Hundreds wherein 660 Parishes and 31 Market-Towns Which is an Argument of its Populousness Here the Air is sharp and piercing especially near the Sea and in the Champain Part which occasions a later Spring and Harvest The Soil in many Places but chiefly along the Sea-Coast which is a Champain Country affords plenty of Corn. The Heaths feed a World of Sheep and breed abundance of Conies And the Woodland Part serves for Grazing of Cattel yet not without Corn-ground The Sea and the Rivers besides that glide through this Country strive as it were to furnish it with their plenty of Fâ—sh And among these besides those above-named viz. the two Ouses and the Waveney there are two of chief note called the Yare and the Thryn The Yare particularly noted for its great plenty of a certain Fish called Ruff whose body is all Prickled over the tail and fins spotted with black Specks This Fish eats tender and short as a Perch and is counted a wholsom Fish It delights in sandy Places and is rarely seen in any other River One Thing is observable of it that when the Fish is angry the fins stand up stiff and after its Anger is over they fall flat again In short the Soil of this Country according to the Variety of Places is of different nature In some Parts it is fat rank and full of moisture in others very light and sandy Yet so that one contributing to the other and the Sea giving help to both it is a very plentiful Country for Corn Sheep and Fish Norwich the chief Place hereof and a Bishops See bears from London North-East and by North and is distant therefrom 90 miles thus From London to Ware 20 to Barkway 11 more thence to Witleâ—ford-Bridge 10 and to New-Market 12 more from Newmarket to Theâ—ford 16 to Attleborough 10 more thence to Windham 5 and to Norwich 6 more A City seated on the River Yare which runs thence to Yarmouth and over which it has several Bridges It was formerly the Seat of the East-Angles and then a Place of great splendour But it has since undergone so many Calamities by Sword and Famine by Fire and Pestilence that it is much it should prove to this day a fair large populous and well frequented City Insomuch that it ly's out a Mile and a half in length and half as much in breadth containing in that Circuit about 20 Parishes well walled about with several Turrets and 12 Gates for entrance but not without much waste Ground within it It s chief Buildings are the Cathedral beautified with a lofty Spire then the Bishops and the Duke of Norfolk's Pallaces the Market-House the Cross and the House of Correction made of free Stone and so well cemented that no Mortar is seen Here is also an Hospital where 100 poor Men and Women are maintained and the Ruins of an ancient Castle of the Saxons building In short here is so pleasant an Intermixture of the Houses with Trees that it may not improperly be called an Orchard in a City or a City in an Orchard the populousness of a City and the pleasure of the Country meeting here together Of some Note besides for giving the Title of Earl to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk Earl of Arundel Surrey and Norwich Finally this City do's injoy a great Trade but chiefly for its Stuffs Stockings and other Manufactures here made for the learning of which it is beholding to the Dutch that came to inhabit here It has three Markets a Week Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays the first and last very great for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Lyn Sat. Mund. Yarmouth Sat. Thetford Sat. Hingham Sat. New-Buckenham Sat. Swafham Sat. Downham Sat. Holt Sat. Burnham Sat. Cromere Sat. Repcham Sat. Alesham Sat. Worsted Sat. Sechy Mund. East-Herling Tue Fulcham Tue Caston Tue Harlston Wedn. Watton Wedn. North-Walsham Thu Attlebury Thu Fakenham Thu Windham Frid East-Derham Frid Diss Frid Snetham Frid Walsingham Frid Besides Southwold and Winfield two new Markets and Hickling whose Market-Days I am ignorant of â—yn formerly called Bishops Lyn as appertaining to the Bishops of Norwich till King Henry VIII gave it the Name of â—yn Regis or King's Lyn is seated in the Western Part of the Country upon the Banks of the Ouse near its fall into that Part of the Sea which is called the Washes Watered besides by two little Rivers that fall there into the Ouse which are passed over by about 15 Bridges A Town of good antiquity large and well built containing 3 Parish-Churches and for its Defence incompassed with a Wall and a good Ditch Well Inhabited by Merchants and Tradesmen who drive a considerable Trade and the more by reason of its commodious Haven Yet it is much eclipsed in its Trade to what it was formerly because of the stoppage of a Sluce upon the Ouse which do's so obstruct the Current of salt Water that the River is scarce navigable to Cambridge Nigh unto this Town on the other side of the Ouse is a little Marsh Country called Marsh-Land very subject to the Inundations of the Sea and therefore very moist and aguish But in recompence its Soil is exceeding fat and feed abundance of Cattel In this Marsh are seated several Towns but so destitute of fresh Water for houshold Use that many of 'em are fain to get a supply thereof at 4 miles distance About 3 miles from Lyn towards the Sea stands a decayed Town called Castle-Rising It s Decay occasioned by its Haven's being many years since choakt up with Sands whereby 't is become useless Which has done a Kindness to Lyn. Yarmouth the best Harbour in all this County and the Key of this Coast is seated at the Mouth of the River Yare from whence it is called Yarmouth A Town of good Strength as well by Nature as Art well built and pretty large and yet it has but one Church which is beautify'd with a lofty Spire The same is well inhabited and much resorted unto by Seamen affording a ready Passage to Holland and being a frequent Shelter to the New-castle Fleets when distressed by Weather Of special note besides for Herring-fishing in the Seas adjacent in the Month of September Which draws a great Concourse of People hither and makes the Town much richer all the Year after Lastly 't is dignified with the Title of Earl in the person of the Right Honourable William Paston the present Earl of Yarmouth Thetford is an Inland Town situate on the Confluence of the Thet and the little Ouse over wich it has a Bridge leading to Suffolk A Place of great Antiquity built out of the Ruins of the ancient City Sitomagus which was destroyed by the merciless Danes The Bishop's See of the East Angles was from North-Elmham removed hither and from hence to Norwich It is not very well Inhabited to what it has been However this is the Town where the Lent-Assizes for the County are usually kept Herling and
three are all seated on small Rivers which after some small Course joyn together into one Stream and so fall into the Derwent a little below New Malton To conclude this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants Part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of York Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 28 Members of Parliament Viz. Two by each of these following Towns York Kingston upon Hull Knaresborough Scarborough Rippon Richmond Heydon Borough-bridge Malton Thirsk Aldborough Beverly North-Allerton Pomfret And which is remarkable it yields at this time two Dukes and one Dutchess one Marquess and nine Earls The Dukes are of Richmond and Bolton the Dutchess of Cleveland the Marquess of Halifax the Earls of Mulgrave Kingston Strafford Craven Burlington Holderness Derwentwater Faulconberg and Scarborough Thus I have compassed a very difficult Task the Description of forty Counties with so much variety of Matter in so short a Compass The Reader perhaps expects in the next place I should give an Account of the Twelve Counties of Wales as being Incorporated with England at least in point of Government But what Union soever it may have with England 't is but like those remote Cities conquered by the Romans whose Inhabitants were Civitate donati that is made Citizens of Rome England and Wales are naturally so distinct from each other both as to the Country and the Inhabitants that they cannot possibly fall under the same Character And so I lay Wales aside to present you by way of Precapitulation with a Table shewing by distinct Columns the Number of Hundreds Parishes and Market-Towns belonging to every County of England with the Names of the Shire-Towns Only 't is to be observed that instead of Hundreds Durham is divided into Wakes Cumberland Westmorland and Northumberland into Wards Also that some Counties are more generally divided than into Hundreds as Yorkshire first into three Ridings Kent into five Lathes Sussex into six Rapes Linconshire into these three Parts Lindsey Kesteven and Holland The TABLE Shires Hun Par. Shire-Towns Mark T. Barkshire 20. 140. Reading 12. Bedfordshire 9. 116. Bedford 10. Buckinghamsh 8. 185. Buckingham 15. Cambridgeshire 17. 163. Cambridge 8. Cheshire 7. 85. Chester 13. Cornwal 9. 161. Lanceston 21. Cumberland 5. 58. Carlisle 15. Derbyshire 6. 106. Derby 10. Devonshire 33. 394. Exeter 32. Dorseishire 29. 248. Dorchester 19. Durham 4. 118. Durham 6. Essex 20. 415. Colchester 21. Glocestershire 30. 280. Glocester 26. Hampshire 39. 253. Southampton 16. Hartfordshire 8. 120. Hartford 18. Herefordshire 11. 176. Hereford 8. Huntingtonshire 4. 79. Huntington 6. Kent 67. 408. Canterbury 30. Lancashire 6. 61. Lancaster 26. Leicestershire 6. 192. Leicester 12. Lincolnshire 30. 630. Lincoln 35. Middlesex 7. 273. LONDON 6. Monmouthshire 6. 127. Monmouth 7. Norfolk 31. 660. Norwich 28. Northamptonsh 20. 326. Northampton 13. Northumberland 6. 460. Newcastle 6. Nottinghamsh 8. 168. Nottingham 9. Oxfordshire 14. 280. Oxford 15. Rutland 5. 48. Okeham 2. Shropshire 15. 170. Shrewsbury 15. Somersetshire 42. 385. Bath 30. Staffordshire 5. 130. Stafford 18. Suffolk 22. 575. Ipswich 30 Surrey 13. 140. Guilford 8. Sussex 65. 312. Chichester 16. Warwickshire 5. 158. Warwick 15. Westmorland 4. 26. Kendal 8. Wiltshire 29. 304. Salisbury 23. Worcestershire 7. 152. Worcester 11. Yorkshire 26. 563. York 49. CHAP. XVIII Of LONDON and WESTMINSTER I Joyn these two together because contiguous And tho' they be two distinct Cities both by their Foundation and distinct Government yet as they make together one compact Body the City of Westminster under that Notion is generally comprehended under the Name of London and lookt upon as a Part of it In the Description whereof I shall joyn and part them as occasion shall offer My Design is not to make a long Preamble about the uncertain Original of LONDON which as some write was built above eleven hundred Years before the Birth of our Saviour That it is a most ancient City is a thing past all doubt For History tells us that the British King Lud above 60 Years before our Saviours Birth repaired and improved it The Romans in whose Time it was an Archbishop's See gave it the Title of Augusta And Animianus Marcellinus who wrote near 1300 Years ago calls it then an ancient City As for its Name the most probable Conjecture in my Judgment is that of those who derive it from the British Word Llongdin a Town of Ships It s Situation is upon all accounts very advantageous whether we consider the Soil on which it stands the River that waters it the Fruitfulness of the Country about it the Roads that lead into it or its convenient Distance from the Sea The Soil is gravelly and therefore so much the wholsomer And as it stands upon a gentle rising Bank on the North-side of the River this adds much to the healthfulness of the Place the South-side being counted something unhealthy by reason of the Vapours the Sun draws upon it The Thames that waters it I have already described as the chief River of England and an excellent navigable River This City stands where the River is cast into the form of a Crescent and stretches it self in length along the Shore as Cologne does upon the Rhine Which is a great Advantage upon several Accounts especially to a great City First because it ly's the more convenient for the several Uses and Benefits of the River Secondly for the Freeness of the Air which makes it so much the healthfuller lying open to the Fields Northward and to the River Southward Whereas Paris and all other Cities of an orbicular Form ly close together and the middle Parts half choackt for want of Air. To which add another Conveniency in London by its Situation along the River that by the Course of it one may sooner find out any Place than is possible in Paris which is a very Labyrinth in comparison This River besides is full of excellent Fish such as Barbels Trouts Chevins Pearches Smelts Breams Roaches Daces Gudgeons Flounders Shrimps Eels c. And after the Smelt-time is past it yields also sweet Salmons But Carps it is scarce of except upon Land-flouds when they get out of Gentlemens Ponds Great number of Swans are daily seen upon this River Besides a perpetual Motion of Wherries and small Boats above 2000 in Number whereby 3000 Watermen are maintained by carrying Goods and Passengers thereon Not counting those large Tilt-Boats Tide-Boats and Barges which either carry People or bring Provision from most Parts of the neighbouring Counties For Navigation no River more commodious as may appear by a Passage in the Reign of King James I. Who being displeased with the City for refusing to lend him a Sum of Mony he required threatned the Lord Mayor and Aldermen that he would remove his Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another Place with further expressions of his
its Course and so severed it self that Men went about 3 Miles together on foot in the bottom of the Channel the Waters swelling up backwards to a great height Bedford the County-Town lies North-west and by North 40 Miles from London thus From London to Barnet 10 10 more to St. Albans 8 from thence to Luton 5 more to Baruâ— Clay thence to Bedford 7. A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks oâ— the River Ouse that parts it into two and over which there is a fair Stone Bridge Called Bedford from the Beds and Lodgings on the Ford built on both sides of the River for the use of Travellers A Town which in procesâ— of time is grown to that bigness as to contain in it 5 Parish Churches whereof 3 on the North and 2 on the South-side of the River Famous in former times for the great Battel fought in the adjoyning Fields Anno 572 in which Cuthwolf the Saxon vanquished thâ— Britains and became Master of the Country But more famous for giving the Title of Duke to John of Lancaster Regent of France for Kinâ— Henry VI and to Jasper of Hatfield Uncle 〈◊〉 Henry VII After whom it was dignified bâ— King Edward VI Anno 1548 with the Title oâ— an Earldom in the Person of the then Lonâ— Admiral John Russel and from him descendeâ— in a right line to the truly Noble and right Honourable William Russel the present Earl of Bedford and Knight of the Order of the Garter Lastly this Town has two Markets a Week on Tuesdays and Saturdays well furnished with all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Tuddington Sat. Potton Sat. Luton Mund. Leighton Tue. Biglesworth Tue. Dunstable Wedn. Ampthill Thur. Woburn Frid. Shefford Frid. Among which Dunstable the chief of all is seated on a Hill in a chalky dry Ground Built by King Henry I. out of the Ruins of the ancient Magiovinium for the better suppressing of one Dun a notorious Robber that used to pester these Parts from whom it came to be called Dunstable It has 4 Streets in it and in each of 'em a Pond fed only with Rain and yet these Ponds are never dry No Springs here to be found without digging a very great depth But as it is seated in the high Road from London to West-Chester formerly known by the Name of Watling-street 't is a well frequented Town and accommodated with several good Inns for Travellers In this Town King Edward I. caused a Cross or Column to be erected adorned with Statues and the Arms of England c. in Memorial of Eleanor his Queen this being the Place where her Corps rested in her Journey from Lincolnshire where she died to Westminster Abbey where she was interred About this Town are caught abundance of Larks which are esteemed the best in England and where they are the best dressed Leighton is seated in the Borders of Buckinghamshire upon a River that runs Northward into the Ouse This is a good large Town having a Bridge over the River which leads to Buckinghamshire And its Market is very considerable especially for all sorts of faâ—â— Cattle Luton a pretty good Town borders upon both the Counties of Hartford and Bucking ham and Potton upon Cambridgeshire Woburn on a rising Ground is much frequented by Passengers in their Journeys from London to Northampton Formerly of some account for its fine Monastery as it is at present foâ— its Free School founded by Francis Earl of Bedford Near this Town is Aspley where the naturâ— of the Soil is such that it petrifies Wood. Anâ— about this Town is digged up excellent Fulleâ—â— Earth in great plenty Biglesworth is pleasantly seated on the Iveâ— over which it has a Stone-bridge This Town formerly but inconsiderable is grown into request since it became a Thorough-fare for Coaches especially between London and York Shefford is situate on the other side of the â—vel West and by South from Biglesworth between two Rivulets which joyn below thâ— Town and fall together in one stream into thâ— Ivel Ampthill 5 Miles South of Bedford is aâ— Honour belonging to the Crown Graced with a fine Seat and Park in its Neighbourhood be longing to the Earl of Alesbury To conclude this County formerly was Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Catieuchlani as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of London Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members to sit in Parliament the Right of Election being in the Town of Bedford Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire or Bucks another Inland County is bounded on the East by Bedford and Hartford Shires and part of Middlesex on the West by Oxfordshire Northward by Northamptonshire and Southward by Barkshire It contains in Length from North to South about 40 Miles in Breadth from East to West 18. The Whole divided into eight Hundreds wherein 185 Parishes and 15 Market Towns A Country blest with a very temperate and healthful Air and with a rich and fertile Soil yielding Grass and Corn in great abundance especially the Vale lying Northwards South-Eastward it rises into Hills called the Chiltern which afford a great deal of Wood. An infinite Number of Sheep is bred especially in the Vales of this Country whose Fleece is much esteemed for its fineness As for Rivers here is Northward the Ouse and a small Stream that runs into it about the middle of the County the Tame and in the South-East Parts the Coln which severs part of this County from that of Middlesex Buckingham the chief Place of it lies Northwest and by West 44 Miles from London Viz. 6 to Acton 9 more to Vxbridge 9 more to Amersham to Wendover 6 more thence 4 to Ailesbury and 10 more to Buckingham A goodly Town seated in a fruitful Soil on the Banks of the River Ouse rising not far from it and over which it has 3 fair Stone Bridges 'T is pretty well frequented and inhabited and its Market which is kept on Saturdays well served with Provisions In times past it was fortified by King Edward the elder The Town-Hall stands in the North Part of the Town and the Chappel founded by Tho. Becket is now converted into a Free School Otherwise not much observable but for those many noble Personages which have had the Title of Earls and Dukes thereof The last Duke was George Villiers who died in the late Reign He was Son to George Viscount Villiers Baron of Whaddon first created Earl of Buckingham by King James the First and afterwards Duke thereof Anno 1623. He was Lord Admiral of England and High Chamberlain and was slain by Felton The other Market Towns are Newport Sat. Ailesbury Sat. Risborough Sat. Marlow Sat. Oulney Mund. Agmundesham Tues Colebrook Wed. Chesham Wed. Winslow Thur. Wendover Thur. Beaconfield Thur. Stony-Stratford Frid. Ivingo Frid. High Wickham Frid. Amongst which Newport Stoney-Stratford and Oulney are all three seated on the Ouse Ailesbury on the Tame Marlow near
afford excellent Fish and wild Fowl in great plenty A noted Place in former time for its wonderfull rich Abbey which continued in its glory till its Dissolution by King Henry VIII This County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants Part of the Iceni as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lincoln Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Parliament Men and these out of Huntington Kent KENT in Latin Cantium so called as being seated in a Canton or Corner of the Kingdom is a large rich and pleasant Country â—â—ying between the Thames and the Narrow Seas So that it is invironed on all sides with the Sea except Westward where it borders both upon Surrey and Sussex It contains in Length from East to West 60 Miles in Breadth from North to South 30. The Whole divided into five Lathes called Sutton Aylesford Scray St. Augustine and Shepway Lathes and these into 67 Hundreds wherein 408 Parishes and 30 Market Towns Which is an Argument of its Populousness But the Air is neither so serene nor so healthful here as in other Counties especially near the Sea and Marshes which makes this Country so noted for its Kentish Agues Now that you may know in few words the Nature of this Country both as to its Air and Soil I shall bring in the Remark made upon it which is that there are 3 Ridges of Hills in Kent one called Health without Wealth the second Health and Wealth and the third Wealth without Health Others as to the Soil give this different Character of it The Weald for Wood East Kent for Corn Rumney for Meadow Tenham for an Orchard Shepey and Reculver for Wheat Thanet for Barley and Hedcorn for Capons In general this may be said of Kent that it is a Country very good for Corn and fit for Pasturage according to the several Plots and Parts thereof and wondrous full of fruitful and well-ordered Orchards from whence the City of London is supplied with most sorts of Fruit but chiefly with Pippins and Cherries which are counted the best in England On the Cliffs between Deal and Dover there grows a great store of Samphire The same is well watered with Rivers For besides the Thames that washes its North Parts here is the Medway which in a manner parts it in the middle the Stower that runs by Canterbury the Tun through Tunbridge and the Rother upon which Appledore is seated not to mention the lesser Streams Of all the Counties in England this was the first Kingdom of the Heptarchy and had a particular King to it self which no other County ever had Neither was it conquered by the Normans the Kentish Men yielding upon Articles and having their ancient Franchises and Customs confirmed to 'em by William the Conqueror One of which is the Cavelkind whereby they are not so bound by Copy-hold as in other Parts of England Lands of this nature being equally divided here among the male Children and for want of Males among the Females By the same Law they are at age at 15 years old and they may sell or make over the Land without the consent of the Lord. Also the Son tho of a convicted Father for Felony or Murder succeeds him in such Kind of Lands The Kentish Men besides have this to glory in that they were the first Christians of this Island And this is the only County at this time that has two Cities or Episcopal Sees namely Canterbury and Rochester Canterbury the chief Place of this County is 46 miles East of London Viz. from London to Dartford 12 to Rochester 11 more from thence to Sittingborn 10 and to Canterbury 13 more A City of great Antiquity if it was built as some Authors aver 900 years before Christ 'T is seated on the River Stower noted for breeding the best Trouts in the South East Parts of England and is counted in the Lath of S. Augustine The Buildings of it but mean and the Wall which encompasses it in a decayed condition The greatest Ornament of all is the Cathedral wherein ly interred the Bodies of eight Kings For this City had been the Seat of the Kings of Kent till given by Ethelbert the first Christian King of this Country to Augustine the first Archbishop thereof and his Successors Whereupon the King removed his Seat to Reculver a Town by the Sea-side In this Cathedral is also interred the Body of Thomas Becket once Archbishop hereof that famous Saint so reverenced by the Romanists In this City and its Suburbs are reckoned 14 Parish Churches besides a Meeting-place under the Cathedral for the Walloonâ— that dwell in this City who are very numerous and drive a considerable Trade of the Stuffs they make here It has two Markets a Week Wednesdays and Saturdays the latter of which is the most considerable But to the honour this City has had of being the Regal Seat of the first Kings of Kent and of being to this day the See of the Primate of England let us add the Coronation of King John and Queen Izabel his Wife the Marriages of Henry II. and Edward I and the Interments of Edward the black Prince King Henry the Fourth and Queen Joan his Wife all which was performed in this Place The other Market-Towns are Eltham Mund. Wrotham Tue. Lenham Tue. Westram Wedn. S. Mary Cray Wedn. Goldburst Wedn. Gravesend Wedn. Sat. Feversham Wedn. Sat. Dover Wedn. Sat. Sandwich Wedn. Sat. Wye Thu. Rumney Thu. Lyd Thu. Folkstone Thu. Maidstone Thu. Bromley Thu. Rochester Frid. Tunbridge Frid. Tenderden Frid. Woolwich Frid. Smarden Frid. Malinge Sat. Milton Sat. Cranbrook Sat. Hythe Sat. Ashford Sat. Sevenoke Sat. Dartford Sat. Appledore Among which Rockester requires the preeminence as a Bishops See and the second for Antiquity in all the Island It is seated upon the Medway over which it has a stately Stone-bridge one of the fairest in England It consists most of one principal Street which extends it self a long way the Houses being but ordinary as they are inhabited for the most part but by Trades-men and Inn-keepers Yet besides the Honour it has of being a Bishops See it is dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of the Right Honourable Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester Viscount Hyde c. Which Title was formerly enjoy'd by three Wilmots And before them there was a Viscount of this Place Sir Robert Carr being created Viscount of Rochester Anno 1611. and afterwards Earl of Somerset Adjoyning to this City is Chatham also seated on the Banks of Medway A long Thorough-fare Town well inhabited by Seamen and Shipwrights as being the principal Station of the Royal Navy and having a good Dock and Store-houses for the building and equipping of his Majesties Ships Maidstone is seated also on the Medway but near the head of it This is the Town where the County-Goal Sessions and Assizes are kept being conveniently seated for
this Town has been very much improved and beautified at their Charge and Industry Here is a Town-house erected upon Pillars and Arches of hewn Stone and underneath an Exchange for the Merchants Among its Antiquities a Castle on the South-side which commands the Pool built by King John during his stay here for a Wind to Ireland and on the West-side upon the River the Tower being a stately and strong Pile of Building Preston near to Leverpool is a fair large well inhabited and frequented Borough-Town Seated on the North-side of the Rible over which it has a very fair Stone-bridge In this Town are held the Court of Chancery and Offices of Justice for Lancaster as a County Palatine Not far from Preston aforesaid is a small Town from the River on which it is situate called Rible-Chester which has been esteemed and called the richest Town in Christendom No doubt but it has been a Place of great account in the Time of the Romans if we consider the many Statues pieces of Coin Altars Pillars Inscriptions and other Pieces of Antiquity that have been often digged up here Wigan is another Town of note in this Country Seated on the River Dowles and much inhabited by Braziers Pewterers Diers Weavers of Rugs Coverlets and Tackling for Bedding Of special note for the choicest Coal in England called Caunel but most of all for a burning Well not far from it Warington a good large Town is seated on the River Mersey over which there 's a fine Stone-bridge which leads to Cheshire Dignify'd of late with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Henry Booth Earl of Warington and Baron De la Mere. Poulton Bury and Rochdale lie not far asunder the first on the Irwell and Rochdale on the River Rock in a Vale. Coln is situate on a little Hill near the Eastern Confines of the-County Blackborn near the Derwent Ormskirk not far from Merton Meer Kiâ—kham near the Mouth of the Rible Garstang near the Wire and Hornby on the Lon. This last noted for its Castle called Hornby-Castle the ancient Seat of the Lord Morley and Mounteagle Hawkshead is placed in a hilly and woody Country Clitheroe towards Pendle-hill Dalton in a Champain Country not far from the Sea and Vlverston commonly called Ouslon on a small Stream which empties it self not far off into the Sea or an Arm thereof near Lever-Sand Lastly this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocess of Lincoln It was made a County Palatine by King Edward the Third And out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 12 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these Towns Lancaster Leverpool Preston Wigan Clitheroe and Newton Leicestershire LEICESTERSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by the Counties of Lincoln and Rutland on the West by Warwickshire Northward by Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and Southward by Northamptonshire It s Length from East to West is about 30 miles its Breadth from North to South about 25. The whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 192 Parishes and 12 Market-Towns The Air in this County is mild and wholsom and the Inhabitants accordingly are healthy and long-lived The Soil in the South-East parts especially is extream fertile for all sorts of Grain but chiefly Peas and Beans and has also rich Pastures feeding Cattel and Sheep in great Numbers whose Wool for its fineness is had in great esteem But the North-West part is generally barren and in some places rocky and stony About the Forest of Charwood where is Bardon-Hill is great store of Lime-Stone wherewith they manure their Ground For Fewel this Country is but thinly cloathed with Wood especially in the South-East Parts But this Defect is sufficiently supply'd by the great plenty of Pit-coal digged up in the North Parts Here are a great many small Rivers but none of any long Course besides the Stower and the Wreak Leicester the County Town bears from London North-North-West and is distant therefrom 78 miles thus Viz. from London to Northampton 54 for the particulars of which I refer you to Northamptonshire from Northampton to Harborough 12 and from thence to Leicester 12 more It is pleasantly seated in a good Air and rich Soil on the Banks of the Stower of old called Leir that washes its North and West Parts and over which it has two Bridges Once a Bishops See and in those Days beautified with a fair Collegiate Church a magnificent Abbey and a strong Castle all decay'd and ruined by the iniquity and injury of the Times As to the present State of it it is indifferent large containing 3 Parish Churches has several good Buildings and is well inhabited In short 't is in as good plight both for Trade and Buildings as most Towns are that want a navigable River And its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities Noted besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Philip Sidney the present Earl of Leicester Derived to him from his Father Robert Son and Heir of Robert Sidney Viscount Lisle created Earl of Leicester and Baron of Penthurst by King James the first Anno 1618. Which Robert was descended of a Sister of Robert Dudley the last of many Earls of Leicester before him The other Market-Towns are Ashby Sat. Hinkley Mund. Mont-Sorel Mund. Melton-Mowbray Tue. Harborough Tue. Bosworth Wedn. Loughborow Thu. Waltham Thu. Hallaton Thu. Lutterworth Thu. Billesden Frid. Among which Ashby or Ashby de la Zouche is seated between two Parks on the Borders of Derbyshire In whose Neighbourhood is Cole Overton noted for its Pit-coals Hinkley stands on the Borders of Warwickshire beautified with a fair and large Church and a lofty Spire-Steeple Mont-Sorrel is seated on a great Eminency near the Stowr over which it has a Bridge Of some note formerly for its famous Castle that stood on a steep and craggy Hill but is long since demolished At Barrow near adjoyning is digged up excellent Lime much commended for its binding Melton-Mowbray is situate in a fertile Soil on the banks of the Wreak over which it has two Stone-bridges Harborough on the Borders of Northamptonshire and the banks of the Weland which parts the two Counties Bosworth is loftily seated on a Hill and in a fertile Soil Noted for the bloody Battle fought at Redmore near adjoyning betwixt Richard III. and his Successor Henry VII Which decided the long-depending Differences betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster giving the Crown from Richard to Henry descended from the latter House Richard being slain in this Battle his Body was ignominiously cast cross a Horse's back naked and torn in pieces and meanly buried in the Grey-Friars of Leicester Which being afterwards destroy'd the Stone-Chest wherein the Corps lay serves now in an Inn for a drinking Trough for Horses Loughborow a good
England into Counties there is a common way of dividing it but into Two Parts North and South that is all the Counties on the North and South-side of the River Trent Which way is followed by the Justices in Eyre of the Forest and likewise by the Kings at Arms. Another Division there is relating to the publick Administration of Justice by the Itinerant of Judges And that is into Six Circuits of which I shall give a particular Account in my second Part. Lastly for the Church Government England is divided first into two Provinces or Archbishopricks namely Canterbury and York and these two Provinces into 22 Diocesses or Bishopricks these into Archdeaconries Archdeaconries into Rural Deanries and these last into Parishes The Number whereof setting aside the 12 Counties of Wales amounts to near Ten Thousand CHAP. II. The Advantages of ENGLAND from its Situation in opposition to Inland Countries The natural Beauty of it A Description of its principal Rivers OF all the States of Europe there 's none more happy than ENGLAND whether we consider the Advantages of its Situation the Temperateness of its Air the Richness of its Soil the happy temper of its Inhabitants or the Blessed Constitution of its Government especially under their present Majesties As it is in a manner surrounded by the Sea it injoys Two great Advantages the One in Relation to foreign Trade and the Other in point of Security from forein Invasion In relation to forein Trade it lies open to all Parts of the World that are adjacent to the Sea either for the Exportation of home-bred or the Importation of foreign Commodities To which purpose as Nature has fenced its Sea-Coasts from the Irruptions and Inundations of the Sea with high Cliffs so she has furnished it with abundance of safe and capacious Harbours for the security of Ships As for a forein Invasion 't is certain that Islands of any great Importance are by Nature the most defensible Places and the least open to Conquests The Sea that fluid Element which surrounds them is such a Bar to their Enemies Attempts the Winds that govern it so fickle and uncertain the Charges of a Fleet and Land Army so vast the Preparations such as cannot be carried on with that speed and secrecy as for an Invasion by Land and the Difficulty of Landing so great in case of Opposition 'T is true no Continent perhaps was oftener Conquered than ENGLAND first by the Romans then by the Saxons afterwards by the Danes and last of all by the Normans But how was it done always by the help of some discontented or corrupted Party in the Island Thus Bericus a noble but disgusted Britain incouraged Claudius the Roman Emperour to stretch his Empire hither And Vortiger an Usurper of the British Throne called in the Saxons to his help who having got a footing here could not be so easily expelled as brought in In short it may be said England was never and can scarce be Conquered but by England especially since its happy Conjunction with Scotland and the Annexion of Wales As to the late Revolution 't is self evident that the chief Part of the Nation had a hand in it and as it proved we may justly call it not an Invasion as King James affected to do but a wonderful and signal Deliverance To those Two great Advantages of Trade and Security which England does injoy from its Situation near the Sea let us add the Prospect it has from the Sea-Coast of the wonderful Ocean one of the three great Antiquities of the World and the plentiful Variety of Fish and Sea-Fowl c. it affords to this Island But that which raises my Admiration of ENGLAND is the Beauty of it being generally a flat and open Country not overgrown with wild and unwholsom Forests nor dreadful high Mountains What Hills it has are generally very gentle and pleasant and raised as it were to give a charming Prospect to the Eye as its Forests seem only contrived for Variety and the pleasure of Hunting But one Thing there is which adds much to the Beauty of it and that is its excellent Verdure Which by reason of the mildness of the Air even in the Winter-Season exceeds in duration of Time the most fruitful Places of Europe To which add the Concourse of so many Rivers which glide through this Country and strive to make it agreeable and fruitful They are reckoned in all 325 the chief whereof are these following Viz. The Thames The Medway The Severn The Ouse The Trent The Humber The Tees The Tine The Twede The Thames is a Compound of the Thame and Isis two Rivers the first whereof rises in Buckinghamshire the other near Cirencester in Glocestershire both joyning together into one Stream by Dorcester in Oxfordshire where it parts that County from Barkshire From whence taking its course Eastward with many Windings and Turnings it parts Buckinghamshire from Barkshire Middlesex from Surrey and Essex from Kent Where being swelled with the Influx of several lesser Rivers it discharges it self into the Sea watering by the way amongst other Towns Reading and Windsor in Barkshire Kingston and Southwark in Surrey London in Middlesex Barking in Essex and Gravesend in Kent A River the Water whereof is extraordinary wholsom the Stream exceeding gentle and the Tides very commodious for Navigation For the Sea flows gently up this River about 80 Miles almost as far as Kingston being 12 Miles by Land and 20 by Water above London The Medway is a Kentish River not so remarkable for the length of its Course as for the Depth of its Channel and therefore made use of for harbouring the Royal Navy It runs thorough Maidstone Rochester and Chatham a few Miles from whence it empties it self in the Mouth of the Thames This River loses it self under Ground and rises again at Loose not far from Cox-Heath The Severn rises in Montgomeryshire a County of North-Wales From whence it runs through Shropshire Worcestershire and Glocestershire where it does so expatiate it self that the Mouth of it is more like an Arm of the Sea than any part of a River It waters in its course Shrewsbury Worcester and Glocester the chief Towns of the foresaid three Counties and takes in by the way several Rivers of good note two Avons the Temd the Wye and the Vsk The Ouse has its source in the South-Borders of Northamptonshire From whence it runs through the Counties of Bucks Bedford Huntington Cambridge and Norfolk where it discharges it self into the Ocean watering in its Course Buckingham Bedford Huntington Ely and the Sea-Port of Lyn in Norfolk The River that runs through York has also the Name of Ouse being a Compound chiefly of these three Yorkshire Rivers the Swale the Youre and the Warfe And between Norfolk and Suffolk you will find the little Ouse which parting these Two Counties runs at last into the great Ouse The Trent which divides England into Two Parts North and South has its Rise
of arched Work consisting of 24 Peers and so high that a Vessel of 50 or 60 Tuns may pass under it Which Accommodation has made it a Place of good account and trade Torrington a pretty large Town is chiefly noted for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Arthur Herbert lately created Earl of Torrington by our present King and made Lord Admiral of Their Majesties Fleet. Whereas this Title was before in the Person of the Duke of Albemarle deceased Tavestock is seated on the Tave Modberry betwixt the Arme and the Aune Totness on the Dart and Ashburton near it Chidley on the Tinge Crediton upon Credit and Forton both which run into the Ex Tiverton at the fall of the Leman into the Ex Columpton on the Culme Honiton on the Otter Axminster on the Ax. Totness among the rest is an ancient little Town about 6 miles from the Influx of the Dart into the Sea It stands on the fall of a Hill lying East and West Honoured once with the Title of an Earldom in the person of George Lord Carew of Clopton Created Earl of Totness by King Charles I. Anno 1625. He was Son of George Carew Dr. of Divinity Arch-Deacon of Totness and afterwards advanced to the Deanry of Windsor But dying without Issue male the Title died with him In the Reign of King Charles II. this Town gave the Title of Viscount as is said before to Charles Fitz Charles Earl of Plimouth but that Title also went with him into the Grave Tiverton otherwise called Twiford-Town is a Town of good account for the Cloths heâ—â— made which create a good Trade among thâ— Inhabitants Crediton seated betwixt two Hills and in â— rich Soil is divided into two Parts the onâ— called the East Town and the other the West 'T is very well inhabited and drives a good Trade of Serges There is a fair Churcâ— in it built Cathedral-wise this Town having been formerly the Bishops See before it was by King Edward the Confessour transferred to Exeter Lastly this County which formerly waâ— Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants together with those of Cornwal known by the name of Danmonii among the ancient Romans is now in the Diocese oâ— Exeter Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire no less than 2â— Members to sit in Parliament Viz. two ouâ— of each of these following Towns Exeter Plimouth Plimpton Totness Okehampton Honitoâ— Barnstaple Tavestock Ashburton Tiverton Beraâ—stan and two more out of these three Townâ— Clifton Dartmouth and Hardness This County has had Earls of several Families Of which the Rivers and Courtneys helâ— the Title long as now the Cavendishes may do who have possession of it in the fourth Generation The first Earl of this Family was William Lord Cavendish of Harwick created Earl of Devon by King James I. Anno 1618. And from him is descended in a right Line the Right Honourable William Cavendish the present Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the King's Houshold To conclude over against Devonshire a good way off in the Severn Sea is an Island called Lundey not above 5 miles long and 2 broad but begirt about with dangerous unapproachable Rocks having but one entrance into it and that so narrow that two men can hardly go a-breast An Island though situate in the midst of the salt and brackish Ocean far enough from any Land that yields notwithstanding many Springs of fresh Water for the Use of its Inhabitants who dwell for the most part in a Town of the same Name with the Island CHAP. VIII Of Dorsetshire Durham and Essex Dorsetshire DORSETSHIRE or the County of Dorset is another Maritime County in the West of England Bounded Eastward by Hampshire Westward by Devonshire and Somersetshire Northward by Wiltshire and part of Somersetshire and Southward by the British Sea commonly called the Channel It s Length from East to West is about 4â— miles and its Breadth where broadest 25. The Whole divided into 29 Hundreds wherein 248 Parishes and 29 Markeâ— Towns Here the Air is very good and healthful anâ— the Country as pleasant being watered witâ— many fine Streams gliding through its ricâ— Meadows The principal whereof are the Stower and the Frome The Soil is fat and fruitful abounding with rich Pastures and such Corn-fields as seldom deceive the hopes of the Husbandman Sâ— that here is abundance of great and smalâ— Cattel and commonly great plenty of Corn. The North Parts being somewhat flat have the richest Meadows and are not destitute of Woods and Timber-trees but in Winter sadly clogged with Dirt. An Inconveniency the South Parts are freer from as consisting most of Hills or Downs which being overspread with innumerable Flocks of Sheep proves no small profit to the Inhabitants And here are many though not large Valleys in which most Towns and Gentlemens Houses are seated the better to avoid those sharp Blasts this Southern Part is subject unto lying so open and destitute of Woods as it does Fish and wild Fowl here 's great plenty of both from its Sea and Rivers Dorchester the chief Place hereof bears from London South-West and by West and is distant therefrom about 100 miles thus To Basingstoke 39 from thence to Stokebridge 16 to Dunkton 12 more thence to Cranburn 9 to Blandford 9 more and 12 from thence to Dorchester A Town of great antiquity as appears by â—any pieces of the Roman Coyn found near 〈◊〉 Once of a large Compass as may be conâ—ctured by the tract of the Walls and Trenches â—ut so spoiled and plundered by the Danes who â—â—so pulled down the Walls that it could never â—ecover its former wealth and beauty It was also fortified and set out with a â—oodly Castle which being decay'd and ruinâ—us was converted into a Monastery and afterâ—ards demolished I come now to its present â—tate This Town is pleasantly seated on the Southâ—â—de of the River Frome and on the Roman Causey called Via fossa about 5 miles from the â—ea It consists of three fair Streets and as maâ—y Parish Churches the Inhabitants driving a Trade of Kersies and other Things Here is 〈◊〉 good Market kept on Saturdays and this is the Place where the County Assises are also kept Noted besides for the Title of Marquess it gave â—nce to Henry Lord Pierrepont Created Marquess â—f Dorchester by King Charles I. Anno 1645. And in the late Reign for giving the Title of Countess to the Lady Catherine Sidley advanced â—o that Dignity by King James the Second The other Market Towns are Shaftsbury Sat. â—landford Sat. â—arham Sat. Middleton Mund. Pool Mund. and Thu. Weymouth Tue. Frid. Melcomb Regis Tue. Frid. Cerne-Abbas Wedn. Cranborn Wedn. Abbots-Bury Thu. Corfe-Castle Thu. Sturminster Thu. Frampton Thu. Sherburn Thu. Sat. Wimbern Minster Frid. Lime Bridport Evershot Bemyster Among which Lime Bridport Weymouth and Melcomb Regis Pool and Warham are so many Harbours and Weymouth the principal Now
capacious Palace for the Bishops Dwelling called Wolvesey-House and upon a Hill a strong Castle which overlooks the Country In short the City of Winchester is indifferently well peopled and frequented And its reekly Markets kept on Wednesdays and Saturdays are well served with all sorts of Provisions especially that on Saturdays Noted besides for giving the Title of Marquess to his Grace Charles Paulet lately made Duke of Bolton by our present King The other Market-Towns are Kingsclere Tue. â—asing-stoke Wedn. Kingwood Wedn. â—lisford Thu. Portsmouth Thu. Sat. Andover Sat. Ramsey Sat. Petersfield Sat. Lemington Sat. Odiam Sat. Besides Christchurch and Whitechurch whose Market-Days I am ignorant of and Newport â—in the Isle of Wight of which more anon Amongst which Portsmouth the strongest Place in this Kingdom is seated in the Isle of Porsey South-East from Southampton Which Isle has Communication on the North with the main Land by a Bridge This Place is both a good Harbour for Ships and by its strong Fortifications a Shelter to this Country Here are Docks and Store-houses for the King to build and equip Men of War and for its Defence two Castles one in the North and another in the South besides other Fortifications and a good Garrison withall But it is counted an unhealthy Place However it gives the Title of Dutchess to a famous French Lady Louisa de Querouaille created Baroness of Petersfield Countess of Faruham and Dutchess of Portsmouth by King Charles II. Anno 1673. A Town noted besides for a Race of small Dogs like Beagles bred about it which hunt Moles as their natural Game Odiam seated on the Road did formerly belong to the Bishops of Winchester Near unto it stand the Ruins of an old Castle once so strong that in the Reign of King John 13 Englishmen kept out the Dauphin of France and his Army for the space of 15 days As for Whitechurch Stocksbridge and Rumsey they are all three seated upon the Test Ringwood upon the Avon Christ-Church betwixt the Avon and the Stower at their fall into the Sea and Lemington East from it by the Sea-side Stockbridge Basingstoke Petersfield and Andover are great Thorow-fare Towns Spithead a noted Place for being a frequent Rendezvous to the Royal Navy lies between Portfmouth and the Isle of Wight Of the Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight falls next under our Consideration And as Nature has parted it from the rest so in her Imitation I give you here a separate Account of it This Island being scarce 3 miles from Hurst-Castle is generally supposed to have been dismembred from Hampshire by the Sea 'T is about 20 miles in length and 12 broad where broadest of an oval Form ending with two Peninsules one East and the other West Naturally fenced about with steep and craggy Rocks amongst which the Shingles and the Needles Northwestward are of chief note amongst Sea-men Southward where it looks towards France it is inaccessible but towards the North-East something flat and level The Soil hereof abundantly answers the Pains of the Husband man So plentiful it is of Corn and Pasturage that the Inhabitants have not only sufficient for themselves but furnish also the Markets of Portsmouth and Southampton but the first especially with the greatest part of the Wheat Flesh Cheese and Butter which is spent amongst them Insomuch that the Souldiers of Portsmouth presuming on the strength of that Town use to say That as long as they have the Isle of Wight to their Friend and the Seas open they need not care for all the World besides And as the Sea about this Island is exceeding full of Fish so is the Land stored almost in all Places with Conies Hares Partridges and Pheasants And the Sheep here yield so fine a Fleece that the Wool hereof has the precedenty of that of Coteswold in Glocestershire and is next in esteem to that of Lemster in Herefordshire This Island is divided into two principal Parts viz. East and West-Meden containing 36 Parishes and in them 3 Market-Towns Newport the chief of all the Isle stands on the North-East Coast with a little Creek before it where small Vessels come to the very Key which does very much facilitate its Trade 'T is a large and populous Town having two Markets a Week viz. Wednesdays and Saturdays At the entrance of the aforesaid Creek is Cowes often mentioned in our Gazets a noted place for harbouring of Ships therefore fortified with a Castle And a little way West from Newport stands another call'd Caresbrook Castle Yarmouth the best Town in this Island next to Newport is situate on the North-West Coast This Town is strengthened with a Castle and other pieces of Fortification most of it's Houses built of Free Stone and covered with Slate In the South-East-Parts is Sandham on a Bay so called also fortified with a Castle So that here are more Castles in this Spot of Ground than there is in any the like Spot in England Lastly this Island as well as the Isle of Man has had the honour of being advanced to the Title of a Kingdom but either of 'em much more deservedly than the Lordship of Ivitot in France 'T was in the Year 1445 when King Henry VI out of his particular affection to Henry Beauchamp Earl of Warwick crowned him King of Wight Which Title ended with his Life about two years after Besides this Island there are to the Eastward of Portsmouth two lesser Isles called Haling and Thorney and having two Towns of their Name This County whereof the Isle of Wight makes a Part is in the Diocess of Winchester and was formerly part of the Kingdom of the West Saxons The Inhabitants whereof together with those of Wiltshire and Somersetshire were known by the Name of Belgae among the ancient Romans Out of it are elected besides the two Knightâ— of the Shire no less than 24 Members to serve in Parliament viz. two out of each of these Towns Winchester Southampton Portsmouth Petersfield Stockbridge Lemington Andover Christ-church White-Church besides these three in the Isle of Wight Newport Yarmouth and Newton Hartfordshire HARTFORDSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by Essex on the West by Buckingham and Bedfordshire on the North by Cambridge-shire and on the South by Middlesex It contains in Length from North to South 30 miles and in Breadth from East to West 27. The whole divided into eight Hundreds wherein 120 Parishes and 18 Market Towns A Country not only blest with a sweet and wholsom Air but also with a fruitful Soil well watered with fresh and delightful Streams the principal whereof are the Lea and the Coln Hartford the Shire-Town from whence the County took its Name stands North by West 20 miles from London Viz. 10 from London to Barnet and 10 more to Hartford A Town of great note in the time of Beda by whom named Herudford for a Synod there held in the dawning of the day of Christianity amongst the Saxons
handsom Town flands pleasantly among fertile Meadows near the Forest of Charwood on the Banks of the River Stowr over which it has a Bridge Lutterworth a goodly Town also beautified with a large and fair Church with a neat and lofty Spire-Steeple is seated in a good Soil on the River Swift which at a small distance from hence falls into the Avon in Warwickshire Of this Town the famous Wicless was Parson an okl Champion against the Corruptions and Errours of the Church of Rome This County now in the Diocese of Lincoln was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia in the Time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants with several of their Neighbours went among the ancient Romans under the Name of Coritani Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members of Parliament chosen by the Town of Leicester Lincolnshire LINCOLNSHIRE a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with the Counties of York Nottingham and Leicester on the North with the River Humber which parts it from Yorkshire on the South with the Counties of Cambridge Northampton and Rutland It contains in Length from North to South almost 60 miles in Breadth from East to West 35. The Whole divided into 3 Parts called Lindsey Kesteven and Holland And these 3 Divisions contain 30 Hundreds wherein 630 Parishes and 35 Market-Towns This Country being Fenny especially in the East and South Parts makes the Air something unhealthful because it is apt to be thick and foggy The Soil in the North and West Parts is exceeding pleasant and fertile stored with Pasturage Arable and Meadow Grounds But the East and South Parts that are full of Fenny Grounds and something brackish by reason of the Salt Waters that come in from the Sea through several Inlets are barren and unfit for Corn. 'T is true in recompence thereof there is such a plenty both of Fowl and Fish that no County in the Kingdom can compare with it And there goes a Story that at one draught with a Net 30â—0 Mallards have been taken besides other sorts How true it is I am as yet to seek but am apt to think there 's one Cypher too much As for Rivers no County in England is better irrigated nor Rivers any where more plentifull of Fish Northward is the Humber which as I said before parts it from Yorkshire and Westward the Trent which severs Part of it from Nottinghamshire Cross the Country you will find the Witham River Southward the Weland and the Nen. That Part of the County which goes by the Name of Lindsey lies to the Northward and is so named from Lindissi the ancient Name of Lincoln according to Beda This Part is so surrounded with Water that it is an Island and its Extent so great in proportion to the rest that it takes up at least one half of the County Noted for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Robert Bertie the present Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Kesteven and Holland take up the South Parts from Lindsey Holland lying towards the Sea and Kesteven West from it Of Holland there has been 3 Earls Henry Robert and Edward Rich. The first created Earl of Holland by King James I. Anno 1624. Robert his Son succeeded not only in this Title but also in that of Earl of Warwick upon the Death of his Cousin-german Charles Rich Earl of Warwick who died without Issue So that both Titles are now injoyd by his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick and Holland Lincoln the principal Place in this Shire and a Bishops See bears from London North by West and is distant from it by common Computation 103 miles thus Viz. from London to Huntington 48 miles for the Particulars whereof I refer you to Huntingtonshire from thence to Stilton 9 to Peterborough 5 more to Market-Deeping 8 to Sleaford 18 more and thence to Lincoln 15. A City seated on the side of a Hill the lower part whereof is watered by the River Witham over which there are several Bridges for the Conveniency of Passengers A Place of great Antiquity whose ancient ruinated Places are still an Argument of its former Greatness In the Time of the Romans 't was a Town of great strength and fame and in the Time of the Normans a Place of great Trading Whose flourishing Condition occasioned the Episcopal See then at Dorchester near Oxon to be removed hither But this City has gone through all the Calamities of Fire Sword and Earth-quake Which has so much weakned and impaired it that of 50 Churches it is said to have had for divine Worship there remains but 15 besides the Cathedral In the Time of the Saxons King Arthur drove away their Forces from this Place The like did Edmund Ironside to the Danes who had made sore havock thereof On the 5th of Sept. 1140. here was a great Battel fought between King Stephen and Maud the Empress in which the King was taken Prisoner and afterwards laid in irons in Bristol On the 19th of May 1217. here was another sore Battel fought betwixt King Henry III. and his disloyal Barons who stood for Lewis the Dauphin of France in which the King got the day But whatever Disasters and Calamities this City has gone through still 't is a large populous and well frequented Place Dignified not only with an Episcopal See whose Diocese to this day is the greatest of any in the Kingdom but also for many Ages with the Title of an Earldom Which having passed through severall Families with frequent Interruptions came at last to be in the possession of Edward Fiennes Lord Clinton who being Lord Admiral in Queen Elizabeth's Time was by her Majesty created Earl of Lincoln Anno 1565. From whom the Title is now devolved in a direct Line to the Right Honourable Edward Clinton the present Earl of Lincoln The Cathedral or Minster as now standing is one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christendom high seated on a Hill and from thence discerned over all the Country In short this City is a County of it self whose Liberties extend about 20 miles in compass and is called the County of the City of Lincoln It s Market kept on Fridays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities The other Market-Towns are Grantham Sat. Kirkton Sat. Thongcaster Sat. Waynfleet Sat. Horn-Castle Sat. Dunington Sat. Burton Sat. Bourn Sat. Spilsby Mun. Salsby Mun. Sleaford Mun. Market-Stanton Mun. Stamford Mund. Frid. Ganesborough Tue. Barton Tue. Market-Rasen Tue. Bullingbrook Tue. Spalding Tue. Alford Tue. Grinsby Wedn. Binbrook Wedn. Lowthe Wed. and Sat. Boston Wed. and Sat. Glamford Thu. Burgh Thu. Market-Deeping Thu. Folkingham Thu. Holbich Thu. Wragby Thu. Naverby Thu. Tatershall Frid. Saltfleet Crowland Barnwell Among which Stamferd in Kesteven Division and the hithermost Town of Lincolnshire is the most considerable Seated on both sides of the
Hair or Garments As White Black Brown Red Green and these Norman Names Blanch or white Blount for Blond Flaxen Hair Rous for Roux red and these derived from the two last viz. Blundell Russel Others have received their Names from their Age as Young Old Child Stripling In Imitation of the Romans Juvenalis Junius Virginius Senecio Priscus Others again from that which they commonly carried as Palmer and Wagstaff Some from the Qualities of the Mind as Good Goodman Goodenough Wise Sharp Speed And such the Greeks and Romans of old had witness Agathias Andragathius Eubulus Eumenius Sophocles Thraseas Prudentius Lepidus Valens Constans Some took their Names from Beasts as Lamb Lion Bear Buck Fox Hind Hound Hare Hog Pig Roe Badger c. And the like you will find among the noblest Romans as Leo Catulus Lupus Leporius Aper Apronius Caninius Castor Cyrus a Dog was common amongst the Persians Others derive their Surnames from Birds as Eagle Kite Swan Wildgoose Gosling Partridge Parrat Woodcock Alcock Wilcock Handcock Peacock Dove Lark Finch Chaffinch Nightingale Wren Hulet or Howlet Corbet or Raven Arundel or Swallow As good as these Roman Names Corvinus Aquilius Milvius Gallus Picus Falco Livia or Stock-Dove From Fishes as Salmon Trout Plaice Sole Gurnard Herring Pike Pickerell Bream Burt Whiting Crab Mullet Base c. Nothing inferiour to these Roman Names Muraena Phocas Aurata c. which happily they took or were given them because they loved these Fishes best From Flowers and Fruits as Lilly Rose Peach Filbert Pescod As fair Names as Lenâ—â—lus Piso Fabius which sounded great amongst the Romans Many have got their Surnames by adding s to Christen Names as Philips Williams Rogers Peters Davis Harris Roberts Simonds Guyse Stephens Richards Hughs Jones c. Others by adding of s to these Nicknames or Nurse-Names as Robins Nicks Nichols Thoms Dicks Hicks Wills Sims Sams Collins Jenks Hodges Hobs Saunders Gibs Wats c. Many likewise have been made by adjoyning Kins to those Nurse-Names making them as it were Diminutives As Dickins from Dicks Perkins from Peir for Peter Tomkins from Tom Wilkins from Will Lambkins from Lambert Hobkins and Hopkins from Hob Atkins from Arthur Jenkins from John Watkins from Wat Tipkins from Tibald Daukins from Davy And so did the Romans vary their Names as Constans Constantius Constantinus Justus Justulus Justinus Justinianus Aurelius Aureolus Aurelianus Augustus Augustinus Augustinianus Augustulus c. Or else by adding in s to curtailed Names as Hutchins Huggins Hitchins and Higgins from Hugh Gibbins from Gibby Jennings from John and Rawlins from Raoul that is Ralph To which add Diminutive Surnames ending in et or ot as Willet from Will Bartlet from Bartholomew Millet from Miles Huet from Hugh Eliot from Elias But you will find many more of these Diminutive Surnames by the addition of Son to the Father 's Christian or Nickname As Williamson Richardson Dickson Harrison Gibson Simson Stevenson Robinson Nicholson Tomson Wilson Watson Wilkinson Johnson Jackson Sanderson and Pattison from Patrick To which answers the ancient Way of Norman Families when a Son took for his Surname his Fathers Christen-Name with the worâ— Fitz prefixt which signified Son As Robâ—â— Fitz-William that is Robert the Son of William Henry Fitz Gerard that is Henry the Son of Gerard. What remains is to answer the Question how people came by their Names Cambden thinks as it is probable enough that some took up their Names themselves and others had their Names given them by the People in whom lies the Sovereignty of Words and Names Amongst the first he reckons those that assumed local Names of such Places as they were Owners of And amongst the Authors of the last especially the Diminutives he brings in the Nurses as the principal Neither is it improbable say's he but that many Names that seem unfitting for Men as those of brutish Beasts c. came from the very Signs of the Houses where they inhabited And he alledges for Instance some that living at the Sign of the Dolphin Bull and White-Horse were commonly called Thomas at the Dolphin Will at the Bull George at the White-Horse Which Names as many others of the like sort with omitting At became afterwards hereditary to their Children Another Thing observable in Names is their frequent Change a Thing practised of old by the Romans themselves For some have changed their Names to avoid the Opinion of Baseness others in remembrance of their more honourable Progenitors Some upon the Account of Adoption others in remembrance of some particular Favours Some again by taking the Names of those whose Lands they had and others by taking the Name of their own Office As when Edward Fitz-Theobald was made Butler of Ireland the Earls of Ormond and others descended from them took the Name of Butler The Pride of Scholars has also wrought Alterations in some Names And the fear of Punishment has been all along the Occasion of several Mens changing their Names to avoid being discovered But Time especially has changed Names the most by contracting curtailing and mollifying of them in such a manner that they are quite another Thing from what they were at first Lastly Foreiners may observe that Women in England at their Marriage change their Surnames and pass into their Husbands Names Which is but reasonable because married people Non sunt duo sed Caro una they are but one Flesh And yet in France and elsewhere married Women retain so far their own Names with their Husbands as to write themselves by their Fathers Surnames I come now to the English Way of Computing Who do not begin the Year till the 25th of March being the Day of Christ's Incarnation wherein they agree with Spain This is the Rule both in Church and State according to which they date all their publick Writings Though according to the Cycles of the Sun and Moon they allow the Year to begin only the first of January which therefore is by them called as by most other Christians in Europe the New-Years Day And to distinguish that mongrel Time from the first of January to the 25th of March following 't is usual with many in the Dates of their Letters during that Interval to set down both the Years thus as from the 1st of January 1688. to the 25th of March 1689 90 As for the Natural Day consisting of 24 hours the English begin as most Parts of Europe do at Midnight counting 12 hours to Noon the next Day and 12 hours more to next Midnight according to the Custom of the Egyptians and ancient Romans Whereas in some other Countries as Italy Poland and Bohemia they reckon 24 hours together from Sun-set to Sun-set which must needs be very troublesom to tell after the Clock In Moscovy and some Places in Germany as Nuremberg and Wirtemberg they begin the Day and end it with the Sun so that the first Hour of the Day is with them at Sun rise and the first hour of
Rivers it is almost incompassed It lies about 8 miles from the Sea between two Hills upon one of which stands the Church and upon the other a Castle It s chief Trade is of course broad Cloaths here made And here is a Custom common to most other Market Towns of this County to hire Servants at their Fairs to which end such as want either Service or Servants do resort hither Egremont and Ravenglass are seated not sar from the Sea The first on the Banks of a River over which it has two Bridges Ravenglass betwixt two Rivers which together with the Sea incompass three Parts of it White-Haven is situate on a Creek of the Sea at the North end of a Hill where is a great Rock or Quarrey of hard white Stone which gives name unto it This Harbour is of late much improved in its Buildings being well frequented and inhabited and driving a good Trade to Ireland Scotland Chester Bristol and other Places Whose chief Trade is of Salt and Coals here plentifully digged up for which they bring in exchange several good Commodities Keswick seated in a Valley hemmed in with Hills has been a famous Town for Copper Mines and much frequented by mineral Men who had here many Smelting Houses But now it is gone to decay Not far from this Town is dug up Wadd or Black Lead in great plenty Formerly they reckoned in this County 25 Castles few of which are remaining most of them being decayed and gone to ruin Lastly this County which in the time of the Heptarchy was part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and whose Inhabitants as well as those of most part of the North besides were called Brigantes by the ancient Romans is partly in the Diocese of Carlisle and partly in That of Chester For the South Part of it called Copeland lying betwixt the Rivers Duddon and Darwent is within the Arch. Deaconry of Richmond in Chester-Diocese and all the rest of the County in the Diocese of Carlisle Out of this County besides the two Knights of the Shire there are but four Members chosen to sit in Parliament 2 from Carlisle and 2 from Cockermouth In the North Parts of it is a Tract called Gillesland from whence the Earl of Carlisle intitles himself Baron Dacre of Gillesland and South-Westward near the Sea stands the Barony of Millum In short this County became first an Earldom in the Reign of King Henry VIII who bestowed the Title upon Henry Lord Clifford Anno 1525 in whose Issue it continued till the Year 1642 the last that injoyed it being also a Henry Clifford Of an Earldom it became a Dukedom in the Person of the late Illustrious Prince Rupert second Son of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine and of Elizabeth his Wife the only Daughter of King James the first being Created Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness by King Charles I. his Uncle Anno 1643. He died without Issue at Whitehall Nov. 29. 1682. And the Title of Duke of Cumberland is now in the Person of his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark Of the Isle of Man Isle of Man The Isle of Man lying most of it opposite to Cumberland between this County and the North of Ireland this I think therefore to be the most proper Place to take notice of it This Island runs in Length from North to South about 30 miles and in Breadth where it is broadest 10 miles The Whole divided into two Parts North and South the Inhabitants of the one having affinity with the Scotch and the other with the Irish And in these Parts defended by Two Castles are reckoned 17 Parishes and but 5 Market Towns It is generally an High-land on the Sea-Coast and that well garded with Rocks The middle part of it runs up into high Hills The highest of all called Seafull has this very remarkable in it That from the Top of it on a clear Day one may easily behold three Kingdoms at once viz. England Scotland and Ireland England Eastward Scotland Northward and Ireland Westward The Air of this Island is sharp and subject to high Winds but 't is healthful And as sharp as it is in Winter yet the Frosts are short and the Snow does not ly very long in the Valleys The Soil is pretty fruitful both in Corn and Pasture affording good store of Wheat and other Grain and feeding good Flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattle but none of the biggest size Here are also red Deer abundance of Conies and Fowl of sundry sorts In a little adjacent Island called the Isle of Calf is abundance of Puffins a sort of Sea Fowl that breeds in Cony-holes chiefly used for their Feathers and Oyl made of them But their Flesh being pickled or salted as it has a Fish-like taste so it comes little short of Anchoves And as for Fish both the Sea and Rivers yield great plenty of it It s chief Places are Douglas Laxi and Ramsâ—y on the East Shore Rushin on the South and Peel with its strong Castle on the West Shore 'T was about the Year 1340 that this Island was conquered from the Scots by William Montacute Earl of Salisbury who was thereupon honoured with the Title of King of Man Afterwards it was sold to the Lord Scrope who being convicted of Treason forfeited it to the Crown Henry IV. gave it to Henry Pierce Earl of Northumberland the last that kept it with the Title of King But he proving also false to his Sovereign the King gave it to William Lord Stanley whose Grandchild Thomas Lord Stanley was created Earl of Derby In whose House this Estate has continued hitherto with the Title of Lord of Man though a King in effect For he has here all kind of Civil Power and Jurisdiction over the Inhabitants and the very Nomination of the Bishop of Man but still under the Fief and Sovereignty of the Crown of England And as to the Bishop he must be presented to the King for his Royal Assent then to the Archbishop of York for his Consecration Which is the Reason why the Bishop of Man is no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that Honour but such as hold immediately of the King himself Derbyshire DERBYSHIRE or as some spell it DARBYSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by Nottinghamshire on the West by Cheshire and Staffordshire on the North by Yorkshire and on the South by Leicestershire And it lies so in respect to the rest of ENGLAND that the South Parts of this County are in a manner the Center of it It is in Length from North to South about 34 miles and in Breadth from East to West 16. The Whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 106 Parishes and 10 Market Towns The Temperature of the Air of this County is very wholsom as most of the Inland Counties are Next to the River Trent wherewith the South Parts of it are irrigated that of chief note is Derwent which crossing the Country from North to
South empties it self into the Trent and so divides the County into East and West The Soil in the South and East Parts is very fruitful and yields both good Grass and Corn. But the North and West Parts being both Hilly and Stony with a black and mossy barren Ground are not so fertile Yet they are not without some rich Valleys and on the Hills themselves are bred abundance of very good though not very large Sheep For Fewel it is not beholden to Wood the Woods having been destroyed in a great measure by the Countries Iron-Works Lead-mines and Coal-Delfs But 't is so well stored with Coals that it supplies with this sort of Fewel many neighbouring Counties as Leicester Northampton Rutland and Lincoln Whose Inhabitants frequently bring Barley to sell at Darby and load themselves back with Coals For Buildings it affords not only good Clay for Bricks but also store of Free-Stone or durable Greet Stone and in many parts Lime-stone both useful in Building and for manuring the Ground Here is also Alabaster Crystal black and grey Marble not only very durable but such as polishes well As for Mill-Stones and Whet-stones here 's whole Quarries of 'em in the working whereof a great many hands are imployed before they come to be dispersed over the Nation But the chiefest Commodity of this Country is Lead which for goodness or Plenty yields to no Place in the World Famous for this is the Peak of Derbyshire as well as for its Quarries but particularly for its three wonderful Caves This Peak ly's amongst the Mountains in the North-West Parts and its three Caves of a wonderful vast height length and depth are known by the Names of Devils Arse Elden-hole and Pools hole From the Devils Arse a Water comes which is said to ebb and flow 4 times in an hour as the Well in the Peak Forest and to keep its just Tides Noted besides for the strange Irregularities of the Rocks within the Water Eldenhole is very spacious but wiâ—h a low and narrow entrance The Waters which trickle down from the top thereof do congeal into Stone and hang like Isicles in the root thereof Some are hollow within and grow Taper-wise very white and not unlike to Crystal But the greatest Wonder of all is that of Buxton-Wells Nine Springs arise out of a Rock in the compass of 8 or 9 Yards eight of which are warm and the ninth very cold These Springs run from under a square Building of Free Stone and about 300 foot off receive another hot Spring from a Well inclosed with four flat Stones near unto which another very cold Spring bubbles up These Waters are experimentally found good for the Stomach and Sinews and good to bathe in And now I come to Mineral Waters I cannot but mention Kedlaston Well Quarndon and Stanly Springs The first of which being in Kedlâ—ston Parish is noted for having cured as 't is said the Leprosy and for being singular in the Cure of old Ulcers Quarndon Springs are two Springs about a mile and a half from Derby much of the nature of Tunbridge-Waters in Kent and the Spaws in Yorkshire as strong of the Mineral and as effectual in the Operation As for Stanly-Spring 't is of the same nature but not so strong But about Wirksworth there 's a warm and a cold Spring so near each other that one may put one hand in the cold and the other in the warm Derby the Shire-Town from whence the County it self is denominated bears from London North and by West and is distant therefrom 98 miles thus From London to Leicester 78 as you may see in Leicestershire thence to Lougborough 8 and to Derby 12 more This Town is seated upon the West Bank of Derwent from whence probably the Name of Derby is extracted over which there is a fine Bridge of free Stone and upon the Bridge a Chappel called St. Maries Chappel But besides Derwent which empties it self but 6 miles lower into the Trent this Town has the Conveniency of a Brook rising Westward and running through it under nine several Bridges 'T is a large populous and rich Place few inland Towns equalizing it Here are five Parish Churches of which that of All-Saints is the fairest Whose Tower-Steeple in which are 8 tunable Bells built at the only Charge of the young Men and Maids about the Reign of Q. Mary is equalled for height and beauty by few in the Nation Here is also a fair Hall built not many years since of free Stone at the Counties Charge where the Assizes are constantly kept In short 't is a Place of good Trade and Resort no less famous for good Ale than Banbury for its Cakes and Cheese Here is chiefly a great Vent for Barley which they make into Malt and so sell it again in Cheshire Lancashire and the North of this County It s Market is on Fridays which is very great for Cattel Corn and all Provisions besides small Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays Lastly this Town is dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom now in the person of the Right Honourable William Stanley Earl of Derby and Lord of the Isle of Man Descended to him from his Ancestor Thomas Lord Stanley and of Man created Earl of Derby by King Henry VII Anno 1486. Which Title was first injoy'd by the Earls of Ferrers and Derby and afterwards by several Princes of the Royal Family till it came as I said before to Thomas Lord Stanley by Creation The other Market Towns are Chesterfield Sat. Ashbourn Sat. Alfreton Mund. Bakewell Mund. Wirksworth Tue. Tideswal Wedn. Dronfield Thu. Bolsover Frid. Drawfield Amongst which Chesterfield is pleasantly seated in a good Soil for the most part on the South-side of a little Hill and that between two small Rivers A Town which by the Ruins of it does seem to be of good Antiquity and therefore likely to have had some more ancient Name now buried in its Ruins It was made a free Borough in the time of King John And hard by it was the Battel fought between King Henry III and his Barons in which Robert de Ferrers Earl of Derby being taken Prisoner lost his Estate and Dignity though not his Life But that wherein it has most cause to glory is that from an ordinary Market Town it is become the Seat of an Earldom the Stile and Title of Earl of Chesterfield being conferred by King Charles I. upon Philip Lord Stanhop of Shelford created Earl of Chesterfield Anno 1628. From whom it descended next by Henry his eldest Son to the Right Honourable Philip Lord Stanhop the present Earl of Chesterfield Wirksworth is so called from the Worth of the Lead-Works And 't is the greatest Lead-Market in England This County formerly Part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Coritani is now in the Diocese of Lichfield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Parliament Men and these two by