z;i The 3\(jtural Hiftorj 



which may be ordered many ways ; whereby a City or Armymzy 

 be deftroyed the Fire breaking forth with an unfpeakable noife 

 --which are wonderful things, if a man knew exadtly how to 

 ufethem in due quantity and matter. 



41 . Whence 'tis plain, he either invented ox knew Gun-powder ', 

 though I think we cannot allow him lefsthan the firft, till we 

 find out an ancienter Author for it *, which if no body ever do's 

 (as 'tis manifold odds they never will) in all probability it was 

 invented here at Oxford, where he made the reft of his aflfrighten- 

 ing Experiments. And that out of his works, Conftantinws Ancklit- 

 Zen of Friburg 6 , or Bertholdus Swartz^ '> and the reft of the Im- 

 provers, in all likelihood might have their pretended Inventions, 

 though we allow him not quite fo explicit as in the Copy of the 

 Reverend and Learned Dr. Langbain, but that as 'tis conjectured 

 by Dr. Dee f , hefomwhat concealed his Invention in the word 

 \_alw~\ well knowing it might be dangeroufly deftru&ive to man- 

 hind. 



42. As for Water-works invented or improved in this County, 

 fome concern profit,and others only pleafure. Of the firft fort,is 

 anlnftrumentof Sir Chrijlop her Wrens, that meafures the quanti- 

 ty of Rain that falls, which as foon as 'tis full, empties it felf, 

 fo that at the years end 'tiseafie to compute how much has fal- 

 len on fuch a quantity of ground for all that time; and this he 

 contrived in order to the difcovery of the Theory or Springs, ex- 

 halations, is-c. And fecondly, other Inftruments whereby he 

 has fhewn the Geometrical Mechanie of Rowing, viz^ that the Oar 

 moves upon its Thowle,as a veclis on a yielding//Jcrw,and found 

 out what degree of impediment the expanfion of a body to be moved 

 in a liquid medium ordinarily produces in all proportions, with 

 feveral other matters in order for laving down the Geometry of 

 failing, fwiming, rowing, and the fabrick. of Ships g . 



43. Hither alfo belong the Locks and Turn-pikes made upon the 

 River Ifis, the 21 of King James, when it was made navigable 

 from Oxford to Bercot, which are abfolutely neceflary for that 

 purpofe, on (hallow rivers that have alfo great falls, to keep up 

 the water, and give the vejfelszn eafie defcent. For the firft where- 



* Baconusfatis cone ejjit, Anno 1292 near 100 years before any of the other pretended Inventions. 

 4 Vid- Quid. PancirolU rer. memorah. recevs Invent, part. 2. tit. 18- ' Vid. Steph. Foreatulnm J. C. deGaUo- 

 rumImperio&Philojoph.lib$.ful>finem. ( Dr. Vees Annotations in Epifi. ad Parifie>;fe?n. Hiftory 

 of the Royal Sociery, Part, ij'ubfinetru 



of, 



