Part III. Of Regular Stones. 
of Plates or Crafts narrowed from the middle of the Stone 
both ways, fo as to make that Figure. A fecond, Oval* 
with three Hemifpherick knobs appendent 3 all plated, as 
the Globular. A fourth and fifth figur'd almofl like a 
Finger. 
THUS FAR. of Plated Stones. Next of thofe which 
we may call Fibrous. In the former^the Parts are anfwerable 
to the leaves in a piece of Paft-board. In thefe to the Briftles 
in a Brujh, or the Threads in a Skeine of 57/4 
THRUM-STONE,as I call it. Amianthus Lapis i£f Asbefti- 
nm. It grows in Ihort Threads or Thrums, from about a 
^ of an inch to an inch in length 5 paralleled gloffyj as fine* 
as thofe final 1 {ingle Threads the Sill^Worm fpins 3 and 
very flexile, like Flax or Tow. Nothing anfwers it better, 
than the hard fibrous part of a large Oyft^r, when 'tis ftew'd 
Here are feveral pieces , both of White and Green. Of 
which, the latter hath the longeft Threads, and the mod 
flexile. 
- A piece of AMIANTHUS-ROCK 3 in which the Thrums 
( about * of an inch in length ) lie in Layers between feveral 
Beds of a Green Stone,in fome places of a redilh brown. 
Another, with Veins or Layers between Beds of a blewiih 
colour. 
A BASTARD-AMIANTHUS. It grows in Veins in a 
Claiy and Mundick Load , between Beds of a Greenifli 
Earth. The Threads ^ d or near 3 an inch long, of a glolTy 
black, and brittle. Given by Mr. Coleprefi, who obferv d 
it amongft the Cornijh Mines. 
The bed is found in Cyprus and India. Of late, very 
good in fome Mines in Italy. Of which fee the Philof 
Tranfaftions. (a) It was anciently fpun, like 7W, into Sheets 5 0) Num.72, 
in which the Bodies of Princes, laid on the Funeral Pile, 
were wrapped up, to keep them entire, when they were 
burnt, from the other afhes. Thefe Sheets were made clean, 
not by wafhing, but by burningthem3 as being infuper- 
able by the fire : from whence the Name of the Stone. 
The Art, as well as the Ufe, is thought to begone. But 
notfo, for Sep alius (b) hath or lately had both Thread, (£)Mufseum 
Ropes, Paper, and Netted-Works all made hereof 5 and fome 
of them with his own hand. Boetius defcnbes (c) an <v) Lib. de 
Oyntmeiit made of this Stone, which he highly com- La P' &Gemi 
S f mends 
