and to receive the Fees and Allowances due and accustomed as lately at the Coronation of King Charles the Second the Duke of Ormond was made for that occafion Lord High Steward of England and marching immediately before the King bore in his hands St. Edwards Crown Or else for the Arraignment of some Peer of the Realm their Wives or Widdows for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime to judge and give Sentence as the antient High Stewards were wont to do which ended his Commission expireth During such Tryal he sitteth under a Cloth of Estate and they that speak to him say May it please your Grace my Lord High Steward of England His Commission is to proceed Secundum Legem consuetudinem Angliae He is sole Judge yet doth call all the Twelve Judges of the Land to assist him Is not sworn nor the Lords who are the Tryers of the Peer arraigned During his Stewardship he bears a White Staffe in his Hand and the Tryal being over openly breaks it and so his Office takes an end Of the Kings Court. THe Court of the King of England is a Monarchy within a Monarchy consisting of Ecclesiastical Civil and Military Persons and Government For the Ecclesiastical Government of the Kings Court there is first a Dean of the Kings Chappel who is usually some grave Learned Prelate chosen by the King and who as Dean acknowledgeth no Superiour but the King for as the Kings Palace is exempt from all inferiour Temporal Jurisdiction so is his Chappel from all Spiritual it is called Capella Domenica the Demean Chappel is not within the Jurisdiction or Diocess of any Bishop but as a Regal Peculiar exempt and reserved to the Visitation and Immediate Government of the King who is Supreme Ordinary and as it were Prime Bishop over all the Churches and Bishops of England By the Dean are chosen all other Officers of the Chappel viz. a Subdean or Praecentor Capellae 32 Gentlemen of the Chappel whereof 12 are Priests and one of them is Confessor to the Kings Houshold whose Office is to read Prayers every Morning to the Family to visit the Sick to examine and prepare Communicants to inform such as desire advice in any Case of Conscience or Point of Religion c. The other 20 Gentlemen commonly called Clerks of the Chappel are with the aforesaid Priests to perform in the Chappel the Office of Divine Service in Praying Singing c. One of these being well skilled in Musick is chosen Master of the Children whereof there are 12 in Ordinary to instruct them in the Rules and Art of Musick for the Service of the Chappel Three other of the said Clerks are chosen to be Organists to whom are joyned upon Sundayes Collar dayes and other Holy-dayes the Saickbuts and Cornets belonging to the Kings Private Musick to make the Chappel Musick more full and compleat There are moreover 4 Officers called Vergers from the Silver Rods carried in their hands also a Sergeant 2 Yeomen and a Groom of the Chappel In the Kings Chappel thrice every day Prayers are read and Gods Service and Worship performed with great Decency Order and Devotion and should be a Pattern to all other Churches and Chappels of England Twelve dayes in the year being high and principal Festivals His Majesty after Divine Service attended with his principal Nobility adorned with their Collars of Esses in a grave solemn manner at the Altar offers a sum of Gold to God in signum specialis dominii that by his Grace he is King and holdeth all of him All Offerings made at the Holy Altar by the King and the Queen did antiently belong to the disposal of the Archbishop of Canterbury if his Grace were present wheresoever the Court was but now to the Dean of the Chappel Those 12 dayes are first Christmass Easter Whitsunday and All Saints called Houshold-dayes upon which the Besant or Gold to be offered is delivered to the King by the Lord Steward or some other of the Principal Officers then New-years-day and Twelf-day upon the later of which Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe in several Purses are offered by the King Lastly Candlemas Anuntiation Ascention Trinity Sunday St. John Baptist and Michaelmass day when only Gold is offered Upon Christmass Easter and Whitsunday His Majesty usually receives the Holy Sacrament none but two or three of the Principal Bishops communicating with Him The King hath also besides many Extraordinary 48 Chaplains in Ordinary who are usually eminent Doctors in Divinity whereof 4 every Moneth wait at Court to preach in the Chappel on Sundayes and other Festivals before the King and in the Morning early on Sundayes before the Houshold to read Divine Service before the King out of Chappel daily twice in the Kings Private Oratory to give Thanks at Table in the Clerk of the Closets absence In time of Lent according to antient laudable Custom the Divine Service and Preaching is performed in a more solemn manner Antiently at Court there were Sermons in Lent only and that in the Afternoon in the Open Court and then only by Bishops Deans and principal Prebends Our Ancestors judging that time enough and those persons only fit to teach such an Auditory their duty to God and Man Antiently also the Lent Preachers were all appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Now on the first Wednesday called Ashwednesday in the Morning begins the Dean of the Chappel to preach and on each Wednesday after one of his Majesties more eloquent Chaplains and every Friday the Dean of some Cathedral or Collegiat Church and on the last Friday called Good Friday is alwayes to preach the Dean of Westminster and on every Sunday in Lent some Right Reverend Bishop preacheth and on the last Sunday of Lent called Palm-Sunday is to preach an Archbishop and upon Easter day the Lord High Almoner who is usually some principal Bishop that disposeth of the Kings Almes and for that use receiveth besides other moneys allowed by the King all Deodands Bona Felonum de se to be that way disposed In France the Grand Aumosnier is principal of all the Ecclesiastiques of the Court and all Officers of the Kings Chappel he receiveth their Oaths of Allegeance and himself swears only to the King for that Office he hath the disposition of all Hospitals the Charge for delivering Prisoners pardoned by the King at his coming to the Crown or at his Coronation or first entrance into any of his Cities Under the Lord High Almoner there is a Subalmoner two Yeomen and two Grooms of the Almonry Besides all these the King hath a Clerk of the Closet or Confessor to His Majesty who is commonly some reverend discreet Divine extraordinarily esteemed by His Majesty whose Office is to attend at the Kings right hand during Divine Service to resolve all doubts concerning spiritual matters c. The present Dean of the Chappel is Doctor Herbert Crofts Bishop of Hereford whose Fee is 200 l. yearly and a Table
the Impositions were heaâ—ier for by reason of the great abundance of Flesh and Fish Corn Leather Wooll c. which the Soil of its own bounty with little labour doth produce The Yeomanry at their ease and almost forgetting labour grow rich and thereby so proud insolent and careless that they neither give that humble respect and awful reverence which in other Kingdomes is usually given to Nobility Gentry and Clergy nor are they so industrious or so skillful in Manufactures as some of our Neighbour Nations so that in England it is no Paradox to affirm that as too much indigency in the inferiour sort of people doth depress the spirits and dulâ— the minds of them so too plentiful and wanton a fortune causeth in them a lazyness and less industry that state commonly enjoying most peace and order and happiness where either the moderate barrenness of the Countrey or want of ground or multitude of Imposts as in Holland do necessitate the common people to be industrious in their Callings and so to mind their own as not to disturb the State and Church Affairs Moreover of the English especially it hath been observed that then it is happiest with them when they are somewhat pressed and in a complaining condition according to that old Riming Verse Anglica gens est optima flens pessima gaudens The English Nation anciently were and at this day are very apt to hearken to Prophesies and to create Prodigies and then interpret them according to their own extravagant conceits to invent and then maintain any the most prodigious Opinions and Tenents in Philosopy of Divinity some of the inferiour sort of late holding abominable opinions unworthy even of men and such as in no Age were ever broacht before The English National Vices were antiently Gluttony and the effects thereof Lasciviousness when they made four Meals in a day and most excessive Feasting with great plenty of French Wine when Women of professed Incontinency were permitted to proffer their Bodies to all Comers in certain places called Stews or Stoves or Bathing places because men were wont to bath themselves there as still in other Countries before they addrest themselves to venereous acts Moreover Pride in Apparel wherein they were anciently so extravagant and foolish that divers Statutes and Homilies have been made against that Excess and an English Man was wont to be pictured naked with a pair of Taylors Sheers in his hand and a piece of Cloth under his arme with Verses annext intimating that he knew not what fashion of Clothes to have Excess of drinking was anciently more rare in England as appears by an old Poet Ecce Britannorum mos est laudabilis iste Vt bibat arbitrio pocula quisque suo The Danes in the time of King Edgar first brought it in but it was afterward banisht â—ence so that we find no ancient Statute against it for though the Statutes heretofore â—â—ade against Excess in Apparel and Dyet are ancient yet those against Drunkenness are but of late date As the English returning from the Wars in the Holy Land brought home the foul disease of Leprosie now almost extinct here though not yet in our neighbouring Countries so in our Fathers dayes the English returning from the Service in the Netherlands brought with them the foul Vice of Drunkenness as besides other Testimonies the Term of Carous from Gar ausz All out learnt of the High-Dutch there in the same Service so Quaffe c. This Vice of late was more though at present too much insomuch that some persons and those of quality may not safety be visited in an Afternoon without running the hazard of Excessive drinking of Healths whereby in a short time twice as much liquor is consumed as by the Dutch who sip and prate and in some places it is esteemed a piece of wit to make a man drunk for which purpose some swilling insipid Trencher Buffoon is alwayes at hand However it may be truly affirmed that at present there is generally less Excess in Drinking especially about London since the use of Coffee less excess in Dyet but principally in Apparel than heretofore insomuch that the poor Tradesman is much pincht thereby for as it is expedient for the benefit of the whole Commonwealth that divers unnecessary and superfluous Commodities should be allowed as ' Tobacco Coffee Spices Sugars Raisins Silks c. so some less hurtful excesses as in Apparel Dyet Building Coaches Lackeys c. must either be connived at or much of all the money of the Nation must lie dead and unemploied as it now doth in the private sullen niggardly Non-Conformists hands and Tradesmen must either starve or be sustained by Almes The Sin of Buggery brought into England by the Lombards as appears not only by the word Bugeria but also by Rot. Parl. 50. Edw. 3. N. 58. is now rarely practised amongst English although sometimes discovered amongst Aliens in England and then punisht by Death without any remission Impoysonments so ordinary 〈◊〉 Italy is so abominable amongst English as 21 H. 8. 〈◊〉 was made High Treason â—hough since repealed after which the punishment for it was 〈◊〉 be put alive in a Caldron of Water and there boiled to â—eath Stabbing in England is much â—â—ore seldome than in Italy â—â—e English being easie to be reâ—onciled to pardon and remit â—ffences not apt to seek reâ—enge the true well-bred Enâ—lish have more of inclination 〈◊〉 goodness which the Greeks â—alled Philanthropia than other Nations the Nobility and well-â—red Gentry delighting to be â—racious and courteous to Strangers compassionate to the afflicted and grateful to Benefactors when their Purse or Estaâ— not diverted by other extravagant expences will give theâ— leave to remember them The English according to the Climat are of a middle tempâ—â— The Northern Saturnine aâ— the Southern Mercurial tempâ—â— meeting in their Constitution render them ingenious and active yet solid and perseveâ—ring which nourisht under sutable liberty inspires a courage generous and lasting Their Ingenuity will not allow them to be excellent 〈◊〉 the Cheat but subject in thaâ— point rather to take thaâ— give and supposing others 〈◊〉 open-hearted as themselves are many times in Trespass overmatcht by them whom they overmatch in Arms and â—â—ue Valour The English since the Reformation so much given to Literature that all sorts are generally the most knowing people 〈◊〉 the world They have been 〈◊〉 much addicted to writing and â—specially in their own language and with so much licence or connivence that according to the observation of a â—earned Man there have â—een since the Reformation more good and more bad Books printed and published in the English Tongue than in all the Vulgar Languages of Europe For solidity of matter for â—legancy of style in their Sermons Comedies Romances as also in their Books of Philosophy Physick History and all other solid Learning no Nation hath surpassed the English and few equalled them The English especially the Gentry are so
France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith The King only is Dei Gratiâ simply i.e. from the favour of none but God and the Archbishops and Bishops that pretend to that Title must understand Dei gratiâ Regis or Dei gratiâ voluntate Regis Defender of the Faith was antiently used by the Kings of England as appears by several Charters granted to the University of Oxford but in the year 1521 more affixt by a Bull from Pope Leo the Tenth for a Book written by Henry the Eighth against Luthers in defence of some points of the Romish Religion but since continued for defence of the Antient Catholck and Apostolick Faith Primogenitus Ecclesiae belongs to the Kings of England because their Predecessor Lucius was the first King that embraced Christianity Christianissimus was by the Lateran Council under Pope Julius the 2d conferred on the Kings of England in the 5th year of Henry 8 though now used only by the French King The Title of Grace was first given to the King about the time of H. 4. to H. 6. Excellent Grace to Ed. 4. High and Mighty Prince to Hen. 8. first Highness then Majesty and now Sacred Majesty after the Custom of the Eastern Emperours that used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of England in his Publick Instruments and Letters stiles himself Nos We in the plural number before King John's time the Kings used the singular number which Custom is still seen in the end of Writs Teste meipso apuâ— Westm In speaking to the King is used often besides Your Majesty Syr from Cyr in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Abbreviation o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus much used to the Greek Emperours but Syr or Domine iâ— now in England become the ordinary word to all of better rank even from the King to the Gentleman It was antiently in England given to Lords afterwards to Knights and to Clergymen prefixt before their Christian Names â—ow in that manner only to Baâ—onets and Knights of the Bath and Knights Batchelours yet in France Syr or Syre is reserved only for their King About the time that our Saviour lived on Earth there was a Jewish Sect whose Ring-â—eader was one Judas of Gaile mentioned Acts 5. 37. that would not give this Title of Sir or Dominus to any man affirming that it was proper only to God and stood not unlike our new Fanaticks called Quakers so perversely for such Nominal Liberty being â—n other points meer Pharisees that no penalties could force them to give this honorary Title to any man no not to the Emperour uti videre 〈◊〉 apud Josephum alios Sed hâ—â— obiter The Saxon Kings before the Conquest bare Azure a Crossâ— Formy between four Martlet Or. Afterward the Danish King raigning in England bare oâ— Semi de Harts Gules 3 Lyon Passant Gardant Azure After the Conquest the Kings of England bare two Leopards born first by the Conquerour as Duke of Normandy till the time of Hen. 2 who in right of his Mother annext her Paternal Coat the Lyon of Aquitaine which being of the same Field Mettal and Form with the Leopards â—â—om thence-forward they were â—intly marshalled in one Shield and Blazoned 3 Lyons as at â—resent King Edward the Third in â—â—ght of his Mother claiming â—he Crown of France with the Arms of England quartered the Arms of France which then were Azure Semy Flower â—eluces Or afterwards changed to 3 Flower deluces whereupon Hen. 5. of England caused the English Arms to be changed likewise King James upon the Union of England and Scotland caused the Arms of France and England to be quartered with Scotland and Ireland and are thus blazoned The King of England beareth for his Soveraign Ensigns Armorial as followeth In the first place Azure 3 Flower deluces Or for the Regal Arms of France quartered with the Imperial Ensigns of England which are Gules threâ— Lyons Passant Gardant in Palâ— Or. In the second place with in a double Tressure counter-flowered de lys Or a Lyon Rampant Gules for the Royal Arms of Scotland In the third place Azure an Irish Harp Or Stringed Argent for the Royal Ensigns of Ireland In the fourth place as in the first All within the Garter the chief Ensign of that most Honourable Order above the same an Helmet answerable to His Majesties Soveraign Jurisdiction upon the same a rich Mantle of Cloth of Gold doubled Ermine adorned with an Imperial Crown and surmounted for a Crest by a Lyon Passant Gardant Crowned with the like supported by 〈◊〉 Lyon Rampant Gardant Or Crowned as the former and an unicorn Argent Gorged with a Crown thereto a Chain affixt passing between his foreâ—egs and reflext over his back Or both standing upon a Compartment placed underneath and in the Table of the Compartment His Majesties Royal Motto Dieu mon Droit The Supporters used before the Union of England and Scotland were the Dragon and Lyon The Arms of France placed first for that France is the greater Kingdom and because from the first bearing those Flowers have been alwayes Ensigns of a Kingdom whereas the Arms of England were originally of Dukedoms as beforesaid The Motto upon the Garter Honi soit qui mal y pense that is Shame be to him that evil thereof thinketh was first given by Edward 3 the Founder of that Order upon occasion as some have written of a Garter falling from the Countess of Kent and Salisbury as she danced and taken up by that King whereat the Queen being jealous or the Courtiers observing it the King first uttered those words now upon the Garter whereof the Order was soon after instituted The Motto Dieu mon Droit that is God and my Right was first given by Richard the First to intimate that the King of England holdeth his Empire not in Vassallage of any mortal man but of God only and after taken up by Edward 3. when he first claimed the Kingdom of France King William the Conquerour getting by right of Conquest all the Lands of England except Lands belonging to the Church to Monastenies and Religious Houses into his own hands in Demesne as Lawyers speak soon bestowed amongst his Subjects aâ— great part thereof reserving some retribution of Rents and Services or both to him and his Heirs Kings of England which reservation is now as it was before the Conquest called the Tenure of Lands the rest he reserved to himself in Demesne called Coronae Regis Dominica Domaines and Sacra Patrimonia Praedium Domini Regis Directum Dominum cujus nullus est Author nisi Deus all other Lands in England being held now of some Superiour and depend mediately or immediately on the Crown but the Lands possest by the Crown being held of none can escheat to none being sacred cannot become prophane are or should be permanent and inalienable Which Royal Domaines are by Time the Gift and Bounty of
his Subdean is Doctor Jones whose Fee is 100 l. yearly The Fee of each Priest and Clerk of the Chappel is 70 l. yearly The Clerk of the Closet is Doctor Blandford Bishop of Oxford hath no Fee The Lord High Almoner is Doctor Henchman Bishop of London hath no Fee his Sub-Almoner is Doctor Perinchef whose Fee is 6 l. 6 s. 10 d. Of the Civil Government of His Majesties Houshold FOr the Civil Government of the Kings Court the Chief Officer is the Lord Steward quasi Stede ward Locum tenens called also in the time of Henry 8. the Great Master of the Kings Houshold after the French Mode but Primo Mariae and ever since called the Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold He hath Authority over all Officers and Servants of the Kings House except those of His Majesties Chappel Chamber and Stable c. He judgeth of all disorders committed in the Court or within the Verge which is every way within 12 miles of the chief Tunnel of the Court only London by Charter is exempted for the Law having an high esteem of the dignity of the Kings settled Mansion House laid out such a Plot of ground about his House as a half-pace or Foot-Carpet spread about the Kings Chair of Estate that ought to be more cleared and void than other places to be subject to a special exempted jurisdiction depending on the Kings Person and Great Officers that so where the King comes there should come with him Peace and Order and an Awfulness and Reverence in mens hearts besides it would have been a kind of eclipsing of the Kings Honour that where the King was any Justice should be sought but immediately from the Kings own Officers and therefore from very antient times the Jurisdiction of the Verge hath been executed by the Lord Steward with great Ceremony in the nature of a peculiar Kings Bench and that not only within but without the Kings Dominions for so it is recorded that one Engleam of Nogent in France for stealing Silver dishes out of the House of Edward 1. King of England then at Paris after the matter had been debated in the Council of the King of France touching the Jurisdiction and ordered that the King of England should enjoy this Kingly Prerogative of his Houshold was condemned by Sir Robert Fitz-John then Steward to the King of England and hanged in St. Germans Fields The Lord Steward is a White Staffe Officer for he in the Kings Presence carrieth a White Staffe and at other times going abroad it is carried by a Foot-man bare-headed At the death of the King over the Hearse made for the Kings Body he breaketh this Staffe and thereby dischargeth all the Officers whom the succeeding King out of his meer grace doth re-establish each one in his former Office This eminent Emploiment is now enjoyed by James Duke of Ormond Lord Lieftenant of Ireland whose Fee is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes daily each Meal with Wine Beer c. The next Officer is the Lord Chamberlain who hath the over-sight of all Officers belonging to the Kings Chamber except the Precincts of the Kings Bed-Chamber which is wholy under the Groom of the Stool and all above Stairs who are all sworn by him or his Warrant to the Gentlemen Ushers to the King He hath also the over-sight of the Officers of the Wardrobes at all his Majesties Houses and of the removing Wardr or of Beds of the Tents Revels Musick Comedians Hunting and of the Messengers of the Trumpetters Drummers of all Handy-Crafts and Artisans retained in the Kings Service Moreover he hath the over-sight of the Heraulds and Pursivants and Sergeants at Arms of all Physitians Apothecaries Surgeons Barbers c. To him also belongeth the over-sight of the Chaplains though himself be a Lay-man contrary in this particular to the Antient Custom of England and Modern Custom of all other Kingdoms where Ecclesiastiques are never under the ordering of Lay-men The Fee of the Lord Chamberlain of the Kings House is 100 l. yearly and 16 Dishes each Meal with all the Appurtenances This Office is now in the hands of Edward Montague Lord Montague and Earl of Manchester Most of the above-named Offices and Places are in the Gift and Disposal of the Lord Chamberlain The Third Great Officer of the Kings Court is the Master of the Horse antiently called Comes Stabuli or Constable to whom a higheâ— Employment and Power was then given and this taken from him This great Officer hath now the ordering and disposal of all the Kings Stables and Races of Horses and had heretofore of all the Posts of England He hath also the power over Escuiries and Pages over the Footmen Grooms Riders of the Great Horses Farriers Smiths Coach-men Sadlers and all other Trades working to the Kings Stables to all whom he or by his Warrant the Avener giveth an Oath to be true and faithful He hath the Charge of all Lands and Revenues appointed for the Kings breed of Horses and for Charges of the Stable and for Litters Coaches Sumpter Horses c. Also for the Charges of Coronations Marriages Entries Cavalcades Funerals c. He only hath the Priviledge to make use of any Horses Pages Foot-men belonging to the Kings Stable At any Solemn Cavalcade he rides next behind the King and leads a Lear Horse of State This great honour is now enjoyed by George Monk Duke of Albemarle in consideration of his unparalleld Services to the King to his Crown and Dignity at a juncture of time when his Affairs and Friends were in a very desperate condition His yearly Fee is 666 l. 16 s. 4 d. Under these Three Principal Officers of His Majesties Houshold are almost all the other Officers and Servants First under the Lord Steward in the Compting-House is the Treasurer of the Houshold Comptroller Cofferer Master of the Houshold Two Clerks of the Green-Cloth Two Clerks Comptrollers One Sergeant Two Yeomen The Cofferers Clerk The Groom Two Messengers It is called the Compting-House because the Accompts for all Expences of the Kings Houshold are there taken daily by the Lord Steward the Treasurer the Comptroller the Cofferer the Master of the Houshold the two Clerks of the Green Cloth and the two Clerks Comptrollers who also there make Provisions for the Houshold according to the Law of the Land and make Payments and Orders for the well governing of the Servants of the Houshold In the Compting-House is the green-Green-Cloth which is a Court of Justice continually sitting in the Kings House composed of the Persons last mentioned whereof the three first are usually of the Kings Privy Council To this Court being the first and most ancient Court of England is committed the charge and oversight of the Kings Court Royal for matters of Justice and Government with Authority for maintaining the Peace within 12 miles distance wheresoever the Court shall be and within the Kings House the power of correcting all the Servants therein that
Second State or Nobility of England p. 405. to p. 457. and therein of their Degrees Priviledges Precedence State Revenues c. p. 417. A Catalogue of all the Peers of England according to their Precedence p. 439. Of the Third State or Commons of England p. 457. Of Knights Esquires Gentlemen Yeomen Citizens Handycrafts c. p. 472. Of the Liberties and Properties of the English Subjects p. 493. Of the Women in England p. 497. Of the Children p. 509. Of the Servants p. 513. OF ENGLAND ENgland the better part of the best Iland in the whole World antiently with Scotland called Britain and sometimes Albion was about 800 years after the Incarnation of Christ by special Edict of King Egbert descended from the Angles a people of the Lower Saxony named Angle or Englelond thence by the French called Angleterre by the Germans Engeland and by the Inhabitants England It is situated between the Degrees 16 and 21 Longitude equal with Normandy and Britany in France and between 50 and 57 Northern Latitude equal with Flanders Zeland Holland Lower Saxony and Denmark The longest day in the most Northern part is 16 hours 44 minutes and the shortest 7 hours 16 minutes It is in length 386 miles in breadth 279 in compass by reason of the many Bayes and Promontories about 1300 miles in shape triangular contains by computation about 30 Millions of Acres about the thousandth part of the Globe and 333d part of the habitable earth almost ten times as big as the United Neatherlands five times as big as the Spanish Neatherlands less than all Italy by almost one half and in comparison of France is as 30 to 82. The Aire is far more mild and temperate if not more healthy than any part of the Continent under the same Climat By reason of the warm vapours of the Sea on every side and the very often Winds from the huge Western Sea the Cold in Winter is less sharp than in some parts of France and Italy though more Southern By reason of the continual blasts from Sea the Heat in Summer is less scorching than in some parts of the Continent that lies more Northern As in Summer the gentle Winds and frequent Showres qualifie all violent Heats and Droughts so in Winter the Frosts do only meliorate the cultivated Soyle and the Snow keep warm the tender Plants It is blessed with a very fertile wholsome Soyle watered abundantly with Springs and Streams and in divers parts with great Navigable Rivers few barren Mountains or craggy Rocks but generally gentle pleasant Hills and fruitful Valleys apt for Grain Corn or Wood. The excellency of the English Soyle may be learnt as Varro advised of old from the Complection of the Inhabitants who therein excell all other Nations or else from the high value put upon it by the Romans and the Saxons who â—ookt upon it as such a precious â—pot of ground that they thought it worthy to be fenced â—n like a Garden Plot with a mighty Wall of fourscore miles â—n length viz. from Tinmoâ—th on the German Sea to Solwey Frith on the Irish Sea whereby the Caledonian Bores might be excluded and with a monstrous Dike of fourscore and ten miles viz. from the Mouth of the River Wy to that of the River Dee whereby the Cambrobritan Foxes might be kept out lastly the excellency of her Soyle may also be learnt from those transcendent Elogies bestowed on her by Antient and Modern Writers calling England the Granary of the Western World the Seat of Ceres c. That her Valleys are like Eden her Hills like Lebanon her Springs as Pisgah and her Rivers as Jordan That she is a Paradise of Pleasure and the Garden of God O fortunata omnibus terris beatior Britannia te omnibus coeli ac soli ditavit Natura tibi nihil inest quod vitae offendat tibi nihil deest quod vita desiderat ita ut alter orbis extra orbem poni ad delicias humani generis videaris O happy and blessed Britanie above all other Countries in the World Nature hath enricht thee with all the blessings of Heaven and Earth Nothing in thee is hurtful to Mankind nothing wanting in thee that is desirable in so much that thou seemest another World placed besides or without the great World meerly for the delight and pleasure of Mankind As it is divided from the rest of the World so by reason of its great abundance of all things necessary for the life of Man it may without the contribution of any other part of the World more easily subsist than any of its Neighbouring Countries Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga mercis First for Food what plenty every where of Sheep Oxen Swine Fallow Deer and Coneys what plenty of Hens Ducks Geese Turkeys Swans Peacocks Phesants Partridges Woodcocks Snipes Plovers Quailes Herons Bustards Heath Cocks or Grouse Thrushes or Throstles Black-birds Veldevers Nightingales Pigeons and Larks What plenty of Salmon Trouts Carps Tench Lampreys Pikes Perches Eeles Crevish Flounders Plaice Shads Mullets What great abundance of Herrings Pilchards Oysters Lobsters Crabs Mackerel Whitings Soles Smelts Sprats Prawnes Ruffes c. What great plenty of Apples Pears Plums and Cherries How doth England abound with Wheat Barly Pulse Beans and Oates with excellent Butter and Cheese with most sorts of Edible Roots and Herbs It wants not Red Deer Hare Goats c. It wants not Wild-Ducks Wild-Geese Puffins Snipes God-wits and many other kind of Sea-fowl It wants not Apricocks Peaches Nectarins Grapes Figgs Melons Quinces c. Walnuts and Hasel-nuts Lastly for Drinks England abounds with Beer Ale Sider Perry and in some places with Metheglin Now of all these things there is such a constant continuance by reason of the Clemency of the Climat that scarce the least Famine which frequenteth other Countries hath been felt in England these 300 years Then for Rayment England produceth generally not onely very Fine Wooll which makes our Cloth more lasting than other Countrey Cloth and better conditioned against Wind Weather but also such great abundance of Wooll that not onely all sorts from the highest to the lowest are clothed therewith but so much hath been heretofore transported beyond the Seas that in honour of the English Wooll that broughâ— heretofore such plenty of Golâ— into the Territories of Charleâ— the puissant and bold Duke of Burgundy where the Staple for English Wooll was then keptâ— he instituted that famous Military Order of the Golden Fleece aâ— this day in highest esteem with the whole House of Austria This abundance and cheapness of Wooll in England proceeds not onely from the goodness of the Soyle but also from the freedom from Wolves and temperateness of Heat and Cold which in other Countries creates a great charge of a constant guarding their Sheep and housing them by Night and sometimes by Day Also for advancing the Manufacture of Cloth that necessary Earth called Fullers Earth
is no where else produced in that abundance and excellency as in England Beside there is in England great plenty of excellent Leather for all sorts of uses nor wants it Hemp and Flax at least not ground fit to produce them For Building it wants not Timber nor Iron Stone nor Slate Brick nor Tiles Marble nor Alablaster Mortar nor Lime c. Lead nor Glass For Firing either Wood Sea-Coal or Pit-Coal almost every where to be had at reasonable rates For Shipping no where better Oak no where such Knee Timber as they call it or Iron to make serviceable and durable Guns For War for Coach for Highway and Hunting no where such plenty of Horses also for Plow Cart and Carriages insomuch as Mules and Asses so generally made use of in France Italy and Spain are utterly despised in England Moreover England produceth besides a mighty quantity of Tinne Lead and Iron some Brass Copperas Allome Salt Saffron and divers other beneficial Commodities it wants not Mines of Silver yielding more in their small quantities of Ore and so richer than those of Poâ—osi in the West Indies whence the King of Spain hath most of his Silver those yielding usually but one Ounce and a half of Silver in one hundred Ounces of Ore whereas these in Wales Cornwall Lancashire and the Bishoprick of Durham yield ordinarily 6 or 8 Ounces per Cent. â—ut these lying deep are hard â—o come unto and Workmen â—ear which is otherwise in Poâ—osi Vineyards have been heretoâ—ore common in most of the â—outhern and Middle Parts of England and Silks might be â—ere produced as it was once â—esigned by King James but a great part of the Natives prone to Navigation supplying England at a very cheap rate with all sorts of Wine Silks and all other Forreign Commodities it hath been found far better Husbandry to employ English Ground rather for producing Wooll Corn and Cattle for which it is most proper In a word though some Countries excel England in some things yet in general there is no one Countrey under Heaven whose Aire is better stored with Birds and Fowls Seas and Rivers with Fishes Fields with all sorts of â—orn the Pastures with Cattel the Forests Parks and Woods with Wild Beasts onely for Recreation and Food the Mines with Metals Coals and other Minerals where are fewer ravenous and hurtful Beasts fewer venemous Serpents or noisome Flies fewer Droughts Inundations or Dearths fewer Unwholsom Serenes Pestilential Aires Tempestuous Hurricanes or Destructive Earthquakes lastly where there is a greater abundance of all things necessary for mans life and more especially for all kind of Food insomuch that it hath been judged that there is yearly as much Flesh and Beer consumed in England by over plentiful Tables as would well serve three times the number of People Add to all this that being encompassed with the Sea and well furnisht with Ships and abundance of Commodious and excellent Havens and Ports it excels for safety and security which is no small praise all the Neighbouring Countries if not all the Countries in the World It hath been possest by five several Nations and coveted by many more and no wonder so fair and rich a Lady should have many Lovers it being a Countrey as was said of the Tree in the midst of Paradise good for food pleasant to the eyes and to be desired whereas Scotland Wales Biscay Switzerland and other like Countries continue still in the possession of their Aborigines of the first that laid claim unto them none since judging it worth their pains to dispossesse them The first Inhabitants of England are believed to be the Britains descended from the â—auls subdued afterward by â—he Romans who by reason of â—â—eir troubles nearer home â—ere constrained to abandon this Countrey about 400 years afâ—er Christ whereupon the Picts â—ahabitants of Scotland invaâ—â—ng the Britains they call to â—â—eir aid the Saxons who chaâ—ng away the Picts soon made themselves Masters of the Britains but these not able to enâ—ure the heavy yoke of the â—axons after many Battels and Attempts to recover their lost Liberties and Countrey retired â—r were driven most of them â—nto the two utmost Western â—arren and mountainous parts of this Countrey called afterwards by the Saxons Walishland instead of Gaulishland as the Germans still call Italy Walishland because inhabited by the Cisalpine Gauls and the French call our Countrey of Britains Le Pais de Gales The Saxons solely possest of all the best part of this Isle were for a long time infested and for some time almost subdued by the Danes and afterwards wholly by the Normans who drave not out the Saxons but mixed with them so that the English blood at this day is a mixture chiefly of Normaâ— and Saxon not without 〈◊〉 tincture of Danish Romish and Britain Blood The English Tongue being aâ— present much refined exceedingly copious expressive and significant by reason of a liberty taken by the Natives of borrowing out of all other Languages whatever might conduce thereunto is as their blood a mixture chiefly of the Old Saxon a Dialect of the Teutonick and the Old Norman a Dialect of the French not without some savour of the Britains Romans and Danes Languages The Romans possessing England caused their Tongue the Latine once to be generally used in this Countrey The Saxons succeeding introduced their Language wheresoever they seated themselves The Normans afterwards getting possession of England caused the Norman or French Tongue to be learnt at School by the Saxons and for a long time had all Lawes Pleadings Sermons c. in French The Latine Tongue at present is made use of in Court Rolls Processes of Courts in Charters Commissions Patents Writs Bonds c. The Names of all Shires Cities Towns and Villages Places and Men in England are generally Saxon and so are most Nouns Appellative and a great part of the Verbs In French or rather Norman are still written the Common Laws and learnt by young Students thereof Also some Pleadings and all Mootes and Law Exercises are wholly French In Parliaments the King doth in French signifie his assent or dissent to all Bills The Natives of England by reason of the Temperate Climat Mild Aire not rendred unequal by high Mountains nor unhealthy by many Marshes plenty of wholsome food and the use of Beer rather than Wine pour la belle taille le beau teinct au visage as the French say for a just handsome large proportion of body for clear complexions and pleasing features do surpasse all the Nations of the World The English are generally great Flesh-eaters although by the nearness of the Sea and abundance of Rivers and Fish-ponds there is no want of Fish In former times their Table was in many places covered four times a day they had Breakfasts Dinners Beverages and Suppers and every where set Dinners and Suppers until in the late troubles wherein many eminent families were much impoverisht a