xxx Journal of Proceedings.
memory of man, it might be lost like the Gold-mine of Glass-Hitten, in
Hungary, when Bethlem Gabor over-ran that country, or the Gold-mine
of Cunobeline, in Essex, discovered again Temp. Henry IV., as appears
by the king's letters of Mandamus, bearing date May 11, An. II.,
Rot. xxxiv., directed to Walter Fitz-Walter concerning it, and since then
lost again."
These golden visions of buried wealth appear to have gained consider-
able credence, and, according to a writer in the ' Cambrian Register,' * the
"gold-mines" in Orsett, Bast Tilbury, and some of the neighbouring
parishes, were actually worked at the commencement of the 15th century
with some degree of success by the royal favourite above mentioned, who
obtained a grant of them, which is still on record. A company of
German miners were engaged, certain quantities of the precious metal
extracted, and the prospects for a season appeared extremely favourable.
That the scheme did not prove finally successful was attributed to the
infidelity of the Germans, and to the domestic troubles of the times,
which retarded their operations, and finally forced them from the country.
Dr. Plot's remarks revived the craze, which was eagerly seized upon by
some financial geniuses of the " South Sea Bubble" period to raise
subscriptions from that faithful and long-suffering animal the British
Shareholder ; and a second Company was started in 1720 for extracting
gold or silver out of the Chadwell earth, under the title " For Improving
a Royalty in Essex," one of the arguments being that the unhealthiness
of the air and the mineral springs about were proofs of the proximity of
the precious metals! When the bigger bubble burst, this little Essex
swindle collapsed also ; and we only mention these schemes to show that
a stronger reason than mere curiosity may have induced many to descend
the Essex " Denes" generations ago, when more pits were open, and even
the fact of a pit having been closed for years affords no guarantee that
at a former period it has not been entered, and the soil and debris
disturbed by some enterprising gold-seekers.
Morant, in his ' History of Essex,' gives some particulars of the Dene-
holes, and quotes the following letter of the "learned and ingenious"
Dr, Derham, F.R.S. (sometime rector of Upminster, and a friend of our
great naturalist John Ray), dated 17th February, 1706, which is interest-
ing, as being the first attempt at an accurate description of the pits in
Chadwell parish:—
" I myself measured three of the most considerable holes, and found
one of them 50 feet 6 inches deep ; another 70 feet 7 inches ; another in
the wood northward 80 feet; the depth of the western hole near the road
55 feet 6 inches ; on the same side of the road is another 70 feet 7 inches ;
on the other side of the way, in Hangman's Wood, is another hole of
80 feet 4 inches. A cow fell into the hole 55 feet 6 inches, not killed or
much hurt; drawn up by a carpenter, who went down and put ropes
about her. The bottom is soft sand, on which the cow alighted, and was
* "Historical Account, or an Inquiry into the Situation of the Gold-mines of the
Ancient Britains," 'Cambrian Register,' vol. iii. (1818), pp. 31—58.