Books: The Natural History of Wiltshire
J >>
John Aubrey >> The Natural History of Wiltshire
Pages:
1 |
2 | 3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17
As to singing voyces wee have great diversity in severall counties of
this nation; and any one may observe that generally in the rich vales
they sing clearer than on the hills, where they labour hard and
breathe a sharp ayre. This difference is manifest between the vale of
North Wilts and the South. So in Somersettshire they generally sing
well in the churches, their pipes are smoother. In North Wilts the
milkmayds sing as shrill and cleare as any swallow sitting on a
berne:-
"So lowdly she did yerne, Like any swallow sitting on a berne."-
CHAUCER.
___________________________________
According to the severall sorts of earth in England (and so all the
world over) the Indigense are respectively witty or dull, good or bad.
To write a true account of the severall humours of our own countrey
would be two sarcasticall and offensive: this should be a secret
whisper in the eare of a friend only and I should superscribe here,
"Pinge duos angues -locus est sacer: extra
Mei ite." - PERSIUS SATYR.
Well then! let these Memoires lye conceal'd as a sacred arcanum.
___________________________________
In North Wiltshire, and like the vale of Gloucestershire (a dirty
clayey country) the Indigense, or Aborigines, speake drawling; they
are phlegmatique, skins pale and livid, slow and dull, heavy of
spirit: hereabout is but little, tillage or hard labour, they only
milk the cowes and make cheese; they feed chiefly on milke meates,
which cooles their braines too much, and hurts their inventions. These
circumstances make them melancholy, contemplative, and malicious;
by consequence whereof come more law suites out of North Wilts, at
least double to the Southern Parts. And by the same reason they are
generally more apt to be fanatiques: their persons are generally plump
and feggy: gallipot eies, and some black: but they are generally
handsome enough. It is a woodsere country, abounding much with sowre
and austere plants, as sorrel, &c. which makes their humours sowre,
and fixes their spirits. In Malmesbury Hundred, &c. (ye wett clayy
parts) there have ever been reputed witches.
On the downes, sc. the south part, where 'tis all upon tillage, and
where the shepherds labour hard, their flesh is hard, their bodies
strong: being weary after hard labour, they have not leisure to read
and contemplate of religion, but goe to bed to their rest, to rise
betime the next morning to their labour.
----- "redit labor actus in orbem
Agricolae."-VIRGIL, ECLOG.
___________________________________
The astrologers and historians write that the ascendant as of Oxford
is Capricornus, whose lord is Saturn, a religious planet, and patron
of religious men. If it be so, surely this influence runnes all along
through North Wilts, the vale of Glocestershire, and Somersetshire. In
all changes of religions they are more zealous than other; where in
the time of the Rome-Catholique religion there were more and better
churches and religious houses founded than any other part of England
could shew, they are now the greatest fanaticks, even to spirituall
madness: e. g. the multitude of enthusiastes. Capt. Stokes, in his
"Wiltshire Rant, "printed about 1650, recites ye strangest
extravagancies of religion that were ever heard of since the time of
the Gnosticks. The rich wett soile makes them hypochondricall.
"Thus wind i'th Hypochondries pent,
Proves but a blast, if downwards sent;
But if it upward chance to flie
Becomes new light and prophecy."-HUDIBRAS.
[The work above referred to bears the following title: "The Wiltshire
Rant, or a Narrative of the Prophane Actings and Evil Speakings of
Thomas Webbe, Minister of Langley Burrell, &c. By Edward Stokes. "4to.
Lond. 1652.-J. B.]
___________________________________
The Norfolk aire is cleare and fine. Indigente, good clear witts,
subtile, and the most litigious of England: they carry Littleton's
Tenures at the plough taile. Sir Thorn. Browne, M. D., of Norwich,
told me that their eies in that countrey doe quickly decay; which he
imputes to the clearness and driness (subtileness) of the aire.
Wormwood growes the most plentifully there of any part of England;
which the London apothecaries doe send for.
Memorandum.-That North Wiltshire is very worme-woodish and more
litigious than South Wilts,
[A Table of Contents, or List of the Chapters, is prefixed to each
Part, or Volume, of the Manuscript, as follows:-]
THE CHAPTERS.
PART I.
1. Air.
2. Springs Medicinall.
3. Rivers.
4. Soiles.
5. Mineralls and Fossills.
6. Stones.
7. Formed Stones.
8. An Hypothesis of the Terraqueous Globe: a digression "ad mentem
M{emo}ri", R. Hook, R.S.S.
9. Plants.
10. Beastes.
11. Fishes.
12. Birds.
13. Insects and Reptils.
14. Men and Woemen.
15. Diseases and Cures.
16. Observations on some Register Books, as also the Poore Rates and
Taxes of the County, "ad mentem D{omi}ni" W. Petty.
PART II.
1. Worthies.
2. The Grandure of the Herberts, Earles of Pembroke. Wilton House and Garden.
3. Learned Men who received Pensions from the Earles of Pembroke.
4. Gardens - Lavington-garden, Chelsey-garden, &c.
5. Arts - Inventions.
6. Architecture.
7. Agriculture and Improvements.
8. The Downes - Sheep - Shepherds - Pastoralls.
9. Wool.
10. Falling of Rents.
11. History of Cloathing
12. Eminent Cloathiers of this County.
13. Faires and Marketts
14. Hawks and Hawking.
15. The Race.
16. Number of Attorneys in this Countie now and heretofore.
17. Locall Fatality.
18. Accidents.
19. Seates
20. Draughts of the Seates and Prospects [an Appendix].
Memorandum. Anno 1686, ætatis 60.- Mr. David Loggan, the Graver, drew
my picture in black and white, in order to be engraved, which is still
in his hands.
CHAPTER I.
AIR.
[THIS Chapter contains a variety of matter not apposite to Wiltshire.
Besides the passages here quoted, there are accounts of several
remarkable hurricanes, hail storms, &c., in different parts of
England, as well as in Italy. The damage done by "Oliver's wind "(the
storm said to have occurred on the death of the Protector Cromwell) is
particularly noticed: though it may be desirable to state on the
authority of Mr. Carlyle, the eloquent editor of "Cromwell's Letters
and Speeches" (8vo. 1846), that the great tempest which Clarendon
asserts to have raged "for some hours before and after the
Protector's death", really occurred four days previous to that event.
Aubrey no doubt readily adopted the general belief upon the subject.
He quotes, without expressly dissenting from it, the opinion of Chief
Justice Hale, that "whirlewinds and all winds of an extraordinary
nature are agitated by the spirits of air". Lunar rainbows, and
meteors of various kinds, are described in this chapter; together with
prognostics of the seasons from the habits of animals, and some
observations made with the barometer; and under the head of Echoes,
"for want of good ones in this county", there is a long description
by Sir Robert Moray of a remarkable natural echo at Roseneath, about
seventeen miles from Glasgow. On sounds and echoes there are some
curious notes by Evelyn, but these are irrelevant to the subject of
the work.- J. B.]
BEFORE I enter upon the discourse of the AIR of this countie, it would
not be amiss that I gave an account of the winds that most commonly
blow in the western parts of England.
I shall first allege the testimony of Julius Cæsar, who delivers to
us thus: "Corns ventus, qui magnam partem omnis temporis in his locis
flare consuevit". - (Commentaries, lib. v.) To which I will subjoine
this of Mr. Th. Ax, of Somersetshire, who hath made dayly observations
of the weather for these twenty-five years past, since 1661, and finds
that, one yeare with another, the westerly winds, which doe come from
the Atlantick sea, doe blowe ten moneths of the twelve. Besides, he
hath made observations for thirty years, that the mannours in the
easterne parts of the netherlands of Somersetshire doe yield six or
eight per centum of their value; whereas those in the westerne parts
doe yield but three, seldome four per centum, and in some mannours but
two per centum. Hence he argues that the winds carrying these
unwholesome vapours of the low country from one to the other, doe make
the one more, the other less, healthy.
___________________________________
This shire may be divided as it were into three stories or stages.
Chippenham vale is the lowest. The first elevation, or next storie, is
from the Derry Hill, or Bowdon Lodge, to the hill beyond the Devises,
called Red-hone, which is the limbe or beginning of Salisbury plaines.
From the top of this hill one may discerne Our Lady Church Steeple at
Sarum, like a fine Spanish needle. I would have the height of these
hills, as also Hackpen, and those toward Lambourn, which are the
highest, to he taken with the quicksilver barometer, according to the
method of Mr. Edmund Halley in Philosophical Transactions, No. 181.
___________________________________
Now, although Mindip-hills and Whitesheet, &c., are as a barr and
skreen to keep off from Wiltshire the westerly winds and raines, as
they doe in some measure repel those noxious vapours, yet wee have a
flavour of them; and when autumnal agues raigne, they are more common
on the hills than in the vales of this country.
___________________________________
The downes of Wiltshire are covered with mists, when the vales are
clear from them, and the sky serene; and they are much more often here
than in the lowest story or stage.
The leather covers of bookes, &c. doe mold more and sooner in the hill
countrey than in the vale. The covers of my bookes in my closet at
Chalke would be all over covered with a hoare mouldinesse, that I
could not know of what colour the leather was; when my bookes in my
closet at Easton- Piers (in the vale) were not toucht at all with any
mouldiness.
So the roomes at Winterslow, which is seated exceeding high, are very
mouldie and dampish. Mr. Lancelot Moorehouse, Rector of Pertwood, who
was a very learned man, say'd that mists were very frequent there: it
stands very high, neer Hindon, which one would thinke to stand very
healthy: there is no river nor marsh neer it, yet they doe not live
long there.
The wheat hereabout, sc. towards the edge of the downes, is much
subject to be smutty, which they endeavour to prevent by drawing a
cart-rope over the corne after the meldews fall.
Besides that the hill countrey is elevated so high in the air, the
soile doth consist of chalke and mawme, which abounds with nitre,
which craddles the air, and turns it into mists and water.
___________________________________
On the east side of the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke are
pitts called the Mearn-Pitts*, which, though on a high hill, whereon
is a sea marke towards the Isle of Wight, yet they have alwaies water
in them. How they came to be made no man knowes; perhaps the mortar
was digged there for the building of the church.
* Marne is an old French word for marle.
___________________________________
Having spoken of mists it brings to my remembrance that in December,
1653, being at night in the court at Sr. Charles Snell's at Kington
St. Michael in this country, there being a very thick mist, we sawe
our shadowes on the fogg as on a wall by the light of the lanternes,
sc. about 30 or 40 foot distance or more. There were several gentlemen
which sawe this; particularly Mr. Stafford Tyndale. I have been
enformed since by some that goe a bird-batting in winter nights that
the like hath been seen: but rarely.
[A similar appearance to that here mentioned by Aubrey is often
witnessed in mountainous countries, and in Germany has given rise to
many supernatural and romantic legends. The "spectre of the Brocken",
occasionally seen among the Harz mountains in Hanover, is described
by Mr. Brayley in his account of Cumberland, in the Beauties of
England and Wales, to illustrate some analogous appearances, which
greatly astonished the residents near Souterfell, in that county,
about a century ago.- J. B.]
___________________________________
The north part of this county is much influenc't by the river Severne,
which flowes impetuously from the Atlantick Sea. It is a ventiduct,
and brings rawe gales along with it: the tydes bringing a chilnesse
with them.
___________________________________
On the top of Chalke-downe, 16 or 18 miles from the sea, the oakes
are, as it were, shorne by the south and south-west winds; and do
recline from the sea, as those that grow by the sea-side.
___________________________________
A Wiltshire proverb:-
"When the wind is north-west,
The weather is at the best:
If the raine comes out of east
'Twill raine twice twenty-four howres at the least."
I remember Sr. Chr. Wren told me, 1667, that winds might alter, as the
apogæum: e.g. no raine in Egypt heretofore; now common: Spaine
barren; Palseston sun-dried, &c. Quaere, Mr. Hook de hoc.
A proverbial rithme observed as infallible by the inhabitants on the
Severne-side:-
"If it raineth when it doth flow,
Then yoke your oxe, and goe to plough;
But if it raineth when it doth ebb,
Then unyoke your oxe, and goe to bed."
___________________________________
It oftentimes snowes on the hill at Bowden-parke, when no snow falles
at Lacock below it. This hill is higher than Lacock steeple three or
four times, and it is a good place to try experiments. On this parke
is a seate of my worthy friend George Johnson, Esqr., councillor at
lawe, from whence is a large and most delightfull prospect over the
vale of North Wiltshire.
Old Wiltshire country prognosticks of the weather:-
"When the hen doth moult before the cock,
The winter will be as hard as a rock;
But if the cock moults before the hen,
The winter will not wett your shoes seame."
In South Wiltshire the constant observation is that if droppes doe
hang upon the hedges on Candlemas-day that it will be a good pease
yeare. It is generally agreed on to be matter of fact; the reason
perhaps may be that there may rise certain unctuous vapours which may
cause that fertility. [This is a general observation: we have it in
Essex. I reject as superstitious all prognosticks from the weather
on particular days.-JOHN RAY.]
___________________________________
At Hullavington, about 1649, there happened a strange wind, which did
not onely lay down flatt the corne and grasse as if a huge roller had
been drawn over it, but it flatted also the quickset hedges of two or
three grounds of George Joe, Esq.-It was a hurricane.
Anno 1660, I being then at dinner with Mr. Stokes at Titherton, news
was brought in to us that a whirlewind had carried some of the hay-
cocks over high elmes by the house: which bringes to my mind a story
that is credibly related of one Mr. J. Parsons, a kinsman of ours,
who, being a little child, was sett on a hay-cock, and a whirlewind
took him up with half the hay-cock and carried him over high elmes,
and layd him down safe, without any hurt, in the next ground.
___________________________________
Anno 1581, there fell hail-stones at Dogdeane, near Salisbury, as big
as a child's fist of three or four yeares old; which is mentioned in
the Preface of an Almanack by John Securis, Maister of Arts and
Physick, dedicated to ..... Lord High Chancellor. He lived at
Salisbury. "Tis pitty such accidents are not recorded in other
Almanacks in order for a history of the weather.
___________________________________
Edward Saintlow, of Knighton, Esq. was buried in the church of Broad
Chalk, May the 6th, 1578, as appeares by the Register booke. The snow
did then lie so thick on the ground that the bearers carried his body
over the gate in Knighton field, and the company went over the hedges,
and they digged a way to the church porch. I knew some ancient people
of the parish that did remember it. On a May day, 1655 or 1656, being
then in Glamorganshire, at Mr. Jo. Aubrey's at Llanchrechid, I saw the
mountaines of Devonshire all white with snow. There fell but little in
Glamorganshire.
___________________________________
From the private Chronologicall Notes of the learned Edward Davenant,
of Gillingham, D.D.:- "On the 25th of July 1670, there was a rupture
in the steeple of Steeple Ashton by lightning. The steeple was ninety-
three feet high above the tower; which was much about that height.
This being mending, and the last stone goeing to be putt in by the two
master workemen, on the 15th day of October following, a sudden storme
with a clap of thunder tooke up the steeple from the tower, and killed
both the workmen in nictu oculi. The stones fell in and broke part of
the church, but never hurt the font. This account I had from Mr.
Walter Sloper, attorney, of Clement's Inne, and it is registred on the
church wall." [The inscription will be found in the Beauties of
Wiltshire, vol. iii. page 205. It fully details the above
circumstances.-J. B.]
Whilst the breaches were mending and the thunder showr arose, one
standing in the church-yard observed a black cloud to come sayling
along towards the steeple, and called to the workman as he was on the
scaffold; and wisht him to beware of it and to make hast. But before
he went off the clowd came to him, and with a terrible crack threw
down the steeple, sc. about the middle, where he was at worke.
Immediately they lookt up and their steeple was lost.
I doe well remember, when I was seaven yeares old, an oake in a ground
called Rydens, in Kington St. Michael Parish, was struck with
lightning, not in a strait but helical line, scil. once about the tree
or once and a half, as a hop twists about the pole; and the stria
remains now as if it had been made with a gouge.
___________________________________
On June 3rd, 1647, (the day that Cornet Joyce did carry King Charles
prisoner to the Isle of Wight from Holdenby,) did appeare this
phenomenon, [referring to a sketch in the margin which represents two
luminous circles, intersecting each other; the sun being seen in the
space formed by their intersection.-J. B.] which continued from about
ten a clock in the morning till xii. It was a very cleare day, and few
took notice of it because it was so near the sunbeams. It was seen at
Broad Chalke by my mother, who espied it going to see what a clock it
was at an horizontal dial, and then all the servants about the house
sawe it Also Mr. Jo. Sloper the vicar here sawe it with his family,
upon the like occasion looking on the diall. Some of Sr. George
Vaughan of Falston's family who were hunting sawe it. The circles were
of a rainbowe colour: the two filats, that crosse the circle (I
presume they were segments of a third circle) were of a pale colour.
___________________________________
Ignis fatuus, called by the vulgar Kit of the Candlestick, is not very
rare on our downes about Michaelmass. [These ignes fatui, or Jack-o'-
lanthorns, as they are popularly called, are frequently seen in low
boggy grounds. In my boyish days I was often terrified by stories of
their leading travellers astray, and fascinating them.- J. B.]
Biding in the north lane of Broad Chalke in the harvest time in the
twy-light, or scarce that, a point of light, by the hedge, expanded
itselfe into a globe of about three inches diameter, or neer four, as
boies blow bubbles with soape. It continued but while one could say
one, two, three, or four at the most It was about a foot from my
horse's eie; and it made him turn his head quick aside from
it. It was a pale light as that of a glowe-worme: it may be this is
that which they call a blast or blight in the country.
___________________________________
Colonel John Birch shewed me a letter from his bayliff, 166f, at
Milsham, that advertised that as he was goeing to Warminster market
early in the morning they did see fire fall from the sky, which did
seem as big as a bushell I have forgot the day of the moneth.
___________________________________
From Meteors I will passe to the elevation of the poles. See "An
Almanack, 1580, made for the Meridian of Salisbury, whose longitude is
noted to bee ten degrees, and the latitude of the elevation of the
Pole Arctick 51 degrees 47 minutes. By John Securis, Maister of Art
and Physick". To which I will annexe the title of another old
almanack, both which were collected by Mr. Will. Lilly. "Almanack,
1580, compiled and written in the City of Winchester, by Humphrey
Norton, Student in Astronomic, gathered and made for the Pole Arctik
of the said city, where the pole is elevated 51 degrees 42 minutes".
___________________________________
I come now to speak of ECHOS:-
"Vocalis Nymphe; quæ nec reticere loquenti
Nec prior ipsa loqui didicit, resonabilis Echo.
Ille fugit; fugiensque manus complexibus aufert."
- OVID, METAMORPH. lib. iii.
But this coy nymph does not onely escape our hands, but our sight, and
wee doe understand her onely by induction and analogic. As the motion
caused by a stone lett fall into the water is by circles, so sounds
move by spheres in the same manner, which, though obvious enough, I
doe not remember to have seen in any booke.
None of our ecchos in this country that I hear of are polysyllabicall.
When the Gospels or Chapters are read over the choire dore of Our Lady
Church in Salisbury, there is a quick and strong monosyllabicall echo,
which comes presently on the reader's voice: but when the prayers are
read in the choire, there is no echo at all. This reading place is 15
or 16 foot above the levell of the pavement: and the echo does more
especially make its returnes from Our Ladies ChappelL
So in my kitchin-garden at the plain at Chalke is a monosyllabicall
Echo; but it is sullen and mute till you advance .... paces on the
easie ascent, at which place one's mouth is opposite to the middle of
the heighth of the house at right angles; and then, - to use the
expression of the Emperor Nero,-
"-- reparabilis adsonat Echo."-PERSIUS.
___________________________________
Why may I not take the libertie to subject to this discourse of echos
some remarks of SOUNDS? The top of one of the niches in the grot in
Wilton gardens, as one sings there, doth return the note A "re",
lowder, and clearer, but it doth not the like to the eighth of it. The
diameter is 22 inches. But the first time I happened on this kind of
experiment was when I was a scholar in Oxford, walking and singing
under Merton-Colledge gate, which is a Gothique irregular vaulting, I
perceived that one certain note could be returned with a lowd humme,
which was C. "fa", "ut", or D. "sol", "re"; I doe not now well
remember which. I have often observed in quires that at certain notes
of the organ the deske would have a tremulation under my hand. So will
timber; so will one's hat, though a spongie thing, as one holds it
under one's arm at a musique meeting. These accidents doe make me
reflect on the brazen or copper Tympana, mentioned by
Vitruvius, for the clearer and farther conveying the sound of the
recitatores and musicians to the auditors. I am from hence induc't to
be of opinion that these tympana were made according to such and such
proportions, suitable to such and such notes.
Mersennus, or Kircher, sayes, that one may know what quantity of
liquor is in the vessel by the sound of it, knowing before the empty
note. I have severall times heard great brasse pannes ring by the
barking of a hound; and also by the loud voice of a strong man.-(The
voice, if very strong and sharp, will crack a drinking glass.- J.
EVELYN.)
[I have been favoured with a confirmation of this note of Evelyn from
the personal experience of my old friend. Mr. Brayley, who was present
at a party on Ludgate Hill, London, many years ago, when Mr.
Broadhurst, the famed public vocalist, by singing a high note, caused
a wine glass on the table to break, the bowl being separated from the
stem.-J. B.]
___________________________________
After the echos I would have the draught of the house of John Hall, at
Bradford, Esq., which is the best built house for the quality of a
gentleman in Wilts. It was of the best architecture that was commonly
used in King James the First's raigne. It is built all of freestone,
full of windowes, hath two wings: the top of the house adorned with
railes and baristers. There are two if not three elevations or ascents
to it: the uppermost is adorned with terrasses, on which are railes
and baristers of freestone. It faceth the river Avon, which lies
south of it, about two furlongs distant: on the north side is a high
hill. Now, a priori, I doe conclude that if one were on the south side
of the river opposite to this elegant house, that there must of
necessity be a good echo returned from the house; and probably if one
stand east or west from the house at a due distance, the wings will
afford a double echo.
Pages:
1 |
2 | 3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17