&02 Mediaeval Lore. 



strong rese against the sail. And when the ship- 

 men see the dragon come nigh, and know his 

 coming by the water that swelleth ayenge him> 

 they strike the sail anon, and scape in that wise." 

 So much for the natural history. The book 

 embraced the whole of human knowledge as it 

 existed in the thirteenth century, including 

 '" science/' medicine, and geography, and Mr. 

 Steele's extracts under these several headings are 

 Distinctly well chosen. The following passages 

 will give an idea of mediaeval science as 

 expounded by our author: " Quicksilver and 

 brimstone is the element, that is to wit matter, of 

 which all melting metal is made. Quicksilver is 

 matter of all metal, and therefore in respect of them 

 a simple element." " Iron is gendered of quick- 

 silver thick and not clean, full of earthy holes, 

 and ; of brimstone, great and boisterous and not 

 pure. In composition of iron is more of the 

 xoresaid brimstone than of quicksilver, and so for 

 mastery of cold and dry and of earthy matter, 

 iron is dry and cold and full well hard, and is 

 compact together in its parts. " After this 

 Description of the metal, Bartholomew gives us 

 ihe, following delightfully quaint dissertation on 

 its uses :" Use of iron is more needfull to men in 

 many things . than use of gold ; though covetous 

 men love more gold than iron. Without iron the 

 commonalty be not sure against enemies. Without' 

 jlread of irpn the common right is not governed ; 

 with iron innocent men are defended; and fool- 



