any expedition set out either by sea or land it served in proportion to five hides It hath beene likewise from time to time much afflicted once spoiled and sore shaken by the furious outrages of the Danes in the yeare of our redemption 875. but most grievously by Suen the Dane in the yeare 1003. at which time by the treacherie of one Hugh a Norman Governor of the citie it was raced and ruined along from the East gate to the West And scarcely began it to flourish againe when William the Conquerour most straightly beleaguered it when the Citizens in the meane while thought it not sufficient to shut their gates against him but malapartly let flie taunts and flouts at him but when a piece of their wall fell downe by the speciall hand of God as the Historians of that age report they yielded immediatly thereupon At which time as we find in the said survey-booke of his The King had in this Citie three hundred houses it paid fifteene pounds by the yeare and fortie houses were destroyed after that the King came into England After this it was thrice besieged and yet it easily avoided all First by Hugh Courtney Earle of Denshire in that civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke then by Perkin Warbecke that imaginarie counterfeit and pretended Prince who being a young man of a very base condition faining himselfe to be Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of King Edward the Fourth stirred up dangerous stirres against Henrie the Seventh thirdly by seditious Rebels of Cornwall in the yeare of Christ 1549 at which time the Citizens most grievously pinched though they were with scarcitie of all things continued neverthelesse in their faith and allegeance untill that Iohn Lord Russell raised the siege and delivered them But Excester received not so great damage at these enemies hands as it did by certaine dammes which they call Weares that Edward Courtney Earle of Denshire taking high displeasure against the Citizens made in the river Ex which stop the passage so that no vessell can come up to the Citie but since that time all merchandize is carried by land from Topesham three miles off And albeit it hath beene decreed by Act of Parliament to take away these Weares yet they continue there still Hereupon the little Towne adjoyning is call Weare being aforetime named Heneaton which was sometime the possession of Augustine de Baa from whom in right of inheritance it descended to Iohn Holland who in his signet which my selfe have seene bare a Lion rampant gardant among flowers de Lys. The civill government of this Citie is in the power of foure and twenty persons out of whom there is from yeare to yeare a Major elected who with foure Bailiffes ruleth heere the State As touching the Geographicall description of this place the old tables of Oxford have set downe the longitude thereof to bee nineteene degrees and eleven scruples the latitude fiftie degrees and fortie scruples or minutes This Citie that I may not omit so much hath had three Dukes For Richard the Second of that name King of England created Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon and his brother by the mothers side the first Duke of Excester whom Henrie the Fourth deposed from this dignitie and left unto him the name onely of Earle of Huntingdon and soone after for conspiracie against the King he lost both it and his life by the hatchet Some few yeares after Henry the Fifth set in his place Thomas Beaufort of the house of Lancaster and Earle of Dorset a right noble and worthy warriour When he was dead leaving no issue behind him John Holland sonne of that aforesaid John as heire unto his brother Richard who died without children and to his father both being restored to his bloud by the favour and bounty of King Henry the Sixth recovered his fathers honor and left the same to Henry his sonne who so long as the Lancastrians stood upright flourished in very much honor but afterwards when the family of Yorke was a float and had rule of all gave an example to teach men how ill trusting it is to great Fortunes For this was that same Henry Duke of Excester who albeit he had wedded King Edward the Fourth his sister was driven to such miserie that he was seene all tottered torne and barefooted to begge for his living in the Low countries And in the end after Barnet field fought wherein he bare himselfe valiantly against Edward the Fourth was no more seene untill his dead bodie as if he had perished by Shipwracke was cast upon the shore of Kent A good while after this Henry Courtney Earle of Denshire the sonne of Katharine daughter to King Edward the Fourth was advanced to the honour of Marquesse of Excester by Henry the Eighth and designed heire apparant But this Marquesse as well as the first Duke was by his high parentage cast into a great tempest of troubles wherein as a man subject to suspitions and desirous of a change in the State he was quickly overthrowne And among other matters because he had with money and counsell assisted Reginald Poole afterwards Cardinall then a fugitive practising with the Emperour and the Pope against his owne Country and the King who had now abrogated the Popes authoritie he was judicially arraigned and being condemned with some others lost his head But now of late by the favour of King Iames Thomas Cecill Lord Burleigh enjoyeth the title of Earle of Excester a right good man and the worthy sonne of so excellent a father being the eldest sonne of William Cecill Lord Burleigh high Treasurer of England whose wisedome for a long time was the support of peace and Englands happy quietnesse From Excester going to the very mouth of the River I find no monument of Antiquitie but Exminster sometime called Exanminster bequeathed by King Elfred to his younger sonne and Pouderham Castle built by Isabell de Ripariis the seat long time of that most noble family of the Courtneys Knights who being lineally descended from the stocke of the Earles of Denshire and allied by affinitie to most honorable houses flourish still at this day most worthy of their descent from so high Ancestors Under Pouderham Ken a pretty brooke entreth into Ex which riseth neere Holcombe where in a Parke is a faire place built by Sir Thomas Denis whose family fetcheth their first off-spring and surname from the Danes and were anciently written Le Dan Denis by which name the Cornish called the Danes But lower upon the very mouth of the river on the other banke side as the name it selfe doth testifie standeth Exanmouth knowne by nothing else but the name and for that some fishermen dwelt therein More Eastward Otterey that is The River of Otters or River-Dogs which we call Otters as may appeare by the signification of the word falleth into the sea which runneth hard under
owne habitation For kings in those daies sat in Judgement place in their owne persons And they are indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Judges Whose mouth as that Royall Writer saith shall not erre in Judgement But the foresaid Palace after it was burnt downe in the yeare of our Lord 1512. lay desolate and king Henry the Eighth translated shortly after the kings Seat from thence to an house not farre off which belonged but a while before to Cardinall Wolsey and is called White Hall This house is a Princely thing enclosed of the one side with a Parke that reacheth also to another house of the kings named S. James where anciently was a Spittle for Maiden Lepres built by king Henry the Eighth on the other side with the Tamis A certaine Poet termed the foresaid House according to the English name thereof Leucaeum in Latine as appeareth in these Verses Regale subintrant Leucaeum Reges dederant memorabile quondam Atria quae niveo candebant marmore nomen Quod Tamisis prima est cui gloria pascere cygnos Ledaeos ranco pronus subterluit aestu To Royall Palace Kings enter in sometime LEUCEUM hight This famous name those Courts it gave that shone with marble white Hard under it with low-sound streame Tamis downe apace doth glide A River feeding Swannes wherein he takes especiall pride Hard by neere unto the Mues so called for that it served to keepe Hawkes and now is become a most faire Stable for the kings horses there remaineth a monument in memoriall of that most pious and kinde Queene Aeleonor erected by the king Edward the First her most dearely beloved husband and certes the memory of her loving kindnesse shall remaine worthy to be consecrated to aeternity For shee the daughter of Ferdinand the Third king of Castile being given in marriage to Edward the first king of England accompanied him into the Holy Land where when as he was secretly forelaid and by a certaine Moore wounded with an envenomed sword and by all the remedies that Physitians could devise was not so much eased as afflicted shee tooke her to a cure strange I must needs say and never heard of before howbeit full of love and kinde affection For her Husbands wounds infected with the poison and which by reason of the malignity thereof could not bee closed and healed shee day by day licked with her tongue and sucked out the venemous humour which to her was a most sweet liquour By the vigour and strength whereof or to say more truely by vertue of a wives lovely fidelity she so drew unto her all the substance of the poison that the wounds being closed and cicatrized hee became perfectly healed and shee caught no harme at all What then can bee heard more rare what more admirable than this womans faithfull love That a wives tongue thus annointed as I may so say with faith and love to her Husband should from her well beloved draw those poisons which by an approved Physitian could not bee drawne and that which many and those right exquisite medicines effected not the love onely and piety of a Wife performed Thus much of Westminster joyntly with London although as I have said it is a City by it selfe and hath a severall jurisdiction from it because with continued buildings it so joyneth thereto that it may seeme to be one and the same City Moreover at the West end of the City other Suburbs runne a great way in length with goodly rowes of houses orderly ranged as namely Holborne or rather more truely Oldborne wherein stood anciently the first house of the Templers onely in the place now called Southampton house But now there stand certaine Innes or Colleges of Students in the Common Law and a City-habitation of the Bishops of Ely well beseeming Bishops to dwell in for which they are beholden to John de Hotham Bishop of Ely under king Edward the Third At the North side likewise there be Suburbs annexed to the City wherein Iordan Briset a man very wealthy and devout built an house for the Knights Hospitalers of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem which grew in time so great that it resembled a Palace and had in it a very faire Church and a Towre-steeple raised to a great height with so fine workemanship that while it stood it was a singular beauty and ornament to the City These Knights Hospitalers at their first institution about the yeare 1124. and long after were so lowly all the while they continued poore that their Governour was stiled Servant to the poore Servitours of the hospitall of Ierusalem like as the Master of the Templars who shortly after arose was termed The humble Minister of the poore Knights of the Temple This religious Order was instituted shortly after Geffery of Bollen had recovered Hierusalem The Brethren whereof ware a white Crosse upon their upper blacke Garment and by solemne Profession were bound to serve Pilgrimes and poore people in the Hospitall of Saint Iohn at Hierusalem and to secure the passages thither they charitably buried the dead they were continuall in prayer mortified themselves with watchings and fastings they were courteous and kinde to the poore whom they called their Masters and fed with white bread while themselves lived with browne and carried themselves with great austerity Whereby they purchased to themselves the love and liking of all sorts and through the bounty of good Princes and private persons admiring their piety and prowesse they rose from this low degree to so high an estate and great riches that after a sort they wallowed in wealth For they had about the yeare of our Lord 1240. within Christendome nineteene thousand Lordships or Manours like as the Templars nine thousand the Revenewes and rents whereof in England fell afterwards also to these Hospitalers And this Estate of theirs growne to so great an height made way for them to as great honours so as their Prior in England was reputed the Prime Baron of the Land and able with fulnesse and aboundance of all things to maintaine an honourable Port untill that King Henry the Eighth advised by them which respected their private profit gat their lands and livings into his owne hands like as hee did of the Monasteries also Albeit it was then declared that such religious places being of most pious intent consecrated to the Glory of God might have beene according to the Canons of the Church bestowed in exhibition and Almes for Gods Ministers releefe of the poore redemption of Captives and repairing of Churches Neere unto it where now is to be seene a sightly circuit of faire houses was the Charter-house founded by Sir Walter Many of Henault who with singular commendation served under King Edward the Third in the French warres and in that place heretofore was a most famous Cemitery or buriall place in which in a plague time at London were buried in the yeare 1349. more than 50000. persons a
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
Bishop of the heathen rites and ceremonies after he had once embraced Christian Religion First of all profaned this Temple the very habitation of impiety by launcing a speare against it yea he destroyed it and as Bede writeth Set it on fire with all the enclosures and Isles belonging unto it From hence something more Eastward the River Hull bendeth his course to Humber which River hath his spring head neere unto Driffeild a Village well knowne by reason of the Tombe of Alfred that most learned King of Northumberland and the mounts that be raised heere and there about it The said River hasteneth thitherward not farre from Leckenfielde an house of the Percies Earles of Northumberland neere unto which standeth the dwelling place of a very famous and ancient Progeny of the Hothams at Schorburg together with the rubbish of an old Castle of Peter Mauley at Garthum And now approcheth the River Hull neerer unto Beverley in the English Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Bede seemeth to name the Monastery in Deirwand that is In the word of the Deiri a great Towne very populous and full of trade A man would guesse it by the name and situation to be PETUARIA PARISIORUM although it affordeth nothing of greater antiquity than that John sirnamed de Beverley Archbishop of Yorke a man as Bede witnesseth both godly and learned after he had given over his Bishopricke as weary of this world came hither and ended his life in contemplation about the yeere of our Redemption 721. The Kings held the memoriall of this John so sacred and reverend especially King Athelstan who honoured him as his tutelar Saint after he had put the Danes to flight that they endowed this place with many and those very great priviledges and Athelstane granted them liberties in these generall words All 's free make I thee as heart may thinke or eye may see Yea and there was granted unto it the priviledges of a Sanctuary so that bankrupts and men suspected of any capitall crime worthy of death might bee free and safe there from danger of the Law In which there was erected a Chaire of stone with this Inscription HAEC SEDES LAPIDEA Freedstoll DICITUR .i. PACIS CATHEDRA AD QUAM REUS FUGIENDO PERVENIENS OMNIMODAM HABET SECURITATEM That is This seat of Stone is called Freedstooll that is The chaire of Peace unto which what Offender soever flieth and commeth hath all manner of security Heereby the Towne grew great and daily there flocked hither a number to dwell as inmates and the Townesmen for conveyance of commodities by sea made a chanell for a water course out of the River Hull sufficient to carry boats and barges For the chiefe Magistracy there it had twelve Wardens afterwards Governours and Wardens And now by the gracious grant of Queene Elizabeth a Major and Governours More Eastward there flourished Meaux Abbay so called of one Gamell borne at Meaux in France who obtained it at William the Conquerours hands for a place to dwell in and heere was founded an Abbay for the Monkes of the Cluniacke order by William Le Grosse Earle of Aulbemarle to bee released of his vow that hee had made to visite Jerusalem A little lower runneth out in a great length Cottingham a country Towne of husbandry where by licence granted from King John Robert Estotevill the Lord thereof built a Castle now utterly fallen to ruine Which Robert was descended from Robert Grondebeofe or Grandebeofe a Baron of Normandy and a man of great name and reputation whose inheritance fell by marriage to the Lord de Wake and by a daughter of John de Wake it came to Edmund Earle of Kent who had a daughter named Joane wife unto that most warlique Knight Edward Prince of Wales who so often victoriously vanquished the French in divers places The River Hull aforesaid after it hath passed sixe miles from hence sheddeth himselfe into Humber and neere unto his mouth hath a Towne of his owne name called Kingston upon Hull but commonly Hull This Towne fetcheth the beginning from no great antiquity For King Edward the First who in regard of his Princely vertues deserveth to bee ranged among the principall and best Kings that ever were having well viewed and considered the opportunity of the place which before time was called Wike had it by right of exchange from the Abbat of Meaux and in lieu of the Beasts stals and sheepe pastures as I conceive it which there he found built a Towne that he named Kingston as one would say The Kings Towne and there as wee reade in the Records of the Kingdome hee made an haven and free Burgh the Inhabitants thereof also free Burgesses and he granted divers liberties unto them And by little and little it rose to that dignity that for stately and sumptuous buildings for strong block-houses for well furnished ships for store of Merchants and abundance of all things it is become now the most famous towne of merchandise in these parts All which the inhabitants ascribe partly to Michael de la-Pole who obtained their priviledges for them after that King Richard the Second had promoted him to the honour of Earle of Suffolke and partly their gainfull trade by Island fish dried and hardened which they tearme Stockfish whereby they gathered a maine masse of riches Hence it came to passe that within a little while they fensed their City with a bricke wall strengthened it with many Towres and Bulwarkes where it is not defended with the river and brought such a deale of coblestones for ballais to their ships that therewith they have paved all the quarters and streets of the towne most beautifully For the chiefe Magistrate it had as I have beene enformed first a Warden or Custos then Bailives afterward a Major and Bailives and in the end they obtained of K. Henry the Sixth that they might have a Major and a Sheriffe and that the very towne should be a County as our lawyers use to say incorporate by it selfe Neither will I thinke it much to note although in Barbarous tearmes out of the booke of Meaux Abbay as touching the Major of this City William De la Pole knight was beforetime a merchant at Ravens-rod skilfull in merchandise and inferiour to no English merchant whatsoever He making his aboade afterwards at Kingston upon Hull was the first Major that ever the said towne had he began also and founded the monastery of Saint Michael hard by the said King-ston which now is an house of the Carthusian or Charter-house monkes And he had for his eldest sonne Sir Michael De la Pole Earle of Suffolke who caused the said Monasterie to bee inhabited by Carthusian Monkes And verily William De la Pole aforesaid lent many thousand pounds of gold unto King Edward whiles hee made his aboade at Antwerp in Brabant wherefore the King in recompence of the said
which Scots at a low water when the tide was past used to passe over the river and fall to boot-haling But they would in no wise take Aeneas with them although hee intreated them very instantly no nor any woman albeit amongst them there were many both young maids and wives passing faire For they are perswaded verily that the enemies will doe them no hurt as who reckon whoredome no hurt nor evill at all So Aeneas remaines there alone with two servants and his Guide in company of an hundred women who sitting round in a ring with a good fire in the mids before them fell to hitchell and dresse hemp sate up all night without sleep and had a great deale of talk with his Interpreter When the night was far spent what with barking of dogs and gaggling of geese a mighty noise and outcry was made then all the women slipped forth divers waies his Guide also made shift to be gone and all was of an hurry as if the enemies had beene come But Aeneas thought it his best course to expect the event within his bed-chamber and that was a stable for feare lest if he had runne forth of dores knowing not the way he should become a prey and booty to him that should first meet him But see streightwaies the women returned with the Interpreter bring word all was well and that they were friends and not enemies were come thither There have been in this countrey certaine petty nations called Scovenburgenses and Fisburgingi but to point out precisely the very place of their abode in so great obscurity passeth my skill Neither can I define whether they were Danes or English But Florentius of Worcester published by the right honourable Lord William Howard writeth That when there was an assembly or Parliament holden at Oxenford Sigeferth and Morcar the worthier mightier ministers of the Scovenburgenses were secretly made away by Edrike Streona Also that Prince Edmund against his fathers will married Alfrith the wife of Sigefrith and having made a journey to the Fisburgings invaded Sigeferth his land and brought his people in subjection to him But let others inquire farther into these matters This region of North-humberland being brought under the English Saxons dominion by Osca Hengists brother and by his sonne Jebusa had first officiall governors under the fealty of the Kings of Kent After that when the kingdome of the Bernicii whom the Britans call Guir a Brinaich as it were Mountainers was erected that which reached from Tees to the Scottish Frith was the best part thereof and subject to the Kings of North-humberland who having finished their period whatsoever lay beyond Twede became Scottish and was counted Scotland Then Egbert King of the West-Saxons laied it to his owne kingdome when it was yeelded up to him Afterwards King Aelfred permitted the Danes to possesse it whom Athelstane some few yeeres after dispossessed and drave out yet after this the people set up Eilrick the Dane for their king whom King Ealdred forthwith displaced and expelled From which time forward this countrey had no more Kings over it but such as governed it were tearmed Earles Amongst whom these are reckoned up in order successively in our Histories Osulfe Oslake Edulph Walde of the elder Uchtred Adulph Alred Siward Tostie Edwin Morcar Osculph and that right valiant Siward who as he lived in armes so would he dye also armed Then his Earldome and these parts were given unto Tostie the brother of Earle Harold but the Earldomes of Northampton and Huntingdon with other lands of his were assigned to the noble Earle Walde of his sonne and heire These words of Ingulphus have I put downe because some deny that hee was Earle of Huntingdon And now will I adde moreover to the rest that which I have read in an old manuscript memoriall of this matter in the Librarie of Iohn Stow a right honest Citizen and diligent Antiquarie of the City of London Copso being made Earle of Northumberland by the gift of King William Conquerour expelled Osculph who notwithstanding within a few daies after slew him Then Osculph being runne through with a Javelin by a thiefe ended his life After this Gospatricke purchased the Earldome of the Conquerour who not long after deposed him from that honour and then succeeded after him Walde of Siwards sonne His fortune was to lose his head and in his roome was placed Walcher Bishop of Durham who like as Robert Comin his successour was slaine in a tumultuous commotion of the common people Afterwards Robert Mowbray attained to the same honour which hee soone lost through his owne perfidious treacherie when he devised to deprive King William Rufus of his royall estate and to advance Stephen Earle of Albemarle a sonne to the Conquerors sister thereunto Then K. Stephen made Henrie the sonne of David King of Scotland as wee read in the Poly Chronicon of Durham Earle of Northumberland whose sonne also William that afterwards was King of Scots writ himselfe William de Warrenna Earle of Northumberland for his mother was descended out of the familie of the Earles of Warren as appeareth out of the booke of Brinkburne Abbey After some few yeeres King Richard the first passed away this Earldome for a summe of money unto Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for tearm of his life scoffing that he had made a young Earle of an old Bishop But when the said King was imprisoned by the Emperour in his returne out of the Holy-land and Hugh for his deliverie had contributed only 2000. pounds of silver which the King took not well at his hands because he was deemed to have performed but a little whom hee understood to have raised and gotten together a huge masse of money under pretence of his ransome and release he devested and deprived him of his Earldome After which time the title of the Barledome of Northumberland lay discontinued about an hundred and fourescore yeeres But at this day the family of the Percies enjoyeth the same which family being descended from the Earles of Brabant inherited together with the surname of Percie the possessions also of Percie ever since that Joscelin of Lovaine younger sonne of Godfrey Duke of Brabant the true issue of the Emperour Charles the Great by Gerberga the daughter of Charles a younger brother to Lothar the last King of France of the line of Charles tooke to wife Agnes the daughter and sole heire of William Percie of which William the great grandfather William Percie comming into England with King William the Conquerour was rewarded by him for his service with lands in Tatcaster Linton Normanby and other places Between this Agnes and Joscelin it was covenanted that hee should assume the name of Percies and retaine still unto him the ancient Armes of Brabant viz. A Lion azure which the Brabanters afterwards changed in a shield Or. The first Earle of Northhumberland out of this family was Henrie Percie begotten of Marie daughter
extended it selfe in old time farre and wide everie way in these parts As for the places herein they are of no great account but the Earles thereof are very memorable Thomas a younger sonne of Rolland of Galloway was in his wives right Earle of Athol whose sonne Patricke was by the Bissets his concurrents murdered in feud at Hadington in his bed-chamber and forthwith the whole house wherein hee lodged burnt that it might be supposed he perished by casualtie of fire In the Earldome there succeeded David Hastings who had married the aunt by the mothers side of Patricke whose sonne that David surnamed of Strathbogie may seeme to be who a little after in the reigne of Henrie the third King of England being Earle of Athol married one of the daughters and heires of Richard base sonne to John King of England and had with her a verie goodly inheritance in England She bare unto him two sonnes John Earle of Athol who being of a variable disposition and untrustie was hanged up aloft on a gallowes fiftie foot high and David Earle of Athol unto whom by marriage with one of the daughters and heires of John Comin of Badzenoth by one of the heires of Aumar de Valence Earle of Penbroch there fell great lands and possessions His sonne David who under King Edward the second was otherwhiles amongst English Earles summoned to the Parliaments in England and under King Edward Balliol made Lord Lievtenant Generall of Scotland was vanquished by the valerous prowesse of Andrew de Murray and slaine in battaile within the Forrest of Kelblen in the yeere of our Lord 1335. And his sonne David left two young daughters only Elizabeth wedded unto Sir Thomas Percie from whom the Barons of Burrough are descended and Philip married to Sir Thomas Halsham an English Knight Then fell the title of Athol unto that Walter Stewart sonne to King Robert the second who cruelly murdered James the first King of Scotland and for this execrable crueltie suffered most condigne punishment accordingly in so much as Aeneas Sylvius Embassadour at that time in Scotland from Pope Eugenius the fourth gave out this speech That hee could not tell whether hee should give them greater commendations that revenged the Kings death or brand them with sharper censure of condemnation that distained themselves with so hainous a parricide After some few yeeres passed betweene this honour was granted unto John Stewart of the family of Lorne the sonne of James surnamed The Black Knight by Joan the widow of King James the first daughter to John Earle of Somerset and Niece to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster whose posteritie at this day enjoy the same Tau bearing now a bigger streame by receiving Almund unto him holdeth on his course to Dunkelden adorned by King David with an Episcopall See Most writers grounding upon the signification of that word suppose it to be a towne of the Caledonians and interpret it The Mount or hill of Hazeles as who would have that name given unto it of the Hazel trees in the wood Caledonia From hence the Tau goeth forward by the carkasse of Berth a little desolate Citie remembring well enough what a great losse and calamitie hee brought upon it in times past when with an extraordinarie swelling flood hee surrounded all the fields layed the goodly standing corne along on the ground and carried headlong away with him this poore Citie with the Kings childe and infant in his cradle and the inhabitants therein In steed whereof in a more commodious place King William builded Perth which straightwaies became so wealthy that Necham who lived in that age versified of it in this manner Transis ample Tai per rura per oppida per Perth Regnum sustentant istius urbis opes By villages by townes by Perth thou runn'st great Tay amaine The riches of this Citie Perth doth all the realme sustaine But the posteritie ensuing called it of a Church founded in honour of Saint John Saint Iohns towne and the English whiles the warres were hot betweene the Bruses and the Balliols fortified it with great bulwarks which the Scots afterwards for the most part overthrew and dismantled it themselves Howbeit it is a proper pretie Citie pleasantly seated betweene two Greenes and for all that some of the Churches be destroyed yet a goodly shew it maketh ranged and set out in such an uniforme maner that in everie severall street almost there dwell severall artificers by themselves and the river Tau bringeth up with the tide sea commodities by lighters whereupon J. Jonston so often now by me cited writeth thus PERTHUM Propter aquas Tai liquidas amoena vineta Obtinet in medio regna superba solo Nobilium quondam regum clarissima sedes Pulchra situ pinguis germine dives agri Finitimis dat jura locis moremque modumque Huic dare laus illis haec meruisse dari Sola inter patrias incincta est moenibus urbes Hostibus assiduis ne vaga praeda foret Quanta virûm virtus dextrae quae praemia nôrunt Cimber Saxo ferox genus Hectoridum Felix laude novâ felix quoque laude vetustâ Perge recens priscum perpetuare decus PERTH Neere to the waters cleere of Tay and pleasant plaines all greene In middle ground betweene them stands Perth proudly like a Queene Of noble Kings the stately seat and palace once it was Faire for the site and rich with all for spring of corne and grasse To neighbour places all it doth lawes customes fashions give Her praise to give theirs to deserve the same for to receive Of all the Cities in these parts walled alone is she Lest she to foes continuall a scambling prey might be What Knights she bred and what rewards they won to knighthood due Danes Saxons fierce bold Britans eke the Trojans off-spring knew Happie for praises old happie for praises new of late New as thou art thine honour old strive to perpetuate And now of late King James the sixth hath erected it to the title of an Earldome having created James Baron Dromund Earle of Perth Unto Perth these places are neere neighbours Methven which Margaret an English Ladie widow unto King James the fourth purchased with readie money for her third husband Henrie Steward descended of the royall blood and for his heires and withall obtained of her sonne King James the fifth for him the dignitie of a Baron More beneath is Rethuen a castle of the Rethuens whose name is of damned memorie considering that the three states of the kingdome hath ordained that whosoever were of that name should forgoe the same and take unto them a new after that the Rethuens brethren in a most cursed and horrible conspiracie had complotted to murder their soveraigne King James the sixth who had created William their father Earle of Gourie and afterward beheaded him being lawfully convicted when he would insolently prescribe lawes to his soveraigne But of men
Harald begat a sonne named Auloed Auloed begat another Auloed he had a sonne named Sitric King of Develin Sitric he begat Auloed whose daughter Racwella was mother to Gryffith Ap Cynan borne at Dublin whiles Tirlough reigned in Ireland But this is extravagant Develin at length when the English first arrived in Ireland yeelded unto their valour and by them was manfully defended when Ausculph Prince of the Dublinians and afterwards Gottred King of the Isles fiercely on every side assaulted it within a while after a Colony of Bristow-men was deduced hither unto whom King Henry the second granted this City happely at that time dispeopled for to inhabite with all the Franchises and free Customes which the men of Bristow have and that by those very words which I have alledged Since which time it hath flourished every day more and more and in many tumultuous times and hard streights given notable proofe of most faithfull loyaltie to the Crowne of England This is the roiall City and seat of Ireland a famous towne for Merchandize the chiefe Court of Justice in munition strong in buildings gorgeous in Citizens populous An old writer calleth it a City in regard of the people noble of the site most pleasant by reason of the sea and river meeting together rich and plentifull in fish for trafficke famous for the green plain delightfull and lovely beset with woods of mast-bearing trees environed about with Parkes harbouring Deere And William of Newborrow of it writeth thus Divelin a maritime citie is the mother citie of all Ireland having to it a haven passing well frequented for trafficke and entercourse of Merchants matchable with our London Seated it is in a right delectable and wholsome place for to the South yee have hils mounting up aloft Westward an open champion ground and on the East the sea at hand and in sight the river Liffy running downe at North-East affordeth a safe rode and harbour for ships By the river side are certain wharfes or Kaies as we terme them whereby the violent force of the water might be restrained For this verbe Caiare in old writers signified to Keep in to restrain and represse which that most learned Scaliger hath well noted A very strong wall of rough building stone reacheth hence along by the sides of it and the same toward the South fortified also with rampires which openeth at six gates from whence there runne forth suburbs of a great length Toward the East is Dammes gate and hard by standeth the Kings castle on high most strongly fensed with ditches towers and an Armory or Store-house built by Henry Loundres the Archbishop about the yeere 1220. In the East suburbs neere unto Saint Andrew the Apostles Church Henry the second King of England as Hoveden reporteth caused a roiall palace or rather a banqueting house to be erected for himselfe framed with wonderfull workmanship most artificially of smoothed watles after the manner of this country wherein himselfe with the Kings and Princes of Ireland kept a solemne feast upon Christmas day From hence is to bee seene just over against it a beautifull Colledge in which place there stood in old time the Monasterie of All-Hallowes consecrated unto the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity which for the exercise and polishing of good wits with good literature Queene Elizabeth of most happy memory endowed with the priviledges of an University and being furnished of late with a notable Library giveth no small hope that both religion and all the exquisite and liberall sciences will return eftsoones after their long exile to Ireland as to their ancient home unto which as unto a Mart of Arts and good learning strangers sometime used to flocke and repaire And verily in the reigne of Edward the Second Alexander Bicknor Archbishop of Divelin began to recall the profession of learning hither having obtained from the Pope the priviledges of an University and erected also publike Lectures but the troublesome times that presently ensued interrupted the laudable enterprise of that good man The North gate openeth at the bridge built with arched work of new hewen stone by King John and this joineth Oustmantowne to the City For here the Oustmans who came over as Giraldus writeth out of Norway and the parts of the Northren Islands planted themselves as the Annales beare record about the yeere of salvation 1050. In this suburbe stood in times past the goodly Church of Saint Maries of Oustmanby for so in a Charter of King John it is called an house also founded for preaching Friers called of them Black Friers unto which of late daies have beene translated the Judiciall Courts of the kingdome In the South quarter of the City stand two gates Ormonds gate and Newgate which is their common house of correction These lead unto the longest suburbe of all called Saint Thomas street and a magnificent Abbey of the same name called Thomas Court founded and endowed in times past with very ample revenues by King Henry the second for the expiation of the murder of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Into the South openeth Pauls gate and that which taketh the name of Saint Nicolas making way into Saint Patrickes suburbe wherein standeth the Archbishops Palace knowne by the name of Saint Sepulchres and a most stately Church dedicated unto Saint Patricke right goodly to bee seene with faire embowed workes stone pavements an arched roofe over head of stone worke and a very high tower steeple What time this Church was first built it is to say truth uncertaine That Gregorie King of the Scots came unto it about the yeere 890. the Scottish Historie doth record The same afterward being much enlarged by John King of England was ordained first to be a Church of Prebends by Iohn Comyn Archbishop of Dublin in the yeere 1191. and Pope Celestine the third confirmed the same Then after him Henry Loundres his successour in the Archbishopricke augmented it with dignities of Personages for I may be bold to use here the founders words and framed it conformable to the immunities orders and approved customes of the Church of Salisbury But in our daies it maintaineth a Deane a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Arch-Deacons and two and twenty Prebendaries The only light and lamp that I may not conceale the most ample testimony which the Parliament of the kingdome giveth unto it of all godly and Ecclesiasticall discipline and order in Ireland There is another Cathedrall Church also standing in the very heart of the City which being consecrate unto the Holy Trinity is commonly called Christs Church touching the building thereof thus we read in the ancient records of the same Church Sitric King of Dublin the sonne of Ableb Earle of Dublin gave unto the blessed Trinity and to Donatus the first Bishop of Dublin a place to found a Church in unto the holy Trinity and not onely so but gold and silver also hee bestowed sufficiently for the
brought letters to the Lord Roger Mortimer that he should addresse himselfe to repaire unto the King who did so and substituted the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Custos of Ireland who at one and the same time was Lord Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellour and Archbishop And afterward at the three weekes end after Easter there came newes to Dublin that the Lord Richard Clare was slaine and with him foure Knights namely Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Cannon and Sir John Caunton also Adam Apilgard with 80. other men by O-Brene and Mac-Carthy on the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus And it was reported that the said Lord Richard his body was in despightfull malice cut into small pieces but his reliques were enterred in Limerick among the Friers Minors Item on sunday in Mense Paschae that is a moneth after Easter Iohn Lacy was led forth of the castle of Dublin and brought to Trim for to be arraigned and to heare and receive his judgment there who was adjudged to be strait dieted and so he died in prison Item the sunday before the Lords Ascension Lord Roger Mortimer sailed over into England but paied nothing for his victuals that he had taken up in Dublin and elsewhere which amounted to the value of one thousand pounds Also the same yeere about the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the great grace and mercy of God was shewed in that wheat which before was sold for 15. shillings was now not worth above seven shillings and oates were bought for five shillings great plentie there was of wine salt and fish and that in such sort that about St. Iames day there was new bread to be had of new corne a thing that never or seldome had been seen afore in Ireland and this was a signe of Gods tender mercy and all through the praier of the poore and other faithfull folke Item the Sunday after the feast of Saint Michael newes came to Dublin that Lord Alexander Bykenore then the Kings Justice in Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arrived at Yoghall On S. Denis day he came to Dublin and with great procession and honourable pompe of the religious persons and of others as well of the Clergy as the Laity he was received Item on Saturday falling out to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a field was fought betweene the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from the towne of Dundalk to which battell came of the Scots part the Lord Edward Brus who named himselfe King of Ireland the Lord Philip Mowbray the Lord Walter Soules the Lord Alan Stewart with his three brethren also Sir Walter Lacy Sir Robert and Sir Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White and about 3000. others Against whom came into the field of the English side the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir Iohn Cusack Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who assoiled them all Sir Walter Larpulk and certain came from Tredagh to the number of twenty well appointed and choice souldiers whom John Maupas accompanied and so they joined the said battell The English were the first that entred with great vigour upon the front and vaward where the said John Maupas manfully and with much honour in this conflict slew the Lord Edward Brus which John also was found slaine upon the body of the said Edward and all the Scots in manner were killed up even to the number of two thousand or thereabout whereby few of the Scots escaped beside the Lord Philip Mowbray who also was wounded to death and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy with some few others that were with them made shift hardly to save themselves This fortuned between Dundalk and Faghird Now the head of the foresaid Edward the said Lord John Bermingham brought unto the said Lord King of England upon whom the King bestowed at the same time the Earledome of Louth to him and to his heires males and the Barony of Aterith And one quarter with the hands and heart of the foresaid Edward were carried to Dublin and the other quarters divided and sent to other places MCCCXIX The Lord Roger Mortimer returned out of England and is eftsoones made Lord Justice of Ireland The same yeere at the feast of All-Saints came a Bull from the Pope to excommunicate Robert Brus King of Scotland at every Masse Also the towne of Athisell and a great part of the country was burnt by the Lord John Fitz-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas In this yeere the foresaid Iohn Bermingham was created Earle of Louth Also the Stone bridge of Kil-Coleyn was built by Master Moris Iacke Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of Pope John the 22. and of the Lord Edward sonne to King Edward which Edward after the comming of Saint Austin into England was the 25. King also under Alexander Bicknore then Archbishop of Dublin beganne the Universitie of the said Citie of Dublin The first that proceeded Master in the same Universitie was Frier William Hardite of the order of preaching Friers which William under the said Archbishop solemnly commenced Doctor in Divinity The second Master that proceeded in the same faculty was Frier Henry Cogry of the order of the Friers Minors the third Master that went forth was William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin who solemnly commenced Doctor in the Canon law And this William was made the first Chancellour of the said University The fourth Master in sacred Theologie or Divinity that went out was Frier Edmund Kermerdin Item Roger Mortimer Lord Justice of Ireland returned into England leaving in his place the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare Item the Lord Edmund Botiller entred into England and so came to Saint James Also the bridge of the towne of Leghelyn was built by Master Moris Iack Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXXI A very great overthrow with much slaughter of the O-Conghors was given at Balibogan the ninth day of May by the men of Leinster and of Meth. Item the Lord Edmund Botiller died in London and lieth buried at Balygaveran in Ireland Also Iohn Bermingham Earle of Louth is made Lord Justice in Ireland Likewise Iohn Wogan departed this life MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicolas de La-Lond Knight and many others are slaine by O-Nalan on St. Michaels day MCCCXXIII A truce is taken betweene the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland for 14. yeeres Also Iohn Darcie came chiefe Justice of Ireland Item John the first begotten sonne of the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare in the ninth yeere of his age ended this life MCCCXXIV Nicolas Genevile sonne and heire to the Lord Simon Genevile departed out of this world and was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers of Trym Item there hapned a great wind on twelfe day at night Item a generall murrain
with their fellowes of the Counsell treat upon this point In the same yeere before Lent the Irish of Leinster gathered themselves together and set up a certain King namely Donald the sonne of Arte Mac-Murgh Who being made King determined to set up his banner two miles from Dublin and afterwards to passe through all the lands of Ireland Whose pride and malice God seeing suffered him to fall into the hands of the Lord Henry Traharn who brought him to the Salmons leaps had of him 200. pound for his lives ransome then led him to Dublin to wait there untill the Kings Counsell could provide and take order what to doe with him and after his taking many infortunities lighted upon the Irish of Leinster to wit the Lord John Wellesley took David O-Thothiel prisoner and many of the Irish were slaine The same yeere Adam Duff the sonne of Walter Duff of Leinster and of the kinred of the O-Tothiles was convicted for that against the Catholike faith hee denied the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and held that there could not bee three persons and one God and hee affirmed that the most blessed Virgin Mary mother of our Lord was an harlot hee denied also the resurrection of the dead and avouched that the sacred Scriptures were fables and nothing else and he imputed falsitie upon the sacred Apostolicall See For which and for every of these articles the same Adam Duff was pronounced an hereticke and blasphemer whereupon the same Adam by a decree of the Church was on the Munday after the Outas of Easter the yeere 1328. burnt at Hoggis Greene by Dublin MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter week Thomas Fitz-John Earle of Kildare and Justice of Ireland died after whom succeeded in the office of Justice Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynok The same yeere David O-Tothil a strong thiefe and enemy to the King a burner of Churches and destroier of people was brought forth of the Castle of Dublin to the Tolstale of the Citie before Nicolas Fastoll and Elias Ashbourne Justices in the Kings bench which Justices gave him his judgement that he should first be drawne at horses tailes through the midst of the Citie unto the gallowes and afterward be hanged upon a jebbit which was done accordingly Item in the same yeere the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas raised a great army to destroy the Bourkeins and the Poers The same yeere also the Lord William Bourk was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave unto him his Seignory Also in the same yeere Iames Botiller in England espoused the daughter of the Earle of Hereford and was created Earle of Ormund who before was called Earle of Tiperary The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Northampton where many of the Lords and Nobles of England assembled and a peace was renewed betweene Scotland England and Ireland by marriages between them and it was ordained that the Earle of Ulster with many Nobles of England should goe to Barwick upon Tweed to the espousals and assurance making The same yeere after the said espousals and contract made at Barwicke the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland and the Lord William Burk Earle of Ulster the Earle of Meneteth and many of the Scottish nobility arrived at Cragfergus peaceably and sent unto the Justices of Ireland and to the Counsell that they would come to Green Castle to treat about a peace of Scotland and Ireland Now because the said Justices of Counsell failed to come as the said King desired he took his leave of the Earle of Ulster and returned into his owne country after the feast of the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary And the Earle of Ulster came to Dublin unto the Parliament and there stayed sixe dayes and made a great feast and after this went into Connaght The same yeere about the feast of Saint Katherin Virgin the Bishop of Osserie certified the Kings Counsell there that Sir Arnald Pover was convicted before him upon divers articles of perverse heresie Whereupon at the suit of the said Bishop the said Sir Arnald by vertue of the Kings writ was arrested and layed up in the Castle of Dublin and a day was given unto the Bishop for to come unto Dublin to follow the foresaid suit and action against the foresaid Lord Arnald who made his excuse that hee could not then come because his enemies lay in wait for his life in the way whereupon the Kings Counsell knew not how to make an end of this businesse and so the Lord Arnald was kept in duresse within the Castle of Dublin untill the Parliament following which was in Mid-lent where all the Nobles of Ireland were present In the same yeere Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of the Hospitall of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellour of Ireland was disfamed by the said Bishop and slandered to bee a favourer of heresie a Counsellour also and a better of the said Lord Arnold in his hereticall naughtinesse And because his person was thus villanously delamed the said Prior went to the Counsell of the King and put up a petition that hee might purge himselfe Whereupon they of the Kings Counsell tooke advice and upon consultation had granted unto him that he might make his purgation And they caused it to be proclaimed for three dayes That if there were any person who would follow suit and give information against the said Frier Roger he might come in and put in his pursuit But no man was found to follow the matter Whereupon at the procurement of Sir Roger the Frier there went out the Kings writ to summon the Elders of Ireland to wit Bishops Abbots Priors and foure Maiors of foure Cities namely Dublin Corke Limerick and Waterford and of Tredagh also the Sheriffes and Seneschals yea and the Knights of the shire with the Free-holders of the countie that were of the better sort for to repaire unto Dublin And there were chosen sixe examiners in the said cause to wit M. William Rodyard Deane of the Cathedrall Church of St. Patrick in Dublin the Abbat of Saint Thomas the Abbat of St. Maries the Prior of holy Trinitie Church in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and M. Peter Willebey These Inquisitours convented those that were cited and they examined every one severally by himselfe which examinats all upon their oathes deposed that he was honest and faithfull a zealous embracer of the faith and readie to die for the faith and in regard of this great solemnity of his purgation the said Frier Roger made a royall feast to all that would come Also the same yeere in Lent died the said L. Arnald Pover in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the preaching Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nobles of Ireland came unto the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earle of Ulster the Lord Thomas Fitz-Moris the Earle of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Lords and
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
Lievtenant there 300. markes and the Parliament was adjourned eftsoones unto the munday after St. Ambrose day Then rumours resounded that the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Desmund died at Paris on St. Laurence feast day and was buried there at the Friers Preachers covent the King of England being present at his funerals After whom succeeded in that Seigniorie James Fitz-Gerald his Unkle by the fathers side who had three times thrust him out of his patrimonie and laid an imputation upon him that he was a prodigall spend-thrift and had wasted his patrimony both in Ireland and England and that he gave or would give lands to the Abbey of St. Iames at Kernisham 1421. The Parliament began upon prorogation the third time at Dublin the munday after the feast of S. Ambrose and there certain persons were ordained to be sent in message to the King as touching the redresse of the land namely the Archbishop of Armagh and Sir Christopher Preston Knight At the same time Richard O-Hedian Bishop of Cassell was accused by John Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford upon thirtie Articles laid to his charge After all that hee charged him that hee made very much of the Irish and loved none of the English that hee bestowed no benefice upon any Englishman and gave order likewise unto other Bishops that they should not conferre the least living that was upon them Item that hee counterfeited the King of Englands seale and the Kings letters patents that he went about to make himselfe King of Mounster also that he tooke a ring away from the image of S. Patrick which the Earle of Desmund had offered and bestowed it upon an harlot of his beside many other enormities which he exhibited in writing And the Lords and Commons were much troubled betweene these twaine Now in the same Parliament there was debate between Adam Pay Bishop of Clon and another Prelate for that the said Adam went about to unite the others Church unto his but the other would not and so they were sent and referred unto the Court of Rome and this Parliament lasted 18. daies In the Nones of May there was a slaughter committed by O-Mordris upon the family or retinue of the Earle of Ormund Lievtenant neere unto the Monastery of Leys where were slaine of the English 27. The principall parties were Purcell and Grant Then Gentlemen of good birth were taken prisoners and 200. fled unto the foresaid Monastery and so were saved In the Ides of May died Sir Iohn Bodley Knight and Geffery Galon sometime Maior of Dublin and was buried in the house of the preaching Friers of the same City About this time Mac-Mahon an Irishman played the divell in Urgal wasting and burning where ever he went The seventh of Iune the Lievtenant entred into the country to wit of Leys against O-Mordis and led thither a most puissant army having the killing of his enemies for foure daies together and untill the Irish promised all peace and quietnesse Upon the feast of Michael the Archangel Thomas Stanley accompanied with all the Knights and Squires of Meth and Iriel took Moyle O-Downyll prisoner and slew others in the 14. yeere of King Henry the sixth his reigne Thus far forth were continued the Annales of Ireland which came to my hands and upon which I have bestowed these few pages to gratifie them that may delight therein As for the nice and dainty readers who would have all writings tried to the touch of Augustus his dayes I know they can yeeld no pleasing rellish to them in regard of the harsh words and the saplesse dry stile familiar unto that age wherein they were penned Neverthelesse I would have those to remember That HISTORIE both beareth brooketh and requireth the Authors of all ages Also That they are to look as well for reall and substantiall knowledge from some as for the verball and literall learning from others THE SMALLER ILANDS IN THE BRITISH OCEAN NOw will I at length waigh anchor and set saile out of Ireland and lanching forth take survey of the Ilands scattered here and there along the coasts of Britaine If I durst repose any trust in my selfe or if I were of any sufficiencie I would shape my course to every one But sith it is my purpose to discover and inlighten Antiquity such as are obscure and of lesse account I will lightly coast by and those that carry any ancient name and reckoning above the rest I will enter and visite yea and make some short stay in them that now at last in a good and happy houre they may recover their ancienty againe And that in this voiage I may at first set out orderly and take a straight and direct course I will to begin saile out of Ireland into the Severn sea and by the Irish sea after I have doubled the utmost point of Scotland follow my course down into the Germai◠Ocean and so from thence through the British sea which extendeth as far as to Spaine hold on my race as prosperously as I can But I am afraid lest this my ship of Antiquity steared by me so unskilfull a Pilot either run and be split upon the rockes of errours or else be overwhelmed with the waves of ignorance yet venter I must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Antiphilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Adventure is a good sea Captain and he that saileth the same voiage a second time may haply speed much better and finish his desired course First and formost because it seemeth not impertinent to my matter I will set down what Plutarch out of a fabulous narration of Demetrius who seemeth to have lived in Hadrians time reporteth generally as touching the Ilands lying neer to Britain Demetrius made report that most of those Ilands which coast upon Britain lie desert desolate and scattering here and there whereof somewere dedicated to the Daemones and Heroes also that himself by commission from the Emperour sailed toward one that was neerest of those desert Iles for to know and discover somewhat the which he found to have in a few inhabitants and those he understood were reputed by the Britans sacred and inviolable Within a while after he was landed there the aire and weather as he said became foully troubled many portenteous signes were given by terrible tempests with extra-ordinary stormes flashing and violent lightnings and fiery impressions which after they were appeased the Ilanders certified him that some one of great eminency was dead And a little after Now he said moreover that there was a certain Iland there wherein Saturn was by Briareus closed up and kept in prison sound asleep for sleep was the means to hold him captive about whose person there were many Daemones at his feet that stood attending as servitours Thus they took pleasure in old time as now also at this day boldly to devise strange wonders and tales of places far remote in a certain secure veine of lying as it were by authoritie In the narrow sea
name For then begun they to rove upon the coasts of France and England and were by the writers that penned in Latine the histories of England named Winccingi for that they practised Piracie for Wiccinga in the Saxon tongue as Alfricus witnesseth doth signifie a Pirat that runneth from creek to creeke also Pagani that is Painims because as yet they were not become Christians but the Angles themselves in their language termed them Deniscan and often times Heathon-mâ—n as one would say Ethnicks Of these Danes listen to Dudo of Saint Quintins an author of good antiquitie out of the Librarie of John Stow that most studious Antiquarie of the Citie of London which was never shut from me The Danes swarmed from out of Scanza that is Scandia like bees out of an hive in manifold diuersitie and barbarous manner after they had in heat lascivious lust and wantonnesse engendred an innumerable of-spring Who after they were growne to ripenesse of yeares falling to hot contention for goods and lands with their fathers and grand-fathers yea and often times among themselves when they once overflowed and grew so populous that they could have no roome sufficient for to inhabite in the place wherein they presently dwelt having gathered together by lot a multitude of youth and springals after a most ancient custome were thrust out into forraine Realmes to conquer unto themselves lands by dint of sword wherein they might live But in the full performance of dicharging those that should be thus sent out and in mustering up their armies they sacrificed unto THVR whom they worshipped in old time as their Lord for whom they killed not any sheepe oxen or other cattell but offered mens bloud Thinking that to be the most precious holocaust and sacrifice of all others because when the Priest by casting lots had predestinated who should die they were all at once deadly smitten upon the head with oxe yokes and when every one that was chosen by lot had his braines dashed out at one severall stroke laid along hee was on the ground and sought out there was with narrow prying the fibre that is to say the veine of the heart on the left side and having after their manner drawne out the bloud thereof and stricken it upon the heads of their friends speedily they hoise up sailes and thinking that they please their God with such an act they immediatly put to Sea and fall to their ores Moreover there is another manner or rather a most foule and detestable superstition which the Danes used in pacifying their Gods and this doth Ditmarus the Bishop who was of greater antiquitie somewhat than Dudo in these words describe But because I have heard strange and wonderfull things of the ancient Sacrifices that the Danes and Normans used I will not over passe the same There is in these parts a place and the chiefe it is of this kindome called Lederum in a province named Selon where every ninth yeare in the moneth of Januarie after the time in which we celebrate the Nativitie of our Lord they all assemble together and there they kill and sacrifice unto their Gods ninetie and nine men and as many horses with dogs and cocks for the hauks which the Gods sent them certainly perswading themselves as I said before that by the same they should please them About the time of Egbert in the yeare of Christ 800. they first landed on our sea-coasts afterwards with such tumults and hurliburlies as never the like was heard of having for many yeares made foule havock over all England razing cities firing Churches and wasting countries they let out the raines loose to all barbarous crueltie driving harrying spoyling and turning all upside downe where ever they went Thus after they had killed the Kings of the Mercians East-Angles seazed upoÌ„ their Kingdomes with a great part of the Kingdome of Northumberland Then was there a tribute called Dangelt imposed upon the poore people for the repressing of their robberies and outrages and that you may know what manner of imposition this was I would have you to reade these few lines copied out of our ancient Lawes The paiment of Dangelt was at the first ordained for Pirats For by sore annoying the countrey they went on and did what they could to waste it utterly And verily to keepe downe their insolencie it was enacted that Dangelt should yearely be paid that is twelve pence out of every hide of land throughout the whole country for to hire and wage those that might resist and withstand their invasion Also of this Dangelt was every Church freed and quit as also all lands that were in the proper Demesies of those Churches wheresoever they lay paying nothing at all in such a contribution as this because they trusted more in the prayers of the Church than in their defence by force of armes But when as now they assaile and set upon Aelfred King of the West-Saxons he one while by retiring and giving them ground otherwhiles by preassing hard upon them with his victorious forces not only did put them back from his owne country but also having slaine a Danish-petty-king of the Mercians expelled them in manner quite out of all Mercia and his sonne Edward the elder following in traine of his fathers victories when he had put the Danes to flight brought East England to his subjection like as Adelstane his base sonne speedily marching to atchieve victories with great slaughter of the Danes subdued Northumberland and so terribly pursued the Danes that they were forced either to depart the realme or to submit themselves unto him By the valorous prowesse of these Princes England recovered out of the whirlepit of calamities and rested from that bloody warre by the space of 50. yeares But while Etheldred a man of a dull and soft spirit raigned the Danes taking advantage of his cowardise strooke up alarme and sounded the battaile againe and having wasted the country constrained the Englishmen to redeeme their peace yearely with a great sum of monie and so insolently they bare themselves that the Englishmen conspired generally together and in one night murdred all the Danes every mothers sonne of them throughout all England thinking by the effusion of bloud to quench the fire of Danish warre which brake out neverthelesse into a more pernicious flame For Sueno King of the Danes provoked with this slaughter of his people invaded England with a puissant armie and having in a furious and enraged mood made much spoile he put Etheldred to flight subdued the whole Kingdome and left the same unto his sonne Canutus who having encountred in many cruell and sharpe battailes and those with variable fortune fought with Etheldred now returned and his sonne Edmund surnamed Iron-side had two of his sonnes succeeded after him to wit Harald a bastard and Canutus the Hardie After they were dead and the Danish yoke shaken off the Kingdome fell
Reeds which the Britaines call Hesk wherewith Northerne nations and such are the Britaines thatched and covered their houses yea and fastened together as it were with soder the joynts of their ships But considering that there be no reeds heere found I am not hasty to give credit thereto This river hath his head and springeth first in a weely and barren ground named Exmore neere unto Severn sea a great part whereof is counted within Sommersetshire and wherein there are seene certaine monuments of anticke worke to wit Stones pitched in order some triangle wise others in a round circle and one among the rest with an Inscription in Saxon letters or Danish rather to direct those as it should seeme who were to travaile that way Now this Ex or Isc beginning his course first from thence Southward by Twifordton so called of two foords but commonly Teverton a Towne standing much upon clothing to the great gaine and credit thereof passeth forward through a faire country of good and fertile fields and is augmented with two especial rivelets Creden from the West and Columb from the East Upon Creden in the Primitive Church of the Saxons there flourished an Episcopall See in a Towne of the same name anciently called Cridiantun now by contraction Kirton where that Winifride or Boniface was borne who converted the Hessians Thuringers and Frisians of Germany unto Christ and for that was accounted the Apostle of Germany and canonized a Saint At this present it is of no great reckoning but for a small market and the Bishop of Exceter his house there but within our fathers remembrance of much greater name and request it was for a Colledge there of twelve Prebendaries who now are all vanished and gone The river Columb that commeth from the East passeth hard by Columbton a little Towne bearing his name which King Alfred by his Testament bequeathed to his younger sonne and neere unto Poltimore the seate of that worshipfull and right ancient family of Bampfield intermingleth it selfe with the waters of Ex. And now by this time Isc or Ex growing bigger and sporting himselfe as it were with spreading into many streames very commodious for mils hieth apace and commeth close to the Citie of Excester unto which he leaveth his name whereupon Alexander Necham writeth thus in his Poem of Divine sapience Exoniae fama celeberimus Iscianomen Praebuit To Excester Ex a River of fame First Iscia call'd impos'd the name This Citie Ptolomee calleth ISCA Antoninus ISCA DVNMONIORVM for DANMONIORVM others but falsely Augusta as if the second Legion Augusta had there beene resident Whereas wee shall shew hereafter that it kept station and residence in ISCA SILVRVM The English Saxons termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Monketon of the Monks at this day it is called Excester in Latine Exonia in British Caerisk Caeauth and Pencaer that is a head or principall Citie For Caer to tell you once for all with our Britans is as much to say as a Citie whereupon they use to name Jerusalem Caer Salem Lutetia or Paris Caer Paris Rome Caer Ruffaine Thus Carthage in the Punick tongue was called as Solinus witnesseth Cartheia that is the new Citie I have heard likewise that Caer in the Syriack tongue signified a Citie Now seeing that the Syrians as all men confesse peopled the whole world with their Colonies it may seeme probable that they left their tongue also to their posteritie as the mother of all future languages This Citie as saith William of Malmesbury albeit the soile adjoyning bee wet foule and wealie scarce able to bring forth hungry oates and many times emptie huskes without graine in them yet by reason of the statelinesse of the place the riches of the Inhabitants and frequent concourse of strangers all kind of traffique and commerce of merchants is there so fresh that a man can aske there for no necessary but hee may have it Scituate it is on the Eastward banke of the river Ex upon a little hill gently arising with an easie ascent to a pretty heighth the pendant whereof lieth East and West environed about with ditches and very strong walles having many turrets orderly interposed and containeth in circuit a mile and a halfe having suburbs running out a great way on each side In it there are xv Parish-Churches and in the very highest part thereof neere the East gate a Castle called Rugemont sometime the seat of the West Saxon Kings and afterwards of the Earles of Cornwall but at this day commended for nothing else but the antiquitie and scituation thereof For it commandeth the whole Citie and territorie about it and hath a very pleasant prospect into the sea In the East quarter of the City is to be seen the Cathedrall Church in the midst of many faire houses round about it founded as the private history of the place witnesseth by King Athelstan in the honour of Saint Peter and replenished with Monks which Church at length Edward the Confessor after he had remooved some of the Monks from thence to Westminster and translated thither the Bishops Sees of Cornwall and Kirton adorned with Episcopall Dignitie and made Leofrike the Britan first Bishop there whose Successours augmented the Church both with Edifices and also with revenues and William Bruier the ninth Bishop after him when the Monks were displaced brought in a Deane and twentie and foure Prebendaries In which age flourished Joseph Iscanus borne heere and from hence taking his surname a Poet of most excellent wit whose writings were so well approved as that they had equall commendation with the works of ancient Poets For his Poem of the Trojan war was divulged once or twice in Germanie under the name of Cornelius Nepos When this Citie Isca came under the Roman Jurisdiction it appeareth not for certaine For so farre off am I from thinking that Vespasian wonne it as Geffrey of Monmouth affirmeth what time as he warring in Britaine under Claudius the Emperour was shewed by the Destinies unto the world that I thinke it was then scarcely built Yet in the time of the Antonines it may seeme to have beene well knowne for hither and no farther this way did Antonine specifie any place in his way-faring book It came not fully to the English-Saxons hands before the 465. yeare after their entrance into Britain For at that time Athelstane expelled the Britans quite out of the Citie who before had inhabited it in equall right with the Saxons yea and drave them beyond Tamar and then fortified the Citie round about with a rampire and wall of fouresquare stone and other bulwarks for defence Since which time many benefits by the Kings have beene bestowed upon it and among the rest as we read in William the Conquerours booke This Citie paide no tribute but when London Yorke and Winchester paide and that was halfe a marke of silver for a souldiers service And when there was
were slaine This hill seemeth to be the very same which now is called Bannesdowne over a little village neere this Citie which they call Bathstone on which there are bankes and a rampier as yet to be seene Yet some there be I know who seeke for this hill in Yorkshire But Gildas may bring them backe againe to this place For in a manuscript Copie within Cambridge-Librarie where he writeth of the victorie of Aurelius Ambrose thus we read Vntill that yeare wherein siege was laid to the hill of Badonicus which is not farre from Severne mouth But in case this may not perswade them know they that the vale which runneth here along the river Avon is named in British Nant Badon that is The Vale of Badon and where we should seeke for the hill Badonicus but by the Vale Badonica I cannot hitherto see Neither durst the Saxons for a long time after set upon this Citie but left it for a great while to the Britans Howbeit in the yeare of Christ 577. when Cowalin King of the West-Saxons had defeated the Britans at Deorbam in Glocestershire being both straightly besieged and also assaulted it yeilded at first and within few yeares recovering some strength grew up to great dignity and therewith got a new name Ackmancester as I said For Osbrich in the yeare 676. founded a Nunnery there and immediately after when the Mercians had gotten it under them King Offa built another Church both which in the time of the Danish broiles were overthrowne Out of the ruines of these two arose afterwards the Church of S. Peter in which Eadgar surnamed the Peace-maker being crowned and sacred King bestowed upon the Citie very many Immunities the memorie of which thing the Citizens yearely with Solemne plaies doe yet celebrate In Edward the Confessors time as we read in Domes-booke of England it paied tribute according to 20. Hides when as the Shire paid There the King had 64. Burgers and 30. Burgers of others But this prosperitie of theirs endured not long for soone after the Normans comming in Robert Mowbray Nephew to the Bishop of Constance who had raised no small Sedition against King William Rufus sacked and burned it Yet in short space it revived and recovered it selfe by meanes of Iohn de Villula of Tours in France who being Bishop of Welles for five hundred markes as saith William of Malmesburie purchased this Citie of King Henry the First and translated his Episcopall chaire hither retaining also the title of Bishop of Welles and for his owne See built a new Church which being not long since ready to fal Olivar Bishop of Bathe began to found another hard by that old a curious and stately piece of worke I assure you and almost finished the same Which if he had performed indeed it would no doubt have surpassed the most Cathedrall Churches of England But the untimely death of so magnificent a Bishop the iniquitie and troubles of the time and the suppression of religious houses ensuing with the late avarice of some who have craftily conveied the money collected throughout England for that use another way if it be true that is reported have envied it that glory But neverthelesse this Citie hath flourished as well by clothing as by reason of usuall concourse thither for health twice every yeare yea and hath fortified it selfe with walles wherein there are set certaine Antique Images and Roman Inscriptions for the proofe of their antiquitie which now by age are so eaten into and worne that they can hardly be read And that nothing might be wanting to the state and dignitie of Bathe some noble men it hath honoured with the title of Earle For we read that Philibert of Chandew descended out of Bretaigne in France was by King Henry the Seventh stiled with this honor Afterwards King Henrie the Eighth in the 28. yeare of his reigne created Iohn Bourcher Lord Fitzwarin Earle of Bathe Who died shortly after leaving by his wife the sister of H. Daubeney Earle of Bridge-water Iohn second Earle of this familie who by the daughter of George Lord Roos had Iohn Lord Fitz-Warin who deceased before his father having by Fr. the daughter of S. Thomas Kitson of Hengrave William now third Earle of Bathe who endeavoureth to beautifie and adorne his nobilitie of birth with commendable studies of good letters The longitude of this Citie is according to Geographers measure 20. degrees and 16. minutes But the Latitude 51. degrees and 21. minutes And now for a farwell loe heere Nechams verses such as they bee of these hot waters at Bathe who lived 400. yeares since Bathoniae thermas vix praefero Virgilianas Confecto prosunt balnea nostra seni Prosunt attritis collisis invalidisque Et quorum morbis frigida causa subest Praevenit humanum stabilis natura laborem Servit naturae legibus artis opus Igne suo succensa quibus data balnea fervent Aenea subter aquas vasa latere putant Errorem figmenta solent inducere passim Sed quid sulphureum novimus esse locum Our Bathes at Bath with Virgils to compare For their effects I dare almost be bold For feeble folke and crasie good they are For bruis'd consum'd far-spent and very old For those likewise whose sicknesse comes of cold Nature prevents the painfull skill of man Arts worke againe helps nature what it can Men thinke these Baths of ours are made thus hot By reason of some secret force of fire Which under them as under brazen pot Makes more or lesse as reason doth require The waters boile and walme to our desire Such fancies vaine use errors forth to bring But what we know from Brimstone veines they spring Have heere also if you list to read them two ancient Inscriptions very lately digged up neere the Citie in Waldcot field hard by the Kings high way side which Robert Chambers a studious lover of antiquities hath translated into his garden From whence I copied them out G. MVRRIVS C. F. ARNIEN SIS FORO IVLI. MODESTVS MIL. LEG II. AD. P. F. IVLI. SECVND AN. XXV STIPEND H. S. E. DIS MANIBVS M. VALERIVS M. POL. EATINVS C. EQ MILES LEG AVG. AN. XXX STIPEND X. H. S. E. I have seene these Antiquities also fastened in the walles on the in-side betweene the North and West gates to wit Hercules bearing his left hand aloft with a club in his right hand In the fragment of a stone in great and faire letters DEC COLONIAE GLEV. VIXIT AN. LXXXVI Then leaves folded in Hercules streining two Snakes and in a grave or Sepulcher-table betweene two little images of which the one holdeth the Horne of Amalthaea in a worse character which cannot easily be read D. M. SVCC PETRONIAE VIXIT ANN. IIII. M. IIII. D. XV. EPO MVLVSET VICTISIRANA FIL. KAR. FEC A little beneath in the fragment of a stone in greater letters VRN IOP Betweene the West and
Under which betweene the confluences of Avon and Frome there is a plaine beset round about with trees yielding a most pleasant walking place South-east where no rivers are to guard it Robert the base sonne of King Henry the First whom they commonly name Robert Rufus and Consull of Glocester because he was Earle of Glocester built a large and strong Castle for the defence of this Citie and of a pious and devout affection appointed every tenth stone to the building of a Chappell neere unto the Priory of S. Iames which he likewise founded by the Citie side This Robert had to wife Mabile the onely daughter and heire of Robert Fitz-Hamon who held this towne by vassalage in Capite of King William Conquerour This Castle was scarcely built when King Stephen besieged it but with lost labour for he was compelled to raise his siege and depart and a few yeares after was imprisoned in the same giving thereby a testimony and proofe how uncertaine the chance of war is Beyond the river Frome which hath a bridge over it at Frome-gate there riseth an high hill with a steepe and crooked ascent so as it is painefull to goe up unto it From whence ye have a most faire and goodly prospect to the Citie and haven underneath This hill in the very top and pitch thereof spreadeth presently into a large greene and even plaine which in the midst is shadowed with a double row and course of trees and among them stands a pulpit of Stone and a Chapell wherein by report lieth enterred Iordan the companion of Augustine the Englishmens Apostle Now it is converted to a Schoole and on both sides to say nothing of the neate and fine houses of private men beautified it is with publike and stately buildings Of the one side was a Collegiat Church called Gaunts of the founder one Henry Gaunt Knight who relinquishing the world in this place betooke himselfe to the service of God but now through the bounty of Thomas Carr a wealthy Citizen converted to the keeping of Orphans on the other side directly over against it stand two Churches dedicated to S. Augustine the one which is the lesse a Parish-Church the other that is greater the Bishops Cathedrall Church endowed with sixe Prebendaries by King Henrie the Eighth the greatest part whereof is now destroied where the Colledge-gate workemanly built carrieth in the front this Inscription REX HENRICVS II. ET DOMINVS ROBERTVS FILIVS HARDINGI FILII REGIS DACIAE HVIVS MONASTERII PRIMI FVNDATORES EXTITERVNT That is King Henry the Second and Lord Robert the sonne of Harding the King of Denmarks sonne were the first founders of of this Monasterie This Robert called by the Normans Fitz-Harding descended of the bloud royall of Denmarke was an Alderman of Bristow of King Henry the Second so entirely beloved that by his meanes Maurice his sonne married the daughter of the Lord of Barkley Whereby his posteritie who flourished in great honor are unto this day called Barons of Barkley and some of them have beene buried in this Church From hence as Avon holdeth on his course there are on each side very high cliffes by nature set there as it were of purpose the one of them which on the East-side overlooketh the river beareth the name of S. Vincents rocke so full of Diamonds that a man may fill whole strikes or bushels of them These are not so much set by because they be so plentious For in bright and transparent colour they match the Indian Diamonds if they passe them not in hardnesse onely they are inferior to them but in that nature her self hath framed them pointed with sixe cornerd or foure cornerd smooth sides I thinke them therefore worthy to be had in greater admiration The other rock also on the West-side is likewise full of Diamonds which by the wonderfull skill and worke of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints for here is the earth of a red colour When Avon hath left these rocks behind him with full channell at length he disengorgeth himselfe into the Severn-sea Then remaineth now to reckon up the Earles and Dukes of this County The first Earle of Somerset by tradition was William de Mâ—hun or Moion who may seeme to be the very same whom Maude the Empresse in a charter whereby she created William de Mandevill Earle of Essex taketh as a witnesse under this name Comes W. de Moion Neither from that time meete we with any expresse and apparent mention of Earles of Somerset unlesse it be in these letters Patents of King Henrie the Third unto Peter de Mawley which that I may draw out the judgement of others I will heere set downe literally Know yee that we have received the homage of our well beloved Vncle William Earle of Sarisbury for all the lands that he holdeth of us principally for the County or Earledom of Somerset which we have given unto him with all appurtenances for his homage and service saving the royaltie to our selves and therefore we will command you that ye see he have full sesine of the foresaid Earledome and all the appurtinances therto and that ye entermeddle not in any thing from henceforth as touching the County or Earledome aforesaid c. And commandement is given to all Earles Barons Knights and Freeholders of the County of Somerset that unto the same Earle they doe fealtie and homage saving their faith and allegiance unto their soveraigne Lord the King and that from henceforth they be intentive and answerable unto him as their Lord. Whether by these words in the Patent he was Earle of Somerset as also of Denshire for of the same William he wrote likewise in the very same words unto Robert de Courtney I leave for other men to judge Under this King Henry the third as wee finde in a booke written in French which pertaineth to the house of the Mohuns Knights it is recorded that Pope Innocentius in a solemne feast ordained Reginald Mohun Earle de Ests that is as the Author doth interpret it Of Somerset by delivering unto him a golden consecrated rose and an yearely pension to be paied upon the high Altar of S. Pauls in London So that this Reginald may seeme to have beene not properly an Earle but an Apostolicall Earle For so were they termed in those daies who had their creation from the Bishop of Rome like as they were called Earles Imperiall whom the Emperor invested and such had power to institute Notaries and Scribes to legitimate such as were base borne c. under certaine conditions A long time after Iohn de Beaufort the base sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Katherine Swineford being made legitimate by King Richard the Second together with his brethren and sister with consent of the Parliament was preferred to the honor of Earle of Somerset and afterwards created Marquesse Dorset but soone after
other publique huntings among the Romans For as the same Strabo writeth they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of a generous kind and framed naturally for hunting Whereupon Nemesianus wrote thus divisa Britannia mittit Veloces nostrique orbis venatibus aptos Though Britaine from this world of ours doth lie secluded farre Swift hounds it sends which for our game most fitly framed are Gratius also of their price and excellencie saith thus Quod freta si Morinûm dubiâ— refluentia ponto Veneris atque ipsos libeat penetrare Britannos O quanta est merces quantum impendia supra If that to Calice-streights you goe Where tides uncertaine ebbe and flow And list to venture further more Crossing the seas to British shore What meede would come to quite your paines What overdeale beside of gaines Yea and that very dog with us which of the old name Agasaeus we call yet at this day a Gasehound those ancient Greekes both knew and also had in great price And this will Oppian in his first booke of his Cynegeticks tell you in these Greeke verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Bodine turned into Latine thes Est etiam catuli species indagine clara Corpus huic breve magnifico sed corpore digna Picta Britannorum gens illos effera bello Nutrit Agasaeosque vocat vilissima forma Corporis ut credas parasitos esse latrantes And may be Englished in this wise Stout hounds there are and those of finders kind Of bodie small but doughtie for their deed The painted folke fierce Britans as we find Them Gasehounds call for they with them doe breed In making like house dogs or at a word To lickerous curs that craven at our bord Claudian also touching our Mastives writeth in this sort Magnaque taurorum fracturi colla Britanni And British mastives downe that puls Or breake the necks of sturdy bulls I have too far digressed about dogges yet hope a favourable pardon In this Citie as our owne Historiographers doe report in the time of the Romans was that Constans the Monke who by his father Constantine was first elect Caesar and afterwards Augustus that Constantine I say who upon hope of this name had assumed the Imperiall purple roabe that is usurped the Empire against Honorius For long since as Zosinus recordeth speaking of those times as well in villages as in Cities there were great colledges peopled as it were with Monks who before time â—â—ying the light lived scattering heere and there among mountaines woods and forrests all solitary by themselues whereof also they were so called Now of this Colledge wherein the said Constans was those old broken walles which are seene of that thicknesse and strength at the West-gate of the Cathedrall Church may seeme to be the ruines and reliques But this imperiall Monke taken out from hence suffered soone after condigne punishment both for his fathers ambition and also for the contempt of his professed religion During the Heptarchie of the Saxons this Citie albeit once or twice it suffered much calamity and miserie yet it revived and recovered againe yea and became the seat royall of the West-Saxons Kings adorned with magnificent Churches and a Bishops See furnished likewise with six mint houses by King Aethelstane In the Normans time also it flourished very much and in it was erected an office for keeping of all publike records and evidences of the Realme In which prosperous estate it continued a long time but that once or twice it was defaced by misfortune of suddaine fires and in the civill war betweene Stephen and Maude about the Kingdome of England lacked by the unruly and insolent souldiers Whereupon Necham our countriman who lived in that age writeth thus Guintoniam titulis claram gazisque repletam Noverunt veterum tempora prisca patrum Sed tam sacra fames auri jam caecus habendi Vrbibus egregiis parcere nescit amor Our ancestours knew Winchester sometimes a goodly Towne In treasure rich and plentifull in name of great renowne But now for hunger after gold our men so greedy are That even such Cities excellent they know not how to spare But of these losses it recovered it selfe by the helpe of Edward the third who heere appointed the Mart for wooll and cloth which we commonly call the Staple What was the face and outward shew of this Citie in these foregoing times a man can hardly tell considering that as the said Necham writeth Flammis toties gens aliena dedit Hinc facies urbis toties mutata dolorem Praetendit casus nuntia vera sui So many times a nation strange Hath fir'd this towne and made such change That now her face and outward hue Her griefe bewray's and tels full true In these daies of ours it is indifferently well peopled and frequented having water plentie by reason of the River turned and conveighed divers waies into it lying somewhat in length from East to West and containeth about a mile and a halfe in circuit within the walls which open at sixe gates and have every one of them their suburbs reaching forth without a good way On the South side of the West gate there mounteth up an old Castle which oftentimes hath beene besieged but most sore and straightly above the rest what time as Mawd the Empresse held it against King Stephen and at length by a rumour given out that she was dead and causing her selfe to be caried out in a coffin like a course deceived the enemie As concerning that round table there hanging up against the wall which the common sort useth to gaze upon with great admiration as if it had beene King Arthurs table I have nothing to say but this That as a man which vieweth it well may easily perceive it is nothing so ancient as King Arthur For in latter times when for the exercise of armes and feates of warlike prowesse those runnings at tilt and martiall justlings or torneaments were much practised they used such tables least any contention or offence for prioritie of place should through ambition arise among Nobles and Knights assembled together And this was a custome of great antiquitie as it may seeme For the ancient Gaules as Athenaeus writeth were wont to sit about round tables and their Esquires stood at their backes holding their shields About the midst of the citie but more inclining to the South Kenelwalch King of the West-Saxons after the subversion of that Colledge of Monkes which flourished in the Romans time as William of Malmesburie saith First founded to the glory of God the fairest Church that was in those daies in which very place the posteritie afterwards in building of a Cathedrall seate for the Bishop although it were more stately than the first yet followed just in the very same steps In this See there have
sitten since Wina whom the said Kenelwalch ordained the first Bishop there Many Bishops some renowned for their wealth and honourable port and some for holinesse of life But among other Saint Swithin continueth yet of greatest fame not so much for his sanctitie as for the raine which usually falleth about the Feast of his translation in Iuly by reason the Sunne then Cosmically with Praesepe and Aselli noted by ancient writers to be rainie constellations and not for his weeping or other weeping Saints Margaret the Virgine and Mary Magdalen whose feasts are shortly after as some superstitiously-credulous have believed This by the way pardon me I pray you for I digresse licentiously Thus Bishops of Winchester have beene anciently by a certaine peculiar prerogative that they have Chancellours to the Archbishop of Canterbury and for long time now Prelates to the order of the Garter and they have from time to time to their great cost reedified the Church and by name Edington and Walkelin but Wickham especially who built all the West part thereof downe from the quire after a new kind of worke I assure you most sumptuously In the midst of which building is to be seene his owne tombe of decent modestie betweene two pillars And these Bishops have ever and anon consecrated it to new Patrons and Saints as to Saint Amphibalus Saint Peter Saint Swithin and last of all to the holy Trinitie by which name it is knowne at this day The English Saxons also had this Church in great honour for the sepulture of certaine Saints and Kings there whose bones Richard Fox the Bishop gathered and shrining them in certaine little gilded coffers placed them orderly with their severall Inscriptions in the top of that wall which encloseth the upper part of the quire and they called it in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The old Minster for difference from another more lately built which was named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The new Minster which Elfred founded and for the building of houses of office belonging to the same purchase of the Bishop a plot of ground and for every foot of it paid him downe a marke after the publike weight This monasterie as also that other the older was built for married Priests who afterwards upon I know not what miracle of a Crosse that spoke and disliked their marriage were thrust out by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury and Monkes put in their place The walls of these two monasteries stood so neere and close together that the voices of those that sung in the one troubled the chaunting of the other whereupon there arose grudge and heart-burning betweene these Monkes which afterwards brake out into open enmities By occasion whereof and because at this new monasterie there gathered and stood much water which from the Westerne gate came downe thither along the current of the streets and cast forth from it an unwholsome aire the Minster Church two hundred yeares after the first foundation of it was removed into the Suburbs of the citie on the North part which they call Hide Where by the permission of King Henry the First the Monks built a most stately and beautifull monasterie which a few yeares after by the craftie practice of Henrie de Blois Bishoppe of Winchester as the private historie of this place witnesseth was pitiously burnt In which fire that Crosse also was consumed which Canutus the Dane gave and upon which as old writings beare record he bestowed as much as his owne yeares revenewes of all England came unto The monasterie neverthelesse was raised up againe and grew by little and little to wonderfull greatnesse as the very ruines thereof even at this day doe shew untill that generall subversion and finall period of our monasteries For then was this monasterie demolished and into that other of the holy Trinitie which is the Cathedrall Church when the monkes were thrust out were brought in their stead a Deane twelve Prebendaries and there placed At the East side of this Cathedrall Church standeth the Bishops palace called Wolvesey a right goodly thing and sumptuous which being towred and compassed almost round with the streame of a prety river reacheth even to the Citie walls and in the South-suburbes just over against it beholdeth a faire Colledge which William Wickham Bishop of this See the greatest father and Patron of all Englishmen of good literature and whose praise for ever to the worlds end will continue built for a Schoole and thereto dedicated it out of which both for Church and Common-wealth there riseth a most plentiful increase of right learned men For in this Colledge one warden ten fellowes two Schoole-masters and threescore and ten schollers with divers others are plentifully maintained There have beene also in this Citie other faire and goodly buildings for very many were here consecrated to religion which I list not now to recount since time and avarice hath made an end of them Onely that Nunnery or monasterie of vailed Virgins which Elfwida the wife of King Elfred founded I will not overpasse seeing it was a most famous thing as the remainder of it now doth shew and for that out of it King Henrie the First tooke to wife Mawde the daughter of Malcolne King of Scots by whom the Royall bloud of the ancient Kings of England became united to the Normans and he therefore wonne much love of the English nation For neiphew shee was in the second degree of descent unto Edmund Iron-side by his sonne Edward the Banished A woman as adorned with all other vertues meet for a Queene so especially inflamed with an incredible love of true pietie and godlinesse Whereupon was this Tetrastich made in her commendation Prospera non laetam fecêre nec asperae tristem Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens No prosp'rous state did make her glad Nor adverse chances made her sad If fortune frown'd she then did smile If fortune frown'd she feard the while If beauty tempted she yet said nay No pride she tooke in scepters sway Shee onely high her selfe debas'd A lady onely faire and chast Concerning Sir Guy of Warwick of whom there goe so many prety tales who in single fight overcame here that Danish giant and Golias Colbrand and of Waltheof Earle of Huntingdon that was here beheaded where afterwards stood Saint Giles chappell as also of that excellent Hospital of Saint Crosse there adjoyning founded by Henry of Blois bother to King Stephen and Bishop of this City and augmented by Henry Beauford Cardinall I need not to speake seeing every man may read of them in the common Chronicles As touching the Earles of Winchester to say nothing of Clyto the Saxon whom the Normans deprived of his ancient honour King Iohn created Saier Quincy Earle of Winchester who used for his armes a military belt
they boyle untill it bee exceeding white And of this sea or Bay-salt and not of ours made out of salt springs is Saint Ambrose to bee understood when hee writeth thus Consider we those things which are usuall with many very grace-full namely how water is turned into salt of such hardnesse and soliditie that often-times it is hewed with axes This in the salts of Britaine is no wonder as which carrying a shew of strong marble doe shine and glitter againe with the whitenesse of the same mettall like unto snow and bee holesome to the bodie c. Farther within the land the MEANVARI dwelt whose countrey togither with the Isle of Wight Edilwalch King of the South Saxons received in token of Adoption from Wlpher King of Mercians Godfather unto him at the Font when he was baptized The habitations of these Meanvari scarce changing the name at this day is divided into three hundreds to wit Means-borow East-mean and West-mean and amongst them there mounteth up an high Hill environed in the top with a large rampier and they call it old Winchester at which by report there stood in old time a citie but now neither top nor toe as they say remaineth of it so as a man would quickly judge it to have beene a summer standing campe and nothing else Under this is Warnford seated where Adam de Portu a mightie man in this tract and of great wealth in the raigne of William the first reedified the Church a new as a couple of rude verses set fast upon the wall doe plainly shew Upon these more high into the land those SEGONTIACI who yeilded themselves unto Iulius Caesar had their seate toward the North limite of this shire in and about the hundred of Holeshot wherein are to bee seene Mercate Aultim which King Elfred bequeathed by his will unto the keeper of Leodre also Basingstoke a mercate towne well frequented upon the descent of an hill on the North side whereof standeth solitarie a very faire Chappell consecrated unto the holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was buried there In the arched and embowed roofe whereof is to be seene the holy history of the Bible painted most artificially with lively portraicts and images representing the Prophets the Apostles and the Disciples of Christ. Beneath this Eastward lieth Basing a towne very well knowne by reason of the Lords bearing the name of it to wit Saint Iohn the Poinings and the Powlets For when Adam de Portu Lord of Basing matched in marriage with the daughter and heire of Roger de Aurevall whose wife was likewise daughter and heire to the right noble house of Saint Iohn William his sonne to doe honour unto that familie assumed to him the surname of Saint Iohn and they who lineally descended from him have still retained the same But when Edmund Saint Iohn departed out of this world without issue in King Edward the third his time his sister Margaret bettered the state of her husband Iohn Saint Philibert with the possessions of the Lord Saint Iohn And when she was dead without children Isabell the other sister wife unto Sir Luke Poinings bare unto him Thomas Lord of Basing whose Neice Constance by his sonne Hugh unto whom this fell for her childs part of Inheritance was wedded into the familie of the Powlets and she was great Grandmother to that Sir William Powlet who being made Baron Saint Iohn of Basing by King Henrie the Eighth and created by King Edward the Sixth first Earle of Wilshire and afterward Marquesse of Winchester and withall was Lord Treasurer of England having in a troublesome time runne through the highest honours fulfilled the course of nature with the satietie of this life and that in great prosperitie as a rare blessing among Courtiers after he had built a most sumptuous house heere for the spacious largenesse thereof admirable to the beholders untill for the great and chargeable reparations his successors pulled downe a good part of it But of him I have spoken before Neere unto this house the Vine sheweth it selfe a very faire place and Mansion house of the Baron Sands so named of the vines there which wee have had in Britaine since Probus the Emperours time rather for shade than fruit For hee permitted the Britaines and others to have vines The first of these Barons was Sir William Sands whom King Henrie the Eighth advanced to that dignitie being Lord Chamberlaine unto him and having much amended his estate by marrying Margerie Bray daughter and heire of Iohn Bray and cousin to Sir Reinold Bray a most worthy Knight of the Order of the Garter and a right noble Baneret whose Sonne Thomas Lord Sands was Grandfather to William L. Sands that now liveth Neighbouring hereunto is Odiam glorious in these daies for the Kings house there and famous for that David the Second King of Scots was there imprisoned a Burrough corporate belonging in times past to the Bishop of Winchester the fortresse whereof in the name of King John thirteene Englishmen for fifteene daies defended most valiantly and made good against Lewis of France who with his whole armie besieged and asted it very hotly A little above among these Segontiaci toward the North side of the countrey somtimes stood VINDONVM the chiefe citie of the Segontiaci which casting off his owne name hath taken the name of the Nation like as Luteria hath assumed unto it the name of the Parisians there inhabiting for called it was by the Britaines Caer Segonte that is to say the Citie of the Segontiaci And so Ninnius in his catalogue of cities named it wee at this day called it Silecester and Higden seemeth to clepe it of the Britaines Britenden that this was the ancient Vindonum I am induced to thinke by reason of the distance of Vindonum in Antoninus from Gallena or Guallenford and Venta or Winchester and the rather because betweene this Vindonum and Venta there is still to bee seene a causey or street-way Ninnius recordeth that it was built by Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great and called sometime Murimintum haply for Muri-vindum that is the wals of Vindon For this word Mur borrowed from the provinciall language the Britaines retained still and V. the consonant they change oftentimes in their speech and writing into M. And to use the verie words of Asinnius though they seeme ridiculous the said Constantius sowed upon the soile of this citie three seedes that none should be poore that dwelt therein at any time Like as Dinocrates when Alexandria in Egypt was a building strewed it with meale or flower as Marcellinus writeth all the circular lines of the draught which being done by chance was taken for a fore-token that the citie should abound with al manner of victualls He reporteth also that Constantius died here and that his Sepulchre was to be seene at one of the gates as the Inscription
said Richard and by impious cruell meanes usurped the kingdome that hee might by his benefits oblige unto him the house of the Howards created in one and the same day Iohn Lord Howard Duke of Norfolke as next cosin and heire to the Mowbraies and his sonne Thomas Earle of Surrie in whose of-spring this honour hath ever since beene resplendent and so continueth at this day This County hath in it Parish Churches 140. SVSSEX VNder Suth-rey toward the South lieth stretched out in a great length Suth-sex which also in times past the Regni inhabited in the Saxon tongue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this day Sussex which is as much to say as the Region of the South Saxons a word compounded of the site thereof Southward and of the Saxons who in their Heptarchie placed here the second kingdome It lieth upon the British Ocean all Southward with a streight shore as it were farre more in length than bredth Howbeit it hath few harbours by reason that the sea is dangerous for shelves and therefore rough and troublous the shore also it selfe full of rocks and the South-west wind doth tyrannize thereon casting up beach infinitely The sea coast of this countrie hath greene hils on it mounting to a greater height called the Downes which because they stand upon a fat chalke or kinde of marle yeeldeth corne aboundantly The middle tract garnished with medowes pastures corne-fields and groves maketh a very lovely shew The hithermore and Northern side thereof is shaded most pleasantly with woods like as in times past the whole country throughout which by reason of the woods was hardly passable For the wood Andradswald in the British language Coid Andred taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning tooke up in this quarter a hundred and twentie miles in length and thirtie in bredth memorable for the death of Sigebert King of West Saxons who being deposed from his royall throne was in this place stabbed by a Swineheard and so died Many pretty rivers it hath but such as springing out of the North-side of the shire forthwith take their course to the Ocean and therefore not able to beare any vessell of burden Full of iron mines it is in sundry places where for the making and fining whereof there bee furnaces on every side and a huge deale of wood is yearely spent to which purpose divers brookes in many places are brought to runne in one channell and sundry medowes turned into pooles and waters that they might bee of power sufficient to drive hammer milles which beating upon the iron resound all over the places adjoyning And yet the iron here wrought is not in every place of like goodnesse but generally more brittle than is the Spanish iron whether it be by the nature or tincture and temper thereof Howbeit commodious enough to the iron Maisters who cast much great ordnance thereof and other things to their no small gaine Now whether it bee as gainefull and profitable to the common-wealth may bee doubted but the age ensuing will bee better able to tell you Neither want here glasse-houses but the Glasse there made by reason of the matter or making I wot not whether is likewise nothing so pure and cleare and therefore used of the common sort onely SVSSEXIA Siue Southsex olim pars REGNORVM Selsey before said is somewhat lower in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say The Isle of Sea calves for these in our language wee call Scales which alwaies seeke to Islands and to the shore for to bring forth their young but now it is most famous for good cockles and full Lobsters A place as Beda saith compassed round about with the Sea but onely in the West side where it hath an entrie into it by land as broad as a slings cast It was reckoned by Survey taken to containe fourscore and seven Hides of Land when Edilwalch King of this Province gave it to Wilfride Bishop of Yorke whiles hee was in exile who first preached Christ unto this people and as he writeth not only by baptisme saved from thraldome under the divell two hundred and fiftie bond-men but also by giving freedome delivered them from the yoke of bondage under man Afterwards K. Cedwalla who vanquished Edilwalch founded here a Minster and beautified it with an Episcopall See which by Stigand the two and twentieth Bishop was translated to Chichester where it now flourisheth and doth acknowledge Cedwalla to bee the founder In this Isle remaineth onely the dead carkasse as it were of that ancient little citie wherein those Bishops sat and the same hidden quite with water at everie full sea but at a low water evident and plaine to be seene Then maketh the shore way for a river which out of Saint Leonards Forrest runneth downe first by Amberley where William Read Bishop of Chichester in the raigne of Edward the third built a castle for his successours and so from thence by Arundell seated on the hanging of an hill a place greater in name than deede and yet is not that name of great antiquitie for before Aelfreds dayes who bequeathed it by testament to Anthelme his brothers sonne I have not read it so much as once named Unlesse perhaps I should thinke that Portus Adurni is corruptly so called by transposition of letters for Portus Arundi The reason of this name is fetched neither from that fabulous horse of Sir Beavois of Southampton nor of Charudum a promontorie in Denmarke as Goropius Becanus hath dreamed but of the valley or dale which lieth upon the river Arun in case Arun bee the name of the river as some have delivered who thereupon named it in Latine Aruntina vallis that is Arundale But all the fame it hath is of the Castle that flourished under the Saxon Empire and which as we read presently upon the comming in of the Normans Roger Montgomerie repaired who thereupon was 〈◊〉 Earle of Arundell For a stately place it is both by naturall situation and also by mans hand verie strong But his sonne Robert de Belismo who succeeded his brother Hugh being by King Henrie the First proscribed lost that and all his other dignitie For when he had perfidiously raised warre against the King he chose this Castle for his surest hold whiles the warre lasted and fortified the place with many munitions but spedde no better than traitours use to doe For the Kings forces environing it everie way at the last wonne it Whenas Robert now had forfeited his estate and was banished the King gave this castle and all his Lands besides unto * Adeliza daughter to Godfrey Barbatus of Lovaine Duke of Loraine and Brabant for her Dowrie whom he tooke to be his second wife In whose commendation a certaine English man in that unlearned age wrote these not unlearned verses Anglorum Reginatuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi
these very same of which we now speake And verily no where else are they found but in a chalkie and marly soile Vnlesse a man would thinke that our English-Saxons digged such caves and holes to the same use and purpose as the Germans did of whom they were descended For they were wont as Tacitus writeth to make holes and caves under the ground and those to charge aloft with great heapes of dung as harbours of refuge for Winter and garners of receit for corne because by such like places they mitigate the rigour of cold wether and if at any time the enemie commeth hee wasteth onely the open ground but as for those things that lie hidden and buried under the earth they are either unknowne or in this respect doe disappoint the enemies for that they are to be sought for From above Feversham the shoare runneth on plentifull of shel-fish but especially oisters whereof there are many pits or stewes as far as Reculver and farther This Reculver is a place of ancient memorie named in the old English-Saxon Reaculf but in elder time REGVLBIVM For so it is named in the Roman Office booke Notitia Provinciarum which reporteth that the captaine of the primer band of the Vetasians lay heere in garrison under the Lieutenant of the Saxon-shoare for so was the sea coast a-long this tract called who had the command then of nine Ports as the L. Warden now hath of five Ports And verily the Roman Emperours coines digged up there give testimony to this antiquitie of the place In it Aethelbert King of Kent when he had made a grant of Canterbury to Augustine the Monk built himselfe a Palace and Bassa an English-Saxon beatified it with a Monasterie out of which Brightwald the Eighth Archbishop of Canterbury was elected Of this Monastery or Minster it was named Raculf-Minster what time as Edred brother to King Edward the Elder gave it to Christ-church in Canterbury Howbeit at this day it is nothing else but an uplandish country towne and if it bee of any name it hath it for the salt savory Oisters there dredged and for that Minster the steeples whereof shooting up their loftie spires stand the Mariners in good stead as markes whereby they avoide certaine sands and shelves in the mouth of the Thames For as he versifieth in his Philippeis Cernit oloriferum Thamisin sua Doridi amarae Flumina miscentem It now beholds swann-breeding Thames where he doth mix his streame With brackish sea Now are we come to the Isle Tanet which the river Stour by Bede named Wantsum severeth from the firme land by a small channell running betweene which river made of two divers rivelets in the wood-land called the Weald so soone as it goeth in one entire streame visiteth Ashford and Wye two prety Mercate townes well knowne Either of them had sometimes their severall Colledges of Priests the one built by Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury who was there borne the other to wit of Ashford by Sir R. Fogge Knight Wye also had a speciall fountaine into which God infused a wonderfull gift and vertue at the instant prayer of Eustace a Norman Abbat if we may beleeve Roger of Hoveden whom I would advise you to have recourse unto if you take delight in such like miracles As how the blind by drinking thereof recovered sight the dumbe their speech the deafe their hearing the lame their limbes And how a woman possessed of the devill sipping thereof vomited two toades which immediately were first transformed into huge blacke dogs and againe into asses and much more no lesse strange than ridiculous which some in that age as easily believed as others falsely forged Thence the Stour leaving East-well the inhabitation of the family of the Finches worshipfull of it selfe and by descent from Philip Belknap and Peoplesham goeth on to Chilham or as other call it Iulham where are the ruines of an old Castle which one Fulbert of Dover is reported to have built whose issue male soone failed and ended in a daughter inheritrice whom Richard the base sonne of King Iohn tooke to wife and had with her this Castle and the lands thereto belonging Of her hee begat two daughters namely Lora the wife of VVilliam Marmion and Isabell wife first to David of Strathbolgy Earle of Athole in Scotland afterward to Sir Alexander Baliol who was called to Parliament by the name of Lord of Chilham mother to that Iohn Earle of Athole who being condemned oftentimes for treason was hanged at the last upon a gibbet fifty foot high as the King commanded because he might be so much the more conspicuous in mens eies as he was of higher and nobler birth and being cut downe halfe alive had his head smitten off and the truncke of his body throwen into the fire a very cruell kinde of punishment and seldome seene among us And after his goods were confiscate King Edward the first bounteously bestowed this castle together with Felebergh Hundred upon Sir Bartholomew Badilsmer who likewise quickly lost the same for his treason as I have before related There is a constant report among the inhabitants that Iulius Caesar in his second voiage against the Britans encamped at this Chilham and that thereof it was called Iulham that is Iulius his Mansion and if I be not deceived they have the truth on their side For heere about it was when at his second remove he in his march staied upon the intelligence that his ships were sore weather-beaten and thereupon returned and left his army encamped tenne daies while he rigged and repaired the decaies of his Navy And in his march from hence was encountered sharply by the Britans and lost with many other Laberius Durus a Marshall of the field A little beneath this towne there is a prety hillocke to be seene apparelled in a fresh suit of greene sord where men say many yeeres agoe one Iullaber was enterred whom some dreame to have beene a Giant others a Witch But I conceiving an opinion that some antiquity lieth hidden under that name doe almost perswade my selfe that the foresaid Laberius was heere buried and so that the said hillocke became named Iul-laber Five miles from hence the river Stoure dividing his Channell runneth swiftly by DVROVERNVM the chiefe Cittie of this Countie and giveth it his name For Durwhern in the British tongue signifieth a swift river Ptolome calleth it in steed of Durovernum DARVERNVM Bede and others DOROBERNIA the English Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Kentishmens citie Ninnius and the Britans Caer Kent that is the Citie of Cent wee Canterbury and the later writers in Latine Cantuaria A right antient citie this is and famous no doubt in the Romans time not over great as William of Malmesbury said 400. yeares since nor verie small much renowned both for the situation and exceeding fertility of the soile adjoining as also for
give my voice and accord with Ninnius who writeth That it tooke the name from Glovus the great grandfathers father of King Vortigern but that long before it Antonine had named it Glevum which both the Distance from Corinium and the name also may prove But as the Saxon name Gleavecester came from Glevum so Glevum proportionably from the British Caer Glow which I suppose sprong from the word Glow that in the British tongue signifieth Faire and Goodly so that Caer Glow may bee as much as to say a faire Citie In which signification also the Greekes had their Callipolis Callidromos Callistratia the English men their Brightstow and Shirley and in this very Countie Faireford Faire-ley c. This Citie was built by the Romans and set as it were upon the necke of the Silures to yoake them And there also was a Colonie planted to people it which they called COLONIA GLEVVM For I have seene a fragment of antique stone in the walles of Bath neere unto the North-gate with this Inscription DEC COLONIAE GLEV VIXIT ANN. LXXXVI It lieth stretched out in length over Severne on that side where it is not watered with the river it hath in some places a very strong wall for defence A proper and fine Citie I assure you it is both for number of Churches and for the buildings On the South part there was a lofty Castle of square Ashler stone which now for the most part is nothing but a ruine It was built in King William the first his time and sixteene houses there about as wee read in the booke of Englands Survey were plucked downe for the rearing of this Castle About which Roger the sonne of Miles Constable of Glocester went to law with King Henry the second and his brother Walter lost all the right and interest hee had in this City and Castle as Robert de Mont hath written Ceaulin King of the West Saxons was the first that about the yeare of our redemption 570. by force and armes wrested Glocester out of the Britans hands After this the Mercians won it under whom it flourished in great honour and Osricke King of Northumberland by permission of Etheldred the Mercian founded there a very great and stately Monastery for Nunnes over whom Kineburg Eadburg and Eve Queenes of the Mercians were Prioresses successively one after another Edelfled also that most noble Ladie of the Mercians adorned this City with a Church wherein shee her selfe was buried and not long after when the Danes had spoyled and wasted the whole countrey those sacred Virgins were throwne out and The Danes as Aethelward that ancient authour writeth with many a stroake pitched poore cottages into the citie of Glenvcester At which time when those more ancient Churches were subverted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke and Bishop of Worcester erected another for Monkes which is now the chiefe Church in the Citie and hath a Deane and sixe Prebendaries But the same in these late precedent ages was newly beautified For Iohn Hanley and Thomas Farley two Abbats added unto it the Chappel of the blessed Virgin Mary N. Morwent raised from the very foundation the forefront which is an excellent piece of worke G. Horton an Abbat adjoyned to it the crosse North-part Abbat Trowcester a most daintie and fine Cloister and Abbat Sebrok an exceeding high faire steeple As for the South side it was also repaired with the peoples offerings at the Sepulcher of the unhappy King Edward the second who lieth heere enterred under a monument of Alabaster and not farre from him another Prince as unfortunate as hee Robert Curt-hose the eldest sonne of King William the Conquerour Duke of Normandy within a woodden painted tombe in the midest of the quire who was bereft of the Kingdome of England for that he was borne before his father was King deprived of his two sonnes the one by strange death in the New-forrest the other dispoiled of the Earledome of Flanders his inheritance and slaine he himselfe dispossessed of the Dukedome of Normandie by his brother King Henry the first his eies plucked out and kept close prisoner 26. yeares with all contumelious indignities untill through extreame anguish hee ended his life Above the quire in an arch of this church there is a wall built in forme of a semicircle full of corners with such an artificiall device that if a man speake with never so low a voice at the one part thereof and another lay his eare to the other being a good way distant he may most easily heare every sillable In the reigne of William the Conquerour and before it may seeme that the chiefest trade of the Citizens was to make Iron For as we find in the Survey booke of England the King demanded in manner no other tribute than certaine Icres of Iron and Iron barres for the use of the Kings Navy and some few quarts of hony After the comming in of the Normans it suffered divers calamities by the hands of Edward King Henry the third his sonne whiles England was all on a smoake and cumbustion by the Barons warre it was spoiled and afterward by casualty of fire almost wholy consumed to ashes but now cherished with continuance of long peace it flourisheth againe as fresh as ever it was and by laying unto it two Hundreds it is made a County and called the County of the Citie of Glocester Also within the memory of our fathers King Henry the Eighth augmented the state thereof with an Episcopall See with which dignitie in old time it had beene highly endowed as Geffery of Monmouth avoucheth and I will not derogate ought from the credit of his assertion considering that among the Prelates of Britaine the Bishop Cluviensis is reckoned which name derived from Clevum or Glow doth after a sort confirme and strengthen my coniecture that this is that Glevum whereof Antonine maketh mention Severne having now left Glocester behind it and gathered his waters unto one streame againe windeth it selfe by Elmore a Mansion house of the Gises ancient by their owne lineall descent being in elder times owners of Apsely-Gise neere Brickhill and from the Beauchamps of Holt who acknowledge Huber de Burgo Earle of Kent whom I lately mentioned beneficious to them and testifie the same by their Armories Lower upon the same side Stroud a pretty river slideth into Severne out of Coteswold by Stroud a Mercat towne sometimes better peopled with Clothiers and not farre from Minching-Hampton which anciently had a Nunnery or belonged to Nunnes whom our ancestors named Minchings Now Severn waxing broader and deeper by reason of the alternative flowing and ebbing of the sea riseth and swelleth in manner of a rough and troublous sea indeed and so with many windings and turnings in and out speedeth him unto the Ocean But nothing offereth it selfe unto his sight to count of as hee passeth along but Cam-bridge a little country towne where it receiveth Cam a small
to make therein his Episcopall residency This Birinus as wee may read also in Bede was wonderfully in those daies admired for a deepe conceived opinion of his holinesse whereupon an ancient Poet who penned his life in Verse wrote thus of him Dignior attolli guà m sit Tyrinthius heros Quà m sit Alexander Macedo Tyrinthius hostes Vicit Alexander mundum Birinus utrunque Nec tantùm vicit mundum Birinus hostem Sed sese bello vincens victus eodem More worthy for to be extold than Hercules for might Or that great king of Macedon who Alexander hight For Hercules subdu'd his foes and Alexander he Wonne all the World by force of Armes But our Birinus see Did vanquish both nor conquer'd he onely the World and Foe But in one fight subdu'd himselfe and was subdu'd also After 460. yeares Remigus Bishop of this place least the name of Bishop should loose credit in so small a City a thing forbidden in the Canons in the Raigne of William the first translated his seat to Lincolne At which time this City of Dorchester as Malmesbury saith who then flourished was but slender and of small resort yet the majesty of the Churches was great whether you respected either the old building or the new diligence and care emploied thereupon Ever since it beganne by little and little to decay and of late by turning London high way from thence it hath decreased so as that of a City it is scarce able now to maintaine the name of a Towne and all that it is able to doe is to shew in the fields adjoyning ruines onely and rubbish as expresse tokens of what bignesse it hath beene A little beneath this Towne Tame and Isis meeting in one streame become hand-fast as it were and joyned in Wedlocke and as in waters so in name they are coupled as Ior and Dan in the holy Land Dor and Dan in France whence come Iordan and Dordan For ever after this the River by a compound word is called Tamisis that is Tamis He seemeth first to have observed this who wrote the booke entituled Eulogium Historiarum Now as touching this marriage of Isis with Tame have heere certaine Verses taken out of a Poem bearing that Title which you may read or leave unread at your pleasure Hic vestit Zephyrus florentes gramine ripas FLORAQYE nectareis redimit caput ISIDIS herbis Seligit ambrosios pulcherrima GRATIA flores Contexit geminas CONCORDIA laeta corollas Extollitque suas taedas Hymenaeus in altum Naiades aedificant thalamúmque thorúmque profundo Stamine gemmato textum pictisque columnis Vndique fulgentem Qualem nec Lydia Regi Extruxit Pelopi nec tu Cleopatra marito Illic manubias cumulant quas Brutus Achivis Quas Brennus Graecis rigidus Gurmundus Hibernis Bunduica Romanis claris Arthurius Anglis Eripuit quicquid Scotis victricibus armis Abstulit Edwardus virtúsque Britannica Gallis Hauserat intereà sperati conjugis ignes TAMA Catechlaunûm delabens montibus illa Impatiens nescire thorum nupturaque gressus Accelerat longique dies sibi stare videntur Ambitiosa suum donec praeponere nomen Possit amatori Quid non mortalia cogit Ambitio notamque suo jam nomine villam Linquit Norrisiis geminans salvete valete Cernitur tandem Dorcestria prisca petiti Augurium latura thori nunc TAMA resurgit Nexa comam spicis trabea succincta virenti Aurorae superans digitos vultumque Diones Pestanae non labra rosae non lumina gemmae Lilia non aequant crines non colla pruinae Vtque fluit crines madidos in terga repellit Reddit undanti legem formamque capillo En subitò frontem placidis è fluctibus ISIS Effert totis radios spargentia campis Aurea stillanti resplendent lumina vultu Iungit optatae nunc oscula plurima TAMAE Mutuáque explicitis innectunt colla lacertis Oscula mille sonant connexu brachia pallent Labra ligant animos tandem descenditur unà In thalamum quo juncta FIDE CONCORDIA sancta Splendida conceptis sancit connubia verbis VndÃque multifori strepitat nunc tibia buxi Flucticolae Nymphae Dryades SatyrÃque petulci In numeros circùm ludunt ducuntque choreas Dum pede concutiunt alterno gramina laeti Permulcent volucres sylvas modulamine passim CertatÃmque sonat laetùm reparabilis ECHO Omnia nunc rident campi laetantur AMORES Fraenatis plaudunt avibus per inania vecti Personat cythara quicquid vidêre priores Pronuba victura lauro velata BRITÔNA Haec canit ut toto diducta BRITANNIA mundo Cùm victor rupes divulserit aequore Nereus Et cur Neptuni lapidosa grandine natum Albionem vicit nostras delatus in oras Hercules illimes libatus Thamisis undas Quas huc adveniens ar as sacravit Vlysses Vtque Corinaeo Brutus comitatus Achate Occiduos adiit tractus ut Caesar anhelus Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis c. And after a few other verses Dixerat unito consurgit unus amore Laetior exultans nunc nomine TAMISIS uno Oceanúmque patrem quaerens jactantior undas Promovet Heere Zephyrus with fresh greene grasse The Bankes above doth spread Faire Flora with ay-living herbs Adourneth ISIS head Most lovely GRACE selecteth forth Sweet floures that never dy And gladsome CONCORD plats thereof Two guitlands skilfully With all God HYMENAEUS lifts His torches up on hie A Bride-chamber the NAIADES Beneath of rare device And Bed do rear ywov'n with warp Beset with stones of price All shining eke with pillars tall And wrought full curiously The like did neâ—her Lydie for King Pelops edify Nor thou Queene Cleopatra for Thine husband Antony There lay they foorth and make no spare Those spoiles that whilom Brut From Achives tooke what riches great From Grecians Brennus stout And from fierce Irish Gurmund wonn What either Bundwic Queen From Romans gat or Arthur from Our English there are seene What ever from the Scots by force Of fight our Edward King Or valiant English from the French By armes away did bring Meane while down Catechlanian hils TAME gliding kindled had The fire of love in hope of ISE Her husband wondrous glad Impatient now of all delay She hastneth him to wed And thinks the daies be long untill They meet in marriage bed Untill I say ambitious she May now before her love Her own name set see whereunto Ambition minds doth move And now by this shee leav's the town That knowen is by her name All haile fare well redoubling to The Norris's by the same Old Dorchester at length shee sees Which was to give presage And lucky Augury of this Long wished marriage Up riseth Tame then who know's Her locks with eares of corn Full well to knit with kirtle green Her wast eke to adorn The lightsome raies of morning bright She now doth far excell Dione faire in countenance Lookes not by halfe so well Her lips
Which King Henry the Fifth when he had expelled thence the Monkes aliens built for religious Virgins to the honor of our Saviour the Virgine Mary and Saint Briget of Sion like as he founded another on the Rivers side over against it for the Carthusian Monkes named Jesu of Bethelem In this Sion hee appointed to the Glory of God so many Nunnes Priests and lay brethren divided a part within their severall wals as were in number equall to Christ his Apostles and Disciples upon whom when he had bestowed sufficient living he provided by a law that contenting themselves therewith they should take no more of any man but what overplus soever remained of their yearely revenew they should bestow it upon the poore But after that in our forefathers time those religious Votaries were cast out and it became a retiring house of the Duke of Somerset who plucked downe the Church and there began a new house Under this the small water Brent issueth into the Tamis which springing out of a Pond vulgarly called Brouns-well for Brentwell that is in old English Frog-well passeth downe betweene Hendon which Archbishop Dunstan borne for the advancement of Monkes purchased for some few golde Bizantines which were Imperiall peeces of Gold coined at Bizantium or Constantinople and gave to the Monks of Saint Peter of Westminster and Hamsted-hils from whence you have a most pleasant prospect to the most beautifull City of London and the lovely Country about it Over which the ancient Roman military way led to Verulam or Saint Albans by Edge-worth and not by High-gate as now which new way was opened by the Bishops of London about some 300. yeares since But to returne Brent into whom all the small Rillets of these parts resort runneth on by Brentstreat an Hamlet to whom it imparted his name watereth Hanger-wood Hanwell Oisterly Parke where Sir Thomas Gresham built a faire large house and so neere his fall into the Tamis giveth name to Brentford a faire throughfaire and frequent Mercat Neere which in the yeare 1116. King Edmond sirnamed Ironside so fiercely charged upon the Danes whom hee compelled by force to retire from the Siege of London that as fast as their horses could make way they fled not without their great losse From Stanes hitherto all that lyeth betweene London highway which goeth through Hounslow and the Tamis was called the Forrest or Warren of Stanes untill that King Henry the Third as in his Charter we reade Disforrested and diswarened it Then by the Tamis side is Fulham in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The place of Fowles the greatest credit and honour whereof is the Bishop of Londons house standing there conveniently not farre from the City albeit not so healthfully Also Chelsey so named of a shelfe of Sand in the River Tamis as some suppose but in Records it is named Chelche-hith a place garnished with faire and stately houses by King Henry the Eighth by William Powlet the first Marquesse of Winchester and by others But LONDON the Epitome or Breviary of all Britaine the seat of the British Empire and the Kings of Englands Chamber so much overtoppeth all these as according to the Poet Inter viburna Cupressâ—s that is the Cypresse-tree amongst the Viornes Tacitus Ptolomee and Antonine call it LONDINIUM and LONGIDINIUM Ammianus LUNDINUM and AUGUSTA Stephen in his Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Britans Lundayn the old Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strangers Londra and Londres the inhabitants London Fabulous writers Troja nova that is New Troy Dinas Belin that is Belins City and Caer Lud of King Lud whom they write to have reedified it and given it the name But these few names and originall derivations together with Erasmus his conjecture who deriveth it from Lindum a City in the Isle Rhodes I willingly leave to such as well like it For mine owne part seeing that Caesar and Strabo doe write that the ancient Britains called those Woods and groves by the names of Cities and Townes which they had fenced with trees cast downe and plashed to stoppe up all passage seeing also I have understood that such woods or groves are in the British tongue named Llâ—wn I encline a little to the opinion that London thence tooke name as one would say by way of excellency The City or A City thicke of trees But if heerein I faile of the truth let me with good leave give my conjecture and heere would I have no man to charge me with inconstancy while I disport in conjecture that whence it had the fame thence also it tooke the name even from ships which the Britains in their language call Lhong so that Londinum may seeme to sound as much as a ship-Rode or City of ships For the Britains tearme a City Dinas whence the Latines have fetched their Dinum And hence it is that elsewhere it is called LONGIDINIUM and in the funerall song or Dump of a most ancient British Bard Lhong-porth that is an harbour or haven of ships and by this very terme Bononia or Bolen in France which Ptolomee calleth Gessoriacum Navale in the British Glossarie is named Bolung-long For many Cities have drawne their names from Ships as Naupactus Naustathmos Nauplia Navalia Augusti c. But of these none hath better right to assume unto it the name of a Ship-Rode or Haven than our London For in regard of both Elements most blessed and happy it is as being situate in a rich and fertile Soile abounding with plentifull store of all things and on the gentle ascent and rising of an hill hard by the Tamis side the most milde Merchant as one would say of all things that the World doth yeeld which swelling at certaine set houres with the Ocean-tides by his safe and deepe chanell able to entertaine the greatest Ships that bee daily bringeth in so great riches from all parts that it striveth at this day with the Mart-townes of Christendome for the second prise and affoordeth a most sure and beautifull Roade for shipping A man would say that seeth the shipping there that it is as it were a very Wood of trees disbranched to make glades and let in light So shaded it is with masts and failes Who was the first founder is by long time growne out of knowledge and in truth very few Cities there are that know their own first founders considering they grew up to their greatnesse by little and little But as other Cities so this of ours fathereth her originall upon the Trojanes as verily beleeving that Brutus the Nephew in the third descent of Great Aeneas was the builder thereof But whosoever founded it the happy and fortunate estate thereof hath given good proofe that built it was in a good houre and marked for life and long continuance And that it is for antiquity honourable Ammianus Marcellinus giveth us to understand who called it in his times and that was 1200. yeares
and a man may truly suppose that those two Castles which Fitz-Stephen recorded to have beene at the East side of this City went both to the making of this one The other Fort was on the West side of the City where Fleete a little Riveret whence Fleete-streete tooke name now of no account but in times past able to beare Vessels as I have read in the Parliament Rolls sheddeth it selfe into the Tamis Fitz-Stephen called this the Palatine Towre or Castle and they write that in the Raigne of William the Conquerour it was consumed by fire Out of the ruines whereof both a great part of Pauls Church was newly built and also in the very plot of ground where it stood Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury founded a religious house for Dominican Friers whereupon we call the place Blacke Friers Whereby a man may easily guesse of what bignesse it was Howbeit there stood in that place in the dayes of king Henry the second Gervase of Tilbury in his booke entituled Otia Imperiatia is mine Authour two Forts or Castles built with Wals and Rampiers The one whereof belonged to Bainard the other to the Barons of Montfichet by right of succession But nothing remaineth of them at this day Yet some thinke that Pembroch house was a peece of them which we terme Bainards Castle of William Bainard a Noble man Lord of Dunmow whose possession sometime it was whose successours the Fitz-walters were in right of inheritance the Ensigne Bearers of the City of London and amongst them Robert Fitz-walter had licence of king Edward the First to sell the site of Bainard Castle to the said Archbishop Robert Neither was this City at that time walled onely but also when the Flamin or Pagan Priest was taken away and Christian Religion established under that good Emperour a Bishop was enstalled in his roome For it appeareth that at the Councell of Arles which in the yeare of grace 314. was held under Constantine the Great the Bishop of London was present For he subscribed as is to be seene in the first Tome of the Councels in this manner RESTITUTUS Bishop in the City of London out of the Province of Britaine which Restitutus and his successors had their seat and resiance as some affirme at Saint Peters in Cornhill Heereafter London flourished in such honour that it beganne to bee called AUGUSTA and by that name was famous under the Emperour Valentinian For Amianus Marcellinus in his 27. booke writeth thus And going forward to London an ancient Towne which the posterity called Augusta and in the 28. booke He went from Augusta which men of old time called Lundi whence it came that when after Constantines time there was a Mint appointed therein For we reade in his peeces of money which he stamped in honour of his father Constantius and in others this inscription P. LON. S. that is Pecunia Londini signata that is Money stamped at London he that had the charge and overseeing thereof under the Comes sacrarum largitionum is in the booke of Notice termed Praepositus Thesaurorum Augustensiam in Britannia that is Provost of the Treasury of Augusta or London in Britaine For this name AUGUSTA was a name full of much dignity full of majesty And both founders and repairers of Cities when they either hoped or wished that such Cities would become flourishing and powerfull gave them significative names of good fortune But among the most auspicious names that be none is more magnificent none more auspicate than AUGUSTA For this of AUGUSTUS that most gracious and mighty Emperour Octavianus tooke unto himselfe not without the judgement of the best learned Sirnamed he was saith Dio Augustus as one of great Majesty above the nature of man For what things be most honourable and sacred are called AUGUSTA Neither had London this name for so high an honour without the Licence of the Romane Emperours For that names could not bee imposed to Cities without licence Virgil noteth in that Verse of his Urbem appellabant permisso nomine Acestam The City by permission ACESTA they did name But as continuance of time hath out-worne this so honorable a name of Augusta so it hath confirmed that other more ancient name Londinum Whiles it enjoyed the foresaid name Augusta it scaped faire from destruction by a rebellious rout of Ransackers but Theodosius the father of Theodosius the Emperour did cut them in peeces whiles they were encombred with their spoiles and entred as Marcianus saith with exceeding great joy in triumphant manner into the City distressed before and overwhelmed with grievous calamities And marching with his Army from thence he by his valiant prowesse so freed Britain from those intolerable miseries and dangers wherewith it was beset that the Romans as witnesseth Symmachus honored him among other ancient worthies and men of honourable Renowne with the Statue of a man of Armes Not long after when the Romans Empire in Britaine was come to an end in that publique destiny and fatall fall of the whole State it fell into the English-Saxons hands but in what sort it is not agreed upon among Writers For mine owne part I am of opinion that Vortigern to redeeme himselfe being taken Prisoner delivered it for his ransome unto Hengest the Saxon considering that it belonged to the East-Saxons whose Country as Writers doe record Vortigerne upon that condition made over unto Hengest At which time the State of the Church went to wracke and endured sore afflictions the Pastours were either slaine or forced to flye their flockes driven away and after havocke made of all as well Church goods as others Theon the last Bishop of London of British bloud was faine to hide the holy Reliques of Saints for a memoriall as mine Authour saith and not for any Superstition But although those dayes of the English-Saxons were such as that a man might truely say Mars then brandished and shooke his weapons yet was London never the lesse as Bede testifieth a Towne of Trade and Traffique Frequented with many Nations resorting thither by sea and land But afterwards when a more gracious gale of peace breathed favourably upon this wearied Island and the English-Saxons beganne to professe Christianity it also beganne a fresh to flourish againe For Aethelbert King of Kent under whom Sebert reigned in this Tract as it were his Vassall and by courtesie founded heere a Church and consecrated it to Saint Paul which being eftsoones reedified and repaired became at length most stately and magnificent endowed also with faire Livings and Revenewes wherewith are maintained a Bishop a Deane and Chaunter a Chancellour and a Treasurer five Archdeacons thirty Prebendaries and divers others The East part of this Church which seemeth to bee the newer and curiously wrought having under it a very faire Arched Vault which also is Saint Faithes Church was begunne of the ruines of that Palatine Castle which I speake of by Maurice the Bishop about the
people but now having lost the old name it is called Caster And no marvaile that of the three VENTAE Cities of Britain this onely lost the name seeing it hath quite lost it selfe For beside the ruines of the Walles which containe within a square plot or quadrant about thirty acres and tokens appearing upon the ground where sometimes houses stood and some few peeces of Romane money which are now and then there digged up there is nothing at all remaining But out of this ancient VENTA in the succeeding ages Norwich had her beginning about three miles from hence neere unto the confluents of Yare and another namelesse River some call it Bariden where they meet in one which River with a long course running in and out by Fakenham which King Henry the first gave to Hugh Capell and King John afterward to the Earle of Arundell and making many crooked reaches speedeth it selfe this way by Attilbridge to Yare and leaveth Horsford North from it where a Castle of William Cheneys who in the Raigne of Henry the Second was one of the great Lords and chiefe Peeres of England lieth overgrowne with bushes and brambles This NORVVICH is a famous City called in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Northerly Creeke if Wic among the Saxons signifieth the creeke or Cove of a River as Rhenanus sheweth unto us for in this very place the River runneth downe amaine with a crooked and winding compasse or a Northerne Station if Wic as Hadrianus Iunius would have it betokeneth a sure and secure station or place of aboad where dwelling houses stand joyntly and close together or a Northerly Castle if Wic sound as much as Castle as our Archbishop Alfrick the Saxon hath interpreted it But if I should with some others be of opinion that Norwich by a little turning is derived from Venta what should I doe but turne awry from the very truth For by no better right may it challenge unto it selfe the name of Venta than either Basil in Germany the name of AUGUSTA or Baldach of BABYLON For like as Baldach had the beginning of Babylons fall and Basil sprang from the ruine of Augusta even so our Norwich appeared and shewed it selfe though it were late out of that ancient VENTA which the British name thereof Caer Guntum in Authours doth prove wherein like as in the River Wentsum or Wentfar the name of Venta doth most plainely discover it selfe For this name Norwich wee cannot reade of any where in our Chronicles before the Danish warres So farre is it off that either Caesar or Guiteline the Britain built it as they write who are more hasty to beleeve all than to weigh matters with sound judgement But now verily by reason of the wealth the number of Inhabitants and resort of people the faire buildings and faire Churches and those so many for it containeth about thirty Parishes the painefull industry of the Citizens their loyalty towards their Prince and their courtesie unto strangers it is worthily to bee ranged with the most celebrate Cities of Britaine It is right pleasantly situate on the side of an Hill two and fifty Degrees and forty Scrupuls from the Aequator and foure and twenty Degrees and five and fifty Scrupuls in Longitude The forme is somewhat long lying out in length from South to North a mile and an halfe but carrying in breadth about halfe so much drawing it selfe in by little and little at the South end in manner as it were of a cone or sharpe point Compassed it is about with strong walles in which are orderly placed many Turrets and twelve gates unlesse it bee on the East-side where the River after it hath with many windings in and out watered the North part of the City having foure Bridges for men to passe to and fro over it is a Fence thereto with his deepe Chanell there and high steepe bankes In the very infancy as I may so say of this City when Etheldred a witlesse and unadvised Prince raigned Sueno or Swan the Dane who ranged at his pleasure through England with a great rable of spoiling Ravenours first put it to the sacke and afterwards set it on fire Yet it revived againe and as wee reade in that Domesday booke wherein William the Conquerour tooke the review of all England there were by account in King Edward the Confessours time no fewer than one thousand three hundred and twenty Burgesses in it At which time that I may speake out of the same Booke It paid unto the King twenty pounds and to the Earle ten pounds and beside all this twenty shillings and foure Prebendaries and sixe Sextars of Hony also a Beare and sixe Dogges for to bait the Beare but now it paieth seventy pounds by weight to the King and an hundred shillings for a Gersume to the Queene and an ambling Palfrey also twenty pounds Blanc to the Earle and twenty shillings for a Gersume by tale But while the said King William raigned that flaming fire of fatall sedition which Raulph Earle of East England had kindled against the King settled it selfe heere For when hee had saved himselfe by flight his wife together with the French Britons endured in this place a most grievous Siege even to extreme famine yet at length driven she was to this hard pinch that she fled the land and this City was so empaired that scarce 560. Burgesses were left in it as we reade in that Domesday booke Of this yeelding up of the City Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury maketh mention in his Epistle to King William in these words Your Kingdome is purged of these villanous and filthy Britons The Castle of Norwich is rendred up into your hands And the Britons who were therein and had lands in England having life and limme granted unto them are sworne within forty dayes to depart out of your Realme and not enter any more into it without your leave and licence From that time beganne it againe to recover it selfe by little and little out of this diluge of calamities and Bishop Herbert whose good name was cracked for his foule Simony translated the Episcopall See from Thetford hither and built up a very faire Cathedral Church on the East side and lower part of the City in a certaine place then called Cow-holme neere unto the Castle The first stone whereof in the Raigne of King William Rufus and in the yeare after Christs Nativity 1096. himselfe laid with this inscription DOMINUS HERBERTUS POSUIT PRIMUM LAPIDEM IN NOMINE PATRIS FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI AMEN That is LORD BISHOP HERBERT LAID THE FIRST STONE IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER THE SONNE AND HOLY GHOST AMEN Afterwards he procured of Pope Paschal that it should be established and confirmed for the Mother Church of Norfolke and Suffolke he endowed it bountifully with as much lands as might sufficiently maintaine threescore Monkes who had there faire and spacious Cloysters
But after that they were thrust out by King Henry the Eight there were substituted for them a Deane sixe Prebendaries and others The Church being thus built and an Episcopall See there placed the Towne now as saith William of Malmesbury became of great name for frequent trade of Merchants and resort of people And in the 17. yeare of King Stephen as we reade in old Annals Norwich was founded a new became a well peopled City and was made a Corporation And most certaine it is out of the kings Records that king Stephen granted it unto his sonne William for his Appennage as they terme it or inheritance Out of whose hands King Henry the Second shortly after wrested it by composition and kept it for himselfe And albeit his Sonne Henry called the younger King when he aspired ambitiously to the kingdome had made a large promise thereof unto Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke whom hee had drawne to side with him At which time Bigod taking part with the young King who could not containe his hope of the Kingdome within the bounds of duty and equity most grievously afflicted and oppressed this City and then as it is thought reedified that Castle standing within the very City upon an high hill neere unto the Cathedrall Church which being compassed with a ditch of a wonderfull depth seemed in those daies impregnable Which notwithstanding Lewis the French-man with whom the seditious Barons of England combined against King John won it easily by Siege Now that Bigod reedified this Castle I verily beleeve because I have seen Lions Saliant engraven there in a Stone after the same forme that the Bigods used in times past in their Seales of whom also there was one that in his Seale used a Crosse. These things fell out in the first age we may say of Norwich But in the age next ensuing it encreased mightily and flourished by reason that the Citizens grew to be passing wealthy who exhibited a supplication in the Parliament house unto King Edward the First that they might be permitted to wall their City about which they afterwards performed to the exceeding great strengthning and honor thereof They obtained moreover of King Richard the Second that the Worsted made there might be transported and in the yeare 1403. king Henry the fourth granted that they might choose every yeare a Major in stead of their Bailiffes which before were the principall Magistrates They built likewise a passing faire Towne-house in the very middest of the City neere unto the Mercat-place which on certaine set dayes is furnished exceeding well with all things necessary for mans life And verily much beholden it is unto the Netherlanders that being weary of Duke de Alba his cruelty and hating the bloudy Inquisition repaired hither in great numbers and first brought in the making and trade of saies baies and other stuffes now much in use But why should I stand long upon these things when as Alexander Nevill a Gentleman well borne and very learned hath notably described all these matters together with the story of their Bishops the orderly succession of their Magistrates and the furious outrage of that most villanous Rebell Keâ— against this City This only will I adde that in the yeare 1583. the Citizens conveighed water out of the River through pipes by an artificiall Instrument or water-forcer up into the highest places of the City Heere I may justly commence an action both against Polydor Virgill an Italian and also against Angelus Capellus a Frenchman and put them to their answer before the Tribunal of venerable Antiquity why they have avouched that the ancient ORDOVICES who be seated as it were in another world inhabited this Norwich I would have the same mery action also against our Country man D. Caius but that I know for certaine that the good old man right learned though he were was blinded in this point with the naturall love of this his own native Country Neither have I more to say of Norwich unlesse it may please you to runne over these Verses of Master Iohn Ionston a Scottish-Britan written of the same Vrbs speciosa situ nitidis pulcherrima tectis Grata peregrinis delitiosa suis. Bellorum sedes trepido turbante tumultu Tristia Neustriaco sub duce damna tulit Victis dissidijs postquam caput ardua coelo Extulit immensis crevit opima opibus Cultus vincit opes cultum gratia rerum Quam benè si luxus non comitetur opes Omnia sic adeò sola haec sibi sufficit ut si Fo rs regno desit haec caput esse queat A City seated daintily most faire built she is knowne Pleasing and kinde to Strangers all delightfull to her owne The seat of warre whiles civill sturs and tumults yet remain'd In William the Normans dayes she grievous losse sustain'd These broiles and jarres once past when as her head aloft againe She bare in richnesse infinite and wealth she grew amaine Her Port exceeds that wealth and things all superfine this Port How happy were it if excesse with such wealth did not sort So all sufficient in her selfe and so complete is shee That if neede were of all the Realme the Mistresse shee might bee From Norwich the River Yare having entertained other beackes and brookes as guests yet all under his owne name passeth on still with many winding crookes very full of the fishes called Ruffes which name because in English it soundeth like to Rough D. Caius named it aptly in Latine Aspredo that is Rough. For it is all the body over rough and hath very sharpe and pricky finnes it delighteth in sandy places for shape and bignesse like unto a Perch in colour browne and duskish above but palish yellow beneath marked by the chawes with a double course of half-circles the eye for the upper halfe of it of a darke browne for the nether somewhat yellowish like delayed gold the ball and sight thereof blacke This speciall marke by it selfe it hath that there is a line goeth along the backe and fastened to the body as it were with an overthwart thred all to bespotted ouer the taile and fins with blacke speckes which finnes when the fish is angry stand up and bristle stiffe and strong but when the anger is allayed they fall flat againe The meat of this Ruffe resembleth that of the Perch much commended for holsomnesse and for eating tender and short When Yâ—re is gone past Claxton where there stands a Castlet built round which Sir Thomas Gawdy knight Justice of the Common Pleas of late repaired it receiveth a brooke which passeth by nothing memorable but Halles-hall and that only memorable for his ancient Owner Sir Iames Hobart Atturney Generall and of the Privie Counsell to King Henry the Seventh by him dubbed Knight at such time as he created Henry his sonne Prince of Wales who by building from the ground the faire Church at Loddon being his Parish Church Saint Olaves bridge over
another place this Dignity had an end and therewith the stately part of the Towne by little and little was empaired untill that Edelfleda a most vertuous and noble Lady in the yeere after our Saviours Nativity 914. repaired and strongly walled it new about in so much as Matthew of Paris in his lesser Story wrote thus Legecester is a right wealthy City and notably well fenced with an indissoluble Wall which if it had a strong foundation were inferiour to no City whatsoever About the Normans entring into this Land it was well peopled and frequented yea and had very many Burgesses in it out of whom they were bound by an ancient custome as we reade in William the Conquerours booke To send twelve with the King so often as he â—ent in person to the warres But if hee made a voyage by sea against his enemies they sent foure horses to carry armour as farre as to London This City paid yeerely to the King 30. pounds by tale and twenty in ora that is by weight also 25. measures called Sextaries of hony But in the time of King Henry the Seconds Raigne it was sore overpressed with a world of great and grievous calamities and the wals throwne downe what time as Robert sirnamed Bossu that is Crouch backe Earle of Leicester conspired and rebelled against the King Which Matthew of Paris sheweth in these words For the obstinate stubbornesse of Earle Robert spurning against the King the noble City of Leicester was besieged and overthrowne by King Henry and the Wall which seemed indissoluble was utterly cast downe all round about For that I may adde thus much out of the lesser History abovesaid when the Wall of the City wanting a good foundation was undermined and the props that sustained it at length burnt the peeces and fragments of the Wall fell downe which even to this day such is the indissoluble tenacity and stifnesse of the morter remaine fast and retaine the bignesse of sound rockes Miserable also was the imposition of a fine upon the Citizens at that time and their banishment as lamentable who having obtained by paying summes of money licence to depart tooke Sanctuary for extreame feare in Saint Albans and Saint Edmundsbury The Castle likewise was dismantled of all Fortifications which verily was a large and strong peece Beneath which there is a very faire Hospitall or house for receit of poore people and a Collegiat Church wherein Henry Earle of Lancaster and Henry of Lancaster his sonne who was the first Duke of Lancaster lie buried For the said Duke when he was now stepped farre in yeeres of a pious minde built this Hospitall for the maintenance of poore folke and to that end dedicated it Concerning which Henry Knighton of Leicester who lived in that age writeth thus in his story Henry the first Duke of Lancaster built a Collegiat Church and an Hospitall without the South Gate of Leicester wherein hee ordained a Deane with 12. Canons Prebendaries as many Vicars and other Officers an hundred poore and feeble people and ten poore able women to give attendance upon the said feeble folke and this Hospitall hee endowed with sufficient revenewes As for this Hospitall it continueth in some good state as an other Bede-house in the Towne built by W. Wigeston But the Collegiat Church which was a magnificent worke and the greatest ornament of Leicester was demolished when religious houses were granted to the King At the other side of the City among most goodly and pleasant medowes which the River Soar watereth there was an Abbay called of that place De Pree of which the said Knighton hath written thus Robert de Bossu Earle of Leicester when he begun Gerondon Abbay for Cistertians founded the Monastery of S. Mary De Pratis at Leicester endowed it richly with Lands Possessions and Revenewes and himselfe with the consent of Amice his Wife became a Chanon Regular in the same and for the space of fifteene yeeres in habite of a Chanon served God there and so slept in the Lord That thus forsooth he might make amends by repentance in a Chanons weed of that offence which beforetime hee had committed by rebelling with a traiterous minde against his Liege Prince What name Leicester had in the Romans time it is not knowne In the Catalogue of Ninnius I thinke it to bee that which is called Caer Lerion But that Leir a King of whom there goe many tales built it they that will may beleeve it for mee But the situation thereof upon the Foss-way and the distance both from BENNONES and VEROMETUM agreeth so just with the description of Antonine that I cannot but thinke it to be that RATAE which Ptolomee nameth RAGAE although there is neither tippe nor toe remaining in it of the name RATAE unlesse peradventure it be in that old long Ditch and Rampire which they call Rawdikes scarce halfe a mile without the South Gate Heere am I at a stand and looke about me what way to follow for the seeking out of ancient Townes Ranulph a Monke of Chester recordeth that the ancient street way went through the wasts from hence to Lincolne but hee telleth us not through what Wasts The common voice goeth that it went on still full North through Nottingham-shire Antonine the Emperour if I have any insight at all seemeth to insinuate that it passed North-Eastward through this County into Lincoln-shire And verily this way there are places of antique memory that by some of their remaines and tokens shew themselves but the other way I could not my selfe ever yet meete with any what others have done I know not and would willingly learne North-West from Leicester and not farre off is Grooby a large Lordship and Manor which from Hugh Grantmaismill whom King William the Conquerour had enriched with great possessions and revenewes came by the Earles of Leicester and the Quincies unto the house of the Ferrers out of which the Lord Ferrers of Grooby flourished a long time in the honorable state of Barons and in the end Isabel the only daughter remaining of the right line brought it by her marriage into the name of the Greies from whence it fell againe at the last by Attainder into the Kings hands But whiles I was revising of this Worke our Soveraigne Lord King James restored Sir Henry Grey a worthy Knight to the ancient honour of his noble Progenitors creating him Baron Grey of Grooby in the first yeare of his Raigne Now let us returne to the River Soar which being past Leicester first giveth name to Montsorell or rather Mont-Soar-hill a name compounded of Norman and English both which now is famous onely for a Mercate there kept but in old time most renowned for the Castle seated upon a steepe and craggy Hill hanging over the River which before time belonged to the Earles of Leicester but afterwards to Saer de Quincy Earle of Winchester in the Barons warre at this day nothing
that in our Britaine Tallhin Glan-lhin and Lhinlithquo are townes by lakes sides This Citie it selfe being large well inhabited and frequented standeth upon the side of an hill where Witham bendeth his course Eastward and being divided with three small chanels watereth the lower part of the Citie That the ancient LINDUM of the Britans stood on the very top of the hill which had a very hard ascent up to it and reached out beyond the gate called Newport the expresse tokens of a rampier and deepe ditches which are yet very evident doe plainely shew In this City Vortimer that warlike Britan who many a time discomfited the Saxons and put them to flight ended his daies and was heere contrary to his owne commandement buried For he was in a full and assured hope perswaded that if he were enterred in the sea shore his very ghost was able to protect the Britans from the Saxons as writeth Ninius the disciple of Elvodugus But the English Saxons after they had rased this old Lindum first possessed themselves of the South side of the hill at the foot whereof they built as it seemeth the gate yet standing compiled of vast stones and with the ruines of that more ancient Towne fortified it Afterwards they went downe lower to the river side built in a place that was called Wickanford and walled it about on that side which is not fensed by the River At which time as saith Bede Paulinus preached the Word of God unto the Province of Lindsey and first of all converted unto the Lord the Governour or Provost of Lincolne City whose name was Blecca with his family In which very City hee built also a Church of goodly stone worke the roofe whereof being either fallen for want of repaire or cast downe by the violent hand of enemies the walles are seene standing to this day After this the Danes wonne it by assault once or twice First those troupes of spoiling mates out of whose hands King Edmund Ironside wrested it by force then Canutus from whom Aetheldred regained it when upon his returne out of Normandy he valiantly forced Canutus to abandon the towne and beyond all hope recovered England which before was lost In the Raigne of Edward the Confessour there were in it as Domesday booke recordeth a thousand and seventy Mansions with lodgings to give entertainment and twelve Lage men having Sac and Soc. But in the Normans time as saith William of Malmesbury It was one of the best peopled Cities of England and a place of traffique and merchandise for all commers by sea and land and as the same Domesday booke saith there were at that time counted and taxed in this City 900. Burgesses and many Mansions were laied waste 166. for the Castle and other 74. without the precinct of the Castle not through the oppression of the Sheriffe and his Ministers but by reason of mishap poverty and casualty by fire The said King William the Conqueror for the strengthning of it and terrour of the Citizens raised a passing large and strong Castle upon the brow of the hill and almost at the very same time Remigius Bishop of Dorchester for to give credit and ornament thereto translated hither his Episcopall seat from Dorchester which was in the most remote corner of his Dioecesse and a small Towne And when by this time that Church which Paulinus had built was quite gone to decay the same Remigius having purchased certaine houses with grounds lying unto them in the very highest place of the City neere unto the Castle as Henry of Huntingdon saith mounting up aloft with high and stately towres built in a strong place a strong Church in a faire plot a faire Church and dedicated it to the Virgin of Virgins notwithstanding the Archbishop of Yorke was enraged thereat who chalenged to himselfe the propriety of the soile and in it ordained 44. Prebendaries Which Church afterwards being sorely defaced with fire as he saith Alexander that most bountiful Bishop of Lincolne repaired with skilfull artificiall workemanship Of whom William of Malmesbury reporteth because for his little low stature hee was a dwarfe among men his minde laboured to rise aloft and shew it selfe to the world with outward workes And as concerning his bounty a Poet of that time among other things wrote thus Qui dare festinans gratis ne danda rogentur Quod nondum dederat nondum se credit habere Who hastening frankly for to give for feare that folke should crave He never thought that he had that which yet he never gave Besides these two Bishops already mentioned Robert Bloet who sat there before Alexander R. de Beaumeis Hugh a Burgundian and their Successours by little and little brought this Church which could not bee one Bishops worke to the stately magnificence that now it carryeth Certes as it is built it is all throughout not onely most sumptuous but also passing beautifull and that with rare and singular workmanship but especially that fore-front at the West end which in a sort ravisheth and allureth the eyes of all that come toward it In this Church although there bee divers Monuments of Bishops and others yet these onely seeme memorable That of Copper wherein the bowels of that right noble and vertuous Queene Aeleonor wife to King Edward the First are bestowed who died at Hardby in this Shire as also these following wherein lye interred Sir Nicolas Cantlow one or two of the Family of Burghersh Lady Catherine Swinford the third wife of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and mother of the house of Somerset with whom lyeth buryed Joan her daughter second wife to Raulph Nevill the first Earle of Westmerland who enriched her husband with many happy children The Bishops Diocesse of Lincolne not content with those streit limits wherewith the Bishops of Sidnacester who had Episcopall jurisdiction over this shire contented themselves in the Primitive Church of the English Nation conteined under it so many countries as that the greatnesse thereof was burdenous unto it And although King Henry the Second tooke out of it the Province of Ely and King Henry the Eighth the Bishopricks of Peterbourgh and of Oxford yet still at this day it is counted the greatest Diocesse by farre of all England both for jurisdiction and number of shires and the Bishop hath in his Diocesse one thousand two hundred forty seven Parish Churches Many and great Bishops since Remigius his time have governed this See whom to reckon up is no part of my purpose For I will not insist either upon Robert Bloet from whom King William Rufus wrung 50000. pounds for securing his title in the very City of Lincolne it selfe which was found defective nor upon that prodigall and profuse Alexander who in exceeding stately buildings was so excessively delighted ne yet upon Hugh the Burgundian Canonized a Saint whose corps King John with his Nobles and friends about him to performe as mine author saith a dutifull service to God and that holy
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
mediamnis in orbe Colle tumet modico duplici quoque ponte superbit Accipiens patriâ sibi linguâ nomen ab alnis The buildings high of Shrewsbury doe shine both farre and nere A Towne within a River set an Island as it were Mounted upon a prety hill and Bridges hath it twaine The name it tooke of Alder trees in British tongue they sayne Neither is it strengthned onely by nature but fortified also by art for Roger of Montgomery unto whom by the Conquerors gift it was allotted pulling downe 50. houses or thereabout built a strong stately Castle on the North side upon a rising rocke and Robert his son when hee revolted from King Henry the First walled it about on that side where it was not fensed with the River which notwithstanding never that I know of suffered assault or hostility but once in the Barons Warre against King John At the first entring of the Normans it was a City well inhabited and of good trade For as we reade in Domesday booke In King Edward the Confessors time it paid Gelt according to an hundred Hides In the Conquerours time it paid yeerely seven pounds and sixteene shillings de Gablo They were reckoned to bee two hundred and fifty two Citizens whereof twelve were bound to watch about the Kings of England when they lay at this City and as many to accompany them when they went forth on hunting Which I would verily thinke to have beene ordained because not many yeeres before Edricke Streona Duke of the Mercians a man notoriously disteined with wickednesse lay in wait heere for Prince Ashelm and slew him as he rode on hunting At which time as that Booke sheweth the custome was in this City That a woman taking howsoever it were a husband if she were a widdow gave unto the King twenty shillings if a maide tenne in what manner soever she tooke a man But to returne unto our matter the said Earle Roger not onely fortified it but also adorned it with other buildings both publique and private yea and founded a very goodly Abbay to the honour of Saint Peter and Saint Paul unto which he granted many Possessions and therewith Saint Gregories Church And namely in that tenour I exemplifie the words out of the private History of the said Abbay That when the Chanons who held Prebends therein should any of them die the said Prebends should come unto the Demaine and Possession of the Monkes Whereupon arose no small controversie For the sonnes of the said Chanons sued the Monkes at Law that they might succeed in their fathers Prebends For at that time the Chanons and Priests in England were married and it grew to be a custome that Ecclesiasticall livings should descend by inheritance to the next of the bloud But this controversie was decided under King Henry the First and concluded it was that the heire should not succeed in Ecclesiasticall Livings yea and about that time lawes were enacted touching the single life of Priests Soone after in processe of time other Churches also were heere erected For to say nothing of the houses or Frieries of Dominicans Franciscans and Augustine Friers which the Charletons Jenevils and Staffords founded there were two Collegiat Churches erected Saint Chadds with a Deane and ten Prebendaries and Saint Maries with a Deane likewise and nine Prebendaries And even at this day a faire and goodly City it is well frequented and traded full of good merchandise and by reason of the Citizens painfull diligence with cloth making and traffique with Welshmen rich and wealthy For hither almost all the commodities of Wales doe conflow as it were to a common Mart of both Nations Whereupon it is inhabited both with Welsh and English speaking both languages who among other things deserve especiall commendation for this in that they have set up a Schoole for the training up of children wherein were more Schollers in number when I first saw it than in any one Schoole throughout all England againe unto which Thomas Aston the first head Schoolmaster a right good man procured by his meanes a very honest Salarie and Stipend for the Teachers It shall not now I hope bee impertinent to note that when diverse of the Nobility conspired against King Henry the Fourth with a purpose to advance Edmund Mortimer Earle of March to the Crowne as the undoubtfull and right heire whose father King Richard the Second had also declared heire apparent and Sir Henry Percy called Hote-spurre then addressed himselfe to give the assault to Shrewsbury upon a suddaine all their designes were dashed as it were from above For the King with speedy marches was upon his backe before hee imagined To whom yet the young Hote-spurre with courageous resolution gave battaile and after a long and doubtfull fight wherein the Scotishmen which followed him shewed much manly valour when the Earle of Worcester his Unckle and the Earle of Dunbar were taken hee despairing of Victory ran undaunted upon his owne death amiddest the thickest of his enemies Of this battaile the place is called Battaile-field Where the King after Victory erected a Chappell and one or two Priests to pray for their soules who were there slaine As for the position of this Shrewsbury it is from the Islands Azores twenty Degrees and seven and thirty minutes distant in Longitude and from the Aequinoctiall Line two and fifty Degrees and three and fifty minutes in Latitude From out of this city I wot not whether it may be thought worth my labour or pertinent to my purpose to relate so much brake forth the last time namely in the yeere of our Salvation 1551. that dismall disease The English Sweat which presently dispersed over the whole Realme made great mortality of people especially those of middle age for as many as were taken suddenly with this Sweat within one foure and twenty houres either dyed or recovered But a present remedy was found namely that such as in the day time fell into it should presently in their clothes as they were goe to bed if by night and in bed should there rest lye still and not stirre from thence for foure and twenty houres provided alwayes that they should not sleepe the while but by all meanes bee kept waking Whereof this disease first arose the learned of Physicians know not for certaine Some strangers ascribe it to the ground in England standing so much upon plastre and yet it is but in few places of that nature In certaine moist Constitutions of weather say they it happeneth that vapours arise out of that kinde of Soile which although they bee most subtile yet they are corrupt which cause likewise a subtile contagion and the same is proportionate either unto the spirits or to the thinne froth that floateth upon the bloud But whatsoever the cause is no doubt there is an Analogie betweene it and the subtile parts of bloud by reason whereof within one day the Patient either mends
this City as Ptolomee Antonine and the ancient Coine of Septimius Geta doe prove by which it appeareth for certaine that this City also was a Colony For in the reverse or back-side thereof standeth this Inscription COL DIUANA LEG XX. VICTRIX But to testifie the Romanes magnificence there are remaining indeed at this day very few tokens beside pavements of foure square checker worke howbeit in the former ages it presented many which Ranulph a Monke of this City shall tell you out of his Polychronicon in these his owne words There be waies heere under the ground vaulted marveilously with stone worke chambers having arched roofes over head huge stones engraven with the names of ancient men heere also are sometimes digged up peeces of money coined by Julius Caesar and other famous persons and stumped with their inscriptions Likewise Roger of Chester in his Policraticon When I behold saith he the ground worke of buildings in the streetes laid with monstrous big stones it seemeth that it hath beene founded by the painfull labour of Romans or Giants rather than by the sweat of Britans This City built in forme of a quadrant foure square is enclosed with a wall that taketh up more than two miles in compasse and hath eleven parishes But that of S. Johns without the Northgate was the fairest being a stately and solemne building as appeareth by the remaines wherein were anciently Prebendaries and as some write the Bishops See Neere unto the River standeth the Castle upon a rocky hill built by the Earles where the Courts Palatine and the Assises as they call them are kept twice a yeere The houses are very faire built and along the chiefe streets are galleries or walking places they call them Rowes having shops on both sides through which a man may walke dry from one end unto the other But it hath not continued evermore in one tenor of prosperity First it was rased by Egfrid King of Northumberland then by the Danes yet reedified againe by Aedelfled Lady of the Mercians and soone after it saw King Eadgar in magnificent maner triumphing over the British Princes For sitting himselfe in a Barge at the fore-decke Kennadie King of the Scots Malcoline King of Cumberland Macon King of Mann and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales brought to doe homage and like watermen working at the Ore rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant shew to his great glory and joy of the beholders Certaine yeeres after and namely about the yeere of our Redemption 1094. when as in a devour and religious emulation as one saith Princes strove avie That Cathedrall Churches and Minsters should bee erected in a more decent and seemely forme and when as Christendome rouzed as it were her selfe and casting away her old habiliments did put on every where the bright and white robe of Churches Hugh the first of the Norman bloud that was Earle of Chester repaired the Church which Earle Loefrick had formerly founded in honour of the Virgin Saint Werburga and by the advise of Anselm whom he had procured to come out of Normandy granted the same unto Monkes And now it is notorious for the Tombe of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Almaine who as they say gave over his Empire and lived heere an Eremits life and for the Bishops See therein established Which See immediately after the Normans Conquest Peter Bishop of Lichfield translated from Lichfield hither but when it was brought to Coventry and from thence into the ancient seat againe West-Chester lay a long time berest of this Episcopall Dignity untill in our fathers dayes King Henry the Eighth having thrust out the Monkes ordeined Prebendaries and restored a Bishopagaine under whom for his Dioecesse he appointed this County Lancashire Richmond c. and appointed the same to be within the Province of the Archbishop of Yorke But returne wee now to matters of greater antiquity When as now the said Cathedrall Church was built the Earles that were of the Normans line fortified the City both with Walles and Castle For as the Bishop held of the King that which belongeth to his Bishopricke these are the words of Domesday booke made by King William the Conquerour so the Earles with their men held of the King wholly all the rest of the City It paid Geld or Tribute for fifty hides and foure hundred and thirty and one houses were thus Geldable and seven Mint-masters When the King himselfe in person came thither every Carrucata yeelded unto him two hundred Hestas and one turn full of Ale and one Rusca of butyr And in the same place for the reedification of the City wall and the bridge the Provost gave warning by an edict that out of every hide in the County one man should come and looke whose man came not his Lord or Master was sined in forty shillings to the King and the Earle If I should particulate the scufflings and skirmishes heere about betweene the Welsh and the English in the beginning of the Normans time their inrodes and outrodes the often scarfires of the Suburbs of Hanbrid beyond the Bridge whereupon the Welshmen call it Treboeth that is The burnt towne as also the Wall made there of Welshmens skuls that went a great length I should seeme to forget my selfe and thrust my sicle into the Historians Harvest But ever since the said time hath Chester notably flourished and King Henry the Seventh made it a County by it selfe incorporate Neither wanteth any thing there that may be required in a most flourishing City but that the Ocean being offended and angry as it were at certaine Mills in the very chanell of the River Dee hath by little withdrawne himselfe back and affoordeth not unto the City the commodity of an Haven as heretofore The Longitude of this place is twenty Degrees and three and twenty Scruples the Latitude three and fifty Degrees and eleven Scruples If you desire to know more touching this City have here these reports out of Lucian that Monke abovesaid who lived almost five hundred yeeres agoe First it is to bee considered that Chester is built as a City the site whereof inviteth and allureth the eye which being situate in the West parts of Britaine was in time past a place of receipt to the Legions comming a farre off to repose themselves and served sufficiently to keepe the Keies as I may say of Ireland for the Romanes to preserve the limite of their Empire For being opposite to the North-East part of Ireland it openeth way for passage of ships and Mariners with spread saile passing not often but continually to and fro as also for the commodities of sundry sorts of Merchandise And whiles it casteth an eye forward into the East it looketh toward not onely the See of Rome and the Emperor thereof but the whole world also so that it standeth forth as a kenning place to the view of eyes that there may bee knowne valiant exploites and
the Catalogue of Martyrs had a Church here built and dedicated unto him by Milfrid a pety K. of the country wherein when a Bishops See was established it grew to great wealth first through the devout liberality of the Mercians and then of the West Saxons kings for they at length were possessed of this City as may be gathered out of William of Malmesbury where he writeth That Athelistan the West Saxon brought the Lords of Wales in this City of so hard passe that by way of Tribute they were to pay every yeere besides Hounds and Haukes twenty pounds of gold and three hundred pound of silver by weight This Citie as farre as I can reade had never any misfortune unlesse it were in the yeere of our Lord 1055. wherein Gruffith Prince of South Wales and Algar an English man rebelling against King Edward the Confessour after they had put to flight Earle Ralph sacked the Citie destroyed the Cathedrall Church and led away captive Leofgar the Bishop But Harold straightwaies after that hee and daunted their audacious courage fensed it as Floriacensis saith with a broade and high Rampier Hence it is that Malmesbury writeth thus in his treatise of Bishops Hereford is no great Citie and yet by the height of those steepe and upright bankes cast up it sheweth that it hath beene some great thing and as wee reade in the Domesday booke of King William the Conquerour there were in all but an hundered and three men within the Walles and without The Normans afterwards neere the East end of the Church along the side of Wy built a mighty great and strong Castle the worke as some report of Earle Miles which now yeeldeth to Time and runneth to ruine After this they walled the Citie about Bishop Reinelm in the reigne of Henry the First founded that beautifull Cathedrall Church which now we see there whose successours enlarged it by adioyning thereto a proper Colledge for Priests and faire houses for the Prebendaries For besides the Bishop who hath 302. Churches in his Dioecese there are in this Church a Deane two Archdeacons a Chaunter a Chauncellour 2 Treasurer and eight and twenty Prebendaries In the Church I saw in manner no Monuments but the Bishops Tombes And I have heard that Thomas Cantlow the Bishop a man of Noble birth had here a very stately and sumptuous Sepulcher who for his holinesse being canonized a Saint went within a little of surmounting that princely Martyr King Ethelbert such was the opinion of singular pietie and devotion Geographers measure the position or site of this Citie by the Longitude of twenty degrees and foure and twenty scruples and by the Latitude of two and fifty degrees and sixe scruples Wy is not gone full three miles from hence but he intercepteth by the way the river Lug who running downe a maine out of Radnor hils with a still course passeth through the mids of this country from the North-west of the South-east At the first entrance it seeth a farre off Brampton Brian Castle which a famous family named hereof de Brampton wherein the forname was usually Brian held by continuall succession unto the time of King Edward the First but now by the female heires it is come to R. Harleie neere at hand it beholdeth Wigmore in the English Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repaired in elder times by King Edward the elder afterward fortified by William Earle of Hereford with a Castle in the wast of a ground for so reade we in Domesday booke which was called Marestun in the tenure of Radulph de Mortimer from whom those Mortimers that were afterwards Earles of March lineally descended of whom you may reade more in Radnor-shire Three miles off there is another neighbour Castle called Richards Castle the possession first of the Sayes then of the Mortimers and afterwards of the Talbots by hereditarie succession At length by the heires of Sir Iohn Talbot the inheritance was divided betweene Sir Guarin Archdeacon and Sir Matthew Gurnay Beneath this Castle Nature who no where disporteth her selfe more in shewing wonders then in waters hath brought forth a pretty well which is alwaies full of little bones or as some thinke of small frog-bones although they be from time to time drawne quite out of it whence it is commonly called Bone well And not farre off is placed Croft Castle the possession of that very ancient family of the Crofts Knights who have there now a long time flourished in great and good esteeme Thence passeth Wy to Lemster which also was called Leon Minister and Lions Monastery of a Lyon that appeared to a religious man in a vision as some have dreamed But whereas the Britans call it Lhan Lieni which signifieth a Church of Nunnes and that it is certainely knowne that Merewalc a King of the Mercians built here a Church for Nunnes that afterwards became a Cell belonging to the Monastery of Reading to seeke any other originall of the name than from those Nunnes what were it else but to hunt after the windes Yet there want not some who derive it from Line whereof the best kinde groweth here The greatest name and same that it hath at this day is of the wooll in the territories round about Lemister Ore they call it which setting aside that of Apulia and Tarentum all Europe counteth to be the very best so renowned also it is for Wheat and bread of the Finest floure that Lemster bread and Weabley Ale a towne belonging to the noble Familie D'Eureux are growne unto a common proverbe By reason of these commodities the mercates at Lemster were so frequented that they of Hereford and Worcester complaining that the confluence of people thither impaired their mercates procured that by Royall authoritie the mercat day was changed Now have I nothing more concerning Lemster but that William Breosa Lord of Brecknock when hee revolted from King John did set it on fire and defaced it As for that Webley aforesaid it is situate more within the Country and was the Baronie of the Verdons the first of which house named Bertram de Verdon came into England with the Normans whose posteritie by marriage with an inheretrice of Laceies of Trim in Ireland were for a good while hereditary Constables of Ireland and at last the possessions were by the daughters devolved to the Furnivalls Burghersh Ferrars of Groby Crop-hulls and from the Crop-hulls by the Ferrars of Chartly unto D'Eureux Earles of Essex Neere neighbours unto Webley more Westward are these places Huntingdon Castle the possession in times past of the Bohuns Earles of Hereford and of Essex Kinnersley belonging to the auncient Family De la-bere and Erdsley where the auncient Family of the Baskervills have long inhabited which bred in old time so many worthie Knights who deduce their pedigree from a Neice of Dame Gunora that most famous Lady in Normandy and long agoe flourished in this Country and
of Woodstock his Daughter who was after remarried to Sir William Burchier called Earle of Ew And in our memorie King Edward the Sixth Honoured Walter D'Eureux the Lord Ferrars of Chartley descended by the Bourgchiers from the Bohuns with the title of Vicount Hereford whose Grand-sonne Walter Vicount Hereford Queene Elizabeth created afterwards Earle of Essex There are contained in this County Parishes 176. RADNOR Comitatus quem SILVRES Osim Incosuerunt RADNOR-SHIRE VPon Hereford-shire on the North-West joyneth Radnor-shire in the British tongue Sire Maiseveth in forme three square and the farther West it goeth the narrower still it groweth On the South-side the River Wy separateth it from Brecknock-shire and on the North part lieth Montgomery-shire The East and South parts thereof bee more fruitfull than the rest which lying uneven and rough with Mountaines is hardly bettered by painfull Husbandry yet it is stored well enough with Woods watered with running Rivers and in some places with standing Meres The East-side hath to beautifie it besides other Castles of the Lords Marchers now all buried well neere in their owne ruines Castle Paine built and so named of Paine a Norman and Castle Colwen which if I be not deceived was sometime called the Castle of Maud in Colewent For a very famous Castle that was and Robert de Todeney a great Noble man in the reigne of Edward the Second was Lord of it It is verily thought that it belonged aforetime to the Breoses Lords of Brechnoc and to have taken the name from Maude of Saint Valeric a very shrewd stout and malapert stomackfull woman wife to William Breos who discovered a rebellious minde against King John Which Castle being cast downe by the Welsh King Henry the Third in the yeere 1231. reedified strongly with stone and called it in despight of Lhewellin Prince of Wales Maugre Lhewellin But of especiall name is Radnor the principall Towne of the whole Shire in British Maiseveth faire built as the maner of that Country is with thatched houses In times past it was firmely fensed with a Wall and Castle but after that Owen Glendower dwy that notable Rebell had burnt it it began by little and little to decrease and grow to decay tasting of the same fortune that the mother thereof did before I meane Old Radnor called in British Maiseveth hean and for the high situation Pencrag which in the reigne of King John Rhese Ap Gruffin had set on fire If I should say that this Maiseveth or Radnor was that ancient Citie MAGI which Antonine the Emperour seemeth to call MAGNOS where as we finde in the booke of Notices the Commander of the Pacensian Regiment lay in garrison under the Lieutenant or Lord Generall of Britaine in the reigne of Theodosius the younger in mine owne opinion surely and perhaps in other mens conceit also I should not vary from the truth For we reade in Writers of the middle age of inhabitants of this coast called MAGESETAE also of Earles Masegetenses and Magesetenses and the distance if it be counted both from Gobannium or Abergevenny and also from Brangonium or Worcester differeth scarce an haire bredth from Antonines computation Scarce three miles Eastward from hence you see Prestaine in British Lhan Andre that is Saint Andrews Church which of a very little village within the memorie of our Grandfathers is by the meanes of Richard Martin Bishop of Saint Davids growne now to be so great a mercate Towne and faire withall that at this day it dammereth and dimmeth the light in some sort of Radnor From whence also scarce foure miles off stands Knighton a Towne able to match with Prestaine called in British as I have heard say Trebuclo in steed of Trefyclaudh of a famous ditch lying under it which Offa King of the Mercians with admirable worke and labour caused to be cast from Dee-Mouth unto Wy-Mouth by this Towne for the space of foureskore and ten miles to separate the Britans from his Englishmen whereupon in British it is called Claudh Offa that is Offaes ditch Concerning which John of Salisbury in his Policraticon writeth thus Harald ordained a law that what Welshmen soever should be found with a weapon on this side the limit which he had set them that is to say Offaes Dike he should have his right hand cut off by the Kings Officers When yee are past this place all the ground that lieth toward the West and South limits being for the most part barren leane and hungry is of the inhabitants called Melienith for that the Mountaines be of a yellowish colour Yet remaine there many footings as it were of Castles to be seene heere and there but especially Kevenles and Timbod which standing upon a sharpe poynted hill Lhewellin Prince of Wales overthrew in the yeere 1260. This Melienith reacheth as farre as to the River Wy which cutteth overthwart the West corner of this shire and being hindered in his streame with stones lying in his way upon a suddaine for want of ground to glide on hath a mighty and violent downefall whereupon the place is tearmed Raihader Gowy that is The fall or Fludgates of Wy And I cannot tell whether thereupon that British word Raihader the English men forged this name first for the whole shire and afterwards for the chiefe Towne By this Floudgate or fall of the water there was a Castle which Rhese Prince of Southwales as we reade repaired under King Richard the First Hard by there is in some sort a vast and wide wildernesse hideous after a sort to behold by reason of the turning and crooked by-waies and craggie Mountaines into which as the safest place of refuge Vortigern that pestilent wretch and bane of his native Country odious both to God and man and whose memory the Britains may wish damned withdrew himselfe when after he had called the Saxons into this Iland and in horrible incest married his owne daughter And heere he fell at length too too late into serious consideration of the greatnesse of his vile and wicked acts But by revenging fire from Heaven the flying dart of God above he was burnt with his Citie Caer Guortigern which he had heere built for his refuge And not farre from hence as if the place had been fatall not onely this Vortigern the last Monarch of British bloud but also Lhewellin the last Prince of Wales of the British race being forelaid was slaine by Adam Francton in the yeere of our Redemption 1282. Of the said Vortigern Ninnius nameth a little Country heere Guortiger-maur neither is that name as yet altogether lost but of the Ciâ—ie there remaineth no memory at all but our of writers Some are of opinion that Guthremion Castle arose out of the ruins and rubbish thereof which in the yeere 1201. the Welsh for malice they bare to Roger Lord Mortimer and in spight of him laid even with the ground Moreover this part of the Country was
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
them who deserve for their vertue and piety to bee renowned Let it suffice to note in a word that from Paulinus the first Archbishop consecrated in the yeere of our Redemption 625. there have sitten in that See threescore and five Archbishops unto the yeere 1606. in which D. Tobie Matthew a most reverend Prelate for the ornaments of vertue and piety for learned eloquence and continuall exercise of teaching was translated hither from the Bishopricke of Durrham This City for a time flourished very notably under the English Saxons dominion untill the Danes like a mighty storme thundring from out of the North-East defaced it againe with merveilous great ruines and by killing and slaying disteined it with bloud which that Alcuine aforesaid in his Epistle to Egelred King of Northumberland may seeme to have presaged before What signifieth saith he that raining of bloud which in Lent we saw at Yorke the head City of the whole Kingdome in Saint Peters Church to fall downe violently in threatning wise from the top of the roufe in the North part of the house and that in a faire day May it not bee thought that bloud is comming upon the Land from the North parts Verily soone after it was embrued with bloud and did pine away with most miserable calamities when the Danes spoiled wasted and murrhered all where ever they came And verily in the yeere 867. the wals were so battered and shaken by reason of continuall Warres that Osbright and Ella Kings of Northumberland whiles they pursewed the Danes easily brake into the City who being both of them slaine in a most bloudy battaile in the very middest of the City left the victory unto the Danes Whereupon William of Malmesbury writeth in this manner Yorke alwaies exposed first to the rage of the Northren Nations sustained the barbarous assaults of the Danes and groaned being pitteously shaken with manifold ruines But as the very same Authour witnesseth King Athelstone wonne it perforce out of the Danes hands and overthrew the Castle quite which they had heere fortified Neither for all this was it altogether free from warres in the times next ensuing whiles that age ranne fatall for the destruction of Cities But the Normans as they ended these miseries so they made almost a finall hand of Yorke also For when the sonnes of Sueno the Dane had landed in these parts with a Danish Fleete of 240. Saile the Normans lying in Garison who kept two Forts within the City fearing least the houses in the Suburbes might stand the enemy in stead to fill up the Ditches withall set them on fire but by reason the winde rose highly the fire was so carried and spred throughout that City that now it was set a burning when the Danes breaking in upon them made pitifull slaughter in every place having put the Normans to the sword and keeping alive William Mallet and Gilbert Gant two principall persons that they might be tithed with the souldiers For every tenth man of the Normans they chose out by lot to be executed Whereupon King William the Conquerour was so incensed with desire of revenge that he shewed his cruelty upon the Citizens by putting them all to death as if they had taken part with the Danes and upon the City it selfe by setting it on fire afresh and as William of Malmesbury saith Hee so depopulated and defaced the Villages adjoyning and the sinewes of that fertile Region were so cut by the spoiles there committed and booties raised and the ground for the space of threescore miles lay so untilled that if a stranger had then seene the Cities that in times were of high account the Towres which with their lofty toppes threatned the skie and the fields that were rich in pastures hee could not but sigh and lament yea and if an ancient inhabitant had beheld the same hee could not have knowne them How great Yorke had beene aforetime Domesday booke shall tell you in these words In King Edward the Confessours time there were in Yorke City sixe Divisions or Shires besides that of the Archbishops One was laid waste for the Castles or Forts In the five Divisions were 1428. dwelling Mansions to give entertainement And in the Archbishops Shire or Division 200. dwelling Mansions likewise After these woefull overthrowes our countryman Necham thus versified of it Visito quam foelix Ebrancus condidit urbem Petro se debet pontificalis apex Civibus hac toties viduata novÃsque repleta Diruta prospexit moenia saepe sua Quid manus hostilis queat est experta frequenter Sed quid nunc pacis otia longa fovent The City that Great Ebrauk built I come now for to view Whereof the See pontificall is to Saint Peter due This many times laid desolate and peopled new hath beene Her wals cast downe and ruinate full often hath it seene What mischiefe hostile hands could worke not once nor twice it found What then since now long time of peace doth keepe it safe and sound For in his time when after these troublesome stormes a most pleasant calme of peace presently ensued it rose of it selfe againe and flourished afresh although the Scots and Rebels both did oftentimes make full account to destroy it But under the Raigne of King Stephen it caught exceeding great harme by casualty of fire wherein were consumed the Cathedrall Church the Abbay of Saint Mary and other religious houses yea and that noble and most furnished Library as it is thought which Alcuin hath recorded to have been founded by Archbishop Egeldred his Praeceptour As for the Abbay of Saint Mary it quickly recovered the former dignity by new buildings but the Cathedrall Church lay longer ere it held up head againe and not before King Edward the First his time For then John Roman Treasurer of the Church laid the foundation of a new worke which his sonne John William Melton and John Thoresby all of them Archbishops brought by little and little to that perfection and beauty which now it sheweth yet not without the helping hand of the Nobility and Gentry thereabout especially of the Percies and the Vavasours which the armes of their houses standing in the very Church and their images at the West gate of the Church doe shew Percies pourtraied with a peece of timber and Vavasours with a stone in their hands for that the one supplied the stone the other the timber for this new building This Church as he reporteth who wrote the life of Aeneas Sylvius who was Pope Pius the second and that upon the Popes owne relation For workmanship and greatnesse is memorable over all the world and the Chappell most lightsome the glasse-windowes whereof are fast bound betweene pillars that bee most slender in the mids This Chappell is that most dainty and beautifull Chapter-house in which this verse stands painted in golden letters Ut Rosa flos florum sic est Domus ista Domorum The floure of floures a Rose men call So is
head Yet others are of opinion that this name arrived in this Island with the English out of Angloen in Denmarke the ancient seat of the English nation for there is a towne called Flemsburg and that the Englishmen from hence called it so like as the Gaules as Livie witnesseth tearmed Mediolanum that is Millan in Italiâ— after the name of Mediolanum in Gaule which they had left behinde them For there is a little village in this Promontory named Flamborrough where an other notable house of the Constables had anciently their seat which some doe derive from the Lacies Constables of Chester Beeing in these parts I could learne nothing for all the enquirie that I made as touching the bournes commonly called Vipseys which as Walter of Heminburgh hath recorded flow every other yeere out of blinde springs and runne with a forcible and violent streame toward the sea nere unto this Promontory Yet take here with you that which William Newbrigensis who was borne neare that place writeth of them Those famous waters which commonly are called Vipseys rise out of the earth from many sources not continually but every second yeere and being growne unto a great bourn runne downe by the lower grounds into the sea Which when they are dry it is a good signe for their breaking out and flowing is said to bee an infallible token portending some dearth to ensue From thence the shore is drawne in whereby there runneth forth into the sea a certaine shelfe or slang like unto an out-thrust tongue such as Englishmen in old time termed a File whereupon the little village there Filey tooke name and more within the land you see Flixton where in King Athelstanes time was built an Hospitall for the defence thus word for word it is recorded of way-faring people passing that way from Wolves least they should be devoured Whereby it appeareth for certaine that in those daies Wolves made foule worke in this Tract which now are no where to be seene in England no not in the very marches toward Scotland and yet within Scotland there be numbers of them in most places This little territory or Seigniory of Holdernesse King William the First gave to Drugh Buerer a Fleming upon whom also he had bestowed his Niece in marriage whom when hee had made away by poison and thereupon fled to save himselfe hee had to succeed him Stephen the sonne of Odo Lord of Aulbemarle in Normandy who was descended from the Earles of Champaigne whom King William the First because hee was his Nephew by the halfe sister of the mothers side as they write made Earle of Aulbemarle whose posterity in England retained the Title although Aulbemarle be a place in Normandy His successour was William sirnamed Le Grosse whose onely daughter Avis was marryed to three husbands one after another namely to William Magnavill Earle of Essex to Baldwine De Beton and William Forts or de Fortibus by this last husband onely shee had issue William who also had a sonne named William His onely daughter Avelin being the wedded wife of Edmund Crouchbacke Earle of Lancaster dyed without children And so as wee reade in the booke of Meaux Abbay for default of heires the Earldome of Aulbemarle and honour of Holdernesse were seized into the Kings hands Howbeit in the ages ensuing King Richard the Second created Thomas of Woodstocke his Unkle and afterwards Edward Plantagenet Earle of Rutland the Duke of Yorkes sonne Duke of Aulbemarle in his fathers life time likewise King Henry the Fourth made his owne sonne Thomas Duke of Clarence and Earle of Aulbemarle which Title King Henry the Sixth afterward added unto the stile of Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke for the greater augmentation of his honour EBORACENSIS Comiâ—aâ—us pars Septentrionalis vulgo NORTH RIDING NORTH-RIDING SCarce two miles above Flamborrough-head beginneth the NORTH-RIDING or the North part of this Country which affronting the other parts and beginning at the Sea is stretched out Westward and carrieth a very long Tract with it though not so broad for threescore miles together even as farre as to Westmorland limited on the one side with Derwent and for a while with the River Ure on the other side with Tees running all along it which on the North Coast separateth it from the Bishopricke of Durrham And very fitly may this part bee divided into Blackamore Cliveland Northallverton-shire and Richmond-shire That which lyeth East and bendeth toward the Sea is called Blackamore that is The blacke moorish land For it is mountanous and craggy The Sea coast thereof hath Scarborrough Castle for the greatest ornament a very goodly and famous thing in old time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A Burgh upon the Scar or steepe Rocke The description whereof have heere out of William of Newburgh his History A Rocke of a wonderfull height and bignesse which by reason of steepe cragges and cliffes almost on every side is unaccessible beareth into the Sea wherewith it is all compassed about save onely a certaine streight in manner of a gullet which yeeldeth accesse and openeth into the West having in the toppe a very faire greene and large Plaine containing about threescore acres of ground or rather more a little Well also of fresh water springing out of a stony Rocke In the foresaid gullet or passage which a man shall have much adoe to ascend up unto standeth a stately and Princelike Towre and beneath the said passage beginneth the City or Towre spreading two sides South and North but having the sore part Westward and verily it is fensed afront with a wall of the owne but on the East fortified with the rocke of the Castle and both the sides thereof are watered with the Sea This place William Le Grosse Earle of Aulbemarle and Holdernesse viewing well and seeing it to bee a convenient plot for to build a Castle upon helping Nature forward with a very costly worke closed the whole plaine of the Rocke with a Wall and built a Towre in the very streight of the passage which being in processe of time fallen downe King Henry the Second caused to bee built in the same place a great and goodly Castle after hee had now brought under the Nobles of England who during the loose government of King Stephen had consumed the lands of the Crowne but especially amongst others that William abovesaid of Aulbemarle who had in this Tract ruled and reigned like a King and possessed himselfe of this place as his owne Touching the most project boldnesse of Thomas Stafford who to the end hee might overthrow himselfe with great attempts with a few Frenchmen surprised this Castle of a sudden in Queene Maries Raigne and held it for two daies together I neede not to speake ne yet of Sherleis a Gentleman of France who having accompanied him was judicially endited and convict of high treason albeit he was a forrainer because hee had done against
the people dwelling thereby gather from hence salt sufficiently for their use And now the River as though it purposed to make an Island compasseth almost on every side the chiefe City of this Province standing on an hill whence the Saxons gave it the name Dunholm For as you may gather out of Bede they called an hill Dun and a river Island Holme Heereof the Latine Writers have made DUNELMUM the Normans Duresme but the common people most corruptly name it Durham It is seated on high and passing strongly withall yet taketh it up no great circuit of ground shaped in forme as one would say of an egge environed on every side save on the North with the River and fortified with a wall Toward the South side almost whereas the River fetcheth it selfe about standeth the Cathedrall Church aloft making a solemne and a sightly shew with an high Towre in the middest and two Spires at the West end In the middest there is a Castle placed as it were betweene two stone bridges over the river the one Eastward the other Westward From the Castle Northward is seene a spacious Mercate-place and Saint Nicholas Church from whence there runneth out a great length North-East a Suburbe compassed on two sides the River like as others on both sides beyond the River which leade unto the Bridges and euery of them have their severall Churches The originall of this City is of no great Antiquity For when the distressed Monkes of Lindisfarn driven hither and thither by the Danes Warres wandered up and downe without any certaine place of abode with the corps of Saint Cuthbert at length heere they setled themselves by divine direction about the yeere of our Salvation 995. But heare the whole matter out of mine Authour of Durham All the people accompanying the corps of that most holy Father Cuthbert came into Dunholme a place verily strong of it selfe by nature but not easily to bee inhabited as being wholly beset on every side with a most thicke Wood onely in the middest was a little Plaine which was wont to bee tilled and sowed with Corne where Bishop Aldwin built afterwards a faire Church of stone The foresaid Prelate therefore through the helpe of all the people and the assistance of Uthred Earle of Northumberland stocked up all the Wood and in short time made the whole place habitable To conclude the people generally from the River Coqued as farre as to Tees came right willingly as well to this worke as after that to build a Church and untill it was finished ceased not to follow that businesse devoutly Wherefore after the Wood was quite grub'd up and every one had their mansion places assigned out by lot The said Bishop in a fervent love to Christ and Saint Cuthbert upon an honest and godly intent beganne no small peece of worke to build a Church and endeavoured by all meanes to finish the same Thus farre mine Authour Not many yeeres after those Englishmen who could not endure the insolent command of the Normans presuming upon the naturall strength of the place chose it for their chiefe Hold and seat of resistance yea and from thence troubled the Conquerour not a little For William Gemeticensis writeth thus They went into a part of the Country which for waters and woods was inaccessible raising a Castle with a most strong trench and rampier which they called Dunholme out of which making many rodes sundry waies for a certaine space they kept themselves close there waiting for the comming of Swene King of the Danes But when that fell not out according to their expectation they provided for themselves by flight and King William comming to Durham granted many priviledges for establishing the liberty of the Church and built the Castle whereof I spake on the highest part of the hill which afterwards became the Bishops house and the keies thereof when the Bishopricke was voide were wont by an ancient custome to be hanged upon Saint Cuthberts shrine When this Castle was once built William of Malmesbury who lived about that time describeth this City in these words Durham is a prety hill rising by little and little from one plaine of the Valley with a gentle ascent untill it come to bee a mount and although by reason of the rough and steepe situation of the Rockes there is no way for the enemy to enter it yet they of these daies have erected a Castle upon the hill At the very foote and bottom of the Castle runneth a River wherein is great store of fish but of Salmons especially At the same time well neere as that ancient Booke reporteth William de Careleph the Bishop who gathered againe the dispersed Monkes hither for the Danes in every place had overthrowne their Cloistures pulled downe that Church which Aldwin had formerly built and beganne the foundation of another of a fairer worke which his successour Ralph finished And after that Nicholas Feruham Bishop and Thomas Mescomb Prior adjoyned a new Fabrique or frame unto it in the yeere of Christ 1242. And a good while after W. Skirlaw the Bishop built at the West end of the Church a faire peece of worke which they call Gallilee whereinto hee translated the marble Tombe of Venerable Bede In which place Hugh Pudsey beganne in times past an house wherein I use the words of an ancient Booke women might lawfully enter that whereas they had not corporall accesse unto the more secret holy places yet they might have some comfort by the beholding of the holy mysteries But that Ralph the Bishop aforesaid as our Historian writeth reduced the place â—etweene the Church and the Castle which had beene taken up with many dwelling houses into a plaine and open ground for feare least either any annoyance by filth or dangers by fire might come neere unto the Church And all be it the City was strong enough by the naturall site yet hee made it more strong and stately with a Wall reaching in length from the Chauncell of the Church unto the Keepe and Towre of the Castle Which wall now by little and little giveth place unto time and never that I could heare suffered any assault of enemy For when David Brus King of Scots had forraied the Country with fire and sword as farre as to Beanparke or Beereparke which is a Parke neere unto the City whiles King Edward the Third besieged Calais Henry Percy and William Zouch Archbishop of Yorke with their Companies of men mustered up in haste encountered the Scots and so couragiously charged them that having taken the King prisoner they slew the most of the first and second battaile and put the third to a fearefull flight neither staied they at most steepe and cumbersome places untill they recovered their owne Holds This is that famous Battaile which our people call The Battaile at Nevils Crosse. For the chiefest of the Scottish Nobility being slaine and the King taken prisoner at this field they were enforced
to yeeld much ground within their Confines yea and to render many Castles But this may suffice as touching Durham which I will take my leave of if you thinke good with a Distichon of Necham and an Hexastichon of John Jonston Arte sitúque loci munita Dunelmia salve Qua floret sancta religionis apex VEDRA ruens rapidis modò cursibus agmine leni Séque minor celebres suspicit urbe viros Quos dedit ipsa olim quorum tegit ossa sepulta Magnus ubi sacro marmore BEDA cubat Se jactant aliae vel religione vel armis Haec armis cluit haec religione potens Durham by art and site of place well fensed now farewell Where for devout Religion the Mitre doth excell The River Were that ranne most swift ere while with streame now soft And chanell lesse to famous men in towne lookes up aloft Whom once it bred and of whose bones in grave it is possest Where under sacred marble stone Great Beda now doth rest Of Armes or of Religion may other boast I grant For Armes and for Religion both this City makes her vaunt Concerning the Monkes that were cast out at the suppression of the Abbaies the twelve Prebendaries and two Arch-Deacons placed in this Church and the Priours name changed into the Dignity of a Deane I neede not to say any thing for they are yet in fresh memory And unwilling I am to remember how this Bishopricke was dissolved by a private Statute and all the possessions thereof given to Edward the Sixth when private greedinesse edged by Church-men did grinde the Church and withdrew much from God wherewith Christian Piety had formerly honoured God But Queene Mary repealed that Statute and restored the said Bishopricke with all the Possessions and Franchises thereof that God might enjoy his owne The Longitude of this City is 22. Degrees The Latitude 54. Degrees and 57. minutes Beneath Durham that I many not overpasse it standeth Eastward a very faire Hospitall which Hugh Pudsey that most wealthy Bishop and Earle of Northumberland so long as it was Being very indulgently compassionate to Lepres as Neubrigensis writeth built with coste I must needes say profuse enough but in some sort not so honest as who layed no small deall of other mens right so great was his power upon this devotion whiles hee thought much to disburse sufficient of his owne Howbeit hee assigned unto it revenewes to maintaine threescore and five Lepres besides Masse Priests From Durham Were carrieth his streame Northward with a more direct course by Finchdale where in the Reigne of King Henry the Second Goodrick a man of the ancient Christian simplicity and austerity wholly devoted to the service of God led a solitary life and ended his daies being buried in the same place wherein as that William of Neuborrow saith hee was wont either to lye prostrate whiles he prayed or to lay him downe when he was sicke Who with this his devout simplicity drew men into so great an admiration of him that R. brother unto that rich Bishop Hugh Pudsey built a Chappell in memoriall of him From thence Were passeth by Lumley Castle standing within a Parke the ancient seat of the Lumleies who descended from Liulph a man in this tract of right great Nobility in the time of King Edward the Confessour who marryed Aldgitha the daughter of Aldred Earle of Northumberland Of these Lumleies Marmaduke assumed unto him his mothers Coate of Armes in whose right hee was seized of a goodly inheritance of the Thwengs namely Argent of Fesse Gueles betweene three Poppinjaes Vert whereas the Lumleies before time had borne for their Armes Six Poppinjaes Argent in Gueles For she was the eldest daughter of Sir Marmaduke Thweng Lord of Kilton and one of the heires of Thomas Thweng her brother But Ralph sonne to the said Marmaduke was the first Baron Lumley created by King Richard the Second which honour John the ninth from him enjoyed in our daies a man most honourable for all the ornaments of true Nobility Just over against this place not farre from the other banke of the River standeth Chester upon the Street as one would say the Castle or little City by the Port way side the Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereupon I would deeme it to be CONDERCUM in which as the booke of Notices recordeth the first wing of the Astures in the Romanes time kept station and lay in Garison within the Line or precinct as that booke saith of the WALL For it is but a few miles distant from that famous WALL whereof I am to speake heereafter The Bishops of Lindifarre lived obscurely heere with the corps of Saint Cuthbert whiles the raging stormes of the Danes were up for the space of an hundred and thirteene yeeres In memory whereof when Egelricke Bishop of Durham layed the foundation of a new Church in that place he found such a mighty masse of money buried within the ground as is thought by the Romans that wallowing now in wealth he gave over his Bishopricke and being returned to Peterborrow whereof hee had beene Abbot before made causeies through the Fennes and raised other Workes not without exceeding great charges And a long time after Anthony Bec Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Jerusalem erected heere a Collegiat Church a Deane and seven Prebends In which Church the Lord Lumley abovesaid placed and ranged in goodly order the Monuments of his Ancestours in a continued line of succession even from Liulph unto these our daies which he had either gotten together out of Monasteries that were subverted or caused to bee made a new And further within almost in the middest of the Triangle there is another little Village also knowne of late by reason of the College of a Deane and Prebendaries founded by that Antony Bec at Lanchester which I once thought to have beene LONGOVICUM a station of the Romanes But let us returne unto Were which now at length turneth his course Eastward and running beside Hilton a Castle of the Hiltons a Family of ancient Gentry venteth his waters with a vast mouth into the sea at Wiran-muth as Bede tearmeth it now named Monkes Were-mouth because it belonged to the Monkes Touching which mouth or out-let thus writeth William of Malmesbury This Were where hee entereth into the Sea entertaineth Shippes brought in with a faire Gale of Winde within the gentle and quiet bosome of his Out-let Both the Bankes whereof Benedict Bishop beautified with Churches and built Abbaies there one in the name of Saint Peter and the other of Saint Paul The painfull industry of this man hee will wonder at who shall reade his life for that hee brought hither great store of bookes and was the first man that ever procured Masons and Glasiers for windowes to come into England Five miles higher the River Tine doth also unlade it selfe which together with Derwent for a good way lineth out as it
of Anguish in Scotland in the reign of K. Edward the first and left that honour to his posterity But Eleanor daughter to the sister and heire of the last Earle was married at length into the family of Talebois and afterward this castle by the Princes bountifull gift came to the Duke of Bedford But to retire to the Wall Beyond Saint Oswalds there are seene in the wall the foundations of two sorts which they call Castle-steeds then a place named Portgate where there stood a gate in the wall as may appeare by the word that in both languages importeth as much Beneath this more within the country is Halton-Hall where flourisheth the family of the Carnabies in great name for their antiquity and military prowesse neere unto which is seated Aidon castle sometimes part of the Barony of that Hugh Balliol before named But for as much as many places about the wall carry this name Aidon and the very same signifieth a Militare Wing or a troupe of horsemen in the British tongue of which sort there were many wings placed along the Wall as plainely appeareth by the booke of Notices in their stations I would have the reader throughly to consider whether this name was not thereupon imposed upon these places like as Leon upon those townes where the Legions had their standing campe Well hard by there was digged up the fragment of an antique stone wherein is the expresse portrait or image of a man lying in bed leaning upon his left hand and with the right touching his right knee with these inscriptions NORICI AN. XXX ESSOIRUS MAGNUS FRATER EJUS DUPL. ALAE SABINIANAE M. MARI US VELLI ALONG US A QUI SHANC POSUIT V. S. L. M. Then the river Pont having his spring head more outwardly and running downe neere to Fenwick-Hall the dwelling house of the worthy and martiall family of the Fenwickes for certaine miles together gardeth the wall and upon his banke had for a defence in garison the first Cohort of the Cornavii at a place called PONS AELII built as it seemeth by Aelius Hadrianus the Emperor now called Pont-eland at which King Henry the third in the yeere 1244. concluded a peace and neere unto this the first Cohort of the Tungri had their abode at Borwick which in the Notice of Provinces is called BORCOVICUS From Port-gate the wall runneth along to Waltowne which seeing the signification accordeth so well with the name and that it standeth twelve miles from the East sea I beleeve verily it is the same royall town which Bede called ADMURUM wherein Segbert King of the East Saxons was by the hands of Finanus baptized and received into the Church of Christ. Neere unto this was a fortification called Old Winchester I would gladly take it to be that VINDOLANA which that Booke of Notice so often cited recordeth to have beene the Frontier-station in times past of the fourth Cohort of the Gaules And then have yee Rouchester where we beheld very plainly the expresse footings in form four square of a garison Castle that joined hard to the wall Neere unto it Headon sheweth it selfe which was part of the Barony of Sir Hugh de Bolebec who fetched his descent by his mother from the noble Barons of Mont-Fichet and had issue none but daughters matched in wedlock with Ralph Lord Greistock I. Lovel Huntercomb and Corbet Now where the wall and Tine almost meet together New-Castle sheweth it selfe gloriously the very eye of all the townes in these parts ennobled by a notable haven which Tine maketh being of that depth that it beareth very tall ships and so defendenth them that they can neither easily bee tossed with tempests nor driven upon shallowes and shelves It is situate on the rising of an hill very uneven upon the North-banke of the river which hath a passing faire bridge over it On the left hand whereof standeth the Castle after that a steepe and upright pitch of an hill riseth on the right hand you have the Mercat place and the better part of the City in regard of faire buildings From whence the ascent is not easie to the upper part which is larger by farre It is adorned with soure Churches and fortified with most strong walls that have eight gates in them with many towres what it was in old time it is not knowne I would soone deeme it to have beene GABROSENTUM considering that Gates-head the suburbe as it were thereof doth in the owne proper signification expresse that British name Gabrosentum derived from Goates as hath been said before The Notice also of Provinces placeth Gabrosentum and the second Cohort of the Thracians in it within the range of the wall And most certaine it is that both the Rampier and the Wall went through this City and at Pandon gate there remaineth as it is thought one of the turrets of that wall Surely for workmanship and fashion it is different from the other Moreover whereas it was named before the Conquest Monk-chester because it was as it seemeth in the possession of Monkes this addition Chester which signifieth a place fortified implyeth that it was anciently a place of strength But after the Conquest of the New castle which Robert the sonne of William the Conqueror built out of the ground it got this new name New-castle and by little and little encreased marveilously in wealth partly by entercourse of trafficke with the Germans and partly by carrying out sea-coales wherewith this country aboundeth both into forraine Countries and also into other parts of England In the reigne of Edward the first a rich man chanced to bee haled way prisoner by the Scottish out of the middle of the towne who after hee had ransomed himselfe with a great summe of money began with all speed to fortifie the same and the rest of the inhabitants moved by his example finished the worke and compassed it with faire strong walls Since which time it hath with security avoided the force and threats of the enemies and robbers which swarmed all over the country and withall fell to trading merchandise so freshly that for quick commerce wealth it became in very flourishing estate in which regard King Richard the second granted that a sword should bee carried before the Maior and King Henry the sixth made it a County incorporate by it selfe It is distant from the first Meridian or West line 21. degrees and 30. minutes and from the Aequinoctiall line toward the North pole 34. degrees and 57. minutes As touching the suburbs of Gateshead which is conjoyned to New-castle with a faire bridge over the river and appertaineth to the Bishops of Durham I have already written Now in regard of the site of New-castle and the abundance of sea-cole vented thence unto which a great part of England and the Low Countries of Germanie are beholden for their good fires read these verses of Master John Ionston out of his Poem of the Cities of
bigge and large as that it may seeme to match with a city Neither went it for any other but a castle when King William Rufus having raised over against it a tower called Mal-voisin gave assault continually to Mowbray while hee rebelled and lurked there who at length privily stole away escaped by flight The greatest part of the beauty therof was lost long time after in the civill warre when Bressie the Norman redoubted souldier who sided with the house of Lancaster exercised his rage against it very outragiously Since then it hath beene sore beaten with time and the windes together which have blowne by drifts an incredible deale of sand of the sea into the fortresses Hereto adjoyneth Emildon sometime the Barony of John Le Viscont but Rametta the heire of that house sold away the possessions to Simon de Montfort Earle of Leicester In this was borne John Duns called Scotus because hee was descended of Scotish bloud who being brought up in Merton Colledge at Oxford became wonderfull well learned in Logicke and in that crabbed and intricate Divinity of those dayes yet as one still doubtfull and unresolved he did overcast the truth of religion with mists of obscurity And with so profound and admirable subtlety in a darke and rude stile hee wrote many workes that hee deserved the title of the Subtile Doctor and after his owne name erected a new sect of the Scotists But hee died pitifully being taken with an Apoplexy and overhastily buried for dead whiles upon returne of life nature though too late was about to discusse the violence of the disease and hee making meanes in vaine by a lamentable noise to call for helpe after he had a long time knocked his head against the grave stone dashed out his owne braines and at last yeelded up his vitall breath Whereupon a certain Italian wrote thus of him Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificante strophâ Quum non ante virum vitâ jugularit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret All learning taught in humane books and couch'd in holy writ Dan Scotus darke and doubtfull made by subtlety of wit No marvaile that to doubtfull termes of life himselfe was brought Whiles with like wile and subtle tricke death on his body wrought When as her stroke to kill outright she would not him vouchsafe Untill the man a piteous case was buried quicke in grave That he was borne here in England I avouch it out of his owne manuscript works in the Library of Merton Colledge in Oxford and upon their faithfull testimony which conclude in this maner Explicit Lectura c. that is Thus endeth the Lecture of the subtle Doctor in the University of Paris Iohn Duns borne in a certaine little village or hamlet within the Parish of Emildon called Dunston in the county of Northumberland pertaining to the house of the scholars of Merton Hall in Oxford On this shore forward there is nothing to be seene worth relation but the Holy Island whereof I will write in due place untill a man come to the mouth of Twede which parteth England and Scotland a great way asunder and is called the East limit and thereupon our Necham thus writeth insinuating that the hither part of Scotland was called Pict-land Anglos à Pictis sejungit limite certo Flumen quod Tuedam pristina lingua vocat The river Twede a certaine bound Divides * Pict-land from English ground This river breaking forth at a number of Springs out of the mountaines of Scotland wandereth a great while with many a crooked winding in and out among the ranke-riders and borderers to give them no worse tearme whose manner is as one saith to try their right by the swords point But when hee is come hard to a village called Carram waxing a great deale bigger by reason of many waters fallen unto him hee begins to distinguish the Confines of the Kingdomes And when hee hath watered Werke a Castle often assaulted by the Scottish belonging in times past to the Rosses and now to the Graies who by feats of armes have wonne much honour hee is encreased more with the streame of Till a river that hath two names For at the head which is in the innermore part of this country it is called Bramish and upon it standeth Bramton a little village very obscure and almost of no reckoning from whence it goeth Northward by Bengeley which together with Brampton it selfe with Broundum Rodam which hath given name to a stock in this tract of good note Edelingham c. was in King Henry the third his time the Barony of Patricke Earle of Dunbar who also as we read in the book of Inquisitions was Inborow and Outborow betweene England and Scotland that is to say if I mistake it not he was to allow and observe in this part the ingresse and egresse of those that travailed too and fro betweene both Realmes For Englishmen in ancient time called in their language an Entry and fore Court or Gatehouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Higher somewhat standeth Chevelingham now called Chillingham hard by the river which like as Horton not farre distant from it had their Castles belonging to the Greies ever since that those two families of the Greies were conjoyned in one by marriage There lyeth neere unto it Wollover a Barony which King Henry the first gave to Robert Muschampe who bare Azure three Butterflies or Papilions Argent of whose race descended Robert who in Henry the third his reigne was reputed the mightiest Baron in these North parts But the inheritance was quickly dismembred and parted among the females one of whom was married unto the Earle of Stratherne in Scotland a second to Sir William de Huntercombe and a third to Odonell Ford. Then the river of Glen from out of the West augmenteth Till with his waters and nameth the vale that he runneth thorow Glendale Touching this little river Bede writeth thus Paulinus comming with the King and Queen into a Manour or house of the Kings called Ad-Gebrin at this day Yeverin abode with them 36. daies there emploied wholly in the catechizing and baptising during all which time he did nothing from morning but instruct the people resorting to him in the saving word of Christ and being thus instructed he baptised them to the forgivenesse of their sinnes in the river of Glen which was hard by This house was in the time of the succeeding Kings neglected and another made for it in a place called Melmin but at this day Melfeld Here within a little of Brum-ridge by Brumeford K. Athelstan fought a pitched field with Aulase the Dane Constantine K. of Scots and Eugenius or Owein Prince of Cumberland with so fortunate successe that this battaile was most famous farre
runneth out far and wide toward the West between the sea and Dunbritain Frith or Clyds-forth yet so indented and hollowed with nookes and creekes that here and there it is drawne into a narrow roome and then againe in the verie utmost skirt it openeth and spreadeth it selfe broad at more libertie whereupon some have called it the CHERSOMESUS that is The Biland of the NOVANTES But at this day their countrey containeth Galloway Carick Kyle and Cunningham Galloway in the Latine Writers of the middle time Gaelwallia and Gallovidia so called of the Irish who in times past dwelt there and terme themselves short in their owne language Gael is a countrey rising up everie where with bills that are better for feeding of cattell than bearing of corne the inhabitants practice fishing as well within the sea lying round about them as in little rivers and the Loches or meeres in everie place standing full of water at the foot of the hills out of which in September they take in Weeles and Weere-ners an incredible number of most sweet and favourite eeles whereby the make no lesse gain than others do by their little nagges which for being well limmed fast knit and strongly made for to endure travaile are much in request and bought from hence Among these the first place that offereth itselfe by the river DEA mentioned in Prolomee which keeping the name still full and whole they call d ee is Kircoubright the most commodious port of this coast the second Stewartie of Scotland which belongeth also to the Maxwels then Cardines a sort set upon a craggie and high rocke by the river Fleet and fensed with strong walls Neere unto it the river Ken corruptly read in Ptolomee IENA runneth into the sea after it is Wigton an haven towne with a narrow entrance unto it between the two rivers Bluidnoo and Crea which also is counted a Sheriffdome over which Agnew is Sheriffe In times past it had for Earle Archibald Douglasse renowned in the French warre and at this day by the favour of King James the sixth John Lord Fleming who deriveth his pedegree from the ancient Earles of Wigton Neere unto this Ptolomee placed the Citie LEUCOPIBIA which I know not to say truth where to seeke Yet the place requireth that it should be that Episcopall seat of Ninian which Bede calleth Candida Casa and the English and Scottish in the verie same sense whit-berne what say you then if Ptolomee after his manner translated that name in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is white-houses in stead whereof the Transcribers have thrust upon us Leucopibia which the Britans tearmed Candida Casa In this place Ninia or Ninian the Britan an holy man the first that instructed the South-Picts in Christian saith in the reigne of the Emperour Theodofius the younger had his seat and built a Church consecrated to the memorie of Saint Martin after a manner unusuall among the Britans as Bede saith who wrote that the English in his time held this country and when the number of the faithfull Christians multiplied an Episcopall See was erected at this Candida Casa A little higher there is a Bi-land having the sea insinuating it selfe on both sides with two Bayes that by a narrow neck it is adjoined to the firme land and this is properly called CHERSONESUS and PROMONTORIUM NOVANTUM commonly the Mull of Galloway Beyond this Northward there is a Bay taking a great compasse and full of Ilands into which very many rivers on everie side doe out-lade themselves But first of all from the verie cape or top of the Promontarie is ABRAVANUS which being set little out of his own place is so called of Ptolomee for Aber-Ruanus that is The mouth of Ruan For at this day that river is named Rian and the lake out of which it floweth Logh-Rian exceeding full of Herrings and Stone-fishes This Galloway had in times past Princes and Lords over it of whom the first recorded in Chronicles was Fergus in the reigne of Henrie the first King of England who gave for his Armes A Lion rampant Arg crowned Or in a shield Azur who after many troubles that he had stirred was driven to this exigent by King Malcolm that he gave his sonne Ucthred to the King for an hostage and himselfe wearie of this world tooke the habit of a Chanon at Holy Rood house in Edenburgh As for Ucthred Gilbert his younger brother tooke him prisoner in battaile and when hee had cut out his tongue and plucked his eyes forth of his head he cruelly bereaved him both of life and inheritance But within some few yeeres when Gilbert was dead Ucthreds sonne recovered his fathers inheritance who of a sister of William Morvill Constable of Scotland begat Alan Lord of Galloway and Constable of Scotland This Alan by Margaret the eldest daughter of David Earle of Huntingdon had Dervolgilda wife to Iohn Balliol and the mother of John Balliol King of Scotland who contended with Robert Brus for the Kingdome of Scotland and by a former wife as it seemeth hee had Helen married to Roger Quincy Earle of Winchester who thereby was Constable of Scotland like as William Ferrars of Groby the Nephew of the said Roger by a daughter and one of the heires But these Englishmen soone lost their inheritance in Scotland as also the dignitie of Constable which the Comnins Earles of Bucquan descended likewise from a daughter of Roger Quincie obtained until it was translated unto the Earls of Arroll But the title of the Lords of Galloway fell afterward to the family of the Douglasses CARRICTA CARRICT NOw followeth Carrict upon Dunbritain Frith faire to be seene with fresh pastures supplyed both by land and sea with commodities abundantly In this province Ptolomee placed RERIGONIUM a Creeke and RERIGONIUM a Towne For which BERIGONIUM is read in a verie ancient copie of Ptolomee printed at Rome in the yeere 1480. so that wee cannot but verily thinke it was that which now is called Bargeney A Lord it hath out of the family of the Kennedies which came forth of Ireland in the reigne of Robert Brus and is in this tract of high birth spread into many branches and of great power The chiefe of which linage is Earle of Cassile for this is the name of a Castle wherein he dwelleth by the river Dun upon the banke whereof he hath also another Castle named Dunnur and he is the hereditarie Bailiffe of this Countrey For this Carrict together with Kyle and Cunningham are counted the three Baillerries of Scotland because they that governe these with an ordinarie power and jurisdiction are called Ballives by a tearme that came up in the middle times and among the Greeks Sicilians and Frenchmen signifieth a Conservatour or Protector But in the age aforegoing Carrict had Earles for to say nothing of Gilberts of Galloway sonne unto whom King William gave all Carrict to bee possessed for
therein bee with the narrowest thrust close and pent together yet such is the convenience and commodiousnesse of the haven that for wealth fresh trading and frequent resort it is the second City in all Ireland and hath alwaies shewed a singular loialty fidelitie and obedience to the Imperiall Crowne of England For ever since that Richard Earle of Pembrok wanne it it hath continued so faithfull and quietly disposed that it performed at all times safe and secure peace unto the English on their backes whiles they went on in the conquering of Ireland Whence it is that the Kings of England have granted unto it very many and those right large Franchises which King Henry the seventh augmented and confirmed because the Citizens had demeaned themselves most valiantly and wisely against that Mock-Prince Perkin Warbeck who being a young man of base condition by hoising up the full sailes of impudence went about to mount up aloft unto the Imperiall diadem whiles he a meer suborned counterfeit tooke upon him to be Richard Duke of Yorke the second sonne of King Edward the fourth This countie of Waterford together with the city King Henry the sixth gave unto Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury aforesaid by these words which because they testifie the valerous vertue of that most martiall Knight to the end that vertue might have the due honour thereto belonging I thinke it worth my labour and haply any man else would deeme no lesse to put downe out of the Record which may be Englished thus We therefore saith the King after other eloquent termes penned by the Secretaries of that age when there was but simple Latin weighing with due consideration the valiant prowesse of our most deere and faithfull cousin John Earle of Shrewsbury and of Weisford Lord Talbot Furnivall and Le Strange sufficiently tried and approved even unto his old age in the warres aforesaid upon his body no lesse bedewed with sweat many a time than embrued with blood and considering in what sort our Countie and Citie of Waterford in our land of Ireland the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Baronie of Dungarvan and all the Lordships Lands Honours and Baronies with the pertinences within the same County which by forfeiture of rebels by reversion or decease of any person or persons by escheat or any other title of law ought to come into our hands or our progenitors or in the same to be by reason of the hostile invasions of our enemies and rebells in those parts are become so desolate and lye so much exposed to the spoiles of warre wholly as it were wasted that they turne us to no profit but have and doe redound oftentimes to our detriment in this regard also that by the same our Cousin our foresaid land of Ireland may the more valiantly be defended in those parts against such attempts and invasions of our enemies and rebells doe ordaine promote and create him Earle of Waterford together with the stile title name and honour thereto belonging And because as the highnesse of his state and degree groweth all things consequently of necessity grow withall upon our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion and for the estate of the Earle himselfe our Cousin to be maintained in more decent manner we have given granted and by these our letters confirmed unto the same Earle the County aforesaid together with the foresaid stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford yea and the foresaid City with the fee ferme of the same the Castles Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies with the pertinences within the County likewise all and every sort the Manors Hundreds Wapentakes c. all along the sea coast from the towne of Yoghall unto Waterford City aforesaid To have and to hold the foresaid County of Waterford the stile title name and honour of Earle of Waterford and the City Waterford aforesaid the Castle Seigniory Honour Land and Barony of Dungarvan and all other Lordships Honours Lands and Baronies within the said county as also all and every the foresaid Manors Hundreds c. unto the above named Earle and the heires males issuing out of his body to have I say and to hold of us and our heires by homage fealty and the service of being and to be our Seneschall or Steward and that his heires be the Seneschals of Ireland to us and our heires throughout our whole land of Ireland to do and that hee doe and ought himselfe to doe in the same his office that which his predecessors Seneschals of England were wont to doe hitherto in that office for ever In witnesse whereof c. But when as whiles the Kings of England and the Nobles who had large and goodly possessions in Ireland were much busied and troubled a long time first with the warres of France and afterward with civill warres at home Ireland lay in manner neglected and the State of English there falling still to decay was now in manner come to nothing but the Irishry by occasion of the others absence grew exceeding mighty for to recover these losses and to abate the power of the Irish it was ordained and enacted by the States of the Realme in Parliament that the Earle of Shrewsbury for his absence and carelesnesse in maintaining of his owne should surrender into the hands of the King and his successors the Earledome and towne of Waterford the Duke of Norfolke likewise the Baron Barkley the heires generall of the Earle of Ormond and all the Abbats Priors c. of England who had any lands should surrender up all their possessions unto the King and his successors for the same absence and neglect THE COUNTY OF LIMERICK HItherto have wee gone over the Maritime counties of Mounster two there remaine yet behind that bee in-lands Limericke and Tipperary which wee are now to goe unto The county of LIMERICK lieth behinde that of Corke Northward betweene Kerry the river Shanon and the county of Tipperary A fertile countrey and well peopled but able to shew very few places of any good account and importance The more Western part of it is called Conilagh wherein among the hills Knock-Patric that is Patricks hill mounteth up of a mighty height and yeelding a pleasant prospect into the sea beholdeth afarre off the river Shanon falling with a wide and wast mouth into the Vergivian or Ocean Under which hill a sept of Fitz-Giralds or Giraldines lived honourably a long time untill that Thomas called the Knight of the Valley or of the Glin when his gracelesse sonne that wicked firebrand suffered death for to set villages and houses a fire is by the lawes of Ireland high treason because himselfe advised his sonne and set him on to enter into these lewd actions by authority of the Parliament was disseized of his goodly and large possessions The head City of this county is Limerick which Shanon a most famous river by parting his chanell compasseth round about The Irish call it Loumeag and
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
thither MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuit by the fall of a towre at Alone was crushed and whindred to death This Richard was founder of the Monasterie de Grenard MCCXII The Abbey of Grenard was founded In the same yeere died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was buried within the quire of the Church of the Holy Trinitie who was founder of Saint Patricks Church of Dublin after whom succeeded Henrie Londres who is called Scorch Villeyn by occasion of a certaine act of his for that one day he called his tenants before him to answer by what teâ—nure they held of him And those tenants shewed their deeds and charters but he commanded the charters or deeds of these husbandmen his tenants to be burned and then the Freeholders evermore called him Henrie Scorch-Villein which Henrie Archbishop of Dublin was Justice of Ireland and built Dublin castle MCCXIII William Petit and Petre Messet departed this life This Petre Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trym but because he died without heire male the inheritance passed unto three daughters the eldest of whom the Lord Vernail married the second Talbot wedded and the other Lounders espoused and so they parted the inheritance betweene themselves MCCXIX The Citie of Damieta in the Nones of September was about the still time of midnight miraculously wonne so that in the forcing and taking thereof there was not one Christian lost his life In the same yeere died William Mareshal the elder Earle Mareshall and of Pembroch who begat on the daughter of Richard Strongbow Earle of Stroghul five sonnes the name of the first sonne was William the named of the second Walter the name of the third Gilbert the name of the fourth Anselme the name of the fifth Richard who was slaine in the warre of Kildare and everie one of these five sonnes was Earle after their father by succession in their fathers inheritance and none of these had issue wherefore the inheritance went away unto the sisters namely the daughters of their father the first was named Maud Mareschal the second Isabel Clare the third Eva Breos the fourth Johan Mount Chensey the fifth Sibill Countesse Ferrers Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolk espoused Maud Mareschal he in the right of his wife was Earle Mareschal of England which Hugh begat Raufe Bigod father of John Bigod who was the sonne of the Ladie Bertha Furnival also Isabell Lacie wife to Lord John Fitz-Gefferey and when Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke was dead she bare John de Gâ—aren Earle of Surrey and his sister Isabell Albeney Countesse of Arundell Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester espoused Isabel the second sister who between them had issue Richard de Clare Earle of Glocester and she was mother to the Ladie Anise Countesse of Denshire who was mother to Isabel wife of the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke in Scotland and was afterwards King of the same Scotland Of Eva Brus the third sister was begotten Maud who was the mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer and mother to the Ladie Eve Cauntelow mother of the Ladie Milsond Mohun who was mother of Dame Eleanor mother to the Earle of Hereford The Lord Guarin Mont Chensey espoused Johan Mareschall the fourth sister of whom came Johan Valens Sibyll the Countesse of Ferrers to wit the fourth had issue five daughters the first Agnes Vescie mother to the Lord John and the Lord William Vescie the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Mohun wife to the Lord John Mohun son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyll Mohun wife to Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus who was wife unto the Earle of Winchester the sixth Agatha Mortimer wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer the seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Carbry All these abovesaid as well males as females are of the genealogie of the said William Earle Mareschal MCCXX. The translation of St. Thomas of Canterburie In the same yeere died the Lord Meiler Fitz Henrie founder of the house of Connall who is buried in the Chapter house of the same house MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieged and the Castle of Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Roger Pippard died And Anno MCCXXVIII died William Pippard sometime Lord of the Salmons-leap There departed likewise Henrie Londres alias Scorch villeyn Archbishop of Dublin and is interred in the Church of the Holy Trinitie at Dublin MCCXXX Henrie King of England gave unto Hubert Burk the Justiceship of Ireland and a third pennie of rent and made him Earle of Kent And afterward the same Hubert was imprisoned and great trouble arose between the King and his subjects because he adhered to strangers more than to his owne naturall people MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke died who is buried within the Quire of the Friers Preachers in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke or Stroghull on the first day before the Ides of April was wounded in battell upon the plaine of Kildare and some few dayes after died in Kilkenny and there hard by his naturall whole brother to wit William lieth buried within the Quire of Friers Preachers of whom it is thus written Cujus sub fossa Kilkenia continet ossa Whose bones bestow'd in grave so deep Kilkenny towne doth safely keepe MCCXI. Walter Lacie Lord of Meth departed this life in England leaving behind him two daughters his heires whereof Sir Theobald Verdon married the first and Geffery Genevile espoused the second MCCXLII The Castle of Slegah was built by Morice Fitz-Gerald Justice of Ireland King Edward the first marched into Wales with a great army and sent to the said Justice that he would come to him with some forces out of Ireland who accordingly came with the flower of the English in Ireland and Phelin O-Conor who was then King of Conacht in his company and shortly returned with victorie honour Afterward the said Justice preied the countrey Tirconnell and gave a moitie thereof to Cormac Mac-Dermot Mac-Rory and carried with him pledges for the other moitie and left them in the castle of Sleagh Another expedition was made by the said Justice and the English first he came to Sleigagh thence to Hohosserovie Mac Morin the Tuesday after the feast of Peter and Paul and Cormac-Mac-Dermot Mac-Rorie accompanied them At that time O Donnel assembled all Kineoill Conail against them at the ford of Ath-Shany so that hee permitted neither English nor Irish to passe over the ford whereupon the English resolved to send Cormac Mac-Rory O-Conor with a company of horse into the champion Westward and they returned by an higher plaine over the moores Eastward to the ford of Quilvain upon the water Earne so that O-Donnel knew nothing of those companies of horse untill he saw them on that side of the river that he himselfe encamped and when he saw the English at his backe hee encountred them but his army was put to rout Moyls Haghlin O-Donnel commonly called King of Kineoil Conail was slain
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
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
there was of oxen and kine in Ireland MCCCXXV Richard Lederede Bishop of Ossorie cited Dame Alice Ketyll upon her perverse hereticall opinion and caused her to make personall appearance before him and being examined as touching sorceries he found by an enquest that she had practised sorceries among which this was one foule fact of hers that a certaine spirit named Robyn Artysson lay with her and that she offered unto him nine red cockes at a stone bridge in a certaine foure crosse high way Item that she swept the streets of Kilkenny with beesomes between Complin and Courefew and in sweeping the filth toward the house of William Utlaw her sonne by way of conjuring mumbled these words Unto the house of William my sonne Hie all the wealth of Kilkenny towne Now the complices of the said Alice and those that agreed unto this divelish and wretched practise of hers were one Pernill of Meth and Basilia the daughter of the same Pernil When the above named Alice was by inquisition attainted of these foresaid imputations the Bishop punished her by the purse and caused her utterly to abjure all sorcerie and witch-craft But when afterwards shee stood convict eftsoones of the same crime herselfe with the foresaid Basilia fled but was never after found As for the said Pernill she was burnt at Kilkenny but at the houre of death shee avouched that the foresaid William deserved death as well as her selfe affirming that he for a yeere and a day wore the divels girdle upon his bare bodie Whereupon the Bishop caused the said William to bee apprehended and laid in prison for eight or nine weekes within the Castle of Kilkenny and by the Bishops decree and appointment hee had two men to give attendance and to minister unto him with expresse commandement not to speake unto him but once a day nor to eat or drinke with him At length the said William by the helpe of the Lord Arnald Poer Seneschall of the Countie of Kilkenny was delivered forth of prison and the foresaid William gave a great summe of money unto the abovenamed Arnold to imprison the Bishop aforesaid The Lord Arnold before named caused the Bishop aforesaid to lye in prison about three moneths Now among the goods and implements of the said Alice there was a certaine holy Wafer-cake found having the name of the Divell imprinted upon it there was found also a boxe and within it an ointment wherewith she used to besmear or grease a certaine piece of wood called a Coultree which being thus annointed the said Alice with her complices could ride and gallop upon the said Coultree whethersoever they would all the world over through thick thin without either hurt or hindrance And because the foresaid things were so notorious Alice was cited againe to appeare at Dublin before M. Deane of the Church of St. Patricke there to finde greater favour Who there made her appearance and craved a day of answer under a sufficient mainprise and suretiship as it was thought But shee was no more to be seene for by the counsell of her sonne and others that were not knowne was she kept hidden in a farme house or village untill the winde served for England and so she passed over and never was it knowne whither she went Now because it was found by the inquisition and recognizance of the said Parnell condemned to be burnt that William Utlaw was consenting to his mother in her sorcerie and with-craft the Bishop caused him to be arrested and taken by the Kings writ and to be kept in prison who in the end through the supplication of great Lords was set free yet with this condition that he should cause the Church of S. Maries in Kilkenny to be covered all over with lead and to doe other almes-deeds by a certaine time which almes-deeds if he performed not within the said terme then he should be in the same state wherein he stood when he was taken by vertue of the Kings Processe MCCCXXVI A Parliament was holden at Whitsontide in Kilkenny unto which Parliament came the Lord Richard Burk the Earle of Ulster although he was somewhat weake and crazie thither repaired also all the Lords and Potentates of Ireland and there the said Earle made a great and noble feast unto the Lords and the people Afterwards the Lord Earle taking his leave of those Nobles and Lords went to Athisell where he ended his life And a little before the feast of S. John Baptist he was there enterred The Lord William Burk became his heire MCCCXXVII There arose a quarrell and a fray betweene the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Arnald Pover and the Lord Moris had in his traine and company the Lord Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham and the Lord Arnald had in his retinew the Bourkeins of whom the said Lord Morrice Fitz-Thomas slew many and some he chased into Connaght In the same yeere after Michaelmas the Lord Arnald came to aide the Bourkeins and by occasion of certaine rude and uncivill tearmes which the Lord Arnald had given out in calling him Rymour the said Morice raised an armie againe and together with Botiller and the said William Bermingham with a puissant hoast burnt the lands and possessions of the said Lord Arnâ—ld in Ofath Also the said William Bermingham fired the lands and man our houses of the Lord Arnald Pover in Mounster and Kenlys in Osserie he burnt so that the Lord Arnald was forced to fly with the Baron of Donnyl to Waterford and there they remained a moneth untill that the Earle of Kildare then Lord Justice of Ireland and others of the Kings Counsel took a day betweene them which day the Lord Arnald kept not but came to Dublin and passed the seas into England about the feast of the Purification and after that Arnald had sailed over the said Moris Botiller and the Lord William Bermingham with a great armie came spoiled harried and burnt the lands of the said Arnald and by reason of those puissant forces that they had led and the many mischiefes which they had done the Kings ministers of his Counsell feared lest he would besiege Cities and therefore the Cities made provision with more warding and watching the while betweene And when the said Lord Moris Botiler and William heard that the Cities made such provision and preparation before hand they gave intelligence unto the Kings Counsell that they would come to Kilkenny and there cleere himselves that they never thought to doe any noisance to the lands of their soveraigne Lord the King but onely to be revenged of their enemies Unto which Parliament came the Earle of Kildare then Justice of Ireland the Prior of Kilmaynon to wit Roger Outlaw Chancellour of Ireland Nicholas Fastoll Justice in the Bench and others of the Kings Counsell and the foresaid Moris and William demanded the Kings Charter of peace but they of the Kings Counsell warily making answer tooke day unto the moneth after Easter that they might
a peace was renewed there betweene the Earle of Ulster and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas the said Lords with the Kings Counsel ordained there that the Kings peace should be fully kept so that every Nobleman and Chieftaine should keep in his owne sept retinew and servants and the said Earle of Ulster made a great feast in the Castle of Dublin and the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas the morrow after kept a great feast within the Church of St. Patrick in Dublin and Frier Roger Outlaw Justice of Ireland feasted likewise upon the third day at Kylmaynon and so they departed The same yeere on the Virgill of St. Barnabee the Apostle Sir John Bermingham Earle of Louth was slaine at Balybragan in Urgal by those of Urgal and with him Peter Bermingham the said Earles legitimate and whole brother also Robert Bermingham the same Earles putative brother Sir John Bermingham the son of his brother Richard Lord of Anry William Finne Bermingham the Unkles sonne by the mothers side of the foresaid Lord of Anry Simon Bermingham the same Williams sonne Thomas Bermingham the son of Robert of Conaght Peter Bermingham the sonne of Iames of Conaght Henry Bermingham of Conaght and Richard Talbot of Malaghide a valiant man at armes and two hundred with them whose names are not knowne Item after the foresaid slaughter the Lord Simon Genevile his men invaded the country of Carbry for to spoile and harry them in regard of their robberies and manslaughters committed many times in Meth but before the said invasion they of Carbry arose and slew of the said Simons men threescore and sixteen Also the same yeere on the morrow after holy Trinitie Sunday there came to Dublin John Gernon and Roger Gernon his brother in the behalfe of those of Urgal and made humble request that they might stand to be tried at the Common Law And on Tuesday which was the morrow after the feast of St. John Baptist John and Roger hearing that the Lord William Bermingham was comming departed out of Dublin The same yeere on the Vigill of St. Laurence the Lord Thomas Botiller went with a great power into the parts of Ardnorwith and there encountred the said Lord Thomas Williams Mac-Goghgan with his forces and there was the said L. Thomas to the great losse of the land of Ireland with him were killed the Lord John Ledewich Roger Ledewich Thomas Ledewich John Nangle Meiler Petit Simon Petit David Nangle Sir John Waringer James Terel Nicholas White William Freines Peter Kent John White and together with them one hundred and forty men whose names are unknowne And on the tuesday next before the feast of St. Bartholomew the body of the said Lord Thomas Botiller was conveied to Dublin and bestowed in the house of the preaching Friers but as yet not buried and the sunday next ensuing the feast of the beheading of St. Iohn Baptist the said Lord Thomas his corps was very honourably carried through the city and enterred in the Church of the preaching Friers and the wife of the said Lord John that day made a feast In the same yeere John Lord Dracy came Justice of Ireland the second time and the said Lord John espoused the Lady Joan de Burk Countesse of Kildare the third day of July at Maynoth Item Philip Stanton is slaine Also Henry Lord Traham is treacherously taken in his owne house at Kilbego by Richard the sonne of Philip Onolan More the Lord Iames Botiller Earle of Ormond burnt Foghird against Onolan for the foresaid Henries sake brother of Botiller The same yeere on wednesday next after the feast of the Ascension of the blessed Virgin Mary John Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland went toward the parts of Newcastle of Mac-Kingham and Wikelow against the O-Brynns and the monday following certain of Lawles were slaine and many wounded and namely Robert Locam was hurt and of the Irish the better sort were slaine many likewise wounded and the rest fled But Murkad O-Brynne yeelded himselfe an hostage together with his son unkle and unkles sonne and they were brought to the castle of Dublin But afterwards delivered for other hostages the better sort of their sept and kin The same yeere the Lord Justice namely the Lord John Darcy and those of the Kings Counsell in Ireland about the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord charged the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas of Desmund that himselfe should come into the field with his forces for to vanquish the Kings enemies giving him to understand that their soveraigne Lord the King would provide for to defray the charges of him and of his army and the said Moris came with his power and Briene O-Brene was in his company and their army consisted of ten thousand men and the said Lord Moris advanced with his army first against the O-Nolanes vanquished them gat a great bootie and wasted their lands with fire and the O-Nolanes fled and afterwards delivered hostages who were sent unto the castle of Dublin And afterwards the said Lord Moris made a journy against the O-Morches who did put in their hostages for to keepe the Kings peace The same time the castle of Ley which O-dympcy had won and kept was rendred up to the said Moris The same yeere after the Epiphany of our Lord Donald Arts Mac-Murgh made an escape out of the castle of Dublin by a cord which one Adam Nangle had bought for him which Adam afterwards was drawne and hanged MCCCXXX Mighty winds were up in divers places about the feast daies of St. Katherine S. Nicolas and of the Nativitie of our Lord by which wind part of the wall of a certain house fell downe and killed the wife of Sir Miles Verdon with his daughter on S. Nicolas even such winds as the like were never seene in Ireland Item there was such an inundation of the water of Boyn as never had been known before by which flood all the bridges as well of stone as of timber standing over the said water were utterly cast downe unlesse it were Babe bridge The water also carried away divers mills and did much hurt to the Friers Minors of Trym and Tredagh in breaking down their houses The same yeere about the feast of S. John Baptist there began a great dearth of corne in Ireland and continued untill Michaelmas Item a cranoc of wheat was sold for 20. shillings also a cranoc of oats for eight shillings and one cranoc of peason beanes and of barly for 8. shillings And this dearth hapned by occasion of abundance of raine so that much of the standing corne could not be reaped before the feast of St. Michael The same yeere the English of Meth made a slaughter of the Irish to wit of Mac-Goghigans people about Lent neere unto Loghynerthy whereupon the said Mac-Goghigan in anger burnt in those parts 25. small villages and sacked them which the English seeing gathered themselves together against him and of his men slew one hundred and among whom were slaine three Lords sons of
676 b Denbigh made a shire 677 e Depford 326 c Depenbach 603 c Deping 534 c Derlington 737 d Derwen a river 752 d Derwent a river 553 b Derwent fells 767 a Deorhirst 360 a Deorham or Derham 364 Dercoma 20 Derechel 21 Dereham 482 a Derchefu 21 Dert a river 201 d Dertinton 201 â— Dertmore 201 d Dertmouth 202 c Despencer a noble family 322 b Hugh le Despencer 267 c Despensers Barons 636 a Devi a river 258 Devy Bishop of Saint Davids 226 Deverril why so called 245 Dewsborrough 693 a Devonshire Earles 207 c Despotae 164 Dianaes chamber 426 a Digbies an ancient race 525 e Sir Everard Digby 525 f Alane de Dinant Baron of Burton 510 a Dimetae 647 Dimocks a worshipfull familie 535 f. 541 c Dimocks the Kings champions 541 c Dilston a town 808 b Dinevor Castle 649 â— Dinleys or Dingleys a familie 578 b Dishmarch 690 e Ditches or fore-senses in Cambridge shire 490 a Dinhams a family 395 f. 207 b or Dinants Aul. Didius Lievtenant in Britain 48 Dicalidones or Deucalidones rather why so called 117 Dignities ecclesiasticall how many in England 161 Diamonds in Cornwall 186 Diamonds or Diamants neere Bristoll 239 a. b Dictum 669 f Diganwy ibid. Diocesses under every severall Bishop 160 161 Disce or Dis a towne 472 e Distentâ—ns Gentlemen 766 f Disart Castle 680 b Dive a family 399 â— De Divisis a Monastery 513 e Division of Countries threefold 154 Divils or Devilsburne a river 808 b Divils or Devils dike 459 490 c Divils or Devils 609 c Divils or Devils bolts 701 b Divona 17 Divitiacus a mighty Prince 34 Dobuni 354. whence so named ibid. Dodo or Dudo an English Saxon 581 359 c Dod of S. Quintins a writer 142 Dodington 607 e Dogs of Britaine 263 d. 126. of Scotland S. Dogmael or S. Tehwell 654 d D'oilyes of Hoch Horton Barons 375 b Dologethle 665 e Dolphins 164 Doomesday booke 153 Domitian tormented with envie 61 Don or Dune a river 689 d S Donats Castle 643 e Dor a river 176 d Dormceaster 501 e Dormers knights 395 f. 396 a Dornford 501 e K. Dorne his pence 212 b Dorchester 384 b. 212 c Dorsetshire 209 Dorset Marquesses and Earles 217 c Dotterell a bird 443 c Dove or dow a river 587 b Dover 344 b Dover Castle ibid. Dovy a river 665 Dowbridge upon Watlingstreet 408 d Dowgate or dourgate in London 423 e Downes 313 d Downham 494 c Draicot a towne in Staffordshire and a family 587 e Dragons in Banners 195 Sir Francis Drake 200 e. where born ibid. his navigation ibid. Draiton 419 c Draiton in Shropshire 594 b Draiton Beauchamp 394 f Draiton Basset 581 f Draiton in Northamptonshire 510 b Drax a village 707 e Driby a towne and family 542 c Driffield 711 d Droit-wich or Durtwich 574 e Dropping well 700 a Druidae 4 12 13 14 the Etymologie of their name 14 Druidae in Britain did service in war 49. they held one God 68 Druidae seated in Anglesey 671 d Drumbough castle 775 c Druries a family 461 e Drystocke 325 e Duddensand 754 f Dudden a river 581 c Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke 571 a Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwicke beheaded ibid. Dudleys 280 e Iohn Dudley duke of Northumberland his stile and demeanor 821 e f Rob. Dudley Earle of Leicester 524 b Dulcitius a redoubted captaine 80 Dulverton 220 c Duina first Bishop of Lichfield 585 d Duglesse a riveret 749 c Dun a notorious theefe 402 d Dunbriton frith 56 Dunham 610 c Dunmaw 444 e Dunnington 521 f. 567 c Dunstable 402 a. the crosse there ibid. Dunster castle 220 d Dunstan Abbot 227 d Dunstan putteth downe married Priests 576 b. 243 d Dunstaburg 813 e Dunsley 718 d Dunseavill 243 Dunum 21 247 Dunwich 466 c. a Bishops See ibid. Dunus Sinus 718 d Iohn Duns alias Scotus 814 b Durobrivae 501 e Dur and Dour beginnings and terminations of places what they signifie 209 d Durham citie 739 e Durham Colledge in Oxford founded 381 f. reedified 383 Durham Bishopricke a County Palatine 736 a Dursley 364 c Durance an house of the Wroths 437 e Durocobrivae 413 e Durnovaria what it signifieth 212 â— Durosiponte 491 d Durotriges whence derived 209 Dû what colour 26 Dutton a place and worthy family 602 f Dwr 20 Dux Britanniae 76 Dux or Duke what title of honor 164. under a Count or Comes ib. Dux and Comes the same ibid. Dux or Duke a title of charge ib. a title of honour 165 Dukes investure or creation ibid. Dukes hereditary ibid. E EAdburga a Lady professed religions 395 c Eadburton a towne ibid. Eadelmton or Edmunton 437 d King Eadgar stiled Monarch of whole Albion his triumph 605 b K. Eadgar the peaceable 130 a Eadred stiled King of Great Britain 139 a Ealburg 701 e Ealdermen 164 Ealphage a learned Priest married 201 b Ealpheg Archbishop of Canterbury executed 326 d Earle what title of honour 165 Earles by office 502 c Earles or Eorles hereditary 166 Earles how created ibid. Earle Apostolicall 239 e Earle Imperiall ibid. Earles Coln 450 d Earles dike 714 d Earth 155 Earth turning wood into stone 401 e Earth a rampier in Cornwall 189 Easton Nesse 467 a East-riding 709 East-Angles 456 458 Eaton in Bedfordshire 401 a Earth by divers occasions altered 1 Eatons what they be 63 Eaye 467 f Saint Ebba an holy virgin 743 a Ebchester ib. Ebissa 128 Eboracum or Eburacum that is Yorke why so called 702 d Eccles 478 e Eccleshall 584 c Ecclesiasticall livings hereditarie 595 f Echingham Baron 320 Eclipses of the Sunne in Aries disasterous to Shrewsbury 598 a Edelfleda or Elfleda a noble Ladie 610 d Eden a river 776 760 c Edenborgh frith 56 Edgecombs 193 Edge an hill 561 b Edgar Eathling or Aethling 146 Edindon 244 e Edith virgin a Saint 582 b Edith King Eadgars daughter 246 d Edith a Lady professed 395 c Edmund of Langley his devise and presage 510 Edmund Crouchbacke King of Sicily deluded by the Pope 756 b K. Edmunds martyrdome 467 Saint Edmund a most Christian King and martyr 460 c S. Edmunds liberty 459 c S. Edmunds bury ibid. S. Edmunds dike 490 f Edmund King of England piteously slaine 364 a K. Edmund Ironside 143 Edmund of Woodstocke Earle of Kent 353 a Edrick Streona 595 d Edrick Sylvaticus 624 e K. Edward the Confessour where borne 377 a Edward Confessour 143 b Edward Earle of Warwicke beheaded 670 e Edward the First King of England his praises 776 a Edwardston 463 a K. Edward the Second entombed 361 a. murdered 363 b K. Edward the Third his vertues 297 d. a most renowned Prince 278 Edwin the Prince made away by his brother Athelstan 213 e Egbert calleth his kingdom England 138. vanquisheth the Danes 143 Effingham 296 f Egelricke a wealthy Bishop of Durham 742 Egertons whence descended 603 Egleston 736 e Egremond an arch-rebell 724 d Egremont castle 766 a The Eight 360 b Eimot a river 762
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
to the Barons Dacre of Gillesland Nothing I have of any antiquity to say of this towne but that in the yeere of Christ 1215. it was set on fire by the inhabitants themselves in spitefull malice to King John From hence the river Wents-beck passeth by Bothall Castle and the Barony somtimes of Richard Berthram from whose posterity it was devolved unto the Barons of Ogle Upon the bank whereof I have thought this great while whether truly or upon a bare supposall I know not that in old time GLANOVENTA stood which was fortified by the Romans with a garrison of the first Cohort of the Morini for defence of the marches Which the very situation doth as it were perswade and the rivers name together with the signification of the same induceth me to thinke For it is seated within the raunge of the rampire or wall even where the booke of Notices placeth it the rivers name is Wants-beck and GLANOVENTA in the British tongue signifieth the shore or bank of Venta Whence also Glanon a city in France upon the sea-shore wherof Pomponius Mela hath made mention may seeme to have drawn that appellation Not farre hence to let passe little piles and towres of lesse account is to be seene neere unto the shore Withrington or Woderington in the English Saxon tongue of old time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient Castle which gave the name unto the Withringtons Gentlemen of good birth and Knights whose valour in the warre hath beene from time to time remarkable Then the river Coquet falleth into the sea which springing among the rough and stony mountaines of Cheviot not farre from his head hath Billesdun upon it from whence sprang the ancient family of the Selbies and somewhat lower Southward Harbottle in the English Saxons tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The station of the Army whence the family of the Harbottles descended that in the ages aforegoing flourished A Castle it had in times past but in the yeere of our salvation 1314. the Scots razed it Close unto this standeth Halyston as one would say Holy stone where the report goeth that Paulinus in the primitive Church of the English nation baptized many thousands And at the verie mouth of Coquet Warkworth a proper faire Castle of the Percies standeth and defendeth the shore where there is a chappell wonderfully built out of a rocke hewen hollow and wrought without beames rafters or anie peeces of timber This Castle King Edward the third gave unto Henrie Percie together with the Mannour of Rochburie Afore time it had beene the Baronie of Roger Fitz-Richard by the gift of Henrie the second King of England who gave also unto his sonne Clavering in Essex whereof at the commandement of King Edward the first they assumed unto them the surname of Clavering leaving the ancient maner of taking their names from the forename or Christian name of the father for before that time they were surnamed according to the forename of the father as Robert Fitz Roger Roger Fitz Iohn c. Part of this inheritance the Nevils entred upon by Fine and Covenant who afterward were Earles of Westmorland and part of it a daughter named Eve inherited who was wedded to Sir Th. Ufford from whose posteritie it came hereditarily unto the Fienes Barons of Dacres But from the younger sonnes branched the Barons of Evers the Evers of Axholme and the Claverings of Kalaly in this Countie and others Hard unto this also lieth Morwick which may likewise boast of the Lords it had whose issue male had an end about the yeere of our Lord 1258. and so the inheritance passed over by the daughters unto the Lumleies Seimors Bulmers and Roscells The shore after this openeth it selfe to give passage unto the river ALAUNUS which being not yet bereft of that name whereby it was knowne unto Ptolomee is called short Alne Upon the bank whereof besides Twifford that is A double fourd where was holden a solemne Synod under King Egfrid and Eslington the habitation of the Collingwoods men renowned for their warlike exploits there sheweth also it selfe Alan-wic in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now commonly called Anwick a towne ennobled by the victorie of Englishmen wherein our ancestors shewed such valour and prowesse that they tooke William King of Scots and presented him prisoner unto King Henrie the second and fortified besides with a goodly castle which when Malcome the third King of the Scots had by long siege enforced to such extremitie that it was at the point now to bee yeelded up hee was slaine by a souldier that making semblance to deliver unto him the keyes of the Castle hanging at the head of a speare ranne him into the bodie with it And withall his sonne Edward whiles to revenge his fathers death he charged unadvisedly upon the enemie was so wounded that hee died thereof shortly after This was a Baronie sometimes belonging to the Vescies For King Henrie the second gave it unto Eustach Fitz-Iohn father to William Vesci to be held by the service of twelve knights Sir John Vescy of this race returning out of the sacred warre in the Holy-land was the first that brought with him into England the Friers Carmelites and built for them a Covent here in Holme a desart place not unlike to Mount Carmel in Syria William the last of the Vescies made Antonine Bec Bishop of Durham his feofie upon trust that he should deliver this Castle with all the lands lying thereto unto his base sonne the onely childe that he left behind him but the Bishop falsly conveied away from him the inheritance and for readie money sold it unto William Lord Percie since which time it hath evermore belonged to the Percies From hence the shore making divers angles and points passeth by Dunstaburge a Castle belonging to the Duchie of Lancaster which some have untruely supposed to be Bebhan for Bebhane standeth higher and in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is now called Bamborrow Our Bede where hee reports that this Castle was besieged and burnt by Penda King of the Mercians writeth that Queene Bebba gave it this name but the Floure-gatherer recordeth that Ida the first King of Northumberland built it which hee sensed first with great stakes or piles of timber and afterward with a wall But take here with you the description thereof out of Roger Hoveden Bebba saith hee is a most strong Citie not verie great but containing the space of two or three fields having into it one hollow entrance and the same raised on high with staires after a wonderfull manner and on the pitch of an hill a very faire Church and Westward on the top thereof there is a well set out with marvailous workmanship sweet to drink of and most pure to see to But in our age it is counted a castle rather than a city yet so
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