l. 13. r. some were afterwards p. 355. l. 11. r. certain it is PART II. p. 66. l. 5. dele but. p. 68. l. 35. r. in p. 99. l. 33. r. us PART III. p. 2. l. 10. r. be p. 79. l. 35. r. assisted p. 63. l. 22. r. sit on p. 71. l. 14. r. whose p. 213. l. 18. dele of p. 180. l. 15. r. John Howe Esq p. 224. l. 17. r. 1689. p. 232. l. 27. r. Sir Edward Clark and Sir Francis Child THE FIRST PART OF THE New State OF ENGLAND Under Their MAJESTIES K. William and Q. Mary CONTAINING A Geographical Description of England in General and of every County in Particular with Useful and Curious Remarks London Printed in the Year 1691. THE NEW STATE OF ENGLAND PART I. CHAP. I. Treating of ENGLAND in general and of every County in particular England ENGLAND is the best and largest Part of the greatest Island of Europe An Island anciently called Albion from its white chalky Cliffs but since better known by the Name of Great Britain Great for the vast Extent of â—t reaching as it does in Length from North to South about 600 Miles Britain that is a Country Inhabited by Painted Men as formerly they were wont to be At this time 't is principally divided into three Parts England Scotland and Wales the first two being two distinct Kingdoms the last a Principality but all of them happily united under one Head ENGLAND takes up the South Parts of the Island being parted from Scotland Northward by the River Tweede from Wales Westward in part by the River Dee and from the rest of the World by the Ocean Thus it contains in Length from North to South as from Barwick to Portsmouth 320 miles and in breadth from East to West as from Dover to the Lands End 270. But such is the Variety of its Breadth that in the South Parts which face the Channel 't is three times the Breadth of the North. And all along the Sea-Coast in general there are so many Creeks and Inlets some greater and some lesser that England and indeed the whole Island delineated as it is in Globes and Maps makes but an odd kind of Figure However in this Spot of Ground not exceeding one third Part of France there are reckoned 30 millions of Acres In reference to the Globe it lies between the 50 and 57 Degree of North Latitude the longest Day in the most Northern Parts being 17 hours 30 minutes and the shortest in the most Southern almost eight hours long The name of ENGLAND it took from the Angles an ancient People of Jutland in Denmark who joyning with their Neighbours the Saxons went under their Name in the Conquest of Britain And this Name was given it by a special Edict of Egbert the first sole Monarch of England since the Heptarchy Who being descended from those Angles and having reduced the whole Country from a divided State into one intire Body called it with the Concurrence of the States of the Realm then convened at Winchester Anno 819. by the Name of Engle-lond since turned into ENGLAND From whence the Nation and Language came to be called English When the Romans were possessed of this Country they made but two Parts of it and another of Wales Called Britannia Prima Containing the South of England Britannia Secunda Containing Wales Maxima Caesariensis Containing the North of England Their particular Divisions were not of the Country it self but of the Inhabitants As the Atrebatii Belgae Brigantes Catieuchlani and ten Nations more they reckoned only in England In the time of the Anglo-Saxons England alone was divided into seven Kingdoms Viz. The Kingdom of Kent Containing the County of that Name The Kingdom of South-Saxons Containing Sussex and Surrey The Kingdom of West-Saxons Containing Cornwal Devon Somerset Dorset Wiltshire Barkshire and Hampshire The Kingdom of East-Saxons Containing Middlesex Essex and part of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of East-Angles Containing Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire The Kingdom of Mercia Containing Glocester Worcester Hereford Shropshire Cheshire Stafford Darby Nottingham Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntington Northampton Warwick Salop Oxon Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire The Kingdom of Northumberland Containing York Lancashire Durham Westmorland Cumberland Northumberland and the South Parts of Scotland as far as Edinburg But England's Division into Shires or Counties did not begin till the Reign of Alfred about 800 Years ago Afterwards every Shin was subdivided into Hundreds and Hundred into Tythings a Hundred containing teâ— Tythings and a Tything ten Families The Shires or Counties are either Maritime or Inland in all 40 in number The Maritime Counties I mean such as be watered by the Ocean are these Viz. Cornwal Devonshire Somersetshire Dorsetshire Hampshire Sussex Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk Lincolnshire Yorkshire Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland Lancashire Cheshire Whereof the first seven Counties take up the most Southern Parts and lye all along the Channel which parts England from France the next seven run from Kent and Sussex Northward bounded on the East by the German Ocean and the last fourâ—ly North-West bounded by the Irish Seas The Inland Counties are Nottinghamshire Derbyshire Staffordshire Shropshire Worcestershire Herefordshire Monmouthshire Glocestershire Wiltshire Barkshire Buckinghamshire Surrey Middlesex Hartfordshire Cambridgeshire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Rutland Leicestershire Amongst all which Counties 't is Observable that some of them take their Names from the old Inhabitants as Cumberland from the Cyntbri or ancient Britains Essex and Sussex from the East and South Saxons who setled here after their Conquest Some from their Situation as Northumberland Norfolk Suffolk and Middlesex To which add Kent in Latine Cantium because it lies in a Canton or Corner of the Island Others from their Form or Figure as Cornwal from the figure of a Horn called Kere by the old Britains And indeed this County growing from East to West smaller and smaller is not unlike a Horn besides that in many places it shoots forth into the Sea with little Promontories like unto so many Horns Whereas Devonshire took its Denomination from the British Devinam signifying low Valleys of which this County does very much consist Others again from some Accidents therein As Barkshire from Beroc a certain place wherein grew good store of Box Rutland q. d. Red Land from the Redness of its Soil But the most part from the principal Town of the County as Glocestershire from Glocester Oxfordshire from Oxford Cambridgeshire from Cambridge c. As of all the Counties of England Yorkshire is the biggest beyond all compare so iâ— Rutland the least Out of the first which iâ— counted as big as the Seven United Provinces 70000 Men may be raised for present Service Whereas the Extent of the last is so inconsiderable that one may skip it over in lesâ— than half a day In point of Situation Darbyshire may bâ— look'd upon as the middle Province of thâ— Kingdom Besides the former Division of
each of these Towns Lanceston Liskerd Liskil or Liswithieâ— Truro Bodmin Hâ—lston Saltash Camelford Weâ— and East Lowe Grampond Penrin Tregny Bâ—â—ney S. Ives Fouay S. Germains S. Michaeâ— Newport S. Mawes and Kellington When this County was under the Earls oâ— Cornwal they gave great Immunities and Liâ—erties to those that workt in the Mines And when this Earldom reverted to the Crown in King Edwards Time he gave it to his Son surnamed the Black Prince advancing that Title to that of a Dukedom and erected a Lord Warâ—â—en of the Stanneries to have the Government thereof Since which time the eldest Sons of the Kings of England whether it be by Birth or by the Death of their elder Brothers are ipso facto Dukes of Cornwal as they are Earls of Chester without any Creation being at age to sue their Livery how young soever Of the Isles of Scilly West of Cornwal about 24 miles distant â—ies a Cluster of small Islands called by us the Isles of Scilly by the Dutch Sorlings and by the ancient Greeks Hesperides from their Western Situation Cassiterides from the Tin-Mines they found amongst them They are reckoned to be 145 in Number most of 'em very fruitful in Corn and Pasturage and plentifully stored with Conies Cranes Swans Heâ—ons and other wild Fowl Scilly which communicates its Name to the rest was formerly counted the chief of these â—slands But now S. Maries has got the preâ—minency being about 8 miles in circuit the biggest and most fertile of all having the conveniency of a large and commodious Harbour and fortified with a strong Castle built in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth These Islands after the Romans had forsaken their Holds in Britain returned again into the power and possession of the Natives From whom it was subdued and added to this Crown by Athelstane the eighth King of England and since that time governed as a part of Cornwal CHAP. VII Of Cumberland Derbyshire and Devonshire Cumberland CVMBERLAND is a Maritime County in the North-West Parts of England Bounded on the East by Northumberland and Westmorland on the West by the Irish Sea on the North by Scotland on the South by Westmorland and Lancashire It s Length from North to South is about 5â— miles its Breadth from East to West some thing less than 40. The Whole divided noâ— into Hundreds but Wards five in Number wherein 58 Parishes and 15 Market Towns This Country is generally Mountainous and some of the Hills both very high and steeâ— Those of most note are Skiddaw Haraknot Black coum and Wry-nose On the Top of this last on the high Way-side are placed 3 stones caled the Shire-stones standing within a foot oâ— each other one in this County another iâ— Westmorland and the third in Lancashire As for Rivers and Meres here is abundance â—â— them the principal River known by the Namâ— of Eden Here the Air is pretty sharp and piercing though the Country be something sheltered bâ— the Northern Hills And as hilly as this Country is yet the Hilâ— thereof are not so barren but that they feed great Flocks of Sheep and other Cattel whilst â—ts fruitful Valleys bear good Crops of Corn and its rich Meadows excellent Pasture The Sea and Rivers on the other side strive â—n a manner to furnish it with plenty of Fish and wild Fowl And which is remarkable here they have Muscles that bear a sort of Pearl But besides Rivers here are a great many Meers or Lakes yielding great plenty of Fish but chiefly Vlles Water bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland In the Bowels of the Earth not only Coals for Fewel but also Lead and Copper are found in great plenty Of all the Counties in England this shews the most Roman Antiquities The principal of which is the Picts Wall a prodigious Stone-wall built by the Romans for their security against the Incursion of the raging Picts the track whereof in many places is yet to be seen This Wall was 8 foot broad and 12 high reaching cross the Country from Carlisle to Newcastle that is from Sea to Sea at least 80 miles Thus it ascended and descended over great Crags and high Hills with Watch-Towers erected at every thousand Paces in which Souldiers were kept for its Defence At Salkeld on the Eden is a Trophy of Victory erected called by the Inhabitants Long Meg and her Daughters This Monument consists of â—7 Stones each 10 foot above ground and one of them namely Long Meg is 15 foot high Carlisle the chief Place of this County bears from London North-North-West and is distant from it 235 miles thus From London to Buckingham 44 for the particulars of which I refer you to Buckinghamshire to Coventry 30 more from thence to Lichfield 20 to Stoâ— 16 more thence to Warington 32 to â—anâ—â—ster 45 to Kendall 16 more and from thence to Carlisle 32. A City pleasantly seated on the South Bank of the River Eden within few miles of its faâ— into the Sea being watered besides East anâ— West with two lesser Rivers the Pettrel anâ— Canda at their fall into the Eden So that it iâ— in a manner surrounded with three Rivers except towards the South This is a Town oâ— great Antiquity flourishing even in the time oâ— the Romans upon whose Departure it suffered much by the Scots and Picts Afterward being utterly defaced by the Danes it lay dejected for about 200 years till William Rufâ—â— rebuilt it After him Henry the First hiâ— Brother and Successor made it a Bishops See Thus by degrees it recovered it self being now a fine City well inhabited and a Place of good Trade chiefly for Fustians It is begirt with fine Walls fortified with a Castle and Cittadeâ— beautified with a Cathedral of curious Workmanship and dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom at this time injoy'd by the Right Honourable Edward Howard Earl of Carlisle c. Derived to him from his Father Charles Howarâ— created Earl of Carlisle by King Charles II. Anno 1661. And the said Charles Son and Heâ—â— of Sir William Howard was great Grand-chilâ— of the Lord William Howard third Son of Thomas Duke of Norfolk In the Year 1663. hâ— was sent Embassador Extraordinary by the saiâ— King Charles to the Courts of Moscovy Sweden and Denmark And some Years after hâ— was sent again with the same Character tâ— the King of Sweden to whom he carried the Garter The other Market Towns are Egremont Sat. Ravenglas Sat. Keswick Sat. Alston-Moor Sat. Abbey-holm Sat. Cockermouth Mund. Perth Tue. Wigton Tue. Brampton Tue. Bootle Wedn. White-Haven Thu. Ireby Thu. Kirkswald Thu. Longtown Thu. Amongst which Perith or Penrith seated between Eimont a River on the South-side and Lowther another River on the West is counted the second Town of note in this County being large well built and inhabited by Tradesmen but Tanners especially Cockermouth a goodly Town is so called from its Situation on the River Cocker near its fall into the Derwent by which two
called Portland Castle built by Henry VIII And almost opposite to it on the Lands side towards Weymouth stands another called Sandford Castle Which two Castles command all Ships that pass into this Road. The whole Peninsule does shew it self from the top of the Rocks in a Flat and is in compass about 7 miles The Ground is very good for Corn and indifferent for Pasture but so destitute of Wood and other Feweâ— that the Inhabitants are fain to dry their Cow-dung and burn it Which Defect iâ— made up another way by its Quarries oâ— excellent free Stone for Building and thaâ— in such plenty that they make use of it foâ— their Fences On the South-East-side stands the only Church in the Isle and that so near the Seaâ— that to fence it from its furious Waves the Church-yard Banks were fain to be walled to an incredible height And here it is that Portland Race shews it self For so they call the Meeting of the two Tides here with so great striving and beating of the Waves that 't is not safe even in the calmest Season for Barks to pass over it This Peninsule has been dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom first in the person of Richard Weston created Earl of Portland by King Charles I. Anno 1632 and continued in his Son Jeremy then in Charles Son and Heir of Jeremy and lastly in Thomas Weston Uncle to Charles the late Earl of Portland But since the late Revolution our present King was pleased to confer this Title upon the Right Honourable William Bentinck the present Earl of Portland and Groom of the Stole to His Majesty East of Portland lies Purbeck an Island or rather a Peninsule that takes up the South-East part of this County about 10 miles in length and 6 in breadth reaching from Luckford Lake to the Channel So that it is surrounded with the Sea North East and South and Westward with Rivers within less than a â—ile In this Compass of Ground are many small Towns whereof Corfe is the chief Seated on the banks of a River running through the middle parts of Purbeck into Luckford Lake and that in a barren Soil betwixt two Hills upon one of which stands a Castle called from â—he Town Corfe-Castle A Castle that had great Priviledges granted to the Lords thereof â—s the free Warren Chase over all the Isle â—ea-wracks Freedom from the Lord Admiral â—f England c. To conclude this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants the ancient Durotriges is now in the Diocese of Bristol Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 18 Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Dorchester Pool Lime Weymouth Melcomb Regis Bridport Shaftsbury Warham and Corfe-Castle Of this County there have been both Marquesses and Earls the Title of Marquess first injoy'd by the Beauforts and after them by the Greys the last that possessed it being Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk who was beheaded in the Year 1553. The Title of Earl was conferred by King James I. upon Thomas Sackvil Lord Buckhurst created Earl of Dorset Anno 1603 in whose Line it has continued hitherto the present Earl hereof being the Right Honourable Charles Sackvil Earl of Dorset and Middlesex and Lord High Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold Durham DVRHAM a Maritime County in the North of England is bounded Eastward by the German Ocean Westward by Cumberlanâ— and Westmorland Northward by Northumberland and Southward by the River Tees which parts it from Yorkshire It s Length from East to West is about 3â— miles its Breadth from North to South 30 The Whole divided into four Wakes noâ— Hundreds wherein 118 Parishes and 6 Maâ—ket-Towns Here the Air is pretty sharp and keen noâ— only by reason of the Climate but because 〈◊〉 its Hilliness especially the West Parts of iâ— So true it is that those Northern Counties which are so nearly related to Scotland by their Situation participate likewise of its nature This County is so well watered what with the Sea and what with the Rivers that it is almost incompassed with Water Next to the River Tine which parts it for some miles from Northumberland and the Tees from Yorkshire here is the Ware which runs through Durham and Derwent into the Tine As the Soil of it is different so it is in some Parts fertile in others barren and accordingly inhabited The Eastern Part is Champain and bears plenty of Coal the Southern is the most fertile the Western is hilly and barren and thin of Woods and Towns But it is recompensed by its Store of Coal Lead and Iron Mines Durham the County Town bears from London North by West and is distant therefrom by common Computation 200 miles That is 150 miles to York for the Particulars of which I refer you to Yorkshire and 50 miles more to Durham Viz. from York to Borough-bridge 13 to North-Allerton 13 more 10 from thence to Darlington and 14 more to Durham Whose Situation is upon Hills and Bottoms of Hills all surrounded with Hills but the â—ow Parts watered with the River Ware which incircles the best Part of it and over which there are two Stone-Bridges If what Mr. Bloom says of it in his Britannia was true when it was published the Case is altered I have been often upon the Place but could never find it fair and neatly compacted nor so beautified as he represents it nor its Market-Place so spacious nor its Trade so flourishing On the contrary 't is a good retiring Place free from the noise and hurry of Trade unless it be upon Saturdays on which Day the Market is kept Here indeed one may live plentifuly and breath good Air at an easy rate The greatest Ornament of this Place is the Castle and the Cathedral The Castle where the Bishop makes his Residence is I confess a stately Fabrick raised on the top of a Hill by William the Conquerour with all the Advantages both of a Pallace and a Castle Over against it on the same Hill stands the Cathedral whose Structure has this Defect that it is built of a soft mouldering Stone Between both these is a spacious Place called the Green On one side whereof is the Hall where the Assizes are kept with a handsom publick Library erected and founded by Dr. Cosins the late Bishop of Durham and on the other side a Row of Alms-Houses the standing Fruits of his Charity At Nevils Cross near Durham a bloudy Battel was fought the 20th of Oct. 1346 between the English and the Scots where David Bruce King of Scots was taken Prisoner by one Copland a Man of a mean degree but Knighted for this Action Then was Queen Philip Wife to King Edward III in person in the Field the Battel being managed by the Lords Mowbray Percy and Nevil The Market-Towns besides Durham it self are Darlington Mund. Bernard-Castle Wedn. Bishop Aukland Thu. Sunderland Frid. and Stainthorp Darlington is a good
handsom Town flands pleasantly among fertile Meadows near the Forest of Charwood on the Banks of the River Stowr over which it has a Bridge Lutterworth a goodly Town also beautified with a large and fair Church with a neat and lofty Spire-Steeple is seated in a good Soil on the River Swift which at a small distance from hence falls into the Avon in Warwickshire Of this Town the famous Wicless was Parson an okl Champion against the Corruptions and Errours of the Church of Rome This County now in the Diocese of Lincoln was part of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia in the Time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants with several of their Neighbours went among the ancient Romans under the Name of Coritani Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but two Members of Parliament chosen by the Town of Leicester Lincolnshire LINCOLNSHIRE a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with the Counties of York Nottingham and Leicester on the North with the River Humber which parts it from Yorkshire on the South with the Counties of Cambridge Northampton and Rutland It contains in Length from North to South almost 60 miles in Breadth from East to West 35. The Whole divided into 3 Parts called Lindsey Kesteven and Holland And these 3 Divisions contain 30 Hundreds wherein 630 Parishes and 35 Market-Towns This Country being Fenny especially in the East and South Parts makes the Air something unhealthful because it is apt to be thick and foggy The Soil in the North and West Parts is exceeding pleasant and fertile stored with Pasturage Arable and Meadow Grounds But the East and South Parts that are full of Fenny Grounds and something brackish by reason of the Salt Waters that come in from the Sea through several Inlets are barren and unfit for Corn. 'T is true in recompence thereof there is such a plenty both of Fowl and Fish that no County in the Kingdom can compare with it And there goes a Story that at one draught with a Net 30â—0 Mallards have been taken besides other sorts How true it is I am as yet to seek but am apt to think there 's one Cypher too much As for Rivers no County in England is better irrigated nor Rivers any where more plentifull of Fish Northward is the Humber which as I said before parts it from Yorkshire and Westward the Trent which severs Part of it from Nottinghamshire Cross the Country you will find the Witham River Southward the Weland and the Nen. That Part of the County which goes by the Name of Lindsey lies to the Northward and is so named from Lindissi the ancient Name of Lincoln according to Beda This Part is so surrounded with Water that it is an Island and its Extent so great in proportion to the rest that it takes up at least one half of the County Noted for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Robert Bertie the present Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Kesteven and Holland take up the South Parts from Lindsey Holland lying towards the Sea and Kesteven West from it Of Holland there has been 3 Earls Henry Robert and Edward Rich. The first created Earl of Holland by King James I. Anno 1624. Robert his Son succeeded not only in this Title but also in that of Earl of Warwick upon the Death of his Cousin-german Charles Rich Earl of Warwick who died without Issue So that both Titles are now injoyd by his Son and Heir the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick and Holland Lincoln the principal Place in this Shire and a Bishops See bears from London North by West and is distant from it by common Computation 103 miles thus Viz. from London to Huntington 48 miles for the Particulars whereof I refer you to Huntingtonshire from thence to Stilton 9 to Peterborough 5 more to Market-Deeping 8 to Sleaford 18 more and thence to Lincoln 15. A City seated on the side of a Hill the lower part whereof is watered by the River Witham over which there are several Bridges for the Conveniency of Passengers A Place of great Antiquity whose ancient ruinated Places are still an Argument of its former Greatness In the Time of the Romans 't was a Town of great strength and fame and in the Time of the Normans a Place of great Trading Whose flourishing Condition occasioned the Episcopal See then at Dorchester near Oxon to be removed hither But this City has gone through all the Calamities of Fire Sword and Earth-quake Which has so much weakned and impaired it that of 50 Churches it is said to have had for divine Worship there remains but 15 besides the Cathedral In the Time of the Saxons King Arthur drove away their Forces from this Place The like did Edmund Ironside to the Danes who had made sore havock thereof On the 5th of Sept. 1140. here was a great Battel fought between King Stephen and Maud the Empress in which the King was taken Prisoner and afterwards laid in irons in Bristol On the 19th of May 1217. here was another sore Battel fought betwixt King Henry III. and his disloyal Barons who stood for Lewis the Dauphin of France in which the King got the day But whatever Disasters and Calamities this City has gone through still 't is a large populous and well frequented Place Dignified not only with an Episcopal See whose Diocese to this day is the greatest of any in the Kingdom but also for many Ages with the Title of an Earldom Which having passed through severall Families with frequent Interruptions came at last to be in the possession of Edward Fiennes Lord Clinton who being Lord Admiral in Queen Elizabeth's Time was by her Majesty created Earl of Lincoln Anno 1565. From whom the Title is now devolved in a direct Line to the Right Honourable Edward Clinton the present Earl of Lincoln The Cathedral or Minster as now standing is one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christendom high seated on a Hill and from thence discerned over all the Country In short this City is a County of it self whose Liberties extend about 20 miles in compass and is called the County of the City of Lincoln It s Market kept on Fridays is well served with Provisions and Country Commodities The other Market-Towns are Grantham Sat. Kirkton Sat. Thongcaster Sat. Waynfleet Sat. Horn-Castle Sat. Dunington Sat. Burton Sat. Bourn Sat. Spilsby Mun. Salsby Mun. Sleaford Mun. Market-Stanton Mun. Stamford Mund. Frid. Ganesborough Tue. Barton Tue. Market-Rasen Tue. Bullingbrook Tue. Spalding Tue. Alford Tue. Grinsby Wedn. Binbrook Wedn. Lowthe Wed. and Sat. Boston Wed. and Sat. Glamford Thu. Burgh Thu. Market-Deeping Thu. Folkingham Thu. Holbich Thu. Wragby Thu. Naverby Thu. Tatershall Frid. Saltfleet Crowland Barnwell Among which Stamferd in Kesteven Division and the hithermost Town of Lincolnshire is the most considerable Seated on both sides of the
New Buckenham ly not far from Thetford to the Eastward Diss and Harleston on the Waveney Watton Windham Hingham Swafham and East-Derham do not ly far asunder about the middle of the County Further to the Northward you will find Repeham Caston Fakenham Walsingham Holt Aleâ—ham Worsted North Walsham and Hickling this last in a Marsh-Ground not far from the Sea Downham is upon the Ouse over which it has a Bridge leading into Cambridgeshire Snetham North of Lyn is seated on a bivuler not far from the Sea Burnham-Market and Cromere are two Sea-Towns in the North Parts of the County Between which is Clay another Sea-Town on three sides incompassed with Waters and once a Market Town but now discontinued And near it Wayborn-hope a noted Place amongst Seamen as is Winterton Ness or Point in the East which is very coldly seated And yet it is observed that the Ground about Winterton is one of the richest and fattest in England Among the aforesaid Towns Walsingham was formerly renowned as for its Colledge of Canons so for the continual Concourse of Pilgrims to this Place Who came hither to pay their Superstitious Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at a Chappel near the two Wells called to this day the Virgin Mary's Wells It was also a Place of note for its good Saffron Near Burnham-Market within 2 Miles from it to the Westward is a small Country-Town called Brancaster the Ruins of an ancient Town known by the Name of Branodunum Seated near the Sea-shore and a Place of good account in the time of the Romans who kept here a Garrison Not far from Hickling in the North-East Parts is the ancient decay'd Abbey of St. Bennet's in the Holme built by the Danish King Canute An Abbey so fortified afterwards by its Monks with Walls and Bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloyster and yet was betrayed by a Monk to William the Conqueror The Bishop of Norwich retains to this Day the Title of Lord Abbot of St. Bennets And it is observable that hereabouts both Cockles and Perwinkles are digged out of the Ground Lastly this County which is the largest in England next to Yorkshire but much more populous was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles in the time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them It is observed of the People in this County that they are notably industrious for Plough and Manufactures insomuch that one shall hardly see a Beggar throughout all the Country And yet which one would wonder at they are notable Wranglers and generally so well versed in the Quirks of the Law that they create more work for the Assizes than almost all the Circuit else Accordingly Norfolk is the County which commonly yields the best Breed of Lawyers and has furnished the Courts of Justice with many an emiment Man in the Laws of England But a great Antiquary has made another material Observation That in this County are a hundred Families of ancient Gentry that never were attainted of high Treason Which if it be true the Gentry here have had better fortune than the Dukes Dutchesses and Earls of Norfolk His Grace Henry Howard the present Duke of Norfolk derives his Title from his noble Ancestor John-Lord Howard created Duke of Norfolk by King Edward IV. Anno 1483 and descended from the Lady Margaret Dutchess of Norfolk Daughter of Tho. de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk first Son of King Edward I. Out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Norwich Kings I yn Yarmouth Thetford and Castle-rising Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTONSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East with the Counties of Cambridge Huntington Bedford and Buckingham on the West with Rutland Leicestershire and Warwickshire Northward with the Counties of Lincoln Rutland and Leicester Southward with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire This County being long but narrow runs in Length from North to South ahout 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West but half The Whole divided into 20 Hundreds wherein 326 Parishes and 13 Market-Towns Here the Air is temperate and healthfull the Soil as rich either for Corn or Grass as in any Place in England And the Inhabitants find such a Profit here by Grazing and Tillage that they improve the Ground every where Insomuch that it is said there is less waste Ground in this County than in any other As for Rivers and other fresh Streams 't is as well watered as most Counties are It s principal Rivers are the Nen and the Weland both having their Rise here besides the Ouse which rises in the South Parts near Bucking hamshire A further Proof of the excellency of this County might be fetched from its Populousness For it is so garnished with Towns that in many Places 20 or 30 Steeples present themselves at one view And considering its Extent 't is said to be honoured with the Seats of as many if not more of the Nobility and Gentry as any County in the Kingdom Northampton the chief Place hereof ly's North-West from London and by common Computation is distant from it 54 miles thus From London to Barnet 10 thence to St. Allans 10 and to Dunstable 10 more from Dunstable to Stony Stratford 20 and to Northampton 10 more A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Nen where it meets with two Rivulets one from the North the other from the South And though it has suffered much by the sore hand of the Dane and other Calamities and of late particularly by the dreadfull Fire which buried it all in Ashes in September 1675 yet it has raised it self again more glorious than before So that for Circuit and Beauty it may at this time be ranked with many Cities Fortified heretofore with good Walls and a strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a mind to remove their University hither Here the Inhabitants drive a considerable Trade especially of Leather and its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions This Town is the Place where the County-Goal and the Assizes are kept Of special note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable George Compton the present Earl of Northampton Devolved to him from his noble Ancestor William Lord Compton and Lord President of Wales Created Earl of Northampton by King James I. Anno 1618. The other Market-Towns are Peterborough Sat. Oundle Sat. Higham-Ferrers Sat. Rothwell Mund. Thrapston Tue. Towcester Tue. King's Cliff Tue. Wellingborow Wed. Braâ—kley Wed. Daventry Wed. Kettering Frid. Bodkingham Among which Peterborough is seated in a Nook or Angle of the County bordering upon Cambridgeshire and Huntingtonshire where formerly had been a Gulf or Whirlpool of an exceeding depth 'T is seated on the River Nen over which it has a Bridge leading into Huntingtonshire A Town of no great account but for being a
three are all seated on small Rivers which after some small Course joyn together into one Stream and so fall into the Derwent a little below New Malton To conclude this County formerly a Part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and its Inhabitants Part of the Brigantes as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of York Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire 28 Members of Parliament Viz. Two by each of these following Towns York Kingston upon Hull Knaresborough Scarborough Rippon Richmond Heydon Borough-bridge Malton Thirsk Aldborough Beverly North-Allerton Pomfret And which is remarkable it yields at this time two Dukes and one Dutchess one Marquess and nine Earls The Dukes are of Richmond and Bolton the Dutchess of Cleveland the Marquess of Halifax the Earls of Mulgrave Kingston Strafford Craven Burlington Holderness Derwentwater Faulconberg and Scarborough Thus I have compassed a very difficult Task the Description of forty Counties with so much variety of Matter in so short a Compass The Reader perhaps expects in the next place I should give an Account of the Twelve Counties of Wales as being Incorporated with England at least in point of Government But what Union soever it may have with England 't is but like those remote Cities conquered by the Romans whose Inhabitants were Civitate donati that is made Citizens of Rome England and Wales are naturally so distinct from each other both as to the Country and the Inhabitants that they cannot possibly fall under the same Character And so I lay Wales aside to present you by way of Precapitulation with a Table shewing by distinct Columns the Number of Hundreds Parishes and Market-Towns belonging to every County of England with the Names of the Shire-Towns Only 't is to be observed that instead of Hundreds Durham is divided into Wakes Cumberland Westmorland and Northumberland into Wards Also that some Counties are more generally divided than into Hundreds as Yorkshire first into three Ridings Kent into five Lathes Sussex into six Rapes Linconshire into these three Parts Lindsey Kesteven and Holland The TABLE Shires Hun Par. Shire-Towns Mark T. Barkshire 20. 140. Reading 12. Bedfordshire 9. 116. Bedford 10. Buckinghamsh 8. 185. Buckingham 15. Cambridgeshire 17. 163. Cambridge 8. Cheshire 7. 85. Chester 13. Cornwal 9. 161. Lanceston 21. Cumberland 5. 58. Carlisle 15. Derbyshire 6. 106. Derby 10. Devonshire 33. 394. Exeter 32. Dorseishire 29. 248. Dorchester 19. Durham 4. 118. Durham 6. Essex 20. 415. Colchester 21. Glocestershire 30. 280. Glocester 26. Hampshire 39. 253. Southampton 16. Hartfordshire 8. 120. Hartford 18. Herefordshire 11. 176. Hereford 8. Huntingtonshire 4. 79. Huntington 6. Kent 67. 408. Canterbury 30. Lancashire 6. 61. Lancaster 26. Leicestershire 6. 192. Leicester 12. Lincolnshire 30. 630. Lincoln 35. Middlesex 7. 273. LONDON 6. Monmouthshire 6. 127. Monmouth 7. Norfolk 31. 660. Norwich 28. Northamptonsh 20. 326. Northampton 13. Northumberland 6. 460. Newcastle 6. Nottinghamsh 8. 168. Nottingham 9. Oxfordshire 14. 280. Oxford 15. Rutland 5. 48. Okeham 2. Shropshire 15. 170. Shrewsbury 15. Somersetshire 42. 385. Bath 30. Staffordshire 5. 130. Stafford 18. Suffolk 22. 575. Ipswich 30 Surrey 13. 140. Guilford 8. Sussex 65. 312. Chichester 16. Warwickshire 5. 158. Warwick 15. Westmorland 4. 26. Kendal 8. Wiltshire 29. 304. Salisbury 23. Worcestershire 7. 152. Worcester 11. Yorkshire 26. 563. York 49. CHAP. XVIII Of LONDON and WESTMINSTER I Joyn these two together because contiguous And tho' they be two distinct Cities both by their Foundation and distinct Government yet as they make together one compact Body the City of Westminster under that Notion is generally comprehended under the Name of London and lookt upon as a Part of it In the Description whereof I shall joyn and part them as occasion shall offer My Design is not to make a long Preamble about the uncertain Original of LONDON which as some write was built above eleven hundred Years before the Birth of our Saviour That it is a most ancient City is a thing past all doubt For History tells us that the British King Lud above 60 Years before our Saviours Birth repaired and improved it The Romans in whose Time it was an Archbishop's See gave it the Title of Augusta And Animianus Marcellinus who wrote near 1300 Years ago calls it then an ancient City As for its Name the most probable Conjecture in my Judgment is that of those who derive it from the British Word Llongdin a Town of Ships It s Situation is upon all accounts very advantageous whether we consider the Soil on which it stands the River that waters it the Fruitfulness of the Country about it the Roads that lead into it or its convenient Distance from the Sea The Soil is gravelly and therefore so much the wholsomer And as it stands upon a gentle rising Bank on the North-side of the River this adds much to the healthfulness of the Place the South-side being counted something unhealthy by reason of the Vapours the Sun draws upon it The Thames that waters it I have already described as the chief River of England and an excellent navigable River This City stands where the River is cast into the form of a Crescent and stretches it self in length along the Shore as Cologne does upon the Rhine Which is a great Advantage upon several Accounts especially to a great City First because it ly's the more convenient for the several Uses and Benefits of the River Secondly for the Freeness of the Air which makes it so much the healthfuller lying open to the Fields Northward and to the River Southward Whereas Paris and all other Cities of an orbicular Form ly close together and the middle Parts half choackt for want of Air. To which add another Conveniency in London by its Situation along the River that by the Course of it one may sooner find out any Place than is possible in Paris which is a very Labyrinth in comparison This River besides is full of excellent Fish such as Barbels Trouts Chevins Pearches Smelts Breams Roaches Daces Gudgeons Flounders Shrimps Eels c. And after the Smelt-time is past it yields also sweet Salmons But Carps it is scarce of except upon Land-flouds when they get out of Gentlemens Ponds Great number of Swans are daily seen upon this River Besides a perpetual Motion of Wherries and small Boats above 2000 in Number whereby 3000 Watermen are maintained by carrying Goods and Passengers thereon Not counting those large Tilt-Boats Tide-Boats and Barges which either carry People or bring Provision from most Parts of the neighbouring Counties For Navigation no River more commodious as may appear by a Passage in the Reign of King James I. Who being displeased with the City for refusing to lend him a Sum of Mony he required threatned the Lord Mayor and Aldermen that he would remove his Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another Place with further expressions of his
of the Back-Stairs Mr. James Worthington Mr. John Jones Mr. Peter van Lewen Mr. Daniel Pulse Mr. Hamlet Kirk Mr. Richard Bradley Grooms of the Great Chamber Mr. Randolph Sparrow Mr. William Snow Mr. John Viccars Mr. Rowland Pierce Mr. John Willson Mr. Matthew Clarke Physician Sir Charles Scarborow Kt. Apothecary Christian Harel Clerk of the Closet William Stanley D. D. Treasurer and Receiver General Richard Earl of Bellomont His Clerk Mr. Edward Godfrey Auditor General Edward Clarke Esq His Clerk Messengers Timothy Goodwin Richard Hancoc Porter of the Back Stairs David Harris Master of the Barges Mr. Christopher Hill Four and Twenty Watermen Officers and Servants of the Stables Master of the Horse Sir Edward Villiers Kt. Ecquerries Charles Goltstein Esq Henry Killigrew Esq Charles May Esq Pages of Honour John Broeckhuysen Esq George Fielding Esq Purveyor Anthony Rowe Esq Yeoman Rider John Lauze Esq Yeomen of the Carriages Mr. Joseph Hough Coachmen Wessel Bosshof Christopher Ronch Herman Vanswell Lender Snellard John Catchlove Grooms Thomas Clarke Thomas Millet Footmen Samuel Clarke John Trantur Benjamin Booth Robert Howe Isaac Grafar Jacob Finke William Causey Herman Bongurs Jacob van Woestine Benjam in Ramsey Chair-men Thomas Chamberlain Benjamin Cotton Oswald Fawne Robert Giddins Bottleman Henry Gardies Groom Farrier Andrew Snape Groom Saddler John Bignell Her Majesties Women Servants Groom of the Stole and Lady of the Robes Elizabeth Countefs of Derby Ladies of the Bed-Chamber Gertrude Marchioness of Hallifax Mary Marchioness of Winchester Mary Countess of Dorset Bridget Countess of Plimouth Frances Countess of Scarborough Maids of Honour Mrs. Eleonora Francklin Mrs. Stewart Walburt Howard Mrs. Mary Villiers Mrs. Mary Compton Mrs. Jane Martha Temple Mrs. Anne Greenvill Women of the Bed-Chamber Mrs. Anna van Goltstein Mrs. Cary Jesson Mrs. Dorothy Cason Mrs. Agnes Uygh Mrs. Rachel Wyndham Mrs. Martha Lockharâ— Laundress Mrs. Elizabeth Worthington Seamstress and Stearcher Mrs. Dorothy Ireland Necessary Women Elizabeth Wiele Anne Dawhurst A List of the present Nobility and Bishops Where you find the Star prefixt the Title was conferred by His present Majesty Princes of the Blood PRince GEORGE of Denmark Duke of Cumberland * William Duke of Glocester his Son Dukes 13. Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal oâ— England Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Henry Cavendish Duke of Newcastle Charles Leons Duke of Richmond Charles Fitz-Roy Duke of Southampton Henry Fitz-Roy Duke of Grafton James Butler Duke of Ormond Henry Somerset Duke of Beaufert George Fitz-Roy Duke of Northumberland Charles Beauclair Duke of S. Albans James Fitz James Duke of Berwick Charles Pawlet Duke of Bolton Charles Schombergh Duke of Schombrgh Marquesses 3. George Savile Marquess of Hallifax William Herbert Marquess of Powis * Thomas Osborne Marquess of Carmarthen Lord President of the Council Earls 71. Aubre de Vere Earl of Oxford Charles Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey Earl of Kent William Stanley Earl of Derby John Manners Earl of Rutland Theophilus Hastings Earl of Huntingdon William Russel Earl of Bedford Thomas Herbert Earl of Pembroke Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln George Howard Earl of Suffolk Charles Sackvile Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Cecill Earl of Salisbury John Cecill Earl of Exeter John Egerton Earl of Bridgwater Philip Sidney Earl of Leicester George Compton Earl of Northampton Edward Rich Earl of Warwick William Cavendish Earl of Devonshire Lord Steward of the Houshold Basil Fielding Earl of Denbigh John Digby Earl of Bristol John Holles Earl of Clare Pawlet St. John Earl of Bolingbroke Charles Fane Earl of Westmorland Charles Mountague Earl of Manchester Thomas Howard Earl of Berkshire John Sheffield Earl of Mulgrave Thomas Savage Earl Rivers Robert Bertie Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain of England Henry Mordant Earl of Peterborough Thomas Grey Earl of Stamford Charles Finch Earl of Winchelsea Evelyn Pierpoint Earl of Kingston Charles Dormer Earl of Carnarvan Philip Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield Thomas Tufton Earl of Thanet William Wentworth Earl of Strafford Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland Robert Leke Earl of Starsdale Edward Mountague Earl of Sandwich Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon Algernon Capel Earl of Essex Robert Brudenel Earl of Cardigan James Annesley Earl of Anglesey John Granvile Earl of Bath Edward Howard Earl of Carlisle William Craven Earl of Craven Thomas Bruce Earl of Ailesbury Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington Anthony Ashley Cooper Earl of Shaftsbury Edward Henry Lee Earl of Lichfield Thomas Lennard Earl of Sussex Lewis de Duras Earl of Feversham Charles Gerard Earl of Macclesfield Charles-Bodvile Roberts Earl of Radner William Paston Earl of Yarmouth George Berkeley Earl of Berkeley Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester James Bertie Earl of Abingdon Baptist Noel Earl of Gainsborough Coniers D' Accie Earl of Holderness Other Windsor Earl of Plimouth Francis Ratcliff Earl of Derwentwater Henry Howard Earl of Stafford William Bentinck Earl of Portland Thomas Bellassise Earl of Falconberg * Charles Mordant Earl of Monmouth * Ralph Mountague Earl of Mountague * John Churchill Earl of Marlborow * Arthur Herbert Earl of Torrington * Richard Lumley Earl of Scarborough * Henry Booth Earl of Warrington Viscounts 9. Edward Devereux Viscount Hereford Francis Brown Viscount Mountague William Fiennes Viscount Say and Selc Francis Newport Viscount Newport Charles Townesend Viscount Townesend Thomas Thynne Viscount Weymouth Christopher Hatton Viscount Hatton Henry Sidney Viscount Sidney Henry Yelverton Vscount Longueville Barons 66. George Nevill Lord Abergaveny James Touchet Lord Audley Robert Bertie Lord Willoughby of Eresby John West Lord de la Ware Charles Berkely Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Thomas Parker Lord Morley Robert Shirley Lord Ferrers Charles Mildmay Lord Fitzwalter William Stourton Lord Stourton Ralph Eure Lord Eure. Philip Wharton Lord Wharton Thomas Willoughby Lord Willoughby of Parham William Paget Lord Paget Francis Howard Lord Howard of Effingham Charles North Lord North. James Bruges Lord Chandos Robert Carey Lord Hunsden Robert Sidney Lord Sidney of Penshurst Thomas Petre Lord Petre. Charles Gerard Lord Gerard. Henry Arundel Lord Arundel of Wardour Christopher Roper Lord Tenham Foulk Grevil Lord Brook Ford Gray Lord Gray John Lovelace Lord Lovelace John Pawlet Lord Pawlet William Maynard Lord Maynard Thomas Coventry Lord Coventry William Howard Lord Howard of Escrick Charles Mohun Lord Mohun Henry Herbert Lord Herbert of Cherbury Thomas Leigh Lord Leigh Thomas Jermin Lord Jermin William Byron Lord Byron John Vaughan Lord Vaughan Francis Carrington Lord Carrington William Widdrington Lord Widdrington Edward Ward Lord Ward John Culpeper Lord Culpeper Charles Boyle Lord Clifford of Lanesborough Robert Lucas Lord Lucas Henry Bellassise Lord Bellassise Edward Watson Lord Rockingham Robert Sutton Lord Lexington Marmaduke Langdale Lord Langdale John Berkeley Lord Berkeley of Stratton Charles Granvile Lord Granvile Francis Holles Lord Holles Charles Cornwallis Lord Cornwallis Thomas Crew Lord Crew John Arundel Lord Arundell of Trerice Hugh Clifford Lord Clifford of Chudleigh Peregrine Osborn Lord Osborn George
England into Counties there is a common way of dividing it but into Two Parts North and South that is all the Counties on the North and South-side of the River Trent Which way is followed by the Justices in Eyre of the Forest and likewise by the Kings at Arms. Another Division there is relating to the publick Administration of Justice by the Itinerant of Judges And that is into Six Circuits of which I shall give a particular Account in my second Part. Lastly for the Church Government England is divided first into two Provinces or Archbishopricks namely Canterbury and York and these two Provinces into 22 Diocesses or Bishopricks these into Archdeaconries Archdeaconries into Rural Deanries and these last into Parishes The Number whereof setting aside the 12 Counties of Wales amounts to near Ten Thousand CHAP. II. The Advantages of ENGLAND from its Situation in opposition to Inland Countries The natural Beauty of it A Description of its principal Rivers OF all the States of Europe there 's none more happy than ENGLAND whether we consider the Advantages of its Situation the Temperateness of its Air the Richness of its Soil the happy temper of its Inhabitants or the Blessed Constitution of its Government especially under their present Majesties As it is in a manner surrounded by the Sea it injoys Two great Advantages the One in Relation to foreign Trade and the Other in point of Security from forein Invasion In relation to forein Trade it lies open to all Parts of the World that are adjacent to the Sea either for the Exportation of home-bred or the Importation of foreign Commodities To which purpose as Nature has fenced its Sea-Coasts from the Irruptions and Inundations of the Sea with high Cliffs so she has furnished it with abundance of safe and capacious Harbours for the security of Ships As for a forein Invasion 't is certain that Islands of any great Importance are by Nature the most defensible Places and the least open to Conquests The Sea that fluid Element which surrounds them is such a Bar to their Enemies Attempts the Winds that govern it so fickle and uncertain the Charges of a Fleet and Land Army so vast the Preparations such as cannot be carried on with that speed and secrecy as for an Invasion by Land and the Difficulty of Landing so great in case of Opposition 'T is true no Continent perhaps was oftener Conquered than ENGLAND first by the Romans then by the Saxons afterwards by the Danes and last of all by the Normans But how was it done always by the help of some discontented or corrupted Party in the Island Thus Bericus a noble but disgusted Britain incouraged Claudius the Roman Emperour to stretch his Empire hither And Vortiger an Usurper of the British Throne called in the Saxons to his help who having got a footing here could not be so easily expelled as brought in In short it may be said England was never and can scarce be Conquered but by England especially since its happy Conjunction with Scotland and the Annexion of Wales As to the late Revolution 't is self evident that the chief Part of the Nation had a hand in it and as it proved we may justly call it not an Invasion as King James affected to do but a wonderful and signal Deliverance To those Two great Advantages of Trade and Security which England does injoy from its Situation near the Sea let us add the Prospect it has from the Sea-Coast of the wonderful Ocean one of the three great Antiquities of the World and the plentiful Variety of Fish and Sea-Fowl c. it affords to this Island But that which raises my Admiration of ENGLAND is the Beauty of it being generally a flat and open Country not overgrown with wild and unwholsom Forests nor dreadful high Mountains What Hills it has are generally very gentle and pleasant and raised as it were to give a charming Prospect to the Eye as its Forests seem only contrived for Variety and the pleasure of Hunting But one Thing there is which adds much to the Beauty of it and that is its excellent Verdure Which by reason of the mildness of the Air even in the Winter-Season exceeds in duration of Time the most fruitful Places of Europe To which add the Concourse of so many Rivers which glide through this Country and strive to make it agreeable and fruitful They are reckoned in all 325 the chief whereof are these following Viz. The Thames The Medway The Severn The Ouse The Trent The Humber The Tees The Tine The Twede The Thames is a Compound of the Thame and Isis two Rivers the first whereof rises in Buckinghamshire the other near Cirencester in Glocestershire both joyning together into one Stream by Dorcester in Oxfordshire where it parts that County from Barkshire From whence taking its course Eastward with many Windings and Turnings it parts Buckinghamshire from Barkshire Middlesex from Surrey and Essex from Kent Where being swelled with the Influx of several lesser Rivers it discharges it self into the Sea watering by the way amongst other Towns Reading and Windsor in Barkshire Kingston and Southwark in Surrey London in Middlesex Barking in Essex and Gravesend in Kent A River the Water whereof is extraordinary wholsom the Stream exceeding gentle and the Tides very commodious for Navigation For the Sea flows gently up this River about 80 Miles almost as far as Kingston being 12 Miles by Land and 20 by Water above London The Medway is a Kentish River not so remarkable for the length of its Course as for the Depth of its Channel and therefore made use of for harbouring the Royal Navy It runs thorough Maidstone Rochester and Chatham a few Miles from whence it empties it self in the Mouth of the Thames This River loses it self under Ground and rises again at Loose not far from Cox-Heath The Severn rises in Montgomeryshire a County of North-Wales From whence it runs through Shropshire Worcestershire and Glocestershire where it does so expatiate it self that the Mouth of it is more like an Arm of the Sea than any part of a River It waters in its course Shrewsbury Worcester and Glocester the chief Towns of the foresaid three Counties and takes in by the way several Rivers of good note two Avons the Temd the Wye and the Vsk The Ouse has its source in the South-Borders of Northamptonshire From whence it runs through the Counties of Bucks Bedford Huntington Cambridge and Norfolk where it discharges it self into the Ocean watering in its Course Buckingham Bedford Huntington Ely and the Sea-Port of Lyn in Norfolk The River that runs through York has also the Name of Ouse being a Compound chiefly of these three Yorkshire Rivers the Swale the Youre and the Warfe And between Norfolk and Suffolk you will find the little Ouse which parting these Two Counties runs at last into the great Ouse The Trent which divides England into Two Parts North and South has its Rise
in Staffordshire and from thence runs through Darbyshire Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire where it falls into the Humber not far from Hull It waters in its course these three chief Places Nottingham Newark and Gainsborough The Humber is a Yorkshire River if that can be called a distinct River which has no Spring of its own but is more properly a Compound or rather a Mouth of several Rivers joyning into one Stream especially the Trent and the York Ouse the Dun and the Darewent The Town of Hull is seated upon it before which Place it widens it self much like the Severn at its Mouth to a great breadth and so falls into the Sea The Tees is another River of the North parting Yorkshire from the Bishoprick of Durham and running from West to East into the Sea The Tine famous for its Coal-trade parts for some Miles Durham from Northumberland running likewise from West to East Seaward by Newcastle therefore called Newcastle upon Tine The Twede is the furthest River Northward and that which parts England from Scotland At the Influx whereof into the Sea is seated Barwick called from this River Barwick upon Twede But besides these principal Rivers and many others of less note though several of them Navigable I cannot but mention those pleasant Rivulets and Brooks which are so numerous in this Country Whose clear and swift-running Streams add much to the Beauty and Fruitfulness of it CHAP. III. Of the Air of ENGLAND It s Temperateness and the Effects of it BY the Situation of ENGLAND so far North as it is one would think the Air should be pretty sharp here and at least colder than in France which lies South from it Whereas it is so Temperate Winter and Summer that the Winters are milder here and the Summers much more moderate In Winter-time the warm Vapours of the Sea on every side do so thicken the Air that it cannot so soon penetrate as the thin Air of hot Countries In Summer the frequent Interposition of Clouds often dissolving into Rain and the usual Blasts from the Sea allay those excessive Heats which both hot and cold Climates are troubled with in that Season for want of Wind and Rain Thus ENGLAND has the happiness of being seldom tired either with a long Frost in Winter or Drought in Summer On the contrary while Continents in the same Latitude and some of a much more Southern Situation ly under Snow pinched with a hard Frost it happens often that our Fields are here cloathed with Grass as in the Spring And whilst the Sun in Summer scorches the Plants and the Inhabitants themselves of hot Climates here it shines so kindly that it does but warm us by a moderate Heat which makes the Country so plentiful both of Corn and Pasture 'T is true on the other side the Air is nothing so pure nor the Weather so serene or regular as it is in Continents Most part of the Winter ENGLAND is under a Cloud often stuffed up with Fogs troubled with rainy Weather and except there happens a Frost but seldom injoying the Sun in its splendour Whence proceed those frequent Colds which are in a manner the original Cause of most of our Distempers and from the frequency of Rain Land-floods which drown the Countries where the Rivers swell out of their Channels and break over their Banks And yet as rainy as this Country is we seldom see here such impetuous Showers or rather Storms of Rain as hot Countries are subject to which often drown the fairest Hopes of the Husbandman For if they have Rain but seldom they have it by the great and sometimes with a Vengeance Whereas in England where it is more frequent it proves most commonly a gentle soaking Rain But there is another Inconveniency in the Weather here and that is its Changeableness and Irregularity according to the Wind that blows Which happens sometimes to be so frequent and sudden that in the space of 24 hours I have observed four different sorts of Weather proper enough for the four Seasons of the Year This I confess is an extraordinary Case But however such is the Mutableness of the Weather that it seldom holds out many Days in the same degree either of Warmth Coldness or Driness And of all Times of the Year the Month of March is the most subject to Change witness the usual Expression March Many-weather And yet this may be said for Changeableness of Weather that it creates Diversion by its Variety What is more comfortable in Winter than a warm Day after a fit of cold Weather and a cool Day in Summer after a fit of hot Weather The quickest and most refined Pleasures grow dull by their Continuance but Change sets an edge upon ' em And as glorious as the Sun appears in its greatest splendour I have oftentimes been weary of its undiscontinued Appearance for a long time together On the other side ENGLAND is nothing near so subject to Hail to Thunder and Lightning or to the Heavens darting of Thunderbolts as many other Regions which are frequently alarmed with those dreadful Meteors And if Nature be somewhat too prodigal of Moisture in this Country she is on the other side as careful to cure it Scarce a fit of Rain is over but comes a fit of Wind to dry up the Moisture and purify the Air. So that the most part of the Year is commonly divided betwixt these two Gods of the Heathens Jupiter and Aeolus The Wind that reigns most in ENGLAND is the Westerly Wind which blows from the vast Western Ocean perhaps three parts in four of the Year But when I say a Westerly Wind I don't mean only that which blows directly from the Cardinal Point but all the Collateral Points from South to North. An Easterly Wind especially in the Spring is lookt upon here to be fatal to Plants and if the Proverb be true to Man and Beast For high Winds and tempestuous Weather we have here two Times of the Year seldom free from it And those are the two Equinoxes in September and March But for Hurricanes and Earthquakes England of all the Countries in Europe is the least subject to ' em The Storm indeed which hapned on the 12th of January last was so very violent blew with such impetuous Gusts and proved so mischievous that it may pass for an Hurricane But it was such as the like has not been known here within the Memory of Man In short whatever be the Disadvantages of ENGLAND in point of Air in respect to other Countries the same is sufficiently countervailed by the Sweetness and Comforts of it as 't will further appear by the insuing Chapter CHAP. IV. Of the Products of ENGLAND both from the Land and Water and the Fruitfulness thereof 'T IS said of Henry the Seventh one of the wisest Kings that ever sat upon the Throne of England but whose Breeding had been low and private That being once pressed by some of his Council to pursue his
for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
'T is bounded on the East with Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Darham on the West and North with Cumberland and on the South with Lancashire Which last does so interfere with Westmorland along the Sea-Coast that this County has but one Corner to peep out upon the Sea which is about the Place where the Ken falls into it It contains in Length from North to South about 35 miles its Breadth from East to West about 25. The Whole divided into four Wards called Kendale Lensdale East and West Wards Wherein are contained 26 Parishes and 8 Market-Towns This County is very hilly there being two several Ridges of high Hills that cross the Country as far as Cumberland However it has especially in the Southern Parts many fruitfull Valleys with good Arable Meadow and Pasture-Grounds The Air by reason those Hills and the Northern Situation of the Country is very sharp and piercing and not so subject to the Fogs as many other Counties Whereby the People are very healthfull free from strange and infectious Diseases and commonly live to a great Age. As for Rivers this County is very well watered The principal of which are the Eden the Can or Ken the Lon and the Eamon The Can of some note for its two Cataracts or Water-falls near Kendall where the Waters descend with a great fall and noise From which the Country-people have made this Observation that when the North Water-fall sounds clearer and louder than the other 't is a certain presage of fair Weather But when the other does so they expect rainy Weather Here are also two noted Lakes or Meers the one called Vlles Water and the other Winder or Wimander Meer the first bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland and the last upon this County and Lancashire where you will find it described Kendall or Candale the Shire Town from whence one of the Wards or Divisions has the Name of Kendall Ward bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom 201 miles thus From London to Lancaster 181 miles the particulars whereof you may see in Lancastire and from Lancaster to Kendall 14. It is seated in a Dale on the River Ken whence it had the Name built in the manner of a Cross two long and broad Streets thwarting one another besides some by-Streets The same is a rich populous and well-traded Town especially for the making of woolen Cloth Druggets Serges Hats and worsted Stockings whereby the poor people are imployed and the adjacent Parts inriched Over the River it has two fair Stone-Bridges besides another of Wood which leads to the Ruins of a Castle the Birth-place of Queen Catherine the sixth Wife to King Henry VIII Here is a fair and large Church to which as the Parish-Church belong 12 Chappels of Ease And by the Church-yard stands a Free-School being a large Building well indowed with good Exhibitions for poor Scholars going from hence to Queens Colledge in Oxford Here are also in this Town seven Companies viz. the Mercers Shearmen Cordwainers Tanners Glovers Taylors and Pewterers having their respective Halls for managing their Concerns And for Provisions here is a great Market which is kept on Saturdays Lastly this Town is an ancient Barony Noted besides for giving the Title of an Earl to John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and to John de Foix created Earl hereof by King Henry VI. The other Market-Towns are Appleby Sat. Burton Tue. Burgh Wed. Ambleside Wed. Orton Wedn. Kirby Lonsdale Thu. Kirby Stephens Frid. Fardondyke Among which Appleby Kirby Stephens Burgh and Orton are in East Ward Kirby Lonsdale and Burton in Lonsdale Ward Ambleside in Kendale Ward Appleby the Abellaba of the ancient Romans is memorable for its Antiquity 'T is pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Eden over which ' it has a Stone-Bridge and does chiefly consist of one broad Street rising from North to South with an easy ascent In the upper Part of it stands a Castle once of good Strength in the nether end the Church and not far from it a free School In the East side of the Street leading to the Castle is an Amls-House or Hospital founded and liberally indowed by the Lady Clifford Where about the Year 1652 she placed a deceased Minister's Wife with her 12 Daughters whereof eleven Widows and the twelfth a maimed Maid She also purchased Lands which she settled upon Feoffees in Trust for the Repairing of the Church then very ruinous the School-House the Moot or Town Hall and the Bridge as Occasion required In this Town the Assizes and Bessions are usually held Kirby Lonsdale that is the Church-Town in Lonsdale is seated on the Banks of the River Lon in the pleasant and rich Vale of Lonsdale towards Lancashire A large and well-built Town well inhabited and resorted unto being the greatest Town in the County except Kendale Beautified with a fair Church and a large Stone-Bride and driving a good Trade for Cloth This Place gives Name to one of the four Divisions of the County from hence called Lonsdale Ward of some note besides for the many deep and hollow Caves near it Kirby Stephens a goodly Town is seated in East ward near the Skirts of the Hills which sever this County from Yorkshire Beautified with a fair Church and much improved by the Trade of making Stockings Near this Town is Wharton-Hall a Seat belonging to the Lord Wharton Burton an indifferent Town stands in a Valley near the great Hill called Farleton-Knot-Hill And Orton among the Heaths is so destitute of Wood that the people say they han't so much as a Stick to hang a Dog on I pass by the other Towns as inconsiderable to take notice of the Stone-Cross upon Stainmore-Hill a Hill so called for its being exceeding stony Stain in the North being the Word used for a Stone The Cross said to be erected upon a Peace concluded between William the Conquerour and Malcolm King of Scotland with the Arms of the King of England on the South-side and those of the King of Scotland on the North-side Which served for a Boundary as the Case stood then betwixt the two Kingdoms In the North-West Parts at the joyning of the River Eamont with the Lowther is Whinfeld Forest and hard by it Brougham-Castle which by the Coyns c. that have been there digged up seems to have been a Place of good account in the time of the Romans By the High-Way side leading between Lowther and Eamont Bridges is a large Circle of Ground with a fair Plain in the midst Which the Country-people give out to be the Place made use of by the Knight of the Round Table for their Tilts and Turnaments there being two opposite Passes to make their Approaches in And accordingly they call it King Arthur's Table At Shap a great Parish stood the only Abbey in this County founded by Thomas Son of Jospatrick in the Reign of Henry Iâ— and seated near the River Lowther Not far from which