Norman-writers Nichol and Mr. Thomas Twyne in his Breviary of Britain fol. 24. b. says he has observ'd the same many times in ancient Charters and Records of the Earls thereof written in the French-tongue And even as low as Edward the fourth's time William Caxton in his Chronicle entitl'd Fructus temporum pag. 141. and 295. calls it Nichol. I know none who remove the Roman Lindum from hence except Talbot who carries it to Lenton in Nottinghamshire which opinion we have consider'd in its proper place ‖ Itinerar p. 21. Leland tells us he heard say that the lower part of Lincoln-town was all marish and won by policy and inhabited for the commodity of the water è regione that this part of the town is call'd Wikerford and in it are 11 Parochial-Churches besides which he saw one in ruins The White-Fryers were on the west-side of the High-street in Wikerford * Pag. 22 That beyond old Lincoln much money is found in the North-fields What Mr. Camden has concerning the decay of this town wherein he says of 50 Churches are scarce left 18 he seems to have borrow'd from a hint of Leland's and if he had no other authority it seems to be deliver'd in terms too positive and general For Leland mentions it very tenderly and only says †Ibid. There goeth a common fame that there were once 52 Parish-Churches in lincoln-Lincoln-city and the suburbs of it At a little distance from Lincoln is Nocton Nocton formerly a Religious-house where is a very magnificent seat lately built by Sir William Ellys Baronet At Wragby Wragby eight miles East of Lincoln the wife of one Charles Gays An. Dom. 1676. brought forth a male-child with two heads which liv'd some hours The mother of the child is still living and keeps an Inn in the town and the matter of fact can be attested by at least 100 people who saw it u Upon the little river Bane stands Horn-castle Horn-castle which evidently appears to have been a Camp or Station of the Romans as from the Castle which is Roman work so also from the Roman coins several whereof were found therein the time of Charles the first and some they meet with at this day tho' not so commonly in the field adjoyning The compass of the Castle was about 20 Acres which is yet plainly discernable by the foundation of the whole and some part of the wall still standing It is a Seigniory or Soke of 13 Lordships and was given by King Richard the second to the Bishop of Carlisle and his Successors for his habitation and maintenance when by the frequent incursions of the Scots he was driven from his castle of Rose in Cumberland and spoil'd of his revenues Three miles South-east from hence is Winceby Winceby where Octob. 5. 1643. was a battel fought between the King and Parliament the forces of the first commanded by Colonel Henderson and the Lord Widdrington those of the latter by Colonel Cromwell The fight scarce lasted an hour and the victory fell to the Parliament w At the meeting of the rivers Bane and Witham is Tatteshall Totteshall where in the front of the castle not long since were to be seen the Arms of the Cromwells the ancient Lords of it It afterwards came to be one of the seats of the Clintons Earls of Lincoln besides another at Sempringham which Mr. Camden mentions in this County x At a little distance from Bullingbrook is Eresby Eresby which gives the title of Baron to the Earl of Lindsey the third division of this County The first who enjoy'd this title oâ— Earl was Robert Lord Willoughby of Eresby creaâ—â—â— Nov. 22. in the second year of King Charles 1. He was son to that Peregrine Berty whom Catharine Baroness of Willoughby and Dutchess of Suffolk bore to Richard Berty while they made their escape into foreign parts in Queen Mary's persecution He was call d Peregrine eo quod in terra peregrina pro consolatione exilii sui piis parentibus à Domino donatus sit as the publick Register of Wesel in the Dutchy of Cleve where he was born expresses it At the request of the honourable Mr. Charles Berty Envoy extraordinary to the Electors and other Princes of Germany in his passage through that City the Burgomasters Aldermen and Counsellors took a copy of the evidences of his birth and Christening as they found it in their Register and presented it to him under the common seal of the City This Robert the first Earl Lord High Chamberlain of England was succeeded by his son and heir Mountague upon the restoration of Charles 2. made Knight of the Garter who dying in the year 1666. was succeeded by Robert his eldest son y A little above Bullingbroke stands Hareby Hareby eminent for the death of Queen Eleanor wife to King Edward 1. who being conveyed from thence to Westminster had a great many Crosses erected to her memory in several noted places This is the more observable because our Chronicles tell us she dy'd at a place call'd Hardby without giving us any hints where it stands z Hard by is Bollingbroke Bollingbroke whereof Oliver Lord St. John of Bletso was created Earl 22 Jac. 1. Dec. 28. and was succeeded by his grandchild Oliver St. John by Pawlet his second son Oliver Lord St. John the eldest being slain at Edge-hill fight At present the place gives the title of Earl to the right honourable Pawlet St. John aa More towards the sea lies Boston Boston where Mr. John Fox Author of the Acts and Monuments was born bb At Grimesby Grimesby were formerly three Religious-houses i.e. one Nunnery and two Monasteries and not far from the same coast between Salflet-haven and Louth is Salfletby memorable for its late Minister Mr. John Watson who was incumbent 74 years during which time as he himself reported it he buried the inhabitants three times over save three or four persons He had by one wife fourteen sons and three daughters the youngest now past the fiftieth year of his age In all this time he was a constant industrious Preacher except during his imprisonment for 40 weeks in Lincoln Gaol by Cromwell who put a Militia-Drummer in his place Since the present reign he was also suspended ab officio but considering his great age not à beneficio He dy'd in Aug. 1693. aged 102. cc Turning to the west towards the river Trent we meet with Osgodby Osgodby otherwise call'd Ostegobby and Osgoteby where Mr. Camden places the seat of St. Medardo and deduces it to the family of Ashcough But Mr. Dugdale has assur'd us that the whole is a manifest mistake that family belonging to another Osgodby in the same County about 30 miles south of this dd Directly towards Lincoln is Stow Stow. the Church whereof is a large building in the form of a cross and very ancient It was founded by Eadnoth a Bishop of Dorchester in Oxfordshire
the celebrated Organ at Ulme This city gave birth to Henrietta Maria youngest daughter to K. Charles 1. to William Petre â—ho was Secretary and Privy-Counsellor to K. Henry 8. Edward 6. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth and seven times Embassadour in foreign parts and lastly to Sir Thomas Bodley employ'd by Queen Elizabeth to several foreign Courts but especially famous for his founding the Publick Library in the University of Oxford call'd after his own name nn Thomas the last Earl of Exeter mention'd by our Author was succeeded by William his son and heir who dying without issue-male The Eaâ—â—s continu'd left that honour to David Cecil Son of Sir Richard Cecil who was second son to Thomas Earl of Exeter This David was succeeded by John his son and heir and he by his son of the same name o At the confluence of Ex and Clist is Topesham Topheshaâ— an ancient town that hath flourish'd much by the obstructions of the river Ex. Several attempts have been made to remove these dammes but none so effectual as the new works in the time of King Charles 2. at the vast expence indeed of the City of Exeter but to such advantage that Lighters of the greatest burden come up to the city-key On the east of Exeter is a parish call'd Heavy-tree Heavy-tâ—â—â— memorable for the birth of Hooker the judicious Author of the Ecclesiastical Polity and of that great Civilian Dr. Arthur Duck. The next parish is Pinhoe Pinhoe remarkable for bringing forth the two Rainolds John and William brothers zealous maintainers both of the Reform'd and the Popish Religion in their turns Not far from hence is Stoke-Canon Stoke-Câ—non given by K. Canute to the Church of Exeter a representation of which gift was to be seen not long ago in a window of the Parish-Church there viz. a King with a triple Crown and this Inscription Canutus Rex donat hoc Manerium Eccles Exon. Four miles east of Exon we pass the river Clyst near which upon Clyst-heath Clyst-heath the Cornish rebels were totally defeated An. 1549. by John Lord Russel afterwards Earl of Bedford p Next is Honnyton Honnyâ—â—â— where the market was anciently kept on Sundays as it was also in Exeter Launceston and divers other places till in the reign of K. John they were alter'd to other days Over the river Ottery is Vennyton bridge Vennytâ—â—-bridge at which in the time of Edw. 6. a battle was fought against the Cornish rebels q And upon the same river stands Budley Budley famous for being the birth-place of that great Statesman and Historian Sir Walter Rawleigh r From whence to the north east is Sidmouth Sidmouâ—â— now one of the chiefest fisher-towns of those parts s And Seaton Seaton where the inhabitants formerly endeavour'd to cut out a haven and procur'd a Collection under the Great Seal for that purpose but now there remain no footsteps of that work t The river Ax passeth by Ford Ford. to which Abbey the Courtneys were great benefactours it is now in the hands of Edmund Prideaux Esq Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of K. Richard 1. was first Monk and then Abbot here Ax empties it self into the sea at Axmouth Axmoâ—â—â— formerly a good harbour for ships Several attempts have been made to repair this decay'd haven by the family of the Earles but all in vain u Crossing the country to the north-west we meet with Hartland Hartâ—â—â—â— the possessions of which Monastery were confirm'd by Richard 1. with the grant of great immunities particularly of a Court holding plea of all matters saving life and member arising in their own lands In the time of Q. Elizabeth a Bill was preferr'd in the house of Commons for finishing that port Not far from this is Clovelly-harbour Cloâ—â—â—â—â— secur'd by a Piere erected at great charges by the Carys who have had their seats here from the time of Richard 2. 'T is now the most noted place in those parts for herring-fishing At a little distance lies Hole or South-hold Sâ—â—th-hold the native place of Dr. John Moreman Vicar of Maynhennet in Cornwall towards the latter end of Henry 8. memorable upon this account that he was the first who taught his Parishioners the Lord's Prayer Creed and ten Commandments in the English tongue By which we learn in how short a time that language has entirely prevail'd against the native Cornish w Upon the river Ock is Okehampton â—kehampton which as it had formerly 92 Knights fees belonging to it so it is at present a good market town incorporated by K. James 1. sends Burgesses to Parliament and gives the title of Baron to the family of the Mohuns More to the north lies Stamford-Courtney Stamford-Courtney where began a great insurrection in the time of K. Edward 6. by two of the inhabitans one of whom would have no Gentlemen the other no Justices of Peace x At a little distance is North-Tawton North-Tawton where there is a pit of large circumference 10 foot deep out of which sometimes springs up a little brook or bourn and so continues for many days 'T is taken by the common people as a fore-runner of publick sorrow as that Bourn in Hertfordshire call'd Woobournmore Directly towards the north upon the river Moule lieth South-moulton â—outh-â—oulton an ancient town incorporate formerly call'd Snow-moulton when it was held by the Martyns by Sergeanty to find a man with a bow and three arrows to attend the Earl of Gloucester when he should hunt thereabouts x From hence to the south-west is Torrington â—â—rrington call'd in old Records Chepan-Torrington an ancient Borough which sent Burgesses to Parliament But that privilege hath been long discontinu'd both here and in other places in this County It was incorporated by Queen Mary by the name of Mayor Aldermen and Burgesses and hath yielded the title of Earl to George Duke of Albemarle the great Restorer of K. Charles 2. as after him to Christopher his only son and since to Arthur Herbert the present Earl late Lord Admiral y The river goes next to Bediford â—ediford mention'd by our Author for it's bridge It is so high that a ship of 50 or 60 tunn may sail under it For which and for number of arches it equals if not exceeds all others in England 'T was begun by Sir Theobald Granvill and for the finishing of it the Bishop of the Diocese granted out Indulgences to move the people to more liberal contributions and accordingly great sums of money were collected This place hath been in the possession of the Granvills ever since the Conquest a family famous particularly for Sir Richard Granvill's behaviour in Glamorganshire in the reign of W. Rufus and another of the same name under Q. Elizabeth who with one ship maintain'd a sea-fight for 24 hours against 50 of the Spanish Galeons and at last yielded upon
a petty Convent founded by the Bigrames A little way hence stands Awkenbury given by King John to David Earl of Huntingdon and by John Scot his son to Stephen Segrave Stephen Segrâ—â—e a person I 'm the more willing to mention because he was one of the Courtiers who have taught us * Nâ—â—â—am potenâ—â—am essâ—â—â—â—â—ntâ—m That no power is powerful With a great deal of pains he rais'd himself to a high post with as much trouble kept it and as suddenly lost it In his young days from a Clerk he was made Knight Matth. Pâ—â—â— and tho' he was but of a mean family yet in his latter days by his bold industry he so enrich'd and advanc'd himself that he was rank'd among the highest of the Nobility made Lord Chief Justice and manag'd almost all the Affairs of the Nation as he pleas'd At length he wholly lost all the King's favour and ended his days in a cloyster and he who out of pride must needs remove from ecclesiastical to secular Affairs was forc'd to reassume his ecclesiastical Office and shaven crown without so much as consulting his Bishop which he had formerly laid aside Not far off stands Leighton Leightâ—n where Sir Gervase Clifton Knight began a noble building h and just by lyes Spaldwick given to the Church of Lincoln by Henry 1. to make some amends for erecting Ely-Bishoprick out of Lincoln-Diocese The river Nen enters this Shire by Elton Elton f It is now the possession of John Proby Esquire the seat of the famous ancient family of the Sapcots where is a private Chapel of singular beauty with curious painted windows built by the Lady Elizabeth Dinham Baron Fitz-Warren's widow who marry'd into this family Higher upon the Nen nigh Walmsford Walmsford stood a little city of greater antiquity than all these call'd Caer Dorm and Dormeceaster by Henry of Huntingdon who says it was utterly ruin'd before his time Undoubtedly this is the Durobrivae Dâ—â—â—briâ—ae of Antonine that is the River-passage and now for the same reason call'd Dornford nigh Chesterton which besides the finding of old Coins has the apparent marks of a ruinous City For a Roman Port-way led directly from hence to Huntingdon and a little above Stilton Stiâ—ton formerly Stichilton it appears with a high bank and in an old Saxon Charter is call'd Erminstreat Ermiâ—gstreat Here it runs through the middle of a square fort defended on the north-side with walls on the rest with ramparts of Earth nigh which they 've lately digg'd up several stone Coffins or Sepulchres in g This Estate is now the joynt Inheritance of Sir John Hewet of Warsly in this County Baronet and John Dryden Esquire descended to them from the sisters of the last Sir Robert Bevile the ground of R. Bevill of an ancient family in this County Some think this city stood upon both banks of the river and others are of opinion Caster 〈◊〉 Nâ—r â—â—â—ptoâ—shâ— e that the little village Caster on the other side was part of it and truly this opinion is well back'd by an ancient history that says there was a place call'd Durmundcaster by Nene where Kinneburga founded a little Nunnery first call'd Kinneburge-caster and afterwards for shortness Caster This Kinneburga the most Christian daughter of the Pagan King Penda and Alfred King of the Northumber's wife chang'd her Soveraign Authority for Christ's service to use the words of an old writer and govern'd her own Nunnery as a mother to those sacred Virgins Which place about 1010 was level'd to the ground by the fury of the Danes A little before this river leaves the County it runs by an ancient House call'd Bottle bridge B â—â—â—â—-bridge for shortness instead of Botolph-bridge which the Draitons and Lovets brought from R. Gimels to the family of the Shirlies by hereditary succession Adjoyning to this lies Overton corruptly called Orton forfeited by Felony and redeem'd of K. John by Neale Lovetoft whose sister and coheir was married to Hubert or Robert de Brounford and their children took upon 'em the name of Lovetoft Earls of Hâ—ntingdon This County at the declining of the English-Saxons had Siward an Earl by office for then there were no hereditary Earls in England but the Governours of Provinces according to the custom of that age were call'd Earls with addition of the title of this or that Province they govern'd as this Siward the time he govern'd here was call'd Earl of Huntingdon but soon after when he govern'd Northumberland he was call'd Earl of Northumberland See â—he Eâ—â—ls â—f Noâ—thamptonshire He had a son call'd Waldeof who under the title of Earl had the government of this County by the favour of William the Conquerour whose niece Judith by his sister on the mother's side he had married This Waldeof's eldest daughter says William Gemeticensis was married to Simon ‖ â—â—vaneâ—â—erâ—◠〈◊〉 uâ—t câ—p â—6 de Senlys or St. Liz she brought him the Earldom of Huntingdon and had a son by him call'd Simon After her husband's decease she was married to David St. Maud the Queen of England's Brother who was afterwards King of Scotland by whom she had a son nam'd Henry Afterwards as Fortune and Princes Favours alter'd this Dignity was enjoy'd sometimes by the Scots and other times by the St. Lizes first Henry the son of David J â—n â—â—rdâ—â— in Scotâ—â—â—â—n co l. 3. â— 3. 6. 〈◊〉 3â— then Simon St. Lizes Simon the first 's son after him Malcolm King of Scotland Earl Henry's brother after his decease Simon St. Liz the third who dying without heirs was succeeded by William King of Scotland and Malcolm's Brother Thus says Ralph de Diceto in the year 1185. when he flourish'd When Simon Earl Simon 's son dy'd without children the King restor'd to William K. of Scotland the County of Huntingdon with all its appurtenances Then his brother David had it Matth. Par. and his son John Scot Earl of Chester who dy'd without heirs and when Alexander the second who marry'd King Henry the third's daughter had held this title a little while and the Wars broke in the Scots lost this honour besides a fair inheritance in England A good while after Edward the third created William Clinton Earl of Huntingdon Richard the second put Guiscard de Angolesme in his place and after his death John Holland He was succeeded by John 4 Who was stil'd Duke of Excester Earl of Huntingdon and Ivory Lord of Sparre Admiral of England and Ireland Lieutenant of Aquitain and Constable of the Tower of London and Henry his sons who were each of them also Dukes of Exeter See Dukes of Exeter pag. 32. Cap. 50. The same Henry Duke of Exeter that Philip Comines as he affirms saw begging bare-foot in the Low Countries whilst he kept firm to the House of Lancaster though he had married Edward the fourth 's own sister Next to him Thomas
accounts of his Steward The Castle in the late Civil wars was demolish'd by those that had purchas'd it of the Parliament with design to make money of the materials q In the utmost Northern bound is Sutton-Colefield 〈◊〉 â—olefield where the Earls of Warwick had a Chase of great extent The market is now almost wholly disused and the Bishop of Exeter mention'd by our Author liv'd and dy'd here in the 103. year of his age r Next is Coleshill â—olâ—shill where in an old foundation was lately dug up a Roman copper Coin of Trajan's and not far from it Blith â—â—â—h memorable for nothing but that it was purchas'd by Sir William Dugdale and was his place of residence when he compil'd that accurate and elaborate work his Antiquities of this County s We come next to Coventry Coventry the walls and towers whereof were demolish'd at the Restoration by command of King Charles 2. the gates only left standing by which one may guess at the strength and beauty of the former Edward 4. for their disloyalty took the Sword from the Mayor and seiz'd their Liberties and Franchises which they redeem'd for 500 marks In memory of Leofric who dy'd 13 of Edward the Confessor and Godiva his Countess their pictures were set up in the windows Trinity Church with this Inscription I Lurick for the love of thee Do set Coventry toll-free And a Procession or Cavilcade is still yearly made in memory of Godiva with a naked figure representing her riding on horse-back through the City They have a stately Cross built 33 Hen. 8. by Sir William Hollies sometime Lord Mayor of London for workmanship and beauty inferiour to few in England The City among other things is famous for the two Parliaments held in it the former in the 6 Hen. 4. call'd from the exclusion of the Lawyers Parliamentum indoctorum the latter in the 38 Hen. 6. from the Attainder of Richard Duke of York the Earls of Salisbury Warwick and March call'd by some Parliamentum Diabolicum Since our Author's time it hath afforded the title of Earl to George Villiers created Earl of Coventry and Duke of Buckingham 18. May 21 Jac. 1. in which honours he was succeeded by his son of the same name t From Coventry let us pass to Brinklow Brinklow famous for an ancient castle †Dugd. War p. 147 It is in all probability older than the Norman Conquest otherwise our publick Records or some other Authorities would certainly have taken notice of it If we should carry it back to the times of the Romans there are several circumstances which seem to justifie such a conjecture As the Saxons very often applying their HleaÆ¿ from whence our low comes to such places as were remarkable for the Roman Tumuli that there is an eminent tumulus upon which the Keep or Watch-tower of the castle did stand that it lies upon the Roman Fosse and is at a convenient distance from the Bennones u Passing hence northward to the river Anker on the western bank thereof we find Manceter Manceter confirm'd to be the ancient Manduessedum by divers coyns of silver and brass which have been by digging and plowing frequently brought to light w In the same Parish is Oldbury Oldbury a place of great antiquity as appears by a Quadrangular Fort containing seven acres of ground In the North-part of it there have been found several flint-stones about four inches in length curiously wrought by grinding or some such way The one end is shap'd like the edge of a Pole-ax and by Sir William Dugdale they are thought to have been weapons us'd by the Britains before the art of making arms of brass and iron They must have been brought hither for some extraordinary use because there are no flints to be found within 40 miles of the place One of them is now to be seen in Ashmole's Musaeum at Oxford x On the other side of the river northward Pollesworth lies Pollesworth where Sir Francis Nethersole a Kentish Gentleman and sometime publick Orator to the University of Cambridge at the instance of his Lady built a Free-school on the front whereof is this Inscription Soli Deo Gloria Schola pauperum Puerorum Puellarum He enseoft six Gentlemen and seven Divines in as much as amounted to 140 l. per annum at the least for a liberal maintenance of a School-master and School-mistress to teach the children of the Parish And what remain'd was to be employ'd in charitable uses such as he in his life time should think fit and in default of his own actually disposing of it left it to the discretion of his Trustees He likewise he built a fair house for the Vicar of Pollesworth y Farther North is Seckinton Seckinton which as it is memorable for the battel between Aethelbald and Beornred so I may further add that it took its name from that engagement secce in Saxon signifying battel and dun which afterwards was chang'd into ton a hill Scarce a furlâ—ng north of the Church is a notable fort and near it an artificial hill of 43 foot high Continuation of the EARLS Ambrose Dudley the last Earl dying in the year 1589. Robert Lord Rich of Leeze was created Earl of Warwick 16 Jac. 1. and soon after dying was succeeded by his son and grandson both Roberts Charles brother to the latter was next Earl who dying 24 Aug. 1673. left the honour to Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin-german Which Robert was succeeded in both the honours by Edward his son and heir More rare Plants growing wild in Warwickshire Though I have lived some years in this County yet have I met with no peculiar local plants growing therein the more rare and uncommon are Cyperus gramineus miliaceus Ger. Millet-Cyperus-grasse mentioned in Essex Frequent by the river Tames-sides near Tamworth and elsewhere Cyperus longus inodorus sylvestris Ger. Gramen cyperoides altissimum foliis carina serratis P. Boccone Long-rooted bastard Cyperus In boggy places by the river Tame at Dorsthill near Tamworth Equisetum nudum Ger. junceum seu nudum Park foliis nudum non ramosum s junceum C. B. Naked Horse-tail or Shave-grass This species is more rare in England We found it in a moist ditch at Middleton towards Drayton It is brought over to us from beyond Sea and employ'd by artificers for polishing of vessels handles of tools and other utensils it is so hard that it will touch iron it self I am informed by my honoured Friend Mr. John Awbrey that it is to be found in a rivulet near Broad-stitch Abbey in Wiltshire plentifully That sort which grows common with us is softer and will not shave or polish wood much less iron Juncus laevis minor panicula glomerata nigricante call'd by those of Montpellier with whom also it is found Juncus semine Lithospermi Black-headed Rush with Gromil-seed In the same places with the Cyperus longus inodorus Gramen
IMP. M AURELIO ANTONINO AVC SEVER LVCII FILIO LEC. IIV VG P sic Together with these two fragments Centurio c This was lately in the School-wall at Kaêr Lheion but is now rased out †7. VECILIANA d This is in the Garden-wall at Moin's Court but the first line VIII and this character 7. are not visible See Reines Syntag. Inscr pag. 977. VIII 7. VALER MAXSIMI f Here also about the time of the Saxon Conquest was an Academy of 200 Philosophers who being skill'd in Astronomy and other Sciences observ'd accurately the courses of the Stars as we are informed by Alexander Elsebiensis a very scarce Author out of whom much has been transcrib'd for my use by the learned Thomas James Tho. James of Oxford who may deservedly be stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one that is wholly intent upon Books and Learning and is at present God prosper his endeavours out of a desire of promoting the publick good busily employ'd in searching the Libraries of England on a design that is like to be of singular use to the Commonwealth of Learning In the time of K. Henry 2. when Giraldus writ this City seems to have been a place of considerable strength For we find that Yrwith of Kaer Lheion a courageous Britain defended it a long time against the English forces till at last being over-power'd by the King he was dispossest of it But now a fair instance that Cities as well as Men have their vicissitude and fortune that is become an inconsiderable small town which once was of so great extent on each side the river that they affirm St. Gilian's the house of the honourable Sir William Herbert a person no less eminent for wit and judgment than noble extraction to have been in the city and in that place the Church of Julius the Martyr is said to have stood which is now about a mile out of the town From the ruins also of this City Newport Newport had its beginning seated a little lower at the fall of the river Usk. By Giraldus 't is call'd Novus Burgus It is a town of later foundation and of considerable note for a Castle and a convenient harbour where there was formerly some Military-way mention'd by Necham in these verses Intrat auget aquas Sabrini fluminis Osca Praeceps testis erit Julia Strata mihi Increas'd with Usk does Severn rise As Julia Strata testifies That this Julia Strata was a way we have no reason to question and if we may be free to conjecture it seems not absurd to suppose it took its name from Julius Frontinus who conquer'd the Silures Not far from this Newburgh saith Giraldus there glides a small stream call'd Nant Pènkarn passable but at some certain fords not so much for the depth of its water as the hollowness of the chanel and deepness of the mud It had formerly a ford call'd Rhŷd Penkarn now of a long time discontinued Henry 2. King of England having by chance pass'd this ford the Welsh who rely too much upon old prophecies were presently discouraged because their Oracle Merlinus Sylvester had foretold that whenever a strong Prince with a freckled face such as King Henry was should pass that Ford the British Forces should be vanquish'd During the Saxon Heptarchy this County was subject to the Mountain-Welsh call'd by them Dun-settan Dun set who were yet under the government of the West-Saxons as appears by the ancient Laws At the first coming in of the Normans the Lords Marchers grievously plagued and annoy'd them especially the above-mention'd Hamelin Balun Hugh Lacy Walter and Gilbert de Clare 1 Miles of Glocester Robert Chandos Pain Fitz-John Richard Fitz-Punt and c. and Brien of Wallingford To whom the Kings having granted all they could acquire in these parts some of them reduced by degrees the upper part of this County which they call'd Over-Went and others the low lands call'd Nether-Went Parishes in this County 127. ADDITIONS to MONMOVTHSHIRE a MYnydh Kader mention'd by our Author is the name of many Mountains in Wales thus denominated as Kader Arthur Kader Verwin Kader Idris Kader Dhinmael Kader yr Ychen c. which the learned Dr. Davies supposes to have been so call'd not from their resemblance to a Kà dair or Chair but because they have been either fortified places or were look'd upon as naturally impregnable by such as first impos'd those names on them For the British Kader as well as the Irish word Kathair signifying anciently a Fort or Bulwark whence probably the modern word Kaer of the same signification might be corrupted b Lhan Lhan properly signifies a Yard or some small Inclosure as may be observ'd in compound words For we find a Vineyard call'd Gwin-lhan an Orchard Per-lhan a Hay-yard Yd-lhan a Church-yard Korph-lhan a Sheep-fold Kor-lhan c. However as Giraldus observes it denotes separately a Church or Chapel and is of common use in that sense throughout all Wales probably because such Yards or Inclosures might be places of Worship in the time of Heathenism or upon the first planting of Christianity when Churches were scarce c That this Jeffrey of Monmouth as well as most other Writers of the Monkish times abounds with Fables is not deny'd by such as contend for some authority to that History but that those Fables were of his own Invention seems too severe a censure of our Author's and scarce a just accusation since we find most or all of them in that British History he translated whereof an ancient copy may be seen in the Library of Jesus-College at Oxford which concludes to this effect Walter Arch-Deacon of Oxford composed this Book in Latin out of British Records which he afterwards thus render'd into modern British We find also many of the same Fables in Ninnius who writ his Eulogium Britanniae about three hundred years before this Galfridus Arturius compos'd the British History As to the regard due to that History in general the judicious Reader may consult Dr. Powel's Epistle De Britannica Historia rectè intelligenda and Dr. Davies's Preface to his British Lexicon and ballance them with the arguments and authority of those that wholly reject them Near Monmouth stands a noble House built by his Grace Henry Duke of Beaufort call'd Troy the residence of his eldest son Charles Marquiss of Worcester who is owner of it and of the Castle and Manour of Monmouth settled upon him with other large possessions in this County by the Duke his father e The English names of Went-set Wentse◠c. and Wents land have their origin from the British word Gwent whereby almost all this Country and part of Glocestershire and Herefordshire were call'd till Wales was divided into Counties But it seems questionable whether that name Gwent be owing to the City Venta or whether the Romans might not call this City Venta Silurum as well as that of the Iceni and that other of the Belgae
upon the disordered English kill'd great numbers of them whilst they stood doubtful whether they should run or fight But the greatest part posting themselves on the higher grounds got into a body encouraged one another and opposed the Enemy with great resolution as if they had made choice of that place for an honourable death At last Harold was shot through the head with an arrow and there with his two brothers Githus and Leofwine lost his life Upon this Edwin and Morcar with some few who had saved their lives made their escape by flight giving way to the hand of providence and the present necessity after they had fought without intermission from seven a clock in the morning to the dusk of the evening The Normans lost in this battle about 6000 men and the English a far greater number William overjoyed with his victory ordered a solemn thanksgiving to Almighty God and fixed his tent in the middle of the slain where he stayed that night Next day after he had buried his men and granted leave to the English to do the like he returned to Hastings to consider of proper methods how to prosecute his victory and to refresh his soldiers So soon as the news of this victory reached London and other cities of England the whole Nation was in a surprise and in a manner struck dead Githa the King's mother was so overcome with grief that no way could be found to comfort her She humbly desired of the Conqueror to grant her the bodies of her sons which she buried in Waltham-Abby Edwin sent away Queen Algitha his sister into the more remote parts of the Kingdom The Nobility desired the people not to despair and begun to consider of methods how to settle the Nation The Arch-bishop of York with the City of London and Sea-soldiers Bâ—â—â—â—les commonly called Botescarles were for making Eadgar King and renewing the war with William Edwin and Morcar were secretly contriving how to get the government into their their own hands But the Bishops Prelats and others upon whom the Pope's Anathema made a deeper impression thought it most advisable to surrender and not to incense the Conqueror with a second battel the issue whereof was but at best doubtful nor resist God who for the crying sins of the nation seemed to have delivered up England into the hands of the Normans William leaving 〈◊〉 strong garison in Hastings resolved to march in a hostile manner directly towards London but to diffuse a greater terror through the nation and to make all sure behind him he divided his forces and marched through part of Kent Suffex Surrey Hamshire and Berkshire Where he came he burnt villages and towns plundering them passed the Thames at Wallingford and filled all places with horror The Nobility all this while were at a stand what to do nor could they be persuaded to lay aside private animosities and consult the publick interest of the nation The Clergy to avoid the curses of the Church and censures of the Pope by which he did at that time sway both the minds of men and whole kingdoms and considering that the affairs of the nation were not only decay'd but quite ruin'd stood so firm to their resolution of surrendring that many so save themselves withdrew privately out of the City But Alfred Archbishop of York Wolstan Bishop of Worcester along with some other Bishops and Edgar Etheling Edwin and Morcar met the Norman Conqueror at Berkhamsted He made them most glorious promises upon which hostages were given and they submitted themselves to his protection Forthwith he went to London where he was received with great joy and acclamations and saluted under the title of King Next he prepares all necessaries for the inauguration which he had appointed to be on Christmas-day and in the mean time employed all his care and thoughts upon the settlement of the nation This was the period of the Saxon's government in Britain which lasted six hundred and seven years The revolution that hapned in the Kingdom some imputed to the avarice of Magistrates others to the superstitious laziness of the Clergy a third sort to the Comet which then appeared and the influence of the Stars a fourth attributed it to God who for hidden but always just reasons disposes of Kingdoms But others who looked nearer into the immediate causes threw it upon the imprudence of King Edward who under the specious colour of religious chastity neglected to secure a succession and so exposed the Kingdom as a prey to ambition WHat an insolent and bloody victory this was the Monks who writ about it do fully inform us Nor can we question but in this as in all others villany had the upper hand William as a token of his conquest laid aside the greatest part of the English laws brought in Norman customs and ordered that all causes should be pleaded in French The English were dispossessed of their hereditary estates and the lands and farms divided among his Soldiers but with this reserve that he should still remain the direct Proprietor and oblige them to do homage to him and his successors that is that they should hold them in see but the King alone be chief Lord and they â—uciaâ— â—eal â—illiâ—â—he â—ucâ— Feudatory Lords and in actual possession He made a Seal on the one side whereof was engraven Hoc Normannorum Gulielmum nosce patronum By this the Norman owns great William Duke On the other side Hoc Anglis signo Regem fatearis eundem By this too England owns the same their King Further as William of Malmsbury tells us in imitation of Caesar's policy who would not have those Germans that skulk'd in the forrest of Ardenna and by their frequent excursions very much disturb'd his army suppressed by the Romans but the Gauls that whilst foreigners destroyed one another himself might triumph without blood-shed William took the same methods with the English For there were some who after the first battle of that unfortunate Harold had fled over into Denmark and Ireland where they got together a strong body of men and returned three years after To oppose them he dispatched away an English army and General and let the Normans live at their ease For which side soever got the best he found his interest would go forward And so it proved for after the English hâ—d skirmâ—shed for some time one with another the victory was presented the King without any trouble And in another place After the power of the Laity was destroyed he made a positive declaration The English thrown out of their Honours that no Monk or Clergy-man of the English nation should pretend to any place of dignity wherein he quite receded from the easiness of King Canutus who maintained the conquered party in full possession of their honours By which means it was that after his death the natives found so little difficulty in driving out the foreigners and recovering their ancient freedom After he had setled those
now the Isc is grown bigger but dividing into many streams very convenient for mills it flows to the City Isca to which it leaves it's name Hence n He was once Prior of S. Nicholas in this City Alexander Necham Exoniae fama celeberrimus Iscia nomen Praebuit To Exeter the famous Ex gives name This city is call'd Isca by Ptolemy by Antoninus Isca Dunmoniorum for Danmoniorum Isca Danmoniorum Excester by others falsly Augusta as if the second Legion Augusta had quarter'd there whereas that was garrison'd in the Isca Silurum as shall be said hereafter It was nam'd by the Saxons o And Eaxan-ceaster Exan-ceaster and Monketon from the monks now at this day it is called Excester by the Latins Exonia by the Welsh Caer-isk Caer-uth and Pen-caer that is a chief city Caer what it signifies For Caer that I may once for all note it signifies a City in British hence they call Jerusalem Caer Salem Paris Caer Paris Rome Caer Ruffayne So Carthage in the Punick tongue as Solinus testifies was call'd Cartheia that is to say a new City Among the Syrians likewise I have heard that Caer signify'd a city and seeing it is took for granted that the whole world has been peopl'd by them it may seem very probable that they also left their tongue to posterity as the mother of future languages This city as Malmesbury says tho' the ground about it be wet and filthy and will scarce bear a crop of bad oats and often yielding empty ears without grain in them yet by reason of it's stateliness the richness of the citizens and resort of Strangers all kind of merchandise is so plentiful in it that one need lack nothing there that is necessary It stands on the east side of the Isc upon a hill of easie and gentle rise to the eastward and falling again to the west encompass'd with a ditch and very strong walls having many towers between them The town is a mile and half in circuit with suburbs shooting out here and there for a long way It contains p Thirteen of these Churches were in Oliver's time expos'd to publick sale by the Common-cryer 15 Parish-Churches and in the highest part near the East-gate has a castle call'd Rugemount formerly the seat of the West-Saxon Kings afterward of the Earls of Cornwall which now has nothing to recommend it but its antiquity and situation q It is suppos'd to have been the work of the Romans and as a place of great moment it has been committed from time to time to persons of the best rank For it commands the city underneath it and the country on all sides and has a very pleasant prospect to the sea In the east part of the city stands the Cathedral in the midst of fine houses quite round built by King Athelstan as the private history of this place witnesses in honour to S. Peter and fill'd with Monks at last the Monks being remov'd to Westminster Edward 3. grac'd it with the dignity of being an Episcopal See having transferr'd the Bishopricks of Cornwall and Kirton hither and made Leofric the Britain first Bishop of it whose successors have improv'd the Church both by buildings and revenues n And William Bruier the ninth Bishop after him in lieu of the displac'd Monks brought in a Dean and twenty four Prebendaries Josephus Iscanus In that age flourish'd Josephus Iscanus who owes his birth and name to this place a Poet of very lively wit whose pieces were so highly approv'd of that they met with as much applause even as the ancients For his poem of the Trojan war haâ— been twice publish'd in Germany under the title of Cornelius Nepos Cornelius Nepos When Isca first fell under the Roman Jurisdiction does not plainly appear I am so far from thinking it conquer'd by Vespasian as Geoffery of Monmouth asserts when under Claudius the Emperour Suetonius tells us he was first shown to the world that I should think it was hardly then built Yet in the time of the Antonines it was probably very famous for Antoninus continues his Itinerary in these parts to this City and no farther It fell not absolutely under the dominion of the Saxons before the year after their coming into Britain 465. Will. Malm. For then Athelstan forc'd the Britains who before that liv'd in the city in equal power with the Saxons out of it drove them beyond Tamar and encompass'd the city with a ditch a wall of square stone and bulwarks since that time our Kings have granted it many privileges and among the rest as we read it in the Book of William the Conqueror This city did not geld but when London York and Winchester did that was half a mark of silver for a Knight's fee. And in case of an expedition by land or sea it serv'd after the rate of five hides It hath also from time to time undergone much misery once spoil'd by an out-rage of the Danes in the year of our redemption 875 but most dismally by Sueno the Dane in the year 1003 being betray'd by one Hugh a Norman the governour of the city when it was laid level from the east to the west-gate and had scarce begun to recruit till William the Conqueror laid close siege to it at which time the Citizens not only shut up their gates against him but gall'd him with many bitter reflections however a part of their wall happening to fall down which the Historians of that age attribute to the hands of Providence a surrender soon follow'd at this time as it is in the said Survey-book the King had in this city 300 houses it paid 15 pounds a year Eight and forty houses were destroy'd after the King came into England After this it was press'd by three sieges yet easily escap'd them all First by Hugh Courtney Earl of Devonshire in the civil war between the houses of York and Lancaster again by r After Warbeck was vanquish'd the King gave great commendations to the citizens and bestow'd upon them the sword he then wore to be born before the Mayor and also a cap of maintenance Perkin Warbeck a sham and counterfeit prince who being a young man and of mean descent by pretending to be Richard Duke of York the second son of K. Edward 4. rais'd a very dangerous war 5 Against Henry the Seventh thirdly by the seditious Cornish in the year 1549. when the citizens tho' under a most sad want of all sorts of provisions continu'd loyal till John Baron Russel rais'd the siege Å¿ For this deliverance the 6th of August was appointed to be and is still annually observ'd as a day of thanksgiving and commonly call'd Jesus-day K. Edw. 6. as a reward of their loyalty gave them the rich mannour of Ex-Island But Exeter has not suffer'd so much by these enemies as by certain heaps Wears as they call them t His name was Hugh Courtney and the true
quarries some such little miracles of sporting Nature And I have seen a stone brought from thence winded round like a serpent the head whereof tho' but imperfect jutted out in the circumference and the end of the tail was in the center u But most of them want the head In the neighbouring fields and other places hereabouts the herb Percepier â—ercepier grows naturally all the year round It is peculiar to England and one tastes in it a sort of tartness and bitterness 't is never higher than a span and grows in bushy flowers without a stalk It provokes urine strongly and quickly and there is a water distill'd out of it of great use as P. Poena in his Miscellanies upon Plants has observ'd w Scarce five miles from hence the river Avon parts Bristol in the middle â—â—tow call d by the Britains Caer Oder Nant Badon i.e. the City Odera in Badon valley In the Catalogue of the Ancient Cities it is nam'd Caer Brito and in Saxon it is BrightstoÆ¿ i.e. a famous place But a Amongst the rest Leland in his Comment upon the Cygnea cantio pag. 152. those who have affirm'd it to be the Venta Belgarum have impos'd both upon themselves and the world The City is plac'd partly in Somersetshire and partly in Glocestershire so that it does not belong to either having distinct Magistrates of it's own and being a county incorporate by it self It stands upon a pretty high gâ—ound between the Avon and the little river Frome what with walls and the rivers guarded very well for it was formerly enclos'd with a double wall It casts such a beautiful show both of publick and private buildings that it answers it's name and there are what they call Goutes in Latin Cloacae built in the subterraneous caverns of the earth to carry off and wash away the filth x so that nothing is wanting either for neatness or health But by this means it comes that Carts are not us'd here It is also so well furnish'd with the necessities of life and so populous that next to London and York it may justly claim a preeminence over all the cities in Britain For the trade of many nations is drawn thither by the advantage of commerce and of the harbour which brings vessels under sail into the heart of the city And the Avon swells so much by the coming in of the tide when the Moon descends from the Meridian and passes the place opposite that ships upon the shallows are born up 11 or 12 fathoms The citizens themselves drive a rich trade throughout Europe and make voyages to the remotest parts of America At what time and by whom it was built is hard to say but it seems to be of a late date since in all the Danish plunders it is not so much as mention'd in our Histories For my part I am of opinion it rose in the decline of the Saxon government since it is not taken notice of before the year of our Lord 1063. wherein Harald as Florence of Worcester has it set sail from Brytstow to Wales with a design to invade it In the beginning of the Norman times Berton an adjoyning farm and this Bristow paid to the King as 't is in Domesday book 110 marks of silver and the Burgesses return'd that Bishop G. had 33 marks â—â—am of â—â—â—ster and 1 mark of gold y Afterwards Robert Bishop of Constance plotting against William Rufus chose this for a seat of war and fortify'd the little city with that inner wall I suppose part of which remains to this day z But a few years after the Suburbs began to enlarge on every side for on the south Radcliff where were some little houses belonging to the suburbs is joyn'd to the rest of the city by a stone-bridge which is so set with houses that you would not think it a bridge but a street This part is included within the walls and the inhabitants have the privileges of citizens There are hospitals built in all parts for the poor and neat Churches for the glory of God Amongst the rest the most beautiful is S. Mary's of Radcliffe without the walls into which is a stately ascent by a great many stairs So large is it the workmanship so exquisite and the roof so artificially vaulted with stone and the tower so high that in my opinion it goes much beyond all the Parish Churches in England I have yet seen In it the founder William Canninges has two honorary monuments the one is his image in the habit of a Magistrate for he was five times Mayor of this City the other an image of the same person in Clergy-man's habit for in his latter days he took Orders and was Dean of the College which himself founded at Westbury Hard by it is also another Church call'd Temple the tower whereof as often as the bell rings moves to and again so as to be quite parted from the rest of the building and there is such a chink from top to bottom that the gaping is three fingers broad when the bell rings growing first narrower then again broader Nor must we omit taking notice of S. Stephen's Church the stately tower whereof was in the memory of our grandfathers built by one Shipward 41 Alià s Bâ—rstaple a citizen and merchant with great charge and curious workmanship On the east also and north parts it was enlarg'd with very many buildings and those too included within the walls being defended by the river Frome which after it has pass'd by these walls runs calmly into the Avon making a quiet station for ships and a creek convenient to load and unload wares which they call the Kay Under this The marsh between the confluence of Avon and Frome is a champain ground which is set round with trees and affords a pleasant walk to the citizens Upon the south-east where the rivers do not encompass it Robert natural son to King Henry 1. commonly call'd Robert Rufus Consul of Glocester because he was Earl of Glocester built a large and strong Castle for the defence of his city a and out of a pious inclination set aside every tenth stone for the building of a Chappel near the Priory of S. James which he also erected just under the City He took to wife Mabil daughter and sole heir of Robert Fitz-Hamon who held this city in fealty of William the Norman This castle yet scarce finish'd was besieg'd by King Stephen but he was forc'd to draw off without doing any thing and the same person not many years after being prisoner there was a fair instance how uncertain the events of war are Beyond the river Frome over which at Frome-gate is a bridge one goes obliquely up a high hill of a steep and difficult ascent from whence there is a pleasant prospect of the City and haven below it This upon the top runs into a large and green plain shaded all along the middle with a double rank of trees
who was his Godfather See Bede lib. 4. c. 13. and upon Baptism gave him this token of adoption Their Country is now divided into three Hundreds with a very little change of the name Meansborow Eastmean o Weastmean is only a Tithing and not a Hundred as the other two Weastmean within which there is a rais'd hill surrounded at the top with a large trench and call'd Old Winchester where tradition tells us there was an ancient City but there is now not the least mark or sign of it so that one may easily imagine it to have been only a Roman Summer-Camp Below this lies Warnford Warnford where Adam de Portu a man of great wealth in those parts under William the Conqueror rebuilt the Church as we are taught by a rude distich fixed on the wall Addae hic portu benedicat solis ab ortu Gens Deo dicata per quem sic sum renovata Good folks in your devotions ev'ry day For Adam Port who thus repair'd me pray q More inward there border upon these the Segontiaci Segontiaci who submitted themselves to Caesar and inhabited the Northern limits of this County living in the Hundred of Holeshot in which we meet with Aulton a Market-town that King Alfred by will left to the Keeper of Leodre and Basingstoke Basingstoke that has a well-frequented market and a very neat Chapel dedicated to the Holy Ghost built by William the first Lord Sands who there lies bury'd Upon the roof of it the history of the Prophets Apostles and Disciples of Christ is very artificially describ d. Below this place Eastward lies Basing Baâ—ing famous for it's Lords of that Sirname St. Johns St. Johns Poinings and Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing marry d the daughter and heir of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was the daughter and heir of the noble family of the St. Johns Out of 〈◊〉 old m 〈…〉 this 〈◊〉 then William son of the said Adam took the honorary title of St. John which was retain'd by his successors in a right line But when Edmund de St. John in the time of Edward 3. died without issue Margaret his sister marrying John de St. Philibert brought to him the whole estate of the Lords St. John She likewise dying without issue Isabel her other sister wife of * Sir Luke Hol. Luke Poynings had by him Thomas Lord of Basing whose grandchild Constantia by his son Hugh became heir to this part of the estate and being marry'd into the family of the Powlets was the great grandmother of that William Powlet Powlet who by K. Henr. 8. was made Baron St. John of Basing and by King Edward 6. Earl of Wiltshire and Marquess of Winchester and being Lord High Treasurer of England after he had in most troublesome times run through a course of the highest honours He lived â—â— years dy'd in a good old age a happiness that rarely attends Courtiers He built here a seat both for largeness and beauty wonderfully magnificent but which was so overpower'd by it's own weight that his posterity have been forc'd to pull down a part of it r Nigh this place we see The Vine Vines 〈◊〉 brought 〈◊〉 to Engâ—aâ—d a very neat house of the Barons of Sandes and so call'd from Vines which we have had in Britain more for shade indeed than fruit Vopiscus ever since the time of Probus the Emperor For 't was he that gave liberty to the Britains and some other nations to have Vines The first Baron of this family was †Sir William Hol. William Sandes Barons 〈◊〉 Sandes whom King Henry 8. advanc'd to that honour when he was his Chamberlain and had encreas'd his estate by marriage with Margery Bray daughter and heir of John Bray and Cousin of Reginald Bray Knight of the Garter and a most eminent Baneret To him was born Thomas Lord Sandes grandfather to William now living Nigh this place to the south-east lies Odiam Odiam now proud of a Palace of the King 's and once known for the prison of David 2. King of Scots It was formerly a free burrough of the Bishop of Winchester's Matth â—â—ris the Castle whereof in the reign of K. John was defended by 13 English for 15 days together against Lewis Dauphine of France who straitly besieged it with a great Army Higher up among the Segontiaci upon the Northern edge of the County lay the City of these Segontiaci Vindonum which losing it's old name Vindâ—â—â— took that of it's inhabitants as Lutetia in France borrow'd it's name from the Parisians For this place was call'd by the Britains Caer Segonte that is the City of the Segontians and so Ninnius terms it in his Catalogue of Cities we at this day call it Silcester Silcester and Higden seems to give it the name of Britenden from the Britains I am induc'd to call this place the Vindonum because it agrees with the distances of Vindonum from Gallena or Guallenford and from Vinta or Winchester in the Itinerary of Antoninus and the rather too because there is a military way still visible between this Silcester and Winchester Ninnius tells us this City was built by Constantius son of Constantine the Great and that it was once call'd Murimintum perhaps for Muri-vindun that is the Walls of Vindonum for the Britains retain the word Mure borrow'd from the Provincial language and the V consonant they often change into M in their pronunciation On the ground whereon this City was built I deliver Ninnius's words the Emperâ—r Constantius sow'd 3 grains of Corn that no poor person might ever inhabit there So Dinocrates at the building of Alexandria in Egypt as Ammianus Marcellinus has it strowed all the out-lines with †Farioâ— Wheat by which Omen he foretold that that City should always be supplied with plenty of provisions The same Author also reports that Constantius dy'd here and that his sepulchre was to be seen at the gate of the City as appear'd by the inscription But in these matters let Ninnius vindicate his own credit who indeed has stuff'd that little history with a great many trifling lies But thus much I dare affirm that this city was in great repute in that age and I myself have here found several coins of Constantine Junior son of Constantine the Great which on their reverse have the figure of a building and this inscription PROVIDENTIAE CAESS But all writers agree that Constantius whom Ninnius makes the builder of this city dy'd at Mopsuestia or Mebsete in Cilicia and was thence carry'd to the sepulchre of his Ancestors at Constantinople 〈…〉 I deny not but that a †sepulchre or honorary grave might be here made for the Emperor for such like ‖ Barrows of earth were often made in memory of the dead â—mulâ— â—orary 〈◊〉 or â—ows round which the souldiers had yearly their solemn exercises in
honour of the deceased party When the Roman Empire began to decline and barbarous nations made frequent incursions into their provinces then the British armies fearing they might be involv'd in the calamity of their Neighbours chose themselves Emperors first Marcus then Gratian both of whom they presently murder'd and lastly â—tura â—runt â—tantine 〈◊〉 chose â—â—eror â—he sake 〈…〉 in the year 107. they * chose one Constantine purely for the sake of his name and against his own will in this city Caer Segont as Ninnius and Gervasius Dorobernensis tell us He setting sail from Britaine arrived at Bologne in France and got all the Roman forces as far as the Alps to joyn him defended Valence a city of Gaule with great resolution against the forces of Honorius the Emperor and set a garrison upon the †Rhine â—henum that was before defenseless He built several fortresses in the passages of the Alpes In Spain by the assistance of Constans his son whom from a Monk he had rais'd to the title of Augustus he was very successful and then sending letters to Honorius to beg pardon for his crime in suffering the soldiers to force upon him the Purple received back an Imperial Robe from that Emperour Buoy'd up with this he pass'd the Alpes with a design to march to Rome but hearing of the death of Alaric the Goth who had been a friend to his cause he retreated to Arles where he fixed the Imperial seat commanded the city to be call'd †after his own name â—tantiâ—â—â— and summon'd thither a solemn meeting of seven Provinces In the mean time Gerontius rais'd a faction against his Master and after he had traiterously slain Constans his son at Vienne in Gaule closely besieged Constantine the Father in Arles but while one Constantius sent by the Emperour Honorius was marching against him with an army Gerontius laid violent hands upon himself In the mean time Constantine being reduc'd to great necessity by the closeness of this siege and by some unhappy sallies of the garrison brought to despair he quitted his honour and that load of fortune and entring into the Church took upon him the Order of a * Priest â—â—y upon which the city was presently surrendred and he led prisoner into Italy where he was beheaded with Julian his son whom he entitled the Noble 〈◊〉 entiâ—â—e 〈◊〉 and Sebastian his brother The History of these affairs which is before deliver'd more at large I have here abridged from Zosimus Zosomen Nicephorus Orosius and Olympiodorus that truth may triumph over the vanity of those who by the help of their own invention have adulterated this story with their ridiculous and simple forgeries Our Historians report that in this city was the inauguration of our martial King Arthur and soon after the place was demolish'd either in the Saxon Wars or when Athelwolf in rebellion against King Edward his brother assisted by that crew of Danish Robbers destroy'd all this country as far as Basing-stoke Nothing now remains but the walls which though they have lost their coping and battlements seem to have been of a great height For by the rubbish and ruins the earth is grown so high that I could scarce thrust my self through a †passage which they call Onion's hole â—â—gipâ—râ— tho' I stoop'd very low The walls however remain in a great measure entire only some few gaps there are in those places where the gates have been and out of these very walls there grow Oaks of such a vast bigness incorporated as it were with the stones and their roots and boughs spreading so far round that they even raise an admiration in all that behold them In compass the walls contain about two Italian miles so that perhaps from the largeness of the place the Saxons call'd it Selcester that is a great city Sel what For Sel seems in their language to have signified great since Asserius Menevensis interprets the Saxon word Selwood by Sylva magna i.e. a great wood On the west-side of the walls where 't is a level there runs a long ridge cast up for defence of the place It includes about 80 acres of land a good and fat soil now divided into separate fields with a little grove towards the west and eastward near the gate a farm-house with a small Church of modern building in which while I search'd for ancient Inscriptions I found nothing but some Coats of Arms in the windows viz. in a field sable seven Fusils argent Bendwise as also in a field sable a Fesse between two cheverns Or and in a shield Or an eagle display'd with two heads gules Arms of the Blewets Bainards and Cusanz I find these last to be the Arms of the Blewets to whom this estate came after the time of William the Conquerour the second are the Arms of the noble family of Bainard of Leckham and the first is the Coat of the family of the Cusanz by whom this estate pass'd hereditarily from the Blewets to the Bainards But in the reign of William the Conquerour this was in the possession of William de Ow the Norman who being accus'd of treason appeal'd to a tryal of his innocence by Duel but being conquered he was by command of King William Rufus punish'd with the loss of his eyes and testicles The inhabitants of this place told me it had been a constant observation of theirs that tho' the soil here be fat and fertile yet in a sort of baulks that cross one another the corn never grows so thick as in the other parts of the field and along these they imagine the streets of the old city to have run Here are commonly dug up British tiles and great plenty of Roman Coins which they call Onion-pennies from one Onion whom they foolishly fancy to have been a Giant and an inhabitant of this city There are often found too some inscriptions which the ignorance of the Country-people has robb'd the world of There is only one brought up to London and placed in the garden of the honourable William Cecil Baron of Burghley and Lord High Treasurer of England which is this MEMORIAE FL. VICTORI NAE T. TAM VICTOR CONIUX POSVIT I shall not be positive as some others are that this was a monument in memory of Victorina who was called Mater Castrorum i.e. Mother of the Camp and who rais'd the Victorini son and grandson Posthumus Lollianus Marius and Tetricus Caesars in Gaule and Britain against Gallienus the Emperor But I have somewhere read that there were two Victors in Britaine and that both flourished at the same time one son of Maximus the Emperor the other * Praetorio Praefectus Praefect of the Guards to the same Emperor and mention'd by St. Ambrose in his Epistles But I dare affirm that neither of these was he who set up this monument in memory of his wife As there is one Roman military way that leads from hence directly southward
Anderida sylva so nam'd from Anderida the next adjoyning city took up in this quarter 120 miles in length and 30 in breadth memorable for the death of Sigebert a King of the West-Saxons who being depos'd b In a place call'd Pryfetes flodan Aethelwerd l. 2. c. 17. was here stabb'd to death by a Swine-herd It has many little rivers but those that come from the north-side of the County presently bend their course to the sea and are therefore unable to carry vessels of burden It is full of Iron-mines everywhere Iron for the casting of which there are Furnaces up and down the Country and abundance of wood is yearly spent many streams are drawn into one chanel and a great deal of meadow-ground is turned into Ponds and Pools for the driving of Mills by the * Suo impetu flashes which beating with hammers upon the iron fill the neighbourhood round about night and day with their noise But the iron here wrought is not everywhere of the same goodness yet generally more brittle than the Spanish whether it be from it's nature or tincture and temper Nevertheless the Proprietors of the mines by casting of Cannon and other things get a great deal of money But whether the nation is any ways advantag'd by them is a doubt the next age will be better able to resolve Neither doth this County want Glass-houses Glass but the glass here made by reason of the matter or making I know not which is not so clear and transparent and therefore only us'd by the ordinary sort of people b This whole County as to it 's Civil partition is divided into 6 parts which by a peculiar term they call Rapes that is of Chichester Arundell Brembre Lewes Pevensey and Hastings every one of which besides their Hundreds has a Castle River and Forest of it 's own But c In the Map the Rapes are now duely distinguish'd and divided forasmuch as I have little knowledge of the limits within which they are bounded I design to take my way along the shore from west to east for the inner parts scatter'd here and there with villages have scarce any thing worth mentioning In the very confines of Hamshire and this County stands Bosenham Boseham commonly call'd Boseham environ'd round about with woods and the sea together where as Bede saith Dicul a Scotch Monk had a very small Cell and 5 or 6 Brothers living poorly and serving God which was a long time after converted into a private retreat for K. Harold From which place as he once in a little Pinnace made to sea for his recreation he was by a sudden turn of the wind driven upon the coast of France and there detain'd till he had by oath assur'd the Kingdom of England unto William of Normandy after the death of K. Edw. the Confessor by which means he presently drew upon himself his own ruin and the kingdom's overthrow But with what a subtle double meaning that cunning catcher of syllables Earl Godwin's double meaning Godwin Earl of Kent this Harold's Father got this place and deluded the Archbishop by captious wrestings of letters Walter Mapes who liv'd not many years after shall in his own very words inform you out of his book de Nugis Curialium This Boseham underneath Chichester says he Godwin saw and had a mind to and being accompanied with a great train of Lords comes smiling and jesting to the Archbishop of Canterbury whose town it then was My Lord says he give me * Alluding perhaps to Basium a Kiss in times past us'd in doing homage Boseam The Archbishop wondring what he demanded by that question I give you says he Boseam He presently with his company of Knights and Soldiers fell down as he had before design'd at his feet and kissing them with a world of thanks retires to Boseham and by force of arms kept possession as Lord of it and having his followers as Witnesses to back him gave the Archbishop a great many commendations as the Donor in the King's presence and so held it peaceably Afterwards as we read in Testa de Nevil which was an Inquisition of lands made in K. John's time King William who afterwards conquer'd England gave this to William Fitz-Aucher and his heirs in fee-farm paying out of it yearly into the Exchequer 40 pounds of silver d See in Wiltshire under the title Old Salisbury try'd and weigh'd and afterwards William Marshall held it as his inheritance Chichester Chichester in British Caercei in Saxon Cissanceaster in Latin Cicestria stands in a Plain farther inwards upon the same arm of the sea with Boseham a pretty large city and wall'd about built by Cissa the Saxon the second King of this Province taking also it 's name from him For Cissan-ceaster is nothing else but the City of Cissa whose father Aella was the first Saxon that here erected a kingdom Yet before the Norman conquest it was of little reputation noted only for St. Peter's Monastery and a little Nunnery But in the reign of William 1. as appears by Domesday book there were in it 100 Hagae and it was in the hands of Earl Roger †De 〈◊〉 Gomâ—rice i.e. of Montgomery and there are in the said place 60 houses more than there were before It paid 15 pound to the King and 10 to the Earl Afterwards when in the reign of the said William 1. it was ordain'd that the Bishops Sees should be translated out of little towns to places of greater note and resort this city being honour'd with the Bishop's residence which was before at Selsey began to flourish Not many years after Bishop Ralph built there a Cathedral Church which before it was fully finish'd was by a casual fire suddenly burnt down Notwithstanding by his endeavours and K. Hen. 1.'s liberality it was raised up again and now besides the Bishop has a Dean a Chaunter a Chancellor a Treasurer 2 Archdeacons and 30 Prebendaries At the same time the city began to flourish and had certainly been much frequented and very rich had not the haven been a little too far off and less commodious which nevertheless the citizens are about making more convenient by digging a new canal It is wall'd about in a circular form and is wash'd on every side except the north by the e The course of this river's stream is very unaccountable sometimes being quite dry but at other times and that very often too in the midst of Summer it is so full as to run very violently little river Lavant having 4 gates opening to the 4 quarters of the world from whence the streets lead directly and run cross in the middle where the market is kept and where Bishop Robert Read built a fine stone Piazza As for the castle which stood not far from the north gate it was anciently the seat of the Earls of Arundel who from hence wrote themselves Earls of Chichester Earls of
Chichâ—â—â—â—â— but was afterwards converted to a Convent of Franciscans All that space that lies between the west and south gates is taken up with the Cathedral Church Bishop's palace and f The Dean hath now no house the Dean and Prebendaries houses which about K. Rich. 1.'s time were again burnt down and Seffrid 2d Bishop of that name re-edify'd them g Besides the Cathedral there are within the walls 5 small Churches The Church it self indeed is not great but neat and has a very high stone spire and on part of the south-side of the Church the history of it's foundation is curiously painted as also the pictures of the Kings of England on the other part are the pictures of all the Bishops as well of Selsey as of Chichester all at the charge of Bishop Robert Shirburne who beautify'd this Church very much and has his Motto set up everywhere Credite operibus and Dilexi decorem domus tuae Domine 2 Neither he only adorn'd the Lord's house but repair'd also the Bishop's houses But that great tower which stands near the west-side of the Church was built by R. Riman as 't is reported upon his being prohibited the building a Castle at Aplederham hard by where he liv'd with those very stones he had beforehand provided for the Castle 3 Near the haven of Chichester is W. Witering where as the monuments of the Church testifie Aella the first founder of the kingdom of Suth-sex arrived c Selsey before mention'd in Saxon Seals-ey Selsey that is as Bede interprets it the Isle of Sea-Calves which we in our language call Seales Seales Here 〈◊〉 the beâ—â— Cockâ—es a creature that always makes to islands and shores to bring forth it 's young 4 But now it is most famous for good Cockles and fall Lobsters stands a little lower A place as Bede says compass'd round about with the sea unless on the west-side where it has an entry into it of about †Jaâ—â—s funâ—ae a stones throw over It contain'd 87 families when Edinwalch K. of this Province gave it to Wilfrid Bishop of York being then in exile who first preach'd the Gospel here and as he writes Slaves not only sav'd from the bondage of the Devil 250 bondmen by baptism but also by giving freedom deliver'd them from slavery under man Afterwards King Cedwalla who conquer'd Edilwalch founded here a Monastery and honour'd it with an Episcopal See which by Stigand the 22d Bishop was translated to Chichester where it now flourishes and owns Cedwalla for it's Founder In this Isle there are some obscure remains of that ancient little city in which those Bishops resided cover'd at high water but plainly visible at low water Beyond Selsey the shore breaks and makes way for a river that runs down out of St. Leonard's Forest by Amberley where William Read Bishop of Chichester in the reign of Edw. 3. built a castle for his successors and then by Arundel seated on the side of a hill a place more perhaps talk'd of than it deserves d nor is it indeed very ancient for I have not so much as read it's name before K. Alfred's time who gave it in his Will to Athelm his brother's son Unless I should believe it corruptly call'd Portus Adurni by a transposition of letters for Portus Arundi The etymology of this name is neither to be fetch'd from Bevosius's Romantick horse nor from Charudum a promontory in Denmark as Goropius Becanus dream'd but from a vale lying along the River Arun in case Arun be the name of the river as some have told us who upon that account nam'd it Aruntina vallis But all it's fame is owing to the Castle which flourish'd under the Saxon Government and was as we read presently after the coming in of the Normans repair'd by Roger Montgomery thereupon stil'd Earl of Arundel For it is by it's situation contriv'd large and well strengthen'd with works But his son Robert Belesme who succeeded his brother Hugh was outlaw'd by K. Hen. 1. and lost that and all his other honours For breaking into a perfidious Rebellion against him he chose this castle for the seat of war and strongly fortify'd it but had no better success than what is generally the issue of Treason for the King's forces surrounding it at length took it Upon this Robert's outlawry and banishment the King gave the castle and the rest of his estate to Adeliza daughter of Godfrey sirnam'd â—ong â—rd Barbatus of Lovaine Duke of Lorrain and Brabant his second Queen for her Dower In whose commendation a h It seems to be Henry Huntingdon See his History l. 7. p. 218. where there is Adelida and Adelnia Seld. certain English-man wrote these verses ingenious enough for that unlearned age Anglorum Regina tuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi pulcherrima Quid tibi Gemma Pallet Gemma tibi nec Diadema nitet Deme tibi cultus cultum natura ministrat Non * 〈◊〉 othâ—r â—pies meâ—arâ— exornari forma beata potest Ornamenta cave nec quicquam luminis inde Accipis illa micant lumine clara tuo Non puduit modicas de magnis dicere laudes Nec pudeat Dominam te precor esse meam When Adeliza's name should grace my song A sudden wonder stops the Muse's tongue Your Crown and Jewels if compar'd to you How poor your Crown how pale your Jewels show Take off your robes your rich attire remove Such pomps will load you but can ne'er improve In vain your costly ornaments are worn You they obscure while others they adorn Ah! what new lustre can those trifles give Which all their beauty from your charms receive Thus I your lofty praise your vast renown In humble strains am not asham'd t' have shown Oh! be not you asham'd my services to own She after the King's death match'd with William * â—e Alâ—io or as â—rs de â—ineto 〈◊〉 de Alâ—â—aco 〈◊〉 Dawâ— D'aubeney who taking part with Maud the Empress against King Stephen and defending this Castle against him was in recompence for his good services by the said Maud â—ngloâ— Domiâ— Lady of the English for that was the title she us'd created Earl of Arundel And her son King Henry 2. gave the same William the whole Rape of Arundel to hold of him by the service of 84 Knights fees and an half and to his son William King Richard 1. granted in some such words as these Arundel Castle Earls of Arundel and Sussex together with the whole honour of Arundel and the third penny of the Pleas out of Sussex whereof he is Earl And when after the fourth Earl of this Sirname the issue male failed See the Earls of Sussex one of the sisters and heirs of Hugh the fourth Earl was marry'd to John Fitz-Alan Lord of Clun whose great grandson Richard Chartae Antiquae 10. m. 29. upon account
to John Backwell Esq p In the account of the Earls Mr. Camden tells us that Henry Duke of Buckingham's reason for plotting against Richard 3. was that King 's detaining from him the estate of the Bohuns But this cannot be the cause ‖ Dudg Bar. T. 1. p. 168. for after that Tyrant's advancement he sign'd a bill for Livery of all those Lands unto him whereunto he pretended a right by descent from Humphrey de Bohun sometime Earl of Hereford and Constable of England Mr. Dugdale has given us an abstract of it and is of opinion that the cause of this his carrriage was either remorse of conscience for raising that King to the throne by the barbarous murther of his nephews or else his observing himself neglected by him Continuation of the DUKES After the attainder and execution of Edward the title lay vacant till the 14th of Jac. 1. when George Viscount Villers was created Earl of Buckingham the next year Marquess of Buckingham and by a Patent bearing date 18 Maii 21 Jac. 1. Duke of Buckingham This George being kill'd by one Felton at Portsmouth Aug. 23. An. 1628. was succeeded by George his son who dying Apr. 16. 1687. left the title vacant More rare Plants growing wild in Buckinghamshire I have not had opportunity of searching this County for Plants neither have any singular local or uncommon species growing there as yet come to my knowledge save only Sphondylium montanum minus angustifolium tenuiter laciniatum observed by Dr. Plukenet near St. Giles Chalfont in the mountainous meadows BEDFORDSHIRE THE County of Bedford commonly Bedfordshire is one of the three Counties which we observ'd before to have been inhabited by the Cattieuchlani On the east and south it is joyn'd to Cambridgshire and Hertfordshire on the west to Buckinghamshire on the north to Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire and is divided into two parts by the Ouse running through it In the north part it is more fruitful and woody in the south where 't is much larger the soil is more poor though it makes a tolerable return For it abounds with barley which is plump white and strong In the middle it is something thick-set with woods but eastward is more dry and wants wood The Ouse at its first entrance into this County first visits Trury the seat of Baron Mordant â—â—â—oâ—s â—â—rdant which family is indebted to Henry 8. for this dignity For he it was that created John Mordant Baron Mordant a prudent person who had married the daughter and coheir of H. Vere of Addington Next it glides by Hare-wood a little village call'd formerly Hareles-wood where Sampson sirnam'd The Strong built a Nunnery and where in the year of our Lord 1399. a little before the breaking out of those Commotions and Civil wars wherewith England was for a long time embroil'd the Hyâ—gma 〈◊〉 153. the river stood still and the water retiring both ways did wonderfully leave a passage on foot through the chanel for three miles together a 1 They who saw it took it as a plain presage of the division ensuing Afterwards it runs under Odil or Woodhill formerly Wahull which had also its Barons of Wahull eminent for their ancient Nobility 2 Whose Barony consisted of 300 Knights-fees in divers Countries and a Castle 3 Which is now hereditarily descended to Sir R. Chetwood Knight as the inheritance of the Chetwoods came formerly to the Wahuls which is now come by inheritance to the Chetwoods b From hence the Ouse with no less windings than those of the Meander it self is carry'd through Bletnesho commonly Bletso â—â—so formerly the seat of the Pateshuls afterwards of the Beauchamps 〈◊〉 St. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sho and now of the famous family of St. John who formerly by their valour became Masters of a great estate in Wales 4 In Glamorganshire and in our age had the honour of Barons conferr'd upon them by Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory 5 When she created Sir Oliver the second Baron of her Creation Lord St. John of â—letnesho unto whom it came by c. To them it came by Margaret de Beauchamp an heiress marry'd first to Oliver de St. John from whom those Barons are descended and afterward to John Duke of Somerset by whom she had the famous Margaret Countess of Richmond a Woman whose merit is above the reach of the highest Commendation and from whom the Royal Family of England is descended From hence the Ouse hastens 6 By Brumham a seat of the Dives of very ancient parentage in these parts to Bedford Bedford in Saxon Bedanford the County-town and which gives name to the whole and so cuts it that one would imagine it two towns but that it is joyn'd by a Stone-bridge c 'T is more eminent for the pleasantness of its situation and antiquity than any thing of beauty or stateliness though it has indeed five Churches I dare not assent to those who think it to be the Lactodorum of Antoninus for neither is it situate upon a military way which is the surest guide in our search after stations and mansions mention'd by Antoninus nor were there ever any Roman Coins dug up here I have read that it was call'd in British Liswider or Lettidur but this seems to be turn'd out of the English name For Lettuy signifies in British publick Inns and Lettidur innes upon a river and our English Bedford implies Beds and Inns at a Ford. Below this Town in the year 572. Cuthwulph the Saxon did so shatter the Britains in a set-battel that he was ever after too hard for them and had several towns surrender'd Nor does it seem to have been neglected by the Saxons since Offa that powerful Prince of the Mercians made choice of this place as Florilegus tells us for his Burial but the Ouse being once more rapid and rising higher than ordinary swept away his Monument The town was repaird by Edward the elder after it had been destroy'd in the Danish wars which King did likewise add a little city on the south side of the river call'd by that age to follow the best Copâ— of Hoveden Mikesgate In the time of Edward the Confessor as we find it in that Book wherein William the first took his Survey of England it defended it self for the half of an Hundred in expedition and ships The land of this village never hided But under the Normans it was a much greater sufferer for after Pagan de Beauchamp the third that was call'd Baron of Bedford had built a Castle theâ—e never a civil commotion arose in the kingdom but what had a stroke at it while standing Stephen in the first place when he had possess'd himself of the Kingdom of England against his solemn oath took this Castle with great loss on both sides afterwards when the Barons took up arms against King John William de Beauchamp Lord of it and one of the headers of that Faction
springeth out of a pond vulgarly call'd Brown's-well for Brent-well that is in old English Frog-well passeth down between Hendon which Archbishop Dunstan born for the advancement of Monks purchased for some few gold Bizantines which were imperial pieces of gold coined at Byzantium or Constantinople and gave to the Monks of St. Peter of Westminster And Hampsted-hill from whence you have a most pleasant prospect to the most beautiful City of London and the lovely Country about it Over which the ancient Roman military way led to Verulam or St. Albans by Edgworth and not by High-gate as now which new way was opened by the Bishops of London about some 300 years since But to return Brent into whom all the small rivers of these parts resort runneth on by Brent-street an Hamlet to which it imparted its name watreth Hangerwood Hanwell Oiâ—terley-Park where Sir Thomas Gresham built a fair large house and so near her fall into the Thames giveth name to Brentford a fair thorough-fare and frequent Market Hard by is Brentford Brentford which receiv'd that name from the little river Brent where Edmund Ironside after he had oblig'd the Danes to draw off from the siege of London did so attack them as to force 'em to a disorderly flight wherein he kill'd great numbers of them From Stanes thus far all between the high-road along Hounslow and the Thames was call'd the Forrest or Warren of Stanes till Henry 3. as we read in his Charter deforrested and dewarren'd it Then 8 To the Thames side I saw Fulham Fulham in Saxon Fullonham i.e. a house of fowle which receives its greatest honour from the Bishop of London's Country-house 9 Standing there conveniently not far from the City albeit not so healthfully f And Chelsey Chelsey as if one should say Shelfsey so call'd from a bed of Sands in the river Thames 10 As some suppose but in Records 't is nam'd Chelche-hith adorn'd with stately buildings by Henry 8. William Powlett Marquess of Winchester and others g But amongst these London which is as it were the Epitome of all Britain the Seat of the British Empire and the †Camera Residence of the Kings of England is to use the Poet's comparison as much above the rest as the Cypress is above the little sprig Tacitus Ptolemy and Antoninus call it Londinium and Longidinium Ammianus Lundinum and Augusta Stephanus in his book of Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our British Lundayn the old Saxons Londen-ceaster Londen-byrig Londen-pyc foreigners Londra and Londres our own nation London London the fabulous Writers Troja Nova Dinas Belin i.e. the city of Belin and Caer Lud from one King Luddus whom they affirm to have given it both being and name But as for those new-broach'd names and originals as also Erasmus's conjecture that it came from Lindum a city of Rhodes I leave 'em to those that are inclin'd to admire them For my own part since Caesar and Strabo have told me British Towns that the ancient Britains call'd such woods or groves as they fenc'd with trees they had cut down Cities or Towns and since I have been inform'd that in British they call such places Llhwn I am almost of this opinion that London is by way of eminence simply call'd a City or a City in a wood But if that do not hit give me leave without the charge of inconstancy 11 While I disport in conjecture to guess once more that it might have it's name from the same original that it had it's growth and glory I mean Ships call'd by the British Lhong so that London is as much as a Harbour or City of Ships For the Britains term a City Dinas Dinas which the Latins turn'd into Dinum Upon which account it is call'd in one place Longidinium and in a * Naenia Song of an ancient British Bard Lhongporth i.e. a port or harbour for Ships And by the same word Bologne in France in Ptolemy Gessoriacum Navale is turn'd by the British Glossary Bolung Long. For several cities have had their names from shipping as Naupactus Naustathmos Nauplia Navalia Augusti c. None of which can lay better claim to the name of an harbour than our London For 't is admirably accommodated with both Elements standing in a fruitful soil abounding with every thing seated upon a gentle ascent and upon the river Thames which without trouble or difficulty brings it in the riches of the world For by the convenience of the tide coming in at set hours with the safety and depth of the river which brings up the largest vessels it daily heaps in so much wealth both from East and West that it may at this day dispute the preheminence with all the Mart-towns in Christendom Moreover it is such a sure and complete station for ships that one may term it a grov'd wood so shaded is it with masts and sails h Antiquity has told us nothing of the first Founder as indeed Cities growing up by little and little but seldom know their original Notwithstanding this among others has fabulously deriv'd it self from the Trojans and is persuaded that Brute ‖ Abnepos second Nephew to the famous Aeneas was it's Founder But whoever built it the growth of it may convince 't was begun with a †Vitali genio lucky omen 12 Marked for life and long continuance and Ammianus Marcellinus has taught us to pay it a veneration upon account of it's Antiquity when even in his time which is twelve hundred years ago he calls it an ancient town And agreeably Cornelius Tacitus who flourish'd under Nero 13 1540. years since has told us that then 't was a place exceeding famous for the number of merchants and it's trade Even then nothing was wanting to complete it's glory but that it was not either a ‖ Municipium Free-borough or a Colony Nor indeed would it have been the interest of the Romans that a City of such vast trade should enjoy the privileges of a Colony or Free-borough for which reason I fancy they made it a Praefecture Praefecturae for so they call'd the towns wherein there were * Nundinae Fairs and Courts kept Not that they had Magistrates of their own but had Praefects sent them yearly to do justice who were to act in all publick affairs such as taxes tributes imposts †Militiae the business of the army c. according to the Instructions of the Roman Senate Upon which account it is that London is only term'd Opidum a town by Tacitus by the Panegyrist and by Marcellinus But altho' it had not a more honourable title yet it has been as powerful wealthy and prosperous as any and that almost without interruption under the Roman Saxon and Norman Governments scarce ever falling under any great calamity i In Nero's reign when the Britains under the conduct of Boadicia had unanimously resolv'd
to recover their old liberty the Londoners could not prevail upon Suetonius Paulinus either by cries or tears but that after he had got together assistance he would march and leave the city defenceless to the mercy of the enemy and they immediately dispatch'd those few that either by reason of their sex their old age or a natural inclination to the place had stay'd behind Nor had it suffer'd a less dismal massacre from the Franks had not the Divine Providence unexpectedly interpos'd For when C. Alectus had treacherously cut off C. Carausius C. Caraâ—sius a citizen of Menapia who depending upon the boisterousness of our sea A Panegyrick spoken to Constantius Caesar and falsly entitl'd to Maximiaâ— the difficulties of the war wherein Dioclesian was engag'd in the East and the Franks with that bold crew of sea-allies had kept back the revenues of Britain and Batavia and enjoy'd the title of Emperour as we learn from several of his Coins that are dug up for six years together when also M. Aurelius Asclepiodatus had cut off and defeated Alectus in a set battel who for three years together had usurp'd the government of Britain The Franks slain then the Franks that escap'd alive out of the engagement posted to London and were just ready to plunder the City when the Thames that always stood the Londoners a true friend luckily brought up some Roman soldiers that had been parted from the main fleet by a fog These fell upon the Barbarians in all parts of the City by which means the citizens were not only secure themselves but had the satisfaction of seeing their enemies destroy'd Then it is our Annals tell us that L. Gallus was slain near a little river which run almost thro' the midst of the City and was call'd from him Nantgall in British and in English Walbroke A name that remains in a street there under which I have heard there goes a ditch or sink to carry off the filth of the town It is not far from that great stone call'd London-stone London-Stone this I take to have been a Mile-stone such a one as they had in the Forum at Rome from which all the Journeys were begun since it stood in the middle of the City as it run out in length And hitherto I do not think London was walled round But our Historians tell us that a little after Constantine the Great Coins of Helena often found under the walls at the request of Helena his mother first wall'd it about with hew'n stone and British bricks containing within the compass of it about 3 miles whereby the City was made a square but not equilateral being longer from west to east and from south to north narrower That part of these walls which run along by the Thames The Walls by the continual beating of the river is quite wash'd away tho' Fitz-Stephens who liv'd at that time tells us there were some pieces of it to be seen in Henry 2.'s time The rest remains to this day and that part toward the north very firm for having not many years since been repair'd by one Jotcelin that was Mayor it put on as it were a new face and freshness But that toward the east and west tho' the Barons repair'd it in their Wars out of the demolish'd houses of the Jews is yet ruinous and going all to decay For the Londoners like the Lacedaemonians of old slight fenced Cities as fit for nothing but women to live in and look upon their own to be safe not by the assistance of stones but the courage of it's inhabitants These walls have 7 Gates in them The Gates for those lesser I industriously omit which as they have been repair'd have taken new names To the west there are two Ludgate so call'd either from King Luddus or as Leland thinks from Fludgate with reference to the small river below it as there was the Porta Fluentana at Rome this was lately built from the very foundation and Newgate the most beautiful of them all so nam'd from the newness of it for before they call'd it Chamberlangate and is the publick Gaol On the north-side there are four Aldersgate either from it's antiquity or as others would have it from Aldrick the Saxon Cripplegate from the adjoyning Hospital for lame people Moregate from a neighbouring bog or fen now turn'd into a field and a pleasant Walk which was first built by one 14 Francerius Falconer Lord Mayor A. D. 1414. Francerius who was Mayor in the year 1414. Bishopsgate from the Bishop this as I have been told the German Merchants of the Society of the Hanse-towns Easterlings were bound by Article both to keep in repair and in case of a siege to defend it To the east there is but one Aldgate from it's oldness or as others will have it call'd Elbegate 15 Which at this present is by the cities charge re-edify'd The common opinion is that there were two more towards the Thames besides that at the bridge Belings-gate now a * Cothon Wharf to receive ships and Dourgate i.e. the water-gate call'd commonly Dow-gate At each end of the wall that runs along by the river there were strong Forts the one towards the east remains to this day call'd commonly the Tower The Tower of London and in British from it's whiteness Bringwin and Tour-gwin Which is indeed a stately Tower surrounded with strong walls mounting up with turrets guarded with a rampire and broad ditches together with the accommodation of a noble Armory and other houses so that it self looks like a town and a conjecture that the two Castles which Fitz-Stephens has told us were at the west-end of the city may have been turn'd into this one would be plausible enough At the west-end of the city there was another Fort where the little river Fleet from whence our Fleetstreet now of little value but formerly as I have read in the Parliament-Records navigable empties it self into the Thames Fitz-Stephens call'd this the Palatine-Tower and tradition affirms it to have been burnt down in William the Conquerour's time Out of the ruins whereof was built a great part of Paul's Church as also a Monastery for Dominican Friers from whom we call the place Black-Friers founded in the very area or plot of it by Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury from whence you may easily take an estimate of it's largeness And yet in Henry 2.'s time there were in the same place as Gervasius Tilburiensis in his Otia Imperialia affirms two Pergama or Castles with walls and rampires one whereof belong'd hereditarily to Bainard the other to the Barons of Montfitchett But there 's nothing now to be seen of them tho' some are inclin'd to think that Penbroch-house was a part of them which we call Bainard's-castle from a Nobleman one William Bainard Lord of Dunmow that was formerly owner of it whose successors the Fitz-Walters were hereditary ‖
shillings 4 Prebendaries 6 Sextaries of honey and ‖ Ursum sex canes ad ursum a bear with 6 dogs to bait him Now it pays 70 pound by weight to the King a hundred shillings * De Gersuma as a fine to the Queen with an ambling Palfrey 20 pound †Blancas blank also to the Earl and 20 shillings fine by tale In the reign of William 1. this was the seat of a Civil war which Ralph Earl of the East-Angles rais'd against that King For after he had escap'd by flight his wife along with the Armorican Britains endur'd a close siege till for want of provisions she was forc'd to get off and quit her Country And at that time the City was so impair'd that as appears by the same Domesday there were scarce 560 Burgesses left in it Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury mentions this surrender in a Letter to King William in these words Your kingdom is purg'd from the infection of the Britains or Armoricans the Castle of Norwich is surrender'd and the Britains that were in it and had lands here in England upon granting them life and limb have took an oath to depart your Dominions within forty days and never to return more without your special licence From that time forward it began by little and little to recover it self out of this deluge of miseries and Bishop Herbert whose reputation had suffer'd much by Simoniacal practices translated the Episcopal See from Thetford hither He built a very beautiful Cathedral on the east and lower part of the City in a place till then call'd Cow-holme near the Castle the first stone whereof in the reign of William Rufus and year of our Lord 1096. he himself 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 Son and Holy Ghost Amen Afterwards he procur'd a Licence from Pope Paschal to confirm and establish it the mother-Church of Norfolk and Suffolk and endow'd it liberally with lands sufficient for the maintenance of 60 Monks who had their neat and curious Cloysters But these were remov'd and a Dean six Prebendaries with others put in their places After the Church thus built and an Episcopal See plac'd here it became a Town as Malmsbury has it famous for Merchandise and number of Inhabitants And in the 17th of King Stephen as we read in some ancient Records Norwich was built anew was a populous town and made a Corporation That King Stephen also granted it to his Son William for an Appennage as they call it or inheritance is very evident from the publick Records But Henry the second took it from him and held it himself notwithstanding Henry his Son the Junior-King as they call'd him when he endeavour'd after the Crown had promis'd it in large terms to Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk whom he had drawn over to his party Bigod however adhering to the young King who could not over-rule his eager hopes of the Crown with Justice and Equity miserably harrass'd this City and is thought to have rebuilt that Castle on the high hill near the Cathedral within the City encompast with a trench of such vast depth that in those times it was lookt upon as impregnable But Lewis of France under whom the rebellious Barons had joyn'd against King John easily took it by siege The reason why I fancy Bigod repair'd the Castle is because I observ'd Lions saliant cut in a stone in the same manner as the Bigods formerly us'd them in their seals of whom tho' there was one that made use of a Cross And this was the condition of Norwich in its infancy But in the next age it increas'd mightily and abounded with wealthy Citizens who by a humble petition in Parliament desir'd liberty of Edward the first to wall their City round and afterwards accordingly did it to the great strength and ornament of it †They obtain'd of King Richard the second that the Worsted made there might be transported In the year 1403. they obtain'd leave of Henry the fourth instead of Bailiffs which they had before to elect a Mayor yearly and in the very heart of the City near the market-place built a most beautiful Town-house which on the set days are furnisht with all manner of provisions 'T is partly indebted to the Netherlands who after they could no longer endure the tyranny of the Duke of ‖ Albani Alva nor the bloody Inquisition setting up flockt hither in great numbers and first brought in the manufacture of * Of Saies Baies and other Stuffs now much in use light worsted stuffs ‖ Levidenâ—ium quorundam pannorum But why am I so long upon these matters when they are all with the History of the Bishops the succession of their Magistrates and the fury of that villanous rebel Kett against this City very elegantly describ'd by Alexander Nevil a person eminent both for birth and learning I will only add that in the year 1583. the Citizens by the help of * Instrumento Hydragogico an artificial Instrument convey'd water through pipes into the highest part of the City And here I could summon both Polydore Virgil the Italian and Angelus Capellus the Frenchman to answer before the Tribunal of venerable Antiquity how they come to affirm that our old Ordovices who liv'd almost under another Hemisphere inhabited this Norwich I could bring the same Action against our Country-man Caius but that I am satisfy'd 't was nothing but a natural love of his native Country that blinded the learned old man And I have nothing more to add about Norwich unless you have a mind to run over these verses made upon it by John Johnston a Scotchman Urbs speciosa situ nitidis pulcherrima tectis Grata peregrinis delitiosa suis Bellorum sedes trepido turbante tumultu Tristia Neustriaco sub duce damna tulit Victis dissidiis postquam caput ardua coelo Extulit immensis crevit opima opibus Cultus vincit opes cultum gratia rerum Quam benè si luxus non comitetur opes Omnia sic adeò sola haec sibi sufficit ut si Fo rs regno desit haec caput esse queat A town whose stately piles and happy seat Her Citizens and Strangers both delight Whose tedious siege and plunder made her bear In Norman troubles an unhappy share And feel the sad effects of dreadful war These storms o'reblown now blest with constant peace She saw her riches and her trade increase State here by wealth by beauty wealth 's out-done How blest if vain excess be yet unknown So fully is she from her self supply'd That England while she stands can never want an head From Norwich the river Yare with the increase of other waters that take the same name rowls on in a winding chanel and abounds with the fish call'd a
an ancient family but now of execrable memory for a most cruel and horrible plot never parallel'd in any age which Robert Catesby of Ashby St. Leger the dishonour of his family running headlong upon villanies gaping after the most detestable cruelties and impiously conspiring the destruction of his Prince and Country lately contriv'd under a specious pretext of Religion Of this let all ages be silent and let not the mention of it convey this scandal to posterity which we our selves cannot reflect on without horrour nay the dumb and inanimate Beings seem to be moved at the hainousness of such a villanous conspiracy Hard by is Fawesley Faweâ—â—â— where the Knightleys have long dwelt adorn'd with the honour of Knighthood descended from the more ancient family of Knightley of Gnowshall in Staffordshire And more eastward upon the Nen whose chanel as yet is but small stands Wedon on the street Wedâ—◠〈◊〉 the Street once the royal seat of Wolpher K. of the Mercians and converted into a Monastery by his daughter Werburg a most holy Virgin whose miracles in driving away Geese from hence some credulous writers have very much magnified I shou'd certainly wrong truth shou'd I not think tho' I have been of a contrary opinion that it is this Wedon which Antonine in his Itinerary calls Bannavenna Bennavenna Bennaventa Bannâ—â—na 〈◊〉 Isaâ—â—â—na 〈◊〉 naâ—â—â— and once corruptly Isannaventa notwithstanding there remain not now any express footsteps of that name so much does length of time darken and change every thing For the distance from the ancient Stations and Quarters on both sides exactly agrees and in the very name of Bannavenna the name of the river Aufona Avenna now Nen the head whereof is near it in some measure discovers it self Likewise a Military-way goes directly from hence northward with a Causey oft broken and worn away but most of all over-against Creke a village where of necessity it was joyn'd with bridges but elsewhere it appears with a high ridge as far as Dowbridge near Lilborne A little more northward I saw Althorp â—â—â—â—p the seat of the noted family of the Spencers Knights allied to very many Houses of great worth and honour out of which Sir Robert Spencer the fifth Knight in a continued succession a worthy encourager of virtue and learning was by his most serene Majesty K. James lately advanced to the honour of Baron Spencer of Wormleighton Hard by Althorp Holdenby-house 〈…〉 â—â—denby makes a noble appearance a stately and truly magnificent piece of building erected by Sir Christopher Hatton 〈◊〉 Christoâ—er Hatâ—◠〈◊〉 died 〈◊〉 1591. Privy Counsellour to Qu. Elizabeth Lord Chancellour of England and Knight of the Garter upon the lands and inheritance of his great grandmother heir of the ancient family of the Holdenbys for the greatest and last monument as himself afterwards was wont to say of his youth A person to say nothing of him but what is his due eminent for his piety towards God his love for his Country his untainted integrity and unparallel'd charity One also which is not the least part of his character that was always ready to encourage Learning Thus as he liv'd piously so he fell asleep piously in Christ Yet the monument the learned in their writings have rais'd to him shall render him more illustrious than that most noble and splendid tomb in St. Paul's Church London deservedly and at great charges erected to the memory of so great a person by Sir William Hatton Kt. his adopted son Beneath these places the Nen glides forward with a gentle small stream and is soon after encreas'd by the influx of a little river where at the very meeting of them the City called after the river Northafandon and in short Northampton â—orthampâ—â—n is so seated that on the west-side it is water'd with this river and on the south with the other Which I was of late easily induced to imagine the ancient Bannaventa but I err'd in my conjecture and let my confession atone for it As for the name it may seem to have had it from the situation upon the north-side of the Aufona The City it self which seems to have been all of stone is in it's buildings very neat and fine for compass large enough and wall'd about from which walls there is a noble prospect every way into a spacious plain Country On the west-side it hath an old Castle 10â—5 â—egister of Andrews beautiful even by it's antiquity built by Simon de Sancto Licio commonly call'd Senliz the first of that name Earl of Northampton who joyned likewise to it a beautiful Church dedicated to St. Andrew for his own sepulture and as 't is reported re-edified the town Simon the younger also his son founded without the town ‖ De Pratis De la Pree a Nunnery It seems to have lain dead and neglected during the Saxon Heptarchy neither have our Writers made any where mention of it in all those depredations of the Danes unless it was when Sueno the Dane with barbarous fury and outrage ravag'd all over England For then as Henry of Huntingdon reports it was set on fire and burnt to the ground In the reign of St. Edward there were in this City as we find in Domesday 60 Burgesses in the King 's Domain having as many Mansions of these in King William 1.'s time 14 lay waste and 47 remained Over and above these there were in the new Borough 40 Burgesses in the Domain of K. William After the Normans time it valiantly withstood the siege laid to it by the Barons during the troubles and slaughters with which they had then embroil'd the whole Kingdom Who being maliciously bent against King John for private and particular reasons did yet so cloak them with pretences of Religion and the common good â—â—â—rtitus 〈◊〉 that they termed themselves The Army of God and of Holy Church At which time they say that military work was made they call Hunshill But it stood not out with like success against Hen. 3. their lawful King as it did against those Rebels For when the Barons brought up and now inur'd to sedition begun a war against him in this place he made a breach in the wall and soon won it by assault After this as before also the Kings now and then held their Parliaments here for the conveniency of its situation as it were in the very heart of England and in the year of Christ 1460. a lamentable battel was here fought wherein such was the Civil division of England after the slaughter of many of the Nobility Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick took that most unfortunate Prince King Hen. 6. then a second time made Prisoner by his subjects To conclude the longitude of Northampton our Mathematicians make 22 deg 29 min. and the latitude 52 deg 13 min. d From hence the Nen hastens by Castle-Ashby where Henry Lord Compton has begun a very fine House near which is
with its Fairs Richard Harecourt obtain'd from King Edward 1. e The battel was fought at three miles distance from this town but because this was the most remarkable it was therefore said to be at Bosworth-field Mr. Burton Hist of Leicestershire p. 47. has given us several remains of that engagement as pieces of armour arrow-heads c. digg'd up there Near this town within the memory of our grandfathers the right of the Crown of England happen'd to be finally determin'd by a battel For there Henry Earl of Richmond with a small body of men gave battel to Richard the third who in a most wicked manner had usurp'd the Crown and whilst for the liberty of his Country Henry with his party valiantly expos'd himself to death he happily overcame and slew the Tyrant and in the midst of blood and slaughter was with joyful acclamations saluted King having by his valour deliver'd England from the dominion of a tyrant and by his prudence eas'd the nation from the disquiet of civil dissentions d Hereupon Bernardus Andreas a Poet of Tholouse who liv'd in those days in an Ode to Henry 7. alludes thus to the Roses which were the †Insignia Device of that King Ecce nunc omnes posuere venti Murmura praeter Zephyrum tepentem Hic Rosas nutrit nitidósque flores Veris amoeni Now the rough tempests all have breath'd their last All winds are hush't except the gentle west By whose kind gales are blushing Roses blown And happy spring with all its joys comes on Other things worthy our mention near this way we do not meet with unless it be at a greater distance f This place is largely desrib'd by Mr. Burton in his History of Leicestershire p. 16. Ashby de la Zouch Ashby Barons Zouch of Ashby a most pleasant town now belonging to the Earls of Huntingdon formerly to Alan de la Zouch 7 Who descended from Alan Viscount of Rohan in Little-Britain and Constantia his wife daughter to Conan le Grosse Earl of Britain and Maud his wife the natural daughter of Henry the first a Baron who bore for his arms on a Shield Gules 10 Bezants This man having marry'd one of the heiresses of Roger de Quincy Earl of Winchester in her right came to a great estate in this County but having commenced a suit against John Earl of Warren who chose rather to determine the matter by Sword than by Law he was kill'd by him in the King's-hall at Westminster An. 1279. And some few years after the daughters and heirs of his Nephew convey'd this estate by their marriages into the families of Seymour 8 Of Castle Cary. and Holland Hollands 9 Yet their father first bestow'd this Ashby upon Sir Richard Mortimer of Richards-castle his Cousin whose youger issue thereupon took the surname of Zouch and were Lords of Ashby But from Eudo a younger son of Alane who was slain in Westminster-hall the Lords Zouch of Haringworth branch'd out and have been for many descents Barons of the Realm But this town came afterwards to the family of Hastings who have here a very magnificent seat of which family William procured from Henry the sixth the privilege of certain Fairs Nor ought I to pass over in silence Cole-Overton â—â—â—ton the seat of H. de Bellomont or Beaumont 10 Descended from Sir Thomas Beaumont Lord of Bachevill in Normandy brother to the first Viscount Which Sir Thomas as some write was he who was slain manfully fighting at such time as the French recover'd Paris from the English in the time of King Henry the sixth branch'd from that famous family of the Viscounts de Bellomont It hath a name of distinction from Pit-Coles 〈◊〉 Coles being a bituminous earth harden'd by nature and here to the Lord of the Manour's great profit digg'd up in such plenty as to supply the neighbouring Country all about with firing The river Soar as I have already observ'd cuts through the middle of this County which rising not far from the Street-way and encreasing with the addition of many running waters flows gently Northward and in its course passes by the West and North-sides of the principal town of the Shire call'd by Author's g In the Saxon it has several names according to the several Copies Legerceaster Ligoraceaster Lygraceaster Legraceaster Legoraceaster In reading our ancient Histories it ought to be carefully distinguish'd from the British Caerlegion or Caerleon West-Chester which is nam'd Legeceaster Legaceaster and by middle ag'd writers Legacestre See a large description of this place in Mr. Burton's Antiquities of Leicestershire p. 160 c. Lege-cestria Leogora Legeo-cester and Leicester Leicester It is a place that shows great antiquity and no less beauty in its buildings In the year 680 when Sexwulph by King Ethelred's order divided the kingdom of the Mercians into Dioceses he plac'd here a Bishop's seat and became himself the first Bishop of this See But after few years the See being translated to another place that dignity determin'd and the reputation of the town by little and little decay'd till Edelfleda a noble Lady in the year after our Saviour's nativity 914 repair'd and fortify'd the place with new walls so that Matthew Paris in his Lesser History writes thus Legecestria is a most wealthy city and encompast with an indissoluble wall of which if the foundation were strong and good the place would be inferiour to no city whatsoever At the coming in of the Normans it was well peopled and frequented and had many Burgesses Twelve of whom as we find recorded in William the first 's Book were by ancient Tenure to go with the King as often as he went to war But in case he made an expedition by sea then they sent four horses as far as London for the carriage of arms or other necessaries This town paid to the King yearly thirty pounds by tale and twenty in Ore 11 That is by weight and five and twenty h A measure containing our pint and a half or in weight 24 ounces Sextaries of Honey i This as Mr. Burton observes was done by Richard Lucie Lord Chief Justice of England to whom the government of this nation was committed the King then being absent in Ireland A. D. 1173. But in the time of Henry the second it was oppress'd with great miseries and the walls demolisht when Robert sirnam'd Bossu that is Crook-back Earl of Leicester endeavour'd an insurrection against his Prince Which Matthew Paris delivers in these words For the contumacy of Earl Robert in opposing the King the noble city of Leicester was besieged and ruin'd by King Henry and the wall which seem'd indissoluble thrown down to the very foundation quite round Let me add out of the said Lesser History That the walls being faulty in the foundations when they were undermin'd and the props burnt that supported them fell in great pieces which remain
naufraga Petri Ductorem in mediis expectat cymba procellis Now thy vast honours with thy virtues grow Now a third mitre waits thy sacred brow Deserted Wigorn mourns that thou art gone And Kent's glad sons thy happy conduct own Now Rome desires thee Peter wants thy hand To guide his leaky vessel safe to land This city was in all probability built by the Romans when to curb the Britains who dwelt beyond Severn they planted cities at convenient distances all along upon its east-bank just as they did in Germany on the south-side of the Rhine It is seated upon an easie ascent from the river over which lieth a bridge with a tower upon it It was anciently fenced with lofty Roman walls as an old parchment-roll informs us and hath to this day a good firm wall But its glory consists in its inhabitants who are numerous courteous and wealthy by means of the Cloathing trade in the neatness of its buildings the number of Churches and most of all in the Episcopal See which Sexuulfus Bishop of the Mercians placed here A. D. 680. building a Cathedral Church in the south part of the city which hath often been repair'd and by the Bishops and Monks hath been lengthened westward a little at a time almost to Severn side It is really a fair and magnificent Structure ennobled with the monuments of King John Arthur Prince of Wales and some of the Beauchamps A College also of learned men called Prebendaries no less famous than were formerly the Priory of Monks or College of Secular Priests here For in this Church presently upon its first foundation as in the other Abbies of England were placed married Presbyters Married Priests who govern'd those Churches a long time with great reputation for sanctity till Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury in a Synod decreed Register of the Church of Worcester A. D. 964. That for the future all Religious men in England should lead a single life For then Oswald Bishop of this See who was a most zealous promoter of Monkery remov'd the Priests and plac'd Monks in their room which King Edgar attests in these words l The Convents both of Monks and Virgins were destroy'd and neglected all England over which I have determined to repair to the praise of God for the benefit of my own soul and to increase the number of the Servants of God of both sexes and accordingly I have already settled Monks and Nuns in seven and forty houses and resolve if Christ spare me life to do it that I will go on in the oblation of my devout munificence to God till I have made them up fifty the number of the years of Remission Wherefore at present that Monastery in the Episcopal See of Worcester which the reverend Bishop Oswald hath to the honour of Mary the holy mother of God enlarged and having expelled the Secular Clerks c. by my assent and favour bestowed on the religious servants of God the Monks I do by my royal Authority confirm to the said religious persons leading a Monastick life and with the advice and consent of my Princes and Nobles do corroborate and consign c. After some considerable time when through the incursions of the Danes and civil broils the state of this Church was so decay'd that in the place of that numerous company of Monks which Oswald founded here scarce 12 were left Wulfstan S. Wulstan who sate Bp. of this See about A. D. 1090. restor'd it and augmented the number of Monks to 50. and also built a new Church He was a mean scholar even in the account of that age but a person of such simplicity and unfeigned integrity and of a conversation so severe and strict that he was a terrour to ill men and beloved by all that were good insomuch that after his death the Church gave him a place in the Kalendar among the Saints Now after they had flourished in great wealth and power above 500 years King Hen. 8. expell'd these Monks and in their room placed a Dean and Prebendaries and founded a Grammar-school for the instruction of youth Close by this Church remain the bare name and ground-plot of the Castle Which as we read in William of Malmesbury's history of Bishops Ursus made Sheriff of Worcester by William 1. built in the very teeth of the Monks so that the grass took away part of their cemetery But this Castle through the injury of time and casualty of fire hath many years since been ruined The City also hath been more than once burnt down A. D. 1041. it was set on fire by Hardy-Canute who being enraged at the Citizens for killing his Huscarles so they call'd his Officers who collected the Danegelt did not only fire the City Marianus but also massacre all the inhabitants except such as escaped into Bevercy a small island in the river Nevertheless we find in the survey of William 1. that in the days of Edward the Confessor it had a great many Burgesses and was rated at xv hide-land and when the Mint went every Minter gave xx shillings at London for stamps to coin withall In the year 1113. a casual fire which consumed the Castle burnt the roof of the Church also During the Civil wars in K. Stephen's reign it was fired once and again but suffered most when that King took the City Anno 15 Steph. Reâ—â—â— which he had unadvisedly put into the hands of Walleran Earl of Mellent but at that time he could not carry the Castle m However it still rose out of the ashes with greater beauty and hath flourished under an excellent Government managed by two Bailiffs chosen out of 24 Citizens two Aldermen and two Chamberlains with a Common Council consisting of 48 Citizens more n As to the Geographical account of it it 's Longitude from the west Meridian is 21 degrees 52 minutes and hath the north pole elevated 52 degrees and 12 minutes o From Worcester taking its course westward the river passeth by Powick Barons of Powick anciently the seat of John Beauchamp whom K. Hen. 6. raised to the dignity of a Baron whose estate soon after heirs female carried to the Willoughbies of Broke the Reads and Ligons p Hence through rich and fragrant meadows it runs by Hanley Hanley formerly a Castle belonging to the Earls of Glocester and Upton Upton a noted market town where Roman Coins are frequently dug up Not far off on the right-hand Severn hath the prospect of Malvern Malvern hills hills hills indeed or rather great and lofty mountains for about seven miles together rising like stairs one higher than the other and dividing this County from that of Hereford On the top Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester did anciently cast up a ditch all along to part his lands from those of the Church of Worcester which ditch is still to be seen and is very much admired pp On the other side Severn and near the same distance
a †â—â—â—tim yard or farm and also a river-island or any place surrounded with water as Keysers-wert and Bomelsweort in Germany signifie Caesar's-Island and Bomelus's Island In the time of the Mercian Kingdom this was a royal seat and as it is in the Lieger-book of Worcester a very eminent place Afterwards it was destroy'd in the Danish wars but rebuilt by Aethelfleda the Mercian and Editha the daughter of King Edgar who declining marriage for the love of Chastity is kalender'd among the she-saints and founded a little house for Nuns here which was some few years after translated to Pollesworth by the Marmions of Normandy when they built a Collegiate Church here wherein some of their tombs are still extant having had the town given them by William the Conquerour Here likewise they built a neat Castle which from them went by the Frevils to the Ferrars a family descended from a younger brother of the Barons Ferrars of Groby These Marmions as 't is in history were hereditary Champions to the Kings of England King's â—â—â—ons 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 For upon every Coronation of a new King of England the heir of this family was bound to ride arm'd in compleat harness into the King's hall and in a set form challenge any man to duel that would dare to withstand the King 's right And this is certain from the Publick Records that Alexander Frevill in the reign of Edward 3. Ed. 3. held this same castle by that kind of service Yet the Frevills lost this honor in the Coronation of Rich. 2. 5 When Baldwin Frevil inhibited his petition for the same it was adjudg'd from this family to Sir John Dimock his Competitor descended also from Marmion and producing more authentick Records and Evidences which went by marriage to the family of Dimocks in Lincolnshire d But now to return Watling-street at the bridge of Falkesley already mention'd that military Roman-way which I have often before spoke of and shall have occasion still to take notice of hereafter enters this County and crossing it almost in a streight line runs westwardly to Shropshire I survey'd it very accurately in hopes of finding Etocetum Eâ—ocetum which Antoninus makes the next Station after Manvessedum and with good luck I have at last found it and must ingenuously own my self to have been quite wrong heretofore For at that distance which Antoninus makes between Manvessedum and Etocetum I happen'd to meet with the ruins of an old city near this way scarce a mile southward from Lichfield eminent for the Bishop's See there The name of the place is at this day in English Wall Wall from the remains of the walls there extant which encompass about two acres of ground call'd the Castle-croft as if one should say the Castle-field Near this stood another ancient little city on the other side the way which was demolish'd before William the Conquerour's time as the inhabitants from an old tradition tell us and they shew the place where the Temple stood guessing it to be so from the greatness of the foundation and produce many Coyns of the Roman Caesars which are always the most infallible proofs of Antiquity e But that which mainly makes for this point is that the Military-way continues from hence very fair plain and almost without any breach till 't is cross'd and interrupted by the river Penck and hath a stone bridge built over it at Pennocrucium Pennocrucium so call'd from the river and standing at the same distance which Antoninus has made The town has not quite lost that name at this day being for Pennocrucium call'd Penckridge Penckridge At present 't is only a small village famous for a Horse-fair which Hugh Blunt or Flavus the Lord of it obtain'd of King Edward 2. f From hence there is nothing memorable in the County upon this road 6 But at a small distance from thence is Breewood a market-town where the Bishops of the Diocese had a seat before the Conquest and then near Weston is that clear unless it be that clear and pretty-broad lake near Weston by which the way continues in a direct line to Oken-yate in Shropshire And now for the middle-part of the County water'd by the Trent in describing of which my design is to trace the river from its first rise following its course and windings The Trent The river Trent which in comparison is the third best river in England springs from two neighbouring fountains 7 In the north part of this Shire and amidst the moors or marshes in the upper part of this County to the westward Some ignorant and idle pretenders do imagine that name deriv'd from the French word Trente and upon that account have feign'd thirty rivers all running into it and likewise so many kinds of fish swimming in it the names of which the people thereabouts have compris'd in English rhyme Neither do they stick to ascribe to this river what the Hungarians attribute to their Tibiscus namely that it consists of two parts water and the third fish From the rise of it it first runs southward with many windings not far from New-Castle under Lime Newcastle under Lime so call'd upon the account of an older Castle which formerly stood not far from it at Chesterton under Lime where I saw the ruinous and shatter'd walls of an old Castle which first belong'd to Ranulph Earl of Chester by the gift of King John and after by the bounty of Henry 3. to the house of Lancaster g Then by Trentham Trentham heretofore Tricingham a little Monastery of that holy and royal Virgin Werburga h from whence it hastens to Stone Stone a market-town which had its rise in the Saxon time and its name from those Stones which our Ancestors were accustom'd yearly to heap together to denote the place where Wolpherus that most heathen King of the Mercians barbarously slew his sons Vulfald and Rufin for turning Christians At which place when after ages had consecrated a little Church to their memory a town presently grew up which the History of Peterborough Historia Petroburgensis tells us was call'd Stone from these stones From Stone the Trent runs smooth and easie by Sandon formerly the seat of the Staffords a knightly and very famous family but of late of Sampson Erdeswick Erdeswick by inheritance a very eminent man who has nicely enquir'd into the venerable matters of Antiquity and is no less memorable upon this account than for being directly in the male-line descended from Hugh de Vernon Baron of Shipbroc this name being varied by change of habitation Name chang'd and alter'd as the person shifted his habitation first into Holgrave and after that into Erdeswick Here the Trent turns towards the East with Canocwood on the South of it commonly Cankwood Cankwood which is every way of great extent and at last receives the river Sow on the left This
of Archenfeld whenever the Army marches forward against the Enemy by custom make the Avauntward and in the return homeward the Rereward As the Munow runs along the lower pâ—rt of this County The river Wye so the Wye with a winding course cuts it in the middle upon which in the Western bounds stands Clifford-castle Cliffâ—rd-Castle which William Fitz-Osborn Earl of Hereford built upon his own Waste these are the very words of Domesday-book but Ralph de Todeny held it Clivus fortis It is suppos'd that it came afterwards to Walter the son of Richard Punt a Norman for his sirname was de Clifford and from him the illustrious family of the Cliffords Earls of Cumberland are originally descended But in King Edward the first 's time Inq. 26 E. 1. John Giffard held it who married the heir of Walter Clifford Thence the Wye with a crooked and winding stream rolls by Whitney which has given name to a noted family next by Bradwardin-Castle that gave both original and name to the famous Thomas Bradwardin Archbishop of Canterbury who for the great variety of his studies and his admirable proficiency in the most abstruse and hidden parts of learning was in that age honour'd with the title of * The Profound Dâ—ctor Doctor profundus At length it comes to Hereford the Metropolis of this County b How far that little Tract Arcenfeld reach'd I know not but the affinity between these names Ereinuc Arcenfeld the town Ariconium mention'd by Antonine in these parts and Hareford or Hereford Hereford the present Metropolis of this Shire have by little and little induc'd me to this opinion that they are every one deriv'd from Ariconium And yet I do not believe that Ariconium and Hereford were the same but as Basle in Germany has challeng'd the name of Augusta Rauracorum and Baldach in Assyria that of Babylon because as this had its original from the ruins of Babylon so that had its birth from those of Augusta so our Hariford for thus the common people call it had its name and beginning from its neighbour Ariconium as I am of opinion which at this day has no clear marks of a town having been destroyed as 't is reported by an Earthquake Only it still retains a slight shadow of the name being call'd Kenchester Kenchester and shews some ruins of old Walls call'd Kenchester Walls about which are often dug up stones of inlaid Checquer-work British bricks Roman coyns c. c But Hareford her daughter which carries more express remains of the name d stands eastward scarce three Italian miles from it amongst meadows extremely pleasant and corn-fields very fruitful encompass'd almost round about with rivers by an anonymous one on the north and west sides on the south by the Wye which hastens hither out of Wales It is supposed to have first sprung up when the Saxon Heptarchy was in its glory founded as some write by Edward the â—lder and indeed there is no mention of it more ancient For the Britains before the name of Hereford was known called the place Trefawith from Beech-trees and Henford from an Old way and the Saxons themselves Fern-leg of Fern. It owes if I mistake not it 's greatest encrease and growth to Religion and the Martyrdom of Ethelbert a King of the East-Angles who whilst in person he courted the daughter of Offa King of the Mercians was villanously way-laid and murmurder'd by Quendreda Offa's wife who longed more for the Kingdom of the East-Angles than to have her daughter honestly and honourably married He was hereupon registred in the Catalogue of Martyrs S 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—â—â— and had a Church here built and dedicated to him by Milfrid a petty King of the Country which being soon after adorn'd with a Bishop's See grew very rich first by the liberality of the Mercian afterwards of the West-Saxon Kings For they at length were possessed of this City as may be gathered from William of Malmesbury where he writes that Athelstan the West-Saxon forc'd the Princes of Wales in this City to comply with such hard conditions as to pay him tribute besides hounds and hawks 20 pound weight of gold and 300 pound of silver every year This city as far as I have observ'd by reading had never any misfortune unless it were in the year of our Lord 1055. when Gryffin Prince of South-Wales and Algar an Englishman rebelling against Edward the Confessor after they had routed Earl Ralph sacked the City destroy'd the Cathedral and carried away captive Leofgar the Bishop But Harold having soon quieted their bold rebellion fortified it as Floriacensis informs us with a broad and high Rampire Upon this account it is that Malmesbury ‖ Lib â— Pâ—â—â—â— writes thus Hereford is no great City and yet by the high and formidable ruins of its steep and broken Bulwarks it shews it has been some great thing and as it appears by Domesday book there were in all but 103 men within and without the walls The Normans afterwards built a very large and strong Castle on the east-side of the Cathedral along the river Wye the work as some report of Earl Miles but now ruin'd by time and falling to decay e Afterwards they wall'd the City about In the reign of King Hen. 1. was founded by Bishop Reinelm that beautiful Church now to be seen which his successors enlarged by adding to it a neat College and fine houses for the Prebendaries For besides the Bishop who has 302 Churches in his Diocese there are in this Church a Dean two Archdeacons a Praecentor a Chancellour a Treasurer and 28 Prebendaries I saw in it scarce any monuments besides those of the Bishops and I have heard that Thomas Cantlow the Bishop a person nobly born had here a stately and magnificent tomb who being canonized for his holiness wanted little of out-shining the Royal Martyr Ethelbert so great was the opinion of his piety and devotion f According to Geographers the Longitude of this City is 20 degrees 24 minutes Lat. 52 degrees 6 min. g The Wye has scarce gone three miles from this City when he intercepts the river Lug which having run with a rapid stream down from Radnor-Hills with a still course glides through this Province from the north-west to the south-east h At the first entrance it has a distant prospect of Brampton Brian a Castle which a famous family hence sirnam'd de Brampton Brampton Brian whose christian name was usually Brian held by a continual succession to the time of King Edward 1. then by female-heirs it came to R. Harley But it has a nearer view of Wigmore Wigmore in Saxon b Wigingamere in the Saxon Annals Wynginga-mere repair'd in ancient times by King Edw. the elder afterwards fortify'd with a Castle by William Earl of Hereford in the wast of a ground for so it is in Domesday book which was called Marestun in the tenure of Randulph de Mortimer from
Eccl. Hist l. 4. c 23. where the Latin Copies generally call this venerable Matron Heru and the Saxon Paraphrase Hegu and the same woman in the conclusion of that Chapter is more rightly nam'd Begu or as one Saxon Copy reads it Bega This is the same Bega that as Leleâ—d l. 1. p. 395. Monast Angl. witnesses was born in Irelanâ— and built her first Monastery at S. Bâ—ge's in Cumberland her second at Heruty or Hartlepool and her third at this Calcaceaster are not natural but artificially compounded of Sand Lime and Vitriol for of this they fancy it has some grains as also of an oily unctuous matter Much like those cisterns at Rome which Pliny tells us were made of Sand and a hot Lime so very compact and firm that one would have took them for real stone ii Somewhat Eastward from the bridge before mention'd 〈◊〉 stands Isurium Brigantum an ancient city which took its name from the Ure that wash'd it but has been demolisht many ages since Still there is a village upon the same spot which carries antiquity in its name being call'd Ealdburg and Aldborrow â—â—â—borrow that is to say an old Burrough There is now little or no signs remaining of a City the plot thereof being converted into arable and pasture grounds So that the evidence of History it self would be suspected in testifying this to be the old Isurium if the name of the river Ure the Roman coins continually digg'd up here and the distance between it and York according to Antoninus were not convincing and undeniable kk For by that time the Ure which from hence-forward the Saxons call'd Ouse because the Ouseburne a little brook falls into it here has run 16 Italian miles fâ—rther it arrives at the City Eboracum or Eburacum â—â—â—â—umâ— which Ptolemy in Lib. 2. Magnae Constructionis calls oo Tacitus in Vit. Agricolae calls it Civitas Brigantum And for the same reason it was sometimes by the Saxons nam'd simply Ceastre as well as Eoforwick-ceastre See Chron. Sax. ad Ann. 685. 763. 780. Brigantium if the Book be not faulty and that mistake have not risen from it's being the Metropolis of the Brigantes Ninius calls it Caer-Ebrauc the Britains Caer-Effroc the Saxons Euor Æ¿ic and Eofor-Æ¿ic and we at this day York The British History derives its name from the first founder King Ebraucus But with submission to other mens judgments my opinion is that the word Eburacum comes from the river Ure implying its situation to be upon that river Thus the Eburovices in France were seated by the river Ure near Eureux in Normandy the Eburones in the Netherlands near the river Ourt in the Diocese of Liege and Eb-lana in Ireland by the river Lefny York is the second city in England the finest in this County and the great fence and ornament to those Northern parts 'T is both pleasant large and strong adorn'd with fine buildings both publick and private populous rich and an Arch-bishop's See The river Ure which now takes the name Ouse runs gently as I said from North to South quite through this City and so divides it into two parts joyn'd by a Stone-bridge which has one of the largest Arches that ever I saw The West part of the City is less populous and lies in a square form enclosed partly with stately walls and partly by the river and has but one way to it namely by Mikell-barr which signifies a great Gate from whence a broad fair built street on both sides leads to the very bridge with fine Gardens behind them and the fields for exercise extended to the very walls In the South part of the fields where the river forms an angle I saw a mount which has probably been cast up for some Castle to be built there now call'd the old Bale which William Melton the Arch-bishop as we find it in the lives of the Arch-bishops fortified first with thick planks eighteen foot long and afterwards with a stone wall whereof there remains nothing now visible The East part of the City where the buildings are thick and the streets but narrow is shap'd like a lentil and strongly wall'd On the South-east 't is defended by a Foss or Ditch 〈◊〉 river very deep and muddy which runs by obsâ—ure ways into the very heart of the City and has a bridge over it so throng'd with buildings on both sides that a stranger would mistake it for a street after which it falls into the Ouse At the confluence over against the Mount before mention'd William the Conquerour built a prodigious strong Castle to keep the Citizens in awe But this without any care has been left to the mercy of time ever since fortified places have grown in disrepute among us as only fit for those who want courage to face an enemy in the open field ll Towards the North-east on this side also stands the Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter a magnificent and curious fabrick near which without the walls was a p At the Dissolution valu'd at 2085 l. 1 s. 5 d. ob q. noble Monastery surrounded with the river and its own walls nam'd St. Maries It was founded by Alan the third Earl of Bretaign in Armorica and of Richmond here in England and plentifully endow'd But now 't is converted into a Royal Palace and is commonly call'd the Manour The Manour As for the original of York I cannot tell whence to derive it but from the Romans seeing the British towns before the coming in of the Romans were only woods fortified with a ditch and rampire as Caesar and Strabo who are evidence beyond exception assure us Without insisting upon the story of King Ebraucus a word formed from the name Eboracum who is grosly feigned to be the founder of it this is certain that the sixth Legion call'd Victrix was sent out of Germany into Britain by Hadrian and garison'd here and that this was a Roman Colony we are assur'd both by Antoninus and Ptolemy and an old Inscription which I my self have seen in the house of a certain Alderman of this City M. VEREC DIOGENES I1111I VIR COL EBOR. IDEMQ MORT CIVES BITVRIX HAEC SIBI VIVVS FECIT And also from Severus the Emperour's Coins which have this Inscription on the reverse of them COL EBORACVM LEG VI. VICTRIX But upon what grounds Victor The same Victor lately publisht by Andr. Schottus in his History of the Caesars calls York a Municipium when it was a Colony I cannot readily tell unless the Inhabitants might desire as the Praenestines did to be chang'd from a Colony to a Municipium Municipium Colonia For Colonies were more obnoxious and servile being not left to their own humour as Agellius tells us but govern'd by the Roman Laws and Customs Whereas the Municipia were allow'd the free use of their own Constitutions and enjoyed those honourable offices which the Citizens of Rome did without being tied to any other
The Church of York was by the Princes of that time endow'd with many large possessions especially by Ulphus the son â—f Toraldus which I the rather note from an old bâ—ok that a strange way of endowing heretofore may be took notice of This Ulphus govern'd in the west parts of Deira and by reason of a difference like to happen between his eldest son and his youngest about the Lordships after his death he presently took this course to make them equal Without delay he went to York and taking the horn wherein he was wont to drink with him he fill'd it with wine and kneeling upon his knees before the Altar bestow'd upon God and the blessed S. Peter Prince of the Apostles all his Lands and Tenements This horn was kept there to the last age as I have been informed It would seem to reflect upon the Clergy if I should relate the emulations and scuffles which ambition has raised between the two Sees of York and Canterbury whilst with great expence of money but more of reputation they warmly contended for pre-eminence T. 〈◊〉 r This Controversie was determin'd in Arch-bishop Thoresby's time A. D. 1353. at the special solicitation of King Edward â— qui corpoâ—um animarum pericula considerans ac pacem quietem populi sui affectans dictos Archiepiscopos ad pacis concordiam invitavit Yet so as that the Arch-bishops of York might legally write themselves Primate of England Anglia Sacra par 1. p. 74. For as one relates it the See of York was equal in dignity tho' it was the younger and the poorer sister and this being raised to the same power that the See of Canterbury was and endowed with the same Apostolical privileges took it very heinously to be made subject by the decree of P. Alexander declaring that the Arch-bishoprick of York ought to yield to that of Canterbury and pay an obedience to her as Primate of all Britain in all her Constitutions relating to the Christian Religion It falls not within the compass of my design to treat of the Arch-bishops of this See many of whom have been men of great virtue and holiness 'T is enough for me to observe that from the year 625. when Paulinus the first Arch-bishop was consecrated there have succeeded in it threescore and five Arch-bishops The 〈◊〉 sixth Aâ—â—bishâ—p to the year 1606. in which D. Tobias Matthews Venerable for his virtue and piety for his learned eloquence and for his indefatigable industry in teaching was translated hither from the Bishoprick of Durham mm This City very much flourish'd for some time under the Saxon Government till the Danish storms from the North began to rush on and spoil'd its beauty again by great ruins and dismal slaughter Which Alcuin in his Epistle to Egelred King of the Northumbrians seems to have foretold For he says What can be the meaning of that shower of blood which in Lent we saw at York the Metropolis of the Kingdom near St. Peter's Church descending with great horrour from the roof of the North part of the House in a clear day May not one imagine that this forebodes destruction and blood among us from that quarter For in the following age when the Danes laid every thing they came at waste and desolate this City was destroy'd with continual sufferings In the year 867. the walls of it were so shaken by the many assaults made upon them that Osbright and Ella Kings of Northumberland as they pursued the Danes in these parts easily broke into the City and after a bloody conflict in the midst of it were both slain leaving the victory to the Danes who had retired hither Hence that of William of Malmesbury York ever most obnoxious to the fury of the northern nations hath sustained the barbarous assaults of the Danes and groaned under the miseries it hath suffered But as the same author informs us King Athelstan took it from the Danes and demolish'd that castle wherewith they had fortified it Nor in after-ages was it quite rid of those wars in that especially which was so fatal for the subversion of Cities But the Normans as they put an end to these miseries so they almost brought destruction to York For when the sons of Sueno the Dane arrived here with a fleet of two hundred and forty sail Aâ—fâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Burleâ—â— Treasâ—â— of Eâ—gâ— and landed hard by the Normans who kept garrison in two castles in the city fearing lest the houses in the suburbs might be serviceable to the enemy in filling up the trenches set them on fire which was so encreased and dispersed by the wind that it presently spread about the whole city and set it all on fire In this disorder and hurry the Danes took the town putting the Townsmen and the Normans to the sword with great slaughter yet sparing William Mallet and Gilbert Gant the principal men among them for a Decimation Deciâ—â—â—â—on among the soldiers afterwards For every tenth prisoner of the Normans on whom the lot fell was executed Which so exasperated William the Conquerour that as if the citizeâ—s had sided with the Danes he cut them all off and set the City again on fire and as Malmesbury says so spoiled all the adjacent territory that a fruitful Province was quite disabled and useless that the country for sixty miles together lay so much neglected that a stranger would have lamented at the sight of it considering that formerly here had been fine cities high towers and rich pastures and that no former inhabitant would so much as know it The ancient greatness of the place may appear from Domesday In the time of Edward the Confessor the City of York contained six Shires or Divisions besides the Shire of the Archbishop One was wasted for the castles in the five remaining Shires there were 1428 houses inhabited and in the Shire of the Archbishop two hundred houses inhabited After all these overthrows Necham sings thus of it Visito quam foelix Ebraucus condidit urbem Petro se debet Pontificalis apex Civibus haec toties viduata novisque repleta Diruta prospexit moenia saepe sua Quid manus hostilis queat est experta frequenter Sed quid nunc pacis otia longa fovent There happy Ebrauk's lofty towers appear Which owe their mitre to St. Peter's care How oft in dust the hapless town hath lain How oft it's walls hath chang'd how oft it's men How oft the rage of sword and flames hath mourn'd But now long peace and lasting joy 's return'd For in his days these troublesome times being followed with a long and happy peace this city began to revive and continued flourishing notwithstanding it was often marked out for destruction by our own Rebels and the Scotch Yet in King Stephen's time it was most sadly ruined again by a casual fire which burnt down the Cathedral St. Mary's Monastery and other Religious houses and also as 't is supposed that
increase is owing partly to Michael de la Pole who upon his advancement to the Earldom of Suffolk by King Richard the second procur'd them their privileges and partly to their trade of Iseland-fish dâ—y'd and harden'd term'd by them Stock-fish Stockfish which turns to great gain and has strangely enrich'd the Town Immediately upon this rise they fortify'd the place with a brick wall and many towers on that side where they are not defended by the river and brought in such a quantity of stones for ballast Coblestones as was sufficient to pave all parts of the Town As I have been inform'd by the Citizens they were first govern'd by a Warden then by Bailiffs after that by a Mayor and Bailiffs and at last they obtain'd from Henry the sixth that they should be govern'd by a Mayor and Sheriff and that the City should be a County incorporate of it self as the Lawyers term it Concerning the first Mayor of this City it may not be tedious to relate this passage from the Register of the Abbey de Melsa or de Meaux tho' the stile be barbarous William de la Pole De la Pole Kt. was first a Merchant at Ravens-rod skilful in the arts of trade and inferiour to no English Merchant whatsoever He afterwards living at Kingston upon Hull was the first Mayor of that Town and founded the Monastery of St. Michael which now belongs to the Carthusian Monks near the said Kingston His eldest son 4 Sir Michael Michael de la Pole Earl of Suffolk caused the said Monastery to be inhabited by that Order William de la Pole aforesaid lent King Edward many thousand pounds of gold during his abode at Antwerp in Brabant For this reason the King made him chief Baron of his Exchequer gave him by Deed the Seigniory of Holderness with many other Lands then belonging to the Crown and made him a Baneret If any one questions the truth of this C 5 E R 3. m 28. the Records of the Tower will I hope fully satisfie him there it is expresly William de la Pole dilectus valectus mercator noster Now Valectus Valectus or Valettus J. Tilius that I may observe it once for all was then an honourable title both in France and England but afterwards coming to be meanly apply'd to servants so that the Nobility disliked it the title was changed and he was call d Gentleman of the Bed chamber h From Hull a large promontory shoots out into the Sea call'd by Ptolemy Ocellum Ocellum by us at this day Holderness Holderness A certain Monk has call'd it Cava Deira that is to say the hollow Country of the Deiri in the same sence that Coelosyria is so call'd signifying hollow Syria i The first place a man comes at on this winding shore is Headon Headon which formerly if we 'll believe Fame that always magnifies Truth was a very considerable place by reason of merchants and shipping k For my part I have faith enough to believe it notwithstanding 't is now so diminish'd partly by reason of its being too near Hull and partly because the Haven is block'd up and useless that it has not the least shew of that grandeur it pretends to have had Which may teach us that the condition of Towns and Cities is every jot as unstable as the state and happiness of men King John granted to Baldwin Earl of Albemarle and Holderness and to his wife Hawis free Burgage here so that the Burgesses might hold in free burgage by the same customs with York and * Nâ—â—â— Lincoln Nichol. At present the Town begins to flourish again and has some hopes of attaining to its former greatness Somewhat farther in the same Promontory there stands an ancient Town call'd Praetorium Praeâ—â—â—â—â— by Antoninus but we now name it Patrington Patâ—â—â—gâ— as the Italians do Petrovina from the Town Praetorium That I am not mistaken here the distance from Delgovitia and the name still remaining do both shew which also does in some sort imply that this is the Petuaria which goes corruptly in Copies of Ptolemy for Praetorium But whether it took the name from the Praetorium which was their Court of Justice or from some large and stately edifice for such also the Romans call'd Praetoria does not appear l The Inhabitants do still boast of their antiquity and the former excellence of their Haven nor do they less glory in the pleasantness of the place having a very fine prospect on this side as it looks toward the Ocean and on that as it surveys the Humber and the shores about it together with the green skirts of Lincolnshire The Roman way from the Picts wall which Antoninus the Emperour first trac'd out ends here So Ulpian tells us that High-ways of that nature end at the Sea at a River or at a City Somewhat lower stands Winsted Wâ—nâ—â—d the Seat of the Hildeards Knights and a little higher Rosse is seated which gives name as it did heretofore a seat to that famous race of Barons de Rosse Baron 〈◊〉 Rosse and upon the sea Grimston-garth where the Grimstons long flourish'd From hence at no great distance stands Rise formerly the House of those Noblemen call'd de Faulconberge In the very tongue of this Promontory where it draws most towards a point and takes the name of Spurnhead Ratâ—â—â— and Râ—â—burg stands the little village Kellnsey which shews plainly that this is the Ocellum in Ptolemy for as Kellnsey Keâ—â—â—ey comes from Ocellum so without doubt this Ocellum is deriv'd from Y-kill which signifies in British a Promontory or a narrow slip of ground as I have already said m From Ocellum the shore gradually withdraws and with a small bending runs northward by Overthorne and Witherensey little Churches call'd from the sisters that built them Sisters-kirks Sisters-kirks and not much wide of Constable-Burton Conâ—â—â—â— so nam'd from the Lords of it who by marriages are ally'd to very honourable families and flourish in great splendour at this day Robert of this House as we find it in Meaux-Abbey-book was one of the Knights of the Earl of Albemarle who being old and full of days took upon him the Cross and went with King Richard to the Holy Land Then by Skipsey which Drugo the first Lord of Holderness fortify'd with a Castle Here the shore begins to shoot again into the Sea and makes that Bay call'd in Ptolemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gabrantovicorum which some Latin Translators render Portuosus sinus others Salutaris Sinus Sâ—â—taris Neither of them express the sence of the Greek word better than that little town in the turn of it call'd Suerby Sueâ—â—y For that which is safe and free from danger is by the Britains and Gauls call'd Seur as we also do in English who probably derive it from the Britains There 's no reason therefore why we should
Earls of Albemarle mention'd by our Authour that title was vacant till upon the Restoration of King Charles the second George Monk who had been chiefly instrumental in it was advanc'd to the Honours of Baron Monk of Potheridge Beauchamp and Tcyes as also Earl of Torrington and Duke of Albemarle July 7. 12 Car. 2. Who departing this Life in 1669. was succeeded in his Estate and Titles by Christopher his son and heir NORTH-RIDING SCarce two miles above the Promontory of Flamburorw the North-part of this Country or the North-riding â—orâ—h-â—â—ding begins which makes the frontier to the other parts From the Sea it extends it self in a very long but narrow tract for threescore miles together as far as Westmorland to the west 'T is bounded on this side with the river Derwent and for some time by the Ure on the other all along by the course of the river Tees which separates it from the Bishoprick of Durham to the North. This Riding may not unfitly be divided into these parts Blackamore Cliveland Northalvertonshire and Richmondshire That which lyeth East and towards the Sea is call'd Blackamore that is a land black and mountainous being with craggs hills and woods up and down it rugged and unsightly The Sea-coast is eminent for Scarborough a very famous Castle formerly call'd Scear-burg i.e. a Bourg upon a steep Rock a Take the description of it from the History of William of Newburgh A rock of wonderful height and bigness and inaccessible by reason of steep craggs almost on every side stands into the Sea which quite surrounds it but in one place where a narrow slip of land gives access to it on the West It has on the top a pleasant plain grassy and spacious of about sixty acres or upwards and a little well of fresh water springing from a rock in it In the very entry which puts one to some pains to get up stands a stately tower and beneath the entry the City begins spreading its two sides South and North and carrying its front Westward where it is fortified with a wall but on the East is fenc'd by that rock where the Castle stands and lastly on both sides by the Sea William sirnam'd le Grosse Earl of Albemarle and Holderness observing this place to be fitly situated for building a Castle on encreased the natural strength of it by a very costly work having enclosed all that plain upon the rock with a wall and built a Tower in the entrance But this being decay'd and falln by the weight of too much age King Henry the second commanded a great and brave Castle to be built upon the same spot For he had now reduc'd the Nobility of England who during the loose reign of King Stephen had impaired the revenues of the Crown but especially this William of Albemarle who Lorded it over all these parts and kept this place as his own It is not to my purpose to relate the desperate boldness of Thomas Stafford who that he might fall from great attempts surpriz'd this Castle in Queen Mary's reign with a very small number of Frenchmen and kept it for two days nor yet that Sherleis a noble Frenchman of the same party was arraign'd for High-Treason altho' he was a foreigner because he had acted contrary to the duty of his Allegiance â— Dier â— there being then a Peace between the Kingdoms of England and France These things are too well known in the world to need a publication here Yet it is worth remarking that those of Holland and Zealand carry on a very plentiful and gainful trade of fishing in the Sea here for herrings call them in Latin Haleces Leucomenidae Chalcides The gainful trade of herring-fishing or what you please whereas by an old Constitution they use to get a Licence first for it from this Castle For the English always granted leave for fishing reserving the Honour to themselves but out of a lazy temper resigning the gain to others For 't is almost incredible what vast gains the Hollanders make by this Fishery on our Coast These herrings pardon me if I digress a little to shew the goodness of God towards us which in the former age swarmed only about Norway now in our time by the bounty of divine providence swim in great shoals towards our coasts About Mid-summer they draw from the main sea towards the coasts of Scotland at which time they are immediately sold off as being then at their best From thence they next arrive on our coasts and from the middle of August to November there is excellent and most plentiful fishing for them all along from Scarborough to the Thames-mouth Afterwards by stormy weather they are carried into the British sea and there caught till Christmas thence having ranged the coast of Ireland on both sides and gone round Britain they convey themselves into the Northern Ocean where they remain till June and after they have cast their spawn return again in great shoals This relation puts me in mind of what I have formerly read in S. Ambrose Fish in prodigious numbers Hexameron l. 5. c. 10. meeting as it were by common consent out of many places from several creeks of the sea in one united body make towards the blasts of the * Aquilo North-east wind and by a kind of natural instinct swim into the northern seas One would think to see them as they climb the main that some tide were approaching they rush on and cut the waves with such violence as they go through the Propentis to the Euxine Sea But now to return From hence the shore is craggy and bendeth inward as far as the river Teise and by its winding in Teise river there is caused a bay about a mile broad which is called Robin-Hoods Bay Robbin Hood's Bay from that famous Out law Robin Hood who flourish'd in the reign of Rich. the first as Jo. Major a Scotchman informs us who stiles him a principal and leading robber and the most kind and obliging robber From hence the shore immediately going back on both sides le ts us see the Bay Dunus sinus mention'd in Ptolemy Dunum upon which is seated the little village Dunesly Dunesley and just by it Whitby Whitby in the Saxon tongue a Streones-heal Streanes-Heale which Bede renders the bay of the Watch-tower I will not dispute this explanation of it though in our language it seems so plainly to intimate the bay of Safety that I should certainly have said it was the Sinus Salutaris if its situation as the Geographer makes it did not perswade me to the contrary b Here are found certain stones Stony-Serpents resembling the wreaths and folds of a serpent the strange frolicks of nature which as one says she forms for diversion after a toilsome application to serious business For one would believe them to have been serpents crusted over with a bark of stone Fame ascribes them to the power
And although the city be naturally strong yet he increas'd both the strength and state of it by a wall for he built one all along from the Chancel of the Church to the tower of the castle which now begins by degrees to fall under the weight of age but never that I know of bore the brunt of an enemy For when David Brus King of Scots destroy'd all with fire and sword as far as Beaupark or Berepark â—epark which is a Park just under the city whilst Edward 3. â—346 was at the siege of Calis in France Henry Percy and William Zouch Archbishop of York with such troops as they could raise on a sudden encounter'd the Scots and charg'd them with that heat and bravery that they almost cut off the first and second battalions to a man took the King prisoner and put the third into such consternation that they fled with all the haste they could make their fear carrying them over the deepest precipices till they got again into their own country This was a remarkable engagement and to be reckon'd among the many bloody defeats we have given the Scots call'd by us The Battel of Nevill Cross For the greatest of the Scotch Nobility being slain here and the King himself taken they were forc'd to part with much ground hereabouts and yield up many Castles into our hands And this may suffice for Durham to which with the Reader 's leave I will add a distich of Necham's and an Hexastich of Jonston's and so conclude Arte situque loci munita Dunelmia salve Qua floret sanctae relligionis apex Hail happy Durham Art and Nature's care Where Faith and Truth at th' noblest height appear Vedra ruens rapidis modò cursibus agmine leni Seque minor celebres suspicit urbe viros Quos dedit ipsa olim quorum tegit ossa sepulta Magnus ubi sacro marmore Beda cubat Se jactant aliae vel relligione vel armis Haec armis cluit haec relligione potens Unequal Were as by her walls it runs Looks up and wonders at her noble sons Whom she gave life and now their death does mourn And ever weeps o'er Beda's sacred urn Let others boast of piety or war While she 's the care of both and both of her As for the Monks being turn'd out and twelve Prebendaries with two Archdeacons substituted in lieu of them as for the Prior's also being chang'd into a Dean I have nothing to say to them These are things sufficiently known to every body 1 And unwilling I am to remember how this Bishoprick was dissolv'd by a private Statute and all the possessions thereof given to Edward 6. when private greediness edg'd by Church-men did grinde the Church and withdrew match from God wherewith Christian piety had formerly honour'd God But Queen Mary repeal'd that Statute and restor'd the said Bishoprick with all the possessions and franchises thereof that God might enjoy his own It stands in 22 degr of Longitude and in 54 degr 57 min. of Latitude Beneath Durham not to omit this there stands eastward a very noble Hospital founded by Hugh * Pudsey an extraordinary rich Bishop and for some time Earl of Northumberland for Lepers and as Newbrigensis has it with great cost and expence yet upon some accounts not very honourable For to advance this charitable design he made use of his power to extort from other men when he was not willing to allow enough of his own to that work However he settled a very good allowance for maintaining sixty five Lepers besides Mass-priests From hence the Were is carry'd in a streighter course towards the north by Finchale Fin hale where in the reign of Henry 2. Godricus a man of ancient and Christian simplicity and wholly intent upon God and Religion led and ended a solitary life and was here buried in the same place where as William of Newburrow says he was wont in a fit of devotion to prostrate himself or to lye down in a fit of sickness This man grew into such admiration for this holy simplicity of his that R. brother to that rich Bishop Hugh Pudsey built a * Ecclesiola Chapel to his memory k Hence the Were runs by Lumley Lumley a castle with a Park quite round it the ancient seat of the Lumleys Barons Lumley who are descended from Liulphus a man of great Nobility in these parts in Edward the Confessor's time who married Aldgitha the daughter of Aldred Earl of Northumberland Of these Marmaduke took his mother's Coat of Arms in whose right he came to the rich inheritance of the Thwengs The Arms were In a field argent a fess Gules between three Poppinjays Vert whereas the Lumleys before that bore for their Arms Six Poppinjays argent in a field Gules For she was the eldest daughter of Marmaduke Thweng Lord of Kilton and coheir to Thomas Thweng her brother But Ralph the son of this Marmaduke was made the first Baron of Lumley by Richard 2. Which honour John the ninth from him enjoys at this day a man of accomplish'd virtue and integrity and now in his old age most honourable for all the ornaments of true nobility Opposite to this and not far from the river on the other side stands Chester upon the street Chester upon the street that is a castle or little city by the highway call'd in Saxon Concester d From an Altar found at Benwall in Northumberland 't is probable the Condercum was there that place being nearer ad Lineam Valli See Northumberland for which reason I have thought it the Condercum Condercum where upon the line of the Vallum the first wing of the Astures kept garrison in the Roman times as the Notitia tells us For it is but some few miles distant from the Vallum of which I shall treat hereafter The Bishops of Lindifarn liv'd retiredly here for 113 years with the body of S. Cuthbert in the time of the Danish wars In memory of which whilst Egelric Bishop of Durham was laying the foundation of a new Church there he digg'd up such a prodigious sum of money 2 Bury'd as 't is thought by the Romans that he left his Bishoprick as being now rich enough and so returning to Peterborough where he was Abbot before he made Causeys through the fens and did several other works not without very great expence Long after this Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham 3 And Patriarch of Jerusalâ—m founded a Collegiate Church a Deanry and seven Prebends here In this Church Baron Lumley but now mention'd plac'd the monuments of his ancestors all in order as they succeeded one another from Liulphus down to our own times which he had either pick'd up out of the suppress'd Monasteries or made new More inward and in the middle as it were of the triangle stands another small village lately noted for it's College with a Dean and Prebendaries in it founded by
but I should rather take it to be the Petrianae For that the Ala Petriana Petriana was quarter'd here is plain from the fragment of an old Inscription which one Vlpius Trajanus ‖ Emeritus a pensionary of the same Ala Petriana set up But take this and some others which I copy'd out here GADVNO VLP TRAI EM AL. PET MARTIVS * Hâ—ply Faciendum procuraviâ— F P. C. ' D M. AICETVOS MATER VIXIT * Annot. A XXXXV ET LATTIO FIL-VIX A XII LIMISIVS CONIV ET FILIAE PIENTISSIMIS POSVIT D M FL MARTIO SEN IN * Possibly in Cohorte C CARVETIOR QVESTORIO VIXIT AN XXXXV MARTIOLA FILIA ET HERES PONEN * Duâ— CVRAVIT DM CROTILO GERMANVS VIX ANIS XXVI GRECA VIX ANIS IIII VINDICIANVS * Fratri filiae Titulum posuit FRA. ET FIL. TIT. PO. After Eden has receiv'd the Eimot n it hastens to the north along by little inconsiderable villages and Forts to the two Salkelds At Little Salkeld there is a circle of stones 77. in number each ten foot high and before these at the entrance is a single one by it self fifteen foot high This the common people call Long-Megg and the rest her daughters and within the circle are hh The heaps of stones in the middle of this monument are no part of it but have been gather'd off the plough'd-lands adjoyning and as in many other parts of the County have been thrown up here together in a waste corner of the field Both this and Rolrich-stones in Oxfordshire may seem to be monuments erected at the solemn Investiture of some Danish Kings and of the same kind as the Kongstolen in Denmark and Moresteen in Sweeden Whereof the Reader may see Discourses at large in Wormius's Mon. Dan. lib. 1. cap. 12. S. J. Steph. Not. ad Sax. Gram. p. 29. Messen Paraph. Theat Nobil Suec p. 108. and our Countryman Dr. Plot 's History of Oxfordshire p. 336 337 c. two heaps of stones under which they say there are dead bodies bury'd And indeed 't is probable enough that this has been a monument erected in memory of some victory From thence the Eden passes by Kirk-Oswald Kirk-Oswald dedicated to S. Oswald formerly the possession of that 11 Sir Hugh Hugh Morvil who with his Accomplices kill'd Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury in memory of which fact the sword he then us'd was preserv'd here for a long time then by Armanthwayte Armanthwayte the Castle of the Skeltons and Corby Câ—rby-Castle a Castle of the noble and ancient family of the Salkelds which was much enrich'd by marriage with the heir of Rosgil then by Wetherall Wetheraâ—â— formerly a little monastery belonging to the Abbey of S. Mary in York where one sees i These Caves are in a rock of difficult access two Rooms one within the other of about five or six yards square each They seem to have been cut out for some Hermits to lodge in being near the Abbey a sort of houses dug out of rock that seem to have been design'd * In pâ— gii 〈◊〉 Viroâ—iâ—â— for an absconding place 12 In this dangerous Country next by Warwic which I take to be the old Virosidum where the sixth Cohort of the Nervii formerly kept garison along the Wall against the Picts and Scots In the last age there was built here a very strong stone-bridge at the expence of the Salkelds and Richmonds And so by Linstoc Linstoc a castle of the Bishops of Carlisle within the Barony of Crosby Crosby which Waldeve son of Earl Gospatrick and Lord of Allerdale gave to the Church of Carlisle The present name I fancy is contracted from Olenacum For that Olenacum Olenacâ—â— where the Ala prima Herculea lay in garison against the Barbarians seems to have been along the Wall And now Eden ready to fall into the Aestuary receives two little rivers almost at the same place Peterill and Caude which from the south keep all along at an equall distance Upon the Peterill beside the Perrianae already spoken of is Greystock â—â—eystock the Castle of a family which has been long famous deriving its original from one Ralph Fitz-Wolter Of whose posterity William de Greystock marry'd Mary daughter and coheir of Roger de Merley Lord of Morpath He had a son John who having no issue got leave of King Edward 1. to make over his estate to his 〈…〉 Cousin Ralph de Granthorpe son of William whose posterity for a long time flourish'd here in great honour 13 With the title of Lord Greystock But about the reign of Henry 7. that family ended and the estate came by marriage to the Barons of Dacre the heirs general of the last of whom were marry'd to 14 Philip Earl of Arundel and Lord William Howard two sons of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolk o Near the Caude besides the Copper-mines â—â—pper-â—â—nes at Caudebeck is Highyate a Castle of the Richmonds p and a beautiful Castle of the Bishops of Carlisle call'd The Rose-Castle this seems to have been the old Congavata â—â—ngavata where the second Cohoâ—t of the Lergi were quarter'd for Congavata signifies in British a vale upon the Gavata now contracted into Cauda But I have not yet been able to mark out the express place where it was seated q Between the confluence of those rivers 〈◊〉 the ancient City Carlile has a delicate pleasant situation bounded on the north with Eden â—â—en on the east with Peterill and on the west with Caude Also besides these natural fences it is arm'd with a strong stone wall a castle and a citadel 'T is of an oblong form from west to east upon the west is a pretty large castle which by the Arms appears to have been k It might be repair'd by Rich. 3. tho' 't is very improbable considering the affairs of his Reign but 't is certain it was built by Will 2. some hundred years before built by Rich. 3. Almost in the middle of the city stands the Cathedral Church the upper part whereof being newer is a curious piece of Workmanship l The Lower W. part is the Parochial-Church and as old as S. Cuthbert or Walter who came in with the Conquerour was a Commander in his Army rebuilt the City founded a Priory and turning Religious became himself the first Prior of it The Chancel was built by Contribution A. D. 1350 1 2 3 c. The Belfrey was rais'd and the Bells plac'd in it at the charge of William de Strickland Bishop A. D. 1401. but the lower is much more ancient On the east it is defended with a Citadel very strong and fortify'd with â—â—griis â—â—agnaâ—â—â— several Orillons or Roundels built by K. Hen. 8. The Romans and Britains call'd this City Lugu-ballum â—â—gu-â—â—â—lum and Lugu-vallium or Lugu balia the Saxons as Bede witnesses Luel Ptolemy as some
King of England who also bestow'd Clavering in Essex upon his son Whereupon at the command of King Edward the first they took the sirname of Clavering Clavering leaving the old fashion of framing sirnames out of the Christian name of their Father for so anciently according to the several names of their Fathers men were call'd Robert * The Son Fitz-Roger Roger Fitz-John c. Part of this Inheritance fell by Fine and Covenant to the Nevils afterwards Earl of Westmoreland and another share of it to a daughter call'd Eve married to Th. Ufford from whose Posterity it afterwards descended hereditarily upon the Fienes Barons of Dacre But from the younger sons branch'd out the Barons of Evers the Evers of Axholme the Claverings of Calaly in this County and others In the Neighbourhood is Morwic Morwick which may also boast of its Lords whose Male-issue was extinct about the year 1258. The Inheritance was convey'd by daughters to the Lumleys Seymours Bulmers and Roscells Then the shore receives the river Alaunus Alaunus which having not yet lost the name whereby 't was known to Ptolemy is still briefly call'd Alne Alne On its banks are Twifford or Double-Ford where a Synod was held under King Egfrid w and z This is still the seat of the same Family William Collingwood Esquire the chief of his name being its present proprietor Eslington the seat of the Collingwoods men of renown in the wars as also Alan-wick Alnewick call'd by the Saxons Ealn-Æ¿ic and now usually Anwick a Town famous for the victory obtain'd by the English wherein our brave Ancestors took William King of Scots and presented him a Prisoner to Henry the second 'T is defended with a goodly Castle which Malcolm the third King of Scotland had so straitned by siege that it was upon the very point of surrender when presently he was slain by a Souldier who stabb'd him with a Spear on the point whereof he pretended to deliver him the Keys of the Castle His son Edward rashly charging upon the Enemy to revenge his father's death was also mortally wounded and dy'd soon after This was formerly a Barony of the Vescies for Henry the second gave it to Eustachius Fitz-John Testa Naviâ—i father of William Vescie in Tenure of twelve Knights Services John Vescie returning from the Holy War first brought Carmelites Carmeâ—â—â—â— into England and built a Covent for them here at Holme a solitary place and not unlike to Mount Carmel in Syria x William the last of the Vescies Hist Dâ—nesm made Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham Trustee of this Castle and the Demesn-lands belonging to it for the use of his natural son the only Child he left behind him But the Bishop basely betraying his trust alienated the Inheritance felling it for ready money to William Percie since whose time it has always been in the possession of the Percies From hence the shore after a great many Indentures passes by y Dunstaburge Dunstaburg a Castle belonging to the Dutchy of Lancaster which some have a Polyd. Virg. lib. 4. p. 80. mistaken for Bebban which stands further North and instead of Bebbanburg is now call'd Bamborrow Bamborâ—â—â— Our Country-man Bede speaking of this Castle 's being besieg'd and burn'd by Penda the Mercian says it had this name from Queen z Bebba Bebba but Florilegus or Matthew of Westminster tells us 't was built by Ida the first King of Northumberland who first fenc'd it with a wooden Empailure and afterwards with a Wall Take Roger Hoveden's description of it Bebba says he is a very strong City not exceeding large as containing about two or three acres of ground It has one hollow entrance into it which is admirably rais'd by steps On the top of a hill stands a fair Church and on the Western point is a Well curiously adorn'd and of sweet and clean water At present it is rather reckon'd a Castle than a City tho' of that extent that it rivals some Cities Nor was it look'd upon as any thing more than a Castle when King William Rufus built the Tower of Male-veisin Tower 〈◊〉 Male-vâ— over against it the better to engage the Rebel Mowbray who lurk'd here and at last stole off and fled A great part of its beauty was afterwards lost in the Civil Wars when Bressie the stout Norman who fought for the House of Lancaster dealt unmercifully with it Since that time it has been in a continual struggle with old Age and the Winds which latter has through its large windows drifted up an incredible quantity of Sea-sand in its several Bulwarks Near this is Emildon sometime the Barony of John le Viscont Viscounâ— but Rametta the heir of the family sold it to Simon de Monfort Earl of Leicester aa In this Barony was born John Duns call'd Scotus Joh. Scotâ— Doctâ—r Sâ—tiles 〈◊〉 A.D. 1â—â—â— because descended from Scotish Parents who was educated in Merton-College in Oxford and became an admirable proficient in Logick and School-Divinity but so critically scrupulous that he darkned all religious Truths He wrote many things with that profound and wondrous subtlety tho' in an obscure and impolish'd stile that he won the name of Doctor Subtilis and had the new Sect of Scotists erected in his name bb He dy'd miserably Paulâ—◠〈◊〉 vius i◠〈◊〉 log Dâ—â—â— being taken with an Apoplectick fit and too hastily buried for dead For Nature having too late wrought through the Distemper he vainly mourn'd for assistance till at last beating his head against the Tomb-stone he dash'd out his brains and so expir'd Whereupon a certain Italian wrote thus of him Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque Sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificante strophâ Quum non ante virum vitâ jugulârit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret What sacred Writings or prophane can show All Truths were Scotus call'd in doubt by you Your Fate was doubtful too Death boasts to be The first that chous'd you with a Fallacy Who lest your subtle Arts your life should save Before she struck secur'd you in the grave That he was born here in England I affirm upon the authority of his own Manuscript Works in the Library of Merton-College in Oxford which conclude thus Explicit Lectura Subtilis c. Here ends the Lecture of John Duns call'd Doctor Subtilis in the University b 'T was an usual thing in those days for the Oxford-Scholars to spend some time at Paris but our English-men as seldom then as they do now reap'd any great advantage by their French Education Hist Antiq. Oxon. Lib. I. an Ann. 1282. of Paris who was born in a certain Hamlet of the Parish of Emildun call'd Dunston in the County of Northumberland belonging to the House of the Scholars of Merton-Hall in
to him King Aelfred was under a necessity of coming to Terms with them and so he and they divided the Land assign'd it to the Danes who within a few years were thrown out by Athelstane Yet even after this the People made a King of Eilric the Dane who was forthwith expell'd by King Ealdred Henceforward the name of King was no more heard of in this Province but its chief Magistrates were call'd Earls whereof these following are successively reckon'd by our Historians Osulph Oslac Edulph Waldeof the Elder Uchtred Adulph Alred Siward Tostius Edwin Morcà r and Osculph Amongst these Siward was a person of extraordinary valour who as he liv'd so he chose to dye in his Armour Ingulph p. 511. b. An. 1056. His County of York was given to Tostius Brother to Earl Harold and the Counties of Northampton and Huntingdon with his other lands bestow'd on the noble E. Waldeof his son and heir I have here given you the very words of Ingulphus because there are some who deny that he was Earl of Huntingdon To this let me also add what I have met with on the same subject in an old Parchment Manuscript in the Library of John Stow a most worthy Citizen and industrious Antiquary of the City of London Copsi being made Earl of Northumberland by William the Conquerour dispossess'd Osculph who nevertheless soon after slew him Afterwards Osculph himself was stabb'd by a Robber and dy'd of the wound Then Gospatrick bought the County of the Conquerour by whom he was also presently divested of the Honour and was succeeded by Waldeof the son of Siward He lost his head and was succeeded by Walcher Bishop of Durham who as well as his successor Robert Comin was slain in an insurrection of the Rabble mm The title was afterwards conferr'd on Robert Mowbray who destroy'd himself by his own wicked Treason 10 When he devis'd to deprive King William Rufus of his Royal Estate and to advance Stephen Earl of Albemarle a son to the Conqueror's sistâ—r thereunto Then as the Polychronicon of Durham tells us King Stephen made Henry the son of David King of Scots Eâ—rl of Northumberland and his son William who was also himself afterwards King of Scots wrote himself William de Warren Earl of Northumberland for his mother was of the family of the Earls of Warren as appears by the Book of Brinkburn-Abbey Within a few years after Richard the first sold this County to Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for life but when that King was imprison'd by the Emperour in his return from the Holy War and Hugh advanc'd only two thousand pounds in silver towards his ransom Lib. Dunelm the King took this slender contribution so ill knowing that under colour of this ransom he had rais'd vast sums that he depriv'd him of the Earldom At present that Honour is enjoy'd by the family of the Percies Percies descended from Charles the Great who being descended from the Earls of Brabant got the sirname and inheritance of the Percies together which was done by the true Off-spring of Charles the Great by Gerberg daughter to Charles younger brother of Lotharius the last King of France of the Caroline stock Josceline younger son of Godfrey Duke of Brabant who marry'd Agnes daughter and sole heir of William Percie This William's great grandfather call'd also William Percie came into England with William the Conquerour who bestow'd on him lands in Tatcaster Linton Normanby and other places This Agnes covenanted with Josceline that he should take upon him the name of Percie but should still retain the ancient Arms of Brabant which were a Lion Azure chang'd afterwards by the Brabanters in a Field Or. The first of this family that was made Earl of Northumberland was Henry Percie the son of Mary daughter of Henry Earl of Lancaster This Noble-man signaliz'd his valour in the wars under Edward the third and was by him rewarded with large Possessions in Scotland He was very much enrich'd by his second wife Matilda Lucy who oblig'd him to bear the Arms of the Lucies and by Richard the second was created Earl of Northumberland His behaviour was very ungrateful to this his great Benefactor for he deserted him in his straits and help'd Henry the fourth to the Crown He had the Isle of Man bestow'd on him by this King 11 Who also made him Constable of England against whom he also rebell'd being prick'd in Conscience at the unjust deposing of King Richard and vex'd at the close confinement of the undoubted Heir of the Crown Edmund Mortimer Earl of March his kinsman 12 Grievously complaining and charging him King Henry with Perjury That whereas he had solemnly sworn to him and others that he would not challenge the Crown but only his own Inheritance and that King Richard should be govern'd during his life by the good Advice of the Peers of the Realm he to the contrary had by imprisonment and terrour of death enforc'd him to resign his Crown and usurp'd the same by the concurrence of his faction horribly murdering the said King and defrauding Edward Mortimer Earl of March of his lawful right to the Crown whom he had suffer'd to languish long in prison under Owen Glendowr reputing those Traytors who with their own money had procur'd his enlargement Hereupon he first sent some Forces against him under the command of his brother Thomas Earl of Worcester and his own forward son Henry sirnam'd Whot-spur who were both slain in the battel at Shrewsbury Upon this he was attainted of High-Treason but presently receiv'd again into the seeming favour of the King who indeed stood in awe of him He had also his estate and goods restor'd him except only the Isle of Man which the King took back into his own hand Yet not long after the popular and heady man again proclaim'd war against the King as an Usurper having call'd in the Scots to his assistance And now leading on the Rebels in person he was surpriz'd by Thomas Rokesby High-Sheriff of York shire at Barham-moor where in a confused skirmish his Army was routed and himself slain in the year 1408. Eleven years after Henry the fifth by Act of Parliament restor'd the Honour to Henry Percie his Grandchild by his son Henry Whotspurre whose mother was Elizabeth the daughter of Edmund Mortimer the elder Earl of March by Philippa the daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence This Earl stoutly espoused the interest of Henry the sixth against the House of York and was slain in the Battel of St Albans His son Henry the third Earl of Northumberland who married Eleanor the daughter of Richard Baron of Poynings Brian and Fitz-Paine lost his life in the same quarrel at Towton in the year 1461. When the House of Lancaster and with it the Family of the Percies was now under a cloud King Edward the fourth created John Nevis Lord Montacute Earl of Northumberland but he quickly resign'd that Title being made
March Marr and Garioth Lord of Annandale and Mann was out-law'd by his brother James the 3. and after many struglings with the world and its troubles in the end as he stood by to see a Tournament at Paris he happen'd to be wounded by a splinter of a broken Lance and so died His son John the 4th Duke of Albany Regent likewise and made Guardian to K. James the 5. being charm'd with the pleasures of the French Court as having married a daughter and coheir of John Earl of Auvergne and Lauragueze died there without issue Whom out of respect and deference to the bloud Royal of Scotland Francis the 1. King of France honour'd so far as to allow him a place in France between the Archbishop of Longres Tily and the Duke of Alencon Peers of the Realm After his death there was no Duke of Albany till Queen Mary 11 In our memory conferr'd this honour upon Henry Lord Darley whom some few days after she made her Husband and K. James the 6. granted the same to his second son Charles an Infant now Duke of York These Parts are inhabited by a sort of people barbarous warlike and very mischievous commonly called Highland-men Highland-men who being the true race of the antient Scots speak Irish and call themselves Albinnich People they are of firm and compact bodies of great strength swift of foot high minded born as it were for the exercises of War or rather of robberies and desperately bent upon revenge They wear after the manner of the Irish †Plaids strip'd Mantles of divers colours with their hair thick and long living by hunting fishing fowling and stealing In war their armour is an iron head-piece and a coat of Mail their arms a bow barbed arrows and a broad back-sword And being divided into Families which they call Clanns what with plundering and murdering they commit such barbarous outrages Parliam 1581. that their savage cruelty hath made this Law necessary That if one of any Clann hath committed a trespass whoever of that Clann chances to be taken shall repair the damage or suffer death 12 Whereas the whole Clan commonly beareth feud for any hurt receiv'd by any one member thereof by excution of Laws order of Justice or otherwise PERTHSHIRE OUT of the very bosom of the Mountains of Albany issues the Tay The River Tay. the greatest river in all Scotland and rolls along thro' the fields till widening it self into a Lake full of Islands it there restrains its course After this kept within banks it waters Perth a large plentiful and rich country and receives the Amund a little River coming out of Athol This Athol Athâ—l to make a little digression is infamous for Witches but a country fruitful enough having woody valleys where once the Caledonian Forest The Caledâ—nian Forest dreadful for its dark intricate windings for its denns of bears and its huge wild thick-maned bulls extended it self in former ages far and near in these parts As for the places herein they are of little account but the Earls are very memorable Thomas a younger son of Rolland of Galloway was in his Wife 's right Earl of Athol Earls of Athol whose son Patrick was murder'd at Hadington by the Bissets his Rivals and they immediately set the house on fire Chronicon Mailrâ—ss that it might be supposed he perished casually in the flames In the Earldom succeeded David Hastings who had married Patrick's Aunt by the mother's side whose son that David sirnamed of Strathbogy may seem to have been who a little after in the Reign of Hen. 3. of England was Earl of Athol married one of the daughters and heirs of Richard base son to King John of England and had a very noble Estate with her in England She bore him two sons John Earl of Athol who being very unsettled in his allegiance was hanged on a Gallows fifty foot high and David Earl of Athol who by a marriage with one of the daughters and heirs of John Comin of Badzenoth by one of the heirs of Aumar de Valence Earl of Pembroke got a mighty estate He had a son David who under King Edw. 2. was sometimes summoned to Parliament amongst the English Earls and being made under King Edward Baliol Lieutenant-General of Scotland was conquer'd by the valour of Andrew Murray and slain in a battle in Kelblen Forest in the year 1335. His son David had only two young daughters Elizabeth married to Tho. Percy from whom the Barons de Burrough fetch their original and Philippa married to Sir Tho. Halsham an English Knight Then fell the title of Athol to that Walter Stewart son to King Robert 2. who barbarously murder'd James 1. King of Scotland and was agreeably punished for that execrable piece of cruelty insomuch that Aeneas Sylvius then Pope Eugenius the 4th's Nuncio in Scotland is reported to have said That he could not tell whether he should give them greater commendations that revenged the King's death or punish them with a sharper censure of condemnation that polluted themsâ—lves with so heinous a Parricide After an interval of some few years this honour was granted to John Stewart of the house of Lorne son of James sirnamed the Black Knight by Joan the widow of King James 1. daughter of John Earl of Somerset and ‡ Nepti neice to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster whose Posterity enjoy it at this day a 'T is now a Marquisate in the Family of Murray Now the Tay by the Influx of the Almund being enlarged makes for Dunkell Dunkeld adorned by King David with an Episcopal See This upon account of the signification is lookt upon by most as a town of the Caledonians and they interpret it The hill of Hazles who will have it take the name from the Hazles of the Caledonian Forest * See â—he Additions Bâ—r h. From hence the Tay takes its course by the ruins of Berth a little desolate City not forgetting what calamity it brought upon it in times past when with an impetuous torrent it overflow'd the pasture and corn grounds destroyed all the labours of the Husbandman and hurried headlong with this poor city a Royal infant and all the Inhabitants Instead whereof King William built Perth Perth much better situated which presently grew so rich that Necham who lived in that age made this distick upon it Transis ample Tai per rura per oppida per Perth Regnum sustentant istius urbis opes Great Tay through Perth through towns through country flies Perth the whole Kingdom with her wealth supplies But posterity hath named it from a Church founded in honour of St. John St. John's town St. Jâ—hns Town And the English in the heat of the war between the Bruses and the Baliols fortified it with great Bulwarks which the Scots afterwards mostly demolished It is nevertheless a neat little City pleasantly seated between two Greens
Trinity appear'd to him saying Why hast thou cast me out of my own Seat and out of the Church of Doun and plac'd there my S. Patrick the Patron of Ireland For John Curcy had expell'd the Secular Canons out of the Cathedral Church of Doun and introduc'd the black Monks of Chester in their room And the Holy Trinity stood there upon a stately Shrine and John himself took it down out of the Church and order'd a Chappel to be built for it setting up the Image of S. Patrick in the great Church which displeas'd the most-high God Wherefore he bid him assure himself he should never set foot in his Seignory again However in regard of other good Deeds he should be deliver'd out of Prison with Honour which happen'd accordingly For a Controversy arising between John King of England and the King of France about a Lordship and certain Castles the King of France offer'd by a Champion to try his Right Upon this the King call'd to mind his valiant Knight John Curcy whom he cast in Prison upon the information of others so he sent for him and ask'd him if he were able to serve him in this Combat John answer'd He would not fight for him but for the Right of the Kingdom with all his Heart which he undertook to do afterwards And so refresh'd himself with Meat Drink and Bathing in the mean while and recover'd his Strength Whereupon a day was appointed for the Engagement of those Champions namely John Curcy and the other But as soon as the Champion of France heard of his great Stomach and mighty Valour he refus'd the Combat and the said Seignory was given to the King of England The King of France then desired to see a Blow of the said Curcy Whereupon he set a strong Helmet * Plenan loricis full of Mail upon a large Block and with his Sword after he had look'd about him in a grim manner struck the Helmet through from the very Crest into the Block so very fast that no one therâ— was able to pull it out till he himself at the request of the twâ— Kings did it easily Then they ask'd him Why he look'd so gruâ— behind him before he struck So he told them If he had fail'd iâ— giving it he would have certainly cut them all off as well Kingâ— as others The Kings made him large Presents and the King of Englanâ— restor'd him also to his Seigniory viz. Ulster John Curcy attempteâ— 15 several times to sail over into Ireland but was always in danger and the Wind cross'd him so he waited awhile among the Monk of Chester and at last sail'd into France and there died MCCV. The Abby of Wetheny in the County of Limerick was founded by Theobald the Son of Walter Butler Lord oâ— Carryk MCCVI. The Order of Friars Minors was begun near the Ciâ—â— Assisa by S. Francis MCCVIII William de Brewes was banish'd out of England anâ— came into Ireland England was interdicted for the Tyranny 〈◊〉 King John A great defeat and slaughter was given at Thurles iâ— Munster by Sir Geffery Mareys to the Lord Chief Justice of Inland's Men. MCCX John King of England came to Ireland with a greâ—â— Fleet and a strong Army and the Sons of Hugh Lacy viz. thâ— Lord Walter Lord of Meth and Hugh his Brother for their Tâ—ranny but particularly for the Murder of Sir John Courson Loâ—â— of Rathenny and Kilbarrock for they had heard that the saâ—â— John accus'd them to the King were driven out of the Nation So they fled into France and serv'd in the Monasteries of S. Taurâ—â— unknown being employ'd in Clay or Brick-work and sometimâ—â— in Gardens as Gardeners But at length they were discover'd bâ— the Abbot who intreated the King on their behalf for he haâ— baptiz'd their Sons and had been as a Father to them in manâ— things So Walter Lacy paid two thousand fâ—ve hundred Markâ— and Hugh Lacy a great Sum of Mony likewise for their Ransom and they were restor'd again to their former Degree and Lordshiâ— by the Abbot's Intercession Walter Lacy brought with him Johâ— the son of Alured i.e. Fitz-Acory Son to the aforesaid Abboâ— whole Brother and Knighted him giving him the Seignory 〈◊〉 Dengle and many others Moreover he brought Monks with hiâ— out of the said Monastery and bestow'd many Farms upon theâ— with the Cell call'd Foury for their Charity Liberality and gooâ— Counsel Hugh Lacy Earl of Ulster built a Cell also for tâ—â— Monks in Ulster and endow'd it in a place call'd John King 〈◊〉 England having taken many Hostages as well of the English as 〈◊〉 the Irish and hang'd a number of Malefactors upon Gibbets aâ—â— setled Affairs return'd into England the same Year MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuyt was crush'd to death by the fall of Tower at Alone He founded the Monastery de Grenard MCCXII The Abby of Grenard was founded This saâ—â— year died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was burieâ— within the Quire of Trinity Church he built S. Patrick's Churâ—â— at Dublin Henry Londres succeeded him sirnam'd Scorch-Villeyâ— from an Action of his For having call'd in his Tenants one daâ— to know by what Tenure they held of him they show'd him the Deeds and Charters to satisfie him whereupon he order'd them to be burnt and hence got the name of Scorch-Villeyn given him by his Tenants This Henry Archbishop of Dublin was Justiciary of Ireland and built Dublin-castle MCCXIII William Petit and Peter Messet departed this life Peter Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trim but dying without Heir-male the Inheritance fell to the three Daughters of whom the Lord Vernail married the eldest Talbot the second and Loundres the third who by this means shar'd the Inheritance among them MCCXIX The City of Damieta was miraculously won on the Nones of September about Midnight without the loss of one Christian The same year died William Marshall the Elder Earl Marshal and Earl of Pembrock * The Genealogy â—f the Earl Marshall who by his Wife the Daughter of Richard Strongbow Earl of Strogul had five Sons The eldest was call'd William the second Walter the third Gilbert the fourth Anselm and the fifth Richard who lost his Life in â—he War of Kildare every one of them successively enjoy'd the â—nheritance of their Father and died all without Issue So the Inâ—eritance devolv'd upon the Sisters namely the Daughters of their Father who were Maud Marshall the Eldest Isabel Clare the seâ—ond Eva Breous the third Joan Mount Chensey the fourth and Sibill Countess of Firrars the fifth Maud Marshall was married to Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk who was Earl Marshal of England â—n right of his Wife By whom he had Ralph Bigod Father of John Bigod the Son of the Lady Bertha Furnival and * The Widow of Gilbert Lacy. Isabel Lacy Wife to John Lord Fitz-Geffery by whom after the death of Hugh de Bigod Earl of Norfolk she had John de Guaren Earl of Surry
and holding there could not be three persons and one God Among other tenents he asserted that the blessed Virgin our Saviour's mother was an harlot that there was no resurection that the holy Scripture was a mere fable and that the apostolical See was an imposture and a groundless usurpation Upon these Articles Duff was convicted of heresie and blasphemy and was thereupon burnt at Hoggis green near Dublin on the Monday after the octaves of Easter in the year 1328. MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter-week Thomas Fitz John Earl of Kildare and Chief Justice of Ireland departed this life and was succeeded in the office of Justiciary by Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynan The same year David O Tothil a stout rapperie and an enemy to the King who had burnt Churches and destroy'd many people was brought out of the castle of Dublin to the Toll of the City before Nicholas Fastol and Elias Ashburne Judges of the King's-Bench who sentenc'd him to be dragg'd at a horse's tail through the City to the Gallows and to be hang'd upon a Gibbet which was after executed accordingly Item In the same year the Lord Moris Fitz Thomas rais'd a great army to destroy the Bourkeyns and the Poers The same year William Lord Bourk Earl of Ulster was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave him his Seigniory Item This year James Botiller married the daughter of the Earl of Hereford in England and was made Earl of Ormond being before called Earl of Tiperary The same Year a Parliament was held at Northampton where many of the English Nobility met and a peace was renew'd between the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and confirm'd by marriages It was enacted also that the Earl of Ulster with several of the English Nobility should go to Berwick upon Tweed to see the marriage solemniz'd The same year after the solemnity of this match at Berwick was over Robert Brus King of Scots William Lord Burk Earl of Ulster the Earl of Meneteth and many other of the Scotch Nobility came very peaceably to Cragfergus whence they sent to the Justiciary of Ireland and the Council that they would meet them at Green Castle to treat about a Peace between Scotland and Ireland but the Justiciary and Council coming not accotding to the King's appointment he took his leave of the Earl of Ulster and return'd into his own Country after the Assumption of the blessed Virgin and the Earl of Ulster came to the Parliament at Dublin where he staid six days and made a great entertainment after which he went into Conaught The same year about the feast of S. Catharine the virgin the Bishop of Ossory certified to the King's Council that Sir Arnold Pour was upon divers Articles convicted before him of heresie Whereupon at the Bishop's suit Sir Arnold Poer by vertue of the King's Writ was arrested and clapt in the Castle of Dublin and a day was appointed for the Bishop's coming to Dublin in order to prosecute him but he excused himself because his enemies had way-laid him for his life So that the King's Council could not put an end to this business wherefore Sir Arnold was kept prisoner in the Castle of Dublin till the following Parliament which was in Midlent where all the Irish Nobility were present The same year Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of the Hospital of S. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellor of Ireland was scandalized by the said Bishop for favouring heresies and for advising and abetting Sir Arnold in his heretical practice Wherefore the Frier finding himself so unworthily defamed petitioned the King's Council that he might have leave to clear himself which upon consultation they granted and caused it to be proclaim'd for three days together That if there were any person who could inform against the said Frier he should come in and prosecute him but no body came Upon which Roger the Frier procured the King 's Writ to summon the Elders of Ireland viz. the Bishops Abbots Priors and the Mayors of Dublin Cork Limerick Waterford and Drogheda also the Sheriffs and Seneschals together with the Knights of the Shires and the better sort of Free-holders to repair to Dublin out of which six were chosen to examine the cause viz. M. William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedral-Church of S. Patrick in Dublin the Abbot of S. Thomas the Abbot of S. Mary's the Prior of the Church of the holy Trinity in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and Mr. Peter Willebey who convened those who were cited and examined them all apart who deposed upon their Oaths that he was a very honest faithful and zealous embracer of the Christian Faith and would if occasion serv'd lay down his Life for it And because his vindication was so solemn he made a noble entertainment for all them who would come The same year in Lent died Sir Arnold Pouer in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the predicant Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the annunciation of the bless'd Virgin Mary the Irish nobility came to the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earl of Ulster Moris Lord Fitz Thomas the Earl of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Peers where was a new peace made between the Earl of Ulster and my Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas and the Lords with the King's Council made an Order against riots or any other breach of the King's peace so that every Nobleman should govern within his own Seignory The Earl of Ulster made a great feast in the Castle of Dublin and the day after the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas made another in S. Patrick's Church in Dublin as did also Frier Roger Outlaw Lord Chief Justice of Ireland on the third day at Kylmaynan and after this they went all home again The same year on S. Barnaby's eve Sir John Bermingham Earl of Louth was kill'd at Balybragan in Urgale by the inhabitants and with him his own brother Peter Bermingham besides Robert Bermingham his reputed brother and Sir John Bermingham son to his brother Richard Lord of Anry William Finne Bermingham the Lord Anry's Uncle's son Simon Bermingham the aforesaid William's son Thomas Berminghan son to Robert of Conaught Peter Bermingham son to James of Conaught Henry Bermingham of Conaught and Richard Talbot of Malaghide a man of great courage besides 200 men whose names are not known After this slaughter Simon Genevils men invaded the Country of Carbry that they might by their plunder ruin the inhabitants for the thefts and murders they had so often committed in Meth but by their rising they prevented the invasion and slew 76 of the Lord Simon 's men The same year also on the day after Trinity-sunday John Gernon and his brother Roger Gernon came to Dublin in the behalf of those of Urgale that they might be tried by the Common-law And on the Tuesday after S. John's-day John and Roger hearing the Lord William Bermingham was a coming to Dublin left