The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Sir Henry Savile (1549 - 1622)

Mathematician, classical scholar, and bible translator. His translation of Tacitus's life of Agricola is mentioned by Thoresby. He "acquired two inscribed stones found by a ploughman in Yorkshire" (Hepple, 161). Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24737?docPos=3 Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Savile_%28Bible_translator%29 Authority - early modern
Collector (minor)
 Relevant locations: Originating Location (object) Yorkshire, England
 Linked print sources: as Collector (minor) - William Camden and Early Collections of Roman Antiquities in Britain.
as Mentions or references - Ducatus Leodiensis; or the topography of the town and parish of Leedes and parts adjacent ...
 References in Documents:
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)
Formed STONES.

THEThe late Mr. Lhwyds curious Tract Lithophylacii Britannici Ichnographia (s)(s) Lond. 1699., being the most comprehensive of any Author within my Compass, I shall endeavour to reduce these to his Method, only he beginning with Chrystals and Diamonds, I shall premise the Margaritæ Cumbrenses. Some of these Pearls have as good a Water as the Oriental: Here are also three different Colours of those called the Sand-Pearls, which are as useful in Physick as the finest, though not so valuable for the Beauty. A double or Twin-Pearl of the finer Water; a Dozen of which were sent me by my Lord Bishop of Carlisle, who hath been a First-rate Benefactor to this Collection of Natural Curiosities above 20 Years ago. By the learned Sir Hen. Savile's Notes (t)(t) Tacitus's Life of Agricol., it appears, that Pliny run into the same Mistake as Tacitus, which is neither so agreeable to the Sentiments of Julius Cæsar, who was tempted by their Beauty (as Suetonious positively affirms) to invade Britain, and dedicated a Breast-plate all studded or cover'd over with British Pearls to Venus Genetrix, nor to the express Testimony of venerable Bede (u)(u) Bede's Eccles. Hist. Lib. I. C. I., who esteems them (as King Alfred renders it) the Old English?.

A transparent Onyx with Moss included in Part of it. Don. D. Jo. Boulter Arm.

Rock-Crystal, half a Foot round one Way, and within half an Inch of it, the other. It was brought me from Milan by Dr. Jabes Cay, who observed therein the Modus Concrescendi in the Middle, different from that of the out-side. Sometimes there remains a small Drop in the Middle of a transparent Peble that will never take the solid Form. Of the Iris or lesser Crystals, here are several Sorts, as those called Downham Diamonds, from the Place in Craven where they are found. s S ome are very small, others larger and very great, an Inch and half round; from Dr. Hargrave of Coln. The like Sort of Diamonds from Harrowgate Spaws near Knaresborough: They are found at the Mole-hills (near the Sulphur-well) after Rain; as are also those at Downham. Brindle-stones from the County of Kerry in Ireland, transparent and large, near two Inches in Circumference one way, and above 2 ½ the other. Two others of a pale Amethistine Colour. Don. D. M. Marshal, Dublin. The Iris minima Cambrensis from the Isle of Anglesey. Don. R R. D D. Episc. Carl. The Bristol Diamonds, of different Degrees of Transparency, and Sizes, of which one very much resembles that engraved Lh. Tab. I. 15. Pseudo-Adamantes from Kings-Weston in Gloucestershire: Other three Samples very fine from the same Place. Don. D. Jo. Woodward M. D. Some of these are very transparent. A Rock of the like, but more opace, about a Foot in Circumference; but from whence I know not, it being given to my Father about 40 Years ago. Crystalized Spar very curious from the Iron-ores in Cumberland from the Benefactor last mentioned, from whom I received most of the Spars that follow.

Spar from Worksop Lead Mines in the Peak. Another from a Mine called Burntwood; and a third with Chirt, from Oldfield; and also from the Queen of Scot's Pillar at Pool's Hole, all in Derbyshire. Spar from the Lord Lonesdale's Lead-Mines in Westmoreland. Another not unlike it from Alderman Iveson's Coal-Mines near Leedes. A Sparine Crustation from Okey-hole in Somersetshire. Another Sort out of a Quarry at Sherburn in Gloucestershire: Another crystalized from a Quarry near Oxford, and one very fine from Nent-head mines in Cumberland.

The common Stalagamites, one very curious, like Lh. Tab. I. 50. Another crystalized in the Form of a Rasp-berry. Other of a ruder Species, course like the Stone they adhere to. The Stalagamites mamillaris opacus: This I brought from the Petrifying or Dropping-well at Knaresborough; it is near a Foot long. The larger hollow Stalactites or Water-pipe (x)(x) Grew, p. 301., from the same Place; this hath three of those Pipes, each large enough to receive a Goose-Quill, and a transverse one that passeth horizontally. One of the Stalactites or Lapides Stillatitii, as Dr. Plot calls them, (y)(y) Nat. Hist. Oxon, p 96., that seems to have hung from the Top of a Vault, and is seven Inches round where it hath joined the Roof, yet has a small Hole quite thro' it; part of another, of a very fine Sparine Substance, but hath no Hollow. The specifick Difference betwixt the Stalactites and the Spar is, that the former is always opacous and never angular. The latter always or usually perspicuous, and never round (z)(z) Grew, p. 306..

The Moon-stone or Selenites Rhomboidalis of Dr. Plot (a)(a) Oxon, Tab. II. Fig. I.; it generally consists of ten Planes, four long, as many short, and the two Sides: Here are six different Sizes from less than half an Inch to two Inches, sent me by the Reverend Mr. Cav. Nevile, Fellow of University Col. Oxon. And one larger than any from the Bishop of Carlisle, which hath also two smaller Selenitæ immersed about half Way in the Body of the large one. A Selenites that seems like the half one, split the long Way, so hath but six Planes. Others not so regular. One of the longer Sort and thinner: Others from a Clay Pit at Richmond in Surry, from Shotover Hill near Oxford, from Northamptonshire, found in Digging a Well at Oundle, and from the Worksop Mines, all five from Dr. Woodward's noble Musæum.

Talcum aureum Indiæ Occidentalis. Don. R R. D D. Episc. Carl. Besides this Gold Talk from the West-Indies, here is what I take to be a Sort of Silver English Talk, but know not the Place. Muscovy Glass.

Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)

Such of their Bricks as have Inscriptions upon them, are very rarely met with: I have made a most diligent Inquest after those that Camden mentions at Grimscar near Eland, but can find no more Remains of them, than of the noted Inscription, Paulinus hic prædicavit & celebravit, at Dewsbury, which was not to be met with upon the strictest Scrutiny, I could possibly make, when I went purposely to the Place. This shews the Necessity of Repositories for such venerable Remains. But though those of the fourth Cohort are lost, yet good Hap hath brought to my Notice and Possession one of the ninth Legion's, which the learned Sir Hen. Savile in his Notes upon Tacitus, shews to have been in Britain in Galba's Time, and that it was also Hispaniensis; but that it, as well as the VIth and XXth, was also called Victrix, or that it resided at Yorke, was not known before; and yet both are evident from the Inscription upon this Brick found there, in Mickle-gate, not far from Trinity-yard, where was digg'd up the Funeral Monument of the Standard-Bearer of the said VIIII Legion (which Way of Writing 9 is frequent upon the Roman Monies); of which see the Phil. Trans. N° 305, and the curious Oxford Livy (Vol. 6. p. 181.) The said Sepulchral Monument was happily rescued by Dr. Bryan Fairfax, from the brutish Workmen who had broke it in the Middle, and were going to make use of it for two Throughs, as they call them, to bind the Wall; but by that worthy Gentleman's Direction it was walled upright, with the Inscription and Effigies to the Front, and is since removed to the Gardens of Sir Hen. Goodrick at Ribston. This Brick had been several Times made use of, with broken Stones and Brick-bats, by Mr. Smith in making Moulds for casting Bells. Upon my Enquiry after Inscriptions in that ancient City, he recollected himself that he had seen some old Letters, but thought the Brick was lost, though upon Search we found the Piece which is inscribed, LEG. I X. VIC. This is also an Argument of the Peace these Parts enjoyed at that Time, which I take to be the later End of Severus's Reign, making Bricks, casting up High-ways, &c. being the usual Employment of Soldiers at such Vacancies. Sir Hen. Savile was of Opinion, that this Nona Hispaniensis in Britannia, was one of those established by Tiberius, Caius, or Claudius, or peradventure in the later End of Augustus; but however, that it was certainly here in Nero's Reign, and that Pet. Cerealis was then Lieutenant thereof, is indisputably evident from Tacitus, (Lib. 14. cap. 10.) where he gives a lamentable Account of the Slaughter of Seventy thousand Citizens, and Confederates, by the enraged Boadicea, in which Number was the Foot of this 9th Legion, Cerealis with the Horse hardly escaping. I shall add a Passage in a Letter I received from the ingenious Mr. Hearne, of the Bodleian Library, because it relates to an Au thor rare to be met with in these remote Parts: "I am mightily pleased with the Inscriptions you sent me relating to the 9th Legion, there being now no Room to doubt about the place of Residence; a Thing which was unknown before; and for that Reason, those who have written about the Roman Legions, have said nothing about this, but leave us quite in the dark; only Ursatus [in his Book de Notis Rom.] does remark that it must be somewhere in Britain, because Tacitus tells us, that when the Colony at Camalodunum was destroyed by Boadicea; Pætilius Cerealis Legate of the IX Legion, came to their Assistance; but yet he makes no mention of its being stiled Victrix."