7 
Dr. Robert Plot in his “ Natural History of Oxford- 
shire,” published in 1677, says, pages 29-30: 
“That Land-springs and such as run but once perhaps 
Dr. Robert 
Plot’s 
“ Natural 
History of 
Oxfordshire,” 
in many years, have their rise and continuance from 1677 
plentiful showers, I think we have little reason to doubt, 
since we have them not at all, or but very weak in any 
Summer, or the dryer Winters: such are those that 
foretell (and naturally enough) the searcity and dear- 
ness of Corn and Victuals 3; whereof that of Assenton, 
near LHenly upon Thames is one of the most eminent 
that I know of in England ; and no question is the same 
mentioned by Johannes Buseb Merembergius, in his 
book (as he calls it) of the Miracles of Nature. By 
which, I suppose, he must mean the Chiltern 
of Oxfordshire, there are, says he, many Springs which 
tn fertile years are always dry ; but before any defect, 
as the Harbingers of an approaching dearth, these 
waters get loose, and as it were breaking prison they 
quickly unite into a forcible stream. And so they did 
lately, An 1674, with that violence that several mills 
might have been driven with the Current 3; and had not 
the town of Henly made some diversion for them, their 
Fair Mile must have been drowned for a considerable 
time. Of these there are many in the County of Kent, 
which I know not for what reason they call Nail- 
bourns there, and prescribe them (some will) a certain 
time for their running as once in seven, ten or fifteen 
years. But the certain natural principle of such 
Springs altogether depending upon an uncertain cause, 
no heed is to be given to such kind of stories, they being 
equally as vain as the persons that broach’d them.” 
In Harris’ « History of Kent,” published in 1719) 
reference is made to several Bourne flows, for 
instance :— 
Country 
Land springs. 
Assenton 
Bourue. 
Bournes of 
Chilton, 
County of 
Oxfordshire, 
Many Nail- .’ 
bournes in 
Kent. 
Harris’ 
“ History of 
Kent,” 1719, 
