Earles of Anjou Poictou Maine and Bulloigne and unto them he promiseth faire Lands and possessions in England Philip also the French King he goeth unto and solliciteth voluntarily promising in case he aided him to become his vassall and leege man and for England to take the oath of fealtie unto him But it being thought nothing good for the state of France that the Duke of Normandie who already was not so pliable and obedient to the French King as he ought should bee bettered in his state by the addition of England for the power of neighbour potentates is alwaies suspected of Princes so far was the King from yeelding any helpe that he disswaded him rather from invading England But by no meanes could the Duke be reclaimed from his enterprise nay much more encouraged he was now and set on being once backed with warrant from Alexander the Bishop of Rome for even now began the Pope to usurpe authority over Princes who allowing of his cause and quarrell had sent unto him a sacred and hallowed banner as a luckie fore-token of gaining both the victory and Kingdome yea and with all cursed whosoever should oppose themselves against him He assembled therefore all the forces he could possibly raise and gathered together a mighty navie before the Towne of Saint Valeries which standeth upon the mouth of the river Some where he lay a long time windbound For the procurement whereof with many a vow he importuned Saint Valeric the patron-Saint of the Towne and heaped upon him a number of gifts and oblations Harold who with his forces had waited very long in vaine for his comming determined to dissolve his armie to withdraw his navie and to leave the sea-coast both for that he was compelled thereto for want of provision as also because the Earle of Flanders had written unto him that William would not stirre that yeere whom he soone beleeved as thinking that the time of the yeere was such as had locked up the seas and barred all navigation forasmuch as the autumnall Aequinox was neere Whiles he thus deviseth with himselfe driven he was upon an unexpected necessity of new warre to call backe his armie for Harold surnamed the Hard and Harfager king of Norway who had practised piracie in the North parts of Britaine and already subdued the Isles of Orknes being by Tosto sollicited and called forth in hope of the Kingdome of England arrived within the mouth of the river Tine with a fleet of 500. flibotes or thereabout where Tosto also came and joined his owne fleet When they had a good while forraged and spoiled the countrey heere they weighed anchor and sailing along the coast of Yorkshire put into Humbre and there began to commit outrages with all manner of hostility For the repressing of whom the two Earles Edwin and Morcar led forth a power of soldiers whom they had raised suddainly and in tumultuary haste but they not able to abide the violent charge of the Norwegians fled for the most part as fast as they could and together with the Earles made shift to escape howbeit many of them passing over the river Ouse were swallowed up with the waves thereof The Norwegianâ—â—hen goe in hand to lay siege unto the Citie of Yorke which straight waies they get by surrender hostages being given on both sides But after some few dayes King Harold having gathered his whole power from all parts together speedeth him to Yorke and from thence marcheth against the Norwegians who lay encamped strongly in a most safe place for backed they were with the Ocean flanked on the left hand with Humber wherein their fleet rid at anchor and had for their defence on the right side and afront the river Derwent Howbeit King Harold couragiously setteth upon them where first there was a cruell conflict at the Bridge standing over the river Darwent which one Norwegian souldier by report made good for a time against the whole armie of the Englishmen and held out so long untill he was shot through with a dart and died after this continued the battell a good while within the very campe fought with equall valour and indifferent fortune on both sides But in the end the Norwegians were disarraied and scattered and in the midst of the battell Harold himselfe King of the Norwegians and Tosto with the greater part of the Armie lost their lives Vpon this Victorie there fell unto King Harold an exceeding rich bootie a great masse both of gold and silver and that huge Armado except twentie small Barques onely which he granted unto Paul Earle of Orkney and Olave the Sonne of Harold who was slaine for to carry away those that were hurt taking their oath first that from thence forward they should not attempt any hostilitie agaist England This happie victorie encourged Harold and set him aloft now he thought that he should bee a terrour yea to the Normans howsoever hee grew odious unto his owne people because hee had not divided the spoile among his souldiers Howbeit wholly hee employed himselfe to reforme the disordered state of the countrey which in this part was pittifully out of frame and lay neglected Meane while Willam Duke of Normandie finding a fit season for his purpose about the end of September weighed anchor and launched forth then with a gentle gale of winde he sailed with all his shipping and arrived at Pevensey in Sussex where being landed upon the naked shore for to cut off all hope of return from his men he did set fire on his ships and having erected a fortresse there for his men to retire thither in safetie forward he marcheth to Hastings where also he raised another strong hold and placed therein a garrison Now by this time he maketh proclamation declaring the causes of this warre namely to revenge the death of Alfred his Cousin whom together with many Normans Godwin the Father of Harold had murthered Item to bee avenged of the wrongs that Harold had done who when he had banished Robert Archbishop of Canterburie even then by intrusion entred upon the Kingdome of England now pertaining to him treading under foot the religious respect of his oath Howbeit by an Edict he straightly charged his souldiers not in hostile manner to spoile the English men Newes hereof in all hast was brought to King Harold who by all meanes thinking it good to use prevention and as spedily as might be to encounter the Duke sendeth out his messengers every way calleth earnestly upon his subjects to continue in their faithfull allegiance assembleth all his forces in every place and with great journies hasteneth to London where there presented himselfe unto him an Embassadour from Duke William but as he made many words in claiming the Kingdom Harold in a furious fit of anger and indignation went within a little of laying violent hands upon the very person of the Embassadour For a hard matter it was to bereave a fresh Victour
pieces of money passing skilfull and of judicious insight very lately had shewed me the like found in France But to come unto these of ours which I have here proposed The first is a coine of Cunobelinus who flourished in the daies of Augustus and Tiberius wherein if I deceive not my selfe are engraven the heads of two-faced Ianus peradventure because even at that time Britaine began to cast off and leave their barbarous rudenesse For we reade how Ianus was the first that changed barbarous manners into civill behaviour and therefore was depainted with two fore-heads to signifie that he had of one shape made another The second also is Cunobelinus Coine shewing his face and Inscription of the one side and the Coiner or Mint-master on the other with this word TASCIA set to it which word among the Britans betokeneth a Tribute Penye as Master David Powell a man most skilfull in the British language hath informed me and is derived perhaps of the Latine Taxatio For the Britans acknowledge not X. for their letter And by the same reason the Inscription of MONETA is seene oft times in pieces of Roman money In like manner the third is a Coine of the same Cunobelinus with an horse and CVNO with a corne eare also and CAMV as it should seeme for Camalodunum which was the Royall citie and seat of Cunobelinus The fourth with VER may be thought a coine of the Verlamians The fifth againe is one of Cunobelinus his pieces The sixth because it giveth no light by letters I wot not what to make of it The seventh a Coine of Cunobelinus having this Inscription TASC NOVANEL with a womans head whether it should imply a tribute piece of the Trinovants over whom he was ruler I cannot avow on the other side Apollo with his Harpe and Cunobelin putteth me in remēbrance of that which elsewhere I have observed as concerning the God Belinus namely that the Gauls in old time worshipped Apollo under the name of Belinus which Dioscorides also doth confirme writing in plain expresse termes that the herbe Apollinaris with the juce whereof the Gaules were wont to annoint their arrowes is in the Gaules tongue called Belinuntia So that upon this I may be bold in some sort to conject that the name of Cunobelinus as also of Cassibelinus is drawn from the worship of Apollo like as the names of Phoebitius and Delphidius If not rather like as Apollo for his bush of yellow haire is named in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin Flavus that is yellow so likewise among the Britans and Gaules Belin. For that which is yellow in British speech they call Melin Belin and Felin and for the same cause that ancient Belinus Cunobelinus and Cassibelinus who also goeth under the name of Cassivelaunus may seeme to be so named as one would say Yellow Princes For that Cuno is a name of dignitie the Britans confesse and a thing which is especiall and principall they terme at this day Cynoc Certes it hath been a name of honour Cungetorix Cunobelinus Cuneglasus Cuneda and Cunedagius Princes names among the Britans like as Cyngetorix Convictolitanus and Conetodunus among the ancient Gaules doe after a sort make good and declare Neither am I ignorant that Gildas hath translated Cuneglasus in Latine Lanionemfulvum vel furvum that is A Lion tawney or darke hued Butcher whom others have interpreted Principem Caeruleum sive vitrei coloris that is A Prince blew or of a blewish or woad-colour like as Cuneda Principem bonum that is A good Prince That the Germans Koning and our King came from Cuno I dare not yet suppose Let it suffice by these my sundry guesses to have thus dallied lest I lay open my selfe to the scorne of others The eighth with a chariot horse and a wheele or shield underneath having in the reverse BODVO may seeme to be a Coine of the Nation called Boduni or else of the Queene Bodicia who is diversly named Voadicia and Bunduica The ninth wherein is represented an horseman with speare and shield and these letters in scattering wise CAERATIC I would deeme to be a Coine of that warlike Prince Caratacus whose praises Tacitus highly extolleth The tenth upon the one side whereof under an horseman is the Inscription REX and on the other COM both I and some others are pleased with this conceit that it was a coin of Connius Attrebatensis whom Caesar mentioneth The eleventh which doth represent a little halfe moon with this Inscription REX CALLE is not much unlike the name of that most famous and frequented Citie Callena The twelfth hath a winged head with this word ATEVLA and in the reverse a Lion and this Inscription VLATOS What the meaning might be of these words I seeke and seek but in vaine Indeed by this very same portrature and image I have seene upon pieces of Roman mony the Goddesse Victorie expressed But that Victorie should bee in the British tongue called Ateula I never yet could find Mary that they named Victorie Andata I have out of Dio reported already and whether the same were Andrata worshipped of the Vocontij in Gaule let some other say for I dare not Here also may you behold the thirteenth with this word DIAS in an eight-angled figure an horse on the contrary side the fourteenth with a swine and these letters VANOC the head also of a goddesse haply Venus or else Venutius whom Tacitus speaketh of The fifteenth with an head and helmet upon it and this Inscription DVRNACO and whether that were Dumnacus a Prince of the Andes whom Caesar doth mention I wot not The sixteenth with an horse this word ORCETI The seventeenth with the image of Augustus and TASCIA on the reverse a bull boaking with his hornes The eighteenth with CVNO within a laurell garland and upon the back part an horse with the Inscription TASCE We have seen besides one other coine with the flying horse Pegasus and CAMV on the backe part whereof the forme of a man with an helmet and shield within standing corne and CVNO another with an horse ill favouredly portraied and EISV peradventure for ISVRII and on the back side an eare of corne also another with a souldier carying a speare and on the other side within a wreath or chein SOLIDV That it should be the piece of mony called Solidus I doe not believe because the said piece was in that age alwaies of gold whereas this was of silver More probable it is that it should have a reference to Solidurij For so the ancient French named men devoted to die in behalfe of others Whose condition was this that look unto whose friendship they had betaken themselves they should together with them enjoy all the comforts and commodities of this life If any violent accident hapned unto them they were either to sustaine the
faithfull Knights or upon the faith of a Knight how far they were from base gaine and lucre and what manner of paiment or Aid is to be levied for Knights fees when as the Prince the Kings eldest son should be invested in this honour c. I leave it for others to write as also when they had so far offended that being to suffer death therfore they were first dispoiled of their ensignes and of their degree to wit their militarie Girdle ungirted the Sword taken away their Spurs cut off with an hatchet their Gantlets or Gloves plucked from them and the Escutcheon of their Armes reversed like as in the degrading Ecclesiasticall order all the Ecclesiasticall ornaments booke chalice such like are taken away Let the curious also enquire whether those knights were truly by some termed Knights Bachelars or whether Bachelars were of a middle degree between these Knights and Esquires For in the Kings Record are read The names of Knights of Bachelars and of Valects of the Earle of Gocester and of others Whereupon there be that would have Bachelars so called as one would say Bas-Chevaliers that is knights of low degree although other derive that name from the French verbe Battailer which signifieth to combate or fight it out Withall let them weigh and consider whether these dignities of knighthood in times past so glorious as long as they were more rare and bestowed onely as the reward of vertue may not be vilified when it becommeth common and lieth prostitute as it were to the ambitious humour of every one Whereof in the like case Aemilius Probus complained long since among the Romans Next in degree after these Knights are Esquires termed in Latine Armigeri that is Costrels or Bearers of Armes the same that Scutiferi that is Shield-bearers and Homines ad arma that is Men at Armes the Goths called them Schilpor all of carrying the shield as in old time among the Romans such as were named Scutarii who tooke that name either of their Escutcheons of armes which they bare as Ensignes of their descent or because they were armour-bearers to Princes or to the better sort of the Nobilitie For in times past every Knight had two of these waighting upon him they carried his Morrion and shield as inseparable companions they stuck close unto him because of the said Knight their Lord they held certaine lands in Escutage like as the knight himselfe of the King by knights service But now a daies there be five distinct sorts of these for those whom I have spoken of already be now no more in any request The principall Esquires at this day those are accounted that are select Esquires for the Princes bodie the next unto them be knights eldest sonnes and their eldest sonnes likewise successively In a third place are reputed younger sonnes of the eldest sonnes of Barons and of other Nobles in higher estate and when such heires male faile togither with them the title also faileth In a fourth ranke are reckoned those unto whom the King himselfe together with a title giveth armes or createth Esquires by putting about their necke a silver colar of SS and in former times upon their heeles a paire of white spurres silvered whereupon at this day in the West part of the Kingdome they be called White-spurres for distinction from Knights who are wont to weare gilt spurres and to the first begotten sonnes onely of these doth the title belong In the fifth and last place bee those ranged and taken for Esquires whosoever have any superiour publike office in the Common-weale or serve the Prince in any Worshipfull calling But this name of Esquire which in ancient time was a name of charge and office onely crept first among other titles of dignitie and worship so farre as ever I could observe in the raigne of Richard the Second Gentlemen or the common sort of Nobilitie bee they that either are descended of worshipfull parentage or raised up from the base condition of people for their vertue or wealth Citizens or Burgesses be such as in their owne severall citie execute any publike office and by election have a roome in our High Court of Parliament Yeomen are they whom some call Free-borne or Free-holders and our law termeth Homines Legales that is Lawfull men and who of Free-hands may dispend fortie shillings at least by the yeare Lastly Craftsmen Artisans or Workemen be they that labour for hire and namely such as sit at worke Mechanicke Artificers Smiths Carpenters c. Which were termed of the Romans Capite censi as one would say Taxed or reckoned by the poll and Proletarii LAVV COVRTS OF ENGLAND AS touching the Tribunals or Courts of Justice of England there are three sorts of them among us for some bee Ecclesiasticall others Temporall and one mixt of both which being the greatest and most honourable of all is called by a name of no great antiquitie and the same borrowed out of French The Parliament The Anglo-Saxons our ancestours termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is An assembly of the wise and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A Counsell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke word Synodus that is A great Synod or meeting The Latine writers of that and the ensuing age called it Commune Concilium Curiam altissimam Generale placitum Curiam magnam Magnatum Conventum Praesentiam Regis Praelatorum Procerumque collectorum Commune totius Regni Concilium c. That is The Common councell The Highest court The Generall Plea The Great court The meeting of States The Presence of the King Prelates and Peeres assembled together The Publike Councell of the whole Kingdome c. And like as the Generall Councell of all Etolia is named by Livie PANAETOLIUM so this may well be termed PANANGLIUM For it consisteth of the King the Clergie the superior Nobles the elect Knights and Burgesses or to speake more significantly after the Lawyers phrase of the King the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons which States represent the body of all England It is not held at set and certaine times but summoned by the King at his pleasure so often as consultation is to be had of high affaires and urgent matters that the Common weale may sustaine no damage at his will alone it is dissolved Now this Court hath soveraigne and sacred authoritie in making confirming repealing and expounding Lawes in restoring such as be attainted or outlawed to their former estates in deciding of the hardest controversies betweene private persons and to speake at a word in all causes which may concerne either the safetie of the State or any private person whatsoever The next Court after this in the daies presently following the Normans comming and some good while after was The Court of the King himselfe and the same kept in the Kings house or Palace accompanying the King whither so ever he retired or went in progresse
Chancellor of England is void by death the Kings three great Seales to wit one of gold and other two of silver which remained in the custodie of the Chancellor presently after his death are shut up in a wooden chest fast locked and signed with the Seales of the Lords then present and so conveied into the Treasurie From thence brought they are to the King who in the presence of many Noblemen delivereth them into the hands of him that shall be Chancellor and undertaketh the charge of executing the Office of Chancellorship taking before an oath of him well and truely to exercise the same first he delivereth the great Seale of silver then that of gold and so the other of silver who receiving the same bestoweth them againe in the chest and being signed with his owne Seale conveieth it home to his owne house and before certaine of the Nobilitie causeth the Kings Patents and writs to be Sealed When a Chancellor is discharged of his place he delivereth up into the Kings hands in the presence of the Lords and Nobles those three Seales first the Seale of gold then one broad Seale of silver and so another of a lesse forme Howbeit at this day one Seale and no more is delivered unto the Chanchellor neither is there mention any where made of these three Seales but in the raigne of Henry the Sixth To this Chancellors Office in processe of time much authoritie and dignitie hath been adjoyned by authoritie of Parliament especially ever since that Lawyers stood so precisely upon the strict points of Law and caught men with the traps and snares of their law termes that of necessitie there was a Court of equitie to be erected and the same committed to the Chancellor who might give judgement according to equitie and reason and moderate the extremitie of law which was wont to bee thought extreme wrong In this Court there sitteth as President the Lord Chancellor of England and as assessors or assistants to him twelve Masters of the Chancerie whereof the chiefe and principall is the Keeper of the Rolls belonging to the same Court and thereupon he is called Master of the Rolles There belong also to this Court very many Officers of whom some attend especially upon the Kings Seale namely The Clerke of the Crown The Clerke of the Hanaper The Sealer The Chauff-wax The Controller of the Hanaper Cursitours twenty foure A Clerke for the writs of Sub-poena Others are attendant upon Bils of complaint there exhibited to wit A Protonotarie sixe Clerkes or Atturnies of the Court and a Register There belong also thereto the Clekes of the Petty Bag The Clerke of Presentations The Clerke of Faculties The Clerke for examination of Letters Patents The Clerke for dimissions c. There is another Court also derived out of the Kings Privie Counsell called The Court of Requests which giveth hearing likewise as in the Chancerie to causes betweene private persons but such as before are presented unto the Prince or his Privie Counsell as also to others In this are employed certaine Masters of the Requests and a Clerke or Register with two Atturneys or three But as touching those Counsels held in the Marches of Wales and in the North parts wee will speake with the leave of God in their due place As for Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall Courts there be two principall to wit The Synode which is called The Convocation of the Clergie and is alwaies kept with the Parliament and the Provinciall Synods in both Provinces After these are reckoned the Archbishop of Canterburies Courts to wit The Court of the Arches wherein sitteth as Judge the Deane of the Arches He is called Deane for that he hath jurisdiction in xiij Parishes of London exempt from the Bishop of London which number maketh a Deanrie and Deane of the Arches because the principall of his Churches is S. Maries Church in London the tower steeple or lanterne whereof is beautifully built of arched worke He hath to doe with appeales of all men within the Province of Canterburie Advocates there bee in this Court xvj or more at the pleasure of the Archbishop all Doctors of the Law two Registers and ten Proctours The Court of Audience which entertaineth the complaints causes and appeales of them in that Province The Prerogative Court in which the Commissarie sitteth upon Inheritances fallen either by the Intestate or by will and testament The Court of Faculties wherein there is appointed a chiefe President who heareth and considereth of their grievances and requests that are petitioners for some moderation and easement of the Ecclesiasticall law sometimes over-strict and rigorous and a Register beside who recordeth the Dispensations granted The Court of Peculiars which dealeth in certaine Parishes exempt from the Bishops jurisdiction in some Diocesses and are peculiarly belonging to the Archbishop of Canterburie Other Courts of meaner account I willingly overpasse Neither doe I wisely I assure you thus to entermeddle heerein and yet Guicciardine in his Description of the Neatherlands hath given me a precedent hereof to follow Heere in this place my purpose was to have interserted somewhat so farre forth especially as concerned antiquitie as touching the chiefe Magistrates and highest Offices of England as namely The Lord Chancellor aforesaid The Lord Treasurer The President of the Counsell The Lord Keeper of the Privie Seale The Lord high Chamberlain The Lord high Constable The Mareschall and Seneschal or Steward of the Kings houshold c. But understanding that others were in hand with these matters so farre am I from preventing them that right willingly I shall impart even to them whatsoever in this behalfe I have observed Some man perhaps heere looketh that I should out of Astrologicall rules adde to to the rest under what Signe and Planet our Britaine is seated And verily I will say somewhat to satisfie the Curious for in those learned errors I have I may tell you in my youth taken some paines although the Conjecturers of Astrologers touching this point are so divers that the very diversitie may seeme to weaken the thing it selfe and leave no place for the truth M. Manilius an ancient Poet in this verse of his seemeth to intimate that Capricorne heere beareth rule in Britaine Tu Capricorne regis quicquid sub Sole cadente Expositum Thou Capricorne doest governe all That lies to Sun at his down-fall Ptolomee Albumazar and Cardane doe make Aries our Tutelar Signe Iohannes de Muris the Planet Saturne The Frier Perscrutator Esquidus and Henrie Silen the Moone for that as they say it is in the seventh Climate Roger of Hereford Thomas of Ravenna Philologus and Hispalensis are of opinion Pisces governe us and last of all Schonerus and Pitatus see how they all disagree have with no better reason than the rest subjected us unto Gemini Now will I by Gods assistance make my perambulation through the Provinces or Shires of Britaine wherein according to the Preface that they
forme of words made a grant unto the Monks of Westminster To the praise of almighty God I have granted as an endowment and a perpetuall Inheritance to the use and behoofe of those that serve the Lord Windle-shore with the appurtenances And I have read nothing more ancient concerning Windsore But the Monks had not long held it in possession when William of Normandie by making an exchange drew it backe to himselfe For in this tenure goeth his Charter With the consent and favour of the venerable Abbat of Westminster I have made a composition for Windlesor to be the Kings possession because that place seemed profitable and commodious by reason of water hard adjoyning to it and the wood fit for game many other particulars lying there meet necessary for Kings yea and a place very convenient to receive and entertaine the King in lieu whereof I have granted to the Monks Wokendune and Ferings Surely a Princes seat cannot lightly have a more pleasant site For from an high hill that riseth with a gentle ascent it enjoyeth a most delightfull prospect round about Fore-right in the Front it overlooketh a vale lying out farre and wide garnished with corne-fields flourishing greene with medowes decked with groves on either side and watered with the most mild and calme river Tamis Behind it arise hils every where neither rough nor over-high attired as it were with woods and even dedicated as one would say by nature to hunting game With the pleasantnes of this place Princes were allured very often to retire themselves hither and heere was Edward the Third that most puissant King borne to conquer France who heere built new out of the ground a most strong Castle in bignesse equall to a pretie Citie fortified with ditches and bulwarks made of stone and forthwith after he had subdued the French and Scots held at one and the selfe same time Iohn King of France and David King of Scotland prisoners together in the same This Castle is divided into courts the inner more toward the East containeth in it the Kings pallace than which for the order and contriving there can be no building more lightsome nor more magnificent On the north side where it looketh downe to the river Q. Elizabeth adjoyned a most pleasant Terrace or open walking place The utter base court hath at the very first entrance a most stately Church consecrated by King Edward the Third unto the blessed Virgine Marie and to Saint George of Cappadocia but brought unto that sumptuous magnificence which now we see it carrie by King Edward the fourth and Sir Reginald Bray In this place king Edward the third for to adorne martiall prowesse with honors the guerdon of vertue ordained that most noble order and society of Knights whom as some report for his owne garter given forth as signall of a battaile that sped fortunately hee called Knights of the Garter who weare on their left legge somewhat under the knee a blew garter carying this Impresse wrought with golden letters in French HONY SOIT QVI MALYPENSE and fasten the same with a buckle of gold as with the bond of a most inward society in token of concord and unity that there might bee among them a certaine consociation and communion of vertues But others there be that doe attribute it unto the garter of the Queene or rather of Ioan Countesse of Salisburie a Lady of incomparable beauty which fell from her as shee daunced and the King tooke up from the floore for when a number of Nobles and Gentle men standing by laughed thereat he made answere againe that shortly it would come to passe that garter should be in high honour and estimation This is the common and most received report Neither need this seeme to be a base originall thereof considering how as one saith Nobilitas sub amore jacet Nobility lies under love There be also that would have the invention of this order to be much more ancient fathering it upon King Richard the first and are verily perswaded that King Edward at length brought it into use againe but how truely I know not Yet in the verie booke of the first Institution which William Dethicke Garter principall King of armes a Gentleman most studious in all such things as concerne Honour shewed unto me thus we read Richardo cum contra Turcas Agarenos c. that is when K. Richard warred upon the Turkes and Saracens Cypres and Acon and was wearie of so lingring delay whiles the siege continued long in wonderfull care anxiety at length upon a divine inspiration by the comming in apparition as it was thought of S. George it came into his mind to draw upon the legs of certaine choise Knights of his a certaine Garter or tach of leather such onely as he had then readie at hand whereby they being distinguished and put in minde of future glorie promised unto them if they wonne the victorie they might be stirred up and provoked to performe their service bravely and fight more valiantly in imitation of the Romans who had such varietie of Coronets wherewith militarie men for divers and sundry causes were rewarded accordingly to the end that by these instigations as it were cowardise being shaken of the valour of mind and courage of heart might arise and shew it selfe more resolute But upon what occasion soever it beganne the mightiest Princes of Christendome reputed it amongst their greatest honour to be chosen and admitted into this companie and since the first institution thereof there have been alreadie received and enrolled into this order which consisteth of six and twentie Knights two and twentie Kings or thereabout besides our Kings of England who are named Soveraignes thereof to speake nothing of Dukes and others of most high calling verie many And here I am willing to set downe their names that were first chosen into this order and be commonly called the Founders of the Order for their renowne is not to be abolished who in those daies for stowt courage and warlike prowesse had few or no peeres and were in that regard advanced to this honour Edward the Third King of England Edward his eldest Sonne Prince of Wales Henrie Duke of Lancaster Thomas Earle of Warwicke The Capdall de Buch. Ralph Earle of Stafford William de Monteacute Earle of Sarisburie Roger Mortimer Earle of March Sir Iohn Lisle Sir Bartholomew Burgwash Sir Iohn Beauchampe Sir Iohn Mohun Sir Hugh Courtney Sir Thomas Holland Sir Iohn Grey Sir Richard Fitz Simon Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Thomas Walle Sir Hugh Wrothesley Sir Neel Loring Sir Iohn Chandos Sir Iames Awdeley Sir Otes Holland Sir Henrie Eme. Sir Zanchet D'brigecourt Sir Walter Pavely On the left side of the Church are the houses of the Custos or Deane and twelve Prebendaries On the right side standeth an house not unlike to the Graecians Prytaneum wherein twelve aged militarie men Gentlemen borne are maintained who wearing every day a red or skarlet
beside Grafton which now is reputed an Honor of the Kings but in times past was the seat of the Family de Widdevil out of which came Richard a man highly renowned for his vertue and valour who for that he tooke to wife Iaquet the widow of John Duke of Bedford and daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh Earle of Saint Paul without the Kings licence was by King Henry the Sixth fined at a thousand pounds of our money Yet afterwards he advanced the same Richard to the honorable Title of Baron Widdevil de Rivers With whose daughter Dame Elizabeth King Edward the Fourth secretly contracted marriage and verily hee was the first of all our Kings since the Conquest that married his subject But thereby he drew upon himselfe and his wives kinsfolke a world of troubles as yee may see in our Histories The said Richard Widdevil Lord of Rivers Grafton and de la Mote by king Edward the Fourth now his son in Law was erected these be the very words out of the Charter of his creation to be Earle Rivers by cincture of the sword To have unto him and his heires with the Fee of 20. pounds by the hands of the Sheriffe of Northampton And soone after he was with exceeding great honour ordained High Constable of England I speake out of the kings Patent it selfe To occupy manage and execute that Office either by himselfe or by sufficient Deputies for terme of life receiving yearely two hundred pounds out of the Exchequer with full power and authority to take examinations and to proceede in Causes of and concerning the crime of high Treason or the occasion thereof also to heare examine and in due time to determine the causes and businesses aforesaid with all and singular matters arising from them incident to them or conjoyned therewith even summarily and in any place whatsoever below without noise or formall order of Iudgement onely upon sight of the Truth of the fact and with the Kings hand and power if it shall be thought meete in our behalfe without all appeale Moreover about that time he was made Lord Treasurer of England But he having enjoyed these honours a small while was soone after in the quarrell of the king his sonne in Law aforesaid taken in the battaile at Edgcote and beheaded And albeit in his sonnes this offspring as it were halfe dead tooke an end what time as Anthony Earle Rivers was by Richard the third made shorter by the head Richard also and his other brethren dead without issue yet from the daughters there did spred forth most faire and fruitfull branches For out of them flowred the royall Race and line of England the Marquesses of Dorset the Earles of Essex Earles of Arundel Earles of Worcester Earles of Derby the last Duke of Buckingham and Barons of Stafford Just behinde Grafton lieth Sacy Forrest stored with Deere and fit for game More Eastward the Country all over is besprinkled with Villages and little Townes among which these are of greatest name Blisworth the habitation of the Wakes descended from that honorable race of the Barons of Wake and Estotevile Pateshull which gave name to the most worshipfull family in times past of the Pateshuls Greenes-Norton so named of the Greenes men in the fore-going age right famous for their wealth But it was called in foretime if I be not deceived Norton Dany which those Greenes held by knights service as also a moity of Asheby Mares in this County by service To lift up their right hand toward the King upon Christmas-day every yeare wheresoever the King shall bee in England Also Wardon an Hundred which had Lords descended from Sir Guy of Reinbudcourt a Norman whose inheritance came by the Folliots to Guiscard Leddet whose Daughter Christian bare unto her husband Henry de Braibrooke many children yet Guiscard the eldest of them tooke to him the sirname of Leddet from his mother But shortly after those faire lands and possessions were by the females parted betweene William and Iohn both Latimers of Corby From Iohn the Griphins in this Shire and from William those Latimers Barons of good antiquity in York-shire deduced their Descent Higher into the Country Northward is the head of the River Aufona for Avon in the British tongue is a generall name of all Rivers which the people dwelling thereby call Nen and from the West side of the Shire holdeth on his course with many reaches of his bankes after a sort through the middle part of this Shire and all the way along it doth comfortable service A notable River I assure you and if I have any sight into these matters fortified in times past with garisons by the Romans For when as that part of Britain on this side the River was now in Claudius the Emperors time brought subject to the Romane government so as the Inhabitants thereof were called Socij Romanorum that is the Romans consorts or associates and the Britans dwelling beyond the river oftentimes invaded this their country and with great violence made incursions and spoiled much when as also that the Associates themselves who could better endure the Romans commands than brooke their vices other whiles conspired with those on the further side of the River P. Ostorius as saith Tacitus cinctos castris Antonaem Aufonas I would reade if I might be so bold Sabrinam cohibere parat that is if I understand the place a right Hee by placing Forts and Garisons hard by the Rivers Antonae or Aufona rather and Severn determined to restraine and keepe in those Britans on the further side and these that were Provincials and associates from conjoyning their forces together and helping one another against the Romans Now what River this ANTONA should be no man is able to tell Lipsius the very Phoebus of our age hath either driven away this mist or else verily a cloud hath dimmed mine eye-sight He pointeth with his finger to Northampton and I am of opinion that this word Antona is closely crept into Tacitus in stead of Aufona on which Northampton standeth For the very navill heart and middle of England is counted to be nere unto it where out of one hill spring three great Rivers running divers wayes Cherwell into the South Leame Westward which as it maketh speed to Severn is straight wayes received by a second Aufon and this Aufona or Nen Eastward Of which these two Aufons so crosse England overthwart that whosoever comes out of the North parts of the Island must of necessity passe over one of these twaine When Ostorius therefore had fortified Severne and these two Aufons he had no cause to feare any danger out of Wales or the North parts to befall unto his people either Romans or associates who at that time had reduced the nerest and next part of the Island onely into the forme of a Province as else where Tacitus himselfe witnesseth Some of these Forts of Ostorius his making may those great fortifications and
worthy and heroicall a Knight ORATE PRO ANIMA PRAENOBILIS DOMINI DOMINI JOANNIS TALBOTT QVONDAM COMITIS SALOPIAE DOMINI TALBOTT DOMINI FURNIVALL DOMINI VERDON DOMINI STRANGE DE BLACK-MERE ET MARESCALLI FRANCIAE QUI OBIIT IN BELLO APUD BURDEVVS VII IULII M. CCCC.LIII That is Pray for the Soule of the right Noble Lord Sir John Talbot sometimes Earle of Shrewsburie Lord Talbot Lord Furnivall Lord Verdon Lord Strange de Black-Mere and Mareshall of France Who died in the battaile at Burdews VII IULII M. CCCC LIII Unto this Family of the Talbots there accrued by marriage-right the inheritance of the Barons Le Strange of Blackmere who were surnamed Le Strange commonly and Extranei in Latine records for that they were strangers brought hether by King Henrie the Second and in short time their house was far propagated These of Blackmere were much inriched by an heire of W. de Albo-monasterio or this Whit-Church and also by one of the heires of John Lord Giffard of Brimsfield of ancient Nobility in Glocester-shire by the onely daughter of Walter Lord Clifford More Westward lieth Ellesmer a little territorie but rich and fruitfull which as the Chronologie of Chester testifieth King John gave with the Castle to Lhewellin Prince of North-Wales in marriage with Joane his base daughter Afterwards in the time of King Henry the Third it came to the Family of the Stranges But now it hath his Baron Sir Thomas Egerton a man whom for his singular wisdome and sincere equity Queene Elizabeth chose to be Lord Keeper of the great Seale and King Iames making him Lord Chancellour advanced to the highest Honour of the long roabe and withall adorned with the Honorable title of Baron of Ellesmer Now let us briefely adde somewhat of the Earles of Shrewsbury Roger de Belesmo otherwise Montgomery was created the first Earle of Shrewsbury by King William the Conquerour unto whom he allotted also the greatest part of this Shire After him succeeded first his eldest sonne Hugh slaine in Wales without issue Then Robert another of his sonnes a man outragiously cruell toward his owne sonnes and hostages whose eyes with his owne hands he plucked out and gelded But afterwards being convict of high Treason he was kept in perpetuall prison by King Henry the first and so suffered condigne punishment for his notorious wickednesse Then was his Earledome made over unto Queene Adeliza for her dowry Many ages after King Henry the Sixth in the 20. yeere of his reigne promoted to this honour Iohn Lord Talbot whom both Nature bred and his disposition inured unto warlike prowesse And in the 24. yeere of his reigne he bestowed moreover upon the same Iohn whom in the Patent he calleth Earle of Shrewsbery and of Weisford the title of Earle of Waterford the Barony of Dongarvan and the Seneschalsie or Stewardship of Ireland But when he was slaine at Castilion upon Dordon neere Burdeaux together with his younger sonne Sir John Talbot Vicount L'isle after he had foure and twenty yeeres together marched with victorious armes over a great part of France his sonne Iohn by the daughter and one of the heires of Sir Thomas Nevill Lord Furnivall succeeded who siding with the house of Lancaster was slaine fighting valorously in the forefront of the battaile of Northampton From him by a daughter of the Earle of Ormond came Iohn the third Earle of Shrewsbury and Sir Gilbert Talbot Captaine of Callis from whom the Talbots of Graston descended This third Iohn had by his wife Katherine daughter to H. Duke of Buckingham George the fourth Earle who served King Henry the Seventh valiantly and constantly at the battaile of Stoke And he by Anne his wife daughter of William Lord Hastings had Francis the fifth Earle who begat of Mary daughter to Thomas Lord Dacre of Gillesland George the sixth Earle aman of approoved fidelity in weighty affaires of State whose sonne Gilbert by his wife Gertrud daughter to Thomas Earle of Rutland the seventh Earle maintaineth at this day his place left unto him by his ancestours with right great honour and commendation for his vertues In this region there are Parishes much about 170. CESTRIAE Comitatus Romanis Legionibus-et Colonijis olim insignis vera et obseluta descriptio CHES-SHIRE THE fifth and last of those Countries which in old time the CORNAVII held is the County of CHESTER in the Saxons Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly CHES-SHIRE and The County Palatine of Chester for that the Earles thereof had Royalties and princely Priviledges belonging to them and all the Inhabitants owed Allegeance and fealty to them as they did to the King As for this tearme Palatine that I may rehearse againe that which I have said before of this name was in times past common to all those who bare any Office in the Kings Court or Palace and in that age Comes Palatinus was a Title of Dignity conferred upon him who before was Palatinus with authority to heare and determine Causes in his owne Territory and as well his Nobles whom they called Barons as his Vassals were bound to repaire to the Palace of the said Count both to give him advise and also to give their attendance and furnish his Court with their presence This Country as William of Malmesbury saith Is scarce of Corne but especially of Wheat yet plentifull in Cattaile and fish Howbeit Ranulph the Monke of Chester affirmeth the contrary Whatsoever Malmesbury dreamd saith hee upon the relation of others it aboundeth with all kinde of victuals plenteous in Corne flesh fish and salmons especially of the very best it maintaineth trade with many commodities and maketh good returne For why in the Confines thereof it hath salt pits mines and metals And this moreover will I adde the grasse and fodder there is of that goodnesse and vertue that cheeses bee made heere in great number of a most pleasing and delicate taste such as all England againe affordeth not the like no though the best dayriwomen otherwise and skilfullest in cheese making be had from hence And whiles I am writing this I cannot chuse but mervaile by the way at that which Strabo writeth That in his time some Britans could not skill of making Cheese and that Plinie afterwards wondered That barbarous Nations who lived of milke either knew not or despised for so many ages the commodity of Cheese who otherwise had the feat of crudding it to a pleasant tartnesse and to fat buâ—yr Whereby it may be gathered that the devise of making Cheese came into Britaine from the Romans But howsoever this Region in fertility of soile commeth behinde many Countries in England yet hath it alwaies bred and reared more Gentry than the rest For you have not in all England againe any one Province beside that in old time either brought more valorous Gentlemen into the field or had more Families in it of Knights degree On the Southside it is hemmed
solemne investure and a kisse in full Parliament upon his eldest Sonne who gloriously bare the name of King Henry the Fifth His Sonne King Henry the Sixth who at his Fathers death was an Infant in the cradle conferred likewise this honour which he never had himselfe upon his young Sonne Edward whose unhappie fortune it was to have his braines dashed out cruelly by the faction of Yorke being taken prisoner at Tewkesbury field Not long after King Edward the Fourth having obtained the Crowne created Edward his young Sonne Prince of Wales who was afterwards in the lineall succession of Kings Edward the Fifth of that name And within a while after his Unkle King Richard the Third who made him away ordained in his roome Edward his owne Sonne whom King Edward the Fourth had before made Earle of Salisburie but he died quickly after Then King Henrie the Seventh created his eldest sonne Arthur Prince of Wales and when he was dead Henrie his other Sonne well knowne in the world by the name of King Henrie the Eighth Every one of these had the Principality of Wales given unto them by the foresaid solemne investure and delivery of a Patent To hold to themselves and their Heires Kings of England For Kings would not bereave themselves of so excellent an occasion to doe well by their Eldest Sonnes but thought it very good policie by so great a benefit to oblige them when they pleased Queene Mary Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the Children of King Henrie the Eighth although they never had investure nor Patent yet were commonly named in their order Princes of Wales For at that time Wales was by authoritie of Parliament so annexed and united to the Kingdome of England that both of them were governed vnder the same Law or that you may reade it abridged out of the Act of Parliament The Kings Country or dominion of Wales shall stand and continue for ever incorporated united and annexed to and with the Realme of England and all and singular person and persons borne and to be borne in the said Principalitie Country or Dominion of Wales shall have enioy and inherit all and singular freedomes liberties rights priviledges and Lawes within this Realme and other the Kings Dominions as other the Kings Subiects naturally borne within the same have enioy and inherit and the Lawes Ordinances and Statutes of the Realme of England for ever and none other shall he had used practised and executed in the said Country or Dominion of Wales and every part thereof in like manner forme and order as they be and shall be in this Realme and in such like manner and forme as heereafter shall be further established and ordained This Act and the calme command of King Henrie the Seventh preparing way for it effected that in a short time which the violent power of other Kings armes and especially of Henrie the Fourth with extreame rigour also of Lawes could not draw on in many yeeres For ever sithence the British Nation hath continued as faithfully and dutifully in their Loyall Allegiance to the Crowne of England as any other part of the Realme whatsoever Now am I to returne out of Wales into England and must goe unto the Brigantes BRIGANTES BRITAINE which hitherto hath as it were launched out with huge Promontories looking on the one side toward Germanie on the other side toward Ireland now as if it were afraid of the Sea violently inrushing upon it withdraweth it selfe farther in and by making larger separations of lands retireth backe gathered into a farre narrower breadth For it is not past one hundred miles broad from coast to coast which on both sides passe on in a maner with straight and direct shores Northward as farre as to Scotland All this part well neere of the Island while the Romane Empire stood upright and flourished in Britaine was inhabited by the BRIGANTES For Plinie writeth that they dwelt from the East Sea to the West A nation this was right valiant populous withall and of especiall note among ancient Authors who all doe name them BRIGANTES unlesse it be Stephanus onely in his booke Of Cities who called them BRIGAE in which place that which he wrote of them is defective at this day in the bookes by reason that the sentence is imperfect If I should thinke that these were called Brigantes of Briga which in the ancient Spanish tongue signified A Citie I should not satisfie my selfe seeing it appeareth for certaine out of Strabo that it is a meere Spanish word If I were of opinion with Goropius that out of the Low Dutch tongue they were termed Brigantes as one would say Free-hands should I not obtrude upon you his dreames for dainties Howsoever the case standeth our Britanes or Welsh-men if they see any of a bad disposition and audaciously playing lawlesse and lewde parts use to say of them by way of a common merry quippe Wharret Brigans that is They play the Brigants And the French-men at this day alluding as it seemeth to the ancient language of the Gaules usually terme such lewde fellowes Brigans like as Pirats Ships Brigantins But whether the force of the word was such in old time in the Gaules or Britanes language or whether our Brigantes were such like men I dare not determine Yet if my memory faile me not Strabo calleth the Brigantes a people about Alpes Grassatores that is Robbers and Iulius a Belgian a young man of desperate boldnesse who counted power authority honestie and vertue to be nothing but naked names is in Tacitus surnamed Briganticus With which kinde of vice our old Brigantes may seeme to have been tainted when they so robbed and spoiled the neighbour inhabitants that the Emperour Antoninus Pius for this cause tooke away a great part of their Country from them as Pausanias witnesseth who writeth thus of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Antoninus Pius cut the Brigantes in Britaine short of a great part of their Country because they began to take armes and in hostile maner to invade Genunia a Region subject to the Romanes Neither will any I hope take this as a reproach Surely I should seeme farre unlike my selfe if I fell now to taxe ignominiously any private person much lesse a Nation Neither was this counted a reproachfull imputation in that warlike age when all Nations reckoned that their right which they could winne or hold by might and dint of sword Roberies saith Caesar among the Germans are not noted with infamie such I meane as are committed without the borders of every State and they allow the practise thereof to exercise their youth withall and to keepe them from idlenesse And for a reason not unlike the Paeones among the Greekes are so called quia Percussores that is because they were cutters The Quadi among the Germans and the Chaldaei likewise are reported to have gotten those names because they used to robbe and kill Now in that Florianus Del-Campe a Spaniard hath
this house of housen all About the same time also the Citizens fensed the City round about with new walles and many towres and bulwarkes set orderly in divers places yea and ordained very good and holsome lawes for the governement thereof King Richard the Second granted it to bee a County incorporate by it selfe and King Richard the Third beganne to repaire the Castle And that nothing might be wanting King Henry the Eighth within the memory of our fathers appointed heere a Councell not unlike to the Parliaments in France for to decide and determine the causes and controversies of these North parts according to equity and conscience which consisteth of a Lord President certaine Counsellers at the Princes pleasure a Secretary and under Officers As touching the Longitude of Yorke our Mathematicians have described it to be two and twenty Degrees and twenty five Scruples the Latitude 54. degrees and 10. scruples Hitherto have we treated of the West part of this shire and of Yorke City which is reckoned neither in the one part nor the other but enjoyeth peculiar liberties and hath jurisdiction over the Territory adjoyning on the West side Which they call the Liberty of Ansty others the Ancienty of the Antiquity but other have derived it very probably from the Dutch word Anstossen which betokeneth limits And now for a conclusion have heere what Master John Jonston of Aberden hath but a while since written in verse of Yorke Praesidet extremis Arctoae finibus orae Urbs vetus in veteri facta subinde nova Romanis Aquilis quondam Ducibúsque superba Quam post barbarica diripuere manus Pictus atrox Scotus Danus Normannus Anglus Fulmina in hanc Martis detonuere sui Post diras rerum clades tótque aspera fata Blandiùs aspirans aura serena subit LONDINUM caput est regni urbs prima Britanni EBORACUM à primâ jure secunda venit In parts remote of Northren tract there stands as soveraine A City old but yet of old eftsoones made new againe Whilom of Romane Legions and Captaines proud it was But since by forces barbarous sacked and spoil'd alasse The Picts so fierce the Scots and Danes Normans and Englishmen 'Gainst it their bolts of dreadfull war have thundred now and then Yet after sundry bitter blasts and many a cursed clap A milder gale of peacefull daies hath brought it better hap Of British Kingdome LONDON is chiefe seat and principall And unto it there goes by right Yorke City next of all Ouse now leaving Yorke being otherwhiles disquieted and troubled with that whirling encounter of contrary waters and forceable eddies which some call Higra runneth downe through Bishops Thorpe called Saint Andrewes Thorpe before that Walter Grey Archbishop of Yorke purchased it with ready money and to prevent the Kings Officers who are wont rigorously to seize upon Bishops Temporalties when the See is vacant gave it to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke with this condition that they should alwayes yeeld it to his Successours Of whom Richard Le Sicrope Archbishop of Yorke a man of a firy spirit and ready to entertaine rebellion was condemned in this very place of high Treason by King Henry the Fourth against whom he had raised an insurrection Afterward Cawood a Castle of the Archbishops standeth upon the same River which King Athelstan as I have read gave unto the Church Just against which on the other side of the River lyeth Ricall where Harald Haardread arrived with a great Fleet of Danes Then Ouse passeth hard by Selby a little Towne well peopled and of good resort where King Henry the First was borne and where his father King William the First built a faire Abbay in memory of Saint German who happily confuted that venemous Pelagian Heresie which oftentimes as the Serpent Hydra grew to an head againe in Britaine The Abbats of this Church as also of Saint Maries in Yorke were the onely Abbats in the North parts that had place in the Parliament house And so Ouse at length speedeth away to Humber leaving first Escricke a seat of the Lascelles sometimes to be remembred for that King James advanced Sir Thomas Knivet the owner thereof Lord Knivet to the honour of Baron Knivet of Escricke in the yeere 1607. And afterward passing by Drax a little Village famous long since for a Monastery founded there by Sir William Painell and whereas William of Newburgh writeth Philip of Tollevilla had a Castle most strongly fensed with Rivers Woods and Marishes about it which he confident upon the courage of his followers and his provision of victuals and armour defended against King Stephen untill it was wonne by assault EBORACENSIS Comitatus ovius Incolae olin Brigantes appellabantur pars Orientalis vulgo EAST RIDING EAST-RIDING EAST-RIDING the second part of this Region wherein Ptolomee placed the PARISI lyeth Eastward from Yorke On the North side and the West it is bounded with the River Darwent that runneth downe with a winding course on the South with the Salt water of Humber and on the East with the German Ocean Upon the Sea side and along Darwent the Soile is meetly good and fertile But in the mids it is nothing else but an heape of Hilles rising up on high which they call Yorkes wold Darwent springing not farre from the shore first taketh his way Westward then hee windeth into the South by Aiton and Malton whereof because they belong to the North part of the Shire I will speake in due place No sooner is hee entred into this Quarter but downe hee runneth not farre from the ruines of the old Castle Montferrant The Lords whereof were in times past the Fossards men of noble parentage and wealthy withall But when William Fossard Ward to the King being committed unto William le Grosse Earle of Aumarle as to his Guardian and now come to his yeeres abused his sister the Earle in wreckfull displeasure for this fact of his laid this Castle even with the ground and forced the young Gentleman to forsake his Country Howbeit after the Earles death he recovered his inheritance againe and left one onely daughter behinde him who being marryed unto R. de Torneham bare a daughter marryed to Peter de Mauley whose heires and successours being bettered in their estate by this inheritance of the Fossards became great and honourable Barons Not farre from hence is situate upon the River side Kirkham as one would say of Church-place For a Priory of Chanons was there founded by Walter Espec a man of high place and calling by whose daughter a great estate accrewed to the family of the Lord Rosses Then but somewhat lower Darwent had a City of his owne name which Antonine the Emperour calleth DERVENTIO and placeth it seven miles from YORKE The booke of Notices maketh mention of a Captaine over the Company Derventiensis under the Generall of Britaine that resided in it and in the Saxons Empire it seemeth to have beene
and recovered this tract or Province which before had beene lost But these ancient names were quite worne out of use in the English Saxon war and all the Countries lying North on the other side of the Arme of the sea called Humber began by a Saxon name to bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kingdome of Northumberland which name notwithstanding being now cleane gone in the rest of the Shires remaineth still as it were surviving in Northumberland onely Which when that state or kingdome stood was knowne to bee a part of the Kingdome of Bernicia which had peculiar petty Kings and reached from the River TEES to Edenborough Frith NORTH-HUMBER-LAND NOrth-umber-land which the English Saxons called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth after a sort enclosed in fashion of a Triangle but not with equall sides The South side is shut in with Derwent running into Tine and with Tine it selfe where it butteth upon the Bishoprick of Durham The East side the German sea lieth and beateth upon it But the West side which reacheth out from South-west to North-east is first parted from Cumber-land afterward with Cheviot and hills linked one to another and lastly with the river Twede it affronteth Scotland and so was the limit of both kingdomes over which were set in this countie two Governours the one called L. Warden of the middle Marches the other of the East marches The ground it selfe for the most part rough and hard to be manured seemeth to have hardened the inhabitants whom the Scots their neighbours also made more fierce and hardie while sometimes they keep them exercised in warres and other whiles in time of peace intermingle their manners among them so that by these meanes they are a most warlike nation and excellent good light-horsemen And whereas they addicted themselves as it were wholly to Mars and Armes there is not a man amongst them of the better sort that hath not his little tower or pile and so it was divided into a number of Baronies the Lords whereof in times past before King Edward the first his dayes went commonly under the name Barons although some of them were of no great living But a wise and politicke device this was of our Ancestours to cherish and maintaine martiall prowesse among them in the marches of the kingdome if it were nothing else but with an honourable bare title Howbeit this title came to nothing among them what time as under King Edward the first those onely began to enjoy the name and honour of Barons whom the Kings summoned unto the high Court of Parliament by speciall summons Toward the sea and Tine by diligence and good husbandrie it becommeth very fruitfull but elsewhere it is more barraine rough and as it were unmanurable And in many places those stones Lithanthraces which we call Sea-coales are digged up in great plentie to the great gaine of the inhabitants and commoditie of others The hithermore part bending toward the South-west and called Hexam-shire acknowledged a long time the Archbishop of Yorke for the Lord thereof and challenged unto it selfe by what right I know not the priviledge of a Countie Palatine But after it became of late annexed unto the crowne land upon an exchange made with Robert the Archbishop by authority of Parliament it was laied unto the countie of Northumberland that it should be subject to the same jurisdiction and in all causes have recourse unto the high Sheriffe thereof South Tine a river so called if wee may beleeve our Britans for that by reason of his narrow bankes hee is straight pent in for so signifieth Tin as they say in the British tongue having his spring head in Cumberland neere unto Alsten-more where there was an ancient copper mine holding on his course by Lambley sometime a Nunnerie built by the Lucies and now with floods for the most part undermined and fallen downe also by Fetherston-Haugh the seat of the ancient and well descended family of Fetherston when hee is come as farre as Bellister Castle turning Eastward runneth directly forward with the WALL which is in no place three miles distant from it toward the North. For the Wall having left Cumberland behind it and crossed over the Irthing passed likewise with an arch over the swift riveret Poltrosse where I saw within the wall high mounts of earth cast up as it were to over look and discover the country Neer this standeth Thirl-wale Castle which is not great but strongly built yet it gave both habitation and surname to the ancient and noble family which was first called Wade where the Picts and Scottish made their passage into the Province between Irthing and Tine and that verily upon good forecast in that place where they had free entrance by reason of no river in their way into the inmore parts of England But you shall better understand this and the name of the place out of John Fordon the Scottish Historian whose words it will not bee amisse as I thinke to set downe here because the booke is not everie where to bee had The Scots saith hee when by conquest they had gotten the possession of those countries which are on this side the wall toward Scotland began to inhabite them and having of a suddaine raised a sort of the Country people with their mattockes pickaxes rakes three tined forkes and spades make wide gappes and a number of holes in it by which breaches they might passe in out readily at their pleasure Of those holes therefore this mound of the wall afterward took the name Thirlwall which it hath at this day in this place for in the English tongue that very place is called Thirlwall which is as much as a wall pierced through Then saw we Blenkensop which gave name unto a generous family as also their habitation in a right pleasant country Southward which was part of the Baronie of Sir Nicholas of Bolteby a Baron of renowne in the time of King Edward the first When you are past Thirlwall the said wall openeth it selfe unto the raging river Tippall where in the descent of an hill a little within the wall is to bee seene the ground worke of a Castle of the Romans in forme foure square everie side whereof taketh an hundred and fortie paces The verie foundations likewise of houses and trackes of streets still appeare most evidently to the beholders The Ranke-riders or taking men of the borders doe report that a great port-way paved with flint and bigge stone led from hence through wastes unto Maiden castle in Stanemore Certes it passed directly to Kirkby Thor whereof I spake A poore old woman that dwelt in a little poore cottage hard by shewed unto us an ancient little altar-stone in testimonie of some vow with this inscription unto VITIRINEUS a tutelar God as it seemed of the place DEO VITI RINE LIMEO ROV P. L. M. This place is now named Caer Vorran what
matters In criminall causes the Kings chiefe Justice holdeth his Court for the most part at Edenburgh which office the Earles of Argile have executed now for some yeeres And he doth depute two or three Lawyers who have the hearing and deciding of capitall actions concerning life and death or of such as inferre losse of limbs or of all goods In this Court the Defendant is permitted yea in case of high treason to entertaine a Counsellor or Advocate to pleade his cause Moreover in criminall matters there are sometimes by vertue of the Kings commission and authoritie Justices appointed for the deciding of this or that particular cause Also the Sheriffes in their territories and Magistrates in some Burghs may sit in judgement of man-slaughter in case the man-slayer be taken within 24. houres after the deed committed and being found guiltie by a Jurie put him to death But if that time be once overpast the cause is referred and put over to the Kings Iustice or his Deputies The same priviledge also some of the Nobilitie and Gentrie enjoy against theeves taken within their owne jurisdictions There bee likewise that have such Roialties as that in criminall causes they may exercise a jurisdiction within their owne limits and in some cases recall those that dwell within their owne limits and liberties from the Kings Justice howbeit with a caution and proviso interposed That they judge according to Law Thus much briefly have I put downe as one that hath but sleightly looked into these matters yet by the information of the judicious Knight Sir Alexander Hay his Majesties Secretarie for that kingdome who hath therein given me good light But as touching SCOTLAND what a noble countrey it is and what men it breedeth as sometimes the Geographer wrote of Britaine there will within a while more certaine and more evident matter be delivered since that most high and mightie Prince hath set it open now for us which had so long time beene shut from us Meane while I will come unto the description of places the project that I entended especially GADENI or LADENI UPon the Ottadini or Northumberland bordered as next neighbours the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is GADENI who also by the inversion or turning of one letter upside downe are called in some Copies of Ptolomee LADENI seated in that countrey which lieth betweene the mouth of the river Twede and Edenburgh Forth and is at this day divided into many petty Countries the chiefe whereof are Teifidale Twedale Merch and Lothien in Latine Lodeneium under which one generall name alone the Writers of the middle time comprised all the rest TEIFIDALE TEifidale that is to say the Vale by the river Teifie or Teviat lying next unto England among the edges of high craggie hills is inhabited by a warlike nation which by reason of so many encounters in foregoing ages betweene Scottish and English are alwaies most readie for service and sudden invasions The first place among these that wee meet with is Iedburgh a Burrough well inhabited and frequented standing neere unto the confluence of Teifie and Ied whereof it took the name also Mailros a very ancient Monastery wherein at the beginning of our Church were cloistered Monkes of that ancient order and institution that gave themselves to prayer and with their hand-labour earned their living which holy King David restored and replenished with Cistertian Monkes And more Eastward where Twede and Teifie joine in one streame Rosburg sheweth it selfe called also Roxburg and in old time MARCHIDUN because it was a towne in the Marches where stands a Castle that for naturall situation and towred fortifications was in times past exceeding strong Which being surprised and held by the English whiles James the second King of Scots encircled it with a siege hee was by a peece of a great Ordnance that brake slaine untimely in the very floure of his youth a Prince much missed and lamented of his Subjects As for the castle it was yeelded and being then for the most part of it layed even with the ground is now in a manner quite vanished and not to bee seene The territory adjoyning called of it the Sherifdome of Roxburg hath one hereditary Sheriffe out of the family of the Douglasses who is usually called the Sheriffe of Teviot Dale And now hath Roxburg also a Baron Robert Kerr through the favour of King James the sixth out of the family of the Kerrs a famous house and spred into a number of branches as any one in that tract out of which the Fernhersts and others inured in martiall feats have been of great name Twede aforesaid runneth through the middest of a Dale taking name of it replenished with sheepe that beare wooll of great request A very goodly river this is which springing more inwardly Eastward after it hath passed as it were in a streight channell by Drimlar Castle by Peblis a mercate towne which hath for the Sheriff thereof Baron Zeister like as Selkirk hard by hath another out of the family of Murray of Fallohill entertaineth Lauder a riveret at which appeareth Lauder together with Thirlestan where stands a very faire house of Sir John Mettellan late Chancellor of Scotland whom for his singular wisdome King James the sixth created Baron of Thirlestan Then Twede beneath Roxburg augmented with the river of Teviot resorting unto him watereth the Sherifdome of Berwick throughout a great part whereof is possessed by the Humes wherein the chiefe man of that family exerciseth now the jurisdiction of a Sheriffe and so passeth under Berwick the strongest towne of Britain whereof I have spoken already where hee is exceeding full of Salmons and so falleth into the sea MERCHIA MERCH or MERS MERCH which is next and so named because it is a march country lyeth wholly upon the German sea In this first Hume Castle sheweth it selfe the ancient possession of the Lords of Home or Hume who being descended from the family of the Earles of Merch are growne to be a noble and faire spred family out of which Alexander Hume who before was the first Baron of Scotland and Sheriff of Berwick was of late advanced by James King of great Britaine to the title of Earle Hume Neere unto which lieth Kelso famous sometime for the monastery which with thirteen others King David the first of that name built out of the ground for the propagation of Gods glory but to the great empairing of the Crowne land Then is to be seene Coldingham which Bede calleth the City Coldana and the City of Coludum haply COLANIA mentioned by Ptolomee a place consecrated many ages since unto professed Virgins or Nunnes whose chastity is recorded in ancient bookes For that they together with Ebba their Prioresse cut off their owne noses and lips choosing rather to preserve their virginity from the Danes than their beauty and favour and yet for all that the Danes burnt their monasterie and them withall Hard by is Fast-castle a castle of
Toam and the neighbour inhabitants repaire for Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to the Bishop of Killaley in the Barony of Tir-Auley In this Maio if I deceive not my selfe Colman a Bishop of Ireland built as Bede writeth a Monastery for thirty men or thereabout of the English Nation trained in the profession of the Monasticall life whom he brought out of England into Ireland But heare what Bede saith Colman found a place in the Isle of Ireland meet for building of a Monastery named in the old Scottish tongue Magio And he bought a part of it which was not much of the Earle unto whose possession it belonged to found a Monastery therein but with this condition annexed unto the sale that the Monks restant there should pray unto the Lord for him also that permitted them to have the place Now when hee had straightwaies erected this Monastery with the helpe of the said Earle and all the neighbour inhabitants hee placed the Englishmen there leaving the Scots behinde in the Isle Bouind Which very Monastery is inhabited at this day by Englishmen for the same it is which now of a small one grown to be great is usually termed In Mago And having now this good while turned all to better orders it conteineth a notable covent of Monkes who being assembled there together out of the Province of England according to the example of the reverend fathers under Regularity and a Canonicall Abbat live in great continency and sincerity with the labour of their owne hands About the yeere of our Lord 1115. this monasterie was re-edified and flourished in King Johns time who by his Patent confirmed many farmes and faire lands unto it Neither verily is there any other place that I can finde memorable unlesse it be Logh-Mesk a good large and fishfull Lake in two small Islands whereof stand sure forts that belonged to the familie of Burke This county is not so famous for the townes therein as the Inhabitants who are either of the Irish race as O-Mayles Ioies and Mac-vadus or of the Scotish out of the Islands Hebrides and out of the sept of Donell whereupon they bee called Clan-Donells and Galloglasses and as it were doughty mercinary souldiors who fight with two edged axes and be armed with habergeons or coates of maile procured in times past to come hither by the rebels and endowed here with lands or else of English blood as the said Burkes Iordans descended from one Iordan of Excester Nangles of Castlough Prendergest of Clan-Moris But the most puissant be those Burkes who after a sort are beholden both for their first beginning and also for their glory unto William a younger brother of Walter de Burgo or Burk of Ulster This William highly renowned for his militarie prowesse being led away prisoner into Scotland and leaving his wife behind him for an hostage when he was restored to his owne home by his manhood recovered Conaught out of which in his absence all the English had been expelled by Phelim O Conor having slaine in the field the said Phelim O Conor Mac Dermond Tego and Kelly and was himselfe at last in revenge killed by Cormac Mac-Dermond His grandson Thomas by his son Edmund sirnamed Albanach because he was borne in Scotland when he saw the goodly and rich inheritance of his owne familie translated by a female unto Leonell Duke of Clarence tooke it to the heart and therefore raising a power of lewd lawlesse and desperate persons who will be never wanting in Ireland nor else where by force and wrong seized the Patrimony of the Earles of Ulster in this County into his owne hands and after the name of that Grandfather of his whose glorious fame and gracious authority was then fresh in remembrance called himselfe Mac-William that is the sonne of William And his posterity under that name and title usurped a tyrannie in these parts raging upon themselves other whiles with mutuall injuries and oppressing the poore people a long time with extorting pilling and spoyling insomuch as they left scarce one village or house in the Country unrazed and unrifled This powerfull violence of theirs Sir Richard Bingham principall Commissioner or Governour of Conaght a man resolute severe and valiant fit for such a fierce and fell Province thought not to bee endured For he well understood being prudent and politicke that these injust oppressions pollings and pillings were the principall causes of the rebellions of barbarousnesse and base beggery of Ireland yea and that they drew the people away from their due obedience and allegeance to their Prince so as that they would acknowledge no other soveraigne than their owne Lords and Captaines he therefore to establish what hee might the royall power and authority there and to overthrow this tyrannicall government of this Mac-William and of others getting head employed with all diligence his whole care and cogitations to the uttermost and albeit he had from time to time many imputations suggestions and complaints eagerly urged upon him both before Queene Elizabeth and also the Lord Deputy yet proceeded hee in his purpose Contrariwise those of the family of Burke their followers and dependants that refused to obey the lawes tooke armes and drew to band and side with them the Septs of the Clan-Donells Ioies and others who distrusted themselves and their owne power whom Bingham the Governour soone scattered and having forced their forts drave them into woods and lurking hooles untill the Lord Deputy taking pittie of them upon their humble supplication commanded by his Missives that they should bee received upon termes of peace But they who by warre had troubled the peace and knowing not how to lay downe warre for sweetnesse of peace were no sooner relieved and raised as it were from death but they tooke armes againe entred afresh into actuall rebellion drave booties every where and made foule uprores in all places crying out That they would set up their Mac-William or else send for one out of Spaine That they would not admit a Sheriffe nor yeeld obedience to lawes And herewith they closely procured the Scottish Ilanders from out of the Hebrides to come over for to aide them promising them faire lands and possessions whereupon the Lord Deputy commanded the Governour to represse and bridle this their excessive and malapert insolence He then immediately when they rejected all equall and indifferent conditions offered unto them assembled an army and pursued them so hotly through the woods and forests that after six or seven weeks being grievously hunger-bitten they most humbly submitted themselves At which very time the auxiliary forces of the Scots aforesaid came seeking through desert by-waies and untravelled out waies as closely as they could to come into the county of Maio but the Governour with continuall journies affronted them by night and day so neere and followed upon them so hard that in the end he intercepted them at Ardnary valiantly giving the charge put them to flight
the great preparation for the English warre hanging so neere over his head he betooke himselfe into the protection of King Henry the second without trying the hazzard of battell But when as forthwith he brake his allegeance and revolted Miles Cogan was the first Englishman that gave the attempt upon Conaght yet sped hee not in his enterprise Howbeit that King of Conaght abovesaid was driven to this exigent as to acknowledge himselfe the King of Englands Liegeman to serve him faithfully as his man and to pay unto him yeerely of every tenth beast one hide mercateable c. And King John granted that the third part of Conaght should remaine unto him still to bee held hereditarily for an hundred Markes But William Fitz-Adelme whose posterity are called in Latin de Burgo and Burke or Bourke in Irish Robert Muscegros Gilbert Clare Earle of Gloster and William de Birmingham were the first English that fully subdued this country and laboured to bring it to civill government And William Bourk and his lineall posterity being called Lords of all Conaght governed that province together with Ulster for a long time in great peace and tranquility yea and raised thereout rich revenues untill the onely daughter of William Burke sole heire in grosse of Conaght and Ulster both was matched in marriage with Leonell Duke of Clarence King Edward the thirds sonne But when as he abode for the most part in England and the Mortimers his heires and successours looked but negligently to their patrimony and inheritance in Ireland the Bourkes there allies whom they had appointed as overseers of their lands taking the advantage of their Lords absence and presuming upon the troubles in England despising the authority of lawes entring into alliance with the Irish and contracting marriage with them seized upon all Conaght to their owne behoofe and degenerating by little and little have laid downe English civility and taken up Irish behaviour Whereof some who fetched their pedegree from Richard Burke were called Clan-Ricard others Mac William Oughter that is The upper others Mac William Eughter that is The lower even as they who in the countie of Maio were of greatest power and authority affected to be tearmed simply Mac-William as being a name full of honour glory and authority because they descended from William de Burgo or Burke whom I mentioned erewhile under countenance of which name they for a long time tyrannized over the poore inhabitants with most grievous exactions ULTONIA OR ULSTER ALL the land beyond the mouth of the river Boyn Meath the County Longford and the mouth of the river Ravie that stretcheth Northward is counted the fifth part of Ireland called in Latin Ultonia and Ulidia in English Ulster in Irish Cui Guilly that is The Province Guilly and of our Welsh Britans Ultw Which Province was wholly inhabited in Ptolomees time by the VOLUNTII DARNI ROBOGDII and ERDINI A large country bespred with many and those very large loghes and lakes shaded with many and thicke woods in some places fruitfull in others barren howbeit fresh and green to see to in every place and replenished with cattell But as the countrey for want of manuring is growne to be rough so the naturall dispositions of the people wanting civill discipline are become most wild and barbarous Yet to the end that they might be kept within the bounds of their duty who were wont to breake in sunder all bands of equity of honesty and of duty the hether part of it was in times past divided into three counties Louth Downe and Antrim and now the rest is laid out into seven new counties that is to say Cavon Fermanagh Monaghan Armagh Colran Tir-Oen and Donegall or Tir-Conell by the provident care of Sir Iohn Perot L. Deputy who being notable and worthy man well acquainted with the humours and haughty spirits of the Province foreseeing that no policy would serve better to appease the tumults of Ireland than to reduce these parts of Ulster into order and to keepe them downe going thither in a dangerous and ticklish time when the King of Spaine hovered and gaped both for Ireland and England with his gravitie and authority whiles by barring all wrongs hee did cut off the causes and quarrells of warre brought all the Potentates or Captaines of Ulster to this passe that willingly they suffered their Seigniories to bee divided into Counties and Sheriffes to bee appointed for the government thereof But he being within a while after recalled home and climbing still higher unto honours the heavie displeasure and envie of some whom hee was not able to counterpoise and his owne lavish tongue together for unadvisedly he had let flye somewhat against the Princes Majestie which to impaire in word is a capitall matter plunged him headlong ere he was aware upon his owne destruction as I have declared elsewhere more amply THE COUNTIE OF LOUTH THe county of LOUTH in ancient bookes written Luva and Luda called in the Irish tongue Iriel or Uriel if that be not rather a part of this territory situate beyond Meth and the mouth of the river Boyn turning full upon the Irish sea runneth out with a shore much winding into the North the soile whereof is so full of forage and so fruitfull that it soone answereth and recompenseth the husband mans toile and charges Neere unto Boynes mouth is seated Drogheda or Droghda in English Tredagh a fine towne well peopled and frequented so called of the bridge and divided by the river Boyne running through it Unto which King Edward the second for Theobald Verdons sake granted licence for a mercate and Faire the Kings confirmed many and great liberties and among other a Mint Neere unto this standeth Mellifont Abbey founded by Donald a King of Uriel and much praised by Saint Bernard which Queene Elizabeth when as the religious Monkes were before thrust out gave unto Sir Edward More of Kent for his good deserts both at home and abroad in the warres Ardeth seven miles from hence is a dry in-land towne well knowne and above it Dundalk with a commodious haven and in times past strongly walled which Edward Brus brother to the King of Scots who had proclaimed himselfe King of Ireland burnt but hee within a while after was with eight thousand two hundred of his men slaine neere thereabout And in our remembrance Shan O Neale laied siege unto it but straightwaies hee was forced with shame enough to dislodge Eight miles from hence standeth Carlingford a port also of good request and resort neither be there to my knowledge any other places in this county worth the naming This Louth had for Earle Sir Iohn Birmingham an Englishman whom in reward of his martiall valour when hee had discomfited and in a pitcht field slaine that Edward Brus who assuming the title of King of Ireland for a time had made soule work with fire and sword in Ireland King Edward the second advanced to the