His Lordship had also Morocco horses, and for race horses, besides
Peacock and Delavill, he had a great many more kept at the parke at
Ramesbury and at Rowlinton. Then for his stagge-hunting, fox-hunting,
brooke-hawking, and land-hawking, what number of horses were kept to
bee fitt at all seasons for it, I leave the reader to guesse, besides
his horses for at least halfe a dozen coaches. Mr. Chr. Wroughton
guesses not lesse than an hundred horses. [In the notice of William,
first Earl of Pembroke, in Aubrey’s “Lives of Eminent Men,” he says,
“This present Earl (1680) has at Wilton 52 mastives and 30 greyhounds,
some beares, and a lyon, and a matter of 60 fellowes more bestiall than
they.”—J. B.]
OF HIS LORDSHIP’S HOUNDS, GREYHOUNDS, AND HAWKES. His Lordship had all
sorts of hounds, for severall disports: sc. harbourers (great hounds)
to harbour the stagges, and also small bull-dogges to break the bayes
of the stagge; fox-hounds, finders, harriers, and others. His Lordship
had the choicest tumblers that were in England, and the same tumblers
that rode behind him he made use of to retrieve the partridges. The
setting-doggs for supper-flights for his hawkes. Grayhounds for his
hare warren, as good as any were in England. When they returned from
hawking the ladies would come out to see the hawkes at the highest
flying, and then they made use of their setting dogges to be sure of a
flight. His Lordship had two hawkes, one a falcon called Shrewsbury,
which he had of the Earle of Shrewsbury, and another called the little
tercel, which would fly quite out of sight, that they knew not how to
shew the fowler till they found the head stood right. They had not
little telescopes in those dayes; those would have been of great use
for the discovery which way the hawke’s head stood.
TILTING. Tilting was much used at Wilton in the times of Henry Earle of
Pembroke and Sir Philip Sydney. At the solemnization of the great
wedding of William, the second Earle of Pembroke, to one of the
co-heires of the Earle of Shrewsbury, here was an extraordinary shew;
at which time a great many of the nobility and gentry exercised, and
they had shields of pastboard painted with their devices and emblemes,
which were very pretty and ingenious. There are some of them hanging in
some houses at Wilton to this day but I did remember many more. Most,
or all of them, had relation to marriage. One, I remember, is a man
standing by a river’s side angling, and takes up a rammes-horne: the
motto “Casus ubiq{ue} valet”.—(Ovid de Arte Amandi.) Another hath the
picture of a ship at sea sinking in a storm, and a house on fire; the
motto “Tertia pestis abest”; meaning a wife. Another, a shield covered
with black velvet; the motto “Par nulla figura dolori”. This last is in
the Arcadia, and I believe they were most of them contrived by Sir
Philip Sydney. Another was a hawke lett off the hand, with her leashes
hanging at her legges, which might hang her where’ere she pitcht, and
is an embleme of youth that is apt to be ensnared by their own too
plentifull estates.
’Tis certain that the Earles of Pembroke were the most popular peers in
the West of England; but one might boldly say, in the whole kingdome.
The revenue of his family was, till about 1652, 16,000li. per annum;
but, with his offices and all, he had thirty thousand pounds per annum,
and, as the revenue was great, so the greatnesse of his retinue and
hospitality was answerable. One hundred and twenty family uprising and
down lyeing, whereof you may take out six or seven, and all the rest
servants and retayners.
FOR HIS LORDSHIP’S MUSICK. Alphonso Ferrabosco, the son, was Lord
Philip (the first’s) lutenist. He sang rarely well to the theorbo lute.
He had a pension and lodgings in Baynard’s Castle.
CHAPTER III. OF LEARNED MEN THAT HAD PENSIONS GRANTED TO THEM BY THE EARLES OF PEMBROKE.CHAPTER III.
OF LEARNED MEN THAT HAD PENSIONS GRANTED TO THEM BY THE EARLES OF
PEMBROKE.
IN the former Chapter I endeavoured to adumbrate Wilton House as to its
architecture. We are now to consider it within, where it will appeare
to have been an academie as well as palace; and was, as it were, the
apiarie to which men that were excellent in armes and arts did resort
and were caress’t, and many of them received honourable pensions.
The hospitality here was very great. I shall wave the grandeur of
William the first Earle, who married [Anne] sister to Queen Katharine
Parre, and was the great favourite of King Henry 8th, and conservator
of his will, and come to our grandfather’s memorie, in the times of his
sonne Henry Earle of Pembroke, and his Countess Mary, daughter of Sir
Henry Sydney, and sister to that renowned knight Sir Philip Sydney,
whose fame will never die whilest poetrie lives. His Lordship was the
patron to the men of armes, and to the antiquaries and heralds; he took
a great delight in the study of herauldry, as appeares by that curious
collection of heraldique manuscripts in the library here. It was this
earle that did set up all the painted glasse scutchions about the
house. Many a brave souldier, no doubt, was here obliged by his
Lordship; but time has obliterated their names.
Mr. Robert Barret dedicated the “Theorick and Practick of Moderne
Warres”, in folio, London, 1598, to this noble Earle, and William Lord
Herbert of Cardiff, his son, then a youth. It seemes to have been a
very good discourse as any writt in that time, wherein he shews much
learning, besides experience. He had spent most of his time in foreigne
warres, as the French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish; and here delivers
his military observations.
John Jones, an eminent physician in his tyme, wrote a treatise of the
bathes at Bath, printed in a black letter, Anno Domini 1572, which he
dedicated to Henry, Earle of Pembroke. [These dedications were
doubtless acknowledged by pecuniary gifts from the patron to the
authors.—J. B.]
I shall now passe to the illustrious Lady Mary, Countesse of Pembroke,
whom her brother hath eternized by his Arcadia; but many or most of the
verses in the Arcadia were made by her Honour, and they seem to have
been writt by a woman. ’Twas a great pity that Sir Philip had not lived
to have put his last hand to it. He spent much, if not most part of his
time here, and at Ivychurch, near Salisbury, which did then belong to
this family, when he was in England; and I cannot imagine that Mr.
Edmund Spenser could be a stranger here. [See, in a subsequent page,
Chap. VIII. “The Downes”.—J. B.]
Her Honour’s genius lay as much towards chymistrie as poetrie. The
learned Dr. Mouffet, that wrote of Insects and of Meates, had a pension
hence. In a catalogue of English playes set forth by Gerard Langbain,
is thus, viz.: “Lady Pembrock, Antonius, 4to.” [This was an English
translation of “The Tragedie of Antonie. Doone into English by the
Countesse of Pembroke. Imprinted at London, for William Ponsonby,
1595.” 12mo. The Countess of Pembroke also translated “A Discourse of
Life and Death, written in French, by Phil. Mornay”, 1600, 12mo.- J.
B.]
“Underneath this sable herse
Lies the subject of all verse,
Sydney’s sister, Pembroke’s mother,
Death! ere thou kill’st such another,
Fair, and wise, and learned as SHE,
Time will throw a dart at thee.”
These verses were made by Mr. (William*) Browne, who wrote the
“Pastoralls”, and they are inserted there.
*(William, Governor afterwards to ye now E. of Oxford.—J. EVELYN.)
[In the Memoir of Aubrey, published by the Wiltshire Topographical
Society in 1845, I drew attention to this passage, which shews that
although the above famous epitaph on the Countess of Pembroke is almost
always attributed to Ben Jonson, it was, in fact, written by William
Browne. That such is really the case does not rest only on the
authority of Aubrey and Evelyn; for we find this very epitaph in a
volume of Poems written by Browne, and preserved amongst the Lansdowne
MSS in the British Museum (No. 777), together with the following
additional lines:
“Marble pyles let no man raise
To her name for after-dayes;
Some kind woman, borne as she,
Reading this, like Niobe,
Shall turne marble, and become
Both her mourner and her tombe.”
To the epitaph is subjoined an “Elegie” on the Countess, of
considerable length. When or by whom the epitaph was first ascribed to
Jonson it is not easy to ascertain; but certainly no literary error has
been more frequently repeated. Aubrey is wrong in stating that the
lines were printed in Browne’s Pastorals.—J. B.]
Mr. Adrian Gilbert, uterine brother to Sir Walter Raleigh, was a great
chymist, and a man of excellent parts, but very sarcastick, and the
greatest buffoon in the nation. He was housekeeper at Wilton, and made
that delicate orchard where the stately garden now is. ……….. He had a
pension, and died about the beginning of the reign of King Charles the
First. Elias Ashmole, Esq. finds, by Dr. John Dee’s papers, that there
was a great friendship and correspondency between him and Adrian
Gilbert, and he often mentions him in his manuscripts. Now there can be
no doubt made but that his half-brother Sir Walter Raleigh, which was
“tam Marti quam Mercurio”, had a great acquaintance with the Earle
Henry and his ingenious Countesse.
There lived in Wilton, in those dayes, one Mr. Boston, a Salisbury man
(his father was a brewer there), who was a great chymist, and did great
cures by his art. The Lady Mary, Countesse of Pembroke, did much
esteeme him for his skill, and would have had him to have been her
operator, and live with her, but he would not accept of her Ladyship’s
kind offer. But after long search after the philosopher’s stone, he
died at Wilton, having spent his estate. After his death they found in
his laboratory two or three baskets of egge shelles, which I remember
Geber saieth is a principall ingredient of that stone.
J. Donne, Deane of St. Paule’s, was well known both to Sir Philip
Sydney and his sister Mary, as appeares by those excellent verses in
his poems, “Upon the Translation of the Psalmes by Sir Philip Sydney
and the Countesse of Pembroke his sister.”
Earl William [the second of that name] was a good scholar, and
delighted in poetrie; and did sometimes, for his diversion, write some
sonnets and epigrammes, which deserve commendation. Some of them are in
print in a little book in 8vo. intituled “Poems writt by William Earle
of Pembroke, and Sir Benjamin Ruddyer, Knight, 1660.” [See ante, page
77. A new edition of these poems was published by Sir Egerton Brydges
in 1817.] He was of an heroique and publick spirit, bountifull to his
friends and servants, and a great encourager of learned men.
Philip Earle of Pembroke [the first of that name], his brother, did not
delight in books or poetry; but exceedingly loved painting and
building, in which he had singular judgment, and had the best
collection of any peer in England. He had a wonderful sagacity in the
understanding of men, and could discover whether an ambassadour’s
message was reall or feigned; and his Majesty King James made great use
of this talent of his. Mr. Touars, an ingenious gentleman, who
understood painting well, and did travell beyond sea to buy rare pieces
for his lordship, had a pension of lOOli. per annum. Mr. Richard
Gibson, the dwarfe, whose marriage Mr. Edm. Waller hath celebrated in
his poëms, sc. the Marriage of the Dwarfs, a great master in miniture,
hath a pension of an hundred pounds per annum. Mr. Philip Massinger,
author of severall good playes, was a servant to his lordship, and had
a pension of twenty or thirty pounds per annum, which was payed to his
wife after his decease. She lived at Cardiffe, in Glamorganshire. There
were others also had pensions, that I have forgot.
[Arthur Massinger, the father of the poet, was attached to the
establishment of the Earl of Pembroke; and Gifford, in his Life of
Massinger, seems inclined to think that Philip was born at Wilton. He
was baptized in St. Thomas’s Church, Salisbury, 24 Nov. 1583. His
biographers have all been ignorant of the fact above recorded by
Aubrey. A brief memoir of the life of Massinger will be found in
Hatcher’s History of Salisbury, p. 619.—J. B.]
William (third) and Philip (third) earles were gallant, noble persons,
and handsome; they espoused not learning, but were addicted to field
sports and hospitality. But Thomas Earle of Pembroke has the vertues
and good parts of his ancestors concentred in him; which his lordship
hath not been wanting to cultivate and improve by study and travell;
which make his titles shine more bright. He is an honour to the
peerage, and a glory and a blessing to his country: but his reall worth
best speakes him, and it praises him in the gates.
CHAPTER IV. OF GARDENS:—LAVINGTON GARDEN, CHELSEY GARDEN.CHAPTER IV.
OF GARDENS:—LAVINGTON GARDEN, CHELSEY GARDEN.
[THE stately gardens of the seventeenth century were less remarkable
for the cultivation of useful or ornamental plants than for the formal
arrangement of their walks, arbours, parterres, and hedges. Amongst the
various decorations introduced were jets d’eau, or fountains,
artificial cascades, columns, statues, grottoes, rock-work, mazes or
labyrinths, terraces communicating with each other by flights of steps,
and similar puerilities. This style of gardening was introduced from
France; where the celebrated Le Notre had displayed his skill in laying
out the gardens of the palace of Versailles; the most important
specimens of their class. The same person was afterwards employed by
several of the English nobility.
The gardens at Wilton, described in the last chapter, were completely
in the style referred to. Solomon de Caus, to whom they are attributed
by Aubrey, is supposed by Mr. Loudon, in his valuable “Encyclopaedia of
Gardening”, to have been the inventor of greenhouses. The last
mentioned work contains the best account yet published of the gardens
of the olden time. Britton’s “History of Cassiobury” (folio, 1837), p.
17, also contains some curious particulars of the original plantations
and pleasure grounds of that interesting mansion.
The gardens at Lavington, which are described in the present chapter,
were evidently of the same character with those of Wilton.
Chelsey-garden is very minutely described by Aubrey, but our limits
forbid its insertion, especially as it is irrelevant to a History of
Wiltshire.—J. B.]
O janitores, villiciq{ue} felices:
Dominis parantur isti, serviunt vobis.
MARTIAL, Epigramm. 29, lib. x.
To write in the praise of gardens is besides my designe. The pleasure
and use of them were unknown to our great-grandfathers. They were
contented with pot-herbs, and did mind chiefly their stables. The
chronicle tells us, that in the reign of King Henry the 8th pear—mains
were so great a rarity that a baskett full of them was a present to the
great Cardinall Wolsey.
Henry Lyte, of Lyte’s Cary, in Somerset, Esq. translated Dodoens’
Herball into English, which he dedicated to Q. Elizabeth, about the
beginning of her reigne [1578]. He had a pretty good collection of
plants for that age; some few whereof are yet alive, 1660: and no
question but Dr. Gilbert, &c. did furnish their gardens as well as they
could so long ago, which could be but meanly. But the first peer that
stored his garden with exotick plants was William Earle of Salisbury,
[1612-1668] at his garden at [Hatfield?—J. B.] a catalogue whereof,
fairly writt in a skin of vellum, consisting of 830 plants, is in the
hands of Elias Ashmole, Esq. at South Lambeth.
But ’twas Sir John Danvers, of Chelsey, who first taught us the way of
Italian gardens. He had well travelled France and Italy, and made good
observations. He had in a fair body an harmonicall mind. In his youth
his complexion was so exceeding beautiful and fine that Thomas Bond,
Esq. of Ogbourne St. …. in Wiltshire, who was his companion in his
travells, did say that the people would come after him in the street to
admire him. He had a very fine fancy, which lay chiefly for gardens and
architecture.
The garden at Lavington in this county, and that at Chelsey in
Middlesex, as likewise the house there, doe remaine monuments of his
ingenuity. The garden at Lavington is full of irregularities, both
naturall and artificiall, sc. elevations and depressions. Through the
length of it there runneth a fine cleare trowt stream; walled with
brick on each side, to hinder the earth from mouldring down. In this
stream are placed severall statues. At the west end is an admirable
place for a grotto, where the great arch is, over which now is the
market roade. Among severall others, there is a very pleasant elevation
on the south side of the garden, which steales, arising almost
insensibly, that is, before one is aware, and gives you a view over the
spatious corn-fields there, and so to East Lavington: where, being
landed on a fine levell, letteth you descend again with the like
easinesse; each side is flanqued with laurells. It is almost impossible
to describe this garden, it is so full of variety and unevenesse; nay,
it would be a difficult matter for a good artist to make a draught of
it. About An°. 1686, the right honourable James Earle of Abingdon [who
had become possessed of the estate in right of his wife], built a noble
portico, full of water workes, which is on the north side of the
garden, and faceth the south. It is both portico and grott, and was
designed by Mr. Rose, of …… in Oxfordshire.
Wilton Garden was the third garden after these two of the Italian mode;
but in the time of King Charles the Second gardening was much improved
and became common. I doe believe I may modestly affirme that there is
now, 1691, ten times as much gardening about London as there was Anno
1660; and wee have been, since that time, much improved in forreign
plants, especially since about 1683, there have been exotick plants
brought into England no lesse than seven thousand. (From Mr. Watts,
gardener of the Apothecary’s garden at Chelsey, and other botanists.)
As for Longleate Garden it was lately made. I have not seen it, but
they say ’tis noble.
Till the breaking out of the civill warres, Tom ô Bedlam’s did travell
about the countrey. They had been poore distracted men that had been
putt into Bedlam, where recovering to some sobernesse they were
licentiated to goe a begging: e. g. they had on their left arm an
armilla of tinn, printed in some workes, about four inches long; they
could not gett it off. They wore about their necks a great horn of an
oxe in a string or bawdrie, which, when they came to an house for
almes, they did wind: and they did putt the drink given them into this
horn, whereto they did putt a stopple. Since the warres I doe not
remember to have seen any one of them. (I have seen them in
Worcestershire within these thirty years, 1756. MS. NOTE, ANONYMOUS.)
[This account of the “bedlam beggars” so well known to our forefathers,
is repeated by Aubrey in his “Remains of Gentilism,” (Lansdowne MSS.
No. 231,) portions of which have been printed in Mr. Thoms’s Anecdotes
and Traditions (1839). The passage corresponding with the above is
quoted by Mr. Charles Knight from the manuscript referred to, in
illustration of the character of “Mad Tom,” assumed by Edgar, in
Shakspere’s play of King Lear.—J. B.]
CHAPTER V. ARTS: LIBERALL AND MECHANICK.CHAPTER V.
ARTS: LIBERALL AND MECHANICK.
CRICKLAD, a market and borough town in this county, was an University
before the Conquest, where were taught the liberall arts and sciences,
as may appeare by the learned notes of Mr. Jo. Selden on Drayton’s
Poly-Olbion, and by a more convincing and undenyable argument out of
Wheelock’s translation of Bede’s History.
This University was translated from hence to Oxford. But whereas
writers swallow down the old storie that this place takes its name from
certain Greek philosophers, who, they say, began here an university, it
is a fond opinion.
[Aubrey here quotes Fuller as to the etymology of the names of
Cricklade and Lechlade. That author, on the authority of Leland, had
asserted in his Church History that the one was originally called
Greek—lade, and the other Latin—lade, from “two schooles, famous both
for eloquence and learning”, which existed there anterior to the
Conquest. But, on the report of his “worthy friend Dr. Peter Heylin,”
he afterwards stated in his Worthies that “Cricklade was the place for
the professors of Greek; Lechlade for physick (Leech being an old
English word for a physitian), and Latton, a small village hard by, the
place where Latin was professed.” It will be seen by the next sentence
that Aubrey disputes even the amended theory of Fuller, and, with more
probability, derives the names of the towns in question from words
indicating the natural features of the localities.—J. B.]
But, as the saying is, “Bernardus non vidit omnia”. Had the learned Dr.
Heylin (that is Hoelin, little Howell) had a little knowledge of his
ancestors’ Welsh, he would not have made such a stumble, and so forced
these etymologies; but would easily have found that Cricklad comes from
kerig, stones; and glad, a country; which two words give a true
description of the nature of the country on that side of Cricklad,
which is, as wee term it, a stone-brash. Likewise Lechlade, from llech,
plank-stones, or tile-stones. As for Latton, it may very well come from
laith, which signifies a marsh, and is as much as to say Marshton, as
there is a parish thereby called Marston. Hereabout are some few other
places which retain their British names with a little disguise.
Without the close of Salisbury, as one comes to the town from
Harnham-bridge, opposite to the hospitall, is a hop-yard, with a fair
high stone wall about it, and the ruines of an old pidgeon house. I doe
remember, 1642, and since, more ruines there. This was Collegium de
Valle Scholarum (College de Vaux). It took its name from Vaux, a
family. Here was likewise a magister scholarum, and it was in the
nature of an university. It was never an endowed college. (From Seth
Ward, Bishop of Sarum.)
[Some historical particulars connected with this scholastic
establishment or college will be found in Hatcher’s History of
Salisbury, pp. 50, 92, 232, &c. The author gives a different etymology
of its name to the above. Quoting Mosheim, cent. 13, p. ii. he states
that the Professors of Divinity in the University of Paris, in the year
1234, assembled their pupils and fixed their residence in a valley of
Champagne, whence they acquired the name of Valli-scholares, or
Scholars of the Valley. Mr. Hatcher adds, that the College at
Salisbury, which was founded about 1260, derived its name, and probably
its system of instruction, from this community in France.—J. B.]
The consistorie of this church (Salisbury) was as eminent for learning
as any in England, and the choire had the best method; hence came the
saying “secundum usum Sarum”. Over every stall there was writt “hoc
age”. These old stalles were taken down about 1671, and now they sitt
in the quire undistinguisht, without stalles.
But it was at the Abbey of Malmesbury where learning did most flourish
in our parts, and where most writers were bred, as appeares by Pitseus,
Baleus, &c.
MECHANICALL ARTS.—Cloathing. [See also subsequent chapters on this
subject] At Salisbury the best whites of England are made. The city was
ever also famous for the manufactures of parchment, razors, cizers,
knives, and gloves. Salisbury mault is accounted the best mault, and
they drive there a very considerable trade in maulting. Also it is not
to be forgotten that the bottle ale of Salisbury (as likewise Wilton,
upon the same reason, sc. the nitrous water) is the best bottle ale of
this nation.
Malmesbury hath been an ancient cloathing town; where also is a
considerable manufacture of gloves and strong waters. Also Troubridge,
Calne, and Chippenham are great cloathing townes.
The Devises is famous for making excellent Metheglyn. Mr. Tho. Piers of
the Swan did drive a great trade in it. [See ante, p. 68.]
Amesbury is famous for the best tobacco pipes in England; made by ….
Gauntlet, who markes the heele of them with a gauntlet, whence they are
called gauntlet pipes. The clay of which they are made is brought from
Chiltern in this county. [See ante, p. 35.]
In King James the First’s time coarse paper, commonly called
whitebrowne paper, was first made in England, especially in Surrey and
about Windsor.
At Bemarton near Salisbury is a paper mill, which is now, 1684, about
130 yeares standing, and the first that was erected in this county; and
the workmen there told me, 1669, that it was the second paper mill in
England. I remember the paper mill at Longdeane, in the parish of
Yatton Keynell, was built by Mr. Wyld, a Bristow merchant, 1635. It
serves Bristow with brown paper. There is no white paper made in
Wiltshire.
At Crokerton, near Warminster, hath been since the restauration (about
1665) a manufacture of felt making, as good, I thinke, as those of
Colbec in France. Crokerton hath its denomination from the crokery
trade there; sc. making of earthenware, &c. Crock is the old English
word for a pott.
It ought never to be forgott what our ingenious countreyman Sir
Christopher Wren proposed to the silke stocking weavers of London, Anno
Domini 16-, viz. a way to weave seven paire or nine paire of stockings
at once (it must be an odd number). He demanded four hundred pounds for
his invention; but the weavers refused it because they were poor; and
besides, they sayd it would spoile their trade. Perhaps they did not
consider the proverb, that “light gaines, with quick returnes, make
heavy purses.” Sir Christopher was so noble, seeing they would not
adventure so much money, he breakes the modell of the engine all to
pieces before their faces.
[This chapter contains many other remarks on trades, inventions,
machinery, &c. similar in character to the above.—J. B.]
CHAPTER VI. ARCHITECTURE.CHAPTER VI.
ARCHITECTURE.
[IN this chapter, the account of Aubrey’s visit to Old Sarum, and the
traditions connected with the erection of Salisbury Cathedral, although
they furnish no new facts of importance, will be read with interest;
especially on account of the reference they bear to the enlightened and
munificent Bishop Ward. A memoir of that prelate was published by Dr.
Walter Pope, in 1697 (8vo); and some further particulars of him, as
connected with Salisbury, will be found in Hatcher’s valuable History
of that City.—J. B.]
THE celebrated antiquity of Stonehenge, as also that stupendious but
unheeded antiquity at Aubury, &c. I affirme to have been temples, and
built by the Britons. See my Templa Druidum. [The essay referred to was
a part of Aubrey’s Monumenta Britannica, the manuscript of which has
strangely disappeared within the last twenty yeares. I have given an
account of its contents in the Memoir of Aubrey, already frequently
referred to,(page 87). Aubrey was the first who asserted that Avebury
and Stonehenge were temples of the Britons. He was also the first
person who wrote any thing about the forms, styles, and varieties of
windows, arches, &c. in Church Architecture, and his remarks and
opinions on both subjects were judicious, curious, and original.—J. B.]
Here being so much good stone in this countrey, no doubt but that the
Romans had here, as well as in other parts, good buildings. But time
hath left us no vestigia of their architecture unlesse that little that
remains of the castle of Old Sarum, where the mortar is as hard as a
stone. This must have been a most august structure, for it is situated
upon a hill. When the high walles were standing, flanked at due
distances with towers, about seven in all, and the vast keep (arx) in
the middle crowned with another high fortification, it must needs
afford a most noble view over the plaines.
(The following account I had from the right reverend, learned, and
industrious Seth Ward, Lord Bishop of Sarum, who had taken the paines
to peruse all the old records of the church, that had been clung
together and untoucht for perhaps two hundred yeares.) Within this
castle of Old Sarum, on the east side, stood the Cathedrall church; the
tuft and scite is yet discernable: which being seated so high was so
obnoxious to the weather, that when the wind did blow they could not
heare the priest say masse. But this was not the only inconvenience.
The soldiers of the castle and the priests could never agree; and one
day, when they were gone without the castle in procession, the soldiers
kept them out all night, or longer. Whereupon the Bishop, being much
troubled, cheered them up as well as he could, and told them he would
study to accommodate them better. In order thereunto he rode severall
times to the Lady Abbesse at Wilton to have bought or exchanged a piece
of ground of her ladyship to build a church and houses for the priests.
A poor woman at Quidhampton, that was spinning in the street, sayd to
one of her neighbours, “I marvell what the matter is that the bishop
makes so many visits to my lady; I trow he intends to marry her.” Well,
the bishop and her ladyship did not conclude about the land, and the
bishop dreamt that the Virgin Mary came to him, and brought him to or
told him of Merrifield; she would have him build his church there and
dedicate it to her. Merrifield was a great field or meadow where the
city of New Sarum stands, and did belong to the Bishop, as now the
whole city belongs to him.
This was about the latter end of King John’s reigne, and the first
grant or diploma that ever King Henry the Third signed was that for the
building of our Ladies church at Salisbury. The Bishop sent for
architects from Italy, and they did not onely build that famous
structure, and the close, but layd out the streetes of the whole city:
which run parallell one to another, and the market-place-square in the
middle: whereas in other cities they were built by chance, and at
severall times.
I know but one citie besides in England that was designed and layd out
at once as this was; and that is Chichester: where, standing at the
market-crosse, you may see the four gates of the city. They say there
that it was built about the same time that New Salisbury was, and had
some of those architects.* The town of Richelieu was built then by the
great Cardinall, when he built his august chasteau there.
*[Salisbury has little parallelism to its neighbour Chichester, which
is of Roman origin: the former being truly English, and perfectly
unique in its history and arrangement. Aubrey has omitted to notice the
rapid streams of water flowing through each of the principal streets,
which form a remarkable feature of the city.—J. B.]
Upon the building of this cathedrall and close the castle of Old Sarum
went to wrack, and one may see in the walles of the close abundance of
stones, finely carved, that were perhaps part of the church there.
After the church and close were built, the citizens had their
freestone, &c. from thence. And in Edward the Sixth’s time, the great
house of the Earle of Pembroke, at Wilton, was built with the mines of
it. About 1660 I was upon it. There was then remaining on the south
side some of the walles of the great gate; and on the north side there
was some remaines of a bottome of a tower; but the incrustation of
freestone was almost all gone: a fellow was then picking at that little
that was left. ’Tis like enough by this time they have digged all away.
Salisbury.—Edw. Leigh, Esq. “There is a stately and beautifull minster,
with an exceeding high spered steeple, and double crosse aisle on both
sides. The windowes of the church, as they reckon them, answer just in
number to the dayes; the pillars, great and small, to the houres, of a
full yeare; and the gates to the moneths.”—[“England Described; or,
Observations on the several Counties and Shires thereof, by Edw.
Leigh.” 1659. 8vo.]
“Mira canam, soles quot continet annus, in unâ
Tam numerosa ferunt sede fenestra micat.
Marmoreaq{ue} capit fusas tot ab arte columnas
Comprensus horas quot vagus annus habet.
Totq{ue}patent portæ, quot mensibus annus abundat,
Res mira, et vera, res celebrata fide.”—DANIEL ROGERS.
’Tis strange to see how errour hath crept in upon the people, who
believe that the pillars of this church were cast, forsooth, as
chandlers make candles; and the like is reported of the pillars of the
Temple Church, London, &c.: and not onely the vulgar swallow down the
tradition gleb, but severall learned and otherwise understanding
persons will not be perswaded to the contrary, and that the art is
lost.[Among the rest Fuller, in his Worthies of England, gave currency
to this absurd opinion.—J. B.] Nay, all the bishops and churchmen of
that church in my remembrance did believe it, till Bishop Ward came,
who would not be so imposed on; and the like errour runnes from
generation to generation concerning Stoneheng, that the stones there
are artificiall. But, to returne to the pillars of this church, they
are all reall marble, and shew the graine of the Sussex marble (sc. the
little cockles), from whence they were brought. [These pillars are not
made of Sussex marble; but of that kind which is brought from a part of
Dorsetshire called the Isle of Purbeck.—J. B.] At every nine foot they
are jointed with an ornament or band of iron or copper. This quarrie
hath been closed up and forgott time out of mind, and the last yeare,
1680, it was accidentally discovered by felling of an old oake; and it
now serves London. (From Mr. Bushnell, the stone-cutter.)
The old tradition is, that this church was “built upon wooll-packs”,
and doubtlesse there is something in it which is now forgott. I shall
endeavour to retrieve and unriddle it by comparison. There is a tower
at Rouen in Normandie called the Butter Tower; for when it was built a
toll was layd upon all the butter that was brought to Rouen, for and
towards the building of this tower; as now there is a [duty] layd upon
every chaldron of coales towards the building of St Paul’s Church,
London: so hereafter they may say that that church was built upon
New-Castle coales. In like manner it might be that heretofore, when
Salisbury Cathedral was building, which was long before wooll was
manufactured in England (the merchants of the staple sent it then in
woolpacks beyond sea, to Flanders, &c.), that an imposition might be
putt on the Wiltshire wool-packs towards the carrying on of this
magnificent structure. There is a saying also that London Bridge was
built upon wooll-packs, upon the same account.
The height of Our Lady steeple at Salisbury was never found so little
as 400 foot, and never more than 406 foot, by the observations of Thom.
Nash, surveyor of the workes of this church: but Colonell John Wyndham
did take the height more accurately, An° 1684, by a barometer: sc. the
height of the weather-dore of Our Lady Church steeple at Salisbury from
the ground is 4280 inches. The mercury subsided in that height 42/100
of an inch. He affirms that the height of the said steeple is 404 foot,
which he hath tryed severall times; and by the help of his barometer,
which is accurately made according to his direction, he will with great
facility take the height of any mountain: quod N.B. [Col. Wyndham’s
measurement has been adopted as correct by most authors who have
written on the subject since.—J. B.]
Memorandum. About 1669 or 1670 Bishop Ward invited Sir Christopher Wren
to Salisbury, out of curiosity, to survey the church there, as to the
steeple, architecture, &c. He was above a weeke about it, and writt a
sheet or a sheet and a halfe, an account of it, which he presented to
the bishop. I asked the bishop since for it, and he told me he had lent
it, to whom he could not tell, and had no copy of it. ’Tis great pity
the paines of so great an artist should be lost. Sir Christopher tells
me he hath no copie of it neither.
This year, 1691, Mr. Anth. Wood tells me, he hath gott a transcript of
Sir Chr. Wren’s paper; which obtain, and insert here. I much doubted I
should never have heard of it again.
[Soon after writing this passage Aubrey probably obtained a copy of Sir
Christopher Wren’s report, which he has inserted in his original
manuscript. It is dated in 1669, and occupies eleven folio pages. In
The History and Antiquities of the Cathedral of Salisbury, &c. (1723,
8vo.), it is printed, and described as “An Architectonical Account of
this Cathedral”, by “an eminent gentleman”. Part of the same report was
printed in Wren’s Parentalia (1750); and a short abstract of it will
also be found in Dodsworth’s Salisbury Cathedral (written by the late
Mr. Hatcher), p. 172. In a communication from the last named gentleman
in 1841, when he was engaged upon his History of Salisbury, he wrote to
me as follows: “I have lately fallen upon what appears to have been Sir
C. Wren’s original report relative to the cathedral; a very elaborate
report on the state of the building in 1691, by a person named Naish;
some good observations on the bending of the piers (anonymous); and
several estimates and observations made by Price. What I shall do with
them I have not yet determined.”—J. B.]
Wardour Castle was very strongly built of freestone. I never saw it but
when I was a youth; the day after part of it was blown up: and the
mortar was so good that one of the little towers reclining on one side
did hang together and not fall in peeces. It was called Warder Castle
from the conserving there the ammunition of the West.
Sir William Dugdale told me, many years since, that about Henry the
Third’s time the Pope gave a bull or patents to a company of Italian
Freemasons to travell up and down over all Europe to build churches.
From those are derived the fraternity of adopted Masons. They are known
to one another by certain signes and watch-words: it continues to this
day. They have severall lodges in severall counties for their
reception, and when any of them fall into decay the brotherhood is to
relieve him, &c. The manner of their adoption is very formall, and with
an oath of secresy.
Memorandum. This day, May the 18th, being Munday, 1691, after Rogation
Sunday, is a great convention at St. Paul’s Church of the fraternity of
the adopted Masons, where Sir Christopher Wren is to be adopted a
brother, and Sir Henry Goodric, of the Tower, and divers others. There
have been kings of this sodality.
At Pottern, a great mannour belonging to the Bishop of Sarum, is a very
faire strong built church, with a great tower in the middest of the
crosse aisle. It is exactly of the same architecture of the cathedrall
church at Sarum, and the windowes are painted by the same hand, in that
kind of Gothick grotesco. Likewise the church at Kington St. Michael’s,
and that at Sopworth, are of the same fashion, and built about the same
time, sc. with slender marble pillars to the windowes; and just so the
church of Glastonbury Abbey, and Westminster Abbey. Likewise the
architecture of the church at Bishop’s Cannings is the same, and such
pillars to the windowes.
At Calne was a fine high steeple which stood upon four pillars in the
middle of the church. One of the pillars was faulty, and the
churchwardens were dilatory, as is usual in such cases.—Chivers, Esq.
of that parish, foreseeing the fall of it, if not prevented, and the
great charge they must be at by it, brought down Mr. Inigo Jones to
survey it. This was about 1639 or 1640: he gave him 30 li. out of his
own purse for his paines. Mr. Jones would have underbuilt it for an
hundred pounds. About 1645 it fell down, on a Saturday, and also broke
down the chancell; the parish have since been at 1,000 li. Charge to
make a new heavy tower. Such will be the fate of our steeple at Kington
St. Michael; one cannot perswade the parishioners to goe out of their
own way. [In another of Aubrey’s MSS. (his “Description of North
Wiltshire”), is a sketch of the tower and spire of the church of
Kington St. Michael, shewing several large and serious cracks in the
walls. The spire was blown down in 1703, its neglected state no doubt
contributing to its fall. The following manuscript note by James
Gilpin, Esq. Recorder of Oxford (who was born at Kington in 1709), may
be added, from my own collections for the history of this, my native
parish. “In ye great storm in ye year 1703, ye spire of this church was
blown down, and two of ye old bells I remember standing in ye belfry
till ye tower was pulled down in 1724, in order to be rebuilt It was
rebuilt accordingly, and the bells were then new cast, with ye
assistance of Mr. Harington ye Vicar, who gave a new bell, on which his
name is inscribed, so as to make a peal of six bells. On these bells
are the following inscriptions:—1. Prosperity to this parish, 1726. 2.
Peace and good neighbourhood, 1726. 3. Prosperity to ye Church of
England, 1726. 4. William Harington, Vicar. A. R. 1726 (A. R. means
Abraham Rudhall, ye bell founder). 5. Has no inscription, but 1726 in
gilt figures. 6. Jonathan Power and Robert Hewett, Churchwardens,
1726.”—J. B.]
Sir William Dugdale told me he finds that painting in glasse came first
into England in King John’s time. Before the Reformation I believe
there was no county or great town in England but had glasse painters.
Old …… Harding, of Blandford in Dorsetshire, where I went to schoole,
was the only countrey glasse-painter that ever I knew. Upon play dayes
I was wont to visit his shop and furnaces. He dyed about 1643, aged
about 83, or more.
In St. Edmund’s church at Salisbury were curious painted glasse
windowes, especially in the chancell, where there was one window, I
think the east window, of such exquisite worke that Gundamour, the
Spanish Ambassadour, did offer some hundreds of pounds for it, if it
might have been bought. In one of the windowes was the picture of God
the Father, like an old man, which gave offence to H. Shervill, Esq.
then Recorder of this city (this was about 1631), who, out of zeale,
came and brake some of these windowes, and clambering upon one of the
pews to be able to reach high enough, fell down and brake his leg. For
this action he was brought into the Starr-Chamber, and had a great fine
layd upon him [£500. J. B.] which, I think, did undoe him. [See a
minute and interesting account of Sherfield’s offence, and the
proceedings at the trial, in Hatcher’s History of Salisbury, p.
371-374.—J. B.]
There was, at the Abbey of Malmesbury, a very high spire-steeple, as
high almost, they at Malmesbury say, as that of St. Paul’s, London; and
they further report, that when the steeple fell down the ball of it
fell as far as the Griffin Inne.
The top of the tower of Sutton Benger is very elegant, there is not
such another in the county. It much resembles St Walborough’s [St.
Werburg’s] at Bristoll. [The tower of Sutton Benger church, here
alluded to, has a large open-work’d pinnacle, rising from the centre of
the roof; a beautiful and very singular ornament. See the wood-cut in
the title-page of the present volume.- J. B.]
The priory of Broadstock was very well built, and with good strong
ribbs, as one may conclude by the remaines that are left of it yet
standing, which are the cellar, which is strongly vaulted with
freestone, and the hall above it. It is the stateliest cellar in
Wiltshire. The Hall is spatious, and within that the priour’s parlour,
wherein is good carving. In the middle of the south side of the hall is
a large chimney, over which is a great window, so that the draught of
the smoake runnes on each side of the chimney. Above the cellars the
hall and parlours are one moietie; the church or, chapell stood on the
south side of the hall, under which was a vault, as at St. Faithes
under Paules. The very fundations of this fair church are now, 1666,
digged up, where I saw severall freestone coffins, having two holes
bored in the bottome, and severall capitalls and bases of handsome
Gothique pillars. On the west end of the hall was the King’s lodgeings,
which they say were very noble, and standing about 1588. [Aubrey
records some further particulars of Bradenstoke Priory; a short account
of which edifice will be found in the third volume of the Beauties of
Wiltshire. The Gentleman’s Magazine, Nov. 1833, contains a wood-cut and
account of this old religious house. See also Bowles’s History of
Lacock Abbey.—J. B.]
The church of Broad Chalke was dedicated to All-Hallowes, as appeares
by the ancient parish booke. The tradition is that it was built by a
lawyer, whose picture is in severall of the glasse-windowes yet
remaining, kneeling, in a purple gowne or robe, and at the bottome of
the windowes this subscription: “Orate pro felici statu Magistri
Sieardi Lenot”. This church hath no pillar, and the breadth is thirty
and two feete and two inches. Hereabout are no trees now growing that
would be long enough to make the crosse beames that doe reach from side
to side. By the fashion of the windowes I doe guesse that it was built
in the reigne of King Henry the Sixth. [The church of Broad Chalk is
described in Hoare’s Modern Wiltshire, Hundred of Chalk, p. 148.]
The market-crosses of Salisbury, Malmesbury, and Trowbridge, are very
noble: standing on six pillars, and well vaulted over with freestone
well carved. On every one of these crosses above sayd the crest of
Hungerford, the sickles, doth flourish like parietaria or wall-flower,
as likewise on most publique buildings in these parts, which witnesse
not onely their opulency but munificency. I doe think there is such
another crosse at Cricklade, with the coate and crests of Hungerford.
Quaere de hoc. [There is not any cross remaining in Trowbridge; and
that at Cricklade, in the high street, is merely a single shaft, placed
on a base of steps. The one at Salisbury is a plain unadorned building;
but that of Malmesbury is a fine ornamented edifice. It is described
and illustrated in my “Dictionary of the Architecture and Archaeology
of the Middle Ages”.—J. B.]
The Lord Stourton’s house at Stourton is very large and very old, but
is little considerable as to the architecture. The pavement of the
chapell there is of bricks, annealed or painted yellow, with their coat
and rebus; sc. a tower and a tunne. These enamelled bricks have not
been in use these last hundred yeares. The old paving of Our Lady
Church at Salisbury was of such; and the choire of Gloucester church is
paved with admirable bricks of this fashion. A little chapell at
Merton, in the Earle of Shaftesbury’s house, is paved with such tiles,
whereon are annealed or enamelled the coate and quarterings of Horsey.
It is pity that this fashion is not revived; they are handsome and far
more wholesome than marble paving in our could climate, and much
cheaper. They have been disused ever since King Edward the Sixth’s
time. [Aubrey would have rejoiced to witness the success which has
attended the revived use of ornamental paving tiles within the last few
years. Messrs. Copeland and Garrett, and Mr. Minton, of
Stoke-upon-Trent, as well as the Messrs. Chamberlain of Worcester, are
engaged in making large numbers of these tiles, which are now
extensively employed by church architects. Those individuals have
produced tiles equal in excellence and beauty to the ancient
specimens.—J. B.]
Heretofore all gentlemen’s houses had fish ponds, and their houses had
motes drawn about them, both for strength and for convenience of fish
on fasting days.
The architecture of an old English gentleman’s house, especially in
Wiltshire and thereabout, was a good high strong wall, a gate house, a
great hall and parlour, and within the little green court where you
come in, stood on one side the barne: they then thought not the noise
of the threshold ill musique. This is yet to be seen at severall old
houses and seates, e. g. Bradfield, Alderton, Stanton St. Quintin,
Yatton-Keynell, &c.
Fallersdowne, vulgo Falston, was built by a Baynton, about perhaps
Henry the Fifth. Here was a noble old-fashioned house, with a mote
about it and drawbridge, and strong high walles embatteled. They did
consist of a layer of freestone and a layer of flints, squared or
headed; two towers faced the south, one the east, the other the west
end. After the garrison was gonn the mote was filled up, about 1650,
and the high wall pulled down and one of the towers. Baynton was
attainted about Henry the Sixth. Afterwards the Lord Chief Justice
Cheyney had it About the beginning of Queen Elizabeth, ….. Vaughan of
Glamorganshire bought it; and about 1649, Sir George Vaughan sold it to
Philip Earle of Pembroke.
Longleate House is the most august building in the kingdome. It was
built by [Edward] Seymor, Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector,* tempore
Edward VI., who sent for the architects out of Italy. The length is 272
foot, the breadth 172 foot; measured by Mr. Moore, Clericus. It is as
high as the Banqueting house at Whitehall, outwardly adorned with
Dorick, lonick, and Corinthian pillars. Mr. Dankertz drew a landskip of
it, which was engraved. Desire Mr. Rose to gett me a print of it.
*[This statement is erroneous. Maiden Bradley, which is not far from
Longleat, has been a seat of the noble family of Seymour for many
centuries, and they have an old mansion there; but the family never
possessed Longleat. The latter estate, on the contrary, was granted by
King Henry VIII. to Sir John Horsey, and Edward Earl of Hertford, from
whom it was purchased by Sir John Thynne, ancestor of its present
proprietor, the Marquess of Bath. In 1576, Sir John commenced the
splendid mansion at Longleat, which some writers assert was designed by
John of Padua. The works were regularly prosecuted during the next
twelve years, and completed by the two succeeding owners of the
property. See Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain, vol. ii.—J.
B.]
Longford House was built by the Lord Georges, after the fashion of one
of the King of Swedland’s palaces. The figure of it is triangular, and
the roomes of state are in the round towers in the angles. These round
roomes are adorned with black marble Corinthian pillars, with gilded
capitalls and bases. ’Twas sold to the Lord Colraine about 1646. [It
now belongs to the Earl of Radnor. Plans, views, and accounts of this
mansion, as well as of Longleat and Charlton Houses, are published in
the “Architectural Antiquities”, vol. ii.—J. B.]
Charlton House was built by the Earl of Suffolk, Lord High Treasurer,
about the beginning of King James the First, when architecture was at a
low ebbe.
At Broad Chalke is one of the tunablest ring of bells in Wiltshire,
which hang advantageously; the river running near the churchyard, which
meliorates the sound. Here were but four bells till anno 1616 was added
a fifth; and in anno 1659 Sir George Penruddock and I made ourselves
church-wardens, or else the fair church had fallen, from the
niggardlinesse of the churchwardens of mean condition, and then we
added the sixth bell.
The great bell at Westminster, in the Clockiar at the New Palace Yard,
36,OOOlib. weight. See Stow’s Survey of London, de hoc. It was given by
Jo. Montacute, Earle of (Salisbury, I think). Part of the inscription
is thus, sc. “…… annis ab acuto monte Johannis.”
CHAPTER VII. AGRICULTURE.CHAPTER VII.
AGRICULTURE.
[THE late Mr. Thos. Davis, of Longleat, Steward to the Marquess of
Bath, drew up an admirable “View of the Agriculture of the County of
Wilts”, which was printed by the Board of Agriculture in 1794. 8vo.—J.
B.]
CONSIDERING the distance of place where I now write, London, and the
distance of time that I lived in this county, I am not able to give a
satisfactorie account of the husbandry thereof. I will only say of our
husbandmen, as Sir Thom. Overbury does of the Oxford scholars, that
they goe after the fashion; that is, when the fashion is almost out
they take it up: so our countrey-men are very late and very unwilling
to learne or be brought to new improvements.
[It was scarcely a reproach to the Wiltshire husbandmen to be far
behind those of more enlightened counties, when, in the seat of
learning, where the mental faculties of the students ought to have been
continually exercised and cultivated, and not merely occupied in
learning useless Greek and Latin, the “Oxford scholars” followed,
rather than led, the fashion. Agricultural societies were then unknown,
farmers had little communication with distant districts, and
consequently knew nothing of the practice of other places; rents were
low, and the same families continued in the farms from generation to
generation, pursuing the same routine of Agriculture which their
fathers and grandfathers had pursued “time out of mind”. In the days of
my own boyhood, nearly seventy years ago, I spent some time at a
solitary farmhouse in North Wiltshire, with a grandfather and his
family, and can remember the various occupations and practices of the
persons employed in the dairy, and on the grazing and corn lands. I
never saw either a book or newspaper in the house; nor were any
accounts of the farming kept.—J. B.]
The Devonshire men were the earliest improvers. I heard Oliver
Cromwell, Protector, at dinner at Hampton Court, 1657 or 8, tell the
Lord Arundell of Wardour and the Lord Fitzwilliams that he had been in
all the counties of England, and that the Devonshire husbandry was the
best: and at length we have obtained a good deal of it, which is now
well known and need not to be rehearsed. But William Scott, of
Hedington, a very understanding man in these things, told me that since
1630 the fashion of husbandry in this country had been altered three
times over, still refining.
Mr. Bishop, of Merton, first brought into the south of Wiltshire the
improvement by burn-beking or Denshiring, about 1639. He learnt it in
Flanders; it is very much used in this parish, and their neighbours doe
imitate them: they say ’tis good for the father, but naught for the
son, by reason it does so weare out the heart of the land.
[The reader will find many observations of this nature, and on
analogous subjects, in the manuscript, which it has not been thought
desirable to print. Among the rest are several pages from John Norden’s
“Surveyor’s Dialogue”, containing advice and directions respecting
agriculture, of which Aubrey says, “though they are not of Wiltshire,
they will do no hurt here; and, if my countrymen know it not, I wish
they might learn”.—J. B.]
The wheate and bread of this county, especially South Wilts, is but
indifferent; that of the Vale of White Horse is excellent. King Charles
II. when he lay at Salisbury, in his progresse, complained that he
found there neither good bread nor good beer. But for the latter, ’twas
the fault of the brewer not to boil it well; for the water and the
mault there are as good as any in England.
The improvement by cinque-foile, which now spreads much in the
stone—brash lands, was first used at North Wraxhall by Nicholas Hall,
who came from Dundery in Somersetshire, about the yeare 1650.
George Johnson, Esq. counsellour-at-law, did improve some of his estate
at Bowdon-parke, by marling, from 6d. an acre to 25sh. He did lay three
hundred loades of blew marle upon an acre.
Sir William Basset, of Claverdoun, hath made the best vinyard that I
have heard of in England. He sayes that the Navarre grape is the best
for our climate, and that the eastern sunn does most comfort the vine,
by putting off the cold. Mr. Jo. Ash, of Teffont Ewyas, has a pretty
vineyard of about six acres, made anno 1665. Sir Walter Erneley,
Baronet, told me, a little before he died, that he was making one at
Stert, I thinke, neer the Devizes.
The improvement of watering meadows began at Wyley, about 1635, about
which time, I remember, we began to use them at Chalke. Watering of
meadows about Marleburgh and so to Hungerford was, I remember, about
1646, and Mr. John Bayly, of Bishop’s Down, near Salisbury, about the
same time made his great improvements by watering there by St. Thomas’s
Bridge. This is as old as the Romans; e.g. Virgil, “Claudite jam rivos,
pueri, sat prata biberunt”. Mr. Jo. Evelyn told me that out of Varro,
Cato, and Columella are to be extracted all good rules of husbandry;
and he wishes that a good collection or extraction were made out of
them.
INCLOSING.—Anciently, in the hundreds of Malmesbury and Chippenham were
but few enclosures, and that near houses. The north part of Wiltshire
was in those dayes admirable for field-sports. All vast champian
fields, as now about Sherston and Marsfield. King Henry the 7 brought
in depopulations, and that inclosures; and after the dissolution of the
abbeys in Hen. 8 time more inclosing. About 1695 all between Easton
Piers and Castle Comb was a campania, like Coteswold, upon which it
borders; and then Yatton and Castle Combe did intercommon together.
Between these two parishes much hath been enclosed in my remembrance,
and every day more and more. I doe remember about 1633 but one
enclosure to Chipnam-field, which was at the north end, and by this
time I thinke it is all inclosed. So all between Kington St. Michael
and Dracot Cerne was common field, and the west field of Kington St.
Michael between Easton Piers and Haywood was inclosed in 1664. Then
were a world of labouring people maintained by the plough, as they were
likewise in Northamptonshire. ’Tis observed that the inclosures of
Northamptonshire have been unfortunate since, and not one of them have
prospered.
Mr. Toogood, of Harcot, has fenced his grounds with crab-tree hedges,
which are so thick that no boare can gett through them. Captain Jones,
of Newton Tony, did the like on his downes. Their method is thus: they
first runne a furrow with the plough, and then they sow the cakes of
the crabbes, which they gett at the verjuice mill. It growes very well,
and on many of them they doe graffe.
Limeing of ground was not used but about 1595, some time after the
comeing in of tobacco. (From Sir Edw. Ford of Devon.)
Old Mr. Broughton, of Herefordshire, was the man that brought in the
husbandry of soap ashes. He living at Bristoll, where much soap is
made, and the haven there was like to have been choak’t up with it,
considering that ground was much meliorated by compost, &c. did
undertake this experiment, and having land near the city, did
accordingly improve it with soap ashes. I remember the gentleman very
well. He dyed about 1650, I believe near 90 yeares old, and was the
handsomest, well limbed, strait old man that ever I saw, had a good
witt and a graceful elocution. He was the father of Bess Broughton, one
of the greatest beauties of her age.
Proverb for apples, peares, hawthorns, quicksetts, oakes:
“Sett them at All-hallow-tyde, and command them to grow;
Sett them at Candlemass, and entreat them to grow.”
Butter and Cheese. At Pertwood and about Lidyard as good butter is made
as any in England, but the cheese is not so good. About Lidyard, in
those fatt grounds, in hott weather, the best huswives cannot keep
their cheese from heaving. The art to keep it from heaving is to putt
in cold water. Sowre wood-sere grounds doe yield the best cheese, and
such are Cheshire. Bromefield, in the parish of Yatton, is so—sower and
wett—and where I had better cheese made than anywhere in all the
neighbourhood.
Somerset proverb:
“If you will have a good cheese, and hav’n old,
You must turn’n seven times before he is cold.”
Jo. Shakespeare’s wife, of Worplesdowne in Surrey, a North Wiltshire
woman, and an excellent huswife, does assure me that she makes as good
cheese there as ever she did at Wraxhall or Bitteston, and that it is
meerly for want of art that her neighbours doe not make as good; they
send their butter to London. So it appeares that, some time or other,
when there in the vale of Sussex and Surrey they have the North
Wiltshire skill, that halfe the cheese trade of the markets of Tedbury
and Marleborough will be spoiled.
Now of late, sc. about 1680, in North Wiltshire, they have altered
their fashion from thinne cheeses about an inch thick, made so for the
sake of drying and quick sale, called at London Marleborough cheese, to
thick ones, as the Cheshire cheese. At Marleborough and Tedbury the
London cheese-mongers doe keep their factors for their trade. [At the
close of the last century Reading was the principal seat of the London
cheese factors, who visited the different farms in Wiltshire once in
each year to purchase the cheese, which was sent in waggons to Reading:
often by circuitous routes in order to save the tolls payable on
turnpike roads.—J. B.]
Maulting and Brewing. It is certain that Salisbury mault is better than
any other in the West; but they have no more skill there than
elsewhere. It is the water there is the chiefest cause of its
goodnesse: perhaps the nitrousnesse of the maulting floores may
something help.
[Aubrey devotes several pages to these subjects. He particularly
commends “The History of Malting, or the method of making Malt,
practised at Derby, described for R. T. Esq. by J. F. (John Flamsteed),
January 1682-3”, which was printed in “A Collection of Letters for ye
Improvement of Husbandry and Trade”, No. 7, Thursday, June 15, 1682.
This paper by Flamsteed, which is of considerable length, is inserted
by Aubrey in both his manuscripts: a printed copy in the original at
Oxford, and a transcript in the Royal Society’s fair copy.—J. B.]
It may be objected how came that great astronomer, Mr. John Flamsteed,
to know so much the mystery of malsters. Why, his father is a maulster
at Derby; and he himself was a maulster, and did drive a trade in it
till he was about twenty yeares of age, at what time Sir Jonas Moore
invited him to London. [The best memoir of Flamsteed will be found in
“An Account of the Rev. John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal,
compiled from his own manuscripts and other authentic documents never
before published. To which is added his British Catalogue of Stars,
corrected and enlarged. By Francis Baily, Esq. &c. &c. Printed by order
of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. London, 1835”. Such is the
title of a large quarto volume which my late esteemed friend and
neighbour Mr. Baily edited and wrote, con amore; and which contains not
only a curious autobiography of the first Astronomer Royal of Great
Britain, but numerous letters, documents, and miscellaneous information
on the science of astronomy as it was known in Flamsteed’s time, and up
to the time of the publication of the volume. This work was printed at
the expense of the government, and presented to public colleges and
societies, to royal and public libraries, and to many persons
distinguished in science and literature. Hence it may be regarded as a
choice and remarkable literary production. Some curious particulars of
Flamsteed’s quarrel with Sir Isaac Newton, respecting the printing of
his “Historia Coelestis”, are given in Mr. Baily’s volume, which tend
to shew that the latter, in conjunction with Halley and other persons,
perseveringly annoyed and injured Flamsteed in various ways, and for a
considerable time. Some of the admirers of Newton’s moral character
having attempted to extenuate his conduct, Mr. Baily published a
Supplement to his work, in which he shews that such attempts had
completely failed.—J. B.]
CHAPTER VIII. THE DOWNES.CHAPTER VIII.
THE DOWNES.
WE now make our ascent to the second elevation or the hill countrey,
known by the name of the Downes, or Salisbury Plaines; and they are the
most spacious plaines in Europe, and the greatest remaines that I can
heare of of the smooth primitive world when it lay all under water.
These downes runne into Hampshire, Berkshire, and Dorsetshire; but as
to its extent in this county, it is from Red-hone, the hill above
Urshfont, to Salisbury, north and south, and from Mere to Lurgershall,
east and west. The turfe is of a short sweet grasse, good for the
sheep, and delightfull to the eye, for its smoothnesse like a bowling
green, and pleasant to the traveller; who wants here only variety of
objects to make his journey lesse tedious: for here is “nil nisi campus
et aer”, not a tree, or rarely a bush to shelter one from a shower.
The soile of the downes I take generally to be a white earth or mawme.
More south, sc. about Wilton and Chalke, the downes are intermixt with
boscages that nothing can be more pleasant, and in the summer time doe
excell Arcadia in verdant and rich turfe and moderate aire, but in
winter indeed our air is cold and rawe. The innocent lives here of the
shepherds doe give us a resemblance of the golden age. Jacob and Esau
were shepherds; and Amos, one of the royall family, asserts the same of
himself, for he was among the shepherds of Tecua [Tekoa] following that
employment. The like, by God’s own appointment, prepared Moses for a
scepter, as Philo intimates in his life, when he tells us that a
shepherd’s art is a suitable preparation to a kingdome. The same he
mentions in his Life of Joseph, affirming that the care a shepherd has
over his cattle very much resembles that which a King hath over his
subjects. The same St. Basil, in his Homily de St. Mamme Martyre has,
concerning David, who was taken from following the ewes great with
young ones to feed Israel. The Romans, the worthiest and greatest
nation in the world, sprang from shepherds. The augury of the twelve
vultures plac’t a scepter in Romulus’s hand, which held a crook before;
and as Ovid sayes:-
“His own small flock each senator did keep.”
Lucretius mentions an extraordinary happinesse, and as it were divinity
in a shepherd’s life:—
“Thro’ shepherds’ care, and their divine retreats.”
And, to speake from the very bottome of my heart, not to mention the
integrity and innocence of shepherds, upon which so many have insisted
and copiously declaimed, methinkes he is much more happy in a wood that
at ease contemplates the universe as his own, and in it the sunn and
starrs, the pleasing meadows, shades, groves, green banks, stately
trees, flowing springs, and the wanton windings of a river, fit objects
for quiet innocence, than he that with fire and sword disturbs the
world, and measures his possessions by the wast that lies about him.
These plaines doe abound with hares, fallow deer, partridges, and
bustards. [The fallow deer and bustards have long since disappeared
from these plains; but hares and partridges abound in the vicinity of
gentlemen’s seats, particularly around Everleigh, Tidworth, Amesbury,
Wilbury, Wilton, Earl-Stoke, Clarendon, &c.—Vide ante, p.64.—J. B.] In
this tract is ye Earle of Pembroke’s noble seat at Wilton; but the
Arcadia and the Daphne is about Vernditch and Wilton; and these romancy
plaines and boscages did no doubt conduce to the hightening of Sir
Philip Sydney’s phansie. He lived much in these parts, and his most
masterly touches of his pastoralls he wrote here upon the spott, where
they were conceived. ’Twas about these purlieus that the muses were
wont to appeare to Sir Philip Sydney, and where he wrote down their
dictates in his table book, though on horseback.* For those nimble
fugitives, except they be presently registred, fly away, and perhaps
can never be caught again. But they were never so kind to appeare to
me, though I am the usufructuary:† it seemes they reserve that grace
only for the proprietors, to whom they have continued a constant
kindnesse for a succession of generations of the no lesse ingenious
than honorable family of the Herberts. These were the places where our
Kings and Queens used to divert themselves in the hunting season.
Cranbourn Chase, which reaches from Harnham Bridge, at Salisbury, near
to Blandford, was belonging to Roger Mortimer, Earle of March: his
seate was at his castle at Cranbourne. If these oakes here were vocall
as Dodona’s, some of the old dotards (old stagge-headed oakes, so
called) could give us an account of the amours and secret whispers
between this great Earle and the faire Queen Isabell.
*I remember some old relations of mine and [other] old men hereabout
that have seen Sir Philip doe thus.
†[Aubrey held the manor farm of Broad Chalk under a lease from the Earl
of Pembroke.—J. B.]
To find the proportion of the downes of this countrey to the vales, I
did divide Speed’s Mappe of Wiltshire with a paire of cizars, according
to the respective hundreds of downes and vale, and I weighed them in a
curious ballance of a goldsmith, and the proportion of the hill
countrey to the vale is as …. to …. sc. about 3/4 fere.
SHEEP. As to the nature of our Wiltshire sheep, negatively, they are
not subject to the shaking; which the Dorsetshire sheep are. Our sheep
about Chalke doe never die of the rott. My Cos. Scott does assure me
that I may modestly allow a thousand sheep to a tything, one with
another. Mr. Rogers was for allowing of two thousand sheep, one with
another, to a tything, but my Cosin Scott saies that is too high.
SHEPHERDS. The Britons received their knowledge of agriculture from the
Romans, and they retain yet many of their customes. The festivalls at
sheep-shearing seeme to bee derived from the Parilia. In our western
parts, I know not what is done in the north, the sheep-masters give no
wages to their shepherds, but they have the keeping of so many sheep,
pro rata; soe that the shepherds’ lambs doe never miscarry. I find that
Plautus gives us a hint of this custome amongst the Romans in his time;
Asinaria, Act III. scene i. Philenian (Meretrix):
“Etiam opilio, qui pascit (mater) alienas ovis,
Aliquani habet peculiarem qua spem soletur suam.”
Their habit, I believe, (let there be a draught of their habit) is that
of the Roman or Arcadian shepherds; as they are delineated in Mr. Mich.
Drayton’s Poly-olbion; sc. a long white cloake with a very deep cape,
which comes halfway down their backs, made of the locks of the sheep.
There was a sheep-crooke (vide Virgil’s Eclogues, and Theocritus,) a
sling, a scrip, their tar-box, a pipe or flute, and their dog. But
since 1671, they are grown so luxurious as to neglect their ancient
warme and useful fashion, and goe a la mode. T. Randolph in a Pastoral
sayes;-
“What clod-pates, Thenot, are our British swaines,
How lubber-like they loll upon the plaines.” *
* [See “Plays and Poems, by Thomas Randolph, M.A.” 12mo. 1664, p. 90.
The lines quoted are at the commencement of a dialogue between Collen
and Thenot; which is described as “an Eglogue on the noble assemblies
revived on Cotswold Hills by Mr. Robert Dover”. An able criticism of
Randolph’s works, with extracts, will be found in the sixth volume of
the “Retrospective Review”.—J. B.]
Before the civill warres I remember many of them made straw hatts,
which I thinke is now left off, and our shepherdesses of late yeares
(1680) doe begin to worke point, whereas before they did only knitt
coarse stockings. (Instead of the sling they have now a hollow iron or
piece of horne, not unlike a shoeing horne, fastened to the other end
of the crosier, by wch they take up stones and sling, and keep their
flocks in order. The French sheperdesses spin with a rocque.—J.
EVELYN.)
Mr. Ferraby, the minister of Bishop’s Cannings, was an ingenious man,
and an excellent musician, and made severall of his parishioners good
musicians, both for vocall and instrumentall musick; they sung the
Psalmes in consort to the organ, which Mr. Ferraby procured to be
erected.
When King James the First was in these parts he lay at Sir Edw.
Baynton’s at Bromham. Mr. Ferraby then entertained his Majesty at the
Bush, in Cotefield, with bucoliques of his own making and composing, of
four parts; which were sung by his parishioners, who wore frocks and
whippes like carters. Whilst his majesty was thus diverted, the eight
bells (of which he was the cause) did ring, and the organ was played on
for state; and after this musicall entertainment he entertained his
Majesty with a foot-ball match of his own parishioners. This parish in
those dayes would have challenged all England for musique, foot-ball,
and ringing. For this entertainment his Majesty made him one of his
chaplains in ordinary.
When Queen Anne† returned from Bathe, he made an entertainment for her
Majesty on Canning’s-down, sc. at Shepherds-shard,‡ at Wensditch, with
a pastorall performed by himself and his parishioners in shepherds’
weeds. A copie of his song was printed within a compartment excellently
well engraved and designed, with goates, pipes, sheep hooks,
cornucopias, &c. [Aubrey has transcribed it into his manuscript. It
appears that it was sung as above mentioned on the llth of June 1613;
being “voyc’t in four parts compleatly musicall”; and we are told that
“it was by her Highnesse not only most gratiously accepted and
approved, but also bounteously rewarded; and by the right honourable,
worshipfull, and the rest of the generall hearers and beholders,
worthily applauded”. See this also noticed in Wood’s “Fasti
Oxonienses”, under “Ferebe”, and in Nichols’s Progresses, &c. of King
James the First, ii. 668. In this curious chapter, Aubrey has further
transcribed “A Dialogue between two Shepherds uttered in a Pastorall
shew at Wilton”, and written by Sir Philip Sidney. See the Life of
Sidney, prefixed to an edition of his Works in three volumes, 8vo,
1725.—J. B.]
†[Anne of Denmark, Queen of James I. was married to that monarch in
1589, and died in 1619.—J. B.]
‡[Shard is a word used in Wiltshire to indicate a gap in a hedge.
Ponshard signifies a broken piece of earthenware.—J. B.]
CHAPTER IX. WOOLL.CHAPTER IX.
WOOLL.
[THE author appears to have merely commenced this chapter; which, as it
now stands in the manuscript, contains little more than is here
printed. The three succeeding chapters are connected in their subjects
with the present.—J. B.]
THIS nation is the most famous for the great quantity of wooll of any
in the world; and this county hath the most sheep and wooll of any
other. The down-wooll is not of the finest of England, but of about the
second rate. That of the common-field is the finest.
Quaere, if Castle Comb was not a staple for wooll, or else a very great
wooll-market?
Mr. Ludlowe, of the Devises, and his predecessours have been
wooll-breakers [brokers] 80 or 90 yeares, and hath promised to assist
me.
Quaere, if it would not bee the better way to send our wooll beyond the
sea again, as in the time of the staple? For the Dutch and French doe
spinn finer, work cheaper, and die better. Our cloathiers combine
against the wooll-masters, and keep their spinners but just alive: they
steale hedges, spoile coppices, and are trained up as nurseries of
sedition and rebellion.
[For a long series of years the clothiers, or manufacturers, and the
wool-growers, or landowners, entertained opposite opinions respecting
the propriety of exporting wool; and numerous acts of parliament were
passed at different times encouraging or restricting its exportation,
as either of these conflicting interests happened to prevail for the
time with the legislature. The landowners were generally desirous to
export their produce, without restriction, to foreign markets, and to
limit the importation of competing wool from abroad. The manufacturers,
on the contrary, wished for the free importation of those foreign
wools, without an admixture of which the native produce cannot be
successfully manufactured; whilst they were anxious to restrain the
exportation of British wool, from an absurd fear of injury to their own
trade. Some curious particulars of the contest between these parties,
and of the history of legislation on the subject, will be found in
Porter’s Progress of the Nation and McCulloch’s Commercial Dictionary
and Statistical Account of the British Empire; and more particularly in
Bischoff’s History of Wool (1842). The wool trade is now free from
either import or export duties.-J. B.]
CHAPTER X. FALLING OF RENTS.CHAPTER X.
FALLING OF RENTS.
[AUBREY addressed to his friend Mr. Francis Lodwyck, merchant of
London, a project on the wool trade; proposing, amongst other things, a
duty on the importation of Spanish wool, with a view to raise the price
of English wool, and consequently the rent of land. (See the Note on
this subject in the preceding page.) Mr. Lodwyck’s letter in reply,
fully discussing the question, may be consulted in Aubrey’s manuscript
by any one interested in the subject It is inserted in the chapter now
under consideration; which contains also a printed pamphlet with the
following title:—“A Treatise on Wool, and the Manufacture of it; in a
letter to a friend: occasioned upon a discourse concerning the great
abatements and low value of lands. Wherein it is shewed how their worth
and value may be advanced by the improvement of the manufacture and
price of our English wooll. Together with the Presentment of the Grand
Jury of the County of Somerset at the General Quarter Sessions begun at
Brewton the 13th day of January 1684. London. Printed for William
Crooke, at the Green Dragon without Temple Bar. 1685.” (Sm. 4to. pp.
32.)—J. B.]
THE falling of rents is a consequence of the decay of the Turky-trade;
which is the principall cause of the falling of the price of wooll.
Another reason that conduces to the falling of the prices of wooll is
our women’s wearing so much silk and Indian ware as they doe. By these
meanes my farme at Chalke is worse by sixty pounds per annum than it
was before the civill warres.
The gentry living in London, and the dayly concourse of servants out of
the country to London, makes servants’ wages deare in the countrey, and
makes scarcity of labourers.
Sir William Petty told me, that when he was a boy a seeds-man had five
pounds per annum wages, and a countrey servant-maid between 30 and 40s.
wages. [40s. per ann. to a servant-maid is now, 1743, good wages in
Worcestershire.—MS. NOTE, ANONYMOUS.]
Memorandum. Great increase of sanfoine now, in most places fitt for
itt; improvements of meadowes by watering; ploughing up of the King’s
forrests and parkes, &c. But as to all these, as ten thousand pounds is
gained in the hill barren countrey, so the vale does lose as much,
which brings it to an equation.
The Indians doe worke for a penny a day; so their silkes are exceeding
cheap; and rice is sold in India for four pence per bushell.
CHAPTER XI. HISTORIE OF CLOATHING.CHAPTER XI.
HISTORIE OF CLOATHING.
[THE following are the only essential parts of this chapter, which is
very short.—J. B.]
KING Edward the Third first settled the staples of wooll in Flanders.
See Hollinshead, Stowe, Speed, and the Statute Book, de hoc.
Staple, “estape”, i e. a market place; so the wooll staple at
Westminster, which is now a great market for flesh and fish.
When King Henry the Seventh lived in Flanders with his aunt the
Dutchess of Burgundie, he considered that all or most of the wooll that
was manufactured there into cloath was brought out of England; and
observing what great profit did arise by it, when he came to the crown
he sent into Flanders for cloathing manufacturers, whom he placed in
the west, and particularly at Send in Wiltshire, where they built
severall good houses yet remaining: I know not any village so remote
from London that can shew the like. The cloathing trade did flourish
here till about 1580, when they removed to Troubridge, by reason of (I
thinke) a plague; but I conjecture the main reason was that the water
here was not proper for the fulling and washing of their cloath; for
this water, being impregnated with iron, did give the white cloath a
yellowish tincture. Mem. In the country hereabout are severall families
that still retaine Walloun names, as Goupy, &c.
The best white cloaths in England are made at Salisbury, where the
water, running through chalke, becomes very nitrous, and therefore
abstersive. These fine cloathes are died black or scarlet, at London or
in Holland.
Malmesbury, a very neat town, hath a great name for cloathing.
The Art of Cloathing and Dyeing is already donn by Sir William Petty,
and is printed in the History of the Royall Society, writt by Dr.
Spratt, since Bishop of Rochester.
CHAPTER XII. EMINENT CLOATHIERS OF THIS COUNTY.CHAPTER XII.
EMINENT CLOATHIERS OF THIS COUNTY.
[IN this chapter there is a long “Digression of Cloathiers of other
Counties,” full of curious matter, which is here necessarily
omitted.—J. B.]
... SUTTON of Salisbury, was an eminent cloathier: what is become of
his family I know not.
[John] Hall, I doe believe, was a merchant of the staple, at Salisbury,
where he had many houses. His dwelling house, now a taverne (1669), was
on the Ditch, where in the glasse windowes are many scutchions of his
armes yet remaining, and severall merchant markes. Quaere, if there are
not also wooll-sacks in the pannells of glass? [Of this house and
family the reader will find many interesting particulars in a volume by
my friend the Rev. Edward Duke, of Lake House, near Amesbury. Its title
will explain the work, viz. “Prolusiones Historicæ; or, Essays
Illustrative of the Halle of John Halle, citizen and merchant of
Salisbury in the reigns of Henry VI. and Edward IV.; with Notes
illustrative and explanatory. By the Rev. Edward Duke, M.A., F.S.A.,
and L.S. in two vols. 8vo. 1837.” (Only one volume has been
published.)—J. B.]
The ancestor of Sir William Webb of Odstock, near Salisbury, was a
merchant of the staple in Salisbury. As Grevill and Wenman bought all
the Coteswold wooll, so did Hall and Webb the wooll of Salisbury
plaines; but these families are Roman Catholiques.
The ancestor of Mr. Long, of Rood Ashton, was a very great cloathier.
He built great part of that handsome church, as appeares by the
inscription there, between 1480 and 1500.
[William] Stump was a wealthy cloathier at Malmesbury, tempore Henrici
VIII. His father was the parish clarke of North Nibley, in
Gloucestershire, and was a weaver, and at last grew up to be a
cloathier. This cloathier at Malmesbury, at the dissolution of the
abbeys, bought a great deale of the abbey lands thereabout. When King
Henry 8th hunted in Bradon Forest, he gave his majesty and the court a
great entertainment at his house (the abbey). The King told him he was
afraid he had undone himself; he replied that his own servants should
only want their supper for it. [See this anecdote also in Fuller’s
Worthies, Wiltshire.—J. B.] Leland sayes that when he was there the
dortures and other great roomes were filled with weavers’ loomes. [The
following is the passage referred to (Leland’s Itinerary, vol. ii. p.
27.) “The hole logginges of th’ abbay be now longging to one Stumpe, an
exceeding rich clothiar, that boute them of the king. This Stumpe was
the chef causer and contributor to have th’ abbay chirch made a paroch
chirch. At this present tyme every corner of the vaste houses of office
that belongid to th’ abbay be full of lumbes to weeve cloth yn, and
this Stumpe entendith to make a strete or 2 for cloathiers in the back
vacant ground of the abbay that is withyn the town waulles. There be
made now every yere in the town a 3,000 clothes.” See “Memorials of the
Family of Stumpe”, by Mr. J. G. Nichols, in “Collectanea Topographica
et Genealogica”, vol. vii.—J. B.]
Mr. Paul Methwin of Bradford succeeded his father-in-law in the trade,
and was the greatest cloathier of his time (tempore Caroli 2nd). He was
a worthy gentleman, and died about 1667. Now (temp. Jacobi II.) Mr.
Brewer of Troubridge driveth the greatest trade for medleys of any
cloathier in England.
CHAPTER XIII. FAIRES AND MARKETTS.CHAPTER XIII.
FAIRES AND MARKETTS.
FAIRES. The most celebrated faire in North Wiltshire for sheep is at
Castle Combe, on St. George’s Day (23 April), whither sheep-masters doe
come as far as from Northamptonshire. Here is a good crosse and
market-house; and heretofore was a staple of wooll, as John Scrope,
Esq. Lord of this mannour, affirmes to me. The market here now is very
inconsiderable. [Part of the cross and market-house remain, but there
is not any wool fair, market, or trade at Castle Combe, which is a
retired, secluded village, of a romantic character, seated in a narrow
valley, with steep acclivities, covered with woods. The house, gardens,
&c. of George Poulett Scrope, Esq. M.P., the Lord of the Manor, are
peculiar features in this scene.—J. B.]
At Wilton is a very noted faire for sheepe, on St. George’s Day also;
and another on St. Giles’s Day, September the first. Graziers, &c. from
Buckinghamshire come hither to buy sheep.
Wilton was the head town of the county till Bishop Bingham built the
Bridge at Harnham which turned away the old Roman way (in the
Legier-booke of Wilton called the heþepath, i. e. the army path), and
brought the trade to New Sarum, where it hath ever since continued.
At Chilmarke is a good faire for sheep on St. Margaret’s day, 20th
July.
Burford, near Salisbury, a faire on Lammas day; ’tis an eminent faire
for wooll and sheep, the eve is for wooll and cheese.
At the city of New Sarum is a very great faire for cloath at
Twelf-tyde, called Twelfe Market. In the parish of All-Cannings is St
Anne’s Hill, vulgarly called Tann Hill, where every yeare on St. Anne’s
Day (26th July), is kept a great fair within an old camp, called
Oldbury.* The chiefe commodities are sheep, oxen, and fineries. This
faire would bee more considerable, but that Bristow Faire happens at
the same time.
* [Aubrey errs in stating “Oldbury Camp” to be on St. Anne’s Hill;
those places being nearly two miles apart.—J. B.]
At the Devises severall faires; but the greatest is at the Green there,
at Michaelmas: it continues about a week.
MARKETTS.—Warminster is exceeding much frequented for a round
corn-market on Saturday. Hither come the best teemes of horses, and it
is much resorted to by buyers. Good horses for the coach: some of 20li.
+ It is held to be the greatest corn-market by much in the West of
England. My bayliif has assured me that twelve or fourteen score loades
of corne on market-dayes are brought thither: the glovers that work in
their shops at the towne’s end doe tell the carts as they come in; but
this market of late yeares has decayed; the reason whereof I had from
my honored friend Henry Millburne, Esq. Recorder of Monmouth. [The
reason assigned is, that Mr. Millburne “encouraged badgars” to take
corn from Monmouthshire to Bristol; whereupon the bakers there, finding
the Welsh corn was better, and could be more cheaply conveyed to them
than that grown in Wiltshire, forsook Warminster Market.—J. B.]
My bayliff, an ancient servant to our family, assures me that, about
1644, six quarters of wheat would stand, as they terme it, Hindon
Market, which is now perhaps the second best market after Warminster in
this county.
I have heard old men say long since that the market at Castle Combe was
considerable in the time of the staple: the market day is Munday. Now
only some eggs and butter, &c.
Marleborough Market is Saturday: one of the greatest markets for cheese
in the west of England. Here doe reside factors for the cheesemongers
of London.
King Edgar granted a charter to Steeple Ashton. [Aubrey has transcribed
the charter at length, from the original Latin.—J. B.] The towne was
burnt about the yeare ……. before which time it was a market-town; but
out of the ashes of this sprang up the market at Lavington, which
flourisheth still. [Lavington market has long been discontinued in
consequence of its vicinity to the Devizes, which has superior business
attractions.—J. B.]
At Highworth was the greatest market, on Wednesday, for fatt cattle in
our county, which was furnished by the rich vale; and the Oxford
butchers furnished themselves here. In the late civill warres it being
made a garrison for the King, the graziers, to avoid the rudeness of
the souldiers, quitted that market, and went to Swindon, four miles
distant, where the market on Munday continues still, which before was a
petty, inconsiderable one. Also, the plague was at Highworth before the
late warres, which was very prejudiciall to the market there; by reason
whereof all the countrey sent their cattle to Swindown market, as they
did before to Highworth.
Devises.—On Thursday a very plentifull market of every thing: but the
best for fish in the county. They bring fish from Poole hither, which
is sent from hence to Oxford.
[At this place in Aubrey’s manuscript is another “digression”; being
“Remarks taken from Henry Milburne, Esq. concerning Husbandry, Trade,
&c. in Herefordshire”.—J. B.]
CHAPTER XIV. OF HAWKS AND HAWKING.CHAPTER XIV.
OF HAWKS AND HAWKING.
[A PAPER “Of Hawkes and Falconry, ancient and modern”, is here
transcribed from Sir Thomas Browne’s Miscellanies, (8vo. 1684.) It
describes at considerable length (from the works of Symmachus, Albertus
Magnus, Demetrius Constantinopolitanus, and others), the various rules
which were acted upon in their times, with regard to the food and
medicine of hawks; and it also narrates some historical particulars of
the once popular sport of hawking.—J. B.]
QUÆRE, Sir James Long of this subject, for he understands it as well as
any gentleman in this nation, and desire him to write his marginall
notes.
[From Sir James Long, Dracot.] Memorandum. Between the years 1630 and
1634 Henry Poole, of Cyrencester, Esquire (since Sir Henry Poole,
Baronet), lost a falcon flying at Brook, in the spring of the year,
about three a’clock in the afternoon; and he had a falconer in Norway
at that time to take hawks for him, who discovered this falcon, upon
the stand from whence he was took at first, the next day in the
evening. This flight must be 600 miles at least.
Dame Julian Barnes, in her book of Hunting and Hawking, says that the
hawk’s bells must be in proportion to the hawk, and they are to be
equiponderant, otherwise they will give the hawk an unequall ballast:
and as to their sound they are to differ by a semitone, which will make
them heard better than if they were unisons.
William of Malmesbury sayes that, anno Domini 900, tempore Regis
Alfredi, hawking was first used. Coteswold is a very fine countrey for
this sport, especially before they began to enclose about Malmesbury,
Newton, &c. It is a princely sport, and no doubt the novelty, together
with the delight, and the conveniency of this countrey, did make King
Athelstan much use it. I was wont to admire to behold King Athelstan’s
figure in his monument at Malmesbury Abbey Church, with a falconer’s
glove on his right hand, with a knobbe or tassel to put under his
girdle, as the falconers use still; but this chronologicall
advertisement cleares it. [The effigy on the monument here referred to,
as well as the monument itself, have no reference to Athelstan, as they
are of a style and character some hundreds of years subsequent to that
monarch’s decease. If there were any tomb to Athelstan it would have
been placed near the high altar in the Presbytery, and very different
in form and decoration to the altar tomb and statue here mentioned,
which are at the east end of the south aisle of the nave.—J. B.] Sir
George Marshal of Cole Park, a-quarry to King James First, had no more
manners or humanity than to have his body buried under this tombe. The
Welsh did King Athelstan homage at the city of Hereford, and covenanted
yearly payment of 20li. gold, of silver 300, oxen 2,500, besides
hunting dogges and hawkes. He dyed anno Domini 941, and was buried with
many trophies at Malmesbury. His lawes are extant to this day among the
lawes of other Saxon kings.
CHAPTER XV. THE RACE.CHAPTER XV.
THE RACE.
HENRY Earle of Pembroke [1570-1601] instituted Salisbury Race;* which
hath since continued very famous, and beneficiall to the city. He gave
….. pounds to the corporation of Sarum to provide every yeare, in the
first Thursday after Mid-Lent Sunday, a silver bell [see note below],
of …… value; which, about 1630, was turned into a silver cup of the
same value. This race is of two sorts: the greater, fourteen miles,
beginnes at Whitesheet and ends on Harnham-hill, which is very seldom
runn, not once perhaps in twenty yeares. The shorter begins at a place
called the Start, at the end of the edge of the north downe of the
farme of Broad Chalke, and ends at the standing at the hare-warren,
built by William Earle of Pembroke, and is four miles from the Start.
*[In the civic archives of Salisbury, under the date of 1585, is the
following memorandum:—“These two years, in March, there was a race run
with horses at the farthest three miles from Sarum, at the which were
divers noble personages, and the Earl of Cumberland won the golden
bell, which was valued at 501. and better, the which earl is to bring
the same again next year, which he promised to do, upon his honour, to
the mayor of this city”. See Hatcher’s History of Salisbury, p. 294. In
the Appendix to that volume is a copy of an Indenture, made in 1654,
between the Mayor and Commonalty of the city and Sir Edward Baynton of
Bromham, relative to the race-cup. It recites that Henry Earl of
Pembroke in his lifetime gave a golden bell, to be run for yearly, “at
the place then used and accustomed for horse races, upon the downe or
plaine leading from New Sarum towards the towne of Shaston
[Shaftesbury], in the county of Dorset”. This would imply that the
nobleman referred to was not the founder of Salisbury Races.—J. B.]
It is certain that Peacock used to runn the four-miles course in five
minutes and a little more; and Dalavill since came but little short of
him. Peacock was first Sir Thomas Thynne’s of Long-leate; who valued
him at 1,000 pounds. Philip Earle of Pembrock gave 51i. but to have a
sight of him: at last his lordship had him; I thinke by gift. Peacock
was a bastard barb. He was the most beautifull horse ever seen in this
last age, and was as fleet as handsome. He dyed about 1650.
“Here lies the man whose horse did gaine
The bell in race on Salisbury plaine;
Reader, I know not whether needs it,
You or your horse rather to reade it.”
At Everly is another race. Quære, if the Earle of Abington hath not set
up another?
Stobball-play is peculiar to North Wilts, North Gloucestershire, and a
little part of Somerset near Bath. They smite a ball, stuffed very hard
with quills and covered with soale leather, with a staffe, commonly
made of withy, about 3 [feet] and a halfe long. Colerne-downe is the
place so famous and so frequented for stobball-playing. The turfe is
very fine, and the rock (freestone) is within an inch and a halfe of
the surface, which gives the ball so quick a rebound. A stobball-ball
is of about four inches diameter, and as hard as a stone. I doe not
heare that this game is used anywhere in England but in this part of
Wiltshire and Gloucestershire adjoining.
CHAPTER XVI. OF THE NUMBER OF ATTORNIES IN THIS COUNTIE NOW AND HERETOFORE.CHAPTER XVI.
OF THE NUMBER OF ATTORNIES IN THIS COUNTIE NOW AND HERETOFORE.
[A STATUTE was passed in the reign of Edward I. which gave the first
authority to suitors in the courts of law to prosecute or defend by
attorney; and the number of attorneys afterwards increased so rapidly
that several statutes were passed in the reigns of Henry IV. Henry VI.
and Elizabeth, for limiting their number. One of these (33 Hen. VI. c.
7) states that not long before there were only six or eight attorneys
in Norfolk and Suffolk, and that their increase to twenty-four was to
the vexation and prejudice of those counties; and it therefore enacts
that for the future there shall be only six in Norfolk, six in Suffolk,
and two in Norwich. (Penny Cycle, art. Attorney.) Aubrey adopts the
inference that strife and dissension were promoted by the increase of
attorneys; which he accordingly laments as a serious evil. He quotes at
some length from a treatise “About Actions for Slander and
Arbitrements, what words are actionable in the law, and what not”, &c.
by John March, of Gray’s Inn, Barrister (London, 1674, 8vo.); wherein
the great increase of actions for slander is shewn, by reference to old
law books. The author urges the propriety of checking such actions as
much as possible, and quaintly observes, “as I cannot balk that
observation of that learned Chief Justice (Wray), who sayes that in our
old bookes actions for scandal are very rare; so I will here close with
this one word: though the tongues of men be set on fire, I know no
reason wherefore the law should be used as bellows”. Aubrey remarks
upon this:—“The true and intrinsic reason why actions of the case were
so rare in those times above mentioned, was by reason that men’s
consciences were kept cleane and in awe by confession”; and he
concludes the chapter with an extract from “Europæ Speculum”, by Sir
Edwin Sandys, Knight, (1637,) in which the advantages and disadvantages
of auricular confession are discussed.—J. B.]
ME. BAYNHAM, of Cold Ashton, in Gloucestershire, bred an attorney,
sayes, that an hundred yeares since there were in the county of
Gloucester but four attorneys, and now (1689) no fewer than three
hundred attorneys and sollicitors; and Dr. Guydot, Physician, of Bath,
sayes that they report that anciently there was but one attorney in
Somerset, and he was so poor that he went a’foot to London; and now
they swarme there like locusts.
Fabian Philips tells me (1683) that about sixty-nine yeares since there
were but two attorneys in Worcestershire, sc. Langston and Dowdeswell;
and they be now in every market towne, and goe to marketts; and he
believes there are a hundred.
In Henry 6th time (q. if not in Hen. 7?) there was a complaint to the
Parliament by the Norfolk people that whereas formerly there were in
that county but five or six attorneys, that now they are exceedingly
encreased, and that they went to markets and bred contention. The
judges were ordered to rectify this grievance, but they fell asleep and
never awak’t since.—Vide the Parliament Roll. [See the above note. In
page 12 (ante) Aubrey states that the Norfolk people are the “most
litigious” of any in England.—J. B.] ’Tis thought that in England there
are at this time near three thousand;* but there is a rule in hawking,
the more spaniells the more game. They doe now rule and governe the
lawyers [barristers] and judges. They will take a hundred pounds with a
clarke.
*[There are now upwards of three thousand attorneys in practice in the
metropolis alone, to whom the celebrated remark of Alderman Beckford to
King George the Third may be justly applied, with the substitution of
another word for “the Crown”,—“the influence of lawyers has increased,
is increasing, and ought to be diminished.”—J. B.]
CHAPTER XVII. OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES.CHAPTER XVII.
OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES.
[NEARLY the whole of this chapter, with some additions, is included
under the head of “Local Fatality” in Aubrey’s Miscellanies. 12mo.
1696.—J. B.]
“Omnium rerum est vicissitudo”. Families, and also places, have their
fatalities,
“Fors sua cuiq’ loco est.” OVID, PAST. lib. iv.
This verse putts me in mind of severall places in this countie that are
or have been fortunate to their owners, or e contra.
The Gawens of Norrington, in the parish of Alvideston, continued in
this place four hundred fifty and odd yeares. They had also an estate
in Broad Chalke, which was, perhaps, of as great antiquity. On the
south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke is a little barrow called
Gawen’s-barrow, which must bee before ecclesiastical lawes were
established. [Aubrey quotes a few lines from the “Squire’s Tale” in
Chaucer, where Gawain, nephew to King Arthur, is alluded to.—J. B.]
The Scropes of Castle-Comb have been there ever since the time of King
Richard the Second. The Lord Chancellor Scrope gave this mannour to his
third son; they have continued there ever since, and enjoy the old land
(about 800li per annum), and the estate is neither augmented nor
diminished all this time, neither doth the family spred.
The Powers of Stanton St. Quintin had that farme in lease about three
hundred yeares. It did belong to the abbey of Cyrencester.
The Lytes had Easton Piers in lease and in inheritance 249 yeares; sc.
from Henry 6th. About 1572 Mr. Th. Lyte, my mother’s grandfather,
purchased the inheritance of the greatest part of this place, a part
whereof descended to me by my mother Debora, the daughter and heire of
Mr. Isaac Lyte. I sold it in 1669 to Francis Hill, who sold it to Mr.
Sherwin, who hath left it to a daughter and heir. Thos. Lyte’s father
had 800li. per annum in leases: viz. all Easton, except Cromwell’s farm
(20li), and the farmes of Dedmerton and Sopworth.
The Longs are now the most flourishing and numerous family in this
county, and next to them the Ashes; but the latter are strangers, and
came in but about 1642, or since.
Contrarywise there are severall places unlucky to the possessors.
Easton Piers hath had six owners since the reigne of Henry 7th, where I
myself had a share to act my part; and one part of it called Lyte’s
Kitchin hath been sold four times over since 1630.
’Tis certain that there are some houses lucky and some that are
unlucky; e.g. a handsome brick house on the south side of Clarkenwell
churchyard hath been so unlucky for at least these forty yeares that it
is seldom tenanted; nobody at last would adventure to take it. Also a
handsome house in Holbourne that looked into the fields, the tenants of
it did not prosper; about six, one after another.
CHAPTER XVIII. ACCIDENTS.CHAPTER XVIII.
ACCIDENTS.
[“ACCIDENTS” was a term used in astrology, in the general sense of
remarkable events or occurrences. From a curious collection of Aubrey’s
memoranda I have selected a few of the most interesting and most
apposite to Wiltshire. Several of the anecdotes in this chapter will be
found in Aubrey’s Miscellanies, 12mo. 1696. J. B.]
IN the reigne of King James 1st, as boyes were at play in
Amesbury-street, it thundred and lightened. One of the boyes wore a
little dagger by his side, which was melted in the scabbard, and the
scabbard not hurt. This dagger Edward Earle of Hertford kept amongst
his rarities. I have forgott if the boy was killed. (From old Mr.
Bowman and Mr. Gauntlett)
The long street, Marleborough, was burned down to the ground in five
houres, and the greatnesse of the fire encreased the wind. This was in
165-. This account I had from Thomas Henshaw, Esq. who was an
eye-witness as he was on his journey to London.
[“Marlborough has often suffered by fire; particularly in the year
1690. Soon afterwards the town obtained an act of Parliament to
prohibit the covering of houses with thatch.” Beauties of Wiltshire,
vol. ii. p. 177. A pamphlet was published in 1653 (12mo.) with the
following title:—“Take heed in time; or, a briefe relation of many
harmes that have of late been done by fire in Marlborough and other
places. Written by L. P.”—J. B.]
In the gallery at Wilton hangs, under the picture of the first William
Earl of Pembroke, the picture of a little reddish picked-nose dog (none
of the prettiest) that his lordship loved. The dog starved himself
after his master’s death.
Dr. Ralph Bathurst, Dean of Wells, and one of the chaplains to King
Charles 1st, who is no superstitious man, protested to me that the
curing of the King’s evill by the touch of the King doth puzzle his
philosophie: for whether they were of the house of Yorke or Lancaster
it did. ’Tis true indeed there are prayers read at the touching, but
neither the King minds them nor the chaplains. Some confidently report
that James Duke of Monmouth did it.
Imposture.—Richard Heydock, M.D., quondam fellow of New College in
Oxford, was an ingenious and a learned person, but much against the
hierarchie of the Church of England. He had a device to gaine
proselytes, by preaching in his dreame; which was much noised abroad,
and talked of as a miracle. But King James 1st being at Salisbury went
to heare him. He observed that his harrangue was very methodicall, and
that he did but counterfeit a sleep. He surprised the doctor by drawing
his sword, and swearing, “God’s waunes, I will cut off his head”; at
which the doctor startled and pretended to awake; and so the cheat was
detected.
One M{istress} Katharine Waldron, a gentlewoman of good family, waited
on Sir Francis Seymor’s lady, of Marleborough. Shee pretended to be
bewitched by a certain woman, and had acquired such a strange habit
that she would endure exquisite torments, as to have pinnes thrust into
her flesh, nay under her nailes. These tricks of hers were about the
time when King James wrote his Demonologie. His Majesty being in these
parts, went to see her in one of her fitts. Shee lay on a bed, and the
King saw her endure the torments aforesayd. The room, as it is easily
to be believed, was full of company. His Majesty gave a sodain pluck to
her coates, and tos’t them over her head; which surprise made her
immediately start, and detected the cheate.
[Speaking of the trial of Aim Bodenham, who was executed at Salisbury
as a witch in 1653, Aubrey says:-] Mr. Anthony Ettrick, of the Middle
Temple, a very judicious gentleman, was a curious observer of the whole
triall, and was not satisfied. The crowd of spectators made such a
noise that the judge [Chief Baron Wild] could not heare the prisoner,
nor the prisoner the judge; but the words were handed from one to the
other by Mr. R. Chandler, and sometimes not truly reported. This
memorable triall was printed about 165-. 4to. [See full particulars in
Hatcher’s History of Salisbury, p. 418.—J. B.]
In the time of King Charles II. the drumming at the house of Mr.
Monpesson, of Tydworth, made a great talke over England, of which Mr.
Joseph Glanvill, Rector of Bath, hath largely writt; to which I refer
the reader. But as he was an ingenious person, so I suspect he was a
little too credulous; for Sir Ralph Bankes and Mr. Anthony Ettrick lay
there together one night out of curiosity, to be satisfied. They did
heare sometimes knockings; and if they said “Devill, knock so many
knocks”; so many knocks would be answered. But Mr. Ettrick sometimes
whispered the words, and there was then no returne: but he should have
spoke in Latin or French for the detection of this.
Another time Sir Christopher Wren lay there. He could see no strange
things, but sometimes he should heare a drumming, as one may drum with
one’s hand upon wainscot; but he observed that this drumming was only
when a certain maid-servant was in the next room: the partitions of the
rooms are by borden-brasse, as wee call it. But all these remarked that
the Devill kept no very unseasonable houres: it seldome knock’t after
12 at night, or before 6 in the morning.
[In Hoare’s Modern Wiltshire, (Hundred of Amesbury,) p. 92, is a
narrative, quoted from Glanvil, of the nocturnal disturbances in the
house of Mr. Mompesson at North Tidworth, Wilts, in the year 1661,
which excited considerable interest at the time, and led to the
publication of several pamphlets on the subject. The book by Mr.
Glanvil, referred to by Aubrey, is called “A blow at modern Sadducism;
or Philosophical considerations touching the being of Witches and
Witchcraft; with an account of the Demon of Tedworth.” Lond. 1666, 4to.
There are other editions in folio and 8vo. in 1667 and 1668. Addison
founded his comedy of “The Drummer, or the Haunted House,” on this
occurrence.—J. B.]
About 167—there was a cabal of witches detected at Malmsbury. They ere
examined by Sir James Long of Draycot-Cerne, and by him committed to
Salisbury Gaol. I think there were seven or eight old women hanged.
There were odd things sworne against them, as the strange manner of the
dyeing of H. Denny’s horse, and of flying in the aire on a staffe.
These examinations Sir James hath fairly written in a book which he
promised to give to the Royall Societie.
At Salisbury a phantome appeared to Dr. Turbervill’s sister severall
times, and it discovered to her a writing or deed of settlement that
was hid behind the wainscot
Phantomes.—Though I myselfe never saw any such things, yet I will not
conclude that there is no truth at all in these reports. I believe that
extraordinarily there have been such apparitions; but where one is true
a hundred are figments. There is a lecherie in lyeing and imposeing on
the credulous; and the imagination of fearfull people is to admiration:
e.g. Not long after the cave at Bathford was discovered (where the opus
tessellatum was found), one of Mr. Skreen’s ploughboyes lyeing asleep
near to the mouth of the cave, a gentleman in a boate on the river
Avon, which runnes hard by, played on his flajolet. The boy apprehended
the musique to be in the cave, and ran away in a lamentable fright, and
his fearfull phancy made him believe he saw spirits in the cave. This
Mr. Skreen told me, and that the neighbourhood are so confident of the
truth of this, that there is no undeceiving of them.
CHAPTER XIX. SEATES.CHAPTER XIX.
SEATES.
[This chapter comprises only a few scattered notes; of which the
following are specimens.—J. B.]
I TAKE Merton to be the best seated for healthy aire, &c., and sports,
of any place in this county. The soile is gravelly and pebbly.
Ivy Church, adjoining to Clarendon Parke, a grove of elms, and prospect
over the city of Salisbury and the adjacent parts. The right honorable
Mary, Countess of Pembroke, much delighted in this place.
At Longford is a noble house that was built by Lord Georges, who
married a Swedish lady. [See before, p. 102. Sir Thomas Gorges was the
second husband of Helena dowager Marchioness of Northampton, daughter
of Wolfgang Snachenburg, of Sweden: see Hoare’s Modern Wiltshire,
Hundred of Cawden, p. 31.—J. B.]
Little-coat, in the parish of Rammysbury, is a very great house. It was
Sir Thomas Dayrell’s, who was tryed for his life for burning a child,
being accessory. It is now Sir Jo. Popham’s, Lord Chief Justice. [The
murder here alluded to is said to have been committed in
Littlecot-house. The strange and mysterious story connected with it is
recorded in a note to Scott’s poem of “Rokeby,” and also in the account
of Wiltshire, in the Beauties of England.—J. B.]
Longleat, the dwelling place of the Thynnes, a very fair, neat, elegant
house, in a foul soile. It is true Roman architecture, adorned on the
outside with three orders of pillars, Dorique, Ionique, and Corinthian.
Tocknam [Tottenham] Parke, a seate of the Duke of Somerset, is a most
parkely ground, and a romancey place. Severall walkes of trees planted
of great length. Here is a new complete pile of good architecture. It
is in the parish of Great Bedwin. [The domain comprises the whole
extent of Savernake Forest.—J. B.]
Wardour Castle, the seate of the Lord Arundell, was kept by Col.
Ludlow: a part of it was blown up by Sir F. Dodington in 1644 or 1645.
Here was a red-deer parke and a fallow-deer parke. [Some of the ruins
of the old castle still remain. The present mansion, belonging to the
Arundell family of Wardour, was erected about seventy years ago.-J. B.]
Knighton Wood, the Earle of Pembroke’s, is an exceeding pleasant place,
both for the variety of high wood and lawnes, as well as deer, as also
the prospect over the New Forest to the sea, and the whole length of
the Isle of Wight It is a desk-like elevation, and faces the south, and
in my conceit it would be the noblest situation for a grand building
that this countrey doth afford.
CHAPTER XX. DRAUGHTS OF THE SEATES AND PROSPECTS.CHAPTER XX.
DRAUGHTS OF THE SEATES AND PROSPECTS.
[I HAVE thought it desirable to print the concluding Chapter of
Aubrey’s work verbatim. It is merely a list of remarkable buildings and
views, which he wished to be drawn and engraved, for the illustration
of his work. The names attached to each subject are those of persons
whom he thought likely to incur the expence of the plates, for
publication; and his own name being affixed to two of them shews that
he was willing to contribute. It is impossible not to concur in his
closing observations on this subject, or to avoid an expression of
regret that he was not enabled to publish such a “glorious volume” of
engravings as would have been formed by those here enumerated.—J. B.]
MY WISH.—AN APPENDIX.
“Multorum manibus grande levatur onus.”-Ovid.
ADVICE TO THE PAINTER OR GRAVER.
1. Our Ladies Church at Salisbury; the view without, and in perspective
within: and a mappe of the city.—Bishop Ward. And of Old Sarum from
Harnham hill.(Sir Hugh Speke gave to the Monasticon Angliæ the prospect
of Salisbury Church, excellently well done by Mr. Hollar. Quaere, who
hath the plate? I doe believe, my Lady Speke.)
2. Prospect of Malmesbury Abbey; and also (3) of the Town, and (4) a
Mappe of the Town.—Mr. Wharton, &c.—Sir James Long. (Take the true
latitude and longitude of Malmesbury.)
5. And also King Athelston’s tombe. [See ante, p. 116.]
6. Prospect of the borough of Chippenham.—Duke of Somerset.
7. The Castle at Marleborough, and the prospect of the
8. Town.—D. of Somerset.
9. The Ruines of Lurgershall Castle.—Sir George Brown.
10. Bradstock Priorie.—James, Earle of Abingdon.
11. Wardour Castle.—The Lord Arundel of Wardour.
12. Lacock Abbey.—Sir Jo. Talbot.
13. Priory St. Maries, juxta Kington St. Michael.
14. Ivy Church.
15. Sturton House.—The Lord Sturton.
16. Wilton House, and (17) Garden: sc. from the House and from
Rowlingdon Parke. The garden was heretofore drawn by Mr. Solomon de
Caus, the architect, that was the surveyor of it, and engraved [ante,
p. 86]; but the plates were burnt in the Fire of London.—E. of Pembrok
18. Longleate House and Garden.—I have seen a print of the house: it
was engraved after Mr. Dankertz’ painting. Quære, Mr. Thompson, the
printseller, for it? Perhaps he hath the plates.—Lord Weymouth. (Desire
Mr. Beech, the Lord Weymouth’s steward, to enquire what is become of
the copper plate that was engraved after Mr. Dankertz’ painting of this
house; also enquire of Mr. Rose, my Lord’s surveyor, for it).
19. Longford House.—Lord Colraine. (Engraved by Thacker. Quære, my Lord
Colraine, if he hath the plate or a copie.)
20. The Duke of Beauford’s house at Amesbury.—His Grace.
21. Tocknam Parke House.—E. of Alesbury.
22. Funthill House.—Mr. Cottington.
23. Charlton House.—Earle of Barkshire.
24. Lavington House and Garden.—Earle of Abingdon.
25. Mr. Hall’s house at Bradford.—J. Hall, Esq.
26. Lidyard-Tregoze House and Scite.—Sir Walter St. John.
27. Sir John Wyld’s House at Compton Basset.—Sir Jo. Wyld.
28. Ramesbury House.—Sir Wm. Jones, Attorney-General.
HOUSES OF LESSER NOTE.
29. Edington House.——. Lewis, Esq.
30. Sir Jo. Evelyn’s House at Deane.—Earle of Kingston.
31. Dracot-Cerne House.—Sir James Long, Baronet.
32. Cosham House.——. Kent, Esq.
33. Lakham House.——. Montague, Esq.
34. Cadnam House.—Sir George Hungerford.
The Mannour House of Kington St. Michael.——. Laford.
The Mannour House at—Sir Henry Coker.
Gretenham House.—George Ayliff, Esq.
PROSPECTS.
1. From Newnton (Mr. Poole’s garden-house) is an admirable prospect.
It takes in Malmesbury, &c. and terminates with the blew hills of
Salisbury plaines. ’Tis the best in Wiltshire.—Madam Estcourt, or
Earle of Kent.
2. From Colern Tower, or Marsfield downe, eastwards; which takes in
Bradstock Priory, several steeples and parkes, and extends to Salisbury
plaine.—D. of Beauford, or Marq. of Worcester.
3. From the garret at Easton Piers, a delicate prospect.—J. Aubrey.
4. From Bradstock Priory, over the rich green tuff-taffety vale to
Cyrencester, Malmesbury, Marsfield, Colern, Mendip-hills; and Coteswold
bounds the north horizon.—Earle of Abingdon.
5. From Bowdon Lodge, a noble prospect of the north part of Wilts.—Hen.
Baynton, Esq.
6. From Spy Park, westward.—Hen. Baynton, Esq.
7. From Westbury Hill to the vale below, northward.—Lord Norris.
8. From the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke one sees over
Vernditch, Merton, and the New Forest, to the sea; and all the Isle of
Wight, and to Portland.—J. Aubrey. (Memorandum. A quarter of a mile or
lesse from hence is Knighton Ashes, which is a sea marke, which came
into this prospect. The Needles, at the west end of the Isle of Wight,
beare from it south and by east; but try its bearings exactly.)
9. From Knoll Hill, a vast prospect every way.—The Lord Weymouth.
10. From Cricklade Tower, a lovely vernall prospect.—Sir George
Hungerford, or Sir Stephen Fox. (This prospect is over the rich green
country to Marston-Mazy, Down-Ampney, Cyrencester, Minchinghampton, and
Coteswold.)
11. From the leads of Wilton House to Salisbury, Ivy-church, &c.—Sir R.
Sawyer, Attorney-Genl.
12. The prospect that I drew from Warren, above Farleigh-castle Parke;
and take another view in the parke.—Sir Edward Hungerford. (This
prospect of Farleigh is in my book A, at the end; with Mr. Anthony
Wood.)
13. The prospect of Malmesbury from the hill above Cowbridge. This I
have drawn.
14. I have drawn the prospect of Salisbury, and so beyond to Old Sarum,
from the lime-kills at Harnham. (Memorandum. Mr. Dankertz did make a
very fine draught of Salisbury. Enquire of Mr. Thompson, the
printseller, who bought his draughts, if he hath it)—Seth Ward, Bishop
of Sarum. (Set down the latitude and longitude of Salisbury.)
15. A draft of the toft of the castle and keep of Castle Comb.—Jo.
Scroop, Esq.
16. A Mappe of Wiltshire, to be donne by Mr. [Brown?] that did
Staffordshire. (Advertisement to the surveyor of Wiltshire, as to the
mappe.—Let him make his two first stations at the south downe at Broad
Chalke, which he may enlarge two miles or more; from whence he may ken
with his bare eye to Portsmouth, all the Isle of Wight, to Portland, to
the towers and chimny’s of Shaftesbury, to Knoll-hill, to the
promontory of Roundway-down above the Devises: to St. Anne’s hill,
vulgo Tanne hill, to Martinsoll hill, to Amesbury becon-hill, to
Salisbury steeple, &c. When he comes into North Wiltshire his prospect
will not be much shorter. There he will take in Glastenbury-torre and
Gloucestershire, and Cumnor Lodge in Barkshire).
IF these views were well donn, they would make a glorious volume by
itselfe, and like enough it might take well in the world. It were an
inconsiderable expence (charge) to these persons of qualitie, and it
would remaine to posterity, when their families are gonn and their
buildings ruin’d by time or fire, as we have seen that stupendous
fabrick of Paul’s Church, not a stone left on a stone, and lives now
onely in Mr. Hollar’s Etchings in Sir William Dugdale’s History of
Paul’s. I am not displeased with this thought as a desideratum, but I
doe never expect to see it donn; so few men have the hearts to doe
publique good, to give 3, 4, or 5li. for a copper plate.
“Thus Poets like to Kings (by trust deceiv’d)
Give oftner what is heard of than receiv’d.”
SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT to the Lady Olivia Porter; “A New Yeares Gift.”
(There are noble prospects in Gloucestershire, but that concernes not
me. The city of Gloucester is one of the best views of any city in
England; so many stately towers and steeples cutting the horizon. From
Broadway-downe one beholds the vale of Evesham, and so to Malvern
hills, to Staffordshire, Monmouthshire, Warwickshire, the cities of
Gloucester and Worcester, and also Tukesbury, the city of Coventry,
and, I thinke, of Lichfield. From Kimsbury, a camp, is a very pleasant
prospect to Gloucester over the vale. From Dundery is a noble prospect
of the city of Bristow and St. Vincent’s Rocks, &c., quod NB.)
FINIS.
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