the state of their bodies before they be decayed and the other for quantity gives place to no neighbouring Countrey 4 The ground to say nothing of the Sea which is exceeding full of Fish consisteth of soil very fruiful yet the husbandmans labour deserves to be thankfully remembred by whose pains and industry it doth not only supply is self but affords Corn to be carried forth to others The Land is plentifully stored with Cattle and Grain and breeds every where store of Conies Hares Partridges and Phesants pleasant for meadows pasturage and Parks so that nothing is wanting that may suffice man The middle yields plenty of pasture and forrage for Sheep whose wooll the Clothiers esteem the best next unto that of Leinster and Cotteswold If you cast your eyes towards the North it is all over garnished with Meadows Pastures and Woods If towards the South side it lieth in a manner wholly bedecked with Corn fields enclosed where at each end the Sea doth so incroach it self that it maketh almost two Islands besides namely Freshwater Isle which looketh to the West and Binbridge Isle answering it to the East 5 The Commodities of the whole chiefly consist of Cattle Sea fowl Fish and Corn whereof it hath sufficient Woods are not here very plentiful for that it is only stored with one little Forrest yet the Countrey of Hant-shire for vicinity of Site is a friendly neighhour in that behalf so as it were being tyed together in affinity they are always ready and propense to add to each others wants and defects by a mutual supply 6 The ancient Inhabitants of this Island were the Belgae spoken of in the several Provinces of Sommerset-shire Wilt-shire and Hant-shire Such as did then possess it were called Lords of the Isle of Wight till it fell into the Kings hands by Roger Son to William Fits Osburne slain in the war of Flanders that was driven into exile And Henry the first King of England gave it unto Richard Ridvers with the Fee or Inheritance of the Town of Christs-Church where as in all other places he built certain Fortresses 7 The Principal Market-Town in the Isle of Newport called in times past Medena and Novus Burgus de Meden that is The new Burgh of Meden whereof the whole Countrey is divided into East Meden and West Meden A Town well seated and much frequented unto whose Burgesses his Majesty hath lately granted the choice of a Major who with his brethren do govern accordingly It is populous with Inhabitants having an entrance into the Isle from the Haven and a Passage for Vessels of small burden unto the Key Not far from it is the Castle Caresbrook whose founder is said to have been Whitgar the Saxon and from him called VVhite-Garesburgh but now made shorter for easier pronunciation the graduation whereof for Latitude is in the degree 50 36 minutes and her Longitude in 19 4 minutes where formerly hath stood a Priory and at Quarre a Nunnery a necessary neighbour to those Penitentiaries And yet in their merry mood the Inhabitants of this Island do boast that they were happier then their neighbour Countries for that they never had Monk that ever wore hood Lawyer that cavelled nor Foxes that were craftâ— 8 It is reported that in the year of mans Salvation 1176. and twenty three of King Henry the second that in this Island it rained a showre of bloud which continued for the space of 2 hours together to the great wonder and amazement of the people that beheld it with fear 9 This Isle of Wight is fortified both by Art and Nature for besides the strength of Artificial Forts and Block houses wherewith it is well furnished it wants not the Assistants of natural Fences as being enriched with a continual ridge and range of craggy Cliffs and Rocks and Banks very dangerous for Saylers as the Needles so called by reason of their sharpness The Shinglâ—s Mixon Brambles c. 10 Vespasian was the first that brought it to the subjection of the Romans whilest he served as a private person under Claudius Caesar. And Cerdic was the first English Saxon that subdued it who granting it unto Scuffe and VVhitgar they joyntly together slew almost all the British Inhabitants being but few of them there remaining in the Town aforesaid called of his name VVhitgaresburgh VVolpher King of the Mercians reduced this Island afterwards under his obedience and at that â—ime when he became God-father to Edelwalch King of the South Saxons and answered foâ—â—im at his Baptisme he assigned it over unto him with the Province also of the Menuari But when Edelwalch was slain and Arvandus the petty King of the Island was made away Caedwalla King of the West-Saxons annexed it to his Dominion and in a tragical and lamentable Massacre put to the sword almost every mothers child of the in-born Inhabitants The thing that is best worthy note and observation is this That Bishop Wilfrid was the first that instructed the Inhabitants of this Island in Christian Religion and brought them from Idolatrous Superstition with the which unto that time they were obscurely blinded For Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction this Countrey belongeth to the Bishop of Winchester and for Civil government to the County of South-hampton It is fortified with the strength of six Castles traded with three Market-Towns and hath 36 Parish-Churches planted in it Dorcet Shire DORCESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER VIII DORCESTER from her ancient people DUROTRIGES is most likely to have received that name By the Britains called DWRGWEIR lieth bounded upon the North side with Sommerset and Wilt-shire upon the West with Devon-shire and some part with Sommerset upon the East altogether with Hamp-shire and her South part is wholly bounded with the British Seas 2 The form grows wider from the West and spreads her self the broadest in the midst where it extends to twenty four miles but in length is no less than forty four The whole in Circumference about is one hundred and fifty miles 3 The Air is good and of an healthful constitution the soyl is fat affording many commodities and the Countrey most pleasant in her situation for the In-land is watered with many sweet and fresh running-Springs which taking passage through the plain Vallies do lastly in a loving manner unite themselves together and of their many branches make many big bodied streams neither doth the Sea deny them entrance but helpeth rather to fill up their Banks whereby Vâ—ssels of Burthen discharge their rich Treasures and her self with open hand distributeth her gifts all along the South of the Shore 4 Antiently it was possest by the Durotriges whom Ptolomy placeth along in this Tract who being subdued by the Romans yielded them room and unwilling subjection After them the Saxons set foot in these parts whereof Portland seemeth from that Port to take name who in this place arrived in Anno 703. and did sorely infect and annoy all the South Tract And at Bindon before him Kinegillus King of the
up their sustenance and losing their Castle by deprâ—dation 13 Matter of observation and no less admiration among them is the Giants dance commonly so called and so much talked of which Merlin is said by Art of Magick to have translated out of this Territory unto Salisbury Plain which how true it is I leave to the vain believers of miracles and to the credulous observers of antiquity 14 In this County have been erected many famous Monasteries Abbeys and religious houses consecrated to devout and holy purposes As the Monastery of Saint Maries of Oustmanby founded for preaching Fryers unto which of late daies the Iudicial Courts of thâ— Kingdom have been translated also the magnificent Abbey called S. Thomas Court at Dublin builded and endowed in times past with many large priviledges and revenues of King Henry the second in expiation of the murther of Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury Likewise Teniern Monastery or the notable Abbey which William Marshall Earl of Pembrooke founded and called Deâ—voto for that he had vowed to God being â—ossed at Sea with many a sore and dangerous tempest to errect an Abbey wheresoever he came to land and being after shipwrack cast upon land in this place he made performance of his vow accordingly This Province containeth the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlough Queens County Kings County Kildare East-Meath West-Meath Weisford and Dublin â—o say nothing of Wicklâ— and â—ernes which either be already or else are to be annexed unto it and subdivided into fifteen Market-Towns It hath been fortified with the strength of many Castles against the power of enemies and is thus divided Counties East Meath West-Meath Kilkenny Caterlough Queens County Kings County Kildare Weisford Dublin CONNACK Petrus Kaerius caelavit The Province of CONNAUGHT CHAPTER IIII. THis Province named by Giraldus Cambrensis Conachtia and Coâ—acia by the Irish Conaughty and by English-men Connaught is bounded East-ward with part of the County of Leinster North-ward with part of Vlster West-ward with the West-main Ocean and on the South it is confined with a part of the Province of Mounster closed in with the River Shennon and butting against the Kingdom of Spain 2 The form thereof is long and towards the North and South ends thin and narrow but as it grows towards the middle from either part it waxeth still bigger and bigger extending in length from the River Shennon in her South to Enis Kelling in her North 126 miles and the broadest part is from Tromer in her East to Barragh Bay in her West containing about fourscore miles The whole in circuit and compass is above four hundred miles 3 The Air is not altogether so pure and clear as in the other Provinces of Ireland by reason of certain most places covered over with grass which for their softness are usually termed Boghes both dangerous and full of vaporous and foggy mists 4 This County as it is divided into several portions so is every portion severally commended for the soile according to the seasonable times of the year to Twomond or the County Clare is said to be a Country so conveniently situated that either from the Sea or Soil there can be nothing wisht for more than what it doth naturally afford of it self were but the industry of the Inhabitants answerable to the rest Galway is a land very thankful to the painful husbandman and no less commodious and profitable to the Shepherd Maio in the Roman Provincial called Mageo is replenished both with pleasure and fertility abundantly rich in Cattel Deer Hawks and plenty of Honey Slego coasting up the Sea is a plenteous Country for feeding and raising of Cattel Le-Trim a place rising up throughout with hills is so full of rank grass and forrage that as Solinus reporteth if Cattel were not kept sometimes from grazing their fulness would endanger them And Roscomen is a Territory for the most part plain and fruitfull feeding many Herds of Cattle and with mean husbandry and tillage yielding plenty of Corn. As every particular part is thus severally profitabâ—e be in-bred commodities so is it no less commended in the generality for the many accommodate and fit Baies Creeks and navigable Rivers lying upon her Sea-Coasts that after a sort invite and provoke the Inhabitants to Navigation 5 Such as in ancient time made their abode and habitations in this Province were the GANGANI who were also called CONCANI AUTERI and NAGNATAE As the Luceni that were next neighbours unto them came from the Lucensii in Spain so those Gangani and Concani may seem also to have fetcht their derivation from the Concani a Nation of the self-same Country both by the affinity of name and vicinity of place In Strabo according to the diversity of reading the same people are named Coniaci and Conisci and Silius testifieth them at the first to have been Scythians and to have used ordinarily to drink horses bloud a thing nothing strange among the wild Irish even of late days And some may also haply suppose that the Irish name Conaughty was compounded of Concani and Nagnatae Howsoever it is sure that these were the ancient inhabitants of this Country as is to be seen in Ptolomy 6 The Principal City of this Province and which may worthily be accounted the third in Ireland is Galway in Irish Gallive built in manner much like to a Tower It is dignified with a Bishops See and it is much frequented with Merchants by reason whereof and the benefit of the Road and Haven it is gainful to the Inhabitants through traffique and exchange of rich commodities both by Sea and Land Not far from which near the West shoar that lies indented with small in-lets and out-lets in a row are the Islands called Arran of which many a foolish fable goes as if they were the Islands of the living wherein none died at any time or were subject to mortality which is as superstitious an observation as that used in some other corners of the Country where the people leave the right Arms of their Infants males unchristned as they term it to the end that at any time afterwards they might give a more deadly and ungracious blow when they strike which things do not only shew how palpable they are carried away by traditious obscurities but do also intimate how full their hearts be of inveterate revenge 7 This Province presents no matter more worthy of memory than the battel of Knock-â—â—â— that is The hill of Axes under which the greatest rabble of Rebbels that were ever seen before in Ireland raised and gathered together by the Arch-Rebbels of that time William Burk O Brien Mac-Nenare and O Carrol were after a bloudy overthrow discomfited and put to flight by the noble service of Girald Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare And the suppression of certain Irish the posterity of Mac-William who usurping a tyranny in these parts raged sometimes upon themselves with mutual injuries and oppressed the poor people a long time with extorting pilling and spoiling so as
in time to the Normans iâ— became a Province under the Conquerours power who gave to his followers much Land in these parts 6 The place of most account in this Shire is Chichester by the Britains called Câ—ercei a City beautifull and large and very well walled about first built by Cissa the second King of the â—outh Saxons wherein his Royal Palace was kept And when King VVilliam the First had enacted that Bishops Sees should be transâ—â—ted out of small Towns unto places of greater resort the Reâ—idence of the Bishop until then held at Selsey was removed to this City where Bishop Raulfe began a most goodly Cathedral Church but before it was fuâ—ly finished by a sudden mischance of fire was quite consumed Yet the same Bishop with the helping liberality of King Henry the First began it again and saw it wholly finished whose beauty and greatness her fatal enemy still envying again cast down in the dayes of King Richard the First and by her raging flames consumed the buildings both of it and the Bishops Palace adjoyning which Seffrid the second Bishop of that Name re-edified and built anew And now to augment the honour of this place the City hath born the Title of an Earldome whereof they of Arundel were sometimes so styled Whose Graduation for Latitude which is removed from the Aequator unto the degree fifty five minutes and for Longitude observing the same point in the West whence Mercator hath measured are twenty degrees 7 With whom for frequency bigness and building the Town Lewes seemeth to contend where King Athelstane appointed the mintage of his Moneys and VVilliam de VVarron built a strong Castle whereunto the disloyal Barons of King Henry the Third in warlike manner resorted and fought a great Battle against their own Soveraign and his son wherein the King had his Horse flain under him Richard King of the Romans surprised and taken in a Wind-mill and Prince Edward delivered unto them upon equal conditions of peace But a greater Battel was fought at Battle when the hazard of England was tried in one days fight and Harold the King gave place to his Conquerour by losing of his life among sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy four Englishmen besides whose bloud so spilt gave name to the place in French Sangue lac And the soyl naturally after rain becoming of a reddish colour caused William Newbery untruly to write That if there fall any small sweet showers in the place where so great a slaughter of the English-men was made presently sweateth forth very fresh bloud out of the earth as if the evidence thereof did plainly declare the voice of bloud there shed and cried still from the earth unto the Lord. 8 But places of other note in this Shire are these from Basham Earl Harold taking the Sea for his delight in a small Boat was driven upon the Coast of Normandy where by Duke William he was retained 'till he had sworn to make him King after Edward the Confessors death which oath being broken the Bastard arrived at Pensey and with his sword revenged that Perjury At VVest-VVittering also Ellâ— the Saxon before him had landed for the conquering of those parts and gave name to the shore from Cimen his son But with greater glory doth Gromebridge raise up her head where Charles Duke of Orleance father to Lewes the twelfth King of France taken prisoner at Agincourt was there a long time detained 9 The commodities of this Province are many and divers both in Corn Cattle VVood Iron and Glass which two last as they bring great gain to their possessors so do they impoverish the County of Woods whose want will be found in ages to come if not at this present in some sort felt 10 Great have been the devotions of religious Persons in building and consecrating many houses unto the use and only service of Christ whose Beadmen abusing the intents of their Founders hath caused those Foundations to lament their own ruins For in the tempestuous time of King Henry the Eighth eighteen of them in this County were blown down whose fruit fell into the Laps of some that never meant to restore them again to the like use This County is principally divided into six Rapes every of them containing a River a Castle and Forrest in themselves besides the several Hundreds whereunto they are parted that is the Rape of Chichester into seven of Arundel into five of Bramber into ten of Lewes into thirteen of Pevensey into seventeen and of Hastings into thirteen in all fifty six wherein are seated ten Castles eighteen Market-Towns and three hundred and twelve Parish-Churches SURREY SURREY CHAPTER V. SURREY by Beda called Sutbri lieth seperated upon the North from the counties of Buckingham and Middlesex by the great River Thamisis upon the East Kent doth inbound it upon the South is held in with Sussex and Hamp-shire and her West part is bordered upon by Hamp-shire and Bark-shire 2 The form thereof is somewhat square and lieth by North and by East whereof Redrith and Frensham are the opposites betwixt whom are extended thirty four miles The broadest part is from Awfold Southward to Thamisis by Stanes and them asunder twenty two the whole in circumference is one hundred and twelve miles 3 The heavens breathing Air in this Shire is most sweet and delectable so that for the same cause many Royal Palaces of our Princes are therein seated and the Countrey better stored with game than with grain insomuch that this County is by some men compared unto a home-spun freeze-cloth with a costly fair list for that the out-verge doth exceed the middle it self And yet it is wealthy enough both in Corn and Pasturage especially in Holmesdale and towards the River of Thamisis 4 In this shire the Regni an ancient people mentioned by Ptolomy were seated whom he brancheth further through Sussex and some part of Hamp-shire And in the wane of the Romans Government when the Land was left to the will of invaders the South-Saxons under Ella here erected their Kingdome which with the first was raised and soonest found end From them no doubt the Countrey was named Suth-rey as seated upon the South of the River and now by contraction is called Surâ—ey 5 And albeit the County is barren of Cities or Towns of great estate yet is she stored with many Priâ—cely Houses yea and five of his Majesties so magnificently built that of some she may well say no shire hath none such as is None such indeed And were not Richmond a fatal place of Englands best Princes it might in estem be ranked with the richest For therein died the great Conquerour of France King Edward the Third the beautiful Ann daughter to Charles the Fourth Emperour and intirely beloved wife to King Richard the Second the most wise Prince King Henry the Seventh and the rarest of her Sex the Mirrour of Princes Queen Elizabeth the worlds love and Subjects joy 6 At Mâ—rton likewise
half Plough-land And the Bovata or Oxgang presumed in Law for Land in Granary was suited in number of Acres to that Yard-land of which it was a Moity Thus except in the Fens laid out per Leucas quarentenas miles and furlongs stands all ameasurement of Land in this Shire which containeth in Knights Fees 53 one half 2 fifts and a twentieth part And in full estimation of rent and worth rose in the time of the Conquerour to 912 l. 4 s. and now payeth in Fifteen to the King 871 l. 9 s. 7 d. ob and in tenth from the Clergy 142 l. 6 s. q. 4 This County in discision of Titles and administration of Iustice did at the first as the Germans our Ancestors Iura per pagos vicos reddere Every Township by their Friburgâ— or Tenemental as Triers and the Baron Thain or Head Lord there or the Decanus a good Freeholder his Deputy as Iudge determining all Civil causes a representation of this remaineth still in our Court-Leet Aboue this and held twelve times a year was our Hundred or Wapentake Quae super decem Decanos centem Friburgos judicabat Here the Iudges were the Aldermen and Barons or Freeholders of that Hundred Aegelwinus Aldermannuâ— tenuit placitum cum â—oto Hundredâ— saith the Book of Ely This Court had Cognoscence of Causes Ecclesiastical as Temporal therefore the Iudge or Alderman ought to be such as Dei leges hominum jura studebat promovere thus it went although the Conquerour commanded Ne aliquis de legibus Episcopalibus amplius in Hundredo placita teneret The next and highest in this Shire was Generale placitum Comitatus the County or Sheriffs Court to which were proper Placita Civilia ubi Curia Dominorum probantur desecisse Et si placitum exurgat inter Vavasores duorum Dominorum tractetur in Comitatu The Iudge was the Earl or Sheriff The Tryers Barones Comitatus Freeholders Qui liberas in eo terras habent not Civil onely but Probats of Wills Questions of Tithes Et debâ—â—a vera Christianitatis Iura were heard and first heard in this Court. Therefore Episcopus Presbyter Ecclesiae Quatuor de melioribus villae were adjuncts to the Sheriff Qui dei leges seculi negoâ—ia justa consideratione definirent The Lay part of this liveth in a sort in the County and Sheriff Turn the Spiritual about the Reign of King Stephen by Soveraign connivence suffered for the most into the quarterly Synode of the Clergy from whence in imitation of the Hundred Court part was remitted to the Rural Deaneries of which this Shire had four And these again have been since swallowed up by a more frequent and superiour jurisdiction as some of our civil Courts have been There being now left in use for the most of this Shire for Causes Criminal View of Frankpleg by grant or prescription A Session of the Peace quarterly and two Goal deliveries by the Soveraigns Commission and for Civil Causes Couâ—ts of Mannours or of the County monthly and twice by the Iudges of Assise yearly The Office of Execution and custody of this County is the Sheralfey of old inheritable untill Eustachius who by force and favour of the Conquerour disseised Aluric and his heires forfeited it to the Crown but since it hath passed by annual election and hath united to it the County of Cambridge 5 Having thus far spoken of the Shire in general next in observation falleth the Shire-Town Huntington Hundandun or the Hunters Downe North seated upon a rising bank over the rich meadowing river Ouse interpreted by some Authors the Down of Hunters to which their now common Seal a Hunter seemeth to allude Great and populous was this in the foregoing age the following having here buried of fifteen all but three besides the Mother-Church S. Maries in their own graves At the reign of the Conquerour it was ranged into four Ferlings or Wardes and in them 256 Burgenses or Housholds It answered at all assessments for 50 Hides the fourth part of Hurâ—tington Hundred in which it standeth The annual rent was then 30 l. of which as of three Minters there kept the King had two parts the Earl the third the power of coyâ—age then and before not being so privatley in the King but Borows Bishops and Earls enjoyed it on the one side stamping the face and stile of their Soveraign in acknowledgement of subordinacy in that part of absolute power and on the reverse their own name to warrant their integrity in that infinite trust 6 The Castle supposed by some the work of the elder Edward but seemingly by the Book of Doomesday to be built by the Conquerour is now known but by the ruines It was the seat of Woltheof the great Saxon Earl as of his succeeding heirs until to end the question of right between Sentlice and the King of Scots Henry the second laid it as you see yet doth it remain the head of that honour on which in other Shires many Knights Fees and sixteen in this attended Here David Earl of this and Arguise Father of Isabel de Brus founded the Hospital of S. Iohn Baptist And Loveâ—ote here upon the Fee of Eustace the Vicount built to the honour of the blessed Virgin the Priory of Black Cannons valued at the Suppression 232 l. 7 s. ob Here at the North end was a house of Fryers and without the Town at Hinchingbrook a Cloister of Nuns valued at 19 l. 9 s. 2 d. founded by the first William in place of S. Pandonia at Eltesly by him suppressed where near the end of the last Henry the Family of the Cromwells began their Seat To this Shire-Town and benefit of the neighbour Countries this River was Navigable until the power of Grâ—y a minion of the time stopt that passage and with it all redress either by Law or Parliament By Charter of King Iohn this Town hath a peculiar Coroner profit by Toll and Custom Recorder Town-Clerks and two Bayliffs elected annually for government as at Parliament two burgesses for advice and asâ—ent and is the Lord of it self in Fee-farm 7 The rest of the Hundred wherein this Shire Town lieth is the East part of the County and of Hurst a Parish in the center of it named HURSTINGSTON it was the Fee-farm of â—amsey Abbey which on a point of Fertile Land thrust out into the Fens is therein siâ—uate founded in the year 969 to God our Lady and S. Benedict by Earl Aylwin of the Royal bloud replenished with Monks from Westbury by Oswald of York and dedicated by Dunstan of Canterbury Archbishops By Abbot Reginald 1114 this Church was re-edified by Magnavill Earl of Essex not long after spoiled and by Henry the third first of all the Norman Princes visited when wasted with the Sicilian wars Regalis mensae Hospitalitas ita abbreviata fuit ut cum Abbatibus Clericis viris satis â—umilibus Hospitia quaesivit prandia This Monastery the shrine of two
ground of a marvellous capacity which is commonly called The Devils Arse in the Peak whereof Gervase of Tilbury hath told many pretty Tales and 〈◊〉 do make it one of the wonders of our Land 9 As inâ—other Csounties the devotions of the Religious have been made apparent in the erectioâ— of Places for Gods peculiar Service so in this have been founded eight of that nature which werâ— Dale Derelege Darby Repton Bechef Graiesley Faverwell and Pollewerke whose peace and plenty stood secure from all danger till the blustering Winds arising in the Reign of King Henry the Eight blew off the Pinacles of their beauteous Buildings and shook asunder the revenues of those Foundations which never are like again to be laid 10 This Shire is divided into six hundreds wherein have been seated seven Castles and is still traded with eight Market-Towns and replenished with one Hundred and six Parish-Churches Staffordshir STAFFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIV STAFFORD-SHIRE whose situation is much about the middle of England meeâ—eth upon the North with Chess-shire and Darby and that in a Triangle point where three Stones are pitched for the bounds of these Shires it is parted from Darby-shire on the East with Dowe and with Trent the South is confined with Warwick and Worcester-shires and the West butteth against the County of Shrop-shire 2 The form thereof is somewhat Lozeng-like that is sharp at both ends and broadest in the midst The lengh extending from North to South is by measure forty four miles and the breadth from East to West twenty seven miles the whole in Circumference one hundred and forty miles 3 The Air is good and very healthful though over sharp in her North and Moreland where the Snow lyeth long and the Wind bloweth cold 4 The Soil in that part is barren of Corn because her Hills and Moors are no friends unto Tillage the middle more level but therewithal wooddy as well witnesseth that great one called the Cank But the South is most plenteous in Corn and Pasturage 5 Her ancient Inhabitants were the CORNAVII whom Ptolomy placeth in the Tract that containeth Shrop-shire Worcester-shire Chess-shire and this all which were pâ—sâ—essed by the Mercian-Saxons when their Heptarchy slourished And Tameworth in this Shire was then held their Kingâ— Court. The Danes after them often assayed herein to have seated as witnesseth Tâ—trall then Theotenâ—â—ll by inteâ—pretation The habitation of Pagans imbrued with their blood by King 〈◊〉 the Flder But the Inhabitants of this Province Beda terms The midland-Englishmen because to his seeming it lay in the heart of the Land which when the Normans had made Conquest of all many of them set down their rest here whose posterity at this day are fairly and further branched into other parts 6 The Commodities of this County consist chiefly in Corn Caâ—tle Alablaster Woods and Iron if the one prove not the destruction of the other Pit-coal Flesh and Fish whereof the River Trent is said to swarm and others arising and running thorow this Shire do so batâ—en the ground that the Meadows even in the midst of Winter grow green such are Dowe Manifold Churnot Hunsye Yenden Tean Blith Trent Tyne and Sowe whereof Trent is not only the principal but in esteem accounted the third of this Land 7 Stafford the Shire-Town anciently Bâ—theney from Berâ—elin a reputed holy Man that therein lead an Hermits life was built by King Edward the Elder incorporated by King Iohn and upon the East and South Parts was Walled and Trenched by the Barons of the Place the rest from East to North was secured by a large Pool of Water which now is become fair Meadow-grounds The tract and circuit of these Walls extended to twelve hundred and forty Paces thorow which four Gates into the four Winds have passage the River Sowe running on the South and West of the Town King Edward the Sixt did incorporate the Burgesses and gave them a perpetual Succession whose Government in under two Bailiffs yearly elected out of one and twenty Assistants called the Common-Counsel a Recorder whereof the Dukes of Buckingham have born the Office and as yet is kept a Court of Record wherein they hold Plea without limitation of summe a Town-Clerk also from whose Pen I received these Instructions and to attend them two Sergeants at Mace This Town is sited in the degree of Latitude 53 20 scruples and of Longitude 18 and 40 scurples 8 But Leichfield more large and of far greater fame is much her ancient known unto 〈◊〉 by the name of Licidfeld which Rosse doth interpret to be The field of dead bodies for the number of Saints under the rage of Dioclesian there slain upon which cause the City beareth for her Arms an Eschucheon of Landskip with divers Martyrs in divers manner Massacred Here Oswin King of Northumberland overcoming the Pagan-Mercians built a Church and made it the See of Duma the Bishop whose Successors grown rich with golden reasons so overcame King Offa and he Adrian the Pope that an Archiepiscopal Pale was granted Bishop Eadulph to the great disgrace of Lambert Archbishop of Canterbury In this Church were interred the Bodie of VVulfhere and Celred both of them Kings of the Mercians But when the minds of Men were set altogether upon gorgeous building this old Foundation was new reared Roger Clinton Bishop this See and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Chad and the Close inwalled by Bishop Langton The government of this City is by two Bailiffs and one Sheriff yearly chosen out of twenty four Burgessâ—s a Recorder a Town-Clerck and two Sergeants their Attendants 9 Houses of Religion erected in this Shire were at Leichfield Stafford De la Crosse Cruxden Trentham Burton Tamworth and VVolver-hampton These Votaries abusing their Founders true pieties and heaping up Riches with disdain of the Laity laid themselves open as marks to be shot at whom the hand of the skilful soon hit and quite pierced under the aim of King Henry the Eighth who with such Revenues in most places relieved the Poor and the Orphans with Schools and maintenace for the training up of Youth a work no doubt more acceptable to God and of more charitable use to the Land 10 With thirteen Castles this County hath been strengthned and in Thirteen Market-Towns her Commodities traded being divided into five Hundreds and in them seated one hundred and thirty Parish-Churches Shropshire Petrus Kaerius caelavit SHROP-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXV SHROP-SHIRE is both large in circuit well peopled and very fruitful for life It lyeth circulated upon the North with the County Palatine of Chester upon the East altogether with Stafford-shire upon the South with Worcester Hereford and Radnor-shire and upon the West with Mountgomâ—ry and Denbigh 2 The form thereof is almost circular or round whose length from Wooserton below Lodlane South to Over neer unto the River Trent in the North is thirty four miles the broadest part is from Tong in the East to Oswestre fited at the head of
the degree of Latitude 54 yet the warmth from the Irish-Seas melteth the Snow and dissolveth Ice sooner there then in those parts that are further off and so wholsome for life that the Inhabitants generally attain to many years 4 The Soyl is fat fruitful and rich yielding abundantly both profit and pleasures for Man The Champion grounds make glad the hearts of their Tillers The Meadows imbroydered with divers sweet smelling Flowers and the Pasture makes the Kines Udder to strout to the Pail from whom and wherein the best Cheese of all Europe is made 5 The ancient Inhabitants were the CORNAVII who with Warwick-shire Worcester-shire Stafford-shire and Shrop-shire spread themselves further into this County as in Ptolomy is placed and the Cangi likewise if they be the Ceaâ—gi whose remembrance was found upon the Shore of this Shire on the surface of certain pieces of Lead in this manner inscribed IMP. DOMIT. AU. GER DF CEANG. These Cangi were subdued by P. Ostorius Scapula immediately before his great Victory against Caractacus where in the mouth of Deva he built a Fortress at the back of the Ordovices to restrain their power which was great in those parts in the Reign of Vespasian the Emperour But after the departure of the Romans this Province became a Portion of the Saxon-Mercians Kingdom notwithstanding saith Ran Higdan the City it self was held by the Britains until all fell into the Monarchy of Egbert Of the dispositions of the fince Inhabitants hear Lucan the Monk who lived prelently after the Conquest speak They are found saith he to differ from the rest of the English partly better and partly equal In feasting they are friendly at meat chearful in entertainment liberal soon aâ—gry and soon pacified lavish in words impatient of servitude merciful to the afflicted compassionate to the poor kind to their kindred spary of labour void of dissimulation not greedy in eating and far from dangerous practises And let me add thus much which Lucian could not namely that this Shire hath never been stained with the blot of Rebellion but ever stood true to their King and his Crown whose loyalty Richard the Second so far found and esteemed that he held his Person most safe among them and by the Authority of Parliament made the County to be a Principality and stiled himself Prince of Chester King Henry the Third gave it to his eldest Son Prince Edward against whom Lewlin Prince of Wales gathered a mighty Band and with them did the County much harm even unto the Cities Gaâ—es With the like scare-fires it had oft times been affrighted which the ylastâ—y defenced with a Wall made of the Welsh-mens Heads on the South side of Dee in Hambridge The Shire may well be said to be a Seed-plot of Gentility and the producer of many most ancient and worthy Families neither hath any brought more men of valour into the Field than Chess-shire hath done who by a general speech are to this day called The chief of Men and for Natures endowments besides their nobleness of minds may compare with any other Nation in the World their Limbs straight and well-composed their complexions fair with a chearful countenance and the Women for grace feature and beauty inferiour unto none 6 The Commodities of of this Province by the report of Ranulphus the Monk of Chester are chiefly Corn Cattle Fish Fowl Salt Mines Metals Mears and Rivers whereof the Banks of Dee in her West and the Vale-Royal in her midst for fruitfulness of pasturage equals any other in the Land either in grain or gain from the Cow 7 These with all other provision for life are traded thorow thirteen Market-Towns in this Shire whereof Chester is the fairest from whom the Shire hath the name A City raised from the Fort of Ostorius Lieutenant of Britain for Claudius the Emperour whither the twentieth Legion named Victrix was sent by Galba to restrain the Britains but grown themselves out of order Iulius Agricola was appointed their General by Vespasian as appeareth by Moneys then Minted and there found and from them no doubt by the Britains the place waâ— called Cder-Legion by Ptolomy Denanâ— by Antonine Dena and now by us West-Chester but Henry Bradshaw will have it built before Brute by the Giant Leon Gaver a Man beyond the Moon and called by Marius the vanquisher of the Picts Over Deva or Dee a fair Stone-bridge leadeth built upon eight Arches at either end whereof is a Gate from whence in a long Quadrant-wise the Walls do incompass the City high and strongly built with four fair Gates opening into the four Winds besides three 〈◊〉 and seven Watch-Towers extending in compass one thousand nine hundred and forty paces On the South of this City is mounted a strong and stately Castle round in form and the base Court likewise inclosed with a circular Wall In the North is the Minster first built by Earl Leofrike to the honour of S. Werburga the Virgin and after most sumptuously repaired by Hugh the first Earl of Chester of the Normans now the Cathedral of the Bishops See Therein lyeth interred as report doth relate the body of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Almane who leaving his Imperial Estate lead lastly therein an Hermites life This City hath formerly been sore defaced first by Egfrid King of Northumberland where he slew twelve hundred Christian Monks resorted thither from Bangor to pray Again by the Danes it was sore defaced when their destroying feet had trampled down the beauty of the Land But was again rebuilt by Edelfleada the Mercian Lady who in this County and Forrest of Delamer built two fine Cities nothing of them now remaining besides the Chamber in the Forrest Chester in the daies of King Edgar was in most flourishing estate wherein he had the homage of eight other Kings who rowed his Barge from S. Iohns to his Palace himself holding the Helm as their Supream This City was made a County incorporate of it self by King Henry the Seventh and is yearly governed by a Major with Sword and Mace born before him in State two Sheriffs twenty four Aldermen a Recorder a Town-Clerk and a Serjeant of Peace four Sergeants and six â—eomen It hath been accounted the Key into Ireland and great pity it is that the Port should decay as it daily doth the Sea being stopped to secure the River by a Causey that thwarteth Dee at her bridge Within the Walls of the City are eight Parish-Churches St. Iohns the greater and lesser in the Suburbs are the VVhite-Fryers Black-Fryers and Nunnery now suppressed From which City the Pole is elevated unto the degree 53 58 minutes of Latitude and from the first point of the West in Longitude unto the 17 degree and 18 minutes 8 The Earldom whereof was possessed from the Conquerour till it fell lastly to the Crown the last of whom though not with the least hopes is Prince Henry who to the Titles of Prince of VVales and Duke of Cornwall hath
or ever become the ruin of time which is much feared for the merciless underminings of the Sea that with her daily and forcible irruptions never ceaseth to wash away the Foundations of the Key The People of this Town are well approved for courtesie and also Civil Government which is administred by the Constable of the Castle who is ever Mayor by Patent having the assistance of one Alderman two Bailiffs two Sergeants at Mace and one Town-Cleâ—k The Townsmen do not a little glory that King Edward the Second was born there in a Tower of the Castle called Eagle-Tower and surnamed of Caer-nar-von he being the first Prince of Wales of the English Line The site of this Town according to Mathematical observation is in the degree of Longitude 15 and 50 scruples from the first West point and the Pole elevated in Latitude 53 and 50. Bangor the Bishops See though it be now but a small Town yet it was in time past so large that for the greatness thereof it was called Banchor-Vaur that is Great-Banchor which Hugh Earl of Chester fortified with a Castle But it hath been long since utterly ruinated and laid level with the ground insomuch as there is not any footing to be found or oâ—her monuments left thereof although they have been sought with all diligent enquiry This Bishops See hath been the Diocess of ninety six Parishes But the ancient Church which was consecrated unto Daniel sometime Bishop thereof was defaced and set on fire by that notorious Rebel Owen Glendowerdwy who had a purpose also to destroy all the Cities of Wales for that they stood for the King of England And though the same Church was since repaired about the time of King Henry the seventh yet hath it scarce recovered the resemblance of her former dignity The River Conwey which limiteth this Shire on the East-side is in Ptolomy by corruption or ignorance of Transcribers called Toissonius instead of Cononius whence Canonium a Town mentioned by Antonine took name and albeit both it and its name be now utterly extinct yet is there a covert remembrance thereof in the new name of a poor Village standing among the rubbish thereof called Caer-hean that is the ancient City Out of the Spoil whereof King Edward the first built a new Town at the Rivers mouth termed thereupon Aber-Conwey that is the mouth of Conwey which being formerly fortified by Hugh of Chester and strongly situate and senced both with Walls and a fair Castle by the Rivers side deserves rather the name of a City than a Town if it were more populous and traffiqued with Inhabitants Neither must I here forget Nowin though but a small Market-Town for that it pleased the English Nobles Anno 1284 to honour it and the memory of King Arthur with triumphant celebrity after they had subdued the rebellious Ringleaders of Wales 7 Other matters of memorable note this Country affordeth not much unless perhaps this That just over-against the River Conwey where it issueth into the Sea there sometimes stood an ancient City named Diganwey which many years ago was consumed by Lightning and so made utterly desolate as many other Monuments have been of ancient and worthy memory As likewise that in the Pool Lin-Peris there is a kind of Fish called there Tâ—rcoth having a red Belly no where else seen For touching these two other miracles famoused by Giraâ—dus and Gervasius that on those his high Hills there are two Pools called the Mears the one of which produceth great store of Fish but all having only one Eye and the other there is a moveable Island which as soon as a man treadeth thereon it forthwith floateth a great way off whereby the Welsh are said to have often scaped and deluded their Enemies assailing them these matters are out of my Creed and yet I think the Reader had rather believe them than to go to see whether it be so or no. It is traded with five Market-Towns fit for bargaining buying and selling fortified with four Castles and hath sixty eight Parish-Churches in it where the Inhabitants concur and meet together for the celebration of Divine-Service THE KINGDOME OF SCOTLAND SCOTLANDS General Description CHAPTER I. SCOTLAND the second Kingdom of Great-Britain and the North part of the Island hath on the East the German-Ocean on the North the Orkneys and Deucalidon-Sea the West affronted with Ireland and the South hath the River Tweed the Cheviot-Hills and the adjacent Tract reaching to the Sulway-Sands whereby it is separated from England 2 This Kingdom is fair and spacious and from these South borders spreadeth it self wide into the East and West till again it contracts it self narrower unto the Northern Promontories furnished with all things befitting a famous Kingdom both for Air and Soil Rivers Woods Mountains Fish Fowl and Cattel and Corn so plenteous that it supplyeth therewith other Countries in their want The People thereof are of good feature strong of body and of couragious mind and in Wars so venturous that scarce any service of note hath been performed but that they were with the first and last in the Field Their Nobility and Gentry are very studious of learning and all civil knowledge for which end they not only frequent the three Universities of their own Kingdom S. Andrews Glasco and Edoâ—borough the Nurseries of Piety and Mansions of the sacred Muses but also much addict themselves to travel into forain Countries The South ê‘ t of ScotlaÌ„d wherin are contayned Edinbrough St. Andrew and Glasco Archbishoâ— 4 Yet in the mean while lest I should seem too defective in my intendments let me without offence in this third though short Book give only a general view of that Kingdom upon observations from others which to accomplish by mine own survey if others should hap to fail and my crazy-aged body will give leave is my chief desire knowing the Island furnished with many worthy remembrances appertaining both unto them and us whom God now hath set under one Crown and the rather for that their more Southern People are from the same Original with us the English being both alike the Saxoâ— branches as also that the Picts anciently inhabiting part of that Kingdom were the inborn Britains and such as thither fled to avoid the Romans servitude whose names began first to be distinguished under Dioclesian the Emperor when they were termed Picts for painting their Bodies like the Britains as saith Flavius Vigetius which is more strengthned for that the Northern Britains converted by Saint Columb are called Britain-Picts 5 But the Highland-men the natural Scot indeed are supposed to descend from the Scythians who with the Getes infesting Ireland left both their issue there and their manners apparent in the Wild-Irish even to this day And from Scytha as is thought the name of Scot grew for so the Netherlanders by Scutten express indifferently the Scythian or Scot so Gildas called the Irish-Britains Scythians so King Elfred in translating the History of Orosius
â—â—ey were so long since known I must doubt For the bestowing of Iocktan and his sons it was toward the East from Mesha to Sephar but where those are Saint Hierome confesseth himself at a stand And for my part I will travel no farther in these hidden Mysteries than I find a path beaten before me 16 This may satisfie the ingenuous that I have as far as I might in this little room trac't the first Nations from their first Founders which they had in the beginning But to draw the direct line of every people mixt as they now are I think a work impossible to me I am sure it is For besides our several translations and promiscuous commerce that puzzle us in the knowledge of our selves we have of late found and as yet are in search of a new people that know not their own Original nor have we any means to examin it but conjectural such as may fail To Moses time the Scripture affordeth us a certain truth for as many as he mentioneth and since we have some light from such as have laboured in the search of Antiquities The Families as Iosephus gives time are truly and curiously brancht forth and placed among the Genealogies before our Bible of the last Translation by our well-deserving Countrey-man Mr. Iohn Speed 17 Thus far it was requisite we should know at large the growth of the world from the beginning and how the whole earth which at first knew but one Land-lord hath been since rent into several parcels which Kings and Nations call their own and maintain their claim by force of Arms. This little compass will not admit a more particular relation of their affairs For that I must refer my Reader to their Historians and now desceâ—d to the Geographical Description and division of the world as in after Ages it was found by our first Artists and hath been since more at large discovered by the experience of our later Travellers 18 And in this we may still observe our method For questionless by the same degrees almost as it was inhabited so it grew into the knowledge of our ancient Geographers And therefore our first Authors in this Science bounded their Descriptions within a less compass and divided the world into those three parts only which you see lie closest about the point of the earth where the first men first Religion first City first Empire and first Arts were For in Prolomy's time about an hundred and forty years after Christ we hear not of either Land or Sea known more than was contained in Asia Africa and Europe 19 And of that he never knew the East and North parts of Asia nor the South of Africa no nor the most Northerly parts of Europe but placed the end of the world that way in Vltima thule about sixty three degrees from the Aequator And Southward the other way not above 17 degrees Prasso Permotorio which at this day is called Mosambique Râ—cks So the whole Latitude of the world then known did not reach the fourth part of the Compass In the Longitude indeed they came not so far short yet leâ—t they just half to the search of their posterity For they placed their first Meridian in the Fortunate Islands and ended their reckoning in Region Sinarum of the Eastern Indies and that is distant but 180 degrees toward the 360 which is the compass of the whole 20 But God in these later times hath enlarged our possessions that his Gospel might be propagated and hath discovered to us Inhabitants almost in every corner of the earth Our later Geographers have set their mark beyond Ptolomy's 60 degrees Eastward And Westward to the utmost parts of America So that there are already known 340 of the earths Longitude Toward the North Pole we have gained more in proportion as far as Nova zembla and the Sea is known to be navigable to the eighty first degree whether the rest be Land or not it never yet appeared to any â—s I hear of but an Oxford Frier by a Magick Vâ—yage He reports of a black rock just under the Pole and an Isle of Pygmies Other straâ—ge miracles to which for my part I shall give little credit till I have better proof for it than the Devils word Now of all the Southern course is most unknown aud vet Arâ— hath not been Idle nor altogether lost 〈…〉 in the search it hath discoverd Countries â—bout the 52 degree toward the Pole but so â—ncertainly that it may well yet keep her name of Terra incognita 21 Admirable was the wit of that man that first found out the vertue of the Load-stone and taughtâ— us to apply it in the Art of Navigation And indeed the industry of them is much to be honoured that have since venâ—ured born their means and persons upon dangerous attempts in the discoveries of People and Nations that 〈…〉 God nor had apparent means for their Redemption without this help Among these though the Genâ—â— Spaniard and Portugal carry the first name we have noble spirits of our own Nation not to be ranked in the last place Stupenda fuit revera industria Anglorum saith Keckerman And indeed we may justly enough requite him with his own Elogy The Dutch to have done their parts to joyn a new World to the old 22 To us it may well be called a new World for it comprehends in it two Continents either of them larger than two parts of the other are The one is that Western Hemisphere that bears the name America from Americus Vesputius but was indeed discovered seven years before he knew it by Christopherus Columbus in the year 1492. And the other is the Terrâ— Magellanica seated about the South Pole and first sound out by Ferdinand Magellanus some twenty yearâ— after or thereabout and is thought to be greater than the whole earth beâ—ides Hitherto it is but conjectural and some few Provinces have been rather descried than known You shall find them named in their several Regions upon the Sea-Coasts Nova Guinea Terra del Feugo 〈◊〉 Regio Lucach Beach and Malâ—tur 23 With these additions the World by some is divided into six parts Europe Asia Africa America Septentrionalis incognita and Terra Australis Magellanica which are thus disposed in the Globe of the Earth Asia in the Eâ—stern Hemisphere And being the first part which was inhabited shall be the Point unto which I will direct the rest paâ—t on the West and part on the South is Africa siâ—uated on the North and West Europe more toward the West America uâ—raque full North Septenâ—rionalis incognita and full South the Terra Magellanica 24 Those we will reduce in our method to the four common parts which generally pass in our deâ—criptions of the World Europe Asia Africa America utraque in this last include the Terra Setâ—entrionalis and Magellanica as others have before done and allow it not a several part by it self in regâ—rd that little can be reported of