The Natural History of Wiltshire | Page 7

II. THE GRANDEUR OF THE HERBERTS, EARLS OF PEMBROKE:- Description of Wilton. House; Pictures, Library, Armoury, Gardens, Stables ; the Earl's Hounds and Hawks, Tilting at Wilton, &c.
CHAP. III. LEARNED MEN WHO HAD PENSIONS GRANTED TO THEM BY THE EARLS OF PEMBROKE:- With Notices of Mary, Countess of Pembroke, Dr. Mouffet, William Browne, Philip Massinger, J. Donne, &c.
CHAP. IV. GARDENS:- At Lavington, Chelsea, Wilton, Longleat
CHAP. V. ARTS, LIBERAL AND MECHANICAL:- Learning, Colleges; Trades, Inventions, Machinery
CHAP. VI. ARCHITECTURE:- Stonehenge, Avebury, Old Sarum, Salisbury Cathedral, Wardour Castle, Calne Church, Painted Glass, Bradenstoke Priory, Market Crosses, Paving Tiles, Old Mansions, Church Bells
CHAP. VII. AGRICULTURE:- Manures, Water Meadows, Butter and Cheese, Malting and Brewing
CHAP. VIII. THE DOWNES:- Pastoral Life, Sydney's Arcadia; Sheep, Shepherds, Pastoral Poetry
CHAP. IX. WOOL:- Qualities of Wool; its Growth, and Manufacture
CHAP. X. FALLING OF RENTS in Wiltshire attributed to the reduced price of Wool
CHAP. XI. HISTORY OF THE CLOTHING TRADE:- Merchants of the Staple; Introduction of the Cloth Manufacture
CHAP. XII. EMINENT CLOTHIERS or WILTSHIRE:- John Hall, of Salisbury; William Stump, of Malmsbury; Paul Methuen, of Bradford, &c.
CHAP. XIII. FAIRS AND MARKETS:-At Castle-Combe, Wilton, Chilmark, Salisbury, Devizes, Warminster, Marlborough, Lavington, Highworth, Swindon
CHAP. XIV. HAWKS AND HAWKING:- Extraordinary Flight, Historical Details
CHAP. XV. THE RACE:- Salisbury Races, Famous Race Horses, Stobball-play
CHAP. XVI. NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS IN WILTSHIRE:- Increase of Attorneys the Cause of Litigation
CHAP. XVII. FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES:- Norrington, Castle- Combe, Stanton St. Quintin, Easton Piers
CHAP. XVIII. ACCIDENTS, OR REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES:- Destruction of Marlborough by Fire; Cure of the King's Evil, Pretended Witchcraft, Mysterious Knockings at North Tidworth, Witches Executed at Salisbury, Phantoms
CHAP. XIX. SEATS:- Merton, Ivy-church, Littlecot, Longleat, Tottenham Park, Wardour Castle
CHAP. XX. DRAUGHTS OF THE SEATS AND PROSPECTS:- Aubrey's Instructions to the Artists for a Map of the County, with Engravings of the Principal Buildings and Views
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MEMOIRES
OF
NATURALL REMARQUES
IN THE
County of Wilts:
TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED,
OBSERVABLES OF THE SAME KIND
IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY, AND
FLYNTSHIRE.
BY
MR. JOHN AUBREY, R.S.S.
1685.
PSALM 92, v. 5, 6. "0 LORD, HOW GLORIOUS ARE THY WORKES: THY THOUGHTS ARE VERY DEEP. AN UNWISE MAN DOTH NOT WELL CONSIDER THIS: AND A FOOL DOTH NOT UNDERSTAND IT."
PSALM 77, v. 11. "I WILL REMEMBER THE WORKES OF THE LORD: AND CALL TO MIND THY WONDERS OF OLD TIME."
GRATII PALISCI CYNEGETICON.
"O RERUM PRUDENS QUANTUM EXPERIENTIA VULGO MATERIEM LARGILIA BONI, SI VINCERE CURENT DESIDIAM, ET GRATOS AGITANDO PREBENDERE FINES ! ------- DEUS AUCTOR, ET IPSA AREM ALUIT NATURA SUAM."
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TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THOMAS, EARLE OF PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERIE,
LORD HERBERT OF CAERDIFFE, &c.;
ONE OF THE PRIVY COUNCELL TO THEIR MAJESTIES, AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYALL SOCIETIE.
[A page is appropriated in the manuscript to the Author's intended DEDICATION ; the name and titles of his patron only being filled in, as above.
The nobleman named is particularly mentioned by Aubrey in his
Chapter on
"The Worthies of Wiltshire", printed in a subsequent part of this volume. He was Earl of Pembroke from 1683 till his death in 1733; and was distinguished for his love of literature and the fine arts. He formed the Wilton Collection of marbles, medals, and coins; and succeeded John, Earl of Carbery, as President of the Royal Society, in November, 1689.- J. B.]
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PREFACE.
TILL about the yeare 1649,* 'twas held a strange presumption for a man to attempt an innovation in learning; and not to be good manners to be more knowing than his neighbours and forefathers. Even to attempt an improvement in husbandry, though it succeeded with profit, was look't upon with an ill eie. "Quo non Livor abit?"? Their neighbours did scorne to follow it, though not to do it was to their own detriment. 'Twas held a sinne to make a scrutinie into the waies of nature; whereas Solomon saieth, "Tradidit mundum disputationibus hominum": and it is certainly a profound part of religion to glorify GOD in his workes.?
* Experimentall Philosophy was then first cultivated by a club at Oxon.
? Ovid. Fast.
? "Deus est maximus in minimis. Prs?sentemque refert qu?libet Herba Deum".
In those times to have had an inventive and enquiring witt was accounted resverie [affectation§], which censure the famous Dr. William Harvey could not escape for his admirable discovery of the circulation of the blood. He told me himself that upon his publishing that booke he fell in his practice extremely.
§ [The words inclosed within brackets are inserted in Aubrey's manuscript above the preceding words, of which they were intended as corrections or modifications. If the work had been printed by the author he would doubtless have adopted those words which he deemed most expressive of his meaning.- J. B.]
Foreigners say of us that we are "Lyncei foris, Talp? domi". There is no nation abounds with greater varietie of soiles, plants, and mineralls than ours; and therefore it very well deserves to be surveyed. Certainly there is no hunting to be compared with "Venatio Panos"; and to take no notice at all of