cop, the monk that brought the feat of
glazing first into this land), did make panels of horn instead of
glass, and fix them in wooden calmes. But as horn in windows is now
quite laid down in every place, so our lattices are also grown into
less use, because glass is come to be so plentiful, and within a very
little so good cheap, if not better than the other. I find obscure
mention of the specular stone also to have been found and applied to
this use in England, but in such doubtful sort as I dare not affirm
it for certain. Nevertheless certain it is that antiquity used it
before glass was known, under the name of _selenites_. And how glass
was first found I care not greatly to remember, even at this present,
although it be directly beside my purposed matter. In Syria Phenices,
which bordereth upon Jewry, and near to the foot of Mount Carmel,
there is a moor or marsh whereout riseth a brook called sometime
Belus, and falleth into the sea near to Ptolemais. This river was
fondly ascribed unto Baal, and also honoured under that name by the
infidels long time before there was any king in Israel. It came to
pass also, as a certain merchant sailed that way, loaden with nitrum,
the passengers went to land for to repose themselves, and to take in
some store of fresh water into their vessel. Being also on the shore,
they kindled a fire and made provision for their dinner, but (because
they wanted trevets or stones whereon to set their kettles on) ran by
chance into the ship, and brought great pieces of nitrum with them,
which served their turn for that present. To be short, the said
substance being hot, and beginning to melt, it mixed by chance with
the gravel that lay under it, and so brought forth that shining
substance which now is called glass, and about the time of Semiramis.
When the company saw this, they made no small accompt of their
success, and forthwith began to practise the like in other mixtures,
whereby great variety of the said stuff did also ensue. Certes for
the time this history may well be true, for I read of glass in Job;
but, for the rest, I refer me to the common opinion conceived by
writers. Now, to turn again to our windows. Heretofore also the
houses of our princes and noblemen were often glazed with beryl (an
example whereof is yet to be seen in Sudeley Castle) and in divers
other places with fine crystal, but this especially in the time of
the Romans, whereof also some fragments have been taken up in