16 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 



commodity shold it be for the Quenens Majestic, and the com- 

 mon weale of this Kingdome, by such a secret, not onely threa- 

 sor hid may be deciphered in precise place : but, also, it may 

 be disclosed where, in this land, any mynes, vaynes, or owre 

 of gold or silver be naturally planted. And here (by the way) 

 I must note unto your Lordship the name and argument of 

 one strange boke, which, in old tyme, was in this land, PAN- 

 DULPHUS DE MEATIBUS TEBB^E i qui cunctas venas, meatus, 

 atqueaditussubterraneoSyConflexiones, specus,antra et interior a 

 latibula, cavernulasque terrarum, porositates, profunditates, 

 concavitatesque totius sceculi materialis, et ambitus subtus ter- 

 ram enumerat singillatim. So that by this and the former 

 boke it may appeare what manner of philosophers and ma- 

 thematiciens have bin in tymes past. Conclusionally than, 

 in respect of all the premisses, one part of my present sute 

 unto your honor is that, by your lordships wisdome^ the 

 Queens Majestic may be induced to think somwhat favorably 

 (as very many other, noble and lerned, of forrayn lands do) 

 of my great travailes, patience, constancy, costs, and credit, 

 in matters philosophical! and mathematicall : and thereuppon, 

 in the ende of my carefull race, to let some token of her Ma- 

 jesties royall good affection procede toward me, whome, your 

 lordship knoweth (or may know) that emperors, kings, 

 princes, dukes, marchises, erles, barons, and other many 

 men, of great powre and magnificent courrage, have sued 

 unto (in my tyme) to enjoy e my simple talent, in their ser- 

 vice or company : to whome all, I ever have given answer 

 (as my duety was, and my stomach served me therto) for the 

 honor of my naturall and drad soveraigne (for that tyme) 

 here raigning. Your honor knoweth that thresor trouve is 

 a very casuall thing : and of which, althowgh the prerogative 

 of the Q. Majestie do entitle to her a proprietie, yet how sel- 

 dome her Grace hath hitherto receyved any commodity ther- 

 by, it is to your honor better known, than unto me. But 

 as for mines of gold and silver, to be in England or Ireland, 

 many have written and reported both of old tyme, and latter: 

 as I think, your honor hath, ere this, hard abundantly dis- 

 coursed. The value of a myne is a matter for a King's 

 threasor ; but a pot of two or three hundred pownds, &c., 

 hid in the grownd, wall, or tree, is but the price of a good 

 boke or instrument for perspective, astronomy, or som feat 

 of importance. And truely vulgar, obscure persons, as ho- 

 siers and tanners, can (by colour of seking assays of metalls, 

 for the say master) enjoy e liberty to content their fantasies 

 to dig after dremish demonstrations of places, &c. May not 

 I, than (in respect of all the former allegations of my pains, 



