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
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
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
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
Trade for the Stuffs here made and of some note for its excellent Oysters In short 't is the richest fairest and best traded Town in the whole County from whence the Earl Rivers takes his Title of Viscount Yet in regard it stands in the extremity of all the County the Sessions and Assizes are held most commonly at Chelmsford which is almost in the middle of it It s Market is kept on Saturdays and is well served with Provisions The other Market-Towns are Maldon Sat. Harwich Tue. Cogshall Sat. Manytre Tue. Walden Sat. Billerakey Tue. Dunmore Sat. Waltham Abbey Tue. Hatfield Sat. Braintre Wedn. Raleigh Sat. Rumford Wedn. Hornden Sat. Buntwood Thu. Barkin Sat. Epping Thu. and Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Hâ—ulsteed Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Chelmsford Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Thanted Frid. Among which Maldon and Harwich are two noted Harbours The first by the Romans called Camelodunum a Town of great antiquity and the Seat of Cunobelin King of the Trinobantes about the Time of Christ's Birth 'T is seated on the River Chelmer about 7 miles from the Sea between which and the Sea ly two small Isles called Northey and Osey It has one Street about a mile in length and is well inhabited In short 't is one of the chief Places in the whole County particularly noted for giving the Title of Viscount to the Earl of Essex In the Parts adjoyning to this Town are excellent Pastures which feed store of Sheep amongst other Cattel of whose milk they make Cheese And on the utmost Promontory stood an ancient City of the Romans called Ithancester where the Fortenses with their Captain kept their Station or Gard in the Dedination of the Roman Empire for the Security of these Parts against the Saxon Rovers Nothing of which is now remaining but the Ruins of a thick Wall where many Roman Coyns have been found And out of the Ruins of this City was built S. Peters upon the Wall Harwich lies the furthest East of any by the Sea-side and at the mouth of the River Stower So that 3 Parts of it are surrounded with Water The Town is not large but well inhabited and frequented not only for the commodiousness and safety of its Harbour but because it is the readiest Passage for Holland and the Station for the Packet-Boats imploy'd for that purpose But there is a great Inconveniency to the Inhabitants the Brackishness of its Waters Which puts the Inhabitants upon the necessity of being supplied with sweet Water from other Places The Towns of chief note besides are Chelmsford where the Assizes for the County are usually held Burntwood or Brentwood a Place of good Antiquity Rumford a great Thorough-fare and Walden or Saffron-Walden seated on an Ascent among pleasant Fields of Saffron from which the Owners reap good Profit Not far from Walden is one of the Royal Houses called Audley-end a very stately Building built by the Right Honourable Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk then Treasurer of England And upon the Thames over against Gravesend in Kent stands Tilbury Fort which commands that Passage This County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons from whence it came to be called Essex and its Inhabitants together with those of Middlesex known among the ancient Romans by the Name of Trinobantes is now in the Diocese of London Famous among other things for giving the Title of Earl to several Families as the Mandeviles the Bohuns the Bourchiers Thomas Lord Cromwel William Lord Parre and three D'Evreux before it came to the present Family of the Capels And the first Earl of this Name was Arthur Capel the late Earl of Essex advanced to this Title by King Charles II. Anno 1661 afterwards made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and some years after his Return sent to the Tower in order to make him a Sacrifice with the Lord Russel and others to the Popish Faction But his Title is revived in the person of his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Algernon Capel the present Earl of Essex Lastly out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire six Members of Parliament Viz. two from Colchester two from Harwich and two more from Maldon CHAP. IX Of Glocestershire Hampshire and Hartfordshire Glocestershire GLOCESTERSHIRE a large Inland County is bounded on the East by Warwickshire and Oxfordshire on the West by Monmouthshire and part of Herefordshire Northward by Worcestershire Southward by Wiltshire and Somersetshire It contains in Length from North to South 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into 30 Hundreds wherein 280 Parishes and 26 Market Towns This is in general a most pleasant and fruitful Country blessed with a full Course of the River Severn That Part thereof which is beyond the River is overspread with Woods all which included in one Name made the Forest of Dean That part which buts upon Oxfordshire is swelled up with Hills called the Corswold Hills but these are in a manner covered with Sheep which yields a Wool of a notable fineness Whereof great Quantities of Cloth are here made that find vent throughout all England and divers forein Countries Between these two I mean the Forest and the Hills is seated a most fruitful Vale yielding most sorts of Grain to admiration and formerly stock'd with Vines and Vineyards The want of which is now supplied with Cider which they make here in great abundance Next to the Severn which crosses the Country from North to South here 's the Avon which parts it from Somersetshire the Wye which severs it in part from Monmouthshire besides the Stroud and the Isis All which afford great plenty of Fish and the Severn particularly abundance of Salmon The Forest of Dean which ly's in the West-side of the County between the Severn and the Wye is reckoned to be 20 miles long and 10 broad A Place formerly much more woody than it is at present the Iron Mines that are here having consumed a good part of the Wood. Glocester the County Town is 81 miles distant West and by North from London Viz. from London to Colebrook 15 to Maidenhead 7 more and 11 from thence to Nettlebed from Nettebed to Abington 12 to Faringdon 10 more to Perrors Bridge 14 more and 12 from thence to Glocester A City of good Antiquity and first built by the Romans to whom it was known by the Name of Glevum It ly's stretched out in length on the Severn over which it has a fine Bridge and on the Banks thereof a large Key or Wharf very commodious for the Merchandize and Trade of the Place The Streets are generally fair and the Town well built upon an easy Ascent the Streets descending every way from the Cross It has been formerly walled about with a strong Wall except on the Rivers side and some Remains of its Walls are still in many places to be seen which shew what strength they were of The City is not very large but very well inhabited
of the Right Honourable Charles Sackvil Lord Buckhurst who was created Earl of Middlesex during the Life of his Father Richard Earl of Dorset Upon whose Death two years after he succeeded in the Earldom of Dorset Neither is it to be omitted that betwixt Brentford and Colebrook is a small Town reckoned as 3 Mannors viz. Arlington Shepston and Dawling From the first of these Mannors Henry Bennet the late Earl of Arlington took his Title Who was created first Baron of Arlington by King Charles the Second Anno 1664 afterwards Viscount Thetford and Earl of Arlington his Birth-place Anno 1672 and sworn Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houshold in the Year 1674. Monmouthshire MONMOVTHSHIRE formerly a Welch County and now reckoned among the English is bounded on the East by the River Wye which parts it from Glocestershire on the West by two Welch Counties Brecknockshire and Glamorganshire Northward by Herefordshire and Southward by the Mouth of the River Severn It contains in Length from North to South about 25 miles in Breadth from East to West 20. The Whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 127 Parishes and 7 Market Towns It is blest not only with a healthfull and temperate Air but also with a rich Soil And though the Country be both hilly and woody yet all Parts thereof are fruitfull and scarce any barren The Hills are grazed upon by great and small Cattel and the Valleys laden with Corn and Grass It s fertility is much furthered by its being plentifully watered with so many Rivers the principal whereof are the Vske and the Wye the Rumney and the Monnow all which fall into the Severn Among which the first two are full of Salmon and Trouts Monmouth the County-Town bears from London West by North and is distant therefrom 99 miles thus Viz. from London to Glocester 81 miles as in Glocestershire and from Glocester to Monmouth 18. The Situation of it between two Rivers the â—onnow and the Wye is both very pleasant â—nd commodious The Town it self large and â—air well inhabited and frequented having â—he Conveniency of two Bridges one over the â—ye and the other over the Monnow Once â—rtified with a Wall and Ditch and in the â—ldst of the Town with a stately Castle the â—uins whereof are still to be feen In this Castle was born the renowned King Henry V â—he Conquerour of France from hence called â—enry of Monmouth Of some note besides â—r being the Birth-place of Geofry surnamed of Monmouth who wrote the History of Great Britain But of late times especially for being dignify'd with the Title of a Dukedom in the person of James the late Duke of Monmouth and since the late Revolution with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Mordant Earl of Monmouth c. It s Market kept on Saturdays is considerable for Corn and other Provisions The other Market-Towns are Chepstow Sat. Newport Sat. Ponâ— Pool Sat. Vske Mund. and Frid. Abergavenny Tue. Caer-Leon Thu. Chepstow stands upon the side of a Hill on the Banks of the Wye near its fall into the Severn A Town in former times famous and of great resort supposed to be raised out of the Ruins of Venta Silurum 4 miles distant the ancient and chief City of the Silures which flourished in the Days of Antonine the Emperour This Town says Cambden was fortified about with a Wall of a large Circuit and had a very spacious Castle once fronted by a Priory the better part of which being pulled down the rest was converted to a Parish Church At this present time the Town is large and well built well inhabited and frequented having a fair and high Bridge over the Wye And so it needs for here the River rises to a great height In the Year 1606. the Moor or Marsh near Chepstow was very much indamaged by the Severn For that Year at the Change of the Moon in February this River at a Spring-tide was driven back for 3 days together with a South Wind. Which made it swell so high that it came rushing in a main upon this Tract and carried all before it Newport a goodly Town is seated on the Uske over which it has a fair Bridge the Uske discharging it self not far off into the Severn where it has a good Haven bearing the Name of the Town Some miles East from this Haven is the Gold-Cliff so called from the golden Colour of the Stones that lie hereabouts which makes some suspect a Mine to be there And opposite to that Cliff about the midst of the Severn lieth a small Isle called Denny-Island Pont-Pool is but a small Town seated betwixt the Hills Of chief note for its Iron-Mills Vske a good large Town is so called from the River Uske on which it is situate with a Bridge over it 'T is beautified with well built Stone-houses and formerly was fortified with a large and strong Castle now ruinated According to Antonine here stood the little City Burrium But not far from it Northward is Ragland Castle a noble Seat belonging to the Duke of Beaufort Abergavenny by Antonine called Gobanium stands also upon the Uske where a small River Keveny by name empty's it self into it This is a Place of some strength being fortified with Walls and a Castle of great note in former times The Town is large the Houses well built and injoy's a good Trade for Flannels especially Caer-Leon by the Romans called Isca Silurum stands also upon the Uske a little above Newport and has a large wooden Bridge over the River This Town was once a famous and flourishing City in the time of the Romans where lay the second Roman Legion called Augusta to keep the Silures in aw The Ruins of its stately Buildings Palaces Temples Theaters together with the Water-pipes Vaults Hot-Houses Altars and Roman Coyns often digged up here do sufficiently evidence its former Antiquity and Greatness Here King Arthur kept his Court and in this City was a famous School or Colledge to learn Astronomy and other Arts. As for its present State the Town is pretty large and the Houses for the generality built of Stone It has yet the Ruins of a Castle standing To conclude this County formerly the Habitation of the Silures is in the Welch Diocese of Llandaff Besides the two Knights of the Shire there 's but one Member elected to serve in parliament and that 's out of Monmouth Norfolk NORFOLK a Maritime County of a large extent is bounded Eastward and Northward with the German Ocean Westward with the River Ouse which severs it from the County's of Lincoln and Cambridge Southward with the little Ouse and the Waveney which part it from Suffolk Thus Norfolk what with the Sea and what with the Rivers is so incompassed with Waters that it wants very little of being an Islland of it felf It contains in Length from East to West 50 miles in Breadth from North to South about 35. The Whole divided into 31
Hundreds wherein 660 Parishes and 31 Market-Towns Which is an Argument of its Populousness Here the Air is sharp and piercing especially near the Sea and in the Champain Part which occasions a later Spring and Harvest The Soil in many Places but chiefly along the Sea-Coast which is a Champain Country affords plenty of Corn. The Heaths feed a World of Sheep and breed abundance of Conies And the Woodland Part serves for Grazing of Cattel yet not without Corn-ground The Sea and the Rivers besides that glide through this Country strive as it were to furnish it with their plenty of Fâ—sh And among these besides those above-named viz. the two Ouses and the Waveney there are two of chief note called the Yare and the Thryn The Yare particularly noted for its great plenty of a certain Fish called Ruff whose body is all Prickled over the tail and fins spotted with black Specks This Fish eats tender and short as a Perch and is counted a wholsom Fish It delights in sandy Places and is rarely seen in any other River One Thing is observable of it that when the Fish is angry the fins stand up stiff and after its Anger is over they fall flat again In short the Soil of this Country according to the Variety of Places is of different nature In some Parts it is fat rank and full of moisture in others very light and sandy Yet so that one contributing to the other and the Sea giving help to both it is a very plentiful Country for Corn Sheep and Fish Norwich the chief Place hereof and a Bishops See bears from London North-East and by North and is distant therefrom 90 miles thus From London to Ware 20 to Barkway 11 more thence to Witleâ—ford-Bridge 10 and to New-Market 12 more from Newmarket to Theâ—ford 16 to Attleborough 10 more thence to Windham 5 and to Norwich 6 more A City seated on the River Yare which runs thence to Yarmouth and over which it has several Bridges It was formerly the Seat of the East-Angles and then a Place of great splendour But it has since undergone so many Calamities by Sword and Famine by Fire and Pestilence that it is much it should prove to this day a fair large populous and well frequented City Insomuch that it ly's out a Mile and a half in length and half as much in breadth containing in that Circuit about 20 Parishes well walled about with several Turrets and 12 Gates for entrance but not without much waste Ground within it It s chief Buildings are the Cathedral beautified with a lofty Spire then the Bishops and the Duke of Norfolk's Pallaces the Market-House the Cross and the House of Correction made of free Stone and so well cemented that no Mortar is seen Here is also an Hospital where 100 poor Men and Women are maintained and the Ruins of an ancient Castle of the Saxons building In short here is so pleasant an Intermixture of the Houses with Trees that it may not improperly be called an Orchard in a City or a City in an Orchard the populousness of a City and the pleasure of the Country meeting here together Of some Note besides for giving the Title of Earl to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk Earl of Arundel Surrey and Norwich Finally this City do's injoy a great Trade but chiefly for its Stuffs Stockings and other Manufactures here made for the learning of which it is beholding to the Dutch that came to inhabit here It has three Markets a Week Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays the first and last very great for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Lyn Sat. Mund. Yarmouth Sat. Thetford Sat. Hingham Sat. New-Buckenham Sat. Swafham Sat. Downham Sat. Holt Sat. Burnham Sat. Cromere Sat. Repcham Sat. Alesham Sat. Worsted Sat. Sechy Mund. East-Herling Tue Fulcham Tue Caston Tue Harlston Wedn. Watton Wedn. North-Walsham Thu Attlebury Thu Fakenham Thu Windham Frid East-Derham Frid Diss Frid Snetham Frid Walsingham Frid Besides Southwold and Winfield two new Markets and Hickling whose Market-Days I am ignorant of â—yn formerly called Bishops Lyn as appertaining to the Bishops of Norwich till King Henry VIII gave it the Name of â—yn Regis or King's Lyn is seated in the Western Part of the Country upon the Banks of the Ouse near its fall into that Part of the Sea which is called the Washes Watered besides by two little Rivers that fall there into the Ouse which are passed over by about 15 Bridges A Town of good antiquity large and well built containing 3 Parish-Churches and for its Defence incompassed with a Wall and a good Ditch Well Inhabited by Merchants and Tradesmen who drive a considerable Trade and the more by reason of its commodious Haven Yet it is much eclipsed in its Trade to what it was formerly because of the stoppage of a Sluce upon the Ouse which do's so obstruct the Current of salt Water that the River is scarce navigable to Cambridge Nigh unto this Town on the other side of the Ouse is a little Marsh Country called Marsh-Land very subject to the Inundations of the Sea and therefore very moist and aguish But in recompence its Soil is exceeding fat and feed abundance of Cattel In this Marsh are seated several Towns but so destitute of fresh Water for houshold Use that many of 'em are fain to get a supply thereof at 4 miles distance About 3 miles from Lyn towards the Sea stands a decayed Town called Castle-Rising It s Decay occasioned by its Haven's being many years since choakt up with Sands whereby 't is become useless Which has done a Kindness to Lyn. Yarmouth the best Harbour in all this County and the Key of this Coast is seated at the Mouth of the River Yare from whence it is called Yarmouth A Town of good Strength as well by Nature as Art well built and pretty large and yet it has but one Church which is beautify'd with a lofty Spire The same is well inhabited and much resorted unto by Seamen affording a ready Passage to Holland and being a frequent Shelter to the New-castle Fleets when distressed by Weather Of special note besides for Herring-fishing in the Seas adjacent in the Month of September Which draws a great Concourse of People hither and makes the Town much richer all the Year after Lastly 't is dignified with the Title of Earl in the person of the Right Honourable William Paston the present Earl of Yarmouth Thetford is an Inland Town situate on the Confluence of the Thet and the little Ouse over wich it has a Bridge leading to Suffolk A Place of great Antiquity built out of the Ruins of the ancient City Sitomagus which was destroyed by the merciless Danes The Bishop's See of the East Angles was from North-Elmham removed hither and from hence to Norwich It is not very well Inhabited to what it has been However this is the Town where the Lent-Assizes for the County are usually kept Herling and
the South with Herefordshire It s Length from North to South is about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West 26. The Whole divided into fifteen Hundreds wherein 170 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns Here the Air is counted very wholesom and the Soil as fruitfull both for Corn and Pasture T is well cloathed with Wood and in the Bowels of the Earth are Mines of Iron and Pitcoal in great plenty But towards the West and South Parts the Country is very hilly and mountainous As for fresh Streams no County is better watered than this For besides the Severn which in its crooked and winding Course cuts the Shire in the midst here are the Roden the Terne Clum Rea and Teme In all which are plenty of fresh-Water Fish And as this County is inferiour to none about it either for delight or penty So for the Number of Towns and Castles standing exceeding thick on every side as having formerly been a Frontier-County towards Wales it is far above ' em Shrewsbury the chief Place hereof bears from London North-West and by West and is distant therefrom 124 miles thus Viz. From London to St. Albans 20 and to Dunstable 10 more thence to Stony-Stratford 14 to Towcester 6 and to Daventry 10 more from thence to Covenrry 14 and to Bermingham 14 more then to Dudley 8 to Bridgenorth 12 more from Bridgenorth to Wenlock 6 and from thence to Shrewsbury 10. 'T is seated in the very midst or Center as it were of the County on a pleasant Ascent and on the Banks of the Severn not far from the Place where stood Vriconium out of whose Ruins 't is said to be raised The Severn do's almost incompass it round and that Part of it which is not fenced with it is fortified with a strong Castle built by Roger de Montgomery the first Earl hereof A Town which for neatness of Buildings both publick and private for variety and fineness of Streets for extent and populousness yields to few Cities in England It contains five Parish-Churches two of which viz. St. Marie's and St. Alchmond's are fair Structures and beautify'd with lofty Spires And here are still to be seen the Remains of a stately Abbey founded by the foresaid Earl of Montgomery Besides the natural Strength of this Place it is fenced about with a strong Wall with a Bulwark ranging from the Castle unto and part along the Severn On the East and West there are three Entrances into the Town by two fair Stone-bridges with Gates Towers and Bars and on the North by a Gate over which stands the Castle once exceeding strong Remarkable besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Charles Talbot the present Earl of Shrewsbury In short 't is a well-traded and frequented Town by all sorts of people both English and Welch whose frequent Intercourse brought them to speak both Speeches The principal Trade they drive here is in Cloths Frizes Welch Cottons and some other Commodities this being the common Mart or Empory between England and Wales And here are Weekly 3 Markets Viz. On Wednesdays for Provisions on Thursdays for Welch Cottons c. here sold in great abundance and thence sent to London on Saturdays for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Bridgenorth Sat. Newport Sat. Ludlow Mund. Great Wenlock Mund. Oswestree Mund. Ellismeer Tue. Shipton Tue. Drayton Wedn. Wem Thu. Wellington Thu. Stretton Thu. Whitechurch Frid. Bishops Castle Frid. Clebury Among which Ludlow seated in the South Parts of the County upon the Banks of the Teme is the most considerable The Town is large and populous beautified with many fair Edifices It is also defended by a Wall and a Castle both built by Earl Roger of Montgomery But it is of chief note for being the Place where the Court for the Marshes of Wales were kept first ordained by King Henry VIII for the Trial of Causes but suppressed in the late Session of Parliament Bridgenorth or the Borough of Bruges is situate upon the Severn over which there 's a fair Stone-bridge 'T is a good large Town divided into two Parts the one called the Upper the other the Lower Town containing two Parish Churches In former time fortified with Walls a Ditch and a stately Castle seated on a Rock now decay'd Drayton on the River Terne where it severs this County from Staffordshire is a Place of some note for a Battel there fought betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster Newport lies South of Drayton on a Plain or Flat adjoyning to Staffordshire Great Wenlock in the Road from Worcester to Shrewsbury Bishops Castle in the South Parts not far from the River Clun Wem on the Roden in the North Parts of the County noted for the Title of Baron it lately gave to the Lord Chancellour Jeffreys Oswestree and Ellismore near the Borders of Wales Whitechurch on the Confines of the County near Cheshire At Wenlock in the Time of Richard the Second was found a rich Copper Mine And at Pitchford in this County is a Well or Spring in a private Man's Yard wherein flow's a thick Scum of liquid Bitumen which being cleared and taken off one day will have the like upon it again the next Alderbury though no Market-Town is famed for being the Birth-place of old Thomas Parre who lived to a great Age and about two years before he died was brought up to London to King Charles I. Where he died and lies buried in Westminster Abbey He was born Anno 1483 died in the Year 1635 lived 152 Years and saw ten â—eigns Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them stands now divided betwixt the Dioceses of Lichfield and Hereford Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Shrewsbury Ludlow Great Wenlock Bridgenorth and Bishops-Castle Somersetshire SOMERSETSHIRE a large Maritime County in the West of England is so called from Somerton once the most famous and most considerable Town in all the County and now but a small Market-Town of little or no credit 'T is bounded on the East by Wiltshire and part of Devonshire on the West by Devonshire Northward by the Severn Sea and part of Glocestershire Southward by the Counties of Devon and Dorset It s Length from East to West is about 55 miles its Breadth from North to South 40. The Whole divided into 42 Hundreds wherein 385 Parishes and 30 Market-Towns The Air of this County in the Summer Season is very agreeable but in Winter-time 't is apt to be too moist and foggy Accordingly the Soil in Winter is wet miry and moorish especially in the midst of the Country which makes the Roads very uneasy to Travellers But in Summer there is no pleasanter Country being garnished as it is with rich Pastures and delightful Meadows Which has given occasion to an usual Proverb here
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
for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
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
And of all the Cities of Europe none can so justly challenge the Preeminency in this Point as London the Metropolis of England being not only perhaps the most ancient but also the wealthiest and reckoning all its Annexes the greatest City now extant in Europe Such a City as contains above 600 Streets Lanes Courts and Alleys and in them all by a late Computation at least a hundred thousand Houses So that allowing only 8 Persons to each House one with another which I think is moderate the Number of the Inhabitants will amount at that rate to above eight hundred thousand Souls Befides a World of Seamen that live and swarm in that constant tho' moving Forest of Ships down the River on the East side of the Bridge The Dwelling Houses raised since the Fire are generally very fair and built much more convenient and uniform than heretofore Before the Fire they were most Timber Houses built with little regard to Uniformity but since the Fire Building of Bricks has been the general Way and that with so much Art and Skill in Architecture that I have often wondered to see in well-compact Houses so many Conveniences in a small compass of Ground In short our English Builders have built so much of late Years that no Nation perhaps at this time can vy with them for making much of any Ground tho' never so little and contriving all the Parts of it to the best advantage in the neatest and most regular way with all the Conveniences the Ground can possibly afford And that which adds much to the Neatness of the late Buildings is the Wainscot now so much in use Which as it is the cleanest Furniture so it is the most durable and indeed the most proper for so moist a Country If we come to Stateliness I confess the Noblemens Houses at Paris being built of free Stone as most of that City are with large Courts before 'em for the Reception of Coaches make a fine outward Appearance But for uniformity state and magnificence we have some here and chiefly Montague-House that exceed by far most of ' em As for great Merchants Houses and fair Taverns scarce any City surpasseth London in this particular For publick Buildings as Halls Inns of Court Exchanges Market-Places Hospitals Colledges Churches besides the Bridge upon the River the Monument Custom-House and the Tower they are Things worth any Strangers Curiosity to view at least a good part of them Most of which have indeed the disadvantage of being built backward and out of the way to make room for Tradesmens Shops in the Streets Whereas if they had been all built towards the Street as generally they are in other Countries few Cities could make so great an Appearance But for stately strait and spacious Streets to pass by many curious Courts where shall one see finer than Cheapside Cornhill â—ombard-Street Fleet-Street Hatton Garden Pallnall and several others especially near the Court What forein City can shew so many Piazzas or fine Squares such as Lincolns-Inn-Fields Lincolns-Inn-Square Grays-Inn Red Lion and Southampton-Squares the Golden Square King 's Square in Sohoe S. James's Square Leicester-Fields and Covent-Garden The first of which is chiefly noted for its Spaciousness and King 's Square for its Stateliness Lastly when I reflect upon that disinal Fire which in three Days time consumed above thirteen thousand Houses besides 89 Parish Churches the vast Cathedral of S. Paul divers Chappels Halls Colledges Schools and other publick Edifices it is a matter of amazement to me to see how soon the English recovered themselves from so great a Desolation and a Loss not to be computed At 3 Years end near upon ten thousand Houses were raised up again from their Ashes with great Improvements And by that time the fit of Building grew so strong that besides a full and glorious Restauration of a City that a raging Fire had lately buried in its Ashes the Suburbs have been increased to that degree that to speak modestly as many more Houses have been added to it with all the Advantages that able and skilfull Builders could invent both for Conveniency and Beauty But it is time to come to Particulars The City properly so called is begirt with a Wall which gives entrance at seven principal Gates besides Posterns of later erection Viz. on the West-side Ludgate and Newgate both which serve for Prisons the first for such Debtors as are Freemen of the City the other for Malefactors both of the City and Country and is besides the County Goaâ— for Debt Northwards those of Aldersgate Cripglegate Moorgate and Bishopsgate And Eastward Aldgate Within the Compass of the Walls there are reckoned 97 Parishes and in relation to the Civil Government the City within the Walls and Freedom is divided into 26 Wards or Aldermanries of which more hereafter As to the publick Buildings here I shall begin with the Tower a Fort upon the Thames which commands both the City and River Called the Tower from the great white Tower in the middle which gives Name to the Whole 'T is all surrounded with a Wall and Ditch about a mile in compass with Cannon planted on the Walls and the Turrets thereof But it is besides the principal Store-house of England for Arms and Ammunition such as is said to contain Arms for about 60000 Men. Here are also kept the Jewels and Ornaments of the Crown and the ancient Records of the Nation As among others the Original of all the Laws that have been enacted or recorded till the Reign of Richard II. The Grants of several Kings to their Subjects at home and abroad and the Confirmations thereof The several Treaties and Leagues with forein Princes The Dominion of the British Seas The Title of the Kings of England to the Kingdom of France and how obtained All the Atchievements of this Nation in France and other forein Parts The Homage and Dependency of Scotland upon England The Establishment of Ireland in Laws and Dominions These and many other Records are reposited in Wakefield Tower near the Traytors Gate under the Custody of an Officer called the Keeper of the Records and whose Salary is 500 l. per Annum This Place is properly in the Master of the Rolls his Gift Every day of the Week except Sundays Holy-Days publick Fasting and Thanksgiving-Days and Times of great Pestilence they that have occasion to look into the Records have admittance In the Morning from 7 to 11 a clock and in the Afternoon from one till five Except in the Months of December January and February where Attendance is not given till 8 in the Morning and in the Afternoon not beyond 4 a clock In the Tower is the only Mint of England for Coyning of Gold and Silver To which belong several Offices which I intend to muster in my second Part where I shall speak of the English Coyns Lastly the Tower which has been formerly honoured with the Residence of several Kings who kept their Courts here is
now the chief Prison where Persons of quality that are charged with Crimes against the Government are kept in Custody Here are also many Dwelling-Houses foâ— the Officers that belong to it either as aâ— Arsenal or a Mint c. And as an Arsenal here is kept the Office of his Majesties Oâ—dinance to be explained in my second Part For the publick Devotion of all the Dwelleâ—â— in the Tower there is within its Walls onâ— Parochial Church called S. Petri ad Vinculâ— infra Turrim being the Kings Donative without Institution and Induction and exempâ— from all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Archbishop The Government of the Tower as it is a Place of great Trust so it has been usually put in the hands of two Persons of great worth the one called Constable and the other Lieutenant of the Tower The Constable has the chief Command and is Lord Lieutenant of the 21 Hamlets belonging to it which ly in several Parishes of large extent Whose Train-bands making two intire Regiments of Foot and above 3000 Men are to attend the Kings Person when commanded but are to march no farther than the King They were sometimes the Gards of the Tower and are bound if occasion be to reinforce the Garrison upon the Constable's Command Who by his Place is to be in the Commission of the Peace for the City of London and the Counties of Middlesex Kent and Surrey And so is the Lieutenant who is subordinate to the Constable for the time being but in his absence commands with the full Power of both His Salary is 200 l. per annum with all the Fees and Perquisites which are very considerable both from the Prisoners that happen to be in the Tower and from the Warders Places which are all at his Disposal Under the Command of the Constable and the Lieutenant of the Tower in his absence are the Gentleman Porter the 24 â—eomen Warders and the Gunners of the Tower The Gentleman Porter who holds his Place by Patent has the Charge of the Gates The Keys whereof he is every night to deliver to the Constable and in his absence to the Lieutenant and to receive them of him the next morning He commands the Warders that are upon duty and claims for his Fee at the entrance of a Prisoner his Upper Garment or else a Composition for the same The Warders are accounted the King's Domestick Servants and sworn accordingly by the Lord High Chamberlain or by the Clerk of the Check Their Duty is to wait at the Gates and by the Lieutenant of the Tower's appointment to attend Prisoners of State which is the most profitable and beneficial part of their Station At the Gates they examine every Stranger that offers to go in and before admittance according to the Rules of Military Discipline those that â—ear Swords must leave 'em in their hands â—ill they go out Ten of them are usually upon the Days Wait and two upon the Watch â—very night The Gunners are to look after the Ordâ—ance mounted on the Batteries and Lines â—nd ready for Service on the shortest Warning One or more of them are upon Duty â—ay and night to wait for Orders For the Liberty of the Tower to which â—as been annexed the old Artillery Garden â—y Spittle-Fields and the little Minories here is an ancient Court of Record held by a Steward every Monday by Prescription for Debts Trespasses c. And in the said Liberty the Gentleman Porter has the same Power and Authority as Sheriffs have within their respective Counties He constitutes Bayliffs thereof to execute all Process and Warrants directed to them by the Steward of the Court and has all Escheats Deodands and Goods of all Felones deâ—se For Ecclesiastical Causes and Probate of Wills the Tower and Liberties thereof have a Royal Jurisdiction From which there is no Appeal but to the King in his Court of Chancery who thereupon issues out a Commission under the Great Seal as in Appeals from the Arches or Prerogative Courts But whether the Tower be in the County that is under the Jurisdiction of Middlesex or in the Liberty of the City 't is undetermined to this day Some will have it to be part of it in Middlesex and part in the Liberty of the City And in the Case of Sir Thomas Overbury's Murder the Judges Opinion was that the Trial must be made in the City the Fact being done in that Part of the Tower held to be in the City Liberties Next to the Tower I come to the Custom House placed between the Tower and thâ— Bridge Which having been destroy'd by the Fire in the Year 1666 was soon afteâ— rebuilt much more commodious uniform anâ— magnificent and the Building cost the Kinâ— 10000 pounds Here are received and managed all the Impositions laid upon Merchandise Imported and Exported from this City Which are so considerable that of all the Customs of England divided into 3 Parts the Port of London pay's two Thirds that is when Trade flourishes about 400000 l. yearly In this Office are imploy'd a great Number of Officers an Account whereof you will find in my Second Part where I speak of the King's Revenues The Bridge of London offers it self in the next place to our Consideration Which considering the constant great Flux and Reflux at that Place was certainly a very difficult and costly piece of Work It consists of 19 Arches at 20 foot distance of each other with a Draw-bridge almost in the middle 'T is about 800 foot long and 30 broad Set out with a fine Row of Houses all along with Shops furnished with most sorts of Commodities So that it looks more like a Street than a Bridge the Street being widened in the late Reign from 12 to 20 foot It was built in the year 1200 in the Reign of King John And so great are the Charges of keeping it in repair that there is a large Revenue in Lands and Houses set apart for that purpose and two Bridge-Masters besides other Officers chosen out of the Liverv-men on Midsummer-Day to look after the same Near this Bridge is the fatal Place where the dreadful Fire afore-mentioned first began In perpetualâ— Memory whereof was erected by virtue of an Act of Parliament that â—aster-piece of Building called the Monument begun Anno 1671 in the Mayoralty of Sir Richard Forde Knight and finished Anno 1677 Sir Thomas Davies being Lord Mayor of London This Pillar not unlike those two ancient white Marble Pillars at Rome erected in honour of the Emperours Trajan and Antonius is all built of Portland Stone as durable almost as Marble and is of the Dorick Order 202 foot high and 15 foot Diameter Within-side is a fair winding Stair-case with Iron rails up to the top where this stately Pile is surrounded with an Iron-Balcony yielding a pleasant Prospect all over the City The Pedestal is 40 foot high and 21 foot Square the Front of it adorned with ingenious Emblems and the North and
plentifull Dinner for all the Clergy that shall then meet there In this Colledge now repaired since the dreadfull Fire is a fair spacious Library built by John Sympson Rector of St. Olaves Heart-street and one of the said Founder's Executors Which Library by the Bounty oâ— divers Benefactors has been well furnished with Books especially such as relate to Divinity There are likewise in London divers Publick Schools indowed as St. Pauls Merchant Taylors Mercers Chappel c. which in other Countries would be stiled Colledges But especially Paul's School a commodious and stately Building at the East end of St. Paul's Ca. thedral Founded in the Year 1512. by John Collet Dr. of Divinity and Dean of St. Pauls for 153 Children to be taught there gratis For which purpose he appointed a Master a Sub-Master or Usher and a Chaplain with large Stipends for ever committing the Oversight thereof to the Masters Wardens and Assistants of the Mercers in London his Father Henry Collet sometime Lord Mayor of London having been of their Company Moreover for the Correction of Vagabonds and other Persons of a loose Life and Conversation there are several Work-houses The principal of which is Bridewell near Fleet-Bridge A stately Building first built by King Henry VIII for the Reception of the Emperour Charles the fifth but since converted to this Use And for Trying of Malefactors there is in the Old-Baily the Sessions-House which may go with the rest among the Ornaments of this glorious City as unpleasant as it is to many people that are there tried for their Lives Within the Precincts of Westminster are also many Things worthy our Observation I begin with Whitehall belonging heretofore to Cardinal Woolsey and since his Time become the usual Place of Residence of the English Monarchs 'T is seated betwixt the Thames on the East and a fine Park on the West amidst the Pleasures of the Water and the Charms of a fine spacious Spot of Ground The River of one side affording a great deal of Variety by the Multitude of Boats that cover it the Park on the other side charming the Eye with its delicate Walks well gravelled and as well shadowed parted with a fine Canal in the middle and this fronted with a brazen Statue which for curious Workmanship is admired by Artists themselves As for Whitehall it self I confess its outward Appearance is not great but it is very convenient and more glorious within than without And yet the Chamber at the front of it called the Banquetting-House is such a Piece of Building as for Spaciousness Beauty Painting and exact Proportion is not to be parallelled by any King in Europe the Cieling whereof was all painted by the hand of the famous Sir Peter Paul Rubens Here is also besides the Protestant Chappel a neat one built by the late King James for his Use which by the Grace of God ly's now dormant And in one of the Courts stands his Brazen Statue which has had better luck than that of Newcastle upon Tine On the North-West side of the Park is another Royal Pallace called St. James which gives name to the Park In the Strand is another Pallace called Somerset-House where the Queen Dowager resides and keeps her Dourt This was built by Edward Duke of Somerset Uncle to King Edward the fixth But the Glory of Westminster is the Abbey-Church there founded before the Norman Conquest by King Edward the Confessour and most richly indowed afterwards rebuilt from the Ground by King Henry III. This huge Fabrick stands on that piece of Ground which formerly was called Thorney-Island then surrounded with Water and where of old stood a Temple dedicated to Apollo In this Church is usually performed the Coronation of our Kings with that Pomp and Magnificence as becomes such potent Monarchs On the East end of it is Henry the Sevenths Chappel built by that King with admirable artificial Work both within and without And here are the Tombs and Monuments of several of our Kings and Queens among which that of massy Brass is so curiously wrought that it is scarcely to be parallelled The Abbey was converted into a Collegiate Church by Queen Elizabeth who placed therein a Dean and 12 Prebendaries besides about 30 petty Canons and others belonging to the Quire The Dean is intrusted with the Custody of the Regalia at the Coronation and honoured with a Place of necessary Service at all Coronations Adjoyning to this Church is a famous School and Colledge called Westminster School a Seminary for the Universities The Colledge consists of 40 Scholars commonly called Kings Scholars who being chosen out of the School and put into the Colledge are there maintained And as they are fitted for the University they are yearly elected away and placed with good Allowances in Christ-Church Colledge in Oxford and Trinity College in Cambridge Here is also in the Cloysters a fair publick Library free for all Strangers to study both Morning and Afternoon always in Term-time Next this Church stood the Royal Pallace of the Kings of England a great Part whereof was burnt down in the Time of Henry VIII What remained has still been imploy'd for the Use of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament and for the chief Courts of Judicature The great Hall where these are kept commonly called Wesiminster-Hell is 270 foot in length and 74 in breadth for its Dimensions not to be equalled by any Hall in Christendom And were it set out according to its Greatness and the Dignity of the Courts that are kept there it might pass for one of the most remarkable Buildings in Europe Erected as some say by King William Rufus or according to others by Richard II about 3â—0 years ago But this is not all that Westminster affords worâ—h our taking notice The Brazen Statue of King Charles I at Charing-Cross the New Exchange and Exeter Change in the Strand the Savoy once a famous Hospital several Noblemens Houses more like Princely Pallaces such as Montague Berkley Wallingford Southampton and Northumberland House the New Buildings raised from York Arundel Worcester Essex Newport and Clarendon-House Those of Sohoe which alone might make a good large City and many more too numerous to insist upon All these together with so many fine Piazza's or Squares I have already mentioned are enough if duly considered to raise the Admiration of all Strangers But for a publick Building of a late Erection 't is worth our while to step out of the Way and take a View of Chelsey-Hâ—spital Begun by Charles II. continued by King James his Brother and brought to perfection by our present King and Queen for the Refuge and Maintenance of poor and disabled Souldiers that have faithfully served their King and Country A stately Pile which in some respects outdo's in others is out done by the famous Hotel des Invalides at Paris As for the Government of London and Westminster the City of London with the Liberties thereof is governed in chief as to
Pugnae est ubi Victus gaudet uterque Et tamen alteruter se superasse dolet For Men of other Studies Lindwood the Canonist Cosins and Cowel eminent in the Civil Laws Bracton Briton Dier and Coke as eminent for their Knowledge in the Laws of England Johannes de Sacro Bosco the Author of the Book of the Sphere Roger Bacon a noted Mathematician in the darker Times The Lord Bacon Viscount of S. Albans Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour one of the Restorers of Learning to the Isle of Great Britain Sir Henry Savile of Eaton the Reviver of Chrysostom Sir Henry Spelman a learned Antiquary and a religious Assertor of the Churches Rights Cambden the Pausanias of the British Islands Matthew Paris Roger Hoveden Henry of Huntington William of Malmesbury Matthew of Westminster and Thomas of Walsingham all known Historians For Poetry Gower and Lydgate a Monk of Bury The famous Geosry Chaucer Brother in Law to John of Gaunt the great Duke of Lancaster Sir Philip Sidney and the Renowned Spencer Sam. Daniel and Michael Drayton That the Lucan and This the Ovid of the English Nation Beaumont and Fletcher not inferiour unto Terence and Plantus And lastly Ben. Johnson equal to any of the Ancients for the exactness of his Pen and the Decorum he kept in the Dramatick Poems never before observed on the English Theater CHAP. II. Of the English Names and of their Way of Computing CHristian Names says Cambden were first imposed for the Distinction of Persons Surnames for the Distinction of Families The first amongst the English are either Saxon as Edward Gilbert Henry Richard Walter William c. Or taken out of the Holy Writ as Abraham Jacob James Jsaac c. 'T is rare for the English to have two Christen Names together as they have in Germany But it is not unusual with them to christen Children by their Godfathers Surnames which is unpractised beyond Sea The Ancients took particular care to give their Children significative and good Names according to the Proverb Bonum Nomen Bonum Omen And the Pythagoreans affirmed the Minds Actions and Successes of Men to be according to their Fate Genius and Name In short such was Mens Superstition of old in this particular that they used a kind of Divination by Names called Onomantia which was condemned by the last General Council The Story of Augustus the Emperour is remarkable upon this Subject The Day before his Sea-fight at Actium the first Man he met was a poor Man driving his Ass before him Augustus demanded his Name and he answered Eutyches that is Happy-man then he asked his Asse's Name which proved to be Nicon that is Victor Augustus took it for a good Omen and having accordingly obtained the Victory there he built Nicopolis or the City of Victory and erected brazen Images of the Man and his Ass Alfonso IV. King of Castille had two Daughters by one of the Daughters of Henry II. King of England The Eldest Vrraca by Name was far surpassing her Sister Blanche in beauty Lewis VIII of France sent to Alfonso to demand one of the Daughters They were both presented to the Ambassadors Choice who inquiring of their Names preferred the Lady Blanche and made choice of her contrary to all expectation The Name of Vrraca though the more beautiful Lady proved unpleasing and that of the Lady Blanche signifying Fair and Beautiful carried it as a Name that would be more acceptable in France For my part though I am not so much a Pythagorean as to think a Mans Name should interpret his Fate yet I think it not amiss to name Children with Names of a happy signification as it was usual among the Primitive Christians were it but to stir them up to live according to their Names and not give themselves the lie As for the English Surnames they are generally Saxon some few Danish as Whitfeld and Wren The Whitfelds a very ancient Family came over with King Canute into England and their chief Brâ—nch is continued to this day in Northumberland with a good Estate In Q. Elizabeths Time there was a Whitfeld sent hither Embassadour from the King of Denmark But the Surnames now of best account in England are Local and so were many Names among the Romans Those you will find deduced from Places in Normandy or Countries adjacent being either the Patrimonial Possessions or native Places of such as served the Conqueror or came in after out of Normandy As Mortimer Albigny Percy Gournay Devereux Nevil Ferrers Montfort Courtney Cressy c. Or from Places in England and Scotland as Barkley Clifford Lumley Ratcliff Willoughby Douglas Some of which Local Names were formerly used with de prefixt but of late generally neglected or joyned to the Name as Darcy Devereux Others had at prefixed as At More At Wood At Down which has been removed from some and has been conjoyned to others as in these Atmore Atwood Atwells c. Many have also had their Names from Rivers as Trent Eden Swale Stoure From Trees near their Habitations as Oak Box Elder Beech. Some from their Situation in respect to adjoyning Places as North South East West according to the Greek Names Anatolius Zephyrius c. Others from several Parts of a House as Hall Parlour Cellar Lodge c. From Towns where they were born or from whence they came without being Lords or Possessors of them as Compton Egerton Or from several Denominations of Land and Water as Hill Wood Warren Field Ford Pool and Wells Among Foreiners several retained the Names of their Countries as Scot Picard Fleming French Lombard Poitevin German And these had commonly Le prefixt in Records and other Writings as Le Fleming Le Picard Next to these Local Names I shall take notice of those that have been assumed by some Families from Civil Honours and Dignities as King Duke Prince Lord Baron Knight and Squire probably because their Ancestors haâ—acted such Parts or were Kings of the Bean Christmas Lords c. Agreeable to which are the old Greek and Roman Names Archelaus Augustulus Regulus Basilius Caesarius Flaminius though they were neither Kings Caesars Dukes or Priests Others have been assumed from Offices as Chamberlain Steward Page Cook Spencer Gardener Butler Porter Foster Parker Faulconer Fowler Forester Woodward Clark Sergeant c. From Ecclesiastical Functions as Bishop Abbot Priest Monk Dean Deacon But most of all from Trades as Taylor Smith Potter Fisher Baker Chapman Spelman c. Some from Parts of the Body as Head Arm Leg Foot Others from Qualities of the Body good or bad as Greathead Whitehead Strong Armstrong Long Low Short Fair and Bell in the same sense Fairfax and Whitelock in the same sense Thin Heile or healthful c. No more to be disliked than these Roman Names Romulus and Nero which signify Strong Capito Pedâ— Labeo Naso Longus Longinus Minutius Crispus Calvus Gracchus Salustius Cocles and the like Not a few got their Names from the Colour of their Complexions