Of OXFORDSHIRE. ny 



fually fallen together ; which how they fhould come there with- 

 out a Deluge, feems a difficulty to moft men not eafily avoid- 

 ed. 



115. To all which it may be anfwefed, fifft in general with 

 Mr. Lifter' 1 , that we will eafily believe that along the (hoars of 

 moft Countries, fuch as are particularly the (hoars of the Britijb 

 and Mediterranean Seas, there may all manner of Sea~(kells be 

 found promifcuoufly included in Rocks or Earth, and at good di- 

 ftances from the Sea, where the grounds are no higher than the 

 Volaterran hillock.-, which meeting with fuitable petrifying juices, 

 may either be wholly petrified, or where the juices are not com- 

 potent, be only metamorpbofdin part, fome of the fielly fubftance 

 ftill remaining ; or not changed at all, as in the inftances of 

 Steno y and perhaps of Mr, Hcok, for he tells us not where he 

 found thofe femipetrified Hones. 



116. But fecondly, Suppofe he found them in the higheft and 

 moft In-land Counties, fince he tells us not that he found them 

 in any great plenty, we can eafily alfo admit that fome fmall 

 quantities of Jhells thrown away after the Inhabitants had eaten 

 the fijb, may even there be filled with mud and petrifying juices, 

 and fo turned either in the whole or part into ftone. 



117. And thirdly, provided it be near a great Town or City, 

 either now flourifhing, or that did fo heretofore, and hath for- 

 merly been the feat of much aftion ; it may be allowed alfo that 

 fome quantities of pells may be found, either perfectly or but 

 imperfedtly petrified, or that have fuffer'd no change at all : which 

 helps me to a falvo for my own Objection taken from the bed or 

 true Oyjler-Jhells found near Reading, it having been a Town of 

 very great aftion during the Invafions of the Danes, who cutting 

 a deep trench crofs between the Kennet and Thames, and inclofmg 

 themfelves as it were in an I/land, held it againft King Ethelred, 

 and Alfred his Brother k a confiderable time ; from whence, in 

 all probability, the Saxons having removed their Cattle and other 

 provifions before the Danes arrival, 'tis likely that they might be 

 ftpplyed from their Navy with Oyflers, which during the time of 

 the aboad of the Army on Land, might be a very fuitable employ- 

 ment for it : Which conjefture, if allowed, there is nothing more 



1 Vhilofifh. Tranfatt. Hum. 76. * Vid. Hen. Huntingdon, lib. $. & Ajjerium Menrvtn. de rebui gejik 

 JElfredi. 



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