his Queen Ethelwith At Melburn John D. of Bourbon taken at Agin Court was kept prisoner Little Chester an ancient Colony of the Romans as appears by what Coins have been digg'd up thereabout In Nottinghamshire the County Town Nottingham hath not wanted its share in the grand rencounters that have been in this Nation the Castle hereof was kept by the Danes against the Mercian King Burthred and also against the English Saxon Monarchs Elthelred and Alfred At Newark in this County King John who was poyson'd at Swinsted Abby is said to have drawn his last breath At Stoke near Symnel's party was utterly defeated and his upholders John de la Pool Earl of Lincoln Thomas Garadine Chancellour of Ireland Fr. Lord Lovel and others were slain with 4000 of their men and he himself taken prisoner June 16th An. 1487. At Mansfield was born the first Earl of Mansfield in Germany one of the Knights of King Arthurs Round Table In Warwickshire the Town of Warwick is sufficiently fam'd in story over and above what is related of Guy of Warwick and his great adventures and above all things the antiquity of the foundation is remarkable if as the tradition goes it were built by Gurguntus 375 years before the Nativity of our Saviour however the Castle looks great and savours much of Antiquity Coventry being joyntly one Bishoprick with Leichfield is memorable besides the beauty of the brave action of Countess Godiva the wife of Leofrick the first Lord thereof well known in History One of the Gates of this City is call'd Gofford Gate which is the more notable by the Shield-bone of some very large beast some say a wild Bore slain by Guy of Warwick some say an Elephant with the snout whereof a pit was turn'd up which is now Swanes Mear At Backlow-hill in this County Pierce Gavestoâ— was taken and beheaded by a party of the Nobles At Wolny An. 1469. King Edward the fourth his Forces were discomfited by his brother George Duke of Clarence and Richard Earl of Warwick and the King himself taken prisoner In Northamptonshire the County Town Northampton hath been the Subject of many warlike bronts An. 1106. it suffered much by the contests of the Conquerours three Sons Robert William and Henry An. 1263. being held by the Barons against King Henry the third it was taken by surprize and the Walls thrown down An. 1459. King Henry the sixth was here taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick and March with the slaughter of Humphry Stafford Duke of Buckingham John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Lords Egremont and Beaumont but the greatest misfortune that e're befel this Town was in this our Age viz. An. 1675. when by an accidental Fire it was almost all burnt down to the ground yet lay it not long buried in ruin for it was immediately rebuilt and now appears in far greater splendour then ever Here Earl Rivers Father to Edward the fourth's Queen taken at Grafton was beheaded by Robin of Risdal together with his son John Higham Ferrers in this County hath been honour'd with the birth of a very great Prelate of this Nation viz. Henry Chichly Cardinal and Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the Reign of King Henry the sixth This Chichly was the founder of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford Edgecot is signalis'd by a bloody battle fought near it on Danes More July the 26th An. 1469. by Robin of Risdal and Sir John Coniers against William Herbert Earl of Pembroke who together with his Brother Richard the Lord Rivers the Queens Brother and Richard Woodvil were taken prisoners carried to Banbury and beheaded At Fotheringhay Castle Mary Queen of Scots was kept a long time prisoner and was at last beheaded In Leicestershire Leicester the County Town is principally famous by the tradition of its having been built by King Leir great in the Catalogue of ancient British Kings qu. Leir-cester Lutterworth in this County ows its chief credit to the famous John Wickleff who was Parson of this place in the reign of King Henry the 4th Bosworth a Town of no great note but for the memory of a most signal battle fought near it on Redemore August 22d 1485. which put an end to all Controversies between the two houses of York and Lancaster and in which fell that most Tyrannical of English Kings Richard the third with four thousand of his men and some say though we are not bound to believe it with the loss but of ten men on the Earl of Richmonds side Cleycester of which there are now scarce any ruins remaining was once a famous City in the West part of this Shire and by the Romans call'd Bennone In Rutlandshire some mention as close adjoyning though generally affirm'd to be situate rather in Lincolnshire the Town of Stamford for the reputation of an ancient University and said to have been founded by that Ancient British King Bladud who found out the vertue of the Bath-Waters In Lincolnshire Lincoln the chief Town and only City of this Shire is not only eminent for its antiquity and for that it was once acounted one of the chiefest and the best traded Cities of England and made by King Edward the third the chief Mart for Lead Wool and Leather But also for a great battle fought by Randolph Earl of Chester and Robert Earl of Glocester against King Stephen who was here taken prisoner as also for the success of King Henry the third who won it from the Barons it is said to have had once fifty Parish Churches Wainfleet had been doubtless a place of little note but for the birth of William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester who living in the reign of King Henry the sixth with whom he was great in favour built here a Free-School and founded Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Grimsby likewise though an ancient Market Town hath its chiefest repute from its being the Birth-place of Dr. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of King James Bullingbrook is enobled by the memory of the Birth of King Edward the first and King Henry the fourth Swinesstead Abby the place where King John received from the hands of Simon a Monk thereof that baleful potion that gave him his end at Lincoln Harstill laments the death of that mirâ—our of that Conjugal love Queen Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first In the North-Riding of Yorkshire York the chief of this Shire and second City of England was a Colony of the Romans and a place of great account among them and ever since to this day a splendid and flourishing City several Emperours here kept their Court and particularly Severus had a Palace here in which he breathed his last Here also Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great is said to have departed this life nor does the death of these two Emperours more ennoble this Place than the Birth of the Learned Alcuin who was Tutour to the Emperour Charles the Great Some write that it was first made an Episcopal See by
three Miles of London And within the City several but the most noted that at the Postern-gate by Tower-hill and that called Crowders-Well hard by Cripple-gate Aleyceston in Huntingtonshire where there are two small Springs one whereof being fresh is accounted good for the Eyes the other a little Brackish for Scabs and Leprosy Buxton in Derbyshire where within the compass of 24 Foot there arise out of a Rock from under a Square Structure of Free-stone 9 Springs whereof one only is cold all the rest very warm But among all these it would be an unpardonable oversight to pass by unmention'd that famous Well of St. Winifrid commonly called the Holy-Well in Flintshire formerly much frequented partly by way of Pilgrimage partly for the great Virtue it was reputed to have in the Cure of many Maladies through the easie Faith no doubt and fond Credulity of the deluded Vulgar who are always apt to pay high Adoration and ascribe miraculous Cures to the Bodies â—elicks or any Memorials of persons recommended to them for Saints for here the Tradition goes that the Virgin Saint Vinifrid being here Beheaded a Fountain immediatly sprung up as if the Earth bewailing her Martyrdom burst forth into a â—ood of Tears and the Pebble-stones at the bottom of the said Fountain being observed to be of a Reddish colour we are to suppose that they retain to this day the tincture of the Virgins Blood Those Springs and Waters that are on the top of high Hills must be allowed to have something of Rarity in them in regard to those that are not sufficiently vers'd in the knowledge of natural Causes and Productions it may seem wonderful that the Water should rise so high above the common Surface of the Earth Particularly on the high Hills of Carnarvanshire are two Meers Also a Spring on the top of MoilenlyHills in Denbyshire Likewise among the Wonders or Rarities of England may be reckoned those Ditches which stand yet as Monuments of the Art and Industry of our Forefathers First That on Newmarket-heath which is commonly called the Devils-Ditch Secondly Wansdike in Wiltshire a work of many Miles extent cast up in memory of a Battle between the Mercians and West-Saxons Thirdly Clough d'Offa or Offa's ditch a work not inferior to the former mention'd and much upon the same occasion made Of the Populacy of the English Nation THe Populacy of a Nation is best estimated from the number of its Towns and Cities The Kingdom of England proportionably to its circumference is scarce inferior to any Kingdom or Country of Europe which is also accounted the the most Populous of all the four parts of the World except France and the Low-Countries which last being accounted no bigger in compass than York-shire is judged to contain as many Towns and Inhabited places as ten times the Circuit thereof in most other Countries and to some much superior particularly Spain late esteem'd the most considerable Monarchy of Christendom and that it continues not so to this day we may in a great measure imâ—â—te to the paucity of people in that kingdom for doubtless there is nothing that conduceth more to the Strength Grandure Prosperity and Riches of a Nation than the Populousness thereof especially where Industry is in the least incourag'd and Idleness discountenanc'd Wherefore that Nation that will ever hope to flourish ought to use all means and endeavours possible for the increasing of its People and to avoid as much as may be all occasions of Depopulation The principal causes of the Dispeopleing of Spain which according to the Testimony of several Creditable Authors hath been Anciently much better Peopled than at present have been first the multitude of Monasteries and Religious Prisons those Receptacles of forc'd Chastity and as they are ordered Impediments of the Worlds Lawful Increase Next the Violent Expulsion of the Moors out of Spain after that by a long establish'd settlement and being habituated to the same Customs Manners and Religion they were become as it were one Body with the rest of the People Lastly Those vast Colonies sent out of Spain to maintain and possess the ample Conquests or rather Ambitious and Bloody Invasions and Depopulations made by the the Spaniards there The Cities and Market-Towns of England are in number 607. to which the rest of the Burrough Towns that is such as send Burgesses to Parliament and all the Inhabited Villages whereof some are conderable being added make above 10 times the number so that all the Parishes of England and Wales are reckon'd 9285. and doubtless within the said circumference which is generally computed to be about 1352 Miles might be very well comprehended five times as many Towns or Places of Habitation if all the Forrests Chaces and unimproved vast Heaths and Commons were taken in and improved to the best advantage It is not to be wondred at that next to being born under a Happy Climate the living under a Happy Government the greatest advantage and Strength of a People is to be numerous proportionably to the extent of Territory they possess Since in the first place it is apparent enough that in a well Inhabited City the People must needs be so much the better able to defend themselves from any Force or Opposition Next if it be a place of any Trade take any particular number of what Trade soever and it is not to be imagin'd that they should be e're a whit the poorer but rather the richer than if the Inhabitants had been fewer For admit them of the same Trade or Imployment a profitable and corresponsible Trade is the more lively and vigorously carried on by many hands and suppose them of several Occupations the circulation of Money from the one to other helps all in general Though 't is true that in a straggling Town or City whose parts lye disjoyn'd and far asunder the people however considerable in number cannot be so assistant to each other in mutual Aid Society or Commerce as in a regular and well compacted City So likewise in a Kingdom that Prince who hath never so large an Empire yet if thinly Peopled or divided into several parts remotely distant and interrupted from mutual intercourse by long Voyages of Land and Sea cannot be look'd upon as so powerful a Prince as he that hath the like number of People in one intire and united Dominion Certainly no Monarch of the World much less of Christendom whoever he be that hath added most to his Empire by never so many new made Conquests can pretend to so large a share or portion of the Earth as the King of Spain who nevertheless as the transactions of a few late past years have made appear hath born but his fourth part with other Princes and States in opposition to a Prince far inferior to him in Jurisdiction and what should be the reason of this but that his Dominions lye so remote from each other and his Kingdom of Spain which his Residence there chiefly enables
rebuilding the stately Bridge over the Thames the Royal Exchange splendid before but now rebuilt far more splendid the New Bethlehem or Bedlam in Gresham-Colledge Sion-Colledge the Colledge of Physicians now a very graceful Edifice with the Theatre for Anatomy-Lectures at the upper end of Warwick-lane the Halls belonging to the several Companies most of them built much more to advantage than formerly Doctors Commons and over against it the Office of Armory towards Pauls-Wharf near which before the Fire stood Baynards-Castle an ancient and noble House sometime belonging to the Earls of Pembroke the several Inns of Court and Chancery many of them wonderfully improv'd both as to Structure and pleasant Permenades the two Inns of Serjeants in Chancery-lane and Fleetstreet the latter whereof is amplifi'd into a larger extent of Ground and number of fair Houses the Canal by the Fleet cut straight along from Holborn-bridge down to the Thames at Puddle-Wharf with the new built Bridge over it the Hospitals of Sutton call'd the Charterhouse of Christ-Church near New-gate of St Bartholomews near Smithfield Bridewel once a King's Palace now a House of Correction the Earl of Bridgewater's House in Barbican the Earl of Thanet's and the Bishop of London's Palace commonly call'd Peterhouse in Aldersgate-street then between Temple-bar and Westminster a Street so full of Noblemen's Palaces that there is scarce the like in any one City of Europe especially some years since before several of them were pull'd down out of whose Ruines nevertheless there have sprung up so many little Towns as it were pleasantly situate upon the Thames-side those pull'd down are Essex-house Exeter-house out of part whereof there is built a neat Exchange part of Salisbury-house Durham-house and York-house belonging to the Duke of Buckingham and now very lately Woreester-house those standing are Somerset-house which belongs to the Queen and where she oft-times hath her residence the Savoy once a Palace but of late years made use of for an Hospital of lame Souldiers Bedford-house part of Salisbury and Suffolk-house belonging to the Northumberland Family near Westminster is the principal Seat-Royal of England his Majesty's most usual Place of residence Whitehal built by Cardinal Woolfie a Palace more of Convenience than State excepting the Banquetting-house a piece of Architecture accounted parallel to the best in Italy and not to omit the Magnificences of Westminster being so near the Cathedral and the Old Palace which contains Westminster-hall the largest Room in Europe the Parliament-house and other Courts of Judicature from Whitehal a pleasant Park leads to St James's the Palace and usual residence of his Royal Highness the Duke of York on the other side of the Park a neat House of the Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold and near it Tarthall belonging to the late Lord Stafford over against St James's on the Road towards Kensington a noble House of the Duke of Albemarl built by the late Lord Chancellor Earl of Clarendon and near it Barkley-house Newport-house and others Among the Buildings of later years several noble Piazza's or Squares some not inferior to that of Piazza Navona at Rome The first Covent-garden Square grac'd on two sides with lofty Portico's on the other with the Prospect of Bedford-Garden on the fourth with the Front of a goodly Church Next Lincolns-Inn Square the largest of all 3. Bloomsbury Square opening to a fair Prospect of Southampton-house not far from which is an elegant new built House of the Honourable Henry Mountague late Ambassador to the Court of France 4. Leicester Square on the one side whereof is the Prospect of Leicester-house adjoyning to which is also Newport-house 5. St James's Square whose each side is a Pile of most splendid Edifices Lastly That in So-ho-Buildings a very pleasant Square having a large square Garden-plot in the midst adorn'd with Fountains Statues c. This is commonly call'd Kings-Square for the Magnificence thereof York the first City of Yorkshire and the second of England is a large stately pleasant rich populous and well fortified City The chief Magnificences whereof besides several beautiful Structures both publick and private are the Cathedral the Great Gate the Stone-bridge over the Ouse having one only but very huge Arch the Princes House call'd the Mannour and a famous Library Bristow or Bristol qu. Brightstol or Brightstow i. e. a splendid or illustrious Place in the British Caer Oder Nant Badon i. e. the City Oder in the Valley of Badon a large cleanly pleasant and well traded City situate some part in Glocestershire but most in Somersetshire and yet in a manner distinct from both being a County of it self incorporate It hath large Streets and divers fair Buildings both publick and private besides its Churches a strong Castle the Bishop's Palace the Tolbooth for Merchants a fair large Key affording a most pleasant Prospect of Ships coming up to the very Town and the Goutes or Sinks that carry the Water under ground render the Streets exceeding neat and clean Canterbury the chief City of Kent and the Metropolitan See of all England pleasant both for Situation and Buildings and of principal esteem for its Cathedral which is accounted among the chief of the Cathedrals of England besides which it hath several fair Chuches It s other publick Buildings are the Houses of the Dean and Prebends a noble Free-School call'd the Kings-School two Hospitals the Watch-houses or Cittadels upon the Wall which is broad enough for two Coaches to go abrest upon it it had also a noble Castle but that hath been long since demolish'd Rochester is not only preferrable as a City to all the Places in Kent next to Canterbury for its fair Building and pleasant Situation upon the River Medway But the chief Grandure of this City consists in its Cathedral and stately Bridge Of which more in its due place Exeter is particularly taken notice of by William of Malmsbury for the beauty of its Buildings the richness of its Inhabitants the flourishing state of its Trade and Commerce and the confluence of Strangers thither the greatness of its Trade and Riches by a daily Commerce both with this City and other Parts of the Nation The most eminent of its Structures are the Wall giving entrance by six Gates and adorn'd with divers Watch-Towers a strong and stately Castle and a vary noble and sumptuous Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral is accounted in some respects the noblest in England at least there are very few equal to it The City is pleasantly water'd with clear Rivulets running through the length of each Street and the Market-place very large and handsom Glocester is pleasantly situated upon the River Severn It hath been anciently much celebrated for its Monastery of Nuns built by Keneburgh Eadburgh and Eve and is at present for its stately Minster Worcester hath a Wall about it one thousand six hundred and fifty paces in circuit with a seven-fold entrance of Gates and five Watch-Towers for ornament and
in many respects as for its Minster for its Entertainment of King Athelstan who hence settihg forth in a Barge upon the River Dee was rowed by Kennadie King of the Scots Malcolm King of Cumberland Macon King of Man and several Princes of Wales By being made so great a Principality by the Investiture of Hugh Lupus by King William the Conqueror The Minster of this City was built by Earl Leofric to the Honour of St. Werburga repaired by Hugh Earl of Chester And in this Minster was buried the Body of Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany At Calvely was born Sir Hugh Calvely a Soldier of great fame in the Reign of King Edward the Third As likewise was Sir Robert Knowles of this Shire Ecleston gave Birth to Thomas thence Sirnamed Ecleston Bunbury is noted by the birth of Robert Braffy who died Anno 1558. Wrenbury boasts of George Patin another learned Writer Moreover the World owes to this Shire several other great men viz. Sir Thomas Aegerton Lord Keeper Anno 1596. Sir Humphrey Starky Sir Henry Bradshaw Sir Randal Crew and Sir Humphrey Davenport all grand Pillars of the Law Ralph Ratcliff a person eminent for Learning and Captain John Smith the first setler of the Plantation of New-England in the Reign of King James In FLINTSHIRE The Castle of Flint which was founded by King Henry the Second and finished by King Edward the First gave Reception to King Richard the Second when he came out of Ireland In DENBYSHIRE Denby was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln in the Reign of King Edward the First In CAERNARVONSHIRE Caernarvon is memorable as having been raised by King E. 1. from the Ruins of that ancient City which is called by Antonine Segontium and by Ninius Caer-Custenith and where as Matthew Westminster reports was found the Body of Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great Anno 1283. In MERIONETHSHIRE the principal Town Harlech is only worth memory for its stately Castle In CARDIGANSHIRE Cardigan the Shire-Town was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Gilbert de Clare who was Lord of the whole County by the Gift of King Henry the First In BRECKNOCKSHIRE Hay is remembred by its Ruins to have been once a place of Account for it is reported in History to have been ruined and demolished in the Rebellion of Owen Glendour It is judged by the Coins there found to have been an ancient Seat of the Romans Bealt Buelth the Buleum Silurum of Ptolomy is famed as the Seat of Aurelius Ambrose who possessed the whole Country and after gave it to Pascentius Son of Vortiger And likewise for the last Prince of the Britains who was here by Treachery slain But Brecknock being now the fairest Town of the Shire carries the Name and Primacy In CAERMARDENSHIRE Caermarden the Shire-Town the Maridunum of Ptolomy and Muridunum of Antonine is not so note-worthy for its large Castle and strong Wall as for being the Birth-place of that most famous old British to give him the most favourable Title Prophet Merlin In GLAMORGANSHIRE The chief Town and Episcopal See Landaff with its Castle and Cathedral is not so famous as the Town of Caerdiff as having been the Seat and Residence of that renowned Fitz-Hammond and his Norman Knights who after the Conquest of Rhesus Prince of Wales kept here his Court in the Reign of William Rufus and built here a strong Castle in the Hall whereof are yet to be seen the Ensigns of the said Fitz-Hammond and his Knights In this Castle hath been for a long time and is still kept the Audit for the Earl of Pembroke's Estate in Wales In MONMOVTHSHIRE Monmouth the County-Town is yet far more considerable upon several respects first as being delivered by Geraldus to have been the place where great King Arthur kept his Court. Next as an Academy of Philosophy and Arts giving Residence to two hundred Scholars and Birth to Amphibalus whose Disciple our great Protomartyr St. Albanus was and two other noble persons of our first Martyrs And likewise as the Birth-place of that noble Prince King Henry the Fifth In RADNORSHIRE Radnor the ancient Magnos of Antonine and the station of the Pacentian Regiment and fortified with a Castle is yet inferior in beauty of Buildings to Prestain In PEMBROKESHIRE though Pembroke is the County-Town yet St. Davids is the more remarkable as being an Episcopal See and once an Archbishoprick translated from Isca Legionum by that great Archbishop Devi whom we call St. David In MONTGOMERISHIRE Montgomery is remarkable for its pleasant scituation and strong Castle and the Title of an Earldom first given by King James Anno 1605. to Philip second Son to Henry Earl of Pembroke and still continuing in his Grandchild Philip now Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery In the Isle of ANGLESY Beaumorris is not more noted for being the principal Town than for the frequent transportation of Passengers hence to Ireland and the fame of having been built by King Edward the First A true and perfect LIST OF THE NOBILITY OF ENGLAND With their principal HOUSES and the COUNTIES which they are in DUKES * HIS Royal Highness James Duke of York and Albany and Earl of Vlster His Seats St. James's Middlesex Richmond Surrey The Dukedom of Cumberland extinct by the death of Prince Rupert The Lord High Chancellor of England The Lord High Treasurer of England The Lord President of the Privy Council The Lord Privy Seal Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England Earl of Arundel Surrey Norfolk and Norwich Baron Howard Moubray Segrave Brewes of Gower Fitz-Alan Clun Oswaldestre Maltravers Graystock and Castle-Rising His Seats Norfolk House in Arundel Buildings Middlesex Arundel Castle Sussex Albury and Waybridge Surrey Duke's Place in Norwich Norfolk Work-Sop Nottingham Sheffeild-Mannor York Graystock Castle and Drumbugh Castle Cumberland Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Marquess of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp and Baron Seymour His Seats Marlborough House and Allington House Wilts * George Villers Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers and Baron of Whaddon His Seats Wallingford House near Whitehall Middlesex Colledge-Hill London Buckingham House and Whadon Buckingham Bishop's Hill in the City of York and Helmsey Castle York * Christopher Monk Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Poltheridge Beauchamp and Teyes His Seats Nun Appleton and Burley on the Hlil Rutland Garrenton Leicester Albemarle House Middlesex New Hall Essex Potheridge and Wenbury Devonshire Cletherow Castle Lancaster * James Scot Duke of Monmouth and Bucclugh Earl of Doncaster and Dalkelth Baron of Tindal Winchester and Ashdale His Seat More Park Hertford So-Ho Square Middlesex * Henry Cavendish Duke Marquess and Earl of Newcastle Earl of Ogle Viscount Mansfeild Baron Ogle Beutram and Bolsover His Seats Welbeck Abby and Nottingham Castle Nottingham Bolsover Castle Derby Ogle Castle Bothal Castle Heple Tower Northumberland Slingsby Castle York Blore Hall Stafford
the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire so called of one Eoves a Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester so Renowned for its Fertility and excellent kind of Corn it yields that it is called the Granary of those parts The Vale of Alisbury in Buckinghamshire is also particularly taken notice of for its Pleasant Meadows and Rich Pastures Nor are the Sheep-Pastures near Knetworth in Hartfordshire which is called the Garden of England to be forgotten Portholm Meadow also in Huntingtonshire is reckon'd among the Notabilia of that County The like may be said in a great measure of the Pasturage However there are some places so peculiarly remark'd either for the Largeness or Richness of their Pastures that the mention of them cannot well be omitted The Isle of Shepey in Kent being about 21 Miles in compass is without question so denominated from the numerous Flocks of Sheep which it feedeth No less celebrated is Rumny-Marsh heretofore a part of the Sea under the Name of Romanum Mare which by common Speech is easily corrupted into Rumnense Marshium Of this Marsh Twine in his Commentary De rebus Anglicis making a particular mention thus concludes Denique unde tot pingues peeudes c. Lastly saith he Whence so many Fat Cattle come to the Shambles that not only all Kent is largely supplied from this place but even the City of London also in some measure fares the better In the Marsh-Country of Norfolk commonly called Marsh-Land the Soyl is so very Mellow and Fruitful that in a certain large Mead called Tilneysmeth there are said generally to feed no less than 30000 Sheep at a time Wormleighton in Warwickshire breeds Sheep of so large a size that there are scarce the like to be seen elsewhere Lemster upon the River Lug in Herefordshire feeds a Breed of Sheep which yields so Fine and Delicate a Wool that our Noble Poet Draiton in his Polyolbion compares it to the Wool of Apulia and Tarentum which hath been always accounted the Finest Wool of Europe The Bread also of Lemster is no less noted by reason of the Fineness of its Flower insomuch that Lemster Bread and Weably Ale are united into a Proverb as Leigh observes in his Description of England Likewise the Sheep of Cotswold i. e. a place of Sheep-Cotes or Folds upon a Hill in Glocestershire yield so Fine a Wool that nothing but the Spanish Wool can outvy it and this advantage it owes to a Present that was made by King _____ to _____ King of Spain very much to the prejudice of England as it hath since proved Somerton once the chief Town as some say of Somersetshire and gave the denomination to the Shire consists almost wholly with the Country thereabout of Grasiers and Breeders of Cattle After the Wool of Lemster and Cotswold that of the Isle of Wight comes next in estimation Besides those places above-mentioned there is one more which for its largeness and Fruitfulness alike is worthy to be mentioned viz. The Vale of the Whitehorse which is partly in Wiltshire and partly in Barkshire For Fruit there is scarce any County in England that is not tolerably well stor'd in one sort or other but above all for Cherries and now of late for Pippins Kent bears the Name and particularly Tenham which is commonly styl'd the Parent of Fruit Gardens But the first Pippins brought over that is about 100 years since were Planted in that part of Lincolnshire called Holland and about Kirton in the same Shire Nor are our Cherries of much longer date being first brought over from Flanders in the Reign of King Henry the Eight and Planted in Kent with that Success that one only Orchard of but 32 Acnes is said to have produced in one year as much as yielded 1000 l. For all sorts of Apples and Pears and for great quantity of excellent Syder which furnish London and many other parts Worcestershire Glocestershire and Herefordshire are the principal Counties Vines we have very frequent among us of several sorts producing for the most part a very Sweet and Pleasant Grape and good quantities of Wine I have heard say have been formerly made At this day there are two places principally Eminent for making of Wine viz. Claverton in Somersetshire a Seat of Sir William Bassets where there are said to have been made some years no less than 40 Hogsheads of a very pleasant and palatable Wine and in Kent belonging to Collonel Blunt At Hatfield-House in Hertfordshire belonging to the Earl of Salisbury there is a parcel ground called the Vineyard no doubt from the Plenty and goodness of the Vines there Planted And in Glocestershire there are several places called Vineyards out of which in former times they yearly payed Rent-Wines from the Plenty of Vines no doubt here growing Moreover it is found in Ancient Records that several Towns of this Shire payed Rent-Wines as Dr. Fuller in his Worthys particularly observes Of other Productions BEsides those Beasts and Cattel which are of advantage for Food and Cloathing and which no Country of Europe perhaps of the World bring forth more fair and large than England There are some Beasts of service which being common to England with other parts of Europe are generally commended to be of a more excellent Kind than any especially that which is the most serviceable of all others viz. the Horse with all manner of respects considered is doubtless the most noble and useful of all four-footed Beasts for though the Elephant Camel and Dromedary with which most places of Asia and many of Africa abound are more remarkable for vast bulk of body especially the Elephant and consequently more capable of carriage and bearing of great burthens yet the same greatness of bulk renders them on the other side more unfit for expedition and for the Ass and Mule which indeed are fairer larger and more numerous in Spain and other Countries of Europe than in this Kingdom they are not certainly to be compar'd either for shape service or expedition with the forementioned Animal nor was ever any Grandee of Spain journying on his Mule with the Grand Pa and Spanish gravity so comely a sight as a well accoutred Cavalier on horseback and of all parts of England Montgomeryshire is commended for excellent Horses The Truth is the Spanish Jenet that of Barbary Race commonly therefore called the Barbary The Count of Oldenburgh's Breed in Germany have the Name before all others for Swiftness delicacy of Shape and Neatness of Mark or Colour but for Courage Ability of Body either for Travel Draught or Carriage sufficient Swiftness and Agility Tractableness for the Great Saddle and Management in War the Horses of English Breed are reputed hardly matchable by those of any other Country And our Dogs much less by the Testimony of divers Eminent Authors Ortelius in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum affirms that there is no part of the Earth where there are better and larger Dogs to be seen especially Hounds he might
of Cornwall there have been taken Pilchards an Ell long and not much differing in shape in several places on the Sea-coasts of Cornwall At a place called Foreditch in Kent there are Trouts of a treble remark First That they equal Salmon in Largeness Secondly That they remain nine Months in the Sea and three in Fresh-water Thirdly That contrary to the nature of all other Trouts they have been known but once to have been taken in that place with an Angle so much more cunning they are than all the rest of their kind In the River Kennet near Hungerford in Barkshire there is great plenty of Trouts remarkably large and good also the Town of Hungerford it self Marlborough and some other Places thereabout are noted for plenty and goodness of Cray-Fish The River Stowr in Dorcetshire hath a particular commendation for Tenches as some parts of Cambridgeshire for the best Eels and Lincolnshire for plenty of Pikes But there is also another Stowr in Kent which runs through Canterbury and is said to breed the best Trouts in the South-East of England Yet those of Cashalton in Surry are accounted excellent Trouts In Miander-Meer in Lancashire there breeds a sort of Fish called a Chare which they say is no where else to be found Much more might be said but that it is not our business to dwell upon any particular but to take a general Survey of several things of the Animals which our Country excels in above others but to speak of the Minerals and Vegetables which this Island produceth would require each a large Volume and though we have no Mines of Gold yet the many Mines we have of other Mettalls as Iron Lead Tin Copper c. and it is said some discoveries have been also made of Silver besides Mines of Allum Coal and other Minerals would if utmost Improvement were made of our Trade and Manufacture make a considerable compensation The Stanneries or Tin-Mines of Cornwall and Devonshire have been famous from all Antiquity And whereas it hath been formerly taken for granted that the Britains were unknown to the rest of the World before the Arrival of the Romans there are not wanting who are of Opinion and have confirmed their Opinion with probable Evidences that the Ancient Inhabitants of this Island long before the Romans Arrival had Commerce with the Greeks and Phaenicians and that because they would not admit of Strangers into their Country therefore they made the Isles of Scilly the Mart for the vending of their Tin whereupon some suppose them to be those Islands which the Ancients called the Cassiterides which imports as much as Tin-Isles not as having any Tin-Mines in them but as being the Mart as we said before for the Vending of that Commodity And of all parts in Cornwall Godolphin-Hill is particularly taken notice of for its Rich and Plentiful Veins of Tin Nor do the Mines of Cornwall abound in Tin only but 't is said there have been quantities of Metallick Oar that have contain'd a mixture of Gold and Silver and very memorable is the tradition of a quantity of Silver Oar dig'd out of a place in the Parish of Comb-Martin in Devonshire out of which William Wimondham coin'd 270 weight of Silver for Elionor Dutchess of Bar. A place called Newlands in Cumberland is rich in Copper Mines and hath some store of Black-Lead especially about Keswick In this County also the Stone called Lapis Calaminaris is said to have been here first found But much of this Lapis Calaminaris is digg'd out of Mendip-hills in Somersetshire At Wenlock in Shropshire in the Reign of King Richard the second there was found a Rich Copper Mine The Rich Mines of Iron in the Forrest of Dean in Glocestershire have been an occasion of making those Woods very thin in respect of what they have been formerly Kent hath several Iron Mines and also Veins of Marl. Darbyshire abounds much in Minerals and several kinds of Stones particularly in the Peak of Darby there are Mines that afford plenty of Lead likewise Stibium or Antimony also store of Mill-stones and Whet-stones nor less noted are the Lead-Mines on Mendip-hills in Staffordshire As also those on the Hills of Richmondshire where there are likewise Copper-Mines near Moinglath in Denbyshire is a plentiful Vein of Lead So likewise in the Abby of Fountains in Yorkshire not far from whence in the same Shire is store of Iron Other Mines also there are which though not so Rich are no less useful than those of Mettal as Alom Coal Free-stone Fullers-earth Marl with all which take one with another there is surely no Nation better stor'd and indeed our Salt-pits are no other than a kind of Liquid-Mines It is no less wonderful to observe what abundant Supplies of Fewel are yearly sent up from the Coal-Mines of Newcastle to this Vast City of London and other parts of the Nation besides what is Exported into Foraign parts then it may seem hard to conjecture how this City could subsist before the discovery of this great Mine which was not till the year 1305. Since we find by experience upon any occasion of the obstructing of this Newcastle Fleet and the raising of the Price of Coals into what great distress and inconveniency the City is thereupon reduc'd but then it must be considered that the City then was nothing near so large as now and the Country far better stor'd with Wood the want whereof for Firing is not the only prejudice the Nation hath sustain'd by the vast quantity of Timber that hath been fell'd of late Ages the number of Alehouses is also increas'd ten to one at least within these 100 years and proportionably as may well be imagin'd the number of Brewhouses to supply them with Drink which Houses cannot be maintain'd and carry on their Trade without a wonderful quantity of Fewel Nor need it be wondred how other great Cities are able to subsist without the like convenience as doubtless there is scarce any City of the World that hath the like advantage for Fewel considering the difference of Climate of Customs of manner of Living and of Diet. There are who speak of Blackheath as a place no less sufficiently abounding with Pit-Coal to serve the City of London and parts adjacent than Newcastle it self but are willing to believe that the grand security of these Coal-pits lies in the great prejudice to Navigation which the breaking of them up would occasion in regard this Colliers Trade between Newcastle and London is the greatest Nursery of Seamen we have which objection would easily cease could the Fishing Trade be once promoted till when the Coal Mines of Blackheath must of necessity be laid aside There is also Sea-Coal like that of Newcastle at Wedsborough in the East-Riding in Yorkshire Likewise up and down in many of the Inland parts of England there is abundance of Pit-Coal of another nature that is too say not Caking or Clinging together a quantity of small Particles into one
are many Pits which being somewhat narrow at the top and widening towards the bottom are distinguished into several Rooms or Apartments and supported as it were with Pillars of Chalk At a House of the Marquess of Worcester's at Emsbury I have been told that at the pulling down of an old Wall the Labourers discovered a Cavity which upon search led to a large Cave where there was found a Monument of great Antiquity and Riches which by the Character and some other circumstances appears to have been the Tomb of Queen Guinever Wife to King Arthur Near Kirby-Longdale in Westmorland are many deep places like Caves Fifthly At Aberbarry in Glamorganshire there is a Cave at the bottom of a Hill the mouth whereof is a gaping Clift or Chink into which when the Wind enters there is heard a kind of harmonious noice as it were of Cymbals There hath been also heard from a Clift on the Sea-side near the Island Barry a sound as it were of Smiths at work and this by the Testimony of Lilius Giraldus Lakes and Fountains there are very many among us which have something strange and extraordinary in them Near Brereton in Cheshire which belongs to an Eminent Family of the same Name there is a Pool wherein the bodies of Trees swimming are said to presage the Death of some of the Family There are two Lakes very near to each other hard by St. Agnes-Hill in Cornwall of which it is credibly reported that in the one of them Fish will live and thrive in the other not In Lancashire near Furness-Fells there is a standing water accounted the greatest in England commonly called Miander-Meer being no less than 10 Miles in length and all along paved with stone at the bottom It is said moreover that a Fish call'd a Ohare breeds here only and no where else In Huntingtonshire there are several Lakes and among the rest one called Wittlesmeer-Lake which in fairest weather grow tempestuous and rage with violent surges like the Sea In Staffordshire there are two remarkable Lakes of one Necham delivers That by its Roaring it foretells things to come the other is call'd Mahal of which the Tradition goes That Horses when tir'd drinking of the water thereof becomes fresh as ever Of this Gervase of Tilbury makes particular mention On the high Hills of Carnarvonshire there are two Meers of a strange nature if report be true for one is said to produce a sort of Fish that hath but one Eye the other to have a floatable Island whereon no sooner any one sets foot but it drives farther off from the shoar There is also at Bala in Merionethshire a Pool which never fills by Land-floods though rising never so high but in tempestuous weather swelleth above its Banks At Lynsavathan in Brecknockshire is a Meer which is said to have swallowed up a City that once stood in the room thereof through this Meer runs the River Levenny keeping its own stream intire and unmix'd At Kilken in Flintshire is a little Well which hath a constant ebbing and flowing like the Sea At Gigglesworth in Yorkshire there are three small Springs of two whereof there is nothing of observable but the middlemost hath a constant course of ebbing and flowing four times an hour the difference between its highest rise and lowest fall being about eight Inches Likewise in Derbyshire in the Forrest of the Peak is such another Spring ebbing and flowing 4 times an hour observing a constant and due revolution of its tydes On the River Ogmore in Glamorganshire there is a Well which every full tyde in Summer time is almost destitute of water but at ebb is replenish'd many times very near but never totally to an overflowing Another there is at Carry-Castle in Caermardenshire which ebbs and flows Another in Westmorland near the River Loder which ebbs and flows several times a day At Lemington in Warwickshire a Salt Spring ariseth at a great distance from the Sea Near Kenet in Wiltshire the water breaking but of certain stones is accounted a sign of Dearth The River Can in Westmorland hath Cataracts which by their fall foretell either Rain or fair Weather The rising of a Bourn near Croiden in Surry is said to presage Mortality Near St. Albans in Hertfordshire there is a Brook called which when it breaketh out presageth Dearth or some other Calamity In a private mans Yard at Pitchford in Shropshire is a Well whose waters cast up a Skum of liquid Bitumen In the North-riding of Yorkshire are Wells called Tingtong Wells three Miles within the earth The Petrifying Wells and Springs of England are very many nor is it worth the while to mention all of them the chief are in these particular Places at Newenham or Menham-Reges in Warwickshire Three which are also of a Medicinal quality as being strained through Allum at Lutterworth in Leicestershire Near Knarisborough in York-shire the Well-Drepa whose Waters distil from the Rocks that hang over it At Hodington-Hill near Oxford upon the descent of the Hill At Boxly Abbey near Maidston in Kent at Egerton in the same County Nor are those Wells and Springs to be forgotten among the Memorabilia of Nature whose Waters are of a Medicinal virtue the chief of this nature not only of England but even of all Europe for the virtue of the Waters the Magnificence of the Structures about the Wells and the vast resort to them are those famous Bathing Wells which give denomination to the City Bath and which were first found out by one Bladud who is reckoned in the Catalogue of our Ancient British Kings and renowned in History if it may be called History and not rather Historical Tradition as well for Philosopher as King Others there are whose Waters esteemed for their Purging quality are generally carous'd as Ebsham or Epsone-Wells in Surry those of Tunbridge in Kent of Barnet in Hertfordshire and now of late of North-hall in the same Shire Now I cannot but fancy that there must needs be a very great advantage in this way of Physick since those who Evacuate so merrily with so much divertisement so many as it were together for good Companies sake no doubt find a more effectual Operation than those who coop'd up in a Melancholly Chamber sup up a mixture of Nauseous and uncouth Ingredients out of an Apothecaries Shop Other places there are not altogether of no note for their Medicinal Wells as Luckington in Wiltshire where there is a Well called Handcocks-Well whose greatest Virtue consists in the Cure of sore Eyes having also this property that its Water is cold in Summer and hot in Winter Eckington in Worcestershire where there is lately discovered a Medicinal Well accounted of great Virtue for several Distempers Wallingborough in Northamptonshire where upon the account of the Waters Queen Mary lay for several weeks Lenisham in Kent six Miles from London where in the year 1651. a Medicinal Water was found which hath been since much frequented Dulwich Wells within
Politick what Exercise is to the Body Natural viz. Prosperity to the one Health and Soundness to the other Ildleness being alike pernicious to both and causing to both alike Debauchery of Manners Distemper and Beggary There are few Nations in Europe as well a mother parts of the World wherein some particular Towns are not particularly Eminent for some or other Manufacture as in Andalusia a Province of Spain Corduba for the curious Dressing of Leather which is thence called Cordovan-Leather in Biscaia Bilboa for the making of excellent Temper'd Blades Faenza in Italy for fine Earthen Ware Venice for that rare sort of Drinking Glasses which are thence called Venice-Glasses which Art of Glass-making is by a late Discovery from thence Improv'd to a very great heigth in England though we cannot bring Glasses to that perfection for want of those Materials which are only to be had in those viz. two sorts of Plants called Gazul and Subit out of whose Liquified Ashes the right Venice-Glasses are blown The most general Manufacture of England is that which of all others is certainly the most useful and profitable and which from Ancient time hath in a measure conduc'd to the Wealth and flourishing Estate of the Nation that is to say the Woollen Manufacture or the making of Woollen Cloths or Stuffs which being encourag'd and rightly manag'd is the chief prop of our Trade and Commerce and till the Fishery be set up according to the Proposals of several Worthy Persons the chief Support and Honest Maintenance of the Poor whom could there be work enough found out universally to imploy it would be a happy means to take off that Lewd and Sordid course of Vagabond Begging which introduces all those Thievish and unlawful practices that bring so many daily to shameful and untimely ends The first Broadcloth so called because of the Broad-Looms wherein it was wrought made in England is said to have been wrought by Jack of Newbury in the Reign of King Edward the Third The first famous Clothiers were the Webscloths and Clutterbucks in Glocestershire For this Ingenious and profitable Art or Mystery of Lanifice or Woollen-work there is no place in England more fam'd than the City of Norwich which hath for a long time flourish'd by the making of Worsted-Stuffs which being wrought here more Curiously than elsewhere are thence called Nerwich-Stuffs which Work hath been brought to the greater perfection by the Industry of several Dutch and French Families who have been here planted for several years No Nation ever loseth but gets by the Transplantation of Industrious Foraigners who by Interest and Converse soon become one with the People among whom they Inhabit The Stuffs here vended the chief Trade whereof as also of Stockings is to London are esteemed at 100000 l. per annum which Stuffs are under the Government of two Companies the Worsted Company and the Russel Company The Stockings at 60000 l. per annum But there is another Town in this County which being called Worsted seems to have been the first noted place wherein these Stuffs were substantially made in regard they thence took their denomination Kidderminster in Worcestershire drives a very Trade in the making of certain Stuffs which are thence called Kidderminster-Stuffs and in the same Shire the City of Worcester it self And also Malmsbury for Woollen-Cloth In Warwick-shire Coventry In Lancashire Manchester is much Enrich'd by the Industry of the Inhabitants in making Cloth of Linnen and Woollen Taunton in Somersetshire drives so great a Trade in Mixt and White-Serges that there are said to be sent up Weekly to London and other places no less than 700 pieces a sort of them besides a sort of course Bays in the making whereof there are Weekly imployed no less than 8500 persons No less doth Wakefield in the West-riding of York-shire Leeds also in the same County is accounted a Wealthy Town by reason of its Cloathing Exeter by the quantity of Serges there made returns to London a 10000 l. a Week Stroud in Gloucestershire is a Town not only full of Rich Clothiers but is also particularly Eminent for the Dying of Cloths by reason of the peculiar quality of the Water for that purpose Teuxbury also in the same County is very Rich in Clothing Likewise Sudbury or Southbourg in Suffolk Hadly in the same County Reading in Bark-shire which through the greatness of its Trade is a very Wealthy Town and Newbury in the same County So likewise Shirburn in Dorcetshire upon the same account And also in Essex Colchester Dedham Coxal and other places abound in Bays Says and other new Drapery Appleby in Cumberland is no less Eminent for its strong Castle and for being the place where the Assizes for the County are held than for its great Cloth Manufacture the like is Kendal in the same County Among the woollen Manufacture of England may be reckon'd the weaving and knitting of Stockings the use of which woven and knit Stockings hath not been in this Nation longer than about the beginning of K. James's Reign It being very memorable what Dr Fuller relates of one William Rider an Apprentice at the foot of London-Bridge over against St Magnes-Church who seeing in the House of an Italian Merchant a pair of knit worsted Stockings which he brought from Mantua and taking special observation of them made a pair exactly like them which he presented to William Earl of Pembroke and they are said to be the first of that sort worn in England and thence-forward they became more and more in use so that for many years they have been very much and are now altogether worn and are a great part of the Trade in most Places where there is any thing of woollen Manufacture especially at Norwich yet Jersie Stockings have for a long time had a particular name The Next Place may properly be allow'd to our making of Bone-lace which is the chief of the Ornamentals worn in this Nation though not so totally as before the Needle-works came in fashion which though brought to great perfection yet have obtain'd so much the less esteem by how much those of Flanders and the Points de Venice in Italy and Larron in France came more in fashion as all foreign Artifices usually especially the French have ever the chiefest vogue among our Gallants So general is this Manufacture in many Parts of England that the Poor of whole Towns are almost totally imploy'd and in a great measure maintain'd thereby Particularly Honiton in Devonshire is a noted Town for his sort of Workmanship as likewise Salisbury and Marlborough in Wiltshire Ouldny in Buckinghamshire Amersham and Chesham in the same Shire Blandford in Dorcetshire which last Place hath been famous also for making of Band-strings and now Point-â—aces it is said are much made there It is observ'd that the only Thread made in England till within a few years was at Maidstone in Kent Besides the Cottons of Manchester the Tickin Pins Points and
security Nor is its Minster the least considerable among the Cathedrals of England for Structure besides the Monuments of Antiquity therein elsewhere mention'd Bath besides the Magnificence of its publick Bagno's is sufficiently recommendable for its private Buildings the Streets thereof when the season of the year renders them least frequented seem to represent a kind of solemn and majestick Solitude as may be fancy'd in several of those Towns and Cities of Italy which consist of splendid Buildings but thinly inhabited Durham consists of good handsom old fashion'd Buildings but for publick Structures besides its Church it chiefly boasts the Castle built there by K. William the Conqueror which advanceth its Head loftily upon a high Hill Lincoln is also one of the noblest Cities of England It hath at this day 15 Parish-Churches besides the Great Church yet seems it but the Epitome of what it was anciently for it is deliver'd to have had no less than 50 Parish-Churches was wonderful populous and well traded and hath been adorn'd with many fair and ample Buildings as well Monasteries as others as appears by the Ruines in which something of Magnificence is to be observ'd Winchester is a City pleasantly situated in a Valley and walled about with a strong Wall one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces in circuit and entred by six Gates on the East-side runs the River and on the West-side stands a strong Castle It hath seven Parish-Churches and a good old large Minster besides the Ruines of certain Monasteries and other publick Buildings moreover the Colledge and School may be reckon'd among the Ornaments of this Place though not standing in the City but about half a mile out of the Town Coventry is a City particularly noted by Speed for statelyness of Building and was encompass'd with a strong and stately Wall which with the Walls of several other Towns was pull'd down since his Majesty's Restoration The Walls had 13 Gates for Entrance and 18 Towers for Ornament but that which was heretofore the greatest Ornament of this City was that stately Structure of a Cross which was among the number of those erected to the memory of Queen Elianor and the most magnificent of all next to that of Cheapfide in London with which it underwent the same Fate that is to be demolish'd by the zealous multitude the most lewd reformers of Lewdness and the most superstitious haters of Superstition Ipswich besides that it is the Shire-Town of Suffolk is also generally accounted the principal Town of England and were it dignified with the title of City would be equal to many inferior to few of the Cities of this Nation It hath 12 Parish-Churches yet standing besides 6 fall'n to decay and several fair Streets full of goodly and substantial Buildings and a very commodious Haven St Edmondsbury in the same County excepting what it wants in ampleness of Circuit comes very near in other respects especially if we reckon the Grandeur of its once famous Monastery of which there yet remains something of it very great and stately But to sum up the Glory of this Place it will be sufficient to repeat what Speed quotes from Leyland viz. The Sun hath not seen a City so he calls it more finely and delicately seated upon an ascent of a Hill having a River running on the East-side nor was there ever a more noble Abbey either for Revenues or incomparable Magnificence in whose Circuit appeareth rather a City than a Monastery so many Gates for Entrance and some of Brass so many Towers and a most glorious Church upon which attend three others standing all in the same Church-yard all of them passing fine and of a curious Workmanship Maidston is pleasantly seated upon the River Medway and for a meer Town is reputed the handsomest and most flourishing of all Kent Feversham is also to be noted not only for its Antiquities but likewise for its pleasant and commodious Situation Kingston upon Thames so call'd to distinguish it from the other Kingston upon Hull stands very pleasantly and makes a fine Prospect upon the River Thames It hath a very fair and spacious Market-place and hath been in former Ages a Place of no mean Repute at least springs from such a one as will appear by what we shall have occasion to speak of it elsewhere Guilford comes here to be mention'd only as a pleasant and well built Town to which may be added that for the bigness there is scarce any other Place to compare with it for number of fair and large Inns so that this Town and Kingston Southwark being annext to London may pass for the two chief Towns of Surry Lewis is esteemed worthily to stand in competition with the City Chichester it self for largeness populousness and fair Building at least it is far surpassing all the other Towns of Sussex Colchester which Speed honours with the title of City is pleasantly situated upon the River Coln hath a Wall of 1980 paces in compass raised upon a high Trench and enter'd by 6 Gates and 3 Posterns Westward and being also adorn'd with 9 Watch-Towers within the circuit of which Walls there are 8 Parish-Churches besides 2 without Eastward an old strong Castle stands upon a strong Trench and upon another Trench hard by are to be discern'd the Ruines of an ancienter Castle and though there are some other noted Towns in this Shire as Maldon Chelmsford c. yet this Colchester however no City may well enough be allow'd to merit the Character it hath viz. of Shire-Town of Essex Buckingham is pleasantly seated upon the River Ouse with which it is altogether surrounded except on the North-side 3 fair Stone-Bridges giving entrance over the River and though but a Town hath the credit to be both the denominating and principal Town of the Shire Ailesbury of the same County is a Town well enough for Building and the handsomness of its Market-place but that which makes it most perspicuous is that it stands in the midst of most delightful Meads and Pastures and the whole Vale which being one of the pleasantest and fertilest of England is perhaps one of the pleasantest and fertilest of Europe is thence denominated the Vale of Ailesbury Reading a very ancient Town and as Leland and others observe excelling all other Towns in Barkshire as well for fair Streets and sightly Buildings as the Wealth of the Townsmen Cambridge a Town not despicable for its own proper Buildings were the Situation as little liable to exception but borrowing its chief Magnificence from the lustre of those 16 Colledges and Halls which shine like so many Gems about it yet far more illustrious by those bright Lamps of Learning which from this Place have shot their Lights into the World The most eminent Structure of all the rest in Cambridge is Kings-Colledge-Chappel but there is now a Library building in this University which it is thought will be able to compare with any of the best Buildings of this Age but
notwithstanding all it is but the chief Town of Cambridgeshire and not a City though there be an Episcopal See in the same County Southampton a Town saith Speed beautiful rich and populous and walled about with a strong Wall of square Stone enter'd by 7 Gates and adorn'd and fortified with 29 Towers within the Walls there are 5 fair Parish-Churches besides an Hospital called Gods-House and without the Walls are to be seen the Ruines of another goodly Church called St Maries On the West-end of the Town a well built Castle of a circular form mounted upon a high Hill so steep as not to be ascended but by Stairs gives a fair Prospect both by Land and Sea and lastly Two commodious Keys for Ships give a great ornament to the Place This Town though Winchester predominates as a City was doubtless as by the Name appears the ancient Metropolis of Hantshire and is still accounted the Shire-Town Marlborough one of the most considerable Towns of Wiltshire which as it is in general a good tolerable well built Town so it hath one Street above the rest remarkable for its fairness and largeness being also very much graced with a large neat Forum or Market-place at the upper end thereof About a dozen years ago there hapned a shrewd Fire which burnt down a great part of this Street which being rebuilt to advantage the Street appears much more stately than before and that which gives the greater grace to it is the Prospect of a fine House of my Lord Seymour's at the Towns end which is the more remarkable by reason of a Mount which is ascended by a Path which winds round about upward toward the top like a Screw Warwick is most pleasantly situated upon the ascent of a Hill taking its rise from the side of a River whose stream runs pointing toward a stately Castle the Seat of the famous Guy of Warwick which having run much to ruine was repair'd with sumptuous Buildings by Sir Fulk Grevil There have been 6 fair Churches in this Town viz. St Lawrence St Michaels John Baptist and John of Jerusalem St. Maries and St. Nicholas all gone to ruine but the two last This City yet as the denominating and principal Town of Warwickshire seems of equal repute with Coventry it self Shirburn a Town pleasantly seated on the side of a Hill and very well adorn'd with Structures especially publick as Church Castle and School-house Northampton must needs be at this day a very stately Place for having had the commendation from the chief of our English Geographers of being worthy to be rank'd for Circuit Beauty and Building with the most of the Cities of our Land It was by some unfortunate Accident burnt almost totally down to the ground and Phaenix-like is risen out of its ashes much more glorious than before and notwithstanding the City of of Peterborough stands within the County claims to be the County Town of Northamptonshire Nottingham saith our most diligent and industrious Speed is a Town seated most pleasant and delicate upon a high Hill for Building stately and for number of fair Streets surpassing many other Cities and for a spacious and sumptuous Market-place and 3 fair Churches comparing with the best Many of the Buildings of this Town are hewed out of the Rocks besides many strange Vaults and Caves among which those under the Castle are of especial Note One for the Story of Christ's Passion engraven in the Walls by the Hand of David the 2d of that Name King of Scots whilst he was there kept Prisoner Another wherein Mortimer was apprehended in the minority of K. Edw. the 3d whence it hath ever since born the Name of Mortimer's Hole These have their several winding Stairs Windows Chimnies and Room above Room wrought all out of the solid Rock as other Houses of the Town also have This Town being the Principal of Nottinghamshire hath no City to stand in competition with it Newark the next Town of Nottinghamshire both for Reputation and Neatness It is indeed a Town of a very pleasant Situation upon the River Trent Manchester the fairest and pleasantest though not the principal Town of Lancashire and above all things else peculiarly remark'd for its grand Church the Colledge and Market-place Wakefield one of the chief Towns of Yorkshire as well for its pleasantness and goodly Buildings as its great Market and Cloathing-Trade and other Remarks Of which elsewhere Stamford the pleasantest Place of Lincolnshire next to the City of Lincoln it self being adorn'd with 7 Churches and an old Hospital Boston the best Town of Lincolnshire next to Stamford Which is all need be said of it at present in regard there will be occasion to speak more of it in the next Chapter of Towns and Places eminent c. Barstable and Tavestoke in Devonshire are commended above most in the West of England for neatness well compactedness and elegance of Structure Tavestoke is probably enough so call'd from the River Taw upon which it stands and which at Barstable is said to be Navigable for great Vessels both Places being well inhabited with Merchants and rich trading People Next to Bridgewater of all the Places of Somersetshire not dignified with the title of City Taunton is accounted of principal Note and for pleasantness superior according to the Testimony of a learned Writer in these words Taunton qu. Thonton from the River Thone is a very fine and proper Town one of the Eyes of the Shire the Country here most delectable on every side with green Meadows flourishing with pleasant Gardens and Orchards and replenisht with fair Mannor-Houses wonderfully contenteth the Eyes of the Beholders Shrewsbury as it is the principal Town of Shropshire there being neither City nor any other Town of Note in that Shire that can stand in competition with it so it may be reckon'd among the pleasantest of all England being almost surrounded with the Severn between which and a stately Wall are most delightful Meadows the chief Streets graceful of themselves are set out with several graceful Buildings besides the publick among which the most remarkable are the two Gate-houses on the Bridges the Market-place of Free-stone a strong Castle mounted on a Hill a neat School-house with a Library 4 Parish-Churches and 3 of them very large and goodly besides the Abbey forehead without which bears the semblance of an old Cathedral Besides Shrewsbury there are many other pleasant Towns in Shropshire among which the chiefest in repute are Ludlow and Ludlow's chief State consists in its strong Castle and its lofty situation upon a high Hill and proper enough is the Encomium it hath gain'd of Cambden that it is a Town more fair than ancient Bridgnorth also is proudly advanc'd a great part of it upon a Rock out of which the chief Avenues to that upper part are cut moreover the Castle the Wall and the Severn's Inclosure give addition of State as well as Strength Tewksbury in Glocestershire is a Town that might
The grand Ornaments of any City are the publick Buildings thereof and next to the Churches Palaces and Bridges are the Monumental Structures that present themselves most obviously to the view of Passengers in Streets and High-ways as Aqueducts Arches and the Columnal or Imagery-Works erected as Trophies in memory of some great Action or Person as also Places for publick Games and Spectacles For Structures of this kind never any City of the World was so famous as old Rome whose Circus's Amphitheaters Columns Pyramids Tryumphal Arches Equestrian Statues c. next to the massie Pyramids of Egypt were accounted the greatest Pieces of Art and Magnificence the World ever saw Nor are the Pyramids Columns and Aguglia's of the present Rome altogether unmemorable Of Monuments of this nature in England the Crosses erected in Streets and publick Places were the chief And of those the principal were Coventry-Cross and in this City Charing-Cross and that of Cheapside which last was certainly the noblest Piece of Workmanship of this nature as well for the largeness as the curiousness of the Imagery that ever was seen Next The Aqueducts or Conduits have been accounted no small Street-ornaments in many Towns and Cities but the mention of those that were in London may serve for all the rest The chief that were in London before the Fire of 66. were the Standart in Cheapside a Structure that might have pass'd for a noble Piece of Workmanship had it not stood so near so rich a Cross Another at the lower end of Cheapside Another in Cornhil That in Fleetstreet hard by Shoe-lane end and another in Holborn near Holborn-Bridge besides several others of less Note The only Conduit lately erected now standing is a pretty little Structure between Cow-lane and Snow-hill Since the Fire other kind of Monuments have been rais'd which add not a little to the Ornament of the City in general and give peculiar Grace to the Places where they stand The chief whereof is the Monument erected where the Fire began a Pyramid of stately heighth and curious Workmanship Another Monument much of the same nature is design'd and the Edifice rais'd some yards above the ground at the lower end of Cheapside at or very near the Place where the Conduit formerly stood A very rare Design as appears by the Model which I have often seen at the House of the ingenious Designer thereof Mr Jasper Latham the City-Mason At the Stocks-Market is an Equestrian Statue in Stone of his present Majesty And another more excellent than that in Brass of his late Majesty of happy Memory in the Place where Charing-Cross stood In Covent-Garden Square is a Columnal-Dial which only wants somewhat of Magnitude to make it a very graceful Ornament to the Place Our Theaters at present are only two That of his Majesty's Servants between Bridges-street and Drury-lane and that of his Royal Highness's Servants in Salisbury-street with a majestick Front towards the Thames side Artificial publick Bagno's have not been known in England till of late The only one yet built is aside of Newgate-street a pretty well contriv'd Piece of Building had it been more publickly expos'd to view on the Street side The Gates of Towns and Cities are not the least of Ornaments to the said Towns and Cities Of the chief of them except those in London we have toucht in the respective Places to which they belong The principal Gates of London are Ludgate Newgate Aldersgate Algate Bishopsgate and Temple-bar and the two Gates at Westminster between Whitehal and Kings-street most of them not inferior in Magnificence to the chief in Europe But to close all that hath been said of publick Ornaments there remains one thing more not to be neglected by any Admirer of Art which is a Piece of Sculpture in Stone representing the Resurrection over a Gate in Shoo-lane that gives entrance into a Caemetery or Burying-place which belongs to St Andrews-Church This Piece of Carving I have heard commended by the best of Artists in this way for the noblest Piece of Workmanship in its kind that hath been seen in England Towns and Places of England eminent for some remarkeable Accident Person or Transaction THE principal Things that render any Town or Place remarkable are either the Glory and Antiquity of its Original some notable Revolution of Government Accidents hapning there whether prosperous or adverse Battels fought or other grand Action perform'd in or near it and the Birth Residence or Death of Princes and other eminent Men. For most if not all of those Remarks there are many Towns and Cities of England famous and principally of all that which is the principal of all our Towns and Cities London for the most part the Seat of Kings from its Original with which as the City Westminster is so united in Place that it seems in a manner one and the same City so thē mention and discourse of them cannot well be separated Of the Antiquity Splendor of Government Flourishing Trade and Magnificence of Structure in all which London hath the pre-eminence not only of all the Places of England but perhaps of all Europe several have discours'd at large besides what we may haply have occasion to touch at elsewhere It can't be imagin'd but that in a City which hath been a flourishing City for so many Ages many remarkable Accidents must have hapned and great Actions been perform'd in the mention whereof however all possible brevity must be us'd King Lud who reign'd here a little before Caesar's arrival if he were not the first Founder as some think he was at least not only the Enlarger but also the Denominator For among other things he built the West-Gate which to this day retains the Name of Ludgate and what was before of a City by the Name of Trinobantium took the Name of Caer-Lud and the present appellation of London is fancy'd by many to be deriv'd from him as it were Luds-Town About the year 285. here Alectus Lieutenant to the Emperor Diocletian was slain by Asclepiodotus D. of Cornwal and together with him was slain his Companion Gallus at a Brook which from him still retains the name of Gall-brook or Wall brook Here Sigebert third King of the East-Angles who began his Reign in the year of our Lord 596. and Ethelbert King of Kent who began his Reign in the year of our Lord 562. built the Cathedral of St. Pauls in the very place as 't is said where there had been a Temple of Diana In the Reign of Edmund sirnamed Ironside this City was closely besieg'd by the Danes but the Siege was soon rais'd by that valiant Prince King Edmund About the year 1077. the Tower of London was built by K. William the Conqueror whose Successour K. William Rufus built new walls about it Anno 1135. in the Reign of K. Stephen the greatest part of this City was consumed by an accidental Fire In K. Richard the Seconds time was the great Rencounter with Jack Straw
notable defeat given by Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons to Ethelred King of Kent with the slaughter of two of his Dukes in the year of our Lord 560. At Richmond to which in former ages the Kings and Queens of England retired for pleasure as of late to Hampton-Court and Windsor there deceased that victorious Prince King Edward the third Anne the Daughter of the Emperour Charles the fourth and Wife of King Richard the second Henry of Richmond the seventh of that name King of England and that learned and renowned Princess Queen Elizabeth of happy memory Kingston upon Thames a very pleasant and much frequented Market Town was probably the usual place of Coronation of the Saxon Monarchs for there was kept the Chair of Instalment but the Kings most particularly mentioned to have been there crown'd were King Athelstan Edwin and Ethelred Guilford a Town otherwise of especial note is also famous for having been the Royal Seat of the English Saxon Kings Merton is doubly upon record first for the untimely death of Kenulph King of the West-Saxons who was here slain by Kineaâ—d King Sigeberts Brother next for the Parliament there held An. 21 of K. Henry the third which Parliament produc'd an Act which to this day is called the Statute of Merton Okeham hath its chief credit as being the native place of that famous English Philosopher William de Okeham Likewise Ripley no less by the birth of that learned Chymist George de Ripley In Essex Colchester which is the County Town hath the honourable tradition of having been built by the ancient British King Coilus but that which redounds chiefly to its honour is that it is said to have brought into the world three persons of immortal memory viz. Lucius the first not only British but European King that embrac'd the Christian Faith Constantine the first Roman Emperour who openly proprofessing Christianity gave countenance and protection to the Christians of all parts and put an end to those heavy Persecutions which they groaned under so many Ages and if by his extraordinary bounty and munificence to the Clergy he made an inlet to that pride and ambition among them which hath proved mischievous to Christendome ever since it was an errour on the right hand and however succeeding otherwise an evidence of his pious generosity and zeal for Religion and Vertue Helena the Wife of Constantius born also in England and as it is generally suppos'd in York and Mother of the said Constantine her fame shines bright in History for her piety in general and particularly for the fame of her being Inventrix Crucis The next Town of note in this County is Maldon a very ancient Town and the Seat Royal of the Trinobantes of whom Cunobelinus was King about the time of our Saviours Nativity it was taken by the Emperour Claudius and made a Roman Garison being call'd by the Romans Camalodunum rased to the ground by Queen Bunduca or Boadicia after a mighty defeat given to the Romans in revenge of some high affronts and indignities she received from them but was afterwards rebuilt and is of some reputation at this day though doubtless far short of its pristine splendor At Walden famous for Saffron as is already mentioned was born Sir Thomas Smith Secretary to Queen Elizabeth Kent as it is a large County is enobled with very many Towns and places of note in the first place Canterbury is a City of that eminence that next to London there is hardly a City in England memorable upon so many accounts It is said to have been built 900 years before Christ it is the principal of the Archiepiscopal Sees of England it was given by Ethelbert King of Kent to Austin the Monk and his Companions upon whose preaching 10000 were baptized in one day By the said Austin the Cathedral is said to have been founded in which eight Kings of Kent were interred Even the misfortunes of this City have been also memorable for it suffer'd very much several times by the fury of the Danes especially in the Reign of Ethelred when 42000 of the Inhabitants were sacrific'd to their fury and revenge it hath had the honour of the Coronations Nuptials and Interments of several great Kings and Princes Here King John and his Queen Isabel were Crown'd King Henry the third and King Edward the first Married Edward the Black Prince King Henry the fourth and his Q. Joan were Interred and also with far more cost and magnificence that great Prelate and even to adoration adored Saint Thomas a Becket of whose rich and stately Tomb mention hath been elsewhere made Rochester said to be built by one Roff Lord thereof is also a City and not much inferiour in repute to Canterbury Several Counties there are which have no City the Bishops See being but in one of half a dozen Counties but Kent is the only one County that hath two This City was also miserably harrass'd by the Danes and suffer'd very much ruine by two dreadful Fires viz. in the Reign of King Henry the first and King Henry the second but being very much restored by the munificence of King Henry the third it hath continued a flourishing City ever since Maidstone a pleasant and well-seated Town is the more memorable by the great defeat given there to the Earl of Holland who headed the Kentish-men rising for the King by Fairfax General of the Parliament Forces Feversham is enobled by the Burial of King Stephen and his Queen Maud. Dover besides the renown of its Castle said to be built by Julius Caesar and the great honour of the Government thereof hath given reception and entertainment to many great Kings and Princes Queenborough Castle was built by King Edward the third Wye a Sea-port Town where the learned and famous J. Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury was born Horsted is chiefly noted for the Monument now defaced of Horsa one of the first Leaders of the invading Saxons the Brother of Hengift The like Monument was made for Catigern another of the Brothers at Circotes-house which is standing to this day Black-heath hath been the place of several grand Recounters in the Barons Wars in King Henry the third's time as also of Wat Tiler in King Richard the second 's time and of Michael Joseph and the Lord d' Auhenie in King Henry the seventh's time But that which gives the greatest glory and re-renown to this place is the memory of that grand appearance at his Majesties Restoration when all the Gentry and Nobility of the Nation and all the Pomp and splendor of the City of London met to receive his Majesty and his two Brothers and conduct them through the City to the Royal Palace of Whitehall and even the armed part of the Nation that but lately had drawn the Sword against him now met him with the highest acclamations of welcome In Buckinghamshire Buckingham the Shire Town was fortified by King Edward sirnamed the Elder against the fury of the Danes and
still shews the ruins of a strong and stately Castle built upon a hill Stony-Stratford was a Station of the Romans and by them call'd Lactorodum Here the said King Edward the Elder gave a stop to the violent incursions of the Danes upon those parts and this is one of those places where the first of that name since the Conquest rais'd a stately monumental Cross in memory of Queen Eleanor At Chilton in this Shire was born that learned Writer in the Law Sir George Crook Amersham so call'd qu. Agmondsham is not only eminent by the name of the great Agmond from whom it takes denomination but by the birth of several learned Writers especially John sirnamed from the place of his Nativity Amersham and John Gregory of the present Age whose posthume works are worthily reckon'd among the principal of English Writings At Windover was born Roger thence sirnamed de Windover Historian to King Henry the third At Houton Roger Goad a man of good repute for learning In Barkshire are several places of note Reading boasts the Interment of King Henry the first in a Collegiate Church of an Abby founded by himself together with his Queen and his Daughter Maud the Empress He also built here a strong Castle which was rased to the ground by King Henry the second But this Town is yet more remark'd by the birth of William Laud who of a poor Clothiers Son of Reading was advanc'd to the highest Ecclesiastical Office and Dignity of the Nation viz. the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury nor is it to be forgotten how manfully this Town was held out in the time of the late Civil War by Sir Jacob Aston against the whole power of the Earl of Essex General of the Parliaments forces for a whole twelve month's time but at length it was taken by the said Earl And from this place in the Reign of King Henry the second a learned Writer viz. Hugh of Reading took both Birth and Sirname At Inglefield the Danes received a great defeat from King Ethelwolf Wallingford the Gallena of Ptolomy was an ancient Station of the Romans and the chief City of the Atrebates From this place Richard of Wallingford took his birth and consequently his Sirname Abington besides that it was a place of much action in the time of the Civil Wars in his late Majesties Reign gave birth to Sir John Mason Privy Counsellor to King Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth Q. Mary and Qu. Elizabeth as also to Sir John Smith Latin Secretary and Master of Requests to King James Windsor is renowned as having been built by King Edward the third and as the place where was first instituted that most illustrous Order of the Knights of the Garter by that most victorious Prince and of which the greatest Kings and Princes of Europe have been fellows from the first Institution to this day and likewise for the Interment of King Henry the sixth King Edward the fourth King Henry the eighth and King Charles the first whose Body hath been since remov'd to Westminster and interr'd in King Henry the seventh's Chappel Moreover this place gave birth to a person of great fame for his learned Writings viz. Roger hence sirnamed of Windsor Eaton nearly adjoyning and almost contiguous to Windsor is a place besides the fame of being built by King Henry the sixth trebly renown'd for learning first as a Nursery for the bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-schools in England secondly as a place of maintenance and encouragement for the studious and well advanc'd in learning thirdly as the Birth-place of several learned men particularly Samuel Collins William Oughtred the great Mathematician and Matthew Stokes At Ratcot Bridge Robert Vere Duke of Ireland was put to flight by the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel Warwick and Derby with the slaughter of Sir Thomas Molineux Constable of Chester This Radcot is by some reckon'd in Oxfordshire Sunning is sufficiently signal in history as having bin an Episcopal See for the residence of eight Bishops which See was translated to Shirbourn and afterwards to Salisbury where it still remains Wantage is enobled by the Birth of that great mirrour of a Prince for Virtue Learning and Valour King Alfred sirnamed the Scourge of the Danes Waltham in the East of this County was an ancient Station of the Romans so likewise Sinodum in the North. Newbury a Town of sufficient note in this Shire is yet more noted by the birth of Thomas Hide a learned Writer and also by two great Fights fought in the time of the late Civil Wars between the Forces of his late Majesty and the Parliament Army under the Earl of Essex Spene and Pesemere two places of no other note than by the birth of two eminent Writers the first of William Twisse the other of William Lyford In Hantshire Winchester the ancient Venta Belgarum of the Romans is said to have been built by that famous Rudhudibras great in the Catalogue of the old British Kings It was the Seat Royal of the West Saxons and chief Epicopal See and still remains the Episcopal See of a great part of that which was the West Saxon Kingdom It was honour'd with the Coronations of King Egbert and King Alfred and the Birth of King Henry the third Here in the Cathedral built by King Kenwolf King of the West Saxons were interred King Egbert King Ethelwolf King Alfred with his Queen Elswith the first Edmund King Edred and King Edwy Queen Emma and her Husband the Danish King Canutus as also his Son Hardy-Canutus and after the Conquest King William Rufus and his Brother Richard Here King Athelstan kept his Mint At St. Peters in the Suburbs of this City was born John Russel created Bishop of Lincoln by King Edward the fourth and Lord Chancellour of England by King Richard the third This City also brought forth two persons of illustious memory for learning viz. Lampridius sirnamed of Winchester a Benedictine Monk who flourisht An. 980. and Wolstan of Winchester a Benedictine likewise accounted in those times an eminent Poet who flourisht An. 1000. Southampton built out of the ruines of the ancient Clausentium and after many devastations reedified in King Richard the second 's time is a most pleasant and well fortified Town with a goodly Castle proudly advanced on a Hill In a Maison dieu or Hospital here lies interr'd the body of Richard Earl of Cambridge who was executed for Treason in the Reign of King Henry the fifth In the Parish of St. Michael in Southampton was born Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells who died An. 1602. as also Sir Thomas Lake Secretary of State to King James At Basingstoke John sirnamed of Basingstoke the first English Author of a Greek Grammar who died An. 1252. William Paulett Baron of Basing and Marquess of Winchester 〈…〉 to King Henry the seventh and Lord Treasurer to King Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth
of Huntington renowned for his History who flourish't An. 1248. Other Celebrated men of this Shire were William Whitlesey Archdeacon of Huntington who died An. 1375. Henry Saltry who flourisht 1140. William Ramsey a famous Poet. John Young and John White In Wiltshire Wilton the Denominating and once the Principal Town of the Shire is so much the more notable a place by how much the more despicable it now appears as a strange example of the various turns of fortune and mutations of human affairs having only the name left of a Market Town else but a pitiful Village consisting of one only Parish Church which is said to have been a Town of about seventeen or eighteen Parish Churches and having no Memorial or Monument of antiquity which hath been the Theater of so many grand Transactions Here Egbert the Westsaxon and at last Sole Monarch of the English encountred Bernulf King of Mercia and slew him in Battle but in this very place he afterwards received a terrible overthrow from the Danes At Edindon King Alfred gave the Danes a very notable defeat Bradford is memoris'd for a bloody Battle fought between two great Competitors in the Saxon Heptarchy At Woodensbury An. 590. Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons encountring the Britains who joyn'd with his Nephew Cealrick was put to flight and his Son Cuth slain Here also Ina the West-Saxon fought with Ceolred the Mercian Old Sarum was a place made choice of by the Romans for a strong encamped habitation as by the ruins thereof at this day appears Here the Britains receiv'd a fatal overthrow from Kenrick the Saxon besides what spoil was afterwards done by Canutus Caln is famous for that great Assembly which put an end to the controversy about the Marriage of Priests by reason of a disaster which happened by the fall of the Room to the destruction of several people of all sorts Brokenbridge and Cosham places doubly famous in History First as having been ancient Roman Seats next as the Courts of some of the Saxon Kings Crekelade memorable for the Fame of an University said to have been anciently here erected and from hence removed to Oxford Malmsbury qu. Maidulphsbury from Maidulphus a person of renown both for Sanctity and Learning is no less memorable for the famous Monastery there erected by the said Maidulphus then for the birth of two great men viz. William thence sirnamed of Malmesbury a Celebrated Historian and Thomas Hobbes of this present Age and but a few years since deceast a man of much Earning and more cunning Sophistry for the maintenance of those principles he maintained thereby In Dorsetshire Dorchester the chief Town only boasts of some antiquity as from the Roman name Durnovaria Badbury was anciently the Court of the West-Saxon Kings At Cern Austin broke down the Idol of the Saxon God Hell Shaftsbury is fam'd for the History of the Prophesying Eagle most probably a man whose name was Aquila Here was enterr'd the Body of Edward the Son of Edgar Murthered by his Mother-in-Law at Corfe Castle At Winburn-Minster built by Cuthburga Wife in second Marriage to a King of Northumberland the Body of King Ethelred was buried Shirburn was an Episcopal See for a long time in the Cathedral whereof were buried the bodies of King Ethelbald and King Ethelbert In Somersetshire the principal place is the City of Bath Brit. Akamancester Lat. Aquâ solis Badissa very famous and much frequented for its hot Bathing-Springs which our old British Traditions will have to be the invention of Bladud an ancient British King Bath and Wells joyntly together make one Bishoprick Wells is principally esteem'd for its Cathedral which is said to have been built by Inas King of the West-Saxons Pen now a small Village is memoris'd for a great overthrow given to the Britains by Kenwald King of the West-Saxons and afterwards to the Danes by K. Edmund Ironside Bridgewater is otherwise a Town of very good note and of memory for a notable defeat given here to the Danes by Ealstan Bishop of Shirburn An. 845. Glastonbury Avalonia is principally renowned for its Monastery deliver'd to have been founded by Joseph of Arimathea the first Preacher as some Writers affirm of the Gospel in this Island In the Church-yard of Glastonbury in King Henry the second 's Reign was found a Corps of a large demension which by several circumstances was concluded to be the Body of King Arthur Cadbury is recordable for the defeat given by King Arthur to the English Saxons Banesdown Mons Badonicus is a place renown'd for several other of King Arthurs Victories and where King Alfred overthrew the Danes and brought Gorrum to the Sacred Font. Camalet a steep Hill was doubtless some Fort or Encampment of the Romans as appears by the Coins there found moreover on the top thereof there remains to this day the Vestigia of some noble Castle which is said to have been a Palace of King Arthur This Town some Writers have placed in Cornwal Ilchester appears also by the like demonstration to have been a station of the Romans and is still of that repute that it is the chief place of Gaol-delivery for the County In Oxfordshire Oxford besides the glory of its famous University and the Magnificence of its Stately Colledges Here more frequent Parliaments have been call'd than in any place of England next to Westminster and particularly the last Parliament call'd by his present Majesty and held here in March 1681. Here Maud the Empress was besieg'd by King Stephen and with great difficulty made her escape in a disguise by night and got over the Thames on the Ice This place his late Majesty King Charles the first made his chief Head Quarters during the greatest part of the Civil War between him and the Parliament till the City was taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax General of the Rebels Forces It is moreover famous for being the birth-place of that Martial Prince King Richard the first sirnamed Ceur de Lyon Woodstock besides that it hath been anciently a stately Palace belonging to the Kings of England claims a particular place in the book of Fame upon several accounts In the first place here it was that King Henry the second built a sumptuous Bower for his Paramour Rosamund Clifford who for her singular beauty and in allusion to her name was styl'd Rosa Mundi Next it was the birth-Birth-place of Edward the Black Prince lastly in the Town of Woodstock was brought up and educated that most renowned of English Poets Sir Geoffry Chaucer Islip cannot be forgotten so long as the memory of King Edward the Confessour lasts who was here born In Glocestershire the City of Glocester Glenum Colonia Glenum eminent for its Cathedral of which more elsewhere is also not obscure in History Here Earl Robert Brother to the Empress Maud was kept prisoner for some time but much more famous if we may not say infamous was the keeping of this City by the Parliament-Forces under
Collonel Massy against his late Majesty King Charles the First and the great Battle here fought for the raising of the Siege It was won from the Britains by Cheulin King of the West-Saxons An. 570. Here a Monastery of Nuns was founded by Osric King of Northumberland of which three Queens of the Mercians were successively Prioresses viz. Kineburg Eadburg and Eve Here was born Robert called the Monk of Glocester who flourish'd under Henry the second and also Osbernus sirnam'd Claudianus a Benedictine Monk Alny Isle a place near Glocester where after several bloody Battles between King Edmund Ironside and Canutus the Dane the matter was at last decided between them by single combat and a division of the Kingdom made Cirencester or Circester a place of memorable note as won from the Britains by Cheulin the West-Saxon this City is doubtless Ptolomies Corinium Antonines Durocornovium Giraldus his Vrbs Passerum which last denomination it takes from a tradition of one Gurmund an African Tyrant who set it on fire by tying to the tails of Sparrows certain combustible matter which he put fire to It was won from the Britains by Cheulen King of the West-Saxons next possess 't by the Mercians lastly by the Danes under Gurmund An. 879. But that which is to be said greatest of this for it's antiquity and remark is that that it was anciently one of the principal residencies of the Romans by whom it had been rais'd to a high pitch of magnificence and grandure At Cicester was born Thomas Ruthal Bishop of Durham At Duresby Edw. Fox Bishop of Hereford At Cam near Duresby Edward Trotman Judge of the Common Law who was buried in the Temple Church May the 29th An. 1643. At Todington Richard Son to Sir William Tracy who flourish'd under King Henry the second This Richard wrote a Book entitled Preparatio ad Crucem of much esteem in those times At Yate Thomas Neal Chanter to Bishop Bonner he was eminent for Learning and flourish'd An. 1576. At Westbury John Carpenter Bishop of Worcester At Sudely Castle Ralph Lord Sudely Lord Treasurer and Knight of the Garter under Henry the sixth Other Noted men of this Shire were Tideman de Winchcomb the Kings Physitian Abbot of Benle Bishop first of Landaff afterwards of Worcester John Chedworth Bishop of Lincoln Anthony Fitz-Herbert Judge of the Common Pleas. Thomas de la More Knighted by King Edward the first he wrote the Character of King Edward the second a Manuscript now in Oxford Library Sir Thomas Overbury Son to Sir Nicholas William Winter Vice-Admiral of England under Queen Elizabeth John Sprint John Workman and Richard Capel Tewksbury-field gave a very fatal blow to the House of Lancaster An. 1471. in which Prince Edward was slain and Queen Margaret taken Prisoner together with the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Devonshire and others who were beheaded Here was born the famous Alan of Tewksbury who flourish'd under King John Hales a once flourishing Abby but chiefly to be remembred for the birth of Alexander de Hales sirnamed Dr. Irrefregabilis who died An. 1245. In Worcestershire Worcester the chief City is questionless the ancient Branconium of Antoninus and Ptolomie though since call'd by the Latins Vigornea and by the Britains Caer Wrangon some think it to have been built by the Romans for a bound to the Britains The Cathedral of St Mary in Worcester besides the fame of its State and Beauty is the Repository of the Bodies of King John and Prince Arthur Eldest Son to King Henry the seventh But that which gives greatest renown to this City is the memory of the happy preservation of his present Majesty from being taken at the fatal Battle of Worcester where the great Gallantry and Valour of His Majesty and his Party was utterly overpowr'd by the treble forces of the Usurpers At Eversham An. 1265. King Henry the third gain'd a most triumphant Victory over his Barons with the slaughter of Simon Montford and seventeen Lords and the taking of Humphry Bohun Prisoner In Herefordshire the City of Hereford besides that it is the Principal City an Episcopal See and noted for its Cathedral is also memorable for the birth of Adam de Orleton Bishop of Hereford Roger of Hereford a Writer of Astronomy who flourish'd under Henry the second An. 1170. John Davies of good repute for Poetry And also Charles Smith Bishop of Glocester in the reign of King James Bradwardin Castle gave both birth and sirname to that Thomas de Bradwardin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who for his deep knowledge in Theologie and skilful management of Disputations is stiled the profound Doctor At Ashperton was born John Grandison Bishop of Exeter Other memorable persons of this Shire were Robert Devereux Earl of Essex great in deeds of Arms and a person of great power and favour with his Prince yet brought to an untimely end Richard Hackluit whose Book of Voyages is of good repute among the studious in Geography and History William Lemster a Franciscan and learned Doctor John Guillam the noted Herald whose Systeme of Heraldry is accounted the best that hath been written of this Subject In Shropshire besides Shrewsbury the County Town a noted Mart for Cloth and Frizes brought hither from Wales and sent to London and other parts of England there are very remarkable ruins of some ancient places which were certainly Towns or Cities of great spendour or resort as Wrocckester Vriconium the ancient Vsoconia of which Okenyate is a small remainder Oswaldstree retains its name from Oswald the 11th King of Northumberland who was here slain in battel by Penda King of the Mercians In Staffordshire the County Town Stafford anciently Bitheny from Bertelin a holy man is said to have been built by King Edward the Elder and was made a Corporation by King John Tamworth was doubtless anciently a place of more spendour and amplitude than at present for here the Mercian Kings for a long time kept their Court. Litchfield though not the County Town is yet the most eminent place of the County as being a City and Episcopal See joyntly with Coventry the chief Church and now Cathedral was built by the Northumbrian King Oswin upon the Conquest he gain'd over the Pagan Mercians and here Wulferre and Celred were interr'd it was for some time an Arch-bishoprick by the means of King Offa at the request of Bishop Eadulph At Bloreheath in this County a cruel battel was fought between the two Houses of York and Lancaster in which there fell on the Duke of York's side Sir Hugh Venables Sir William Trowthec Sir Richard Mollineux and Sir J. Egerton c. with 2400 and the two Sons taken prisoners of the Earl of Salisbury General of the Yorkists In Darbyshire besides Derby the County town there are memorable Ripton Ripandunum where was interr'd Ethelbald the 9th King of the Mercians who was slain at Egiswald by his Subjects and whence Burthred the last King was expell'd by the Danes with
Equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater people and that Conveniencies for Shipping and Water-Carriage do most eminently and fundamentally conduce thereunto CHAP. II. That some kind of Taxes and Publick Levies may rather increase then diminish the Wealth of the Kingdom CHAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual impediments be more powerful at Sea then England and the low Countries CHAP. IV. That the people and Territories of the King of England are naturally as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France CHAP. V. That the impediments of Englands greatness are Contingent and removable CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last 40 years CHAP. VII That one 10 part of the whole Expences of the King of England Subjects is sufficient to maintain 100000 Foot 40000 Horse and 40000 men at Sea and defray all other charges of the Government both ordinary and Extraordinary c. CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of Englands Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose CHAP. IX That there is Money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation CHAP. X. That the King of Englands Subjects have Stock Competent and Convenient to drive the Trade of the Whole Commercial World THE INTRODUCTION OR THE ORIGINAL OF TRADE PLAINLY Demonstrating it's Increase The Means and Methods used to bring it to the Perfection it is arrived to at present And of the great Benefit reaped thereby both in General and Particular CHAP. I. THat Inland Maritim Trade Traffick are with Gods Blessings on mens Indeavours the chief Pillars and â—upport of all Nations and from whence they had their first rise and greatness is so evident that Arguments to prove it would be ineffectual yet from the World 's Original it had not it's perfection nor indeed could it till Mankind increased and by spreading wide in the Earth Peopled it's vast Immensity nor then for some thousands of Years was it National but rather in secret between man and man few People knowing the Benefit of any other commodities then what were of the native growth of those Countries they inhabited nor so could Riches abound for Coyn was for the most part useless or indeed not mentioned till the days of Abraham the Patriarck Exchange of Goods being the only Traffick and consequently on that score few Traded for more then they had present occasion to use by Reason many things were not of lasting quality and for that they for the most part Travelled from place to place Their chiefest Riches consisted in Cattle but at last when they Builded Cities and Towns and found the conveniency of a Settlement they extended their Traffick farther and one City Traded with another which still spread wider yet long was it ' er they found means to plough the Bosom of the Sea and to hold Commerce and Traffick with remote Nations which no sooner was brought to my Perfection but Riches abounding and Plenty Flowing in on every side men then and not till then began to give their thoughts large scope and not contented with the Portion of Earth alotted them began to grow emulous aspire to universal Soveraignty as likewise to plant Colonies in till then unhabitable Islands which had not Shipping been invented must have continued without inhabitants as at this time past doubt for want of discovery many do in the remote Seas especially under the Artick Pole whose extremity renders them unaccessible or at least unhabitable and of all Nations the Greeks were the first that brought Navigation to any Perfection by which they grew opulent and extended their Colonies to thâ— utmost Orient acquiring the Empire of the then known World their Fame growing every where great nor could the Romans bring their Warlike Expeditions to any perfection till they were Lords of the Sea and inriched themselves by Traffick bringing into that one City the Stores of all Nations so that from Cottages of Shepherds who lay'd her first Foundation she soon became Magnificent thrusting up her Lofty Spires bedecked with Gold so high that they in a manner kissed the Clouds and rendered her the awfull Mistriss of the Universe and by Trade and Industry more then by Arms kept up her Reputation for six hundred Years when ranging the World to find out Countries unconquered at last from Gallia or France under the leading of Caesar they entered Brittain a Place then wild and rude not knowing how to use the abundant plenty that Nature bestowed upon them but refusing all manner of Dainties fed upon Roots of Herbs and Barks of Trees not Tilling any Ground nor sowing Corn otherwise then scattering it on the untilled Surface of the Earth and harrowing it over with Bushes suffering their Cattle Fowl and Fish of which they had store to continue useless scarcely knowing any shoar but their own Their Traffick or Merchandise for the most part amongst themselves and that but mean their chief Riches consisting as Strabo saith in Ivory-Boxes Sheers Onches Bitts Bridles Chains of Iron Wreaths Glass coloured and the like which they usually delivered to each other as currant Coyn for what their necessity required but no sooner had the Romans Civilized them and instructed them in such Arts as were most sutable to their Capacities and might stand them in greatest stead but they began to Build Houses living before for the most in Huts and going naked and turned their Leather Boats into Tall Ships Furrowing the Seas broad back and discovering many Nations to them till then unknown So that by Traffick abroad and Improvement at home this Island grew famous and spread it's Name to the utmost Limit of the known Earth so that being rightly termed the Store-House of the Western World all the Neighbour-Nations Traded hither so that those Ports and Havens that were for a long time useless were now filled with Ships of all Nations So that Silver and Gold was had in Abundance and Coyns in imitation of those the Romans Stamped with the Effigies of their Kings and Princes which then were many each County containing two or three and they for the most part at variance amongst themselves which gave the Romans an opportunity to become Conquerors at an easier rate then otherwise they could During the four hundred Years and odd that the Romans Governed here by their Lievetenants and sometimes by their Emperors in Person Rome and after her Constantinople the new Seat of Empire abounded with our Stores so that more Tribute was pay'd by this Island then by France and Germany tho Ten times as large but the fame of Brittains Wealth proved her unhappyness for the Goth breaking in upon the Roman Empire whose spreading Top was too large to be supported by the slender Bole her Branches was torn off on every side so that to support their own the Romans were forced to recall
third so earnestly promoted the Woollen Manufacture by admitting the Flemins and other Nations the free use of Manual Operation within his Dominions That so his Subjects might learn the Craft and not be beholden to other Nations to work the growth of our own Country and pay them extraordinary Rates by the advance of Exportation and Importation for what might be otherwise ordered to the Advantage and Glory of our own Nation by setting many thousands of Poor people on work otherwise incapable of getting whereby to subsist 4. The Fishmongers a Vocation no less advantagious to this Kingdom by their incouragement of the Fishing-Trade of which hereafter I shall speak were in former times two Companies viz. Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers but in the beginning of the Reign of Henry the Eight Anno 1509. did bear their Arms as at present they do and in the twenty eight Year of the King Anno 1536 were United and incorporated in one Body without distinction 5. The Goldsmiths an Ancient Craft so I may rightly term it for formerly those that sold worked likewise their own Plate were Incorporated and confirmed in the sixteenth Year of King Richard the Second's Reign 6. The Skinners had the Favour to be incorporated in the first Year of the Reign of King Edward the third Anno 1327. and were made a Brotherhood in the eighteenth of King Richard the Second's Reign 7. The Merchant-Taylors had their first pattent of Arms granted by Sr. Thomas Holne Clarencieux King at Arms being then called Taylors and Linnen Armourers viz. in the twenty first of King Edward the fourth Anno 1480. and since Incorporated by Henry the Seventh by the name of Merchant Taylors viz. in the seventeenth of his Reign Anno 1501. 8. The Haberdashers or Hurrers formerly so called were Incorporated a Brotherhood of St. Catharine in the twenty sixth of Henry the sixth Anno 1447. and by the name of Merchants Haberdashers confirmed in the seventeenth Year of Henry the seventh 9. The Salters had their Arms and as many suppose were confirmed in the twentieth Year of Henry the Eighth 1530. being a Company of good Esteem The Iron-Mongers had the Favour to be Incorporated in the third Year of King Edward the fourth Anno 1462. at which time they were greatly increased and the Mines of our Nation much improved 11. The Vintners formerly called Wine-Tunners were Incorporated in the Reign of King Edward the third after he had Conquered all Normandy and by that means ingrossed most of the French Vintage But were not confirmed till the fifteenth of Henry the sixth 12. The Cloath-Workers had their Arms granted by Thomas Benolt Clarenceux in the twenty second Year of Henry the Eighth but the time of their Incorporation uncertain And thus in brief have I declared the Original of the twelve Principal Companies upon whom the greatest Stress of Trade depends and by whose prudent Management and Industry Brittain Flourishes and at this day lifts up her Head above her Neighbour Nations Those that remain are these whose names I shall only recite because they tend not much to our purpose the Dyers Brewers Leathersellers Pewterers Barbers Chyrugeons Armourers White-Bakers Wax-Chandlers Tallow-Chandlers Cutlers Girdlers Butchers Sadlers Carpenters Cordwainers Painters Curriers Masons Plumbers Inholders Founders Embroiderers Poulterers Cooks Coopers Bricklayers and Tylers Bowyers Fletchers Blacksmiths Joyners Plaisterers Weavers Fruterers Scriveners Botlemakers and Horners Stationers Marblers Wool-packers Farriers Paviers Lorimors or Lorinors Brown-Bakers Wood-mongers Vpholsterers Turners Glaziors Clarks Watermen Apothecaries and Silk-Throwsters All of these are Fraternities and most of them Incorporated and have Charters of Priviledge and large Immunities tho in the days of our Forefathers many of them were not known not having brought their several Trades and Crafts to perfection for many of which they were obliged to be beholden to Strangers but the Natives of this Kingdom being naturally Ripe-wited and of a toward Genius soon became Arts-Masters and out-did their Teachers so that at this day no Nation under Heaven can exceed them if the Materials be alike in all respects But having given the Reader an account of the Respective Companies whose industry at home improve to a Miracle what is brought to them from distant Lands I shall proceed to give a Relation of the Respective Merchants whose Traffick by Sea Inriches the Land whilest the Land finds them with wherewithal to drive on their Commerce with all Nations from whence any Valuable Merchandise is brought But before I Lanch altogether into the Ocean I think it would be necessary to relate the Incorporation of the Merchant of the Staple who once were the chiefest boast and most profitable to this Nation Nor indeed less profitable to others as France Flanders Holland Saxony and many other Countries the chief Mart being Established at Calis a little before taken from the French by King Edward the third the profit of our English Wool then chiefly obliging the Flemings to side with us against their Potent Neighbour The Merchants of the Staple having been a long while a Fraternity were Incorporated by the aforesaid King Edward the third and by him indowed with many large Priviledges tho at this day the Woollen Manufacture being greatly increased every one buyes his Commodity where he can find it best Cheap so that there remaining no fixed Staple these Merchants are not now of such Repute as formerly CHAP. III. Of the several English Merchants Trading into most parts of the time of their Incorporating and Improvment of Navigation THe English Merchants Trading by Navigation who by visiting remote Countries and Trafficking with the Inhabitants bring in the store of the whole World are chiefly these and their Incorporations mostly as followeth 1. The Merchants Adventurers were Incorporated by King Edward the fourth from which time they Traded with good Success until the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who for a further incouragement to their Industry not only confirmed them but inlarged their Priviledges 2. The Merchants of Russia or Muscovia who having improved their Trade and Commerce in that Remote Kingdom to the Inriching their Native Land were Incorporated by King Edward the sixth greatly incouraged by Queen Mary and had their confirmation with an Augmentation of their Priviledges from the ever favourer of Navigation the Bounteous Queen Elizabeth 3. The Merchants of Elbing were Incorporated by Queen Elizabeth and by her greatly incouraged she like a prudent Queen and Patroness of her Country well knowing that by Traffick not only her Revenues would be improved but likewise her People be Inriched and she rendered formidable to her aspiring Neighbours tho since upon some distast they have left Trading in that place and Trade at Hambourg and other free Cities and Ports 4. The Turky-Merchants or Merchants of the Levant were likewise Incorporated by the same Queen and were confirmed with a large addition to their Priviledges by King James 5. The Merchants of Spain or more properly Spanish Merchants or such of our Nation as
Traded to Spain were Incorporated by Queen Elizabeth 6. The East-India Merchants were Incorporated by Queen Elizabeth Anno 1600. from which time they have continually inproved their Trade in those remote parts of the World being now one of the Wealthiest Corporations in Europe their first rise was by imploying a Joynt-stock to build Ships of which now they have Store and so themselves in imitation of the Porteguese and other industrious People Traded to the Indies and soon found the advantage by bringing home the same Commodities which we before were beholden to Strangers for at second Hand and dear Rates 7. In the latter end of Queen Elizabeths Reign and in the beginning of King James's the Eastland Greenland and French Merchants were setled in companies and Traded with great Success Building many Ships and continually imploying some thousands of Persons in the Management of their Affairs Exporting Commodities of our growth and bring in those of the growth of other Countries 8. There are likewise a Company of Virginia or West-India Merchants whose Industry has much improved our Colonies in America and advance the King's Revenues in his Customs twenty thousand pound per Annum which Trade into those parts has and dayly will increase and turn to the Advantage of our Nation and be a means of making further Discoveries in those vast Seas in which lie hid past doubt many fair Islands if not Continents as Rich as those which yield the Spaniard yearly so many Millions of Ducates in Gold Ore and Bars of Silver These and other Traders in remote parts make England Flourish and stand the envy of her Neighbour Nations There is likewise the Guinnie and Barbary Companies both Rich in Shipping and Merchandise having since their Incorporation gotten great Esteem and much improved Navigation And now having given an account of the Constitution and settlement of those in general that drive on the Trade and Commerce both by Land and Sea before I Lanch into the Ocean to take a view of other Countries or to describe their Trade and Traffick I shall expose to Publick view the Commodities of my Native Country with all the Islands and Dominions that surround it viz. such â—s are subject to the Brittish Scepter as â—lso in due place and order As also of â—he Currant Coyns the Weights Meaâ—ures and such other Matters relating to Commerce as are available to the Compiling of this Treatise and first of Engâ—and and Wales CHAP. IV. Of England and the Trade thereof in General and Particular with a Survey of all the Measures Weights Currant Coynes Inland Commerce and what tends to Navigation A Description of the most material Counties and of the Trade of Wales in general ENgland the Head of the Brittish Empire is in every Place so admirable abounding with plenty that to describe her in every part of her Trade and Beautiful Situation would exact a large Volum Therefore I shall only in brief expose to view what is most material as to my purpose And first I shall begin with Cornwell as being the remotest of the English Counties or Provinces tho it be in it self in many places to appearance a Barren and Mountainous Country yet does it produce Rich Mines of Tinn which brought to perfection is of great esteem in all Countries With it there is also digged Gold and Silver tho hardly worth refining the Earth not having heat enough to bring it to perfection there is found likewise a Stone Transparent naturally formed in Angles and Points like a Diamond which was it not so common might merit high esteem On that Coast Herrings and Pilchards are taken in great number which not only sustain the Inhabitants but being dryed prove good Merchandise in Spain France Flanders and Italy The Sea Coast is adorned with many Towns of which Falmouth is chief being capable of receiving many Vessels nor is St. Ives of less note yielding great store of Fish not reckoned less yearly then four or five thousand Hogsheads of Pilchards and five hundred Barrels of Herrings besides some Tuns of Congerdoust great store of Ray-Fish which imploys some hundreds of the Inhabitants and inables them to provide plentifully for their Families and reserve as the old saying is a Penny against a rainy day These Commodities viz. Pilchards are vended by the Hogshead four of them making a Tun as likewise by the thousand they allowing twelve hundred small Tale to the thousand and a Barrel of Herrings commonly thirty Gallons is sold to the Merchants for eighteen Shillings twenty Shillings or according as the fishing Season is propitious Congerdoust is sold by the Kintale viz. one hundred and twelve pound to the Kintale Ray-fish are for the most part sold fresh and that by the Dozen at two Shillings four Pence two Shillings six Pence and sometimes three Shillings per Dozen but their Dozens are extraordinary large they allowing sometimes sixty to the Dozen but sometimes less according to the Custom of the Place their Weight is one hundred and twelve pound according to the Stander their Yard and Ell equal to those of London Their Bushel for Grain and Salt imported contains twenty eight Gallons Water Measure and so proportionable the greater or the lesser Measures but their Bushel used in Publick Markets for Corns is but twenty Gallons their Gallon agreeing with the Winchester Gallon The Bakers in those parts are but few and the most thing they stand in need of is Salt Ten thousand Bushel being yearly spent in Curing their Fish The manner of taking Pilchards and Herrings is with Nets but the Ray-Fish with Hooks the first being Fished for from the first of July till the first of January the second from Michalemass till Christmass and the third and last only in the Prime of Summer sixty Boats and about four hundred men being imployed therein Devonshire is no less Rich in Veins of Tin adorned it is with many Towns and good Havens as Exon Dartmouth and Plimouth the latter famous for producing the worthy Sr. Francis Drake The Sea-Ports as the former most Subsist by Fishery Dorsetshire abounds in Cattle Fertile Pastures and Linnen Manufacture it 's chief Towns being Dorchester and Waymouth Somersetshire is famous for the many Trading Places contained in it's Circuit but especially in Bristol the second City of England for Naval Commerce as being stored with Merchants Trading into most parts of the known World it abounds in Riches and the County no less in Corn Cattle Wool Woollen Cloth Serges and other valuable Commodities which they Trade withal to other adjacent Counties Darbyshire the Head of which is the Town of Derby abounds in plenty of Corn Leaden Mines and other Minerals Wiltshire is an Inland County but the people Frugal and industrious their chief Commodity is Woollen-Cloth which is dispersed all over England and brings them a good return maintaining at least three thousand Persons in Carding Spining Weaving Shearing Dressing and the like the Head of this County is Salisbury
Hampshire famous for the great Trade of Hony therein whose chief Cities are Southampton and Winchester Barkshire is famous for Cloth-working abounding in Cattle Rich Pastures Artificers Fruits of all sorts and all things else necessary for the Subsistance of man Surry is no less abounding in all plenty than the former and of greater Trade by Reason of it's nearness to the City of London that Mouth of the Nation by Reason of which it's Inhabitants have the better opportunity to vend the growth of that County Sussex and Kent abound in Fruits Corn Wood Wax Hony Cattle and all other necessary Commodities which by Reason they border on the Sea they have opportunity to dispose of at good rates Glocestershire is for the most part imployed in the Woollen Manufacture Glocester being the Head City In it are found those famous Hills of Cots-Wold on which numerous Flocks of Sheep Feed and affoard the best Wool in Europe Oxford is famous for her Rich Pastures store of Cattle and Corn but above all for her University in her chief City of Oxford Buckingham Bedford and Hertfordshires are adorned with pleasant Buildings rich Pastures store of Corn pleasant Rivers abounding with Fish and Forrests of Stately Oaks with which the Wall of the Nation viz. our Ships of War are made nor is Venison in abundance wanting nor any sort of Fowls common in England Middlesex and Essex the first famous for Buildings and so long together containing the Pallaces of our Kings Courts of Judicature and above all incompassing the famous City of London The second for store of Cattle the many famous Ports and the Commodity received by shipping the Silver Thames Washing her Southern Shoar as far as the Hope it abounding likewise in Corn Cheese Butter and the like Suffolk and Norfolk next take place the first famous for Butter Cheese Cloath Cattle Corn Wool and what not The second for Deer Conneys Sheep Daries and store of Corn but above all for containing the famous City of Norwich which for Industry ought to be accounted the chief Boast of England it being seated upon the River Yare from whence Yarmouth takes it's name and thirty Miles from the Sea by Water tho not above sixteen by Land has little forrain Trade save only with Holland the chief Trade being with the City of London the chief Commodities being Stuffs and Stockings which are made for the most part in the City it not being guessed that less then one hundred thousand pounds-worth of Stuffs every Year are sent up to London which Stuffs making and disposing of are under the Government of two Companies the one called the Worstes Company the other the Russia Company Those Manufactures under the Government of the Worsted Company and approved by the Wardens thereof have a Seal affixed to each on the one side inscribed Norwich on the other such letters as stand for the Wardens Names that are at the Sealing thereof The other Seal has on one side these words viz. Worsted Reformed and on the other in Figures containing the quantity of Yards the Piece contains Those called the Russia Company the Manufacture under whose Government to be approved by them is Sealed on the one side with these words Fidelitas Artes alit This Suff Trade is managed by Partner-Ship between the London and Norwich Merchants great quantities whereof have been and are exported to furnish other Nations especially Spain and the West-Indias The Stockings here vended are reckoned to amount to near sixty thousand pounds per Annum being most knit by Children incapable of other Labour so that at eight Years of Age many of them will earn four pence or six Pence a day these latter are not under any Governour but have their Materials found them by certain Citizens as well of that City as of London which when made into Hose are sent over Sea most of them to furnish the Neighbour Nations The County likewise affoards Sheep Conies and Kine in abundance as also store of Corn especially Barly which being turned into Mault is sent up to London as likewise into Scotland all Corn is sold according to the Custom of the Country by the Score which is twenty Cooms every Coome containing four Bushels and to every Score one Coom is allowed over-plus Their Weights and Measures both dry and wet are consistent to the London Weights and Measures In the like manner abound Cambridgshire Northamptonshire Huntingtonshire Leicestershire Rutland Lincolnshire notinggamshire Warwickshire Worcestershire Staffordshire Shropshire Cheshire Herefordshire Yorkshire the County of Richmond Bishoprick of Durham Lancashire Westmoreland Cumberland Northumberland And the strong Town and Territories of Barwick upon Tweed all abounding in store of things necessary and convenient for the profit and pleasure of man In brief England affoards more Merchandise than any one Nation in Europe as Perpetuanas Bays Says Serges Cotton Woollen Cloath of all sorts Kersies Buffins Mocados Grogram Sattins Calimancates Velvets Plushes Worsted Fustains Durances Tukes Cony-Skins Squiril-Skins Fitches Calf-Skins Hides Also by Mines it produceth first by Tin twelve hundred thousand pounds yearly Lead eight hundred Foders yearly Allum eight hundred Tuns yearly Iron of all sorts eight hundred Furnaces daily Sea Cole yearly 50000000. Chaldron yearly Salt 300000. Ways yearly as likewise all manner of Grain as Oats Wheat Barly Rye Pease c. likewise Linnen Cloth Tallow Leather Glass and Glasses of all sorts Venice Gold and Silver Train Oyl Salmon Pilchards Herrings Conger Haberdine Hops Wood Cheese Butter Salt-Peter Gunpowder Honey Wax Alabaster Wools Yarns and the like too many here to insert Nor is Wales in most parts less furnished it consisting of the Isle of Anglesea the shires of Flint Denbigh Carnarvon Merioneth Montgomery Cardigan Pembrook Carmarden Glamorgan Radnor Brecknock Monmouth abounding in Cattle Pastures divers useful Manufactures nor are the industry of the Inhabitants wanting to improve the product of their Country to the best advantage being a frugal sort of People insomuch that whereever they Plant themselves they are thrifty and increase the smallest Stock to considerable advantage Thus having taken a view of all England and Wales viz. as to Traffick and the native Commerce London excepted I shall now take a view of that great Metropolis having purposely reserved her for the last she being as Crown to the rest of the Nation and indeed the Beauty of the Universe CHAP. V. The Traffick of London LOndon the Mistriss of Cities is placed upon the Banks of the River of Thames whose Silver Ebbs and Flows continually wash her Beautiful Walls she being supposed to be eight Miles in Circuit especially if the Liberties be included and before the dreadful Conflagration in sixty six was adorned with one hundred twenty two stately Churches and now not guessed to contain less within the Circuit of her Liberties and all than 5 if not 600000. Souls she being the Center of the Nation and chief Receptacle of all Commodities as well of the native growth as from all Parts
Length 3000 Miles and when it over-flows not it portenteth some fatal disaster to the King or Kingdom and by this means the Land is Fertilized for as for Rain there is none The chief Places of Traffick are Alexandria a famous Sea-Port founded by Alexander the great and Cairo commonly called Grand Cairo and in these Center the Trade of the whole Country Therefore omitting Places of lesser note I shall only take a View of these two Cities and their Commerce with such as Trade in those parts and first of Alexandria Alexandria first founded by Alexander the Great in Expedition to Conquer the World is the chief Maritim City of Egypt and from all parts of the Kingdom are thither brought Flax Hemp Hony Wax Rice Balsoms Dates Drugs and Spices and the Country in general produceth abundance of Palm Trees besides hither are brought the Plenty of Arabia India and Persia as Spices Drugs Silks c. so that the Custom-House is accountable yearly for great Summs of Gold The nature of the Palm Trees that grow in that Country is this they always grow in Cupples twisted or twined viz. Male and Female the Female Palm only bears Fruit and that not without the Male for if the Male Palm be cut away the Female will not bear the Fruit is Cods with Seed and pleasant Juice the Pith of these Trees is excellent in tast and very nourishing of the Leaves they make Fans Mats and Baskets of the outward Husks of the Cod Cordage and of the inward Brushes the Fruit they bear is like a Fig which serves the Inhabitants for Meat green and dryed for Bread The Weights used here are four sorts first the Quintar of Zera second the Quintar of Forfor third the Quintar of Zaidin the fourth the Quintar of Mina the first is found to be English 112 pounds the second 93 pounds English the third 134 pounds English the fourth the 167 pounds English Averdupois Weight The Measures are two-fold viz. the Pico Barbaresco which is used for the Measuring of Cloath both Linnen and Woollen and is in Length 25 â…ž English Inches and the Pico Turchesco with which is Measured Silks fine Stuffs Cloath of Gold c. and is found to be 22 ¼ English Inches as for wet and dry Measures they are of little use the Customs being to sell by Weight for the most part CHAP. XXVII A View of Cairo and the Trade Weights Measures and Customs thereof CAiro is a famous City Situate in the vast Plain beneath the Mountains of Mucatun and not above 2 Miles from the Bank of Nilus adorned with many stately Buildings as Pallaces Colledges Temples and the like and has in it a large Burse or Exchange of 3 Story high the first of which consists of Ware-Houses for Gross Goods in the second is laid up Musk Amber Silks Spices and the like and in the third the Merchants who have Ware-Houses there lodg with their Retinues which Merchants are of 6 sorts first the Native Egyptians secondly the Arabians or Moors thirdly the Merchants of Europe Christians fourthly the Turks fifthly the Jews and sixthly the Christians of Affrica as Greeks Armenians c. The Lord of this City and Country is the grand Signeour who governs by his Bashaw or Vice-King The Commodities Traded for by the Europian Merchants are Flax Rice Balsoms Puls Fruits Cottons Sugars Hemp and the like which according to the overflowing of Nilus the Soil yields in plenty or Scarcity so that when they have a plentiful Year they make a Feast to Nilus or the River God as they Term him and exceedingly Rejoyce thereto The yearly Revenue of this Kingdom accrueing by Customs and other ways amount to 3 Millions of Sheraffes each valued at 8 Shillings Sterling one Million of which is sent to the grand Signeur one for maintaining the forces of the Kingdom and the other to enable the Bashaw to keep his Court. The Customs are either payed in Species or compounded for at 10 per cent only Money entred pays but one and a half per cent but outward all Commodities pay 11 per cent which is accounted the Soldan's Custom The Customs of Alexandria are farmed by the Jews at 20000 Medins per diem which according to computation amounts to 55000 pounds per Annum Sterling Their Weights and Measures are the same with those of Alexandria The Currant Coyns in Egypt are Spanish Royals of 8 which they call Piastre and Dollers the Meden the Asper the Soltana Xeriffe and Cheqeen the value of each as before recited Their Accounts are variously kept some in one sort of Coyn and some in another The chief Trade driven here by the European Christians is by the French and Venetians the English having of late declined it as having the growth of the Country or the same Commodities at cheaper Rates in India and Aleppo And thus much for the Continent of Egypt CHAP. XXVIII A View of the Isles of the Sea appertaining to Africa with their Commodities Trade Weight Measures c. THe Isles are these viz. Madagascar Zocotara St. Thomas the Canary Islands the Islands of Assores or Tarceras The first abounds in Ginger Cloves and Silver Mines and was discovered by the Portugals Anno 1506. The money in use amongst the Natives are Glass Beads of Cambaia which passes currant amongst them their Weights and Measures are few and those uncertain The second lyeth in the Mouth of the Red Sea 10 Degrees Northward from the Equator and yieldeth Cattle and Corn but the chief thing Traded for is Aloes which are sold by the Quintar which Averdupois English is 93 pound The third lies under the Equinoctial in which is a Colony of Portugals the chief Commodity it yieldeth is Sugar of which so much is made as ladeth yearly 50 Vessels of good Burthen their Weights and Measures being the same with those used at Lisbone as indeed wherever the Portugals Plant themselves they impose their own Weights and Measures on the Inhabitants Fourthly the Canary Islands which are 7 in number under the Protection of the King of Spain are very Fruitful abounding in Sugar-Canes and those Birds we call Caâ—â—ry Birds and in Canary Wine which takes it's name from the Islands of which 4 or 500 Tuns are yearly exported and dispersed over Europe There is likewise Wood of Excellent use for Dyers Hither the English trade and for the growth of the Island Exchange Says Serge Bays Linnen c. Their Weights Measures and Coyns are the same with those of Sevil of which in order I shall speak Fifthly the Islands of Assores or Tarceras directly under the Meridian were first discovered by the Flemings and abound in Cattle Corn Wood and the like but are of little use some for Harbouring and re-victualling of Ships in their Voyage to the East-Indies as are many other small Islands lying in that vast Ocean And thus much shall suffice for Africa and the Trade thereof CHAP. XXIX A View of Asia and of the Trade
Pepper is charged but with half Custom and consequently rated at half less then it cost and thus much for the Trade of Aleppo CHAP. XXXIII A View of Tripoly and the Trade thereof THis City to distinguish it from that Piratical City in Barbary bearing the same name is called Tripoly of Syria and was formerly the Scale of Trade but it has been of late removed to Aleppo as is before mentioned so that now it has little Trade with Europe except what the Venetians find there The Commodities vended are Cotton in Yarn and Wool Drugs of several sorts Corn and some Spices The Weight used there is the Rottolo of 100 pound which has been found to be 416 pound Averdupois allowing 52 Drams to the Ounce The Monies currant are Aspers Dollars Lyons and Soltinies the Common Money of Syria and thus much for the Trade of that Region CHAP. XXXIV A View of Palestine and the Provinces Trade Weights Measures Customs and Currant Coyn thereof THe Provinces of Palestine are 4 viz. Galilea Judaea Idumea and Samaria In these Provinces the chief Cities are Gaza and Tyrus which at present afford but little Trade and what is afforded is carryed on by the Venetians the Commodities of the former are Cottons in Wool and Yarn several sorts of Drugs and Spices The Coyns currant there are those of Turky the Weights used are the Rottolo and Cantar 100 Rotolo's going to the Cantar The latter viz. Tyrus formerly very famous for Navigation as appears by the Description of that City in Holy Writ but now wants that Trade being Subjected by the Turks so that what Trade remains is amongst themselves or such Neighbours as do not make any great advantage thereof their Weights Measures and Coyns are those used throughout the Turkish Dominions CHAP. XXXV A View of Armenia and the Provinces thereof together with the Trade as likewise of Arabia the Provinces and Trade thereof ARmenia is bounded on the East with Media and the Caspian Sea on the West with the River Euphrates and the Euxian Sea on the North with Tartary and on the South with Mesopotamia and divided into 3 Provinces viz. Georgia Colchis and Turcomania and is in Subjection to the Grand Signeour and abounds in Cattle Fruits Corn and such like but has little Commerce with Merchants especially by Navigation Arabia is divided into 3 parts viz. Arabia Desarta Arabia Petrosa and Arabia Faelix The first of which is bounded on the East with the Persian Gulph on the West with the Red Sea on the North with Mesopotamia and on the South with the Arabian Ocean and is memorable for nothing more then the Children of Israels wandering in it 40 Years in their Journey out of Egypt to the Land of Promise being altogether Barren nor is the second less sterile so that the Inhabitants live upon Robberies and Spoil of such Merchants Goods as pass through upon Camels to Aleppo and other Places Arabia Faelix differs from the former as being Fertile even beyond Expression exceeding the Richest Country in Asia in it's abounding with Balsoms Mirrh Frankincense Gold Pearls Spices Manna and Drugs of most sorts which are carryed by the Merchants to Aleppo and other Mart Cities and Towns and from thence dispersed over the known World The chief Towns are Medina and Mecha famous for being the one the Birth place and the other the Burial place of the Impostor Mahomet as also Aden The Weights and Measures are the same with those of Morocco and Tunis and their Coyns are the Asper the Soltany and Chequin c. CHAP. XXXVI A View of Assyria Mesopotamia Chaldea c. ASsyria is bounded on the North with Armenia on the East with Media on the West with Mesopotamia and on the South with Persia and is famous for its Metropolis the great City Ninive which is now ruined by War but is a Province where at present little or no Trade is driven and therefore I shall the more lightly pass it over Mesopotamia is in subjection to the Ottoman Empire and has for its chief City Carumite the Seat of the Turkish Bashaw but is of little note as to Trade Chaldea is famous for comprehending the great City of Babylon now called Bagdet Builded first by Nimrod and afterwards inlarged to the circuit of 60 Miles by Semiramis whose Walls were 200 Foot high and 75 Foot broad and is saluted by the River Euphrates and at this day keeps Correspondence with Aleppo by Carravans and Camels so that it retains a considerable Trade and what is worthy of note their advice to and from distant places is received by the means of Pigeons which is in this manner effected When the Hen sits they carry the Cock a days Journey and then fast'ning a Letter about his Neck let him go who immediately Flyeth Home and there the Letter is received by such as watch his return and so by degrees bring them to such perfection that in 24 Hours a Letter will be carryed 100 or 150 Miles The Commodities of this Place are the same with those of Aleppo and their Weights the Dram Mittagal Rottolo and Cantar the Rottolo being 1 pound 10 Ounces English Their Measure is the Pico which is found to be 27 Inches English and their Coyns those usual throughout the Turkish Empire and therefore 't is needless to repeat them CHAP. XXXVII A View of Media and the Provinces thereof as also of their Trade Weights Measures and the like MEdia is bounded on the West with Armenia on the South with Persia on the North with the Caspian Sea and on the East with Parthia the chief Cities are Tauris Sultania and Derbent of which the former is the Metropolis and commonly made the Summer Seat of the Persian Sophy and is conjectured to contain 100000. Inhabitants the Trade thereof consists chiefly in Raw-Silk of which there is store which is Traded for by our English Merchants and others and what remains is sent to Aleppo viz 2000. Summs yearly the City affords likewise rich Carpets and some Drugs Spices Cottons Galls Allum and the like it being now in the Subjection of the Persian Monarch The Weights and Measures are for the most part the same with those of Babylon viz. the Rottolo Cantar and Pico the Country round about is very Fertile in Corn and plants as also in the producing all manner of necessaries for the production of Cattle CHAP. XXXVIII A View of Persia The Provinceâ— Cities Trade Weights Measures and Commodities thereof PErsia is bounded on the East with the River Indus on the South with the main Ocean on the North with the Caspian Sea and on the West with Tygris and the Persian Gulf and is divided into 11 Provinces viz. Persis Susiana Caramania Gedrosia Drangiania Arica Arachosia Parapomisus Saccha Hircania and Ormus all large Provinces Persis has of late changed it's name to that of Far and is bounded with the Persian Gulph Caramania Susiana and Media and abounds in rich Merchandise especially Silk Drugs and
endeth through the middle of which runneth the famous River Ganges making a large Bay or Gulph called the Bay of Bengala and is under the Protection of the great Mogul whose Coyns are currant in those Parts As for the River Ganges the Natives and many other of far Countries imagine it to be of that Virtue that it can cure many distempers and by Drinking and Bathing therein make them capable of obtaining Paradice which Superstitious conceipt brings many from distant Places on Pilgrimage which Creates a great Trade in Satagan the chief City on this Coast which is Seated on a River some distance from Ganges up which the Tide runneth 100. Miles and more so swift that Boats drive with incredible speed without Sails or Oars at the entrance of this River is a place called the Butter where Merchants Build Booths of Straw and Branches of Trees against the coming in of the Ships and furnish them with all manner of Merchandise by Reason the River will not admit of Ships of great Burthen so high as Satagan the which sheds when the Ships depart they set on fire and remove their Goods to Satagan nor are the Commodities vended her a few for no less then forty Ships of Divers Nations find sufficient to Load them and some to spare The chief Commodities found on this Coast are Rice Cloath of Cotton of divers sorts Lacca Sugar Mirabolans Long-Pepper Oyl of Zerseline c. and from this City the Merchants Trade to Pegu Musulipatan and Summatra and for the most part to avoid being incommoded by the heat they meet and Trade in the Night and what Goods are bought here by the Natives are carryed up the River in Boats and sold in other Cities and Ports In these parts the English East-India Company has Factories and greatly improve themselves thereby the Portugals likewise in this Tract have 2 small Forts but no considerable Trade that Nation of late much declining in matters of Navigation The Weights and Coyns are much the same with those of Musulipatan Having thus far proceeded it will not be amiss to give the Reader an Account of a strange Custom used in this Tract which is that if any Debtor break the day of payment by him consented to his Creditor goes to the Principal Bramen or Arch-Priest and procures of him a Rod with which he makes a circle round his debtor charging him in the Name of the King and the said Bramen not to depart out of it till he has satisfyed the debt which if he does not he must either starve there or by coming out forfeit his Life to the Laws of the Country but this is only amongst the Natives CHAP. XLVI A View of Pegu and the Trade Customs Weights and Coyns of the Coast thereof PEgu is divided into two parts In the one the King and his Nobles reside in the other the Artificers Merchants and Mariners that wherein the former reside is called the New-Town and where the latter Inhabit the old-Town about which is a Moat of exceeding breadth in which are many Crocadils kept purposely and all the Walls Beautifyed with Turrets Guilded with Gold the Streets are fair and set on each side with rows of Palm-Trees to keep off the Sun from such as Pass through them and upon the Arrival of the Ships by the help of the Monson or Trading Wind great is the concourse of Merchants who come from the Coast of Cormandel and other Places bringing Pointados wrought Cotton and other Merchandise from Maecca whence come several great Ships laden with Damasks Woollen Cloath Velvets and Cheqens From Malacca Vessels Arrive laden with Pepper Porcelan Sanders Camphora and other Rich Commodities There Arrives several Vessels likewise from Sumatra with Pepper and other Commodities who for the most part Anchor in a Port called Cosmia not far distant from the City as for the Customs they are narrowly looked into by Broakers who are imployed for that purpose and have two per cent out of all Commodities paying Custom for their own share and are bound to sell the Merchants Goods for them and to make good what debts they contract or false money they take upon that occasion and in their dealings they are very Just as likewise they are bound to find Lodgings and Ware-Houses for Merchants their contracts are made in Publick yet in such a method that none but the parties concerned can tell what is done for by putting their Hands under a Carpet and squesing such and such Joynts they know each others meanings without speaking a word which is registred by the Broaker if they come to a conclusion in Leaves of Trees used there instead of Paper When a Merchant-Stranger comes thither the Governour sends several Maids to him to take his choise which done he must agree with her Parents and then she serves him during his stay for both Wife and Servant and when he departs paying what he agreed for she returns home and if afterward she be marryed and he comes to that place he may have her during his stay her Husband not in the least making a Scruple thereof and when he departs he may send her to her Husband The Native Commodities in this Tract are Gold Rubies Spinals Saphirs Silver which are digged at a Place called Caplan There is likewise store of Benjamin Long-Pepper Lead Rice Niper-Wine and Sugar the growth of the Country not being liable to Custom The currant Coyn of this coast is the Gausa made of Copper and Lead and is Coyned by any that list so they state it to a certain Weight which if it be not it is soon discerned by the Broakers or Tellers who reject it and that Weight is called a Biso and is accounted for ½ Ryal of 8 8 or 2 Shillings 6 pence Sterling CHAP. XLVII A View of Sian and Malacca and of their Trades Commodities Coyns c. FIrst in the Tract or Coast of Siam are found the Cities of Tenaserim and Pattana in the last of which an English Factory is Established but Siam is the chief and was before it's being reduced by the King of Pegu who besieged it with a Million and 400000. men the chief City of these Parts of India and to it as yet Merchants Trade from Couchin-China Macan Cantor Malacca and Cambaia as likewise from the Islands of Sumatra Banda and Borneo and has divers Commodities brought from the Inland Cities of Martavan and Tenaserim and is Situate on the famous River Menan which runneth athwart India and arises from the Lake Chiama which every March overfloweth its Banks for 100. Miles during which time the Commerce and Correspondence is held by Boats The principal Commodities are Cotton Linnens of all sorts distilled Liquors by the Natives called Nipe it being extracted from Cocos as likewise Benjamin Lack and precious Wood called by the Portugals Palo-Dangula and Calamba making Rich Perfumes and is Weighed often against Silver and Gold and the Wood Sapon used by Dyers Camphora Bezora-Stones and Gold
in these parts but especially at Almeria great store of Raw Silks are gathered it being the primest of all other and is Accounted worth by the pound Morisco 18 Shillings Florence or 1020 Maruedies which amount to 30 Ryals And thus much for Sevil and the Trade thereof CHAP. LVIII A View of Malaga the Trade Customs Weights Measures and Coyns thereof MAlaga is Situate in the Province of Granado on the Shoar of the Mediterranean Sea being Accommodated with a commodious Haven for the reception of Shipping being very Fruitful in every part of it's Territories abounding in Wine and Raisins known by it's Name as likewise many delicate Fruits Corn Cattle and what else can make a Country desirable they have likewise store of Sugar Almonds Oyls c. for which they pay Customs outward tho they be Commodities of the natural Growth viz. 7 per cent Cochineel and such like Commodities pay outward 10 per cent and all other Commodities of the Growth but 5 per cent and those that are carryed from Port to Port 2 pound per cent The Weights of Malaga is the 100. divided into 4 Roves of 25 pound each and to every pound 16 Ounces and the 100 pound of Malaga called commonly the Kintar of Malaga is found to make 112 pound 5 Ounces English tho sometimes less according to the nature of the Commodity Their Concave Measures are the Rove and Somer the first making 8 of the last so that 25 Roves go to a Pipe which contains 100 English Gallons by these only Wine and Oyl are Measured as for Grain it is Measured by the Hanock which is divided into 12 Almodos and is 12 Gallons English weighing upon the Strike 129 pound The Measure of length is the Vare of 27 â…ž Inches The Coyns currant are Ryals to one of which is computed 34 Marnedies or 6 pence Sterling and Pistolets of Gold each being worth 23 ½ Ryals that is the single Pistolet the double Pistolet which are here likewise in use being worth 27 Ryals CHAP. LIX A View of Alicant and of the Trade Measures Weights Coyns c. ALicant is Situate on the Banks of the Mediterranian in the Province of Murtia and is by Reason of it's commodious Haven of late become a great Scale of Trade in those parts affording delicate Wines and other Commodities in much request being of late the Scale to the City Valentia and affords of its Native growth Liquorish Rasins Wines Soda-Barrilla Sugar Drugs Bass-Mats Ropes Sope Anniseed and many other Merchantable Commodities which are Traded for by our English Merchants and bought partly for money and partly for Commodities of the growth of our Nation And at Alicant the Merchants keep their Accounts in Livers Solds and Deniers 12 Deniers making a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver which is Accounted worth 5 Shillings Sterling the Sold being Accounted 3 Pence and the Denier a Farthing The Weights in use are the Cargo and Rove 10 of the latter making the former and of these Roves there are two sorts one computed 18 Ounces and the other 12 to each pound and by that means tho one be reckoned 36 pound and the other but 24 yet in Weight they are equal as to the number of Ounces and by these are sold Pepper Rice Almonds Cloves Cinnamond and the like by the Cargo is weighed all Gross Commodities it containing 280 pound English There is sometimes used a Quintal of 96 pound Averdupois and by it Drugs are weighed The Measure of Length is the Vare which wants a â…™ part of the English Yard The Liquid Measure for Wine is the Cantar which is about 3 Gallons English and the dry Measure for Corn is called the Chaffise and is near 3 Bushel English The Customs for the most part are rated at 11 Deniers per centum Livers and is payable at 8 Deniers to the Duana and 3 Deniers to the Sisa payed as well by the Buyer as Seller as often as Goods are bought sold or bartered for so that the Buyer and Seller pay between them 9 per cent And thus leaving Alicant I return to take a View of Madrid Accounted the Principal City of Spain CHAP. LX. A View of Madrid of the Trade Coyns Weights and Measures thereof MAdrid is Situate in the Provinces of Castill and of late become famous for being the place where for the most part the Spanish Court resides and in it the Monies that are dispersed over Spain have their Original This City abounds with all manner of Commodities that either Spain India Barbary Arabia Persia Egypt or other Countries affoard as Spices Gold Silks Drugs Stuffs Jewels Drugs and the like The Native Commodities of this Province are Honey Allum Wine Oyl Fruits Salt c. The Measures and Weights are those common throughout Spain but by Reason all the Coyns of the Kingdom Center here I think it not amiss to set down their Names and true values 1. The Ducat of Castil is worth 375 Maruedies 2. The Castiliano 485 Maruedies 3. The Florin of Castile is worth 265 Maruedies or near 4 Shillings Sterling 4. The Ducat Count or Quento of Maruedies is a Million 5. The Count or Quento of Maruedies is Ducats 2666 2 3â— and at Dobra is accounted worth 2739 â—â— 73 Dobras the which according to computation amounts to 733 pound 6 Shillings 8 pence Sterling 6. The Ryal Single of Castile is worth 34 Maruedies or 6 pence Sterling 7. The Quento of Mar is worth 3258 Ryals and 3 Maruedies 8. The Crown of Castile is worth 323 Maruedies 9. The Ducat of Spain is 5 Shillings 6 pence of our money the Ryal is 6 pence and the Maruedie about the bigness of one of our Farthings In this City when they give money upon Exchange they commonly agree to be repayed in Ducats of Gold or to the same value in Gold or Silver for the most part by Weight to prevent the taking base money with which Spain abounds so that should they not take this course they would often lose 4 or 5 per cent In this Province are yearly 4 Fairs or great Marts viz. at Medina Del Campo which lasts 50 days at Medina de Riosecco which lasts 30 days at Medina del Campo again which lasts 50 days and lastly at Villa Lyon which lasts 20 days These Fairs viz. the 3 first are Fairs of Exchange And when they make payments they make them in Banco not saying forth and they are to remit in Ducats de Oro in Oro Largo and forth of Banco and when they agree forth of Banco and for ready money there is got 1 per cent and when they agree for Ducats of Gold or the worth of them it is understood that the worth if the payment be not payed in Ducats is to be payed in Maruedies at 375 to the Ducat And thus much for Spain and the Trade thereof And now I shall take a View of the Trade of the Kingdom of Portugal in her chief City viz. Lisbon one of the
3 chief Scales of Europe CHAP. LXI A View of Lisbon the Metropolis of Portugal of the Trade Growth Weights Measues Coyns and Customs thereof LIsbon is the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Portugal commodiously Seated upon the Banks of the River Tagus the City and Suburbs being 10 Miles in compass and not imagined to contain less then 38000. Families Beautifyed with 67 Towers placed upon the Walls and 22 Gates all the Houses being Built Magnificent and indeed the People given to great Industry but especially to Navigation as appears by the many Discoveries they have made they being the first that Discovered the Eastern Tract even to the Indias and there by Trade and force got Footing and shewed the way to England and Holland who have now brought it to perfection even to the great Inriching either Nation and of all the Commodities brought from India and other parts of the World by the Portugals this City is the Scale for hither come yearly the Spices of Arabia the Silks of Persia the rich Commodities of China and the Gold Silver precious Stones and Spices of India and especially Pearls the Fishery thereof remaining for the most part in the right of the King of Portugal which being brought to Lisbon and afterwards dispersed throughout Europe To this City Flows the Trade of the whole Kingdom and also that of Spain from which Kingdom it is now separated as formerly The Weights of this City and consequently of the whole Kingdom are Principally the small and the great Cantars the Latter of which is divided into 4 Roves and each Rove contains 32 Reals which is 128 pounds at 14 Ounces per pound and of Florence Weight is computed 149 pound their small Quintar for Pepper and Ginger is between 110 and 112 pound English the Rove or Quartern being 27 ½ and sometimes 27 ◠4 pound but the great Quintal is 15 or 16 per cent more than our 112 pound The Quintar commonly called the King 's Quintar used in his Contractation House for weighing the Spices and Drugs of India is 114 pound English and the great Cantar of Lisbon is mostly computed 130 pound English c. The Measures of length used in this City are the Coueda which is the third part of an English Yard and the Ware which wants but a Nale of an English Ell by the former they Measure Woollen Cloaths c. and by the latter Linnen c. The Concave Measures of Lisbon is the Alquire 3 of which are found to make an English Bushel and 5 a Spanish Hannep They have an other Measure by which they meet their Salt called Muy which is 60 Alquires and 2 Muys and 15 Alquires are a Tunn Bristol Water Measure The Custom inward is 23 per cent that is to the Dechima 10 to the Sisa 10 and to the Consolado 3 and outward Merchants pay only 3. The Coyns are the Croisado of Gold computed to be worth 400 Reas. The Ducat of Portugal which is ten Reals and accounted 5 Shillings Sterling or the Croisado The Ryal which is 40 Reas and accounted 6 pence Sterling The Golden Mirle which is worth 1000. Reas and accounted 2 5 2 Ducats the Ducat is 2 ½ Ryals or 15 pence Sterling The Vintin which is 20 Reas or 3 pence Sterling the single Ryal of Spain which is 2 Vintines there are likewise the Coyns of Spain passable in this City but seeing they are not the proper Coyns of Portugal I shall pass them over as having already mentioned them in the Description of the Trade of that Kingdom And now leaving Portugal I shall pass into the Kingdom of France and in viewing the Trade of some Cities thereof give a Summary account of the whole Kingdoms Commerce both Inland and by Navigation CHAP. LXII A View of France the Provinces Trade Customs Weights Measures and Currant Coyns reduced into the view of the Principal Trading Cities of that Kingdom FRance is a large and Fertile part of Europe bounded on the North with the Brittish Ocean on the West with the Aquitanian Sea on the South with the Mediterranian and on the East with the Pirenaean Hills and River Rhine and is divided into several Provinces the Trade of which I shall instance in these following Cities viz. Burdeaux Rouen Paris Lyons and Marselia of these in order Burdeaux is Situate on the Banks of Geronde being the Principal City of the Province of Aquitain and is placed in a very Fruitful Soil especially for Wines The Principal Vineyards of France being accounted in its Neighbourhood of the Grapes therein growing are made Whitewines and Claret in abundance and of late all Palled Wines and such as otherwise are foul not Merchantable they Lmibeck off into Brandies which for the most part is vended in England and Holland They have likewise several Vineyards yielding Grapes that make Sweet-Wines commonly called high Country Wines the which lest it should hinder the Sail of the other they prohibit to be sold in their City till Christmass day when the high Country Merchants bring it in and sell it to Strangers there resident and such is the Custom of the place that that Vessel or Lighter that first sets her Head on Shoar is accounted free from Impost or Custom yet must in lieu thereof for that day give Wine on Free-cost to such as come on Board to Drink it To this City it is that our English Merchants Trade and from whence they yearly bring 20000 Tuns of Whitewine Claret Sweet and Brandy Wines in times when no prohibition is layed this City formerly for many Years having been English there are found great quantities of Prunes of the Neighbouring growth and some other Commodities tho these are the chief and to this place monies are remitted for which mostly the Inhabitants Trade not as in other places ef Traffick freely bartering Goods for Goods Their Accounts are kept for the most part in Livers Sold's and Denies as indeed throughout the Kingdom Their Weight is the pound 100 of which are reckoned a Quintar or 110 English 90 ¾ pound being 100 pound English Their Measure of length is an Auln accounted 42 English Inches their Wines are computed by Hogs-Heads and Tearces viz. Claret and White-wines and their Brandy by Punchings of no certain Gauge CHAP. LXIII A View of Rouen and the Trade thereof ROuen is the Principal City of Normandy being the Parliamentary Seat of that Province and is Seated on the Banks of the River Sein all its Territories being Fertile and it abounding with rich Merchandise as well of other Nations as the Growth of the Kingdom of France and is visited by most of the Merchants of all the Northern Kingdoms Trading in the Growth of France the place affording of natural Growth and Native Manufactury fine and coarse Linnens Buckrams Paper Cards Wine Stuffs Combs c. for which the Inhabitants or such French Merchants as send their Commodities thither to be vended receive of the English Kersies of Devonshire and
Weight is 30 pound 3 Ounces and by Measure 25 pound Corn is sold by the Staio each Staio being Gross 132 pound of Venetian Weight The Accounts are kept several ways according to the Pleasure of the Merchant as sometimes in Ducats and Grosses accounting 6 Livers and 4 Solds to a Ducat or 24 Grosses others again in Solds and Grosses As for their Exchanges to their great advantage in way of Trade they make a difference between their money payed for Merchandise and that returnable upon Bills the disproportion being between 20 and 21 per cent their Customs are Extraordinary especially upon the English Trading to Zant for Currans which is in Subjection to that Seignory both upon Goods imported and exported the which has caused the decay of Trade and was the main Reason of removing the Scale of Trade to Leghorn a place no ways so Commodious nor abounding in Commodities of the Native growth CHAP. LXXIII A View of the Principality of Parma and of the Trade Weights Measures Customs c. PArma the chief City of this Principality gives it a Name and is a pleasant City abounding with all the Commodities of Italy as Silks Stuffs Oyl Wine Copper Rice Corn c. and as for the Weight used in the City it is the pound of 12 Ounces 100 of which make about 60 Suttle English The Measure of length is the Brace concording with the Brace of Florence The Coyns are Deniers Livers and Solds in which their Accounts are kept But having thus far proceeded I shall here take a View of the famous Port of Leghorn and of the Trade thereof CHAP. LXXIV A View of Leghorn the Trade Custom Weights Measures and Coyns c. LEghorn the Principal Port and Scale of Trade in the Mediterranean Sea is Situated on a large Plain and accomodated with a good Harbour for the reception of Shipping so that almost the whole Scale of Trade is removed from the City of Venice thither it is now a part of the Florentine Dominion having some time past been purchased by the Duke of Tuscany for 120000 Ducats of the Genoese and from him received large Priviledges and Immunities being inlarged by a new City Builded to the old and by Reason of the small Customs taken there it is of a Nest of Pirates Murtherers c. who formerly Inhabited it become famous throughout the World in this Port the great Duke keeps his Gallies and here are found all the sorts of Commodities Italy yields the Trade of it being as aforesaid regulated by Florence and Pisa and to this Port are brought the Commodities of England Spain France Holland India Arabia Persia Egypt and other Countries The Accounts of Merchants in Leghorn are kept in Livers Solds Deniers 12 Deniers being a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver and their other monies are the same with Florence except Quadrins and Craches 8 Craches being accounted worth 6 pence Sterling and of Quadrins 60 to a Liver tho sometimes a different value is fixed upon the Mony of either place but it continues not long The Weights are the same with Florence viz. the pound of 12 Ounce 100 of which make a Quintal which is computed to make 75 pound English and by this they weigh their Gross Commodities An other Quintal they have of 150 pound which makes of London Weight 113 pound as also an other of 160 pound making with us 121 pound by which they weigh Fish woolls c. The Kintar of Allum is at Leghorn 150 pound but in England found to make but 143 ⅞ pound the Kintar of Sugar 15◠the Kintar of Fish 160 pound and make English Weight proportionably The Measures are the Brace and Cane 4 of the former making one of the latter each Brace being 23 Inches English 100 Braces making 60 Yards or 48 Ells. The Concave Measures for Corn and Salt are the Stare the Sack and the Salmo 3 of the first making one of the second and 3 ⅔ of the second making one of the third which is a London Quarter they have a Measure likewise called a Maggio which contains 8 Sacks The Custom of this Port is that any Merchant may Land his Goods without paying any Custom so be they are sold within a Year but if not he must pay Custom but if for the better disposal of Commodities they are sent into any other part of Tuscany they must pay Custom at Pisa CHAP. LXXV A View of Genoa the Weights Measures Coyns and Trade thereof THe Metropolis of the Republique of Genoa is the City of Genoa from whence the Territories have Name and is 8 Miles in compass being Commodiously Situate for Commerce and has been formerly a City of great Trade but of late the Citizens are turned Userers which has put a stop to their Navigation and the Excessive Customs upon Goods imported deters Merchants from Trading thither to any purpose The Merchantable Wares that are found in this City are Silks Stuffs Damasks Drugs Wine Oyl and some Fruits for which they receive the growth of the Countries whose Merchants Trade thither Their Accounts especially as to Merchandise are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers 12 Deniers being a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver which is 16 pence Sterling Their other Coyns for the most part Concord with those of Florence The Weights are the pound of 12 Ounces and Quintal 100 of the former making the latter which is accounted the Quintal Suttle the Gross Quintal being 150 pound and makes Suttle Weight of London 105 pound and by the Gross Quintal are sold Anniseeds Honey Rice Brass Lead Tinn Sope Wools and other Weighty Commodities The Measure of Length is the Cane found to make 9 Palms or 4 Braces of Florence which is used in the Measuring Stuffs and Silkes and for Measuring of Linnen the Cane is 10 Palms 100 of which Palms have rendered 27 English Yards and consequently one Cane of Genoa is 2 ⅞ Yards English Corn is sold by the Mine each Mine paying Custom 6 ½ Solds and Weighs 270 pound 2 ½ of which are found to be a Harwich Quarter Oyl is sold by the Barril 7 ½ of which make a Neapolitan Butt Wine is sold by the Mesorole 5 of which make a Botta Dimena of Naples All Goods entering the River or Port pay Consolato of the River 6 Denier per Liver which is payed by the Buyer if a contract be not before made with the seller for the discharge thereof And thus much for the Republique of Naples CHAP. LXXVI A View of Luca and the Trade thereof LVca is the principal City of the Republique and is Situate on the River Serchio being 3 Miles in compass and so adorned with Trees that such as pass a far off think it to stand in a Wood. The most Merchantable Commodities here found are Silks as Damasks Sattins Taffatas c. which are here made and sent to other Cities of Italy and for them have returned the growth of most Countries Their Accounts are kept in Solds
Deniers and Livers of Picoly as in Florence and their monies for the most part the same it having formerly been a City of considerable Trade but now of little note The Weights are two the one the Ballance Weight by which all Goods are bought and sold the other the Weight by which Merchants pay their Customs between which there is observed 12 per cent difference the Ballance Weight the pound containing 12 Ounces the 100 thereof has been found to make of Lyons Weight 72 ½ and the Customers Weight 81 ½ the Measure of length is the Brace which is 23 English Inches 100 Braces of this Place being found to make 50 English Ells. As for Liquid or Concave Measures they use not any in way of Merchandise Therefore I shall pass them over CHAP. LXXVII A View of the Papacy and the Trade thereof THe Papacy containeth several stately Cities but none of any considerable Trade as for Merchandise therefore I shall Summ up all in Describing the Trade of Rome once the Mistriss of the World but now her Splendor is much abated Rome is Situate on the Banks of Tiber adorned with 750 Towers placed on her Walls and is accounted to contain 466000 Families and in it are found these Merchandise viz. Corn Oyl Wine Gloves Allum Lutestring Kid-Skins and curious Fabricks of Silk for which they receive from England Lead Tinn Bays Says Stuffs Pilchards Herrings Newland Fish Calves-Skins Salt Salmon Tallow Wax c. which are for the most part Landed at Civitaveccia and from thence carryed up the River Tiber in Boats to Rome The Coyns here and through the Papacy are the same that are currant in most parts of Italy the Pope having so ordained that his Incomes may be the more The Accounts are kept in Crowns Julios or Paulos Baiochos and Quatrins the Weight is the Quintal or 100 pound which makes 80 pound English tho sometimes they weigh by a Quintal of 160 pound and 150 pound according to the fineness or Grosness of the Commodity Their Measures of Length are 2 one for Linnen and the other for Woollen the one a Brace and the other the Cane 30 Canes making 100 Braces Corn is sold by the Rugio which is 7 18 Mine of Genoa And thus much shall suffice for Rome and indeed for all Italy from whence I must pass into Flanders and take a View of the Trade thereof CHAP. LXXVIII A View of the Trade of Flanders and Holland of the Weights Measures Coyns Customs Commodities and Traffick of them reduced into the View of Antwerp and Amsterdam THo Flanders and the Netherlands are divided into 17 Provinces viz. 4 Dukedoms as Limburg Luxemburg Gelderland and Brabant 1 Marquisat 7 Ealrdoms as Artois Flanders Hanault Nemurs Zutphen Holland and Zealand 5 Borronies as Westfriezland Vtretch Overysel Machlin and Groving yet the Trade of all these may conveniently be reduced into what is found in Antwerp and Amsterdam the one famous for having formerly been the chief Scale of Europe and the other for the present commerce held there Of these in order Antwerp is Situate upon the River Scheld that River sending forth eight Channels to Water the City by running through her Streets and has been formerly accounted a great Scale of Trade insomuch that all European Merchants brought their Commodities thither to vend the acquirement of which Trade was principally by the means following first by Reason of 2 free Marts yearly holden for 45 days in which no Person Trading there could be Arrested in his Goods or Person for Debt or otherwise secondly by Reason the Portugals discovering the East Indias Anno 1500. diverted the course of Trade driven by the Venetians from Alexandria and the Red-Sea to Lisbon and so kept a Factory at Antwerp and exposed to Sail all Indian Commodities which drew most of the Trading Nations of Europe to Trade thither exhausting the Trade of Bruges where the English Merchants Adventurers before resided the third and last cause was the Wars between Charles the fifth Emperor and the French which obliged the Nobility and Gentry for safety to remove their Families thither who afterwards being taken with the pleasantness of the place would not remove but Built them stately Houses and made that City for the most part the Place of their residence The cause of the decay of Trade in the City of Antwerp was the Wars with Spain in which Merchants were Pillaged their Ships taken c. the Abridgement of Priviledges and the Trade which the English and Dutch found in the East-Indies bringing home in their own Bottoms what before they were obliged to the Portugals for but as it is at this Day a pretty Trade is driven in the City most of the Neighbouring Countries bringing in their Growth and Manufacture The Commodities found in Antwerp are Wines Silks Arras-Hangings Spices Drugs Fruit store of Corn Woollen Cloath some Oyl and the like brought out of its Neighbourhood and the Adjacent Provinces The Accounts of Antwerp are kept in Livers Solds and Deniers which they reckon Pounds Shillings Pence 12 Deniers making a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver or pound Flemish tho worth no more then 12 Shillings Sterling or as they compute it 240 Grosses 12 Grosses being a Sold and according to these Values on Coyn they make their Exchanges The other currant Coyns are Doits 4 of which make a Stiver and 10 Stivers make 1 Shilling Sterling 2 Blanks make a Stiver and half 6 Stivers make the Flemish Shilling 28 Stivers make a Guilder which is 3 Shillings 4 pence Flemish so that 100 pound Flemish is found to make but 50 pound English c. The Weight is the pound of 16 Ounces 100 of which pounds make their Quintar and the Quintar found to be 104 pound English So that from this allowance or over Weight many imagine that the Tret of London had its Original The Measure of length is the Ell 100 of which are found to make 60 London Ells in the Measure of Linnen Cloath They have likewise an Ell for Measuring of Silk which is 1 ½ in the 100 less then the Cloath Ell. Beer is sold by the Barrel which in Brabant and Flanders is accounted 54 Stops each Stop being 2 Quarts English Their Corn they sell by the Vertules 23 ½ of which are a Last of Amsterdam and 10 ¼ Quarters London Measure Wine is sold by the Ame the Stop and the Butt 1 Ame making 50 Stops and one Stop 6 pound so that the Butt is 300 Stops or 6 Ames the Wine Stop being accounted 3 ⅓ Quarts of London Wine Measure The Exchanges are very great by Reason most of the Bills of Spain are drawn upon the Merchants and Traders of Antwerp for the disbursement of money for the maintainance of the Army that is for the most part kept on Foot in the Provinces CHAP. LXXIX A View of the City of Amsterdam and of the Trade Coyns Weights and Measures thereof AMsterdam is a fair City and Seated on the
the Crown Revenues besides The Commodities vended here are for the most part Fish Cattle Corn Oyl Beer Cordage Masts Sails and the like for fitting out and revictualling Ships for which they receive the Growth of England Holland Germany and France the Monies currant here are the same with those of Copenhagen The Weights are as in Copenhagen and in most parts of the Kingdom the great and shall 100 the former being accounted 120 pound to the 100 and the latter 112 pound being accounted 12 Stone of 10 pound to the Stone they have likewise a Skip-pound of 32 Stone of 10 pound the Stone or 20 Lispound of 16 Mark pound is a Skip-pound and 20 times pounds 16 are 320 pound The Measures of the Kingdom in General are for Length are the Ells for Woollen Linnen and Silks 160 of which are accounted to make the 100 Ells English As for Concave Measures they are little in use unless for Corn. The Trade of this Kingdom by Navigation is but small they seldom Sailing out of their own Seas or at most no further then the German British and Mediterranean Seas or Oceans Therefore I shall desist from any further Survey thereof and pass over the Staight to take a View of the Kingdom of Norway now Subject to the Danish Scepter CHAP. LXXXVI A View of the Kingdom of Norway and the Trade thereof NOrway is bounded on the West and South with the Ocean and on the East and North with Lappia and the Dofrine Mountains and abounds in Firr-Trees which are brought into England in abundance and serve for Masts Boards and Building Houses the other Commodities are Stock-Fish Furs Train Oyl Cordage some Rossen and Sail-Cloaths The Towns by Reason of the coldness of the Clime and Dampness caused by the Sea are but few the chief being Nidrosia and Bergen once a famous Mart but now reduced to nothing in respect of Trade the Trade that it had having passed through several Cities is at last setled in Amsterdam and what Trade does remain is from the Ships that pass this way to Moscovia The Weight most in use is the pound 100 of which renders 92 London Averdupois Weight tho of late they have got a Custom to Weigh in a String which is very uncertain rendering sometimes more sometimes less Their Measure of Length and Concave Measures the latter of which is for the most part used in Measuring of Salt are agreeable to our Yard and Bushel The Commodities vended here are Bays Says Linnen Wine Spices Sugars Gunpowder Lead Tinn Iron and such like And thus much may suffice for Norway leaving which I shall proceed in this Northern Tract and take a View of Sweedland the Trade of which I shall reduce into the Principal City of that Kingdom viz Stockholm CHAP. LXXXVII A View of Sweedland of its Provinces and Trade reduced into the Trade of the City of Stockholm SWeedland has on the East Muscovia on the West the Dofrine Hills on the North the Frozen Ocean and on the South the Baltick and contains 5 Provinces viz. Gothland Sweeden Lappia Bodia and Finland in the former of which is found Stockholm the Metropolis of the Kingdom and Seated in a Watery Marsh in the nature of Venice and is much frequented with Merchants being for the most part the Regal Seat so that to it Flow all the Commodities of the Kingdom which are chiefly Buck-Skins Goats-Skins Ox Hides Barly Tallow Malt Tar Pitch Rosin Furs Lead Copper Silver Iron Wax Honey and the like and for its advantageous Situation it is much Traded to having a Channel capable of receiving Ships of any Burthen and so well guarded with Castles of Extraordinary Strength that no Ship can pass in nor out without lieve first obtained the Buildings are pleasant to behold for their Antiquity and fine Devices a place being purposely erected in the Principal Street for the conveniency of Merchants and the laying up such Commodities as they either have to vend or have purchased so that in this City are found the Growths and Manufactures of almost all Nations The currant Coyn of this Kingdom is the Dollar which is divided into 8 Marks and each Mark into 2 Clippings each Clipping being accounted 9 ½ Stivers Flemish and in exchange the Dollar is only used The Weight is the pound 116 of which is found to make the 100 pound of London they have likewise 2 Skip-pounds the one the proper Skip-pound of Stockholm which is 320 pound of the before mentioned pound the other is 340 pound and proper to Dantzick Of which in order I shall come to Treat The Measure of Length is the Ell 166 of which are 100 Yards of London Measure sometimes more sometimes less for this is the Rule they take a Piece of Rope and Measure it by the bigness of a mans Head which they call their Ell so that according to the largeness or smallness of the Head by which they take their Measure the Measure is found to consist Their Concave Measures are of little use unless for Corn and Mault and those are Measured by a Loop 23 of which make a Last in Amsterdam and in London 10 Quarters And thus much shall Suffice for Sweeden and the Trade thereof CHAP. LXXXVIII A View of Moscovia and the Trade thereof reduced into the Trade of Mosco the Principal City of that large Dominion MOscovia is bounded on the West with Lituania and Livonia on the East with Tartary on the North with the Frozen Ocean and on the South with the Caspian Sea the Ottoman Empire and Palus Maeotis and is Branched with many large and Navigable Rivers as Tanais Duino Boristhenes Onega and Volga and is divided into 9 Provinces as Novogradia Valadomira Plescovia Rhesen Servia Parmia Candoria Petrosa and Moscovia from whence all the Country takes its Name These Provinces abound in Corn Cattle Furs Hides Flax Hemp Whales Grease Canvas Ropes Cavier Tallow Honey Wax Venison Flax Hemp and Fish The Trade being begun by the English about the Year 1575 in general tho before some Vessels of Private Merchants had Traded thither and found out the Commodities since so much sought after and upon the increase of Trade in these parts a Society of Merchants in London are incorporated by the Name of Muscovia Merchants having setled a Factory at Archangel Mosco the Metropolis of Moscovia is Seated on the River Mosca which falls in to Tanais this City is reckoned 6 Miles in compass and is for the most part the imperial Seat being much Beautifyed since it was Burnt by the Tartars upon their invading the Moscovite Empire and here the English Merchants find kind entertainment unless in Troublesome times as of late it happened upon the murther of the Czar in which general Calamity many suffered in their Goods but now things are again reduced to a quiet and setled condition so that Trade again begins to Florish the Country affording great store of Furs as Beaver Otter Sables White Black Red and
and Drugs these last being the Commodities of the East-India's are brought cheaper and better from thence therefore not Traded for by the English at Constantinople but rather carryed by them thither and exchanged for the Growth of the Empire as likewise Lead Tinn Cloath Furs as Martins Cony-Skins Sables Titchues and the like at the change of every Ambassador the Company make a present to the Grand-Signeour which is levyed by the Company themselves by way of imposition the like are the French and Dutch obliged to do upon some occasion and for the support of their Factories and Ambassadors The Accounts are kept in Dollars and Aspers a Dollar being computed 80 Aspers tho sometimes in way of Merchandise 100 Aspers are accounted to the Dollar and and 120 Aspers to the Sultany The Coyns currant in this City and consequently throughout the Empire are the Sultany of Gold agreeing with the Venice Chequin or is as aforesaid 120 Aspers the German Dollar the Ryal of 8 8 Spanish currant at 80 Aspers the Lyons Dollar is currant at 75 Aspers the German Sesetine at 70 Aspers and indeed any Coyn if found good Gold or Silver is currant in Constantinople and most parts of the Empire a Policy used to procure plenty of Coyn for the maintainance of the Janizaries and others in pay of all Nations The Weights are the Grain 4 of which make a Quillat a Dram which is 16 Grains of which all greater Weights are composed by Multiplication as a Yursdrome is 100 Drams and found to be 1 pound Sotile of Venice or 72 Mittigals a Lodero is 176 Drams or 19 ½ Ounces Averdupois an Oake is 400 Drams accounted 2 pound 11 ½ Ounces 100 Lodero's are accounted 24 Oaks and compose the Quintar of Constantinople which has been found to render between 118 and 120 pound English Suttle A Batman is 6 Oaks or 16 ⅓ pound English by which all Silks are bought and according to these all other Weights of the Empire are regulated The Measures of Length are the Pico's which are 3. The first for Cloath which is accounted 26 ½ Inches The second for Grograms Chamlet and such like containing 24 Inches so that 24 of these Pico's are found to make 16 English Yards The third is the Linnen Pico which is the former doubled To none of these is any advantage allowed as in England The Concave Measure is called the Killow by which for the most part Corn is Measured 8 ⅔ of which are observed to make the London Quarter Wines Oyls and almost all Liquids are sold by the Meter weighing 8 Oaks and is about ⅔ of an English Gallon as indeed most Commodities are sold by Weight The Customs payed by the Italians French and Jews outward and inward are 5 per cent the Turks themselves pay nothing the English and Dutch pay 3 per cent inward and the like outward which is payed in Specie unless the Merchant does compound with the Customer for money and further it is to be observed that besides these Customs there is by agreement payed 1 ½ per cent upon all pondrous Commodities and 1 upon all Measurable Commodities which is to be defrayed between the buyer and seller but if a Turk be one his part is remitted and this is levyed for the Maintainance of a Hospital founded by Sultan Achmet which duties are farmed by an Emine or Farmer call'd the Grand-Seigenors receiver and are most commonly payed the one half in Aspers of 80 Aspers to the Dollar and the other in Sultanies of Gold or otherwise as the Merchants and Customer can agree And thus having at large described the Trade of this great City I shall proceed to take a View of the Islands of note lying in the Egean Ionian Mediterranian and Adriatick Seas CHAP. XCII A View of the Islands in the Ionian Egean Mediterranean and Adriatick Seas with a Description of the Trade Weights Measures Coyns and Commodities of the Growth and Manufacture of the most considerable of them THe Islands in these Seas are many therefore I shall only name those of little note and insist upon the chief First then there is found the Island of Tenedos abounding with Wines The Isle of Samothracia commodious for the Harbouring Ships Lemnos from whence comes that Antidote called Terra Sigilata or Terra Lemnos then Scio or Chios abounding in Trees from which they distill Mastick which Commodities the Grand Signeour claims as his right Next the famous Island of Rhodes which by Reason of its commodious Situation in the Ocean is found to be a Place of great resort In the chief City from which the Island takes name is a considerable Mart affording Corn Wines Oyls Rasins Wax Honey Cotton Cordovants Cotton Wools and Cotton Yarn Dimities Vermilions Damask Stuffs Silks and the like being the Commodities of divers Islands in those Seas and here some Factories are maintained and the Accounts kept in Aspers of Turky and the other Coyns for the most part the same The Weight is the Rotolo 100 of which makes the Quintar or 536 pound English The Measure of Length is the Cane which is found to be 84 Inches of English The next Island that offers is the famous Island of Candia which cost the Turks so dear a purchase Therefore I shall not think it amiss to describe its Commodities Weights and Measures CHAP. XCIII A View of the Isle Candia and other Islands THe Isle of Candia is Seated in the Mouth of the Egean Sea and is now in subjection to the Grand-Signeor being exceeding Fruitful and affords considerable Commodities as Muskadels Fine-Sugars Gums Honey Wax Dates Oranges Limons Olives Rasins Corn Cattle Fish and the like containing several Cities of note as Candia from whence the Island has its name Canea Rhettmio Sittia and Suda being a Haven capable of receiving 1000 or 1500 large Vessels and before the Venetians lost it their Coyns were currant throughout the Island and their Weights the Quintars Suttle and Gross The Gross 100 of Candia rendering 110 of the like Gross Weight of Venice or 118 English pound and 100 pound Suttle of Candia 114 pound of Venice Suttle or 76 pound English The Measures of Length are the Pico's one for Cloath another for Silk and their Measure for Wine called the Mestach but the Turks have since their conquest made some alteration in the Weights Measures and Coyns which as yet are not come to my knowledge I not having been there since the reduction In the Ionian Sea are also found the Isle of Cerigo abounding with Marble the Strophades or Strivalia the Cursalari Islands and Corfue the last of which abounds in Wax Honey Oyl and Wine Stuffs Silk-Fabricks c. There is likewise found St. Mairo Ithaca Zeffalonia and Zant the 3 latter of which are famous for the Currans found growing there in abundance and from thence dispersed throughout Europe but mostly spent in England wherefore I shall somewhat inlarge in describing the Trade thereof CHAP. XCIV A View
which are yearly laded for England and other Countries but especially Oyl Their Monies are for the most part those currant in Spain Their Weights 2 viz. the Rotolo and Cantar 100 of the first making the last called Barbaresco which there is 117 pound making in London 110 pound they have likewise another Cantar of 104 pound called the Cantar of Majorica they likewise sell some Commodities by the Cargo as Pepper Ginger Cinnamond Nutmegs Rice and the which Cargo is 3 Cargo's of 104 pound The Measure of Length is the Cane found to make 67 in 68 London Inches The The Oyl Measure is the Quartano 12 of which make the Odor and 212 that of 126 Gallons which is a Tun of Oyl according to London Gauge and the Customs and other charges are reckoned to 2 pound 7 Shillings 6 Pence per Tun. In this Sea are the Islands of Javisa affording store of Salt as also the Isles Lipara Promentary Pantcleria Caprea Ischia Progitue Elba Gages or Cales with some others of smaller note affording Cattle Corn Olive Oyl Wine Gapars Cavere Oranges Limons Citrons Fish and the like most of them in the possession of the Spaniard And thus leaving the Medeterranian I shall enter the North Ocean to take a View of the Islands not as yet mentioned in this Treatise CHAP. XCVI A View of Greenland and the Whale Fishery with an account of several Islands in the Northern Seas GReenland or Gronland is Seated under the Frozen Zone doubtful whither an Island or a Continent by reason part of those Seas are not Navigable upon the account of the Mountains of Ice that Float therein and for that none ever yet passed over Land to the extent of that dismal Country where from the 14 of October to the 12 of February no Sun appears but the Moon shines as in England and for 3 Months and a half in Summer time they have no Night as for humane Inhabitants there are none yet the Woods and Caves abound with Bears Foxes and Dear and the Voyages the English make thither are upon the account of the Whale Fishery Whales in abundance being found in those deep Seas the Ships seting out in May and Arriving in June at Green-Harbour and Bell-Sound They set up their Caldrons Presses and other necessaries then put again to Sea and when they perceive the Whales coming by the rising of the Water they send out Skiffs with Hasping-Irons and Cables when the men therein taking their advantage strike the Whales who no sooner find themselves wounded but Plunge to the Bottom those in the Boat giving them Rope and by their Sinking know where they will rise and give notice to the Ships who stand off for fear of being overset when they rise with horrible Bellowing they make towards the Shore spouting Blood and Water the Reason of their so doing is to indeavour the rubing out of the Irons upon the Sands but in vain for then by force of Cables they draw them on shoar and their cut out their Pulps of which they make the Oyl and their Fins of which our Whalebone is made by drying and preparing so that sometimes one Whale is found to yield 3 Tuns of Oyl and half a Tun Weight of Whalebone Here it was that several Persons were left a whole Winter the Ship going away during their Hunting up in the Country and lived in a Hutt upon Bears-Flesh Venison Wild-Foxes Birds and the Greens or pressings of the Whales till next year the Ships came again and fetched them off For 7 Months all the Seas are Frozen over and the Country is covered with Mountains of Snow In this Tract is Nova Zembla where the Pole is elevated 76 degrees and whither the Dutch yearly resort to Fish for Whales and such other Fish as yield matter for Oyl It abounds in Dear Wild-Foxes and the like as Greenland and in it likewise not long since several Dutchmen were forced to Winter suffered great Extremity by Reason of the excessive cold There are found likewise Sr. Willoughby's Island called Queen Elizabeths Foreland likewise Freezland Iceland and others of lesser note but by Reason of the excessive cold few of them are Inhabited and the chief Commodities they yield are Ling Cod and Fish Oyls And thus according to my promise having taken Survey of the Trade of all the known part of the Vniverse as near as can be gathered from long experience and credible Authority I shall return with Joy to Tread my Native Soil and there take a View of what yet remains in relation to Trade and Commerce And first I shall begin with Exchanges that one necessary part of all Navigational and Inland Commerce CHAP. XCVII A View of the Practice of Exchanges in General and the advantage accruing thereby THat Exchanges are a Principal part of Merchandise it is most certain and has been so found for 200 Years pâ—st tho not brought to perfection till of late Days The places most apt for Exchanges are those where many Merchants of divers Nations reside and have frequent meetings in relation to Trade and Prizes of Commodities whose returns are Subject to great Exchanges which are ever advantageous to the place where they are Practised Now some places there are that have Exchanges in themselves yet are compelled to depend upon other places having only certain times or Fairs appointed by the Custom of Exchangers in which or to which Bills of Exchange are either expired renewed or dated one of which is Placentia and indeed all Towns in Countries where there is more then one Exchange established the Metropolis or Principal Exchange gives Rules and Rates to the rest provided the Coyns be of equal value and goodness nor indeed tho many places have attributed the name of Exchanges yet that Exchange remains not so much in Esse as in the will of the Merchants Bankers and Exchangers in whose Power it is to assign the place as they think convenient and for the most part pitch upon Principal places where their Bills are sure to have a quick dispatch Now there are several Cities that exchange in one and the same Monies Coyns and Denomination as Naples Lechie Barry the two latter included in the former Palermo and Messina comprehended in Sicilia Valentia Saragosa and Barselona in Cattalonia Sevil Alcala and Medina-del-Campo in Castilia Frankford Colona Noremburg and Augusta in Germany with many other of less note But exchange now from a Plain and easie Method is reduced to so many mysterious Points that it is extraordinary difficult to understand it aright in all places therefore I shall only lay down such Particulars as chiefly concern English Merchants and are conducing to the Trade of the Brittish Empire The first thing then that is to be observed is the true value of the Coyn of the City or Port where you make your exchange which is not to be taken according to the value of the Coyn as it is currant but according to its Weight and fineness
and so the return may be proportionable but if Bills are drawn to pay a Merchant residing in any place where the Coyn is currant and he disposes of it for Commodities of the Growth or Manufacture of the Country then it matters not how the Coyn has been inhaunced above its true value by Reason it is currant tho perhaps should the Coyn be carryed into an other Kingdom it might redound to the loss of the receiver a third part and this equallizing Coyns of divers Nations by Ballance I called a Par by which all Coyns of Silver or Gold especially are reduced to an equal value as for example Placentia exchanges with London one Crown of currant money there for 1 Shilling 6 pence ½ ob Sterling Lyons the Crown currant for 2 Shillings 8 pence Sterling Rome exchanges her Ducat 87 ½ pence Sterling Genoa her Crown of Gold at 83 pence Sterling Millain her Crown of Gold 84 pence ½ ob Sterling Venice her Ducat at 60 pence Sterling Florence her Crown at 80 pence Luca her Ducat at 67 pence Sterling Naples her Ducat at 66 ½ pence Sterling Lechy her Ducat at 6 pence Sterling Bary her Ducat at 62 pence Sterling Palermo her Ducat at 78 pence Sterling Messina her Ducat at 72 pence Sterling Valentia her Ducat at 72 ½ pence Sterling Saragosa her Ducat at 73 pence Sterling Barsalonia her Ducat at 72 pence Sterling Sevil her Ducat at 72 pence Sterling Lisbon her Ducat at 69 pence Sterling Bolonia her Ducat at 67 pence Sterling Bergamo her Ducaton at 67 pence Sterling Frankfort Noremburg Augusta and Viena in all which Cities one and the same Coyn is currant Exchange their Florin at 50 pence Sterling all these Cities and Towns London exchanges within broken numbers that is by pence at the rates aforesaid and so Multiplies into greater Summs as occasion requires but with Antwerp and Collen Amsterdam c in whole number as one pound Sterling for 34 ½ Flemish Shillings and proportionable for greater Summs Again in London and throughout all England Exchangers and Merchants keep their Accounts in Pounds Shillings Pence and cast them up as is done in other places by Solds Livers and Denire viz. 12 pence to the Shilling and 20 Shillings to the pound and are found to exchange with Transmarine Cities thus viz. to allow 64 pence Sterling for the Crown of Placentia 64 pence Sterling for the Crown of Lyons 66 pence Sterling for the Ducat of Rome 65 pence for the Crown of Gold of Genoa 64 2 4 pence for the Crown of Gold of Millain 50 pence for the Ducat in Banco of Venice 61 pence for the Crown of Florence 53 ½ pence for the Ducaton of Luca 50 pence for the Ducat of Naples 50 ½ pence for the Ducat of Lechy 51 pence for the Ducat of Bary 57 ½ for the Ducat of Palermo 56 ½ for which Ducat of Messina one pound Sterling for 34 ½ Shillings Flemish with Antwerp and Collon 57 ½ pence for the Ducat of Valentia 59 pence for the Ducat of Saragosa 64 pence for the Ducat of Barselona 59 ½ pence for the Florin of Frankford 52 pence for the Ducaton of Bergamo 53 â…“ for the Ducaton of Bolonia 53 ½ pence and for the Ducat of Lisbon 53 ½ And thus the currant Exchange is setled and continues unless in times of War when Princes to Inrich their Coffers make an Inhaunsment upon the currant Coyns in their respective Dominions and at other times when the Banker or Exchanger takes the advantage of the Parties necessity upon whose Accounts the exchange is to be made The Terms of paying Bills of exchange in London with other Cities are commonly these To Venice at 3 Months after date and so upon return to Antwerp at one Month after date and so back to Genoa at 3 Months and so back to Lyons for the Fair and so from Fair to Fair as the Custom of that City is to Pisa at 3 Months after date and so back to Placentia from Fair to Fair according to the Custom of the place to Florence at 3 Months after date so upon return to Rouen and Paris at one Month after date and so back and these Bills are currant money insomuch that many Millions are pay'd by Bills without telling any money Merchants passing the Bills to one another by assignment as currant Coyns of which Bills their Presentations Intimations Acceptations Protests and Returns I shall in the following Chapter expose to the View of the Reader CHAP. XCVIII A Discourse of the Forms of Bills of Exchange how they ought to be drawn presented payed or protested in default with a caution against delays and the danger thereof according to the Law and Custom of Merchants A Bill of Exchange in it self is held so excellent a speciallity and carries with it not only as it were a commanding Power to pay but is for the most part observed and satisfyed with all due regard tho drawn by a Servant upon his Master such a high esteem being ever had for the quality thereof that nothing in the way of Trade can be more for upon it depends the reputation of the Drawer Accepter So that those who fail in the payment of accepted Bills wound their credit by suffering Protest to be made which soon gets Wind and spreads wide upon the Exchange and not only so but obliges the Acceptor to pay the charâ—â—â— of the Protestant return and calâ—s into question the credit of the drawer Of bills of exchange there are two sorts as 〈◊〉 and Inland viz. the former drawn upon â— Merchant Banker c. Living beyond the Seas the second upon a Merchant Banker or other Person living in the same Country tho distant from the place where the Bill is drawn as to make a Bill payable at London for money taken up at Bristol each having equal force ought to have due observance alike As to an Exchange four three or two Persons may make it thus 2 at the place where the money is taken up and 2 at the place were it is payable first the deliverer secondly the taket thirdly the Person that is to take the money and fourthly the party upon whom the Bill is drawn 3 Persons thus first the taker secondly the deliverer and thirdly the Person on whom the Bill is drawn 2 Persons first the Drawer and secondly the Party on whom it is drawn the former making his Bill payable to himself or order which may of Exchange is very advantageous as well to Merchants as other Traders There is another sort of Exchange called a dry exchange which is practised thus if a Person have occasion for 100 pound he goes to a Banker who takes a Bill of Exchange of him to be payed at Lyons or Paris at double or treble Usance tho the Drawer has no Correspondence in either of the Cities then the Bill growing due the Banker receives a Protest for non-payment upon which the Drawer in London must pay the
any Goods be secretly brought into the Ship contrary to the knowledg of the Master and Purser be ejected no contribution shall be made And by the Law Marine the Master may refuse in case of ejection to deliver the remainder of the Goods before the Contribution is setled or if in a storm part of the Goods are dammaged without any neglect of the Master or Sailers such Goods for so much as they are dammaged ought to come into the contribution If two Ships meet and strike each other and if it can be proved that either of them did it willfully or by carelesness then that Ship shall satisfy the damage received by the other but if either Ships crew Swear their innocency then the dammage is to be Levyed proportionable between them if any Ejection of Goods happen by the indiscretion of the stowers in lading the Ship above the Birth mark or the like then the Master or Owners ought to make satisfaction If when a Vessel is entering a Port or otherwise part of the Goods be put into a Lighter or Ship-Boat and the Boat be cast away there Contribution must be made but if the Ship be cast away and the Lighter or Boat saved then no Contribution for note where the Ship at any time Perishes tho a great part of the Goods be saved yet they allow no Contribution If a Ship be taken by Pirates or Enemies and the Master contracts with them for the dismission of the Ship at such a Summ of money and till the same be pay'd yields himself Prisoner in that case Contribution must be levyed upon the Ship and lading for the Ransom of the said Master and so where a Pirate by consent takes part of the Goods to spare the rest Contribution must be made but if he takes them by force or at his own pleasure then no contribution is to be made unless the Merchants yield so to do after the Ship is Robbed but if taken by an Enemy Letter of Marque or Reprisal the contrary If Jewels be on Board in a Box and not discovered and they be cast overboard Contribution shall be for no more then they appeared viz. a Parcel If any thing in a storm be cast into the Sea and afterward recovered then Contribution shall be made for no more then the damage sustained The Master and Purser in case of a storm shall contribute towards Goods Ejected for the preservation of the Ship and Passenger for such Wares as they have and if they have no Wares then for their Cloaths Rings c. according to estimation Contribution is to be pay'd for a Pilots Fee for bringing a Ship safe into any Harbour where she is not bound If the Master of a Ship after he has received his Complements takes in Goods contrary to the knowledge of the Merchant and part of the Merchants Goods in case of a storm are thrown overboard then the Master is lyable to make Satisfaction If Contribution be setled and the Merchant will not consent to pay it the Master may refuse delivering the Goods and if an Action be brought he may Barr the Plaintif by pleading the special matter yet in a storm there are some Ladings which ought not to be ejected As Pieces of Ordnance Ammunition or Provisions for the relief of a City Besieged or in danger so to be for there the Law implyes that the Subject ought to prefer the good of his Prince before his own life CHAP. CXXI A View of the Port of London and of the Customs Priviledges Exemptions and Revenues of that great City according to the Charters Grants c. of several Kings of England SEeing the Port of London is the Principal Port of this Kingdom it will not be amiss to set down the Priviledges and Customs thereof and what Revenues by way of Exportation and Importation accrues to the Honourable City in order to support its Grandure First then the Port of London as by Exchequer setled and declared extends from the Promontory or Point called the North Foreland in the Isle of Thannet Thence Northward to the Nase Point beyond the Sunfleet upon the Coast of Essex and so continues Westward up the River of Thames and the several Channels Streams and Rivers falling into it to London-Bridge The usual known Rights Liberties and Priviledges to the Ports of Sandwich and Ipswich and their Members excepted and in regard that Ships did formerly come up to the Port of London and unlade in several obsure Creeks at Staires to defraud his Majesty of his Customs it was therefore ordained that a Commission should be forthwith Issued out of the Exchequer to affix and nominate all such Wharfes Keys and other places as his Majesty by virtue of such Commission should appoint in pursuance of which his Majesty has been pleased to Nominate and Constitute as Lawful Keys Wharfs c. these following for the Landing of Goods Merchandise c. viz. Brewers-Key Chestors-Key Wool-Dock Porters-Key Bear-Key Wiggons-Key Youngs-Key Ralphs-Key Smarts-Key Lyons-Key Buttolf-Wharf Hammons-Key Cocks-Key Fresh-Wharf Billingings-Gate and the Bridge-House The former of the two latter being appointed a common open place for the Landing or bringing in of Fish Salt Victuals or Fuel of all sorts Fruit of all sorts Grocery excepted all Native Materials for Building and for exporting the like but no other Merchandise and the latter viz. the Bridge-House is appointed for the Landing of Corn for the City store tho under pretence of the same several Persons at this Day Landed their proper Corn moreover there are these Keys viz. the Custom-House Key some Stairs on the West side whereof are declared not to be places for Lading or Shipping of Goods Sabs-Dock has a pair of Stares not held Lawful for the Landing or lading of Merchandise The like has Dice-Key Summers-Key and Gaunts-Key tho otherwise allowable Therefore it is to be supposed those Stairs that are accepted against were built for Conveniency since the declaring them free places of lading and Landing Merchandise These Keys Wharfs and Docks yearly produce a great Income to the City of London by Scavage Portage Packing and Water-Bailage As first Scavage being an Ancient Toll or Custom taken by the Majors Sherifs c. for Wares shewed or offered to Sail within their Precincts consists of two parts viz. that which is payable by the Denizen that which is payable by the Alien or Stranger and that all Persons Subject to such Duties may not be imposed on by such as take them there are Tables mentioning each particular set up and approved of by the Lord Chancellor Treasurer President Steward and two Justices of the Common-Pleas and by them Subscribed or some four of them at least and are to be levyed on Goods inwards and outwards As all Goods mentioned in the Table of Scavage and not included in the Table of Rates shall pay after the rate of one penny in the pound according as they are expressed or valued in his Majesties Book of rates and