Extracts of Several Letters from Mr. Edward Lhwyd, (M. A.) Late Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, to Dr. Rich. Richardson, (M. D.) of North Bierly in Yorkshire; Containing Observations in Natural History and Antiquities, Made in His Travels thro' Wales and Scotland. Communicated by Dr. Hans Sloane, R. S. Secr.

IX. Extracts of several Letters from Mr. Edward Lhwyd, (M.A.) late Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, to Dr. Rich. Richardson, (M.D.) of North Bierly in Yorkshire; containing Observations in Natural History and Antiquities, made in his Travels thro' Wales and Scotland. Communicated by Dr. Hans Sloane, R.S. Secr. Oxford, Novemb. 24. 1696. The next Day after we parted [at Kapel Kirig] I found plenty of the Bistorta, and the Nasturtium petraeum of Johnson, and I think a new Plant in the small Lake of Phynnon Urich, where the Subularia grew. I sent Roots of the Bistorta and Nasturtium, both to the D. of Beaufort's and to this Physic Garden; but whether they live or no I know not, having not been yet in Mr. Bobart's Garden. I met with several rare Plants in other Places; as Eckium marinum J.B. Asparagus sylvestr. Eruca marina; Eruca sylvestris laciniata lutea; Dulcamara marina; Tithymalus marit. Beta marina; &c. in Caernarvonshire and Anglesey: And in Meirionydhshire I found good store of our Snowdon Plants at Kader Idris, and Balsamina lutea in the High Road near a Place called Capel Begla. In South Wales I found several Plants common, which I had never seen in North Wales; such as Eruca sylvestris, common on the Walls of their Towns and Castles; Asplenium f. Ceterach Officin. Centaureum lucenm perfoliatum; Linum sylvestre; Fagus, &c. in Pembrokeshire. I met with two, which I suspect for new, viz. a *Tripolium*, and an *Anthyllis leguminosa supina*, flore coccineo. Amongst several others, I found one large Crystal above *Phynnon Urech* about 7 Inches long, and as thick as my Wrist. In Monmouthshire I met with large petrified Vertebrae, and some few form'd Stones in each County: But I employed the greatest part of my time in copying Inscriptions, taking Catalogues of Welsh Manuscripts, &c. **Chepstow in Monmouthshire, May 13, 1697.** Since my coming from Oxford, I spent 3 or 4 Days in the Coal-Pits of the Forest of Dean; where I found (I think) all your Capillaries, besides some other new Plants, three or four whereof are here figured; together with two Species of *Astropodium* gather'd on the Severn Shoar, the only Rarities of the kind, I suppose, that have been discover'd. I doubt not but (as you say) the Coal Plants have been observed by the Workmen long since, tho' they escaped the Notice of Naturalists, who till this last Century contented themselves with bare reading and scribbling Paper. I find it well known to all our Country Colliers by the Name of Carreg Redynog, i.e. the Ferny Stone; and one Mr Williams, Archdeacon of Cardigan, who is a Person very curious and ingenious, told me he had observed much finer Patterns 25 Years since in the Coal Pits of Glamorganshire than some that I shewed him. The whole Breken that Kirkman mentioned was a noble Curiosity: We saw none such in the Forest; tho' we found them much larger than those you sent. The Stalks of Fern and Hartstongue I think we often met with, but cannot say we saw any Roots. Indeed I know not well whe- ther the Impressions of the Stalks might be easily distin- guish'd from those of the Roots. We also often met with the membranaceous substance of Leaves; and per- haps one or two of these Figures I send you are the re- presentations of some Flowers. TAB. I. Fig. 1. Astropodium furcatum: five stellae ma- rine Magellanicae Radii lapidei. Fig. 2. Astropodium ramulosum: five stella arborecentis Virgultum lapideum. Fig. 3. Hexapetalon carbonarium. Fig. 4. Radiatula, &c. An Flos cujusdam Chrysanthemi? Fig. 5. Phyllitis trifolia. Fig. 6. Abietis, an potius Lycopodij cujusdam ramulus? Narberth, Pembrokehire, June 19. 1698. I have been very inquisitive about Coyns of the Princes of Wales since I began this Undertaking, but could never see one of them; tho' the Bishop of Bangor (who is very well skill'd in British Antiquities) told me a Re- lation of his kept one of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, who was cotemporary with Richard I and K. John, in his Pocket several Years, and shewed it many of the Bishops Ac- quaintance, still living, who confirm it. By the Princes of Wales I understand the British Princes from K. Kad- waladr about the Year 600. to the last Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydh about the Year 1280. I have found several of the more ancient British Coyns; whereof you see di- vers Figures in Camden. My Friend Mr Nicholson quotes Caesar for the Britons having no Coyns; whereas on the contrary Caesar's Words are, Nummo utuntur parvo et aeneo: Nor can I see any reason to doubt of British Coyns of all sorts of Metal, till he or some other inform whose Coyns those are which Mr Camden and other Writers take to be British. The Druid Beads are generally Glass. Since the last Edition of Camden I have meet with 2 or 3 of them, that had a Snake manifestly painted round them: So that I take it for granted, the Ova Anguina of the British Druids were these Glass Beads; tho' those of the Gaulish were the Shells of the Echini orbiculati laticlavij. Hay in Brecon, Sept. 19. 1698. We searched this Summer the high Mountain by Breconock called T Vann uwch deni, but found nothing in it new, nor any great variety of rare Plants. The most choice were Sedum Alpinum ericoides, in abundance; Argemone lutea; Rhodia Radix; Muscus cupressiformis, and about half a dozen more of the common Snowdon Plants. Lysimachia Chamencrion dicta is a common Plant (by the Name of Lhyfe'r Milwr, i.e. Herba militaris) in the Meadows through all the upper Parts of this County. We also met with Sorbus legitima and Sorbus torminalis (grown to as great a height as the Ormus) neither of which had ever occur'd before in Wales. But of all these Topical Plants I was surprised at none so much as the Capillus Veneris verus growing very plentifully out of a marly Incrustation, both at Barry Island and Port Kirig in Glamorganshire, and out of no other Matter; and also that Gnaphalium majus Americanum should grow on the Banks of Rymny River (which runs altogether over Iron Stone) for the space of at least 12 Miles, beginning near the Fountain-head in a Mountain of this County; and yet not a Plant of it to be seen elsewhere throughout Wales. In a great Lake called Lhyn Savaedhan I found a pellucid Plant I had never met with before: The Leaves are extraordinary thin and transparent, in form not unlike small Dock Leaves; but the middle Rib is continued beyond the extremity, so that each Leaf has a soft Prickle at the end: By which Note I hope you will be able to tell me what it is. We found there also the *Hippuris saxea*, and two elegant sorts of small Leeches, which I suppose not describ'd. The Limestone of this County affords small *Glossopetrae* and *Siliquastra*; but they are but very scarce in comparison of the quantity found in Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Berks, &c. The most considerable Rarities it affords are *Fayrie Causways*, which I call so in imitation of their Giants Causway in Ireland, *si liceat magnis componere parva*: for whereas theirs may be half a Mile long; ours seldom exceed 3 Foot. Our Lime Quarries yield two or three Bodies congenerous with it, tho' of a very different Form; and perhaps all may be referable to the Coral-line Class, which is the second in my Catalogue. **TAB. I. Fig. 7.** A green Adders Bead, adorn'd with Snakes Skeleton's of a Citrine colour. **Fig. 8.** A black Adders Bead, adorn'd with 9 small Snakes or *cornua Ammonis* of a whitish blew. **Fig. 9.** An Adders Bead resembling Cherry-tree Gum, adorn'd with a Snake chequer'd of blew and white. *Linlithgow in Scotland, Decemb. 17. 1699.* In this King'dom our Travels in the High-Lands were through Cantire, Argyle, and Lorn, beside the Isles of Mac y Chormic, Mul, and y Columb Kil; and in the Low-Lands through Glasgow, Sterling, and Edenbrough. In the High-Lands we found the People every where civil enough; and had doubtless sped better as to our Enquiries, had we had the Language more perfect. We met with several Inscriptions, but none of them Roman, nor indeed ancient: However, we copied all we met of Two hundred Years standing, &c. for the sake take of the Orthography of the Irish Names, which are writ differently from what is now usual. We also took Figures of some Variety of their Broaches, or Silver and Brass Fibulae used by the Women to clasp their Keleriv, a Garment answering our Nightrails. But what we were most diverted with, was their Variety of Amulets; many of which (if not all) were certainly used by the Druids, and so have been handed down from Parents to Children ever since. Some of these may be render'd in English, 1. Snake-button. 2. Cock knee Stone. 3. Toad-stone. 4. Snail-stone. 5. Molestone. 6. Shower-stone; and 7. Elf-arrow. 1. The Snake-button is the same described in the Notes on Denbighshire in Camden, by the Name of Adder-Beads: But there are of these great Variety, as to Colour and Ornament; insomuch, that betwixt Wales and the Highlands, I have seen at least fifty differences of them. In Ireland, though they are tenacious enough of all old Customs, I could hear nothing of them: So I conclude, that either the Irish had no Druids, or that their want of Snakes frustrated their advancing that Imposture amongst the People: But there were but a few Places where we inquired; and perhaps we may hereafter hear of them in other Parts of that Kingdom. Not only the Vulgar, but even Gentlemen of good Education throughout all Scotland, are fully persuaded the Snakes make them, though they are as plain Glass as any in a Bottle. 2. The Cock-knee Stone is an Echinites pileatus minor, of Flint; which they firmly believe to be sometimes found in the Knees of old Cock; and a Fellow in Mul protested to me (though I was never the nearer believing him) that he had with his own Hands taken one of them out of a Cock's Knee; and named two or three others, who had done the like. 3. The Toad-stone is some Pebble, remarkable for its Shape and sometimes variety of Colours. This is presumed to prevent the burning of a House, and the sinking of a Boat: And if a Commander in the Field has one of them about him, he will either be sure to win the Day, or all his Men shall fairly dye on the spot: 4. The Snail-stone is a small hollow Cylinder of blue Glass, composed of four or five Annulets: So that as to Form and Size it resembles a midling Entrochus. This, amongst others of its mysterious Virtues, cures Sore Eyes. 5. The Mole-stones are Rings of blue Glass, annulated as the aforesaid Snail Stones. 6. They have the Ombriae pellucidae (which are Crystal Balls, or Hemispheres, or depressed Ovals) in great Esteem for curing of Cattle; and some on May Day put them into a Tub of Water, and besprinkle all their Cattle with that Water, to prevent being Elf-struck, bewitch'd, &c., And 7. As to this Elf-stricking, their Opinion is, that the Fairies (having not much Power themselves to hurt Animal Bodies) do sometimes carry away Men in the Air, and furnishing them with Bows and Arrows, employ them to shoot Men, Cattle, &c. I doubt not but you have often seen of those Arrow-Heads they ascribe to Elfs or Fairies: They are just the same chip'd Flints the Natives of New England head their Arrows with at this Day; and there are also several Stone Hatchets found in this Kingdom, not unlike those of the Americans. I never heard of these Arrow-heads nor Hatchets in Wales; and therefore would gladly be informed whether you have ever heard of their being found in England. These Elf Arrow-heads have not been used as Amulets above thirty or forty Years; but the use of the rest is immemorial: Whence I gather they were not invented for Charms, Charms, but were once used in shooting here, as they are still in America. The most Curious, as well as the Vulgar throughout this Country, are satisfied they often drop out of the Air, being shot by Fairies, and relate many Instances of it; but for my part I must crave leave to suspend my Faith, until I see one of them descend. Near Glascon we found two Fossils toto genere new: One resembling small Joyns of a Lobster's Arm, but much longer; the other somewhat like large Glosopterae, or perhaps like the Mucro of a Pinna marina. These figur'd Stones are found there in an Iron stone, though I never saw them in that kind of Matter in Wales. We found both Shells and Entrochi gone off to that Substance, having changed their Matter and much of their Shape. Near the same Town searching for these Fossils, I found in the midst of the Lime-stone some Cochlite compos'd of Flint; but Conchite of Spar, gone off so far from the shape of Shells, as hardly to be known, were it not from others in the same Place retaining their Shape more entirely. The Principal of the College shew'd us Stones, he had lately procured for the Library; having Roman Inscriptions. These we copied, and several others elsewhere of the same Date; whereof some are printed in Camden (tho' not very correctly) and others not yet publish'd. They keep these Stones at Glascon very carefully in the Library; and the Principal was daily expecting two or three more that had been promised him. Mr. Southerland gave me Specimens of the Chamapericlymenum, Adiantum acrosticon, and Pyrola Alpines flore Europea. I had nothing for him in exchange, but Samples of the Vitis Idea foljs Myrtinis crispis Meretti, together with some of the Berries. This I found plentifully for some Miles together in that —— and of Mul, next next to Ey Columb Kil. 'Tis very different from the common Vitis Idea sempervirens fructu rubro; being a larger Plant, much more branched; the Leaves of a crisp'd Surface, and the Berries (which as they told me it retains all the Year) liker unto those of Holly. Going up one of the high Hills of Mul we found Rhodia Radix; Pes Cati; Cotyledon hirsut. Vaccinia rubra; Sedum Alp. trifido folio; and (which I had never seen grow spontaneously) Alchimilla Alpina quinquefolia. We found in this Island a curious Fucus arboreus with a ruff'd Stalk, whereof we took a Figure. X. An Abridgement of a Book intitl'd, A Description of the Plague, which happened in the Royal City of Dantzick, in the Year 1709. Written in High-Dutch by Dr. John Christoph. Gottwald, and Communicated by Dr. Joh. Phil. Breynius, as the best Account of that Distemper there Publish'd. Translated by C. J. Spregnell, M. D. PART. I. Containing an Historical Relation of the Plague. This dangerous and pernicious Distemper has now reign'd for some Years in many Cities, Towns, and Villages of the Kingdom of Poland, where it has swept away a vast Number of Inhabitants, and has even left some Places quite desolate. As I have been credibly inform'd, it first began near Pinczow or Pikzow in the Year 1702, soon after the unfortunate Battle between the Saxons and Swedes. The next Year it appear'd here and there towards Cracow and Russia, and had already caused great Mortality near the Hungarian Mountains, called Crapack; till it went Eastward to the Upper Volhnia, and again Westward to Lemberg.