the Reputation of their Monastery and makes it highly probable that S. Paul rather than S. Peter as others would have it was the first Founder of a Church in this Island But by reason of Persecutions or for want of a supply of Preachers Christianity did not flourish here till the Reign of Lucius the British King and the first Christian King in Europe Of whose imbracing Christianity the learned Bishop gives this Account from the Testimony of ancient Writers that the was first inclined thereto by the Persuasion of Eluanus and Eduinus two British Christians who were probably imploy'd to convince him But being workt upon on the other side by his Druids he would not come to any Resolution till he had sent to Rome for his further Satisfaction and to know how far the British Christians and those of Rome agreed Elentherus was then Bishop of Rome and the twelfth from the Apostles To whom he sent the foresaid Eluanus and Meduinus about the Year 180 presuming as he might reasonably then that the Christian Doctrine was there truly taught at so little distance from the Apostles and in a Place whither a Resort was made from all Parts because of its being the Imperial City For there was then no Imagination of S. Peter's having appointed the Head of the Church there nor a long time after in the British Churches as appears by the Contest of the British Bishops with Augustine the Monk King Lucius being satisfied upon the Return of his Embassadors from Rome imbraced the Christian Faith and received the Baptism So that by the piety of his Example and the diligence of the first Preachers Christianity soon spread over his Dominions and sometime after over all the Island And then the Britains had Bishops of their own without any Juridical Dependency from the See of Rome the British Church continuing a distinct and independent Church from all others But when the Heathen Saxons came to be possessed of this Part of the Island and the Natives forced to take shelter amongst the Mountains of Wales the Christian Faith fled with them and this Country was again darkened with Heathenism Till about the Year 596. Austin the Monk was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to preach the Gospel here By whose Diligence and Zeal the Work prospered so well that all the Saxons were by degrees converted to the Christian Faith and Austin made the first Arcsh-bishop of Canterbury but with a subjection to the Church of Rome Thus as the Errours crept on in the Roman the British Church grew infected with them and continued subject to the Power and Errours of Rome till King Henry VIII laid the Ground for a Reformation by his resuming the Power of the Christian British Kings his ancient Predecessors and removing by virtue of it the forfeited Primacy of Rome to the See of Canterbury But 't is Observable withall that this Ejection of the Pope's Authority was not done as in other Nations tumultuously and by the Power of the People but by the Counsel and Advice of godly and learned Divines assembled in Convocation by the King's Authority and ratified by the Three States in Parliament Thus the ancient Dignity and Supremacy of the Kings of England being restored and the Subjects delivered from the Spiritual Tyranny of the Pope of Rome the King and Clergy took this Occasion to inquire into and reform the great Abuses and Errours crept into the Church Whose Method in this Work begun in Henry's Reign and brought to perfection in his next Successor's Time Dr. Heylin sets forth in these Words The Architects says he in this great Work without respect unto the Dictates of Luther or Calvin looking only on God's Word and the Primitive Patterns abolished such Things as were repugnant unto either but still retained such Ceremonies in God's publick Worship as were agreeable to both and had been countenanced by the Practice of the Primitive Times A Point wherein they did observe a greater Measure of Christian Prudence and Moderation than their Neighbour Churches Which in a meer detestation of the See of Rome allowed of nothing which had formerly been in use amongst them because defiled with Popish Errors and Abuses utterly averting thereby those of the Papal Party from joyning with them in the Work or coming over to them when the Work was done Whereas had they continued an allowable Correspondency in these Extrinsecals of Religion with the Church of Rome their Party in the World had been far greater and not so much stomached as it is And this Opinion of his he backs with the Sentiment of the Marquess de Rhosne in this point after Duke of Sully and Lord High Treasurer of France one of the chief Men of the Reformed Party there Who being sent Embassador to King James from Henry IV. King of France admired the Decency of Gods publick Service in the Church of England Three Things principally are to be considered in point of Religion viz. The Doctrine the Manner of publick Worship and the Church Government As for the Doctrine of the Church of England 't is the same in all Points with other Reformed Churches as it appears by her Confession of Faith contained in the 39 Articles The Manner of publick Worship differs in nothing from them but in the Excellency of it So many admirable Prayers the English Liturgy contains sutable to all Occasions digested in a plain Evangelical Style without Rhetorical Raptures which are fitter for a designing Orator than an humble Addresser to the Mercy-Seat of God In short there is nothing wanting in the Church of England in order to Salvation She uses the Word of God the Ten Commandments the Faith of the Apostles the Creeds of the Primitive Church the Articles of the four first General Councils an excellent Liturgy the Administration of the Sacraments and all the Precepts and Counsels of the Gospel She attributes all Glory to God worships his most holy Name and owns all his Attributes She adores the Trinity in Unity the Unity in Trinity She teaches Faith and Repentance the Necessity of good Works the strictness of a holy Life and an humble Obedience to the Supreme Power Charity which is the grand Mark of the true Church is so essential to this that she do's not ingross Heaven to her self so as to damn all others into Hell For the publick Service and Worship of God she has Places Times Persons and Revenues set apart for that purpose and an uninterrupted Succession of Bishops to ordain Priests and Deacons and do all other Duties iucumbent to that Dignity Happy were it for England if all its Subjects would live in the Communion of this Church and not separate from it which is 〈◊〉 Thing more to be wished than hoped for But such is the designing and ambitious Spirit of Popery to weaken the Church of England ever since the Reformation lookt upon as the chiefest Bulwark against Popery that it has caused all our Distractions in order to fish
Rent of the Shops above and below Stairs and the vaulted Cellars under Ground Which comes to about 4000 l. a Year besides 30 l. Fine which is paid for every Shop And as Dr. Chamberlain observes this goodly Fabrick not taking up quite an Acre of Ground is perhaps the richest piece of Ground in the whole World In our Way towards Westminster before we come to St. Pauls Cathedral are three Things worth taking notice of On the left hand a Statute of King Charles II. on Horseback in Stock-Market with a fine Conduit to it Bow steeple in the middle of Cheapside and on the right hand the Guild-hall The first done in white Marble at the Cost and Charges of Sir Robert Viner The other a solid and beautifull Structure composed of four of the Orders of Building which shews the rare Invention of the Architect The whole Height of it from the Ground is 225 foot and yet is but half so high as the intended Dome of St. Pauls Cathedral is designed to be Noted besides for its Ring of Bells reputed to be the best in all England Guildhall where the the City Courts of Judicature are held and where the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council meet for the Management of the City-Concerns is a spacious Building but more glorious within than without At the first coming in is a spacious Hall set out among other Things with the Pictures of Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary with those of several Judges Here are also two Giauts that stand up in their bulky Figures Blackwell-Hall is so near this Place and so famous for the Sale of Woollen-Cloths that I cannot pass it by in Silence The same was purchased by the Lord Mayor and Commonalty in the Beign of Richard II and has been since imployed as a Weekly Market-Place for all sorts of Woollen-Cloth broad and narrow brought from all Parts of the Kingdom there to be sold And it is to this day the greatest Market and Store-house for all sorts of Woolen-Cloth And now we come to St. Pauls Cathedral seated on the highest Part of all the City and first built by Sebert the first Christian King of the East-Saxons Before the Fire it was in Length 690 Foot that is 20 foot longer than St. Peter's in Rome which for beauty proportion and divers other Things excels all other Churches It s Breadth and Height were proportionable to the Length so that it stood upon so much ground as contained above 3 Acres and a half This famous Church as vast and solid as it was was devoured by that dreadfull Fire in the Year 1666. But some Years after Sir Christopher Wren having by the King's Command designed a new Model of it a new Foundation was laid accordingly And ever since this stately Fabrick has been carried on to that height we see it now So that for Greatness and Figure for Solidity Magnificence and curious-Architecture 't is like to excel all Churches in Christendom except in some particulars St. Peter's Church in Rome To this Cathedral belongs a Dean and thirty Prebendaries c. Within the Liberties The Two Sergeants Inns one in Fleetstreet and the other in Chancery-Lane Two Inns of Court the Inner and the Middle-Temple in Fleetstreet Five Inns of Chancery viz. Clifford's-Inn in Fleetstreet and these four in Hoâ—born Thavies Furnivals Bernards and Staple-Inns Without the Liberties Two other Inns of Court viz. Grays Inn in Holborn and Lincolns Inn in Chancery Lane Three Inns of Chancery viz. Clements Inn New Inn and Iyons Inn. The Sergeants Inns are so called because divers Judges and Sergeants at Law keep their Commons and Lodge there in Term-time The Number of these is about 26 who being arrived to the highest Degree in the Study of the Common Law have here their Lodging and Diet. Out of these are all the Judges of the Kings Bench Common Pleas and Exchequer elected by the King â—t being a Degree in the Common Law anâ—werable to that of Doctor in the Civil Law But whereas Doctors of Law are allowed to it covered within the Bar the Sergeants stand â—are-headed without the Bar only with Coifs â—or Caps on For they are called Servientes 〈◊〉 Legem and Servitutis Appellatio-est Ministeâ—ii Doctoris vero Magisterii The Degrees by which the Student in the â—ommon Law rises to that of a Sergeant are first by being bred 2 or 3 years in the University in the Study of Logick and Rhetorick with some Insight into the Civil Law Upon which he is admitted to one of the four Inns of Court where he is first called a Student or Inner-Barrister till after 7 Years Study he becomes a Mootman or Utter-Barrister and some Years after a Bencher Those are Utter-Barristers who from their Learning and Standing are called by the Benchers in the Mooting Time to plead and argue Moots that is doubtfull Cases and Questions And whilst they argue the said Cases they sit uttermost on the Forms of the Benchers Out of these Mootmen are chosen Readers for the Inns of Chancery where in Term-Time and Grand Vacations they argue Cases in the presence of Attorneys and Clerks In the four Inns of Chancery seated in Holbourn the Moots are read either by those of Grays-Inn or Lincolns-Inn and in the others by those of the two Temples The Benchers so called from the Bench whereon they sit at the upper end of the Hall are the Seniors to whom is committed the Government of the whole House and out of whose Number is yearly chosen a Treasurer who receives disburses and accounts for all Moneys belonging to the House Out of these are also chosen those Readers whose Reading is kept with so much feasting and solemnity To which are invited the chief Nobles Judges Bishops great Officers of the Kingdom and sometimes the King himself Such a Feasting as has cost some Readers 1000 l. After which the Reader wears a long Robâ—different from other Barristers and is then in a capacity to be made a Sergeant at Law the Sergeants being usually chosen out of these Readers The Manner of their Choice is thus When the Number of Sergeants is small the Lord Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas by the advice and consent of the other Judges makes choice of some of the most grave and learned of the Inns of Court and presents their Names to the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper Who sends by the King 's Writ to each of them to appear on such a day before the King to receive the State and Degree of a Sergeant at Law At the appointed Time they being habited in party-coloured Robes come to Westminster-Hall accompany'd with the Students of the Inns of Court and attended by a Train of Servants and Retainers in their Cloth Liveries Where they take in publick a solemn Oath and are cloathed with Coifs which they wear always in publick After this they feast the great Persons of the Nation in a most splendid manner and present them with gold Rings
the Devil's Ditch Royston stands in the bottom of a Hill partly in this County and partly in Hartfordshire Whose Market is very considerable for Malt especially Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them is now in the Diocess of Ely Out of it are elected besides the 2 Knights of the Shire 4 Members of Parliament viz. 2 by the Town of Cambridge and 2 more by the Vniversity Cheshire CHESHIRE a Maritime County in the North-West Parts of England is bounded on the East by Derbyshire and Staffordshire on the West partly by the Irish Sea partly by Flintshire and Denbighshire two Counties of Wales Northward by Lancashire Southward part by Denbighshire and part by Shropshire and Staffordshire It contains in Length from East to West about 45 Miles in Breadth from North to South 25. The Whole divieled into 7 Hundreds 85 Parishes and 13 Market Towns As flat as this Country is yet it is not without several noted Hills besides the Mountains which divide it from Darby and Stafford Shires It has also several Woods and Forests as namely Delamere and Maclesfield Forests and is so well stored with Parks that almost every Gentleman has one peculiar to himself Heaths and Mosses are frequent here but the first serve to feed Sheep and Horses and Mosses to make Turves of for Fewel As for Rivers this Country is well watered with them the South-west Parts with the Dee the middle with the Weever and the North Parts with the Mersey which divides this County from Lancashire The Dee affords great plenty of Salmon And 't is observable of this River that upon the fall of much Rain it rises but little but if the South Wind beat long upon it it swells â—nd overflows the Grounds adjoyning Here are â—lso many Meres and Pools in all which are aâ—undance of excellent Fish Here the Air for Temperature and the Soil for Fertility is inferiour to none and far exâ—eeding the Neighbouring Counties It s chief Commodities are Corn Cattel Sheep Fish Fowl Salt and Cheese the best â—n all England Chester otherwife called West-Chester by reason of its Western Situation is the chief Place of this County bearing from London North-West and distant therefrom by common Computation 150 Miles thus Viz. from London to St. Albans 20. from thence to Stony-Stratford 24 to Daventry 16 more from Daventry to Coventry 22 thence to Lichfield â—o more to Stone 18 to Nantwich 15 and to Chester 15 more This City was raised from the Fort Ostorius Lieutenant of Britain for the Emperour Clauâ—ius And 't is pleasantly seated on the River Dee about 25 miles from its fall into the Sea the River widening it self all the way to a great breadth But the Channel is so choakt up with Sand for some Miles that all Ships now â—ome to a Place called the New Key about 6 miles distance Over the River it has a fair Stone-bridge â—uilt upon 8 Arches with a Gate at each â—nd from whence issue the Walls of the City â—n a quadrangular form high and strongly â—uilt In this Wall are 4 Gates viz. the East-Gate Bridge-gate Water-gate and North-Gate the first being esteemed one of â—he stateliest Gates in England Besides these â—our principal Gates there are three others of â—ess note called the Posterns and on the Wall are 7 Watch-towers and broad Battlements for Pieces of Ordnance On the South side is a stately strong Castle built in a circular form with a Court-yard about it inclosed with a Wall In the North Part is the Cathedral adjoyning to which is the Bishops Pallace In short this City is beautify'd with divers fair Buildings both publick and private and graced with large and well-ordered Streets which are supplied with fresh Water by Conduit Pipes from a Tower at the Bridge calleâ— Water-Tower 35 yards high and 8 broad Along the chief Streets are Galleries or Rowâ— as they call them with Shops on one side through which Galleries one may walk freâ— from Wet in the greatest Showers As to the Number of Parishes in it I finâ— no less than ten so well frequented this Plaâ—â— is by Gentry and Tradesmen For besides thâ— Assises held here twice a Year Chester being a County Palatine has also its Courts Palatine kept here And as it stands commodiously for Ireland with which it has a greaâ— Intercourse so it is a constant Thorough-farâ— for that Kingdom Of late it has been of particular Note foâ— being the Rendezvous of great part of ouâ— Forces that have been transported for thâ— Reduction of Ireland and Highlake on thâ— North-side of the River's Mouth for being thâ— proper Place for Shipping 'T was in this City of Chester that King Edgaâ— had his Barge rowed by way of Homage bâ— seven Kings of the Scots and Britains from 〈◊〉 Johns Church to his Pallace himself as sâ—preme Lord holding the Helm And 't is observable that the eldest Sons of the Kings 〈◊〉 England whether it be by birth or death 〈◊〉 their elder Brothers are ipso facto Earls of Chester The other Market Towns are Nantwich Sat. Middlewich Sat. Congleton Sat. Knutsford Sat. Malpas Mund. Maxfield Mund. Altrincham Tue. Fordsham Wedn. Sanbich Thu. Northwich Frid. Stopford Frid. Tarvin Frid. Amongst which Nantwich and Fordsham are feated on the Banks of the Weever Stopford on the Mersey Northwich and Congleton on the Dane which runs into the Weeve Middlewich on the Croke near its fall into the Dane Maxfield or Maclesfield on the Bollin Sandbich on the Welock Nantwich Middlewich and Northwich are of chief note for their Salt-pits but the first especially which next to Chester is the greatest and the fairest built Town in the County Here is the best white Salt made and great plenty of it At Congleton they make great store of Points Purses and leather Gloves Sandbich is only famous for its Ale sold at London for 12 pence the bottle which for strength and clearness does equalize Canary Maxfield or Maclesfield is a large and fair Town which drives a great Trade of Buttons But it is of most note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Charles Gerard Earl of Maclesfield c. This County formerly a Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Chester The Earls hereof were anciently accounted Palatines since William the Conquerour gave this Earldom to Hugh Lupus a noble Norman to be holden as freely by his Sword as the King himself held England by his Crown which was the Tenure of all Counts Palatine more like Princes than Subjects And though it be now and has long been reannexed to the Crown yet it still holds the Rights and Priviledges of a County Palatine having for the administration thereof a Chamberlain a Justice for the Common-Pleas of the Crown two Barons of the Exchequer a Sheriff an
each of these Towns Lanceston Liskerd Liskil or Liswithieâ— Truro Bodmin Hâ—lston Saltash Camelford Weâ— and East Lowe Grampond Penrin Tregny Bâ—â—ney S. Ives Fouay S. Germains S. Michaeâ— Newport S. Mawes and Kellington When this County was under the Earls oâ— Cornwal they gave great Immunities and Liâ—erties to those that workt in the Mines And when this Earldom reverted to the Crown in King Edwards Time he gave it to his Son surnamed the Black Prince advancing that Title to that of a Dukedom and erected a Lord Warâ—â—en of the Stanneries to have the Government thereof Since which time the eldest Sons of the Kings of England whether it be by Birth or by the Death of their elder Brothers are ipso facto Dukes of Cornwal as they are Earls of Chester without any Creation being at age to sue their Livery how young soever Of the Isles of Scilly West of Cornwal about 24 miles distant â—ies a Cluster of small Islands called by us the Isles of Scilly by the Dutch Sorlings and by the ancient Greeks Hesperides from their Western Situation Cassiterides from the Tin-Mines they found amongst them They are reckoned to be 145 in Number most of 'em very fruitful in Corn and Pasturage and plentifully stored with Conies Cranes Swans Heâ—ons and other wild Fowl Scilly which communicates its Name to the rest was formerly counted the chief of these â—slands But now S. Maries has got the preâ—minency being about 8 miles in circuit the biggest and most fertile of all having the conveniency of a large and commodious Harbour and fortified with a strong Castle built in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth These Islands after the Romans had forsaken their Holds in Britain returned again into the power and possession of the Natives From whom it was subdued and added to this Crown by Athelstane the eighth King of England and since that time governed as a part of Cornwal CHAP. VII Of Cumberland Derbyshire and Devonshire Cumberland CVMBERLAND is a Maritime County in the North-West Parts of England Bounded on the East by Northumberland and Westmorland on the West by the Irish Sea on the North by Scotland on the South by Westmorland and Lancashire It s Length from North to South is about 5â— miles its Breadth from East to West some thing less than 40. The Whole divided noâ— into Hundreds but Wards five in Number wherein 58 Parishes and 15 Market Towns This Country is generally Mountainous and some of the Hills both very high and steeâ— Those of most note are Skiddaw Haraknot Black coum and Wry-nose On the Top of this last on the high Way-side are placed 3 stones caled the Shire-stones standing within a foot oâ— each other one in this County another iâ— Westmorland and the third in Lancashire As for Rivers and Meres here is abundance â—â— them the principal River known by the Namâ— of Eden Here the Air is pretty sharp and piercing though the Country be something sheltered bâ— the Northern Hills And as hilly as this Country is yet the Hilâ— thereof are not so barren but that they feed great Flocks of Sheep and other Cattel whilst â—ts fruitful Valleys bear good Crops of Corn and its rich Meadows excellent Pasture The Sea and Rivers on the other side strive â—n a manner to furnish it with plenty of Fish and wild Fowl And which is remarkable here they have Muscles that bear a sort of Pearl But besides Rivers here are a great many Meers or Lakes yielding great plenty of Fish but chiefly Vlles Water bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland In the Bowels of the Earth not only Coals for Fewel but also Lead and Copper are found in great plenty Of all the Counties in England this shews the most Roman Antiquities The principal of which is the Picts Wall a prodigious Stone-wall built by the Romans for their security against the Incursion of the raging Picts the track whereof in many places is yet to be seen This Wall was 8 foot broad and 12 high reaching cross the Country from Carlisle to Newcastle that is from Sea to Sea at least 80 miles Thus it ascended and descended over great Crags and high Hills with Watch-Towers erected at every thousand Paces in which Souldiers were kept for its Defence At Salkeld on the Eden is a Trophy of Victory erected called by the Inhabitants Long Meg and her Daughters This Monument consists of â—7 Stones each 10 foot above ground and one of them namely Long Meg is 15 foot high Carlisle the chief Place of this County bears from London North-North-West and is distant from it 235 miles thus From London to Buckingham 44 for the particulars of which I refer you to Buckinghamshire to Coventry 30 more from thence to Lichfield 20 to Stoâ— 16 more thence to Warington 32 to â—anâ—â—ster 45 to Kendall 16 more and from thence to Carlisle 32. A City pleasantly seated on the South Bank of the River Eden within few miles of its faâ— into the Sea being watered besides East anâ— West with two lesser Rivers the Pettrel anâ— Canda at their fall into the Eden So that it iâ— in a manner surrounded with three Rivers except towards the South This is a Town oâ— great Antiquity flourishing even in the time oâ— the Romans upon whose Departure it suffered much by the Scots and Picts Afterward being utterly defaced by the Danes it lay dejected for about 200 years till William Rufâ—â— rebuilt it After him Henry the First hiâ— Brother and Successor made it a Bishops See Thus by degrees it recovered it self being now a fine City well inhabited and a Place of good Trade chiefly for Fustians It is begirt with fine Walls fortified with a Castle and Cittadeâ— beautified with a Cathedral of curious Workmanship and dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom at this time injoy'd by the Right Honourable Edward Howard Earl of Carlisle c. Derived to him from his Father Charles Howarâ— created Earl of Carlisle by King Charles II. Anno 1661. And the said Charles Son and Heâ—â— of Sir William Howard was great Grand-chilâ— of the Lord William Howard third Son of Thomas Duke of Norfolk In the Year 1663. hâ— was sent Embassador Extraordinary by the saiâ— King Charles to the Courts of Moscovy Sweden and Denmark And some Years after hâ— was sent again with the same Character tâ— the King of Sweden to whom he carried the Garter The other Market Towns are Egremont Sat. Ravenglas Sat. Keswick Sat. Alston-Moor Sat. Abbey-holm Sat. Cockermouth Mund. Perth Tue. Wigton Tue. Brampton Tue. Bootle Wedn. White-Haven Thu. Ireby Thu. Kirkswald Thu. Longtown Thu. Amongst which Perith or Penrith seated between Eimont a River on the South-side and Lowther another River on the West is counted the second Town of note in this County being large well built and inhabited by Tradesmen but Tanners especially Cockermouth a goodly Town is so called from its Situation on the River Cocker near its fall into the Derwent by which two
and frequented and enjoying a good Trade It has two Markets a Week viz. Wednesdays and Saturdays which are very great for Corn and Cattle and well served with all Provisions And for Divine Worship here are twelve Parish-Churches besides the Cathedral a fine piece of Architecture noted amongst other things for its Whispering Place which is in an Arch of the Quire but chiefly for being the Burying-place of Lucius the first Christian King and of the unfortunate King Edward II. who at Barkley-Castle was barbarously murdered by the Cruelty of Isabel his Wife Lastly this City is both a Bishops See and a County of it self being made a County by King Richard III once Duke of Glocester And as it has the advantage of denominating so rich a Country as this so it has been often dignified with the Title of a Dukedom sometimes that of an Earldom in those eminent Persons who in their several Times and Ages have been either Dukes or Earls of Glocester The Number of 'em is too great for me to produce 'em all here Therefore I shall only say that the last Duke of Glocester was Henry the third Son of King Charles I declared by his Royal Father Duke of Glocester and Earl of Cambridge and so Intituled Anno 1641 but not so created till the Year 1659. He lived to see the Restauration of the Royal Family and died the same Year it hapned viz. Sept. 13. 1660. With him the Title has lain dormant till it was lately revived in the person of the young Prince William the Son of the Illustrious Prince George of Denmark Nigh to this City is Alney-Isle so made by the Severn In which Edmund Ironside King of the English Saxons and Canute the Dane after many Conflicts and bloody Battels fought a single Combat hand to hand for the Crown of England The Issue of which was that they agreed to part the Kingdom which they joyntly governed till Treason took away the Life of King Edmund and left Canute sole Monarch of England At Lassington a mile from Glocester is found a sort of Stone called the Star-Stone being about the breadth of a Silver Peny and the thickness of a Half-crown These Stones are flat and like a Star five-pointed of a grayish colour and on the flat sides naturally ingraven in fine Works as one Mullet within another The other Market-Towns besides Glocester it self are Bristol Sat. and Wedn. Tewksbury Sat. Winchcomb Sat. Leonards Stanley Sat. Thornbury Sat. Wickware Mun. Dean Magna Mun. Cirencester Mun. Frid. Panswick Tue. Horton Tue. Minching-hampton Tue. Marshfield Tue. Letchlade Tue. Campden Wedn. Blackley Wedn. Tedbury Wedn. Stow on the Wold Thu. Cheltenham Thu. Dursbey Thu. Chipping Sudbury Thu. Fairford Thu. Stroud Frid. Wotton Frid. Newent Frid. Newham Frid. Amongst which Bristol being not only the greatest Place of Trade in England next to London but also a Bishops See and a County of it self deserves a particular Description It is both pleasantly and commodiously seated at the fall of the Frome into the Avon which five Miles from thence empties it self into the Severn By this River the City is divided into two Parts the chief Part in Glocestershire and the other in Somersetshire but with the conveniency of Communication by means of a fair Stone Bridge Which like London Bridge is so covered with Houses that it looks more like a Street than a Bridge Its Streets are neatly ordered and set out with many fine Edifices Among which may be reckoned the Cathedral and most of the Parish Churches which are 18 in Number The City is begirt with a Wall besides other Fortifications At the East end of it stood a Castle wherein King Stephen was kept a Prisoner by Maud the Empress But it was demolished by Oliver Cromwel and is now built into Streets called Castle-street and Castle-Green But that which has chiefly made Bristol so considerable is the goodness of its Port. The principal Key whereof stands on the Frome which at Spring-Tides does flow about 40 Foot and so brings Ships in of a great Burden Thus Bristol by its Commodiousness for Shipping is become a Place of great Resort both for Merchants and Tradesmen those driving a great Trade to most Parts of the Known World these a Home-Trade especially to Wales to Shropshire and other Counties About Bristol is great store of Coals also a sort of Precious Stone called from thence Bristol-Stones taken out of S. Vincents Rock At the bottom whereof is a hot Well of a Medicinal nature Lastly though Bristol stands partly as I said before in this County and partly in Somersetshire yet as it is a County of it self it yields Obedience to neither And considering its Beauty Trade Riches Extent and Populousness it may be counted the chief Place in England next to London 'T is but about 150 Years since this Town came to he a Bishops See this being one of the six new Sees erected by Henry VIII by virtue of an Act of Parliament made in order to it But it is less since it became a Title of Nobility which was not till King James I. conferred the Honour of Earl of Bristol upon John Lord Digby of Sherburn Anno 1622. From him devolved by his Death to his Son George in the Year 1650 and from him to the Right Hononrable John Digby the present Earl of Bristol Cirencester commonly pronounced Circester is seated on the River Churn over which it has a Bridge It has been a Place of great account in the time of the Romans and without insisting upon the Roman Coyns Checker-work Pavements and engraven Marble Stones that have oft been digged up here it s very ruinous Walls still to be seen and about 2 Miles in Circuit are a sufficient proof of its former Greatness This City was taken from the Britains by the West-Saxons and afterwards possessed by the Mercians till laid in Ashes by a Stratagem of the merciless Danes in tying fire to the Wings of Sparrows from whence it came to be called the Sparrows City Since which Desolation it could never recover it self to any thing beyond the Name of a good Borough Town Tewksbury is a goodly Town situate at the fall of the North-Avon into the Severn and watered besides with two Rivulets A Town of good account for making of Woollen Cloth and for the best Mustard in the Kingdom as Dijon is in France But most of all memorable for the Battel fought here Anno 1471. between King Henry VI. and his immediate Successor Edward IV that is between the House of Lancaster and York where the Lancastrians were intirely defeated and the young Prince Edward the only Son of King Henry slain Stroud situate on the River so called is a well-built Town whose Houses for the most part are of Stone It has a Bridge over the River on the Banks of which are placed abundance of fulling Mills Here they die Scarlet the Stroud Water having a peculiar quality to give the right Tincture Near the
capacious Palace for the Bishops Dwelling called Wolvesey-House and upon a Hill a strong Castle which overlooks the Country In short the City of Winchester is indifferently well peopled and frequented And its reekly Markets kept on Wednesdays and Saturdays are well served with all sorts of Provisions especially that on Saturdays Noted besides for giving the Title of Marquess to his Grace Charles Paulet lately made Duke of Bolton by our present King The other Market-Towns are Kingsclere Tue. â—asing-stoke Wedn. Kingwood Wedn. â—lisford Thu. Portsmouth Thu. Sat. Andover Sat. Ramsey Sat. Petersfield Sat. Lemington Sat. Odiam Sat. Besides Christchurch and Whitechurch whose Market-Days I am ignorant of and Newport â—in the Isle of Wight of which more anon Amongst which Portsmouth the strongest Place in this Kingdom is seated in the Isle of Porsey South-East from Southampton Which Isle has Communication on the North with the main Land by a Bridge This Place is both a good Harbour for Ships and by its strong Fortifications a Shelter to this Country Here are Docks and Store-houses for the King to build and equip Men of War and for its Defence two Castles one in the North and another in the South besides other Fortifications and a good Garrison withall But it is counted an unhealthy Place However it gives the Title of Dutchess to a famous French Lady Louisa de Querouaille created Baroness of Petersfield Countess of Faruham and Dutchess of Portsmouth by King Charles II. Anno 1673. A Town noted besides for a Race of small Dogs like Beagles bred about it which hunt Moles as their natural Game Odiam seated on the Road did formerly belong to the Bishops of Winchester Near unto it stand the Ruins of an old Castle once so strong that in the Reign of King John 13 Englishmen kept out the Dauphin of France and his Army for the space of 15 days As for Whitechurch Stocksbridge and Rumsey they are all three seated upon the Test Ringwood upon the Avon Christ-Church betwixt the Avon and the Stower at their fall into the Sea and Lemington East from it by the Sea-side Stockbridge Basingstoke Petersfield and Andover are great Thorow-fare Towns Spithead a noted Place for being a frequent Rendezvous to the Royal Navy lies between Portfmouth and the Isle of Wight Of the Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight falls next under our Consideration And as Nature has parted it from the rest so in her Imitation I give you here a separate Account of it This Island being scarce 3 miles from Hurst-Castle is generally supposed to have been dismembred from Hampshire by the Sea 'T is about 20 miles in length and 12 broad where broadest of an oval Form ending with two Peninsules one East and the other West Naturally fenced about with steep and craggy Rocks amongst which the Shingles and the Needles Northwestward are of chief note amongst Sea-men Southward where it looks towards France it is inaccessible but towards the North-East something flat and level The Soil hereof abundantly answers the Pains of the Husband man So plentiful it is of Corn and Pasturage that the Inhabitants have not only sufficient for themselves but furnish also the Markets of Portsmouth and Southampton but the first especially with the greatest part of the Wheat Flesh Cheese and Butter which is spent amongst them Insomuch that the Souldiers of Portsmouth presuming on the strength of that Town use to say That as long as they have the Isle of Wight to their Friend and the Seas open they need not care for all the World besides And as the Sea about this Island is exceeding full of Fish so is the Land stored almost in all Places with Conies Hares Partridges and Pheasants And the Sheep here yield so fine a Fleece that the Wool hereof has the precedenty of that of Coteswold in Glocestershire and is next in esteem to that of Lemster in Herefordshire This Island is divided into two principal Parts viz. East and West-Meden containing 36 Parishes and in them 3 Market-Towns Newport the chief of all the Isle stands on the North-East Coast with a little Creek before it where small Vessels come to the very Key which does very much facilitate its Trade 'T is a large and populous Town having two Markets a Week viz. Wednesdays and Saturdays At the entrance of the aforesaid Creek is Cowes often mentioned in our Gazets a noted place for harbouring of Ships therefore fortified with a Castle And a little way West from Newport stands another call'd Caresbrook Castle Yarmouth the best Town in this Island next to Newport is situate on the North-West Coast This Town is strengthened with a Castle and other pieces of Fortification most of it's Houses built of Free Stone and covered with Slate In the South-East-Parts is Sandham on a Bay so called also fortified with a Castle So that here are more Castles in this Spot of Ground than there is in any the like Spot in England Lastly this Island as well as the Isle of Man has had the honour of being advanced to the Title of a Kingdom but either of 'em much more deservedly than the Lordship of Ivitot in France 'T was in the Year 1445 when King Henry VI out of his particular affection to Henry Beauchamp Earl of Warwick crowned him King of Wight Which Title ended with his Life about two years after Besides this Island there are to the Eastward of Portsmouth two lesser Isles called Haling and Thorney and having two Towns of their Name This County whereof the Isle of Wight makes a Part is in the Diocess of Winchester and was formerly part of the Kingdom of the West Saxons The Inhabitants whereof together with those of Wiltshire and Somersetshire were known by the Name of Belgae among the ancient Romans Out of it are elected besides the two Knightâ— of the Shire no less than 24 Members to serve in Parliament viz. two out of each of these Towns Winchester Southampton Portsmouth Petersfield Stockbridge Lemington Andover Christ-church White-Church besides these three in the Isle of Wight Newport Yarmouth and Newton Hartfordshire HARTFORDSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by Essex on the West by Buckingham and Bedfordshire on the North by Cambridge-shire and on the South by Middlesex It contains in Length from North to South 30 miles and in Breadth from East to West 27. The whole divided into eight Hundreds wherein 120 Parishes and 18 Market Towns A Country not only blest with a sweet and wholsom Air but also with a fruitful Soil well watered with fresh and delightful Streams the principal whereof are the Lea and the Coln Hartford the Shire-Town from whence the County took its Name stands North by West 20 miles from London Viz. 10 from London to Barnet and 10 more to Hartford A Town of great note in the time of Beda by whom named Herudford for a Synod there held in the dawning of the day of Christianity amongst the Saxons
that what is worse for the Rider is best for the Abider And besides Corn and Cattle wherewith this Country is plentifully stored here are insome Parts especially towards Wiltshire rich Lead-Mines to the great benefit not only of the County but of the whole Kingdom These Mines are found particularly in the Hills called Mendip-Hills of no small Profit to the Owners As for its Diamonds commonly called Bristol-Stones I refer you to Bristol in Glocestershire Besides the Severns Mouth whereby the North-West Part of this Country is watered here is the Avon which parts this County from Glocestershire the Parret the Tor Tone Frome and others well stored with excellent Fish In this County are three Cities Bristol Bath and Wells Bristol indeed stands also in Glocestershire and as I have already described it there I shall pass it over here Bath bears West and by South from London and is distant therefrom 94 miles Viz. from London to Reading 32 miles as you may see in Parkshire from thence to Newbery 15 and to Marlborough 15 more thence to Chipenham 15 and to Bath 13 more It is so called from its Medicinal hot Baths much resorted unto from all Parts as being found by long experience to be of great virtue in the curing of Aches and other Distempers It s Situation is on the River Avon over which it has a Stone-Bridge and there it lies in a low and small Plain surrounded with Hills very high and steep out of which issue forth several Springs of Water which pay Tribute to it This is a Place of great Antiquity as does appear by many Roman Inscriptions and Images commonly found in the Walls which incompass it And where the Abbey now stands 't is said there was of old a Temple consecrated to Minerva the Goddess of Fountains and Baths In short 't is a fine City graced with well-built Houses and for divine Worship havâ—â—â— a Parish Church besides its Cathedral The Baths in it are four in number viz. the Cross and the hot Bath in the West Parts of the City the King 's and the Queen's-Bath in the middle The Cross Bath so called from a Cross that formerly stood in the midst of it is Triangular about 25 foot long and as broad at one end This is of a more gentle heat than the rest because it has fewer Springs About 100 foot from it is the Hot-Bath so called because formerly it was much hotter than the rest when it was not so large as now it is The King's Bath is about 60 foot square and has about the middle of it many hot Springs rising whence it has the greater heat The Queen's Bath has no Spring in it but only receives the Water from the King's Bath from which it is only divided by a Wall and so it is more temperate than the King 's In these two Baths is a Pump to pump Water upon the Diseased where strong Embrocations are required In every one of the Baths are Seats of Stone for the conveniency of those that use ' em But from 8 a Clock in the morning till about 3 in the afternoon these Baths are shut up and none permitted entrance being then so very hot that they work and cast up a filth from the bottom The Inhabitants of Bath do not only find a great advantage by these Medicinal Springs but also by their Cloth Manufacture wherein they drive a considerable Trade And for Provisions they have two Markets a Week viz. Wednesdays and Saturdays This City is Partner with Wells the Bishops See in the Title Episcopal Noted besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable John Granvile created Earl of Bath by King Charles the II. Anno 1661. Which Title was formerly injoy'd by the Heirs of John Bourchier who was created Earl of Bath by King Henry VIII Anno 1536 but went away from that Family by the Death of Henry Bourchier dying without Issue male Wells seated at the foot of a Hill is so called from the Springs and Wells that spring about it 'T is a small City but well inhabited and adorned with fair Buildings both publick and private The Cathedral among the rest is a stately Pile of building having in the West End a Frontispiece of excellent Imagery and carved Stone-work dedicated to S. Andrew and said to be first built by Ina King of the West-Saxons Adjoyning to it is the Bishops Pallace built in the manner of a Castle and fortified with Walls and a Mote and on the other side are the Prebends Houses c. The Market-house is also a neat Building supported by Pillars Lastly this City has two Markets a Week on Wednesdays and Saturdays as Bath The other Market-Towns are Bruton Sat. Langport Sat. Crokehorn Sat. Ilmister Sat. Watchet Sat. Dulverton Sat. Chard Mun. Somerton Mun. Glassenbury Tue. Wivescomb Tue. Pensford Tue. Wrinton Tue. N. Petherton Tue. N. Curry Tue. Sat. Wincaunton Wedn. Ilchester Wedn. Froumselwood Wedn. Taunton Wedn. Sat. Axebridge Thu. S. Petherton Thu. Bridgewater Thu. Wellington Thu. Canesham Thu. Evill Frid. Dunster Frid. Shepton-Mallet Frid. Philip-Norton Minehead Among which Bruton seated on the River Brue is a well-built and inhabited Town that drives a good Trade for Clothing Serges and Maulting 'T is graced with a beautifull Church has a Free School founded by King Edward the Sixth and a very fine Alms-house Langport stands on the top of a Hill in a miry and moorish Country and near the River Parret which next to the Avon is the most considerable South-Petherton Crokehorn Chard and Ilmister ly not far asunder near the West-Borders of Dorsetshire the first two on the Banks of the Parret Dulverton on the Ex borders upon Devonshire Wivescomb Wellington North Curry and Taunton are seated on the River Tone Taunton the chief of all the List is a neat and populous Town graced with spacious Streets and a fine Bridge over the River Inhabited chiefly by Clothiers who drive a considerable Trade with the Cloths and Serges made here and in the adjacent Parts It contains two Parish Churches Bridgewater and Glassenbury are the two Places of chief note next to Taunton the first seated on the Parret the laft on the Tor and each with a Stone-Bridge over its proper River The first is a large well-inhabited and frequented Town adorned with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable John Egerton the present Earl of Bridgewater Derived to him from his Father John Egerton created Earl of Brigewater by King James I. Anno 1617. Which Title was formerly injoyed by Henvy Lord Dawbeney advanced from a Knight to this Dignity by King Henry VIII he being Son of that Giles Dawbeney who came in with King Henry VII from Bretagne in France But he dying without Issue this Title died with him till revived as aforesaid Glassenbury of old called the Island of Avalon is of chief note for its once famous and stately Abbey the Monks whereof for the Credit of
Places to amongst the numerous Towns that are here few can boast of any Beauty Stafford the Shire-Town from whence the County takes its Name bears from London North-West and is distant therefrom 104 miles thus From London to Northampton 54 miles for the particulars whereof I refer you to Northamptonshire from thence to Coventry 20 miles to Lichfield 20 more and thence to Stafford 10. A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the-River Sowe which washes its South and West Parts with a Bridge over it Formerly fenced with a Wall except where it was secured by a large Pool or Water on the North and East Here are two Parish-Churches a free School and a fine Market-Place The Streets are large and graced with many good Buildings And its Market which is kept on Saturdays is well served with most sorts of Provisions This Town did formerly belong to the noble Family of the Staffords first with the Title of Earl hereof and afterwards of Lord or Baron Henry Stafford was the last of that Line who dying Anno 1639 the Family of the Staffords died also with him But the next year after William Howard Knight of the Bath and second Son of Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey having to Wife a Daughter of the last Lord Stafford was by King Charles I. created Viscount and Lord Stafford Who being found Guilty of High Treason by his Peers Dec. 7th 1680 was beheaded upon Tower-Hill Dec. 29. But the Title was in the late Reign revived in his Son Henry the present Earl of Stafford Lastly though Stafford be the County-Town yet it is not the chief either for extent or beauty it being out-done by Lichfield a City and County of it self seated in a low and Moorish Ground on a shallow Pool by which it is divided into two Parts both joyned together by a Bridge and a Causey and making up a City of indifferent bigness In the South Part which is the greater of the two stands a Grammar-School for the Education of Children and an Hospital dedicated to S. John for the Relief of the Poor In the other Parts there 's nothing considerable but a fair Cathedral and that sufficient of it self to renoun the Place First built by Oswin King of Northumberland about the Year 656 who gave the Bishops hereof many Possessions Afterwards being taken down by Roger de Clinton the 37th Bishop of this Diocese that which now stands was built by him and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and S. Chad. Besides the Cathedral this City has 3 Parish Churches And its Weekly Markets kept on Tuesdays and Fridays are well served with Provisions But Lichfield is not only honoured with a Bishops See 'T is dignify'd besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Edward Henry Lee who was created by Charles II. Baron of Spellesbury Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield Anno 1674. The other Market-Towns are Newcastle Mund. Stone Tue. Betles Tue. Pagets Bromley Tue. Tudbury Tue. Walsall Tue. Ridgeley Tue. Penkridge Tue. Brewood Tue. Leek Wedn. Vtoxeter Wedn. Wolverhampton Wedn. Checkley Thu. Burton Thu. Eccleshall Frid. Tamworth Sat. Among which Newcastle commonly called Newcastle under Line from the Rivulet Line upon which it is seated and that to distinguish it from Newcastle upon Tine in Northumberland is a large Town but mean in its Buildings most of 'em being thatched Vtoxeter and Tudbury are seated on the River Dove Stone and Burton upon Trent the first in the Road from London to Chester and the last famous for its Bridge leading into Derbyshire Pagets Bromley on the Blithe and Checkley on the Teane Tamworth is seated on the Tame where the Auker falls into it with a Stone-Bridge over each It stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire one part washed by the Tame and the other Part by the Auker In short 't is a good Town beautified with a large Church and strengthened with a small but strong Castle Walsall is seated on the top of a high Hill pretty well built and driving a good Trade of Nails Spurs Stirrups Bridle-bits and Bellows made here in great plenty Penkridge a Place of good Antiquity seated near the River Penk is now only famous for its Horse-Fair and chiefly for Saddle-Nags And Brewood for that the Bishops of this Diocese had here their Pallace before the Conquest Wolverhampton was only called Hampton till such time as one Vulver a devout Woman inriched the Town with a Religious House It stands upon a Hill and has a Collegiate Church annexed to the Deanry of Windsor About four miles from this Place stood the Oak where the late King Charles took Sanctuary for some Days after his Defeat at Worcester till he was conveyed to the House of Mrs. Jane Lane who was a chief Instrument in his Conveyance beyond Sea From whence this famous Tree came to be called the Royal Oak Lastly this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii is now in the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire eight Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Stafford Lichfield Newcastle under Line and Tamworth CHAP. XV. Of Suffolk Surrey and Sussex Suffolk SVFFOLK a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with Cambridgeshire Northward with Norfolk and Southward with Essex Called Suffolk q. d. Southfolk in opposition to Norfolk which lies North from it It contains in Length from East to West about 45 miles in Breadth from North to South where broadest at least 30. The Whole divided into 22 Hundreds wherein 575 Parishes and 30 Market-Towns A strong Argument of its Populousness Here the Air is counted so wholsom that some London Physicians have prescribed it for the Cure of their consumptive Patients As to the Soil the Eastern Parts all along the Coast for five or six miles Inland are generally heathy sandy and full of bleaâ— Hills yet such as yield abundance of Rye Pease and Hemp and feed abundance oâ— Sheep The more Inland Part commonly called high Suffolk or the Wood-Lands is for the moâ—â— part Clay-Ground and is husbanded chiefly for the Dairy this County being noted foâ— its excellent Butter The Southern Parts along the Borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire are much of the same nature for Wood and Pasture-Ground But the Parts about Bury and to the North-West from thence are generally Champain abounding with excellent Corn of all sorts And as for Parks here are reckoned in this County near upon fifty For Rivers few Counties are so well watered Besides the little Ouse and the Waveney which part it from Norfolk here is the Stoure which severs it from Essex the Orwell or Gippe the Ore Blithe Deben and Breton c. Ipswich the chief Place hereof bears from London North-East and is distant from thence 55 miles thus From London to Colchester 43 miles
resorted thither Further in the Country you 'l find Stretham a sweet Place Micham four miles West of Croydon Cheame and near it Nonsuch This a Royal Pallace so delightfully seated among Parks and built with so much Magnificence and such rare Workmanship by King Henry the eighth with delicate Gardens Orchards and Groves that as Speed says no County had none such as Nonsuch it self Not far from Nonsuch is Epsham very pleasantly seated and much resorted unto in Summer by the Gentry and Citizens of London for drinking its medicinal Waters Here is also a Place called Effingham which gives the Title of Baron to the Right Honourable Charles Howard Baron Effingham devolved to him some Years since upon the Decease of Charles Howard Earl of Nottingham and Baron Effingham Blechingly Gatton and Haselmere are 3 ancient Borough-Towns which have the Election of Parliament-Men Now but small and inconsiderable but formerly of good note especially Gatton where Roman Coyns have often been digged up Haselmere stands on the edge of the County towards Hampshire Chertsey not far from the Thames over which it has a Bridge is a Town of good antiquity Here King Henry the Sixth being deposed and made away in the Tower of London was Interred without funeral Pomp but for his holy Life being reputed a Saint was afterwards Intombed at Windsor in Barkshire At Ocklâ—y King Ethelwolf Son to King Egbert fought a successfull Battel against the Danes And if Merton be famous for any thing 't is for the Statute of Merton here inacted in the Reign of King Henry the Third Lastly this County which with Sussex made the Kingdom of the South-Saxons and whose Inhabitants went under the Name of Regni among the ancient Romans is now in the Diocese of Winchester Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire no less than 12 Members to sit in Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Guilford Southwark Reygate Blechingly Gatton and Haselmere The same has been for above 600 Years dignify'd with the several Titles of Duke and Earl The last of which has belonged to the Dukes of Norfolk above 200 Years Sussex SVSSEX a Maritime County is bounded Eastward with Kent Westward with Hampshire Northward with Surrey and part of Kent Southward with the Sea called the Chanâ—el It contains in Length from East to West about 55 miles in Breadth from North to South 20. The Whole divided into six Rapes called from their respective chief Places Chichester Arundel Bramber Lewes Pevensey and Hestings Rapes All which one with another contain 65 Hundreds wherein 312 Parishes and 16 Market-Towns Here the Air is counted generally good though subject to Mists and Vapours arising from the Sea The Soil is rich and such as yields plenty of all Things necessary The North Parts towards Kent and Surrey are well shaded with Woods as was all the Country heretofore till the Iron-Works consumed them The Southern Parts towards the Sea lying upon a Chalk or Marl yield Corn abundantly with a delightful Intermixture of Groves and Meadows Where the Land is low as it is in that Part called the Weld the Ways are so deep in Winter that then it is exceeding bad Travelling But that Part called the Downs is very pleasant and easy to Travellers One would think that in so large an Extent of Sea-Coast there should be many a good Harbour Whereas 't is very thin of 'em and such as it has are by reason of its Shelves and Boâ—ks both dangerous for entrance and uncertain for continuance Here are several good Rivers among which Arun is the principal that make the Country both pleasant and fruitfull and supply it as the Sea do's for its part with abundance of Fish And among Fowl here 's abundance of Wheat-ears a small Bird about the bigness of a Lark Which being in the prime when Wheat is ripe exceeds all others for fatness and daintiness Fast-bourn near the Sea is the noted Place where they catch plenty of these Birds Chichester the chief Place of this County and that which gives Name to one of the six Rapes is by common Computation 50 miles distant from London and bears from it South-West and by South The Way to it is through Guilford 25 miles as you may see in Surrey from Guilford to Godalmin 3 thence to â—echford Bridge 11 and to Chichester 11 more This City for it is a Bishops See is seated in a Plain on the Banks of the Levant which incompasses the South and West Parts and at a small distance discharges it self into the Sea First built by Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons where he had his Royal Pallace It contains at this time five or six Parish Churches besides its Cathedral Its Buildings are indifferent but it has four spacious Streets with a fine Market-Place of Stone and supported round about with Pillars The Cathedral is of a circular form and graced with a stately Spire built of Stone Twice it was almost consumed by a raging fire since it was first built by Radulph the third Bishop here but was afterwards rebuilt and beautify'd by Seffâ—id the second Bishop of that Name In short this City injoy's a pretty good Trade which might be better were not the Haven near unto it choaked up Here are two Markets weekly kept on Wednesdays and Saturdays well served with Corn Flesh Fish and Fowl and generally all sorts of Provisions Nigh unto this City is the Peninsule commonly called Selsey Isle of chief note at present for the excellent Cockles and Lobsters it yields in great plenty But in former times far more considerable when it was an Episcopal See before Bishop Stigand removed it to Chichester in the year 107. Over against the West of this Peninsule lies a small Island called Thorney Isle from a small Town of that Name in it The other Market-Towns besides Chichester are Horsham Sat. Lewes Sat. Shoreham Sat. Ptworth Wedn. Steyning Wedn. Storington Wedn. Rye Wed. Sat. Arundel Wed. Sat. Hastings Wed. Sat. Battel Thu. Bright Helmiston Thu. East-Greenstead Thu. Midhurst Thu. Cuxfield Frid. Besides Winchelsey and Tarring whose Market Days I am ignorant of Among which Midhurst is in Chichester Rape Petworth and Storington in Arundel Horsham Stening Shoreham and Tarring in Bramber Rape Cuxfield Bright Helmiston in Lewes Rape East-Greenstead and East-bourn in Pevensey's Rye and Battel in Hastings Rape Rye Winchelsey Hastings Bright Helmiston and New Shoram stand by the Sea-side Battel Lewes Stening Tarring and Arundel at some distance from it Petworth more Northward Horsham and East-Greenstead the furthest of all from the Sea and nearest to Surrey Lewes among all these is the most confiderable and is therefore the Place where the Assizes are commonly kept Seated it is on an Eminence and on the Banks of a goodly River well inhabited by Gentry and Tradesmen and containing six Parish Churches At the River's Mouth is New-Haven some Years since made a pretty secure Harbour for
three are all seated on small Rivers which after some small Course joyn together into one Stream and so fall into the Derwent a little below New Malton To conclude this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants Part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of York Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 28 Members of Parliament Viz. Two by each of these following Towns York Kingston upon Hull Knaresborough Scarborough Rippon Richmond Heydon Borough-bridge Malton Thirsk Aldborough Beverly North-Allerton Pomfret And which is remarkable it yields at this time two Dukes and one Dutchess one Marquess and nine Earls The Dukes are of Richmond and Bolton the Dutchess of Cleveland the Marquess of Halifax the Earls of Mulgrave Kingston Strafford Craven Burlington Holderness Derwentwater Faulconberg and Scarborough Thus I have compassed a very difficult Task the Description of forty Counties with so much variety of Matter in so short a Compass The Reader perhaps expects in the next place I should give an Account of the Twelve Counties of Wales as being Incorporated with England at least in point of Government But what Union soever it may have with England 't is but like those remote Cities conquered by the Romans whose Inhabitants were Civitate donati that is made Citizens of Rome England and Wales are naturally so distinct from each other both as to the Country and the Inhabitants that they cannot possibly fall under the same Character And so I lay Wales aside to present you by way of Precapitulation with a Table shewing by distinct Columns the Number of Hundreds Parishes and Market-Towns belonging to every County of England with the Names of the Shire-Towns Only 't is to be observed that instead of Hundreds Durham is divided into Wakes Cumberland Westmorland and Northumberland into Wards Also that some Counties are more generally divided than into Hundreds as Yorkshire first into three Ridings Kent into five Lathes Sussex into six Rapes Linconshire into these three Parts Lindsey Kesteven and Holland The TABLE Shires Hun Par. Shire-Towns Mark T. Barkshire 20. 140. Reading 12. Bedfordshire 9. 116. Bedford 10. Buckinghamsh 8. 185. Buckingham 15. Cambridgeshire 17. 163. Cambridge 8. Cheshire 7. 85. Chester 13. Cornwal 9. 161. Lanceston 21. Cumberland 5. 58. Carlisle 15. Derbyshire 6. 106. Derby 10. Devonshire 33. 394. Exeter 32. Dorseishire 29. 248. Dorchester 19. Durham 4. 118. Durham 6. Essex 20. 415. Colchester 21. Glocestershire 30. 280. Glocester 26. Hampshire 39. 253. Southampton 16. Hartfordshire 8. 120. Hartford 18. Herefordshire 11. 176. Hereford 8. Huntingtonshire 4. 79. Huntington 6. Kent 67. 408. Canterbury 30. Lancashire 6. 61. Lancaster 26. Leicestershire 6. 192. Leicester 12. Lincolnshire 30. 630. Lincoln 35. Middlesex 7. 273. LONDON 6. Monmouthshire 6. 127. Monmouth 7. Norfolk 31. 660. Norwich 28. Northamptonsh 20. 326. Northampton 13. Northumberland 6. 460. Newcastle 6. Nottinghamsh 8. 168. Nottingham 9. Oxfordshire 14. 280. Oxford 15. Rutland 5. 48. Okeham 2. Shropshire 15. 170. Shrewsbury 15. Somersetshire 42. 385. Bath 30. Staffordshire 5. 130. Stafford 18. Suffolk 22. 575. Ipswich 30 Surrey 13. 140. Guilford 8. Sussex 65. 312. Chichester 16. Warwickshire 5. 158. Warwick 15. Westmorland 4. 26. Kendal 8. Wiltshire 29. 304. Salisbury 23. Worcestershire 7. 152. Worcester 11. Yorkshire 26. 563. York 49. CHAP. XVIII Of LONDON and WESTMINSTER I Joyn these two together because contiguous And tho' they be two distinct Cities both by their Foundation and distinct Government yet as they make together one compact Body the City of Westminster under that Notion is generally comprehended under the Name of London and lookt upon as a Part of it In the Description whereof I shall joyn and part them as occasion shall offer My Design is not to make a long Preamble about the uncertain Original of LONDON which as some write was built above eleven hundred Years before the Birth of our Saviour That it is a most ancient City is a thing past all doubt For History tells us that the British King Lud above 60 Years before our Saviours Birth repaired and improved it The Romans in whose Time it was an Archbishop's See gave it the Title of Augusta And Animianus Marcellinus who wrote near 1300 Years ago calls it then an ancient City As for its Name the most probable Conjecture in my Judgment is that of those who derive it from the British Word Llongdin a Town of Ships It s Situation is upon all accounts very advantageous whether we consider the Soil on which it stands the River that waters it the Fruitfulness of the Country about it the Roads that lead into it or its convenient Distance from the Sea The Soil is gravelly and therefore so much the wholsomer And as it stands upon a gentle rising Bank on the North-side of the River this adds much to the healthfulness of the Place the South-side being counted something unhealthy by reason of the Vapours the Sun draws upon it The Thames that waters it I have already described as the chief River of England and an excellent navigable River This City stands where the River is cast into the form of a Crescent and stretches it self in length along the Shore as Cologne does upon the Rhine Which is a great Advantage upon several Accounts especially to a great City First because it ly's the more convenient for the several Uses and Benefits of the River Secondly for the Freeness of the Air which makes it so much the healthfuller lying open to the Fields Northward and to the River Southward Whereas Paris and all other Cities of an orbicular Form ly close together and the middle Parts half choackt for want of Air. To which add another Conveniency in London by its Situation along the River that by the Course of it one may sooner find out any Place than is possible in Paris which is a very Labyrinth in comparison This River besides is full of excellent Fish such as Barbels Trouts Chevins Pearches Smelts Breams Roaches Daces Gudgeons Flounders Shrimps Eels c. And after the Smelt-time is past it yields also sweet Salmons But Carps it is scarce of except upon Land-flouds when they get out of Gentlemens Ponds Great number of Swans are daily seen upon this River Besides a perpetual Motion of Wherries and small Boats above 2000 in Number whereby 3000 Watermen are maintained by carrying Goods and Passengers thereon Not counting those large Tilt-Boats Tide-Boats and Barges which either carry People or bring Provision from most Parts of the neighbouring Counties For Navigation no River more commodious as may appear by a Passage in the Reign of King James I. Who being displeased with the City for refusing to lend him a Sum of Mony he required threatned the Lord Mayor and Aldermen that he would remove his Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another Place with further expressions of his
Indignation Your Majesty answered the Lord Mayor calmly may do what you please therein and your City of London will prove still dutifull but she comforts her self with the Thoughts that your Majesty will leave the Thames behind you This River besides is so Kind that it seldom indamages any Part of this City by its Overflowings Here the highest Tides are upon a Land-floud and the Moon at full when sometimes it does swell over its Banks But then Westminster lying low feels alone the effects of it and that seldom further than the Cellars Whereas the Chambers and Upper Rooms at Rome and Paris are sometimes overflowed Rome by the Tiber and Paris by the Seine From this River the City by Water-Engines is in many places supplied with good Water But to serve with Water the North Parts of the City as the Thames does the South Parts it has the Conveniency of an artificial River commonly called the New River which was begun Anno 1608 and finished in five Years time A noble Undertaking of Sir Hugh Middleton who for this great Work deserves his Statue in Brass This River he brought from Amwell and Chadwell two Springs near Ware in Hartfordshire from whence in a turning and winding Course it runs near upon 60 miles before it reaches this City In this Undertaking fitter indeed for a Prince than any Subject there have been six hundred Men at once imployed which was a prodigious Charge The Channel in some Places 30 foot deep in others carried over Valleys 20 foot at least above Ground in open Troughs And over this River are 800 Bridges some of Stone some of Wood and others of Brick This City besides has the Conveniency of several Conduits of Spring-Water so commodiously placed that they serve all the chief Parts of it And it is so situated that in all Parts though on the highest Ground 't is abundantly served with Pump-Water the Pumps in many Places not six foot deep in the Ground For a constant Supply of Provisions besides the fruitfull County of Middlesex in which it stands and that of Surrey on the other side of the River both which are ready at hand to furnish it with their Provisions it is neighboured with many other plentifull Counties out of whose abundance this City lives in great plenty and seldom knows what Scarcity is The Conveyance so easy both by Land and Water that no City in Europe has better Conveniencies So large fair and smooth are the High Ways that lead from all Parts to it and so convenient is the River that almost all the Fewel for firing is brought up that Way to Town The Coals from Newcastle and the Wood from Kent and Essex some of which last comes also down the River from Surrey and Middlesex Lastly as it has the Command of the Sea so there is scarce any Blessing in the Terrestrial Globe but this City has her Share in it Moreover its Distance from the Sea which is about 60 Miles is a great Argument of the Founder's Wisdom For by that Distance as it is not so near as to be annoyed by the unwholsom Vapours of the Sea or to be suddenly surprised by an Enemies Fleet so it is not so far but that by the help of the Tide which comes up every 12 hours Ships of great burden may be brought into her bosom In point of Latitude 't is in 51 Degree 30 Minutes I come now to its full Extent with its Suburbs and Places adjacent It s Length from East to West that is from Lime-house to the further end of Mill-Bank in Westminster is above 7500 Geometrical Paces which comes to seven measured miles and an half at 1000 paces a mile that is about five computed miles or two Parisian Leagues and a half The Breadth indeed is not proportionable the City being built in Length for the Conveniency of the River And yet taking Southwark in on the other side of the River as it is under the Lord Mayor's Jurisdiction and joyned to London by the Bridge this vast City reaches there in Breadth from North to South that is from the further end of White-Chappel Street to St. George's Fields in Southwark near upon 3 miles So that I cannot but conceive that if London were cast as Paris into an orbicular Form the Circumference of it would be much larger than that of Paris So much it is increased in Buildings since the dismal Conflagration in the Year 1666. But whether it is profitable to the Body of the State or not to have so vast a Head may be made a Question And if Dr. Heylin had cause to complain in his time of its being grown then too big for the Kingdom he might with much more reason do it now Great Towns says he in the Body of a State are like the Spleen or Milt in the Body natural The monstrous Growth of which impoverishes all the rest of the Members by drawing to it all the animal and vital Spirits which should give nourishment unto them and in the end cracked or surcharged by its own fulness not only sends unwholsom Fumes and Vapours to the Head and heavy Pangs upon the Heart but draws a Consumption on it self He adds further that the Overgrowth of great Cities is of dangerous consequence not only in regard of Famine such Multitudes of Mouths not being easy to be fed but in respect of the irreparable Danger of Insurrections if once those Multitudes sensible of their own Strength oppressed with Want or otherwise distempered with Faction or Discontent should gather to a head and break out into Action These are all I confess very plausible Arguments But if we consider London as it is in a manner the Head of three Kingdoms at least the Seat of their Monarch I see nothing of Monstrousness in it On the other side London having the Conveniency of the Sea and of a navigable River is so much the less subject to a Famine for that in case of Scarcity at home it may be supply'd from abroad And as in so great a Body there be commonly different Parties led by opposite Interests so there is the less Cause to fear Insurrections because one Party keeps still another in aw Just so Geneva and Hamburg two free Cities do not subsist so much by their own Strength as by the Jealousy of the several States that neighbour upon ' em But the greatest Danger incident to great Cities and omitted by Dr. Heylin is in Case of Contagious Diseases Which the more Matter they find to work upon make so much the greater havock and like a raging Fire get strength by their Motion Witness the Year 1665 when at London there died of the Plague in one day no less than 1200. When all is done I have this to urge in the behalf of great Cities that they are a visible Sign of a flourishing State and such as draws Respect from its Neighbours who look upon it as the Luxuriancy and Result of its Wealth
Goâ—ernment nine and twenty of the Lords Spiâ—â—al and Temporal such as â—â—â—ned to be at â—t time in and about the Cities of London â—d Westminster immediately assembled at â—ildhall Where they unanimously Reâ—â—ved to apply themselves to His Highness 〈◊〉 Prince of Orange and to assist Him â—â—th their utmost Endeavours in the obâ—â—ing with all speed such a free Parliament 〈◊〉 the security of our Laws Liberties and â—operties as thereby the Church of England 〈◊〉 particular with a due Liberty to Proteâ—â—nt Dissenters and in general the Protestant â—eligion and Interest over the whole World â—ight be supported and incouraged to the â—lory of God the Happiness of these Kingâ—oms and the Advantage of all Princes and â—ates in Christendom Whereof they made publick Declaration signed by every one of 〈◊〉 Lords amongst which the Earl of Pemâ—ke the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Bishop 〈◊〉 Ely and the Lord Culpeper were chosen to â—tend forthwith His Highness with the said â—eclaration and at the same time acquaint 〈◊〉 with what they had further done at that â—eeting Few days after this the Lord Mayor Alderâ—en and Commons of the City of London in â—mmon Council Assembled made an humble â—ddress to the Prince wherein they returned 〈◊〉 Highness their Thanks for his glorious Unâ—rtaking to rescue these Kingdoms from Poâ—ry and Slavery look'd upon him as their Reâ—â—e implored his Protection and humbly beâ—ght Him to repair to this City where he should be received with Universal Joy and Sâ—tisfaction The Prince was then at Henley where he râ—ceived the Addressers in the most obliging maâ—ner with Aâ—â—rances of his Protection aâ— of his Readiness to comply with their Dâ—fires In the mean time King James was unhappiâ— taken in a Disguise at Feversham in Kent as 〈◊〉 was going for France Where being soon Dâ— covered he was at last prevailed upon to Return so that his Guards and Coach being seâ— for Him he came back to Whitehall Sundâ—â— Dec. 16 and reassumed the Government Whilâ— King James came up to London from the South the Prince made his Way thither from tâ—â— West in hopes that his Majesty would come 〈◊〉 an amicable and equitable Accommodation by referring all Grievances to a free Parlâ—â—ment But the King not being able to bear the hâ—â— of a Free Parliament after so many notoriâ—â— Violations of the Laws of the Realm grew foâ— uneasy at Whitehall and his Heart beat agâ— for France as his only Place of Refuge 〈◊〉 Rochester he goes from whence few Days â—â—ter he privately Withdrew himself the secâ—â— time but with more success than the 〈◊〉 For he got clear to France where the Quâ—â— and the supposed Prince of Wales had soâ— time before taken Sanctuary Mean while the Prince of Orange was 〈◊〉 to St. James's Dec. 19th where his Highâ—â— received the Compliments of all the Nobiâ—â— and other Persons of the chiefest quality Town and at Night the Streets were 〈◊〉 with Bonfires with Ringing of Bells and ther publick Demonstrations of Joy Then the Scene of Affairs was so very much â—ered that nothing but a new Settlement â—â—uld Resettle us In order to which a great Assembly of Lords and Commons Members of â—rmer Parliaments besides the Lord Mayor â—ldermen and Common Council of the City of London was held at Westminster to consult â—hat was fit to be done Who after some Deâ—â—tes upon the present Juncture came to this resolve that his Highness the Prince of Oâ—â—nge should be humbly Intreated to Summon 〈◊〉 Convention of Lords and Commons by his Cirâ—ular Letters these to be chosen by the People in a Parliamentary Way to meet at Westminster on â—he 22th of January following And that His sighness in the mean time would be pleased â—o take upon Him the Administration of pubâ—ick Affairs both Civil and Military and the disposal of the publick Revenue Which was â—one accordingly The Convention being met at the Time â—ppointed the House of Commons broke the 〈◊〉 Voted the Abdication of the Governâ—ent by King James and the Vacancy of the â—â—rone that is in short a Dissolution of the whole Frame of Government The House of Lords being divided as to the Word Abdicate â—â—d several Conferences about it with the Comâ—ons till at last their Lordships Concurred with them by Plurality of Votes Which hapâ—ed on the 6th of Febr the same Day upon which King James had ascended the Throne The Government being thus declared in a â—ate of Dissolution and the Throne Vacant â—he next Business was to Resettle the first by â—lling up the last It was then in their power 〈◊〉 bestow the Crown upon whom they pleased 〈◊〉 after several Debates the Two Houses at last fully agreed upon a joynt Declaration concerning the Misgovernment of King James the Offer of the Crown to the Prince and Prince of Orange the Abrogation of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the new Oaths tâ— be taken instead of them All this was done by the 12th of February upon which Day Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange arrived at Whitehall about twâ— in the Afternoon the welcome News whereoâ— was received with universal Demonstrations oâ— Joy The next Day Febr. 13th both Houses being Assembled at Westminster came to thâ— Banqueting House where they presented tâ— the Prince and Princess of Orange the Instrument in Writing agreed upon for Declarinâ— Their Highnesses KING and QUEEN oâ— England France and Ireland with all the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and received Their Consent Whereupon Their Majesties were immediately Proclaimed in thaâ— solemn Manner as I have already described iâ— the Seventh Chapter And thus was accomplished the Curse of King James J a Prince whose Learned Pen baffleâ— all the Conclave which he solemnly pronounced on any of his Posterity that should turn Papists I am heartily sorry that it should fall 〈◊〉 heavy upon the late King but it is better so than that three Kingdoms should perish And yet had he kept within some reasonable Bounds and his Religion to himself withouâ— his open Violations of the Laws as it were iâ— defiance 't is very likely the Nation would haâ—â— been upon his account very indulgent to thâ— Roman Catholick Party They might have gâ— by this means some legal Toleration which 〈◊〉 the space of few Years would have Incouraâ—â—d and Strengthned their Party here consideâ—bly So quick of growth are the Roman â—atholicks where they find Incourageâ—ent Therefore the very Court of France did oâ—enly declare his Errors to the World and â—ssed this Verdict upon him That his whole â—onduct had been very little Judicious The â—mperour on the other side in his Letter to â—ing James from Vienna Apr. 9. 1689 could â—â—t forbear amongst his tender condoling â—xpressions to tell him the Cause of his â—in But King James would never be advised to Moderation and no Counsellors were welcome 〈◊〉 him but such as prompted him to Vioâ—nce The Issue whereof proved accordingly â—ll Covet all Lose I conclude with a Character of Their
in Trial of Heresy which toucheth a Mans Life If a Clergy-man Kills his Bishops or Ordinary the Law looks upon it as a Parricide and 't is Petty-Treason by Law Every Bishop may by Statute Law qualify six Chaplains which is as many as a Duke But if the Bishops Priviledges be so great the Archbishops are much greater especially his Grace of Canterbury's Who is the first Peer of the Realm and next to the Royal Family precedes not only all Dukes but all the great Officers of the Crown Though he holds his Place from the King yet in the King's Writs to him he is stiled Dei Gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi and whereas other Bishops write Divina Permissione he writes himself Divina Providentia When he is Invested in the Archbishoprick he is said to be Inthroned It belongs properly to him to Crown the King and he had formerly the Power of appointing the Lent Preachers which is now in the Lord High Chamberlain The Bishop of London is accounted his Pravincial Dean the Bishop of Winchester his Chancellour and the Bishop of Rochester his Chaplain He has the Probate of all Wills in his Province and the Power of granting Letters of Administration where the Party at the time of his Death had 5 l. worth or above out of the Diocese wherein he died or 10 l. within the Diocese of London For all such as die Intestate within his Province he has Power to make Wills and to administer their Goods to the Kindred or to pious uses according to his Discretion In all Cases heretofore sued for in the Court of Rome he has Power to grant Licences and Dispensations either by himself or his Deputy called the Master of Faculties Provided the same be not repugnant to the Law of God or the King's Prerogative As to allow a Clerk to hold a Benefice in Commendam or Trust to allow a Son contrary to the Canons to succeed his Father immediately in a Benefice a Beneficed Clerk upon some Occasions to be Non-resident for some time a Clerk rightly qualified to hold two Benefices with Cure of Souls and a Lay-man to hold a Prebend c. whilst by Study he is preparing himself for the service of the Church He may also bestow one Dignity or Prebend in any Cathedral Church within his Province upon every Creation of a new Bishop And the new-created Bishop is also to provide a sufficient Benefice for one of the Archbishops Chaplains or to maintain him till it be effected He has the Prerogative with two other Bishops to Consecrate a new made Bishop to appoint Coadjutors to infirm Bishops to confirm the Election of Bishops within his Province to call Provincial Synods according to the King 's Writ directed to him to be Moderator in the Synods or Convocations and there to give his Suffrage last of all 'T is both his Power and Duty to Visit the whole Province and during the Vacancy of any Bishoprick within the same to appoint a Guardian of the Spiritualities So that to him belong all the Episcopal Rights and Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions of the Diocese as Visitations Institutions c. To decide all Differences in Ecclesiastical Matters he holds several Courts of Judicature for which I refer you to my Third Part. Lastly he may retain and qualify 8 Chaplains which is two more than any Duke is allowed The Archbishop of York has also the Precedence of all Dukes that are not of the Royal Bloud and of all great Officers of State except only the Lord Chancellour He is also stiled Primate of England and Metropolitan of his Province and has many of those Prerogatives and Priviledges which the Archbishop of Canterbury has within his own Province Each of the Archbishops is honoured as Dukes are with the Title of His Grace And whereas the Inferiour Bishops are stiled Right Reverend the Archbishops are in a Superlative manner stiled Most Reverend As to the Revenues of the English Bishops the best Bishopricks are those of Canterbury Durham and Winchester which yield a plentiful Income Amongst the rest some have but a Competency and others are not much better some worse than many Parsonages And yet I must say this to the eternal Praise of the Episcopal Order that they have done great Things for the Publick out of their Revenues For most of the great publick Works now â—â—maining in England acknowledge their Being eather to the sole Cost and Charge or to the liberal Contributions of Bishops I mean not only Pallaces and Castles but Churches Colledges Schools Hospitals Alms-houses a great Number whereof have been founded and built by Bishops Nay that famous and chargeable Structure of London-Bridge stands to this day obliged to the liberal Contributions of an Archbishop In former Reigns when the Clergy were judged to be the fittest Persons to execute most of the chief Offices and Places of the Realm such Benefits and Advantages accrued thereby to this Kingdom that there are few Things of any great Consequence to the Welfare thereof but the Bishops and Prelates were the chief Actors therein The excellent Laws says an Author made by several of the Saxon Kings from whom we have our Common Laws and our Priviledges mentioned in Magna Charta were all made by the Persuasions and Advice of Bishops named in our Histories And 't was a Bishop of London at whose Request William the Conqueror granted to this City so large Priviledges that in a grateful Remembrance thereof the Lord Mayor and Aldermen did before the late dreadful Fire upon some solemn Days of their Resort to S. Paul's Church use to go in Procession about the Grave-stone where that Bishop lay interred The Union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster whereby a long and cruel Civil War was ended was by the Advice and Counsel of Bishop Morton then a Privy Counsellour And the happy Union of England and Scotland was brought to pass by the long Foresight of the Reverend Bishop Fox a Privy Counsellour in advising Henry VII to match his eldest Daughter to Scotland and his Younger to France But above all the Converting England to Christianity the Reforming of it when corrupted and the Defence of the Reformation against all Romish Writers is principally if not solely owing to Bishops and Prelates CHAP. XXIII Of the Dignify'd Clergy AS amongst the Laity the Gentry Keeps a middle Rank betwixt the Nobility and the Commonalty so amongst the Clergy of England there is a middle Station between the Episcopal Order and the inferiour Clergy Which Station is properly that of the Dignify'd Clergy as Deans Arch-Deacons and Prebendaries the Subject of this Chapter For a Supply of able and fit Persons to make Bishops or to assist Bishops a certain Number of eminent Divines both for their Piety and Learning were thought fit by our Fore-fathers to be placed in a Collegiate manner at every Cathedral or Episcopal See out of which Seminaries fit Persons from time to time might be chosen to govern the