which Giraldus nameth Corragia Englishmen Corke and the naturall inhabitants of the country Coreach enclosed within a circuit of walls in forme of an egge with the river flowing round about it and running betweene not passable through but by bridges lying out in length as it were in one direct broad street and the same having a bridge over it Howbeit a pretty towne of merchandise it is well peopled and much resorted unto but so beset on every side with rebels neighbouring upon it that they are faine to keepe alwaies a set watch and ward as if they had continuall siege laid unto their Citie and dare not marrie their daughters forth into the country but make marriages one with another among themselves whereby all the Citizens are linked together in some degree or other of kinred and affinity The report goeth that Brioc that most devout and holy man who in that fruitfull age of Saints flourished among the Gauls and from whom the Diocesse of Sanbrioch in Britaine Armorica commonly called S. Brieu tooke the name was borne and bred here Beneath Corke the river parting in twaine environeth a large and very pleasant Iland over against the principall dwelling house of that most ancient and noble family of the Barries which thereupon is called Barry Court For that family is derived from Robert de Barry an Englishman a personage of great worth and renowned who notwithstanding chose rather among the first to be chiefe indeed than to seeme chiefe who in the winning of Ireland received wounds and hurt and the first man he was in Ireland that manned and brought the Hawk to hand His posterity by their long approved loyaltie and martiall prowesse deserved to receive of the Kings of England first the title of Baron Barry afterwards of Vicount Butiphant for their great lands and wealth gat among the people the sirname Barry more that is Barry the great Below Barry-court the river Saveren hard by Imokelly a faire possession long since of the Earle of Desmond loseth it selfe in the Ocean affording at the very mouth commodious harbours and havens As Saveren watereth the neather part of this countrey so Broodwater called in times past Aven-more that is The great River moisteneth the upper upon which inhabiteth the Noble family of Roch which being transplanted out of England hath growne up and prospered here very well and now enjoieth the title of Vicount Fermoy Certaine it is that in the reigne of Edward the second they were entituled with the honour of Parliament-Barons considering that George Roch was fined in two hundred Markes because upon summons given hee came not to the Parliament at Dublin where Broodwater which for a good while runneth as a bound between this county and the county of Waterford entring into the sea maketh an haven standeth Yoghall no great towne but walled round about built in fashion somewhat long and divided into two parts the upper which is the greater part stretching out Northward hath a Church in it and without the wall a little Abbey which they call North Abbey the neather part reaching Southward called the Base-towne had also an Abbey called South Abbey and the commodiousnesse of the haven which hath a well fensed Kay belonging unto it and the fruitfulnesse withall of the country adjoining draweth Merchants unto it so as it is well frequented and inhabited yea and hath a Mayor for the head Magistrate Thus farre in these daies reacheth the countie of Corke which in times past as I said even now was counted a kingdome and went farther as which contained within it Desmond also This kingdome King Henry the second gave and granted unto Sir Robert Fitz-Stephen and to Sir Miles de Cogan in these words Know yee that I have granted the whole kingdome of Corke excepting the City and Cantred of the Oustmans to hold for them and their heires of mee and Iohn my sonne by the service of 60. knights And the Carews of England were heires to that Fitz-Stephen from whom Sir George Carew now Baron Carew of Clopton lineally and directly deriveth his descent who not long since was the Lord President of Mounster and in some of these obscure Irish matters which I willingly acknowledge hath directed me by the light of his knowledge THE COUNTY OF WATERFORD ON the East coast of Ireland the county of WATERFORD extendeth it selfe between the rivers Broodwater West Shour East the Ocean from the South and the county of Tipperary Northward a goodly country as well for pleasant site as fertile soile Upon Broodwater so soone as it hath left Corke county behinde it Lismore sheweth it selfe well knowne for an Episcopall See in it where Christian sate sometime the Bishop and Legate of Ireland about the yeere 1148. a Prelate that deserved passing well of the Irish Church trained in his youth at Clarevall in the same cloister with St. Bernard and Pope Eugenius But now since that the possessions in manner all have beene alienated it is united unto the Bishopricke of Waterford But neere unto the mouth of the said river standeth Ardmor a little towne so called because it standeth neere the sea of which and of this river Necham long since versified thus Urbem Lisimor pertransit flumen Avenmor Ardmor cernit ubi concitus aequor adit The river named Aven-Mor through Lismor towne doth runne Ardnor him sees and there apace to sea he speeds anon The little territory adjoining unto it is called Dessee the Lord whereof one of the family of Desmond received in our remembrance the honourable title of Vicount Dessee but for that he had no issue male it vanished with him in a short time Not farre from hence standeth Dungarvan upon the sea a towne well fortified with a castle and as commodious by reason of the roade for ships which together with the Baronie of Dungarvan King Henry the sixth bountifully granted unto John Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury but afterward seeing it stood handsomely to that part of Mounster which was to be brought under and reduced to order it was by authority of Parliament annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of the Kings of England for ever Neer unto it flourished the Poers of ancient nobility from the very first time that Ireland was conquered by the English and afterward advanced to the honourable title of the Barons of Curraghmore But upon the banke of the river Suyr Waterford the chiefe and principall city of this county maketh a goodly shew Concerning which old Necham writeth in this wise Suirius insignem gaudet ditare Waterford Aequoreis undis associatur ibi The river Suyr hath great desire Faire Waterford rich to make For in this place he hies apace His course with sea to take This city which the Irish and Britans call Porthlargy the English Waterford was built by certaine Pirates of Norway and although it standeth in an aire somewhat grosse and upon a soile not very fruitfull and the streets
were slaine This hill seemeth to be the very same which now is called Bannesdowne over a little village neere this Citie which they call Bathstone on which there are bankes and a rampier as yet to be seene Yet some there be I know who seeke for this hill in Yorkshire But Gildas may bring them backe againe to this place For in a manuscript Copie within Cambridge-Librarie where he writeth of the victorie of Aurelius Ambrose thus we read Vntill that yeare wherein siege was laid to the hill of Badonicus which is not farre from Severne mouth But in case this may not perswade them know they that the vale which runneth here along the river Avon is named in British Nant Badon that is The Vale of Badon and where we should seeke for the hill Badonicus but by the Vale Badonica I cannot hitherto see Neither durst the Saxons for a long time after set upon this Citie but left it for a great while to the Britans Howbeit in the yeare of Christ 577. when Cowalin King of the West-Saxons had defeated the Britans at Deorbam in Glocestershire being both straightly besieged and also assaulted it yeilded at first and within few yeares recovering some strength grew up to great dignity and therewith got a new name Ackmancester as I said For Osbrich in the yeare 676. founded a Nunnery there and immediately after when the Mercians had gotten it under them King Offa built another Church both which in the time of the Danish broiles were overthrowne Out of the ruines of these two arose afterwards the Church of S. Peter in which Eadgar surnamed the Peace-maker being crowned and sacred King bestowed upon the Citie very many Immunities the memorie of which thing the Citizens yearely with Solemne plaies doe yet celebrate In Edward the Confessors time as we read in Domes-booke of England it paied tribute according to 20. Hides when as the Shire paid There the King had 64. Burgers and 30. Burgers of others But this prosperitie of theirs endured not long for soone after the Normans comming in Robert Mowbray Nephew to the Bishop of Constance who had raised no small Sedition against King William Rufus sacked and burned it Yet in short space it revived and recovered it selfe by meanes of Iohn de Villula of Tours in France who being Bishop of Welles for five hundred markes as saith William of Malmesburie purchased this Citie of King Henry the First and translated his Episcopall chaire hither retaining also the title of Bishop of Welles and for his owne See built a new Church which being not long since ready to fal Olivar Bishop of Bathe began to found another hard by that old a curious and stately piece of worke I assure you and almost finished the same Which if he had performed indeed it would no doubt have surpassed the most Cathedrall Churches of England But the untimely death of so magnificent a Bishop the iniquitie and troubles of the time and the suppression of religious houses ensuing with the late avarice of some who have craftily conveied the money collected throughout England for that use another way if it be true that is reported have envied it that glory But neverthelesse this Citie hath flourished as well by clothing as by reason of usuall concourse thither for health twice every yeare yea and hath fortified it selfe with walles wherein there are set certaine Antique Images and Roman Inscriptions for the proofe of their antiquitie which now by age are so eaten into and worne that they can hardly be read And that nothing might be wanting to the state and dignitie of Bathe some noble men it hath honoured with the title of Earle For we read that Philibert of Chandew descended out of Bretaigne in France was by King Henry the Seventh stiled with this honor Afterwards King Henrie the Eighth in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourcher Lord Fitzwarin Earle of Bathe Who died shortly after leaving by his wife the sister of H. Daubeney Earle of Bridge-water Iohn second Earle of this familie who by the daughter of George Lord Roos had Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin who deceased before his father having by Fr. the daughter of S. Thomas Kitson of Hengrave William now third Earle of Bathe who endeavoureth to beautifie and adorne his nobilitie of birth with commendable studies of good letters The longitude of this Citie is according to Geographers measure 20. degrees and 16. minutes But the Latitude 51. degrees and 21. minutes And now for a farwell loe heere Nechams verses such as they bee of these hot waters at Bathe who lived 400. yeares since Bathoniae thermas vix praefero Virgilianas Confecto prosunt balnea nostra seni Prosunt attritis collisis invalidisque Et quorum morbis frigida causa subest Praevenit humanum stabilis natura laborem Servit naturae legibus artis opus Igne suo succensa quibus data balnea fervent Aenea subter aquas vasa latere putant Errorem figmenta solent inducere passim Sed quid sulphureum novimus esse locum Our Bathes at Bath with Virgils to compare For their effects I dare almost be bold For feeble folke and crasie good they are For bruis'd consum'd far-spent and very old For those likewise whose sicknesse comes of cold Nature prevents the painfull skill of man Arts worke againe helps nature what it can Men thinke these Baths of ours are made thus hot By reason of some secret force of fire Which under them as under brazen pot Makes more or lesse as reason doth require The waters boile and walme to our desire Such fancies vaine use errors forth to bring But what we know from Brimstone veines they spring Have heere also if you list to read them two ancient Inscriptions very lately digged up neere the Citie in Waldcot field hard by the Kings high way side which Robert Chambers a studious lover of antiquities hath translated into his garden From whence I copied them out G. MVRRIVS C. F. ARNIEN SIS FORO IVLI. MODESTVS MIL. LEG II. AD. P. F. IVLI. SECVND AN. XXV STIPEND H. S. E. DIS MANIBVS M. VALERIVS M. POL. EATINVS C. EQ MILES LEG AVG. AN. XXX STIPEND X. H. S. E. I have seene these Antiquities also fastened in the walles on the in-side betweene the North and West gates to wit Hercules bearing his left hand aloft with a club in his right hand In the fragment of a stone in great and faire letters DEC COLONIAE GLEV. VIXIT AN. LXXXVI Then leaves folded in Hercules streining two Snakes and in a grave or Sepulcher-table betweene two little images of which the one holdeth the Horne of Amalthaea in a worse character which cannot easily be read D. M. SVCC PETRONIAE VIXIT ANN. IIII. M. IIII. D. XV. EPO MVLVSET VICTISIRANA FIL. KAR. FEC A little beneath in the fragment of a stone in greater letters VRN IOP Betweene the West and
single life For then Oswald Bishop of this City who promoted the Monasticall life as busily as any whosoever remooved the Priests and brought in Monkes Which King Eadgar testifieth in these words The Monasteries as well of Monkes as of Virgins have beene destroied and quite neglected throughout England which I have now determined to repaire to the glory of God for my soules health and so to multiply the number of Gods servants and hand-maides And now already I have set up seven and forty Monasteries with Monkes and Nunnes in them and if Christ spare me life so long I am determined in offering my devout munificence to God for to proceed to fifty even the just number of a Iubilee Whereupon at this present that Monastery which the reverend Bishop Oswald in the Episcopall See of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amply enlarged to the honour of Mary the holy Mother of God and by casting out those Clerkes c. hath with my assent and favour appointed there Monkes the religious servants of God I my selfe doe by my royall authority confirme and by the counsell and consent of my Peeres and Nobles corroborate and consigne to those religious men living a sole and single life c. Long time after when the state of the Church and Clergy here partly by the Danes incursion and in part by civill dissentions was so greatly weakened and brought upon the very knees that in lieu of that multitude of religious persons whom Oswald had heere placed scarce twelve remained Wolstan Bishop of this Church about the yeer of the worlds redemption 1090. put to his helping hand raised it up againe and brought them to the number of 50. yea and built a new Church for them Wolstan I say a man not so learned the times then were such but of that simple sincerity without all hypocrisie so severe also and austere of life that as he was terrible to the wicked so he was venerable to the good and after his death the Church registred him in the number of Saints But King Henry the Eighth suppressed and expelled the Monkes after they had in all plenty and fulnesse lived more than 500. yeeres and in their roomes he substituted a Deane and Prebendaries and withall erected a Grammar-schoole for the training up of youth Hard by this Church the bare name and plot of a Castle remaineth which as wee reade in William of Malmesburies booke of Bishops Ursus appointed Sheriffe of Worcestershire by William the Conquerour built under the very nose and in the mouth well neere of the Monkes in so much as he cut away from them a part of their Church-yard But this Castle through the iniquity of time and casuality of fire was consumed many yeeres ago The City it selfe also hath been burnt more than once as being set on fire in the yeere of Christ 1041. by Hardy-Cnute who exceedingly incensed against the Citizens because they had slaine his Huscarles for so they tearmed those domesticall Gatherers of the Danes tribute did not only set fire on the City but slew the Citizens every mothers sonne unlesse it were those that saved themselves in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Island compassed in with the River Howbeit as we finde written in King William the Conquerours booke in King Edward the Confessours time It had many Burgesses and for fifteene Hides discharged it selfe when the Mint went every Minter gave twenty shillings at London for to receive coyning stamps of money In the yeere 1113. a skarfire that came no man knew how burnt the Castle caught also with the flames to the roofes of the Church Likewise in the Raigne of Stephen in the time of Civill Warres it was twice on fire but most dangerously when King Stephen who had to his owne damage given this City unto Wallerand Earle of Mellent seized it into his owne hands howbeit he was not able at that time to winne the Castle Neverthelesse it raised it selfe up againe out of the ashes in a goodlier forme alwaies than it had before and flourished in a right good state of civill government governed by two Bailiffes chosen out of 24. Citizens two Aldermen and two Chamberlains with a Common Counsell consisting of 48. Citizens As touching the Geographicall position of this City it is distant in Longitude from the West Meridian 21. Degrees and 52. Minutes and the North Pole is elevated 52. Degrees and 12. Minutes From Worcester the River Severn running on still Southward passeth beside Powicke the seat in times past of Sir Iohn Beauchamp whom King Henry the Sixth raised up to the state of a Baron and within a small time the female heires brought the inheritance to the Willoughbeies of Broke the Reads and the Lygons then runneth it through most rich and redolent medowes by Hanley Castle belonging sometimes to the Earles of Glocester and by Upton a Mercate Towne of great name where peeces of Romane money are oftentimes found Not farre from hence upon the banke on the right hand the Severn beholdeth Malvern-Hills hills in deed or rather great and high mountaines which for the space of seven miles or thereabout doe as it were by degrees rise higher and higher dividing this Shire from the County of Hereford On the brow of which Hills Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester did cast a Ditch in times past to make a partition betweene his possessions and the lands of the Church of Worcester a peece of worke which is at this day seene not without wonder Over against those hils and in like distance almost from the other banke Bredon Hills being farre lesse yet in emulation as it were to match them mount aloft among which Elmsley Castle belonging sometimes to Ursus or Urso D' Abtot maketh a goodly shew by whose daughter and heire Emeline it came hereditarily to the Beauchamps At the foote of these hills lieth Bredon a Village concerning the Monastery whereof Offa King of the Mercians saith thus I Offa King of the Mercians will give land containing seven times five Acres of Tributaries unto the Monastery that is named Breodun in the Province of the Wiccij and to the Church of blessed Saint Peter Prince of the Apostles there and in that place standing which Church Eanwulph my grandfather erected to the praise and glory of the everliving God Under these Bredon hils Southward you see two villages named Washborne whence came the sirname to a very ancient and worshipfull Family in this Tract standing in a parcell of this Province dismembred as it were from the rest of the body of which kinde there be other parcels here and there scattering all about But what should be the cause I am not able to resolve unlesse haply those that in old time were governours adjoined to their government their owne lands that lay neere unto the Region which they then governed Now Avon from above runneth downe and speeds himselfe to Severn who in this shire
hand in fight Afterwards upon the sixth day of the weeke being Good-friday when the foresaid John was unarmed and went by way of pilgrimage bare foot and in his linnen vesture a visiting the Churches as the manner is treacherously he was taken prisoner by his owne people for a piece of money given in hand and for a greater reward to be given afterward for a recompence and so was delivered unto Hugh Lacie But hee bringeth him unto the King of England who gave unto Hugh Lacie the Earldom of Ulster and the Seigniorie of Conaught which belonged unto John Curcie Then Hugh Lacie being Earle rewarded all the foresaid Traitours that had betraied John Curcie and gave unto them gold and silver more or lesse but straightwayes hung up all the Traitours aforesaid and tooke away all their goods and so Hugh Lacie ruleth over all Ulster and John Curcie is condemned to perpetuall prison because he had before time beene a Rebell to John King of England and would not doe him homage and besides blamed him about the death of Arthur the rightfull heire unto the Crowne But whiles hee was in prison and in extreme povertie having but little allowance and the same course and simple for to eat and drinke he said O God wherefore dealest thou thus by me who have built and re-edified so many Monasteries for thee and thy Saints Now when he had many times wailed and made loud moane in this wise and therewith fell asleep the holy Trinitie appeared unto him saying Why hast thou cast me out of mine owne seat and out of the Church of Doun and placed there my S. Patrick the Patron of Ireland Because indeed John Curcie had expelled the Secular Canons or Priests out of the Cathedrall Church of Doune and brought the blacke Monks of Chester and placed them in the said Church And the holy Trinitie stood there in a stately shrine or seat and John himselfe tooke it downe out of the Church and ordained a Chappell for that Image and in the great Church set up the image of S. Patrick which displeased the most High God therefore thus said God Know thou well that thou shalt never enter into thy Seigniorie in Ireland Howbeit in regard of other good deeds that thou hast done thou shalt with honour be delivered forth of prison which also came to passe And now by this time there arose a contention betweene John King of England and the King of France about a Seigniory and certain Castles and this suit or controversie still depending the King of France offered unto him a Giant or Champion to fight for his right Then the King of England called to remembrance his most valiant Knight John Curcie whom upon the information of others he had before cast into prison The King therefore sent for John Curcie and asked him if he were able to help and stand him in stead in a combat then John answered and said I will not fight for thee but for the right of the Kingdome for which afterward hee undertooke to doe his endeavour in single fight and so refreshed himselfe with meat drink and bathing and tooke the vertue of his owne fortitude and strength and a day was appointed betweene these Giants or Champions namely betweene John Curcie and the other But when the Champion of France heard of his exceeding great feeding and of his strength hee refused the combat and then was the said Seigniorie given unto the King of England Then the King of France requested to see a stroake given by the hand of John Curcie and he set a strong and doughtie good morion full of maile upon a great blocke or log of wood and the foresaid John taking his skeine or sword and looking back round about him with a stern and grim countenance smote the moâ—ion through from the very crest downeward into the blocke and the sword stucke in the wood so fast that no other man but himselfe was able to plucke out the sword then John at the request of the Kings easily pluckt it forth And the Kings demanded of the foresaid John wherefore he looked behind him with so grim a countenance before he gave the stroke who answered that if he had failed in giving that stroke he would have slaine them all as well Kings as others And the Kings gave unto him great gifts yea and the King of England rendred unto him also his Seigniorie of Ulster But John Curcie attempted 15. times to saile over sea into Ireland but was alwaies in danger and the wind evermore against him wherefore hee waited a while among the Monkes of Chester At length he returned into France and there rested in the Lord. MCCV. The Abbey of Wetheney in the countie of Lymericke was founded by Theobald the sonne of Walter Butler Lord of Karryke MCCVI. The order of Friers Minors was begun neere the citie Assisa by Saint Francis MCCVIII William Breos is expelled out of England and commeth into Ireland England is interdicted for the tyrannie of King John of England Likewise a great overthrow and slaughter hapned at Thurles in Mounster committed upon the Lord Justice of Irelands men by Sir Geffery Mareys MCCX John King of England came into Ireland with a great fleet and a puissant armie and for that the sons of Hugh Lacie to wit the Lord Walter Lord of Meth and Hugh his brother exercised tyrannie upon the Commons and especially because they slew Sir John Curson Lord of Rathenny and Kilbarrocke for they heard that the foresaid John accused them unto the King therefore I say the King drave the foresaid sonnes of Hugh Lacie out of the land and they fled into France and served in the Monasterie of Saint Taurin as unknowne working about clay and bricke and sometime in gardens as Gardiners but at length they were knowne by the Abbat of the said Monasterie and the said Abbat entreated the King for them because he had baptized his sonnes and was Godsib unto him as a Godfather many times and Walter Lacie paid two thousand and five hundred markes and Hugh Lacie payed a great summe of money unto the King for his ransome and at the request of the said Abbat restored they were againe unto their former degree and Seigniorie And Walter Lacie brought with him John the sonne of Alured that is Fitz-Acory sonne to the foresaid Abbats whole brother and he made him Knight and gave unto him the Seigniorie of Dengle and many other Lordships Item hee brought Monkes with him out of the same Monasterie and gave unto them many fermes and the Cell called Fourie in regard of charitie thankfulnesse and counsell and Hugh Lacie Earle of Ulster made a Cell for Monkes and endowed them in Ulster in a place called ..... But John King of England having taken many pledges and hostages as well of English as of Irish and hanged a number of malefactours upon Jebbits and setled the State of the land returned into England the same yeere that he came
the Lord the Pope From the one side and the other were sent certaine messengers to the Court of Rome but whiles King Edward abode in Flanders William Walleis by the common counsell of the Scots came with a great armie to the bridge of Strivelin and gave battle unto John Earle Warren in which battell on both sides many were slaine and many drowned But the Englishmen were discomfited and defeated Upon which exploit all the Scots at once arose and made an insurrection as well Earls as Barons against the King of England And there fell discord betweene the King of England and Roger Bigod Earle Mareschall but soone after they were agreed And Saint Lewis a Frier minor sonne of the King of Sicily and Archbishop of Colein died Also the sonne and heire of the King de Maliagro that is of the Majoricke Ilands instituted the order of the Friers minors at the information of Saint Lewis who said Goe and doe so Item in Ireland Leghlin with other townes was burnt by the Irish of Slemergi Item Calwagh O-Hanlan and Yneg Mac-Mahon are slaine in Urgale MCCXCVIII Pope Boniface the fourth the morrow after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul after all tumults were appeased ordained and confirmed a peace betweene the King of England and the King of France with certaine conditions that after followed Item Edward King of England set forth with an armie againe into Scotland for to subdue the Scots under his dominion Item there were slaine in the same expedition about the feast of Saint Marie Maudlen many thousands of the Scots at Fawkirk The sunne the same day appeared as red as bloud over all Ireland so long as the battell continued at Fawkirke aforesaid Item about the same time the Lord King of England feoffed his Knights in the Earldomes and Baronies of the Scots that were slaine More in Ireland peace and concord was concluded between the Earle of Ulster and Lord John Fitz-Thomas about the feast of the Apostles Simon and Iude. Also on the morrow after the feast of the 7. Saints sleepers the sun-beames were changed almost into the colour of bloud even from the morning so that all men that saw it wondred thereat Moreover there died Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice Knight and Sir Robert Bigod sometime Lord chiefe Justice of the Bench. Item in the Citie Artha as also in Reathe in the parts of Italie whiles Pope Boniface abode there at the same time there happened so great an Earthquake that towres and palaces fell downe to the ground The Pope also with his Cardinals fled from the Citie much affrighted Item upon the feast of the Epiphany that is Twelfe day there was an earthquake though not so violent in England from Canterburie as farre as to Hampton MCCXCIX Lord Theobald Botiller the younger departed this life in the Manour de Turby the second day before the Ides of May whose corps was conveied toward Weydeney that is Weney in the countie of Limeric the sixth day before the Calends of June Item Edward King of England tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sister to the noble King of France in the Church of the holy Trinitie in Canterburie about the feast of the holy Trinitie Item the Soldan of Babylon was defeated with a great armie of Saracens by Cassian King of the Tartars MCCXCIX The day after the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie there was an infinite number of the Saracens horsemen slaine besides the footmen who were likewise innumerable Item in the same yeere there was a battell or fight of dogges in Burgundie at Genelon castle and the number of the dogges was 3000. and everie one killed another so that no dogge escaped alive but one alone Item the same yeere many Irishmen came to trouble and molest the Lord Theobald Verdon to the Castle of Roch before the feast of the Annuntiation MCCC The Pollard money is forbidden in England and Ireland Also in the Autumne Edward King of England entred Scotland with a power of armed men but at the commandement of Pope Boniface hee was stayed and he sent solemne messengers unto the Court of Rome excusing himself of doing any injurie Item Thomas the Kings sonne of England was the last day of May born at Brotherton of Margaret sister to the King of France Item Edward Earle of Cornwall died without leaving behind an heire of his owne bodie and was enterred in the Abbey of Hales MCCCI. Edward King of England entred into Scotland with an armie unto whom failed over sea Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland and Sir John Fitz-Thomas Peter Bermingham and many others to aide the King of England Also a great part of the Citie Dublin was burnt together with the Church of Saint Warburga on S. Columbs day at night More Sir Geffrey Genevil espoused the daughter of Sir John Montefort and Sir John Mortimer espoused the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Genevil And the Lord Theobald Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Roger Mortimer At the same time the men of Leinster made warre in winter burning the towne of Wykynlo and Rathdon with others but they escaped not unpunished because the more part of their sustenance was burnt up and their cattell lost by depredation and the same Irish had beene utterly almost consumed but that the seditious dissention of certaine Englishmen was an hinderance thereto Item a defeature and slaughter was made by the Toolans upon a small companie assembled of the Brenies in which were slaine almost three hundred robbers Item Walter Power wasted a great part of Mounster burning many ferme houses MCCCII There died the ladie Margaret wife to Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland the third day before the Ides of April and in the week following Maud Lacy wife to Sir Geffery Genevil died also Edward Botiller recovered the manour de S. Bosco with the pertenances from Sir Richard Ferenges Archbishop of Dublin by a concord made between them in the Kings bench after the feast of S. Hilarie Item the Flemings gave an overthrow at Courteray in Flanders unto the army of the French the Wednesday after the feast of the Translation of S. Thomas wherein were slaine the Earle of Arthois the Earle of Aumarle the Earle of Hue Ralph Neel Constable of France Guy Nevil Mareschal of France the sonne of the Earle of Hennaund Godfrey Brabant with his sonne William Fenys and his son Iames S. Paul lost his hand and fortie Baronets lost their lives that day with Knights Esquires and others sans number Item the tenths of all Ecclesiasticall benefices in England and Ireland were exacted by Boniface the Pope for 3. yeeres as a Subsidie to the Church of Rome against the King of Aragon Also upon the day of the Circumcision Sir Hugh Lacie raised booties from Hugh Vernail In the same yeere Robert Brus then Earle of Carrick espoused the daughter of Sir Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Item Edward Botiller espoused the daughter of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas also
Cornwall MCCCCXIII The seventh of October there landed in Ireland at Cloncarfe Iohn Stanley the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland who died the sixth of January in Atterith The same yeere after the death of Iohn Stanley Lord Lievtenant Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin was chosen on the eleventh day of February Lord Justice of Ireland A Parliament eftsoons began at Dublin the morrow after Saint Matthias the Apostles day and lasted fifteene daies during which time the Irish fell to burning in divers places as they had done often in Parliament times wherefore a tallage was demanded but not granted MCCCCXIIII The English slew of the Irish the O-Mordries and O-Dempsies neer to Kilka even whiles the Justice of Ireland Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin went in Procession at Tristeldermot praying with his Clerks and his servants with their countrimen overthrew of the Irish an hundred Upon the feast day of Saint Gordian and Saint Epimachus a foile or discomfiture was given to the English of Meth and there was slaine Thomas Maurevord Baron of Scrin and taken prisoners there were Christopher Fleming Iohn Dardis and many others slaine by O-Conghir and the Irish. In the vigill of Saint Martin arrived the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord Furnivall as Lievtenant of Ireland at Dalkay MCCCCXV In the moneth of November died Robert Talbot a Nobleman who walled the Suburbs of Kilkenny Item after the feast of All-Saints died Frier Patricke Baret Bishop of Ferne and a Canon of Kenlis where he was buried MCCCCXVI On the feast day of Gervasse and Prothasius the Lord Furnivall had a sonne borne at Finglas About this time the reverend Lord Stephen Fleming Archbishop of Armagh departed this life unto whom succeeded Iohn Suanig And at the same time the Lord Bishop of Ardachard Frier Adam Lyns of the order of preaching Friers Item on Saint Laurence day died Thomas Talbot Lord of Furnivall lately borne at Finglas is interred in the quire of the preaching Friers Church of Dublin within the Covent of the said Preachers A Parliament was holden at Dublin in the time whereof the Irish fell upon the English and slew many of them among whom Thomas Balimore of Baliquelan was slaine This Parliament lasted in that place sixe weekes and then was removed to Trym the eleventh day of May and there it continued eleven daies and granted there was unto the Lievtenant a subsidy of foure hundred Markes MCCCCXVII On the Eve of Philip and Iacob Apostles Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin passed over into England and died at Farindon he was buried in the New Colledge at Oxford a liberall man he had beene and an almes-giver a great Clerke a Doctor in Divinity and excellent Preacher a builder of the places wherein he dwelt beautifull sumptuous of sanguine complexion and tall of stature so that in his time it might well be said unto him Faire art thou and of a goodly presence above the sons of men grace is seated all over thy lips for the eloquence of thy tongue Fourescore yeeres old he was and for the space almost of twenty yeeres he governed the Church of Dublin peaceably MCCCCXVIII The feast of the Annuntiation of our Lady fell out to be on good Friday and straight after Easter the Lord Deputy spoiled the tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethat Item at Slane on the day of S. John and S. Paul were arrested the Earle of Kildare Sir Christopher Preston and Sir John Bedleu and committed to ward within the castle of Trym because they were desirous to common with the Prior of Kylmainon The fourth of August died Sir Matthew Husee Baron of Galtrim who lieth buried at the Preaching Friers in Trim. MCCCCXIX The eleventh of May Edmund Brel sometime Maior of Dublin departed this life and was buried at the Friers preachers of the same Citie A Counsell royall was holden at Naas and there a subsidie of 300. Markes was granted to the Lord Lievtenant At the same time died Sir Iohn Loundres On the fifth day of the week falling out to be Maunday Thursday O-Thoill tooke 400. kine that belonged to Balimore so breaking the peace against his oath The fourth of May Mac-Morghe chiefe Captaine of his owne Sept and of all the Irish in Leinster was taken prisoner And the same day Hugh Cokesey was made knight The last day of May the Lievtenant the Archbishop of Dublin and the Maior together rased the castle of Kenini The morrow after the feast of Processus and Martinian the Lord William Burgh and other of the English slew 500. of the Irish and tooke O-Kelly prisoner On the feast of Mary Magdalen the Lievtenant John Talbot passed over into England leaving for his Deputy the Archbishop of Dublin carrying with him the curses of divers for that he paid a little or nothing for his victuals and was indebted unto many About the feast of Saint Laurence divers there were that died in Normandy and by name Frier Thomas Botiller Prior of Kilmainon with many others After whom succeeded in the Priory Frier John Fitz-Henry The Archbishop being Deputy fell upon the Scohies and slew of the Irish thirty neere unto Rodiston Item upon the Ides of February died Frier John Fitz-Henry Prior of Kylmainon whom succeeded Frier William Fitz-Thomas elected and confirmed the morrow after S. Valentines day Also the morrow after the feast of Saint Peter in Cathedra the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord of Furnivall yeelded the place into the hands of the Lord Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin who afterward was chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCXX Upon the fourth day of Aprill the Lord Iames Butler Earle of Ormond arrived at Waterford Lievtenant of Ireland and quickely caused a combat to bee fought between two of his cousins of whom the one died in the field and the other was carried forth of the place sore hurt and lamed unto Kilkenny On St. Georges feast day the same Lievtenant held a Counsell at Dublin and summoned a Parliament there And in the meane while he raised great booties from O-Raly Mac-Mahon and Mac-Guyr And the eighth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and there were granted unto the Lievtenant 700. Markes and that Parliament continued for 16. dayes and the same was prorogued unto the munday after St. Andrewes day also in the foresaid Parliament were cast up the debts of the Lord Iohn Talbot late Lievtenant which arose to a great summe Also the morrow after St. Michaels day died Michaell Bodley On the Vigill of Saint Francis there departed this life Frier Nicholas Talbot Abbot of St. Thomas the Martyr in Dublin After whom succeeded Frier John Whiting The morrow after the Apostles Simon and Iudes day was the castle of Colnolin taken by Thomas Fitz-Geffery Also in the Vigill of S. Katherine Virgin Botiller the sonne and heire of the Earle of Ormund was borne Item on munday after the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the said Parliament began at Dublin and continued 13. daies and granted there was to the
deliver up into his hands this Castle together with the well what time as he aspired to the Kingdome and after hee had settled his estate and affaires at London thought it good before all other things to fortifie this peece and to assigne faire lands in Kent unto Gentlemen to bee held in Castle-guard with this condition to be in readinesse with certaine numbers of men for defence of the same which service notwithstanding at this day is redeemed with a yearely paiment of money For when Sir Hubert de Burgh was Constable of this Castle to use the words of an old writer he weighed with himselfe that it was not safe for the Castle to have every moneth new warders for the Castle guard procured by the assent of the King and all that held of that Castle that every one should send for the ward of one moneth tenne shillings and that therewith certaine men elected and sworne as well horse as foote should be waged for to gard the Castle It is written that Phillip surnamed Augustus King of France when Lewis his sonne went about to gaine the Crowne of England had wonne certaine Cities and Forts and could not get this being manfully defended by the said Sir Hubert de Burgh said thus Verily my sonne hath not one foote of land in England untill he be Master of Dover Castle as beeing in very deed the strongest hold of all England and most commodious for the French Vpon the other cliffe which standeth over against it and beareth up his head in manner even with it are extant the remaines of a very ancient building One I know not upon what reason induced said it was Caesars Altar But Iohn Twin of Canterbury a learned old man who in his youth saw a great part thereof standing whole and entire assured me that it had beene a Watch-towre to give night light and direction to ships Like as there stood another opposite unto it at Bologne in France erected thereby the Romans and long after reedified by Charles the Great as Regino witnesseth in whom Phanum for Pharum is falsly read which at this day the French terme Tour de Order and the English The old man of Bullen Vnder this cliffe Henry the Eighth in our fathers daies with exceeding labour and 63000. pounds charges by pitching huge posts fast within the very sea and the same bound together with yron worke and heaping thereupon a deale of timber and stones brought up a mightie Pile which we call The Peere wherein the ships might more safely ride But the furious violence of the raging Ocean soone overcame the laudable endeavour of that puissant Prince and so the frame of this worke beaten continually upon with the waves became dis-joyned For the repaire whereof Queene Elizabeth laid out a great summe of money and the Authoritie of Parliament imposed upon every English ship that carry forth or bring in merchandise a certaine toll upon Tonneage for certaine yeares This Sea coast of Britaine is seperated from the Continent of Europe by a frete or streight where as some suppose the Seas brake in and made way betweene the lands Solinus calleth it Fretum Gallicum Tacitus and Ammianus Macellinus Fretum Oceani and Oceanum Fretalem Gratius the Poet Freta Morinum dubio refluentia ponto The narrow Seas on Bollen-coast that keepe uncertaine tides They of the Netherlands call it Dehofden of the two heads or promontories we the Narrow-sea and The strait of Calais as the Frenchmen Pas de Callais For this is the place as saith a Poet of our time gemini quà janua ponti Faucibus angustis latèque frementibus undis Gallorum Anglorumque vetat concurrere terras Where current of two seas In gullet streight wherein throughout their billowes rage and fret Keepes France and England so a part as though they never met The narrow sea as Marcellinus truly writeth swelleth at every tide with terrible high flouds and againe at the ebbe becommeth as flat as a plaine field if it be not raised with winds and counter seas betweene two risings of the moone it floweth twice and ebbeth as oft For as the Moone ascendeth toward the Meridian and is set againe under the Horizon in the just opposite point the Ocean heere swelleth mightily and the huge billowes rush upon the shores with so great a noise that the Poet might well say Rhutupináque littora fervent And Rhutup shore doth boile and billow and D. Paulinus where he speaketh of the County of Bulloigne which he termeth the utmost skirt of the world not without cause used these words Oceanum barbaris fluctibus frementem that is The Ocean raging and roaring with barbarous billowes Heere might arise a question beseeming a learned man that hath wit and time at will whether where this narrow sea runneth between France and Britaine now there was a narrow banke or necke of land that in times past conjoyned these regions and afterwards being broken either by the generall deluge or by rushing in of the waves or else by occasion of some earth-quake did let in the waters to make a through passage Verily as no man makes doubt that the face of the whole earth hath beene altered partly by the said deluge and partly by long continuance of time and other causes as also that Ilands by earthquakes or the shrinking back of waters were laid and joyned unto firme lands so most certainly it appeareth by authors of best credite that Ilands by reason of earthquakes and the breaking in of waters were severed disjoyned and rent from the Continent Whereupon Pythagoras in Ovid saith thus Vidi ego quod quondam fuerat solidissima tellus Esse fretum vidi factas ex aequore terras My selfe have seene maine ground sometime turned into sea and sand And seene I have againe the Sea became maine setled land Strabo gathering of things to come by those that are past concluded that such Isthmi neckes or narrow bankes of land both have beene and shall bee wrought and pierced through You see saith Seneca whole regions violently removed from their places and now to lie beyond the Sea which lay before bounding upon it and hard by You see there is separation made both of Countries and nations when as some part of nature is provoked of it selfe or when the mighty wind beateth strongly upon some sea the force whereof as in generall is wonderfull For although it rage but in part yet it is of the universall power that so it rageth Thus hath the sea rent Spaine from the Continent of Africke Thus by Deucalions floud so much spoken of by the greatest Poets was Sicilie out from Italy And hereupon Virgil wrote thus Haec loca vi quondam vasta convulsa ruinâ Tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetustas Dissiluisse ferunt cùm protinùs utraque tellus Vna foret venit medio vi pontus undis Hesperium Siculo latus abscidit arvaque urbes Littore diductas angusto interluit aestu
cruelty for that some of his followers were slaine there in a fray that there followed thereupon a most heavy banishment of the Students and the University a sorrowfull spectacle lay as it were halfe dead and past all recovery untill the dayes of king William the Conquerour Whom some write falsly to have wonne it by assault but Oxonia written amisse in the Copies for Exonia that is Excester deceived them And that it was at that time a place of Studies and Students may bee understood out of these words of Ingulph who in that age flourished I Ingulph saith hee being first placed in Westminster and afterwards sent to the Study of Oxford when as in learning of Aristotle I had profited above my fellowes of the same time c. For those Schooles of Learning which wee call Academies or Vniversities that Age termed Studia that is Studies as I will shew anone But at this very time it was so empoverished that whereas within the wall and without I speake out of William the Conquerour his Domesday booke there were about seaven hundred and fifty houses besides foure and twenty Mansions upon the Walls five hundred of them were not able to pay their Subsidy or Imposition And to use the very words of that booke This Citty paid pro Theloneo et Gablo and for other Customes by the yeare to the King twenty pounds and sixe quarts of Hony and unto Earle Algar tenne pounds About this time Robert D'oily a noble man of Normandy of whom I have before spoken when hee had received at the hands of William the Conquerour in reward of his Service in the Warres large Possessions in this Shire built a spacious Castle in the West side of the Citty with deepe Ditches Rampiers an high raised Mount and therein a Parish Church to Saint George unto which when as the Parishioners could not have accesse by reason that King Stephen most streightly besieged Maude the Empresse within this Castle Saint Thomas Chappell in the streete hard by was built He also as it is thought fortified the whole Citty with new walls which by little and little time doth force and as it were embreach with his assault Robert likewise Nephew unto him by his brother Neale and Chamberlaine to King Henry the First founded Ousney or Osney a most stately Abbay as the ruines doe yet shew amidst the divided waters not farre from the Castle perswaded thereto by Edith his wife the daughter of Forne who before time had beene one of King Henry the First his sweet hearts and lig-bies About those times as we read in the Chronicle of the said Osney Abbay Robert Pulein beganne to reade in Oxford the Holy Scriptures in England now growne out of request Who afterwards when as by his Doctrine the English and Frenchmen both had much profited was called by Pope Lucius the second and promoted to be Chancellour of the Church of Rome To the same effect also writeth Iohn Rosse of Warwicke By the procurement of King Henry the First the Divinity Lecture which had discontinued a long time in Oxford began againe to flourish and there he built a Palace which King Edward the Second at length converted into a Covent of Carmelits But long before this time in this Palace was borne into the World that Lion-hearted Knight Richard the First King of England commonly called Ceeur de Lion a Prince of a most hauty minde and full of resolution borne for the weale of Christendome the honour of England and the terrour of Infidels Upon whose death a Poet in that age of no meane conceite versified thus for that his remaines were interred in diverse places Viscera Carcelorum Corpus Fons servat Ebrardi Et cor Rhothomagum Magne Richarde tuum In tria dividitur unus qui plus fuit uno Nec superest uno gloria tanta viro Hîc Richarde jaces sed mors si cederet armis Victa timore tui cederet ipsa tuis Thy Bowels keep 's Carceolum thy corps Font Everard And Roan thy valiant Lions heart O noble great Richard Thus one three fold divided is for more he was then one And for that one so great he was such glory is in none Here li'st thou Richard but if death to force of armes could yeeld For feare of thee he would to thee have given as lost the field Thus after the Citty was refreshed againe with these buildings many beganne to flocke hither as it were to a Mart of learning and vertue and by the industrious meanes especially of that Robert Pulein a man borne to promote the Common-wealth of learning who refused no paines but laboured all that he could to set open againe those Well springs of good Literature which had beene stopped up through the favour especially of King Henry the First King Henry the Second and King Richard his sonne of whom I spake ere while And these endeavours of Pulein sped so well and tooke so good effect that in the reigne of King Iohn there were here three thousand Students who all at once every one changed their Habitation to Reding and partly to Cambridge because the Citizens seemed to wrong and abuse overmuch these Students and Professours of Learning but after this tumult was appeased they returned within a short time Then and in the age presently ensuing as God provided this City for good learning so he raised up a number of very good Princes and Prelats to the good thereof who for the adorning and maintenance of learning extended their liberality in the highest degree For when King Henry the Third had by way of Pilgrimage visited Saint Frideswide a thing before-time thought to bee an hainous Offence in a Prince for the dishonour offered to her by Algar a Prince and so removed that superstitious feare wherewith some superstitious Priestes had for a time frighted Princes from once comming to Oxford and had assembled here a very great Parliament for the composing of certaine controversies betweene him and the Barons hee confirmed the priviledges granted by the former Kings and conferred also some other himselfe So that by this time there was so great store of learned men that divers most skilfull in Divinity as well as in Humanitie were in great numbers spread from thence both into the Church and Common-wealth and Mathew Paris in plaine termes called The Vniversity of Oxford The Second Schoole of the Church nay rather a ground worke of the Church next after Paris For with the name of Vniversity the Bishops of Rome had before time honoured Oxford which Title at that time by their Decrees they vouchsafed to none but unto that of Paris this of Oxford unto Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spaine And in the Councell of Vienna it was ordained that there should bee erected Schooles for the Hebrew Greeke Arabicke and Chaldaean tongues in the Studies of Paris Oxford Bononie and Salamanca as the most famous of all others to the end
erected and whose immortall soules in them doe speake to the end that Time might not have power and prevaile against men of worth and the desires of mortall men might be satisfied who do all long to know what their persons and presence were The Earle of Dorset late Chancellor of this Vniversity that he might also leave some memoriall of himselfe hath in the very place dedicated unto Sir Thomas Bodley so passing well deserving of the Learned Common-wealth his representation with this inscription THOMAS SACKUILLUS DORSETTIAE COMES SUMMUS ANGLIAE THESAURARIUS ET HUJUS ACADEMIAE CANCELLARIUS THOMAE BODLEIO EQUITI AURATO QUI BIBLIO THE CAM HANC INSTITUIT HONORIS CAUSSA PIE POSUIT That is THOMAS SACKUIL EARLE OF DORSET LORD HIGH TREASURER OF ENGLAND AND CHANCELOR OF THIS UNIVERSITIE UNTO SIR THOMAS BODLEY KNIGHT WHO INSTITUTED THIS LIBRARY OF A PIOUS MIND ERECTED THIS MONUMENT TO DO HIM HONOUR In the Raigne of Henry the Seventh for the better advancement of learning William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built new out of the ground Brasen Nose College which that good and godly old man Master Alexander Nowell Deane of Saint Paules in London lately augmented with Revenewes and Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected likewise that which is named Corpus Christi College and Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke following their example beganne another where the Monastery of Frideswide stood the most stately and fairest of them all for Professors and 200. Students which Henry the Eighth joyning unto it Canterbury College assigned to a Deane Prebends and Students endowed it with livings and named it Christs Church And the same most puissant Prince with money disbursed out of his owne Treasury ordained both for the Dignity of the City a Bishop and for the ornament and advancement of the University publique Professours Likewise within our remembrance for the furtherance of learning with new and fresh benefits Sir Thomas Pope Knight reared a new Durrham College and Sir Thomas White Knight Citizen and Alderman of London raised Bernard College both which lay buryed in the rubbish They reedified them repaired them with new buildings enriched them with faire lands and gave them new names For the one of them they dedicated to Saint Iohn Baptist and that other to the holy and sacred Trinity Queene Mary also built the common Schooles And now of late Hugh Prise Doctor of the Lawes hath begunne a new College with good speede and happy successe as I wish to the honor of Iesus With these Colleges which are in number 16. and eight Haulls beside all faire and decently built richly endowed and furnished with good Libraries Oxford at this day so flourisheth that it farre surmounteth all other Universities of Christendome And for Living Libraries for so may I well and truely with Eunapius terme great Scholers and learned men for the discipline and teaching of the best Arts and for the politique government of this their republicke of Literature it may give place to none But to what end is all this Oxford needeth no mans commendation the excellency thereof doth so much exceede and if I may use Plinies word superfluit that is Surmounteth Let this suffice to say of Oxford as Pomponius Mela did of Athens Clarior est quà m ut indicari egeat that is More glorious it is of it selfe than that it needeth to bee out shewed But have heere for an upshot and farewell the beginning of Oxford story out of the Proctors booke By the joint testimony of most Chronicles many places in divers Coasts and Climats of the world we read to have flourished at sundry times in the studies of divers sciences But the Vniversity of Oxford is found to be for foundation more ancient for plurality of sciences more generall in profession of the Catholike truth more constant and in multiplicity of Privileges more excellent than all other Schooles that are knowne among the Latines The Mathematicians of this University have observed that this their City is from the Fortunate Islands 22. Degrees and the Arcticke or North Pole elevated 51. Degrees and 50. Scruples high And thus much briefly of my deare Nurse-mother Oxford But when a little beneath Oxford Isis and Cherwell have consociated their waters together within one Chanell Isis then entire of himselfe and with a swifter current runneth Southward to finde Tame whom so long he had sought for And gone he is not forward many miles but behold Tame streaming out of Buckinghamshire meeteth with him who is no sooner entred into this Shire but he giveth name to Tame a Mercate Towne situate very pleasantly among Rivers For Tame passeth hard by the Northside and two Riverers shedding themselves into it compasse the same the one on the East and the other on the West Alexander that liberall Bishop of Lincolne Lord of the place when his prodigall humor in sumptuous building of Castles was of every body privily misliked to wash out that staine as Newbrigensis saith built a little Abbay neere unto the Towne and many yeares after the Quatremans who in the age foregoing were men of great reputation in these parts founded an Hospitall for the sustentation of poore people But both of these are now decayed and quite gone and in stead thereof Sir Iohn Williams Knight whom Queene Mary advanced to the Dignity of a Baron by the Title of Lord William of Tame erected a very faire Schoole and a small Hospitall But this Title soone determined when he left but daughters marryed into the Families of Norris and Wenman From hence Tame runneth downe neere unto Ricot a goodly house which in times past belonged to those Quatremans whose stocke failing to bring forth Males it was devolved at length after many sailes and alienations passed by the Foulers and Herons unto the said Lord Williams and so by his daughter fell to Sir Henry Lord Norris whom Queene Elizabeth made Baron Norris of Ricot a man of good marke in regard of his noble birth and parentage for he descended from the Lovells who were neere allied by kinred unto the greatest houses in England but most renowned for that right valiant and warlike Progeny of his as the Netherlands Portugall little Bretagne and Ireland can witnesse At the length Tame by Haseley where sometimes the names of Barentines flourished as at Cholgrave commeth to Dorchester by Bede termed Civitas Dorcinia by Leland Hydropolis a name devised by his owne conceit yet fit enough considering that Dour in the British tongue signifieth water That this Towne was in old time inhabited by Romanes their coined peeces of money oftentimes turned up doe imply and our Chronicles record that it was for a long time much frequented by reason of a Bishops See which Birinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons appointed to be there For when hee had baptised Cinigilse a pety King of the West-Saxons unto whom Oswald King of Northumberland was Godfather both these Kings as saith Bede gave this City unto the same Bishop
artificially arched over head For they were the lurking holes of whores and theeves He levelled with the ground the ditches of the Citie and certaine dens into which malefactours fled as unto places of refuge But the whole tiles and stones which he found fit for building he layed aside Neere unto the banke they did light upon plankes of oke with nailes driven into them cemented with stone-pitch also the tackling and furniture of Ships as anchors halfe eaten with rust and ores of firre A little after he writeth Eadmer his successor went forward with the worke that Ealfred began and his pioners overthrew the foundations of a Pallace in the mids of the old Citie and in the hollow place of a wall as it were in a little closet they hapned upon bookes covered with oken boords and silken strings at them whereof one contained the life of Saint Albane written in the British tongue the rest the ceremonies of the Heathen When they opened the ground deeper they met with old tables of stone with tiles also and pillars likewise with pitchers and pots of earth made by Potters and Turners worke vessels moreover of glasse containing the ashes of the dead c. To conclude out of these remaines of Verulam Eadmer built a new Monasterie to Saint Albane Thus much for the antiquity and dignity of Verulam now haue also with you for an over-deale in the commendation of Verulam an Hexastich of Alexander Necham who 400. yeeres since was there borne Urbs infignis erat Verolamia plus operosae Arti naturae debuit illa minus Pendragon Arthuri patris haec obsessa laborem Septennem sprevit cive superba suo Hic est martyrii roseo decoratus honore Albanus civis inclyta Roma tuus The famous towne whilom cal'd Verolame To Nature ought lesse than to painfull art When Arthurs Syre Pendragon gainst it came With force of Armes to worke her peoples smart His seven yeeres siege did never daunt their heart Heere Alban gain'd the Crowne of Martyrdome Thy Citizen sometime ô noble Rome And in another passage Hic locus aetatis nostrae primordia novit Annos foelices latitiaeque dies Hic locus ingenuus pueriles imbuit annos Artibus nostrae laudis origo fuit Hic locus insignis magnósque creavit alumnos Foelix eximio Martyre gente situ Militat hîc Christo noctéque dieque labori Invigilans sancto religiosa cohors This is the place that knowledge tooke of my Nativity My happy yeeres my daies also of mirth and Jollity This place my childhood trained up in all Arts liberall And laid the ground-worke of my name and skill Poeticall This place great and renowned Clerkes into the world hath sent For Martyr blest for nation for site all excellent A troupe heere of Religious men serve Christ both night and day In holy warfare taking paines duly to watch and pray Verolamium at this day being turned into fields The towne of Saint Albans raised out of the ruins thereof flourisheth a faire towne and a large and the Church of that Monastery remaineth yet for bignesse beauty and antiquity to be had in admiration which when the Monkes were thrust out of it was by the Townes-men redeemed with the sum of 400. pounds of our money that it might not be laid even with the ground and so it became converted into a parish Church and hath in it a very goodly Font of solid brasse wherein the Kings children of Scotland were wont to be Baptized which Font Sir Richard Lea Knight Master of the Pioners brought as a spoile out of the Scottish warres and gave vnto the said Church with this lofty and arrogant inscription CUM LAETHIA OPPIDUM APUD SCOTOS NON IN CELEBRE ET EDINBURGUS PRIMARIA APUD EOS CIVITAS INCENDIO CONFLAGRARENT RICHARDUS LEUS EQUES AURATUS ME FLAMMIS EREPTUM AD ANGLOS PERDUXIT HUJUS EGO TANTI BENEFICII MEMOR NON NISI REGUM LIBEROS LAVARE SOLITUS NUNC MEAM OPERAM ETIAM INFIMIS ANGLORUM LIBENTER CONDIXI LEUS VICTOR SIC VOLUIT VALE ANNO DOMINI M.D.XLIII ET ANNO REGNI HENRICI OCTAVI XXXVI When Leeth a Towne of good account among the Scots and Edinbrough their chiefe Cittie were on fire Sir Richard Lea Knight saved me from burning and brought me into England And I being mindefull of this so great a benefit whereas before I was wont to serve for Baptising of none but Kings Children have now willingly offered my service even to the meanest of the English Nation Lea the victor would have it so Farewell In the yeere of our Lord M. D. XLIII and of the Reigne of King Henrie the Eighth XXXVI But to the matter As antiquitie consecrated this place to be an Altar of Religion so Mars also may seeme to have destined it for the very plot of bloudie battaile For to let other particulars goe by when England under the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke bereft as it were of vitall breath was ready through Ciuill Warre to sinke downe and fall in a sound the chiefe Captaines of both sides joyned battaile twise with reciprocall variety of fortune in the very Towne First Richard Duke of Yorke gave the Lancastrians heere a sore overthrow tooke King Henry the Sixth captive and slew many Honourable personages Foure yeeres after the Lancastrians under the conduct of Queene Margaret wonne heere the field put the house of Yorke to flight and restored the King to his former liberty About this towne that I may let passe the mount or fortification which the common sort useth to call Oister-hils and I take to have been the Campe of Ostorius the famous Lieutenant of Britaine the Abbats in a pious and devout intent erected a little Nunnery at Sopwell and Saint Julians Spittle for Lepres and another named Saint Mary de pree for diseased women neere unto which they had a great Mannour named Gorumbery where Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England built an house beseeming his place and calling To this adjoyneth Redborn which is by interpretation Red-water and yet the water running thereby from Mergrate sometime a religious house now a seat of the Ferrers out of the house of Groby is no more red than is the Red-sea This Redborne in times past was a place renowned and resorted unto in regard of Amphibalus the Martyrs reliques heere found who instructed Saint Alban in the Christian faith and for Christs sake suffered death under Dioclesian At this day well knowne for that it is seated upon that common and Military high-way which we call Watlingstreet and hath hard by Wenmer called also Womer a brooke that never breaketh out and riseth but it foretelleth dearth and scarcity of corne or else some extremity of dangerous times as the vulgar people doe verily beleeve Nere unto this Redborn I have some reason to thinke that the Station Duro-Co-Brive stood whereof Antonine the Emperor maketh mention although the distance of
thing recorded to posterity by an inscription which continued there a long time engraven in Brasse On this North-West side likewise London hath other great Suburbs and there stood in old time a Watchtowre or military Forefense whence the place was of an Arabicke word called Barbacan and by the gift of King Edward the Third became the dwelling house of the Vffords from whom by the Willoughbies it came to Sir Pengrine Bertey Lord Willoughbey of Eresby a man noble and generous and one of Mars his broode Neither lesse Suburbs runne out on the North-East and East In the fields of which Suburbs whiles I was first writing these matters there were gotten out of the ground many urnes funerall vessels little Images and earthen pots wherein were small peeces of money coined by Claudius Nero Vespasian c. Glasse vials also and sundry small earthen vessels wherein some liquid substance remained which I would thinke to bee either of that sacred oblation of Wine and Milke which the ancient Romanes used when they burnt the dead or else those odoriferous liquours that Statius mentioneth Pharijque liquores Arsuram lavere comam And liquid baulmes from Aegypt-land that came Did wash his haire that ready was for flame This place the Romanes appointed to burne and bury dead bodies who according to the law of the xij Tables carried Coarses out of their Cities and enterred them by the high waies sides to put Passengers in minde that they are as those were subject to mortality Thus much of that part of the City which lieth to the Land Now for that side where the River runneth toward the South banke thereof the Citizens made a Bridge also over the Water reaching to that large Burrough of Southwarke whereof I have already spoken First of wood in that place where before time they used for passage a ferry boat in stead of a Bridge Afterwards under the Raigne of King John they built a new Bridge with admirable workmanship of stone hewen out of the Quarry upon 19. Arches beside the draw-bridge and so furnished it on both sides with passing faire houses joyning one to another in manner of a Street that for bignesse and beauty it may worthily carry away the prise from all the Bridges in Europe In this Burgh of Southwarke to speake onely of things memorable there stood sometime a famous Abbay of Monkes of Saint Benets Order called Bermondsey consecrated in times past unto our Saviour by Aldwin Childe Citizen of London also a stately house built by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke which having served his turne but a small time was shortly after pulled downe These are extant Saint Thomas Hospitall reedified or founded rather by the City of London for the sustenance of feeble and impotent persons The Priory of the blessed Virgin Mary called Saint Mary Over Rhe because it standeth beyond the River of Tamis in regard of London erected by William Pont del Arche a Norman for blacke Chanons The Bishops house of Winchester built by William Giffard Bishop for his Successours about the yeare of our Lord 1107. From which along the Tamis banke there runneth Westward a continued raunge of dwelling houses where within our fathers remembrance was the Bordello or Lupanarie for so the Latines terme those little roomes or secret chambers of harlots wherein they filthily prostituted their bodies to sale because they after the manner of ravening she-wolves catch hold of silly wretched men and plucke them into their holes But these were prohibited by King Henry the Eighth at which time England was growne to excessive lasciviousnesse and riot which in other Nations are continued for gaine under a specious shew of helping mans infirmity Neither of these Strumpets and brothel-houses doe I thinke that this place in our tongue tooke the name Stewes but of those Ponds or Stewes which are heere to feed Pikes and Tenches fat and to scowre them from the strong and muddy fennish taste Heere have I seene Pikes panches opened with a knife to shew their fatnesse and presently the wide gashes and wounds come together againe by the touch of Tenches and with their glutinous slime perfectly healed up Among these buildings there is a place in manner of a Theater for baiting of Beares and Buls with Dogges and certaine kenels appointed severally for Band-Dogges or Mastives which are of that strength and so sure of bit that three of them are able to take and hold downe a Beare and foure a Lion so that the Poet in old time reported truely of our Dogges in these words Taurorum fracturi colla Britanni The British Dogges are able well To breake the neckes of Buls so fell Like as he that said they were more fierce than the Dogges of Arcadian kinde which are thought to be engendred of Lions What time as the Bridge was thus made betweene London and this Burrough the City was not onely enlarged but also an excellent forme of Common wealth was therein ordained and the Citizens reduced into certaine distinct Corporations and Companies The whole City divided into six and twenty Wards and the Counsell of the City consisted of as many ancient men named of their age in our tongue Aldermen as one would say Senatours who each one have the overseeing and rule of his severall Ward and whereas in ancient time they had for their Head-Magistrate a Portreve that is a Governour of the City King Richard the First ordained two Ballives in stead of whom soone after King John granted them liberty to chuse by their voices yearely out of the twelve principall Companies a Major for their chiefe Magistrate also two Sheriffes whereof the one is called the Kings the other the Cities Sheriffe This forme of Common wealth being thus established it is incredible to tell how much London grew and groweth still in publike and also private buildings whiles all the Cities of England besides decrease For to say nothing of that beautifull peece of worke the Senatâ— house named Guild Hall built by Sir Thomas Knowles Major Leaden Hall a large and goodly building erected by Simon Eire to bee a common Garner in time of dearth to pull downe the price of Corne the Merchants meeting place standing upon Pillars which the common people call the Burse and Queene Elizabeth with a solemne ceremony named The Royall Exchange for the use of Merchants and an ornament to the City set up by Sir Thomas Gresham Citizen and knight a magnificent worke verily whether you respect the modull of the building the resort of Merchants from all Nations thâ—ther or the store of wares there Which Sir Thomas Gresham being withall an exceeding great lover of learning consecrated a most spacious house his owne habitation to the furtherance of learning and instituted there Professours of Divinity Law Physicke Astronomy Geometry and Musicke with liberall salaries and stipends to the end that London might be a place
or ends As for the cause let others search for mine owne part I have observed that this malady hath runne through England thrice in the age aforegoing and yet I doubt not but long before also it did the like although it were not recorded in writing first in the yeere of our Lord 1485. in which King Henry the Seventh began his Raigne a little after a great conjunction of the superior Planets in Scorpio A second time yet more mildly although the plague accompanied it in the thirtie three yeere after anno 1518. upon a great opposition of the same Planets in Scorpio and Taâ—rus at which time it plagued the Netherlands and high Almaine also Last of all three and thirtie yeeres after that in that yeere 1551. when another conjunction of those Planets in Scorpio tooke their effects But perhaps I have insisted too long herein for these may seeme vaine toies to such as attribute nothing at all to celestiall influence and learned experience Neere unto this Citie Severne fetcheth many a compasse turning and winding in and out but specially at Rossall where hee maketh such a curving reach that hee commeth well neere round and meeteth with himselfe Heere about is that most ancient kinde of boat in very great use which in the old time they called in Latine Rates commonly to wit Flotes certaine peeces of timber joyned together with rough plankes and rafâ—ers running overthwart which serve to convey burdens downe the River with the streame the use and name whereof our countrimen have brought from Rhene in Germanie and tearme them as the Germans doe Flores By the River side stand Shrawerden a Castle sometime of the Earles of Arundell but afterwards belonging to Sir Thomas Bromley late Lord Chancellor of England Knocking Castle built by the Lords Le Strange from whom it descended hereditarily unto the Stanleies Earles of Darbie and neere unto it Nesse over which there mounteth up right a craggie cliffe with a cave much talked of which together with Cheswarden King Henry the Second gave unto John Le Strange from whom by divers branches are sprung the most Honorable families of the Stranges de Knocking Avindelegh Ellesmere Blackmere Lutheham and Hunstanston in Norfolke Now from those of Knocking when as the last died without any issue male the inheritance descended by Joan a sole daughter and the wife of George Stanley unto the house of Darby Farther from the River even upon the West frontier of the shire lieth Oswestre or Oswaldstre in British Croix Oswalds a little Towne enclosed with a ditch and a wall fortified also with a pretie Castle and in it there is great trafficke especially of Welsh Cottons of a slight and thin webbe which you may call in Latine Levidensas whereof there is bought and sold heere every weeke great store It hath the name of Oswald King of the Northumbers whereas before time it was called Maserfield whom Penda the Pagan Prince of the Mercians both slew heere in a bloudy battaile and after he had slaine him with monstrous cruelty tare in peeces Whence a Christian Poet of good antiquity versified thus of him Cujus abscissum caput abscissosque lacertos Et tribus affixos palis pendere cruentus Penda jubet per quod reliquis exempla relinquat Terroris manifesta sui regemque beatum Esse probet miserum sed causam fallit utrámque Ultor enim fratris minimè timet Oswius illum Imò timere facit nec Rex miser imò beatus Est qui fonte boni fruitur semel sine fine Whose head and limbs dismembred thus that bloudy Penda takes And causeth to be hanged up fast fixed on three stakes His meaning was hereby to strike a terror to the rest And make him seeme a wretched wight who was a King much blest But this his purpose fail's in both Oswy his brother deare In his revenge was not afraid but rather makes him feare Nor miserable is this Prince but happy we may say Who now enjoy's the spring of good and shall enioy for aye This Towne seemeth to have had the first originall from devotion and religion for the Christians of that age counted it a most holy place and Bede hath recorded that here where Oswald was slaine strange miracles have been wrought But Madoc brother of Mereduc as Caradoc of Lancarvan writeth built it and the Norman Fitz-Allans who were Lords afterwards thereof and Earles of Arundell walled it about The Ecclipses of the sunne in Aries have been most dangerous unto it for in the yeers of our Lord 1542. and 1567. when the Ecclipses of the sunne in Aries wrought their effects it suffered very grievous losse by fire And namely after this later Ecclipse the fire spread it selfe so far that there were burnt within the Towne and suburbs about two hundred houses A little beneath this Northwestward there is an hill entrenched round about with a threefold ditch they call it Hen-Dinas that is The old palace The neighbour dwellers say confidently it hath been a Citie but others there be that thinke it was the Camps of Penda or Oswald Scarce three miles from hence standeth Whittington a Castle not long agoe of the Fitz-Guarins who deduced their pedegree from Sir Guarin de Metz a Loraineis but he tooke to wife the daughter and heire of William Peverell who is reported to have built Whittington and begat Fulke the Father of that most renowned Sir Fulke Fitz-Warin of whose doubtfull deedes and variable adventures in the warres our Ancestours spake great wonders and Poems were composed In the reigne of Henry the Third I finde that licence was granted unto Foulk Fitz-Warin to strengthen the Castle of Whittington in competent manner as appeareth out of the Close rolles in the fifth of King Henry the Third The dignity of these Barons Fitz-Warins had an end in an heire Female and in the age aforegoing passed by Hancford unto the Bourchiers now Earles of Bath Beneath this Whittington one Wrenoc sonne of Meuric held lands who for his service ought to be Latimer that is Truchman or Interpreter betweene the English and the Welshmen This note I out of an old Inquisition that men may understand what the said name Latimer importeth which no man almost knew heretofore and yet it hath been a surname very currant and rise in this kingdome At the North-west border of this shire there offer themselves to be seene first Shenton the seat of the respective familie of the Needhams Blackemere an ancient Manour of the Lords Le Strange and then Whitchurch or Album Monasterium where I saw some Monuments of the Talbots but principally of that renowned English Achilles Sir John Talbot the first Earle of Shrewsbury out of this house whose Epitaph that the reader may see the forme of the Inscriptions according to that age I will here put downe although it is little beseeming so
worke also a fragment of an Altar with this Inscription engraven in great capitall letters three inches long erected by Haterianus the Lieutenant Generall of Augustus and Propretour of the Province Cilicia The next yeere following hard by was this Table also gotten out of the ground which prooveth that the foresaid Image was the personage of Diana and that her Temple was repaired by Titus Flavius Posthumius Varus an old souldier haply of a Band of the second Legion T. FL. POSTUMIUS VARUS V. C. LEG TEMPL DIANAE RESTITUIT Also a votive Altar out of which GETA the name of Caesar may seeme then to have beene rased what time as he was made away by his brother Antonine Bassianus and proclaimed an Enemy yet so as by the tract of the letters it is in some sort apparent PRO SALUTE AUGG. N. N. SEVERI ET ANTONINI ET GETAE CAES. P. SALTIENUS P. F. MAECIA THALAMUS HADRI PRAEF LEG II. AUG C. VAMPEIANO ET LUCILIAN This most beautifull Altar also though maimed and dismembred was there found which I thinke is thus to be made up Also these fragments 7. VECILIANA VIII 7. VALER MAXSIMI Moreover a little before the comming in of the English Saxons There was a Schoole heere of 200. Philosophers who being skilfull in Astronomy and all other Arts diligently observed the course and motion of the Starres as wrote Alexander Elsebiensis a rare Author and hard to be found out of whom Thomas James of Oxford a learned man and a true lover of Bookes who wholly addicted to learning and now laboriously searching the Libraries of England to the publique good purposeth that God blesse his labour which will be to the great benefit of all Students hath copied out very many notes for me In the Raigne of Henry the Second what time Giraldus wrote it seemeth that this City was of good strength For Yrwith of Caer Leon a courageous and hardy Britan defended it a great while against the English untill he was vanquished by the King and so disseized of the possession thereof But now that it may serve for an ensample that as well Cities have fatall periods of their flourishing state as men of their lives it is decaied and become a very small Towne which in times past was of that greatnesse and reaching out so farre in length on both sides of the River that Saint Julians an house of the late Sir William Herbert Knight was by report sometime within the very City where Saint Julius the Martyrs Church stood which now is much about a mile out of the Towne Also out of the ruines thereof a little beneath at the mouth of Vske grew up Newport which Giraldus nameth in Latine Novus Burgus a Towne of later time built and not unknowne by reason of the Castle and commodiousnesse of the Harbour in which place there was in times past some one of these Roman High wayes or Streets whereof Necham hath made mention in these Verses Intrat auget aquas Sabrini fluminis Osca Praceps testis erit Julia Strata mihi Vske into Severn headlong runnes and makes his streame to swell Witnesse with me is Julia Street that knoweth it full well This Julia Strata was no doubt some Port-high way and if we may be allowed to make a conjecture what great absurdity were it to say that it was cast up and made by Julius Frâ—ntinus the vanquisher of the Silures There creepeth saith Giraldus in the bounds of this New-burgh or Newport a little River named Nant Pencarn which cannot bee waded and passed over but at certaine Fourds not so much for any depth that the water is of as for the hollownesse of the Chanell and the easie mudde in the bottome and it had of old a Fourd named Rydpencarn that is The Fourd under the top of a Rocke Which when Henry the Second King of England chanced at a venture to passe over even then when it was almost growne out of remembrance the Welshmen who were over credulous in beleeving of Prophesies as if now all had beene sure on the Kings side and themselves hopelesse of all helpe were quite out of heart and hope of good successe because Merlin Silvester the British Apollo had prophesied that then the Welshmens power should bee brought under when a stout Prince with a freckled face and such a one was King Henry the Second should passe over that Foord Under the Saxons Heptarchy this Region was subject to the mountaine Welshmen whom the English called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who notwithstanding as the ancient lawes doe shew were under the command of the West Saxons But at the first comming in of the Normans the Lords Merchers most grievously plagued and annoyed them but especially Hamelin Balun of whom I spake Hugh Lacy Walter and Gilbert both sirnamed of the house of Clare Miles of Glocester Robert Chandos Pain Fitz-Iohn Richard Fitz Punt and Brien of Wallingford unto whom after that the Kings had once given whatsoever they could get and hold in this tract by subduing the Welsh some of these before named by little and little reduced under their subjection the upper part of this Shire which they called Over-went others the lower part which they termed Nether-went And this Shire is not accounted among the Shires of Wales This Shire containeth Parish Churches 127. GLAMORGAN-SHIRE THE last Country of the Silures was that I thinke which wee at this day call GLAMORGAN-SHIRE the Britans Morganuc Glath-Morgan and Glad Vorganuc that is The Region of Morganuc so named as most suppose of one Morgan a Prince as others thinke of Morgan an Abbay But if I derived it from Mor which in the British tongue signifieth The Sea I know not verily whether I should dally with the trueth or no Howbeit I have observed that a Towne in little Britaine standing upon the Sea-coast now called Morlais was of Ptolomee and the ancient Gaules tearmed Vorganium or Morganium for M. and V. consonant are often changed one for another in this tongue and whence I pray you but from the sea And this our Morganuc also lieth upon the sea for stretching out directly more in length than it spreadeth in bredth on the South side it is accoasted with the Severn sea But where it looketh toward the Land it hath on the East side Monmouth-shire on the North Brechnock-shire and on the West Caermarden-shire bordering upon it The North part by reason of the Mountaines is rough and unpleasant which as they bend downe Southward by little and little become more milde and of better soile and at the foote of them there stretcheth forth a Plaine open to the South-Sunne in that position of situation which Cato judged to bee the best and for the which Plinie so highly commendeth Italie For this part of the Country is most pleasant and fruitfull beautified also on every side with a number of Townes Jestine a great Lord in the Raigne of William Rufus
the Citie of Burdeaux with other Cities lying round about it which by the sedition of the Frenchmen had been at any time alienated from Edward King of England were restored unto him againe upon St. Andrewes even by the industrie of the L. Hastings MCCCIII The Earle of Ulster to wit Richard Bourk and Sir Eustace Pover entred Scotland with a puissant armie but after that the Earle himselfe had first made thirtie three Knights in the Castle of Dublin hee passed over into Scotland to aide the King of England Item Gerald the sonne and heire of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas departed out of this world In the same yeere Pope Boniface excommunicated the King and Queene of France and their children Hee renewed also all the priviledges granted at any time unto the Universitie of Paris and straight after the Pope was taken prisoner and kept as it were in prison three whole daies And soone after the Pope died likewise the Countesse of Ulster deceased Also Wulfrane Wellesly and Sir Robert Percivell were slaine the 11. day before the Calends of November MCCCIIII A great part of Dublin was burnt to wit the Bridge street with a good part of the Key and the Church of the Friers Preachers and the Church of the Monks with no small part of the Monasterie about the Ides of June to wit on the Feast day of S. Medard Also the first stone of the Friers Preachers Quire in Dublin was laid by Eustace Lord Pover on the Feast of S. Agatha Virgin Likewise after the Feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie the King of France invaded Flanders againe in proper person with a puissant armie Then bare he himselfe bravely in the war and fought manfully so long untill two or three horses of service were slaine under him but at last he lost his cap that under his helmet was put upon his head which the Flemings taking up carried by way of scornfull derision upon a lance as a banner and in all the famous Faires of Flanders put it out at the high window of some place or stately house like the signe of an Inne or Taverne and shewed it in token of victorie MCCCV Jordan Comyn with his complices slew Moritagh O-Conghir King of Offalie and Calwagh his whole brother and certain others in the Court of Sir Piers Brymgeham at Carrick in Carbrey likewise Sir Gilbert Sutton Seneschal of Weisford was slaine by the Irish neere unto a village or House of Haymund Grace which Haymund verily in the said skirmish manfully carried himselfe but stoutly escaped Item in Scotland the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke forgetting his oath made to the King of England slew Sir John Rede Comyn within the cloisture of the Friers Minors of Dunfrese and soone after caused himselfe to be crowned King of Scotland by the hands of two Bishops to wit of S. Andrewes and of Glasco in the towne of Scone to the confusion of himselfe and of many others MCCCVI A great discomfiture was made in Offaly neere unto the Castle of Gesbill on the Ides of Aprill upon O-Conghor by O-Dympcies in which was slaine O-Dympcey Leader of the Regans with a great traine accompanying him Also O-Brene King of Towmond died Item Donald Oge Mac Carthy slew Donald Ruff that is the Red King of Desmund Item a lamentable defeature fell upon the part of Piers Brymegham the fourth day before the Calends of May in the Marches of Meth. Item Balymore in Leinster was burnt by the Irish where at the same time Henry Calfe was slaine and there arose war betweene the English and the Irish in Leinster for which cause there was assembled a great armie from divers parts of Ireland to bridle the malice of the Irish in Leinster in which expedition Sir Tho. Mandevil Knight and a brave warriour had a great conflict with the Irish neere to Clenfell in which conflict he behaved himselfe valiantly untill his horse of service was slaine and won much praise and honour by saving many a man and himselfe also Item M. Thomas Cantock Chancellour of Ireland was consecrated Bishop of Ymelasen in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin with great honour at whose consecration were present the Elders of all Ireland where there was so sumptuous and so great a feast made first unto the rich and afterwards to the poore as the like had never been heard of before in Ireland Item Richard Feringes Archbishop of Dublindied in the Vigile of Saint Luke after whom succeeded Master Richard Haverings who occupied the Archbishoprick almost five yeeres by Apostolicall dispensation Who also resigned up his Archbishoprick after whom succeeded John Leth. The occasion and cause of his giving over as the Arch-deacon of Dublin of good memorie his Nephew hath reported was this for that one night hee dreamed that a certaine Monster heavier than the whole world stood eminently aloft upon his brest from the weight whereof he chose rather to be delivered than alone to have all the goods of the world but when he wakened hee thought with himselfe this was nothing else but the Church of Dublin the fruits whereof hee received and tooke no paines for the same As soone as hee could therefore he came unto the Lord the Pope of whom hee was much beloved and there renounced and gave over the Archbishopricke For hee had as the same Archdeacon avouched fatter benefices and livings than the Archbishopricke came unto Item Edward King of England in the feast of Pentecost that is Whitsontide made Edward his son Knight in London at which feast were dubbed about 400. Knights and the said Edward of Caernarvan newly knighted made threescore Knights of those abovesaid and kept his feast in London at the New Temple and his father gave unto him the Dutchy of Aquitaine Item the same yeere in the feast of Saint Potentiana the Bishop of Winchester and the Bishop of Worcester by commandement from the Lord the Pope excommunicated Robert Brus the pretended King of Scotland and his confederates for the death of Iohn Rede Comyn In the same yeere upon S. Boniface his day Aumarde Valence Earle of Pembroch and Lord Guy Earle ............ slew many Scots and the Lord Robert Brus was defeated without the town of S. Iohns And the same yeere about the feast of the Nativitie of St. Iohn Baptist King Edward went toward Scotland by water from Newarke to Lincolne Item the same yeere the Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell and the Countesse of Carricke the pretended Queene of Scotland daughter of the Earle of Ulster were taken prisoners The Earle of Asceles and the Lord Simon Freysell were first torne and mangled As for the Countesse she remained with the King in great honour but the rest died miserably in Scotland Item about the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie two brethren of Robert Brus professing pyracie went out of their gallies a land to prey and were taken with sixteen Scots besides and those two themselves
seas into England out of Ireland the Earle of Ulster Roger Mortimer and Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas Item Sir Theohald Verdon died MCCCX. King Edward and Sir Piers Gaveston tooke their journey toward Scotland to fight against Robert Bruâ— Item in the said yeere great dearth there was of corn in Ireland an eranc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings and above Also the Bakers of Dublin for their false waight of bread suffered a new kinde of torment which was never seen there before for that on S. Sampson the Bishops day they were drawne upon hurdles through the streets of the Citie at horse-tailes More in the Abbey of S. Thomas Martyr at Dublin died Sir Neile Bruin Knight Escheator to the Lord the King in Ireland whose bodie was committed to the earth at the Friers minors with so great a pompe of tapers and waxe lights as the like was never seene before in Ireland The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Kildare where Sir Arnold Pover was acquit for the death of the Lord Bonevile because he had done this deed in his owne defence Likewise on S. Patricks day by assent of the Chapter M. Alexander Bickenore was elected Archbishop of Dublin Item the Lord Roger Mortimer returned into Ireland within the Octaves of the Nativitie of the blessed Virgin Marie Also the same yeere the Lord Henrie Lacie Earle of Lincolne died MCCCXI In Thomond at Bonnorathie there was a wonderfull and miraculous discomfiture given by the Lord Richard Clare unto the side of the Earle of Ulster Which Lord Richard aforesaid tooke prisoner in the field the Lord William Burke and John the sonne of the Lord Walter Lacie and many others In which battaile verily there were slaine a great number as well of the English as the Irish the 13. day before the Galends of June Item Taslagard and Rathcante were invaded by the robbers to wit the O-Brines and O-Tothiles the morrow after the Nativitie of S. John Baptist. Whereupon soon after in Autumne there was a great armie assembled in Leinster to make head and fight against the said robbers lurking in Glindelory and in other places full of woods Also a Parliament was holden at London in August betweene the King and the Barons to treat about the State of the kingdome and of the Kings houshold according to the ordinance of sixe Bishops sixe Earles and sixe Barons as they might best provide for the good of the Realme Item on the second day before the Ides of November the Lord Richard Clare slew sixe hundred of Galegalaghes More on All-Saints day next going before Piers Gaveston was banished the Realme of England by the Earles and Barons and many good Statutes necessarie for the commonwealth were by the same Lords made Which Piers abjured the Realme of England about the Feast of All-Saints and entred into Flanders foure moneths after the said Piers returned presently upon the Epiphanie and by stealth entred into England keeping close unto the Kings side so that the Barons could not easily come neere unto him And hee went with the King to Yorke making his abode there in the Lent whereupon the Bishops Earles and Barons of England came to London for to treat about the State of the kingdome for feare lest by occasion of Piers his returne the Common wealth should bee troubled with commotions Item Sir John Cogan Sir Walter Faunt and Sir John Fitz-Rerie Knights died and were buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin Item John Mac-Goghedan is slaine by O-molmoy Item William Roch died at Dublin with the shot of an arrow by an Irish mountainer Item Sir Eustace Power Knight died Item in the Vigill of Saint Peters Chaire began a riot in Urgaly by Robert Verdon Item Donat O-Brene is traiterously slaine by his owne men in Tothomon MCCCXII Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston entred the castle of Scardeburgh resisting the Barons But soone after the Calends of June hee yeelded himselfe unto Sir Aumare Valence who had besieged him yet upon certaine conditions named before hand who brought him toward London But by the way he was taken prisoner at Dedington by the Earle of Warwicke and brought to Warwicke whereupon after counsell taken by the Earles and Barons he lost his head the thirteenth day before the Calends of July whose bodie lieth buried in the coventuall Church of the Friers Preachers at Langley Item John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland led forth an armie to bridle the malice of Robert Verdon and his abettors which was miserably defeated the sixth day before the Ides of July in which fight were slain Nicolas Avenel Patrick Roch and many others For this fact the said Robert Verdon and many of his complices yeelded themselves unto the Kings prison at Dublin in expectance of favour and pardon Also on Thursday the morrow after Saint Lucie Virgin in the sixth yeere of King Edward the Moone was wonderfully seene of divers colours on which day determined it was that the order of Templars should be abolished for ever More in Ireland Lord Edmund Botiller was made the Lievtenant of Lord John Wogan Justice of Ireland which Edmund in the Lent following besieged the O-Brynnes in Glindelorie and compelled them to yeeld yea and brought them almost to confusion unlesse they had returned the sooner unto the peace of the Lord the King Item the same yeere on the morrow after Saint Dominickes day Lord Maurice Fitz-Thomas espoused Katherin daughter of the Earle of Ulster at Green-castle And Thomas Fitz-Iohn espoused another daughter of the same Earle the morrow after the Assumption in the same place Also the Sunday after the feast of the exaltation of the holy Crosse the daughter of the Earle of Glocester wife to the Lord Iohn Burke was delivered of a sonne MCCCXIII Frier Roland Joce Primate of Ardmach arrived at the Iland of Houth the morrow after the annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Marie and rising in the night by stealth tooke up his Crosier and advanced it as farre as to the Priorie of Grace Dieu whom there encountred certaine of the Archbishop of Dublins servants debasing and putting downe that Crosier and the Primate himselfe of Ardmagh they chaced with disgrace and confusion out of Leinster Item a Parliament was holden at London wherein little or nothing was done as touching Peace from which Parliament the King departed and tooke his journey into France at the mandate of the King of France and the King of England with many of his Nobles tooke the badge of the Crosse. Also the Lord John Fitz-Thomas knighted Nicolas Fitz-Maurice and Robert Clonhull at Adare in Mounster More on the last day of May Robert Brus sent certaine Gallies to the parts of Ulster with his rovers to make spoile whom the men of Ulster resisted and manfully chased away It is said that the same Robert arrived with the licence of the Earle to take truce Item in the same summer Master John Decer a Citizen of Dublin caused a necessarie bridge to
death of the said Justice of Ireland the Lord Roger Darcy with the assent of the Kings Ministers and others of the same land is placed in the office of Justice for the time Also the castles of Ley and Kylmehede are taken by the Irish and burnt in the moneth of April Item Lord Iohn Moris commeth chiefe Justice of Ireland the fifteenth day of May. Also the Irish of Ulster gave a great overthrow unto the English of Urgale wherin were slaine three hundred at the least in the moneth of June Also the said Lord Iohn Moris Justice of Ireland is discharged by the King of England from that office of Justiceship and the Lord Walter Bermingham set in the same office by the foresaid King and a little after the foresaid slaughter committed entreth with Commission into Ireland in the month of June Item unto the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond the maintenance of peace for a certain time is granted by the King of England Which being granted upon the Vigill of the exaltation of the holy Crosse hee together with his wife and two sonnes take sea at the haven of Yoghal and crosseth over into England where he followeth the law hard and requireth instantly to have justice for the wrongs done unto him by Raulph Ufford late Lord Justice of Ireland above named Item unto the said Earle by commandement and order from the Lord King of England there are granted from his entrance into England twenty shillings a day and so day by day still is allowed for his expences Also the Lord Walter Bermingham Justice of Ireland and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare rose up in armes against O-Merda and his complices who burnt the Castle of Ley and Kilmehed and they with their forces valiantly set upon and invade him and his complices spoiling killing and burning in so much as the said O-Morda and his complices although at the first they had manfully and resolutely made resistance there with many thousands of the Irish after many wounds and a great slaughter committed were constrained in the end to yeeld and so they submitted to the Kings grace and mercy and betake themselves full and whole unto the said Earles devotion MCCCXLVII The Earle of Kildare with his Barons and Knights goeth unto the King of England in the moneth of May to aide him lying then at the siege of Caleys Also the towne of Caleys was by the inhabitants upon the fourth day of June rendred up into the King of Englands hands Item Walter Bonevile William Calfe William Welesley and many other noble Gentlemen and valiant Knights as well of England as of Ireland died of the sicknesse in Caleys Also Mac-Murgh to wit Donald Mac-Murgh the sonne of Donald Art Mac-Murgh King of Leinster upon the fifth day of June is treacherously slain by his own people More Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Kildare is by the King of England made Knight Also the towne called Monaghan with all the territorie adjoining is by the Irish burnt on the feast day of S. Stephen Martyr Item Dame Joane Fitz-Leoues sometime wife to the Lord Simon Genevile departed this life and is buried in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Trim the second day of Aprill MCCCXLVIII And in the 22. yeere of King Edward the third reigned the first pestilence and most of all in Ireland which had begunne afore in other Countries Item in this yeere Walter Lord Bermingham Lord Justice of Ireland came into England and left Iohn Archer Prior of Kylmainon his Lievtenant in his roome And he returneth againe in the same yeere Justice as before and the King conferred upon the same Walter the Barony of Kenlys which is in Osserie because he led a great army against the Earle of Desmond with Raulfe Ufford as before is said which Barony belonged in times past unto the Lord Eustace Pover who was attainted and hanged at the castle of the Isle MCCCXLIX Lord Walter Bermingham the best Justice of Ireland that ever was gave up his office of Justiceship after whom succeeded the Lord Carew Knight and Baron both MCCCL. And in the 25. yeere of the foresaid King Edward Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight was made Lord Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham Knight Lord Bermingham that right good Justice sometime of Ireland died in the Even of S. Margaret Virgin in England MCCCLI Kenwrick Sherman sometime Maior of the Citie of Dublin died and was buried under the Belfray of the preaching Friers of the same City which Belfray and Steeple himselfe erected and glazed a window at the head of the Quire and caused the roofe of the Church to be made with many more good deeds In the same Covent he departed I say the sixth day of March and at his end he made his Will or Testament amounting to the value of three thousand Marks and bequeathed many good Legacies unto the Priests of the Church both religious and secular that were within twenty miles about the City MCCCLII Sir Robert Savage Knight began in Ulster to build new castles in divers places and upon his owne Manours who while he was a building said unto his sonne and heire Sir Henry Savage let us make strong walls about us lest happily the Irish come and take away our place destroy our kinred and people and so we shall be reproached of all Nations Then answered his sonne where ever there shall be valiant men there is a Castle and Fortresse too according to that saying The sonnes encamped that is to say valiant men are ordained for warre and therefore will I be among such hardy men and so shall I be in a castle and therewith said in his vulgar speech A castle of Bones is better than a castle of Stones Then his father in a fume and chafe gave over his worke and swore an oath that he would never build with stone and morter but keepe a good house and a very great family and retinew of servants about him but he prophesied withall that hereafter his sonnes and posterity should grieve and waile for it which indeed came to passe for the Irish destroyed all that country for default of castles MCCCLV And in the thirty yeere of the same King Sir Thomas Rokesby Knight went out of his office of Justice the sixe and twenty day of July after whom succeeded Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmund and continued in the office untill his death Item on the day of Saint Pauls conversion the same Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas died Justice of Ireland in the castle of Dublin not without great sorrow of his friends and kinsfolke and no lesse feare and trembling of all other Irish that loved peace First he was buried in the quire of the preaching Friers of Dublin and at last enterred in the Covent Church of the Friers Preachers of Traly This man was a righteous Justicer in that hee stucke not to hang up those of his owne blood for theft and rapine and misdemeanours even as soone as strangers
passed over into England leaving behind him Sir Thomas Dale Knight his Deputy-Custos and Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVII Great warre began between the Berminghams of Carbry and the men of Meth because many robberies by the foresaid were committed in Meth. Then Sir Robert Preston Knight and Lord chiefe Baron of the Exchequer set a strong guard in the castle of Carbry and laid forth a great deale of money against the Kings enemies to defend his owne right in regard of his wife Item Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond was made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXVIII And in the 42. yeere of the same King in Carbry after a certaine Parliament ended betweene the Irish and English there were taken prisoners Frier Thomas Burley Prior of Kylmaynon the Kings Chancellour in Ireland Iohn Fitz-Reicher Sheriffe of Meth Sir Robert Tirell Baron of Castle-knoke with many besides by the Berminghams and others of Carbry Then James Bermingham who had been kept in the castle of Trim in yron manacles and fetters as a traytour was delivered out of prison in exchange for the foresaid Chancellour the other were put to their ransomes Item the Church of Saint Maries in Trim was burnt with the fire of the same Monastery Also in the Vigill of St. Luke the Evangelist the Lord Leonell Duke of Clarence died at Albe in Pyemont First he was buried in the City of Papie hard by St. Augustin the Doctor and afterward enterred at Clare in the covent Church of Austin Friers in England MCCCLXIX And in the 43. yeere of the foresaid King Sir William Windesore Knight a doughty man in armes and courageous came as the Kings Lievtenant into Ireland the twelfth day of July unto whom gave place in the office of Justice-ship Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond MCCCLXX And in the 44. yeere of the same King began the third pestilence and the greatest in Ireland in which died many Noblemen and Gentlemen Citizens also and children innumerable The same yeere Gerald Fitz-Moris Earle of Desmond the Lord Iohn Nicolas and the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn and many other noble persons were taken prisoners upon on the sixth of July neere unto the Monastery of Maio in the county of Limerick by O-Breen and Mac-Comar of Thomond and many were slaine in regard of which occurrent the said Lievtenant went over to Limericke to the defence of Mounster leaving the warres against the O-Tothiles and the rest in Leinster In this yeere died Lord Robert Terel Baron of castle Knock the Lady Scolastica his wife and their sonne and heire by reason whereof Joan Terel and Maud Terel sisters of the said Robert parted the inheritance between themselves Item there departed this life Lord Simon Fleming Baron of Slane Lord John Cusake Baron of Colmolyn and Iohn Tailour somtime Maior of Dublin a rich and mighty monied man That which followeth was copied out of the Manuscript Chronicles of Henry Marleburgh MCCCLXXII Sir Robert Asheton came Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCLXXIII Great warring there was between the English of Meth and O-Ferdle in which warre many of both sides were slaine Item in May Lord John Husse Baron of Galtrim John Fitz Richard Sheriffe of Meth and William Dalton in Kynaleagh were killed by the Irish. MCCCLXXV Thomas Archbishop of Dublin died and in the same yeere was Robert of Wickford consecrated Archbishop of Dublin MCCCLXXXI There departed this life Edmund Mortimer the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland Earle of March and Ulster at Cork MCCCLXXXIII There was a great pestilence in Ireland MCCCLXXXV The bridge of the city of Dublin fell downe MCCCXC Robert Wickford Archbishop of Dublin died The same yeere Robert Waldebey Archbishop of Dublin of the order of Austen Friers was translated MCCCXCVII There hapned the translation and death of Frier Richard Northalis Archbishop of Dublin one of the Carmelites order Also in the same yeere Thomas Crauley was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin The same yeere the Lord Thomas Burgh and the Lord Walter Bermingham slew sixe hundred of the Irish and their captain Mac-Con Item Roger Earle of March Lievtenant of Ireland wasted the country of O-Bryn with the help of the Earle of Ormund and dubbed there seven Knights to wit Christopher Preson John Bedeleu Edmund Loundris John Loundris William Nugent Walter de la Hyde and Robert Cadell at the forcing and winning of a most strong Manor house of the said O-Bryn MCCCXCVIII Upon the Ascension day of our Lord the Tothils slew forty English among whom John Fitz-William Thomas Talbot and Thomas Comyn were killed which was a pitifull mishap In the same yeere on St. Margarets day Roger Earle of March the Kings Lievtenant was with many others slaine at Kenlys in Leinster O Bryn and other Irish of Leinster in whose place and office Roger Grey is chosen Justice In the same yeere upon the feast of S. Marke Pope and Confessor came to Dublin the noble Duke of Sutherey as the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland with whom at the same time arrived Master Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin MCCCXCIX And in the 23. yeere of King Richard upon Sunday which fell out to be the morrow after S. Fetronill or Pernill the Virgins day the same glorious King Richard arrived at Waterford with two hundred saile Item the sixth day of the same weeke at Ford in Kenlys within the country of Kilâ—are were slaine of the Irish 200. by Ieâ—icho and other English and the morrow after the Dublinians made a rode in the country of O-Bryn and slew of the Irish 33. and fourescore men and women with their little children they took prisoners The same yeere the said King came to Dublin the fourth day before the Calends of July where hee heard rumours of Henrie the Duke of Lancaster his comming into England whereupon himself passed over with speed into England MCCCC In the first yeere of King Henry the fourth at Whitsontide the Constable of Dublin castle and many others encountred the Scots at sea before Stranford in Ulster whereupon fell out a lamentable accident for that many of the English were slaine and drowned there MCCCCI In the second yeere of King Henry the fourth Sir John Stanley the K. Lievtenant passed over into England in the month of May leaving in his roome Sir William Stanley In the same yeere upon the Vigill of Saint Bartholomew there entred into Ireland Stephen Scroop as deputy to the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland The same yeere on the day of S. Brice Bishop and Confessor the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived at Dublin Lievtenant of Ireland MCCCCII On the fifth of July was the Church of the Friers Preachers at Dublin dedicated by the Archbishop of Dublin and the same day John Drake the Maior of Dublin with the citizens and men of the countrey slew in battell of the Irish neere unto Bree 493. and were victorious over the Irish. The same yeere in the moneth of September a Parliament was holden at Dublin at which time in Uriel Sir
522 a Burrow bridg 701 a Burrow a town 522 b Baron Burrow or Burgh 303 f Burrough a towne and family 522 Burrough of Southwarke 303 d Burthred the last King of Mercians 554 a Burse of London or Roiall Exchange 439 b Burgh upon Sands 775 e Burgundians brought into Britaine 71 Burton Lazers 522 a Burton upon Trent 586 b Burwell castle 490 Buriall of men with legs a crosse 808 a Bury Abbey 460 e Bustlers a family 489 e Busleys or Busseies a family 535 Busy Gap 800 f Butlers of Wem 592 c Butler of Woodhall ibid. c Butler Earle of Wiltshire 256 d Butlers a family 748 b Butlers or Botelers of Ireland 752 f Butterby 739 Butsiet 20 Buttington 662 Burton well 557 c Byliricay 442 e C CAblu 21 Cadbury 221 c Cadier Arthur or Arthurs chair an hill 627 c Cadocus Earl of Cornwall 197 b Cadugan ap Blethin 658 c. 662 c a renowned Britaine Caerulus Caerulum 24 Caesars entry into Britaine 343 e where hee passed over the Tamis 295 e Caesaromagus 442 b Caesarea the name of manie Cities 442 b Iul. Caesar his temperance and small port 38 his patience ibid. conquered not Britaine 38 he neglected Britaine ibid. Caesares 164 Caer what it signifieth 204 a Caer Caradocke an Hill 590 a Caer Custeineth 668 d Caerdiff 642 d Caerfuse 661 e Caer Gai 666 a Caer Guby 673 a Caer Guortigern ibid. Caerhean ibid. Caer Leon ibid. Caermardenshire 649 Caermarden City 649 e Caernarvonshire 667 Caernarvon-towne 668 e Caer Palladâ—r 270 a Caer Phillicastle 642 a Caer Segonte 270 a Caer Vorran 800 e Caer went 633 d Caer wisk 679 d Caihaignes a family 395 Caius Caesar ment to invade Britaine 40. his vanity his voiage thither 41. his triumph over Britaine 42 Cainsham 236 e Calaterium nemus 723 d Caishoberry 415 a Calc i. lime Calcaria 699 a Calder the river 691 a Caldwell 731 c Caledonians make head against the Romans 56 Caloughdon 568 c Calphurnius Agricola 66 Calshot or Caldshore 260 d Calveley a place and worthy family 608 d Sir Hugh Calveley a valiant knight 608 d Callais no ancient towne 348 b Calthrops a family 463 e Cam a river why so called 486 a Cam 21 Camalet 221 b Camalet townes ibid. c Camalodunum 43. lost 50 Cambodunum 449. Camb-alan-river 194 Camboritum 486 a Camden or Camp den 364 f Camden the Author his opinion of the name of Britannia and the originall of Britans 9 Cambridge in Glocestershire 362 c Cambridgeshire 485 Cambridge defaced and burnt 488 b Cambridge town and Universitie 486 c When it became an Universitie 489 a Camulus a God 446 e Camell a river 194 Camelsford ibid. Candishor Cavendish 554 b Camois Barons 312 e Candocus see Cadocus Cambridge Earles 495 e Camvills a family 569 a Camur 21. Candetum 20 Cangi a people in Britaine 611 b 231 a. subdued 43 Cank-wood 583 e Canterium 19. Cantroed 20 Cantelowes an honorable family 514 a Cantlow 201 f Th. Cantlow a Bishop and Saint 619 c Cantium what cape 1 Canterbury Colledge in Oxford 381 a Canterbury 336 c. Canterbury Archbishops Primates of Britaine 338 e Cantred what it is 650 b Cantred Bitham ibid. Cantred Maur 650 c Can a river 759 c. 445 d Cancefeilds a family 755 d Candale or Kendale a Barony 759 c Canel Cole 735 d Canonium is Chelmesford 445 d Cantabri and Scithians of like manners 121 Canvey Isle 441 a Cantaber a Spaniard founder of Cambridge Universitie 487 a Canutus his Apophth 261 e Canvills a family 515 c Capgrave his legends 646 Capitatio a Tribute 100 Caradauc Urichfas 590 c King Caradock 633 â— f. delivered unto Ostorius 590 a. taken prisoner by Queen Cactismana 44. his undaunted courage ibid. Caratacus Prince of the Dimeiae 657 e. 43 Caranton 220 Cardiganshire 657. Lord thereof 658 c Cardigan a towne 657 e Careg castle 650 Carleton a towne and family 472 d Carews of Surry 302 c Carews a family 652 c Carew castle ibid. Carew of Anthony 198 d Carewes a noble family 202 e 282 d Caries 202 e R. Carew 193 Carew Baron of Clopton 565 b Careston 517 c Carlile 778 d. Old Carlile 773 b. Carlile had one Earle 780 d Carnabies a family 808 f Carthismandua wife to Venusius a stout Lady 48. her loose life and adultery 53 Carmelite Friers 351 e. brought first into England 813 d Carthmell 755 a Caribec 121 Carisbrook 275 c Careswell a castle and family 587 Carausius usurpeth the Empire 72. governeth Britaine well ib. slaine by Allectus 72 Carus and Carinus Emperours 73 Carminow 190 Carrs a family 815 Carr a river 210 c Carmouth 210 b Carram 815 a Carvills a family 481 a Carvilius 37 Henry Cary Baron of Hunsden his high and noble descent 408 409 Sir Edmund Cary knight of high descent 414 e Cassibelinus Generall of the Britaines armie 36 Cassibellinus or Cassiavelanus encountereth Caesar and the Romans 37. is repulsed ibid. treateth about peace with Caesar 37 Cassii 391 c. why so called ibid. f Caster 473 d Caster in Huntingdonshire 502 a Castigand an high hill 501 d Castle in the Peake ib. 502 a Castle Acre 481 c. 557 d Castle Ashby 509 e Castle Camps 488 f. 489 f Castle Cary 696 b Castle Coch 662 b Castle Colwen or of Maud in Colewent 623 b Castle Crest by Lichfeild 582 e Castle Comb 243 e Castle Dinas Bran 677 c Castle Dinas 628 d Castleford 695 a Castle Gard 345 a. 201 c Castle Paine 623 b Castle steeds 783 b. 793 d. 808 Castor 542 d Catadunae or waterfalls 759 f Castellan Denis 194 Catesby a towne 508 b. anancient family ib. tainted by Rob. Catesby of Ashbie Saint Leger ibid. 431 d Catheri Heretickes 84 Catlidge 498 b Catmose a vale 525 f Caterna 18 Caterva ibid. Cattieuch lani 391 Catarick 730 c d Caturactonium 730 c Caturfa 18 Caud a river 778 b Caudbeck ibid. c Sir Will. Cavendish or Candish Baron of Hardwick 556 a Caves a family 515 b A Cave wonderfull in Glamorganshire 643 b Caurse castle 592 e Causeies or highwaies in Britain 63. what names they have in divers authors 64. by whom and how they were made 64. in Italy and else where 64 Cawood 707 d Caxton 485 c Cecily Nevill mother to King Edward the fourth 511 b. an unfortunate Lady ibid. b c. her tomb subverted 510 e Rob. Cecil Baron of Essendon Viscount Cranburn 217 c Rob. Cecil Earle of Salisbury 250 e Thomas Cecil Earle of Excester 206 a Sir Wil. Cecil baron Burghley 514 e Cedos Caesar 18 Centuries see Hundreds Celtae whence derived 20 Cerdick a warlike Saxon 477 d Cerdick sand ibid. Cerdick shore ibid. Cerastis 184 Cerealis vanquished 50. hee conquered the Brigantes 54 Cerne Abbey 212 b Cerygy Drudion 675 c Cester an addition to cities 517 Cester Over ibid. Cley-Cester 518 b Chad a famous Bishop of Lichfield 585 e. 441 a canonized a Saint ibid. Sir Thomas Chaloner a learned knight 721 d
sheweth But in these matters let Ninnius cleere his owne credit for stuffed hee hath that little booke with many a pretty lie Yet this I may be bold to affirme that it flourished in great honour about that time and I my selfe have lighted here upon very many peeces of the coine of Constantine the younger sonne to Constantine the Great which in their reverse have the portraict of an house with this Inscription PROVIDENTIA CAES. Now that this Constantius whom he maketh the builder of this Citie died at Mopsuestia in Cilicia and was interred in Constantinople in the Sepulchre of his Ancestors it is knowne for certaine and confessed Yet I will not denie but that hee might have in this citie a monument erected in honour and remembrance of him For many there were that had such monuments built about which the souldiers were wont yearely to just and keepe solemne turneaments in honour of the dead When the declining Roman Empire hastened to an end and barbarous nations began every where to waste and spoile the Provinces their Armies heere in Britaine fearing least the flame of this fire wherewith their next neighbours in France were consumed would catch hold of them set up and created Emperours to themselves first Marcus then Gratian whom they soone slew and last of all in the yeare after Christs birth 407 our Constantine for his names sake they forced wild he nild he to usurpe the Empire and to put on the Imperiall Purple robe in the citie Caer Segont as both Ninnius and Gervase of Canterburie do witnesse This Constantine putting to sea out of Britaine landed at Bologne in France and drew all the Roman armies even as farre as the Alpes to side and joyne with him in his warres Hee stoutly defended Valentia in France against the power of Honorius the Emperour the River Rhene which long before had beene neglected hee fortified with a garrison Upon the Alpes where any passage was hee built fortresses In Spaine under the conduct of his sonne Constans whom of a Monke he had declared Emperour he warred fortunately and afterwards having sent his letters unto Honorius and craved pardon for suffering the souldiers to put upon him the purple perforce whether hee would or no he accepted at his hands the Imperiall investure which hee freely gave him Whereupon being puffed up with pride after hee had passed the Alpes his mind was wholly set upon a journey to Rome But hearing that Alaricus the Gothe who had favoured his part was dead hee returned to Arles where hee setled his Imperiall seat caused the Citie to bee called Constantina and commanded the courts and assemblies of seven Provinces there to bee holden In the meane time Gerontius excited the souldiers against their Lord and when he had treacherously slaine his sonne Constans at Vienna in France besieged Constantine also himselfe within Arles But after that one Constantius sent by Honorius with a great armie made head against him Gerontius killed himselfe And Constantine being now streitly besieged and by reason of the unhappie successe of his men past all hope laid aside the Purple and his great estate entred into the Church became a Priest and straight-waies when Arles was yeilded up and hee carried into Italie was himselfe together with his sonne Julian unto whom he had given the title of Nobilissimus and his brother Sebastian beheaded Thus much briefly of these occurrents which before are discoursed more at large out of Zosimus Zosomenus Nicephorus Orosius and Olympiodorus to the end that Veritie may triumph over their vanitie who have besprinkled this story with most ridiculous and foolish lies of their owne devising Moreover in this citie our Historiographers write that our warlike Arthur was invested and crowned King But not long after it was razed quite either in the Saxons warres or when Adelwolph being offended with his brother King Edward upon a malicious mind together with the helpe of the Danish Rovers wasted this countrey even to Basing-stoke And now remaineth nothing save the wals which although they want their battlements Curtaine and coppe yet they seeme to have beene of a very great height For the earth is so growne up with the rubble that I could scarce with stouping low passe through an old posterne which they call Onions Hole These walles in some sort continue whole but that they be broken through in those places where the gates were and out of the very walles I saw grow oakes of that bignesse and those seeming as it were bredde with the very stones with such huge roots clasping one another a great way and spreading forth so mightie armes and boughes all abroad that it would make the beholders to wonder thereat These walles take in compasse about two Italian miles Whereupon haply the Saxons called this citie Selcester as one would say The great Citie for Sel may seeme to sound with them as much as Great seeing Asserius hath interpreted the Saxon word Selwood The Great wood And before the walles Westward where is a plaine there lieth a banke of a great length raised and cast up for a defence and fortification The scite of this old citie containeth about fourescore acres of ground within which being a soile ploughed up an tilled are divided into corne-fields with a little grove in the West-side but on the East neere unto the gappe in the wall there standeth a Farme-house and a pretty Church more lately built in which while I searched for ancient inscriptions I found nothing but onely in the windowes certaine armes to wit In a field sable seven Fusils argent in Bend likewise in a shield sables a Fesse between two Cheverns and in an Escutcheon Or an Eagle displaied with two heads gules This last I have heard say was the coat of the Blewets unto whom this land came about the Conquerours time The second belonged unto the ancient house of the Bainards of Leckham but the first to the Cusanz by whom from the Blewets it descended hereditarily to the said Bainards But in the raigne of William the Conquerour it was the possession of William de Ow a Norman who being accused of high treason and desirous to prove his innocencie by combat was overcome in fight and by commandement of King William Rufus had his two eies pluckt out of his head and lost both his genetals This is found by continuall observation as I have learned of the Inhabitants of this place that although the ground bee fertile and fruitfull enough yet in certaine places crossing one another the corne doth not thrive so well but commeth up much thinner then else where by which they suppose the streets of the citie went in old time There are heere daily digged up bricks such as wee call Britaine-bricks and great store of Roman coine which they terme Onions pennies For they dreame that this Onion was a Giant and dwelt in this citie There are digged up also many times inscriptions of
which the unskilfull rurall people envie us the having Onely one was brought from hence to London which was to be seene in the gardens of the right honourable Sir William Cecill Lord Burghley and high Treasurer of England to wit MEMORIAE FL. VICTORINAE T. TAM VICTOR CONJUX POSVIT That this Tombe was erected for that Victorina which was called Mater Castrorum that is The mother of the Campe and who against Gallienus the Emperour excited in Gaule and Britaine the two Victorini her sonne and sonnes sonne Posthumus likewise Lollianus Marius and Tetricus Caesars I would not with others affirme Yet I have read that two of the VICTORS were in some place here in Britaine and those at one and the selfe-same time the one Maximus the Emperour his soone the other Praefectus Praetorio to the same Emperour of whom Saint Ambrose maketh mention in his Epistles but I dare avouch that neither of these twaine reared this monument for his wife As one high way or street of the Romans went straight from hence Southward to Winchester so there was another ran west-ward through Pamber Forrest very full of trees and other by-places now standing out of the way hard by Litchfield that is the field of dead bodies to the Forrest of Chute pleasant for coole shade of trees plentifull game in which the Hunters and Forresters themselves do wonder at the banke or ridge thereof so evident to be seene paved with stone but broken here and there More toward the North in the very edge and frontier of this Shire we saw Kings-Cleare a market towne in these daies well frequented the residence in times past of the Saxon Kings by it Fremantle in a parke where King Iohn much haunted also Sidmanton the habitation of the Kingsmils Knights and Burgh-Cleare scituate under an high hill in the top whereof a warlike rampire such as our countreymen called a Burgh hath a trench taking a great compasse about it from whence there being a faire and open prospect every way ever the countrey lying underneath there standeth a Beacon that by light burning fire the enemies comming may bee shewed to all the neighbour-Inhabitants round about And verily such watches or signals as this we terme in common speech Beacons of the old word Beacnian that is to shew by a signe and for these many hundred yeares they have beene in right great request and much used among us in some places by heaping up a deale of wood in others by barrels full of pitch fastened to the top of a mast or pole in the highest places of the countrey at which by night some doe evermore watch and in old time there were set horsemen as posts in many places whom our Ancestors called Hobelers who in the day time should give notice of the enemies approach This shire like as the rest which hitherto we have run over belonged to the west-Saxon Kings and when they had deposed Sigebert from his Kingdome for his tyrannie evill entreating and lewd managing of his province this countrey as Marianus writeth was assigned unto him least hee should seeme altogether a private person Whom notwithstanding afterward for his wicked deeds they likewise expelled from hence and so far was it off that this afflicted state of a King moved any man to take pitie of him that a Swine-heard in the end slew him in the wood Anderida where he had lurked and hidden himselfe This Shire can reckon but very few Earles besides those of Winchester which I have already named In the first time of the Normans Bogo or Beavose the English man who fought against the Normans in the battell at Cardiff in Wales is reputed to have beene Earle of South-hampton a man for warlike prowesse much renowned whom while the Monks laboured to set out with their fained fables they have obscured his doughtie deeds in greater darkenesse From which time unto the daies of K. Henry the Eight there was no Earle of South-hampton that I read of but he created William Fitz-williams descended from the daughter of Marquesse Montacute both Earle of South-hampton and also Admirall of England when he was now well stricken in yeares Who dying straight after without issue King Edward the Sixth in the first yeare of his raigne conferred the said honour upon Thomas Wriotheosley Lord Chancellor whose grand-child Henrie by his sonne Henrie enjoyeth the same at this day and in the prime and flowre of his age hath by good literature and militarie experience strengthned his honorable parentage that in riper yeares he might be more serviceable to his Prince and countrey There be found in this shire Parishes 253. and mercate townes 18. VECTA INSVLA ISLE OF WIGHT TO this Countie of South-hampton belongeth that Island which lieth out in length over against the midst of it South-ward called by the Romans in times past VECTA VECTIS and VICTESIS by Ptolomee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Britaines Guith by English-Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For an Island they termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by us in these daies the Isle of Wight and the Whight by so small a streight running betweene anciently called Solent It is severed from the maine land that it may seeme to have beene conjoyned to it whereof that British name of it Guith which betokeneth a separation as Ninnius saith is thought to have beene given even as Sicilie also being broken off as it were and cut from Italie got the name from Secando the Latin word which signifieth cutting as the right learned Iulius Scaliger is of opinion Whereupon under correction alwaies of the Iudicious Criticks I would read in the sixt Quest. Naturall of Seneca thus Ab Italia Siciliaresecta that is Sicilie cut from Italie wheras it is commonly read there rejecta By this Vicinitie of Scite Affinitie of name we may well thinke this Vecta to be that Icta which as Diodorus Siculus writeth seemed at every tide to be an Island but when it was ebbe the ancient Britaines were wont that way to carry tinne thither by carts which should bee transported into France But yet I would not deeme it to be that MICTIS in Plinie which likewise commeth very neere unto VECTA For that in it there was plentie of tinne but in this of ours there is not to my knowledge any veine at all of mettall This Isle betweene East and West in ovall forme stretcheth out twentie miles in length and spreadeth in the midst where it is broadest twelve miles having the one side turning to the North and the other Southward The ground to say nothing of the sea exceeding full of fish consisteth of soile very fruitfull and is thankefull to the husbandman in so much as it doth affoord corne to be carried forth breeding every where store of conies hares partridges and phesants One little forrest it hath likewise and two parkes replenished with deere for game and hunting pleasure Through the midst thereof