Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
city_n aaron_n julius_n noble_a 51 3 6.9140 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A12718 England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland described and abridged with ye historic relation of things worthy memory from a farr larger voulume done by Iohn Speed.; Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. Abridgements Speed, John, 1552?-1629.; Keere, Pieter van den, ca. 1571-ca. 1624, engraver.; Camden, William, 1551-1623. Britannia. 1627 (1627) STC 23035; ESTC S103213 178,357 376

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

fortified with a Wall and Castle in the raigne of King Rufus when he and his Norman Knights had ouercome Rhese the Prince of these parts and thrust out Iestine from his lawfull possession This Towne he made his owne Seat and Court of Iustice enioyning his Consorts to giue ayde to this honour and to hold their portions in vassallage of him Strong was the Castle as by the trust therein reposed may well appeare where the youngest brother Beautlark kept captiue the eldest Curthose both of them sonnes to the Conquerour the space of twentie sixe yeares This Castle is large and in good repaire whence the Towne-wall went both South and East to the Riuers side thorow which foure Gates enter into the foure windes and containe in compasse nine hundred and twentie pases and along the Riuer a sure defence vpon her West side three hundred more so that the Towne containeth in circuit twelue hundred and fourescore pases But as the Taue is a friend to the Towne in making a Key for arriuage of shipping so is she a foe to S. Maries Church in the South with vndermining her foundations and threatning her fall The Towne is gouerned by a Maior yearely elected out of twelue Aldermen assisted with other twelue Burgesses a Towne-Clerke foure C●●stables and two Sergeants with Maces whose site is obserued from the North-Starre to lie in the degree of Latitude 51. and 49. scruples and from the first point in the West 16. and 53 scrup●●● 5 In the same graduation almost is sited the ●itie Landaf wherein is a Castle and Cathedrall Church dedicated to S. Telean Bishop of the same without any other memorable matter worthy the speaking of 6 of●●aldus ●●aldus who affirmeth that in a Rocke or Cliffe vpon the Sea side and Iland Barry lying neere the South-●●st point of this County is beard out of a little Chinke let him take heed what he saith the noise as it 〈◊〉 of Smiths at their worke one whiles the blowing of Bellowes to increase the heat then the stroakes of the Hammer and sound of the 〈◊〉 sometimes the noise of the Grind-stone in grinding of Iron tooles then the hissing sparkes of Steele-gads as they flie from their beating with the puffing noise of flames in a Furnace And whether this is the place whereof Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh I determine not where in his writings he hath these words They that haue recorded Histories saith he doe say that in the I le of Britaine there is a certaine Hole or Ca●e vnder the bottome of an Hill and on the top thereof a gaping Chinke into the which when the winde is gathered and tossed to and fro● in the wombe or concauitie thereof there is heard aboue a sound of Cymbals for the winde being driuen backe from his hole is forced to make a loud sound at her vent 7 More Westward from hence vpon the Riuer Ogmore and neere vnto Newton in a sandie plaine about an hundred pases from Seuerne there springeth a Well though not of the clearest water where at the flowing and fulnesse of the Sea can hardly any water be gotten but at the ebbe and fall of tyde it walloweth vp amaine The cause may be as Polybius reports of the like at Cadys Wherein the windie ayre when it is depriued of his wonted issues forcibly returneth shutting and stopping vp the passages and veines of the Spring whereby 〈◊〉 waters are kept in But contrariwise when the surface thereof is void and emptie of water the vein●● of the Source or Spring are vnstopped and set free which then boileth vp in great abundance 8 And vpon the same shoare more 〈◊〉 and by West on the top of a hill called Minyd-Margan is erected a Monument inscribed wit●● strange Character and as strange a conceit held thereof by the by-dwellers whose opinions are possessed that if any man reade the same he shall shortly after die This Shire as it is the furthest 〈◊〉 of South-Wales and lay open to forraine inuasion so was is fortified with twentie-fiue stronge Castles whereof times and stormes haue deuoured the most such were Barry Saint Doneitis Den●●●owis Morlashe Menes●e Logho● Llanddeny Llanquian Oxwich Oystermouth Ognior Pile Porkery Pe●●arth Winston Newcastle Caerfly Coche Peullys 〈◊〉 Kenfeage Talla●●● Treer and Cothy Neither was the Countie so ill seated for sufficiency of life or barren of graine but that therein were planted places for diuine pietie such were Neath Margan and Caerdif besides the Episcopall See of Landa● which last still remaineth the other three suppressed among the fall of their like vnder King Henry the eight MONMOVTH-SHIRE CHAPTER VIII MONMOVTH-SHIRE from Monmouth Towne and that from Mounowe-water bearing name is altogether inclosed on the North and is separated from Hereford-shire with the same Riuer vpon the East both it and Wye diuides this County from Glocester-shire The South-side wholly is washed by the Seuerne Sea and some of her West part by Rempney is parted from Glamorgan and the rest lyeth bordered vpon by Breknock-shire 2 The forme thereof is Scallop-wise both long and broad shooting her North point to Llantony and her South to the fall of Rempney betwixt which two are twentie foure English miles and from Chepstowe East to Blanagwent West are not altogether nineteene miles the whole in circuit draweth somewhat neere to seauentie seauen miles 3 The Ayre is temperate healthfull an● 〈◊〉 the soile is hilly wooddy and rich all places fruitfull but no place barren The Hils are 〈◊〉 vpon by Cattle and Sheepe the Vallies are laden with Corne and Grasse neuer vngratefull of 〈◊〉 bandmans paines nor makes frustrate his hope of expected increase whose springs abundantly ●sing in this Countie with many streames doe fatten the soile euen from side to side 4 Anciently the Sil●●es inhabited this Shire whose chiefe Citie by the Emperour Antonine is named Venta Silarum by the Welsh Caer-went and was by Tath● the British Saint made an Academi● and a diuine place for worship So like wise Caer-lion now once Isca was where the second Roman Legion called Augusta lay as by their Coines Altars Tables and Inscriptions there found and daily therein digged vp doth euidently appeare By the report of Giraldus in this Citie was the Court of great Arthur whither the Romane Embassadours resorted vnto him and as Alexander Elsebinsis writeth therein was a Schoole of two hundred Philosophers skilfull in Astronomie and other Arts. Which is the more credible for that A●phibalus S. Albans instructer was therein borne and Iulius and Aaron two noble Proto-Martyrs of great Britaine in this Citiereceiued the Crowne of Martyrdome where their bodies were also interred But as all things finde their fatall period so this Citie for beautie circuit and magnificall respect is laid in the ruines of her owne decay neither may any more lament the losse of glory then Munmouths Castle which captiue-like doth yeeld to conquering Time Her downe-cast stones from those lostie turrets doe shew what beautie once it bare standing mounted
retaineth to name Wodens-burg At this place in Anno 590. Ceaulin the West-Saxon receiued such a foyle of the Britaines and his Countrey-men that he was forced to forsake his Kingdome and to end his dayes in exile becomming a pittifull spectacle euen vnto his enemies And in this place Ina the West-Saxon joyned Battle with Ceolred the Mercian whence both of them departed with equall losse The like was at Bradford by Ke●●lwach and Cuthred at Wilton betwixt Egbert and Beornwolfe at Edindon where King Elfred was vanquisher of the Danes and at Wilton where the Danes wonne the day against him With as bloudy successe though not happening by sword was the issue of that Synod assembled at Colne a small Towne in this Countie in the yeare of Christ Iesus 977 where being hotly debating for the single life and against the marriages of the Clergie what wanted by the Word to proue their diuorce was supplyed by a Stratagem and that very bloudy for suddenly the maine timber brake and downe fell the floore with the Nobles and Prelates the Gentlemen and Commons whereby a great number were hurt and many more slaine onely Dunstan the President and mouth for the Monkes escaped vntouched the Ioist whereon his Chaire stood remaining most firme which confirmed the sentence of their separations whom God had conioyned and became the fall and snare of much incontinencie in both sexes 7 The chiefest Citie of this Shire is Salesburie remoued from a higher but a farre more conuenient place whose want of water was not so great in the mother as is supplied and replenished in the daughter euery street almost hauing a Riuer running thorow her middest and for sumptuous and delicate buildings is inferiour to none The Cathedrall a most rich magnificent Church was begun by Richard Poore Bishop and with fortie yeares continuante was raised to her perfect beautie wherein are as many windowes as there are dayes in the yeare as many cast pillars of Marble as there are houres in the yeare and as many gates for entrance as there are moneths in the yeare Neither doth this Citie retaine true honour to her selfe but imparteth hers and receiueth honour from others who are intituled Earles of Salesburie whereof eight noble Families haue beene dignified since the Normans C●●quest This Cities situation is in the degree of Latitude 51. 10 minutes and from the first West point obserued by Mercator 18 Degrees and 31. minutes of Longitude 8 Ouer this old Salesburie sheweth it selfe where K●n●●k ouercame the Britaines and where Canutus the Dane did great dammage by fire This formerly had beene the Seat of the Romans as likewise was Lecham as by their Coines digged vp is apparant so were Brokenbridge and Cosham the Courts of the Saxon Kings But Fortune long since hath turned her face from all these as lately she did from many ancient and religious foundations planted in this Prouince whereof Mal●●esburie was the most famous I will not with Monmouth auouch the foundation thereof vnto Mulmutius but by true Records from Maidulph a Scot a man of great learning that therein built a Cell and lead an Hermits life whereof Beda calleth it the Citie of Maidulph and we by contraction Malmesburie Adelme his Disciple and Successor built here a faire Monastery which Athelstan the Monarch richly endowed and left his body after death there to rest Neither hath any graced this more then William her Monke in recording to posterities the Chronicles of our Land concerning both the Church and Common-weale wherein himselfe liued and wrote those Histories 9 Ambresburie for repute did second this built by A●fritha King Edgar his wife to expiate the sinne of murder which she committed vpon yong Edward her sonne in law that hers might be King In this place Queene Eleanor widow to King Henry the third renounced all royall pompe and deuoted her selfe vnto God in the habit of a Nunne Other places erected for pietie were at Salesburie Lacock Stanley Wilton Luichurch Farnleg Bradstole Briopune and Brombore These grafts growne to full greatnesse were cut downe by the Pruiner least the cankers thereof should infect the whole body as by them was alledged and their Reuenewes bestowed vpon farre better vses both for the bringing vp of youth and the maintenance of estate BARK-SHIRE CHAPTER XIII BARK-SHIRE whether of the Eo●-woods there sited according to the censure of Asserius Meneuensis or from a naked and beare-lesse Oke-tree whereunto the people vsually resorted in troublesome times to conferte for the State I determine not onely the Countie a long time hath beene so called and bounded with other in manner as followeth The North-part is parted by Thamisis from Buckingham and Oxford-shires the South neere Kennet doth tract vpon Hampshire the East is confined with the Countie of Surrey and the West with Wiltshire and Glocestershire is held in 2 The forme of this Shire doth somewhat resemble a Sandall for a mans foot lying long-wise from East to West in which part she is broadest the middle most narrow and then spreading wider like to the heele though for her rich endowments and stately magnificence it may be well accounted the heart of the whole 3 The length thereof from Inglesham in the West to old Windsor in the East extendeth vnto fortie miles from Inkpen to Wightham the broadest part from South to North are twentie-foure the whole in Circumference about one hundred and twentie miles 4 The Ayre is temperate sweet and delightfull and prospect for pleasure inferiour to none the Soile is plenteous of corne especially in the Vale of White-horse that yeeldeth yearely an admirable encrease In a word for Corne and Cattle Waters and Woods of profit and pleasure it giues place vnto none 5 Her ancient Inhabitants by Ptolemie and Caesar were the Attrebat● and them of those that descended from Gallia among whom Comius conquered by the Dictator was of good respect and could doe much with the Britaines who as Frontinus reporteth vsed this stratagem though it proued nothing at last he flying before Caesar to recouer ayd of these Attrebatians light bedded vpon a shelfe in the Sea whereupon hoysting his sailes as before a fore-winde gaue shew to his pursuer that they were in swift flight so that hopelesse to hayle them he gaue ouer the chase yet no sooner had Caesar made ouer among them but that some of these people by name the Bibroces yeelded him subiection which prued the ruine of all former libertie But when the Romans had rent their owne Empire and retired their Legion into a narrower circuit the Sa●●ns set foot where their forces had beene and made this Countie a parcell of their Westerne Kingdome The Danes then setting their desire vpon spoiles from their ●oauing Pinnaces pierced into these parts and at Redding fortified themselues betwixt the Riuers Kennet and Tham●●sis whither after their great ouerthrow receiued at Inge●efield by the hand of King Ethelwolfe they retyred for their further safetie 6 This Towne King
sixe Yeomen It hath beene accounted the Key into Ireland and great pitie it is that the Port should decay as it daily doth the Sea being stopped to scoure the Riuer by a Causey that thwarteth Dee at her bridge Within the wals of this Citie are eight Parish-Churches S. Iohns the greater and lesser in the Suburbs are the White Fryers Blacke-Fryers and Nunnery now suppressed From which Citie the Pole is eleuated vnto the degree 53. 58. minutes of Latitude and from the first point of the West in Longitude vnto the 17. degree and 18. minutes 8 The Earledome whereof was possessed from the Conquerour till it fell lastly to the Crowne the last of whom though not with the least hopes is Prince Henry who to the Titles of Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall hath by Succession and right of Inheritance the Earledome of Chester annexed to his other most happy Stiles Vpon whose person I pray that the Angels of Iacobs God may euer attend to his great glory and Great Britaines happinesse 9 If I should vrge credit vnto the report of certaine Trees floating in Bagmere onely against the deaths of the Heyres of the Breretons thereby seated and after to sinke vntill the next like occasion or inforce for truth the Prophecie which Leyland in a Poeticall fury forespake of Beeston Castle highly mounted vpon a steepe hill I should forget my selfe and wonted opinion that can hardly beleeue any such vaine predictions though they be told from the mouthes of credit as Bagmere Trees are or learned Leyland for Beeston who thus writeth The day will come when it againe shall mount his head aloft If ● a Prophet may be heard from Seers that say so oft With eight other Castles this Shire hath beene strengthned which were Ould-Castle Shoclath Shotwitch Chester Poulefourd Dunham Fr●desham and Haulten and by the Prayers as then was taught of eight religious houses therein seated preserued which by King Henry the eight were suppressed namely Stanlowe I●●ree Maxf●ld Norton Bunbery Combermere Rud-heath and Vale-Royall besides the White and Blacke Fryers and the Nunnery in Chester LANCA-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXVII THE Countie Palatine of Lancaster famous for the foure Henries the fourth fift sixt and seauenth Kings of England deriued from Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster is vpon the South confined and parted by the Riuer Merscy from the Countie Palatine of Chester the faire Countie of Darby-shire bordering vpon the East the large Country of Yorkeshire together with Westmerland and Cumberland being her kinde neighbours vpon the North and the Sea called Ma●● Hebernicum embracing her vpon the West 2 The forme thereof is long for it is so inclosed betweene Yorke shire on the East side and the Irish Sea on the West that where it boundeth vpon Cheshire on the South-side it is broader and by little and little more Northward it goeth confining vpon Westmerland the more narrow it groweth It containeth in length from Brathey Northward to Halwood South-ward fiftie seauen miles from Denton in the East to F●rmby by Altmouth in the West thirtie one and the whole circumference in compasse one hundred three-score and ten miles 3 The Aire is 〈…〉 not troubled with grosse vapours or foggy mists by reason whereof the 〈…〉 long and healthfully and are not subiect to strange and vnknowne deseases 4 The Soile for the generalitie is not very fruitfull yet it produceth such numbers of Cattle of such large proportion and such goodly heads and hornes as the whole Kingdome of Spaine doth scarce the like It is a Country replenished with all necessaries for the vse of man yeelding without any great labour the commoditie of Corne Flaxe Grasse Coales and such like The Sea also adding her blessing to the Land that the people of that Prouince want nothing that serues either for the sustenance of nature or the safetie of appetite They are plentifully furnished with all sorts of Fish Flesh and Fowles Their principall fuell is Coale and Turffe which they haue in great abundance the Gentlemen reseruing their woods very carefully as a beautie and principall ornament to their Mannors and houses And though it be farre from London the capitall Citie of this Kingdome yet doth it euery yeare furnish her and many other parts of the Land besides with many thousands of Cattle bred in this Country giuing thereby and otherwayes a firme testimony to the world of the blessed abundance that it hath pleased God to enrich this noble Dukedome withall 5 This Counties ancient Inhabitants were the Brigantes of whom there is more mention in the description of Yorkeshire who by Claudius the Emperour were brought vnder the Roman subiection that so held and made it their Seat secured by their Garrisons as hath beene gathered as well by many inscriptions found in walles and ancient monuments fixed in stones as by certaine Altars erected in fauour of their Emperours After the Romans the Saxons brought it vnder their protection and held it for a part of their Northumbrian Kingdome till it was first made subiugate to the inuasion of the Danes and then conquered by the victorious Normans whose posterities from thence are branched further into England 6 Places of antiquitie or memorable note are these the Towne of Manchester so famous as well for the Market-place Church and Colledge as for the resort vnto it for clothing was called Mancunium by Antonine the Emperour and was made a Fort and Station of the Romans Riblechester which taketh the name from Rhibell a little Riuer neere Clithero though it be a small Towne yet by tradition hath beene called the richest Towne in Christendome and reported to haue beene the Seat of the Romans which the many Monuments of their Antiquities Statues peeces of Coine and other seuerall inscription digd vp from time to time by the Inhabitants may giue vs sufficient perswasion to beleeue But the Shire-Towne is Lancaster more pleasant in situation then rich of Inhabitants built on the South of the Riuer Lon and is the same Longouicum where as we finde in the Notice Prouinces a company of the Longo●icarians vnder the Lieutenant Generall of Britaine lay The beautie of this Towne is in the Church Castle and Bridge her streets many and stretched farre in length Vnto this Towne King Edward the third granted a Maior and two Bailiffes which to this day are elected out of twelue Brethren assisted by twentie-foure Burgesses by whom it is yearely gouerned with the supply of two Chamberlaines a Recorder Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants at Mace The eleuation of who●● Pole is in the degree of Latitude 54 and 58. scruples and her Longitude remoued from the first West 〈◊〉 vnto the degree 17 and 4● scruples 7 This Country in diuers places suffereth the force of many flowing Tides of the Sea by which after a sort it doth violently rent asunder one part of the Shire from the other as in Fournesse where the 〈◊〉 displeased that the short should from thence shoot a maine way into the