of the lands was fallen there was great competition for the title of Abergevenny argued in the High Court of Parliament in the second yeere of King James and their severall claimes debated seven severall daies by the learned Counsell of both parts before the Lords of the Parliament Yet when as the question of precise right in law was not sufficiently cleered but both of them in regard of the nobility and honor of their family were thought of every one right worthy of honorable title and whereas it appeared evidently by most certaine proofes that the title as well of the Barony of Abergevenny as of Le Despenser appertained hereditarily to this Family The Lords humbly and earnestly besought the King that both parties might be ennobled by way of restitution who graciously assented thereunto Hereupon the Lord Chancellour proposed unto the Lords first whether the heire male should have the title of Abergevenny or the heire female and the most voices carried it that the title of the Barony of Abergevenny should bee restored unto the heire male And when he propounded secondly whether the title of the Barony Le Despenser should bee restored unto the female they all with one accord gave their full consent Which being declared unto the King he confirmed their determination with his gracious approbation and royall assent Then was Edward Nevill by the Kings Writ called unto the Parliament by the name of Baron Abergavenney and in his Parliament Robes betweene two Barons as the manner is brought into the house and placed in his seat above the Baron Audley And at the very same time were the letters Patents read whereby the King restored erected preferred c. Mary Fane to the state degree title stile name honour and dignity of Baronesse Le-Despenser To have and to hold the foresaid state and unto the above named Mary and her heires and that her heires successively should bee Barons Le-Despenser c. And upon a new question mooved unto whether the Barony of Abergavenney or the Barony Le-Despenser the priority of place was due The Lords referred this point to the Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Mareschall of England who after mature deliberation and weighing of the matter gave definitive sentence for the Barony Le-Despenser set downe under their hands and signed with their seales which was read before the Lords of the Parliament and by order from them entered into the Journall Booke out of which I have summarily thus much exemplified John Hastings for I have no reason to passe it over in silence held this Castle by homage Wardship and marriage when it hapned as wee reade in the Inquisition and if there should chance any warre betweene the King of England and the Prince of Wales hee was to keepe the Country of Over-went at his owne charges in the best manner he can for his owne commodity the Kings behoofe and the Realme of Englands defense The second little City which Antonine named BURRIUM and setteth downe twelve miles from Gobannium standeth where the River Birthin and Uske meete in one streame The Britans at this day by transposing of the letters call it Brunebegy for Burenbegy and Caer Uske Giraldus tearmeth it Castrum Oscae that is The Castle of Uske and we Englishmen Uske At this day it can shew nothing but the ruines of a large and strong Castle situate most pleasantly betweene the River Uske and Oilwy a Riveret which beneath it runneth from the East by Ragland a faire house of the Earle of Worcesters built Castle-like The third City which Antonine nameth ISCA and LEGIO SECUNDA is on the other side of Uske twelve Italian miles just distant from BURRIUM as hee hath put it downe The Britans call it Caer Leon and Caer LEON ar Uske that is The City of the Legion upon Uske of the second Legion Augusta which also is called Britannica Secunda This Legion being ordained by the Emperour Augustus and translated by Claudius out of Germany into Britaine under the conduct of Vespasian being ready at his command when he aspired to bee Emperour and which procured the Legions in Britaine to take his part was heere at last placed in Garison by Julius Frontinus as it seemeth against the Silures How great this ISCA was in those dayes listen unto our Girald out of his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae who thus describeth it out of the ruines It was an ancient and Authenticke City excellently well built in old time by the Romanes with bricke Walles Heere may a man see many footings of the antique nobility and dignity it had mighty and huge Palaces with golden pinacles in times past resembling the proud statelinesse of the Romanes for that it had beene found first by Romane Princes and beautified with goodly buildings There may you behold a giant-like Towre notable and brave baines the remaines of Temples and Theatres all compassed in with faire walles which are partly yet standing There may one finde in every place as well within the circuit of the Wall as without houses under ground water pipes and Vaults within the earth and that which you will count among all the rest worth observation you may see every where hoâ—e houses made wondrous artificially breathing forth heate very closely at certaine narrow Tunnels in the sides Heere lye enterred two noble Protomartyrs of greater Britaine and next after Alban and Amphibalus the very principall heere crowned with Martyrdome namely Julius and Aaron and both of them had in this City a goodly Church dedicated unto them For in antient times there had beene three passing faire Churches in this City One of Julius the Martyr beautified with a chaire of Nunnes devoted to the service of God A second founded in the name of blessed Aaron his companion and ennobled with an excellent Order of Chanons Amphibalus also the Teacher of Saint Alban and a faithfull informer of him unto faith was borne heere The site of the City is excellent upon the River Oske able to beare a prety Vessell at an high water from the Sea and the City is fairely furnished with woods and medowes heere it was that the Romane Embassadours repaired unto the famous Court of that great King Arthur Where Dubritius also resigned the Archiepiscopall honour unto David of Menevia when the Metropolitane See was translated from hence to Menevia Thus much out of Giraldus But for the avouching and confirming of the Antiquity of this place I thinke it not impertinent to adjoyne heere those antique Inscriptions lately digged forth of the ground which the right reverend Father in God Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaffe a passing great lover of venerable Antiquity and of all good Literature hath of his courtesie imparted unto me In the yeere 1602. in a medow adjoyning there was found by ditchers a certaine image of a personage girt and short trussed bearing a quiver but head hands and feet were broken off upon a pavement of square tile in checker
and Batavia allured by the spoiles of whole provinces no small power of Barbarian forces to be his associates and the Franks especially whom he trained to sea-service and in one word made all the sea coasts every way dangerous for passage To the vanquishing of him Maximianus set forward with a puissant army out of which som there were who in the very voyage suffered death gloriously for Christs sake but when he was come to the sea-side being skared partly for want of sea-souldiers and partly with the rage of the British Ocean staied there and having made a fained peace with Carausius yielded unto him the rule of the Island considering he was taken to bee the meeter man both to command and also to defend the Inhabitants against the warlike nations Hereupon it is that wee have seene in the silver coines of Carausius two Emperours joyning hands with this circumscription CONCORDIA AVG. G. But Maximian turned his forces upon the Frankners who then held Batavia and had secretly under hand sent aide unto Carausius whom he surprized on such a sudden that he forced them to submission In this meane while Carausius governed Britain with incorrupt and unstained reputation and in exceeding great peace against the Barbarians as writeth Ninnius the disciple of Elvodugus hee reedified the wall betweene the mouthes of Cluda and Carunus and fortified the same with 7. castles and built a round house of polished stone upon the banke of the river Carun which tooke name of him erecting therewith a triumphall arch in remembrance of victory Howbeit Buchanan thinketh verily it was the Temple of Terminus as we will write in Scotland When Dioclesian and Maximian as well to keepe that which was won as to recover what was lost had taken to them Constantius Chlorus and Maximianus Galerius to bee Caesars Constantius having levied and enrolled an armie came with great speed and sooner then all men thought to Bologne in France which also is called Gessoriacum a towne that Carausius had fortified with strong garrison and they laid siege unto it round about by pitching logs fast into the earth at the very entry and piling huge stones one upon another in manner of a rampire he excluded the sea and tooke from the towne the benefit of their haven which damme the strong and violent current of the Ocean beating against it forcibly for many daies together could not breake and beare downe no sooner was the place yielded but the first tide that rose made such a breach into the said rampire that it was wholly dis-joyned and broken in sunder And whiles he rigged and prepared both heere and elsewhere an Armada for the recoverie of Britaine he rid Batavia which was held by the Francks from all enemies and translated many of them into the Roman nations for to till their waste and desert territories In this meane time Allectus a familiar friend of Carausius who under him had the government of the State slew him by a treacherous wile and put upon himselfe the Imperiall purple roabe Which when Constantius heard he having manned armed divers fleets drave Allectus to such doubtfull termes as being altogether void of counsell and to seek what to doe he found then and never before that he was not fenced with the Ocean but enclosed within it And withall hoyzing up saile in a tempestuous weather and troubled sea by meanes of a mist which over-spread the sea hee passed by the enemies fleet unawares to them which was placed at the Isle of Wight in espiall and ambush to discoved and intercept him and no sooner were his forces landed upon the coast of Britaine but he set all his owne ships on fire that his Souldiers might repose no trust in saving themselves by flight Allectus himselfe when he espied the Navy of Constantius under saile approaching toward him forsooke the sea-side which he kept and as he fled lighted upon Asclepiodotus Grand Seneschal of the Praetorium but in so fearful a fit like a mad man he hastned his own death that he neither put his footmen in battell ray nor marshalled those troopes which he drew along with him in good order but casting off his purple garment that he might not be knowne rushed in with the mercenary Barbarians and so in a tumultuary skirmish was slaine and hardly by the discovery of one man found among the dead carcases of the Barbarians which lay thick spread every where over all the plaines and hils But the Frankners and others of the barbarous souldiers which remained alive after the battell thought to sacke London and to take their flight and be gone at which very instant as good hap was the souldiers of Constantius which by reason of a misty and foggy aire were severed from the rest came to London and made a slaughter of them in all places throughout the citie and procured not only safetie to the citizens in the execution of their enemies but also a pleasure in the sight thereof By this victory was the Province recovered after it had beene by usurpation held seven yeares or there about under Carausius and three under Allectus Whereupon Eumenius unto Constantius writeth thus O brave victorie of much importance and great consequence yea and worthy of manifold triumphs whereby Britaine is restored whereby the nation of the Frankners is utterly destroyed and whereby upon many people beside found accessarie to that wicked conspiracie there is imposed a necessitie of obedience and allegiance and in one word whereby for assurance of perpetuall quietnesse the seas are scoured and cleansed And as for thee ô invincible Caesar make thy boast and spare not that thou hast found out a new world and by restoring unto the Roman puissance their glorie for prowesse at sea hast augmented the Empire with an element greater than all Lands And a little after unto the same Constantius Britaine is recovered so as that those nations also which adjoyne unto the bounds of the same Island become obedient to your will and pleasure In the last yeares of Dioclesian and Maximian when as the East Church had beene for many years already polluted with the bloud of martyrs the violence of that furious persecution went on and passed even hither also into the West and many Christians suffered martyrdome Among whom the principall were Albanus of Uerlam Julius and Aaron of Isca a citie called otherwise Caër Leon c. of whom I will write in their proper place For then the Church obtained victorie with most honourable and happy triumph when as with ten yeares massacres it could not be vanquished When Dioclesian and Maximinian gave over their Empire they elected that Constantius Chlorus for Emperour who untill that time had ruled the State under the title of Caesar and to him befell Italie Africke Spaine France and Britaine but Italy and Africke became the Provinces of Galerius and Constantius stood contented with the rest This Constantius what
them is as much as Bright or shining A three-footed stoole which the Latines name Sellula Tripes the Gauls as wee read in Sulpitius Severus Tripetia is among the Britans termed Tribet That which the Latines meane by Centum pedes that is a hundred foot the Gaules in Columella understand by Candetum and the Britans by Cantroed A Birds bill in Latine Avis rostrum the Gaules as we read in Suetonius called Becco and the Britans name Pic. Neither should I bee as fancy-full as Goropius if I reduced Suetonius his Galba which signifieth exceeding fat to the British word Galuus that betokeneth passing big or Bulga in Valerius Flaccus for a leather Budget unto the British Butsiet or the Soldurij in Caesar put for men Devoted unto the Britans Sowdiws or Plinie his Planarat for a plough unto Arat which in the British tongue signifieth a plough or Isidorus his Taxea for Lard unto the Britans Tew or Diodorus Siculus his drinke called Zithum unto their Sider or Cervisia unto Keirch that is Otes whereof the Britans in many places make that drinke or rather to Cwrwf which we in English terme Ale That all these were the ancient words of the ancient Gaules appeareth evidently out of those Authors and you see how fitly they for the most part agree and accord as it were in consent with our British words in sound and sense both Hereunto thus much moreover may be added that seeing the ancient names of places end with both people in the same termination to wit in Dunum Briva Ritum Durum Magus c. it may be gathered that these were not divers nations And even from hence verily a sound reason may be drawn that we Englishmen are sprung from the Germanes for that the later and more moderne names of our townes end in Burrow Berry Ham Steed Ford Thorp and Wich which carrie a just and equall correspondence unto the terminations of the Dutch townes Burg Berg Heim Stadt Furdt Dorp and Wic Againe the reason of certaine old Gaulish words may bee so fitly given out of our British tongue the property and nature of the thing agreeing also thereunto that of necessity we must confesse either they were names imposed by the Britans or els the Britans sâ—ake French But let it suffice to alledge one or two for all The third part of Gaul saith Caesar they inhabite who in their owne language be named Celtae and in ours Galli but of the Greeks Callathae But whence they were called Celtae and Gallathae the best learned of all the French could never as yet tell But let them consider and see whether it come not of the British word Gualt which even yet among the Britans betokeneth the haire or bush of the head as also Gualtoc that signifieth Comata that is with long haire whereof it may seeme that Celtica Gallathae and Galli are termes mollified by variety of pronuntiation Now that the Celtae were called Comati of their long haire which studiously they cherished all learned men doe joyntly grant and as for the letters C. and K. Q. and G. how should one considering their force and native sound put a difference betweene them That the famous and noble river Carunne in France carrieth a swelling streame and as if the waves were angry and chased whereupon Poets name it with these attributes Validus Aequoreus and Rapidus Garumna that is the strong sealike and swift Garumna it is so well knowne as nothing more And all that doth Garw in the British tongue import The river Arar passeth marvellous gently so as by the eie uneth it can be discerned which way the streame goeth whereupon the Poets give these Epithets unto it Araris tardior and Lentus Arar that is Slow and Still Arar But Ara with the Britans betokeneth Still and Slow Rhodanus into which Arar doth fall runneth downe amaine with an exceeding swift and violent current and therefore it is termed Incitus Celer and Praeceps that is swift quicke running headlong Which name Rhodanus disagreeth not much from the British Rhedec that signifieth a speedinesse in running That the Hils Gebennae runne out farre into Gaul in manner of a long continued ridge Strabo and others doe make mention And that Keveâ— among our Britaines soundeth as much as the backe or ridge of an Hill appeareth by the British Dictionarie and I my selfe have seene a long chaine of hils in Yorke-shire which the Inhabitants there doe call the Kivin Considering that stones were in old time errected in Gaul by the high waies side at the distance just of every thousand and five hundred paces see it also that the Gaul-like Leuca or League containeth as Jornandes writeth just so many paces and Leach in the British tongue betokeneth a Stone I would have the learned French-men say whether the said Leuca tooke not that name thereof About the Sea side of that part of France which was called Narbonensis where as the fabulous report goeth Hercules and Albion fought together there lie so many stones every where all abroad that a man would verily thinke it had rained stones there whereupon writers name it the Stonie Strond and stonie field The French in these daies call it Le Craux And yet they know not the reason of this name But Stones in the British tongue be termed Craig They that heretofore inhabited the maritime tract of Gaul which is next unto us were in their owne language called Morini and seeing that the Sea is named Mor in British it seemeth that thereupon they were so termed For the Britans call such as dwell upon the Sea coast Morinwyr like as Aremorica betokeneth long since in Gaulish and now in British By the Sea side Thus Arelate a most famous citie of Gaul seated in a moist and waterie soile may seeme to have taken that name of the very scite thereof For Ar in British signifieth Vpon and Laith Moisture Vxellodunum saith Caesar was a towne having on every side a steepe accesse unto it and scituate upon an high Hill But Vchell among the Britaines is as much as steepe or loftie and Dunum with the ancient Gaules betokeneth a high place or hill as Plutarch hath taught us out of Clitiphon in his booke of Rivers and the same was also in use among the old Britaines The Promontorie Citharistes Plinie placeth in Gaul neere unto Marsiles where now is seene the towne Tolon but if you aske our Welsh Britains what is Cythara in their language they will tell you by and by Telen Againe that no doubt may herein bee left behind seeing it is evident that the late French tongue is come from the Latine and Germane yet so as therein neverthelesse there remaine very many words still of the old Language I have heard of those that be skilfull in both tongues that very many of those French words which
couragious heart doth all thy battels fight Thus Nations fierce it drives to rout and doth in chase pursue Yielding to thee right willingly all paiments just and due Victors from hence most valorous thy lot it is to have And under thee unfoiled bands advance their ensignes brave About this time as evidently appeareth by the Code of Theodosius Pacatianus was the Vicarius of Britaine for by this time the Province had no more Propraetors nor Lieutenants but in stead thereof was a Vicar substituted This Emperor Constantine was right happy for very many praises those I assure you most justly deserved for he not onely set the Roman Empire in free estate but also having scattered the thicke cloud of Superstition let in the true light of Christ by setting open the Temples to the true God and shutting them against the false For now no sooner was the blustering tempest and storme of persecution blowne over but the faithfull Christians who in the time of trouble and danger had hidden themselves in woods desarts and secret caves being come abroad in open sight reedifie the Churches ruinate to the very ground the Temple of holy Martyrs they found build finish and erect as it were the banners of victorie in every place celebrate festivall holy-daies and with pure heart and mouth also performe their sacred solemnities And thereupon he is renowned under these titles IMPERATOR FORTISSIMUS AC BEATISSIMUS PIISSIMVS FOELIX URBIS LIBERATOR QUIETIS FVNDATOR REIPUBLICAE INSTAURATOR PUBLICAE LIBERTATIS AUCTOR RESTITVTOR URBIS ROMAE ATQVE ORBIS MAGNUS MAXIMUS INVICTVS INVICTISSIMUS PERPETUUS SEMPER AUGUSTUS RERUM HUMANARUM OPTIMUS PRINCEPS VIRTUTE FORTISSIMUS ET PIETATE CLEMENTISSIMUS And in the Lawes QUI VENERANDA CHRISTIANORUM FIDE ROMANUM MUNIVIT JMPERIUM DIVUS DIVAE MEMORIAE DIVINAE MEMORIAE c. That is Most valiant and blessed Emperour Most pious Happie Redeemer of Rome Citie Founder of Peace Restorer of Rome Citie and the whole world Great Most great Invincible Most invincible Perpetuall Ever Augustus The best Prince of the World For vertue most valiant and for pietie most mercifull Also Who fortified the Roman Empire with the reverend Faith of the Christians Sacred Of sacred Memorie Of Divine memorie c. And hee was the first Emperour as farre as I could ever to this time observe who in coines of money and publike workes was honoured with this Inscription DOMINUS NOSTER that is Our Lord. Although I know full well that Dioclesian was the first after Caligula who suffered himselfe openly to be called LORD Howbeit in this so worthy an Emperour his politike wisedome was wanting in this point that he made the way for barbarous people into Britaine Germanie and Gaule For when he had subdued the northerne Nations so as that now he stood in no feare of them and for to equall the power of the Persians who in the East parts threatned the Roman Empire had built Constantinople a new Citie those Legions that lay in defence of the Marches he partly translated into the East and in their stead built forts and holds and partly withdrew into Cities more remote from the said marches so that soone after his death the Barbarians forcing the townes and fortresses brake into the Provinces And in this respect there goeth a very bad report of him in Zosimus as being the main and first subverter of a most flourishing Empire Seeing moreover that Constantine altered the forme of the Roman government it shall not be impertinent in this very place to note summarily in what sort Britaine was ruled under him and afterward in the next succeeding ages He ordained foure Praefects of the Praetorium to wit of the East of Illyricum of Italie and of Gaule two Leaders or Commanders of the Forces the one of footmen the other of horsemen in the West whom they termed Praesentales For civill government there ruled Britaine the Praefect of the Praetorium or Grand Seneschall in Gaule and under him the Vicar Generall of Britaine who was his Vicegerent and honoured with the title Spectabilis that is notable or remarkable Him obeied respectively to the number of the Provinces two Consular Deputies and three Presidents who had the hearing of civill and criminall causes For militarie affaires there ruled the Leader or Commander of the footmen in the West at whose disposition were the Count or Lieutenant of Britaine the Count or Lieutenant of the Saxon-coast along Britaine and the Duke of Britaine stiled every one Spectabiles that is Remarkable The Count Lieutenant of Britaine seemeth to have ruled the in-land parts of the Island who had with him seven companies of footmen and nine cornets or troups of horsemen The Count or Lieutenant of the Saxon coast namely who defended the maritime parts against the Saxons and is named by Ammianus Comes maritimi tractus that is Lieutenant of the Maritime tract for defence of the Sea coast had seven companies of footmen two guidons of horsemen the second Legion and one cohort The Generall of Britan who defended the Marches or Frontiers against the Barbarians had the command of eight and thirty garrison forts wherein kept their Stations 14000. foot and 900. horsemen So that in those daies if Pancirolus have kept just computation Britaine maintained 19200. footemen and 1700 horsemen or much there about in ordinarie Besides all these Comes sacrarum Largitionum that is The Receiver of the Emperours Finances or publike revenues had under him in Britaine the Rationall or Auditor of the summes and revenues of Britaine the Provost of the Augustian that is Emperours Treasures in Britaine and the Procurator of the Gynegium or Draperie in Britaine in which the clothes of the Prince and souldiers were woven The Count also of private Revenues had his Rationall or Auditour of private State in Britaine to say nothing of the sword Fence Schoole Procurator in Britaine whereof an old Inscription maketh mention and of other officers of an inferiour degree When Constantine was dead Britaine fell unto his Sonne Constantine who upon an ambitious humour and desire of rule breaking into the possessions of other men was slaine by his brother Constans With which victory hee was so puffed up that he seized Britaine and the rest of the Provinces into his owne hands and with his brother Constantius came into this Island And thereupon Julius Firmicus not that Pagane the Astrologer but the Christian speaketh in this wise unto them Yee have in Winter time a thing that never was done before nor shall be againe subdued under your oares the swelling and raging billowes of the British Ocean The waves now of the sea unto this time well neere unknowne unto us have trembled and the Britaine 's were sore afraid to see the unexpected face of the Emperour What would ye more the very Elements as vanquished have given place unto your vertues This Constans it was that called a
before hand all places every where for his advantage to forelay the Barbarians in ambush and giving commandement of no service to the very common souldiers but hee would himselfe cheerefully take the first assay thereof In this sort performing as well the offices of an active and hardie souldier as the carefull charge of a right noble Generall having discomfited and put to flight divers nations whom insolent pride fed with securitie incited and set on fire to assaile and invade the Roman Empire he having laid the foundation of quiet peace for a long time restored both Cities and Castles which verily had received manifold dammages to as good a passe as ever they were at Now there had hapned whiles he atchieved these exploits an horrible act like to have bred some great danger but that in the very first enterprize it was quenched and suppressed There was one Valentinus of Valeria Pannonia a man of a proud spirit brother to the wife of that pestilent Maximinus first Deputie Lieutenant after President for some notable offence banished into Britaine who being impatient of rest like a noisom beast rose up in coÌ„motion against Theodosius practising mischievous plots and an insurrection upon a certaine swelling pride and envie for that hee perceived him alone able to withstand his horrible designes Howbeit casting all about for many meanes both secret and apert whiles the puffing humour of his infinite and unsatiable desire still encreased he solicited as well the banished persons as souldiers when he espied his opportunity promising reward for to allure and draw them on to some actuall attempt And now as the time drew neere when these enterprizes should bee put in execution and take effect the Generall being advertised of all these projects and forwarder of the twaine to adventure resolute also upon an high mind to take revenge of such as were attaint and convict committed verily Valentinus with some few of his inward complices unto Captaine Dulcitius for to bee put to death but forecasting withall the future events as hee was a man in militarie skill surpassing all others of his time he would not suffer any farther inquisition and examination to be had of the conspirators for feare lest by striking a terrour among so many the tempestuous troubles of the provinces which were well appeased might revive againe Turning himselfe therefore from this businesse to the reforming of many enormities which of necessitie were to be regarded and having cleared all dangers for evidently seene it was that fortune was so propitious and good unto him as that she never forsooke but sped his enterprizes he reedified the Cities and those garrison forts whereof we spake he fortified also the frontiers with standing watches and strong fore-fenses Thus having recovered the province which had yielded subjection to the enemies hee so brought it to the former ancient state that upon his owne motion to have it so it both had a lawfull governour to rule it and afterward also was called VALENTIA for the Princes will and pleasure The Areans a kind of men instituted by those of ancient times concerning whom I have related in the Acts of Constans the Emperor fallen by little and little unto vices he removed from their stations as being openly convict that they were allured by great receits or promise at least waies of much reward to have divers times discovered unto the Barbarians whatsoever was done or debated among us For this indeed was their charge to run to and fro by long journeies to intimate and make knowne unto our Captaines all sturs that the people neere adjoyning were about to make Thus after he had with very great approofe exploited these acts above rehearsed and others the like he was sent for to the Princes-court and leaving the Provinces in much jollitie no lesse honoured was he for his many and important victories than either Furius Camillus or Papirius Cursor And so being honorably accompanied and attended upon with the love and favour of all men as far as to the narrow seas with a gentle gale of wind he passed over and came to the Princes camp where with joy and praise hee was received For these deeds of his so bravely atchieved in honor of him there was an image set up resembling a man of armes on horsebacke as Symmachus giveth us to understand speaking to his son Theodosius the Emperor in this wise The author quoth he of your kindred and stock Captaine Generall sometime in Afrik and Britaine both was among other ancient titles consecrated by the most honorable order with Images of Knighthood And Claudian in his commendation with full pen wrote poetically thus Ille Caledoniis posuit qui castra pruinis Qui medio Libyae sub casside pertulit aestus Terribilis Mauro debellatorque Britanni Littoris ac pariter Boreae vastator Austri Quid rigor aeternus Caeli quid sydera prosunt Ignotumque fretum maduerunt Saxone fuso Orcades incaluit Pictorum sanguine Thule Scotorum cumulos flevit glacialis Hiberne In frozen Caledonian fields he that encamped lay And in his harnesse Liby heats endured day by day The black Mores eke who terrified and conquer'd British coast Who North and South subdu'd alike and wasted with his host What did the lasting cold to them and frosty climats gaine Or seas unknowne embrued all with bloud of Saxons slaine The Orkneis were with Pictish bloud well heated Thule was And yâ—â—e Ireland Scots by heapes bewail'd with Out-alas In another place likewise of the same Prince Quem littus adustae Horrescit Libyae ratibusque impervia Thule Ille leves Mauros nec falso nomine Pictos Edomuit Scotumque vago mucrone sequutus Fregit Hyperboreas remit audacibus undas Et geminis fulgens utroque sub axe trophaeis Tethyos alternas refluas calcavit arenas Of whom the scorched Libyan coast doth stand in deadly feare And Thule where no passage was for ships their saile to beare The nimble Mores he t' was that tam'd and Picts likewise subdu'd The Picts I say by right so cal'd and when he had pursued The Scot with sword from place to place the Hyperborean wave With venterous ores he brake and so in two fold trophees braue All glittering under both the poles he marched to and fro The sands upon where either sea by turnes doth ebbe and flow And concerning him Pacatus Drepanus What should I speak quoth he of the Scot driven back againe by him unto his fennes and bogs The Saxon consumed with battels at sea c. After him Gratian took upon him the Empire who also proclaimed Theodosius the son of that Theodosius of whom we have spoken already Emperor Whereat Maximus a Spaniard borne his concurrent and withall descended in right line from CoÌ„stantinus the Great who also had before time been Generall over the armie in Britan was so highly discontented that he took upon him the purple roabe or as Orosius reporteth was against his will by the
pieces of money passing skilfull and of judicious insight very lately had shewed me the like found in France But to come unto these of ours which I have here proposed The first is a coine of Cunobelinus who flourished in the daies of Augustus and Tiberius wherein if I deceive not my selfe are engraven the heads of two-faced Ianus peradventure because even at that time Britaine began to cast off and leave their barbarous rudenesse For we reade how Ianus was the first that changed barbarous manners into civill behaviour and therefore was depainted with two fore-heads to signifie that he had of one shape made another The second also is Cunobelinus Coine shewing his face and Inscription of the one side and the Coiner or Mint-master on the other with this word TASCIA set to it which word among the Britans betokeneth a Tribute Penye as Master David Powell a man most skilfull in the British language hath informed me and is derived perhaps of the Latine Taxatio For the Britans acknowledge not X. for their letter And by the same reason the Inscription of MONETA is seene oft times in pieces of Roman money In like manner the third is a Coine of the same Cunobelinus with an horse and CVNO with a corne eare also and CAMV as it should seeme for Camalodunum which was the Royall citie and seat of Cunobelinus The fourth with VER may be thought a coine of the Verlamians The fifth againe is one of Cunobelinus his pieces The sixth because it giveth no light by letters I wot not what to make of it The seventh a Coine of Cunobelinus having this Inscription TASC NOVANEL with a womans head whether it should imply a tribute piece of the Trinovants over whom he was ruler I cannot avow on the other side Apollo with his Harpe and Cunobelin putteth me in remēbrance of that which elsewhere I have observed as concerning the God Belinus namely that the Gauls in old time worshipped Apollo under the name of Belinus which Dioscorides also doth confirme writing in plain expresse termes that the herbe Apollinaris with the juce whereof the Gaules were wont to annoint their arrowes is in the Gaules tongue called Belinuntia So that upon this I may be bold in some sort to conject that the name of Cunobelinus as also of Cassibelinus is drawn from the worship of Apollo like as the names of Phoebitius and Delphidius If not rather like as Apollo for his bush of yellow haire is named in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin Flavus that is yellow so likewise among the Britans and Gaules Belin. For that which is yellow in British speech they call Melin Belin and Felin and for the same cause that ancient Belinus Cunobelinus and Cassibelinus who also goeth under the name of Cassivelaunus may seeme to be so named as one would say Yellow Princes For that Cuno is a name of dignitie the Britans confesse and a thing which is especiall and principall they terme at this day Cynoc Certes it hath been a name of honour Cungetorix Cunobelinus Cuneglasus Cuneda and Cunedagius Princes names among the Britans like as Cyngetorix Convictolitanus and Conetodunus among the ancient Gaules doe after a sort make good and declare Neither am I ignorant that Gildas hath translated Cuneglasus in Latine Lanionemfulvum vel furvum that is A Lion tawney or darke hued Butcher whom others have interpreted Principem Caeruleum sive vitrei coloris that is A Prince blew or of a blewish or woad-colour like as Cuneda Principem bonum that is A good Prince That the Germans Koning and our King came from Cuno I dare not yet suppose Let it suffice by these my sundry guesses to have thus dallied lest I lay open my selfe to the scorne of others The eighth with a chariot horse and a wheele or shield underneath having in the reverse BODVO may seeme to be a Coine of the Nation called Boduni or else of the Queene Bodicia who is diversly named Voadicia and Bunduica The ninth wherein is represented an horseman with speare and shield and these letters in scattering wise CAERATIC I would deeme to be a Coine of that warlike Prince Caratacus whose praises Tacitus highly extolleth The tenth upon the one side whereof under an horseman is the Inscription REX and on the other COM both I and some others are pleased with this conceit that it was a coin of Connius Attrebatensis whom Caesar mentioneth The eleventh which doth represent a little halfe moon with this Inscription REX CALLE is not much unlike the name of that most famous and frequented Citie Callena The twelfth hath a winged head with this word ATEVLA and in the reverse a Lion and this Inscription VLATOS What the meaning might be of these words I seeke and seek but in vaine Indeed by this very same portrature and image I have seene upon pieces of Roman mony the Goddesse Victorie expressed But that Victorie should bee in the British tongue called Ateula I never yet could find Mary that they named Victorie Andata I have out of Dio reported already and whether the same were Andrata worshipped of the Vocontij in Gaule let some other say for I dare not Here also may you behold the thirteenth with this word DIAS in an eight-angled figure an horse on the contrary side the fourteenth with a swine and these letters VANOC the head also of a goddesse haply Venus or else Venutius whom Tacitus speaketh of The fifteenth with an head and helmet upon it and this Inscription DVRNACO and whether that were Dumnacus a Prince of the Andes whom Caesar doth mention I wot not The sixteenth with an horse this word ORCETI The seventeenth with the image of Augustus and TASCIA on the reverse a bull boaking with his hornes The eighteenth with CVNO within a laurell garland and upon the back part an horse with the Inscription TASCE We have seen besides one other coine with the flying horse Pegasus and CAMV on the backe part whereof the forme of a man with an helmet and shield within standing corne and CVNO another with an horse ill favouredly portraied and EISV peradventure for ISVRII and on the back side an eare of corne also another with a souldier carying a speare and on the other side within a wreath or chein SOLIDV That it should be the piece of mony called Solidus I doe not believe because the said piece was in that age alwaies of gold whereas this was of silver More probable it is that it should have a reference to Solidurij For so the ancient French named men devoted to die in behalfe of others Whose condition was this that look unto whose friendship they had betaken themselves they should together with them enjoy all the comforts and commodities of this life If any violent accident hapned unto them they were either to sustaine the
themselves of Holland then called Batavia under Constantius Chlorus Constantine the Great and his sonnes being received as Liege-men and translated from thence to inhabite the waste and desert countries of Gaule either by the swords point making way into more plentifull regions or else as Zosimus writeth driven out by the Saxons departed out of Holland From which time all the people bordering upon that sea coast in Germanie which were men of warre and professed Piracie as before they grew to be Franci so now they became clepid Saxons those Nations I meane which inhabite Iutland Sleswicke Holst Ditmarse the Bishopricke of Breme the countie of Oldenburgh both East and West Frisland and Holland For the nation of the Saxons as Fabius Quaestor Ethelward himselfe descended of the Saxons royall bloud writeth was wholly all that upon the seacoast from the river Rhene unto the citie Donia and which now is commonly called Dane-Marc Which author that I may acknowledge by whom I have profited master Thomas Allen of Oxford an excellent man and one endued with very many singular Arts first found out and of his courtesie imparted the same unto me with many others Out of this Maritime tract the Saxons fleshed now with the slaughter of many Romanes brake many times into the Romans provinces and for a great while annoied this Iland untill Hengist himselfe came Who out of Batavia or Holland sailed into Britaine and built that Castle of Leiden in Holland as not onely the Hollanders Annals doe testifie but also that noble Ianus Dousa a man of excellent wit and learning who of that Castle versifieth thus Quem circinato maenium ut ambitu Sic arcuatis fornicibus novum Putatur Hengistus Britanno Orbe redux posuisse victor Which Hengist by report when he Return'd from Britaine with victorie Built new with walles in compasse round And on vaults arched under ground The Iutae who had that name as many thinke from the Gutes Getes or Gothes for in a manuscript booke we read Geatun did for certaine inhabite the upper part of Cimbrica Chersonesus which still the Danes call Iuitland descended haply of those Guttae whom Ptolomee hath placed in Scandia whose habitation this day is called Gothland But take heede you thinke not with Iornandes that this was the native country of those Gothes who with victorious conquests over-ran all Europe for the most ancient and best approoved writers have recorded unto us that they dwelt beyond the river Ister fast by Pontus Euxinus and were before time called Getae But in what place the Angles were seated it is a question neither are all men of one opinion Most authors place them in Westphalia where Engern standeth and where the Suevians whom Tacitus and Ptolomee make mention of had their abode whom I am willing to beleeve if wee speake of the age of Tacitus but I suppose that from thence they came downe to the tract by the sea side Others seeke for them in Pomerania where the towne Angloen flourisheth But seeing these reach into the more inland parts of Germany far from our seas surely we must seek for some other seat of our Angles or Englishmen which Beda willed me to looke for between the Saxons and Iutes The Angles quoth he came out of that countrey which is called Angulus and is reported from that time to lie waste betweene the Provinces of the Saxons and Iutes Now seeing that between Iuitland and Holsatia the ancient countrey of the Saxons there is a little Province in the Kingdome of Dania named at this day Angel beneath the citie Flemsburg which Lindebergius in his Epistles calleth Little Anglia I dare affirme that now at length I have found the place of our ancestors habitation and that from thence the Angles came into this Iland And to averre this the more confidently I have good warrant from the authoritie of that ancient writer Ethelwardus whose words be these Old Anglia is sited between the Saxons and the Giots they have a capitall towne which in the Saxon tongue is named Sleswic but the Danes call it Haithby In which verie place Ptolomee seemeth to set the Saxons So that a Poet of the middle time sung not untunably in this manner Saxonia protulit Anglos Hoc patet in lingua niveoque colore That Englishmen from Saxons draw descent Their colour white and tongue make evident Of these Angles some part having passed forward into the inmore quarters of Germanie being blended with the Longobards and the Suevians went as farre as Italie and are thought to have left their footing in Engelheim the native countrey of Charles the Great Ingolstad Engleburg Englerute in Germanie and Angleria in Italie But what the reason or Etymologie is of the name I dare not definitively pronounce Away with that Angulus the son of Humblus and with Queene Angela whom foolish folke babble to have beene the founders of our Nation Neither thinke we that their name was imposed of Angulus that is An angle or corner as if it were a corner of the world as some building upon that stale verse seeme to hold Anglia terra ferax fertilis angulus orbis Insula praedives quae toto vix eget orbe England a fruitfull angle is without the world so wide An Iland rich that hath small need of all the world beside Neither doth Goropius his conjecture deserve credit but rather a smile which deriveth Anglos that is Englishmen from Angle that is A fishing rod or a Fish-hooke because saith he they hooked all unto them and were as we say Good Anglers But he that seeth the Etymologie of Engelbert Englehard and such like Dutch names may see perhaps the originall of Angli also Moreover it may seeme out of Procopius that the Frisones likewise came with others into Britaine The text whole as it lieth for that the booke is not commonly extant in print I will not thinke much here to set downe even as Franciscus Pithaeus a singular good man and in all sorts of Antiquitie most skilfull hath exemplified it unto me out of the Kings Library in Paris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is according to my grosse translation thus The Iland Britaine three most populous nations doe inhabite which have everie one their severall King to rule them and these Nations be called Angili Frisones and after the name of the very Iland Britones Now they seeme to be so great a multitude of people that every yeere a mightie number of them with their wives and children flit from thence unto the Franks and they give them entertainment in that part of their Land which seemeth most desert above the rest and hereupon men say they challenge unto themselves the verie Iland And verily not long since when the King of the Franks sent certaine of his people in Embassage to Constantinople unto the Emperour Iustinian he sent withall some English pretending ambitiously that this Iland was under his
Diocesses Lucius the Pope in Gratian insinuateth thus much that the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdictions of the Christians followed the Iurisdictions of the Roman Magistrates and that Archbishops had their Seas in those cities wherein the Romane Presidents in times past made their abode The Cities and places saith he in which Primats ought to sit and rule were appointed not by the Moderne but long before the comming of Christ to the Primats of which Cities c. the Gentile also appealed in matters of greater importance And in those verie cities after Christs comming the Apostles and their Successors placed Patriarks or Primats unto whom the affaires of the Bishops and greater causes ought to be preferred Whereas therefore Britaine had in old time three Archbishops to wit of London of Yorke and Caerleon in Southwales I suppose that the Province which now we call of Canterburie for thither the Sea of London was translated made BRITANNIA PRIMA Wales under the Citie of Caer Leon was BRITANNIA SECVNDA and the Province of York which then reached unto the Limit or Borders made MAXIMAA CAESARIENSIS In the age next ensuing when the forme of the Roman Empire was daily changing either through ambition that more men might attaine to places of honour or the warie forecast of the Emperours that the power of their Presidents which grew over great might be taken downe and abridged they divided Britaine into five parts to wit BRITANNIA PRIMA SECVNDA MAXIMA CAESARIENSIS VALENTIA FLAVIA CAESARIENSIS VALENTIA seemeth to have been the northerly part of Maxiâ—â— Caesariensis which being usurped and held by the Picts and Scots Theodosius Generall under Valens the Emperour recovered out their hands and in honour of him named it Valentia which Marcellinus sheweth more plainly in these words The Province now recovered which was fallen into the enemies hands he restored to the former state in such sort as by his own procuring it had both a lawful governor was also afterwards called VALENTIA at the pleasure of the Prince Now that the son of this Theodosius who being created Emperour was named Flavius Theodosius and altered very many things in the Empire added Flavia we may very wel conjecture for that before the time of this Flavius wee read no where of BRITANNIA FLAVIA Wherefore to make up this matter in few words All the south coast which of one side lieth between the British sea and the river Thames with the Severn sea on the other side was called BRITANNIA PRIMA BRITANNIA SECVNDA was that which now is Wales FLAVIA CAESARIENSIS reacheth from Thames to Humber MAXIMA CAESARIENSIS from Humber to the river of Tine or the wall of Severus VALENTIA from Tine to the wall or rampier neere Edenburgh which the Scots call Gramesdike and was the utmost limit of the Roman Empire in this Island when this last division was in use And now I cannot chuse but note some want of judgement in certaine men who otherwise being very learned doe reckon Scotland in this account which some of them make to have beene Maxima Caesariensis and others Britannia Secunda As if forsooth the Romans neglected not that part of the Island lying under a cold climate and reckoned here those Provinces onely which they governed by Consular Lieutenants and Presidents for Maxima Caesariensis and Valentia were ruled by Consular Lieutenants Britannia Prima Secunda and Flavia by Presidents Now if any man would have me render a reason of this my division and accuse me as a false bounderer and surveior let him heare in briefe what hath induced mee to this opinion Having observed thus much that the Romans alwaies called those Provinces PRIMAS which lay nighest to Rome as Germania Prima Belgica Prima Lugdunensis Prima Aquitania Prima Panninia Prima all which lay neerer to Rome than those that were named Secundae and that these Primae were by the finer sort of writers termed Superiores or higher the Secundae Inferiores or Lower I resolved that the South-part of our Island and neerer to Rome was Britannia Prima By the same reason seeing the Provinces Secundae as they call them were more remote from Rome I supposed Wales was the Britannia Secunda Moreover having noted this also that in the decaying State of their Empire those Provinces onely had Consular Magistrates which lay against the enemies not onely in Gaule but also in Africke as appeareth in the booke of Notices also that in the said Booke Valentia with us and Maxima Caesariensis be accounted Consular Provinces I have judged them being next and exposed to the Scots and Picts to lie in those places which I have spoken of I can doe no other but guesse that Flavia Caesariensis here was in the midst betweene them all and in the very heart of England and so much the more confidently because that ancient writer Giraldus Cambrensis is just of the same opinion with me And thus much of the Divisions of Britaine under the Romans Afterwards when the Barbarians made invasion on every side and civill war daily increased among the Britans the Island as bereft of all life and vigour lay for a time languishing and forlorne without any shew at all of government But at length that part which inclineth to the North became two Kingdomes to wit of the Scots and the Picts and the Romans Pentarchie or five portions in this hither part became in processe of time the Heptarchie or seven Kingdomes of the Saxons For they divided the whole Province of the Romans setting Wales aside which the remnant of Britans possessed into seven Kingdomes that is to say Kent Southsex East-England Westsex Northumberland Eastsex and Mercia But what this Heptarchie of the English-Saxons was and what their names were in those daies in this chorographical table here adjoyned you may if you please behold Considering that in a Chorographicall Table or Map by reason of so narrow a roome those Regions or Counties which these Kingdomes contained could not well and handsomely bee described In this other Table heere rather than by heaping many words together I thinke good to propose and set downe the same that the Reader may once for all have a view of them The Saxons Heptarchie 1 The Kingdome of KENT contained the Countie of Kent 2 The Kingdom of SVSSEX or Southern Saxons contained the Counties of Suthsex Suthrey 3 The Kingdome of EAST-ENGLAND or East-Angles contained the Counties of Norfolke Suthfolke Cambridge shire with the Isle of Ely 4 The Kingdome of WESTSEX or West-Angles contained the Counties of Cornwall Devonshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Southampton Berkshire 5 The Kingdome of NORTHVMBERLAND contained the Counties of Lancaster Yorke Durham Cumberland Westmorland Northumberland and the Countries of Scotland to Edenburgh-frith 6 The Kingdome of EAST-SEX or East-Saxons contained the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of Hertfordshire 7 The Kingdome of MERCIA contained the Counties of Glocester shire Herefordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire Leicestershire Rotlandshire
Townes able to set out a great fleet of Ships the inland parts have rich and plenteous mines of tinne For there is digged out of them wonderfull store of tinne yielding exceeding much profit and commoditie where are made houshold pewter vessels which are used throughout many parts of Europe in service of the table and for their glittering brightnesse compared with silver plate The Inhabitants doe discover these mines by certaine tinne-stones lying on the face of the ground which they call Shoad being somewhat smooth and round Of these Mines or tinne-workes there be two kinds the one they call Lode-workes the other Stream-workes This lieth in lower grounds when by trenching they follow the veines of tinne and turne aside now and then the streames of water comming in their way that other is in higher places when as upon the hils they dig very deepe pits which they call Shafts and doe undermine In working both waies there is seen wonderfull wit and skill as well in draining of waters aside and reducing them into one streame as in the underbuilding pinning and propping up of their pits to passe over with silence their devices of breaking stamping drying crasing washing melting and fining the mettall than which there cannot be more cunning shewed There are also two sorts of Tinne Blacke tinne which is tinne-ore broken and washed but not yet founded into mettall and white tinne that is molten into mettall and that is either soft tinne which is best merchantable or hard tinne lesse merchantable That the ancient Britans practised these tinne-works to omit Timaeus the Historian in Plinie who reporteth That the Britans fetched tinne out of the Isle Icta in wicker boats covered and stitched about with leather appeareth for certaine out of Diodorus Siculus who flourished under Augustus Caesar. For hee writeth that the Britans who Inhabited this part digged tinne out of stonie ground and at a low water carried the same in carts to certaine Ilands adjoyning From whence Merchants transported it by ships into Gaule and from thence conveied the same upon horses within thirtie daies unto the spring-heads of the river Eridanus or else to the citie Narbone as it were to a Mart. Aethicus also who ever hee was that unworthily beareth title to be interpreted by S. Hierome out of the Sclavonian tongue insinuateth the very same and saith That hee delivered rules and precepts to these Tinne-workers But it seemeth that the English-Saxons neglected it altogether or to have used the workmanship and labour of Arabians or Saracens For the Inhabitants in their language terme the mines forlet and given over Attal Sarisin that is the leavings of the Saracens if they did meane by that name the ancient Panims After the comming in of the Normans the Earles of Cornwal gathered great riches out of these mines and especially Richard brother to King Henrie the Third and no marvell sith that in those daies Europe had tinne from no other place For the incursions of the Mores had stopped up the tinne mines of Spaine and as for the tinne veines in Germanie which are in Misnia and Bohemia they were not as yet knowen and those verily not discovered before the yeere after Christs nativitie 1240. For then as a writer of that age recordeth was tinne mett all found in Germanie by a certain Cornishman driven out of his native soile to the great losse and hindrance of Richard Earle of Cornwal This Richard began to make ordinances for these tin-works and afterward Edmund his sonne granted a Charter and certain liberties and withall prescribed certaine Lawes concerning the same which hee ratified or strengthened under his seale and imposed a tribute or rent upon tin to be answered unto the Earls These liberties priviledges and lawes King Edward the Third did afterwards confirme and augment The whole common-wealth of those Tinners and workmen as it were one bodie hee divided into foure quarters which of the places they call Foy-more Black-more Trewarnaile and Penwith Over them all hee ordained a Warden called L. Warden of the Stanniers of Stannum that is Tinne who giveth judgement as well according to equitie and conscience as Law and appointed to every quarter their Stewards who once every iij. weeks every one in his severall quarter minister justice in causes personall betweene Tinner and Tinner and betweene Tinner and Forrainer except in causes of land life or member From whom there lieth an appeale to the Lord Warden from him to the Duke from the Duke to the King In matters of moment there are by the Warden generall Parliaments or severall assemblies summoned whereunto Iurats are sent out of every Stannarie whose constitutions do bind them As for those that deale with tinne they are of foure sorts the owners of the soile the adventurers the merchants or regraters and the labourers called the Spadiards of their Spade who poore men are pitifully out-eaten by usurious contracts But the Kings of England and Dukes of Cornwall in their times have reserved to themselves a praeemption of tin by the opinion of the learned in the Law as well in regard of the proprietie as being chiefe Lords and Proprietaries as of their royall prerogative Lest the tribute or rent imposed should be embezelled and the Dukes of Cornwall defrauded unto whom by the old custome for every thousand pound waight of tinne there is paid forty shillings it is by a Law provided that all the tin which is cast wrought be brought to one of the foure appointed townes where twice in the yeere it is weighed and signed with a stampe they call it Coinage and the said impost according paid neither is it lawfull for any man before that to sell or send it abroad under forfeiture of their tin And now only tin is here found but therewith also gold and silver yea and Diamonds shaped and pointed anglewise smoothed also by nature it selfe whereof some are as big as walnuts and inferiour to the Orient Diamonds in blacknesse and hardnesse only Moreover there is found Eryngium that is Sea Holly growing most abundantly every where along the shore Furthermore so plentifull is this countrey of graine although not without great toile of the husbandman that it hath not onely sufficient to maintaine it selfe but also affoordeth often times great store of corne into Spaine Besides a most rich revenue and commoditie they have by those little fishes that they call Pilchards which swarming as one would say in mighty great skuls about the shores from Iuly unto November are there taken garbaged salted hanged in the smoake laied up pressed and by infinite numbers carried over into France Spaine and Italie unto which countreys they be very good chaffer and right welcome merchandise and are there named Fumados Whereupon Michael a Cornish Poet and of Rhymers in his time the chiefe in his Satyre against Henrie of Aurenches Archpoet to King Henrie the Third because he had unreverently plaied upon Cornishmen as if
Vautorts and partly to the Prior. Of late time it became of a poore fisher village to be a great Towne and for the number of Inhabitants growne to that passe as now it is to be seene that it may bee compared with a Citie Such is the commodiousnesse of the haven which without striking saile admitteth into the bosome thereof the tallest ships that be doth harbour them very safely as well within Tamar as Plime and beside against hostilitie sufficiently fortified For before the very midst of the havens mouth lieth S. Michaels Isle strongly fortified both by nature and art as for the haven it selfe at the very Towne it hath fortifications on both sides and is chained over when need requireth having on the South side a Pier against it and upon an hill next adjoyning a Castle built as it is thought by the Vautorts The whole Towne is divided into foure Wards governed by a Major ordained there by K. Henry the Sixth and under him every ward had in times past a Captaine set over it each of them likewise had his inferiour officers As touching that fabulous wrestling betweene Corinaeus and Gogmagog the Giant in this place let it suffice to set downe a verse or two out of Architrenius concerning the same and the Westerne Giants Hos auidum belli robur Corinaeus Averno Praecipitis misit cubitis ter quatuor altum Gogmagog Herculeâ suspendit in aere luctâ Anthaeumque suum scopulo detrusit in aequor Potavitque dato Thetis ebria sanguine fluctus Diuisumque tulit mare corpus Cerberus umbram These martiall monsters Giants strong by Corinaeus slaine With Gogmagog twelve cubits high a combat did remaine Whom up he hang'd twixt heaven and earth thus once Alcides hung Antaeus fell and from the rock into the Sea him flung His bloud gave Thetis the waves to drinke her selfe therewith was drunke His grisly ghost had Cerberus when body torne was sunke As for that rock from whence they say this Giant was cast down it is now called the Haw a very hill standing between the Town and the Ocean on the top whereof which lieth spred into a most pleasant plaine there is a right delectable and goodly prospect every way and for the use of Sailers a very faire Compasse erected The circuit of this Town not great but much renowned it is among forraine nations and not so much for the commodious haven as the valour of the Inhabitants in sea services of all sorts For to say nothing of all others from hence was Sir Francis Drake that famous Knight and most skilfull man at sea in our daies who first as I have heard himselfe relate to repaire the losses which he had sustained at the Spaniards hands for two yeares space together with victorious successe held and kept the Bay of Mexico as it were besieged and travailed over the Isthmus of Dariena From whence when he had once beheld the South sea as the Spaniards call it as another Themistocles stirred up with the Trophees of Miltiades thought hee should have neglected himselfe his country and his owne glory unlesse he sailed over it which continually presented it selfe as an object to his adventurous mind In the yeare therefore 1577. putting to sea from hence he entred into the streits of Magellan and in two yeares and ten moneths through many alternative varieties of fortune God being his guide and valour his consort was the next after Magellanus that sailed round about the world Whereupon one wrote thus unto him Drake pererrati novit quem terminus orbis Quemque semel mundi vidit uterque polus Si taceant homines facient te sidera notum Sol nescit comitis immemor esse sui Sir Drake whom well the worlds end knows which thou did'st compasse round And whom both poles of heaven once saw which North and South doe bound The Starres above will make thee knowne if men here silent were The Sunne himselfe cannot forget his fellow-travailler The rest of his noble exploits and of others who descended from hence taking example by him flourished in glorious atchivements by sea seeing it belongs not to this place let Historians record in writing Neither have I ought else to say more of this Towne but that in the raigne of William Rufus there flourished heere one Ealphege a learned and married Priest For untill the yeare 1102. Priests in England were not forbidden to have their wives Then Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury violently forced both the sacred Scripture and nature also as our writers in those daies doe complaine and namely Henry of Huntingdon expresly of Anselme in these termes He prohibited English Priests to have wives who before-time were not prohibited Which as some thought to be a matter of greatest puritie so others againe tooke it to be most perilous lest while by this meanes they aimed at cleannesse above their power they should fall into horrible uncleannesse to the exceeding great shame of Christianitie More inward in the country and yet not farre from the water of Plim is Plimpton seated a mercate Towne well frequented where the remnants and deformed ruines of a Castle shew themselves of which many men have holden as our Lawyers terme it in Castle guard for it was the chiefe seat of the Redversies or the Riparii for both we read who were Barons of Plimpton and Earles of Denshire Next unto this stood Plimpton S. Mary the glorie whereof then fell to decay when as not long since the Colledge there of Canons was dissolved which William Warlewast Bishop of Exceter in old time had founded More Eastward you see Modburie a little Towne which acknowledgeth it selfe to appertaine to the ancient and right worshipfull family of the Campernulphs Knights who also are called in old Deeds De campo Arnulphi but commonly Champernouns which received much advancement and reputation by the heire of the Uautorts From Plims mouth where the South shore of this region beginneth the countrey runneth along with a large and great front as farre as to Stert a cape or promontorie for so the word in the English Saxon tongue signifieth but so soone as the shore hath drawne it selfe back land-ward the river Dert breaketh out which arising from the inward part of the country runneth downe apace through certaine leane and high grounds called thereupon Dertmore wherein of late were Lode stones found and carrieth downe with it certaine grit and sand out of the Tin-mines which by little and little choke up the channell through the Forrest of Dortmore where David of Sciredun held lands in Sciredun and Siplegh by this tenure or service to find two arrowes when the King his soveraigne Lord should come to hunt in that Forrest From thence by Dertinton a Baronie sometimes of the Martins who were Lords of Keimes in Wales it holdeth in his streame unto Totnes Which being an ancient little Towne standing pendant upon the fall of an hill
Reeds which the Britaines call Hesk wherewith Northerne nations and such are the Britaines thatched and covered their houses yea and fastened together as it were with soder the joynts of their ships But considering that there be no reeds heere found I am not hasty to give credit thereto This river hath his head and springeth first in a weely and barren ground named Exmore neere unto Severn sea a great part whereof is counted within Sommersetshire and wherein there are seene certaine monuments of anticke worke to wit Stones pitched in order some triangle wise others in a round circle and one among the rest with an Inscription in Saxon letters or Danish rather to direct those as it should seeme who were to travaile that way Now this Ex or Isc beginning his course first from thence Southward by Twifordton so called of two foords but commonly Teverton a Towne standing much upon clothing to the great gaine and credit thereof passeth forward through a faire country of good and fertile fields and is augmented with two especial rivelets Creden from the West and Columb from the East Upon Creden in the Primitive Church of the Saxons there flourished an Episcopall See in a Towne of the same name anciently called Cridiantun now by contraction Kirton where that Winifride or Boniface was borne who converted the Hessians Thuringers and Frisians of Germany unto Christ and for that was accounted the Apostle of Germany and canonized a Saint At this present it is of no great reckoning but for a small market and the Bishop of Exceter his house there but within our fathers remembrance of much greater name and request it was for a Colledge there of twelve Prebendaries who now are all vanished and gone The river Columb that commeth from the East passeth hard by Columbton a little Towne bearing his name which King Alfred by his Testament bequeathed to his younger sonne and neere unto Poltimore the seate of that worshipfull and right ancient family of Bampfield intermingleth it selfe with the waters of Ex. And now by this time Isc or Ex growing bigger and sporting himselfe as it were with spreading into many streames very commodious for mils hieth apace and commeth close to the Citie of Excester unto which he leaveth his name whereupon Alexander Necham writeth thus in his Poem of Divine sapience Exoniae fama celeberimus Iscianomen Praebuit To Excester Ex a River of fame First Iscia call'd impos'd the name This Citie Ptolomee calleth ISCA Antoninus ISCA DVNMONIORVM for DANMONIORVM others but falsely Augusta as if the second Legion Augusta had there beene resident Whereas wee shall shew hereafter that it kept station and residence in ISCA SILVRVM The English Saxons termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Monketon of the Monks at this day it is called Excester in Latine Exonia in British Caerisk Caeauth and Pencaer that is a head or principall Citie For Caer to tell you once for all with our Britans is as much to say as a Citie whereupon they use to name Jerusalem Caer Salem Lutetia or Paris Caer Paris Rome Caer Ruffaine Thus Carthage in the Punick tongue was called as Solinus witnesseth Cartheia that is the new Citie I have heard likewise that Caer in the Syriack tongue signified a Citie Now seeing that the Syrians as all men confesse peopled the whole world with their Colonies it may seeme probable that they left their tongue also to their posteritie as the mother of all future languages This Citie as saith William of Malmesbury albeit the soile adjoyning bee wet foule and wealie scarce able to bring forth hungry oates and many times emptie huskes without graine in them yet by reason of the statelinesse of the place the riches of the Inhabitants and frequent concourse of strangers all kind of traffique and commerce of merchants is there so fresh that a man can aske there for no necessary but hee may have it Scituate it is on the Eastward banke of the river Ex upon a little hill gently arising with an easie ascent to a pretty heighth the pendant whereof lieth East and West environed about with ditches and very strong walles having many turrets orderly interposed and containeth in circuit a mile and a halfe having suburbs running out a great way on each side In it there are xv Parish-Churches and in the very highest part thereof neere the East gate a Castle called Rugemont sometime the seat of the West Saxon Kings and afterwards of the Earles of Cornwall but at this day commended for nothing else but the antiquitie and scituation thereof For it commandeth the whole Citie and territorie about it and hath a very pleasant prospect into the sea In the East quarter of the City is to be seen the Cathedrall Church in the midst of many faire houses round about it founded as the private history of the place witnesseth by King Athelstan in the honour of Saint Peter and replenished with Monks which Church at length Edward the Confessor after he had remooved some of the Monks from thence to Westminster and translated thither the Bishops Sees of Cornwall and Kirton adorned with Episcopall Dignitie and made Leofrike the Britan first Bishop there whose Successours augmented the Church both with Edifices and also with revenues and William Bruier the ninth Bishop after him when the Monks were displaced brought in a Deane and twentie and foure Prebendaries In which age flourished Joseph Iscanus borne heere and from hence taking his surname a Poet of most excellent wit whose writings were so well approved as that they had equall commendation with the works of ancient Poets For his Poem of the Trojan war was divulged once or twice in Germanie under the name of Cornelius Nepos When this Citie Isca came under the Roman Jurisdiction it appeareth not for certaine For so farre off am I from thinking that Vespasian wonne it as Geffrey of Monmouth affirmeth what time as he warring in Britaine under Claudius the Emperour was shewed by the Destinies unto the world that I thinke it was then scarcely built Yet in the time of the Antonines it may seeme to have beene well knowne for hither and no farther this way did Antonine specifie any place in his way-faring book It came not fully to the English-Saxons hands before the 465. yeare after their entrance into Britain For at that time Athelstane expelled the Britans quite out of the Citie who before had inhabited it in equall right with the Saxons yea and drave them beyond Tamar and then fortified the Citie round about with a rampire and wall of fouresquare stone and other bulwarks for defence Since which time many benefits by the Kings have beene bestowed upon it and among the rest as we read in William the Conquerours booke This Citie paide no tribute but when London Yorke and Winchester paide and that was halfe a marke of silver for a souldiers service And when there was
over-head right daintily which William Knight the Bishop and Wolman the Deane founded for the use of people resorting thither to the Market Thus much of the East-part of the towne In the West-side thereof I have seene the parish Church of Saint Cuthberts next unto which standeth an Hospitall founded by Nicolas Burwith Bishop for foure and twentie poore people Out of those Mendip or Mine-hils springeth the River Frome which running East-ward by Cole-pits before it hath held on a long course that way turneth North-ward and serveth in stead of a bound confining this shire and Gloceste-shire and passeth hard under Farley a Castle not long since of the Lord Hungerfords scituate upon a Rocke where Humfrey Bohun built sometime a Monkerie not farre from Philips Norton a greate Market-towne which tooke the name of a Church consecrate to Saint Philip. Lower than it Selwood whereof I spake erewhile spreadeth long and large a wood standing well and thicke of trees whereof the country round about adjoyning was named as Ethelward mine Author writeth Selwoodshire and a towne steepely seated thereby is yet called Frome Selwood which gaineth very much by the trade of cloathing From which Westward not full two miles there sheweth it selfe a Castle little though it be yet fine and trim consisting of foure round Turrets which being built by the Delamares and named thereupon Monney de la Mare from them came by way of inheritance to the Powlets And not farre from thence is Witham where King Henry the Third erected a Nunnerie which afterward was the first house and as it were mother to the Carthusians or Charter-house Monks in England as Hinton not far off neere Farley Castle was the second And now by this time Frome grown bigger by some rivelets issuing out of this wood joyneth with the noble river Avon which holding on a crooked course runneth anone to that ancient Citie which of the hote Bathes Ptolomee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Hote waters Antoninus AQVAE SOLIS that is The waters of the Sunne the Britaines Yr ennaint Twymin and Caer Badon the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the concourse thither of diseased people Akmanchester that is The Citie of sickely folke Stephanus nameth it Badiza we at this day Bath and the Latinists commonly Bathonia Seated it is low in a plaine and the same not great environed round about with hills almost all of one height out of which certaine rilles of fresh river waters continually descend into the Citie to the great commoditie of the Citizens Within the Citie it selfe there bubble boile up three springs of hote water of a blewish or sea-colour sending up from them thin vapours and a kind of a strong sent withall by reason that the water is drilled and strained through veines of Brimstone and a clammy kind of earth called Bitumen Which springs are very medicinable and of great vertue to cure bodies over-charged and benummed as it were with corrupt humours For by their heat they procure sweat and subdue the rebellious stubbornnesse of the said humors Yet are not they wholesome at all houres For from eight of the clocke in the forenoone unto three after noone they are in manner skalding hote and doe worke and being thus troubled cast up from the bottome certaine filth during which time they are shut neither may any body goe into them untill by their sluces they clense themselves and rid away that filthinesse Of these three The Crosse Bath so called of a crosse standing upright in old time in the midst of it is of a very mild and temperate warmth and hath twelve seates of stone about the brinke or border thereof and is enclosed within a wall The second distant from this not fully 200. foot is much hotter whereupon it is termed Hote Bathe Adjoyning to these is a Spittle or Lazar house built by Reginald Bishop of Bath for the reliefe of poore diseased persons And those two are in the midst of a Street on the West-side of the Citie The third which is the greatest and after a sort in the very bosome and heart of the Citie is called the Kings Bath neere unto the Cathedrall Church walled also round about and fitted with 32. seates of arched worke wherein men and women may sit apart who when they enter in put upon their bodies linnen garments and have their guides Where the said Cathedrall Church now standeth there was in ancient time as the report goeth a Temple consecrated to Minerva Certes Solinus Polyhistor speaking no doubt of these hote Bathes saith thus In Britaine there are hot springs very daintily adorned and kept for mens use the patronesse of which fountaines is the Goddesse Minerva in whose Temple the perpetuall fire never turneth ashes and dead coales but when the fire beginneth to die it turnes into round masses of stone Howbeit Athenaeus writeth that all hote Bathes which naturally breake out of the bowels of the earth are sacred to Hercules And in very deede there is to bee seene in the walles of this Citie an ancient Image such as it is of Hercules grasping in his hand a Snake among other old monuments by the injurie of time now altogether defaced But that we may not contend about this matter let us grant if it be so thought good that Bathes were consecrated to Hercules and Minerva joyntly For the Greekes doe write that Pallas first ministred water unto Hercules for to bath him after he had atchieved his labours For my purpose it shall suffice if I be able to prove by the authoritie of Solinus who writeth that Pallas was the Patronesse of these Bathes this Citie to be the same which the Britans in their tongue called Caer Palladdur that is The Citie of Pallas-water or Vrbs Palladiae Aquae if a man turne it into Latine For the matter the name and signification doe most fitly agree The finding out of these Bathes our Fables attribute to the King of Britans Bleyden Cloyth that is Bleyden the Magician but with what probabilitie that I leave to others Plinie indeed affirmeth that the Britans in old time used the practice of magick with so great ceremonies that it seemed they taught it the Persians yet dare I not ascribe these Bathes to any art magicall Some of our writers when their minds were busied in other matters report Iulius Caesar to have beene the first finder of them But my opinion is that later it was ere the Romans had knowledge of them seeing Solinus is the first that hath made mention of them The English-Saxons about the 44. yeare after their comming into Britaine when they had broken league and covenant and kindled againe the coales of war which had already beene quenched besieged this Citie But when the warlike Arthur came upon them they tooke the hill named Mons Badâ—nicus where when couragiously a long while they had fought it out to the uttermost a great number of them
South gates Ophiuchus enwrapped with a serpent two mens heads with curled haire within the cope of the wall a hare running and annexed thereto upon a stone in letters standing overthwart VLIA ILIA A naked man laying hand as it were upon a souldier within the battlement also of the wall two lying along kissing and clipping one another a footeman with a sword brandishing and bearing out his shield a footeman with a speare and upon a stone with letters standing overthwart III. VSA. IS VXSC. And Medusaes head with haires all Snakes Along the said river of Avon which now is heere the bound between this shire and Glocestershire upon the banke Westward we have a sight of Cainsham so name of one Keina a most devout and holy British virgine who as the credulous age before-time perswaded many transformed serpents into stones because there be found there in Stone quarries such strange workes of nature when she is disposed to disport herselfe For I have seene a stone brought from hence resembling a serpent winding round in manner of a wreath the head whereof being somewhat unperfect bare up in the Circumference thereof and the end of the taile tooke up the centre within But most of these are headlesse In the fields neere adjoyning and other places beside is found Percepier an hearbe peculiar unto England Bitter it is in taste and hath a biting sharpenesse withall it never groweth above a span high and commeth up all the yeare long of it selfe small leavy flowers of a greenish hew it beares without any stalke at all Which herbe mightily and speedily provoketh urine and of it the distilled water serveth for great use as P. Paena in his Animadversions or Commentaries of Plants hath noted Scarce five miles from this place the river Avon passeth through the midst of Bristow in Welch-British Caer oder Nant Badon that is The Citie Oder in the Vale of Badon In the Catalogue of ancient Cities Caer Brito In Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A bright or shining place But such as have called it Venta Belgarum have deceived both themselves and others This Citie standing partly in Somerset and partly in Glocester-shires is not to be reputed belonging either to this or that having Magistrates of the owne by it selfe and being of it selfe entire and a County incorporate Scituate it is somewhat high betweene Avon and the little river Frome sufficiently defended with rivers and fortifications together For environed it was sometime with a double wall So faire to behold by reason of buildings as well publike as private that it is fully correspondent to the name of Bright stow With common Sewes or Sinks they call them Goutes so made to run under the ground for the conveiance and washing away of all filth that for cleanlinesse and holesomnesse a man would not desire more whereupon there is no use heere of carts so well furnished with all things necessarie for a mans life so populous and well inhabited withall that next after London and Yorke it may of all Cities in England justly challenge the chiefe place For the mutuall entercourse of trafficke and the commodious haven which admitteth in ships under saile into the very bosome of the Citie hath drawne people of many countries thither For the Avon so often as the Moone declineth downeward from the meridian point and passeth by the opposite line unto it so swelleth with the tide from the Ocean that it raiseth up the ships there riding and lying in the oze 11. or 12. elles afloat in water And the Citizens themselves are rich Merchants and trafficke all over Europe yea and make Voyages at sea so farre as into the most remote parts of America But when and by whom it was built it is hard to say Old it seemeth not to be for as much as in all those spoiles and sackages that the Danes made there is no mention of it in our Historians And verily mine opinion is that it first grew up to some name when the English-Saxons Empire was much declining seeing that it is no where named before the yeare of our Lord 1063 when Harold as Florentinus of Worcester writeth embarqued himselfe and his armie and put to sea from Bristow to Wales In the first yeares of the Normans Berton a mannor adjoyning And Bristow paid unto the King as we find in the booke of Domesday 110. markes of silver and the Burgers said that Bishop G. hath 33. markes and one marke of Gold After this Robert Bishop of Constance that plotted seditious practises against King William Rufus chose it for the seate-towne of the whole warre fortified it being then but a small Citie with that inner wall as I take it which at this day is in part standing But a few yeares after the circuit thereof was every way enlarged For on the South Radcliffe wherein there stood some small houses under the Citie side is by a stone bridge with houses on each hand built upon it more like a streete than a bridge joyned to the Citie enclosed within a wall and the Inhabitants thereof enfranchised Citizens yea hospitals in every quarter thereof for the benefit of poore people and faire Parish-Churches to the glorie of God were erected The most beautifull of all which by farre is S. Maries of Radcliffe without the walles into which there is a stately ascent upon many staires so large withall so finely and curiously wrought with an arched roofe over head of stone artificially embowed a steeple also of an exceeding height that all the Parish-Churches in England which hetherto I have seene in my judgement it surpasseth many degrees In it William Cannings the founder hath two faire monuments upon the one lieth his image portraied in an Aldermans roabe For five times he had beene Major of this Citie upon the other his image likewise in sacerdotall habite for that in this old age hee tooke the orders of priesthood and was Deane of that colledge which himselfe instituted at Westburie There is hard by another Church also which they call the Temple the lanterne or tower whereof when the bell rings shaketh to and fro so as it hath cloven and divided it selfe from the rest of the building and made such a chinke from the bottome to the top as it gapeth the bredth of three fingers and both shutteth and openeth whensoever the bell is rung And heere I must not overpasse in silence S. Stephens Church the tower steeple whereof being of a mightie heighth one Shipward alias Barstable a Citizen and Merchant within the memorie of our grandfathers right sumptuously and artificially built From the East-side also the North augmented it was with a number of edifices enclosed within a wall and fenced with the river Frome which having runne by the wall side gently falleth into the Avon and yieldeth a dainty harbour for ships with a wharfe convenient for the shipping and unlading of Merchandise in and out they call it the Kay
Under which betweene the confluences of Avon and Frome there is a plaine beset round about with trees yielding a most pleasant walking place South-east where no rivers are to guard it Robert the base sonne of King Henry the First whom they commonly name Robert Rufus and Consull of Glocester because he was Earle of Glocester built a large and strong Castle for the defence of this Citie and of a pious and devout affection appointed every tenth stone to the building of a Chappell neere unto the Priory of S. Iames which he likewise founded by the Citie side This Robert had to wife Mabile the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon who held this towne by vassalage in Capite of King William Conquerour This Castle was scarcely built when King Stephen besieged it but with lost labour for he was compelled to raise his siege and depart and a few yeares after was imprisoned in the same giving thereby a testimony and proofe how uncertaine the chance of war is Beyond the river Frome which hath a bridge over it at Frome-gate there riseth an high hill with a steepe and crooked ascent so as it is painefull to goe up unto it From whence ye have a most faire and goodly prospect to the Citie and haven underneath This hill in the very top and pitch thereof spreadeth presently into a large greene and even plaine which in the midst is shadowed with a double row and course of trees and among them stands a pulpit of Stone and a Chapell wherein by report lieth enterred Iordan the companion of Augustine the Englishmens Apostle Now it is converted to a Schoole and on both sides to say nothing of the neate and fine houses of private men beautified it is with publike and stately buildings Of the one side was a Collegiat Church called Gaunts of the founder one Henry Gaunt Knight who relinquishing the world in this place betooke himselfe to the service of God but now through the bounty of Thomas Carr a wealthy Citizen converted to the keeping of Orphans on the other side directly over against it stand two Churches dedicated to S. Augustine the one which is the lesse a Parish-Church the other that is greater the Bishops Cathedrall Church endowed with sixe Prebendaries by King Henrie the Eighth the greatest part whereof is now destroied where the Colledge-gate workemanly built carrieth in the front this Inscription REX HENRICVS II. ET DOMINVS ROBERTVS FILIVS HARDINGI FILII REGIS DACIAE HVIVS MONASTERII PRIMI FVNDATORES EXTITERVNT That is King Henry the Second and Lord Robert the sonne of Harding the King of Denmarks sonne were the first founders of of this Monasterie This Robert called by the Normans Fitz-Harding descended of the bloud royall of Denmarke was an Alderman of Bristow of King Henry the Second so entirely beloved that by his meanes Maurice his sonne married the daughter of the Lord of Barkley Whereby his posteritie who flourished in great honor are unto this day called Barons of Barkley and some of them have beene buried in this Church From hence as Avon holdeth on his course there are on each side very high cliffes by nature set there as it were of purpose the one of them which on the East-side overlooketh the river beareth the name of S. Vincents rocke so full of Diamonds that a man may fill whole strikes or bushels of them These are not so much set by because they be so plentious For in bright and transparent colour they match the Indian Diamonds if they passe them not in hardnesse onely they are inferior to them but in that nature her self hath framed them pointed with sixe cornerd or foure cornerd smooth sides I thinke them therefore worthy to be had in greater admiration The other rock also on the West-side is likewise full of Diamonds which by the wonderfull skill and worke of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints for here is the earth of a red colour When Avon hath left these rocks behind him with full channell at length he disengorgeth himselfe into the Severn-sea Then remaineth now to reckon up the Earles and Dukes of this County The first Earle of Somerset by tradition was William de Mâ—hun or Moion who may seeme to be the very same whom Maude the Empresse in a charter whereby she created William de Mandevill Earle of Essex taketh as a witnesse under this name Comes W. de Moion Neither from that time meete we with any expresse and apparent mention of Earles of Somerset unlesse it be in these letters Patents of King Henrie the Third unto Peter de Mawley which that I may draw out the judgement of others I will heere set downe literally Know yee that we have received the homage of our well beloved Vncle William Earle of Sarisbury for all the lands that he holdeth of us principally for the County or Earledom of Somerset which we have given unto him with all appurtenances for his homage and service saving the royaltie to our selves and therefore we will command you that ye see he have full sesine of the foresaid Earledome and all the appurtinances therto and that ye entermeddle not in any thing from henceforth as touching the County or Earledome aforesaid c. And commandement is given to all Earles Barons Knights and Freeholders of the County of Somerset that unto the same Earle they doe fealtie and homage saving their faith and allegiance unto their soveraigne Lord the King and that from henceforth they be intentive and answerable unto him as their Lord. Whether by these words in the Patent he was Earle of Somerset as also of Denshire for of the same William he wrote likewise in the very same words unto Robert de Courtney I leave for other men to judge Under this King Henry the third as wee finde in a booke written in French which pertaineth to the house of the Mohuns Knights it is recorded that Pope Innocentius in a solemne feast ordained Reginald Mohun Earle de Ests that is as the Author doth interpret it Of Somerset by delivering unto him a golden consecrated rose and an yearely pension to be paied upon the high Altar of S. Pauls in London So that this Reginald may seeme to have beene not properly an Earle but an Apostolicall Earle For so were they termed in those daies who had their creation from the Bishop of Rome like as they were called Earles Imperiall whom the Emperor invested and such had power to institute Notaries and Scribes to legitimate such as were base borne c. under certaine conditions A long time after Iohn de Beaufort the base sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Katherine Swineford being made legitimate by King Richard the Second together with his brethren and sister with consent of the Parliament was preferred to the honor of Earle of Somerset and afterwards created Marquesse Dorset but soone after
them have very goodly houses also adjoyning to the Church and all these buildings stand within the close wall severed from the Citie As the Bishop was busied about erecting of Gods house the Citizens likewise for their parts did their best to found the Citie they established their civill government derived rilles and servers of waters into every street and cast a deepe ditch all along that side on which it is not fenced with the running river having obtained licence of Simon the Bishop thus to strengthen and fortifie the same And in such sort grew up this new Salisburie by little an little out of the ruines of old Sorbiodunum that so soone as they by the Kings warrant had turned hither the high-way that leadeth into the West parts it became the second Citie in all this tract passing well inhabited and frequented plentifull of all things especially of fish adorned with a very stately market place wherein standeth their common Hall of timber worke a very beautifull edifice But nothing is there whereof it may so much boast as of Iohn Iowell not long since Bishop there a wonderfull great and deepe Divine a most stout and earnest maintainer of our reformed religion against the adversaries by his learned books Old Sorbiodunum from thence forward decaied more and more and in the raigne of King Henrie the Seventh became utterly desolate so as at this day there remaineth onely a towre or two of the Castle which notwithstanding a long time after the departure of the townesmen from thence was the dwelling house of the Earles of Salisburie and about which in King Edward the Thirds time there arose a memorable controversie and suite For Robert Bishop of Salisburie stirred Milliam Mont acute Earle of Salisburie by vertue of a processe which our Lawyers terme Breve de Recto that is A writ of right for this Castle and hee made answer that hee would defend his right by combat Whereupon at a day appointed the Bishop â—rought forth his champion to the railes or bars of the Lists clâ—d in a white garment reaching downe to his mid-leg upon which he had a mandilian or cassocke garnished with the Bishops Armes at whose heeles followed a Knight carrying a staffe and a page with a shield Immediately after the Earle brought in by the hand his owne champion also arraied in the like apparell accompanied with two Knights bearing white staves Now when these Champions were to enter the Lists commanded they were to withdraw themselves aside that their weapons of both parts might be viewed and they searched whether they had any Amulers or Enchantments about them But all on a suddaine unlooked for came the Kings precept to reprive and defer the matter to a further day that the King might loose thereby none of his right Meane while they grew to this composition That the Earle for the summe of 2500. markes paied and received should yield up all his title and interest in the Castle to the Bishop and his successors for ever This Salisburie had long agoe Earles of that name whose pedigree I will derive somewhat farther off and more truly out of the short reports of Lacock Historie William Conqueror of his bounty liberalitie assigned unto Gualter de Evereaux Earle of Rosmar in Normandie faire lands and large possessions in this shire which he left unto Edward named de Sarisburia a younger sonne borne in England like as to Walter his eldest sonne other lands in Normandie with the Title of Earle of Rosmar whose issue within a while after was extinct That Edward of Sarisburie aforesaid flourished in the twentieth yeere of the Conquerours reigne and is often times barely named in the Indiciarie booke of England without the title of Earle His sonne Walter built a a little monasterie at Bradenstocke and there in his old age tooke him to the habit of a Canon or Regular priest after he had first begotten his sonne Patricke the first Earle of Salisburie upon Sibil de Cadurcis This Patricke I say the first Earle in his returne from his pilgrimage at S. Iames of compostella in Spain in the yeere of our Lord 1169. being slaine by one Guy of Lusigniam left William his sonne to succeede who died in King Richard the first his time His onely daughter Ela through the favour of the said King Richard was married to William Long Espee surnamed so of a long sword that he did usually weare a base sonne of King Henrie the second and her marriage honoured him with the title of Earle and her owne coat of Armes be Azur adorned with sixe Lions Ceux This William had a sonne named likewise William Long-Espee against whom King Henrie the Third conceiving great displeasure for that without licence obtained he was gone to serve in the holy land taking the crosse as they termed it upon him took from him both the title of Earle and also the Castle of Salisburie But he holding still his purpose went into Egypt with S. Lewis King of France and neere unto Damiata which the Christians had wonne carrying a brave and valorous minde fighting manfully among the thickkest troops of his enemies died an honorable and glorious death a little before that holy King was unfortunately taken prisoner His sonne named likewise William lived without the title of Earle and begat one onely daughter Margaret who neverthelesse being reputed Countresse of Salisburie became the wife of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincoln unto whom she bare one only daughter Alice wedded to Thomas Earle of Lancaster Who being attainted King Edward the Second seized upon those possessions which she had granted and demised unto her husband out of which King Edward the Third gave way unto Willam Mont-acute Trowbridg Winterbourn Ambresburie and other Lordships in these words So fully and wholly as the Progenitours of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury at any time held the same And even then hee preferred the said William Mont-acute to be Earle of Salisburie and by the cincture of a sword invested him in the said Earledome This William became Lord of the Isle of Mann and begat two sonnes William who succeeded in his Fathers honour and died without issue having unhappily slaine his onely sonne while he trained him at Tilting and Iohn a Knight who died before his brother leaving behind him a sonne named Iohn Earle of Salisburie whom hee had by Margaret daughter and heire of Thomas de Mont-Hermer who being of an unconstant and changeable nature and plotting the destruction of King Henrie the Fourth was in the yeare of our Lord 1400. killed at Chichester and attainted afterwards of high treason Howbeit his sonne Thomas was fully restored a man worthy to be ranged with the bravest Captaines and Commanders whether you respect paines taking in his affaires industrie in action or expedition in dispatch who lying at the siege before Orleance in France was with a bullet levelled out of a great piece of Ordnance wounded in the yeare 1428. and thereof died
other publique huntings among the Romans For as the same Strabo writeth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of a generous kind and framed naturally for hunting Whereupon Nemesianus wrote thus divisa Britannia mittit Veloces nostrique orbis venatibus aptos Though Britaine from this world of ours doth lie secluded farre Swift hounds it sends which for our game most fitly framed are Gratius also of their price and excellencie saith thus Quod freta si Morinûm dubiâ— refluentia ponto Veneris atque ipsos libeat penetrare Britannos O quanta est merces quantum impendia supra If that to Calice-streights you goe Where tides uncertaine ebbe and flow And list to venture further more Crossing the seas to British shore What meede would come to quite your paines What overdeale beside of gaines Yea and that very dog with us which of the old name Agasaeus we call yet at this day a Gasehound those ancient Greekes both knew and also had in great price And this will Oppian in his first booke of his Cynegeticks tell you in these Greeke verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Bodine turned into Latine thes Est etiam catuli species indagine clara Corpus huic breve magnifico sed corpore digna Picta Britannorum gens illos effera bello Nutrit Agasaeosque vocat vilissima forma Corporis ut credas parasitos esse latrantes And may be Englished in this wise Stout hounds there are and those of finders kind Of bodie small but doughtie for their deed The painted folke fierce Britans as we find Them Gasehounds call for they with them doe breed In making like house dogs or at a word To lickerous curs that craven at our bord Claudian also touching our Mastives writeth in this sort Magnaque taurorum fracturi colla Britanni And British mastives downe that puls Or breake the necks of sturdy bulls I have too far digressed about dogges yet hope a favourable pardon In this Citie as our owne Historiographers doe report in the time of the Romans was that Constans the Monke who by his father Constantine was first elect Caesar and afterwards Augustus that Constantine I say who upon hope of this name had assumed the Imperiall purple roabe that is usurped the Empire against Honorius For long since as Zosinus recordeth speaking of those times as well in villages as in Cities there were great colledges peopled as it were with Monks who before time â—â—ying the light lived scattering heere and there among mountaines woods and forrests all solitary by themselues whereof also they were so called Now of this Colledge wherein the said Constans was those old broken walles which are seene of that thicknesse and strength at the West-gate of the Cathedrall Church may seeme to be the ruines and reliques But this imperiall Monke taken out from hence suffered soone after condigne punishment both for his fathers ambition and also for the contempt of his professed religion During the Heptarchie of the Saxons this Citie albeit once or twice it suffered much calamity and miserie yet it revived and recovered againe yea and became the seat royall of the West-Saxons Kings adorned with magnificent Churches and a Bishops See furnished likewise with six mint houses by King Aethelstane In the Normans time also it flourished very much and in it was erected an office for keeping of all publike records and evidences of the Realme In which prosperous estate it continued a long time but that once or twice it was defaced by misfortune of suddaine fires and in the civill war betweene Stephen and Maude about the Kingdome of England lacked by the unruly and insolent souldiers Whereupon Necham our countriman who lived in that age writeth thus Guintoniam titulis claram gazisque repletam Noverunt veterum tempora prisca patrum Sed tam sacra fames auri jam caecus habendi Vrbibus egregiis parcere nescit amor Our ancestours knew Winchester sometimes a goodly Towne In treasure rich and plentifull in name of great renowne But now for hunger after gold our men so greedy are That even such Cities excellent they know not how to spare But of these losses it recovered it selfe by the helpe of Edward the third who heere appointed the Mart for wooll and cloth which we commonly call the Staple What was the face and outward shew of this Citie in these foregoing times a man can hardly tell considering that as the said Necham writeth Flammis toties gens aliena dedit Hinc facies urbis toties mutata dolorem Praetendit casus nuntia vera sui So many times a nation strange Hath fir'd this towne and made such change That now her face and outward hue Her griefe bewray's and tels full true In these daies of ours it is indifferently well peopled and frequented having water plentie by reason of the River turned and conveighed divers waies into it lying somewhat in length from East to West and containeth about a mile and a halfe in circuit within the walls which open at sixe gates and have every one of them their suburbs reaching forth without a good way On the South side of the West gate there mounteth up an old Castle which oftentimes hath beene besieged but most sore and straightly above the rest what time as Mawd the Empresse held it against King Stephen and at length by a rumour given out that she was dead and causing her selfe to be caried out in a coffin like a course deceived the enemie As concerning that round table there hanging up against the wall which the common sort useth to gaze upon with great admiration as if it had beene King Arthurs table I have nothing to say but this That as a man which vieweth it well may easily perceive it is nothing so ancient as King Arthur For in latter times when for the exercise of armes and feates of warlike prowesse those runnings at tilt and martiall justlings or torneaments were much practised they used such tables least any contention or offence for prioritie of place should through ambition arise among Nobles and Knights assembled together And this was a custome of great antiquitie as it may seeme For the ancient Gaules as Athenaeus writeth were wont to sit about round tables and their Esquires stood at their backes holding their shields About the midst of the citie but more inclining to the South Kenelwalch King of the West-Saxons after the subversion of that Colledge of Monkes which flourished in the Romans time as William of Malmesburie saith First founded to the glory of God the fairest Church that was in those daies in which very place the posteritie afterwards in building of a Cathedrall seate for the Bishop although it were more stately than the first yet followed just in the very same steps In this See there have
The same Poet also in his Poem Parentalia preserved the memory of Flavius Sanctus another President or Governour of Rhutupiae concerning whom thus hee wrote Militiam nullo qui turbine sedulus egit Praeside laetatus quo Rhutupinus ager His martiall service who discharg'd with care without all stirre And Rutupin rejoyce in him who was their governour Ausonius likewise in a lamentable funerall verse setteth forth the praise of Claudius Contentus his Vncle who being overtaken with death left behind him unto strangers a mighty stock of money which hee had put out to usury among the Britaines and encreased by interest and was heere also enterred Et patruos Elegia meos reminiscere cantus Contentum tellus quem Rhutupina tegit My dolefull Muse now call to minde the songs of Vnkle mine Contentus who enterred lies within mould Rhutupine This Rhutupiae flourished also after the comming in of the English Saxons For writers record that it was the Royall Palace of Ethelbert King of Kent and Bede gave it the name of a City But ever since it beganne to decay neither is the name of it read in any place afterward as farre as I know but in Alfred of Beverley who hath put downe in writing that Alcher with a power of Kentish-men at this towne then called Richberge foiled and defeated the Danes encombered with the spoiles they had before gotten Now hath time razed out all the footings and tractes thereof and to teach us that Cities as well as men have their fatall periods it is a verie field at this daie wherein when the corne is come uppe a man may see the draughts of streetes crossing one another For wheresoever the streetes went there the corne is thinne which the common people terme Saint Augustins Crosse. And there remaine onely certaine walles of a Castle of rough flinte and long Britan brickes in forme of a quadrant and the same cemented with lime and a most stiffe binding sand mightily strengthened by tract of time so that the cement is as hard as the stone Over the entrie whereof is fixed a head of a personage engraven in stone some say it was Queene Berthas head but I take it to bee a Romane worke a man would deeme this to have beene the Citadell or keepe of the City it stands on such a height over-looking the low grounds in Tenet which the Ocean by little and little shrinking away hath now left Moreover the plot whereon the Citie stood being now plowed up doth oftentimes discover peeces of Romane coines as well gold as silver evident tokens of the antiquity thereof and a little beneath shee sheweth a daughter of hers which the English Saxons of sand called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee Sandwich This beeing one of the Cinque-ports as they terme them is on the North and West side fortified with walles and on other parts fenced with a rampier river and ditch The haven by reason of sand choaking it and a great shippe of burden belonging to Pope Paule the Fourth which was accidentallie sunke in the verie channell thereof is not deepe enough to beare any tall vessells In ancient times it sundrie times felt the furious forces of the Danes afterward King Canutus the Dane when hee had gained the Crowne of England bestowed it upon Christs-Church in Canterburie with the royaltie of the water on each side so farre forth as a shippe beeing a floate a man might cast a Danish hatchet out of the vessell to the banke In the Norman raigne it was reckoned one of the Cinque ports and to finde five shippes In the yeare 1217. Lewis of France of whom wee spake lately burned it King Edward the first for a time placed heere the staple and King Edward the Third by exchange reunited it to the Crowne About which time there flourished heere a familie surnamed De Sandwico which had matched with one of the heires of Creveâ—cur and Dauranches Lord of Folkesto and deserved well of this place In the time of King Henrie the Sixth it was burned by the French In our daies Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of the Exchequer native of this place built and endowed heere a free-schoole and the Netherlanders have bettered the towne by making and trading of Baies and other commodities Beneath Rhutupiae Ptolomee placeth the Promontorie CANTIVM as the utmost cape of this Angle which in some copies is corruptly written NVCANTIVM and ACANTIVM Diodorus as corruptly calleth it CARION and we at this day the Foreland of Kent Now all these shores on every side are of this Rhutupiae by the Poets termed Rhutupina littora Hence it is that Iuvenall satyrically inveighing against Curtius Montanus a dainty and delicious glutton speaking of oysters carried from this shore to Rome hath these verses nulli major fuit usus edendi Tempestate meâ Circaeis nata forent an Lucrinum ad saxum Rhutupinòve aedita fundo Ostrea callebat primo deprendere morsu None in my time had more use of his tooth Whence oisters came where they were bred full well He knew at Circeie cape at Lucrine rock forsooth Or Rhutup coast at first bit he could tell And Lucan the Poet. Aut vaga cùm Thetis Rhutupináque littora fervent Or when unconstant waving sea and British shores doe rage From this fore-land aforesaid the shore runneth on Southward for certaine miles together indented with a continued raunge of many hilles mounting up But when it is come as farre as Sandon that is to say the Downe of Sand and to Deale and Walmer three Neighbour Castles which King Henrie the Eighth within the remembrance of our Fathers built it setleth low and in a flat and open plaine lieth full against the sea At this Deale or Dole as Ninnius calleth it and that truely in mine opinion For our Britains at this day doe so terme a plaine lying low and open upon sea or river the constant report goes that Iulius Caesar did arrive and Ninnius avoucheth as much who in barbarous Latine wrote thus Caesar ad Dole bellum pugnavit that is At Dole Caesar fought a battaile A Table likewise set up in Dover Castle confirmeth the same yea and Caesar himselfe verifieth it who reporteth that he landed upon an open and plaine shore and that the Britaine 's welcommed and received him with a hote and dangerous encounter Whereupon our Countrey man Leland in his Swans song Iactat Dela novas celebris arces Notus Caesareis locus trophaeis Deale famed much vuants of new turrets hie A place well knowne by Caesars victorie For hee give mee leave I pray you to digresse awhile out of my course having as Pomponius Sabinus reporteth out of Seneca wonne all that was to bee gotten by sea and land cast his eie to the Ocean and as if the Romane world would not suffice him bethought him selfe upon another world and with a fleete of a thousand saile for so writeth Athenaeus out of
deliver up into his hands this Castle together with the well what time as he aspired to the Kingdome and after hee had settled his estate and affaires at London thought it good before all other things to fortifie this peece and to assigne faire lands in Kent unto Gentlemen to bee held in Castle-guard with this condition to be in readinesse with certaine numbers of men for defence of the same which service notwithstanding at this day is redeemed with a yearely paiment of money For when Sir Hubert de Burgh was Constable of this Castle to use the words of an old writer he weighed with himselfe that it was not safe for the Castle to have every moneth new warders for the Castle guard procured by the assent of the King and all that held of that Castle that every one should send for the ward of one moneth tenne shillings and that therewith certaine men elected and sworne as well horse as foote should be waged for to gard the Castle It is written that Phillip surnamed Augustus King of France when Lewis his sonne went about to gaine the Crowne of England had wonne certaine Cities and Forts and could not get this being manfully defended by the said Sir Hubert de Burgh said thus Verily my sonne hath not one foote of land in England untill he be Master of Dover Castle as beeing in very deed the strongest hold of all England and most commodious for the French Vpon the other cliffe which standeth over against it and beareth up his head in manner even with it are extant the remaines of a very ancient building One I know not upon what reason induced said it was Caesars Altar But Iohn Twin of Canterbury a learned old man who in his youth saw a great part thereof standing whole and entire assured me that it had beene a Watch-towre to give night light and direction to ships Like as there stood another opposite unto it at Bologne in France erected thereby the Romans and long after reedified by Charles the Great as Regino witnesseth in whom Phanum for Pharum is falsly read which at this day the French terme Tour de Order and the English The old man of Bullen Vnder this cliffe Henry the Eighth in our fathers daies with exceeding labour and 63000. pounds charges by pitching huge posts fast within the very sea and the same bound together with yron worke and heaping thereupon a deale of timber and stones brought up a mightie Pile which we call The Peere wherein the ships might more safely ride But the furious violence of the raging Ocean soone overcame the laudable endeavour of that puissant Prince and so the frame of this worke beaten continually upon with the waves became dis-joyned For the repaire whereof Queene Elizabeth laid out a great summe of money and the Authoritie of Parliament imposed upon every English ship that carry forth or bring in merchandise a certaine toll upon Tonneage for certaine yeares This Sea coast of Britaine is seperated from the Continent of Europe by a frete or streight where as some suppose the Seas brake in and made way betweene the lands Solinus calleth it Fretum Gallicum Tacitus and Ammianus Macellinus Fretum Oceani and Oceanum Fretalem Gratius the Poet Freta Morinum dubio refluentia ponto The narrow Seas on Bollen-coast that keepe uncertaine tides They of the Netherlands call it Dehofden of the two heads or promontories we the Narrow-sea and The strait of Calais as the Frenchmen Pas de Callais For this is the place as saith a Poet of our time gemini quà janua ponti Faucibus angustis latèque frementibus undis Gallorum Anglorumque vetat concurrere terras Where current of two seas In gullet streight wherein throughout their billowes rage and fret Keepes France and England so a part as though they never met The narrow sea as Marcellinus truly writeth swelleth at every tide with terrible high flouds and againe at the ebbe becommeth as flat as a plaine field if it be not raised with winds and counter seas betweene two risings of the moone it floweth twice and ebbeth as oft For as the Moone ascendeth toward the Meridian and is set againe under the Horizon in the just opposite point the Ocean heere swelleth mightily and the huge billowes rush upon the shores with so great a noise that the Poet might well say Rhutupináque littora fervent And Rhutup shore doth boile and billow and D. Paulinus where he speaketh of the County of Bulloigne which he termeth the utmost skirt of the world not without cause used these words Oceanum barbaris fluctibus frementem that is The Ocean raging and roaring with barbarous billowes Heere might arise a question beseeming a learned man that hath wit and time at will whether where this narrow sea runneth between France and Britaine now there was a narrow banke or necke of land that in times past conjoyned these regions and afterwards being broken either by the generall deluge or by rushing in of the waves or else by occasion of some earth-quake did let in the waters to make a through passage Verily as no man makes doubt that the face of the whole earth hath beene altered partly by the said deluge and partly by long continuance of time and other causes as also that Ilands by earthquakes or the shrinking back of waters were laid and joyned unto firme lands so most certainly it appeareth by authors of best credite that Ilands by reason of earthquakes and the breaking in of waters were severed disjoyned and rent from the Continent Whereupon Pythagoras in Ovid saith thus Vidi ego quod quondam fuerat solidissima tellus Esse fretum vidi factas ex aequore terras My selfe have seene maine ground sometime turned into sea and sand And seene I have againe the Sea became maine setled land Strabo gathering of things to come by those that are past concluded that such Isthmi neckes or narrow bankes of land both have beene and shall bee wrought and pierced through You see saith Seneca whole regions violently removed from their places and now to lie beyond the Sea which lay before bounding upon it and hard by You see there is separation made both of Countries and nations when as some part of nature is provoked of it selfe or when the mighty wind beateth strongly upon some sea the force whereof as in generall is wonderfull For although it rage but in part yet it is of the universall power that so it rageth Thus hath the sea rent Spaine from the Continent of Africke Thus by Deucalions floud so much spoken of by the greatest Poets was Sicilie out from Italy And hereupon Virgil wrote thus Haec loca vi quondam vasta convulsa ruinâ Tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetustas Dissiluisse ferunt cùm protinùs utraque tellus Vna foret venit medio vi pontus undis Hesperium Siculo latus abscidit arvaque urbes Littore diductas angusto interluit aestu
give my voice and accord with Ninnius who writeth That it tooke the name from Glovus the great grandfathers father of King Vortigern but that long before it Antonine had named it Glevum which both the Distance from Corinium and the name also may prove But as the Saxon name Gleavecester came from Glevum so Glevum proportionably from the British Caer Glow which I suppose sprong from the word Glow that in the British tongue signifieth Faire and Goodly so that Caer Glow may bee as much as to say a faire Citie In which signification also the Greekes had their Callipolis Callidromos Callistratia the English men their Brightstow and Shirley and in this very Countie Faireford Faire-ley c. This Citie was built by the Romans and set as it were upon the necke of the Silures to yoake them And there also was a Colonie planted to people it which they called COLONIA GLEVVM For I have seene a fragment of antique stone in the walles of Bath neere unto the North-gate with this Inscription DEC COLONIAE GLEV VIXIT ANN. LXXXVI It lieth stretched out in length over Severne on that side where it is not watered with the river it hath in some places a very strong wall for defence A proper and fine Citie I assure you it is both for number of Churches and for the buildings On the South part there was a lofty Castle of square Ashler stone which now for the most part is nothing but a ruine It was built in King William the first his time and sixteene houses there about as wee read in the booke of Englands Survey were plucked downe for the rearing of this Castle About which Roger the sonne of Miles Constable of Glocester went to law with King Henry the second and his brother Walter lost all the right and interest hee had in this City and Castle as Robert de Mont hath written Ceaulin King of the West Saxons was the first that about the yeare of our redemption 570. by force and armes wrested Glocester out of the Britans hands After this the Mercians won it under whom it flourished in great honour and Osricke King of Northumberland by permission of Etheldred the Mercian founded there a very great and stately Monastery for Nunnes over whom Kineburg Eadburg and Eve Queenes of the Mercians were Prioresses successively one after another Edelfled also that most noble Ladie of the Mercians adorned this City with a Church wherein shee her selfe was buried and not long after when the Danes had spoyled and wasted the whole countrey those sacred Virgins were throwne out and The Danes as Aethelward that ancient authour writeth with many a stroake pitched poore cottages into the citie of Glenvcester At which time when those more ancient Churches were subverted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke and Bishop of Worcester erected another for Monkes which is now the chiefe Church in the Citie and hath a Deane and sixe Prebendaries But the same in these late precedent ages was newly beautified For Iohn Hanley and Thomas Farley two Abbats added unto it the Chappel of the blessed Virgin Mary N. Morwent raised from the very foundation the forefront which is an excellent piece of worke G. Horton an Abbat adjoyned to it the crosse North-part Abbat Trowcester a most daintie and fine Cloister and Abbat Sebrok an exceeding high faire steeple As for the South side it was also repaired with the peoples offerings at the Sepulcher of the unhappy King Edward the second who lieth heere enterred under a monument of Alabaster and not farre from him another Prince as unfortunate as hee Robert Curt-hose the eldest sonne of King William the Conquerour Duke of Normandy within a woodden painted tombe in the midest of the quire who was bereft of the Kingdome of England for that he was borne before his father was King deprived of his two sonnes the one by strange death in the New-forrest the other dispoiled of the Earledome of Flanders his inheritance and slaine he himselfe dispossessed of the Dukedome of Normandie by his brother King Henry the first his eies plucked out and kept close prisoner 26. yeares with all contumelious indignities untill through extreame anguish hee ended his life Above the quire in an arch of this church there is a wall built in forme of a semicircle full of corners with such an artificiall device that if a man speake with never so low a voice at the one part thereof and another lay his eare to the other being a good way distant he may most easily heare every sillable In the reigne of William the Conquerour and before it may seeme that the chiefest trade of the Citizens was to make Iron For as we find in the Survey booke of England the King demanded in manner no other tribute than certaine Icres of Iron and Iron barres for the use of the Kings Navy and some few quarts of hony After the comming in of the Normans it suffered divers calamities by the hands of Edward King Henry the third his sonne whiles England was all on a smoake and cumbustion by the Barons warre it was spoiled and afterward by casualty of fire almost wholy consumed to ashes but now cherished with continuance of long peace it flourisheth againe as fresh as ever it was and by laying unto it two Hundreds it is made a County and called the County of the Citie of Glocester Also within the memory of our fathers King Henry the Eighth augmented the state thereof with an Episcopall See with which dignitie in old time it had beene highly endowed as Geffery of Monmouth avoucheth and I will not derogate ought from the credit of his assertion considering that among the Prelates of Britaine the Bishop Cluviensis is reckoned which name derived from Clevum or Glow doth after a sort confirme and strengthen my coniecture that this is that Glevum whereof Antonine maketh mention Severne having now left Glocester behind it and gathered his waters unto one streame againe windeth it selfe by Elmore a Mansion house of the Gises ancient by their owne lineall descent being in elder times owners of Apsely-Gise neere Brickhill and from the Beauchamps of Holt who acknowledge Huber de Burgo Earle of Kent whom I lately mentioned beneficious to them and testifie the same by their Armories Lower upon the same side Stroud a pretty river slideth into Severne out of Coteswold by Stroud a Mercat towne sometimes better peopled with Clothiers and not farre from Minching-Hampton which anciently had a Nunnery or belonged to Nunnes whom our ancestors named Minchings Now Severn waxing broader and deeper by reason of the alternative flowing and ebbing of the sea riseth and swelleth in manner of a rough and troublous sea indeed and so with many windings and turnings in and out speedeth him unto the Ocean But nothing offereth it selfe unto his sight to count of as hee passeth along but Cam-bridge a little country towne where it receiveth Cam a small
the neighbour Inhabitants in small or no stead untill being brought of late unto his ancient Chanell it is become more commodious for the carriages of all commodities c. Lea is not gone forward farre from Ware when he entertaineth a Riveret named Stort from the East which first runneth downe out of Essex by Bishops Stortford a small Towne fensed sometime with a little Castle set upon a mount cast up of purpose within a prety Island which Castle King William the Conquerour gave unto the Bishops of London and of those Bishops it came to be so called but King John for hatred to Bishop William overthrew it From thence it maketh his way by Sabridgworth a parcell of the Honor of Earle William Mandevile and sometime the possession of Geffrey Say neere Shingle-hall honested by the Owners the Leventhorpes of ancient Gentry So on not farre from Honsdon forfeited by Sir William Oldhall to the Crowne in the time of King Henry the Sixth which gave a Title of Baron Hunsdon to Sir Henry Cary through the favour of Queene Elizabeth unto whom he was Lord Chamberlaine as who verily besides his descent from the royall Family of the Dukes of Somerset was by his mother Mary Bolen cozen german to the said Queene Lea having thus admitted into him this Riveret hasteneth now with a merry glee to the Tamis under Hodesdon a faire through Faire to which H. Bourchier Earle of Essex having a faire house at Base thereby while it stood procured a Mercat and then as it were in gratulatory wise saluteth Theobalds commonly called Tibaulds which our Nestor of Britaine the right honourable Baron Burghley late Lord high Treasurer of England built an house if we respect the workmanship none more faire and elegant if the gardens Orchards and walkes bedight with Groves none more pleasant unto whom especially this River willingly acknowledgeth it selfe beholden for the recovery againe of his ancient Chanell But returne we now to places more within the Country and of greater antiquity From Hertford twelve miles Westward stood VEROLAMIUM a City in times past very much renowned and as greatly frequented Tacitus calleth it VERULAMIUM Ptolomee UROLANIUM and VEROLAMIUM well knowne this is in these dayes neere unto Saint Albans in Caisho Hundred which the CASSII of whom Caesar maketh mention in all probability held and inhabited The Saxons named it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the famous High-way Watlingstreet and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither hath it as yet lost that ancient name for commonly they call it Verulam although there remaineth nothing of it to bee seene beside the few remaines of ruined walles the checkered pavements and peeces of Roman Coine other whiles digged up there It was situate upon the gentle descent or side of an hill Eastward fenced about with passing strong wals a double Rampire and deepe Trenches toward the South and Eastward watered with a Brooke which in old time made a great Meere or standing Poole Whereby it was guessed that this was the very same towne of Cassibelaunus fortified with woods and marishes which Caesar wan For there was not to be seene any other Poole or Meere in this Tract to my knowledge In Nero his time it was counted a MUNICIPIUM whence it is that in Ninius his Catalogue of Cities it is named Caer-Municip So that probable it is that this was the very same CAER MUNICIPIUM which Hubert Golizius found in an old Inscription These Municipia were Townes endowed with the right of Romane Citizens and this name came A Muneribus capiendis that is of publique Offices and charges in the Common-wealth and they had for their States and Degrees * Decurions that is Gentlemen and Commons for their publique Councell a Senate and People For their Magistrates and Priests Duum-virj Trium-virj to sit in judgement and minister justice CENSORS AEDILES Quaestors and Flamins But whether this Municipium or towne enfranchised were with suffrages or without a man cannot easily affirme A Municip with suffrages they tearmed that which was capable of honourable Offices like as that other they called without suffrage which was not capable In the Raigne of the same Nero when Bunduica or Boadicia Queene of the Icenes in her deepe love of her Country and conceived bitter hatred against the Romanes raised bloudy and mortall Warre upon them it was rased and destroied by the Britans as Tacitus recordeth Hence it is that Suetonius wrote thus To these mischiefes so great proceeding from the Prince there happened to mend the matter a grievous losse in Britaine wherein two principall Towres of great importance with much slaughter of Romane Citizens and Allies were put to the sacke and spoiled Neverthelesse it flourished againe and became exceeding famous and passing well frequented yea and I have seene old Antiquities of money stamped as it seemeth heere with this inscription TASCIA and on the reverse VER Which that learned searcher of venerable antiquity David Powell Doctour in Divinity interpreteth to be The Tribute of Verulamium For Tasc as he teacheth me in the British or Welsh tongue soundeth as much as Tribute Tascia A Tribute Penny and Tascyd the chiefe Collector of Tribute But loe heere is the very peece of money portraied for you to see which heeretofore also I have exhibited Some would have this money to bee coined before the comming in of the Romans but I beleeve them not For I have alwaies thought them to bee Tribute money which being imposed upon the poll and the lands were yeerely exacted and gathered by the Romans as I have said before For before that the Romans came I can scarce beleeve the Britans coined or stamped any money Yet I remember what Caesar writeth of them And they use saith he brasse money or rings of iron weighed to a certaine poise Where the ancient bookes have Lanceis Ferreis for which the Criticks put in Laminis Ferreis that is plates of iron But let my pen returne againe to the matter proposed for my meaning is not heere to weave the same web still As for Verulam it was famous for nothing so much as for bringing foorth Alban a Citizen of singular holinesse and faith in Christ who when Dioclesian went about by exquisite torments to wipe Christian Religion quite out of the memory of men was the first in Britaine that with invincible constancy and resolution suffred death for Christ his sake Whereupon hee is called our Stephen and the Protomartyr of Britaine yea and Fortunatus Presbyter the Poet wrote thus of him Albanum egregium foecunda Britannia profert Fruitfull Britaine bringeth foorth Alban a Martyr of mickle worth And Hiericus a Frenchman who flourished 700. yeeres agoe of the same Alban and his executioner miraculously stricken blinde made these verses Millia poenarum Christi pro nomine passus Quem tandem rapuit capitis sententia caesi Sed non lictori cessit res tuta superbo Utque caput Sancto
Which King Henry the Fifth when he had expelled thence the Monkes aliens built for religious Virgins to the honor of our Saviour the Virgine Mary and Saint Briget of Sion like as he founded another on the Rivers side over against it for the Carthusian Monkes named Jesu of Bethelem In this Sion hee appointed to the Glory of God so many Nunnes Priests and lay brethren divided a part within their severall wals as were in number equall to Christ his Apostles and Disciples upon whom when he had bestowed sufficient living he provided by a law that contenting themselves therewith they should take no more of any man but what overplus soever remained of their yearely revenew they should bestow it upon the poore But after that in our forefathers time those religious Votaries were cast out and it became a retiring house of the Duke of Somerset who plucked downe the Church and there began a new house Under this the small water Brent issueth into the Tamis which springing out of a Pond vulgarly called Brouns-well for Brentwell that is in old English Frog-well passeth downe betweene Hendon which Archbishop Dunstan borne for the advancement of Monkes purchased for some few golde Bizantines which were Imperiall peeces of Gold coined at Bizantium or Constantinople and gave to the Monks of Saint Peter of Westminster and Hamsted-hils from whence you have a most pleasant prospect to the most beautifull City of London and the lovely Country about it Over which the ancient Roman military way led to Verulam or Saint Albans by Edge-worth and not by High-gate as now which new way was opened by the Bishops of London about some 300. yeares since But to returne Brent into whom all the small Rillets of these parts resort runneth on by Brentstreat an Hamlet to whom it imparted his name watereth Hanger-wood Hanwell Oisterly Parke where Sir Thomas Gresham built a faire large house and so neere his fall into the Tamis giveth name to Brentford a faire throughfaire and frequent Mercat Neere which in the yeare 1116. King Edmond sirnamed Ironside so fiercely charged upon the Danes whom hee compelled by force to retire from the Siege of London that as fast as their horses could make way they fled not without their great losse From Stanes hitherto all that lyeth betweene London highway which goeth through Hounslow and the Tamis was called the Forrest or Warren of Stanes untill that King Henry the Third as in his Charter we reade Disforrested and diswarened it Then by the Tamis side is Fulham in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The place of Fowles the greatest credit and honour whereof is the Bishop of Londons house standing there conveniently not farre from the City albeit not so healthfully Also Chelsey so named of a shelfe of Sand in the River Tamis as some suppose but in Records it is named Chelche-hith a place garnished with faire and stately houses by King Henry the Eighth by William Powlet the first Marquesse of Winchester and by others But LONDON the Epitome or Breviary of all Britaine the seat of the British Empire and the Kings of Englands Chamber so much overtoppeth all these as according to the Poet Inter viburna Cupressâ—s that is the Cypresse-tree amongst the Viornes Tacitus Ptolomee and Antonine call it LONDINIUM and LONGIDINIUM Ammianus LUNDINUM and AUGUSTA Stephen in his Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Britans Lundayn the old Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strangers Londra and Londres the inhabitants London Fabulous writers Troja nova that is New Troy Dinas Belin that is Belins City and Caer Lud of King Lud whom they write to have reedified it and given it the name But these few names and originall derivations together with Erasmus his conjecture who deriveth it from Lindum a City in the Isle Rhodes I willingly leave to such as well like it For mine owne part seeing that Caesar and Strabo doe write that the ancient Britains called those Woods and groves by the names of Cities and Townes which they had fenced with trees cast downe and plashed to stoppe up all passage seeing also I have understood that such woods or groves are in the British tongue named Llâ—wn I encline a little to the opinion that London thence tooke name as one would say by way of excellency The City or A City thicke of trees But if heerein I faile of the truth let me with good leave give my conjecture and heere would I have no man to charge me with inconstancy while I disport in conjecture that whence it had the fame thence also it tooke the name even from ships which the Britains in their language call Lhong so that Londinum may seeme to sound as much as a ship-Rode or City of ships For the Britains tearme a City Dinas whence the Latines have fetched their Dinum And hence it is that elsewhere it is called LONGIDINIUM and in the funerall song or Dump of a most ancient British Bard Lhong-porth that is an harbour or haven of ships and by this very terme Bononia or Bolen in France which Ptolomee calleth Gessoriacum Navale in the British Glossarie is named Bolung-long For many Cities have drawne their names from Ships as Naupactus Naustathmos Nauplia Navalia Augusti c. But of these none hath better right to assume unto it the name of a Ship-Rode or Haven than our London For in regard of both Elements most blessed and happy it is as being situate in a rich and fertile Soile abounding with plentifull store of all things and on the gentle ascent and rising of an hill hard by the Tamis side the most milde Merchant as one would say of all things that the World doth yeeld which swelling at certaine set houres with the Ocean-tides by his safe and deepe chanell able to entertaine the greatest Ships that bee daily bringeth in so great riches from all parts that it striveth at this day with the Mart-townes of Christendome for the second prise and affoordeth a most sure and beautifull Roade for shipping A man would say that seeth the shipping there that it is as it were a very Wood of trees disbranched to make glades and let in light So shaded it is with masts and failes Who was the first founder is by long time growne out of knowledge and in truth very few Cities there are that know their own first founders considering they grew up to their greatnesse by little and little But as other Cities so this of ours fathereth her originall upon the Trojanes as verily beleeving that Brutus the Nephew in the third descent of Great Aeneas was the builder thereof But whosoever founded it the happy and fortunate estate thereof hath given good proofe that built it was in a good houre and marked for life and long continuance And that it is for antiquity honourable Ammianus Marcellinus giveth us to understand who called it in his times and that was 1200. yeares
owne habitation For kings in those daies sat in Judgement place in their owne persons And they are indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Judges Whose mouth as that Royall Writer saith shall not erre in Judgement But the foresaid Palace after it was burnt downe in the yeare of our Lord 1512. lay desolate and king Henry the Eighth translated shortly after the kings Seat from thence to an house not farre off which belonged but a while before to Cardinall Wolsey and is called White Hall This house is a Princely thing enclosed of the one side with a Parke that reacheth also to another house of the kings named S. James where anciently was a Spittle for Maiden Lepres built by king Henry the Eighth on the other side with the Tamis A certaine Poet termed the foresaid House according to the English name thereof Leucaeum in Latine as appeareth in these Verses Regale subintrant Leucaeum Reges dederant memorabile quondam Atria quae niveo candebant marmore nomen Quod Tamisis prima est cui gloria pascere cygnos Ledaeos ranco pronus subterluit aestu To Royall Palace Kings enter in sometime LEUCEUM hight This famous name those Courts it gave that shone with marble white Hard under it with low-sound streame Tamis downe apace doth glide A River feeding Swannes wherein he takes especiall pride Hard by neere unto the Mues so called for that it served to keepe Hawkes and now is become a most faire Stable for the kings horses there remaineth a monument in memoriall of that most pious and kinde Queene Aeleonor erected by the king Edward the First her most dearely beloved husband and certes the memory of her loving kindnesse shall remaine worthy to be consecrated to aeternity For shee the daughter of Ferdinand the Third king of Castile being given in marriage to Edward the first king of England accompanied him into the Holy Land where when as he was secretly forelaid and by a certaine Moore wounded with an envenomed sword and by all the remedies that Physitians could devise was not so much eased as afflicted shee tooke her to a cure strange I must needs say and never heard of before howbeit full of love and kinde affection For her Husbands wounds infected with the poison and which by reason of the malignity thereof could not bee closed and healed shee day by day licked with her tongue and sucked out the venemous humour which to her was a most sweet liquour By the vigour and strength whereof or to say more truely by vertue of a wives lovely fidelity she so drew unto her all the substance of the poison that the wounds being closed and cicatrized hee became perfectly healed and shee caught no harme at all What then can bee heard more rare what more admirable than this womans faithfull love That a wives tongue thus annointed as I may so say with faith and love to her Husband should from her well beloved draw those poisons which by an approved Physitian could not bee drawne and that which many and those right exquisite medicines effected not the love onely and piety of a Wife performed Thus much of Westminster joyntly with London although as I have said it is a City by it selfe and hath a severall jurisdiction from it because with continued buildings it so joyneth thereto that it may seeme to be one and the same City Moreover at the West end of the City other Suburbs runne a great way in length with goodly rowes of houses orderly ranged as namely Holborne or rather more truely Oldborne wherein stood anciently the first house of the Templers onely in the place now called Southampton house But now there stand certaine Innes or Colleges of Students in the Common Law and a City-habitation of the Bishops of Ely well beseeming Bishops to dwell in for which they are beholden to John de Hotham Bishop of Ely under king Edward the Third At the North side likewise there be Suburbs annexed to the City wherein Iordan Briset a man very wealthy and devout built an house for the Knights Hospitalers of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem which grew in time so great that it resembled a Palace and had in it a very faire Church and a Towre-steeple raised to a great height with so fine workemanship that while it stood it was a singular beauty and ornament to the City These Knights Hospitalers at their first institution about the yeare 1124. and long after were so lowly all the while they continued poore that their Governour was stiled Servant to the poore Servitours of the hospitall of Ierusalem like as the Master of the Templars who shortly after arose was termed The humble Minister of the poore Knights of the Temple This religious Order was instituted shortly after Geffery of Bollen had recovered Hierusalem The Brethren whereof ware a white Crosse upon their upper blacke Garment and by solemne Profession were bound to serve Pilgrimes and poore people in the Hospitall of Saint Iohn at Hierusalem and to secure the passages thither they charitably buried the dead they were continuall in prayer mortified themselves with watchings and fastings they were courteous and kinde to the poore whom they called their Masters and fed with white bread while themselves lived with browne and carried themselves with great austerity Whereby they purchased to themselves the love and liking of all sorts and through the bounty of good Princes and private persons admiring their piety and prowesse they rose from this low degree to so high an estate and great riches that after a sort they wallowed in wealth For they had about the yeare of our Lord 1240. within Christendome nineteene thousand Lordships or Manours like as the Templars nine thousand the Revenewes and rents whereof in England fell afterwards also to these Hospitalers And this Estate of theirs growne to so great an height made way for them to as great honours so as their Prior in England was reputed the Prime Baron of the Land and able with fulnesse and aboundance of all things to maintaine an honourable Port untill that King Henry the Eighth advised by them which respected their private profit gat their lands and livings into his owne hands like as hee did of the Monasteries also Albeit it was then declared that such religious places being of most pious intent consecrated to the Glory of God might have beene according to the Canons of the Church bestowed in exhibition and Almes for Gods Ministers releefe of the poore redemption of Captives and repairing of Churches Neere unto it where now is to be seene a sightly circuit of faire houses was the Charter-house founded by Sir Walter Many of Henault who with singular commendation served under King Edward the Third in the French warres and in that place heretofore was a most famous Cemitery or buriall place in which in a plague time at London were buried in the yeare 1349. more than 50000. persons a
the Church of Ely for to expiate and make satisfaction for the wicked act hee had committed in murdering his owne mother then by Angre where upon a very high Hill are the tokens of a Castle built by Richard Lucy Lord Chiefe Justice of England in the Raigne of Henry the Second of which Family a daughter and one of the heires King Iohn gave in marriage to Richard Rivers who dwelt hard by at Stranford Rivers So it passeth by Lambourn Manour which is held by service of the Wardstaffe viz. to carry a load of strawe in a Carte with sixe horses two ropes two men in harnesse to watch the said Wardstaffe when it is brought to the Towne of Aibridge c. and then by Wansted Parke where the late Earle of Leicester built much for his pleasure From the mouth of this Roding this Tamis hasteneth through a ground lying very flat and low and in most places otherwhiles overflowne whereby are occasioned strong and unwholsome vapours exceeding hurtfull to the health of the neighbour Inhabitants to Tilbury neere unto which there bee certaine holes in the rising of a chalky Hill sunke into the ground tenne sathome deepe the mouth whereof is but narrow made of stone cunningly wrought but within they are large and spacious in this forme which hee that went downe into them described unto mee after this manner Of which I have nothing else to say but what I have delivered already As for Tilbury Bede nameth it Tilaburgh it consisteth of some few cottages by the Tamis side yet was it in ancient time the seate of Bishop Chad when about the yeare of our Salvation 630. hee ingrafted the East-Saxons by Baptisme into the Church of Christ. Afterwards this River passing by places lying flat and unwholesome with a winding returne of his Water severeth the Island CONVENNON which also is called COUNOS whereof Ptolomee maketh mention from the firme land This hath not yet wholly foregone the old name but is called Canvey It lyeth against the Coast of Essex from Leegh to Hole Haven five miles in length some part whereof appertaineth to the Collegiat Church of Westminster But so low that oftentimes it is quite overflowne all save hillocks cast up upon which the Sheepe have a place of safe refuge For it keepeth about foure hundred Sheepe whose flesh is of a most sweet and delicate taste which I have seene young lads taking womens function with stooles fastened to their buttockes to milke yea and to make Cheeses of Ewes milke in those dairy sheddes of theirs that they call there Wiches There adjoyne to this Island along in order first Beamfleot fortified with deepe and wide Trenches as saith Florilegus and with a Castle by Hasting the Dane which King Aelfred wonne from them Then Hadleigh sometime the Castle of Hubert de Burgo afterwards of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester now defaced with ruines and in the last place Leegh a proper fine little Towne and very full of stout and adventerous Sailers with Pritlewel fast by where Sweno de Essex built long since a Cell for Monkes And here the land shooteth forward to make a Promontory which they call Black-taile Point and Shobery Nesse of Shobery a Village situate upon it which sometime was a City an Havenet named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in old Annales of the English-Saxons wee reade thus The Danes being driven from Beamfleot goe to a City seated in East-sex called in the English Tongue Sceobirig and there built themselves a sure and strong Fort. Heere by reason that the bankes on both sides shrinke backe the Tamis at a huge and wide mouth rowleth into the sea This doth Ptolomee terme Aestuarium TAMESAE and corruptly in some other Copies TEMESAE and we commonly the Tamis Mouth More inward is Rochford placed that hath given name to this Hundered Now it belongeth to the Barons Rich but in old time it had Lords of ancient Nobility sirnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the Eighth created Vicount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose Progeny sprung that most gracious Queene ELIZABETH and the Barons of Hunsdon Heere I have heard much speech of a Lawlesse Court as they called it holden in a strange manner about Michaelmasse in the first peepe of the day upon the first cocke crowing in a silent sort yet with shrowde fines eftsoones redoubled if not answered which servile attendance they say was imposed upon certaine Tenants there-about for conspiring there at such unseasonable time to raise a commotion But I leave this knowing neither the originall nor the certaine forme thereof Onely I heard certaine obscure barbarous rhymes of it Curia de Domino Rege tenetur sin◠lege Ante ortum solis luceat nisi polus c. not worth remembring Leaving the Tamis Banke and going farther within the countrey yea from West to East these places of name above the rest standing thus in order shew themselves Havering an ancient retiring place of the Kings so called of a Ring which in that place a Pilgrime delivered as sent from S. J. Baptist for so they write unto K. Edward the Confessor Horn-Church named in times past Cornutum Monasterium that is the horned Minster for there shoot out at the East end of the Church certaine points of leade fashioned like hornes Rumford the glory whereof dependeth of a swine mercat and Giddy-hall an house adjoyning to it which belonged to that Sir Thomas Cooke Major of London whose great riches hoorded up together wrought him his greatest danger For being judicially arraigned innocent man as he was of high treason and through the incorrupt equity of Judge Markham acquit in a most dangerous time yet was he put to a very grievous fine and stript in manner of all that he was worth Brentwood called by the Normans Bois arse in the same sense and by that name King Stephen granted a Mercat and a Faire there to the Abbat of S. Osith and many yeares after Isabell Countesse of Bedford daughter to King Edward the Third built a Chappell to the memory of S. Thomas of Canterbury for the ease of the Inhabitants Engerstone a Towne of note for nothing else but the Mercat and Innes for Travailers Heere am I at a stand and am halfe in a doubt whether I should now slip as an abortive fruite that conjecture which my minde hath travailed with Considering there hath beene in this Tract the City CAESAROMAGUS and the same doubtlesse in the Romanes time of especiall note and importance for the very name if there were nothing else may evict so much signifying as it doth Caesars City as DRUSOMAGUS the City of Drusus which also should seeme to have beene built in the honour of Caesar Augustus For Suaetonius writeth thus Kings that
heart of the Shire betweene two Rivers who as it were agreed heere to joyne both their streames together to wit Chelmer from the East and another from the South the name whereof if it be Can as some would have it we have no reason to doubt that this was CANONIUM Famous it was within the remembrance of our fathers in regard of a small religious house built by Malcome King of Scots now of note onely for the Assises for so they call those Courts of Iustice wherein twice a yeere the causes and controversies of the whole County are debated before the Judges It beganne to flourish when Maurice Bishop of London unto whom it belonged built the Bridges heere in the Raigne of Henry the First and turned London way thither which lay before through Writtle a Towne right well knowne for the largenesse of the Parish which King Henry the Third granted unto Robert Brus Lord of Anandale in Scotland whose wife was one of the heires of Iohn sirnamed Scot the last Earle of Chester for that hee would not have the Earldome of Chester to bee divided among the distaves and King Edward the Third when as the posterity of the Bruses forsooke their allegeance bestowed it upon Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and of Essex But now of late when King Iames at his entrance to the Kingdome bestowed Baronies bountifully upon select persons hee created Sir Iohn Petre a right respective Knight Baron Petre of Writtle Whose father Sir William Petre a man of approoved wisdome and exquisite learning memorable not so much for those most honourable places and offices of State which hee bare as who was of the Privie Counsell to King Henry the Eighth King Edward the Sixth Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth and sent oftentimes in Embassage to forreigne Princes as for that being bred and brought up in good learning he well deserved of learning in the University of Oxford and was both pitifull and bounteous to his poore neighbours about him and at Egerstone where he lyeth buryed Frosh-well the River more truely called Pant and neere to his mouth Black-water issuing out of a small spring about Radwinter that belonged to the Barons of Cobham after it hath gone a long course and seene nothing but Bocking a fat Parsonage it commeth to Cogeshall a Mercate Towne well knowne in times past for a Priory of Cluniacke Monkes built by King Stephen and the habitation of ancient Knights thence sirnamed De Cogeshall from whose heire generall marryed into the old family of Tirell there branched farre a faire propagation of the Tirells in this shire and elsewhere Then goeth on this water by Easterford some call it East-Sturford and leaving some mile of Whitham a faire through-faire and built by King Edward the elder in the yeere 914. which also afterward was of the Honour of Eustace Earle of Bollen meeteth at length with Chelmer Which now passing on whole in one chanell not farre from Danbury mounted upon an high Hill the habitation for a time of the family of the Darcies runneth hard by Woodham-walters the ancient seate of the Lords Fitz-Walters who being nobly descended were of a most ancient race derived from Robert the younger sonne of Richard sonne to Earle Gislebert but in the age more lately foregoing translated by a daughter into the stocke of the Ratcliffes who being advanced to the Earledome of Sussex dwell now a little from hence in New Hall a stately and sumptuous house This New Hall appertained sometime to the Butlers Earles of Ormond and then hereditarily to Sir Thomas Bollen Earle of Wiltshire of whom King Henry the Eighth getting it by way of Exchange enlarged it to his exceeding great charges and called it by a new name Beaulieu which for all that was never currant among the people After this Chelmer with other waters running with him being divided by a River-Island casting off that name and now being called of some Blacke-water and of others Pant saluteth that ancient Colony of the Romanes CAMALODUNUM which many hundred yeeres since adorned this shore Ptolomee tearmeth it CAMUDOLANUM Antonine CAMULODUNUM and CAMOLUDUNUM But Pliny Dio and an old marble stone induce us to beleeve that CAMALODUNUM is the right name In the seeking out of this City good God how dim-sighted have some been whereas it bewraied it selfe by the very name and situation and shewed it selfe cleerely to them that are halfe blinde A number have searched for it in the West part of this Isle as that good man who thought himselfe to carry as one would say the Sunne of Antiquity in his owne hand others in the furthest part of Scotland others wholly addicted in opinion to Leland affirmed it to bee Colchester when as the name scarce any whit maimed it is called at this day in stead of CAMALODUNUM Maldon in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater part of the word remaining yet entire and in use Neither hath the expresse remaine of the name onely perswaded me to this but also the distance set downe in Pliny from Mona and the very situation in the ancient Itinerary Table doe affoord a most evident proofe thereof That this name was imposed upon CAMALODUNUM of the God CAMULUS I hardly dare imagine Howbeit that Mars was worshipped under this name Camulus both an old stone at Rome in the house of Collotians and Altars discovered with this Inscription CAMULO DEO SANCTO ET FORTISSIMO that is TO CAMULUS THE HOLY AND MOST MIGHTY GOD doe joyntly proove And in an antique Coine of Cunobellinus whose royall Palace this was as I have already said I have seene the portraict stamped of an head having an helmet on it also with a speare which may seeme to be that of Mars with these letters CAMV But seeing this peece of money is not now ready at hand to shew I exhibite here unto you other expresse portraicts of Cunobellinus his peeces which may be thought to have reference to this Camalodunum This Cunobelin governed this East part of the Isle in the time of Tiberius the Emperour and seemeth to have had three sonnes Admimus Togodumnus and Catacratus Admimus by his father banished was entertained by Caius Caligula the Emperour what time as he made his ridiculous expedition into Batavia that from thence he might blow and breath out the terrour of his owne person over into Britaine As for Togodumnus Aulus Plautius in a set battaile defeited and slew him and over Catacratus whom as I said he discomfited and put to flight hee rode ovant in pety triumph This is that Plautius who at the perswasion of C. Bericus the Britaine a banished man for there never want quarels one or other of Warre was the first after Iulius Caesar that attempted Britaine under Claudius whom Claudius himselfe having shipped over the Legions followed in person with the whole power of the Empire and with Elephants the bones of which
people but now having lost the old name it is called Caster And no marvaile that of the three VENTAE Cities of Britain this onely lost the name seeing it hath quite lost it selfe For beside the ruines of the Walles which containe within a square plot or quadrant about thirty acres and tokens appearing upon the ground where sometimes houses stood and some few peeces of Romane money which are now and then there digged up there is nothing at all remaining But out of this ancient VENTA in the succeeding ages Norwich had her beginning about three miles from hence neere unto the confluents of Yare and another namelesse River some call it Bariden where they meet in one which River with a long course running in and out by Fakenham which King Henry the first gave to Hugh Capell and King John afterward to the Earle of Arundell and making many crooked reaches speedeth it selfe this way by Attilbridge to Yare and leaveth Horsford North from it where a Castle of William Cheneys who in the Raigne of Henry the Second was one of the great Lords and chiefe Peeres of England lieth overgrowne with bushes and brambles This NORVVICH is a famous City called in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Northerly Creeke if Wic among the Saxons signifieth the creeke or Cove of a River as Rhenanus sheweth unto us for in this very place the River runneth downe amaine with a crooked and winding compasse or a Northerne Station if Wic as Hadrianus Iunius would have it betokeneth a sure and secure station or place of aboad where dwelling houses stand joyntly and close together or a Northerly Castle if Wic sound as much as Castle as our Archbishop Alfrick the Saxon hath interpreted it But if I should with some others be of opinion that Norwich by a little turning is derived from Venta what should I doe but turne awry from the very truth For by no better right may it challenge unto it selfe the name of Venta than either Basil in Germany the name of AUGUSTA or Baldach of BABYLON For like as Baldach had the beginning of Babylons fall and Basil sprang from the ruine of Augusta even so our Norwich appeared and shewed it selfe though it were late out of that ancient VENTA which the British name thereof Caer Guntum in Authours doth prove wherein like as in the River Wentsum or Wentfar the name of Venta doth most plainely discover it selfe For this name Norwich wee cannot reade of any where in our Chronicles before the Danish warres So farre is it off that either Caesar or Guiteline the Britain built it as they write who are more hasty to beleeve all than to weigh matters with sound judgement But now verily by reason of the wealth the number of Inhabitants and resort of people the faire buildings and faire Churches and those so many for it containeth about thirty Parishes the painefull industry of the Citizens their loyalty towards their Prince and their courtesie unto strangers it is worthily to bee ranged with the most celebrate Cities of Britaine It is right pleasantly situate on the side of an Hill two and fifty Degrees and forty Scrupuls from the Aequator and foure and twenty Degrees and five and fifty Scrupuls in Longitude The forme is somewhat long lying out in length from South to North a mile and an halfe but carrying in breadth about halfe so much drawing it selfe in by little and little at the South end in manner as it were of a cone or sharpe point Compassed it is about with strong walles in which are orderly placed many Turrets and twelve gates unlesse it bee on the East-side where the River after it hath with many windings in and out watered the North part of the City having foure Bridges for men to passe to and fro over it is a Fence thereto with his deepe Chanell there and high steepe bankes In the very infancy as I may so say of this City when Etheldred a witlesse and unadvised Prince raigned Sueno or Swan the Dane who ranged at his pleasure through England with a great rable of spoiling Ravenours first put it to the sacke and afterwards set it on fire Yet it revived againe and as wee reade in that Domesday booke wherein William the Conquerour tooke the review of all England there were by account in King Edward the Confessours time no fewer than one thousand three hundred and twenty Burgesses in it At which time that I may speake out of the same Booke It paid unto the King twenty pounds and to the Earle ten pounds and beside all this twenty shillings and foure Prebendaries and sixe Sextars of Hony also a Beare and sixe Dogges for to bait the Beare but now it paieth seventy pounds by weight to the King and an hundred shillings for a Gersume to the Queene and an ambling Palfrey also twenty pounds Blanc to the Earle and twenty shillings for a Gersume by tale But while the said King William raigned that flaming fire of fatall sedition which Raulph Earle of East England had kindled against the King settled it selfe heere For when hee had saved himselfe by flight his wife together with the French Britons endured in this place a most grievous Siege even to extreme famine yet at length driven she was to this hard pinch that she fled the land and this City was so empaired that scarce 560. Burgesses were left in it as we reade in that Domesday booke Of this yeelding up of the City Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury maketh mention in his Epistle to King William in these words Your Kingdome is purged of these villanous and filthy Britons The Castle of Norwich is rendred up into your hands And the Britons who were therein and had lands in England having life and limme granted unto them are sworne within forty dayes to depart out of your Realme and not enter any more into it without your leave and licence From that time beganne it againe to recover it selfe by little and little out of this diluge of calamities and Bishop Herbert whose good name was cracked for his foule Simony translated the Episcopall See from Thetford hither and built up a very faire Cathedral Church on the East side and lower part of the City in a certaine place then called Cow-holme neere unto the Castle The first stone whereof in the Raigne of King William Rufus and in the yeare after Christs Nativity 1096. himselfe laid with this inscription DOMINUS HERBERTUS POSUIT PRIMUM LAPIDEM IN NOMINE PATRIS FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI AMEN That is LORD BISHOP HERBERT LAID THE FIRST STONE IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER THE SONNE AND HOLY GHOST AMEN Afterwards he procured of Pope Paschal that it should be established and confirmed for the Mother Church of Norfolke and Suffolke he endowed it bountifully with as much lands as might sufficiently maintaine threescore Monkes who had there faire and spacious Cloysters
But after that they were thrust out by King Henry the Eight there were substituted for them a Deane sixe Prebendaries and others The Church being thus built and an Episcopall See there placed the Towne now as saith William of Malmesbury became of great name for frequent trade of Merchants and resort of people And in the 17. yeare of King Stephen as we reade in old Annals Norwich was founded a new became a well peopled City and was made a Corporation And most certaine it is out of the kings Records that king Stephen granted it unto his sonne William for his Appennage as they terme it or inheritance Out of whose hands King Henry the Second shortly after wrested it by composition and kept it for himselfe And albeit his Sonne Henry called the younger King when he aspired ambitiously to the kingdome had made a large promise thereof unto Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke whom hee had drawne to side with him At which time Bigod taking part with the young King who could not containe his hope of the Kingdome within the bounds of duty and equity most grievously afflicted and oppressed this City and then as it is thought reedified that Castle standing within the very City upon an high hill neere unto the Cathedrall Church which being compassed with a ditch of a wonderfull depth seemed in those daies impregnable Which notwithstanding Lewis the French-man with whom the seditious Barons of England combined against King John won it easily by Siege Now that Bigod reedified this Castle I verily beleeve because I have seen Lions Saliant engraven there in a Stone after the same forme that the Bigods used in times past in their Seales of whom also there was one that in his Seale used a Crosse. These things fell out in the first age we may say of Norwich But in the age next ensuing it encreased mightily and flourished by reason that the Citizens grew to be passing wealthy who exhibited a supplication in the Parliament house unto King Edward the First that they might be permitted to wall their City about which they afterwards performed to the exceeding great strengthning and honor thereof They obtained moreover of King Richard the Second that the Worsted made there might be transported and in the yeare 1403. king Henry the fourth granted that they might choose every yeare a Major in stead of their Bailiffes which before were the principall Magistrates They built likewise a passing faire Towne-house in the very middest of the City neere unto the Mercat-place which on certaine set dayes is furnished exceeding well with all things necessary for mans life And verily much beholden it is unto the Netherlanders that being weary of Duke de Alba his cruelty and hating the bloudy Inquisition repaired hither in great numbers and first brought in the making and trade of saies baies and other stuffes now much in use But why should I stand long upon these things when as Alexander Nevill a Gentleman well borne and very learned hath notably described all these matters together with the story of their Bishops the orderly succession of their Magistrates and the furious outrage of that most villanous Rebell Keâ— against this City This only will I adde that in the yeare 1583. the Citizens conveighed water out of the River through pipes by an artificiall Instrument or water-forcer up into the highest places of the City Heere I may justly commence an action both against Polydor Virgill an Italian and also against Angelus Capellus a Frenchman and put them to their answer before the Tribunal of venerable Antiquity why they have avouched that the ancient ORDOVICES who be seated as it were in another world inhabited this Norwich I would have the same mery action also against our Country man D. Caius but that I know for certaine that the good old man right learned though he were was blinded in this point with the naturall love of this his own native Country Neither have I more to say of Norwich unlesse it may please you to runne over these Verses of Master Iohn Ionston a Scottish-Britan written of the same Vrbs speciosa situ nitidis pulcherrima tectis Grata peregrinis delitiosa suis. Bellorum sedes trepido turbante tumultu Tristia Neustriaco sub duce damna tulit Victis dissidijs postquam caput ardua coelo Extulit immensis crevit opima opibus Cultus vincit opes cultum gratia rerum Quam benè si luxus non comitetur opes Omnia sic adeò sola haec sibi sufficit ut si Fo rs regno desit haec caput esse queat A City seated daintily most faire built she is knowne Pleasing and kinde to Strangers all delightfull to her owne The seat of warre whiles civill sturs and tumults yet remain'd In William the Normans dayes she grievous losse sustain'd These broiles and jarres once past when as her head aloft againe She bare in richnesse infinite and wealth she grew amaine Her Port exceeds that wealth and things all superfine this Port How happy were it if excesse with such wealth did not sort So all sufficient in her selfe and so complete is shee That if neede were of all the Realme the Mistresse shee might bee From Norwich the River Yare having entertained other beackes and brookes as guests yet all under his owne name passeth on still with many winding crookes very full of the fishes called Ruffes which name because in English it soundeth like to Rough D. Caius named it aptly in Latine Aspredo that is Rough. For it is all the body over rough and hath very sharpe and pricky finnes it delighteth in sandy places for shape and bignesse like unto a Perch in colour browne and duskish above but palish yellow beneath marked by the chawes with a double course of half-circles the eye for the upper halfe of it of a darke browne for the nether somewhat yellowish like delayed gold the ball and sight thereof blacke This speciall marke by it selfe it hath that there is a line goeth along the backe and fastened to the body as it were with an overthwart thred all to bespotted ouer the taile and fins with blacke speckes which finnes when the fish is angry stand up and bristle stiffe and strong but when the anger is allayed they fall flat againe The meat of this Ruffe resembleth that of the Perch much commended for holsomnesse and for eating tender and short When Yâ—re is gone past Claxton where there stands a Castlet built round which Sir Thomas Gawdy knight Justice of the Common Pleas of late repaired it receiveth a brooke which passeth by nothing memorable but Halles-hall and that only memorable for his ancient Owner Sir Iames Hobart Atturney Generall and of the Privie Counsell to King Henry the Seventh by him dubbed Knight at such time as he created Henry his sonne Prince of Wales who by building from the ground the faire Church at Loddon being his Parish Church Saint Olaves bridge over
of pompe for a gallant shew Verily of our Nation therâ— be none that apply their mindes so seriously as they doe to husbandry which Columella termeth the neere cozin of Wisedome whether you respect their skill therein or their ability to beare the expences and their willing mind withall to take the paines Henry of Huntingdon before named calleth it a Village in his daies not unlovely and truly writeth that in times past it had been a noble City For to say nothing of Roman peeces of coine oftentimes there ploughed up nor of the distance in the old Itinerary the very signification of the name may probably prove that this was the very same City which Antonine the Emperor termed DUROLIPONTE amisse in stead of DUROSIPONTE For Durosi-ponte pardon me I pray you for changing one letter soundeth in the British tongue A bridge over the water Ose. And that this River is named indifferently and without distinction Vse Ise Ose and Ouse all men confesse But when this name was under the Danes quite abolished it began to be called Gormoncester of Gormon the Dane unto whom after agreement of peace King Aelfred granted these Provinces Hereto this old Verse giveth testimony Gormonis à castri nomine nomen habet Gormonchester at this howre Takes the name of Gormons Towre This is that Gormon of whom John Picus an old Author writeth in this wise King Aelfred conquered and subdued the Danes so that they gave what hostages hee would for assurance either to be packing out of the Land or else to become Christians Which thing also was effected For their King Guthrum whom they call Gormond with thirty of his Nobles and well neere all his people was baptized and adopted by Aelfred as his Sonne and by him named Athelstan Whereupon he remained heere and the Provinces of the East-English and of the Northumbrians were given to him that continuing in his allegiance under the Kings protection he might cherish and also maintain them as his inheritance which he had formerly overrun with spoile and robbery Neither would this be omitted that some also of those ancient Writers have termed this place Gumicester and Gumicastrum avoucheth withall that Machutus a Bishop had heere his Episcopall See And by the name of Gumicester King Henry the Third granted it to his sonne Edmund Earle of Lancaster Ouse making haste speedily from hence when he was about to enter into Cambridgeshire passeth through most delightsome medowes hard by a proper and faire towne which sometime in the English-Saxon tongue was called Slepe and now S. Ives of Ivo a Persian Bishop who as they write about the yeare of Christ 600. travailed through England preached diligently the Word of God and to this Towne wherein he left this life left also his name From whence notwithstanding shortly after the religious persons translated his body to Ramsey Abbay Turning aside from hence scarce three miles wee saw Somersham a faire dwelling house of late dayes belonging to the Bishops of Ely which Earle Brithnot in the yeare 991. gave to Ely Church and James Stanley the lavish and expencefull Bishop enlarged with new buildings A little above that most wealthy Abbay Ramsey was situate amiddest the Fennes where the Rivers become standing waters when they have once found a soft kinde of Soile The description of this place have here if it please you out of the private History of this Abbay Ramsey that is The Rams Isle on the West side for on other sides fennish grounds through which one cannot passe stretch out farre and wide is severed from the firme ground almost two bow-shots off by certaine uneven and quaggy miry plots Which place being wonâ— in times past to receive gently within the bosome and brinkes thereof Vessels arriving there with milde gales of winde in a shallow River onely now through great labour and cost after the foule and dirty quagmires aforesaid were stopped up with heapes of wood gravell and stones together men may passe into on foote on the same side upon a dry causey and it lieth out in length almost two miles but spreadeth not all out so much in bredth which notwithstanding is beset round about with beautifull rowes of Alder-trees and reed plots that with fresh greene canes and streight bulrushes among make a faire and pleasant shew and before it was inhabited garnished and bedecked all over with many sorts of trees but of wilde Ashâ—s especially in great aboundance But now after longer tract of time part of these groves and woods being cut downe it is become arable ground of a very fat and plentifull mould for fruit rich pleasant for corne planted with gardens wealthy in pastures and in the Spring time the medowes arraied with pleasant flowers smile upon the beholders and the whole Island seemeth embroidered as it were with variety of gay colours Besides that it is compassed all about with Meres full of Eeles and pooles replenished with fish of many sorts and with fowle there bred and nourished Of which Meres one is called after the name of the Island Ramsey Mere farre excelling all the other waters adjoyning in beauty and fertility on that side where the Isle is counted bigger and the wood thicker flowing daintily by the sandy banke thereof yeeldeth a very delectable sight to behold in the very gulfes whereof by casting as well of great wide mashed nets as of other sorts by laying also of hookes baited and other instruments devised by fishers craft are caught oftentimes and drawne certaine Pikes of an huge and wonderfull bignesse which the Inhabitants call Hakeds and albeit the fowlers doe continually haunt the place and catch great store of young water-fowle yet there is abundance alwaies that remaineth untaken Furthermore that History sheweth at large how Ailwin a man of the bloud royall and for the speciall great authority and favour that hee had with the King sirnamed Healf-Koning that is Halfe King being admonished and mooved thereunto by a Fishers dreame built it how Oswald the Bishop furthered and enlarged it how Kings and others endowed it with so faire revenewes that for the maintenance of threescore Monkes it might dispend by the yeare seven thousand pounds of our English money But seeing it is now pulled downe and destroyed some may thinke I have already spoken overmuch thereof Yet hereto I will annexe out of the same Authour the Epitaph of Ailwins Tombe for that it exhibiteth unto us an unusuall and strange title of a Dignity HIC REQUIESCIT AILWINUS INCLITI REGIS EADGARI COGNATUS TOTIUS ANGLIAE ALDERMANNUS ET HUJUS SACRI COENOBII MIRACULOSUS FUNDATOR HERE RESTETH AILWIN COZIN TO THE NOBLE KING EADGAR ALDERMAN OF ALL ENGLAND AND OF THIS HOLY ABBAY THE MIRACULOUS FOUNDER From hence to Peterborough which is about ten miles off King Canutus because travailing that way and finding it very combersome by reason of swelling Brookes and sloughs with great cost and labour made a paved Causey which
that in our Britaine Tallhin Glan-lhin and Lhinlithquo are townes by lakes sides This Citie it selfe being large well inhabited and frequented standeth upon the side of an hill where Witham bendeth his course Eastward and being divided with three small chanels watereth the lower part of the Citie That the ancient LINDUM of the Britans stood on the very top of the hill which had a very hard ascent up to it and reached out beyond the gate called Newport the expresse tokens of a rampier and deepe ditches which are yet very evident doe plainely shew In this City Vortimer that warlike Britan who many a time discomfited the Saxons and put them to flight ended his daies and was heere contrary to his owne commandement buried For he was in a full and assured hope perswaded that if he were enterred in the sea shore his very ghost was able to protect the Britans from the Saxons as writeth Ninius the disciple of Elvodugus But the English Saxons after they had rased this old Lindum first possessed themselves of the South side of the hill at the foot whereof they built as it seemeth the gate yet standing compiled of vast stones and with the ruines of that more ancient Towne fortified it Afterwards they went downe lower to the river side built in a place that was called Wickanford and walled it about on that side which is not fensed by the River At which time as saith Bede Paulinus preached the Word of God unto the Province of Lindsey and first of all converted unto the Lord the Governour or Provost of Lincolne City whose name was Blecca with his family In which very City hee built also a Church of goodly stone worke the roofe whereof being either fallen for want of repaire or cast downe by the violent hand of enemies the walles are seene standing to this day After this the Danes wonne it by assault once or twice First those troupes of spoiling mates out of whose hands King Edmund Ironside wrested it by force then Canutus from whom Aetheldred regained it when upon his returne out of Normandy he valiantly forced Canutus to abandon the towne and beyond all hope recovered England which before was lost In the Raigne of Edward the Confessour there were in it as Domesday booke recordeth a thousand and seventy Mansions with lodgings to give entertainment and twelve Lage men having Sac and Soc. But in the Normans time as saith William of Malmesbury It was one of the best peopled Cities of England and a place of traffique and merchandise for all commers by sea and land and as the same Domesday booke saith there were at that time counted and taxed in this City 900. Burgesses and many Mansions were laied waste 166. for the Castle and other 74. without the precinct of the Castle not through the oppression of the Sheriffe and his Ministers but by reason of mishap poverty and casualty by fire The said King William the Conqueror for the strengthning of it and terrour of the Citizens raised a passing large and strong Castle upon the brow of the hill and almost at the very same time Remigius Bishop of Dorchester for to give credit and ornament thereto translated hither his Episcopall seat from Dorchester which was in the most remote corner of his Dioecesse and a small Towne And when by this time that Church which Paulinus had built was quite gone to decay the same Remigius having purchased certaine houses with grounds lying unto them in the very highest place of the City neere unto the Castle as Henry of Huntingdon saith mounting up aloft with high and stately towres built in a strong place a strong Church in a faire plot a faire Church and dedicated it to the Virgin of Virgins notwithstanding the Archbishop of Yorke was enraged thereat who chalenged to himselfe the propriety of the soile and in it ordained 44. Prebendaries Which Church afterwards being sorely defaced with fire as he saith Alexander that most bountiful Bishop of Lincolne repaired with skilfull artificiall workemanship Of whom William of Malmesbury reporteth because for his little low stature hee was a dwarfe among men his minde laboured to rise aloft and shew it selfe to the world with outward workes And as concerning his bounty a Poet of that time among other things wrote thus Qui dare festinans gratis ne danda rogentur Quod nondum dederat nondum se credit habere Who hastening frankly for to give for feare that folke should crave He never thought that he had that which yet he never gave Besides these two Bishops already mentioned Robert Bloet who sat there before Alexander R. de Beaumeis Hugh a Burgundian and their Successours by little and little brought this Church which could not bee one Bishops worke to the stately magnificence that now it carryeth Certes as it is built it is all throughout not onely most sumptuous but also passing beautifull and that with rare and singular workmanship but especially that fore-front at the West end which in a sort ravisheth and allureth the eyes of all that come toward it In this Church although there bee divers Monuments of Bishops and others yet these onely seeme memorable That of Copper wherein the bowels of that right noble and vertuous Queene Aeleonor wife to King Edward the First are bestowed who died at Hardby in this Shire as also these following wherein lye interred Sir Nicolas Cantlow one or two of the Family of Burghersh Lady Catherine Swinford the third wife of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and mother of the house of Somerset with whom lyeth buryed Joan her daughter second wife to Raulph Nevill the first Earle of Westmerland who enriched her husband with many happy children The Bishops Diocesse of Lincolne not content with those streit limits wherewith the Bishops of Sidnacester who had Episcopall jurisdiction over this shire contented themselves in the Primitive Church of the English Nation conteined under it so many countries as that the greatnesse thereof was burdenous unto it And although King Henry the Second tooke out of it the Province of Ely and King Henry the Eighth the Bishopricks of Peterbourgh and of Oxford yet still at this day it is counted the greatest Diocesse by farre of all England both for jurisdiction and number of shires and the Bishop hath in his Diocesse one thousand two hundred forty seven Parish Churches Many and great Bishops since Remigius his time have governed this See whom to reckon up is no part of my purpose For I will not insist either upon Robert Bloet from whom King William Rufus wrung 50000. pounds for securing his title in the very City of Lincolne it selfe which was found defective nor upon that prodigall and profuse Alexander who in exceeding stately buildings was so excessively delighted ne yet upon Hugh the Burgundian Canonized a Saint whose corps King John with his Nobles and friends about him to performe as mine author saith a dutifull service to God and that holy
hidden within the net But these things I leave to their observation who either take pleasure earnestly to hunt after Natures workes or being borne to pamper the belly delight to send their estates downe the throat More Westward the River Trent also after he hath ended his long course is received into the Humber after it hath with his sandy banke bounded this shire from Fossedike hither having runne downe first not farre from Stow where Godive the wife of Earle Leofricke built a Monastery which for the low site that it hath under the hills Henry of Huntingdon saith to have beene founded Vnder the Promontory of Lincolne Then neere unto Knath now the habitation of Baron Willoughy of Parrham in times past of the family of the Barons Darcy who had very much encrease both in honor and also of possessions by the daughter and heire of the Meinills This Family of the Darcyes proceeded from another more ancient to wit from one whose name was Norman de Adrecy or Darcy de Nocton who flourished in high reputation under King Henry the Third and whose successours endowed with lands the little Nunnery at Alvingham in this County But this dignity is as it were extinct for that the last Norman in the right line which is more ancient left behinde him onely two sisters of which the one was married to Roger Pedwardine the other to Peter of Limbergh Then runneth the Trent downe to Gainesborrow a towne ennobled by reason of the Danes ships that lay there at rode and also for the death of Suene Tiugs-Kege a Danish Tyrant who after he had robbed and spoiled the country as Matthew of Westminster writeth being heere stabbed to death by an unknowne man suffered due punishment at length for his wickednesse and villany Many a yeere after this it became the possession of Sir William de Valence Earle of Pembroch who obtained for it of king Edward the First the liberty to keepe a Faire From which Earle by the Scottish Earles of Athol and the Piercies descended the Barons of Bourough who heere dwelt concerning whom I have written already in Surry In this part of the Shire stood long since the City Sidnacester which affoorded a See to the Bishops of this Tract who were called the Bishops of Lindifars But this City is now so farre out of all sight and knowledge that together with the name the very ruines also seeme to have perished for by all my curious enquiry I could learne nothing of it Neither must I overpasse that in this Quarter at Melwood there flourished the family of Saint Paul corruptly called Sampoll Knights which I alwaies thought to have beene of that ancient Castilion race of the Earles of Saint Paul in France But the Coat-Armour of Luxemburgh which they beare implieth that they are come out of France since that the said Castilion stocke of Saint Paul was by marriage implanted into that of Luxemburgh which happened two hundred yeeres since or thereabout Above this place the Rivers of Trent Idell and Dane doe so disport themselves with the division of their streames and Marishes caused by them and other Springs as they enclose within them the River-Island of Axelholme in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a parcell of Lincolne-shire It carryeth in length from South to North ten miles and in breadth not past halfe so much The flat and lower part of it toward the Rivers is marish ground and bringeth forth an odoriferous kinde of shrub which they tearme Gall. It yeeldeth also Pets in the Mores and dead rootes of fir-wood which in burning give a ranke sweet savour There also have beene found great and long firre-trees while they digged for Pet both within the Isle and also without at Laâ—ghton upon Trent banke the old habitation of the family of D'alanson now contractly called Dalison The middle parts of this Isle where it riseth gently with some ascent is fruitefull and fertile and yeeldeth flax in great aboundance also the Alabaster stone and yet the same being not very solide but brittle is more meet for pargetting and plaister-worke than for other uses The chiefe Towne called in old time Axel is now named Axey whence by putting to the Saxon word Holme which they used for a River-Island the name no doubt was compounded But scarce deserveth it to bee called a Towne it is so scatteringly inhabited and yet it is able to shew the plot of ground where a Castle stood that was rased in the Barons warre and which belonged to the Mowbraies who at that time possessed a great part of the Isle In the yeere 1173. as writeth an old Chronographer Roger de Mowbray forsaking his Allegeance to the Elder King repaired the Castle at Kinard Ferry in the Isle of Axholme which had beene of old time destroyed Against whom a number of Lincoln-shire men making head when they had passed over the water in barges laid siege to the Castle forced the Constable thereof and all the souldiers to yeeld and overthrew the said Castle Somewhat higher is Botterwic the Lord whereof Sir Edmund Sheffeld King Edward the Sixth created the first Baron Sheffeld of Botherwic who for his country spent his life against the Rebels in Norfolke having begotten of Anne Vere the Earle of Oxfords daughter a sonne named John the second Baron and father to Edmund now Lord Sheffeld a right honourable Knight of the Garter President of the Councell established in the North. But more into the North I saw Burton Stather standing upon the other side of Trent whereof I have hetherto read nothing memorable This Shire glorieth in the Earles which have borne Title thereof After Egga who flourished in the yeere 710. and Morcar both Saxons and who were Earles by office onely William de Romara a Norman was the first Earle after the Conquest in whose roome being dead for neither his sonne whereas he died before his father nor his grand-child enjoied this title King Stephen placed Gilbert de Gaunt After whose decease Simon de Saint Lyz the younger the sonne of Earle Simon you reade the very words of Robert Montensis who lived about that time Wanting lands by the gracious gift of King Henry the Second tooke his onely daughter to wife with her his honour also After this Lewis of France who was by the seditious Barons brought into England girt a second Gilbert out of the Family de Gaunt with the sword of the Earldome of Lincolne but when the said Lewis was soone after expelled the land no man acknowledged him for Earle and himselfe of his owne accord relinquished that title Then Raulph the sixth Earle of Chester obtained this honour of King Henry the Third who a little before his death gave unto Hawise or Avis his sister the wife of Robert De Quincy by Charter the Earledome of Lincolne so farre forth as appertained unto him that shee might bee Countesse
Aelfred his brother humbly beseeching them to come and aide them that so they might give battaile to the fore-named Army which request they also easily obtained For those two brethren slacking no whit their promise having levied from all parts a mighty Army assembled their forces entred Mercia and seeking with one accord jointly to encounter the enemy come as farre as to Snottenga-ham And when the Painims keeping themselves within the defense of the Castle refused to give battaile and the Christians with all their force could not batter the Wall after peace concluded betweene the Paganes and Mercians those two brethren with their bands returned home But after this King Edward the elder built the Village Bridgeford just over against it and compassed the Towne about with a wall which now is fallen downe and yet the remaines thereof I have seene on the South side And within very few yeeres after in King Edward the Confessours time as wee reade in Domesday booke there were numbered in it one hundred and seventy three Burgesses and from the two Minters there were paid forty shillings to the King Also the water of Trent the Fosse dike and the way toward Yorke were warded and kept that if any man hindered the passage of vessels he was to make amends with the payment of foure pounds As for the Castle which now wee see it may bee well of great name in regard both of the Founder and the worthinesse also of the worke for William of Normandy built it to bridle the English and so strong it was as William of Newborough writeth as well by naturall situation as hand labour that it is held impregnable if it may have sufficient men to defend it unlesse it bee by famine Afterward also King Edward the Fourth bestowed great cost in the repairing of it and beautified it with faire buildings whereto King Richard also the Third set to his helping hand Neither for all the changes and alterations of times hath it undergone the common condition or destiny incident to such great Castles being never forced and wonne by assault Once was it in vaine besieged by Henry of Anjou at which time the souldiers lying in Garison set fire upon the buildings joyning unto it Once also it was suddenly surprised by Earle Robert de Ferrarijs in the Barons warre who spoiled the Inhabitants of all their goods The Castellanes report many stories of David King of the Scots prisoner in it and of Roger Mortimer Earle of March taken heere in a hollow secret passage under the ground who because he prised his faith and loyalty to his country lighter than Scotish gold and with a vaste minde designed other mischiefes was afterwards hanged Certes in the first base Court of the Castle wee went downe by many steps or staires with candle light into a Vault under the ground and certaine close roomes wrought out of the very rocke in the walles whereof are engraven the stories of Christs Passion and other things by the hand as they say of David the Second king of Scots who was there imprisoned But in the upper part of the Castle which riseth up aloft upon a rocke we came also by many staires into another Cave likewise under the ground which they call Mortimers Hole for that in it the foresaid Roger Mortimer lay hidden when as being guilty to himselfe of wickednesse he stood in feare of his life As for the position of Nottingham it seeth the North Pole elevated fifty three Degrees and hath the Meridian two and twenty Degrees and foureteene minutes distant from the utmost point of the West whence Geographers beginne to measure the Longitude From hence the Trent runneth with a milde streame and passeth forward by Holme called of the Lords thereof Holme Pierpount whose Family is both ancient and noble and out of which Robert Pierpount was summoned by King Edward the Third unto the high Court of Parliament among the Barons of the Kingdome unto Shelford where Ralph Hanselin founded a Priory and the Lords Bardolph had a mansion but now the seat of the worshipfull stocke of the Stanhopes knights whose state in this Tract hath growne great and their name renowned since they matched with an heire of Mallovell From whence he runneth downe with a rolling streame to Stoke a little Village but well knowne for no small overthrow and slaughter that there happened when Sir John de la pole Earle of Lincolne who being by King Richard the Third declared heire apparent to the Crowne seeing by the comming of king Henry the Seventh himselfe debarred of the hope of the Kingdome heere in behalfe of a counterfeit Prince rebelliously opposed himselfe against a lawfull king and so resolutely with his friends and followers lost his life Not farre from hence is Thurgarton where Sir Ralph D'eincourt founded a Priory and somewhat higher Southwell sheweth it selfe aloft with a Collegiat Church of Prebendaries consecrated to the blessed Virgin Mary a place not very faire in outward shew I must needs say but strong ancient and of great fame Which as they write Paulinus the First Archbishop of Yorke founded after he had baptised the Inhabitants of this Shire in the River Trent and so regenerated them to Christ. Since which time the Archbishops of Yorke have had here a very faire and stately Palace and three Parkes stored with Deere adjoyning thereto That this is the City which Bede calleth Tio-vul-Finga-cester I doe the more stedfastly beleeve because those things which he hath reported of Paulinus baptizing in the Trent neere unto Tio-vul-Finga-cester the private History of this Church constantly avoucheth to have beene done in this very place From thence out of the East Snite a little Brooke runneth into Trent which being but small and shallow watereth Langer a place of name in regard of the Tibetots or Tiptofts Lords thereof who afterwards became Earles of Worcester also Wiverton which from Heriz a worshipfull man long since in these parts came by the Brets and Caltostes unto the Chaworthes who fetch their name out of the Cadurci in France and derive their pedegree from the Lord of Walchervill Now doth Trent divide it selfe neere Averham or Aram an ancient habitation of the Suttons Gentlemen of respective worth and runneth hard under a good great Towne called Newark as one would say The new worke of the new Castle which Castle so fresh and of so beautifull building as Henry of Huntingdon termeth it Alexander that bountifull minded Bishop of Lincolne built which Prelate that I may use the words of an ancient Historian carrying a most brave and gallant minde builded both this Castle and another also with most profuse and lavish expense And because such manner of sumptuous buildings little became the gravity and dignity of a Bishop he to take away the envie and hard conceit of the world for such building and to expiate as it were the offence that grew thereby founded
fourth to whose Treatise of Tenures the students of our Common Law are no lesse beholden than the Civilians to Iustinians Institutes But to returne This Salwarp which we speake of runneth downe by Bromesgrove a mercate towne not of the meanest reckoning and not far from Grafton the seat of a yonger family of the Talbots since King Henry the Seventh gave it to Sir Gilbert Talbot a yonger sonne of John the second Earle of Shrewsbury whom also for his martiall valour and singular wisdome he admitted into the society of the Order of the Garter and made Governor of Callis Then runneth Salwarp downe to Droitwich Durt-wich some terme it of the Salt pits and the wettish ground on which it standeth like as Hyetus in Bâ—etia tooke name of the durty situation where three fountaines yeelding plenty of water to make Salt of divided a sunder by a little brooke of fresh water passing betweene by a peculiar giâ—t of nature spring out out of which most pure white Salt is boiled for sixe moneths every yeere to wit from Midsommer to Midwinter in many set fornaces round about Wherewith what a mighty deale of wood is consumed Fekenham Forest where trees grew sometime thicker and the woods round about if men hold their peace will by their thinnesse make manifest more and more But if I should write that the learned Canonist Richard de la Wich Bishop of Chichester here borne obtained with his fervent prayers these Salt springs out of the bowels of the earth I feare me least some might thinke me both over injurious to the providence of God and also too credulous of old wives traditions Yet were our ancestours in their pious devotion so hasty of beleefe that they did not onely give credit hereto yea and recorde it in their writings but in consideration heereof yeelded unto that Prelate in some sort divine honour when Pope Urban the Fourth had for his sanctity and sincere integrity of life canonized him a Saint But before that ever this Richard was borne Gervase of Tilbury wrote thus of these Salt springs though not altogether truely In the Bishopricke of Worcester there is a country towne not farre from the City named Wich in which at the foote of a certaine little hill there runneth a most fresh water in the banke whereof are seene a few pits or wels of a reasonable depth and their water is most salt When this water is boyled in Caudrons it becommeth thicke and turneth into passing white Salt and all the Province fetcheth and carrieth it for that betweene Christmas and the feast of S. Iohn Baptists Nativitie good the water floweth most Salt The rest of the yeere it runneth somewhat fresh and nothing good to make Salt and that which I take to be more wonderfull when this salt water is run sufficiently for the use of the Country scarcely overfloweth it to any waste Also when the time is once come of the saltnesse the same is nothing at all allaid for all the vicinity of the fresh river water neither is it found in any place neere unto the Sea Moreover in the very Kings booke which we call Domesday we read thus In Wich the King and Earle have eight salt pits which in the whole weeke wherein they boiled and wrought yeelded on the Friday sixteene Bullions Salwarp having now entertained a small brooke descending from Chedesley where anciently the family of Foliot flourished as afterward at Longdon maketh hast to Severne which hath not passed foure miles farther before he runs hard by WORCESTER the principall City of this Shire where he seemeth to passe with a flower streame as it were admiring and wondering thereat all the while he passeth by and worthy it is I assure you of admiration whether you respect either the antiquity or the beauty thereof Certes for antiquity the Emperour Antonine hath made mention of it under the name of BRANONIUM and Ptolomee in whom through the negligence of the transcribers it is misplaced under the name of BRANOGENIUM after which name the Britans call it yet Care Wrangon In the Catalogue of Ninnius it is named Caer Guorangon and Caer Guorcon the old English-Saxons afterward called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dare not say of Wire that woody Forest which in old time stretched farre Since the Conquest the Latine writers named it Vigornia and Wigornia Which name Ioseph the Monke of Excester a right elegant Poet in those daies was one of the first that used if my memory faile me not I meane him that is published under the name of Cornelius Nepos in these his elegant verses unto Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury In numerum jam crescit honor te tertia poscit Insula jam meminit Wigornia Cantia discit Romanus meditatur apex naufraga Petri Ductorem in mediis expectat cymba procellis A mitre third now waits for thee for still thine honour growes Thee Wigorne still remembereth now Canterbury knowes The See of Rome doth thinke of thee and Peters ship in feare Of wracke amid the boistrous stormes expects thee for to steare Probable it is that the Romanes built it what time as they planted cities at certaine spaces and distances along the East banke of Severne to keepe in the Britans beyond Severne like as they did in Germany on the South banke of Rhene to represse the incursions of the Germans It standeth in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the rivers side that hath a faire bridge with a tower over it proudly bearing it selfe in old time as I finde it written in an ancient Manuscript roule of the Romanes wall and even now also it is well and strongly walled But the fame and reputation that it now hath ariseth from the Inhabitants who are many in number courteous and wealthy by the trade of clothing from their faire and neat houses from the number also of Churches but most of all from the Bishops See which Sexwulph Bishop of the Mercians erected there in the yeere of Christ 680. having built a Cathedrall Church at the South side of the City which hath been often repaired and which the Bishops and Monkes by little and little have drawne out in length Westward almost to the very brinke of Severn Truly it is a passing faire and stately building adorned with the Monuments and Tombes of King Iohn Arthur Prince of Wales and divers of the Beauchamps and in these daies it is no lesse notable by the Deane and Chapter whom they call Prebendaries placed therein than it was in times past for the Monkes or the Cloister Priests For presently upon the first foundation like as in other religious houses of England married Priests were placed heere who carrying a long time a great opinion of holinesse governed the Churches untill that Danstane Archbishop of Canterbury had decreed in a Synode That from thence forward the religious men in England should live a
with his streame at Buldewas commonly Bildas there flourished a faire Abbay the Sepulture in times past of the noble Family of the Burnels Patrons thereof Higher into the Country there is a Mansion or Baiting Towne named Watling street of the situation upon the foresaid Rode way or street And hard by it are seene the Reliques of Castle Dalaley which after that Richard Earle of Arundell was attainted King Richard the Second by authority of the Parliament annexed to the Principality of Chester which hee had then erected And not farre from the foote of the foresaid Wreken in an hollow Valley by that high street before mentioned Oken-yate a little Village well knowne for the plentifull delfe there of pit-cole lieth so beneath and just at the same distance as Antonine placeth VSOCONA both from URICONIUM and also from PENNOCRUCIUM that no man need to doubt but that this Oken-yate was that USOCONA Neither doth the name it selfe gainesay it for this word Ys which in the British tongue signifieth Lowe may seeme added for to note the low situation thereof On the other side beneath this Hill appeareth Charleton Castle in ancient times belonging to the Charletons Lords of Powis and more Eastward next of all unto Staffordshire Tong-Castle called in old time Toang which the Vernons not long since repaired as also the College within the Towne which the Pembridges as I have read first founded Neither have the Inhabitants any thing heere more worth shewing than a Bell for the bignesse thereof very famous in all those parts adjoyning Hard to this lieth Albrighton which in the Raigne of King Edward the First was the seat of Sir Raulph de Pichford but now of the Talbotts branched from the Family of the Earles of Shrewesbury But above Tong was Lilleshul Abbay in a woodland Country founded by the family of Beaumeis whose heire was marryed into the house of De La Zouch But seeing there is little left but ruines I will leave it and proceed forward Beyond the river Terne on the brinke thereof standeth Draiton where in the civill warres between the houses of Lancaster and Yorke a field was fought that cost many a Gentleman of Cheshire his life For they although the battaile was given up almost on even hand when they could not agree among themselves but tooke part with both sides were slaine by heapes and numbers on either side Beneath this Draiton and nere enough to Terne lieth Hodnet wherein dwelt sometimes Gentlemen of the same name from whom hereditarily it is come by the Ludlows unto the Vernons It was held in times past of the Honour of Mont-Gomery by service to bee Seneschall or Steward of the same Honour After this Terne having passed haâ—d by certaine little rurall Townes taketh in unto him the Riveret Roden and when hee hath gone a few miles further neere unto Uriconium of which I spake even now falleth into the Severn Upon this Roden whiles hee is but new come from his spring head standeth Wem where are to be seene the tokens of a Castle long since begun there to be built This was the Barony after the first entry of the Normans of William Pantulph from whose Posterity it came at length to the Butlers and from them by the Ferrars of Ousley and the Barons of Greystock unto the Barons D'acre of Gillesland Within a little of this upon an high hill well wooded or upon a cliffe rather which sometime was called Radcliffe stood a Castle mounted aloft called of the reddish stone Red-Castle and in the Normans language Castle Rous the seat in old time of the Audleies through the liberall bounty of Lady Maude Le Strange But now there remaineth no more but desolate walles which yet make a faire shew Scarce a mile from hence lyeth all along the dead carcasse as it were of a small City now well neere consumed But the peeces of Romane money and those brickes which the Romans used in building there found doe testifie the antiquity and founders thereof The neighbour Inhabitants use to call it Bery as one would say Burgh and they report that it was a most famous place in King Arthurs daies as the common sort ascribe whatsoever is ancient and strange to King Arthurs glory Then upon the same River Morton Corbet anciently an house of the Family of Turet afterward a Castle of the Corbets sheweth it selfe where within our remembrance Robert Corbet carryed away with the affectionate delight of Architecture began to build in a barraine place a most gorgeous and stately house after the Italians modell But death prevented him so that he left the new worke unfinished and the old Castle defaced These Corbets are of ancient Nobility in this Shire and held Lordships by service of Roger Montgomery Earle of this County about the comming in of the Normans for Roger the son of Corbet held Huelebec Hundeslit Acton Fern-leg c. Robert the sonne of Corbet held land in Ulestanton Rotlinghop Branten and Udecot And in later ages this family farre and fairely propagated received encrease both of revenew and great alliance by the marriage of an heire of Hopton More Southward standeth Arcoll the habitation of the Newports knights of great worship descended from the Barons Grey of Codnor and the Lords of Mothwy and neere unto it is Hagmond Abbay which the Lords Fitz Alanes if they did not found yet they most especially endowed Not much lower upon Severn standeth most pleasantly the famousest City for so it was called in Domesday booke of this Shire risen by the ruine of Old Uriconium which wee at this day call Shrewsbury and Shrowsbury having mollified the name whereas our Ancestours called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that it was anciently a very thicket of shrobs upon an hill In which sense both the Greekes tearmed their Bessa and our Welsh Britans named this also Pengwerne that is The high plot planted with Alders and a Palace so named continued heere a long time But whence it is that it is called now in the British tongue Ymwithig and by the Normans Scropesbery Sloppesbery and Salop and in the Latin tongue Salopia I am altogether ignorant unlesse it should bee the ancient name Scobbes-beng diversely distorted and dis-jointed Yet some skilfull in the British tongue thinke verily it is called Ymwithig as one would say Placentia or Plaisance of a British word Mewithau and that their Poets the Bardi so named it because of all others it best pleased the Princes of Wales in times past It is seated upon an Hill of a reddish earth and Severn having two very faire Bridges upon it gathering himselfe in manner round in forme of a circle so compasseth it that were it not for a small banke of firme land it might goe for an Island And thence it is that Leland the Antiquarian Poet wrote thus Edita Penguerni latè fastigia splendent Urbs sita lunatâ— veluti
this City as Ptolomee Antonine and the ancient Coine of Septimius Geta doe prove by which it appeareth for certaine that this City also was a Colony For in the reverse or back-side thereof standeth this Inscription COL DIUANA LEG XX. VICTRIX But to testifie the Romanes magnificence there are remaining indeed at this day very few tokens beside pavements of foure square checker worke howbeit in the former ages it presented many which Ranulph a Monke of this City shall tell you out of his Polychronicon in these his owne words There be waies heere under the ground vaulted marveilously with stone worke chambers having arched roofes over head huge stones engraven with the names of ancient men heere also are sometimes digged up peeces of money coined by Julius Caesar and other famous persons and stumped with their inscriptions Likewise Roger of Chester in his Policraticon When I behold saith he the ground worke of buildings in the streetes laid with monstrous big stones it seemeth that it hath beene founded by the painfull labour of Romans or Giants rather than by the sweat of Britans This City built in forme of a quadrant foure square is enclosed with a wall that taketh up more than two miles in compasse and hath eleven parishes But that of S. Johns without the Northgate was the fairest being a stately and solemne building as appeareth by the remaines wherein were anciently Prebendaries and as some write the Bishops See Neere unto the River standeth the Castle upon a rocky hill built by the Earles where the Courts Palatine and the Assises as they call them are kept twice a yeere The houses are very faire built and along the chiefe streets are galleries or walking places they call them Rowes having shops on both sides through which a man may walke dry from one end unto the other But it hath not continued evermore in one tenor of prosperity First it was rased by Egfrid King of Northumberland then by the Danes yet reedified againe by Aedelfled Lady of the Mercians and soone after it saw King Eadgar in magnificent maner triumphing over the British Princes For sitting himselfe in a Barge at the fore-decke Kennadie King of the Scots Malcoline King of Cumberland Macon King of Mann and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales brought to doe homage and like watermen working at the Ore rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant shew to his great glory and joy of the beholders Certaine yeeres after and namely about the yeere of our Redemption 1094. when as in a devour and religious emulation as one saith Princes strove avie That Cathedrall Churches and Minsters should bee erected in a more decent and seemely forme and when as Christendome rouzed as it were her selfe and casting away her old habiliments did put on every where the bright and white robe of Churches Hugh the first of the Norman bloud that was Earle of Chester repaired the Church which Earle Loefrick had formerly founded in honour of the Virgin Saint Werburga and by the advise of Anselm whom he had procured to come out of Normandy granted the same unto Monkes And now it is notorious for the Tombe of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Almaine who as they say gave over his Empire and lived heere an Eremits life and for the Bishops See therein established Which See immediately after the Normans Conquest Peter Bishop of Lichfield translated from Lichfield hither but when it was brought to Coventry and from thence into the ancient seat againe West-Chester lay a long time berest of this Episcopall Dignity untill in our fathers dayes King Henry the Eighth having thrust out the Monkes ordeined Prebendaries and restored a Bishopagaine under whom for his Dioecesse he appointed this County Lancashire Richmond c. and appointed the same to be within the Province of the Archbishop of Yorke But returne wee now to matters of greater antiquity When as now the said Cathedrall Church was built the Earles that were of the Normans line fortified the City both with Walles and Castle For as the Bishop held of the King that which belongeth to his Bishopricke these are the words of Domesday booke made by King William the Conquerour so the Earles with their men held of the King wholly all the rest of the City It paid Geld or Tribute for fifty hides and foure hundred and thirty and one houses were thus Geldable and seven Mint-masters When the King himselfe in person came thither every Carrucata yeelded unto him two hundred Hestas and one turn full of Ale and one Rusca of butyr And in the same place for the reedification of the City wall and the bridge the Provost gave warning by an edict that out of every hide in the County one man should come and looke whose man came not his Lord or Master was sined in forty shillings to the King and the Earle If I should particulate the scufflings and skirmishes heere about betweene the Welsh and the English in the beginning of the Normans time their inrodes and outrodes the often scarfires of the Suburbs of Hanbrid beyond the Bridge whereupon the Welshmen call it Treboeth that is The burnt towne as also the Wall made there of Welshmens skuls that went a great length I should seeme to forget my selfe and thrust my sicle into the Historians Harvest But ever since the said time hath Chester notably flourished and King Henry the Seventh made it a County by it selfe incorporate Neither wanteth any thing there that may be required in a most flourishing City but that the Ocean being offended and angry as it were at certaine Mills in the very chanell of the River Dee hath by little withdrawne himselfe back and affoordeth not unto the City the commodity of an Haven as heretofore The Longitude of this place is twenty Degrees and three and twenty Scruples the Latitude three and fifty Degrees and eleven Scruples If you desire to know more touching this City have here these reports out of Lucian that Monke abovesaid who lived almost five hundred yeeres agoe First it is to bee considered that Chester is built as a City the site whereof inviteth and allureth the eye which being situate in the West parts of Britaine was in time past a place of receipt to the Legions comming a farre off to repose themselves and served sufficiently to keepe the Keies as I may say of Ireland for the Romanes to preserve the limite of their Empire For being opposite to the North-East part of Ireland it openeth way for passage of ships and Mariners with spread saile passing not often but continually to and fro as also for the commodities of sundry sorts of Merchandise And whiles it casteth an eye forward into the East it looketh toward not onely the See of Rome and the Emperor thereof but the whole world also so that it standeth forth as a kenning place to the view of eyes that there may bee knowne valiant exploites and
worke also a fragment of an Altar with this Inscription engraven in great capitall letters three inches long erected by Haterianus the Lieutenant Generall of Augustus and Propretour of the Province Cilicia The next yeere following hard by was this Table also gotten out of the ground which prooveth that the foresaid Image was the personage of Diana and that her Temple was repaired by Titus Flavius Posthumius Varus an old souldier haply of a Band of the second Legion T. FL. POSTUMIUS VARUS V. C. LEG TEMPL DIANAE RESTITUIT Also a votive Altar out of which GETA the name of Caesar may seeme then to have beene rased what time as he was made away by his brother Antonine Bassianus and proclaimed an Enemy yet so as by the tract of the letters it is in some sort apparent PRO SALUTE AUGG. N. N. SEVERI ET ANTONINI ET GETAE CAES. P. SALTIENUS P. F. MAECIA THALAMUS HADRI PRAEF LEG II. AUG C. VAMPEIANO ET LUCILIAN This most beautifull Altar also though maimed and dismembred was there found which I thinke is thus to be made up Also these fragments 7. VECILIANA VIII 7. VALER MAXSIMI Moreover a little before the comming in of the English Saxons There was a Schoole heere of 200. Philosophers who being skilfull in Astronomy and all other Arts diligently observed the course and motion of the Starres as wrote Alexander Elsebiensis a rare Author and hard to be found out of whom Thomas James of Oxford a learned man and a true lover of Bookes who wholly addicted to learning and now laboriously searching the Libraries of England to the publique good purposeth that God blesse his labour which will be to the great benefit of all Students hath copied out very many notes for me In the Raigne of Henry the Second what time Giraldus wrote it seemeth that this City was of good strength For Yrwith of Caer Leon a courageous and hardy Britan defended it a great while against the English untill he was vanquished by the King and so disseized of the possession thereof But now that it may serve for an ensample that as well Cities have fatall periods of their flourishing state as men of their lives it is decaied and become a very small Towne which in times past was of that greatnesse and reaching out so farre in length on both sides of the River that Saint Julians an house of the late Sir William Herbert Knight was by report sometime within the very City where Saint Julius the Martyrs Church stood which now is much about a mile out of the Towne Also out of the ruines thereof a little beneath at the mouth of Vske grew up Newport which Giraldus nameth in Latine Novus Burgus a Towne of later time built and not unknowne by reason of the Castle and commodiousnesse of the Harbour in which place there was in times past some one of these Roman High wayes or Streets whereof Necham hath made mention in these Verses Intrat auget aquas Sabrini fluminis Osca Praceps testis erit Julia Strata mihi Vske into Severn headlong runnes and makes his streame to swell Witnesse with me is Julia Street that knoweth it full well This Julia Strata was no doubt some Port-high way and if we may be allowed to make a conjecture what great absurdity were it to say that it was cast up and made by Julius Frâ—ntinus the vanquisher of the Silures There creepeth saith Giraldus in the bounds of this New-burgh or Newport a little River named Nant Pencarn which cannot bee waded and passed over but at certaine Fourds not so much for any depth that the water is of as for the hollownesse of the Chanell and the easie mudde in the bottome and it had of old a Fourd named Rydpencarn that is The Fourd under the top of a Rocke Which when Henry the Second King of England chanced at a venture to passe over even then when it was almost growne out of remembrance the Welshmen who were over credulous in beleeving of Prophesies as if now all had beene sure on the Kings side and themselves hopelesse of all helpe were quite out of heart and hope of good successe because Merlin Silvester the British Apollo had prophesied that then the Welshmens power should bee brought under when a stout Prince with a freckled face and such a one was King Henry the Second should passe over that Foord Under the Saxons Heptarchy this Region was subject to the mountaine Welshmen whom the English called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who notwithstanding as the ancient lawes doe shew were under the command of the West Saxons But at the first comming in of the Normans the Lords Merchers most grievously plagued and annoyed them but especially Hamelin Balun of whom I spake Hugh Lacy Walter and Gilbert both sirnamed of the house of Clare Miles of Glocester Robert Chandos Pain Fitz-Iohn Richard Fitz Punt and Brien of Wallingford unto whom after that the Kings had once given whatsoever they could get and hold in this tract by subduing the Welsh some of these before named by little and little reduced under their subjection the upper part of this Shire which they called Over-went others the lower part which they termed Nether-went And this Shire is not accounted among the Shires of Wales This Shire containeth Parish Churches 127. GLAMORGAN-SHIRE THE last Country of the Silures was that I thinke which wee at this day call GLAMORGAN-SHIRE the Britans Morganuc Glath-Morgan and Glad Vorganuc that is The Region of Morganuc so named as most suppose of one Morgan a Prince as others thinke of Morgan an Abbay But if I derived it from Mor which in the British tongue signifieth The Sea I know not verily whether I should dally with the trueth or no Howbeit I have observed that a Towne in little Britaine standing upon the Sea-coast now called Morlais was of Ptolomee and the ancient Gaules tearmed Vorganium or Morganium for M. and V. consonant are often changed one for another in this tongue and whence I pray you but from the sea And this our Morganuc also lieth upon the sea for stretching out directly more in length than it spreadeth in bredth on the South side it is accoasted with the Severn sea But where it looketh toward the Land it hath on the East side Monmouth-shire on the North Brechnock-shire and on the West Caermarden-shire bordering upon it The North part by reason of the Mountaines is rough and unpleasant which as they bend downe Southward by little and little become more milde and of better soile and at the foote of them there stretcheth forth a Plaine open to the South-Sunne in that position of situation which Cato judged to bee the best and for the which Plinie so highly commendeth Italie For this part of the Country is most pleasant and fruitfull beautified also on every side with a number of Townes Jestine a great Lord in the Raigne of William Rufus
doth the word import so it hath communicated that name unto the whole Country for heereupon the English men call it Caer-narvon-shire This is encompassed with a very small circuit of walles about it and in manner round but the same exceeding strong and to set it the better out sheweth a passing faire Castle which taketh up the whole West side of it The private buildings for the manner of that Countrey are sightly enough and the inhabitants for their courtesie much commended who thinke it a point of their glorie that King Edward the First founded their Citie that his Sonne King Edward the Second was heere borne and surnamed of Caer-narvon who also was of the English line the first Prince of Wales and also the Princes of Wales had heere their Chauncerie their Exchequer and their Iustice for North-Wales About seven miles hence by the same narrow Sea standeth Bangor or Banchor low seated enclosed on the South side with a Mountaine of great heighth on the North with a little hill so called A choro pulchro that is of a faire quire or as some would have it quasi Locus Chori that is as if it were the place of a quire Which being a Bishops See hath within the Diocese thereof 96. Parishes The Church was consecrated unto Daniel sometime Bishop thereof but that which now standeth is of no especiall faire building for Owen Glendoverdwy that most notorious Rebell who had purposed utterly to destroy all the Cities of Wales set it on fire for that they stood for the King of England and defaced the ancient Church which albeit Henry Deney Bishop of the same repaired about the time of King Henry the Seventh yet it scarcely recovered the former dignity Now the Towne is small but in times past so large that for the greatnesse thereof it was called Banchor Vaur that is Great Banchor and Hugh Earle of Chester fortified it with a Castle whereof I could finde no footings at all though I sought them with all diligent inquiry But that Castle was situate upon the very entry of the said narrow Sea Over the Menay or streight hereby King Edward the First that he might transport his Army into Mona or Anglesey whereof I must treat anon in due order went about with great labour to make a bridge but all in vaine Albeit Suctonius Paulinus conveyed over his Romane Souldiers long before into Mona his Horsemen at a Fourd and the Footemen in little flat botomed boates as we reade in Tacitus From hence the shore raising it selfe with a bending ascent runneth on by Penmaen-maur that is The great stony head a very exceeding high and steepe Rocke which hanging over the Sea when it is floud affourdeth a very narrow path way for passengers having on the one side huge stones over their heads as if they were ready to fall upon them on the other side the raging Ocean lying of a wonderfull steepe depth under it But after a man hath passed over this together with Pen-maen bychan that is the lesser stony head he shall come to an open broad plaine that reacheth as farre as to the River Conwey which limiteth this Shire on the East side This River in Ptolomee after a corrupt manner of writing Greeke is called TOISOVIUS for CONOVIUS It issueth out of a Poole of the same name in the South border of the Shire and being pent in and as it were strangled runneth apace within a very narrow chanell as farre almost as to the mouth thereof breeding certaine Shell-fishes which being conceived of an Heavenly deaw bring forth Pearles and there giveth he name unto the Towne CONOVIUM which Antonine mentioneth And although it now lie all along and that name there be utterly extinct yet by a new name it doth covertly implie the antiquity For a very small and poore village standing among the rubbish thereof is called Caer hean that is the ancient City Out of the spoile and ruines whereof King Edward the First built a new Towne at the very mouth of the River which thereupon they call Aber-Conwey that is the mouth of Conwey which place Hugh of Chester had before-time fortified But this New Conovium or Aber-Conwey being strongly situated and fensed both with walls and also with a very proper Castle by the Rivers side deserveth the name rather of a prety Citie than of a Towne but that it is not replenished with Inhabitants Opposite unto this Towne and yet on this side of the River which is passed by ferry and not by bridge reacheth out a huge Promontory with a bending elbow as if nature purposed to make there a road and harbour for Ships which is also counted part of this Shire and is named Gogarth wherein stood Diganwy an ancient City just over the River Conwey where it issueth into the Sea which was burnt many yeeres agoe with lightning And I am of opinion that it was the City DICTUM where under the later Emperours the Captaine over the band of the Nervians Dictenses kept their guard And for that afterwards it was called Diganwy who seeth not that the said Canwey came of Conwey and from thence the English name Ganoc For so was that Castle called which afterwards King Henry the Third built in that place to bridle the Welsh Straight after the Normans comming into this Island Gruffin ap Conan governed this Country who being not able to represse the English troupes who swarmed into Wales yeelded otherwhiles unto the tempest and at length when with his integrity and uprightnesse he had regained the favour of King Henry the First he easily also recovered his owne lands of the English and left them to his heires successively untill the time of Lhewelyn ap Gruffith who when he had provoked his owne Brethren with wrongs and the English men with inrodes was brought to this passe that hee held this hilly Country together with the Isle Anglesey of King Edward the First as Tenant in Fee and paid for it yeerely a thousand Markes Which conditions afterward when hee would not stand unto and following rather his owne and his Brothers stubborne wilfulnesse than any good hope to prevaile would needes put all once againe to the hazard of warre he was slaine and so both ended his owne life and withall the British government in Wales It hath in it Parish Churches 68. ANGLESEY Conitatus olim MONA INSULA Druidum sedes Britannice Tir Mon THE ISLE MONA or of ANGLESEY THe County of Caer-Nar-von which I last ranne through tooke name as I said erewhile of the chiefe Towne therein and the said Towne of the Isle Mona which lieth over against it and requireth as it were of right that I should treat of it in his due place which unwillingly heeretofore I confesse I referred to the out Islands whereas by right it is to be placed among the Shires This Isle called of the Romans MONA of the Britans Mon and Tir-Mon that is the
will in short space be covered over with a stony barke and turne into stone as it hath beene often observed In the Territory there by Liquirice groweth in great abundance and a yellower and softer kinde of marle is there found passing good to make the ground fertile The Keeper or chiefe Ranger of the Forest adjoyning was in times past one Gamell whose posterity of their habitation at Screven assumed the name of Screven and from them descended the Slingsbey who received this Forestership of king Edward the First and to this day live here in great and good regard Nid having passed by these places not farre from Allerton the seat of a very ancient and famous family of the Malliveries who in old Deeds and Records are called Mali Leporarij goeth on a little way and then meeting Ouse augmenteth the streame of Ouse by his confluence As for Vre he also springing out of these Westerne hilles but on the other side of the Country in North-Ricding when by this name he hath watered the North part of the Shire a little before he commeth to Rippon serveth for the limite dividing the North and West Ridings one from another This Rippon in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being placed betweene Vre and Skell a rill is beholden to religious Houses for all the dignity it had and especially to a Monastery built in the primitive Church of the English-Saxons by Wilfride Archbishop of Yorke and that with such arched and embowed Vaults with such floorings and stories of stone-worke with such turnings and windings in and out of Galleries so saith William of Malmesbury that it was wonderfull Which the Danes afterward being so violent and outrageous that they spared neither God nor man raced together with the Towne Yet flourished it againe repaired by meanes of Odo Archbishop of Canterbury who being a very great master of ceremoniall mysteries translated from hence to Canterbury the Reliques of Wilfride But since the Normans arrivall it prospered most when the Castles as one saith of Monkes beganne to bee built in greater number For then both the Towne grew famous partly under the chiefe Magistrate whom they call by an old Saxon word Wakeman as one would say Watchman and partly by their industry in clothing which at this day is much diminished and the Monastery likewise under the tuition and protection of the Archbishops of Yorke beganne marveilously to reflourish Besides a very faire Church was there also built at the charitable charges of the Noblemen and Gentry dwelling thereabout and of their owne Treasurer which with three high Spire-steeples doth welcome those that come to the towne and did as it were emulate in workemanship the wealthy Abbay of Fountaines built within the sight of it by Thurstin Archbishop of Yorke On the one side of this Church wee saw a little College of â—inging men which Henry Bath Archbishop of Yorke erected on the other side a very great mount of earth called Hilshow cast up as they report by the Danes Within the Church Saint Wilfrides Needle was in our Grandfathers remembrance very famous A narrow hole this was in the Crowdes or close vaulted roome under the ground whereby womens honesty was tried For such as were chast did easily passe through but as many as had plaied false were miraculously I know not how held fast and could not creepe through The Abbay Fountaines aforesaid most pleasantly seated in a right plentifull Country and having Lead mines neere it had the originall from twelve precise Monkes of Yorke who fervently zealous to serve God in a more strict kinde of life forsooke their cloistures and addicted themselves to the ordinances of Saint Bernard For whom after they had reaped many Harvests of troubles Thurstine Archbishop of Yorke built this Abbay which was acknowledged an immediate daughter of Clarevalle and in a few yeeres became a mother to many others as Kirkstall Salley Meaux c. I have made more willingly mention of these because Saint Bernard in his Epistles so highly approved their life and discipline Not farre beneath there standeth by Vre a little Towne called Burrow bridge of the bridge that is made over the River which now is built very high and faire of stone worke but in King Edward the Second his time it seemeth to have beene of wood For wee reade that when the Nobles of England disquieted the King and troubled the State Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford in his going over it was at a chinke thereof thrust through the body about his groine by a souldier lying close under the Bridge Neere unto this Bridge Westward we saw in three divers little fields foure huge stones of Pyramidall forme but very rudely wrought set as it were in a streight and direct line The two Pyramides in the middest whereof the one was lately pulled downe by some that hoped though in vaine to finde treasure did almost touch one another the uttermore stand not farre off yet almost in equall distance from these on both sides Of these I have nothing else to say but that I am of opinion with some that they were Monuments of victory erected by the Romanes hard by the High Street that went this way For I willingly overpasse the fables of the common people who call them the Devils Bolts which they shot at ancient Cities and therewith overthrew them Yet will not I passe over this that very many and those learned men thinke they are not made of naturall stone indeed but compounded of pure sand lime vitriol whereof also they say there be certaine small graines within and some unctuous matter Of such a kinde there were in Rome cisternes so firmely compact of very strong lime and sand as Plinie writeth that they seemed to be naturall stones A little Eastward from this Bridge IS-URIUM BRIGANTUM an ancient City so called of the River Vre running by it flourished in ancient times but was rased to the very ground many ages past Neverthelesse the Village risen up neere the place giveth testimony of the Antiquity thereof for it is called Ealdburgh and Aldborrow But in that very plot of ground where the said City stood are now arable grounds and pastures so that scarce any footing thereof doth appeare Surely the very credite of Writers should have had much adoe to make us beleeve that this had beene IS-URIUM but that URE the Rivers name the Romane Coine daily digged up and the distance according to Antonines account betwixt this and Yorke warranted it For by that Vre which the Saxons afterward named Ouse because it hath entertained Ousburne a little River is gone sixteene Italian miles from hence hee runneth through the City EBORACUM or EBURACUM which Ptolomee in the second booke of his Great Construction calleth BRIGANTIUM if the said booke bee not corrupted because it was the chiefe City of the Brigantes Ninnius calleth it Caer Ebrauc the Britans Caer Effroc the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we at this day Yorke The British History reporteth that it tooke name of King Ebraâ—c the Founder yet give mee leave to deeme conjecturally without the prejudice to others that the name EB-URACUM is derived from nothing else but from the River Vre so that it soundeth as much as by Vre or along the side of Vre for even so the EBUROVICES in France were seated by the River Eure neere unto Eureux in Normandy Semblably the EB-URONES in the Netherlands neere unto the river Oure in the Dioecese of Lhuick and EB-LANA in Ireland standeth hard by the river Lefny This is the second City of England the fairest in all this Country and a singular safeguard and ornament both to all the North parts A pleasant place large and stately well fortified beautifully adorned as well with private as pulique buildings rich populous and to the greater dignity thereto it hath an Archiepiscopall See Ure which now is called Ouse flowing with a gentle streame from the North part Southward cutteth it as I said in twaine and divideth it as it were into two Cities which are conjoyned with a stone Bridge having the mightiest Arch one of them that ever I saw The West part nothing so populous is compassed in with a very faire Wall and the River together fouresquarewise and giveth entrance to those that come thither at one onely Gate named Mikel Barre as one would say The great Gate From which a long street and a broade reacheth to the very Bridge and the same streete beset with proper houses having gardens and orchards planted on the backeside on either hand and behinde them fields even hard to the Walles for exercise and disports In the South angle whereof which they and the River make betweene them I saw a Mount raised as it seemeth for some Castle to be built upon it called The old Bale which William Melton Archbishop as wee reade in the Archbishops lives strongly enclosed first with thicke planckes eighteene foote long afterward with a stone wall yet there is nothing of all that now to be seene The East side wherein the houses stand very thicke and the streetes be narrower in forme resembleth as it were a lentill and is fortified also with very strong walles and on the South-East defended with the deepe chanell of Fosse a muddy River which entring into the heart of the City by a blinde way hath a Bridge over it with houses standing upon it so close ranged one by another that any man would judge it to bee not a Bridge but a continued streete and so a little lower runneth into Ouse where at their confluence and meeting together right over against the Mount that I spake of King William the Conquerour in a very convenient place raised a most strong Castle to awe the Citizens Upon which time hath now a great while without impeachment wrought his will ever since that Englishmen fell to neglect strong Holds as receptacles for those whose hearts would not serve to fight in open field On this side also toward the North-East standeth the Cathedrall Church dedicated to Saint Peter an excellent faire Fabrique and a stately neere unto which without the Walles of the City but yet enclosed within walles and by the River flourished a renowned Abbay called Saint Maries which Alan the Third Earle of Little Britaine in Armorica and of Richmund built and endowed with rich livings but now it is converted into the Princes house and is commonly called The Manour Whence I should fetch the originall of Yorke but from the Romanes I cannot tell seeing the Britans before the Romanes comming had no other Townes than woods fensed with trenches and rampire as Caesar and Strabo unreprovable Authors doe testifie To say nothing therefore of King Ebrauk whom some men both curious and credulous as it should seeme have imagined out of the name of Eboracum for so is Yorke in Latine termed to have beene the Founder thereof most certaine it is that the Sixth Legion Victrix which Hadrian there Emperour brought out of Germany over into Britaine was placed heere in Garison And that it was a Colony of the Romanes it appeareth both by the authority of Ptolomee and Antonine and also by an ancient Inscription which I saw in a certaine Aldermans house there in these words M. VEREC DIOGENES IIIII I VIR COL EBOR. IDEMQ MORT CIVES BITURIX HAEC SIBI VIVUS FECIT As also by a peece of money coined by the Emperour Severius in the reverse whereof we reade COL EBORACUM LEG VI. VICTRIX But how it is that Victor in his History of the Caesars hath called Yorke Municipium or free towne of Britaine being as it was a Colony I require farther time to deliberate thereupon unlesse it were that the inhabitants of Yorke like as sometime the Praenestines did choose rather from a Colony to bee brought unto the state of a free-Burgh For Colonies having as Agellius writeth lawes customes and rights at the will of the people of Rome and not at their owne pleasure seemed more obnoxious and their condition not so free whereas free Cities such as in Latin are named Municipia used rights Lawes and orders of their owne and the Citizens or Burgesses thereof were partakers with the people of Rome in their honourable Offices onely and bound of necessity to nothing else No mervaile therefore if Colonies were changed into Free Burroughs But to what end stand I upon this point This difference of the name is not in the story of the Emperours so exactly observed but that one and the selfe same place is called both a Colony and a Municipium or Free City Howbeit out of that peece of money I dare not constantly affirme that Severus first conducted and planted this Colony seeing that Ptolomee and Antonine himselfe writeth it was the seat of the sixth Legion in the Antonines time But we reade that Severus had his Palace in this City and heere at the houre of death gave up his last breath with these words I entred upon a state every where troublesome and I leave it peaceable even to the Britans His body was carried forth here to the funerall fire by the souldiers after the military fashion and committed to the flames honoured with Justs and Turneaments of his souldiers and his owne sonnes in a place beneath this City Westward neere to Ackham where is to be seene a great Mount of earth raised up which as Raulph Niger hath recorded was in his time of Severus called Sivers His ashes being bestowed in a little golden pot or vessell of the Porphyrite stone were carried to Rome and shrined there in the Monument of the Antonines At which time there was in this City the Temple of Goddesse Bellona For Spartianus speaking of Severus and this very City saith thus When Severus returned and came into the City purposing to offer sacrifice he was led first of all to the
them who deserve for their vertue and piety to bee renowned Let it suffice to note in a word that from Paulinus the first Archbishop consecrated in the yeere of our Redemption 625. there have sitten in that See threescore and five Archbishops unto the yeere 1606. in which D. Tobie Matthew a most reverend Prelate for the ornaments of vertue and piety for learned eloquence and continuall exercise of teaching was translated hither from the Bishopricke of Durrham This City for a time flourished very notably under the English Saxons dominion untill the Danes like a mighty storme thundring from out of the North-East defaced it againe with merveilous great ruines and by killing and slaying disteined it with bloud which that Alcuine aforesaid in his Epistle to Egelred King of Northumberland may seeme to have presaged before What signifieth saith he that raining of bloud which in Lent we saw at Yorke the head City of the whole Kingdome in Saint Peters Church to fall downe violently in threatning wise from the top of the roufe in the North part of the house and that in a faire day May it not bee thought that bloud is comming upon the Land from the North parts Verily soone after it was embrued with bloud and did pine away with most miserable calamities when the Danes spoiled wasted and murrhered all where ever they came And verily in the yeere 867. the wals were so battered and shaken by reason of continuall Warres that Osbright and Ella Kings of Northumberland whiles they pursewed the Danes easily brake into the City who being both of them slaine in a most bloudy battaile in the very middest of the City left the victory unto the Danes Whereupon William of Malmesbury writeth in this manner Yorke alwaies exposed first to the rage of the Northren Nations sustained the barbarous assaults of the Danes and groaned being pitteously shaken with manifold ruines But as the very same Authour witnesseth King Athelstone wonne it perforce out of the Danes hands and overthrew the Castle quite which they had heere fortified Neither for all this was it altogether free from warres in the times next ensuing whiles that age ranne fatall for the destruction of Cities But the Normans as they ended these miseries so they made almost a finall hand of Yorke also For when the sonnes of Sueno the Dane had landed in these parts with a Danish Fleete of 240. Saile the Normans lying in Garison who kept two Forts within the City fearing least the houses in the Suburbes might stand the enemy in stead to fill up the Ditches withall set them on fire but by reason the winde rose highly the fire was so carried and spred throughout that City that now it was set a burning when the Danes breaking in upon them made pitifull slaughter in every place having put the Normans to the sword and keeping alive William Mallet and Gilbert Gant two principall persons that they might be tithed with the souldiers For every tenth man of the Normans they chose out by lot to be executed Whereupon King William the Conquerour was so incensed with desire of revenge that he shewed his cruelty upon the Citizens by putting them all to death as if they had taken part with the Danes and upon the City it selfe by setting it on fire afresh and as William of Malmesbury saith Hee so depopulated and defaced the Villages adjoyning and the sinewes of that fertile Region were so cut by the spoiles there committed and booties raised and the ground for the space of threescore miles lay so untilled that if a stranger had then seene the Cities that in times were of high account the Towres which with their lofty toppes threatned the skie and the fields that were rich in pastures hee could not but sigh and lament yea and if an ancient inhabitant had beheld the same hee could not have knowne them How great Yorke had beene aforetime Domesday booke shall tell you in these words In King Edward the Confessours time there were in Yorke City sixe Divisions or Shires besides that of the Archbishops One was laid waste for the Castles or Forts In the five Divisions were 1428. dwelling Mansions to give entertainement And in the Archbishops Shire or Division 200. dwelling Mansions likewise After these woefull overthrowes our countryman Necham thus versified of it Visito quam foelix Ebrancus condidit urbem Petro se debet pontificalis apex Civibus hac toties viduata novÃsque repleta Diruta prospexit moenia saepe sua Quid manus hostilis queat est experta frequenter Sed quid nunc pacis otia longa fovent The City that Great Ebrauk built I come now for to view Whereof the See pontificall is to Saint Peter due This many times laid desolate and peopled new hath beene Her wals cast downe and ruinate full often hath it seene What mischiefe hostile hands could worke not once nor twice it found What then since now long time of peace doth keepe it safe and sound For in his time when after these troublesome stormes a most pleasant calme of peace presently ensued it rose of it selfe againe and flourished afresh although the Scots and Rebels both did oftentimes make full account to destroy it But under the Raigne of King Stephen it caught exceeding great harme by casualty of fire wherein were consumed the Cathedrall Church the Abbay of Saint Mary and other religious houses yea and that noble and most furnished Library as it is thought which Alcuin hath recorded to have been founded by Archbishop Egeldred his Praeceptour As for the Abbay of Saint Mary it quickly recovered the former dignity by new buildings but the Cathedrall Church lay longer ere it held up head againe and not before King Edward the First his time For then John Roman Treasurer of the Church laid the foundation of a new worke which his sonne John William Melton and John Thoresby all of them Archbishops brought by little and little to that perfection and beauty which now it sheweth yet not without the helping hand of the Nobility and Gentry thereabout especially of the Percies and the Vavasours which the armes of their houses standing in the very Church and their images at the West gate of the Church doe shew Percies pourtraied with a peece of timber and Vavasours with a stone in their hands for that the one supplied the stone the other the timber for this new building This Church as he reporteth who wrote the life of Aeneas Sylvius who was Pope Pius the second and that upon the Popes owne relation For workmanship and greatnesse is memorable over all the world and the Chappell most lightsome the glasse-windowes whereof are fast bound betweene pillars that bee most slender in the mids This Chappell is that most dainty and beautifull Chapter-house in which this verse stands painted in golden letters Ut Rosa flos florum sic est Domus ista Domorum The floure of floures a Rose men call So is
to yeeld much ground within their Confines yea and to render many Castles But this may suffice as touching Durham which I will take my leave of if you thinke good with a Distichon of Necham and an Hexastichon of John Jonston Arte sitúque loci munita Dunelmia salve Qua floret sancta religionis apex VEDRA ruens rapidis modò cursibus agmine leni Séque minor celebres suspicit urbe viros Quos dedit ipsa olim quorum tegit ossa sepulta Magnus ubi sacro marmore BEDA cubat Se jactant aliae vel religione vel armis Haec armis cluit haec religione potens Durham by art and site of place well fensed now farewell Where for devout Religion the Mitre doth excell The River Were that ranne most swift ere while with streame now soft And chanell lesse to famous men in towne lookes up aloft Whom once it bred and of whose bones in grave it is possest Where under sacred marble stone Great Beda now doth rest Of Armes or of Religion may other boast I grant For Armes and for Religion both this City makes her vaunt Concerning the Monkes that were cast out at the suppression of the Abbaies the twelve Prebendaries and two Arch-Deacons placed in this Church and the Priours name changed into the Dignity of a Deane I neede not to say any thing for they are yet in fresh memory And unwilling I am to remember how this Bishopricke was dissolved by a private Statute and all the possessions thereof given to Edward the Sixth when private greedinesse edged by Church-men did grinde the Church and withdrew much from God wherewith Christian Piety had formerly honoured God But Queene Mary repealed that Statute and restored the said Bishopricke with all the Possessions and Franchises thereof that God might enjoy his owne The Longitude of this City is 22. Degrees The Latitude 54. Degrees and 57. minutes Beneath Durham that I many not overpasse it standeth Eastward a very faire Hospitall which Hugh Pudsey that most wealthy Bishop and Earle of Northumberland so long as it was Being very indulgently compassionate to Lepres as Neubrigensis writeth built with coste I must needes say profuse enough but in some sort not so honest as who layed no small deall of other mens right so great was his power upon this devotion whiles hee thought much to disburse sufficient of his owne Howbeit hee assigned unto it revenewes to maintaine threescore and five Lepres besides Masse Priests From Durham Were carrieth his streame Northward with a more direct course by Finchdale where in the Reigne of King Henry the Second Goodrick a man of the ancient Christian simplicity and austerity wholly devoted to the service of God led a solitary life and ended his daies being buried in the same place wherein as that William of Neuborrow saith hee was wont either to lye prostrate whiles he prayed or to lay him downe when he was sicke Who with this his devout simplicity drew men into so great an admiration of him that R. brother unto that rich Bishop Hugh Pudsey built a Chappell in memoriall of him From thence Were passeth by Lumley Castle standing within a Parke the ancient seat of the Lumleies who descended from Liulph a man in this tract of right great Nobility in the time of King Edward the Confessour who marryed Aldgitha the daughter of Aldred Earle of Northumberland Of these Lumleies Marmaduke assumed unto him his mothers Coate of Armes in whose right hee was seized of a goodly inheritance of the Thwengs namely Argent of Fesse Gueles betweene three Poppinjaes Vert whereas the Lumleies before time had borne for their Armes Six Poppinjaes Argent in Gueles For she was the eldest daughter of Sir Marmaduke Thweng Lord of Kilton and one of the heires of Thomas Thweng her brother But Ralph sonne to the said Marmaduke was the first Baron Lumley created by King Richard the Second which honour John the ninth from him enjoyed in our daies a man most honourable for all the ornaments of true Nobility Just over against this place not farre from the other banke of the River standeth Chester upon the Street as one would say the Castle or little City by the Port way side the Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereupon I would deeme it to be CONDERCUM in which as the booke of Notices recordeth the first wing of the Astures in the Romanes time kept station and lay in Garison within the Line or precinct as that booke saith of the WALL For it is but a few miles distant from that famous WALL whereof I am to speake heereafter The Bishops of Lindifarre lived obscurely heere with the corps of Saint Cuthbert whiles the raging stormes of the Danes were up for the space of an hundred and thirteene yeeres In memory whereof when Egelricke Bishop of Durham layed the foundation of a new Church in that place he found such a mighty masse of money buried within the ground as is thought by the Romans that wallowing now in wealth he gave over his Bishopricke and being returned to Peterborrow whereof hee had beene Abbot before made causeies through the Fennes and raised other Workes not without exceeding great charges And a long time after Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem erected heere a Collegiat Church a Deane and seven Prebends In which Church the Lord Lumley abovesaid placed and ranged in goodly order the Monuments of his Ancestours in a continued line of succession even from Liulph unto these our daies which he had either gotten together out of Monasteries that were subverted or caused to bee made a new And further within almost in the middest of the Triangle there is another little Village also knowne of late by reason of the College of a Deane and Prebendaries founded by that Antony Bec at Lanchester which I once thought to have beene LONGOVICUM a station of the Romanes But let us returne unto Were which now at length turneth his course Eastward and running beside Hilton a Castle of the Hiltons a Family of ancient Gentry venteth his waters with a vast mouth into the sea at Wiran-muth as Bede tearmeth it now named Monkes Were-mouth because it belonged to the Monkes Touching which mouth or out-let thus writeth William of Malmesbury This Were where hee entereth into the Sea entertaineth Shippes brought in with a faire Gale of Winde within the gentle and quiet bosome of his Out-let Both the Bankes whereof Benedict Bishop beautified with Churches and built Abbaies there one in the name of Saint Peter and the other of Saint Paul The painfull industry of this man hee will wonder at who shall reade his life for that hee brought hither great store of bookes and was the first man that ever procured Masons and Glasiers for windowes to come into England Five miles higher the River Tine doth also unlade it selfe which together with Derwent for a good way lineth out as it
whiles in hostile manner made inrodes into his lands untill the moderate carriage of the good and worthy man and processe of time pacified these quarrels Here along the sea shore you may see in many places heaps of sand whereupon they powre water untill it gather a saltish humour which afterwards with turfes they boile untill it be white salt There be also here uncertaine sands not to bee trusted but ready to catch and swallow they call them Quick-sands so dangerous for travellers whiles at a low water when tide is past they seeke to goe the nearest way that they had need to take very good heed lest in going a foot I use Sidonius his words they suffer not shipwracke and be cast away on the land But especially about the mouth of Cocar where as it were in a field of Syrts or Quick-sands Cokar sand Abbey an Abbey not long since of the Cluniack Monkes built by Ranulph de Meschines but open to the violence of windes stood betweene the mouths of Cocar and Lune or Lone and hath a bleake prospect into the wide Irish sea This river Lone commonly called Lune springing out of the mountaines of Westmorland running Southward in a chanell now broad now narrow with many a reach in and out hindring his streame enricheth the dwellers thereby in Summer time with great store of Salmons which because they delight in cleere water and especially in shallow places that are sandy come up thicke together into this and other rivers of this coast As soone as Lune is entred into Lancashire Lace a little brooke from out of the East joyneth his streame with it In which place now standeth Over-Burrow a very small village of husbandmen which as the inhabitants enformed mee had beene sometimes a great City and tooke up all those large fields betweene Lacce and Lone and after it had suffered all miseries that follow famine was driven to composition through extremity This tradition they received from their ancestours delivered as it were from hand to hand unto them And in very truth by divers and sundry monuments exceeding ancient by engraven stones pavements of square checker worke peeces of Romane coine and by this new name Burrow which with us signifieth a Burgh that place should seeme to bee of great antiquity But if it recover the ancient name it may thanke other and not mee although I have sought as narrowly and diligently for it as for Ants pathes neither is any man to thinke that the severall names of every towne in Britaine are precisely noted and set done in Ptolomee Antonine The Notice of Provinces and other approved and principall Authors But if a man may goe by ghesse I would willingly thinke that it was BREMETONACUM which Ierome Surita a Spaniard in his notes upon Antonine or Rible-chester deemeth truely to be a different place from BREMENTURACUM and that by the distance from COCCIUM or Rible-chester From this Burrow the river Lune runneth beside Thurland Tunstalls a fortresse built by Sir Thomas Tunstall in the time of King Henry the fourth when the King had given him Licence to fortifie and kernell his mansion house that is to embatle it also by Hornby a faire castle which glorieth much of the first founder N. de Mont Begon and of the Lords thereof The Harringtons and Stanleys Barons Stanleyes of Mont-Eagle descended from Thomas Stanley the first Earle of Derby of that house and advanced to that title by King Henry the eighth of whom the third and the last named William left behind him his onely daughter and heire Elizabeth wife to Edward Parker Baron Morley mother to Sir William Parker whom in that regard King James commanded to be summoned to Parliament by the title of Lord Mont-Eagle and whom wee and all our posterity may acknowledge to have beene borne for the good of all Britain For by a short letter obscurely penned and secretly sent unto him and by him dutifully discovered in a happy houre was detected at the very last houre in a maner when the whole State was at the point to perish by the most horrible and detestable treason that ever any barbarous impiety could contrive what time certaine godlesse and irreligious monsters of men masking under the mantle of religion having bestowed a great quantity of gun-powder under the Parliament house stood ready with match in hand to give fire thereto for to blow up both Prince and Countrey with one blast in a moment Lone having passed on some few miles from hence commeth within the sight of Lancaster standing on his South banke the chiefe towne of this region which the inhabitants more truly call Loncaster as the Scots also who name it Loncastell of the River Lone Both the name still remaining and the river running under it doe argue in some sort that it is LONGOVICUM where under the Lievtenant Generall of Britaine as wee finde in the Notice of Provinces a company of the Longovicarians who of the place borrowed that name kept their station Although the towne at this day is not very well peopled nor much frequented and all the inhabitants thereof are given to husbandry for the territory all round about is well manured lying open fresh and faire and not voide of woods yet for proofe of Romane antiquity they finde otherwhiles peeces of the Emperours coine especially where the Friery stood for there they say was the plot upon which the ancient City was planted which the Scots after they had with a sudden out-road wasted all in their way in the yeere of our Redemption 1322. set on fire and burnt Since which time they have begunne to build nearer unto a greene hill by the river side on which standeth the castle great I cannot say nor of any antiquity but faire and strong And hard by it standeth upon the height of the hill the onely Church they have where the Monkes aliens had in times past a cell founded by Roger of Poictiers A little beneath which by a faire bridge over Lone in the descent and side of the hill where it is steepest hangeth a peece of a most ancient wall of Romane work seeming ready to reele Wery wall they call it after a later British name as it should seeme of this towne For they called it Caer Werid as one would say The Greene City happely of that fresh greene hill But I leave this to others John Lord of Moriton and of Lancaster afterwards King of England confirmed by Charter to his Burgesses of Lancaster all the liberties which he had granted unto the Burgesses of Bristoll And King Edward the third in the sixe and thirtieth yeere of his reign granted unto the Mayor and Bailives and Commonalty of the towne of Lancaster that Plees and Sessions should not elsewhere bee holden This towne seeth the Pole Arcticke that I may note so much elevated foure and fifty degrees and five minutes and standeth removed from the utmost line of
CONGAVATA was hereabout in which the second band of the Lergi served in garison for Congavata in the British tongue signifieth The valley by Gavata which now is called short Caud But the very place where this towne stood I cannot precisely point out Betwixt the meeting of these rivers the ancient City Carlile is passing commodiously and pleasantly seated garded on the North side with the chanell of Eden on the East with Peterill on the West with Caud and beside these naturall fenses it is fortified with strong walls of stone with a castle and a citadell as they tearme it In fashion it lyeth somewhat long running out from West to East on the West side is the Castle of a good large compasse which King Richard the third as appeareth by his Armes repaired In the midst almost of the City riseth on high the Cathedrall Church the upper part whereof being the newer is very artificially and curiously wrought yet the nether part is much more ancient But on the East side it is defended with the Citadel that K. Henry the eighth built strongly with sundry bulwarks The Romans and Britans called this city LUGU-VALLUM and LUGU-BALLIUM or LUGU-BALIA the English Saxons Luell as Bede witnesseth Ptolomee as some think LEUCOPIBIA Ninnius Caer Lualid the ridiculous prophesies of the Britans tearmed it The City of Duball we Carlile and Latine writers by a newer name Carleolum For our Historiographers accord with common consent that Luguballia and Carleolum were the same But in searching out the Etymology thereof good God how hath Leland bestirred him being in the end driven to this point that he thought verily Eden was called Lugus and Ballum came from Vallis that is a vale so that Lugu-ballum soundeth as much as the Vale by Lugus But I if so bee I may also hatch a conjecture would rather suppose but without prejudice that the said termination Vallum and Vallia are derived from that most famous military Vallum or Trench that standeth apparent a little from the City For that Picts Wall which was afterwards set upon the Trench or rampire of Severus appeareth somewhat beyond the River Eden which now hath a woodden bridge over it neere unto a little village called Stanwicke and went over the very river just against the Castle where within the chanell of the river mighty stones the remaines thereof are yet extant Also Lugus or Lucus amongst the ancient Celis or Gaules who spake the same language that once the Britans did signifieth a Tower as we may learn by Pomponius Mela. For that which in Antonine is named LUGO-AUGUSTI hee calleth TURRIM AUGUSTI that is The Tower of Augustus so that Luga-Vallum is as much to say as the Tower or Fort by the wall From this originall if the Frenchmen had derived Lugudunum as it were The tower on an hill and Lucotecia for so in old time they called that city which we doâ— Lutetia that is Paris as it were The faire Tower for so those words signifie in the British tongue peradventure they had aimed neerer unto the marke than in fetching the one from Lutum that is Dirt and that other from Lugdus an imagined King That this Carlile flourished in the time of the Romanes divers tokens of antiquity now and then digged up there and the famous mention of it in those dayes doe sufficiently prove After the furious outrages also of the Picts and Scots were allayed it retained some part still of the ancient dignity and was counted a City For in the yeere of Christ 619. Egfrid King of Northumberland passed a gift unto that holy Saint Cuthbert in this forme I have given unto him also the City called Luguballia and â—5 miles round about it at which time also it was walled strong The Citizens saith Bede brought Cuthbert to see the walls of their City and a fountain or Well in it built in times past according to the wonderfull workmanship of the Romanes who at the very same time as saith the book of Durham ordained there a Covent of Nuns with an Abbesse and Schooles Afterwards being defaced and brought to exceeding ruin by the Danes it lay about 200. yeeres buried under his owne ashes untill it began againe to flourish under the government and favour of King William Rufus who repaired it with new edifices built the Castle and placed a Colony there first of Flemmings whom streightwaies upon better advice he removed into Wales but afterwards of Southerne Englishmen Then was there seen as William of Malmesbury writeth A dining chamber after the Roman fashion built of stone arched with vaults so that no spitefull force of tempests nor furious flame of fire could ever shake or hurt it in the forefront whereof was this Inscription MARII VICTORIAE that is â—o the victory of Marius This Marius some will needs have to be Arviragus the Britan others that Marius who being proclaimed Emperour against Gallienus was named to bee of wonderfull strength that as writers report of him He had in his fingers no veines but all sinewes Yet have I learned that another making mention of this stone saith it was not inscribed MARII VICTORIAE but MARTI VICTORI that is To victorious Mars which perhaps may better content some and seeme to come nearer unto the truth Carlile being now better peopled and of greater resort had as they write for Earle or more truly for Lord thereof Ralph Meschines from whom came the Earles of Chester and at the same time being raised by King Henry the first to an Episcopall dignity had Artalph for the first Bishop Which the Monks of Durham have written was prejudiciall to their Church when Ranulph say they Bishop of Durham was banished and the Church had none to defend her certain Bishops laid Carlile and Tividale to their Dioeceses But how the Scotish under the reign of Stephen won this City and King Henry the second recovered it how also King Henry the third committed the castle of Carlile and the County to Robert Vipont how likewise in the yeere 1292. it was burnt together with the Cathedrall Church and the Suburbs and how Robert Briâ— King of Scots in the yeere 1315. land siege unto it in vaine you may finde in the common Chronicles And yet it seemes it would quit my paines to adjoyne here two inscriptions that I saw here the one in Thomas Aglion by his house neere unto the Citadell but made in the worse age DIIS MANIBU SMARCI TROJANI AUGUSTINANI TUM FA CIENDUM CUR A VIT AFEL AMMILLUSIMA CONJUX KARISS Whereunto is adjoined the image of a man of Armes on horsebacke armed at all peeces with a launce in his hand As for the other it standeth in the garden of Thomas Middleton in a very large and faire letter thus LEG VI VIC P. F. G. P. R. F. Which is as I ghesse Legio Sexta Victrix Pia Felix the rest let some other decipher The onely Earle that
to the Barons Dacre of Gillesland Nothing I have of any antiquity to say of this towne but that in the yeere of Christ 1215. it was set on fire by the inhabitants themselves in spitefull malice to King John From hence the river Wents-beck passeth by Bothall Castle and the Barony somtimes of Richard Berthram from whose posterity it was devolved unto the Barons of Ogle Upon the bank whereof I have thought this great while whether truly or upon a bare supposall I know not that in old time GLANOVENTA stood which was fortified by the Romans with a garrison of the first Cohort of the Morini for defence of the marches Which the very situation doth as it were perswade and the rivers name together with the signification of the same induceth me to thinke For it is seated within the raunge of the rampire or wall even where the booke of Notices placeth it the rivers name is Wants-beck and GLANOVENTA in the British tongue signifieth the shore or bank of Venta Whence also Glanon a city in France upon the sea-shore wherof Pomponius Mela hath made mention may seeme to have drawn that appellation Not farre hence to let passe little piles and towres of lesse account is to be seene neere unto the shore Withrington or Woderington in the English Saxon tongue of old time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient Castle which gave the name unto the Withringtons Gentlemen of good birth and Knights whose valour in the warre hath beene from time to time remarkable Then the river Coquet falleth into the sea which springing among the rough and stony mountaines of Cheviot not farre from his head hath Billesdun upon it from whence sprang the ancient family of the Selbies and somewhat lower Southward Harbottle in the English Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The station of the Army whence the family of the Harbottles descended that in the ages aforegoing flourished A Castle it had in times past but in the yeere of our salvation 1314. the Scots razed it Close unto this standeth Halyston as one would say Holy stone where the report goeth that Paulinus in the primitive Church of the English nation baptized many thousands And at the verie mouth of Coquet Warkworth a proper faire Castle of the Percies standeth and defendeth the shore where there is a chappell wonderfully built out of a rocke hewen hollow and wrought without beames rafters or anie peeces of timber This Castle King Edward the third gave unto Henrie Percie together with the Mannour of Rochburie Afore time it had beene the Baronie of Roger Fitz-Richard by the gift of Henrie the second King of England who gave also unto his sonne Clavering in Essex whereof at the commandement of King Edward the first they assumed unto them the surname of Clavering leaving the ancient maner of taking their names from the forename or Christian name of the father for before that time they were surnamed according to the forename of the father as Robert Fitz Roger Roger Fitz Iohn c. Part of this inheritance the Nevils entred upon by Fine and Covenant who afterward were Earles of Westmorland and part of it a daughter named Eve inherited who was wedded to Sir Th. Ufford from whose posteritie it came hereditarily unto the Fienes Barons of Dacres But from the younger sonnes branched the Barons of Evers the Evers of Axholme and the Claverings of Kalaly in this Countie and others Hard unto this also lieth Morwick which may likewise boast of the Lords it had whose issue male had an end about the yeere of our Lord 1258. and so the inheritance passed over by the daughters unto the Lumleies Seimors Bulmers and Roscells The shore after this openeth it selfe to give passage unto the river ALAUNUS which being not yet bereft of that name whereby it was knowne unto Ptolomee is called short Alne Upon the bank whereof besides Twifford that is A double fourd where was holden a solemne Synod under King Egfrid and Eslington the habitation of the Collingwoods men renowned for their warlike exploits there sheweth also it selfe Alan-wic in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now commonly called Anwick a towne ennobled by the victorie of Englishmen wherein our ancestors shewed such valour and prowesse that they tooke William King of Scots and presented him prisoner unto King Henrie the second and fortified besides with a goodly castle which when Malcome the third King of the Scots had by long siege enforced to such extremitie that it was at the point now to bee yeelded up hee was slaine by a souldier that making semblance to deliver unto him the keyes of the Castle hanging at the head of a speare ranne him into the bodie with it And withall his sonne Edward whiles to revenge his fathers death he charged unadvisedly upon the enemie was so wounded that hee died thereof shortly after This was a Baronie sometimes belonging to the Vescies For King Henrie the second gave it unto Eustach Fitz-Iohn father to William Vesci to be held by the service of twelve knights Sir John Vescy of this race returning out of the sacred warre in the Holy-land was the first that brought with him into England the Friers Carmelites and built for them a Covent here in Holme a desart place not unlike to Mount Carmel in Syria William the last of the Vescies made Antonine Bec Bishop of Durham his feofie upon trust that he should deliver this Castle with all the lands lying thereto unto his base sonne the onely childe that he left behind him but the Bishop falsly conveied away from him the inheritance and for readie money sold it unto William Lord Percie since which time it hath evermore belonged to the Percies From hence the shore making divers angles and points passeth by Dunstaburge a Castle belonging to the Duchie of Lancaster which some have untruely supposed to be Bebhan for Bebhane standeth higher and in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is now called Bamborrow Our Bede where hee reports that this Castle was besieged and burnt by Penda King of the Mercians writeth that Queene Bebba gave it this name but the Floure-gatherer recordeth that Ida the first King of Northumberland built it which hee sensed first with great stakes or piles of timber and afterward with a wall But take here with you the description thereof out of Roger Hoveden Bebba saith hee is a most strong Citie not verie great but containing the space of two or three fields having into it one hollow entrance and the same raised on high with staires after a wonderfull manner and on the pitch of an hill a very faire Church and Westward on the top thereof there is a well set out with marvailous workmanship sweet to drink of and most pure to see to But in our age it is counted a castle rather than a city yet so
it became wholly under the Scots dominion about the yeere of our salvation 960. what time the English Empire sore shaken with the Danish wars lay as it were gasping and dying How also as an old booke Of the division of Scotland in the Library of the right honourable Lord Burghley late high Treasurer of England sheweth Whiles Indulph reigned the town of Eden was voided and abandoned to the Scots unto this present day as what variable changes of reciprocall fortune it hath felt from time to time the Historiographers doe relate and out of them ye are to be enformed Meane while read if you please these verses of that most worthy man Master I. Jonston in praise of Edenborrow Monte sub acclivi Zephyri procurrit in auras Hinc arx celsa illinc Regia clara nitet Inter utramque patet sublimibus ardua tectis Urbs armis animis clara frequensque viris Nobile Scotorum caput pars maxima regni Penè etiam gentis integra regna suae Rarae artes opes quod mens optaverit aut hîc Invenias aut non Scotia tota dabit Compositum hîc populum videas sanctum que Senatum Sanctáque cum puro lumine jura Dei An quisquam Arctoi extremo in limite mundi Aut haec aut paria his cernere posse putet Dic hospes postquà m externas lustraveris urbes Haec cernens oculis credis an ipse tuis Under the rising of an hill Westward there shoots one way A castle high on th' other side the Kings house gorgeous gay Betweene them both the citie stands tall buildings shew it well For armes for courage much renown'd much people therein dwell The Scots head citie large and faire the kingdomes greatest part Nay even the nations kingdome whole well neere by just desart Rare arts and riches what ones minde can wish is therein found Or else it will not gotten be throughout all Scottish ground A civill people here a man may see a Senate grave Gods holy lawes with purest light of Preachers here ye have In parts remote of Northren clime would any person weene That ever these or such like things might possibly be seene Say Travailer now after that thou forraine towne hast knowne Beholding this beleevest thou these eyes that are thine owne A mile from hence lyeth Leth a most commodious haven hard upon the river Leth which when Dessey the Frenchman for the securitie of Edenborrow had fortified by reason of manie men repairing thither within a short time from a meane village it grew to be a bigge towne Againe when Francis the second King of France had taken to wife Marie the Queene of Scots the Frenchmen who in hope and conceit had already devoured Scotland and began now to gape for England in the yeere 1560. strengthened it with more fortifications But Elizabeth Queene of England solicited by the Nobles of Scotland that embraced the reformed religion to side with them by her puissance and wisdome effected that both they returned into France and these their fortifications were laied levell with the ground and Scotland ever since hath been freed from the French Where this Forth groweth more and more narrow it had in the middest of it the citie Caer-Guidi as Bede noteth which now may seeme to be the Island named Inch-Keith Whether this were that VICTORIA which Ptolomee mentioneth I will not stand to prove although a man may beleeve that the Romans turned this Guidh into Victoria as well as the Isle Guith or Wight into Victesis or Vecta certes seeing both these Islands bee dissevered from the shore the same reason of the name will hold well in both languages For Ninius hath taught us that Guith in the British tongue betokeneth a separation More within upon the same Forth is situate Abercorn in Bedes time a famous Monasterie which now by the gracious favour of King James the sixth giveth unto James Hamilton the title of the Earle of Abercorn And fast beside it standeth Blacknesse Castle and beneath it Southward the ancient citie LINDUM whereof Ptolomee maketh mention which the better learned as yet call Linlithquo commonly Lithquo beautified and set out with a verie faire house of the Kings a goodly Church and a fishfull lake of which lake it may seeme to have assumed that name for Lin as I have already shewed in the British tongue soundeth as much as a Lake A Sheriffe it had in times past by inheritance out of the family of the Hamiltons of Peyle and now in our dayes it hath for the first Earle Sir Alexander Levingston whom King James the sixth raised from the dignitie of a Baron wherein his Ancestours had flourished a long time to the honour of an Earle like as within a while after he promoted Mark Ker Baron of Newbottle aforesaid to the title of Earle of Lothien SELGOVAE BEneath the GADENI toward the South and West where now are the small territories of Lidesdale Eusdale Eskdale Annandale and Nidesdale so called of little rivers running through them which all lose themselves in Solway Frith dwelt in ancient times the SELGOVAE the reliques of whose name seeme unto mee whether unto others I know not to remaine in that name Solway In Lidesdale there riseth aloft Armitage so called because it was in times past dedicated to a solitarie life now it is a very strong Castle which belonged to the Hepburns who draw their originall from a certaine Englishman a prisoner whom the Earle of March for delivering him out of a danger greatly enriched These were Earles of Bothwell and a long time by the right of inheritance Admirals of Scotland But by a filter of James Earle of Bothwel the last of the Hepburns married unto John Prior of Coldingham base sonne to King James the fifth who begat too too many bastards the title and inheritance both came unto his son Hard by is Brakensey the habitation of the warlike family of Baclugh surnamed Scot beside many little piles or sorts of militarie men everie where In Eusdale I would deeme by the affinite of the name that old UZBLLUM mentioned by Ptolomee stood by the river Euse. In Eskdale some are of opinion that the HORESTI dwelt into whose borders Iulius Agricola when he had subdued the Britans inhabiting this tract brought the Roman armie especially if we read Horesci in stead of Horesti For Ar-Esc in the British tongue betokeneth a place by the river Eske As for Aesica in Eskdale I have spoken of it before in England and there is no cause wherefore I should iterate the same ANNANDALE UNto this on the West side adjoyneth ANNANDALE that is The vale by the river Annan into which the accesse by land is very difficult The places of greater note herein are these a castle by Lough-Mahan three parts whereof are environed with water and strongly walled and the towne Annandale at the very mouth almost
runneth out far and wide toward the West between the sea and Dunbritain Frith or Clyds-forth yet so indented and hollowed with nookes and creekes that here and there it is drawne into a narrow roome and then againe in the verie utmost skirt it openeth and spreadeth it selfe broad at more libertie whereupon some have called it the CHERSOMESUS that is The Biland of the NOVANTES But at this day their countrey containeth Galloway Carick Kyle and Cunningham Galloway in the Latine Writers of the middle time Gaelwallia and Gallovidia so called of the Irish who in times past dwelt there and terme themselves short in their owne language Gael is a countrey rising up everie where with bills that are better for feeding of cattell than bearing of corne the inhabitants practice fishing as well within the sea lying round about them as in little rivers and the Loches or meeres in everie place standing full of water at the foot of the hills out of which in September they take in Weeles and Weere-ners an incredible number of most sweet and favourite eeles whereby the make no lesse gain than others do by their little nagges which for being well limmed fast knit and strongly made for to endure travaile are much in request and bought from hence Among these the first place that offereth itselfe by the river DEA mentioned in Prolomee which keeping the name still full and whole they call d ee is Kircoubright the most commodious port of this coast the second Stewartie of Scotland which belongeth also to the Maxwels then Cardines a sort set upon a craggie and high rocke by the river Fleet and fensed with strong walls Neere unto it the river Ken corruptly read in Ptolomee IENA runneth into the sea after it is Wigton an haven towne with a narrow entrance unto it between the two rivers Bluidnoo and Crea which also is counted a Sheriffdome over which Agnew is Sheriffe In times past it had for Earle Archibald Douglasse renowned in the French warre and at this day by the favour of King James the sixth John Lord Fleming who deriveth his pedegree from the ancient Earles of Wigton Neere unto this Ptolomee placed the Citie LEUCOPIBIA which I know not to say truth where to seeke Yet the place requireth that it should be that Episcopall seat of Ninian which Bede calleth Candida Casa and the English and Scottish in the verie same sense whit-berne what say you then if Ptolomee after his manner translated that name in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is white-houses in stead whereof the Transcribers have thrust upon us Leucopibia which the Britans tearmed Candida Casa In this place Ninia or Ninian the Britan an holy man the first that instructed the South-Picts in Christian saith in the reigne of the Emperour Theodofius the younger had his seat and built a Church consecrated to the memorie of Saint Martin after a manner unusuall among the Britans as Bede saith who wrote that the English in his time held this country and when the number of the faithfull Christians multiplied an Episcopall See was erected at this Candida Casa A little higher there is a Bi-land having the sea insinuating it selfe on both sides with two Bayes that by a narrow neck it is adjoined to the firme land and this is properly called CHERSONESUS and PROMONTORIUM NOVANTUM commonly the Mull of Galloway Beyond this Northward there is a Bay taking a great compasse and full of Ilands into which very many rivers on everie side doe out-lade themselves But first of all from the verie cape or top of the Promontarie is ABRAVANUS which being set little out of his own place is so called of Ptolomee for Aber-Ruanus that is The mouth of Ruan For at this day that river is named Rian and the lake out of which it floweth Logh-Rian exceeding full of Herrings and Stone-fishes This Galloway had in times past Princes and Lords over it of whom the first recorded in Chronicles was Fergus in the reigne of Henrie the first King of England who gave for his Armes A Lion rampant Arg crowned Or in a shield Azur who after many troubles that he had stirred was driven to this exigent by King Malcolm that he gave his sonne Ucthred to the King for an hostage and himselfe wearie of this world tooke the habit of a Chanon at Holy Rood house in Edenburgh As for Ucthred Gilbert his younger brother tooke him prisoner in battaile and when hee had cut out his tongue and plucked his eyes forth of his head he cruelly bereaved him both of life and inheritance But within some few yeeres when Gilbert was dead Ucthreds sonne recovered his fathers inheritance who of a sister of William Morvill Constable of Scotland begat Alan Lord of Galloway and Constable of Scotland This Alan by Margaret the eldest daughter of David Earle of Huntingdon had Dervolgilda wife to Iohn Balliol and the mother of John Balliol King of Scotland who contended with Robert Brus for the Kingdome of Scotland and by a former wife as it seemeth hee had Helen married to Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester who thereby was Constable of Scotland like as William Ferrars of Groby the Nephew of the said Roger by a daughter and one of the heires But these Englishmen soone lost their inheritance in Scotland as also the dignitie of Constable which the Comnins Earles of Bucquan descended likewise from a daughter of Roger Quincie obtained until it was translated unto the Earls of Arroll But the title of the Lords of Galloway fell afterward to the family of the Douglasses CARRICTA CARRICT NOw followeth Carrict upon Dunbritain Frith faire to be seene with fresh pastures supplyed both by land and sea with commodities abundantly In this province Ptolomee placed RERIGONIUM a Creeke and RERIGONIUM a Towne For which BERIGONIUM is read in a verie ancient copie of Ptolomee printed at Rome in the yeere 1480. so that wee cannot but verily thinke it was that which now is called Bargeney A Lord it hath out of the family of the Kennedies which came forth of Ireland in the reigne of Robert Brus and is in this tract of high birth spread into many branches and of great power The chiefe of which linage is Earle of Cassile for this is the name of a Castle wherein he dwelleth by the river Dun upon the banke whereof he hath also another Castle named Dunnur and he is the hereditarie Bailiffe of this Countrey For this Carrict together with Kyle and Cunningham are counted the three Baillerries of Scotland because they that governe these with an ordinarie power and jurisdiction are called Ballives by a tearme that came up in the middle times and among the Greeks Sicilians and Frenchmen signifieth a Conservatour or Protector But in the age aforegoing Carrict had Earles for to say nothing of Gilberts of Galloway sonne unto whom King William gave all Carrict to bee possessed for
to embrace other mens riches who for Christs sake had forsaken their own And the Bishops of Britain seemed no lesse to have despised riches seeing they were so poore that they had nothing of their owne For as we read in Sulpitius Severus three Bishops of Britaine in the Councell holden at Rimine for want of their owne lived of the publick charges The English Saxons also in that age conflowed and resorted from all parts into Ireland as it were to the mart of good learning and hence it is that we read so often in our writers concerning holy men thus Such a one was sent over into Ireland for to be trained up in learning and in the life of Sulgen who flourished 600. yeeres agoe Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi Ivit ad Hibernos sophiâ mirabile claros The fathers old he following for love to read good works Went unto Irish men who were O wonder famous Clarkes And from thence it may seeme our forefathers the ancient English learned the manner of framing their letters and of writing considering that they used the selfe same character which the Irish commonly use at this day And no cause have wee to marvaile that Ireland which now for the most part is rude halfe barbarous and altogether voide of any polite and exquisite literature was full of so devout godly good wits in that age wherein good letters throughout all Christendome lay neglected and halfe buried seeing that the divine providence of that most gracious and almightie ruler of the world soweth the seeds and bringeth forth the plants of sanctitie and good arts one whiles in one nation and other whiles in another as it were in garden beds and borders and that in sundry ages which being removed and translated hither and thither may by a new growth come up one under another prosper and bee preserved to his owne glory and the good of mankinde But the outrage of warres by little and little quenched these hot affections and studies of holinesse and good literature For in the yeere 644. after Christs nativitie Egfrid King of Northumberland with fire and sword made spoile and havocke of Ireland a nation most friendly unto England for which cause Bede chargeth him after a sort in most grave and important tearmes Afterward the Norwegians under the leading of Turgese their Captaine spoiled and wasted the countrey in most lamentable manner for the space of 30. yeeres But when he was once slaine by a train and ambush laid for him the inhabitants fell upon the Norwegians and made such a bloodie massacre of them that scarce any one survived to be a messenger of so great a slaughter These Norwegians were no doubt those Normans who as Rhegino saith in the time of Charles the great setting upon Ireland an Isle of the Scots were by the Scots put to flight After this the Oustmans as one would say Esterlings or Eastmen came out of the sea-coasts of Germanie into Ireland who having entred into certain Cities under the pretence of great trafficke in a short space raised a most dangerous warre About the very same time in manner Eadgar that most puissant King of England conquered also a great part of Ireland For thus we read in a certaine Charter of his Unto whom God of his gracious favour hath granted together with the Empire of England dominion over all the kingdomes of the Isles lying in the Ocean with their most stout and fierce Kings even as farre as to Norway yea and to subdue under the English Empire the greatest part of Ireland with her most noble Citie Dublin After these tempestuous forraine warres were allaied there followed a most grievous storme of civill dissention at home which made way for the English to conquer Ireland For Henrie the second King of England taking occasion and opportunitie by the privie dislikes heart-burnings and malicious emulations among the Irish Princes grew into a serious deliberation with the Nobles of England in the yeere of Salvation 1155. about the conquest of Ireland for the behoof of his brother William of Anjou But through the counsell of his mother Maude the Empresse this project was rejected unto another time Howbeit not many yeeres betweene Dermicius the son of Murchard Dermot Mac Morrog they call him who reigned over the East part of Ireland which in Latin is called Lagenia and commonly Leinster being for his tyrannie and lustfull leudnesse thrust out of his kingdome for hee had ravished the wife of O Rorke a pettie King of Meth obtained aide and forces of Henrie the second King of England to be restored into his kingdome againe and made a covenant with Richard Earle of Pembroch surnamed Strongbow of the house of Clare that he for his part should aide him in the recovering of his Kingdome and that himselfe would assure unto the Earle together with his daughter Eva the said Kingdome in succession after him Hereupon the said Earle having forthwith mustered up and raised an armie of Welsh and English together and joined unto him to accompanie him in the warres the Fitz-Giralds Fitz-Stephans and other Gentlemen out of England and Wales restored his father in law Dermot into his former Kingdome againe and within few yeeres gat by conquest so great a part of Ireland into his owne hands that his power became now suspected to the King of England who by proclamation and that with grievous menaces recalled home the said Earle and his followers out of Ireland and unlesse they obeyed without delay pronounced them traitours and their goods confiscate Whereupon the Earle granted unto the King by covenant and writing whatsoever he either inherited in right of his wife or won with his sword and as his tenant in vassailage received from him the Earldomes of Weisford Ossorie Caterlogh and Kildare with certain Castles Then King Henrie the second having gathered a power together in the yeere of Christ 1172. sailed over into Ireland and obtained the Princely title of soveraigne rule of the Iland For the States of Ireland passed over unto him all their rule and power namely Rothericke O Conor Dun that is The Browne Monarch of Ireland Dermot Mac Carti King of Corke Donald O Bren King of Limiâ—icke O Carell King of Uriel Macshaglin King of Ophaly O Rorke King of Meth O Neale King of Ulster with the rest of the Nobles and their people and the same under their Charters subscribed signed delivered and transmitted to Rome Which was ratified and confirmed moreover by a Patent of Pope Hadrian by a ring delivered unto him in token of his investiture and also by the authoritie of certaine Provinciall Synods This King Henrie afterward delivered up the Seigniorie of Ireland into the hands of his sonne Iohn which conveiance Pope Urban confirmed by his Bull and in testimonie of his confirmation sent him a Coronet of Peacocks feathers broided and embroidered with gold Whom after hee was once established in
creeke it retaineth still the taste of the naturall freshnesse saving his owne water entire and voide of all brackishnesse even as far as to the maine sea COMITATUS DUBLINIENSIS The Countie of Divelin BEyond the CAUCI inhabited the EELANI where now lieth the county of DUBLIN or DIVELIN which on the East side is wholly washed with the Irish sea on the West bounded with the county of Kildare on the South joyning to the little territories of the O-Tooles and O-Birns and those which they tearme the Glynnes and limited Northward with the county of Meth and Nanny a little river the soile thereof bringeth forth corne abundantly and yeeldeth grasse and fodder right plenteously besides it is well stored with all sorts of living creatures that are gotten by hunting and hawking for the table but so destitute for the greatest part of woods that in most places they use a clammy kind of fat turfe or Sea-coale out of England for their fewell In the South part thereof which is lesse inhabited and more uncivill and riseth up here and there with an hilly ridge full enough of woods and under which lye hollow vallies shaded with trees which they call Glynnes every place is sore annoied with the two pernicious and mischievous septs or kinreds of the O-Tooles and the O-Birnes Among these Glynnes appeareth the Bishopricke of Glandilaw but utterly desolate ever since it was annexed to the Archbishopricke of Divelin All this county besides is passing well replenished with inhabitants and townes and for wealthy port and a certain peculiar finenesse and neatnesse that they use surpasseth all other parts of Ireland and is divided into five distinct Baronies namely Rath down New castle Castle-Knoc Cowloc and Bal-rodry which not withstanding I am not able to goe through as I would for that their bounds are unknown to mee First therefore I will runne along the sea coast only and from thence as the courses of the rivers lead me survey the more in-land places for there is no part of this county twenty miles from the shore To beginne then at the South side the first place that sheweth it selfe upon this coast is Wicklo where there standeth over the narrow haven a rocke enclosed within a strong wall in stead of a castle over which as divers other castles besides of this kingdome there can none by authority of Parliament bee set as Constable but an Englishman borne because to the hurt of the State the Irishmen that were Constables had both defended the same badly and also by a certaine connivencie suffered the prisoners to make escapes As touching this haven hearken what Giraldus saith who tearmeth it Winchiligillo There is an haven at Winchiligillo on that side of Ireland where it lieth neerer unto Wales that ordinarily and usually at every ebbe of the sea receiveth waters flowing into it and again at every return of tide dischargeth and voideth the said water which it entertained and when as the sea in the ebbe hath now by the going away of the tide forsaken the creeke yet the river that runneth in by every chinke and winding cranke becommeth bitter and salt with continuall brackishnesse Then from the toppe of an hill New-castle looketh into the sea and seeth the shelves of sand which they call The Grounds lying opposite a great way in length Howbeit betweene them and the shore it is reported to bee seven fathom deepe of water A little higher where the riveret Bray commeth into the sea appeareth Old-Court the possessions of the Walshes of Caryckmain who as they are of ancient stocke and gentry so their family hath shot forth many branches in this tract Next unto it is Powers or Poers-Court belonging in times past as appeareth by the name unto the Poers a large and great castle untill that Tirlough O Toole after hee had revolted and rebelled undermined and overthrew it From Bray mouth the shore for to let in a creeke bendeth and windeth it selfe inward and at the very bent of the elbow lieth a little Island called Saint Benets belonging to the Archbishop of Divelin This creeke or Bay is called Dublin Haven into which Liffy the noblest river of this county out-powreth his streame who albeit his spring head where hee riseth bee but fifteene miles from his mouth yet with so many winding crankes he fetcheth such a compasse that first hee turneth into the South by Saint Patrickes land then Westward afterwards North watering the county of Kildare and at length into the East by Castle-Knoc the Barony in times past of the Tirils whose inheritance by the females was devolved upon other about the yeere 1370. and so by Kilmainam an house in old time of Saint Iohns Knights of Jerusalem now converted to a retiring place of the Lords Deputies This Liffy doubtlesse is mentioned by Ptolomee but through carelesnesse of the transcribers banished out of his owne due place For the river LIBNIUS is set downe in the copies of Ptolomee at the very same latitude or elevation of the Pole in the other part of the Iland where there is no such river at all but let him if it please you by a writ of recovery returne out of exile now to his owne city EBLANA from whence uniustly he hath been for a time alienated and take withall if you think good these verses of Necham as touching this river Visere Castle-Knoc non dedignatur Istum Dublini suscipit unda maris To see and visit Castle-Knock Liffy doth not disdaine At Dublin ready is the sea this streame to entertaine For seated it is seven miles from his mouth which alone fame may celebrate for all the cities of Ireland This is that very city which Ptolomee called EBLANA we DIVELIN the Latine writers Dublinium and Dublinia the Welsh Britans Dinas Dulin the English Saxons in times past Duplin and the Irish Bala-cleigh that is The towne upon Hurdles for men say when it was built the foundation was laid upon Hurdles the place was so fennish and moorish like as Hispalis or Sivill in Spaine which Isidore reporteth to have been so named because it stood in a marish ground upon piles and stakes deepely pitched into the earth For the antiquity of Dublin I finde no certainty but that very ancient it is the authority of Ptolomee perswadeth me to thinke Saxo Grammaticus writeth how it was pitifully rent and dismembred in the Danish warres afterwards it came under the subjection of Edgar King of England which his Charter before mentioned confirmeth wherein hee calleth it the most Noble City of Ireland Then the Norwegians possessed themselves of it Whence in the life of Gryffith Ap Cynan Prince of Wales we read that Harald of Norway when he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Develin This may seeme to be that Harald Harfager that is with the faire lockes or tresses who was the first King of Norway whole line in descent goeth thus in the life of Gryffith
Harald begat a sonne named Auloed Auloed begat another Auloed he had a sonne named Sitric King of Develin Sitric he begat Auloed whose daughter Racwella was mother to Gryffith Ap Cynan borne at Dublin whiles Tirlough reigned in Ireland But this is extravagant Develin at length when the English first arrived in Ireland yeelded unto their valour and by them was manfully defended when Ausculph Prince of the Dublinians and afterwards Gottred King of the Isles fiercely on every side assaulted it within a while after a Colony of Bristow-men was deduced hither unto whom King Henry the second granted this City happely at that time dispeopled for to inhabite with all the Franchises and free Customes which the men of Bristow have and that by those very words which I have alledged Since which time it hath flourished every day more and more and in many tumultuous times and hard streights given notable proofe of most faithfull loyaltie to the Crowne of England This is the roiall City and seat of Ireland a famous towne for Merchandize the chiefe Court of Justice in munition strong in buildings gorgeous in Citizens populous An old writer calleth it a City in regard of the people noble of the site most pleasant by reason of the sea and river meeting together rich and plentifull in fish for trafficke famous for the green plain delightfull and lovely beset with woods of mast-bearing trees environed about with Parkes harbouring Deere And William of Newborrow of it writeth thus Divelin a maritime citie is the mother citie of all Ireland having to it a haven passing well frequented for trafficke and entercourse of Merchants matchable with our London Seated it is in a right delectable and wholsome place for to the South yee have hils mounting up aloft Westward an open champion ground and on the East the sea at hand and in sight the river Liffy running downe at North-East affordeth a safe rode and harbour for ships By the river side are certain wharfes or Kaies as we terme them whereby the violent force of the water might be restrained For this verbe Caiare in old writers signified to Keep in to restrain and represse which that most learned Scaliger hath well noted A very strong wall of rough building stone reacheth hence along by the sides of it and the same toward the South fortified also with rampires which openeth at six gates from whence there runne forth suburbs of a great length Toward the East is Dammes gate and hard by standeth the Kings castle on high most strongly fensed with ditches towers and an Armory or Store-house built by Henry Loundres the Archbishop about the yeere 1220. In the East suburbs neere unto Saint Andrew the Apostles Church Henry the second King of England as Hoveden reporteth caused a roiall palace or rather a banqueting house to be erected for himselfe framed with wonderfull workmanship most artificially of smoothed watles after the manner of this country wherein himselfe with the Kings and Princes of Ireland kept a solemne feast upon Christmas day From hence is to bee seene just over against it a beautifull Colledge in which place there stood in old time the Monasterie of All-Hallowes consecrated unto the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity which for the exercise and polishing of good wits with good literature Queene Elizabeth of most happy memory endowed with the priviledges of an University and being furnished of late with a notable Library giveth no small hope that both religion and all the exquisite and liberall sciences will return eftsoones after their long exile to Ireland as to their ancient home unto which as unto a Mart of Arts and good learning strangers sometime used to flocke and repaire And verily in the reigne of Edward the Second Alexander Bicknor Archbishop of Divelin began to recall the profession of learning hither having obtained from the Pope the priviledges of an University and erected also publike Lectures but the troublesome times that presently ensued interrupted the laudable enterprise of that good man The North gate openeth at the bridge built with arched work of new hewen stone by King John and this joineth Oustmantowne to the City For here the Oustmans who came over as Giraldus writeth out of Norway and the parts of the Northren Islands planted themselves as the Annales beare record about the yeere of salvation 1050. In this suburbe stood in times past the goodly Church of Saint Maries of Oustmanby for so in a Charter of King John it is called an house also founded for preaching Friers called of them Black Friers unto which of late daies have beene translated the Judiciall Courts of the kingdome In the South quarter of the City stand two gates Ormonds gate and Newgate which is their common house of correction These lead unto the longest suburbe of all called Saint Thomas street and a magnificent Abbey of the same name called Thomas Court founded and endowed in times past with very ample revenues by King Henry the second for the expiation of the murder of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Into the South openeth Pauls gate and that which taketh the name of Saint Nicolas making way into Saint Patrickes suburbe wherein standeth the Archbishops Palace knowne by the name of Saint Sepulchres and a most stately Church dedicated unto Saint Patricke right goodly to bee seene with faire embowed workes stone pavements an arched roofe over head of stone worke and a very high tower steeple What time this Church was first built it is to say truth uncertaine That Gregorie King of the Scots came unto it about the yeere 890. the Scottish Historie doth record The same afterward being much enlarged by John King of England was ordained first to be a Church of Prebends by Iohn Comyn Archbishop of Dublin in the yeere 1191. and Pope Celestine the third confirmed the same Then after him Henry Loundres his successour in the Archbishopricke augmented it with dignities of Personages for I may be bold to use here the founders words and framed it conformable to the immunities orders and approved customes of the Church of Salisbury But in our daies it maintaineth a Deane a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Arch-Deacons and two and twenty Prebendaries The only light and lamp that I may not conceale the most ample testimony which the Parliament of the kingdome giveth unto it of all godly and Ecclesiasticall discipline and order in Ireland There is another Cathedrall Church also standing in the very heart of the City which being consecrate unto the Holy Trinity is commonly called Christs Church touching the building thereof thus we read in the ancient records of the same Church Sitric King of Dublin the sonne of Ableb Earle of Dublin gave unto the blessed Trinity and to Donatus the first Bishop of Dublin a place to found a Church in unto the holy Trinity and not onely so but gold and silver also hee bestowed sufficiently for the
dwelling place of the Earle of Twomond tooke denomination as also the whole tract of it called the county of Clare The places of greater note and name than the rest are Kilfennerag and Killaloe or Laon the Bishops seat This in the Roman Provinciall is tearmed Episcopatus Ladensis where there stands a rocke in the mid channell of the river Shannon from which the water rusheth downe a maine with a great fall and noise and by standing thus in the way as a bar hindreth the river that it can carry vessels no further which if it were cut down or a draine made about it the river were able to bring up vessels much higher to the great commodity of all the neighbour inhabitants Not far from the banke of Shannon is seated Bunraty for which Sir Robert Muscegros obtained from King Henry the third the liberâ—ie of a Mercate and Faire and when he had fortified it with a castle gave it at length unto King Edward the first who granted both this towne and the whole territory unto Richard Clare aforesaid And seven miles from thence appeareth Clare the principall towne at a Creeke flowing up out of Shannon full of Islands and these twaine are the onely mercate townes here and those but small ones Most of the English who were in times past brought hither to inhabite are either rooted out or become degenerate and growne Irish but they who carry the whole sway here at this day be of the Irish blood as Mac-Nemors Mac-Mahon O-loughton and the mightiest by far of all other the O-Briens descended from the ancient Potentates or Kings of Conaght or as themselves give it forth from the Monarchs of Ireland Of these Morogh O-Brien was the first Earle of Twomond created by King Henry the eighth for terme of life and after him to Donough his brothers sonne and his heires who at the same time being made Baron of Ibarcan succeeded in the Earldome and was slain by his brother Sir Donel O-Brien Connagher O-Brien Donaghs son was the third Earle and father to Donaugh now the fourth Earle who hath shewed singular good proofe of his faithfull loialty and courageous valour unto his Prince and countrey in most dangerous times to his singular commendation THE COUNTY OF GALLWAY THe county of GALLWAY meereth South upon Clare West upon the Ocean North upon the county Maio and East upon the river Shannon A land very thankefull unto the industrious husbandman and no lesse profitable unto the Shepheard The West shore endented in with small in-lets and out-lets or armes of the sea hath a border all along of greene Ilands and rugged rockes set orderly as it were in a row among which foure Ilands called Arran make a Barony and many a foolish fable goes of them as if they were the Ilands of the living wherein none doe dye also Inis Ceath well knowne in times past by reason of the Monastery of Colman a devout Saint founded for Scots and Englishmen and Inis-Bouind which Bede interpreteth out of the Scottish tongue to signifie The Isle of white Heifers whereas it is a meere British word But the Englishmen soone forsooke the Monastery when the Scots and they could not well agree together Further within lieth a Lake called Logh-Corbes where Ptolomee placeth the river AUSOBA spreading out twenty miles or thereabout in length and three or foure in bredth being navigable and garnished with 300. petty Ilands full of grasse and bearing Pine-trees which Lake when it reacheth neere the sea growing narrow into a river runneth under Gallway in the Irish tongue Galliue named so or else I cannot tell of the Gallaeci in Spaine the very principall city of this Province and which would thinke hardly to be reckoned the third in Ireland Surely a very proper and faire City it is built almost round and in manner tower-like of entry and some stone and hath beside to set it out a Bishops See and withall through the benefit of the haven and rode abovesaid under it being well frequented with merchants hath easie and gainfull trafficke by exchange of rich commodities both by sea and land Not full foure miles from hence standeth Knoc-toe that is the hill of Axes under which that noble Girald Fitz-Girald Earle of Kildare and by times for the space of three and thirty yeeres Lord Deputie of Ireland discomfited and put to flight after a bloody overthrow the greatest rabble of rebels that ever was seen before in Ireland raised and gathered together by William Burk O-Bren Mac-Nomare and O-Carrall Not farre from hence Eastward standeth Aterith in which remaine some footings of the name of AUTERI commonly called Athenry enclosed round about with a wall of great circuit but slenderly inhabited It glorieth much of that warlike Baron thereof Iohn de Birmingham an Englishman out of which family the Earle of Louth descended but these Birminghams of Aterith being now as it were degenerate into barbarous Irishry scarce acknowledge themselves to have beene English originally The septs or kinreds of the Irish here that be of the better sort are O Kelleis O Maiden O Flairts Mac Dervis c. Clan-Ricard that is The sonnes kinred or Tube of Richard or the land of Richards sonnes confineth upon these and lieth to this county The name it tooke after the Irish manner from one Richard of an English family called de Burgh that became afterwards of most high renowne and name in this tract and out of which King Henry the eighth created Ulick Burgh Earle of Clan-Ricard whose eldest sonne carrieth the title of Baron Dun-Kellin His sonne Richard was the second Earle whose children begotten of sundry wives stirred up many troubles to the griefe of their father the overthrow of their owne country and themselves After Richard who died an old man succeeded his sonne Ulick the third Earle and father to Richard the fourth Earle now living whose fast fidelity and singular fortitude hath to his great praise evidently appeared when the English and their whole estates in Ireland were in greatest danger In this territory is the Archbishops See of Toam unto which in old time many Bishops were subject but at this day the Bishopricks of Anagchony Duae and Maio are annexed unto it The Bishoprick likewise of Kilmacough which in the old Provinciall unlesse the name be corrupt is not mentioned as also of Clonfert are seated in this part and as I have heard united to the See of Toam THE COUNTY OF MAIO THe county Maio on which the Westerne Ocean beateth lies bounded South with the county of Galway East with the county Roscoman and North with the county of Slego A fertile country and a pleasant abundantly rich in cattell Deere Hawkes and plenty of hony taking the name of Maio a little city with a Bishops See in it which in the Roman Provinciall is called Mageo But that Episcopall seat is now annexed to the Metropolitane of
albeit it is the Archiepiscopall See and Metropolitane of the whole Iland The Irish talke much that it was so called of Queen Armacha but in mine opinion it is the very same that Bede nameth Dearmach and out of the Scottish or Irish language interpreteth it The field of Okes. But it was named Drumsailich before that Saint Patricke had built there a proper faire City for site forme quantity and compasse modelled out as hee saith by the appointment and direction of Angels That Patricke I say who being a Britan borne and Saint Martins sisters sonne named at his Baptisme Sucat was sold into Ireland where he became Heardman to King Miluc afterwards was named by Saint German whose disciple hee was Magonius as a Nurse-Father out of a British word and by Pope Caelestine Patricius as a Father of the Citizens and by him sent over to catechize Ireland in the Christian faith which notwithstanding some had received there before as wee may gather out of an old Synodall wherein is urged the testimony of Patricke himselfe against that tonsure or shaving of Priests which had beene used before his time in Ireland whereby they were shaven onely on the fore part of the head and not on the Crowne Which manner of shaving he seemeth by way of contempt to father upon a certaine Swineherd of King Lagerius the sonne of Nell and the writers of that age cried out that it was Simon Magus his shaving and not S. Peters In this place about the yeere of our salvation 610. Columbane built a most famous Monastery out of which very many Monasteries afterwards were propagated by his disciples both in Britain and in Ireland Of this Armach S. Bernard thus writeth In honour of S. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland who here by his life time ruled and after death rested it is the Archiepiscopall seat and Metropolitan City of all Ireland and of so venerable estimation in old time that not only Bishops and Priests but Kings also and Princes in generall were subject to the Metropolitane thereof in all obedience and he alone governed them all But through the divellish ambition of some mighty Potentates there was taken up a very bad custome that this holy See should be obtained and held in hereditary succession neither suffered they any to be Bishops but such as were of their owne Clan Tribe and Family Neither prevailed this execrable succession a little but continued this wicked manner for the space well neere of fifteen generations When in processe of time the Ecclesiasticall discipline in this Iland was growne loose so as in townes and cities there were translations and plurality of Bishops according to the will and pleasure of the Metropolitane for reformation of this abuse Iohn Papyrio a Cardinall was sent hither from Pope Eugenius the fourth as a namelesse writer then living wrote in these words In the yeere of our Lord 1142. Iohn Papyrio a Cardinall sent from Eugenius the fourth Bishop of Rome together with Christian Bishop of Lismore Legate of all Ireland came into Ireland The same Christian held a solemne Counsell in Mell at which were present all the Bishops Abbats Kings Dukes and Elders of Ireland By whose consent there were established foure Archbishopricks namely of Armach of Dublin of Cassile and Toam Wherein sate and ruled at the same time Gelasius Gregorius Donatus and Edanus and so the Cardinall bestowing his blessing upon the Clergie returned to Rome For before that time the Bishops of Ireland were wont to be consecrated by the Archbishops of Canterbury in regard of the Primacy which they had in Ireland This did the Citizens of Dublin acknowledge when they sent Gregory elect Bishop of Dublin unto Ralph Archbishop of Canterbury for to be consecrated by these words Antecessorum vestrorum Magisterio c. that is Unto the Magistracy of your Predecessors we willingly submitted our Prelats from which we remember that our Prelats have received their dignity Ecclesiasticall c. which appeareth for certain out of letters also bearing date of greater antiquity namely of Murchertach King of Ireland written unto Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury for the ordaining and enstalling of the Bishops of Dublin and of Waterford likewise of King Gothrich unto Lanfrank his predecessor in the behalfe of one Patrick a Bishop of Lanfrank also unto Therdeluac a King of Ireland unto whom he complaineth That the Irishmen forsake and leave at their pleasure their wedded wives without any canonicall cause and match with any others even such as be neere of kinne either to themselves or the said forsaken wives and if another man with like wickednesse hath cast off any wife her also rashly and hand over head they joine with by law of marriage or fornication rather an abuse worthy to be punished With which vices if this nation had not bin corrupted even unto these daies of ours both the right of lineall succession among them had been more certain and as well the gentry as the communalty had not embrued themselves so wickedly with the effusion of so much blood of their owne kinred about their inheritances and legitimation neither had they become so infamous in these respects among forraine nations But these matters are exorbitant of themselves and from my purpose Long had not that Archiepiscopall dignity and Primacy beene established when Vivian the Popes Legate confirmed the same againe so that their opinion may seeme to be worthy of discredit and refutation who affirme that the Archbishop of Armach had in regard of antiquity the priority and superiour place of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Generall or Oecumenicall Councells whereas by the first institution hee is by many ages the latter Neither according to the antiquitie of places are the seats in Councels appointed But all Prelates of what degree soever they be sit among their Colleagues according to their owne ordination enstalling and promotion What time as that Vivian was Legate in Ireland Sir Iohn Curcy subdued Armach and made it subject to the English and yet did he no harme then but is reported to have beene very good and bountifull unto the Churchmen that served God there and he re-edified their Church which in our memory was fired and foulely defaced by the rebell Shan O Neale and the city withall so that they lost all the ancient beauty and glory and nothing remaineth at this day but very few small watled cottages with the ruinous walls of the Monastery Priory and Primates palace Among the Archbishops of this place there goes the greatest fame and name of S. Malachy the first that prohibited Priests marriage in Ireland a man in his time learned and devout and who tooke no lesse of the native barbarousnesse of that country than sea fishes saltnesse of the seas as saith S. Bernard who wrote his life at large also Richard Fitz-Ralfe commonly called Armachanus is of famous memory who turned the edge of his stile about the yeere 1355. against
there established On the East-side where it faceth the citie Constantia there is seated upon a steep rocke a most strong castle with an haughty name called Mont Orgueil which is much beholden unto King Henry the fifth who repaired it The Governour of the Isle is Captain thereof who in times past was called the Custos of the Isle and in Henry the third his reigne had a yeerely pension of 200. pound On the South side but with longer distance betweene Saint Malo is to be seene having taken that new name of Maclou a very devout man where before time it was called the city Diablintum and in the ancient Notice ALETUM for in a Manuscript of Isidor Mercator we read thus in expresse termes Civitas Diablintum c. that is the city Diablintum which by another name is called Aletum As for the inhabitants they freshly practice the feat of fishing but give their minds especially to husbandry and the women make a very gainfull trade by knitting of hose which they call Iarsey Stockes or Stockings As touching the politicke state thereof a Governour sent from the King of England is the chiefe Magistrate hee appointeth a Bailiffe who together with twelve Jurats or sworne Assistants and those chosen out of the twelve severall parishes by the voices of the Parishioners sitteth to minister justice in Civill causes in criminall matters he sitteth but with seven of the said sworne assistants and in causes of conscience to be decided by equity and reason with three Twenty miles hence North-west lieth another Iland which Antonine the Emperour in ancient time named SARNIA we at this day Garnsey lying out East and West in fashion of an harpe neither in greatnesse nor in fruitfulnesse comparable to Iersey for it hath in it only ten parishes yet is this to be preferred before it because it fostereth no venemous thing therin like as the other doth It is also better fortified by naturall fenses as being enclosed round with a set of steepe rockes among which is found that most hard and sharpe stone Smyris which we terme Emerill wherewith Goldsmiths and Lapidaries clense burnish and cut their precious stones and glaziers also divide and cleave their glasse Likewise it is of greater name for the commodiousnesse of the haven and the concourse of merchants resorting thither For in the farthest part well neere Eastward but on the South side it admitteth an haven within an hollow Bay bending inward like an halfe Moone able to receive tall ships upon which standeth Saint Peters a little towne built with a long and narrow street well stored with warlike munition and ever as any warre is toward mightily replenished with Merchants For by an ancient priviledge of the Kings of England here is alwaies a continuall truce as it were and lawfull it is for Frenchmen and others how hot soever the warre is to have repaire hither too and fro without danger and to maintain entercourse of trafficke in security The entry of the haven which is rockie is fortified on both sides with castles On the left hand there is an ancient bulwarke or block-house and on the right hand over against it standeth another called Cornet upon an high rocke and the same at every high water compassed about with the sea Which in Queene Maries daies Sir Leonard Chamberlane Governour of the Iland as also under Queene Elizabeth Sir Thomas Leighton his successour caused to bee fortified with new workes For here lieth for the most part the Governour of the Iland and the Garrison souldiers who will in no hand suffer Frenchmen and women to enter in On the North side there is La-vall a biland adjoining unto it which had belonging thereto a covent of religious persons or a Priory On the West part neere unto the sea there is a lake that taketh up a mile and halfe in compasse replenished with fish but Carpes especially which for bignesse and pleasant taste are right commendable The inhabitants are nothing so industrious in tilling of the ground as those of Iarsey but in navigation and trafficke of merchandise for a more uncertaine gaine they be very painfull Every man by himselfe loveth to husband his owne land so that the whole Iland lieth in severall and is divided by enclosures into sundry parcels which they find not onely profitable to themselves but also a matter of strength against the enemie Both Ilands smile right pleasantly upon you with much variety of greene gardens and orchards by meanes whereof they use for the most part a kinde of wine made of apples which some call Sisera and we Sydre The inhabitants in both places are by their first originall either Normans or Britans and speake French yet disdaine they to be either reputed or named French and can very well be content to be called English In both Ilands likewise they burne Uraic for their fuell or else sea-coals brought out of England and in both places they have wonderfull store of fish and the same manner of civill government These Ilands with others lying about them belonged in old time to the Dukedom of Normandy but when as Henry the first King of England had vanquished his brother Robert in the yeere of our Lord 1108. he annexed that Dukedom and these Ilands unto the kingdome of England Since which time they have continued firme in loialtie unto England even when John King of England being endited for murdering Arthur his Nephew was by a definitive sentence or arrest of confiscation deprived of his right in Normandy which he held in chiefe of the French King yea moreover when the French had seized upon these Isles hee through the faithfull affection of the people twice recovered them Neither revolted they when Henry the third King of England had for a summe of money surrendred his whole interest and right in Normandy And ever since they have with great commendation of their constancy persisted faithfull unto the Crowne of England and are the onely remaines that the Kings of England have of the ancient inheritance of William the Conquerour and of the Dutchy of Normandy although the French otherwhiles have set upon them who from the neighbour coast of France have hardly this long time endured to see them appertaine not to France but to England And verily Evan a Welsh Gentleman descended from the Princes of Wales and serving the French King surprized Garnesey in the time of King Edward the third but soone lost it And also in the reigne of King Edward the fourth as appeareth by the records of the Realme they seized upon the same but through the valour of Richard Harleston valect of the Crowne for so they termed him in those daies they were shortly disseized and the King in recompence of his valorous service gave unto him the Captainship both of the Iland and of the castle And in the yeere 1549. when England under King Edward the sixth a child was distressed with domesticall troubles Leo Strozzi Captaine of
were slaine This hill seemeth to be the very same which now is called Bannesdowne over a little village neere this Citie which they call Bathstone on which there are bankes and a rampier as yet to be seene Yet some there be I know who seeke for this hill in Yorkshire But Gildas may bring them backe againe to this place For in a manuscript Copie within Cambridge-Librarie where he writeth of the victorie of Aurelius Ambrose thus we read Vntill that yeare wherein siege was laid to the hill of Badonicus which is not farre from Severne mouth But in case this may not perswade them know they that the vale which runneth here along the river Avon is named in British Nant Badon that is The Vale of Badon and where we should seeke for the hill Badonicus but by the Vale Badonica I cannot hitherto see Neither durst the Saxons for a long time after set upon this Citie but left it for a great while to the Britans Howbeit in the yeare of Christ 577. when Cowalin King of the West-Saxons had defeated the Britans at Deorbam in Glocestershire being both straightly besieged and also assaulted it yeilded at first and within few yeares recovering some strength grew up to great dignity and therewith got a new name Ackmancester as I said For Osbrich in the yeare 676. founded a Nunnery there and immediately after when the Mercians had gotten it under them King Offa built another Church both which in the time of the Danish broiles were overthrowne Out of the ruines of these two arose afterwards the Church of S. Peter in which Eadgar surnamed the Peace-maker being crowned and sacred King bestowed upon the Citie very many Immunities the memorie of which thing the Citizens yearely with Solemne plaies doe yet celebrate In Edward the Confessors time as we read in Domes-booke of England it paied tribute according to 20. Hides when as the Shire paid There the King had 64. Burgers and 30. Burgers of others But this prosperitie of theirs endured not long for soone after the Normans comming in Robert Mowbray Nephew to the Bishop of Constance who had raised no small Sedition against King William Rufus sacked and burned it Yet in short space it revived and recovered it selfe by meanes of Iohn de Villula of Tours in France who being Bishop of Welles for five hundred markes as saith William of Malmesburie purchased this Citie of King Henry the First and translated his Episcopall chaire hither retaining also the title of Bishop of Welles and for his owne See built a new Church which being not long since ready to fal Olivar Bishop of Bathe began to found another hard by that old a curious and stately piece of worke I assure you and almost finished the same Which if he had performed indeed it would no doubt have surpassed the most Cathedrall Churches of England But the untimely death of so magnificent a Bishop the iniquitie and troubles of the time and the suppression of religious houses ensuing with the late avarice of some who have craftily conveied the money collected throughout England for that use another way if it be true that is reported have envied it that glory But neverthelesse this Citie hath flourished as well by clothing as by reason of usuall concourse thither for health twice every yeare yea and hath fortified it selfe with walles wherein there are set certaine Antique Images and Roman Inscriptions for the proofe of their antiquitie which now by age are so eaten into and worne that they can hardly be read And that nothing might be wanting to the state and dignitie of Bathe some noble men it hath honoured with the title of Earle For we read that Philibert of Chandew descended out of Bretaigne in France was by King Henry the Seventh stiled with this honor Afterwards King Henrie the Eighth in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourcher Lord Fitzwarin Earle of Bathe Who died shortly after leaving by his wife the sister of H. Daubeney Earle of Bridge-water Iohn second Earle of this familie who by the daughter of George Lord Roos had Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin who deceased before his father having by Fr. the daughter of S. Thomas Kitson of Hengrave William now third Earle of Bathe who endeavoureth to beautifie and adorne his nobilitie of birth with commendable studies of good letters The longitude of this Citie is according to Geographers measure 20. degrees and 16. minutes But the Latitude 51. degrees and 21. minutes And now for a farwell loe heere Nechams verses such as they bee of these hot waters at Bathe who lived 400. yeares since Bathoniae thermas vix praefero Virgilianas Confecto prosunt balnea nostra seni Prosunt attritis collisis invalidisque Et quorum morbis frigida causa subest Praevenit humanum stabilis natura laborem Servit naturae legibus artis opus Igne suo succensa quibus data balnea fervent Aenea subter aquas vasa latere putant Errorem figmenta solent inducere passim Sed quid sulphureum novimus esse locum Our Bathes at Bath with Virgils to compare For their effects I dare almost be bold For feeble folke and crasie good they are For bruis'd consum'd far-spent and very old For those likewise whose sicknesse comes of cold Nature prevents the painfull skill of man Arts worke againe helps nature what it can Men thinke these Baths of ours are made thus hot By reason of some secret force of fire Which under them as under brazen pot Makes more or lesse as reason doth require The waters boile and walme to our desire Such fancies vaine use errors forth to bring But what we know from Brimstone veines they spring Have heere also if you list to read them two ancient Inscriptions very lately digged up neere the Citie in Waldcot field hard by the Kings high way side which Robert Chambers a studious lover of antiquities hath translated into his garden From whence I copied them out G. MVRRIVS C. F. ARNIEN SIS FORO IVLI. MODESTVS MIL. LEG II. AD. P. F. IVLI. SECVND AN. XXV STIPEND H. S. E. DIS MANIBVS M. VALERIVS M. POL. EATINVS C. EQ MILES LEG AVG. AN. XXX STIPEND X. H. S. E. I have seene these Antiquities also fastened in the walles on the in-side betweene the North and West gates to wit Hercules bearing his left hand aloft with a club in his right hand In the fragment of a stone in great and faire letters DEC COLONIAE GLEV. VIXIT AN. LXXXVI Then leaves folded in Hercules streining two Snakes and in a grave or Sepulcher-table betweene two little images of which the one holdeth the Horne of Amalthaea in a worse character which cannot easily be read D. M. SVCC PETRONIAE VIXIT ANN. IIII. M. IIII. D. XV. EPO MVLVSET VICTISIRANA FIL. KAR. FEC A little beneath in the fragment of a stone in greater letters VRN IOP Betweene the West and
of England erected Kings Colledge in the yeere 1441. whereunto he joyned a Chappell which may rightly be counted one of the fairest buildings of the whole world His wife Margaret of Anjou in the yeere 1443. built Queenes Colledge Robert Woodlarke Professor of Divinity in the yeere 1459. S. Katharines Hall Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeere 1497. was the founder of Iesus Colledge Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to King Henry the Seaventh about the yeere 1506. erected Christs Colledge and S. Iohns enlarged now in goodly manner with new buildings Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England in the yeere 1542. built Maudlen Colledge which Sir Christopher Wray Lord chiefe Justice of England hath lately bewtified with new buildings and endowed with great possessions And that most puissant King Henry the Eight in the yeere of our salvation 1546. made Trinity Colledge of three others to wit of S. Michaels House or Colledge which Herveie Stanton in the reigne of Edward the Second built of Kings Hall founded by King Edward the Third and of Fishwicks Hostell Which Colledge that the Students might inhabite more pleasantly is now repaired nay rather new built with that magnificence by the carefull direction of Thomas Nevill Doctor of Divinity Master of the said Colledge and Deane of Canterbury that it is become a Colledge for stately greatnesse for uniforme building and beauty of the roomes scarce inferiour to any other in Christendome and he himselfe may bee accounted in the judgement even of the greatest Philosopher Truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for bestowing so great cost in publike and not in his owne private uses Also wherein I congratulate our Age and our selves in the behalfe of good learning that honourable and prudent man Sir Walter Mildmay knight one of the Privy Counsell to Queene Elizabeth who founded a new Colledge in the honour of Emanuel and Lady Francis Sidneie Countesse of Sussex in her last will gave a Legacy of 5000. pounds to the building of a Colledge that should be called Sidney-Sussex which is now fully finished I let passe here litle Monasteries and Religious houses because they were of small note unlesse it were Barnewell Abbey which Sir Paine Peverell a worthy and valiant warriour Standard-bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the holy War against Infidels translated in the reigne of Henry the first from S. Giles Church where Picot the Sheriffe had ordained secular Priests unto this place and brought into it thirty Monkes for that himselfe at that time was thirty yeeres of Age. The reason of that name Barnewell you may read if it please you out of the private History of that place in these words Sir Payne Peverell obtained of King Henry the First a certaine plot of ground without the Burgh of Cambridge Out of the very midst of that place there sprung up certaine Fountaines very pure and lively which in English they called Barnewell in those daies as one would say the wels of Barnes that is Children For that Boyes and Youthes meeting once a yeare there on the Even of Saint Iohn Baptists Nativity after the English manner exercised themselves in wrestling and other sports and pastimes befitting their age yea and merrily applauded one another with songs and minstralsie Whence it came that for the number of Boyes and Girles running thither and there playing grew to be a custome that on the suddaine a multitude of buyers and sellers repaired thither Neither was Cambridge albeit it was consecrated to the Muses altogether free from the furies of Mars For when the Danes robbed and spoyled up and downe many times they wintered here and in the yeere of Redemption 1010. when Sueno the Dane by most cruell and terrible tyranny bare downe all before him they spared not the honour of the place nor the Muses which we read that Sylla yet did at Athens but pittifully burnt and defaced it all Neverthelesse at the first comming in of the Normans it was sufficiently peopled For thus we read in the Domesday booke of King William the Conquerour The Burrough of Grentbridge is divided into tenne Wards and hath 387. Mansion houses But eighteene houses were destroyed for building of the Castle what time as the said King William the First determined to over-awe the English every where whom lately hee had conquered with Castles as it were with bridles of servitude Afterwards in the Barons warre it sustained great losse by the out-lawed Barons out of the Isle of Ely therefore Henry the Third to represse their outrages caused a deepe ditch to be cast on the East side which is still called Kings ditch Here happily there is a secret expectation of some that I should give mine opinion as touching the antiquity of this University But I will bee no dealer in this case For I meane not to make comparison betweene these two most flourishing Universities of ours to whom I know none equall Howbeit I feare me they have builded Castles in the Ayre and thrust upon us devices of their owne braines who extolling the antiquity thereof farre above any probability of truth have written that this Cantaber of Spaine streight after Rome was built and many yeeres before the Nativity of Christ erected this University True and certaine it is that whensoever it was first ordained it was a seat of learning about the time of King Henry the First For thus wee read in an old Additament of Peter Blessensis unto Ingulph Abbot Ioffred sent ouer to his Manour of Cotenham neere Cambridge Gislebert his fellow Monke and professour of Divinity with three other Monkes who following him into England being throughly furnished with Philosophicall Theoremes and other primitive sciences repaired dayly to Cambridge and having hired a certaine publike Barne made open profession of their sciences and in short space of time drew together a great number of Schollers But in the second yeere after their comming the number of their Scholars grew so great as well from out of the whole Country as the Towne that the biggest house and barne that was or any Church whatsoever sufficed not to receive them all Whereupon sorting themselves apart in severall places and taking the Vniversity of Orleance for their paterne earely in the morning Monke Odo a singular Grammarian and Satyricall Poet read Grammer unto Boyes and those of the younger sort assigned unto him according to the Doctrine of Priscian and of Remigius upon him At one of the clocke Terricus a most witty and subtile Sophister taught the elder sort of young men Aristotles Logicke after the Introductions of Porphyrie and the Comments of Averroes At three of the clocke Monke William read a Lecture in Tullies Rhetoricke and Quintilians Flores But the great Master Gislebert upon every Sunday and Holy-dayes preached GODS Word unto the People And thus out of this little Fountaine which grew to bee a great River wee see how the Citty of GOD now is become enriched and
all England made fruitfull by meanes of very many Masters and Teachers proceeding out of Cambridge in manner of the Holy Paradise c. But at what time it became an Vniversity by authority Robert de Remington shall tell you Vnder the Reigne saith hee of Edward the First Grantbridge of a Schoole was made an Vniversity such as Oxenford is by the Court of Rome But what meane I thus unadvisedly to step into these lists Wherein long since two most learned old men have encountred one with another Unto whom verely as to right learned men I am willing to yeeld up my weapons and vaile bonnet with all reverence The Meridian line cutting the Zenith just over Cambridge is distant from the furthest West poynt twenty three degrees and twenty five scruples And the Arch of the same Meridian lying betweene the Aequator and Verticall poynt is fiftie two degrees and II. scruples Cam from Cambridge continuing his course by Waterbeach an ancient seat of Nuns which Lady Mary S. Paul translated from thence to Denny somewhat higher but nothing healthfuller when in a low ground he hath spread a Mere associateth himselfe with the River Ouse But to returne hard under Cambridge Eastward neere unto Sture a little brooke is kept every yeere in the moneth of September the greatest Faire of all England whether you respect the multitude of buyers and sellers resorting thither or the store of commodities there to be vented Hard by whereas the way was most comberous and troublesome to passengers to and fro that right good and praise-worthy man G. Hervy Doctor of the Civill Law and M. of Trinity Hall in Cambridge made not long since with great charges but of a Godly and laudable intent a very faire raised Causey for three miles or thereabout in length toward Neumercat Neere unto Cambridge on the South-East side there appeare aloft certaine high Hills the Students call them Gogmagog-Hills Henry of Huntingdon tearmed them Amoenissima montana de Balsham that is The most pleasant Mountaines of Balsham by reason of a little Village standing beneath them wherein as hee writeth the Danes left no kinde of most savage cruelty unattempted On the top of these hills I saw a Fort intrenched and the same very large strengthened with a threefold Rampire an hold surely in those dayes inexpugnable as some skilfull men in feats of Warre bee of opinion were it not that water is so farre off Gervase of Tilbury seemeth to call it Vandelbiria Beneath Cambridge saith he there was a place named Vandelbiria for that the Vandals wasting the parts of Brittaine with cruell slaughter of Christians there encamped themselves where upon the very top of the hill they pitched their Tents there is a Plaine inclosed round with a Trench and Rampire which hath entrance into it but in one place as it were at a Gate Touching the Martiall spectre or sprite that walked here which he addeth to the rest because it is but a meere toyish and fantasticall devise of the doting vulgar sort I willing over-passe it For it is not my purpose to tell pleasant tales and tickle eares In the Vale under these hills is Salston to be seene which from the Burges of Burgh-Green by Walter De-la-pole and Ingalthorp came unto Sir Iohn Nevill Marquesse Mont-acute and by his daughter and one of his heires to the Hudlestons who have lived here in worship and reputation More Eastward first we meete with Hildersham belonging sometimes to the Bustlers and now by marriage to the Parises Further hard by the Woods is Horsheath situate the Possession whereof is knowne by a long descent to have pertained unto the ancient Families of the Argentons and Alingtons of whom elsewhere I have written and is now the habitation of the Alingtons Adjoyning hereunto is Castle Camps the ancient seat also of the Veres Earles of Oxford which Hugh Vere held as the old booke of Inquisition Records That he might be the Kings Chamberleine whereas notwithstanding most true it is that Henry the First King of England granted unto Aubry de Vere that Office in these words The principall Chamberlaineship of all England in Fee and Inheritance with all the Dignities Liberties and Honours thereto belonging as freely and honourably as Robert Mallet held the same c. The Kings notwithstanding ordained sometimes one and sometimes another at their pleasure to execute this Office The Earles of Oxford also that I may note it incidently by the heire of R. Sandford held the Manours of Fingrey and Wulfelmelston by Serjeanty of Chamberlainship to the Queenes at the Coronation of the Kings Not far from hence are seene here and there those great and long Ditches which certainly the East Angles did cast to restraine the Mercians who with sudden inrodes were wont most outragiously to make havocke of all before them The first of these beginneth at Hinkeston runneth Eastward by Hildersham toward Hors-heath about five miles in length The second neere unto this called Brentditch goeth from Melborne by Fulmer Where D. Hervies cawsey which I mentioned endeth there appeareth also a third forefence or ditch cast up in old time which beginning at the East banke of the river Cam reacheth directly by Fenn-Ditton or more truly Ditch-ton so called of the very Ditch betweene great Wilberham and Fulburn as farre as to Balsham At this day this is called commonly Seauen mile Dyke because it is seaven miles from Newmercate in times past Fleam-Dyke in old English that is Flight-Dyke of some memorable flight there as it seemeth At the said Wilberham sometimes called Wilburgham dwelt in times past the Barons Lisle of Rong-mount men of ancient nobility of whom John for his Martiall prowesse was by King Edward the Third ranged among the first founders of the order of the Garter and of that Family there yet remaineth an heire Male a reverend old Man and full of Children named Edmund Lisle who is still Lord of this place More East from hence five miles within the Country is to bee seene the fourth forefence or ditch the greatest of all the rest with a rampier thereto which the common people wondring greatly at as a worke made by Devils and not by men use to call Devils-Dyke others Rech-Dyke of Rech a little mercate towne where it beginneth This is doubtlesse that whereof Abbo Floriacensis when he describeth the sight of East England writeth thus From that part whereas the Sun inclineth Westward the Province it selfe adjoyneth to the rest of the Island and is therefore passable but for feare of being overrun with many invasions and inrodes of enemies it is fortified in the front with a banke or rampier like unto an huge wall and with a Trench or Ditch below in the ground This for many miles together cutteth overthwart that Plaine which is called Newmarket-heath where it lay open to incursions beginning at Rech above which the Country
therein bee with the narrowest thrust close and pent together yet such is the convenience and commodiousnesse of the haven that for wealth fresh trading and frequent resort it is the second City in all Ireland and hath alwaies shewed a singular loialty fidelitie and obedience to the Imperiall Crowne of England For ever since that Richard Earle of Pembrok wanne it it hath continued so faithfull and quietly disposed that it performed at all times safe and secure peace unto the English on their backes whiles they went on in the conquering of Ireland Whence it is that the Kings of England have granted unto it very many and those right large Franchises which King Henry the seventh augmented and confirmed because the Citizens had demeaned themselves most valiantly and wisely against that Mock-Prince Perkin Warbeck who being a young man of base condition by hoising up the full sailes of impudence went about to mount up aloft unto the Imperiall diadem whiles he a meer suborned counterfeit tooke upon him to be Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of King Edward the fourth This countie of Waterford together with the city King Henry the sixth gave unto Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury aforesaid by these words which because they testifie the valerous vertue of that most martiall Knight to the end that vertue might have the due honour thereto belonging I thinke it worth my labour and haply any man else would deeme no lesse to put downe out of the Record which may be Englished thus We therefore saith the King after other eloquent termes penned by the Secretaries of that age when there was but simple Latin weighing with due consideration the valiant prowesse of our most deere and faithfull cousin John Earle of Shrewsbury and of Weisford Lord Talbot Furnivall and Le Strange sufficiently tried and approved even unto his old age in the warres aforesaid upon his body no lesse bedewed with sweat many a time than embrued with blood and considering in what sort our Countie and Citie of Waterford in our land of Ireland the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Baronie of Dungarvan and all the Lordships Lands Honours and Baronies with the pertinences within the same County which by forfeiture of rebels by reversion or decease of any person or persons by escheat or any other title of law ought to come into our hands or our progenitors or in the same to be by reason of the hostile invasions of our enemies and rebells in those parts are become so desolate and lye so much exposed to the spoiles of warre wholly as it were wasted that they turne us to no profit but have and doe redound oftentimes to our detriment in this regard also that by the same our Cousin our foresaid land of Ireland may the more valiantly be defended in those parts against such attempts and invasions of our enemies and rebells doe ordaine promote and create him Earle of Waterford together with the stile title name and honour thereto belonging And because as the highnesse of his state and degree groweth all things consequently of necessity grow withall upon our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion and for the estate of the Earle himselfe our Cousin to be maintained in more decent manner we have given granted and by these our letters confirmed unto the same Earle the County aforesaid together with the foresaid stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford yea and the foresaid City with the fee ferme of the same the Castles Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies with the pertinences within the County likewise all and every sort the Manors Hundreds Wapentakes c. all along the sea coast from the towne of Yoghall unto Waterford City aforesaid To have and to hold the foresaid County of Waterford the stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford and the City Waterford aforesaid the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Barony of Dungarvan and all other Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies within the said county as also all and every the foresaid Manors Hundreds c. unto the above named Earle and the heires males issuing out of his body to have I say and to hold of us and our heires by homage fealty and the service of being and to be our Seneschall or Steward and that his heires be the Seneschals of Ireland to us and our heires throughout our whole land of Ireland to do and that hee doe and ought himselfe to doe in the same his office that which his predecessors Seneschals of England were wont to doe hitherto in that office for ever In witnesse whereof c. But when as whiles the Kings of England and the Nobles who had large and goodly possessions in Ireland were much busied and troubled a long time first with the warres of France and afterward with civill warres at home Ireland lay in manner neglected and the State of English there falling still to decay was now in manner come to nothing but the Irishry by occasion of the others absence grew exceeding mighty for to recover these losses and to abate the power of the Irish it was ordained and enacted by the States of the Realme in Parliament that the Earle of Shrewsbury for his absence and carelesnesse in maintaining of his owne should surrender into the hands of the King and his successors the Earledome and towne of Waterford the Duke of Norfolke likewise the Baron Barkley the heires generall of the Earle of Ormond and all the Abbats Priors c. of England who had any lands should surrender up all their possessions unto the King and his successors for the same absence and neglect THE COUNTY OF LIMERICK HItherto have wee gone over the Maritime counties of Mounster two there remaine yet behind that bee in-lands Limericke and Tipperary which wee are now to goe unto The county of LIMERICK lieth behinde that of Corke Northward betweene Kerry the river Shanon and the county of Tipperary A fertile countrey and well peopled but able to shew very few places of any good account and importance The more Western part of it is called Conilagh wherein among the hills Knock-Patric that is Patricks hill mounteth up of a mighty height and yeelding a pleasant prospect into the sea beholdeth afarre off the river Shanon falling with a wide and wast mouth into the Vergivian or Ocean Under which hill a sept of Fitz-Giralds or Giraldines lived honourably a long time untill that Thomas called the Knight of the Valley or of the Glin when his gracelesse sonne that wicked firebrand suffered death for to set villages and houses a fire is by the lawes of Ireland high treason because himselfe advised his sonne and set him on to enter into these lewd actions by authority of the Parliament was disseized of his goodly and large possessions The head City of this county is Limerick which Shanon a most famous river by parting his chanell compasseth round about The Irish call it Loumeag and
the English Limirick A Bishops See this is and a very famous mart towne of Mounster first forcibly won by Reimundo the Grosse an Englishman the sonne of William Girald afterwards burnt by Duvenald an Irish petty King of Thuetmond and then in processe of time Philip Breos an Englishman was enfeoffed in it King John fortified it with a castle At this day it is counted two townes The upper for so they call it wherein stand the Cathedrall Church and the castle hath two gates opening into it and each of them a faire bridge unto it of stone with bulwarkes and little draw bridges the one leading into the West the other into the East unto which the nether towne joineth fensed with a wall with a castle also thereto and a foregate at the entrance into it More into the East standeth Clan-William so named of the sept or kinred of William who came out of the family de Burgo the Irish call it Burke which dwelleth therein and out of which house Queene Elizabeth conferred upon William who slew Iames Fitz-Moris that tempestuous troubler of his country the title and honour of Baron of Castle-Conel where Richard the Red Earle of Ulster had strengthened a castle together with a yeerly pension as a reward of his valour and to his comfort and meed for the losse of his sonnes slaine in that encounter In the South part of this county is Kil-Mallo the second towne next to Limirick both for wealth and for number of inhabitants enclosed also with a wall about it likewise Adar a little towne in old time fortified standing upon the same river which streightwaies emptieth it selfe into Shanon hard unto which lieth Clan-Gibbon the Lord whereof Iohn Fitz-Girald called Iohn Oge Fitz-Iohn Fitz Gibbon and for the gray haires of his head The white Knight was attainted by Parliament for his wicked acts but his sonne through the clemency of Queene Elizabeth was restored to his full estate Of great note and name above the rest in this tract besides those Bourks Giraldines and Fitz-Giralds are the Laceys Browns Hurleys Chaceys Sapells and Pourcels all of the English race also the Mac-Shees Mac-Brien O-Brian c. of Irish breed THE COUNTY OF TIPPERARY THe county Tipperary Westward is bounded with Limirick-shire aforesaid and the river Shanon Eastward with the county of Kilkenny toward the South with the counties of Corke and Waterford and North with the territorie of the O-Carolls The South part is an exceeding fertile country and yeeldeth corne abundantly furnished also sufficiently with good and frequent buildings The West part of it the river Glason passeth through and watereth with a long course not farre from the banke whereof standeth Emely or Awne a Bishops See which hath beene in times past by report a City very populous and of great resort Through the midst of it runneth the noble river Shower or Swire which streaming out of Bladin hill speeding through the lower Ossery which by the bountifull favour of King Henry the eighth entituled the Butlers Earles of Ossery and through Thurles which honoureth them with the dignity of Vicounts first goeth unto Holy Crosse a right famous Abbey in times past whence the country also adjoining is commonly termed the Countie of the Holy Crosse of Tipperary and enjoieth certaine peculiar freedomes granted in honour of a piece of Christs crosse there sometimes preserved The whole world saith Saint Cyrill is full of peeces of this wood and yet by a continuall miracle as Paulinus saith it hath never beene impaired Thus were Christians perswaded in ancient times And incredible it is what a confluence there is even yet of people continually upon devotion hither as unto an holy place So firmely doth this nation persevere in the old Religion of their forefathers which the carelesse negligence of their Prelates and ignorance together hath beyond all measure encreased when as there be none to instruct and teach them otherwise Then Shour passeth beside Cassile beautified with an Archiepiscopall dignity by Engenius the third Bishop of Rome which had under it in times past many Bishops as Suffragans From thence runneth the river downe sprinkling Islands here and there in the way and fetcheth a compasse about Cahir Castle which out of the family of the Butlers hath a Baron advanced to that dignity by Queene Elizabeth but his sonne stained himselfe with perfidious disloialty and suffered for it when as the Castle was by the Earle of Essex taken in the yeere 1599. and himselfe cast into prison Then holding on his course by Clomell a mercate towne well frequented and fensed as also by Carick Mac-Griffin situate upon a rock whereof also it tooke name the habitation of the Earles of Ormond which together with the honour of Earle of Carrick King Edward the second granted unto Edmund Boteler or Butler it leaveth Tipperary behinde it and serveth in steed of a limit to confine the Counties of Waterford and Kilkenny Thus much of the places in the South side of this county As for that which lieth Northward leane it is and very barren peaking up with high tops of mountaines and twelve above the rest as it were hudled up together which they terme Phelemge Modona This part in Latin is called Ormondia in Irish Orwowon that is the Front of Mounster in English Ormond and most men name it very corruptly Wormewood All the name and glory whereof ariseth from the Earles of whom there hath beene a number since Iames Butler upon whom and his heires King Edward the third conferred this title of honour for terme of life with the Roialty also and other liberties with Knights fees in the county of Tipperary the which his posterity through the favour of the Kings of England still enjoy whence this County is reputed Palatine and he of some was stiled Earle of Tipperary The ancesters of this James were in old time the Butlers an honourable office of Ireland and from thence came this sirname Le Boteler or Butler imposed upon them and certaine it is that they were linked in most neere alliance unto St. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as who derive their descent from his sister and that after hee was murdered they were by King Henry the second removed into Ireland who supposed that hee should disburden himselfe of the worlds hatred for that fact in case he advanced the kinsfolkes and allies of the said Thomas to rich revenues and high honours The first Earle of Ormond in this family was James sonne to Edmund Earle of Carricke who wedded the daughter of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford whom he had by a daughter of King Edward the first and here was his first step unto this honour Hereupon James his sonne by this marriage came to be commonly named among the people The noble Earle The fifth Earle of these named James that I may not stand particularly upon every one received