Rhodes when the great Mahomet was worsted It is now in the hands of Mr. Ralph Thoresby of Leeds East from Knaresbrough stands Ribston-hall â—â—â—ston-â—all the pleasant Seat of the Right Honourable Sir Henry Goodrick Baronet Ambassadour from King Charles the second to the King of Spain now Privy-Councellor and Lieutenant of the Ordnance of the Tower of London hh Another river call'd Ure must be our next direction carrying us to Rippon â—â—ppon where in the Minster-yard is this modest Inscription for a two thousand pound Benefactor Hic jacet Zacharias Jepson cujus aetas fuit 49. perpaucos tantum annos vixit ii It brings us next to Burrowbridge â—â—rrwâ—dge where the Pyramids call'd by the common people the Devil's Arrows are most remarkable That they are artificial we have the opinion of Mr. Camden and the Devil's Coits in Oxofrdshire confirm it which Dr. 〈◊〉 of â—f â—â—th 〈◊〉 Plot affirms to be made of a small kind of stones cemented together whereof there are great numbers in the fields thereabout But whether our Author's conjecture of their being set up as Trophies by the Romans may be allow'd is not so certain A â—ct Sâ—aff 〈◊〉 later Antiquary seems inclin'd to conclude them to be a British work supposing that they might be erected in memory of some battel fought there but is rather of opinion that they were British Deities agreeing with the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet and grounding upon the custom of the Phoenicians and Greeks Nations undoubtedly acquainted with Britain before the arrival of the Romans who set up unpolish'd stones instead of images to the honour of their Gods kk Hard by this is Aldburrow confirm'd to be the Is-urium Is urium of the Ancients from several Roman Coyns and chequer'd Pavements digg'd up there some of which are now in the Musaeum of the ingenious Mr. Thoresby But to be a little more particular upon the remains of Antiquity they meet with take the following account which is the substance of a Letter from Mr. Morris Minister of the place Here are some fragments of Aquiducts cut in great stones and cover'd with Roman tyle In the late Civil wars as they were digging a Cellar they met with a sort of Vault leading as 't is said to the river if of Roman work for it has not yet met with any one curious enough to search it it might probably be a Repository for the Dead The Coyns generally of brass but some few of silver are mostly of Constantine and Carausius tho' there are two of Maximian Dioclesian Valerian Severus Pertinax Aurelius and of other Emperours as also of Faustina and Julia. They meet with little Roman heads of brass and have formerly also found coyn'd pieces of gold with chains of the same metal but none of late About two years ago were found four signet polisht stones three whereof were Cornelians The first had a horse upon it and a stamp of Laurel shooting out five branches the second a Roman sitting with a sacrificing dish in one hand and resting his other on a spear the third a Roman if not Pallas with a spear in one hand wearing a helmet with a shield on the back or on the other arm and under that something like a quiver hanging to the knee the fourth of a purple colour has a Roman head like Severus or Antonine Several Pavements have been found about a foot under-ground and compass'd about with stones of about an inch square but within are little stones of a quarter that bigness wrought into knots and flowers after the Mosaick-fashion No Altars are met with but pieces of Urns and old Glass are common In the Vestry-wall of the Church is plac'd a figure of Pan or Silvanus in one rough stone nyched ll From hence the Ure or Ouse runs to York York in the Antiquities whereof our Author has been so particular that we have little to add This ancient and noble City might have had an agreeable light if Sir Thomas Widdrington a person accomplisht in all Arts as well as his own profession of the Laws after he had wrote an entire History of it had not upon some disgust prohibited the publication The original Manuscript is now in the possession of Thomas Fairfax of Menston Esq Near the Castle stands the shell of Clifford's Tower which was blown up the 24th of April 1684. In the year 1638. in a house near Bishop-hill was found this Altar which is now at the Duke of Buckingham's house in York I. O. M. DIS DEABVSQVE HOSPITALIBVS PE NATIBVSQ OB. CON SERVATAM SALVTEM SVAM SVORVMQ P. AEL MARCIAN VS PRAEF COH ARAM. SAC f. NCD mm Dr. Tobias Matthews was Archbishop of this place * Inscript of the Church of York whose wife Frances a prudent Matron daughter of Bishop Barlow a Confessor in Queen Mary's time was a great Benefactress to the Church bestowing upon it the Library of her husband which consisted of above 3000 Books She is memorable likewise for having a Bishop to her father an Archbishop Matthew Parker of Canterbury to her father-in-law four Bishops to her brethren and an Archbishop to her husband nn The Cathedral Church after it had been burnt down in K. Stephen's time by little and little reviv'd The Thoresby mention'd by our Author was a great benefactor to it and the 29th of July 1631. laid the first stone of the new Quire to which at 16 payments he gave so many hundred pounds besides many other less sums for particular uses towards câ—â—â—ing on that work As he was Archbishop of 〈◊〉 so also was he Lord Chancellour of England and Cardinal Spelm. Gâ— in Cancellarius which I the rather take notice of here because he is omitted by Onuphrius as the Inscription of his seal testifies S. Johis Sci P. ad vincula presbyteri Cardinalis The dimensions of this Cathedral were exactly taken by an ingenious Architect and are as follows  Feet Length beside the buttresses 524 ½ breadth of the east-east-end 105 breadth of the west-west-end 109 breadth of the Cross from north to south 222 breadth of the Chapter-house 058 ½ heâ—â—ht of the Chapter-house to the Canopy 086 ½ height of the body of the Minster 099 height of the Lanthorn to the Vault 188 height to the top-leads 213 oo Southward from York is Nun-Apleton Nun-Apleton so call'd from a Nunnery founded there by the Ancestors of the Earls of Northumberland afterwards the seat of Thomas Lord Fairfax General of the Parliament-army who merits a memorial here upon account of the peculiar respect he had for Antiquities As an instance whereof he allow'd a considerable pension to that industrious Antiquary Mr. Dodsworth to collect those of this County which else had irrecoverably perish'd in the late wars For he had but just finish'd the transcript of the Charters and other Manuscripts then lying in St. Mary's tower in York before the same was blown up and all those sacred remains
the Counties of Wilts and Somerset Provinces of the West-Saxon Kingdom u Mr. Camden having left the west-side of this County in a manner untouch'd it will be necessary to give a more particular view thereof The river Teme Teme in Latin Temedus waters the north-west part of this Shire taking its course into the Severn through rich meadows and the soil on both sides produceth excellent Syder and Hops in great abundance On the edge of Shropshire the river gives its name to Temebury a small but well-frequented market-town This town with most of the Lands between Teme and Herefordshire were held by Robert Fitz Richard Lord of Ricards Castle whose son Hugh marrying Eustachia de Say a great heiress the issue of that match took the sirname of Say These Lands by Margery an heir-female came to Robert Mortimer about K. John's time and the issue-male of the family of Mortimers failing the patrimony was divided between two daughters the elder of which being marry'd to Geoffry Cornwall part of it continues in the hands of their posterity but the rest hath often chang'd its Lords About 7 miles below Temebury the river passeth under Woodbery-hill Woodbery-hill remarkable for an old entrenchment on the top vulgarly call'd Owen Glendowr's Camp which notwithstanding is probably of greater antiquity Hence runs a continu'd ridge of hills from Teme almost to Severn and seems to have been the boundary of the Wiccian Province At the foot of Woodbery-hill stands Great-Witley Gâ—eâ—t â—â—â—ley where is a fair new-built house the chief seat of the Foleys who bought it of the Russels to whom it came about King Henry the 7th's time by marriage with one of the coheirs of Cassy who had marry'd the heir-general of the Coke-sayes it s more ancient Lords Under the west-side of Woodbery-hill lies Shelsley Beauchamp and over against it Shelsley Walsh Sheâ—â—ey Waâ—sh where dwelt Sir Richard Walsh the famous Sheriff of this County at the time of the Powder-plot who pursu'd the traytors into Staffordshire and took them there A little lower stood Hammme-castle and now in the place of it a fair seat which the ancient family of the Jeffreys have enjoy'd about 200 years Hence by Martley Teme passeth under Coderidge Coderiâ—â—â— a manour of the Berkleys formerly the Actons and in more ancient times belonging to the Mortimers and Says On the opposite bank stands Leigh Leâ—gh a manour of the Viscount of Hereford whence the river hasting to Powick falls into the Severn Continuation of the EARLS Henry son of Edward succeeding his father was created Marquiss of Worcester by K. Charles 1. which honour was after him enjoy'd by Edward his son and Henry his grandson who being created Duke of Beaufort by King Charles 2. the title of Marquiss of Worcester is now given to Charles Somerset his eldest son a Gentleman of great parts and worth who merits no less a character than that Mr. Camden gives his noble Ancestor with whom he concludes his description of Worcestershire More rare Plants growing wild in Worcestershire Colchicum vulgare seu Anglicum purpureum album Ger. Park Common meadow-Saffron I observed it growing most plentifully in the meadows of this County Cynoglossum folio virenti J. B. Cynoglossum minus folio virente Ger. semper virens C. B. Park The lesser green-leaved Hounds-tongue It hath been observed in some shady lanes near Worcester by Mr. Pitts an Apothecary and Alderman of that City Sorbus pyriformis D. Pitts which I suspect to be no other than the Sorbus sativa C. B. legitima Park That is the true or manured Service or Sorb-tree Found by the said Mr. Pits in a forest of this County Triticum majus glumâ foliaceâ seu Triticum Polonicum D. Bobert An Trit speciosum grano oblongo J. B Polonian Wheat It is found in the fields in this County and as Dr. Plot tells us in Staffordshire also STAFFORDSHIRE THE third part of that Country inhabited by the Cornavii now Staffordshire in Saxon Stafford-scyre the people whereof as living in the heart of England are call'd in Bede Angli Mediterranei Angli Mediterranei bounded on the east by Warwickshire and Derbyshire on the south by the County of Worcester and on the west by Shropshire lies from south to north almost in the form of a Rhombus being broad in the middle but narrow and contracted towards the ends of it The north part is mountainous and less fertile but the middle which is water'd by the Trent is fruitful woody and pleasant by an equal mixture of arable and meadow grounds so is also the south which has much pit-coal and mines of iron Iron but whether more to their loss or advantage the natives themselves are best Judges and so I refer it to them STAFFORD SHIRE by Robt. Morden After this we find memorable in this tract Chellington Chellington a very fine seat and the manour of that ancient and famous family the Giffards The Gâ—ffards given to Peter Giffard in the reign of Hen. 2. by Peter Corbuchin to whom also Richard Strongbow who conquer'd Ireland gave Tachmelin and other lands in that Country Vulfrunes-hampton so call'd from Vulfruna a very pious woman who built a Monastery in the town which before had the name of Hampton and hence for Vulfrunes-hampton it is corruptly call'd Wolverhampton Wâ—lverhampton which is chiefly remarkable for the College there annex'd to the Dean and Prebendaries of Windsor b Theoten-hall 〈…〉 that is to say a house of Pagans now Tetnall where many of the Danes were cut off in the year 911. by Edward the elder c Weadesburg now Weddsborrow Weddsborâ—ow heretofore fortified by Aethelfleda Governess of the Mercians and Walsall none of the meanest market-towns Near this lies the course of the river Tame Tame which rising not far off runs for some miles on the east-side of this County toward the Trent passing at some small distance by Draiton Basset â—â—set the seat of the Bassets who are descended from one Turstin Lord of this place in the reign of Hen. 1. and grown up into a numerous and famous family For this is the stock from which the Bassets of Welleden Wiccomb Sapcott Chedle and others of them are propagated But of these Bassets of Draiton Ralph was the last a very eminent Baron who marry'd the sister of John Montfort Duke of Bretagne and died without issue in the reign of Rich. 2. From hence the Tame passing thro' the bridge at Falkesley over which an ancient Roman-way lay runs by the lower part of Tamworth â—â—mworth in Saxon Tamapeord in Marianus Tamawordina so situated between the borders of the two Shires that the one part of it which formerly belong'd to the Marmions is counted in Warwickshire the other which belong'd to the Hastings is reckon'd in this County It takes its name from the river Tame which runs by it and the Saxon word Weorth which signifies
agger runs this way to Brovonacum by Aballaba mention'd in the Notitia the name whereof is to this day kept so entire that it plainly shews it to be the same and leaves no grounds for dispute k For instead of Aballaba Aballaba we call it at this day by a little contraction Apelby Apelby Nothing is memorable about it besides it's antiquity and situation for under the Romans it was the Station of the Mauri Aureliani and 't is seated in a pretty pleasant field and almost encompass'd with the river Eden d 'T is one of the best Corn-markets in these Northern parts But it is of so little resort and the buildings so mean that if Antiquity did not make it the chief town of the County and the Assizes e The Assizes are kept in the Town-hall and the Thieves in the Gaol at the bridge-bridge-end were not kept in the Castle which is the publick Gaol for Malefactors it would be but very little above a village l For all its beauty consists in one broad street which runs from north to south up an easie ascent at the head whereof the Castle rises up f It is not near surrounded but where the river comes not there are bulwarks and trenches standing with water almost entirely surrounded with the river At the lower end is the Church and a School built by Robert Langton and Miles Spencer Doctors of Law m the present worthy Master whereof is Reginald Bainbrigg a very learned Gentleman who courteously transcrib'd for me several ancient Inscriptions and has remov'd some into his own garden It was not without good reason that William of Newburrow call'd this place and Burgh spoken of before * Regias munitiones Royal Forts where he tells us that William King of Scots took them by surprise a little before he himself was taken at Alnewick Afterwards they were recover'd by King John who gave them to John de Veteri ponte or Vipont as a reward for his good services From hence the river posts forward to the northwest by Buley Castle belonging to the Bishop of Carlisle n and by Kirkby-Thore below which there appear the vast ruins of an old town where also Roman Coins are now and then dug up and not long ago this Inscription DEO BELATVCADRO LIB VOTV M. FECIT IOLVS Age has quite worn out the old name and g Dr. Gâ—â— in his Notes upon Nennius p. 133. thinks this conjecture well illustrated in an old MS. fragment in Sir John Cotton's Library which seems to intimate something of a quarrel betwixt Ambrosius and Geitolinus and his son Marchantus at Catguoloph This he fancies is the same that is now call'd Whâ—llâ—p or Whâ—llop-Castle in Westmorland and he believes the neighbouring ruins of Marchantoniby carrying such evident remains of Maâ—chantus a great support to his opinion But what if there should be no such place as Marchantoniby 'T is certain there 's no such thing appears at this day as the hanging-walls mention'd by Mr. Camden and 't is possible he might be abus'd in the story Besides I see no reason but Caâ—gâ—â—â—pâ— in one of the learned Doctor 's Appendices may be the same with either Catgabail Catgubail Catgualat or Catgublaum in the other and thâ—â—e are manifestly the names of men and not of places they call it at this day Wheallep-Castle Whellep-castle o If it might be done without offence to the Criticks in Antiquity I should say this was the Gallagum mention'd by Ptolemy and call'd by Antoninus Gallatum Gallatum Which conjecture as it agrees with the distances in the Itinerary so is it partly favour'd by the present name For such names as the Britains begun with Gall the English turn'd into Wall Thus Galena was call'd Wailing-ford Gall-Sever Wall of Sever c. This was without doubt a place of considerable note seeing an old causey commonly call'd Maiden-way Maiden-way runs almost directly from this place to Caer-Vorran near the Picts Wall along moorish hills and mountains for some 20 miles Upon this I am enclin'd to believe the old Stations and Mansions mention'd by Antoninus in his ninth Iter to have been setled tho' no one has pointed out the particular places p For indeed how should they when Time which consumes and destroys every thing has been as it were seeding upon them for so many ages Hard by at Crawdundale-waith there appear ditches rampires and great mounts of earth cast up among which was found this Roman Inscription transcrib'd for me by the abovemention'd Reginald Bainbrig School-master of Appleby It was cut in a rough sort of rock but the fore-part of it was worn away with age 5 Or thrust out by the root of a tree there growing VARRONIVS ECTVS LEG XX. V. V. AEL LVCANVS P. LEG II. AVG. C. i.e. as I read it Varronius Praefectus legionis vicesimae Valentis victricis Aelius Lucanus Praefectus legionis secundae Augustae castrametati sunt or some such thing q For the Legio Vicesima Valens Victrix which quarter'd at Deva or West-Chester as also the Legio secunda Augusta which quarter'd at Isca or Caer-Leon in Wales being both detach'd against the enemy in these parts seem to have fix'd here and to have pitch'd their camps for some time and 't is probable that the Officers in memory of it might engrave this in the rock r When this was done is hard to determine tho' to mark out the time these words were engraven in large characters and are still to be seen in a rock near it CN OCT. COT. COSS. But in the Consular Fasti I do not find that any two of that name were Consuls together s This observation however I have made that from the age of Severus to that of Gordian and after the Letter A in the Inscriptions found in this Island wants the cross-stroke and is engrav'd thus Λ. Λ 〈◊〉 Next Eden runs along not far from Howgil a castle of the Sandfords but the Roman military way runs directly west through Whinfeild a large park thick set with trees to Brovoniacum Wh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nâ—â— is the 〈◊〉 as a Fâ—â— Bâ—ovonâ—cum 20 Italian miles but 17 English from Verterae as Antoninus has fix'd it He calls it also Brocovum as the Notitia Broconiacum from which we understand that the * 〈…〉 Company of the Defensores had their abode here Tho' Age has consum'd both it's buildings and splendour yet the name is preserv'd almost entire in Brougham Broughham as we call it at present Here the river Eimot which runs out of a large Lake and is for some space the border between this County and Cumberland receives the river Loder near the head whereof at Shap formerly Hepe a small Monastery built by Thomas Fitz Gospatrick son of Orm there is a Well which like Euripus ebbs and flows several times in a day t as also large stones in the form of Pyramids some of them 9 foot high and
the Bound-rod from Northumberland by the river Tweed running between them for about eight miles This river is one of the 3 that rise out of the same tract of hills Clide runs west towards Dumbarton Anand south towards Solway-sands and this east towards Berwick It is of a swift couâ—se environ'd with hills running through Tweedale-forest and Teviotdale before it go into the Ocean It 's current is above 50 miles in all which compass it hath only two bridges one at Peebles of 5 arches and another at Berwick of 15. It had one at Melross the pillars whereof are yet standing and another is intended at Kelso The length of this County is 20 miles from Lamberton to Ridpeth on the south-side and from Cockburns-path to Seeinghill-kirk on the north-side But take the length anglewise 't is from Lamberton to Lauclugh direct east and west 24 miles It 's breadth is about 14 miles whether you take it on the west-west-end south-end or middle of the Shire It is divided into three parts Mers â—â—â—s Lammermoor and Lauderdale The Mers is a pleasant low ground lying open to the influence of the sun and guarded from storms by Lammermoor So that the soil is fertil and affords great plenty of oats barley wheat pease c. with abundance of hay Lammermoor â—â—mmerâ—â—â—r is a great tract of hills on the north-side of the Shire above 16 miles in length and 6 at least in breadth abounding with moss and moor The west end of them for four miles together belongs to Lauderdale the rest of it eastward is almost equally parted between East-Lothian and Mers The peculiar use of this tract is pasturage in the summer time and the game it affords by the abundance of Partridge Moor-fowl Plover c. But the product of these parts is not reckoned so good as of others being generally sold at a lower rate Lauderdale â—â—uderâ—â—le is a tract of ground lying on each side of the water of Leider abounding with pleasant haughs green hills and some woods well stor'd also with corn and pasturage The Judicatories â—â—dicatoâ—â—â—â— in this Shire are 1. The Sherif-Court which sits at the town of Duns 2. The Commissariot which sits at Lawder 3. The Regality of Thirlstan belonging to the Earl of Lauderdale 4. The Regality of Preston and Forest of Dye belonging to the Marquiss of Douglas 5. The Lordship of Coldingham and Stewartry of March belonging to the Earl of Hume who is Sheriff and has his residence at Hirsell The more remarkable places besides those mentioned by our Author are Duns â—â—ns a burgh of Barony standing upon a rising ground in the midst of the Shire Every Wednesday it has a great market of Sheep Horses and Cows and is famous for being reputed the birth-place of Joannes Duns Scotus A Gentleman a Laird of that name is still there Eymouth â—â—mouth the only port in the Shire for shipping which was fortified by the French in Queen Mary's minority Ersilton â—â—silton or Earlstown famous for the birth of Thomas Lermouth called Thomas the Rymer Hume for the Castle now demolish'd Caldstream â—â—â—dâ—â—â—â—am a market town lying close upon Tweed Greenlaw â—â—â—enlaw a burgh of Barony with a weekly market Fouldon a large town Rosse â—â—â—se famous for it's harbour and plenty of fish Aton situate upon the water of Ey White-coat White-coat where is a harbour for herring-fishing About Bastenrig on the east-hand and the Moristons and Mellerstoun downs on the west they frequently take the Dotterel Dotterel a rare Fowl towards the latter end of April and beginning of May. d Next the Mers along the south of the Firth or Forth lies the country call'd LOTHIAN having Mers to the east part of Lammermoor and part of Lauderdale with the Forest and Tweedale to the south part of Clidsdale and Stirlingshire to the west and to the north the Firth or Forth It is in length from Cockburns-path in the east to the Shire of Clidsdale about 57 miles and where 't is broadest between 16 and 17 miles over To what our Author has said in commendation of it may be added it's number of Towns with seats of the Nobility and Gentry wherein it goes much beyond the rest of Scotland 'T is divided into 3 distinct Tracts call'd East-Lothian Mid-Lothian and West-Lothian East-Lothian East-Lothian or the Constabulary or Shire of Hadington so called from Hadington one of the three burghs-Royal and seat of the Courts is in length about 22 and in breadth about 12 miles bounded by the Firth on the north and east by a tract of hills called Lammermoor on the south and by Mid-Lothian on the West It abounds with corn of all sorts has good store of grass with some considerable woods as Prestmennan Colston Humbie and Ormestan and abundance of Coal and Lime-stone It has good store of Sheep especially towards the hills of Lammermoor and by west Lammerlaw and from the west part to the sea all along to the east it abounds with Conies It hath many Salt-pans wherein much white Salt is made and at New-Milns there is a considerable manufactory of broad-cloath The sea-coast is accommodated with many convenient harbours and has the advantage of several Fish-towns particularly at Dumbar and on the coast thereabout every year after Lammas there is a Herring-fishing where they take great numbers not only to serve the Inhabitants but also for exportation The first considerable place we meet with in this tract is Dunglas Dunglas a pleasant seat on the sea-coast which formerly belonged to the Earl of Hume but has now another owner In the time of the late Wars a garison was kept there by the Earl of Hadington for the Army who with 30 Knights and Gentlemen of the name of Hamilton besides several other considerable persons perished in the ruines of this house For it was designedly blown up in the year 1640 by Nathaniel Paris an Englishman one of his own servants while the Earl was reading a Letter in the Court which he had then received from the Army with all the Gentlemen about him Only four of the whole Company escaped who by the force of the powder were thrown to a great distance from the house 'T is now repaired and adorned by Sir John Hall the present possessor with curious Gardens spacious Courts and a large and pleasant Avenue They have here a Collegiate Church a goodly large building and vaulted but 't is now ruinous Along the Coast to Dunbar is a pleasant Country the most fruitful in the Kingdom especially in Wheat and Barley South-east of Dumbar a Burgh-royal in this Shire is Dunhill Dunhill memorable for the victory obtained Sept. 30. 1650. over the Scotch-Army under Lesly by a handful of men and those too but sickly under the command of Cromwell Which miscarriage if some ingenuous persons who were in the Action may be believed was rather owing to the treachery of some
Ocean to the North the country of Assint to the West Rosse to the South and the German sea to the East and South-east From West to East it is in length about 55 miles and in breadth from South to North 22 miles but taking in Strathnaver 33. The inhabitants of these parts are much given to hunting and will endure a great deal of labour and toil The shire affords white marble in some hills in the parish of Creigh plenty of iron-ore and some pearls They have coal free-stone lime-stone and good solate in abundance 't is said also that they find some silver and it is supposed that there is gold in Durinesse In several parts of the country they have much Salmon-fishing and are also well provided with other fishes Dornoch Dornâ—â—â— the chief Burgh of the shire is a Burgh-Royal standing between the rivers of Portnecouter and Unes Besides the Castle belonging to the Earl of Sutherland it has a Cathedral-Church being the seat of the Bishop of Cathnesse A little East of this town there is a monument like a Cross called the Thane or Earl's Cross Earâ—'s-cross and another beside Eubo called the King's Cross where one of the Kings or chief Commanders of the Danes is said to have been slain and buried Dunrobin Dunr mentioned by our Author the special residence of the Earl of Sutherland is seated upon a mote hard by the sea and is remarkable for its fine gardens In this country the days are very long in summer and during that season they have little or no dark night â—â—riv 'T is said that the river of Shin never freezes â—â—hnesse p CATHNESSE called also the shire of Wike to the South and South-west is divided from Sutherland by the Ord and a continued ridge of hills as far as the hill of Knook-finn Then along the course of the river of Hollowdail from the rise to the mouth of it and the mountains Drumna Hollowdale The same river is the bound between it and Strathnaver To the East it is washt with the Ocean to the North it hath Pen-Iland-Frith which divideth it from Orknay It s length from South to North is 35 miles its breadth about 20. The woods here are but few and small being rather Copices of birch In the forest of Moravins and Berridale there is great plenty of Red-deer and Roe-bucks They have good store of cows sheep goats and wild-fowl At Dennet there is lead at Old-wike copper and iron-ore in several places â—ron-â—â—â— The whole coast except the bays is high rocks so that they have a great number of promontories Sandsidehead at the west-West-end of Cathnesse pointing North to the opening of Pentland-Firth Holborn-head and Dinnet-head both pointing North to the Firth Duncans-bay-head which is the North-east point of Cathnesse where the Firth is but 12 miles over Near which is the ordinary ferry to Orknay called Duncan's-bay Noshead pointing North-east Clytheness pointing East Though Wick be a Royal Burgh Wick Thurso and the head Courts kept there yet Thurso only a Burgh of Barony is more populous where also the Judges reside It is a secure place for ships of any burthen to ride at being defended by Holburn-head In these parts there are many foundations of antient houses now ruinous supposed to have formerly belonged to the Picts Many obelisks also are erected here and there and in some places several of them together The Roman Wall in SCOTLAND THe first occasion of building the Roman Wall which now goes by the name of Graham's dike was given by Julius Agricola of whom Tacitus has left us this character Non alium Ducem opportunitates locorum sapientius elegisse That never a General used more discretion in the choice of places And here particularly he made good his claim to that piece of conduct for that Isthmus or neck of land upon which it was built is not above 16 miles over betwixt the rivers of Forth and Clyde So that having fortified that slip of ground with garisons the Enemies were as Tacitus has observed summoti velut in aliam Insulam But here we must not imagine that Agricola built a wall along this tract since neither Historians nor Inscriptions give us any reason to suspect it Tacitus only observes that this Angustum terrarum spatium Praesidiis firmabatur and we may be sure if there had been any thing of a wall in the case he would not have omitted the mention of it So that 't is probable he contented himself with placing garisons at such convenient distances as that the forces might easily draw together upon the first apprehension of danger Whether or no some of the Forts that are plac'd upon the wall were built by him at that time or by others afterwards is not certain however it seems probable that he built these following garisons 1. That which our Author calls from the Water of Caron which runs near it Coria Damniorum The neighbours thereabouts at this day call it Camelon not that 't is to be imagin'd this is the Camulodunum mentioned by Tacitus which is some hundreds of miles distant from hence but rather the Camunlodunum which Ptolemy makes a town of the Brigantes whom he placeth sub Iâ—lgovis Ottadinis ad utraque maria and sets the town in the 57th Degree of Latitude And indeed the Gadeni which we placed here were a tribe of the Brigantes that possess'd the country betwixt the Irish Sea and the Firth of Forth Camalodunum likewise is thought to import the Palace of the Prince and it may be gathered from History that this was the Palace of the Picts But by whomsoever it was built the remains of the fortification and the vestigia of the streets are yet to be seen and there is a Roman military way begins here and runs South In antient times it was wash'd by the sea which is confirm'd by an anchor discover'd near it within this hundred years As a farther confirmation of its antiquity they discover old Vaults and meet with several Roman Coins about it one particularly of brass about the bigness of a Half-crown with a Shield on one side and above it a Lion but the Impression on the other side is not legible Here it is that Ptolemy places the Legio Sexta Victrix and it seems to have been their head-quarters The Duni Pacis mention'd by our Author are very near it and just over against it on the North side of Carron-water is the Aedes Termini the figure whereof with a distinct description may be expected in Sir Robert Sibbalds's Scotia Antiqua 2. The second seems to have been some six miles distant to the North-west where the town of Sterling is now For besides that the narrowness of the river of Forth which hath now a bridge over it in this place required a garison there is upon a rock this Inscription IN EXCV AGIT LE. LEG Which sheweth that a Legion kept garison here 'T is most
necessity of contriving a pond to water their cattel and this rubbish was thrown out of that place The foremention'd river rising out of a hill hereabouts runs to Albury Albury which when but a mean structure was yet the delight of that excellent person Thomas Earl of Arundel a great lover of Antiquities who purchasing this place of the Randylls made it his darling Henry his grandson Duke of Norfolk had no less affection for it he began there a magnificent Pile cut a Canal planted spacious Gardens and Vineyards adorn'd with Fountains Grots c. But what is above all singular and remarkable is an Hypogaeum or Perforation made through a mighty hill and large enough at one end for a coach to pass being about a furlong or more in length and so leads o'er into an agreeable and pleasant valley It was at first intended for a way up to the house but a rock at the south-south-end hinder'd that design This noble seat is enclos'd with a park and much improv'd by the honourable Heneage Finch Esq late Sollicitor-General who having purchas'd it of the father of the present Duke of Norfolk is daily adding to its beauty Nor is this place less celebrated for that famous Mathematician William Oughtred who liv'd and dy'd Rector of this Parish At a little distance from hence is St. Martha's Chapel St. Martha's Chapel seated conspicuously on a copp'd mountain This seems to have been thrown up by some fiery Eruption or Vulcano as several other such Elevations towards the edge of Sussex confirm Beneath this hill is Chilworth the seat of Morgan Randyl Esq owner of the most considerable Powder-works brought first into England by George Evelyn Esq and best Hop gardens in England Not far off is Tower-hill the seat of Edward Bray Esq of a very ancient and honourable family e Returning to the Mole we see Beechworth Beechworth the feat as our Author observes of the Browns But now that name after a long series of Knights is at last extinguish'd in a daughter 'T is at the foot of the Castle here that the river Mole bending to the precipice of Box-hill is swallow'd up Between Beechworth and Darking stands Deepden Deepden the situation whereof is somewhat surprising by reason of the risings and uniform acclivities about it which naturally resemble a Roman Amphitheatre or rather indeed a Theatre it is open at the north-end and is of an oval form Now it is most ingeniously cast and improv'd into gardens vineyards and other plantations both on the Area below and sides of the environing hills with frequent grotts here and there beneath the terraces leading to the top from whence one has a fair prospect of that part of Surrey and of Sussex as far as the South-downs for near 30 miles out-right The honourable Charles Howard Uncle to the present Duke of Norfolk and Lord of half the mannour of Darking is solely entitl'd to this ingenious contrivance Going along Holmesdale which extends it self to the foot of that ledge of Mountains which stretch and link themselves from the utmost promontory of Kent to the Lands end we have on the right hand White-down White-down where is a vast Delf of chalk which in summer time they carry with great labour as far as the middle of Sussex as they bring of the same material from the opposite hills by the sea-coast of that County and these two being mingl'd together are burnt into lime for the enriching of their grounds Here are likewise dug up cockle-shells and other Lusus naturae with pyrites bedded an incredible depth within the bowels of the mountains upon which many Yew-trees grow spontaneously tho' of late they are much diminish'd and their places taken up with corn Not far from the bottom of this hill stands an ancient seat of the Evelyns of Wotton Wotton among several streams gliding thro' the meadows adorn'd with gentle risings and woods which as it were encompass it And these together with the gardens fountains and other hortulane ornaments have given it a place and name amongst the most agreeable seats It is at present with many fair Lordships about it the possession of that worthy and hospitable Gentleman George Evelyn Esq who having serv'd in many Parliaments from 1641. is perhaps the most ancient member thereof now living In opening the ground of the Church-yard of Wotton to enlarge a Vault belonging to Mr. Evelyn's family they met with a skeleton which was 9 foot and 3 inches long as the worthy Mr. John Evelyn had it attested by an ancient and understanding man then present and still living who accurately measur'd it and mark'd the length on a pole with other workmen who affirm the same They found it lying in full length between two boards of the coffin and so measur'd it before they had discompos'd the bones But trying to take it out it fell all to pieces for which reason they flung it amongst the rest of the rubbish after they had separately measur'd several of the more solid bones Hereabouts is a thing remarkable tho' but little taken notice of I mean that goodly prospect from the top of Lith-hill which from Wotton rises almost insensibly for 2 or 3 miles south but then has a declivity almost as far as Horsham in Sussex 8 miles distant From hence it is one may see in a clear day the goodly Vale and consequently the whole County of Sussex as far as the South-downs and even beyond them to the sea the entire County of Surrey part of Hamshire Barkshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire and Hartfordshire as also of Middlesex Kent and Essex and farther yet as is believ'd into Wiltshire c. could one well distinguish 'em without the aid of a Telescope The whole circumference cannot be less than 200 miles far exceeding that of the Keep at Windsor over which as also over the City of London 25 miles distant one sees as far as the eye unarm'd with the glass is able to distinguish land from sky The like I think is not to be found in any part of England or perhaps Europe besides and the reason why it is not more observ'd is partly its lying quite out of any road and partly its rising so gently and making so little show till one is got to the very top of it from the side thereof a great part of the brow is slidden down into the grounds below caus'd by a delf of stones dug out of the sides of the mountain and the bare places from whence the earth is parted being of a reddish colour plainly appear above 40 miles off But here we must not forget Darking Darking memorable for a very large Camp in that Parish near Homebury-hill and not far from the road between Darking and Arundel It is double trench'd and deep containing by estimation about 10 acres at least f Where the Mole comes from under ground Mole riâ—â— it spreads it self so very wide as to require a
presently turn'd their backs and betook themselves every man to flight The Norman proud and haughty with this victory in memory of the battel Battel erected an Abbey and dedicated it to St. Martin which he call'd ‖ Battel-Abbey in that very place where Harold after many wounds died amongst the thickest of his enemies that it might be as it were an eternal monument of the Norman victory 25 And therein he offer'd his Sword and Royal Robe which he ware the day of his Coronation These the Monks kept until their suppression as also a Table of the Normans Gentry which entred with the Conqueror but so corruptly in later times that they inserted therein the names of such as were their Benefactors and whosoever the favour of fortune or virtue had advanc'd to any eminency in the subsequent ages About this Abby there grew up afterwards a town of the same name or to use the words of the private History As the Abbey encreas'd there were built about the compass of the same 115 houses of which the town of Battel was made Wherein there is a place in French call'd Sangue-lac from the blood there shed which after a shower of rain from the nature of the earth seems to look reddish whereupon Guilielmus Neubrigensis wrote but with little of truth The place in which there was a very great slaughter of the English fighting for their Country if it happen to be wetted with a small showre sweats out real blood and as it were fresh as if the very evidence thereof did plainly declare that the voice of so much Christian blood doth still cry from the earth to the Lord. But King William granted many and great privileges to this Abbey And amongst others to use the very words of the Charter If any thief or murderer or person guilty of any other crime fly for fear of death and come to this Church let him have no harm but be freely dismissed Be it lawful also for the Abbot of the same Church to deliver from the Gallows any thief or robber wheresoever if he chance to come by at the execution Henry 1. A marke on Sunâ—â—y likewise to give you the very words of his Charter instituted a market to be there kept on the Lord's Day free from all Toll and other duty whatsoever But Anthony Viscount Mountague who not long since built a fine house there obtain'd of late by authority of Parliament to have the market chang'd to another day And as for the privileges of Sanctuary in those more heinous and grievous crimes they are here and every where else quite abolish'd by Act of Parliament For they perceiv'd well that the fear of punishment being once remov'd outragiousness and an inclination to commit wickedness grew still to a greater head and that hope of impunity was the greatest motive of ill doing Neither here nor in the neighbourhood saw I any thing worth relating Ashburnham but only Esuburnham that has given name to a family of as great antiquity as any in all this tract g Hastings Hastings before spoken of call'd in Saxon Hastinga-ceaster lies somewhat higher upon the same shore Some there are that ridiculously derive it from Haste in our tongue because as Matthew Paris writes At Hastings William the Conquerour hastily set up a fortress of timber But it may rather seem to have taken this new name k William the Norman speaks of this Hasting in Henry Huntingd. Hist 7. f. 211. a from Hasting a Danish Pirate who where he landed with design to ravage and raise booty built sometimes little fortresses as we read in Asserius Menevensis of Beamflote-Castle built by him in Essex and others at Apledor and Middleton in Kent 25 The tradition is That the old Town of Hastings is swallow'd up of the sea That which standeth now as I observ'd is couched between a high cliff sea-ward and as high an hill landward having two streets extended in length from N. to S and in each of them a Parish Church The Haven such as it is being fed but with a poor small Rill is at the south end of the town and hath had a great Castle upon the hill which over-commanded it now there are only ruines thereof and on the said hill light-houses to direct Sailers in the night time Here in the reign of K. Athelstan was a Mint It is the chief of the Cinque-ports Cinque-â—orts which with it's members Winchelsea Rye c. was bound to find 21 ships for war at sea If you have a mind to know in what form both this and the rest also were bound to serve the King in his wars at sea for those most ample immunities they enjoy here take it in the very same words wherein this was anciently recorded in the King's Exchequer Hastings with it's members ought to find 21 ships at the King's summons And there ought to be in every ship 21 men able fitly qualified well arm'd and well furnish'd for the King's service Yet so as that summons be made thereof on the King's behalf 40 days before And when the aforesaid ships and men therein are come to the place of rendezvous whereunto they were summon'd they shall abide there in the King's service for 15 days at their own proper costs and charges And if the King shall have further need of their service after the 15 days aforesaid or will have them stay there any longer those ships with the men therein while they remain there shall be in the King's service at the King's costs and charges so long as the King pleases The Master of each ship shall have sixpence a day and the Constable sixpence a day and every one of the rest three pence a day 26 Thus Hastings flourish'd long inhabited with a warlike people and skilful sailors well stor'd with Barks and Craies and gained much by fishing which is plentiful along the shore But after that the Peer made of timber was at length violently carry'd away by extream rage of the sea it hath decay'd and the fishing less used by the reason of the dangerous landing for they are enforced to work their vessels to land by a Capstall or Crain In which respect for the bettering of the town Q. Elizabeth granted a contribution toward the making of a new harbour which was begun but the contribution was quickly converted into private purses and the publick good neglected Nevertheless both Court the Country and City of London is serv'd with much fish from thence The whole Rape of Hastings together with the Honour â—â—mites â—â—enses â—go de â—gi Earls 〈◊〉 Ew was held by the Earls of Ew in Normandy descended from a Natural son of Richard 1. Duke of Normandy till Henry 3's time when Ralph de Issodun in France marry'd Alice whose posterity lost a noble estate in England because as the Lawyers then deliver'd it they were under the King of France 's Allegiance 27 When K. Henry
build an Hospital in the place of it for the maintenance of wounded and superannuated Soldiers which being begun by him was carried on by his Successor King James the second and is finisht and furnisht with all sorts of Necessaries and Conveniencies by their present Majesties 'T is indeed a Structure well suiting the munificence of its Royal Founders being more nobly accommodated with all sorts of Offices and adorned with more spatious walks and gardens perhaps than any Nobleman's house or College in the Kingdom h Hence our Author brings us to London London the capital city of England where he first give us an account of it's various names and etymologies of them to which I shall only add * Chron. Sax. that it was also call'd by the Saxons Lundone Lundune and Lundenburh and has another etymology given us of it's Latin name by the judicious Mr. Somner †Glossar ad X. Script who derives it from the British Llawn plenus frequens and dyn homo or din the same with dinas urbs civitas either of which joyned wit Llawn will signifie a populous place as London has always been i As to the original of the City tho' we have no certain account City buiâ—â— it not being clear that there was any such place in Caesar's time and yet a great town of trade in Nero's as Tacitus witnesses doubtless it must be founded within that little compass of time between those Emperours and in all probability as the learned ‖ Orig. Bâ—â—t p. 43. Bishop of Worcester thinks about the time of Claudius and inhabited by the Romans and Britains together being a trading tho' not a military Colony as Camulodunum was from the very beginning But it flourish'd not long for in the very next reign of the Emperour Nero upon that grand revolt of the Iceni and Trinobantes under Boodicia his Lieutenant Suetonius Paulinus judging it not tenible and taking away from it to his aid the choicest of the Citizens it was quickly sack'd by the Britains and the remaining inhabitants barbarously massacred without any regard to sex or age So that I cannot so fully agree with our Author when he asserts that this has been a City vix unquam magnis calamitatibus conflictata Suffer'd several Calamities that scarce ever engag'd any great calamity For not only in it's infancy but when grown to a greater bulk in the year 839. in the reign of King Ethelwolf it was surprized by the Danes and the Citizens inhumanly butcher'd Quickly after in the year 851. it was again sack'd by the Danes the army of Beorhtwulf King of Mercia who came to it's defence being totally routed Again in the year 872. in the days of King Ethelred the Danes took it and winter'd in it And so again An. 1013. after a great fight with Swane King of Denmark who besieg'd it the Citizens were at last forc'd to admit him and his army to winter in it and to pay him such tribute as he demanded Lastly in the year 1016. it was twice besieg'd and so much streighten'd by Canutus that they were necessitated in fine to receive him into the city give him winter quarters and to buy their peace with a sum of money * Châ—â—â— Sax. 〈…〉 Anâ—â— Not to mention the grievous insults that were made upon it of later years by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw temp Rich. 2. An. 1381. of Jack Cade otherwise call'd by his followers John Mend-all An. 1450. temp Hen. 6. and the bastard Falconbridge temp Edw. 4. An. 1481. Nor has it suffer'd only by the sword it being much wasted by fire as ‖ Polyâ— Lib. â— Ranulph Higden tells us An. 983. And in the year 1077 in the days of William the Conquerour it was also consumed by so great a fire as had not happen'd to it as the Saxon Chronicle expresses it since it's foundation †Châ—â—â— Sax p â— Quickly after again in the same King's reign An. 1086. the Church of S. Paul was quite burnt down with the greatest and most splendid part of the City ‖ Stow's Survey p. 2â—â— Again in the year 1135. the first of King Stephen by a fire which began in Cannon-street near London-stone the City was consumed from thence to the Eastward as far as Aldgate to S. Paul's Church Westward and to the South as far as Southwark the bridge then of timber being quite burnt down It was afterwards rebuilt of stone and houses set upon it but within four years after it was finish'd An. 1212. upon occasion of a fire in Southwark whilst a multitude of people were passing the bridge either to extinguish or to gaze at it on a sudden the houses on the North end of the bridge by a strong South wind were set on fire So that the people thronging betwixt two fires could now expect no help but from the vessels in the river which came in great numbers to their assistance but the multitude so unadvisedly rush'd into them that they were quickly overset and the people drown'd and betwixt fire and water there perish'd above 3000 persons †G alt 〈…〉 Lâ— Dâ—n◠〈…〉 S. Also Feb. 13. An. 1033. a third part at least of the same bridge was again burnt down Sâ—â—w's 〈◊〉 p. ◠〈◊〉 of Lâ—â—don But the most dreadful fire that ever befell this great City was that which happen'd within our own memory viz. on Sunday Sept. 2. An. 1666. which beginning in Pudding-lane in three days time being driven by a fresh easterly wind consumed no less than 89 Churches the Guild-hall Hospitals Schools and Libraries 15 entire Wards of the 26 leaving 8 of the rest half burnt and miserably shatter'd In this compass were 400 streets and in them 13200 houses which cover'd no less than 436 acres of ground It destroying all on the Thames-side from that of Allhallows Barkin to the Temple Church and all along from the North-east walls of the City to Holburn-bridge and when all artificial helps fail'd it languish'd and went out of it self tho' amongst as combustible buildings as any it had burnt before In memory whereof near the place where the fire began is erected a magnificent Pillar somewhat resembling except the Imagery those of Trajan and Antonine at Rome of 202 foot high which equals exactly the distance of the Pillar from the place where the fire first began k In which Conflagration the magnificent Church of St. Pauls S Paâ—l's did not escape the foundation whereof was laid so very large that as our Author notes tho' the whole revenues of the Bishoprick for 20 years together were given toward it by Richard Beaumes successor to Mauricius the first founder yet they seemed so little to advance the work that his successors and all others despaired of its ever being finish'd at least by private hands Wherefore they were forced to apply themselves to the bounty of all good people throughout the Realms both of England and Ireland as appears by
accounts of his Steward The Castle in the late Civil wars was demolish'd by those that had purchas'd it of the Parliament with design to make money of the materials q In the utmost Northern bound is Sutton-Colefield 〈◊〉 â—olefield where the Earls of Warwick had a Chase of great extent The market is now almost wholly disused and the Bishop of Exeter mention'd by our Author liv'd and dy'd here in the 103. year of his age r Next is Coleshill â—olâ—shill where in an old foundation was lately dug up a Roman copper Coin of Trajan's and not far from it Blith â—â—â—h memorable for nothing but that it was purchas'd by Sir William Dugdale and was his place of residence when he compil'd that accurate and elaborate work his Antiquities of this County s We come next to Coventry Coventry the walls and towers whereof were demolish'd at the Restoration by command of King Charles 2. the gates only left standing by which one may guess at the strength and beauty of the former Edward 4. for their disloyalty took the Sword from the Mayor and seiz'd their Liberties and Franchises which they redeem'd for 500 marks In memory of Leofric who dy'd 13 of Edward the Confessor and Godiva his Countess their pictures were set up in the windows Trinity Church with this Inscription I Lurick for the love of thee Do set Coventry toll-free And a Procession or Cavilcade is still yearly made in memory of Godiva with a naked figure representing her riding on horse-back through the City They have a stately Cross built 33 Hen. 8. by Sir William Hollies sometime Lord Mayor of London for workmanship and beauty inferiour to few in England The City among other things is famous for the two Parliaments held in it the former in the 6 Hen. 4. call'd from the exclusion of the Lawyers Parliamentum indoctorum the latter in the 38 Hen. 6. from the Attainder of Richard Duke of York the Earls of Salisbury Warwick and March call'd by some Parliamentum Diabolicum Since our Author's time it hath afforded the title of Earl to George Villiers created Earl of Coventry and Duke of Buckingham 18. May 21 Jac. 1. in which honours he was succeeded by his son of the same name t From Coventry let us pass to Brinklow Brinklow famous for an ancient castle †Dugd. War p. 147 It is in all probability older than the Norman Conquest otherwise our publick Records or some other Authorities would certainly have taken notice of it If we should carry it back to the times of the Romans there are several circumstances which seem to justifie such a conjecture As the Saxons very often applying their HleaÆ¿ from whence our low comes to such places as were remarkable for the Roman Tumuli that there is an eminent tumulus upon which the Keep or Watch-tower of the castle did stand that it lies upon the Roman Fosse and is at a convenient distance from the Bennones u Passing hence northward to the river Anker on the western bank thereof we find Manceter Manceter confirm'd to be the ancient Manduessedum by divers coyns of silver and brass which have been by digging and plowing frequently brought to light w In the same Parish is Oldbury Oldbury a place of great antiquity as appears by a Quadrangular Fort containing seven acres of ground In the North-part of it there have been found several flint-stones about four inches in length curiously wrought by grinding or some such way The one end is shap'd like the edge of a Pole-ax and by Sir William Dugdale they are thought to have been weapons us'd by the Britains before the art of making arms of brass and iron They must have been brought hither for some extraordinary use because there are no flints to be found within 40 miles of the place One of them is now to be seen in Ashmole's Musaeum at Oxford x On the other side of the river northward Pollesworth lies Pollesworth where Sir Francis Nethersole a Kentish Gentleman and sometime publick Orator to the University of Cambridge at the instance of his Lady built a Free-school on the front whereof is this Inscription Soli Deo Gloria Schola pauperum Puerorum Puellarum He enseoft six Gentlemen and seven Divines in as much as amounted to 140 l. per annum at the least for a liberal maintenance of a School-master and School-mistress to teach the children of the Parish And what remain'd was to be employ'd in charitable uses such as he in his life time should think fit and in default of his own actually disposing of it left it to the discretion of his Trustees He likewise he built a fair house for the Vicar of Pollesworth y Farther North is Seckinton Seckinton which as it is memorable for the battel between Aethelbald and Beornred so I may further add that it took its name from that engagement secce in Saxon signifying battel and dun which afterwards was chang'd into ton a hill Scarce a furlâ—ng north of the Church is a notable fort and near it an artificial hill of 43 foot high Continuation of the EARLS Ambrose Dudley the last Earl dying in the year 1589. Robert Lord Rich of Leeze was created Earl of Warwick 16 Jac. 1. and soon after dying was succeeded by his son and grandson both Roberts Charles brother to the latter was next Earl who dying 24 Aug. 1673. left the honour to Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin-german Which Robert was succeeded in both the honours by Edward his son and heir More rare Plants growing wild in Warwickshire Though I have lived some years in this County yet have I met with no peculiar local plants growing therein the more rare and uncommon are Cyperus gramineus miliaceus Ger. Millet-Cyperus-grasse mentioned in Essex Frequent by the river Tames-sides near Tamworth and elsewhere Cyperus longus inodorus sylvestris Ger. Gramen cyperoides altissimum foliis carina serratis P. Boccone Long-rooted bastard Cyperus In boggy places by the river Tame at Dorsthill near Tamworth Equisetum nudum Ger. junceum seu nudum Park foliis nudum non ramosum s junceum C. B. Naked Horse-tail or Shave-grass This species is more rare in England We found it in a moist ditch at Middleton towards Drayton It is brought over to us from beyond Sea and employ'd by artificers for polishing of vessels handles of tools and other utensils it is so hard that it will touch iron it self I am informed by my honoured Friend Mr. John Awbrey that it is to be found in a rivulet near Broad-stitch Abbey in Wiltshire plentifully That sort which grows common with us is softer and will not shave or polish wood much less iron Juncus laevis minor panicula glomerata nigricante call'd by those of Montpellier with whom also it is found Juncus semine Lithospermi Black-headed Rush with Gromil-seed In the same places with the Cyperus longus inodorus Gramen
Monument there is a place call'd Kevn Varehen which may seem to be denominated either from this Barcun or some other of the same name The third and fourth Inscription was copied by my above-mention'd friend Mr. Erasmus Saunders from a polish'd Free-stone at the West-end of the Church of Lhan Vihangel Gerwerth The fourth which seems less intelligible than the rest was also communicated by the same hand The stone whence he copied it is neatly carv'd about 6 foot high and 2 foot broad and has a cavity on the top which makes me suspect it to have been no other than the Pedestal of a Cross It may be seen at a place denominated from it Kae'r Maen not far from Aber Sannan but for the meaning of the Inscription if it be any other than the Stone-cutter's name tho' I confess I know no name like it I must leave it to the Reader 's conjecture In the Parish of Lhan Vair y Bryn we find manifest signs of a place possess'd by the Romans For not far from the East-end of the Church Labourers frequently dig up bricks and meet with some other marks of Roman Antiquitiy and there is a very notable Roman way of Gravel and small Pebles continued from that Church to Lhan Brân the seat of the worshipful Sackvil Gwyn Esq which as I am told may be also trac'd betwixt this Lhan Vair and Lhan Deilaw vawr and is visible in several other places This Country abounds with ancient Forts Camps and Tumuli or Barrows which we have not room here to take notice of I shall therefore mention only one Barrow call'd Krîg y Dyrn in the Parish of Tre'lech which seems particularly remarkable The circumference of it at bottom may be about 60 paces the height about 6 yards It rises with an easie ascent and is hollow on the top gently inclining from the circumference to the center This Barrow is not a mount of Earth as others generally are but seems to have been such a heap of stones as are call'd in Wales Karnedheu whereof the Reader may see some account in Radnorshire cover'd with Turf At the center of the cavity on the top we find a vast rude Lhech or flat stone somewhat of an oval form about three yards in length five foot over where broadest and about ten or twelve inches thick A * Mâ—â—â— an 〈◊〉 of Lâ—â—â—â— Dâ—â—â— Gentleman to satisfie my curiosity having employ'd some Labourers to search under it found it after removing much stone to be the covering of such a barbarous Monument as we call Kist-vaen or Stone-chest which was about four foot and a half in length and about three foot broad but somewhat narrower at the East than west-West-end 'T is made up of 7 stones viz. the covering-stone already mention'd two side-stones one at each end and one behind each of these for the better securing or bolstering of them all equally rude and about the same thickness the two last excepted which are considerably thicker They found as well within the Chest as without some rude pieces of brick or stones burnt like them and free-stone some of which were wrought They observ'd also some pieces of bones but such as they supposed only brought in by Foxes but not sinking to the bottom of the Chest we know not what else it may afford Krîg y Dyrn the name of this Tumulus is now scarce intelligible but if a conjecture may be allow'd I should be apt to interpret it King's Barrow I am sensible that even such as are well acquainted with the Welsh Tongue maâ— at first view think this a groundless opinion and wonder what I aim at but when they consider that the common word Teyrnas which signifies a Kingdom is only a derivative from the old word Teyrn which was originally the same with Tyrannus and signified a King or Prince they will perhaps acknowledge it not altogether improbable And considering the rudeness of the Monument describ'd and yet the labour and force required in erecting it I am apt to suspect it the Barrow of some British Prince who might live probably before the Roman Conquest For seeing it is much too barbarous to be supposed Roman and that we do not find in History that the Saxons were ever concern'd here or the Danes any farther than in plundering the Sea-coasts it seems necessary to conclude it British That it was a Royal Sepulchre I am apt to infer partly from the signification of the name which being not understood in these ages could not therefore be any novel invention of the vulgar and partly for that as I hinted already more labour and force was required here than we can suppose to be allow'd to persons of inferiour quality That 't is older than Christianity there 's no room to doubt but that it was before the Roman Conquest is only my conjecture supposing that after the Britains were reduced by the Romans they had none whom they could call Teyrn or King whose corps or ashes might be reposited here Gwâly Vilast or Bwrdh Arthur in Lhan Boudy parish is a monument in some respect like that we have described at this Barrow viz. a rude stone about ten yards in circumference and above three foot thick supported by four pillars which are about two foot and a half in length But Buarth Arthur or Meineu Gŵyr on a Mountain near Kîl y maen lhŵyd is one of that kind of circular Stone-monuments our English Historians ascribe to the Danes The Diameter of the Circle is about twenty yards The stones are as rude as may be and pitch'd on end at uncertain distances from each other some at three or four foot but others about two yards and are also of several heights some being about three or four foot high and others five or six There are now standing here fifteen of them but there seem to be seven or eight carried off The entry into it for about the space of three yards is guarded on each side with stones much lower and less than those of the circle pitch'd so close as to be contiguous And over against this avenue at the distance of about 200 paces there stand on end three other large rude stones which I therefore note particularly because there are also four or five stones erected at such a distance from that circular Monument they call King's-stones near Little Rolrich in Oxfordshire As for the name of Bruarth Arthur 't is only a nick name of the vulgar whose humour it is though not so much as some have imagin'd out of ignorance and credulity as a kind of Rustick diversion to dedicate many unaccountable Monuments to the memory of that Hero calling some stones of several tun weight his Coits others his Tables Chairs c. But Meineu gŵyr is so old a name that it seems scarce intelligible Meineu is indeed our common word for large stones but gŵyr in the present British signifies only crooked which is scarce applicable to these stones unless we
High-street to serve the town with water There is here also a College of Justice which hath its Dean of faculty They try their Intrants or Candidates and have a Bibliotheque well furnished with Books of Law and History King Charles the second did likewise erect at Edinburg a College of Physicians giving them by a Patent under the Great Seal an ample Jurisdiction within this City and the Liberties thereof appointing the Judicatures to concur to the execution of their Decreets by a latter Grant they have the faculty of professing Physick They have their conferences once a month for the improvement of Medicine and have begun to erect a Library Near to this City is Leith a convenient harbour for Ships As this Country has at present several considerable Houses whereof Hawthornden is famous for its caves hewen out of the rock and Roslin for the * Vide Theatrâ—â— Scotiae stately Chapel so can it produce some remains of Antiquity For near the Town of Cramond at which Salmon and several other Fish are taken many stones have been dug up with Roman Inscriptions Also in the grounds of Inglistown belonging to Hugh Wallace were found not long ago two stones parts of a Pillar upon one of which is a Lawrel-Crown upon the other the longest of the two there is on each side the Roman Securis The name of the Emperor is broken off but by the progress of the Roman Arms described by Tacitus it appears to have been set up in the time of Julius Agricola's government And since only the Emperor's name is struck off and it appears that by order of the Senate the Statues and Inscriptions of Domitian were defaced one may probably conclude that 't was erected in honour of that Emperor What remains of it is this AVG. COS. IV. GERMANICVS PONTIFEX MAX. These Stones are to be seen in the Garden at Edinburgh belonging to Sir Robert Sibbalds Doctor of Physick Next the Antiquities * Scotia Ilustrat Cap. 10. p 24. that noted spring two miles south of Edinburgh deserves our notice The name of it is St. Catharine's-Well though 't is commonly call'd The Oily Well because it sends up along with the water an Oil or Balsom which swims upon it 'T is found by experience to be exceeding good not only for the cure of Scabs but likewise of any pains proceeding from cold as also for strengthening and putting life into any decaying part It has two Presbyteries Edinburg and Dalkeith f The Shire of LINLITHGOW call'd West-Lothian West-Lotâ—ian takes it's name from Linlithgow the head burgh and has on the north the Forth is divided from Mid-Lothian toawrds the south and east by the waters of Almond and Breichwater to the north-west it meeteth with part of Stirlingshire and to the west with part of Clidisdale 'T is in length 14 miles and in breadth about nine It affords great plenty of Coal Lime-stone and of White Salt and in the reign of King James 6. a Silver Mine was found in it out of which they got a great deal of Silver The Town of Linlithgow â—â—nlithâ—â—w mentioned by our Author * â—heatr â—â—â—â—ae is a Royal-burgh well built and is accommodated with Fountains that furnish water to the Inhabitants with a stately Town-house for the meeting of the Gentry and Citizens and with a harbour at Blackness But it 's greatest ornament is the King's house which stands upon a rising ground that runs almost into the middle of the Loch and looks like an Amphitheater having Terras-walks as it were and a descent from them but upon the top where the Castle stands it is a plain The Court has apartments like towers upon the four corners and in the midst of it a stately fountain adorned with several curious statues the water whereof rises to a good height The Levingstons Earls of this place are hereditary Keepers of it as they are also hereditary Bailifs of the King's Bailifry and hereditary Constables of the King's Castle of Blackness Near the Palace upon a level with it stands the Church a curious work of fine stone Nor ought we to omit Borrostoness â—â—â—â—â—stoâ—â—â—â— north from hence upon the sea-coast erected into a burgh of Regality by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton who hath in the neighbourhood his castle of Kineil of late adorned with large Parks and stately Avenues Torphichen â—â—â—phiâ—â—â—n to the south of Linlithgow deserves also our notice as being a burgh of Regality and once the residence of the Knights of Malta but now giveth the title of Lord to the chief of the name of Sandilands And Bathgate Bathgate the parish whereof is erected into a Sherifdom by it self And as the Towns so also some Houses of note require our mention Nidry-Castle Nidry southwest from Linlithgow upon a river the Manor of Sir Charles Hope who by these lands is hereditary Bailif of the Regality of Kirkliston and by the Barony of Abercorn is hereditary Sheriff of the Shire And north from thence Dundass Dundass formerly a fortification now adorned with parks and fine gardens wherein are many curious Plants by the care of that worthy Gentleman Mr. Patrick Murray the owner thereof who whilst he lived was the ornament of his Countrey From whence to the west between this and Linlithgow is the Bins Bins the residence of General Dolzâ—ll adorned by his Excellence with Avenues large Parks and fine Gardens After he had procured himself a lasting name in the Wars here it was that he fix'd his old Age and pleased himself with the culture of curious Flowers and Plants And upon the same coast Medop Medop the residence of the Earl of Linlithgow famous likewise for its fine Gardens which the father of the present Earl enclosed with high walls furnish'd with Orange-trees and such like curious Exoticks But from the present places to descend to those of Antiquity at the east end of the enclosure of the Kipps Kipps south from Linlithgow there is an ancient Altar of great stones unpolish'd so placed as each of them does support another and no one could stand without leaning upon another Hard by it there are several great stones set in a Circle and in the two adjacent hills the remains of old Camps with great heaps of stones and ancient Graves Some miles also to the west of Queens-Ferry upon the sea-coast is Abercorn-Castle Abercorn Castle near which place Bede tells us the Roman wall began One may trace it along towards Cariddin where a figured stone is to be seen and a gold Medal was found In a line parallel about a mile to the south of this there is a Village which still keeps the remains of the old wall being called Walltoun From the name and the artificial Mount cast up there one would believe it to be the very place which Bede calls Penvalltoun The track of the wall appears in several places between this and Kinweill and from thence to
Falkirk but we need not here be particular in the Description of it designing a separate discourse upon that subject at the end of this Kingdom SELGOVAE BEneath the Gadeni to the South and West where now lie the small Territories of Liddesdale Eusdale Eskdale Annandale and Nidisdale q To which add Wachopdale so called from Rivulets running through them which all lose themselves in Solway-Frith were anciently seated the Selgovae the reliques of whose name seem to me whether to others too I knâ—w not to remain in the name Solway IN Liddesdale â—â—ddâ—sâ—â—â—e we have a high prospect of Armitage so called because anciently dedicated to a solitary life But now it is a very strong Castle which belonged to the Hepburnes who deduce their Original from a certain English Captive whom the Earl of March for delivering him out of a danger much enriched They were Earls of Bothwell â—â—rls of â—â—thwell and for a long time Admirals of Scotland by inheritance But by a sister of James Earl of Bothwell last of the Hepburnes â—â—pburnes married to John Prior of Coldingham a natural son of K. James 5. who had several such issue both title and estate devolved to his son Hard by is Brakensey â—â—akensey the seat of the warlike Family of Baclugh â—â—â—d â—â—clugh sirnamed Scot with many other little Forts of men of Arms up and down the Country In Eusdale Eusdale I should be apt to think from the affinity of the name that the ancient Uzellum Uzellum mentioned by Ptolemy lay upon the River Euse In Eskdale Eskdale some are of opinion that the Horesti Horesti dwelt into whose borders Julius Agricola after he had subdued the Britains that inhabited this Tract led the Roman Army especially if we read Horesci for Horesti For the British Ar-Esc signifies a place by the River Eske As for Aesica in Eskdale I have spoken of it before in England and need not repeat it here a ANNANDALE JOined to this on the west-side lies Annandale Annandale that is the Valley or Dale upon the river Annan into which the access by land is very difcult The places of greatest note are a Castle upon Lough-Maban Lough-Maban which is three parts surrounded with water and strongly walled And Annandale Town almost upon the very mouth of the river Annan divested of all its glory by the English War in the reign of Edward 6. In this Territory the Jonstons The Jonstons are men of greatest name a family born for Wars between whom and the Maxwells who by ancient right preside over the Stewartry The Stewartry of Annandale for so 't is term'd there hath been too long an open enmity and defiance even to bloodshed This Valley Edgar King of the Scots upon his restoration to his Kingdom by the Auxiliaries he had out of England gave for his good services to Robert Brus The Bruses Lord of Cleaveland in the County of York who bestowed it by the King's permission upon Robert his younger son being unwilling himself to serve the King of Scots in his Wars From him are branched the Bruses Lords of Annandale of whom Robert Bruse married Isabella the daughter of William King of Scots by the daughter of Robert Avenel his son likewise Robert the third of that name married the daughter of David Earl of Huntingdon and Garioth whose son Robert sirnamed the Noble upon the failure of the issue of Alexander the third King of Scotland challenged in his mother's right the Kingdom of Scotland before Edward I. K. of England as the direct and superior Lord of the Kingdom of Scotland as the English give out or as an Honorary Arbitrator as the Scots will have it as being more nearly related in degree and bloud to King Alexander the third and to Margaret daughter to the King of Norway although a second sister's son Who soon after resigning up his own right granted and gave over to his son Robert Brus Earl of Carrick and to his heirs I speak out of the very Original all the right and claim which he had or might have to the Kingdom of Scotland But the point was determined in favour of John Baliol who sued for his right as descended from the eldest sister though in a more remote degree in these words Because the person more remote in the second degree descending in the first line is to be preferred before a nearer in the second line in the succession of an inheritance that cannot be parted Nevertheless the said Robert son to the Earl of Carriot by his valour possess'd himself of the Kingdom and establish'd it in his posterity A Prince who as he was illustrious for his glorious Actions so did he successfully triumph over Fortune so often his Adversary with a courage and presence of mind invincible b NIDISDALE CLose to Annandale on the West lies Nidisdale abounding in arable and pasture grounds so named from the River Nid The River Nid by Ptolemy falsely written Nobius for Nodius or Nidius of which name there are other Rivers in Britain full of muddy shallows as this Nid is It springs out of the Lake Lough-Cure upon which stood anciently Corda Corda a Town of the Selgovae It takes its course first by Sanqhar a Castle of the Creightons The Creightons Barons of Sanqhar who were long honoured with the Title of Barons of Sanqhar and the authority of hereditary Sheriffs of Nidisdale next by Morton Earls of Morton which gave the Title of Earl to some of the family of Douglass of which others are seated at Drumlanrig upon the same River near the mouth whereof stands Dunfreys Dunfreys between two Hills the most flourishing Town of this Tract which still shews its ancient Castle a Town famous for its woollen Manufacture and remarkable for the murder of John Commin a man of the greatest Interest amongst the Scots whom Robert Brus lest he should oppose his coming to the Crown ran through in the Church and easily got a pardon of the Pope for a murder committed in a sacred place Nearer to its mouth Solway a Village still retains somewhat of the old name of Selgovae Upon the very mouth is situated Caer-Laverock Caer-Laverock Ptolemie's Carbantorigum a Fort looked upon as impregnable when K. Edw. I. accompanied with the flower of the English Nobility besieged and took it But now 't is a weak Mansion-House of the Barons Maxwell who being of ancient Nobility were long Wardens of these Western Marches and lately advanced by a marriage with a Daughter and Coheir of the Earl of Morton whereby John Lord Maxwell was decâ—ared Earl of Morton as also by the Daughter and Heir of Hereis Lord Toricles whom J. a second son took to wife and had by her the title of Baron Hereis Barons Hereis In this valley also upon the lake lies Glencarn Glencaâ—â— of which the Cunninghams about whom I shall speak
under another head long bore the title of Earls This Nidisdale together with Annandale breeds a warlike sort of people but infamous for their depredations For they dwell upon Solway a fordable Arm of the Sea through which they often made excursions into England for booty and in which the Inhabitants on both sides a pleasant fight and sport hunt Salmons Salmoâ— whereof there is great plenty with spears on horseback or if you had rather call it so fish for them What manner of Cattle-stealers they are that inhabit these Valleys in the Marches of both Kingdoms John Lesley a Scotchman himself and Bishop of Ross will inform you They sally out of their own borders in the night in troops through unfrequented by-ways and many intricate windings All the day time they refresh themselves and their horses in lurking holes they had pitch'd upon before till they arrive in the dark at those places they have a design upon As soon as they have seized upon the booty they in like manner return home in the night thro' blind ways and fetching many a compass The more skilful any Captain is to pass through those wild Desarts crooked turnings and deep precipices in the thickest mists and darkness his reputation is the greater and he is looked upon as a man of an excellent head And they are so very cunning that they seldom have their booty taken from them unless sometimes when by the help of Bloud-hounds following them exactly upon the track they may chance to fall into the hands of their adversaries When being taken they have so much persuasive Eloquence and so many smooth insinuating words at command that if they do not move their Judges nay and even their Adversaries notwithstanding the severity of their natures to have mercy yet they incite them to admiration and compassion c Additions to the SELGOVAE a THree of those branches which our Author makes part of the ancient Selgovae viz. Eusdale Eskdale and Lidesdale are reckoned part of the Shire of Rosburgh That the Horesti mention'd by Tacitus were seated in the habitations of the second of these as our Author conjectures is not by any means probable if we consider the circumstances of that Action It was in the latter end of his Government that he led his Forces against them whereas we find that even in his fourth year all to the South of that neck of land between the two Friths was added to the Roman Province so that we must go further northward to seek for them And Tacitus himself in effect forbids us to look after them hereabouts when he says that the people against whom Agricola was then fighting were the Populi Caledoniam incolentes and Novae Gentes namely those beyond the Friths who by the fortification of that neck of land were Semoti velut in aliam insulam i.e. Driven as it were into another Island So that if the relation the Horesti may have to Esk be of any moment it would better suit the people dwelling between South-Esk and North-Esk in Angus But that name really seems to imply no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountaineers or High-landers b The other two Branches Annandale and Nidisdale to which we may also add Wachopdale make up the Shire of DUMFRISE â—â—ire of â—â—â—frise taking its name from from the chief burgh of the Shire On the west it hath Galloway and Kyle on the east 't is bounded with Solway-Frith and the March of Scotland and England on the north with part of Clidsdale Twedale and Tiviotdale and on the South with the Irish-sea From west to south-east 't is about fifty miles long and in breadth about thirty four The Inhabitants were a stout warlike People in former times the bulwark of the Kingdom The soil generally is not so good for corn as pasturage so that they deal mostly in Cows and Sheep which turn to considerable gain c ANANDALE Anandale runs in a streight line from west to east about twenty four miles in length and fourteen in breadth Their tradition about the Lough-Maban mentioned by our Author is that a Castle stood formerly in the middle of it that which now stands upon the brink is going to decay The town of Logh-Maban Logh-Maban is a Royal burgh situate upon the south side of the water of Anan in the middle of the Country Near the source of which river stands Moffet Moffet famous for its medicinal-well Between Anandale and Eskdale lyeth WACHOPDALE Wachopdale so called from the water of Wachop running through it and is much of the same nature with the adjacent Countries already described The most ancient monument remarkable hereabouts is St. Ruth's Church where is a Pillar curiously engraven with some Inscription upon it Near this place the people have a way of making salt of Sea-sand and the salt is something bitterish which probably proceeds from the niter in it Another branch of Dumfrise is NIDISDALE Nidisdale encompassed with a ridge of Hills on all sides and in the bottoms has abundance of Corn. It is divided into the Overward containing the Parishes in the Presbytery of Penpont and the Netherward containing those of Dumfrise Presbytery Here Sanchar Sanchar is famous for its Castle the residence of the Duke of Queensbury who hath built a noble house at Drumlanerick and is now adorning it with stately avenues gardens and Terras-walks Within this tract also is Dumfrise Dumfrise upon the river Nith over which there is a stone bridge of nine arches The streets are large and the Church and Castle very stately For the convenience of Trade which is much helpt by the tide flowing up to the town and making a harbor they have an Exchange for the Merchants NOVANTES NExt to Nidisdale the Novantes inhabited that tract in the Valleys which spreads it self a great way towards the West yet so hollow'd with Creeks that now and then it is streightned into a narrow breadth and again at the farthest end loosens and widens it self out with greater liberty whence some have call'd it the Chersonessus or Peninsula of the Novantes But now their Country contains Galloway Carick Kyle and Cunningham GALLOWAY GAlloway â—â—â—lâ—way in Latin writers of the middle age Galwallia and Gallovidia taking its name from the Irish who were its ancient inhabitants and called themselves short in their own language Gael is a hilly Country better for feeding of Cattle than bearing of Corn. The Inhabitants follow Fishing as well in the sea round about as in the rivers and loughs that stand every where under the hills in which about September they catch an incredible number of excellent Eels in their * Weeles â—â—ircipuâ—â—â—â—â—loway by which they are no less gainers than by their little truss Naggs â—â—ggs which upon account of the compactness of their bodies and their enduring of labour are much bought up here 〈◊〉 River Amongst these the first place that presents it self upon
sirnamed Albanach from his birth in Scotland seeing the fair Estate of this family devolved upon Leonell Duke of Clarence by a female was much concerned and drawing together a great body of lewd fellows who are ever to be had in Ireland as well as in other places enter'd by main force upon the estate of the Earls of Munster in this County and from his Grandfather whose reputation and power was then still fresh in remembrance Maâ—â—â—lâ—an 〈◊〉 calâ—â—â— Wiâ—â—â— Eughtâ— call'd himself Mac-William i.e. the son of William His posterity under that title have tyranniz'd in these parts breaking in upon one another with mutual slaughter and oppressing the poor people by their rapine and pillage so that hardly a village is left standing and unrifled by them 33 Sir Richard Richard Bingham Governour of Conaught a sharp man and fit to rule over such a fierce Province thought this was not to be endured wisely perceiving that these practices were the causes of rebellion barbarism and poverty in Ireland and that they corrupted the people so much as to their Allegiance that they hardly knew or acknowledged any other Prince than their own Lords Accordingly he was resolv'd to employ his thoughts and the utmost of his abilities to re-establish the King's power and overthrow the tyranny of this Mac-William and others wherein he persever'd tho' complain'd of both before the Queen and the Lord Deputy The Burks and their dependents who denied the juridiction and authority of all Laws took up arms at last against him drawing to their assistance the Clan-Donells Ioies and others who were apprehensive of their own danger and the diminution of their authority However Bingham easily suppressed them forced their Castles and drove them to the woods and by-places till the Lord Deputy upon their Petition commanded him by his Letters to desist and permit them to live quietly And they who had but now broke the peace were so far from a sense of the miseries of war that they were no sooner restored and had their lives given them but they took up arms again made inroads into all parts of the Country and turn'd all things to confusion saying they would either have their Mac-William to rule over them or send for one out of Spain that they would admit no Sheriffs for the future nor subject themselves to Law so they invited the Scots from the Hebrides to their assistance with promises of great estates The Lord Deputy sent orders to the Governour to suppress this insolent tumult who immediately thereupon offer'd them terms which being rejected he drew an army together and press'd them so closely in the woods and forests that after six or seven weeks grievous famine they were forced to submit At the same time their reinforcement from Scotland was upon their march seeking their way into the County of Maio to joyn them by strange unbeaten roads however their motions were so well watched by the Governour who was night and day upon his march that at length at Ardnary he intercepted them set upon them and defeated them there being in all kill'd or drowned in the river Moin to the number of three thousand This victory was not only famous then but of great consequence to after times as having put an end to that rebellion and the title of Mac-William and cut off Donell Coran and Alexander Carrogh the sons of James Mac-Conell and those Islanders who had ever most sadly infested Ireland These things I have briefly related 34 Out of my Annals though beyond the precise scope of my design the worth of them will entitle them to more room and a fuller account in an Historian The County of SLEGO UP higher the County of Slego very fit for grazing by reason of the excellent grass it produces lyes full upon the Sea bounded on the North by the River Trobis which Ptolemy calls Ravius springing from the Lough Ern in Ulster It is divided from Letrim and Roscoman which border upon it by the rugged Curlew-mountains and the river Succas Somewhere in this County Ptolemy places the City of Nagnata Nagnata but for my part I am not able to discover it The same Authour has likewise the River Libnius Libnius in these parts which has been misplaced by a mistake of transcribers and a little above is reduced to Dublin But the place which Ptolemy points at is now called the Bay of Slego a creeky road for ships just under the town which is the chief in this County adorned with a castle now the seat of the a O-Connor Sligo O-Connors sirnamed de Slego from this place and descended as they say from that Rotheric O-Conor Dun who was so potent that when the English invaded Ireland he acted as Monarch of that Kingdom and would hardly submit to King Henry the second but was often recoiling though he had promised submission And as an anonymous writer of that age says he was wont to exclaim against these words of Pope Adrian in his Diploma to the King of England as injurious to him You may enter into that Island V. Dipl lib. 2. cap. 6. Giral Cambren de Expugnatione p. 787. and do any thing therein that will contribute to God's glory and the well-being of the Country and let the people of that Island receive you and respect you as their Lord. And this he continued to protest against till Pope Alexander the third made another Diploma confirming this right to the Kings of England For then he grew milder and willing to hear of other terms as we shall observe hereafter The greatest families in these parts besides the O-Conors are O-Dono b O-Hara O-Haris c O-Gara O-Ghar and Mac-Donagh The County of LETRIM NExt to Slego on the East lyes Breany â—â—eany the Estate of that ancient family O Rorck descended from Rotherick Monarch of Ireland whom they call Rorck after their way of contracting and enjoy'd by them till Brien O Rorck Lord of Breany and Minterolise was inveigled by Pope Sixtus Quintus and the King of Spain to cast off his allegiance to Queen Elizabeth and take up arms against her Upon which he was presently forc'd to seek refuge in Scotland from whence he was sent into England and there hang'd for his inconsiderate folly The estate being thus forfeited to the Crown this territory was reduced into a County by John Perrott and from the head town in it called Letrim This is a Highland County very rank in grass but not so much as to verifie that of Solinus Grass grows so plentifully in Ireland that the beasts are certainly surfeited if they are not hindered to feed now and then So many herds are kept in this narrow County that it has reckoned above a hundred and twenty thousand head of cattle at one time The Bishoprick of Achonry now united to the See of Elphin lyes in this County as also the spring head of the Shanon and chief river in Ireland which
eyes of the Romans For Polyd. Virgil lib. 3. Anglicae historiae speaking of the division of the Empire among the sons of Constantine the Great reckons Orkney among the famous Kingdoms that fell to the share of his son Constantine saying Huic sorte evenit Britannia cum Gallia Hispania Orchadibus This Country it 's like continued thus under the Government of their own Princes till the fatal ruine and subversion of the Pictish Kingdom in Scotland in the year of our Lord 839. At which time Kenneth the second that martial King of Scots having in many battel 's overthrown the Pights at last expelled them out of all Scotland and seizing on Fife and Louthian and the other large territories that they had therein pursued them to Orkney vanquishing these Isles and adding them to his other Dominions Orkney being thus annexed to the Crown of Scotland continued many years under the Government of the Scottish Kings and their Lieutenants till about the year 1099. At which time Donald Bain Lord of the Isles having usurped the Crown and caused himself to be proclaimed King of Scotland and being thereupon put hardly to it by the injured Heir and discontented Nobility that he might not loose what he had unjustly usurped he invited Magnus King of Norway to come to his assistance with an offer of the Isles for his pains Who coming with his Navy invaded Orkney and the Western Isles putting Garisons in all convenient places By this means the Norwegian got possession of this Country and held it for the space of 164 years when they came to loose all again upon this occasion Anno 1263 Alexander the third being then King of Scotland Acho by some called Hagin King of Norway hoping from the divisions that were then in the Kingdom and the famine that then pressed the land to make some further conquest in Scotland comes with a great Navy and Army of Danes and Norvegians to the West Isles and conquers Arran and Bute which were the only Isles at that time under the Dominion of the Scots and from this success hoping for greater matters he lands on the continent and takes in the Town and Castle of Air. But King Alexander having assembled a great Army assaults him in battel at Largis kills his Nephew a man of high renown and after a great slaughter of his soldiers to the number of twenty four thousand puts the remainder to flight Immediately upon this defeat King Acho hears of another sad loss namely that his Fleet containing the number of an hundred and fifty ships were by the force of an outragious tempest all cast away and broken against the rocks except four in which he presently embarked and fled to Orkney Being come thither he sent to Norway and Denmark for a new army and Fleet with an intention again to invade Scotland the next summer but he died in the beginning of the following year January 22 anno 1264. and was buried in that place where the Cathedral now stands under a marble stone which is seen to this day After his death King Alexander invaded the Isle of Man and the Western Isles which after some opposition he recovered and intending to make the like attempt for the recovery of Orkney and Zetland there came Ambassadors to him from Magnus King of Norway and Denmark who succeeded his father Acho in these Kingdoms a man well enclined and one that feared God After several treaties it was at last agreed upon that King Alexander should pay to the King of Norway the sum of 4000 marks Sterling with the sum of an hundred marks by year And that for this Magnus King of Norway should quit all right that he might pretend to in the Isles of Orkney and Zetland and the other Isles of Scotland which accordingly he did by letters under his great seal renouncing and giving over all right or claim that he had or might have both for him and his successors to these and all the other Isles of Scotland And for the better confirmation hereof a marriage was agreed upon betwixt the Lady Margaret daughter to Alexander and Hangonanus or Hannigo or Aquine as others call him son to King Magnus both children to be compleated when they came to a marriageable estate This Magnus King of Norway was a man of great piety and devotion for which he was reputed a Saint commonly called Saint Magnus He much advanced the Christian Religion in this Country whose patron he is held to be and is thought to have founded that stately edifice in Kirkwall which is now the Cathedral called from him St. Magnus's Kirk The opinion of his sanctity and miracles made him so famous that the day wherein King Robert Bruce gave that great and memorable defeat to the English at Bannockburn there was seen riding through Aberdeen a horse-man in shining armor who told them of the victory and afterwards was seen riding on his horse over Pightland firth Whereupon it was concluded saith Boethius who tells this story that it was St. Magnus And upon that account the King after the victory ordered that for ever after five pound Sterling should be paid to St. Magnus's Kirk in Kirkwall out of the Customs payable by the Town of Aberdeen Orkney being in this manner recovered from the hands of the Danes and Norvegians continued ever after annexed to the Crown of Scotland Their Antiquities word for word from the same Author There is in Hoy lying betwixt two hills a stone called the Dwarfie Stone 36 foot long 18 foot broad nine foot thick hollowed within by the hand of some mason for the prints of the mason's irons are to be seen on it to this very hour with a square hole of about two foot high for the entry and a stone proportionable standing before it for the door Within at one end is a bed excellently hewen out of the stone with a Pillow wherein two men may conveniently lye at their full length at the other end is a couch and in the middle a hearth for a fire with a round hole cut out above for the chimney It 's thought to be the residence of some melancholy Hermit but the vulgar Legend says there was once a famous giant residing in that Island who with his wife lived in that same stone as their Castle At the west end of that stone stands an exceeding high Mountain of a steep ascent called The Wart-hill of Hoy near the top of which in the months of May June and July about mid-day is seen something that shines and sparkles admirably and which may be discerned a great way off It hath formerly shined more brightly than it does now but what that is though many have climbed up the hill and attempted to search for it none could ever find The vulgar talk of it as some enchanted Carbuncle but I rather take it to be some water sliding down the face of a smooth rock and when the sun at such a time shines upon it