The Natural History of Wiltshire

PART I.. Chap. I. Air:—Winds, Mists, Storms, Meteors, Echos, Sounds

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,

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.

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.

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 quiet till I had obeyed this secret call. Mr. Camden, Dr. Plott, and Mr. Wood confess the same .

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 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}.

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