do The ^Qatural Hijlory 



gives fo great a fteam as this, can lie very deep, or be very poor : 

 Yet I fliall not prefume to advife its owner, the eminent Virtuofo 

 Sir Thomas Pennyfl on, any further to dig in queft of it, than ac- 

 cording as he (hall want Stone upon other occafions, to fink his 

 Pit for the future, perpendicular to the Horizon, whereas now he 

 takes it as it rifes in piano : So that in time, when he is gotten 

 through the Rock, a more certain judgment may be pad on what 

 lies under, with little charge or damage to him : Where if in 

 time he finde a Treafure, I am fure the Difcoverer will not want 

 his reward, from fo Ingenious, and every way fo accomplifti'd 

 a Perjon, atleaft in fuch proportion as has alwaies been allowed 

 by the Societies of the Mines Royal, and Mineral Battery -works. 



l6. Befide the notice it gives of Mines, and ufe it has in cover- 

 ing the blemifhesof the Face, like the Earth Quei of China, men- 

 tion'd by 1 Kircher ; its Medicinal ufes are very great. For by 

 Ceorgim Agricola, and Fernante Imperato; the former whereof 

 calls it Stenomarga k , and the latter Agaricus Minerals 1 : it is 

 thought to have the virtues of the Samian Earth, and to be very 

 beneficial in Hopping of blood, andwomens difeafes. Boetitts 

 holds it to be a good narcotick, and that it fafely may be given to 

 procure deep. And Gefner n affirms it to be commonly fold by 

 the Apothecaries of Lucern, and ufed by Chirurgians to dry gleet- 

 ing fores ; and that given to Nurfes, it increafes their milk, and 

 quickly makes their Brefts apparently fwell. And upon this ac- 

 count it ferves me as a feafonabie tranfition to pafs next to the 

 Earths of Medicinal 'ufe. 



27. Of which the moft likely I have met with yet, is dug a- 

 mongft the clay they ufe for bricks, in the Parifh of Nettlehed, 

 not far from the Wind-mill, of as red a colour as Bolus Armenws, 

 but not like that difcolouring the hands ; ftrongly adhering, if 

 put to the tongue, but whether provocative of fweat or no, I have 

 not hitherto been able to perfwade a tryal. However, let it 

 prove never Co good, I'le not promife the owner any great profit, 

 becaufe of the humor we have of defpifing our own, and only 

 admiring and efteeming thofe things that are far fetched and 

 dearly bought. 



28. But quite of another mind was that famous Phyfitian, 



i China Wuftrata. k De Natur- Fojjtl- DeW Hifi. Natural- Lii.e,. tap- 4- n De Lafid. & Gem- 

 mis, cap. 229. De Figuris Lapidum, cap. 2. 



Mr. Henry 



