Of OXFO%T>-SHIXE. 311 
the Houfe of a certain Prince, and left him by his Ancefiors. 
And albeit, that in the days of the Inhabitants then living, it was 
no where digged, yet knew they where the Mine of it was, but 
were very unwilling to difcover the place ; yet at length they did, 
it being ruinated and ftopt withftones and rubbifli ; being much 
eafier to dig then Iron mine^ and might be reftored again, if Mi~ 
ners^ and others Ikilful therein, were appointed to work it 
I o. Some fuch natural Ele^irum feems alfo to be hinted in the 
Civil Law^ and to have been mixed \^\th. Silver, Neratim it- 
porting that Proculu^ gave fentence, that it was no matter in a Le- 
gacy of EleSirine veffels^ how much Silver or Ele^rum was in 
them , but whether the Silver or Ele^rum exceeded ? which 
might eafily be perceived by ocular infpeftion ; or if fo equally 
mixt that it could not be done, that then recourfe was to be had 
to the Eftimat of the Teftator^ amongft which fort of veffels he 
ufually accounted them ^. Whence 'tis eafie to colled, that the 
EleSIrumhere fpoke of, can be no artificial mixture of filver and 
gold, again mixed with filver ; but a natural metal before it mix- 
tion with filver. 
1 1 . Moreover, that there is alfo an artificial Ek^rum^ is as e- 
videntfrom the Infiitutesoi the Emperor Jufiinian^ -iZndi Q^Flor, 
Tertullian ^' made by intermingling gold and filver^ according to 
the natural mixture ; which according to Servim and Sc. Ifidore ^, 
was of gold in a triple^ but according to PHny^ and Monfieur Sa^ 
vot ^, in a quadruple proportion, to one of filver ; viz^. 1 9 Carats 
\ of gold^ and 4 Carats and ^ of filver ; which as the fame Savot 
teftifies, were the proportions obferved by the Emperor 5c?w/^5 
Alexander^ and Levpi6 the Twelfth of France^ by an Ordinance 
made 2lX,BIom^ of Nov. 19. 1506. ^oxi\\q French gold. 
1 2. Which very proportions I ftiould be willing to think our 
Britijb coins 10 have ; only Iguefs the Britans had, and made ufe 
of, as little Art as might be : Wherefore I am enclinedto believe 
them rsithcrnative Ele^rum^ dug and coined thus according as 
they found it, either richer or poorer ; for I have feen fome pie- 
ces of this fort of monj, much richer in gold then fome others are. 
That^o/^/ md filver Mines weie worked here in Britan in thofe 
* Petri Martyris Anglerii de Orbe Novo, Vecad. i. cap. 4. « 1?. Be Auro Argento.,(^c. Leg.Tediculis, §.Ne- 
ratiof. ^ Inftitut.de Rerumdivifionh §. Siduorum. ^ O^Septimii Florent. Tertulliani l^ib. adverf. Her- 
mog. cap.^fy. adverfus Praxean. f<?/>. 27. * Locis fupra citatis. ^ Loco citato. « Lovk Savot de la 
Matiere des Medalks antiques^ 2 part.chapitre 9. 
ancienter 
