The Statural Hijtory 
CHAP. IX* 
Of Arts. 
THUS having run through all the Natural Bodies I hav6 
met with in Oocford-fiire^ fuch as either Dame Nature has 
always retained the fame from the beginning, as Waters^ 
Earths^ Stones ^isrc or freely produces in her ordinary courfe^ 
zs Plants^ Animals^ with all her extravagancies 'SinA defers ^ oro-' 
ther accidents attending : I am come at length, according to my 
propofed method^ to treat of Arts^ and things arti^cial^ thzth^ve 
either been invented or improved in this County ; whereof firfl, of 
fuch as have tended to the difcovery of the magnitudes^ or de- 
termination of the motions of the Heavenly Bodies^ whither alfo. 
muft be referr'd the contrivance of new Periods^ of new Hyfo-^ 
thefes 2nd their demon/Irations. Secondly, I fti all confider -^ir, 
Fire^ and water-works^ and thence go on to fuch Arts as have a- 
ny relation to Earths^ Stones^ or Plants. In fliort, I ftiall here 
alfo follow the wzf/W of the whole Effayzs in fome other Cha- 
fters^ by the way taking in all Inventions^ and improvements that 
I have met with in this County^ whether in the Mechanick ot 
Liberal Ans ; which J intend the whole /cope of the following ^ 
Chapter, 
2. The firft Celeftial Ohfervations in order of time, made here^ 
that were any thing artificial^ I prefume might be done by Robert 
Groflhead Bilhop of Lincoln^ crafji quidem capitis ^ fed Jubtili^in^ 
genii, fays Pitfeu6 of him ; who amongft other his Learned 
works ^ left us Treatifes of the Sphere and the Aftrolabe^ with which 
no queftion he found out many things that v^txt new to that ^^e : 
But becaufe we can inftance in no particulars, let it fuffice as an 
evidence of the great probability, that he is highly commended 
for his knowledge in Aftronomy and Perj^eSiive by Roger Bacon a 
Erier minor of Oy.on\ and fomtime Fellow of Merton College^ a 
Man of fuch affrighting fkill in Mathematicks-y cfpecially Perfj^e- 
iiive^ that hejuftly deferved the title of Dr. Mirabili^. Nor in- 
deed was he out of the way who gave him fo much, fince had he 
lived 
