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
duties and therefore 't is not strange that a Colony should be converted into a Municipium But to what purpose is this nicety For the difference between those two words is not always precisely observ'd in the History of the Caesars but sometimes both Colonia and Municipium promiscuously apply'd to one and the same place Yet from the Coins before-mention'd I dare hardly affirm this Colony to have been planted here by Severus seeing Ptolemy 13 And Antonine himself tells us that in the time of the Antonines this was the station of the sixth Legion However we read that Severus Severus had his Palace here and that he died in this city with these words in his mouth The Common-wealth was disorder'd in all parts when I receiv'd it yet I leave it all in peace and good temper even to the Britains His Corps were also brought out after the Roman manner by the Souldiers and committed to the flames and the day solemniz'd with races by his sons and souldiers at a certain place under the town not far to the west near Ackham where stands yet a huge mount which Radulphus Niger tells us was in his time call'd Sivers from Severus His ashes were preserv'd in a golden Urn or a vessel of Porphyrite-stone and transferr'd to Rome where it was laid in the monument of the Antonines I must not forget to take notice that there stood a Temple dedicated to Bellona in this City for Spartian speaking of the City says That Severus coming into it Bellona's Temple and intending to offer sacrifice was first conducted to the Temple of Bellona by a mistake of an ignorant Augur And that it was then so happy as to have justice administred to it by that great Oracle of the Law Aemilius Paulus Papinianus Forcatulus has told us From this City the Emperours Severus and Antoninus upon a question arising about the sense of the Law dated their Rescript de Rei Vindicatione About a hundred years after the death of Severus Constantius Chlorus Fla. Val. Constantius sirnam'd Chlorus an excellent Emperour endow'd with all moral and christian virtues came to this City as the Panegyrist has it the Gods calling him hither as to the remotest part of the world Here he died likewise and was afterwards deified as appears by the old Coins And tho' Florilegus tells us that his Tomb was found in Wales as I have already observ'd yet I have been inform'd by credible persons that at the suppression of Monasteries in the last age there was found a Lamp burning in the vault of a little Chapel here and Constantius was thought to be buried there Lazius tells us that the ancients had an art of dissolving gold into a fat liquor and of preparing it so that it would continue burning in the Sepulchres for many ages Constantine the Great Constantius by his first wife Helena had issue Constantinus Maximus in Inscriptions stiled Romanae Urbis Liberator Quietis fundator and Reipublicae instaurator who here received the last gasp of his dying father and was immediately made Emperour The Souldiers as the Panegyrist says regarding rather the benefit of the State than their own private interests cast the robes upon him whilst he wept and clapt spurs to his horse to avoid the importunity of the army attempting at that instant to make him Emperour but at last his modesty gave way to the happiness of the State And therefore he exclaims at last O fortunate Britain now blessed above all Nations for having seen Constantine first Emperour Again Liberavit ille Britannias servitute tu etiam nobiles illic oriendo fecisti i.e. He rescued the Britains from slavery but thou hast enobled them by being born there For in the judgment of the learned Baronius and others this passage refers to the native Country of Constantine But I will not here repeat what I have already said From all this it may be inferr'd what figure Eboracum then made in the world seeing it was the Seat of the Roman Emperours Our own Historians tell us pp This account is not too well grounded See Fuller's Churâ—h Hist A. D. 305. that it was made an Episcopal See by Constantius But that Taurinus the Martyr Bishop of the Eburovices or Eureux presided here I am not inclin'd with others Vincentii Speculum Historiale to believe for Vincentius by whom they were tainted with this errour would confute me with his own words When the Romans withdrew themselves and left Britain a prey to barbarous Nations such a weighty share of miseries fell to this City that towards the end of the Scotch and Saxon wars it was nothing but the mere fame and Echo of what it had been For when Paulinus preached Christianity to the Saxons of this Province it was reduced so low that the whole City could not afford so much as a small Church wherein to baptize King Edwin who in the year 627. rais'd a fabrick of wood for Divine Service and after that intending to build another of stone he had hardly laid the foundation but he died leaving the work to be finisht by his successor King Oswald From this time the City began to be great in Ecclesiastical affairs Pope Honorius sent it a Pall Scotland formerly subjeâ—â— to the Arch-bishop of York See in Scotland and it was made a Metropolitan City endowed with soveraignty not only over twelve Sees here in England but over all the Bishopricks of Scotland But Scotland hath disown'd her Prerogative many years since and she her self hath swallowed up several small inconsiderable Bishopricks hereabouts so that the whole Province is now reduc'd to the four Sees of Durham Chester Carlisle and Man or Sodor in the Isle of Man Egbert an Arch-bishop of this See who lived about the year 740. founded a noble Library The Library here these are the words of Malmsbury a Treasury and Cabinet if I may so express my self enrich'd with all Arts and Sciences Of which also Alcuinus of York who was Tutor to Charles the great the first Author of an Academy at Paris as also the great glory of this City makes mention of it in his Epistle to the said Charles the great Flâ—ccus Alcuinus or Albinus flourish'd about 780. Give me such excellent and learned Books for Scholastick Divinity as I have seen in my own Country collected by the useful and pious industry of Egbert Arch-bishop And if it seem proper to your Wisdom I will send some of your own servants who may copy out of them such things as be necessary and so transport the flowers of Britain into France that this garden may no longer be confined to York but somethirg of that Paradise may be transplanted to q Here Alcuinus dy'd A. D. 780. and was buried in a s all Convent appendant to his Monastery of St. Martin's where he was Abbot Fuller's Worth p. 227. from Bale who ranks him the third English man for learning Tours
afterwards the penitent King cleans'd the Sanctuary rebuilt the Monastery restor'd the old endowment and added new possessions and at last Roger Bishop of Salisbury gave the place to m One Wimund who instituted Canons Regular and became the first Prior of them a very learned Canon Regular who there setled a perpetual society of such Regular Canons for the service of God But leaving these matters let us return to the University The Danish storms being pretty well blown over the pious Prince K. Aelfred restor'd the Muses who had suffer'd a long exile to their former habitation and built three Colleges one for Grammarians another for Philosophers and a third for Divinity q But you have a larger account of this in the old Annals of the Monastery of Winchester In the year of our Lord's incarnation 1306 in the second year of St. Grimbald's coming over into England the University of Oxford was founded the first Regents there and Readers in Divinity were St. Neot an Abbot and eminent Professor of Theology and S. Grimbald an eloquent and most excellent Interpreter of the holy Scriptures Grammar and Rhetorick were taught by Asserius a Monk a man of extraordinary learning Logick Musick and Arithmetick were read by John Monk of St. Davids Geometry and Astronomy were profess'd by John a Monk and Collegue of S. Grimbald one of a sharp wit and immense knowledge These Lectures were often honour'd with the presence of the most illustrious and invincible Monarch K. Aelfred whose memory to every judicious taste shall be always sweeter than honey Soon after this as we read in a very fair MS. copy of that Asserius who was himself at the same time a Professor in this place there arose a sharp and grievous dissention between Grymbold and those learned men whom he brought hither with him and the old scholars whom he found here at his coming for these absolutely refus'd to comply with the Statutes Institutions and Forms of reading prescrib'd by Grimbold The difference proceeded to no great height for the space of three years yet there was always a private grudge and enmity between them which soon after broke out with the utmost violence imaginable To appease these tumults the most invincible K. Aelfred being inform'd of the faction by a message and complaint from Grymbold came to Oxford with design to accommodate the matter and submitted to a great deal of pains and patience to hear the cause and complaint of both parties The controversie depended upon this the old Scholars maintain'd that before the coming of Grymbold to Oxford learning did here flourish tho' the Students were then less in number than they had formerly been by reason that very many of them had been expell'd by the cruel tyranny of Pagans They farther declar'd and prov'd and that by the undoubted testimony of their ancient Annals that good orders and constitutions for the government of that place had been already made by men of great piety and learning such as Gildas Melkin Ninnius Kentigern and others who had there prosecuted their studies to a good old age all things being then manag'd in happy peace and quiet and that St. German coming to Oxford and residing there half a year what time he went thro' all England to preach down the Pelagian Heresie did well approve of their rules and orders The King with incredible humility and great attention heard out both parties exhorting them with pious and importunate entreaties to preserve love and amity with one another Upon this he left them in hopes that both parties would follow his advice and obey his instructions But Grymbold resenting these proceedings retir'd immediately to the Monastery at Winchester which K. Aelfred had lately founded and soon after he got his tomb to be remov'd thither to him in which he had design'd his bones should be put after his decease and laid in a vault under the chancel of the church of St. Peters in Oxford which church the said Grymbold had raised from the ground of stones hewn and carv'd with great art and beauty This happy restauration of Learning receiv'd two or three interruptions in few years For in the reign of K. Etheldred n Probably out of revenge for the injuries they had done 'em An. 1002. when upon the King's Commission to kill all the Danes in England the execution at Oxon. was more particularly severe the Danes sack'd and burn'd the city And soon after Harold sirnam'd * Levipes Haretoot was so incens'd against the place for the death of some of his friends in a tumult and prosecuted his revenge in so barbarous a manner that the scholars were miserably banish'd from their studies and the University a sad spectacle lay as it were expiring till the time of the Conquerour when too as some say he besieg'd and took this city o Notwithstanding all the Copies of Matthew Paris and Roger Wendover call it Oxonia which is confirm'd as well by other Authorities as an old Tradition that while the Conquerour was in his march to the north for the quiet of these parts he came to Oxford which refusing to yield to him and a soldier from the wall highly affronting him he storm'd it on the north-side and getting possession gave the greatest part of the city to Robert de Oily who in the Survey had within the walls and without 42 houses inhabited and 8 lying waste but those who write so have been impos'd upon by reading in faulty copies Oxonia instead of Exonia Yet that it was even then a place of study we may learn from the express words of Ingulph who flourish'd in that age p The Editors of Ingulph 684. found this passage in all the Copies which confutes those who would make us believe it is not genuine I Ingulph being first placed at Westminster was afterward remov'd to the Study of Oxford where in the learning of Aristotle I improv'd beyond most of those who were of equal years with me c. For what we now call Universities they call'd Studies as I shall by and by observe However about this time the city was so impoverish'd that whereas according to the general survey there were reckon'd within and without the walls 750 houses besides 24 mansions upon the walls 500 of 'em were not able to pay the geld or tax When to speak from the authority of Domesday-book this city paid for toll and gable and other customs yearly to the King twenty pounds and six sextaries of honey and to Earl Algar ten pounds Soon after Robert de Oili a noble Norman before-mention'd when for the reward of his services he had received from the Conquerour a large portion of lands in this county he q An. 1071. by order of the King who was jealous of the fidelity of those parts built a castle on the west-side of the City fortified with large trenches and rampires and in it r It was not built for a Parish-Church for the Oseney-Register
VALE ANNO DOMINI M.D.XLIII ET ANNO REGNI HENRICI OCTAVI XXXVI When Leith a town of good account in Scotland and Edinburgh the principal city of that Nation were on fire Sir Richard Lea Knight saved me out of the flames and brought me into England In gratitude to him for this his kindness I who heretofore served only at the baptism of the Children of Kings do now most willingly offer the same service even to the meanest of the English Nation Lea the Conquerour hath so commanded Adieu A. D. 1543. in the 36th year of King Henry the 8th l But to return to our business As Antiquity hath consecrated this place to Religion so Mars seems to have made it a seat of war To pass by others when our Nation had now almost spent as it were its vital spirits in the Civil wars between the two Houses of York and Lancaster there were two battels fought within this very town by the heads of the two parties with various success In the first fight Richard Duke of York defeated the Lancastrian party took King Henry the sixth prisoner and slew a great many persons of the best quality But four years after the Lancastrians had the advantage under the conduct of Queen Margaret routed the Yorkists and recovered their King m About this town to omit a certain fort in the neighbourhood which the vulgar call the Oister-hills but I am apt to think was the Camp of Ostorius the Propraetor the Abbots erected several pious and charitable foundations as a little Nunnery at Sopwell and St. Julian's Hospital for Lepers and another named St. Mary â—f the â—â—dow de Pree for infirm women Near which they had a great Manour named Gorambery where 17 Sir Nicholas Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England hath erected a structure becoming his character Near to this place lyeth Redborne â—â—â—borne which in modern language signifieth a Red-water And yet the water that runneth by this place 18 From Mergrate sometime a Religious House now a Seaâ— of the Ferrers out of the House of Groby is no more red than that of the Red-Sea It was a place in old time very famous for the Reliques which were there found of Amphibalus the Martyr who was the person that first instructed St. Alban in the Christian Faith for which faith he also suffer'd under Dioclesian At present it is most remarkable for the old military high-way commonly calld Watlingstreet upon which it is seated and also for a certain brook near it call'd â—t is also â—d Weâ—r Wenmer which as the vulgar believe when ever it breaks out and swells higher than usual always portends dearth or troublesome times n Near unto this we have reason to look for Duro-co-brivae â—o-coâ—a a station of which Antoninus makes mention though indeed the distance would perswade us otherwise For Redborne in our language and Dur-coh in the British or Welch tongue signifie one and the same thing to wit Red water Now to search after the situation of ancient places we have no better guides than ancient Inscriptions the course of the great roads the reason and similitude of names and rivers or lakes adjoyning although they do not exactly correspond to the several distances that are assign'd in the Itinerarie which may very well be since corrupted and the passage from one place to another cut shorter Certainly the old Duro-co-brivae must needs have been seated in the same place where that Roman high-way crossed this water to wit below Flamsted For just at this place at seven miles distance from Verulamium though now through the negligence of transcribers the number is chang'd to twelve a good large spring riseth at the road-side and crosseth it with a small stream which though here it have no name yet below St. Albans it is call'd Col. â—ra what 〈◊〉 And as to that termination Briva which is an adjunct to the names of very many places it signified as I suppose among the ancient Britains and Gauls a Bridge or the passage over a River since we find it no where us'd but at rivers In this Island there were one or two Durobrivae that is unless I am much deceiv'd passages over the water In Gaul there was Briva Isariae now Pontoise where was the passage over the Isara or Ysore Briva Oderae over the Odera and Samarobriva for that is the right name over the river Soain Somewhat higher upon a small hill standeth Flamsted â—msted which in the time of Edward the Confessor Leofstan Abbot of St. Albans gave to three Knights Turnot Waldef and Turman upon condition that they should secure the neighbouring country from robberies But William the Conquerour took it from them and gave it Roger de Todeney or Tony an eminent Norman with the title of Barony But in time it was by a daughter transferr'd to the Beauchamps Earls of Warwick Hence I passed southwards to Hemsted â—â—â—â—ted a small Market-town call'd Hehan-hamsted when King Offa made a grant of it to the Monastery of St. Albans It is seated among hills by the side of a small river which a little lower runs into another that goes through Berkhamsted â—â—â—khamâ—â—â—â— In this place the Nobles of England had a meeting when by the perswasion of Fretheric then Abbot of St. Albans they were plotting to throw off the new Norman Government And thither came William the Conqueror in person as we read in the life of this Fretheric much concern'd for fear he should to his great disgrace lose that Kingdom which with so much blood he had purchas'd And after many debates in the presence of Lanfranc the Archbishop the King to settle a firm peace took an Oath upon all the Reliques of the Church of St. Alban and upon the holy Evangelists which the Abbot Fretheric administred That he would inviolably observe all the good approv'd and ancient Laws of the Kingdom which the most sacred and pious Kings of England his Predecessors and especially King Edward had established But most of these Noblemens estates he soon after seized and confiscated and bestowed this town upon Robert Earl of Moriton and Cornwal 19 His halfbrother who according to the common tradition built here a Castle with a rampart and a double ditch to it In which Castle Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwal dy'd full of years and honours Upon default of issue of that Earl King Edward the third gave this town and castle to Edward his eldest son that most renown'd and warlike Prince whom he created Duke of Cornwal from whence even in our times it continues to be part of the possessions of the Dutchy of Cornwal This castle is now nothing else but ruin'd walls and one rude heap of stones above which upon a small hill Sir Edward Cary Kt. Master of the Jewels to the King descended from the house of the Carys in Devonshire 20 And the Beauforts
the Counties of Wilts and Somerset Provinces of the West-Saxon Kingdom u Mr. Camden having left the west-side of this County in a manner untouch'd it will be necessary to give a more particular view thereof The river Teme Teme in Latin Temedus waters the north-west part of this Shire taking its course into the Severn through rich meadows and the soil on both sides produceth excellent Syder and Hops in great abundance On the edge of Shropshire the river gives its name to Temebury a small but well-frequented market-town This town with most of the Lands between Teme and Herefordshire were held by Robert Fitz Richard Lord of Ricards Castle whose son Hugh marrying Eustachia de Say a great heiress the issue of that match took the sirname of Say These Lands by Margery an heir-female came to Robert Mortimer about K. John's time and the issue-male of the family of Mortimers failing the patrimony was divided between two daughters the elder of which being marry'd to Geoffry Cornwall part of it continues in the hands of their posterity but the rest hath often chang'd its Lords About 7 miles below Temebury the river passeth under Woodbery-hill Woodbery-hill remarkable for an old entrenchment on the top vulgarly call'd Owen Glendowr's Camp which notwithstanding is probably of greater antiquity Hence runs a continu'd ridge of hills from Teme almost to Severn and seems to have been the boundary of the Wiccian Province At the foot of Woodbery-hill stands Great-Witley Gâ—eâ—t â—â—â—ley where is a fair new-built house the chief seat of the Foleys who bought it of the Russels to whom it came about King Henry the 7th's time by marriage with one of the coheirs of Cassy who had marry'd the heir-general of the Coke-sayes it s more ancient Lords Under the west-side of Woodbery-hill lies Shelsley Beauchamp and over against it Shelsley Walsh Sheâ—â—ey Waâ—sh where dwelt Sir Richard Walsh the famous Sheriff of this County at the time of the Powder-plot who pursu'd the traytors into Staffordshire and took them there A little lower stood Hammme-castle and now in the place of it a fair seat which the ancient family of the Jeffreys have enjoy'd about 200 years Hence by Martley Teme passeth under Coderidge Coderiâ—â—â— a manour of the Berkleys formerly the Actons and in more ancient times belonging to the Mortimers and Says On the opposite bank stands Leigh Leâ—gh a manour of the Viscount of Hereford whence the river hasting to Powick falls into the Severn Continuation of the EARLS Henry son of Edward succeeding his father was created Marquiss of Worcester by K. Charles 1. which honour was after him enjoy'd by Edward his son and Henry his grandson who being created Duke of Beaufort by King Charles 2. the title of Marquiss of Worcester is now given to Charles Somerset his eldest son a Gentleman of great parts and worth who merits no less a character than that Mr. Camden gives his noble Ancestor with whom he concludes his description of Worcestershire More rare Plants growing wild in Worcestershire Colchicum vulgare seu Anglicum purpureum album Ger. Park Common meadow-Saffron I observed it growing most plentifully in the meadows of this County Cynoglossum folio virenti J. B. Cynoglossum minus folio virente Ger. semper virens C. B. Park The lesser green-leaved Hounds-tongue It hath been observed in some shady lanes near Worcester by Mr. Pitts an Apothecary and Alderman of that City Sorbus pyriformis D. Pitts which I suspect to be no other than the Sorbus sativa C. B. legitima Park That is the true or manured Service or Sorb-tree Found by the said Mr. Pits in a forest of this County Triticum majus glumâ foliaceâ seu Triticum Polonicum D. Bobert An Trit speciosum grano oblongo J. B Polonian Wheat It is found in the fields in this County and as Dr. Plot tells us in Staffordshire also STAFFORDSHIRE THE third part of that Country inhabited by the Cornavii now Staffordshire in Saxon Stafford-scyre the people whereof as living in the heart of England are call'd in Bede Angli Mediterranei Angli Mediterranei bounded on the east by Warwickshire and Derbyshire on the south by the County of Worcester and on the west by Shropshire lies from south to north almost in the form of a Rhombus being broad in the middle but narrow and contracted towards the ends of it The north part is mountainous and less fertile but the middle which is water'd by the Trent is fruitful woody and pleasant by an equal mixture of arable and meadow grounds so is also the south which has much pit-coal and mines of iron Iron but whether more to their loss or advantage the natives themselves are best Judges and so I refer it to them STAFFORD SHIRE by Robt. Morden After this we find memorable in this tract Chellington Chellington a very fine seat and the manour of that ancient and famous family the Giffards The Gâ—ffards given to Peter Giffard in the reign of Hen. 2. by Peter Corbuchin to whom also Richard Strongbow who conquer'd Ireland gave Tachmelin and other lands in that Country Vulfrunes-hampton so call'd from Vulfruna a very pious woman who built a Monastery in the town which before had the name of Hampton and hence for Vulfrunes-hampton it is corruptly call'd Wolverhampton Wâ—lverhampton which is chiefly remarkable for the College there annex'd to the Dean and Prebendaries of Windsor b Theoten-hall 〈…〉 that is to say a house of Pagans now Tetnall where many of the Danes were cut off in the year 911. by Edward the elder c Weadesburg now Weddsborrow Weddsborâ—ow heretofore fortified by Aethelfleda Governess of the Mercians and Walsall none of the meanest market-towns Near this lies the course of the river Tame Tame which rising not far off runs for some miles on the east-side of this County toward the Trent passing at some small distance by Draiton Basset â—â—set the seat of the Bassets who are descended from one Turstin Lord of this place in the reign of Hen. 1. and grown up into a numerous and famous family For this is the stock from which the Bassets of Welleden Wiccomb Sapcott Chedle and others of them are propagated But of these Bassets of Draiton Ralph was the last a very eminent Baron who marry'd the sister of John Montfort Duke of Bretagne and died without issue in the reign of Rich. 2. From hence the Tame passing thro' the bridge at Falkesley over which an ancient Roman-way lay runs by the lower part of Tamworth â—â—mworth in Saxon Tamapeord in Marianus Tamawordina so situated between the borders of the two Shires that the one part of it which formerly belong'd to the Marmions is counted in Warwickshire the other which belong'd to the Hastings is reckon'd in this County It takes its name from the river Tame which runs by it and the Saxon word Weorth which signifies
also by his valour and conduct he so fortunately suppressed that by the self same Victory he both recovered the town surrender'd to him with the Spaniards in it and disarm'd the whole Kingdom of Ireland when with fire and sword they had not only resolved to rebel but were now actually revolting Off from Kinsale on the other side of the river lyes h Called at this day Kyrycurry Kerry-wherry Kerry-wherry a small territory lately belonging to the Earls of Desmond Just before it runs that i At present called Lee. river The river which Ptolemy calls Daurona Dauron and Giraldus Cambrensis by the change of one letter Sauranus and Saveranus which springing from the mountains of Muskerey passes by the principal City of the County grac'd with an Episcopal See whereunto is also now annext the Bishoprick of Clon which Giraldus calls Corcagia in English Cork Cork and among the natives k Corkig This Cork is now mostly inhabited with English who by their industry have so improved their estates trade and city that it far exceeds any city in Ireland Dublin only excepted Corcach It is of an oval form enclos'd with walls and encompass'd with the chanel of the River which also crosses it and is not accessible but by bridges lying along as it were in one direct street with a bridge over it 'T is a populous little trading town and much resorted to but so beset with Rebel-enemies on all sides that they are obliged to keep constant watch as if the town was continually besieged and dare not marry out their daughters into the country but contract one with another among themselves whereby all the Citizens are related in some degree or other They report here that Brioc the Religious person who in that fruitful age of Saints flourished among the Gauls and from whom the Diocese of Sanbrioch in Armorica commonly called St. Brieu S. Brieu takes its name was born and bred in this town Beneath Cork the chanel of the river is divided into 2 branches which uniting again make a large and very pleasant l It is called The Great Island Island over against the chief dwelling house of the Barries an antient and noble family and thereupon is called Barry Court For they are descended from Robert de Barry Barons Barry an Englishman of great worth one who was rather ambitious to be really eminent than to seem so he was the first man that was wounded in the conquest of Ireland G. Camâ—â—â— and that ever mann'd a hawk in that Island His posterity also by their great loyalty and valour have been honoured first with the title of m They are now Earls of Barry-more Baron Barry and afterwards with that of Vicount Butiphant by the Kings of England Vicount Butipcaâ— and from their riches and estates have been called by the people Barry More or Barry the great A little below this the river Saveren near Imokelly formerly the large possession of the Earls of Desmond falls from a creeky mouth into the sea As the Saveren watereth the lower part of this county so n Now commonly called Black-water Broodwater formerly Aven-more that is a great water supplies the upper Upon which is the seat of the noble family de Rupe or Roch Baron Roche transplanted out of England hither where it hath grown and flourished and now enjoys the title of Vicount Fermoy Vicount Fermoâ— In Edward the second 's time they were certainly Barons of Parliament Par. 9 〈◊〉 an 8 Ed. for George Roche was fined 200 Marks for not being present at the Parliament of Dublin as he was summoned As the river Broodwater which by its course for some time is the boundary between this County and Waterford runs into the sea and makes a haven stands Yoghall Yoghall not very large but walled round of an oblong form and divided into two parts the upper which is the greater part stretches Northward having a Church in it and a littley Abby without the wall called North Abby the lower part to the Southward is named the Base-town and has also an Abby called South Abby The convenience of the haven which hath a well fenced Kay in it as also the fruitfulness of the country hereabouts draws Merchants hither so that the town is prety populous and has a Mayor for its chief Magistrate At present the County of Cork reaches only thus far which as I have already observed was heretofore counted a Kingdom Kingdoâ— of Carâ— and was of greater extent containing Desmond also within the bounds of it King Henry 2. gave this Kingdom to 7 Sir Robert Robert Fitz-Stephens and 8 Sir Miles Miles de Cogan in these words Know ye that I have granted the whole Kingdom of Cork except the City and Cantred of Oustmans to hold to them and their heirs of me and my son John by the service of sixty Knights From the heir of this Fitz-Stephen 9 Sir George George Carew now Baron Carew of Clopton is descended in a right line who was not long since Lord President of Mounster and as I most willingly acknowlege has given me great light into the Irish Antiquities The County of WATERFORD ON the East of Ireland between the rivers Broodwater on the West and the Suire on the East the Ocean on the South and the County of Tipperary on the North lyes the County of Waterford a County very fair and delicate both in respect of pleasure and richness Upon Broodwater at its leaving the County of Cork stands Lismor â—â—smor remarkable for its Bishop's See where presided Christian Bâ—â—hop Christian the Bishop and Legat of Ireland about the year 1148. a person very deserving of the Church of Ireland educated at Clarevall in the same Cloister with St. Bernard and Pope Eugenius At present by reason the possessions hereunto belonging have been almost all of them alienated it is annext to the See of Waterford Near the mouth lyes Ardmor Ardmor a small village of which and this river thus heretofore Necham Urbem Lissimor pertransit flumen Avenmor Ardmor cernit ubi concitus aequor adit Avenmor guides his stream through Lismor town Small Ardmor to the ocean sees him run The little adjoyning territory is called Dessee â—â—see the Lord whereof descended from the Desmonds had since our time the honourable title of Vicount Dessee conferred upon him which died soon after with him for want of issue-male Not far from hence stands Dungarvan â—â—â—garâ—â—n upon the sea a town well fortified with a Castle and advantageously situated for a haven King Henry 6. gave this with the Barony of Dungarvan to John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury but afterwards by reason it stood convenient to command that part of Mounster which was to be reduced the Parliament annext it to the Crown of England for ever â—â—ers Baâ—â—â— of Câ—â—raghâ—ore Near this the Poers an