VOL. XXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. Qqq 



the destruction of woods, with the growing of mosses and pools ; and that at 

 that time in Wales, the sense of the natives was, that the subterraneous trees 

 found there, had formerly grown there ; as appears by the following extracts, 

 in his own words, the language of the times. 



" In these deyes in Mone, wher they digge turves, be founde greate rootes 

 of trees that serve men for wood. For after the trees wer cut doune, sogging 

 yerth and mosse overcoverid them, and now the same yerth parid away for 

 turves, the old mayne rootes appere. Likewise at low water, about al the shores 

 of both shores of Aberdein and Towen Merioneth, appere like rootes of trees. 

 I saw hard by, on the lift honde, a great fenny more, owt of wich the inhabi- 

 tantes therabout digge turfes for fier, and by the same fenne is a fair Llin 

 cawilid Llinridde, ii miles from Strateflure. Strateflure is set round about with 

 montanes, not far distant, except on the west parte, wher Diffrine Tyne is. 

 Many hilles therabout hath bene well woddid, as evidently by old rotes apperith, 

 but now in them is almost no woode. The causses be these; first the wood 

 cutt doun was never copisid, and this hath beene a great cause of destruction 

 of wood thorough Wales. Secondly after cutting doun of wooddys, the gottys 

 hath so bytten the young spring, that it never grew but lyke shrubbes. Third- 

 dely men for the nonys destroied the great woddis, that thei shuld not har- 

 borow theves. 



" From Whitchirch a mile and a half of I cam by the pale of the large 

 parke of Blakmer, longging to the erle of Shreusbiri, wherin is a very fair place 

 or loge. The park hath both redde dere and falow. In the park (as I hard 

 say) be iii fairle poles, of the wich I saw by the pale the largest caullid Blakein, 

 wherof the park is namid. It is to be supposid that thes pooles for the most 

 part in morisch groundes, and lying sumwhat in low groundes, drearie the 

 moist places about them, and so, having no place to issue owt, stagne there. 

 Sum be likelyhod have begon of marie pittes. For the sandy grounde of sum 

 partes of Shropshire, and especially of Chestreshire and Lancastreshire, wille 

 not here corne plentifully but it be merlyed. 



" From Blakemere to Byklem, in a fosse iii miles of sand, hard by Chol- 

 meley, first I saw^ the great numbre of firre trees, the wiche the inhabitantes 

 thereby communely digge up for fier wood, but ther did I se no fyrre trees 

 grouing. Oftentimes in diggin in this mosse or more for petes or turves, they 

 finde the hole trees of the first, sum short and sum veri long, without twike 

 or bow, lying sumtime not a foote, sumtime iii or iiii foote depe in the ground. 

 But how or when thes trees cam doune, other be cutting or wind faulle, no 

 manne ther can telle. The wood of them in burning savorith of resine. 

 Morle (in Darbyshire) Mr. Lelandes place is buildid, saving the fundation of 



