of and yet deserueth most greatest lawdation And in deede the more honorable it is for that your Highnesse princely Auncestors sprong forth of the noble braunches of that Nation Thus duetifully praying for your Maiesties long preseruation by whose bountie and goodnesse I a long while haue liued I wish your Highnesse all the hap honour victorie and harts ease that can be desired or imagined Your Highnesse humble Seruant and Subiect Thomas Churchyard ⧠To euery louing and friendly Reader IT may seeme straunge good Reader that I haue chosen in the end of my daies to trauaile and make discription of Countries whereas the beginning of my youth and a long while after I haue hauÌ„ted the warres and written somewhat of Martiall Discipline but as euery season breedeth a seuerall humour and the humours of men are diuers drawing the mynd to sondrie dispositions so common occasion that commands the iudgement hath set me a worke and the warme good will affection borne in breast towards the worthie Countrey of Wales hath haled me often forward to take this labour in hand which many before haue learnedly handled But yet to shewe a difference in writing and a playnnesse in speech because playne people affects no florishing phrase I haue now in as ample a maner without borrowed termes as I could declared my opinion of that sweete Soyle and good Subiects therof euen at that very instant when Wales was almost forgotten or scarce remembred with any great lawdation when it hath merited to be written of for sondrie famous causes most meete to be honored and necessary to be touched in First the world will confesse or els it shall do wrong that some of our greatest Kings that haue conquered much were borne bred in that Countrey which Kings in their times to the glory of England haue wrought wonders brought great benefites to our weale publicke Among the same Princes I pray you giue me leaue to place our good Queene Elizabeth and pardoÌ„ me withall to commit you to the Chronicles for the seeking out of her Auncestors noble actions and suffer me to shewe a little of the goodnesse gathered by vs from her Maiesties well doing and possessed a long season from her princely and iust dealings An act so noble notorious that neither can escape immortall fame nor shall not passe my pen vnresited Now weigh in what plight was our state when she came first to the Crowne and see how soone Religion was reformed a matter of great moment peace planted and warres vtterly extinguished as the sequell yet falleth out Then behold how she succoured the afflicted in Fraunce let the going to Newhauen beare witnesse and chargeably without breaking of League mainteyned her friends and amazed her enemies Then looke into the seruice and preseruation of Scotland at the siege of Leeth and see how finely the French were al shipped away they being a great power and sent home in such sort that neuer since they had mynd to returne thether againe in that fashion and forme that they sayled towards Scotland at the first Then consider how bace our money was in what short tyme with little losse to our Countrey the bad coyne was conuerted to good siluer and so is like to continue to the end of the world Then in the aduancing of Gods word and good people regard how Rochell was relieued and Rone and other places fouÌ„d cause to pray for her life who sought to purchase their peace and see them in safetie Then thinke on the care she tooke for Flaunders during the first troubles and how that Countrey had bene vtterly destroyed if her Highnes helping hand had not propped vp that tottering State Then Christianly coÌ„ceiue how many mulâ—itudes of strangers she hath giuen gracious countenance vnto and hath freely licensed them to liue here in peace and rest Then paise in an equall ballance the daungerous estate of Scotland once againe when the Kings owne Subiects kept the Castle of Edenbrough against their owne naturall Lord Maister which presumptuous part of Subiects her Highnesse could not abide to behold wherevpon she sent a sufficient power to ayde the Kings Maiestie which power valiantly wonne the Castle and freely deliuered the same to the right owner thereof with all the treasure and prisoners therein Then regard how honourably she hath dealt with diuers Princes that came to see her or needed her magnificeÌ„t supportation and countenance Then looke throughly into the mightinesse managing of all matters gone about and put in exercise princely and yet peaceably since the day of her Highnesse Coronation and you shalbe forced to confesse that she surmounts a great number of her Predecessors and she is not at this day no whit inferiour to the greatest Monarke of the world Is not such a peereles Queene then a comfort to Wales a glorie to England and a great reioysing to all her good neighbours And doth not she daily deserue to haue bookes dedicated in the highest degree of honor to her Highnesse Yes vndoubtedly or els my sences and iudgement fayleth me So good Reader do iudge of my labours my pen is procured by a band of causes to write as farre as my knowledge may leade and my duetie hath no end of seruice nor no limits are set to a loyall Subiect but to wish and worke to the vttermost of power Within this worke are seuerall discourses some of the beautie blessednes of the Countrey some of the strength and statelynesse of their inpregnable Castles some of their trim Townes and fine situation some of their antiquitie shewing from what Kings and Princes they tooke their first name and prerogatiue So generally of all maner of matters belonging to that Soyle as Churches Monuments Mountaynes Valleys Waters Bridges fayre Gentlemens houses and the rest of things whatsoeuer may become a writers pen to touch or a readers iudgement to knowe I write not contenciously to find fault with any or confute the former writers and tyme but to aduaunce and winne credite to the present trueth agreeing and yeelding to all former tymes and ages that hath iustly giuen euery Nation their due and truely without affection hath set downe in plaine words the worthines of plaine people for I honor and loue as much a true Author as I hate and detest a reporter of trifeling fables A true Historie is called the Mistresse of life and yet all Historyographers in writing of one thing agree not well one with another because the writers were not present in the tymes in the places nor saw the persons they make meÌ„tion of but rather haue leaned and listned on the common report than stayed or trusted to their owne experience Strabo a most famous writer findes fault for the like occasion with Erstaotheus Metrodorus Septius Possidonius and Patrocles the Geographer And such discord did arise amoÌ„g writers in tyme past as Iosephus saith against Appio that they reprooued one another by bookes and all men in
THE Worthines of Wales VVherein are more then a thousand seuerall things rehearsed some set out in prose to the pleasure of the Reader and with such varietie of verse for the beautifying of the Book as no doubt shal delight thousands to vnderstand Which worke is enterlarded with many wonders and right strange matter to consider of All the which labour and deuice is drawne forth and set out by Thomas Church-yard to the glorie of God and honour of his Prince and Countrey ¶ Imprinted at London by G. Robinson for Thomas Cadman 1587. ⧠To the Queenes most Excellent Maiestie Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland c. Thomas Church-yard wisheth alwayes blessednes good fortune victorie and worldly honour with the encrease of quiet raigne vertuous lyfe and most Princely gouernment MOST Redoubted and Royall Queene that Kings doe feare Subiects doe honour strangers seeke succour of and people of speciall spirit acknowledge as their manifold books declare I least of all presume to farre either in presenting matter to be iudged of or to aduenture the cracking of credite with writing any thing that may breede mislike presents not well taken in the deepe iudgement of so high and mightie a Princesse But where a multitude runnes forward forced through desire or fortune to shewe duetie or to see what falleth out of their forwardnes I stepping in among the rest am driuen and led by affection to followe beyond the force of my power or feeling of any learned arte So being thrust on with the throng I finding my self brought before the presence of your Maiestie but barely furnished of knowledge to whom I must vtter some matter of delight or from whom I must retourne all abashed with open disgrace Thus Gracious Lady vnder your Princely fauour I haue vndertaken to set foorth a worke in the honour of VVales where your highnes auncestors tooke name and where your Maiestie is as much loued and feared as in any place of your highnesse dominion And the loue and obedience of which people so exceedes and surpasseth the common good-will of the worlde that it seemeth a wonder in our age wherein are so many writers that no one man doth not worthely according to the countries goodnes set forth that noble Soyle and Nation Though in deede diuers haue sleightly written of the same and some of those labours deserueth the reading yet except the eye be a witnes to their workes the writers can not therein sufficiently yeeld due commendation to those stately Soyles and Principalities For which cause I haue trauayled sondry times of purpose through the same and what is written of I haue beheld and throughly seene to my great contentment and admiration For the Citties Townes and goodly Castles thereof are to be mused on and merites to bee registred in euerlasting memorie but chiefly the Castles that stand like a company of Fortes may not be forgotten their buyldings are so princely their strength is so greate and they are such stately seates and defences of nature To which Castles great Royaltie and liuings belongeth and haue bene and are in the giftes of Princes now possessed of noble men and such as they appoint to keep them The royalties whereof are alwayes looked vnto but the Castles doe dayly decay a sorrowfull sight and in a maner remediles But nowe to come to the cōditions of the people to shew somewhat of their curtesie loyalty naturall kindnes I presume your Maiestie will pardon me to speake of for of trueth your highnes is no soner named among them but such a generall reioysing doth arise as maketh glad any good mans hart to behold or heare it it proceeds of such an affectionate fauour For let the meanest of the Court come downe to that countrey he shalbe so saluted halsed and made of as though he were some Lords sonne of that soyle further the plain people thinks it debt duetie to follow a strangers Stirrop being out of the way to bring him where he wisheth which gentlenes in all countries is not vsed and yet besides all this goodnes and great regard there is neither hewe nor cry for a robbery in many hundreth myles riding so whether it be for feare of iustice loue of God or good disposition small Robberies or none at all are heard of there They triumph likewise so much of fidelitie that the very name of a falsifier of promes a murtherer or a theef is most odious among them especially a Traytor is so hated that his whole race is rated at and abhord as I haue heard there report of Parrie and others who the common people would haue torne in peeces if the lawe had not proceeded And such regard they haue one of another that neither in market townes high wayes meetings nor publicke assemblies they striue not for place nor shewe any kind of roysting for in sted of such high stomackes and stoutnes they vse frendly salutations and courtesie acknowledging duetie thereby doing such reuerence to their betters that euery one in his degree is so well vnderctood and honored that none can iustly say hee hath suffered iniurie or found offence by the rude burbarous behauiour of the people These vsages of theirs with the rest that may be spoken of their ciuil maner and honest frame of lyfe doth argue there is some more nobler nature in that Nation then is generally reported which I doubt not but your Highnes is as willing to heare as I am desirous to make manifest and publish the hope whereof redoubleth my boldnes and may happely sheeld me from the hazard of worlds hastie iudgement that condemnes men without cause for writing that they know and praysing of people before their faces which suspicious heads call a kind of adulation but if telling of troth be rebukable and playne speeches be offensiue the ignorant world shall dwell long in errors and true writers may sodaynly sit in silence I haue not only searched sondry good Authors for the confirmation of my matter but also paynfully traueiled to trye out the substance of that is written for feare of committing some vnpardonable fault and offence in presenting this Booke vnto your Highnesse VVhich worke albeit it is but litle because it treateth not of many Shieres yet greatly it shal reioyce the whole Countrey of VVales whē they shall heare it hath found fauour in your gracious sight hath passed through those blessed hands that holds the rayne and bridle of many a stately Kingdome and Terrytorie And my selfe shall reape so much gladnesse by the free passage of this simple labour that hereafter I shall goe through GOD sparing life with the rest of the other Shieres not heere named These things only taken in hād to cause your Highnesse to knowe what puysance and strength such a Princesse is of that may commaund such a people and what obedience loue and loyaltie is in such a Countrey as hereunto hath bin but little spoken
whose Armes are in the same Chappell William Smith Bishop of Lincolne was the first Lord President of Wales in Prince Arthurs daies Ieffrey Blythe Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Rowland Lée Bishoppe of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Ihou Uessie Bishop of Exeter Lord President Richard Sampson Bishop of Couentrie and Litchfield Lord President Iohn Duldley Earle of Warwick after Duke of Northumberland Lord President Sir William Harbert after Earle of Penbroke Lord President Nicholas Heath Bishop of Worcester Lord President Sir William Harbert once againe Lord President Gilbert Browne Bishop of Bathe and Welles Lord President Lord Williams of Tame Lord President Sir Harry Sidney Lord President Sir Andrew Corbret Knight Uicepresident There are two blancks left without Armes Sir Thomas Dynam Knight is mentioned there to doe some great good act Iohn Scory Bishop of Hartford Nicholas Bullingham Bishop of Worcester Nicholas Robinson Bishop of Bangore Richard Dauies Bishop of Saint Dauies Thomas Dauies Bishop of Saint Assaph Sir Iames Crofts Knight Controller Sir Iohn Throgmorton Knight Iustice of Chester and the three Shieres of Eastwales Sir Hugh Cholmley Knight Sir Nicholas Arnold Knight Sir George Bromley Knight and Iustice of the three shieres in Wales William Gerrard Lord Chauncellor of Ireland and Iustice of the three Shieres in Southwales Charles Foxe Esquier and Secretorie Ellice Price Doctor of the Lawe Edward Leighton Esquier Richard Seborne Esquier Richard Pates Esquier Rafe Barton Esquier George Phetyplace Esquier William Leighton Esquier Myles Sands Esquier The Armes of al these afore spoken of are gallantly and cunningly set out in the Chappell Now is to be rehearsed that Sir Harry Sidney being Lord President buylt twelue roumes in the sayd Castle which goodly buildings doth shewe a great beautie to the same He made also a goodly Wardrope vnderneath the new Parlor and repayred an old Tower called Mortymers Tower to kéepe the auncient Records in the same and he repayred a fayre roume vnder the Court house to the same entent and purpose and made a great wall about the woodyard built a most braue Condit within the inner Court and all the newe buildings ouer the Gate Sir Harry Sidney in his daies and gouernement there made and set out to the honour of the Quéene and glorie of the Castle There are in a goodly or stately place set out my Lord Earle of Warwicks Armes the Earle of Darbie the Earle of Worcester the Earle of Penbroke and Sir Harry Sidneys Armes in like maner al these stand on the left hand of the Chamber On the other side are the Armes of Northwales and Southwales two red Lyons and two golden Lyons Prince Arthurs At the end of the dyning Chamber there is a pretie deuice how the Hedgehog brake the chayne and came from Ireland to Ludloe There is in the Hall a great grate of Iron of a huge height so much is written only of the Castle ⧠The Towne of Ludloe and many good gifts graunted to the same KIng Edward fourth for seruice truely done When Henry sixt and he had mortall warre No sooner he by force the victorie wone But with great things the Towne he did prefarre Gaue lands thereto and libertie full large Which royall gifts his bountie did declare And dayly doth mainteyne the Townes great charge Whose people now in as great freedome are As any men vnder this rule and Crowne That liues and dwels in Citie or in Towne Two Bayliefes rules one yéere the Towne throughout Twelue Aldermen they haue there in likewise Who doth beare sway as turne doth come about Who chosen are by oth and auncient guise Good lawes they haue and open place to pleade In ample sort for right and Iustice sake A Preacher too that dayly there doth reade A Schoolemaster that doth good schollers make And for the Queere are boyes brought vp to sing And so serue God and doe none other thing Thrée tymes a day in Church good Saruice is At sixe a clocke at nine and then at three In which due howers a straunger shall not mis But sondrie sorts of people there to see And thirtie thrée poore persons they maintaine Who wéekely haue both money almes and ayde Their lodging free and further to be plaine Still once a weeke the poore are truely payde Which shewes great grace and goodnesse in that Seate Where rich doth see the poore shall want no meate An Hospitall there hath bene long of old And many things pertayning to the same A goodly Guyld the Township did vphold By Edwards gift a King of worthie fame This Towne doth choose two Burgesses alwaies For Parliament the custome still is so Two Fayres a yéere they haue on seuerall daies Three Markets kept but monday chiefe I troe And two great Parkes there are full néere the Towne But those of right pertaine vnto the Crowne These things rehearst makes Ludloe honord mitch And world to thinke it is an auncient Seate Where many men both worthie wise and ritch Were borne and bred and came to credit great Our auncient Kings and Princes there did rest Where now full oft the Presdent dwels a space It stands for Wales most apt most fit and best And néerest to at hand of any place Wherefore I thought it good before I end Within this booke this matter should be pend The rest of Townes that in Shropshiere you haue I néede not touch they are so throughly knowne And further more I knowe they cannot craue To be of Wales how euer brute be blowne So wishing well as duetie doth me binde To one and all as farre as power may goe I knit vp here as one that doth not minde Of natiue Soyle no further now to showe So cease my muse let pen and paper pause Till thou art calde to write of other cause ⧠An Introduction to remember Shropshiere HOw hath thy muse so long bene luld a sléepe What deadly drinke hath sence in slumber brought Doth poyson cold through blood and bosome créepe Or is of spite some charme by witchcraft wrought That vitall spréetes hath lost their feeling quite Or is the hand so weake it cannot write Come ydle man and shewe some honest cause Why writers pen makes now so great a pause Can Wales be nam'de and Shropshiere be forgote The marshes must make muster with the rest Shall Sallop say their countreyman doth dote To treate of things and write what thinks him best No sure such fault were dubble error plaine If in thy pen be any Poets vayne Or gifts of grace from Skyes did drop on thée Than Shrewsebrie Towne thereof first cause must bée Both borne and bred in that same Seate thou wast Of race right good or els Records do lye From whence to schoole where euer Churchyard past To natiue Soyle he ought to haue an eye Speake well of all and write what world may proue Let nothing goe beyond thy Countries loue Wales once it
was and yet to mend thy tale Make Wales the Parke and plaine Shropshiere the pale If pale be not a speciall peece of Parke Sit silent now and neither write nor speake But leaue out pale and thou mayst misse the marke Thy muse would hit or els thy shaft may breake Against a stone thou thinkst to glance vpon Now weigh these words my chorlish check is gon More gentle spéech hereafter may I spend When that in verse I see thy Countrie pend When Reasons threat had rapt me on the pate With priuie blowes that neuer drawes no blood To studie streight with pen and ynke I gate And sadly there bethought me what was good But ere the locke and doore was bolted fast Ten thousand toyes in head through fancie past And twentie more conceyts came rouling on That were too long to talke and treat vpon Wherefore in briefe I settled pen to worke For feare least world found fault with slouthfull muse And calling vp the spréetes that close did lurke In cloke of ease that would good wits abuse I held on way to auncient Shrewsebrie Towne And so from horse at lodging lighting downe I walkt the streates and markt what came to vewe Found old things dead as world were made a newe For buildings gay and gallant finely wrought Had old deuice through tyme supplanted cleane Some houses bare that seem'd to be worth nought Were fat within that outward looked leane Wit had won wealth to stuffe each emptie place The cunning head and labouring hand had grace To gayne and kéepe and lay vp still in store As man might say the heart could wish no more A number sure were ritch become of late By worldly meanes by hap or wisedomes arte He had no praise that did apayre his state And he most lawde that playd the wisest parte To come by goods well won with honest trade And warely looke there were no hauock made Such thriftie men doe dwell in Shrewsebrie now That all the Towne is full of Marchants throw And sondrie borne of right good race and blood Who freely liues from bondage euery way Whose rent and lands whose wealth and worldly good When other works giues them free leaue to play Most part are ritch or els right well to liue And to the poore the godly people giue To preaching still repayres both young and old Makes more thereof then of ritch pearle or gold Now come to poynts and rules of ciuill men Good maner calde that shewes good nature still And so with Wales ye may compare them then The meanest sort I meane of slendrest skill For as some whelpes that are of gentle kinde Excéedes curre dogges that beares a doggish minde So these méeke folke that méetes you in the streete Will curchie make or shewe an humble spréete This argues sure they haue in Wales bin bred Or well brought vp and taught where now they dwell If haughtie heart be spyde by loftie hed And curteous folkes by lookes are knowne full well Me thinkes the myld wins all goodwill away The sturdie stands like Stagge or Bucke at bay The tame white Doue and Faulkon for delytes Are better farre then fifteene hundred Kytes My theame is Wales and to that theame I goe Perhaps some seede of that same Soyle is here Sowne in such sort that dayly it doth growe In fayrest fourme to furnish forth this shiere Admit the same the sequell graunts it well Passe that discourse and giue me leaue to tell How Shrewsebrie stands and of the Castles seate The Riuer large and stonie bridge so greate The Towne three parts stands in a valley loe Three gates there are through which you néedes must passe As to the height of Towne the people goe So Castle seemes as twere a looking glasse To looke through all and hold them all in awe Treangle wise the gates and Towne doth drawe But Castle hill spyes out each streate so plaine As though an eye on them did still remaine In midst of Towne fower Parrish Churches are Full nere and close together note that right The vewe farre of is wondrous straunge and rare For they doe seeme a true loue knot to sight They stand on hill as Nature wrought a Seate To place them fower in stately beautie greate As men deuout to buyld these works tooke care So in these daies these Temples famous are First for the cause whereon they so were made Then for their fourme and fashion framed fine Next for the cost the stones and auncient trade And chiefe of all for mans intent deuine Their placing thus the plots whereon they stand The workmanship with cunning Masons hand Their height and breadth their length and thicknesse both Argues in déede a wondrous worke of troth Not farre from them doth goodly Seuarne run An arme of Sea a water large and deepe Whose headstrong streame the Fisher can not shun Except by banke both bote and he doth creepe This Riuer runs to many a noble Towne As Wyster one and Bristowe of renowne With moe besides which here I neede not name The Card can shewe both them and all their fame About the walles trim vnder goodly banks Doth Seuarne passe and comes by Cotten hill Much praise they had and purchast many thanks That at Stonebridge made place for many a Mill. About the Towne this water may be brought If that a way were nere the Castle wrought So Castle should stand like a péereles mount And Shrewsebrie Towne be had in great account Full from Welshbridge along by meddowes greene The Riuer runs most fayre and fine to vewe Such fruitfull ground as this is seldome seene In many parts if that I heare be true Yet each man knowes that grasse is in his pride And ayre is fresh by euery Riuers side But sure this plot doth farre surpasse the rest That by good lot is not with graces blest Who hath desire to vewe both hill and vale Walke vp old wall of Castle rude and bare And he shall see such pleasure set to sale In kindly sort as though some Marchants ware Were set in shop to please the passer by Or els by shewe beguyld the gazers eye For looke but downe along the pleasant coast And he shall thinke his labour is not lost One way appeares Stonebridge and Subbarbs there Which called is the Abbey Forehed yet A long great streate well builded large and faire In as good ayre as may be wisht with wit Where Abbey stands and is such ring of Belles As is not found from London vnto Welles The Stéeple yet a gracious pardon findes To bide all blasts all wethers stormes and windes Another way full ore Welshbridge there is An auncient streate cal'd Franckwell many a day To Ozestri the people passe through this And vnto Wales it is the reddie way In Subbarbs to is Castle Forehed both A streate well pau'd two seuerall waies that goeth
fall and theirs to rise Looke on the works and wits of former age And our tyme shall come dragging farre behind If both tymes might be plainly playd on stage And old tyme past be truely calde to mind For all our braue fine glorious buyldings gay Tyme past would run with all the fame away Aske Oxford that and Cambridge if it please In this one poynt shall you resolue at ease In auncient tyme our elders had desire To buyld their Townes on stéepe and stately hill To shewe that as their hearts did still aspyre So should their works declare their worthie will And for that then the world was full of strife And fewe men stood assur'd of land or life Such quarrels rose about great rule and state That no one Soyle was free from foule debate For which sharpe cause that dayly bred discord They made strong Holds and Castles of defence And such as weare the Kings the Prince and Lord Of any place would spare for no expence To see that safe that they had hardly won For which sure poynt were Forts and Townes begun And further loe if people waxed wyld They brought in feare by this both man an child And if men may iudge who had most ado Or gesse by Forts and Holds what Land was best Or looke vpon our common quarrels to Or search what made men seeke for peace and rest Behold but Wales and note the Castles there And you shall finde no such works any where So old so strong so costly and so hye Not vnder Sunne is to be seene with eye And to be plaine so many Holds they haue As sure it is a world to marke them well Pause there a while my muse must pardon craue Pen may not long vpon such matter dwell Now Denbigh comes to be set foorth in verse Which shall both Towne and Castle here rehearse So that the verse such credit may attayne As writer shall not lose no péece of payne ⧠An Introduction to bring in Denbighshiere HAth slouth and sleepe bewitcht my sences so That head cannot awake the ydle hand Is frendly muse become so great a foe That labring pen in pennor still shall stand What trifeling toye doth trouble writers brayne That earnest loue forgets swéete Poets vayne Bid welcome mirth and sad conceytes adue And fall againe to write some matter newe Let old deuice a Lanterne be to this To giue skill light and make sound iudgement see Since gazing eyes hath seene what each thing is And that no Towne nor Soyle is hid from thee Set foorth in verse as well this Countrey here As thou at large hast set out Monmouthshiere Praise one alone the rest will thee disdaine A day may come at length to quite thy paine Though former toyles be lost in Sommer last Dispayre not now for Wales is thankfull still Thou hast gon farre the greatest brunt is past Then forward passe and plucke not backe goodwill Put hand to Plough like man goe through with all Thy ground is good rim and thou canst not fall When seede is sowne and tyme bestowes some paine Thou shalt be knowne a reaper of good graine Hold on thy course and trauaile Wales all ore And whet thy wits to marke and note it well And thou shalt see thou neuer saw'st before Right goodly things in déede that doth excell More auncient Townes more famous Castles old Then well farre of with ease thou mayst behold With Denbighshiere thy second worke begin And thou shalt see what glorie thou shalt win So I tooke horse and mounted vp in haste From Monmouthshiere a long the coasts I ryde When frost and snowe and wayward winters waste Did beate from tree both leaues and Sommers pryde I entred first at Chirke right ore a Brooke Where staying still on Countrey well to looke A Castle fayre appéerde to sight of eye Whose walles were great and towers both large and hye Full vnderneath the same doth Kéeryock run A raging Brooke when rayne or snowe is greate It was some Prince that first this house begun It shewes farre of to be so braue a Seate On side of hill it stands most trim to vewe An old strong place a Castle nothing newe A goodly thing a princely Pallace yet If all within were throughly furnisht fit Beyond the same there is a Bridge of stone That stands on Dée a Riuer déepe and swift It seemes as it would riue the Rocks alone Or vndermyne with force the craggie Clift To Chester runs this Riuer all along With gushing streame and roring water strong On both the sides are bankes and hilles good store And mightie stones that makes the Riuer rore It flowes with winde although no rayne there bée And swelles like Sea with waues and foming flood A wonder sure to see this Riuer Dée With winde alone to waxe so wyld and wood Make such a sturre as water would be mad And shewe such life as though some spréete it had A cause there is a nature for the same To bring this flood in such straunge case and frame Not farre from this there stands on little mount A right fayre Church with pillars large and wide A monument therein of good account Full finely wrought amid the Quéere I spyde A Tombe there is right rich and stately made Where two doth lye in stone and auncient trade The man and wife with sumptuous sollemne guyse In this ritch sort before the Aulter lyes His head on crest and warlike Helmet stayes A Lyon blew on top thereof comes out On Lyons necke along his legges he layes Two Gauntlets white are lying there about An auncient Squire he was and of good race As by his Armes appéeres in many a place His house and lands not farre from thence doth shoe His birth and blood was great right long agoe The trimmest glasse that may in windowe bée Wherein the roote of Iesse well is wrought At Aulter head of Church now shall you see Yea all the glasse of Church was déerely bought Within two myles there is a famous thing Cal'de Offaes Dyke that reacheth farre in length All kind of ware the Danes might thether bring It was free ground and cal'de the Britaines strength Wats Dyke likewise about the same was set Betwéene which two both Danes and Britaines met And trafficke still but passing bounds by sleight The one did take the other prisner streight Thus foes could méete as many tymes they may And doe no harme when profite ment they both Good rule and lawe makes baddest things to stay That els by rage to wretched reuell goeth The brutest beasts that sauage are of kynd Together comes as season is assyude The angryest men that can no friendship byde Must ceace from warre when peace appalles their pride Now let this goe and call in haste to minde Trim Wricksam Towne a pearle of Denbighshiere In whose fayre Church a Tombe of stone I finde