Hethe Ioâ—…an Potter Iohan. Grecell Will. Bocher de Henlow Will. Hâ—…le de Chitingdon Iohan. Halle Will. Ludsopp Iohan. Conquest de Houghton Stephani Cruker Tho. Rokeston Will. Lancelein Hen. de Lye â—…o Ragon Iohan. Mepurshale Iohan. Fitz Iohan. Pekke junioris Hugonis Billingdou Tho. Pekke Will. Pekke Iohan. Glove junioris Hungry Time hath made a Glutton â—…eal on this Catalogue of Gentry and hath left but a very little morsell for manners remaining so few of these are found extant in this â—…hire and fewer continuing in a Gentile Equipage Amongst whom I must not forget the Family of the Blundels whereof Sir Edward Blundell behaved himself right valiantly in the unfortunate expedition to the Isle of Ree Sheriffs of Bedford and Buckingham-shire HEN. II. Anno 1 Rich. Basset Albertus de Veer Rob. Carun Anno 2 Henriâ—… de Essex constituit Simonem Fitz. Petre Vicecomitem for 4 years Anno 6 Gal. filius Radulph Anno 7 Rich. filâ—…us Oâ—…rti for 3 years Anno 10 Hug. de la Legâ—… Rich. filius Osberti for 6 years Anno 16 David Archidea Will filius Rich. Anno 17 Will. filius Rich. David Arch. for 3 years Anno 20 Will. filius Rich. for 6 years Anno 26 Will. Rufus for 7 years Anno 33 Will. Rufus Oger filius Ogeri pro dimad Anni RICH. I. Anno 1 Will. Rufus for 6 years Anno 7 Simon de Belchampe for 3 years Anno 10 Will. de Albeny Rob. Braybrook JOHAN R. Anno 1 Will. de Albeny Anno 2 Galf. filius Petri Rob. de Braybrook for 4 years Anno 6 Rob. de Braybrook Rob. filius Hemer Anno 7 Rob. Rober. Anno 8 Rob. filius Hemeri Anno 9 â—…dem Anno 10 Rob. de Braybrook for 3 years Anno 13 Rob. de Braybrook Hen. filius ejus Anno 14 Hen. Braybrook Rob. Pater ejus Anno 15 Idem Anno 16 Hen. Braybrook Anno 17 Idem HEN. III. Anno 1 Anno 2 Fulco de Breantel Anno 3 Idem Anno 4 Ful. de Breantel Rad. de Bray for 4 years Anno 8 Ful. de Breantel Anno 9 Walt. de Pateshull de Accestane for 4 years Anno 13 Steph. de Wegrave Will de Martiwaste Anno 14 Steph. de Segne Anno 15 Steph. de Segne Rich. de Atteneston for 3 years Anno 18 Steph. de Segne Joh. Ulecot Anno 19 Radus filius Reginald Anno 20 Will. de Bello Campo Ric. de Porchhalt Anno 21 Will. de Bello Campo Anno 22 Reginald de Albo Monasterio Anno 23 Rob. de Hega Anno 24 Pauâ—…us Penire Anno 25 Idem Anno 26 Joh. â—…rumband Anno 27 Will. Holdwell for 7 years Anno 34 Alex. de Hammeden for 3 years Anno 37 Nul Tile Com. in Rotulo Anno 38 Simon de Glendon Anno 39 Idem Anno 40 Rob. le Savage Rich. le Savage filius Johan Anno 41 Rob. de Tottenhall Anno 42 Idem Anno 43 Alex. de Hamden for 4 years Anno 47 Alex. de Hamden Simon de Pateshill for 5 years Anno 52 Edw. filius Regis Primogenitus Anno 53 Idem Anno 54 Edw. filius primo genitus Barthol de Towen Subvic ejus for 3 years EDW. I. Anno 1 Thomas de Bray Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Hugo de Stapleford for 4 years Anno 7 Johan de Chedney for 4 years Anno 11 Radul de Goldington for 3 years Anno 14 Will. de Boyvill for 3 years Anno 17 Will. de Tarrevill Anno 18 Joh. de Popham Anno 19 Idem Anno 20 Will. de Turrevill for 5 years Anno 25 Sim. de Bradenham Anno 26 Walter deMolesworth for 10 years EDW. II. Anno 1 Gil. de Holme Wal. de Molesworth Anno 2 Will. Merre for 4 years Anno 6 Walt. de Molesworth Joh. de Pabenham for 3 years Anno 9 Joh. de la Hay Anno 10 Idem Anno 11 Joh. de la Hay Rog. de Tirringham Anno 12 Phil. de Aylesbury Rich. de Cave Anno 13 Rich. de Cave Ingilran de Berenger Anno 14 Idem Anno 15 Ingelramus Berenger Anno 16 Anno 17 Rog. de Tiringham Anno 18 Rog. de Tiringham Joh. de la Hay Anno 19 Johan de la Hay Phil. de Aylesbury EDW. III. Anno 1 Johan de la Mareschall Phil. de Aylesbury Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Joh. de Mareschall Anno 4 Phil. de Aylesbury for 3 years Anno 7 Nul Titl Com. in Rotulo Anno 8 Rad. de Wedon Anno 9 Idem Anno 10 Rich. Ward Anno 11 Rad. de Wedon Anno 12 Nich. de Passelow Will Aloton Anno 13 Idem Anno 14 Nich. Passelow Anno 15 Ger. de Braybrook Anno 16 Henric. Chalfhunt Gerrard de Braybrook Anno 17 Joh. Aygnell Hen. Chalfhunt Anno 18 Hen. Chalfhunt Joh. Wignell Anno 19 Tho. de Swinford Anno 20 Idem Anno 21 Will. Croyser Anno 22 Idem Anno 23 Tho. Fernibrand Anno 24 Idem Anno 25 Joh. Chastilion Tho. Fernibrand Anno 26 Joh. Chastilion Anno 27 Ger. de Braybrook Anno 28 Idem Anno 29 Pet. de Salford GerBraybrook Anno 30 Pet. de Salford Anno 31 Joh. de Hampden Hug. Chastilion Anno 32 Joh. de Hampden Anno 33 Idem Anno 34 Pet. de Salford Anno 35 Joh. de Hampden Anno 36 Pet. de Salford for 4 years Anno 40 Joh. de Aylesbury for 6 years Anno 46 Johan Chyne Anno 47 Johan Ragoun Anno 48 Johan Aylesbury Anno 49 Johan de Arden Anno 50 Johan de Broughton Anno 51 Johan de Ollueyge Henry II. 1 RICHARDUS BASSET ALBERICUS DE VEER The Catalogue of the Sheriffs of Cambridge and Huntington-shires as also of Essex and Hartford-shire beginneth with the same names so that â—…ix Counties but all lying together were under their inspection None need to question but that this Albericus de Veer was the very same with him who by Maud the Empress was made the first Earl of Oxford of whom hereafter this year in Cambridge-shire Mean time we take notice of an Usterosis beholding R. Basset though first named as his Under-Sheriff 2. HENRY de ESSEX He is too well known in our English Chronicles being Baron of Raleigh in Essex and Hereditary Standard-bearer of England It happened in the reign of this King there was a fierce battle fought in Flint-shire at Coleshull betwixt the English and Welch wherein this Henry de Essex Animum Signum simul abjecit betwixt Traitor and Coward cast away both his Courage and Banner together occasioning a great over-throw of English But he that had the baseness to doe had the boldness to deny the doing of so foul a fact untill he was challenged in combate by Robert de Momford a Knight Eye-witness thereof and by him overcome in a Duell Whereupon his large inheritance was confiscated to the King and he himself partly thrust partly going into a Convent hid his head in
therein but 12. years of age He was blessed with an happy memory insomuch that when D. D. he could say by heart the second Book of the Aeneads which he learnt at School without missing a Verse He was an excellent Preacher and becoming a Pulpit with his gravity He attended King James his Chaplaine into Scotland and after his return was preferred Dean of Westminster then Bishop of Salisbury Hear what the Author of a Pamphlet who inscribeth himself A. W. saith in a Book which is rather a Satyre then a History a Libell then a Character of the Court of King James for after he had slanderously inveighed against the bribery of those days in Church and State hear how he seeks to make amends for all King James's Court pag. 129 130. Some worthy men were preferred gratis to blow up their Buckingham and his party Fames as Tolson a worthy man paid nothing in fine or Pension and so after him Davenant in the same Bishoprick Yet these were but as Musick before every hound Now although both these persons here praised were my God-fathers and Uncles the one marrying the sister of the other being Brother to my Mother and although such good words seem a Rarity from so railing a mouth yet shall not these considerations tempt me to accept his praises on such invidious terms as the Author doth proffer them O! Were these worthy Bishops now alive how highly would they disdain to be praised by such a pen by which King James their Lord and Master is causelesly traduced How would they condemn such uncharitable commendations which are if not founded on accompanied with the disgrace of others of their order Wherefore I their Nephew in behalf of their Memories protest against this passage so far forth as it casteth Lustre on them by Eclipsing the credit of other Prelates their contemporaries And grant corruption too common in that kind yet were there besides them at that time many worthy Bishops raised to their dignity by their Deserts without any Simonicall complyances Doctor Townson had a hospitall heart a generous disposition free from covetousness and was always confident in Gods Providence that if he should dye his children and those were many would be provided for wherein he was not mistaken He lived in his Bishoprick but a year and being appointed at very short warning to preach before the Parliament by unseasonable â—…tting up to study contracted a Fever whereof he died and was buried in Westminster Abbey Anno Dom. 1622. THOMAS son to William WESTFIELD D. D. was born Anno Dom. 1573. in the Parish of Saint Maries in Ely and there bred at the Free-school under Master Spight till he was sent to Jesus-colledge in Cambridge being first Scholar then Fellow thereof He was Curate or Assistant rather to Bishop Felton whilst Minister of Saint Mary le Bow in Cheapside afterward Rector of Hornsey nigh and Great Saint Bartholomews in London where in his preaching he went thorow the four Evangelists He was afterwards made Arch-Deacon of Saint Albans and at last Bishop of Bristol a place proffered to and refused by him twenty five years before For then the Bishoprick was offered to him to maintain him which this contented meek man having a self-subsistence did then decline though accepting of it afterwards when proffered to him to maintain the Bishoprick and support the Episcopall dignity by his signall devotion What good opinion the Parliament though not over-fond of Bishops conceived of him appears by their Order ensuing The thirteenth of May 1643. From the Committee of Lords and Commons for Sequestration of Delinquents Estates Upon information in the behalf of the Bishop of Bristoll that his Tenants refuse to pay him his Rents it is Ordered by this Committee that all profits of his Bishoprick be restored to him and a safe conduct be granted him to pass with his family to Bristoll being himself of great age and a person of great learning and merit Jo. Wylde About the midst of his life he had a terrible sickness so that he thought to use his own expression in his Diary that God would put out the candle of his life though he was pleased onely to snuff it By his will the true Copy whereof I have he desired to be buried in his Cathedral Church neer the tombe of Paul Bush the first Bishop thereof And as for my worldly goods Reader they are his own words in his Will which as the times now are I know not well where they be nor what they are I give and bequeath them all to my dear wife Elizabeth c. He protested himself on his death-bed a true Protestant of the Church of England and dying Junii 28. 1644. lyeth buried according to his own desire above mentioned with this inscription Hic jacet Thomas Westfield S. T. D. Episcoporum intimus peccatorum primus Obiit 25. Junii anno MDCXLIV Senio moerore confectus Tu Lector quisquis es vale resipisce Epitaphium ipse sibi dictavit vivus Monumentum uxor moestissima Elizabetha Westfield Marito desideratissimo posuit superstes Thus leaving such as survived him to see more sorrow and feel more misery he was seasonably taken away from the evil to come And according to the Anagram made on him by his Daughter Thomas Westfield I dwel the most safe Enjoying all happiness and possessing the reward of his pains who converted many and confirmed more by his constancy in his Calling States-men JOHN TIPTOFT son and heir of John Lord Tiptoft and Joyce his wife daughter and Co-heir of Edward Charlton Lord Powis by his wife Eleanor sister and Co-heir of Edmund Holland Earl of Kent was born at Everton in this but in the confines of Bedford shire He was bred in Baliol-colledge in Oxford where he attained to great learning and by King Henry the sixth was afterwards created first Vice-count then Earl of Worcester and Lord Hâ—…gh Constable of England and by K. Edward the fourth Knight of the Garter The skies began now to lowre and threaten Civil Wars and the House of York fell sick of a Relapse Mean time this Earl could not be discourteous to Henry the sixth who had so much advanced him nor disloyall to Edward the fourth in whom the right of the Crown lay Consulting his own safety he resolved on this Expedient for a time to quit his own and visit the Holy-land In his passage thither or thence he came to Rome where he made a Latin speech before the Pope Piâ—… the second and converted the Italians into a better opinion then they had formerly of the English-mens learning insomuch that his holiness wept at the elegancy of the Oration He returned from Christs sepulcher to his own grave in England coming home in a most unhappy juncture of time if sooner or later he had found King Edward on that Throne to which now Henry the sixth was restored and whose restitution was onely remarkable for the death of this worthy
places and at a place called Somervill near to Chappel which by the landing place as ye come from Altferrâ—… to Chesil is in great abundance It is an assured remedy for the Yellow Jaundice openeth the obstructions of the Spleen c. Buildings The Houses of the Gentry herein are built rather to be lived in than to be looked on very low in their scituation for warmth and other conveniencies Indeed the rhime holds generally true of the English structures The North for Greatness the East for Health The South for Neatness the West for Wealth However amongst the Houses in this County Lullworth Castle and Sherburn-Lodge are most eminent escaping pretty well in the late war so that they have cause neither to brag nor complain Proverbs As much a kin as Lenson-hill to Pilsen-pen That is no kin at all It is spoke of such who have vicinity of habitation or neighbourhood without the least degree of consanguinity or affinity betwixt them For these are two high hills the first wholy the other partly in the Parish of Broad Windsor whereof once I was Minister Yet Reader I assure thee that Sea-Men make the nearest Relation betwixt them calling the one the Cow the other the Calf in which forms it seems they appear first to their fancies being eminent Sea-marks to such as sail along these Coasts And although there be many Hills interposing betwixt these and the Sea which seem higher to a land Traveller yet these surmount them all so incompetent a Judge and so untrue a Surveyor is an ordinary eye of the Altitude of such places Stab'd with a Byrdport Dagger That is hang'd or executed at the Gallowes The best if not the most Hemp for the quantity of ground growing about Byrdport a Market Town in this County And hence it is that there is an ancient Statute though now disused and neglected that the Cable Ropes for the Navy Royal were to be made there abouts as affording the best Tackling for that purpose Dorset-shire Dorsers Dorsers are Peds or Panniers carried on the backs of Horses on which Haglers use to ride and carry their Commodities It seems this homely but most useful implement was either first found out or is most generally used in this County where Fish-Jobbers bring up their Fish in such contrivances above an hundred miles from Lime to London Saints EDWARD son to Edgar King of England was in his Child-hood bred under the cruel correction of Elfrida his Mother-in-law who used for small faults to whip him with Wax-Candles In so much that it is reported it made such an impression in this young Princes memory that when a man he could not endure the sight of Wax-Candles But Edward afterwards outgrew his Mothers tuition and succeeded his Father in his Throne However such her ambition that advantaged with the others easiness of nature She managed most matter of State leaving her Son in-law little more than the bare title of Soveraign Not contented herewith and to derive the Scepter to her own Son Ethelred caused him to be stab'd at Corfe Castle in this County coming in a civil visit unto her His hidden â—…ody being miraculously discovered was first buried at Warham and thence removed to Shaftsbury which Town for a time was termed Saint Edwards from his interment His murder hapned about the year of our Lord 978. Cardinals JOHN MORTON was born at Saint Andrews Milborne in this County of a right Worshipful Family still extant therein He was bred in Oxford and after many mediate preferments made Bishop of Ely Anno 1578. Not long after when many groaned under the Tyranny of King Richard the third this Prelate first found out the design of marrying Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the fourth of the House of York to Henry Earl of Richmond the last who was left of the line of Lancaster Indeed the Earls title to the Crown was not enough to make a countenance therewith much less a claim thereto but as the Lady had a Title and wanted a man to manage it the Earl was man enough to manage any design but wanted a Title and pursuing this advice by Gods blessing he gained the Crown by the name of Henry the seventh In expression of his gratitude he made this Bishop Chancellor of England and afterwards Arch-Bishop of Canterbury He was a great instrument in advancing a voluntary Contribution to the King through the Land perswading Prodigals to part with their money because they did spend it most and the Covetous because they might spare it best So making both extreams to meet in one medium to supply the Kings necessities who though prodigiously rich may be said always to need because never-satisfied This Bishop with vast cost cut a new Channel in the Fennes for the publick good but it neither answered his expectation nor expence He was magnificent in his buildings and bountiful to poor Scholars enjoyning his Executors to maintain twenty poor Scholars in Oxford and ten in Cambridge twenty years after his death which hapned in October 1500. Prelates JOHN STAFFORD Son to Humphrey Stafford sixth Earl of Stafford was born at Hooke in this County then a most stately House belonging to this Family and bred a Doctor of the Laws in Oxford he was afterwards Dean of the Arches and Dean of Saint Martins This was a fair Colledge near Aldersgate in London founded Anno 1056. by Ingelricus and Edvardus his Brother priviledged by our Kings of England with great immunities the cause of many and high contests betwixt this Colledge and the City of London Afterwards he was made Bishop of Wells and for eighteen years a continuance hardly to be parallel'd was Chancellor of England At last he was advanced Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and no Prelate his Peer in Biâ—…th and preâ—…erment hath either less good or less evil recorded of him He died at Maidstone 1452. and lies buried in Canterbury ROBERT MORTON was Brothers Son to Cardinal Morton of whom before whose Father had a fair Habitation at Saint Andrews Milborne in this County His relation to so good an Uncle mixed with his own merits preferred him to the Bishoprick of Worcester Of whom we have little more than the date of his consecration 1486. and of his Death 1497. He lieth buried in the body of Saint Pauls Church in London JAMES TURBERVIL or De turbida villa was born of a worshipful Family who long have lived in great account in this County â—… First a Monk but afterwards brought up in New-Colledge in Oxford He was consecrated Bishop of Exeter 1556. and deserved right well of that See When he entred thereon it was most true what his Successor therein since said That the Bishop of Exeter was a Baron but a Bare one so miserably that Cathedral had been pilled and polled But Bishop Turbervil recovered some lost lands which Bishop Voysey had vezed and particularly obtained of Queen Mary the â—…estitution of the fair Manor of
command and render themselves absolute because wanting an interest in alliances and relations Thus a single Stake if occasion serves is sooner plucked up then a tree fastned to the earth with the many fibrae appendant to the root thereof Great the gratitude of the State of Florence to this their Generall Hawkewood who in testimony of his surpassing valour and singular faithfull service to their State adorned him with the Statue of a man of armes and sumptuous Monument wherein his ashes remain honoured at this present day Well it is that Monument doth remain seeing his Coenotaph or honorary tombe which sometimes stood in the Parish Church of Sible-heningham arched over and in allusion to his name berebussed with Hawkes flying into a Wood is now quite flown away and abolished This Sir John Hawkewood married Domnia daughter of Barnaby the warlike brother of Galeasius Lord of Millain father to John the first Duke of Mallain by whom he had a son named John born in Italy made Knight and naturalized in the seventh year of King Henry the fourth as appeareth by the Record Johannes filius Johannis Haukewood Miles natus in partibus Italiae factus indigena Ann. 8. Hen. 4. mater ejus nata in partibus transmarinis This valiant Knight dyed very aged Anno 1394. in the eighteenth of King Richard the second his friends founding two Chantreys to pray for his and the souls of John Oliver and Thomas Newenton Esquires his military companions and which probably may be presumed born in the same County THOMAS RATCLIFF Lord Fitz-walter second Earl of Sussex of that Surname twice Lord Deputy of Ireland was a most valiant Gentleman By his prudence he caused that Actuall Rebellion brake not out in Ireland and no wonder if in his time it Rained not war there seeing his diligence dispersed the clouds before they could gather together Thus he who cures a disease may be the skilfubest but he that prevents it is the safest Physician Queen Elizâ—…beth called him home to be her Lord Chamberlain and a constant Court faction was maintained betwixt him and Robert Earl of Leicester so that the 〈◊〉 and the Leicesterians divided the Court whilst the 〈◊〉 as neuters did look upon them Sussex had a great Estate left him by his Ancestors Leicester as great given or restor'd 〈◊〉 by the Queen 〈◊〉 was the honesâ—… man and greater Souldier 〈◊〉 the more faceit 〈◊〉 and deep Politician not for the generall good but his particular profit Great the 〈◊〉 betwixt them and what in vain the Queen endeavoured death performed taking this Earl away and so the competition was 〈◊〉 New-Hall in this County was the place if not as I believe of his Birth of his principall Habitation He dyed .... ... And lyeth buried in the Church of Saint Olives Hartstreet London Sir FRANCIS and Sir HORACE VERE sons of Geffrey Vere Esquire who was son of John Vere the 〈◊〉 Earl of Oxford were both born in this County though severall places Heâ—…ngham Castle Colchester Tilbury juxta clare be by sundry men assigned for their Nativity We will first consider them severally and then compare them together Sir FRANCIS was of a fiery spirit and rigid nature undaunted in all dangers not over valuing the price of mens lives to purchase a victory therewith He served on the Scaene of all Christendome where war was acted One masterpiece of his valour was at the Battle of Newport when his Ragged Regiment so were the English then called from their ragged Cloths help'd to make all whole or else all had been lost Another was when for three years he defended Ostend against a strong and numerous Army surrendering it at last a bare skeliton to the King of Spain who paid more years purchase for it then probably the world will endure He dyed in the beginning of the raign of King James about the year of our Lord 16 ... Sir HORACE had more meekness and as much valour as his Brother so pious that he first made his peace with God before he went out to war with man One of an excellent temper it being true of him what is said of the Caspian Sea that it doth never 〈◊〉 nor Flow observing a constant Tenor neither 〈◊〉 nor depressed with success Had one seen him râ—…turning from a victory he would by his silence have suspected that he had lost the day and had he beheld him in a retreat he would have collected him a Conqueror by the chearfulness of his spirit He was the first Baron of King Charles his Creation Some years after coming to Court he fell suddenly sick and speechless so that he dyed before night Anno Domini 163. No doubt he was well prepared for death seeing such his vigilancy that never any Enemy surprised him in his quarters Now to compare them together such their Eminency that they would hardly be parallell'd by any but themselves Sir Francis was the elder Brother Sir Horace lived to be the older man Sir Francis was more feared Sir Horace more loved by the Souldiery The former in Martiall discipline was oftimes Rigidus ad ruinaâ—… The later seldome exceeded Adterrorem Sir Francis left none Sir Horace no Male issue whose four Co-heirs are since matched into Honorable families Both lived in War much Honored dyed in Peace much Lamented HENRY VERE was son of Edward Vere the seventeenth Earl of Oxford and Anne Trentham his Lady whose principall habitation the rest of his patrimony being then wasted was at Heningham Castle in this County A vigorous Gentleman full of courage and resolution and the last Lord Chamberlain of England of this Family His sturdy nature would not bow to Court-Compliants who would maintain what he spake spake what he thought think what he apprehended true and just though sometimes dangerous and distastefull Once he came into Court with a great Milk-white Feather about his hat which then was somewhat unusuall save that a person of his merit might make a fashion The Reader may guess the Lord who said unto him in some jeer My 〈◊〉 you weare a very fair feather it is true said the Earl and if you mark it there 's â—…e'r a Tâ—…int in it Indeed his family was ever Loyall to the Crown deserving their Motto VERO NIL VERIUS Going over one of the four Engish Colonells into the Low Countries and endeavouring to raise the Siedge of Bxeda he so over-heat himself with Marching Fighting and Vexing the design not succeeding that he dyed few days after Anno Domini 16 ... He married Diana one of the Co-heirs of William Earl of Exeter afterwards married to Edward Eaâ—…l of Elgin by whom he left no issue Physicians WILLIAM GILâ—…T was born in Trinity Parish in Colchester his Father being a Counsellour of great Esteem in his Profession who first removed his family thither from Clare in Suffolk where they had resided in a Gentile Equipage some Centuries of Years He had saith my informer the Clearness of Venice Glass
hoc breve Teste meipso apud Clypston quinto die Marâ—…it An Regni nostri Nono In obedience to the Kings command this Sheriff vigorously prosecuted the design and made his Return accordingly on the same token that it thus began Nulla est Civitas in Comitat. Gloucest There is no City in the County of Gloucester Whence we collect that Gloucester in that age though the seat of a miâ—…red Abby had not the reputation of a City untill it was made an Episcopal See by K. Hen. 8. The like Letters were sent to all other Sheriffs in England and their Returns made into the Exchequer where it is a kind of Dooms-day-Book junior but commonly passeth under the name of Nomina Villarum I have by me a Transcript of so much as concerneth Gloucester-shire the reason why this Letter is here exemplified communicated unto me with other rarities advancing this Subject by my worthy Friend Mr. Smith of Nibley It must not be omitted that though the aforesaid Catalogue of Nomina Villarum was begun in this year and a considerable progresse made therein yet some unexpressed obstacles retarding it was not in all particulars completed until 20 years after as by this passage therein may be demonstrated Bertona Regis juxta Gloucester ibidem Hundâ—…idum Hundr Margarettae Reginae Angliae Now this Margaret Queen of England Daughter to Philip the Hardy King of France and second Wife to this King Edward the First was not married unto him until the 27 of her Husbands reign Anno 1299. Edw. III. 5 THO. BERKELEY de COBBERLEY He is commended in our Histories for his civil usage of K. Edw. 2. when pâ—…isoner at Berkeley Castle at this day one of the seats of that right ancient Famiiy And right ancient it is indeed they being descended from Robert Fitz-Harding derived from the Kings of Denmark as appeareth by an Inscription on the Colledge-Gate at Bristol Rex Henricus secundus Dominus Robertus filius Hardingi filii Regis Daciae hujus Monasterii primi Fundatores extiterunt This Robert was entirely beloved of this King by whose means his Son Maurice married the Daughter of the Lord of Berkeley whereby his posterity retained the name of Berkeley Many were their Mansions in this County amongst which Cobberley accrued unto them by matching with the Heir of Chandos Their services in the Holy War alluded unto by the Crosses in their Arms and may seem to be their Benefactions whereof in my Church History signified by the Mitre in their Crest Of this Family was descended William Lord Berkeley who was honoured by King Edward the fourth with the Title of Viscount Berkeley created by K. Rich. 3. Earle of Nottingham and in the right of his Wife Daughter of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk Henry the sâ—…venth made him Marquess Berkeley and Marshal of England He died without Issue At this day there flourisheth many Noble stems sprung thereof though George Lord Berkeley Baron Berkeley Lord Mowbray Segrave Bruce be the top Branch of this Family One who hath been so signally bountiful in promoting these and all other my weak endeavours that I deserve to be dumb if ever I forget to return him publick thanks for the same 43. JOHN POINTS Remarkable the Antiquity of this Name and Family still continuing in Knightly degree in this County for I read in Dooms-day-Book Drugo filius Ponz tenet de Rege Frantone Ibi decem Hide Geldant de hoc Manerio And again Walterus filius Ponz tenet de Rege Lete Ibi decem Hide Geldant I behold them as the Ancestors of their Family till I shall be informed to the contrary though I confess they were not seated at Acton in this County until the days of King Edward the second when Sir Nicholas Points married the Daughter and Heir of Acton transmitting the same to his posterity Sheriffs Name Place Armes RICH. II.   Anno   1 Tho. Bradwell   2 Johan Tracy TodingtoÌ„ Or a scallop Sab. betw two Bends Gules 3 Radulph Waleys * Sodbury  4 Tho. Bradewell  * Azure 6. Mullets Or. 5 Joh. de Thorp mil.  Argent a Fess Nebule Sable betw 3. Trefoiles Gules 6 Tho. Fitz Nichol.   7 Radus Waleys ut prius  8 Tho. Berkeley Cobberley Gules a Cheveron betwixt ten Crosses formee Argent 9 Tho. Burgg †  10 Tho. Bradewell ut prius †Azure three flower de lys Ermine 11 Tho. Berkeley ut prins  12 Laur. Seabrooke   13 Tho Burgg ut prius  14 Maur. de Russell Derham Argent on a Chief Gules 3. Bezants 15 Hen. de la River   16 Joh. de Berkeley ut prius  17 Gilbertus Denis  Gules a Bend ingrailed Az. betw 3. Leopards heads Or â—…essant flower de lis of the 2d 18 Will. Tracy ut prius  19 Maur. Russel ut prius  20 Rob. Poyns Acton Barry of eight Or and Gul. 21 Johan Berkeley ut prius  22 Johan Bronings   HEN. IV.   Anno   1 Hen de la River   2 Maur. Russel ut prius  2 Rob Sommerville   3 Rob Whittington  Gules a Fess checkee Or and Argent 4 Wil. Beauchamp m   5 Idem   6 Johan Grendore  Per pale Or and Vert 12. guttees or drops counterchanged 7 Maur. Russel ut prius  8 Rob. Whittington ut prius  9 Rich. Mawrdin   10 Alex. Clivedon   11 Will. Wallwine  Gules a Bend within a Bâ—…rder Ermine 12 Joh. Grendore mil. ut prius  HEN. V.   Anno   1 Will. Beauchamp Powkes  2 Joh. Berkley mil. ut prius  3 Joh. Grevel Campden Or on a Cross engrailed within the like border Sab. ten Annulets of the First with a Mullet of five poynts in the Dexter Quarter 4 Idem ut prius  5 Will. Tracy ut prius  6 Will. Bishopeston   7 Joh. Brugg arm ut prius  8 Joh. Willecots   9 Idem   HEN. VI.   Anno   1 Joh. Panfote  Gules 3 Lions Rampant Arg. 2 Joh. Blacket mil.   3 Steph. Hatfild mil.   4 Joh. Grevil arm ut prius  5 Joh. Panfote ut prius  6 Guido Whittington ut prius  7 Rob. Andrew  Sab. a Saltire engrailed Ermin on a Chief Or 3. flower de lys of the First 8 Egidius Brigge *   9 Maur. Berkeley mil ut prius  10 Steph. Hatfield  * Arg. on a Cross Sab. a Leopards head Or. 11 Joh. Towerton   12 Cuido Whittington ut prius  13 Joh Panfote ut prius  4 Maur. Berkeley mil ut prius  15 Idem ut prius  16 Joh. Beauchamp m.   17 Will. Stafford Thornb Or a Cheveron Gules 18 Joh. Stourton mil.  Sable a Bend Or between 3.
a vain labour according to the Rule in Logick frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora But seeing the owner of that House had his harmless humour therein and paid dear no doubt to his Workmen for the same There is no cause that I or any other should find fault therewith The Buildings I have presented the Portraicture of the Church of Lichfield in my Church-History with the due praise of the neatness thereof But now alas the Body thereof is become a very carcase ruined in our late Civil Wars The like Fate is likely to fall on the rest of our Cathedrals if care be not taken for their reparations I have read of Duke d'Alva that he promised Life to some Prisoners but when they petitioned Him for food he returned he would grant them life but no meat by which Criticism of courteous cruelty the poor people were starved If our Cathedrals have only a Bare Being and be not supplied with seasonable repairs the daily â—…ood of a Fabrick soon will they be famished to nothing As for the Close at Lichfield I have been credibly informed that the Plague which long had raged therein at the first shooting of Canon at the Siege thereof did abate imputed by Naturalists to the violent purging of the Air by the Bullets but by Divines to Gods goodness who graciously would not have two Miseries of War and Plague afflict one small Place at the same Time Pass we now to Civil Buildings in this Shire TUTBURY CASTLE is a stately place and I dare take it on the credit of an excellent Witness that it hath a brave and large Prospect to it in it and from it Northward it looks on pleasant Pastures Eastward on sweet Rivers and rich Meadowes Southward on a goodly Forest and many Parks lately no fewer than twelve belonging thereto or holden thereof It was formerly the Seat of the Lord Ferrars Earl of Derby and how it was forfeited to the Crown is worth our observing Robert de Ferrars Earl of Derby siding with Simon Mumford against King Henry the Third was fined at fifty thousand pounds to be paid Pridie Johan Baptist. next following I know not whether more to admire at the suddeness of payment or vastness of the Sum seeing an hundred thousand pounds was the Randsom set by the Emperour on our King Richard the First and it shaked all the Coâ—…ers of England in that Age without the help of Church-plate to make it up Well these Lords following were the security bound for the Earls true payment at the time appointed 1 Henry son to Rich. King of the Romans 2 Will. Valence Earl of Pembroke 3 John de Warren Earl of Surrey 4 Will. Beauchampe Earl of Warwick 5 Sir Roger de Summary 6 Sir Thomas de Clare 7 Sir Robert Waâ—…ond 8 Sir Roger Clifford 9 Sir Hamond le Strange 10 Sir Bartholomew de Sudeley 11 Sir Robert Bruse all being then Barons of the Land But Earl Robert unable to advance the money at the time appointed and unwilling to leave the Lords his Bail under the Kings lash surrendred his Lands and Tutbury Castle amongst the rest to the clear yearly value of three thousand pounds into the Kings hands redeemable when he or his Heirs should pay down on one day fifty thousand pounds which was never performed The English Clergie much pittied John the son of this Earl Robert who presented a petition to the Pope informing his Holiness that the English Clergie were willing to give him money by way of Contribution to redeem his Estate but durst not because commanded to the contrary under the pain of the Popes curse And therefore he craved his Apostolical Indulgence therein Something I find was restored unto him but Tutbury was too sweet a morsel to return being annexed to the Dutchy of Lancaster John of Gaunt built a fair Castle there walled on three sides by Art and the fourth by its natural steepness DUDLEY CASTLE must not be forgotten highly and pleasantly seated and in the reign of King Edward the Sixth well built and adorned by John Dudley Duke of Northumberland whereon a story worth the reporting doth depend The afore-said Duke deriving himself who truly not yet decided from a younger Branch of the Lord Dudley thirsted after this Castle in regard of the name and the honourableness of the House some having avouched that the Barony is annexed to the lawful possession thereof whether by purchase or descent Now finding John Sutton the Lord Dudley Grand-father to the last Baron a weak man exposed to some wants and intangled with many debts he by the help of those Money-Merchants wrought him out of his Castle So that the Poor Lord turned out of doores and left to the charity of his Friends for subsistance was commonly called the Lord Quondam But after the execution of that Duke Queen Mary sympathizing with Edward the son of this poor Lord which Edward had married Katharine Bruges her maid of Honour and sister to the Lord Shandois restored him to the Lands and Honour which justly belonged to his Father Proverbs In April Doves flood Is worth a Kings good DOVE a River parting this and Derby-shire when it overfloweth its Banks in April is the Nilus of Staffordshire much Battling the Meadowes thereof But this River of Dove as overflowing in April feeds the Meadowes with fruitfulness so in May and June choakes the sand grain'd with Grit and Gravel to the great detriment of the owners thereof Wotton under Weaâ—…er Where God came never It is time that this old prophane Proverb should die in mens mouths for ever I confess in common discourse God is said to come to what he doth approve to send to what he only permits and neither to go nor send to what he doth dislike and forbid But this distinction if granted will help nothing to the defending of this prophane Proverb which it seems took it's wicked original from the situation of Wotton so covered with Hills from the light of the Sun a dismal place as report representeth it But were there a place indeed where God came never how many years purchase would guilty consciences give for a small abode therein thereby to escape Divine Justice for their offences Saints Authors do as generally agree about a grand Massacre committed by the Pagans under Dioclesian on the Brittish Christians in the place where Litchfield now standeth I say they as generally agree in the fact as they disagree in the number some making them Two hundred others five others seven And one Author certainly he was no Millenary in his Judgement mounts them to just 999. Indeed many were martyred in those dayes both in Brittain and elsewhere whose names and numbers are utterly unknown so true is the expression of Gregory the Great Ipse sancti Martyres Deo numerabiles nobis arenam multiplicati sunt quia quot sint a nobis comprehendi non possunt novit enim
heirs the Patent whereof is extant in the Tower and exemplified in my Author He appears to me no more than a plain Knight or a Knight Batchelour But were it in the power of my Pen to create a Banneret he should for the Reason premised have that Honour affixed to his Memory who as we conjecture died about the middle of the reign of King Henry the Sixth JOHN DUDLEY Duke of Northumberland where born uncertain was son to Edward Dudley Esq. of whom hereafter and would willingly be reputed of this County a Descendent from the Lord Dudley therein whose memory we will gratifie so far as to believe it He lived long under King Henry the Eighth who much favoured him and the Servant much resembled his Master in the equal contemperament of Vertue and Vices so evenly matched that it is hard to say which got the Mastery in either of them This John was proper in person comely in carriage wise in advising valiant in adventuring and generally till his last project prosperous in success But he was also notoriously wanton intollerably ambitious a constant dissembler prodigeously profuse so that he had sunk his Estate had it not met with a seasonable support of Abbey Land he being one of those who well warmed himself with the chipps which fell from the felling of Monasteriâ—…s King Henry the 8th first Knighted then created him Vicount Lisle Earle of Warwick and Duke of Norâ—…humberland And under Queen Mary he made himself almost King of England though not in Title in power by contriving the settling of the Crown on Queen Jane his daughâ—…er in Law till successe failed him therein And no wonder if that design missed the mark which besides many rubbs it met with at hand was thrown against the general bias of English affection For this his treasonable practises he was executed in the First of Queen Mary much bemoaned by some Martial men whom he had formerly indeared in his good service in the French and Scotish Wars He left two sons who survived to great Honour Ambrose Earl of Warwick heir to all that was good and Robert Earl of Leicester heir to all that was great in their Father The BAGNOLS Something must be premised of their Name and extraction The Bagenhalts commonly called Bagnols were formerly a Family of such remark in this County that before the reign of King Henry the Eighth there scarce passed an Ancient piece of evidence which is not attested by one of that Name But see the uncertainty of all humane things it afterwards sunck down to use my Authours language into a Plebean Condition But the sparks of their gentle Bloud though covered for a time under a mean estate have since blazed again with their own worth and valour when Ralph and Nicholas sons to John Bagnol of Newcastle in this County were both Knighted for their good service the one in Mustle-Borough fight the otherin Ireland Yea as if their courage had been hereditary Their sons Samuel and Henry were for their Martial merit advanced to the same degree Sea-men WILLIAM MINORS Reader I remember how in the Case of the Ship-money the Judges delivered it for Law that England being an Island the very Middle-land-Shires therein are all to be accounted as Maritime Sure I am the Genius even of Land-lock-Counties acteth the Natives with a Maritime dexterity The English generally may be resembled to Ducklings which though hatched under a Hen yet naturally delight to dabble in the Water I mean though born and bred in In-Land places where neither their Infancy nor Childhood ever beheld Ship or Boat yet have they a great Inclinatioâ—… and Aptnesse to Sea-service And the present subject of our Pen is a pregnant proof thereof This William son to Richard Minors Gent. of Hallenbury-Hall was born at Uttoxater in this County who afterwads coming to London became so prosperous a Mariner that he hath safely returned eleven times from the East-Iudies whereas in the dayes of our GrandFathers such as came thence twice were beheld as Rarities thrice as Wonders four times as Miracles Much herein under Divine Providence is to be attributed to the Make of our English Ships now built more advantageous for sailing than in former Ages Besides the oftner they go the nearer they shape their Course use being the mother of Perfectnesse Yet whilst others wonder at his happiness in returning so often I as much commend his moderation in going no oftner to the East-Indies More men know how to get enough than when they have gotten enough which causeth their Coveteousness to increase with their wealth Mr. Minors having advanced a competent Estate quitted the water to live on the land and now peaceably enjoyeth what he painfully hath gotten and is living in or near Hartford at this present year 1660. Writers JOHN STAFFORD born in the Shire-Town of this County was bred a Franciscan No contemptible Philosopher and Divine but considerable Historian who wrote a Latin History of Englands affaires Authors are at an absolute loss when he lived and are fain by degrees to screw themselves into a general notice thereof He must be since the year 1226 when the Franciscans first fixed themselves in our Land He must be before John Ross who flourished Anno 1480 under Edward the Fourth and maketh honourable mention of him Therefore with proportion and probability he is collected to have written about 1380. WILLIAM de LICHFIELD so termed from the place of his Nativity applied himself to a study of Divinity whereof he became Doctor and afterwards Rector of All-hallowes the Great in Thames-street London He was generally beloved for his great Learning and godly liâ—…e He wrote many Books both Moral and Divine in Prose and Verse one intituled The complaint of God unto sinful Men. There were found in his Study after his death Three thousand four score and three Sermons of his own writing He died Anno Dom. 1447. being buried under a defaced Monument in the Quire of his own Church ROBERT WHITTINGTON born at Lichfield was no mean Grammarian Indeed he might have been greater if he would have been less Pride prompting him to cope with his Conquerors whom he mistook for his Match The first of these was Will. Lillie though there was as great difference betwixt these two Grammarians as betwixta Verb defective and one perfect in all the Requisites thereof The two other were William Horman and Alderedge both eminent in the Latin Tongue But some will carp at the best who cannot mend the worst line in a Picture the humour of our Whittington who flourished 1530. Since the Reformation HENRY STAFFORD Baron of Stafford in this County was son unto Edward Duke of Buckingham attainted and beheaded under King Henry the Eighth This our Henry though loosing his Top and Top-Gallant his Earledom and Dukedome in the tempest of the Kings displeasure yet still he kept his Keel his Barony of Stafford The less he possessed of his
not know and dare not too curiously inquire left I turn their mirth among themselves into anger against me Sure it is seated in a fruitful soyl and cheap Country and where good chear and company are the Premisses mirth in common consequence will be the Conclusion Which if it doth not trespass in time cause and measure Heraclitus the sad Philosopher may perchance condemn but Saint Hilary the good Father will surely allow Princes HENRY youngest son to William Duke of Normandy but eldest to King William the Conquerour by whom he was begotten after he was Crowned King on which politick 〈◊〉 he claim'd and gain'd the Crown from Duke Robert his eldest brother was Anno Dom. 1070. born at Selbey in this County If any ask what made his Mother travail so far North from London know it was to enjoy Her Husbands company who to prevent insurrections and settle peace resided many months in these parts besides his peculiar affection to Selby where after he founded a MitredAbby This Henry was bred say some in Paris say others in Cambridge and I may safely say in both wherein he so profited that he attained the Surname of Beauclerke His learning may be presumed a great advantage to his long and prosperous raign for thirty five years and upwards wherein he remitted the Norman rigour and restored to His subjects a great part of the English Laws and Liberties Indeed his princely vertues being profitable to all did with their lustre so dazle the eyes of his subjects that they did not see his personall vices as chiefly prejudicial to himself For he was very wanton as appeareth by his numerous natural issue no fewer then fourteen all by him publickly owned the males highly advanced the females richly married which is justly reported to his praise it being lust to beget but love to bestow them His sobriery otherwise was admirable whose temperance was of proof against any meat objected to his appetite Lampreys alone excepted on a surfeit whereof he died Anno Domini 1135. He had onely two children William dying before and Maud surviving him both born in Normandy and therefore omitted in our Catalogue THOMAS Fifth son of King Edward the first and the first that he had by Margaret his second Wife was born at and surnamed from Brotherton a small Village in this County June 1. Anno Dom. 1300. He was created Earl of Norfolke and Earl Marshall of England He left no male-issue but from his females the Mowbrays Dukes of Norfolke and from them the Earls of Arundel and Lords Berkeley are descended RICHARD PLANTAGENET Duke of York commonly is called Richard of Conisborrow from the Castle in this Shire of his nativity The Reader will not grudge him a place amongst our Princes if considering him fixed in his Generation betwixt an Antiperistasis of Royal extraction being Son to a Son of a King Father to the Father of a King Edmund of Langley Duke of York Richard Duke of York Fifth son to K. Edward 3. Father to King Edward 4. Besides he had married Anne Daughter and sole Heir to Edward Mortimer the true Inheritrix of the Crown But tampering too soon and too openly to derive the Crown in his Wives right to himself by practising the death of the present King he was taken and beheaded for treason in the raign of K. Henry the fifth EDWARD sole son to King Richard the third and Anne his Queen was born in the Castle of Midleham near Richmond in this County and was by his father created Prince of Wales A Prince who himself was a child of as much hopes as his Father a man of hatred But he consumed away of a suddain dying within a month of his Mother King Richard little lamenting the loss of either and presently projecting to repair himself by a new Marriage The untimely death of this Prince in respect of the terme to which by Naturall possibility he might have attained in his innocent age is generally beheld as a punishment on him for the faults of his Father The Tongue foreswears the Ears are cut off the Hand steals the Feet are stocked and that justly because both consisting of the same body And because Proles est pars parentis it is agreeable with divine justice to inflict on Children temporal judgements for defaults of their Parents Yet this judgment was a mercy to this Prince that he might not behold the miserable end of his Father Let me adde and a mercy also to all England For had he survived to a mans estate he might possibly have proved a wall of partition to hinder the happy union of the two houses of York and Lancaster Saints HILDA was daughter unto Prince Hererick nephew to Edwin King of Northumberland and may justly be counted our English Huldah not so much for sameness of sex and name-sounding similitude as more concerning conformities Huldah lived in a Colledge Hilda in a Convent at Strenshalt in this County Huldah was the Oracle of those times as Hilda of her age being a kind of a Moderatresse in a Saxon Synod or conference rather called to compromise the controversie about the celebration of Easter I behold her as the most learned English Female before the Conquest and may call her the She-Gamaliel at whose feet many Learned men had their education She ended her holy life with an happy death about the year of our Lord 680. BENEDICT BISCOP was born saith Pitz amongst the East Saxons saith Hierome Porter in Yorkshire whom I rather believe First because writing his life ex professo he was more concerned to be curious therein Secondly because this Benedict had much familiarity with and favour from Oswy King of Northumberland in whose Dominions he fixed himself building two Monasteries the one at the influx of the river Were the other at the river Tine into the sea and stocking them in his life time with 600 Benedictine Moncks He made five Voyages to Rome and always returned full fraught with Reliques Pictures and Ceremonies In the former is driven on as great a Trade of Cheating as in any earthly Commodity in so much that I admire to meet with this passage in a Jesuite and admire more that he Met not with the Inquisition for writing it Addam * nonnunquam in Tem plis reliquias dubias profana corpora pro Sanctorum qui cum Christo in Coelo regnant exuviis sacris fuisse proposita He left Religion in England Braver but not better then he found it Indeed what Tully said of the Roman Lady That she danced better then became a modest woman was true of Gods Service as by him adorned the Gaudiness prejudicing the Gravity thereof He made all things according not to the Patern in the Mount with Mose's but the Precedent of Rome and his Convent being but the Romish Transcript became the English Original to which all Monasteries in the Land were suddenly conformed In a word I reverence his Memory
resumption thereof by Undertakers of as able Brains and Purses but more patience than the former as a hopeful fore-runner of better successe BRECKNOCK-SHIRE BRECKNOCK-SHIRE hath Radnor shire on the North Cardigan and Carmarthen-shires on the West 〈◊〉 shire on the South Hereford and Monmouth-shires on the East the length thereof being adjudged twenty eight the 〈◊〉 thereof twenty miles My Author saith that this County is not greatly to be praised or disliked of with which his Character the Natives thereof have no cause to be well pleased or much offended The plain truth is the fruitfulnesse of the Vallies therein maketh plentiful amends for the barrennesse of the Mountains and it is high time to give a check to the vulgar errour which falsely reporteth this County the worst in Wiles let it 〈◊〉 for me to say this is not it and which is it let others determine Nor doth it sound a little to the credit of this County that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe Town thereof doth at this present afford the title of an Eartl to James Duke of Ormond the first that ever received that Digniry Above four hundred years since a Daughter of Gilbert and Maud Becket and Sister to Tho. Becket was by King Henry the second bestowed in marriage on one Butler an English Gentleman Him King Henry sent over into Ireland and endeavouring to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blood rewarded him wâ—…th large lands so that his posterity were created Earls of Ormond Now therefore we have cause to congratulate the return of this noble Family iâ—…to their Native Country of England and wish unto them the encrease of all 〈◊〉 therein Natural Commoditiâ—…s Otters Plenty of these Lutrae in Latine in Brecknock-meer A Creature that can dig and dive resident in the two clements of Earth and Water The 〈◊〉 where hee bites maketh his Teeth to mâ—…et and the Otter leaves little distance betwixt them He is as destructive to Fish as the VVoolf to Sheep See we here more is required to make fine Flesh than to have fine Feeding the Flesh of the Otter from his innate rankness being nought though his Diet be dainty I have seen a reclaimed Otter who in a quarter of an houre would present his Master with a brace of Carps Otter-VVooll is much used in the making of Beavers As Physicians have their Succedanea or Seconds which well supply the place of such Simples which the Patient cannot procure so the Otter is often in stead of the Bever since the BeaverTrade is much wasted in the West Indies their remnant retiring high into the Country and being harder to be taken Yea Otter-wooll is likely dayly to grow dearer if Prime Persons of the weaker Sex which is probable resume the wearing of Hais Brecknock-shire equalling her Neighbours in all General Commodities exceedeth them in Wonders In the Air. He that relateth Wonders walketh on the edge of an house if he be not careful of his footing down falls his credite this shall make me exact in using my Authors words informed by credible persons who had experimented it That their Cloaks Hats and Staves cast down from the top of an Hill called Mounch-denny or Cadier Arthur and the North-East Rock thereof would never fall but were with the air and wind still returned back and blown up again nor would any thing descend save a stone or some metalline substance No wonder that these should descend because besides the magnetical quality of the Earth their forcing of their way down is to be imputed to their united and intended gravity Now though a large cloak is much heavier than a little stone yet the weight thereof is diffused in several parts and fluttering above all of them are supported by the Clouds which are seen to rack much lower than the top of the Hill But now if in the like trial the like repercussion be not found from the toppes of other Mountains in Wales of equal or greater height we confesse our selves at an absolute losse and leave it to others to beat about to find a satisfactory answer Let me adde that waters in Scripture are divided into waters above and waters under the Firmament by the former men generally understand since the interpretation thereof relating to Coelum Aqueum is exploded by the judicious the water ingendred in the Clouds If so time was when the waters beneath were higher than the waters above namely in Noahs flood when the waters prevailed fifteen Cubits above the tops of the Mountains In the Water When the Meer Llynsavathan lying within two miles of Brecknock hath her frozen Ice first broken it maketh a monstrous noise to the Astonishment of the hearers not unlike to Thunder But till we can give a good cause of the old Thunder and the power of his Thunder who can understand we will not adventure on the disquisition of this new one In the Earth Reader pardon me a word of Earthquakes in general Seneca beholds them most terrible because most unavoidable of all earthly dangers In other frights Tempest Lightning Thunder c. we shelter our selves in the bowels of the Earth which here from our safest refuge become our greatest danger I have learned from an able * Pen that the frequency and fearfulnesse of Earthquakes gave the first occasion to that passage in the Letany From sudden death good Lord deliver us Now to VVales The Inhabitants of this County have a constant Tradition that where now the Meer Llynsavathan spreadeth its waters stood a fair City till swallowed up by an Earthquake which is not improbable First because all the High-ways of this County do lead thither and it is not likely that the Loadstone of a bare Lake should attract so much Confluence Secondly Ptolomy placeth in this Tract the City Loventrium which all the care of Master Cambden could not recover by any ruines or report thereof and therefore likely to be drowned in this Poole The rather because Levenny is the name of the River râ—…nning through it Saints Saint KEYNE CANOCH CADOCK The first of these was a Woman here put highest by the curtesie of England the two later Men all three Saints and children to Braghan King builder and namer of Brecknock This King had four and twenty Daughters a jolly number and all of them Saints a greater happinesse though of them all the name onely of Saint Keyne surviveth to posterity Whether the said King was so fruitful in Sons and they as happy in Saintship I do not know onely meeting with these two Saint Canoch and Saint Cadock whereof the later is reported a Martyr all flourishing about the year of our Lord 492. and had in high veneration amongst the people of South-VVales I know not whether it be worth the reporting that there is in Cornwall near the Parish of St. Neots a Well arched over with the robes of four kinds of Trees VVithy Oak Elm and Ash dedicated to Saint Keyne aforesaid The reported vertue of
prius  14 Nich. Moor ar   The Farewell I understand that in January 1607. part of this County which they call the Moore sustained a great loss by the breaking in of the Severn sea caused by a violent South-west wind continuing for three dayes together I heartily desire the Inhabitants thereof may for the future be secured from all such dangerous inundations water being a good servant but bad master by his Providence who bindeth the sea in a girdle of sands and saith to the waves thereof Thus far shall ye go and no further PEMBROKE-SHIRE is surrounded on all sides with the Sea save on the North-East where it boundeth on Cardigan and East where it butteth on Carmarthen-shire A County abounding with all things necessary for mans livelihood and the East part thereof is the pleasantest place in all VVales which I durst not have said for fear of offence had not Giraldus their own Country-man affirmed it Nor is it less happy in Sea than in Land affording plenty of Fish especially about Tenby therefore commonly called Tenby-y-Piscoid which I rather observe for the vicinity of the British piscoid with the Latine piscosus for fishfull though never any pretended an affinity between the two Languages A part of this Country is peopled by Flemmings placed there by King Henry the first who was no less politick than charitable therein For such Flemmings being driven out of their own Country by an irruption of the Ocean were fixed here to defend the land given them against the Welsh and their Country is called little England beyond Wales This mindeth me of a passage betwixt a Welsh and English man the former boasting Wales in all respects beyond England to whom the other returned he had heard of an England beyond Wales but never of a Wales beyond England Natural Commodities Faulcons Very good are bred in this County of that kind they call Peregrines which very name speaks them to be no Indeginae but Forraigners at first lighting here by some casualty King Henry the second passing hence into Ireland cast off a Norway Goshawk at one of these but the Gos-hawk taken at the source by the Faulcon soon fell down at the Kings foot which performance in this ramage made him yearly afterward send hither for Eyesses These Hawkes Aeries not so called from building in the Air but from the French word Aire an Egge are many in the Rocks in this Shire Buildings For a sacred structure the Cathedral of Saint David is most eminent began by Bishop Peter in the raign of King John and finished by his Successors though having never seen it I can say little thereof But in one respect the roof thereof is higher than any in England and as high as any in Europe if the ancient absolute independent jurisdiction thereof be considered thus stated by an Authentick Author Episcopi Walliae à Menevensi Antistite sunt consecrati ipse similiter ab aliis tanquam suffraganeis est consecratus nulla penitus alii Ecclesiae facta professione vel subjectione The generality of which words must be construed to have reference as well to Rome as to Canterbury Saint Davids acknowledging subjection to neither till the reign of King Henry the first Princes HENRY TUTHAR Son to Edmund Earl of Richmond and Margaret his Lady was born at Pembroke in this County Anno Dom. In the reign of King Henry the sixth he was bred a Child at Court when a young man he lived an Exile in France where he so learned to live of a little that he contracted a habit of frugality which he did not depose till the day of his death Having vanquished King Richard the third in the battel of Bosorsth and married Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Edward the fourth he reigned King of England by the name of Henry the seventh He is generally esteemed the wisest of our English Kings and yet many conceive that the Lord Bacon writing his life made him much wiser than he was picking more prudence out of his actions than the King himself was privy to therein and not content to allow him politick endeavoured to make him policy it self Yet many thiâ—…k hâ—…s judgemenâ—… 〈◊〉 him when refusing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Columbus for the discovery of America who might therein have made a secret advenâ—…e without any prejudice to the râ—…putation of his wisdom But such his waâ—…ss he would not tamper with costly Contâ—…s though never â—…o probable to be gainful nor would he hazard a hook of Silver to catch a fish of Gold He was the first King who secretly sought to abaâ—…e the formidable greatness the Parent of many former Rebellions in the English â—…earage lessening their Dependencies countenaâ—…cing the Commons and encouraging the Yeomandry with provisions against Depopulations However â—…ereby he did not free his Successors from fear but only exchanged their care making the Commons who because more numerous less manageble more absolute and able in time to conâ—…est with Soveraignty He survived his Queen by whom he had the true Title to the Crown about five years Some will say that all that time he was King only by the Courtesie of England which I am sure he was loth to acknowledge Others say he held the Crown by Conquest which his Subjects were as unwilling to confess But let none dispute how hâ—… hâ—…ld seeing he held it having Pope Parliament Power Purse Success and some shadow of Succession on his side His greatest fault was grinding his Subjects with grievous exactions he was most magnificent in those Structures he hath left to posterity Amongst wâ—…ich his â—…evotion to God is most seen in two Chappels the one at Cambridge the other at Westminster his charity to the poor in the Hospital of the Savoy his Magnificence to himself in his own Monument of guilded Copper and his vanity to the World in building a Ship called the Great Harry of equal cost saith some with his Chappel which asterwards sunk into the Sea and vanished away in a moment He much imployed Bishops in his service finding them honest and able And here I request the judicious and learned Reader to help me at a dead liâ—… being posed with this passage written in his life by the Lord Verulam He did use to raise Bishops by steps that he might not lose the profits of the First fruits which by that course of gradation was multiplied Now I humbly conceive that the First fruits in the common acception of the word were in that age paid to the Pope and would fain be informed what By-FirstFruits these were the emolument whereof accrued to the Crown This politick King at his Palace of Richmond April 22. 1509. ended his life and was buried in the Magnificent Chappel aforesaid On the same token that he ordered by his last Will and Testament that none save such of the Blood Royal who should descend from his Loyns should be buried in that place
the Chancellour by Act of Parliament We have begun our Catalogue of Chancellours at Sir Thomas More before whose time that place was generally discharged by Clergy men entered in our Book under the Title of Eminent Prelates If any demand why such Clergy-men who have been Lord Chancellours are not rather ranked under the Title of Statesmen than under the Topick of Prelates Let such know that seeing Episcopacy is challenged to be jure Divino and the Chancellours place confessed to be of Humane Institution I conceive them most properly placed and to their best advantage If any ask why the Lord Chancellours who meddle so much in matters of Law are not rather digested under the Title of Lawyers then under that of Statesmen Let such know it is done because some Chancellours were never Lawyers ex professo studying the Laws of the Land for their intended Function taking them only in order to their own private accomplishment Whereof Sir Christopher Hatton was an eminent instance As we begin our Catalogue with Sir Thomas More we close it with Sir Thomas Coventry it being hard toâ—…ay whether the Former were more Witty and Facetious or the Later more Wise and Judicious Lord Treasurers Kings without Treasure will not be suitably obeyed and Treasure without a Treasurer will not be safely preserved Hence it was that the Crowns and Scepters of Kings were made of gold not only because it is the most pure and precious of metalls but to show that wealth doth effectually evidence and maintain the strength and state of Majesty We may therefore observe not only in prophane but holy writ not only in Old but New Testnment signal notice taken of those who were over the Treasury in which great place of Trust the Eunuch served Candace Queen of Ethiopia The Office of Lord Treasurers was ever beheld as a Place of great charge and profit One well skilled in the Perquisits thereof being demanded what he conceived the yearly value of the place was worth made this Return That it might be worth some thousands of pounds to him who after death would go instantly to Heaven twice as much to him who would go to Purgatory and a Nemo Scit to him who would adventure to go to a worse place But the plain truth is He that is a Bad Husband for himself will never be a good one for his Soveraign and therefore no wonder if they have advanced fair Estates to themselves whose Office was so Advantagious and they so judicious and prudent persons without any prejudice to their Master and for ought I know Injury to his Subjects We have begun our Catalogue at William Lord Powlett Marquess of Winchester For although before him here and there Lay-Lords were Intrusted with that Office Yet generally they were Bishops and so anticipated under our Topick of Eminent Prelates and blame me not if in this particular I have made the Lustrè of the Lords Spiritual to Eclipse the Lords Temporal drowning their Civil Office in their Ecclesiastical Employment We close our Catalogue of Lord Treasurers with Francis Lord Cottington Secretaries of State There were but two of these at once in the Kings time whereof the one was styled the Principal Secretary the other the Secretary of Estate Some have said that the first in the Senioritie of Admition was accounted the Principall but the Exceptions in this kind being as many as the Regularities the Younger being often brought over the head of the elder to be Principal Their chiefnesse was Penes Regis Arbitrium Nor was the one confined to Forreign Negotiations the other to domestick businesse as some have believed but promiscuously ordered all affaires though the Genius of some Secretaries did incline them most to forreign Transactions Their Power was on the matter alike and Petitioners might make their Applications indifferently to either though most addressed themselves to him in whom they had the greatest Interest Their Salaries were some Two hundred pounds a piece and five hundred pounds a piece more for Intelligence and Secret Service Before the Reformation Clergy-men who almost were all things were generally Secretaries of Estate as Oliver King Secretary to Edward 4. Edward 5. and Henry the 7. and those came under our Pen in the Notion of Eminent Prelates We therefore begin our Catalogue of Secretaries from Sir Thomas Cromwell in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth because from him until our Time a continued Series of Lay-men haâ—…e discharged that Office We â—…onclude our Secretaries of State with Sir John Cook who perceiving his aged body not so fit for such Active times resigned his Place about the beginning of the Long Parliament though surviving some years after in a private condition We will for the more safety follow the Pattern of so wise a States-man and where he gave over his Office we will give over writing of those Officers for fear we tread too neere on the Toes of the Times and touch too much on our Modern distempers Amiralls or Admiralls Much difference there is about the Original of this word whilst most probable their Opinion who make it of Eastern Extraction borrowed by the Christians from the Saracens These derive it from Amir in Arabick a Prince and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Belonging to the Sea in the Greek Language such mixture being precedented in other words Besides seeing the Sultans Dominions in the Time of the Holy War extended from Sinus Arabius to the North Eastern part of the Midland-Sea where a barbarous kind of Greek was spoken by many Amirall thus compounded was significatively comprehensive of his Jurisdiction Admirall is but a Depraving of Amirall in vulgar mouths However it will never be beaten out of the Heads of the Common sort that seeing the Sea is Scene of Wonders something of Wonderment hath incorporated it self in this Word and that it hath a Glimps Cast or Eye of Admiration therein Our English Kings following the Precedent of the Politick Romans who very seldome entrusted places of great importance especially during life in a single person as also that they might gratifie more and trust less divided the Over-sight of sea-matters betwixt a Triumvirate of Amiralls and like wary Merchants ventured the charge in several bottoms for the more Safety 1. The North Amirall 2. The South Amirall 3. The West Amirall His jurisdiction reached from the Mouth of Thames to the outmost Orcades though often opposed by the Scots and had Yarmouth for his prime Residence His Bounds stretched from the Thames Mouth to the Lands end having his station generally at Portsmouth His power extended from the lands end to the Hebrides having Ireland under his Inspection Milford Haven the chief Stable for his Wooden Horses I find that Richard Fitz-alin Earl of Arundell was by King Richard the second made the first Amirall of all England yet so that if Three Co-Admiralls were restored as formerly his Charter expired John Vere Earl of Oxford was the sirst of Hen. the seventh
in Catal. Episc. Londini impres anno 1616. See here four places challenge one man and I am as unwilling to accuse any of falshood as I am unable to maintain all in the Truth However the difference may thus be accomodated Bradwardins Ancestors fetch'd their Name from that place in Herefordshire according to Camden though he himself was born as Bale saith at Hartfeld in Sussex within the City saith Pits of Chichester interpret him exâ—…ensively not to the Walls but Diocesse and Jurisdiction thereof As for Suffolk in Bishop Godwin I understand it an Erratum in the Printer for Sussex Our usual expedient in the like cases is this to insert the Character at large of the controverted person in that County which according to our apprehension produceth the best Evidence for him yet so that we also enter his name with a reference in the other respective places which with probability pretend unto him If equal likelyhood appear unto us on all sides that County clearly carries away his character which first presenteth it self to our Pen in the Alphabetical Order Thus lately when the same Living was in the gift of the Lord Chancellour Lord Treasurer and Master of the Wards that Clerk commonly carried it who was first presented to the Bishop However though in the disputable Nativities of worthy men first come first serv'd a Caveat is also entred in other Counties to preserve their Titles unprejudiced It must not be forgotten that many without just cause by mistake multiply differences in the places of mens Births The Papists please themselves with reporting a Tale of their own inventing how the men of two Towns in Germany fell out and fought together whilst one of them was for Martin the other for Luther being but the several names of the same person If one Author affirms Bishop Jewel born at Buden another at Berinerber let none make strife betwixt these two Writers the former naming the House and Village the later the Parish wherein he was born a case which often occurs in the Notation of Nativities That the Children of Clergymen have been as successeful as the Sons of Men of other Professions There goeth a common Report no less uncharitable than untrue yet meeting with many Beleivers thereof as if Clergy mens Sons were generally signally unfortunate like the Sons of Ely Hophnies and Phineaz's dissolute in their Lives and doleful in their Deaths This I may call a Libell indeed according to Sir Francis Bacon his Description thereof for first it is a Lye a notorious untruth and then a Bell some lowd and lewd Tongue hath told yea Rung it out and perchance was welcome Musick to some hearers thereof It is first confest that the best Saints and Servants of God have had bad as well as good children extracted from them It is the Note of Illiricus on those words of Saint John to the Elect Lady I rejoiced greatly when I found of thy Children walking in the Truth He saith not all thy but of thy children intimating that she had mingled Ware Corn and Tares in those who were descended from her Thus Aaron for I desire to restrain my self in instances of the Priests had Nadab and Abihu two strange Fire Offerers as well as his Godly Sons Eliazar and Ithamar Yea I find one of the best Fathers having two and those I beleive all he had of the worst Sons even Samuel himself Nor do we deny but that our English Clergy have been unhappy in their off-spring though not above the proportion of other Professions whereof some have not unprobably assigned these causes First If Fellows of Colledges they are ancient beâ—…ore they marry Secondly their children then are all Benjamins I mean the children of their Old age and thereupon by their Fathers to take off as much as we may the weight of the fault from the weaker Sex cockered and indulged which I neither defend or excuse but bemone and condemn Thirdly Such Children after their Fathers Death are left in their Minority to the careless Care of Friends and Executors who too often discharge not their due trust in their Education whence it is such Orphans too osten embrace wild courses to their own destructions But all this being granted we maintain that Clergy-mens Children have not been more unfortunate but more observed than the Children of the Parents of other Professions There is but one Minister at one time in a whole Parish and therefore the fewer they are the easier they are observed both in their Persons and Posterities Secondly the Eminency of their place maketh them exposed and obvious to all discoveries Thirdly possibly Malice may be the Eye-salve to quicken mens Sight in prying after them Lastly one ill Success in their Sons maketh for the reasons aforesaid more impression in the Ears and Eyes of people then many miscarriages of those Children whose Fathers were of another Function I speak not this out of Intent to excuse or extenuate the Badnesse of the one by the Badnesse of the other but that both may be mutually provoked to Amendment In a word other mens Children would have as many Eyesores if they had as many Eyes seeing them Indeed if happinesse be confin'd unto outward Pomp and Plenty and if those must be accounted unfortunate which I in the true meaning of the word must interpret unprovidenced who swim not in equal Plenty with others then that Epithet may be fixed on the Children of the Clergy Whose Fathers coming late to their Livings and surprised by Death not staying long on them which at the best afforded them but narrow maintenance leave them oft-times so ill provided that they are forced without blame or shame to them as I conceive to take sometimes poor and painful Employments for their Livelyhood But by our following Endevours it will plainly appear that the Sons of Ministers have by Gods blessing proved as Eminent as any who have raised themselves by their own Endevours For Statesmen George Carew Privy Councellor of England Scotland and Ireland and as able a man absit Invidia as the age he lived in produced was Earl of Totnes the same place whereof his Father was Arch-deacon Sir Edwin Sandys Son to Arch-bishop Sandys will be acknowledged even by his Enemies a man of such merit that England could not afford an Office which he could not manage For Lawyers Sir Thomas Richardson lately and the never sufficiently to be commended Sir Orlando Bridgeman now Lord Chief Justice with many others For Seamen Sir Francis Drake that great Scourge and Terror to the Spanish Pride If any say these are but thin Instances out of so thick a number de tot modo milibus unus few of so many Hundreds know we have only taken some Eminent persons leaving the rest for fear to be counted Forestallers to the Collection of the Reader in our ensuing Book But the Sons of Ministers have never been more successeful then when bred in the Professions of their
Staffondshire The meaning is the Genâ—…ry in Cheshire find it more profitable to match within their County then to bring a Bride out of other 〈◊〉 1. Because better acquainted with her birth and breeding 2. Because though her Portion perchance may be less the expence will be less to maintain her Such 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 County have been observed both a prolonger of worshipfull families and the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them seeing what Mr. Camden reported of the Citizens of 〈◊〉 is verified of the Cheshire Gentry they are all or an Alliance Cardinals WILLIAM MAKILESFIELD was saith my Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop Godwin 〈◊〉 little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Civitate 〈◊〉 However I conceive him born in this 〈◊〉 finding a 〈◊〉 Market-town and Forrest therein so named though he was reputed a 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 in that Age was in the 〈◊〉 of Coventry and Lichfield But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not swim against the stream I Remit the Reader to his Character in Warwickshire 〈◊〉 WILLIAM BOOTH was first bred in 〈◊〉 Inn in London in the studie of our Municipall Laws till he 〈◊〉 that profession on the proffer of a 〈◊〉 Place in Saint Pauls and took Orders upon him It was not long before he was 〈◊〉 Bishop of Letchfield and six years after translated to 〈◊〉 He expended much money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died and was buried in Saint Maries Chappell in Southwell 1464. LAURENCE BOOTH Brother but by another Mother to William aforesaid was bred and became Master of 〈◊〉 hall in 〈◊〉 and was Chancellour of that University He made the Composition 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 colledge to their mutuall advantage and was an eminent 〈◊〉 to his own Colledge bestowing thereon all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church amongst which was St. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Colledge of a Pension of five pounds which he redeemed and and Conferred there on the 〈◊〉 and Patronage of Overton-Waterfield in Huntingtanshire As it is Gods so it is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 method in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants Be faithfull in a little and thou shalt rule over much Doctor Booth well performing his Chancellors Place in Cambridge was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the fixth Well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of King 〈◊〉 the fourth made Lord High Chancellor 〈◊〉 seems his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of York and deserving well of both Sees For he built in the first the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 colledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must not be forgotten than this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till the day of his death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bishop 〈◊〉 not that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the place but the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them as it is this day by the Right Reverend Father in God Benjamin Lany Lord Bishop of Peturborough This Arch-bishop died Anno Dom. 1480. JOHN BOOTH Brother to Laurence aforesaid Bachellor of Laws was consecrated Bishop of Exceter in the sixth of King Edward the fourth 1466. He built the Bishops Chair or Seat in his Cathedral which in the judicious Eye of Bishop Godwin hath not his Equall in England Let me adde that though this be the fairest Chair the soft Cushion thereof was taken away when Bishop Vescy alienated the Lands thereof The worst was when Bishop Booth had finished this Chair he could not quietly sit down therein so troublesome the times of the civil wars betwixt York and Lancaster So that preferring his privacy he retired to a little place of his own purchasing at Horsley in Hampshire where he dyed April the first 1478. and was buried in Saint Clements Danes London We must remember that these three Prelates had a fourth and eldest Brother Sir Roger Booth Knight of Barton in Lancashire Father of Margaret Wife of Ralph Nevill third Earl of Westmerland And may the Reader take notice that though we have entred these Bishops according to our best information in Cheshire yet is it done with due reservation of the right of Lancashire in case that County shall produce better Evidence for their Nativities THOMNS SAVAGE was born at Maklefield in this County his Father being a Knight bred him a Doctor of Law in the University of Cambridge Hence was he preferred Bishop of Rochester and at last Arch-bishop of York He was a greater Courtier then Clerke and most Dextrous in managing Secular Matters a mighty Nimrod and more given to Hunting then did consist with the Gravity of his Profession No doubt there wanted not those which taxed him with that Passage in Saint Jerome Penitus non invenimus in scripturis sanctis sanctum aliquem Venatorem Piscatores invenimus sanctos But all would not wean him from that sport to which he was so much addicted His provident Precedent spared his Successors in that See many pounds of needless expences by declining a costly instaulation being the first who privately was instauled by his Vicar Yet was he not Covetous in the least degree maintaining a most numerous Family and building much both at Scroby and Cawood Having sate seven years in his See he died 1508. his Body being buried at York his Heart at Maklefield where he was born in a Chapel of his own Erection intending to have added a Colledge thereunto had not death prevented him Since the Reformation WILLIAM CHADERTON D. D. Here I solemnly tender deserved thanks to my Manuscript Author charitably guiding me in the Dark assuring that this Doctor was ex praeclaro Chadertonorum Cestrensis comitatus stemmate prognatus And although this doubtfull Direction doth not cleave the Pin it doth hit the White so that his Nativity may with most Probability not prejudicing the right to Lancashire when produced here be fixed He was bred first Fellow then Master of Queens and never of Magdalen-colledge in Cambridge as Reverend Bishop Godwin mistaketh and chosen first the Lady Margarets then Kings Professor in Divinity and Doctor Whitacre succeeded him immediately in the Chair He was Anno 1579. made Bishop of Chester then of Lincoln 1594. demeaning himself in both to his great commendation He departed this life in April 1608. His Grand-child a virtuous Gentlewoman of rare accomplishments married to Mr. Joceline Esquire being big with child wrot a Book of advise since Printed and Intitled the Mothers Legacie to her unborn Infant of whom she died in travail WILLIAM JAMES D. D. was born in this County bred a Scholar in Christs-church in Oxford and afterwards President of the University Colledge He succeeded Bishop Mathews in the Deanary and Bishoprick of Durham He had been Chaplain to Robert Dudly Earl of Lecester and I hope I may lawfully transcribe what I read Sir J. Harrington view of the Church of England pag.
20 Fr. Lamplough a. ut prius  21 Ioh. Lamplough ut prius  22 Hen. Curwen ar ut prius  23 Chri. Dacre ar ut prius  24 Wilfr Lawson ar  Per Pale Arg. and S. a Chev. counterchanged 25 Ioh. Dalston ar ut prius  26 Ioh. Midleton ar   27 Geo. Salkeld ar ut prius  28 Ioh. Dalston ar ut prius  29   30 Rich. Louther ar ut prius  31 Hen. Curwen 〈◊〉 ut prius  32 Chr. Pickering ar  Ermin a Lion Rampent Azure Crowned Or. 33 Ioh. Southwike a   34 Will. Musgrave a. ut prius  35 Ger. Louther ar ut prius  36 Ioh. Dalston ar ut prius  37 Lau. Salkeld ar ut prius  38 Chri. Dalston ar ut prius  39 Wilfri Lawson ut prius  40 Tho. Salkeld ar ut prius  41 Ios. Penington ar ut prius  42 Nich. Curwen ar ut prins  43 Will. Orfenâ—…r ar   44 Edm. Dudley ar  Or a Lion rampant duble queve Vert. 45 Will. Hutton ar prim Jac. ut prius  JAC. REX   Anno   1 Will. Hutton ar ut prius  2 Ioh Dalston ar ut prius  3 Chri. Pickeâ—…ing a. ut prius  4 Wilf Lauson m. ut prius  5 Chri. Pickering m. ut prius  6 Hen. Blencow ar  Sable on a Bend 3 Chaplets G. 7 Will. Hutton m ut prius  8 Ios. Penington ar ut prius  9 Chr. Pickering m. ut prius  10 Wilf Lawson m. ut prius  11 Th. Lamplough a. ut prius  12 Edw. Musgrave m. ut prius  13 Rich. Flecher ar Hutton Arg. a Salter engrailed betwixt 4 Roundlets each châ—…rged with a Pheon of the field 14 Will. Musgrave m. ut prius  15 Wil. Hudleston a. ut prius  16 Geo. Dalston ar ut prius  17 Hen. Curwen mi. ut prius  18 Io Lamplough a. ut prius  19 Hen. Fetherston  G. a Chev. betwixt 3 Oestridges feathers 20 Fran. Dudley vid. Admi. Tho. Dudley ar Edw. Dudley ar defund Tho. Lamplough mil. ut prius   ut prius   ut prius  21 Rich. Samford m ut prius  22 Rich. Fletcher m. ut prius  CAR. REG.   Anno   1 Hen. Blencowe m. ut prius  2 Pet. Senhouse ar Scascall Arg. a 〈◊〉 proper 3 Chri. Dalston ar ut prius  4 Will. Layton ar   5 Wilâ—… Musgrave m. ut prius  6 Chr. Richmond a.   7 Leon. Dykes ar  Or 3 Cinquefoils Sable 8 Ioh. Skelton ar ut prius  9 Will. Orfener ar   10 Rich. Barvis ar ut prius  11 Will. Lawson ar   12 Patri Curwen ar ut prius  13 Tho. Dacre 〈◊〉 ut prius  14 Ti. Fetherston 〈◊〉 ut prius  15   16 Chri. Louther ar ut prius  17 Hen. Fletcher bar ut prius  18   19   20   21   22 Hen. Tolson ar ut prius  Edward IV. 16 RICHARD DUKE OF GLOUCESTER He is notoriously known to Posterity without any â—… Comment or Character to describe him In his Armes it is observable that the younger sons of Kings did not use our Common Modern manner of differences by Cressants Mullets Martilets c. but assumed unto themselves some other differencing devices Wonder not that his Difference being a Labell disguised with some additions hath some Allusion to Eldership therein whilst this Richard was but the Third son seeing in his own Ambition he was not onely the Eldest but Onely Child of his Father as appeareth by his Project not long after to Basterdize both his Brethren And now did he begin to cast an Eye on and forecast a way to the Crown by securing himself of this County which is the Back as Northumberland the Fore Door into Scotland In the mean time Cumberland may count it no mean Credit that this Duke was for six years together and at that very time her High-Sheriff when he was made or rather made himself King of England Henry VIII 21 THOMAS WHARTON This must needs be that worthy person whom King Henry the eighth afterwards created first L. Wharton of Wharton in Westmerland and who gave so great a defeat to the Scots at Solemn Moss that their King James the fifth soon after died for sorrow thereof Indeed the Scotish Writers conceiving it more creditable to put their defeat on the account of Anger then of Fear make it rather a Surrender then a Battle as if their Country-men were in effect unwilling to Conquer because unwilling to Fight Such their Disgust taken at Oliver Sentclear a man of Low Birth and High Pride obtruded on them that day by the King for their Generall And to humor their own discontentment they preferred rather to be taken Prisoners by an Enemy then to fight under so distasted a Commander As for the Lord Wharton I have read though not able presently to produce my Author that for this his service his Armes were augmented with an Orle of Lions paws in Saltier Gules on a Border Or. The Farewell I understand two small Manufactures are lately set up therein the one of course Broad-cloath at Cokermouth vended at home The other of Fustians some two years since at Carlile and I wish that the Undertakers may not be disheartned with their small encouragement Such who are ashamed of Contemptible beginnings will never arrive at considerable endings Yea the greatest Giant was though never a Dwarfe once an Infant and the longest line commenced from a little point at the first DERBY-SHIRE DERBY-SHIRE hath York-shire on the North Nottingham-shire on the East Leicester-shire on the South Stafford and Cheshire on the West The River South Darwent falling into Trent runneth through the middle thereof I say South Darwent for I find three more North thereof Darwent which divideth the West from the East riding in Yorkshire Darwent which separateth the Bishoprick of Durham from Northumberland Darwent in Cumberland which falleth into the Irish Ocean These I have seen by Critical Authors written all alike enough to perswade me that Dower the Brittish word for water had some share in their denomination The two extreams of this Shire from North to South extend to thirty eight miles though not fully twenty nine in the broadest part thereof The South and East thereof are very fruitful whilest the North part called the Peak is poor above and rich beneath the ground Yet are there some exceptions therein Witness the fair pasture nigh Haddon belonging to the Earl of Rutland so incredibly battling of Cattel that one proffered to surround it with shillings to purchase it which because to be set side-ways not edge-ways were refused Natural Commodities Lead The best in England not to say Europe
after so many years distance and a colder suit being to encounter a Corporation of Learned Lawyers so long in the peaceable possession thereof Bishop Nevil was afterwards canonically chosen by the Monks and confirmed hy King Henry the third Arch-bishop of Canterbury being so far from rejoycing thereat that he never gave any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reward for their good news to the two Monks which brought him tidings nor would allow any thing toward the discharging their costly journey to Rome foreseeing perchance that the Pope would stop his Consecration For some informed his Holiness that this Ralph was a Prelate of High Birth haughty Stomach great Courtship gracious with the King and a person probable to disswade him from paying the Pension promised by his Father K. Iohn to the Court of Rome then no wonder if his Consecration was stopped theron But was it not both an honor happiness to our Nevil thus to be crost with the hands of his Holiness himself yea it seems that no Crosier save only that of Chichester would fit his hand being afterwards elected Bish. of Winchester then obstructed by the K. who formerly so highly favor'd him He built a Chappell without the east gate of Chichester dedicated to S. Michael and having merited much of his own Cathedral died at London 1244. ALEX. NEVIL third Son of Ralph Lord Nevil was born at Raby became first Canon then Arch-Bishop of York where he beautified and fortified the Castle of Cawood with many Turrets He was highly in Honour with King Richard the second as much in hatred with the party opposing him These designed to imprison him putting Prelates to death not yet in fashion in the Castle of Rochester had not our Alexander prevented them by his flight to Pope Urban to Rome who partly out of pity that he might have something for his support and more out of policy that York might be in his own disposal upon the removal of this Arch-Bishop translated him to Saint Andrews in Scotland and so dismissed him with his Benediction Wonder not that this Nevil was loth to go out of the Popes blessing into a cold Sun who could not accept this his new Arch Bishoprick in point of credit profit or safety 1. Credit For this his translation was a Post-Ferment seeing the Arch-Bishoprick of Saint Andrews was subjected in that age unto York 2. Profit The Revenues being far worse than those of York 3. Safety Scotland then bearing an Antipathy to all English and especially to the Nevils redoubted for their victorious valour in those northern parts and being in open hostility against them Indeed half a loaf is better than no bread but this his new translation was rather a stone than half a loaf not filling his Belly yet breaking his Teeth if feeding thereon This made him preferre the Pastorall Charge of a Parish Church in Lovaine before his Arch-noBishoprick where he died in the fifth year of his Exile and was buried there in the Convent of the Carmelites ROB. NEVIL sixth Son of Ralph first Earl of Westmerland by Joane his second VVife Daughter of Iohn of Gaunt bred in the University of Oxford and Provost of Beverly was preferred Bishop of Sarisbury in the sixth of King Henry the sixth 1427. During his continuance therein he was principal Founder of a Convent at Sunning in Berkshire anciently the Bishops See of that Diocess valued at the dissolution saith Bishop Godwin at 682 l. 14 s. 7 d. ob which I rather observe because the estimation thereof is omitted in my and I suspect all other Speeds Catalogue of Religious Houses From Sarisbury he was translated to Durham where he built a place called the Exchequer at the Castle gate and gave in allusion of his two Bishopricks which he successively enjoyed two Annulets innected in his Paternal Coat He died Anno Dom. 1457. GEO. NEVIL fourth Son of Rich. Nevil Earl of Salisbury was born at Midleham in this Bishoprick bred in Baliol Colledge in Oxford consecrated Bishop of Exeter when he was not as yet twenty years of age so that in the race not of age but youth he clearly beat Tho. Arundel who at twenty two was made Bishop of Ely Some say this was contrary not only to the Canon Law but Canonical Scripture S. Paul forbidding such a Neophyte or Novice admission into that Office as if because Rich. the make-King Earl of Warwick was in a manner above Law this his Brother also must be above Canons His Friends do plead that Nobility and Ability supplyed age in him seeing five years after at 25. he was made Lord Chancellor of England and discharged it to his great commendation He was afterwards made Arch-bishop of York famous for the prodigious Feast at his Installing wherein besides Flesh Fish and Fowle so many strange Dishes of Gellies And yet amongst all this service I meet not with these two But the inverted Proverb found truth in him One GluttonMeal makes many hungry ones for some years after falling into the displeasure of King Edward the fourth he was flenderly dyetted not to say famished in the Castle of Calis and being at last restored by the Intercession of his Friends died heart-broken at Blyth and was buried in the Cathedral of York 1476. Besides these there was another Nevil Brother to Alexander aforesaid chosen Bishop of Ely but death or some other intervening accident hindered his Consecration Since the Reformation ROBERT HORN was born in this Bishoprick bred in Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge Going thence under the raign of King Edward the sixth he was advanced Dean of Durham In the Marian days he fled into Germany and fixing at Frankford became the head of the Episcopal party as in my Ecclesiastical History at large doth appear Returning into England he was made Bishop of VVinchester Feb. 16. 1560. A worthy man but constantly ground betwixt two opposite parties Papists and Sectaries Both of these in their Pamphlets sported with his name as hard in Nature and crooked in Conditions not being pleased to take notice how Horn in Scripture importeth Power Preferment and Safety both twitted his person as dwarfish and deformed to which I can say nothing none alive remembring him save that such taunts though commonly called ad Hominem are indeed ad Deum and though shot at Man does glance at Him who made us and not we our selves Besides it shews their malice runs low for might though high for spight who carp at the Case when they cannot find fault with the Jewel For my part I mind not the Mould wherein but the Metal whereof he was made and lissen to Mr. Cambden his Character of him Valido foecundo ingenio of a sprightful and fruitful wit He died in Southwark June 1. 1589. and lyeth buried in his own Cathedral near to the Pulpit And now Reader I crave leave to present thee with the Character of one who I confess falls not under my Pen
been found within them Hops In latine Lupulus or the little-wolf which made a merry man complain that this Wolf did too often devour the innocent Malt in beer Gerard observes they grow best in those Countries where Vines will not grow intimating that nature pointeth at their use therein They are not so bitter in themselves as others have been against them accusing Hops for noxious preserving beer but destroying those who drink it These plead the Petition presented in Parliament in the raign of King Henry the sixth against the wicked weed called Hopps Their back-friends also affirm the Stone never so epidemicall in England as since the generall reception and use of Hops in the beginning of King Henry the eighth But Hops have since out-grown and over-topped all these accusations being adjudged wholesome if Statutable and unmixed with any powder dust dross sand or other soyl whatsoever which made up two parts of three in forraign Hops formerly imported hither They delight most in moist grounds no commodity starteth so soon and sinketh so suddainly in the price whence some will have them so named from hopping in a little time betwixt a great distance in valuation In a word as Elephants if orderly were themselves enough alone to gain if disorderly to lose a victory so great parcells of this commodity well or ill bought in the Crisis of their price are enough to raise or ruine an estate Puits There is an Island of some two hundred Acres near Harwick in the Parish of LittleOkeley in the Mannour of Matthew Gilly Esquire called the Puit Island from Puits in effect the sole inhabitants thereof Some affirm them called in Latine Upulae whilst others maintain that the Roman Language doth not reach the Name nor Land afford the Bird. On Saint George his day precisely they pitch on the Island seldome laying fewer then four or more then six Eggs. Great their love to their Young ones For though against foul weather they make to the main land a certain Prognostick of Tempests yet they always Weather it out in the Island when hatching their young ones seldome sleeping whilst they â—…it on their Eggs afraid it seems of Spring-tides which signifieth nothing as to securing their Eggs from the Inundation but is an Argument of their great Affection Being young they consist onely of Bones Feathers and Lean-flesh which hath a raw Gust of the Sea But Roulterers take them then and feed them with Gravel and Curds that is Physick and Food the one to scour the other to fat them in a fortnight and their flesh thus recruted is most delicious Here I say nothing of Eringo Roots growing in this County the candying of them being become a Staple commodity at Colchester These are Soveraign to strengthen the Nerves and pity it is that any vigor acquired by them should be otherwise imployed then to the Glory of God Manufactures This County is charactred like the good wife described by Bathshebah She layeth her hand to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe Bays and Says and Serges and severall sorts of Stuffes which I neither can or doe desire to name are made in and about Colchester Coxal Dedham c. I say desire not to name because hoping that new kinds will daily be invented as good reason and by their Inventers intituled I know not whether it be better to wish them good Wares to Vent or good Vent for their Wares but I am sure that both together are the best It will not be amiss to pray that the Plough may go along and wheel around that so being fed by the one and clothed by the other there may be by Gods blessing no danger of starving in our Nation Gun-Powder Why hereof in this rather then in other Counties Because more made by Mills of late erected on the river Ley betwixt Waltham and London then in all England besides Though some suppose it as antient as Archimedes in Europe and antienter in India yet generally men behold the Frier of Mentz the first founder thereof some three hundred years since It consisteth of three essentiall ingredients 1. Brimstone whose office is to catch fire and flame of a suddain and convey it to the other two 2. Char-coal pulveriz'd which continueth the fire and quencheth the flame which otherwise would consume the strength thereof 3. Salt-petre which causeth a windy exhalation and driveth forth the bullet This Gun-powder is the embleme of politick revenge for it biteth first and barketh afterwards the bullet being at the mark before the report is heard so that it maketh a noise not by way of warning but triumph As for white powder which is reported to make no report at all I never could meet with Artist who would seriously avouch it For though perchance the noise may be less and lower yet no sound at all is inconsistent with the nature of Salt-petre and the ventosity thereof causing the violent explosion of the bullet It is questionable whether the making of Gun-powder be more profitable or more dangerous the Mills in my Parish having been five times blown up within seven years but blessed be God without the loss of any one mans life The Buildings This County hath no Cathedrall and the Churches therein cannot challenge to themselves any eminent commendation But as for privaâ—…e houses Essex will own no Shire her superior whereof three most remarkable 1. Audley-End built by Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk and Treasurer of England as without compare the best Subjects house in this Island Yet is the structure better then the standing thereof as low on one side so that it may pass for the embleme of modest merit or concealed worth meaner houses boasting more and making greater show afar off in the eyes of passengers 2. New Hall built by the Ratcliffs Earls of Sussex but bought from them by George Villiers Duke of Buckingham surpassing for the pleasant shady approach thereunto and for the appurtenances of Parks round about it 3. Copt Hall in Records Coppice-Hall from the Woods thereabouts highly seated on an hill in the mid'st of a Park built by the Abbot of Waltham enlarg'd by Sir Thomas Heneage and others and it is much that multiform fancies should all meet in so uniform a fabrick Herein a Gallery as well furnish'd as most more proportionable then any in England and on this a story doth depend In the year of our Lord 1639. in November here happened an Hirecano or wild wind which entring in at the great East-window blew that down and carried some part thereof with the picture of the Lord Coventry singled from many more which hung on both â—…ides untouch'd all the length of the Gallery being about 56. yards out of the West-window which it threw down to the ground It seems the wind finding this room in form of a trunk and coarctated therein forced the stones of the first window like pellets clean thorough it I mention this the rather because pious
their own Country Well it were if this good old custome were resumed for if where God hath given Talents men would give but Pounds I mean encourage hopefull Abilities with helpfull Maintenance able persons would never be wanting and poor men with great parts would not be excluded the Line of preferment This Sir Thomas was afterwards Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth and a grand benefactor to both Universities as I have formerly declared at large He died Anno Domini 1577. THOMAS HOWARD wherever born is justly reputed of this County wherein he had his first honour and last habitation He was second son to Thomas last Duke of Norfolk but eldest by his wife Margaret sole heir to Thomas Lord Audley Queen Elizabeth made him Baron of Audley and Knight of the Garter and King James who beheld his father a State-Martyr for the Queen of â—…ots in the first of his raign advanced him Lord Chamberlain and Earl of Suffolk and in the twelfth of his raign July 12. Lord Treasurer of England He was also Chancellour of Cambridge loving and beloved of the University When at his first coming to Cambridge Master Francis Nethersole Orator of the University made a Latine Speech unto him this Lord returned though I understand not Latine I know the Sence of your Oration is to tell me that I am wellcome to you which I believe verily thank you for it heartily and will serve you faithfully in any thing within my power Doctor Hasnet the Vice-chancellour laying hold on the Handle of so fair a Proffer requested him to be pleased to Entertain the King at Cambridge a Favour which the University could never compass from their former great and wealthy Chancellours I will do it saith the Lord in the best manner I may with the speediest conveniency Nor was he worse then his word giving his Majesty not long after so Magnificent a Treatment in the University as cost him five thousands pounds and upwards Hence it was that after his death Thomas his second son Earl of Bark-shire not suing for it not knowing of it was chosen to succeed him losing the place as some suspected not for lack of voices but fair counting them He died at Audley end Anno Domini 1626. being Grand-father to the right Honourable James Earl of Suffolk RICHARD WESTON I behold him son to Sir Jerome Weston Sheriff of this County in the one and fourtieth of Queen Elizabeth and cannot meet with any of his relations to rectifie me if erronious In his youth he impaired his estate to improve himself with publique accomplishment but came off both a saver and a gainer at the last when made Chancellor of the Exchequer and afterwards upon the remove of the Earl of Marlburrough July 15. in the fourth of King Charles Lord Treasurer of England But I hear the Cocks crow proclaiming the dawning day being now come within the ken of many alive and when mens memories do arise it is time for History to haste to bed Let me onely be a Datary to tell the Reader that this Lord was Created Earl of Portland February 17. in the eight of King Charles and died Anno Domini 163. being father to the right Honorable Jerome now Earl of Portland Capitall Judges Sir JOHN BRAMSTONE Knight was born at Maldon in this County bred up in the Middle-Temple in the study of the Common-law wherein he attained to such eminency that he was by King Charles made Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench One of deep learning solid judgement integrity of life gravity of behaviour in a word accomplished with all qualities requisite for a Person of his place and profession One instance of his integrity I must not forget effectually relating to the Foundation wherein I was bred Serjeant Bruerton of whom formerly bequeathed by Will to Sidney-colledge well nigh three thousand pounds but for haste or some other accident so imperfectly done that as Doctor Samuel Ward informed me the gife was invalid in the Rigour of the Law Now Judge Bramstone who married the Serjeants Widdow gave himself much trouble gave himself indeed doing all things gratis for the speedy payment of the money to a Farthing and the legal setling thereof on the Colledge according to the true intention of the dead He deserved to live in better times the delivering his judgement on the Kings side in the case of Ship â—…oney cost him much trouble The posting Press would not be perswaded to stay till I had received farther instructions from the most Hopefull sons of this worthy Judge who died about the year 1646. Souldiers ROBERT FITZ-WALTER It is observable what I read in my Author that in the raign of King John there were three most eminent Knights in the land 〈◊〉 for their prowess viz. Robert Fitz-Roger Richard Mont-Fâ—…chet and this Robert Fitz-Walter Two of which three a fair proportion fall to be natives of this County This Robert was born at Woodham-walters and behaved himself right 〈◊〉 on all occasions highly beloved by King Richard the first and King John untill the later banished him the land because he would not prostitute his daughter to his pleasure But worth will not long want a Master the French-King joyfully entertained him till King John recalled him back again on this occasion five-years truce being concluded betwixt the two Crowns of England and France an English-man challenged any of the French to just a course or two on horse-back with him whom Fitz-Walter then oâ—… the French party undertook and at the first course with his great spear fell'd horse and man to the ground Thus then and ever since English-men generally can be worsted by none but English-men Hereupon the King next day sent for him restored his lands with license for him to repair his Castles and particularly Bainards-castle in London which he did accordingly He was styled of the common-people The Marshall of Gods Army and Holy-Church He died Anno Domini 1234. and lieth buried in the Priory of Little-Dunmow Sir JOHN HAWKEWOOD Knight Son to Gilbert Hawkewood Tanner was born in Sible heningham This John was first bound an apprentice to a Taylor in the City of London but soon turned his needle into a sword and thimble into a shield being pressed in the service of King Edward the third for his French Wars who rewarded his valour with Knighthood Now that mean men bred in manuall and mechanick trades may arrive at great skill in Martiall performances this Hawkewood though an eminent is not the onely instance of our English nation The heat of the French Wars being much remitted he went into Italy and served the City of Florence which as yet was a Free State Such Republiques preferred forrainers rather then natives for their Generalls because when the service was ended it was but disbursing their pay and then disbanding their power by cashering their Commission such Forraigners having no advantage to continue their
and Gaping Chincks the Heraulds of its downfall deeming with my self that I discovered as Physicians in our Bodies do cadaverosam faciem ruinosam therein But it rejoyced me when coming there this last year to find it so well amended by the soveraign medicine of Gold or Silver charitably applyed by its good Bishop I wish all Cathedrals in England sick of the same distemper as quick and happy a recovery HARTFORD-SHIRE is so called from Hartford the chief Town therein as Hartford so termed from the Ford of Harts a Hart Couchant in the waters being the Armes thereof Which convinceth me that HART not HERTFORD-SHIRE is the Orthography of this County It hath Essex on the East Middlesex on the South Buckingham shire on the West Bedford and Cambridge shire on the North thereof It might be allowed a Square of 20. miles save that the Angular Insinuations of other Counties prejudice the Entireness thereof I have been informed from an ancient â—…stice therein that one cannot be so advantagiously placed in any part of this Shire but that he may recover another County within the riding of five miles It is the garden of England for delight and men commonly say that such who buy a house in Hartfordshire pay two years purchase for the aire thereof It falls short in Fruitfulness of ESSEX adjoyning thereunto to which it was also annexed under one Sheriff and one Eschetor till after the Reign of King Edward the Third And Paynfull Norden writes a bold Truth For deep feedings or Sheep pastures I take notice of few and those especially about Knebworth To speak of the Soyle as indeed it is most generally for my part I take it but a barren Countrey in respect of some other Shires Indeed this Forrestie-Ground would willingly bear nothing so well as a Crop of Wood. But seeing Custome is another Nature it hath for many years been contented to bring forth good Grain perswaded thereunto by the Industrious Husbandman Surely no County can shew so fair a Bunch of Berries for so they term the fair Habitations of Gentlemen of remark which are called Places Courts Halls and Mannors in other Shires This County affording no peculiar Commodity nor Manufacture We may safely proceed to other Observations when first we have given the due commendation to the Horses of this Shire Their Teames of Horses oft times deservedly advanced from the Cart to the Coach are kept in excellent equipage much alike in colour and stature fat and fair such is their care in dressing and well-feeding them I could name the place and person Reader be not offended with an innocent digression who brought his servant with a Warrant before a Justice of Peace for stealing his grain The man brought his five horses tailed together along with him alledging for himself That if he were the Theefe these were the Receivers and so escaped The Buildings THEOBALDS did carry away the credit built by Sir William beautified by Sir Robert Cecil his Son both Lord Treasurers of England The last exchanged it too wise to do it to his Losse with King James for Hatfield-house which King deceased therein March 27. 1625. Yea This House may be said to decease about its grand Climacterical some sixty three years from the finishing thereof taken down to the ground for the better partage among the Soldiery Anno 1651. and from the seat of a Monarch is now become a little Common-wealth so many intire Tenements like Splinters have flown out of the Materials thereof Thus our Fathers saw it built we behold it unbuilt and whether our Children shall see it re-built he only knows who hath written There is a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together Hatfield-house was first the Bishops of Ely then the Kings afterwards by exchange the Earls of Salisbury For Situation Building Contrivance Prospect Air and all accommodations inferiour to none in England Within a little mile thereof lyeth a place called the Vineyard where nature by the Midwifery of Art is delivered of much pleasure So that the Reader must be a Seer before he can understand the perfection thereof Had this place been in Graecia or nigh Rome where the luxuriant fancies of the Poets being subject-bound improve a Tree into a Grove a Grove into a Forrest a Brook into a River and a Pond into a Lake I say had this Vineyard been there it had disinherited Tempe of its honour and hence the Poets would have dated all their delights as from a Little Paradise and Staple-place of earthly pleasure Medicinal Waters One hath lately been discovered neer Barnet in a Common as generally sanative springs are found in such places as if nature therein intimated her intention designing them for publique profit not private employment it is conceived to run thorough veines of Alome by the taste thereof It coagulateth milk and the curd thereof is an excellent plaister for any green wounds besides several other operations But as Alexander was wont to applaud Achilles not as the most valiant but the most fortunate of men having Homer to trumpet forth his actions so are these waters much advantaged with the vicinitie of London whose Citizens proclame the praise thereof And indeed London in this kind is stately attended having three Medicinal Waters within one dayes Journy thereof The Catalogue of the Cures done by this Spring amounteth to a great number in so much that there is hope in process of time the Water rising here will repaire the blood shed hard by and save as many lives as were lost in the fatal Battel at Barnet betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster Hartford-shire Proverbs HARTFORD-SHIRE Clubs and clouted shoon Some will wonder how this Shire lying so near to London the Staple of English Civilitie should be guiltie of so much Rusticalness But the finest Cloth must have a List and the pure Pesants are of as course a thread in this County as in any other place Yet though some may smile at their clownishness let none laugh at their Industry the rather because the high-shoon of the Tenant payes for the Spanish-Leather-Boots of the Landlord HARTFORD-SHIRE Hedge-Hogs Plenty of Hedge-Hogs are found in this High woodland-County where too often they suck the Kine though the Dayry-maid conne them small thanks for sparing their pains in milking them A creature alwayes in his posture of defence carrying a Stand of Pikes on his back so that if as well victualled as armed he may hold out a seige against any equal opposition If this Proverb containeth any further reflection on the People in this County as therein taxed for covetousness and their constant nudling on the Earth I will not so understand it as hoping and believing this to be a false Application WARE and WADES-Mill are worth all LONDON This I assure you is a Master-piece of the Vulgar wits in this County wherewith they endeavour to amuse Travellers as if WARE a thorough-fare-Market and
the erection of Convents and such would be sure to chuse the best for men of their own Profession Sure I am it would set all England hard to show in so short a distance so pleasant a Park as Waybridge so â—…air a Meadow as Portsholme and so fruitful a Town for Tillage as Godmanchester all three within so many miles in this County No peculiar Commodity or Manufacture save with others equally intercommoning appearing in this County let us proceed The Buildings KIMBOLTON Castle This being part of the jointure of Queen Katharine Dowager was chosen by her to retire thereunto as neither too neer to London to see what she would not nor so far off but that she might hear what she desired Here she wept out the Remnant of her widdowhood while her husband was yet alive in her devotions This Castle came afterwards by gift to the Wingfields from them by sale to the Montagues Henry late Earle of Manchester sparing no cost which might add to the beauty thereof HINCHING-BROOKE once a Nunnery and which I am confident will ever be a Religious house whilst it relateth to the truly Noble Edward Montague Earl of Sandwich the owner thereof It sheweth one of the Magnificent roomes which is to be beheld in our Nation VVe must not forget the House and Chappel in litle Godding the inheritance of Master Ferrer which lately made a great Noise all over England Here three Numerous female families all from one Grand-Mother lived together in a strict discipline of devotion They rise at midnight to Prayers and other people most complained thereof whose heads I dare say never ak't for want of sleep Sure I am strangers by them were entertained poore people were relieved their Children instructed to read whilest their own Needles were emploied in learned and pious work to binde Bibles Whereof one most exactly done was presented to King Charles But their society was beheld by some as an Nunneryâ—…uspecting â—…uspecting that there was a Pope Ioane therein which causeless Cavill afterwards confuted it selfe when all the younger of those Virgins practised the Precept of St. Paul to marry bear Children and guide their houses Medicinal Waters There is an Obscure Village in this County neare St. Neots called Haile-weston whose very name Soundeth something of sanativeness therein so much may the Adding of what is no Letter alter the meaning of a Word for 1. Aile Signifieth a Sore or Hurt with complaining the effect thereof 2 Haile having an affinity with Heile the Saxon Idol for Esculapius Importeth a cure or Medicine to a Maladie Now in the afore-said Village there be two Fountaine-lets which are not farre asunder 1. One sweet conceived good to help the dimness of the eyes 2 The other in a manner salt esteemed sovereign against the Scabs and Leprosie What saith St. James Doth a Fountain send forth at the same Place sweet Water and bitter meaning in an Ordinary way without Miracle Now although these different Waters flow from several Fountains Yet seeing they are so near together it may justly be advanced to the Reputation of a Wonder Proverbs This is the way to BEGGARS BUSH It is spoken of such who use dissolute and improvident courses which tend to poverty Beggars Bush being a tree notoriously known on the left hand of London road from Huntington to Caxton I have heard how King James being in progress in these parts with Sir Francis Bacon the Lord Chancellour and having heard that morning how Sir Francis had prodigiously rewarded a mean man for a small present Sir Francis said He you will quickly come to beggars bush and I may even goe along with you if both be so bountifull RAMSEY the Rich This was the Cresus or Croessus of all our English Abbies For having but sixty Monks to maintaine therein the Revenues thereof according to the standard of those times amounted unto Seven Thousand pounds a year which in proportion was a hundred pound for every Monk and a thousand for their Abbot Yet at the dissolution of Monasteries the Income of this Abby was reckoned but at One thousand nine hundred eighty three pounds by the year whereby it plainly appears how much the Revenues were under rated in those valuations But how soon is Crassus made Codrus and Ramsey the Rich become Ramsey the Poor The wealth of the Town relative with the Abby was dissolved therewith and moe the Mendicants since in Ramsey than the Monks were before However now there is great hope that Ramsey after the two extremes of Wealth and Want will at last be fixed in a comfortable mediocrity the wish of Agur being granted unto him give me neither poverty nor riches especially since it is lately erected or rather restored to the Dignity of a Market-Town And surely the convenient scituation thereof since the draining of the Fens doth advantage it to be a Staple-place for the sale of fat and lean Cattle Saints ELFLED daughter of Ethelwold Earl of East-Angles Founder of the Monastery of Ramsey in this County was preferr'd Abbess of Ramsey confirm'd by K. Edgar therein She is reported to excel in austerity and holiness of life When her Steward complained unto her that she had exhausted her coffers with the profuseness of her Charity she with her prayers presently recruited them to their former fulness VVhen her candle as she read the Lesson casually went out there came such a brightness from the Fingers of her right hand that it inlightned the whole Quire which is as true as the New Lights to which our modern Sectaries do pretend the one having Miracles the other Revelations at their fingers-ends She died Anno Dom. 992. being buried in the Lady-Church at Ramsey with high veneration Prelates VVILLIAM de VVHITLESEY no printed Author mentioning the Place of his birth and breeding He was placed by us in this County finding Whitlesey a Town therein so memorable for the Mere and presuming that this William did follow suit with the best of his Cote in that age sirnamed from the places of their Nativity Mr. Parker I tell you my story and my stories-man an industrious Antiquary collecteth out of the Records of the Church of Ely that after the resignation of Ralph de Holbeach William de Whitlesey Arch-deacon of Huntington 1340. was admitted third Master of Peter-House in Cambridge Yet hath he left more signal Testimony of his affection to Oxford which he freed from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincolne allowing the Scholars leave to choose their own Chancellour He was Kinsman to Simon Islip Archbishop of Canterbury who made him Vicar General Dean of the Arches and successively he was preferred Bishop of Rochester Worcester London Archbishop of Canterbury An excellent Scholar an eloquent Preacher and his last Sermon most remarkable to the Convocation on this Text Veritas liberabit vos The truth shall make you free It seems by the story that in his Sermon
the Abby Lands in Ireland for the Kings use a flower of the Crown which alone had made a Posey if continued thereunto But alas the Revenues of Abby Lands are as 〈◊〉 as their buildings nothing more than the rubbish thereof remaining in the Kings Exchequer He made a Law that no Children should be admitted to Church livings which importeth the frequency of that abuse in former times He perswaded O Neile O Brian c. to go over into England to surrender their lands into the Kings hands promising they should receive them again from him by Letters Patents with the Addition of Earls which was done accordingly At his desire the King conferred on them Houses nigh Dublin that residing there they might suck in Civility with the Court air These things thus setled he returned into England and died as I take it in the raign of King Edward the sixth Sir HENRY SIDNRY was son to Sir William Sidney of Pensherst in this County who by his own worth was advanced into the favour of Queen Elizabeth never a whit the lesse for marrying Mary Dudley sister to Robert Earl of Leicester he was by her made Knight of the Garter Lord President of Wales and for eleven years off and on Deputy of Ireland Now though generally the Irish are querelous of their Deputies what Patient for the present will praise his Chirurgion who soundly searcheth his sore yet Sir Henry left a good memory and the monuments of a good Governor behind him 1. He made Annaly a Territory in Loynsteresse by the Sept of Offerralles one entire Shire by it self called the County of Longford he likewise divided the Province of â—…onaght into six Counties 2. In a Parliament held the eleventh of Elizabeth he abolished the pretended and usurped Captain-ships and all extortions incident thereunto 3. He caused an Act to pass whereby the Lord Deputy was authorized to accept the surrenders of the Irish Seâ—…gniories and to re-grant estates unto them to hold of the Crown by English Tenures and Services 4. Because the inferiour sort of the Irish were poor and not Amesâ—…able by Law he provided that five of the best persons of every Sept should bring in all the persons of their surname to be justified by the Law 5. A Law was made that for the civil education of the youth there should be one Free Schoole at least in every Diocesse 6. To acquaint the people of Mounster and Conaght with the English Government again disused amongst them for two hundred years he instituted two Presidency Courts in those two Provinces 7. To augment the Revenues of the Crown he resumed and vested therein by the power of the same Parliament more than half the Province of Ulster upon the attainder of Shane O Neale 8. He raised Customs upon the principal Commodities of the Kingdom and reformed the abuses of the Exchequer by many good instructions from England 9. He established the Composition of the Pale in lieu of Purveyance and Sesse of Souldiers It must not be forgotten that he caused the Statutes of Ireland unto his own time to be printed and so saith my Author ex umbra in solem eduxit he brought them out of the shadow into the sun-shine Whereas formerly they were only in Manuscript a sad case that men should be obliged to the observation of those Laws scarce ever seen by one in an hundred subjected thereunto Being to leave Ireland Anno 1578. and now ready to go up into his Ship he took his leave thereof with the words of the Psalmist When Israel came out of Egypt and Jacob from a strange people rejoycing in heart that he came with a clear conscience from that dangerous employment He died at Worcester May the fifth 1586. and his Corps being brought to Pensherst were there solemnly interred amongst his Ancestors I will close his Life with this Encomium which I find in a Worthy Author His disposition was rather to seek after the Antiquities and the Weal-Publick of those Countries which he governed than to obtain lands and revenues within the same for I know not one foot of Land that he had either in Wales or Ireland Sir PHILIP SIDNEY Reader I am resolved not to part him from his Father such the Sympathy betwixt them living and dying both within the compass of the same year Otherwise this Knight in relation to my Book may be termed an Ubiquitary and appear amongst Statesmen Souldiers Lawyers Writers yea Princes themselves being though not elected in election to be King of Poland which place he declined preferring rather to be a Subject to Queen Elizabeth than a Soveraign beyond the Seas He was born at Pensherst in this County son to Sir Henry Sidney of whom before and Sisters Son to Robert Earl of Leicester bred in Christs Church in Oxford Such his appetite to Learning that he could never be fed fast enough therewith and so quick and strong his digestion that he soon turned it into wholsome nourishment and thrived healthfully thereon His homebred abilities travel perfected with forraign accomplishments and a sweet Nature set a glosse upon both He was so essential to the English Court that it seemed maimed without his company being a compleat Master of Matter and Language as his Arcadia doth evidence I confesse I have heard some of modern pretended Wits cavil thereat meerly because they made it not themselves such who say that his Book is the occasion that many pretious hours are otherwise spent no better must acknowledge it also the cause that many idle hours are otherwise spent no worse than in reading thereof At last leaving the Court he followed the Camp being made Governor of Flushing under his Uncle Earl of Leicester But the Walls of that City though high and strong could not confine the activity of his mind which must into the Field and before Zutphen was unfortunately slain with a shot in a small skirmish which we may sadly tearm a great battel considering our heavy losse therein His Corps being brought over into England was buried in the Quire of St. Pauls with general lamentation Sir FRANCIS WALSINGHAM Knight was born in this County wherein his Family long flourished at Chiselhurst though I read that originally they fetch their name from Walsingham in Norfolk He was bred in Kings Colledge in Cambridge and gave the King of â—…pain his Bible to the Library thereof As a traveller many years beyond the 〈◊〉 he learnt experience as an Agent he practised it there and after his return a Secretary of State he taught it to many Emisaries imployed under him None alive did better ken the Secretary Craft to get Counsels out of others and keep them in himself Mâ—…rvellous his â—…agacity in examining suspected persons either to make them confesse the truth or confound themselves by denying it to their detection Cunning his hands who could unpick the Cabinets in the Popes Conclave quick his ears who could hear at London what
went from thy flock astray Yet thou good Lord vouchsafe thy Lamb to win Home to thy Fold and hold thy Lamb therein That at the day when Goats and Lambs shall sever Of thy choice Lambs Lamb may be one for ever The exact time of his death I cannot meet with but by proportion I conjecture it to be about 1580. FRANCES SIDNEY Daughter of Sir William Sister to Sir Henry Lord Deputy of Ireland and President of Wales Aunt to the renowned Sir Philip Sidney was born and probably at Pensherst the ancient seat of the Sidneys in this County A Lady endowed with many Virtues signally charitable expending much in large Benefactions to the Publick She bestowed on the Abby Church of Westminster a salary of twenty pounds per annum for a Divinity Lecture and founded Sidney Sussex Colledge in Cambridge of which largely in my Church-History She was Relict of Thomas Ratcliff the third Earl of Sussex This worthy Lady died Childless unlesse such Learned Persons who received their Breeding in her Foundation may be termed her Issue on the ninth day of May Anno 1588. as appeareth by her Epitaph Sir FRANCIS NETHERSOLE Knight born at Nethersole in this County was bred Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards became Orator of the University Hence he was preferred to be Embassador to the Princes of the Union and Secretary to the Lady Elizabeth Queen of 〈◊〉 it is hard to say whether he was more remarkable for his doings or sufferings in her behalf He married Lucy eldest Daughter of Sir Henry Goodyear of Polesworth in Warwick 〈◊〉 by whose encouragement being free of himself to any good design he hath founded and endowed a very fair School at Polesworth aforesaid and is still living Memorable Persons SIMON Son of William Lynch Gent. was born at Groves in the Parish of Staple in this County Decemb. 9. 1562. But see more of his Character under this Title in Essex where his Life and death were better known MARY WATERS was born at Lenham in this County and how abundantly intituled to Memorability the ensuing Epitaph in Markeshall Church in Essex will sufficiently discover Here lieth the Body of Mary Waters the Daughter and Co-heir of Robert Waters of Lenham in Kent Esquire wife of Robert Honywood of Charing in Kent Esquire her only Husband who had at her decease lawfully descended from her Three hundred sixty seven Children sixteen of her own body one hundred and fourteen Grand-children two hundred twenty eight in the third Generation and nine in the fourth She lived a most pious life and in a Christian manner died here at Markeshall in the ninety third year of her age and in the forty fourth year of her Widowhood the eleventh of May 1620. Thus she had a Child for every day in the though Leap year and one over Here we may observe that generally the highest in Honour do not spread the broadest in posterity For time was when all the Earls in England and those then seventeen in number had not put together so many Sons and Daughters as one of them had viz. Edward Somerset Earle of Worcester And yet of both Sexes he never had but * thirteen But to return to Mistresse Waters she since hath been much out-stript in point of fruitfulnesse by one still surviving and therefore this worthy Matrone in my mind is more memorable on another account viz. for patient weathering out the tempest of a troubled conscience whereon a remarkable story dependeth Being much afflicted in mind many Ministers repaired to her and amongst the rest Reverend Mr. John Fox than whom no more happy an instrument to set the joynts of a broken spirit All his counsels proved ineffectual insomuch that in the agony of her soul having a Venice-glass in her hand she brake forth into this expression I am as surely damn'd as this glasse is broken which she immediately threw with violence to the ground Here happened a wonder the glasse rebounded again and was taken up whole and entire I confesse it is possible though difficult so casually to throw as brittle a substance that lighting on the edges it may be preserved but happening immediately in that juncture of time it seemed little lesse than miraculous However the Gentlewoman took no comfort thereat as some have reported and more have believed but continued a great time after short is long to people in pain in her former disconsolate condition without any amendment Until at last God the great Clock-keeper of Time who findeth out the fittest minutes for his own mercies suddenly shot comfort like lightning into her soul which once entred ever remained therein God doth no palliate cures what he heals it holds so that she led the remainder of her life in spiritual gladnesse This she her self told to the Reverend father Thomas Morton Bishop of Duresme from whose mouth I have received this relation In the days of Queen Mary she used to visit the Prisons and to comfort and relieve the Confessors therein She was present at the burning of Mr. Bradford in Smithfield and resolved to see the end of his suffering though so great the presse of people that her shooes were trodden off and she forced thereby to go barefoot from Smithfield to Saint Martins before she could furnish her self with a new pair for her money Her dissolution happened as is aforesaid Anno 1620. NICHOLAS WOOD was born at Halingborne in this County being a Landed man and a true Labourer He was afflicted with a Disease called Boulimia or Caninus Apetitus insomuch that he would devour at one meal what was provided for twenty men eat a whole Hog at a sitting and at another time thirty dozen of Pigeons whilest others make mirth at his malady Let us raise our gratitude to the goodness of God especially when he giveth us appetite enough for our meat and yet meat too much for our appetite whereas this painful man spent all his estate to provide Provant for his belly and died very poor about the year 1630. We will conclude this Topick of Memorable Persons with a blanck mention of him whose name hitherto I cannot exactly attain being an Ingenuous Yeoman in this County who hath two Ploughs fastened together so finely that he plougheth two furrows at once one under another and so stirreth up the Land twelve or fourteen Inches deep which in so deep ground is very good Scholars know that Hen-dia-duo is a very thrifty Figure in Rhetorick and how advantagious the improvement of this device of a Twinne-Plough may be to posterity I leave to the skilful in Husbandry to consider Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1. Will. Sevenock William Rumshed Sevenock Grocer 1418 2. Thomas Hill William Hill Hillstone Grocer 1484 3. Rich. Chawry William Chawry Westram Salter 1494 4. Andrew Jud. John Jud. Tonbridge Skinner 1550 4. John Rivers Richard Rivers Pensherst Grocer 1573 6. Edw. Osburne Richard Osburne Ashford Clothworker
may be said to have ushered him to the English Court whilest the Lady Lucy Countess of Bedford led him by the one hand and William Earl of Pembroke by the other supplying him with a support far above his patrimonial income The truth is Sommersets growing daily more wearisome made Villiers hourly more welcome to K. James Soon after he was knighted created successively Baron Viscount Villiers Earl Marquess Duke of Buckingham and to bind all his honours the better together the noble Garter was bestowed upon him And now Offices at Court not being already void were voided for him The Earl of Worcester was perswaded to part with his place of Master of the horse as the Earl of Nottingham with his Office of Admiral and both conferred on the Duke He had a numerous and beautiful female kindred so that there was hardly a noble Stock in England into which one of these his Cients was not grafted Most of his Neices were matched with little more portion then their Uncles smiles the forerunner of some good Office or Honour to follow on their Husbands Thus with the same act did he both gratifie his kindred and fortifie himself with noble alliance It is seldome seen that two Kings father and Son tread successively in the same Tract as to a Favourite but here King Charles had as high a kindness for the Duke as K. James Thenceforward he became the Plenipotentiary in the English Court some of the Scottish Nobility making room for him by their seasonable departure out of this Life The Earl of Bristoll was justled out the Bishop of Lincoln cast flat on the Floor the Earls of Pembroke and Carlisle content to shine beneath him Holland behind him none even with much lesse before him But it is generally given to him who is the little God at the Court to be the great Devil in the Countrey The Commonalty hated him with a perfect hatred and all miscarriages in Church and 〈◊〉 at Home Abroad at Sea and Land were 〈◊〉 on his want of Wisdom Valour or Loyalty John â—…elton a melancholy malecontented Gentleman and a sullen Souldier apprehending himself injured could find no other way to revenge his conceived wrongs then by writing them with a point of a Knife in the heart of the Duke whom he stabbed at Portsmouth Anno Dom. 1620. It is hard to say how many of this Nation were guilty of this murther either by publick praising or private approving thereof His person from head to foot could not be charged with any blemish save that some Hypercriticks conceived his Brows somewhat over pendulous a cloud which in the judgement of others was by the beams of his Eyes sufficiently dispelled The Reader is remitted for the rest of his Character to the exquisite Epitaph on his magnificent Monument in the Chappel of Henry the Seventh Capital Judges Sir ROBERT BELKNAP Being bred in the Study of the Laws he became Chief Justice of the Common Pleas October the 8. in the 48. of King Edward the third and so continued till the general Rout of the Judges in the wonder-working Parliament the eleventh of Richard the second when he was displaced on this occasion The King had a mind to make away certain Lords viz. His Unkle the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel Warwick Darby Nottingham c. Who in the former Parliament had been appointed Governors of the Kingdome For this purpose he called all the Judges before him to Nottingham where the Kings many Questions in fine were resolved into this Whether he might by His Regal power revoke what was acted in Parliament To this all the Judges Sir VVilliam Skipwith alone excepted answered affirmatively and subscribed it This Belknap underwrote unwillingly as foreseeing the danger and putting to his seal said these words There wants nothing but an hurdle an horse and an halter to carry me where I may suffer the Death I deserve for if I had not done this I should have dyed for it and because I have done it I deserve death for betraying the Lords Yet it had been more for his credit and conscience to have adventured a Martyrdome in the defence of the Laws then to hazzard the death of a Malefactour in the breach therof But Judges are but men and most desire to decline that danger which they apprehend nearest unto them In the next Parliament all the Judges were arrested in VVestminster-hall of high treason when there was a Vacation in Term time till their places were resupplied Sir R. Tresilian Cheif Justice of the Kings Bench was executed The rest thus named and reckoned up in the printed Statutes Robert Belknap John Holt John Cray William Burgh Roger Fulthorp all Judges and Knights with J. Locktan Serjeant at Law had their lands save what were intailed with their goods and chattels forfeited to the King their persons being banished and they by the importunate intercession of the Queen hardly escaping with their lives Belknap is placed in this County only because I find a worshipful family of his name fixed therein whereof one was High Sheriff in the 17. of K. Henry the 7. Provided this be no prejudice to Sussex the same Name being very ancient therein Sir ROBERT CATELIN descended from the ancient Family of the Catelins of Raunds in Northampton shire as doth appear by the Heralds visitation was born at Biby in this County He was bred in the Study of the Municipal Laws profiting so well therein that in the first of Q. Elizabeth he was made Lord Cheif Justice of the Kings Bench. His Name hath some allusion to the Roman Senator who was the Incendiary of that State though in Nature far different as who by his Wisdom and Gravity was a great support to his Nation One point of Law I have learned from him at the Tryall of Thomas Duke of Norfolk who pleaded out of Bracton that the Testimonies of Forreigners the most pungent that were brought against him were of no Validity Here Sir Robert delivered it for Law that in case of Treason they might be given in for evidence and that it rested in the Brest of the Peers whether or no to afford credit unto them He had one as what man hath not many Fancy that he had a prejudice against all those who write their Names with an alias and took exceptions at one in this respect saying that no honest man had a double name or came in with an alias The party asked him what exceptions his Lordship could take at Jesus Christ alias Jesus of Nazareth He dyed in the Sixteenth year of Queen Elizabeth and his Coat of Arms viz. Party per Cheveron Azure and Or 3 Lions passant Guardant counterchanged a Cheif Pearl is quartered by the Right Honourable the Lord Spencer Earl of Sunderland this Judges Daughter and Sole Heir being married to his Ancestor Some forty years since a Gentleman of his name and kindred had a Cause in the Upper-Bench to
which Alms-dish came afterwards into the possession of the Duke of Somerset who sent it to the Lord Rivers to sell the same to furnish himself for a Sea-voyage But after the Death of good Duke Humphrey when many of his former Alms-men were at a losse for a meals meat this Proverb did alter its Copy to Dine with Duke Humphrey importing to be Dinnerlesse A general mistake fixed this sense namely that Duke Humphrey was buryed in the Body of St. Pauls Church where many men chaw their meat with feet and walk away the want of a Dinner whereas indeed that noble person interred in St. Pauls was Sir John Beauchamp Constable of Dover Warden of the Cinque Ports Knight of the Garter Son to Guy Earl of Warwick and Brother to Thomas Earl of Warwick whilst Duke Humphrey was honourably buried in St. Albans I will use you as bad as a Jew I am sure I have carried the Child home and layed it at the Fathers House having traced this Proverb by the Tract from England in General to London thence to the Old Jury whence it had its first Original that poor Nation especially on Shrove-Tuesday being intollerably abused by the English whilst they lived in the Land I could wish that wheresoever the Jews live they may not find so much courtesie as to confirm them in their false yet not so much Cruelty as to discourage them from the true Religion till which time I can bemone their Misery condemn the Christians Cruelty and admire Gods justice in both See we it here now fulfilled which God long since frequently foretold and threatned namely that he would make the Jews become a Proverb if continuing Rebellious against him I passe not for the Flouts of prophane Pagans scoffing at the Jews Religion Credat Judaeus Apella but to behold them thus Proverbiascere for their Rebellions against God minds me of the performance of Gods Threatning unto them Good manners to except my Lord Maior of London This is a corrective for such whose expressions are of the largest size and too general in their extent parallel to the Logick Maxime Primum in unoquoque genere est excipiendum as too high to come under the Roof of comparison In some cases it is not civil to fill up all the room in our speeches of our selves but to leave an upper place voyd as a blank reserved for our betters I have dined as well as my Lord Maior of London That this Proverb may not crosse the former know that as well is not taken for as dubiously or daintily on Variety of Costly Dishes in which kinds the Lord Maior is Paramount for Magnificence For not to speak of his solemn Invitations as when Henry Pickard Lord Maior 1357. did in one day entertain a Messe of Kings Edward King of England John King of France David King of Scots and the King of Cyprus besides Edward Prince of Wales and many prime Noble-men of the Land his daily Dinners are Feasts both for Plenty Guests and Attendants But the Proverb hath its modest meaning I haue dined as well that is as comfortable as contentedly according to the Rule Satis est quod sufficit enough is as good as a Feast and better then a Surfeit and indeed Nature is contented with a little and Grace with lesse As old as Pauls Steeple Different are the Dates of the Age thereof because it had two births or beginnings For if we count it from the time wherein it was originally co-founded by K. Ethelbert with the Body of the Church Anno six hundred and ten then it is above a thousand and forty years of Age. But if we reckon it from the year 1087. when burnt with Lightning from Heaven and afterwards rebuilt by the Bishops of London it is not above five hundred years old And though this Proverb falls far short of the Latine ones Antiquius Arcadibus Antiquius Saturno yet serveth it sufficiently to be returned to such who pretend those things to be Novell which are known to be stale old and almost antiquated He is only fit for Ruffians-Hall A Ruffian is the same with a Swaggerer so called because endevouring to make that Side to swag or weigh down whereon he ingageth The same also with Swash-Buckler from swashing or making a noise on Bucklers West-Smith-field now the Horse-Market was formerly called Ruffians-Hall where such men met casually and otherwise to try Masteries with Sword and Buckler Moe were frighted then hurt hurt then killed therewith it being accounted unmanly to strike beneath the Knee because in effect it was as one armed against a naked man But since that desperate Traitor Rowland Yorke first used thrusting with Rapiers Swords and Bucklers are disused and the Proverb only appliable to quarrelsome people not tame but wild Barretters who delight in brawls and blows A Loyal heart may be landed under Traitors Bridge This is a Bridge under which is an Entrance into the Tower over against Pink Gate formerly fatal to those who landed there there being a muttering that such never came forth alive as dying to say no worse therein without any Legal Tryal The Proverb importeth that passive Innocence overpower'd with Adversaries may be accused without cause and disposed at the pleasure of others it being true of all Prisoners what our Saviour said to and of St. Peter Another shall carry thee whither thou wouldst not Queen Elizabeth may be a proofe hereof who in the Reign of Queen Mary her Sister first stayed and denyed to Land at those Stairs where all Traytors and Offenders customably used to Land till a Lord which my Author would not and I cannot name told her she should not choose and so she was forced accordingly To cast water into the Thames That is to give to them wâ—…o had plenty before which notwithstanding is the dole general of the World Yet let not Thames be proud of his full and fair stream seeing Water may be wanting therein as it was Anno 1158. the Fourth of William Rufus when men might walk over dryshod and again Anno 1582. a strong Wind lying West and by South which forced out the Fresh and kept back the Salt-water He must take him a House in Turn-again Lane This in old Records is called Wind-again Lane and lyeth in the Parish of St. Sepulchres going down to Fleet-Dike which men must turn again the same way they came for there it is stopped The Proverb is applied to those who sensible that they embrace destructive courses must seasonably alter their manners which they may do without any shame to themselves it is better to come back through Turn-again though a narrow and obscure Lane then to go on an ill account straight forwards in a fair street hard by whence Vestigia nulla retrorsum as leading Westward to Execution He may whet his Knife on the Threshold of the Fleet. The Fleet is a place notoriouslâ—… known for a
Week for ever He was when living a great Benefactor to the building of Alder-Mary-Church and by his Testament gave 1000. pounds towards the finishing thereof how barbarously he was afterwards requited and his body cast out of the grave we have formerly largely bemoaned and with just indignation HENRY the Eighth 1. GEORGE MONOX He re-edified the decayed Parish-Church of Waltamstow or Walthamstow in Essex he founded there a Free-school and Almes-houses for thirteen Almes-people he made also a Cawsey of Timber over the Marshes from Walthamstow to Lock-bridge The Farewell And now being to take my Farewell of this great City I cannot forget the verse which I find amongst others in Master Camden's commendation thereof Urbs pietate potens numeroso cive superba Potent in piety in her people proud But see the Romish charity who confine all piety to Popery The Index Expurgatoâ—…ius Printed at Madrid by Lewes Sanchez 1612. commandeth the forepart of the verse concerning their piety to be expunged letting the latter moity of their pride to remain May I in this particular be the humble Remembrancer of the City without the least intrenching on his place who worthily dischargeth that office to cross and consute that peevish and partial Index Let it be their endeavours to delete out of their hearts all high conceits of their populousness and effectually to express grace and goodness in their conversations Nor let the City of London ever forget quantillum interfuit inter maximam Civitatem et nullam How little distance there lately was betwixt the greatest City and none at all if Gates and Barrs as it is generally received be the essential difference of a City But God who can produce light out of darkness can make the plucking dâ—…wn of the Gates to be the setting up of the City Wherefore though the Eleventh day of March be generally beheld as the first day of Spring London may date her Spring from the Eleventh day of February 1659. when she effectually felt the vernal heat after a long Winter of woe and misery I heartily wish this honourable City what ever may conduce to the continuance and increase of the happiness thereof Especially that the river of Thames the lifâ—… of London as which Easeth Adorneth Inricheth Feedeth and Fortifieth it may have its Channel constantly continued The Millers Riddle If I have Water I will drink Wine But if I have no Water I must drink Water is appliable to this City so long as Thames-water continues Londoners may Wine it but should it fail they must drink water indeed and some perchance brackish too as made of their tears I will not pry too nearly and narrowly into the fancy of our Poet speaking of the ruins of old Rome Ne ought save Tiber hasting to his fall O Worlds inconstancy Remains of all That which is firm doth flit and fall away And that is flitting doth abide and stay And yet by his leave greater rivers then Tiber have in process of time had their streams by casualties or neglect partly drained wholy dryed or otherwise diverted My humble request therefore to the Officers of the City is effectually to own their concernment in the river of Thames in clearing and cleansing it from Sholes Sands and other obstructing incroachments that they may leave it as well to posterity as they found it from their fathers WESTMINSTER WESTMINSTER is the greatest City in England next London not onely in Position but by the Dimensions thereof For let it be taken as truly it ought extensively with the Liberty of Lancaster from Temple-bar and it filleth as much ground not to say containeth more reasonable souls then any City in the Land But as a proper man seemeth a Dwarfe when placed next to a Giant such the infelicity of Westminster whose due greatness devoured by the vicinity of London is insensible in the eyes of the Beholders It was anciently called Thorney and afterwards Westminster for distinction from Saint Pauls called in ancient times Eastminster The Buildings The Abbey Church is beheld as a rare structure with so small and slender Pillars greatest legs argue not the strongest Man to support so weighty a fabrick built by King Henry the third and afterwards much enlarged and beautified by the Abbots thereof Adjoyning to it is the Chappel of King Henry the seventh which Leland calls the Miracle of the World Indeed let the Italians deride our English and condemn them for Gothish Buildings This they must admire and may here take notes of Architecture if their pride would permit them to perfect theirs accordingly In this Chappel the founder thereof with his Queen lieth interr'd under a Monument of solid Brass most richly gilded and Artificialy carved Some slight it for the cheapness because it cost but a thousand pounds in the making thereof Such do not consider it as the work of so thrifty a Prince who would make a little money go far besides that it was just at the turning of the Tide as one may term it of money which flowed after the finding out of the West-Indies though ebbing before Amongst the civil structures Westminster-Hall is eminent erected by King W. Rufus for the Hall to his own Court built with copwebless beams conceived of Irishwood Sure I am we then had no command in that Island as first subdued by King Henry the second It is one of the greatest rooms in Christendome and indeed it needeth to be of good capacity to receive so many Plantiffes and Defendants being at such mutual distance of affection Next is White-hall the Palace of ouâ—… English Kings which one term'd a good Hypocrite promising less then it performeth and more convenient within then comely without to which the Nursery of Saint James's was an appendant As for the houses of Noble-men all along the Strand I desire to be excused from commending some lest it should by caviling Spirits be implicitely interpreted a dispraise of the rest Besides I am ignorant under what name to commend them to posterity so many houses daily new-dipt assume to themselves new names according to the alteration of their Owners I conclude them therefore all best and best of all whilst they continue in the hands of their present possessors Proverbs As sure as Exchequer pay All know that the Exchequer was formerly the Treasury of the Kings of England kept in this City the pleading part on the one side and the paying part on the other side of Westminster-hall This Proverb was in the prime thereof in the raign of Queen Elizabeth who maintained her Exchequer to the heigth that her Exâ—…hequer might maâ—…tain her The pay thereof was sure inwards nothing being remitted which was due there to the Queen and sure outwards nothing being detained which was due thence from the Queen full and speedy payment being made thereof This Proverb began to be crost about the end of the raign of King James when the credit of the Exchequer began to decay and
him renow'd throughout the Christian world Yet such the bafeness and ingratitude of the French that concluding a Peace with O. C. the Usurper of England they wholy forgot his former services and consented to the expulsion of this Prince and his royal brothers out of that Kingdome 〈◊〉 valour cannot long lye neglected soon was he courted by Don John de Austria into Flanders where in the action at Dunkirk he far surpassed his former deeds often forgetting that he was a Prince to shew himself a true souldier such his hazarding his person really worth ten thousand of them to the great molestation of his true friends Since God out of his infinite love to the English hath safely returned this Duke to his native Country where that he may long live to be the joy and delight of the whole Nation I shall constantly beg of God in my daily devotions ELIZABETH second daughter of King Charles the first and Queen Mary was born at Saint James's Anno 1635. on the 28. day of December She proved a Lady of parts above her age the quickness of her mind making recompence for the weakness of her body For the remainder of her life I will my hold peace and listen to my good friend Master John Buroughs thus expressing himself in a letter unto me The Princess Elizabeth with her Brother Henry Duke of Glocester being by order of parliament to be removed to Carisbroke-castle in the Isle of Wight where his Most Excellent Maiesty was lately a Prisoner were accordingly received by Mr. Anthony Mild may from the Earl and Countess of Leceister at Penshurst in Kent and began their unwilling journey on Friday 9. of August 1650. On the 16. of the same Month they were first lodged in Carisbroke-castle aforesaid The Princess being of a melancholy temper as affected above her age with the sad condition of her Family fell sick about the beginning of September following and continuâ—… 〈◊〉 for three or four days having onely the Advise of Doctor Bignall a worthy and able 〈◊〉 of Newport After very many rare ejaculatory expressions abundantly demonstrating her unparalelled Piety to the eternal honour of her own memory and the astonishment of those who waited on her she took leave of the world on Sunday the eighth of the same September Her body being embalmed was carefully disposed of in a Coffin of Lead and on the four 〈◊〉 twentieth of the said Month was brought in a Borrowed Coach from the Castle to the Town of Newport attended thither with her few late Servants At the end of the 〈◊〉 the Corps were met and waited on by the Mayor and Aldermen thereof in their formalities to the Church where about the middle of the East part of the Chancel in Saint Thomas 〈◊〉 Chappel her Highness was interr'd in a small Vault purposely made with an Inscription of the date of her death engraved on her Coffin The 〈◊〉 of Norway where a Winters day is hardly an hour of clear light are the 〈◊〉 of wing of any Foul under the firmament nature teaching them to bestir themselves to lengthen the shortness of the time with their swiftness Such the active piety of this Lady improving the little life alloted her in running the way of Gods Commandeâ—… 〈◊〉 third daughter to King Charles the first and Queen Mary was born at 〈◊〉 James's March 17. Anno Domini 1637. She was a very pregnant Lady above 〈◊〉 and died in her infancy when not full four years old Being minded by those 〈◊〉 her to call upon God even when the pangs of death were upon her I am not able saith she to say my long prayer meaning the Lords-prayer but I will say my short one Lighten mine eyes O Lord lest I sleep the sleep of death this done the little lamb gave up the ghost KATHARINE fourth daughter to King Charles the first and Queen Mary was born at White hall the Queen-Mother then being at Saint James's and survived not above half an hour after her baptizing So that it is charity to mention her whose memory is likely to be lost so short her continuance in this life The rather because her name is not entred as it ought into the Register of Saint Martins in the fields as indeed none of the Kings children save Prince Charles though they were born in that Parish And hereupon a story depends I am credibly informed that at the birth of every child of the King born at Whitehall or Saint James's full five pounds were ever faithfully paid to some unfaithful receivers thereof to record the names of such children in the Register of Saint Martins But the money being embâ—…iled we know by some God knows by whom no memorial is entred of them Sad that bounty should betray any to such baseness and that which was intended to make them the more solemnly remembred should occasion that they should be more silently forgotten Say not let the children of mean persons be written down in Registers Kings children are Registers to themselves or all England is a Register to them For sure I am this common confidence hath been the cause that we have been so often at a loss about the nativities and other properties of those of Royal extraction CHARLES STUART son to the Illustrious James Stuart Duke of York by Anne daughter to the Right Honourable Edward Hide Earl of Clarendon and Lord Chancellour of England and Frances his Lady descended of the Ancient Family of the Aylesburies High-sheriffs for many years together of Bedford and Buckinghamshire in the reign of King Edward the second and third was born at Worcester-house 22. day of October 1660. and christened by the Right Reverend Father in God Gilbert L. Bishop of London his Majesty and George Duke of Albemarle being his God-fathers and Mary the Queen-mother his God-mother He was declared Duke of Cambridge a title which to the great honour of that University for these four hundred years hath been onely conferred either on forraign Princes or persons of the Royal Bloud This Princely infant dyed May 5. 1661. Saints Saint WULSY being a man reputed when living and reported when dead of great vertue and innocency Was by Saint Dunstan created the first Abbot of Westminster where he lived many years very exemplary for his conversation untill his death which happened Anno Dom. 960. Then was his body buried in the same Monastery and the 26. day of September was kept by the Citizens of London with great Veneration of his miracle-working memory Martyrs I meet with none in this City and in my mean Judgment it is most observable that London having two Pages as I may term them attending it viz. Westminster and Southwark both joyned to it in buildings should be so different from it in condition in London we have no room to hold Martyrs in the other two no Martyrs to take up any room Inquiring the cause thereof we find these three places though contiguous not to say
or silver-hair-skins formerly so dear are now levelled in prices with other colours yea are lower then black in estimation because their wool is most used in making of hats commonly for the more credit called Half-Beavers though many of them hardly amount to the proportion of Semi-Demi-Castors Herrings Great store and very good of these are caught nigh Yarmouth where once every year on the Feast of Saint Michael is a Fair held for the sale of fish and such the plenty of Herrings there constantly vented that incredible the sum which is raised thereby Indeed the fishing for Herrings is a most gainful trade fish though contemptable in it self considerable in its company swiming in such shoals that what the Whale hath in bigness the Herring hath in number It may well mind such who excell in strength and valour not to boast or be proud thereof seeing the greatest courage may be soon pressed to death under unequal number Yea Red-herrings in England mostly eaten for sauce to quicken the Appetite serve in Holland and elsewhere for food to satisfy hunger I will conclude the Natural Commodities of this County with this memorable passage which I have read in a modern Author The Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolk that made above 10000l sterl of a piece of ground not forty yards square and yet there was neither Mineral nor Metal in it He aâ—…ter told me it was onely a sort of fine clay for the making a choise sort of earthen ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much money for it My belief tireth in coming up to the top of this story suspecting the addition of a cypher But if it were so how much would it have inriched us if those mockChina-dishes had been made in England Manufactures Worsteds These first took their name from Worsted a Village in this County originally it is nothing but Woollen-thred spun very fine and for the more strength twisted together But O! it surpassesh my skill to name the several stuffs being VVorsted disguised with VVeaving and Colouring made thereof It argueth the usefulness and publick profit of this commodity which first found a general repute in England toward the end of the raign of King Henry the sixth that there are no fewer then fourteen Statutes now in force in the well ordering thereof to Merchantable proof And appointing which of them may which may not be Transported Not to speak of four VVardens of VVorsted VVeavers to be chosen yearly within the City of Norwish and other four out of the County of Northfolk with their solemn Oath Office and Authority As for worsted Stockins they were first made in England Anno 1564. by VVilliam Rider an ingenious Apprentice living against Saint Magnus Church at the foot of London Bridge This William chancing to see a pair of knit worsted Stockins in the Lodging of an Italian Merchant who had brought them from Manâ—…ua borrowed them and making the like by that pattern presented them to VVilliam Earl of Pembroke who first wore them in England Proverbs Norfolk dumplings This cannot be verified of any dwarfish or diminutive stature of people in this County being as tall of their bodies and as tall of their arms too I assure you as any in England But it relates to the fare they commonly feed on so generally called I wish much good may it do them and that their bodies thereby may be enabled for all natural civil and spiritual performances Norfolk VViles Such the skill of the common people hereof in our Common-Law wherein they are so versed ut si nihil sit litium lites tamen ex juris apicibus serere callent If I must go to Law I wish them rather of my Counsel then my Adversaries For whereas pedibus ambulando is accounted but a vexatious Suit in other Counties here where men are said to study Law as following the Plough tail some would perswade us that they will enter an action for their neighbours horse but looking over their hedge Now although we listen to this but as a jeer yet give me leave to observe two parts in VViles VVittiness which all must commend VVickedness condemn Sure I am that in Scripture a VVile always male audit is taken in an evil sense as wherein the simplicity of the Dove is stung to death by the subtilty of the Serpent But no more hereof least Norfolk-men commence a Suit against me though I verily believe many therein are of as peaceable dispositions as any in other places A Yarmouth Capon That is a red-herring No news for creatures to be thus disguised under other names seeing Criticks by a Libyon bear sub pelle Libystidis ursae understand a Lion no Bears being found in the land of Libya And I believe few capons save what have more fins then feathers are bred in Yarmouth But to countenance this expression I understand that the Italian Friers when disposed to eat flesh on Fridays call a Capon piscem è corte a fish out of the Coop He is arrested by the Baily of Marshland The aire of Marshland in this County is none of the wholesomest being surrounded with the Sea and Fens on all sides Hence it is that strangers coming hither are clapt on the back with an ague which sometimes lasts them longer then a Stuffe Suit The best is when such prisoners have paid the Bailiffs Fees and Garnish and with time and patience have weathered out the brunt of that disease they become habited to the aire of the Country and arrive in health at a very great age Princes I meet with no Prince since the Conquest taking his first breath in this County probably because so remote from the principal place of Royal Residence Prelats GILBERT BERKELEY was born in this County but descended from the ancient Barons of that name as appeareth by his Armes He was consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wells in the first of Queen Elizabeth and sate therein 22. years He died of a Lethargy being 80. years of age 1581. and is buried on the North-side of the Communion-table of his own Cathedral JOHN AYLMER Brother to Sir Robert Aylmer Knight was born at Aylmerhall in the Parish of Tilsely in this County as his nearest surviving relations have informed me from whom I have received the following information When he was but a Child going toward school Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk having some discourse with took so much liking unto him that after he had been bred some years in the University of Cambridge he made him his Chaplain and committed his daughter the Lady Jane Gray to his tuition In the reign of Queen Mary he fled over beyond Sea and was little less then miraculously saved from the Searchers of the Ship by the ingenuity of a Marchant who put him into a great Wine-but which had a partition in the middle so that
so the Cathedral dedicated unto him in this County challengeth the Precedency of all in England for a Majestick Western Front of Columel-work But alas This hath lately felt the misfortune of other Fabricks in this kind Yea as in a Gangrean one member is cut off to preserve the rest so I understand the Cloysters of this Cathedral were lately plucked down to repair the Body thereof and am heartily glad God in his mercy hath restored the onely remedy I mean its lands for the Cure thereof As for Civil Structures Holdenby-house lately carried away the credit built by Sir Christopher Hatton and accounted by him the last Monument of his Youth If Florence be said to be a City so fine that it ought not to be shown but on Holy-days Holdenby was a House which should not have been shown but on Christmas-day But alas Holedenby-house is taken away being the Embleme of human happiness both in the beauty and brittleness short flourishing and soon fading thereof Thus one demolishing Hammer can undoe more in a day then ten edifying Axes can advance in a Month. Next is Burleigh-house nigh Stamford built by William Lord Cecil Who so seriously compareth the late state of Holdenby and Burleigh will dispute wâ—…th himself whither the Offices of the Lord Chancellour or Treasurer of England be of greater Revenues seeing Holedenby may be said to show the Seal and Burleigh the Purse in their respective magnificence proportionable to the power and plenty of the two great Officers that built them Withorpe must not be forgot the least of Noble Houses and best of Lodges seeming but a dim reflection of Burleigh whence it is but a Mile distant It was built by Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter to retire to as he pleasantly said out of the dust whilst his great House of Burleigh was a sweeping Castle Ashby the Noble Mansion of the Earl of Northampton succeeds most beautifull before a casual fire deformed part thereof But seeing fire is so furious a plunderer that it giveth whatsoever it taketh not away the condition of this house is not so much to be condoled as congratulated Besides these there be many others no County in England yeilding more Noble men no Noble men in England having fairer habitations And although the Freestone whereof they be built keepeth not so long the white innocence as Brick doth the blushing modesty thereof yet when the fresh luster is abated the full state thereof doth still remain The Wonders There is within the Demeasnes of Boughton the Barony of the Right Honorable Edward Lord Mountague a Spring which is conceived to turn wood into stone The truth is this the coldness of the water incrustateth wood or what else falleth into it on every side with a stony matter yet so that it doth not transubstantiate wood into stone For the wood remaineth entire within untill at last wholy consumed which giveth occasion to the former erroneous relation The like is reported of a Well in Candia with the same mistake that Quicquid incidit lapidescit But I have seen in Sidney-colledge in Cambridge a Skull brought thence which was candied over with stone within and without yet so as the bone remained intire in the middle as by a casual breach thereof did appear This Skull was sent for by King Charles and whilst I lived in the house by him safely again returned to the Colledge being a Prince as desirous in such cases to preserve others propriety as to satisfie his own curiosity Medicinal Waters Wellingborough-well Some may conceive it called Wellingborough from a sovereign Well therein anciently known afterwards obstructed with obscurity and re-discovered in our days But Master Camden doth marr their mart avouching the ancient name thereof Wedlingburough However thirty years since a water herein grew very famous insomuch that Queen Mary lay many weeks thereat What benefit her Majesty received by the Spring here I know not this I know that the Spring received benefit from her Majesty and the Town got credit and profit thereby But it seems all waters of this kind have though far from the Sea their ebbing and flowing I mean in esteem It was then full tide with Wellingburough-well which ever since hath abated and now I believe is at low water in its reputation Proverbs The Mayor of Northampton opens Oysters with his Dagger This Town being 80 miles from the Sea Sea fish may be presumed stale therein Yet have I heard that Oysters put up with care and carried in the cool were weekly brought fresh and good to Althrope the house of the Lord Spencer at equal distance Sweeter no doubt then those Oysters commonly carried over the Alpes well nigh 300. miles from Venice to Viena and there â—…eputed far fetch'd and deer bought daintes to great persons though sometimes very valiant their savour Nor is this a wonder seeing Plinny tell us that our English Oysters did Romanis culinis servire Serve the Kitchings of Rome Pickled as some suppose though others believe them preserved by an ingenious contrivance Epicures bear their brains in there bowels and some conceive them carried in their shells But seeing one of their own Emperours gave for his Motto Bonus odor hâ—…stis melior Civis occisi Good is the smell of an Enemy but better the smell of a Citizen of Rome killed I say unto such a Roman-Nose stinking may be better then sweet Oysters and to their Palates we 'll leave them He that must eat a buttered Fagot let him go to Northampton Because it is the dearest Town in England for fuel where no Coles can come by Water and little Wood doth grow on Land Camden saith of this County in general that it is Silvis nisi in ulteriori citeriori parte minùs laetus And if so when he wrote fifty years since surely it is less wooddy in our age What reformation of late hath been made in mens judgments and manners I know not sure I am that deformation hath been great in trees and timber who verily believe that the clearing of many dark places where formerly plenty of wood is all the new light this age produced Pity it is no better provision is made for the preservation of woods whose want will be soonest for our fire but will be saddest for our water when our naval walls shall be decayed Say not that want of wood will put posterity on witty inventions for that supply seeing he is neither pious nor prudent parent who spends his patrimony on design that the industry and ingenuity of his son may be quick'ned thereby Princes ELIZABETH daughter of Sir Richard Woodevill by the Lady Jaquet his wife formerly the relict of John Duke of Bedford was born at Grafton Honour in this County in proof whereof many stronge presumptions may be produced Sure I am if this Grafton saw her not first a child it beheld her first a Queen when married to King Edward the fourth This Elizabeth was widow to Sir John Grey who
m. ut prius  2 Tho. Tresham m. ut prius  3 Rich. Catesby m. ut prius  4 Tho. Andrews ar ut prius  5 Joh. Spencer ar ut prius  6 Tho. Lovell ar ut prius  PHILLIP MARI   Anno   1 Tho. Cave mil. ut prius  1,2 Val. Knightley m. ut prius  2,3 Tho. Tresham m. ut prius  3,4 Tho. Andrews m. ut prius  4,5 Joh. Fermor mil.  Arg. a Fess S. 'twixt 3 Leopards-heads Erased Gules 5,6 Joh. Spencer mil. ut prius  ELIZAB. REG.   Anno   1 Eâ—…w Montague ar Boughton Arg. 3 Fusils in Fess Gul. a border Sable 2 Tho. Lovell ar Astwell Barry Nebule of six Or and Gul. 3 Tho. Spencer ar Althrop Arg. a fess Ermin 'twixt 6 Seamaves-heads erased Arg. 4 Tho. Catesby ar Ashby St. leg Arg. 2 Lions passant Sab. Corone Or. 5 Rob. Lane mil. Horton Partee per pale Azu and Gul. 3 Saltyrs Argent 6 Edm. Brudenel ar Deane Argent a Cheveron Gul. betwixt three Caps Azure turned up Ermin 7 Hum. Stafford m. Blatherwick Or a Cheveron Gul. and a quarter Ermin 8 Edw Elmes ar Lilford Ermin 2 Bars Sab. each charged with 5 Elme-leaves transposed Or. 9 Ric. Knightley m. Fawesly Quarterly Erm. Or 3 Pales G. 10 Tho. Andrews ar CherwelloÌ„ Gul. a Cross Or surmounted of another Vert. 11 Will. Sanders ar *   12 Ed. Mountague m. ut prius * Partee per pale Sab. and Arg. 3 13 Joh. Spencer mil. ut prius Elephants-heads Counterchanged 14 Tho. Lovel ar ut prius  15 Tho. Tresham ar Rushton Parte per Saltyre Sab. and Or 6 Treâ—…oils of the second 16 Edm. Onley ar   17 Rog. Cave ar Stanford Azure Frettee Argent 18 Tho. Brooke ar Gr. Okely Or on a Fess Azu 3 Scallops of the first 19 Edm. Brudnell m. ut prius  20 Tho. Cecil mil. Burghley Barry of 10 Arg. and Azu on 6 Eeuscheons Sable as many Lions rampant of the first 21 Will. Chauncy ar Edgecorte Or 3 Cheveronels engrailed Gul. 22 Rich. Knightly m. ut prius  23 Joh. Isham ar Longport Gul. a fess and 3 Piles in chief Wavee in Point Argent 24 Edw. Griffin ar Dingley Sab. a Griffin surgeant Argent 25 Joh. Spencer mil. ut prius  26 Euseb. Isham ar ut prius  27 Barth Tate ar   28 Tho. Andrews ar ut prius  29 Edw. Saunders ar ut prius  30 Ed. Mountague m. ut prius  31 Gâ—…or Farmer mi. Easton Arg. a fess Sab. 'twixt 3 Leopards-heads erased Gul. 32 Joh. Spencer mi. ut prius  33 Edw. Watson ar RockinghaÌ„ Argent on a Cheveron engrailed Az. 'twixt 3 Martlets S. as many Crescents Or. 34 Anth. Mildmav ar Apethorp Arg. 3 Lions rampant Azure 35 Thob Chauncy ar ut prius  36 Joh. Read ar  Gul. on a bend Arg. 3 shovellers Sab. beaked Or. 37 Edw. Mountagne ut prius  38 Tho. Molsho ar Thingdon Ermiâ—… oâ—… a Bend Sab. 3 Goats-heads erased Arg. armed Or. 39 Rich. Chetwood a.   40 Eras. Draydon ar Can. Ashby Az. a Lion ramp in chief a Globe 'twixt 2 Stars Or. 41 Will. Browne ar   42 Ed. Mountague ar ut prius  43 Rob. Spencer mil.  Quarterly Arg. and Gul. the second and third charged with a Fret Or over all on a Bend Sab. 3 Escalops of the first 44 Geo. Sherley ar * Astwell  45 Will. Tate ar 1. Jac.   JAC. REG.  * Paly of 6 Or and Azu a Canton Ermin Anno   1 VVill. Tate ar   2 Art FhrogkmortoÌ„  Gul. on a Cheveron Arg. 3 barrs gemeâ—…ee Sable 3 Joh. Freeman ar Gr. Billing  4 Will. Samuell m.   5 Wil. Fitz-Will m. Milton Lozengee Arg. and Gules 6 Tho. Elmes ar Gâ—…s Nortò Ut prius 7 VVill. Saunders ut prius  8 Tho. Tresham m. Newton Ut prius 9. Joh. Isham mil. ut prius  10 Euse. Andrews m. ut prius  11 Joh. VViseman ar  Sa. a Cheveron betwixt 3 Cronells or Spear Burs Arg. 12 VVill. VVillmer a. Sywell  13 God Chibnall ar Orlebere  14 Tho. Brooke mil. ut prius  15 Hat Farmer mil. ut prius  16 Sim. Norwich mil. Branton  17 Eras. Dryden bar ut prius  18 Lodi PembertoÌ„ m. Rushton Arg. a Cheveron 'twixt 3 Buckets Sab. Handled and Hooped Or. 19 Joh. Hanbury mil. Kelmarsh  20 Mose Troyoll ar   21 Edw. Shugburgh a. Nazeby Sab. a Cheveron betwixt 3 Mullets Arg. 22 VVil. Chauncy m ut prius  CAR. REG.   Anno   1 Ric. Knightley ar ut prius  2 Joh. Davers mil.  Gul. a Cheveron inter 3 Mullets Or. 3 Joh. VVorley ar Dodford  4 Hen. Robinson m. Cransley  5 Tho. Elmes ar ut prius  6 Fran. Nicholls ar Faxton  7 Joh. Hewett bar Heâ—…ington Sab. a Cheveron Counter-battille betwixt 3 Owles Arg. 8 Lo. Watson m. b. ut prius  9 Rich. Samwell m.   10 Joh. Driden bar ut prius  11 Caro. Cokaine ar Rushton Argent 3 Cockes Gules 12 Rob. Banaster m.  Argent a Cross Patee Sable 13 Joh. Handbury m. ut prius  14 Phil. Hollman ar   15 Chri. YelvertoÌ„ m. Easton Arg. 3 Lioncels rampant Gul. a Cheif of the second 16 Anth. Haslewood   17 VVill. Wilmer m.   18   19 Edr. Farmer ar ut prius  20 Idem   21   22 VVill. VVard ar  Azure a Cross patee Or. HENRY the Sixth 16 RICHARD WIDEWILL alià s WODEVILL He was a vigorous Knight and married Jaquet Dutchess of Bedford of most antient extraction in this County which as it appears in the leigder Book of Sipwell Abby had flourished four generations before him at Grafton-honor in this County Malicious therefore the cavil of Richard Duke of York which the Stage Poet hath got by the end affirming that they were made noble who were not worth a Noble when this Knight was by his Son-in-law King Edward the fourth Created Earl of Rivers and although his Issue-male failed in the next generation yet am I confident that besides the apparent Royal loine an ordinary Herauld may with little pains derive all the ancient Nobility of England from his six daughters most honorably married 23 HENRY GREEN He was a very wealthy man but of a different family from those of Greens-Norton as appears by his Armes who first built the fair House of Draiton in this County He had one sole daughter and heir Constance married to John Stafford Earl of Wiltshire to whom she bare Edward Stafford Earl of Wiltshire who died without Issue so that her large inheritance devolved unto the family of the Veers of whom anon HENRY the Seventh 1 HENRY VEER Ar. He was son to Richard Veer
he was condemned for siding with Queen Jane but pardoned his life and restored to his lands as by Queen Elizabeth to his honour Much was he given to Musick and Poetry and wanted not personal valour not unskillful though unsuccessful in Military Conduct as in the imployment against Ket He died Anno Domini 1571. without Issue Queen MARY 1 THOMAS TRESSAM Mil. He was a person of great command in this County and was zealous against the Court Faction in proclaiming and promoting Q. Mary to the Crown She therefore in gratitude made him the first and last Lord Prior of the re-erected Order of Saint Johns of Jerusalem Dying without Issue and being buried in Rushton Church his large lands descended to his Kinsman and Heir Thomas Tressam of whom hereafter Queen ELIZABETH 6 EDMUND BRUDENELL Arm. This is that worthy person of whom afterwards Knighted Master Camden entereth this honorable memorial Equibus Edmundus Brudenel Eques auratus non ita pridem defunctus venerandae antiquitatis summis fuit cultor admirator He may seem to have entailed his learned and liberal inclinations and abilities on his though not son heir Thomas Lord Brudenell of Stoughton then whom none of our Nobility more able in the English Antiquities 15 THOMAS TRESSAM Arm. The Queen Knighted him in the 18. year of her reign at Kenelworth Hard to say whether greater his delight or skill in buildings though more forward in beginning then fortunate in finishing his fabricks Amongst which the Market-house at Rothwell adorned with the armes of the Gentry of the County was highly commendable Having many daughters and being a great house-keeper he matched most of them into Honorable the rest of them into Worshipful and Wealthy Families He was zealous in the Romish perswasion though as yet not convicted which afterwards cost him a long confinement in Wisbich-Castle 20 THOMAS CECILL Mil. He was eldest son to Sir William Cecill then Baron of Burghley who would not have him by favour excused from serving his Country He afterwards was Earl of Exeter and married Dorothy one of the Co-heirs of the Lord Latimer These joyntly bestowed one hundred and eight pounds per annum on Clare-hall in Cambridge 24 THOMAS ANDREWS Arm. He attended the Execution of the Queen of Scots at Fotheringhay-Castle demeaning himself with much gravity to his great commendation 34 ANTHONY MILEMAY Esq. He was son to Sir Walter Privy-Councellor and Founder of Emanuel-colledge this Anthony was by Queen Elizabeth Knighted and sent over into France on an Embassy upon the same token he was at Geneva the same time Reader I have it from uncontrolable intelligence when Theodore Beza their Minister was convented before their Consistory and publiquely checqu'd for peaching too eloquently He pleaded that what they called eloquence in him was not affected but natural and promised to endeavour more plainness for the future Sir Anthony by Grace Co-heir to Sir Henry Sherington had one daughter Mary married to Sir Francis Fane afterwards Earl of Westmerland 43 ROBERT SPENCER Mil. He was the fifth Knight of his Family in an immediate succession well allied and extracted being a branch descended from the Spencers Earls of Gloucester and Winchester By King James in the first of his reign he was Created Baron Spencer of VVormeleiton in the County of VVarwick He was a good Patriot of a quick and clear spirit as by one passage may appear Speaking in Parliament of the valour of their English ancestors in defending the liberties of the Nation Your ancestours said the Earl of Arundel were keeping of sheep that Lord and his predecessours being known for the greatest Sheep-masters in England when those liberties were defended If they were in keeping of sheep return'd the other Yours were then in plotting of Treason Whose animosities for the present cost both of them a confinement yet so that afterwards the Upper House Ordered reparations to this Lord Spencer as first and causelesly provoked This Lord was also he who in the first of King James was sent with Sir VVilliam Dethick principal King of Armes to Frederick Duke of VVirtenberge elected into the Order of the Garter to present and invest him with the robes and ornaments thereof which were accordingly with great solemnity performed in the Cathedral of Studgard King JAMES 2 ARTHUR THROGKMORTON Mil. He was son to that eminent Knight Sir Nicholas Throgkmorton of whom in VVarwick shire and his Sister was married to Sir VValter Raleigh This Sir Arthur was a most ingenious Gentleman and dying without Issue-male his large estate was parted amongst his four daughters married to the Lord Dacres the Lord VVotton Sir Peter Temple of Stow Baronet and Sir Edward Partridge 3 JOHN FREEMAN Arm. He died without Issue and was a most bountiful Benefactour to Clare hall in Cambridge giving two thousand pounds to the founding of Fellowships and Scholarships therein 12 WILLIAM WILLMER Arm. He was the first Pensioner as Doctor James Mountague the first Master and Sir John Brewerton first Scholar of the House in Sidney-colledge being all three of them but in several proportions Benefactours to that Foundation 22 WILLIAM CHAUNCY Mil. These have been very but I know not how antient in this County but far antienter in Yorkshire For I meet with this Inscriptiou on a Monument at Sabridgeworth in Hertfordshire Hic jacent Johannes Chancy Ar. filius heres Johannis Chancy Ar. filii heredis Willielmi Chancy Mil. quondam Baronis de Shorpenbek in Com. Ebor. Anna uxor ejus una filiarum Johannis Leventhorpe Ar. qui quidem Johannes obiit VII Maii MCCCCLXXIX Annaii Decemb. MCCCCLXXVII quorum animabus It appeareth to me by a well proved pedegree that Henry Chancy Esq. of Yardlebury in Hertfordshire is the direct descendant from the aforesaid John Chancy whose Epitaph we have inserted King CHARLES 7 JOHN HEWET Baronet He had not one foot of land nor house hiring Hemington of the Lord Mountague in the whole County though several Statutes have provided that the Sheriffe should have sufficient land in the same Shire to answer the King and his people The best is this Baronet had a very fair estate elsewhere And as our English proverb saith VVhat is lost in the Hundred will be found in the Shire so what was lost in the Shire would be found in the Land However this was generally beheld as an injury that because he had offended a great Courtier the Sherivalty was by power imposed upon him The Farewell The worst I wish this my Native County is that Nine a River which some will have so term'd from Nine Tributary Rivolets were Ten I mean made navigable from Peterburg to Northampton A design which hath always met with many back-friends as private profit is though a secret a Sworn enemy to the general good Sure I am the Hollanders the best copy of thrift in Christendome teach their little ditches to bear Boats Not that their waters are more docible
could not enter except going sidelong at any ordinary door which gave the occasion to this Proverb But these Verdingales have been disused this fourty years whether because Women were convinced in their consciences of the va◅ity of this or allured in their fancies with the novelty of other fashions I will not determine Chronica si penses cum pugnent Oxonienses Post aliquot mēses volat ira per Angliginenses Mark the Chronicles aright When Oxford Scholars fall to fight Before many months expir'd England will with wa◅ be fir'd I confesse Oxoniensis may import the broils betwixt the Townsmen of Oxford or Towns men and Scholars but I conceive it properly to intend the contests betwixt Scholars and Scholars which were observed predictional as if their animosities were the Index of the Volume of the Land Such who have time may exactly trace the truth hereof through our English Histories Sure I am there were shrewd bickerings betwixt the Southern and Northern men in Oxford in the reign of King Henry the third not long before the bloody War of the Barons did begin The like happened twice under King Richard the second which seemed to be the Van-curreer of the fatal fights betwixt Lancaster and York However this observation holds not negatively all being peaceable in that place and no broils at Oxford sounding the al◅rum to our late civil dissentions Princes RICHARD Son to King Henry the second and Queen Eleanor was the sixth King since the Conquest but second Native of England born in the City of Oxford Anno 1157. Whilest a Prince he was undutiful to his Father or to qualifie the matter over-dutiful to his Mother whose domestick quarrels he always espoused To expia◅e his offence when King he with Philip King of France undertook a voyage to the Holy Land where thorough the Treachery of Templary cowardize of the Greeks diversity of the Climate distance of the place and differences betwixt Christian Princes much time was spent a mass of money expended many lives lost some honour atchieved but little profit produced Going to Palestine he suffered ship-wrack and many mischiefs on the coasts of Cyprus coming for England thorow Germany he was tost with a worse Land-Tempest being in pursuance of an old grudge betwixt them taken prisoner by Leopaldu◅ Duke of Austria Yet this Coeur de Lion or Lion-hearted King for so was he commonly called was no less Lion though now in a Grate than when at liberty abating nothing of his high spirit in his behaviour The Duke did not undervalue this his Royal Prisoner prizing his person at ten years purchase according to the then yearly revenue of the English Crown This ransome of an hundred thousand pounds being paid he came home first reformed himself and then mended many abuses in the Land and had done more had not an unfortunate Arrow shot out of a besieged Castle in France put a period to his life Anno Dom. 1199. EDMUND youngest Son to King Edward the first by Queen Margaret was born at Woodstock Aug. 5. 1301. he was afterwards created Earl of Kent and was Tutor to his Nephew King Edward the third In whose raign falling into the tempest of false injurious and wicked envy he was beheaded for that he never dissembled his natural brotherly affection toward his Brother deposed and went about when he was God wot murdered before not knowing so much to enlarge him out of prison perswaded thereunto by such as covertly practised his destruction He suffered at Winchester the ninteenth of March in the fourth of Edward the third EDWARD Eldest Son of King Edward the third was born at Woodstock in this County and bred under his Father never abler Teacher met with an apter Scholar in Marshal Discipline He was afterwards termed the Black Prince not so called from his complexion which was fair enough save when Sun-burnt in his Spanish expedition nor from his conditions which were courteous the constant attender of Valour but from his atchievements dismal and black as they appeared to the eyes of his enemies whom he constantly overcame But grant him black in himself he had the fairest Lady to his Wife this Land and that age did afford viz. Joane Countess of Salisbury and Kent which though formerly twice a Widow was the third time married unto him This is she whose Ga◅ter which now flourisheth again hath lasted longer than all the Wardrobes of the Kings and Queens in England since the Conquest continued in the Knighthood of that Order This Prince died before his Father at Canterbury in the 46. year of his age Anno Dom. 1376. whose Maiden success attended him to the grave as never foyled in any undertakings Had he survived to old age in all probabilities the Wars between York and Lancaster had been ended before begun I mean prevented in him being a person of merit and spirit and in Seniority before any suspicion of such divisions He left two Sons Edward who died at seven years of age and Richard afterwards King second of that name both born in France and therefore not coming within the compass of our Catalogue THOMAS of Woodstock youngest Son of King Edward the third and Queen Philippa was sirnamed of Woodstock from the place of his Nativity He was afterward Earl of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester created by his Nephew King Richard the second who summoned him to the Parliament by the Title of the Kings loving Uncle He married Isabel one of the Co-heirs of Humphrey Bohun Earl of Essex in whose right he became Constable of England a dangerous place when it met with an unruly manager thereof But this Thomas was only guilty of ill tempered Loyalty loving the King well but his own humors better rather wilful than hurtful and presuming on the old maxime Patruus est loco Parentis An Uncle is in the place of a Father He observed the King too nearly and checked him too sharply whereupon he was conveyed to Calis and there strangled By whose death King Richard being freed from the causeless fear of an Uncle became exposed to the cunning Plots of his Cousin German Henry Duke of Lancaster who at last deposed him This Thomas founded a fair Colledge at Playsie in Essex where his body was first buried with all Solemnity and afterward translated to Westminster ANNE BEAUCHAMP was born at Cavesham in this County Let her pass for a Princess though not formally reductively seeing so much of History dependeth on her as Elevated Depressed 1. Being Daughter and in fine sole Heir to Richard Beaucamp that most Martial Earl of Warwick 2. Married to Richard Nevil Earl of Sarisbury and Warwick commonly called the Make-King and may not she then by a courteous proportion be termed the Make-Queen 3. In her own and Husbands right she was possessed of one hundred and fourteen Manors in several Shires 4. Isabell her eldest daughter was married to George Duke of Clarence and Anne her younger to Edward Prince of Wales son of
and Sollicitor to king Charles From these places he was preferred to be Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas when he was made Privy Counsellor thence advanced to be Lord Keeper and Baron of Mounslow the place of his Nativity He died in Oxford and was buried in Christ Church Anno 1645. Souldiers Sir JOHN TALBOT was born as all concurring indications do avouch at Black-Mere in this County the then flourishing now ruined House devolved to his Family by marying the Heir of the Lord Strange of Black-Mere Many Honourable Titles deservedly met in him who was 1 Lord Talbot and Strange by his Paternal extraction 2 Lord Furnival and Verdon by maryage with Joan the daughter of Thomas de Nevil 3 Earl of Shrewsbury in England and Weisford in Ireland by creation of King Henry the Sixth This is that terrible Talbot so famous for his Sword or rather whose Sword was so famous for his arm that used it A Sword with bad Latin upon it but good Steel within it which constantly conquered where it came insomuch that the bare fame of his approach frighted the French from the Siege of Burdeaux Being victorious for twenty four years together successe failed him at last charging the enemy neer Castilion on unequal termes where he with his Son the Lord Lisle were slain with a shot July 17. 1453. Hence forward we may say Good night to the English in France whose victories were buried with the body of this Earl and his body enterred at White-Church in this County Sir JOHN TALBOT son to Sir John Talbot aforesaid and Vicount Lisle in right of his Mother Though he was slain with his Father yet their ashes must not be so hudled together but that he must have a distinct commemoration of his valour The rather because a Noble Pen hath hinted a parallel betwixt him and Paulus Aemilius the Roman General which others may improve 1 Aemilius was overpowred by the forces of Hannibal and Asdrubal to the loss of the day 2 Corn. Lentulus intreated Aemilius sitting all bloodied upon a stone to rise and save himself offering him his horse and other assistance 3 Aemilius refused the proffer adding withall That he would not again come under the judgment of the people of Rome 1 The same sad success attended the two Talbots in fight against the French 2 The Father advised the son by escape to reserve himself for future fortune 3 His son crav'd to be excused and would not on any termes be perswaded to forsake his father In two considerables Talbot far surpass'd Aemilius for Aemilius was old grievously if not mortally wounded our Lord in the flower of his youth unhurt easily able to escape Aemilius accountable for the over-throw received the other no wayes answerable for that daye 's mis-fortune being as we have said the 17 of July 1453. Learned Writers ROBERT of SHREWSBURY Take Reader a tast of the different Spirits of Writers concerning his Character Leland's Text. Eadem opera religionem celebrabat literas With the same endeavour He plied both Religion and Learning Bale his Comment Per religionem fortassis Monachatum intelligit per literas Sophistica praestigia It may be he meaneth Monkery by Religion and by Learning Sophistical fallacies I confess he might have imployed his pains better But Bale proceeds de Consultis Ruthenis consulting not the Russians as the word sounds to all Criticks but the Men of Ruthin in Wales He wrote the Life and Miracles of S. Winfride flourished Anno 1140. DAVID of CHIRBURY a Carmelite was so named from his Native place in the West of this County bordering on Mountgomery-shire A small Village I confesse yet which formerly denominated a whole hundred and at this day is the Barony of the Lord Herbert He was saith Leland whom I take at the second hand on the trust of John Pits Theologiae cognitione clarus And going over into Ireland was there made Episcopus Dormorensis Bishop of Drummore as I take it He is said to have wrote some Books though not mentioned in Bale and which is to me a wonder no notice taken of him by that Judicious Knight Sr. James Ware So that it seems his Writings were either few or obscure Returning into England he died and was buried in his Native County at Ludlow in the Convent of the Carmelites Anno Dom. 1420. Since the Reformation ROBERT LANGELAND forgive me Reader though placing him who lived one hundred fifty years before since the Reformation For I conceive that the Morning-star belongs rather to the Day then to the Night On which account this Robert regulated in our Book not according to the Age he was in but Judgement he was of may by Prolepsis be termed a Protestant He was born at Mortimers-Clibery in this County eight miles from Malvern-Hills was bred a Priest and one of the first followers of J. Wickliffe wanting neither Wit nor Learning as appears by his Book called The vision of Pierce Plowgh-man and hear what Character a most Learned Antiquary giveth thereof It is written in a kind of English meeter which for discovery of the infecting corruptions of those times I preferre before many of the more seemingly serious Invectives as well for Invention as Judgement There is a Book first set forth by Tindal since exemplied by Mr. Fox called The Prayer and complaint of the Plowghman which though differing in title and written in prose yet be of the same subject at the same time in the same Language I must referre it to the same Authour and let us observe a few of his strange words with their significations 1 Behotef 1 Promiseth 2 Binemen 2 Take away 3 Blive 3 Quickly 4 Fulleden for 4 Baptized 5 Feile times 5 Oft times 6 Forward 6 Covenant 7 Heryeth 7 Worshipeth 8 Homelich 8 Household 9 Lesew 9 Pasture 10 Leude-men 10 Lay-men 11 Nele 11 Will not 12 Nemeth for 12 Taketh 13 Seggen 13 Do say 14 Swevens 14 Dreams 15 Syth 15 Afterwards 16 Thralles 16 Bond-men It 's observeable that Pitzaeus generally a perfect Plagiary out of Bale passeth this Langland over in silence and why because he wrote in oppositum to the Papal Interest Thus the most Light finger'd Thieves will let that alone which is too hot for them He flourished under King Edward the Third Anno Dom. 1369. THOMAS CHURCHYARD was born in the Town of Shrâ—…wesbury as himself doth affirm in his Book made in Verse of the Worthines of VVales taking Shropshire within the compass making to use his own expression Wales the Park and the Marches to be the Pale thereof Though some conceive him to be as much beneath a Poet as above a Rbimer in my opinion his Verses may go abreast with any of that age writing in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth It seems by this his Epitaph in Mr. Camdens Remains that he died not guilty of much Wealth Come Alecto lend me thy Torch To find a Church-yard in
else quite forgotten any other vocation Hard it was for peace to feed all the Idle mouthes which a former war did breed being too proud to begge too lazy to labour Those infected the Highwayes with their Felonies some presuming on their multitudes as the Robbers on the Northern Rode whose knot otherwise not to be untyed Sr. John cut asunder with the Sword of Justice He possessed King James how the frequent granting of pardons was prejudicial to Justice rendring the Judges to the contempt of insolent Malesactors which made his Majesty more sparing afterward in that kind In a word the deserved death of some scores preserved the lives and livelyhoods of more thousands Travellers owing their safety to this Judges severity many years after his death which happened Anno Dom. 16. Souldiers JOHN COURCY Baron of Stoke-Courcy in this County was the first Englishman who invaded and subdued Ulster in Ireland therefore deservedly created Earl thereof He was afterward surprised by Hugh Lacy corrival for his Title sent over into England and imprisoned by King John in the Tower of London A French-Castle being in controverfie was to have the Title thereof tried by Combate the Kings of England and France beholding it Courcy being a lean lank body with staring eyes prisoners with the wildnesse of their looks revenge the closenesse of their bodies is sent for out of the Tower to undertake the Frenchman and because enfcebled with long durance a large bill of fare was allowed him to recruit his strength The Monsieur hearing how much he had eat and drank and guessing his courage by his stomack oâ—… rather stomack by his appetite took him for a Canibal who would devoure him at the last course and so he declined the Combate Afterwards the two Kings desirous to see some proof of Courcy's strength caused a steel Helmet to be laid on a block before him â—…ourcy looking about him 〈◊〉 grimme countenance as if he intended to cut with his eyes as well as with his arms sundered the Helmet at one blow into two pieces striking the Sword so deep into the wood that none but himself could pull it out again Being demanded the cause why he looked so sternly Had I said he failed of my design I would have killed the Kings and all in the place words well-spoken because well taken all persons present being then highly in good humour Hence it is that the Lord Courcy Baron of Ringrom second Baron in Ireland claim a priviledge whether by Patent or Prescription Charter or Custome I know not after their first obeisance to be covered in the Kings presence if processe of time had not antiquated the practice His devotion was equal to his valour being a great Founder and endower of Religious Houses In one thing he fouly failed turning the Church of the Holy Trinity in Down into the Church of St. Patrick for which as the Story saith he was condemned never to return into Ireland though attempting it fifteen several times but repell'd with foul weather He afterwards went over and died in France about the year 1210. MATTHEW GOURNAY was born at Stoke-under-Hamden in this County where his Family had long flourished since the Conquest and there built both a Castle and a Colledge But our Matthew was the honour of the House renowned under the reign of King Edward the Third having fought in seven several signal set Battails viz. 1 At the siege of d'Algizer against the Sarazens 2 At the Battail of Benemazin against the same 3 Sluce a Sea-fight against the French 4 Cressy a Land-fight-against the same 5 Ingen Pitch'd fights against the French 6 Poictiers Pitch'd fights against the French 7 Nazaran under the Black Prince in Spain His Armour was beheld by Martial Men with much civil veneration with whom his faithful Buckler was a relique of esteem But it added to the wonder that our Matthew who did lie and watch so long on the bed of honour should die in the bed of peace aged ninety and six years about the beginning of King Richard the Second He lieth buried under a fair Monument in the Church of Stoke aforesaid whose Epitaph legible in the last age is since I suspect defaced Sea-men Sir AMIAS PRESTON Knight was descended of an Ancient Family who have an Habitationat Cricket nigh Creukern in this County He was a Valiant Souldier and Active Sea-man witnesse in 88. when he seized on the Admiral of the Galiasses wherein Hugh de Moncada the Governour making resistance with most of his Men were burnt or killed and Mr. Preston as yet not Knighted shared in a vast Treasure of Gold taken therein Afterwards Anno 1595 he performed a victorious Voyage to the West-Indies wherin he took by assault the I le of Puerto Santo invaded the I le of Coche surprised the Fort and Town of Coro sacked the stately City of St. Jago put the Town of Cumana to ransome entred Jamaica with little loss some profit and more honour safely returned within the space of six months to Milford Haven in Wales I have been informed from excellent hands that on some dis-tast he sent a Challenge to Sr. Walter Raleigh which Sr. Walter declined without any abatement to his Valour wherein he had abundantly satisfied all possibility of suspicion and great advancement of his Judgement For having a fair and fixed Estate with Wife and Children being a Privy Counsellor and Lord Warden of the Stannereys he thought it an uneven lâ—…y to stake himself against Sr. Amias a private and as I take it a single person though of good birth and courage yet of no considerable Estate This also is consonant to what he hath written so judiciously about Duels condemning those for ill Honours where the Hangman gives the Garland However these two Knights were afterwards reconciled and Sr. Amias as I collect died about the beginning of the reign of King James Learned Writers GILDAS sirnamed the WISE was born in the City of Bath and therefore it is that he is called Badonicus He was eight years junior to another Gildas called Albanius whose Nativity I cannot clear to belong to our Brittain He was also otherwise sur-stiled Querulus because the little we have of his Writing is only a Complaint Yet was he none of those whom the Apostle condemneth These are Murmurâ—…s Complainers c. taxing only such who either were impious against GOD or uncharitable against men complaining of them either without cause or without measure whilst our Gildas only inveigheth against the sins and bemoaneth the sufferings of that wicked and woful age wherein he lived calling the Clergy Montes Malitiae the Brittons generally Atramentum seculi He wrote many Books though we have none of them extant at this day some few fragments excepted inserted amongst the Manuscript Canons but his aforesaid History This makes me more to wonder that so Learned a Critick as Dr. Gerrard 〈◊〉 should attribute the Comedy of Aulularia
bred in Bennet Colledge in Cambridge to which afterwards he proved a bountiful Benefactor building a beautiful Chappel therein He afterwards applied himself to the study of the Common Law and was made Attourney to the Court of Wards whence he was preferred Lord Keeper of the Great Seal in the First of Queen Elizabeth 1558. He married Anne second daughter to S â— Anthony Cook of Giddy-hall in Essex Governour to King Edward the Sixth And it is worthy of our observation how the Sates-men in that Age were arched together in affinity to no small support one to another Sir John Cheek Secretary to K. Edward the Sixth whose sister was first wife to Sr William Cecil Secretary to the same King Sir Will. Cecil aforesaid for his second wife married the wives sister unto this Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper Sr. Francis Walsingham Secretary to Queen Elizabeth had a sister married unto Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellour of the Exchequer Sir Franc. Walsingham was also brother in Law unto Sir Tho. Randolph that grand States-man Ambassador To return to Sir Nicholas Bacon he was condemned by some who seemed wise and commended by those that were so for not causing that Sâ—…atute to be repealed the Queen relying on him as her Oracle of Law whereby the Queen was made illegitimate in the dayes of her Father For this wise States-man would not open that wound which time had partly closed and would not meddle with the variety yea contrariety of Statutes in this kind whereby people would rather be perplexed than satisfied but derived her right from another Statute which allowed her succession the rather because Lawyers maintain That a Crown once worn cleareth all defects of the wearer thereof He continued in his Office about eighteen years being a Man of rare wit and deep experience Cui fuit ingenium subtile in corpore crasso For he was loaden with a corpulent body especially in his old Age so that he would be not only out of breath but also almost out of life with going from Westminster-hall to the Star-chamber in so much when sitting down in his place it was some time before he could recover himself And therefore it was usual in that Court that no Lawyer should begin to speak till the Lord Keeper held up his staffe as a signal to him to begin He gave for his Motto Mediocria Firma and practised the former part thereof Mediocria Never attaining because never affecting any great Estate He was not for Invidious Structures as some of his Contemporaries but delighted in Domo Domino pari Such as was his house at Gorhambury in Hartfordshire And therefore when Queen Elizabeth coming thither in progresse told him My Lord your house is too little for you No Madam returned he no less wittely than gratefully But it is your Highness that hath made me too great for mine house Now as he was a just practiser of the first part of this Motto Mediocria so no doubt he will prove a true Prophet in the second part thereof Firma having left an Estate rather good than great to his posterity whose eldest son Sir Edward Bacon in this County was the first Baronet of England He died on the 20th of February 1578 and Iieth buried in the Quire of St. Pauls In a word he was a goodman a grave States-man a Father to his Country and Father to Sir FRANCIS BACON Sir WILLIAM DRUERY was born in this County where his Worshipful Family had long flourished at Haulsted His name in Saxon soundeth a Pearle to which he answered in the pretiousness of his disposition clear and hard innocent and valiant and therefore valued deservedly by his Queen and Country His youth he spent in the French Wars his middle in Scotland and his old Age in Ireland He was Knight Marshal of Barwick at what time the French had possessed themselves of the Castle of Edenburgh in the minority of King James Queen Elizabeth employed this Sir William with 1500 men to besiege the Castle which service he right worthily performed reducing it within few dayes to the true owner thereof Anno 1575 he was appointed Lord President of Mounster whether he went with competent Forces and executed impartial Justice in despite of the Opposers thereof For as the Sign of Leo immediately precedeth Virgo and Libra in the Zodiack so no hope that innocency will be protected or Justice administred in a Barbarous Country where power and strength do not first secure a passage unto them But the Earl of Desmond opposed this good President forbidding him to enter the County of Kerry as a Palatinate peculiarly appropriated unto himself Know by the way as there were but four Palatinates in England Chester LancasterDurham and Ely whereof the two former many years since were in effect invested in thâ—… Crown there were no fewer than eight Palatinates in Ireland possessed by their Respective Dynasts claiming Regal Rites therein to the great retarding of the absolute Conquest of that Kingdom Amongst these saith my Author Kerry became the Sanctuary of sin and Refuge of Rebels as out-lawed from any English Jurisdiction Sir William no whit terrified with the Earls threatning entred Kerry with a competent Train and there dispenced Justice to all persons as occasion did require Thus with his seven-score men he safely forced his return through seven hundred of the Earls who sought to surprise him In the last year of his life he was made Lord Deputy of Ireland and no doubt had performed much in his place if not afflicted with constant sickness the fore-runner of his death at Waterford 1598. Sir ROBERT NAUNTON was born in this County of Right ancient Extraction some avouching that his Family were here before others that they came in with the Conqueror who rewarded the chief of that Name for his service with a great Inheretrix given him in marriage In so much that his Lands were then estimated at a vast sum in my Judgment seven hundred pounds a year For along time they were Patrons of Alderton in this County where I conceive Sir Robert was born He was first bred Fellow Commoner in Trinity Colledge and then Fellow of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge He was Proctor of the University Anno Domini 160 0 1 which Office according to the Old Circle returned not to that Colledge but once in fourty four years He addicted himself from his youth to such studies as did tend to accomplish him for Publick imployment I conceive his most excellent piece called Fragmenta Regalia set forth since his death was a fruit of his younger years He was afterwards sworn Secretary of State to King James on Thursday the eighth of January 1617. which place he discharged with great ability and dexterity And I hope it will be no offence here to insert a pleasant passage One Mr. Wiemark a wealthy Man great Novilant and constant Pauls walker hearing the News that day of the beheading of Sir Walter Raleigh His head said he
Stutvile 〈◊〉 Dallam 〈◊〉 Argent and Gules a Lion rampant Sable Nicol. Bacon miles ut prius  Reg. JACO   Anno   1 〈◊〉 Bacon miles ut prius  2 Edm. Bokemham armiger   〈◊〉 Tho. Playters arm 〈◊〉 Bendy Wavy of six Argent and Azure 4 Antho. Penning ar   Iâ—…oho Wentworth armiger  Sable a Cheveron between 3 Leopaâ—…ds heads Or. 6 Lionel Talmarsh ar ut prius  7 Geo. le Hunt miles   8 Thom. Tilney arm ut prius  9 Calthorp Parker mil. ut prius  10 Martin Stutevil ut prius  11 Rob. Brook miles  AMP. 12 Rob. Barker mil.  Perfess embatt'led Or and Azure 3 martlets counterchanged 13 Tho. Clench arm   14 Lio. Ialmarsh m. B. ut prius Azure a Cheveron Argent 15 Edw. Lewkenor m.   16 Io. Wentworth m. ut prius  17 Hen. North miles  Azure a Lion passant Or between 3 Flower de 〈◊〉 Ar. 18 Will. Spring miles ut prius  19 Will. Wetle arm   20 Rob. Brook arm   21 Nâ—… Bernardiston m ut prius  22 Galf. Pittman arm   Reg. CAROL   1 Sam. Aylemer arm Cleydon Argent a Cross Sable betwixt 4 Cornish 〈◊〉 proper 2 Joha Prescot mil.  S. a Chev. betwixt 3 〈◊〉 Ar. 3 Maur. Barrowe ar  S. 2 swords in Saltire Ar. 〈◊〉 betw 4 flowers de luce Or within a Bordure compone of the second and 〈◊〉 4 Brampt Gourden a. ut prius  5 Hen Hookenham a.   6 Iohan Acton arm   7 Rob. Crane miles Chyston Ar. a Fess betw 3 Cross 〈◊〉 fitchee Gu. 8 Will. * Some miles   9 Edw. Bacon miles ut prius Gules a Cheveron betwixt 3 Mallets Or. 10 Ioha Barker arm ut prius  11 Ioha Rouse miles ut prius  12 Phil. Parker mil. ut prius  13 Ed. Duke armiger Brampton Az a Cheveron betwixt 3 〈◊〉 Argent membred Gules 14 Ioh. Clench arm   15 Sim. Dewes miles Stow-Hall Or 3 Quatersoilâ—…s Gules 16 VVill. Spring arm ut prius  17 Will. 〈◊〉 aâ—…   18 Maur. Barrowe arâ—… ut prius  19   20 Ioha Cotton arm   21   22 Tho. Blosse arm   Queen ELIZABETH 18 JOHN HIGHAM Arm. I find this passage in the Ingenious Michael Lord Montaigne in France in his Essay * of Glory I have no name which is sufficiently mine Of two I have the one common to all my Race yea and also to others There is a Family at Paris and another at Montpellier called Montaigne another in Brittanny and one in Zantoigne surnamed de la Montaigne The removing of one only syllable may so confound our Web as I shall have a share in their Glory and they perhaps a part of my shame And my Ancestors have heretofore been surnamed HEIGHAM or HIQUEM a surname which also belongs to an House well known in England Indeed the Highams so * named from a Village in this County were for I suspect them extinct a right Ancient Family and Sr Clement Heigham Ancestor to this John our Sheriff who was a Potent Knight in his Generation lies buried under a fair Tomb in Thorning-Church in Northfolk 20 ROBERT JERMIN Miles He was a Person of singular Piety a bountiful Benefactor to Emanuel-Colledge and a man of great command in this County He was Father to Sir Tho. Jermin Privy Concellour and Vice-Chamberlain to King Charles the First Grandfather to Thomas and Henry Jermin Esquires The younger of these being Lord Chamberlain to our present Queen Mary and sharing in her Majesties sufferings during her long Exile in France was by King Charles the Second deservedly advanced Baron and Earl of St. Albans 23 NICHOLAS BACON Miles He was son to Sir Nicholas and elder Brother to Sir Francis Bacon both Lord Chancellors of England and afterward by King James in the ninth of his reign on the 22 of May created the first Baronet of England 36 THOMAS CROFTS Armiger He was a Man of Remark in his generation Father to Sir John Crofts Grand-father to .... Crofts who for his Fidelity to his Sovereign during his suffering condition and for several Embassies worthily performed to the King of Poland and other Princes was created Baron Crofts by King Charles the Second CHARLES the First 15 SIMONDS DEWES Miles This Sir Simonds was Grand-child unto Adrian Dâ—…wes descended of the Ancient Stem of Des Ewes Dynasts or Lords of the Dition of Kessel in the Dutchy of Gelderland who came first thence when that Province was wasted with Civil War in the beginning of King Henry the Eighth He was bred in Cambridge as appeared by his printed speech made in the long Parliament wherein he indeavoured to prove it more Ancient than Oxford His Genious addicted him to the study of Antiquity Preferring Rust before Brightness and more conforming his mind to the Garbe of the former than mode of the moderne times He was studious in Roman Coin to discriminate true ones from such as were cast and counterfeit He passed not for Price to procure a choice piece and was no less careful in conserving than curious in culling many rare Records He had plenty of pretious Medals out of which a methodical Architect might contrive a fair Fabrick for the benefit of posterity His Treasury afforded things as well new as old on the token that he much admired that the Ordinances and Orders of the late Long Parliament did in Bulks and number exceed all the Statutes made since the Conquest He was loving to Learned Men to whom he desired to do all good offices and died about the year of our Lord 1653. The Fare-wel To conclude our description of Suffolk I wish that therein Grain of all kinds may be had at so reasonable rates that rich and poor may be contented therewith But if a Famine should happen here let the poor not distrust Divine providence whereof their Grand-fathers had so admirable a testimony 15. When in a general dearth all over England plenty of Pease did grow on the Sea-shore near Dunwiâ—…h never set or sown by humane industry which being gathered in full ripeness much abated the high prices in the Markets and preserved many hundreds of hungry Families from famishing SURREY hath Middlesex divided by the Thames on the North Kent on the East Sussex on the South â—…ant Bark-shires on the West It may be allowed to be a Square besides its Angular expatiation in the South-west of two and twenty miles and is not unproperly compared to a Cynamon-tree whose Bark is far better than the Body thereof For the skirts and borders bounding this Shire are rich and fruitful whilst the ground in the inward parts thereof is very hungry and barren though by reason of the clear Air and clean wayes full of many gentile habitations Naturall Commodities Fullers-Earth The most and best of this
the stipend and benevolence of the one and the dividend of the other but was utterly unacquainted with the taking of Tithes with the many troubles attending it together with the causeless molestations which Persons Presented meet with in their respective Parishes And because it is hard for one to have a Fellow-suffering of that whereof he never had a suffering this say some was the cause that he was so harsh to Ministers when brought before him Being Chaplain to the Earl of Dunbar then Omni-prevalent with King James he was unexpectedly preferred Archbishop of Canterbury being of a more fatherly presence than those who might almost have been his Fathers for age in the Church of England I find two things much charg'd on his memory First that in his house he respected his Secretary above his Chaplains and out of it alwayes honoured Cloaks above Cassocks Lay above Clergie-men Secondly that he connived at the spreading of non-conformity in so much that I read in a modern Author Had Bishop Laud succeeded Bancroft and the project of Conformity been followed without interruption there is little question to be made but that our Jerusalem by this time might have been a City at unity in it self Yet are there some of Archbishop Abbot his relations who as I am informed will undertake to defend him that he was in no degree guilty of these crimes laid to his charge This Archbishop was much humbled with a casual homicide of a keeper of the Lord Zouch's in Bramzel-Park though soon after he was solemnly quitted from any irregularity thereby In the reign of King Charles he was sequestred from his Jurisdiction say some on the old account of that homicide though others say for refusing to Licence a Sermon of Dr. Sibthorps Yet there is not an Express of either in the Instrument of Sequestration the Commission only saying in the general That the said Archbishop could not at that present in his own person attend those services which were otherwise proper for his cognizance and Jurisdiction For my own part I have cause to believe that as Vulnus semel sanatum novo vulnere recrudescit so his former obnoxiousness for that casualty was renewed on the occasion of his refusal to Licence that Sermon with some other of his Court-un-compliances This Archbishop died Anno Dom. 1633. having erected a large Hospital with liberal maintenance at Guildford the place of his nativity RICHARD CORBET D. D. was born at Ewel in this County and from a Student in became Dean of Christ-Church then Bishop of Oxford An high VVit and most excellent Poet of a courteous carriage and no destructive nature to any who offended him counting himself plentifully repaired with a jest upon him He afterwards was advanced Bishop of Norwich where he died Anno Dom. 1635. States-men THOMAS CROMWEL was born at Putney in this County of whom I have given measure pressed down and running over in my Church-History WILLIAM HOWARD son to Thomas Howard second of that Surname Duke of Norâ—…hfolk was by Queen Mary created Baron of Effingham in this County and by her made Lord Admiral of England which place he discharged with credit I find he was one of the first Favourers and Furtherers with his purse and countenance of the strange and wonderful discovery of Russia He died Anno Domini 154. CHARLES HOWARD son to the Lord William aforesaid succeeded him though not immediately in the Admiralty An hearty Gentleman and cordial to his Sovereign of a most proper person one reason why Queen Elizabeth who though she did not value a Jewel by valued it the more for a fair Case reflected so much upon him The first evidence he gave of his prowes was when the Emperors sister the Spouse of Spain with a Fleer of 130 Sailes stoutly and proudly passed the narrow Seas his Lordship accompanied with ten ships onely of Her Majesties Navy Royal environed their Fleet in a most strange and warlike sort enforced them to stoop gallant and to vail their Bonnets for the Queen of England His service in the eighty eighth is notoriously known when at the first news of the Spaniards approach he towed at a cable with his own hands to draw out the harbourbound-ships into the Sea I dare boldly say he drew more though not by his person by his presence and example than any ten in the place True it is he was no deep Sea-man not to be expected from one of his Extraction but had skill enough to know those who had more skill than himself and to follow their instructions and would not sterve the Queens service by feeding his own sturdy wilfulness but was ruled by the experienced in Sea-matters the Queen having a Navy of Oak and an Admiral of Osier His last eminent service was when he was Commander of the Sea as Essex of the Land forces at the taking of Cadiz for which he was made Earl of Nottingham the last of the Queens creation His place was of great profit Prizes being so frequent in that age though great his necessary and vast his voluntary expences keeping as I have read seven standing Houses at the same time at London Rigate Effingham Blechenley c. so that the wonder is not great if he died not very wealthy He lived to be very aged who wrote Man if not married in the first of Q. Elizabeth being an invited guest at the solemn Consecration of Matthew Parker at Lambeth and many years after by his testimony confuted those lewd and loud lies which the Papists tell of the Naggs-head in Cheap-side He resigned his Admiralty in the reign of King James to the Duke of Buckingham and died towards the later end of the reign of the King afore-said Sea-men Sir ROBERT DUDLEY Knight son to Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester by Douglas Shefeld whether his Mistris or Wife God knoweth many men being inclinable charitably to believe the later was born at Shene in this County and bred by his mother out of his Fathers reach at Offington in Sussex He afterwards became a most compleat Gentleman in all suteable accomplishments endeavoring in the reign of King James to prove his legitimacy and meeting with much opposition from the Court in distast he left his Land and went over into Italy But Worth is ever at home and carrieth its own welcome along with it He became a Favorite to the Duke of Florence who highly reflected on his Abilities and used his directions in all his Buildings At this time Ligorn from a Child started a Man without ever being a Youth and of a small Town grew a great City on a sudden and is much beholding to this Sir Robert for its fairness and firmness as chief contriver of both But by this time his Adversaries in England had procured him to be call'd home by a special Privy Seal which he refused to obey and thereupon all his Lands in England was seised on by the King by the Statute
in this Shire though one may seem somewhat suspicious as being bred living though not to their full strength and stature of being navigable and dying therein swallowed up by the sea It is sufficient evidence of the plenty of this County that the Tolle of the Wheat Corn and Malt growing or made about and sold in the City of Chichester doth amount yearly at a half penny a Quarter to sixty pounds and upwards as the Gatherers thereof will attest and the numbers of the Bushels we leave to be Audited by better Arithmeticians It hath been said that the first Baron Viscount and Earl in England all three have and have had for some term of time their chief residence in this County and it is more civility to believe all then to deny any part of the repoâ—…t though sure I am this observation was discomposed at the death of the Earl of Essex since which time Viscount Hereford is the first Person in England of that Dignity Naturall Commodities Iron Great the necessity hereof some Nations having lived in the ignorance of Gold and Silver scarce any without the use of Iron Indeed we read not of it in making the Tabernacle though from no mention no use thereof therein cannot infallibly be inferred which being but a Slight and Portable Building Brass might supply the want thereof But in the Temple which was a firmer fabrick we find Iron for the things of Iron and a hundred thousand Talents of that Metal imployed therein Great the quantity of Iron made in this County whereof much used therein and more exported thence into other parts of the Land and beyond the Seas But whether or no the private profit thereby will at long-running countervail the publick loss in the destruction of woodâ—… I am as unwilling to discuss as unable to decide Onely let me adde the ensuing complaint wherein the Timber-trees of this County deplore their condition in my opinion richly worth the Readers perusall Joves Oake the warlike Ash veyn'd Elm the softer Beech Short Hazell Maple plain light Aspe the bending Wych Tough Holly and soomth Birch must altogether burn What should the Builders serve supplies the Forgers turn When under publick good base private gain takes hold And we poor wofull woods to ruin lastly sold. But it is to be hoped that a way may be found out to â—…harke Seacole in such manner as to render it usefull for the making of Iron All things are not found out in one age as reserved for future discovery and that perchance may be easy for the next which seems impossible to this generation Talk Talk in Latine Talchum is a cheap kind of Mineral which this County plentifully affords though not so fine as what is fetch'd from Venice It is white and transparent like Chrystall full of strekes or veins which prettily scatter themselves Being calcined and variously prepared it maketh a curious White wash which some justiâ—…y lawfull because Cleaâ—…ing not Changing Complexion It is a great Astringent yet used but little in Physick Surely Nature would not have made it such an Hypocrit to hang out so fair a sign except some guest of Quality were lodged therein I mean it would not appear so beautifull to the eye except some conâ—…ealed worth were couched therein Inclining me to believe that the vertue 〈◊〉 is not yet fully discovered Wheat ears Wheat-ears is a bird peculiar to this County hardly found out of it It is so called because fattest when Wheat is râ—…pe whereon it feeds being no bigger then a Lark which it equalleth in the fineness of the flesh far exceedeth in the fatness thereof The worst is that being onely seasonable in the heat of summer and naturally larded with lumps of fat it is soon subject to corrupt so that though abounding within fourty miles London-Poulterers have no mind to meddle with them which no care in carriage can keep from Putrefaction That Palate-men shall pass in silence who being seriously demanded his judgment concerning the abilities of a great Lord concluded him a man of very weak parts because once he saw him at a great Feast feed on CHICKENS when there were WHEAT-EARS on the Table I will adde no more in praise of this Bird for fear some female Reader may fall in longing for it and unhappily be disappointed of her desire Carpes It is a stately fish but not long Naturalized in England and of all Fresh-water fishes the Ele only excepted lives longest out of his Proper Element They breed which most other fishes doe not severall Months in one year though in cold Ponds they take no comfort to increase A learned Writer observeth they live but ten years though others assign them a far longer life They are the better for their age and bigness a rule which holds not in other Fishes and their Tongues by ancient Roman Palate-men were counted most delicious meat though to speak Properly they have either no Tongues in their Mouths or all their Mouths are Tongues as filled with a Carneous substance whilst their Teeth are found in their throats There is a kind of Frog which is a Profest Foe unto them insomuch that of a Hundred Carpes put into a Pond not five of them have been found therein a year after And though some may say perchance two-leged Frogs stole them away yet the strict care of their Owners in watching them disproved all suspition thereof Now as this County is eminent for both Sea and River 〈◊〉 namely an Arundel Mullet a Chichester Lobster a 〈◊〉 Cockle and an Ameâ—…ly Trout So Sussex aboundeth with more Carpes then any other of this Nation And though not so great as Jovius reporteth to be found in the Lurian Lake in Italy weighing more then fifty pounds yet those generally of great and goodly proportion I need not adde that Physicians account the galls of Carpâ—…s as also a stone in their heads to be 〈◊〉 only I will observe that because Jews will not eat Caviare made of 〈◊〉 because coming from a fish wanting Scals and therefore forbidden in the Levitical Law Therefore the Italians make greater profit of the Spaun of Carps whereof they make a Red Caviare well pleasing the Jews both in Palate and Conscience All I will adde of Carps is this that Ramuâ—… himself doth not so much redound in Dichotomies as they do Seeing no one bone is to be found in their body which is not forked or divided into two parts at the end thereof Manufactures Great Guns It is almost incredible how many are made of the iron in this County Count Gondomer well knew their goodness when of K. James he so often begg'd the boon to transport them A Monke of Mentz some three hundred years since is generally reputed the first Founder of them Surely ingenuity may seem transposed and to have cross'd her hands when about the same time a Sâ—…uldier found out Printing and it is questionable which of the two Inventions
he was successively preferred by King Charles the first Bishop of Hereford and London and for some years Lord Treasurer of England A troublesome place in those times it being expected that he should make much Brick though not altogether without yet with very little Straw allowed unto him Large then the Expences Low the Revenues of the Exchequer Yet those Coffers which he found Empty he left Filling and had left Full had Peace been preserved in the Land and he continued in his Place Such the mildness of his temper that Petitioners for Money when it was not to be had departed well pleased with his denialls they were so civilly Languaged It may justly seem a wonder that whereas few spake well of Bishops at that time and Lord Treasurers at all times are liable to the Complaints of discontented people though both Offices met in this man yet with Demetrius he was well reported of all men and of the truth it self He lived to see much shame and contempt undeservedly poured on his Function and all the while possessed his own soul in patience He beheld those of his Order to lose their votes in Parliament and their insulting enemies hence concluded Loss of speech being a sad Symptom of approching Death that their Final extirpation would follow whose own experience at this day giveth the Lie to their malicious Collection Nor was it the least part of this Prelates Honour that amongst the many worthy Bishops of our Land King Charles the first selected him for his Confessor at his Martyrdome He formerly had had experience in the case of the Earl of Strafford that this Bishops Conscience was bottom'd on Piety not Policy the reason that from him he received the Sacrament good Comfort and Counsell just before he was Murdered I say just before that Royal Martyr was Murdered a Fact so foul that it alone may confute the errour of the Pelagians maintaining that all Sin cometh by imitaâ—…ion the Universe not formerly affording such a Precedent as if those Regicides had purposely designed to disprove the Observation of Solomon that there is No new thing under the Sun King Charles the second Anno Domini 1660. preferred him Arch-bishop of Canterbury which place he worthily graceth at the writing hereof Feb. 1. 1660. ACCEPTUS FRUIN D. D. was born at in this County bred Fellow of Magdalen-colledge in Oxford and afterwards became President thereof and after some mediate preferments was by King Charles the first advanced Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and since by King Charles the second made Arch-bishop of York But the matter whereof Porcellane or China dishes are made must be ripened many years in the earth before it comes to full perfection The Living are not the proper objects of the Historians Pen who may be misinterpreted to flatter even when he falls short of their due Commendation the Reason why I adde no more in the praise of this worthy Prelate As to the Nativities of Arch-bishops one may say of this County many Shires have done worthily but SUSSEX surmounteth them all having bred Five Archbishops of Canterbury and at this instant claiming for her Natives the two Metropolitans of our Nation States-men THOMAS SACKVILL son and heir to Sir Richard Sackvill Chancellour and Sub-Treasurer of the Exchequer and Privy-Counsellour to Queen Elizabeth by Winifred his wife daughter to Sir John Bruges was bred in the University of Oxford where he became an excellent Poet leaving both Latine and English Poems of his composing to posterity Then studied he law in the Temple and took the degree of Barrister afterward he travelled into forraign parts detained for a time a prisoner in Rome whence his liberty was procured for his return into England to possess the vast Inheritance left him by his father whereof in short time by his magnificent prodigality he spent the greatest part till he seasonably began to spare growing neer to the bottom of his Estate The story goes that this young Gentleman coming to an Alderman of London who had gained great Pennyworths by his former purchases of him was made being now in the Wane of his Wealth to wait the coming down of the Alderman so long that his generous humour being sensible of the incivility of such attendance resolved to be no more beholding to Wealthy pride and presently turned a thrifty improver of the remainder of his Estate If this be true I could wish that all Aldermen would State it on the like occasion on condition their noble debtors would but make so good use thereof But others make him the Convert of Queen Elizabeth his Cosin german once removed who by her frequent admonitions diverted the torrent of his profusion Indeed she would not know him till he began to know himself and then heaped places of honour and trust upon him creating him 1. Baron of Buckhurst in this County the reason why we have placed him therein Anno Dom. 1566. 2. Sending him Ambassadour into France Anno 1571. into the Low-countries Anno 1586. 3. Making him Knight of the Order of the Garter Anno 1589. 4. Appointing him Treasurer of England 1599. He was Chancellour of the University of Oxford where he entertained Q. Elizabeth with a most sumptuous feast His elocution was good but inditing better and therefore no wonder if his Secretaries could not please him being a person of so quick dispatch faculties which yet run in the bloud He took a Roll of the names of all Suitors with the date of their first addresses and these in order had their hearing so that a fresh-man could not leap over the head of his senior except in urgent affairs of State Thus having made amends to his house for his mis-spent time both in increase of Estate and Honour being created Earl of Dorset by King James he died on the 19. of April 1608. Capitall Judges Sir JOHN JEFFRY Knight was born in this County as I have been informed It confirmeth me herein because he left a fair Estate in this Shire Judges genebuilding their Nest neer the place where they were Hatched which descended to his Daughter He so profited in the study of our Municipall-Law that he was preferred Secondary Judge of the Common-pleas and thence advanced by Queen Elizabeth in Michaelmas Terme the nineteenth of her Reign to be Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer which place he discharged for the Terme of two years to his great commendation He left one only Daughter and Heir married to Sir Edward Mountague since Baron of Boughton by whom he had but one Daughter Elizabeth married to Robert Barty Earl of Linsey Mother to the truly Honorable Mountague Earl of Linsey and Lord Great Chamberlain of England This worthy Judge died in the 21. of Queen Elizabâ—…h Souldiers The ABBOT of BATTLE He is a pregnant Proof that one may leave no Name and yet a good Memory behind him His Christian or Surname cannot be recovered out of our Chronicles which hitherto
1. William 2. Guy 3. Thomas 4. Thomas 5. Richard 6. Henry Such a series there was of successive undauntedness in that noble Family But if a better may be allowed amongst the best and a bolder amongst the boldest I conceive that Thomas the first of that name gave the chief occasion to this Proverbe of whom we read it thus reported in our Chronicles At Hogges in Normandy in the year of our Lord 1346. being there in safety arrived with Edward the third this Thomas leaping over ship-board was the first man who went on land seconded by one Esquire and six Archers being mounted on a silly Palfray which the suddain accident of the business first offered to hand with this company he did fight against one hundred armed men and in hostile manner overthrew every one which withstood him and so at one shock with his seven assistants he slew sixty Normans removed all resistance and gave means to the whole fleet to land the Army in safety The Heirs-male off this name are long since extinct though some deriving themselves from the Heirs-generall are extant at this day The Bear wants a Tail and cannot be a Lion Nature hath cut off the Tail of the Bear close at the Rump which is very strong and long in a Lion for a great part of the Lions strength consists in his Tail wherewith when Angry he useth to Flap and Beat himself to raise his Rage therewith to the Height so to render himself more Fierce and Furious If any ask why this Proverbe is placed in Warwick-shire Let them take the Ensuing Story for their satisfaction Robert Dudley Earl of Leiceâ—…er derived his Pedegree from the ancient Earls of Warwick on which Title he gave their Crest the Bear and Ragged Staffe and when he was Governour of the Low Countries with the high Title of his Excellency disusing his Own Coat of the Green-Lion with Two Tails he signed all Instruments with the Crest of the Bear and Ragged Staffe He was then suspected by many of his jealous adversaries to hatch an Ambitious design to make himself absolute Commander as the Lion is King of Beasts over the Low-Countries Whereupon some Foes to his faction and Friends to the Dutch-freedome wrote undeâ—… his Crest set up in Publick places Ursa caret cauda non queat esse Leo. The Bear he never can prevail To Lion it for lack of Tail Nor is Uâ—…sa in the feminine meerly placed to make the Verse But because Naturalists observe in Bears that the Female is always the strongest This Proverb is applyed to such who not content with their Condition aspire to what is above their worth to deserve or Power to atchive He is true Coventry-blew It seems the best blews so well fixed as not to fade are died in Coventry It is applied to such an one who is fidus Achates a fast and faithfull friend to those that employ him Opposite hereunto is the Greek Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignavi vertitur color A Coward will change colour either for fear or falsehood when deserting those who placed confidence in him As for those who apply this Proverb to persons so habited in wickedness as past hope of amendment under favour I conceive it a secondary and but abusive sense thereof Princes ANNE NEVILL Daughter and Co heir to Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick was most probâ—…bly born in Warwick-castle She was afterward married with a great portion and inheritance to Edward Prince of Wales sole Son to King Henry the sixth A Prince neither dying of Disease nor slain in Battle nor executed by Justice but barbarously butchered by Richard Duke of Gloucester Was it not then a daring piece of Court-ship in him who had murthered her husband to make love unto her in way of marriage and was not his success strange in obtaining her having no 〈◊〉 to commend his person to her affection O the Impotency of the weaker sex to resist the battery of a Princely Suitor who afterward became King by his own ambition however her life with him proved neither long nor fortunate It happened that there was the muttering of a marriage between Henry Earl of Richmond and Elizabeth eldest Daughter to Edward the fourth so to unite the houses of Lancaster and York To prevent this King Richard the third intended to marry the Lady himself so methodicall he was in breaking the Commandements of the second Table First Honour thy Father and Mother when he procured his Mother to be proclaimed a harlot by a Preacher at Pauls Cross. Secondly Thou shalt not kill when he murthered his Nephews Thirdly Thou shalt not Commit adultery being now in pursuit of an incestuous Copulation Say not that this match would nothing confirme his title seeing formerly he had pronunced all the Issue of King Edward the fourth as Illegitimate for first that designe was rather indevoured then effected most men remaining notwithstanding this bastardizing attempt well satisfied in the rightfulness of their extraction Secondly they should or should not be Bastards as it made for his present advantage Tyrants always driving that nail which will goe though it go cross to those which they have driven before Lastly if it did not help him it would hinder the Earl of Richmond which made that Usurper half wild till he was wedded But one thing withstood his desires this Anne his Queen was still alive though daily quarrelled at and complained of her son being lately dead for barren and O what a loss would it be to nature it self should her husband dye without an heir unto his vertues Well this Lady understanding that she was a burthen to her husband for grief soon became a burthen to herself and wasted away on a suddain Some think she went her own pace to the grave while others suspect a grain was given her to quicken her in her journy to her long home Which happened Anno Dom. 1484. EDWARD PLANTAGâ—…NET Son to George Duke of Clarence may passe for a Prince because the last Male-heir of that Royal Family Yea some of his Foes feared and more of his Friends desired that he might be King of England His Mother was Isabel Eldest Daughter to Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick And he was born in Warwick-castle As his Age increased so the Jealousie of the Kings of England on him did increase being kept Close Prisoner by King Edward the fourth Closer by King Richard the third and Closest by King Henry the seventh This last being of a New Linage and Sirname knew full well how this Nation hankered after the Name of Plantagenet which as it did out-syllable Tuthar in the Mouths so did it out-vie it in the Affections of the English Hence was it that the Earl was kept in so strict Restraint which made him very weak in his Intellectuals and no wonder being so sequestred from human converse It happened a marriage was now in debate betwixt Prince Arthur and Katherine Daughter to Ferdinand King of
Daughter Frances Countess of Warwick scatter her Benesactions the thicker in that place But I have been informed that his Ancestor by some accident came out of Cornwell where his Name is right Antient. He was bred in the study of our Municipall Law and such his proficiency therein that in the sixteenth of Queen Elizabeth in Michaelmas Term he was made Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-bench He was not like that Judge who feared neither God nor man but onely one Widow lest her importunity should weary him but he heartily feared God in his Religious Conversation Each man he respected in his due distance off of the Bench and no man on it to biass his judgement He was pro tempore Lord Privy Seal and sate Chief in the Court when Secretary Davison was sentenced in the Star Chamber Sir Christopher collecting the censures of all the Commissioners concurred to Fine him but with this Comfortable conclusion that as it was in the Queens power to have him punished so Her Highness might be prevailed with for mitigating or remitting of the Fine and this our Judge may be presumed no ill instrument in the procuring thereof He bountifully reflected on Magdalen-colledge in Cambridge which infant Foundation had otherwise been starved at nurse for want of maintenance We know who saith * the righteous man leaveth an inheritance to his Childrens Children and the well thriving of his third Generation may be an evidence of his well-gotten goods This worthy Judge died May the eighth in the thirty fourth of Queen Elizabeth States Men. Pardon Reader my post poning this Topick of States-Men being necessitated to stay a while for further information Sir JOHN PUCKERING Kt. was born at Flamborough head in this County as I have learned out of the Notes of that industrious and judicious Antiquary Mr. Dodâ—…worth He was second Son to his Father a Gentleman who left him neither plentiful nor penurious estate his breeding was more beneficial to him than his portion gaining thereby such skill in the Common Law that he became Queens-Serjeant Speaker in the House of Commons and at last Lord Chancellor of England How he stood in his judgement in the point of Church-Discipline plainly appeareth by his following Speech delivered in the House of Lords 1588. the Original whereof was courteously communicated unto me And especially you are commanded by Her Majesty to take heed that no eare be given nor time afforded to the wearisome solicitations of those that commonly be called Puritans wherewithal the late Parliaments have been exceedingly importuned which sort of men whilest that in the giddiness of their Spirits they labour and strive to advance a new Eldership they do nothing else but disturb the good repose of the Church and Commonwealth which is as well grounded for the body of Religion it self and as well guided for the Discipline as any Realm that prosesseth the Truth and the same thing is already made good to the world by many the writings of Godly and Learned men neither answered nor answerable by any of these new fangled Refiners And as the present case standeth it may be doubted whether they or the Jesuits do offer more danger or be more speedily to be repressed For albeit the Jesuites do empoison the hearts of her Majesties Subjects under a pretext of Conscience to withdraw them from their obedience due to Her Majesty Yet do they the same but closely and only in privy corners But these men do both teach and publish in their printed Books â—…nd teach in all their Conventicles sundry opinions not only dangerous to the well-setled Estate and Policy of the Realm by putting a Pique between the Clergy and the Laâ—…ty But also much derogatory to Her Saâ—…red Majesty and Her Crown as well by the diminution of her ancient and lawfull Revenues and by denying her Highness Prerogative and Supremacy as by offâ—…ng peril to her Majesties safety in her own Kingdom In all which things however in other points they pretend to be at war with the Popish Jesuites yet by this separation of themselves from the unity of their Fellow-Subjects and by abasing the Sacred Authority and Majesty of their Prince they do both joyn and concur with the Jesuites in opening the door and preparing the way to the Spanish Invasion that is threatned against the Realm And thus having according to the weaknesse of my best understanding delivered Her Majesties Royal pleasure and wise direction I rest there with humble suit for Her Majesties most gracious pardon in supply of my defects and recommend you to the Author of all good counsel He died Anno Domini 1596. caractered by Mr. Cambden VIR INTEGER His estate is since descended according to the solemn settlement thereof the male-issue failing on Sir Henry Newton who according to the condition hath assumed the Surâ—…name of Puckering and I can never be sufficiently thankful to him and his Relations Sir GEORGE CALVERT Kt. was born at Kiplin near Richmond in this County had his education first in Trinity Colledge in Oxford then beyond the Seas His abilities commended him first to be Secretary to Robert Cecil Earl of Sarisbury Lord Treasurer of England Afterwards he was made Clerk of the Councel and at last principal Secretary of State to King James succeeding Sir Thomas Lakes in that office Anno 1619. Conceiving the Duke of Buckingham highly instrumental in his preferment he presented him with a Jewel of great value which the Duke returned him again not owning any activity in his advancement whom King James ex mero motu reflecting on his ability designed for the place This place he discharged above five years until he willingly resigned the same 1624. on this occasion He freely confessed himself to the King That he was then become a Roman Catholick so that he must either be wanting to his Trust on violate his Consolence in discharging his office This his ingenuity so highly affected King James that he continued him Privy Councellor all his raign as appeareth in the Councel-Book and soon after created him Lord Baltemore of Baltemore in Ireland During his being Secretary he had a Patent to him and his Heirs to be Absolutus Dominus Proprietarius with the Royalties of a Count Palatine of the Province of Avalon in New-found-Land A place so named by him in imitation of old Avalon in Somerset shire wherein Glassenbury stands the first fruits of Christianity in Britain as the other was in that part of America Here he built a fair House in Ferry Land and spent five and twenty thousand pounds in advancing the Plantation thereof Indeed his publick spirit consulted not his private profit but the enlargement of Christianity and the Kings Dominions After the death of King James he went twice in person to New found-Land Here when Mounsier de l'Arade with three Men of War sent from the King of France had reduced our English Fishermen to great extremity This Lord with two Ships manned at
the Water is this That whether Husband or VVife come first to drink thereof they get the mastery thereby St. CLINTANKE was King of Brecknock a small Kingdom for an obscure King though eminent with some for his Sanctity Now it happened that a noble Virgin gave it out that she would never marry any man except the said King who was so zealous a Christian. Such as commend her good choice dislike her publick profession thereof which with more Maiden-like modesty might have been concealed But see the sad successe thereof A Pagan Souldier purposely to defeat her desire kild this King as he was one day a hunting who though he lost his life got the reputation of a Saint and so we leave him The rather because we find no date fixed unto him so that the Reader may believe him to have lived even when he thinks best himself Prelates GILES de BRUSE born at Brecknock was Son to William de Bruse Baron of Brecknock and a prime Peer in his Generation This Giles became afterwards Bishop of Hereford and in the Civil Wars sided with the Nobility against King John on which account he was banished but at length returned and recovered the Kings favour His Paternal Inheritance by death it seems of his elder Brother was devolved unto him being together Bishop and Baron by descent and from him after his death transmitted to his Brother Reginald who married the Daughter of Leoline Prince of Wales If all this will not recover this Prelate into our Catalogue of Worthies then know that his Effigies on his Tomb in Hereford Church holdeth a Steeple in his hand whence it is concluded that he built the Belfree of that Cathedral as well he might having so vast an estate His death happened Anno 1215. Since the Reformation THOMAS HOWEL was born at Nangamarch in this County within few miles of Brecknock bred Fellow of Jesus Colledge in Oxford and became afterwards a meek man and most excellent Preacher His Sermons like the waters of Siloah did run softly gliding on with a smooth stream So that his matter by a lawful and laudable felony did stâ—…al secretly into the hearts of his hearers King Charls made him the last Bishop of Bristol being consecrated at Oxford He died Anno Dom. 1646. leaving many Orphan children behind him I have been told that the honourable City of Bristol hath taken care for their comfortable education and am loath to pry too much into the truth thereof lest so good a report should be confuted States-Men HENRY STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham Though Humphrey his Father had a fair Castle at and large lands about Stafford whereof he was Earl yet his Nativity is most probably placed in this County where he had Brecknock-Castle and a Principality about it This was he who with both his hands set up Richard the third on the Throne endeavouring afterwards with his hands and teeth too to take him down but in vain He was an excellent Spoaks-man though I cannot believe that his long Oration to perswade the Londoners to side with the Usurper was ever uttered by him in terminis as it lieth in Sir Thomas Mores History Thus the Roman Generals provided themselves of Valour and Livy as he represented them stocked them with Eloquence Yet we may be well assured that this our Duke either did or would have said the same and he is the Orator who effects that he aimeth at this Duke being unhappily happy therein Soon after not remorse for what he had done but revenge for what King Richard would not do denying his desire put him on the project of unravelling what he had woven before But his fingers were entangled in the threads of his former Web the King compassing him into his clutches betrayed by Humphrey Banister his Servant The Sheriff seised this Duke in Shropshire where he was digging a ditch in a Disguise How well he managed the Mattock and Spade I know not this I know that in a higher sense He had made a Pit to disinherit his Soveraign and digged it and is fallen into the Ditch which he had made being beheaded at Sarisbury without any legal Tryal Anno 1484. Memorable Persons NESTA Hunger maketh men eat what otherwise they would let alone not to say cast away The cause I confesse wanting matter to furnish out our Description inviting me to meddle with this Memorable not Commendable Person 1. She was Daughter to Grâ—…ffin Prince of Wales 2. VVife to Bernard de Neumarch a Noble Norman and Lord by Conquest of this County 3. Mother to Mahel an hopeful Gentleman and Sibyl his Sister 4. Harlot to a young man whose name I neither do nor desire to know It happened Mahel having got this Stallion into his power used him very hardly yet not worse than he deserved Nesta madded hereat came in open Court and on her Oath before King Henry the second publickly protested no Manna like revenge to malicious minds not caring to wound their Foes though through themselves that Mahel was â—…e of Neumarch his Son but begotten on her in Adultery This if true spake her dishonesty if false her perjury true or false her peerless impudency Hereby she disinherited her Son and setled a vast Territory on Sibyl her sole Daughter married afterwards to Milo Earl of Hereford The Farewell When Mr. Speed in pursuance of his Description of England passed this County no fewer than Eight who had been Bayliffs of Brecknock gave him courteous entertainment This doth confirm the Character I have so often heard of the Welsh Hospitality Thus giving them their due praise on just occasion I hope that the British Reader will the better digest it if he find some passages altogether as true as this though nothing so pleasing to Him in our following Farewells CARDIGAN-SHIRE CARDIGAN-SHIRE is washed on the West with the Irish Sea and parted from the neighbouring Shires by Rivers and the Reader will be careful that the similitude of their sounds betray him not to a mistake herein 1. Dovi severing it on the North from Merioneth-shire 2. Tovy on the East from Brecknock-shire 3. Tyvy on the South from Carmarthen and Pembroke-shlre My Author saith the form thereof is Horn-like wider towards the North and I may say it hath a Cornâ—…-Copia therein of all things for mans sustenance especially if industry be used This County though remotest from England was soonest reduced to the English Dominion whilest the Countries interposed maintained their liberty The reason whereof was this The English being far more potent in shipping than the Welsh found it more facile to saile over the Mountains of Water so the Surges of the Sea are termed by the Poet than march over the Mountains of Earth and by their Fleet invaded and conquered this County in the reign of Rufus and Henry the first bestowed the same entirely upon Gilbert de Clare Natural Commodities Bevers Plenty of these formerly did breed in the
Statutes of Ruthland made in the year of King Edward the first This Lady Elizabeth at fourteen years of age was married to John the first of that name Earl of Holland Zealand c. And after his death remarried to Humfreâ—… Bohune Earle of Hereford and Essex High Constable of England by whom he had a numerous issue She died Anno Dom. 1316. and was buried in the Abby-Church of Saffron Walden in Essex Saints CONGELLUS or COMGALLUS I perceive a storm a coming and must provide a shelter against it The omitting this Writer will make Wales angry and the inserting him will make Ireland offended with me whom a good Antiquary makes the first Abbâ—…t of Banchor in this County and a better though living later first Abbot of Bangor nigh Nockfergus in Ireland What is to be done herein When the Controversie was started whether the Isle of Man belonged to England or Ireland it was adjudged to the later because no venomous Creature will live therein But this controverted nativity is not capable of that discrimination Indeed if the difference was betwixt Wales and England my Native Country concerning Congellus we would according to our premised principles freely resign him not daring to be so bold with an outlandish Interest let him stand here so long till better evidence be brought to remove him For if those be beheld as the worst of Felons who steal stragling Children in London streets from their Parents and spirit them over unto forraign Plantations high also is their robbery who deprive Countries of their true Natives as to their Memories after their deaths and dispose them elsewhere at their pleasures As for Congellus it is agreed on all hands that he was one of a pious life who wrote learned Epistles and being aged eighty five years died Anno Dom. 600. St. BENO was instructer to Saint Wenefride committed by her Father to his careful Education now it happened when the head of the said Wenefride was cut off by Cradocus Son to Alane King of North Wales for not yielding to his unlawful lust This Beno miraculously set it on again she living fifteen years after But if the tip of his tongue who first told and the top of his fingers who first wrote this damnable lye had been cut off and had they both been sent to attend their cure at the Shrine of Saint Beno certainly they would have been more wary afterwards how they reported or recorded such improbable untruths ASAPH was born in these parts of right honourable parentage and bred at Llan-Elvy in this County under Kentigernus or Mongo the Scotch Bishop in that place Here the said Kentigerâ—…us had a Convent consisting of 663. Monks whereof 300. being unlearned in the nature of Lay-Brethren were employed abroad in Husbandry as many busied about work at home the rest attended Divine service in the Convent so divided that some were always officiating therein Amongst these Asaph was eminently conspicuous for piety and learning in so much that Kentigernus being called into his own Country resigned both his Convent and Cathedral unto him Here this Bishop demeaned himself with such Sanctity that Llan-Elvy lost its name and after his death was called from him St. Asaph He was an assiduous Preacher having this Speech in his mouth Such who are against the preaching of Gods Word envy mans salvation Bishop Godwin confesseth himself ignorant of the certain time of his death though another not more knowing but more confident assigneth the first of May but with this abatement about 569. I say not out possibly a randome date may hap to hit the mark Here I would be thankful to them who should expound unto me that passage in J. Bale concluding the life of this Saint with these words Primus hic erat qui d Romano Pontifice Unctionem accepit He was the first who received Unction from the Pope of Rome This neither Pits owneth ready enough to steal out of Bale especially to improve what might sound to Papal advantage nor any other Romanist writing his Life whom I have seen so that it seems to me a Note 〈◊〉 scattered After the death of Saint Asaph his See stood void above 500. years until Jeffery of Monmouth was placed therein Prelates since the Reformation RICHARD PARRY D. D. was born at Ruthin in this County bred in Christ Church in Oxford whence he was preferred Dean of Bangor and at last Bishop of Saint Asaph consecrated Decemb. 30. 1604. Bishop Godwin passeth on him this Complement take it in the best derivation of the word from Completio mentis that he desireth being so near unto him in time and his Studies to be his equal in other Episcopal Qualities I crave the Readers leave to forbear any further Character of him Pictures present buildings presumed at great distance very small whilest such things which are supposed near the eye are made in a greater proportion Clean contrary I may sasely write largely on mens lives at far distance whilest as I may say I must make Landskips of those near hand and touch little on them who lived in later times Bishop Parry died Anno Dom. 16. ... Souldiers OWEN GLENDOWER-WYE was born in his ancient Patrimony of Glendower-Wye in this County then bred in London a Student in the Common Law till he became a Courtier and servant to King Richard the second After whose death this Owen being then on the wrong side of preferment retired to this his Native County where there arose a difference betwixt him and his neighbour the Lord Gre of Ruthen about a piece of Common which Owen by force recovered and killed the Lord Gre. There wanted not many to spur his posting Ambition by telling him that he was the true Heir to all North Wales and now or never the time to regain it That the injuries he had already offered the English were above pardon and no way left to secure himself but by committing greater There needeth no Torch to light Tinder where a Spark will do the deed and hereupon Owen brake out into open rebellion The worst was being angry with the King his revenge fell upon God burning down the fair Cathedrals of Bangor and Saint Asaph His destructive nature delighted in doing mischief to others though no good to himself King Henry the fourth found it more facile by far to depose King Richard than subdue this Owen who had taken Roger Mortimer Earl of March and next Heir to the Crown prisoner Writers ELVODUGUS surnamed Probus and no doubt it was true of him what was said of Probus the Emperor he was Vir sui nominis was a Cambrian by birth and this Country-man by habitation for he lived most of his days at Bangor Monachorum in that age the Cambridge and Oxford of all Britain He wrote many Books and particularly a Chronicle of his Nation which the envy of time hath denied to posterity He had many eminent men for his Scholars amongst
the Dolphin who sent him a Barrel of Paris Tennis-Balls sending such English Balls that they proved to their great loss He died at Boys S. Vincent in France the last day of August Anno 1422. and was brought over with great solemnity and interred in Westminster Abby Prelates ELIAS de RADNOR GUILIELMUS de RADNOR Ijoyn them together for three Reasons First because Natives of the same Town understand it Old Radnor the new town of that name being built probably since their decease Secondly because Bishops of the same See Landaff Thirdly because eminent being eminent for Nothing the names and dates of their deaths the one May 6. 1240. the other June the 30. 1256. being all that learned Antiquary and their Successour Bishop Godwin could recover of their memories which dishearâ—…eth me from â—…arther enquiry after them For let them never look for a crop who sow that ground which so skilful an husband-man thought fit to lie fallow The Farewell It much affected me and I believe all others whose hearts are of flesh and blood what I read in an Author concerning the rigorous laws imposed on the observation of the Welsh For when Owen Glyndower-dwy inveigled by some well-skilled in Merlins Prophesies that the time was come wherein the Britains through his assistance should recover their ancient freedom and liberty raised a Rebellion making war upon the Earl of March the Heir apparent both to the Crown of England and Principality of Wales King Henry the fourth inraged at his proceedings enacted these ensuing Laws First That no Welshman should purchase Lands or be chosen Citizen or Burgess of any City Borough or Market Town nor be received into any Office of Mayor Bayliff Chamberlaine c. or to be of the Councel of any Town or to bear Armour within any City Besides that if any Welsh-man should impeach or sue an Englishman It was ordained he should not be convicted unless by the judgment of English Justices verdict of English Burgesses or by the Inquest of the English Boroughs where the suits lay Yea that all English Burgesses who married Welsh Women should be disfranchised of their Liberties No congregation or Council was permitted to the Welsh-men but by licence of the chief Officers of the same Seigâ—…ory and in the presence of the same Officers That no Victuals should be brought into Walls unless by the especial licence of the King and his Council That no Welshmen shouâ—…d have any Castle Fortress or House of Defence of his own or any other mâ—…ns to keep That no Welsh-man should be made Justice Chamberlaâ—… Chancellor c. of a Castle Receivor Eschetor c. nor other Officer or Keeper oâ—…W Records â—… nor of the Council of any English Lord. That no English man that in time to come should marry a Welsh-woman be put in any Office in Wales or in the Marches oâ—… the same Now as I am heartily sorry that ever the Welsh were bound to the observance of so rigorous Laws so am I truly glad that at this day they are to the happiness both of England and Wales freed from the same Yea I shall constantly pray that God would be pleased to grant us of the Loins of our Soveraign one who may be born Prince of the one and after the though late decease of his Majesty King of the other FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO FULLER'S Worthies of England A. NAMES SHIRE PAGE ST Aaron Monm 50 Robert Abbot Surr. 82 George Abbot Surr. 83 Sir Roger Achley Shrop. 10 John Acton Middl. 104 Ralph Acton ib. 178 Sir Thomas Adams Shrop. 10 William Adams ib. 10 William Adams Kent 77 Adam de Marisco Somer 27 St. Adelme Wilt. 147 Pope Adrian IV. Hertf. 20 Agelnoth Kent 68 William Alabaster Suff. 70 â—… Alan de Morton Berk. 104 Albericus de Veer Bedf. 121 b Alan of Lynne Norf. 256 Flaccus Albinus alias Alcuinus York 227 King Alfred Berk. 96 Alphred of Beverly York 205 Henry de Aldecheleia Staff 50 John Alcock York 214 Albricius of Lond. 216 Robert Aldricke Bucks 131 William Alley ib. 131 William Aldersea Ches 191 St. Alride Cumb. 217 St. Alkmund Derb. 231 James Altham Essex 347 William Alton Hant. 11 St. Alban Hertf. 19 St. Alnulphus Bedf. 115 c William Alan Lanc. 109 Edward Allin Lond. 223 Rose Allin Essex 323 Bertram Fitz-Allin Linc. 166 Thomas Allin Staff 42 John Amersham Buck. 135 St. Amphibalus Monm 50 Anderton Lanc. 119 Sir Edmund Anderson Linc. 161 Anderson Northumb. 310 Lancelot Andrewes Lond. 206 Thomas Andrewes Northamp 300 Richardus Anglicus Lond. 215 Laurentius Anglicus ib. 216 Anne D. to King Charles Westm. 229 Richard Angervile Suff. 29 Henry D'Anvers Wilt. 153 Sir Edmund Appleby Leicest 136 Thomas de Appleby Westmorl 137 Roger de Appleby ibid.  Sir Simon Archer Warw. 133 William Armyne Linc. 155 David Archidiaconus Bedf. 122 King Arthur Cornw. 201 Prince Arthue Hant. 4 John Arundle Cornw. 200   202 209 Thomas Arundell Suss. 103 St. Asaph Flint 38 Roger Ascham York 209 John Ashburnham Surrey 95 Thomas Askine Berk. 91 William Ascough Linc. 156 Anne Askewe ib. 155 Thomas Ashbourne Derby 236 Sir Thomas de Ashton Lanc. 122 John de Aston Staff 48 Sir Walter Aston ib. 50 Atwell Cornw. 202 Edmund Audley Staff 42 Sir Thomas Audley Essex 327 James Lord Audley Devon 258 John Aylmer Norf. 238 B. NAMES SHIRE PAGE Richard Badew Essex 335 John Badby Lond. 204 Sir Francis Bacon Westmin 241 Robert Bacon Oxf. 337 Sir Nicholas Bacon Suff. 62 75 Ralph Baines York 197 John Baconthorpe Norf. 255 William Baitman Norw 276 Sir Richard Baker Oxf. 338 John Bale Suff. 60 Thomas Bagnols Staff 44 Christopher Bambridge Westmorl 136 Bankinus Londin Lond. 217 Sir John Banks Cumb. 219 John Ball Oxf. 339 John Bancroft ib. 333 Richard Bancroft Lanc. 112 Ralph Baldock Herâ—…f 21 Sir Paul Bannyng Essex 347 Hugo de Balsham Camb. 160 Amias Bamfeild Devon 272 Richard Barnes Lanc. 110 William Barry Kent 94 Thomas Barrington Essex 340 John Barnston Chesh. 183 John Barkham Devon 276 Juliana Barnes Lond. 217 Richard de Barking Essex 325 Adam of Barking ib. 332 Thomas Barret ib. 340 a John Barret Norf. 258 John Barnet Hertf. 21 Edward Bash ib. 30 Richard de Baskervill Heref. 44 Sir James Baskervill ib. 46 John Barningham Suff. 69 Herbert de Basham Sussex 101 William Barlow ib. 103 Salephilax the Bard Wales 13 John of Basingsloke Hant. 10 b Valentine Barret Kent 94 John Basket Berk. 108 Thomas Basket Dorces 28â—… John Basket Wilt. 163 Abbot of Battle Sussex 106 Walter de Baud Simon alii Essex 343 James Baynam Glocest. 354 Richard Basset Bedf. 121 John Basset Cornw. 210 Thomas Beckington Somers 23 Thomas Becket Lond. 203 Bede Durham 292 Sir Thomas Beigney Devon 265 Philip de la Beach Berk. 104 Margaret Beaufort Bedf. 115 Anne Beauchamp Oxâ—… 330 Richard Beauchamp Berk. 92  Worc. 171 Sir Edward Bellingham Westmorl 138 Thomas Bell Glocest. 362 Beavois Hant. 9
25. * Godwin in the Bâ—…shops of Lincoln * Hatcheâ—…s M. S. in Anno 1444. * Goodwyn in the Bishops of Worcestâ—…r * Idem Ibid. * Godwyn in his Catalogue of the Bishops of Durâ—…m * Dr. Hatchâ—…r his Manuscript Catalogue of the Masters and Fellows of K. Colleâ—… * Godwin in his Cataloguâ—… of the Bishops of Herâ—…ford * Prov. 13 8. * David Powel in his History of Wales * Camb. Brit. in Derby-shire * Camb. Brit. in Gloucestershire * Register of the Burial in the Temple * See Camb. Eliz in these respective years * Sir George Summers of whom in Dorset-shire * Bâ—…le descrip Brit. Cent. 2. Num. 78. Pits in Anno 1140. * In his Book Declaris Oratoribus otherwise called Brutus toward the later end * Cells or Portions †Ruler or Governor sed quaere * Bale de scrip Brit. Cent. 3. Num. 46. Pits in An. 1200. * Pits de Illust. Ang. script Anno 1326. * New Coll. Reg. Anno 1540. * Pitseus de Angl. script pag. 770. * Mason de Mâ—…nst Ang. * Bale de scrip Bâ—…t Cent. 9. Num. 58. * Tho Râ—…ndolph * Page 18. * Cent. Octav. Nuâ—… 71. * Patent 7. Rich. 2. part 2. Memb. 2. * In his Description of Gloucestershire * Job 31. 20. * Stows Annals pag. 327. * Cambden in 〈◊〉 set-shire * Burton in description of Leicester-shire pag. 320. * Lord Howard in his Defensative against Prophesies fol 130. * Lord Herbert ut prius * In his life of K. Edw. 6. †In his Survey of Cornwall * Holingshed in the fourth of Q Mary pag. 1132. * Matth. 13. 5. * Camden's Brit. in Somersetshire * Idem in Hant-shire * Sir Ro. Cotton under the name of Mr. Speed in Huntingtonshire * P. Jovius de legatione Muscovitarum 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 * Nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 24. * Naturae liquor iste novae cui summa natat faex Auson * Prov. 24. 13. * Olim communis pecori cibus atque homini Glans Auson * Bishop Godwin in the Bishops of Winc hester * Cam. Brit. in the Isle of Wight * Speeds Catâ—… of Religious Houses * Speeds Chro. Page 565. * Lord Verulam in his Hen. the 7. * Speeds Chro. Page 763. * Hen. Higgd Polick lib. 6. cap. 4. * Flowers of the English Saints Page 570. June the 15. * Idem Ibidem * The English Martyrologie in the 15. of June * J. Bale Descript Brit. Cent. 8. num 89. * 2 King 9. 11. * Numb 22. 28. * Godwin in the Bishops of Winchest * Those dates are exactly Transcribed out of the Records of New-Colledge * Register of New-Colledge in Anno 1449. * Godwin in Catalogue of Bishops of Lincolne * J. Philpot in Catalogue of Chancellors page 65. * Harps field Hist. Eccl. Ang. dâ—…cimo quinto saeculo c. 24. * Idem ibid. * New-Colledge Register in the year 1475 * Godwin in the Arch-bishops of Canterbury * â—…ew Coll. Register in the year 1474. * Cambdens Brit. in Sussex * Godwin in his Bishops of Chichester * Godwin in his Bishops of Chichester * Sir J. Harrington in the Bishops of Winchester * Made by Christopher Johnson afterwards Schoolmaster of Winchester * Piâ—…s de ill Ang. Script page 763. * Nâ—…w Colledge Register Anno 1565. * John 19. 30. * See the life of Dr. Smith prefixed to his Sermon * New-Colledge Register Anno 1589. wherein he was admitted * 〈◊〉 Description of Leicester-shire page 105. * J. Philpot in his Carâ—… of Chancellors page 73. S. N. * Sir Robert 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Sam. 20. 24. * 1 King 4. 6. * King 12. 18. * Ibidem * Holinshead Stow Ed. Herbert in this Year * Gwillim his Display of Heraldry pag. 50. * Hatkluit his Voyages Volume 3. pag. 437. * Idem pag. 450. * Idem pag. 451. * Pitz. aetate decima Num. 149. * Libro secundo de gestis Reg. Angliae * Pitz. aetat undecima Num. 154. * Descrip. Brit. Cent. quarta pag. 302. * de scrip Brit. * Idem * Idem * In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 * Bale de Script Britt Cent. 8. Numb 64. * Stowes Survey of London page 370. * Bale de Script Brit. Cent. 9. Num. 78. * Bale de Script Britt Cent. 9. Num. 79. * Idem Ibidem * Psal. 69. 12. * Rinerius in Histor. Benedictinor †Holling sheads Cron. p. 1403. * Heroologia Angliae p. 173. * Idem Aut. Ibid. * Lord Verulam In his Apophâ—…gms * New Colledge Register Anno 1593. * Britt in Monmouthshire S. N. * In the Verses ad Authorem * He writeth himself in his Book of Basing-stoak * Pitts de Ill. Ang. Scrip. pag. â—…06 †Pits in the life of William Aulton in anno 1330. * Idem in his own life pag. 817. * Micah 6. 9. S. N. Brittania Baconica in Hantshire Pag. 51. * 2 Chron. 35. 26. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this County * Sâ—…ed in his Map of this County * In his description of Hartford-shire Page the 2d * Eccles. 3. 5. * Tunbridge Epsham Barnet * On Charles Blunt son to the Earle of Newport in St. Martins in the Fields * As appeareth in Villare Anglicanum * Speed in the Description of Pembrokeshire * Lord Herbert in the life of King Henry the Eighth * In the Earle of Richmond * Acts 22. 25. * Cent. 4. pag. 17 c. * Norden in his description of this County pag. 29. * Camd. Brit. in Middlesex * Bale de Scrip. Brit. Cent. Secund numero 90. Piâ—…seus in anno 1159. * REM * Bale de Scrip. Brit. * Godwin in Cat. of Cardin. Pag. 164. * On his Tomb yet well to be seen in Westminster Abbey on the North-side of the Tomb of Amer de Valens Earl of Pembroke * J. Philipot in his Treasurers of England collected Ann. Dâ—…m 1636. p. 19. * Godwin in his Bishops of London * Camd. Britt in Middlesex * Bish. Godw. in Bishops of Ely * Godwin in Cat. of Bishops of St. Davids * Bale de Scrip. Brit. Cent. 7 n. 53. Pits An. 1419. S. N. * Sir R. Nanton in his Fragment Regal * Bale 〈◊〉 de Scrip. Angl. * In An. 1253. * Symphorianus Champerius in his fift Tract de medi Art script * Mathaeus Silvaticus in Lexico * Bale de scrip Brit. Cent. 5. n. 7. Pits in an 1320. * Bish. Godw. in Cat. of the Bish. of Lincoln * Bale Pits de script Angl. * Weavers Fun. Mon. in Hartford-shire * In suo heptuâ—…lo * Bale de scrip Brit. cent 4. p. 323. Pits p. 349. * Weavers Fun. Mon. in this County * Bale de scrip Brit. * Pit de Illust. Ang. Scrlp. an 1400. * See Writers in Middlesex * Wâ—…aver Fun. Monum p. 569 Manusc Sir R. Cottons Library AMP. * Mills in hls Catal.
Amirall of England and kept it until the day of his Death Afterwards Men were chequered at the pleasure of our Princes and took their turns in that Office For this cause I can make no certain Catalogue of them who can take with my most fixed Eye no steddy aime at them the same persons being often alternately In and Out of the Place whilst Officers protermino vitae may be with some certainty recounted Yet have we sometimes inserted some Memorable Amiralls under the Tiâ—…le of Statesmen and Vice-Amiralls under the Topick of Seamen because the former had no great knowledge in Navigation I say great it being improper they should be seamasters who in no degree were seamen and were imployed rather for their Trust then skill to see others do their Duty whilst the latter were allwayes persons well experienced in Maritine affairs Lord-Deputies of IRELAND Ever since King Henry the second conquered Ireland few of our English Princes went thither in person and none continued any long time there save King John and King Richard the second neither of them over-fortunate But that Land was governed by a Substitute commissioned from our Kings with the same power though sometimes under several names Lord Lieutenants Lord Deputies Lord Cheif Justiceâ—… These were also of a double nature for Some staid in England and appointed Deputies under them to act all Irish Affairs Others went over into Ireland transacting all things by presence not proxie Immediately deputed by the King to reside there We insist on this title as which is most constant and current amongst them Not of the Kings Bench or Common-Pleas but of all Ireland This power was sometime sole in a single person and sometimes 〈◊〉 in two together Thus these three Titles are in sense Synonima to signifie the same power and place Some erroniously term them Presidents of Ireland a Title belonging to the particular Governours of Mounster and Connagh It is true of Ireland what was once said of * Edom their Deputies were Kings No Vice-roy in Christendome Naples it self not excepted is observed in more state He chooseth Sheriffes and generally all Officers save Bishops and Judges and these also though not made by his commanding are usually by his commending to the King He conferreth Knighthood hath power of life and death signified by the Sword carried commonly before him by a person of Honour His attendance and House-keeping is magnificent partly to set a Copy of State to the barbarous Irish by seeing the difference betwixt the rude rabble routs runing after their native Lords and the solemnity of a regulated retinue partly to make in that Rebellious Nation a reverential impression of Majesty that by the Shadow they may admire the Substance and proportionably collect the State of the King himself who therein is represented Our English Kings were content with the Title of Lords of Ireland until King Henry the Eighth who partly to shew his own power to assume what style he pleased without leave or liberty from the Pope whose Supremity he had suppressed in his Dominions partly the more to awe the Irish wrote himself King thereof Anno Dom. 1541. from which Year we date our Catalogue of Lord Deputies as then and not before Vice-Royes indeed Indeed it was no more then needs for King Henry the Eighth to assume that Title seeing quod efficit tale magis est tale and the Commission whereby King Henry the Second made William-Fitz-Adelme his Lieutenant of Ireland hath this direction Archiepiscopis Episcopis Regibus Comitibus Baronibus et omnibus fidelibus suis in Hibernia salutem Now though by the post-poning of these Kings to Arch-bishops and Bishops it plainly appears that they were no Canonical Kings as I may say I mean solemnly invested with the Emblems of sovereignty the King of Connagh the King of Thomond yet were they more then Kings even Tyrants in the exercise of their Dominions so that King Henry was in some sort necessitated to set himself King Paramount above them all CHAPTER VII Of Capital Judges and Writers on the Common Law BY CAPITAL JUDGES we understand not those who have power to condemn Offenders for Capital Faults as all the Twelve Judges have or any Serjeant commissioned to ride the Circuit but the Chief Judges who as Capital LETTERS stand in Power and Place above the rest viz. 1. the Chief Justice of the Kings Bench. 2. of the Common Pleas 3. the Chief Baron of the Exchequer and the Learned Antiquary Sr. Henry Spelman avoweth the Title of Capital Justicers properly applicable to these alone The Chief Justice of the Kings or Upper Bench is commonly called the Lord Chief Justice of England a Title which the Lord Chancellor accounting himself Chief in that kind looks on as an injurious usurpation And many alive may remember how Sr. Edward Cook was accused to K. James for so styling himself in the Frontespiece of his Reports Part the Tenth and Eleventh insomuch that the Judg was fain to plead for himself Erravimus cum Patribus as who could have produced plenty of Precedents therein 2. The chief Justice of the Common Pleas in Place beneath is in Profit above the former So that some have out of Designe quitted That to accept of This Amongst these was Sr. Edward Mountague in the Raign of K. Henry the eighth who being demanded of his Friends the Reason of his Self-degradation I am now saith he an Old Man and love the Kitching above the Hall the Warmest place best suiting my Age. The Chief Baron is chiefly imployed in the Exchequer to decide causes which relate to the Kings Revenue Their Brevia or Writts did commonly run with this Clause That the Judg should have and hold his PLACE quam diu se benè geserit so long as he well behaved himself on this Token That Sr. John Walter Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer being to be outed of his Place for adjudging the Loan-mony illegal pleaded for himself That he was guilty of no Misdemeanour who had only delivered his Judgment according to his Conscience Others are granted from the King durante nostro beneplacito to continue in their Office during his will and pleasure We begin the Army of our Judges for some Few like the Forlorne Hope advance higher about the time of King Edward the first It is impossible exactly to observe that Inn of Court wherein each of them had his Education especially some of them being so Ancient that in their times Lincolnes Inn and Greys Inn were Lincoln's Inn and Grey's Inn I mean belonged to those their Owners from whom they had their Names as being before they were appropriated to the Students of our Municipall Lawes Here I will condemn my self to prevent the condemning of others and confesse our Characters of these Judges to be very brief and defective Indeed were the Subject we treat of overstrewed with Ashes like the floor of Bells Temple it were easie to finde out and follow the