Dr. Edward Browne to his Father.

[MS. SLOAN. 3418.]

MOST HONOURED FATHER,

I wrote to you my last from Vienna, in which I enclosed a figure of three suns, which appeared at Cassovia, in Upper Hungary, the last 30 of January, and another of 5, which was seen the last Easter day. I should be glad to hear they come safe to your handes. Before that I came from Vienna, I waited upon Baron La Haye and the Conte Leslye, who was very courteous to me. I went to the great quarry for stones, out of which much of Vienna is built. The stones are large; they cut and carve them at the quarry. The water that drains from the top of the hill, betwixt the stones, incrustates them with a substance like to that of Ockey Hole in Somersetshiere, or of Pooles Hole in Derbyshiere. The colour of the stone is of a light graye. This day I came by Hungarish Altemburg, over a plaine like Newmarket heath, to Rab. As I proceed, I shall write to you, sir, of it. Mr. Beck, my landlord, accompanies me. I shall go no farther in Lower Hungary then Gomorrha, and then go over the river where it is most safe, towards the gold mines if it please God.

My service, sir, to my friends. I should be glad to heare from my dear mother. My love to my sisters. The Hungarian women weare a great linnen cloth about their head, which makes it show very big. The maids goe in their haire with a garland upon their heads, their haire hanging downe, at its length, behind them. The mens habits are blew, or red, or white, with a black cap; but I will observe more as I go into the countrey and return to Vienna, I hope within fourten dayes, where, if I meet with a letter from you, sir, it will be a great comfort to me.

Your most obedient sonne,

EDWARD BROWNE.

March 9, 1668-9. Rab in Ungarn.

DEAR SISTER BETTY,

I want you with me, to draw me abundance of fine pictures of strange things; but seeing that I am too far from you to hope that you will come to me, I thinke of returning to you, and, though I have spent the winter without you, I must not thinke of being from Norwich this summer, whither I hope to returne to a great deale of joye, if my friends be in health. Pray tell me that you are so, as often as you can. A whole sheet full of news will not cost me sixpence. Dearest sister, I am your loving brother,

I wrote to you the last post. Most of my letter was concerning dampes in mines; which account may be, by it selfe, if you thinke fit, sir, communicated to Mr. Oldenburg; if not, at my returne, which I hope in God will be in a few months, with the rest of my observations. I have now taken up three hundred florins in preparation to goe into Turkey this next weeke; but, if it please God, I hope to be at Vienna again by that time that I can have an answer to this. I hope, sir, you will forgive me this excursion, and helpe me to returne to you by giving me credit again upon the same marchants as formerly, the same way, by Mr. Johnson, for the heirs of Mr. Fuchs; Mr. Triangle particularly, at Vienna; for he tells me that my credit is limited so as I have had all, which I knew not; but since my returne out of Hungary, I have had, since my coming abroad, 700 reichs-tallers: but I hope,

with Gods blessing, a small summe more will helpe me to come safe home. I shall continue to write still; and shall have many occasions; and it will make me happy at my returne to hear from you, sir, and from any of my friends. My duty to my most dear mother, and love to my dear sisters. Your most obedient sonne,

It hath pleased God, after a very prosperous journey, to bringe me safe to Vienne. As my journey was somewhat harsh and laborious in Hungary, so also it was very fortunate to me, and I have informed myselfe in many things which the Royall Society inquired after, and found friends unexpectedly in all places, both among the officers and commanders of the soldiers, when need was, to convoy me, and amongst the officers in the mines, who have presented me with many curiosities. The earle of the chamber, Sigr. Gianuelli, did me a great deale of honour and favour, both in his countenance at Schemnitz, and his order to the governours of the mines, by Chremnitz and Newsol, that I should have all things shown me; which was performed with so much kindnesse, generosity, and true heartednesse, that I shall never have occasion to acknowledge it enough; and this journey is already so much the more comfortable to me, that I am in a probability to serve the society without hazarding the repute of their name, and what upon my owne account I have procured, I may be the more free to present it them, as you shall thinke fit, sir. I should have been too happy at my returne if I had met with

a letter here from you, sir; but I hope the best. I hope that God will still blesse me in the preservation of yours and my dear mothers healths. My service to Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Whitefoot, Mr. Robins, with the rest of my friends. I heard from Mr. Panser, of Rotterdam, lately, and from one Mr. Verrin, of Amsterdam, a learned young man, who is going into England, and at whose fathers neat house at Amsterdam I was kindly treated; I should be glad my friends would show him kindnesse. Your obedient sonne,

I am heartily sorry my letters come not to you, as yours do to mee. I have writ eight or nine letters beside those by Mr. Hovenaer and Mr. Hayles. All yours haue come to my hands, except one, wch your letter lately mentions, that you wrote from Schemnitz. I received all the rest from Rab, Komara, Treistad, Cremnitz, and yours yesterday from Vienna, dated Aprill 14, styl. novo. I am heartily glad, and blesse God, that you are returned to Vienna. I had many sollicitous thoughts for you. His gratious protection still goo with you, and returne you safe unto your country, to serve him all your dayes. You have taken good observations of very many things, and used great industrie every where, wch, though I like well, yet I cannot but renew my old admonition, to afford convenient rest and quiet unto thy selfe, nor to fatigate thy spirits and body to the discomposure of your health or hazard thereof. Georgius Wernerus hath writ De aquis Hungariæ. You may probably get a view thereof in some parts or libraries in Germanie, as of Kirchir in his sixt and tenth booke of

his Mundus Subterraneus and Baccius de Thermis. Lazarus Erker hath writ of mineralls in high Duch, and was a practicall man therein, as Agricola de Mineralibus et Metallis, in Latin; wch last I have. The mines you saw are notable ones, and you are not like to meet with any like them; and having well viewed them, I would not have you hazard your health in going farre, or staying long in any, if you meet with any more. All your letters are writ out into a booke. Many things I proposed in letters, wch came not to your hand; as, to informe yourselfe at Vienna of the myrrha fossilis, found in the ground about Gradisco, in Moravia; of ginger, which thrives well at the bottome of Haimburg hill, not farre from Presburg; to enquire after the stones in a lake in Comitatu Mansfeldiano, wch represent severall animals. Though you go not thither you may reade of them in Ortelius, in the cap. 'De Comitatu Mansfeldiano.' Bellies or backs of fiddles are made out [of] a wood called ayre, wch they say is a kind of maple brought out of Germanie. In what proportion Lutherans, Calvinists, Catholicks, Jewes, are in Germanie. Where the best high Duch is spoake. To take notice where copper is made or wrought, and whether the pompholyx and tutia may be discerned from them; and whether they take notice of mysi, sory, chalcitis, &c.1 Mines, baths, and minerall waters, have been more taken notice of, and writt of, in other parts of Germanie then in Austria and Hungarie; and you have done well to take so exact account of them. You must be warie in the conveyance of what you have, and may divide them, and send them in two parcells, and send them at twice; that, if one be lost, the other may escape; and bring also some part of them. Do as you conceave best. Enquire after smalt, a stone whereof they make blewing, for paynting and starch. It comes out of a stone or earth in Germanie, and much. get to Amsterdam. If I had knowne which waye you would have come, I would have contrived a letter to have met you; and now, doubting the post caryadge, I have sent this to Mr. Panser, by Mr. Robins his helpe, to send it unto you. Mr. Denton writ to you; but I beleeve it never came to you.

....

1

These are all kinds or sulphate of iron, green vitriol of copperas, as it is commonly called.-Gray.