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
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
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
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
sitten since Wina whom the said Kenelwalch ordained the first Bishop there Many Bishops some renowned for their wealth and honourable port and some for holinesse of life But among other Saint Swithin continueth yet of greatest fame not so much for his sanctitie as for the raine which usually falleth about the Feast of his translation in Iuly by reason the Sunne then Cosmically with Praesepe and Aselli noted by ancient writers to be rainie constellations and not for his weeping or other weeping Saints Margaret the Virgine and Mary Magdalen whose feasts are shortly after as some superstitiously-credulous have believed This by the way pardon me I pray you for I digresse licentiously Thus Bishops of Winchester have beene anciently by a certaine peculiar prerogative that they have Chancellours to the Archbishop of Canterbury and for long time now Prelates to the order of the Garter and they have from time to time to their great cost reedified the Church and by name Edington and Walkelin but Wickham especially who built all the West part thereof downe from the quire after a new kind of worke I assure you most sumptuously In the midst of which building is to be seene his owne tombe of decent modestie betweene two pillars And these Bishops have ever and anon consecrated it to new Patrons and Saints as to Saint Amphibalus Saint Peter Saint Swithin and last of all to the holy Trinitie by which name it is knowne at this day The English Saxons also had this Church in great honour for the sepulture of certaine Saints and Kings there whose bones Richard Fox the Bishop gathered and shrining them in certaine little gilded coffers placed them orderly with their severall Inscriptions in the top of that wall which encloseth the upper part of the quire and they called it in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The old Minster for difference from another more lately built which was named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The new Minster which Elfred founded and for the building of houses of office belonging to the same purchase of the Bishop a plot of ground and for every foot of it paid him downe a marke after the publike weight This monasterie as also that other the older was built for married Priests who afterwards upon I know not what miracle of a Crosse that spoke and disliked their marriage were thrust out by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury and Monkes put in their place The walls of these two monasteries stood so neere and close together that the voices of those that sung in the one troubled the chaunting of the other whereupon there arose grudge and heart-burning betweene these Monkes which afterwards brake out into open enmities By occasion whereof and because at this new monasterie there gathered and stood much water which from the Westerne gate came downe thither along the current of the streets and cast forth from it an unwholsome aire the Minster Church two hundred yeares after the first foundation of it was removed into the Suburbs of the citie on the North part which they call Hide Where by the permission of King Henry the First the Monks built a most stately and beautifull monasterie which a few yeares after by the craftie practice of Henrie de Blois Bishoppe of Winchester as the private historie of this place witnesseth was pitiously burnt In which fire that Crosse also was consumed which Canutus the Dane gave and upon which as old writings beare record he bestowed as much as his owne yeares revenewes of all England came unto The monasterie neverthelesse was raised up againe and grew by little and little to wonderfull greatnesse as the very ruines thereof even at this day doe shew untill that generall subversion and finall period of our monasteries For then was this monasterie demolished and into that other of the holy Trinitie which is the Cathedrall Church when the monkes were thrust out were brought in their stead a Deane twelve Prebendaries and there placed At the East side of this Cathedrall Church standeth the Bishops palace called Wolvesey a right goodly thing and sumptuous which being towred and compassed almost round with the streame of a prety river reacheth even to the Citie walls and in the South-suburbes just over against it beholdeth a faire Colledge which William Wickham Bishop of this See the greatest father and Patron of all Englishmen of good literature and whose praise for ever to the worlds end will continue built for a Schoole and thereto dedicated it out of which both for Church and Common-wealth there riseth a most plentiful increase of right learned men For in this Colledge one warden ten fellowes two Schoole-masters and threescore and ten schollers with divers others are plentifully maintained There have beene also in this Citie other faire and goodly buildings for very many were here consecrated to religion which I list not now to recount since time and avarice hath made an end of them Onely that Nunnery or monasterie of vailed Virgins which Elfwida the wife of King Elfred founded I will not overpasse seeing it was a most famous thing as the remainder of it now doth shew and for that out of it King Henrie the First tooke to wife Mawde the daughter of Malcolne King of Scots by whom the Royall bloud of the ancient Kings of England became united to the Normans and he therefore wonne much love of the English nation For neiphew shee was in the second degree of descent unto Edmund Iron-side by his sonne Edward the Banished A woman as adorned with all other vertues meet for a Queene so especially inflamed with an incredible love of true pietie and godlinesse Whereupon was this Tetrastich made in her commendation Prospera non laetam fecêre nec asperae tristem Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens No prosp'rous state did make her glad Nor adverse chances made her sad If fortune frown'd she then did smile If fortune frown'd she feard the while If beauty tempted she yet said nay No pride she tooke in scepters sway Shee onely high her selfe debas'd A lady onely faire and chast Concerning Sir Guy of Warwick of whom there goe so many prety tales who in single fight overcame here that Danish giant and Golias Colbrand and of Waltheof Earle of Huntingdon that was here beheaded where afterwards stood Saint Giles chappell as also of that excellent Hospital of Saint Crosse there adjoyning founded by Henry of Blois bother to King Stephen and Bishop of this City and augmented by Henry Beauford Cardinall I need not to speake seeing every man may read of them in the common Chronicles As touching the Earles of Winchester to say nothing of Clyto the Saxon whom the Normans deprived of his ancient honour King Iohn created Saier Quincy Earle of Winchester who used for his armes a military belt
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
that Towne where the King used to lye which Bede saith was situate neere unto the River Doroventio In which as hee also writeth Eumer that murderous Villaine thrust at Edwin King of Northumberland with a sword and had runne him through but that one of his men stepped betweene and saved the Kings life with the losse of his owne Yet could I never have said precisely which was the very place had not that most judicious Robert Marshall given me a light thereof For he gave me to understand that just at the very same distance from Yorke which I spake of there stands hard upon the River Darwent a little Towne named Auldby that is if you interprete the Saxon word The old Habitation where are extant yet in sight some tokens of Antiquity and upon a very high Hill neere unto the River the rubbish of an ancient Fortification so that it cannot chuse but to have beene the said City Derventio From hence glideth the River hard under Stanford-Bridge which also of the battaile there fought is called Battlebridge For at that Bridge Harald King of England after a great execution done upon the Danes flew in a pight field Harald Hardread King of Norway who with a Fleet of 200. saile grievously annoyed the Isle of Britaine and was now landed at Richall spoiling and wasting all in his way The King of England who having the honour of the field found among the spoiles such a masse of Gold as that twelve lusty young men had much adoe to carry it on their backes as Adam Bremensis recordeth This field was foughten scarce nine dayes before the arrivall of William Conquerour what time the dissolute and roiotous life of the Englishmen seemed to foretell their imminent overthrow and destruction But of this I have spoken before Derwent which when it is encreased with raine and as it were provoked to anger doth oftentimes contemne his bankes and surround the medowes lying about it passing from hence by Wreshil a proper and a strong Castle which Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester built runneth amaine under Babthorpe which yeeldeth both name and habitation to a worshipfull Family of Knights degree and so at length dischargeth himselfe into Ouse Out of this stocke it was for let us not thinke much to tell of those who performed faithfull service to their Prince and Country that both father and sonne fighting together under the banner of King Henry the Sixth lost their lives in the Battaile of Saint Albans and were there buryed together with this Epitaph Cum patre Radulpho Babthorp jacet ecce Radulphus Filius hoc duro marmore pressus humo Henrici Sexti dapifer pater Armiger ejus Mors satis id docuit fidus uterque fuit c. Behold where two Raulph Babthorps both the sonne and father lye Under a stone of marble hard interr'd in this mould dry To Henry the Sixth the father Squire the Sonne he Sewer was Both true to Prince and for his sake they both their life did passe And now Ouse by this time carrying a fuller streame runneth neere Howden a Mercate Towne famous not so much for any beauty in it or great resort thereto as because it hath given name to a little Territory adjoyning called of it Howdenshire and had therein not long since a prety Collegiat Church of five Prebendaries unto which joyneth the Bishops house of Durrham who have great lands thereabout One of which namely Walter Skirlaw who flourished about the yeere of our Lord 1390. as we reade in the booke of Durrham built a very great and large steeple to this Church that if there happened by chance any inundation it might serve the inhabitants for a place of refuge to save themselves in And not farre from hence stands Metham which gave both sirname and habitation also to the ancient house of the Methams Now the River Ouse being very broad swift and roring besides out powreth his streame into the Frith or salt water ABUS For so calleth Ptolomee that arme of the Sea which the English Saxons and we tearme Humber whereof also the Country beyond it by a generall name was called Northumberland Both these names may seeme to have beene drawne with some little change from the British word Aber which among them signifieth the mouth of a River and I would thinke it was imposed upon this River by way of excellency because Ure or Ouse having entertained and lodged many Rivers carryeth them all with him along into this yea and other Rivers of right great name are emptied into it And verily it is one of the broadest armes of the sea and best stored with fish in all Britaine It riseth high as the Ocean at every tide floweth and when the same ebbeth and returneth backe it carryeth his owne streame and the currant of the Sea together most forcibly and with a mighty noise not without great danger of such as saile therein whence Necham writeth thus of it Fluctibus aequoreis nautis suspectior Humber Dedignans Urbes visere rura colit More fear'd of shipmen Humber streame than waves of sea so deepe Disdaining cities great to see neere country townes doth keepe And following the British History as if it had beene so called of a King of the Hunnes he addeth this moreover Hunnorum princeps ostendens terga Locrino Submersus nomen contulit Humbris aquae A Prince of Hunnes whiles that he shew'd his backe to Locrine brave Was drowned heere and so the name to Humber water gave Touching whom another Poet also Dum fugit obstat ei flumen submergitur illic Dèque suo tribuit nomine nomen aquae Whiles he turn'd backe and tooke his flight the River stopt the same There drown'd was he and then of him the water tooke the name Neither were there indeed any Cities seene to stand by this Arme of the Sea in Nechams daies but before and after there flourished one or two Cities in these places Under the Roman Empire not farre from the banke by Foulnesse a River of small account where Wighton a little Towne of Husbandry well inhabited is now seene stood as we may well thinke in old time DELGOVITIA and that I may not take hold of the distance from DERVENTIO for a proofe both the resemblance and the signification also of the name doe concurre For Delgwe in the British tongue signifieth The Statues or Images of the Heathen Gods and in a small Village adjoyning to this little Towne there was a Temple of Idols even in the Saxons time of exceeding great name and request which of those Heathen gods was then termed Godmundingham and now is called in the same sense Godmanham Neither doubt I but that even when the Britans flourished it was some famous Oracle much frequented when superstition spread and swaying among all Nations had wholly possessed the weake mindes of ignorant people But when Paulinus preached Christ unto Northumberland men Coy-fi who had beene a Pontife or
he was kept in hold a long time and the chamber wherein hee lay was burned and seven of the said Earles men were there killed In the same weeke and upon the Vigill of St. Matthias came Brus with his armie toward Dublin and because he had quickly intelligence of the said Earles apprehension he tooke his journey toward the castle of Knocke and entred the said castle and tooke the Lord Baron of the same namely the Lord Hugh Tirell and his wife who for a peece of money were delivered And the same night by common consent the men of Dublin for feare of the Scots burnt St. Thomas street and with the said fire the Church of St. Iohn with the chappell of S. Marie Maudlen was by casualtie burnt yea and all the suburbs of Dublin were set on fire together with the Monasterie of S. Mary and the Church of St. Patricke in Dublin was by the said villaines spoiled Item the said Maior with the Communaltie destroied the Church of St. Saviour which is the place of the Friers Preachers and carried away the stones of the same place toward the building of the Citie wall which hee then enlarged on the North side above the Key because the wall at first went along by the Church of St. Owen where a tower is to be seene beyond the gate and in the Vintners street appeareth another gate But afterwards the King of England commanded the Maior and Communalty to make a covent Church of Friers as before And after the feast of Saint Matthias Brus understanding that the Citie was strongly walled and fortified took his journey toward the Salmon leape and there they pitched their tents namely Robert Brus King of the Scots Edward Brus the Earle of Morrey Iohn de Menteth the Lord Iohn Steward the Lord Philip Mountbray and abode there foure daies and burnt part of the towne brake downe the Church and spoiled it and afterwards marched on toward the Naas and the Lacies against their oath conducted them and gave them counsell and Sir Hugh Canon appointed Wadin White his wives brother to be their guide through the countrey and they came to the Naas and sacked the towne brake into the Churches opened the tombes in the Church-yard to seeke for treasure and did much mischiefe while they remained there for two daies together And afterwards they went on toward Tristeldermot in the second week of Lent and destroied the Friers minors the books vestiments and other ornaments they had away and then departed from thence to Baligaveran and from Baligaveran leaving the towne of Kilkenny they came as far as to Kallan about the feast of St. Gregorie the Pope At the same time there came letters from the Lord Edmund Botiller Justice of Ireland the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare the Lord Richard Clare the Lord Arnald Pover and the Lord Maurice Fitz-Thomas for the delivery of the Earle of Ulster by mainprise and by a writ of the Kings about which nothing was then done And afterward the Ulster men came with an armie about two thousand and craved the Kings aide for to destroy the Scots as they said for which cause the Kings standard was delivered unto them and when they had it they did more harme than the Scots and fell to eating of flesh all Lent long and wasted in manner the whole countrey whereby they purchased the curse of God and man Item a great overthrow was given unto the Irish neere unto the desert of Dermot that is Trostil-Dermot by Edmund Botiller Also the same Edmund Botiller Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being gave a great overthrow to O-Morgh at Balilethan Then Brus with the Scots marched forward as faâ—â—e as Limericke But after that the bravest forces of the English in Ireland were assembled together at Ledyn they retired privily by night from the castle of Conniger And about Palme-sunday there came newes to Dublin that the Scots were at Keâ—â—ys in 〈◊〉 and the Nobles of Ireland at Kilkenny and there levied a power to set forward against Brus and the munday following the King gave commandement to the men of Ulster to speed them against the Scots whose leader and head the Earle of Kildare to wit Thomas Fitz-John was appointed to bee and so they put themselves on their journey and then was Brus at Cashill and hee marched from thence to Nanath and there abode and all the lands of the Lord Butler hee burnt and destroied quite MCCCXVII Upon Mandie thursday the Lord Edm. Botiller the Lord Justice of Ireland and Sir Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kyldare because the King gave unto them the jurisdiction and liberty of the countie of Kildare also Richard Clare with the army of Ulster Sir Arnold Poâ—â—r Baron of Donnoyll Maurice Roch-fort Thomas Fitz-Moris and the Caâ—ntons with their retime assembled themselves together about the Scots and for one whole weeke abode about them and did nothing whose forces were reckoned to be about 30000. strong And afterwards upon thursday in Easter weeke arrived Roger Mortimer at Yoghall with the Kings power because hee was Lord Justice and the munday following speedily took his journy toward the army and sent his letters unto Edmund Botiller late as it hath beene said Justice that hee should attempt nothing against the Scots before his comming But before that Mortimer came Brus was forewarned by some to depart from thence who the night following tooke his journey toward Kildare and afterwards in the weeke following every one of the English returned hence into their countrey and the army of Ulster came to the Naas And at the same time two messengers were dispatched from the city of Dublin who passed the seas toward the King of England to aske advice and to advertise as touching the State of Ireland and about the deliverance of the Earle of Ulster Also at the same time the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland and the Nobles of Ireland were at Kilkenny to dispose of Brus but nothing effected they there at that time And about a moneth after Easter Brus advanced with his army about 4. leagues neere unto Trim in a certain wood and there staied a weeke and more to refresh his men who with 〈◊〉 and travaile were almost perished and for that many of them died there And afterwards on Philip and Jacob the Apostles day the said Brus entred on his journy toward Ulster and after the said feast came the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland to Dublin accompanied with the Lord John Wogan and Sir Fulk Warin with thirtie Knights and their traines and they held a Parliament with all the Lords and Potentates of the land at Kylmainan but did nothing there save onely treat about the deliverance of the Earle of Ulster And on the sunday before the feast of our Lords ascension there repaired again unto the Parliament at Dublin the said Nobles of the land and there they delivered the Earle of Ulster by mainpriâ—e and hostages and upon an oath And
the sonne of Silvius and lastly of one Hessicio And there wanteth not as I have heard say a certaine Count-Palatine who 〈◊〉 needs have our Brutus to be called Brotus because forsooth in his birth he was the cause of his mothers death as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sounded so much in Greeke In the judgement of others they should have left the Originall of Britaines as probable if they had fathered their progenie either upon Brito the Centaure whom Hinginus mentioneth or that Bretanus of whose daughter Celtice Parthenius Nicaeus a very ancient authour writeth that Hercules begat Celtus the father of the Celtae and from whom Hesychius deriveth the word Britaine As for these observations and judgements of other men which I have recited I beseech you let no man commence action against mee a plaine meaning man and an ingenuous student of the truth as though I impeached that narration of Brutus forasmuch as it hath been alwaies I hope lawfull for every man in such like matters both to thinke what he will and also to relate what others have thought For mine owne part let Brutus be taken for the father and founder of the British nation I will not be of a contrary mind Let the Britaines resolve still of their originall to have proceeded from the Trojans into which stocke as I will hereafter prove they may truely ingraffe themselves I will not gain-stand it I wot full well that Nations in old time for their originall had recourse unto Hercules in later ages to the Trojans Let Antiquitie herein be pardoned if by entermingling falsities and truthes humane matters and divine together it make the first beginnings of nations and cities more noble sacred and of greater majestie seeing that as Plinie writeth Even falsely to claime and challenge descents from famous personages implieth in some sort a love of virtue As for my selfe I willingly acknowledge with Varro the best learned of all Romans such originals as these fetched from the gods to be profitable that valorous men may believe although untruly that they are descended from the gods and thereby the mind of man assuredly perswaded of some divine race may presume to enterprize great matters more boldly act the same more resolutely and upon the very securitie thereof performe all more happily By which words neverthelesse S. Augustine gathereth that the said most learned Varro confesseth although not stoutly nor confidently yet covertly that these opinions are altogether truthlesse Forasmuch then as all writers are not of one and the same mind as touching the very name and the first inhabitants of Britaine and I feare me greatly that no man is able to fetch out the truth so deepely plunged within the winding revolutions of so many ages let the Reader of his candor and humanitie pardon mee also among others if modestly and without the prejudice of any man I likewise interpose my conjecture not upon any mind I have contentiously to wrangle be that farre from mee but in my desire to search out the truth which hath wholly possessed me and brought to this point that in the question now in hand I had rather aske forgivenesse for my fault if there be any than commit no fault at all Howbeit to the end that the reason of this name may if it be possible more easily and with better successe appeare I will endeavour first as I may to find out the most ancient Inhabitours of the Island albeit they lie so hidden in the utmost nooke and secretest closer of Antiquitie as it were in a most thicke wood where no pathwaies are to bee seene that very small hope there is or none at all to fetch those things backe againe with all my diligence which oblivion hath so long removed out of the sight of our ancestours But to seeke for this matter farther off and to omit Caesar with Diodorus and others who would have the Britans to be borne of themselves in the very land and meere Aborigines that is Homelings and not forrein brought in who also imagined that men in the beginning sprang out of the earth like unto mushroomes and todstooles we are taught out of the sacred Historie penned by Moses that after the Deluge Sem Cham and Japhet the three sonnes of Noe having multiplied their issue in great number departed asunder from the mountaines of Armenia where the Arke had rested into divers parts and quarters of the earth and so propagated the nations throughout the wide world That some of their posteritie came to this Isle after the families were by little and little spred and dispersed abroad both reason it selfe and also the authoritie of Theophilus Antiochenus doe joyntly prove When as saith hee in old time there were few men in Arabia and Chaldaea after the division of tongues they encreased and multiplied more and more Heereupon some departed toward the East some gat them to the spacious and open main-land others went forward into the North seeking there to seat themselves neither gave they over to possesse ground every where untill they came as farre as to Britaine scituate in the Northerne Climates And Moses himselfe expressely sheweth the same writing that the Islands of the Gentiles were by the posteritie of Japhet divided in their Regions The Islands of Gentiles the Divines call those which lie farthest off and Wolfgangus Musculus a Theologer not of the lowest ranke thinketh that the nations and families which came from Japhet first inhabited the Isles of Europe such as saith he be England Sicilie c. Now that Europe fell unto Japet and his progenie not Divines onely but Josephus also and others have recorded For Isidorus out of an ancient writer citeth this The nations descended of Iaphet possesse from the Mountaine Taurus Northward the one halfe of Asia and all Europe so farre as to the British Ocean leaving names both to places and people both Of which very many afterward became changed the rest remaine as they were And we have seene that blessing of Noe God enlarge Iaphet and let him dwell in the Tents of Sem and let Chanaan be his servant fulfilled in the people of Europe For Europe which as Plinie saith bred up a people conquerour of all nations hath triumphed more than once over those other parts of the world which fell unto Sem and Cham and in this part hath the off-spring of Japhet spred it selfe farre and wide For of his sonnes Magog begat the Massagets Javan the Jones Thubal the Spaniards and Mesech the Moschovits But Gomer his eldest sonne in these farthest and remotest borders of Europe gave both beginning and name to the Gomerians which were after called Cimbrians and Cimerians For the name of Cimbrians or Cimerians filled in some sort this part of the world and not onely in Germanie but also in Gaul spred exceeding much They which now are the Gauls were as Josephus and Zonaras write called of Gomer Gomari
disburthen themselves so long untill the universall world were to the glory of the Creator replenished with Inhabitants every where Wee ought therefore to bee perswaded that the ancient Gomerians of Gaule now France either chased away by the pursuit of others or cast out for lessening of the multitude or else inflamed with a desire to travell and see farre countries a thing naturally inbred in men crossed the sea and came over first into this Isle which from the continent they were able to kenne And it stands to verie good reason also that every countrie received the first Inhabitants from places neere bordering rather than from such as were most disjoyned For who would not thinke that Cyprus had the first Inhabitors out of Asia next unto it Crete and Sicilie out of Greece neereby and Corsica out of Italy a neighbour countrie and not to goe farre Zeland out of Germanie the neerest unto it as also Island out of Norway rather than from the remote tracts of Tartarie and Mauritania In like manner why should not wee thinke that out Britaine was inhabited at first by the Gaules their neighbours rather than either by the Trojans or Italians the Alabâ—s and Brutians so farre distant and remoove Neither doe writers fetch the originall and infancie as it were of the Britaine 's from any other place than their neighbour country Gaul The inner parts of Britaine saith Caesar is inhabited of them whom they themselves report out of their records to have beene borne in the Island the Sea coast of those who upon purpose to make warre had passed thither out of Belgium in Gaule who all in manner carie the names of those cities and States out of which they came thither and after they had warred there remained For there were in Britaine like as also in Gaule people named Belgae Atrebatii Parisi Cenomanni c. Semblably Tacitus Generally quoth he if a man consider all circumstances it is most likely that the Gaules beeing neighbours peopled the land of Britaine next unto them Yea and Beda one that among all our writers favoureth the truth At the first saith hee this Island had those Britaines onely to inhabite it from whom also it tooke the name who by report having sailed out from the tract of Armorica into Britaine challenged unto themselves the South coasts thereof Now he calleth the tract of Armorica the sea coasts of Gaule opposite unto our Island This also seemeth to make for our purpose that Caesar reporteth How Divitiacus the Gaule even in his remembrance held a good part both of Gaule and also of Britannie under his government as also that which is of greatest moment Plinie among the maritime people just over against Britaine neere unto the County of Bullen reckoned the Britaines like as Dionysius after a more ancient writer than he in these verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word for word thus And verily that utmost point and angle of this part Inhabite the Iberians people of haughtie heart Neere Gebraltar at Hercules his pillars cal'd of old Turning up the maine in length what way the current cold Of Northern Ocean with strong tides doth interflow and swell Where Britaines and those faire white folke the martiall Germans dwell For these words where Britaine 's seeme to have respect unto those other Turning upon the maine in length and Eustathius who did set forth his Commentaries upon this author understandeth it of the Britons in Gaule in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is And of these Britons the Isles of Britaine over against them tooke their denomination Howbeit Avienus and Stephen in his booke of Cities are of a contrarie mind Moreover the same Religion was of both people observed Among the Britaines saith Tacitus there is to bee seene in their ceremonies and superstitious perswasions an apparant conformitie with the Gaules The Gaules quoth Solinus after a detestable manner of sacred rites not to the honor but rather to the injurie of religion offred mans flesh in their sacrifices That the Britaines did the very same Dio Cassius beside others reporteth in his Nero. Both Nations also had their Druidae as Caesar and Tacitus very sufficient writers doe witnesse Concerning which Druidae let not the Reader thinke much to run over this whole passage out of Caesar. The Druidae are present at all Divine service The overseers they be of publike and private sacrifices the interpretours also of their religious rites and ceremonies To these a great number of younge men doe flocke for to bee taught and those doe they highly esteeme and honour For lightly they decide and determine all controversies as well publike as private And in case any hainous fact bee committed if there bee a murther or man-slaughter if variance arise about inheritance if strife about the bounds of lands they in their discretion judge of the matter they appoint rewards they award penalties and punishments If any either private person or body politike stand not to their Decree they put them by all sacrifices as excommunicate And this among them is the most grievous punishment They that be thus interdicted are reckoned as godlesse and most wicked persons All men decline from them they avoid both meeting and talking with them for feare of taking harme by contagion from them Neither have they the benefits of Law though they request it nor be capable of any office though they sue for it Moreover of all these Druides there is one President who hath the greatest authoritie among them When he is dead looke who excelleth the rest in worth and dignitie he succeedeth him But if there be many of equall estimation chosen there is one by the voices of the Druides Sometimes also they fall together by the eares and take armes about this place of precedencie These Druides at one certaine time of the yeare hold a solemne Session within a consecrated place in the marches of the Carnutes a countrey held to be the middle of all France Hither resort as unto the terme from all parts as many as have any controversies or suits in law and to their judgements and decrees they yield obedience Their learning and profession is thought to have beene first found and devised in Britaine and so from thence translated into France and now also in these daies they that desire more exact knowledge thereof goe thither for the most part to be instructed therein The Druides are wont to bee freed from warfare neither with the rest pay they tribute Immunitie they have in exemption as from war-service so from all other charges whatsoever Thus many there bee who being excited with so great rewards and of their owne accord meete together at Schoole for to learne and are thither sent by their kinsfolke friends and parents There by report they learne by rote a great number
are now subdued unto Christ and somewhat after Britanny is enclosed within the compasse of the Ocean The nation of the Mauri and the barbarous Getulians are beset by the Romans for feare they might passe beyond the limits of their countries What should I speake of the Romans who with garrisons of their Legions fortifie their Empire neither are they able to extend the power of their dominion beyond those very nations But the Kingdome and name of Christ reacheth farther still it is believed in every place and is worshipped of all those people above named c. But our Ecclesiasticall writers who have emploied both time and diligence in the consideration of this point endeavor and labour to prove and that out of ancient authors of credit that before this time in the very dawning and infancie of the Church Britanny had received christian religion and namely that Joseph of Arimathea a noble Senator sailed out of Gaule into Britanny and that Claudia Rufina the wife of Aulus Pudens which woman as it is credibly thought S. Paul nameth in his latter Epistle to Timothy and whom the Poet Martiall so highly commendeth was a Britan borne They cite also the testimony of Dorotheus who commonly goeth under the name of the Bishop of Tyre who in his Synopsis hath recorded that Simon Zelotes after he had travailed through Mauritania was at last slaine and buried in Britanny as also that Aristobulus whom S. Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans was made Bishop of Britanny whereto Nicephorus inclineth notwithstanding he speaketh of Britiana and not of Britannia they report likewise upon the authoritie of Simeon that great Metaphrast and of the Greeks Menology that S. Peter came hither and spread abroad the light of Gods word out of Sophronius also and Theodoret that S. Paul after his second imprisonment in Rome visited this our country Whereupon Venantius Fortunatus if he may be beleeved as a Poet writeth thus of him unlesse he speaketh of his doctrine Transiit Oceanum quà facit Insula portum Quasque Britannus habet terras quasque ultima Thule Pass'd over Seas where any Isle makes either port or bay And lands so far as Britans coast or cape of Thule lay But to this purpose maketh especially that which erewhile I alleaged out of Tertullian as also that which Origen recordeth How the Britans with one consent embraced the Faith and made way themselves unto God by meanes of the Druidae who alwaies did beat upon this article of beliefe That there was but one God And verily of great moment and importance is that with me that Gildas writeth after hee had mentioned the rebellion of Boodicia and treated of the revenge thereof Meane while quoth he Christ that true Sun shining with his most glittering brightnesse upon the universall world not from the temporall skie and firmament but even from the highest cope of heaven exceeding all times vouchsafed first his beames that is to say his precepts and doctrine in the time as wee know of Tiberius Caesar unto this frozen Island full of Ice and lying out as it were in a long tract of earth remote from the visible sunne Chrysostome likewise to note so much by the way writeth of the Christian religion in this Iland as followeth The British Ilands seated without this sea and within the very Ocean have felt the power of the word for even there also be Churches founded and altars erected of that word I say which is planted in the soules and now also in the lips of all people And the same Chrysostome in another place How often have folke in Britanny fed of mans flesh but now with fasting they refresh the soule Likewise S. Hierome The Britan divided from our world if he proceed in religion leaving the westerne parts toward the Suns setting will seeke Hierusalem a Citie known unto him by fame only and relation of scriptures But now passe we forward from the Church to the Empire When Commodus was slaine Pertinax being called to the Empire sent presently Albinus againe over into Britanny But after that Pertinax within eight hundred and two daies was made away Didius Iulianus who likewise was within a while killed at Rome Pescennius Niger in Syria Clodius Albinus in Britanny and Septimius Severus in Pannonia all together at once take upon them the soverainty of the Empire Severus being next unto Rome hastneth first to Rome and with consent of the souldiers and Senate proclaimed Emperor straightwaies because he would not leave an enemie behind at his backe craftily createth Albinus Caesar this Albinus chiefe commander of the forces in Britanny and Gaule and having stamped mony with his image upon it set up his statutes and conferred upon him the honorable dignitie of a Consull wisely with good foresight dulceth and kindly intreateth the men Then maketh he an expedition into the East against Niger whom in plaine field hee gave battell unto vanquished and slew The City Bizantium after 3. yeares siege he forced and wonne the Adiabenes Arabians and other nations hee brought to his subjection Being now puffed up with pride for these fortunate victories and impatient of a companion in government he sent under-hand murderers of purpose to dispatch Albinus but seeing his secret practises tooke not effect hee openly proclaimeth him Traitor and an enemie to the State and with all the speede he could make hasteneth into Gaule against him where Albinus with the choice and chiefe strength of the British armie made head neere unto Lyons The Albinians fought most valiantly in so much as Severus himselfe throwing from him his purple robe began with his men to flie But when the said British forces as if now the victorie had beene in their hands displaied their rankes in thinner arraies and ran furiously upon their enemies backs discomfited and in rout Laetus one of Severus his Captaines who with his fresh and unfoiled troupes waited untill then for to see the issue of the battell having heard withall that Severus was slaine with a purpose and resolution now to take the Empire upon him charged upon them and put them to flight And Severus having by this time rallied his men and resumed the purple Roabe aforesaid followed likewise fiercely upon them and having slain Albinus with a number of other obtained a most fortunate victorie Upon this Severus having alone the Soveraigntie of the whole world sent first Heraclianus to seize upon Britaine and to rule it when Virius Lupus as Propraetor and Lieutenant whom Vlpian the Civill Lawyer nameth Praesident of Britaine who as we shall relate in place convenient built many new Castles there howbeit driven hee was in the end to redeeme his owne peace at the hands of the Maeatae with a great summe of money after hee had recovered some few prisoners considering that the Caledonians kept not their word who had promised to keepe under the said Maeatae And being not able
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
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
souldiers saluted Emperor a valiant man vertuous worthy of the title of Augustus but that against his allegiance he had by way of tyranny usurpation attained to the place Who at the first couragiously vanquished the Picts Scots that used to make many inrodes into the Province afterwards with all the flower and strength well neere of British forces arrived in the mouth of Rhene and procured unto himselfe the whole puissance of the German armies ordained the Royall seat of the Empire to be at Triers whereupon stiled he was by the name of Trevericus Imperator spreading as Gildas saith his wings the one as far as to Spaine the other into Italy with the terror only of his name levied tributes and pensions for souldiers pay of the most fell and savage nations in Germanie Against whom Gratianus having led an armie after five daies skirmishing being forsaken of his owne souldiers and put to flight sent Saint Ambrose Embassadour to treat for peace which he obtained indeed but the same full of treacherous guile For Maximus suborned and sent under-hand one Andragathius riding in a close litter or carroch with a rumour spread abroad that therein rode the wife of Gratian. Unto which when Gratian was come for love of his wife and had opened the said litter forth leapes Andragathius with his companie and slew him outright in the place Whose body for to demand was Ambrose sent a second time howbeit not admitted because he refused to communicate with those Bishops that sided with Maximus Who being lifted up and proud of those things hapning to his mind appointed his sonne Victor to be Caesar dealt cruelly with Gratians Captaines and setled the State in France Theodosius Augustus who governed in the East at the requests or mandates rather of his Embassadours acknowledged him Emperour and exhibited his Image unto the Alexandrines for to be seene in publike place And now having by violence and extortion entred upon the estates of all men with the utter undoing of the common-wealth hee fulfilled his owne greedie avarice Hee made the defence of Catholike Religion his pretences to colour his tyrannie Priscillian and certaine of his Sectaries convict of hereticall and false doctrine in the Synode or Councell of Burdeaux and appealing unto him hee condemned to death although Martin that most holy Bishop of Tourain or Tours most humbly besought to forbeare shedding the bloud of those poore wretches avouching that it was sufficient to deprive such as were judged heretikes and put them out of their Churches by the definitive sentence of Bishops and that it was a strange and unexampled hainous deed that a secular Judge should determine causes of the Church And these were the first that being executed by the civill sword left a foule and dangerous president to posteritie After this he entred Italie with so great terrour that Ualentinian together with his mother were glad to flie unto Theodosius the cities of Italie received him and did him all the honour that might be but the Bononians above the rest among whom this Inscription is yet to be seene DD. NN. MAG C. MAXIMO ET FL. UICTORI PIIS FELICIBVS SEMPER AVGVSTIS B. R. NATIS To our Great Lords C. Maximus Fl Victor Pious Happie Alwaies Augusti borne for the good of the Common-wealth Meane while Nannius and Quintinus Masters in militarie skill unto whom Maximus had committed the infancie of his sonne and the custodie of Gaule gave the Frankners who annoied Gaule with their incursions a mightie great overthrow and forced them to give hostages and deliver into their hands the Authors of the warre As for Valentinian he earnestly besought Theodosius to succour him dispoiled of his Empire by a Tyrant from whom for a good while he could have none other answer but this That no marvel it is if a seditious servant became superiour to that Lord who casteth off the true Lord indeed For Valentinian was corrupted with Arianisme Howbeit wearied at length with his importunate praiers he setteth forward in warlike manner against Maximus who in the same time abode in Aquileia very secure fearlesse For he had before-hand fortified the streits between the mountains with garrisons and the havens with shipping so that with great alacritie and much confidence at the first hee welcomed Theodosius with one battel before Syscia in Pannonia afterwards most valiantly received him with another under the leading of his brother Marcellus but in both of them he sped so badly that he withdrew himselfe secretly into Aquileia where by his owne souldiers as he dealt money among them taken he was and devested of his Imperiall ornaments brought before Theodosius who immediatly delivered him into the hangmans hand to be executed after that he had now worne the purple roabe five yeares Whereupon Ausonius writeth thus in praise of Aquileia Non erat iste locus meritò tamen aucta recenti Nona inter claras Aquileia cieberis urbes Itala ad Illyricos objecta colonia montes Moenibus portu celeberrima sed magis illud Eminet extremo quòd te sub tempore legit Solverat exacto cui justa piacula lustro Maximus armigeri quondam sub nomine lixae Foelix qui tanti spectatrix laeta Triumphi Punîsti Ansonio Rutupinum Marte Latronem This was no place of name but since that fresh desert gave grace Thou Aquileia of cities faire shalt be the ninth in place A Colonie Italian gainst hils Illyrian set For strong wals and commodious haven right well renown'd but yet This passeth all the rest that he his choice of thee did make Against his latter daies who did revengement justly take Of Maximus a base campe-Squire that sometimes knowne to be Had now usurped five yeares past and ruled with tyrannie Right happy thou of Triumph such that had'st the joyfull sight Killing this Robber Rhutupine by maine Italian might Andragathus whose state was now most desperate cast himselfe from shipboard headlong into the Sea Victor the sonne of Maximus was in France defeated taken prisoner and slaine But those Britans who tooke part with Maximus as some writers doe record forcibly invaded Armorica in France and there planted themselves Now Theodosius presently after his victorie entred Rome with his Sonne Honorius in triumph and published an Edict to this effect No man so hardy as to challenge or claime that honour which the bold Tyrant had granted but that such presumption should bee condemned and reduced to the former estate And Valentinian in these words All judgements and awards whatsoever that Maximus the most wicked and detestable Tyrant that ever was hath given forth to be promulged and enacted we reverse and condemne But Saint Ambrose in his funerall Sermon of Theodosius crieth out in these termes That Eugenius and Maximus by their wofull example doe testifie in hell what a heavie thing it is to beare armes against
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
or incorporate them into us after we are by them subdued BRITANS OF ARMORICA DVring this most wofull desperate and lamentable tempestuous season some poore remaines of Britaines being found in the mountaines were killed up by whole heapes others pined with famine came and yielded themselves unto the enemies upon composition to serve them as Bondslaves for ever so they might not bee killed out of hand which was reputed a most high favour and especiall grace There were also that went over sea into strange lands singing under their spread sailes with a howling and wailing note in stead of the Mariners Celeusma after this manner Thou hast given us O Lord as sheepe to be devoured and scattering us among the heathen Others againe remained still in their owne countrey albeit in fearefull estate betaking themselves but yet continually suspecting the worst to high steepe hilles and mountaines intrenched to woods and thicke growne forrests yea to the rockes of the sea Of those who passed beyond-sea no doubt were they who for to save their lives went over in great number to Armorica in France and were kindly received of the Armoricans That this is true besides the communitie of language the same in manner with that of our Britans and to say nothing of other authors who all accord in this point hee who lived neerest unto that age and was borne even in Armorica and wrote the life of S. Wingual of the Confessor sufficiently doth prove An off-spring saith he of the Britans embarqued in Flotes arrived in this land on this side the British sea what time as the barbarous nation of the Saxons fierce in armes and uncivill in manners possessed their native and mother-soile Then I say this deare off-spring seated themselves close within this nooke and secret corner In which place they being wearied with travaile and toile sate quiet for awhile without any warres Howbeit our writers report that our Britans long before this time setled themselves in this coast For he of Malmesburie writeth thus Constantinus Maximus being saluted by the Armie Emperour having proclaimed an Expedition into the higher lands brought away a great power of British souldiers through whose industrie and forward service having obtained triumphant victories to his hearts desire and attained to the Empire such of them as were past service and had performed the painfull parts of souldjerie their full time he planted in a certaine part of Gaule westward upon the very shore of the Ocean where at this day their posteritie remaining are wonderfully grown even to a mighty people in manners and language somewhat degenerate from our Britans And true it is that Constantine gave commandement in this wise Let the old souldiers according to our Precept enter upon the vacant lands and hold them for ever freely Ninnius likewise Maximus the Emperor who slew Gratian would not send home again those souldiers which he had levied out of Britaine but gave unto them many countries even from the poole or Mere which lieth above Mount Iovis unto the Citie that is called Cantguic unto Cruc-occhidient And he that hath annexed briefe notes upon Ninnius fableth besides in this manner The Armorican Britans which are beyond-sea going forth from hence with Maximus the tyrant in his expedition when as they could not returne wasted the west-parts of Gaule even to the very bare soile and when they had married their wives and daughters did cut out all their tongues for feare lest the succeeding progenie should learne their mother-language whereupon we also call them in our tongue Lhet vydion that is halfe silent or tongue-tied because they speake confusedly The authoritie of these writers herein I cannot in any wise contradict yet I am of opinion rather that the children of those old souldiers gladly afterward received these Britans that fled out of their countrey Neverthelesse the name of Britans in this tract I find not in all the writers of that age before such time that the Saxons came into our Britain unlesse it bee of those whom Plinie seemeth to place in Picardie and who in some copies are named Brinani For if any man out of the fourth booke of Strabo his Geographie doe with Volaterane thinke that Britaine was a citie of Gaule let him but looke into the Greeke Booke and he will soone informe himselfe that he spake of the Island Britaine and not of a citie As for that verse out of Dionysius which before I have alleaged some would rather understand it with Stephanus of our Britans than with Eustathius of the Armoricans especially seeing that Festus Avienus a writer verily of good antiquitie hath translated it thus Cauris nimium vicina Britannis Flavaque caesariem Germania porrigit ora Britaine the North-west winds too neare And yellow haired Germanie her front doth forward beare Neither let any man thinke that the Britannicians mentioned in the booke Notitia came from hence who in truth were certaine cohorts onely of souldiers enrolled out of this our Britaine Before the arrivall of our Britans this country was at first called Armorica that is situate by the sea side and afterwards in the same sense Llydaw in the British tongue that is coasting upon the sea and thence in Latine by our writers living in the middle age Letavia From when I suppose were those Leti whom Zosimus nameth in Gaule when he noteth that Magnentius the Tyrant was borne among the Leti in France and had a Britan to his father These Armoricans when as that Constantine elected for the names sake became Emperor and the barbarous nations over-ran Gaul having cast out the Roman garrisons instituted a common-wealth among themselves But Valentian the younger by the meanes of Aetius and at the intercession of Saint German reclaimed them to allegiance At which very time it seemeth that Exuperantius governed them Of whom Claudius Rutillius writeth thus Cujus Aremoricas Pater Exuperantius or as Nunc post liminium pacis amore docet Leges restituit libertatemque reducit Et servos famulis non sinit essesuis Whose Sire Exuperantius the coasts to sea that reach Now after discontinuance long in love of peace doth teach He sets the lawes againe in force reduceth libertie And suffereth them unto his folke no more as slaves to be Out of which verses I wot not whether Aegidius Maserius hath made some collection when he wrote That the Britans were servants under the Armoricans and against them errected a freedome The first mention to my knowledge of Britans in Armorica was in the yeare of our salvation 461. about the thirtith yeare after that the Anglo-Saxons were called out of Germany into our Britan. For then Mansuetus a Bishop of the Britans among other Bishops of France and Armorica subscribed to the first Councell of Tours In the ninth yeare after these new Inhabitants of France seeing the West-Gothes to seize into their hands the most fertile territories of Anjou and
which Elfgiva a most godly and devout Lady wife to Edmund that was King Aelfrids nephews sonne had erected and of ten parish Churches besides or there about But most famous in this place by occasion of a prety fable that our Historians doe report of Aquila prophecying here of the conversion or change of the Britaines Empire For some will have the bird Aquila that is an Eagle others a man so named to have foretold here that the British Empire after the Saxons and Normans should returne againe to the ancient Britaines and these men affirme and maintaine that this place is of greater antiquitie than Saturne himselfe whereas most certaine it is that it was first built by Alfred For the Historiographer of Malmesbury hath recorded that in his daies there was an old stone translated from the ruines of the wall into the Chapter house of the Names which had this Inscription ANNO DOMINICAE INCARNATIONIS AELFREDVS REX FECIT HANC VRBEM DCCC.LXXX REGNI SVI VIII That is In the yeare of the incarnation of our Lord King Aelfred built this Citie 880. of his raigne the eighth This Inscription I have the more willingly put down here for proofe of the Truth because in all the copies which I have seen it is wanting save only in that in the Librarie of the late Lord Burghley high Treasurer of England and I have beene informed that it continued there untill the time of King Henry the Eighth Yet the Inhabitants have a tradition that an old Citie stood upon the place which is called the Castle-Greene and by some Bolt-bury now a faire plaine so scited that as of one side it joyneth to the Towne so of another it is a strange sight to looke downe to the vale under it whereby in the West end of the old Chappell of S. Iohn as I heare now standeth a Roman Inscription reversed From thence the Stoure by Marnhill of which place L. Henry Howard brother of Thomas last Duke of Norfolke received of King Iames the title of Baron Howard of Mernhill before that he was created Earle of Northampton makes speed to Stourminster which is as much to say as the Monasterie or Minster upon Stoure A small towne this is standing somewhat with the lowest from which there is a stone bridge built reaching to Newton Castle where offreth it selfe to be seene a loftie mount cast up as they say to that heighth with great labour but of the Castle there remaineth nothing at all but onely the bare name Of these I have nothing of more antiquitie to say than this that King Aelfred bequeathed Stoureminster to a younger sonne of his Hard by at Silleston there rise two good great hilles the one named Hameldon the other Hodde and both of them fortified with a three fold Ditch and rampier And not far from thence but the very place I cannot precisely set downe stood Okeford the Capitall honour of the Baronie of Robert the sonne of Pagan commonly named Fitz-Payne who married the daughter of Guido de Brient who also in this West part enjoyed the honor of a Baron under King Edward the Third but for default of heire males of those Fitz-Paynes it came to the Poynings Barons likewise in those daies and at length by a daughter and heire of Poynings in the raigne of Henry the Sixth these Barons titles Fitz-Payne Brient and Poinings were conjoyned in the Percies Earles of Northumberland Howbeit within our fathers remembrance through the favour of King Henry the Eighth the title of Baron Poinings reflourished in Sir Thomas Poinings sonne of Sir Edward Poinings a martiall man and fruitfull father of much base brood but with him it soone vanished away as bastardly slips seldome take deepe root From hence Stoure passeth on by Brienston that is Brients towne where the Rogerses dwell an ancient family of Knights degree to Market Blandford which since in our time it chanced to be burnt downe arose againe built more elegantly and is better peopled with Inhabitants Then Stoure from thence by Tarrent where Richard Poer Bishop of Sarisbury founded a Cell for Virgins Votaries speedeth himselfe apace to that most ancient towne VINDOGLADIA where Antoninus maketh mention Which in the Saxons tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly Winburne and of the Monasterie Wenburnminster and from hence to Dorcester are counted sixteene miles just so many as the Emperour Antonine in his Itinerarie reckoneth betweene Vindogladia and Durnovaria The name as I conjecture it taketh of the scituation because it is seated betweene two rivers for so in the British tongue Windugledy soundeth as much as betweene two Swords now that the Britaines by a peculiar phrase of their owne terme rivers Swords it appeareth by Aberdugledian the British name of Milford Haven which is as much to say as the mouth of two rivers for that two rivers named with them Gledian that is Swords runne into it The latter name also of this town seemeth to be set from Rivers For Winburn is compounded of Vin a parcell of the old name and the Saxon word Burne which among them betokeneth a river and by the addition thereof the Saxons were wont to name places standing upon rivers The very town it selfe is seated upon the piece of an hill large in compasse replenished with Inhabitants but few faire buildings In the Saxons time right famous it was and much frequented for no other cause I believe but for that in those daies there remained divers tokens of the Romans majestie In the yeare 713. Cuthburga sister to Ina King of the West-Saxons when upon a loathing wearinesse of wedlocke she had sued out a Divorce from her owne husband King of Northumberland built heere a Nunnerie which yeilded unto the injurie of time and fallen to decay there arose in the very place thereof a new Church with a faire Vault beneath under the quier and an high spire besides the Toure-steeple In which were placed Prebendaries in liew of those Nuns Over whom in our fathers daies Reginal Pole was Deane who afterwards being Cardinal and Archbishop of Canteburie over and above the nobilitie of his house for descended he was of the Royall bloud became highly renowned for pietie wisedome and eloquence King Etheldred a right good and vertuous Prince brother of Aelfred slaine in the battell at Wittingham against the Danes lieth enterred in this Church upon whose Tombe which not long since hath beene repaired this new Inscription is to be read IN HOC LOCO QVIESCIT CORPVS S. ETHELDREDI REGIS WEST SAXONVM MARTYRIS QVI ANNO DOMINI DCCC LXXII XXIII APRILIS PER MANVS DANORVM PAGANORVM OCCVBVIT That is Heere lieth at rest the bodie of Etheldred King of the West-Saxons Martyr who died in the yeare of our Lord 872. the 23. of April by the hands of the Danes Infidels Neere unto whom lieth entombed Gertrude Blunt Marchionesse of Excester daughter to William Lord Montjoy and
elsewhere is called Cangton But of these matters let the reader be judge my selfe as I said doth no more but conjecture whiles I seeke to trace out these their footsteps and hope to find them out some where-else Among these hils standeth Chuton which was the habitation if I take not my markes amisse of William Bonvill whom King Henrie the Sixth called by his writ of Summons to the Parliament by the name William de Bonvill and Chuton among other Barons of the Realme made him Knight of the Garter and richly matched his sonne in marriage with the sole daughter of Lord Harington But when he unthankefull man that he was in the heate of civill warre revolted and tooke part with the house of Yorke as if vengeance had pursued him hard at heeles that onely sonne of his he saw taken from him by untimely death and his nephew by the same sonne Baron of Harington slaine at the battell of Wakefield and immediately after that his old age might want no kind of miserie whiles he waited still and long looked for better daies was himselfe taken prisoner in the second battell of Saint Albans and having now run through his full time by course of nature lost his head leaving behind him for his heire his Grand-childs daughter Cecilie a Damsel of tender yeares who afterwards with a great inheritance was wedded to Thomas Greie Marquesse Dorset But his bloud after his death was by authoritie of Parliament restored Under Mendip hills northward there is a little village called Congersburie so named of one Congar a man of singular holinesse Capgrave hath written that hee was the Emperours sonne of Constantinople who lived there an Eremite also Harpetre a Castle by right of inheritance fell to the Gornaies and from them descended to the Ab-Adams who as I have read restored it to the Gornaies again Southward not farre from the foresaid hole where Mendip slopeth downe with a stony descent a little citie with an Episcopall See is scituate beneath at the hill foot sometime called as saith Leland but whence he had it I wot not Theodorodunum now Welles so named of the Springs or Wels which boile and walme up there like as Susa in Persia Croia in Dalmatia and Pagase in Macedonia were named of the like fountaines in their countrey speech whereupon this also in Latin is called Fontanensis Ecclesia as one would say Fountain-Church Fot multitude of Inhabitants for faire and stately buildings it may well and truely chalenge the preheminence of all this Province A goodly Church it hath and a Colledge founded by King Ina in honour of Saint Andrew and soone after endowed by Princes and great men with rich livings and revenewes among whom King Kinewolph by name in the yeare of our Lord 766. granted unto it very many places lying thereabout For in a Charter of his wee reade thus I Kinewolph King of the West-Saxons for the love of God and that which is not openly to be spoken for some vexation of our enemies those of the Cornish Nation with the consent of my Bishops and Nobles will most humbly give and consecrate some parcell of Land to Saint Andrew the Apostle and servant of God that is to say as much as commeth to Eleven Hides neere to the River called Welwe for the augmentation of that Monasterie which standeth neere the great fountaine that they call Wiclea This Charter have I set downe both for the antiquitie and because some have supposed that the place tooke name of this River verily neere the Church there is a Spring called Saint Andrewes Well the fairest deepest and most plentifull that I have seene by and by making a swift Brooke The Church it selfe all throughout is very beautifull but the Frontispiece thereof in the West end is a most excellent and goodly piece of worke indeede for it ariseth up still from the foot to the top all of imagerie in curious and antike wise wrought of stone carved and embowed right artificially and the Cloisters adjoyning very faire and spacious A gorgeous pallace of the Bishops built in manner of a Castle fortified with walles and a moate standeth hard by Southward and on the other side faire houses of the Prebendaries For Seven and Twenty Prebends with nineteene other petty Prebends beside a Deane a Chaunter a Chancellour and three Archdeacons belong to this Church In the time of K. Edward the elder a Bishops See was here placed For when the Pope had suspended him because the Ecclesiasticall discipline and jurisdiction in these westerne parts of the Realme began openly to decay then he knowing himselfe to be a maintainer and Nurse-father of the Church ordained three new Bishopricks to wit of Cridie Cornwall and this of Welles where hee made Eadulph the first Bishop But many yeares after when Giso sate Bishop there Harold Earle of the West-Saxons and of Kent who gaped so greedily for the goods of the Church so disquieted and vexed him that hee went within a little off quite abolishing the dignitie thereof But King William the Conquerour after hee had overthrowne Harold stretched out his helping hand to the succour of banished Giso and reliefe of his afflicted Church At what time as witnesseth Doomesday booke the Bishop held the whole towne in his owne hands which paid tribute after the proportion of fiftie Hides Afterwards in the raigne of Henry the First Iohannes de Villula of Tours in France being now elected Bishop translated his See to Bathe since which time the two Sees growing into one the Bishop beareth the title of both so that hee is called The Bishop of Bathe and Welles Whereupon the Monkes of Bathe and Canons of Welles entred into a great quarrell and skuffled as it were each with the other about the choosing of their Bishops Meane while Savanaricus Bishop of Bathe being also Abbat of Glastenbury translated the See of Glastenbury and was called Bishop thereof but when hee died this title died with him and the Monkes and Canons aforesaid were at length brought to accord by that Robert who divided the Patrimonie of Welles Church into Prebends instituting a Deane Sub-deane c. Joceline also the Bishop about the same time repaired the Church with new buildings and within remembrance of our Grand-fathers Raulph of Shrewsburie so some call him built a very fine Colledge for the Vicars and singing-men fast by the North side of the Church and walled in the Bishops Palace But this rich Church was dispoiled of many faire possessions in the time of King Edward the Sixth when England felt all miseries which happen under a Child-King As ye goe from the Palace to the market-place of the towne Thomas Beckington the Bishop built a most beautifull gate who also adjoyned thereto passing faire houses all of uniforme height neere the Market-place in the middest whereof is to be seene a Market-place supported with seven Columnes or pillar without arched
place called Tibury hill and containeth a square field by estimation of ten acres ditched about in some places deeper than other wherein hath beene found tokens of Wells and about which the ploughmen have found squared stones and Roman coines as they report for the place I have not seene This brooke entreth into Test neere Worwhell where Queene Aelfrith built a Monasterie to expiate and make satisfaction for that most foule and heinous fact wherewith so wickedly she had charged her soule by making away King Edward her husbands son as also to wash out the murthering of her former husband Aethelwold a most noble Earle whom King Edgar trained forth hither a hunting and then strake him through with a dart because hee had deluded him in his love secrets and by deceitfull and naughtie meanes prevented him and gotten for himself this same Aelfrith the most beautifull Lady that was in those daies After this Test having taken into it a little river from Wallop or more truly Well-hop that is by interpretation out of our forefathers ancient language A prety well in the side of an hill whereof that right worshipfull familie of the Wallops of Knights degree dwelling hard by tooke name seeketh for BRIGE or BRAGE an ancient towne likewise placed by Antonine nine miles from Sorbiodunum at which distance betweene Salisburie and Winchester he findeth not farre from his banke Broughton a small country towne which if it were not that BRAGE I verily believe it was then utterly destroyed when William of Normandie laid all even with the ground heere abouts to make that forrest before mentioned Then goeth this river to see Rumsey in Saxon speech Rum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A nunnery founded by King Edgar the large Church whereof yet standeth out of the which Mary daughter of King Stephen being there Abbesse and his only heire surviving was conveied secretly by Mathew of Alsace sonne to the Earle of Flanders and to him married But after she had borne to him two daughters was enforced by sentence of the Church to returne hither again according to her vow Thence glideth this water straight into Anton Haven at Arundinis Vadum as Bede called it and interpreteth it himselfe Reedeford but now of the bridge where the foard was named for Redeford Sedbridge where at the first springing up of the English Saxon Church there flourished a Monasterie the Abbat whereof Cymbreth as Bede writeth baptized the two brethren being very little ones of Arvandus the pettie King of Wight even as they were ready to be put to death For when Cedwalla the Saxon set upon the Isle of Wight these small children to save their lives fled to a little town called Ad lapidem and hid themselves there untill at length being betraied they were at Cedwallaes commandement killed If you aske mee what this little towne Ad lapidem should bee I would say it were Stonâ—ham a small village next to Redebridge which the very signification of the name may evidently prove for mee The other river that runneth forth at the East-side of Southhampton may seeme to have beene called Alre For the mercate towne standing upon the banke thereof not farre from ponds out of which it issueth is called Alres-ford that is The foard of Alre This towne to use the words of an old Record of Winchester Kinewalce the religious King instructed in the Sacraments of faith by the Bishop Birinus at the very beginning of Christian religion in this tract with great devotion of heart gave unto the Church of God at Wenta In the yeare of grace 1220. Godfrey Lucy Bishop of Winchester made a new market place heere and called it Novum forum that is New mercate in regard haply of old Alres-ford adjoyning thereto But this new aime continued not long with the people who in the matter of speech carry the greatest stroke Neere heereunto is Tichburne which I must not omit for that it hath given name to a worshipfull and ancient familie Vpon the West banke of this river is scituate the most famous Citie of the British Belgians called by Ptolomee and Antoninus Venta Belgarum by the Britaine 's of Wales even at this day Caer Gwent by the Saxons in old time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine commonly Wintonia and by us in these daies of Winchester Yet there bee some which affirme this to be Venta Simenorum and do grace Bristow with the name of Venta Belgarum But that there were never any Simeni at all in this Island I will prove when I come to the Iceni In the meane season though they should seeke all the townes that Antoninus placeth on every side in the way to or from VENTA BELGARVM as narrowly as Emmots paths yet shall they find nothing for their purpose to make good this their assertion The Etymologie of this name Venta some fetch from Ventus that is Wind others from Vinum that is Wine and some againe from Wina a Bishop who all of them be farre wide and should doe well to pray for better judgement Yet like I rather the opinion of Leland who hath derived it from the British word Guin or Guen that is White so that Caer Guin should signifie as much as the White Citie And why not seing the old Latines named these their Cities Alba longa and Alba regia of whitenesse yea and the Grecians also had their Leuca Leucas and other nations also many places taking name of whitenesse For this Venta like as the other two of the same name to wit VENTA SILVRVM and VENTA ICENORVM are seated all three in a soile that standeth upon chalke and a whitish clay A Citie it was no doubt flourishing even in the Romans times as in which the Emperours of Rome seeme to have had their sacred of houses weaving and embroidering peculiar to their owne persons and uses seeing among all the VENTAS in Britaine it was both the chiefe and also nearest unto Italie For in the booke of Notitiae mention is made of the Procurator Master or Governour Cynegii VENTENSIS or BENTENSIS in Britaine where the onely flowre of Lawyers Iames Cujacius readeth Cynaecii and in his Paratitles upon the Code interpreteth it Sacrum textrinum that is The sacred workhouse or shop of embroidering and weaving And right of his mind is Guidus Pancirolus who writeth that those Gynaecia were instituted for the weaving of the Princes and souldiers garments of Ship-sailes of linnen sheetes or covering and such like cloaths necessarie for the furniture of mansions But Wolfangus Lazius was of opinion that that the Procurator aforesaid had the charge heere of the Emperours dogs And to say truth of all the dogs in Europe ours beare the name in so much as Strabo witnesseth our dogges served as souldiers and the ancient Galles made speciall use of them even in their wars And of all others they were in most request both for those baitings in the Amphitheaters and also in all
they boyle untill it bee exceeding white And of this sea or Bay-salt and not of ours made out of salt springs is Saint Ambrose to bee understood when hee writeth thus Consider we those things which are usuall with many very grace-full namely how water is turned into salt of such hardnesse and soliditie that often-times it is hewed with axes This in the salts of Britaine is no wonder as which carrying a shew of strong marble doe shine and glitter againe with the whitenesse of the same mettall like unto snow and bee holesome to the bodie c. Farther within the land the MEANVARI dwelt whose countrey togither with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South Saxons received in token of Adoption from Wlpher King of Mercians Godfather unto him at the Font when he was baptized The habitations of these Meanvari scarce changing the name at this day is divided into three hundreds to wit Means-borow East-mean and West-mean and amongst them there mounteth up an high Hill environed in the top with a large rampier and they call it old Winchester at which by report there stood in old time a citie but now neither top nor toe as they say remaineth of it so as a man would quickly judge it to have beene a summer standing campe and nothing else Under this is Warnford seated where Adam de Portu a mightie man in this tract and of great wealth in the raigne of William the first reedified the Church a new as a couple of rude verses set fast upon the wall doe plainly shew Upon these more high into the land those SEGONTIACI who yeilded themselves unto Iulius Caesar had their seate toward the North limite of this shire in and about the hundred of Holeshot wherein are to bee seene Mercate Aultim which King Elfred bequeathed by his will unto the keeper of Leodre also Basingstoke a mercate towne well frequented upon the descent of an hill on the North side whereof standeth solitarie a very faire Chappell consecrated unto the holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was buried there In the arched and embowed roofe whereof is to be seene the holy history of the Bible painted most artificially with lively portraicts and images representing the Prophets the Apostles and the Disciples of Christ. Beneath this Eastward lieth Basing a towne very well knowne by reason of the Lords bearing the name of it to wit Saint Iohn the Poinings and the Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was likewise daughter and heire to the right noble house of Saint Iohn William his sonne to doe honour unto that familie assumed to him the surname of Saint Iohn and they who lineally descended from him have still retained the same But when Edmund Saint Iohn departed out of this world without issue in King Edward the third his time his sister Margaret bettered the state of her husband Iohn Saint Philibert with the possessions of the Lord Saint Iohn And when she was dead without children Isabell the other sister wife unto Sir Luke Poinings bare unto him Thomas Lord of Basing whose Neice Constance by his sonne Hugh unto whom this fell for her childs part of Inheritance was wedded into the familie of the Powlets and she was great Grandmother to that Sir William Powlet who being made Baron Saint Iohn of Basing by King Henrie the Eighth and created by King Edward the Sixth first Earle of Wilshire and afterward Marquesse of Winchester and withall was Lord Treasurer of England having in a troublesome time runne through the highest honours fulfilled the course of nature with the satietie of this life and that in great prosperitie as a rare blessing among Courtiers after he had built a most sumptuous house heere for the spacious largenesse thereof admirable to the beholders untill for the great and chargeable reparations his successors pulled downe a good part of it But of him I have spoken before Neere unto this house the Vine sheweth it selfe a very faire place and Mansion house of the Baron Sands so named of the vines there which wee have had in Britaine since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit For hee permitted the Britaines and others to have vines The first of these Barons was Sir William Sands whom King Henrie the Eighth advanced to that dignitie being Lord Chamberlaine unto him and having much amended his estate by marrying Margerie Bray daughter and heire of Iohn Bray and cousin to Sir Reinold Bray a most worthy Knight of the Order of the Garter and a right noble Baneret whose Sonne Thomas Lord Sands was Grandfather to William L. Sands that now liveth Neighbouring hereunto is Odiam glorious in these daies for the Kings house there and famous for that David the Second King of Scots was there imprisoned a Burrough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester the fortresse whereof in the name of King John thirteene Englishmen for fifteene daies defended most valiantly and made good against Lewis of France who with his whole armie besieged and asted it very hotly A little above among these Segontiaci toward the North side of the countrey somtimes stood VINDONVM the chiefe citie of the Segontiaci which casting off his owne name hath taken the name of the Nation like as Luteria hath assumed unto it the name of the Parisians there inhabiting for called it was by the Britaines Caer Segonte that is to say the Citie of the Segontiaci And so Ninnius in his catalogue of cities named it wee at this day called it Silecester and Higden seemeth to clepe it of the Britaines Britenden that this was the ancient Vindonum I am induced to thinke by reason of the distance of Vindonum in Antoninus from Gallena or Guallenford and Venta or Winchester and the rather because betweene this Vindonum and Venta there is still to bee seene a causey or street-way Ninnius recordeth that it was built by Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great and called sometime Murimintum haply for Muri-vindum that is the wals of Vindon For this word Mur borrowed from the provinciall language the Britaines retained still and V. the consonant they change oftentimes in their speech and writing into M. And to use the verie words of Asinnius though they seeme ridiculous the said Constantius sowed upon the soile of this citie three seedes that none should be poore that dwelt therein at any time Like as Dinocrates when Alexandria in Egypt was a building strewed it with meale or flower as Marcellinus writeth all the circular lines of the draught which being done by chance was taken for a fore-token that the citie should abound with al manner of victualls He reporteth also that Constantius died here and that his Sepulchre was to be seene at one of the gates as the Inscription
said Richard and by impious cruell meanes usurped the kingdome that hee might by his benefits oblige unto him the house of the Howards created in one and the same day Iohn Lord Howard Duke of Norfolke as next cosin and heire to the Mowbraies and his sonne Thomas Earle of Surrie in whose of-spring this honour hath ever since beene resplendent and so continueth at this day This County hath in it Parish Churches 140. SVSSEX VNder Suth-rey toward the South lieth stretched out in a great length Suth-sex which also in times past the Regni inhabited in the Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day Sussex which is as much to say as the Region of the South Saxons a word compounded of the site thereof Southward and of the Saxons who in their Heptarchie placed here the second kingdome It lieth upon the British Ocean all Southward with a streight shore as it were farre more in length than bredth Howbeit it hath few harbours by reason that the sea is dangerous for shelves and therefore rough and troublous the shore also it selfe full of rocks and the South-west wind doth tyrannize thereon casting up beach infinitely The sea coast of this countrie hath greene hils on it mounting to a greater height called the Downes which because they stand upon a fat chalke or kinde of marle yeeldeth corne aboundantly The middle tract garnished with medowes pastures corne-fields and groves maketh a very lovely shew The hithermore and Northern side thereof is shaded most pleasantly with woods like as in times past the whole country throughout which by reason of the woods was hardly passable For the wood Andradswald in the British language Coid Andred taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning tooke up in this quarter a hundred and twentie miles in length and thirtie in bredth memorable for the death of Sigebert King of West Saxons who being deposed from his royall throne was in this place stabbed by a Swineheard and so died Many pretty rivers it hath but such as springing out of the North-side of the shire forthwith take their course to the Ocean and therefore not able to beare any vessell of burden Full of iron mines it is in sundry places where for the making and fining whereof there bee furnaces on every side and a huge deale of wood is yearely spent to which purpose divers brookes in many places are brought to runne in one channell and sundry medowes turned into pooles and waters that they might bee of power sufficient to drive hammer milles which beating upon the iron resound all over the places adjoyning And yet the iron here wrought is not in every place of like goodnesse but generally more brittle than is the Spanish iron whether it be by the nature or tincture and temper thereof Howbeit commodious enough to the iron Maisters who cast much great ordnance thereof and other things to their no small gaine Now whether it bee as gainefull and profitable to the common-wealth may bee doubted but the age ensuing will bee better able to tell you Neither want here glasse-houses but the Glasse there made by reason of the matter or making I wot not whether is likewise nothing so pure and cleare and therefore used of the common sort onely SVSSEXIA Siue Southsex olim pars REGNORVM Selsey before said is somewhat lower in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The Isle of Sea calves for these in our language wee call Scales which alwaies seeke to Islands and to the shore for to bring forth their young but now it is most famous for good cockles and full Lobsters A place as Beda saith compassed round about with the Sea but onely in the West side where it hath an entrie into it by land as broad as a slings cast It was reckoned by Survey taken to containe fourscore and seven Hides of Land when Edilwalch King of this Province gave it to Wilfride Bishop of Yorke whiles hee was in exile who first preached Christ unto this people and as he writeth not only by baptisme saved from thraldome under the divell two hundred and fiftie bond-men but also by giving freedome delivered them from the yoke of bondage under man Afterwards K. Cedwalla who vanquished Edilwalch founded here a Minster and beautified it with an Episcopall See which by Stigand the two and twentieth Bishop was translated to Chichester where it now flourisheth and doth acknowledge Cedwalla to bee the founder In this Isle remaineth onely the dead carkasse as it were of that ancient little citie wherein those Bishops sat and the same hidden quite with water at everie full sea but at a low water evident and plaine to be seene Then maketh the shore way for a river which out of Saint Leonards Forrest runneth downe first by Amberley where William Read Bishop of Chichester in the raigne of Edward the third built a castle for his successours and so from thence by Arundell seated on the hanging of an hill a place greater in name than deede and yet is not that name of great antiquitie for before Aelfreds dayes who bequeathed it by testament to Anthelme his brothers sonne I have not read it so much as once named Unlesse perhaps I should thinke that Portus Adurni is corruptly so called by transposition of letters for Portus Arundi The reason of this name is fetched neither from that fabulous horse of Sir Beavois of Southampton nor of Charudum a promontorie in Denmarke as Goropius Becanus hath dreamed but of the valley or dale which lieth upon the river Arun in case Arun bee the name of the river as some have delivered who thereupon named it in Latine Aruntina vallis that is Arundale But all the fame it hath is of the Castle that flourished under the Saxon Empire and which as we read presently upon the comming in of the Normans Roger Montgomerie repaired who thereupon was 〈◊〉 Earle of Arundell For a stately place it is both by naturall situation and also by mans hand verie strong But his sonne Robert de Belismo who succeeded his brother Hugh being by King Henrie the First proscribed lost that and all his other dignitie For when he had perfidiously raised warre against the King he chose this Castle for his surest hold whiles the warre lasted and fortified the place with many munitions but spedde no better than traitours use to doe For the Kings forces environing it everie way at the last wonne it Whenas Robert now had forfeited his estate and was banished the King gave this castle and all his Lands besides unto * Adeliza daughter to Godfrey Barbatus of Lovaine Duke of Loraine and Brabant for her Dowrie whom he tooke to be his second wife In whose commendation a certaine English man in that unlearned age wrote these not unlearned verses Anglorum Reginatuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi
by his onely daughter to the Earles of Stafford who were afterward Dukes of Buckingham from them by attainder to the Crowne It hath in latter ages beene beholden to Sir Andrew Iude of London for a faire free-Schoole and to Iohn Wilford for a causey toward London Three miles directly South from hence in the very limit of Sussex and neere Frant I saw in a white-sandy ground divers vastie craggie stones of strange formes whereof two of the greatest stand so close together and yet severed with so straight a line as you would thinke they had beene sawed asunder and Nature when she reared these might seeme sportingly to have thought of a Sea But to returne to the River From Tunbridge Medway passeth by Haudelo from whence came that Iohn Haudelo who happily marrying the heire of the Lord Burnell had issue by her a sonne who was called Nicholas summoned to Parliament among the Barons by the name of Burnell Then Medway increased with another water called Twist which twisteth about and insulateth a large plot of good ground runneth on not farre from Mereworth where stands a faire Castle like house which from the Earles of Arundell came unto the Nevils Lords of Abergevennie and Le Despencer whose heire in the right line is Marie Ladie Fane unto whom and her heires King Iames in the first Parliament that he held restored gave and granted c. the name stile title honour and dignitie of Baronesse le Despencer that her heires successively should be Barons le Despencer for ever Now by this time Medway having received a rivelet that looseth it selfe under ground and riseth againe at Loose serving thirteene fulling-mills hastneth to Maidstone which seeing the Saxons called it Medwegston 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeve verily it is the same VAGNIACAE which Antonine the Emperor mentioneth and Ninnius in his Catalogue of cities calleth corruply Caer Megwad for Medwag Neither verily doth the account of distance disagree From Noviomagus one way and Durobrovis another whereof I shall treat anone Under the latter Emperours as is to be seene in Peutegerus his table lately set out by M. Velserus it is named MADVS Thus as yeeres by litlte and little turne about so names likewise by little and little become changed A large faire and sweet towne this is and populous for the faire stone bridge it hath been beholding to the Archbishops of Canterbury Among whom to grace this place at the confluence of the waters Boniface of Savoy built a a small Colledge Iohn Vfford raised a palace for himselfe and successors which Simon Islip encreased and betweene them which it standeth in plight William Courtney erected a faire Collegiat Church in which he so great a Prelate and so high borne lieth lowly entombed One of the two common Gaoles or prisons of the whole County is here appointed And it hath beene endowed with sundrie priviledges by King Edward the sixt incorporated by the name of Major and Iurates all which in short time they lost by favouring rebels But Queene Elizabeth amply restored them and their Major whereas anciently they had a Portgreve for their head Magistrate This I note because this Greve is an ancient Saxon word and as yet among the Germans signifieth a Ruler as Markegrave Reingrave Landgrave c. Here a little beneath Maidstone Eastward a prety rivelet joyneth with Medway springing first at Leneham which towne by probable conjecture is the very same that Antonine the Emperour calleth DVROLENVM written amisse in some copies DVROLEVUM For Durolenum in the British language is as much to say as The water Lenum And besides the remaines of the name the distance also from DVROVENVM and DVROBROVIS proveth this to be Durolenum to say nothing of the scituation therof neere unto that high rode way of the Romans which in old time as Higden of Chester doth write led from Dover through the midst of Kent Hard by at Bocton Malherb hath dwelt a long time the family of the Wottons out of which in our remembrance flourished both Nicolas Wotton Doct. of the lawes who being of the Privy counsell to K. Henry the Eight K. Edward the sixth Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth sent in Embassage nine times to forreine Princes and thrice chosen a Committè about peace between the English French and Scottish lived a goodly time and ran a long race in this life with great commendation of piety and wisedome and also Sir Edward Wotton whom for his approved wisedome in waightie affaires Q. Elizabeth made Controller of her house and K. Iames created Baron Wotton of Merlay Here under is Vlcomb anciently a mansiō of the family De sancto Leodegario corruptly called Sentleger Sellenger Motinden where Sir R. Rockesly descended from Kriol and Crevecur built a house who held lands at Seaton by serjeantie to be Vantrarius Regis when the K. goeth into Gascoin donec perusus fuerit pari solutarum pretii 4. d. which as they that understand Law Latin for I do not translate that he should be the Kings fore-foot-man until he had worn out a paire of shooes prized 4. d. Neither hath this river any other memorable thing nere to it but Leeds Castle built by the noble Crevequers who in ancient charters are named de Crevequer De crepito corde afterwards it was the unfortunate seat of Bartholomew L. Baldismer who perfidiously fortified it against K. EDVVARD the second who had freely given it him and after that payed the due price of his disloyaltie upon the gallowes The whole matter you may reade here if you list out of a briefe historie penned by Thomas de la More a gentleman that lived at the same time and which of late I did publish in print In the yeare 1521. Queene Isabel came to the Castle of Leeds about the feast of Saint Michael minding there to lodge all night but was not permitted to enter in The King offended hereat as taking it to be done in contempt of him called certaine of the neighbour inhabitants out of Essex and London and commanded them to lay siege unto the Castle Now there held the Castle at that time Bartholomew de Baldismer who having left therein his wife and sonnes was gone himselfe with the rest of the Barons to overthrow the Hughs de Spencer Meane-while when they that were inclosed within despaired of their lives the Barons with their associats came as farre as Kingston and by the mediation of the Bishops of Canterbury and London together with the Earle of Pembroch requested that the King would remove his siege promising to deliver up the Castle into the Kings hand after the next Parliament But the King considering well that the besieged could not long hold out nor make resistance being highly displeased angred at their cōtumacy would not give eare to the Barons petitions And when they had turned their journey another way hee afterward forced the Castle with no
the walles whole and undecaied enclosing it round about by reason likewise of the rivers watering it and commodiousnesse of woods there about besides the vicinity of the sea yeelding store of fish to serve it Whiles the Saxons Heptarchie flourished it was the head citie of the kingdome of Kent and the kings seat untill such time as king Ethelbert passed a grant of it together with the roialty thereof unto Augustin the Apostle as they called him and consecrated Archbishop of the English Nation who established heere his habitation for himselfe and his successors And albeit the Metropolitan dignity together with the honour of the Pall that is an Episcopall vestiment that was comming over the shoulders made of a sheepe skin in memoriall of him that sought the stray sheepe and having found the same laid it upon his shoulders wrought and embroydered with crosses first laied upon Saint Peters coffin or shrine was ordained by Saint Gregorie the Great then Pope to bee at London yet for the honour of Augustine it was translated hither For Kenulph King of the Mercians thus writeth unto Pope Leo. Because Augustine of blessed Memorie the minister of Gods word unto the English Nation and who most gloriously governed the Churches of English Saxonie departed this life in the Cittie of Canterburie and his bodie was there buried in the Minster of Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles the which Laurence his successours consecrated it hath pleased all the wise men of our nation that the Metropolitane honour should bee conferred upon that Citie where his bodie was entombed who engraffed in these parts the veritie of Christian faith But whether the Archbishops See and Metropolitan dignity were here ordeined by authority of the wise men of our nation that is to say the States of the Parliament to speake according to our time or by Augustine him selfe whiles hee lived as others would have it the Bishops of Rome who next followed established the same so as they decreed That to have it severed and taken away from thence was an abominable act punishable with Curse and hell-fire Since which time it is incredible how much it hath flourished in regard both of the Archiepiscopal dignity and also of that schoole of the better kind of literature which Theodore the seventh Archbishop erected there And albeit it was sore shaken with the Danish wars and consumed for a great part thereof sundrie times by casualtie of fire yet rose it up alwaies againe more beautifull and glorious then before After the Normans entrie into this land when King William Rufus as it was recorded in the Register of Saint Augustines Abbey Had given the Citie of Canterburie wholly in * fee simple unto the Bishops which before time they had held at the Kings courtesie onely it begun not onely to get heart againe what through the same of the religious piety of godly men there and what through the bounty of the Bishops and especially of Simon Sudbury who rebuilt up the walls new but grew also as it were upon a sodaine to such a state that for beauty of private dwelling houses it equalled all the cities of Britaine but for the magnificent and sumptuous building of religious places and the number of them it surpassed even those that were most famous Among which two especially surmounted all Christs-church and Saint Augustines both of them replenished with Monkes of the Order of Saint Benet And as for Christ-Church it raiseth it selfe aloft neare the heart of the Citie with so great a majestie and statelinesse that it striketh a sensible impression of religion into their minds that behold it a farre off This Church built in old time as Beda saith by the faithfull and believing Romans the same Augustine of whom I spake got into his hands consecrated it to Christ and assigned it to be the seat for his successors wherein 73. Archbishops in a continued traine of succession have now set Of whom Lanfranke and William Corboyle brought the upper part of the Church and they that succeeded the nethermore where as that the more ancient worke had beene consumed with fire to that statelinesse which now wee see not without exceeding great charges which a devout perswasion in former times willingly disbursed For a number of high of low and of meane degree flocked hither in pilgrimage with very great and rich oblations to visit the tombe of Thomas Becket the Archbishop who being slaine in this Church by Courtiers for that in maintaining of the Ecclesiasticall liberties hee had stubbornly opposed himselfe against the King was matriculated a holy Martyr by the Bishop of Rome and worshipped as a Saint and his shrine so loaden with great offerings that the meanest part of it was of pure gold So bright so shining and glittering as Erasmus who saw it saith was every corner with rare and exceeding big precious stones yea and the Church all round about did abound with more than princelike riches and as though Christs name to whom it was dedicated had beene quite forgotten it came to be called Saint Thomas Church Neither was it for any thing else so famous as for his memoriall and sepulture although it may justly vaunt of many famous mens tombs and monuments especially that of Edward surnamed The Blacke Prince of Wales a most worthy and renowned Knight for warlike prowesse and the very wonder of his age also of Henry the Fourth a most puissant King of England But Henry the Eighth scattered this wealth heaped up together in so many ages and dispersed those Monkes in lieu of whom were placed in this Christs-Church a Deane an Archdeacon Prebendaries twelve and Sixe Preachers who in places adjoyning round about should teach and preach the word of God The other Church that alwaies mightily strove with this for superioritie stood by the Cities side Eastward knowne by the name of Saint Austines which Augustine himselfe and King Ethelbert at his exhortation founded and dedicated to Saint Peter and Paul that it might be the Sepulture place both for the Kings of Kent and also for the Archbishops For as yet it was not lawfull to bury within Cities and endowed it with infinite riches granting unto the Abbat a Mint-house with priviledge to coine money And now at this day notwithstanding the greatest part thereof is buried under his owne ruines and the rest were converted to the Kings house yet it sheweth manifestly to the beholders how great a thing it was Augustine himselfe was enterred in the porch of the same with this Epitaph as witnesseth Thomas Spot Inclytus Anglorum praesulpius decus altum Hîc Augustinus requiescit corpore sanctus The bodie of Saint Augustine doth here interred lie A Prelate great devout also and Englands honor hie But as Bede reporteth who rather is to be credited this was the more ancient Inscription of his tombe HIC REQVIESCIT DOMINVS AVGVSTINVS DOROVERNENSIS ARCHIEPISCOPVS PRIMVS QVI OLIM HVC A BEATO GREGORIO ROMANAE VRBIS
PONTIFICE DIRECTVS ET A DEO OPERATIONE MIRACVLORVM SVFFVLTVS ET ETHELBERTHVM REGEM AC GENTEM ILLIVS AB IDOLORVM CVLTV AD FIDEM CHRISTI PERDVXIT ET COMPLETIS IN PACE DIEBVS OFFICII SVI DEFVNCTVS EST SEPTIMO KALENDAS IVNIAS EODEM REGE REGNANTE HERE RESTETH DAN AVGVSTINE THE FIRST ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY VVHO BEING IN TIMES PAST DIRECTED HITHER FROM BLESSED GREGORIE THE BISHOP OF ROME AND THROVGH THE VVORKING OF MIRACLES SVPPORTED BY GOD BOTH BROVGHT KING ETHELBERT AND HIS PEOPLE FROM IDOLATRY TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST AND ALSO AFTER THE DAIES OF HIS FVNCTION ACCOMPLISHED IN PEACE DIED THE SEVENTH DAY BEFORE THE KALENDS OF IVNE IN THE SAME KINGS REIGNE Together with him in the same porch were buried sixe Archbishops next succeeding and in memoriall of these seven namely Austen Laurence Mellitus Iustus Honorius Deus-dedit and Theodosius were these verses such as they are engraven there in marble SEPTEM SVNT ANGLIS PRIMATES ET PROTO PATRES SEPTEM RECTORES SEPTEM COELOQVE TRIONES SEPTEM CISTERNAE VITAE SEPTEMQVE LVCERNAE ET SEPTEM PALMAE REGNI SEPTEMQVE CORONAE SEPTEM SVNT STELLAE QUAS HAEC TENET AREA CELLAE Seven Patriarchs of England Primates seven Seven Rectors and seven Labourers in heaven Seven Cesternes pure of life seven Lamps of light Seven Palmes and of this Realme seven Crownes full bright Seven Starres are heere bestow'd in vault below I may not forget another Church neere unto this built as Bede saith by the Romans and consecrated to Saint Martin wherein before Austens comming Bertha wife to King Ethelbert descended from the bloud Royall of France was wont to frequent divine Christian service Concerning the Castle on the South side of the Citie the Bulwarks whereof now are decaied it maketh no shew of any great antiquity and there is no memorable thing thereof come to my knowledge but only that it was built by the Normans as touching the dignitie of the See of Canterburie which in times past carried a great State I will say nothing but this that as in former ages during the Roman Hierarchie the Archbishops of Canterbury were Primates of all Britaine Legates to the Pope and as Vrbane the second said The Patriarches as it were of another world so when the Popes authoritie was abrogated a decree passed in the Synode Anno 1534. that laying aside the said title they should bee stiled Primates and Metropolitanes of all England Which dignitie the right reverend Father in Christ D. Iohn Whitgift lately held who devoutly consecrated both his whole life to God all his painefull labours to the Church and in the yeare 1604. slept in the Lord a Prelate much missed of all good men After whom succeeded Doctor Richard Bancroft a man of singular courage and counsaile in establishing and supporting the state Ecclesiasticall For the Latitude of Canterbury the Pole Artick is elevated above the Horizon there fifty one degrees and sixteene minutes and the Longitude is reckoned to be foure and twenty degrees and fiftie one minutes Stour by this time having gathered his waters all into one streame runneth beside Hackington where Dame Lora Countesse of Leicester a most honourable Lady in those daies having abandoned all worldly pleasures sequestred her selfe from the world devoutly to serve God wholy Afore which time Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury began a Church there in the honour of Saint Stephen and Thomas of Canterbury But being inhabited by the Bishop of Rome his authoritie for feare the same might prejudice the Monkes of Canterbury hee gave over the workes Howbeit ever since the name remained and the place is called Saint Stephens of which Sir Roger Manwood Knight L. cheife Baron of the Exchequer a man of exquisite knowledge in our common lawes unto whom for his bounteous liberalitie the poore inhabitants are much beholding was of late time a right great ornament and even so is his sonne at this day Sir Peter Manwood Knight of the Bath whom I cannot but mention when as he is a favourer of vertue and learning From thence Stour passeth by Fordich called the little Burough of Forewich in King William the Conquerours booke a place of note for excellent good trouts and so in former time to Stoure-mouth which it hath now forsaken a mile and more yet left and bequeathed his name to it But now by Stoure-mouth runneth a brooke which issuing our of Saint Eadburghs well at Liming where the daughter to King Ethelbert first of our nation tooke the veile while it seeketh the sea seeth Elham a mercate towne of which I have read nothing but that the Mannour was the inheritance of Iulian Leibourn a Ladie of great honour in her time who was mother of Laurence Hastings first Earle of Penbrooke of that surname and after wife to William Clinton Earle of Huntingdon Then it holdeth his course by divers villages which thereof receive the addition of Bourn as Bishops-bourn Hawles-bourn Patricks-bourn and Beakes-bourn This bourne is that river Stoure as Caesar calleth it as I have observed travailing lately in these parts which Caesar came unto when he had marched by night almost twelve Italian miles from the sea-coast and where hee had the first encounter in his second expedition into Britaine with the Britaines whom he drave into the woods where they had a place fortified both by nature and mens labour with a number of trees hewen downe and plashed to fore-close the entries But yet the Romans forced an entrie drave them out and there about encamped The place of campe as I heare is neare Hâ—rdes a place of ancien Gentlement of that surname descended from Esten grave Herengod and the Fitz-Bernards Belowe Stoure-mouth Stoure dividing his streame taketh two severall waies and leaving that name is called In-lade and Wantsume making the Isle of Tenet on the West and South side for on all other sides it is washed with the maine Sea This Iland Solinus named ATHANATON and in other copies THANATON the Britaines Iuis Ruhin as witnesseth Asserius happily for Rhutupin of Rhutupinae a Citie adjoining The English Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we Tenet All the Isle standeth upon a whitish maile full of goodly corne fields and being a right fertile soile carrieth in length eight miles and foure in breadth reckoned in old time to containe 600. Families in stead whereof it is corruptly read in Bede Milliarium Sexcentarum for Familiarum Sexcentarum But whereas Solinus writeth that there is not a snake creeping in this Isle and that the mould or earth carried from hence killeth snakes it is now proved to bee untrue That Etymologie therefore derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is from the death of snakes falleth quite to the ground Here the English Saxons landed first here by the permission of Guortigern they first seated themselves here was their place of refuge and here Guortimor the Britaine made a great
slaughter of them when at Lapis Tituli for so is that place named in Ninnius which we now call Stouar almost in the same sense and haven certainely it was hee put them to flight and forced them with all the speed they might to take their Pinnaces In which place also he gave commandement saith he that himselfe should bee buried to represse thereby as he thought the furious outrages of the English Saxons in like sort as Scipio Africanus did who commanded that his tombe should bee so set as that it might looke toward Africa supposing that his verie tombe would be a terror to the Carthaginians Here also at VVipped fleet so called of VVipped the Saxon there slaine Hengest discomfited the Britaines and put them to flight after hee had sore tired them with sundry conflicts S. Austine our Apostle as they call him many yeares after landed in this Isle unto whose blessing the credulous Clergie ascribed the plentifull fertility of the country and the Monke Gotceline cried out in this manner O the land of Tenet happy by reason of her fertilitie but most happy for receiving and entertaining so many Divine in-commers bringing God with them or rather so many heavenly citizens Egbert the third King of the Kentishmen to pacifie dame Domneva a devout Lady whom before time he had exceedingly much wronged granted here a faire piece of land wherein she errected a Monastery for 70. veiled virgins the prioresse whereof was Mildred for her holinesse canonized a Saint and the Kings of Kent bestowed many faire possessions upon it but Withred especially who that I may note the antiquitie and manner of livery of Seisin in that age out of the very forme of his owne Donation For the full complement of his confirmation thereof laied upon the holy altar a turfe of that ground which he gave at Humantun Heere afterward sundry times arrived the Danes who piteously empoverished this Island by robbings and pillages and also polluted this Monasterie of Domneva with all kind of cruelty that it flourished not againe before the Normans government Heere also landed Lewis of France who called in by the tumultuous Barons of England against King Iohn published by their instigation a pretended right to the Crowne of England For that whereas King Iohn for his notorious treason against King Richard his brother absent in the Holy-land was by his Peeres lawfully condemned and therefore after the death of King Richard the right of the Crowne was devolved to the Queene of Castile sister to the said King Richard and that shee and her heires had conveied over their right to the said Lewis and his wife her daughter Also that King Iohn had forfeited his Kingdome both by the murther of his Nephew Arthur whereof he was found guilty by his Peeres in France and also by subjecting his Kingdomes which were alwaies free to the Pope as much as in him lay contrary to his oath at his Coronation and that without the consent of the Peeres of the Realme c. Which I leave to Historians with the successe of his expedition least I might seeme to digresse extraordinarily Neither must I passe over heere in silence that which maketh for the singular praise of the inhabitants of Tenet those especially which dwell by the roads or harbours of Margate Ramsgate and Brodstear For they are passing industrious and as if they were Amphibii that is both land creatures and sea creatures get their living both by sea and land as one would say with both these elements they be Fisher-men and Plough-men as well Husband-men as Mariners and they that hold the plough-taile in earing the ground the same hold the helme in steering the ship According to the season of the yeare they knit nets they fish for Cods Herrings Mackarels c. they saile and carry forth Merchandise The same againe dung and mannure their grounds Plough Sow harrow reape their Corne and they inne it Men most ready and well appointed both for sea and land and thus goe they round and keepe a circle in these their labours Futhermore whereas that otherwhiles there happen shipwrackes heere for there lie full against the shore those dangerous flats shallowes shelves and sands so much feared of Sailers which they use to call The Goodwinsands The Brakes The four-foots The whitdick c. these men are wont to bestir themselves lustily in recovering both ships men and Merchandize endangered At the mouth of Wantsum Southward which men thinke hath changed his channell over against the Isle stood a City which Ptolomee calleth RHVTVPIAN Tacitus PORTVS TRVTVLENSIS for Rhutupensis if Beatus Renanus conjectureth truely Antonine RHITVPIS PORTVS Ammianus Marcellinus RHVTVPIAH STATIO that is the Road of Rhutupiae Orosius THE HAVEN and City of Rhutubus the old English-Saxons as Beda witnesseth Reptacesler others Ruptimuth Alfred of Beverly nameth it Richberge we at this day Richborow Thus hath time sported in varying of one and the same name Whence this name should arise it is not for certaine knowen But seeing the places neere unto it as Sandwich and Sandiby have their denomination of Sandi I considering also that Rhyd Tufith in the British-tongue betokeneth a sandy fourd I would willingly if I durst derive it from thence This City seemed to have beene seated on the descent of an hill the Castle there stood overlooking from an higher place the Ocean which is now so farre excluded by reason of sandy residence inbealched with the tides that it comes hardly within a mile of it Right famous and of great name was this City while the Romans ruled here From hence was the usual passing out of Britan to France and the Neatherlands at it the Roman fleets arrived here it was that Lupicinus sent by Constantius the Emperour into Britaine for to represse the rodes and invasions of Scots and Picts both landed the Heruli and Batavians and Maesian regiments Heere also Theodosius the father of Theodosius the Emperour to whom as Symmachus witnesseth the Senate decreed for pacifying Britan armed Statues on horse-backe arrived with his Herculij Iovij Victores Fidentes for these were names of Roman regiments Afterwards when the Saxon Pirates impeached entercourse of merchants and infested our coasts with continuall piracies the Second Legion Augusta which being remooved by the Emperour Claudius out of Germany had remained many yeares in Garrison at Isea Silurum in Wales was translattd hither and had a Provost of their owne heere under the great Lieutenant and Count of the Saxon shore Which Provostship happily that Clemens Maximus bare who being heere in Britan by the soldiers saluted Emperour slew Gratian the lawfull Emperour and was afterwards himselfe slaine by Theodosius at Aquileia For this Maximus it was whom Ausonius in the verses of Aquileia called the Rhutupine robber Maximus armigeri quondam sub nomine lixae Faelix quae tanti spectatrix laeta triumphi Fudisti Ausonio Rhutupinum Marte latronem
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
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
not onely furnished with all sorts of Traffique but also with the liberall Arts and Sciences To passe over the House of the Society of the House commonly called the Stilyard as the Easterlings yard and the waters conveighed by pipes under the ground into all parts of the City and very goodly conducts or cisternes castellated to receive the same also the new conveyance of water devised by the skilfull travell of Peer Maurice a German who by meanes of a forcer or wheele with pipes placed at a certaine levell brought water of late out of the Tamis into a great part of the City To omit all these I say it is so adorned every where with Churches that RELIGION and GODLINESSE seem to have made choise of their residence herein For the Churches therein amount to the number of one hundred twenty and one more verily than Româ— it selfe as great and holy as it is can shew Besides Hospitals for diseased persons it maintaineth also sixe hundred Orphane children or thereabout in Christs Church Hospitall and poore people upon contribution of Almes about 1240. c. A long time it would aske to discourse particularly of the good lawes and orders of the laudable government of the port and dignity of the Major and Aldermen of their forward service and loyalty to their Prince of the Citizens courtesie the faire building and costly furniture the breed of excellent and choise wits their gardens in the Suburbs full of dainty arbours and banqueting roomes stored also with strange herbes from forraigne countries of the multitude strength and furniture of their ships the incredible store of all sorts of Merchandise two hundred thousand broad-clothes beside other Anâ—werp alone hath received from hence every yeare and of the superabundance of all things which belong to the furniture or necessity of mans life For right truly wrote that Hadrianus Iunius in his Philippeis Tectiâ— opibúsque refertum Londinum si fas numeroso cive superbum Larga ubi foecundo rerum undat copia cornu Thicke built with houses London is with riches stuffed full Proud if we may so say of men that therein live and dwell Wherein most plenteous wise abound all things that tongue can tell And Iul. Scaliger in his Poem of Cities Vrbs animis numeróque potens râ—bore gentiâ— For peoples courage numbers power it is a City strong And another Poet hath powred out these Verses also concerning London if you deigne to reade them LONDINUM gemino procurrit littore longè Aemula materna tollens sua lumina Troia Clementer surgente jugo dum teâ—dit in ortum Urbs peramaena situ coelóque solóque beata Urbs pietate potens numeroso cive superba Urbsque Britannorum quae digna BRITANNIA dici Haec nova doctrinis Lutetia mercibus Ormus Altera Roma viris Chrysaea secunda metallis Along both bankes out stretched farre the Citie LONDON lies Resembling much her mother Troie aloft she lifts her eies Whiles on a gentle rising hill she beareth toward East A City pleasant for her site in aire and soile much blest Religious and populous and hence she lookes on hie And well deserves for to be cal'd the Britans Britanie For learning new Lutetia Ormus for Traffique mich A second Rome for valiant men Chrysae for metals rich In this manner likewise versified Henry of Huntingdon in praise of London while King Stephen raigned about foure hundered yeares since Ibis in nostros dives Londonia versus Quae nos immemores non sinis esse tui Quando tuas arces tua moenia mente retracto Quae vidi videor cuncta videre mihi Famaâ— loquax nat a loqui moritura silendo Laudibus crubait fingere falsa tuis Thou also shalt of Verses ours Rich London have thy part For why we cannot thee forget so great is thy desart When I thinke of thy stately Towres thy faire and spacious Wall Which I have seene me thinkes therewith I see no * lesse then all This pratling fame that 's borne to prate and talk'd she not would dye In all the praise that goes of thee hath bash'd to tell one lye Another Poet in like manner pleasantly played upon London in this sort Hac Urbs illa potens cui tres tria dona ministrant Bacchus Apollo Ceres pocula carmen ador Hac Urbs illa potens quam Iuno Minerva Diana Mercibus arce feris ditat adornat alit This is that City strong to which three gifts are given by three By Bacchus Ceres and Phoebus Wine Wheat and Poetree This place sterne Pallas Iuno Queene Diana Hunters-feer Adorn's enricheth and doth feed with towres with wares with deer But in a more grave note and serious stile a friend of mine and a praise worthy person Master Iohn Ionston Professor of Divinity in the Kings University of S. Andrewes URBS AUGUSTA cui coelúmque solúmque salúmque CuÃque favent cunctis cuncta elementa bonis Mitius haud usquà m coelum est uberrima Tellus Fundit inexhausti germina laeta soli Et pater Oceanus Tamisino gurgite mistus Convehit immensas totius orbis opes Regali cultu sedes clarissima Regum Gentis praesidium cor anima atque oculus Gens antiqua potens virtute robore belli Artium omnigenûm nobilitata opibus Singula contemplare animo attentúsque tuere Aut Orbem aut Orbis dixeris esse caput This City well AUGUSTA call'd to which a truth to say Aire Land Sea and all Elements shew favour every way The weather no where milder is the ground most rich to see Doth yeeld all fruits of fertile soile that never spent will bee And Ocean that with Tams streame his flowing tyde doth blend Conveis to it commodities all that the world can send The noble seat of Kings it is for port and roialty Of all the Realme the fence the heart the life and lightsome ey The people ancient valorous expert in chivalry Enriched with all sorts and meanes of Art and mysterie Take heedfull view of every thing and then say thus in briefe This either is a world it selfe or of the world the chiefe But of these and such like particulars Iohn Stowe Citizen of London and a famous Chronicler hath discoursed more at large and more exactly in that his Survey of London which he lately published Now will I take my leave of my deere native Country and bid London a diew after I have given this onely note that the Pole is here elevated fiftie one degrees and foure and thirty scruples and the Meridian distant from the farthest West-poynt three and twenty degrees and five and twenty scruples That the Fidicula symbolizing in nature with Venus and Mercurie is the Tropick starre which glanceth upon the Horizon but never setteth and the Dragons head is reputed by Astronomers to be the Verticall starre over head From London the Tamis watering Redcliff so called of the Red-cliffe a prety fine Towne and dwelling place of Sailers as
were in amity and league founded every one in his owne Kingdome Cities named Caesareae in honour of Augustus What if I should say that CAESAROMAGUS did stand neere unto Brentwood would not a learned Reader laugh at me as one Soothsayer doth when he spieth another Certes no ground I have nor reason to strengthen this my conjecture from the distance thereof seeing the numbers of the miles in Antonine be most corruptly put downe which neverthelesse agree well enough with the distance from COLONIA and CANONIUM Neither can I helpe my selfe with any proofe by the situation of it upon the Roman high-way which in this enclosed country is no where to be seene Neither verily there remaineth heere so much as a shadow or any twinkling shew of the name CAESAROMAGUS unlesse it be and that is but very sclender in the name of an Hundred which of old time was called Ceasford and now Cheasford Hundred Surely as in some ancient Cities the names are a little altered and in others cleane changed so there be againe wherein one syllable or twaine at most bee remaining thus CAESARAUGUSTA in Spaine is now altered to be Saragosa CAESAROMAGUS in France hath lost the name cleane and is called Beavois and CAESAREA in Normandy now Cherburg hath but one syllable left of it But what meane I thus to trifle and to dwell in this point If in this quarter hereby there bee not CAESAROMAGUS let others seeke after it for me It passeth my wit I assure you to finde it out although I have diligently laid for to meet with it with net and toile both of eares and eies Beneath Brentwood I saw South-Okindon where dwelt the Bruins a Family as famous as any one in this Tract out of the two heires female whereof being many times married to sundry husbands Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke the Tirels Berners Harlestones Heveninghams and others descended And of that house there be males yet remaining in South-hampton-shire Also Thorndon where Sir John Petre Knight raised a goodly faire house who now was by our Soveraigne King James created Baron Petre of Writtle That Thorndon was in times past the dwelling place of a worshipfull Family of Fitzlewis the last of which name if we may beleeve the common report by occasion that the house happened to be set on fire in the time of his wedding feast was pittiously himselfe therein burnt to death Burghsted and more short Bursted that is the place of a Burgh which name our forefathers used to give unto many places that were of greater antiquity This I once supposed to have been CAESAROMAGUS and what ever it was in old time it is at this day but a good country Towne neere unto Byliricay a Mercat towne of very good resort Likewise Ashdowne sometimes Assandun that is as Marian interpreteth it the Mount of Asses where long since a bloudy battaile was fought in which King Edmund sirnamed Ironside had at the beginning a good hand of the Danes and put them to rout but streight waies the fortune of the field turning about he was so defeited that he lost a great number of the English Nobility In memoriall of which battaile we reade that King Canutus the Dane built a Church afterward in that place what time as upon remorse and repentance for the bloud that he had shed hee erected Chappels in what part soever he had fought any field and shed Christian bloud Not farre from these is Ralegh a prety proper towne and it seemeth to be Raganeia in Domesday booke wherein is mention made of a Castle that Suenus heere built in which also we read thus There is one Parke and sixe Arpennes of Vineyard and it yeeldeth twenty Modij of wine if it take well Which I note the rather both for the French word Arpenn and also for the wine made in this Isle This Suenus was a man of great name and of noble birth the sonne of Robert sonne of Wiwarc but father to Robert of Essex whose son was that Sir Robert de Essex who in right of inheritance was the Kings Standard bearer and who for that in a light skirmish against the Welsh hee had not onely cast off his courage but also cast away his Standard being chalenged for treason vanquished in duell or combat and thereof thrust into a Cloystre forfeited a goodly patrimony and livelod which was confiscate to King Henry the Second and helped to fill his Coffers As for the Barony it lay dead from that time a great while in the Kings hands untill Sir Hubert de Burgh obtained it of King John Above this the shores retiring backe by little and little admit two creekes of the Ocean entring within them the one the neighbour inhabitants call Crouch the other Blackwater which in old time was named Pant. In the said Crouch by reason of the waters division there lie scattered foure Islands carrying a pleasant greene hew but by occasion of inundations growne to be morish and fenny among which these two bee of greatest name Wallot and Foulenesse that is The Promontory of Fowles which hath a Church also in it and when the sea is at the lowest ebbe a man may ride over to it Betweene these Creekes lieth Dengy Hundred in ancient times Dauncing passing plentifull in grasse and rich in Cattaile but Sheepe especially where all their doing is in making of Cheese and there shall ye have men take the womens office in hand and milke Ewes whence those huge thicke Cheeses are made that are vented and sould not onely into all parts of England but into forraigne nations also for the rusticall people labourers and handicraftes men to fill their bellies and feed upon The chiefe Towne heereof at this day is Dengy so called as the Inhabitants are perswaded of the Danes who gave name unto the whole Hundred Neere unto which is Tillingham given by Ethelbert the first Christian King of the English-Saxons unto the Church of Saint Paul in London and higher up to the North shore flourished sometimes a City of ancient Record which our forefathers called Ithancestre For Ralph Niger writeth thus out of S. Bede Bishop Chad baptized the East-Saxons neere to Maldon in the City of Ithancestre that stood upon the banke of the River Pant which runneth hard by Maldon in Dengy Province but now is that City drowned in the River Pant. To point out the place precisely I am not able but I nothing doubt that the River called Froshwell at this day was heeretofore named Pant seeing that one of the Springs thereof is called Pantswell and the Monkes of Coggeshall so termed it Doubtlesse this Ithancester was situate upon the utmost Promontory of this Dengy Hundred where in these daies standeth Saint Peters upon the wall For along this shore much a doe have the inhabitants to defend their grounds with forced bankes or walls against the violence of the Ocean ready to inrush upon them And I my selfe am partly of this
beasts being found have deceived very many hee passed over the Tamis and put to flight the Britans who upon the banke received and encountred him as he came toward them and wonne with ease this Camalodunum the Kings seat For which exploit after hee had named his sonne BRITANNICUS and beene himselfe oftentimes saluted Imperator within sixe moneths after he set first forth in his voyage returned to Rome But heereof have I have written before more at large neither list I to iterate the same in this place When Camalodunum was thus brought under the Romanes subjection Claudius planted a Colony there with a strong Band of old tried Souldiers and in memoriall heereof ordained peeces of money to bee stamped with this Inscription COL CAMALODUN Out of which it is gathered that this happened in the XII yeere of his Empire and in the yeere 52. after the Birth of Christ. And in regard of those old experienced souldiers of the fourteenth Legion called Gemina Martia Victrix whom Tacitus tearmeth the Subduers of Britaine brought thither and placed in it it was named COLONIA VICTRICENSIS and the Inhabitants Cives Romani that is Citizens of Rome in an old Inscription which I heere present to you CN MUNATIUS M. F. PAL AURELIUS BASSUS PROC AUG PRAEF FABR. RRAEF COH III. SAGITTARIORUM PRAEF COH ITERUM II. ASTURUM CENSITOR CIVIUM ROMANORUM COLONIAE VICTRICENSIS QUAE EST IN BRITANNIA CAMALODUNI c. A Colony if it may be materiall to know so much is A Company of men that be all brought into one certaine place built with houses to their hands which they are to have and hold by a certaine right For the most part old souldiers that had served long were brought to such a place both that themselves might be provided for and maintained and also be ready in all extremity to helpe against Rebels and enforme withall the Provincials in their duties by law required These Colonies also were of great estimation as being pety resemblances and images as it were of the City of Rome Moreover they had their peculiar Magistrates both superior and inferior Of which because others have written sufficiently I neede not to stand either upon them or such like points In this first Colony that the Romanes planted in Britaine there was a Temple built unto Divus Claudius Tacitus tearmeth it The Altar of eternall dominion Whereof Seneca maketh mention in his Play after this manner A small matter it is saith hee and not sufficient that Claudius hath a Temple in Britaine which the Barbarous Nation adoreth and prayeth unto as to a God There were Priests also elected in honour of him by name Sodales Augustales which under a shew of Religion lavishly consumed the Britans goods But after ten yeeres fortune turned her wheele and downe went this Colony For when those old souldiers brought into these territories which they had won exercised extreame cruelty upon these silly people the burning broiles of Warre which before were quenched brake out into flames with greater flashes The Britans under the leading of Bunduica who also is called Bâ—odicia by maine force sacked and set on fire this Colony lying unfortified and without all fence and within two daies wonne the said Temple whereinto the souldiers had thronged themselves The Ninth Legion comming to aide they put to flight and in one word slew of Roman Citizens and associates together threescore and tenne thousand This slaughter was foretold by many Prodigies The Image of Victory in this City was turned backeward and fallen downe In their Senate house strange noises were heard The Theater resounded with howlings and yellings Houses were seene under the water of Tamis and the Arme of the sea beneath it overflowed the bankes as red as blood to see to which now for what cause I know not wee call Blacke water like as Ptolomee termed it IDUMANUM aestuarium under which is couched a signification of Blacknesse for Ydâ— in the British tongue soundeth as much as Blacke Yet out of the very embers the Romans raised it againe For Antonine the Emperour made mention of it many yeeres after Howbeit in the English Saxons government it is scarce mentioned Onely Marianus hath written that Edward the sonne of Aelfred repaired Maldun when it was sore shaken by the furious rage of the Danes and then fortified it with a Castle William the Norman Conquerour of England as we reade in his Commentary had in this Towne 180 houses in the tenure and occupation of Burgesses and 18. Mansions wasted But at this day for the number of the Inhabitants and the bignesse it is worthily counted one of the principall Townes in all Essex and in Records named The Burgh of Maldon It is a Haven commodious enough and for the bignesse very well inhabited being but one especiall street descending much about a mile in length Upon the ridge of an hill answerable to the termination of Dunum which signified an hilly and high situation wherein I saw nothing memorable unlesse I should mention two silly Churches a desolate place of White Friers and a small pile of Bricke built not long since by R. Darcy which name hath beene respective heereabout Hence passing downe over the brackish water divided into two streamlets by Highbridge I sought for an ancient place which Antonine the Emperour placed sixe miles from Camalodunum in the way toward Suffolke and called it AD ANSAM This I have thought to have beene some Bound belonging to the Colony of Camalodunum which resembled the fashion of Ansa that is The handle or eare of a pot For I had read in Siculus Flaccus The Territories lying to Colonies were limited with divers and sundry markes In the limits there were set up for bound-markes heere one thing and there another in one place little Images in another long earthen Vessels heere you should have little sword blades three square stones or Lozenges pointed and elsewhere according to Vitalis and Arcadius they were mere stones like flagons and small wine pipes why might not therefore a stone fashioned like the handle of a pot bee set for a bound Seeing that Antony according to his wonted manner called it Ad Ansam and not Ansae But how religiously and with what ceremoniall complements these bound-markes were in old time set I will by way of digression set downe heere out of the same Siculus Flaccus When they were to place their bound markes the very stones themselves they did set upon the firme ground hard by those places wherein they ment to pitch them fast in pittes or holes digged for the purpose they annointed them and with vailes and garlands bedecked them This done in those pits wherein they were to put them after sacrifice made and an unspotted beast killed upon burning firebrands covered over in the grave they dropped in bloud and thereupon they threw Frankincense and corne Hony combes also and wine with other things as the manner is to sacrifice unto
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
which King Henry the First gave unto the Church of Lincolne for amends of a losse when hee erected the Bishopricke of Ely taken out of the Diocesse of Lincolne as I have before shewed But where the River Nen entreth into this Shire it runneth fast by Elton the seat of the ancient Family of the Sapcots where is a private Chappell of singular workemanship and most artificiall glasse windowes erected by Lady Elizabeth Dinham the widow of Baron Fitz-warin married into the said Family But a little higher there stood a little City more ancient than all these neere unto Walmsford which Henry of Huntingdon calleth Caer Dorm and Dormeceaster upon the River Nen and reporteth to have beene utterly rased before his time This was doubtlesse that DUROBRIVAE that is The River passage that Antonine the Emperour speaketh of and now in the very same sense is called Dornford neere unto Chesterton which beside peeces of ancient Coine daily found in it sheweth apparant tokens of a City overthrowne For to it there leadeth directly from Huntingdon a Roman Portway and a little above Stilton which in times past was called Stichilton it is seene with an high banke and in an ancient Saxon Charter termed Ermingstreat This Street now runneth here through the middest of a foure square Fort the North side whereof was fensed with Wals all the other sides with a Rampire of earth onely Neere unto which were digged up not long since Cofins or Sepulchres of stone in the ground of R. Bevill of an ancient house in this Shire Some verily thinke that this City tooke up both bankes of the River and there bee of opinion that the little Village Câ—ster standing upon the other banke was parcell thereof Surely to this opinion of theirs maketh much the testimony of an ancient story which sheweth that there was a place by Nen called Dormund-caster in which when Kinneburga had built a little Monastery it began to be called first Kinneburge-caster and afterwards short Caster This Kinneburga the most Christian daughter of the Pagan King Penda and wife to Alfred King of the Northumbrians changed her Princely State into the service of Christ if I may use the words of an ancient Writer and governed this Monastery of her owne as Prioresse or mother of the Nunnes there Which afterwards about the yeare of Salvation 1010. by the furious Danes was made levell with the ground But where this River is ready to leave this County it passeth hard by an ancient house called Bottle-bridge so is it now termed short for Botolph-bridge which the Draitons and Lovets brought from R. Gimels by hereditary succession into the Family of the Shirleies And to this house adjoyneth Overton now corruptly called Orton which being by felony forfait and confiscate Neele Lovetoft redeemed againe of King John and the said Noeles sister and coheire being wedded unto Hubert alià s Robert de Brounford brought him children who assumed unto them the sirname of Lovetoft This County of Huntingdon when the English-Saxons Empire began now to decline had Siward an Earle by Office and not inheritance For as yet there were no Earles in England by inheritance but the Rulers of Provinces after the custome of that age were termed Earles with addition of the Earledome of this or that Province whereof they had the rule for the time as this Siward whiles he governed this County was called Earle of Huntingdon whereas afterwards being Ruler of Northumberland they named him Earle of Northumberland He had a sonne named Waldeof who under the Title of Earle had likewise the government of this Province standing in favour as he did with William the Conquerour whose Niece Judith by his sister of the mothers side hee had married but by him beheaded for entring into a conspiracy against him The eldest daughter of this Waldeof as William Gemiticensis reporteth Simon de Senlys or S. Liz tooke to wife together with the Earldome of Huntingdon and of her begat a sonne named Simon But after that the said Simon was dead David brother to Maud the Holy Queene of England who afterwards became King of Scots married his wife by whom hee had a sonne named Henry But in processe of time as fortune and Princes favour varied one while the Scots another while the Sent Lizes enjoyed this dignity First Henry the sonne of David aforesaid then Simon S. Liz sonne of Simon the first after him Malcolm King of Scots sonne to Earle Henry and after his death Simon Sent Liz the third who dying without issue William King of Scots and brother to Malcolm succeeded for so wrote he that then lived Raphe de Diceto in the yeare 1185. When Simon saith hee the sonne of Earle Simon was departed without children the King restored the Earldome of Huntingdon with the Pertinences unto William King of the Scots Then his brother David and Davids sonne John sirnamed Scot Earle of Chester who dying without issue and Alexander the third that had married the daughter of our King Henry the Third having for a time borne this Title the Scots by occasion of incident warres lost that honour and with it a very faire inheritance in England A good while after King Edward the Third created Sir William Clinton Earle of Huntingdon who dyed issuelesse And in his roome there was placed by King Richard the Second Guiseard of Engolisme a Gascoine who was his Governour in his minority and after his death succeeded Iohn Holland Iohn his sonne who was stiled Duke of Excester Earle of Huntingdon and Ivory Lord of Sparre Admirall of England and Ireland Lieutenant of Aquitane and Constable of the Towre of London and his sonne likewise Henry successively who were Dukes also of Excester This is that very same Henry Duke of Excester whom Philip Comines as himselfe witnesseth saw begging bare foote in the Low Countries whiles he stood firme and fast unto the house of Lancaster albeit he had married King Edward the Fourth his owne sister Then Thomas Grey who became afterward Marquesse Dorset a little while enjoyed that honour Also it is evident out of the Records that William Herbert Earle of Pembroch brought in againe the Charter of creation whereby his father was made Earle of Pembroch into the Chancery for to be cancelled and that King Edward the Fourth in the seventeenth of his Raigne created him Earle of Huntingdon at such time as he granted the Title of Pembroch to the Prince his sonne Afterward King Henry the Eighth conferred that honour upon George Lord Hastings after whom succeeded his sonne Francis and after him likewise his sonne Henry a right honourable Personage commended both for true Nobility and Piety But whereas hee dyed without issue his brother Sir George Hastings succeeded and after him his Grandchilde Henry by his sonne who at this day enjoyeth the said honour In this little Shire are numbered Parishes 78. CORITANI NOw must wee passe on to
of the same name not farre from the ruines of Bitham Castle which as we find in an old Pedigree King William the first gave to Stephen Earle of Albemarle and Holdernesse that he might from thence have wherewith to feed his sonne as yet a little infant with fine wheat bread considering that in Holdernesse they did eate in those daies oten bread onely although they use now such kind of bread little or nothing at all But in the reigne of King Henry the Third when William de Fortibus Earle of Aumarle rebelliously kept this Castle and thence forraged and wasted the country about it it was laid well neere even with the ground Afterward this was the capitall seat as it were of the Barony of the Colvils who along time flourished in very great honour but the right line had an end under King Edward the Third and then the Gernons and those notable Bassets of Sapcot in right of their wives entred upon the inheritance This river Witham presently beneath his head hath a towne seated hard by it named Paunton which standeth much upon the antiquity thereof where are digged up oftentimes pavements of the Romanes wrought with checker worke and heere had the river a bridge over it in old time For that this is the towne AD PONTEM which Antonine the Emperor placed seven miles distant from MARGIDUNUM the name Paunton together with the distance not onely from Margidunum but also from Crococalana doth easily convince for in Antonine that towne was called CROCOCALANA which at this day is named Ancaster and is no more but a long streete through which the High-way passeth whereof the one part not long since belonged to the Veseies the other to the Cromwells At the entry into it on the South part we saw a rampier with a ditch and certaine it is that aforetime it had been a Castle like as on the other side Westward is to be seene a certaine summer standing campe of the Romanes And it may seeme that it tooke a British name from the situation thereof For it lieth under an hill and Cruc-maur in British signifieth a Great hill like as Cruc-occhidient a mount in the West as we read in Giraldus Cambrensis and Ninnius But what should be the meaning of that Calana let others looke The memory of antiquity in this towne is continued and maintained by the Romane Coines by the vaults under ground oftentimes discovered by the site upon the High-street and by those fourteene miles that are betweene it and Lincolne through a greene plaine which we call Ancaster-Heath for just so many doth Antonine reckon betweene Croco-calana and Lindum But now returne we to the river After Paunton wee come to Grantham a towne of good resort adorned and set out with a Schoole built by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester and with a faire Church having a spire-steeple of a mighty heigth whereof there goe many fabulous tales Beneath it neere unto Herlaxton a little village a brasen vessell in our fathers time was turned up with a plough wherein a golden Helmet of a most antique fashion was found set with precious stones which was given as a present to Catherine of Spaine wife and Dowager to King Henry the Eighth From hence Witham passeth with a long course North-ward not farre from Somerton Castle which Antonine Becc Bishop of Durham built and gave to King Edward the First but a little after it was bestowed upon Sir Henry de Beaumont who about that time came into England and began the family of the Lords Beaumont which in the foregoing age in some sort failed when as the sister and heire of the last Vicount was married to John Lord Lovel de Tichmersh But of this house I have spoken before in Leicester-shire From thence the river bending by little and little to the South-East and passing through a Fenny Country dischargeth it selfe into the German Sea beneath Boston after it hath closed in Kesteven on the North. On the other side of Witham lieth the third part of this shire named Lindsey which of the chiefe Citie of the Shire Bede called Lindissi and being greater than Hoiland and Kesteven butteth with a huge bowing front upon the Ocean beating upon the East and North sides thereof On the West part it hath the river Trent and is severed from Kesteven on the South by that Witham aforesaid and the Fosse Dike anciently cast and scoured by King Henry the First for seven miles in length from Witham into Trent that it might serve the Citizens of Lincolne for carriage of necessaries by water Where this Dike entreth into Trent standeth Torksey in the Saxon language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little towne and in these daies of small account but in ancient times very famous For before the Normans comming in as we finde in that booke wherein King William the first set downe his survey of England there were numbered in it two hundred Burgesses who enjoyed many priviledges on this condition that they should transport the Kings Embassadours whensoever they came this way in their owne Barges along the Trent and conduct them as farre as YORKE But where this Dike joyneth to Witham there is the principall City of this Shire placed which Ptolomee and Antonine the Emperour called LINDUM the Britans LINDCOIT of the woods for which we finde it elsewhere written amisse Luit-coit Bede LINDE-COLLINUM and LINDE COLLINA CIVITAS whether it were of the situation upon an hill or because it hath been a Colonie I am not able to avouch The Saxons termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Normans most corruptly Nichol we Lincolne and the Latine writers Lincolnia whereupon Alexander Necham in his booke intituled Divine wisdome writeth thus Lindisiae columen Lincolnia sive columna Munificâ foelix gente repleta bonis Lincolne the stay or piller sure of Lindsey thou maist bee Blest for thy people bounteous and goods that are in thee Others will have it to take that name of the river Witham which they say was called by a more ancient name Lindis but they have no authority to warrant them Neither am I of their judgement For Necham is against it who foure hundred yeeres agoe called the said river Witham in this verse Trenta tibi pisces mittit Lincolnia sed te Nec dedigneris Withama parvus adit The Trent unto thee sendeth fish O Lincoln well we see Yet little Witham scorne it not a riveret comes to thee I for my part would rather derive it from the British word Lhin which with the Britans signifieth a Lake For I have been enformed of the Citizens that Witham below the Citie by Swanpole was broader than now it is and yet is it at this day of a good breadth and to say nothing of Lindaw in Germanie by the Lake Acronius and of Linternum in Italie standing by a Lake I see
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
Romanists But this See few yeeres after was removed againe to Lichfield yet so as that one and the selfe same Bishop carried the name both of Lichfield and of Coventry The first Lord of this City so farre as I can learne was this Leofricke who being very much offended and angry with the Citizens oppressed them with most heavie tributes which he would remit upon no other condition at the earnest suite of his wife Godiva unlesse she would herselfe ride on horse-backe naked through the greatest and most inhabited street of the City which she did in deed and was so covered with her faire long haire that if we may beleeve the common sort shee was seene of no body and thus shee did set free her Citizens of Coventry from many payments for ever From Leofricke it came into the hands of the Earles of Chester by Lucie his sonne Algars daughter for shee had beene married to Ranulph the first of that name and the third Earle of Chester out of this line who granted unto Coventrey the same liberties that Lincolne had and gave a great part of the City unto the Monkes the rest and Chilmore which is the Lords Manour hard by the City hee reserved to himselfe and to his heires After whose death when for want of issue male the inheritance was divided betweene the sisters Coventry came at length mediately by the Earles of Arundell unto Roger Mont-hault whose grand sonne Robert passed over all his right for default of issue male of his body begotten unto Queene Isabel mother to King Edward the Third To have and to hold during the whole life of the Queene herselfe and after her decease to remaine unto Iohn of Eltham the said Kings brother and to the heires of his body begotten and for default the remainder to Edward King of England c. For thus is it to be seene in the Fine in the second yeere of King Edward the Third Now the said John of Eltham was afterwards created Earle of Cornwall and this place became annexed to the Earldome of Cornwall From which time it hath flourished in great state Kings have bestowed sundry immunities upon it and King Edward the Third especially who permitted them to chuse a Major and two Bailiffes and to build and embattle a Wall about it also king Henry the Sixth who laying unto it certaine small Townes adjoyning granted That it should bee an entire County corporate by it selfe the very words of the Charter runne in that sort in deed and name and distinct from the County of Warwicke At which time in lieu of Bailiffes he ordained two Sheriffes and the Citizens beganne to fortifie their City with a most strong Wall wherein are beautifull Gates and at one of them called Gosford Gate there hangeth to bee seene a mighty great Shield bone of a wilde Bore which any man would thinke that either Guy of Warwicke or else Diana of the Forest Arden slew in hunting when he had turned up with his snout that great pit or pond which at this day is called Swansewell but Swinsewell in times past as the authority of ancient Charters doe proove As touching the Longitude of this City it is 25. Degrees and 52. Scruples and for the Latitude it is 52. Degrees and 25. Scruples Thus much of Coventrey yet have you not all this of me but willingly to acknowledge by whom I have profited of Henry Ferrars of Baddesley a man both for parentage and for knowledge of antiquity very commendable and my especiall friend who both in this place and also elsewhere hath at all times courteously shewed me the right way when I was out and from his candle as it were hath lightned mine Neere unto Coventrey North-west ward are placed Ausley Castle the habitation in times past of the Hastings who were Lords of Abergavenney and Brand the dwelling place in old time of the Verdons Eastward standeth Caloughdon commonly Caledon the ancient seat of the Lords Segrave from whom it descended to the Barons of Berkley by one of the daughters of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke These Segraves since the time that Stephen was Lord chiefe Justice of England flourished in the honorable estate of Barons became possessed of the Chaucombes Inheritance whose Armes also they bare viz. A Lion rampant Argent crowned Or in a Shield Sable But John the last of them married Margaret Dutchesse of Northfolke Daughter of Thomas Brotherton and begat Elizabeth a daughter who brought into the Family of the Mowbraies the Dignity of Marshall of England and Title of Duke of Norfolke Brinklâ— also is not farre from hence where stood an ancient Castle of the Mowbraies to which many possessions and faire lands thereabout belonged But the very rubbish of this Castle time hath quite consumed as Combe Abbay is scant now apparent which the Camvills and Mowbraies endowed with possessions and out of the ruines and reliques whereof a faire house of the Lord Haringtons in this very place is now raised As you goe East-ward you meet anon with Cester-Over whereof I spake incidently before belonging to the Grevills neere unto which the High port-way Watling-street dividing this shire Northward from Leicester-shire runneth on forward by High-crosse whereof also I have already written neere unto Nun-Eaton which in ancient time was named Eaton But when Amice wife to Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester as Henry Knighton writeth had founded a Monastery of Nunnes wherein her selfe also became professed it began of those Nunnes to be called Nun-Eaton And famous it was in the former ages by reason of those religious Virgines holinesse who devoting themselves continually to prayers gave example of good life A little from this there flourished sometimes Astley-Castle the principall seate of the Familie of Astley out of which flourished Barons in the time of King Edward the First Second and Third the heire whereof in the end was the second wedded Wife of Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin from whom came the Greies Marquesses of Dorset some of whom were enterred in a most fine and faire Collegiat Church which Thomas Lord Astley founded with a Deane and Secular Chanons Somewhat higher hard by Watling street for so with the common people wee call the High-way made by the Romanes where as the riuer Anker hath a stone bridge over it stood MANDVESSEDUM a very ancient towne mentioned by Antonine the Emperour which being not altogether deprived of that name is now called Mancester and in Ninnius his Catalogue Caer Mancegued Which name considering there is a stone-quarry hard by I may ghesse was imposed upon it of the stones digged forth and hewed out of it For out of the Glossaries of the British tongue we finde that Main in the British language signified a Stone and Fosswad in the Provinciall tongue to digge out which being joyned together may seeme very expressely to import that ancient name MANDVESSEDUM But what how great or how faire soever it hath been
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
more miseries because they would not be in misery Where they scattered themselves among Mountaines and Deserts living in caves and little cells heere and there in holy meditations At first solitary and alone whereupon in Greeke they were called Monachi that is Monkes but after they thought it better as the sociable nature of mankinde required to meete together at certaine times to serve God and at length they beganne to cohabite and live together for mutuall comfort rather than like wilde beasts to walke up and downe in the Deserts Their profession was to pray and by the labour of their owne hands to get living for themselves and maintenance for the poore and withall they vowed poverty obedience and chastity Athanasius first brought this kinde of Monkes consisting of Laymen into the West Church Whereunto after that Saint Austen in Africke Saint Martin in France and Congell in Britaine and Ireland had adjoyned the function of Regular Clergy It is incredible how farre and wide they spred how many and how great Coenobies were built for them so called of their communion of life as also Monasteries for that they kept still a certaine shew of solitary living and in those daies none were more sacred and holy than they and accordingly they were reputed considering how by their praiers to God by their example Doctrine labour and industry they did exceeding much good not onely to themselves but also to all mankinde But as the world grew worse and worse so those their holy manners as one said rebus cessere secundis that is Gave backward in time of prosperity Now let mee returne unto my matter craving your pardon for this short digression After these dayes this Monastery fell utterly to ruine for in the time of William of Malmesbury who lived presently after the Normans comming in There remained heere as hee saith so many tokens of Antiquity so many walles of Churches halfe downe so many windings and turnings of Gates such heapes of rubbish and rammell as hardly a man should have found elsewhere But now is left to bee seene scarcely the face and outward shew of a dead City or Monastery and the names only remaine of two Gates Port Hoghan and Port Cleis which stand a mile asunder betweene which are found very oft peeces of the Romans money But that I may tell you of one thing this BoNIUM or Banchor is not reckoned within this County but in Flintshire a peece whereof severed as it were from the rest lyeth heere betweene Cheshire and Shropp-shire d ee where he entreth first into this shire seeth above him not farre from his banke Malpas upon an high hill which had in it a Castle and for the bad narrow and combrous way was termed in Latin Mala platea that is Ilstreet and thence also tooke this later name Mal-pas from the Normans whereas in times past the Englishmen almost in the very same sense called it Depenbach The Barony hereof Hugh Earle of Chester gave to Robert Fitz-Hugh In the Raigne of Henry the Second William Patricke the sonne of William Patricke held the same of whose line Robert Patricke standing outlawed lost it After some few yeeres David of Mal-pas by a Writ of Recognisance gat the one halfe of that Towne which was Gilbert Clerkes But a great part of this Barony went afterwards hereditarily to those Suttons that are Barons of Dudley and a part also thereof came to Urian Sampier And from Philip a younger sonne of David of Mal-pas is descended that worshipfull family of the Egertons who tooke this name from the place of their habitation like as from other places diverse Gentlemen of this Race received their sirnames Cotgrave Overton Codington and Golborn As touching the name of this place give mee leave before I depart hence in this serious worke to insert a prety jest out of Giraldus Cambrensis It hapned saith hee in our dates that a certain Jew travailing towards Shrewsbury with the Archdeacon of this place whose sirname was Peche that is Sinne and a Deane named Devill when he heard by chance the Archdeacon telling That his Archdeaconry beganne at a place called Il-street and reached as farre as to Mal-pas toward Chester Hee considering and understanding withall as well the Archdeacons sirname as the Deanes came out with this pleasant and merry conceit Would it not bee a wonder quoth hee and my fortune very good if ever I get safe againe out of this country where Sinne is the Archdeacon and the Devill the Deane where the entry into the Archdeaconry is Il-street and the going forth of it Mal-pas From hence Dee runneth downe amaine by Shoclach where sometime was a Castle by Aldford belonging in times past to the Arderns by Poulefourd where in the Reigne of Henry the Third Sir Raulph of Ormesby had his Castle and by Eaton the seat of the famous Family of Gros-venour that is The great Hunter whose posterity now corruptly goe under the name of Gravenor Somewhat higher upon the same River neere unto Dee-mouth which Ptolomee calleth SETEIA for Deia standeth the noble City which the said Ptolomee named DEUNANA Antonine the Emperour DEVA of the River the Britans Caer-Legion Caer-Leon Vaur Caer-Leon ar Dufyr Dwy and by way of excellency Caer like as our Ancestours the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Legions Campe and wee more short West-Chester of the West situation and simply Chester according to the Verse Cestria de castris nomen quasi Castria sumpsit Chester of Castria tooke the name As if that Castria were the same For these British names without all doubt were derived from the Twentieth Legion named Victrix This Legion in the yeere that Galba the Emperour was the second time Consull together with Titus Vinius was transported over into Britaine which being out of awe and therefore dreaded of the Lieutenants as well those which had beene Consuls as Pretours had Julius Agricola appointed Lieutenant over it by Vespasian the Emperour was at length placed and seated in this City which I suppose was not built many yeeres before and set as one would say at the backe of the ORDOVICES to restraine them although there are some who avouch it to be of greater antiquity as they say than the Moone as founded forsooth by Leon-Vaur the Giant I know not how many hundred yeeres before But the very name it selfe might give the checke unto these triviall Antiquaries and withhold them from so grosse an errour For they cannot deny but that Leon-Vaur in British signifieth A great Legion Now whether it stands more with reason and equity that a City should take name of a Great Legion than of Leon a Giant let the learned judge seeing that in the part of Spaine called Tarraconensis there is a Realme now called Leon of the seventh Legion Germanica considering also that the twentieth Legion which they tearmed Britannica Valens Victrix and some falsely Valeria Victrix abode in
the Catalogue of Martyrs had a Church here built and dedicated unto him by Milfrid a pety K. of the country wherein when a Bishops See was established it grew to great wealth first through the devout liberality of the Mercians and then of the West Saxons kings for they at length were possessed of this City as may be gathered out of William of Malmesbury where he writeth That Athelistan the West Saxon brought the Lords of Wales in this City of so hard passe that by way of Tribute they were to pay every yeere besides Hounds and Haukes twenty pounds of gold and three hundred pound of silver by weight This Citie as farre as I can reade had never any misfortune unlesse it were in the yeere of our Lord 1055. wherein Gruffith Prince of South Wales and Algar an English man rebelling against King Edward the Confessour after they had put to flight Earle Ralph sacked the Citie destroyed the Cathedrall Church and led away captive Leofgar the Bishop But Harold straightwaies after that hee and daunted their audacious courage fensed it as Floriacensis saith with a broade and high Rampier Hence it is that Malmesbury writeth thus in his treatise of Bishops Hereford is no great Citie and yet by the height of those steepe and upright bankes cast up it sheweth that it hath beene some great thing and as wee reade in the Domesday booke of King William the Conquerour there were in all but an hundered and three men within the Walles and without The Normans afterwards neere the East end of the Church along the side of Wy built a mighty great and strong Castle the worke as some report of Earle Miles which now yeeldeth to Time and runneth to ruine After this they walled the Citie about Bishop Reinelm in the reigne of Henry the First founded that beautifull Cathedrall Church which now we see there whose successours enlarged it by adioyning thereto a proper Colledge for Priests and faire houses for the Prebendaries For besides the Bishop who hath 302. Churches in his Dioecese there are in this Church a Deane two Archdeacons a Chaunter a Chauncellour 2 Treasurer and eight and twenty Prebendaries In the Church I saw in manner no Monuments but the Bishops Tombes And I have heard that Thomas Cantlow the Bishop a man of Noble birth had here a very stately and sumptuous Sepulcher who for his holinesse being canonized a Saint went within a little of surmounting that princely Martyr King Ethelbert such was the opinion of singular pietie and devotion Geographers measure the position or site of this Citie by the Longitude of twenty degrees and foure and twenty scruples and by the Latitude of two and fifty degrees and sixe scruples Wy is not gone full three miles from hence but he intercepteth by the way the river Lug who running downe a maine out of Radnor hils with a still course passeth through the mids of this country from the North-west of the South-east At the first entrance it seeth a farre off Brampton Brian Castle which a famous family named hereof de Brampton wherein the forname was usually Brian held by continuall succession unto the time of King Edward the First but now by the female heires it is come to R. Harleie neere at hand it beholdeth Wigmore in the English Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repaired in elder times by King Edward the elder afterward fortified by William Earle of Hereford with a Castle in the wast of a ground for so reade we in Domesday booke which was called Marestun in the tenure of Radulph de Mortimer from whom those Mortimers that were afterwards Earles of March lineally descended of whom you may reade more in Radnor-shire Three miles off there is another neighbour Castle called Richards Castle the possession first of the Sayes then of the Mortimers and afterwards of the Talbots by hereditarie succession At length by the heires of Sir Iohn Talbot the inheritance was divided betweene Sir Guarin Archdeacon and Sir Matthew Gurnay Beneath this Castle Nature who no where disporteth her selfe more in shewing wonders then in waters hath brought forth a pretty well which is alwaies full of little bones or as some thinke of small frog-bones although they be from time to time drawne quite out of it whence it is commonly called Bone well And not farre off is placed Croft Castle the possession of that very ancient family of the Crofts Knights who have there now a long time flourished in great and good esteeme Thence passeth Wy to Lemster which also was called Leon Minister and Lions Monastery of a Lyon that appeared to a religious man in a vision as some have dreamed But whereas the Britans call it Lhan Lieni which signifieth a Church of Nunnes and that it is certainely knowne that Merewalc a King of the Mercians built here a Church for Nunnes that afterwards became a Cell belonging to the Monastery of Reading to seeke any other originall of the name than from those Nunnes what were it else but to hunt after the windes Yet there want not some who derive it from Line whereof the best kinde groweth here The greatest name and same that it hath at this day is of the wooll in the territories round about Lemister Ore they call it which setting aside that of Apulia and Tarentum all Europe counteth to be the very best so renowned also it is for Wheat and bread of the Finest floure that Lemster bread and Weabley Ale a towne belonging to the noble Familie D'Eureux are growne unto a common proverbe By reason of these commodities the mercates at Lemster were so frequented that they of Hereford and Worcester complaining that the confluence of people thither impaired their mercates procured that by Royall authoritie the mercat day was changed Now have I nothing more concerning Lemster but that William Breosa Lord of Brecknock when hee revolted from King John did set it on fire and defaced it As for that Webley aforesaid it is situate more within the Country and was the Baronie of the Verdons the first of which house named Bertram de Verdon came into England with the Normans whose posteritie by marriage with an inheretrice of Laceies of Trim in Ireland were for a good while hereditary Constables of Ireland and at last the possessions were by the daughters devolved to the Furnivalls Burghersh Ferrars of Groby Crop-hulls and from the Crop-hulls by the Ferrars of Chartly unto D'Eureux Earles of Essex Neere neighbours unto Webley more Westward are these places Huntingdon Castle the possession in times past of the Bohuns Earles of Hereford and of Essex Kinnersley belonging to the auncient Family De la-bere and Erdsley where the auncient Family of the Baskervills have long inhabited which bred in old time so many worthie Knights who deduce their pedigree from a Neice of Dame Gunora that most famous Lady in Normandy and long agoe flourished in this Country and
after he had rebelled against Rhese his Prince and not able to make his part good with him very rashly and inconsiderately which hee afterward repented too late sent Enion a Nobleman to whom he had affianced his daughter to procure Robert Fitz Haimon sonne to Haimon Dentatus Lord of Corboil in Normandy to come out of England and aide him against Rhese who forthwith having mustered certaine forces and taking for to associate him in his journey twelve Knights first gave Rhese Battaile and slew him and afterwards being allured with the fertility of the Country whereof before hand he made full account to be Lord turning his power upon Jestine himselfe because hee had not kept touch with Enion nor performed his promise easily thrust him out of his ancient Inheritance and shared the Country among his Companions The hard and barraine hill Country he granted to the said Enion the more fertile parts he divided betweene him and those twelve Knights whom he tearmed Peres on this condition that they should hold them in Fee and vassallage of him as their chiefe Lord to maintaine one another in common with their aides and auxiliary forces to defend every one his owne Ward in his Castle of Caerdiffe and to bee present and assist him in his Courts in the administration of Justice It shall not be amisse to put downe their names out of a little Pamphlet which Sir Edward Stradling or Sir Edward Mounsel both Knights men of ancient descent and most skilfull in Antiquity I wot not whether for it goeth abroad under both their names wrote concerning this matter And these be their names William of London or de Londres Richard Granvil Pain Turbervill Oliver Saint John Robert de Saint Quintin Roger Bekeroul William Easterling for that he was borne in Germanie whose heires are now called Stradlings Gilbert Hamfranvill Richard Siward John Fleming Peter Soore Reinald Sully The River Remnie falling from the Mountaines is the limite on the East side whereby this Country is divided from Monmouth-shire and Remnie in the British tongue signifieth to Divide Not farre from it where the River holdeth on his course through places hardly passable among the hilles in a Marish ground are to bee seene the tottering walles of Caer-philli Castle which hath beene of so huge a bignesse and such a wonderfull peece of worke beside that all men well neere say it was a garison for t of the Romans Neither will I deny it although I cannot as yet perceive by what name they called it and yet it may seeme to have beene re-edified anew considering it hath a Chappell built after the Christians manner as I was enformed by John Sanford a man singular well learned and of exact judgement who diligently tooke view of it In later ages it was the possession of the Clares Earles of Glocester descended from Fitz-Haimon aforesaid neither doe any of our Chronicles make mention thereof before king Edward the Seconds time For then after that the Spensers by underhand practises had set the King Queene and Barons at debate the Barons besieged a long time Hugh Spenser the yonger whom they called Hugolin herein and could not prevaile By this river also but the place is not certainely knowne Faustus a very good sonne as Ninnius writeth of Vortigern so bad a father built a great Place where with other holy men hee prayed daily unto God that himselfe whom his father committing most abominable incest had begotten of his owne daughter might not be punished grievously for his fathers faults also that his father might at length repent heartily and his native Country be eased from the bloudy warres of the Saxons A little beneath hath Ptolomee placed the mouth of RATOSTABIUS or RATOSTABIUS using a maimed word in stead of Traith Taff that is The sandy Trith of the River Taff. For there the said River Taff sliding downe from the Hilles runneth toward the Sea by Landaff that is The Church by Taff a small City and of small reputation situate somewhat low yet a Bishops See having within the Dioecesse 154. Parishes and adorned with a Cathedrall Church consecrated to Saint Telean Bishop of the same which Church German and Lupus French Bishops then erected when as they had suppressed the Heresie of Pelagius that was dangerously spread all Britaine over and preferred Dubricius a most holy man to bee the first Bishop there unto whom Meurioke a British Lord freely gave all the land that lyeth betweene the Rivers Taff and Elei From hence goeth Taff to Caer diff called of the Britans Caerdid a proper fine Towne as Townes goe in this Country and a very commodious Haven which the foresaid Fitz Haimon fortified with a Wall and Castle that it might bee both a seat for warre and a Court of Justice wherein beside a Band of choise soldiers those twelve Knights were bound to keepe Castle-guard Howbeit a few yeeres after Yuor Bach a British Mountainer a little man of person but of great and resolute courage marching with a Band of men by night without any stirre suddenly surprised tooke Prisoner William Earle of Glocester Fitz Haimons daughters sonne together with his wife and young sonne and detained them in hold with him untill he had made him full satisfaction for all wrongs and losses But how Robert Curthose William the Conquerours eldest sonne a man over venterous and foole hardy in warlique exploits quite put by his hope of the Crowne of England by his younger brethren and bereft of both his eyes lived untill he was an old man in this Castle you may see if you please in our Historians and understand withall that royall Parentage is never assured either of ends or safe security Scarce three miles from the mouth of Taff in the very bending in of the shore there lye aflote as it were two small but pleasant Islands separated one from another and from the maine Land with narrow in-lets of the Sea The hithermore is called Sullie of the Towne right over against it which tooke the name as it is thought of Robert Sully for it fell to his part in the division if you would not rather have him to take his name of it The farther more is named Barry of Baruch an holy man buried there who as he gave name to the place so the place gave the sirname afterwards to the Lords thereof For that noble Family of Vicounts Barries in Ireland had their originall from hence In a Rocke or cliffe heereof by the sea side saith Giraldus there appeareth a very little chincke into which if you lay your eare you shall heare a noise as it were of Smithes at worke one while the blowing of bellowes another while the striking of sledge and hammer sometime the sound of the Grindstone and iron tooles rubbing against it the hissing sparkes also of steele-gads within holes as they are beaten yea and the puffing noise of fire burning in the
Garumna the Armorici their name for that they inhabited upon the Sea-side and the Horesci theirs because their inhabitation was upon the river Eske Neither is the very name of Ordevices quite vanished without any remaines thereof in this Tract For a great part of it which lyeth to the Sea-side is yet by the inhabitants usually called Ardudwy whereof it may seeme the Romanes have made these tearmes Ordovic and Ordevices carrying a softer and gentler sound But the whole Countrey excepting one small Shire is called of the Latine Writers by one name of a later stampe Guinethia and Venedotia and of the Britans Guineth and the same from the Veneti of Armorica as some thinke who as Caesar writeth Were wont very oft to saile unto Britaine But if I might bee allowed to change one onely letter I would suppose that this name was knowne to the Greekes and to Pausanias who in his Arcadica recordeth that Antoninus Pius the Emperour grievously punished the Brigantes for that they had made inrodes into GENOUNIA a Province of the Romans in Britaine Certes if it might bee lawfull to reade Genouthia for Genounia so neere in sound coÌ„meth that word to Guinethia and this Guinethia bordereth so neer to the Brigantes that unlesse Pausanias ment this region let Sibylla her selfe declare where it was and what it should be But these Countries belonged to the old ORDOVICES which are now called in English by new names Montgomery-shire Merioneth-shire Caernarvon-shire Denbigh-shire and Flint-shire MONGOMERY Comitatus qui olim pars ORDOVICVM MONTGOMERY-SHIRE MONTGOMERY-SHIRE in British Sire Tre-Faldwin so called of the principall Towne therein bounded on the South-side with Cardigan and Radnor-shires on the East with Shropp-shire on the North with Denbigh-shire and on the West with Merionith although it hath many an high Hill in it yet by reason of plentifull Valleies it is a good Country as well for Corne as Pasture and in old time a fruitefull breeder of the best kinde of Horses which as Giraldus saith by natures workemanship pourtraying as it were in a picture their noble shapes were very commendable as well for the Majesty of their making and bigge limmes as for their incomparable swiftnesse In the utmost corner of this Shire Westward where it endeth pointwise in manner of a Cone or Pine apple standeth Machleneth haply that which the Romanes called MAGLONA where under the Generall of Britaine in the time of the Emperour Theodosius the younger lay in Garison the Captaine of the Regiment of the Solenses for to represse and keepe under the Mountainers and two miles from hence neere unto Penall there is a place to bee seene named Keven Caer that is The backe or ridge of a Citie where peeces of Romane Coine are other whiles digged up and a circular forme of Walles of no small circuit are apparently seene by the remaines Five miles hence the Hill Plinlimon whereof I spake raiseth it selfe up to a wonderfull height and on that part where it boundeth one side of this shire it powreth forth SABRINA the greatest River in Britaine next to Thamis which the Britans tearme Haffren and Englishmen Severn Whence the name was derived I could never reade For that seemeth to smell of a fable which Geffrey hath devised of the Virgin Sabrina therein drowned and which a late Poet following his steps hath delivered thus in Verse In flumen pracipitatur Abren Nomen Abren fluvio de virgine nomen eidem Nomine corrupto deinde Sabrina datur Into the streame was Abren headlong cast The River then taking that Virgins name Hight Abren and thereof Sabrin at last Which tearme in speech corrupt implies the same This River immediately from his spring head maketh such a number of windings in and out in his course that a man would thinke many times hee returnes againe to his fountaine yet for all that hee runneth forward or rather slowly wandereth through this shire Shropp-shire Worcester-shire and last of all Glocester-shire infusing a certaine vitall moisture into the soile every where as he passeth untill at length hee mildely dischargeth himselfe into the Severn Sea But in this shire it being overshadowed with Woods after much strugling hee getteth out Northward by Lanidlos Trenewith or Newtowne and Caer-fuse which as they say is both ancient and enjoyeth also ancient priviledges and not farre from his East banke leaveth behinde him the Castle and Towne of Montgomery upon the rising of a Rocke having a pleasant Plaine under it The Englishmen named the Castle Montgomery and the Latines Mons Gomericus of Roger de Montgomery Earle of Shrewesbury who winning much land heereabout from the Welsh built it as wee finde in Domesday booke But when his sonne Robert was attainted for Rebellion King Henry the First gave this Castle and the honour of Montgomery to Baldwin Bollers in marriage with Sybill of Falais his Niece According to whose name the Welshmen call the Towne standing a little from the Castle Tre-Faldwin that is Baldwins Towne From this Baldwin descended Vital Engain who claimed this Honour as right Heire in the time of king Henry the Third About which time the said king Henry the Third raised it up againe out of the very ashes For the Welsh had slaine the Garison Souldiers and overthrowne it and so it lay desolate for many yeeres and Florilegus fableth That hee of the situation of the place then first named it Montgomery Certaine it is that the said king then granted by his Patent That the Burrough of Montgomery should be a free Burrough with other Liberties Now the Herberâ—s are heere seated branched out from a brother of Sir William Herbert the first Earle of Penbroke of that name Hard by this Corndon Hill mounteth up to a very great height in the top whereof are placed certaine stones in a round circle like a Coronet whence it taketh that name in memoriall as it should seeme of some victory A little higher Severn glideth downe by Trellin that is The Towne by a Poole whereupon it is called Welch Poole in English It hath a Castle joyning unto it on the South side called Castle Coch of a kinde of reddish stone wherewith it is built which within the compasse of one wall containeth two Castles the one belonged to the Lord of Powis the other to the Baron Dudley Cadugane the sonne of Blethin that renowned Britan of whom I spake whiles he was busie about the building of this Castle was as we finde in the Epitome of Lancarbanensis slaine by his nephew Madock Right over against this Castle on the other side of the River standeth Buttington well knowne by reason of the Danes wintering there out of which Adhered Earle of the Mercians expelled them in the yeere of Christ 894. as Marianus writeth Severn being past these places turneth by little and little Eastward that he may the sooner entertaine the small River Tanet which being once received into his society hee
goeth on forward to Shropp-shire That MEDIOLANUM a Towne of the Ordovices which both Antonine the Emperour and Ptolomee speake of stood in this Shire I am in a manner perswaded upon probability The footings whereof I have sought after with all diligence but little or nothing have I found of it For time consumeth the very carcasses even of Cities Yet if we may ground any conjecture upon the situation seeing the Townes which Antonine placeth on either side be so well knowne to wit BONIUM now Bangor by Dee on the one side and RUTUNIUM now Rowton Castle on the other side for he setteth it twelve Italian miles distant from this and from the other twenty The lines of Position if I may so tearme them or of the distance rather doe cut one another crosse betweene Matrafall and Lan-vethlin which are scarce three miles asunder and shew as it were demonstratively the site of our Mediolanum For this cannot chuse but bee an infallible way to finde out the situation of a third place by two others that are knowne when as there are neither hils interposed nor any troublous turnings of the wayes As for this Matrafall which standeth five miles Westward from Severn although it bee now but a bare name was sometime the regall seat of the Princes of Powis which may bee an argument of the antiquity thereof and the same much spoken of by Writers who record that after the Princes had once forsaken it Robert Vipont an Englishman built a Castle But Lan-vethlin that is Vethlius Church being a little Mercate Towne although it be somewhat farther off from the crosse-meeting of the said lines yet commeth it farre neerer in resemblance of name to Mediolanum For of Methlin by the propriety of the British tongue is made Vethlin like as of Caer-Merden is come Caer Verden and of Ar-mon Arvon Neither doth Methlin more jarre and disagree in sound from Mediolanum than either Millano in Italie Le Million in Xantoigne or Methlen in the Lowcountries which Cities no man doubteth were all in times past knowne by the name of Mediolanum Which of these conjectures commeth neerer to the truth judge you for me it is enough to give my guesse If I should say that either Duke Medus or Prince Olanus built this Mediolanum of ours and those Cities of the same name in Gaule or that whiles they were a building Sus mediatim Lanata that is That a Sow halfe fleeced with wooll was digged up might I not be thought thinke you to catch at Clouds and fish for Nifles Yet notwithstanding the Italians write as much of their Mediolanum But seeing that most true it is that these Cities were built by nations of the same language and that the Gaules and Britans spake all one language I have prooved already it is probable enough that for one and the same cause they had also one and the same denomination Howbeit this our Mediolanum in nothing so farre as I know agreeth with that of Italie unlesse it be that both of them are seated upon a plaine betweene two riverets and a learned Italian derived the name of their Mediolanum hence because it is a Citie standing in the middest betweene Lanas that is little rivers according to his owne interpretation But this may seeme overmuch of MEDIOLANUM which I have sought heere and about Alcester not farre off This Countie hath adorned no Earle with the name title and Honour thereof untill of late our Soveraigne King James created Philip Herbert second Sonne of Henry Earle of Penbroke by Mary Sidney for the singular love and affectionate favour toward him and for the great hope that he conceived of his vertues both Baron Herbert of Shurland and also Earle of Montgomery upon one and the same day at Greenwich in the yeere 1605. But the Princes of Powis descended from the third Sonne of Rotherike the great held this shire with others in a perpetuall line of succession although Roger and Hugh of Montgomery had encroched upon some part thereof untill the daies of King Edward the Second For then Oen ap Gruffin ap Guenwinwyn the last Lord of Powis of the British bloud for the name of Prince had long before been worne out of use left one onely daughter named Hawise whom Sir Iohn Charleton an English man the Kings Valect married and in right of his wife was by King Edward the Second made Lord of Powise who as I have seene in very many places gaue for his Armes a Lion Geules Rampant in a shield Or which he received from his wifes Progenitours Of his posterity there were foure males that bare this Honorable title untill that in Edward the succession of males had an end for he the said Edward begat of Aeleonor the daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Iane Wife to Sir Iohn Grey Knight and Joice married unto Iohn Lord Tiptoft from whom the Barons of Dudley and others derive their descent The said Sir Iohn Grey for his martiall prowesse and by the bountifull fauour of King Henry the Fifth received the Earledome of Tanquervill in Normandie to have unto him and his heires males by delivering one Bassinet at the Castle of Roan every yeere on Saint Georges day This John had a sonne named Henrie Lord of Powis in whose race the title of Powis with the Honour thereof continued untill Edward Grey died well neere in our time leaving no issue lawfully begotten This Shire hath Parishes 47. MERIONITH Comitatus olim pars ORDOVICVM MERIONETH-SHIRE FFrom the backeside of Montgomery-shire MERIONETH-SHIRE in British Sire-Verioneth in Latine Mervinia and as Giraldus calleth it Terra filiorum Canaeni that is Canaens sonnes Land reacheth to that crooked Bay I spake of and to the maine Sea which on the West side beateth so sore upon it that it is verily thought to have carryed away by violence some part thereof Southward for certaine miles together it is severed from Cardigan-shire by the river Dovy on the North it boundeth upon Caer-narvon and Denbigh-shires As for the in-land part it so riseth with mountaines standing one by another in plumps that as Giraldus saith it is the roughest and most unpleasant Country to see to in all Wales For it hath in it mountaines of a wonderfull height yet narrow and passing sharpe at the top in manner of a needle and those verily not scattering heere and there one but standing very thicke together and so even in height that Shepheards talking together or railing one at another on the tops of them if haply they appoint the field to encounter and meet together they can hardly doe it from morning till night But let the Reader heerein relie upon Giraldus credit Great flockes of Sheepe graze all over these mountaines neither are they in danger of Wolves who were thought then to have beene ridde quite out of all England and Wales when King Eadgar imposed upon Ludwall Prince of these
part of the Shire Nature hath loftily areared it up farre and neere with Mountaines standing thicke one by another as if she would here have compacted the joynts of this Island within the bowels of the earth and made this part thereof a most sure place of refuge for the Britans in time of adversitie For there are so many roughes and Rocks so many vales full of Woods with Pooles heere and there crossing over them lying in the way betweene that no Armie nay not so much as those that are lightly appoynted can finde passage A man may truely if he please terme these Mountaines the British Alpes for besides that they are the greatest of the whole Island they are no lesse steepe also with cragged and rent Rockes on every side than the Alpes of Italie yea and all of them compasse one Mountaine round about which over-topping the rest so towreth up with his head aloft in the aire as he may seeme not to threaten the Skie but to thrust his head up into Heaven And yet harbour they the Snow for all the yeere long they be hory with Snow or rather with an hardened crust of many Snowes felted together Whence it is that all these hilles are in British by one name termed Craig Eriry in English Snow-don which in both languages sound as much as Snowie Mountaines like as Niphates in Armenia and Imaus in Scythia tooke their names as Plinie witnesseth of Snow Neverthelesse so ranke are they with grasse that it is a very common speech among the Welsh That the Mountaines Eriry will yeeld sufficient pasture for all the Cattaile in Wales if they were put upon them together Concerning the two Meares on the toppe of these in the one of which floreth a wandring Island and in the other is found great store of Fishes but having all of them but one eye a peece I will say nothing left I might seeme to foster fables although some confident upon the authoritie of Giraldus have beleeved it for a veritie Yet certaine it is that there be in the very toppe of these Mountaines Pooles in deed and standing Waters whereupon Gervase of Tilbury in his Booke entituled Otia Imperialia writeth thus In the Land of Wales within the bounds of great Britain there be high Hilles that haue laied their foundations upon most hard Rockes and in the toppe thereof the earth is crusted over with such a coate of waterish moisture that wheresoever a man doe but lightly set his foote he shall perceive the ground to stirre the length of a stones cast from him whereupon when the enemies came the Welsh with their agility and nimblenesse lightly leaping over the boggy ground either avoide the enemies assaults or to their losse resolutely expect their forces These Mountainers John Salisbury in his Polycraticon by a new forged Latine name termed Nivicollinos that is Snow-down inhabitants of whom in King Henry the Second his daies he wrote thus The Snow-downe Britans make inrodes and being now come out of their Caves and lurking holes of the Woods enlarge their borders possesse the plaines of the Noble men and whiles themselves looke on they assault they winne and overthrow them or else keepe the same to their owne behoofe because our youth which is so daintily brought up and loves to be house-birds and to live lazie in the shade being borne onely to devoure the fruits of the earth and to fill the belly sleepes untill it be broad day light c. But come wee downe now from the Mountaines into the Champion Plaines which because we finde no where else but by the Sea side it may suffice to coast only along the shore The Promontory which I said before shooteth out toward the South-west is in Ptolomee called according to the diversitie of copies CANGANUM JANGANUM and LANGANUM Which is the truest name I know not but LANGANUM it may seeme considering that the inhabitants name it at this day Lhein which runneth forth with a narrow and even by-land having larger and more open fields than the rest of the Country and the same yeelding Barley most plenteously Two little Townes it sheweth and no more that are memorable Farther within upon the Creeke is Pullhely that is that Salt Meare or Poole more outward by the Irish Sea hat beateth upon the other side of the Bi-land is Nevin a Village having a Merket kept in it wherein the Nobility of England in the yeere of our Lord 1284. in a Triumph over the Welsh did celebrate the memory of Arthur the great as Florilegus writeth with Iustes Turnaments and festivall pompe If any other Townes flourished here then were they destroied when Hugh Earle of Chester Robert of Rudland and Guarin of Salop entring into this Country first of all the Normans so wasted this Promontory that for the space of seven whole yeeres it lay dispeopled and desolate From Nevin the shore pointed and endented with one or two elbowes lying out into the sea tendeth Northward and then turning afront North-east by a narrow sea or Frith they call it Menai it serveth the Isle Anglesey from the firme land Upon this straight or narrow sea stood SEGONTIUM a City which Antonine the Emperour maketh mention of some reliques of the walles I saw neere unto a little Church built in honour of Saint Pulblicius It tooke the name of a River running by the side of it which yet at this day is called Seiont and issueth out of the Poole Lin-Peru In which there is a kinde of fish peculiar to that water and seene no where else called by the dwellers there Tor-coch of the belly that is somewhat red Now seeing that in an ancient copie of Ptolomee SETANTIORUM PORTUS is here placed which according to other copies is set farther off if I should reade in stead of it SEGONTIORUM PORTUS that is the Haven of the Segontians and say it stood upon the mouth of this River I should perhaps aime at the truth if not yet should I obtaine pardon for my conjecture of a courteous Reader This Citie Ninnius called Caer Custenith and hee that wrote the life of Gruffin the Sonne of Conan recordeth that Hugh Earle of Chester built a Castle in Hean Caer Custenith that is as the Latine Interpreter translâ—teth it in the auncient Citie of Constantine the Emperour And Matthew of Westminster writeth but let him make it good if he can that the bodie of Constantius Father to Constantine the Great was here found in the yeere of our Lord 1283. and honourably bestowed in the Church of the new Citie by the commandement of King Edward the First Who out of the ruines of this Towne at the same time raised the Citie Caer-narvon somewhat higher upon the Rivers mouth so as that on the West and North-sides it is watered therewith Which as it was called Caer-narvon because it standeth right ouer against the Island Mona for so much
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
solemne investure and a kisse in full Parliament upon his eldest Sonne who gloriously bare the name of King Henry the Fifth His Sonne King Henry the Sixth who at his Fathers death was an Infant in the cradle conferred likewise this honour which he never had himselfe upon his young Sonne Edward whose unhappie fortune it was to have his braines dashed out cruelly by the faction of Yorke being taken prisoner at Tewkesbury field Not long after King Edward the Fourth having obtained the Crowne created Edward his young Sonne Prince of Wales who was afterwards in the lineall succession of Kings Edward the Fifth of that name And within a while after his Unkle King Richard the Third who made him away ordained in his roome Edward his owne Sonne whom King Edward the Fourth had before made Earle of Salisburie but he died quickly after Then King Henrie the Seventh created his eldest sonne Arthur Prince of Wales and when he was dead Henrie his other Sonne well knowne in the world by the name of King Henrie the Eighth Every one of these had the Principality of Wales given unto them by the foresaid solemne investure and delivery of a Patent To hold to themselves and their Heires Kings of England For Kings would not bereave themselves of so excellent an occasion to doe well by their Eldest Sonnes but thought it very good policie by so great a benefit to oblige them when they pleased Queene Mary Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the Children of King Henrie the Eighth although they never had investure nor Patent yet were commonly named in their order Princes of Wales For at that time Wales was by authoritie of Parliament so annexed and united to the Kingdome of England that both of them were governed vnder the same Law or that you may reade it abridged out of the Act of Parliament The Kings Country or dominion of Wales shall stand and continue for ever incorporated united and annexed to and with the Realme of England and all and singular person and persons borne and to be borne in the said Principalitie Country or Dominion of Wales shall have enioy and inherit all and singular freedomes liberties rights priviledges and Lawes within this Realme and other the Kings Dominions as other the Kings Subiects naturally borne within the same have enioy and inherit and the Lawes Ordinances and Statutes of the Realme of England for ever and none other shall he had used practised and executed in the said Country or Dominion of Wales and every part thereof in like manner forme and order as they be and shall be in this Realme and in such like manner and forme as heereafter shall be further established and ordained This Act and the calme command of King Henrie the Seventh preparing way for it effected that in a short time which the violent power of other Kings armes and especially of Henrie the Fourth with extreame rigour also of Lawes could not draw on in many yeeres For ever sithence the British Nation hath continued as faithfully and dutifully in their Loyall Allegiance to the Crowne of England as any other part of the Realme whatsoever Now am I to returne out of Wales into England and must goe unto the Brigantes BRIGANTES BRITAINE which hitherto hath as it were launched out with huge Promontories looking on the one side toward Germanie on the other side toward Ireland now as if it were afraid of the Sea violently inrushing upon it withdraweth it selfe farther in and by making larger separations of lands retireth backe gathered into a farre narrower breadth For it is not past one hundred miles broad from coast to coast which on both sides passe on in a maner with straight and direct shores Northward as farre as to Scotland All this part well neere of the Island while the Romane Empire stood upright and flourished in Britaine was inhabited by the BRIGANTES For Plinie writeth that they dwelt from the East Sea to the West A nation this was right valiant populous withall and of especiall note among ancient Authors who all doe name them BRIGANTES unlesse it be Stephanus onely in his booke Of Cities who called them BRIGAE in which place that which he wrote of them is defective at this day in the bookes by reason that the sentence is imperfect If I should thinke that these were called Brigantes of Briga which in the ancient Spanish tongue signified A Citie I should not satisfie my selfe seeing it appeareth for certaine out of Strabo that it is a meere Spanish word If I were of opinion with Goropius that out of the Low Dutch tongue they were termed Brigantes as one would say Free-hands should I not obtrude upon you his dreames for dainties Howsoever the case standeth our Britanes or Welsh-men if they see any of a bad disposition and audaciously playing lawlesse and lewde parts use to say of them by way of a common merry quippe Wharret Brigans that is They play the Brigants And the French-men at this day alluding as it seemeth to the ancient language of the Gaules usually terme such lewde fellowes Brigans like as Pirats Ships Brigantins But whether the force of the word was such in old time in the Gaules or Britanes language or whether our Brigantes were such like men I dare not determine Yet if my memory faile me not Strabo calleth the Brigantes a people about Alpes Grassatores that is Robbers and Iulius a Belgian a young man of desperate boldnesse who counted power authority honestie and vertue to be nothing but naked names is in Tacitus surnamed Briganticus With which kinde of vice our old Brigantes may seeme to have been tainted when they so robbed and spoiled the neighbour inhabitants that the Emperour Antoninus Pius for this cause tooke away a great part of their Country from them as Pausanias witnesseth who writeth thus of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Antoninus Pius cut the Brigantes in Britaine short of a great part of their Country because they began to take armes and in hostile maner to invade Genunia a Region subject to the Romanes Neither will any I hope take this as a reproach Surely I should seeme farre unlike my selfe if I fell now to taxe ignominiously any private person much lesse a Nation Neither was this counted a reproachfull imputation in that warlike age when all Nations reckoned that their right which they could winne or hold by might and dint of sword Roberies saith Caesar among the Germans are not noted with infamie such I meane as are committed without the borders of every State and they allow the practise thereof to exercise their youth withall and to keepe them from idlenesse And for a reason not unlike the Paeones among the Greekes are so called quia Percussores that is because they were cutters The Quadi among the Germans and the Chaldaei likewise are reported to have gotten those names because they used to robbe and kill Now in that Florianus Del-Campe a Spaniard hath
were erected unto them We worship saith he The heads of great Rivers and the sudden breaking forth of an huge River out of an hidden and secret place hath Altars consecrated unto it Againe All waters as Servius Honoratus saith had their severall Nymphs to take the rule and protection of them Moreover in a Wall of the Church is fastened this broken and unperfect Inscription RUM CAES. AUG ANTONINI ET VERI JOVI DILECTI CAECILIUS PRAEF COH But in the very Church it selfe whiles I sought diligently for monuments of Romane Antiquity I found nothing but the Image in stone all armed of Sir Adam Midleton who seemeth to have flourished under King Edward the First and whose posterity remaineth yet in the Country heereby at Stubbam More beneath standeth Otley a Towne of the Archbishops of Yorke but it hath nothing memorable unlesse it bee one high and hard craggy cliffe called Chevin under which it is situate For the ridge of an hill the Britans terme Chevin whence I may conjecture that that continued ridge of mountaines in France where in old time they spake the same language that Britans did was called Gevenna and Gebenna After this Wherf runneth hard by with his bankes on both sides reared up and consisting of that Limestone which maketh grounds fat and fertile where I saw Harewood Castle of good strength which by the alteration of times hath often changed his Lords Long since it belonged to the Curcies but by Alice an inheritrice it came to Warin Fitz-Gerold who had taken her to wife whose daughter Margerie and one of his heires being endowed with a very great estate of living was first married unto Baldwin de Ripariis the Earles sonne of Devon-shire who dyed before his father afterwards to Folque de Brent by the beneficiall favour of King John for his approved service in pilling polling and spoiling most cruelly But when at length Isabell de Ripariis Countesse of Devon-shire departed this life without issue This Castle fell unto Robert de L'isle the sonne of Warin as unto her cozin in bloud and one of her heires in the end by those of Aldborrough it descended to the â—ithers as I am enformed by Francis Thinn who very diligently and judiciously hath a long time hunted after Pedigree antiquities Neither is Gawthorp adjoyning hereby to be concealed in silence when as the ancient Family of Gascoignes descended out of Gascoigne in France as it seemeth hath made it famous both with their vertue and Antiquity From hence runneth Wherf hard by Wetherby a Mercate Towne of good note which hath no antiquity at all to shew but a place only beneath it they call it usually now Saint Helens Fourd where the high Roman street crossed over the river From thence he passeth downe by Tadcaster a very little towne yet I cannot but thinke as well by the distance from other places as by the nature of the soile and by the name that it was CALCARIA For it is about nine Italian miles from Yorke according as Antonine hath set CALCARIA Also the limestone which is the very soader and binder of all morter and hardly elsewhere in this tract to be found heere is digged up in great plenty and vented as farre as to Yorke and the whole Country bordering round about for use in building Considering then that the said Lime was by the Britans and Saxons in old time and is by the Northren Englishmen called after the Roman name Calc For that imperious City Rome imposed not their yoke onely but their language also upon the subdued Nations seeing also that in the Code of Theodosius those bee tearmed Calcarienses who are the burners of limestone it may not seeme absurd if the Etymology of the name be fetched from Calx that is Chalke or Lime even as Chalcis of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is brasse Ammon of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Sand Pteleon of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Elmes and Calcaria a City of Cliveland haply of Calx that is Lime tooke their names especially seeing that Bede calleth it also Calca-cester Where he reporteth that Heina the first woman in this Country that put on the Vaile and religious habite of a Nunne retyred her selfe apart to this City and therein made her abode Moreover an Hill neere to the Towne is called Kelc-bar in which there lieth couched somewhat of the ancient name Neither are there other arguments wanting to prove the antiquity thereof For to say nothing how it is situate upon a port high way there be peeces of the Roman Emperours money oftentimes digged up and the tokens of the Trenches and Bankes that compassed it about the plot also where an old Castle stood yet remaining out of the reliques whereof not many yeeres agoe was a Bridge built which when Wherf is once passed under he becommeth more still and so gently intermingleth his water with Ouse And verily a thing it is in my judgement to be wondered at That Wherf being encreased with so many waters in Summer time runneth so shallow under this Bridge that one comming hither about Midsommer when he saw it pretily and merrily versified thus Nil Tadcaster habet Musis vel carmine dignum Praeter magnificè structum sine flumine pontem Nought hath Tadcaster worth my Muse and that my verse deserv's Unlesse a faire Bridge stately built the which no river serv's But had he come in Winter time he should have seene the Bridge so great as it was scarce able to receive so much water But naturall Philosophers know full well that both Welles and rivers according to the seasons and the heat or cold without or within do decrease or encrease accordingly Whereupon in his returne he finding here durt for dust and full currant water under the Bridge recanted with these verses Quae Tadcaster erat sine flumine pulvere plena Nunc habet immensum fluvium pro pulvere lutum Somewhat higher Nid a muddy river runneth downe well beset with woods on either side out of the bottome of Craven hils first by Niderdale a vale unto which it giveth name and from thence carrieth his streame by Rippley a Mercate Towne where the Inglebeys a Family of great antiquity flourished in good reputation Afterwards with his deepe chanell hee fenseth Gnaresburg commonly called Knarsborow Castle situate upon a most ragged and rough Rocke whence also it hath the name which Serle de Burgh Unkle by the fathers side to Eustace Vescy built as the tradition holdeth Afterward it became the seate of the Estoteviles and now is counted part of the lands belonging to the Dutchy of Lancaster Under it there is a well in which the waters spring not up out of the veines of the earth but distill and trickle downe dropping from the rockes hanging over it whence they call it Dropping well into which what wood soever is put
〈◊〉 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
Temple of Bellona by the errour of a rusticall Augur or Soothsaying Priest At which time the Tribunal or Justice Haul of this City was in this respect most happy because therein sat to minister justice that Oracle of the law Aemelius Paulus Papinianus as Forcatulus witnesseth And from this place it was for certaine that Severus and Antoninus Emperours being consulted in a case or question of Right gave forth their Imperiall constitution De rei Vindicatione An hundred yeeres or thereabout after the death of Severus Fl. Valerius Constantius sirnamed Chlorus an Emperour surpassing in all vertue and Christian piety who came hether When the Gods as the Panegyrist saith called him now to the inmost entry and doore of the earth ended his life also in this City and was deified as we may see by ancient Coines And albeit Florilegus recordeth that his Tombe was found in Wales as I have said yet men of credite have enformed me that in our fathers remembrance when Abbaies were suppressed and pulled downe in a certaine Vault or crowdes or a little Chappell under the ground wherein Constantius was supposed to have beene buried there was found a Lampe burning for Lazius writeth that in ancient time they preserved light in Sepulchres by resolving gold artificially into a liquid and fatty substance which should continue burning a long time and for many ages together This Emperor begat of his former wife Helena CONSTANTINE THE GREAT THE DELIVERER OF ROME CITY as ancient inscriptions give testimony THE FOUNDER OF PEACE AND THE REPAIRER OF THE COMMON VVEALTH Who was present in Yorke at his fathers last gaspe and forthwith proclaimed Emperour The souldiers as the Panegyricall Oratour saith regarding rather the good of the State than private affections cast the purple robe upon him whiles hee wept and put spurs to his horse to avoid the importunity of the Army attempting and requiring so instantly to make him Emperour But the happinesse of the State overcame his modestie Whence it is that the Author of the Panegyricall oration crieth out in these words O fortunate Britaine and now blessed above all lands which first sawest Constantine Emperor Hence it may be gathered in what and how great estimation Yorke was in those daies seeing the Romane Emperours Court was there held For our owne Country Writers record that this City was by Constantius adorned and graced with an Episcopall See But yet that Taâ—rinus the Martyr Bishop of Eureux sat heere and governed I will not say as others doe For Vincentius out of whom they sucked this errour would by his owne words convince me of untruth But when the Romanes were departed and had left Britaine for a prey to barbarous Nations this City sore afflicted with many calamities suffered her part also of miseries and was little or nothing better about the end of the Scottish or Saxons Warres than a poore small shadow of a great name For when Paulinus preached Christian Religion to the English Saxons in this Country it lay so desolate that there remained not so much as a Chappell in it for King Edwin to bee baptized in Who in the yeere after Christs Birth 627. built a little Oratory of wood and when as afterward he went in hand with building a greater Church of stone scarce had he laid the foundation thereof when he was prevented by death and left it to be finished by his Successour Oswald Ever since that time the Ecclesiasticall Dignity in this Church encreased and by a Pall sent unto it from Honorius the Pope became a Metropolitane City which beside twelve Bishoprickes in England exercised the power of a Primate over all the Bishops of Scotland But many yeeres since Scotland withdrew it selfe from this her Metropolitane and the Metropolitane City it selfe hath so devoured other Bishoprickes adjoyning being but little to say truth and of small account that it hath now but foure within the owne Dioecese namely the Bishoprickes of Durrham of Chester of Carlile and of Man or Sodorensis in the Isle of Man And the Archbishop Egbert who flourished about the yeere of our Salvation 740. erected at Yorke A most famous Library the Cabinet as I may so terme it these be the words of William of Malmesbury and Closet of all liberall Arts. Touching which Library Alcwin of Yorke Schoolemaster to Charles the Great first Founder of the University of Paris and the onely Honour of this City in an Epistle to the said Charles wrote thus Give mee the bookes of deeper and more exquisite scholasticall learning such as I had in mine owne Country by the good and most devout industry of the Archbishop Egbert And if it please your wisedome I will send backe some of your owne servants who may exemplifie out of them all those things that be necessary and bring the floures of Britaine into France that there may not be a Garden of learning enclosed onely within Yorke walles but that streames of Paradise may be also at Towres Then also it was that Princes bestowed many and great livings and lands upon the Church of Yorke especially Ulphus the sonne of Toral I note so much out of an old booke that there may plainly appeare a custome of our ancestour in endowing Churches with livings This Ulphus aforesaid ruled in the West part of Deira and by reason of the debate that was like to arise betweene his sonnes the elder and the younger about their Lordships and Signiories after his death forthwith hee made them all alike For without delay hee went to Yorke tooke the horne with him out of which hee was wont to drinke filled it with wine and before the Altar of God and blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles kneeling upon his knees he dranke and thereby enfeoffed them in all his lands and revenewes Which horne was there kept as a monument as I have heard untill our fathers daies I might seeme to speake in derogation of the Clergy if I should report what secret heart-burnings or rather open enmities flashed out betweene the Archbishops of Yorke and of Canterbury upon worldly ambition whiles with great wast of their wealth but more losse of their credite and reputation they bickered most eagerly about the Primacy For the Church of Yorke as he writeth inferiour though it were unto that of Canterbury in riches yet being equall in dignity albeit of later time founded and advanced on high with the same power that Canterbury hath confirmed also with the like authority of Apostolicall Priviledges tooke it ill to bee subject unto that of Canterbury by vertue of a Decree of Alexander of Rome who ordained That the Church of Yorke ought to be subject unto Canterbury and in all things to obey the constitutions of the Archbishop thereof as Primate of all Britaine in such matters as appertaine to Christian Religion Concerning the Archbishops of Yorke it is no part verily of my purpose to write any thing heere although there bee very many of
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
an Attourney a Receiver a Clerke of the Court sixe Assistants a Messenger two Auditors 23. Receivers and three Supervisors c. There are counted in this shire beside very many Chappels Parishes 36. and no more but those wonderfull populous and which for multitude of inhabitants farre exceed the greatest parishes elsewhere WESTMORLANDIAE Comitatus qui olim Spectaint ad BRIGANTAS WEST-MOR-LAND BEYOND the furthest part of Lancashire more Northward lieth another lesser countrey of the Brigantes called by late Latine writers Westmaria and Westmorlandia in our tongue West-more-land and of some later Latine writers Westmoria bounded on the West and North side with Cumberland on the East with Yorke-shire and the Bishopricke of Durham Which because it lyeth all of it among moores and high hilles reaching one to another for our Apennine waxeth here broader and broader still as it runneth and was for the most part un-manured came by this name in our language For such barren places which cannot easily by the painfull labour of the husbandman bee brought to fruitfulnesse the Northren Englishmen call Moores and West-more-land is nothing else with us but A westerne moorish country Let that dreame therefore as touching King Marius bee excluded out of the schoole of reverend antiquity who forsooth as our Chroniclers have dreamed subdued the Picts and called this countrey after his owne name The more Southerly part of this shire contained in a narrow roome betweene the river Lone and Winander mere is reputed fruitfull enough in the vallies although it can shew many felles with rough and stony rockes lying ever bare without grasse and is all tearmed by one name The Barony of Kendale and Candale that is The Dale by Can for it took name of the river Can which running rough upon stones cutteth through it On the west banke whereof standeth Kandale or Kendale called also Kirke by Kandale a towne of very great trade and resort with two broad and long streets crossing the one over the other and a place for excellent clothing and for industry so surpassing that in regard thereof it carrieth a great name For the inhabitants have great trafficke and vent of their woollen clothes throughout all parts of England They count it also much for their credit that it hath dignified Barons and Earles with the title thereof As for their Barons they were the offspring of Iuo Taleboys of whose race William by consent of King Henry the second called himselfe William of Lancaster whose Niece and heire was wedded unto Gilbert the sonne of Roger Fitz-Reinfrid by whose daughters after her sonne William was dead the inheritance went to Peter Brus Lord of Skelton the second of that forename and unto William Lindesay from whom by the mothers side as we learne out of the Lieger book of Fornesse Abbey Ingelram Lord of Coucy in France fetched his descent By which Peter Brus his daughter the sister and heire of Peter Brus the third came this Barony to the Rosses of Werke and from them by right of inheritance this possession was devolved upon the Parres of whom Sir William Par was made Lord Par by King Henry the eighth As for the Castle the ancient seat of these Lords standing over against the towne it runneth to decay through age and neglect As for Earles of Kendale there have beene three in number John Duke of Bedford advanced to that honour by his brother King Henry the fifth John Duke of Somerset and John de Foix of that most noble and honorable family of the Foix in France whom King Henry the sixth for his faithfull service in the French warres had preferred to that dignity Whence perhaps it is that some of this house of Foix in France retain the name still of Candale As for any glory else of antiquity Kendall to my knowledge challengeth none And yet I was once of opinion that it was CONCANGII a station place sometimes of the Romanes but time hath now instructed mee better Somewhat beneath in the river Can are two Catadupae or water falls where the waters have a downefall with a mighty noise the one is by Levens a little village the other more Southward neere to Betham which to the neighbour inhabitants are as good as true prognostications for when that which standeth North from them soundeth more cleere and aloud in their eares they looke certainely for faire weather when that on the South side doth the same they expect no other than showers of raine and foggy mists Thus much for the South and narrower part of this region which Westward is bounded with the river Winster and the spatious Lake Winander-mere whereof I spake erewhile and Eastward with the river Lone or Lune At the upper corner of Winander-mere lieth the dead carcasse as one would say of an ancient City with great ruines of walls and many heapes of rubbish one from another remaining of buildings without the walls yet to bee seene The fortresse thereof was somewhat long fensed with a ditch and rampire for it tooke up in length 132. Ells and in bredth 80. That it had beene the Romans worke is evident by the British brickes by the mortar tempered with little peeces of bricke among by small earthen pots or pitchers by small cruets or vials of glasse by peeces of Roman money oftentimes there found and by round stones as much as milstones or quernstones of which layed and couched together they framed in old time their columnes and by the paved high waies leading unto it Now the ancient name thereof is gone unlesse a man would ghesse at it and thinke it were that AMBOGLANA whereof the booke of Notices maketh mention seeing at this day it is called Ambleside On the East side the river Lone serveth for a limit and after his name the tract lying about it is called Lonsdale the principall towne whereof is Kirkby Lonsdale whither all the people round about repaire to Church and mercate Above the Spring-head of Lone the countrey spreadeth broader and the hills shoot out with many turnings betweene which there lye some vallies marvellous steepe and deepe withall with many hollow places in manner of caves Among these hills that notable river Eden which Ptolomee calleth ITUNA shewing his head first in Yorkshire carrying a small and faint streame in the beginning but afterwards growing by little and little bigger with sundry beckes still augmenting it seeketh a way Northwest by Pendragon Castle which hath nothing left unto it unconsumed by time besides the bare name and an heape of stones From thence hee passeth by Wharton Hall the seat of the Barons Wharton of whom the first was Sir Thomas Wharton advanced to that dignity by King Henry the Eighth whom succeeded his sonne of the same name and after him Philip that now liveth the third Baron a right honourable person Afterwards it runneth downe by Kirkby Stephen a mercate towne well knowne and both the Musgraves two little villages
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
made a turfe wall rearing it not so much with stone as with turfes as having no canning Artificer for so great a piece of worke and the same to no use betweene two Friths or Armes of the sea for many miles in length that where the fense of water was wanting there by the helpe of a wall they might defend their borders from the invasion of enemies of which worke that is to say a very broad and high wall a man may see to this day most certaine and evident remaines This wall began as the Scots in these dayes give out at the river Aven that goeth into Edenborrough Forth and having passed over the riveret Carron reacheth unto Dunbritton But Bede as I said erewhile affirmeth that it beginneth in a place called Pen vaell that is in the Picts language as much as The head of the wall in the Britans tongue Pen-Gual in English Penwalton in Scottish Cevall all which names no doubt are derived from Vallum in Latine and he saith That place is almost two miles from Abereurvig or Abercurving And it endeth as the common sort thinke at Kirk-Patricke the native soile as some writeth of Saint Patrick the Irish-mens Apostle neere unto Cluyd according to Bede at Alcluid after Ninius at the Citie Pen Alcloyt which may seeme all one Now this wall is commonly called Grahams dyke either of Graham a warlike Scot whose valour was especially seene when the breach was made through it or else of the hill Grampie at the foot whereof it stood The author of Rota Temporum calleth it the wall of Aber-corneth that is of the mouth of the river Corneth where in Bedes time there was a famous monasterie standing as he hath recorded upon English ground but neere unto that frith or arme of the sea which in those daies severed the lands of the English and the Picts Hard by this wall of turfe what way as the river Carron crosseth this Sheriffdome of Sterling toward the left hand are seene two mounts cast up by mans hand which they call Duni pacis that is Knolles of peace and almost two miles lower there is an ancient round building foure and twentie cubits high and thirteene broad open in the top framed of rough stone without lime having the upper part of everie stone so tenanted into the nether as that the whole worke still rising narrow by a mutuall interlacing and clasping upholdeth it selfe Some call this the Temple of God TERMINUS others Arthurs-Oven who father everie stately and sumptuous thing upon Arthur Others againe Iulius Hoff and suppose it to have been built by Iulius Caesar. But I would think rather that Iulius Agricola built it who fortified this frontier part were it not that Ninius hath already enformed us that it was erected by Carausius for a triumphall Arch. For hee as Ninius writeth built upon the banke of Caron a round house of polished stone erecting a Triumphall Arch in memoriall of a victorie hee ree-dified also the wall and strengthened it with seven Castles In the middest space betweene Duni pacis and this building on the righthand-banke of Carron there is yet to be discerned a confused face of a little ancient Citie where the vulgar people beleeveth there was sometimes a road for ships who call it Camelot by a name that is rife in King Arthurs booke and they contend but all in vaine to have it that Camalodunum which Tacitus mentioneth But it would seeme rather by the name of the river Carron running underneath to have beene CORTA DAMNIORUM which Ptolomee mentioneth in this tract And now take with you that which George Buchanan that excellent Poet wrote of the limit of the Roman Empire at Carron Roma securigeris praetendit maenia Scotis Hîc spe progressus positâ Carronis ad undam Terminus Ausonii signat divertia regni 'Gainst warlike Scots with axes arm'd a mightie frontier wall The Romans rais'd and limit there which TERMINUS they call Neere Carron streame now past all hope more British ground to gaine Markes out the Roman Empires end whence they to turne were faine In this territorie of Sterling on the East side there sheweth it selfe Castle Callendar belonging to the Barons of Levingston and the family of the Barons Fleming dwelleth hard by at Cumbernald which they received at the hands of King Robert Brus for their service valiantly faithfully performed in defence of their country whereby also they attained unto the hereditarie honour to be Chamberlaines of Scotland And even very lately the favour of King James the Sixth hath honoured this house with the title of Earle what time as he created I. Baron Fleming Earle of Wigton In a place neere adjoining standeth Elpheingston which likewise hath his Barons advanced to that dignitie by King James the fourth And where Forth full of his windings and crooked crankes runneth downe with a rolling pace and hath a bridge over him standeth Sterlin commonly called Strivelin and Sterlin Burrough where on the very brow of a steepe rocke there is mounted on high a passing strong Castle of the Kings which King James the sixth hath beautified with new buildings and whereof this long time the Lords of Ereskin have been Captaines unto whom the charge and tuition of the Princes of Scotland during their minoritie hath been otherwhiles committed Whereas some there be that would have the good and lawfull money of England which is called Sterling money to take the name from hence they are much deceived for that denomination came from the Germans of their Easterly dwelling termed by Englishmen Esterlings whom King John of England first sent for to reduce the silver to the due finenesse and puritie and such monies in ancient writing are ever more found by the name of Esterling But concerning Sterlin towne the verses that I. Jonston hath made shall supply all the rest Regia sublimis celsa despectat ab arce Pendula sub biferis maenia structa jugis Regum augusta parens Regum nutricula natis Hinc sibi Regifico nomine tota placet Hospita sed cuivis quovis sub nomine amicus Sive es seu non es hospes an hostis item Pro lucro cedit damnum Discordia tristis Heu quoties procerum sanguine tinxit humum Hoc uno infelix at felix coetera nusquam Laetior aut caelifrons geniusve soli A regall palace stately set beholds from mount aloft Towne wall built hanging on the side of hill with double cost The sacred mother unto Kings of Kings babes eke the nource Hence is it that she prides her selfe in Kings names and no worse But entertaineth every one by name it skils not what A friend or foe friend guest or no she reckneth nought of that In steed of gaine this turnes to losse Besides how oft alas Hath discord foule with Nobles blood stain'd hence both ground and grasse In this alone unhappie she else not nor shall ye finde
departed out of this life an aged man The second promontorie enclosed within two baies Maire and Bantre is named Beare standing for the most part upon hungry gravell and a leane stony soile In which live O Swillivant Beare and O Swillivant Bantre descended both of one and the same stocke men of great nobility in their country The third is called Eraugh lying betweene Bantre and Balatimore or Baltimore a Bay or Creeke passing well knowne by reason of the abundance of Herrings taken there whereunto resorteth every yeere a great fleet of Spaniards and Portugals even in the mids of winter to fish for Cods In this the O Mahons by the beneficiall gift of M. Carew received faire lands and Lordships This is that Ptolomee calleth NOTIUM that is the South-Promontorie at this day named Missen-head under which as we may read in him the river IERNUS is disgorged into the Ocean But what name the said river now hath in so great obscurity I hardly dare divine unlesse it be that which they call Maire and runneth hard under Dunk-eran aforesaid Neither wot I how to ghesse at those people whom the same Ptolomee placeth upon these promontories seeing that according to the varietie of copies they have sundry names as IBERNI OUTERNI IBERI and IVERNI unlesse peradventure like as their neighbours the LUCENI and CONCANI did they flitted hither from among the Iberi of Spaine Well this name of Desmond in the foregoing ages stretched farre and wide in this tract even from the sea unto the river Shanon and was called also South-Mounster The Fitz-Giralds descended out of the house of Kildare having subdued the Irish became Lords here of very large and goodly possessions and of them Maurice Fitz-Thomas unto whom T. Carew heire unto the Seigniory of Desmond had before passed away his right of Desmond was in the third yeere of King Edward the third created the first Earle of Desmond Among whose posterity many there were great men for their valour and wealth whose credit also and reputation reached farre But a bad name there went and still doth of James who having excluded his nephew from the inheritance entred himselfe by force upon it and imposed upon the people those most grievous tributes of Coyne Livery Cocherings Bonaghty c. for the maintenance of Galloglasses and Souldiers to spoile and harry the countrey Which when his sonne Thomas exacted and gathered of the poore people hee was by the commandement of John Tiptoft Deputy Lievtenant beheaded in the yeere 1467. and so suffered due punishment for his owne and his fathers wickednesse Howbeit when his children were restored againe in their off-spring this honour continued and descended in right of inheritance unto Girald that rebell whom erewhile I named who wilfully overthrew a most noble and potent family And when hee was attainted by Parliamentary authority Desmond was adjudged and annexed to the Crowne land reduced into the ranke of counties and a Sheriffe was ordained to governe it from yeere to yeere Neverthelesse in the last rebellion the rebells erected a titularie Earle and against him Queene Elizabeth granted the title of Earle of Desmond unto Iames Fitz-Girald sonne to the foresaid rebell who shortly after died issuelesse in the yeere 1601. They that herein beare the greatest name and most puissance are of the race of the Giraldines or Fitz-Giralds although they have for sundry respects assumed unto themselves divers sirnames VODIAE and CORIONDI AFter the Iberi there dwelt farre in the countrey the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are tearmed also VODIAE and UDIAE the footing of which name doth more expresly shew it selfe in Idou and Idouth two small territories like as the name of CORIONDI in the countie of Corke bordering upon them These nations inhabited the counties of Corke Tipperary Limericke and Waterford COMITATUS CORCAGIENSIS commonly called THE COUNTY OF CORK THe County of Corke which in old time was reputed a Kingdome comprised the whole tract along the sea from Lismore unto Saint Brend where it affronteth Desmond Westward hath in the midland parts thereof Muâ—keray a wild and woody country wherein Cormac Mac-Teg is of great name and toward the sea coast Carbray in which the Mac-Carties beare the most sway By the sea side the first place that we meet with is Rosse a road and port in times past well frequented but now lesse resorted unto by reason of a bar of sand From thence with a narrow neck runneth out a biland called the Old head of Kinsale neere unto which the family of the Curcies flourished in ancient times famous for their wealth descended from a brother of Iohn Curcy the Englishman that subdued Ulster and out of which there remaineth here still Curcy Baron of Ringrom but at this day this is the world of weak and meane estate After it at the mouth of the river Bany in a fertile soile and well woodded standeth Kinsale a very commodious port and a towne fortified with old walls under which in the yeere 1601. the kingdome of Ireland lay a bleeding and put it was upon the hazzard as it were of one cast of a die whether it should be subject to England or Spaine what time as the Iland was endangered both with forraine and domesticall warre and eight thousand old trained souldiers under the conduct of Don Iohn D' Aquila had of a sudden surprized and fortified it confident upon the censures and excommunications of Pius the fifth Gregorie the thirteenth and Clement the eighth Popes of Rome discharged like thunderbolts upon Queene Elizabeth and presuming confidently upon the aides of rebells who had sent for them under a goodly shew of restoring religion which in this age and variance about religion is every where pretended for to maske and cloak most ungracious and wicked designes But Sir Charles Blunt Baron Mountjoy L. Deputy presently belaied it round about both by sea and land albeit his souldiers were tired toiled out and the season of the yeere most incommodious as being midwinter and withall made head also against a rabble of rebels whom the Earle of Tir-Oen O-Donel Mac-Gwyre and Mac-Mahound had raised and gotten thither and with such valour and fortitude so fortunately daunted and repressed their malapert boldnesse that with one victory hee both had the towne with the Spaniards in it yeelded unto him and also wrested as it were out of the hands of all Ireland throughout now at the point of revolt for they that deliberate are revolted already both sword and fire On the other side of the river from Kinsale lieth Kerry-Wherry a little territorie of late belonging to the Earles of Desmond Just before which runneth the river that Ptolomee calleth DAURONA Giraldus Cambrensis by changing onely one letter Sauranus and Saveranus which issuing out of Muâ—kerey mountaines passeth along by that principall Citie of the countie graced with an Episcopall dignitie whereunto is annexed the Bishops See of Clon
times past placed the MENAPII That these Menapians came hither from the Menapii a nation in low Germany that dwelt by the sea coasts the name doth after a sort imply But whether that Carausius were of this or that nation who taking upon him the imperiall purple robe seized upon Britaine against the Emperour Dioclesian I leave to others For Aurelius Victor calleth him a Citizen of Menapia and the Citie Menapia is place by the Geographers not in those Low-countries of Germany but in Ireland In this county upon the river Barrow there flourished sometimes Rosse a great Citie well traded by merchants and peopled with inhabitants fensed with a wall of great compasse by Isabell daughter to the Earle Richard Strongbow and that is the only monument which now it sheweth For by reason of discord and home broiles betweene the Citizens and the religious orders it is a good while since brought in manner to nothing More East Duncannon a castle with a garrison standeth over the river so as that it is able to command the river that no ships should passe either to Waterford or to Rosse and therefore it was thought good policie to fortifie this place when the Spaniards hovered and gaped for Ireland in the yeere 1588. From thence at the very mouth of the river there runneth out a narrow necke of land which presenteth unto the sailers an high Turret erected by the Citizens of Rosse when they were in flourishing estate that they might more safely enter into the rivers mouth A little from hence standeth Tintern upon the shore with many winding creekes where William Mareschal Earle of Penbroch founded a notable Abbay and called it de Voto for that he had vowed to God to erect an Abbay when hee was tossed in a sore and dangerous tempest and being after shipwracke cast up a land in this place performed it here according to his vow This very Promontory Ptolomee calleth HIERON that is Holy and in the same signification I would make no doubt but the inhabitants also called it For the utmost towne thereof at which the Englishmen landed and set first foot in this Iland they named in their native language Banna which soundeth all one with Holy From this Holy point the shore turning full upon the East runneth forth along Northward over against which there lye flats and shallowes in the sea that indanger many a ship which the Mariners call The Grounds In this place Ptolomee setteth the river MODONA and at the mouth thereof the city MENAPIA which are so stript out of their names that I am out of all hope in so great darknesse to discover any twy-light of the truth But seeing there is one onely river that voideth it selfe in this place which cutteth this county as it were just in the mids and is now called Slane seeing also at the very mouth thereof where it maketh a Poole there is a towne by a German name called Weisford the head place of the whole county I may the more boldly conjecture that Slane was that MODONA and Weisford MENAPIA and so much the rather because this name is of a later date to wit a meere German and given unto it by those Germans whom the Irish tearme Oustmans This towne is for the bignesse inferiour to many but as memorable as any because it was the first in all Ireland that when Fitz-Stephen a most valiant Captaine assaulted it yeelded it selfe unto the protection of the English and became a Colonie of the English Whence this whole territorie is passing well peopled with English who to this very day use the ancient Englishmens apparell and their language yet so as that they have a certaine kinde of mungrell speech between English and Irish. Dermot who first drew the Englishmen over into Ireland granted this and the territorie lying to it unto Fitz-Stephen for ever who beganne a Burgh hard by at Carricke and albeit the place were strong by naturall situation yet hee helped it by art But when as the said Fitz-Stephen had surrendred up his right into the hands of King Henry the second he made it over to Richard Earle of Penbroch that he should hold it in Fee from him and the Kings of England as superiour Lords From whom by the Earles Mareschals the Valences of the Lusignian line in France and the Hastings it descended to the Greies Lords of Ruthin who commonly in ancient Charters are named Lords of Weisford although in the reigne of King Henry the sixth Iohn Talbot is once called in the Records Earle of Shrewsbury and of Weisford Touching this river take with you this verse such an one as it is of Nechams making Ditat Eniscortum flumen quod Slana vocatur Hunc cernit Weisford se sociare sibi The river which is called Slane enricheth Eniscort And this said river Weisford sees gladly with him to sort For Eniscourt a Burrough or incorporate Towne is seated upon it More inward by the same rivers side ye have Fernes known onely for the dignity of an Episcopall See in it which in old time the Giraldines fortified with a Castle Hard by but beyond the river Slane dwell the Cavenaghs Donels Montaghs O-Mores Irishmen of a stirring and tumultuous spirit and among them the Sinottes Roches and Peppards Englishmen On this side Slane the men of greatest name bee the Vicounts Mont-Garret of whom the first was Richard Butler a younger son of Pierce Earle of Ormond adorned with that title by Edward the sixth and many more of the same sirname the Devereuxes Staffords Chevers Whites Forlongs Fitz-Harris Browns Hores Haies Cods Maylers all of the English race and blood like as be most of the common people CAUCI THe CAUCI who were likewise a people inhabiting the sea coast of Germany seated themselves next unto the Menapii but not so farre distant a sunder as those in Germany Their country lying upon the sea was that which the O Tools and O Birns families of Irishry dwel in men fed and maintained by wickednesse and bloodshed impatient of rest and quietnesse and who presuming upon the strength of their holds and fastnesses carry an obstinate minde against all lawes and implacable hatred to English For the repressing of whose audacious outrage and to strengthen the authority of lawes there hath been serious consultation had by most prudent and politicke persons in the yeere 1578. that these small territories should be reduced into the forme of a county and set out they were into sixe Baronies within certain appointed limits which should make the county of Wicklo or Arcklo For a place this is of greatest name and the Earle of Ormonds castle who write themselves among other honourable titles in their stile Lords of Arcklo under which castle that river which Ptolomee calleth OVOCA falleth into the sea making a creeke and as Giraldus Cambrensis writeth The nature of this river is such that as well when the sea floweth as when it ebbeth in this
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
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
Constables a great family ibid. High Constables of England 621. c Constantius Chlorus riddeth Britaine of Usurpers 73. elected Emperor 74. espoused Helena mother of Constantine the great 74. putteth her away ibid. weddeth Theodora ib. a godly Emperour ibid. died at Yorke ibid. buried there 703 Constantine the Great Emperor 74. his warlike exploits 75. advanceth Christian religion 75 proclaimed Emperor in Yorke 703. e. f. his renowned titles 76. first entituled Dominus Noster 76. taxed for subverting the Roman Empire ibid. altereth the state of the government ibid. Constantine the younger ruleth Britaine 77. slaine by his brother Constans ibid. Constans an Emperiall Monke 264. c. 85. is killed ibid. Constans Emperour in Britaine 77. holdeth a councell at Sardica ibid killed by Magnentius ibid. Constantius the yonger Emperor ibid. favoureth Arianus 78. holdeth a councell at Ariminum 79 Constantine created Emperor in Britaine for the name sake 270. d. 85. his exploits ibid. his gourmandise ibid. Constantine a tyrant among the Danmoniâ— in Britaine 113 Constitutions of Clarinton 251 Conwey a river 667. b. 669. d Conwaie a towne 669 â— Convocation 181 Converts their house 428. b Sir Th. Cooke a rich Maior of London 441. f Counts Palatine See Earles Th. Cooper Bishop of Lincolne 540. c Copes a family 376. e Copper or Brasse mynes 767. a Coper as made 217. â— Copland or Coupland 765. d Iohn Copland or Coupland a brave warrior 775. e. made Baneret 171 Coquet the river 812. e Copthall 439. â— Corbets a great family 592 e 594 e Corbet a forename ibid. Sir Wil. Cordall Knight 462. e Corinaea and Corinaeus 184 Corinaeus and Gogmagog 200 c Coritani 504 Cornden hill 662 b Cornelius Nepos for Ioseph of Excestre 32 Cornavii 614 560 Cornovaille in little Britaine 184 Cornage 787 a Cornwalleies a family 467 f Cornwailes of Burford highly descended 590 f Cornwall a dukedome 198 c why so called 184 Cornwallians soone subjected to the Saxons 114 Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford 383 a Court Barons 168 Cornishmens manners 186 Cornish Chough 188 Corham in Coverdale 729 Corbridge 808 b Corby Castle 777 f Corstopitum ibid. Corve a river 590 c Corvesdale ibid. Coway stakes 296 a Cowling Castle 329 d Cosham 243 c Coughton 565 â— Covinus 18 Costrells See Esquires Coy-fi a convert Bishop of the heathen 711 c Coteswold why so called 364 c Henry Courtney Marquesse of Excester 206 a Courtneyes knights 206 b. Earls of Denshire 207 208. Courtneyes 190 f Cottons knights 313 â— Coverts knights ibid. Cottons of Cambridge-shire knights 491 a Cottons of Cunnington 526 c Sir Robert Cotton of Cunnington a learned knight highly descended 500 d Covetousnesse complained of 562 â— Coventry 567 c Coventry Lords 568 a Councell of the Marches 590 e Cow a Towne West and East 274 c Cowbridge 643 c Cradiden 493 a Cranburn 217 b Crecan or Crey a river 328 f Creeke Lade 241 e Credendon or Credon 396 Creplegate in London 413 d Cressy a family 550 â— Crevequeurs 331 c Crawdundale 761 f Crew a place and notable family 608 c Creden a river 203 d Crediantun or kirton ibid. Craven 694 b Creake in Cliveland 723 e Le Craux 21 Croco or Croke a river 609 b De Croeun or de Credonio a Barony 532 f Crococalana 537 b Croidon 302 b Cromwells knights 497 d Sir Th. Cromwell 526 b. Earle of Essex 454 e Cromer 479 a Croft Castle 619 Crofts knights an ancient family 619 f Crophuls a family 620 c Crouch a creekâ— 443 b Crowland 530 b Crowland Abbey 530. the foundation and building of it 531 c. d. e Cruc Maur 537 c Cruc Occhidient ibid. Cuckmere 315 d Cucul 19 Saint Cudman 313 c Cuentford a brâ—oke in Coventry 567 d Culchil 747 c Culfurth 461 â— Cumberland 765 Kings and Earls of Cumberland 788 a Cumbermer Abbey 607 e. 799 Cumero 21 Cuneglasus a Tyrant in Britain 113 Cuno what it signifieth 98 Cunobelinus 418 a Cunobelin 447 b Curia Ottadinorum 818 b Curiales what they were 771 a Cursons a family 553 c Sir Rob. Curson Baron Imperiall ibid. Robert Curthose an unfortunate Prince 361 d Curcies 221 a Iohn Curcie his vertues ibid. Curtius Montanus a dainty teothed glutton 342 e Saint Cuthberts parcimony 735 Saint Cuthbert Bishop of Lindefarn ibid. Cworwf 20 Curwens knights 769 a Custodes or captaines in every shire 159 Cuthred King of the West Saxons 373 f Cyprus called Keraftis 184 Cyrch 18 Cythariftes 21 D DAbernoun 297 b D'acre Barons of Gillesland 594 c Dacre castle 776 c D'acre Baron ibid. Leonard D'acre a Traitour and Rebel 784 f Dacor a river 776 c D'airells or D' Hairells 369 e Dalaley castle 593 Dalison or D'alanson a family 544 c Dalrendini 126 Dan or Daven a river 608 d Danby 721 f Danbury 446 b Dancastre 690 b Danewort See Walwort Danes infest the coasts of England 139. why so called 141 they land in England c. 142 Danes massacred by the English 143 Their detestable sacrifice 142 Danegelt atribute ibid. Danmonii 183. whence their name commeth ibid. Daning-schow a riveret 608 e Dantesey a town 243 c Danteseys knights ibid. Dantrey towne 508 a. the fort there ibid. Henry Baron Danvers of Dantesey 243 c Darby shire 553 Darby towne 554 c Darby Lords and Earles 558 d Darcies de Nocton c. 543 c Darcies Barons de Chich 451 c Darent river 328 d Darenford or Dartford 328 â— Darwent a river and city 709 Davenport or Damport a place and notable family 609 a Saint Davids land 653 c Saint Davids an Archbishops See 653 d David bishop refuteth the Pelagians 657 b Davery or de alta rupe 312 b Dawnes of Utkinton foresters of Delamere 607 a Deben a river 465 b Depenham or Dapenham ibid. d ee a river 594 c. whence so called 602 c. Dee-mouth 604 b Dee head 666 b Devonshire or Denshire 199 a Walter and Robert Devreux Earles of Essex 455 a Iohn Dee a famous Mathematician 746 c Decimes See Tithings Decuman a Saint 220 e. murdered ibid. Decuriones what they were 771 Saint Decombs 220 e Deale or Dole 343 a Deanries how many in England 161 Deanforest 358 b Deane a place 514 a Deanes a family ibid. Deifying of Roman Emperours 70 Deiri that is Hol-der-Nesse 136 De la-mares 233 a De la mere forest 607 a De-la-pree a Nunnery 509 b D' eincourts Barons of Blankenay 535 f Edmund Baron D'eincourt desirous to perpetuate his name 536 a De la cres Abbay 787 c Iohn De la Pole Earle of Lincolne slaine 549 a. 388 f De la bere an ancient family 620 c D'elveseyes a family 607 e Delgovitia 711 b Delgwe what it signifieth 711 b De la val Baronie 811 f De la ware 364 c Dench-worth townes 281 a Denelage 153.159 Dengy or Dauncing hundred 443 c Dengy towne ibid. Dengy Nesse 352 a Dennington castle 284 a Edward Deny Baron of Waltham 439 b Denisses 206 c Denbigh-shire 675 Denbigh towne 675 d Denbigh Baron
sheweth But in these matters let Ninnius cleere his owne credit for stuffed hee hath that little booke with many a pretty lie Yet this I may be bold to affirme that it flourished in great honour about that time and I my selfe have lighted here upon very many peeces of the coine of Constantine the younger sonne to Constantine the Great which in their reverse have the portraict of an house with this Inscription PROVIDENTIA CAES. Now that this Constantius whom he maketh the builder of this Citie died at Mopsuestia in Cilicia and was interred in Constantinople in the Sepulchre of his Ancestors it is knowne for certaine and confessed Yet I will not denie but that hee might have in this citie a monument erected in honour and remembrance of him For many there were that had such monuments built about which the souldiers were wont yearely to just and keepe solemne turneaments in honour of the dead When the declining Roman Empire hastened to an end and barbarous nations began every where to waste and spoile the Provinces their Armies heere in Britaine fearing least the flame of this fire wherewith their next neighbours in France were consumed would catch hold of them set up and created Emperours to themselves first Marcus then Gratian whom they soone slew and last of all in the yeare after Christs birth 407 our Constantine for his names sake they forced wild he nild he to usurpe the Empire and to put on the Imperiall Purple robe in the citie Caer Segont as both Ninnius and Gervase of Canterburie do witnesse This Constantine putting to sea out of Britaine landed at Bologne in France and drew all the Roman armies even as farre as the Alpes to side and joyne with him in his warres Hee stoutly defended Valentia in France against the power of Honorius the Emperour the River Rhene which long before had beene neglected hee fortified with a garrison Upon the Alpes where any passage was hee built fortresses In Spaine under the conduct of his sonne Constans whom of a Monke he had declared Emperour he warred fortunately and afterwards having sent his letters unto Honorius and craved pardon for suffering the souldiers to put upon him the purple perforce whether hee would or no he accepted at his hands the Imperiall investure which hee freely gave him Whereupon being puffed up with pride after hee had passed the Alpes his mind was wholly set upon a journey to Rome But hearing that Alaricus the Gothe who had favoured his part was dead hee returned to Arles where hee setled his Imperiall seat caused the Citie to bee called Constantina and commanded the courts and assemblies of seven Provinces there to bee holden In the meane time Gerontius excited the souldiers against their Lord and when he had treacherously slaine his sonne Constans at Vienna in France besieged Constantine also himselfe within Arles But after that one Constantius sent by Honorius with a great armie made head against him Gerontius killed himselfe And Constantine being now streitly besieged and by reason of the unhappie successe of his men past all hope laid aside the Purple and his great estate entred into the Church became a Priest and straight-waies when Arles was yeilded up and hee carried into Italie was himselfe together with his sonne Julian unto whom he had given the title of Nobilissimus and his brother Sebastian beheaded Thus much briefly of these occurrents which before are discoursed more at large out of Zosimus Zosomenus Nicephorus Orosius and Olympiodorus to the end that Veritie may triumph over their vanitie who have besprinkled this story with most ridiculous and foolish lies of their owne devising Moreover in this citie our Historiographers write that our warlike Arthur was invested and crowned King But not long after it was razed quite either in the Saxons warres or when Adelwolph being offended with his brother King Edward upon a malicious mind together with the helpe of the Danish Rovers wasted this countrey even to Basing-stoke And now remaineth nothing save the wals which although they want their battlements Curtaine and coppe yet they seeme to have beene of a very great height For the earth is so growne up with the rubble that I could scarce with stouping low passe through an old posterne which they call Onions Hole These walles in some sort continue whole but that they be broken through in those places where the gates were and out of the very walles I saw grow oakes of that bignesse and those seeming as it were bredde with the very stones with such huge roots clasping one another a great way and spreading forth so mightie armes and boughes all abroad that it would make the beholders to wonder thereat These walles take in compasse about two Italian miles Whereupon haply the Saxons called this citie Selcester as one would say The great Citie for Sel may seeme to sound with them as much as Great seeing Asserius hath interpreted the Saxon word Selwood The Great wood And before the walles Westward where is a plaine there lieth a banke of a great length raised and cast up for a defence and fortification The scite of this old citie containeth about fourescore acres of ground within which being a soile ploughed up an tilled are divided into corne-fields with a little grove in the West-side but on the East neere unto the gappe in the wall there standeth a Farme-house and a pretty Church more lately built in which while I searched for ancient inscriptions I found nothing but onely in the windowes certaine armes to wit In a field sable seven Fusils argent in Bend likewise in a shield sables a Fesse between two Cheverns and in an Escutcheon Or an Eagle displaied with two heads gules This last I have heard say was the coat of the Blewets unto whom this land came about the Conquerours time The second belonged unto the ancient house of the Bainards of Leckham but the first to the Cusanz by whom from the Blewets it descended hereditarily to the said Bainards But in the raigne of William the Conquerour it was the possession of William de Ow a Norman who being accused of high treason and desirous to prove his innocencie by combat was overcome in fight and by commandement of King William Rufus had his two eies pluckt out of his head and lost both his genetals This is found by continuall observation as I have learned of the Inhabitants of this place that although the ground bee fertile and fruitfull enough yet in certaine places crossing one another the corne doth not thrive so well but commeth up much thinner then else where by which they suppose the streets of the citie went in old time There are heere daily digged up bricks such as wee call Britaine-bricks and great store of Roman coine which they terme Onions pennies For they dreame that this Onion was a Giant and dwelt in this citie There are digged up also many times inscriptions of
which the unskilfull rurall people envie us the having Onely one was brought from hence to London which was to be seene in the gardens of the right honourable Sir William Cecill Lord Burghley and high Treasurer of England to wit MEMORIAE FL. VICTORINAE T. TAM VICTOR CONJUX POSVIT That this Tombe was erected for that Victorina which was called Mater Castrorum that is The mother of the Campe and who against Gallienus the Emperour excited in Gaule and Britaine the two Victorini her sonne and sonnes sonne Posthumus likewise Lollianus Marius and Tetricus Caesars I would not with others affirme Yet I have read that two of the VICTORS were in some place here in Britaine and those at one and the selfe-same time the one Maximus the Emperour his soone the other Praefectus Praetorio to the same Emperour of whom Saint Ambrose maketh mention in his Epistles but I dare avouch that neither of these twaine reared this monument for his wife As one high way or street of the Romans went straight from hence Southward to Winchester so there was another ran west-ward through Pamber Forrest very full of trees and other by-places now standing out of the way hard by Litchfield that is the field of dead bodies to the Forrest of Chute pleasant for coole shade of trees plentifull game in which the Hunters and Forresters themselves do wonder at the banke or ridge thereof so evident to be seene paved with stone but broken here and there More toward the North in the very edge and frontier of this Shire we saw Kings-Cleare a market towne in these daies well frequented the residence in times past of the Saxon Kings by it Fremantle in a parke where King Iohn much haunted also Sidmanton the habitation of the Kingsmils Knights and Burgh-Cleare scituate under an high hill in the top whereof a warlike rampire such as our countreymen called a Burgh hath a trench taking a great compasse about it from whence there being a faire and open prospect every way ever the countrey lying underneath there standeth a Beacon that by light burning fire the enemies comming may bee shewed to all the neighbour-Inhabitants round about And verily such watches or signals as this we terme in common speech Beacons of the old word Beacnian that is to shew by a signe and for these many hundred yeares they have beene in right great request and much used among us in some places by heaping up a deale of wood in others by barrels full of pitch fastened to the top of a mast or pole in the highest places of the countrey at which by night some doe evermore watch and in old time there were set horsemen as posts in many places whom our Ancestors called Hobelers who in the day time should give notice of the enemies approach This shire like as the rest which hitherto we have run over belonged to the west-Saxon Kings and when they had deposed Sigebert from his Kingdome for his tyrannie evill entreating and lewd managing of his province this countrey as Marianus writeth was assigned unto him least hee should seeme altogether a private person Whom notwithstanding afterward for his wicked deeds they likewise expelled from hence and so far was it off that this afflicted state of a King moved any man to take pitie of him that a Swine-heard in the end slew him in the wood Anderida where he had lurked and hidden himselfe This Shire can reckon but very few Earles besides those of Winchester which I have already named In the first time of the Normans Bogo or Beavose the English man who fought against the Normans in the battell at Cardiff in Wales is reputed to have beene Earle of South-hampton a man for warlike prowesse much renowned whom while the Monks laboured to set out with their fained fables they have obscured his doughtie deeds in greater darkenesse From which time unto the daies of K. Henry the Eight there was no Earle of South-hampton that I read of but he created William Fitz-williams descended from the daughter of Marquesse Montacute both Earle of South-hampton and also Admirall of England when he was now well stricken in yeares Who dying straight after without issue King Edward the Sixth in the first yeare of his raigne conferred the said honour upon Thomas Wriotheosley Lord Chancellor whose grand-child Henrie by his sonne Henrie enjoyeth the same at this day and in the prime and flowre of his age hath by good literature and militarie experience strengthned his honorable parentage that in riper yeares he might be more serviceable to his Prince and countrey There be found in this shire Parishes 253. and mercate townes 18. VECTA INSVLA ISLE OF WIGHT TO this Countie of South-hampton belongeth that Island which lieth out in length over against the midst of it South-ward called by the Romans in times past VECTA VECTIS and VICTESIS by Ptolomee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Britaines Guith by English-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For an Island they termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by us in these daies the Isle of Wight and the Whight by so small a streight running betweene anciently called Solent It is severed from the maine land that it may seeme to have beene conjoyned to it whereof that British name of it Guith which betokeneth a separation as Ninnius saith is thought to have beene given even as Sicilie also being broken off as it were and cut from Italie got the name from Secando the Latin word which signifieth cutting as the right learned Iulius Scaliger is of opinion Whereupon under correction alwaies of the Iudicious Criticks I would read in the sixt Quest. Naturall of Seneca thus Ab Italia Siciliaresecta that is Sicilie cut from Italie wheras it is commonly read there rejecta By this Vicinitie of Scite Affinitie of name we may well thinke this Vecta to be that Icta which as Diodorus Siculus writeth seemed at every tide to be an Island but when it was ebbe the ancient Britaines were wont that way to carry tinne thither by carts which should bee transported into France But yet I would not deeme it to be that MICTIS in Plinie which likewise commeth very neere unto VECTA For that in it there was plentie of tinne but in this of ours there is not to my knowledge any veine at all of mettall This Isle betweene East and West in ovall forme stretcheth out twentie miles in length and spreadeth in the midst where it is broadest twelve miles having the one side turning to the North and the other Southward The ground to say nothing of the sea exceeding full of fish consisteth of soile very fruitfull and is thankefull to the husbandman in so much as it doth affoord corne to be carried forth breeding every where store of conies hares partridges and phesants One little forrest it hath likewise and two parkes replenished with deere for game and hunting pleasure Through the midst thereof
This Hubert was a man who unfainedly loved his Countrie amidst the stormes of frowning Fortune performed all duties to the utmost that his Countrey could require of a right good patriot Yet at length he fell in disgrace and was dispoyled of his dignities whereby this title slept and lay as dead untill the time of King Edward the Second Who bestowed it upon his younger brother Edmund of Woodstocke who being Tutor of his nephew Edward the Third falling into the tempest of false injurious and malignant envie was beheaded for that he never dissembled his naturall brotherly affection toward his brother deposed and went about when hee was God wot murthered before not knowing so much to enlarge him out of prison perswaded thereunto by such as covertly practised his destruction Hee had two sonnes Edmund and Iohn who were restored by Parliament to bloud and land shortly after And with all it was inacted that no Peere of the land or other that procured the death of the said Earle should bee empeached therefore than Mortimer Earle of March Sir Simon Beresford Iohn Matravers Baious and Iohn Devoroil So these his two sonnes succeeded in order and when they were both dead without issue their sister Ioane who survived them for her lovely beautie called The Faire maid of Kent brought this honour unto the house of the Hollands For Sir Thomas Holland her husband was stiled Earle of Kent and shee after married by dispensation to the Black Prince heire to him King Richard the Second Her sonne Sir Thomas Holland succeeded in that honourable title who died in the twentieth yeare of King Richard the Second Him againe there succeeded his two sonnes Thomas and Edmund Thomas who also was created Duke of Surry and forthwith for complotting a conspiracie against King Henry the Fourth lost his head leaving no child Edmunds his brother being Lord High Admirall of England was wounded at the assault of Saint Brieu in little Britan and died thereof in the yeare of Salvation 1408. leaving likewise no issue Now when this dignitie was expired in this family of the Hollands their glasse being runne out and the Patrimony parted among Edmund sisters King Edward the Fourth honoured with the title of the Earldome of Kent First Sir William Nevill Lord Fauconberg and after his death Edmund Lord Grey of Ruthin Hastings and Weisford and who had to succeed him George his sonne Hee of Anne Widevile his first wife begat Richard Earle of Kent who having wasted his inheritance ended therewith his daies issuelesse 1523. But the said George by his second wife Katherine daughter to William Herbert Earle of Pembrooke was father of Sir Henry Grey of Wrest knight whose grand-sonne Reginald by his sonne Henrie Queene Elizabeth in the yeare 1571. advanced to the Earledom of Kent And after his decease without issue his brother Henrie succeeded a right honourable personage and endued with the ornaments of true nobility This province hath parishes 398. DOBVNI HItherto we have walked over all those Countries that lie betweene the British Ocean of the one side and the Severne sea and river Thames on the other Now according to the order which wee have begun let us survey the rest throughout and passing over the said river returne to the head of Thames and the salt water of Severne and there view the DOBVNI who in ancient times inhabited those parts which now are termed Oxford-shire and Glocester-shire This their name I verily suppose came of Duffen a British word because the places where they planted themselves were for the most part low and lying under the hils whereupon the name became common to them all and verily from such a kind of site Bathieia in Troas Catabathmos in Africk and Deep-Dale in Britan tooke their names I am the more easily induced to believe this because I see that Dio in the very same signification hath named certaine people BODVNNI if the letters be not misplaced For Bodo or BODVN as Plinie saith in the ancient French tongue which I have proved before was the same that in the British language betokeneth Deepe Hence was it that the City Bodincomagus as he writeth became so called for that it stood where the river Po was deepest hence had the people Bodiontij that name who inhabited a deepe vale by the Lake of Lozanne and Geneva now called Val de Fontenay to say nothing of Bodotria the deepest Frith in all Britan. Concerning these Bodunj I have found in all my reading no matter of great antiquity save only that A. Plautius sent as Propraetor by Claudius into Britan received part of them upon their submission into his protection to wit those that were under Cattuellani for they held the region bordering upon them and as Dio hath recorded about the forty and foure yeare after Christ was borne placed a garrison over them But when the English Saxons reigned in Britan and the name of Dobuni was worne out some of these as also the people dwelling round about them were by a new English Saxons name called Wiccij but whereupon I dare scarce venture to guesse without craving leave of the Reader Yet if Wic in the Saxons tongue soundeth as much as the creeke or reach of a river and the Viguones a nation in Germanie are so called because they dwell neere unto the creekes or baies of the Sea and of rivers for so doth Beatus Rhenanus constantly affirme It will bee no absurditie if I derive our Wiccii from thence who inhabited round about the mouth of Severne which is very full of such Coves and small creekes and reaches GLOCESTRLAE Comitatus olim sedes DOBVNORUM GLOCESTER-SHIRE GLocester-shire in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the chiefe seat of the Dobuni on the West-side butteth upon on Monmouth-shire and Hereford-shire on the North upon Worcester-shire on the East upon Warwick-shire Oxford-shire and Barck-shire on the South upon Wilt-shire and Somerset-shire both A pleasant countrey and a fruitfull stretching out in length from North-east unto South-west The part that lyeth more East-ward rising up in height with hils and wolds is called Cotteswold the middle part settleth downe low to a most fertile plaine and is watered with Severne that noble river which doth infuse life as it were into the soile That part which bendeth more Westward on the further side of Severne is all over be spread with woods But what meane I to busie my selfe herein William of Malmesbury will ease mee of this labour who fully gives high commendations to this countrey Have therefore what he writeth in his booke of Bishop The countrey saith he is called of the principall Citie The vale of Glocester the ground throughout yieldeth plentie of corne and bringeth forth abundance of fruits the one through the naturall goodnesse onely of the ground the other through diligent manuring and tillage in so much as it would provoke the laziest body that is to take paines
seeing that it answereth backe againe with the encrease of an hundred fold that which is sowne Here may you see the high wayes and common lanes clad with apple-trees and peare-trees not set nor graffed by the industry of mans hand but growing naturally of their owne accord The ground of it selfe is enclined to beare fruits and those both in taste and beautie farre exceeding others whereof some will last a whole yeare and not wither and rivell so that they are serviceable untill new come againe for supply There is no countrey in all England so thicke set as this Province with Vine-yards so plentifull in encrease and so pleasant in taste The very wines thereof made affect not their mouthes that drinke of them with any unpleasing tartnesse as being little inferiour in sweetnesse and odour to the French wines The houses in it are almost innumerable the Churches passing faire and the townes standing very thicke But that which addeth unto all these good gifts a speciall glory is the river Severne than which there is not any one in this land for channell broader for streame swifter for fish better stored There is in it a daily rage and fury of the waters which I know not whether I may call a gulfe or whirle poole of waves and the same raising up the sands from the bothome winding and driving the same upon heapes commeth with a forcible violence and reacheth no further then to the bridge Sometimes also it overfloweth the bankes and when it hath roved about a great way it retireth backe as a conquerour of the land Vnhappy is that vessell which it taketh full upon the side The Water-men well ware hereof when they see that Higra comming for so they call it in English turne the vessell affront upon it and so cutting through the middest of it checke and avoide the violence thereof But that which hee saith of the hundred fold increase and yeeld of the ground doth not hold true Neither for all that would I thinke with these whining and sloathfull husbandmen whom Columella taketh up for it that the soile is now wearied and become barren with too much fruitfulnesse and over-free bearing in former ages Howbeit hereby if I should say nothing of other things it is to bee seene that wee have no cause to wonder why many places in this countrey and else-where in England are called Vine-yards seeing it hath affoorded wine and surely it may seeme to proceed rather of the Inhabitants idlenesse than any distemperature and indisposition of the ayre that it yeeldeth none at this day But why in some places within this Countrey as wee reade in our Statutes by a private custome which now is become of strong validitie as a law the goods and lands of condemned persons fall into the Kings hands for a yeare onely and a day and after that terme expired contrary to the custome of all England beside returne to the next heires let law-students and Statesmen looke to that for no part it is of my purpose to search thereinto Now I will take a superfiall survey such as I can of those three parts whereof I spake orderly one after another The part that lyeth more West beyond Severne which the Silures in old time possessed along the river Vaga or Wye that parteth England and Wales was wholy bespred with thicke tall woods we call it at this day Deane-forrest The Latine writers some name it of the Danes Danica Sylva the Danes wood others with Girald the Wood of Danubia But I would thinke if it had not this name of Dean a little towne adjoyning that by short cutting the word it was called Deane for Arden Which terme both Gauls and Britans in ancient times may seeme to have used for a wood considering that two mighty great woods the one in that part of Gaule called Gallia Belgica and the other among us in Warwick-shire are by one and the selfe same name termed Arden For this was a wonderfull thicke Forrest and in former ages so darke and terrible by reason of crooked and winding wayes as also the grisly shade therein that it made the inhabitants more fierce and bolder to commit robberies For in the reigne of Henry the sixt they so infested all Severne side with robbing and spoiling that there were lawes made by authority of the Parliament for to restraine them But since that rich Mines of Iron were heere found out those thicke woods began to wax thin by little and little In this Forrest upon the foresaid river stood Tudenham and Wollaston two townes of good antiquity which Walter and Roger the brethren of Gislebert Lord of Clare wrested out of the Welch-mens hands about the yeare 1160. As also Lidney is adjoyning to them where Sir William Winter Viceadmirall of England a renowned Knight for Sea-services as his brother Arthur slaine in Orkeney-Isles built a faire house But the most ancient towne of all others is ABONE or AVONE mentioned by Antonine the Emperour in his Iourney-booke which having not lost that name altogether is at this day called Aventon a small towne indeed but standing upon Severne just nine miles as hee writeth from VENTASILVRVM or Caer-went And seeing that Avon in the Brittish tongue importeth A River it shall be no strange thing if we thinke it so called of the river for in the very same signification that I may omit the rest we have Waterton Bourne and Riverton as the Latines had Aquinum and Fluentium And I suppose the rather that it tooke name of the river because people were wont at this place to ferry over the river whereupon the towne standing over against it is by Antonine called TRAIECTVS that is a passage or ferry but without doubt the number in that place set downe is corrupted For he maketh it nine miles betweene TRAIECTVS and ABONE whereas the river is scarce three miles broad It may seeme then to have beene utterly decaied or turned rather into a village either when as passengers began to ferry over below or when Athelstane thrust out the Welsh Britans from hence For hee was the first that drave them as William of Malmesbury witnesseth beyond the river Wye And where as before his time Severne was the bound betweene the English and Welshmen hee appointed Wye to be the limit confining them both Whence our Necham writeth thus Inde vagos vaga Cambrenses hinc respicit Anglos To Wales on this side looketh Wie On that againe our England he doth eye Not farre from Wye amongst blind by-wayes beset with thicke plumps of trees appeareth Breulis Castle more than halfe fallen downe remarkable for the death of Mahel youngest sonne of Miles Earle of Hereford For there his greedy devises bloody crueltie and covetousnesse ready to pray upon other mens estates for which vices hee is much blamed in Writers were overtaken with a just revenge from heaven For as Girald hath written being entertained guest-wise by
and the chiefe Magistrate was termed a Consul which name may intimate that it was a Roman towne But when Bishop Herbert surnamed Losenga for that he was composed of Leafing and Flattery the third Prelate that by evill meanes and Simony climbed up to this Dignity had removed his seat from hence to Norwich it fell againe to decay and as it were languished Neither could it sufficiently bee comforted for the absence of the Bishop by the Abbay of Cluniac Monkes which by his meanes was built This Abbay Hugh Bigod built out of the ground For so writeth he in the Instrument of the foundation I Hugh Bigod Steward to King Henry by his graunt and by the advise of Herbert Bishop of Norwich have ordained Monkes of the Order of Cluny in the Church of S. Mary which was the Episcopall seat of Thetford which I gave unto them and afterwards founded another more meete for their use without the Towne Howbeit even then the greatest part of the Citty that stood on the hithermore Banke by little and little fell to the ground the other part although it was much decayed yet one or two Ages agoe flourished with seaven Churches besides three small religious Houses whereof the one was by report erected in the memoriall of the Englishmen and Danes slaine here For hard by as our Historians doe record Edmund that most holy King a litle before his death fought Seaven houres and more with the Danes not without an horrible slaughter and afterwards gave over the battaile on even hand such was the alternative fortune of the Field that it drave both sides past their senses By Waveney the other River of those twaine that bound this Shire and runneth Eastward not farre from the Spring head thereof are seene Buckenham and Keninghall This which may seeme to have the name left unto it of the Iceni is the Seat of that most honourable Family of the Howards whose glory is so great that the envy of Bucchanan cannot empaire it As for the other so named as I take it of Beech trees which the Saxons called Bucken it is a faire and strong Castle built by William de Aubigny the Norman unto whom the Conqueror had given the place and by his heires that were successively Earles of Arundell it descended to the Tatsalls and from them by Caly and the Cliftons unto the family of the Knevets These are of an ancient house and renowned ever since Sir Iohn Knevet was Lord Chancellour of England under King Edward the Third and also honourably allied by great marriages For over and beside these of Buckenham from hence sprang those right worshipfull knights Sir Thomas Knevet Lord Knevet Sir Henry Knevet of Wiltshire and Sir Thomas Knevet of Ashellwell Thorpe and others This Ashellwell Thorpe is a little Towne nere adjoyning which from the Thorpes in times past of Knights degree by the Tilneis and the L. L. Bourchiers of Berners is devolved at length hereditarily unto that Sir Thomas Knevet before named As for that Buckenham aforesaid it is holden by this tenure and condition that the Lords thereof should at the Coronation of the Kings of England be the Kings Butlers that day Like as a thing that may beseeme the noting in Charleton a little neighbour village Raulph de Carleton and some one other held lands by this service namely To present an hundred Herring-Pies or Pasties when Herrings first come in unto their Soveraigne Lord the King wheresoever he be in England But this river neare to his spring runneth by and by under Disce now Dis a prety towne well knowne which King Henry the First gave frankely to Sir Richard Lucy and hee straightwayes passed it over to Walter Fitz-Robert with his Daughter of whose Posterity Robert Fitz-Walter obtained for this place the liberty of keeping Mercat at the hands of King Edward the First From thence although Waveney bee on each side beset with Townes yet there is not one amongst them that may boast of any Antiquity unlesse it bee Harleston a good Mercate and Shelton that standeth farther of both which have given surnames to the ancient Families of the Sheltons and Harlestons but before it commeth to the Sea it coupleth it selfe with the river Yare which the Britans called Guerne the Englishmen Gerne and Iere of Alder trees no doubt so termed in British wherewith it is overshadowed It ariseth out of the mids of this Countrie not farre from Gernston a little Towne that tooke name thereof and hath hard by it Hengham which had Lords descended from Iohn Marescall Nephew by the brother to William Marescall Earle of Penbroch upon whom King John bestowed it with the Lands of Hugh de Gornay a Traitour and also with the daughter and coheire of Hubert de Rhia From this Marescals it passed in revolution of time unto the Lord Morleis and from them by Lovell unto the Parkers now Lords Morley A little from hence is Sculton otherwise called Burdos or Burdelois which was held by this Tenure That the Lord thereof on the Coronation day of the Kings of England should be chiefe Lardiner Joint-neighbour to Sculton is Wood-Rising the faire seate of the Family of Southwels which received the greatest reputation and encrease from Sir Richard Southwell Privie Councellour to King Edward the Sixth and his Brother Sir Robert Master of the Rowles More Eastward is to be seene Wimundham now short Windham famous for the Albineys Earles of Arundell there enterred whose Ancestor and Progenitor William D' Albiney Butler to King Henry the First founded the Priory and gave it to the Abbay of Saint Albans for a Cell which afterward was advanced to an Abbay Upon the Steeple whereof which is of a great height William Ke◠one of the Captaines of the Norfolke Rebels in the yeare of our Lord 1549. was hanged on high Neither would it bee passed over in silence that five miles from hence standeth Attilborrough the seate of the Mortimers an ancient Family who being different from those of Wigmor bare for their Armes A Shield Or Semè de floures de Lyz Sables and founded heere a Collegiat Church where there is little now to bee seene The Inheritance of these Mortimers hath by marriage long since accrued to the Ratcliffs now Earles of Sussex to the Family of Fitz-Ralph and to Sir Ralph Bigot But returne we now to the River The said Yare holdeth not his course farre into the East before he taketh Wentsum a Riveret others call it Wentfar from the South into his streame upon which neere unto the head thereof there is a foure square Rampier at Taiesborrough containing foure and twenty Acres It may seeme to have beene a Campe place of the Romans if it be not that which in an old Chorographicall Table or Map published by Marcus Welserus is called AD TAUM Somewhat higher upon the same River stood VENTA ICENORUM the most flourishing City for a little one in times past of all this
game and hunting of red Deere being divided eft-soone speedeth himselfe on the one hand to Idel a River in Nottingham-shire on the other to Are that hee and they together may fall into Humber In which very place there are environed with these rivers Diche-marcâ— and Marshland little Mersh Countries or River-Islands rather taking up in circuit much about fifteene miles most plentifull of greene grasse passing good for feeding of Cattaile and on every side garnished as it were with prety Townes Yet some of the Inhabitants are of opinion that the land there is hollow and hanging yea and that as the waters rise the same also is heaved up a thing that Pomponius Mela hath written concerning Antrum an Isle in France But among those Beakes and Brookes that convey their streames hither I must not overpasse Went which floweth out of a standing Poole neere unto Nosthill where sometime stood an Abbay consecrated to Oswald both a King and a Saint which A. Confessour to King Henry the First reedified But since the dissolution it hath beene the dwelling house of the Gargraves Knights of especiall good respect Calder springing in the very Confines of Lancashire runneth along certaine Townes of no account among which at Gretland in the top of an Hill whereunto there is no ascent but of one side was digged up this Votive Altar erected as it should seeme to the tutelar God of the whole State of the Brigants which Altar was to bee seene at Bradley in the house of the right worshipfull Sir John Savill Knight Baron of the Exchequer but now among Sir Robert Cottons Antiquities On the other side DUI CI. BRIG ET NUM AUGG. T. AUR. AURELIAN US DD PRO SE ET SUIS S. M. A. G. S. ANTONINO III. ET GET COSS. That is To the God of the whole Communalty and state of the Brigantes and to the sacred Majesty of the Augusti Titus Aurelius Aurelianus hath dedicated for himselfe and his The letters that bee last of all passe my skill altogether When Antonine the third time and Geta were Consuls Now whether that DUI be God whom the Britans now call Diw or a peculiar locall God or Genius of the Brigantes I leave for to be discussed by them that are better learned Like as the soules are divided and distributed among them that are borne saith Symmachus even so are Fatall Genij among Nations And the divine minde allotteth sundry keepers and Guardians to particular Countries For thus they were in old time perswaded in their Divinity and thus they beleeved And to say nothing of forraine Nations whose History is very full of such peculiar and locall Gods the Britans had in that part which now is called ESSEX ANDATES in Cumberland BELLO-TUCADRUS in Northumberland VITERINUS and MOGONTUS as shall appeare more evidently out of those Inscriptions which I will set downe in due place Servius Honoratus likewise hath well and truely observed that these Locall or Topick Gods doe never passe unto other Countries But to returne unto the River Calder which when by the comming in of other waters hee is growne bigge and carryeth a fuller streame hath a faire Bridge over it at Eland neere unto which at Grimscarre were brickes found with this Inscription COH IIII. BRE For the Romanes flourishing in military prowesse in great wisedome and policie exercised both their Legions and Cohorts in time of peace to withstand Idlenesse by casting of ditches making of High-waies baking of brickes building of Bridges c. Calder afterward among the very Hilles leaveth on the left hand Halifax a most famous Towne lying from West to East upon the steepe descent of an Hill And not many ages since tooke it this name whereas before time it was called Horton as some of the Inhabitants doe report who tell this prety story also touching the alteration of the name A certaine Clerke as they call him was farre in love with a maiden who when hee might not have his purpose of her for all the faire meanes and enticements hee could use his love being turned unto rage vilanous Wretch that hee was cut off the Maides head which being hung afterwards upon an Eugh tree the common people counted as an hallowed Relique untill it was rotten yea and they came devoutly to visit it and every one gathered and carryed away with him a branch or sprig of the said tree But after the tree was bare and nothing left but the very stocke such was the credulity of that time it maintained the opinion of reverence and Religion still For the people were perswaded that the little veines that are stretched out and spred betweene the barke and body of the Eugh tree in manner of haires or fine threads were the very haires indeed of the Virgins head Hereupon they that dwelt thereabout repaired on Pilgrimage hither and such resort there was unto it that Horton being but a little Village before grew up to a great Towne and was called by a new name Halig-Fax or Hali-fex that is Holy haire For the Englishmen dwelling beyond Trent called the haire of the head Fax Whence also there is a Family in this Country of Gentlemen named Faire-fax of the faire bush of their haire They therefore which by resemblance of the name gather this to bee Ptolomees Olicana bee farre deceived Now this place is become famous as well among the multitude by reason of a Law there whereby they behead streightwaies whosoever are taken stealing as also amongst the learned for they report that Joannes de Sacro Bosco the Author of the Sphaere was here borne yet more famous it is for the greatnesse of the Parish which reckoneth in it eleven Chappels whereof two be Parish-Chappels and to the number of twelve thousand people therein So that the Inhabitants are wont to give out that this Parish of theirs maintaineth more men and women than other living creatures of what kinde soever Whereas you shall see elsewhere in England in the most fruitfull and fertile places many thousands of Sheepe and very few men as if folke had given place to flockes of Sheepe and heards of Neat or else were devoured of them Moreover the industry of the Inhabitants heere is admirable who in a barraine Soile wherein there is no commodious nay scarce any dwelling and living at all have so come up and flourished by Clothing a trade which they tooke to not above threescore and tenne yeeres agoe at the farthest that they greatly enrich their owne estates and winne the praise from all their neighbours yea and have proved the saying to be true That barraine places give a good edge to industrie and that hence it is that Norinberg in Germanie Venice and Genua in Italie and Limoges in France situate all in barraine places are become right flourishing Cities Sixe miles from hence and not farre from the right side of the River Calder neere unto Almond-bury a little Towne standing upon an
high and steepe Hill which hath no easie passage on even ground unto it but of one side are seene the manifest tokens of a Rampire some ruines of walles and of a Castle which was guarded about with a triple strength of Forts and Bulwarkes Some will have this also to have beene OLICANA But the trueth saith otherwise and namely that it is CAMBODUNUM which Ptolomee calleth amisse CAMULODUNUM and Beda by a word divided CAMPO-DUNUM This is prooved by the distance thereof on the one side from MANCUNIUM on the other from CALCARIA according to which Antonine placeth it Moreover it seemeth to have flourished in very great honour when the English Saxons first beganne to rule For the Kings Towne it was and had in it a Cathedrall Church built by Paulinus the Apostle of these parts and the same dedicated to Saint Alban whence in stead of Albon-bury it is now called Almon-bury But when Ceadwall the Britan and Penda the Mercian made sharpe warre upon Edwin the Prince of these Countries it was set on fire by the enemy as Beda writeth which the very adust and burnt colour as yet remaining upon the stones doth testifie Yet afterwards there was a Castle built in the same place which King Stephen as I have read confirmed unto Henry Lacy. Hard unto it lyeth Whitly the habitation of an ancient and notable Family of Beaumont which notwithstanding is different from that House of the Barons and Vicounts Beau-mont yet it was of great name in this Tract before their comming into England Calder now leaving these places behinde him and having passed by Kirkley an house in times past of religious Nunnes and the Tombe of Robin Hood that right good and honest Robber in which regard he is so much spoken of goeth to Dewsborrough seated under an high Hill Whether it had the name of DVI that tutelar God of the place of whom I wrote a little before I am not able to say Surely the name is not unlike for it soundeth as much as Duis Burgh and flourished at the very first infancy as it were of the Church springing up amongst the Englishmen in this Province for I have heard that there stood a Crosse heere with this Inscription PAULINUS HIC PRAEDICAVIT ET CELEBRAVIT that is PAULINUS HERE PREACHED AND CELEBRATED DIVINE SERVICE And that this Paulinus was the first Archbishop of Yorke about the yeere of our Redemption 626. all Chronicles doe accord From hence Calder running by Thornhill which from Knights of that sirname is descended to the Savills passeth hard by Wakefield a Towne famous for clothing for greatnesse for faire building a well frequented Mercate and a Bridge upon which King Edward the Fourth erected a beautifull Chappell in memoriall of those that lost their lives there in battaile The Possession sometime this was of the Earles of Warren and of Surry as also Sandall Castle adjoyning which John Earle of Warren who was alwaies fleshly lustfull built when he had used the wife of Thomas Earle of Lancaster more familiarly than honesty would require to the end he might deteine and keepe her in it securely from her Husband By this Townes side when the civill warre was hote heere in England and setled in the very bowels thereof Richard Duke of Yorke father to King Edward the Fourth who chose rather to hazard his fortune than to stay the good time thereof was slaine in the field by those that tooke part with the House of Lancaster The Tract lying heere round about for a great way together is called The Seigniory or Lordship of Wakefield and hath alwaies for the Seneschall or Steward one of the better sort of Gentlemen dwelling thereby Which Office the Savills have oftentimes borne who are heere a very great and numerous Family and at this day Sir John Savill Knight beareth it who hath a very sightly faire house not farre off at Howley which maketh a goodly shew Calder is gone scarce five miles farther when he betaketh both his water and his name also to the River Are. Where at their very meeting together standeth betweene them Medley in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called for the situation as it were in the middest betweene two Rivers The seat it was in the age aforegoing of Sir Robert Waterton Master of the Horse to King Henry the Fourth but now of Sir John Savill a right worshipfull Knight and a most worthy Baron of the Kings Exchequer whom I acknowledge full gladly in his love and courtesie to have favoured me and out of his learning to have furthered this worke This river Are springing out of the bothom of the hill Pennigent which among the Westerne hils mounteth aloft above the rest doth forthwith so sport himselfe with winding in and out as doubtfull whether hee should returne backe to his spring-head or runne on still to the sea that my selfe in going directly forward on my way was faine to passe over it seven times in an houres riding It is so calme and milde and carryeth so gentle and slow a streame that it seemeth not to runne at all but to stand still whence I suppose it tooke the name For as I have said before Ara in the British tongue betokeneth Milde Still and Slow whereupon that slow River in France Araris hath his name The Country lying about the head of this River is called in our tongue Craven perchance of the British word Crage that is a Stone For the whole Tract there is rough all over and unpleasant to see to with craggy stones hanging rockes and rugged waies in the middest whereof as it were in a lurking hole not farre from Are standeth Skipton and lyeth hidden and enclosed among steepe Hilles in like manner as Latium in Italie which Varro supposeth to have beene so called because it lyeth close under Apennine and the Alpes The Towne for the manner of their building among these Hilles is faire enough and hath a very proper and a strong Castle which Robert de Rumeley built by whose posterity it came by inheritance to the Earles of Aumarle And when their inheritance for default of heires fell by escheat into the Kings hands Robert de Clifford whose heires are now Earles of Cumberland by way of exchange obtained of King Edward the Second both this Castle and also faire lands round about it every way delivering into the Kings hands in lieu of the same the possessions that he had in the Marches of Wales When Are is once past Craven hee spreadeth broader and passeth by more pleasant fields lying on each side of it and Kigheley among them which gave name to the worshipfull Family of Kigheley so sirnamed thereof Of which Family Henry Kigheley obtained of king Edward the First for this Manour of his The Liberty of a Mercate and Faire and free warren So that no man might enter into those lands to bunt and chace in them or
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