s 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.[2]

[2] Here ends the chapter entitled "Minerals," and the one
on "Metals" begins.--W.

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 that she tendeth always to the procreation of gold;
nevertheless she seldom reacheth unto that her end, because of the
unequal mixture and proportion of these two in the substance
engendered, whereby impediment and corruption is induced, which as it
is more or less doth shew itself in the metal that is produced....

And albeit that we have no such abundance of these (as some other
countries do yield), yet have my rich countrymen store enough of both
in their purses, where in time past they were wont to have least,
because the garnishing of our churches, tabernacles, images, shrines,
and apparel of the priests consumed the greatest part, as experience
hath confirmed.

Of late my countrymen have found out I wot not what voyage into the
West Indies, from whence they have brought some gold, whereby our
country is enriched; but of all that ever adventured into those
parts, none have sped better than Sir Francis Drake, whose success
(1582) hath far passed even his own expectation. One John Frobisher
in like manner, attempting to seek out a shorter cut by the northerly
regions into the peaceable sea and kingdom of Cathay, happened (1577)
upon certain islands by the way, wherein great plenty of much gold