of the country beganne to make a new chanell at Clowcrosse in the yeere 1599. Neere unto this banke aforesaid we saw Crowland which also is called Croyland a Towne of good note among the Fenne-people the name whereof soundeth as Ingulph the Abbat of this place interpreteth it as much as A raw and muddy Land A place as they write much haunted in times past with I wot not what sprites and fearefull apparitions before that Guthlake a right holy and devout man led there an Eremits life In whose memoriall Aethelbald King of the Mercians founded to the honour of God at his great charges in the yeere of our Salvation 716. an Abbay very famous both for opinion of the religious life of the Monkes and also for their wealth Concerning which take heere if you please these Verses of Foelix a Monke of good antiquity out of the life of Guthlake Nunc exercet ibi se munificentia Regis Et magnum templum magno molimine condit At cum tam mollis tam lubrica tam malè constans Fundamenta palus non ferret saxea palos Praecipit infigi quercino robore caesos Leucarúmque novem spacio rate fertur arena Inque solum mutatur humus suffultáque tali Cella basi multo stat consummata labore His bounty now the King doth there bestow An Abbay faire with much expense to reare But seeing that the waterish Fenne below Those ground-workes laid with stone uneath could beare So quaving soft and moist the Bases were He caused piles made of good heart of oke Pitch't downe to be with maine commanders stroke Then nine leagues off men sand in Barges brought Which once fast ramm'd by painfull workmans hand Of rotten earth good solid ground was wrought On which for aye such workes might firmely stand And thus by this devise of new plantation The Church stands firme and hath a sure foundation If I should exemplifie unto you out of that Monke the Devils of Crowland with their blabber lips fire-spitting mouthes rough and skaly visages beetle heads terrible teeth sharpe chins hoarse throats blacke skinnes crump-shoulders side and gor-bellies burning loines crooked and hawm'd legges long tailed buttockes and ugly mishapes which heeretofore walked and wandered up and downe in these places and very much troubled holy Guthlake and the Monkes you would laugh full merily and I might bee thought a simple sily-one full worthily Howbeit in regard of the admirable situation of this place so farre different from all others in England and considering the Abbay was so famous I am well content to dwell a while in the description of these particulars Amid most deepe Fennes and standing waters in a muddy and miry ground this Crowland lyeth so shut up and divided round about from all entrance that there is no accesse to it unlesse it bee on the North and East side and that by narrow Cawsies Seated it is for all the world if I may resemble great and small things together like unto Venice Three streets it hath and those severed one from another by water courses betweene planted thicke with willowes and raised upon piles or postes pitched and driven downe deepe into the standing waters having over them a triangle Bridge of admirable workmanship under which for to receive the fall of the waters meeting in one confluence the Inhabitants report there was a pit sunke of a mighty depth Now whereas beyond the Bridge in solum mutatur humus as that Monke said that is The mould is chaunged and is become firme and solid ground there stood in times past that famous Abbay and the same verily taking up but a small plot of ground about which all save where the Towne standeth is so rotten and moorish that a man may thrust a pole downe right thirty foote deepe and round about it every way is nothing but a plot of reeds and next unto the Church a place planted with Alders Howbeit the Towne is well enough peopled with Inhabitants who have their Cattaile a great way from the Towne and when they are to milke them they goe in little punts or boats that will carry but two a peece which they call Skerries yet the most gainfull trade they have is by taking fish and catching of water-foule and that is so great that in the moneth of August they will spread a net and at once draw three thousand Mallards and wilde Duckes and such like together and these pooles or watery plots of theirs they use to terme their Corne fields for they see no Corne growing in five miles any way In regard of this their taking of fish and fowle they paid yeerely in times past to the Abbat as now they doe to the King three hundred pounds of our money The private History of this Abbay I list not to relate seeing it is commonly extant and to be seene out of Ingulph now printed and published yet my minde serves me well briefely to record that which Peter of Bloys Vice-chancellour to King Henry the Second reported at large as touching the new building of this Abbay in the yeere of our Redemption 1112. to the end that by this one president wee may learne by what meanes and helpes so mighty so huge and so faire religious houses were raised and built up in those times Ioffrid the Abbat obtained of the Archbishops and Bishops in England An Indulgence for the third part of penance enjoyned for sinnes committed unto every one that helped forward so holy a worke With this Indulgence he sent out Monkes every way and all about to gather money wherewith when hee was now sufficiently furnished to the end that hee might have an happy beginning of this worke from some happy names of lucky presage hee solemnely appointed the day of Saint Perpetua and of Saint Felicity on which he would lay the first foundation At which day there came flocking in great numbers the Nobles the Prelates and Commons of all the Country thereabout After the celebration of Divine Service and Anthems sung in parts Abbat Ioffrid himselfe layed the first Corner stone Eastward then the Noble men and great persons every one in their degree couched their stones and upon the said stones some laid money others their sealed Deeds of lands Advousons of Churches of Tenths of their Sheepe and of the Tithes of their Churches of certaine measures of wheat and of a certaine number of Workemen as Masons and Quarriers whom they would pay The common sort again and towneships for their parts offered with chearefull devotion some money others one daies labour every moneth untill the worke were finished some the building of whole Pillars others of the bases to the said Pillars and others again to make certaine parts of the wals striving a vie who should doe most This done the Abbat after hee had in a solemne speech commended their devout bounty to so holy a worke granted unto every one of them the fraternity of his Abbay and the participation besides of all
the West twenty degrees and forty eight minutes in Longitude Whiles I looked round about from the top of the said castle hill to see the mouth of Lone that issueth it selfe into the sea a little lower Fornesse the other part of this shire appeared in sight which the sea hath after a sort violently rent apart from the rest For when as the shore did from hence shoote out a maine way into the West the Ocean as it were much displeased and angry hereat obstinately ceased not to flash and mangle it nay which is more hath with his fell flowing at boisterous tides devoured the shore and thereby maketh three wide creâ—kes or bayes namely Kent-sand at which the river Ken powreth it selfe forth Leven-sand and Dudden-sand betweene which two the land beareth out so much that thereupon it tooke the name For with us in our language For-nesse Foreland is all one with the Latine Promontorium anterius that is a Fore-promontory All this part unlesse it be hard by the sea side mounteth up aloft with high topped hils and huge fels standing thicke together which they tearme Forness-fells Among which the Britans lived safe a great while trusting upon these strong naturall fenses although the victorious English Saxons made way through all in the end For in the yeere 228. after there comming in I gather that the Britans had their abode here because Egfride King of Northumberland gave unto Holy Saint Cuthbert the land called Carthmell and all the Britans in it thus we finde written in his life and it is very well knowne that Carthmell is a part of this shire by Kentsand and a little towne in it retaineth yet the same name Wherein William Mareschall the elder Earle of Pembroch built a Priory and endowed it with living If you read in Ptolomee SETANTIORUM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Mere as some Copies have and not Setantiorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Setantians Haven I durst boldly avouch that these Britans here were called SETANTII For among these mountaines the greatest standing water in all England now called Winander-mere in the English Saxon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haply of his winding and turning in and out lieth stretched out for the space of ten miles or thereabout with crooked bankes and is all paved as it were with stone in the bottome in some places of wonderfull depth and breeding a peculiar kinde of fish found no where else which the inhabitants there by call A Chare And a little village standing hard by carrieth the name thereof In which Eathred King of Northumberland in the yeer of Christ 792. when he had by force fetched King Elfwolds sonnes out of Yorke flue them that by his owne wickednesse and their blood hee might secure the Kingdome to himselfe and his Betwixt this Mere and the river Dudden the promontory runneth out which wee commonly call Fornesse and hath the Iland Walney as a fore-fence or countremure lying along by it with a small arme of the sea betweene The gullet or entry into which is defended with a fort called the Pile of Fouldrey standing in the midst of the waves upon a rocke erected there by the Abbot of Fornesse in the first yeere of King Edward the third As for the Promontory it selfe there is nothing worth the sight in it unlesse it be the ruines of a monastery of Cistertian Monkes called Fornesse Abbey which Stephen Earle of Bullen afterwards King of England in the yeere of our redemption 1127. built in a place called sometimes Bekensgill or translated rather from Tulket in Andernesse Out of the Monkes whereof and from no place else as they themselves have reported the Bishops of the Isle of Man that lieth just over against were by an ancient custome wont to bee elected as having beene the mother as it were of many Monasteries in the said Man and in Ireland More Eastward standeth Aldingham an ancient hereditament belonging to the family of the Haveringtons or Harringtons unto whom it came from the Flemmings by the Cancefelds and whose inheritance descended by a daughter unto William Bonvill of Somersetshire and at last by him unto the Greies Marquesses of Dorset And somwhat higher is Ulverston in this regard not to bee passed over in silence for that King Edward the third gave a moity thereof unto Sir John Coupland a most brave warriour whom also he advanced to the dignity of a Banaret because in the battaile at Durham he took David the second King of the Scots prisoner But after his decease the same King granted it with other faire lands in this tract and the title also of Earle of Bedford unto Ingelram Lord Coucy of France as who had married his daughter Isabel and whose ancestours in right of Christiana Lindsey had great revenewes in England Touching the noble men which have borne the title of Lancaster there were in the first infancy of the Norman Empire three stiled Lords of the Honour of Lancaster namely Roger of Poictou the sonne of Roger Mont-gomery who was surnamed Pictavensis as William of Malmesbury writeth because hee had married a wife from out of Poictou in France But when he had by his perfidious disloyalty lost this honour William the sonne of King Stephen and Earle of Moriton and Warren had the same given unto him by his Father After whose death King Richard the first bestowed it upon his brother John who was afterward King of England For thus we read in an old History King Richard declared his singular love to his brother Iohn For beside Ireland and the Earledome of Moriton in Normandy he heaped upon him so many dignities in England that he was in maner a Tetrarch there Finally he conferred upon him Cornwall Lancaster Notingham Derby with the country adjoining and many more beside A good while after King Henry the third the sonne of John first advanced Edmund his second sonne called by some Crouth-backe to the title of Earle of Lancaster unto whom hee conveyed and made over the inheritances and honours of Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester Robert Ferrars Earle of Derby and John of Monmouth because they had risen and rebelliously born armes against him and he gave this Honor of Lancaster unto him in these words The Honour County Castle and Town of Lancaster with the Cow-pastures forrests of Wiresdale Lownsdale New castle under Lime the manour forrest and Castle of Pickering the manor of Scaleby the towne of Gomicester and the rents of the towne of Huntendon c. After hee the said Edmund had missed the kingdome of Sicily in which the Pope had invested him in vaine by a ring and not without ridiculous disgrace to the English nation caused in honour of him certaine peeces of gold to bee stamped with this title AIMUNDUS REX SICILIAE having first cunningly suckt a great masse of money from the credulous King in this regard This Edmund
the Lord the Pope From the one side and the other were sent certaine messengers to the Court of Rome but whiles King Edward abode in Flanders William Walleis by the common counsell of the Scots came with a great armie to the bridge of Strivelin and gave battle unto John Earle Warren in which battell on both sides many were slaine and many drowned But the Englishmen were discomfited and defeated Upon which exploit all the Scots at once arose and made an insurrection as well Earls as Barons against the King of England And there fell discord betweene the King of England and Roger Bigod Earle Mareschall but soone after they were agreed And Saint Lewis a Frier minor sonne of the King of Sicily and Archbishop of Colein died Also the sonne and heire of the King de Maliagro that is of the Majoricke Ilands instituted the order of the Friers minors at the information of Saint Lewis who said Goe and doe so Item in Ireland Leghlin with other townes was burnt by the Irish of Slemergi Item Calwagh O-Hanlan and Yneg Mac-Mahon are slaine in Urgale MCCXCVIII Pope Boniface the fourth the morrow after the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul after all tumults were appeased ordained and confirmed a peace betweene the King of England and the King of France with certaine conditions that after followed Item Edward King of England set forth with an armie againe into Scotland for to subdue the Scots under his dominion Item there were slaine in the same expedition about the feast of Saint Marie Maudlen many thousands of the Scots at Fawkirk The sunne the same day appeared as red as bloud over all Ireland so long as the battell continued at Fawkirke aforesaid Item about the same time the Lord King of England feoffed his Knights in the Earldomes and Baronies of the Scots that were slaine More in Ireland peace and concord was concluded between the Earle of Ulster and Lord John Fitz-Thomas about the feast of the Apostles Simon and Iude. Also on the morrow after the feast of the 7. Saints sleepers the sun-beames were changed almost into the colour of bloud even from the morning so that all men that saw it wondred thereat Moreover there died Sir Thomas Fitz-Maurice Knight and Sir Robert Bigod sometime Lord chiefe Justice of the Bench. Item in the Citie Artha as also in Reathe in the parts of Italie whiles Pope Boniface abode there at the same time there happened so great an Earthquake that towres and palaces fell downe to the ground The Pope also with his Cardinals fled from the Citie much affrighted Item upon the feast of the Epiphany that is Twelfe day there was an earthquake though not so violent in England from Canterburie as farre as to Hampton MCCXCIX Lord Theobald Botiller the younger departed this life in the Manour de Turby the second day before the Ides of May whose corps was conveied toward Weydeney that is Weney in the countie of Limeric the sixth day before the Calends of June Item Edward King of England tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sister to the noble King of France in the Church of the holy Trinitie in Canterburie about the feast of the holy Trinitie Item the Soldan of Babylon was defeated with a great armie of Saracens by Cassian King of the Tartars MCCXCIX The day after the feast of the Purification of the blessed Virgin Marie there was an infinite number of the Saracens horsemen slaine besides the footmen who were likewise innumerable Item in the same yeere there was a battell or fight of dogges in Burgundie at Genelon castle and the number of the dogges was 3000. and everie one killed another so that no dogge escaped alive but one alone Item the same yeere many Irishmen came to trouble and molest the Lord Theobald Verdon to the Castle of Roch before the feast of the Annuntiation MCCC The Pollard money is forbidden in England and Ireland Also in the Autumne Edward King of England entred Scotland with a power of armed men but at the commandement of Pope Boniface hee was stayed and he sent solemne messengers unto the Court of Rome excusing himself of doing any injurie Item Thomas the Kings sonne of England was the last day of May born at Brotherton of Margaret sister to the King of France Item Edward Earle of Cornwall died without leaving behind an heire of his owne bodie and was enterred in the Abbey of Hales MCCCI. Edward King of England entred into Scotland with an armie unto whom failed over sea Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland and Sir John Fitz-Thomas Peter Bermingham and many others to aide the King of England Also a great part of the Citie Dublin was burnt together with the Church of Saint Warburga on S. Columbs day at night More Sir Geffrey Genevil espoused the daughter of Sir John Montefort and Sir John Mortimer espoused the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Genevil And the Lord Theobald Verdon espoused the daughter of the Lord Roger Mortimer At the same time the men of Leinster made warre in winter burning the towne of Wykynlo and Rathdon with others but they escaped not unpunished because the more part of their sustenance was burnt up and their cattell lost by depredation and the same Irish had beene utterly almost consumed but that the seditious dissention of certaine Englishmen was an hinderance thereto Item a defeature and slaughter was made by the Toolans upon a small companie assembled of the Brenies in which were slaine almost three hundred robbers Item Walter Power wasted a great part of Mounster burning many ferme houses MCCCII There died the ladie Margaret wife to Sir John Wogan Justice of Ireland the third day before the Ides of April and in the week following Maud Lacy wife to Sir Geffery Genevil died also Edward Botiller recovered the manour de S. Bosco with the pertenances from Sir Richard Ferenges Archbishop of Dublin by a concord made between them in the Kings bench after the feast of S. Hilarie Item the Flemings gave an overthrow at Courteray in Flanders unto the army of the French the Wednesday after the feast of the Translation of S. Thomas wherein were slaine the Earle of Arthois the Earle of Aumarle the Earle of Hue Ralph Neel Constable of France Guy Nevil Mareschal of France the sonne of the Earle of Hennaund Godfrey Brabant with his sonne William Fenys and his son Iames S. Paul lost his hand and fortie Baronets lost their lives that day with Knights Esquires and others sans number Item the tenths of all Ecclesiasticall benefices in England and Ireland were exacted by Boniface the Pope for 3. yeeres as a Subsidie to the Church of Rome against the King of Aragon Also upon the day of the Circumcision Sir Hugh Lacie raised booties from Hugh Vernail In the same yeere Robert Brus then Earle of Carrick espoused the daughter of Sir Richard Bourk Earle of Ulster Item Edward Botiller espoused the daughter of Sir Iohn Fitz-Thomas also
Glocestershire Worcestershire Herefordshire Warwickshire Oxenfordshire Cheshire Salop or Shropshire and Staffordshire But when William the First made a survey and taxed this Kingdome there were reckoned as wee reade in Polychronicon xxxvj shires or counties and yet the publike record in which he engrossed and registred this survey and taxe doe make mention of 34. onely For Durham Lancashire Northumberland Westmorland and Comberland were not comprised in that number because these three last were then subject to the Scots as some will have it and those other two were either free from paiments and taxes or comprehended under Yorkshire but being afterwards added to the rest they made up in all the number of 39. shires which we have at this day Unto which are adjoyned since 13. more in Wales whereof sixe were in the time of Edward the First the rest Henry the Eighth ordained by Parliamentarie authoritie In these Shires there is appointed in troublesome times by the Prince a Prefect or Deputie under the King whom they call a Lieutenant to see that the Common-weale sustaine no hurt The first Institution of this Lieutenant as it may seeme is to be fetched from King Aelfred who appointed in every Countie certaine Custodes or Keepers of the Kingdome whom Henry the Third afterward did set up and restore againe naming them Capitaines For hee in the fiftieth yeare of his raigne Held a Parliament as Iohn of London writeth wherein this wholesome ordinance was enacted that in every Countie there should be made at the Kings charge one Captaine who with the helpe of the Sheriffe should restraine the cruel and outragious robbers theeves from stealth and rapine Many therefore being frighted with this terrour gave over and so the Kings power began to breath againe and revive With good forecast this was done verily by this Prince but whether Canutus the Dane did more wisely who in his Monarchie erected a Tetrarchie let our Politicians and Statists dispute For he Hermandus the Archdeacon is mine Author being a prudent Prince and watchfull every way dividing the care of his Kingdome into foure parts ordained Tetrarchs such as hee had found to bee most faithfull and trusty The charge of the greatest portion to wit Westsex hee tooke upon himselfe of Mircha which was the second portion he committed to one Edrich the third usually called Northumbre to Yrtus and to Turkil Earle of East-Englan the fourth which flowed in plenty and abundance of all wealth For this instruction I am beholden to the diligence of Francis Thinn a man who with exceeding great commendation hath travelled very much in this Studie of Antiquities Now every yeare some one of the Gentlemen Inhabitants is made ruler of the countie wherein he dwelleth whom we call in Latin Vicecomitem as one would say the Deputie of the Comes or Earle and in our tongue Sheriffe that is the Reeve of the shire who also may well be termed the Treasurer of the Shire or Province For it is his dutie to gather the common monies and profits of the Prince in his Countie to collect and bring into the Exchequer all fines imposed even by distreining to be attendant upon the Judges and to execute their commandements to assemble and empanell the twelue men which in causes do enquire of the fact and make relation therof and give in their verdict to the Judges for Judges with us sit upon the right onely of a cause and not upon the fact to see condemned persons executed and to examine and determine certaine smaller actions Moreover there bee ordained in everie Shire and that by the institution of Edward the Third certaine Justices of peace who examine Murders Felonies and Trespasses as they cal them yea and many other delinquences Furthermore the King sendeth yearely into every Shire of England two Justices to give Judgement of prisoners and that I may use the Lawyers terme to deliver the Goale Of whom more heereafter in the Treatise of Iudiciall courts and Iudgment seats As touching Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction when the Bishops of Rome had assigned severall Churches to severall Priests and laid parishes unto them Honorius Archbishop of Canterburie about the yeare of our Redemption 636. began first to diuide England into parishes as wee reade in the Historie of Canterburie But now hath England two provinces and accordingly two Archbishops to wit the Archbishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitan of all England and the Archbishop of Yorke Vnder these are twenty five Bishops to the Archbishop of Canterburie are subject twentie two to the Archbishop of Yorke the other three Now what Bishoprickes these be with the shires and Diocesses that are at this day under their jurisdiction that godly and right reverend father Matthew Parker late Archbishop of Canterburie a man very studious and skilfull in antiquitie and a worthy Patron of good learning sheweth in these his owne words IN THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRIE THe Bishopricke of Canterburie together with that of Rochester containeth under it Kent it selfe The Bishopricke of London hath under it Essex Middlesex part of Hertfordshire The Bishoprick of Chichester hath belonging unto it Sussex The Bishoprick of Winchester compriseth Southhampton shire Surry and the Isle of Wight Gernsey also and Iersey Islands lying against Normandy The Bishoprick of Salisburie cōprehendeth Wiltshire and Berkshire The Bishoprick of Excester containeth Denshire and Cornwall The Bishoprick of Bath and Wels joined together hath under it Sommersetshire The Bishoprick of Glocester hath belonging to it Glocestershire To the Bishoprick of Worcester is subject Worcestershire part of Warwickshire To the Bishoprick of Hereford Herefordshire part of Salop or Shropshire The Bishopricke of Coventrie and Lichfield joyned together have under it Staffordshire Derbishire and the other part of Warwickshire as also that part of Shropshire which lieth toward the river Repil Then the Bishoprick of Lincolnshire which of all other is the greatest is bounded with Lincolnshire Leicestershire Huntingdonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the other part of Hertfordshire To the Bishoprick of Ely pertaine Cambridgeshire and the Isle it selfe of Elie. Vnder the Bishopricke of Norwich is Norfolke and Suffolke The Bishopricke of Oxenford hath under it Oxenfordshire The Bishopricke of Peterborough compriseth Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire Under the Bishopricke of Bristoll is Dorsetshire Vnto which eighteene Diocesses in England are to be added those of Wales which are both bereft of their owne peculiar Archbishopricke and made also fewer in number seven being brought scarce to foure to wit the Bishopricke of Meneva having the seat at Saint Davids the Bishopricke of Landaffe the Bishopricke of Bangor and the Bishopricke of Saint Assaph IN THE PROVINCE OF YORKE THe Bishopricke of Yorke comprehendeth Yorkeshire it selfe and Nottinghamshire The Bishopricke of Chester containeth Cheshire Richmondshire Lancashire part of Cumberland of Flintshire and of Denbishire The Bishopricke of Durham hath Durham it selfe under it and Northumberland The Bishopricke of
their Charter or Patent We give and grant the Name Title State Stile Place Seat Preheminence Honour Authoritie and Dignitie of a Duke to N. and by the cincture of a Sword and imposition of a Cap and Coronet of gold upon his head as also by delivering unto him a verge of gold we doe really invest A MARQVESSE that is if you consider the very nature of the word a Governour of the Marches hath the next placec of honour after a Duke This Title came to us but of late daies and was not bestowed upon any one before the time of King Richard the Second For hee made his minion Robert Vere who was highly in his favour Marquesse of Dublin and then it began with us to be a title of honour Fâ—r before time those that governed the Marches were commonly called Lord Marchers and not Marquesses as now we terme them Henceforth they were created by the King by cincture of the Sword and the imposition of the Cap of honor and dignitie with the Coronet as also by delivery of a Charter or writing Neither will I think it much to relate here that which is found recorded in the Parliament Rols When Iohn de Beaufort from beeing Earle of Sommerset was by Richard the Second created Marquesse Dorset and afterwards by Henrie the Fourth deprived of that title what time as the Commons of England made humble suit in Parliament to the King that hee would restore unto him the title of Marquesse which he had lost he opposed himselfe against that petition and openly said That it was a new dignitie and altogether unknowne to his Ancestours and therefore hee neither craved it nor in any wise would accept of it Earles called in Latine Comites are ranged in the third place and may seeme to have come unto us from our Ancestours the Germans For they in times past as Cornelius Tacitus writeth had their Comites Who should alwaies give attendance upon their Princes and bee at hand in matters of counsell and authoritie But others thinke that they came from the Romans to us as also to the Franks or French For the Emperours when as the Empire was growne now to the full strength began to have about them a certaine privie Counsell which was called Caesaris Comitatus and then those whose counsell they used in warre and peace were termed Comites whence it is that in ancient Inscriptions wee find oftentimes COMITI IMPP. And in few yeares the name of Comes grew so rife that it was given to all Officers and Magistrates that observed or gave attendance upon the said sacred or privie Counsel or that came out of it and from hence afterward the name extended to all those which were the Provosts or Over-seers of any matters of state And Suidas defineth Comes to be The ruler of the people as Cuiacius hath taught us who also teacheth us that before Constantine the Great the name of Comes was not in use to signifie any honour But he when he altered the forme of the Roman Empire by new distinctions and endevored to oblige many unto him with his benefits and them to advance unto honour ordained first the title of Comes without any function or government at all to be a title of dignitie and this Comes had a certaine power and priviledge for to accompanie the Prince not only when hee went abroad but in his palace also in his privie chamber and secret roomes to have libertie likewise to be present at his Table and private speeches And hereupon it is that wee read thus in Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Who so obtained of the King the Dignitie of Comites At length to them which were beholden unto him for this honourable preferment hee granted other dignities with charge and againe upon those that were in place of Magistracie and executed any office of State either at home or abroad he bestowed that title of honour Comes Domesticorum L. Great Master of the Houshold Comes sacrarum largitionum L. High Treasurer Comes sacrae vestis Master of the Wardrobe Comes Stabuli Master of the Horse Comes Thesauri Treasurer Comes Orientis Lieutenant of the East Comes Britanniae Comes Africae c. Herehence it came that ever since the name of Comes imported Dignitie and authoritie or government at the first temporarie afterward for terme of life Moreover in processe of time when the Empire of the Romans became rent into many kingdomes this title yet was retained and our English-Saxons called them in Latine Comites and Consules whom in their owne language they named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the very same the Danes termed in their tongue Eorlas that is Honourable as Ethelward writeth by which name somewhat mollified they are called of us at this day Earles And verily for a long time they were knowne by this name simply at length with addition also of the place over which they were put in authoritie Neither as yet descended this honour to the next heire by inheritance Where by the way thus much I note that the first hereditarie Earles in France were the Earles of Britaine But when William of Normandy had made conquest of this Land and seated himselfe in the absolute government of this Kingdome Earles began to bee Feudall Hereditarie and Patrimoniall that is By fee or Tenure by service by inheritance and by Lands who also as it appeareth in Doomesday-booke were simply without any addition at all named Earles as Comes Hugo Comes Alanus Comes Rogerus Earle Hugh Earle Alan Earle Roger c. Afterwards as wee may see in ancient Charters Earles were created with the name of a place joyned unto them and the third pennie of the Shire was assigned unto them As for example Mawd the Empresse daughter and heire to K. Henry the First created an Earle in these words as appeareth in the very Charter which I have I Mawd daughter of K. Henry and Ladie of the Englishmen doe give and grant unto Geffrey de Magnavil for his service to his heires after him by right of inheritance to be Earle of Essex to have the third pennie out of the Sheriffs Court issuing out of all pleas as an Earle should have through his Countie in all things And this is the most ancient Charter that hitherto I have seen of an Earles creation Likewise Henry the Second King of England her sonne created an Earle by these words Know yee that wee have made Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolk to wit of the third pennie of Norwic and Norfolc as freely as any Earle of England holdeth his Countie Which words an old booke of Battaile Abbey expoundeth thus An usuall and ancient custome it was throughout all England that the Earles should have the third pennie to themselves of the Provinces whereof they tooke the name and were called Earles Semblably another booke without name more plainly The Shire or Countie hath the name of
fore-token of justice having the knot of white silke made in forme of a crosse with an hood upon their left shoulder But of these complements which my purpose was not to prosecute in particular this may bee thought sufficient if not superfluous Now as touching those Knights who simply without any addition bee called Knights and howsoever they are in order ranged last yet by institution they be first and of greatest Antiquitie For as the Romans a gowned nation gave unto them that were entring into mans estate a virile and plaine gowne without welt or gard even so the Germans our Ancestors bestowed upon their young men whom they judged meet for to manage armes armour and weapons Which Cornelius Tacitus will informe you of in these words of his The manner was not for any one to take armes in hand before the State allowed him as sufficient for Martiall service And then in the very assembly of Counsell either some one of the Princes or the father of the young man or one of his kinsfolke furnish him with a shield and a javelin This with them standeth in stead of a virile gowne this is the first honour done to youth before this they seeme to bee but part of a private house but now within a while members of the Common-weale And seeing that such military young men they termed in their language as we in ours Knechts from them I deeme the originall both of name and institution also ought to be fetched This was the first and most simple manner of creating a Knight this the Lombards this the Frankes this our countrymen all descended out of Germanie in old time used Paulus Diaconus reporteth thus among the Lombards This is the Custome that the Kings sonne dineth not with his father unlesse hee receive Armes before from some King of a forraine nation The Annals of France record that the Kings of the Franks gave armes unto their sonnes and to others and girded them with a sword yea and our Aelfred as William of Malmesburie witnesseth when he dubbed Athelstan his nephew Knight being a child of great hope gave him a scarlet mantle a belt or girdle set with precious stones and a Saxon-sword with a golden scabberd Afterwards when as religion had possessed mens minds so as that they thought nothing well fortunately done but what came from Church-men our Ancestors a little before the Normans comming received the Sword at their hands And this Ingulphus who lived in those daies sheweth in these words He that was to be cōsecrated unto lawfull warfare should the evening before with a contrite heart make confession of his sinnes unto the Bishop Abbat Monke or Priest and being absolved give himselfe to prayer and lodge all night in the Church and when hee was to heare divine service the morrow after offer his sword upon the Altar and after the Gospel the Priest was to pu◠the sword first hallowed upon the Knights neck with his Benediction and so when hee had heard Masse againe and received the Sacrament he became a lawfull Knight Neither grew this custome out of use streight waies under the Normans For John of Sarisburie writeth in his Polycraticon thus A solemne Custome was taken up and used that the very day when any one was to be honoured with the girdle of knighthood hee should solemnly goe to Church and by laying and offering his Sword upon the Altar vow himselfe as it were by making a solemne profession to the service of the Altar that is to say promise perpetuall service and obsequious dutie unto the Lord. Peter also of Blois writeth thus At this day young Knights and souldiers receive their Swords from the Altar that they might professe themselves Sonnes of the Church and to have taken the Sword for defence of the poore for punishment and revenge of malefactors and delivery of their Country But in processe of time saith he it is turned cleane contrary For in these daies since they are become adorned with the Knights cincture presently they arise against the Annointed of the Lord and rage upon the patrimonie of Christ crucified And as for this ceremonie that they would be girt with a Sword it may seeme no doubt to have proceeded from the militarie discipline of the Romans because as they denied it unlawfull to fight with their enemie before they were bound to their militarie oath by a drawn sword even so our Forefathers thought they might not go to warfare lawfully before they were by this ceremonie lawfully authorised according to which wee reade that William Rufus King of England was dubbed Knight by Lanfranke the Archbishop But this custome by little and little grew to disuse since the time that the Normans as Ingulphus writeth laughed and scorned at it and in a Synode at Westminster An. 1102. a Canon passed That no Abbats should dubbe Knights which some notwithstanding expound thus That Abbats should grant no lands of the Church to be held by Knights service or in Knights fee or service Afterwards Kings were wont to send their sonnes unto the neighbour Princes to receive Knighthood at their hands thus was our K. Henrie the Second sent unto David King of the Scots and Malcolme King of Scots unto our Henry the Second and our Edward the first unto the King of Castile to take of them Militarie or Virile armes for these termes and phrases they used in that age for the creation of a Knight Then it was also that besides the sword and girdle gilt spurres were added for more ornament whereupon at this day they are called in Latin Equites aurati Moreover they had the priviledge to weare use a signet for before they were dubbed knights as I gather out of Abendon Booke it was not lawfull to use a seale Which writing quoth he Richard Earle of Chester purposed to signe with the seale of his mother Ermentrud considering that all Letters which he directed for as yet he had not taken the Militarie girdle were made up and closed within his mothers signet In the age ensuing knights as it may be well collected were made by their wealth and state of living For they which had a great knights Fee that is if wee may beleeve old records 680. akers of land claimed as their right the ornaments and badges of knighthood Nay rather under Henry the Third they were compelled after a sort to be knights as many as in revenues of their lands might dispend fifteen pounds by the yeare so as now it seemed a title of burden rather than of honour In the yeare 1256. there went out an edict from the King by vertue whereof commandement was given proclamation made throughout the Realme that whosoever had fifteen pounds in land and above should be dight in his armes and endowed with knighthood to the end that England as well as Italie might be strengthned with Chivalrie and they that would not or were not able to maintaine the honour
For in the Kings Palace a place there was for the Chancellor and clerks such as were imployed about writs or processes and the seale for Judges also that handled as well Pleas as they terme them pertaining unto the Kings Crown as between one Subject and another There was also the Exchequer wherein the Lord Treasurer Auditours and Receivers sat who had the charge of the Kings revenues treasure and coffers Every of these being counted of the Kings houshold in ordinary had allowed them from the King both dier and apparell Whereupon Gotzelinus in the life of S. Edward calleth them The Lawyers of the Palace John of Salisburie The Court Lawyers But beside these and above them all was one appointed for administration of Justice named Iustitia Angliae The Iustice of England Prima Iustitia The principall Iustice The Iusticer of England and chiefe Iusticer of England who with a yearely pension of a thousand Marks was ordained by a Commission or Charter running in these termes The King to all Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors Earles Barons Sheriffes Forresters and all other liege and faithfull people of England greeting Whereas for the preservation of our selves and the peace of our Kingdome and for the ministring of Iustice to all and every person of our Realme we have ordained our beloved and trustie Philip Basset Chiefe Iusticer of England so long as it shall please us wee charge you upon the faith and allegiance that yee owe unto us and doe straightly enjoyne you that in all things which concerne the office of our foresaid Iusticeship and the preservation of our peace and Kingdome yee be fully attendant and assistant unto him so long as be shall continue in the said Office Witnesse the King c. But when as in the raigne of Henry the Third enacted it was that the Common Pleas of the Subjects should not follow the Kings Court but be held in some certain place within a while after the Chancerie and the Court of the Pleas of the Crowne together with the Exchequer were translated from the Kings Court and established in certaine places apart by themselves as some I know not how truely have reported Having premised by way of Preface thus much I will proceede to write briefly somewhat of these Courts and others that arise from them according as they are kept at this day And whereas some of them bee Courts of Law to wit the Kings Bench The common Bench or Pleas the Exchequer the Assises the Star-Chamber the Court of Wards and the Admirals Court others of Equitie namely The Chauncerie the Court of Requests The Counsels in the Marches of Wales and in the North parts of every of these in due order somewhat as I have learned of others The Kings Bench so called because the Kings were wont there to sit as Presidents in proper person handleth the pleas of the Crowne and many other matters which pertaine to the King and the Weale publique and withall it sifteth and examineth the errors of the Common Pleas. The Judges there beside the King when it pleaseth him to be present are the Lord chiefe Justice of England and other Justices foure or more as the King shall thinke good The common Pleas hath that name because in it are debated the common Pleas betweene Subject and Subject according to our law which they call common Heerein give judgement The chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas with foure Justices assistants or more Officers attendant there be The Keeper of the Brieffes or writs Three Protonotaries and inferiour Ministers very many The Exchequer tooke that name of a boord or table whereat they sat For thus writeth Gervase of Tilburie who lived in the yeere 1160. The Exchequer is a foure cornered boord about ten foote long and five foote broad fitted in manner of a table for men to sit round about it On every side a standing ledge or border it hath of the bredth of foure fingers Vpon this Exchequer boord is laid a cloth bought in Easter terme and the same of black colour and rewed with strikes distant one from another a foote or a span And a little after This Court by report began from the very Conquest of the Realme and was erected by King William howbeit the reason and proportion thereof taken from the Exchequer beyond Sea In this are all causes heard which belong unto the Kings treasury Judges therein be The Lord Treasurer of England The Chancellor of the Exchequer The Lord chiefe Baron with three or foure other Barons of the Exchequer The servitours and Ministers to this Court are The Kings Remembrancer The Lord Treasurers Remembrancer The Clerke of the Pipe The Controller of the Pipe Auditours of the old revenues five The Forrein Opposer The Clerke of the Estreights The Clerke of the Pleas The Mareschall The Clerke of the Summons The Deputie Chamberlaines Secondaries in the office of the Kings Remembrancer two Secondaries in the office of the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer two Secondaries of the Pipe two Clerkes in divers offices foure c. In the other part of the Exchequer called the Receipt these bee the Officers Two Chamberlains a vice Treasurer Clerke of the Tallies Clerke of the Pels Tellers foure Ioyners of Tallies two Deputie Chamberlaines two The Clerke for Tallies The Keeper of the Treasurie Messengers or Pursevants ordinarie foure Scribes two c. The Officers likewise of the Tenths and first Fruits belong to this Court who were ordained when as the Popes authoritie was banished and abolished and an act passed by which it was provided that the Tenths and First fruits of Churchmens Benefices should be paid unto the King Beside these three Kings Courts for law to cut off delaies to ease the subject also of travell and charges King Henrie the Second sent some of these Judges and others yearely into every Shire or Countie of the Realme who were called Iustices Itinerant and commonly Iustices in Eyre These determined and gave judgement as well of the Pleas of the Crowne as the Common Pleas within those Counties whereunto they were assigned For the said King as Matthew Paris saith By the counsell of his sonne and the Bishops together appointed Iustices to sixe parts of the Kingdome in every part three who should sweare to keepe and maintaine the right belonging to every man sincerely and uncorruptly But this ordinance vanished at length under Edward the Third Howbeit within a while after by Parliamentary authoritie it was in some sort revived For the Counties being divided into certaine Circuits as wee terme them two of the Kings Justices together twice in the yeare ride about and keepe their Circuits for to give definitive sentence of the Prisoners and as we use to speake to deliver the Goales or Prisons Whereupon in our Lawyers Latin they bee called Iusticiarii Gaolae deliberandae that is Justices for Goale deliverie as also to take Recognisances of Assises of new Deseisine c. whereof they be named
Vautorts and partly to the Prior. Of late time it became of a poore fisher village to be a great Towne and for the number of Inhabitants growne to that passe as now it is to be seene that it may bee compared with a Citie Such is the commodiousnesse of the haven which without striking saile admitteth into the bosome thereof the tallest ships that be doth harbour them very safely as well within Tamar as Plime and beside against hostilitie sufficiently fortified For before the very midst of the havens mouth lieth S. Michaels Isle strongly fortified both by nature and art as for the haven it selfe at the very Towne it hath fortifications on both sides and is chained over when need requireth having on the South side a Pier against it and upon an hill next adjoyning a Castle built as it is thought by the Vautorts The whole Towne is divided into foure Wards governed by a Major ordained there by K. Henry the Sixth and under him every ward had in times past a Captaine set over it each of them likewise had his inferiour officers As touching that fabulous wrestling betweene Corinaeus and Gogmagog the Giant in this place let it suffice to set downe a verse or two out of Architrenius concerning the same and the Westerne Giants Hos auidum belli robur Corinaeus Averno Praecipitis misit cubitis ter quatuor altum Gogmagog Herculeâ suspendit in aere luctâ Anthaeumque suum scopulo detrusit in aequor Potavitque dato Thetis ebria sanguine fluctus Diuisumque tulit mare corpus Cerberus umbram These martiall monsters Giants strong by Corinaeus slaine With Gogmagog twelve cubits high a combat did remaine Whom up he hang'd twixt heaven and earth thus once Alcides hung Antaeus fell and from the rock into the Sea him flung His bloud gave Thetis the waves to drinke her selfe therewith was drunke His grisly ghost had Cerberus when body torne was sunke As for that rock from whence they say this Giant was cast down it is now called the Haw a very hill standing between the Town and the Ocean on the top whereof which lieth spred into a most pleasant plaine there is a right delectable and goodly prospect every way and for the use of Sailers a very faire Compasse erected The circuit of this Town not great but much renowned it is among forraine nations and not so much for the commodious haven as the valour of the Inhabitants in sea services of all sorts For to say nothing of all others from hence was Sir Francis Drake that famous Knight and most skilfull man at sea in our daies who first as I have heard himselfe relate to repaire the losses which he had sustained at the Spaniards hands for two yeares space together with victorious successe held and kept the Bay of Mexico as it were besieged and travailed over the Isthmus of Dariena From whence when he had once beheld the South sea as the Spaniards call it as another Themistocles stirred up with the Trophees of Miltiades thought hee should have neglected himselfe his country and his owne glory unlesse he sailed over it which continually presented it selfe as an object to his adventurous mind In the yeare therefore 1577. putting to sea from hence he entred into the streits of Magellan and in two yeares and ten moneths through many alternative varieties of fortune God being his guide and valour his consort was the next after Magellanus that sailed round about the world Whereupon one wrote thus unto him Drake pererrati novit quem terminus orbis Quemque semel mundi vidit uterque polus Si taceant homines facient te sidera notum Sol nescit comitis immemor esse sui Sir Drake whom well the worlds end knows which thou did'st compasse round And whom both poles of heaven once saw which North and South doe bound The Starres above will make thee knowne if men here silent were The Sunne himselfe cannot forget his fellow-travailler The rest of his noble exploits and of others who descended from hence taking example by him flourished in glorious atchivements by sea seeing it belongs not to this place let Historians record in writing Neither have I ought else to say more of this Towne but that in the raigne of William Rufus there flourished heere one Ealphege a learned and married Priest For untill the yeare 1102. Priests in England were not forbidden to have their wives Then Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury violently forced both the sacred Scripture and nature also as our writers in those daies doe complaine and namely Henry of Huntingdon expresly of Anselme in these termes He prohibited English Priests to have wives who before-time were not prohibited Which as some thought to be a matter of greatest puritie so others againe tooke it to be most perilous lest while by this meanes they aimed at cleannesse above their power they should fall into horrible uncleannesse to the exceeding great shame of Christianitie More inward in the country and yet not farre from the water of Plim is Plimpton seated a mercate Towne well frequented where the remnants and deformed ruines of a Castle shew themselves of which many men have holden as our Lawyers terme it in Castle guard for it was the chiefe seat of the Redversies or the Riparii for both we read who were Barons of Plimpton and Earles of Denshire Next unto this stood Plimpton S. Mary the glorie whereof then fell to decay when as not long since the Colledge there of Canons was dissolved which William Warlewast Bishop of Exceter in old time had founded More Eastward you see Modburie a little Towne which acknowledgeth it selfe to appertaine to the ancient and right worshipfull family of the Campernulphs Knights who also are called in old Deeds De campo Arnulphi but commonly Champernouns which received much advancement and reputation by the heire of the Uautorts From Plims mouth where the South shore of this region beginneth the countrey runneth along with a large and great front as farre as to Stert a cape or promontorie for so the word in the English Saxon tongue signifieth but so soone as the shore hath drawne it selfe back land-ward the river Dert breaketh out which arising from the inward part of the country runneth downe apace through certaine leane and high grounds called thereupon Dertmore wherein of late were Lode stones found and carrieth downe with it certaine grit and sand out of the Tin-mines which by little and little choke up the channell through the Forrest of Dortmore where David of Sciredun held lands in Sciredun and Siplegh by this tenure or service to find two arrowes when the King his soveraigne Lord should come to hunt in that Forrest From thence by Dertinton a Baronie sometimes of the Martins who were Lords of Keimes in Wales it holdeth in his streame unto Totnes Which being an ancient little Towne standing pendant upon the fall of an hill
nations that every souldier remaining alive after a foughten field should carry his head-piece full of earth toward the making of their fellowes tombes that were slaine Although I am of opinion rather that this of Selburie was set there in stead of a limit if not by the Romans then certainly by the Saxons Like as that fosse called Wodensdike considering that betweene the Mercians and the West-Saxons there was much bickering in this Shire many a time about their Marches and both Boetius and the Grammaticall Writers have made mention of such Mounts raised for bounds Within one mile of Selburie is Aiburie an up-landish village built in an old Campe as it seemeth but of no large compasse for it is environed with a faire trench and hath foure gappes as gates in two of the which stand huge Stones as jambes but so rude that they seeme rather naturall than artificiall of which sort there are some other in the said village This River Kenet runneth at the first Eastward through certaine open fields out of which there stand up aloft every where stones like rockes and off them a little village there is called Rockley among which there breaketh out sometimes at unawares water in manner of a streame or sudden Land-flood reputed the messenger as it were and forerunner of a dearth and is by the rusticall people of the countrey called Hunger-borne From hence Kenet holdeth on his course to a towne bearing his name called of Antoninus CVNETIO and is placed from Verlucio twenty miles At which distance just from thence that ancient towne called by a new name Marleborow in old time Marleberge standeth upon this river Cunetio now Kenet stretching out East and West on the pendant of an hill Whether this name Marleborow came in latter ages of Marga which in our language we call Marle and use in stead of dung to manure our grounds I am not ready to affirme Certes it lieth neere a chaulkey hill which our Ancestours before they borrowed this name Chaulke of the Latine word Calx named Marle But the Etymologie thereof that Alexander Necham in his Booke of divine wisedome hath coined and drawne from Merlins Tombe as appeareth by this Distichon of his making is ridiculous Merlini tumulus tibi Merlebrigia nomen Fecit testis erit Anglica lingua mihi O Merlebridge towne of Merlins Tombe thou had'st thy name Our English tongue will testifie with me the same The fatall end of this towne Cunetio and the name together and the estate thereof with the ancient memorie also from the comming in of the Saxons unto the Normans time is utterly vanished and gone for in all this space betweene our histories doe not so much as once name it But in the age next ensuing wee reade that Iohn surnamed Sine terra that is Without Land who afterwards was King of England had a Castle heere which when hee revolted from his brother King Richard the First Hubert Archbishop of Canterburie tooke by force and which afterwards was most famous by reason of a Parliament there holden wherein by a generall consent of the States of the Kingdome there assembled a law passed for the appeasing of all tumults commonly called the Satute of Marleborow But now being daunted by time there remaineth an heape of rammell and rubbish witnessing the ruines thereof and some few reliques of the walles remaine within the compasse of a drie ditch and an Inne there is adjoyning thereto which in stead of the Castle hath the signe of a Castle hanging out at it The Inhabitants of the place have nothing to make greater shew of than in the Church of Preshut hard by of a Christning Font as it seemeth of Touchstone or of Obsidian stone in which by their report certaine Princes I wot not who were in times past baptized and made Christians Neither verily can I conceale that which I have read that every Burger heere admitted is by an old order and custome among them to present unto the Major a brace of hounds for the hare a couple of white Capons and a white Bull. On the same River and the same side thereof is seated Ramsburie a prettie village having nothing now to commend it but pleasant meadowes about it howsoever in old time famous it was for the Bishops See there who had this Shire for their Diocesse but that seate being by Herman the Eighth Bishop laid unto that of Shirburne and at length as I said before translated to Saliburie carried away with it all the name and reputation of this place because at Ramesburie there was never any Covent of Clerkes nor ought for their maintenance From the other side of the River more Eastward Littlecot sheweth it selfe not long since a seate of the Darels a place worthy to bee remembred for the late Lord thereof Sir Iohn Popham who being the chiefe Iudge in the Kings Bench executed justice as I have said already against malefactors to his high praise and commendation And heereby runneth the limit betweene this Shire and Berkshire Thus farre forth have we taken a slight view and survey of Wilshire which as wee find in the Domesday booke and worth the noting it is paide unto the King tenne pounds for an Hawke twentie shillings for a strong Steed for hey one hundred shillings and five ores now what kind a piece of money and of what kind that Ore was I wot not but out of a Register of Burton Monasterie I have observed thus much that twentie Ores are worth two Markes of silver This province can reckon out of divers and sundry houses but few Earles besides those of Salisburie whom I have named before for to omit Weolsthan before the Normans Conquest it had none to my knowledge unto King Richard the Second his daies who preferred William le Scrope to that one honour But this mans good fortunes stood and fell together with his Prince For when the one was deposed the other lost his head After whom within short time succeeded Iames Butler Earle of Ormund advanced to that dignitie by King Henrie the Sixth Howbeit when the Lancastrians were downe the wind and hee was attainted his estate forfeited and Iohn Stafford a younger sonne of Humfrey Duke of Buckingham by the favour of King Edward the Fourth received this title whose sonne Edward succeeded him and died without issue The same honour afterwards King Henrie the Eighth bestowed upon Henrie Stafford of the same house of Buckingham who having enjoyed it a little while departed likewise and left no children behind him In the end the favour of the said King brought it into the family of the Bullens for Thomas Bullen Vicount Rochfort Sonne to one of the Daughters and coheires of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormund hee created Earle of Wilshire whose Daughter Anne the King tooke to wife A marriage this was to her selfe and her brother unhappie and deadly to her Parents wofull but
the Parliament by the name of William Beauchamp de Saint Amando flourished among other Barons like as his sonne Richard who left no issue lawfully begotten Kenet keeping on his course downward from thence betweene Hemsted Marshall which sometimes was held by the rod of Marshalsee and appertained to the Mareschals of England where S. Thomas Parry Treasurer of Queene Elizabeths houshold built a very proper house and Benham Valence in a Parke so called because it belonged to William de Valencia Earle of Pembroch But Queen Elizabeth gave it to Iohn Baptista Castilion a Piemontes of her privie chamber for faithfull service in her dangers So the river passeth on to that old town Spinae wherof Antonine made mention which retaining still the name is at this day called Spene but now in steed of a towne it is a very little village standing scarce a mile off from Newbury a famous towne that arose and had beginning out of the ruins of it For Newbury with us is as much to say as the Newburgh in respect no doubt of that more ancient place of habitation which is quite decayed and gone and hath left the name also in a peece of Newburie it selfe which is called Spinham Lands And if nothing else yet this verily might prove that Newburie sprang out of Spine because the inhabitants of Newbury acknowledge the village Spene as their mother although in comparison of Spene it be passing faire and goodly as well for buildings as furniture become rich also by clothing and very well seated in a champian plaine having the river Kenet to water it This towne at the time that the Normans conquered England fell to Ernulph de Hesdin Earle of Perch whose successour Thomas Earle of Perch being slaine at the siege of Lincolne the Bishop of Chalons his heire sold it unto William Marescall Earle of Pembroke who also held the Manour of Hempsted hard by whereof I have spoken and his successors also Mareschals of England untill that Roger Bigod for his obstinacie lost his honor and possessions both which notwithstanding by intreaty he obtained againe for his life time Kenet passeth on hence and taketh into him Lamborn a little river which at the head and spring thereof imparteth his name to a small mercate towne that in old time by vertue of King Aelfreds testament belonged unto his cousin Alfrith and afterward to the Fitz Warens who of King Henrie the Third obtained libertie of holding a mercate but now appertaineth unto the Essexes Knights A familie that fetcheth their pedigree from William Essex Vnder-treasurer of England under King Edward the Fourth from those who in times past carried the same surname flourished as men of very great fame in Essex From thence he runneth under Dennington which others call Dunnington a little castle but a fine and proper one situate with a faire prospect upon the brow of a prety hill full of groves and which inwardly for the most part letteth in all the light Built they say it was by Sir Richard de Abberbury Knight who also under it founded for poore people a Gods-house Afterward it was the residence of Chaucer then of the Dela Poles and in our fathers daies of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke Kenet having now finished a long course by Aldermaston which King Henrie the First gave unto Robert Achard From whose posterity by the Delamares it came at length in right of marriage to the Fosters a familie of Knights degree falleth at the last into Tamis presently after it hath with his winding branches compassed a great part of Reading This towne Reading called in the English Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Rhea that is The River or of the British word Redin that signifieth Fearne which groweth heere in great plentie excelleth at this day all other townes of this shire in faire streets and goodly houses for wealth also of the Townsmen and their name in making of cloth although it hath lost the greatest ornaments it had to wit a beautifull Church and a most ancient Castle For this the Danes kept as their hold so Asserius writeth when they made a rampier betweene Kenet and Tamis and into this they retired themselves for safety when at Inglefield a village neere unto it which gave name to an ancient familie they were by King Aethelwolfe discomfited and put to flight But King Henrie the Second so rased it because it was a place of refuge for King Stephens followers that nothing now remaineth of it but the bare name in the next street Nigh whereunto King Henrie the First having plucked downe a little Nunnerie that Queene Alfrith had founded in former times to make satisfaction for her wicked deeds built for Monks a stately and sumptuous Abbay and enriched it with great revenewes Which Prince to speake out of his very Charter of the foundation Because three Abbaies in the Realme of England were in old time for their sinnes destroied to wit Reading Chelseie and Leonminster which a long time were held in Lay mens hands by the advise of the Bishops built a new Monasterie of Reading and gave unto it Reading Chelseie and Leonminster In this Abbay was the founder himselfe King Henrie buried with his wife both vailed and crowned for that shee had beene a Queene and a professed Nunne and with them their daughter Mawde as witnesseth the private Historie of this place although some report that she was enterred at Becc in Normandie This Mawde as well as that Lacedemonian Ladie Lampido whom Plinie maketh mention of was a Kings daughter a Kings wife and a Kings mother that is to say daughter of this Henrie the First King of England wife of Henrie the Fourth Emperour of Almaine and mother to Henrie the Second King of England Concerning which matter have you here a Distichon engraven on her tombe and the same verily in my judgment conceived in some gracious aspect of the Muses Magna ortu majorque viro sed maxima partu Hîc jacet Henrici filia sponsa parens The daughter wife the mother eke of Henrie lieth heere Much blest by birth by marriage more but most by issue deere And well might she be counted greatest by her issue For Henrie the Second her sonne as Iohn of Salisburie who lived in those daies wrote was the best and most vertuous King of Britaine the most fortunate Duke of Normandie and Aquitain and as well for valiant exploits as for excellent vertues highly renowned How courageous how magnificent how wise and modest he was even from his tender yeeres envy it selfe can neither conceale nor dissemble seeing that his acts bee fresh and conspicuous seeing also that he hath extended forward and held on in a continued traine the titles of his vertue from the bounds of Britaine unto the marches of Spaine And in another place of the same King Henrie the Second the most mighty King that ever was of Britaine shewed his
prophane wretches hemmed him round about and getteth together divers and sundry weapons to kill him Which when their leader Thurkill saw a farre off he came quickly running and crying Doe not so in any wise I beseech you and heere with my whole heart I deliver unto you all my gold and silver and whatsoever I have heere or can by any meanes come by save my ship onely that yee would not sinne against the Lords annointed But this unbridled anger of his mates harder than yron and flint was nothing mollified with so gentle words and faire language of his but became pacified by shedding his innocent bloud which presently they altogether confounded and bleanded with Ox-heads stones as thicke as haile and billets hurled at him And to the memorie of this Saint Ealpheg is the Parish Church heere consecrated But now is the place of very great name by reason of the Kings house which Humfrey Duke of Glocester built and named Placence which also King Henrie the Seventh most sumptuously enlarged who adjoyned thereto a little house of observant Friers and finished that towre famous in Spanish fables which the said Duke of Glocester begun on an high hill from whence there is a most faire and pleasant prospect open to the river winding in and out and almost redoubling it selfe the greene meddowes and marshes underlying the Citie of London and the Countrie round about Which being now enlarged and beautified by the L. Henrie Howard Earle of Northampton Lord Privie Seale c. cannot but acknowledge him a well deserving benefactor But the greatest ornament by far that graced this Green-wich was our late Queene Elizabeth who heere most happily borne to see the light by the resplendent brightnesse of her royall vertue enlightned all England But as touching Green-wich have heere these verses of Leland the Antiquarian Poet Ecce ut jam niteat locus petitus Tanquam syderea domus cathedrae Quae fastigia picta quae fenestrae Quae turres vel ad astra se efferentes Quae porro viridaria ac perennes Fontes Flora sinum occupat venusta Fundens delicias nitentis horti Rerum commodus aestimator ille Râ—pae qui variis modis amoenae Nomen contulit eleganter aptum How glittereth now this place of great request Like to the seate of heavenly welkin hie With gallant tops with windowes of the best What towres that reach even to the starry skie What Orchards greene what springs ay-running by Faire Flora heere that in this creeke doth dwell Bestowes on it the flowers of garden gay To judge no doubt of things he knew full well Who gave this banke thus pleasant every way So fit a name as did the thing bewray Nothing else have I here to note but that for I would not have the remembrance of well deserving benefactors to miscarry William Lambard a godly good Gentleman built an Almeshouse here for the sustentation of poore persons which hee named The Colledge of Queene Elizabeths poore people and as the prying adversaries of our religion then observed was the first Protestant that built an Hospitall At the backe of this as ye turne out scarce three miles off standeth Eltham a retyring place likewise of the Kings but unholsomly by reason of the moate Anthony Becke Bishop of Durham and Patriarch of Ierusalem built this in a manner new and gave unto Queene Eleanor wife to King Edward the First after hee had craftily conveyed unto himselfe the inheritance of the Vescyes unto whom this place before belonged For that Bishop whom the last Baron of Vescy had made his foefie for trust of all his inheritance to the use of William Vescy his little base sonne dealt not so faithfully as he should with this orphane and ward of his but dispoiled him of Alnwick Castle this and other faire lands Beneath Greenwich the Thames having broken downe his bankes hath by his irruption surrounded and overwhelmed many acres of land For the inning whereof divers have as it were strugled with the waters now many yeares and yet with great workes and charges cannot overmaster the violence of the tides which the Chanons of Liesnes adjoyning kept sound and sweete land in their times This Abbey was founded 1179. by Lord Richard Lucie chiefe Iustice of England and by him dedicated to God and the memorie of Thomas of Canterburie whom hee so admired for his piety while other condemned him for pervicacie against his Prince as hee became here a devoted Chanon to him Heere in the marshes groweth plentifully the hearbe Cochlearia called by our Countrey men Scurvy-grasse which some Phisicians would have to be the same which Plinie calleth Britannica by which name I have already made mention thereof but heare what Plinie saith In Germany when as Germanicus Caesar had removed his campe forward beyond Rhene in the maritime tract there was one fountaine and no more of fresh water whereof if a man dranke within two yeares his teeth would fall out of his head and the joynts in his knees become loose and feeble Those diseases the Phisicians tearmed Stomacace and Sceletyrbe For remedie hereof there was found an hearbe called Brittannica holesome not onely for the sinewes and maladies of the mouth but also against the Squincie and stinging of serpents c. They of Frisia what way our campe lay shewed it unto our souldiours And I marvaile what should bee the cause of that name unlesse peradventure they that confine upon the Ocean dedicated the name thereof to Britaine as lying so nere vnto it But that most learned Hadrian Iunius in his booke named Nomenclator bringeth another reason of the name whom you may have recourse unto if you please For this word Britannica hath here diverted me a side from my course From thence the Thames being contained within his bankes meeteth with the river Darent which falling downe out of Suthrey runneth with a soft streame not farre from Seven-oke so called as men say of seven exceeding great Okes now cut downe which commendeth Sir William Sevenok an Alderman of London who being a foundling and brought up here and therefore so named built heere in gratefull remembrance an Hospitall and a schoole On the East side of it standeth Knoll so called for that it is seated upon a hill which Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury purchasing of Sir William Fienes Lord Say and Seale adorned with a faire house and now lately Thomas Earle of Dorset Lord Treasurer hath fourbished and beautified the old worke with new chargeable additaments Darent then passeth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now Otford a place famous in former ages for an overthrow and slaughter of the Danes which happened there in the yeare 1016. and lately by reason of the Kings house which William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury built for himselfe and his successours so sumptuously that for to avoid envie Cranmer who next succeeded him was constreined to exchange
Chamberlaine to King Richard the Third attainted by King Henry the Seventh and slaine in the battaile at Stoke in the quarrell of Lambert that Counterfeit Prince whose sister Fridiswid was Grandmother to Henry the first Lord Norris Hence Windrush hodling on his course watereth Whitney an ancient Towne and before the Normans daies belonging to the Bishops of Winchester to which adjoyneth Coges the chiefe place of the Barony of Arsic the Lords whereof branched out of the family of the Earles of Oxford are utterly extinguished many yeeres agoe Neere unto this the Forest of Witchwood beareth a great breadth and in time past spread farre wider For King Richard the Third disforested the great Territory of Witchwood betweene Woodstocke and Brightstow which Edward the Fourth made to be a Forest as Iohn Rosse of Warwicke witnesseth Isis having received Windrush passeth downe to Einsham in the Saxon tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Manour in times past of the Kings seated among most pleasant medowes which Cuthwulfe the Saxon was the first that tooke from the Britans whom he had hereabout vanquished and long after Aethelmar a Nobleman beautified it with an Abbay the which Aethelred King of England in the yeere of Salvation 1005. confirmed to the Benedictine Monkes and in his confirmation signed the priviledge of the liberty thereof I speake out of the very originall grant as it was written with the signe of the sacred Crosse but now is turned into a private dwelling house and acknowledgeth the Earle of Derby Lord thereof Beneath this Evenlode a little river arising likewise out of Cotteswald speedeth him into Isis which riveret in the very border of the Shire passeth by an ancient Monument standing not farre from his banke to wit certaine huge stones placed in a round circle the common people usually call them Rolle-rich-stones and dreameth that they were sometimes men by a wonderfull Metamorphosis turned into hard stones The draught of them such as it is portrayed long since heere I represent unto your view For without all forme and shape they bee unequall and by long continuance of time much impaired The highest of them all which without the circle looketh into the earth they use to call The King because hee should have beene King of England forsooth if hee had once seene Long Compton a little Towne so called lying beneath and which a man if he goe some few paces forward may see other five standing at the other side touching as it were one another they imagine to have been knights mounted on horse backe and the rest the Army But loe the foresaid Portraiture These would I verily thinke to have beene the Monument of some Victory and haply erected by Rollo the Dane who afterwards conquered Normandie For what time as he with his Danes and Normans troubled England with depredations we read that the Danes joined battaile with the English thereby at Hoche Norton and afterwards fought a second time at Scier stane in Huiccia which also I would deeme to be that Mere-stone standing hard by for a land Marke and parting foure shires For so much doth that Saxon word Scier-stane most plainly import Certainly in an Exchequer booke the Towne adjacent is called Rollen-drich where as it is there specified Turstan le Dispenser held land by Serjeanty of the Kings Dispensary that is to be the Kings Steward As for that Hoch-Norton which I spake of before for the rusticall behaviour of the Inhabitants in the age afore going it grew to be a proverbe when folke would say of one rudely demeaning himselfe and unmaneâ—ly after an Hoggish kinde that hee was borne at Hocknorton This place for no one thing was more famous in old time than for the woefull slaughter of the Englishmen in a foughten field against the Danes under the Raigne of King Edward the Elder Afterwards it became the seat of the Barony of the D' Oilies an honourable and ancient Family of the Norman race of whom the first that came into England was Robert de Oily who for his good and valiant service received of William Conquerour this Towne and many faire possessions whereof hee gave certaine to his sworne brother Roger Ivery which were called the Barony of Saint Valeric But when the said Robert departed this life without issue male his brother Niele succeeded him therein whose sonne Robert the second was founder of Osney Abbay But at length the daughter and heire generall of this house D' Oily was married to Henry Earle of Warwicke and she bare unto him Thomas Earle of Warwicke who dyed without issue in the Raigne of Henry the Third and Margaret who deceased likewise without children abeit shee had two husbands John Marescall and John de Plessetis both of them Earles of Warwicke But then that I may speake in the very words of the Charter of the Grant King Henry the Third granted Hoch-norton and Cudlington unto John de Plessetis which were in times past the possessions of Henry D'Oily and which after the decease of Margaret wife sometime to the foresaid John Earle of Warwicke fell into the kings hand as an Escheat of Normans lands To have and to hold untill the lands of England and Normandy were common Howbeit out of this ancient and famous stocke there remaineth at this day a family of D' Oilies in this shire Evenlode passeth by no memorable thing else but La Bruer now Bruern sometime an Abbay of white Monks and after he hath runne a good long course taketh to him a Brooke neere unto which standeth Woodstocke in the English Saxon language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A woody place where King Etheldred in times past held an assembly of the States of the Kingdome and enacted Lawes Heere is one of the Kings houses full of State and magnificence built by King Henry the First who adjoyned also thereunto a very large Parke compassed round about with a stone wall which John Rosse writeth to have beene the first Parke in England although we read once or twise even in Doomesday Booke these words Parcus silvestris bestiarum in other places In which sense old Varro useth the word Parcus which some thinke to be but a new word But since that Parkes are growne to such a number that there bee more of them in England than are to be found in all Christendome beside so much were our Ancestours ravished with an extraordinary delight of hunting Our Historians report that King Henry the Second being enamoured upon Rosamund Clifford a Damosell so faire so comely and well favoured without comparison that her beauty did put all other women out of the Princes minde in so much as now shee was termed Rosa mundi that is The Rose of the World and for to hide her out of the sight of his jealous Juno the Queene he built a Labyrinth in this house with many inexplicable windings backward and forward Which notwithstanding is no where to be seene at this day The Towne
and Caer Vember in the British language and that I wote not what Vortigerns and Memprices built it But what ever it was in the Britans time the English Saxons called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and altogether in the same signification that the Grecians terme their Bosphori and the Germans their Ochen-furt upon Odera to wit of the fourd of Oxen in which sense it is named of our Britans in Wales at this day Rhyd-ychen And yet Leland grounding upon a probable conjecture deriveth the name from the River Ouse called in Latine Isis and supposeth that it hath beene named Ousford considering that the River Eights or Islands which Isis scattereth hereabout bee called Ousney Sage antiquity as wee read in our Chronicles consecrated this Citty even in the British age unto the Muses whom from Greeke-lad which is a small Towne at this day in Wilt-shire they translated hither as unto a more fruitefull Plant-plot For thus writeth Alexander Necham The skill of Civill Law Italy challengeth to it selfe but for Heavenly Writ or Holy Scripture the liberall Sciences also do prove that the Citty of Paris is to bee preferred before all others Moreover according to the Prophesie of Merline Wisedome and Learning flourished at Oxford which in due time was to passe over into the parts of Ireland But when during the English Saxons age next ensuing there was nothing but continuall wasting and rasing of Townes and Citties according to the sway and current of those dayes it sustained in part the common calamity of that time and for a great while was frequented onely for the reliques of Frideswide who for the chastity and integrity of her life was canonized a Saint upon this occasion especially for that by a solemne vow shee had wholly devoted her selfe unto the Service of GOD and Prince Algar whiles he came a wooing unto her was miraculously as writers say stricken blinde This Frideswide as wee reade in William of Malmesbury triumphing for her virginity erected here a Monastery into which when certaine Danes adjudged to die in King Etheldreds time fled for refuge as to a Sanctuary they were all burned with the buildings such was the unsatiable anger of the Englishmen against them But soone after when the King repented this Act the Sanctuary was cleansed the Monastery reedified the old Lands restored new Possessions added and at length the place was given by Roger Bishop of Salisbury unto a Chanon excellently well learned who there presented unto GOD many such Chanons who should live regularly in their Order But leaving these matters let us returne unto the University When the tempestuous Danish stormes were meetely well blowne ouer Aelfred that most devout and Godly King recalled the long banished Muses unto their owne Sacred Chancells and built three Colledges one for Grammarians a second for Philosophers and a third for Divines But this you may more plainely understand out of these words in old Annales of the new Abbey of Winchester In the yeare of Christs Incarnation * 806. and in the second yeare of Saint Grimbald his comming into England was the Vniversity of OXFORD begunne The first Regents in the same and Readers in the Divinity Schoole were Saint Neoth an Abbat and besides a worthy Teacher in Divinity and holy Grimbald a right excellent Professour of the most sweete written Word of Holy Scripture But in Grammar and Rhetoricke the Regent was Asserius a Monke in the skill of Literature passing well learned In Logicke Musicke and Arithmeticke the Reader was John a Monke of the Church of Saint Davids In Geometry and Astronomy reade John a Monke also and Companion of Saint Grimbald a Man of a passing quicke witte and right learned every way At which Lectures was present that most glorious and invincible King Aelfred whose memoriall in every Mans mouth shall bee as sweete as honie But presently after as wee reade in a very good manuscript coppy of the sayd Asserius who at the same time professed learning here There arose a most dangerous and pernicious dissention at Oxford betweene Grimbald and these great Clerkes whom hee brought thither with him on the one side and those old Schoole-men whom hee there found on the other side who upon his comming refused altogether to embrace the Rules Orders and Formes of reading prescribed and begunne by him For three yeares space the variance and discord betweene them was not great howbeit there lurked a secret hatred fostered and festered among them which brake out afterwards in most grievous and bitter manner and was most evident For the appeasing whereof that most Invincible King Aelfred being by a message and complaint from Grimbald certified of that discord went to OXFORD to determine and end this controversie Where also himselfe in Person tooke exceeding great paines in giving Audience to the quarrels and complaints of both sides Now the maine substance of all the contention stood upon this point Those old Schoole-men hotly avouched that before Grimbalds comming to OXFORD Learning generally flourished there although the Schollers and Students were fewer then in number than in former times by reason that the most of them through the cruelty and tyranny of Painims were expelled Moreover they proved and declared and that by the undoubted testimony of old Chronicles that the Orders and Ordinances of that place were made and established by certaine Godly and learned men as namely Gildas of holy memory Melkin Ninnius Kentigern and others who all of them studied and followed their books there untill they were aged persons managing and governing all things there in happy peace and concord also that S. German came to Oxford and abode there halfe a yeare what time as he travelled through Britan with a purpose to preach against the Pelagian heresies who wonderous well allowed of their former Orders and Ordinances This Noble King with incredible and unexampled humility heard both parts most diligently exhorting them in earnest wise enterlacing godly and wholsome admonitions to keepe mutuall society and concord one with another And so the King departed with this minde hoping they would all of both sides obey his counsell and embrace his orders But Grymbald taking this unkindely and to the heart forthwith went his wayes to Winchester Abbay newly founded by Aelfred Shortly after hee caused his owne Tombe to be translated to Winchester wherein he purposed after hee had runne his race in this life that his bones should bee bestowed in an arched Vault made under the Chancell of Saint Peters Church in Oxford Which Church verily the same Grymbald had built from the very foundation out of the ground with stone most curiously wrought and polished Within some years after this new revived felicity there ensued divers disturbances from the Danes and afterward followed one or two calamities For the Danes in the reigne of Etheldred by way of robbery and foule worke and havocke there and streight after Herald surnamed Light foote raged against it with such barbarous
cruelty for that some of his followers were slaine there in a fray that there followed thereupon a most heavy banishment of the Students and the University a sorrowfull spectacle lay as it were halfe dead and past all recovery untill the dayes of king William the Conquerour Whom some write falsly to have wonne it by assault but Oxonia written amisse in the Copies for Exonia that is Excester deceived them And that it was at that time a place of Studies and Students may bee understood out of these words of Ingulph who in that age flourished I Ingulph saith hee being first placed in Westminster and afterwards sent to the Study of Oxford when as in learning of Aristotle I had profited above my fellowes of the same time c. For those Schooles of Learning which wee call Academies or Vniversities that Age termed Studia that is Studies as I will shew anone But at this very time it was so empoverished that whereas within the wall and without I speake out of William the Conquerour his Domesday booke there were about seaven hundred and fifty houses besides foure and twenty Mansions upon the Walls five hundred of them were not able to pay their Subsidy or Imposition And to use the very words of that booke This Citty paid pro Theloneo et Gablo and for other Customes by the yeare to the King twenty pounds and sixe quarts of Hony and unto Earle Algar tenne pounds About this time Robert D'oily a noble man of Normandy of whom I have before spoken when hee had received at the hands of William the Conquerour in reward of his Service in the Warres large Possessions in this Shire built a spacious Castle in the West side of the Citty with deepe Ditches Rampiers an high raised Mount and therein a Parish Church to Saint George unto which when as the Parishioners could not have accesse by reason that King Stephen most streightly besieged Maude the Empresse within this Castle Saint Thomas Chappell in the streete hard by was built He also as it is thought fortified the whole Citty with new walls which by little and little time doth force and as it were embreach with his assault Robert likewise Nephew unto him by his brother Neale and Chamberlaine to King Henry the First founded Ousney or Osney a most stately Abbay as the ruines doe yet shew amidst the divided waters not farre from the Castle perswaded thereto by Edith his wife the daughter of Forne who before time had beene one of King Henry the First his sweet hearts and lig-bies About those times as we read in the Chronicle of the said Osney Abbay Robert Pulein beganne to reade in Oxford the Holy Scriptures in England now growne out of request Who afterwards when as by his Doctrine the English and Frenchmen both had much profited was called by Pope Lucius the second and promoted to be Chancellour of the Church of Rome To the same effect also writeth Iohn Rosse of Warwicke By the procurement of King Henry the First the Divinity Lecture which had discontinued a long time in Oxford began againe to flourish and there he built a Palace which King Edward the Second at length converted into a Covent of Carmelits But long before this time in this Palace was borne into the World that Lion-hearted Knight Richard the First King of England commonly called Ceeur de Lion a Prince of a most hauty minde and full of resolution borne for the weale of Christendome the honour of England and the terrour of Infidels Upon whose death a Poet in that age of no meane conceite versified thus for that his remaines were interred in diverse places Viscera Carcelorum Corpus Fons servat Ebrardi Et cor Rhothomagum Magne Richarde tuum In tria dividitur unus qui plus fuit uno Nec superest uno gloria tanta viro Hîc Richarde jaces sed mors si cederet armis Victa timore tui cederet ipsa tuis Thy Bowels keep 's Carceolum thy corps Font Everard And Roan thy valiant Lions heart O noble great Richard Thus one three fold divided is for more he was then one And for that one so great he was such glory is in none Here li'st thou Richard but if death to force of armes could yeeld For feare of thee he would to thee have given as lost the field Thus after the Citty was refreshed againe with these buildings many beganne to flocke hither as it were to a Mart of learning and vertue and by the industrious meanes especially of that Robert Pulein a man borne to promote the Common-wealth of learning who refused no paines but laboured all that he could to set open againe those Well springs of good Literature which had beene stopped up through the favour especially of King Henry the First King Henry the Second and King Richard his sonne of whom I spake ere while And these endeavours of Pulein sped so well and tooke so good effect that in the reigne of King Iohn there were here three thousand Students who all at once every one changed their Habitation to Reding and partly to Cambridge because the Citizens seemed to wrong and abuse overmuch these Students and Professours of Learning but after this tumult was appeased they returned within a short time Then and in the age presently ensuing as God provided this City for good learning so he raised up a number of very good Princes and Prelats to the good thereof who for the adorning and maintenance of learning extended their liberality in the highest degree For when King Henry the Third had by way of Pilgrimage visited Saint Frideswide a thing before-time thought to bee an hainous Offence in a Prince for the dishonour offered to her by Algar a Prince and so removed that superstitious feare wherewith some superstitious Priestes had for a time frighted Princes from once comming to Oxford and had assembled here a very great Parliament for the composing of certaine controversies betweene him and the Barons hee confirmed the priviledges granted by the former Kings and conferred also some other himselfe So that by this time there was so great store of learned men that divers most skilfull in Divinity as well as in Humanitie were in great numbers spread from thence both into the Church and Common-wealth and Mathew Paris in plaine termes called The Vniversity of Oxford The Second Schoole of the Church nay rather a ground worke of the Church next after Paris For with the name of Vniversity the Bishops of Rome had before time honoured Oxford which Title at that time by their Decrees they vouchsafed to none but unto that of Paris this of Oxford unto Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spaine And in the Councell of Vienna it was ordained that there should bee erected Schooles for the Hebrew Greeke Arabicke and Chaldaean tongues in the Studies of Paris Oxford Bononie and Salamanca as the most famous of all others to the end
minde that this Ithancester was that OTHONA where a Band of the Fortenses with their Captaine in the declination of the Romane Empire kept their station or Guard under the Comes or Lieutenant of the Saxon-shore against the depredations of the Saxon Rovers For the altering of OTHONA to ITHANA is no hard straining and the situation thereof upon a Creeke into which many Rivers are discharged was for this purpose very fit and commodious and yet heere remaineth a huge ruine of a thicke Wall whereby many Romane Coines have beene found It seemeth not amisse to set downe how King Edward the Confessour graunted by a briefe Charter the keeping of this Hundred to Ranulph Peperking which I will willingly heere annex to the end that wee who sift every pricke and accent of the law may see the upright simplicity and plaine dealing of that age And thus goeth the tenour of it as it was taken forth of the Kings Records in the Exchequer but by often exemplifying and copying it out some words are mollified and made more familiar Iche Edward Koning Have given of my Forrest the keeping Of the Hundred of Chelmer and Dancing To Randolph Peperking and to his kindling With heorte and hinde doe and bocke Hare and Foxe Cat and Brocke Wild Fowell with his flocke Partrich Fesant hen and Fesant cocke With green and wilde stob and stocke To kepen and to yemen by all her might Both by day and eke by night And Hounds for to hold Good and swift and bolde Four Greahounds and six racches For Hare and Foxe and wild Cattes And therefore ich made him my booke Witnesse the Bishop Wolston And booke ylered many on And Swein of Essex our Brother And teken him many other And our Stiward Howelin That by sought me for him This was the plaine dealing trueth and simplicity of that age which used to make all their assurances whatsoever in a few lines and with a few gilt Crosses For before the comming in of the Normans as wee read in Ingulphus writings Obligatory were made firme with golden Crosses and other small signes or markes but the Normans began the making of such Bils and Obligations with a Print or Seale in wax set to with every ones speciall Signet under the expresse entituling of three or foure Witnesses Before time many houses and land thereto passed by grant and bargaine without script Charter or Deede onely with the Landlords sword or helmet with his horne or cup. Yea and many Tenements were demised with a spurre or horse-cury-combe with a bowe and some with an arrow In the Creeke of Blackwater which as I said closeth the North side of this Hundred and is stored with those dainty Oysters which wee call Walfleot Oysters their run two Rivers that water a great part of the Shire Chelmer and Froshwell The River Chelmer flowing out of the inner part of the country which is woody runneth downe first by Thaxted a little Mercate Towne seated very pleasantly upon an high rising hill also by Tiltey where Maurice Fitz-Gilbert founded in times past a small Abbay unto Estanues ad Turrim now Eston which noble Gentleman sirnamed De Lovaine inhabited as descended from Godfrey of Lovaine brother to Henry the Sixth of that name Duke of Brabant who being sent hither to keepe the Honor of Eye his posterity flourished among the Peeres of this Realme to the time of King Edward the Third when the heire generall was married into the house of Bourchier Thence it glideth downe to Dunmow of old time called Dunmawg and in the Tax booke of England Dunmaw a Towne pleasantly situate upon an hill with a prety gentle fall Where one Juga founded a Priory in the yeare 1111. But William Bainard of whom Juga held thus we finde it written in the private history of this Church the Village of little Dunmow by felony lost his Barony and King Henry the First gave it to Robert the sonne of Richard sonne to Gislebert Earle of Clare and to his heires with the honour of Bainards Castle in London which Robert at that time was King Henries Sewar These be the very words of the Author neither doe I thinke it lawfull for me to alter or reforme them otherwise than they are although there be in them some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a putting or mistaking of one time for another a thing that we meet with otherwhiles in the best Historiographers For there had not beene as then any Earle of Clare in the family of Clare Now let us for a while digresse and goe aside a little on either hand from the River Not farre from hence is Plaisy seated so called in French of Pleasing in times past named Estre the habitation both in the last yeeres of the English Saxons and also afterwards of the great Constables of England as witnesseth Ely booke At this towne the first William Mandevill Earle of Essex beganne a Castle and two Princes of great authority Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Earle of Essex who founded heere a College and Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon brother to King Richard the Second by the mothers side deprived of lost honorable title of Duke of Excester when they could not keepe a meane betweene froward stubbernesse and servile obsequiousnesse found thence their subversion For Thomas upon his rash and head-strong contumacy was on a sudden violently carryed from hence to Calice and there smothered and John for a seditious conspiracy was beheaded in this place by King Henry the Fourth that hee might seeme to have beene justly punished by way of satisfaction for the said Thomas of Woodstocke of whose death hee was thought to bee the principall practiser and procurer From thence passeth Chelmer downe not farre from Leez a little Abbay of old time founded by the Gernons which at this day is the chiefe seat of the Barons Rich who acknowledge themselves for this dignity beholden to Richard Rich a most wise and judicious person Lord Chancellor of England under King Edward the Sixth who in the first yeere of his raigne created him Baron Rich. A little beneath standeth Hatfield Peverell so denominated of Randulph Peverell the owner thereof who had to wife a Lady of incomparable beauty in those daies the daughter of Ingelricke a man of great nobility among the English-Saxons This Lady founded heere a College which now is in manner quite plucked downe and in a window of the Church whereof there remaineth still a small part lyeth entombed She bare unto her husband William Peverell Castellane of Dover Sir Payne Peverell Lord of Brun in the County of Cambridge and unto King William the Conquerour whose Paramore shee was William Peverell Lord of Nottingham But now returne we to Chelmer which by this time speedeth it selfe to Chelmerford commonly Chensford where by the distance of the place from CAMALODUNUM it may seeme that old CANONIUM sometimes stood This is a good bigge Towne situate in the
money and Title by his wife Beatrice the eldest daughter of William de Say who was the sisters sonne of that great Geffrey de Magnavill the first Earle of Essex This Fitz-Petre a man as an old Authour writeth Passing well monied had formerly dealt with the Bishop of Ely the Kings chiefe Justicer for a great peece of money presently paid and by intreaty beside and then claimed and demanded the Earledome in his wives right as being the daughter of William Say eldest brother to Geffrey Say Who gave him full Seisin thereof against Geffrey Say and required the money that hee promised which within a short time hee received of him every penny well and truely paid for to bee brought into the Kings coffers Thus being admitted and confirmed by the Kings Letters Patent hee held and possessed it taking Homage of all that held of him in Knights service And so was girt with the sword of the Earledome of Essex by King John at the solemnity of his Coronation This Geffrey Fitz-Petre was advanced to the high estate of Justicer of England by King Richard the First when hee removed Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury from that Office by the Popes peremptory command for that Bishops ought not to intermedle in secular affaires This Place the said Geffrey Fitz-Petre executed with great commendation preserving by his wisedome the Realme from that confusion which it after fell into by King Johns unadvised carriage His two Sonnes Geffrey and William assumed unto them the sirname of Magnavill or Mandevill and enjoyed this honour successively As for Geffrey hee by his wife was Earle of Glocester also and being a young man lost his life at a Turneament William tooke part with Lewis of France against King John and departed out of this World without issue These being thus dead childelesse their sisters sonne Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and high Constable of England succeeded in their roome Of this mans Posterity male there succeeded many yeares together one after another Earles of Hâ—reford and of Essex of whom I will speake among the Earles of Hereford seeing that they wrote themselves Earles of Hereford and of Essex Aeleonor the eldest daughter of the last of these Bohuns being given in marriage together with the Title of Essex unto Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester bare unto him a daughter named Anne who had for her first Husband Edmund Earle of Stafford from whom came the Dukes of Buckingham and for her second Sir William Bourchier unto whom King Henry the Fifth gave the Earledome of Ew in Normandie This William of her body begat Henry Bourchier whom King Edward the fourth invested in the Dignity of the Earledome of Essex in regard hee had marryed his Aunt and was descended from Thomas of Woodstocke Hee had to succeede him another Henry his Grand-childe who being cast out of the sadle by a flinging horse lost his life leaving behinde him one onely daughter Anne who being then little respected King Henry the Eighth presently and all at once made Thomas Cromwell whom hee had used as his Instrument to suppresse and abolish the Popes authority Earle of Essex Lord Great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Order of Saint George whom before for his reaching politique head hee had made Baron Cromwell of Okâ—ham The Kings Vicar generall in Spirituall matters and Lord of the Privie Seale and all these honours were heaped upon him within the compasse of five yeares But in the fifth moneth after hee was Earle hee lost his head and so had the enterlude of his life a bloudy Catastrophe as most of these have who are busie managers of the greatest affaires And then the same King thought Sir William Parr upon whom hee had bestowed in marriage Anne the onely daughter and heire of the foresaid Henry Bourâ—â—ier worthy also to be entituled Earle of Essex But at the last after Parr was dead without issue Walter D'Eureux Vicount Hereford whose great Grandmother was Cecilie Bourgchier Sister to Henrie Bourgchier whom I named right now through the gracious favour of Queene Elizabeth received this dignitie of the Earledome of Essex and left it to his Sonne Robert Who being adorned with singular gifts of nature and supported besides with the speciall favour of his most gracious Prince grew so fast unto such honour that all England conceived good hope hee would have fully equalled yea and farre surpassed the greatest vertues and praises of all his Progenitours But alas whiles he was carried away with popularity and made hast to out goe his hopes hee cast himselfe headlong into destruction as many more have done who despising that which might come by patience with securitie have made choise to hasten thereto before time with their finall overthrow But our most gracious Soveraigne King Iames of his Royall benignitie hath restored his sonne Robert to his bloud and honours by Parliament authority There be counted in this County Parish Churches 415. ICENI THe Region next unto the Trinobantes which afterwards was called East-England and containeth Suffolke Norfolke and Cambridge-shire with Huntingdon-shire was inhabited in times past by the ICENI called elsewhere amisse TIGENI and in Ptolomee more corruptly SIMENI whom also I have thought heeâ—etofore to have been in Caesar by a confused name termed CENIMAGNI and so to thinke induced I was partly by that most neere affinity betweene these names ICENI and CENI-MAGNI and in part by the consent of Caesar and Tacitus together For Caesar writeth that the Cenimagni yeelded themselves unto the Romans which Tacitus recordeth that the Iceni likewise did in these words They willingly joyned in amity with us But that which maketh most to the cleering of this poynt in a Manuscript old booke for CENIMAGNI we finde written with the word divided in twaine CENIAGNI For which if I might not be thought somewhat too bould a Criticke I would reade instead thereof ICENI REGNI Neither verily can you finde the Cenimagni elsewhere in all Britain if they be a diverse people from the Iceni and Regni But of this name ICENI there remaine in this tract very many footings if I may so tearme them as Ikensworth Ikenthorpe Ikbortow Iken Ikining Ichlingham Eike c. Yea and that high street-way which went from hence the Historians of the former age every where doe name Ichenild-Street as one would say the Icenes street What should be the reason of this name so love me Truth I dare not guesse unlesse one would fetch it from the Wedge-like-forme of the country and say it lieth Wedgwise vpon the Sea For the Britans in their language call a Wedge Iken and for the same cause a place in Wales by the Lake or Meere Lhintegid is of that forme named Lhan-yken as Welsh-Britans enformed me and in the very same sense a little country in Spaine as Strabo writeth is cleped SPHEN that is The wedge and yet the same seemeth not to resemble a wedge so neere as this of
Family then a most other Within a little whereof standeth Stoneley where King Henry the Second founded an Abbay and just over against it stood in old time a Castle upon Avon called Stoneley-holme built in Holmeshull which was destroyed when the flaming broiles of Danish Warres under king Canutus caught hold of all England Then runneth Avon unto the principall Towne of the whole Shire which wee call Warwicke the Saxons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ninnius and the Britans Caer Guarvic and Caer Leon. All which names considering they seeme to have sprung from Guarth a British word which signifieth a Garison or from Legions that were set in certaine places for Guard and defence thereof have in some sort perswaded mee although in these Etymologies I love rather to bee a Scepticke than a Criticke that this is the very Towne of Britaine which the Romans called PRAESIDIUM where as wee finde in the Noticia or Abstract of Provinces the Captaine of the Dalmatian Horsemen abode under the command of Dux Britanniae This Cohort or Band was enrolled out of Dalmatia and to note thus much by the way such was the provident wisedome and forecast of the Romans that in all their Provinces they placed forraigne Souldiers in Garison who by reason of their diversity as well of manners as of language from the naturall Inhabitants could not joyne with them in any conspiracy for as hee writeth Nations not inured to the bridle of bondage easily otherwise start backe from the yoake imposed upon them Heereupon it was that there served in Britaine out of Africke the Moores out of Spaine the Astures and Vettones out of Germany the Batavi Nervij Tungri and Turnacenses out of Gaul the Lingones Morini and from other remoter places Dalmatians Thracians Alani c. as I will shew in their proper places But now to the matter Neither let any man thinke that the Britans got that word Guarth from the Frenchmen seeing the originall is an Hebrew word if wee may beleeve Lazius and in that Originall most Nations doe accord But that this was PRAESIDIUM that is The Garison Towne both the Authority of our Chronicles teacheth which report that the Romane Legions had their aboad heere and the site also it selfe in the very navell and mids almost of the whole Province doth imply For equally distant it is of the one side from the East Coast of Norfolke and on the other side from the West of Wales which kinde of situation PRAESIDIUM a Towne of Corsica had standing just in the middest of the Island And no marvaile is it that the Romans kept heere Garison and a standing Company of Souldiers seeing it standeth over the River Avon upon a steepe and high Rocke and all the passages into it are wrought out of the very stone That it was fortified with a Wall and Ditches it is apparent and toward the South West it sheweth a Castle passing strong as well by Nature as handy-worke the seat in times past of the Earles of Warwicke The Towne it selfe is adorned with faire houses and is much bound to Ethelfled Lady of the Mercians who repaired it when as it was greatly decaied in the yeere 911. In very good state also it was upon the Normans entring into this land and had many Burgesses as they tearme them and twelve of them as wee finde written in King William the Conquerours Domesday Booke Were bound to accompany the King of England into his Warres He that upon warning given went not paid an hundred Shillings to the King but if the King made a voyage by sea against his enemies they sent either foure Boteswans or foure pound of Deniers In this Burgh the King hath in his Demeines one hundred and thirteene Burgesses and the Kings Barons have an hundred and twelve Roger the second of the Normans bloud Earle of Warwicke built afterwards in the very heart of the Towne a most beautifull Church to the blessed Virgin Mary Which the Beauchamps that succeeded adorned with their Tombes but especially Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke and Governour of Normandy who dyed at Roan in the yeere 1439. and after a sumptuous funerall solemnized in this Church lyeth entombed in a magnificent Tombe with this Inscription Pray devoutly for the soule whom God assoile of one of the most worshipfull Knights in his daies of Manhood and cunning Richard Beauchampe late Earle of Warwicke Lord Despenser of Bergavenny and of many other great Lordships whose body resteth heere under this Tombe in a full faire Vault of stone set in the bare Roche The which visited with long sicknesse in the Castle of Rohan therein deceased full Christianly the last day of April in the yeere of our Lord God 1439. Hee being at that time Lieutenant Generall of France and of the Dutchie of Normandie by sufficient authority of our Soveraigne Lord King Henry the sixth The which body by great deliberation and worshipfull conduct by sea and land was brought to Warwick the fourth of October the yeere abovesaid and was laid with full solemne exequies in a faire Chest made of stone in the West Doore of this Chappell according to his last Will and Testament therein to rest till this Chappell by him devised in his life were made the which Chappell founded on the Roche and all the members thereof his Executors did fully make and apparell by the authority of his said last Will and Testament And thereafter by the said authority they did translate worshipfully the said body into the Vault aforesaid Honoured be God therefore Neere unto Warwicke Northward is Blaclow hill to be seene on which Piers de Gaveston whom King Edward the Second had raised from a base and low estate to bee Earle of Cornwall was by the Nobles of the Kingdome beheaded who presuming of the Kings favor and fortunes indulgence tooke unto him so great and licencious liberty that when he had once corrupted the Kings heart hee despised all the best men and proudly seized upon the estates of many and as hee was a crafty and old beaten Fox sowed discords and variance betweene the Prince and the Peeres of the Realme Under this hill hard by the River Avon standeth Guy-cliffe others call it Gib-cliffe the dwelling house at this day of Sir Thomas Beau-foe descended from the ancient Normans line and the very seat it selfe of pleasantnesse There have yee a shady little Wood cleere and cristall Springs mossie bottomes and caves medowes alwaies fresh and greene the River rumbling heere and there among the stones with his streame making a milde noise and gentle whispering and besides all this solitary and still quietnesse things most gratefull to the Muses Heere as the report goes that valiant knight and noble Worthy so much celebrated Sir Guy of Warwicke after hee had borne the brunt of sundry troubles and atchieved many painfull exploits built a Chappell led an Eremits life and in the end was buryed Howbeit wiser men doe thinke
fourth to whose Treatise of Tenures the students of our Common Law are no lesse beholden than the Civilians to Iustinians Institutes But to returne This Salwarp which we speake of runneth downe by Bromesgrove a mercate towne not of the meanest reckoning and not far from Grafton the seat of a yonger family of the Talbots since King Henry the Seventh gave it to Sir Gilbert Talbot a yonger sonne of John the second Earle of Shrewsbury whom also for his martiall valour and singular wisdome he admitted into the society of the Order of the Garter and made Governor of Callis Then runneth Salwarp downe to Droitwich Durt-wich some terme it of the Salt pits and the wettish ground on which it standeth like as Hyetus in Bâ—etia tooke name of the durty situation where three fountaines yeelding plenty of water to make Salt of divided a sunder by a little brooke of fresh water passing betweene by a peculiar giâ—t of nature spring out out of which most pure white Salt is boiled for sixe moneths every yeere to wit from Midsommer to Midwinter in many set fornaces round about Wherewith what a mighty deale of wood is consumed Fekenham Forest where trees grew sometime thicker and the woods round about if men hold their peace will by their thinnesse make manifest more and more But if I should write that the learned Canonist Richard de la Wich Bishop of Chichester here borne obtained with his fervent prayers these Salt springs out of the bowels of the earth I feare me least some might thinke me both over injurious to the providence of God and also too credulous of old wives traditions Yet were our ancestours in their pious devotion so hasty of beleefe that they did not onely give credit hereto yea and recorde it in their writings but in consideration heereof yeelded unto that Prelate in some sort divine honour when Pope Urban the Fourth had for his sanctity and sincere integrity of life canonized him a Saint But before that ever this Richard was borne Gervase of Tilbury wrote thus of these Salt springs though not altogether truely In the Bishopricke of Worcester there is a country towne not farre from the City named Wich in which at the foote of a certaine little hill there runneth a most fresh water in the banke whereof are seene a few pits or wels of a reasonable depth and their water is most salt When this water is boyled in Caudrons it becommeth thicke and turneth into passing white Salt and all the Province fetcheth and carrieth it for that betweene Christmas and the feast of S. Iohn Baptists Nativitie good the water floweth most Salt The rest of the yeere it runneth somewhat fresh and nothing good to make Salt and that which I take to be more wonderfull when this salt water is run sufficiently for the use of the Country scarcely overfloweth it to any waste Also when the time is once come of the saltnesse the same is nothing at all allaid for all the vicinity of the fresh river water neither is it found in any place neere unto the Sea Moreover in the very Kings booke which we call Domesday we read thus In Wich the King and Earle have eight salt pits which in the whole weeke wherein they boiled and wrought yeelded on the Friday sixteene Bullions Salwarp having now entertained a small brooke descending from Chedesley where anciently the family of Foliot flourished as afterward at Longdon maketh hast to Severne which hath not passed foure miles farther before he runs hard by WORCESTER the principall City of this Shire where he seemeth to passe with a flower streame as it were admiring and wondering thereat all the while he passeth by and worthy it is I assure you of admiration whether you respect either the antiquity or the beauty thereof Certes for antiquity the Emperour Antonine hath made mention of it under the name of BRANONIUM and Ptolomee in whom through the negligence of the transcribers it is misplaced under the name of BRANOGENIUM after which name the Britans call it yet Care Wrangon In the Catalogue of Ninnius it is named Caer Guorangon and Caer Guorcon the old English-Saxons afterward called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I dare not say of Wire that woody Forest which in old time stretched farre Since the Conquest the Latine writers named it Vigornia and Wigornia Which name Ioseph the Monke of Excester a right elegant Poet in those daies was one of the first that used if my memory faile me not I meane him that is published under the name of Cornelius Nepos in these his elegant verses unto Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury In numerum jam crescit honor te tertia poscit Insula jam meminit Wigornia Cantia discit Romanus meditatur apex naufraga Petri Ductorem in mediis expectat cymba procellis A mitre third now waits for thee for still thine honour growes Thee Wigorne still remembereth now Canterbury knowes The See of Rome doth thinke of thee and Peters ship in feare Of wracke amid the boistrous stormes expects thee for to steare Probable it is that the Romanes built it what time as they planted cities at certaine spaces and distances along the East banke of Severne to keepe in the Britans beyond Severne like as they did in Germany on the South banke of Rhene to represse the incursions of the Germans It standeth in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the rivers side that hath a faire bridge with a tower over it proudly bearing it selfe in old time as I finde it written in an ancient Manuscript roule of the Romanes wall and even now also it is well and strongly walled But the fame and reputation that it now hath ariseth from the Inhabitants who are many in number courteous and wealthy by the trade of clothing from their faire and neat houses from the number also of Churches but most of all from the Bishops See which Sexwulph Bishop of the Mercians erected there in the yeere of Christ 680. having built a Cathedrall Church at the South side of the City which hath been often repaired and which the Bishops and Monkes by little and little have drawne out in length Westward almost to the very brinke of Severn Truly it is a passing faire and stately building adorned with the Monuments and Tombes of King Iohn Arthur Prince of Wales and divers of the Beauchamps and in these daies it is no lesse notable by the Deane and Chapter whom they call Prebendaries placed therein than it was in times past for the Monkes or the Cloister Priests For presently upon the first foundation like as in other religious houses of England married Priests were placed heere who carrying a long time a great opinion of holinesse governed the Churches untill that Danstane Archbishop of Canterbury had decreed in a Synode That from thence forward the religious men in England should live a
in old time called Guarthenion as Ninnius restifieth who wrote that the said wicked Vortigern when he was plainely and sharply reprooved by that godly Saint German did not onely not turne from his lewd and licentious life to the worship and service of God but also let flie slanderous speeches against that most holy man Wherefore Vortimer the sonne of Vortigern as Ninnius saith for the slander which his Father had raised of Saint German decreed that he should have the land as his owne for ever wherein he had suffered so reprochfull an abuse whereupon and to the ened that Saint German might be had in memory it was called Guarthenion which signifieth in English A slander justly retorted The Mortimers descended from the Niece of Gonora Wife of Richard the First Duke of Normandie were the first Normans that having discomfited the English Saxon Edricke Sylvaticus that is The wild wonne a great part of this little Country to themselves And after they had a long time been eminent above all others in these parts at length King Edward the Third about the yeere of Salvation 1328. Created Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore Earle of this Welsh limit or according to the common speech Earle of March who soone after was sentenced to death because he had insulted upon the Common-wealth favoured the Scots to the prejudice of England conversed over familiarly with the â—ings mother and contrived the destruction and death of King Edward the Second the Kings Father He by his Wife Joan Jenevell who brought him rich revenewes as well in Ireland as in England had Edmund his Sonne who felt the smart of his Fathers wickednesse and lost both patrimonie and title of Earle Howbeit his Sonne Roger was fully restored recovered the title of Earle of March and was chosen a fellow of the order of the Garter at the first institution thereof This Roger begat of Philip Montacute Edmund Earle of March and he tooke to Wife Philip the only daughter of Leonell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the Third whereby came unto him the Earldome of Vlster in Ireland and the Lordship of Clare After he had ended his life in Ireland where he governed with great commendation his sonne Roger succeeded being both Earle of March and Vlster whom King Richard the Second declared heire apparent and his successour to the Crowne as being in right of his Mother the next and undoubted heire But he dying before king Richard left issue Edmund and Anne Edmund in regard of his Royall bloud and right to the Crowne stood greatly suspected to Henrie the Fourth who had usurped the kingdome and by him was first exposed unto dangers in so much as he was taken by Owen Glendour a Rebell and afterward whereas the Percies purposed to advance his right he was conveyed into Ireland kept almost twenty yeeres prisoner in the Castle of Trim suffering all miseries incident to Princes of the bloud while they lie open to every suspition and there through extreame griefe ended his daies leaving his sister Anne his heire She was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge in whose right his heires and posterity were Earles of March and made claime to the kingdome which in the end also they obtained as wee will shew in another place In which respect King Edward the Fourth created his eldest Sonne being Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall c. Earle of March also for a further augmentation of his Honour As for the title of Rad-nor no man ever bare it to my knowledge In this are Parishes 52. BRECKNOC Comitaus pars Osim SILVRVM BRECHNOCK-SHIRE BEneath Radnor-shire Southward lyeth BRECHNOCK-SHIRE in the British Brechineau so named as the Welshmen relate of a Prince named Brechanius whom they report to have had a great and an holy Offspring to wit twenty foure Daughters all Saints Farre greater this is than Radnor-shire but thicker set with high Hilles yet are the valleies fruitfull every where On the East side it is bounded with Hereford-shire On the South with Monmoâ—th and Glamorgan-shires ond on the West with Caermarden-shire But seeing there is nothing memorable or materiall to the description of this small Province which is not set downe by the curious diligence of Giraldus Cambrensis who was an Archdeacon heereof above foure hundred yeeres since I thinke I may doe well for my selfe to hold my peace a while and to admit him with his stile into the fellowship of this labour Brecknocke saith hee in his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae is a Country having sufficient store of Corne and if there bee any defect thereof it is plentifully supplied out of the fruitefulnesse of England bordering so neere upon it a Country likewise well stored with pastures and Woods with wilde Déere and heards of Cattaile having abundance beside of fresh water fish wherewith Vske on the one side and Wy on the other serveth it For both these Rivers are full of Salmons and Trouts but Wy of the twaine is the better affording the best kinde of them which they call Vmbras Enclosed it is on every side with high hilles unlesse it be on the North part In the West it hath the mountaines of Canterbochan On the South-side likewise the Southern mountaines the chiefe whereof is called Cadier Arthur that is Arthurs chaire of the two toppes of the same for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shaped with two capes resembling the forme of a Chaire And for that the Chaire standeth very high and upon a steepe downefall by a common tearme it was assigned to Arthur the greatest and mightiest King of the Britans In the very pitch and top of this hill there walmeth forth a spring of water And this fountaine in manner of a Well is deepe but foure square having no brooke or Riveret issuing from it yet are there Trouts found therein And therefore having these barres on the South side the aire is the colder defendeth the Country from the excessive heat of the Sunne and by a certaine naturall wholsomnesse of the aire maketh it most temperate But on the East side the mountaines of Talgar and Ewias doe as it were foresense it On the North side as he said it is more open and plaine namely where the River Wy severeth it from Radnor-shire by which stand two Townes well knowne for their antiquity Buelth and Hay Buelth is pleasantly situate with Woods about it fortified also with a Castle but of a later building by the Breoses and Mortimers when as Rhese ap Gruffin had rased the ancient Castle Now the Mercate much resorted unto maketh it more famous thereabout but in times past it seemeth to have beene for the owne worth of great name because Ptolomee observed the position therof according to the Longitude and Latitude who called it BULLEUM Silurum Of this towne the country lying round about it being rough and full of hils is named Buelth wherein when as the Saxons were
certaine dye after it CAERMARDIÌ„ Comitatus in quo DIMETAE Olim habitarunt Those latter words I reade thus Aeternali in domo that is In an eternall house For Sepulchres in that age were tearmed AETERNALES DOMUS that is Eternall habitations Moreover betweene Margan and Kingseage by the high way side there lyeth a stone foure foote long with this Inscription PUNP â—IUS CAR ANTOPIUS Which the Welsh Britans by adding and changing letters thus reade and make this interpretation as the right reverend Bishop of Landaff did write to mee who gave order that the draught of this Inscription should be taken likewise for my sake PIM BIS AN CAR ANTOPIUS that is The five fingers of freinds or neighbours killed us It is verily thought to bee the Sepulchre of Prince Morgan from whom the Country tooke name who was slaine as they would have it eight hundred yeeres before Christs Nativity But Antiquaries know full well that these Characters and formes of letters be of a farre later date After you are past Margan the shore shooteth forth into the North-East by Aber-Avon a small Mercate Towne upon the River Avons mouth whereof it tooke the name to the River Nid or Neath infamous for a quick-sand upon which stands an ancient Towne of the same name which Antonine the Emperour in his Itinerary called NIDUM Which when Fitz-Haimon made himselfe Lord of this Country fell in the partition to Richard Granvills share who having founded an Abbay under the very Townes side and consecrated his owne portion to God and to the Monkes returned againe to his owne ancient and faire inheritance which he had in England Beyond this River Neath whatsoever lieth betweene it and the River Loghor which boundeth this shire in the West wee call Gower the Britans and Ninnius Guhir wherein as he saith the sonnes of Keian the Scot planted themselves and tooke up a large roome untill that by Cuneda a British Lord they were driven out In the Raigne of Henry the First Henry Earle of Warwicke wonne it from the Welsh but by a conveyance and composition passed betweene William Earle of Warwicke and King Henry the Second it came to the Crowne Afterward King Iohn gave it unto William Breos who had taken Arthur Earle of Britaine prisoner to bee held by service of one Knight for all service and his heires successively held it not without troubles unto King Edward the Seconds daies for then William Breos when he had alienated and sold this inheritance to many and in the end by mocking and disappointing all others set Hugh Spenser in possession thereof to curry favour with the King And this was one cause among other things that the Nobles hated the Spensers so deadly and rashly shooke off their Allegeance to the King Howbeit this Gower came to the Mowbraies by an heire of Breos This is now divided into the East part and the West In the East part Swinesey is of great account a Towne so called by the Englishmen of Sea-Swine but the Britans Aber-Taw of the River Taw running by it which the foresaid Henry Earle of Warwicke fortified But there is a Towne farre more ancient than this by the River Loghor which Antonine the Emperour called LEUCARUM and wee by the whole name Loghor Where a little after the death of King Henry the First Howel Ap Meredic invading the Englishmen on a sudden with a power of the mountainers slew divers men of quality and good account Beneath this lyeth West-Gower and by reason of two armes of the Sea winding in on either side one it becommeth a Biland more memorable for the fruitfulnesse than the Townes in it and in times past of great name in regard of Kined canonized a Saint who lived heere a solitary life of whom if you desire to know more reade our Countryman Capgrave who hath set out his miracle with great commendation Since this Country was first conquered by the English The Lords thereof were those that lineally descended from Fitz-Haimon as Earle of Glocester Clares Spensers Beauchamps and one or two Nevils and by a daughter of Nevill who came likewise of the Spensers bloud Richard the Third King of England But when he was slaine king Henry the Seventh entred upon the inheritance of this Country and gave it to his unkle Iaspar Duke of Bedford and when hee dyed without issue the king resumed it unto his owne hands and left it to his sonne king Henry the Eighth whose sonne king Edward the Sixth sold the greatest part thereof to Sir William Herbert whom hee had created Earle of Pembrock and Baron of Cardiff But of the race of those twelve knights there remaine onely in this shire the Stradlings a notable house and of long continuance the Turbervills and some of the Flemings the greatest man of which house dwelleth at Flemingston now corruptly called Flemston as one would say Flemingstone which tooke the name of them And in England there are remaining yet the Lord Saint Iohn of Bletso the Granvills in Devonshire and the Siwards as I am enformed in Somerset-shire The issue male of all the rest is long since extinct and worne out and their lands by daughters passed over to divers houses with sundry alterations Parishes 118. DIMETAE PLinie was of opinion that the SILURES inhabited also the other part beside of this Country which bearing out farther Westward is called in English by some West-Wales and containeth Caermarden-shire Pembrock-shire and Cardigan-shire But Ptolomee who knew Britaine farre better placed heere another people whom he called DIMETAE and DEMETAE Gildas likewise and Ninnius both have used the name of DEMETIA for this Tract Whereupon the Britans that inhabite it changing M. into F. according to the propriety of their tongue commonly call it at this day Difed If it would not be thought strained curiosity I would derive this denomination of the Demetae from Deheu Meath that is A plaine champion toward the South like as the Britans themselves have named all this South-Wales Deheubarth that is The South part yea and those verily who inhabited another champion Country in Britaine were called in old time Meatae Neither I assure you is the site of this Region disagreeing from this signification For when you are come hither once by reason that the high hils gently settle downeward and grow still lower and lower it spreadeth by little and little into a plaine and even champion Country CAERMARDEN-SHIRE CAERMARDEN-SHIRE is plenteous enough in Corne stored abundantly with Cartaile and in some places yeeldeth pit cole for fewell On the East side it is limited with Glamorgan and Brechnock-shires on the West with Pembrock-shire on the North with Cardigan-shire severed from it by the River Tivie running betweene and on the South with the Ocean which with so great a Bay or Creeke getteth within the Land that this Countrey seemeth as it were for very feare to have shrunke backe and
named Percies From thence Rhie carrieth with him the streames of many a brooke into Derwent which watereth in this vale Malton a Market towne well knowne and frequented for corne horses fish and implements of husbandry where are to be seene the foundations of an old Castle belonging as I have heard say in old time to the Vescies Barons in these parts of great estate and honor Their pedigree as appeareth evidently by the Kings records is derived from William Tyson who being Lord of Malton and of Alnewicke in Northumberland was slain in the battaile at Hastings against the Normans Whose onely daughter was given in marriage to Ivo de Vescy a Norman and hee left behind him his only daughter likewise named Beatrice with whō Eustach the son of Fitz Iohn with one eie contracted marriage who in the raigne of Stephen founded the religious houses at Malton and Watton For his second wife daughter to William Constable of Chester was Ladie of Watton William the sonne of Eustach by Beatrice being ripped out of his mothers wombe assumed unto him the name of Vescy and the Armes a Cross-floury Argent in a shield Gueles This William begat of Beatrice daughter to Robert Estotevill of Knaresburg two sonnes Eustach de Vescy who tooke to wife Margaret daughter to William King of the Scots and Sir Warin de Vescy Lord of Knapton As for Eustach father hee was of William who begat John that died without issue and William so renowned for his exploits in Ireland and these changed the Armes of their house into a shield Or with a crosse Sables But William after that his legitimate sonne John died in the warre of Wales granted unto King Edward certaine lands in Ireland that his illegitimate sonne William surnamed of Kildare might inherit his fathers estate And hee ordained Anthony Bec Bishop of Durrham his feofie in trust to the use of his sonne but he was scarce trusty as touching Alnewic Eltham in Kent and other lands which he is reported to have conveied indirectly to his owne use This illegitimate sonne young Vescy was slaine in the Battaile of Sterling in Scotland And at length the title fell backe unto the line of the Attons considering that Margaret the only daughter of Sir Gwarin Vescy was wedded unto Gilbert de Atton But heereof enough if not too much and of it I have spoken before Neere unto this vale there flourished two famous Abbaies Newborrough unto which we are indebted for William of Newborrough a learned and diligent writer of the English Historie now the habitation of the worshipfull family of Bellasise descended out of the Bishopricke of Durrham and Bellelanda commonly Biland both founded and endowed by Robert Mowbray This family of the Mowbraies was for power nobility and wealth comparable to any other and possessed very faire lands with the Castles of Slingesby Threske and others in this Tract The originall of this race if you desire to understand I will compendiously set it downe When Roger de Mowbray Earle of Northumberland and R. de Grunde-beofe for their disloialtie were dissezed of all their possessions King Henry the First bestowed a great part thereof upon Nigell or Niele de Albenie of the same family that the Albeneis Earles of Arundell were descended a man of very high birth in Normandie who had bin Bowbearer to King William Rufus and so enriched him thereby that he held in England 140. Knights fees and in Normandie 120. He commanded also that Roger his sonne should assume the name of Mowbray from whom flowred out the Mowbraies Earles of Nottingham and Dukes of Norfolke To these Mowbraies also belonged in times past Gilling Castle standing hard by but now unto that ancient and worshipfull family which of their faire bush of haire got their name Fairfax For Fax in the old English tongue signifieth haires or the haire of the head whereupon our progenitours called a Comet or blasing starre A Faxed starre like as a place whereof I have spoken before Haly-fax of holy haires Then beneath these Southward lieth Calaterium Nemus commonly called The Forest of Galtres shaded in some places with trees in other some a wet flat full of moist and moorish quavemires very notorious in these daies by reason of a solemne horse running wherein the horse that outrunneth the rest hath for his prise a little golden bell It is almost incredible what a multitude of people conflow hither from all parts to these games and what great wagers are laid on the horses heads for their swift running In this Forest standeth Creac which Egfrid King of Northumberland in the yeer 684 gave with three miles round about unto Saint Cuthbert by whom it came to the Church of Durrham Scarce foure miles hence is situate most pleasantly among little woods and groves Sherry-Hutton a very proper Castle built by Sir Bertrand Bulmer and reedified by Raulph Nevil the first Earle of Westmorland Neere unto which standeth Hinderskell a little Castle built by the Barons of Greystocke which others call Hunderd-skell of a number of fountaines that spring up and rise there Behind the hilles Westward where the country spreadeth it selfe out againe into a more fresh and plaine champion lieth Alverton-shire commonly called Northallerton-shire a little countrie watered with the riveret Wiske and taking the name of Northalverton a towne sometime called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is nothing else but a long broad street howbeit having in it on S. Bartholomewes day the greatest Faire of Kine and Oxen and of most resort that ever I saw in all my life King William Rufus gave this with the territory adjoining unto the Church of Durrham to the Bishops of which See it is very much beholden For William Comin who by force held the Bishopricke of Durrham built the Castle there and granted it unto his nephew which now is in manner quite decaied and gone The Bishops likewise his successors granted unto it certaine liberties and immunities For in the Booke of Durrham we read that Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durrham fortified the towne having obtained licence of the King that among those unlawfull castles which by Commandement were then destroyed in many places of England this onely should have the priviledge to stand still which notwithstanding the King commanded afterward to be layd even with the ground Hard by this was that field foughten which they commonly call the Battaile of the Standard in which David King of Scots who with his unexampled cruelty had made this country almost a wildernesse was after so great a slaughter of his people put to flight that then and never before our countrimen thought they were fully revenged For that indeed came to passe in this battaile which Raulfe the Bishop said when before the battaile in an oration he encouraged the English to fight A confused multitude untrained is an impediment to it selfe in prosperous successe to hurt others and in adverse
is such a fall but neerer unto Richmond where Swale rusheth rather than runneth as I have said with foaming waters meeting heere and there with rockes whereby his streame is interrupted and broken And wherefore should he call it the Towne neere unto Catarracta if there were not there a water-fall That it was in those daies a most famous City may be gathered out of Ptolomee because he tooke there an observation of the heavens position for in the second booke and 6. chapter of his Great Construction he describeth and setteth downe the 24. Parallele through Catarractonium in Britaine and maketh it to bee distant from the Aequator 57. degrees yet in his Geographicall Tables he defineth the longest day to be 18. Aequinoctiall houres so that by his owne calculation and account it is distant from the Aequator 58. degrees But at this day as said that Poet. Magnum nil nisi Nomen habet Nothing hath the same But onely a great name For it is but a small Village called Catarrick and Catarrick-bridge howbeit well knowne both by the situation thereof nere unto the High street way which the Romans made that here passeth over the river and also by the heapes of rubbish here and there dispersed which carry some shew of Antiquity especially about Kettercikswart and Burghale somewhat farther off from the Bridge and more Eastward hard by the river where we beheld a mighty Mount and foure Bulwarkes raised as it were with exceeding great labour up to a great height What sorrow it susteined in times past at the Picts and Saxons hands when with fire and sword they made foule havocke of all the Cities in Britaine I cannot certainly tell but it seemeth to have flourished after the Saxon Empire was established Although Bede in every place calleth it Vicum that is a Village untill that in the yeere 769. it was set on fire and burnt by Eanred or Beanred the Tyrant who pitifully mangled the Kingdome of Northumberland But both he streight after miserably perished by fire and Catarractoninum also beganne to revive againe out of the very ashes For in the 77. yeere after King Etheldred solemnized heere his marriage with the daughter of Offa King of the Mercians Notwithstanding it continued not long in good and flourishing estate for in that confusion immediately ensuing of the Danes who laied all waste it was quite destroied Swale driveth on with a long course not without some lets heere and there in his streame not farre from Hornby Castle belonging to the Family of Saint Quintin which afterwards came to the Cogniers and seeth nothing besides fresh pastures country houses and Villages unlesse it be Bedal standing by another River running into him which Bedal glorieth much of a Baron it had named Sir Brian Fitz-Alan who flourished in the daies of King Edward the First in regard of his worth and his ancient Nobility as descended from the Earles of Britaine and Richmond But for default of heires males the inheritance came by the daughters to Stapletons and the Greies of Rotherfeld By this time Swale having left Richmond-shire behinde commeth neerer unto Ure or Ouse where hee visiteth Topcliffe the chiefe seat of the Percies Marianus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who writeth that in the yeere of our Redemption 949. the States of Northumberland bound themselves there by an oath of Allegiance unto King Eldred the West-Saxon And at the very confluence of these Rivers standeth Mitton a small Village but remarkable by no small slaughter For the Scottish in the yeere 1319. when the pestilence had consumed in manner all the manhood of England having made an inrode thus farre robbing and ransacking all where they came soone discomfited and put to flight no small power of Priests and country people which the Archbishop of Yorke had led forth with banner displaied into the field But to returne backe againe to our matter From CATARACTONIUM the high street or Port way divided it selfe in twaine where it taketh Northward it leadeth by Caldwell and Aldburgh which betokeneth An old Burrough By what name it was knowne in ancient times I cannot easily guesse By the great ruines it should seeme to have beene some notable place and neere at hand there is seene a ditch by Stanwig a little Village that runneth eight miles in length betweene the River Tees and Swale Where the said High way goeth Northwestward about twelve miles off you meet with Bowes which also is written Bowgh now a little Village where in the ages aforegoing the Earles of Richmond had a prety Castelet a certaine custome called Thorough-toll and there Furcas i. power to hang. But that in old time it was called in Antonines Itinerary LAVATRAE and LEVATRAE both the account of distance and the site thereof by the High street which heere is evidently apparent by the ridge thereof doe easily prove But that which maketh much to confirme the antiquity of it is an ancient large Stone in the Church sometimes used by them for an altar stone with this inscription upon it to the honour of Hadrian the Emperour IMP. CAESARI DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI Max. filio DIVI NERVAE NEPOTI TRAIANO Hadria NO AUG PONT MAXIM COS. I. P. P. COH IIII. F. IO. SEV This fragment also was there digged up NOL CAE FRONTINUS COH I. THRAC Whiles under Severus the Emperour Virius Lupus ruled as Lieutenant Generall and Propraetor of Britaine the first Cohort of the Thracians lay heere in Garison for whose sake he reedified the Bath or hote house as appeareth by this inscription which from hence hath beene translated to Cunnington unto the house of that right worshipfull and learned Sir Robert Cotton Knight DAE i. FORTUNAE VIRIUS LUPUS LEG AUG PR PR BALINEUM VI IGNIS EXUSTUM COH I. THRACUM RESTITUIT CURANTE VAL. FRONTONE PRAE F EQ ALAE VETTO Heere must I cause them to forgoe their errour who by this Inscription falsely copied forth whiles they read untruly BALINGIUM for BALINEUM are of opinion that the name of the place was BALINGIUM But if a man looke neerer to the words hee shall finde it most evidently engraven in the stone BALINEUM which word they used in old time as the learned know for BALNEUM that is A BATH or Hote-house who also are not ignorant that souldiers as well as others used ordinarily to bathe both for health and cleanlinesse as who every day before they did eate in that age were wont to bathe as also that such like bathing houses both publique and private were made every where with so great coste and superfluous excesse That he thought himselfe poore and a very begger who had not the walles of his bathing house resplendent with great and costly embossed Glasses In which Bathes men and women both washed one with another albeit this had oftentimes beene prohibited as well by the Imperiall lawes as the Synodall decrees In the declining estate of the Roman Empire the Company
ever wee read that Adam of Kilconath was about the yeere 1270. Earle of Carrict and died serving in the Holy-land whose onely daughter Mariha fell extremely in love with Robert Brus a beautifull young Gentleman as she saw him hunting and thereupon made him her husband advanced him with the title of Earle and with possessions unto whom she bare Robert Brus that most renowned King of Scots from whom the royall line of the Kings is descended But the title of the Earle of Carrict being left for a time to the younger sonnes of the family of Brus afterwards among other honours encreased the stile of the Princes of Scotland KYLE MOre inward from Clids-forth followeth KYLE plentifull in all things and as well inhabited In Bedes Auctarium it is called Campus Cyel that is The Field Cyel and Coil where it is recorded That Eadbert King of Northumberland annexed this with other territories unto his owne Kingdome In Ptolomees time there was known a place here named VIDOGARA haply Aire which is a Sherifdome hath a townlet also of merchandise and a well known port by a little river of the same name Touching which I can thinke of no better thing to write than these verses sent unto mee from Master Iohn Ionstoun AERA sive AERIA Parva urbs ast ingens animus in fortibus haeret Inferior nulli nobilitate virûm Aeris è campis haurit purissima coelum Incubat miti mollior aura solo Aeria hinc non Aera priùs credo illa vocata est Cum duris quid enim mollia juris habent Infera cum superis quod si componere fas est Aurea fo rs dici debuit illa priùs A City small but yet great mindes in valiant bodies rest For noblenesse of Gentlemen matching the very best Out of the fields what aire it drawes is right pure fresh and kinde The soile is milde and upon it there breathes a gentle winde Hence I suppose AERIA first not Aera call'd it was For what have elements to doe with matters hard as brasse But to compare low things with high if that I may be bold Then haply well it should have beene nam'd AUREA of old Besides the river Aire there be other two riverets that water this little territorie having many villages scattering along their bankes namely Longar neere unto which the Caufords and Cesnocke by which the Cambels families in this tract of good worship dwell upon the banke whereof standeth Uchiltre castle the seat of the Stewarts that are of the blood royall as who issued from the Dukes of Albanie and thereupon are the Barons of Uchiltrey out of which house was that noble Robert Stewart who kept continually with the Prince of Condie as an inseparable companion and was with him slain in France in battaile The government of Kyle belongeth by an heritable right to the Cambells of Louden as Bailiffe thereof CUNNINGHAM CUNNINGHAM adjoyning to Kyle on the East side and the North butteth upon the same Forth so close that it restraineth the breadth thereof which hitherto lay out and spread at large The name if one interpret it is as much as the Kings Habitation by which a man may ghesse how commodious and pleasant it is This territorie is watered with Irwin that divideth it from Kyle at the spring-head well neere whereof Kilmarnock sheweth it selfe the dwelling place of the Barons Boids of whom in the reigne of James the first Thomas by a prosperous gale of Court favour was advanced to the authoritie of Regent or Vice-Roy Robert his sonne to the dignitie of Earle of Arran and marriage with the Kings sister But soone after when the said gale came about and blew contrarie they were judged enemies to the State Robert also had his wife taken from him and given unto James Hamilton their goods were confiscate fortune made a game of them and when they had lost all they died in exile Howbeit their posteritie recovered the ancient honour of Barons and honorably enjoy it at this day At the mouth of the river Irwin standeth Irwin a Burrough with an haven so barred up with shelves of sand and so shallow withall that it can beare none other vessels but small barkes and boates Ardrossan also a pile belonging to the Montgomeries more above standeth higher over the Creeke this is a verie ancient and famous familiy as any other who have to shew for witnesse of their warlike prowesse Poununy a fort built with the ransome mony of Sir Henrie Percie surnamed Hot-Spur whom I. Montgomerie with his owne hand tooke prisoner in the battaile at Otterburne and led away captive Not farre from Ardrossan is Largis embrued with the blood of the Norwegians by King Alexander the third From whence as you follow the shore bending and giving in you meet with Eglington a faire castle which was the possession of certaine Gentlemen highly descended of the same surname from whom it came by marriage unto the Montgomeries who thereby received the title of Earles of Eglington But whence the said surname should come a man can hardly tell this I know that out of Normandie it came into England and that divers families there were of the same name but that in Essex from which Sir Thomas Montgomerie Knight of the order of the Garter descended in the reigne of Edward the fourth gave Armes a little different from these This noble linage is faire and farre spread and out of those of Gevan was that Gabriel de Lorges called Earl of Montgomerie Captain of the guard of Scots which Charles the fifth King of France instituted for defence of his owne person and his successors in testimonie of their fidelitie and his love toward them who in running at tilt slew Henrie the second King of France by occasion that a broken splint of his speare where the helmet chanced to be open entred at his eye and pierced into his brain and afterwards in that civill war wherein all France was in a broile whiles he took part with the Protestants he was apprehended and beheaded But the Cunninghams in this tract are counted to be the greater and more numerous family the chiefe whereof enjoying the honour of Earle of Glencarn dwelleth at Kilmauris and fetcheth his descent out of England and from an English Gentleman who together with other killed Thomas Archbishop of Canterburie How true this is I know not but they ground it haply upon a probable conjecture taken from an Archbishops pall which the Cunninghams give in their coat of Armes ISLE GLOTTA OR ARRAN WIthin the sight of Cunningham among sundry other Ilands GLOTA the Isle mentioned by Antonine the Emperour beareth up his head in the very Forth and salt water of the river Glota or Cluyd called at this day Arran of a castle bearing the same name Inwardly it mounteth up altogether with high rising hills at the bottome and foot whereof along the shore it is well inhabited The first Earle hereof that I can read of
Esquires c. The Courts of Justice or Tribunals of Ireland THe supreme Court of the Kingdome of Ireland is the Parliament which at the pleasure of the Kings of England is usually called by the Deputie and by him dissolved although in the reigne of King Edward the second a Law was enacted That every yeer there should be Parliaments holden in Ireland which seemeth yet not to have been effected There be likewise foure Tearmes kept as in England yeerely and there are five Courts of Justice The Star-chamber the Chancerie the Kings Bench the common Pleas and the Exchequer There are also Iustices of Assises of Nisi prius and of Oyer and Determiner according as in England yea and Iustices of Peace in every countie for the keeping of peace Moreover the King hath his Serjeant at law his Atturney Generall his Sollicitour c. Over and besides in the more remote Provinces there be Governours to minister Justice as a principall Commissioner in Connaught and a President in Mounster who have to assist them in Commission certaine Gentlemen and Lawyers and yet every of them are directed by the Kings Lievtenant Deputie As for the common lawes Ireland is governed by the same that England hath For we read in the Records of the Kingdome thus King Henry the third in the 12. yeere of his reigne gave commandement to his Iustice of Ireland that calling together the Archbishops Bishops Barons and Knights he should cause there before them to be read the Charter of King Iohn which he caused to be read accordingly and the Nobles of Ireland to be sworn as touching the observation of the lawes and customes of England and that they should hold and keepe the same Neverthelesse the meere Irish did not admit them but retained their owne Brehon lawes and leud customes And the Kings of England used a connivence therein upon some deepe consideration not vouchsafing to communicate the benefit of the English lawes but upon especiall grace to especiall families or sects namely the O Neales O Conors O Brien O Maloghlins and Mac Murough which were reputed of the blood roiall among them The Parliamentary or Statute lawes also of England being transmitted were usually in force in Ireland unto the time of K. Henrie the seventh For in the tenth yeere of his reign those were ratified confirmed by authoritie of Parliament in Ireland in the time of Sir Edw. Poinings government but ever since they have had their Statutes enacted in their owne Parliaments Besides these civill Magistrates they have also one militarie officer named the Mareshal who standeth here in great stead to restrain as well the insolencie of souldiers as of rebels who otherwhiles commit many great insolencies This office the Barons de Morley of England bare in times past by inheritance as appeareth by Records for King John gave it to bee held by right of inheritance in these very expresse words We have given and granted unto Iohn Mareschal for his homage and service our Mareshalship of Ireland with all appurtenances We have given also unto him for his homage and service the Cantred in which standeth the towne of Kilbunny to have and to hold unto him and his heires of us and our heires From whom it descended in the right line to the Barons of Morley This Mareshall hath under him his Provost Marshall and sometime more than one according to the occasions and troubles of the time who exercise their authoritie by limitation under the great seale of Ireland with instructions But these and such like matters I will leave to the curious diligence of others Touching the order of justice and government among those more uncivill and wilde Irish I will write somewhat in place convenient when I shall treat of their manners THE DIVISION OF IRELAND IRELAND according to the maners of the inhabitants is divided into two parts for they that refuse to be under lawes and do live without civilitie are termed the Irishry and commonly the Wild Irish but such as being more civill do reverence the authoritie of lawes and are willing to appeare in Court and judicially to be tried are named English-Irish and their country goeth under the tearm of The English Pale because the first Englishmen that came thither did empale for themselves certaine limits in the East part of the Iland and that which was most fruitfull Within which there bee even at this day those also that live uncivilly enough and are not very obedient unto the lawes like as others without the pale are as courteous and civill as a man would desire But if we look into higher times according to the situation of the country or the number rather of governors in old time it containeth five portions for it was sometimes a Pentarchie namely Mounster Southward Leinster Eastward Connacht in the West Ulster in the North and Meth well neere in the very middest In Mounster are these Counties Kerry Desmond Cork Waterford Limiricke Tipperary with the county of holy Crosse in Tipperarie In Leinster be these Counties Kilkenny Caterlough Queenes County Kings Countie Kildare Weishford Dublin In Meth are these Counties East Meath West Meath Longford In Connaght are these Counties Clare Galloway Majo Slego Letrim Roscoman In Ulster be these Counties Louth Cauon Fermanagh Monaghan Armagh Doun Antrim London-Derry Tir-Oen Tir-Conell or Donegall The Ecclesiasticall State of Ireland was ordered anciently by Bishops whom either the Archbishop of Canterburie consecrated or they themselves one another But in the yeere 1152. as we read in Philip Flatesburie Christianus Bishop of Lismore Legate of all Ireland held a most frequent and honourable Councell at Mell whereat were present the Bishops Abbats Kings Captaines and Elders of Ireland In which by authoritie Apostolicall and by the counsell of Cardinals with the consent of Bishops Abbats and others there in Consistorie he ordained foure Archbishopricks in Ireland Armach Dublin Cassile and Tuem or Toam The Bishopricks which were Diocessans under these seeing that now some of them are by the covetous iniquitie of the times abolished others confounded and conjoined others againe translated another way I am disposed here to put downe according as they were in old time out of an ancient Roman PROVINCIALL faithfully exemplified out of the originall Under the Arch-Bishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland are the Bishops of Meath or Elnamirand Dune alias Dundalethglas Chlocor otherwise Lugundun Conner Ardachad Rathbot Rathluc Daln-Liquir Dearrih or Derriâ— Cloâ—macnois Dromor Brefem To the Archbishop of Dublin are subject the Bishops of Glendelach Fern. Ossery alias De Canic Lechlin Kil-dare or Dare. Under the Archbishop of Cassile are the Bishops of Laonie or De Kendalnan Limric The Isle Gathay Cellumabrath Melite or of Emileth Rossi alias Roscree Waterford alias De Baltifordian Lismore Clon alias De Cluanan Corcage that is Cork De Rosalither Ardefert or Kerry Unto the Archbishop of Tuam or Toam are subject the Bishops of Duac alias
Harald begat a sonne named Auloed Auloed begat another Auloed he had a sonne named Sitric King of Develin Sitric he begat Auloed whose daughter Racwella was mother to Gryffith Ap Cynan borne at Dublin whiles Tirlough reigned in Ireland But this is extravagant Develin at length when the English first arrived in Ireland yeelded unto their valour and by them was manfully defended when Ausculph Prince of the Dublinians and afterwards Gottred King of the Isles fiercely on every side assaulted it within a while after a Colony of Bristow-men was deduced hither unto whom King Henry the second granted this City happely at that time dispeopled for to inhabite with all the Franchises and free Customes which the men of Bristow have and that by those very words which I have alledged Since which time it hath flourished every day more and more and in many tumultuous times and hard streights given notable proofe of most faithfull loyaltie to the Crowne of England This is the roiall City and seat of Ireland a famous towne for Merchandize the chiefe Court of Justice in munition strong in buildings gorgeous in Citizens populous An old writer calleth it a City in regard of the people noble of the site most pleasant by reason of the sea and river meeting together rich and plentifull in fish for trafficke famous for the green plain delightfull and lovely beset with woods of mast-bearing trees environed about with Parkes harbouring Deere And William of Newborrow of it writeth thus Divelin a maritime citie is the mother citie of all Ireland having to it a haven passing well frequented for trafficke and entercourse of Merchants matchable with our London Seated it is in a right delectable and wholsome place for to the South yee have hils mounting up aloft Westward an open champion ground and on the East the sea at hand and in sight the river Liffy running downe at North-East affordeth a safe rode and harbour for ships By the river side are certain wharfes or Kaies as we terme them whereby the violent force of the water might be restrained For this verbe Caiare in old writers signified to Keep in to restrain and represse which that most learned Scaliger hath well noted A very strong wall of rough building stone reacheth hence along by the sides of it and the same toward the South fortified also with rampires which openeth at six gates from whence there runne forth suburbs of a great length Toward the East is Dammes gate and hard by standeth the Kings castle on high most strongly fensed with ditches towers and an Armory or Store-house built by Henry Loundres the Archbishop about the yeere 1220. In the East suburbs neere unto Saint Andrew the Apostles Church Henry the second King of England as Hoveden reporteth caused a roiall palace or rather a banqueting house to be erected for himselfe framed with wonderfull workmanship most artificially of smoothed watles after the manner of this country wherein himselfe with the Kings and Princes of Ireland kept a solemne feast upon Christmas day From hence is to bee seene just over against it a beautifull Colledge in which place there stood in old time the Monasterie of All-Hallowes consecrated unto the name of the holy and indivisible Trinity which for the exercise and polishing of good wits with good literature Queene Elizabeth of most happy memory endowed with the priviledges of an University and being furnished of late with a notable Library giveth no small hope that both religion and all the exquisite and liberall sciences will return eftsoones after their long exile to Ireland as to their ancient home unto which as unto a Mart of Arts and good learning strangers sometime used to flocke and repaire And verily in the reigne of Edward the Second Alexander Bicknor Archbishop of Divelin began to recall the profession of learning hither having obtained from the Pope the priviledges of an University and erected also publike Lectures but the troublesome times that presently ensued interrupted the laudable enterprise of that good man The North gate openeth at the bridge built with arched work of new hewen stone by King John and this joineth Oustmantowne to the City For here the Oustmans who came over as Giraldus writeth out of Norway and the parts of the Northren Islands planted themselves as the Annales beare record about the yeere of salvation 1050. In this suburbe stood in times past the goodly Church of Saint Maries of Oustmanby for so in a Charter of King John it is called an house also founded for preaching Friers called of them Black Friers unto which of late daies have beene translated the Judiciall Courts of the kingdome In the South quarter of the City stand two gates Ormonds gate and Newgate which is their common house of correction These lead unto the longest suburbe of all called Saint Thomas street and a magnificent Abbey of the same name called Thomas Court founded and endowed in times past with very ample revenues by King Henry the second for the expiation of the murder of Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Into the South openeth Pauls gate and that which taketh the name of Saint Nicolas making way into Saint Patrickes suburbe wherein standeth the Archbishops Palace knowne by the name of Saint Sepulchres and a most stately Church dedicated unto Saint Patricke right goodly to bee seene with faire embowed workes stone pavements an arched roofe over head of stone worke and a very high tower steeple What time this Church was first built it is to say truth uncertaine That Gregorie King of the Scots came unto it about the yeere 890. the Scottish Historie doth record The same afterward being much enlarged by John King of England was ordained first to be a Church of Prebends by Iohn Comyn Archbishop of Dublin in the yeere 1191. and Pope Celestine the third confirmed the same Then after him Henry Loundres his successour in the Archbishopricke augmented it with dignities of Personages for I may be bold to use here the founders words and framed it conformable to the immunities orders and approved customes of the Church of Salisbury But in our daies it maintaineth a Deane a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Arch-Deacons and two and twenty Prebendaries The only light and lamp that I may not conceale the most ample testimony which the Parliament of the kingdome giveth unto it of all godly and Ecclesiasticall discipline and order in Ireland There is another Cathedrall Church also standing in the very heart of the City which being consecrate unto the Holy Trinity is commonly called Christs Church touching the building thereof thus we read in the ancient records of the same Church Sitric King of Dublin the sonne of Ableb Earle of Dublin gave unto the blessed Trinity and to Donatus the first Bishop of Dublin a place to found a Church in unto the holy Trinity and not onely so but gold and silver also hee bestowed sufficiently for the
the mendicant Friers as detesting in Christians such voluntary begging Neere to Armach upon a rising hill remain the reliques of an old castle Owen-Maugh they call it which was as they say the ancient habitation of the Kings of Ulster More East glideth the Black-water in the Irish tongue More that is Great which is the limit betweene this shire and Tir-Oen whereof I am to speak in due place In this country and about it Mac-Genis O Hanlan O Hagan and many of the sept of O-Neal assuming unto them sundry additions and by-names carry all the sway after a sort and over-rule the rest THE COUNTY OF DOWNE EAstward now followeth the county of DOWNE and that very large and fertile in soile stretched out even as farre as to the Irish sea reaching on the North side to the Lake Eaugh by a new name called Logh Sidney and on the South to the county of Louth from which the river Newry severeth it Upon this river in the very first entrance into this shire within our remembrance Sir Nicolas Bagnall Mareschall of Ireland who by his conduct atchieved here divers exploits and reduced the country to more civility built and fortified a towne of the same name Hard by it the river called Banthelesse issuing out of the desert mountaines of Mourne passeth through the country of Eaugh which belongeth to the family of Mac Gynnis Betweene whom and the O Neals who tyrannized in Ulster there fell in times past a controversie whether they were vassals to O Neal and whether they should find their followers and souldiers victuals c. this kind of service they call Bonoghty This hath unto it an Episcopall See at Dromore above which at the edge of Logh Eaugh are the tracts of Kilwlto and Kilwarny much encombred with woods and bogges These lye inwardly but by the maritime coast the sea doth so wind it selfe in and with sundry Creeks and Bayes encroach within the land yea and the Logh and Lake dilateth it selfe beside Dyffrin a valley full of woods the inheritance in old time of the Mandevils afterwards of the Whites in such sort that it maketh two bilands Lecall Southward and Ardes Northward Lecall a rich and battle ground beareth out farthest into the East of any part of Ireland and is the utmost Promontory or cape thereof which the Mariners now terme Saint Iohns Foreland Ptolomee calleth it ISANIUM perhaps of the British word Isa which signifieth Lowest In the very streight whereof flourished DUNUM whereof Ptolomee also made mention though not in the right place now named Down a towne of very great antiquity and a Bishops See renowned by the tombe of Saint Patricke Saint Brigid and Saint Columb upon which was written this rude riming distichon Hi tres in Duno tumulo tumulantur in uno Brigida Patricius atque Columba pius At Doun these three lie buried in one tombe Brigid Patricke and that devout Columb Which monument of theirs as the bruit runneth was demolished by the Lord Leonard Grey Deputy under King Henrie the eighth and sure it is that when he was arraigned for misgoverning and condemned therefore to death among other imputations he was charged that he had profaned this Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke But as touching the Sepulcher of Saint Patricke the religious Priests were at variance like as the Cities of Greece in times past strove about the native country of the Poet Homer These of Downe challenge it to themselves and that upon the authoritie of the verses aforesaid Those of Armagh put in their claime out of the words of Saint Bernard which erewhile I alledged The Monkes of Glastenbury in England averred it to be with them and that out of the old Records and Evidences of their Abbey and some Scots have likewise avouched that as he was borne neere unto Glasco so likewise he was enterred there at Kirk-Patrick Into this Down Sir Iohn Curcy that Martiall Englishman and for a Warrior extraordinarily devout to Godward after hee had brought this country in subjection unto him was the first that brought in the Benedictine Monkes and he translated the Monasterie of Cariche which Mac Neal Mac Eulef King of Ulster had founded in Erinaich neere unto S. Finins Fountaine into the Isle called after his name Ynis-Curcy and endowed the same with lands assigned for it For before time the Monkes of Ireland as those of ancient times in Egypt whose maner and order that devour man Congell that is by interpretation A faire pledge brought over into Ireland being wholly given to prayer earned for themselves and the poore their living with the labour of their own hands Howbeit these Monasticall orders and customes as all humane things continued not long when their maners and carriage grew to be worse and riches had by little and little polluted piety which as a mother had formerly bred them Robert Abbat of Molisime in Burgundie studied and endevoured earnestly in times past to reduce and set on foot againe the said ancient Discipline and perswaded his owne Disciples to live with their handy labour to leave Tithes and Oblations unto the Priests that served in the Diocesse to forbeare wearing of Breeches made of woven cloth or of leather But they labouring to the contrary refused flatly to goe from the customes observed in the Monasteries of the West parts of the world which were knowne for certaine to have been instituted and ordained by Saint Maure scholar to Saint Benet and by Saint Columban But I have digressed too farre now will I returne againe By the sea-side stand Arglas where Saint Patrick by report founded a Church and Strangford called in old time Strandford a safe harbour where the river Coyn with a great and violent streame breaketh into the Sea Neere unto which in the Biland Lecale Queene Mary in her great bounty unto Noblemen liberally gave lands unto the Earle of Kildare And here of the English race the Russells Audleys Whites and the Bagnells who came thither last stoutly defend among the wild and fierce Irish not without danger what they and their ancestours won in these parts Ardes the other Biland called The Andes lieth over against to the North severed with a small chanell out of the Logh-Coin which on the West side encloseth it like as the sea on the East side and the Bay of Knoc-Fergus on the North. You may resemble it to the bent of the arme which by a very narrow Isthim or necke of land groweth to the rest of the Iland like as an arme to the shoulder The soile is every where passing good and bountifull but only in the mids where lieth out for twelve miles or thereabout in length a moist flat and boggy plaine The shore is sufficiently bespred with small villages and in times past had a most renowned Monasterie at the Bay of Knoc-Fergus of the same institution order and name as was that right ancient and famous Abbey in England neere unto Chester I
the same so prone is mans nature to entertain the worst that one would not beleeve in how short a time some English among them degenerate and grow out of kinde A PRAEFACE TO THE ANNALES OF IRELAND THus far forward was the Printers presse a going when the Honourable Lord William Howard of Naworth for the love that he beareth unto the studies of Antiquity willingly imparted unto me the Manuscript Annales of Ireland from the yeere of our Salvation MCLII unto the yeere MCCCLXX Which I thought good to publish considering that after Giraldus Cambrensis there is nothing to my knowledge extant better in this kind and because so noble and worthy a person whose they were by right in private before permitted so much Unto whom the very same thankes in manner are duly to bee yeelded for bringing them to light that were to be given unto the authour himselfe who first recorded them in writing And albeit they are penned in a stile somewhat rude and barrain as those times required yet much matter is therein contained that may illustrate the Irish Historie and would have given good light unto mee if they had not come to my hands so late Take them here therefore truly and faithfully exemplified even as I found them with all their imperfections and faults and if you have any better impart them with semblable courtesie unto us if not make use of these with us untill some one come forth and shew himselfe that will helpe us to a fuller Chronicle and happilie continue the same in length even unto our daies with more elegancie of phrase which verily would be no painfull work to be performed THE ANNALES OF IRELAND ANno Domini MCLXII Gregorie the first Archbishop of Dublin a man praise worthy every way slept in the Lord after whom succeeded holy Laurence O-Thothil who was Abbat of St. Kemnus de Glindelagh Thomas is made Archbishop of Canterburie MCLXVI Rothericke O-Conghir Prince of Connaght was made King and Monarch of Ireland MCLXVII Died Maud the Empresse The same yeere Almaricke King of Jerusalem tooke Babylon And in the same yeere Dermoc Mac-Murrogh Prince of Leinster whiles O-Rorke King of Meth was in a certaine expedition carried away his wife who was willing enough to be ravished For her selfe made meanes to be taken as a prey as we find in Cambrensis MCLXVIII Donate King of Uriel founder of Mellifont Monasterie departed in Christ. In the same yeere Robert Fitz-Stephen neither unmindfull of his promise nor a breaker of his faith came into Ireland with thirtie Knights MCLXIX Earle Richard of Stroghul sent before him into Ireland a certaine young Gentleman of his owne family named Remund with ten Knights about the Calends of May. The same yeere the said Earle Richard accompanied with two hundred Knights or thereabout and others to the number as one would say of a thousand arrived on the even of S. Bartholmew the Apostle Which Richard verily was the sonne of Gilbert Earle of Stroghul that is Chippestow sometime Strogull This Richard also was the sonne of Isabell Aunt by the mothers side of K. Malcome and William King of Scotland and of David the Earle a Gentleman of good hope and the morrow after the same Apostles day they tooke the said Citie and there Eva Dermots daughter was lawfully joined in marriage unto Earle Richard and her father gave her MCLXXI S. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie was slaine In the same yeere the Citie of Dublin was by the Earle and his companie taken And the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Castro Dei that is of Gods Castle MCLXXI Dermot Mac-Morrogh full of dayes was taken out of this world at Fernys about the Calends of May. MCLXXII The courageous King Henrie with 500. Knights arrived at Waterford and among other things gave Meth unto Sir Hugh Lacie The same yeere was founded the Abbey de Fonte vivo MCLXXIV Gelasius Archbishop of Armagh the first Primate of Ireland an holy man aged and full of daies rested in Christ. This Gelasius is said to bee the first Archbishop that wore the first pale but others before him were in name onely called Archbishops and Primates for the reverend regard and honour of St. Patricke as being the Apostle of that nation whose See was from the beginning had of all men in so great reverence that not onely Bishops and Priests and those of the Cleargie but Kings and Princes universally were subject to the Bishop thereof in all obedience After whom succeeded in the Archbishopricke Gilbert a Prelate of good memorie MCLXXV William King of Scotland was taken prisoner at Alnewicke MCLXXVI Bertram Verdon founded the Abbey of Crokisdenne MCLXXVII Earle Richard about the Calends of May died at Dublin and was buried in the Church of the holy Trinitie at Dublin The same yeere Vivian a Priest Cardinall entituled of S. Stephan in Mount Caelius came as Legat of the Apostolicall See into Ireland sent from Pope Alexander MCLXXVIII The ninth day before the Calends of December the Abbey de Samaria was founded The same yeere was founded Rose Vale that is Rosseglasse MCLXXIX Miles Cogan and Ralph the sonne of Fitz-Stephen his daughters husband were slaine betweene Waterford and Lismore c. as we read in Cambrensis The same yeere Hervie Mont-Marish entred the Monasterie of Saint Trinitie in Canterburie who founded the Monasterie of Saint Marie de Portu that is Of Donbroth MCLXXX The Abbey of the Quire of Benet was founded The same yeere was founded the Abbey of Geripount The same yeere Laurence Archbishop of Dublin upon the 18. day before the Calends of December happily slept in the Lord within the Church of Saint Marie of Aux After whom succeeded John Cumin an Englishman borne in England at Evesham chosen with good agreement and accord by the Cleargie of Dublin the King by his industry procuring the same and confirmed by the Pope which John afterwards founded the Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin MCLXXXIII The order of the Templars and Hospitallers is confirmed The same yeere is founded the Abbey de Lege Dei that is Gods Law MCLXXXV John the Kings sonne Lord of Ireland by his fathers gift came into Ireland in the 12. yeere of his age in the thirteenth yeere after his fathers comming after the comming of Fitz-Stephen the fifteenth in the 14. yeere from the comming of Earle Richard and in the same fifteenth yeere returned MCLXXXVI The order of the Cartusians and of the Grandians is confirmed In the same yeere Hugh Lacie was killed at Dervath treacherously by an Irishman because the foresaid Hugh would build a castle there and as he was teaching of an Irishman how to labour with an iron toole to wit a Pykax when Hugh bowed himselfe forward he stroke him to the ground with both hands and as he held down his head the said Irishman with an axe chopt off Hugh Lacie his head and there was an end of the conquest In the same yeere Christian Bishop of
Lismore sometime Legate of Ireland an earnest follower of the vertues which he had seen and heard of his devout father Saint Bernard and Pope Eugenius a venerable man with whom hee was in the Probatorie at Clarevall who also ordained him to be the Legate in Ireland after his obedience performed within the monasterie of Kyrieleyson happily departed to Christ. Jerusalem was taken with the Lords Crosse by the Soldan and the Saracens after many Christians slaine MCLXXXVII Upon the Calends or first day of July was the Abbey of Ynes in Ulster founded MCLXXXIX Henry Fitz-Empresse departed this life after whom succeeded his sonne Richard and is buried in Font-Ebrard In the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Colle victoriae that is of Cnokmoy MCXC. King Richard and King Philip make a voiage into the holy land MCXCI. In the Monasterie of Clarevall the translation of Malachie Bishop of Armagh was honourably celebrated MCXCII The Citie of Dublin was burnt MCXCIII Richard King of England in his return from the holy land was taken prisoner by the Duke of Austrich and he made an end by composition with the Emperour to pay for his ransome one hundred thousand markes and with the Empresse to pay thirtie thousand also with the foresaid Duke 20. thousand markes in regard of an obligation which he had made unto them for Henrie Duke of Saxonie Now hee remained in the Emperours prison a yeere sixe moneths and three daies For whose ransome all the Chalices in manner throughout England were sold. In the same yeere was founded the Abbey de Iugo Dei that is of Gods yoke MCXCIIII The reliques of S. Malachie Bishop of Clareval were brought into Ireland and with all honour that might be received in the Monasterie of Mellifont and the rest of the Monasteries of the Cistertian order MCXCV. Matthew Archbishop of Cassile Legate of Ireland John Archbishop of Dublin carried away the corps of Hugh Lacie the conquerour of Meth from the Irish and solemnely enterred it in the Monasterie of Blessednesse that is Becty But the head of the said Hugh was bestowed in the Monastery of Saint Thomas in Dublin MCXCVIII The order of Friers Preachers began in the parts about Tolouse by Dominicke the second MCXCIX Richard King of England died after whom succeeded John his brother who was Lord of Ireland and Earle of Mortaigne which John slew Arthur the lawfull heire sonne of Geffrey his whole brother And in this manner died Richard When K. Kichard besieged the Castle of Chaluz in little Britaine wounded he was to death with an arrow by one of those in the said Castle named Bertram Gurdon And when he dispaired of his life hee demised the Kingdome of England and all his other lands unto his brother to keep All his Jewels and one fourth part of his Treasure he gave unto his Nephew Otho and another fourth part of his Treasure he gave and commanded to be dealt among his servants and the poore Now when the said Bertram was apprehended and brought before the King the K. demanded of him in these termes what harme have I done thee that thou hast slaine me Unto whom without any manner of feare he answered thus Thou killedst my father and two of my brethren with thine owne hand and me also thou wouldest now have killed Take therefore what revenge so ever thou wilt of me for I passe not so thou maist be slaine that hast wrought so many mischiefes to the world Then the King forgave him his death and commanded that hee should be let goe at libertie and to give him besides one hundred shillings sterling But after the King was dead some of the Kings ministers slayed the said Beâ—â—â—am and hung him up And this King yeelded up his vitall breath the eighth day before the Ides of April which fell out to be the fourth day of the weeke before Palme-Sunday and the eleventh day after he was wounded and buried hee was at Foâ—â— Eâ—â—ard at the feet of his father Touching whose death a certaine versifier saith thus Istiâ— in morte perimit formica leonem Proh dolor in tanto funere mundus obit In this mans death as is well seene the Ant a Lion slaies And in so great a death alas the world doth end her daies The Corps of which King Richard is divided into three parts Whence was this verse made Viscera Carceolum Corpus Fons servat Ebrardi Et Cor Rhothomagum magne Richarde tuum Thy bowels onely Carceol keeps thy Corps Font-Everard And Roan hath keeping of thy heart O puissant Richard When King Richard was departed this life his brother John was girt with the sword of the Duchy of Normandie by the Archbishop of Rhoan the seventh day before the Calends of May next ensuing after the death of the aforesaid King which Archbishop did set upon the head of the said Duke a Circle flower with golden roses in the top round about Also upon the sixth day before the Calends of June hee was anointed and crowned King of England all the Lords and Nobles of England being present within the Church of Saint Peter in Westminster upon the day of the Lords Ascension and afterwards was John King of England called to a Parliament in France by the King of France to answer as touching the death of his Nephew Arthur and because he came not he deprived him of Normandy The same yeere was the Abbey of Commerer founded MCC Cathol Cronerg King of Conaght founder of the Monastery de Colle Victoriae that is of the Hill of Victorie is expelled out of Conaght The same yeere was founded the Monasterie de Voto that is Tynterne by William Marshall Earle Marshall and of Pembroch who was Lord of Leinster to wit of Weisford Ossory Caterlagh and Kildare in regard and right of his wife who espoused the daughter of Richard Earle of Stroghul and of Eve the daughter of Dermot-Mac-Murogh But because the foresaid William Earle Marshall was in exceeding great jeopardie both day and night in the sea he vowed a vow unto our Lord Jesus Christ that if he might be delivered from the tempest and come to land hee would make a Monasterie unto Christ and Marie his mother and so it came to passe when hee was come safe to Weisford he made I say the Monasterie of Tyntern according to his vow and called it the Monasterie De voto that is Of the vow In the same yeere was founded the Monasterie de Flumine Dei that is Of Gods river MCCII. Gathol Cronerg or Crorobdyr King of Conaght was set againe in his kingdome The same yeere is founded the house of Canons or Regular Priests of St. Marie by Sir Meiler Fitz-Henrie MCCIII The Abbey of S. Saviour that is Dowiâ—ky being founded was in this yeere and the next following built MCCIV. There was a field fought betweene John Curcie Earle of Ulster and Hugh Lacie at Doune in which battell many on both sides lost their lives But John Curcie had the upper
hand in fight Afterwards upon the sixth day of the weeke being Good-friday when the foresaid John was unarmed and went by way of pilgrimage bare foot and in his linnen vesture a visiting the Churches as the manner is treacherously he was taken prisoner by his owne people for a piece of money given in hand and for a greater reward to be given afterward for a recompence and so was delivered unto Hugh Lacie But hee bringeth him unto the King of England who gave unto Hugh Lacie the Earldom of Ulster and the Seigniorie of Conaught which belonged unto John Curcie Then Hugh Lacie being Earle rewarded all the foresaid Traitours that had betraied John Curcie and gave unto them gold and silver more or lesse but straightwayes hung up all the Traitours aforesaid and tooke away all their goods and so Hugh Lacie ruleth over all Ulster and John Curcie is condemned to perpetuall prison because he had before time beene a Rebell to John King of England and would not doe him homage and besides blamed him about the death of Arthur the rightfull heire unto the Crowne But whiles hee was in prison and in extreme povertie having but little allowance and the same course and simple for to eat and drinke he said O God wherefore dealest thou thus by me who have built and re-edified so many Monasteries for thee and thy Saints Now when he had many times wailed and made loud moane in this wise and therewith fell asleep the holy Trinitie appeared unto him saying Why hast thou cast me out of mine owne seat and out of the Church of Doun and placed there my S. Patrick the Patron of Ireland Because indeed John Curcie had expelled the Secular Canons or Priests out of the Cathedrall Church of Doune and brought the blacke Monks of Chester and placed them in the said Church And the holy Trinitie stood there in a stately shrine or seat and John himselfe tooke it downe out of the Church and ordained a Chappell for that Image and in the great Church set up the image of S. Patrick which displeased the most High God therefore thus said God Know thou well that thou shalt never enter into thy Seigniorie in Ireland Howbeit in regard of other good deeds that thou hast done thou shalt with honour be delivered forth of prison which also came to passe And now by this time there arose a contention betweene John King of England and the King of France about a Seigniory and certain Castles and this suit or controversie still depending the King of France offered unto him a Giant or Champion to fight for his right Then the King of England called to remembrance his most valiant Knight John Curcie whom upon the information of others he had before cast into prison The King therefore sent for John Curcie and asked him if he were able to help and stand him in stead in a combat then John answered and said I will not fight for thee but for the right of the Kingdome for which afterward hee undertooke to doe his endeavour in single fight and so refreshed himselfe with meat drink and bathing and tooke the vertue of his owne fortitude and strength and a day was appointed betweene these Giants or Champions namely betweene John Curcie and the other But when the Champion of France heard of his exceeding great feeding and of his strength hee refused the combat and then was the said Seigniorie given unto the King of England Then the King of France requested to see a stroake given by the hand of John Curcie and he set a strong and doughtie good morion full of maile upon a great blocke or log of wood and the foresaid John taking his skeine or sword and looking back round about him with a stern and grim countenance smote the moâ—ion through from the very crest downeward into the blocke and the sword stucke in the wood so fast that no other man but himselfe was able to plucke out the sword then John at the request of the Kings easily pluckt it forth And the Kings demanded of the foresaid John wherefore he looked behind him with so grim a countenance before he gave the stroke who answered that if he had failed in giving that stroke he would have slaine them all as well Kings as others And the Kings gave unto him great gifts yea and the King of England rendred unto him also his Seigniorie of Ulster But John Curcie attempted 15. times to saile over sea into Ireland but was alwaies in danger and the wind evermore against him wherefore hee waited a while among the Monkes of Chester At length he returned into France and there rested in the Lord. MCCV. The Abbey of Wetheney in the countie of Lymericke was founded by Theobald the sonne of Walter Butler Lord of Karryke MCCVI. The order of Friers Minors was begun neere the citie Assisa by Saint Francis MCCVIII William Breos is expelled out of England and commeth into Ireland England is interdicted for the tyrannie of King John of England Likewise a great overthrow and slaughter hapned at Thurles in Mounster committed upon the Lord Justice of Irelands men by Sir Geffery Mareys MCCX John King of England came into Ireland with a great fleet and a puissant armie and for that the sons of Hugh Lacie to wit the Lord Walter Lord of Meth and Hugh his brother exercised tyrannie upon the Commons and especially because they slew Sir John Curson Lord of Rathenny and Kilbarrocke for they heard that the foresaid John accused them unto the King therefore I say the King drave the foresaid sonnes of Hugh Lacie out of the land and they fled into France and served in the Monasterie of Saint Taurin as unknowne working about clay and bricke and sometime in gardens as Gardiners but at length they were knowne by the Abbat of the said Monasterie and the said Abbat entreated the King for them because he had baptized his sonnes and was Godsib unto him as a Godfather many times and Walter Lacie paid two thousand and five hundred markes and Hugh Lacie payed a great summe of money unto the King for his ransome and at the request of the said Abbat restored they were againe unto their former degree and Seigniorie And Walter Lacie brought with him John the sonne of Alured that is Fitz-Acory sonne to the foresaid Abbats whole brother and he made him Knight and gave unto him the Seigniorie of Dengle and many other Lordships Item hee brought Monkes with him out of the same Monasterie and gave unto them many fermes and the Cell called Fourie in regard of charitie thankfulnesse and counsell and Hugh Lacie Earle of Ulster made a Cell for Monkes and endowed them in Ulster in a place called ..... But John King of England having taken many pledges and hostages as well of English as of Irish and hanged a number of malefactours upon Jebbits and setled the State of the land returned into England the same yeere that he came
with Gylly Cavinelagh Obugill and Mac-Derley King of Oresgael with the principall men of Kineoil Conail And many of the army of the said Justice were drowned as they passed over the water of Fin Northward and among them in the rescuing of a prey there were slaine Atarmanudaboge Sir W. Brit Sherif of Conacth and the young knight his brother And afterward the said army spoiled the country and left the Seigniorie of Kineoil Conail to Rory O-Coner for that time There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tirconnell and great spoiles made and O-Canamayu was expelled out of Kenoilgain he left the territory of Kenail Conail with Gorry Mac-Donald O-Donnel There was another expedition also by the said Justice into Tireogaine against O-Neale but he gave pledges for the preservation of his countrey There was another expedition by the said Justice in Leinster against the Irishry whom he pitifully outraged and spoiled their land In another expedition also the said Justice destroied Kenoilgain and all Ulster in despite of O-Neale tarrying three nights at Tullaghoge MCCXLIII Hugh Lacy Earle of Ulster died and is buried at Crag-fergous in the covent of the Friers Minours leaving a daughter his heire whom Walter Burk who was Earle of Ulster espoused In the same yeere died Lord Girald Fitz-Moris and Richard Burk MCCXLVI An earthquake over all the West about 9. of the clocke MCCXLVIII Sir John Fitz-Gefferey knight came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCL. Lewis King of France and William Long Espee with many other are taken prisoners by the Saracens In Ireland Maccanewey a sonne of Beliol was slaine in Leys as he well deserved MCCLI. The Lord Henry Lacie was borne Likewise upon Christmas day Alexander King of Scotland a childe eleven yeeres old espoused at Yorke Margaret the King of Englands daughter MCCLV Alan de la Zouch is made Lord Justice and commeth into Ireland MCCLVII The Lord Moris or Maurice Fitz-Gerald deceaseth MCCLIX Stephen Long Espee commeth Lord Justice of Ireland The Greene castle in Ulster is throwne downe Likewise William Dene is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXI The Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the Lord Maurice his son are slaine in Desmund by Mac-Karthy likewise William Dene Lord Justice of Ireland dejected after whom succeeded in the same yeere Sir Richard Capell MCCLXII Richard Clare Earle of Glocester died Item Martin Maundevile left this life the morrow after Saint Bennets day MCCLXIV Maurice Fitz Gerald and Maurice Fitz Maurice took prisoners Rich. Capell the Lord Theobald Botiller and the Lord John Cogan at Tristel-Dermot MCCLXVII David Barrie is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXVIII Comin Maurice Fitz Maurice is drowned Item Lord Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland MCCLXIX The castle of Roscomon is founded Richard of Excester is made Lord Justice MCCLXX The Lord James Audeley came Lord Justice into Ireland MCCLXXI Henry the Kings sonne of Almain is slaine in the Court of Rome The same yeere reigned the plague famine and the sword and most in Meth. Item Nicholas de Verdon and his brother John are slain Walter Burk or de Burgo Earle of Ulster died MCCLXXII The Lord James Audeley Justice of Ireland was killed with a fall from his horse in Twomond after whom succeeded Lord Maurice Fitz-Maurice in the office of chiefe Justice MCCLXXIII The Lord Geffrey Genevile returned out of the holy land and is made Justice of Ireland MCCLXXIV Edward the sonne of King Henrie by the hands of Robert Kelwarby a Frier of the order of Preaching Friers and Archbishop of Canterburie upon S. Magnus the Martyrs day in the Church of Westminster was anointed K. of England and crowned in the presence of the Lords and Nobles of all England whose protestation and oath was in this forme I Edward son and heire to King Henrie professe protest and promise before God and his Angels from this time forward to keep without respect the law justice and peace unto the holy Church of God and the people subject unto me so far forth as we can devise by the counsell of our liege and loiall ministers also to exhibite condigne and canonicall honour unto the Bishops of Gods Church to preserve inviolably whatsoever hath bin bestowed by Emperors and Kings upon the Church committed unto them and to yeeld due honour unto Abbats the Lords vessels according to the advise of our lieges c. So help me God and the holy Gospels of the Lord. In the same yeer died the Lord Iohn Verdon likewise the Lord Thomas Clare came into Ireland Item William Fitz-Roger Prior of the Hospitalers with many others are taken prisoners at Glyndelory and more there slaine MCCLXXV The castle of Roscoman is erected againe In the same yeere Moydagh was taken prisoner at Norragh by Sir Walter Faunte MCCLXXVI Robert Ufford is made Lord Justice of Ireland the second time Geffrey Genevile gave place and departed MCCLXXVII O-Brene is slaine MCCLXXVIII The Lord David Barry died Likewise the Lord John Cogan MCCLXXIX The Lord Robert Ufford entred into England and appointed in his roome Frier Robert Fulborne Bishop of Waterford in whose time the money was changed likewise the Round table was holden at Kenilworth by the Lord Roger Mortimer MCCLXXX Robert Ufford returned out of England Lord Justice as before Also the wife of Robert Ufford deceased MCCLXXXI Adam Cusack the younger slew William Barret and many others in Connaght Item Frier Stephen Fulborne is made Justice of Ireland Item the Lord Robert Ufford returned into England MCCLXXXII Moritagh and Arte Mac-Murgh his brother are slaine at Arclowe on the Even of Saint Marie Maudlen Likewise the Lord Roger Mortimer died MCCLXXXIII The citie of Dublin was in part burnt and the Belfray of Saint Trinitie Church in Dublin the third day before the Nones of Januarie MCCLXXXIIII The castle of Ley was taken and burnt by the Potentates or Lords of Offaly the morrow after Saint Barnabe the Apostle his day Alphonsus the Kings sonne twelve yeeres old changed his life MCCLXXXV The Lord Theobald Botiller died the sixth day before the Kalends of October in the castle of Arclowe and was buried there in the covent of the Friers preachers Item Girald Fitz-Maurice was taken prisoner by his own Irish in Offalie and Richard Petit and Saint Doget with many other and a great overthrow was given at Rathode with much slaughter MCCLXXXVI Norragh and Arstoll with other townes were one after another continually burnt by Philip Stanton the 16. day before the Calends of December In these daies Alianor Queen of England mother of King Edward tooke the mantle and the ring at Ambresburie upon the day of Saint Thomas his translation having her dower in the kingdome of England confirmed by the Pope to be possessed for ever Likewise Calwagh is taken prisoner at Kildare The Lord Thomas Clare departed this life MCCLXXXVII Stephen Fulborn Archbishop of Tuam died after whom there succeeded in the office of Lord chiefe Justice for a time John
the said Earle having an oath tendered unto him swore upon the Sacrament that hee would never worke or procure by himselfe or by any of his friends and followers harme or grievance upon the occasion of his apprehension unto the Citizens of Dublin but that which himselfe might by order of law obtaine or get against the offenders or transgressours in that behalfe and thereupon hee had time and day untill the feast of the Nativitie of S. John Baptist at which day he came not Also in the same yeere Corne and other victuals were exceeding deere A Cranok of wheat was sold for three and twenty shillings and wine for eight denires and the whole land in maner was wasted by the Scots and Ulster-men yea many house-holders and such as had sustained and relieved a number of folk were driven to begge and a number were famished So great also was the death and dearth together that the poore were pined with famine and many died At the same time came messengers to Dublin out of England with grants of pardon which they had at their will and pleasure but before their comming the foresaid Earle was delivered And at the feast of Pentecost Mortimer the Lord chiefe Justice took his journy towards Tredagh and from thence to Trim and sent his letters for the Lacies to repaire unto him who contemptuously refused to come And afterwards Sir Hugh Crofts Knight was sent unto the Lacies to treat about a peace who by them was slain the more the pity And after that Mortimer L. Justice assembled his army against the Lacies who seized upon their goods cattell and treasure and brought them to finall destruction slew many of their men and chased them into the parts of Connaght And it was said that Sir Walter Lacie went forth as farre as to Ulster to seeke Brus. Item in the towne of St. Cinere in Flanders about the feast of Pentecost the Lord Aumar Valence and his sonne were taken prisoners and conveied into Almaini And the same yeere on Munday after the feast of the nativitie of S. John Baptist the Potentates of Ireland assembled themselves to the Parliament at Dublin and there was the Earle of Ulster enlarged who tooke his oath and found mainprisers or sureties to answer the writs of law and to pursue the Kings enemies both Irish and Scots Item upon the day of the Saints Pnocesse and Martinian Sir Iohn Atly encountred at sea Thomas Dover a right strong thiefe and took him and about forty of his men well armed he slew and his head he brought with him to Dublin Also upon the day of the translation of S. Thomas Sir Nicholas Bolscot came out of England with newes that two Cardinals were come from the Court of Rome into England to treat concerning a peace and they brought a Bull to excommunicate all the troublers of the peace of the Lord the King of England Likewise the Thursday next before the feast of St. Margaret Hugh and Walter Lacie were proclaimed seducers and felons to the King because they had advanced their banner against the peace of the Lord King of England More on the sunday following the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice of Ireland took his journey to Tredagh with all his souldiers At the same time the Ulster-men raised a bootie neere unto Tredagh and the men of Tredagh went out and fetched the bootie backe againe where was slaine Miles Cogan with his brother and sixe other great Lords of Ulster were taken prisoners and brought to the castle of Dublin And afterwards Mortimer the Lord Justice assembled his army against O-Fervill and commanded the Mal-passe to be cut downe and destroied all his houses and afterwards the said O-Fervil rendred himselfe to the peace and put in hostages Also the Lord Roger Mortimer Justice tooke his journey toward Clony and made an inquisition or inquest as touching Sir Iohn Blound to wit White of Rathregan which inquest accused the said Iohn whereupon he was of necessity to fine for two hundred marks and afterward on sunday after the feast of the nativity of blessed Marie the said Mortimer with a great power marched against the Irish of O-Mayl and came to Glinsely where many were slaine both of Irish and English but the Irish went away with the worst and soone after came O-brynn and rendred himselfe to the peace of the King And Roger Mortimer with his company came to the castle of Dublin And upon the day of Simon and Jude the Apostles the Archbales had peace by mainprise of the Earle of Kildare And at the feast of Saint Hilary following there was a Parliament holden at Lincolne about a treaty of peace betweene the Lord King of England and the Earle of Lancaster and between the Scots and the Scots continued in peace and by reason of that Parliament the Archbishop of Dublin and the Earle of Ulster staied in England by the Kings commandement And about the feast of the Epiphany there came newes to Dublin that Sir Hugh Canon the Kings Justice in his bench was slaine by Andrew Bermingham between Naas and Castle-Martin Item at the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary there came the Popes Buls so that Alexander de Bicknor was confirmed and consecrated Archbishop of Dublin and those Buls were read and published in the Church of the holy Trinity And at the same time was read another Bull that the Lord Pope ordained peace between the Lord King of England and the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland for two yeeres to which time the said Brus refused to condescend and agree These things passed about the feast of St. Valentine Item the sunday following came the Lord Roger Mortimer to Dublin and dubbed Iohn Mortimer Knight with foure of his fellowes and the same day Mortimer kept a great feast in the castle of Dublin Item at the same time a great slaughter was made of Irishmen in Conaght through a quarrell betweene two Lords of Princes there and slaine there were of both sides about foure thousand men and afterwards there was taken great revenge upon the men of Ulster who in the time that the Scots spoiled and preaded in Ireland had done much harme and eate flesh in Lent not of necessity therefore much tribulation came upon them insomuch that they did eat one another so that often thousand there remained about 300. and no more who escaped in maner all for to be punished And here appeared the vengeance of God Item it was reported of a truth that some of the foresaid evill doers were so hunger-starved that in Church-yards they tooke the bodies out of their graves and in their skuls boiled the flesh and fed thereupon yea and women did eat their owne children for starke hunger MCCCXVIII In the Quindene of Easter newes out of England arrived in Ireland that the towne of Berwicke was betraied and taken by the Scots and afterwards in the same yeere Master Walter Islep the Kings Treasurer in Ireland landed and
brought letters to the Lord Roger Mortimer that he should addresse himselfe to repaire unto the King who did so and substituted the Lord William Archbishop of Cashil Custos of Ireland who at one and the same time was Lord Justice of Ireland Lord Chancellour and Archbishop And afterward at the three weekes end after Easter there came newes to Dublin that the Lord Richard Clare was slaine and with him foure Knights namely Sir Henry Capell Sir Thomas Naas Sir James Cannon and Sir John Caunton also Adam Apilgard with 80. other men by O-Brene and Mac-Carthy on the feast of Saint Gordian and Epimachus And it was reported that the said Lord Richard his body was in despightfull malice cut into small pieces but his reliques were enterred in Limerick among the Friers Minors Item on sunday in Mense Paschae that is a moneth after Easter Iohn Lacy was led forth of the castle of Dublin and brought to Trim for to be arraigned and to heare and receive his judgment there who was adjudged to be strait dieted and so he died in prison Item the sunday before the Lords Ascension Lord Roger Mortimer sailed over into England but paied nothing for his victuals that he had taken up in Dublin and elsewhere which amounted to the value of one thousand pounds Also the same yeere about the feast of S. Iohn Baptist the great grace and mercy of God was shewed in that wheat which before was sold for 15. shillings was now not worth above seven shillings and oates were bought for five shillings great plentie there was of wine salt and fish and that in such sort that about St. Iames day there was new bread to be had of new corne a thing that never or seldome had been seen afore in Ireland and this was a signe of Gods tender mercy and all through the praier of the poore and other faithfull folke Item the Sunday after the feast of Saint Michael newes came to Dublin that Lord Alexander Bykenore then the Kings Justice in Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin was arrived at Yoghall On S. Denis day he came to Dublin and with great procession and honourable pompe of the religious persons and of others as well of the Clergy as the Laity he was received Item on Saturday falling out to be the feast of Pope Calixtus a field was fought betweene the Scots and English of Ireland two leagues from the towne of Dundalk to which battell came of the Scots part the Lord Edward Brus who named himselfe King of Ireland the Lord Philip Mowbray the Lord Walter Soules the Lord Alan Stewart with his three brethren also Sir Walter Lacy Sir Robert and Sir Aumar Lacy John Kermerdyne and Walter White and about 3000. others Against whom came into the field of the English side the Lord John Bermingham Sir Richard Tuit Sir Miles Verdon Sir Hugh Tripton Sir Herbert Sutton Sir Iohn Cusack Sir Edward and Sir William Bermingham and the Primate of Armagh who assoiled them all Sir Walter Larpulk and certain came from Tredagh to the number of twenty well appointed and choice souldiers whom John Maupas accompanied and so they joined the said battell The English were the first that entred with great vigour upon the front and vaward where the said John Maupas manfully and with much honour in this conflict slew the Lord Edward Brus which John also was found slaine upon the body of the said Edward and all the Scots in manner were killed up even to the number of two thousand or thereabout whereby few of the Scots escaped beside the Lord Philip Mowbray who also was wounded to death and Sir Hugh Lacy Sir Walter Lacy with some few others that were with them made shift hardly to save themselves This fortuned between Dundalk and Faghird Now the head of the foresaid Edward the said Lord John Bermingham brought unto the said Lord King of England upon whom the King bestowed at the same time the Earledome of Louth to him and to his heires males and the Barony of Aterith And one quarter with the hands and heart of the foresaid Edward were carried to Dublin and the other quarters divided and sent to other places MCCCXIX The Lord Roger Mortimer returned out of England and is eftsoones made Lord Justice of Ireland The same yeere at the feast of All-Saints came a Bull from the Pope to excommunicate Robert Brus King of Scotland at every Masse Also the towne of Athisell and a great part of the country was burnt by the Lord John Fitz-Thomas whole brother of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas In this yeere the foresaid Iohn Bermingham was created Earle of Louth Also the Stone bridge of Kil-Coleyn was built by Master Moris Iacke Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXX In the time of Pope John the 22. and of the Lord Edward sonne to King Edward which Edward after the comming of Saint Austin into England was the 25. King also under Alexander Bicknore then Archbishop of Dublin beganne the Universitie of the said Citie of Dublin The first that proceeded Master in the same Universitie was Frier William Hardite of the order of preaching Friers which William under the said Archbishop solemnly commenced Doctor in Divinity The second Master that proceeded in the same faculty was Frier Henry Cogry of the order of the Friers Minors the third Master that went forth was William Rodyard Dean of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Patricke in Dublin who solemnly commenced Doctor in the Canon law And this William was made the first Chancellour of the said University The fourth Master in sacred Theologie or Divinity that went out was Frier Edmund Kermerdin Item Roger Mortimer Lord Justice of Ireland returned into England leaving in his place the Lord Thomas Fitz-John then Earle of Kildare Item the Lord Edmund Botiller entred into England and so came to Saint James Also the bridge of the towne of Leghelyn was built by Master Moris Iack Canon of the Cathedrall Church of Kildare MCCCXXI A very great overthrow with much slaughter of the O-Conghors was given at Balibogan the ninth day of May by the men of Leinster and of Meth. Item the Lord Edmund Botiller died in London and lieth buried at Balygaveran in Ireland Also Iohn Bermingham Earle of Louth is made Lord Justice in Ireland Likewise Iohn Wogan departed this life MCCCXXII Andrew Bermingham and Nicolas de La-Lond Knight and many others are slaine by O-Nalan on St. Michaels day MCCCXXIII A truce is taken betweene the King of England and Robert Brus King of Scotland for 14. yeeres Also Iohn Darcie came chiefe Justice of Ireland Item John the first begotten sonne of the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Kildare in the ninth yeere of his age ended this life MCCCXXIV Nicolas Genevile sonne and heire to the Lord Simon Genevile departed out of this world and was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers of Trym Item there hapned a great wind on twelfe day at night Item a generall murrain
the Irish. Item the Lord William Burgh Earle of Ulster led forth an army out of Ulster into Mounster against Briene O-Brene Also the Lady Joan Countesse of Kildare was at Maynoth delivered of William her first sonne that the Lord John Darcy had by her whiles the Lord John abode in England Item Reymund Lawles is slaine treacherously at Wickelow More a Parliament was holden at Kilkenny by Frier Roger Utlaw the Prior of Kylmainon then Lievtenant under the Lord Justice at which were present Alexander Archbishop of Dublin the Lord William Earle of Ulster the Lord James Earle of Ormond the Lord William Bermingham and Walter Burk of Conaght and every of them with a great power set forward to expell Brien O-Brene out of Urkiff neere Cashill Also Walter Burk with his army of Connaght harried the lands of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas bringing back with him the booty to Urkiff Item the Lord Earle of Ulster and the Earle of Desmund namely the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas for this is the first time that I call him Earle are appointed to the safe keeping of the Marshall at Lymeric by Frier Roger Utlaw Justice of Ireland But the Earle of Desmond by a wile escaped out of the custody of the said Marshall and went his way MCCCXXXI The Lord Hugh Lacy with the Kings pardon and peace entred Ireland Also the Earle of Ulster entred England Also there was given an overthrow to the Irish in Okenseley by the English the one and twenty day of April Item the same day on the Vigill of Saint Marke the Evangelist the O-Tothely came to Tanelagh and robbed Alexander Archbishop of Dublin tooke away three hundred sheepe and slew Richard White and other honest men of his company Then ran rumours to Dublin of that depredation and slaughter and Sir Philip Bryt knight and Frier Moris Fitz-Gerald Knight of the order of Knights Hospitalers Hamnud Archdekyn Iohn Chamberlane Robert Tyrell and the two sons of Reginald Bernewall and many others but especially of the retinew of the Lord Archbishop of Dublin were by a traine or ambush slaine by David O-Tothill in Culiagh Also the Lord William Bermingham led forth a great army against the foresaid Irish and did much harme unto them but more would have done had he not beene empeached by the false promises of the Irish. Item those of the English pale at Thurles gave a great overthrow unto Briene O-Brene and slew many of the Irish in the moneth of May. Item at Finnagh in Meth the English of the said pale defeated the Irish upon the eleventh day of June Also when famine encreased much in Ireland the mercy of God so disposed that upon the seven and twenty day of June there came to land a mighty multitude of great sea fishes to wit Thurlhedis such as in many ages past had never beene seene which by the estimation of many men amounted to the number of five hundred and this hapned neere unto Connyng and the water called Dodyz in the haven of Dublin about evening and Anthony Lord Lucy then Justice of Ireland with his owne people and certain citizens of Dublin amongst whom was Philip Cradock killed of the foresaid fishes above 200. and no man was forbidden to carry away the same Justice giving order therefore Item Antony Lord Lucy Justice of Ireland ordained a common Parliament at Dublin in the Utas of Saint Iohn Baptist unto which certaine of the Ancients of the land came not Then the said Justice removed to Kilkenny proroging the said Parliament from the foresaid Octaves unto the feast of Saint Peter ad Vincula Unto which place there repaired the Lord Thomas Fitz-Thomas and many other Nobles of the land who came not in before submitting themselves to the Kings grace and mercy And the King for his part as much as concerned himselfe under a certaine forme of pardon gratiously forgave all the mischiefes committed by the foresaid persons in the land Also the castle of Fernis is taken by the Irish perfidiously and burned in the month of August Item the said Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas of Desmund is taken by order from the counsell at Lymerick by the said Lord Justice the morrow after the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary and with the Justice brought to the castle of Dublin the seventh day of October Item Henry Mandevile is apprehended in the month of September and led to the castle of Dublin by vertue of a warrant from Simon Fitz-Richard Justice in the Kings Bench. Item Walter Burck who with his two brethren of whole blood are taken in Connaght by the Earle of Ulster in November and conveied by the same Earle unto the castle of North-burg in the month of Februarie Also the Lord William Bermingham with his son Walter Bermingham are attached at Clomell by the said Justice in the moneth of February notwithstanding the Kings charter or pardon given unto them before by the Justice above named and are brought unto the Castle of Dublin the nineteenth day of Aprill Item the Irish of Leinster made spoile of the English and burnt Churches and in the Church of Freineston they burnt about fourescore men and women and a certain Chaplain of the said Church arraied in his sacred vestiments and with the body of our Lord they repelled backe with their javelins when he would have gone forth and burnt him with the rest in the Church These newes came unto the eares of the Lord Pope who sent his Bull or briefe unto the Archbishop of Dublin commanding him to excommunicate the said Irish and all their adherents together with their retinue and followers and to interdict their lands Now the Archbishop fulfilled the commandement of the Lord Pope but the said Irish contemning the said Bull excommunication interdiction and chastisement of the Church and continuing still in their wickednesse drew themselves againe together and invaded all the county of Weis ford as farre as to Carcarne and spoiled the whole country Whom the English made head against to wit Richard White and Richard Fitz Henry with the Burgesses of Weisford and other English slew of the Irish about 400. and many others of them as they fled were drowned in the river which is called Slane MCCCXXXII William Bermingham is put to death and hanged at Dublin by the said Lord Justice the eleventh day of July and Walter his sonne is set free The foresaid Sir William was a noble Knight and among many thousand knights most renowned and excellent for feats of armes Alas the day great pity it was of him for who relating his death can forbeare teares But at length enterred hee was in Dublin among the preaching Friers Also the castle of Bonraty was forced and rased to the very ground by the Irish of Totomon in July Also the castle of Arclo by the said Justice with the citizens of Dublin and the help of the English within the pale was won from the Irish and in the Kings hand on the eighth day of August
Bartholomew Verdon James White Stephen Gernon and their complices slew John Dowdal Sheriffe of Louth MCCCCIII In the fourth yeere of King Henry the fourth and in the moneth of May was killed Sir Walter Beterley a valiant Knight then Sheriffe there and with him thirty men In the same yeere about the feast of S. Martin there passed over into England Thomas the Kings sonne leaving Stephen Scroop his Deputy who also himself upon the first day of Lent returned into England and then the Lords of the land chose the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCIV In the fifth yeere of King Henry died Iohn Cowlton Archbishop of Armagh the fifth of May whom Nicholas Fleming succeeded The same yeere on S. Vitalis day began a Parliament at Dublin before the Earle of Ormond then Lord Justice of Ireland wherein where confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin also the charter of Ireland In the same yeere Patrick Savage in Ulster was treacherously slaine by Mac-Kilmori and Richard his brother given for an hostage who likewise was murdred in prison after he had payed two hundred Marks MCCCCV In the sixth yeere of King Henry and in the month of May were taken three Scottish Galions or Barkes two at Green-castle and one at Dalkey with the captaine Thomas Mac-Golagh The same yeere the merchants of Tredaght entred Scotland tooke pledges and preies The same yeere Stephen Scroope crossed the seas into England leaving the Earle of Ormond Lord Justice of Ireland And the same yeere in the month of June the Dublinians entred Scotland at Saint Ninians and there behaved themselves manfully then landed they in Wales and did much hurt to the Welshmen there yea and carried away the Shrine of S. Cubie unto the Church of the holy Trinitie in Dublin Also the same yeere on the Vigill of the blessed Virgin died James Botiller Earle of Ormond whiles he was Lord Justice to the griefe of many at Baligauran unto whom there succeeded in the office of Lord Justice Gerald Earle of Kildare MCCCCVI And in the seventh yeere of King Henry on Corpus Christi day the Dublinians with the people of the Countrey about them manfully overcame the Irish and killed some of them they tooke three ensignes and carried away divers of their heads to Dublin The same yeere the Prior of Conall fought valiantly in the plaine of Kildare and vanquished two hundred Irish well armed killing some and putting others to flight there were in the Priors company not above twenty English and thus God regardeth those that repose trust in him In the same yeere after the feast of S. Michael Sir Stephen Scroop Deputy Justice under the Lord Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland entred into Ireland The same yeere died Pope Innocentius the seventh after whom succeeded Pope Gregory The same yeere beganne a Parliament at Dublin on Saint Hilaries day which ended at Trym in Lent and Meiler Bermingham slew Cathol O-Conghir in the end of February and Sir Gefferey Vaulx a noble Knight in the countie of Carlagh died MCCCCVII A certaine Irishman a most false villaine named Mac-Adam Mac-Gilmori who caused fortie Churches to be destroied one that was never christened and therefore termed Corbi tooke Patricke Savage prisoner and received of him for his ransome two thousand Marks and yet killed him afterwards with his brother Richard The same yeere in the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Crosse Stephen Scroop Deputy under Thomas the Kings sonne Lievtenant of Ireland accompanied with the Earles of Ormond and Desmond and the Prior of Kylmaynon with many out of Meth set forth from Dublin and in hostile manner invaded the land of Mac-Murgh where the Irish had the better of the field in the forepart of the day but afterwards they were manfully by the said Captaines repulsed where O-Nolam with his sonne and others were taken prisoners But hearing then and there that the Burkeins and O-Keroll in the countie of Kilkenny had for two daies together done much mischiefe sodainly the said Captaines rode in all haste with bridle on horse necke unto the towne of Callan and there meeting with the said enemies manfully put them to flight O-Keroll and to the number of eight hundred they killed in the place The same yeere Stephen Scroop sailed over into England and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond was by the country chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCVIII The said L. Justice held a Parliament at Dublin in which Parliament were confirmed the Statutes of Kilkenny and of Dublin and a Charter granted under the great seale of England against Purveyouris The same yeere the morrow after S. Peters day ad Vincula the Lord Thomas of Lancaster the Kings sonne arrived as Lievtenant of Ireland at Cartingford and in the weeke following came to Dublin and arrested the Earle of Kildare as he came unto him with three of his house and all his goods he lost by the servants of the said Lievtenant and in the castle of Dublin he imprisoned him untill he made paiment of 300. Marks for a fine The same yeere on Saint Marcellus day died the Lord Stephen Scroop at Tristel-Dermot The same yeere the said Thomas of Lancaster was wounded at Kylmainon and hardly escaped death and afterwards caused Proclamation to be made that whosoever by his tenures owed service to the King should appeare at Rosse And after Saint Hilaries feast he held a Parliament at Kilkenny for to have a tallage granted And afterwards upon the third day before the Ides of March he passed over into England leaving the Prior of Kylmainon his Deputy in Ireland In this yeere Hugh Mac-Gilmory was slaine at Cragfergus within the Oratory or Church of the Friers Minors which Church he before had destroyed and broken the glasse windowes thereof for to have the iron barres therein at which his enemies to wit the Savages entred MCCCCIX In the tenth yeere of King Henry and in the month of June Ianico of Artoys with the English slew fourescore of the Irish in Ulster MCCCCX On the thirteenth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and continued three weeks the Prior of Kylmainon sitting as Lord Justice The same yeere on the tenth day of July the same Justice beganne the castle of Mibracly in O-Feroll and built De la Mare and a great dearth there was of corne In the same yeere the Justice entred the land of O-brin with a thousand and five hundred kernes of whom eight hundred departed unto the Irish and had not the Dublinians beene there there would have beene wailing and many a woe and yet Iohn Derpatrick lost his life there MCCCCXII About the feast of Tiburce and Valerian O-Conghir did much harm to the Irish in Meth and tooke prisoner 160. men The same yeere O-Doles a knight and Thomas Fitz-Moris Sheriffe of Limerik killed one another In the same yeere the ninth of June died Robert Monteyn Bishop of Meth after whom succeeded Edward Dandisey sometime Archdeacon of
Cornwall MCCCCXIII The seventh of October there landed in Ireland at Cloncarfe Iohn Stanley the Kings Lievtenant in Ireland who died the sixth of January in Atterith The same yeere after the death of Iohn Stanley Lord Lievtenant Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin was chosen on the eleventh day of February Lord Justice of Ireland A Parliament eftsoons began at Dublin the morrow after Saint Matthias the Apostles day and lasted fifteene daies during which time the Irish fell to burning in divers places as they had done often in Parliament times wherefore a tallage was demanded but not granted MCCCCXIIII The English slew of the Irish the O-Mordries and O-Dempsies neer to Kilka even whiles the Justice of Ireland Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin went in Procession at Tristeldermot praying with his Clerks and his servants with their countrimen overthrew of the Irish an hundred Upon the feast day of Saint Gordian and Saint Epimachus a foile or discomfiture was given to the English of Meth and there was slaine Thomas Maurevord Baron of Scrin and taken prisoners there were Christopher Fleming Iohn Dardis and many others slaine by O-Conghir and the Irish. In the vigill of Saint Martin arrived the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord Furnivall as Lievtenant of Ireland at Dalkay MCCCCXV In the moneth of November died Robert Talbot a Nobleman who walled the Suburbs of Kilkenny Item after the feast of All-Saints died Frier Patricke Baret Bishop of Ferne and a Canon of Kenlis where he was buried MCCCCXVI On the feast day of Gervasse and Prothasius the Lord Furnivall had a sonne borne at Finglas About this time the reverend Lord Stephen Fleming Archbishop of Armagh departed this life unto whom succeeded Iohn Suanig And at the same time the Lord Bishop of Ardachard Frier Adam Lyns of the order of preaching Friers Item on Saint Laurence day died Thomas Talbot Lord of Furnivall lately borne at Finglas is interred in the quire of the preaching Friers Church of Dublin within the Covent of the said Preachers A Parliament was holden at Dublin in the time whereof the Irish fell upon the English and slew many of them among whom Thomas Balimore of Baliquelan was slaine This Parliament lasted in that place sixe weekes and then was removed to Trym the eleventh day of May and there it continued eleven daies and granted there was unto the Lievtenant a subsidy of foure hundred Markes MCCCCXVII On the Eve of Philip and Iacob Apostles Thomas Crauley Archbishop of Dublin passed over into England and died at Farindon he was buried in the New Colledge at Oxford a liberall man he had beene and an almes-giver a great Clerke a Doctor in Divinity and excellent Preacher a builder of the places wherein he dwelt beautifull sumptuous of sanguine complexion and tall of stature so that in his time it might well be said unto him Faire art thou and of a goodly presence above the sons of men grace is seated all over thy lips for the eloquence of thy tongue Fourescore yeeres old he was and for the space almost of twenty yeeres he governed the Church of Dublin peaceably MCCCCXVIII The feast of the Annuntiation of our Lady fell out to be on good Friday and straight after Easter the Lord Deputy spoiled the tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethat Item at Slane on the day of S. John and S. Paul were arrested the Earle of Kildare Sir Christopher Preston and Sir John Bedleu and committed to ward within the castle of Trym because they were desirous to common with the Prior of Kylmainon The fourth of August died Sir Matthew Husee Baron of Galtrim who lieth buried at the Preaching Friers in Trim. MCCCCXIX The eleventh of May Edmund Brel sometime Maior of Dublin departed this life and was buried at the Friers preachers of the same Citie A Counsell royall was holden at Naas and there a subsidie of 300. Markes was granted to the Lord Lievtenant At the same time died Sir Iohn Loundres On the fifth day of the week falling out to be Maunday Thursday O-Thoill tooke 400. kine that belonged to Balimore so breaking the peace against his oath The fourth of May Mac-Morghe chiefe Captaine of his owne Sept and of all the Irish in Leinster was taken prisoner And the same day Hugh Cokesey was made knight The last day of May the Lievtenant the Archbishop of Dublin and the Maior together rased the castle of Kenini The morrow after the feast of Processus and Martinian the Lord William Burgh and other of the English slew 500. of the Irish and tooke O-Kelly prisoner On the feast of Mary Magdalen the Lievtenant John Talbot passed over into England leaving for his Deputy the Archbishop of Dublin carrying with him the curses of divers for that he paid a little or nothing for his victuals and was indebted unto many About the feast of Saint Laurence divers there were that died in Normandy and by name Frier Thomas Botiller Prior of Kilmainon with many others After whom succeeded in the Priory Frier John Fitz-Henry The Archbishop being Deputy fell upon the Scohies and slew of the Irish thirty neere unto Rodiston Item upon the Ides of February died Frier John Fitz-Henry Prior of Kylmainon whom succeeded Frier William Fitz-Thomas elected and confirmed the morrow after S. Valentines day Also the morrow after the feast of Saint Peter in Cathedra the Lord Iohn Talbot Lord of Furnivall yeelded the place into the hands of the Lord Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin who afterward was chosen Lord Justice of Ireland MCCCCXX Upon the fourth day of Aprill the Lord Iames Butler Earle of Ormond arrived at Waterford Lievtenant of Ireland and quickely caused a combat to bee fought between two of his cousins of whom the one died in the field and the other was carried forth of the place sore hurt and lamed unto Kilkenny On St. Georges feast day the same Lievtenant held a Counsell at Dublin and summoned a Parliament there And in the meane while he raised great booties from O-Raly Mac-Mahon and Mac-Guyr And the eighth day of June began a Parliament at Dublin and there were granted unto the Lievtenant 700. Markes and that Parliament continued for 16. dayes and the same was prorogued unto the munday after St. Andrewes day also in the foresaid Parliament were cast up the debts of the Lord Iohn Talbot late Lievtenant which arose to a great summe Also the morrow after St. Michaels day died Michaell Bodley On the Vigill of Saint Francis there departed this life Frier Nicholas Talbot Abbot of St. Thomas the Martyr in Dublin After whom succeeded Frier John Whiting The morrow after the Apostles Simon and Iudes day was the castle of Colnolin taken by Thomas Fitz-Geffery Also in the Vigill of S. Katherine Virgin Botiller the sonne and heire of the Earle of Ormund was borne Item on munday after the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle the said Parliament began at Dublin and continued 13. daies and granted there was to the
by all But when the Nations from the North like violent tempests overflowed these South parts it became subject to the Scots For under the Emperours Honorius and Arcadius as wee read in Orosius it was inhabited as well as Ireland by the Scottish Nations and Ninnius hath written that one Biule a Scot was Lord of it But as the same writer recordeth the Scots were driven out of all the British countries and Ilands by Cuneda Grandfather of Maglocunus whom Gildas for the foule work that he made in these Ilands tearmed the Dragon of the Iles. After this Edwin King of Northumberland brought this Iland like as the foresaid Anglesey under the subjection of the English if we understand them both by the name of Menaviae as writers perswade us at which time it was reckoned an Iland of the Britans But when the North had sent abroad his brood the second time I meane the Normans Danes and Norwegians these Norwegians who with their manifold robberies and roveries did most hurt from the Northren sea tooke up their haunt into this Iland and the Hebrides and therein erected Lords and Petty Kings whose briefe history I will here put downe word for word out of an old Manuscript lest it should be utterly lost which is intituled The Chronicle of Man seeming to have been written by the Monks of the Abbey of Russin which was the principall place of religion in this Isle A CHRONICLE OF THE KINGS OF MAN ANno Domini MLXV Edward of blessed memory King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome Harald the son of Godwin against whom Harald Harfager King of Norway came into the field and fought a battell at Stainford-bridge and the English obtaining the victory put them all to flight out of which chace Godred surnamed Crovan the son of Harald the black of Iseland came unto Godred the sonne of Syrric who then reigned in Man and by him was honourably received The same yeere William the BASTARD conquered England and Godred the sonne of Syrric died after whom succeeded his sonne Fingal MLXVI Godred Crovan assembled a great fleet and came to Man fought with the people of the land but was overcome and put to rout A second time hee rallied his forces and his fleet sailed into Man joined battell with the Manksmen was vanquished and driven out of the field A third time he gathered a great multitude together and by night arrived in the haven called Ramsa and hid three hundred men within a wood which stood upon the hanging hollow brow of an hill called Scacafel Now when the sunne was risen the Manksmen put their people in order of battell and with a violent charge encountred with Godred And when the fight was hot those three hundred men starting out of the ambush behind their backes began to foile the Manksmen and put them to the worst yea and forced them to flye Now when they saw themselves discomfited and no place for them of refuge to escape for the sea water comming in with the tide had filled the channell of Ramsa river and the enemies on the other side followed the chace hard they that then remained alive tooke up a pitifull cry and besought Godred to save their lives And he moved with compassion pittying their wofull calamity as who for a certain time had beene nursed and brought up among them sounded the retrait and forbad his hoast to pursue them any longer Goared the morrow after proposed this choice unto his owne army whether they would rather divide Man among themselves and therein dwell or only take the substance and pillage of the countrey and so returne unto their owne homes But they chose rather to wast and spoile the whole Iland and with the goods thereof to enrich themselves and so returne home But Godred himselfe with those few Ilanders that remained with him inhabited the South part of the Iland and granted to the remaines of the Manksmen the North part with this covenant and condition That none of them should at any time venture and presume to challenge any part of the land by right of inheritance Whereby it came to passe that even unto this day the whole Isle is the Kings domain alone and all the revenues thereof belonging unto the crown Godred then reduced Dublin and a great part of Leymistir under his subjection As for the Western Scottish he so over-awed them as that no man who built ship or cog-boat durst drive into it above three nailes Now he reigned 16. yeeres and died in the Iland that is called Yle He left behind him verily three sons Lagman Harald and Olave Lagman the eldest taking upon him the kingdome reigned seven yeeres And Harald his brother a great while rebelled against him but at length being taken prisoner by Lagman he had his members of generation cut off and his eyes plucked out of his head After this Lagman repenting himselfe that he had pulled out his brothers eyes gave over the kingdome of his owne accord and wearing the badge of the Lords Crosse took a journey to Jerusalem in which he died MLXXV. All the Nobles and Lords of the Islands hearing of the death of Lagman dispatched their Embassadors to Murecard O-Brien King of Ireland requesting that hee would send some industrious and worthy man of the blood royall to be their King untill Olave Godreds sonne came to full age The King very willingly yeelded to their requests and sent unto them one Dopnald the sonne of Tade warning and charging him to govern the kingdome which by right belonged unto another with all gentlenesse and modesty But he after he was come to the Crowne not weighing of the charge that his Lord and M. gave him abused his place and lorded with great tyranny and so committing many outrages and villanies reigned cruelly three yeers Then all the Princes of the Ilands agreed together in one conspiracy rose up against him and expelled him out of their coasts Who fled into Ireland and never looked them in the face after MLXXVII One Ingemund was sent from the King of Norway to take upon him the dominion of the Ilands and when he was come to the Isle Leodus he sent messengers to all the Nobles of the Ilands with a commandement that they should meet together and ordain him their King Mean while himselfe with his companions did nothing else but rob spoile make good cheere and banquet dishonour and abuse married wives defloure young maidens yea and give himselfe over to filthy pleasures and fleshly lusts But when tidings hereof came to the Nobles of the Ilands now assembled to make him King they were set on fire with furious wrath and sped themselves in all hast toward him and surprising him in the night burnt the house wherein hee was and with fire and sword made a quick dispatch of him and his company MXCVIII The Abbey of S. Mary at Cistertium or Cisteaux was founded Antioch was won by the Christians and a
405 Huntington shire 497 Kent 324 Lanca-shire 745 Leicester-shire 517 Lincoln-shire 529 Middlesex 419 Monmouth 631 Northfolke 467 Northampton-shire 505 Nottingham-shire 547 Northumberland 799 Oxford-shire 373 Richmond-shire 727 Rutland-shire 525 Shrop-shire 589 Somerset-shire 220 Stafford-shire 581 Suffolk 459 Sussex 306 Surrey 294 Warwick-shire 561 Westmorland 759 Wilt-shire 241 Worcester-shire 573 Yorke-shire 689 THE SHIRES OF VVALES ANglesey 671 Brecknocke 627 Cardigan-shire 657 Carmarden-shire 649 Carnarvon-shire 667 Denbigh-shire 675 Flint-shire 679 Glamorgan-Shire 641 Merioneth-Shire 665 Montgomery 661 Penbroke-Shire 651 Radnor-Shire 623 The first Index or Table serving from the beginning of BRITAIN to the end of ENGLAND A A The first letter thus shaped A 762 c Aaron a martyr 73 f. 636 f Ab-adam a Baron 364 d Aballaba 761 a Abendon or Abington 279 d Aber 21 f Aber Avon 645 f Aberbury castle 592 f Aber Conwey 669 e Aberford 696 b Aberfraw 672 f Abergevenny 635 a Abergevenny castle defamed for treason 635 b Abergevenny Lords ibid. Abtots a family 579 b Abus the same that Humber 710 d Academia in Attica 486 f Accabler 21 f Ackmancester 234 d Acmunderness 752 e Actons 364 a Acton Burnel 591 f Adam de Portu 269 a Ad Ansam 448 c Adeliza Queene her praises 309 a Aden what it signifieth 117 c Aderborne a river 245 d Adington 510 b Ad Lapidem 262 d Adminius 418 c Admirals court 180 b Ad murum 819 c Adraste a goddesse among the Britains 31 c Adrian the Emperor in Britain 65 d Ad Rotum c. 449 c Adalph re-edifieth Peterburgh Abbey 512 f Aeleonor K. Edward the First his wife 397 a Aeleonor K. Henry the Third his widow liveth in a Nunnerie 254 c Aeleonor Cobham 304 a K. Aelfred a Prince much troubled 224 b c. First Monarch of England 158 c. Second founder of Oxford Universitie 376 b Aelfritha K. Edgars wife 254 c 262 b. a cruell and hatefull stepdame 211 d Aelward Meaw that is to say white 217 b Aeneus Sylvius that is Pope Pius Secundus 818 e Aequity courts in England 178 Aequivocation of Adam bishop of Hereford 363 b Aesica 781 d Aestii 21 f Aeternalis Domus what it is 645 d Aethelbald the good King of the Mercians 554 a. stabbed to death 569 e Aethiopians why so named 23 c 26 b Aethling that is the Prince 614 a Aeton 393 f Aeton or Eton Schoole 288 f Agelocum 545 f Jul. Agricola Lievtenant of the twentieth legion in Britaine 53 e. Propretor in Britain 54 b. discomfiteth the Ordovices 54 c d. conquereth Anglesey ibid. his civill and politicke government in Britain 54 f. his martiall skill 55. his other vertues and behaviour 55 56. hee vanquisheth the Caledonians 57. his patience 57. his Oration to his soudiers 59. his victorie 61. his modestie 62 Agrippina the Empresse her haughtie mind 44 e f Aidon castle 808 f Ailesburies gentlemen 395 f Ailesburie 395 c Ailesford 3â—1 f Ailwin Healf Koning 499 e Ainsbury or Ainulphsbury 497 c Ainulph a religious man ibid. Airmins a family 5â—3 a Akemanstreet-way 377 b Alabaster-stone 544 c Alabaster stone about Burton upon Trent 586 b Alan a river 194 c. 246 d Alan the son of Flaold 589 f Alaricus King of the Goths 86 b Alaun a river 259 c. 813 c Alban a country 126 c Albanes whence they tooke their name 26 b S. Alban of Verlam our Stephen and Protomartyr of Britaine 73 f. 409 f Albanie 126 S. Albans a towne 408 c S. Albans Church town 410 c 412 d S. Albans battels 413 c Albenies Earles of Sussex 320 e Albinus 126 Albina 24 b Albinus created Caesar 68. hee usurpeth the Empire 69. is slaine ibid. Albion 1 23. whence it tooke name 24 a Albrighton 594 a Alchester 377 b Alcwin a learned English Saxon 137 f. 704 c Alborow 701 c. 731 c. 466 a Aldelme Abbat 244. a singular scholar and a devout man ibid. Aldersgate in London 423 d Aldgate in London 423 e Aldingham 755 d Ale the ancient English-mens drinke 554 f Alen a riveret 676 f. 681 f Alexander of Hales a great Clerke 365 a Alexander the bountifull Bishop of Lincolne 383 e. 539 d profuse in building 549 d King Alexander the Great never in Britain 32 d Alfreton 555 e Algar Earle 379 a Alheale 14 d Alford in Lincolnshire 542 b Alingtons a familie 489 e Knights 406 d Alipius 79 Allabany 126 Allectus his treachery 73. is vanquished and slaine ibid. Allobrogae 19 Almans whence they tooke their name 26 b. 124 Almondbury 692 d Alne river 566 a. 813 c Alnwick or Anwich 813 c Alon a river 801 e Alone 794 c Alpes of Britain 667 c Alpes why so called 24 Alresford 262 e All-souls Colledge in Oxford 382 Alsten more 799 c Alt a river 748 c Althorp 508 d Altars of the Gentiles and their Religion 751 d e Alterynnis 617 c Altmouth a towne 748 e Alvertonshire 723 e Alum made 217 a Alum earth discoverd by Sir Th. Chaloner knight 721 d Alured See Aelfred Alwena a devout woman 494. d Ambacti 16 Amboglana 760 b Ambleside ibid. Ambresbury 254 b Ambro. what it is 127 Abrones ibid. Ambrosius Aurelius 128 Ambrosius Aurelianus 254 b Amersham 394 e Amphibalus a martyr 636 f Ampthil 401 d Anas a river 297 a. why so called 245 c Ancaster 537 b Ancaster heath ibid. d Andate or Andates a goddesse among the Britains 31. 457 e Andradswald 306 c Audragathins a traitour drowneth himselfe 83 Anderida the weald 329 d Andernesse 752 e Androgeus Cynobelinus his sonne the same that Mandrubatius why so called 417 e Anesty in Hertfordshire 405 f Angel a Province in Dania 130 Angels 610 c Ri. Angervil Philobiblos 381 f Angles or Englishmen whence they came 130 Anglesey 671. why so called 672 c conquered by king Edward the first ibid. d. invaded by Suetonius Paulinus 49 Angotby 545 a Angre 440 b Ankam a river 543 a Ankro the river 569 c Anne wife to King Richard the Second 297 d Anne Bullen mother to Queene Elizabeth 256 f Anna a Christian King 466 a Annius Viterbiensis 24 Anselm against Priests mariage 201 b Ansty or Ancienty liberty 707 a Ant or Anton a river 260 e Antivestaeum 187 Anthony 193 Antoninus Pius Britannicus 66 Philosophus ibid. Anubis Latrans 17 Apelby 761 a Apennini 18 Apollinaris an herbe 98 Appropriat Churches what they be and how many 161 Apthorp 514 e Aquila his prophesie 214 c Aquileia the city commended 83 Aquitania why so called 27 Ar 21 Ara ibid. Arar 20 Araris a river in France 694 a Arat 20 Arbeia 769 c Arches a court 181 Archbishop of Canterbury 136 Archbishops three in Britaine 155. in England two 160 Arconfield 618 a Archdeacons 222 c Archdeaconries in England how many 161 Archigubernius 66 Ardudwy 665 e Areol 594 e Are a river 693 f. why so called 694 a Arians what they were 81 Arelate 21 Aremorica 19 Arfast Bishop of East England 471 f Arden forest 358 b Arden
have all Britans to be unâ—derstood Sandwich * Escaetria 23. E. 3. p. 2. Cantium the Promontory The Foreland * British sea * Or boyle Sandon Deale where Caesar arrived Caesars entry into Britaine In his booke de Artees Natuâ— See page 34 35 c. Castra navalia Caesars ship-campe Dubris Dover Darell In Sussex Suffragan to the Archbishop of Canterburie A band of the Tungricanes Castleguard changed The streightâ— of Calais or narrow seas Whether Britanie was in time past joyned unto France * Frowen shoale * Welch De Civitate Dei lib. 16. c. 7. * As a type of the Gentiles calling Morini * That is from Itius Portus The shortest passage betweene France and Britaine Gessoriacum Tabula Pentegeriana now set forth by M. Welser Bonania Galliae Pag. 272. in Basil edition and pag. 251. L. Poinings by King Henric the Eighth Hith For Rumney Marsh. * Petrus Nannius * Viri palnstres 795. Rumney Domes-day Booke * The penalties for these offences 1287. Lid. Dnagenesse * Hulver or Holy-trees Ilices Anderida Andredceaster Oxeney Appledore Sisingherst Bengebury Homsteed Guildford Kentish capons Earles of Kent An. 15. E. 2. Saint Brieu The Walsingham Duffin in the British tongue signifieth low deepe or flat Bodo what it signifieth in British and French * Padus * Or Cove Wiccii Vines and wine Severn Higra Forrest of Deane Arden Iron Lidney Abone Aventon Trajectus S. Breulais Severne Tewkesbury Mustard Pauncefote or Pauncevolt Placita 15. Edw. 1. * Decurio 878. * Robert Curt-hose * Domes-day-booke * Sextarios * Elmore Minching Cam-bridge * Barkley See Bristow in Somersetshire Goodwins fraudulent fetch * De honestis â—nustas K. Edward the second murdred Wilkes of stone or Shell-fish stonâ—fied Shell-fish stonified The Bradstones Deorham Marianus * Iames of New-merch * De-la-ware Wotton under Edge Vicount Lisle Douresley Inq. 6. R. 2. Vleigh Escaetria 8. H. 4. Beverston Castle Cotswould Would what it is in English Campden Inqui. 2. Edward 1. Hales * Alexander of Hales he flourished 1230. Doctor ungain-said Sudley Barons of Chan. See Banerets before Barons of Sudley 20. H. 6. Escaetria 13. Edward 4. Todington Tracies Winchelcombe Sherif-dome * Coberley Cliffords Barons Fosse way Circencester Corinium A Romane port-way * * Samond * Isis afterwards Tamisis * Fosse way * Ister and Danubius Earles of Glocester The History of Tewkesbury Abbay Fitz-Haimon William of Malmesbury Register of Keinsham Abbay and Tewkesbury Pat. 15. Joan. R. 4. Earles of Glocester and Hertford Thomas De La Mare in the life of Edwardâ— Richard the third King oâ— England She was married first to R. Butler L. of Sudley Rodcot Bridge Bablac 1387. Wilde Bore the badge of the Veres Burford Barons Lovell * Lovell Whitney Arsic Einsham Rolle-rich-stones Geffrey Chaucer * * * Islip Burcester Aldchester Bath sometime called Akemancester Hedindon * Oxford Lib. 2. de Naturâ—erum Frideswide * Menevensis * Studia Schooles of Universitie * Toll and Tribute 1074. Register of Osney Abbay Osney 1129. Richard Cuâ— de Lion Clementinarum Quinto Studia Ad Rusticum Monâ—â—hum Vniversitas Colledges The booke of Mailros The first indowed Colledge for Scholers 1318. Register of Hide-Abby Hide Abbay Locus Regalus Sir Thomas Bodley Baron Williams of Taâ—â— Baron William of Tame Dorchester Tame and Isis meet * Tame Flora. * Tame Benson Ewelme Ancalites * Stonor Pus-hull Naper Fin Mich. 10. R. 2. Grey of Rotherfield Baron Knolles Henley Xiphilinus Shirburne Earles of Oxford â— Cassii Belin. Chiltern Marlow Wickham See in Bashire Colbroke Pontes Burnham Stoke Pogeis Fernham Roiall The booke of Fines I. Rosse Amersham Cheneys Latimers Asheridgâ—â— Good-men The Vale. Brill Or Isa. Ailesbury * De Cadurcis Quarendon Crendon Notesly Viâ—ounts Bolebec Bittlesden The Register of the Abbay De Bosco * Before the Conquest Whaddon Barons Grey of Wilton Lactorodum Leach in the British tongue signifieth stones Rid and Ryd a Fourd Wolverton Newport Paynell Earles of Buckingham Barons Mordant See Hypodigma pag. 153. The water divided Wahull Bletsho Barons S. Iohn de Bletnesh Bedford * Places to give entertainment by the way unto Travellers Bayting and lodging places * Before the Conquest * Paganus Cattus * Pagani Aeton * Some call it Ivell Salenae seemeth to be that which Antoninus called Sulloniaca Potton Chicksand Stratton Ampthill or Amethull Haughton Conquest Woburn Earth turning wood into stone * Dunstable Magiovinium * Sartabatur Or clensed by stocking up * Dukes Earles and Barons of Bedford Franciscus Alovertus * Sequana Roiston Chronicles of Dunstable * Others say shâ— was the wife of Richard de Clare Tharfield Berners Nucelles The familie of Roffes Barons de Scales * Anestie Cl. 2. H. 3. m. 11. Ashwell * Domesday Grand-Sergeantie Fitz-Tek Argentons In the County of Northampton Bishops Hatfield Tourneament Matth. Paris Anno 1248. Wood-hall * Butler Standon Bishops Stortford Castle of Way-more Hodesdon Theobalds Verolamium Saint Albans Cassibelines towne Municipia Verulam anâ— Maldon See pag. 97. Britans coines * Alban Martyr In the life of Saint German * A Legend of his passion and Martyrdome Saint Germans Chappell * Peradventure Wineslow * That is of every house a penny * Six verses Saint Albans 1455. * De prato of the Medow Redborn Duro-Co-Briue Briva what it is * Ysere Flamsted Hemsted Berkhamsted Kings Langley Abbats Langley Pope Hadrian the Fourth Watford Caishobery Sulloniacae Salenae in Ptolomee but misplaced * Chiltriae Bernet * Mimmes North-hall Earles of Hertford See the Earles of Glocester and in Suffolke See among the Coines the peece stamped with TASCNOVANEI Civitas that is Citie what it signifieth in Caesar. Androgeus Suetonius Fasti Capitolini Breakespeare Pope Hadrian the fourth Haresfield * Fitz-Gislebert Uxbridge Stanes Runingmead Harrow hill Hanworth Hampton Court Thistleworth Bezantes Bâ—zantines of silver valued at two shillings anciently Fulham Chelsey as one would say Shelfâ—ey London Britans towneâ— Dinas * Poet. Praefecturae C. Carausius Panegyrice pronounced before Constantius Caesar and untruly entituled unto Maximian Frankes put to the sword London stone Milliarium Hellens money oftentimes found under the Walles The Wall 1474. The Gates 1586. * Aldrict Esterlings The Towre Pat. 6.1 m. 21. London called Augusta A Mint Lord high Treasurer Reliques hidden for a remembrance 610. Saint Pauls Church Bishop 1560. The Temple of Diana Sacrifice of Buls Who were buried in Pauls Church About the yeare 680. 1016. William Malmesbury * Or Cnute Innes of the Court. The New Temple Old Temple where new stands South-hampton house in Holborne Templars * Guil. Tyrius The Statute as touching the Templars Lands 17. Edward 2. * See Hospitilars afterwards The Roules * Montis-Jovis Westminster Princes interred in West-Minster Church Queene Elizabeth Dukes Earles and other Nobles entombed in Westminster Fitz Stephenâ— The higher house The Treason of Robert Catesby Westminster hall William Lambert Prov. c. 16. The Mues The love of a wife Rodericus Toletanum lib. 1. Holborne Saint Johns Hospitalers after
thither MCCXI. Sir Richard Tuit by the fall of a towre at Alone was crushed and whindred to death This Richard was founder of the Monasterie de Grenard MCCXII The Abbey of Grenard was founded In the same yeere died John Comyn Archbishop of Dublin and was buried within the quire of the Church of the Holy Trinitie who was founder of Saint Patricks Church of Dublin after whom succeeded Henrie Londres who is called Scorch Villeyn by occasion of a certaine act of his for that one day he called his tenants before him to answer by what teâ—nure they held of him And those tenants shewed their deeds and charters but he commanded the charters or deeds of these husbandmen his tenants to be burned and then the Freeholders evermore called him Henrie Scorch-Villein which Henrie Archbishop of Dublin was Justice of Ireland and built Dublin castle MCCXIII William Petit and Petre Messet departed this life This Petre Messet was Baron of Luyn hard by Trym but because he died without heire male the inheritance passed unto three daughters the eldest of whom the Lord Vernail married the second Talbot wedded and the other Lounders espoused and so they parted the inheritance betweene themselves MCCXIX The Citie of Damieta in the Nones of September was about the still time of midnight miraculously wonne so that in the forcing and taking thereof there was not one Christian lost his life In the same yeere died William Mareshal the elder Earle Mareshall and of Pembroch who begat on the daughter of Richard Strongbow Earle of Stroghul five sonnes the name of the first sonne was William the named of the second Walter the name of the third Gilbert the name of the fourth Anselme the name of the fifth Richard who was slaine in the warre of Kildare and everie one of these five sonnes was Earle after their father by succession in their fathers inheritance and none of these had issue wherefore the inheritance went away unto the sisters namely the daughters of their father the first was named Maud Mareschal the second Isabel Clare the third Eva Breos the fourth Johan Mount Chensey the fifth Sibill Countesse Ferrers Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolk espoused Maud Mareschal he in the right of his wife was Earle Mareschal of England which Hugh begat Raufe Bigod father of John Bigod who was the sonne of the Ladie Bertha Furnival also Isabell Lacie wife to Lord John Fitz-Gefferey and when Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke was dead she bare John de Gâ—aren Earle of Surrey and his sister Isabell Albeney Countesse of Arundell Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester espoused Isabel the second sister who between them had issue Richard de Clare Earle of Glocester and she was mother to the Ladie Anise Countesse of Denshire who was mother to Isabel wife of the Lord Robert Brus Earle of Carricke in Scotland and was afterwards King of the same Scotland Of Eva Brus the third sister was begotten Maud who was the mother of the Lord Edmund Mortimer and mother to the Ladie Eve Cauntelow mother of the Ladie Milsond Mohun who was mother of Dame Eleanor mother to the Earle of Hereford The Lord Guarin Mont Chensey espoused Johan Mareschall the fourth sister of whom came Johan Valens Sibyll the Countesse of Ferrers to wit the fourth had issue five daughters the first Agnes Vescie mother to the Lord John and the Lord William Vescie the second Isabel Basset the third Joan Mohun wife to the Lord John Mohun son of the Lord Reginald the fourth Sibyll Mohun wife to Lord Francis Bohun Lord of Midhurst the fifth Eleanor Vaus who was wife unto the Earle of Winchester the sixth Agatha Mortimer wife to the Lord Hugh Mortimer the seventh Maud Kyme Lady of Carbry All these abovesaid as well males as females are of the genealogie of the said William Earle Mareschal MCCXX. The translation of St. Thomas of Canterburie In the same yeere died the Lord Meiler Fitz Henrie founder of the house of Connall who is buried in the Chapter house of the same house MCCXXIV The Castle of Bedford was besieged and the Castle of Trim in Ireland MCCXXV Roger Pippard died And Anno MCCXXVIII died William Pippard sometime Lord of the Salmons-leap There departed likewise Henrie Londres alias Scorch villeyn Archbishop of Dublin and is interred in the Church of the Holy Trinitie at Dublin MCCXXX Henrie King of England gave unto Hubert Burk the Justiceship of Ireland and a third pennie of rent and made him Earle of Kent And afterward the same Hubert was imprisoned and great trouble arose between the King and his subjects because he adhered to strangers more than to his owne naturall people MCCXXXI William Mareschall the younger Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke died who is buried within the Quire of the Friers Preachers in Kilkenny MCCXXXIV Richard Earle Mareshall and of Pembroke or Stroghull on the first day before the Ides of April was wounded in battell upon the plaine of Kildare and some few dayes after died in Kilkenny and there hard by his naturall whole brother to wit William lieth buried within the Quire of Friers Preachers of whom it is thus written Cujus sub fossa Kilkenia continet ossa Whose bones bestow'd in grave so deep Kilkenny towne doth safely keepe MCCXI. Walter Lacie Lord of Meth departed this life in England leaving behind him two daughters his heires whereof Sir Theobald Verdon married the first and Geffery Genevile espoused the second MCCXLII The Castle of Slegah was built by Morice Fitz-Gerald Justice of Ireland King Edward the first marched into Wales with a great army and sent to the said Justice that he would come to him with some forces out of Ireland who accordingly came with the flower of the English in Ireland and Phelin O-Conor who was then King of Conacht in his company and shortly returned with victorie honour Afterward the said Justice preied the countrey Tirconnell and gave a moitie thereof to Cormac Mac-Dermot Mac-Rory and carried with him pledges for the other moitie and left them in the castle of Sleagh Another expedition was made by the said Justice and the English first he came to Sleigagh thence to Hohosserovie Mac Morin the Tuesday after the feast of Peter and Paul and Cormac-Mac-Dermot Mac-Rorie accompanied them At that time O Donnel assembled all Kineoill Conail against them at the ford of Ath-Shany so that hee permitted neither English nor Irish to passe over the ford whereupon the English resolved to send Cormac Mac-Rory O-Conor with a company of horse into the champion Westward and they returned by an higher plaine over the moores Eastward to the ford of Quilvain upon the water Earne so that O-Donnel knew nothing of those companies of horse untill he saw them on that side of the river that he himselfe encamped and when he saw the English at his backe hee encountred them but his army was put to rout Moyls Haghlin O-Donnel commonly called King of Kineoil Conail was slain