in old time a very small village it is at this day containing in it scarce foureteene dwelling houses and those but little ones and hath no monument of antiquitie to shew beside an ancient mount which they call Old-burie For on the one side Atherstone a mercate towne of good resort where there stood a Church of Augustine Friers now turned into a Chappell which neverthelesse acknowledgeth Mancester Church for her mother and Nun-Eaton on the other side by their vicinity have left it bare and empty Close unto Atherstone standeth Mery-Vale where Robert Ferrars erected a Monastery to God and the blessed Virgin Mary wherein himselfe enwrapped in an Oxe-hide for a shrouding sheet was interred Beyond these Northeastward is Pollesworth where Modwena an Irish Virgin of whom there went so great a fame for her holy life built a religious house for Nuns which R. Marmion a Noble man repaired who had his Castle hard by at Stippershull Neere unto this place also there flourished in the Saxons daies a towne that now is almost quite gone called then SECANDUNUM and at this day Seckinton where Aethelbald King of the Mercians in civill warre about the yeere of our Lord 749. was stabbed to death by Beared and soone after Offa slew Beared so that as by bloudy meanes he invaded the Kingdome of Mercia he likewise lost the same suddainely It remaineth now that we reckon up the Earles of Warwick for to passe over Guare Morind Guy of Warwick of whose actes all England resoundeth and others of that stampe whom pregnant wits have at one birth bred and brought forth into the world Henry the sonne of Roger de Beau-mont and brother to Robert Earle of Mellent was the first Earle descended of Normans bloud who had married Margaret the daughter of Ernulph de Hesdin Earle of Perch a most mighty and puissant man Out of this Family there bare this Honourable title Roger the sonne of Henry William the sonne of Roger who died in the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the Second Walleran his brother Henry the sonne of Walleran Thomas his sonne who deceased without issue in the sixe and twentieth yeere of King Henry the Third leaving behinde him Margery his sister who being Countesse of Warwicke and barraine departed this life yet her two husbands first Iohn Mareschal then John de Plessetis or Plessey in their wives right and through their Princes favour mounted up to the Honourable dignitie of Earles of Warwicke Now when these were departed without any issue by that Margery Waller and Uncle unto the said Margery succeeded them After whom dying also childlesse his sister Alice enjoyed the inheritance Afterwards her sonne William called Malduit and Manduit of Hanslap who left this world and had no children Then Isabell the said William Malduits sister being bestowed in marriage upon William de Beauchamp Lord of Elmesly brought the Earledome of Warwicke into the Familie of the Beauchamps who if I deceive not my selfe for that they came of a daughter of Ursus de Abtot gave the Beare for their cognisance and left it to their posteritie Out of this house there flourished sixe Earles and one Duke William the sonne of Isabell John Guy Thomas Thomas the younger Richard and Henry unto whom King Henry the Sixth graunted this preheminence and prerogative without any precedent to be the first and chiefe Earle of England and to carry this stile Henricus Praecomes totius Anglia Comes Warwici that is Henry chiefe Earle of all England and Earle of Warwicke he nominated him also King of the Isle of Wight and afterwards created him Duke of Warwicke and by these expresse words of his Parent graunted That he should take his place in Parliaments and elsewhere next unto the Duke of Norfolke and before the Duke of Buckingham One onely daughter he had named Anne whom in the Inquisitions wee finde entituled Countesse of Warwicke and shee died a child After her succeeded Richard Nevill who had married Anne sister to the said Duke of Warwicke a man of an undaunted courage but wavering and untrustie the very tennisse-ball in some sort of fortune who although he were no King was above Kings as who deposed King Henry the Sixth a most bountifull Prince to him from his regall dignitie placed Edward the Fourth in the royall throne and afterwards put him downe too restored Henry the Sixth againe to the Kingdome enwrapped England within the most wofull and lamentable flames of civill warre which himselfe at the length hardly quenched with his owne bloud After his death Anne his Wife by Act of Parliament was excluded and debarred from all her lands for ever and his two daughters heires to him and heires apparant to their mother being married to George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocester were enabled to enjoy all the said lands in such wise as if the said Anne their mother were naturally dead Whereupon the name stile and title of Earle of Warwicke and Sarisbury was graunted to George Duke of Clarence who soone after was unnaturally dispatched by a sweet death in a Butte of Malvesey by his suspicious brother King Edward the Fourth His young sonne Edward was stiled Earle of Warwicke and being but a very child was beheaded by King Henry the Seventh to secure himselfe and his posteritie The death of this Edward our Ancestors accounted to be the full period and finall end of the long lasting warre betweene the two royall houses of Lancaster and Yorke Wherein as they reckoned from the twenty eight yeere of Henry the Sixth unto this being the fifteenth of Henry the Seventh there were thirteene fields fought three Kings of England one Prince of Wales twelve Dukes one Marques eighteene Earles with one Vicont and twenty three Barons besides Knights and Gentlemen lost their lives From the death of this young Earle of Warwicke this title lay asleepe which King Henry the Eighth feared as a fire-brand of the State by reason of the combustion which that Richard Nevill that whip-king as some tearmed him had raised untill that King Edward the Sixth conferred it upon Iohn Dudley that derived his pedigree from the Beauchamps who like unto that Richard abovesaid going about in Queene Maries daies to turne and translate Scepters at his pleasure for his Traiterous deepe ambition lost his head But his sonnes first Iohn when his father was now Duke of Northumberland by a courteous custome usually received held this title for a while and afterwards Ambrose a most worthy personage both for warlike prowesse and sweetnesse of nature through the fauour of Queene Elizabeth received in our remembrance the Honour of Earle of Warwick to him and his heires males and for defect of them to Robert his brother and the heires males of his body lawfully begotten This Honour Ambrose bare with great commendation and died without children in the yeere one thousand five hundred eighty nine shortly after his brother Robert Earle of Leicester
solemne investure and a kisse in full Parliament upon his eldest Sonne who gloriously bare the name of King Henry the Fifth His Sonne King Henry the Sixth who at his Fathers death was an Infant in the cradle conferred likewise this honour which he never had himselfe upon his young Sonne Edward whose unhappie fortune it was to have his braines dashed out cruelly by the faction of Yorke being taken prisoner at Tewkesbury field Not long after King Edward the Fourth having obtained the Crowne created Edward his young Sonne Prince of Wales who was afterwards in the lineall succession of Kings Edward the Fifth of that name And within a while after his Unkle King Richard the Third who made him away ordained in his roome Edward his owne Sonne whom King Edward the Fourth had before made Earle of Salisburie but he died quickly after Then King Henrie the Seventh created his eldest sonne Arthur Prince of Wales and when he was dead Henrie his other Sonne well knowne in the world by the name of King Henrie the Eighth Every one of these had the Principality of Wales given unto them by the foresaid solemne investure and delivery of a Patent To hold to themselves and their Heires Kings of England For Kings would not bereave themselves of so excellent an occasion to doe well by their Eldest Sonnes but thought it very good policie by so great a benefit to oblige them when they pleased Queene Mary Queene Elizabeth and King Edward the Children of King Henrie the Eighth although they never had investure nor Patent yet were commonly named in their order Princes of Wales For at that time Wales was by authoritie of Parliament so annexed and united to the Kingdome of England that both of them were governed vnder the same Law or that you may reade it abridged out of the Act of Parliament The Kings Country or dominion of Wales shall stand and continue for ever incorporated united and annexed to and with the Realme of England and all and singular person and persons borne and to be borne in the said Principalitie Country or Dominion of Wales shall have enioy and inherit all and singular freedomes liberties rights priviledges and Lawes within this Realme and other the Kings Dominions as other the Kings Subiects naturally borne within the same have enioy and inherit and the Lawes Ordinances and Statutes of the Realme of England for ever and none other shall he had used practised and executed in the said Country or Dominion of Wales and every part thereof in like manner forme and order as they be and shall be in this Realme and in such like manner and forme as heereafter shall be further established and ordained This Act and the calme command of King Henrie the Seventh preparing way for it effected that in a short time which the violent power of other Kings armes and especially of Henrie the Fourth with extreame rigour also of Lawes could not draw on in many yeeres For ever sithence the British Nation hath continued as faithfully and dutifully in their Loyall Allegiance to the Crowne of England as any other part of the Realme whatsoever Now am I to returne out of Wales into England and must goe unto the Brigantes BRIGANTES BRITAINE which hitherto hath as it were launched out with huge Promontories looking on the one side toward Germanie on the other side toward Ireland now as if it were afraid of the Sea violently inrushing upon it withdraweth it selfe farther in and by making larger separations of lands retireth backe gathered into a farre narrower breadth For it is not past one hundred miles broad from coast to coast which on both sides passe on in a maner with straight and direct shores Northward as farre as to Scotland All this part well neere of the Island while the Romane Empire stood upright and flourished in Britaine was inhabited by the BRIGANTES For Plinie writeth that they dwelt from the East Sea to the West A nation this was right valiant populous withall and of especiall note among ancient Authors who all doe name them BRIGANTES unlesse it be Stephanus onely in his booke Of Cities who called them BRIGAE in which place that which he wrote of them is defective at this day in the bookes by reason that the sentence is imperfect If I should thinke that these were called Brigantes of Briga which in the ancient Spanish tongue signified A Citie I should not satisfie my selfe seeing it appeareth for certaine out of Strabo that it is a meere Spanish word If I were of opinion with Goropius that out of the Low Dutch tongue they were termed Brigantes as one would say Free-hands should I not obtrude upon you his dreames for dainties Howsoever the case standeth our Britanes or Welsh-men if they see any of a bad disposition and audaciously playing lawlesse and lewde parts use to say of them by way of a common merry quippe Wharret Brigans that is They play the Brigants And the French-men at this day alluding as it seemeth to the ancient language of the Gaules usually terme such lewde fellowes Brigans like as Pirats Ships Brigantins But whether the force of the word was such in old time in the Gaules or Britanes language or whether our Brigantes were such like men I dare not determine Yet if my memory faile me not Strabo calleth the Brigantes a people about Alpes Grassatores that is Robbers and Iulius a Belgian a young man of desperate boldnesse who counted power authority honestie and vertue to be nothing but naked names is in Tacitus surnamed Briganticus With which kinde of vice our old Brigantes may seeme to have been tainted when they so robbed and spoiled the neighbour inhabitants that the Emperour Antoninus Pius for this cause tooke away a great part of their Country from them as Pausanias witnesseth who writeth thus of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Antoninus Pius cut the Brigantes in Britaine short of a great part of their Country because they began to take armes and in hostile maner to invade Genunia a Region subject to the Romanes Neither will any I hope take this as a reproach Surely I should seeme farre unlike my selfe if I fell now to taxe ignominiously any private person much lesse a Nation Neither was this counted a reproachfull imputation in that warlike age when all Nations reckoned that their right which they could winne or hold by might and dint of sword Roberies saith Caesar among the Germans are not noted with infamie such I meane as are committed without the borders of every State and they allow the practise thereof to exercise their youth withall and to keepe them from idlenesse And for a reason not unlike the Paeones among the Greekes are so called quia Percussores that is because they were cutters The Quadi among the Germans and the Chaldaei likewise are reported to have gotten those names because they used to robbe and kill Now in that Florianus Del-Campe a Spaniard hath
Canutus are in the Normans tongue translated under the name of Baro and loe what the very words are Exercitualia verò c. That is Let the Heriots or Relevies be so moderate as that they may bee tolerable Of an Earle as decent it is eight horses foure with saddles and foure without saddles foure Helmets and foure shirts of male eight launces or speares and as many shields foure swords and withall 200. mauces of gold Of a Viron or Baron to the King who is next unto him foure horses two with saddles and two without saddles two swords foure speares and as many targets one helmet and one coate of mauile and with fifty mauces of gold Also in the first time of the Normans Valvasores and Thani were ranged in degree of honour next after Earles and Barons and the Valvasores of the better sort if wee may beleeve those that write de Feudis were the very same that now Barons are So that the name Baro may seeme to bee one of those which time by little and little hath mollified and made of better esteeme Neither was it as yet a terme of great honor For in those daies some Earles had their Barons under them and I remember that I read in the ancient Constitutions and ordinances of the Frenchmen how there were under an Earle twelve Barons and as many Capitaines under a Baron And certaine it is that there be ancient Charters extant in which Earles since the comming in of the Normans wrote thus To all my Barons as well French as English Greeting c. Yea even Citizens of better note were called Barons For the Citizens of Warwick in Doomesday book were named Barones likewise Citizens of London and the Inhabitants of the Cinque-ports enjoyed the same name But some few yeares after like as at Rome in times past they chose Senators for their worth in wealth so were they with us counted Barons who held lands of their own by a whole Baronie that is 13. Knights Fees and a third part of one Knights Fee reckoning every fee as an old book witnesseth at 20. li. which make in all 400. marks For that was the value of one entire Baronie and they that had lands and revenues to this worth were wont to be summoned unto the Parliament And it seemed to bee a dignitie with a jurisdiction which the Court Barons as they terme them in some sort doe prove yea and the very multitude that was of these Barons perswaded me to thinke them to be Lords of this nature as that they might in some sort minister and execute justice within their circuit and seigniorie such as the Germans call Free-heires and especially if they had Castles of their owne For then they Jumped Just with the definition of that most famous Civilian Baldus who defineth him to be a Baron whosoever had a meere and subordinate rule in some castle by the grant of the Prince And all they as some would have it that held Baronies seeme to have claimed unto themselves this honor so that as divers learned in our lawes are of opinion a Baron and a Baronie a Count or Earle and a Countie a Duke and a Dutchie were Conjugata that is termes as one would say yoked together Certes in those daies Henrie the Third reckoned in England 150. Baronies And hereupon it is that in all the Charters and Histories of that age all noble men in manner be called Barons and verily that title then was right honorable and under the terme of Baronage all the superiour states of the kingdome as Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons in some sort were comprised But it attained to the highest pitch of honor ever since that King Henrie the Third out of so great a number which was seditious and turbulent called the very best by writ or summon unto the high Court of Parliament For he out of a writer I speake of good antiquity after many troubles and enormous vexations betweene the King himselfe Simon of Mont-fort with other Barons raised after appeased did decree and ordaine that all those Earles and Barons of the Realme of England unto whom the King himselfe vouchsafed to direct his writs of Summons should come unto his Parliament and none others But that which he began a little before his death Edward the First and his successour constantly observed and continued Hereupon they onely were accounted Barons of the kingdom whom the Kings had cited by vertue of such writs of Summons as they terme them unto the Parliament And it is noted that the said prudent King Edward the First summoned alwaies those of ancient families that were most wise to his Parliaments but omitted their sonnes after their death if they were not answerable to their parents in understanding Barons were not created by Patent untill such time as King Richard the Second created Iohn Beauchamp de Holt Baron of Kiderminster by his letters Patent bearing date the eighth day of October in the eleventh yeare of his raigne Since that time the Kings by their Patâ—ents and the putting on of the mantle or roabe of honour have given this honour And at this day this order of creating a Baron by letters Patent as also that other by writs of Summons are in use in which notwithstanding they are not stiled by the name of Baron but of Chevalier for the Common law doth not acknowledge Baron to be a name of dignity And they that be in this wise created are called Barons of the Parliament Barons of the Realme and Barons of honor for difference of them who yet according to that old forme of Barons be commonly called Barons as those of Burford of Walton and those who were Barons unto the Count-Palatines of Chester and Pembroch who were Barons in fee and by tenure These our Parliamentarie Barons carie not the bare name onely as those of France and Germanie but be all borne Peeres of the Realme of England Nobles Great States and Counsellors and called they are by the King in these words To treat of the high affaires of the kingdome and thereof to give their counsell They have also immunities and priviledges of their owne namely that in criminall causes they are not to have their triall but by a Iurie of their Peeres that they be not put to their oath but their protestation upon their Honor is sufficient that they be not empanelled upon a Iurie of twelve men for enquest de facto No supplicavit can be granted against them A Capias cannot be sued out against them Neither doth an Essoine lie against them with very many other which I leave unto Lawyers who are to handle these and such like Besides these the two Archbishops and all the Bishops of England be Barons also of the kingdome and Parliament even as in our Grandfathers daies these Abbats and Priors following The Abbat of Glastenburie The Abbat of S. Augustines in Canterbury The Abbat of S. Peter in
Westminster The Abbat of S. Albans The Abbat of S. Edmonds-Bury The Abbat of Peterburgh The Abbat of S. Iohn of Colchester The Abbat of Evesham The Abbat of Winchelcomb The Abbat of Crouland The Abbat of Battaile The Abbat of Reding The Abbat of Abindon The Abbat of Waltham holy Crosse. The Abbat of Shrewsburie or Salop. The Abbat of Sircester The Abbat of S. Peters in Glocester The Abbat of Bardeney The Abbat of S. Bennets of Hulme The Abbat of Thorney The Abbat of Ramsey The Abbat of Hyde The Abbat of Malmesburie The Abbat of S. Marie in Yorke The Abbat of Selbey The Prior of Coventrie The Prior of The order of S. Iohn at Ierusalem who commonly is called Master of S. Iohns Knights and would be counted the first and chiefe Baron of England Vnto whom as still unto the Bishops By right and custome it appurtained as to Peeres of the Kingdome to be with the rest of the Peeres personally present at all parliaments whatsoever there to consult to handle to ordaine decree and determine in regard of the Baronies which they held of the King For William the first a thing that the Church-men of that time complained of but those in the age ensuing counted their greatest honor ordained Bishopricks and Abbaies which held Baronies in pure and perpetuall Almâ—s and untill that time were free from all secular service to bee under military or Knights service enrolling every Bishopricke and Abbay at his will and pleasure and appointing how many souldiers he would have every of them to find for him and his successours in the time of hostility and warre From that time ever since those Ecclesiasticall persons enjoyed all the immunities that the Barons of the Kingdome did save onely that they were not to be judged by their Peeres For considering that according to the Canons of the Church such might not be present in matters of life and death in the same causes they are left unto a jurie of twelve men to be judged in the question of Fact But whether this be a cleere point in law or no I referre me to skilfull Lawyers Vavasors or Valvasors in old time stood in the next ranke after Barons whom the Lawyers derive from Valvae that is leaved dootes And this dignitie seemeth to have come unto us from the French For when they had soveraigne rule in Italy they called those Valvasores who of a Duke Marquesse Earle or Captaine had received the charge over some part of their people and as Butelere the civill Lawyer saith had power to chastise in the highest degree but not the Libertie of faires and mercates This was a rare dignity among us and if ever there were such long since by little and little it ceased and ended For in Chaucers time it was not great seeing that of his Franklin a good yeoman or Freeholder he writeth but thus A Sheriffe had he beene and a Câ—ntour Was no where such a worthy Vavasour Inferiour nobles are Knights Esquires and those which usually are called Generosi and Gentlemen Knights who of our English Lawyers be termed also in Latin Milites and in all nations well neere besides tooke their name of Horses for the Italians call them Cavellieni the Frenchmen Chevaliers the Germans Reiters and our Britans in Wales Margogh all of riding Englishmen onely terme them Knights by a word that in the old English language as also of the German signifieth indifferently a servitor or minister and a lusty young man Heereupon it commeth that in the Old written Gospels translated into the English tongue wee read for Christs Disciples Christs Leorning Cnyhts and else where for a Client or Vassall Incnyght and Bracton our ancient civill Lawyer maketh mention of Radâ—nights that is to say serving horsemen who held their lands with this condition that they should serve their Lords on horsbacke and so by cutting off a peece of the name as our delight is to speake short I thought long since that this name of Knights remained with us But whence it came that our countreymen should in penning of lawes and in all writings since the Normans conquest terme those Knights in Latin Milites I can hardly see And yet I am not ignorant that in the declining time of the Roman Empire the Denomination of Milites that is Souldiers was transferred unto those that conversing neere about the Princes person bare any of the greater offices in the Princes Court or traine But if I have any sight at all in this matter they were among us at first so called who held any lands or inheritances as Tenants in Fee by this tenure to serve in the warres For those Lands were termed Knights Fees and those that elsewhere they named Feudatarij that is Tenants in Fee were here called Milites that is Knights as for example Milites Regis c. The Kings Knights Knights of the Archbishop of Canterburie Knights of Earle Roger of Earle Hugh c. For that they received those lands or manors of them with this condition to serve for them in the wars and to yeeld them fealty and homage whereas others who served for pay were simply called Solidarij and Servientes that is Souldiers and Servitors But these call them Milites or Equites whether you will are with us of foure distinct sorts The most honorable and of greatest dignitie be those of the Order of S. George or of the Garter In a second degree are Banerets in a third ranke Knights of the Bath and in a fourth place those who simply in our tongue be called Knights in Latin Equites aurati or Milites without any condition at all Of S. Georges Knights I will write in due place when I am come to Windsor Of the rest thus much briefly at this time Banerets whom others terme untruely Baronets have their name of a Banner For granted it was unto them in regard of their martiall vertue and prowesse to use a foure square ensigne or Banner as well as Barons whereupon some call them and that truly Equites Vexillarij that is Knights-Banerets and the Germans Banner-heires The antiquitie of these Knights Banerets I cannot fetch from before the time of King Edward the Third when Englishmen were renowned for Chivalrie so that I would beleeve verily that this honorable title was devised then first in recompence of martiall prowesse untill time shall bring more certainty of truth to light In the publicke records of that time mention is made among military titles of Banerets of Men at the Banner which may seeme all one and of Men at armes And I have seene a Charter of King Edward the Third by which he advanced Iohn Coupland to the State of a Baneret because in a battell fought at Durham hee had taken prisoner David the Second King of the Scots and it runneth in these words Being willing to reward the said Iohn who tooke David de Bruis prisoner and
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
birth parentage and Filiation whose wisdome also whose justice princely courage warlike exploits most valiantly atchieved in the defence of the State and whose roiall birth and bloud as who was descended from the bloud roiall of the three most renowned Kingdomes of England France and Spaine they knew assuredly Wherefore having throughly weighed these and such like motives they willingly and withall hearty affection tendring the welfare of the land by that their petition and one generall accord of them all elected him for their King and with prayers and teares lying prostrate before him humbly craved and besought his gracious favour to accept and take upon him the Kingdomes of England France and Ireland appertaining to him by right of inheritance and now presented to him by their free and lawfull election and so for very pitty and naturall zeale to reach forth unto his Countrey now forlorne his helping hand that after so great and grievous stormes the sonne of grace might shine upon them to the comfort of all true hearted English men This supplication being tendred privately to himselfe before that he entred upon the Kingdome was presented also afterwards unto him in the publike assembly of all the States of the Realme and there allowed and so by their authoritie enacted and published with a number of words as the maner is heaped up together that according to the law of God the law of Nature the lawes of England and most laudable custome Richard was and is by lawfull election Inauguration and Coronation the undoubted King of England c. and that the Kingdomes of England France and Ireland appertained rightfully to him and the heires of his body lawfully begotten And to use the very words as they stand penned in the originall Record By the authority of the Parliament it was pronounced decreed and declared that all and singular the contents in the foresaid Bill were true and undoubted and the Lord the King with the assent of the three States of the Kingdome by the foresaid authoritie pronounceth decreeth and declareth the same for true and undoubted These things have I laid forth more at large out of the Parliament Rowle that yee may understand both what and how great matters the power of a Prince the outward shew of vertue the wily fetches of Lawyers fawning hope pensive feare desire of change and goodly pretenses are able to effect in that most wise assembly of all the States of a Kingdome even against all Law and right But this Richard is not to be accounted worthy to have bin a Soveraigne had he not bin a Soveraigne as Galba was reputed who when he was a Soveraigne deceived all mens expectation but most worthy indeed of Soveraigntie had he not being transported with ambition which blasteth all good parts by lewd practises and mischievous meanes made foule way thereunto For that by the common consent of all that are wise he was reckoned in the ranke of bad men but of good Princes Now remembring my selfe to be a Chorographer I will returne to my owne part and leave these matters unto our Historiographers when God shall send them In this Countie there are Parishes 280. OXONIENSIS Comitatus vulgo Oxfordshyre qui pars olim DOBUNORUM OXFORD-SHIRE OXFORD-SHIRE in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as we said belonged also to the Dobuni on the West side joyneth upon Glocester-shire on the South which way it runneth out farthest in breadth is dissevered from Bark-shire by the River Isis or Tamis Eastward it bordereth upon Buckingham-shire and Northward where it endeth pointed in manner of a Cone or Pine-apple hath North-hampton-shire of one side and Warwick-shire on the other side confining with it It is a fertile Country and plentifull wherein the Plaines are garnished with Corne-fields and meddowes the Hilles beset with Woods stored in every place not onely with Corne and fruites but also with all kinde of game for Hound or Hawke and well watered with fishfull Rivers For ISIS or OUSE which afterwards comes to bee named Tamis maketh a long course and runneth under the South side Cherwell also a prety River well stored with fish after it hath for a time parted North-hampton-shire and Oxford-shire passeth gently with a still streame through the middest of the Country and divideth it as it were into two parts And Tamis with his waters conforteth and giveth heart to the East part untill both of them together with many other Riverets and Brookes running into them bee lodged in Isis. This Isis when it hath passed a small part of Wil-shire no sooner is entred into Oxford-shire but presently being kept in and restrained with Rodcot bridge passeth by Bablac where Sir R. Vere that most puissant Earle of Oxford Marquesse of Dublin and Duke of Ireland who as he stood in most high favour and authority with King Richard the Second so he was as much envied of the Nobles taught us as one said that no power is alwaies powerfull Who being there discomfited in a skirmish by the Nobles and constrained to take the River and swimme over found the Catastrophe of his fortune and subversion of his state For immediately he fled his country and died distressed in exile Of whom the Poet in his Marriage of Tame and Isis made these verses Hic Verus notissimus apro Dum dare terga negat virtus tendere contrà Non sinit invictae rectrix prudentia mentis Vndique dum resonat repetitis ictibus umbo Tinnitúque strepit circum sua tempora cassis Se dedit in fluvium fluvius laetatus illo Hospite suscepit salvum salvúmque remisit Heere VERE well knowne by badge of savage Bore While man-hood shames to yeeld yet strive againe Stout heart may not restrain'd by wisdomes lore Whiles shield resounds by doubled blowes amaine And helmet rings about his eares is faine The streame to take The River glad therefore His Guest tooke safe and set him safe on shore Isis from thence overflowing many times the flat and low grounds is first encreased with the Brooke Windrush which springing out of Cotteswold hath standing upon the banke side Burford in the Saxon Tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Cuthred King of West-Saxons at that time by curtesie of the Mercians when hee could endure no longer the most grievous exactions of Aethelbald the Mercian who began to oppresse his people and sucke their bloud came into the field against him and put him to flight having won his Banner wherein by report of Authours there was a golden Dragon depainted Then passeth it by Minster Lovell the habitation in times past of the great Barons Lovels of Tichmerch who being descended from Lupellus a Noble man of Normandy flourished for many ages and augmented their estate by rich marriages with the daughters and heires of Tichmerch with the heires of the Lords Holland D'eyncourt and the Vicounts Beaumont But their line expired in Francis Vicount Lovell Lord
shooteth into the deepe sea and is to bee seene a farre off Hard by South Eske voideth it selfe into the Ocean which river flowing amaine out of a lake passeth by Finnevim Castle well knowne by reason of the Lindeseies Earles of Crawford keeping residence there of whom I have alreadie written Then upon the said river standeth Brechin which King David the first adorned with a Bishops See and at the very mouth thereof Mont-rose as one would say the Mount of Roses a towne in times past called Celurca risen by the fall of another towne bearing the same name which is seated betweene the two Eskes and imparteth the title of Earle to the family of the Grahams Concerning which towne Ionston hath these verses CELURCA five MONS ROSARUM Aureolis urbs picta rosis mons molliter urbi Imminet hinc urbi nomina facta canunt At veteres perhibent quondam dixisse Celurcam Nomine sic prisco nobilitata novo est Et prisca atque nova insignis virtute virumque Ingeniis patriae qui perperere decus MONT-ROSE With Roses gay the towne is deckt an easie Mount withall Stands neere the same and hence they say MONT-ROSE folke did it call In former times by ancient name Celurca men it knew Ennobled thus you see it is by name both old and new Both old and new renowne it hath for prowesse and for wit Of men that have their countrey grac'd and honour won to it Not farre from hence is Boschain belonging to the Barons of Ogiluy of very ancient nobilitie lineally descended from Alexander Sheriffe of Angus who was slaine in the bloodie battaile at Harley against the Mac Donald of the out Isles As touching the Earles of Angus Gilchrist of Angus renowned for his brave exploits under King Malcolm the fourth was the first Earle of Angus that I read of About the yeere 1242. Iohn Comin was Earle of Angus who died in France and his widow haply inheritrice to the Earldome was married to Sir Gilbert Umfranvill an Englishman For both hee and his heires successively after him were summoned to the Parliaments in England untill the third yeere of King Richard the second by the title of Earles of Angus Howbeit the Lawyers of England refused in their Brieves and instruments to acknowledge him Earle for that Angus was not within the kingdome of England untill hee had brought forth openly in the face of the Court the Kings writ and warrant wherein he was summoned to the Parliament by the name of Earle of Angus In the reigne of David Brus Thomas Stewart was Earle of Angus who by a suddaine surprise won Barwicke and streightwaies lost it yea and within a while after died miserably in prison at Dunbritton But the Douglasses men of haughtie mindes and invincible hearts from the time of King Robert the third have beene Earles of Angus after that George Douglasse had taken to wife the Kings daughter reputed the chiefe and principall Earles of Scotland and to whom this office belongeth to carrie the regall Crown before the Kings at all the solemne assemblies of the kingdome The sixth Earle of Angus out of this stocke was Archebald who espoused Margaret daughter to Henrie the seventh K. of England and mother to James the fifth King of Scots by whom he had issue Margaret wife to Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox who after her brothers decease that died childlesse willingly resigned up her right and interest in this Earldome unto Sir David Douglasse of Peteindreich her unkles sonne by the fathers side and that with the consent of her husband and sonnes to the end that she might binde the surer unto her selfe by the linke also of a beneficiall demerite that family which otherwise in bloud was most neere what time as Henrie her son went about to wed Marie the Queen by which marriage King JAMES our Soveraigne the mightie Monarch of great Britaine was happily borne to the good of all Britaine MERNIS THese regions were in Ptolomees time inhabited by the VERNICONES the same perhaps that the VECTURIONES mentioned by Marcellinus But this their name is now quite gone unlesse wee would imagine some little peece thereof to remaine in Mernis For many times in common speech of the British tongue V. turneth into M. This small province Mernis abutting upon the German Ocean and of a rich and battle soile lieth very well as a plaine and levell Champion But the most memorable place therein is Dunnotyr a Castle advanced upon an high and unaccessible rocke whence it looketh downe to the underflowing sea well fensed with strong walls and turrets which hath beene a long time the habitation of the Keiths of an ancient and verie noble stock who by the guidance of their vertue became hereditarie Earles Mareschals of the kingdome of Scotland and Sheriffes of this province In a porch or gallerie here is to bee seene that ancient inscription which I mentioned even now of a companie belonging to the twentieth legion the letters whereof the right noble and honourable Earle now living a great lover of antiquitie caused to be guilded Somewhat farther from the sea standeth Fordon graced in some sort and commendable in regard of John de Fordon who being borne here diligently and with great paines compiled Scoti Chronicon that is The Scottish Chronicle unto whose laborious studies the Scottish Historiographers are very much indebted but more glorious and renowned in old time for the reliques of St. Palladius bestowed and shrined sometime as is verily thought in this place who in the yeere 431. was by Pope Caelestinas appointed the Apostle of the Scottish nation MARRIA or MAR. FRom the sea in the mediterranean or inland parts above Mernis MAR enlargeth it selfe and runneth forward threescore miles or thereabout where it lieth broadest Westwards it swelleth up with mountaines unlesse it bee where the rivers Dee which Ptolomee calleth DIVA and Done make way for themselves and enfertile the fields Upon the bank of Done Kildrummy standeth as a faire ornament to the countrey being the ancient seat of the Earles of Marre and not farre distant from it the habitation of the Barons Forbois who being issued from a noble and ancient stocke assumed this surname whereas before time they were called Bois after that the heire of that family had manfully killed a savage and cruell Beare But at the very mouth of this river there be two townes that give greater ornament which of the said mouth that in the British tongue they call Aber borrowing one name are divided asunder by one little field lying betweene the hithermore of them which standeth neerer to Dee mouth is much ennobled by an Episcopall dignitie which King David the first translated hither from Murthlake a little village by faire houses of the Canons an Hospitall for poore people and a free Grammar schoole which William Elphinston Bishop of the place in the yeere 1480. consecrated to the training up
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
were torne and tormented at Carlele the rest hanged upon jebbits Item upon St. Patricks day there was taken prisoner in Ireland Mac-Nochi with his two sonnes neere unto New castle by Thomas Sueterby and there Lorran Oboni a most strong thiefe was beheaded MCCCVII The third day preceding the Calends of Aprill was Marcord Ballagh beheaded neere unto Marton by Sir David Caunton a doughtie Knight and soon after was Adam Dan slaine Also a defeature and bloodie slaughter fell upon the English in Connaght by Oscheles on Philip and Iacob the Apostles day Item the preading Brigants of Offaly pulled down the Castle of Cashill and upon the Vigill of the translation of Saint Thomas they burnt the towne of Ly and besieged the Castle but soone after they were removed by Iohn Fitz-Thomas and Edward Botiller Item Edward King of England departed this life after whom succeeded in the kingdome his sonne Edward who most solemnly buried his father at Westminster with great reverence and honour Item the Lord Edward the younger took to wife the Ladie Isabel daughter of the French King in St. Maries Church at Bologne and shortly after they were both crowned in the Church of Westminster Item the Templars in the parts beyond sea being condemned as it was said of a certaine heresie were apprehended and imprisoned by the Popes Mandat In England likewise they were all taken the morrow after the feast of the Epiphany Also in Ireland they were arrested the morrow after the feast of the Purification and laid up in prison MCCCVIII The second day before the Ides of April died Sir Peter or Piers Bermingham a noble vanquisher of the Irish. Item on the fourth day before the Ides of May was burnt the Castle of Kenir and certaine warders in it slaine by William Mac-Balthor and Cnygnismi Othothiles and his abetters More on the sixt day preceding the Ides of June Lord Iohn Wogan Justice of Ireland was defeated with his armie neere Glyndelory where were slaine Iohn called Hogelyn Iohn Northon Iohn Breton with many other Also the sixteenth day going before the Calends of July were burnt Dolovan Tobyr and other townes and villages bordering upon them by the foresaid malefactors Item in England shortly after was holden a great Parliament at London wherein arose a dissension and in manner a mortall conflict betweene the King and the Barons occasioned by Piers Gaveston who was banished out of the kingdome of England the morrow after the feast of Saint John Baptist his Nativitie and he passed over sea into Ireland about the feast of the Saints Quirita and Julita together with his wife and sister the Countesse of Glocester and came to Dublin with great pomp and there made his abode Moreover William Mac-Baltor a strong thiefe and an Incendiarie was condemned and had judgement in the Court of the Lord the King in Dublin before the chiefe Justice Lord John Wogan upon the twelfth day preceding the Calends of September and was drawne at horses tailes unto the gallowes and there hanged according to his deserts Item in the same yeere there was erected a certaine cisterne of marble to receive water from the conduict head in the Citie of Dublin such an one as never was there before by the dispose and providence of Master John Decer then Maior of the Citie of Dublin who of his owne money defraied the charges for the building thereof and the same John a little before the time caused a certaine bridge to be made beyond the river Aven-Liffy neere unto the Priorie of St. Wolstan also the Chappell of Saint Maâ—ie to the Friers Minours and there lieth he buried the Chappell likewise of Saint Marie to the Hospitall of Saint Johns in Dublin c. Item the same John Decer was very beneficiall to the Covent of the Friers Preachers in Dublin to wit in making one Columne of stone in the Church and giving one great broad altar-stone with the ornaments thereto belonging More upon the sixth day of the weeke hee entertained the Friers and tabled them at his owne charges thus say Elders to the younger in regard of charitie More in the Autumne Lord Iohn Wogan sailed over the sea unto the Parliament of England in whose place the Lord William Burke was made Custos of Ireland Item the same yeere in the Vigill of Simon and Jude the Apostles day the Lord Roger Mortimer arrived in Ireland with his wedded wife the right heire of Meth the daughter of the Lord Peter sonne of Sir Gefferie Genevil they entred I say into Ireland and took seisin of Meth Sir Gefferie Genevil yeelding unto them and entring into the order of the Friers Preachers at Trym the morrow after the day of St. Edward the Archbishop Also Dermot Odympoy was slaine at Tully by the servants of Sir Peter or Piers Gaveston More Richard Burgo or Burk Earle of Ulster kept a great feast at Whitsontide in Trym and dubbed Walter Lacie and Hugh Lacie Knights And on the even of the Assumption the Earle of Ulster came against Piers Gaveston Earle of Cornwall at Tradag And at the same time he went backe againe and tooke his passage into Scotland Item in the same yeere Maud the Earle of Ulsters daughter sailed over into England to contract marriage with the Earle of Glocester and soone after within one moneth the Earle and she espoused one the other Also Maurice Caunton slew Richard Talon and the Roches killed the foresaid Maurice Item Sir David Caunton is hanged at Dublin Item Odo the sonne of Catholl O-Conghir slew Odo O-Conghir King of Connaght Item Athi is burnt by the Irish. MCCCIX Piers Gaveston subdued the O-Brynnes Irishmen and re-edified the new Castle of Mackingham and the Castle of Kemny he cut downe and cleansed the Pas betweene Kemny Castle and Glyndelaugh mawgre the Irish and so departed and offered in the Church of Saint Kimny The same yeere Lord Piers Gaveston passed the seas over into England on the Vigil of S. John Baptists Nativitie Item the wife of the Earle of Ulsters sonne daughter unto the Earle of Glocester upon the 15. day of October arrived in Ireland Also on Christmas even the Earle of Ulster returned out of England and landed at the Port of Tradagh More on the feast of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary Sir John Bonevile neere unto the towne of Arstoll was slain by Sir Arnold Pover and his complices and buried at Athy in the Church of the Friers Preachers Item a Parliament was held at Kilkenny in the Outas of the purification of the blessed Virgin Mary by the Earle of Ulster and John Wogan Lord Justice of Ireland and other Lords wherein was appeased great discord risen betweene certaine Lords of Ireland and many Provisoes in maner of Statutes were ordained commodious and profitable to the land of Ireland if they had been observed Item shortly after that time returned Sir Edmund Botiller out of England who there at London was before Knighted Item there crossed the
againe unto the English For Edward who in regard of his holinesse was surnamed The Confessor the sonne of Etheldred by his second wife recovered the Crowne and royall Dignitie Now began England to take breath againe but soone after as saith the Poet Mores rebus cessêre secundis Prosperitie perverted manners The Priests were idle drowsie and unlearned the people given to riot and loose life they grew also through rest to be lither discipline lay as it were dead the commonwealth sick as one would say of an infinite sort of vices lay in consumption and pined away but pride above all whose waiting maid is destruction was come to a mightie head And as Gervasius Dorobornensis of that time speaketh They fell so fast to commit wickednesse that to be ignorant of any sinfull crimes was held to be a crime All which most evidently foreshewed destruction The Englishmen of those times as William of Malmesburie writeth went lightly appointed with their garments reaching but to the mid knee their heads shorne their beards shaven but the upper lip uncut where the mustaches grew continually wearing massie bracelets of gold about their armes carrying markes upon their skin pounced in of sundry colours The Clergie contenting themselves with triviall literature could scarsly back and hew out the words of the Sacrament THE NORMANS LIke as in ancient times out of that East coast of Germanie in respect of us which tendeth Northward the Franks first and then the Saxons grievously annoied both France Gaule and Britaine with their depredations so that in the end the one became Lords of Britaine the other of France even so in these later daies ensuing the Danes first and afterward the Normans succeeding in their place from out of the same coast did the like As if it were fatally given unto that tract by the dispose and providence of Almightie God to conceive still and often times to send out of her wombe nations to afflict France and Britaine yea and to establish new Kingdomes therein These Normans were so called of the Northerne quarter or climate from whence they came for Normans be nothing else but Men of the North in which sense also they are named Nordleudi that is a Northerne people for a mixt nation they were of the most valiant Norvegians Suedens and Danes In the time of Charles the Great they practised roving and piracie in such cruell manner about Frisia Belgia England Ireland and France that when the said Charles the Great saw their roving ships in the Mediterranean sea he shed teares abundantly and with a grievous deepe sigh said Heavie I am at the heart that in my life time they durst once come upon this coast and I foresee what mischiefe they will worke hereafter to my posteritie Yea and in the publique Processions and Letanies of Churches this afterwards was added to the rest From the race of Normans Good Lord deliver us They drave the French to that extremitie that King Charles the Bald was forced to give unto Hasting a Norman Arch-pirate the Earledome of Charters for to asswage the mans furie King Charles the Grosse granted unto Godfrey the Norman a part of Neustria with his daughter also in marriage But afterwards by force and armes they seated themselves neere unto the mouth of the river Sein in a country which before time was corruptly called Neustria because it had beene a parcell of Westrasia For so the writers of the middle time named that which the Germans used to call Westen-rijch that is the West-kingdome and doth comprise all that lieth betweene the rivers of Loyre and Seine Which tooke the name of Normandie afterwards of them as it were the region of Northerne men when King Charles the simple had confirmed it unto their Prince Rollo whose Godfather he was at his Baptisme to bee held in Fee by homage and withall bestowed upon him his daughter in marriage At which time as we reade in an old Manuscript belonging to the Monasterie of Angiers Charles surnamed Stultus gave Normandie to Rollo and his daughter Gista with it This Rollo daigned not to kisse the foote of Charles and when his friends about him admonished him to kisse the Kings foote as his homager for the receit of so great a benefit hee answered in the English tongue Ne se by God which they interpret thus NO BY GOD The King then and his Courtiers deriding him and corruptly repeating his speech called him Bigod whereupon the Normans be at this day called Bigodi Hence also peradventure it is that the Frenchmen even still use to call hypocrites and superstitious folke Bigod This Rollo who being baptised received therewith the name of Robert some writers report to have become a Christian but in shew and colour onely others upon good deliberation and in earnest and they adde moreover that hee was warned so to doe by God in a dreame which I pray you give me leave being a man for all this that doateth not upon dreames to relate without suspicion of vanitie from the credit of writers in those daies The report goeth that as he sailed he dreamed he saw himselfe fouly infected with the leprosie but when hee was washed once in a most cleare spring at the foot of an high hill hee recovered and was cleansed thereof and anon climbed up to the top of the said hill This Dreame when he reported a Christian that was a captive in the same ship with him interpreted it in this wise The Leprosie was the impious worship of Idol gods wherewith he was tainted that the spring betokned the holy Laver of Regeneration wherewith being once cleansed he should ascend up the hill that is attaine unto high honor and heaven it selfe This Rollo begat William surnamed Long-espee of the long sword which he used to weare and William begat Richard the first of that name Whose sonne and nephew by his son carrying both his name succeeded after him in the Duchie of Normandie but when Richard the third was dead without issue his brother Robert was Duke in his stead who of his concubine begat that William whom wee commonly name The Conquerour and the Bastard All these were every one for their noble acts atchieved both at home and abroad most renowned Princes Now whiles this William being of ripe yeares ruled Normandie Edward the holy surnamed CONFESSOR King of England and the last of the Saxons line departed out of this world unto his heavenly country to the great misse and losse of his people who being the sonne of Ladie Emma cosen to William and daughter to Richard the first of that name Duke of Normandie whiles hee remained in Normandie banished had promised unto him that he should succeed after him in the Crowne of England But Harold the sonne of Godwin and Great Master or Steward of King Edwards house usurped the Kingdome whom to dispossesse his brother Tosto of one side
Carleil containeth within it part of Cumberland and the Country of Westmerland To these you may adde the Bishopricke of Sodor in the Isle of Mona which commonly is called Man Among these the Archbishop of Canterburie hath the first place the Archbishop of Yorke the second the Bishop of London the third the Bishop of Durham the fourth the Bishop of Winchester the fifth the rest as they are consecrated or enstalled first so in prioritie they take the place Howbeit if any of the other Bishops happen to be Secretary to the King hee challengeth by his right the fift place Besides there are in England Deaneries xxvj whereof thirteene were ordained by Henrie the Eighth in the greater Cathedrall Churches after the Monks were thrust out Archdeaconries three skore Dignities and Prebends five hundred fortie foure Numbred also there are parish-churches under Bishops 9284 of which 3845 be Appropriat as I find in a Catalogue exhibited unto King Iames which here I have put downe underneath Now Appropriat Churches those are called which by the Popes authority comming betweene with consent of the King and the Bishop of the Diocesse were upon certaine conditions tied or as the forme runneth of our Law united annexed and incorporate for ever unto Monasteries Bishopricks Colledges and Hospitals endowed with small lands either for that the said Churches were built with in their Lordships and lands or granted by the Lords of the said lands Which Churches afterwards when the Abbaies and Monasteries were suppressed became Laye Fees to the great dammage of the Church  DIOECESES Parish-Churches Churches appropriated  Of Canterburie 257 140  Of London 623 189  Of Winchester 362 131  Of Coventrie and Lichfield 557 250  Of Sarisburie 248 109  Of Bath and Wels. 388 160  Of Lincoln 1255 577  Of Peter-burgh 293 91  Of Exceter 604 239  Of Glocester 267 125 In the Province of Canterburie in the Diocesse Of Hereford 313 166  Of Norwich 1121 385  Of Elie. 141 75  Of Rochester 98 36  Of Chichester 250 112  Of Oxford 195 88  Of Worcester 241 76  Of Bristoll 236 64  Of S. Davids 308 120  Of Bangor 107 36  Of Lhandaffe 177 98  Of S. Asaph 121 19  Peculiar in the Province of Canterburie 57 14  The summe of the Province of Canterburie 8â—19 3303  Of Yorke 581 336  Of Durham 135 87 In the Province of Yorke Of Chester 256 101 Of Carlile 93 18  The summe of the Province of Yorke 1065 592  The totall Summe in both Provinces 9284 3845 Howbeit in the booke of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall digested and written in The yeere 1520. by Counties are reckoned 9407. Churches How this varietie should come I cannot say unlesse that in the former age some Churches were pulled downe and the Chappels which belong unto Parishes be omitted and others that are but bare Chappels counted in the number of Parish-churches Yet out of this booke of Wolsey have I put downe the number of Parish-churches to every Shire There were also in the reigne of Henrie the Eight I hope without offence I may speake the truth many religious places Monuments of our fore-fathers pietie and devotion to the honor of God the propagation of Christian faith and good learning and also for the reliefe and maintenance of the poore and impotent to wit Monasteries or Abbaies and Priories to the number of 645 of which when by permission of Pope Clement the seventh fortie were suppressed by Cardinall Wolseies meanes who then had begun to found two Colledges one at Oxenford the other at Ipswich straight waies about the xxxvj yeere of the reigne of the said Henrie the Eight a sudden floud as it were breaking thorow the banks with a maine streame fell upon the Ecclesiasticall State of England which whiles the world stood amazed and England groned thereat bare downe and utterly overthrew the greatest part of the Clergie together with their most goodly and beautifull houses For that leave which the Pope granted to the Cardinall the King with assent of the Parliament tooke to himselfe Whereupon in the yeere of our Lord 1536. all religious houses every one together with all their livings and revenewes as many I meane as might dispend by yeerely rent 200. pound or under and those amounted to the number of 376 were granted to the King And in the yeere next following under a faire pretence and shew of rooting out superstition all the rest together with Colledges Chanteries and Hospitals were left to the dispose and pleasure of the King At which time the religious houses remaining in number 605. were surveied valued or taxed Colledges there were besides those in the Vniversities 90. Hospitals 110. Chanâ—eries and free Chappels 2374. All which for the most part shortly after were every where pulled downe their revenues sold and made away those goods riches which the Christian pietie of the English nation had consecrated unto God since they first professed Christianity were in a moment as it were dispersed and to the displeasure of no man be it spoken prophaned THE STATES AND DEGREES of England AS touching the division of our Common-wealth it consisteth of a King or Monarch Noblemen or Gentry Citizens Free-borne whom we call Yeomen and Artisans or Handicraftsmen THE KING whom our ancestors the English-Saxons called Coning and Gyninâ— in which name is implied a signification both of power and skill and wee name contractly King hath soveraigne power and absolute command among us neither holdeth he his Empire in vassalage not receiveth his investure or câ—stalling of another â—e yet acknowledgeth any superiour but God alone and as one said All verily are under him and himselfe under none but God onely Also he hath very many rights of Majestie peculiar to himselfe the learned Lawyers terme them Sacra sacrorum that is Sacred and Individua that is inseparable because they cannot be severed and the common sort Royall prerogatives which they to me The flowers of his Crowne in which respect they affirme that the regall materiall Crowne is adorned with flowers Some of these are by positive or written law others by right of custome which by a silent consent of all men without law prescription of â—ime hath allowed the King justly enjoieth and most deservedly considering that His watchfull care defendeth the state of all his painfull labour maintaineth the rest of all his spadious industry upholdeth the deâ—ights of all and his busie employment affordeth case to all But these are points of a loâ—â—ier discourse and not of the argument now in hand The second or next to the King is his first begotten sonne who like as among the Romans the heire apparant and assigned successour to the Empire was first entituled Princeps Iuventutis that is Prince of the youth and afterwards as flatterie did increase stiled by the name of Caesar Noble Caesar
and the most Noble so with our Ancestors the English-Saxons hee was named in their tongue Aetheling that is Noble and in Latine Clito of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Glorious or Excellent see how that age affected the Greeke Language And hereupon of that Eadgar the last heire male of the English bloud royall this old said saw is yet rife in every mans mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the ancient latine Patents and Charters of the Kings wee read often times Ego E. vel Ae. Clyto Regis filius But this addition Clyto I have observed to be given even to all the Kings sonnes After the Norman conquest no certaine or speciall title of honour was assigned unto him nor any other to my knowledge than singly thus The Kings sonne and The first begotten of the King of England untill that Edward the first summoned unto the high Court of Parliament his sonne Edward by the name of Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester unto whom he granted afterwards the Dukedome also of Aquitain like as the same Prince being now King Edward the Second called unto the Parliament his young sonne Edward not full ten yeeres old by the title of Earle of Chester and of Flint But the said Edward having now attained to the Crowne and being Edward the Third created Edward his sonne a most valiant and renowned man of warre Duke of Cornwall Since which time the Kings first begotten sonne is reputed Duke of Cornewall at the houre of his birth And soone after he adorned the same sonne by solemne investure and creation with the title of Prince of Wales And gave the Principality of Wales in these words To be held of him and his heires Kings of England And as the declared or elect Successours of the Roman Empire as I said even now were named Caesares of the Greekish Empire Despotae of the Kingdome of France Dolphins and of Spaine Infants so from thence forward the Heires apparant of the Kingdome of England were entituled Princes of Wales And this title continued unto the daies of Henrie the Eight when Wales was fully united to the Kingdome of England But now whereas the Kingdomes of Britaine formerly divided are by the happy good luck and rightfull title of the most mighty Prince King Iames growen into one his Eldest sonne Henrie the Lovely Ioy and Dearling of Britaine is stiled PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE who as he is borne thus to the greatest hopes so all Britaine from one end to the other prayeth uncessantly from the very heart that God would vouchsafe to blesse him with the greatest vertues and continuance of honour that hee may by many degrees and that most happily exceede our hope surpasse the noble Acts of his Progenitours yea and outlive their yeeres As for our Nobilitie or Gentry it is divided into Superiour and Inferiour The Superiour or chiefe Noblemen we call Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons which have received these titles from the Kings of this Realme for their Vertue and Prowesse DVKE is the chiefe title of honour among us next after PRINCE This was a name at first of charge and office and not of dignitie About the time of Aelius Verus the Emperour those who governed the Limits and Borders were first named Duces and this degree in the daies of Constantine was inferiour to that of Comites After the Romane government was heere in this Iland abolished this title also remained as a name of office and those among us who in old Charters during the Saxons time are so many of them called Duces were named in the English tongue onely Ealdermen and the verie same that were named Duces they called also Comites As for example that William the Conquerour of England whom most call Duke of Normandie William of Malmsburie termeth Comes or Earle of Normandie But as well Duke as Earle were names of charge and office as appeareth by this Briefe or Instrument of creating a Duke or Earle out of Marculphus an ancient Writer In this point especially is a Princes regall Clemencie fully commended that thorowout the whole people there bee sought out honest and vigilant persons neither is it meete to commit hand over head unto every man a judiciarie Dignity unlesse his faithfulnesse and valour seeme to have beene tried before seeing then therefore we suppose that we have had good proofe of your trustie and profitable service unto us wee have committed unto you the government of that Earledome Dukedome Senatourship or Eldership in that Shire or Province which your Predecessor untill this time seemed to have exercised for to manage and rule the same accordingly Provided alwaies that you evermore keepe your faith untouched and untainted toward our Royall governance and that all people there abiding may live and be ruled under your regiment and governance and that you order and direct them in the right course according to law and their owne customes That you shew your selfe a Protector to widowes and Guardian to Orphans that the wickednesse of theeves and malefactors be most severely by you punished that the people living well under your regiment may with joy continue in peace quietly and whatsoever by this very execution is looked for to arise in profit due to the Exchequer bee brought yeerely by your selfe into our Coffers and Treasurie This title of Duke began to be a title of honour under Otho the Great about the yeere 970. For hee to bind more streitly and neerer unto him martiall and politike men endowed them with Regalities and Roialties as hee termed them And these Roialties were either Dignities or Lands in fee. Dignities were these Dukes Marquesses Earles Capitaines Valvasors Valvasines Later it was ere it came to bee an Hereditarie title in France and not before the time of Philip the third King of France who granted that from thence forth they should bee called Dukes of Britaine who before time were indifferently stiled both Dukes and Earles But in England in the time of the Normans seeing the Norman Kings themselves were Dukes of Normandie for a great while they adorned none with this honour nor before that Edward the Third created Edward his sonne Duke of Cornwall by a wreath upon his head a ring on his finger and a silver verge or rod like as the Dukes of Normandie were in times past created by a Sword and Banner delivered unto them afterwards by girding the Sword of the Dutchie and a circlet of gold garnished with little golden Roses in the top And the same King Edward the Third created in a Parliament his two sonnes Lionel Duke of Clarence and Iohn Duke of Lancaster by the girding of a Sword and setting upon their heads a furred chapeau or cap with a circlet or Coronet of gold pearle and a Charter delivered unto them From which time there have beene many hereditary Dukes among us created one after another with these or such like words in
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
faithfull Knights or upon the faith of a Knight how far they were from base gaine and lucre and what manner of paiment or Aid is to be levied for Knights fees when as the Prince the Kings eldest son should be invested in this honour c. I leave it for others to write as also when they had so far offended that being to suffer death therfore they were first dispoiled of their ensignes and of their degree to wit their militarie Girdle ungirted the Sword taken away their Spurs cut off with an hatchet their Gantlets or Gloves plucked from them and the Escutcheon of their Armes reversed like as in the degrading Ecclesiasticall order all the Ecclesiasticall ornaments booke chalice such like are taken away Let the curious also enquire whether those knights were truly by some termed Knights Bachelars or whether Bachelars were of a middle degree between these Knights and Esquires For in the Kings Record are read The names of Knights of Bachelars and of Valects of the Earle of Gocester and of others Whereupon there be that would have Bachelars so called as one would say Bas-Chevaliers that is knights of low degree although other derive that name from the French verbe Battailer which signifieth to combate or fight it out Withall let them weigh and consider whether these dignities of knighthood in times past so glorious as long as they were more rare and bestowed onely as the reward of vertue may not be vilified when it becommeth common and lieth prostitute as it were to the ambitious humour of every one Whereof in the like case Aemilius Probus complained long since among the Romans Next in degree after these Knights are Esquires termed in Latine Armigeri that is Costrels or Bearers of Armes the same that Scutiferi that is Shield-bearers and Homines ad arma that is Men at Armes the Goths called them Schilpor all of carrying the shield as in old time among the Romans such as were named Scutarii who tooke that name either of their Escutcheons of armes which they bare as Ensignes of their descent or because they were armour-bearers to Princes or to the better sort of the Nobilitie For in times past every Knight had two of these waighting upon him they carried his Morrion and shield as inseparable companions they stuck close unto him because of the said Knight their Lord they held certaine lands in Escutage like as the knight himselfe of the King by knights service But now a daies there be five distinct sorts of these for those whom I have spoken of already be now no more in any request The principall Esquires at this day those are accounted that are select Esquires for the Princes bodie the next unto them be knights eldest sonnes and their eldest sonnes likewise successively In a third place are reputed younger sonnes of the eldest sonnes of Barons and of other Nobles in higher estate and when such heires male faile togither with them the title also faileth In a fourth ranke are reckoned those unto whom the King himselfe together with a title giveth armes or createth Esquires by putting about their necke a silver colar of SS and in former times upon their heeles a paire of white spurres silvered whereupon at this day in the West part of the Kingdome they be called White-spurres for distinction from Knights who are wont to weare gilt spurres and to the first begotten sonnes onely of these doth the title belong In the fifth and last place bee those ranged and taken for Esquires whosoever have any superiour publike office in the Common-weale or serve the Prince in any Worshipfull calling But this name of Esquire which in ancient time was a name of charge and office onely crept first among other titles of dignitie and worship so farre as ever I could observe in the raigne of Richard the Second Gentlemen or the common sort of Nobilitie bee they that either are descended of worshipfull parentage or raised up from the base condition of people for their vertue or wealth Citizens or Burgesses be such as in their owne severall citie execute any publike office and by election have a roome in our High Court of Parliament Yeomen are they whom some call Free-borne or Free-holders and our law termeth Homines Legales that is Lawfull men and who of Free-hands may dispend fortie shillings at least by the yeare Lastly Craftsmen Artisans or Workemen be they that labour for hire and namely such as sit at worke Mechanicke Artificers Smiths Carpenters c. Which were termed of the Romans Capite censi as one would say Taxed or reckoned by the poll and Proletarii LAVV COVRTS OF ENGLAND AS touching the Tribunals or Courts of Justice of England there are three sorts of them among us for some bee Ecclesiasticall others Temporall and one mixt of both which being the greatest and most honourable of all is called by a name of no great antiquitie and the same borrowed out of French The Parliament The Anglo-Saxons our ancestours termed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is An assembly of the wise and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A Counsell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke word Synodus that is A great Synod or meeting The Latine writers of that and the ensuing age called it Commune Concilium Curiam altissimam Generale placitum Curiam magnam Magnatum Conventum Praesentiam Regis Praelatorum Procerumque collectorum Commune totius Regni Concilium c. That is The Common councell The Highest court The Generall Plea The Great court The meeting of States The Presence of the King Prelates and Peeres assembled together The Publike Councell of the whole Kingdome c. And like as the Generall Councell of all Etolia is named by Livie PANAETOLIUM so this may well be termed PANANGLIUM For it consisteth of the King the Clergie the superior Nobles the elect Knights and Burgesses or to speake more significantly after the Lawyers phrase of the King the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons which States represent the body of all England It is not held at set and certaine times but summoned by the King at his pleasure so often as consultation is to be had of high affaires and urgent matters that the Common weale may sustaine no damage at his will alone it is dissolved Now this Court hath soveraigne and sacred authoritie in making confirming repealing and expounding Lawes in restoring such as be attainted or outlawed to their former estates in deciding of the hardest controversies betweene private persons and to speake at a word in all causes which may concerne either the safetie of the State or any private person whatsoever The next Court after this in the daies presently following the Normans comming and some good while after was The Court of the King himselfe and the same kept in the Kings house or Palace accompanying the King whither so ever he retired or went in progresse
Iustices of the Assises to end and dispatch controversies depending and growne to an issue in the foresaid principall Kings Courts betweene plaintiffes and defendants and that by their Peeres as the custome is whence they are commonly called Iustices of Nisi prius which name they tooke of the writs sent unto the Sheriffe which have in them these two words Nisi Prius that is Vnlesse before c. The Star-Chamber or the Court rather of Kings Counsell wherein are discussed and handled criminall matters perjuries cousenages fraud deceit riots or excesse c. This Court in regard of time is right ancient and for dignitie most honourable For it seemes that it may claime antiquitie ever since the first time that Subject appealed unto their Soveraignes and the Kings Councell was erected Now the Judges of this Court are persons right Honourable and of greatest reputation even the Kings Privie Counsellors As for the name of Star-Chamber it tooke it from the time that this Counsell was appointed at Westminster in a Chamber there anciently garnished and beautified with Starres For we read in the Records of Edward the Third Counseil en la Chambre des Estoilles pres de la Receipt al Westminster that is The Counsell in the Chamber of Starres neere unto the Receit at Westminster But the Authoritie thereof that most sage and wise Prince Henry the Seventh by authoritie of Parliament so augmented and established that some are of opinion though untruely hee was the first founder of it The Judges heere are The Lord Chancellor of England The Lord Treasurer of England The Lord President of the Kings Counsell The Lord Keeper of the Privy Seale and all Counselors of the State as wel Ecclesiasticall as Temporall and out of the Barons of the Parliament those whom the King will call The two chiefe Iustices of the Benches or in their absence two other Iudges The Officers heerein are these The Clerke of the Counsell The Clerke of writs and processe of the Counsell in the Star-Chamber c. And causes here are debated and decided not by Peeres according to our common Law but after the course of Civill Law The Court of Wards and Liveries hath the name of Pupils or Wards whose causes it handleth was first instituted by Henrie the Eighth whereas in former times their causes were heard in the Chancerie and Exchequer For by an old Ordinance derived out of Normandie and not from Henry the Third as some doe write when a man is deceased Who holdeth possessions or Lands of the King in chiefe by Knights service as well the heire as his whole patrimonie and revenues are in the Kings power tuition and protection untill he be full one and twentie yeares of age and untill by vertue of the Kings briefe or letter restitution and re-delivery be made unto him thereof In this Court the Generall Master sitteth as Judge under whom are these The Supravisor or Surveior of Liveries The Atturney generall of the Court The generall Receiver The Auditour The Clerke of the Liveries The Clerke of the Court Fortie Fedaries and a Messenger There have sprung up also in these later times two other Courts to wit Of reforming Errours whereof the first is to correct Errours in the Exchequer the other to amend errours committed in the Kings Bench. The Judges in the former of these twaine are the Lord Chancellor and Lord Treasurer of England with others of the Kings Justices whom they are disposed to take unto them In the later The Iustices of the Common Pleas and the Barons of the Exchequer The Admirals Court handleth Sea matters In this are reckoned the Lord Admirall of England his Lieutenant and a Iudge two Scribes a Serjeant of the Court and the Vice-Admirals of England Now proceede we to the Courts of Equitie The Chancerie drew that name from a Chancellor which name under the ancient Roman Emperours was not of so greate esteeme and dignitie as wee learne out of Vopiscus But now adaies a name it is of highest honour and Chancellors are advanced to the highest pitch of civill Dignitie Whose name Cassiodorus fetcheth from crosse grates or lattesses because they examined matters within places severed apart enclosed with partitions of such crosse bars which the Latins call Cancelli Regard saith hee to a Chancellor what name you beare It cannot bee hidden which you doe within Lattesses For you keepe your gates lightsome your barres open and your dores transparent as windows Whereby it is very evident that he sate within grates where he was to be seene on every side and thereof it may be thought he tooke that name But considering it was his part being as it were the Princes mouth eie and eare to strike and dash out with crosse-lines lattise like those letters Commissions Warrants and Decrees passed against law and right or prejudiciall to the comon-wealth which not improperly they termed to cancell some thinke the name of Chancellor came from this Cancelling and in a Glossarie of latter time thus we read A Chancellor is he whose Office is to looke into and peruse the writings and answers of the Emperour to cancell what is written amisse and to signe that which is well Neither is that true which Polydore Virgil writeth namely that William the Conquerour instituted a Colledge or fellowship of Scribes to write letters pattents c. and named the Master of that Societie Chancellor considering it is plaine and manifest that Chancellors were in England before the Normans Conquest How great the dignitie and authoritie of the Chancellor is at this day it is better knowne than I can declare but of what credit it was in old time have heere in a word or two out of a writer of good antiquitie The dignitie of the Chancellor of England is this He is reputed the second person in the Realme and next unto the King with the one side of the Kings Seale whereof by his Office he hath the Keeping he may signe his owne injunctions to dispose and order the Kings Chappell as hee liketh to receive and keepe all Archbishopricks Bishopricks Abbeies and Baronies void and falling into the Kings hand to be present at all the Kings Counsels and thither to repaire uncalled also that all things be signed by the hand of his Clerke who carrieth the Kings Seale and that all things be directed and disposed by advise of the Chancellor Item that by the helpfull merits of his good life through Gods grace he need not die if he will himselfe but Archbishop or Bishop And heereof it is that the Chancellor-ship is not to be bought The forme and manner of ordaining a Chancellor for that also I will note was in the time of King Henrie the Second by hanging the great Seale of England about the necke of the Chancellor elect But in King Henry the Sixth daies this was the order of it according to the notes I tooke out of the Records When the place of the Lord
for all England right happy For it brought forth to us Queene Elizabeth a most gracious and excellent Prince worthy of superlative praise for her most wise and politique government of the Common-wealth and for her heroicke vertues farre above that sexe But when the said Thomas Bullen overcome with the griefe and sorrow that hee tooke for the infortunate fall and death of his children he ended his daies without issue this title lay still untill that King Edward the Sixth conferred it upon William Powlet Lord Saint Iohn whom soone after hee made Marquesse of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England in whose family it remaineth at this day This Countie containeth in it Parishes 304. HANTSHIRE NExt to Wilshire is that Country which sometimes the Saxons called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is now commonly named Hantshire of which one part that beareth farther within the land belonged no doubt to the Belgae the other which lieth upon the sea appertained without question to the Regni an ancient people of Britaine On the West it hath Dorsetshire and Wilshire on the South the Ocean to bound it on the East it joyneth to Sussex and Surrie and on the North it bordereth upon Barkshire A small province it is fruitfull in corne furnished in some places with pleasant woods standing thicke and well growne rich in plenteous pasture and for all commodities of sea most wealthy and happie It is thought that it was with the first brought under subjection to the Romans For our Histories report that Vespasian subdued it and very probable reasons there are inducing us to beleeve the same For Dio witnesseth that Plautius and Vespasian when they were sent by the Emperour Claudius against the Britaines did give the attempt upon this Island with an armie divided into three parts least if they should have ventured to land in one place onely they might have beene driven backe from the shore Suetonius also writeth that in this expedition Vespasian fought thirtie battailes with the enemie and subdued the Isle of Wight which lieth against this country and two other right puissant nations with it For which his victories as also for passing over the Ocean so safely Valerius Flaccus speaketh unto Vespasian himselfe as one more fortunate than Iulius Caesar in this manner Tuque O Pelagi cui major aperti Fama Caledonius post quam tua Carbasa vexit Oceanus Fhrigios prius indignatus Iülos And thou for Seas discoverie whose fame did more appeare Since that thy ships with sailes full spred in Northren Ocean were Which skorn'd before of Phrygian line the Julii to beare And of the very same Vespasian Appolonius Collatius Novariensis the Poet versified thus Ille quidem nuper faelici Marte Britannos Fuderat He verily of late by happy flight Had won the field and Britains put to flight But how in this war Titus delivered Vespasian his father when he was very streightly besieged by the Britans and how at the same time likewise an adder grasped him about and yet never hurt him which he tooke as a lucky foretoken of his Empire you may learne out of Dio and Forcatulus I for my part to come to my purpose beginning at the West side of this province will make my perambulation along the sea-coast and the rivers that runne into the Ocean and after that survey the more in-land parts thereof HAMSHIRE OLIM PARS BELGARVM A long the East banke of this river in this Shire King William of Normandie pulled downe all the townes villages houses and Churches farre and neere cast out the poore Inhabitants and when he had so done brought all within thirty miles compasse or there about into a forrest and harbour for wild beasts which the Englishmen in those daies termed Ytene and we now call New forrest Of which Act of his Gwalter Maps who lived immediately after wrote thus The Conquerour tooke away land both from God and men to dedicate the same unto wild beasts and Dogs-game in which space he threw downe sixe and thirtie-Mother-Churches and drave all the people thereto belonging quite away And this did he either that the Normans might have safer and more secure arrivall in England for it lieth over against Normandie in case after that all his wars were thought ended any new dangerous tempest should arise in this Island against him or for the pleasure which he tooke in hunting or else to scrape and rape money to himselfe by what meanes soever he could For being better affected and more favourable to beasts than to men he imposed verie heavie fines and penalties yea and other more grievous punishments upon those that should meddle with his game But Gods just judgement not long after followed this so unreasonable and cruell act of the King For Richard his second sonne and William Rufus King of England another sonne of his perished both in this Forrest William by chance shot through with an arrow by Walter Tirell the other blasted with a pestilent aire Henrie likewise his Grand-child by Robert his eldest sonne whiles hee hotely pursued his game in this Chase was hanged amongst the boughes and so died that wee may learne thereby How even childrens children beare the punishment of their Fathers sonnes There goe commonly abroad certaine verses that Iohn White Bishop of Winchester made of this Forrest Which although they falsly make William Rufus to have ordained the same yet because they are well liked of many I am likewise well content heere to set them downe Templa adimit Divis fora civibus arva colonis Rufus instituit Beaulensi in rure forestam Rex cervum insequitur Regem vindicta Tirellus Non bene provisum transfixit acumine ferri From God and Saint King Rus did Churches take From Citizens town-court and mercate place From Farmer lands New forrest for to make In Beaulew tract where whiles the King in chase Pursues the Hart just vengeance comes apace And King pursues Tirrell him seeing not Unawares him slew with dint of arrow shot He calleth it Beauley tract for that King Iohn built hard by a pretty Monasterie for the pleasant scituation called Beaulieu which continued ever unto our Fathers memorie of great fame as being an unviolated sanctuarie and a safe refuge for all that fled to it in so much that in times past our people heere thought it unlawfull and an hainous offence by force to take from thence any persons whatsoever were they thought never so wicked murtherers or traitours so that our Ancestors when they erected such Sanctuaries or Temples as they terme them of Mercie every where throughout England seemed rather to have proposed unto themselves Romulus to imitate than Moses who commanded that wilfull murtherers should bee plucked from the Altar and put to death and for them onely appointed Sanctuarie who by meere chance had killed any man But least the sea coast for so long a tract as that forrest is heere should lie without defence all open
gartrisht faire with cockles sets no store Nor Rhodes with Alcal and Elba regard the robes with Crosse Sightly beset so that they count their Orders all but drosse Compar'd with Knighthood this of thine which onely beares the name Cease now to joy cease now at length to wonder at the same All yeeld to one what ev'r thou hast in one is drowned all For greater glorie grow's to thee and honour more doth fall In that there dwels upon my banke and seated is in thee Elizabeth and therewith Tamis seeming to bow his knee And gently crouch obeisance made and then he thus went on Elizabeth of Englishmen sole Goddesse Saint alone Whose praise-worth vertues if in verse I now should take in hand For to comprize on Meliboc an hill that high doth stand I might as easily set the Alps or number all my sand If some I would in silence passe what ever I suppresse Will greater proove than all the rest If I my selfe addresse Her formost acts and travailes old to count I then shall find That those of present times to them will draw away my mind Say that of justice I relate more shin's her mercies lore Speake I of her victorious armes unarm'd she gained more That piety now flourisheth that England feares no warre That none rules law but unto law all men obedient are That neighbour Scots be not enthral'd to Frenchmen rigorous That Irish wild doe now cast of their fashions barbarous That shag-hai'rd Ulster Kern doth learne civility anew The praise and thanks is hers alone What is not to her due Those Goddesses that vices chase and are beseeming best A Prince so rare are seated all and shrined in her brest Religion First puts her in mind to worship God aright And Iustice teacheth to preferre before all gaine the right Prudence adviseth naught to doe rashly without fore-cast Then Temperance perswades to love all things both pure and chast And Constancie her resolute mind doth settle firme and fast Hence justly she ALVVAYS THE SAME claimes and keepes to the last Who can discribe in in waving verse such noble vertues all Praise-worthy parts she hath alone what all ye reckon shall Then happinesse long life and health praise love may her betide So long as waves of mine shall last or streame and bankes abide So long may shee most blessed Prince all Englands scepter sway Let both my course and her life end in one and selfe-same day The rest of Barkshire which lieth Southward from Windsor is shadowed with woods and thickets commonly called the Forrest of Windlesor in which the townes and villages stand but thinne whereof Ockingham is of greatest name by reason of the bignesse thereof and trade of clothing but very full it is of game in everie place Now for as much as we have oftentimes made mention and shall still of the Forrests what a Forrest is and the reason of that name if you desire to know but see you laugh not thereat take it heere out of the blacke booke of the Exchequer A Forrest is a safe harbor and abiding place of deere or beasts not of any whatsoever but of wilde and such as delight in woods not in every place but in some certaine and meet for that purpose and hereupon a forrest hath the name as one would say Feresta that is a station of wild beasts And incredible it is how much ground the kings of England have â—uffered every where to lie untilled and set a part for to empale enclose such deere or as they use to say have afforested Neither can I think that any thing else was the cause thereof but onely the overmuch delight in hunting or to maintaine the Kings houshold although some attribute it to the infrequencie of the people to inhabit the countrey seeing that since the Danes were heere they for a long time afforested more and more and for the maintenance and keeping of such places ordained most straight lawes and an overseer whom they cal Protoforestarius that is Chiefe forrester or Master of the Forrests who should heare causes belonging unto Forrests and punish either by death or losse of limb whosoever killed Deere within any parke or chase But Iohn of Sarisburie shal in his own words tell you these things briefely out of his Polycraticon that which you may marvell more at to lay grins for birds to set snares to allure them with nooze or pipe or by any waies laying whatsoever to entrap or take them is oftentimes by vertue of an Edict made a crime and either amerced with forfeiture of goods or punished with losse of limbe and life You have heard that the fowles of the aire and fishes of the sea are common But these ywis belong unto the King which the Forrest Law taketh hold of and claimeth wheresoever they flie With-hold thy hand forbeare and abstaine lest thou also bee punished for treason fall into the hunters hand as a prey Husbandmen are debarred their fallow fields whiles Deere have libertie to stray abroad and that their pasture may bee augmented the poore farmer is abridged and cut short of his grounds What is sowne planted or graffed they keepe from the husbandmen that bee tenants both pasturage from heardmen drovers and graziers and Bee-hives they exclude from floury plots yea the very Bees themselves are scarcely permitted to use their naturall libertie Which courses seeming too inhumane were the occasion otherwhiles of great troubles and uproares so long untill in the end by the rising and revolt of the Barons there was wrested from King Henry the third the Charter de Foresta wherin those rigorous laws being made void he granted others more indifferent whereunto they are bound even at this day who dwell within compasse of the Forrests And from that time two Justices were appointed for these causes whereof the one overseeth all Forrests on this side the river Trent the other all the rest beyond Trent as farre as Scotland with great authoritie Throughout all this Province or county as wee find in the Survey booke of England The Taine or Kings Knight holding of him as Lord whensoever he died left unto the King for a reliefe all his armour one horse with a saddle and another without a saddle And if he had either hounds or hawkes they were tendred and presented unto the King that hee might take them if he would When Gelt was given in the time of King Edward the Confessour generally throughout all Barkshire an Hide of Land yeilded three-pence halfe-penny before Christmas and as much at Whitsontide Thus much of Barkshire which as yet hath given the title of Earle to no man Within the compasse of this shire are parishes 140. THese Regions which hitherto we have travailed thorow that is to say of the Danmonij Durotriges Belgae and Attrebatij what time as the Saxons bare Soveraigne rule in Britaine fell to the Kingdome of the West-Saxons which they in their language
pulcherrima quid tibi gemma Pallet gemma tibi nec diadema nitet Deme tibi cultus cultum natura ministrat Non exornari forma beata potest Ornamenta cave nec quicquam luminis inde Accipis illa micant lumine clara tuo Non puduit modicas de magnis dicere laudes Nec pudeat Dominam te precor esse meam When Muses mine thy beauties rare faire Adeliza Queene Of England readie are to tell they starke astonied beene What booteth thee so beautifull gold-crowne or pretious stone Dimne is the Diademe to thee the gemne hath beautie none Away with trimme and gay attire nature attireth thee Thy lovely beautie naturall can never bett'red be All Ornaments beware from them no favour thou do'st take But they from thee their lustre have thou doest them lightsome make I shamed not on matters great to set small praises heere Bash not but deigne I pray to be my Soveraigne Ladie deere She after the Kings death matched in marriage with William de Albeney who taking part with Maud the Empresse against King Stephen and defending this Castle against him was in recompence of his good service by the saide Maude the Empresse and Ladie of Englishmen for this title she used created Earle of Arundell and her sonne King Henrie the Second gave the whole Rape of Arundell to that William To hold of him by the service of fourescore and foure Knights fees and one-halfe And to his sonne William King Richard the first granted in such words as these The Castle of Arundell with the whole Honor of Arundell and the Third penny of the Plees out of Sussex whereof he is Earle And when after the fifth Earle of this surname the issue male failed one of the sisters and heires of Hugh the fifth Earle was married to Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan Lord of Clun whose great grand sonne Richard For that he stood seised of the Castle Honour and Lordship of Arundell in his owne demesne as of Fee in regard of this his possession of the same Castle Honour and Seignorie without any other consideration or Creation to be an Earle was Earle of Arundell and the name state and honor of the Earle of Arundell c. Peaceably he enjoied as appeareth by a definitive judgement given in Parliament in the behalfe of Sir Iohn Fitz-Alan chalenging the Castle and tittle of Arundell by force of an entaile against Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the right Heire in the neerest degree Whereby it was gathered that the name state and dignitie of Earle was annexed to the Castle Honour and Seignorie of Arundell as it is to be seene in the Parliament Rolls of King Henry the Sixth out of which I have copied forth these notes word for word Of these Fitz-Alans Edmund second Earle sonne to Richard married the heire of the Earle of Surry and was beheaded through the malicious furie of Queene Isabell not lawfully convicted for that hee opposed himselfe in King Edward the Seconds behalfe against her wicked practises His sonne Richard petitioned in Parliament to be restored to bloud lands and goods for that his father was put to death not tried by his Peeres according to the law and great Charter of England neverthelesse whereas the attaindor of him was confirmed by Parliament hee was forced to amend his petition and upon the amendment thereof hee was restored by the Kings meere grace Richard his sonne as his grandfather died for his Soveraigne lost his life for banding against his Soveraigne King Richard the Second But Tho. his sonne more honourably ended his life serving King Henrie the Fifth valerously in France and leaving his sisters his heires generall Sir Iohn of Arundell Lord Maltravers his next cosin and heire male obtained of King Henrie the sixt the Earldome of Arundell as we even now declared and also was by the said King for his good service created Duke of Touraine Of the succeeding Earles I find nothing memorable Henrie Fitz Alan the eleventh and last Earle of that surname lived in our daies in great honor as you shall see After whom leaving no issue male Philip Howard his daughters sonne succeeded who not able to digest wrongs and hard measure offered unto him by the cunning sleights of some envious persons fell into the toile and net pitched for him and being brought into extreame perill of his life yeelded up his vitall breath in the Tower But his sonne Thomas a most honorable young man in whom a forward spirit and fervent love of vertue and glorie most beseeming his nobility and the same tempered with true courtesie shineth very apparently recovered his fathers dignities being restored by King Iames and Parliament authoritie Besides the Castle and the Earles Arundell hath nothing memorable For the Colledge built by the Earles which there flourished because the revenue or living is alienated and gone now falleth to decay Howbeit in the Church are some monuments of Earles there enterred but one above the rest right beautifull of Alabaster in which lieth in the mids of the Quire Earle Thomas and Beatrice his wife the daughter of Iohn King of Portugall Neither must I overpasse this Inscription so faire guilt set up heere in the Honor of Henrie Fitz-Alan the last Earle of this line because some there be whom liketh it well CONSECRATED TO VERTVE AND HONOVR THE MAGNANIMOVS AND VVORTHY KNIGHT VVHOSE PERSONAGE IS HERE SEENE AND VVHOSE BONES HERE VNDERNEATHLY ENTERRED VVAS BARLE OF THIS TERRITORIE ACCORDING TO HIS HOVSE AND LINAGE SVRNAMED FITZ ALAN LOKD MALTRAVERS CLVN AND OSVVALDESTRE PRINCIPAL HONOVRS STILED ALSO LORD AND BARON OF THAT MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER THE AVNCIENTEST COMPANION VVHILES HE LIVED OF WILLIAM EARLE OF ARVNDELL THE ONELY SONNE AND SVCCESSOR COMPARTNER ALSO OF ALL HIS VERTVES VVHO BEING OF THE PRIVY COVNSEL TO KING HENRIE THE EIGHT KING EDVVARD THE SIXT MARIE AND ELIZABETH KINGS AND QVEENES OF ENGLAND VVAS GOVERNOR ALSO OF THE TOVVNE OF CALES AND VVHAT TIME AS THE SAID KING HENRIE BESIEGED BVLLEN VVAS HIGH MARESCHAL OF HIS ARMY AND AFTER THAT LORD CHAMBERLAIN TO THE KING ALSO VVHEN EDVVARD HIS SONNE VVAS CROVVNED KING HE BARE THE OFFICE OF L. MARESCHAL OF THE KINGDOME AND VNTO HIM LIKE AS BEFORE VNTO HIS FATHER BECAME LORD CHAMBERLAINE MOREOVER IN THE REIGNE OF QVEENE MARIE DVRING THE TIME OF HER SOLEMNE CORONATION HE VVAS MADE LORD HIGH CONSTABLE AFTERVVARD STEVVARD OF HER ROIAL HOVSE AND PRESIDENT OF THE COVNCEL EVEN AS TO QVEENE ELIZABETH ALSO HE VVAS LIKEVVISE LORD HIGH STEVVARD OF HER HOVSHOLD THVS THIS MAN NOBLE BY HIS HIGH PARENTAGE MORE NOBLE FOR VVEL PERFORMING THE PVBLICKE OFFICES OF STATE â—OST NOBLE AND RENOVNED BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD FLOVRISHING STIL IN HONOVR BROKEN VVITH TRAVEL MVCH VVORNE VVITH YEERES AFTER HE VVAS COME TO THE LXVIII OF HIS AGE AT LONDON THE XXV DAY OF FEBRVARY IN THE YEERE OF OVâ— SALVATION BY CHRIST M. D. LXXIX GODLY AND SVVEETLY SLEPT IN THE LORD IOHN LVMLEY BARON OF LVMLEY HIS MOST
the Church of Ely for to expiate and make satisfaction for the wicked act hee had committed in murdering his owne mother then by Angre where upon a very high Hill are the tokens of a Castle built by Richard Lucy Lord Chiefe Justice of England in the Raigne of Henry the Second of which Family a daughter and one of the heires King Iohn gave in marriage to Richard Rivers who dwelt hard by at Stranford Rivers So it passeth by Lambourn Manour which is held by service of the Wardstaffe viz. to carry a load of strawe in a Carte with sixe horses two ropes two men in harnesse to watch the said Wardstaffe when it is brought to the Towne of Aibridge c. and then by Wansted Parke where the late Earle of Leicester built much for his pleasure From the mouth of this Roding this Tamis hasteneth through a ground lying very flat and low and in most places otherwhiles overflowne whereby are occasioned strong and unwholsome vapours exceeding hurtfull to the health of the neighbour Inhabitants to Tilbury neere unto which there bee certaine holes in the rising of a chalky Hill sunke into the ground tenne sathome deepe the mouth whereof is but narrow made of stone cunningly wrought but within they are large and spacious in this forme which hee that went downe into them described unto mee after this manner Of which I have nothing else to say but what I have delivered already As for Tilbury Bede nameth it Tilaburgh it consisteth of some few cottages by the Tamis side yet was it in ancient time the seate of Bishop Chad when about the yeare of our Salvation 630. hee ingrafted the East-Saxons by Baptisme into the Church of Christ. Afterwards this River passing by places lying flat and unwholesome with a winding returne of his Water severeth the Island CONVENNON which also is called COUNOS whereof Ptolomee maketh mention from the firme land This hath not yet wholly foregone the old name but is called Canvey It lyeth against the Coast of Essex from Leegh to Hole Haven five miles in length some part whereof appertaineth to the Collegiat Church of Westminster But so low that oftentimes it is quite overflowne all save hillocks cast up upon which the Sheepe have a place of safe refuge For it keepeth about foure hundred Sheepe whose flesh is of a most sweet and delicate taste which I have seene young lads taking womens function with stooles fastened to their buttockes to milke yea and to make Cheeses of Ewes milke in those dairy sheddes of theirs that they call there Wiches There adjoyne to this Island along in order first Beamfleot fortified with deepe and wide Trenches as saith Florilegus and with a Castle by Hasting the Dane which King Aelfred wonne from them Then Hadleigh sometime the Castle of Hubert de Burgo afterwards of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester now defaced with ruines and in the last place Leegh a proper fine little Towne and very full of stout and adventerous Sailers with Pritlewel fast by where Sweno de Essex built long since a Cell for Monkes And here the land shooteth forward to make a Promontory which they call Black-taile Point and Shobery Nesse of Shobery a Village situate upon it which sometime was a City an Havenet named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in old Annales of the English-Saxons wee reade thus The Danes being driven from Beamfleot goe to a City seated in East-sex called in the English Tongue Sceobirig and there built themselves a sure and strong Fort. Heere by reason that the bankes on both sides shrinke backe the Tamis at a huge and wide mouth rowleth into the sea This doth Ptolomee terme Aestuarium TAMESAE and corruptly in some other Copies TEMESAE and we commonly the Tamis Mouth More inward is Rochford placed that hath given name to this Hundered Now it belongeth to the Barons Rich but in old time it had Lords of ancient Nobility sirnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the Eighth created Vicount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose Progeny sprung that most gracious Queene ELIZABETH and the Barons of Hunsdon Heere I have heard much speech of a Lawlesse Court as they called it holden in a strange manner about Michaelmasse in the first peepe of the day upon the first cocke crowing in a silent sort yet with shrowde fines eftsoones redoubled if not answered which servile attendance they say was imposed upon certaine Tenants there-about for conspiring there at such unseasonable time to raise a commotion But I leave this knowing neither the originall nor the certaine forme thereof Onely I heard certaine obscure barbarous rhymes of it Curia de Domino Rege tenetur sin◠lege Ante ortum solis luceat nisi polus c. not worth remembring Leaving the Tamis Banke and going farther within the countrey yea from West to East these places of name above the rest standing thus in order shew themselves Havering an ancient retiring place of the Kings so called of a Ring which in that place a Pilgrime delivered as sent from S. J. Baptist for so they write unto K. Edward the Confessor Horn-Church named in times past Cornutum Monasterium that is the horned Minster for there shoot out at the East end of the Church certaine points of leade fashioned like hornes Rumford the glory whereof dependeth of a swine mercat and Giddy-hall an house adjoyning to it which belonged to that Sir Thomas Cooke Major of London whose great riches hoorded up together wrought him his greatest danger For being judicially arraigned innocent man as he was of high treason and through the incorrupt equity of Judge Markham acquit in a most dangerous time yet was he put to a very grievous fine and stript in manner of all that he was worth Brentwood called by the Normans Bois arse in the same sense and by that name King Stephen granted a Mercat and a Faire there to the Abbat of S. Osith and many yeares after Isabell Countesse of Bedford daughter to King Edward the Third built a Chappell to the memory of S. Thomas of Canterbury for the ease of the Inhabitants Engerstone a Towne of note for nothing else but the Mercat and Innes for Travailers Heere am I at a stand and am halfe in a doubt whether I should now slip as an abortive fruite that conjecture which my minde hath travailed with Considering there hath beene in this Tract the City CAESAROMAGUS and the same doubtlesse in the Romanes time of especiall note and importance for the very name if there were nothing else may evict so much signifying as it doth Caesars City as DRUSOMAGUS the City of Drusus which also should seeme to have beene built in the honour of Caesar Augustus For Suaetonius writeth thus Kings that
of the aforesaid came another Gilbert his sonne and heire who gave the Manour of Folkingham with the Appertenances to Edward the sonne of Henry King of England This Gilbert as wee finde in the Plees out of which this Pedegree is prooved claimed service against Wil. de Scremby And at length it came by gift of the Prince to Sir Henry Beaumont For most certaine it is that he held it in the Raigne of Edward the Second Neere unto this is Screkingham remarkable for the death of Alfrick the second Earle of Leicester whom Hubba a Dane slew Of which place it seemeth that Ingulph spake writing thus In Kesteven were slaine three great Lords or petty Kings of the Danes whom they buryed in a Village which was called before Laundon but now for the Sepulture of three Kings Tre-King-ham And more into the East is Hather in this regard onely to be mentioned that the Busseis or Busleis heere dwell who deduce their Race from Roger de Busly in the Conquerours time Then Sleford a Castle of the Bishops of Lincolne built by Alexander the Bishop where Sir John Hussy the first and last Baron of that name created by King Henry the Eighth built himselfe an house who having unwittingly and unadvisedly in the yeere 1537. engaged himselfe with the common people in a tumultuous commotion what time as the first dissention brake out in England about Religion lost his head Not many miles from hence standeth Kime which gave name to a noble family called De Kime but the possession of the place came at length to the Umfranvils of whom three were called to the Parliament by the name of the Earles of Anguse in Scotland But the first of them the learned in our common lawes would not acknowledge to be Earle for that Anguse was not within the limits of the Realme of England untill hee produced openly in Court the Kings Writ by vertue whereof he had been summoned by the King to the Parliament under the Title of Earle of Anguse From the Umfravils this came unto the family of Talbois of whom Gilbert was created by King Henry the Eighth Baron Talbois whose two sonnes dying without issue the inheritance was by the females transferred to the Dimocks Inglebeies and others More Westward wee saw Temple Bruer that is as I interprete it Temple in the Heath For it seemeth to have beene a Commaundery of the Templers considering that the decayed broken Walles of the Church there are seene in forme of the New Temple at London Hard to it lyeth Blankenay the Barony in times past of the D'incourts who flourished successively a long time one after another from the Normans comming in unto King Henry the Sixth his time For then their male line determined in one William who had two sisters for his heires the one married to Sir William Lovell the other to Sir Ralph Cromwell The more willingly have I made mention of this Family to give satisfaction in some measure unto the longing desire of Edmond Baron D'eincourt who long since being carefull and earnest about the preservation of the memory of his name as having no male Issue put up an humble Petition to King Edward the Second Whereas hee foresaw that his sirname and Armes after his death would bee quite forgotten and yet heartily desired that after his decease they might bee still remembred that hee might bee permitted to enfeoffe whomsoever it pleased him both in his Manours and Armes also Which request hee obtained and it was graunted under the Kings Letters Patents yet for all that is this sirname now quite gone to my knowledge and had it not beene continued by the light of learning might have beene cleane forgotten for ever In the West part of Kesteven and the very confines of this Shire and Leicestershire standeth Belvoir or Beauvoir Castle so called of the faire prospect what name soever it had in old time mounted upon the top of a good steepe hill built by Robert De Todeneie a Norman Nobleman who also beganne the little Monastery adjoyning from whom by the Albeneies out of little Britaine and the Barons Roos it came by inheritance to the Mannors Earles of Rutland of whom the first that is to say Thomas as I have beene enformed raised it up againe with newbuildings from the ground when as it had for many yeeres lien buryed as it were in his owne ruines For in despite of Thomas Lord Roos who tooke part with King Henry the Sixth it was much defaced by William Lord Hastings unto whom after that the said Baron Roos was attainted King Edward the Fourth had graunted it with very faire Lands But Edmond Baron Roos sonne of the said Thomas by the gracious favour of king Henry the seventh recovered this ancient Inheritance againe About this Castle are found the Stones called Astroites which resemble little Starres joyned one with another wherein are to bee seene at every corner five Beames or Rayes and in every Ray in the middest is small hollownesse This Stone among the Germanes got his name of Victorie for that as George Agricola writeth in his Sixth Booke of Mineralls they are of opinion that whosoever carryeth it about him shall winne his suite and get victory of his enemies But whether this Stone of ours as that in Germany being put in vineger will stirre out of his place and turne it selfe some-what round I could never yet make tryall Under this Castle lyeth a Vale and presenteth a most pleasant prospect thereunto whereupon it is commonly called the Vale of Belver which is very large and passing pleasantly beautified with Corne fields and no lesse rich in pastures lying stretched out in three Shires of Leicester Nottingham and Lincolne If not in this very place yet hard by it in all probability stood that MARGIDUNUM which Antonine the Emperour placeth next after VERNOMETUM as both the name and the distance also from VERNOMETUM and the Towne PONT or Paunton betweene which Antonine placeth it may most plainly shew It should seeme that ancient name Margidunum was borowed from Marga and the situation of it For Marga among the Britans is a kinde of earth named Marle wherewith they nourished and kept their grounds in heart and DUNUM which signifieth an Hill agreeth onely to places higher mounted than others And yet in this Etymology of the name I am in a doubt seeing that Marle in this place is very geason or skant happily because no man seeketh for it unlesse the Britans by the name of Marga tearmed Plaister-stone which is digged uppe hard by as I have learned the use whereof in white pargetting and in making of Images was of especiall request among the Romans as Plinie witnesseth in his Naturall History Witham a River plentifull in Pikes but carrying a small streame watereth this part of the Shire and on the North-side encloseth it It hath his beginning by a little towne
of the lands was fallen there was great competition for the title of Abergevenny argued in the High Court of Parliament in the second yeere of King James and their severall claimes debated seven severall daies by the learned Counsell of both parts before the Lords of the Parliament Yet when as the question of precise right in law was not sufficiently cleered but both of them in regard of the nobility and honor of their family were thought of every one right worthy of honorable title and whereas it appeared evidently by most certaine proofes that the title as well of the Barony of Abergevenny as of Le Despenser appertained hereditarily to this Family The Lords humbly and earnestly besought the King that both parties might be ennobled by way of restitution who graciously assented thereunto Hereupon the Lord Chancellour proposed unto the Lords first whether the heire male should have the title of Abergevenny or the heire female and the most voices carried it that the title of the Barony of Abergevenny should bee restored unto the heire male And when he propounded secondly whether the title of the Barony Le Despenser should bee restored unto the female they all with one accord gave their full consent Which being declared unto the King he confirmed their determination with his gracious approbation and royall assent Then was Edward Nevill by the Kings Writ called unto the Parliament by the name of Baron Abergavenney and in his Parliament Robes betweene two Barons as the manner is brought into the house and placed in his seat above the Baron Audley And at the very same time were the letters Patents read whereby the King restored erected preferred c. Mary Fane to the state degree title stile name honour and dignity of Baronesse Le-Despenser To have and to hold the foresaid state and unto the above named Mary and her heires and that her heires successively should bee Barons Le-Despenser c. And upon a new question mooved unto whether the Barony of Abergavenney or the Barony Le-Despenser the priority of place was due The Lords referred this point to the Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Mareschall of England who after mature deliberation and weighing of the matter gave definitive sentence for the Barony Le-Despenser set downe under their hands and signed with their seales which was read before the Lords of the Parliament and by order from them entered into the Journall Booke out of which I have summarily thus much exemplified John Hastings for I have no reason to passe it over in silence held this Castle by homage Wardship and marriage when it hapned as wee reade in the Inquisition and if there should chance any warre betweene the King of England and the Prince of Wales hee was to keepe the Country of Over-went at his owne charges in the best manner he can for his owne commodity the Kings behoofe and the Realme of Englands defense The second little City which Antonine named BURRIUM and setteth downe twelve miles from Gobannium standeth where the River Birthin and Uske meete in one streame The Britans at this day by transposing of the letters call it Brunebegy for Burenbegy and Caer Uske Giraldus tearmeth it Castrum Oscae that is The Castle of Uske and we Englishmen Uske At this day it can shew nothing but the ruines of a large and strong Castle situate most pleasantly betweene the River Uske and Oilwy a Riveret which beneath it runneth from the East by Ragland a faire house of the Earle of Worcesters built Castle-like The third City which Antonine nameth ISCA and LEGIO SECUNDA is on the other side of Uske twelve Italian miles just distant from BURRIUM as hee hath put it downe The Britans call it Caer Leon and Caer LEON ar Uske that is The City of the Legion upon Uske of the second Legion Augusta which also is called Britannica Secunda This Legion being ordained by the Emperour Augustus and translated by Claudius out of Germany into Britaine under the conduct of Vespasian being ready at his command when he aspired to bee Emperour and which procured the Legions in Britaine to take his part was heere at last placed in Garison by Julius Frontinus as it seemeth against the Silures How great this ISCA was in those dayes listen unto our Girald out of his Booke called Itinerarium Cambriae who thus describeth it out of the ruines It was an ancient and Authenticke City excellently well built in old time by the Romanes with bricke Walles Heere may a man see many footings of the antique nobility and dignity it had mighty and huge Palaces with golden pinacles in times past resembling the proud statelinesse of the Romanes for that it had beene found first by Romane Princes and beautified with goodly buildings There may you behold a giant-like Towre notable and brave baines the remaines of Temples and Theatres all compassed in with faire walles which are partly yet standing There may one finde in every place as well within the circuit of the Wall as without houses under ground water pipes and Vaults within the earth and that which you will count among all the rest worth observation you may see every where hoâ—e houses made wondrous artificially breathing forth heate very closely at certaine narrow Tunnels in the sides Heere lye enterred two noble Protomartyrs of greater Britaine and next after Alban and Amphibalus the very principall heere crowned with Martyrdome namely Julius and Aaron and both of them had in this City a goodly Church dedicated unto them For in antient times there had beene three passing faire Churches in this City One of Julius the Martyr beautified with a chaire of Nunnes devoted to the service of God A second founded in the name of blessed Aaron his companion and ennobled with an excellent Order of Chanons Amphibalus also the Teacher of Saint Alban and a faithfull informer of him unto faith was borne heere The site of the City is excellent upon the River Oske able to beare a prety Vessell at an high water from the Sea and the City is fairely furnished with woods and medowes heere it was that the Romane Embassadours repaired unto the famous Court of that great King Arthur Where Dubritius also resigned the Archiepiscopall honour unto David of Menevia when the Metropolitane See was translated from hence to Menevia Thus much out of Giraldus But for the avouching and confirming of the Antiquity of this place I thinke it not impertinent to adjoyne heere those antique Inscriptions lately digged forth of the ground which the right reverend Father in God Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaffe a passing great lover of venerable Antiquity and of all good Literature hath of his courtesie imparted unto me In the yeere 1602. in a medow adjoyning there was found by ditchers a certaine image of a personage girt and short trussed bearing a quiver but head hands and feet were broken off upon a pavement of square tile in checker
when his first wife Avelina daughter and heire to William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle was dead issuelesse who neverthelesse in her Will had made him her heire married Blanch of Artois of the roiall family of France to his second wife and by her had Thomas Henry and John that died an infant Thomas was the second Earle of Lancaster who tooke to wife Alice the onely daughter and heire of Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne who by her deed passed over unto the house of Lancaster her owne inheritance and her mothers that which belonged to the family of Long Espee who were Earles of Salisbury like as her father the said Henry Lacy had made the like conveiance before of his owne lands in case Alice should dye without issue as it afterward happened But this Thomas for behaving himselfe insolently toward his soveraigne Edward the second and still supplying fewell to civill warres being taken prisoner in the field lost his head leaving no issue Howbeit when this sentence of death pronounced against him was afterwards by authority of Parliament reversed because hee had not his tryall by his Peeres according to the Law and great Charter his brother Henry succeeded after him in all his possessions and honours Hee also was advanced in estate by his wife Maude daughter and sole heire of Sir Patricke Chaworth who brought unto him not onely her owne patrimony but also great inheritances in Wales of Mauric of London and of Siward from whom she descended This Henry left behind him Henry his onely sonne whom King Edward the third from an Earle raised unto the honour of a Duke and he was second man of all our Nobility which received the name of Duke But hee having no issue male departed this life leaving behind him two daughters Maude and Blanch betweene whom the inheritance was divided Maud was married to William of Bavaria who was Earle of Holland Zeland Frisland Henault and in his wives right of Leicester And when as she deceased without children John of Gaunt so called because hee was borne at Gaunt in Flanders fourth sonne of King Edward the third who had married Blanch the other daughter of Henry aforesaid entred upon the whole inheritance and now being for wealth equivalent to many Kings and created withall by his father Duke of Lancaster he obtained also at his hands great roialties for hee having related what noble service he had performed to his countrey at home and abroad in the warres preferred the County of Lancaster to the dignity of a County Palatine by his letters Patent the tenour whereof runneth in this wise Wee have granted for us and our heires unto our foresaid sonne that he may have for tearme of his life his Chancery within the County of Lancaster and his writs to be sealed under his own seale to be appointed for the office of the Chancellour also Iustices of his owne as well to hold Plees of the Crowne as also other plees whatsoever touching common Law also the hearing and deciding of the same yea and the making of all executions whatsoever by vertue of their owne writs and officers there Moreover all other liberties and Roialties whatsoever to a County Palatine belonging as freely and in as ample maner as the Earle of Chester within the same County of Chester is known to have c. Neither was he Duke of Lancaster onely but also by his marriage with Constance the daughter of Peter King of Leon and Castile hee for a time was stiled by the name of King of Leon and of Castile But by a composition he gave this over and in the thirteenth yeere of King Richard the Second by consent of Parliament was created Duke of Aquitaine to have and hold the same for tearme of life of the King of England as King of France but to the universall dislike of Aquitaine repining and affirming that their Seigniory was inseparably annexed to the Crowne of England At which time his stile ranne thus Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster Earle of Derby Lincolne and Leicester and high Steward of England After him Henry of Bollinbroke his sonne succeeded in the Dukedome of Lancaster who when hee had dispossessed Richard the second and obtained the Kingdom of England he considering that being now King he could not beare the title of Duke of Lancaster and unwilling that the said title should be discontinued ordained by assent of Parliament that Henry his eldest sonne should enjoy the same and be stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Lancaster and Cornwall and Earle of Chester and also that the liberties and franchises of the Dutchy of Lancaster should remaine to his said sonne severed from the Crowne of England and to make better assurance to himselfe his heires and successours in these inheritances by authority of Parliament he ordained in these words We not willing that our said inheritance or the liberties of the same by occasion of this present assumption upon us of our regall state dignity should be in any thing changed transferred diminished or impaired will that the same our inheritance with the foresaid rights and liberties thereof be kept continued and held fully and wholly to us our said heires in the said Charters specified in the same maner and forme condition and state as they descended and came unto us and also with all and every such liberties and franchises and other priviledges commodities and profits whatsoever in which our Lord and father whiles he lived had and held it for terme of his own life by the grant of Richard late King And by the tenour of these presents of our own certaine knowledge with the consent of this our present Parliament we grant declare decree and ordaine for us and our heires that as well our Dutchy of Lancaster as all other things and every one Counties Honours Castles Manours Fees or Inheritances Advocations Possessions Annuities and Seignories whatsoever descended unto us before the obtaining of our Regall dignity howsoever wheresoever by right of inheritance in service or in reversion or any way whatsoever remaine for ever to us and our said heires specified in the Charters abovesaid in forme aforesaid After this K. Henry the fifth by authority of Parliament dissevered from the crown and annexed unto this Dutchy a very great and large inheritance which had descended unto him in right of his mother Dame Mary who was daughter and one of the heires of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford In this forme and estate it remained under Henry the fifth and Henry the sixth but King Edward the fourth in the first yeere of his reigne when hee had in Parliament attainted and forfeited Henry the sixth appropriated it as they use to speake unto the Crowne that is to say unto himselfe and his heires Kings of England From which King Henry the seventh notwithstanding forthwith separated And so it continueth having severall officers namely A Chancellor
processe of time this Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government was established in Scotland Two Archbishops one of Saint Andrews the other of Glasco whereof the former is counted Primate of all Scotland under whom there be eight Bishoprickes Dunkeld Aberdon Murray Dunblan Brechin Rosse Cathanes Orkney Under the Archbishop of Glasco there be onely three Candida Casa or Galloway Lismore or Argile The Iles. THE STATES OR DEGREES OF SCOTLAND THe Republicke or Commonwealth of the Scots like as that of Englishmen consisteth of a King the Nobility or Gentry and Commons The King that I may use the words of their owne Record is Directus totius Dominus that is The direct Lord of the whole Domain or Dominion and hath royall authority and jurisdiction over all the States and degrees as well Ecclesiasticall as Lay or Temporall Next unto the King is his eldest sonne who is called PRINCE OF SCOTLAND and by a peculiar right Duke of Rothsay and Seneschall or Steward of Scotland But all the rest of the Kings children are named simply Princes Among the Nobles the greatest and most honourable were in old time The Thanes that is those who if my judgement be ought were ennobled onely by the office which they administred For the word in the ancient English Saxon tongue signifieth The Kings Minister Of these they of the superior place were called Abthanes the inferior Under Thanes But these names by little and little grew out of use ever since that King Malcolm the third conferred the titles of Earles and Barons after the manner received from the English upon Noble men of good desert Since when in processe of time new titles of honours were much taken up and Scotland as well as England hath had Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons As for the title of Duke the first that brought it into Scotland was King Robert the third about the yeere of Salvation 1400. like as the honourable titles of Marquesse and Vicount were first brought in by our most gracious Soveraigne King James the sixth These are counted Nobles of the higher degree and have both place and voice in the Parliaments and by a speciall name are called Lords like as also the Bishops Among the Nobles of a lower degree in the first place are ranged Knights who verily are dubbed with greater solemnity than in any other place throughout all Europe by taking of an oath and are proclaimed by the publike voice of an Herald Of a second sort are they who are tearmed Lairds and Barons among whom none were reckoned in old time but such as held immediatly from the King lands in Chef and had jus furcarum that is power to hang c. In the third place are all such as being descended from worshipfull houses and not honoured with any especiall dignitie be termed Gentlemen All the rest as Citizens Merchants Artisans c. are reputed among the Commons THE JUDICATORIES OR COURTS OF JUSTICE THe supreme Court as well for dignitie as authoritie is accounted the Assembly of the States of the Kingdome which is called by the very same name as it is in England A Parliament hath the same verie power as absolute It consisteth of three States of Lords Spirituall namely Bishops Abbots and Priors and of Lords Temporall to wit Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons and Commissioners for Cities Burghs Unto whom were adjoined not long since for everie Countie also two Commissioners It is appointed and solemnly called by the King at his pleasure at a certain set time before it be holden When these States abovesaid are assembled and the causes of their assembly delivered by the King or the Chancellour the Lords Spirituall chuse out apart by themselves eight of the Lords Temporall Semblably the Lords Temporall make choise of as many out of the Lords Spirituall then the same all jointly together nominate 8. of the Commissioners for the counties as many of the Commissioners for the free Burghs regall which make up in all the number of 32. And then these Lords of the Articles so they are termed together with the Chancellor Treasurer Keeper of the Privie Seale Kings Secretarie c. do admit or reject everie bill proposed unto the States after they have bin first imparted unto the King Being allowed by the whole assembly of the States they are throughly weighed and examined and such of them as passe by the greater number of voices are exhibited unto the King who by touching them with his Scepter pronounceth that hee either ratifieth and approveth them or disableth and maketh the same voide But if any thing disliketh the King it is razed out before The Second Court or next unto the Parliament is the Colledge of Iustice or as they call it The Session which King James the fifth 1532. instituted after the forme of the Parliament of Paris consisting of a President 14. Senatours seven of the Cleargie and as many of the Laitie unto whom was adjoined afterward the Chancellor who hath the chiefe place and five other Senatours three principall Scribes or Clerks and as many Advocates as the Senatours shall thinke good These sit and minister justice not according to the rigour of law but with reason and equitie every day save onely on the Lords day and Monday from the first of November to the fifteenth of March and from Trinitie Sunday unto the Calends of August All the space betweene as being the times of sowing and harvest is vacation and intermission of all suites and law matters They give judgement according to the Parliament Statutes and Municipall Lawes and where they are defective they have recourse to the Imperiall Civill Law There are besides in everie Countie inferiour civill Judicatories or Courts kept wherein the Sheriffe of the shire or his deputie decideth the controversies of the inhabitants about violent ejections intrusions dammages debts c. From which Courts and Judges in regard of hard and unequall dealing or else of alliance and partialitie they appeale sometime to the Session These Sheriffes are all for the most part hereditarie For the Kings of Scots like as of England also to oblige more surely unto them the better sort of Gentlemen by their benefits and favours made in old time these Sheriffes hereditarie and perpetuall But the English Kings soone perceiving the inconveniences thereby ensuing of purpose changed this order and appointed them from yeere to yeere There be civill Courts also in everie regalitie holden by their Bailiffes to whom the Kings have graciously granted royalties as also in free Burroughs by the Magistrates thereof There are likewise Judicatories which they call Commissariats the highest whereof is kept at Edenburgh in which before foure Judges actions are pleaded concerning Wills and Testaments the right of Ecclesiasticall benefices Tithes Divorces and such other Ecclesiasticall causes In every other severall part almost throughout the Kingdome there sitteth but one Judge alone in a place about these
the Lords Humes so called for their firmnesse and strength thereof at the Promontory of the said Saint Ebbe who being the daughter of Edilfria King of Northumberland when her Father was taken prisoner got hold of a boat in Humber and passing along the raging Ocean landed here in safety became renowned for her sanctimony and left her name unto the place But this Merch is mentioned in the Historiographers a great deale more for the Earles thereof than for any places therein who for martiall prowesse were highly renowned and descended from Gospatricke Earle of Northumberland whom after he was fled from William Conqueror of England Malcom Canmor that is With the great head King of Scotland entertained enriched him with the castle of Dunbar and honoured with the Earldome of Merch. Whose posterity besides other goodly and faire lands in Scotland held as appeareth plainly in an old Inquisition the Barony of Bengeley in Northumberland that they should be Inborow and Utborow betweene England and Scotland What the meaning should be of these tearmes let others ghesse what my conjecture is I have said already In the reigne of King James the first George de Dunbar Earle of Merch by authority of Parliament for his Fathers rebellion lost the Propriety and possession of the Earledome of Merch and the Seignorie of Dunbar And when as hee proved by good evidences and writings brought forth that his father had beene pardoned for that fault by the Regents of the Kingdome he was answered againe that it was not in the Regents power to pardon an offence against the State and that it was expressely provided by the Lawes that children should undergoe punishment for their fathers transgressions to the end that being thus heires to their fathers rashnesse as they are to their goods and lands they should not at any time in the haughty pride of their owne power plot any treason against Prince or country This title of Earle of March among other honourable titles was given afterward to Alexander Duke of Albany and by him forfaited And in our remembrance this title of honour was revived againe in Robert the third brother of Mathew Earle of Lennox who being of a Bishop of Cathanes made Earle of Lennox resigned up that title soone after unto his nephew then created Duke of Lennox and he himselfe in lieu thereof received of the King the name and stile of the Earle of Merch. LAUDEN or LOTHIEN LOTHIEN which is also called Lauden named in times past of the Picts Pictland shooteth out along from Merch unto the Scottish sea or the Forth having many hils in it and little wood but for fruitfull corn-fields for courtesie also and civility of manners commended above all other countries of Scotland About the yeere of our salvation 873. Eadgar King of England betweene whom and Keneth the third King of Scots there was a great knot of alliance against the Danes common enemies to them both resigned up his right unto him in this Lothien as Matthew the Flour-gatherer witnesseth and to winne his heart the more unto him He gave unto him many mansions in the way wherein both he and his successours in their comming unto the Kings of England and in returne homeward might be lodged which unto the time of K. Henry the second continued in the hands of the Kings of Scotland In this Lothien the first place that offereth it selfe unto our sight upon the sea side is Dunbar a passing strong castle in old time and the seat of the Earles of Merch aforesaid who thereupon on were called Earles of Dunbar A Peece many a time wonne by English and as often recovered by the Scottish But in the yeere 1567. by authority of the States in Parliament it was demolished because it should not be an hold and place of refuge for rebels But James King of great Britain conferred the title and honour of Earle of Dunbar upon Sir George Hume for his approved fidelity whom he had created before Baron Hume of Barwick to him his heires and assignes Hard by Tine a little river after it hath runne a short course falleth into the sea neere unto the spring-head whereof standeth Zeister which hath his Baron out of the family of the Haies Earles of Aroll who also is by inheritance Sheriffe of the little territory of Twedall or Peblis By the same riveret some few miles higher is seated Hadington or Hadina in a wide and broad plaine which towne the English fortified with a deepe and large ditch with a mure or rampire also without foure square and with foure bulwarkes at the corners and with as many other at the inner wall and Sir Iames Wilford an Englishman valiantly defended it against Dessie the Frenchman who with ten thousand French and Dutch together fiercely assaulted it untill that by reason of the plague which grew hot among the garrison souldiers Henry Earle of Rutland comming with a royall army raised the siege removed the French and having laid the munitions levell conducted the English home And now of late King James the sixth hath ranged Sir Iohn Ramsey among the Nobles of Scotland with title and honour of Vicount Hadington for his faithfull valour as whose RIGHT HAND was the DEFENDER OF PRINCE AND COUNTREY in that most wicked conspiracy of the Gowries against the Kings person Touching this Hadington thus hath Master I. Ionston versified Planities praetensa jacet prope flumina Tinae Fluminiâ— arguti clauditur ista sinu Vulcani Martis quae passa incendia fati Ingemit alterno vulnere fracta vices Nunc tandem sapit icta Dei praecepta secuta Praesidio gaudet jam potiore Poli. Before it lies a spacious plaine the Tine his streame hard by In bosome of that river shrill this towne enclos'd doth lie Which having suffered grievous smart of fire and sword by turnes Grones under these misfortunes much and for her losses mournes But now at length selfe-harmes have made it wise and by Gods lore Directed helpe it hath from heaven which steedeth it much more Within a little of Hadington standeth Athelstanford so called of Athelstane a chiefe leader of the English slaine there with his men about the yeere 815. But that he should be that warlike Athelstane which was King of the West-Saxons both the account of the times and his owne death doe manifestly controlle it Above the mouth of this Tine in the very bending of the shore standeth Tantallon Castle from whence Archibald Douglas Earle of Angus wrought James the fifth King of Scots much teene and trouble Here by retiring backe of the shores on both sides is roome made for a most noble arme of the sea and the same well furnished with Ilands which by reason of many rivers encountring it by the way and the tides of the surging sea together spreadeth exceeding broad Ptolomee calleth it BODERIA Tacitus BODOTRIA of the depth as I guesse the Scots The Forth and Frith we Edenburgh Frith others
father to Matthew Earle of Lennox who having sustained sundrie troubles in France and Scotland found fortune more friendly to him in England through the favour of King Henrie the eighth considering that hee bestowed upon him in marriage his Neice with faire lands By the meanes of this happie marriage were brought into the world Henrie and Charles Henrie by Marie Queene of Scots had issue JAMES the sixth King of Britain by the propitious grace of the eternall God borne in a most auspicate and lucky houre to knit and unite in one bodie of an Empire the whole Island of Britaine divided as well in it selfe as it was heretofore from the rest of the world and as we hope and pray to lay a most sure foundation of an everlasting securitie for our heires and the posteritie As for Charles he had issue one onely daughter Arbella who above her sexe hath so embraced the studies of the best literature that therein shee hath profited and proceeded with singular commendation and is comparable with the excellent Ladies of old time When Charles was dead after that the Earledome of Lennox whereof he stood enfeoffed was revoked by Parliamentarie authoritie in the yeere of our Lord 1579. and his Unkle by the fathers side Robert Bishop of Cathanes had some while enjoyed this title in lieu whereof he received at the Kings hands the honour of the Earle of March King James the sixth conferred the honourable title of Duke of Lennox upon Esme Steward sonne to John Lord D'Aubigny younger brother to Mathew aforesaid Earle of Lennox which Lodowic Esme his son at this day honourably enjoieth For since the time of Charles the sixth there were of this line Lords of Aubigny in France the said Robert before named and Bernard or Eberard under Charles the eighth Lewis the twelfth who is commended with great praise unto posteritie by P. Iovius for his noble acts most valerously exploited in the warre of Naples a most firme and trustie companion of King Henrie the seventh when he entred into England Who used for his Emprese or devise a Lion betweene buckles with this Mot DISTANTIA JUNGIT for that by his meanes the Kingdomes of France and of Scotland severed and dis-joined so farre in distance were by a straighter league of friendship conjoyned like as Robert Steward Lord D'Aubigny of the same race who was Marshall of France under King Lewis the eleventh for the same cause used the royall Armes of France with buckles Or in a border Gueules which the Earles and Dukes of Lennox have ever since borne quarterly with the Armes of Steward STIRLING Sheriffdome UPon Lennox North-eastward bordereth the territorie of STERLING so named of the principall towne therein for fruitfull soile and numbers of Gentlemen in it second to no province of Scotland Here is that narrow land or streight by which Dunbritton Frith and Edenborrough Frith that I may use the termes of this our age piercing farre into the land out of the West and East Seas are divided asunder that they meet not the one with the other Which thing Iulius Agricola who marched hitherto and beyond first observed and fortified this space betweene with garrisons so as all the part of Britaine in this side was then in possession of the Romans and the enemies removed and driven as it were into another Island in so much as Tacitus judged right truely There was no other bound or limit of Britaine to bee sought for Neither verily in the time ensuing did either the VALOUR of Armies or the GLORIE of the Romane name which scarcely could be stayed set out the marches of the Empire in this part of the world farther although with inâ—odes they other whiles molested and endammaged them But after this glorious expedition of Agricola when himselfe was called backe Britaine as faith Tacitus became for-let neither was the possession kept still thus farre for the Caledonian Britans drave the Romans backe as farre as to the river Tine in so much as Hadrian who came into Britaine in person about the fortieth yeere after and reformed many things in it went no farther forward but gave commandement that the GOD TERMINUS which was wont to give ground unto none should retire backward out of this place like as in the East on this side Euphrates Hence it is that S. Augustine wrote in this wise God TERMINUS who gave not place to Iupiter yeelded unto the will of Hadrianus yeelded to the rashnesse of Iulian yeelded to the necessitie of Iovian In so much as Hadrian had enough to doe for to make a wall of turfe between the rivers Tine and Esk well neere an hundred miles Southward on this side Edenborrough Frith But Antoninus Pius who being adopted by Hadrian bare his name stiled thereupon TITUS AELIUS HADRIANUS ANTONINUS PIUS under the conduct of Lollius Urbicus whom he had sent hither Lievtenant repelled the Northern enemies backe againe beyond BODOTRIA or Edenborrough Forth and that by raising another wall of turfe namely besides that of Hadrianus as Capitolinus writeth Which wall that it was reared in this verie place whereof I now speake and not by Severus as it is commonly thought I will produce no other witnesses than two ancient Inscriptions digged up here of which the one fastned in the wall of an house at Cader sheweth how the second Legion Augusta set up the wall for the space of three miles and more the other now in the house of the Earle Marshall at Dunotyr which implieth that a band of the twentieth Legion Victrix raised the said wall three miles long But see here the verie inscriptions themselves as Servatius Riheley a Gentleman of Silesia who curiously travailed these countries copied them out for mee IMP. CAESARI T. AELIO HADRIANO ANTONINO AUG PIO P. P. VEXILLATIO LEG XX. VAL. VIC F. PER. MIL. P. III. IMP. CAES. TIT. IO AELIO HADRIANO ANTON AUG PIO PP LEG II. AUG PER. M. P. III. D. CIXVIS At Cadir where this latter inscription is extant there is another stone also erected by the second Legion Augusta wherein within a Laurell garland supported by two little images resembling victorie are these letters LEG II AVG. FEC And in a village called Miniabruch out of a Ministers house there was removed this inscription into a Gentlemans house which is there new built out of the ground D. M. C. JULI MARCELLINI PRAEF COH I. HAMIOR But when the Northerne nations in the reigne of Commodus having passed once over this wall had made much wast and spoile in the countrey the Emperour Severus as I have alreadie said repaired this wall of Hadrian Howbeit afterwards the Romans brought eftsoones the countrey lying betweene under their subjection For Ninius hath recorded that Carausius under Diocletian strengthened this wall another time and fortified it with seven castles Lastly the Romanes fensed this place when Theodosius the younger was Emperour under the conduct of Gallio of Ravenna Now saith Bede they
standing in a docke neere the Tamis to the outside of the keele whereof a number of such little birds without life and feathers stuck close Yet would I gladly thinke that the generation of these birds was not out of the logges of wood but from the very Ocean which the Poets tearmed the Father of all things A mightie masse likewise of Amber as bigge as the bodie of an horse was not many yeeres since cast upon this shore The learned call it Succinum Glessum and Chryso-Electrum and Sotacus supposed that it was a certaine juice or liquor which distilleth out of trees in Britain and runneth downe into the sea and is therein hardned Tacitus also was of the same opinion when he wrote thus I can verily beleeve that like as there be trees in the secret and inward parts of the East which sweat out frankincense and balme so in the Ilands and other countries of the West there bee woods and groves of a more fattie and firme substance which melting by the hot beames of the Sunne approching so neere runneth into the sea hard by and by force of tempest floateth up to the shores against it But Serapio and the Philosophers of later times write that it ariseth out of a certain clammie and bituminous earth under the sea and by the sea side and that the billowes and tempests cast up part thereof a land and fishes devoure the rest But I digresse extravagantly I will into my way againe and since I acknowledge my fault let my confession purchase pardon In the reigne of King Alexander the second Alexander Comin rose up to the honour of Earle of Buquhan who married the daughter and one of the heires of Roger de Quincie Earle of Winchester in England and his Niece by a sonne brought the same title unto Henrie de Beaumont her husband for he in King Edward the third his daies had his place in the Parliament of England by the name of Earl of Buquhan Afterwards Alexander Stewart sonne to King Robert the second was Earle of this place unto whom succeeded John a younger sonne of Robert Duke of Albanie who arriving in France with seven thousand Scottishmen to aide Charles the seventh King of France bare himselfe valiantly and performed singular good service against the Englishmen and that with so great commendation as having victoriously slaine Thomas Duke of Clarence brother to Henrie the fifth King of England at Baugie and discomfited the English he was made Constable of France But in the third yeere following when the fortune of warre turned hee with other most valiant Knights to wit Archibald Douglasse Earle of Wigton and Duke of Touraine c. was vanquished at Vernoil by the English and there slain Whom notwithstanding as that Poet said aeternum memorabit Gallia cives Grata suos titulos quae dedit tumulos France thankfully will ay recount as citizens of her owne On whom both titles glorious and tombes she hath bestowne Certes whereas under the K.K. Charles the sixth and seventh France was preserved and Aquitain recovered by thrusting out the English the Frenchmen cannot chuse but acknowledge themselves much beholden to the fidelitie and fortitude of the Scottish But afterwards King James the first gave the Earldome of Buquhan unto George of Dunbar moved thereto upon pitie and commiseration because hee had deprived him before of the Earldom of March by authority of Parliament for his fathers crime and not long after James the sonne of James Stewart of Lorn surnamed the Black Knight whom he had by Q. Joan sister to the Duke of Somerset and widdow to King James the first obtained this honour and left it to his posteritie but for default not long since of heires male it came by a daughter married to Robert Douglas a younger brother of Douglas of Lochlevin to the family of the Douglasses From Buquhan as the shore bendeth backward and turneth full into the North lieth Boena and Bamff a small Sherifdome also Ajuza a little territorie of no especiall account and Rothamay castle the dwelling place of the Barons of Salton surnamed Abernethy Beneath these lieth Strath-bolgy that is the vale by Bolgy the habitation in times past of the Earls of Athol who of it assumed their surname but now the principall seat of Marquesse Huntly For this title K. James the sixth conferred upon George Gordon Earle Huntly Lord Gordon and Badzeneth a man of great honour and reputation for his ancient noblenesse of birth and the multitude of his dependants and followers whose ancesters descended from the Setons by Parliamentarie authoritie took the name of Gordon when as Sir Alexander Seton had taken to wife the daughter of Sir Iohn Gordon Knight by whom he had a large and rich inheritance and received the honour of the Earle of Huntly at the hands of King James the second in the yeere 1449. MORAVIA or MURRAY THe VACOMAGI remembred by Ptolomee anciently inhabited on the further side of Crantz-baine-mountain which as it were in a continued range by hills hanging one by another driveth out his ridge with many a winding as far as to Murray frith where now lieth Murray in Latin Moravia celebrated for the fertilitie pleasant site and commoditie of fruitfull trees By this Province Spey a famous river maketh his issue into the sea wherein he lodgeth when hee hath watered Rothes Castle whence the family of the Lesleys tooke the title of Earle ever since that K. James the second conferred the honour of Earle of Rothes upon Sir George Lesley Concerning this Spey our Poet Necham hath thus written Spey loca mutantis praeceps agitator arenae Inconstans certas nescit habere vias Officium lintris corbis subit hunc regit audax Cursus labentis nauta fluenta sequens Spey raising heaps of sand amaine that shift oft times their place Inconstant he doth change eftsoones and keeps no certaine race A panier serves here for a boat some ventrous swaine it guides Who followeth still the rivers course while downe the streame it glides The river LOXA mentioned by Ptolomee which now is called Losse hideth himselfe in the sea hard by neere unto which Elgina appeareth in which and in Forres adjoining I. of Dunbar of Cumnock descended from the stock of the Earles of March hath his jurisdiction as Sheriff by inheritance But where it is now readie to enter into the sea he findeth a more plaine and soft soile and spreadeth abroad into a Meere full of swans wherein the herbe Olorina plentifully groweth hee hath Spiny Castle standing upon it whereof now the first Baron is Alexander of the linage of the Lindseys like as Kinlosse also a neighbour by sometime a famous Monasterie some call it Kill-flos of certaine flowers miraculously there springing up on a sudden when the carkase of King Duff murdred and hidden in the same place was found hath also for the Lord thereof Edward Brus M. of the Rolls in
his Kingdome divers authors affirme to have granted by his Charter or Patent Ireland and England both unto the Church of Rome to be held of it ever after in fee and to have received it againe from the Church as a Feudatarie also to have bound his successours to pay three hundred Markes unto the Bishop of Rome But that most worthie and famous Sir Thomas Moore who tooke the Popes part even unto death affirmeth this to be false For hee writeth that the Romanists can shew no such grant that they never demanded the foresaid money and that the Kings of England never acknowledged it But by his leave as great a man as hee was the case stood otherwise as evidently appeareth by the Parliament Records the credit whereof cannot bee impugned For in an assembly of all the States of the Realme in the reigne of Edward the third the Lord Chancellour of England proposed and related that the Pope would judicially sue the King of England as well for the Homage as the tribute which was to be yeelded for England and Ireland to the performance whereof King Iohn in times past had obliged himselfe and his successours and of this point which hee put to question required their opinion The Bishops desired to have a day by them selves for to consult about this matter the Nobles likewise and the people or Communaltie The day after they all met and with one generall accord ordained and enacted That for asmuch as neither King Iohn nor any other King whatsoever could impose such servitude upon the Kingdome but with the common consent and assent of a Parliament which was not done and whatsoever he had passed was against his oath at his coronation by him in expresse words religiously taken before God Therefore in case the Pope should urge this matter they were most readie to the uttermost of their power to resist him resolutely with their bodies and goods They also who are skilfull in scanning and sifting everie pricke and tittle of the lawes cry out with one voice That the said Grant or Charter of King Iohn was voide in Law by that clause and reservation in the end thereof Saving unto us and our heires all our Rights Liberties and Regalities But this may seeme beside my text Ever since King Johns time the Kings of England were stiled Lords of Ireland untill that King Henrie the eighth in the memorie of our fathers was in a Parliament of Ireland by the States thereof declared King of Ireland because the name of Lord seemed in the judgement of certaine seditious persons nothing so sacred and full of majestie as the name of King This name and title of the Kingdome of Ireland were by the Popes authoritie what time as Queene Marie in the yeere 1555. had by her Embassadours in the name of the Kingdom of England tendred obedience unto the Pope Paul the fourth confirmed in these words To the laud and glorie of almightie God and his most glorious mother the Virgin Mary to the honour also of the whole Court of heaven and the exaltation of the Catholike faith as the humble request and suite made unto us by King Philip and Queen Marie about this matter wee with the advice of our brethren and of plenarie power Apostolicall by our Apostolicall authoritie erect for ever Ireland to bee a Kingdome and endow dignifie and exalt with the title dignitie honour faculties rights ensignes prerogatives preferments preeminencies royall and such as other Realmes of Christians have use and enjoy and may have use and enjoy for the times to come And seeing that I have hapned upon those Noblemens names who first of all English gave the attempt upon Ireland and most valiantly subdued it under the imperiall crowne of England lest I might seeme upon envie to deprive both them and their posteritie of this due and deserved glorie I will set them downe here out of the Chancerie of Ireland according as the title doth purport The names of them that came with Dermot Mac Morrog into Ireland Richard Strongbow Earle of Pembroch who by Eve the daughter of Morrog the Irish pettie King aforesaid had one only daughter and she brought unto William Mareschall the title of the Earldome of Pembroch with faire lands in Ireland and a goodly issue five sonnes who succeeded one another in a row all childlesse and as many daughters which enriched their husbands Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke Guarin Montchensey Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester William Ferrars Earle of Derby and William Breose with children honours and possessions Robert Fitz-Stephen Harvey de Mont-Marish Maurice Prendergest Robert Barr. Meiler Meilerine Maurice Fitz-Girald Redmund nephew of Fitz-Stephen William Ferrand Miles de Cogan Richard de Cogan Gualter de Ridensford Gualter and sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald Alexander sonnes of Maurice Fitz-Girald William Notte Robert Fitz-Bernard Hugh Lacie William Fitz-Aldelm William Maccarell Humfrey Bohun Hugh de Gundevill Philip de Hasting Hugh Tirell David Walsh Robert Poer Osbert de Herloter William de Bendenges Adam de Gernez Philip de Breos Griffin nephew of Fitz-Stephen Raulfe Fitz-Stephen Walter de Barry Philip Walsh Adam de Hereford To whom may be added out of Giraldus Cambrensis Iohn Curcy Hugh Contilon Redmund Cantimore Redmund Fitz-Hugh Miles of S. Davids and others The Government of the Kingdome of Ireland EVer since that Ireland became subject unto England the Kings of England have sent over thither to manage the state of the Realme their Regents or Vice-gerents whom they tearmed in those writings or letters Patents of theirs whereby authoritie and jurisdiction is committed unto them first Keepers of Ireland then afterwards according as it pleased them Iustices of Ireland Lievtenants and Deputies Which authoritie and jurisdiction of theirs is very large ample and royall whereby they have power to make warre to conclude peace to bestow all Magistracies and Offices except a very few to pardon all crimes unlesse they be some of high treason to dub Knights c. These letters Patents when any one entreth upon this honourable place of government are publikely read and after a solemne oath taken in a set forme of words before the Chancellour the sword is delivered into his hands which is to be borne before him he is placed in a chaire of estate having standing by him the Chancellour of the Realme those of the Privie Councell the Peeres and Nobles of the kingdome with a King of Armes a Serjeant of Armes and other Officers of State And verily there is not looke throughout all Christendome againe any other Vice-Roy that commeth neerer unto the majestie of a King whether you respect his jurisdiction and authoritie or his traine furniture and provision There bee assistant unto him in counsell the Lord Chancellour of the Realm the Treasurer of the Kingdome and others of the Earles Bishops Barons and Judges which are of the Privie Councell For Ireland hath the very same degrees of States that England hath namely Earles Barons Knights
Dunboyn Boyn which Ptolomee calleth BUVINDA Giraldus BOANDUS a noble river springing out of the North side of the Kings county runneth through this county In the hither part on this side Boyn these are the places memorable Galtrim where the Huseys have dwelt a long time Killin Castle which Hugh Lacy Custos of Ireland under King Henry the second built and Dunsany which have their Parliament Barons Noblemen of ancient descent out of the family of the Plonkets which others fetch out of Denmark but they beare the very same Armes in sundry colours which Alan Plonket of Kilpecke in England did who also under King Edward the first lived in the dignity and port of a Baron Now this house of the Plonkets in Ireland came up and grew to bee of high estimation ever since that Sir Christopher Plonket a valiant and wise man Deputy as they terme him unto Richard Duke of Yorke Lord Lievtenant in King Henry the sixth his time was advanced to the dignity of Baron of Killin which fell unto him by his wife heire to the family of the Cusakes and his second son by his own worth valour obtained the title of Baron Dunsany On the farther side of Boyn are Trimletstoun which hath his Baron out of the family of the Barnwells for King Edward the fourth promoted Sir Robert Barnwell to the honour of a Parliamentary Baron Gormanston which now hath had honourable Vicounts men of good desert in the Common-wealth descended from the line of the Prestons as it is verily thought in Lancashire and Slane which is able likewise to shew Barons thereof out of the family of the Flemings and amongst them stands Aboy a mercate towne well inhabited and of good resort upon the river Boyn which when it hath passed beside Glan-Iores that is The land of the sonnes of George this George was of the Birminghams progeny whose heire by marriage brought a faire inheritance with the castle of Carbray unto the Prestons runneth under Trim a pretty towne of trade and one of the better â—ort where William Pepard erected a castle This was an ancient Baronie of the Lacies which accrewed unto the titles of the Dukes of Yorke who stiled themselves Lords of Trim. Then floweth it beside Navan which hath a Baron or Baronet but not of the Parliament house and affordeth for the most part a dwelling house unto the Bishop of the Dioecesse who hath now no Cathedrall Church but doth all with the assent of the Clergy of Meth. His See seemeth to have beene at Cluanarard which is called also Clunart where Hugh Lacy in times past built a castle For in the letters Apostolicall we read him thus Episcopus Midensis five Cluanarardensis that is The Bishop of Meth or Cluanarard and corruptly as it is to be thought in a Roman Provinciall Elnamirand Boyn now by this time carrying a fuller streame after it hath with an hasty course swiftly passed on certain miles neere unto Drodagh emptieth himselfe into the sea Of this swift running what if I should thinke this Boyn tooke his name for Boan both in Irish and British also signifieth swift and our Poet Necham of this river hath thus versified Ecce Boan qui Trim celer influit istius undas Subdere se salsis Drogheda cernit aquis Lo Boin that swiftly unto Trim doth run and marke withall How at Tredagh his streame into the salt sea gulfe doth fall The men of greatest reputation and name in this county besides those whom I rehersed before to wit the Plonkets Flemings Barnwels and Husseys are the Darceys Cusakes Dillons Birminghams De la hides Nettervils Garvies Cadels and others whom if I doe not name at all or if I reckon either these or others elsewhere not in their owne ranke according to their worth and degree I desire no imputation may be laid upon me therefore THE COUNTY OF WEST-MEATH THe county of WEST-METH so called in respect of the other abovesaid unto which it adjoineth on the West side reacheth unto the river Shanon and lieth betweene the Kings County South and Longford County North unto which it is not willing to give place either in fertilitie of soile multitude of inhabitants or any thing else whatsoever unlesse haply it bee inferiour in civility of manners Molingar by authority of Parliament was ordained to be the head and principall shire towne because it lieth as it were in the very midst and the whole country is laid forth into twelve Hundreds or Baronies viz. Fertulogh where the Tirels Ferbille where the Darcies dwell Delvin which adorneth the old noble stock of the Nogents who came first out of England with the title of a Parliament Baron These are descended from that Sir Gilbert Nogent whom Hugh Lacy the Conquerer of Meth for his courageous and valiant service in the wars of Ireland rewarded both with these lands and those also of Furry as that most learned Gentleman Richard Stanihurst hath recorded Fourry aforesaid as also Corkery where the Nogents dwell Moyassell where the Tuts and Nogents Maghertiernan where very many of the Petits and the Tuts Moigoysy where the Tuts and Nangles Rathcomire where the Daltons Magirquirk where the Dillons all propagated from English blood do inhabite Clonlolan where the O-Malaghlins of the old roiall line of Meth Moycassell where the Magohigans meere Irish beare sway and others whose very names carry an harsh found of more barbarousnesse which notwithstanding even as Martiall the Poet when hee had reckoned up certaine barbarous Spanish names of places being himselfe a Spaniard said That he liked them better than British names so the Irish love these rather than the English in so much as one of their Potentates gave it out that he would in no wise learne the English tongue for feare he should in speaking English get a wry mouth Thus the crow thinkes her owne birds fairest and we all are given to like our owne too well even with the disdaine and contempt of others This Meth had in times past Kings or pety Princes rather to rule it And as we read that Monarch or sole King of Ireland Slany caused the revenues of Meth to bee assigned and appropriat to the furnishing of his royall table But when the Englishmen had once set fast footing in Ireland Hugh Lacy subdued a great part thereof and King Henry the second enfeoffed him in it and made him Lord of Meth who while he was building of a castle at Derwarth and holding his head downe to prescribe a Carpenter somewhat that he would have done had by him his head stricken off with his axe This Hugh begat two sonnes Hugh Earle of Ulster of whom I will speake hereafter and Walter Lord of Trim who begat Gilbert that died before his father By the daughters of this Gilbert Margaret and Maud the one part by the Genevils who were as they write of the house of Lorrain and by the Mortimers came to
hands upon him For which barbarous and inhumane murdering of his cousin german he was charged in England but the Queene of her royall clemency and for the hope that she had conceived of the Earle craving with repentance forgivenesse of this fault and submitting himselfe to divers good orders for his obedience pardoned him to the great griefe of some good men But this soone after more grieved him yea pricked as it were and sore galled him that the Deputy had suppressed the name of Mac Mahon in the country next adjoyning unto him and withall to abate and weaken the power of that mighty family had divided the country among many He I say hereupon conceived a feare lest the same would befall unto him and other Chieftanes of Ulster At which very time there began some secret grudges and heart burnings to arise between the Earle and Sir Henrie Bagnall the Marshall whose sister the Earle had carried away and married The Earle complained that whatsoever he had with the losse of his blood and painfull travell reduced to the obedience of the Prince the Marshall and not he reaped the fruit and gaine thereof that the Marshall by suborning most base and vile persons as witnesses had falsely brought him into question for high treason had incited Sir William Fitz-Williams then Lord Deputy his deadly enemy by corruptions and bribery to worke his destruction and that he lay in waite to take away his life And in very truth the Deputies information against the Earle found credit in the Court of England untill the said Earle wrote his letters and offred judicially to be tried either in England or in Ireland This is for certain known that much about this time he together with the chiefery or greatest men of Ulster by secret parlees combined in an association that they would defend the Romish religion for Religion now a daies is made the mantle for all rebellion that they would in no wise admit Sheriffes or Garrison souldiers in their Territories and mutually maintain one anothers right yea and withstand all wrongs offered by the English The first Champion thrust forward to sound the alarum was Mac-Gwyr a man of a turbulent spirit he by way of preying all before him maketh a road into Conaght accompanied with Gauran a Priest who being ordeined by the Pope Primate of Ireland commanded him in the name and with the helpe of God to try his fortune and to fight the Lords battell assuring him of most happy successe yet fell it out otherwise for Mac-Gwyr through the valour of Sir Richard Bingham was discomfited and put to flight and the Primate with others slaine Soone after Mac-Gwyr brake out into open rebellion whom the Earle himselfe together with the Marshall in a shew of dutifull attendance pursued and in this service with great commendation of his forwardnesse was wounded in the thigh Howbeit wholly intentive to provide for his own security he intercepteth the sons of Shan O-Neale and makes them sure for doing any harme neither would he by any meanes being requested thereto set them at liberty but minding another matter maketh most grievous complaints of the injuries offered unto him by the Deputy the Marshall and the garrison souldiers which notwithstanding within a while after he carried so covertly that as if he had forgotten all quarels he came under safe conduct unto the Deputy submitted himselfe and after hee had professed all manner of dutifull obedience returned home with great commendation When as now Sir William Fitz Williams the Lord Deputy was revoked home out of Ireland Sir William Russell succeeded in that office Unto him repaired the Earle of his own accord exhibited an humble submission upon his knees to the Lord Deputy wherein he dolefully expressed his great griefe that the Queen had conceived indignation against him as of one undutifull and disloyall Hee acknowledged that the late absenting himselfe from the state was disagreable to his obedience albeit it was occasioned by some hard measures of the late Lord Deputie as though he and the Marshall had combined for his destruction He acknowledged that the Queene advanced him to high title and great livings that she ever upheld him and enabled him that shee who by grace had advanced him was able by her force to subvert him and therefore if he were voide of gratitude yet he could not be so voide of reason as to worke his owne ruine Furthermore he made liberall promises that he would most willingly do whatsoever should be enjoyned him which hee also had promised in his letters sent unto the Lords of the Councell in England and earnestly besought that he might be received into favour againe with the Queene as before time which he had lost not by any desert of his owne but through the forged informations and suggestions of his adversaries At the same time Bagnall the Marshall was present in the place who exhibited articles against the Earle and accused him that hee had underhand suborned and sent Mac-Guir with the Primate above named into Conaght that hee had complotted secretly with Mac-Guir O-Donel and other conspirators and had aided them by Cormac-Mac-Baron the Earles brother and Con the Earles base son and some of his servants in the wasting of Monaghan and besieging of Inis-Kellin and by means drawn away the Captaines of Kilulio and Kilwarny from their loialty and obedience to the Queen Hereupon it was seriously debated among the Councellors of the kingdome whether the Earle should be staied to make his answer or no The Deputy thought good that he should be detained But when it was put to question generally the more part either upon a vaine feare or forward inclination to favour the Earle were instant to have him dismissed the matter to be put off unto a further day of hearing pretending certaine waighty considerations and that the Articles exhibited were without proofe or time Thus the Deputie in a sort was forced to yeeld to the experience of the Councell and the Earle was permitted to depart and his accusers there present had no audience Which troubled and disquieted the Queen not a little considering that his wicked designements and acts were now apparent to every one and the Queene her selfe had given warning afore hand that he should be detained untill he had cleered himselfe of those imputations The Earle being now returned home when he heard that a new supply of souldiers was comming out of England and thirteene hundred besides of old servitors out of the Low-countries who had served in little Britaine under Sir John Norris and that the English entended now to possesse themselves of Balashanon and Belik Castles upon the mouth of Logh-Earn he being privie to himself of his own evill purposes and carrying a guilty conscience on a sudden assaileth the fort at Blackwater by which the entry lay into Tir-Oen his owne country and had it surrendred up unto him And at the very same instant in maner hee wavering in his minde with one
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
Sampford archbishop of Dublin In the same yeer the King of Hungary forsaking the Christian faith became an Apostata and when hee had called fraudulently as it were to a Parliament the mightier potentates of his land Miramomelius a puissant Saracene came upon them with 20000. souldiers carrying away with him the King with all the Christians there assembled on the even of Saint John Baptists day as the Christians therefore journied the weather that was cleere and faire turned to be cloudie and suddenly a tempest of haile killed many thousands of the Infidels together The Christians returned to their owne homes and the Apostata King alone went with the Saracenes The Hungarians therefore crowning his sonne King continued in the Catholike faith MCCLXXXIX Tripolis a famous citie was laied even with the ground not without much effusion of Christian blood and that by the Soldan of Babylon who commanded the images of the Saints to bee drawne and dragged at horses tailes in contempt of the name of Christ through the citie newly destroyed MCCXC Inclyta Stirps Regis Sponsis datur ordine legis In lawfull guise by hand and ring Espoused is the Kings off-spring The Lord Gilbert Clare tooke to wife the Ladie Joan a daughter of the Lord King Edward in the Abbey or Covent Church of Westminster and the marriage was solemnely celebrated in the Moneth of May and John the Duke of Brabant his sonne married Margaret the said Kings daughter also in the Church aforesaid in the moneth of July The same yeere the Lord William Vescie was made Justice of Ireland entring upon the office on Saint Martins day Item O Molaghelin King of Meth is slaine MCCXCI Gilbert Clare the sonne of Gilbert and of the Ladie Joan of Acres was borne the 11. day of May in the morning betimes Item there was an armie led into Ulster against O-Hanlon and other Princes hindering the peace by Richard Earle of Ulster and William Vescie Justice of Ireland Item the Ladie Eleanor sometime Queene of England and mother of King Edward died in the feast of St. Iohn Baptist who in the religious habite which she desired led a laudable life for the space of foure yeeres eleven moneths and sixe dayes within the Abbey of Ambresby where she was a professed Nun. Item there resounded certaine rumours in the eares of the Lord Pope Martin on the even of St. Mary Maudlen as touching the Citie Acon in the holy land which was the only refuge of the Christians namely that it was besieged by Milkador the Soldan of Babylon an infinite number of his souldiers and that it had been most fiercely assaulted about fortie daies to wit from the eighth day before the Ides of April unto the fifteene Calends of July At length the wall was plucked down by the Saracens that assaulted it and an infinite number of them entred the Citie many Christians being slaine and some for feare drowned in the sea The Patriarch also with his traine perished in the sea The King of Cypres and Otes Grandison with their companies pitifully escaped by a ship Item granted there was unto the Lord Edward King of England by the Lord Pope Martin the tenth part of all the profits of Ecclesiasticall benefices for seven yeeres in Ireland toward the reliefe of the holy land Item the eldest sonne of the Earle of Clare was borne MCCXCII Edward King of England eftsoones entred Scotland and was elected King of Scotland Lord John Balliol of Galwey obtained the whole kingdome of Scotland in right of inheritance and did homage unto the Lord Edward King of England at New-castle upon Tine on S. Stephens day Florentius Earle of Holland Robert Brus Earle of Carrick John Hastings John Comyn Patrick Dunbar John Vescie Nicolas Soules and William Roos who all of them in that kingdome submitted themselves to the judgement of the Lord King Edward Item a fifteene of all secular mens goods in Ireland was granted unto the soveraign Lord King of England the same to be collected at the feast of S. Michael Item Sir Peter Genevile Knight died Item Rice ap Meredyke was brought to York and there at horses tailes drawne c. MCCXCIII A generall and open war there was at sea against the Normans Item no small number of the Normans by fight at sea was slain by the Barons of the Ports of England and other their co-adjutors between Easter and Whitsuntide For which cause there arose war between England and France whereupon Philip King of France directed his letters of credence unto the King of England that he should make personall appearance at his Parliament to answer unto Questions which the same King would propose unto him whose mandate in this behalf being not fulfilled straightwaies the King of France declaring by the counsell of the French the King of England to be outlawed condemned him Item Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester entred with his wife into Ireland about the feast of S. Luke MCCXCIV William Montefort in the Kings counsell holden at Westminster before the King died sodainly which William was the Dean of S. Pauls in London in whose mouth the Prelates Bishops and Cleargy putting their words which he was to utter and doubting how much the King affected and desired to have of every one of them and willing by him to be certified in whom also the King reposed most trust being returned to the King and making hast before the King to deliver expresly a speech that he had conceived became speechlesse on a sodain and fell downe to the ground and was carried forth by the Kings servants in their armes in piteous manner In regard of which sight that thus happened men strucken with feare gave out these speeches Surely this man hath beene the Agent and Procurator that the Tenths of Ecclesiasticall benefices should bee paied to the King and another author and procurer of a scrutinie made into the fold and flocke of Christ as also of a contribution granted afterward to the King crying against William Item the Citie of Burdeaux with the land of Gascoigne adjoining was occupied or held by the ministers of the King of France conditionally but unjustly and perfidiously detained by the King of France for which cause John Archbishop of Dublin and certaine other Lords of the Nobilitie were sent into Almaine to the King thereof and after they had their dispatch and answer in Tordran the Lord Archbishop being returned into England ended his life upon S. Leodegaries day The bones of which John Sampford were enterred in the Church of Saint Patrick in Dublin the tenth day before the Calends of March. The same yeere there arose debate betweene Lord William Vescy Lord Justice of Ireland for the time being and the Lord John Fitz-Thomas and the said Lord Williliam Vescy crossed the seas into England left Sir William Hay in his stead Justice of Ireland but when both of them were come before the King to fight a combat under an Appeal for treason the foresaid
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
with their fellowes of the Counsell treat upon this point In the same yeere before Lent the Irish of Leinster gathered themselves together and set up a certain King namely Donald the sonne of Arte Mac-Murgh Who being made King determined to set up his banner two miles from Dublin and afterwards to passe through all the lands of Ireland Whose pride and malice God seeing suffered him to fall into the hands of the Lord Henry Traharn who brought him to the Salmons leaps had of him 200. pound for his lives ransome then led him to Dublin to wait there untill the Kings Counsell could provide and take order what to doe with him and after his taking many infortunities lighted upon the Irish of Leinster to wit the Lord John Wellesley took David O-Thothiel prisoner and many of the Irish were slaine The same yeere Adam Duff the sonne of Walter Duff of Leinster and of the kinred of the O-Tothiles was convicted for that against the Catholike faith hee denied the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and held that there could not bee three persons and one God and hee affirmed that the most blessed Virgin Mary mother of our Lord was an harlot hee denied also the resurrection of the dead and avouched that the sacred Scriptures were fables and nothing else and he imputed falsitie upon the sacred Apostolicall See For which and for every of these articles the same Adam Duff was pronounced an hereticke and blasphemer whereupon the same Adam by a decree of the Church was on the Munday after the Outas of Easter the yeere 1328. burnt at Hoggis Greene by Dublin MCCCXXVIII On Tuesday in Easter week Thomas Fitz-John Earle of Kildare and Justice of Ireland died after whom succeeded in the office of Justice Frier Roger Outlaw Prior of Kilmaynok The same yeere David O-Tothil a strong thiefe and enemy to the King a burner of Churches and destroier of people was brought forth of the Castle of Dublin to the Tolstale of the Citie before Nicolas Fastoll and Elias Ashbourne Justices in the Kings bench which Justices gave him his judgement that he should first be drawne at horses tailes through the midst of the Citie unto the gallowes and afterward be hanged upon a jebbit which was done accordingly Item in the same yeere the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas raised a great army to destroy the Bourkeins and the Poers The same yeere also the Lord William Bourk was knighted at London on Whitsunday and the King gave unto him his Seignory Also in the same yeere Iames Botiller in England espoused the daughter of the Earle of Hereford and was created Earle of Ormund who before was called Earle of Tiperary The same yeere a Parliament was holden at Northampton where many of the Lords and Nobles of England assembled and a peace was renewed betweene Scotland England and Ireland by marriages between them and it was ordained that the Earle of Ulster with many Nobles of England should goe to Barwick upon Tweed to the espousals and assurance making The same yeere after the said espousals and contract made at Barwicke the Lord Robert Brus King of Scotland and the Lord William Burk Earle of Ulster the Earle of Meneteth and many of the Scottish nobility arrived at Cragfergus peaceably and sent unto the Justices of Ireland and to the Counsell that they would come to Green Castle to treat about a peace of Scotland and Ireland Now because the said Justices of Counsell failed to come as the said King desired he took his leave of the Earle of Ulster and returned into his owne country after the feast of the assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary And the Earle of Ulster came to Dublin unto the Parliament and there stayed sixe dayes and made a great feast and after this went into Connaght The same yeere about the feast of Saint Katherin Virgin the Bishop of Osserie certified the Kings Counsell there that Sir Arnald Pover was convicted before him upon divers articles of perverse heresie Whereupon at the suit of the said Bishop the said Sir Arnald by vertue of the Kings writ was arrested and layed up in the Castle of Dublin and a day was given unto the Bishop for to come unto Dublin to follow the foresaid suit and action against the foresaid Lord Arnald who made his excuse that hee could not then come because his enemies lay in wait for his life in the way whereupon the Kings Counsell knew not how to make an end of this businesse and so the Lord Arnald was kept in duresse within the Castle of Dublin untill the Parliament following which was in Mid-lent where all the Nobles of Ireland were present In the same yeere Frier Roger Utlaw Prior of the Hospitall of St. John of Jerusalem in Ireland Lord Justice and Chancellour of Ireland was disfamed by the said Bishop and slandered to bee a favourer of heresie a Counsellour also and a better of the said Lord Arnold in his hereticall naughtinesse And because his person was thus villanously delamed the said Prior went to the Counsell of the King and put up a petition that hee might purge himselfe Whereupon they of the Kings Counsell tooke advice and upon consultation had granted unto him that he might make his purgation And they caused it to be proclaimed for three dayes That if there were any person who would follow suit and give information against the said Frier Roger he might come in and put in his pursuit But no man was found to follow the matter Whereupon at the procurement of Sir Roger the Frier there went out the Kings writ to summon the Elders of Ireland to wit Bishops Abbots Priors and foure Maiors of foure Cities namely Dublin Corke Limerick and Waterford and of Tredagh also the Sheriffes and Seneschals yea and the Knights of the shire with the Free-holders of the countie that were of the better sort for to repaire unto Dublin And there were chosen sixe examiners in the said cause to wit M. William Rodyard Deane of the Cathedrall Church of St. Patrick in Dublin the Abbat of Saint Thomas the Abbat of St. Maries the Prior of holy Trinitie Church in Dublin M. Elias Lawles and M. Peter Willebey These Inquisitours convented those that were cited and they examined every one severally by himselfe which examinats all upon their oathes deposed that he was honest and faithfull a zealous embracer of the faith and readie to die for the faith and in regard of this great solemnity of his purgation the said Frier Roger made a royall feast to all that would come Also the same yeere in Lent died the said L. Arnald Pover in the Castle of Dublin and lay a long time unburied in the house of the preaching Friers MCCCXXIX After the feast of the Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary the Nobles of Ireland came unto the Parliament at Dublin to wit the Earle of Ulster the Lord Thomas Fitz-Moris the Earle of Louth William Bermingham and the rest of the Lords and
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
in part is newly erected Also the Lord Antony Lucy Justice of Ireland is put out of his office and returneth into England with his wife and children in the month of November In whose place also is set Iohn Lord Darcy Justice of Ireland and he entred Ireland the thirteenth day of February Item the English of the pale gave a great overthrow to Briene O-Brene and Mac-Karthy and slew many Irish in the parts of Munster Item there deceased John Decer a citizen of Dublin and lieth buried in the Church of the Friers Minors a man that did many good deeds Also a certain maladie named Mauses reigned all over Ireland as well in old men and women as in young and little ones Item the hostages abiding in the castle of Lymericke slew the Constable of the same castle and seized the castle into their owne hands but after that the castle was recovered by the citizens the same hostages were put to the sword and killed Likewise the hostages tooke the castle of Nenagh and when part of it was burnt recovered it was againe and the hostages were reserved Also one P ... of wheat about Christmas was commonly sold for 22. shillings and straight after Easter and so forward for twelve pence Item the towne of New-castle of Lions was burnt and sacked by the O-Tothiles MCCCXXXIII The L. John Darcy arrived Lord Justice of Ireland at Dublin Item O Conghirs lost a great bootie two thousand cowes and above by the Berminghams of Carbery Item the Lord John Darcy Justice of Ireland caused the Pas at Ethergovil in Offaly to be cut downe against O-Conghir Item the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond is taken forth of the prison of Dublin after he had beene imprisoned one yeere and a halfe having gotten many mainprisers first even the greatest and noblest personages of the land to be bound for him in the forfeiture of life losse of all their goods if then the said Lord Moris attempted ought against the King and if those Nobles abovesaid presented not his person unto the King for his demerits Also William Burk Earle of Ulster betweene the New-towne and Cragfergus in Ulster was traiterously the more pitty slaine by his owne company in the twentieth yeere of his age and the sixth day of the month Iune Robert the sonne of Mauriton Maundevil was hee that gave him his first wound Upon the hearing of which rumours the Earles wife being then in the parts of Ulster with her daughter and heire presently embarked and went over into England After whose murdering John L. Darcy Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland to revenge the Earles death by advice of all the States of the land assembled in the said Parliament forthwith with his army took his journy and by ship arrived at Cragfergus upon the first day of July Now the people of the country rejoicing at the Lord Justice his comming and thereby taking heart unto them against the murderers of the said Earle of Ulster with one assent rose up to revenge the killing of him and in a pitched field obtained victory some they tooke prisoners others they put to the sword The things thus dispatched the said Justice with his said army went into Scotland leaving in his place M. Thomas Burgh Treasurer at that time of Ireland Item many Nobles of the land and the Earle of Ormond with their retinue and followers assembled together at the house of the Carmelite Friers in Dublin the 11. day of June and during this said Parliament whereas they were going out of the Court yard of the said Friers sodainly within the presse of the people Murchard or Moris the sonne of Nicolas O-Tothil was there murdered At whose sodaine killing all the Elders of the land fearing and supposing there was some treason were strucken with an extraordinary and strange affright and much troubled And he that killed the same Murchard stoutly escaped all their hands but neither the party himselfe nor his name they ever knew Also John Lord Darcy returned Justice of Ireland Item Sir Walter Bermingham sonne to the Lord William Bermingham is delivered out of the castle of Dublin in the month of February More the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond by a fall off his Palfrey brake his legge Item it fell out to be a faire and dry summer in so much as at the feast of St. Peter advincula bread made of new wheat was eaten and a peck of wheat was sold for sixpence in Dublin Also Sir Reimund Archdekon Knight and many others of the same kinred were slaine in Leinster MCCCXXXVII In the Vigill of S. Kalixt Pope seven partridges and unknown it is what spirit moved them leaving the plaine field made way directly unto the City of Dublin and flying most swiftly over the mercate places setled on the top of the Brew-house belonging to the Canons of holy Trinity in Dublin To which sight some Citizens came running and wondered much at so strange a prodigie But the boyes of the city caught two of them alive a third they killed and the rest scared therewith mounting up higher took their swift flight and escaped into the fields over against them Now what this accident not heard of in the ages before did portend I leave to the judgement of those that are cunning and skilfull Also Sir John Charleton Knight and a Baron with his wife sonnes and daughters and his whole family came at the feast of S. Calixtus Pope as chiefe Justice of Ireland and of his sonnes and houshold some died Also Lord Thomas Charleton Bishop of Hereford brother in the whole blood unto the said Justice came the same day with his brother as Chancellour of Ireland together with Master John Rees Treasurer of Ireland and Doctor in the Decretals bringing with them many Welshmen to the number of two hundred and arrived in the haven of Dublin Also whiles John Charleton was Lord Justice and held a Parliament at Dublin Doctor David O-Hirraghey Archbishop of Ardmagh being called to the Parliament made his provision for housekeeping in the Monastery of S. Mary neere unto Dublin but because hee would have had his Crosier before him hee was impeached by the Archbishop and his Clerkes and permit him they would not Item the same yeere died the same David Archbishop of Ardmagh after whom succeeded Doctor Richard Fitz-Ralfe Deane of Lichfield a notable Clerke who was borne in the towne of Dundalke Item James Botiller the first Earle of Ormond departed this life the sixth day of January and lieth buried at Balygaveran MCCCXXXVIII Lord Iohn Charleton at the instigation of his whole brother to wit Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King discharged of his office and returneth with his whole houshold into England and Thomas Bishop of Hereford is by the King ordained Custos and Justice of Ireland Item Sir Eustace Pover and Sir John Pover his Unkle are by the said Justice brought out of Mounster to Dublin and committed to prison in the castle the
third day of February Also in the parts of Ireland the frost was so vehement that Aven-Liffie the river of Dublin was so frozen that very many danced and leaped upon the Ice of the said river they played at foot-ball and ran courses there yea and they made fires of wood and of turfe upon the same Ice and broyled herrings thereupon This Ice lasted very many dayes And as for the snow also in the parts of Ireland that accompanied the same frost a man need not speake any more seeing it was knowne to lye on such a wonderfull depth This hard time of weather continued from the second day of December unto the tenth day of February the like season was never heard of before especially in Ireland MCCCXXXIX All Ireland was generally up in armes Item an exceeding great slaughter there was of the Irish and a number of them drowned even 1200. at the least by the meanes of the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and the rest of the Geraldines in the parts of Kernige Item the Lord Moris Fitz-Nicolas Lord of Kernige was apprehended and imprisoned by the Lord Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond and died in prison being put to strait diet for that he openly went out and rebelled with the said Irish against the Lord King of England and against the Lord Earle Item a number of the O. Dymcies and other Irish were killed and drowned in the water of Barrow by the English and the hot pursuit of the Earle of Kildare Also a great booty of cattell of sundry sorts and such a booty as had not been seen in the parts of Leinster by the said Lord Thomas Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland and with the helpe of the English of that country was taken from the Irish in the parts of Odrone in the end of February MCCCXL The said Bishop of Hereford and Justice of Ireland being sent for by the King returned into England the tenth day of Aprill leaving in his place Frier Roger Outlaw Priour of Kylmaynon Also this Sir Roger Lord Priour of Kylmainon Justice and Chancellour of the said land died the thirteenth day of February Item the King of England granted by his letters patents unto Iohn Darcy the office of Lord Justice of Ireland for terme of life MCCCXLI Sir John Moris Knight came Lord Justice of Ireland in the moneth of May as Lievtenant unto Iohn Darcy in the foresaid land Item this wondrous prodigie following and such as in our age had not been heard of before hapned in the county of Leinster where a certain waifaring man as he travelled in the Kings high way found a paire of gloves fit as he thought for his owne turne which as he drew upon his hands forthwith instead of a mans voice and speech he kept a strange and marvellous barking like unto a dogge and from that present the elder folke and full growne yea and women too throughout the same county barked like bigge dogges but the children and little ones waughed as small whelpes This plague continued with some 18. daies with others a whole moneth and with some for two yeeres Yea this foresaid contagious malady entred also into the neighbour shires and forced the people in like manner to barke Also the King of England revoked all those gifts and grants that by him or his father had bin conferred by any meanes upon any persons whatsoever in Ireland were they liberties lands or other goods for which revocation great displeasure and discontent arose in the land and so the land of Ireland was at the point to have beene lost for ever out of the King of Englands hand Item by the Kings Councell there was ordained a generall Parliament of Ireland in the moneth of October To the same Parliament Moris Fitz-Thomas Earle of Desmond came not Before which time there was never knowne so notable and manifest a division in Ireland between those that were English by birth and English in blood The Maiors besides of the Kings cities in the same land together with all the better sort of the Nobility and Gentry of the said land with one consent upon mature deliberation and counsell had among other their conclusions decreed and appointed a common Parliament at Kilkenny in November to the utility and profit both of the King and the land before named without asking any counsell at all of the Lord Justice and the Kings officers aforesaid in this behalfe Now the Lord Justice and the rest of the Kings Ministers in no wise presumed to come unto the same Parliament at Kilkenny The Elders therefore of the land aforesaid together with the Ancients and Maiors of the cities agreed and ordained as touching solemne Embassadours to be sent with all speed unto the King of England about relieving the State of the land and to complaine of his Ministers in Ireland as touching their unequall and unjust regiment of the same and that from thenceforth they neither could nor would endure the realme of Ireland to be ruled by his Ministers as it had wont to be And particularly they make complaint of the foresaid Ministers by way of these Questions Imprimis How a land full of warres could be governed by him that was unskilfull in warre Secondly how a Minister or Officer of the Kings should in a short time grow to so great wealth Thirdly how it came to passe that the King was never the richer for Ireland MCCCXLII The eleventh day of October when the moone was eleven dayes old there were seen by many men at Dublin 2. moones in the firmament well and early before day The one was according to the course of nature in the West and appeared bright the other to the quantity of a round loafe appeared in the East casting but a meane and slender light MCCCXLIII St. Thomas street in Dublin was casually burnt with fire upon the feast of S. Valentine Martyr Item the 13. day of July the Lord Ralph Ufford with his wife the Countesse of Ulster came Lord chiefe Justice of Ireland Upon whose entring the faire weather changed sodainly into a distemperature of the aire and from that time there ensued great store of raine with such abundance of tempestuous stormes untill his dying day None of his predecessours in the times past was with griefe be it spoken comparable unto him For this Justicer bearing the office of Justice-ship became an oppressor of the people of Ireland a robber of the goods both of Clergy and Laity of rich and poore alike a defrauder of many under the colour of doing good not observing the rights of the Church nor keeping the lawes of the kingdome offering wrongs to the naturall inhabitants ministring justice to few or none and altogether distrusting some few onely excepted the inborne dwellers in the land These things did hee still and attempted the like misled by the counsell and perswasion of his wife Item the said Justice entring into Ulster in the moneth of March through a Pas called Emerdullan
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
Lievtenant there 300. markes and the Parliament was adjourned eftsoones unto the munday after St. Ambrose day Then rumours resounded that the Lord Thomas Fitz-Iohn Earle of Desmund died at Paris on St. Laurence feast day and was buried there at the Friers Preachers covent the King of England being present at his funerals After whom succeeded in that Seigniorie James Fitz-Gerald his Unkle by the fathers side who had three times thrust him out of his patrimonie and laid an imputation upon him that he was a prodigall spend-thrift and had wasted his patrimony both in Ireland and England and that he gave or would give lands to the Abbey of St. Iames at Kernisham 1421. The Parliament began upon prorogation the third time at Dublin the munday after the feast of S. Ambrose and there certain persons were ordained to be sent in message to the King as touching the redresse of the land namely the Archbishop of Armagh and Sir Christopher Preston Knight At the same time Richard O-Hedian Bishop of Cassell was accused by John Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford upon thirtie Articles laid to his charge After all that hee charged him that hee made very much of the Irish and loved none of the English that hee bestowed no benefice upon any Englishman and gave order likewise unto other Bishops that they should not conferre the least living that was upon them Item that hee counterfeited the King of Englands seale and the Kings letters patents that he went about to make himselfe King of Mounster also that he tooke a ring away from the image of S. Patrick which the Earle of Desmund had offered and bestowed it upon an harlot of his beside many other enormities which he exhibited in writing And the Lords and Commons were much troubled betweene these twaine Now in the same Parliament there was debate between Adam Pay Bishop of Clon and another Prelate for that the said Adam went about to unite the others Church unto his but the other would not and so they were sent and referred unto the Court of Rome and this Parliament lasted 18. daies In the Nones of May there was a slaughter committed by O-Mordris upon the family or retinue of the Earle of Ormund Lievtenant neere unto the Monastery of Leys where were slaine of the English 27. The principall parties were Purcell and Grant Then Gentlemen of good birth were taken prisoners and 200. fled unto the foresaid Monastery and so were saved In the Ides of May died Sir Iohn Bodley Knight and Geffery Galon sometime Maior of Dublin and was buried in the house of the preaching Friers of the same City About this time Mac-Mahon an Irishman played the divell in Urgal wasting and burning where ever he went The seventh of Iune the Lievtenant entred into the country to wit of Leys against O-Mordis and led thither a most puissant army having the killing of his enemies for foure daies together and untill the Irish promised all peace and quietnesse Upon the feast of Michael the Archangel Thomas Stanley accompanied with all the Knights and Squires of Meth and Iriel took Moyle O-Downyll prisoner and slew others in the 14. yeere of King Henry the sixth his reigne Thus far forth were continued the Annales of Ireland which came to my hands and upon which I have bestowed these few pages to gratifie them that may delight therein As for the nice and dainty readers who would have all writings tried to the touch of Augustus his dayes I know they can yeeld no pleasing rellish to them in regard of the harsh words and the saplesse dry stile familiar unto that age wherein they were penned Neverthelesse I would have those to remember That HISTORIE both beareth brooketh and requireth the Authors of all ages Also That they are to look as well for reall and substantiall knowledge from some as for the verball and literall learning from others THE SMALLER ILANDS IN THE BRITISH OCEAN NOw will I at length waigh anchor and set saile out of Ireland and lanching forth take survey of the Ilands scattered here and there along the coasts of Britaine If I durst repose any trust in my selfe or if I were of any sufficiencie I would shape my course to every one But sith it is my purpose to discover and inlighten Antiquity such as are obscure and of lesse account I will lightly coast by and those that carry any ancient name and reckoning above the rest I will enter and visite yea and make some short stay in them that now at last in a good and happy houre they may recover their ancienty againe And that in this voiage I may at first set out orderly and take a straight and direct course I will to begin saile out of Ireland into the Severn sea and by the Irish sea after I have doubled the utmost point of Scotland follow my course down into the Germai◠Ocean and so from thence through the British sea which extendeth as far as to Spaine hold on my race as prosperously as I can But I am afraid lest this my ship of Antiquity steared by me so unskilfull a Pilot either run and be split upon the rockes of errours or else be overwhelmed with the waves of ignorance yet venter I must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Antiphilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Adventure is a good sea Captain and he that saileth the same voiage a second time may haply speed much better and finish his desired course First and formost because it seemeth not impertinent to my matter I will set down what Plutarch out of a fabulous narration of Demetrius who seemeth to have lived in Hadrians time reporteth generally as touching the Ilands lying neer to Britain Demetrius made report that most of those Ilands which coast upon Britain lie desert desolate and scattering here and there whereof somewere dedicated to the Daemones and Heroes also that himself by commission from the Emperour sailed toward one that was neerest of those desert Iles for to know and discover somewhat the which he found to have in a few inhabitants and those he understood were reputed by the Britans sacred and inviolable Within a while after he was landed there the aire and weather as he said became foully troubled many portenteous signes were given by terrible tempests with extra-ordinary stormes flashing and violent lightnings and fiery impressions which after they were appeased the Ilanders certified him that some one of great eminency was dead And a little after Now he said moreover that there was a certain Iland there wherein Saturn was by Briareus closed up and kept in prison sound asleep for sleep was the means to hold him captive about whose person there were many Daemones at his feet that stood attending as servitours Thus they took pleasure in old time as now also at this day boldly to devise strange wonders and tales of places far remote in a certain secure veine of lying as it were by authoritie In the narrow sea
their great charges sought there of late for Alum More Northward lieth that Mona whereof Caesar maketh mention in the mids of the cur as he saith betweene Britaine and Ireland Ptolomee termeth it MONOEDA as one would say Mon-eitha that is if I may be allowed to conjecture The more remote Mona to put a difference betweene it and the other Mona that is Anglesey Plinie MONABIA Orosius MENAVIA and Bede Menavia secunda that is the second Menavia where he termeth Mona or Anglesey Menavia prior that is the former Menavia and calleth them both Ilands of the Britans in which writers notwithstanding it is read amisse Mevania Ninius who also goeth abroad under the name of Gildas nameth it Eubonia and Manaw the Britans Menow the inhabitants Maning and we Englishmen The Yle of Man stretched out just in the mid levell as saith Girald Cambrensis betweene the Northren coasts of Ireland and Britaine about which Isle and namely to whether of the two countries it ought of right to appertaine there arose no small doubt among those in ancient times At length the controversie was taken up in this manner For as much as this land fostered venemous wormes brought over hither for triall adjudged it was by a common censure and doome to lye unto Britain Howbeit the inhabitants both in language and manners come nighest unto the Irish yet so as they therewith savour somewhat of the qualities of the Norvegians It lieth out in length from North to South much about thirty Italian miles but reacheth in bredth where it is widest scarce above fifteene miles and where it is narrowest eight In Bedes dayes it contained in it three hundred families like as Anglesey 96. but now it numbreth seventeene Parish Churches Flaxe and hempe it beareth abundantly it hath fresh pastures and fields by good manuring plenteous of Barley and Wheat but of Oates especially whence it is that the people there eate most of all Oaten bread Store of cattell every where and mighty flockes of sheepe but both their sheepe and other cattell also bee smaller of body there like as in Ireland neighbouring upon it than in England and nothing so faire headed And considering it hath few or no woods at all they use for fewell a kind of clammy turfe which as they are digging out of the earth they light many times upon trees buried under the ground In the middest it riseth up with hils standing thick the highest whereof is Sceafull from whence a man may see on a cleere and faire day Scotland England and Ireland Their chiefe towne they count Russin situate on the South-side which of a castle wherein lieth a Garison is commonly called Castle-Towne where within a little Iland Pope Gregory the fourteenth instituted an Episcopall See the Bishop whereof named Sodorensis of this very Iland as it is thought had jurisdiction in times past over all the Ilands West Irish Iles or Hebrides but exerciseth it now onely upon that Iland and is himselfe under the Archbishop of Yorke Howbeit he hath no place nor voice in the assembly of the States of England in Court of Parliament Duglasse is the best peopled towne and of greatest resort because the haven is commodious and hath a most easie entrance unto which the Frenchmen and other forrainers use to repaire with their bay-salt having trafficke with the Ilanders and buying of them againe leather course wooll and poudred beefe But on the South side of the I le stand Bala-Curi where the Bishop for the most part is resiant and the Pyle a Block-house standing in a little Iland where also there are souldiers in garison Also before the very South point there lyeth a prety Iland called the Calfe of Man wherein are exceeding great store of sea-foule called Puffins and of those duckes and drakes which breeding of rotten-wood as they say the Englishmen call Bernacles the Scots Clakes and Soland geese That which here followeth I will set downe out of a letter which that learned and reverend father in God John Meryk Bishop of this I le wrote unto me This Iland for cattell for fish yea and for corne rather through mens industry than by any goodnesse of the ground hath not only sufficient for it selfe but also good store to send into other countries Yet happier it was for the government thereof as being defended from neighbour enemies by souldiers prest and ready at the expences of the Earle of Darby upon which he employed the greatest part of his yeerely revenue in this Isle All controversies are decided without writings or any charges by certaine Iudges whom they chuse from among themselves and call Deemsters For the Magistrate taketh up a stone and when he hath given it his mark delivereth it unto the plaintiffe who by vertue thereof citeth his adversary and witnesses If there fall out any doubtfull case of greater importance it is referred to twelve men whom they terme The Keyes of the Iland It hath certain Coroners and those they call Annos who stand in stead of Sheriffes and execute their office The Ecclesiasticall Judge doth cite persons and determine causes within eight dayes they stand to his award or they are clapt up in prison They had as I have heard say as a peculiar language of their own so also their peculiar lawes which are signes of a peculiar seigniory Their Ecclesiasticall lawes next after this Canon Law come neerest unto the Civill Upon any Iudge or Clerks of the Court for making of Processe or drawing Instruments the people never bestow so much as one penny As for that which English Writers report of mischiefes done by witchcraft and sorcery it is meere false They that are of the wealthier sort and hold faire possessions and for their good houskeeping and honest cariage are conformable to imitate the people of Lancaster The women whither soever they go out of their doores gird themselves about as mindfull of their mortality with the winding sheet that they purpose to be buried in Such of them as are by law condemned to die are sewed within a sack flung from a rock into the sea They are all of them in this Isle as far from the customary practice of theeving or begging from doore to doore as may be wonderfull religious and most ready every one to entertain the forme of the English Church The disorders as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall of their neighbour nations they detest and whereas the whole Isle is divided into two parts South and North this in common speech resembleth the Scottish the other the Irish. Haply it were worth my labour if I should here insert a little History of this Iland which truth of due demandeth at my hands that so I may keepe alive and in remembrance still the Acts heretofore atchieved which if they bee not buried yet are waxen old and have as it were one foot in the grave of oblivion That the Britans held this Iland as they did all Britaine it is confessed
Isle Lodhus So obtained Olave the kindgome of the Isles MCCXXXVII On the twelfth Calends of June died Olave the sonne of Godred King of Man in S. Patricks Iland and was buried in the Abbey of Russin He reigned eleven yeeres two by his brothers life and nine after his death Harold his sonne succeeded him being 14. yeeres of age and reigned 12. yeeres In the first yeere of his reigne he made a journey to the Ilands and appointed Loglen his cousin Custos of Man In the Autumne following Harald sent three sonnes of Nell namely Dufgald Thorquill Mormore and his friend Ioseph to Man for to consult about affaires On the 25. day therefore they meet at Tingull and by occasion of a certaine envious quarrell that arose between the sonnes of Nell and Loglen there was a sore fight on both sides wherein were slaine Dufgald Mormore and the foresaid Joseph In the spring ensuing King Harald came to the Isle of Man and Loglen as he fled toward Wales perished by Shipwracke with Godred Olaves sonne his foster child and pupill with 40. others MCCXXXVIII Gospatricke and Gillescrist the sonne of Mac-Kerthac came from the King of Norway into Man who by force kept Harald out of Man and tooke tributes to the Kings behoofe of Norway because he refused to come unto the King of Norwaies Court. MCCXL Gospatric died and is buried in the Abbey of Russin MCCXXXIX Harald went unto the King of Norway who after two yeeres confirmed unto him his heires and successours under his seale all the Ilands which his predecessours had possessed MCCXLII Harald returned out of Norway to Man and being by the inhabitants honourably received had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland Harald like as his father before him was by the King of England dubbed Knight and after he had been rewarded with many gifts returned home The same yeere he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his daughter And in the yeere 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife and Laurence King elect of Man and many other Nobles and Gentlemen he was drowned in a tempest neere unto the coasts of Radland MCCXLIX Reginald the sonne of Olave and brother to Harald began his reigne the day before the Nones of May and on the thirtieth day thereof was slaine by one Yvar a Knight and his company in a medow neere unto the Holy Trinity Church on the South side and lieth buried in the Church of Saint Mary of Russin At that time Alexander King of Scots rigged and brought together many ships meaning to subdue the Iland and in the I le Kerwaray he died of an ague Harald the sonne of Godred Don usurped the name of King in the Ilands all the Nobles of Harald King Olaves sonne hee banished and placed in their stead all the Princes and Peeres that were fled from the said Harald MCCL. Harald the sonne of Godred Don being by missives sent for went unto the King of Norway who kept him in prison because he had unjustly intruded himselfe into the kingdome The same yeere there arrived at Roghalwaght Magnus the son of Olave and John the sonne of Dugald who named himselfe King but the people of Man taking it to the heart that Magnus was not nominated would not suffer them to land there many of them therefore were cast away and perished by shipwracke MCCLII Magnus the sonne of Olave came to Man and was made King The next yeere he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeere MCCLIV Haco King of Norway ordained Magnus Olaves sonne King of the Isles and confirmed the same unto him and his heires and by name unto his brother Harald MCCLVI. Magnus King of Man went into England and was knighted by the King of England MCCLVII The church of S. Maries of Russin was dedicated by Richard of Sodore MCCLX Haco King of Norway came unto the parts of Scotland and without any exploit done turned to the Orkneys where at Kirwas he ended his daies and lyeth enterred at Bergh MCCLXV Magnus Olaves sonne King of Man and of the Ilands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buried in the Church of S. Mary de Russin MCCLXVI The kingdome of the Ilands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots That which followeth was written in another hand and of a later character MCCLXX The seventh day of October a navy set out by Alexander King of Scots arrived at Roghalwath and the next morrow before sun rising a battaile was fought between the people of Man and the Scots in which were slain of the Manksmen 537. whereupon a certaine versifier played thus upon the number L. decies X. ter penta duo cecidere Mannica gens de te damna futura cave L. Ten times told X. thrice with five beside and twaine Ware future harmes I reed of thy folke Man were slaine MCCCXIII Robert King of Scots besieged the Castle of Russin which Dingawy Dowyll held against him but in the end the King won the castle MCCCXVI On the Ascension day Richard le Mandevile and his brethren with other Potentates of Ireland arrived at Ramaldwath requesting to be furnished with victuals and silver for that they had been robbed by the enemies warring upon them continually Now when the commonality of the country had made answer that they would not give them any they advanced forward against those of Man with two troops or squadrons untill they were come as far as to the side of Warthfell hill in a field wherein John Mandevile remained and there in a fought battell the Irish vanquished the Manksmen spoiled the Iland and rifled the Abbey of Russin and after they had continued in the Iland one whole moneth they returned home with their ships fraught with pillage Thus endeth the Chronicle of the K.K. of Man The Processe or course of the Historie following I will now continue summarily out of other Writers WHen Alexander the third King of Scots had gotten into his hands the Westerne Ilands partly by way of conquest and in part for ready money paid unto the King of Norway hee attempted the I le of Man also as one of that number and through the valiant prowesse of Alexander Stewart brought it under his dominion yea and placed there a petty King or Prince with this condition that hee should be ready alwaies at his command to serve with ten ships in his warres at sea Howbeit Mary the daughter of Reginald King of Man who was become the Liege-man of John King of England entred her suit for the Iland before the King of England but answer was made unto her that shee should demand it of the King of Scots for that he then held it in possession And yet her grand-child John Waldebeof for the said Mary married into the house of Waldebeofe sued for his ancient right in Parliament holden in the 33. yeere of King Edward the first before the K. of England as the superiour
207 b Nectaridius 79 Needles 274 e Needhams a family 464 a 598 c Needwood 586 â— Neirford a town and family 480 481 d Neirborough ibid. d Nen the river his head 507 c Nen river 497 a Nen or Aufon river overfloweth the flat Country 513 c Nesse 351. a Promontory 451 d Nesta a welsh Lady and a revengefull woman 628 e Netherby 781 d Netherwent 640 b S. Neoth 378 c S. Neots or Needs 497 c Neotus an holy man 191.497 a Neotstow 191 Nero the Emperour how he stood affected to Britaine 48 Nettlested 463 c Nevern river 654 d Nevills a family their descent 737 c Nevill Lord Faulconberg Earle of Kent 353 c Rich. Nevill Earle of Warwicke slaine 415 d Iohn Nevill Marquesse Montacute 222 c. 403 Rich. Nevill Earle of Warwicke ibid. Rob. Lord Nevill killed in adultery 729 c Nevills an honorable name 769 Nevin a mercate village 668 b Newark upon Trent 549 c Newburg 672 f Newborrough Abbey 723 b Newborroughs or de Novo Burgo 213 a Will. of Newborrough 723 b Newbury 283 d New Castle upon Tine 809 f New Castle upon Tivy in Wales 650 e New Colledge in Oxford 381 e Newenden 351 b Newenham Abbey 207 a Newgate in London 423 c New forrest 259 b Newhall 446 c Newlands 767 a New-leame 495 b Newmerch 364 b Bernard Newmarch a valiant and Politicke Norman 628 e New-market or Newmercate towne 459 d New-market Heath ibid. e. 490 d Newmarch the name of a family 221 c Newnham 401 Newnham Regis 562 d Newnham wells ibid. e Newport Painel 397 c Newport in Monmouthshire 639 d Newport in Penbrockshire 654 Newports a family 605 d Newports Knights 594 f Newsted 547 c Neustria what country 144 Newton in Northamptonshire 509 f Newton in Glamorganshire 643 Newton in Mongomeryshire 661 Nicen Creed established 77 S. Nicolas Isle 200 Nicolas of Tewksbury 202 c Nicolans Fabricius de Petrisco a good Antiquarian 97 Nicolaa de Albeniaco an Inheretrix 364 f Nid or Neath a river 645 f 699 e Nidherdale ibid. e Niding a name of Reproch 333 b Niger usurpeth the Empire in Siria 68. slaine by Septimius Severus ibid. Ninnius a learned professour 378 f Ninius 6 Ninias or Ninianus an holy Britaine 118 Nobilis Caesar what title 104 Nobilissimus the sonne of Constantine an Emperour 85 Nobility in England of two sorts 164 Noels a family 284 c Nonesuch 287 c Normanton Fields for Dormanton fields 511 f Norris 384 a Norris of Ricot 384 a Normans why so called 144 what outrages they committed 144 Normans renouned for Martiall Prowesse 153 Normans Conquest set downe at large 145 c. Normandie given to Rollo 144 Normandy awarded away from the Kings of England 733 d Norrham a towne 816 b North Allertonshire 723 f. the faire there ibid. b North Barons 491 b North Hall 415 d Northamptonshire 505 North Elmham 481 f North Leach 366 b Northwales 659 c Northfolke 471 Northwich 607 f Norfolke men wrangling Lawyers 471 c Norwich a Bishops See 472 a Norwich what it signifieth 473 e Norfolke Earles and Dukes 482 b Norton in Suffolke 464 a Norton Dany 507 a Norwich a City much endangered 475 c North-Riding 717 Northampton 509 a. why so named ibid. Northampton field fought 509 e Northamptonshire ibid. f Northamptonshire Earles 515 e Northumberland 799 Nosthil 690 f Noteley Abbey 396 a Nottinghamshire 547 Nottingham 547 d. why so called ibid. Nottingham Earles 551 b Northumberland Kings Dukes and Earles 819 d Novatians hereticks 84 Nun Eaton 569 a The first English Nun 339 c O OBsidianus Lapis what Cole 735 c Ochiâ—hole 230 d Ock-river 286 c Ockham Octha 128 Odiam 269 e Odingsels 567 c Odo Bishop 333 a Odo Earle of Kent and Bishop of Baieux 352 c Oën a welch rebell 658 b Offa King of the Mercians his devout munificence to the Church 410 f Offa Dike 421 e. 623 Off Church 561 e Offton 463 c Ogle Castle 812 a Ogmor 643 a Ogle Barons ibid. Oilway a riveret 636 c Oisters called Mira 449 f Oister hils by S. Albans 413 d Oister pips in Kent 335 a Okeham 526 a Okenyate 593 Oldbury 269 d Old man of Bullen 345 c Old Castle executed 329 â— Old street or Ouldstreet 540 â— Old Towne 617 c South Okindon 442 d O-Neall great Monarch of Ireland 126 Onions hole 271 b Onions Penniâ—s ibid. e Orbeies a family 607 â— Orcas what point 1 Orchard the Honour of certaine Barons 223 â— Ordalium what triall 211 a Ordulph his tomb 199 e Ordgar ibid. Ore a river 465 d Oreford ibid. Orell a family 748 a Oriall Colledge in Oxford 381 d Originall of Nations and their names 4 Ormesby a towne and family 542 c Ormeskirke 744 a Orthotes 139 Orton or Overton 502 b Orwell a river 463 f Orwell Haven 465 a Orewood 184 Osgodby 543 a Osith a virgin 451 c S. Osiths a towne ibid. b Osney Abbey founded 375 c Ostorius Lievtenant for the Romans 590 a Ostorius his adventures and service in Britaine 42.43 his victorie 44. honoured with Triumphant Ornaments 45 Oswald Bishop of Worcester a maintainer of Monasticall life 576 b Oswald slaine by Penda 597 gloriously entombed 540 f Oswald 690 f. 806 c Oswald his Epitaph 748 c Fables going of him 540 f Oswaldslaw Hundred 578 c Oswestre 597 c Otherhalfe stone 191 Otelands 295 â— Otford 328 e Otley 698 d Ottadini 796 Ottery river 206 c Otterbourne field 803 c Ottery S. Maris ibid. Overburrow 753 d Overwent 640 b Oulney 397 c Oundale for Avondale 510 c Ounsbery Hill 721 d Ousley 565 e Ouse a river in Glocestershire 367 a Ouse river first called Ure and Your 689 Ouse or Ouze river 241 Ouse the greater 471 b Ousbourne a riveret 701 d Owen Iustice of the common Pleas 592 a Owen Glendowerdwy or Glendour a notable Rebell 623 c Owers 274 e Outborow what it is 815 b Oxfordshire 373 Oxford 377 c. made an University 380 f Oxford Earles 389 d Oxney 351 f P PAcatianus Vicegerent or Deputy in Britaine 75 Padstow 193 Palace in Westminster 431 b Palatine what it is 601 b Paganells or Painells 207 b Pagetts of Beaudesert Barons 585 a Palatine Counts 167 Pandon gate 810 b Pant a river or creeke 443 b Pannonians whence they tooke name 26 Pantulphs Barons 594 c Pall what it is 336 d Paul Papinianus the great Lawyer 703 d Palmer 366 a Papp Castle 768 a Parr Earle of Essex 454 f Parr of Kendale 759 e Parr Lord of Horton 509 f Parcus in Varro for a Parke 375 e Parises a family 489 e Parishes first set out in England 160 Parish Churches how many in England 161 Parks in England 375 e Parkers a family 463 e Parkers Lords Morley 473 a Parker Baron Mont-Aegle 754 a Parliament house 431 c Parliament 177 Parrham a little towne 465 e Passham 397 b Paston a townelet and family 478 f Pastwn 21 Patern a Bishop in Wales 668 b Pateshul a towne and familie 507 a Pateshulls
in Suffolke 464 b Stow 196 Stour river in Suffolke 462 a Stour river in Dorsetshire 214 c Stour mere 462 a Stour a river 573 f Stour a river in Kent 335 d called Wantsume and Inlade 339 e Stourbridge faire 489 b Stourminster 215 c Stourton 245 a Stourton Castle 581 c Stourton the Honour of the Barons de Stourton 214 c Stourtons Barons 245 b their Crest 245 b Stradlings or Esterlings a family 641 f Stradling knight 641.643 e Strange a family of knights degree 480 b Strange de Blackmere 365 f 598 f. de Knocking 597 c Strangbow Conquerour of Ireland 397 d Strat Clud 676 d Strangwaies a family 721 b Strangwaies 212 f The Crosse there 397 a Stratford upon Avon 565 a Stony stratford 396 f Strait of Callais 345 e Stratfleur 657 Strath what it signifieth 117 Stratton 196 a Stream workes 184 Strelleys knights and Sturleys the same 550 d Strelley Sturley or Strellegh a towne and family 550 a. b Strensham 578 c Strettons 593 a. d Stretlham 737 a Strighul castle or Strugle 633 Strigulia 633 c Strigulia Earles ibid. Strickland a place and family 762 â— Strongbow first Earle of Penbroch 655 b Strangbow 633 c Stroud a river 362 b Studia the same that Universities 379 c. 381 a Sudbroke 633 f Sudley the Barony of Chandos 365 b Sudbury 462 e Suffolke 459 Suffolke Cheeses 459 b Suffragans to the Archbishop of Canterbury 344 d Suerby 714 b. c Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury 337 b Sully an Iland name of a man 642. f Sueno King of Danes subdueth Ethelbert and England 143 Sunning a Bishops See 286. a Superstition of the Britans Surrey Earles 304 a Suria the goddesse 801 e Sur-teis Gentlemen 737 Susana in Spaine 12 Sussex 306 Sussex Earles 320 e. f Suit in law betweene Edward Nevill and Dame Mary Fane determined in Parliament 636 Sutton Colfeld 567 b Suthwicke See Earle of Devonshire 208 b Suthwell 549 b Sutton Vautort 200 a Sutton Prior ibid. a Suttons a family 581 c Suttons Gentlemen of worth in Notinghamshire 549. e Sutton in Darbyshire 556 b Swaffham 481 f Swallow hole 297 a Swale river 729 e Swaldale ibid. f Swale the river used for Baptisme 136 Swanscomb 329 a Suene Tiugs Kege a Danish Tyrant 543 e Swerds delfe 501 a English Swet whereof it came 24.596 Suetonius Paulinus Propretor in Britain 49. His oration and battell with Queene Boadicia 51 Swidelme King of the East Angles 465 c Swines pennies 550 Swift river 517 d Swinborne a place and family 806 b Swinsey or Sinsey 646 b Synodes 181 Syriack tongue mother of all languages 204 b T TAbbes for S. Ebbes 743 b Tadcaster 699 a Taff. a river 650 c. 642 c Taisborrough 473 b Talbois Barons 535 e Talbots Earles of Shrewsbury 598 f Talbot Vicount Lisle slaine by the Lord Barkley 364 c Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury a worthy warriour his Epitaph 598 d. his stile and honours 599 c Talbot skilfull in Antiquities 182 Talcharn Castle 650 c Talmachs a family 463 e Tame river 383 e Tame towne ibid. Tame and Isis meet 384 e Their marriage poetically described 384 f Tamis or Thames the river 241 281 Tamis why so called 384 e Tamis how farre he ebbeth and floweth 298 d Tamis mouths 333 f Tamis mouth 441 d Tamar river 196 b. 197 a Tamerton 196 b Tame a river 581 f Tamworth 582 a Tanet a river in Wales 662 e Tanet or Tenet Isle 335 d Tanet Isle why called Thanatos 339 f Tanet inhabitants industrous 340 d Tanfeld 729 d Tania what it signifieth 27 Taran 17 Taranis ibid. Tarian 18 Tascia what it signifieth 97 Task what it is 409 c Tatershall a Barony 541 d Tathai a British Saint 633 Tatsalls a family 472 c Tavistoke Abbey 199 e Taw river 208 b Tawstock ibid. Tawton ibid. Taxea 20 Taximagulus 37 Teave river 199 e Tees or Teis a river head 736 â— Tees mouth or Teis mouth 721 b Teg what colour 26 Teg-Engle 680 c Teigne river 203 a Tein a brook 587 d Teis or Tees river 718 c Telean 642 d Telen 21 Temesford 401 b Temd a river 589 e The Temple at Bristow 238 a Temple 396 e Temple Bruer a Commandery 535 f Templars 427 d Tenby 651 b Tenham 334 d Terminations of places names 20 Terne a river 593 b Terringham a towne and family 397 c Test a river 260 e Tetnal or Theotenhal 581 e Tetrachie erected by Aelfred in his Monarchie 160 Teverton or Swifordton 203 a Teutates 17 Tew 20 Tewksbury 359 c Thanes 168 Thaxted 444 e Thessey a river 565 Thellesford ibid. Thelwall 610 c. why so called ib. Theobalds a stately house 408 d Theocus an Eremite 359 c Theodosius an expert warriour sent into Britaine 79. his exploits there 80. he recovereth the Roman province there 80 honoured for his service 81 Theodosius his sonne Emperour 81. he triumpheth over Maximus the usurper 83 Theon the last British Bishop of London 425 b Theophilus Antrochenus 9 Thet a brooke 471 d Thetford 471 d. a Bishops See ibid. f Thin studious of Antiquities 160 Thins a family 245 a Thireos 18 Thirlwal Castle 799 f Thirlwal a familie first called Wades 800 Thirlwall why so called ibid. Thirty tyrants or usurpers at once 71 Thirstleworth 420 e Thonderdach 17 Thone river 223 b Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester smoothred at Calais 369 d Thoneton or Taunton 223 Thongcaster 542 d Thor a god how pourtraied 135 Thoresby 774 c Thornaugh 514 â— Thornbury 363 f Thorndon 442 e Thorney Abbey 494 d Thornhils 693 d Thornton 396 e Thornton in Lincolnshire 542 f Thorps a family 472 d Thorpston alias Thrapston 510 Thredling See Deben Thresk castle 724 c Throcknortons a family 565 e Throgoy a river 634 c Thurgarton 549 a Thurkil 326 e Thurland Tunstalls 753 e Thwengs a family 721 e Thwengs 196 a Thyrn a river 478 b Tibba a shee Saint and patronesse of Falcony 526 d Tiberius Caesar medled not with Britain 4 Tibetofts or Tiptofts Earles of Worcester 549 c Tibury or Titusbury hil 262 a Tichburne 262 f Tickhil 690 Ticks hal 584 e Tideswell 558 c Tikenhal by Beaudly 573 f Till a river 815 b Tilbury 440 d Tilliots a family 782 Tilney a towne 481 b Tilneys a family 472 d Tilneys Knights 481 b Tilneys smeth ibid. Tiltey Abbey 444. e Timbod castle 624 a Times of the world 334 Timothie an heriticke in Britan 87 Tin in Cornwall 184 Tin of two sorts 185 Tinworkers common wealth 185 Tindagel 194 Tindale 802 a Tine 799 e Tine 802 a Tinmouth 811 Tio vel Finga-Cester 549 b Tippall a river 800 b Tirells a family 396 e Tithings or Decimes ordained 158 Titus his warlike service in Britaine 42 Titus the worlds joy dieth 56 Tivie the river 949 b. where he springeth 657 c Todenay or Tony 536 b Todenay or Tony 414 b Todington 365 c Tong castle 594 a Tonsure or shaving the Crowne 118 Topcliff 731 a Torbay 202 d Torcester 505
The Saxons conquest Gildas The Saxons Manners Lib. 9 cap. 2. Originum The Saxons shores or coasts Comites littoris Saxonici * Sperabat for timebat * Baieux Saxones Baiocassini Lib. 8. Epist. ad Namantium * Ciuli * By hanging them indifferently one with another Lib. 2. Epist. 4â— An horse the badge or cognisance of the Saxons These cerimonies Adam Bremensis ascribeth to the Saxons which Tacitus attributeth to the Suevians The Saxons Gods Wednesday Friday Tuesday * De temporibus Eoster a goddesse Herthus a goddesse Earth Thursday hath name from this Thor. * Ingenti Priapo A Monarchie alwaies in the Englishmens Heptarchie Lib. 2. cap. 5. â—96 * Augustine the Englishmens Apostle Englishmen converted to the faith Lib. 2. cap. 1. * Englishmen * Hol-Deirâ—â—esse * Christ. The River Swale in York-shire Beda reporteth all this of Paulinus Archbishop of York and not of Augustine The Religion of the Englishmen The learning of Englishmen Britaine twice Schoole-mistris of France The flitting backe againe of Anglo-Saxons into Germanie England About the yeare 800. Theod. that is a Nation Epist. to Zacharie the Pope Porphyrius de Theolog. Phâ— Ael â—al c. Vlf. Ard Athel and Ethel Bert. Bald. Ken and Kin. Cuth Ead. Fred. Gisle Hold. Helm Hare and Here. Hild. Wiga Leod. Leof Mund. Rad Red and Rod. Ric. Sig. Stan. Wi. Willi. Wold The name of Britaine brought into use againe Da-hen Winccinga * Dâ—â— The Religion of the Danes Hereupon peradventure we have our Thursday so called * Burnt offering Lib. 1. * Theophania The waste and spoile that the Danes made Dangelt * Or demame * Otherwise called Alured 1012. Cut in his coines The Danes afflicted England 200. yeares and reigne about 20. * Hardy-Knout Edward the Confessor * Of Canterbury Nordmanni Nord-lâ—udi Helâ—â—ldus The booke of Sangall concerning the Acts of Charles the Great * Calvus * Crassus * Normandy Neustria * Rou. * The Foole. Bigod * Baptisme * Longa spata Dukes of Normandie * Domuâ— regia Major * Or Tostre Normans 10â—6 The Charter of William Conquerour The Historie of Saint Stephens Abbey at Cane in Normandie The Normans conquest * Hungarie A Comet Malcolm * Mil. Calumbus Filius Osberni * Andium * Pictonum * Cenomannorum * Bononiae * When daies and nights be of a length about the eleventh day of September * Durus Stanford bridge neere Yorke * 14. Octob. * Or heavie Axes Botescaâ—les The seale of William Conqueror * Normandy Domesday-booke * A Jurie of twelve * As touching the fact The warlike prowesse of the Normans Th. Fazel in the sixth book of the latter Decad. Chalcondilas In Pembroke shire Of consolation to Albina Nicephorus How countries are divided * Cap. 6. Britan Great and Small Britaine the Higher and the Lower Tripartite Britaine Dist. 80. cap. 1. * Chester Britaine in five parts Lib. 28. The Saxons Heptarchie or seven Kingdomes England divided into Shires or Counties * An Hide as some thinke is so much land as one plough can eare in one yeare as others thinke 4. yard-lands Aelfred he is named in pieces of Coine also Alured in our English Chronicles Hundreds Wapentaks Tithings and Lathes Leth. Shires The division of England according to the Lawes The manuscript booke of S. Edmund * Dâ—omesday booke Wales divided into Shires * or London 897. Math. Westmonast He flourished in the yeare 1070. * Mercia Sheriffe of the Shire Twelve men Justices of peace Justices of Assises England divided into Parishes Bishops Monasteries or Abbaies An hundred Priories of Monks Aliens King Henrie the Fift had dissolved before The King Bracton lib. 1. cap. 8. Seneca The Prince * Nobilis Caesar. * Caesar Nobilissimus * Dux Cornubiae natus * Lords A Duke * Dukes * Earles Sigonius Regni Italici lib. 5. Afterward a golden rod or verger was used Marquestes * An. 4. Henriâ— 4. In paratitlis ad Codicem P. Pithaeus in Memorab Campaniae * An authenticall record of the Exchequer * or Maundevil Cincture of the sword * Penbrochiae in another place Count Palatine Pithaus Vicounts Barons In Parergis See Goldastus pag. 14. Lords About the yeere 580. Nâ—riots or Relevies Haply Mancusae that is 30. deniers Many Thanes in England in the Conquerours time Court-Barons Math. Paris pag. 1262. Baronage of England Bishops Barons Abbats Barons of the Parliament Matth. Paris Vavasors Signius Nobles of an inferiour ranke Knights Wherefore Knights be called in Latin Milites Solidarij Banerets * Fars 2. Pat. 15.8.3 m. 22. and 23. * Hominum ad vexillum * Hominum ad arma Knights of the Bathe Knights De moribus Germanorum Lib. 1. cap. 22. Epist. 94. * Beene dubbed Knight * Others say 100. * Complements * Ennoblishment * Nobilitationis * King or Queene * Priests In dorso Pat. 51. H. 3. Esquires * Esses Gentlemen Citizens Yeomen Parliament The Kings Court. Kings Bench. Common Pleas. Exchequer Iustices Itinerant Star-Chambe Court of 〈◊〉 Admirals Court Chancerie * Socratum that is the place of Judgement Epist. 6. lib. 11. Robert Fitz. Stephen who lived under Henry the Second Court of Requests Ecclesiasticall Courts See the Antiquitie of the British Church Court of the Arches Court of Audience Court of Faculties Vnder what Signe in heaven Britaine lieth The order or Method of the worke ensuing * Welch * Welchmen Ostidamnej Cossini Corn and Kern * Perâ—copsca or Procopia * Bretaigne or Little Britaine Strabo Orewood Tinne Lib. 6. cap. 8. 9. * â—o The Common wealth of Tinners L. Warden of the Stannary Cornish Diamonds Pilchards * Which peradventure be Gerres in Plinie Hurling Havillan in Architrenio Westerne people most strong and hardie * Tamer Those of the Tercieres â— Bellerium or Antivestaeum Steort what iâ— signifieth * Castellidi Lipantâ—n * Mardi Mecha or the Red-sea * Mardi Mecha or the Red-sea S. Burien * Silly or Sorlings A Trophee Barons of Ticis * Marine Amber that is Ambrose stone S. Michaels mount Michelstow Laurence Noel Weapons of Brasse * Pyrrhecorax Cornish chough * A narrow passage betweene two creeks or armes of the Sea Mounts-bay Goldphin Hill The familie of the Godolphins Loo poole Menna Meneg Ocâ—â—num The Liskard Voluba Falemouth * Brindiâ— * Leland Pendinas Cenionis ostium Perin Glasnith Arwenak Carminow Rossiâ— Lansladron In the time of Edward the First Foy The Mohuns Vzella Britans have not the letter â— Vxellodunum in France How the havens in Cornwall come to be stopped up Leskerd Bodman The booke of Winchester Abbey S. Neots Doomesday * Doniert Prayer for the soule c. Wring-cheese Hurlers The river Loo S. Germans Trematon * De vallet Edge-Comâ— Anthony S. Iies * In Aquilâ—â—nâ—m or North. S. Columbs Lhanheton Lib. 3. Philâ—peinos of Wâ—â—liam Britâ—â— who lived anno 117 * Swallow Castle Denis Padstow Tindagel The place of Arthurs Nativitie Architrenius Banners Tufa a Banner