Such as haue written of the woonders of our countrie in old time, haue
spoken (no doubt) of manie things, which deserue no credit at all: and
therefore in séeking thankes of their posteritie by their trauell in
this behalfe; they haue reaped the reward of iust reproch, and in
stéed of fame purchased vnto themselues nought else but méere
discredit in their better and more learned treatises. The like
commonlie happeneth also to such, as in respect of lucre doo publish
vnprofitable and pernicious volumes, wherby they doo consume their
times in vaine, and in manifold wise become preiudiciall vnto their
common wealths. For my part I will not touch anie man herein
particularlie, no not our Demetrius, of whom Plutarch speaketh in his
oracles (if those bookes were written by him, for some thinke that
Plutarch neuer wrote them, although Eusebius lib. 4. cap. 8. dooth
acknowledge them to be his) which Demetrius left sundrie treatises
behind him, conteining woonderfull things collected of our Iland. But
sith that in my time they are found to be false, it should be far
vnmeet to remember them anie more: for who is he which will beléeue,
that infernall spirits can die and giue vp their ghosts like mortall
men? though Saxo séeme to consent vnto him in this behalfe. In
speaking also of the out Iles, he saith thus: Beyond Britaine are
manie desolate Ilands, whereof some are dedicated to the Gods, some to
the noble Heroes. I sailed (saith he) by the helpe of the king vnto
one that laie néere hand, onelie to see and view the same, in which I
found few inhabitants, and yet such as were there, were reputed and
taken for men of great pietie and holinesse. During the time also that
I remained in the same, it was vexed with great storme and tempest,
which caused me not a little to doubt of my safe returne. In the end,
demanding of the inhabitants what the cause should be of this so great
and sudden mutation of the aire? they answered, that either some of
the Gods, or at the least of the Heroes were latelie deceased: for as
a candle (said they) hurteth none whilest it burneth, but being
slenderlie put out annoieth manie with the filthie sauour: so these
Gods, whilest they liued, were either not hurtfull, or verie
beneficiall to mankind; but being once deceassed, they so mooue the
heauens and aire, that much mischéefe dooth insue eftsoones vpon the
same.
Being also inquisitiue of the state of other Iles not farre off, they
told him further, how there was one hard by, wherein Saturne being
ouertaken with a dead sléepe, was watched by Briareus as he laie,
which Saturne also had manie spirits attending vpon him in sundrie
functions and offices. By which reports it is easie to conceiue, with
what vaine stuffe that volume of Demetrius is interlaced. But of such
writers as we haue too too manie, so among the said rable Geruase of
Tilberie is not the least famous, a man as it were euen sold to vtter
matters of more admiration than credit to the world. For what a tale
telleth he in his De otio imperiali, of Wandleburie hilles, that lie
within sight & by south of Cambridge (where the Vandals incamped
sometime, when they entered into this Iland) and of a spirit that
would of custome in a moone shine night (if he were chalenged and
called therevnto) run at tilt and turneie in complet armor with anie
knight or gentleman whomsoeuer, in that place: and how one Osbert of
Barnewell, hearing the report thereof, armed himselfe, and being well
mounted, rode thither alone with one esquier, and called for him, who
foorthwith appeared in rich armour, and answered his chalenge, so that
running togither verie fiercelie, they met with such rigor, that the
answerer was ouerthrowne and borne downe to the ground. After this
they bickered on foot so long, till Osbert ouercame and draue him to
flight, who departed, leauing his horsse behind him, which was of huge
stature, blacke (as he saith) of colour, with his furniture of the
same hue, and wherevpon he seized, giuing him vnto his page, who
caried him home, and there kept him till it was néere daie, during
which space he was séene of manie. But when the daie light began to
shew it selfe somewhat cléere, the beast stamped and snorted, and
foorthwith breaking his raine, he ran awaie, and was no more heard of
to his knowledge in that countrie. In the meane season Osbert being
verie faint, and waxing wearie (for he was sore wounded in the thigh,
which either he knew not of, or at the leastwise dissembled to know
it) caused his leg-harnesse or stéele bootes to be pulled off, which
his fréends saw to be full of bloud spilled in the voiage. But let who
so list beléeue it, sith it is either a fable deuised, or some
diuelish illusion, if anie such thing were doone. And on mine owne
behalfe, hauing (I hope) the feare of God before my eies, I purpose
here to set downe no more than either I know my selfe to be true, or
am crediblie informed to be so, by such godly men, as to whom nothing
is more deare than to speake the truth, and not anie thing more odious
than to discredit themselues by lieng. In writing therefore of the
[Sidenote: Foure woonders of England.]
woonders of England, I find that there are foure notable things, which
for their rarenesse amongst the common sort, are taken for the foure
miracles and woonders of the land.
The first of these is a vehement and strong wind, which issueth out of
the hilles called the Peke, so violent and strong, that at certeine
times if a man doo cast his cote or cloake into the caue from whence
it issueth, it driueth the same backe againe, hoising it aloft into
the open aire with great force and vehemencie. Of this also Giraldus
speaketh.
The second is the miraculous standing or rather hanging of certeine
stones vpon the plaine of Salisburie, whereof the place is called
Stonehenge. And to saie the truth, they may well be woondered at, not
onelie for the manner of position, whereby they become verie difficult
to be numbred, but also for their greatnesse & strange maner of lieng
of some of them one vpon another, which séemeth to be with so tickle
hold, that few men go vnder them without feare of their present ruine.
How and when these stones were brought thither, as yet I can not read;
howbeit it is most likelie, that they were raised there by the
Britons, after the slaughter of their nobilitie at the deadlie banket,
which Hengist and his Saxons prouided for them, where they were also
buried, and Vortigerne their king apprehended and led awaie as
captiue. I haue heard that the like are to be séene in Ireland; but
how true it is as yet I can not learne. The report goeth also, that
these were broght from thence, but by what ship on the sea, and
cariage by land, I thinke few men can safelie imagine.
The third is an ample and large hole vnder the ground, which some call
Carcer Acoli, but in English Chedderhole, whereinto manie men haue
entred & walked verie farre. Howbeit, as the passage is large and
nothing noisome: so diuerse that haue aduentured to go into the same,
could neuer as yet find the end of that waie, neither sée anie other
thing than pretie riuerets and streames, which they often crossed as
they went from place to place. This Chedderhole or Chedder rocke is in
Summersetshire, and thence the said waters run till they méet with the
second Ax that riseth in Owkie hole.
The fourth is no lesse notable than anie of the other. For westward
vpon certeine hilles a man shall sée the clouds gather togither in
faire weather vnto a certeine thicknesse, and by and by to spread
themselues abroad and water their fields about them, as it were vpon
the sudden. The causes of which dispersion, as they are utterlie
vnknowne: so manie men coniecture great store of water to be in those
hilles, & verie néere at hand, if it were néedfull to be sought for.
Besides these foure maruelles, there is a little rockie Ile in Aber
Barrie (a riueret that falleth into the Sauerne sea) called Barrie,
which hath a rift or clift next the first shore; wherevnto if a man
doo laie his eare, he shall heare such noises as are commonlie made in
smiths forges, to wit, clinking of iron barres, beating with hammers,
blowing of bellowses, and such like: whereof the superstitious sort
doo gather manie toies, as the gentiles did in old time of their lame
god Vulcans pot. The riuer that runneth by Chester changeth hir
chanell euerie moneth: the cause whereof as yet I can not learne;
neither dooth it swell by force of anie land-floud, but by some
vehement wind it oft ouer-runneth hir banks. In Snowdonie are two
lakes, whereof one beareth a moouable Iland, which is carried to and
fro as the wind bloweth. The other hath thrée kinds of fishes in it,
as éeles, trowts, and perches: but herein resteth the woonder, that
all those haue but one eie a péece onelie, and the same situate in the
right side of their heads. And this I find to be confirmed also by
authors: There is a well in the forrest of Gnaresborow, whereof the
said forrest dooth take the name; which water, beside that it is cold
as Stix, in a certeine period of time knowne, conuerteth wood, flesh,
leaues of trées, and mosse into hard stone, without alteration or
changing of shape. The like also is séene there in frogs, wormes, and
such like liuing creatures as fall into the same, and find no readie
issue. Of this spring also Leland writeth thus; A little aboue March
(but at the further banke of Nide riuer as I came) I saw a well of
wonderfull nature called Dropping well, because the water thereof
distilleth out of great rockes hard by into it continuallie, which is
so cold, and thereto of such nature, that what thing soeuer falleth
out of those rocks into this pit, or groweth néere thereto, or be cast
into it by mans hand, it turneth into stone. It may be (saith he) that
some sand or other fine ground issueth out with this water from these
hard rocks, which cleauing vnto those things, giueth them in time the
forme of stones &c. Néere vnto the place where Winburne monasterie
sometimes stood, also not farre from Bath there is a faire wood,
whereof if you take anie péece, and pitch it into the ground
thereabouts, or throw it into the water, within twelue moneths it will
turne into hard stone. In part of the hilles east southeast of
Alderleie, a mile from Kingswood, are stones dailie found, perfectlie
fashioned like cockles and mightie oisters, which some dreame haue
lien there euer since the floud. In the clifts betwéene the Blacke
head and Trewardeth baie in Cornwall, is a certeine caue, where things
appeare like images guilded, on the sides of the same, which I take to
be nothing but the shining of the bright ore of coppar and other
mettals readie at hand to be found there, if anie diligence were vsed.
Howbeit, because it is much maruelled at as a rare thing, I doo not
thinke it to be vnméet to be placed amongst our woonders. Maister
Guise had of late, and still hath (for aught that I know) a manor in
Glocestershire, where certeine okes doo grow, whose rootes are verie
hard stone. And beside this, the ground is so fertile there (as they
saie) that if a man hew a stake of anie wood, and pitch it into the
earth, it will grow and take rooting beyond all expectation.
Siluecester towne also is said to conteine fourescore acres of land
within the walles, whereof some is corne-ground (as Leland saith) and
the graine which is growing therein dooth come to verie good
perfection till it be readie to be cut downe: but euen then, or about
that time it vanisheth away & becommeth altogither vnprofitable. Is it
any woonder (thinke you) to tell of sundrie caues néere to Browham, on
the west side of the riuer Aimote, wherein are halles, chambers, and
all offices of houshold cut out of the hard rocke? If it be, then may
we increase the number of maruels verie much by a rehearsall of other
also. For we haue manie of the like, as one néere saint Assaphs vpon
the banke of Elwie, and about the head of Vendrath Vehan in Wales,
whereinto men haue often entred and walked, and yet found nothing but
large roomes, and sandie ground vnder their féet, and other
else-where. But sith these things are not strange, I let them alone,
and go forward with the rest.
In the parish of Landsarnam in Wales, and in the side of a stonie
hill, is a place wherein are foure and twentie seats hewen out of the
hard rockes; but who did cut them, and to what end, as yet it is not
learned. As for the huge stone that lieth at Pember in Guitherie
parish, and of the notable carcasse that is affirmed to lie vnder the
same, there is no cause to touch it here: yet were it well doone to
haue it remoued, though it were but onlie to sée what it is, which the
people haue in so great estimation & reuerence. There is also a poole
in Logh Taw, among the blacke mounteins in Brecknockshire, where (as
is said) is the head of Taw that commeth to Swanseie, which hath such
a propertie, that it will bréed no fish at all, & if anie be cast into
it, they die without recouerie: but this peraduenture may grow throgh
the accidentall corruption of the water, rather than the naturall
force of the element it selfe. There is also a lin in Wales, which in
the one side beareth trowts so red as samons, and in the other, which
is the westerlie side, verie white and delicate. I heare also of two
welles not far from Landien, which stand verie néere togither, and yet
are of such diuersitie of nature, that the one beareth sope, and is a
maruellous fine water; the other altogither of contrarie qualities.
Which is not a litle to be mused at, considering (I saie) that they
participate of one soile, and rise so nigh one to another. I haue
notice giuen me moreouer of a stone not farre from saint Dauids, which
is verie great, as a bed, or such like thing: and being raised vp, a
man may stirre it with his thumbe; but not with his shoulder or force
of his whole bodie.
There is a well not farre from stonie Stratford, which conuerteth
manie things into stone; and an other in Wales, which is said to
double or triple the force of anie edge toole that is quenched in the
same. In Tegenia, a parcell of Wales, there is a noble well (I meane
in the parish of Kilken) which is of maruellous nature, and much like
to another well at Seuill in Spaine: for although it be six miles from
the sea, it ebbeth and floweth twise in one daie; alwaies ebbing when
the sea dooth vse to flow, and in flowing likewise when the sea dooth
vse to ebbe; wherof some doo fable, that this well is ladie and
mistresse of the ocean. Not farre from thence also is a medicinable
spring called Schinant of old time, but now Wenefrides well, in the
edges whereof dooth breed a verie odoriferous and delectable mosse,
wherewith the head of the smeller is maruellouslie refreshed. Other
welles and water-courses we haue likewise, which at some times burst
out into huge streames, though at other seasons they run but verie
softlie, whereby the people gather some alteration of estate to be at
hand. And such a one there is at Henleie, & an other at Croidon; &
such a one also in the golden dale beside Anderne in Picardie, whereof
the common sort imagine manie things. Some of the greater sort also
giue ouer to run at all in such times, wherof they conceiue the like
opinion. And of the same nature, though of no great quantitie, is a
pit or well at Langleie parke in Kent, whereof (by good hap) it was my
lucke to read a notable historie in an ancient chronicle that I saw of
late. What the foolish people dreame of the hell Kettles, it is not
worthie the rehearsall; yet to the end the lewd opinion conceiued of
them may grow into contempt, I will saie thus much also of those pits.
There are certeine pits, or rather three little pooles, a mile from
Darlington, and a quarter of a mile distant from the These banks which
the people call the Kettles of hell, or the diuels Kettles, as if he
should séeth soules of sinfull men and women in them. They adde also,
that the spirits haue oft beene heard to crie and yell about them,
with other like talke sauoring altogether of pagan infidelitie. The
truth is, and of this opinion also was Cutbert Tunstall late bishop of
Durham, a man (notwithstanding the basenesse of his birth, being
begotten by one Tunstall vpon a daughter of the house of the Commers,
as Leland saith) of great learning and iudgement, that the cole-mines
in those places are kindled, or if there be no coles, there may a mine
of some other vnctuous matter be set on fire, which being here and
there consumed, the earth falleth in, and so dooth leaue a pit. Indéed
the water is now and then warme (as they saie) and beside that it is
not cléere: the people suppose them to be an hundred fadam déepe. The
biggest of them also hath an issue into the These, as experience hath
confirmed. For doctor Bellowes aliàs Belzis made report, how a ducke
marked after the fashion of the duckes of the bishoprike of Durham,
was put into the same betwixt Darlington and These banke, and
afterward séene at a bridge not farre from master Clereuax house. If
it were woorth the noting, I would also make relation of manie wooden
crosses found verie often about Halidon, whereof the old inhabitants
conceiued an opinion that they were fallen from heauen; whereas in
truth, they were made and borne by king Oswald; and his men in the
battell wherein they preuailed sometimes against the British infidels,
vpon a superstitious imagination, that those crosses should be their
defense and shield against their aduersaries. Beda calleth the place
where the said field was fought, Heauen field; it lieth not far from
the Pictish wall, and the famous monasterie of Hagulstad. But more of
this elsewhere. Neither will I speak of the little hillets séene in
manie places of our Ile, whereof though the vnskilfull people babble
manie things: yet are they nothing else but Tumuli or graues of former
times, as appeareth by such tooms & carcasses as be daily found in the
same, when they be digged downe. The like fond imagination haue they
of a kind of lunarie, which is to be found in manie places, although
not so well knowen by the forme vnto them, as by the effect thereof,
because it now and then openeth the lockes hanging on the horses féet
as hit vpon it where it groweth in their féeding. Roger Bacon our
countrieman noteth it to grow plentiouslie in Tuthill fields about
London. I haue heard of it to be within compasse of the parish where I
dwell, and doo take it for none other than the Sfera Cauallo, whereof
Mathiolus and the herbarists doo write, albeit that it hath not béene
my lucke at anie time to behold it. Plinie calleth it Aethiopis: and
Aelianus, Oppianus, Kyramis, and Trebius haue written manie
superstitious things thereof, but especiallie our Chymists, who make
it of farre more vertue than our smiths doo their ferne séed, whereof
they babble manie woonders, and prate of such effects as may well be
performed indéed when the ferne beareth séed, which is commonly Ad
calendas Græcas, for before it will not be found.
But to procéed. There is a well in Darbieshire called Tideswell (so
named of the word tide, or to ebbe and flow) whose water often séemeth
to rise and fall, as the sea which is fortie miles from it dooth
vsuallie accustome to ebbe and flow. And hereof an opinion is growen
that it kéepeth an ordinarie course as the sea dooth. Howbeit, sith
diuerse are knowne to haue watched the same, it may be that at
sometimes it riseth, but not continuallie; and that it so dooth I am
fullie persuaded to beléeue. But euen inough of the woonders of our
countrie, least I doo seeme by talking longer of them, woonderouslie
to ouershoot my selfe, and forget how much dooth rest behind of the
description of my countrie. As for those that are to be touched of
Scotland, the description of that part shall in some part remember
them.
* * * * *