sea, which hath devoured the greatest
part of Cornwall and Devonshire on either side; and it doth appear yet by
good record that, whereas now there is a great distance between the Scilly
Isles and the point of the Land's End, there was of late years to speak
of scarcely a brook or drain of one fathom water between them, if so much,
as by those evidences appeareth, and are yet to be seen in the hands of
the lord and chief owner of those isles. But to proceed.

Of coal-mines we have such plenty in the north and western parts of our
island as may suffice for all the realm of England; and so must they do
hereafter indeed, if wood be not better cherished than it is at this
present. And so say the truth, notwithstanding that very many of them are
carried into other countries of the main, yet their greatest trade
beginneth now to grow from the forge into the kitchen and hall, as may
appear already in most cities and towns that lie about the coast, where
they have but little other fuel except it be turf and hassock. I marvel
not a little that there is no trade of these into Sussex and
Southamptonshire, for want thereof the smiths do work their iron with
charcoal. I think that far carriage be the only cause, which is but a
slender excuse to enforce us to carry them into the main from hence.

Besides our coal-mines, we have pits in like sort of white plaster, and of
fat and white and other coloured marble, wherewith in many places the
inhabitors do compest their soil, and which doth benefit their land in
ample manner for many years to come. We have saltpetre for our ordinance
and salt soda for our glass, and thereto in one place a kind of earth (in
Southery; as I ween, hard by Codington, and sometime in the tenure of one
Croxton of London) which is so fine to make moulds for goldsmiths and
casters of metal, that a load of it was worth five shillings thirty years
ago; none such again they say in England. But whether there be or not, let
us not be unthankful to God, for these and other his benefits bestowed
upon us, whereby he sheweth himself a loving and merciful father unto us,
which contrariwise return unto him in lieu of humility and obedience
nothing but wickedness, avarice, mere contempt of his will, pride, excess,
atheism, and no less than Jewish ingratitude.[177]

All metals receive their beginning of quicksilver and sulphur, which are
as mother and father to them. And such is the purpose of nature in their
generations tha