-* —, Oa 41 CEP Saf 
ot & We ey 
iy a" 
A 
of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 
Thus much of Fifhesworth the naming. For befides thefe, 1 am not ignorant that there 
bee other bafe excrements that the fea voideth and purgeth, which I holdro be verie unfit and 
not worthie to be ranged among Fifhes and living creatures butrather to be reckoned as Kilpes, 
Reike,and other fea weeds. . yor 
saa uenaeeeivarveneny 
RUAN OAOR UAE 
ee aN allay lov k A. Bs be QE 
THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE, 
WE LIS Ni BuXeos sR |.N 1S 
SECVNDVS. 
eg Of Mettals and Minerals,and cheir natures. 
. GF The Procme. 
z Own tt timetoenter into the d fcourfe of the Mettals and Minerals, the very 
riches and precious treafure of the world, which men fo curioufly and cares 
fully feeke after as that they fticke not to fearch into the verie bowels of the 
earth by all the meanes they can devife : for fome you fhall have (to enrich 
themfelves) for to dig into the ground for mines of gold and filver ,bufe met- 
tall Electrum Copper aud Braffe : others again, upon a defire of daintie de- 
lights and braverte,to lay for gems and precious flones, for {uch minerals (I 
fay) which may ferve partly to adorne their fingers, and partly to fer out the 
wals of fumptuous buildings with costly colours vich marblesjand perpbyrics, J.aftly, there bee many, 
who tomaintaine rafh quarrels and audacious attempts, [pare for no labour to.get yron and fteele, and 
efleeming it better than gold, for cruell warres and bloudse murthers.!u {urme there is not a veinein 
the whol? earth but wee pric and fearch into it : we follow it allo as farre as it goeth. Thus having un- 
dermincd the pore ground, wee live and goe aloft upon it,as over hollow vaulis and arches under ovr 
feet :and yet wee would feeme to wonder, that otberwhil’s fhe cleave'h afsnder into wide aud gaping 
chinkes, or elf? trembleto and quakerh againe : and we willnot fee bow thee be apparent fignes of the 
wrath of this our bleffed mother which wee wring and force from ber, to cxpre(s the indignation that 
he taketh for this wrong and mifufage.We defcend into her entrailes : we goe downe as far as te the feat 
and habitation of the infernal (pirits,-> all to meet with rich treafure : as if the earth were not fruit 
fallynongh and beneficiall unto ws in the upper face thereof where fhe permitteth us to walke and tread 
upon her, Howbeit,im all this paines that we take to ran{acke the mines thereof, the least matter of all 
other is tofeeke for any thing that concerneth Phyficke and she regiment of our health : For among fo 
mary maifters as there be of mines where is there one that would bee at {ach expence of digging,n ves 
gard of any medicines. And yet I muft needs fay that as the earth otherwife is no miggard, but boan- 
teous and liberal yeadie alfo and eafily entreated to bring forth allthings good and profitable for ws : [0 
tn this behalfe fhe hath furmi{hed us fufficiently with holefome draugs and medicinable fimples crowing 
above and fit for our hand yv.thout need of digging deepe for the matter But thethings that [hee hath 
hidden and plunged(as it were)into the bottome thofe be they that prefve ws downe, thofe drive cy fend 
us to the devitlia hell : even thofe dead creatures( fay) which have no life nor doe grow at all. In [uch 
Sort as toconfider the thing aright,and not to captivat our {pirits to {uch bafe matters,How far thinke 
we,will covetows minded men pierce C enter into carth? or when wall they make an end of thefe mints, 
hollowing 
453 
