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.
Pages:
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591