ng to commend and
better his soil. He calleth it _marga_, and, making divers kinds
thereof, he finally commendeth ours, and that of France, above all
other, which lieth sometime a hundred foot deep, and far better than
the scattering of chalk upon the same, as the Hedui and Pictones did
in his time, or as some of our days also do practise: albeit divers
do like better to cast on lime, but it will not so long endure, as I
have heard reported.

There are also in this island great plenty of fresh rivers and
streams, as you have heard already, and these thoroughly fraught with
all kinds of delicate fish accustomed to be found in rivers. The
whole isle likewise is very full of hills, of which some (though not
very many) are of exceeding height, and divers extending themselves
very far from the beginning; as we may see by Shooter's Hill, which,
rising east of London and not far from the Thames, runneth along the
south side of the island westward until it come to Cornwall. Like
unto these also are the Crowdon Hills, which, though under divers
names (as also the other from the Peak), do run into the borders of
Scotland. What should I speak of the Cheviot Hills, which reach
twenty miles in length? of the Black Mountains in Wales, which go
from ([1]) to ([1]) miles at the least in length? of the Clee Hills
in Shropshire, which come within four miles of Ludlow, and are
divided from some part of Worcester by the Leme? of the Crames in
Scotland, and of our Chiltern, which are eighteen miles at the least
from one end of them, which reach from Henley in Oxfordshire to
Dunstable in Bedfordshire, and are very well replenished with wood
and corn, notwithstanding that the most part yield a sweet short
grass, profitable for sheep? Wherein albeit they of Scotland do
somewhat come behind us, yet their outward defect is inwardly
recompensed, not only with plenty of quarries (and those of sundry
kinds of marble, hard stone, and fine alabaster), but also rich mines
of metal, as shall be shewed hereafter.

[1] Here lacks.--H.

In this island the winds are commonly more strong and fierce than in
any other places of the main (which Cardane also espied): and that is
often seen upon the naked hills not guarded with trees to bear and
keep it off. That grievous inconvenience also enforceth our nobility,
gentry, and communality to build their houses in the valleys, leaving
the high grounds unto their corn and cattle, lest the cold and stormy