ous and general aspersion on the English clergy."* This Sir Roger appeared a zelot in their defence, and not only removed the bastard [calumny] from their doors, at which it was laid, but also carried the falsehood home to the true father thereof, and urged it shrewdly against the person who in that place first revived the aspersion.

KING JAMES.

'14. ROWLAND COTTON, Miles.-Incredible are the most true relations, which many eye-witnesses, still alive, do make of the valour and activity of this most accomplished knight; so strong, as if he had been nothing but bones; so nimble, as if he had being nothing but sinews.

CHARLES I.

2. RICHARD NEWPORT, Miles.-Signal his fidelity to the king, even in his lowest condition, by whom he was deservedly rewarded with the title of Baron of High-Arcol in this county, being created at Oxford, the 14th of October, 1642. His son Francis, lord Newport at this day, 1660, honoureth his honour with his learning and other natural accomplishments.

THE FAREWELL.

May this Shire, by Divine Providence, be secured from the sweating sickness, which first began and twice raged in the town of Shrewsbury! The cure was discovered too late to save many, yet soon enough to preserve more thousands of men; viz. by keeping the patient in the same posture wherein he was seized, without food or physic; and such who weathered out the disease for twenty-four hours did certainly escape.

WORTHIES OF SHROPSHIRE WHO HAVE FLOURISHED SINCE THE TIME OF FULLER.

William ADAMS, divine and author; born at Shrewsbury 1707; died 1739.

Richard ALLESTREE, loyal divine, provost of Eton; born at Uppington 1619; died 1680.

Richard BAXTER, nonconformist divine, author, and sufferer; born at Rowton 1615; died 1691.

William BAXTER, nephew of Richard, antiquary and etymologist; born at Llanlurgan 1650; died 1723.

Thomas BEDDOES, physician, and experimental philosopher born at Shifnall 1760; died 1808.

* "Quo genere hominum nihil est putidius."

John BENBOW, Admiral, born at Cotton Hill, Shrewsbury, 1650; died 1702.

John Brickdale BLAKEWAY, divine, historian, antiquary, and genealogist; born at Shrewsbury 1765; died 1826.

James BOWEN, antiquary and genealogist; died 1774.
John BowEN, son of the above, genealogist; died 1832.
Dr. Charles BURNEY, musician, historian of music; born at
Shrewsbury 1726; died 1814.

William CASLON, letter-founder; born at Hales Owen 1692; died 1766.

Matthew CLARKE, divine and orientalist; born at Ludlow; died 1702.

William CLARKE, divine, poet, and antiquary; born at Haughmond Abbey 1696; died 1771.

Lord Robert CLIVE, East Indian conqueror; born at Styche 1725; died 1774.

George COSTARD, divine, biblical critic, and mathematician; born at Shrewsbury 1710.

Sneyd DAVIES, divine and poet; born at Shrewsbury 1709.
John DOVASTON, antiquary and naturalist; born at Nursery in .
West Felton 1740.

John EVANS, topographer, author of "Nine Sheet Map of
North Wales;" born at Llwynygroes; died 1795.

Hugh FARMER, presbyterian divine, author on Demoniacs, &c.; born near Shrewsbury 1714; died 1787.

Robert GENTLEMAN, dissenter, editor of "Orton's Exposition;" born at Whitchurch; died 1795.

Thomas GOOD, divine, author of "Firmianus et Dubitantius ;" died 1678.

Dr. Ralph GRIFFITHS, founder of the Monthly Review, 1720. Sir Thomas HIGGONS, diplomatist and miscellaneous writer; born at Westbury 1624; died 1691.

Right Hon. Richard HILL, statesman; born at Hodnet; died 1727.

Sir Richard HILL, bart. M.P., and controversial polemic; born at Hawkstone 1733; died 1808.

Rev. Rowland HILL, dissenting divine and theological writer; born at Hawkestone 1744; died 1833.

Sir Thomas JONES, Lord Chief Justice, born at Shrewsbury; died 1683.

Francis LEIGHTON, divine and antiquary; died 1813.

Adam LITTLETON, divine, Latin lexicographer; born at Hales Owen 1627; died 1694.

Edward LLOYD, naturalist and antiquary; born at Llanvarder; died 1709.

Sir Edward LUTWYCHE, judge, author of "Reports ;" born at Lutwyche; died 1709.

Thomas LYSTER, author of "Blessings of the year 1688;" born at Duncott; died 1723.

Arthur MAINWARING, poetical and political writer; born at Ightfield 1668.

Timothy NEVE, divine and antiquary; born at Wotton in Stanton Lacy 1694; died 1757.

Job ORTON, nonconformist divine and author, and biographer of Doddridge; born at Shrewsbury 1717; died 1783. Hugh OWEN, archdeacon of Salop, historian and antiquary; born at Shrewsbury; died 1827.

William OWEN, R.A., portrait painter; born 1769; died 1824. David PARKES, topographical antiquary; born at Cackmore in Hales Owen 1763; died 1833.

Robert PARR; born at Kinver 1633; died 1757, aged 124. He was great grandson of Thomas Parr, who lived to the age of 152.

Thomas PERCY, bishop of Dromore, poetical antiquary; born at Brignorth 1729; died 1811.

John SADLER, M.P., law-writer, author of "Rights of the Kingdom;" born 1615; died 1674.

Dr. Jonathan SCOTT, oriental professor and author; born at Shrewsbury; died 1829.

William SHENSTONE, poet; born at the Leasowes, Hales Owen, 1714; died 1763.

Thomas STEDMAN, divine and author, friend of Job Orton, born at Bridgnorth 1745; died 1825.

John TAYLOR, divine, "Demosthenes Taylor," classical critic; born at Shrewsbury 1704; died 1766.

Silas Taylor, alias Domville, author of "Antiquities of Harwich," &c.; born at Harly 1624; died 1678.

Jonathan WILD, the notorious thief-taker, and the hero of Ainsworth's "Jack Sheppard;" born at Boninghale 1682. Edward WILLIAMS, divine, classical scholar, and antiquary; died 1833.

William WYCHERLEY, dramatist, comic poet, and wit; born at Clive, near Wem, 1640; died 1715.

Of Shropshire there is as yet no regular historian; but of the county town of Shrewsbury various histories and descriptions, by different authors, have made their appearance; viz. by T. Phillips (1779); by the Rev. H. Owen (1808); by the Rev. J. Nightingale, in the 13th volume of the Beauties of England and Wales (1813); and by J. B. Blakeway (1826). There have also been published an Historical Account of Ludlow Castle, by J. W. Hodges (1803); a Description of Hawkstone, by T. Rodenhurst (1807); the History of Oswestry, by Wm. Price (1815); and The Sheriffs of Shropshire, by the Rev. J. B. Blakeway (1831).-ED.

SOMERSETSHIRE.

SOMERSETSHIRE hath the Severn sea on the north, Gloucestershire on the north-east, Wiltshire on the east, Dorsetshire on the south, and Devonshire on the west. Some will have it so called from the summerliness, or temperate pleasantness thereof: with whom we concur, whilst they confine their etymologies to the air; dissent, if they extend it to the earth, which in winter is as winterly, deep, and dirty, as any in England. The truth is, it is so named from Somerton, the most ancient town in the county. It stretcheth from east to west fifty-five miles, and from north to south forty-two miles.

No shire can shew finer ware, which hath so large measure; being generally fruitful, though little moisture be used thereon. The inhabitants will tell you that there be several single acres in this shire (believe them of the larger size, and sesqui-jugera, if measured) which may serve a good round family with bread for a year, as affording a bushel of wheat for every week therein, a proportion not easily to be paralleled in other places.

NATURAL COMMODITIES.

LEAD.

Plenty of the best (for the kind thereof) is digged out of Mendip hills. Indeed it is not so soft, pliant, and equally fusile, as that in Derbyshire; not so proper for sheeting, because, when melted, it runs into knots, and therefore little known to, and less used by, our London plumbers; for, being of a harder nature, it is generally transported beyond the seas, and employed to make bullets and shot, for which purpose it is excellent. May foreigners enjoy wild lead, to kill men; whilst we make use of tame lead, to cover houses, and keep people warm and dry therein.

It is almost incredible what great sums were advanced to the bishops of Bath and Wells by the benefit of lead, since the latter end of queen Elizabeth. Bishop Still is said to have had the harvest, bishop Montague the gleanings, bishop Lake the stubble thereof; and yet considerable was the profit of lead to him and his successors.

LAPIS CALAMINARIS.

Plenty hereof is also found in Mendip hills; and it is much used in physic (being very good, as artificially ordered, for the clearing of the sight), and more by metallists; for brass, no original, but a compound metal, is made of this stone and copper; and becometh more hard than copper alone, and therefore the more servicable for many other purposes.

And now the riddle in nature, which so long hath posed me, is at last explained; viz. how it can come to pass that brass, being made of the best copper with much art and industry, is notwithstanding afforded some pence in the pound cheaper than copper itself. This cometh to pass, because the calaminarystone, being of itself not worth above six-pence in the pound, doth in the composition metalescere, turn metal, in the mixture thereof; whereby the mass and bulk of brass is much advanced.

I have no more to observe of this stone, save that it was first discovered in this county in that juncture of time when the copper mines were newly re-discovered in Cumberland, God doubling his gift by the seasonable giving thereof.

CHEESE.

The best and biggest in England are made at Chedder, in this county. They may be called Corporation Cheeses, made by the joint dairies of the whole parish putting their milk together; and each one, poor and rich, receive their share according to their proportion: so that some may think, that the unity and amity of those female neighbours, living so lovingly together, giveth the better runnet and relish to their handywork.

If any ask, why as good cheese may not be made in the vicinage, where the soil is as rich, and the same housewifery? it will be demanded of them, why (nails must be driven out with nails) the like cheese, in colour, taste, and tenderness, may not be made at Cremona as at Parma, both lying in Lombardy near together, and sharing equally in all visible advantages of fatness and fruitfulness. The worst fault of Chedder cheese is, they are so few and dear, hardly to be met with, save at some great man's table.

WOAD,

In Latin glastum or glaustum, was much used by the ancient Britons for the painting of their faces; for I believe it will hardly be proved that they dyed their whole bodies. Say not, painted terribleness is no terribleness, rather ridiculous than formidable, seeing vizards are more frightful than men's own faces. This woad gave the Britons a deep black tincture, as if they would blow up their enemies with their sulphureous countenances.

Our dyers make much use thereof, being color ad colorem,