title of Aber Gavenni upon which the majority of voices gave it the heir-male And when he had again proposed Whether the title of Baron Le Despenser Baroness le Despenser should be conferr'd on the female and her heirs they unanimously agreed to it to which his Majesty gave his Royal Assent And Edward Nevil was soon after summon'd to Parliament by the King 's Writ under the title of Baron of Aber-Gavenni And being according to the usual ceremony introduc'd in his Parliament-Robe between two Barons he was placed above the Baron de Audeley At the same time also the King's Patent was read before the Peers whereby his Majesty restored rais'd preferred c. Mary Fane to the state degree title stile name honour and dignity of Baroness le Despenser Baroness le Despenser and that her heirs successively should be Barens le Despenser c. But the question of precedency being proposed the Peers referr'd the decision thereof to the Commissioners for the office of Earl Marshal of England who signâ—d their Verdict for the Barony of le Despenser This was read before the Peers and by their order register'd in the Parliament Diary out of which I have taken this account in short What ought not to be omitted is that John Hastings held this Castle by homage ward and marriage 6 Edw. 2. When it happens as we read in the Inquisition and if there should chance any war between the King of England and Prince of Wales he ought to defend the Country of Over-went at his own charges to the utmost of his power for the good of himself the King and Kingdom The second town call'd by Antoninus Burrium Burrium who places it 12 miles from Gobannium is seated where the river Byrdhin falls into Usk. 'T is call'd now in British by a transposition of letters Brynbiga for Burenbegi and also Kaer-ŵysk by Giraldus Castrum Oskae and in English Usk. Usk. It shews now only the ruins of a large strong Castle pleasantly seated between the river Usk and Oilwy a small brook which takes its course from the east by Ragland a stately castle-like house of the Earl of Worcester's and passes under it The third City call'd by Antoninus Isca Isca and Legio secunda seated on the other side of the river Usk and distant as he observes exactly 12 Italian miles from Burrium is câ—ll'd by the Britains Kaer Lheion and Kaer Lheion ar ŵysk Kaer Lheion ar Wysk which signifies the City of the Legion on the river Usk from the Legio Secunda Augusta called also Britannica secunda This Legion instituted by Augustus and translated out of Germany into Britain by Claudius under the conduct of Vespasian to whom upon his aspiring to the Empire it prov'd serviceable and also secur'd him the British Legions was placed here at length by Julius Frontinus as seems probable in garrison against the Silures How great a City this Isca was at that time our Giraldus informs us in his Itinerary of Wales A very ancient city this was saith he and enjoy'd honourable privileges elegantly built by the Romans with * The câ—â—cuit â—f 〈◊〉 walls aâ—â— 3 miles Enderoy brick walls There are yet remaining many footsteps of its ancient splendour stately palaces which formerly with their gilded Tiles emulated the Roman grandeur for that it was at first built by the Roman nobility and adorn'd with sumptuous edifices an exceeding high tower remarkable hot †An. 16â—â— hot baâ—â—s were dâ—â—â—ver'd 〈◊〉 S. Julâ—aâ— the brâ—â—â— equilateâ—â—ly squâ—â—â— about 〈◊〉 inch tâ—â— like thâ—â— at S. Aâ—â—â—â— Mr. Aâ—â—â— baths ruins of ancient temples theatrical places encompass'd with stately walls which are partly yet standing Subterraneous edifices are frequently met with not only within the walls but also in the suburbs aqueducts vaults and which is well worth our observation Hypocausts or stoves contriv'd with admirable artifice conveying heat insensibly through some very narrow vents on the sides Two very eminent and next to St. Alban and Amphibalus the chief Protomartyrs of Britannia major lye entombed here where they were crown'd with martyrdom viz. Julius and Aaron who had also Churches dedicated to them in this City For in ancient times there were three noble Churches here One of Julius the Martyr grac'd with a Quire of Nuns devoted to God's service another dedicated to St. Aaron his companion ennobled with an excellent order of Canons and the third honour'd with the Metropolitan See of Wales Amphibalus also teacher of St. Alban who sincerely instructed him in the Faith was born here This City is excellently well seated on the navigable river Usk and beautified with meadows and woods Here the Roman Embassadors received their audience at the illustrious court of that great King Arthur And here also the Archbishop Dubricius resign'd that honour to David of Menevia by translating the Archiepiscopal See from this City thither Thus far Giraldus But in confirmation of the antiquity of this place I have taken care to add some ancient Inscriptions lately dug up there and communicated to me by the right reverend Father in God Francis Godwin Lord Bishop of Landaff a lover of venerable antiquity and all other good literature In the year 1602. some labourers digging in a meadow adjoyning found on a checquer'd pavement a statue of a person in a short-truss'd habit with a Quiver and Arrows the head hands and feet broken off and also the fragment of an Altar with this Inscription of fair large characters about three inches long erected by Haterianus Lieutenant-General of Augustus and Propraetor of the Province of Cilicia 〈…〉 HATERIANVS LEG AVG PR PR PROVINC CILIC The next year was discover'd also this Inscription which shews the Statue before mention'd to have been of the Goddess Diana and that Titus Flavius Posthumius Varus perhaps of the fifth Cohort of the second Legion had repair'd her Temple a Id est Titus Flavius Postumius Varus quintae Cohortis Legionis Secundae Augustae Templum Dianae restituit T. FL. POSTVMIVS VARVS V. C. LEG TEMPL DIANAE RESTITVIT Also this votive Altar out of which the name of the Emperour * Geta seems to have been rased when he was deposed by his brother Antoninus Bassianus â—â—e Phil. â—â—ns 〈◊〉 1â—5 and declared an enemy yet so as there are some shadows of the Letters still remaining b Id est Pro salute Augustorum nostrorum Severi Antonini Getae Caesarum Publius Saltienus Publii filius Maecia Thalamus ex hac gente aut tribu nempe Publ. Saltienus ortus est Praefectus Legionis secundae Augustae C. Vampeiano Luciliano Consulibus PRO SALVTE In printed Copies Claudius Pompeianus and Lollianus Avitus Coss An. Chr. 210. AVGG N. N. SEVERI ET ANTONINI ET GETAE CAES. P. SALTIENVS P. F. MAECIA THALAMVS HADRI PRAEF LEG II. AVG. C. VAMPEIANO ET LVCILIAN And this fragment of a very fair Altar the Inscription whereof might perhaps be thus supplied
the same form with the Tumulus it self on the edge whereof the same Author observ'd ashes and charcoal in their true colours and several pieces of bones in the middle of it so friable that they would crumble betwixt the fingers Which plainly proves it to be Roman unless which does not appear the Saxons or Danes ever burnt their dead bodies e Upon the Roman-way near Lichfield we find a village call'd Wall which is suppos'd to have taken that name from the fragments of an old wall upon the north-side of Watlingstreet Mr. Camden does rightly suppose it to be the Etocetum a Etocetum of Antoninus and the two ancient pavements wherein there appear Roman bricks with the remains of Antiquity discover'd at Chesterfield on the other side of the way put it beyond all dispute f The next Station in this County is Pennocrucium Pennocrucium which Mr. Camden had encouragement enough both from Antoninus's distances and the affinity of the old and new names to settle at Penkridge Penkridge and yet one objection it 's lying from the Great way at least two miles considering the design of these Stations goes very hard against it Stretton as Dr. Plot has settl'd it which has the advantage of standing upon the Way may no doubt lay a juster claim to it The name too favours the conjecture for a little experience will teach any one thus much that where Street or Chester is part of the name a man shall seldom lose his labour in the search after Antiquities A little below the Way southward near Fetherstone in the parish of Brewood was found a brass-head of the bolt of a Catapulta another was likewise discover'd at Bushbury a third in the biggest of the Lows upon the Morridge and a fourth at Hundsworth all of brass and much of the same form which Dr. Plot has given us in the 5th Figure of his 33d Table From this it is certain that all these are Roman Tumuli and probably places of some action g From the directions of the Way let us pass to the head of the great river Trent near which is Newcastle under Lyme New-castle under Lyme built in Hen. 3.'s time by the Earl of Lancaster and so call'd in respect of another at a little distance Chesterton under Lyme where Mr. Camden found an old Castle half demolish'd but now nothing but some very obscure remains are to be seen h From hence the river leads us to Darlaston Darlaston where in a place call'd Berry-bank on the top of a hill are the ruins of a large castle fortify'd with a double vallum and entrenchments about 250 yards diameter This according to tradition was the seat of Ulfere King of Mercia who murther'd his two sons for embracing Christianity The whole passage at large see in Dr. Plot 's History of Staffordshire p. 407. The next place we meet with memorable is Cank Cank or Cannockwood upon the edge whereof in the park at Beaudesart there remains a large fortification call'd the Castle-hill encompass'd with a double agger and trench which are in a manner circular except on the south-east side What Dr. Plot conjectures is highly probable that it was cast up by Canutus when he made such dismal waste of those parts as our Historians talk of i Our next guide is the river Sow about the head whereof is Blore heath Blore heath where a stone set up in memory of James Lord Audley deserves our notice He was slain in that place fighting against the Earl of Salisbury in the quarrel of Hen. 6. in which battel no less than 2400 were slain upon the spot k From hence this river directs us to Eccleshall Eccleshall the castle whereof was either built from the foundation or at least repair'd by Walter de Longton Bishop of Lichfield and Lord High Treasurer of England in the reign of Edw. 1. Not far from which is Wotton where is a high-pav'd way which Dr. Plot imagines to have been a Roman Via Vicinalis or by-way from one town to another l Going nearer to Stafford we meet with Ellenhall Ellenhall famous for the family of the Noels of the male-heirs whereof are still remaining those of Hilcote-Hardby as also Baptist Earl of Gainsburrough and some others m Nearer the Trent upon the same river lies Stafford Stafford where Ethelfled the Mercian Queen built a Castle whereof there is nothing remaining that upon the hill at a mile's distance from the town being built by Ranulph or Ralph the first Earl of Stafford a long time after And Mr. ‖ View of Staffordshire Erdswick concludes he only re-edify'd the Castle and not new built it because he had seen a certain Deed dated from the Castle near Stafford long before the days of Earl Ralph But Dr. Plot is of opinion that the old Castle there mention'd might rather stand within the entrenchment at Billington which perhaps says he may be only the remains of this Castle the lands wherein these entrenchments are being not far distant and still remaining a part of the demesne land of the Barony of Stafford n Near the meeting of Sow and Trent is Tixal not far from whence stands Ingestre Ingestre an ancient seat of the family of the Chetwinds the last owner of which who dy'd without issue A. D. 1693. was Walter Chetwind Esq a Gentleman eminent as for his ancient family and great hospitality so for his admirable skill in Antiquities the History of Staffordshire receiving great encouragement from him He was likewise a person of a charitable and publick spirit as appear'd by new building the Parish-Church of Ingestre after a very beautiful manner and also adding to the Vicarage such tythes as remain'd in his hands o About four miles from the Trent lies Lichfield Lichfield where a thousand Christians who had been instructed instructed by S. Amphibalus in a place call'd Christianfield were martyr'd and their bodies left unburied to be devour'd by birds and beasts from whence the City bears for their Device an Escocheon of Landskip with many Martyrs in it in several manners massacred This place since our Author's time has given the honourable title of Earl first to Bernard Stewart youngest son of Esme Duke of Lennox and Earl of March created in the 21th year of Charles the first Being slain at the battel at Rowton-heath in Cheshire he was succeeded by Charles Stewart his nephew who dy'd Ambassadour in Denmark in 1672. About two years after the title was conferr'd upon Edward Henry Lee created June 5. 1674. Baron of Spellesbury Vicount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield Not far from hence is Streethey Streethey the name whereof seems to be taken from its situation upon the old way call'd Ikenild-street * Plot 's Staffordshire p 402. and its distance from Streeton another town lying upon the same road and claiming the same antiquity on account of its name being about 12 miles
IMP. M AURELIO ANTONINO AVC SEVER LVCII FILIO LEC. IIV VG P sic Together with these two fragments Centurio c This was lately in the School-wall at Kaêr Lheion but is now rased out †7. VECILIANA d This is in the Garden-wall at Moin's Court but the first line VIII and this character 7. are not visible See Reines Syntag. Inscr pag. 977. VIII 7. VALER MAXSIMI f Here also about the time of the Saxon Conquest was an Academy of 200 Philosophers who being skill'd in Astronomy and other Sciences observ'd accurately the courses of the Stars as we are informed by Alexander Elsebiensis a very scarce Author out of whom much has been transcrib'd for my use by the learned Thomas James Tho. James of Oxford who may deservedly be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one that is wholly intent upon Books and Learning and is at present God prosper his endeavours out of a desire of promoting the publick good busily employ'd in searching the Libraries of England on a design that is like to be of singular use to the Commonwealth of Learning In the time of K. Henry 2. when Giraldus writ this City seems to have been a place of considerable strength For we find that Yrwith of Kaer Lheion a courageous Britain defended it a long time against the English forces till at last being over-power'd by the King he was dispossest of it But now a fair instance that Cities as well as Men have their vicissitude and fortune that is become an inconsiderable small town which once was of so great extent on each side the river that they affirm St. Gilian's the house of the honourable Sir William Herbert a person no less eminent for wit and judgment than noble extraction to have been in the city and in that place the Church of Julius the Martyr is said to have stood which is now about a mile out of the town From the ruins also of this City Newport Newport had its beginning seated a little lower at the fall of the river Usk. By Giraldus 't is call'd Novus Burgus It is a town of later foundation and of considerable note for a Castle and a convenient harbour where there was formerly some Military-way mention'd by Necham in these verses Intrat auget aquas Sabrini fluminis Osca Praeceps testis erit Julia Strata mihi Increas'd with Usk does Severn rise As Julia Strata testifies That this Julia Strata was a way we have no reason to question and if we may be free to conjecture it seems not absurd to suppose it took its name from Julius Frontinus who conquer'd the Silures Not far from this Newburgh saith Giraldus there glides a small stream call'd Nant Pènkarn passable but at some certain fords not so much for the depth of its water as the hollowness of the chanel and deepness of the mud It had formerly a ford call'd Rhŷd Penkarn now of a long time discontinued Henry 2. King of England having by chance pass'd this ford the Welsh who rely too much upon old prophecies were presently discouraged because their Oracle Merlinus Sylvester had foretold that whenever a strong Prince with a freckled face such as King Henry was should pass that Ford the British Forces should be vanquish'd During the Saxon Heptarchy this County was subject to the Mountain-Welsh call'd by them Dun-settan Dun set who were yet under the government of the West-Saxons as appears by the ancient Laws At the first coming in of the Normans the Lords Marchers grievously plagued and annoy'd them especially the above-mention'd Hamelin Balun Hugh Lacy Walter and Gilbert de Clare 1 Miles of Glocester Robert Chandos Pain Fitz-John Richard Fitz-Punt and c. and Brien of Wallingford To whom the Kings having granted all they could acquire in these parts some of them reduced by degrees the upper part of this County which they call'd Over-Went and others the low lands call'd Nether-Went Parishes in this County 127. ADDITIONS to MONMOVTHSHIRE a MYnydh Kader mention'd by our Author is the name of many Mountains in Wales thus denominated as Kader Arthur Kader Verwin Kader Idris Kader Dhinmael Kader yr Ychen c. which the learned Dr. Davies supposes to have been so call'd not from their resemblance to a Kà dair or Chair but because they have been either fortified places or were look'd upon as naturally impregnable by such as first impos'd those names on them For the British Kader as well as the Irish word Kathair signifying anciently a Fort or Bulwark whence probably the modern word Kaer of the same signification might be corrupted b Lhan Lhan properly signifies a Yard or some small Inclosure as may be observ'd in compound words For we find a Vineyard call'd Gwin-lhan an Orchard Per-lhan a Hay-yard Yd-lhan a Church-yard Korph-lhan a Sheep-fold Kor-lhan c. However as Giraldus observes it denotes separately a Church or Chapel and is of common use in that sense throughout all Wales probably because such Yards or Inclosures might be places of Worship in the time of Heathenism or upon the first planting of Christianity when Churches were scarce c That this Jeffrey of Monmouth as well as most other Writers of the Monkish times abounds with Fables is not deny'd by such as contend for some authority to that History but that those Fables were of his own Invention seems too severe a censure of our Author's and scarce a just accusation since we find most or all of them in that British History he translated whereof an ancient copy may be seen in the Library of Jesus-College at Oxford which concludes to this effect Walter Arch-Deacon of Oxford composed this Book in Latin out of British Records which he afterwards thus render'd into modern British We find also many of the same Fables in Ninnius who writ his Eulogium Britanniae about three hundred years before this Galfridus Arturius compos'd the British History As to the regard due to that History in general the judicious Reader may consult Dr. Powel's Epistle De Britannica Historia rectè intelligenda and Dr. Davies's Preface to his British Lexicon and ballance them with the arguments and authority of those that wholly reject them Near Monmouth stands a noble House built by his Grace Henry Duke of Beaufort call'd Troy the residence of his eldest son Charles Marquiss of Worcester who is owner of it and of the Castle and Manour of Monmouth settled upon him with other large possessions in this County by the Duke his father e The English names of Went-set Wentse◠c. and Wents land have their origin from the British word Gwent whereby almost all this Country and part of Glocestershire and Herefordshire were call'd till Wales was divided into Counties But it seems questionable whether that name Gwent be owing to the City Venta or whether the Romans might not call this City Venta Silurum as well as that of the Iceni and that other of the Belgae
call'd Hogelyn John de Northon John de Breton and many others Item On the 16th before the kalends of July Dolovan Tobyr and other towns and villages bordering upon them were burnt down by the said malefactors Item Soon after this a great Parliament was held at London wherein a sad difference arose between the Barons upon the account of Pieirs Gaveston who was banish'd out of the Kingdom of England the day after the feast of S. John the baptist's nativity and went over into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countess of Glocester and came to Dublin in great state and there continued Item William Mac Baltor a stout robber and incendiary was condemn'd in the court of our Lord the King at Dublin by the Lord Chief Justice John Wogan on the 12th before the kalends of September and was drawn at a horse's tail to the gallows and there hang'd as he deserv'd Item This year a marble cistern was made to receive the Water from the conduit-head in Dublin such as was never before seen here by the Mayor of the City Master John Decer and all at his own proper expences This same John a little before made a bridge to be built over the river Aven-Liffie near the priory of S. Wolstan He also built the Chappel of S. Mary of the Friers minors wherein he was buried and the Chappel of S. Mary of the Hospital of S. John in Dublin Item This John Decer was bountiful to the convent of Friers Predicants in Dublin For instance he made one stone-pillar in the Church and laid the great stone upon the high altar with all its ornaments Item He entertain'd the friers at his own table on the 6th day of the week out of pure charity as the seniors have reported to their juniors Item The Lord John Wogan took ship in Autumn to be at the parliament of England and the Lord William Bourk was appointed Keeper of Ireland in his room Item This year on the eve of S. Simon and Jude the Lord Roger de Mortimer and his Lady the right heir of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter son of Sir Gefferey Genevil arriv'd in Ireland As soon as they landed they took possession of Meth Sir Gefferey Genevil giving way to them and entring himself into the order of the Friers predicants at Trym the morrow after S. Edward the Archbishop's day Item Dermot Odympsy was slain at Tully by the servants of Sir Piers Gaveston Item Richard Bourk Earl of Ulster at Whitsontide made a great feast at Trym and conferr'd Knighthood upon Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie In the vigil of the Assumption the Earl of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earl of Cornwal at Drogheda and at the same time turn'd back towards Scotland Item This year Maud the Earl of Ulster's daughter imbark'd for England in order for a marriage with the Earl of Glocester which within a month was consummated between them Item Maurice Caunton kill'd Richard Talon and the Roches afterwards kill'd him Item Sir David Caunton was hang'd at Dublin Item Odo the son of Cathol O Conghir kill'd Odo O Conghiâ— King of Connaght Item Athi was burnt by the Irish MCCCIX Peter Gaveston subdued the O Brynnes in Ireland and rebuilt the new castle of Mackingham and the castle of Kemny he also cut down and scour'd the pass between Kemny castle and Glyndelagh in spite of all the opposition the Irish could make and sâ— march'd away and offer'd in the Church of S. Kimny The same year the Lord Peter Gaveston went over into Englanâ— on the eve of S. John Baptist's Nativity Item The Earl of Ulster's son's wife daughter of the Earl oâ— Glocester came into Ireland on the 15th of October Item On Christmas-eve the Earl of Ulster returned out of England and landed at Drogheda Item On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevil was slain near the town of Arstol by Sir Arnold Pover and his accomplices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Frierâ— predicants Item A Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the octaves of thâ— Purification of the Blessed Mary by the Earl of Ulster John Wogan Justiciary of Ireland and others of the nobility wherein a difference among certain of the great men was adjusted and many proviso's made in the nature of statutes that might havâ— been of good consequence to the Kingdom if they had been observ'd Item Shortly after Sir Edward Botiller return'd out of England where he had been knighted at London Item The Earl of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir John Fitz-Thomas went over into England Item This year died Sir Theobald Verdon MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Peter Gaveston took theiâ— march for Scotland against Robert Brus. Item There was this year a great scarcity of corn in Ireland * Eranca an eranc of corn sold at the rate of twenty shilling and upwards Item The Bakers of Dublin were punish'd after a new way foâ— false weights For on S. Sampson the Bishop's day they werâ— drawn upon hurdles at the horses tails along the streets of thâ— City Item In the Abby of S. Thomas the Martyr at Dublin Sir Neiâ— Bruin Knight Escheator to our Lord the King in Ireland departed this life his corps was buried at the Friers-minors in Dublin witâ— such a pomp of tapers and wax-lights as never was before seen iâ— this Kingdom This year a Parliament was held at Kildare wherin Sir Arnold Pover was acquitted of the death of the Lord Bonevil for it waâ— found Se defendendo Item On S. Patrick's day Mr. Alexander Bickenor was witâ— the unanimous consent of the Chapter made Archbishop of Dublin Item The Lord Roger Mortimer in the octaves of the nativity of the Blessed Virgin return'd into Ireland Item This year died Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie the Lord Richarâ— Clare gave the Earl of Ulster's party a very strange defeat Thâ— Lord William Bourk and John the Lord Walter Lacy's Son werâ— taken prisoners with many others This battle was fought on thâ— 13th before the kalends of June and great numbers both of thâ— English and the Irish slain in it Item Tassagard and Rathcante were invaded by the rapperies namely the O Brinnes and O Tothiles the day after S. John Baptist's nativity Whereupon in the Autumn soon after a greaâ— army was rais'd in Leinster to defeat them both in Glindelory anâ— in other woody places Item In August a Parliament was holden at London between thâ— King and the Barons to consider the state of the Kingdom and thâ— King's houshold and a committee of six Bishops six Earls and six Barons was appointed to consult the good of the Realm Item On the 2d day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare cut off 600 Galegolaghes Item On All saints day last past Peter Gaveston was banished out of England by the Earls and Barons and many good statutes were