Chartre contenting my selfe to yéelde to the conquerour the thankes of other mens benefites séeing those whiche were benefited were wisely contented as the case then stoode to like better of his confirmation or second gift then of King Edwardes first graunt and endowment And to the end that I may proceede in some manner of array I will first shew which Townes were at the beginning taken for the Fiue Portes what others be now reputed in the same number secondly what seruice they ought did in times passed lastly what priuiledges they haue therefore by what persons they haue been gouerned If I should iudge by the commune and rude verse Douer Sandwicus Ry Rum Frigmare ventus I might say that Douer Sandwiche Rie Rumney and Winchelsey for that is Frigmare ventus be the Fiue Portes Againe if I should bee ruled by the Rolle whiche reciteth the Ports that send Barons to the Parleament I muste then adde to these Hastings Hyde for they also haue their Barons as wel as the other and so should I not onely not shewe whiche were the first Fiue but also by addition of two others increase bothe the number and doubtfulnes Leauing the verse therefore for ignorance of the authour and suspition of his authoritie and forsaking the Rolle as not assured of the antiquitie I will flye to Henrie Bracton a man bothe auncient learned and credible which liued vnder King Henrie the third and wrote aboue thrée hundreth yeares since learnedly of the lawes of this Realme He I say in the third booke of his worke and treatise of the Crowne taking in hand to shewe the articles inquirable before the Iustices in Eire or Itinerant as wee called them bycause they vsed to ride from place to place throughout the Realme for administration of iustice setteth foorth a speciall fourme of writtes to bee directed seuerally to the Baylifes of Hastings Hithe Rumney Douer and Sandwiche commaunding them that they should cause twentie and foure of their Barons for so their Burgesses or Townesmen and the Ciâ—â—â—â—ns of London likewise were wont to be termed to appeare before the Kings Iustices at Shipwey in Kent as they accustomed to doe there to enquire of suche pointes as should bee giuen them in charge Whiche done he addeth moreouer that for so muche as there was oftentimes contention betwéene them of the Fiue Portes and the inhabitants of Yarmouth in Norfolke and Donwiche in Suffolke there should be seuerall writtes directed to them also retournable before the same Iustices at the same day and place reciting that where the King had by his former writtes sommoned the Plées of the Fiue Ports to be holden at Shipwey if any of the same townes had cause to complaine of any beeing within the liberties of the saide Portes he should be at Shipwey to propounde against him and there to receaue according to lawe and iustice Thus muche I recite out of Bracton partly to shew that Shipwey was before King Edward the firsts time the place of assembly for the Plees of the Fiue Portes partly to notifie the difference and controuersie that long since was betweene these Portes and those other townes But purposely and chiefely to proue that Hastings and Hithe Douer Rumney and Sandwiche were in Bractons time accompted the Fiue principall hauens or Portes whiche were endowed with priuiledge Neither yet will I deny but that soone after Winchelsey and Rye might be added to the number For I finde in an olde recorde that King Henrie the third tooke into his owne handes for the better defence of the Realme the townes of Winchelsey and Rye whiche belonged before to the Monasterie of Fescampe in Normandie gaue therfore in exchaunge the Manor of Chiltham in Gloucester shyre diuers other landes in Lincolne shyre This he did partly to conceale from the Priors Aliens the intelligence of the secrete affairs of his Realme partly bycause of a great disobedience and excesse that was committed by the inhabitants of Winchelsey against Prince Edward his eldest Sonne And therefore although I can easely be led to thinke that he submitted them for their correction to the order and gouernance of the Fiue Portes yet I stand doubtfull whether he made them partners of their priuiledges or no for that had been a preferment and no punishment but I suspect rather that his Sonne King Edward the first by whose encouragement and aide olde Winchelsey was afterward abandoned and the now Towne buidled was the first that appareiled them wyth that preeminence By this therefore let it appeare that Hastings Douer Hithe Rumney Sandwiche were the first Ports of priuiledge which bycause they were Fiue in numbre bothe at the first gaue and yet continue to all the residue the name of Cinque Portes although not onely Winchelsey and Rye be since that time incorporated with them as principals but diuers other places also for the ease of their charge be crept in as partes lims and members of the same Now therefore somewhat shal be saide as touching the seruices that these Portes of duetie owe and in déed haue done to the Princes wherof the one I meane with what numbre of vessels in what manner of furniture and for howe long season they ought to waite on the King at the Sea vpon theyr owne charges shall partly appeare by that whiche wée shall presently say and partly by that whiche shall follow in Sandwiche and Rumney The other shal be made manifest by examples drawn out of good hystories and bothe shal be testified by the woordes of King Edward the first in his owne Chartre The booke of Domesday before remembred chargeth Douer wyth 20. vessels at the Sea whereof eache to be furnished with one and twentie men for fiftéene dayes together and sayth further that Rumney and Sandwiche aunswered the like seruice But nowe whether this like ought to be vnderstoode of the like altogether bothe in respect of the number and seruice or of the like in respect of seruice according to the proportion of their abilitie onely I may not hereby take vpon me to determine For on the one side if Rumney Sandwiche and the residue should likewise find twentie vessels a péece then as you shall anone sée the fiue Portes were subiect to a greater charge at that time then King Edward the first layd vpon them And on the other side if they were only chargeable after their proportion then know I not howe far to burthen them séeing the Record of Domesday it selfe bindeth them to no certeintie And therfore leauing this as I finde it I must elsewhere make inquisition for more lightsome proofe And firste I will haue recourse to King Edwarde the firste his Chartre in which I read that At ech time that the King passeth ouer the sea the Portes ought to rigge vp fiftie and seuen ships whereof euery one to haue twentie armed souldiers and to mainteine them at their own costes by the space of fifteene
therof namely that One brother had wel helped another is woorde for woord stollen from thence for William whiche liued before Ealred reporteth that king Ethelstane by persuasion of one that was his cupbearer had banished Eadwine his owne brother for suspicion of treason and had committed him to the Seas and windes in an olde shaken and fraile vessel without saile oare or companion saue one Esquier only in whiche exile he perished and that afterward the King vnderstanding his brothers innocencie and sorowing his owne rashnesse tooke occasion by sight of his cupbearers foote slipping to be auenged of the false accusation euen as it is here tolde of King Edward But Ealred forsoothe was so fully disposed to magnifie King Edward bycause he so muche magnified the Monkishe and single life that he sticked not at greater matters then this affirming boldely that the same King while he hearde Masse at Westminster sawe betwéene the Priestes handes Christe blessing him with his fingers That at another Masse he sawe the seuen sleapers at Ephesus turne them selues on the one side after they had sleapt seuentie yeares together on the other which séeing it was within fiue yeares of so many as Epimenides sleapt Ealred in my phansie is worthy to haue the seconde game at the whetstone Furthermore that S. Iohn Baptist sent to King Edward a King of Golde from Ierusalem whiche he him selfe had sometime before giuen to a poore man that asked almes of him in the name of S. Iohn And suche other matters of like credite whiche bothe for the vanitie of the things them selues being méete to haue place in Philopseudes of Lucian and for the desire that I haue to kéepe order I will pretermit and returne to my purpose Richeborowe in Latine Vrbs Rutupina in Saxon ReptacHester the name being forged as I coniecture either of the Bryttishe woord Rwyd whiche signifieth a net in token that it stoode by fishing or of Rwydd whiche signifieth speede bycause from thence as some thinke is the moste shorte and speedy cutte ouer the Seas MAthew the Monke of Westminster Authour of the woorke called Flores Hystoriarum taketh the place whiche Beda Ptolome and others call Rutupi to be Sandwiche and therefore he applieth to the one whatsoeuer he findeth of the other but bicause Iohn Leland a man generally acquainted with the antiquities of the Realme affirmeth in his worke whiche hee intituled Syllabus in Genethliacon Eaduerdi Rutupi to haue been where Richeborowe now is to whiche opinion I rather incline I thinke good to giue them seuerall titles and to speake of Richeborowe by it selfe leauing to fit place for Sandwiche also suche matter as of right belongeth therevnto The whole shoare of Kent therefore that lyeth ouer against Dunkircke Calaice and Boloigne is of Caesar Iuuenal Lucan Ptolome Antoninus and others called Rutupiae or Rutupinum littus and that place of England whiche Beda taketh to be nearest to the Morines a people of Gallia Belgica whiche at this day comprehendeth Picardie Boloigne Artoys and some parte of the lowe countries is of Iohn Leland interpreted to be Richeborowe not paste halfe a myle distant from Sandwiche toward the East The same man also persuaded partly by the viewe of the place it selfe and partly by the authoritie of one Gotcelinus supposeth that Richeborow was of auncient time a Citie of some price and that it had within it a Palaice where King Ethelbert receiued Augustine As for the title of a Citie I doubt not but that if the ruines of the auncient walles yet extant or the remenants of the Romane coyne often found there did not at all inforce the likelyhoode yet the authoritie of Beda alone which calleth it plainly a citie would suffice But whether it were the Palaice of King Ethelbert when he entertained Augustine he that shall aduisedly read the first Chapter of Beda his first boke of the Ecclesiastical storie shall haue iust cause to doubt for asmuch as he sheweth manifestly that the King came from his Palaice in the Continent out of Thanet to Augustine Leland himselfe confesseth that Richeborow was then within Thanet although that since that time the water hath chaunged his course and shut it cleane out of the Island Now where some men as I said haue taken it to bée Sandwiche I take them to bee greatly deceaued For Richeborowe being corruptly so sounded for Reptsborowe hathe remayning in it the very rootes as I may speake it of Reptachester And Reptachester saith Beda and Rutupi Portus are all one So then Chester being tourned to Borow whiche be in deede two wordes but yet in manner of one signification and effect Rept and Riche haue ome affinitie the one with the other but neyther Riche Repta nor Rutupi can haue with Sandwiche any manner of similitude Thus muche of the name and antiquitie of this poore Towne whiche was in tyme of the olde Brytons of great price and the common Port or place of arriuall out of Fraunce whereof we finde no other note in latter hystorie either bicause the same was long since before the comming of the Saxons neglected when as the Romanes had lost their interest within this Realme Or else for that soone after their arriuall it decayed by reason that the water chaunged his course and lefte it dry So that nowe most aptly that may be sayde of this towne neare to the Isle Thanet whiche Virgil some time wrate of Tened it selfe Diues opum Priami dum regna manebant Nunc tantum sinus statio malè fida carinis A wealthy land while Priams state and kingdome vpright stoade But nowe a bay and harbour bad for ships to lye at roade But nowe I will make towarde Sandwiche the first of the Portes as my iourney lyeth and by the way speake somewhat of the Fiue Portes in generall The Cinque Portes I Finde in the booke of the general suruey of the realme whiche William the Conquerour caused to be made in the fourth yere of his reigne to be called Domesday bycause as Mathew Parise saieth it spared no man but iudged all men indifferently as the Lord in that great day wil doe that Douer Sandwiche and Rumney were in the time of King Edward the confessour discharged almoste of all maner of impositions and burdens whiche other towns dyd beare in consideration of suche seruice to bee done by them vpon the Sea as in their speciall titles shall hereafter appeare wherevpon although I might groūd by reasonable coniecture that the immunity of the hauē Townes which we nowe cal by a certaine number the Cinque Portes might take their beginning from the same Edward yet for as muche as I read in the Chartre of King Edward the first after the conquest whiche is reported in our booke of Entries A recitall of the grauntes of sundrie Kinges to the Fiue Portes the same reaching no higher then to William the Conquerour I will leaue my coniecture and leane to his
may yet sée in the booke of Domesday it self which notwithstanding that it was written within a few yeares after the arriual of the Conquerour yet being penned by Normans it reteineth very few letters of the Saxon Alphabet Thus farre by occasion of the water Stoure in Suffolke as touching the course of our owne Riuer of the same caling which bothe giueth the present name of Stourey Stouremouthe and the olde name to Canterbury also I will referre you wholy to the Map of this Shyre VVingham BEsides the statelie and Princelike Palaices at Canterbury Maidstone Otford Knoll Croyden and Lamb-hythe which the Archbishops of this Shyre kept in their handes bothe to perfourme their set solemnities of housekeping and to soiourne at with their whole traines when they traueiled toward the Court and Parleament or remained for busines about the same they had also of auncient time diuers other Manor houses of lesse cost and capacitie planted in diuers partes of this Countrie in whiche they vsed to breathe themselues after their great feasts and affaires finished and to lodge at when they trauailed the Countrie to make their visitations Of this number amongst other were Foorde Charte Charing Charteham Tenham and this our Wingham at the whiche Baldwyne the Archebishop in the Reigne of King Henrie the second lay at suche time as he had contention with his couent of Christes Church for making a Chappell at Hakington as in fitte place you shall finde more largely disclosed In the meane season I will only tel you that as the Annales of Saint Augustines reporte when two of his Monkes came to this house on horsbacke in great hast to serue the processe of that suite vpon him he receiued the Processe dutifully but he caused them to dismount and to walke home on foote faire and softly At this house also King Edward the first rested for a seasō with Robert of Winchelsey then newly made Archebishop whilest he tooke order for the defence of the Sea Coastes charging bothe the spiritualtie and commons with horse and armour according to the quantities of their liuelyhoodes and possessions And here was he aduertised that one of his familie called Syr Thomas Turbeuille whom hee had sent into Gascoine with commission was fallen into the hands of the French King his enemie and imprisoned in Paris and that for his deliuerance he had conspired with the Frenche King and promised to betraie the King his maister wherevpon king Edward caused suche diligent watche to be laide for him that he was taken and suche speedie and seuere iustice to be executed vpon him that he was foorthwith condemned drawen thorowe London and hanged on liue Of this man a Poet of that age alluding to his name made this verse folowing and some other Turbat tranquilla clam Thomas Turbida Villa c. Our things now in tranquillitie Thom. Turbuill troubleth priuilie It is no small token of the auncient estimation of this place that it giuethe the name to the whole hundrethe in whiche it is situate for that is moste vsuall bothe in this Shyre and elswhere that the whole territorie be it Lathe Wapentake or Hundreth most commonly beareth the name of some one place moste notable and excelling other within the same at the time of the name imposed although happely at this day some other place doe muche excéede it To make an end here was sometime a religious College the gouernour whereof was called a Prouost whiche I suppose to haue béene founded by some of the Archebishops and I finde to haue béene valued at fourescore and foure pounds of yearely reuenue Watling streete in Saxon ƿeatlingastrete of one Weatle whome the printed booke of Mat. West calleth vntruly Wading KIng Molmutius the Brittish Solō first Law maker decréed amongst other things that such as were found praying in the Temple labouring at the plough or trauailing in the highe waies should not be impeached by any officer but that they should enioy peaceable fréedome and libertie bothe for their goods persons But forasmuche as he had not in his life time described those wayes that he would haue thus priuileged great contention arose after his death which wayes should be taken for highe and royall and whiche not and therefore Belinus his Sonne and successor to cease all controuersie limited in certaine foure especiall highe wayes whereof the first was called Erming-streete and lead after the opinion of some from South-hampton to S. Dauids in Wales or as others write to Carlile in the Northe the second was named Fosseway and extended from Cathnes in the North of Scotland to Totnes a cape of Cornewall The third Ikeneled or as others write it Rekeneld and reached from East to West as Huntingdon affirmeth but as others will from Tinmouth to S. Dauides whiche is from Northeast to Southwest Watlingstreete where we nowe are was the fourth and it beganne at Douer after the opinion of Ralfe Higden passed through the midst of Kent crossed the Thamise at the West end of London howbeit others to whom I rather incline thinke that it ranne through London and there left the name to Watlingstreet there frō thēce to S. Albons Dūstable Stretford Towcester Lilburne Wrecken thence ouer the riuer of Seuerne to Stretton so through the midst of Wales to Cardigan and to the banke of the Irishe Sea. And this is the common and receyued opinion although in deede there be diuers touching the firste beginning and description of this way But Simon the Chaunter of Durham and he that made the continuation to the Hystorie of Asserus Meneuensis both very good authours ascribe bothe the beginning and the name also of this way to the sonnes of a Saxon King whome they called Weatle which their opinion as I doe not greatly receiue bycause I finde not that name Weatle in any Catalogue of the Kings that I haue seene So will I not rashely reiecte it for the estimation that I otherwise reteine of the writers them selues But doe leaue the Reader to his frée choice to take or leaue the one or the other And as there is difference concerning the first beginning and name of this way So al agrée not in the trace and true course of the same For Henrie the Archedeacon of Huntingdon affirmeth that it stretched from Douer to Chester And this Simon reporteth that it extended it selfe from the East Sea to the West Whiche third and laste opinion may well inough stand eyther with the firste or the seconde But nowe as touching this priuilege graunted by Molmutius althoughe it continue not altogether in the same plight yet some shadowe thereof remaineth euen to this daye as by the lawes of King Edward the Confessour whiche confirmed the protection of the foure wayes by name and by the Statute of Marlbridge whiche forbiddeth distresses to be taken in any the Kings highe wayes or common stréetes and by the Statute called Articuli Cleri whiche commaundeth that such as
moste subtile sleightes to withdrawe him from God drawe him to Idolatrie and superstition So that in time by policie of the one and pronesse in the other it was by degrées brought to passe that not onely the excellent and glorious creatures of God the Angels men I mean the Sunne and Moone the Stars and Elements were worshipped as Gods But also diuine honour and reuerence was transferred from the highest God to the moste inferiour and basest partes of all his woorkmanship the world at the length becomming so madde that it would crouche and knéele kisse and knocke bowe bend and make all signes of honour and reuerence not only to stockes and stones that represented the bodies of mortall men but to whatsoeuer trifle trumperie or bagage besides that the Deuill or his Ministers would haue preferred as a monument or relique of them And therefore no maruaile was it if God séeing the world to abuse it selfe after a moste froward and peruerse kinde of superstitiō did by his iust vengeaunce bereaue vnbeléeuers of al vnderstanding and iudgement so that without any further doubt or inquisition they sticked not to embrace deuoutly whatsoeuer was commended were it neuer so lewdly For example whereof beholde here at Harbaldowne an Hospital builded by Lanfranc the Archebishop for reliefe of the poore and diseased the shamefull Idolatrie of this latter age committed by abusing the lippes whiche God hath giuen for the sounding foorth of his praise in smacking and kissing the vpper leather of an olde shoe reserued for a Relique and vnreuerently offered to as many as passed by Erasmus setting foorth in his Dialogue intituled Peregrinatio religionis ergo vnder the name of one Ogygius his owne trauaile to visite our Lady of Walsingham and Saint Thomas Becket sheweth that in his retourne from Canterbury towards London he found on the high way side an Hospital of certain poore folkes of which one came out against him and his companie holding a holy water sprinkle in the one hand bearing the vpper leather of an olde shoe faire set in Copper and Christal in the other hand This doting father first cast holy water vpon thē then offred thē by one and one the holy shoe to kisse Whereat as the most part of the company knowing the manner made no refusal So amongst the rest one Gratianus as he faineth offended with the follie asked halfe in anger what it was Saint Thomas Shoe quoth the olde man with that Gratianus turned him to the company said Quid sibi volunt hae pecudes vt osculemur calceos omniū bonorum Virorum Quin eadem opera porrigunt osculandū sputum aliaque corporis excrementa What meane these beasts that we should kisse the shoes of al good men why do they not by the same reason offer vs their Spittle and other excrements of the body to be kissed This to the wiser sorte and suche as haue any light may suffice for the vnderstanding of Erasmus opinion iudgment touching such vnreuerēt Reliques but yet lest some blinde wilfull worshipper should thinke it but merily spoken of him and in another mans person as in déed Erasmus had many times Dextrū pedem in calceo sinistrum in pelui according to the old Prouerb I wil likewise adde a few woordes vsed in the end of his booke for explication of his own full minde in that matter Notantur qui reliquias incertas pro certis ostendunt qui his plus tribuūt quam oportet qui questum ex his sordide faciunt In this Dialogue all suche are taxed whiche shewe vnto the people vncertaine reliques for true and certaine or which doe ascribe vnto them more then of right is due or whiche do raise filthie gaine and lucre by them But peraduenture the authoritie of D. Erasmus is nowe since the late Tridentine Counsell of no weight with them since by the sentence of the same his workes without choice be condemned as Heretical Truly that Coūsel shewed it selfe more hastie to suppresse al that good workes of Godly men then redie to correct or abolish any of their owne fabulous books or superstitious follies And therfore let indifferēt men iudge whether the opinion of any one true speaking man be not worthely to be preferred before the determination of suche a whole vnaduised Synode And as for suche as in this light of the trueth wll shewe themselues mainteiners of such Mawmetrie I déeme thē like the Sabees whose senses as Strabo writeth are offended with swéet smelling sauours and delighted with the filthie smoke of burned goates haire and therefore I say vnto them Sordescant adhuc and so leaue thē Norwood that is to say the North wood IN the dayes of King Edward the confessor one hundreth Burgesses of the Citie of Canterbury ought their suite to the Manor of Norwood as in that part of the booke of Domesday which concerneth Kent may yet moste euidently appeare The building is nowe demolished but the Manor was long time in the possession of certaine Gentlemen of the same name of whiche race one lyeth buried in the body of the church at Adington in the yeare a thousand foure hundreth and sixetéene And hereby it is probablie as me thinketh to bee coniectured that in auncient time men were vsually named of the places of their dwelling For whereas before the comming in of the Conquerour places for the most part had their appellatiōs either of their situation or of some notable accidēt or noble man as Northwood in regard of Southwood Anglefford by reason of the flight of the Englishmen Rochester because of Rof And whereas persons also had their callings most cōmonly eyther of some note of the body as Swanshalse for the whitenes of her necke or for some propertie of the minde as Godred for his good counsel that by one single Surname only no more now immediately after the arriuall of the Normanes which obteined those lādes which first brought into this Realme the names of Thomas Iohn Nicholas Fraunces Stephā Henrie such like that now be most vsuall men began to be knowen and surnamed not of their conditions and properties but of their dwellings and possessions So that the Norman that was before Thomas and had gotten the Towneship of Norton Sutton Inglefield or Combe was thencefoorth called Thomas of Norton of Sutton of Inglefield of Combe or such like al which be vndoubtedly the names of places and not of persons Neyther did the matter stay here but in further processe of time this Thomas of Norton of Sutton or of Combe was called Thomas Norton Thomas Sutton or Thomas Combe leauing out the particle of whiche before denoted his dwelling place And thus the Norman manner preuailing the auncient custome of the Saxons and Englishe men vanished quite out of vre This whole thing is best discerned by auncient euidences and by the names of our Chesshyre men yet remaining For olde writings haue commonly Ioannes de
head shoulders others vsed the staues of their crosses behauing themselues like pretie men others made pykes of their banner poles And others flying in to their aduersaries wrested their weapons out of their hands amōgst the rest one sauing his charitie laide lode vpon a married Priest absoluing him as mine author saith A culpa but not A paena Another draue one of the Brethren into a déepe diche a third as big as any Bul of Basan espied at the lēgth the postern or back doore of the Orchyard wherat he ran so vehemently with his head shoulders that he bare it cleane downe before him and so both escaped him selfe and made the way for the rest of his fellowes who also with all possible haste conueyed them selues out of the iurisdiction of the Hospital and then shaking their ears fel a fresh to their Orgia I should haue said to their former Orisons After this storme thus blowen or rather born ouer I do not meruail if the Mōkes as the reporter saith neuer sought to carrie thir procession through Stroud Hospital for auoiding of the winde for indéed it could not lightly blow more boisterously out of ani quarter And thus out of this tragical hystorie arose the bywoord of Frendsbury Clubs a terme not yet forgotten The land of Frendsbury was long since giuen by Offa the King of Midle England to Eardulph then Bishop of Rochester vnder the name of Eslingham cum appendicijs although at this day this other beareth countenance as the more woorthie of the twaine The benefice of Frendsbury togeather with that of Dartford was at the suite of Bishop Laurence and by graunt of the Pope conuerted to an appropriation one amongst many of those monstruous byrthes of couetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the dark night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the Gospell to the great hinderance of learning the empouerishment of the ministerie and the infamie of our profession Rochester is called in Latine Dorobreuum Durobreuum Dorubernia and Durobriuis in Brittishe Dourbryf that is to say a swift streame in Saxon Hrofesceastre that is Rofi ciuitas Rofes citie in some olde Chartres Rofi breui SOme men desirous belike to aduaunce the estimation of this Citie haue left vs a farre fetched antiquitie concerning one péece of the same affirming that Iulius Caesar caused the Castle at Rochester as also that other at Canterbury and the Towre at London to be builded of common charge But I hauing not hitherto read any such thing eyther in Caesars own Commentaries or in any other credible Hystorie dare not avow any other beginning of this citie or castle then that which I find in Beda least if I shuld aduenture as they do I might receiue as they haue I meane The iust note of more reading industrie thē of reason or iudgement And although I must wil fréely acknowledge that it was a Citie before that it had to name Rocester for so a man maye well gather of Beda his wordes yet seing that by the iniurie of the ages betwéen the monuments of the first beginning of this place and of innumerable suche other be not come to our handes I had rather in suche cases vse honest silence then rashe speache and doe preferre plaine vnskill and ignorance before vaine lying and presumptuous arrogance For truely the credite of our Englishe Hystorie is no one waye somuche empayred as by the blinde boldnesse of some which taking vpon them to commit it to wryting and wanting either throughe their owne slothfulnesse or the iniquitie of the time true vnderstanding of the originall of many things haue not sticked without any modestie or discretion to obtrude newe fantasies and folies of their owne forgerie for assured truthes and vndoubted antiquitie As for examples of this kinde although there be at hand many in number and the same most fond and ridiculous in matter yet bicause it should be both odious for the authors tedious to the readers and grieuous for my selfe to enter into them I will not make enumeration of any But staying my selfe vpon this general note I will procead with the treatise of the place that I haue taken in hand the which maye aptly as me thinketh be broken into foure seuerall portions The Citie it selfe The Castle the Religious buildings and the Bridge The Citie of Rochester tooke the name as Beda writeth of one Rof or rather Hrof as the Saxon boke hath it which was sometyme the Lorde and owner of the place This name Leland supposeth to haue continuaunce in Kent till this our time meaning as I suspect Rolf a familie well inough knowne What so euer the estate of this Citie was before the comming in of the Saxons it séemeth that after their arriuall the mayntenaunce thereof depended chiefly vpon the residence of the Bishop and the religious persons And therefore no meruaile is it if the glory of the place were not at any time very great Since on the one side the abilitie of the Bishops and the Chanons inclined to aduaunce it was but meane and on the other side the calamitie of fyre and sworde bent to destroye it was in maner continuall For I read that at suche time as the whole Realme was sundred into particular kingdomes and eche parte warred for superioritie and inlarginge of boundes with the other Eldred then King of Mercia inuaded Lothar the king of this Countrie and findinge him vnable to resiste spoyled the whole Shyre and layd this Citie waste The Danes also whiche in the dayes of king Alfred came out of Fraunce sailed vp the ryuer of Medwey to Rochester and beseiging the towne fortified ouer against it in suche forte that it was greatly distressed and like to haue ben yelded but that the king Paeonia manu came spéedely to the reskewe and not onlye raysed the siege and deliuered his subiectes but obtayned also an honourable bootie of horses and captiues that they besiegers had left behind them The fame people hauing miserably vexed the whole Realme in the dayes of King Ethelred came at the laste to this Citie where they founde the inhabitaunts ready in armes to resiste them but they assayled them with suche furie that they compelled them to saue them selues by flight and to leaue the place a pray to their enemies The whiche was somewhat the lesse worthy vnto them bycause King Ethelred him selfe not long before vpon a displeasure conceiued against the Bishop had besieged the Citie and woulde by no meanes depart thence before he had an hundreth pounds in ready money payd him And these harmes Rochester receiued before the time of king William the Conqueror in whose reigne it was valued in the booke of Domesday at .100 s̄ by the yere after whose dayes besides sundry particular damages done to the citie during the sieges layd to the castle as shall appeare anon it was muche defaced by a great fire that hapned in the
that chaunced in the time of King Richard the second whereof you heard some what in Blackheath before was giuen at this Towne by occasion that a naughtie fellowe being appointed to leuye the groates that were by Parleament taxed vpon euery Polle dishonestly intreated a young Damosel Daughter to one Iohn Tyler that dwelt in Dartford which thing when the Father heard of he fell at wordes with the Officer and from woordes to worse so that in the end he slewe him This done the Cōmon people of the Towne partly for grudge at the imposition partly for maintenance of the thing whiche they thought well done and partly to eschewe the punishment that by execution of Iustice might fall vpon them assembled their neighbours and growing to some number made this Tyler their Capitaine named him Iacke Strawe and did further as you in part heard before and may at more large read almost in euerie English Chronicle This Towne as Crayford before hath the name of the water running by cōmonly called Derent but corruptly after the opinion of Lelande who thinketh the true name to be Dorquent which in Brittish soundeth the Cleere water It springeth at Titsey in the edge of Surrey and taketh in the way Westram where Iohn Frith was borne Otford Ainsford and Darent wherto it leaueth the name and comming to this Towne carrieth Craye with it into the Thamise ¶ Grauesende in Saxon Gerefesend in Latine Limes Praetorius THe originall cause of the name of this place lyeth hidde in the vsuall name of the officer lately created in the Towne He is commonly called Portreue but the worde aunciently and truely sounded is Portgereue that is to say the Ruler of the Towne For Porte descending of the Latine woorde Portus signifieth a Porte Towne and Gereue being deriued of the Saxon verbe gereccan to rule was first called gerecfa and then gerefa and betokeneth a Ruler So that Portreue is the Ruler of the Towne and Greuesend is as much to saye as the Limit Bounde or Precinct of such a Rule or Office. Of the very same reason they of the lowe and high Germanie whence our language first discended call one ruler Burgreue another Margreue and the thirde Landsgreue And of the same cause also our Magistrat nowe called a Sherif or to speake more truely Shyrereue was at the first called Shyre gereue that is to say Custos Comitatus the Reue or Ruler of the Shyre The head officer of Maydston long since had this name yea the chiefe gouernour of the citie of London likewise before the time eyther of Maior or Baylife there was knowne by the name of Portreue as in the Saxon Chartre of King William the Conqueroure sundry examples wherof be yet extant may appeare It began thus pilliam cyng greit ƿilliam bisceop godfreges portgerefan ealle þa burHƿaren þe on lunden beon William the King greeteth William the Bishop and Godfrey the Portreue and all the Citizens that in London be c. To make short in auncient time almost euery Manor had his Reue whose authoritie was not onely to leuie the Lords rents to set to worke his seruaunts and to husbande his Demeasnes to his best profit and commoditie but also to gouerne his tenants in peace and to leade them foorth to warre when necessitie so required And although this name and so muche of the authoritie as remained was after the comming in of the Normanes transferred to another whiche they called Baylife yet in sundry places of the Realme especially in Copiholde Manors where old custome preuaileth the worde Reue is yet well inoughe knowne and vnderstanded Neyther ought it to séeme any what the more straunge bycause I call nowe Reue that whiche in olde time was Gereue for as muche as this particle Ge was in processe of time in some places chaunged in sounde to y and in some other partes cleane lost and forgotten As for example wheras the Saxons vsed to say he was Geboren they of the West countrie pronounce it he was yborne and we of the countries nearer London he was borne Thus farre the Etymon of the name Greues end hath carried me out of the Hystorie whereto I did the rather yealde bycause I had not muche to write concerning the place it selfe Howbeit I reade that in the beginning of the reigne of King Richarde the seconde whilst the Lorde Neuel was by the Kings appointmēt entred into Fraunce with a great company of English souldiours the Frenchmen entred the Thamise with their Gallies and brent diuers townes and at the last comming to Grauesend spoyled and set it on fire also The feare of the like harme to followe caused the noble King Henrie the eight to builde a platforme at the same towne and thrée or foure others in places adioyning euen at suche time as he fortified along al the coastes of the Realme vpon suche cause as we haue already opened ¶ Cliffe at Hoo written commonly in auncient Bookes Cloueshoo for CliofesHoo which is as much to say as Clifs hoo or Cliffe at Hoo. THeodore the seuenth Archebisshop of Canterburie and the first in the opinion of William Malmsb that exercised the autoritie of an Archbishop which appeared as others say in that he tooke vpō him to depose Wilfrid of Yorke called together a Synode of bishops at Hereford in which it was agreed amongst them that for the more spéedie reformation of abuses that might créepe into the Churche they should all assemble once euery yeare at Cloueshoo vpon the Kalends or first day of August By vertue of which decrée Cuthbert the eleuenth Archbishop somoned the bishops of his Prouince to the same place and there amongst other things worthy note it was enacted that priests themselues should first lerne and then teach their parishoners the Lords prayer and the Articles of their beléefe in the English tongue To which decrée if you list to adde the testimonie of King Alfred who in his preface vpon the Pastoral of Gregorie that he translated saith that whē he came first to his kingdome he knew not one prieste on the South side of the riuer of Humber that vnderstoode his seruice in Latine or could translate an Epistle into English And if you wil adioyne the also which Alfric writeth in his Proeme to the Grammar that is to say that a litle before the time of Dunstane the Archebishop there was neuer an english priest the could other endite or vnderstād a latine epistle Then I doubt not but you shall euidently see howe easie it was for the Diuell and the Pope to créepe into the Churche of Englande when whole ages together the Clergie was so well fed and so euill taught But to our matter againe By vertue of the same decrée and ordinance also two other Councelles were holden at Cliffe at Hoo one vnder Kenulph the King of Mercia or midle England and the other in the reigne of Beornwulfe his successour This place would I haue coniectured
to haue lien in the hart of England both bycause it séemeth likely that the common place of méeting should be most fitly appointed in the midst of the Realme and for that it is manifest by the hystorie that it was in the domini of the King of Mercia whiche I feare not to call midle England But for as much as I once read a note made by one Talbot a Prebendarie of Norwiche and a diligent trauayler in the Englishe hystorie vpon the margine of an auncient written copie of William Malmsburies booke De Pontificibus in whiche he expounded Clouesho to be Cliffe at Hoo neare Rochester and for that I doe not finde the expresse name Cloueshoo in all the catalogue of that precinct whiche was sometime the kingdome of Mercia although there be diuers places therin that beare the name of Cliffe as wel as this I am contented to subscribe to Talbots opinioÌ„ but with this protestation that if at any time hereafter I finde a better I will be no longer bounde to followe him And thus haue I now visited the places of chief note that lye in the skirtes of the Diocese whervnto if I had added a fewe other that be within the body of the same I would no lesse gladly then I must necessarily finishe and close vp this winters trauayle Swanscombe called in Saxon Spegenscomb that is the camp of Sweyn the Dane that encamped at Grenehithe hard by AS the whole Shyre of Kent oweth to Swanscomb euerlasting name for the fruition of her auncient franchises obtained there So I for the more honourable memorie of the place can gladly afoord it roome both at the beginning and towarde the ende of my labour The matter for the whiche it is especially renowmed is already bewrayed in the discourse of the auncient estate of this Shyre wherevnto I will referre you And at this time make note of a thing or twaine besides and so passe ouer to the residue The Manor of Swanscombe is holden of Rochester Castle and oweth seruice towarde the defence of the same being as it were one of the principall Captaines to whome that charge was of auncient time committed and hauing subiect vnto it sundry Knightes fees as petie Captaines or inferiour souldiours bound to serue vnder her banner there The Churche at Swanscombe was muche haunted in times past for Sainct Hildeferthes helpe a Bishop by coniecture of his picture yet standing in the vpper windowe of the Southe I le although his name is not read in all the Catalogue of the Sarons to whom suche as were distracted ranne for restitution of their wits as thicke as men were wont to sayle to Anticyra for Hellâ—borus This cure was perfourmed by warmth close kéepeing and good diet meanes not onely not straunge or miraculous but méere naturall ordinarie and resonable And therefore as one the one side they might truely be thought mad men and altered in their wits that frequented this pylgrymage for any opinion of extraordinarie woorking So on the other side S. Hildeferth of all the Saintes that I knowe might best be spared séeing we haue the keper of Bethleem who ceaseth not euen tyll this day to woorke mightely in the same kinde of Myracle ¶ Mepham aunciently written MeapaHam SImon Mepham the Archebishop that performed the solemnities at the inauguration of King Edward the third had both his name natiuity of this towne although Polydore Virgil hath no mencion of the man at all in his hystorie or catalogue of Archebishops either not finding or forgetting that euer there was any suche It is probable also that the same Bishop built the church at Mepham for the vse of the poore which William Courtney one of his Successours repaired fowre score yeares after and annexed therunto fowre new houses for the same ende and purpose Besides these notes it hath chaunced mée to sée an antiquitie of Mepham whiche both for the profite and pleasure that I conceiued therof I think méete to insert thoughe happely some other man may say that I doe therein and in many others also nothinge els but Antiquiora Diphtera loqui Neuerthelesse to the ende that it may appeare what the auncient forme and phrase of a Testament was how the Husbande and the wife ioyned in making their Testamentes how landes were deuisable by testament in olde time by what wordes estates of inheritaunce were wont to be created how the Lordes consent was thought requisite to the testament of the tenaunt and how it was procured by a guift of Heriot which as Bracton sayeth was done at the first Magis de gratia quam de iure Furthermore that you may sée how this Towne of Mepham and sundry others came at the first to Christes church Saint Augustines and Rochester and finally that you may know as well what aduauncement to Gentrie was then in vse as also what weapons iewels and ornaments were at that time worne and occupied I wyll set before your eye the last will and testament of one Byrhtric and his wife which was a man of great wealth and possessions within this Shire and had his abideing at Mepham more then sixe hundreth yeares agoe Ãis This is is ByrHtrices Birtricks and and AelfsÆ¿yðe Elfswithes His his Æ¿ifes wyues niHsta last cÆ¿ide þe Hi cÆ¿aedon on MeapaHam on Heora maga testament declaration whiche they declared at Mepham in their kinsfolks geÆ¿itnesse hearing witnesse ê§ Æ¿aes Æ¿ulfstan Vcca that was Wulstan Vcca and and Æ¿ulfsie Wulfsie His his broðor brother and and sired Syred Aelfrides Elfrides suna sonne and and Æ¿ulfsie Wulfsie se the blaca blacke and and Æ¿ine wyne preost the priest and and Aelfgar Elsgar on of MeapaHam Mepham and and Æ¿ulfeH Wulfey ordeges Ordeys suna sonne and and AelfeH Elfey His his broðor brother and and byrHtÆ¿ara Birtwar Aelfrices laf Elfrices widowe and and bryHtric Britric Hise maeg her cousine and Aelfstan bisceop Elfstane the Bishop Aerest His cyne Hlaford aenne First to his naturall Lord beaH on HundeaHtotigan one bracelet of foure score mancysen Markes of goldes golde and and ane one Handsecs hatchet dagger handknife of on as eal sÆ¿a miclan muche and and feoÆ¿er Horse and foure horses tÆ¿a geraedede two of them trapped and and tÆ¿a two sÆ¿rd swordes gefetelsode trimmed and and tÆ¿egen two Hafocas hawkes and and ealle all His his Heador Hundas houndes hedgehoundes And þaere And to the Lords wife Hlaefdian Ladie aenne one beaH bracelet on of þrittigan thirtie mancusan markes of goldes golde and and aenne one stedan horse stede palfrey to to forespraece intreate ê§ se cÆ¿yde standan moste that this testament stande maye And And for for His his saÆ¿le soule and and His his yldrena elders auncestors into Sct. Andree to Sainct Androes Rochester tÆ¿a two sulung plowland aet at denetune Dentun And Hio for Hire saÆ¿le and Hyre yldrena And they bothe for their soules and their elders tÆ¿a aet langafelda two at Longfield ploughlande And And þider in
Robertus de Winchelsey a notable traitor to the King true seruant to the Pope  19. Thomas de Cobham elected but refused by the Pope he was cōmōly called Bonus Clericus   1312. Walterus Reignold  14. 1328. Symon de Mepham 5. Thus farre out of the Storie of Couentrie 1334. Iohānes de Stratford  29. 1350. Iohannes Offord or Vfford   Thomas Bradwardine he erected the Black friars in London   1350. Symon Islepe he foūded Canterbury Colledge in Oxford  17. 1367. Symon Langham  2. 1369. Wilhelmus Witlesey  5. 1375. Symon Sudbury  6. 1381. Wilhelmus Courtenay  15. 1396. Thomas Arundel attainted of treason by Parleament in the one and twentie yere of Richard the second  18. Rogerus Walden in the exile of Arundel but deposed Then made Bishop of London againe deposed and dyed in the seuenth yeare of Henrie the fourth   1414. Henricus Chicheley built Alsoules and S. Iohns Colledge in Oxford and the Colledge of Higham  29. 1443. Iohannes Stafford  8. 1452. Ioannes Kempe  3. 1455. Thomas Bourchier  33. 1486. Ioannes Moorton buylded muche at Knol and repayred Lambeth  14. Thomas Langton elected but he dyed before cōsecration   1500. Henricus Deane or Deny  ◠ Willielmus Warham builded Otforde house  28.  Thomas Cranmer he was burned for the trueth    Reginaldus Poole  3. Mathaeus Parker   Thus haue you the succession of seuentie Archbishops in the recital whereof I doe of purpose spare to dispute the variance arising amongst writers as touching the continuance true times of their gouernment whiche discrepance groweth partly for the defaulte of the auctors themselues not obseruing the due accompte of yeares and partly by the vnskil of suche as haue vntruly copied out their woorkes I willingly reserue also for other places sundrie the hystories of their liues and doinges bothe bicause I thinke it fruitlesse to reconcile suche manner of disagréements and also for that as I saide before of the Kings I déeme it impertinent to my purpose to speake further of any thing then the very place in hand shall iustly giue me occasion It followeth therefore that according to promise I handle suche particular places within this Diocese as are mentioned in hystorie in whiche treatie I will obserue this order First to begin at Tanet and to peruse the East and Southe shores til I come to the limits betwéen this Shyre Sussex then to ascend Northward and to visits such places as lye along the bounds of this Diocess Rochester returning by the mouth of Medwey to Tanet again whiche is the whole circuite of this Bishopricke and lastly to describe suche places as lye in the body and midest of the same Tanet called in Brytish Inis Rhuochym of the Shore Rutupi it is named of some writers in Latine or rather Greeke Thanatos in Saxon tenet in stead of ƿaenet IVlius Solinus in his description of England saith thus of Tanet Thananatos nullo serpitur angue asportata inde terra angues necat There be no snakes in Tanet saith he the earth that is brought from thence will kill them But whether he wrote this of any sure vnderstanding that he had of the quality of the soyle or onely by coniecture at the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Gréeke signifieth death or killing I wote not much lesse dare I determine bycause hitherto neither I my selfe haue heard of any Region hereabout onely Ireland excepted which beareth not both snakes and other venemous wormes neither am I yet persuaded that this place borowed the name out of the Gréeke but rather tooke it of the propre language of this oure natiue countrie For ƿaenet in the Saxon or olde Engglishe tongue soundeth as muche as moysted or watered whiche deriuation howe well it standeth with the situation of Tanet being Peninsula and watered in manner round about I had rather without reasoning referre to euery mans iudgement then by debate of many woordes eyther to trouble the reader or to interrupt mine owne order Leauing the name therefore I will resorte to the thing and shewe you out of Beda and others the content and stoarie of this I le There lyeth saieth Beda speaking of the place where King Ethelbert entertained Augustine in the East part of Kent an Iland called Tanet conteining after the manner of the Englishe accompte sixe hundred families or Hides of land as the Saxon booke of Beda hath whiche be in deede after the opinion of auncient writers plough landes It is diuided from the continent or mayne land by the riuer called Wantsume whiche is about thrée furlongs broade and to bee passed ouer in two places onely Hereunto if you adde the opinion of Polydore the description wil be the more euident It conteyneth saith he about nyne myles in length and not muche lesse in breadth and it was some time diuorced from the continent by a water but nowe it is almoste vnited againe Thus muche for the description As touching the hystorie you may read in Geffray of Mōmouth that after such time as the Brytons had deposed Vortiger their King for that he brought in the Saxons whiche beganne soone after theyr entrie to shewe themselues in déede suche as they were in name not shieldes against the Pictes and Scots but swords to shead the Brittan bloud Vortimer his sonne whome they places in his seate so streightned the Saxons in this I le the whiche as William of Malmesbury writeth Vortiger had giuen them to inhabite at their first Arriuall that for a colour they sent Vortiger to treate with him of peace and in the meane whyle for feare conueyed them selues into theyr Shippes and Sayled homewarde againe The same Authour reporteth that after this Cador the Duke of Cornewall by commaundemente of King Arthur chased the Saxons into Tanet where he slewe Childric their leader and receiued many of the residue to grace and mercy Howbeit the Saxons themselues after that in processe of time they had gotten the dominion ouer the Britons enioyed not the possession of Tanet in much better quiet then the Britons had done before them For in the dayes of King Athulf the father of Alfred the Danes fought in Tanet against Ealhere the Duke or captain of Kent and Huda the Duke of Surrey slaying them bothe ouerthrewe their powers and possessed the I le After this in the time of the same King they soiourned with theyr armie a whole wynter in Tanet and lastly in the reigne of King Etheldred they herried spoyled and sacked it in suche sort that the religious persons were constrained to abandon the place for I finde that shortly after King Canutus gaue the body of Mildred and all the landes belonging to Mynster Abbay that thē was in this Ile to the Monkes of saint Augustines at Canterbury But for asmuche as good order requireth that I should tell you of the foundation before I
petition exhibited by Richarde then Earle of Arundale and Surrey in whiche the same Earle claimed the office of chiefe Butler and recognised him self ready to perfourme the same Wherevpon foorthwith one Edmund Staplegate exhibited another petition and likewise made his claime to this effect That whereas he the sayde Edmund helde of the King in chiefe the Manor of Bylsington in Kent by the seruice to be his Butler at the Coronation as plainely appeared in the booke of Fées and Sericancies in the Exchequer And whereas also by reason of that tenure the late King Edwarde the thirde had both seised the landes of that petitioner for so much as he was in his minoritie at the time of the death of Edmund Staplegate his father and had also committed the custodie of his body to one Iefferay Chawsier to whō he payde 104. l. for the same he nowe proffered to doe that seruice and praied to be admitted to the office therof with alowance of the fées that belonged therevnto These claimes and the replies also bothe of the Earle and of Staplegate being hearde and considered It was then order partly for the shortnesse of the time whiche would not permit a full examination of the matter and partly bycause that on the Earles side it was proued that his auncestors had béene in possession of that office after the alienation of the Manor of Bylsington whereas on the other part it appeared not that the auncestors of Staplegate had euer executed the same that for the present Coronation the Earle shoulde be receiued and the right of Staplegate and all others shoulde be neuerthelesse to them saued Thus muche of the Manor of Bylsington whiche lyeth here on the right hande I thought méete to impart with you to occupy vs withall in our way to Rumney for as touching the Pryorie that there was althoughe I suppose it to haue begon by the liberalitie of some of the Earles of Arundale yet can I assure you of nothing touching it saue onely of the yearely value whiche you shall finde in the Particular of this shyre amongst the rest of the suppressed houses Rumney called in Saxon Rumen ea that is to say The large watrie place or Marishe It is written in the Records corruptly Rumenal and Romual THE participation of like Priuilege might wel haue moued me to haue placed the Portes together but the purpose of myne order already taken calleth me another way and byndeth me to prosecute them as they lye in order of my iourney There be in Kent therfore two townes of this name the Olde and the New Rumney as touching the latter whereof I minde not to speake hauing not hitherto founde eyther in Recorde or Hystorie any thing pertaining therevnto but that little whiche I haue to say must be of olde Rumney whiche was long since a principal Port and giueth cause of name to the new towne as it selfe first tooke it of the large leuell and territorie of Marishe grounde that is adioyning This Towne sayth the Recorde of Domesday was of the possession of one Robert Rumney and holden of Odo then Bishop of Borieux Earle of Kent and brother to King William the Conquerour in the which the same Robert had thirteene Burgesses who for their seruice at the Sea were acquitted of all exactions and custome◠of charge excepte fellonie breache of the peace and forstalling It was sometyme a good sure and commodious Hauen where many vessels vsed to lye at Roade For Henrie the Archedeacon of Huntingdon maketh report that at suche time as Godwine Earle of Kent and his Sonnes were exiled the Realme vpon suche cause of displeasure as hathe alreadie appeared in Douer they armed vessels to the Sea and sought by disturbing the quiet of the people to compell the King to their reuocation And therfore among sundry other harmes that they did on the Coast of this Shyre they entred the hauen at Rumney and lead away all suche shippes as they found in the Harborow Thomas Becket the Archebishop hauing by froward disobedience and stuborne pertinacitie prouoked King Henrie the second to indignation against him and fearing to abide the triall of ordinarie Iustice at home determined to appeale to the Popes fauour at Rome for whiche purpose he secretly tooke boate at Rumney minding to haue escaped ouer but he was driuen backe by a contrary wynde and so compelled to land againste his will. The vnderstanding of whiche matter so exasperated the King against him that foorthwith he seased his goods and gaue commaundement by his writte to the Sheriffes of all coastes to make arrest of al such as for any cause prouoked to the Pope He caused also his subiectes from twentie yeares of age vpward through out the whole Realme to renounce by othe all wonted obedience to the Sée of Rome and sollicited earnestly the Emperour Frederic and Lewes the Frenche King to haue ioyned with him in deposing Pope Alexander for that he so commonly receaued runnegates and suche as rebelled against their lawfull Princes But suche was eyther the enimitie of Lewes the Frenche King againste King Henrie the second or his dull sight in discerning the profit of the whole Christian common weale that he refused to assist the other twain by meanes whereof both Frederic the Emperour was afterward compelled to yéelde him to the Pope King Henrie the second glad withall submission to reconcile himselfe to the Archebishops fauour Rumney Marshe is famous throughout the Realme as wel for the fertilitie quantitie of the soile leuell as also for the auncient and holesome ordinances there vsed for the preseruation and maintenance of the bankes and walles against the rage of the Sea. It conteineth as by due computation it may appeare 24000. Acres For the taxation of Rumney Marshe onely not accompting Walland Marshe Guilford Marshe c. amounteth to 50. pounds after the rate of one halfe peny the Acre and it is at this day gouerned by certaine lawes made by one Henrie Bathe a Iustice and Commissioner for that purpose in the time of King Henrie the third Of whiche his statutes experience in time hath begotten suche allowance and liking that it was afterward not onely ordered that all the lowe groundes betwéene Tanet in Kent and Pemsey in Sussex should be guided by the same But they are also nowe become a paterne and exemplar to all the like places of the whole Realme to be gouerned by The place is not muche inhabited bycause it is Hyeme malus Aestate molestus Nunquam bonus Euil in Winter grieuous in Sommer and neuer good As Hesiodus the olde Poet somtime saied of the Countrie where his Father dwelt And therefore very reasonable is their conceite whiche doe imagine that Kent hathe thrée steps or degrées of whiche the first say they offereth Wealth without healthe the second giueth bothe Wealth and healthe and the third afoordeth healthe onely and no Wealthe For if a man minding to passe through
nowe Archebishop of Canterbury whose care for conseruation of learned Monuments can neuer be sufficiently commended shewed me not long since the Psalter of Dauid and suÌ„dry Homelies in Gréeke Homer also and some other Greke authours beautifully written in thicke paper with the name of this Theodore prefixed in the fronte to whose Librarie he reasonably thought being thereto led by shewe of great antiquitie that they sometime belonged The other two Lanfranc and Simon of Sudbury did cost vpon the gates and walles bringing thereby bothe strength and beautie to the Citie Suche was then the firste beginning and increase of Canterbury Let vs nowe therefore sée also what harmes it hath now susteined and to what decay it is falne Besides sundry particular harmes done to diuers of the Religious places the towne it selfe hath often receiued detriment by casualtie of fyre For the author of the additions to the Chronicle of Asserus Meneuensis affirmeth that about the yeare after Christ seuen hundreth fiftie and foure it was sore wasted with fire Againe in the yeare nine hundreth and eightéene Alfleda the mightie Lady of Mercia besieging and burning the citie it self spoyled kylled expulsed the Danes that theÌ„ possessed it In reuenge wherof they afterward about the end of the reigne of King Ethelred did not only besiege take and burne this citie but also put to moste barbarous and cruell death Alphegus the Archebishop for that he refused to charge his farmours and the citizens towardes his raunsome aboue their abilitie and they siue of the Monkes Townesmen and other common people the whole nynes throughout the multitude reseruing on liue the tenthe man onely So that they left of all the Monkes but foure and of the Lay people foure thousande and eight hundreth Where by the waye it is to be noted that this citie and the countrie thereabouts the people whereof be like fled thether for succour was at that time very populous hauing to loose fortie thrée thousande and two hundreth persons in whiche behalfe there want not some I wote well whiche doe affirme that it had then more store of buildings then London it selfe And truely it is well knowne that they were very riche at Canterbury also for not long before by the aduise of Siricius their Archebishop they bought their peace at the handes of the Danes with thirtie thousande poundes of ready money But let me proceede fourthly in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde euen streight after the election of Thomas Becket the Archeshop this citie of Canterbury was wholy consumed with fire And nowe lately and lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the eight it was in some partes blasted with flame wherein amongst other things diuers good bookes whiche a Monke of S. Augustines had brought from beyonde the Seas were brought to ashes I had almoste forgotten a storie in Beda where he maketh Mellitum mendacium mention of Mellitus I shuld haue sayde and reporteth that when as vpon a time a great parte of this citie was touched with fire and that the flame hasted towarde the house of this Mellitus then Archebishop there he commaunded that they shoulde beare him against it euen into the greatest furie thereof And that whereas before it coulde not be quenched by any water though neuer so plentiously poured vpon it foorthwith at his presence the winde turned and at the vehemencie of his prayer the fyre not only ceased to goe any further but also immediatly went out and was extinguished I wote wel this writer is called Venerabilis but when I reade this and a number of suche which make the one halfe of his worke I say with my selfe as sometime did the Poet Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic incredulus odi What euer thing thou shewest me so I hate it as a lye To procéede therefore in my former course and to tell the trueth litle had all these casualties of fire and flame béene to the decay of this towne had not the dissolution and finall ouerthrowe of the Religious houses also come vpon it For where wealth is at commaundement howe easily are buildings repayred and where opinion of great holynesse is howe soone are cities and townes aduaunced to great estimation and riches And therfore no maruaile if after wealth withdrawn and opinion of holynesse remoued the places tumbled headlong to ruine decay In whiche part as I can not on the one side but in respect of the places theÌ„ selues pitie lament this general desolatioÌ„ not only in this Shyre but in all other places of the Realme So on the other side considering the maine Seas of sinne and iniquitie wherein the worlde at those dayes was almost whole drenched I must néeds take cause highly to prayse God that hath thus mercifully in our age deliuered vs disclosed Satan vnmasked these Idoles dissolued the Synagoges and raced to the grounde all Monumentes of building erected to superstition and vngodlynesse And therefore let euery godly man ceasse with me from hencefoorth to maruail why Canterbury Walsingham and sundry suche like are nowe in these our dayes become in manner waste since God in times paste was in them blasphemed most And like the souldiours of Satan and superstitious Mawmetrie howle and crye out with the heathen Poet. Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. The Gods eche one by whose good ayde This Empire stoode vpright Are flowne their entries and their altars eke abandond quight For séeing God in all ages hath not spared to extend his vengeaunce not only vpon the persons but vpon the places also where his name was dishonoured striking the same with solitude and exterminion as we reade of Sodome Ierusalem and others Howe then shoulde he forbeare these harborowes of the Deuill and the Pope whiche in horrible crimes contended with Sodome in vnbelief matched Ierusalem and in folly of superstition excéeded all Gentilitie By the iust iudgement of God therfore Canterbury came soudenly from great wealth multitude of inhabitaunts and beautiful buildings to extreme pouertie nakednes and decaâ— hauing at this day Parishes more in number then well filled yet in al not aboue twelue in whiche plight for pitie I will leaue it and referring you to the statutes 32. and 33. of Henrie the eight prouided for the reedifying of decayed houses aswel in this Citie as also in Rochâ—ster Feuersham the Fiue ports I will tourne me tâ— the Hystorie of the religious buyldings There was iâ— Canterbury within the time of late memorie besides others two houses of great estimation and lyuelyhoode the one being called Christes church and the other Saint Augustines the Monkes of the whiche places were as farre remoued from all mutual loue and societie as the houses themselues were néere linked together either in regarde of the time of their foundation the order of their profession or the place of their situation And therfore in this part it might wel be verified of them
builde a Bridge vpon That olde worke being of timber Building was fyered by Simon the Earle of Leycester in the time of King Henrie the third as hath already appeared and not fully twentie yeares after it was borne away with the Ise in the reigne of King Edward his Sonne Wherefore least that as the Frost and flame hath alredy consumed the thing it selfe So the canker of time should also deuoure all memorie thereof I haue thought méete to impart such antiquities as I haue found concerning that bridge wherof the one was taken out of a booke somtime belonging to the late worthie and wise Counselour Doctor Nicholas Wotton and whiche he had exemplified out of an auncient monument of Christes Church in Canterbury bearing this Title Memorandum de Ponte Roffensi c. Episcopus Roffensis debet facere primam peram de ponte Roffensi debet inuenire tres sulliues debet plantare tres virgatas super pontem Et hoc debent facere Borstal Cukelstan Frendsburie Stoke Secunda pera debet habere tres sull debet plantare vnam virgatam Et hoc debent homines de Gillingham de Chetham Episcopus Roffensis debet facere tertiam peram debet sull plantare duas virgatas dimid Et hoc debetur de Halling Trockescliue Malling Southflete Stane Pinendene Falcham Quarta pera debet tres sull plantare tres virgatas Et hoc debent homines de Borgham de sex sull de Woldham cum Roberto Bisset socijs suis cum Roberto Neue de trib sull de Althe vna sull de Henherst dimid sull de Honden quartam partem vnius sull de Cusington dimid sull de Boneheld dimid sull De Farleg vnam sull De Ethles viginti quinque acres de Theiston vnam sull De Lose vnam sull De Lillinton duas sull De Stokebury duas sul De Gliselardland de Sinelond de Dalelond De Lechebundlond De Horsted De Chelk Quinta pera pertinet ad Archiepiscopum Et debet tres sull plantare quatuor virgat Et hoc debetur de Wroteham Nedestane Woteringbery Netherlestede Pecham altera Pecham Heselholt Mereworth Leyborne Swaneton OffehaÌ„ Diâ—tone Westerham Sexta pera pertinet ad Hundredum de Heyburne debet sull plantare .4 virgatas hoc debent homines de Boxele scilicet de .7 sull dimid sed contradicunt Dimid sull de Dethling vnam sull Dimid quartam partem vnius Thornham .2 sull tertiam quam contradicunt De Aldington vnam sull aliam quam contradicunt De Stokebery .2 sull de Eilnothington .2 sull de Bicknore .i sull de Widneselle .i. sull de Holingeburne 6. sull de quibus Godinton debet 2. sull Bocton Archiepiscopi dimid sull de Heberton cum Frensted .i. sull de Lhed s 3. sull de Herietesham cum Litlewrotha 2 sull de Wrenstede dimid sull de Wytheling cuÌ„ Eastelne .i. sull de Lenham 4. sull dimid de Longele cum Otringdene 2. sull dimid de Eastlenham 2. sull de Boctone Bauelingham .i. sull de Hulecumb 2. sull dimid quam contradicunt de Farburn dimid sull dimid quam contradicunt de Suthone 7. sull dimid de Otteham 1. sull de Witherinton dimid sull Notandum quod ad 6. sull de Holingehorne debet Boctone dimid sull Godinton 2. sull Buccherst dimid Iug. Wibendene Hokâ—bery dimid Iug. Wythyherst 1. Iuger Herindene dimid Iuger Hallebroc Herebertest dimid Iuger Bresing 3. Iug. Beauerepair dimid Iuger Stanburne Thrumsted dimid Iug. Riple dimid Iuger Bradestrete dimid Iuger Brechedene quartam partem vnius Iuger Simon de porta 5. acras Gilebertus de Thrumstede 15. acras Terra Ospeck 5. acras Thomas supra montem 10. acras Sara de Dene Robertus de Swandene cum socijs 45. acras Bradherst 4. Iuger Huking dimid Iug. Wodaeton i. Iug. Herst i. Iuger Heyhorne dimid Iug. Lareye dimid Iug. Grenewey i. Iug. Southgrenewey i. Iug. Gerin cum socijs dimid Iug. Terra Iacobi de Hannye dimid Iuger Cotenetun dimid Iug. Nutemannestowe terra Bellardi dimid Iug. Sheldesbourn dimid Iug. Snade quartam partem Worham 3. acras Bode 5. acras Simon Cockel 25. acras Haeredes Thomae de la Dane 5. acras Walterus Larsone 5. acras Wilhelmus Cliue 10. acras Sepâ—ima octaua pera pertinent ad homines de Hoo. Et debent sex sull plantare 4. virgat dimid Nona pera pertinet ad Archiepiscopum debet 3. sull plantare 4. virgat Et hoc debetur de Cliue Heigham Deninton Melton Hlidesdon Mepeham Snodeslond Bearlinges Peadelesworthe de omnibus hominibus in eadem valle The other antiquitie I founde in an olde volume of Rochester Librarie collected by Ernulsus the Bishop and entituled Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi in whiche that whiche concerneth this purpose is to be read bothe in the Saxon or auncient Englishe tong and in the Latine also as hereafter followeth Ãis This is is þaers the bricaegeÆ¿eorc Bridgewoorke on at Hrofecaestre Rochester Her Here syndon be genamod named þa the land landes þE for man the Hi which of scael men shall Æ¿eorcan woorke Aerest First the þaerâ— burgebiscop faeHð on Bishop of the Citie taketh on beginneth þone that earm end to to Æ¿ercene woorke þa the land land peran peere and þreo three gyrda yardes to to þillianne plancke and iij. sylla to 3. plates to lyccanne laye ê§ that is is of from of borcstealle Borstall and of Cucclestane from Cuckstane of and from frinondesbyrig Frendsbyry of Stoce and Stoke Ãanne Then seo the oþres second per peere gebyrað belongeth to to gyllingeHam Gyllingham to CaetHam and to Chetham an gyrde to and one yarde to þillianne plancke iij. and 3. sylla plates to to leccanne laye Ãonne Then seo the þridde thirde peere per gebyrað eft þam biscope belongeth againe to the same Bishop þridde Heâ—lf gyrd and two yardes and a half and three yardes lacking a halfe to to þillianne planke .iii. sylla and 3. plates to to leccenne laye of of from Healingan halling of trotescliue and of Trosclif of meallingan and of malling of fliote and of Fleete of Stane and of Stone and of pundene of pyndene of and of falcHenHam falkenham Fakham Ãonne Then is is seo the feorðe fourth paer þaes cinges peere the Kinges and fiorðe 3. Half gyrd to þillanne yardes and a halfe to planke .iii. sylla to leccanne and 3. plates to laye of of aeglesforda Atlesford and of of eallan all þam that laeþe þe þerto that Lathe Hundreth that therevnto liþ lyeth of ufanHylle and of the vphille men vpon the hill of Aclea and of Acley Okeley of þam and of Smalanland Smalland and of of Cusintune Cosyngton of dudeslande and of Dudslande of Gysleardeslande and of Gisleardsland of Æ¿uldeHam and of Woldham of
of ouerthrowne Houses and Mynsters were called Knolles Miters he returned into England and meaning some way to make himselfe as well beloued of his Countrie men at home as he had béen euery way dread and feared of Straungers abroade by great policie maistred the Riuer of Medwey and of his owne charge made ouer it the goodly work that now stādeth with a chappel Chauntrie at the end died ful of yeares in the midst of the Reigne of King Henrie the fourth Stroude aunciently called Strodes of the Saxon worde Strogd which signifieth Scattered bicause it was a Hamlet of a few houses that lay scattered from the Citie ABout the beginning of the Reigne of King Henrie the third Gilbert Glāuille the Bishop of Rochester of whom you haue already heard foūded an Hospitall at Stroude whiche he dedicated to the name of the blessed Virgin and endowed with liuelyhode to the value of fiftie and two pounds by yeare A name or familie of men sometime inhabiting Stroude saith Polydore had tailes clapped to their breeches by Thomas Becket for reuenge and punishment of a dispite done to him in cutting of the taile of his horse The Author of the new Legend saith that after Saint Thomas had excomunicated two Brothers called Brockes for the same cause that the Dogges vnder the table would not once take Bread at their handes Suche belike was the vertue of his curse that it gaue to brute beastes a discretion and knowledge of the persons that were in daunger of it Boetius the Scotishe Chronicler writeth that the lyke plague lighted vpon the men of Midleton in Dorsetshyre Who bicause they threwe Fishe tailes in great contempt at Saint Augustine were bothe themselues and their posteritie stricken with tailes to their perpetuall infamie and punishment All whiche their Reportes no doubt be as true as Ouides Hystorie of Diana that in great angre bestowed on Acteon a Deares head with mightie browe anthlers Muche are the Westerne men bound as you sée to Polydore who taking the miracle from Augustine applieth it to S. Thomas and remouing the infamous reuenge frō Dorsetshyre laieth it vpō our men of Kent But litle is Kent or the whole English Nation beholdding either to him or his fellowes who amongst them haue brought vpon vs this ignominie note with other Nations abrode that many of them beleue as verely that we haue long tailes be monsters by nature as other men haue their due partes and mēbers in vsual nūber Polydore the wisest of the company fearing that issue might be taken vpon the matter ascribeth it to one speciall stocke and familie whiche he nameth not and yet to leaue it the more vncertain he saith that that family also is worne out long since and sheweth not when And thus affirming he cannot tel of whome nor when he goeth about in great earnest as in sundrie other things to make the world beléeue he cannot tell what he had forgotten the Lawe wherevnto an Hystorian is bound Ne quid falsi audeat ne quid veri non audeat That he should be bolde to tell the trueth and yet not so bolde as to tell a lye Howbeit his Hystorie without all doubte in places not blemished with suche folies is a worthie work but since he inserteth them many times without all discretion hee must of the wiser sorte be read ouer with great suspicion wearines For as he was by office Collector of the Peter pence to the Popes gaine and lucre so sheweth he himselfe throughout by profession a couetous gatherer of lying Fables fained to aduaunce the Popish Religion Kingdome and Myter ¶ Halling in Saxon Haling that is to say the holsome lowe place or Meadowe I Haue séene in an auncient booke conteining the donations to the See of Rochester collected by Ernulphus the Bishop there intituled Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi a Chartre of Ecgbert the fourthe christened King of Kent by the which he gaue to Dioram the Bishop of Rochester ten ploughlandes in Halling together with certeine Denes in the Weald or common wood To the which Chartre ther is amongst others the subscription of Ieanbert the Archbishop and of one Heahbert a King of Kent also as is in that booke tearmed Which thing I note for two speciall causes the one to shewe that aboute that age there were at one time in Kent moe Kinges then one The other to manifest and set fourth the manner of that time in signing subscribing of Déedes and Charters a fashion much differēt from the insealing that is vsed in these our dayes and as touching the firste I my selfe woulde haue thought that the name King had in that place béen but onely the title of a second Magistrate as Prorex or viceroy substituted vnder the very King of the countrie for administratiō of iustice in his aide or absence sauing that I read plainly in an other Chartre of another donation of Eslingham made by Offa the king of Mercia to Eardulfe the Bishop of the same See that he proceeded in that his gift by the consent of the same Heahbert the king of Kent and that on Sigaered also by the name of Rex dimidiae partis prouinciae Cantuariorum both confirmed it by writing and gaue possession by the deliuery of a clod of earth after the maner of seison that we yet vse Neither was this true in Heahbert onely for it is euident by sundrie Chartres extant in the same Booke that Ealbert the King of Kent had Ethelbert another Kinge his fellowe and partener who also in his time was ioyned in reigne with one Eardulfe that is called Rex Cantuariorum as well as hée So that for this season it should séeme that eyther the kingdome was diuided by discent or els that the title was litigious and in controuersie though our hystories so farre as I haue séene haue mencion of neyther This old manner of signing and subscribing is in my fantasie also not vnworthy the obseruation wherein we differ from our auncestors the Saxons in this that they subscribed their names commonly adding the signe of the crosse togeather with a great number of witnesses And we for more suertie both subscribe our names put our seales and vse the help of testimonie besides That former fashion continued throughout vntill the time of the conquest by the Normans whose manner by litle and litle at the length preuailed amongst vs For the first sealed Chartre in England that euer I read of is that of King Edward the confessours to the Abbey of Westminster who being brought vp in Normandie brought into this Realme that and some other of their guises with him And after the comming of William the Conquerour the Normans liking their owne countrie custome as naturally all nations doe reiected the maner that they found héere and reteyned their owne as Ingulphus the Abbat of Croyland which came in with the conquest witnesseth saying Normanni cheirographorū confectionē cum crucib
the thinges that I had to remember in Eltham And to make an end of all these be the places whereof I ment to make note in this my Xenagogie and perambulation of Kent the first and only Shyre that I haue described wherin although I haue not spoken of sundrie Towns not inferiour at this present in estimation to a greate many that I haue handled and happely equall with them in antiquitie also yet I think I haue neither pretermitted many that be much worthie of obseruation nor scarcely omitted any that be mentioned in such bookes of Hystorie as be easily to be had and obteined but as for the Feodaries and Tenures of land Genealogies Armes of men Ebbes Floudes Tides of the Sea and Riuers Flattes Barres Hauens such other things although somewhat might haue béen seuerally said concerning eache of them yet haue I wittingly and without touche lept ouer them all Partly for the incertentie partly that I scatter not any séede of dissention and enuie and partely least whilste by disclosing secretes I labour to serue the curiositie of some fewe I either offend many of the sadder sort or deserue euill of the whole estate Nowe therfore I will deliuer you and rest me wishing that some other man of greater profite in reading deapth in iudgement and dexteritie in penning would take in hand to amend the description of this and to adde the residue For as I at the first assayd it to proue my self to prouoke some and to pleasure and profite others So hauing nowe atchieued it according to my slender skill if any man shall like to take this my base metall drawne out of a fewe Sowze into many Sheetes as you sée shall hammar it to some further and finer fashion I wil not only not enuie it but most hartely thanke him and gratulate to our Countrie that so good a tourne benefite And as touching the description of the rest of the Realme knowing by the dealing in this one that it wil be harde for any one man and muche more for my selfe to accomplishe all I can but wishe in like sorte that some one in eache Shyre would make the enterprise for his owne Countrie to the end that by ioyning our pennes and conferring our labours as it were Ex symbolo wée may at the last by the vnion of many parts and papers compact a whole and perfect bodie and Booke of our English antiquities The Customes of Kent ALthough good order would haue borne the rehersall of the Auncient Customes of this Shyre in that generall discourse whiche we had in the beginning as touching the estate of this whole Countie the rather for that it was there shewed by what meanes and policie they were conserued yet least the recitall of the same being of themselues large and manyfolde might haue béene thought too great a Parenthesis or rather an interruption of the Hystorie wherein we were as then but newly entred I thought it better to reserue them for this place to the end that bothe the one and the other might appeare without breache or confusion These Customes therefore being for the most part discrepant from the common lawes of our Realme and annexed to suche landes within this Shyre as beare the name of Gauelkinde are commonly called Gauelkinde Customes for that they preuaile and haue place in landes of Gauelkinde nature In whiche respect it shall not be amisse to shewe for what reason those landes were at the first so termed and why they do yet hitherto continue the name Two coniectures I haue of the reason of this name the one grounded vpon the nature of the discent and inheritance of these landes themselues the other founded vpon the manner of the duetie and seruices that they yeald bothe whiche I will not sticke to recite and yet leaue to eache man frée choice to receaue either or to refuse bothe as it shall best lyke him I gather by Cornelius Tacitus and others that the auncient Germans whose ofspring we be suffred their landes to descend not to the Eldest Sonne alone but to the whole number of their male Children I finde in the 75. Chap. of Canutus law a King of this Realme before the Conquest that after the death of the father his heires shoulde diuide bothe his goods and his landes amongst them Nowe for as muche as all the nexte of the kinred did this inherite together I coniecture that therfore the land was called eyther Gauelkyn in meaning Giueall kyn bycause it was giuen to all the nexte in one line of kinred or Giue all kynd that is to all the male children for kynd in Dutche signifieth yet a male childe Besides this the Welshmen also who but now lately lost this custome doe in their language call this discent Gwele and in their Latine Recordes Lectus progenies gauella of their owne worde Gefeilled whiche signifieth Twyns or suche as be borne together bicause they doe all inherite together and make as it were but one heire and not many And here by the way I cannot omit to shew that they of this our Kentish cuntrey do yet cal their partition of land shifting euen by the very same worde that the lawe of Canutus many yeares since termed it namely Scyftan in Latine Herciscere that is to shift depart or diuide lande My other coniecture is raysed vpon the consideration of the rent and seruices going out of these landes for it is wel knowne that as Knights seruice lande required the presence of the tenant in warfare and battaile abroad So this lande being of Socage tenure cōmaunded his attendance at the ploughe and other the Lordes affaires of husbandry at home the one by manhoode defending his Lords life and person the other by industrie mainteining with rent corne and victuall his estate and familie This rent and customarie payment of works the Saxons called gafol and therof as I think they named the lande that yealded it gafolette or gafolcynd that is to saye lande Letten for rent or of the kinde to yealde rent In this sense I am sure that the rents customes and seruices whiche the tenantes of London pay to their land lords were wont and yet are to be recouered by a writ thereof called Gauellet as by an auncient statute made in the tenthe yeare of King Edward the second intituled Statutum de Gaueleto in London and by dayly experience there it may well appeare Thus much then as concerning the Etymon of this word Gauelkind being said let vs procéed further It hath already appeared how the Kentishmen immediatly after the Conquest obteined the continuation of their customes and it is very manyfest by auncient writers that the same for the more part haue bene in vre and exercise euer since For omitting that which Thomas Spot hath written concerning the same matter for as much as it is already recited at large Glanuile a learned man that flourished in the reigne of king Henrie the second in his
seuenth booke and third chapter Bracton that liued in the time of King Henrie the third in his seconde booke De acquirendo rerum dominio And Bretton that wrate vnder King Edward the first and by his commaundement haue all expresse mention of landes partible amongst the males by vsage of the place and some of them recite the very name of Gauelkind it selfe But most plainely of all an auncient treatise receiued by tradition from the hands of our elders wherof I my self haue one exemplar written out as I suppose in the time of King Edwarde the firste agréeing with the dayly practise of these customes proueth the continuance of them to stande with good lawe and liking And therefore forbearing as néedlesse further testimonie in that behalfe I will descende to the disclosing of the customes them selues not numbring them by order as they lye in that treatise but drawing them foorth as they shall concerne eyther the lande it selfe or the persons that I will orderly speake of that is to say particularly the Lorde and the Tenant The husband and the wife The child and the gardien and so after addition of a fewe other things incident to this purpose I will drawe to an end As touching the land it self in which these customes haue place it is to be vnderstanded that all the landes within this Shyre which be of ancient Socage tenure be also of the nature of Gauelkind For as for the lands holden by auncient tenure of Knights seruice they be at the common lawe are not departible after the order of this custome except certeine which being holden of olde time by Knightes seruice of the Archebishop of Canterbury are neuerthelesse departible as it may appeare by an opinion of the Iudges in the Kings benche .26 H. 8. fol. 4. And that grewe by reason of a graunt made by King Iohn to Hubert the Archebishop the tenor wherof being exemplified out of an auncient roll remayning in the handes of the Reuerende father Mathewe the Archebishop nowe liuing hereafter followeth Ioannes dei gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Normaniae Aquitaniae comes Andegauen Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Comitibus Baronibus Iusticiarijs Vicecomitibus Praepositis ministris omnibus Balliuis fidelibus suis Salutem Sciatis nos concessisse praesenti charta nostra confirmasse venerabili patri nostro ac Chro. Huberto Cantuar. Archiepiscopo successoribus suis in perpetuum quòd liceat eis terras quas homines de feodo Ecclesiae Cantua tenent in Gauelkind conuertere in feoda militū Et quod idem Episcop successores sui eandē in ōnibus potestatē libertatē habeant in perpetuū in homines illos qui terras easdem ita in feodo militum conuersas tenebunt in haeredes eorum quā ipse Archiepiscopus habet successores sui post eum habebunt in alios milites de feodo Ecclesiae Cantuar. in haeredes Et homines illi haeredes eorum eandem omnem libertaetem habeant in perpetuum quam alij milites de feodo Ecclesiae Cantuar. haeredes eorum habent Ita tamen quod nihilominus consuetus redditus denariorum reddatur integre de terris suis sicut prius xenia aueragia alia opera quae fiebāt de terris ijsdem conuertantur in redditum denariorum aequiualentem Et redditus ille reddatur sicut alius redditus denariorum Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus quod quicquid praedictus Archiepiscopus successores sui post eum de terris illis in feodo militum secundum praescriptam formam conuertendis fecerint ratum in perpetuum stabile permaneat Et prohibemus ne quis contrafactum ipsius Archiepiscopi vel successorum suorum in hac parte venire praesumat Teste E. Eliense S. Bathon Episcopis G. filio Petri comite Essex Willmo Marescallo comite de Penbroc Roberto de Harocort Garino filio Geraldi Petro de Stoke Ric. de Reuerus Roberto de Tateshal Datum per manum S. Archid. Willielmi apud Rupem auriual 4. die Maij Anno regni nostri tertio But nowe for as muche as it is disputable whether this Chartre of the King be of sufficient vertue to chaunge the nature of the Gauelkynd lande or no and for that the certaintie of the landes so conuerted into Knight fee dothe not any where that I haue séene appeare saue onely that in the booke of Aide leuied in this Shire Anno. 20. E. 3. it is foure or fiue times noted that certeine landes there be holden in Knights seruice Per nouam licentiam Archiepiscopi I will leaue this and procéede to proue that all the landes of auncient tenure in Knights seruice be subiect to the ordinarie course of discent at the common lawe And that may I as me thinketh sufficiently doe both by the expresse wordes of a note 9. H. 3. in the title of Praescription 63. in Fitzherbert by the resolution of the same Fitzherbert and Norwiche Iustices 26. H. 8. 5. And by plaine recitall in the acte of Parleament made 31. H. 8. Ca. 3. by whiche statute the possessions of certeine Gentlemen there named were deliuered from this customarie discent and incorporated to the common lawe For amongst other things in that acte it is sayde That from thencefoorth such their lands shal be changed from the said custome and shall descend as lands at the common lawe and as other lands being in the said coūtie of Kent which neuer were holden by seruice of Socage but always haue bene holden by Knightes seruice doe descend By whiche wordes it is very euident that the makers of that estatute vnderstoode all landes holden by Knightes seruice to be of their proper nature descendable after the common lawe and that Socage tenure was the only subiect in whiche this our custome of Gauelkynd discent preuailed and helde place But when I thus speake of Socage and Knights fee I must alwayes be vnderstanded to meane of a tenure long since and of auncient time continued and not now newly or lately created for so it may fall out otherwise then is already reported As for example If land aunciently holden by Knights seruice come to the Princes hande who afterwarde giueth the same out againe to a common person to be holden of his Manor of Eastgrenewiche in Socage I suppose that this land notwithstanding the alteratiō of the tenure remaineth descendable to the eldest sonne only as it was before As also in like sorte if landes of auncient Socage seruice come to the crowne and be deliuered out againe to be holden eyther of the Prince in Capite or by Knightes seruice of any Manor I thinke it ought to descende according to the custome notwithstanding that the tenure be altered And if this be true in the graunt of the King him selfe then much lesse sauing the reuerēce due to king Iohns Chartre may the Archebishop by a newe creation of tenure make
for her endowment and the other to her departed husbande to be bestowed by his executors if he made a testament or by the discrâ—tion of the ordinarie if he died intestate The selfe same order is at this day obserued in the Citie of London and the same in effect was long since vsed throughout the whole Realme For it is euident bothe by the lawe of King Canutus before remembred by Maister Glanuille in his booke Ca. 18. and by the wordes of Magna Carta that the wyfe and Children had their reasonable partes of the goods by the common lawe of the Realme howsoeuer it came to passe at the length that it was admitted for law but in such Countries only where it was continued by daily vsage as it is holden 17. E. 2. and in many other bookes that al the writs in the Register De rationabili parte bonorum Haue mention of the speciall Custome of the Shyre in whiche the part is demaunded But as in déede at this day partition of Chattels is not vsed though in the meane time it hathe not lost the force of common lawe as many thinke through out the whole Realme so is it so far as I can learne vanished quite out of all vre within this Countrie also And therfore séeing the Gardein is deliuered of this charge we also wil leaue to speake further of the goods and come to the partition and custodie of the land of this Infant If a man die seised of landes in Gauelkinde of any estate of inheritance al his Sonnes shal haue equal portioÌ„ if he haue no Sonnes then ought it equally to be diuided amongst his daughters But yet so that the eldest Sonne or Daughter hath by the Custome a preeminence of election and the youngest Sonne or Daughter a preferment in the partition For as of auncient time there ought to be graunted to the eldest the firste choice after the diuision so to the parte of the youngest there ought to be allotted in the diuision that peice of the Mesuage whiche our treatise calleth Astre By whiche word is ment as I coniecture for otherwise I haue not learned either the Hall or chiefe roome of the house either els the well for water or the Southe side of the building For Astre being sounded without s may come of the Latine woord Atrium whiche signifieth a Hall or of Haustrum whiche betokeneth the Bucket of a well or of Austrum the Southe side euery of whiche haue their particular commodities aboue the rest of the house or tenement Or otherwyse if that shal like any man better being sounded with s it may be deduced from the Frenche word Asistre by contraction Astre whiche is as much as a site or situation and with the Article le before it Lestre a Churcheyard or Court about a house But whatsoeuer the woord meane I will not longer labour in it seing that at this day there is no suche regarde made in the partition but only consideration had that the partes them selues be equall and indifferent Now therfore if the Childe be vnder the age of 15. yeres the next Cousin to whoÌ„ the inheritance may not descend shal haue the education order of his body landes vntil suche time as he shall attaine to that age euen as the Gardein in socage at the common law shall kéepe his vntill the warde aspire to fouretéene And in all other things also this customarie Gardein is to be charged and to haue allowance in suche sorte and none other then as the Gardein in socage at the common law is Saue only as it is partly remembred already that he is bothe chargeable to the Heire in accompt for his receipt subiect also to the distresse of the Lord for the same cause Yet doe I not heare that the Lordes take vpon them at this day to committe the custodie of these Infants but that they leaue it altogether to the order of the next of the Kinne the rather belike for that they them selues if they intermedle stande chargeable in default of the abilitie of suche as happely they might credit therewithall So that vpon the whole matter the addes consisteth only in this that Gardein in Socage at the common Lawe shall keepe the land till the Infant be fourtéene yeares of age and Gardein by this custome till he haue attained fully fiftéene whiche diuersitie ariseth not without great reason For whereas the Infant in Socage at the common law cannot make alienation of his land vntill he haue reached to the full age of 21. yeares although he be long before that frée from all wardship The Infant in Socage by this Custome may giue and sell his land so sone as he is crept out of this Custodie And therefore it was expedient at the leaste to adde one yeare to the common Lawe before he should be of power to depart with his inheritance whiche otherwise being vnaduisedly made away might worke his owne impouerishment and ouerthrowe And truly it séemeth to me that the Custome it selfe hath a watchefull eye vpon the same matter in so much as it licenceth him at fiftéene yeares Not to giue his Land for that he might doe for nothing But to giue and sell his Land whiche it meaneth he should not doe without sufficient recompence Suche like interpretation the common Lawe also séemeth to make of this custome both by the opinion of Vauasor 5. H. 7. who said the it was adiudged that a release made by such an Infant was voide by the sentence of the Booke 21. E. 4. 24. where it was said that an infant cannot declare his will vpon such a Feoffment and by the iudgement of Hank 11. H. 4. who also helde that a warrantie or graunt of a reuersion made at suche age was to no purpose at all althoughe a lease with release might happely be good by the Custome bicause that amounteth to a Feoffment And in my simple iudgement it is not fit that this Custome should be construed by equitie for as muche as it standeth not with any equitie to enable an infant of litle discretion and lesse experience to sell his land and not to prouide withal that he should haue Quid pro quo and some reasonable recompence for the same for that were not to defend the Pupill and Fatherles but to lay him wyde open to euery slye deceipt and circumuention In whiche respect I cannot but very well like of their opinion who holde that if an Infant in Gauelkinde at this day will sell at xv yeares of age these thrée things ought of necessitie to concurre if he will haue the sale good and effectuall The firste that he be an heire and not a Purchasour of the land that he departeth withall The second that he haue recompeÌ„ce for it and the third that he do it with liuerie of seison by his owne hand and not by warrant of Attourney nor by any other manner of assurance And these men for proofe
S. Iohn Champneys Iohn Baker Esquier Reignold Scot. Iohn Guldeford Thomas Kempe Edward Thwaites William Roper Anthonie Sandes Edwarde Isaac Perciuall Harte Edward Monyns William Whetnall Iohn Fogg Edmund Fetiplace Thomas Hardres William Waller Thomas Wilforde Thomas Moyle Thomas Harlakenden Geffrey Lee. Iames Hales Henrie Hussey Thomas Roydon ¶ The names of suche as be likewise prouided for E. 6. Ca. Syr Robert Southwell S. Iames Hales S. Walter Hendley S. George Harper S. Henrie Isley S. George Blage. Thomas Colepeper of Bedgebirie Iohn Colepeper of Ailesforde William Twisden Tho. Darrell of Scotney Robert Rudston Thomas Roberts Stephan Darrell Richard Couarte Christopher Blower Thomas Hendley Thomas Harman Thomas Louelace Thomas Colepeper The names of suche as be specified in the acte made for the like cause 5. Elizabeth Cap. Thomas Browne of Westbecheworthe in Surrey George Browne It were right woorthie the labour to learne the particulars and certeintie if it may be of all suche possessions as these men had at the times of these seuerall Statutes for that also wil be seruiceable in time to come Alexander Neuil Norwicus Sir Thomas Moore Knight in the hystorie of King Richard the thirde Mathewe Parker Archebishop of Canterbury in his Preface to the Booke de rebus gestis Aelfredi Regis The Brytaines The Scots pictes The SaxoÌ„s Iutes and Angles The Normans The seuen kingdomes Three sorts of Lawes in olde time The Lawes of our time These thinges be all handeled in the induction to the Topographical Dictionarie The author determined to haue written this treatise in latine Scituation of Kent Kent why so named The Aire The Soyle The Corne The Poulse The Pasture The woods fruits The Cattel Deere and Conyes No mynes The fishe The people Socage and Knightes seruice The Gentlemen The yeomeÌ„ The Artificers The first in habitation of England The errour of those whiche say that the Brytons weare Indigenae That is to say Ryders and to Ride An. mundi 2219. An. ante Christum 1142. Kent the first inhabited part of England Foure Kings in Kent But one King in Kent The first wasseling cuppe The issue of an vngodly mariage The Kings of Kent Ethelbert the King of Kent Eadric the King of Kent First name of Englishmen Beginning of Shires Lathes Hundreds Tythings Bosholder Tithingman Kent keepeth her olde customes Gauelkyn Meeting 〈◊〉 Swanescombe The Lathe of S. Augustines The Lathe of Scray or Sherwinhope The Late of Aylesford The Lathe of Sutton at Hone. Geffray of Monmouth Polydore The order of this description Flamines turned into Bishops LondoÌ„ spoiled of the Archebishopricke The increase of the Archebishopricke ConttentioÌ„ for the Primacie The Archebishoppes place in the generall counsell Wrastling for the primacie The end of the strife for the supremacie The ordre of this description of Kent No snakes in Tanet For Seax in their language signifieth a sword or axe or hatchet The occasion of the building of Minster Abbay For it was called Roma of Ruma a pappe or dugge S. Mildredâ— miracles Ippedsflete Stonor Earle Godwine and his sonnes The cause of Goodwyn Sandes The death of Earle Godwyne 1. Cursed bread The visions of Edward the confessour Epimenides did slepe 75 yeares 1. Loue Ly. or game for the whetstone Richeborow was sometime a Citie Sandwiche is not Rutupi The antiquitie of the Portes Whiche be the Fiue Portes â—â—iâ—â— wâ—re â—â—led 〈◊〉 â—lde 〈◊〉 ContentioÌ„ betweene Yarmouth and the fiue Portes Winchelsey first builded The good seruice of the .5 ports Muris ligneis querendam salutem The priuiledges of the 5. Ports The names of the Wardeins of the Fiue Portes Reliques of great price The auncient estate of Sandwiche Sandwiche spoyled brent The schole at Sandwiche The whole hystorie of the Danishe doings in England The continuance of the Danes in England The Danes all slaine in one night Saint Martins drunkeÌ„ feast Sweyn the Dane Hoctuesday Prouision of armour A Courtlie Sycophant A right popishe miracle King Henrie the 8. fortifieth his Realme Sandowne walmere The towne of Douer Godwine resisteth the King. Douer Castell Iuuenal in the ende of his 4. Satyre Odo the Earle of Kent Fynes the first Constable of Douer Castell and the beginning of Castlegard Estimatioâ— of Douer Castell Hubert of Brough a noble captaine Reparation of Douer Castell S. Martines in Douer ContentioÌ„ betweene the Râ—ligious persons for trifles Longchamp the lustie bishop of Ely. Religious houses in Douer The order of the Templers when it began The Pope and king Iohn fall our for Stephan Langton The Golden Bull. S. Eanswide and her miracles A popishe policie Folkestone spoiled The Hundred The Manor The Pontifical iusice of William Courtney the Archbishop Ostenhangar The Cause of the decay of Hauens in Kent Hyde miserably scourged The shortest passage betweene England Fraunce Thomas Becket grauÌ„teth a petition after his death Lord Wardein of the Portes Shipwey sometime a Hauâ—n towne The HaueÌ„ Limene the Towne Lymne The Riuer Limen now Rother Apledore The holy Maide of Kent Chap. 12. Butler the CoronatioÌ„ Pryorie at Bylsington Thomas Becket The Popes authoritie was abolished in England in the time of King Henrie the second Rumney Marâ—he The three steppes of Kent The order of this description The Danes doe spoile Fraunce England at one time The course of the Ryuer Lymen nowe Rother The first Carmelites in England Kent why so called The Weald was sometime a wildernesse This Benerth is the seruice which the tenaÌ„t doth with his Carte Ploughe The boundes of the Weald Fermes why so termed Townes named of the Riuers The College The Palaicâ— The Schole The Riuer of Medway and wherof it tooke the name The Riuer Aile or Eile The name of Harlot whereof it beganne Odo the Earle of Kent The auncient manner of the triall of right The Cleargie haue in croched vpon the Prince in the punishment of adulterie Abbaies do beget one another The vngrations Rood of Grace S. RuÌ„wald and his miracles For none might enter into the Temple of Ceres in Eleusis but such as were innocent The Natiuitie of S. Rumwald Kemsley Downe The Popish manner of preaching Popish purgatorie is deriued out of Poetrie Doncaster in the North CouÌ„trie The English shepe and wooll King Henry the eight fortfieth his Realme Monkes do contend with the King forceably The names of Townes framed out of the mouthes of Riuers The corruption of our English speach The Riuer called WaÌ„tsume The order of this description The decay of the olde Englishe tongue The Archebishops were well housed Prouision of armourâ— The names of Lathes and of Wapentakes The Priuileges of high waies The order of this description S. Gregories in Canterburi first builded Reliques King Iohn yealdeth to the Pope The Barons warre The Popes reuenue in England A ParleameÌ„t without the Cleargie The traiterous behauiour of Robert of Winchelsey the Archebishop Polidore was the Popes creature King Edward the first claymeth supremacie ouer the Clergie The olde and newe manner of wrecke