-J. B.]
CHAPTER V.
MINERALLS AND FOSSILLS.
[IN its etymological sense the term fossil signifies that which may be
dug out of the earth. It is strictly applicable therefore, not only to
mineral bodies, and the petrified forms of plants and animals found in
the substance of the earth, but even to antiquities and works of art,
discovered in a similar situation. The chapter of Aubrey's work now
under consideration mentions only mineralogical subjects; whence it
would appear that he employed the term "mineralls" instead of
"metals", including such mineral substances as were not metals under
the general term "fossills".
At present the term fossil is restricted to antediluvian organic
remains; which are considered by Aubrey, in Chapter VII. under the
name of "Formed Stones".-J. B.]
THIS county cannot boast much of mineralls: it is more celebrated for
superficiall treasure.
At Dracot Cerne and at Easton Piers doe appeare at the surface of the
earth frequently a kind of bastard iron oare, which seems to be a
vancourier of iron oare, but it is in small quantity and course.
At Send, vulgarly called Seen, the hill whereon it stands is iron-
oare, and the richest that ever I saw. (See Chap. II.)
About Hedington fields, Whetham, Bromham, Bowdon Parke, &c. are still
ploughed-up cindres; sc. the scoria of melted iron, which must have
been smelted by the Romans (for the Saxons were no artists), who used
only foot-blasts, and so left the best part of the metall behind.
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