with its Suburbs and Cathedral A work which secur'd the Honour of all that the Title-page mentions from the Levelling Fury and Madness of the Time wherein 't was publish'd and is deservedly recommended both by the Author's Enemies and Friends as a Piece most exquisitely Perfect in its kind Amongst his Manuscripts at Canterbury this Book may be seen interleav'd with large Additions in the Author 's own Hand-writing The Spaw-waters at Tunbridge are treated on by Lod. Rowzee and P. Madan MM. DD. And the Chronicle of Rochester collected chiefly from the Textus Roffensis mention'd elsewhere is written by Edm. Bedenham Esq. MS. LANCASHIRE A few years ago Dr. R. Keurden sent out Proposals for the Printing his Brigantia Lancastriensis Restaurata or a History of the Honourable Dukedom or County Palatine of Lancaster which he told us was compos'd and laid ready for the Press in Five Volumes I know not how the Design came to miscarry but do imagine that the vastness of the Undertaking slacken'd its Pace 'T were to be wish'd the Industrious Author would oblige us with an Abstract of such Discoveries in it as are purely New to us and his own There can hardly be any danger of his meeting with better Encouragement and Success upon such a fresh Attempt whereas it could not well prove otherwise than a very cloying Method to propose the taking off a Volume or two of General Preliminaries before we came at the main business the Antiquities of Lancashire Some particulars relating to the Antiquities of the Northern Parts of this County were communicated to the undertaker of the new Edition of Camden by Sr. Dan. Fleming Kt. who is a Person of great Curiosity and Judgment in these Matters and has made much larger Collections than could be brought within so small a Compass as the Nature of that work would admit of It s Natural History I am told is compiled by Dr. Charles Leigh who has already given us good earnest of his Abilities suitable to the Undertaking in his Phthisiologia Lancastriensis cui accessit Tentamen Philosophieum de Mineralibus Aquis in eodem Comitatu Observatis To which may be added Dr. Edm. Burlace's Latham Spaw with some Remarkable Cases and Cures effected by it and a short Treatise touching the manner of making Salt of Sea-sand in this County The Town of Manchester has its particular History written by one Richard Hollingworth an active Presbyterian Preacher in the beginning of our Civil Wars which may be seen in MS. in their College Library LEICESTERSHIRE is nobly Described by William Burton Esq a native of this County and Barrister at Law His Description runs in an Alphabetical Order of the Villages and his Method has been observ'd by many more that have since endeavour'd the like services for other Counties The Work consists chiefly of Descents Pedigrees and Moot-Cases But the Author was afterwards sensible of its main Defect and therefore very much enlarg'd and enrich'd it with an Addition of Roman Saxon and other Antiquities This appears from his own Letter to Sr. Robert Cotton still extant and the Book it self thus improv'd is said to have been lately in the possession of Walter Chetwind of Ingestree near Stafford Esq who had also other Manuscripts of the said Mr. Burton's Composure LINCOLNSHIRE wants an Historian of Skill and Courage answerable to the vast Store of Materials of all kinds which are there to be had Its Fenns and Marshes are indeed pretty largely treated on by Sr. William Dugdale in his History of Imbanking and in the year 1671. there was publish'd a short Relation of great Damages done by a Tempest and Overflowing of the Tides in this County and Norfolk But its main Body lies yet undescribed to the Reproach of all those Persons of Learning and Ingenuity that are its Natives R. Butcher's Survey of Stamford is often quoted by Tho. Fuller in his Worthies when he comes to speak of Lincolnshire as it is likewise very frequently by J. Wright in his Antiquities of Rutland It was printed in the Year 1646. MIDDLESEX John Norden published a Description of this County about the same time that he wrote his other somewhat shorter or Hartfordshire Both these Surveys are mention'd by John Stow as undertaken and publish'd in imitation of W. Lambard's perambulation of Kent The Funeral Monuments within the Diocese of London were Collected after his Fashion by J. Weever and we are lately encouraged to hope for the natural Hiâ—â—ory of the County by Dr. Plott Tho. Johnson's little short account of the Plants that grow wild on Hampsted-heath is the only thing publish'd that looks this way and 't is to inconsiderable as hardly to deserve mentioning The first Description of the famous City of London now Extant was written by one W. Stephens or Fits-Stephens a Monk of Canterbury about the Year 1190. 'T is a small Tract of about ten pages in Quarto and is publish'd by J. Stow as an Appendix to his Survey under the Title of Stephanides Robert Bale Recorder of the City A. D. 1461. is also said to have written several Treatises on that Subject which were long kept as choice Rarities in the publick Library of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and whereof my Author reckons up the Titles of these Three 1. Londinensis Vrbis Chronicon 2. De Consulibus praefectis ejus 3. Instrumenta Libertatum Vrbis The same Gentleman makes R. Fabian write a couple of Treatises upon the Affairs of London but I suppose all he ever penn'd of that kind is in his printed Chronicle John Stow we are sure wrote and publish'd a Survey of London and owns himself put upon the Undertaking by Mr. Lambard's general Invitation to the several Antiquaries of this Kingdom to write the Histories of their Native Counties The account he gives is very particular and full running thro' every one of the twenty six Wards and affording a good View of the Government of this City together with Westminster and Southwark Ecclesiastical and Civil the Churches Hospitals and other Religious Houses a Catalogue of their Mayors and Sheriffs down to the Fortieth year of Queen Elizabeth c. The whole is Collected out of our best Historians and most Authentick Records and discovers a deal of Industry and Accuracy in the worthy and honest Author It appears he had perus'd the small Treatise call'd the City Law in its Original So that there was little occasion for the Translation and Publishing of that afterwards But because the State of this mighty City is wonderfully chang'd since his time we are in daily Expectance of a new Edition of this Book with very considerable Additions and Improvements Sir George Buck's Treatise of the Inns of Court under the Title of the Third Vniversity of England we have in the end of Stow's Chronicle and James Howel's Londinopolis has very little in it more than what he
has Copy'd from the foremention'd Survey nor is De Laun's pretended Present State of the City much different from what we have there Indeed several new Discoveries and Observations touching its mighty growth and number of its Inhabitants proving that they are more than in Rome Paris and Roan that they are above 696000 People c. have been advanc'd in some Essays in Political Arithmetick by one of the most eminent Mathematicians and Virtuoso's of this Age Sir William Petty who was also the chief Director and Author of a piece publish'd sometime before by one John Graunt and Entitul'd Natural and political Observations on the Bills of Mortality in London The dreadful Fire which hapned in this famous City in the Year 1666. will for ever remain one of its chief Epoche's and of this we have two Historical Narratives One according to the Reports made to a Committee in Parliament and another publish'd by Edward Waterhouse The Epitaphs of our Kings Princes and Nobles that lie bury'd in the Abbey-Church at Westminster were first Collected by John Skelton a famous Poet who for making too bold with Cardinal Woolsey in some of his Satyrs ended his days miserably within the Precincts of the Asylum of that Church A. D. 1529. These were afterwards enlarg'd by Camden and compleated by H. Keep under the name of Monumenta Westmonasteriensia The Monuments of St. Paul's the Cathedral of this Diocese will be treated on elsewhere NORFOLK The Pen was long since drawn in defence of this County by one Iohn de S. Omero or Saintemer a Norfolk-man and Student in Cambridge about the Year 1219. when a certain Monk of Peterborough taking upon him to libel the Inhabitants of that Country in Latin Doggrel was answer'd in his own way by this John The Epitaphs here with some other Antiquities were collected by J. Weever who referrs us for further satisfaction to Sir Hen. Spelman's Iceni which we impatiently hope to see publish'd by Mr. Gibson Something relating to the Natural History of Norfolk may be had from Sir William Dugdale's Imbanking and in a little Treatise entituled Mercurius Centralis or a Discourse of Subterranean Cockle Muscle and Oyster-shells found in digging a Well at Sir William Doylie's in this County 'T is a Letter from one Tho. Lawrence M. A. to Sir Thomas Brown To which may be added the already mention'd Relation of the Damages done by a Tempest on the Coasts of this County and Lincolnshire The City of Norwich was describ'd by Alexander Nevil whose Book is quoted by Sir Henry Spelman We have Sir Tho. Brown's Vrn-Burial or a Discourse of Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk and we expect his Repertorium or an account of the Tombs and Monuments in the Cathedral Church of Norwich It has been promis'd and I know not what occasion Sir Thomas has ever given any body to suspect that ought of his penning should rather fear than deserve an Edition The late Publisher of Camden makes Tho. Fuller the Reporter of Dr. Caius's having written the Antiquities of Norwich but I suspect there 's some mistake in that matter since Fuller in the place where he should especially have noted such a thing says nothing of it Nash's Account of the growth of great Yarmouth the History of the burning of East Derham and Sir R. W.'s Norfolk Furies may possibly contribute some small helps towards the Illustration of the Antiquities of these Parts but seem to be of too great or too little Age to be very valuable NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Will. Vincent Windsor-Herald collected some materials for a Survey and the Antiquities of this County which were lately in the possession of Mr. Wood. He frequently quotes Fran. Tate's Nomina Hydarum in Com. Northampton The State of the Town of Northampton from the beginning of the Fire Sept. 20. 1675. to Nov. 5. following was publish'd in a Letter to a Friend and we had its Fall and Funeral first in a Latin Elegy and afterwards with some Variations and Additions in English NORTHVMBERLAND John Pits says That the Genealogies of the Earls of Northumberland were drawn up by one Tho. Otterburn a Franciscan Friar about the Year 1411 and that John Currar he knows not when drew up a List of Seventy Eight Castles in this County with the Pedigrees of their several Owners These are Uncertainties But we know that Sir Robert Shaftoe and Mr. Clavering both now living have really made large Progresses in its Antiquities and we hope they will be so just to the Publick and themselves as shortly to communicate ' em The Town of Berwick with some other places of Note in this County are describ'd in a MS. in the Earl of Carlisle's Library at Noward But Newcastle still wants a just Description and History For Grey's Chorographical Survey comes short of its present Glory and the Anonymous Author of England's Grievances in Relation to the Coal-Trade c. is too much confin'd in his Subject to answer the Expectations of a Curious Reader NOTTINGHAMSHIRE's Antiquities were first attempted by Serjeant Boun who only transcrib'd what related to this County out of Dooms-day adding some short Notes at every Town This was compleated into a fair Work by his Son-in-law R. Thoroton M. D. at the instance of Sir William Dugdale He owns 't is capable of Improvements out of the Archbishop of York's Registry and other Records in private Hands which he had not an opportunity of consulting But the Work as it is shews a good Industry in its Author who being a Physician of eminent Practice had a free access to the Evidences of most of the considerable Families The Author had not the Curiosity to intermix any Observations relating to the British Roman and Saxon Antiquities writing only after the printed Copy of Mr. Burton's Leicestershire OXFORDSHIRE Vast Collections relating to the Antiquities of this County were made by Randal Catherall who dy'd A. D. 1625. and were sometime in the Custody of Bishop Sanderson But upon the strictest Enquiry that could be made after 'em they are not now to be found Dr. Plot 's Natural History of Oxfordshire was the first Essay made in that kind by its excellent Author who has made us acquainted with so many Physical Discoveries as well as notable Improvements in Trade and Manufactures that the Work has met with an Universal Applause And as this County had the happiness to have its Natural History set by that worthy Person as a Pattern to the rest of the Kingdom so it now affords a new Example of having some of its Parochial Antiquities consider'd in the History of Ambrosden Burcester and other adjacent Towns and Villages by a very Learned Antiquary Mr. White Kennet Some of the Annals of the City of Oxford seem to be drawn up in their Red Book which is quoted by
severest Enemy he had has acknowledg'd of him and on this score alone some have unreasonably extoll'd him But there 's so little of the other more Necessary Qualifications of a good Historian Truth and Fair Dealing in all his Twently-six Books that he has been justly condemn'd by our Criticks and 't is no wonder that some of them have express'd an Indignation suitable to the Abuses put upon their Country Sir Henry Savil is warmer on this occasion than is usual with him Polydorus says he ut homo Italus in rebus nostris Hospes quod Caput est neque in Republicâ versatus nec magni alioqui vel Judicii vel Ingenii pauca ex multis delibans falsa plerumque pro veris complexus Historiam nobis reliquit cùm coetera mendosam tùm exiliter sanè jejunè conscriptam Some have fansy'd that the severe Character which Sir Henry is here pleas'd to give of this Author might chiefly by apply'd to the History of Henry the Eighth And that a great many Passages in that Reign may be darkly or falsly represented by him by reason of his being unacquainted with the English Tongue which could not but very much obstruct his Knowledge in Modern Transactions Other things say they have fallen from him under a borrow'd Light and Colour out of the Respect he had for Queen Mary and his great Inclinations to serve the Interests of that Princess But does not even this Apology carry a deal of Invective in it Sir Henry Savil is far from being singular in the severest part of his Censure Some of our late Writers have agreed to it and his Cotemporary Humph. Lhuyd out-throws him a Bar or two For what think you of these Expressions Nominis Britannici gloriam non solum obfuscare sed etiam Britannos ipsos mendacissimis suis Calumniis infamare totis viribus conatur Homo Ignotus Exterus Vir perfrictae frontis Invidiâ odio tumens Infamis Homunculus Os Impudens Nor ought any thing of this to be attributed to an over-boyling of honest Humphrey's Welsh Blood if the other Matters he 's accus'd on be true He is said to have borrow'd Books out of the publick Library at Oxford without taking any Care to restore them Upon which the University as they had good reason declin'd lending any more till forc'd to it by a Mandate which he made a shift to procure from the King In other places he likewise pillag'd the Libraries at his pleasure and at last sent over a whole Ship-load of Manuscripts to Rome And yet when this Publican himself left England when there was no further occasion for his Collecting the Papal Revenues King Edward the Sixth is said to have dismiss'd him with several handsome Presents Which we are not to look upon as a Reward as a certain late Writer expresses it but rather to consider that the young King being about to take his final leave of the Pope and all that belong'd to him resolv'd to do it as courteously as was possible The other Historians of his Time have been much Eclips'd by the glaring Lustre of this Foreigner insomuch that some of their Writings have hardly ever seen the Light John Rastal a Citizen and Printer in London who marry'd Sir Thomas Meer's Sister and died A. D. 1536. wrote an English Chronicle but I know no more where to find it than another of the same Age written by Richard Turpin a Leicestershire Gentleman and an Officer in the Garrison at Calais which I find quoted by his Countryman Tho. Lanquet who died at London in the twenty-fourth year of his Age A. D. 1545. began an Abbreviation of our Chronicles but brought it no lower than the Birth of our Saviour Its third part which chiefly relates to this Kingdom was written by the Learned Tho. Cowper afterwards Bishop of Winchester and by him published He calls it as justly he may an Epitome of our Chronicles and 't is a Meagre one too far short of the Performances of the same Author on other Subjects The like slender Abstract of our English History was about the same time penn'd by George Lily son of William the Famous Grammarian which together with his short Account of the Wars betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster and his Genealogy of our Kings has had several Impressions Somewhat bulkier is the Work of Edward Hall who was some time Recorder if I understand my Author right of London where he died A. D. 1547. He wrote a large Account of the foremention'd Wars which in a very flattering Epistle he dedicates to Henry the Eighth If the Reader desires to know what sort of Cloaths were worn in each King's Reign and how the Fashions alter'd this is an Historian for his purpose but in other Matters his Information is not very valuable A great Borrower from this Hall was Rich. Grafton who as Buchanan rightly observes was a very heedless and unskilful Writer and yet he has the Honour done him to be sometimes quoted by Stow and others Of much better Note are the joynt Labours of Will. Harrison and Ra. Holinshead whose Chronicle has been well receiv'd and still bears a good Port among our Books of that kind These Authors are suppos'd to have been both Clergy-men but 't is not certainly known where they spent the most of their days So remarkably careful have they been to benefit the Publick without the Vanity of making their own Story known to Posterity Holinshead frequently owns the great Assistance he had from Fran. Thynne sometime in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth Lancaster-Herald and an eminent Antiquary He has been severely treated by Sir Thomas Craig for some Insolencies which that Learned Gentleman suppos'd him guilty of in Relation to the Kingdom of Scotland Whereas in Truth that part of the Book no farther concern'd poor Mr. Holinshead than as the whole was sheltered under his Name In the second Edition the History was continu'd to the year 1586. by John Hooker alias Vowel of whom we shall have occasion to make some further mention hereafter 1601. Industrious John Stow leads the Van in the present Century which is now brought near its Conclusion And he well deserves to be remember'd with Honour He was a Member of the Merchant-Taylors Company in London and as has been already observ'd a special Benefactor to that City in enquiring after and preserving its Antiquities and Records He travell'd on foot through a good part of England in search after the Manuscript Historians in the Libraries of our Cathedral Churches and was very exact and Critical in his Collections Having spent above Forty Years in these Studies he was put upon the Correction and Publishing of Reyne Wolf's Chronicle by Archbishop Whitgift and he had fairly transcrib'd his Work and made it ready for the Press when he died A. D. 1605. He
near Oxford and has been frequently publish'd in English by our general Chroniclers In our Age Sir Henry Carey Lord Viscount Faulkland wrote the History of this unfortunate Prince with choice Political Observations on him and his unhappy Favourites Gaveston and Spencer There was also an Historical Poem written about the same time tho' it appear'd abroad much sooner on the same subject whose Author was Rich. Hobert a younger Brother to Sir Henry who himself made some additional Observations that are of good Vse and Ornament to it Edward the Third reign'd long and prosperously and yet I cannot assuredly inform the Reader of one Writer who has singly treated on those Glories and Successes that attended him I doubt whether Walter Hemmingford's Chronicle of this King be as certainly Extant as that larger History of his which has in part been publish'd by Dr. Gale For tho' Bale and Pits assert it Leland mentions no such thing If it be 't is not likely that it can escape the diligent and curious Enquiry of the foremention'd worthy Person who has encourag'd us to hope for his sending abroad a great many more of our old Manuscript Historians The like Scruples I have upon me as to some other Res Gestae of this King which are said to have been written by Robert Bale sometime Recorder of London And yet John Pits avers that in his time such a Treatise was kept as a choice Rarity by the Citizens of London in their publick Library together with some Historical Pieces of the same Author 's Penning which more immediately related to that City The victorious Atchievements of the Black Prince falling all within the Compass of his Father's Reign make up a good Share of its Story And these were collected and separately treated on in French by Will. Packington who was Secretary and Treasurer to that Hero and constantly attended him in the Wars The English Historian will observe that in this and many of the following Reigns this Kingdom was so constantly engaged against the United Policies and Forces both of France and Scotland that 't will be convenient for him to consult the Accounts given by the Writers of those Nations as well as our own especially since the Testimony of an Enemy if to the Advantage and Honour of our Country is of double value with that of a Friend Richard the Second's good Success in Ireland was so far out-balanc'd by the other more unlucky Adventures of his Reign that I have not heard of any who have thought it worth their while to write his Life except only a poor Knight of John Pits's Creation That Author says That one Sir John Gower a Yorkshire Knight and Cotemporary with the Famous Chaucer died in the Year 1402. leaving behind him a deal of Monuments of his Learning and amongst the rest a Latin Chronicle of King Richard the Second There was indeed one Mr. John Gower a noted Poet who liv'd about the time he mentions This witty Person took the Liberty that has always been allow'd to Men of his Profession to make Free with his Prince and Mr. Stow or his Continuer Howes has done him the Honour to Translate the Elegy he made on this King 's untimely Death which it may be contains the whole Chronicle There 's an Ingenious Treatise lately written and published by Sir Robert Howard which in the Title-page is said to be the History of the Reigns of Edward and Richard the Second But the Author himself seems to have more rightly named it Reflections upon some select Passages in them His Design is to give a Prospect of the Hazard and Madness of a Prince's following the Misguiding Meteor of Arbitrary Power And by comparing the Misadventures of these two unhappy Kings with the Triumphs of their Prosperous Predecessors to shew what Glory and Safety Wise and Vertuous Princes have obtain'd and what Ruin the Cruelty and Folly of others have brought upon Themselves and Subjects This he has done in a Well-penn'd Political Essay which will very much advantage our English Historian in giving him a Right Notion of many otherwise dark Occurrences in those Reigns Henry the Fourth's surprizing and pompous Accession to the Throne was a more proper Subject for a Poet to Descant upon than the Melancholick Reign of his Predecessor And therefore we may the more readily believe what the same Author tells us that the foremention'd Northern Bard wrote his Panegyrick Pits also says that Rob. Mascall Bishop of Hereford was employ'd in several Embassies during the Reigns of this King and his Successor and that dying at Ludlow in the Year 1417. he left among other things a Treatise De suis Legationibus Sir John Hayward King James the First 's Historiographer at Chelsey wrote Henry the Fourth's Life among others and had the Repute in those days of a good clean Pen and smooth Style tho' some have since blamed him for being a little too Dramatical Henry the Fifth was a most Heroick Prince and his single Victory at Agencourt might have afforded Matter for more Volumes than as far as I can yet learn have been written on his whole Reign 'T is said that his Exploits were carefully Recorded by Peter Basset who was of his Bed-chamber and an Attendant on him in all his Triumphs But what the same Person writes of another Anonymous Author who translated Livy's History into English and also wrote the Life of Henry the Fifth is such Stuff as is common with him The Truth is His Life was written at large by one who call'd himself Titus Livius who by that name dedicated it to King Henry the Sixth and is still quoted by Stow and others We have to this day two good Copies of his Work one in Sir John Cotton's Library the other in that of Bennet College Out of these carefully collated a third was prepared for the Press by the worthy Publishers of the Decem Scriptores which with several other Historical Treatises some whereof have been printed was afterwards purchas'd by that Indefatigable Promoter of all sorts of Learning the late Pious Bishop Fell. This Treatise is abundantly quoted by our General Chroniclers But no piece of History relishes so well at the second hand as it does when we have it from its first Author It were therefore to be wish'd that the good Prelate's Executors would do Him and Themselves as well as the Publick so much Right as to Print it together with the like valuable Manuscripts which have thus fallen into their hands What was done by Sir George Carew Earl of Totness has been already observ'd to be remitted into J. Speed's Chronicle where the Reader will meet with some Remarks becoming a Statesman a General and a Scholar Henry the Sixth was as Good as his Father was Great being as Conversant in the Holy Scriptures and Books of Devotion as the other was in Arms and Feats
made large Collections to that purpose tho he did not live to fit them for the Press Proposals were also long since Publish'd for Printing the Antiquities of Glocestershire by Mr. Abel Wantner who meeting with the Discouragements that are Common in that Case an untoward Recompence for a Gentleman 's twelve years pains and study was content to enjoy the Fruits of his Labour himself the Publick not admitting of his Services The City of Glocester's Military Government has been accounted for by John Corbet and the Laws and Customs of the Miners in the Forest of Dean by an Anonymous Writer HAMPSHIRE The County is yet undescrib'd But a Description of the City of Winchester with an Historical Relation of divers Memorable Occurrences touching the same is said to have been written by John Trussel who was himself sometime Alderman of that City and continu'd S. Daniel's History I guess it to be too Voluminous to appear in Print rather than as Mr. Kennet presumes it too imperfect Something to the same purpose was likewise written by Dr. Bettes whose Book is still in MS. As are also I suppose Mr. Butler's Remarks on the Monuments in this ancient City A General Survey of the Isle of Wight part of this County was written by Sr. Francis Knollis Knight of the Garter and Privy-Counsellour to Queen Elizabeth a Manuscript Copy whereof was in the Library of the late Earl of Anglesey There is also a Fragment of 17. Quarto Pages Entitul'd Antiquitates Insulae Vectae in Bodley's Library among the MSS. of Richard James Fellow of C.C.C. in Oxford an eminent Antiquary who dy'd at Sr. Tho. Cotton's in Westminster A. D. 1638. HARTFORDSHIRE A Chorographical Description of this County was published by John Norden Gentleman whom we shall again meet with in Kent and Middlesex as we have had already occasion to mention him in other Counties But 't is hop'd his Enquiries will be infinitely outdone by Sr. Henry Chauncey Kt. Serjeant at Law whose Antiquities we are greedily expecting to see Publish'd HEREFORDSHIRE Silas Taylor beforemention'd in Essex spent four years in collecting the Antiquities Pedigrees Epitaphs c. of this County and his Papers were lately perhaps now are in the hands of Sr. Edward Harley of Brompton-Brian The Ransack he made during the times of Usurpation in the Libraries of the Cathedral Churches of Hereford and Worcester might furnish him with a greater plenty of Materials than it may be a man will easily meet with at this Day and therefore his Collections are justly recommended as a good Apparatus for any that shall hereafter write on the same Subject HVNTINGDONSHIRE Sr. Robert Cotton is reported to have written that Description which John Speed has publish'd of this County KENT Let this be observ'd for the Honour of Kent says an Ingenious and Learned Gentleman Native of this County that while other Counties and but few of them have met with single Pens to give the History and Description of them ours has had no less than four Writers to celebrate the Glories of it Lambard Somner Kilburn and Philpot He will not I Hope take it ill if we enlarge the Catalogue Both Bale and Pits expressly reckon the Itinerarium Cantiae among John Leland's Composures so that I should think he bestow'd something of more care than ordinary in disposing the Remarks he made on this County W. Lambard's Perambulation of Kent was indeed the first Account which was publish'd and it was not only highly applauded by Camden and other Chief Judges of such Matters but gave the hint to many more Men of Learning to endeavour the like Services for their several Counties 'T was not well approv'd by the Gentlemen of the Roman Communion Reiner particularly censures it as a Work undertaken and carry'd on with a Design to expose the Lewdnesses and Debaucherics of the late Inhabitants of the Monasteries of that County in describing whereof he thinks many things are spitefully misrepresented Mr. Somner it appears fully purpos'd to have given us the Antiquities of the whole County and had certainly made very great Progress towards the completing the Work as appears by his Manuscripts now in the Library of the Cathedral Church of Canterbury 'T is not doubted but he would mightily have enlarg'd W. Lambard's Perambulation and he gives us some Specimen of his Design to correct also his Errors by marking such as came in his way in some of his Treatises already publish'd However we are not wholly depriv'd of this great Work some part of it having been lately publish'd under the Title of A Treatise of the Roman Ports and Forts in Kent wherein and in Mr. Gibson's Notes upon it we have as entire a Discourse as we could wish for on that Subject rectifying a great many mistakes in Camden Lambard Philpot c. and discovering the true Situation of those ancient Places Philpot's Villare Cantianum was not written by Thomas Philpot whose name in bears but by his Father Iohn Somerset Herald who is only own'd to be Author of the Additional History of the High Sheriffs of the County And what Faith a Learned Countreyman of his puts the Question in my Mouth can be given to him that could afford to rob his own Father of the credit of his Book Kilburn's Survey of Kent you may take Mr. Kennet's word for it is all Modern and Superficial Another Survey of the County in proportion to the rest of the same Author 's was drawn by Iohn Norden which none have hitherto thought worth the handing to the Press and few have reckon'd so considerable as to mention it To these I think we may add Iohn Weever's Funeral Monuments a great share of 'em having been collected in the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester But let the Reader never forget the Remark made on him by Mr. Wharton that he has most scandalously mistaken the Numeral Letters and Figures in most of the Inscriptions he transcrib'd which makes it hazardous for an Antiquary to rely upon his Authority Both Mr. Somner's Excellent Treatise of Gavelkind and Silas Taylor 's History of the same ought also to be referr'd to the Catalogue of this County's Historians and Antiquaries as explaining an ancient Custom whereof there are now hardly any Remains elsewhere within the King's Dominions The History of the City of Canterbury seems to have been penn'd long since by Will. Gillingham a Benedictine Monk of that place who is said to have written De Rebus Cantuariensibus about the year 1390. Iohn Twyne mentions some Collections that he had made tending to Illustrate the Antiquities of this City But Mr. Somner assures us he could no more meet with them than with those of Tho. Spott mention'd by Bale But it s everlasting Monument is W. Somner's Antiquities of Canterbury or a Survey of that ancient City
Mr. Wood who had a Design of obliging the Town in the same manner he had done the University RVTLANDSHIRE is extreamly indebted to J. Wright who has publish'd the History and Antiquities of that County The Author being himself a Barrister at Law propos'd Mr. Burton a person of the same Profession for his pattern So that here as in Leicestershire we have the Towns and Villages in Alphabetical Order the Intermixture of some few remarkable Law-Cases the Inscriptions on Tombs and Grave-Stones Pedigrees of Families c. Sir Wingfield Bodenham had as he owns drawn together a great many Materials out of the vast Collections of R. Dodsworth whereof he had the perusal The rest we owe to his own pains which he says had been to better purpose if he had not met with many of the Gentry a mishap which will always attend Men that engage in these matters very shy in Discovering the Evidences and Conveyances of their several Estates SHROPSHIRE's Antiquities have been hitherto as far as my Acquaintance reaches neglected both by its British and English Inhabitants There 's usually in Border-Countries that Emulation and Jealousie among the different Nations which encourages or provokes the Ingenious on both sides to preserve and maintain the old Honour of their several Ancestors So that the want of such particular Histories in this County is a good Argument of the perfect and happy Union of all its Natives into one People tho' not of their extraordinary Affection to Books and ancient Learning SOMERSETSHIRE The Natural History of this County has been long lookâ—d for from Mr. Beaumont who is a person of that known Ingenuity that the World has just cause to hope for a most excellent Performance I wish his late more noble Considerations as he calls them have not enlarg'd his Thoughts too much for the finishing a Work of so narrow a Compass The Laws Customs c. of the Miners in the King's Forest of Mendip are drawn together in a short Manual and Mr. Beaumont has given us a Specimen of his foremention'd large Design in the Account we have from him of Ookey-hole and other Subterranean Grottoes in those Hills The City of Bath and it s hot Baths has been beholden to Jo Caius the famous Cambridge Antiquary who wrote De Thermis Bathoniensibus as did also Dr. Mayow tho' Mr. Wood which I wonder at has not observ'd it in the Account he gives of his Works The Learned Dr. Jorden's Discourse or Natural Baths and Mineral Waters was not so general but that it was all apply'd to this place and publish'd a third time by Dr. Guidot who has since very greatly enlarg'd his own Observations upon both the Antiquities and Natural Curiosities of the Town and has also given us a Register of two hundred notable Cures wrought there within the time of his own Experience John Chapman's Thermae Redivivae are on the same Subject and have also an Appendix in Coriat's Rhimes on the Antiquities of this City To all which we must add Dr. Tho. Johnson's History of both kinds annex'd to his Mercurius Botanicus wherein the Reader will find as entertaining a Discourse as could well be expected from any Man in so little Room STAFFORDSHIRE had its Antiquities and Records preserv'd by S. Erdeswick of Sandon Esquire who began his Collection A. D. 1593 and continu'd it to the time of his Death the Year 1603. His Manuscript Papers fell happily into the Hands of Walter Chetwind of Ingestree in the same County Esquire a person exactly of Mr. Erdeswick's own Temper Venerandae Antiquitatis Cultoris Maximi and as piously dispos'd to the Founding as he to the Rebuilding of Churches from whom we had reason to hope for a finishing stroke to the Enterprize if Death had not unhappily interven'd The Natural History of this County is written by the same worthy Hand and in the same Method with that of Oxfordshire and the Performance is answerable to the Experience and Knowledge we may easily imagine so industrious an Author would gain in nine Years Study and Travel It had been happy if the Doctor 's Health and Occasions would have allow'd him to have gone on thro' the rest of the Counties of England as he seem'd once to promise But in the Conclusion of this Book he seems to be weary resolv'd to rest and to leave some part of the Glory of this great Work to others SVFFOLK's Topography is said to have been attempted by Mr. Selden's great Friend Sir Simonds d'Ewes but where his Collections now are I cannot tell unless perhaps amongst R. Dodsworth's Papers in the Publick Library at Oxford SVRREY A Survey and the Antiquities of this County were sometime threatned by Sir Edward Bishe but whether any Advances were ever made in good earnest by him towards such a Work I have not yet learnt SVSSEX is not onely famous for several Monasteries mention'd by Bede and others in the Days of the Saxons but also for the remarkable Battle which put a stop to the Glories and Government of that People and brought in the Norman Conqueror And yet none of its Inhabitants that I know of have taken the pains to collect its Antiquities Notwithstanding the just claim that some of 'em have to be Register'd by the most Skilful Historian WALES Gyraldus Cambrensis Bishop Elect of St. Davids about the year 1200. is the oldest Topographer of this Principality and is every where quoted at large by Mr. Camden as an Author of undoubted Credit and Reputation His Itinerary and Description were both publish'd by Dr. Powel with his own most Learned Notes upon ' em The former contains a Journal of the Expedition of Archbishop Baldwine A. D. 1188. in Collecting the Contributions of Wales for the carrying on of the Holy War Together with the Topography we have a mixture of Popish Miracles and Tales which the Publisher thought himself oblig'd in strictness of Justice to give us entire And we have this Advantage by them that they do not onely divert the Reader but afford also an opportunity to the Learned Publisher of communicating a deal of his own Critical Knowledge The Description that follows in General being in the main a Panegyrick on the sweetness of the Soil and the good Humour strict Morals and exemplary Piety of the Inhabitants There 's a second Part of this Description De Illaudabilibus Walliae which the Doctor thought it not convenient to publish but has been set out lately in Print by Mr. Wharton for which the Welshmen are not very much oblig'd to him Gyraldus's Map of Wales mention'd by John Pits and frequently by himself is to be seen in a MS. Copy of some of his Works in the Library at Westminster-Abbey After him David Morgan Treasurer of the Church at Landaff A. D. 1480. is said
to have written the Geography and Antiquities of Wales and Arthur Kelton an Ingenious Welsh Bard in the top of his Fame about the year 1548. wrote several English Accounts both in Verse and Prose of the Glories of his Countrey most of which he dedicated to Sr. William Herbert Another Description of Wales was written by Sr. John Price in the Reign of Edward the Sixth perfected by Humph. Lhwyd and prefix'd to his Translation of the Welsh History This Humphrey himself gives also a more large Account of his own Countrey Wales than any other part of Britain and enlarges often sometimes corrects the Description given by Gyraldus The History of the Ancient and Modern State of the Principality is well written by Sr. John Doderidge and the latest and incomparably the best Account of its Antiquities is just now publish'd by my Friend Mr. Edw. Lhwyd The same excellent Person is also projecting a Design of a British Dictionary Historical and Geographical with an Essay entitul'd Archaeologia Britannica being a Complete Collection of the ancient Monuments throughout this whole Country and lastly a Natural History of Wales In order to the performance of so Noble and Undertaking he thinks of travailing in that Principality four or five Summers and likewise to make one Journey into Cornwal and another into Ireland or the Highlands of Scotland for Parallel Observations as to their Language Names of Towns Rivers Mountains c. I heartily hope the Work will not meet with those Obstructions which have hitherto usually befaln Attempts of this Nature since the Author is so generally known to be of suitable Industry and Abilities and cannot fail if God continue his Life of making good his Proposals WARWICKSHIRE's Antiquities are truly Illustrated by Sr. William Dugdale who was Master of all the Advantages requisite for such a Performance And no man can so well judge of the great Labour and Pains bestow'd on the bringing of this excellent Work the Author's Master-piece to perfection as he that has view'd the many Volumes of Materials which he gather'd in order to the compiling of it His great zeal against the Sacrilegious Destruction of some Religious Structures carry'd his Searches into every corner of the History that related to that Matter and his early Inclination to the Study of Heraldry obliged him carefully to preserve whatever might be grateful on that Head to the Nobility and Gentry of the County The History of the Earls of Warwick was long since written by John Ross or Rouse a noted Antiquary who dy'd at Warwick or Guy's Cliff within a Mile of the Town A. D. 1491. A Noble Manuscript Copy of this Book with the Pictures of the several Earls their Coats of Arms c. is now in the Archives of the Publick Library at Oxford John Pits makes him write four distinct Volumes of the Antiquities and History of Warwick but this is all that more credible Enquirers could meet with The Life of the Famous Earl Guy was first written by Walter of Exeter a Dominican Friar about the year 1301. There is a sort of Spaw-water at Ilmington in this County the History whereof is Publish'd by Sam. Derham an Ingenious Physician WESTMORLAND Mr. Tho Machel Rector of Kirkbythore in this County has with a great deal of Pains and good Judgment collected its Antiquities which we hope will ere long meet with so suitable an Encouragement as will oblige the Author to publish ' em That Part of its Story which more nearly concerns the Nobility and Gentry has been well preserv'd by Sr. Daniel Fleming of Rydale Knt. who has thereby done his own ancient Family a great deal of Right and has also approv'd himself an Eminent Benefactor to those of his Neighbours WILTSHIRE John Aubrey Esq Fellow of the Royal Society and a Person well vers'd in our British and English Antiquities has laid the Foundation of the History and Antiquities of this County but designs to leave the finishing part I think to Mr. Tanner Whose extraordinary Proficiency in these Studies will quickly be made known to the World The Monument of Stonehenge in Wiltshire has engaged several Antiquaries in disputing the Original of so Famous and Admirable a Structure and they have advanc'd almost as many different Opinions about it Mr. Samms in a particular Treatise endeavours to fetch its Original from the Phaenicians his only Darlings and clears the point as fairly as he does all the rest wherein he 's singular Mr. Inigo Jones King James the First 's Learned Architect believes it to be a Roman Temple and strongly proveâ— that the Fabrick is of the Tuscan Order His Scheme however false in it self is also learnedly defended by Mr. Webb his Son-in-Law Mr. Aubrey and others think they can evidently prove 't is British and Dr. Charlton is very sure that 't was erected by the Danes No Author that hitherto has consider'd it has so much as dream'd of its being a Saxon Monument And yet if the true old Writing of the Name be Stan-Hengest as the Monasticon seems to tell us I cannot see why that people may not have as just a Title as any to the Honour of it Possibly the MS. Treatise that is said to be written on this subject by Joh. Gibbons may place it here WORCESTERSHIRE There is now a large MS. Description of this County in the hands of Tho. Abingdon Esq written by his Grand-father an Able and Industrious Antiquary wherein if there be any Defects they may be supply'd by a present Prebendary of the Church of Worcester who when his modesty will give him leave can effectually complete such a Work YORKSHIRE There are some Collections in Sir John Cotton's Library relating to this County gather'd by one Tho. Talbot who was some time Clerk of the Records in the Tower and was alive A. D. 1580. These and whatever else looks this way we must believe to have been long since seen and perus'd by Dr. Nath. Johnston of Pomfret who as he saies has spent thirty years in amassing together Materials for the Illustrating the Antiquities and Natural History of Yorkshire In the former of these he intends to write after Sir William Dugdale's Copy and in the latter after Dr. Plott's and to finish the whole in five Volumes I am pretty well assur'd that he is not yet as Mr. Wood was inform'd weary of the Work but that tho' some late troubles have render'd him unable to finish it so soon as he design'd he is every day doing something at it H. Keep mention'd before in Middlesex is reported to have made some Collections towards the Antiquities of the City of York and Sir Thomas Widdrington sometime Recorder there did certainly make a very great Progress in a learned and exact Description of it Some distast given him by the Citizens obstructed his allowing of his
Cotton Sir Rob. 21. 37 44 210 225. Sir John 21. 23 33. Sir Tho. 35. Mr. 31. Couper Cowper 188. * Cheek 227. Chiswel 29. 〈◊〉 Clarendon 171. 181 182. Craig 151. 190 * Crew 27. S. Cuthbert 102. Darcy 231. Daniel 35. 117 193 * Danish Histories 129. 142. Monuments 134. 135. 144. Davies 77. 96. Devisiensis 157. 205 206 208. Digby 202. Doderidge 21 28 29 62. Dodesworth 16. 55 59 69. Dadwel 104. 196. Doilie 50. Dugdale 15. 16 22 26 44 49 53 63. 23. 24 105. Ealred 124. 154 155. Edda 137. 138 139. Essebiensis 158. 165. Ethelwerd 122 c. Ewes 11. 59 171. S. D' Ewes Fabian 46. 111 192. Fairfax 68. Fell 15. 101 104 218. Florilegus 171. 180. Fox 118. Fresne 106. Fuller 11. 12 14 27 31 32 50 183 192 * 222 231. Gale 16 c. 2. 3 29 83 121 163 173 177 207 212. Gibson 23. 24 39 49 114 116. Gildas 73. 81 c. 85. 87. 16. Grafton 189. * Grey 52. 92 98. Glover 15. Hall 189. * Hanson 15. Harding 125. 189. Harley 36. Harpesfield 225. Harrison 8. 190 * Hatton 23. Hemmingford 18. 176 212. Herald 's Office 21 23. R. of Hexham 203. 204. Heylin 13. Higden 176. 184. Hickes 24. 26 100 101 104. Hobbes 31. Holinshead 32. 190 * Hooker 32. 191 * Howard 14. 215. Howes 192. * 215. Huntingdon 120. 155. Hypercritica 12. James 22. 35. Jessop 20. Ingulfus 24. 148. Johnson 20. 45 57. Jonas 133. 140 142 142. Josseline 8. 12 83 101 103 114. Iscanus 206. 207. Junius 23. 101 103 104 111. 112. Kelton 61. 67 99. Kennet 35. 39 25 54 117. Keurden 41. 42. Kilburn 37. 39. Kniveton 15. Lambard 37. 100 111 112 117 127 168. Lanquet 188. * Laud 23. 114. Lawson 20. Leland 7. 8 37 72 77 78 83 90 91 98 122 124 164 207. Leicester 27 28. Lhuid 8. 20 62 75 80 97 186 186 * Lhwyd 92. 96. Lilie 6. 189 * Lister 18. 20 68. Mackenzy 155. Malmesbury 123. 124 152 177. Malory 98. Manwaring 28. Marianus 122. 148 149 150. Marshal 101. 102 127. Martia 87. Martyn 194. * Medals 90. Middleton 78. Milton 9. Molmutius 81. 87. Monmouth 85. 94 152 158 164. More 189. 211. Morgan 61. 77. Nash 50. 51. Nennius 16 84 85 88 95. Neubrigensis 24. 98 157. Niger 158. 165. Norden 29. 33. 36 39 45. Northcot 31. 32. Nowel 111. Olaus Magnus 139. Oldenburg 101. Oxoniensis 208. Paris 14. 24 165 180. Parker 14. 119. 188. Philpot 12. 37 39. Pettus 94. Pistorius 149. Pits 83. Plot 18. 20 45 53 54 58 93. Powel 60. 86 88 96 97 158. Ptolemy 2. 17. Rastal 188. * Reiner 38. Resenius 138. Rhese 76. 88. Risdon 31. 32. Rishanger 166. 173 211. Ross 64. 183 192. Soemund 137. 138. Saint George 16. Sammes 65. 101. Samothes 81. Sanderson 53. Savil 15. 105 123 155 160 185 * Saxo 131. 139 142 143. Saxton 16. Selden 8. 15 22 23 59 103 126 151 155 163 199. Sheringham 13. 87 96 126 127. Simpson 70. Sleidan 186. Somner 37. 38 40 41 105 106 108 101 103 104 112 116 117 126 127. Speed 13. 16 194 * Spelman 13. 16 49 50 86 106 105 108 112 120 121 124 129 160. Stephens 45. Stillingfleet 80. 99. Stow 46. 47 191 * 215. Sueno 142 143. Surita 17. Sylvius 81. Taylor 33. 36 40 79 202. Temple 9. 99 147 202. Tenison 24. Thynne 190 * Thoresby 69. 199. Tilburiensis 157. 164. Tinmuthensis 178. Todd 30. Towneshend 230. 231. Trussel 35. 194 * Turner 33. 229. Turpin 188. * Twisden 15. 106. 163. Twyne 8. 9 40. Virgil 82. 98 185 * Vincent 16. 23 51. Vinesauf 207 208. Vndallensis 124. Vossius 221. Vsher 15. 82 83 97 100 117 199. Walsingham 14. 119 188 219 231. Wats 106. 124. Waverley 18. Westcot 31. 32. Westminster 14 116. 167 179. Wharton 12. 19 c. 40 61 103 110 116 163 171 172 199 205. Wheloc 21 106 114 116. White 193. * Whitgift 191. * Wikes 118. 172. Williams 73. 77. Wolf 191. * Wood 54. 57 68 102. Woolsey 194. Worcester 14. 116 120 149. Wormius 129. 135 139 142 144. Wyrley 23. 'T is to be noted that in this additional Index References are not only made to the Book it self but also to the Preface which is suppos'd to be Paged from the Title-Page The other Errors and Defects are thus to be corrected and supply'd P. 2. l. 13. Reckoning Nor ought any thing that has been transcrib'd from them by Strabo or Pomponius Mela by Solinius or Pleny to carry any higher Value P. 4. l. 26. Most of them I Leland says he once saw in the Library at St. Paul's a Description of England written in the Saxon Tongue by Coleman who if he be the the same Man with Colemannus Monk of Worcester the Writer of St. Wulstan's Life may justly challenge a Precedence Otherwise Gyraldus c. P. 13. l. 6. This Nature With this fancyful Treatise let me join Mich. Drayton's Poly-Olbion which affords a much truer Account of this Kingdom and the Dominion of Wales than could well be expected from the Pen of a Poet. The first eighteen of these Songs had the Honour to be publish'd with Mr. Selden's Notes the other twelve being hardly capable of such a respect P. 15. l. 11. and Speed Mr. Ogilby design'd a most Noble Description of England in Three Volumes the first whereof which only is publish'd contains an Ichnographical and Historical Account of all our great Roads on 100 large Copper Cuts The second was to have given us the like View of our Cities and the third should have afforded us a Topographical Description of the whole Kingdom P. 16. l. 7. Library Sir John Marsham Junior lately deceas'd took good Pains in writing an Historical List of all the Burroughs in England which send Members to the Parliament This Work was just finish'd upon the Death of its Author and is now ready for the Press in the hands of his Brother Sir Robert Marsham P. 18. l. 8. Performance There are two small Tracts about our English Mastiffs and other extraordinary Animals as well as Plants written by Dr. Caius which are printed with his Treatise de Libris propriis P. 25. l. 13. before mention'd In which Work he told us he design'd a more complete History of these and that he had made Collections in order to it These Collections are now in his Musaeum at Oxford where there are also very considerable Materials of his own gathering for a General History of Berkshire P. 26. l. 5. Kingdom A Catalogue of the indigenous Plants of Cambridgeshire was long since publish'd by the learned Mr. Ray augmented afterwards by Mr. Stone-street and Mr. Dent. There is also a Manuscript-History of this County by Mr. Laire of Shephred near Royston whose Son intends to deposite it in some of the College-Libraries at Cambridge P. 31. l. 13. Jones There 's a MS. in the Musaeum at Oxford which bears the Title of Phil.
whole Work In the same place the Hannow Edition is blam'd for omitting Parker's own Life which perhaps was no fault in those that had the care of it There were only a few Copies of the First Edition such as were design'd for public Libraries and the accomodation of a few choise Friends that had the 29 Pages which make up that Life so that 't was not to be expected that the Foreign Publishers should Print it otherwise than as 't was commonly sold by our English Booksellers Mr. Wharton every where gives this Writer more respect than any other he 's pleased to cite and yet he observes a great many of his mistakes and I do not doubt but any skilful Antiquarie will easily take notice of many and many more So imperfect will always be the most compleat Works of any single Man CARLILE This remote and small Diocese has been heretofore so much expos'd to the continual Incursions of the Scots before the Kingdoms were happily united in King James the First that there are not many of it's ancient Records any where now to be had The only pieces of Antiquity in the Bishops possession are two Register Books of four successive Prelates Halton Rosse Kirkby and Welton and these will furnish us with little more than the History of one Century The Records of the Dean and Chapter go not much higher than their new Denomination given them by Henry the Eighth and are very broken and imperfect since that Epoche Out of these and what other helps could be had from some Neighbouring and Distant Libraries Dr. Hugh Todd Prebendary of this Church has made a Volume of Collections which is lately placed in the Dean and Chapter 's Library under the Title of An History of the Diocese of Carlile containing an Account of the Parishes Abbies Nunneries Churches Monuments Epitaphs Coats of Arms Founders Benefactors c. with a perfect Catalogue of the Bishops Priors Deans Chancellours Arch-deacons Prebendaries and of all Rectors and Vicars of the several Parishes in the said Diocese My worthy Brother hopes that the Additions which will hereafter be made to this Work will at last make it answer its Title and I heartily wish I could do so too But to me the prospect is so discouraging that I know not which way to look for such Helps as would be necessary for the compleating of so full and ample an Account of our Church and Diocess Our Sufferings in the days of Rapine and Rebellion equal'd or exceeded those of any other Cathedral of England and after our Chapter-House and Treasury had been turn'd into a Magazine for the Garrison and our very Charter sold to make a Taylor 's Measures it can hardly be expected that so many of our Records will ever be retriev'd as are requisite to finish out such a History CHESTER being another of King Henry the Eighth's Foundations cannot have any great stock of Records Some notice may possibly be taken of its most early Times by Mr. Vrmston who wrote an Account of the State of Religion in Lancashire part of this Diocess in the beginning of King James the First 's Reign CHICHESTER Most of the antient Records of this Church were squander'd and lost upon the City's being taken and plunder'd by Sir William Waller in our late Civil Wars and after the Restauration they never recover'd more than three Books belonging to the Chapter and a Register or two of the Bishops These do not reach above 230 Years backwards so that the prime Antiquities of this See before the Episcopal Throne was removed from Selsey to this Place and for some Ages afterwards are either wholly lost or in such private Hands as have hitherto very injuriously detain'd them from their right Owners 'Till a Restitution is made we must content our selves with such poor Fragments as Bede Malmesbury and others will afford us of the first Foundation of the Diocess by our Nothern Saint Wilfrid who with his Successors in the same Order that Godwine has given them stands yet pictur'd on the backside of the Quire Here are the chief Remains of their History as far as they are now to be had within the Verge of their own Cathedral to which if more shall be added by such Foreigners as are Masters of their dispersed Records 't will be a very gratefull as well as just service to the present Members of that Church St. DAVID'S We have already noted the Disputes there are about Abbot Dinoth's Remonstrance against the pretensions of Augustine the Monk and we are told that he did not only leave behind him his thoughts of that Matter in the foremention'd Protestation but that he also wrote another Treatise entitl'd Defensorinm Jurisdictionis Sedis Menevensis Bishop Godwine quotes a Catalogue of the Bishops of St. David's not taken notice of either by Gyraldus or the Annales Menevenses which he says is in the Archives of that Church There 's also an Anonymous Manuscript in the Library at Magdalen College in Oxford which treats de Gestis Ritibus Cler ' Cambrensis and may probably afford some discoveries of the ancient State of this Diocess DVRHAM The first Collecter of the History and Antiquities of this Ancient and Noble Church was Turgot who was Prior Arch-deacon and Vicar General of that Diocess He was afterwards Bishop of St. David's But upon the death of Queen Margaret return'd to Durham where he dy'd A. D. 1115. and lyes bury'd in the Chapter-House His Book bears the Title De Exordio progressu Ecclesiae Dunelmensis that is from K. Oswald's Time to the Year 1097. This was transcrib'd by Sim. Dunelm mention'd in the former part of this Work who also continu'd it to the Year 1129. from whence it has been drawn downwards by Jeoffery de Coldingham R. de Greystanes c. There are still some latent Manuscript Histories of this Church which if discover'd would undoubtedly supply a great many defects in those that are already publish'd Prior Laurence who dy'd in the Year 1154. wrote a Treatise in Meeter De Civitate Episcopatu Dunelmensi There are several MS. Tracts of that Author's Composure in the Libraries at Lambeth Durham and elsewhere and yet we cannot hitherto learn where this is to be had Tho. Rudburn in the very heart of his Historia Major has a large History of the Bishops of this See from the first Foundation at Lindisfarn to the Year 1083. which tho' mostly taken out of Turgot and Simeon has some remarkable passages never yet Printed John Wessington who dy'd Prior of Durham A. D. 1446. wrote a Book De Juribus Possessionibus Ecclesiae Dunelmensis wherein amongst other choice Matters 't is prov'd that the Priors of that Church were always invested with the Dignity and Priviledges of Abbots Sir H. Spelman quotes some Synodical or rather Consistorial Constitutions made by Bishop Lewis in the