%l% The S\(atural Hi/lory 
which may be ordered many ways ; whereby a City or Amj m^iy 
be deftroyed— the Fire breaking forth with an unfpeakable noife 
which are wonderful things, if a man knew exadly how to 
ufe them in due quantity and matter. 
4 i . Whence 'tis plain, he either invented or knew Gun-powder^ 
though I think we cannot allow him lefs than the firft, till we 
find out an ancienter Author for it which if no body ever do's 
Cas 'tis manifold odds they never will) in all probability it was 
invented here at Oxford^ where he made the reft of his affrighten- 
ing Experiments, And that out of his works, Confiantinm Ancklit- 
zen of Friburg^^ oi Bertholdu^ Swartz^^ ^ and the reft of the ///z- 
provers^ in all likelihood might have their pretended Inventions, 
though we allow him not quite fo explicit as in the Copy of the 
Reverend and Learned Dr. Langhain^ but that as 'tis conjectured 
by Dr. Dee ^ he fomwhat concealed his Invention in the word 
[j/z75] well knowing it might be dangeroufly deftrudive to man- 
kind. 
42. As for Water-works invented or improved in this County^ 
fome concern profit,and others only pleafure." Of the firft fort,is 
an Inftrumentof S'w ChriflopherWrens^ that meafures the quanti- 
ty of 7?^i;2 that falls, which as foon as 'tis full, empties it fclf, 
fo that at the years end 'tis eafie to compute how much has fal- 
len on fuch a quantity of ground for all that time ; and this he 
contrived in order to the difcovery of the Theory ok Springs-, ex-, 
halations^ isfc. And fecondly, other Inftruments whereby he- 
has (hewn the Geometrical Mechanie of Rowings viz. that the Oar 
moves upon its Thowle^'^?> a veUli^ on a yielding fulcrum^ and found 
out what degree of impediment the expanfion of a body to be moved 
in a liquid rnedium ordinarily produces in all proportions, with 
feveral other matters in order for laying down the Geometry of 
failing^friming^ rowings and th.tfahrick.of Ships ^. 
43. Hither alfo belong the Locks and Turn-pikes made upon the 
River Ifis^ the 2 1 of King James^ when it was made navigable 
from Oxford to Bercot^ which are abfolutely neceffary for that 
purpofe, on (liallow rivers that have alfo gxt^tfalls^ to keep up 
the water^ and give the vefels^n eafie defcent. For the firft where" 
* Bacomsfatis co7Jcejfit,Anno ■i2'^2. near loo years before any of the other pretended Inventions. 
^ Vid- Gii}d. Vandrolli rer. memora'y.recens hivent . part. 2. tit. 18. ^ ^id Steph. Forcatulnjn I, C. deGalio- 
nirnl->!peno^ Philolobh.lib /^.fuhfinem. f Dr. Pf^ Annotations in <3</ Panfienfem. t Hiftory 
oi l\\QKoy2.\Socitiy, Part, i.fuhftnem, 
of, 
