OF SUNDRY MINERALS AND METALS.
[1577, Book III., Chapters 16 and 18; 1587, Book III., Chapters 10 and
11.]
With how great benefits this island of ours hath been endued from the
beginning I hope there is no godly man but will readily confess, and yield
unto the Lord God his due honour for the same. For we are blessed every
way, and there is no temporal commodity necessary to be had or craved by
any nation at God's hand that he hath not in most abundant manner bestowed
upon us Englishmen, if we could see to use it, and be thankful for the
same. But alas! (as I said in the chapter precedent) we love to enrich
them that care not for us, but for our great commodities: and one trifling
toy not worth the carriage, coming (as the proverb saith) in three ships
from beyond the sea, is more worth with us than a right good jewel easy to
be had at home. They have also the cast to teach us to neglect our own
things; for, if they see that we begin to make any account of our
commodities (if it be so that they have also the like in their own
countries) they will suddenly abase the same to so low a price that our
gain not being worthy our travel, and the same commodity with less cost
ready to be had at home from other countries (though but for a while), it
causeth us to give over our endeavours and as it were by-and-by to forget
the matter whereabout we went before, to obtain them at their hands. And
this is the only cause wherefore our commodities are oft so little
esteemed of. Some of them can say, without any teacher, that they will buy
the case of a fox of an Englishman for a groat, and make him afterwards
give twelve pence for the tail. Would to God we might once wax wiser, and
each one endeavour that the commonwealth of England may flourish again in
her old rate, and that our commodities may be fully wrought at home (as
cloth if you will for an example) and not carried out to be shorn and
dressed abroad, while our clothworkers here do starve and beg their bread,
and for lack of daily practice utterly neglect to be skilful in this
science! But to my purpose.
We have in England great plenty of quicksilver, antimony, sulphur, black
lead, and orpiment red and yellow. We have also the finest alum (wherein
the diligence of one of the greatest favourers of the commonwealth of
England of a subject[176] hath been of late egregiously abused, and even
almost with barbarous incivility) and of no less force against fire, if it
were used in our parietings, than that of Lipari, which only was in use
sometime amongst the Asians and Romans and whereof Sylla had such trial
that when he meant to have burned a tower of wood erected by Archelaus,
the lieutenant of Mithridates, he could by no means set it on fire in a
long time, because it was washed over with alum, as were also the gates of
the temple of Jerusalem with like effect, and perceived when Titus
commanded fire to be put unto the same. Besides this, we have also the
natural cinnabarum or vermillion, the sulphurous glebe called bitumen in
old time, for mortar, and yet burned in lamps where oil is scant and
geson; the chrysocolla, copperas, and mineral stone, whereof petriolum is
made, and that which is most strange, the mineral pearl, which as they are
for greatness and colour most excellent of all other, so are they digged
out of the main land and in sundry places far distant from the shore.
Certes the western part of the land hath in times past greatly abounded
with these and many other rare and excellent commodities, but now they are
washed away by the violence of the sea, which hath devoured the greatest
part of Cornwall and Devonshire on either side; and it doth appear yet by
good record that, whereas now there is a great distance between the Scilly
Isles and the point of the Land's End, there was of late years to speak
of scarcely a brook or drain of one fathom water between them, if so much,
as by those evidences appeareth, and are yet to be seen in the hands of
the lord and chief owner of those isles. But to proceed.
Of coal-mines we have such plenty in the north and western parts of our
island as may suffice for all the realm of England; and so must they do
hereafter indeed, if wood be not better cherished than it is at this
present. And so say the truth, notwithstanding that very many of them are
carried into other countries of the main, yet their greatest trade
beginneth now to grow from the forge into the kitchen and hall, as may
appear already in most cities and towns that lie about the coast, where
they have but little other fuel except it be turf and hassock. I marvel
not a little that there is no trade of these into Sussex and
Southamptonshire, for want thereof the smiths do work their iron with
charcoal. I think that far carriage be the only cause, which is but a
slender excuse to enforce us to carry them into the main from hence.
Besides our coal-mines, we have pits in like sort of white plaster, and of
fat and white and other coloured marble, wherewith in many places the
inhabitors do compest their soil, and which doth benefit their land in
ample manner for many years to come. We have saltpetre for our ordinance
and salt soda for our glass, and thereto in one place a kind of earth (in
Southery; as I ween, hard by Codington, and sometime in the tenure of one
Croxton of London) which is so fine to make moulds for goldsmiths and
casters of metal, that a load of it was worth five shillings thirty years
ago; none such again they say in England. But whether there be or not, let
us not be unthankful to God, for these and other his benefits bestowed
upon us, whereby he sheweth himself a loving and merciful father unto us,
which contrariwise return unto him in lieu of humility and obedience
nothing but wickedness, avarice, mere contempt of his will, pride, excess,
atheism, and no less than Jewish ingratitude.[177]
All metals receive their beginning of quicksilver and sulphur, which are
as mother and father to them. And such is the purpose of nature in their
generations that she tendeth always to the procreation of gold;
nevertheless she seldom reacheth unto that her end, because of the unequal
mixture and proportion of these two in the substance engendered, whereby
impediment and corruption is induced, which as it is more or less doth
shew itself in the metal that is produced.
* * * * *
And albeit that we have no such abundance of these (as some other
countries do yield), yet have my rich countrymen store enough of both in
their purses, where in time past they were wont to have least, because the
garnishing of our churches, tabernacles, images, shrines, and apparel of
the priests consumed the greatest part, as experience hath confirmed.
Of late my countrymen have found out I wot not what voyage into the West
Indies, from whence they have brought some gold, whereby our country is
enriched; but of all that ever adventured into those parts, none have sped
better than Sir Francis Drake, whose success (1582) hath far passed even
his own expectation. One John Frobisher in like manner, attempting to seek
out a shorter cut by the northerly regions into the peaceable sea and
kingdom of Cathay, happened (1577) upon certain islands by the way,
wherein great plenty of much gold appeared, and so much that some letted
not to give out for certainty that Solomon had his gold from thence,
wherewith he builded the temple. This golden shew made him so desirous
also of like success that he left off his former voyage and returned home
to bring news of such things as he had seen. But, when after another
voyage it was found to be but dross, he gave over both the enterprises,
and now keepeth home without any desire at all to seek into far countries.
In truth, such was the plenty of ore there seen and to be had that, if it
had holden perfect, might have furnished all the world with abundance of
that metal; the journey also was short and performed in four or five
months, which was a notable encouragement. But to proceed.
Tin and lead, metals which Strabo noteth in his time to be carried unto
Marsilis from hence, as Diodorus also confirmeth, are very plentiful with
us, the one in Cornwall, Devonshire, and elsewhere in the north, the other
in Derbyshire, Weredale, and sundry places of this island; whereby my
countrymen do reap no small commodity, but especially our pewterers, who
in times past employed the use of pewter only upon dishes, pots, and a few
other trifles for service here at home, whereas now they are grown unto
such exquisite cunning that they can in manner imitate by infusion any
form or fashion of cup, dish, salt bowl, or goblet, which is made by
goldsmiths' craft, though they be never so curious, exquisite, and
artificially forged. Such furniture of household of this metal as we
commonly call by the name of _vessel_ is sold usually by the garnish,
which doth contain twelve platters, twelve dishes, twelve saucers, and
those are either of silver fashion or else with broad or narrow brims, and
bought by the pound, which is now valued at six or seven pence, or
peradventure at eight pence. Of porringers, pots, and other like, I speak
not, albeit that in the making of all these things there is such exquisite
diligence used, I mean for the mixture of the metal and true making of
this commodity (by reason of sharp laws provided in that behalf), as the
like is not to be found in any other trade. I have been also informed that
it consisteth of a composition which hath thirty pounds of kettle brass to
a thousand pounds of tin, whereunto they add three or four pounds of
tin-glass; but as too much of this doth make the stuff brickle, so the
more the brass be, the better is the pewter, and more profitable unto him
that doth buy and purchase the same. But to proceed.
In some places beyond the sea a garnish of good flat English pewter of an
ordinary making (I say flat, because dishes and platters in my time begin
to be made deep like basins, and are indeed more convenient both for
sauce, broth, and keeping the meat warm) is esteemed almost so precious as
the like number of vessels that are made of fine silver, and in manner no
less desired amongst the great estates, whose workmen are nothing so
skilful in that trade as ours, neither their metal so good, nor plenty so
great, as we have here in England. The Romans made excellent
looking-glasses of our English tin, howbeit our workmen were not then so
exquisite in that feat as the Brundusians, wherefore the wrought metal was
carried over unto them by way of merchandise, and very highly were those
glasses esteemed of till silver came generally in place, which in the end
brought the tin into such contempt that in manner every dishwasher refused
to look in other than silver glasses for the attiring of her head. Howbeit
the making of silver glasses had been in use before Britain was known unto
the Romans, for I read that one Praxiteles devised them in the young time
of Pompey, which was before the coming of Cæsar into this island.
There were mines of lead sometimes also in Wales, which endured so long
till the people had consumed all their wood by melting of the same (as
they did also at Comeriswith, six miles from Stradfleur), and I suppose
that in Pliny's time the abundance of lead (whereof he speaketh) was to be
found in those parts, in the seventeenth of his thirty-fourth book; also
he affirmeth that it lay in the very sward of the earth, and daily gotten
in such plenty that the Romans made a restraint of the carriage thereof to
Rome, limiting how much should yearly be wrought and transported over the
sea.[178]
* * * * *
Iron is found in many places, as in Sussex, Kent, Weredale, Mendip,
Walshall, as also in Shropshire, but chiefly in the woods betwixt Belvos
and Willock (or Wicberry) near Manchester, and elsewhere in Wales. Of
which mines divers do bring forth so fine and good stuff as any that
cometh from beyond the sea, beside the infinite gains to the owners, if we
would so accept it, or bestow a little more cost in the refining of it. It
is also of such toughness, that it yieldeth to the making of claricord
wire in some places of the realm. Nevertheless, it was better cheap with
us when strangers only brought it hither; for it is our quality when we
get any commodity to use it with extremity towards our own nation, after
we have once found the means to shut out foreigners from the bringing in
of the like. It breedeth in like manner great expense and waste of wood,
as doth the making of our pots and table vessel of glass, wherein is much
loss, sith it is so quickly broken; and yet (as I think) easy to be made
tougher, if our alchemists could once find the true birth or production of
the red man, whose mixture would induce a metallic toughness unto it,
whereby it should abide the hammer.
Copper is lately not found, but rather restored again to light. For I have
read of copper to have been heretofore gotten in our island; howbeit as
strangers have most commonly the governance of our mines, so they hitherto
make small gains of this in hand in the north parts; for (as I am
informed) the profit doth very hardly countervail the charges, whereat
wise men do not a little marvel, considering the abundance which that mine
doth seem to offer, and, as it were, at hand. Leland, our countryman,
noteth sundry great likelihoods of natural copper mines to be eastwards,
as between Dudman and Trewardth, in the sea cliffs, beside other places,
whereof divers are noted here and there in sundry places of this book
already, and therefore it shall be but in vain to repeat them here again.
As for that which is gotten out of the marchasite, I speak not of it, sith
it is not incident to my purpose. In Dorsetshire also a copper mine lately
found is brought to good perfection.
As for our steel, it is not so good for edge-tools as that of Cologne, and
yet the one is often sold for the other, and like tale used in both, that
is to say, thirty gads to the sheaf, and twelve sheaves to the burden.
Our alchemy is artificial, and thereof our spoons and some salts are
commonly made and preferred before our pewter with some,[179] albeit in
truth it be much subject to corruption, putrefaction, more heavy and foul
to handle than our pewter; yet some ignorant persons affirm it to be a
metal more natural, and the very same which Encelius calleth _plumbum
cinereum_, the Germans _wisemute_, _mithan_, and _counterfeie_, adding
that where it groweth silver cannot be far off. Nevertheless it is known
to be a mixture of brass, lead, and tin (of which this latter occupieth
the one-half), but after another proportion than is used in pewter. But
alas, I am persuaded that neither the old Arabians nor new alchemists of
our time did ever hear of it, albeit that the name thereof do seem to come
out of their forge. For the common sort indeed do call it alchemy, an
unwholesome metal (God wot) and worthy to be banished and driven out of
the land. And thus I conclude with this discourse, as having no more to
say of the metals of my country, except I should talk of brass, bell
metal, and such as are brought over for merchandise from other countries;
and yet I cannot but say that there is some brass found also in England,
but so small is the quantity that it is not greatly to be esteemed or
accounted for.