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
l. 13. r. some were afterwards p. 355. l. 11. r. certain it is PART II. p. 66. l. 5. dele but. p. 68. l. 35. r. in p. 99. l. 33. r. us PART III. p. 2. l. 10. r. be p. 79. l. 35. r. assisted p. 63. l. 22. r. sit on p. 71. l. 14. r. whose p. 213. l. 18. dele of p. 180. l. 15. r. John Howe Esq p. 224. l. 17. r. 1689. p. 232. l. 27. r. Sir Edward Clark and Sir Francis Child THE FIRST PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Useful and Curious Remarks London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART I. CHAP. I. Treating of ENGLAND in general and of every County in particular England ENGLAND is the best and largest Part of the greatest Island of Europe An Island anciently called Albion from its white chalky Cliffs but since better known by the Name of Great Britain Great for the vast Extent of â—t reaching as it does in Length from North to South about 600 Miles Britain that is a Country Inhabited by Painted Men as formerly they were wont to be At this time 't is principally divided into three Parts England Scotland and Wales the first two being two distinct Kingdoms the last a Principality but all of them happily united under one Head ENGLAND takes up the South Parts of the Island being parted from Scotland Northward by the River Tweede from Wales Westward in part by the River Dee and from the rest of the World by the Ocean Thus it contains in Length from North to South as from Barwick to Portsmouth 320 miles and in breadth from East to West as from Dover to the Lands End 270. But such is the Variety of its Breadth that in the South Parts which face the Channel 't is three times the Breadth of the North. And all along the Sea-Coast in general there are so many Creeks and Inlets some greater and some lesser that England and indeed the whole Island delineated as it is in Globes and Maps makes but an odd kind of Figure However in this Spot of Ground not exceeding one third Part of France there are reckoned 30 millions of Acres In reference to the Globe it lies between the 50 and 57 Degree of North Latitude the longest Day in the most Northern Parts being 17 hours 30 minutes and the shortest in the most Southern almost eight hours long The name of ENGLAND it took from the Angles an ancient People of Jutland in Denmark who joyning with their Neighbours the Saxons went under their Name in the Conquest of Britain And this Name was given it by a special Edict of Egbert the first sole Monarch of England since the Heptarchy Who being descended from those Angles and having reduced the whole Country from a divided State into one intire Body called it with the Concurrence of the States of the Realm then convened at Winchester Anno 819. by the Name of Engle-lond since turned into ENGLAND From whence the Nation and Language came to be called English When the Romans were possessed of this Country they made but two Parts of it and another of Wales Called Britannia Prima Containing the South of England Britannia Secunda Containing Wales Maxima Caesariensis Containing the North of England Their particular Divisions were not of the Country it self but of the Inhabitants As the Atrebatii Belgae Brigantes Catieuchlani and ten Nations more they reckoned only in England In the time of the Anglo-Saxons England alone was divided into seven Kingdoms Viz. The Kingdom of Kent Containing the County of that Name The Kingdom of South-Saxons Containing Sussex and Surrey The Kingdom of West-Saxons Containing Cornwal Devon Somerset Dorset Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The Kingdom of East-Saxons Containing Middlesex Essex and part of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of East-Angles Containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire The Kingdom of Mercia Containing Glocester Worcester Hereford Shropshire Cheshire Stafford Darby Nottingham Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntington Northampton Warwick Salop Oxon Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of Northumberland Containing York Lancashire Durham Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland and the South Parts of Scotland as far as Edinburg But England's Division into Shires or Counties did not begin till the Reign of Alfred about 800 Years ago Afterwards every Shin was subdivided into Hundreds and Hundred into Tythings a Hundred containing teâ— Tythings and a Tything ten Families The Shires or Counties are either Maritime or Inland in all 40 in number The Maritime Counties I mean such as be watered by the Ocean are these Viz. Cornwal Devonshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Hampshire Sussex Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk Lincolnshire Yorkshire Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancashire Cheshire Whereof the first seven Counties take up the most Southern Parts and lye all along the Channel which parts England from France the next seven run from Kent and Sussex Northward bounded on the East by the German Ocean and the last fourâ—ly North-West bounded by the Irish Seas The Inland Counties are Nottinghamshire Derbyshire Staffordshire Shropshire Worcestershire Herefordshire Monmouthshire Glocestershire Wiltshire Barkshire Buckinghamshire Surrey Middlesex Hartfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Rutland Leicestershire Amongst all which Counties 't is Observable that some of them take their Names from the old Inhabitants as Cumberland from the Cyntbri or ancient Britains Essex and Sussex from the East and South Saxons who setled here after their Conquest Some from their Situation as Northumberland Norfolk Suffolk and Middlesex To which add Kent in Latine Cantium because it lies in a Canton or Corner of the Island Others from their Form or Figure as Cornwal from the figure of a Horn called Kere by the old Britains And indeed this County growing from East to West smaller and smaller is not unlike a Horn besides that in many places it shoots forth into the Sea with little Promontories like unto so many Horns Whereas Devonshire took its Denomination from the British Devinam signifying low Valleys of which this County does very much consist Others again from some Accidents therein As Barkshire from Beroc a certain place wherein grew good store of Box Rutland q. d. Red Land from the Redness of its Soil But the most part from the principal Town of the County as Glocestershire from Glocester Oxfordshire from Oxford Cambridgeshire from Cambridge c. As of all the Counties of England Yorkshire is the biggest beyond all compare so iâ— Rutland the least Out of the first which iâ— counted as big as the Seven United Provinces 70000 Men may be raised for present Service Whereas the Extent of the last is so inconsiderable that one may skip it over in lesâ— than half a day In point of Situation Darbyshire may bâ— look'd upon as the middle Province of thâ— Kingdom Besides the former Division of
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
Trade for the Stuffs here made and of some note for its excellent Oysters In short 't is the richest fairest and best traded Town in the whole County from whence the Earl Rivers takes his Title of Viscount Yet in regard it stands in the extremity of all the County the Sessions and Assizes are held most commonly at Chelmsford which is almost in the middle of it It s Market is kept on Saturdays and is well served with Provisions The other Market-Towns are Maldon Sat. Harwich Tue. Cogshall Sat. Manytre Tue. Walden Sat. Billerakey Tue. Dunmore Sat. Waltham Abbey Tue. Hatfield Sat. Braintre Wedn. Raleigh Sat. Rumford Wedn. Hornden Sat. Buntwood Thu. Barkin Sat. Epping Thu. and Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Hâ—ulsteed Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Chelmsford Frid. Cheping-Onger Sat. Thanted Frid. Among which Maldon and Harwich are two noted Harbours The first by the Romans called Camelodunum a Town of great antiquity and the Seat of Cunobelin King of the Trinobantes about the Time of Christ's Birth 'T is seated on the River Chelmer about 7 miles from the Sea between which and the Sea ly two small Isles called Northey and Osey It has one Street about a mile in length and is well inhabited In short 't is one of the chief Places in the whole County particularly noted for giving the Title of Viscount to the Earl of Essex In the Parts adjoyning to this Town are excellent Pastures which feed store of Sheep amongst other Cattel of whose milk they make Cheese And on the utmost Promontory stood an ancient City of the Romans called Ithancester where the Fortenses with their Captain kept their Station or Gard in the Dedination of the Roman Empire for the Security of these Parts against the Saxon Rovers Nothing of which is now remaining but the Ruins of a thick Wall where many Roman Coyns have been found And out of the Ruins of this City was built S. Peters upon the Wall Harwich lies the furthest East of any by the Sea-side and at the mouth of the River Stower So that 3 Parts of it are surrounded with Water The Town is not large but well inhabited and frequented not only for the commodiousness and safety of its Harbour but because it is the readiest Passage for Holland and the Station for the Packet-Boats imploy'd for that purpose But there is a great Inconveniency to the Inhabitants the Brackishness of its Waters Which puts the Inhabitants upon the necessity of being supplied with sweet Water from other Places The Towns of chief note besides are Chelmsford where the Assizes for the County are usually held Burntwood or Brentwood a Place of good Antiquity Rumford a great Thorough-fare and Walden or Saffron-Walden seated on an Ascent among pleasant Fields of Saffron from which the Owners reap good Profit Not far from Walden is one of the Royal Houses called Audley-end a very stately Building built by the Right Honourable Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk then Treasurer of England And upon the Thames over against Gravesend in Kent stands Tilbury Fort which commands that Passage This County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of the East-Saxons from whence it came to be called Essex and its Inhabitants together with those of Middlesex known among the ancient Romans by the Name of Trinobantes is now in the Diocese of London Famous among other things for giving the Title of Earl to several Families as the Mandeviles the Bohuns the Bourchiers Thomas Lord Cromwel William Lord Parre and three D'Evreux before it came to the present Family of the Capels And the first Earl of this Name was Arthur Capel the late Earl of Essex advanced to this Title by King Charles II. Anno 1661 afterwards made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and some years after his Return sent to the Tower in order to make him a Sacrifice with the Lord Russel and others to the Popish Faction But his Title is revived in the person of his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Algernon Capel the present Earl of Essex Lastly out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire six Members of Parliament Viz. two from Colchester two from Harwich and two more from Maldon CHAP. IX Of Glocestershire Hampshire and Hartfordshire Glocestershire GLOCESTERSHIRE a large Inland County is bounded on the East by Warwickshire and Oxfordshire on the West by Monmouthshire and part of Herefordshire Northward by Worcestershire Southward by Wiltshire and Somersetshire It contains in Length from North to South 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into 30 Hundreds wherein 280 Parishes and 26 Market Towns This is in general a most pleasant and fruitful Country blessed with a full Course of the River Severn That Part thereof which is beyond the River is overspread with Woods all which included in one Name made the Forest of Dean That part which buts upon Oxfordshire is swelled up with Hills called the Corswold Hills but these are in a manner covered with Sheep which yields a Wool of a notable fineness Whereof great Quantities of Cloth are here made that find vent throughout all England and divers forein Countries Between these two I mean the Forest and the Hills is seated a most fruitful Vale yielding most sorts of Grain to admiration and formerly stock'd with Vines and Vineyards The want of which is now supplied with Cider which they make here in great abundance Next to the Severn which crosses the Country from North to South here 's the Avon which parts it from Somersetshire the Wye which severs it in part from Monmouthshire besides the Stroud and the Isis All which afford great plenty of Fish and the Severn particularly abundance of Salmon The Forest of Dean which ly's in the West-side of the County between the Severn and the Wye is reckoned to be 20 miles long and 10 broad A Place formerly much more woody than it is at present the Iron Mines that are here having consumed a good part of the Wood. Glocester the County Town is 81 miles distant West and by North from London Viz. from London to Colebrook 15 to Maidenhead 7 more and 11 from thence to Nettlebed from Nettebed to Abington 12 to Faringdon 10 more to Perrors Bridge 14 more and 12 from thence to Glocester A City of good Antiquity and first built by the Romans to whom it was known by the Name of Glevum It ly's stretched out in length on the Severn over which it has a fine Bridge and on the Banks thereof a large Key or Wharf very commodious for the Merchandize and Trade of the Place The Streets are generally fair and the Town well built upon an easy Ascent the Streets descending every way from the Cross It has been formerly walled about with a strong Wall except on the Rivers side and some Remains of its Walls are still in many places to be seen which shew what strength they were of The City is not very large but very well inhabited
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
in Staffordshire and from thence runs through Darbyshire Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire where it falls into the Humber not far from Hull It waters in its course these three chief Places Nottingham Newark and Gainsborough The Humber is a Yorkshire River if that can be called a distinct River which has no Spring of its own but is more properly a Compound or rather a Mouth of several Rivers joyning into one Stream especially the Trent and the York Ouse the Dun and the Darewent The Town of Hull is seated upon it before which Place it widens it self much like the Severn at its Mouth to a great breadth and so falls into the Sea The Tees is another River of the North parting Yorkshire from the Bishoprick of Durham and running from West to East into the Sea The Tine famous for its Coal-trade parts for some Miles Durham from Northumberland running likewise from West to East Seaward by Newcastle therefore called Newcastle upon Tine The Twede is the furthest River Northward and that which parts England from Scotland At the Influx whereof into the Sea is seated Barwick called from this River Barwick upon Twede But besides these principal Rivers and many others of less note though several of them Navigable I cannot but mention those pleasant Rivulets and Brooks which are so numerous in this Country Whose clear and swift-running Streams add much to the Beauty and Fruitfulness of it CHAP. III. Of the Air of ENGLAND It s Temperateness and the Effects of it BY the Situation of ENGLAND so far North as it is one would think the Air should be pretty sharp here and at least colder than in France which lies South from it Whereas it is so Temperate Winter and Summer that the Winters are milder here and the Summers much more moderate In Winter-time the warm Vapours of the Sea on every side do so thicken the Air that it cannot so soon penetrate as the thin Air of hot Countries In Summer the frequent Interposition of Clouds often dissolving into Rain and the usual Blasts from the Sea allay those excessive Heats which both hot and cold Climates are troubled with in that Season for want of Wind and Rain Thus ENGLAND has the happiness of being seldom tired either with a long Frost in Winter or Drought in Summer On the contrary while Continents in the same Latitude and some of a much more Southern Situation ly under Snow pinched with a hard Frost it happens often that our Fields are here cloathed with Grass as in the Spring And whilst the Sun in Summer scorches the Plants and the Inhabitants themselves of hot Climates here it shines so kindly that it does but warm us by a moderate Heat which makes the Country so plentiful both of Corn and Pasture 'T is true on the other side the Air is nothing so pure nor the Weather so serene or regular as it is in Continents Most part of the Winter ENGLAND is under a Cloud often stuffed up with Fogs troubled with rainy Weather and except there happens a Frost but seldom injoying the Sun in its splendour Whence proceed those frequent Colds which are in a manner the original Cause of most of our Distempers and from the frequency of Rain Land-floods which drown the Countries where the Rivers swell out of their Channels and break over their Banks And yet as rainy as this Country is we seldom see here such impetuous Showers or rather Storms of Rain as hot Countries are subject to which often drown the fairest Hopes of the Husbandman For if they have Rain but seldom they have it by the great and sometimes with a Vengeance Whereas in England where it is more frequent it proves most commonly a gentle soaking Rain But there is another Inconveniency in the Weather here and that is its Changeableness and Irregularity according to the Wind that blows Which happens sometimes to be so frequent and sudden that in the space of 24 hours I have observed four different sorts of Weather proper enough for the four Seasons of the Year This I confess is an extraordinary Case But however such is the Mutableness of the Weather that it seldom holds out many Days in the same degree either of Warmth Coldness or Driness And of all Times of the Year the Month of March is the most subject to Change witness the usual Expression March Many-weather And yet this may be said for Changeableness of Weather that it creates Diversion by its Variety What is more comfortable in Winter than a warm Day after a fit of cold Weather and a cool Day in Summer after a fit of hot Weather The quickest and most refined Pleasures grow dull by their Continuance but Change sets an edge upon ' em And as glorious as the Sun appears in its greatest splendour I have oftentimes been weary of its undiscontinued Appearance for a long time together On the other side ENGLAND is nothing near so subject to Hail to Thunder and Lightning or to the Heavens darting of Thunderbolts as many other Regions which are frequently alarmed with those dreadful Meteors And if Nature be somewhat too prodigal of Moisture in this Country she is on the other side as careful to cure it Scarce a fit of Rain is over but comes a fit of Wind to dry up the Moisture and purify the Air. So that the most part of the Year is commonly divided betwixt these two Gods of the Heathens Jupiter and Aeolus The Wind that reigns most in ENGLAND is the Westerly Wind which blows from the vast Western Ocean perhaps three parts in four of the Year But when I say a Westerly Wind I don't mean only that which blows directly from the Cardinal Point but all the Collateral Points from South to North. An Easterly Wind especially in the Spring is lookt upon here to be fatal to Plants and if the Proverb be true to Man and Beast For high Winds and tempestuous Weather we have here two Times of the Year seldom free from it And those are the two Equinoxes in September and March But for Hurricanes and Earthquakes England of all the Countries in Europe is the least subject to ' em The Storm indeed which hapned on the 12th of January last was so very violent blew with such impetuous Gusts and proved so mischievous that it may pass for an Hurricane But it was such as the like has not been known here within the Memory of Man In short whatever be the Disadvantages of ENGLAND in point of Air in respect to other Countries the same is sufficiently countervailed by the Sweetness and Comforts of it as 't will further appear by the insuing Chapter CHAP. IV. Of the Products of ENGLAND both from the Land and Water and the Fruitfulness thereof 'T IS said of Henry the Seventh one of the wisest Kings that ever sat upon the Throne of England but whose Breeding had been low and private That being once pressed by some of his Council to pursue his
the Thames and Colebrook on the Coln Newport or Newport Pagnel a goodly Town has two Bridges over the Ouse and is of chief note for the Bone-lace here made Stony Stratford a Place of great Antiquity being the Lactodurum of the Romans is a good large Town containing two Parish Churches And as it lies in the Way from London to the North-West Parts of England it is well accommodated with Inns for Travellers This is the Way called Wailing-street being a Military High-Way of the Romans which crossed all the Country At this Place King Edward the Elder obstructed the Passage of the Danes whilst he fortified Towcester against them And here King Edward Lerected a beautiful Cross in Memorial of his Queen Eleanor whose Corps rested here in her Journey from Lincolnshire where she died to Westminster Abbey the Place of her Sepulture Wickham situate in a low and fertile Vale on a small River which falls into the Thames is a Town which for largeness and fair Buildings is not inferiour to any in the County Here the County Assises are commonly kept and sometimes at Ailesbury Ailesbury stands in a most fruitful Vale on the rising of a little Hill compassed about with many very pleasant green Meadows and Pastures The Vale in great repute for grazing of Cattel and feeding innumerable Flocks of Sheep whose fine Fleeces are in great esteem A Vale famous of old for S. Edith who bidâ—ling the World Adieu betook her self to this Vale where she lived a pious and holy life The Town more remarkable of late for the Title of an Earldom it gives to the Right Honourable Thomas Bruce the present Earl of Ailesbury and Earl of Elgin in Scotland Derived to him from his Father Robert Bruce Baron of Kinlos Earl of Elgin and Lord Whorlton in Yorkshire Who was created by King Charles II. Baron of Skelton Viscount Bruce of Ampthill and Earl of Ailesbury March 18th 1664. Advanced afterwards to the Place of Lord Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold soon after the late Kings Accession to the Crown upon the Decease of his Predecessor the Earl of Arlington Beaconfield is seated on a dry Hill not far either from Wickham or Amersham A goodly Town which being on the high Road from London to Oxford is very well accommodated with Inns. Marlow is probably so called from the great store of Marl or Chalk here dug up which adds no small advantage to the Husbandmen who inrich their Grounds with it But besides all these Market Towns here 's Eaton upon the Thames opposite to Windsor which deserves a Place here for its fine Colledge and famous School of Literature founded by that Pious Prince King Henry the Sixth Lastly this County which formerly was Part of the ancient Kingdom of the West Saxons 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 12 Members of Parliament viz. two out of each of these Towns Buckingham Ailesbury Chipping-Wickomb Agmundesham Wendover and Marlow CHAP. VI. Of Cambridge Cheshire and Cornwal Cambridgeshire CAMBRIDGESHIRE another Inland County has for its Bounds Eastward both Suffolk and Norfolk Westward Northampton Huntington and Bedford shires Northward Lincolnshire Scuthward Essex and Hartfordshire It extends it self in Length from North to South 35 miles in Breadth from East to West 20. The Whole divided into 17 Hundreds 163 Parishes and 8 Market-Towns 'T is for the most part a pleasant fruitful Champain Country abounding in all Things necessary stored with Meadows and Pastures plentiful of Corn and Barley and abundantly furnished with Fish and Fowl The Northern Parts indeed are Fenny and therefore less fruitful of Corn. But that Defect is sufficiently supplied another way I mean by that plenty of Cattel Fish and Fowl that are bred in those Fens 'T is true the Air in those Parts is something the worse for them One Thing this County may boast of besides Essex viz. the Saffron it yields in great plenty which is the dearest Commodity that England produces The Herb called Scordium or Water Germander of which the Cordial Dioscordium is made grows here also very plentifully About 2 miles South-Eastward from Cambridge is a Ridge of Hills called Hog-magog Hills retaining yet the remembrance of the Danish Station and whereof the Country people tell fine fabulous Stories On the top of these Hills is seen a Rampier so strengthened formerly with a threefold Trench that the Place was counted to be in a manner Impregnable As for Rivers here is the Ouse which runs through the midst of it from West to East and then bending its Course to the North parts this County from Norfolk till it discharges it self at Lyn into the Sea The South Parts are watered with two lesser Streams the one called Cam and the other Grant both which joyn together into one Stream near Cambridge under the first Name and so run together Northward into the Ouse The North Parts indeed are too much watered by the frequent Overflowings of the Ouse and other Streams that have turned most of those Parts into Marshes I should now fall to the Description of Cambridge but that it is a Place of that Consequence as to deserve a particular Description by it self For which I refer you together with that of Oxford to the Conclusion of this Part. And so I proceed to a View of the other Places of chief note in this County which are Market-Towns besides Cambridge The other Market-Towns are Ely Sat. Wisbich Sat. Newmarket Tue. Caxton Tue. Royston Wedn. Linton Thu. Merche Frid. Among which Ely is situate in an Isle of that name occasioned by the divided streams of the Ouse and other lesser Rivers turning a great part of this Tract into Fens and Marshes A Place of no great beauty or reputation being seated in a foggy and unhealthful Air but only for being a Bishops See and a County Palatine since the â—eign of Henry I. Newmarket is partly in this County and partly in Suffolk It stands in such a plain that it has a Prospect three quarters of the Compass almost to the Bounds of the Horizon the South-East Parts being more rising Ground and ending in Woodland A famous Plain both for Hunting and Horse-races where the Kings of England use yearly to divertise themselves for some Days before Winter To which purpose there is a House built on Cambridge side for their Reception The Town it self is composed of a well-built Street and being a great Thorough-fare the Townsmen live chiefly upon Passengers besides the Advantage of the Court when the King goes thither It consists of two Parishes one in Suffolk the other in Cambridgeshire It s Market is well served particularly with Fish and wild Fowl from the fenny Parts as it is with Pigeons from the Fiekling The Women here imploy themselves very much in spinning of white Work And not far from this Town is the huge Ditch called
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
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
that purpose and a Place of good resort Gravesend is seated on a rising Hill on the Banks of the Thames A Town of great Refort for Travellers both by Sea and Land that either come up the Thames to London or go down the River in order to take Shipping well furnished therefore with Inns and other Houses of Entertainment but noted for their exactings Over against it in Essex is Tilbury-Fort that commands this Passage Nearer to London stands Dartford on the River Darent not far from its Influx into the Thames which gives good advantage to the Town in conveying their Goods to London The Town is large and being in Dover Road is therefore well accommodated with Inns and Houses of Entertainment Of chief note for the Rebellion begun here and headed by John Tiler commonly nick-named Jack-straw in the Reign of Richard the second Anno 1381. Woolwich seated on the Thames is remarkable for nothing but its Dock used for the Royal Navy But nearer to London stand Greenwich and Deptford two Towns of better account tho they be no Market-Towns The first is pleasantly seated on the Banks of the Thames a neat and healthful Place well inhabited and frequented by Gentry Adjoyning to which is a Royal House called Queen Elizabeth's Pallace with a Park about it yielding a fair Prospect Besides another Pallace by the Rivers-side first built by Humphrey Duke of Glocester and after him inlarged and beautify'd by several Kings till being fallen to ruin King Charles II. attempted to make it a stately Pile of Building but left it unfinished Adjoyning to Greenwich is Black-Heath noted for the Battels fought here against Rebels under the Reigns of Richard II. Henry VI. and Henry VII Deptford is another large Town divided into the Upper and the Lower seated the nearest to Surrey at the very fall of the Ravensburn a small River into the Thames among rich and low Meadows A Town well inhabited and frequented by Sea-men by reason of its Docks and Store-houses for the Navy Royal. Bromley stands upon the same River graced with the Bishop of Rochester's Seat a Country House by it One of whose late Predecessors I mean Dr. Warner founded here a Colledge for 20 Clergy-mens Widows Where each one hath a fair Apartment and 20 l. a Year Rent-Charge duly paid and for their publick Devotion a Chaplain provided with fair Lodgings and 50 l. a Year Rent-Charge Eltham seated on the South-side of Shootersâ—hill among Woods is a neat Town and well inhabited by Gentry Formerly honoured with â— Royal Pallace but laid aside and gone to decay since Greenwich came to be lookt upon as indeed it is a Place of greater Delight Near Westram on the Darent stands Otford on or near the same River a place of good Antiquity Noted for the Battel sought here betwixt King Edmund surnamed Ironside and Canute the Dane wherein Canute was put to flight with the Loss of 5000 Danes S. Mary Cray is so called from Cray a small but swift River on which it is situate in a Wood-land Country It s Market is very inconsiderable Sevenoke not far distant from thence is a Town of good Resort Here is an Hospital and a Free-School founded by one William Sevenoke Lord Mayor of London Anno 1418. who was a Foundling in this Town and from hence took his Name Tunbridge so called from the River Tun upon which it is seated within few miles of its fall into the Medway is a noted place for its mineral Waters so much resorted unto by the Gentry and drunk in the Summer-Season Known by the Name of Tunbridge-Wells tho' at some distance from thence at a Place called Speldherst Cranbrook is seated at the very head of the River Medway and Lenham at the Spring of the Stower Upon which last River you will find also both Ashford and Wye And upon the Rother Appledore an Island called Oxney-Isle This Island is seated in the South-West Parts of Kent towards Sussex incompassed with the River Rother and a lesser River that runs into it It has but 3 Towns in it Wittrisham Stonae and Ebony all three but inconsiderable North-Eastward near the Isle of Shepey lie Milton and Feversham the first a Place of good account in the Reign of Edward the Confessour but Feversham the best trading Place at this time For it has the Conveniency of a Creek that comes up to it which makes it the chief Port-Town for all this Part of Kent being well frequented by Hoys and such like small Vessels The Town is large and well inhabited and its Markets well served with Provisions But it is counted an Aguish Place Here was erected an Abbey by King Stephen where himself his Queen and Eustace his Son were buried Of late years it has been dignified with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of the Right Honourable Lewis de Duras Earl of Feversham c. And since that it has made a greater Noise in the World on the account of the late King 's landing there Incognito in the first Attempt he made to withdraw himself into France Not far from this Town are Pits of a great depth narrow at the mouth and very broad below with several distinct Rooms in 'em and Pillars of Chalk as it were to support them Whitstable and Reculver are two Sea-Towns few Miles North of Canterbury well frequented by Hoymen and Fishermen Reculver of special note for that Ethelbert the first Christian King of Kent had his Palace and did reside here It s Church remarkable for its lofty spired Steeple which serves for a Sea-Mark I come now to the Cinque-Port Towns that belong to this County Those are called CinqueForts which lying on the Coast of Kent and Sussex had great Priviledges granted them by former Kings the better to enable 'em to seture these Coasts against the Incroachments of France They were at first but five as is â—mply'd by the Word which is originally French But three more were added to 'em which makes up the Number of eight Whereof four are in this County Viz. Dover Sandâ—ich Hythe and Nâ—w Rumney the others in Sussex to wit Rye Winchelsey Seaford and Hastings And of these in their proper place Dover the principal of 'em stands over against Calais in France the Passage by Sea being reckoned but 7 Leagues or 21 Miles over Seated it is in the very South-East Point of Kent in a Bottom among Cliffs from whence one may easily discern the Coast of France Upon one of those Cliffs stands the Castle both to command and defend the Town which some will have to be built by Julius Caesar A Castle of that importance that Philip King of France when Lewis his Son being called in hither by the factious Barons against King John had gotten many Towns and Forts without being able to get the mastery of this slighted all that was taken and said his Son had not one Foot of Land in England if he were not Master of Dover-Castle As to
Breadth from East to West 32. The Whoâ— divided into six Hundreds wherein 61 Parisheâ— and 26 Market-Towns The Number of Parishâ— but small in so large a quantity of Ground but that there are many Chappels of Ease equal to Parishes elsewhere for Multitudes of People Here the Air is sharp thin and piercing seldom troubled with Fogs And the Inhabitants accordingly are healthfull comely strong and long-lived not subject to many Diseases The Soil differs much according to its different nature and situation some Parts being Mountainous and of the Champain Country some very fruitfull some Mossy and the rest Moorish The Champain Country is very good for Wheat and Barley but that which lies at the bottom of the Hills is best for Oats From the Mosses which are not unlike the Irish Bogs some of them many Miles in Compass the common People get Turves for their Firing And sometimes they dig up Trees out of them which serve both for Building and Fewel Cambden seems to be of Opinion that they are subterraneous Trees growing under Ground as some other Plants do The Mountainous Part which lies Eastward is full of stony craggy and barren Hills bare of Wood and the Habitation of Foxes Conies Otters c. Amongst these Hills some are of a prodigious height especially Pendle-Hill on the top whereof grow's a peculiar Plant called Cloudsberry as coming from the Clouds But one thing besides is remarkable in this Hill that whenever the Top of it is covered with a Mist 't is an infallible Sign of Rain The Country in general is well watered with Rivers the chief whereof are the Mersey the Rible and the Lon all three running from East to West into the Irish Sea The Mersey Waters the South Parts and serves for a Boundary betwixt this County and Cheshire the Rible waters the middle and the Lon the North Parts Besides these Rivers and many others of less note here are several great Meers or Lakes as Merton and Winder or Wimander Meer This last divides part of Lancashire from Westmorland reaching about 10 miles in length and 3 or 4 in breadth It has as most Lakes in the North a clear pebbly Bottom whence the Saying that this Lake is all paved with Stone And it breeds great store of Fish particularly Trouts Pikes Pearches Eels and Skellies But there 's one sort of Fish peculiar to it and not to be found elsewhere except in Vlles Water another Lake bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland Charre is the Name of it and 't is a dainty Fish whereof many Pies are yearly sent abroad for Presents In short tho' this Country in general cannot be called a fruitfull Country yet what is good of it yields abundance of good Grass and Corn the fairest Oxen in England and in general all sorts of Provisions Fish and Fowl particularly here 's great plenty of and in the River Lon near Cockerfand Abbey is great store of Salmon To make Linnen here grows a great deal of Flax for Fewel the Country yields not only fat Earth but good Coals and for Building Quarries of good Stone Lancaster the Shâ—re Town bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom by common computation 187 miles thus From London to Stafford 104 for the particulars whereof I refer you to Staffordshire Then from Stafford to Stone 10 to Newcastle 6 more thence to Warington 20 to Wigan 14 more to Preston 14 more then to Garstang 10 and to Lancaster 15 more A Town pleasantly seated in a good Soil on the South-side of the â—iver Lon near its fall into the Sea From which River it came to be called Loncaster since turn'd into Lancaster as from Lancaster the whole County took the Name of Lancashire The Town not very well peopled nor much frequented There are in it several fair and long Streets from the Length whereof this Town I suppose might be called Longovicus by the Emperor Antonine And yet there is but one Parish-Church which indeed is large and fair It stands on the side of a Hill on the top of which is the Castle now made use of for the County Goal both for Debtors and Malefactors and for keeping the Assizes for the County Besides the Church and Castle two of the chief Ornaments of this Town here 's a fair Stone-Bridge over the Lon supported by five Arches To which add the Market-house or Town-hall where the Mayor and his Brethren keep their Courts It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is commonly well furnished with all sorts of Provisions but Fish and among the rest Salmon especially Lastly this Town is of sufficient Fame in the Annals of England for those noble Persons which have successively born the Titles of Earls and Dukes of it the greatest Princes in their time for Revenues of any Subjects in Christendom Of which House there have been four Kings of England all under the Name of Henry viz. Henry the fourth the fifth the sixth and the seventh The last by marrying with Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward IV. of the House of York did happily unite the two Houses of York and Lancaster Whose Competition for the Crown of England under the Names of Red and White Roses had caused more Blood-shed than the Conquest of France by the English The Market-Towns of this County besides Lancaster are Manchester Sat. Leverpool Sat. Clitheroe Sat. Dalton Sat. Blackborn Mund. Poulton Mund. Cartmill Mund. Hornby Mund. Hawkshead Mund. Wigan Mund. Frid. Rochdale Tue. Chorley Tue. Ormskirk Tue. Kirkham Tue. Prescot Tue. Coln Wedn. Haslington Wedn. Warington Wedn. Preston Wedn. Frid. Sat. Bury Thu. Garstang Thu. Vlverston Thu. Besides Leigh and â—reat Eccleston whose Market-days I am ignorant of Manchester is seated upon a stony Hill in the South-East Parts of the County between the Rivers Irk and Irwell both which empty themselves not far off into the Mersey This Town called by Antonine the Emperour Mantunium was a Station of the Romans And it is to this day a Town much beyond Lancaster in beauty and populousness It s chief Ornaments are the Colledge and the Market-Place but above all the Collegiate Church beautified with a small Quire of excellent Workmanship Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Montague the present Earl of Manchester derived to him from his great Grandfather Henry Montague Viscount Mandeville created Earl of Manchester by King Charles I. Anno 1625. being then Lord Treasurer and President of the Council and afterwards Lord Privy Seal And lastly 't is a noted Place for its Linnen and Woollen Cloths as also for its Cottons which are held in great esteem Leverpool is the next Place of chief note in this County T is an excellent Sea-port commodiously seated at the fall of the River Mersey into the Sea where it affords a safe Harbour for Ships and a convenient Passage into Ireland To the immortal Praise of the Family of the Mores of Banck-hall
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
River Weland so that it stands upon three Counties the chief Part in Lincolnâ—hire another part in Rutland and that Part on this side the River in Northamptonshire Over which River some time since made narigable it has several Bridges A Town of good Antiquity from whence the Roman High-way or high Dike leadeth to the North. â—ut that which gives it most Renown is â—hat upon a Quarrel between the North â—â—d South-Men in the University of Oxford â—he Scholars removed hither in the Reign of Edward III and here held publick Schools of â—ll sorts of Learning Nor did they return â—gain till they were commanded so to do by â—he King's Proclamation with Order that the Scholars in taking their Degrees should make â—ath not to read publickly at Stamford to â—he prejudice of Oxford Nevertheless the Town still flourished in Trade and Merchanâ—ize and the Inhabitants of it to this day â—rive a good Trade of Malt especially whereâ—f great plenty is made here The Houses â—re built of free Stone which they have â—rom Ketton Quarry In short this Town â—onsists of several Streets begirt with a Wall â—nd containing six Parish Churches Digâ—ify'd besides with the Title of an Earldom â—ow in the person of the Right Honourable Thomas Grey of Groby Earl of Stamford â—c Within half a mile of this Town in â—orthamptonshire stands Burgley House 〈◊〉 stately Building the Mansion-House of the Earl of Exeter Grantham situate on the River Witham is a Town of good account and well resorted unto Whose Church-Steeple is so very high that it seems crooked to the Eye of the Beholder Not far from hence towards Leicestershire is Belvoir Castle the Earl of Rutland's Seat so highly elevated though in a Vale that it yields a most admirable Prospect About this Castle is found the Astroit or Star-like Stone pointed with five beams or rays formerly of such an esteem that he thought the Victory infallible on his side that wore one about him Sleaford stands near the head of a River so called which runs into the Witham A large and well inhabited Town formerly strengthened with a Castle whose ruinous Walls are yet standing Market-Deeping is seated not far from Stamford on the Weland but in a fenny Ground Where Richard de Rulos Chamberlain to William the Conqueror for the hindering it Overflowing raised its Banks and built there on divers Tenements so that it became a great Village and is now an indifferent Town Bourn seated at the head of a Spring calleâ— Burnwell-head is a goodly Town of some not for being the Place where King Edmund waâ— crowned Here are still to be seen the Ruiâ— of a good Castle And not far from hence is Swinsted-Abbey one of whose Monks nâ—med Simon poisoned King John Ganesborough or Gainsborough in Lindseâ— Part is seated on the River Trent A largâ— and well-built Town of a considerable Trade Where Sueno the Danish Tyrant was stabbeâ— to death by an unknown hand as a just Reâ—â—ard for his many Outrages committed in the â—ountry Noted besides for giving the Title â—f Earl to the Right Honourable Wriothesly Noel the present Earl of Gainsborough Barton is seated on the River Humber alâ—ost over against Hull in Yorkshire Here 〈◊〉 a considerable Ferry into Yorkshire which â—s no small Advantage to the Town About this Place are abundance of Pewets Godwits Knots and Dotterels the last a simple kind of Bird yet much given to Imitaâ—ing And 't is usually caught by Candleâ—ight in this manner The Fowler stands â—efore the Bird and if he put out an Arm â—he Bird stretches out a Wing if he put a â—eg or his Head forward the Bird does the â—ike Thus he imitates the Fowler 's Gesture â—o long till he drawing nearer and nearer by degrees at length casts his Net over him and takes him Grimsby is situate within half a Mile of the Humber where it falls into the Sea in a flat and marshy Ground This Town has formerly injoyed a good Trade before its Haven was choackt up and then it had two Markets a Week For the security of its Port it had a Castle which is likewise decayed And instead of two Churches it had now it contents it self with one which for largeness gives place to few Cathedrals Burton or Burton Stather is seated on the River Trent near its fall into the Humber On the other side of the Trent is the Isle of Axholm made so by the Trent and Dun with two or three lesser Rivers This Isle is in breadth from North to South 10 miles but in length not half so much and in that Circuit are seated several Towns The lower Part of it is flat and moorish yielding a sweet Shrub called by the Country people Gall. But the middle Part which is a rising Ground is fertile and among other Things does yield great store of Flax. Here is also Alabaster to be found Thongcaster a well-compacted Town stands oâ— the side of a Hill Of note for its ancienâ— Castle so called said to be built by Hengist the Saxon after he had beaten the Picts and Scots in Vortiger's Quarrel Who granted him so much Ground as an Ox-hide cut into Thongs would compass within which he erected the Castle Saltfleet is a Sea-Town much frequented by the Gentry in the Summer Season for the eating of Fish otherwise inconsiderable Alford a goodly Town is seated at the head of a Rivulet few miles from the Sea-side Waynfleet South of Alford is another good Town not far from the Sea but seated in a fenny Ground on a Wash or Dike which falls into the Sea Here is an excellent Freâ— School founded by William of Waynfleet Bishop of Winton who also built Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Bullingbrook or Bolinbrook an ancient Town is seated on a low Ground at the Spring head of a River which falls into the Witham Of note for a Castle built here by William of Romara Earl of Lincoln But much more famous in succeeding Times for being the Birth-place of King Henry IV surnamed according to the fashion of those Times of Bullingbrook And almost ever since his Time it has been one of the Honours as we call it of the Kings of England but never made an honourary Title to any Family till King â—ames conferred it on Sir Oliver St. Johns Who â—possibly might affect to be thence denominated as fetching his Descent from the Lady Margaâ—et Beauchamp Grandmother to King Henry VII the Heir of the Lancastrian Family From him the Title fell to Oliver St. Johns his Grandchild by Pawlet his second Son Oliver Lord St. John the eldest Son being slain at Eâ—ge-hill â—ight And from him to his Son the Right Honourable Paulet St. John the present Earl of â—ullingbrook Not far from Bullingbrook is Eresby which gives the Title of Baron to the Earl of â—indsey Horn-castle and Tatershall are both seated on the River Bane this last near its Influx into the Witham But Horn-castle is the most considerable Boston in Holland
New Buckenham ly not far from Thetford to the Eastward Diss and Harleston on the Waveney Watton Windham Hingham Swafham and East-Derham do not ly far asunder about the middle of the County Further to the Northward you will find Repeham Caston Fakenham Walsingham Holt Aleâ—ham Worsted North Walsham and Hickling this last in a Marsh-Ground not far from the Sea Downham is upon the Ouse over which it has a Bridge leading into Cambridgeshire Snetham North of Lyn is seated on a bivuler not far from the Sea Burnham-Market and Cromere are two Sea-Towns in the North Parts of the County Between which is Clay another Sea-Town on three sides incompassed with Waters and once a Market Town but now discontinued And near it Wayborn-hope a noted Place amongst Seamen as is Winterton Ness or Point in the East which is very coldly seated And yet it is observed that the Ground about Winterton is one of the richest and fattest in England Among the aforesaid Towns Walsingham was formerly renowned as for its Colledge of Canons so for the continual Concourse of Pilgrims to this Place Who came hither to pay their Superstitious Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at a Chappel near the two Wells called to this day the Virgin Mary's Wells It was also a Place of note for its good Saffron Near Burnham-Market within 2 Miles from it to the Westward is a small Country-Town called Brancaster the Ruins of an ancient Town known by the Name of Branodunum Seated near the Sea-shore and a Place of good account in the time of the Romans who kept here a Garrison Not far from Hickling in the North-East Parts is the ancient decay'd Abbey of St. Bennet's in the Holme built by the Danish King Canute An Abbey so fortified afterwards by its Monks with Walls and Bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloyster and yet was betrayed by a Monk to William the Conqueror The Bishop of Norwich retains to this Day the Title of Lord Abbot of St. Bennets And it is observable that hereabouts both Cockles and Perwinkles are digged out of the Ground Lastly this County which is the largest in England next to Yorkshire but much more populous was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles in the time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them It is observed of the People in this County that they are notably industrious for Plough and Manufactures insomuch that one shall hardly see a Beggar throughout all the Country And yet which one would wonder at they are notable Wranglers and generally so well versed in the Quirks of the Law that they create more work for the Assizes than almost all the Circuit else Accordingly Norfolk is the County which commonly yields the best Breed of Lawyers and has furnished the Courts of Justice with many an emiment Man in the Laws of England But a great Antiquary has made another material Observation That in this County are a hundred Families of ancient Gentry that never were attainted of high Treason Which if it be true the Gentry here have had better fortune than the Dukes Dutchesses and Earls of Norfolk His Grace Henry Howard the present Duke of Norfolk derives his Title from his noble Ancestor John-Lord Howard created Duke of Norfolk by King Edward IV. Anno 1483 and descended from the Lady Margaret Dutchess of Norfolk Daughter of Tho. de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk first Son of King Edward I. Out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Norwich Kings I yn Yarmouth Thetford and Castle-rising Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTONSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East with the Counties of Cambridge Huntington Bedford and Buckingham on the West with Rutland Leicestershire and Warwickshire Northward with the Counties of Lincoln Rutland and Leicester Southward with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire This County being long but narrow runs in Length from North to South ahout 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West but half The Whole divided into 20 Hundreds wherein 326 Parishes and 13 Market-Towns Here the Air is temperate and healthfull the Soil as rich either for Corn or Grass as in any Place in England And the Inhabitants find such a Profit here by Grazing and Tillage that they improve the Ground every where Insomuch that it is said there is less waste Ground in this County than in any other As for Rivers and other fresh Streams 't is as well watered as most Counties are It s principal Rivers are the Nen and the Weland both having their Rise here besides the Ouse which rises in the South Parts near Bucking hamshire A further Proof of the excellency of this County might be fetched from its Populousness For it is so garnished with Towns that in many Places 20 or 30 Steeples present themselves at one view And considering its Extent 't is said to be honoured with the Seats of as many if not more of the Nobility and Gentry as any County in the Kingdom Northampton the chief Place hereof ly's North-West from London and by common Computation is distant from it 54 miles thus From London to Barnet 10 thence to St. Allans 10 and to Dunstable 10 more from Dunstable to Stony Stratford 20 and to Northampton 10 more A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Nen where it meets with two Rivulets one from the North the other from the South And though it has suffered much by the sore hand of the Dane and other Calamities and of late particularly by the dreadfull Fire which buried it all in Ashes in September 1675 yet it has raised it self again more glorious than before So that for Circuit and Beauty it may at this time be ranked with many Cities Fortified heretofore with good Walls and a strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a mind to remove their University hither Here the Inhabitants drive a considerable Trade especially of Leather and its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions This Town is the Place where the County-Goal and the Assizes are kept Of special note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable George Compton the present Earl of Northampton Devolved to him from his noble Ancestor William Lord Compton and Lord President of Wales Created Earl of Northampton by King James I. Anno 1618. The other Market-Towns are Peterborough Sat. Oundle Sat. Higham-Ferrers Sat. Rothwell Mund. Thrapston Tue. Towcester Tue. King's Cliff Tue. Wellingborow Wed. Braâ—kley Wed. Daventry Wed. Kettering Frid. Bodkingham Among which Peterborough is seated in a Nook or Angle of the County bordering upon Cambridgeshire and Huntingtonshire where formerly had been a Gulf or Whirlpool of an exceeding depth 'T is seated on the River Nen over which it has a Bridge leading into Huntingtonshire A Town of no great account but for being a
is watered Among which the Iddie which empty's it self Northward into the Dun is the most considerable As for the Air 't is counted as good here especially in the sandy Parts as any where else in England Nottingham the Shire-Town from whence the whole County takes its Denomination is 94 miles from London to the North-West Viz. from London to Leicester 78 miles the Particulars whereof you may see in Leicestershire from thence to Loughborow 8 and to Nottingham 8 more 'T is seated about a mile on the North-side of the River Trent upon a Hill which overlooks it Over this River it has a fair Stone-bridge and another over the Lean a small River besides two other Bridges over two Ponds called the Cheney Bridges The Town is large containing 3 Parish Churches for Buildings fair Streets and a spacious Market-Place not yielding to many Cities But of most fame for its Castle which for strength stateliness and prospect did formerly challenge the precedency of most Castles in England Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom at this time injoy'd by the Right Honourable Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham and principal Secretary of State Descended to him from his Father Heneage Finch Lord High Chancellour of England in the Reign of King Charles II and by him created Earl of Nottingham Baron Finch of Daventry c. Which hapned soon after the Death of the Lord Charles Howard who dying without Issue male was the last of that Family which injoy'd that Title In short Nottingham is a Town well inhabited and frequented this being the Place where the County-Goal is and where the Assizes are held and injoy's as good a Trade as most Inland Towns For Provisions it has 3 Markets a Week Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays this last the most considerable The other Market Towns are Southwell Sat. Redford Sat. Tuxford Mund. Newark Wedn. Worksop Wedn Mansfield Thu. Bingham Thu. Blith Thu. Southwell is seated on a Rivulet that falls not far off from hence into the Trent 'T is an ancient Town and has a Collegiate Church Redford is situate on the River Iddel Not far from which is Littleburg on the Trent noted for its Ferry much resorted unto for a Passage into Lincolnshire Tuxford from its Clay-Ground called Tuxford upon Clay has nothing remarkable in it but its Church and Steeple both very neat and pretty though in a dirty Soil For the Conveniency of Travellers this being a Road-Town to and from the North is accommodated with two very good Inns lately built Newark the Place of most note in this County next to Nottingham ly's in the high Road to York on the Banks of the River Trent where it divides it self into two Branches and makes up an Island before the Town This is a good large Town otherwise Inconsiderable but for its Market Place it s Church and Steeple and the Ruins of a stately Castle which are still to be seen 'T is true it gives the Title of Viscount to the Earl of Kingston Mansfield and Worksop are both in the Forest of Sherwood The first a good large Town graced with well-built Houses well inhabited and having a good Trade for Malt and other Provisions The other of chief note for the great store it yields of the best Licorish in all the Northern Parts As for Ringham and Blith they are but indifferent Towns and their Markets accordingly To conclude this County now in the Diocese of York was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Câ—ritani as the Romans called them Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but six Members to serve in Parliament Viz. Two by Nottingham two by Newark and two more by Eastretford Oxfordshire OXFORDSHIRE another Inland County is bounded on the East by Buckinghamshire from which it is divided in part by the Chiltern-Hills on the West by Glocestershire on the North by the Counties of Warwick and Northampton on the South by the Thames which parts it from Parkshire It contains in Length from North to South about 40 Miles in Breadth from East to West 26. The Whole divided into 14 Hundreds 280 Parishes and 15 Market-Towns The Air of this County is mightily commended for its sweetness and temperateness as the Soil is for its fruitfulness Both which make this Country so much inhabited as it is by Gentry And that which adds much to it is the pleasantness of its Hills here well doathed with Wood and stored as well as the Downs with Variety of Game both for the Hawk and Hound Besides the Thames which waters the South Parts of it here 's the Tame and the Isis which make up the Thames the Cherwell the Windrush and the Evenlode So that this County is as well Irrigated as most are in the Kingdom Oxford the principal Place in this Shire from whence it takes its Name bears from London West-North-West and is distant therefrom 47 Miles thus From London to Vxbridge 15 to Beaconfield 7 more thence to High Wickam 5 to Stoken-Church 5 more from thence to Wheatly-Bride 9 and to Oxford 6 more A Place of that Importance especially in relation to the Muses that it deserves a particular Description for which I refer you together with that of London and Cambridge to the Conclusion of this Part. So I proceed to The other Market-Towns of this County Burford Sat. Deddington Sat. Watlington Sat. Woodstock Tame Bampton Wed. Chipping-Norton Wed. Banbury Thu. Henly Thu. Witney Thu. Burcester Frid. Fairford Bistow Coleford Among which Burford seated on an Ascent near the River Windrush in the West of Oxfordshire is a Town of good Antiquity Remarkable heretofore for a great Battle fought near it about the Year 750. between Cuthbert a Tributary King of the West-Saxons and Ethelbald the Mercian King whose insupportable Exactions Cuthbert could not indure In this Fight Cuthbert had the fortune to overthrow the Mercian King and to win his Banner wherein was depicted a golden Dragon The Memory whereof has continued for several Ages in the Custom used here of making a Dragon yearly and carrying it about the Town in great Jollity on Midsummer Eve with the addition of a Giant to it At present Burford is a famons Place for Saddles and something advantaged besides by the neighbouring Downs much resorted unto by the Gentry for Horse races Of late become of further note by giving the Title of Earl to the Duke of St. Albans Woodstock a well-compacted Borough-Town is pleasantly seated near a small River on a rising Ground with a large Park near it surrounded with a Wall and said to be the first inclosed Park In which was once a Royal House called Woodstock Bower built by King Henry I and inlarged by Henry II but demolished in the long Civil Wars In this House was born Edward the black Prince and in the Labyrinth that belonged to it the beautifull Rosamond King Henry the Second's Mistress catched her Death by the poysonous
that what is worse for the Rider is best for the Abider And besides Corn and Cattle wherewith this Country is plentifully stored here are insome Parts especially towards Wiltshire rich Lead-Mines to the great benefit not only of the County but of the whole Kingdom These Mines are found particularly in the Hills called Mendip-Hills of no small Profit to the Owners As for its Diamonds commonly called Bristol-Stones I refer you to Bristol in Glocestershire Besides the Severns Mouth whereby the North-West Part of this Country is watered here is the Avon which parts this County from Glocestershire the Parret the Tor Tone Frome and others well stored with excellent Fish In this County are three Cities Bristol Bath and Wells Bristol indeed stands also in Glocestershire and as I have already described it there I shall pass it over here Bath bears West and by South from London and is distant therefrom 94 miles Viz. from London to Reading 32 miles as you may see in Parkshire from thence to Newbery 15 and to Marlborough 15 more thence to Chipenham 15 and to Bath 13 more It is so called from its Medicinal hot Baths much resorted unto from all Parts as being found by long experience to be of great virtue in the curing of Aches and other Distempers It s Situation is on the River Avon over which it has a Stone-Bridge and there it lies in a low and small Plain surrounded with Hills very high and steep out of which issue forth several Springs of Water which pay Tribute to it This is a Place of great Antiquity as does appear by many Roman Inscriptions and Images commonly found in the Walls which incompass it And where the Abbey now stands 't is said there was of old a Temple consecrated to Minerva the Goddess of Fountains and Baths In short 't is a fine City graced with well-built Houses and for divine Worship havâ—â—â— a Parish Church besides its Cathedral The Baths in it are four in number viz. the Cross and the hot Bath in the West Parts of the City the King 's and the Queen's-Bath in the middle The Cross Bath so called from a Cross that formerly stood in the midst of it is Triangular about 25 foot long and as broad at one end This is of a more gentle heat than the rest because it has fewer Springs About 100 foot from it is the Hot-Bath so called because formerly it was much hotter than the rest when it was not so large as now it is The King's Bath is about 60 foot square and has about the middle of it many hot Springs rising whence it has the greater heat The Queen's Bath has no Spring in it but only receives the Water from the King's Bath from which it is only divided by a Wall and so it is more temperate than the King 's In these two Baths is a Pump to pump Water upon the Diseased where strong Embrocations are required In every one of the Baths are Seats of Stone for the conveniency of those that use ' em But from 8 a Clock in the morning till about 3 in the afternoon these Baths are shut up and none permitted entrance being then so very hot that they work and cast up a filth from the bottom The Inhabitants of Bath do not only find a great advantage by these Medicinal Springs but also by their Cloth Manufacture wherein they drive a considerable Trade And for Provisions they have two Markets a Week viz. Wednesdays and Saturdays This City is Partner with Wells the Bishops See in the Title Episcopal Noted besides for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable John Granvile created Earl of Bath by King Charles the II. Anno 1661. Which Title was formerly injoy'd by the Heirs of John Bourchier who was created Earl of Bath by King Henry VIII Anno 1536 but went away from that Family by the Death of Henry Bourchier dying without Issue male Wells seated at the foot of a Hill is so called from the Springs and Wells that spring about it 'T is a small City but well inhabited and adorned with fair Buildings both publick and private The Cathedral among the rest is a stately Pile of building having in the West End a Frontispiece of excellent Imagery and carved Stone-work dedicated to S. Andrew and said to be first built by Ina King of the West-Saxons Adjoyning to it is the Bishops Pallace built in the manner of a Castle and fortified with Walls and a Mote and on the other side are the Prebends Houses c. The Market-house is also a neat Building supported by Pillars Lastly this City has two Markets a Week on Wednesdays and Saturdays as Bath The other Market-Towns are Bruton Sat. Langport Sat. Crokehorn Sat. Ilmister Sat. Watchet Sat. Dulverton Sat. Chard Mun. Somerton Mun. Glassenbury Tue. Wivescomb Tue. Pensford Tue. Wrinton Tue. N. Petherton Tue. N. Curry Tue. Sat. Wincaunton Wedn. Ilchester Wedn. Froumselwood Wedn. Taunton Wedn. Sat. Axebridge Thu. S. Petherton Thu. Bridgewater Thu. Wellington Thu. Canesham Thu. Evill Frid. Dunster Frid. Shepton-Mallet Frid. Philip-Norton Minehead Among which Bruton seated on the River Brue is a well-built and inhabited Town that drives a good Trade for Clothing Serges and Maulting 'T is graced with a beautifull Church has a Free School founded by King Edward the Sixth and a very fine Alms-house Langport stands on the top of a Hill in a miry and moorish Country and near the River Parret which next to the Avon is the most considerable South-Petherton Crokehorn Chard and Ilmister ly not far asunder near the West-Borders of Dorsetshire the first two on the Banks of the Parret Dulverton on the Ex borders upon Devonshire Wivescomb Wellington North Curry and Taunton are seated on the River Tone Taunton the chief of all the List is a neat and populous Town graced with spacious Streets and a fine Bridge over the River Inhabited chiefly by Clothiers who drive a considerable Trade with the Cloths and Serges made here and in the adjacent Parts It contains two Parish Churches Bridgewater and Glassenbury are the two Places of chief note next to Taunton the first seated on the Parret the laft on the Tor and each with a Stone-Bridge over its proper River The first is a large well-inhabited and frequented Town adorned with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable John Egerton the present Earl of Bridgewater Derived to him from his Father John Egerton created Earl of Brigewater by King James I. Anno 1617. Which Title was formerly injoyed by Henvy Lord Dawbeney advanced from a Knight to this Dignity by King Henry VIII he being Son of that Giles Dawbeney who came in with King Henry VII from Bretagne in France But he dying without Issue this Title died with him till revived as aforesaid Glassenbury of old called the Island of Avalon is of chief note for its once famous and stately Abbey the Monks whereof for the Credit of
'T is bounded on the East with Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Darham on the West and North with Cumberland and on the South with Lancashire Which last does so interfere with Westmorland along the Sea-Coast that this County has but one Corner to peep out upon the Sea which is about the Place where the Ken falls into it It contains in Length from North to South about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into four Wards called Kendale Lensdale East and West Wards Wherein are contained 26 Parishes and 8 Market-Towns This County is very hilly there being two several Ridges of high Hills that cross the Country as far as Cumberland However it has especially in the Southern Parts many fruitfull Valleys with good Arable Meadow and Pasture-Grounds The Air by reason those Hills and the Northern Situation of the Country is very sharp and piercing and not so subject to the Fogs as many other Counties Whereby the People are very healthfull free from strange and infectious Diseases and commonly live to a great Age. As for Rivers this County is very well watered The principal of which are the Eden the Can or Ken the Lon and the Eamon The Can of some note for its two Cataracts or Water-falls near Kendall where the Waters descend with a great fall and noise From which the Country-people have made this Observation that when the North Water-fall sounds clearer and louder than the other 't is a certain presage of fair Weather But when the other does so they expect rainy Weather Here are also two noted Lakes or Meers the one called Vlles Water and the other Winder or Wimander Meer the first bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland and the last upon this County and Lancashire where you will find it described Kendall or Candale the Shire Town from whence one of the Wards or Divisions has the Name of Kendall Ward bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom 201 miles thus From London to Lancaster 181 miles the particulars whereof you may see in Lancastire and from Lancaster to Kendall 14. It is seated in a Dale on the River Ken whence it had the Name built in the manner of a Cross two long and broad Streets thwarting one another besides some by-Streets The same is a rich populous and well-traded Town especially for the making of woolen Cloth Druggets Serges Hats and worsted Stockings whereby the poor people are imployed and the adjacent Parts inriched Over the River it has two fair Stone-Bridges besides another of Wood which leads to the Ruins of a Castle the Birth-place of Queen Catherine the sixth Wife to King Henry VIII Here is a fair and large Church to which as the Parish-Church belong 12 Chappels of Ease And by the Church-yard stands a Free-School being a large Building well indowed with good Exhibitions for poor Scholars going from hence to Queens Colledge in Oxford Here are also in this Town seven Companies viz. the Mercers Shearmen Cordwainers Tanners Glovers Taylors and Pewterers having their respective Halls for managing their Concerns And for Provisions here is a great Market which is kept on Saturdays Lastly this Town is an ancient Barony Noted besides for giving the Title of an Earl to John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and to John de Foix created Earl hereof by King Henry VI. The other Market-Towns are Appleby Sat. Burton Tue. Burgh Wed. Ambleside Wed. Orton Wedn. Kirby Lonsdale Thu. Kirby Stephens Frid. Fardondyke Among which Appleby Kirby Stephens Burgh and Orton are in East Ward Kirby Lonsdale and Burton in Lonsdale Ward Ambleside in Kendale Ward Appleby the Abellaba of the ancient Romans is memorable for its Antiquity 'T is pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Eden over which ' it has a Stone-Bridge and does chiefly consist of one broad Street rising from North to South with an easy ascent In the upper Part of it stands a Castle once of good Strength in the nether end the Church and not far from it a free School In the East side of the Street leading to the Castle is an Amls-House or Hospital founded and liberally indowed by the Lady Clifford Where about the Year 1652 she placed a deceased Minister's Wife with her 12 Daughters whereof eleven Widows and the twelfth a maimed Maid She also purchased Lands which she settled upon Feoffees in Trust for the Repairing of the Church then very ruinous the School-House the Moot or Town Hall and the Bridge as Occasion required In this Town the Assizes and Bessions are usually held Kirby Lonsdale that is the Church-Town in Lonsdale is seated on the Banks of the River Lon in the pleasant and rich Vale of Lonsdale towards Lancashire A large and well-built Town well inhabited and resorted unto being the greatest Town in the County except Kendale Beautified with a fair Church and a large Stone-Bride and driving a good Trade for Cloth This Place gives Name to one of the four Divisions of the County from hence called Lonsdale Ward of some note besides for the many deep and hollow Caves near it Kirby Stephens a goodly Town is seated in East ward near the Skirts of the Hills which sever this County from Yorkshire Beautified with a fair Church and much improved by the Trade of making Stockings Near this Town is Wharton-Hall a Seat belonging to the Lord Wharton Burton an indifferent Town stands in a Valley near the great Hill called Farleton-Knot-Hill And Orton among the Heaths is so destitute of Wood that the people say they han't so much as a Stick to hang a Dog on I pass by the other Towns as inconsiderable to take notice of the Stone-Cross upon Stainmore-Hill a Hill so called for its being exceeding stony Stain in the North being the Word used for a Stone The Cross said to be erected upon a Peace concluded between William the Conquerour and Malcolm King of Scotland with the Arms of the King of England on the South-side and those of the King of Scotland on the North-side Which served for a Boundary as the Case stood then betwixt the two Kingdoms In the North-West Parts at the joyning of the River Eamont with the Lowther is Whinfeld Forest and hard by it Brougham-Castle which by the Coyns c. that have been there digged up seems to have been a Place of good account in the time of the Romans By the High-Way side leading between Lowther and Eamont Bridges is a large Circle of Ground with a fair Plain in the midst Which the Country-people give out to be the Place made use of by the Knight of the Round Table for their Tilts and Turnaments there being two opposite Passes to make their Approaches in And accordingly they call it King Arthur's Table At Shap a great Parish stood the only Abbey in this County founded by Thomas Son of Jospatrick in the Reign of Henry Iâ— and seated near the River Lowther Not far from which
fortified with a strong Castle wherein a Garrison is kept The Town is not very large but well built and well inhabited and as it has a commodious Key it injoy's a pretty good Trade Several Vessels belong unto this Town imploy'd especially in Herring-Fishing Season which are taken on this Coast in great plenty This Place is also noted for its famous Spaw which is much resorted unto But of late in a more particular manner for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Richard Lumley newly created Earl of Scarborough Between this Town and Whitby to the Northward is Robin Hoods Bay so called from Robin-Hood that noted Robber in the Reign of Richard I. About which is found a sort of Jeat or black Amber Whitby another Sea-Town is commodiously seated on the River Esk at its Influx into the Sea A pretty neat Town with a Bridge over the River and driving a good Trade chiefly for Allum and Butter Here is a Custom-House and great many Vessels belonging to the Town Formerly a Place of note for its Abbey but chiefly for the Abbess thereof S. Hilda so famed in her time for working of Miracles One of which Tradition tells us was her ridding this Part of the Country of Snakes which infected it much and conjuring of them into the Sea by her fervent Prayers Which is backed by those who aver that at the Root of the craggy Rocks that are upon the Shore therely Stones scattered here and there naturally as round as a Bullet In which Stones being broken are found stony Serpents wrapt round but most of them headless Not far from Whitby is Mulgrave an ancient Castle situate near unto the Sea and first built in the Time of Richard II by Peter de Mauley Who being pleased with it called it Mouligrace that is a fine Seat But as it proved a grievous Yoke to the neighbour Inhabitants they nicknamed it and called it Moultgrave since turned into Mulgrave by which Name it go's to this day It continued in this Line for 7 Generations and all of them called Peters too The Issue male failing it passed through several Families till it came to the Sheffields Out of which House Edmund Lord Sheffield of Butterwick Lord President of the North was created Earl of Mulgrave by King Charles I. Anno 1625. To whom succeeded in the Title Edmund his Grand-Son by Sir John Sheffield his second Son Who dying in the Year 1658. left his Title to his Son and Heir the Right Honourable John Sheffield the present Earl of Mulgrave Some miles West from Mulgrave Castle is a small Sea-Town called Skeningrave not to be omitted were it but for the following Account of the Seal-fish Hereabouts near unto Hunt-Cliff at low Water appear Rocks not far from the Shore about which the Seal-fish come in great Sholes and in fair and warm Weather ly sleeping and sunning themselves But as it has been observed while they ly thus asleep one of them is upon the Watch and acts the part of a Sentinel Who upon the appearance of any Danger gives the Signal by flouncing into the Water the Noise whereof awakes the rest and so they make their escape They are not afraid say's my Author of Women but only of Men and therefore they that catch 'em put on Womens Cloaths If when they are chased they find themselves too far from the Water their Way is with their hinder feet to fling Sand and Gravel backward in the Pursuers faces which forces 'em sometimes to quit the Sport Some miles from this Coast to the Southward is a Tract of Land called Cleveland taking that Name as Cambden tells us of the Cliffs or steep Banks which run all along the side thereof and at the foot of which the Country spreads it self into a fine fruitful Plain A Territory besides of a good extent which gave the Title of an Earl to Thomas Lord Wentworth created Earl of Cleveland by King Charles I. But leaving no Issue the Title died with him Anno 1670. King Charles II. conferred the Title of Dutchess of Cleveland upon Barbara Villiers Daughter to the Lord Viscount Grandison who was slain in the Civil Wars the Earl of Castlemain's Wife and Mother of three Dukes viz. the Duke of Southampton the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of Northumberland In this Tract I mean Cleveland is an ancient Castle called Danby seated near unto a large Park and a goodly Chase of the same Name It belonged anciently to the Lord Latimer and was sold with other Lands belonging to that Family to Ralph Nevil Earl of Westmorland who forthwith gave the same to his Son Sir George Nevil And not long after King Henry VI. summoned him to the Parliament by the Name of Lord Latimer Whose Issue male failing in Queen Elizabeths Time the Estate was divided between his two Daughters The Castle with the Lands adjoyning fell to the share of Mary Wife to Sir John Danvers of Wiltshire By whom she got Sir Henry Danvers Created by King James I. Lord Danvers of Danby and by King Charles I. Earl of Danby But he dying without Issue the Title lay dormant till revived by Charles II. By whom the Right Honourable Thomas Osborn now Marquess of Caermarthen was created Baron of Kineton and Viscount Latimer in the Year 1673 and Earl of Danby the next Year Gisborough is pleasantly seated in a Flat between Mulgrave and the River Tees A mean Town to what it was when it had its rich Abbey but of some note however for being the first place where Allum was made in England Not far from which is Roseberry-Topping a Hill Pyramid-like serving to Sailers for a Land-Mark and being to the Country-people a certain Sign of Rain when they see a Cloud over it Almost at the top of it is a Spring of Water coming out of a huge Rock counted good for sore Eyes Stokesley is a Market-Town well watered with fresh Streams Yarum but a mean Town is seated on the Tees which divides this County from the Bishoprick of Durham and over which it has a fair Stone-Bridge North-Allerton a large Borough-Town stands near the Wisk a small Stream that falls into the Swale And Thirsk is a small Borough-Town that had once a very strong Castle Bedal Middleham and Masham are all three in Richmondshire The first seated on the Swale and a small Stream that falls there into it Middleham and Masham on the Youre And not far from Masham is Aldborough an ancient Borough-Town New Malton Pickering Kirby-Moreside and Helmley ly all four Eastward not far distant from each other nor from the Sea The first a Borough-Town is seated on the Banks of the River Derwent over which it has a Stone-bridge and contains 3 Parish Churches being well-inhabited and accommodated with good Inns for Travellers It s Market on Saturdays is counted one of the best in all the County for Horses living Cattle Provisions and most Country-Commodities especially Tools for Husbandry The other
And of all the Cities of Europe none can so justly challenge the Preeminency in this Point as London the Metropolis of England being not only perhaps the most ancient but also the wealthiest and reckoning all its Annexes the greatest City now extant in Europe Such a City as contains above 600 Streets Lanes Courts and Alleys and in them all by a late Computation at least a hundred thousand Houses So that allowing only 8 Persons to each House one with another which I think is moderate the Number of the Inhabitants will amount at that rate to above eight hundred thousand Souls Befides a World of Seamen that live and swarm in that constant tho' moving Forest of Ships down the River on the East side of the Bridge The Dwelling Houses raised since the Fire are generally very fair and built much more convenient and uniform than heretofore Before the Fire they were most Timber Houses built with little regard to Uniformity but since the Fire Building of Bricks has been the general Way and that with so much Art and Skill in Architecture that I have often wondered to see in well-compact Houses so many Conveniences in a small compass of Ground In short our English Builders have built so much of late Years that no Nation perhaps at this time can vy with them for making much of any Ground tho' never so little and contriving all the Parts of it to the best advantage in the neatest and most regular way with all the Conveniences the Ground can possibly afford And that which adds much to the Neatness of the late Buildings is the Wainscot now so much in use Which as it is the cleanest Furniture so it is the most durable and indeed the most proper for so moist a Country If we come to Stateliness I confess the Noblemens Houses at Paris being built of free Stone as most of that City are with large Courts before 'em for the Reception of Coaches make a fine outward Appearance But for uniformity state and magnificence we have some here and chiefly Montague-House that exceed by far most of ' em As for great Merchants Houses and fair Taverns scarce any City surpasseth London in this particular For publick Buildings as Halls Inns of Court Exchanges Market-Places Hospitals Colledges Churches besides the Bridge upon the River the Monument Custom-House and the Tower they are Things worth any Strangers Curiosity to view at least a good part of them Most of which have indeed the disadvantage of being built backward and out of the way to make room for Tradesmens Shops in the Streets Whereas if they had been all built towards the Street as generally they are in other Countries few Cities could make so great an Appearance But for stately strait and spacious Streets to pass by many curious Courts where shall one see finer than Cheapside Cornhill â—ombard-Street Fleet-Street Hatton Garden Pallnall and several others especially near the Court What forein City can shew so many Piazzas or fine Squares such as Lincolns-Inn-Fields Lincolns-Inn-Square Grays-Inn Red Lion and Southampton-Squares the Golden Square King 's Square in Sohoe S. James's Square Leicester-Fields and Covent-Garden The first of which is chiefly noted for its Spaciousness and King 's Square for its Stateliness Lastly when I reflect upon that disinal Fire which in three Days time consumed above thirteen thousand Houses besides 89 Parish Churches the vast Cathedral of S. Paul divers Chappels Halls Colledges Schools and other publick Edifices it is a matter of amazement to me to see how soon the English recovered themselves from so great a Desolation and a Loss not to be computed At 3 Years end near upon ten thousand Houses were raised up again from their Ashes with great Improvements And by that time the fit of Building grew so strong that besides a full and glorious Restauration of a City that a raging Fire had lately buried in its Ashes the Suburbs have been increased to that degree that to speak modestly as many more Houses have been added to it with all the Advantages that able and skilfull Builders could invent both for Conveniency and Beauty But it is time to come to Particulars The City properly so called is begirt with a Wall which gives entrance at seven principal Gates besides Posterns of later erection Viz. on the West-side Ludgate and Newgate both which serve for Prisons the first for such Debtors as are Freemen of the City the other for Malefactors both of the City and Country and is besides the County Goaâ— for Debt Northwards those of Aldersgate Cripglegate Moorgate and Bishopsgate And Eastward Aldgate Within the Compass of the Walls there are reckoned 97 Parishes and in relation to the Civil Government the City within the Walls and Freedom is divided into 26 Wards or Aldermanries of which more hereafter As to the publick Buildings here I shall begin with the Tower a Fort upon the Thames which commands both the City and River Called the Tower from the great white Tower in the middle which gives Name to the Whole 'T is all surrounded with a Wall and Ditch about a mile in compass with Cannon planted on the Walls and the Turrets thereof But it is besides the principal Store-house of England for Arms and Ammunition such as is said to contain Arms for about 60000 Men. Here are also kept the Jewels and Ornaments of the Crown and the ancient Records of the Nation As among others the Original of all the Laws that have been enacted or recorded till the Reign of Richard II. The Grants of several Kings to their Subjects at home and abroad and the Confirmations thereof The several Treaties and Leagues with forein Princes The Dominion of the British Seas The Title of the Kings of England to the Kingdom of France and how obtained All the Atchievements of this Nation in France and other forein Parts The Homage and Dependency of Scotland upon England The Establishment of Ireland in Laws and Dominions These and many other Records are reposited in Wakefield Tower near the Traytors Gate under the Custody of an Officer called the Keeper of the Records and whose Salary is 500 l. per Annum This Place is properly in the Master of the Rolls his Gift Every day of the Week except Sundays Holy-Days publick Fasting and Thanksgiving-Days and Times of great Pestilence they that have occasion to look into the Records have admittance In the Morning from 7 to 11 a clock and in the Afternoon from one till five Except in the Months of December January and February where Attendance is not given till 8 in the Morning and in the Afternoon not beyond 4 a clock In the Tower is the only Mint of England for Coyning of Gold and Silver To which belong several Offices which I intend to muster in my second Part where I shall speak of the English Coyns Lastly the Tower which has been formerly honoured with the Residence of several Kings who kept their Courts here is
Conveyance for Letters to and from the said Post Office in the due Course of the Mails every Post There are Weekly three general Post Days to send from London to any Part of England Wales Scotland and Ireland viz. Tuesday Thursday and Saturday The Returns certain upon Mundays Wednesdays or Fridays except Ireland from whence the Return is not so certain by reason of the Sea As to Kent and the Downs the Post goes thither from London every Day of the Week except Sundays The Post Days fix'd for France Italy Spain and Portugal are Mundays and Thursdays For the Low-Countries Germany Denmark Sweden and other Parts that way Tuesdays and Fridays But since our late Breach with France his Majesty to out off all immediate Correspondency with that Kingdom has settled the Correspondency with Spain and Portugal by Sea from Falmouth iâ— Cornwal to the Groyn a Sea-Port Town of Gallicia in Spain And the Letters to Italy go by the way of Flanders For the Transports of Letters and Pacquets over Sea there are Between England and Flanders 2 Pacquet Boats Between England and Holland 3 Pacquet Boats Between England and Ireland 3 Pacquet Boats Between England and Spain 2 Pacquet Boats The last of which goes out on Tuesdays every Fortnight All which Offices Post-Masters and Pacqueâ— Boats are maintained at the Post-master General 's own Charge For the better Ordering whereof he has several Officers under him amongst which these are the chief viz. two Comptrollers one of thâ— Inland and the other of the Outland Office 〈◊〉 Receiver General an Accomptant General aâ— twelve Clerks whereof six of the Inland aâ— the other six of the Outland Office Now for the Conveniency of the Londoners that live far from the Post-Office there are particular Post-Houses from Place to Place appointed to take in the Letters to be transmitted from thence in due time to the General Post-Office By what is said it may easily be guessed in general that the Charge of the Post-Office is infinitely great But the Return of it to the King does so much over-ballance it that this Office yields to his Majesty yearly about Fifty thousand pounds all Charges born Another Use of this excellent Conveniency is in relation to Travellers whose Business requires expedition To which purpose there are always Post-horses in readiness in every Post-Stage which is the main Profit of the Deputy Post-Masters The Pay is 3 pence for every English Mile besides the Allowance to the Post-Boy for Conducting As for the Peny-Post which is used only for London and its Neighbourhood I have already spoke of it in my Description of London And so I proceed to the Coyns Formerly all English Coyns were coyned or stamp'd by Hammers but since the Restauration of King Charles II a new Way of Stamping by a Mill or Screw was found out and followed ever since Which makes the English Coyns for neatness and security from Counerseiting to be the most excellent The Mony of England is either Gold or Silâ—er called Sterling Mony The Gold is either Guinea or a half Guinea the first valued at 〈◊〉 Shillings and six pence the half Guinea proâ—rtionably that is at Ten shillings nine pence â—lled Guinea from a Country of that Name in Africa from whence is brought the Gold whereof this Coyn is made But there is besides an old sort of Goid called Jacobus from King James I. under whose Reign it was Coyned at the value of 22 shillings now current at 25 shillings 6 pence Another Coyn called Broad-piece coyned in the several Reigns of King James and King Charles I at the value of 20 Shillings and now current at 23 and 6 pence But the Broad-pieces and Jacobus's being both a pure sort of Gold are kept close by the Curious and therefore seldom seen abroad The Silver Coyns now current in England are a Crown Half-crown Shilling Six-pence Four-pence Three-pence Two-pence and One Peny Amongst which the Half-crowns Shillings and Six-pences are the most common 'T is true there are still besides some Ninepences and Four-pence half peny's also some pieces of Thirteen-pence-half-peny and others half their value But these are at this time very scarce For the Conveniency of small Change and the Benefit of the Poor Farthings and Half-pence first of Copper and lately of Tin have been suffered to be Coyned but no man is bound to receive them in pay for Rent or Debt But besides the Species we have as other Nations such Collective Words as fignify a Sum greater or lesser As the Word Piece for 20 Shillings Pounds when the Sum amounts to 60 Shilling and above a Mark whch is 13 Shillings 4 pence an Angel 10 Shillings a Noble 6 Shillings 8 Pence 'T is true there are Angels to be seen in Specie which is a piece 〈◊〉 Gold so called from the Impression of an Angel But the proper Use of it has been in former Reigns for such as the King touched for the Evil. The Spanish French and Flemish Gold is almost of equal fineness with the English and so is the French Silver almost as fine as the English The Office of the Mint where all English Coyns are coyned is kept in the Tower of London And the Officers that belong to it were made a Corporation by King Edward III by virtue of whose Charter they have been always exempted from all publick Offices and their Estates free from all Taxes and Parish Duties The chief Mint Officers are  l. The Warden Whose Fee is 400. The Master and Worker Whose Fee is 500. The Comptroller Whose Fee is 300. The Assay-Master Whose Fee is 250. The Two Auditors each Whose Fee is 20. The Surveyor of the Melting Whose Fee is 100. The Weigher and Teller Whose Fee is 100. The His Assistant Whose Fee is 40. The Engineer Whose Fee is 100. The Two Gravers each Whose Fee is 125. The Warden or Keeper of the Mint receives the Gold and Silver brought in by the Merchants Goldsmiths and others and pays them for the same He is the chief Officer and oversees all the rest The Master and Worker receives the Bullion that is the Gold and Silver to be coyned from the Warden causes it to be melted delivers it to the Moneyers and when it is Minted receives it again from them The Comptroller's Office is to see that the Mony be all made according to just Assize and to comptroll the Officers if it don't prove accordingly The Assay-Master weighs the Bullion and sees that it be according to the Standard The Auditors take and make up the Accounts The Surveyor of the Melting sees the Bullion cast after the Assay-Master has made trial thereof and that it be not altered after it is delivered to the Melter But besides the foresaid Officers there is the Provost of the Company of Moneyers the King 's chief Clerk and four other Clerks for the Receipt Office the Melters and Smiths the Blanchers Moulders Labourers c. The Weights and Measures ought to be by Magna
Charta the same all over England that is according to the King's Standard kept in the Exchequer by the Clerk or Comptroller of the Market The Weights now used throughout all England are of two sorts the one called Troy-Weight and the other Avoir du pois the first containing 12 Ounces and the other 16 in the Pound But then the Ounce Avoir du pois is lighter than the Ounce Troy by almost a 12th part For whereas in Troy-Weight the Ounce consists of 480 Grains the Ounce Avoir du pois containeth but 438 Grains By the Troy-Weight are weighed Pearls precious-Stones Gold Silver Bread all manner of Corn and Grain and this Weight the Apothecaries do or ought to use By Avoir du pois are weighed all Grocery Ware Flesh Butter Cheese Iron Hemp Flax Tallow Wax Lead Steel and all things whereof comes Waste In consideration whereof 112 Pound Avoir du pois goes to a Hundred-Weight and proportionably 56 pound to half a Hundred and 28 to a Quarter or Tod A Stone amongst London Butchers makes 8 pounds of this Weight but in the Country 't is for the most part 14. In Troy-Weight 20 Grains make a Scruple thus marked ℈ 3 Scruples a Drachm Ê’ 8 Drachms an Ounce â„¥ and 12 Ounces a Pound lb. In Avoir du pois Weight 16 Drachms make an Ounce 16 Ounces a Pound 28 Pound a Quarter 4 Quarters a Hundred and 20 Hundred a Tun. In Troy Weight 24 Grains of Wheat make a Peny-Weight Sterling 20 Peny-Weights an Ounce and 12 Ounces a Pound And when Wheat is at 5 Shillings the Bushel the Peny Wheaten Loaf is then by Statute to weigh 11 Ounces Troy and three half Peny White Loaves to weigh as much But the Houshold Peny-Loaf is to weigh 14 Troy Ounces and two thirds As for the Weight called Venice-Ounce used here as in other Countries by Silk-men there is no Standard of it nor is it allowed by Law This Ounce being but 13 Peny Weight and 12 Grains it falls out that 12 Ounces Venice is but 8 Ounces 4 peny Troy and 9 Ounces Avoir du pois Measares are either Applicative or Receptive that is such as Things are measured by outwardly or inwardly Of the first Sort there is first an Inch or fingers Breadth 4 whereof make a Hand-full and 12 a Foot Now 3 Foot makes a Yard and one Yard and a quarter an Ell. Five Foot makes a Geometrical Pace 6 a Fadom 16 and a half a Perch Pole or Rod. Forty Perches make a Furlong 8 Furlongs or 320 Perches an English Mile and 3 English Miles a French League whereof 3 go to a Degree But this observe by the way that by a Statute under the Reign of Henry VII an English Mile ought to be 1760 Yards or 5280 Foot that is 280 Foot more than the Italian Mile Now an Acre of Land in England consists of 40 Perches in length and 4 in breadth a Yard-Land commonly of 30 Acres and an Hide of Land of 100 Acres The Receptive Measure is two-fold that is either for liquid or dry Things For Liquid as a Pint which is subdivided into lesser Parts as half a Pint a Quartern or quarter of a Pint. Now 2 Pints make a Quart 2 Quarts a Pottle 2 Pottles a Gallon 8 Gallons a Firkin of Ale and 9 a Firkin of Beer Two Firkins of either sort make a Kilderkin and 2 Kilderkins a Barrel But still the Difference in the Number of Gallons as to Beer and Ale ought to be minded and allowed For as a Kilderkin of Beer contains 18 Gallons and one of Ale but 16 so a Barrel of Beer being double a Kilderkin contains 36 Gallons and one of Ale but 32. Now a Barrel and a half of Beer being 54 Gallons make a Hogshead 2 Hogshheads a Pipe or Butt and 2 Pipes a Tun. Note that a Barrel of Butter or Soap is the same with a Barrel of Ale As for Wine-Measures they fall so much short of those of Ale and Beer that Four Gallons of these make Five Gallous of Wine measure Thus they hold proportion as four to five Of these Gallons a Rundlet of Wine holds 18 half a Hogshead 31 and a half a Tierce 42 a Hogshead 63 a Punchion 84 a Pipe or Butt 126 a Tun 252. For dry Things such as Corn or Grain there is first the Gallon of a fize between the Wine and the Beer Gallon Two of these Gallons make a Peck 4 Pecks a Bushel 4 Bushels a Comb or Curnock 2 Curnocks a Quarter 10 Quarters a Last or Wey To conclude now with the Great Trade of England to Foreign Parts besides the several Companies I have took notice of in my Description of London there are other Companies or Societies of Merchants established for the promoting or incouraging of foreign Trade Which have Power and Immunities granted them to make Acts and Orders for the benefit of Commerce in general and of their Companies in particular Such are amongst others the Company of Merchant Adventurers the Russia Turky and East-India Companies and the Royal African Company Besides the Spanish French East-Land and Greenland Companies and the Company trading to Hudson's Bay the Priviledges and Trade of which last were lately confirmed by Act of Parliament The first being the Company of Merchant Adventurers is the most ancient of all having had their Original in the Reign of Edward I and their Continuance ever since Grounded at first upon the Exportation of Wool only being the prime and staple Commodity of England since converted into Cloathing and now including all manner of Drapery This Company is managed in England by a Governour Deputy and certain Assistants beyond Sea by a Deputy and certain Assistants The Russia Company had their Beginning in the Reign of Edward VI upon the Discovery made by the English of the North-East Passage to Archangel whereby they opened a great Trade in the Dominions of the â—zars of Moscovy removed hither from Narva upon the Baltick Their Charter was afterwards confirmed and inlarged by Queen Elizabeth The Turky-Merchants otherwise called the Levant Company from their Trade in the Levant was Incorporated by Queen Elizabeth and had their Charter Confirmed and Inlarged by King James I. But the greatest and most eminent Company is that which manages the East-India Trade which begun likewise in Queen Elizabeths Time Anno 1600. For the Managing whereof they imploy a joint Stock and have a great House in Leaden-Hall-Street called the East-India House By which Trade and Stock they have built a great Number of War-like Ships and brought hither those Indian Commodities which before were brought to us by the Portugueze being the first Discoverers of the East-India Passage So that by the East-India and the Levant Companies England and many other Countries by their second Transportation have ever since been supplied with those Rich Merchandizes which Italy Turky Arabia Persia India and China yield where they have their respective Agents On the Coast of Coromandel
in Yorkshire Tinmouth Castle in Northumberland and Holy Island near the Coast of that County S. Maries Castle among the Isles of Scilly Pendennis in Cornwal and Portland Castle in Dorsetshire Besides the Islands of Jersey and Garnsey on the Coast of Normandy The Number of Men in each of those Garrisons is uncertain for it is greater or lesser as Occasion serves Most of them are unregimented Companies These together with the Royal Guards being the standing Land-Forces in Their Majesties Pay there is for the Paying of them first a general Officer called the Pay-Master General who has several Clerks under him Next is the Commissary General of the Musters who has a Deputy Commissary in London besides eight other Deputy-Commissaries who have their distinct Circuits in the Country for Mustering the Forces which lye in the several Garrisons There is also a Secretary at War with several Clerks and a Messenger under him Which three considerable Offices are kept at the Horse-Guard Moreover there is a Judge Advocate a Scout-Master General an Adjutant General and a Marshal of the Horse besides a Chirurgeon General Amongst Their Majesties Land Forces we may reckon the Militia or Train Bands of every County as being wholly at the King's Disposal and bound to Assist Him upon all Occasions within the Bounds of the Realm In Queen Elizabeth's Time a general Muster was made by her Order of all Men able to bear Arms from the Age of 16 to 60 who then amounted to three Millions of Men whereof six hundred Thousand fit for War But in Time of Peace the Matter is so regulated that there is not above one hundred thousand Horse and Foot actually Inrolled for the Defence of the Realm The Management whereof is in the hands of the Lord Lieutenants of the several Counties of England who are usually of the principal Rank amongst the Peers of the Realm chosen for that purpose by the King and so created by his Commission They have Power by Act of Parliament to charge any Person with Horse Horsemen and Arms that has 500 l. a Year or 6000 l. personal Estate and with a Foot Souldier any Person that has 50 l. yearly Revenue or 600 l. personal Estate Those that have meaner Estates are to joyn two or three together either to find a Horse and Horseman or a Foot Souldier according to their Estates They have also Power to Arm Array and Form the Forces into Companies Troops and Regiments and to make their Officers by giving them Commissions and upon any Rebellion or Invasion to lead and imploy the Men so Armed within their respective Counties or into any other County as the King shall give Order They name their Deputy Lieutenants and present them to the King for his Confirmation Who are to be of the principal Gentry of the Country and have the same Power as the Lord Lieutenant in his absence To find out Ammunition and other Necessaries there is a Tax of 70000 l. a Month upon the whole Kingdom whereof the Lord Lieutenants or Deputies or any three or more of them may levy a Fourth Part of each Mans Proportion in it And when occasion shall be to bring the Militia into actual Service the Persons so charged are to provide each Souldier respectively with pay in hand for a Month at the rate of 2 shill a Day for a Horseman and 12 pence for a Foot Souldier For Repayment of which Mony and the satisfaction of the Officers for their Pay during the time aforesaid Provision is to be made by the King out of the publick Revenue and till the same be actually performed none can be charged with another Months Pay These Forces are always to be in readiness with all Things necessary at the beat of Drum or sound of Trumpet to appear muster and be at certain times trained and disciplined Now to give speedy notice of an approaching Invasion there are all over England high Poles erected upon eminent Places both Inland and Maritime with Pitch-barrels fastened on the Top known by the name of Beacons Which being set on fire one by the sight of another the whole Kingdom has thereby notice in few Hours of the approaching Danger Whereupon the Militia to secure the Kingdom makes haste to the Sea-Coasts As for the present Army which God has lately blest with a glorious Victory carrying with it the Reduction of Ireland and I hope a Fate upon France it was lately Computed to be near Fifty thousand strong Horse Foot and Dragoons consisting of English Irish French Danish and Dutch Forces I wish for the satisfaction of the Reader that I could give a particular and exact Account of this brave and gallant Army But rather than do it imperfectly I beg the Reader 's leave to decline it And so I come to the Maritime Power of England Which consists in general of about 130 Men of War besides Fireships Yachts Hulks Ketches Sloops Hays and Smacks and several other Vessels for Tenders and Victuallers The Men of War are divided into six Rates or Ranks Built in several Places but most at Woolwich Chatham Deptford Blackwall Harwich and Portsmouth The following List gives you the Names of them according to their Rates in the Alphabetick Order with the Year when they were built also the Number of Tuns Men and Guns each of them commonly carries abroad in Time of War Those whose Names be in the Roman Letter are the Thirty that were built by an Act of Parliament made in the Year 1676. First Rates Ships Built An. Tuns Men. Guns S. Andrew 70 1313 730 96 Britannia 82 1620 815 100 Charles 67 1229 710 96 Royal Charles 72 1531 780 100 Royal James 75 1422 780 100 London 70 1328 730 96 S. Michael 69 1101 600 90 Royal Prince 70 1403 780 100 Royal Sovereign  1605 815 100 Rebuilt     Second Rates Albemarle 81 1462 660 90 Catharine 64 1050 540 82 Coronation 85 1475 660 90 Duke 82 1546 660 90 Dutchess 79 1475 660 90 S. George 22 891 460 72 Neptune 83 1475 660 90 Ossory 82 1300 660 90 Rainbow 17 868 410 64 French Ruby  868 570 80 Sandwich 79 1395 660 90 Triumph 23 891 460 70 Vangard 78 1357 660 90 Victory Rebuilt 63 1029 530 82 Unicorn 33 823 410 64 Windsor Castle 78 1462 660 90 Third Rates Berwick 79 1089 460 70 Breda 79 1050 460 72 Burford 79 1174 460 70 Cambridge  941 420 70 Captain 78 1164 460 72 Defiance 75 881 420 70 Dreadnought 53 732 355 62 Dunkirk 51 662 340 60 Eagle 79 1057 460 70 Edgar 68 994 445 72 Elizabeth 79 1151 460 70 Essex 79 1068 460 70 Exeter 79 1070 460 70 Expedition 78 1057 460 70 Grafton 79 1184 460 70 Hampton Court 78 1105 460 70 Harwich 74 993 420 70 Hope 78 1058 460 70 Kent Rebuilt 79 1064 460 70 Lenox 78 1096 460 70 Lyon Rebuilt 58 717 340 60 Mary 49 777 355 62 Monk 59 703 340 60 Monmouth
eldest Son is Frederick the Heir apparent born in the Year 1671 and the two others are Christiern and Carolus The Duke of Glocester is the only Son and Heir of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Denmark He was born July 24th 1689 and on the 27th he was Christened at Hampton-Court by the Lord Bishop of London and named William the King and the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold being Godfathers and the Lady Marchioness of Hallifax Godmother CHAP. XIX Of the Nobility of England THE English Nobility is divided into five Degrees Viz. Duke Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron And they are called the Peerage of England because they are all Peers the Barons as well as the rest They have also all of them the Title of Lord. All these Honours are given by the King who is the sole Fountain of Honour and whatever Title a Subject of England receives from any forein Prince is not only Insignificant here but Unwarrantable by Law All Noblemen at their Creation have two Ensigns which signify two Duties Their Heads are adorned in token that they are to assist their King and Country with good Counsel in time of Peace and they are girt with a Sword as being to support the King and defend the Kingdom with their Lives and Fortunes in time of War A Duke is created by Patent Cincture oâ— Sword Mantle of State Imposition of A Cap and Coronet of gold on his head and a Vergâ— of gold put into his hand A Marquess and aâ— Earl by Cincture of Sword a Mantle of State with a Cap and Coronet put upon him by the King himself and a Patent delivered into his hand Viscounts and Barons are made by Patent and these sometimes by Writ whereby they are called to sit in the House of Lords All the Peers have Coronets but with these Distinctions A Baron has six Pearls upon the Circle a Viscount the Circle of Pearls without number an Earl has the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between a Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height and a Duke Leaves without Pearls Only the Dukes of the Royal Blood bear like the Prince of Wales a Coronet of Crosses and Flower de Luce. Which is the same with the King 's excepting the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown But the greatest Distinction amongst the Nobles is their Parliament Robes in their several Gards on their Mantles and short Cloaks about their Shoulders For a Baron has but two Gards a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Besides that the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermine that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Furr Dukes were at first so called a ducendo being anciently Generals and Leaders of Armies in time of War Marquesses from their Government of Marches and frontire-Frontire-Countries Earls in Latine Comites because they had the Government of Counties Viscounts in Latine Vice-Comites as being Assistants or Deputies in the Government of Counties Barons according to Bracton quasi Robur Belli the safety of the King and People in Time of War depending upon their Courage and Skill in Martial Affairs Anciently a Duke was made so for Term of Life then held by Lands and Fees till Dukes came to be Titular and Hereditary In those Times likewise there was no Earl but had a County or Shire for his Earldom who for the support of his State had the third Peny out of the Sheriffs Court issuing out of all Pleas of that County whereof he was Earl Also those Barons only were accounted Peers of the Realm that held of the King per integram Baroniam which consisted of 13 Knights Fees and one third part that is of 400 Marks each Knights Fee being 20 l. And whoever had so much was wont to be summoned to Parliament But then 100 Marks was as much as 2000 pounds at this day as may be guessed by comparing the Prices of Things 'T is true King Henry III after he had with much ado suppressed his Barons called by Writ unto Parliament only such great Men as had continued loyal or were like so to be Which Example being followed by his Successors they only were accounted Peers of the Realm that were so called by the King 's special Writ Till Barons came to be made by Patent as well as by Writ and at last most by Patent which makes it hereditary But there are Barons in England that have noâ— share in the Peerage as such viz. the Barons of the Exchequer and the Barons of the Cinque-Ports Such as these the Earls Palatines and the Eath of England Marches had anciently under them and such there are yet in Cheshire The chieâ— Burgesses of London were also called of oâ— Barons All Dukes Marquesses and Earls at this day have their respective Titles from some Shire or part of a Shire Town or City Castle Park or Village Except two Earls whereof one is Officiary and the other Nominal the first being the Earl Marshal of England and the last the Earl Rivers who takes his Denomination from an Illustrious Family Barons are so denominated from their chief Seat or a Castle belonging to the Family Which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Sons but must descend to the eldest Daughter None of these Honours can be lost but these two Ways Either by want of Issue male except where the Patent extends to Issue female as sometimes it does Or else by some heinous Crime and then it cannot be restored to the Bloud but by Act of Parliament A Duke has the Title of Grace given him and the other Peers that of Lordship on Honour Accordingly we commonly give to these the Epithet of Right Honourable All Dukes and Marquesses Sons are called Lords by the Courtesy of England and the Daughters Ladies I say by the Courtesy of England for the Law makes no such Distinction but looks upon all as Commoners that have no Right to sit in the House of Peers Of an Earl none but the eldest Son is called Lord though all the Daughters be Ladies And as for the Issue of Vicounts and Barons none of their Sons is Lord nor of the Daughters Lady A Dukes eldest Son is called Lord Marquess and the younger Sons by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas c. A Marquesses eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as those of a Duke that is by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas An Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and called Lord of a Place In point of Precedency this is the Rule Af-the Princes of the Bloud the first amongst the Nobility are the Dukes and these are thus followed Viz. Dukes Marquesses Dukes eldest Sons Earls Marquesses eldest Sons Dukes younger Sons Vicounts Earls
noble Exercises and appearing abroad according to their Rank and Quality Honour and Integrity Justice and Sobriety Courage and Wisdom were Virtues they excelled in A Lord's House was then lookt upon as a well disciplined Court where Servants lived not only in Plenty but in great Order with the Opportunity of getting good Breeding and the Prospect of raising themselves in the World by their Lords Bountifulness and innate Generosity How far the Case is altered 't is but too plain Yet it is hoped a virtuous and generous Prince will bring back that Golden Age. But there is an additional Honour the most ancient Order of the Garter wherein some of the chief of our Nobility have ever had a share since its first Institution The Founder of this Order was that warlike and potent Prince King Edward III who several times triumphed over France and Scotland Polydore Virgil gives it a slight Original but his Grounds by his own Confession grew from the vulgar Opinion Which is that Edward III having obtained many great Victories King John of France and David Bruce of Scotland being both his Prisoners King Henry of Castille the Bastard expulsed and Don Pedro restored by Edward the Black Prince did upon no weighty Occasion first erect this Order Anno 1350. Who dancing with the Queen and other Ladies of the Court took up a Garter that hapned to fall from one of them Whereat some of the Lords smiling the King said that e're it were long he would make that Garter to be of high Reputation and shortly after instituted this Order A very unlikely Thing that so noble an Order should be raised on so mean a Foundation Whereas according to Cambden and several others the Institution of this Order by the foresaid King Edward was upon his good success in a Skirmish wherein the King's Garter was used for a Token The Order first Instituted by the Name of the Order of S. George the Patron of England and of this Order in particular And because the Garter was the only part of the whole Habit of the Order made choice of at first to be constantly worn it came in process of Time to be called the Order of the Garter The same consists of a Sovereign which is always the King of England and 25 Companions called Knights of the Garter some of them Princes of other Countries and the rest Noblemen of this Kingdom And 't is observed that there have been of this Order since the Institution no less than 8 Emperours and 27 or 28 forein Kings besides many Sovereign Princes of a lower Rank The Garter to be daily worn upon the left Leg by the Companions of this Order is a blue Garter deckt with Gold Pearl and precious Stones and a Buckle of gold They are not to be seen abroad without it upon pain of paying two Crowns to any Officer of the Order who shall first claim it Only upon a Journey a blue Ribbon may serve instead of it The Meaning of the Garter is to put the Companions of the Order in mind that as by this Order they were joyned in a firm League of Amity and Concord so by their Garter as by a fast Tie of Affection they are obliged to love one another Now to prevent an ill Construction of it King Edward commanded these French Words to be fixt upon it Honi soit qui mal y pense that is Shame be to him that thinks evil of it And it was done in France because England being then possessed of a great Part of France the French Tongue was the usual Language in the King of England's Court. Besides the Garter the honourable Companions are to wear at Installations and high Feasts a Surcoat a Mantle a high black Velvet Cap a Collar of pure gold with other stately and magnificent Apparel The Collar composed of Roses enamelled Red within a Garter enamelled Blue with the usual Motto in Letters of gold and between each of these Garters a Knot with Tassels of gold By an Order made April 1626 they are to wear on the left side of their Upper Garment whether Cloak or Coat an Escutcheon of the Arms of S. George that is the Cross of England incirled with the Garter and Motto from whence round about are cast Beams of Silver like the Rays of the Sun in full lustre which is commonly called the Star To this Order belongs a Colledge seated in the Castle of Windsor with S. George's Chappel there erected by King Edward and the Chapter-house The Colledge being a Corporation has a great Seal and several Officers belonging to it The principal of these is the Prelate of the Garter which Office is settled on the Bishoprick of Winchester Next the Chanceliour of the Garter the Bishop of Salisbury for the time being A Register the Dean of Windsor Garter the principal King at Arms who manages and marshals their Solemnities at their Installations and Feasts And lastly the Usher of the Garter who is also the Usher of the Black-Rod To the Chappel there belongs 14 Secular Canons and 13 Vicars all Priests Besides 26 poor Knights maintained by this Colledge for their Prayers to the Honour of God and S. George The Solemnity of this Order is performed yearly on S. George's Day the 23th of April As for the Orders and Constitutions belonging to this Society touching the Solemnities in making these Knights their Duties after Creation and their high Priviledges they are too long to be inserted here CHAP. XX. Of the Gentry of England NExt to the Nobility which is lookt upon as the Flower of the Kingdom let us take a View of the English Gentry called by some the lesser or lower Nobility and Keeping a middle Rank betwixt the Nobles and the Common People Of these there are three Degrees Knights Esquires and Gentlemen We have now but three sorts of Knights in England besides the Knights of the Garter Viz. Baronets Knights of the Bath and Knights Batchelours The Degree of Baronets is the next to Barons and the only Degree of Knighthood that is Hereditary An Honour first Instituted by King James I Anno 1611 conferred by a Patent upon a Man and his Heirs Males of his Body lawfully begotten The Purchase of it does commonly arise Fees and all to 1200 l. the Purchaser being to pay besides the Fees as much Mony as will pay for 3 Years 30 Foot-Souldiers at 8 pence a Day to serve in the Province of Ulster in Ireland Therefore they have the Priviledge to bear in a Canton of their Coat of Arms or in a whole Scutcheon the Arms of â—lster viz. in a Field Argent a Hand Gules In the King's Armies they have place in the gross near the King's Standard And for their Funerals they have also particular Priviledges The whole Number of them by the first Institution is not to exceed 200 at one and the same time After which Number compleated as any one for want of Heirs come to be extinct the Number is
of them and then asks the People if they Know any notable Impediment or Crime in any of them Then follow certain godly Prayers with the Collect and Epistle appointed for this Solemnity After which the Oath of Supremacy is administred to every one of them and the Bishop puts divers godly Questions to them Which being answered they all Kneel and he laying his Hands upon them severally does Ordain them Deacons Then he delivers to every one of them the New Testament and gives them Authority to read the same in the Church Whereupon the Bishop appoints one of them to read the Gospel This done they with the Bishop proceed to the Communion and so are dismissed with the Blessing pronounced by the Bishop The Ordination of Priests is much after the same manner Only the Epistle and Gospel are different and after the Questions and Answers made the Bishop puts up a particular Prayer for them Which being ended he desires the Congregation to recommend them to God secretly in their Prayers for doing of which there is a competent time of general Silence Then follows Veni Creator Spiritus in Meter to be sung And after another Prayer they all Kneeling the Bishop with one or two of the grave Priests there present lays his Hands upon the Head of every one of them severally and so gives them Ordination in a grave set Form of Words different both from that of Bishops and that of Deacons The rest is the same as in the Ordaining of Deacons What the Office of a Parish-Priest is is so well known that I need not insist upon it His Orders he has from the Bishop but the Benefice he holds from the Patron Now we call those Patrons of Churches who by first building of Churches or first indowing them with I ands have obtained for them and their Heirs a Right of Advowson or Patronage Who when the Church is void is to propose a fit Clerk to the Bishop to be by him Canonically Instituted As to the Revenues of the Inferiour Clergy they are as in all Places unequally divided So that some Parsons have a very plentiful some but a competent and others but a small Maintenance some two or three hundred pounds per Annum or more others one hundred or thereabouts and some much short of that Which besides the Glebe-Land is mostly raised by way of Tythes and the Duties paid for Christenings Marriages and Funerals The Plurality of Benefices that is the Priviledge of holding more Livings than one allowed by the Church of England for the Incouragement of worthy and eminent Divines makes room for many Curates So we call those who officiate in those Churches where such as hold Plurality of Livings do not Keep their Residence These Curates are such Clergy-men as they think fit to appoint in their places with such an Allowance as is agreed upon amongst themselves The Condition of Vicars is much the same as that of Curates if not worse These properly officiate in those Livings which are called Impropriations of which there are in England no less than 3845. For above a third part of the best Benefices of England being anciently by the Popes Grant appropriated to Monasteries towards their Maintenance were upon the Dissolution of the Monasteries made Lay-fees Which Benefices ever since have been accordingly provided not with the best Allowances nor with the best of the Clergy Amongst the Priviledges of the Clergy this is one of the principal that all Deans Arch-Deacons Prebendaries Rectors and Vicars may some by themselves others by Proxy or by Representative sit and vote as Commons Spiritual in the Lower House of Convocation No Subsidies or other Tax to the King might formerly be laid upon them without their own Consent first had in Convocation And indeed the Clergy paying to the King the first Fruits that is the first Years Profits of all Spiritual Benefices and yearly the Tenth of all the said Benefices 't was thought but reasonable they should be exempted from all other Taxes Though to give the Laity good Example they have often laid upon themselves Subsidies and other great Taxes The Glebe-Lands and Spiritual Revenues of Clergy-men being held in pura perpetua Eleemosyna that is as the Law calls it in Frankalmoine are exempted from arraying and Mustering of Men or Horses for the War And as by their Function they are prohibited to wear any Arms therefore they cannot serve personally in War But they serve their Country otherwise by being our Leaders in our Spiritual Warfare Neither can any Clergy-man be compelled to undergo any other Personal Functions or Services in the Common-wealth For if any Man by reason of his Land be liable to be elected to any Servile Office if he takes Orders he is free and there lies a Writ purposely to free him Clergy-Men are not obliged to appear at Sheriffs Turns or Courts-Leet there to take their Oath of Allegiance By Magna Charta no Clergy-man ought to he Fined or Amerced according to his Spiritual Means but according to his Temporal Estate and to the Crime committed The Goods of Clergy-men are discharged by the Common Law of England from Tolls and Customs of Average Pontage Murage and Panage for which they have the King 's Writ to discharge them provided they don 't trade with them All Clergy-men are free from the King's Purveyors Carriages Post c. for which they may demand a Protection from the King with the Clause Nolumus As to the whole Number of the Clergy in England besides the two Archbishops and the twenty four Bishops there are 26 Deans of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches 576 Prebendaries 9653 Rectors and Vicars besides as many more Curates and others in holy Orders In point of Learning and good exemplary Life England I dare say is outdone by no Clergy in the Christian World If amongst the Inferiour Clergy there be some ignorant lewd Livers the dignified Clergy and the Episcopal Colledge are generally Men noted both for their great Piety and deep Learning And the late Scuffle they had with the Romanists in so difficult a Juncture as King James his Reign as it has sufficiently shewn the greatness of their Parts and the Depth of their Learning so it expressed to the World their strong and invincible Zeal for the Protestant Religion and the gross Mistake of Dissenters that lookt upon them as broad-faced Papists Nothing troubles me more than to see some of the Clergy so much infatuated as to indeavour to defeat as far as in them lies the late signal Providence that rescued us so wonderfully from Popery and Slavery I do not reflect upon those who remain quiet under their Scruples of Conscience and are not so far disturbed in their Mind as to disturb the Government But to see some so low-spirited as to fall a hugging their old Enemies the French and admire them as their Tutelar Angels who were but 'tother Day the greatest Object of their Scorn and Contempt this affords
the King's Court because the Authority thereof originally belongs to the Crown In short this Court first derived from the Sheriffs Turn is ordinarily Kept but twice a Year and that at certain times But there is another Court incident to every Mannor called Court-Baron because in ancient times every Lord of a Mannor was stiled Baron To this Court are all the Tenants Summoned that belong to the Mannor where part of the Tenants being Sworn make a Jury which is not called the Inquest but the Homage Here the Steward sits as Judge and directs the Jury to enquire of such Things as are proper for this Court. And these principally Inquire of Copy-holders and Free-holders that be dead since the last Court and bring in their Heirs and next Successors They likewise Inquire of any Incroachment or Intrusion of Tenants against the Lord or among themselves They also make Orders and Laws amongst themselves with a Penalty annexed for Transgressors payable to the Lord of the Mannor In short these Courts are of great Use for Men that are willing to be ordered by their Neighbours and who prefer their Quiet and Advantage in Husbandry to the Trouble and Charges of Law-Suits Otherwise either Party may procure a Writ out of a higher Court to remove the Plea to Westminster Courts-Baron may be held every three Weeks or at any longer time according to the Lords pleasure I conclude with Constables called in some Places Headboroughs and in others Tithing-men whose Office is only Ministerial These Men says Sir Thomas Smith were formerly called Custodes Pacis or Guardians of the Peace and were in much greater esteem than they be now whose Power and Authority he supposes to have been equal with that of the present Justices of Peace Lambert looks upon this Office as a Stream of that great Dignity lodged in the Lord High Constable of England Out of this high Magistracy says he were drawn those lower Constables which we call Constables of Hundreds and Franchises First ordained by the Statute of Winchester 13 Ed. I. which appoints for the Conservation of the Peace and view of Armour two Constables in every Hundred and Franchise called in Latine Constabularii Capitales in English High Constables And by reason of the Increase both of People and Offences others were made in process of time called Petty Constables which are of like Nature but of inferiour Authority to the other The Office of a Constable is properly to apprehend such as break the Peace and common Malefactors and even Persons suspected of any Crime upon a Charge given them or a Warrant for it from a Justice For a Badge of his Authority he carries a long Staff painted with the King's Arms and for a Surprise sometimes he uses a short Staff which he hides till he thinks it convenient to produce it The Party apprehended he keeps in his Custody till he can bring him before a Justice of Peace who upon a strict Examination of the Fact and hearing of the Evidence commits the Party to Prison if he sees cause in order to his Trial. Upon which the Constable conducts him to Prison and there delivers him to the Goalers Custody with the Committimus directed by the Justice of Peace to the Jayler And the Party mustly in Prison till the Justices of Peace do meet either at their Quarter-Sessions or at their Goal-Delivery when the Prisoners are by Law either condemned or acquitâ—ed When he is upon Duty and about to apprehend one he may call his Neighbours to aid and whoever declines to give him assistance is liable by Law to Punishment In case of Theft Robbery or Murder in a Country Town or Village and the Malefactor be upon flight the Constable having notice of it is to raise the Parish in pursuit of him And this is called Hue and Cry If the Malefactor be not found in the Parish the Constable and his Assistants are to go to the next to get the Hue and Cry raised there by the Constable of it In this manner the Hue and Cry is carried from Parish to Parish till the Criminal be found And that Parish which does not do its Duty but gives way by its Negligence for the Malefactors Escape is not only to pay a Fine to the King but must repay to the Party robbed his Damages When the Malefactor is taken he is presently carried by the Constable or any other by whom he was apprehended to a Justice of Peace Who examines the Malefactor writes the Examination and if he do confess his Confession Then he binds the Party robbed or him that sueth together with the Constable and so many as can give Evidence against the Malefactor to appear at the next Sessions of Goal-Delivery there to give their Evidence for the King He binds them in a Recognizance of 10. 20. 30. 40. or 100. l. more or less according to his Discretion and the quality of the Crime Which being certified under his hand fails not to be levied upon Recognizance if they fail of being there Thus the Constables which formerly had much the same Authority as our modern Justices of Peace are now subservient to them upon all Occasions either to bring the Criminals before them or to carry them by their Command to the common Prison And accordingly this Office does commonly fall into the hands of Tradesmen and Artificers and Men of small experience and ability who hold it for a Year there being commonly two of them to each Parish chosen by the Vestry But the hardest part of their Office in London especially is their Watching a Nights and walking the Rounds in their several Parishes But then they have the chief Command of the Watch and because seldom a greater Power appears abroad at that time therefore a Constable came to be called the King of the Night CHAP. IX Of the Assizes BEsides the publick Justice administred at four times of the Year in Westminster both for Civil and Criminal Causes the Twelve Judges take twice a Year a Progress in the Country and exercise their Judicial Power in the several Counties the King is pleased to appoint them for The Times of the Year fixt for it are presently after the end of Hilary-Term and after the end of Trinity Term that being called the Lent and this the Summer Assizes In relation to which England is divided into Six Parts called Circuits Viz. 1. Home-Circuit Comprehending Essex Hartford Sussex Surrey Kent 2. Norfolk Circuit Comprehending Bucks Bedford Huntington Cambridge Norfolk Suffolk 3. Midland Circuit Comprehending Warwick Leicester Derby Nottingham Lincoln Rutland Northampton 4. Oxford Circuit Comprehending Berks Oxon Glocester Monmouth Hereford Salop Stafford Worcester 5. Western Circuit Comprehending Southampton Wilts Dorset Somerset Cornwal Devon 6. Northern Circuit Comprehending York Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancaster Besides the two Circuits for Wales viz. North and South Wales for each of which two Sergeants at Law are appointed Now these Courts are called Assizes and the Judges
manner of Ways 1. by â—oods and Chattels 2. by the Body Pledges â—â—d Mainprise 3. by the Body only This â—ourt is kept every 40 Days Pie-powder Court is a Court held in Fairs to yield Justice to Buyers and Sellers and for Redress of all Disorders committed in them These Courts are so called from the French Pie a foot and poudreux dusty the Fairs being kept most usually in Summer to which the Country people use to come with dusty feet A Pie-powder Court is held de hora in horam every hour and such is the Dispatch made here that Justice ought to be summarily administred within three ebbing and three flowing of the Sea CHAP. XII Of the Ecclesiastical Courts and first of the Convocation TO consult of Church-Matters and make Ecclesiastical Laws now and then the Convocation meets and that in time of Parliament Which Convocation is a National Synod or general Assembly of the Clergy convoked after this manner Some time before the Parliament sits the King by the Advice of his Privy Council sends his Writ to the Arch-bishop of each Province for Summoning all Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons c. assigning them the Time and Place in the said Writ Upon which the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury directs his Letters authentically sealed to the Bishop of London as his Dean Provincial wherein he cites him peremptorily and willeth him to cite in like manner all the Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons Gathedral and Collegiate Churches and all the Clergy of his Province to the Place and Day prefixt in the Writ But he directeth withal that one Proctor be sent for every Cathedral or Collegiate Church and two for the Body of the Inferiour Clergy of each Diocese All which the Bishop of London takes accordingly care of willing the Parties concerned person 〈◊〉 to appear and in the mean time to cerâ—ify to the Arch-Bishop the Names of every one so warned in a Schedule annexed to the Letter Certificatory Upon which the other Bishops of the Province proceed the Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and the inferiour Clergy of each Diocese make choice of their Proctors Which done and certified to the Bishop of London he returneth all at the Day And the same Method is used in the Province of York The Chappel of Henry VII annexed to Westminster Abbey is the usual Place where the Convocation of the Clergy in the Province of Canterbury meets Whilst the Arch-Bishop of York holds at York a Convocation of all his Province in like manner Thus by constant Correspondence these two Provinces tho so â—r distant from each other do debate and â—onclude of the same Matters The Convocation is like the Parliament disided into two Houses the higher and the â—wer And all Members have by Statute the â—â—me Priviledges for themselves and menial â—ervants as the Members of Parliament have The higher House in the Province of Canterbury which is by much the larger of the two consists of 22 Bishops whereof the Arch-Bishop is President Who sits in a Chair at the upper end of a great Table and the Bishops on each side of the same Table all in their Scarlet Robes and Hoods the Arch-Bishops Hoods furred with Ermin and the Bishops with Minever The lower House consists of all the Deans Arch-deacons one Proctor for every Chapter and two Proctors for all the Clergy of the Diocese Which make in all 166 Persons viz. 22 Deans 24 Prebendaries 54 Archdeacons and 44 Clerks representing the Diocesan Clergy The first Business of each House upon their Meeting is to chuse each a Prolocutor or Speaker The Prolocutor of the lower House being chosen he is presented to the upper House by two of the Members whereof one makes a Speech and the elect Person another both in Latine To which the Arch Bishop answers in Latine and in the Name of all the Lords approves of the Person The Matters debated by both Houses are only such as the King by Commission do'â— expresly allow viz. Church and Religion Matters first proposed in the Upper and thâ—â— communicated to the Lower House And the major Vote in each House prevails Sometimes there have been Royal Aids granted to the King by the Clergy in Convocation Anciently this Assembly might without 〈◊〉 now with the Royal Assent make Canon touching Religion binding not only them selves but all the Laity without Consent oâ— Ratification of the Lords and Commons iâ— Parliament Neither did the Parliament meddle in the making of Canons or in Doctrinal Matters till the Civil Wars in the Reign of Charles I. Only when thereto required they by their Civil Sanctions did confirm the Results and Consultations of the Clergy whereby the People might be the more easily induced to obey the Ordinances of their Spiritual Governours To conclude the Laws and Constitutions whereby the Church of England is governed are first general Canons made by general Councils with the Opinion of the orthodox Fathers and the grave Decrees of several holy Bishops of Rome which have been admitted from time to time by the Kings of England Then our own Constitutions made anciently in several Provincial Synods both by the Popes Legates Otho and Othobon and by several Arch-Bishops of Canterbury all which are of force in England so far as they are not repugnant to the Laws and Customs of England or the Kings Prerogative Next to those Constitutions this Church is also governed by Canons made in Convocations of latter times as in the first Year of the Reign of King James I and confirmed by his Authority Also by some Statutes of Parliament â—ouching Church-Affairs and by divers Immeâ—orial Customs But where all these fail the Civil Law takes place CHAP. XIII Of the Court of Arches the Court of Audience the Prerogative-Court the Court of Delegates the Court of Peculiars c. FROM the Church Legislative I come to the Executive Power for which there have been several Courts provided Amongst which is the Court of Arches the chief and most ancient Consistory that belongeth to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for the debating of Spiritual Causes So called from the arched Church and Tower of S. Mary le Bow in Cheapside London where this Court is wont to be held The Judge whereof is called Dean of the Arches or the Official of the Court of Arches because with this Officialty is commonly joyned a peculiar Jurisdiction of 13 Parishes in London termed a Deanry being exempt from the Bishop of Londons Jurisdiction and belonging to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury All Appeals in Church-Matters within the Province of Canterbury are directed to this Court. In which the Judge sits alone without Assessors hearing and determining all Causes without any Jury The Advocates allowed to plead in this Court are all to be Doctors of the Civil Law Who upon their Petition to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and his Fiat obtained are admitted by the Judge of this Court but must not practise the first Year Both the Judge and the Advocates always wear their Scarlet Robes with
petty Matters and Offences there committed contrary to the Proclamation made on Bartholomew Eve in the Afternoon at the great Gate going into the Cloth-Fair for the better regulating this Fair. Besides the foresaid Courts every Alderman keeps a Court in his Ward called Wardmote for Things relating to his Ward but still under the Direction of the Lord Mayor Who annually issues out his Precept to every Alderman to hold his Wardmote for the Election of Common Council-Men and other Officers The Companies of Traders have also their Courts called Halmotes for regulating what belongs to their several Trades and so called from the Halls or Assembly Places where they meet many of them very stately Buildings CHAP. XVI Of the Punishments inflicted on Malefactors IN the 9th Chapter of this Part I have shewn at large the Manner of Trying Criminals in England wherein is to be commended our English Humanity towards Prisoners that are upon their Trial. When other Nations under pretence that no Man ought to be put to Death but upon his own Confession of the Crime he stands charged with have devised such racking Tortures to extort the Confession as make often the Innocent cry Guilty and prefer Death to the Rack But this I have already toucht upon in my first Part. My Business is now to speak of the Punishments inflicted here upon Criminals of what nature soever Hanging is the usual Punishment to Death in England either for High Treason Petty Treason or Felony But the Manner is different For a Traytor to the King and Government is to be drawn upon a Hurdle or Sledge to the Gallows and there to be hanged by the Neck But then he is presently cut down â—live his Entrals pulled out of his Belly and â—urnt before his Face his Head cut off and his Body divided into four Parts and both the Head and Body hung up or impaled where the King shall command This Punishment indeed considering all its Circumstances seems cruel to such as do not narrowly consider the nature of the Crime Whereas the Law thinks it but reasonable that whosoever indeavours to cut off the King or rend the Government should be himself cut off and rent as before said As for his Lands and Goods they are forâ—eited to the King his Wife if married loses her Dower and if he be Noble his Children lose their Right of Nobility aswell as Inheritance For by the Law Treason taints the Bloud But it is observable as to the Kings Person that it is not only downright killing or murdering the King which makes it High Treason For the very imagining or contriving his Death without any overt Act is High Treason Falsifying and Clipping of Mony is also High Treason by Law But the Offender's Punishment is only to be Drawn and Hanged by the Neck till he be dead The same it is with one guilty of Petty Treason as when a Servant kills his Master or Mistris a Wife her Husband or a Clergy-man his Prelate to whom he ow's Obedience For Felony as Murder Theft or Robbery and other Capital Crimes for which anciently there were several sorts of Punishments the Malefactor is but Hanged since the Reign of Henry I. But when the Robbery is attended with Murder the Criminal after he is hanged and dead is taken down to be hanged in Chains and so to hang in terrorem till the Body be quite rotted off or eaten up by the Birds of the Air. As to Persons of great Birth and Quality convicted of High Treason Petty Treason or Felony tho the Judgment be the same with that of common Persons yet by the Kings Favour they are usually Beheaded Which is performed with an Ax upon a Block lying on the Scaffold and not as in other Countries by a Sword kneeling or standing The Notion of Murder as a Capital Crime invites me to explain two Law-Terms relating to it viz. Manslaughter and Chance-medley Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of one without prepensed Malice As when two that formerly meant no harm one to another meet together and falling out upon some sudden Occasion the one kills the other It differs from Murder because it is not done with fore-going Malice and from Chance-medley because it has a present Intent to kill 'T is Felony but it is allowed the Benesit of the Clergy for the first time Chance-medley otherwise called Manslaughter by Misadventure signifies the casual Killing of a Man not altogether without the Killer's Fault though without an evil Intent for which the Offender shall have his Pardon of course But here must be considered whether the Offender when he committed this Manslaughter by Chance-medley was doing a lawful Thing For if the Act were unlawful it is Felony As if two are fighting together and a third Man comes to part them and is killed by one of the two without any Malice fore-thought or evil Intent in him that killed the Man yet this is Murder in him and not Manslaughter by Chance-medley or Misadventure because they two that fought together were doing an unlawful Act. And if they were met with prepensed Malice the one intending to kill the other then it is Murder in them both Burning alive is sometimes used but only for Witches and Women convicted of High Treason or Petty Treason In the Time of Popery especially in the Reign of Queen Mary this was the proper Punishment for Hereticks that is in the Popish Sense for Protestants When the Papists who ever delighted in humane Sacrifices made Bonefires of them and reserved Hell-fiâ—e for themselves Pressing to Death called by the Law Peine forte dure is a Punishment for those only that being Arraigned either of Petty Treason or Felony refuse to Answer or to put themselves upon the ordinary Trial of God and the Country Which by the Law is called to stand Mute And for this Contumacy the Offender is to be sent back to the Prison whence he came there to be laid in some low dark Room all naked but his privy Members his Back upon the bare Ground his Arms and Legs stretched with Cords fastened to the several Quarters of the Room Then is laid upon his Body Iron and Stone as much as he may bear or more The next Day he shall have three morsels of Barley-bread without Drink and the Day after he shall have for his Drink as much of the next Water to the Prison as he can drink three several times except it be running Water and that without any bread And this is to be his Diet till he Die Which grievous kind of Death some stout Men have chosen to save their Estates to their Children and keep their Bloud from being stained But in case of High Treason though the Criminal stand mute yet Judgment shall be given against him as if he had been Convicted and his Estate shall be Confiscated In many Parts beyond Sea the Criminals hanged or beheaded are denied Christian Burial their Society being declined in the Grave who
Severn Banks stands Berkley Castle which gives Name to a noble and ancient Family dispersed in many Places of this Kingdom and whereof they were made Barons by King Henry the II. Whereas before that time they were called Fitz-Harding as being descended from one Robert Fitz-Harding of the Blood-Royal of the Danes William Lord Berkley of this House descended from the Mowbraies who amongst other Titles were Earls of Nottingham was in the Year 1432 created Viscount Berkley by King Richard III afterwards Earl of Nottingham and Earl Marshal by King Henry VIII and finally Marquess Berkley by the same King Anno 1509. But dying without Issue all those Titles ended with him Only the Title of Lord Berkley continued in the Collateral Line till advanced to the Title of Earl by King Charles II. Anno 1679. in the person of the Right Honourable George Earl of Berkley Viscount Dursley c. To conclude this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants with those of Oxfordshire known among the ancient Romans by the Name of Dobuni is now partly in the Diocese of Glocester and partly in that of Bristol On t of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire six Members of Parliament Viz. 2 out of Glocester 2 out of Tewksbury and 2 more out of Cirencester In this Case Bristol is counted in Somersetshire Hampshire HAMPSHIRE or HANTSHIRE otherwise called the County of Southampton from Southampton the Shire-Town is a Maritime County Bounded on the East by Surrey and Sussex on the West by Wiltshire and Dorsetshire on the North by Barkshire and on the South by the Channel or British Sea It s Length from North to South is about 46 miles its Breadth from East to West 30. The Whole divided into 39 Hundreds wherein 253 Parishes and 16 Market-Towns This County is rich in all Commodities both of Sea and Land and those Parts of it which â—y furthest from the Sea of a pure and excellent Air. In particular the Country is well cloathed with Wood affords plenty of Iron which is here wrought from the Mines with abundance of Wool which the Inhabitants make Cloths and Kerseys of and the best sort of Hony As for Rivers here is in the West Parts of the County the Avon and the Stower a Dorsetshire River which meet together at their fall into the Sea More Eastward you will find the Test and the Itching which also meet at their fall into the Sea and that near Southampton In this County is the New Forest about 30 miles in compass A Forest which William the Conquerour so delighted to hunt in that to make it compleat and intire he caused many Towns and Villages with no less than 36 Parish-Churches to be pulled down and levelled with the ground But this Exorbitance of his did not escape unpunished For in this very Forest Richard his second Son was goared by a Deer and died William his third Son was accidentally slain by Sir Walter Tyrrel and his Grandchild Robert Curtoyse being in pursuit of the Game was struck by a Bough into the Jaws and died Southampton the Shire-Town bears from London South-West by West and is distant therefrom 60 miles thus From London to Stanes 15 to Bagshot 10 more thence to Alton 14 to Alesford 8 more from Alesford to Twiford 7 and to Southampton 6 more This Town is commodiously seated at the very Mouth of the Rivers Test and Itching both which Streams being here united together into one go under the Name of Hampton which is more like an Arm of the Sea than a River And 't is capable of Ships of good Burden to the very Key which is very commodious for lading and unlading of Ships Accordingly this Town has flourished for some time and injoy'd a great Trade with France especially being conveniently seated opposite to Normandy and its adjacent Isles Jersey and Garnsey It has been likewise a Place of good Defence surrounded with a double Ditch and strong Walls with several good Towers and fortified besides with a Castle At present both its Trade and Strength are very much decay'd and diminished However it is still of that extent as to contain five Parish Churches And though it be within the County yet it is as some other Towns a County of it self for which it stands beholding to King Henry VI. The Bishops of Winchester were anciently reputed to be Earls of Southampton and are so stiled in the new Statutes of the Garter made by Henry VIII But that Title has been since otherwise disposed of Thomas Wriothesley Lord Chancellour being created Earl of Southampton by King Edward VI. Anno 1547. In whose Line it has continued till it died with Thomas Wriothesley Lord Treasurer Anno 1667. In the Reign of Charles II. After whom Charles Fitz-Roy Lord Limrick eldest Son to the Dutchess of Cleveland was created Baron of Newberry Earl of Chichester and Duke of Southampton Anno 1675. For Provisions and other Commodities this Town has two Markets a Week viz. Tuesdays â—nd Fridays But though Southampton be properly the Shire Town yet the City of Winchester outloes it upon several accounts and theresore deserves a particular Description by it self Winchester the Venta Belgarum of the ancient Romans is pleasantly seated in a Valley betwixt Hills and on the Banks of the River Itching A City of great Antiquity and noted among the Romans for being the Place where the rich Imbroideries were made for their Emperours In the time of the Saxons it was twice consumed by fire and by them rebuilt being made the Royal Seat of the West-Saxon Kings and the chief Episcopal See Afterwards it felt with many other Places the fury of the Danes In the time of the Normans it was repaired and honoured with the keeping of the publick Records of the Kingdom But soon after it had a Relapse being sore oppressed during the Civil Wars of Maud the Empress and King Stephen At last it began in the Reign of Edward III. to recover it self having made it the Mart for Wool and Cloth At present this City contains within its Walls about a mile and a half in Circuit but not without some waste Here is a fine Hall where the Assizes and Sessions are kept for the County and in this Hall hangs up King Arthur's Round Table which is kept as a Monument For Divine Worship here are five Parish Churches Besides the Cathedral a large and beautiful Structure dedicated to the Holy Trinity and of special note for being the Sepulchre of many Saxon Kings and Queens besides two Kings of the Danish and two of the Norman Race For the Education of Youth here is in the Suburbs a fair Colledge liberally endowed and a place of good Literature built and endowed by William of Wickham for a Seminary to his other Colledge in Oxford And for the Relief of the Poor a very fair Hospital called S. Crosles not far off from the Colledge Here is also a goodly and